Chapter 1558: Chapter 1565: Liu Xi Learning Art (4)
The tea Liu Xi had just drunk sprayed out of his mouth, and he coughed awkwardly twice. Wiping the corner of his mouth, he said, “Hey, I say, can you stop mocking people like this? Be careful or the child might pick up bad habits from you.”
Upon hearing this, Cai Wei hurriedly stroked her belly and said, “Baby, mommy was just joking. Mommy will help uncle figure something out right away.”
After speaking, she put on a serious expression and asked, “Why did you suddenly think of learning martial arts? Your physique isn’t suited for practicing kungfu. Even if you train, all you could manage would be something like ‘elder sister grabs, younger sister scratches,’ hardly anything with real combat power.”
Hearing this, Liu Xi stood up abruptly as if to leave, but Cai Wei quickly called him back, laughing, “Just a joke, that’s all. What? Are you angry now?”
Liu Xi replied, “The Za Family isn’t angry. The Za Family just wants to go back and draft an ‘Eighteen Oral Techniques’ manual to present to the Emperor, to ease the burden of His Majesty’s… happiness!”
“Fine, I admit I was wrong, and I apologize—is that good enough for you?” Cai Wei chuckled gleefully. “I just want to ask, what has gotten into you? What kind of trauma made you suddenly think about learning martial arts?”
After her repeated questioning, Liu Xi finally confessed the truth.
It turned out that, due to Liu Xi’s eunuch identity, many people always looked down on him. Earlier today, while having a meal at a newly opened restaurant, he accidentally bumped into a noble young master. This young master was the heir of the House of the Auxiliary Country. He recognized Liu Xi and knew that Liu Xi thrived in the capital only because of his connection to Empress Mu, so he had no respect for him. Seeing Liu Xi bump into him today, he naturally wouldn’t let it go.
Drunk and overconfident, he insisted that Liu Xi crawl under his legs. Though Liu Xi appeared cheerful and nonchalant most of the time, he was in fact a man of great pride. No matter how much the noble heir’s henchmen threatened and yanked him, he refused to comply and even cursed the spoiled heir Jing Shizi out in a fit.
Jing Shizi got furious when Liu Xi wouldn’t bow, and even more enraged upon hearing the insults. In his wrath, he immediately ordered his henchmen to hold Liu Xi down and force him to crawl under his crotch.
The petite Liu Xi, who was only fifteen or sixteen years old, was no match for this pack of ruffians. As he was pressed to the ground, humiliated and shoved under Jing Shizi’s crotch, the eldest daughter of Duke Li Guo’s Mansion, Mo Shuya, happened to be dining there. Seeing Liu Xi being wronged, she stepped in to uphold justice and saved him from a worse fate. Otherwise, who knows how awful his day would have turned out!
This incident deeply shook Liu Xi. After being rescued, he immediately entered the palace to seek out Cai Wei, asking her to find an unparalleled martial arts master to teach him kungfu. Once he mastered martial arts and grew stronger, anyone who dared to bully him in the future would face his fierce retaliation!
After hearing Liu Xi’s account, Cai Wei was so enraged her hair almost stood on end. You beat a dog and still need to consider its master—Jing Shizi openly bullying her people showed how little regard he had for her. Moreover, Liu Xi wasn’t a dog; in her eyes, Liu Xi was just like Wen’er and Wu’er, her brothers. Anyone who bullied her brothers was someone she would never spare.
Right away, she summoned Meng Huaian and ordered him to deliver her decree to the House of the Auxiliary Country, demanding that the reckless heir be flogged twenty times and made to kneel for three hours.
Seeing Cai Wei fiercely defend him without even bothering to investigate, Liu Xi was naturally grateful. Yet he declined her kindness, saying, “A man standing tall in the world shouldn’t rely on others to exact revenge—how would that make me a true man? A gentleman avenges himself even if it takes ten years. Once I’ve learned martial arts, I will personally seek out that spoiled rich brat and settle today’s scores with my own hands!”
Cai Wei respected his determination and refrained from interfering further. Instead, she summoned Huan Qiu, ordering him to stay by Liu Xi’s side and teach him martial arts.
After Liu Xi left, Cai Wei felt a pang of sadness. Though Liu Xi always wore a playful, carefree demeanor, deep down, he must be suffering greatly as a eunuch.
In her past life, she had followed Liu Xi for many years and had come to know what a mentally resilient leader he was—a truly outstanding man. No matter how daunting the challenges, he was never crushed. In the face of difficulties, he always displayed an easygoing and upbeat attitude, inspiring those around him to relax and take heart.
He was such a strong-willed individual—swallowing his sorrow while spreading positivity to everyone. Yet this remarkable person had to endure life as a physically crippled eunuch in a society that offered him little dignity. For such an extraordinary man, life must have been unbearably cruel.
What a pity his “things” had long been lost. Otherwise, if they had been freshly removed, perhaps the Old Turtle could have reattached them.
Ah, such a pity indeed!