Chapter 27
Chapter 27
“Get out.”
The hoarse voice above Shengsheng Zhou simmered with fury.
Siran Ming’s fingers flexed, as if he wanted to hurl something to demonstrate his rage, but his hand closed on empty air.
To prevent Shengsheng from doing anything drastic, Xiao Ming had removed every movable hard object beside the bed.
The adult Siran plainly remembered this at the same moment. His anger intensified.
Considerately, Shengsheng fetched a teapot from the table and presented it with both hands.
“For Your Majesty.”
She bowed her head respectfully, exposing a slender length of pale neck.
*Go on, smash it. Once you’ve vented, hurry up and let me leave. I waited here for four hours because I was afraid something might happen to you.*
Siran had intended to knock the pot away.
After hearing her thought, he ignored the teapot and seized her wrist instead, hauling her upward.
Shengsheng startled but did not release the pot. It struck the bedframe with the force of his pull and shattered. The broken pieces drove into her palm.
She muffled a cry of pain.
Siran’s expression changed. He caught her injured hand.
“Let go!”
Shengsheng obeyed on instinct, opening her bloodied fingers.
“Do you have a pig’s brain? Why didn’t you release it?” he shouted.
She lowered her head meekly.
“Please punish this servant, Your Majesty.”
*That thing was expensive! With your temperament, who knows whether you’d make me pay after you broke it?*
Siran gritted his teeth.
“Did you do that deliberately?”
Shengsheng looked up in confusion.
She thought she knew this question.
*Deliberately hurt myself so Your Majesty would feel sorry for me?*
Siran pressed his lips together. A vein throbbed at his temple.
Why had this woman treated his amnesiac self with such indulgence, yet behaved like this toward him?
“Get out! Tell Rong Li to get in here!”
As if the sight of his wedding clothes had become unbearable, he violently tore the bright red robe from his body.
Shengsheng hurried to her feet, protecting one hand, and rushed from the room as though flames chased at her heels.
Her eagerness to escape irritated Siran all over again.
Outside, Shengsheng searched below the steps, recovered the phoenix coronet she had hidden earlier, and wiped away the dust.
Then she walked off hugging it contentedly.
Only after leaving the courtyard did she understand why no one had guarded the room.
They were all gathered outside the main hall instead.
“Guard Rong, His Majesty wants you.”
Rong stared dazedly at Shengsheng, dressed in red and carrying a phoenix coronet.
Had the emperor finished what he intended?
Beside her, Shan Hai held an imperial decree. He hesitated but said nothing.
“The night is dark,” Shan offered gently. “I will have someone escort you home, Miss Shengsheng.”
She nodded.
“Thank you, Eunuch Shan.”
Rong entered Yinzhou Hall with a complicated expression.
This had been Siran’s residence when he was a prince without a fief, shared with his mother.
The previous night, Your Majesty had abruptly drafted a decree naming the palace maid from the Zhu Kingdom as an imperial consort. He had ignored every attempt by Rong and Shan to dissuade him.
Judging by Shengsheng’s appearance, he had failed to complete the ceremony.
“Your Majesty.”
Rong knelt before him with lowered eyes.
Siran had removed the wedding robe. He stood barefoot in the room wearing only white underclothes.
“Go to Moonbank Forest tomorrow,” he ordered. “Investigate personally what that woman did at the farmers’ home to cure their son.”
His voice was detached. The familiar authority within it made Rong miss the unusually gentle emperor of the previous days.
“Understood.”
She immediately knew which woman he meant.
“One more thing.” Siran paused. “Withdraw the punishment We previously imposed on Qingwan Xie. She has served Us for years. Her crime does not deserve death.”
Rong accepted the order.
Before leaving, she hesitantly asked one more question.
“Your Majesty, what should be done with the decree naming Miss Shengsheng as an imperial consort?”
Siran Ming turned away.
Humiliation and anger colored his face as he stared at the brightly burning wedding candles on the table.
After a long silence, he answered heavily, “Tell Shan Hai to burn it.”
***
When Shengsheng Zhou returned to her residence, Zhiyu Jiang had fallen asleep waiting at the table.
Pecky, hidden in Shengsheng’s sleeve, had long since drifted off as well.
Shengsheng sat beside Zhiyu and used a handkerchief to wipe the drool from the corner of her mouth.
Zhiyu frowned in her sleep.
“Xiao Ming… don’t steal… my candied hawthorn… bad…”
The smile on Shengsheng’s lips faded.
A knock sounded at the door.
She rose and opened it.
Shan stood outside.
“Miss Shengsheng.” He smiled at her. “This old servant noticed the wound on your hand and brought some medicine.”
A young eunuch behind him presented a jar of ointment.
Shengsheng accepted it, thanked Shan politely, and saw him off.
Once he had walked some distance, Shan shook his head.
Siran had ordered him to deliver the medicine, yet insisted that Shengsheng not be told.
Why?
***
Shengsheng was accustomed to waking before dawn.
After going to bed with so many worries, she rose even earlier than usual.
She washed, dressed, and opened the door. She still had no idea how the restored Siran would make her life difficult.
To her surprise, someone familiar stood outside.
“Good morning, Miss Shengsheng.”
The young woman wore a veil and a blue-green damask dress.
Shengsheng looked at her, then down at her own identical blue-green dress.
She fell into contemplation.
Today, she had deliberately selected something neither aging nor conspicuous.
How had she matched Qingwan Xie again?
Qingwan clearly could not understand it either. The corner of her mouth twitched beneath her veil.
“May I ask why Miss Xie is here?”
How strange.
Wasn’t Qingwan supposed to have been expelled from the palace by now?
Qingwan’s eyes curved pleasantly.
“I came to convey His Majesty’s command.”
Under Shengsheng’s puzzled but composed gaze, she continued, “His Majesty says that Shengsheng Zhou is merely a palace maid and has no right to occupy an entire palace alone. This official has therefore been sent to move you to quarters appropriate for your rank.”
She paused.
“From now on, Miss Shengsheng, you will work under my authority.”
Qingwan waited for the young woman–who looked as though a mountain could collapse before her without disturbing her composure–to show outrage and shock.
She was destined for disappointment.
Shengsheng merely nodded obediently and saluted.
“This servant obeys Your Majesty’s command.”
Even Qingwan had to admire her.
If she herself lost all the privilege she once possessed, could she display such dignity and acceptance?
Shengsheng asked Qingwan to wait while she packed.
The instant she turned away, her expression twisted.
Damn that bastard Siran Ming.
He had taken back her luxurious private villa.
She owned very little. After packing a simple bundle, she picked up the sleeping bird and his gold basin and went outside.
Siran had only said Shengsheng could not remain here. He had never said Zhiyu could not.
Thus, she left the sleeping Zhiyu undisturbed.
***
“So my work today is to sweep the courtyard?”
Shengsheng looked at the broom in her hands.
The palace maid before her wore an impatient expression.
“Yes. Sweep every inch clean. If you don’t finish, you don’t eat.”