I became the God Brother of the Regent King after Transmigration!-Chapter 26: I Care for You

When they were about to return to Xiaoxiang Palace, Jiu finally placed the kitten in a hidden nest and warned White, "From now on, you mustn’t let Erhua be seen by anyone again; in this palace, a cat without a master cannot survive."

Rong Heng said coldly, "You’re talking to a cat, isn’t that boring?"

Jiu ran back to Rong Heng’s side, "Boring, yes, but didn’t Your Highness save this cat?"

Rong Heng: "Annoying."

Jiu asked with a cheeky grin, "By the way, Your Highness, is it true that Young Master Gu is impotent?"

"What do you think——"

At this moment, a streak of black light flickered by.

Rong Heng’s eyes narrowed, and his body quickly retreated. After dodging, he found it was a round jade marble spinning on the ground.

His face, which was calm and indifferent, suddenly froze over with a layer of icy coldness.

In the distance, surrounded by palace attendants, Second Prince Rong Qijun put down his slingshot and shouted angrily, "Rong Wu, you dare to dodge now?"

"Rong Heng, how dare you not kneel when you see the Second Prince!"

"Fifth Prince Rong moved from the Imperial Court to Xiaoxiang Palace and now thinks highly of himself."

"A traitor’s grandson, yet you won’t kneel and pay respects to the Second Prince!"

Rong Qijun, emboldened by the flattery, became increasingly arrogant. He reloaded a marble into the slingshot, aiming once more at that frail figure, eyes full of disdain.

This Rong Heng really has a face as cold as death, especially since he recently joined the Imperial Family; sitting lifelessly at the back row makes him infuriating to look at!

"Yuan Lang, pick up my jade ball," Rong Qijun commanded arrogantly.

"Yes."

Yuan Lang cautiously replied, ran from the crowd, his eyes lowered, and picked up the marble, holding it up over his head to present it to the Second Prince.

"This is your reward." Rong Qijun said with a smile.

To have the Crown Prince as an attendant satisfied Rong Qijun’s vanity greatly.

"Thank you, Second Prince! Thank you, Second Prince!"

Yuan Lang immediately prostrated himself on the ground without any dignity, lowering his head to hide the spreading hatred in his eyes.

Rong Qijun aimed the slingshot and shouted loudly, "Rong Wu, try dodging again if you dare!" 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Jiu hurriedly ran to the Second Prince, knelt, and loudly knocked his head to the ground: "Second Prince, Second Prince, please no, you excel in martial arts, my master is frail and cannot withstand you——"

Before Jiu could finish, the Second Prince kicked him to the ground, stepping on Jiu’s hand heavily, and raised an eyebrow at Rong Heng.

"You little eunuch, you’re truly a loyal dog that won’t die."

Jiu struggled a bit, but then silently unclenched his fist.

Just then, Rong Qijun released the slingshot.

Rong Heng looked at Jiu on the ground and stood still.

A marble zipped through the air and struck Rong Heng’s face hard, causing his head to tilt, and slowly, blood began to trickle from his nose.

This time, he did not dodge.

Rong Qijun clapped and laughed, "These slingshots are your reward. Let the prince see your martial skills."

"Yes!"

Jiu wanted to rush back to shield Rong Heng, but his hand was being crushed under the Second Prince’s foot, making him unable to move, only pleading hoarsely.

Rong Heng stood motionless at the gate of Xiaoxiang Palace, allowing countless hard marbles to hit his body with thumping sounds.

A marble struck Rong Heng’s knee, causing him to sway and kneel on one knee.

His face, exquisite and handsome, remained calm without a ripple, as if no amount of pain could stir a wave in his eyes.

A bloody taste spread in his throat, possibly reopening old wounds.

Rong Heng lowered his head, looking at Jiu’s trapped hand.

He knew that, although Jiu was one of the top hidden guards with great martial skills, because of him, Jiu had to spend a lifetime as the lowest of the palace slaves.

So many lives were carried on his shoulders.

He didn’t know how long it was until he heard the Second Prince say "Boring" and Jiu was finally released, crawling back bit by bit.

"I’m sorry, Your Highness, I’m sorry, it’s all my fault——"

The smile that was always on Jiu’s doll-like face had vanished, leaving only a hoarse, choking voice.

Rong Heng shook his head slightly, half-kneeling, "I’m fine, let’s go back."

At this moment, a pair of black boots embroidered with dark gold cloud patterns stopped in front of the two.

"The Second Prince said, all those marbles are your reward," Yuan Lang said indifferently.

Rong Heng staggered to his feet, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, said nothing, did not pick up the marbles on the ground, and had already stepped into Xiaoxiang Palace.

Jiu saluted, his voice hoarse, "Crown Prince of Wei, you’d better keep these for yourself."

Yuan Lang froze, his gentle and delicate face briefly stiffened.

"Why?" Yuan Lang muttered quietly, already bending to pick up the marbles from the ground.

These marbles, made of precious jade, could be sold at a good price, allowing him to live a little better in Yan Country. When the time came for him to return to his homeland, he would still be the Crown Prince of Wei...

Rong Heng did not look back, only a cold, low voice sounded:

"Some like to kneel, some like to stand, that’s all there is to it."

But can those who have kneeled for so long ever stand again?

When the doors of Xiaoxiang Palace closed, Rong Heng finally couldn’t support himself any longer, leaning against the door, coughing a mouthful of fresh blood.

"Cough, cough, cough."

"Your Highness, are you alright? A while ago, those old folks in the Imperial Prison dealt you a heavy hand, and your old injury hasn’t healed, now——" Jiu quickly tried to help Rong Heng up, his expression anxious.

Rong Heng waved it off, wiped the blood from his face with his sleeve, lowered his eyes, voice calm, "It’s nothing."

"Among those just now, there was a master who used inner strength."

"Rong Qijun wants us dead. So young, how can he be so ruthless?" Jiu gritted his teeth, lowering his voice, "I need to contact someone to heal you."

"Who do you want to contact?"

Rong Heng suddenly lifted his head, eyes deep and dark, as if reading Jiu’s mind.

Jiu’s teeth almost shattered from clenching, swallowing all his resentment.

Now, it wasn’t the time...

Seeing Jiu’s doll-like face scrunched up in grievance, Rong Heng gently shook his head, offering rare comfort: "He’s just testing again, won’t be fatal, but our people cannot bear this kind of torment."

"Meow~"

A familiar cat’s meow sounded from the wall.

The white cat nimbly leaped into the courtyard, its tail coiling, walking with haughty steps to Rong Heng’s side, then quietly laid down, licking his blood-stained fingers.

Jiu suddenly spoke with sadness, "Your Highness, isn’t this cat just like us, unloved, surviving as a stray cat in the palace, either caught and drowned or chased out..."

Rong Heng’s eyes darkened, fingertips brushed lightly against the white cat’s neck, lost in thought.

The tabby cat indeed had been caught nearly to death;

But this white cat had lived for many years, very clever, never suffered a loss, always especially good at acting coy with people...

His fingertip pressed into the white cat’s warm and soft fur, he scratched lightly, and the white cat squinted comfortably and meowed.

"Cats, if they’re smart, can find someone to care for them." Suddenly, Gu Lan’s face appeared in his mind.

Why think of him now? Rong Heng shook his head, vision darkening, yet the figure did not vanish.

"Brother Hang, you have someone who cares for you too!"

"——It’s me!"