I’ve Got this Cannon Fodder’s Back

139: 138 139: 138 Under the thunderous wrath of the chief minister, the little prince was carefully attended to by the servants of the royal residence throughout the entire night.

He was carried back to his bedchamber with utmost care without his feet even touching the ground.

His ink-stained clothes were carefully removed and washed, and the ink marks on his face were meticulously wiped clean.

The food had cooled and was no longer edible, so the rarely used kitchen hurriedly prepared a bowl of sheep’s milk porridge and brought it over.

Even the medicine he had secretly poured into the flower pot had been discovered.

They quickly brewed it again according to the prescription and placed it by the bedside.

Seeing the steward of the residence pleading with him as if his life depended on it, Lu Deng couldn’t bear it and, pinching his nose, gulped down the bitter medicine.

He had no idea what kind of prescription the Imperial Hospital had given him, but all of it tasted equally unbearable.

The bitterness went straight to his brain, causing Lu Deng to shiver.

He had to use the system’s backdoor to block his sense of taste, and only then could he manage to drink it down, one mouthful at a time.

The empty bowl was taken back, and his wounds were all properly bandaged.

Seeing that the little prince was now showing signs of exhaustion, the servants, who had been in a state of panic all night, finally retreated respectfully.

Outside the window, the sound of insects gradually began to rise, and the bedroom returned to silence.

… Finally freed from the overwhelming tension, Lu Deng let out a long breath of relief, nearly collapsing onto the bed.

But then he paused.

A faint scent of ink, mingled with a familiar fragrance, caused his heart to race.

Moonlight streamed softly through the window lattice, falling gently by the bed.

Lu Deng pursed his lips and slowly sat up, looking down at the clothing in his arms.

Gu Ai’s robes were still being held tightly in his embrace.

…It’s not a dream.

The clothes weren’t particularly luxurious, and the cuffs were already worn from frequent use.

Gu Ai, bearing heavy responsibilities and constantly busy with government affairs, often wore these clothes while working through countless official documents.

Over time, they had absorbed a faint ink scent.

The servants had initially intended to take them away for cleaning and return them to the Prime Minister’s residence, but seeing how tightly the little prince was holding onto them, no one dared to persuade him, allowing him to hold onto them unknowingly.

It wasn’t a dream—it was real.

Lu Deng sat there for a while, a smile slowly tugging at the corners of his lips.

He hugged the clothes and lay back down on the bed.

Thinking about how he had seen his lover the moment he opened his eyes, his heart thumped even more wildly, almost making him want to run two laps on the roof.

Restricted by his character settings, he couldn’t make any noise to alert the servants.

The once arrogant little prince hugged the clothes, rubbed against them, rolled back and forth twice on the bed, and let out a long, contented sigh.

The moonlight was soft, casting a gentle silver glow over the bed.

The young prince hugged the Chief Minister’s clothes tightly and fell into a deep sleep.

His eyelashes fluttered lightly in his dreams, and warmth lingered between his brows.

… The host had been punished with copying books and was likely to be beaten with a board, yet he wasn’t the least bit angry with his mission target.

The system was frustrated, gnashing its metaphorical teeth and cursing the data in its full processor.

To vent its frustration, it created a bunch of voodoo dolls of the amnesiac target and then busied itself with repairing the other rooms in the residence.

… In the carriage, Gu Ai sneezed violently.

“My Lord, did the little prince trouble you?!” Their lord had entered the prince’s residence just fine but came out looking flustered, as if intimidated, even leaving behind his outer robe.

The subordinate was full of concern and hurriedly fetched a cloak to drape over him, placing a hand warmer into the carriage.

“That little prince is truly outrageous!

He was the one who recklessly rode his horse through the street and almost caused trouble.

My Lord showed him mercy by postponing his punishment, yet now he has personally gone to visit him, only to be humiliated in return—” “Enough, that’s not what happened.” Gu Ai had been lost in thought, recalling the bright starlight in those eyes.

When he regained his calm, he heard his subordinate’s words and waved his hand, ready to explain but unable to find the right words.

He sighed softly, “It’s not as you think.

Don’t make wild guesses; don’t let a word of this get out.

If others find out, you’ll be held responsible.” If word got out, the reputation of the cold, ruthless minister would be ruined.

The subordinate couldn’t understand and assumed that the little prince, emboldened by his imperial uncle’s status, was bullying their lord.

Though still filled with righteous indignation, thinking of the increasingly tense situation at the residence, he could only swallow his anger and respond quietly, “Yes, My Lord.” Gu Ai had no desire to say more.

He closed his eyes and leaned against the carriage wall, yet his thoughts remained on that brief glimpse from before.

Once in the carriage and once behind the curtain—though it wasn’t his first time seeing Lu Chengru, the unguarded gaze they exchanged left Gu Ai with a deep sense of unease.

It felt as though he had lost something essential.

Three parts of his heart softened with a tinge of guilt, and the remaining were filled with an uncontrollable warmth.

Forget about being stern… Gu Ai raised his hand and rubbed his forehead, letting out a soft sigh as he tried to banish the chaotic thoughts from his mind.

Yet the more he thought, the more apparent that delicate face became in his mind.

…Even pretending to be stern and saying harsh words seemed like an act of extreme disrespect when facing those clear, honest eyes.

His emotions spun out of control, shattering his carefully maintained composure and leaving behind thoughts he couldn’t dispel.

Gu Ai furrowed his brow slightly, unable to stop replaying his earlier words in his mind.

Had he spoken too harshly?

Would it have been misunderstood?

The more he thought about it, the more unsettled he became.

He sat up in the carriage and asked, “How many days until the holiday ends?” The subordinate was slightly startled by his question but quickly replied, “My Lord, including today, there are still four days.

Is there something you need to take care of?” Gu Ai waved his hand, calculating the days and leaning back in the carriage.

The old year had just passed, and with the new year beginning, the holiday break would officially end on the eighth day.

Even the royal children studying at the Imperial Academy weren’t exempt.

As the imperial tutor, Gu Ai was responsible for teaching them.

He was always so busy with government affairs that he had little time to focus on the unruly princes and nobles.

Most days, he would only teach a class or two and leave the rest to other instructors, rarely taking a personal interest in their progress.

But this time, for some reason, he found himself strangely looking forward to the end of the holiday.

Once classes resumed, he would be required to attend after Lu Chengru had recovered a bit.

He thought of asking him more about his studies, offering additional guidance on anything he didn’t understand.

Perhaps they could talk after class, and he could teach him some life lessons no one else had shared with him, or simply have the conversations he should’ve had with someone by his side.

Maybe then, that solitary figure wouldn’t appear so lonely.

Looking down at his sleeve, Gu Ai noticed a small tea stain—likely from when he had tried to wipe the young prince’s face with his sleeve.

His fingers paused over the stain, and his expression softened, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

Four days passed in the blink of an eye.

Gu Ai made sure to finish all his governmental duties ahead of time, spending an entire night preparing his lessons.

Dressed in fresh clothes, he arrived at the Imperial Academy.

The royal family was vast, and the children of prominent ministers with exceptional abilities were also granted the privilege of studying at the Imperial Academy.

With the addition of accompanying readers, the lecture hall was packed with dozens of students.

Since they were teaching royal nobles, the curriculum was even more rigorous than outside schools, sometimes running from morning until night.

Spontaneous quizzes, recitations, and even tests on classical texts and problem-solving were common.

The emperor himself would occasionally come to inspect their progress, and students who did poorly would receive at least a dozen strokes from the ruler.

The usual instructors were too mild-tempered to manage these pampered nobles.

While the classroom wasn’t chaotic, very few genuinely attended with the intent to learn.

Gu Ai stopped at the door and heard the commotion inside.

He instinctively paused, listening closely to the sounds within.

Lu Chengru was indeed inside.

The little prince had been forced to stay in bed for four days, with overly enthusiastic servants attending to his every need.

Although his shoulder still couldn’t be touched, and his waist needed support, his wounds mainly had scabbed over, allowing him to move about.

His confinement only restricted him from going out but didn’t apply to the Imperial Academy.

When a royal child made a mistake, they were subjected to stricter rules and punishments.

Even if they were beaten with a cane or rod, after resting at home for three days, they were expected to attend classes, even if it meant being carried in.

As arrogant as the little prince’s character was, he couldn’t afford to act out in this situation.

Attending class wouldn’t result in any penalties from the main system.

Having heard that Gu Ai taught at the Imperial Academy, Lu Deng had eagerly awaited the end of the holiday break.

Today, before the fourth day, he had already woken up early, packed some of his favorite snacks into a food box, had the servants prepare his ink, brush, and paper, and hurried to the academy.

The first class was taught by an elderly scholar, covering the classics like “The Four Books and The Five Classics.” After a short break, it would be time for Gu Ai to teach political theory.

Even just hearing him lecture would be enough.

Lu Deng enjoyed seeing him, and remembering how the other had hurried out that day, half-dressed, warmed his heart.

He lay across the table, slowly flipping through the book Gu Ai had given him, only to be interrupted by someone.

“An Imperial Uncle is an Imperial Uncle—having such high status must be nice.

You make a mistake and still avoid a beating…” “That’s right.

Is Your Highness feeling well?

You’ve suddenly become so obedient.

Don’t you usually skip classes at the academy?

No one dares to stop you anyway…” Lu Deng frowned and looked up.

It was the same two people who incited Lu Chengru to ride his horse through the streets that day recklessly.

They had all ridden recklessly and made the same mistake, yet only he had escaped punishment.

They were all young boys, around ten years old, and while Lu Deng wasn’t someone they couldn’t provoke, he did have certain privileges due to his status, which had already made many of them resentful.

Lu Deng was long used to such provocations.

He pressed his lips together, preparing to pack his things and switch seats, when the OOC (Out Of Character) alarm suddenly blared loudly in his mind.

The system, always worried about his performance, quickly intervened, waving a little flag, “The host needs to argue with them!

Don’t be afraid!” Lu Deng: … Do I have to argue?

Having never dealt with such situations without relying on a script, Lu Deng felt a bit uncertain.

Seeing that the alarm would soon turn into a penalty for failing to act, he gritted his teeth and sneered, “This isn’t your family’s academy.

I can come and go as I please—why should you care?” He had never spoken to anyone like this before, and although the system helped by quickly providing lines, he still felt somewhat weak.

Luckily, his injuries helped conceal this flaw, and it didn’t seem too out of character.

The evaluation bar fluctuated briefly before returning to its original score.

Just as he was about to get through this test smoothly, one of the boys pressed a hand down on the book he had been closing.

Lu Deng looked up.

One of the troublemakers glanced him over disdainfully and taunted, “Since you’re so bold, why don’t you try leaving?

If you don’t dare, then admit that you’re a coward!” “You sure ran fast that day.

We wouldn’t have been dragged down and punished if it weren’t for you being slow and getting caught.” The other boy chimed in coldly, casting a disdainful glance over him, “I wouldn’t be surprised if someone tattled, and that’s how we got caught.

I heard those who snitch get off lightly…” It was break time, and the teacher wouldn’t interfere.

Besides, even if they started a fight in front of the teacher, he wouldn’t dare get involved in the grudges of princes and the children of noble families.

The young Imperial Uncle had no real power or influence.

Making friends with him was useless, and they only hung around him because they knew he was the emperor’s uncle and wouldn’t be punished if things went wrong.

This time, however, they had been caught by Gu Ai, punished with canings, and dragged to the academy early in the morning.

Everyone was seething with anger.

It was the book Gu Ai had given him.

Lu Deng didn’t care about the provocations and was only focused on retrieving his book.

Seeing that Lu Deng wasn’t responding, the boy grew angrier.

He grabbed the book and threw it high into the air, where his companion deftly caught it.

Lu Deng’s expression darkened.

Following the system’s script, he grabbed the boy’s wrist, twisted it behind his back, and slammed it onto the desk.

“Seems like you need to be taught a lesson.

Do you think I’m afraid to deal with you because I fell off my horse?

Give me my book back!” These pampered boys had no real skills.

Though Lu Deng hadn’t fully adapted to this body, his sudden move made the boy scream in pain.

Typically, Lu Chengru was prone to fights but, due to a lack of proper instruction, always ended up getting beaten.

Today, however, no one expected him to suddenly improve his skills.

As Lu Deng grew angrier, the boys behind him panicked.

One of them shouted for him to stop, while the other, in a moment of desperation, waved the book around before throwing it out the window.

Lu Deng’s expression tightened.

Outside the window, there was a garden with rocks, trees, and a small stream.

There was no telling where the book had landed, and it might have been ruined.

That book was given to him by Gu Ai.

Lu Deng knew he was much stronger than these spoiled boys.

He had been holding back all this time, but now, in his rush to retrieve the book, he unconsciously applied more force, causing the boy to scream even louder.

The elderly teacher was frightened out of his wits and trembled as he stepped forward to mediate, cautiously saying, “Children, please pay attention to the limits when playing around.

Your Highness—you’re the elder and should be more gracious…” The system, furious, rattled off a new string of retort lines, but Lu Deng’s thoughts were all focused on the book.

Just as he was about to let go and rush to find it, a calm, stern voice sounded behind him.

“If His Highness is the elder, then why, Mr.

Liang, are you not teaching these younger ones to respect their elders?

Why are you allowing these arrogant sons of noble families to act so disgracefully yet laying blame on the innocent?” Gu Ai rarely came to the Imperial Academy, and no one expected him to show up today.

The noisy classroom instantly fell silent.

The once-boisterous boys were now sweating profusely, their faces pale with fear.

Gu Ai’s expression remained stern as he casually pushed through the crowd, walking straight toward Lu Chengru.

Even after being bullied like this, the young prince’s gaze remained indifferent, as if he had long since grown accustomed to such treatment.

His head was lowered, his eyes fixed on the desk, and he showed no reaction to what had just occurred.

Gu Ai’s heart grew heavier, and his emotions deeply conflicted.

He softened his expression as much as possible, approaching the young prince and lowering himself slightly to speak gently, “I heard that His Highness fell from his horse while avoiding a child in the road.

How are your injuries?

Are you feeling better now?” The young prince kept his head down, his sharp and cold expression unchanged, lips tightly pressed together as he stood in silent defiance.

The sight made Gu Ai’s heart ache even more.

With a soft sigh, Gu Ai reached out to help straighten the boy’s clothes, only to find his frail body tightly tensed beneath the heavy fabric.

Even the slightest touch made him recoil, clearly wary of everyone around him.

The more defensive he was, the softer Gu Ai’s heart became.

His stern brows relaxed, and he gently guided the young prince to sit down, unfastening a jade pendant from his waist as he spoke.

“According to the laws of reward and punishment, when someone does good, they should be rewarded.

I have little to offer, but this jade pendant may serve as encouragement—His Highness must never allow others to shake his resolve.

Even if surrounded by filth, one must remain pure, upright, and dignified.” Lu Deng’s heart raced.

He instinctively wanted to accept the jade pendant, but the OOC alarm blared again in his head.

His sudden improvement in physical skills could be explained by claiming he had received guidance from a skilled master.

However, given Lu Chengru’s temper, this was the moment when he would feel the most aggrieved.

He would lash out at anyone, regardless of whether they had good intentions or not.

There was no way he would accept the jade pendant under such circumstances.

This was Gu Ai’s jade pendant… Even if his lover had lost his memories, his nature remained the same—what was right was right, and what was wrong was wrong.

Lu Deng cradled in his arms, listened to the tender, patient words of guidance.

His chest swelled with warmth, making it impossible for him to stay angry.

The evaluation bar wavered back and forth, teetering between losing points and not.

The task instructions clearly stated, “Throw a tantrum,” “Smash things,” and “Cause a scene.” Going OOC would result in point deductions.

Too many deductions would lead to failure, and failure would mean a retest.

Lu Deng sat there in a daze for a long moment.

Then, gritting his teeth, he grabbed the jade pendant, yanked off the tassel, and threw it to the ground.

Blushing furiously, he looked up with a defiant glare and shouted, “What a useless trinket—I don’t need it!”