Chapter 45
Chapter 45
The entire imperial palace became a hive of activity.
Though Weiqing’s “injury” had not yet healed, he cooperated diligently with his father and buried himself in preparations.
The idlest people in the palace were probably Shengsheng and Zhiyu Jiang.
They were foreigners. Even if the Crown Prince had brought them back himself, no one would entrust important work to people from another kingdom.
Thus, just as she had before the Zhu Kingdom’s Spring Banquet, Shengsheng once again joined the honored ranks of those with nothing to do.
Ah, how she loved the Spring Banquet.
As if.
When news came that the emperor of the Yong Kingdom’s carriage had reached the city gates, Shengsheng was lying on her bed with one leg crossed over the other, embroidering a scented pouch. Her contented expression collapsed at once.
The bird sunning himself beside the window silently opened his eyes.
This was a disaster.
After the birthday gift Weiqing had sent him, Siran Ming unquestionably knew she was in the Zhen Kingdom.
And Siran was a vindictive bastard who never let the smallest grievance go…
Wait.
By any reasonable standard, was she not the wronged party?
He still owed her wages!
The thought of her unpaid wages filled Shengsheng with mysterious strength. She climbed out of bed.
Before she could seek Weiqing, a servant arrived with word that he had summoned her.
Certain it involved Siran, Shengsheng hurried over.
The moment she entered, Weiqing’s teasing voice drifted toward her.
“Guess who has arrived.”
Shengsheng smiled without warmth.
“This servant guesses the emperor of the Yong Kingdom has arrived.”
Weiqing stood and approached her. “How did you know?”
“Which damned servant leaked the news ahead of time?”
His expression darkened.
Shengsheng stared at him.
What was she supposed to do? He looked as though he had genuinely wanted to surprise her.
Jian immediately cupped his hands.
“This subordinate will investigate at once. I will personally tear out that servant’s tongue.”
Shengsheng certainly could not admit that no such person existed and that A-Pang had told her.
Never one to miss a spectacle, Weiqing decided to take Shengsheng along to watch the excitement.
He also wanted to see how she intended to demand her wages from Siran.
Shengsheng did not know how to ride, so Weiqing ordered Jian to carry her on his horse.
By the time the party reached the palace gates, Siran’s grand procession had already entered.
Weiqing’s father had been in poor health lately and did not appear. The Crown Prince welcomed the visitor in his place.
“Your Majesty of the Yong Kingdom. It has been too long.”
Weiqing wore his formal robes as Crown Prince. A jade crown held his hair high, and his clear, noble elegance stood in stark contrast with the extravagance prized throughout Zhen. He looked like a man born to remain apart from everyone else.
Siran wore an imperial crown and his customary black python robes. The quiet force of his authority made others afraid to look at him directly.
“It has.”
Though he spoke to Weiqing, his gaze remained fixed on the space behind him.
Weiqing naturally knew whom he was watching.
“What has caught Your Majesty’s attention?”
Siran answered bluntly.
“Ten thousand taels of gold for the palace maid behind you.”
Shengsheng jolted.
*You are willing to spend ten thousand taels of gold to buy me, yet you would not pay me a few measly taels in wages?*
Siran froze.
Weiqing’s smile faded. He had not expected Siran to demand her so openly.
“I must refuse. Xiaohong serves me exceptionally well. No amount of gold could purchase her.”
His voice was cool and flat.
Siran’s eyes narrowed. The two equally imposing men stared at each other across the short distance.
“Xiaohong? A new master, a new name. You truly are cheap.”
His anger was unmistakable.
Shengsheng pretended not to hear.
Let him insult her. It would not cost her a single tael of silver.
Weiqing had also begun to realize that Siran Ming’s interest in Shengsheng involved more than the “birthday gift.”
Something else seemed tangled up in it.
A complicated history of love, hatred, and unresolved passion?
Without noticing, Weiqing’s brows drew together. It was as though he had discovered something profoundly irritating.
The residence arranged for Siran stood not far from the Eastern Palace.
Yet every palace maid assigned to serve him complained bitterly. In private, they constantly grumbled about how impossible the tyrant was to please.
His guard Rong Li eventually came to the Eastern Palace in person to ask whether Shengsheng might be loaned to them.
Weiqing, who had been reading a scroll, raised one eyebrow.
“Are your emperor and my Xiaohong particularly close?”
The phrase *my Xiaohong* made Rong strangely uncomfortable.
“Miss Shengsheng was sent by the Noble Consort of the Zhu Kingdom to serve His Majesty.”
In other words, they could hardly be more familiar.
When Jian saw that Siran’s guard was a woman, he could not help looking twice.
The Yong Kingdom appointed female court officials and advocated equality between men and women, a policy unique among the nations.
Even Zhen, for all its pride in its open customs, had never managed the same.
“Xiaohong, you heard her,” Weiqing said, his voice slightly cold. “Do you wish to go?”
After considering it, Shengsheng nodded.
There were certain matters she needed to discuss with Siran.
“Very well. Go.”
Weiqing granted permission with a smile as warm as the spring breeze.
Shengsheng thought nothing of it and followed her old acquaintance Rong away.
The two women had barely departed when porcelain began shattering throughout the Eastern Palace.
Jian knelt helplessly before Weiqing as his master smashed one object after another.
He had never seen Weiqing in such a rage.
If he cared this much, why had he allowed her to go?
Jian naturally did not understand that Weiqing was a man determined to hide how much Shengsheng mattered to him.
His pride had to be protected at any cost.
Only Weiqing knew the suffering that pride caused him.
***
“Miss Shengsheng, it has been a long time.”
Rong reminisced with Shengsheng as they walked.
No one struck a smiling face, so Shengsheng responded politely.
Once they had exchanged enough pleasantries, Rong slowly approached the subject she truly wished to discuss.
“Miss Shengsheng, ever since you left, His Majesty’s temper has…”
Shengsheng cut her off.
“Guard Li, why exactly did you ask me to come?”
Rong’s voice turned unnatural.
“His Majesty refuses to eat. I cannot allow anyone else to learn of it, so I had no choice but to ask you to persuade him.”
Rong was greatly overestimating her.
How could Shengsheng possibly possess that kind of charm?
Then again…
Perhaps she was a little extraordinary after all.
Shengsheng stared at the floor in a daze as Siran calmly ate two bowls of rice.
“Do you have nothing to say to me?”
The deep voice sounded beside her.
Shengsheng raised her eyes and discovered that he had approached without her noticing. Only the width of a fist remained between them.
What should she say?
Perhaps: *You still owe me money?*