Chapter 117
Chapter 117
Never in Shengsheng Zhou’s wildest dreams had she expected the man to go to the Empress Dowager’s palace.
Forget Shengsheng–even the Empress Dowager herself was rendered speechless on the spot.
Judging by Fusheng Duan’s increasingly impatient mood lately, he must have been extremely unwilling to see her, let alone visit of his own accord.
“Quickly, let the Noble Consort enter.”
Seated upright in the place of honor, Yan Yu cleared her throat and craned her neck expectantly.
Fusheng did not call Shengsheng inside, instead leaving her to wait outside.
The other palace servants filed out as well.
They were accustomed to it. After all, whenever the Empress Dowager and the Noble Consort spoke, not a single person was allowed to remain in the room.
Shengsheng had previously wondered whether he and the Empress Dowager were doing something unmentionable in there. The Empress Dowager might be rather old, but her face was still incredibly alluring.
Then one day, the Empress Dowager accidentally touched Fusheng. Shengsheng personally watched him order the clothes burned and then bathe alone for a very long time. When Shengsheng went to clean up afterward, she saw that even his fingers had wrinkled from the water. Only then did she understand that Fusheng probably did not like the Empress Dowager.
Of course, if he really did do something with the Empress Dowager, Shengsheng would never speak to him again. Fusheng was a clean freak, but she was emotionally fastidious, too!
Meanwhile, the two people suspected of having an illicit affair…
One was currently kneeling, while the other stood.
“My lord, why have you summoned this subordinate?”
Fusheng did not waste words with her. “Have you identified the commander of the barbarian army?”
Yan Yu was surprised that he had taken the initiative to concern himself with affairs of state. She replied, “We have. He is a young man who was only promoted to City Lord within the past few years. His name is Jierge.”
Killing intent flashed through Fusheng’s eyes. “I will personally take part in this war.”
Yan Yu jerked her head up and immediately cried, “You absolutely must not, my lord! Swords have no eyes. If you were injured, this subordinate would deserve ten thousand deaths!”
Fusheng gave a disdainful scoff. “What? Do you think those barbarians are capable of hurting me?”
Yan Yu hurriedly shook her head. “A thousand years ago, the barbarians were merely our nation’s slaves. They are nothing to fear. But this matter carries risks. My lord, please reconsider.”
Fusheng said nothing. Instead, he paced a full circle around Yan Yu as she knelt on the floor.
Yan Yu did not know what he meant and dared not move. Yet the tip of her nose kept catching the faint fragrance that belonged to Fusheng, tempting her imagination to wander.
His very next sentence dragged her back to reality. Her entire body felt as though it had plunged into an icy abyss.
“You’ve followed me for many years. It is time you stepped back to a secondary role.”
The instant he finished speaking, Yan Yu answered in a trembling voice, “This subordinate will make arrangements at once. My lord, please don’t drive this subordinate away.”
Fusheng immediately looked satisfied. In a vile tone, he said, “Do a good job.”
He was not a good master. In fact, his attitude toward his own followers could even be described as cold.
Yet some people still embraced him willingly, like drinking poison to quench their thirst.
—–
Shengsheng suspected there was something wrong with her ears.
“You’re going to the battlefield?”
Fusheng nodded and stuffed a grape into her mouth.
Shengsheng did not eat it. Twisting around to look at the man holding her, she asked seriously, “What would Your Highness do in a place like that? Watch the soldiers risk life and limb to improve your appetite? Or move a couch outside and fall asleep to the clang of weapons?”
Fusheng arched a brow.
This was the first time he had heard one of her sarcastic remarks spoken from her mouth instead of inside her head.
“So that’s the image you have of me?” He arched a brow.
Shengsheng blinked, unsure whether she should nod.
Under the assault of his gaze, she was forced to shake her head. “How could that be? Your Highness is so valiant and mighty. You must want to charge into battle and lead the vanguard, right?”
Although being praised as valiant and mighty pleased him, Fusheng Duan still shook his head. With uncertainty in his voice, he said, “Getting splashed with blood would be disgusting, and the dust would leave me filthy…”
The more he imagined it, the more unbearable it seemed. By comparison, even his last experience in the ruins suddenly felt acceptable.
Shengsheng Zhou gave him an I-told-you-so look.
Fusheng pinched her cheek, narrowing his eyes. “You’ve been growing bolder lately.”
Shengsheng remained perfectly composed. “Your Highness spoiled me this way.”
He gave a soft huff, then said, “Come with me.”
The words had barely left his mouth when, before Shengsheng could answer, he frowned and spoke again. His tone had grown stiff and unnatural. “Would you be willing… to come with me?”
Shengsheng’s brow twitched.
*Now that’s rare. He actually asked instead of ordering me???*
Seeing her stare at him as though she had seen a ghost, he looked away in rare embarrassment.
This was weirdness opening the door for weirdness–utterly weird from start to finish.
What was happening now?
Was Fusheng feeling shy?
He could actually… feel shy???
“Ahem… Then I suppose this servant can tag along for a bit.”
Fusheng suppressed the awkwardness inside him. “I will protect you.”
He said it earnestly, his tone unusually serious.
Shengsheng nodded, looking deeply moved.
*I’ll be thrilled if you can protect yourself and promise not to fall asleep. After all, back in the day, I was the one who rescued you from a pack of green zongzi monsters.*
Fusheng: “…” He really could not expect anything from her.
Catching the hand that had somehow slid to her waist, Shengsheng smiled without mirth. “Your Highness, this servant is almost out of dudou.”
*Are you a child? Have you gotten addicted to sucking breasts?*
Fusheng declined to comment.
——
And so, when Shengsheng woke the next morning, she discovered an enormous chest inside her room.
When she opened it, dudou of every color and design nearly blinded her.
She had never seen so many styles of dudou in her life. Even if every woman’s dudou in the entire palace were gathered together, there probably would not be this many different patterns.
Holding up a pale pink dudou with one hole cut into either side of the fabric, Shengsheng sank into contemplation.
How many sour plums had the designer eaten to dream up something like this???
Pink is so sweet and tender–how old are you now?
Oh, oh, oh, and here was a restrictive one that hugged the waist.
Would there be any skin left on her after she put this thing on???
Then there was this one, made entirely of transparent gauze and embroidered with mandarin ducks playing in the water.
You truly are my god, Fusheng Duan!
An enormous chest, yet not one piece she could wear. Thanks a freaking lot.
Under everyone’s curious gaze, Shengsheng entered Fusheng’s bedchamber with a smile plastered across her face. She dismissed the servants preparing to wake the Noble Consort, and the instant the door closed, her expression changed. In two or three strides, she reached the innermost room.
The man was still asleep, curled up alone on a bed large enough for more than four people.
Fusheng liked to curl into himself when he slept. Shengsheng remembered someone once saying that people who slept that way lacked a sense of security.
Of course, now was not the time to speculate about whether Fusheng had endured an unhappy childhood.
She ripped away his blanket and said coldly, “Your Highness, the sun is shining on your butt.”