Shen Qingzhuo leaned over and put the little wolf on the bed.
As soon as the little wolf touched the soft bed, he fell into a deep sleep.
“Xiao Dezi, pour me a glass of water.” Shen Qingzhuo whispered, took the teacup, scooped water with a spoon, and moistened his pale and cracked lips.
Clear water flowed in through his slightly opened lips. Xiao Shen swallowed hard in his coma, but he was too sleepy to wake up.
This was too much.
But Shen Qingzhuo only let him sleep for two hours before forcibly waking him up.
The dark eyelids trembled several times and finally opened a crack weakly and then closed again.
“Eat something before going back to sleep.” Shen Qingzhuo raised his hand and opened the food bowl, letting the aroma of food float in the air.
The two survival instincts of hunger and sleepiness clashed fiercely. Xiao Shen tried to raise his upper body, but his stiff limbs seemed not to be his, and his consciousness was dragged into the endless darkness.
Shen Qingzhuo had no choice but to sit down beside the bed, pick him up, and put him in his arms, holding his head and letting Xiao Dezi feed him.
He stuffed the spoon into his mouth and swallowed it without chewing. The next bite, he suddenly stopped moving, and he fell asleep again.
Xiao Dezi held the spoon, looking at a loss.
Seeing the wolf cub struggling, Shen Qingzhuo found it a little funny. He could not help but soften his heart. He patted the thin little face and patiently said, “Eat first; otherwise, once you sleep, you will not wake up.”
After a long time of struggling, he finally fed half a bowl of rice porridge. Xiao Dezi wiped the sweat from his forehead with a sense of relief.
Shen Qingzhuo stood up and let him lie back down to sleep.
“Young Master, will His Highness really be alright?” Xiao Dezi followed behind his young master, muttering in a low voice, “The servant almost thought you wanted to…”
“What? Kill him?” Shen Qingzhuo glanced at him, “Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.”
Xiao Dezi didn’t dare to say more. He always felt that since he woke up from the nightmare that day, something seemed to be different about his young master, but he couldn’t tell what it was.
Shen Qingzhuo lay on the couch, and his slender white jade fingertips pressed against his temples and rubbed them gently twice. “Alright, you go out first.”
His body was really weak, and by tormenting the wolves, wasn’t he also tormenting himself?
Xiao Shen slept so soundly that he was totally unaware of the world around him.
In his dreams, sometimes his mother consort wanted to strangle him to death, sometimes his brothers let dogs bite him, and sometimes the eunuchs and palace maids kicked over his rice bowl.
In a daze, he seemed to be locked up in a cold and damp cellar by that person again. He was so hungry that he even wanted to eat his own flesh.
“Ah—” There was a sharp pain in his hand, and Xiao Shen struggled to wake up.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself lying on an unfamiliar bed, his whole body wrapped in warm and soft bedding, and his whole body was enveloped in a cool and subtle fragrance.
His slow brain slowly started to work, and when he looked up again, he found that person sleeping on the couch not far away.
His face was pale, with only a hint of pink on his lips, and his sleeping posture was as beautiful as a painting.
The dark eyes quickly focused, and Xiao Shen struggled to prop up his soft body, lifted the quilt, and wanted to get out of bed.
“I advise you not to move.” The beauty on the couch had his eyes closed and spoke lightly.
Xiao Shen was startled and fell to the side of the bed with a plop.
Shen Qingzhuo opened his eyes and said calmly, “Lie back down. I’ll ask someone to bring in some food.”
Xiao Shen said nothing, resisting the dizziness and nausea, and secretly gritted his teeth and climbed up.
“Lie back down.” Shen Qingzhuo sat up with a cold tone, “Or do you want to recall the past few days?”
The torture he had endured in the past few days suddenly came to his mind, his empty stomach twitched even more violently, and a tremor appeared in his usually cold eyes.
Shen Qingzhuo saw his fear and ordered again, “Lie back down.”
After hesitating for a moment, Xiao Shen climbed back onto the bed.
Shen Qingzhuo smiled slightly, “Good boy.”
He knew that this punishment would definitely leave an indelible sense of fear in the little wolf’s heart.
What he wanted was fear. If he feared him from the bottom of his heart, he wouldn’t dare to attack him easily, let alone disobey his orders.
Soon, the palace servants brought the food in swiftly.
Fragrant and soft duck porridge, scallion oil noodles covered with sauce, tofu soup, small dishes on silver plates, not many dishes, but the aroma was fragrant.
Shen Qingzhuo took a mouthful of porridge but saw the little wolf opposite him tremblingly putting the spoon to his mouth, but most of the spoonful of porridge leaked out.
He couldn’t help but laugh out loud, and Xiao Shen immediately looked up at him alertly.
“If you had admitted your mistake earlier, you wouldn’t have to suffer so much.” Shen Qingzhuo ate slowly and gracefully.
The implication was that you were starving to death because of your own fault.
Xiao Shen clenched his teeth and did not refute but continued to swallow the hot porridge with difficulty.
After finishing a bowl of porridge, his burning stomach finally felt better. He put down his spoon and looked at the steaming noodles with meat sauce.
“Drink some soup.” Shen Qingzhuo noticed his look and personally poured a bowl of tofu soup and pushed it over.
Xiao Shen drank without hesitation until the bowl of soup was almost empty and licked the spoon with satisfaction.
Shen Qingzhuo put down the porcelain bowl. “Don’t eat anymore, you’ll vomit if you eat too much.”
After that, he ordered the food to be taken away, regardless of the wolf cub staring at the noodles.
Xiao Dezi brought warm water, and he wiped his fingers carefully with a wet towel, then said, “I hope we have reached a consensus.”
Xiao Shen suddenly raised his head and looked at him, his face full of doubt and uncertainty.
“Speak.” Shen Qingzhuo looked back at the little wolf calmly. “Ask any questions you have.”
“What?” Xiao Shen opened his mouth and uttered a hoarse voice, “What consensus?”
Shen Qingzhuo showed a nice smile and gently said, “Be good and listen well, I will fill your stomach and even teach you to read and write.”
Xiao Shen pursed his lips tightly, his expression not relaxing at all.
“Of course, if you still want to overestimate your abilities, you won’t be so lucky next time.” Shen Qingzhuo stood up and walked to the window. “Go back and think about it carefully, and come to me when you figure it out.”
“Why?” After a while, a low questioning voice came from behind.
“Why?” Shen Qingzhuo sneered, “Do you know why I torture you?”
Xiao Shen didn’t say anything, as if waiting for his answer.
With his long and thick eyelashes drooping slightly, Shen Qingzhuo said meaningfully, “I am the fish, and others are the butchers. In fact, in a sense, I am no different from you.”
Seemingly feeling that his statement was absurd, Xiao Shen stood up and walked out.
“Whip or candy, Your Highness, please think carefully before you choose.” Shen Qingzhuo reminded him calmly, “You only have one chance.”
He believed that no one would choose the whip.
Shen Qingzhuo waited patiently for three days.
After noon, he lay on his side on the couch for a nap, and in his daze, he felt a gaze that was hard to ignore fixed on his face.
After waiting for a while, his long eyelashes slowly opened, and Young Master Shen smiled before he spoke: “Very good.”
He deliberately let the palace servants leave a loophole, wanting to test whether the little wolf dared to pounce on him or not.
Now it seems that the lesson he gave last time was deep enough.
Xiao Shen stood in front of the couch in silence and was accidentally dazzled by the spring-like smile.
Shen Qingzhuo raised his arm and saw that his face was covered with bruises and his mouth was also broken. “What’s wrong with your face?”
Xiao Shen suddenly came to his senses and lowered his head. “Nothing.”
Shen Qingzhuo knew that he was probably bullied by someone again, so he called Xiao Dezi to find some ointment.
“Come here.” He hooked his finger, signaling the little wolf to come over.
Xiao Shen walked towards the couch with stiff limbs, and his hands on his side unconsciously clenched into fists.
Seeing his ready-to-die look, Shen Qingzhuo couldn’t help but feel amused, raised his hand, pinched his chin, and brought him to himself.
Xiao Shen staggered and supported himself on the edge of the couch with both hands. He used all his self-control to avoid dodging and resisting instinctively.
He half-knelt in front of the couch, raised his broken face, and his eyes involuntarily fell on the beautiful face.
Shen Qingzhuo frowned slightly. “You forgot again?”
The next moment, the little wolf dropped his eyes reflexively.
“Remember this well.” Shen Qingzhuo held his chin with one hand and touched the wound with his fingertips dipped in ointment.
A stabbing pain spread from the wound to the nerve endings, and Xiao Shen trembled all over but did not cry out in pain.
Shen Qingzhuo showed no mercy, rubbing the ointment back and forth with his fingertips until it was almost absorbed, then he let go with satisfaction. “Go to the small study and wait.”
Both of them had been through the gates of hell, and now they had temporarily reached a peaceful coexistence.
Shen Qingzhuo intentionally trained the wolf cub’s conditioned reflexes. They only used one sentence pattern to communicate with each other, which was the command pattern.
If you do well, you will be rewarded. If you do wrong, you will be punished. If he is happy, he will even teach him some extra things.
He wanted the wolf cub to engrave this corresponding reflex into his bones and learn to obey any of his instructions unconditionally.
Until one day, after the appointed time, Shen Qingzhuo did not see him, so he asked Xiao Dezi to go to the cold palace to see what was going on.
After a while, Xiao Dezi ran back in panic, shouting, “Young Master, Young Master, something bad has happened!”
Shen Qingzhuo stepped out of the inner hall. “Why are you so panicked?”
“The Fourth Prince, they, they ran to the cold palace!” Xiao Dezi held his knees and gasped, “They smashed the cold palace!”
Shen Qingzhuo’s heart skipped a beat, and without saying anything, he immediately walked towards the cold palace.
When he hurriedly arrived, he heard a burst of malicious laughter coming from inside.
Pushing open the half-open door, he saw a group of eunuchs pressing a person to the ground, and the fourth prince was stepping on the little tyrant’s legs, spewing obscene words.
Shen Qingzhuo adjusted his facial expression and called out, “Your Highness the Fourth Prince.”
Xiao Shaoyuan turned around and grinned when he saw the person coming, “Yo, isn’t this Young Master Shen?”
Shen Qingzhuo walked over slowly, “Your Highness the Fourth Prince, this?”
“What? You’re talking about this!” Xiao Shaoyuan stepped hard with a nonchalant look. “The little bastard stole this highness’s things, and this highness was planning to teach him a lesson.”
Shen Qingzhuo asked, “May I ask what he stole from Your Highness?”
Xiao Shaoyuan answered casually, “He stole this highness’s jade pendant.”
“Really?” Shen Qingzhuo looked at the wolf cub that was stepped on the ground. “Your Highness has searched the cold palace thoroughly. Have you found the jade pendant?”
Xiao Shaoyuan just made up an excuse he didn’t really lose anything. He couldn’t help but frown when he heard it. “This little beast is cunning, this highness hasn’t found it yet.”
“If that’s the case, could it be a misunderstanding?” Shen Qingzhuo said calmly, “It’s probably inappropriate to make such a fuss over a jade pendant.”
Xiao Shaoyuan stared at him several times, and said with a strange expression: “Young Master Shen, are you speaking for this little beast?”
Shen Qingzhuo smiled, “Your Highness the Fourth Prince has misunderstood.”
“Then that’s good.” Xiao Shaoyuan said arrogantly, “Today, this highness will teach him, this useless brother, a good lesson for you!”
“Teach him a lesson for me?” Shen Qingzhuo’s smile faded. “The implication is that Your Highness is aware that His Majesty has fully entrusted His Highness the Seventh Prince to me?”
Xiao Shaoyuan was stunned. “Isn’t this well-known…”
“Since I have been ordered by His Majesty to teach His Highness the Seventh Prince, how dare I trouble Your Highness the Fourth Prince to do it for me?” Shen Qingzhuo snatched the whip from the eunuch beside him and whipped hard.
With a crisp “snap” sound, the whip broke through the air and fell to the ground, instantly stirring up dust, scaring everyone back, and letting go of the little tyrant on the ground.
“Don’t, don’t use Emperor Father to pressure me!” Xiao Shaoyuan has always been a bully, and his arrogance has subsided. “This highness is just…”
“Let me educate His Highness the Seventh Prince myself.” Shen Qingzhuo looked at him coldly and whipped the little tyrant with a whip in his hand.
Xiao Shen was whipped so hard that he bounced up and groaned in pain.
Shen Qingzhuo whipped him again without changing his expression.
The whip hit the Seventh Prince, but his cold eyes were always on the Fourth Prince’s face, frightening Xiao Shaoyuan so much that he stepped back unconsciously.
He had never seen such a cold and gloomy look, as if the whip would whip him at the next moment.
“Forget it, just think of it as a dog bite!” After a few whips, Xiao Shaoyuan walked out angrily, “Young Master Shen, discipline this little beast, don’t let me catch him again!”
Shen Qingzhuo withdrew the whip expressionlessly and replied coldly, “Don’t worry, there won’t be a next time.”
The cold palace was quiet again, and the little tyrant lying on the ground had his clothes almost torn.
Shen Qingzhuo stretched out a hand to him, “Get up.”
Xiao Shen recovered from the pain, his face covered in mud and blood, only his dark eyes remained as usual, staring at the person in front of him with hatred.
He clearly chose the candy, why did he still get whipped?
“You look at me like that again.” Shen Qingzhuo squatted down. “I whip you, are you dissatisfied?”
Xiao Shen turned over unexpectedly, rushed over, and pressed him to the ground, biting his shoulder fiercely like a madman.
“Hiss…” The sharp teeth sank into the flesh, Shen Qingzhuo gasped in pain but held back and did not struggle.
After a while, the force of the teeth on his shoulder loosened a little, he seized the opportunity, flipped the wolf cub off, and pinched the thin neck with his palm, pinning the person to the ground.
“If you want to kill me, biting my shoulder won’t work, you have to bite my throat.” Shen Qingzhuo laughed, “But I don’t think you have the guts to do that either.”
The wolf cub still couldn’t control the urge to bite him, but subconsciously didn’t dare to bite him where he would die, indicating that the training was beginning to pay off.
Exhausted, Xiao Shen was unable to break free from his hand. The whip marks on his back rubbed against the ground, causing him excruciating pain, and tears welled up in his eyes.
“Today you have fallen into the Fourth Prince’s hands. You will be skinned alive even if you don’t die.” Shen Qingzhuo looked into those angry black eyes. “I whipped you to protect you. Do you understand?”
Xiao Shen didn’t appreciate it and continued to glare at him hatefully.
“Hate me?” Shen Qingzhuo let go of his hand and gently stroked the dirt on his face. “You should know in your heart who is the culprit behind all this.”
The difficult breathing suddenly stagnated and then became heavier.
Shen Qingzhuo’s cold expression contained a trace of pity. “Your Highness, you are too weak now, like a humble weed, anyone can step on you at will.”
“Cough, cough, cough” Xiao Shen coughed breathlessly, “I, I’m not…”
“If Your Highness doesn’t want to be a weed that is trampled on forever, there are ways.” Shen Qingzhuo extended his jade-white hand to him again. “You must understand that the only person who can save you is me.”
