It was so bad Si Ning's memory was clear that he recalled Xiao Pie coming in to save him and that was the last time he saw him because Xiao Pei wasn't among the palace guards that came out with Ah Dai. It was Jiang Ye that convinced him that Ah Dai would be alright that Si Ning was able to leave because Xiao Pei was supposed to be protecting Ah Dai which means it's either Xiao Pei was killed or heavily injured by Qiu Bai or it was the other way round that Xiao Pei had to go into hiding after killing Qiu Bai.

"Anybody out there!" Si Ning yelled, his voice hoarse that he started coughing due to his dry throat, he turned and grabbed a handkerchief on the table and used it to cover his mouth before turning to the door, his heartbeat accelerating because of the thought of the guards of the Si residence coming in apart from Xiao Pei and Jiang Ye.

"General."

"General."

Si Ning took a relieved breath when he laid his eyes on Xiao Pei and Jiang Ye that rushed into the room and hurried over to his side with a worried expression. Si Ning placed the handkerchief on the bed when he noticed that Xiao Pei was carrying a jug of water which he quickly poured in a cup and placed it to Si Ning's lips while Jiang Ye sat behind Si Ning to hold him, making sure that Si Ning was resting on him so that Xiao Pei would be able to give him water easily. As Si Ning was taking small sips, he used the corner of his eyes to watch Xiao Pei and he could see it was really him and wasn't a ghost, he also noticed he had his wrist bandaged.

When Si Ning had his fill of the water, he allowed Xiao Pei to arrange his pillows before Jiang Ye helped him to lie properly on the bed that he was almost sitting. Si Ning noticed that Jiang's head was also heavily bandaged like Ah Dai and he could bet his arms were bandaged too because he could remember Jiang's arm bleeding when he rushed to the room to save him yet that didn't stop him from carrying him and runaway.

Xiao Pei and Jiang Ye stepped back, looking guilty that Si Ning wasn't even shocked when they fell on their knees and kowtowed. It was like he had been expecting it and he knows if Ah Dai comes in then he would also surely join them.

"Forgive us General for not being able to protect you." Xiao Pei and Jiang Ye said.

"We will accept any punishment as long as General allows us to continue protecting you." Xiao Pei added.

Si Ning was more surprised to see that Xiao Pei also kowtowed because the least the stone-faced man do is kneel for him. A Young Master and a man with a hard face, kowtowing doesn't suit them at all, and since Si Ning wasn't the Emperor so he didn't like watching them bowing deeply to him to the extent of knocking their heads on the floor which made him cringed because he doesn't want them to raise their heads and see that Jiang Ye's head wound had opened and knocking their head on the floor could also lead them to get concussion or.

What if they turn dumb?

"Stand up now tell me what happened?" Si Ning asked as he cleared his throat, he was so curious about it that he quickly gestures for them to stand up when they raised their heads to look at him.

Because Si Ning had been unconscious he had no idea what had been happening or what his position was, if he had been stripped of his position or if he was under house arrest or what Xiu Zhicheng planned to do to him or if Ah Dai already told the Emperor what happened.

When Si Ning noticed Xiao Pei and Jiang Ye seemed to be frozen in place and Jiang Ye's mouth was even hanging open in shock made Si Ning wore a serious expression and flicked his fingers to show he needed them to hurry up and stand to their feet.

"General we will receive our punishment now." Jiang Ye said carefully with an uncertain look as he raised his head without standing.

"Tell me what happened." Si Ning repeated, having enough of the masochist. He wasn't interested in punishing those that laid their lives for him.

"His Majesty covered up everything." Xiao Pei replied and raised his head, making no move to stand to his feet as he folded his hands and bowed his head to show his utmost respect.

"Eh..." Si Ning's mouth fell. Did he just heard Xiao Pei right.

Does that mean Xiu Zhicheng knows he went to see Qiu Bai? Does that mean he was willing to let him go without any form of punishment because him dressed in female clothing already showed he was hiding something.

"I was able to escape Second Prince Qiu Bai due to the help from the Minister of Works." Xiao Pei continued.

"Xiu TianZhao?" Si Ning had to sit up properly because he needed to sit straight to process what Xiao Pei said.

"Yes General, the Minister of Works followed his Majesty and discovered me then helped me in fighting Second Prince Qiu Bai and we escaped leaving Ah Dai because he said Ah Dai will be safe with his Majesty guards." Xiao Pei explained. "Forgive me General for leaving Ah Dai behind." He said and knocked his head on the floor.

Si Ning turned to stroke his chin and think it over, it was unbelievable that Xiu TianZhao also came maybe out of curiosity or accompanied Xiu Zhicheng to see Qiu Bai but that still doesn't explain how Ah Dai and Jiang Ye escaped Xiu Zhicheng.

"General, His Majesty ordered the silence of those that saw you at the XiXi tavern and I wasn't interrogated nor was Ah Dai. His Majesty let us go to stay by your side." Jiang Ye said.

Killing those that saw him at the tavern was unbelievable that Si Ning was shocked when he recalled Xiu Zhicheng giving out that order that he wasn't able to stop because he wasn't in his right mind. It was such a sad thing that they don't consider life as a precious thing in this era and so sad that they died because they saw him.

Si Ning started chuckling, feeling his stomach bubbling for joy because at least his guards and Ah Dai wasn't subject to any form of torture when he was unconscious which means they had not spilled the beans and gave him time to cook up a lie for Xiu Zhicheng. Xiao Pei stood up and gave him some water when Si Ning was done laughing then he returned to kneeling beside Jiang Ye.

"Do you think the Emperor knows why I went to the XiXi tavern?" Si Ning asked as his face turned pale when he couldn't help but think that the reason Xiu Zhicheng didn't imprison his guards and Ah Dai or punish them might be because he had known everything or he was waiting for him to wake up so they would receive their punishment in the whole of the courtroom.

'Or maybe he is waiting for you to tell him the truth.' A little voice said in Si Ning's head.

The truth? That was so horrifying that Si Ning's eyes widened as he turned to Xiao Pei.