Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT)-Chapter 503: The knight might steal the queen

Xiang Yu stirred awake, a groggy haze clinging to his mind. As his eyes fluttered open, he found himself lying on a soft bed, Lian and Mei perched at his side, their expressions etched with worry. It was as if they were afraid he might stop breathing at any moment.

When he finally blinked away the sleep, Lian and Mei both heaved sighs of relief. "You really want to scare us, Master," Lian said, her voice a mixture of exasperation and affection.

"My little heart can’t take it anymore," Mei added, patting her chest dramatically.

Xiang Yu wanted to sit up, but Lian gently pressed him back down. "No, Master. Your wound isn’t healed yet. You need to lie down."

He rubbed his temples, feeling as fragile as porcelain, not used to being coddled like this. "Who hit you?" Mei asked, her gaze piercing through him.

"Why are you asking?" Xiang Yu replied, hoping to deflect.

Lian frowned. "Why else would we ask? You have bruises here"—she pointed to the ache on his arm—" and here." She gestured towards a tender spot on his side.

Xiang Yu opened his mouth but faltered. He didn’t want to admit that he had gotten into a tussle with Han Xin and come out on the losing end. Instead, he opted for a vague excuse. "We were training."

Mei stared at him, her eyes narrowing in disbelief. "Big brother is too much," she said.

Xiang Yu chuckled lightly. "You should see him. I did a number on him."

It wasn’t entirely a lie. He had fought fiercely, and he knew he had left Han Xin with bruises in places no one could see.

But Lian pouted, crossing her arms. "We aren’t going to talk to him anymore until he apologizes. He is too mean."

"It’s not his fault that he doesn’t remember. In his eyes I am the enemy," Xiang Yu countered, trying to defend Han Xin without disclosing too much.

Mei mumbled, almost to herself, "Why can’t he be nice like Da Hai?"

Xiang Yu, not having caught the name, asked, "Who?" But Mei fell silent, avoiding his curious gaze.

***

For the next several days, Xiang Yu was relegated to rest. Whenever Su Jing came looking for him to fulfil some task, Lian and Mei stood guard, unwavering. "Xiang Yu is hurt and can’t come out now," they would say, voices firm.

Su Jing would glare, frustration radiating from her like heat waves. "He needs to work for his meals! We don’t keep useless people," she would retort.

But Lian and Mei stood their ground, shaking their heads defiantly. With a huff of annoyance, Su Jing would grit her teeth and storm away.

On the fifth day, the tension in the air shifted as Su Jing managed to persuade Han Zhan to go and fetch Xiang Yu. Han Zhan had always harboured a loathing for Xiang Yu, even though he liked the twins.

The fire of his resentment burned brighter than any affection he held for them. Reluctantly, he agreed to retrieve Xiang Yu, though he knew it wouldn’t be a pleasant task.

As they approached Lian and Mei, it was clear that the twins were not happy about Han Zhan taking Xiang Yu away. Their expressions were fierce, an intensity Han Zhan had never seen before.

He didn’t understand their fierce protectiveness over Xiang Yu, it baffled him. Still, he hoped to coax them later, so he took Xiang Yu’s arm and led him away.

While they walked, Han Zhan eyed Xiang Yu sideways. "What did you do to them?" he asked, his tone barely masking his irritation.

Xiang Yu merely chuckled, a glimmer of mischief in his eyes, but he kept silent. The response riled Han Zhan even more. He felt his frustration bubbling up but restrained himself, knowing he needed to consider the twins’ feelings. Teaching Xiang Yu a lesson could wait.

They arrived at the place where the beasts were raised. The unmistakable odour of manure filled the air, and he felt a wave of dread wash over him. He hadn’t wanted to shovel manure, but it looked like there was no escaping it this time.

As expected, Su Jing was waiting, her expression smug. "It’s good that you showed up. This pile won’t shovel itself," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Xiang Yu said nothing as the brawny man from before handed him a shovel. Han Zhan had half a mind to stay and watch the spectacle unfold. After all, Xiang Yu was infamous for being pampered by the overseer of the alliance.

He was treated even better than Peng Xiu, the overseer’s daughter. Watching him shovel manure could almost be a form of entertainment. But duty called, and he soon had to leave.

"Go ahead. Time is money," Su Jing said as Han Zhan excused himself. Xiang Yu bristled at being bossed around but remained silent, resigning himself to his fate. This venerable one began to shovel the manure, his expression unchanging.

Su Jing watched him work diligently, puzzled by the lack of rebellion in his demeanour. She had expected anger, a fit, maybe even some rebellion, but instead found him to be serious and focused. Frustration gnawed at her. This wasn’t the spectacle she had anticipated.

As he shovelled the manure into a bucket, Xiang Yu approached the greenhouse, but Su Jing stepped in his path, blocking his way. "Are you going to let me work or not?" he asked, annoyance creeping into his voice.

"Who would have thought that I would see the day where the overseer’s beloved son would carry shit," she said mockingly. "The world must be coming to an end."

Xiang Yu met her taunting gaze with an icy stare. "I can make your world come to an end sooner if you like." His voice was low and intimidating, the aura around him shifting, making it clear that he meant every word.

Su Jing’s bravado faltered at his reply, and she instinctively stepped aside, surprised by his intensity. With a cool demeanour, Xiang Yu walked past her. He was going to do it.

***

Xiang Yu knelt in the greenhouse, his knees pressed against the dirt as he worked diligently. The task was mundane, but he had done it so many times now that he had lost count. As he evenly spread the manure, the overpowering stench threatened to make him gag.

It hung in the air like a heavy cloud, clinging to his senses. Yet, as the hours passed, he slowly grew accustomed to it. Was he happy about this work? No, he wasn’t, but he approached the task with dedication regardless.

Crouched down, focused on his task, he saw a pair of boots suddenly appear in his line of sight. He lifted his head to find an unfamiliar face smiling down at him. The man looked pleasantly surprised. "Your technique is so good," he said, admiration lacing his voice.

Xiang Yu arched an eyebrow, standing up to meet the stranger’s gaze. "Who are you?" he asked, his tone flat.

"Oh, sorry! You must have been out of it the other day," the man said quickly. "I am Da Hai. I brought you back to the shamans."

Even with the haze of that day’s memories swirling, Xiang Yu recalled the man vaguely. He had been so unwell that everything felt like a blur. "Oh, thank you for that day," he replied, genuine but guarded.

Da Hei smiled a warm expression that lit up his face. "No no need! Just doing my civic duty." fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓