Having gone through half a day of fright and nervousness, Chu Qing-Yan tiredly fell asleep in the horse carriage.

Getting down the carriage, Xiao Xu carried her down.

Her body was so light just like a feather that Xiao Xu frowned, then he turned around to walk into the manor.

When Bai Hu and the other servants respectfully waiting in front of the gate saw their family's Highness carrying Chu Qing-Yan, one after another they lowered their heads.

They originally thought His Highness treated Chu Qing-Yan well was merely because of temporary novelty, but reality proved that their thoughts were wrong.

"Highness, you have returned…." Hong Yi led everyone to welcome him, but when she made contact with her family's Highness's meaningful glance she stopped talking. They saw that Chu Qing-Yan was sleeping very soundly at this moment in His Highness’s arms, so they stopped whatever else they wanted to say. One after another, they very carefully and quietly got out of the way.

Arriving in Chu Qing-Yan's room, Xiao Xu placed her on the bed. His hand touched that thin embroidered cover then paused for a second. Soon after, he walked out of the room.

"Highness, do you want to eat right now?" Hong Yi waited outside, seeing him come out, she softly asked.

"For the time being there's no need." Xiao Xu faintly replied, then he thought of something. "You should instruct Lu Yi to change Qing-Yan's bedding for a new set. In the future, she will be in charge of arranging all of Qing-Yan's living issues."

Hong Yi stared blankly for a second, among the seven senior servants that were originally dedicated to His Highness, Huang Yi had become Chu Qing-Yan's devoted little cook. Lan Yi waited upon Chu Qing-Yan with paper, brushes and ink-stone. Zi Yi was dragged back to be retrained. Now even Lu Yi was about to be in charge of Chu Qing-Yan's living quarters. Hong Yi didn't know when she herself would have to take orders from Chu Qing-Yan. The seven Senior servants were about to once again get a new master!

However, the well trained Hong Yi very quickly agreed. All of these changes caught people somewhat unprepared. However she still followed the orders and executed it.

After he finished with his instructions, Xiao Xu walked toward the study. Fire Spirit and Earth Spirit who were hiding in the dark appeared behind him.

"Your Highness." The two spoke in unison, making their salutations.

"How is the investigation?" Xiao Xu did not stop and continued to walk forward unhurriedly.

"It was Fu An who dispatched people to tell Concubine Yue the little consort's matter. On top of which Fourth Prince often comes and goes from this manor. Concubine Yue thought that you have been misguiding Fourth Prince, therefore she thought to make her moves starting with the little consort." Fire Spirit slowly said.

"En." Xiao Xu answered.

"Your Highness, what should these subordinates do?" Fire Spirit was somewhat eager to roll up his sleeves for battle. He couldn't endure it anymore. Although he still wasn't willing to acknowledge Chu Qing-Yan's ident.i.ty as the little consort, however people from the brave, fierce cavalry were all overprotective. He had already taken the initiative to incorporate Chu Qing-Yan into his own group of people. Now one of his own people was bullied, how could he swallow this gas?

Although Earth Spirit didn't speak, he clearly thought the same as Fire Spirit.

"Whatever you guys want to do, go and do it as long as it's not fatal." He always felt a.s.sured of the actions of the people under him.

"As you bid!" Fire Spirit exposed his white teeth in a dark and eerie smile. So it's Fu An ah? Wait for grandpa to come!

Having walked halfway, Xiao Xu started to talk again. "From now on, the two of you will be in charge of teaching Qing-Yan martial arts."

What?

Teach martial arts?

The corner of Earth Spirit and Fire Spirit's mouths twitched.

That little physique of the little consort's, could it even bear the cruel training methods of a cavalry soldier?

"High, Highness, you are not joking right?" Fire Spirit dug his ears in disbelief.

Xiao Xu indifferently shot him a glance. "Does this king look like someone who jokes around?"

Fire Spirit immediately lowered his head. "No."

"Under a good general there are no weak soldiers. It's time for her to learn some self protection." Xiao Xu gazed deeply at the curved moon in the horizon. Sometimes when he could not be by her side, if she doesn't have any self-protection abilities, sooner or later she would be eaten until not a speck remained. The matter of today was just a warning.

Fire Spirit's pupils spun around, then he poked Earth Spirit at his side. "I need to go teach that boy from Fu family a lesson. I'll hand over to you the matter of teaching the little consort."

Earth Spirit rolled his eyes at him.

Just when the two were about to enter their normal bickering mode, their master in front of them started to talk again.

"Let Wood Spirit return to the manor, tell him to hand over everything he is working on to the subordinates to finish."

Earth Spirit asked in puzzlement. "Your Highness, the bridge on the Huai Liu River hasn't been completed. To move him back at this time, is there an important matter?"

"Just listen to orders and execute them." For the first time, Xiao Xu didn't know how to explain to his subordinates, so he said this in a low voice, he gave a cough.

He couldn't very well tell them that he only felt that making Qing-Yan learn martial arts was a process with a lot of suffering. Therefore when he gave her some suffering, he should also give her some benefits to coax her. And among his subordinates, he couldn’t think of anyone else that would be able to accomplish this mission apart from Wood Spirit. He only had Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth as the capable, adopted commanders in his hand. Xiao Xu suddenly had the feeling of having capable soldiers but having no place to use their skills! Looks like their skills were still not enough!

"As you bid." Earth Spirit didn't understand but he still complied.

However no one knew, even that Wood Spirit on the very distant Huai Liu River didn't know. The last time, he was summoned back from distant parts to build the Star Picking Tower. This time again it was to make those little toy gadgets that makes him want to cry!

Moreover, Gold, Wood, Fire, Water and Earth didn't know that just now they were being looked down on by their family's master. The reason being that they didn't have any good skills to coax a child!

May I ask what kind of ghostly skill was that!

The five great spirits, if they were to know, maybe they would be very frustrated and depressed!

Finally arriving at the study, Fire Spirit remembered a matter and immediately reported. "Master, after three days, Air Spirit will be able to return to the manor."

A while before, an infectious disease broke out in Ling City. The imperial court was helpless in the face of this crisis so he secretly dispatched Air Spirit to investigate. Several days ago, he had already sent back a letter, saying it was already resolved. Xiao Xu calculated the time, it should be time soon.

He sat in the study for a while and finished handling matters that needed to be dealt with. Xiao Xu got up and walked toward Chu Qing-Yan's room.

This child has slept her full, it should be time for her to get up and eat.

(Author: hehehe, showing more and more potential of being a father.)

He walked to the front of the bed, just as Chu Qing-Yan woke up because of hunger. She was rubbing her sleepy eyes when she hazzily saw the person in front of her bed. She couldn't stop herself from extending a hand. In a low voice, she blurted out. "Hug."

(Author: Hehehe, showing more and more potential of being a ten year old child.)

Xiao Xu's eyebrows rose, but seeing her hand stubbornly extended out, he softly sighed. Immediately after, he bent down at the waist and picked her up from the bed.

"Just this once." His cold voice sounded by her ear.

Chu Qing-Yan laughed like a thief, hugged his neck tightly and comfortably stuck her head against his chest.

Xiao Xu didn't know, this 'just this once', since he had broken it once, then it would happen over and over again!

Exiting the door, Chu Qing-Yan saw a woman carrying lots of high quality bed sheets that were much thinner than the ones she was sleeping on. She was wearing green colored clothes. She gently and warmly saluted towards the two people. Afterwards, she turned around and entered her room.

"For me?" Chu Qing-Yan asked him.

"En."

The weather was getting hotter and hotter, a child could easily get heatstroke. With the change to better sheets, she would sleep more comfortably.

Chu Qing-Yan rubbed against his neck, gigglingly saying. "Big Block of Ice is really good. However, as long as I stay by Big Block of Ice's side, experiencing the cold air your body gives off is even more helpful against the heat when compared to a summer residence!"

Xiao Xu narrowed his eyes. "Tomorrow, morning exercise at dawn. Don't forget to get out of bed!"

Saying this, he put her down and walked into the dinning hall!

Dawn? 5 am?

Don't want ah——

In an instant, all the drowsy bugs ran away and vanished!