Chapter 77
Chapter 77
“Your Majesty, forgive this subordinate for speaking out of turn, but has Guard Li not always handled this sort of matter?”
A hidden guard dressed in black knelt on the floor, hesitation in his voice.
The man behind the broad desk leaned back. Looking tired, he rubbed the oddly made purse at his waist.
“She has another task,” he said coldly.
The guard could only obey.
He had no idea what His Majesty was thinking lately. Why had the emperor begun investigating the truth behind the death of Duke Peng’s youngest daughter?
Guard Li, where in the world had you gone?
Faced with digging up a grave in the dead of night, the hidden guard dearly missed that most capable woman.
In the imperial palace of a certain kingdom, a tree suddenly shook and several leaves fluttered down. The lovers engaged in illicit business beneath it were so frightened they fastened their trousers and fled.
Rong Li stared into the darkness.
She was a professional. She ordinarily never sneezed–unless someone truly missed her.
* * *
This was the first night after Shengsheng and her two companions secretly returned to Zhen.
At noon tomorrow, the Zhu delegation would depart.
Jian Zhang saw the little girl in the red-dressed beauty’s arms, and his knees nearly buckled.
While Weiqing entered the palace gate without looking their way, Jian sidled over and whispered into Shengsheng’s ear.
“Miss Shengsheng, your venerable self has returned.”
Shengsheng stared.
Had she misheard, or was there something wrong with how he addressed her?
Instead of following Weiqing inside, she turned toward her own courtyard.
The lamp in Zhiyu Jiang’s room was still lit. Shengsheng’s steps halted.
She shuffled forward, then backward, looking exactly like a spoiled young rake returning guiltily to his lawful wife after sampling forbidden meat outside.
Meiren followed behind. Seeing Shengsheng’s behavior, she understood that another old flame probably waited inside.
Considerately, she pointed toward a small room in the corner of the courtyard.
“Chief, does anyone live there? If not, may this humble woman sleep there?”
Shengsheng checked. The room was indeed empty, so she nodded.
Meiren had just begun walking away when she remembered something. She returned, bent over, and stole a kiss from Shengsheng’s cheek.
“Good night, Chief.”
Shengsheng’s eyes widened.
Who could withstand that? Failing to be flustered by such a beautiful, flirtatious woman would practically be impolite.
Dizzy, Shengsheng approached Zhiyu’s door and knocked gently.
A familiar voice called from within.
“If Shengsheng didn’t make the midnight snack, I’m not eating it! Go away!”
The firm, decisive refusal brought tears to Shengsheng’s eyes.
What a perfectly filial daughter!
She pushed open the door without hesitation, already imagining Zhiyu’s visibly thinner face.
Shengsheng looked up, laden with guilt, and met the eyes of the girl inside, who had not expected anyone to enter.
It should have been a heartwarming reunion.
Instead, the “filial daughter” crouched frozen on the floor.
Shengsheng looked at the grease shining on her lips, then at the half-eaten drumstick in her hand.
“Heh.”
What a filial daughter indeed.
The meat fell from Zhiyu’s mouth. She tossed aside the drumstick and raced over, bent at the waist.
“Shengsheng!”
Shengsheng dodged nimbly. When she turned, she met Zhiyu’s pitiful gaze.
“You went out to play, left me here alone, and now you won’t let me hug you,” Zhiyu whined.
Shengsheng pointed disdainfully at her hands and mouth. “Wipe yourself first.”
Zhiyu pouted. “Fine.”
After two steps, she remembered something and pointed toward the roast chicken on the floor.
“Does Shengsheng want some?”
Shengsheng huffed twice, then declared grandly, “Yes!”
Thus, on the first night of the mother-and-daughter reunion, one large figure and one tiny figure pressed close together and shared a delicious roast chicken beneath the moon.
“Who bought it for you?”
“A little white bird.”
“What?”
* * *
Early the next morning, Shengsheng packed her luggage with Zhiyu and went to find Fusheng Duan.
Quietly, of course.
She was still publicly known as the young imperial grandson. It would be inconvenient to appear openly.
Jian Zhang said Weiqing had been summoned by her “Imperial Grandfather” and had not returned.
Shengsheng could only place the storybooks San bought for her among the common people on Weiqing’s desk.
They were the latest volumes in a series he usually enjoyed.
She suspected he was angry because she had pretended not to recognize him, so she had brought them back to coax him.
Apparently she could not give them to him privately. He would have to discover them himself.
To prevent anyone else from stealing the credit, she tucked a note beneath the books identifying the giver.
With a reluctance so faint it was nearly invisible, Shengsheng asked Zhiyu to close the courtyard gate.
Why did she not do it herself?
Could she reach?
“Shengsheng, who is she?” Zhiyu pointed at the beauty in red.
Meiren Liu raised an eyebrow. She apparently had not expected the other woman to be so pretty. Her gaze shifted to Shengsheng, curious about the introduction.
Shengsheng hesitated. “How do you feel about calling her your stepmother?”
Zhiyu stared.
Meiren considered it. “If you like.”
* * *
When Shengsheng asked to see the Noble Consort, an unfamiliar eunuch came to receive her.
She frowned at the stranger. Since when had Fusheng kept such a man at his side?
The eunuch said nothing at the arrival of Zhen’s young imperial grandson. He silently led her inside.
Zhiyu and Meiren, however, were stopped at the door.
Shengsheng signaled with her eyes that they should not worry, handed her heavy bundle to Zhiyu, and entered alone.
No incense burned inside.
Crossing the threshold, she immediately saw Fusheng reclining on a couch, long hair loose and eyes closed in rest.
“This servant greets Your Grace the Noble Consort.”
At her voice, he opened an alluring pair of slightly upturned eyes. Lowering his long lashes, he simply watched Shengsheng.
For some reason, she found herself pinned in place.
Within the strange silence, Fusheng shifted the hand supporting his head.
“I have fallen from favor,” he said blandly.
Whenever Fusheng referred to himself in the formal palace style, his mood was rarely good.
Shengsheng did not think much of it. “May this servant ask who currently enjoys His Majesty’s favor?”
Fusheng did not answer. Instead, he extended one hand.
“Come here.”
Shengsheng studied his face, then scampered over. Once he expertly lifted her, she settled into a comfortable position in his arms.
Fusheng was about to ask how she had “flown away” when the person he held underwent an enormous change.
Shengsheng clearly felt her limbs transform. Bones shifted against one another. Her body shot upward like a willow branch stretching wildly in spring.
Fabric tore, accompanied by Shengsheng’s small cry of alarm.
By the time Fusheng reacted, a dazzling expanse of white filled his vision.
Along with an embrace that seemed determined to strangle him.