Chapter 39
Chapter 39
“Have they left?”
Jian Zhang appeared from nowhere, startling Shengsheng.
After patting her chest until her heartbeat calmed, she told him with remarkable patience, “Guard Zhang truly does come and go like a ghost.”
Jian replied modestly, “You flatter me.”
Shengsheng fell silent.
That had not been praise.
“They have already set out. You may notify His Highness now,” she said, steering the conversation back on course.
Jian nodded. His figure flickered, and in the next instant, he vanished from sight.
Shengsheng gazed after him in envy.
*A-Pang, you said I cannot redeem modern weapons. Surely you have some martial-arts manuals?*
A-Pang looked at her admiringly.
*Shengsheng, you are so clever. We really do!*
Shengsheng’s expression instantly turned solemn.
*Do you have anything like the Sunflower Acupoint Strike or the Overturning Mountain Palm? Preferably something I can master overnight?*
A-Pang searched through the catalog.
*There is a Sunflower Manual, but techniques like the Overturning Mountain Palm would be much too difficult for you.*
*That still works! Hurry, redeem the Sunflower Manual for me. With this in my hands after transmigrating, I will be unstoppable in this world!*
Sunflower Manual: acquired.
***
Besides the current Crown Prince, one other imperial son resided within the Zhen imperial palace.
He was Prince Shen, the reigning emperor’s third son and Weiqing Song’s third-eldest brother.
For some unknown reason, Weicen Song had suddenly lost his memories several days ago. Out of affection for his son, the emperor had permitted him to live in his former palace residence until his memories returned.
At first, Shengsheng had felt rather favorably toward this amnesiac prince.
Once her role in the plot ended, she could return to the point before the original owner of her body had entered the palace. She would be free to refuse palace service altogether and live like a bird released from its cage.
She had already made plans to become a cheerful little farm girl in the Zhen Kingdom. And what was more essential to the heroine of a farming romance than finding an amnesiac prince?
If the bug had never occurred, perhaps she and Prince Shen might even have enjoyed a legendary romance of their own.
Then Weiqing told her certain things about his brother.
The fantasy died at once.
Now, merely thinking about it made her faintly nauseated.
At the entrance to Ninghe Palace, two guards blocked her path.
“Hey! What business do you have here?”
The words had barely left their mouths when they caught a strange scent. Before either could react, both guards collapsed unconscious.
Shengsheng pushed open the doors and entered.
As expected, apart from the two guards at the gate, the courtyard was deserted.
People committing wicked deeds could hardly leave an entire courtyard of servants standing around to listen.
Before she even reached the inner chamber, Shengsheng heard the unmistakable rhythm of vigorous bed sport and a woman’s breathless cries.
After devoting several seconds to feeling sorry for Weiqing, she covered her eyes with one hand and pushed the door open with the other.
“Someone come quickly!” she shouted as she entered. “Catch the assassin! There is an assassin!”
The two people entangled inside jolted in alarm. The woman pinned beneath the man screamed, but the man turned around without the slightest panic.
His bare torso was covered in red marks, yet he showed not a hint of embarrassment as he looked behind him.
When Shengsheng saw his face, she froze.
The man was, damn him, actually rather handsome.
His black hair fell loose down his back. Beneath his broad, wheat-colored chest, eight sharply defined abdominal muscles lined his torso. Unspent desire still smoldered in his expression as he ran his tongue across his lips.
Seeing Shengsheng, he lazily arched an eyebrow.
“If you wished to climb into my bed, you need not have invented such a pathetic excuse.”
Shengsheng could only marvel at his ability to spout nonsense without even opening his eyes.
Before she could retort, a flurry of footsteps sounded outside.
Only then did Weicen realize something was wrong.
By the time he reacted, however, it was already too late.
A man with a face like carved jade, dressed in black-and-gold python-patterned silk, had already strolled through the doorway.
“Crown Prince, what urgent matter brings you here with such a grand procession in the middle of the night?” Weicen Song stepped forward and addressed Weiqing Song.
Even in the Crown Prince’s presence, Weicen remained as unserious as ever. He could not be bothered to conceal it.
Weiqing smiled faintly.
“My palace maid saw that the guards at Ninghe Palace had collapsed. She suspected an assassin had arrived. Fearing for Third Imperial Brother’s safety, I hurried here at once.”
His gaze drifted meaningfully toward the bed.
“Though it seems I may have come at an inconvenient time…”
Shengsheng thoughtfully completed the sentence inside her head.
*Would you look at that? Such a very large bed.*
The woman on the bed had already been dragged to the floor.
Wei Zhang had hastily pulled on a robe to cover herself. She knelt before Weiqing in a wretched heap, her voice choked with tears.
“Your Highness… I…”
“Say no more, Secondary Consort. I have never treated you poorly.”
His voice was cold. He did not so much as look at her.
Weicen, on the other hand, appeared surprised.
“So this slut is the Crown Prince’s Secondary Consort? I have lost my memories, so naturally I did not recognize her.”
What a wonderfully convenient excuse amnesia made.
Weiqing smiled without concern. “Indeed. Third Imperial Brother remembers nothing. I only hope you never remember for as long as you live.”
The two men smiled as their gazes met. The true meanings behind those smiles were known only to themselves.
“Father is growing old,” Weicen drawled. “There is no need to disturb him with such an ugly scandal. Would you not agree, Crown Prince?”
“Naturally.”
Weiqing’s voice turned icy.
“Someone, take the Secondary Consort back. No one is to breathe a word of this affair!”
Wei Zhang, sobbing as though she might faint, was quickly dragged away.
Hongxing had slipped off to relieve herself. When she returned and saw what had happened, her legs gave way beneath her.
Following Weiqing outside, Shengsheng gave her a cool glance.
“Your Highness, this maid appears to be one of the Secondary Consort’s attendants.”
Weiqing barely cared enough to look. “Jian, deal with her.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“No! Please, no! Your Highness, I did nothing wrong! I do not want to die! Please spare me, Your Highness! Your Highness!”
Hongxing shrieked and sobbed, but Weiqing acted as though he heard nothing.
Irritated by the noise, Jian grabbed her by the head and slammed her into the ground, knocking her unconscious.
Ordinarily, Shengsheng would never have meddled. Yet Hongxing’s hands were already stained with the blood of who knew how many innocent lives.
Even if Shengsheng had not pointed her out, Hongxing would hardly have met a better end.
Helping a palace consort conduct an illicit affair was a capital crime.
As they neared the gates of Ninghe Palace, Shengsheng wondered whether Zhiyu had missed her so badly that she had hidden under the covers to cry. Would that lazy bird have missed her too?
The thought of Zhiyu’s delighted smile when she returned lifted her spirits.
But the group had barely stepped beyond the palace gates when a languid male voice called after Weiqing.
“Does Third Imperial Brother require something else?”
Weicen smiled.
“Nothing important. I simply noticed how clever and capable that palace maid at your side is. I would like you to give her to me.”
Shengsheng instantly went on full alert. She tipped her face up toward Weiqing.
*All right, I admit I prefer being called clever to being told I please someone’s eye! But this man is a pervert! Weiqing Song, you cannot do this!*
Weiqing glanced at her pleading expression and pressed his lips together.
Then his face unfolded into a smile.
“Very well.”