Poison Genius Consort

ages. But…. The second it saw Gu Beiyue, Lil Thing started to cry.
It didn’t even cheep, but shed tears instead.

Lil Thing couldn’t remember how many years it had been alive, but it knew for certain that it had never cried in its life.
It didn’t even know it was capable of shedding tears.
It jumped to the ground in a mad flurry and scurried to the gentleman’s feet.
If this was any other day, it would have clambered up his clothes or back or side to sit in its favorite spot on the gentleman’s shoulder.
It would always act like a spoiled brat while curled around the gentleman’s neck, but he never shooed him away.
He even used his finger to rub its head and stroke its tail.
That finger was warm and gentle as well.

But Lil Thing didn’t dare to do that this time.
It simply sat by the gentleman’s side and looked up at him with crying eyes.
The gentleman was too weak right now! It seemed like his body would fall over at any moment.
Even now, he was only half-conscious and could only stand with support from the two handlers at his sides.
This was only the surface.
Lil Thing had even caught the whiff of blood in the air and realized something was wrong.

It knew that both the gentleman’s leg and shoulder were heavily injured, but his dantian had been extravasated too, leaving him with no inner energy.
His internal injuries were severe.

What happened to the gentleman?

Lil Thing looked dazedly up at him even as its claws pawed at its tears.
Its vision had long gone blurry from crying as it fervently hoped for the gentleman to open his eyes and see it…

Gentleman, what happened to you?

Ever since Lil Thing had appeared to protect Gu Beiyue during the Chu Clan’s ambush on Han Yunxi in Tianning Country, its clansmen had taken notice of the creature.
Ning Cheng was aware of its existence as well.
He was currently staring at Lil Thing with amusement as he let out a cold, wicked laugh.

“Whose rat is this? Such lack of manners.”

Han Yunxi could control herself before, but not before a Gu Beiyue like this! Even though they had tortured Chu Tianyin, they hadn’t reduced him to a coma and even treated the poisons they’d used on him.
Just what had these men done to Gu Beiyue? She looked coldly at Ning Cheng and said, “You can’t even recognize that it’s a squirrel? Sure, it’s fine if you’re blind, but if you don’t have any common sense, you should go back and find your mother to teach you some again.”

Ning Cheng’s face turned black at the words.
Han Yunxi’s even tone only made it seem like she was stating a fact, thus adding to his humiliation.
He wanted to retort, but found himself unable to since she hadn’t outright mocked him.
On the side, Tang Li couldn’t help but glance at Long Feiye. Good, good.
My cousin’s done nothing but call that animal a rate as well, but he doesn’t seem affected by the insult.

Ning Cheng finally gained another impression of Han Yunxi—she had a sharper tongue than Chu Qingge! Unfortunately, those were the types of women he hated the most.

“Someone come, chase that thing away!” he ordered.

A few guards immediately rushed forward.
Sensing danger, Lil Thing grew alert.
It didn’t understand human speech, but it knew that these people had kidnapped the gentlemen.
Mama Yunxi had come with Chu Tianyin to exchange hostages!

These bad guys! It narrowed its eyes at the guards that hemmed in and bared its fangs. They’re unforgivable for bullying the gentleman!

As one guard swooped down to grab it, Lil Thing agilely leapt onto his face and claw furiously at him until he tore his face off.
It was angry!

“AhhhH!” the guard screamed in horror as blood poured from the gashes.
Everyone around him was stunned by the sight and unconsciously backed away.
Before any of them could recover, Lil Thing was already flickering to the next target.
Like a shadow, it darted between each of the guards surrounding them, aiming for all of their faces.
It accurately pinpointed its victims’ eyes and clawed them all blind!

As piteous wails rose up from the guards, Ning Cheng rose to his feet in alarm to stare incredulously at Lil Thing.
Even the two guards in charge of holding Gu Beiyue weren’t spared.
As soon as they released their charge, he began to fall forward.
Han Yunxi hastened to help but, but Lil Thing darted ahead and managed to prop him up by his chest despite his tiny frame, preventing him from falling to the ground.
Afraid to hurt him with its claws, Lil Thing had curled them up inside its paws.
Loving someone meant wanting to spare them all possible forms of pain.
But…

…but gentleman, how could you be so seriously injured?

Lil Thing propped him up with tears streaming down its face, the liquid mixing with his bloodstained paws.

“Driving Arrow Arts!” Ning Cheng commanded. How can we be provoked by a single rat? The Chu Clan’s archers drew their weapons and aimed it all at Lil Thing.

Covered with a face full of blood, Lil Thing looked around before baring its fangs again.
Killing intent swelled up around it, painting it as a savage beast even as the sight made one’s heart ache.
Even the archers felt trepidation and kept their distance.

Han Yunxi’s heart broke at the sight.
She wanted to rush over, but Long Feiye kept a tight grip on her hand.
“Ning Cheng,” he demanded coldly.
“What are you dawdling for? Exchange the hostages!”

“How are you planning to pay me back for injuring all these men?” Ning Cheng countered.

“All those men couldn’t even catch a single squirrel.
You still have the nerve to talk terms?” Han Yunxi mocked with a cold laugh.

“You…” Ning Cheng was left speechless again.