Krish728
Translator's Note:
Update - As one of the readers in the previous chapter suggested, the Crown Prince indeed addresses himself as Gu, not Benwang. I have made the necessary changes in all the previous chapters.
Emperor Changlong's shameless behavior was truly outrageous. He held onto the topic of the envoy from the Kingdom of Daimao insulting the First Female General of Great Jin. He even claimed that it was the intention of the Daimao Kingdom's monarch.
Knowing that the other party was deliberately making things difficult, He Yuanting had no choice but to apologize.
"Your Majesty, I have a clear conscience and fear no rumors," Wei Mingyue worried that Emperor Changlong's reputation as a shameless rogue would soon take hold, so she spoke up, "Being criticized is trivial; the immediate priority is to investigate the truth behind the death of the Daimao envoy."
The court official responsible for documenting the Emperor's daily affairs swiftly grasped the brush and commenced inscribing the events onto paper.
Fundamentally, the Emperor held his esteemed generals in high regard—General Wei exemplified magnanimity—simultaneously displaying outward sympathy towards the unfortunate circumstances befalling the Kingdom of Daimao while covertly condemning their deplorable actions.
As diligent court officials, it was their expertise to faithfully document the words and actions of the Emperor. How they recorded it depended on their skills.
"Please forgive me, esteemed Emperor of Great Jin. I am deeply sorry for the inappropriate words and actions of our envoy from the Kingdom of Daimao," He Yuanting apologized with exhaustion. These envoys who accompanied him were increasingly troublesome. They were of no help, but they were quite skilled at being a burden.
Although he was accustomed to virtuous women in his own country, when he saw this Female General of Great Jin, he couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.
With just one glance, he could tell that she was an extraordinary person. The more remarkable she was, the shallower and more ridiculous those who spoke ill of her appeared.
"Zhen has already read the letter left by your deceased envoy. If it weren't for the Crown Prince informing Zhen that on the day of the incident, the Crown Prince was also present at the banquet, Zhen would have almost believed that Fushou Junzhu was responsible for the death of your Daimao's envoy," Emperor Changlong raised his hand, and Zhao Sancai handed over the transcribed content of the letter to He Yuanting.
He Yuanting quickly read through the contents, his face filled with anger, "This is slander against Fushou Junzhu. Your Majesty, I suspect that this letter has ulterior motives. It is surely the work of someone intentionally trying to provoke tensions between our two countries."
"Ah," Emperor Changlong sighed, "The Third Prince and Zhen share the same view. This conspiracy not only targets two of Zhen's most trusted generals but also targets your country and you, Third Prince."
Caught within the intricate web of this conspiracy were not only the unfortunate Hua family but also the primary target, Third Prince He Yuanting. As the most prominent figure among the envoys and with the unfortunate demise of one of their envoys within Great Jin's guest residence, he would bear the brunt of the blame, regardless of his actions.
Should he persistently question the actions of Great Jin, it would risk not only offending the Emperor of Great Jin but also escalating tensions into a full-blown war between the two nations. Upon his return, he would inevitably face severe retribution from his father, the Emperor of Daimao.
If he were to downplay the matter, when the news spread back to his own country, countless scholars would condemn him for his perceived weakness. Not only would his reputation be permanently tarnished, but his future would also be plagued with hardships.
At this point, he felt like he was being roasted over a fire. If he's not being roasted from the back, then he would be roasted from the front.
Soon, he came to a decision.
"Please - Your Majesty, the honorable Emperor of Great Jin - thoroughly investigate this matter and find the mastermind behind this malicious scheme to appease the spirit of Wang Daren."
"Please rest assured, Third Prince. Zhen will definitely deliver justice to you," Emperor Changlong nodded satisfactorily. He barely even spared a glance at Liu Mingshi, who was bowing and saluting, before he turned to comfort Wei Mingyue for a while, rewarding the Hua family with a pile of gifts in the name of consoling them.
He Yuanting sat awkwardly in his chair. Clearly, they were also victims, so why did he feel guilty when facing General Wei and Fushou Junzhu?
The most miserable one was Liu Mingshi. He knew that those few words would cause a lot of trouble. How could he have spoken so recklessly back then?
The truth of the case swiftly unraveled. It was revealed that the farewell letter purportedly written by Wang Daren was indeed a forgery, crafted by none other than his own servant. Furthermore, in Wang Daren's quarters, a collection of cryptic letters was discovered, hinting at someone's orchestration with the intention of deliberately inciting a war between the Daimao Kingdom and Great Jin.
The original plan was to create a conflict between the Hua family and the envoys of Daimao during the Hundred Nations Banquet. However, the Hua family surprised everyone by returning the gifts sent by the Daimei Kingdom, which inadvertently alerted the Third Prince about the envoy's insults against General Wei. Fearing exposure, the mastermind behind the scenes orchestrated Wang Daren's murder at the hands of his own servant. Subsequently, a forged letter was concocted, depicting Wang Daren as fearful of the Hua family and driven to suicide, thereby tarnishing the Hua family's reputation.
"Who would have guessed that the gentle and delicate young Junzhu of the Hua family would have such a temper, not giving the slightest face to the Third Prince of Daimao and directly returning the gift?" Pei Jihuai looked at the revelations of the case and couldn't help but marvel at the good fortune of the Hua family.
If the conflict had escalated during the Hundred Nations Banquet and led to Wang Daren's death, the incident would have undoubtedly become a highly publicized affair, beyond anyone's ability to control it.
"It seems that occasionally losing one's temper is not only beneficial for one's physical and mental well-being, but also advantageous for the family," the other Deputy Minister of Justice, Gou Jingqi, came in with a thick stack of files, "It seems even the heavens do not want loyal ministers and virtuous generals to suffer injustice."
"Since when did people from our department believe in heavenly destiny?" Pei Jihuai helped Gou Jingqi lock the files away, "It's your turn for the night shift today. I'll head back first."
Gou Jingqi picked up a few other encrypted cases from the cabinet, "What do you think? Is the mastermind behind this related to the previous cases?"
Pei Jihuai brushed off the dust from his body and remained silent for a moment before saying, "The previous cases, to some extent, all implicated people associated with Ying Wang, but this one seems different."
"It's not completely unrelated either. The young Junzhu of the Hua family was once almost betrothed to Ying Wang," Guo Jingqi locked the cabinet door, "A few days ago, our people found out that Ying Wang had recently proposed to Fushou Junzhu, hoping to marry her as his Wangfei, but she refused."
Pei Jihuai was not surprised to hear that Hua Liuli had rejected Ying Wang. In fact, given the status of Fushou Junzhu, it was best for her not to marry any prince from the imperial family.
But when it came to the Crown Prince and Fushou Junzhu...
The world never lacked tragic love stories, yet countless men and women still pursue them relentlessly.
Consort Xian and Ying Wang, who were finally no longer implicated, were currently in a state of shock.
Consort Xian looked at the proud and disdainful expression on Royal Princess Leyang's face and couldn't help but wonder if Leyang had lost her mind or if there was something wrong with her own ears.
"My son is dull and impulsive by nature. He may not be worthy of your daughter's extraordinary beauty," Consort Xian wished she could spit the tea in her mouth onto Royal Princess Leyang's face. Having someone like Xie Yao as her daughter-in-law was worse than having Hua Liuli as her daughter-in-law.
At least Hua Liuli was more attractive, and their children would be more beautiful.
"Sister-in-law, Ying Wang is the Eldest Prince, it is necessary for him to marry a young lady who can assist him in his endeavors. It will make everything easier in the future," Royal Princess Leyang smiled gracefully, "What do you think?"
Consort Xian didn't think it was good at all.
In the past, this princess always looked at her with disdainful eyes, addressing her as the Tian family's Consort. Even if she called her sister-in-law now, it felt like an insult coming from her mouth.
"Royal Princess, speak your mind. You don't have to call me sister-in-law. Just address me as the Tian family's Consort, as you used to," Consort Xian replied coldly, "I am not as noble as the Royal Princess, so I don't really care about titles."
"In the past, I may have been a bit immature in my conduct. I ask for your forgiveness, sister-in-law," Royal Princess Leyang knew that Consort Xian harbored resentment toward her, but she also knew that Consort Xian wanted nothing more than to see her son ascend the throne.
Consort Xian held the teacup in her hands without saying a word.
"A scholar's pen is an invisible knife," Royal Princess Leyang continued, "You must be aware of the Xie family's status in the south. Allowing your son and my daughter to marry each other would benefit both you and me."
"Hmph," Consort Xian sneered, "Are you trying to revolt by exaggerating the power of the Xie family?!"
Royal Princess Leyang's eyes turned cold.
"Don't think that your daughter is a golden goose that lays golden eggs. Even if she were made of gold, she would still be just a goose, not a phoenix," Consort Xian mocked, "If the Crown Prince doesn't want her, you think you can just pawn her off to my son? Do you think we're scavengers?!"
"I don't care how powerful the Xie family is, I simply don't like her," Consort Xian stood up, finally seizing the opportunity to vent her frustrations. She scolded with great satisfaction, "If she's really that exceptional, she wouldn't have been passed around like a commodity. If no one else wants to marry her, let whoever is willing to take her, but don't disgust me."
"Fine!" Royal Princess Leyang was infuriated, but she smiled sarcastically, "Tian family's Consort, remember the insult you gave me today."
"I'll remember it if you want me to. Your daughter may have a pretty face, but her actions resemble that of a brothel madam. My son is a proper child and cannot afford to be with your girl," Consort Xian pretended to spit on the ground, "You may leave now; I won't send you off."
Royal Princess Leyang's eyes turned black with anger, and as she left, she kicked over two vases in the Lincui Palace.
"Hmph," Consort Xian looked at the broken vases without getting angry. Instead, she wiped her face with a handkerchief, feeling refreshed, "You little wench, trying to use my son and me as pawns. Do you think I'm a fool?"
With that, she covered her face with the handkerchief and ran off to the Chenyang Palace, crying.
As a woman, if she was bullied by her sister-in-law, she had to inform her husband, right?
These two vases were gifted to her by her son. Although the colors were faded and the style was not great, it was still a heartfelt gesture from her child.
From beginning to end, Ying Wang, who sat in the corner without a chance to speak, stared blankly at the empty doorway, looking dazed as if he had just witnessed a great battle.
As he witnessed his mother scolding the princess, he realized that his mother was relatively more gentle whenever scolded him.
After all, he was her biological son, he received better treatment than others.
He walked out of the Lincui Palace and didn't go far before he came across the second daughter of Royal Princess Leyang in the imperial garden, admiring the flowers. He quickly turned around and ran away.
"Your Highness..." Xie Yao didn't like Ying Wang, but she knew that her mother intended for her to be betrothed to him, so when she saw him, she took the initiative to greet him.
Little did she know that before she could even say a word of greeting, Ying Wang hastily ran away as if she were a terrifying monster.
"He's crazy," Xie Yao muttered softly. She turned around in anger and coincidentally bumped into a eunuch holding a scroll.
"Which palace are you from? Can't you watch where you're going?" Xie Yao's personal maid quickly supported her and kicked away the scroll that had rolled to their feet.
The red string that held the scroll was kicked loose, revealing half of the painting.
"What kind of ghostly thing is this painting?" the personal maid cursed a few times, supporting Xie Yao as they walked back to the corridor.
Xie Yao's anger also surged, but as someone who was usually gentle and kind, she wouldn't scold a eunuch who made a careless mistake. So she just remained silent and let her maidservant support her.
"Fifth Prince?" Behind the Moon Gate, someone was looking at her expressionlessly. Xie Yao was startled and recognized the person as the Fifth Prince, Ji Yanqiu. She showed a delicate smile and said, "Greetings, Fifth Prince."
Little did she know that Fifth Prince, who was usually gentle and easygoing, only gave her a cold glance and turned around without saying a word.
Xie Yao: "..."
Were all the princes in the palace crazy?
Wasn't there a single normal one?
Hua Liuli heard that the Crown Prince had prepared delicious food in the Eastern Palace and even sent someone to escort her into the palace. She readily agreed without reservations.
Just as she entered the palace gate, she saw the Fifth Prince walking towards her with a dejected young eunuch. She stopped and greeted him respectfully.
"Fushou Junzhu," the Fifth Prince, with a stiff smile, asked, "Where are you headed?"
"I have some matters to attend to in the Eastern Palace. Your Highness, what brings you here?" Hua Liuli couldn't bring herself to say that she was going to the Eastern Palace to enjoy the food. Seeing the hint of grievance on his face, she regretted speaking up.
"Early this morning, Benwang was suddenly inspired and painted the rising sun. Benwang had intended to present it to Father Emperor, but unexpectedly, something happened on the way, and the painting got stained," Even in his despondency, the Fifth Prince maintained his elegance, "How could Benwang give a dirty thing to Father Emperor? So Benwang had to bring the painting back."
After speaking, he took the scroll from the young eunuch's hand, unfolded it, and handed it to Hua Liuli, "What does Junzhu think of this painting?"
Honestly, Hua Liuli couldn't really see any improvement in the Fifth Prince's painting skills. But in the face of his expectant gaze, her conscience was not worth much.
"It seems Your Highness's painting skills have improved once again," After gazing at the scroll for a moment, Hua Liuli earnestly said, "Most importantly, the meaning behind this painting is very special. The sunrise brings light to the earth, and the earth embraces the sunrise, creating a vibrant picture of the rising sun."
The Fifth Prince blushed and smiled shyly, "Actually, it's not as good as Junzhu praises, but Benwang is also very satisfied with this painting. Benwang initially wanted to give it to you, but..."
A painting intended for the Emperor, even if it couldn't be presented, it wouldn't be appropriate to give it to someone else.
"A gentleman does not take away what others like," Hua Liuli hurriedly said, "Your Highness, this painting has touched my heart. Although I cannot possess it, I have already engraved its appearance in my heart."
"Junzhu understands art," The Fifth Prince sighed, "Indeed, you are the pearl in the palm of the two generals. Your insight and breadth of mind are truly different from others, admirable."
After genuinely praising Hua Liuli, the Fifth Prince left the palace with a smile on his face.
Hua Liuli, who was praised to the heavens: "..."
When the imperial princes praise someone, are they all so enthusiastic?
Krish728
Author's Note:
Fifth Prince: Death stare warning! Grudge warning!
Krish728
Translator's Note:
Update - As one of the readers in the previous chapter suggested, the Crown Prince indeed addresses himself as Gu, not Benwang. I have made the necessary changes in all the previous chapters.
Emperor Changlong's shameless behavior was truly outrageous. He held onto the topic of the envoy from the Kingdom of Daimao insulting the First Female General of Great Jin. He even claimed that it was the intention of the Daimao Kingdom's monarch.
Knowing that the other party was deliberately making things difficult, He Yuanting had no choice but to apologize.
"Your Majesty, I have a clear conscience and fear no rumors," Wei Mingyue worried that Emperor Changlong's reputation as a shameless rogue would soon take hold, so she spoke up, "Being criticized is trivial; the immediate priority is to investigate the truth behind the death of the Daimao envoy."
The court official responsible for documenting the Emperor's daily affairs swiftly grasped the brush and commenced inscribing the events onto paper.
Fundamentally, the Emperor held his esteemed generals in high regard—General Wei exemplified magnanimity—simultaneously displaying outward sympathy towards the unfortunate circumstances befalling the Kingdom of Daimao while covertly condemning their deplorable actions.
As diligent court officials, it was their expertise to faithfully document the words and actions of the Emperor. How they recorded it depended on their skills.
"Please forgive me, esteemed Emperor of Great Jin. I am deeply sorry for the inappropriate words and actions of our envoy from the Kingdom of Daimao," He Yuanting apologized with exhaustion. These envoys who accompanied him were increasingly troublesome. They were of no help, but they were quite skilled at being a burden.
Although he was accustomed to virtuous women in his own country, when he saw this Female General of Great Jin, he couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.
With just one glance, he could tell that she was an extraordinary person. The more remarkable she was, the shallower and more ridiculous those who spoke ill of her appeared.
"Zhen has already read the letter left by your deceased envoy. If it weren't for the Crown Prince informing Zhen that on the day of the incident, the Crown Prince was also present at the banquet, Zhen would have almost believed that Fushou Junzhu was responsible for the death of your Daimao's envoy," Emperor Changlong raised his hand, and Zhao Sancai handed over the transcribed content of the letter to He Yuanting.
He Yuanting quickly read through the contents, his face filled with anger, "This is slander against Fushou Junzhu. Your Majesty, I suspect that this letter has ulterior motives. It is surely the work of someone intentionally trying to provoke tensions between our two countries."
"Ah," Emperor Changlong sighed, "The Third Prince and Zhen share the same view. This conspiracy not only targets two of Zhen's most trusted generals but also targets your country and you, Third Prince."
Caught within the intricate web of this conspiracy were not only the unfortunate Hua family but also the primary target, Third Prince He Yuanting. As the most prominent figure among the envoys and with the unfortunate demise of one of their envoys within Great Jin's guest residence, he would bear the brunt of the blame, regardless of his actions.
Should he persistently question the actions of Great Jin, it would risk not only offending the Emperor of Great Jin but also escalating tensions into a full-blown war between the two nations. Upon his return, he would inevitably face severe retribution from his father, the Emperor of Daimao.
If he were to downplay the matter, when the news spread back to his own country, countless scholars would condemn him for his perceived weakness. Not only would his reputation be permanently tarnished, but his future would also be plagued with hardships.
At this point, he felt like he was being roasted over a fire. If he's not being roasted from the back, then he would be roasted from the front.
Soon, he came to a decision.
"Please - Your Majesty, the honorable Emperor of Great Jin - thoroughly investigate this matter and find the mastermind behind this malicious scheme to appease the spirit of Wang Daren."
"Please rest assured, Third Prince. Zhen will definitely deliver justice to you," Emperor Changlong nodded satisfactorily. He barely even spared a glance at Liu Mingshi, who was bowing and saluting, before he turned to comfort Wei Mingyue for a while, rewarding the Hua family with a pile of gifts in the name of consoling them.
He Yuanting sat awkwardly in his chair. Clearly, they were also victims, so why did he feel guilty when facing General Wei and Fushou Junzhu?
The most miserable one was Liu Mingshi. He knew that those few words would cause a lot of trouble. How could he have spoken so recklessly back then?
The truth of the case swiftly unraveled. It was revealed that the farewell letter purportedly written by Wang Daren was indeed a forgery, crafted by none other than his own servant. Furthermore, in Wang Daren's quarters, a collection of cryptic letters was discovered, hinting at someone's orchestration with the intention of deliberately inciting a war between the Daimao Kingdom and Great Jin.
The original plan was to create a conflict between the Hua family and the envoys of Daimao during the Hundred Nations Banquet. However, the Hua family surprised everyone by returning the gifts sent by the Daimei Kingdom, which inadvertently alerted the Third Prince about the envoy's insults against General Wei. Fearing exposure, the mastermind behind the scenes orchestrated Wang Daren's murder at the hands of his own servant. Subsequently, a forged letter was concocted, depicting Wang Daren as fearful of the Hua family and driven to suicide, thereby tarnishing the Hua family's reputation.
"Who would have guessed that the gentle and delicate young Junzhu of the Hua family would have such a temper, not giving the slightest face to the Third Prince of Daimao and directly returning the gift?" Pei Jihuai looked at the revelations of the case and couldn't help but marvel at the good fortune of the Hua family.
If the conflict had escalated during the Hundred Nations Banquet and led to Wang Daren's death, the incident would have undoubtedly become a highly publicized affair, beyond anyone's ability to control it.
"It seems that occasionally losing one's temper is not only beneficial for one's physical and mental well-being, but also advantageous for the family," the other Deputy Minister of Justice, Gou Jingqi, came in with a thick stack of files, "It seems even the heavens do not want loyal ministers and virtuous generals to suffer injustice."
"Since when did people from our department believe in heavenly destiny?" Pei Jihuai helped Gou Jingqi lock the files away, "It's your turn for the night shift today. I'll head back first."
Gou Jingqi picked up a few other encrypted cases from the cabinet, "What do you think? Is the mastermind behind this related to the previous cases?"
Pei Jihuai brushed off the dust from his body and remained silent for a moment before saying, "The previous cases, to some extent, all implicated people associated with Ying Wang, but this one seems different."
"It's not completely unrelated either. The young Junzhu of the Hua family was once almost betrothed to Ying Wang," Guo Jingqi locked the cabinet door, "A few days ago, our people found out that Ying Wang had recently proposed to Fushou Junzhu, hoping to marry her as his Wangfei, but she refused."
Pei Jihuai was not surprised to hear that Hua Liuli had rejected Ying Wang. In fact, given the status of Fushou Junzhu, it was best for her not to marry any prince from the imperial family.
But when it came to the Crown Prince and Fushou Junzhu...
The world never lacked tragic love stories, yet countless men and women still pursue them relentlessly.
Consort Xian and Ying Wang, who were finally no longer implicated, were currently in a state of shock.
Consort Xian looked at the proud and disdainful expression on Royal Princess Leyang's face and couldn't help but wonder if Leyang had lost her mind or if there was something wrong with her own ears.
"My son is dull and impulsive by nature. He may not be worthy of your daughter's extraordinary beauty," Consort Xian wished she could spit the tea in her mouth onto Royal Princess Leyang's face. Having someone like Xie Yao as her daughter-in-law was worse than having Hua Liuli as her daughter-in-law.
At least Hua Liuli was more attractive, and their children would be more beautiful.
"Sister-in-law, Ying Wang is the Eldest Prince, it is necessary for him to marry a young lady who can assist him in his endeavors. It will make everything easier in the future," Royal Princess Leyang smiled gracefully, "What do you think?"
Consort Xian didn't think it was good at all.
In the past, this princess always looked at her with disdainful eyes, addressing her as the Tian family's Consort. Even if she called her sister-in-law now, it felt like an insult coming from her mouth.
"Royal Princess, speak your mind. You don't have to call me sister-in-law. Just address me as the Tian family's Consort, as you used to," Consort Xian replied coldly, "I am not as noble as the Royal Princess, so I don't really care about titles."
"In the past, I may have been a bit immature in my conduct. I ask for your forgiveness, sister-in-law," Royal Princess Leyang knew that Consort Xian harbored resentment toward her, but she also knew that Consort Xian wanted nothing more than to see her son ascend the throne.
Consort Xian held the teacup in her hands without saying a word.
"A scholar's pen is an invisible knife," Royal Princess Leyang continued, "You must be aware of the Xie family's status in the south. Allowing your son and my daughter to marry each other would benefit both you and me."
"Hmph," Consort Xian sneered, "Are you trying to revolt by exaggerating the power of the Xie family?!"
Royal Princess Leyang's eyes turned cold.
"Don't think that your daughter is a golden goose that lays golden eggs. Even if she were made of gold, she would still be just a goose, not a phoenix," Consort Xian mocked, "If the Crown Prince doesn't want her, you think you can just pawn her off to my son? Do you think we're scavengers?!"
"I don't care how powerful the Xie family is, I simply don't like her," Consort Xian stood up, finally seizing the opportunity to vent her frustrations. She scolded with great satisfaction, "If she's really that exceptional, she wouldn't have been passed around like a commodity. If no one else wants to marry her, let whoever is willing to take her, but don't disgust me."
"Fine!" Royal Princess Leyang was infuriated, but she smiled sarcastically, "Tian family's Consort, remember the insult you gave me today."
"I'll remember it if you want me to. Your daughter may have a pretty face, but her actions resemble that of a brothel madam. My son is a proper child and cannot afford to be with your girl," Consort Xian pretended to spit on the ground, "You may leave now; I won't send you off."
Royal Princess Leyang's eyes turned black with anger, and as she left, she kicked over two vases in the Lincui Palace.
"Hmph," Consort Xian looked at the broken vases without getting angry. Instead, she wiped her face with a handkerchief, feeling refreshed, "You little wench, trying to use my son and me as pawns. Do you think I'm a fool?"
With that, she covered her face with the handkerchief and ran off to the Chenyang Palace, crying.
As a woman, if she was bullied by her sister-in-law, she had to inform her husband, right?
These two vases were gifted to her by her son. Although the colors were faded and the style was not great, it was still a heartfelt gesture from her child.
From beginning to end, Ying Wang, who sat in the corner without a chance to speak, stared blankly at the empty doorway, looking dazed as if he had just witnessed a great battle.
As he witnessed his mother scolding the princess, he realized that his mother was relatively more gentle whenever scolded him.
After all, he was her biological son, he received better treatment than others.
He walked out of the Lincui Palace and didn't go far before he came across the second daughter of Royal Princess Leyang in the imperial garden, admiring the flowers. He quickly turned around and ran away.
"Your Highness..." Xie Yao didn't like Ying Wang, but she knew that her mother intended for her to be betrothed to him, so when she saw him, she took the initiative to greet him.
Little did she know that before she could even say a word of greeting, Ying Wang hastily ran away as if she were a terrifying monster.
"He's crazy," Xie Yao muttered softly. She turned around in anger and coincidentally bumped into a eunuch holding a scroll.
"Which palace are you from? Can't you watch where you're going?" Xie Yao's personal maid quickly supported her and kicked away the scroll that had rolled to their feet.
The red string that held the scroll was kicked loose, revealing half of the painting.
"What kind of ghostly thing is this painting?" the personal maid cursed a few times, supporting Xie Yao as they walked back to the corridor.
Xie Yao's anger also surged, but as someone who was usually gentle and kind, she wouldn't scold a eunuch who made a careless mistake. So she just remained silent and let her maidservant support her.
"Fifth Prince?" Behind the Moon Gate, someone was looking at her expressionlessly. Xie Yao was startled and recognized the person as the Fifth Prince, Ji Yanqiu. She showed a delicate smile and said, "Greetings, Fifth Prince."
Little did she know that Fifth Prince, who was usually gentle and easygoing, only gave her a cold glance and turned around without saying a word.
Xie Yao: "..."
Were all the princes in the palace crazy?
Wasn't there a single normal one?
Hua Liuli heard that the Crown Prince had prepared delicious food in the Eastern Palace and even sent someone to escort her into the palace. She readily agreed without reservations.
Just as she entered the palace gate, she saw the Fifth Prince walking towards her with a dejected young eunuch. She stopped and greeted him respectfully.
"Fushou Junzhu," the Fifth Prince, with a stiff smile, asked, "Where are you headed?"
"I have some matters to attend to in the Eastern Palace. Your Highness, what brings you here?" Hua Liuli couldn't bring herself to say that she was going to the Eastern Palace to enjoy the food. Seeing the hint of grievance on his face, she regretted speaking up.
"Early this morning, Benwang was suddenly inspired and painted the rising sun. Benwang had intended to present it to Father Emperor, but unexpectedly, something happened on the way, and the painting got stained," Even in his despondency, the Fifth Prince maintained his elegance, "How could Benwang give a dirty thing to Father Emperor? So Benwang had to bring the painting back."
After speaking, he took the scroll from the young eunuch's hand, unfolded it, and handed it to Hua Liuli, "What does Junzhu think of this painting?"
Honestly, Hua Liuli couldn't really see any improvement in the Fifth Prince's painting skills. But in the face of his expectant gaze, her conscience was not worth much.
"It seems Your Highness's painting skills have improved once again," After gazing at the scroll for a moment, Hua Liuli earnestly said, "Most importantly, the meaning behind this painting is very special. The sunrise brings light to the earth, and the earth embraces the sunrise, creating a vibrant picture of the rising sun."
The Fifth Prince blushed and smiled shyly, "Actually, it's not as good as Junzhu praises, but Benwang is also very satisfied with this painting. Benwang initially wanted to give it to you, but..."
A painting intended for the Emperor, even if it couldn't be presented, it wouldn't be appropriate to give it to someone else.
"A gentleman does not take away what others like," Hua Liuli hurriedly said, "Your Highness, this painting has touched my heart. Although I cannot possess it, I have already engraved its appearance in my heart."
"Junzhu understands art," The Fifth Prince sighed, "Indeed, you are the pearl in the palm of the two generals. Your insight and breadth of mind are truly different from others, admirable."
After genuinely praising Hua Liuli, the Fifth Prince left the palace with a smile on his face.
Hua Liuli, who was praised to the heavens: "..."
When the imperial princes praise someone, are they all so enthusiastic?
Krish728
Author's Note:
Fifth Prince: Death stare warning! Grudge warning!
