Chapter 13: Hook, Line and Sinker.
Xiao Xia cleared her throat and bowed. "Li Jun, Li Wei, Ji Ru, good morning." They returned the gesture. "Did you sleep well?" Li Jun asked.
"Very well, thank you, and yourself?"
"Brilliantly."
Xiao Xia nodded with a smile and glanced at Ji Ru. "And you, Li Wei, Ji Ru?"
Ji Ru held back the urge to say, 'No, definitely not. Tai Yang was being held prisoner by the sporadic, madman that currently rules the entire kingdom in his father's absence, and the said madman is probably wanting to execute him because you keep ignoring him and talking to Tai Yang as if you're interested in Tai Yang and not him.'
Instead, he gave her a happy smile. "Master and I slept very well, thank you."
Rai Lin walked up with Wu Ji.
"Li Jun here just invited us to breakfast." She said, grinning.
"Mighty thoughtful, don't you think, princess?" Wu Ji was smiling in a no-good way too.
"Yes! Oh, actually, it would be lovely if you could stay over with me for the next two days. I'll be leaving after that. You both must be exhausted." Xiao Xia urged, turning her back to Li Jun and facing him. There were several looks of 'Ah shit!' on the faces of the palace's inhabitants. Behind Xiao Xia, Li Jun pointed in exasperation at Rai Lin and Wu Ji, making neck-slitting gestures. He shook his head as if telling them not to agree to what Xiao Xia suggested.
"Well, you'd have to ask Li Jun. Wu Ji's familiar side may take over a little later on, so it depends on whether Li Jun is comfortable with that." Rai Lin said.
Xiao Xia blinked and looked at Li Jun who quickly changed his facial expression into a pleasant one. "It's fine, isn't it? I'm sure Changying has ways of making sure their familiars are able to compose themselves, like a sedative or something of the sort, right Ji Ru?" She asked, reaching forward to place her hand on Li Jun's arm.
Ji Ru smiled in a slightly taut way. It went unnoticed as he bowed with a nod, "Yes, your highness." Li Wei glanced at him but didn't comment.
Tai Yang winced, still staring between Li Jun and Xiao Xia. 'Touching his arm... He looks like the kind of guy who'd fall hook, line, and sinker for that.'
"Yes, of course." Li Jun said in response to her without hesitation.
The guards and attendants all started to look dejected, and Ji Ru sighed, realizing that the duo would be staying.
"Well then, Ji Ru, will we be staying in your room?" Wu Ji asked. Li Wei smiled coldly. "I'm afraid Ji Ru is occupying that room with Tai Yang. We'll have to escort you to one of the guest rooms."
"I don't mind staying with them, we're all men here, am I right? Rai Lin can stay with Xiao Xia. It's a good bonding exercise, right Tai Yang?" Wu Ji smacked Tai Yang on the back in what was supposed to be a friendly way. However, the said stutterer felt the air knock out of him as he flew into Li Jun and Xiao Xia at the same time.
The three fell in a heap, with Li Jun acting as the cushioning. Everyone gasped in horror. Even Wu Ji and Rai Lin sucked in breaths.
Xiao Xia quickly propped herself up, pushing away her attendants' outstretched hands. She was not concerned about her state, but instead, she worried for the other person who'd fallen. "Tai Yang! Are you okay?"
"I'm fine... Are you okay?" He winced slightly and Xiao Xia tried to readjust his skewed glasses. She held his face and looked about his head in concern.
"I'm fine! Oh! He hit you so hard! Wu Ji! You can't hit him like that! He's a mortal!" She scolded, looking at Wu Ji with great annoyance.
Ji Ru was already on his knees, feeling Tai Yang's ribs for any breaks.
"How was I supposed to know he's THAT weak!? I barely touched him!" Wu Ji huffed.
"Gege. You most likely left a massive bruise on him. I told you to be careful with him. There's only one of him left." Ji Ru said, almost in a growl. Tai Yang blinked a few times, wondering if he was hearing things. Ji Ru was too cute and cuddly to growl at someone. Wu Ji however, grimaced, so Tai Yang's ears couldn't have been mistaken if Wu Ji heard it too.
"Oh, he fell so hard!" Xiao Xia said.
Li Jun cleared his throat. Xiao Xia, Tai Yang, and Ji Ru looked down at the prince that they were sitting and kneeling on.
With wide eyes, they hastily jumped off his tattered body.
"Oh dear, are you alright, Li Jun?" Xiao Xia asked in embarrassment as Li Wei helped her to her feet. Her attendants started to dust her off.
"I'm fine. Are you hurt?" He asked, propping himself onto his elbows as a few of his own attendants reached out to him.
"I'm not hurt." Xiao Xia said.
"That's a relief... Ji Ru, examine Tai Yang for any serious injuries, then come to breakfast. You six, follow them. Lan JiRen, you go with them too." He said to six burly-looking guards and Lan JiRen. Lan JiRen who was still hovering in the air flew down.
His long ponytail flapped for a moment as he landed and looked at Tai Yang. "Yes, your majesty." He said with a bow to Li Jun. Turning to Ji Ru and Tai Yang fully, the young lieutenant gave them a kind smile.
Tai Yang blinked. It was unnerving how everyone smiled at him in that way. As if they knew him too well.
The problem was that they didn't know him.
He wasn't his predecessor.
He was just... Tai Yang the stuttering, clumsy scientist.
"Li Wei, have someone escort these two to their rooms so that they may freshen up and settle in before breakfast. We have more than enough room in the castle for them to stay in, so there's no need for anyone to be sharing." He said, dusting himself as a few servants helped him up and dusted him too.
Li Wei nodded and looked at Cho Rin. "Cho Rin, please be in attendance of Her majesty and... Her familiar. Alert me if anything out of the ordinary occurs."
The innocent-looking boy bowed and quickly moved to stand beside the prankster duo. "Yes, your majesty." When Wu Ji glanced down at him with a smirk, Cho Rin paled and moved a few inches away.
Xiao Xia smiled at Tai Yang. "Weren't you tired? Why did you wake up so early, Tai Yang?"
"Well..." Tai Yang trailed off, glancing at Rai Lin.
"He's still a bit tired, so after his check-up, I'll let him nap a bit before breakfast." Ji Ru said. Li Jun looked displeased, but he nodded. "Then let us all tend to our obligations and regroup at 9 'o clock. General, please look after Xiao Xia while we are preoccupied." Li Jun said.
"Ah! I'll go with Rai Lin and Wu Ji." She said. Li Jun smiled. "Alright. General, please escort them with three of your men."
Wang Bin bowed and moved closer. "Li Wei, come with me." Li Jun said, looking at his brother. Li Wei pursed his lips and looked at Wu Ji untrustingly. The said man smirked.
With a scalding look, Li Wei inhaled harshly.
"Four of you, go with Lieutenant Lan JiRen and his men." He said to four other guards standing nearby.
Ji Ru looked at Tai Yang. "Okay. Let's get you checked up then, shall we? I'll have to give you your predecessor's knowledge at the next time we're free."
"Ji Ru, wait. Are you angry at me?" Wu Ji suddenly asked.
'I see. So he definitely noticed that he's irritated Ji Ru. He looks so... What does that face mean, actually?' Tai Yang thought.
Ji Ru glanced at him, looking slightly conflicted. "No, gege. I'm not. However, in the future, I'd appreciate it if you didn't mishandle my friend." He said quite sternly. Wu Ji blinked a few times before nodding rapidly. "It won't happen again. I'm sorry. Sorry, Tai Yang, I'll be careful with you."
"Oh, that's okay." Tai Yang said, waving his hands. Wu Ji really did look ashamed of himself, and Rai Lin tsked, shaking her head next to him.
"Come on Tai Yang, let's go to the Infirmary." Ji Ru smiled at him and held his arm reassuringly. His eyes moved to Lan Jiren, and he gave a slight nod. The young lieutenant returned the gesture and looked at the guards he'd been allocated.
"We're moving out." Lan JiRen said, nodding at the guards who moved around Tai Yang and Ji Ru at his command.
Li Wei who was still lingering smirked lopsidedly at the ground before moving off when Ji Ru and the others started to walk back into the castle.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone