The Cannon Fodder Awakens, Training the Cold and Proud Protagonist into a Submissive Dog - Chapter 8

Wuhuo’s complexion was ashen, leaving only the desperate terror of despair within his eyes.

No longer sparing him a glance, Shen Chaoqing waved a hand toward the guards nearby.

One guard immediately stepped forward to restrain Wuhuo, while another produced a pair of gleaming silver shears. Struggling frantically, Wuhuo let out muffled, pitiful whimpers as he was forcefully pinned down.

With a flash of silver light, accompanied by a muffled, truncated shriek, a short segment of bright red tongue dropped onto the carpet, and blood immediately gushed from Wuhuo’s mouth.

Rolling about the floor in agony, Wuhuo clutched his mouth tightly, not daring to make too loud a noise, and could only gaze at Shen Chaoqing with wide, terrified eyes, shivering all over like a withered leaf in the autumn wind.

Watching the painfully curling Wuhuo on the floor, Shen Chaoqing wore the same languid smile as before, acting as though he had merely clipped a useless piece of thread.

“It seems you weren’t all that innocent either,” he remarked in a relaxed tone, even carrying a hint of regret. “Ah well, I am weary today.”

Shifting his gaze between Wuhuo and Xiao Huaiyan, as if suddenly struck by an amusing idea, he smiled amiably. “It’s never good for Prince Xiao to live in the miscellaneous quarters day and night. I recall there’s a vacant room in the western annex, right across from you, Wuhuo. The two of you… can move back together, so you can look after one another.”

Wuhuo snapped his head up abruptly. Put him to live right across from me! Splendid! Just wait and see how I deal with him!

Lifting his gaze, Xiao Huaiyan gave the young emperor a cold look, scoffing inwardly. This madman of an emperor loved watching the show without fearing things getting too big, terrified that they wouldn’t fight viciously enough.

Scanning the two of them with an expressionless face, Fu An felt a glimmer of doubt in his heart, yet still believed his majesty’s move must carry profound hidden intentions.

Relishing the distinct yet equally brilliant expressions on both men’s faces, Shen Chaoqing grew even more delighted and waved his hand. “Dismissed, all of you. You’re an eyesore.”

Stepping forward, the guards roughly hauled up the nearly limp Wuhuo and motioned for Xiao Huaiyan to follow.

One injured and one mutilated, the pair limped their way out of the warm pavilion.

Tranquility returned to the warm pavilion, leaving behind only that spot of glaring blood on the carpet and a faint, lingering scent of bloodshed.

Stepping forward to tidy up the medicine bowl, Fu An carefully observed Shen Chaoqing’s expression and asked in a low voice, “Your Majesty, this old servant is dull-witted… arranging for Wuhuo and Prince Xiao to stay in the same quarters—is there a deeper meaning behind it? Wuhuo is, after all, the Empress Dowager’s man, and having suffered such a massive loss this time, I fear he might…”

Leaning back against the soft bolsters, Shen Chaoqing replied, “Deeper meaning? What deeper meaning could I possibly have.” His tone floated lightly, carrying a touch of casual indifference. “The Empress Dowager painstakingly plotted to eliminate Xiao Huaiyan through my hands so she could provoke a war between Liao and Jin and reap the profits from the chaos. Now, I simply refuse to let her get her way, and instead locked her dog and the wolf cub she wants dead inside the very same cage.”

Pausing briefly, as though imagining an exceptionally entertaining picture, his smile deepened, though it exuded an unprovoked chill. “Tell me, will that mad dog having suffered a loss and lost its tongue be dying to finish its master’s unfinished business and fiercely pounce forward to tear that wolf cub to pieces?”

A sudden wave of understanding washing over him, Fu An bowed deeply and said, “Your Majesty is truly wise! This way, regardless of who lives or dies, or if they both end up battered and bruised, it will ruin the Empress Dowager’s schemes! Your Majesty’s foresight is something this old servant could never hope to match!”

Hearing Fu An’s flattery, Shen Chaoqing merely lifted his eyelids lazily without offering a response.

Wise? Foresight?

Perhaps.

Yet deep down, he knew the deeper reason might simply be because he felt bored and wished to see what kind of magnificent show this forced confinement and beast-duel would stage.

As for the Empress Dowager’s cloven hoof… Shen Chaoqing sneered inwardly. How could that old fox ever leave behind a fatal handle with a creature as blockheaded and stupid as a eunuch? Wuhuo was nothing more than an abandoned chess piece. Destroying Wuhuo would at most slap the Empress Dowager across the face, causing her a bit of heartache and forcing her to behave herself in the short term.

Still, being able to slap her face was quite pleasant in its own right.

Besides, he also wanted to see how many hidden tricks and ruthless strengths that wolf—with its teeth pulled and claws clipped—still possessed when facing the frenzied canine’s tearing attacks.

“Just watch,” Shen Chaoqing closed his eyes, a trace of hard-to-detect anticipation and cruelty tinting his voice. “Let’s see just how long this Qilin child of Liao can manage to play with me.”

Western Annex · Side Room

The door hinges let out a creaking groan as the door was shoved open, a wave of moldy air mingling with the stench of cheap charcoal rushing straight into their faces.

Xiao Huaiyan stood on the threshold. This so-called “new residence” was merely a dozen square feet in size, containing a single bed and a table covered in layers of dusty fluffs.

“Liao noble, rest well.” The guiding junior eunuch gave a shrill, mocking laugh.

The door slammed heavily shut behind him.

Finding such a dilapidated hovel right within the glittering Zijin Palace showed the young emperor truly put thought into it. Walking over to the only wind-sheltered bed, Xiao Huaiyan brushed his fingertips across the aged stains on the straw mat.

A very light triple knock tapped against the window lattice.

A dark shadow slipped into the room as soundlessly as if melting into the night—it was his personal shadow guard, Zhou Jia.

Catching sight of the wretched environment and the clear, newly added injuries upon Xiao Huaiyan—especially his left hand, wrapped heavily in thick cloth into an unnatural shape—Zhou Jia’s eyes nearly split with rage as he hissed anxiously, “Master! Today… how did that tyrant torture you again?!”

Without a trace of expression, Xiao Huaiyan cast him a cool glance.

Comprehending instantly, fury churned through Zhou Jia’s chest as he gritted his teeth and cursed in a lowered voice, “Shen Chaoqing, that madman! That tyrant! One day, I’ll make him pay back a thousandfold for today’s humiliation!”

“Talk business.”

Pulling himself together instantly, Zhou Jia lowered his head to report, his voice dropping even further: “The Changle Palace is furious. Believing Wuhuo failed in his task and has become a useless pawn, the Empress Dowager has ordered him to eliminate you as quickly as possible and sabotage this upcoming peace alliance between Liao and Jin.”

A cold smile tugged at the corner of Xiao Huaiyan’s lips, utter lack of surprise in his eyes. “It seems my good uncle has offered her enough benefits to make her drool. What is the situation in Luocheng and the northern borders?”

“Everything is proceeding according to plan. Troops and provisions are being secretly mustered and drilled without any slackening.”

“Very well, proceed.” Xiao Huaiyan’s tone was as level as if discussing the weather.

Watching his master’s pale yet terrifyingly calm visage, Zhou Jia felt a mix of anguish and reverence, prompting him to blurt out, “Your Highness has suffered greatly. If we take this opportunity to eliminate Wuhuo, it would not only remove a threat but also deliver a heavy slap to the Empress Dowager’s face. Perhaps… perhaps seeing the Empress Dowager take a hit, the young emperor won’t target you quite so harshly anymore?”

Lifting his gaze, Xiao Huaiyan pinned Zhou Jia with a knife-sharp glare. “Do not waste your energy on these minor details, and certainly do not try to second-guess the imperial mind. Whatever Shen Chaoqing thinks has nothing to do with us. Focus on doing what you must.”

“Understood! This subordinate understands!” Shocked into compliance, Zhou Jia bowed in immediate acceptance, not daring to utter another word.

“Go.” Waving his hand, Xiao Huaiyan turned his gaze back out the window toward the heavy night, as though that undercurrent-filled conversation had never taken place.

Melting silently back into the shadows, Zhou Jia vanished once more.

Left entirely alone within the cramped side room, Xiao Huaiyan slowly raised his aching, numb, and practically crippled left hand. Surveying the crude bandages and seeping blood stains upon it, his gaze grew deep and dark, resembling a bottomless, freezing pool.

The young emperor wanted to watch a show?

Then he would play along to the very end.

Initially, after snatching him away to Jin, Shen Chaoqing had ignored him entirely and left him to the tender mercies of the servants. When he was summoned over the other day, he had merely received a round of whippings without further torture, and the emperor had even disciplined the servants who mistreated him.

Provoking Shen Chaoqing deliberately today and arousing his wrath had simply been a test of his attitude.

Judging by current appearances, Shen Chaoqing had grander adversaries to deal with and would not focus his core attention upon him.

How could that possibly do?

Sooner or later, he would drag that high-and-mighty tyrant down from his pedestal with his own hands, crush his pride, make him taste his agony, and ultimately… possess his life and death entirely.

Shen Chaoqing, since you provoked me, you had better keep your eyes on me forever.