Chapter 91
Chapter 91
By the time the attendant came upstairs carrying the bronze mirror, Weiqing Song had returned to his seat by the window. Shengsheng Zhou sat across from him with her head lowered.
Every so often, she stole a glance at him.
*Haven’t you looked enough yet? In broad daylight, too!*
After a moment’s hesitation, the attendant asked, “Sir, where would you like me to put this?”
Weiqing tipped his chin toward Shengsheng. “Give it to her.”
The attendant and Shengsheng exchanged a look.
He set the bronze mirror in her hands and warned, “It’s rather heavy. Be careful, miss.”
This was the finest bronze mirror in the establishment. If she dropped and broke it, she would have to pay.
Shengsheng smiled at him. “I’ll be careful.” If she broke it, she would have to pay!
Though complete strangers, the two of them were of one mind.
Shengsheng carried the mirror over to Weiqing. Only then did he lift his gaze from the thin booklet and look into it.
The red mark was conspicuous, with the faint color of blood beneath it.
His brow tightened almost imperceptibly. He cast a veiled glance at Shengsheng’s sleeve.
*Ruthless as ever, A-Sheng.*
Thanks to the angle, Shengsheng glanced at the table and finally got a clear look at the contents of the booklet.
Holy crap!
Seeing how calm Weiqing was, she had assumed it could not be anything too explicit. Perhaps people in ancient times preferred their filth subtle.
But that one hurried glance utterly remade her worldview.
Well, slice her ass with a knife–now she’d seen everything.
Even a pervert like her thought this was perverted!
But… wait a second…
On closer inspection, why did both people seem to be packing the same equipment?
Shengsheng’s pupils contracted.
Weiqing had finished examining his reflection by then. He looked up just in time to catch Shengsheng wearing an expression of such astonishment that her pupils practically shook.
He followed her gaze to the booklet.
“Is it good?” he asked.
Shengsheng whipped her eyes away and exclaimed in embarrassed outrage, “Your Highness! How can such debauchery exist in this world? This servant… this servant wishes she could gouge out her own eyes!”
*It’s good… Thrilling, even. Slurp. (¯﹃¯)*
Weiqing fell silent.
He really should have grown accustomed to the gulf between Shengsheng’s words and thoughts by now.
With that in mind, he nodded. “I find it rather good myself.”
Shengsheng stared at him.
Was he serious?
She studied Weiqing intently, as though trying to find some crack in his composure that would prove he was only bluffing.
But… there was none.
He met her gaze with perfect ease, his dark, luminous eyes brimming with sincerity.
She could not stop herself from thinking about the relationship between Fusheng Duan and Weiqing Song.
*I mean… surely not? It can’t be. But then who’s the top and who’s the bottom?*
*Hmm. My money’s on Fusheng Duan being on top.*
The smile at Weiqing’s lips stiffened.
He had no idea what “top” and “bottom” meant in this context, but he understood perfectly well that she had put Fusheng Duan above him.
On what grounds?
Another sharp pain stabbed the same spot in her palm. Caught completely off guard, Shengsheng failed to suppress a cry this time.
She shuffled forward, only for her foot to collide, with impeccable bad luck, against the pointed corner of a chair leg.
Agony shot through her big toe. Her leg gave way, and she toppled forward.
Weiqing swept an arm around her and caught her against his chest.
“What happened?” he asked gently.
His lowered lashes were long, curling slightly at the tips.
Tears sprang to Shengsheng’s eyes from the pain, but she still struggled upright. “Forgive me, Your Highness. This servant did not do that on purpose.”
She scrambled off him and limped back to her seat at top speed, curling her toes as she waited for the pain to subside.
Weiqing nodded. “I know you didn’t.” Had she done it deliberately, she would have left this restaurant today missing a layer of skin.
“I came to see the Noble Consort, but for some reason, security at the Zhu Kingdom’s palace has been extremely tight lately. I had no choice but to ask Xiaohong for help.”
The mention of tight security immediately reminded Shengsheng of Noble Consort Xi and the rebels who had been rooted out from among her followers a few days earlier.
But… he could easily have sent in a message and arranged for Fusheng Duan to come out. Why was he so determined to enter the palace himself?
Though that was what she thought, Shengsheng put on a troubled expression. “Your Highness, your identity is rather sensitive… If you’re caught entering the palace, this servant will certainly be charged with treason and colluding with a foreign power.”
Weiqing Song’s lips curved. He casually untied the purse at his waist and set it before her.
“Naturally, I don’t expect Xiaohong to help for nothing.”
Quick-eyed and quicker-handed, Shengsheng snatched up the weighty purse. “Oh, Your Highness, you really shouldn’t. Still, this servant will certainly do her humble best to help.”
What a joke. She had to move fast. She did not know about anyone else, but when things went wrong, Weiqing was fully capable of shamelessly asking for his money back.
Shameless Weiqing: Not anymore.
After all, a certain bird pretending to be young had almost shaved an entire layer off his face just now.
They agreed to meet here again at the same hour tomorrow, and Weiqing had Jian Zhang escort her back.
Before Shengsheng left, Weiqing asked, “You know how I feel, don’t you?”
She turned back and bowed. “Your Highness, this servant is only a lowly maid.”
Then she turned and left.
Weiqing remained where he was, watching her retreating figure.
—–
Upon returning to the Jiang residence, Shengsheng abruptly realized there was a problem.
She herself had slipped out of the palace without permission. How was she supposed to march Weiqing openly back inside?
She stopped in her tracks, her expression twisting for an instant.
Was she an idiot?
How had she only just remembered something this important?
Besides, since Weiqing knew she was staying at the Jiang residence, he must also know she had left the palace without permission!
What was going on?
Had her beauty led him astray and made him overlook something so crucial?
With a sigh, Shengsheng stepped across the threshold.
Then she stopped again.
A group of servants stood before her, every face plainly announcing that they meant trouble. Shengsheng glanced toward Xiyuan Duanmu, who stood gagged at one side of the courtyard.
The moment Xiyuan saw her, she started making muffled noises. Her eyes seemed to be urging Shengsheng to run.
For a moment, Shengsheng was touched.
“Mmmph! Mmmph mmmph mmmph mmmph!”
Shengsheng answered her with a look.
*Don’t worry, Concubine Duanmu. I would never drag all of you down with me.*
Before anyone in the courtyard could react, Shengsheng spun around and bolted.
Xiyuan’s eyes went wide.
Help! Beautiful granny, why did you run away?
Help! SOS! Tasukete!
Xiujuan gave a cold snort. “After her.”
At her command, every servant raced out in pursuit.
Shengsheng knew she could not outrun them.
*A-Pang! Do you have any limited-time lightness skill?*
A-Pang answered anxiously, *Shengsheng! No limited-time lightness skill! How about Chameleon Simulation?*
Whatever it was, it would do. Before reaching the next corner, Shengsheng shouted, *Yes, yes, yes!*
The servants hot on her heels rounded the corner after her, then froze.
Where had she gone?
“Check over there!” someone yelled.
The whole mob thundered away.
After they were gone, something changed color in the drab corner by the wall. It peeled away as though someone were stripping off a layer of skin.
As it turned out, it was a Shengsheng Zhou.