Chapter 9: Let's wash together!

Prince Qing turned his head to look at Zhan Yuan.

Zhan Yuan immediately stepped forward: "Prince."

Prince Qing nodded at him, then pointed to the two children: "Take them back to the inn first."

No matter what, treating the wounded and eating are most important.

We'll talk about the rest later.

As for the so-called sister's origin?

He's not a child like Feng Xuanrui; he certainly wouldn't just bring someone home casually.

But he's a pitiful child; let's save him first and talk later.

After saying that, Prince Qing pinched his fingers and whistled.

Soon, a shiny, brave war horse came neighing from the dark night.

After approaching, it gently rubbed its head against Prince Qing.

Prince Qing perfunctorily patted it twice, then slapped its neck: "Alright, take the people back."

Zhan Yuan softly agreed, then with one hand each lifted Feng Xuanrui and Sui Sui onto the horse.

The war horse was sturdy and tall; putting down the two children was still easy.

But we must constantly guard them; if they really fell, they'd likely be hurt.

Thinking of this, Zhan Yuan lowered his voice as much as possible: "Hold on tight, don't fall, let's head back quickly—your wounds need prompt treatment."

Seeing the two children nod obediently, Zhan Yuan felt his heart soften.

He thought: Perhaps it's because this little prince of the Qi Wang Fu is rarely so obedient and well-behaved?

Zhan Yuan beat Prince Qing to it, rushing back to the inn on a fast horse.

They brought a doctor with them; after returning, they first had him examine the wounded.

When they discovered Feng Xuanrui's ankle was sprained and badly swollen, the doctor was startled.

"Oh dear, what happened? How did you twist it like this? Let me look—don't move, don't move again!"

"You little ancestor, if you keep moving you'll leave a root of illness—Old Liu I'm afraid I won't survive!"

Liu Dafu talked a lot, while Feng Xuanrui silently covered his ears.

He was in a sorry state and insisted on taking a bath first.

Liu Dafu couldn't argue with him; after a careful check and finding no wound, he reluctantly agreed: "Be careful, don't put weight on that leg."

"Just a quick wash will do!"

Feng Xuanrui's bath was easy to prepare, but Qing Shan and Qing Shui were terrified half to death, fearing the young master might return on his own; they sent some people to look for him while they themselves waited honestly at the inn.

Now that they saw him return, they almost wanted to hug his legs and cry.

Now Feng Xuanrui wants to bathe, and the two of them busily attend to him.

But with Sui Sui, it became a bit troublesome.

Because there were no maidservants at the inn.

Prince Qing's trip was for official business, and his retinue consisted only of deputy generals and attendants.

Feng Xuanrui had secretly followed; only after they'd left the city by over a hundred li did Prince Qing notice that his entourage also included this little ancestor.

Send him back?

It would delay the affair.

In the end, they could only bring him along.

Feng Xuanrui's group, together with Qing Shan and Qing Shui, consisted of four guards and Liu Dafu with his two apprentices—three people total.

Sui Sui is a little girl; it wouldn't be proper to have those great gentlemen bathe her, would it?

This this this...

Zhan Yuan asked several guards, but upon hearing the task they fled in fright.

In the end, after Liu Dafu heard about it, he rolled his eyes: "It's nothing; I still have to do it!"

Zhan Yuan:?

No, in front of the Sixth Prince, you can't be putting on that face!

Liu Dafu is up there in years and is an old doctor.

In his eyes, people are just two kinds: sick or healthy.

So in the end, it was he who gave Sui Sui a bath.

At first, Sui Sui refused.

Of course, it wasn't because of gender differences; Sui Sui just doesn't understand these things yet.

Mainly, she didn't want to be separated from Feng Xuanrui; among these people, the only one she knew well was her older brother.

The others...

Although she felt no malice, she was afraid!

The system saw more clearly than others: rather than saying Sui Sui feared being separated from Feng Xuanrui, it's more accurate to say she feared being abandoned again.

Feng Xuanrui is young and doesn't understand these things.

But he felt sorry for Sui Sui and kept comforting her emotions.

After coaxing for a while, he found that whatever he said, Sui Sui would obediently reply, but then she'd turn away and wipe her tears.

Seeing his sister's tears, Feng Xuanrui felt his heart about to break.

Then he waved his hand: "Let's wash together!"

Zhan Yuan:???

No, Sixth Prince, you're already ten years old!

It's not like you're the same age as a little girl; you can bathe naked together!

Although the customs of the Great Summer dynasty are open, there is no saying that men and women must sit separately at age seven.

But for half-grown kids to bathe together is a bit excessive, isn't it?

Zhan Yuan meant well, but he couldn't bring himself to say it.

Finally, Liu Dafu smiled and said, "Do you know how to scrub? Apply medicine? Comb your hair? Can you even use your own feet?"

Feng Xuanrui:.

With a single deadly strike, Feng Xuanrui couldn't speak, but his hand stubbornly held onto Sui Sui's, refusing to let go no matter what.

In the end, Liu Dafu came up with a plan: "This way, use two tubs, you bathe side by side, but with a screen in between. Sui Sui is a young lady; if you stare at her so blatantly, she'll feel embarrassed."

Although Feng Xuanrui reluctantly accepted the plan, after comforting Sui Sui for a while and seeing his sister break into a smile, the two finally separated.

After some bustling at the inn, Feng Xuanrui finally sank into the small bathtub and let out a relieved sigh.

What a day! Just thinking about it is still exciting!

Next door, Sui Sui was taking off her clothes, meanwhile curiously eyeing the large wooden tub steaming with hot water before her.

She had never taken a hot bath, at least not in her memory.

During New Year, her maternal uncle's cousins would be seized by her aunt, shoved into a broken wooden tub, and scrubbed clean of the year's grime.

But Sui Sui had never bathed, not even with the water her cousins had dirtied; her aunt wouldn't let her use it.

Sui Sui could only use cold water, quickly wiping herself down, and wait until the weather warmed to wash properly in the river.

Now she can also take a hot bath, right?

Sui Sui lightly pressed her lips, finding it hard to believe.

Liu Dafu's initial idea was to direct her to scrub herself.

Although physicians see no gender, Sui Sui had just encountered bandits, and it's unknown whether she feels resistance or fear toward grown men like them.

To look after the child's emotions, Liu Dafu felt he needed to consider more.

But when Sui Sui took off her ragged, beggar-like clothes and revealed her scar-riddled body, Liu Dafu froze on the spot.

Upon hearing that, the little girl timidly asked him, "Is this water for me?"

Liu Dafu's heart felt as sour as if steeped in vinegar; he wished he could go back to the moment that thought first arose and slap himself twice.

He really deserves to die!

Who would be so cruel to such a young child?

Sui Sui's left arm is now a patch of purple-red; at a glance you can tell it was beaten recently, the bruise faded leaving a large area of purple-red.

Such a young child, and such a vicious hand?

Liu Dafu jumped up in anger on the spot!