Chapter 79
Chapter 79
Yong Kingdom.
“Your Majesty, Guard Li’s letter has arrived.”
Siran set down his bowl and chopsticks, dismissed the servants, and opened the envelope with some urgency.
Shan Hai waited outside, pondering His Majesty’s recent peculiarities.
The emperor’s temperament had not changed. Yet he often gripped the strangely crafted purse at his waist and stared into space.
It inevitably made Shan suspect that His Majesty had a sweetheart.
After Miss Shengsheng left, his temper had worsened by the day.
He improved somewhat upon returning from Zhen. But this time, he went out to suppress bandits, failed to suppress them, and did not even come back himself. When Shan questioned Guard Li, she refused to explain.
The worry was killing him.
“Shan Hai.”
Siran’s deep voice came from inside.
Ignoring the strange feeling in his heart, Shan entered.
“What are Your Majesty’s orders?”
“Clear this away and bring today’s memorials.”
Shan glanced at the Siran before him, who looked no different than usual. “You intend to review memorials here?”
Siran nodded.
As Shan turned away, “Siran Ming” adjusted his black imperial robes.
Alas. The miserable double had to work again.
Why had His Majesty left in such a hurry without explaining anything?
This was the first day he missed his emperor.
* * *
Shengsheng should have shared Fusheng’s carriage.
But her Noble Consort remained as temperamental as ever and sent her to squeeze into another carriage with Zhiyu and Meiren.
The unfamiliar eunuch beside Fusheng took Shengsheng’s place instead.
She would not ordinarily have cared. Yet as they passed, the eunuch actually snorted coldly into her ear.
How could she endure that?
After all her years of palace intrigue, someone dared challenge her openly?
The more she thought, the angrier she became. She furiously kneaded the bird in her hands.
The situation was rather strange.
As the carriage rolled out, a small yellow bird had flown inside. Sharp-eyed Zhiyu pointed at it.
“Shengsheng, look! Pecky is back!”
Shengsheng glanced at the bird perched on the window frame.
“It probably came begging for food.”
A question mark practically appeared above Zhiyu’s head.
Shengsheng searched for her bundle. Meiren quickly handed it over.
“Here.”
Shengsheng thanked her.
She had worried about explaining her transformation, but Meiren had recognized her at a glance and claimed she was accustomed to such things.
Accustomed?
To this?
Shengsheng could not help wondering who the woman truly was.
She found a piece of fruit and offered it to the bird.
“There you go. Eat this, then hurry home.”
Zhiyu watched in confusion.
Shengsheng patted her dog head and explained gently, “This isn’t Pecky. The color is similar, but our Pecky is more handsome.”
Meiren stared.
Zhiyu nodded as though she understood.
While the bird ate, Shengsheng seized it.
“And look. The size of the reproductive organs is different.”
The moment she said it, the bird struggled wildly. Her hand slipped, and it flew away.
Shengsheng nodded in complete understanding.
“See? That bashfulness is exactly like Pecky.”
Zhiyu nodded even harder.
Meiren remained silent.
Was the bird truly bashful?
Before long, another bird flew in.
This time, Shengsheng cheered.
“Darling, you’re back! Mommy missed you to death!”
The haughty little yellow bird skillfully dodged her grasping hands and landed atop her head.
“Long time no see, Pecky!” Zhiyu waved up at him.
Shengsheng had missed him desperately. When he refused to be touched, she did not force the issue.
“Speaking of which, you were the one who asked the Noble Consort to tell me Pecky had returned. That was how I knew.” Shengsheng extended a hand and stroked his soft feathers.
Zhiyu paused with an apple between her teeth. “What? I didn’t.”
Shengsheng’s hand stopped.
*No way. Duan–*
The moment she reached the surname, she cut off the thought. Moving with lightning speed, she removed Pecky from her head, stuffed him into Zhiyu’s empty hand, and ordered her to hold tight.
Only then did Shengsheng concentrate.
*No way! That scoundrel Fusheng Duan actually tricked me? It’s bad enough that he lied, but then he lost his temper for no reason. At this rate, even the last person in the world who understands him will slowly lose all idea what he is thinking. Fusheng Duan, you scoundrel!*
After firing off the barrage inside her head, Shengsheng finally felt better.
She reclaimed the unreadable Pecky from Zhiyu’s bewildered hands.
See? This time, Fusheng’s avian counterpart had not pecked her.
Shengsheng was thoroughly satisfied.
When the convoy stopped to rest, Pecky flew away again. Shengsheng ignored him.
She understood now. No matter where the bird went to play, he always returned to her eventually.
She could let nature help raise her child.
Shengsheng had just stretched when a eunuch approached.
She looked over and smiled. “Eunuch Xiao, what brings you to this servant?”
Eunuch Xiao was the newcomer beside Fusheng.
Still expressionless, he spoke stiffly. “His Grace summons you to serve.”
Shengsheng did not move. She merely nodded. “I see.”
When she continued to stand there, Ren Xiao’s face darkened.
Shengsheng spoke at her leisure. “Come to think of it, Eunuch Xiao greatly resembles an elder brother of mine.”
Ren sneered. “Miss, currying favor with this servant will do you no good.”
Shengsheng nodded emphatically.
“Exactly. That brother was exposed as a spy, and the grass over his grave is several feet tall by now. How could Eunuch Xiao possibly resemble him?”
Ignoring his pot-black face, she smiled with exquisite warmth.
“Wouldn’t you agree, Eunuch Xiao?”
Ren huffed. “This servant’s loyalty to the Noble Consort is as clear as the sun and moon.”
After he left, Shengsheng watched his back for a long time, her gaze cold.
By the look of things, Xunlan Liu had probably sent him.
Had Xunlan truly begun suspecting Fusheng?
Her steps quickened. She needed to find a way to eliminate Ren Xiao.
Before reaching Fusheng’s carriage, Shengsheng heard silvery giggles and Xunlan’s deliberately booming flirtation.
“My darling, feed me another.”
“Your Majesty, you’re awful.”
If guards had not been present, Shengsheng might have retched.
He had chosen the space beside Fusheng’s carriage to disgust them. Could Xunlan make his intentions any more obvious?
She turned around.
Their Noble Consort needed earplugs.