Xie Lian picked up the child swiftly. Mu Qing seemed slightly focused. "Your highness that child isn't homeless. He has a family. I never seen him on the streets before."
Xie Lian smiled to the boy "do you have family?"
"No family, only your highness" the child declares.
"That's a lie" Mu Qing snaps "your highness this child is trying to deceive you"
"A innocent child? Deceive me? Mu Qing are you joking or being serious. Wait. This child is in the army isn't he?"
"Yes he is" Mu Qing says coldly "he threw himself infront of you like a little shield. You already have to proper people as shields you don't need-"
"He's better suited for a saber." That made Mu Qing silent .
Feng Xin was observing quietly. "He seems solely focused on you your highness. I'll return him to his post with Mu Qing and you can focus on your cultivation"
Xie Lian nodded though he was reluctant to let the child go. Yet he handed him over anyways to go and quietly into cultivation.