Chapter Twenty-Three: Every Kindness Must Be Repaid (Seeking Support)

Zhu Si was rather naive; at that moment, he was pulling faces at the small rabbit in his arms, utterly enchanted and oblivious to the difficulties of descending the mountain.

Zhu San, being slightly older, appeared quite sharp.

"That path is too steep. Is there no other way down? Let's take a different route!" Zhu San frowned.

Zhu Hao curled his lip: "Do you know why the rabbits built their nests here? It’s because the terrain is elevated, forming a ring-shaped plateau. If we had time, I could take you all over this area for a mile or two, but this is the only path up or down the mountain... Alright, I’m heading down first. Take care of yourselves."

Zhu San was unwilling to give up and actually circled the mountaintop, only to return with a pout, looking at the steep path and the pool of water below with a face full of worry.

"If you don't want to go down, I'll go first..."

Zhu Hao’s implication was that he would not wait for the two siblings.

Zhu San hurriedly said: "Don't. You go behind... Fourth Brother, I’ll hand all the rabbits to you. Hold them tight, go in front, and I’ll pull you from behind."

"Ah... but it’s not that high, is it?"

Zhu Si looked at the path down and didn't think much of it.

The hill was not tall; from the peak to the pool, it was at most seven or eight meters. Most people would think that even jumping from the top wouldn't be a problem.

The siblings divided the tasks, walking one after the other, with Zhu Hao trailing behind.

For Zhu Hao, the most important part of his plan wasn't catching rabbits, but getting his targets into the pool to give himself a chance to "save them at the risk of his own life." This required a bit of finesse.

He had already tampered with the path on the way up. To prevent the experienced palace guards from noticing anything, he had put in great effort, intentionally spreading mossy soil over the uneven rocks so it looked like debris washed down from the summit during a flood, then covering it with a layer of dry dirt.

By the time they reached the top, the dry dirt had been scuffed away, making the path extremely slippery for the three as they descended.

On the way down, all three had things in their hands. By intentionally walking last, he could trip them at any moment... even if he were in front, he could pretend to drag the two children along...

In short, if they returned unharmed, Zhu Hao’s plan would be a failure.

"Walk slowly."

Zhu Hao underestimated the agility of Zhu Si’s legs; even with four rabbits in his arms, he quickly hopped down the stone steps. Once they crossed a stretch of muddy path, there wouldn't be much of the steep trail left.

Even Zhu San began to feel that the path only looked dangerous.

She gripped her brother’s collar tightly to keep him from falling.

Zhu Hao had hoped the siblings would slip on their own, but that didn't seem realistic, so he had to intervene. He didn't need to target Zhu Si, who was in front; he focused on Zhu San, who thought she was being careful. As they descended, he kicked a pebble that landed precisely under her foot.

"Ouch!"

Without any surprise, Zhu San, who was holding onto her brother’s collar, stumbled and pitched forward.

"Careful!"

Zhu Hao cried out, reaching out to grab her clothes, and he actually managed to catch her.

Just as Zhu San breathed a sigh of relief, thinking it was just a scare, Zhu Hao used the momentum of his forward rush to collapse, causing a chain reaction. With the one behind pushing the one in front, it didn't matter how steady Zhu Si was; the two behind collided with him, causing him to stumble and fall. This, in turn, accelerated Zhu San and Zhu Hao as they slid toward the pool below.

While sliding, Zhu San’s eyes were filled with terror. She instinctively let go of her brother’s collar, her hands clawing at the air, trying to find a grip to stop the descent, but all she touched was mud. How could she stop her body from falling?

Zhu Hao never let go of Zhu San’s clothes, appearing to be trying his best to save her, though it was essentially futile.

*Scratch, scratch, scratch—*

The thatch along the path, which Zhu Hao had already loosened, was pulled out by his other hand, dragging huge chunks of mud along with them, creating a terrifying commotion.

*Splash!*

Zhu Si was the first to fall into the pool.

With Zhu Hao’s "assistance," Zhu San’s forward momentum was slightly dampened, and she slid into the pool. Though she only hit the edge, she was immediately submerged...

Zhu Hao, trailing behind, slid into the pool as well.

"Help... help me... *glug!*"

With Zhu San and Zhu Hao acting as "pushers," Zhu Si had plunged forward with great force and landed in the center of the pool. Though he struggled desperately after hitting the water, he began to sink.

The three children had fallen from the peak into a deep pool. Without outside help, it would be difficult for them to get out unscathed.

Of course, the pool wasn't very deep, with the deepest part only three or four meters, and where Zhu San fell, it was only a little over a meter. It was only because she was unsteady that she couldn't keep her head above water.

Zhu Hao first swam to Zhu San, grabbed her hair, and pulled her head above water, keeping his body as far from her as possible.

Saving a drowning person easily leads to losing one's own life. Zhu Hao knew he lacked strength and had to use extreme measures to ensure she couldn't grab onto him.

Zhu San struggled twice, realized she could stand on the bottom, and became less panicked. Zhu Hao pushed her onto the bank with a few quick movements.

"Quick... save my brother!"

Seeing her brother still struggling in the middle of the pool, Zhu San burst into hysterical, terrified tears.

Zhu Hao didn't go ashore but swam quickly toward Zhu Si.

By the time he reached him, Zhu Si had been drowning for a while and had swallowed quite a lot of water. When he touched Zhu Hao’s arm, he gripped it like a straw.

Zhu Hao used all his strength to yank Zhu Si, trying to bring his head above water... but because Zhu Si’s lungs were full of water, even when his head surfaced, he couldn't get enough air and continued to struggle wildly.

Zhu Hao observed the area and quickly spotted a large rock... one he had prepared yesterday, prying it from the mountaintop into the pool to serve as a stepping stone.

He knew exactly where the rock was. Once there, even if Zhu Si tried to drag him to the bottom, he had a foothold.

He pulled Zhu Si two meters forward, and when his feet touched the large rock and he felt the water was only chest-deep, he felt relieved.

The foundation for his plan was complete; now came the performance.

It was impossible to bring him ashore immediately; that would make the rescue look too easy, failing to demonstrate his "noble character" of self-sacrifice. So, Zhu Hao pretended to be dragged down by Zhu Si, and both their heads went under.

*Glug, glug...*

Because Zhu Hao had held his breath in advance, it didn't affect him much.

But for Zhu Si, just as there was a glimmer of hope, it vanished again.

After Zhu Si swallowed more water, Zhu Hao brought his head above the surface once more.

By then, Zhu San’s cries could be clearly heard from the bank.

Zhu San couldn't swim and didn't dare enter the water; she just stomped her feet, not knowing to find a bamboo pole or anything to help, just screaming aimlessly.

Zhu Hao’s head went under with Zhu Si’s again. This time, he clearly felt Zhu Si’s struggle weaken, indicating he was severely drowning.

Zhu Hao quickly brought Zhu Si’s head up again, oriented himself, and began swimming toward the bank.

Even though Zhu Si was still struggling, he no longer had the strength to drag Zhu Hao into the depths. Zhu Hao had already locked onto the vines dangling from the cliff on one side of the pool. After swimming two or three meters, he grabbed them; with something to hold onto, the rescue became much smoother.

Zhu Si was finally dragged onto the bank by Zhu Hao.

By then, he was a mess, curled up on the ground like a boiled shrimp, water bubbling from his mouth. Fortunately, the amount of water in his lungs was still manageable. Next was the first aid part, which Zhu Hao was an expert in.

Zhu Hao reached out, intending to place Zhu Si over his bent knee to drain the water.

"What... what are you doing?"

Zhu San rushed forward, trying to stop Zhu Hao from "offending" Zhu Si’s body.

But Zhu Hao was strong; he pushed her aside and snapped, "You’re just a nuisance! What can you do besides cry? I’m saving your brother’s life!"

His voice was stern and cold, instantly silencing the frantic and weeping Zhu San.

When Zhu Hao had saved them, he had been precise, ensuring he didn't hurt Zhu Si while letting him experience the terror of drowning. Now, he pressed firmly on Zhu Si’s back, forcing the water out of his lungs and stomach. Before long, Zhu Si’s pupils refocused, and his spirit slowly returned.

"Phew..."

Zhu Hao sat slumped to the side, exhausted, breathing heavily.

"Is... is he okay?"

Zhu San wanted to step forward nervously but was afraid of being scolded by Zhu Hao.

Zhu Si lay on his back, his breathing gradually leveling out, though he continued to cough: "Cough... cough... Sister... I’m okay..."

Hearing her brother’s voice, Zhu San finally let go of her held breath.

"It’s all your fault!"

Once she saw her brother was fine, Zhu San immediately pointed the finger at Zhu Hao.

Zhu Hao looked at her with fury: "It was you who fell first and dragged everyone else down... If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have all ended up in the water... Hmph, I shouldn't have saved you just now."

Zhu San felt wronged.

But she couldn't find the root of the problem. Her first impression was that she had slipped, and she wanted to say Zhu Hao had pushed her. But when she thought about it, Zhu Hao had been trying desperately to pull her, and one only had to look at the uprooted thatch on the side of the path to see how hard he had tried.

The three of them had fallen in, and it was only thanks to Zhu Hao’s efforts that she and her brother were saved. To slander him now would be truly ungrateful.

"Truly, casting pearls before swine. I shouldn't have saved you. My rabbits... sigh. I shouldn't have brought you along. If I’d known I could find the nest so easily, I should have done it myself. I regret it now... I’m going back to tell the master about this..."

Zhu Hao stood up, acting as if he was about to leave, regardless of the siblings' fate.

Zhu San panicked: "You cannot tell your master."

Zhu Hao said: "I’m not telling your father or mother; why can’t I tell my master?"

"He... he will tell Instructor Sui..." Zhu San gritted her teeth.

Zhu Si asked pitifully: "Third Sister, if Mother finds out, will she punish us?"

"Shut up!"

Zhu San regained her unreasonable streak and glared at Zhu Hao: "In any case, I order you: when we go back, you are not to tell anyone, especially your master. Today’s events... act as if they never happened."

Zhu Hao pointed at their wet clothes: "It will be hard to explain these wet clothes to people, won't it?"

Zhu San stood with her hands on her hips, furious: "How we explain it is none of your business. In any case, you are not to say a word, otherwise..."

"Otherwise what?"

Zhu Hao, of course, would find ways to threaten the siblings. If the Prince of Xing’s residence found out they had snuck out and fallen into a pool, they would never have another chance to leave the palace!

"Otherwise, you’ll regret it!"

Zhu San couldn't think of any way to threaten Zhu Hao.

Zhu Hao said: "My master teaches that one must be brave enough to admit mistakes. I snuck out to find medicine for my mother and nearly caused a disaster. If I don't report this to my teacher, I am failing to respect my master... Unless you promise me one thing, I might consider not telling!"

"You... what do you want?" Zhu San looked puzzled.

They were actually negotiating?

Zhu Hao struck while the iron was hot: "My master is about to go on a long trip, leaving Anlu for Nanchang, and I will soon be without a master. My family wants to drag me back to do manual labor; I won't have a good life ahead. Unless you promise to have that Master Sui take me as a student, I won't speak of this."

"I saved your lives; it’s only right that you repay me, isn't it?"