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Watching Nangong Nuo's figure disappear into the courtyard, Mei Shuang finally let out a sigh of relief. Just when she had been cursing that detestable emperor for half the day, he unexpectedly came to her aid at a critical moment.
Who could have predicted that such a perilous situation would be resolved so unexpectedly? For the first time, Mei Shuang felt a flicker of goodwill towards that cold-hearted emperor.
She walked lightly into the inner chamber, where several maidservants with delicate features stood, each holding a tray filled with silk garments, undergarments, combs, and ointments.
However, being watched by so many while bathing made Mei Shuang uncomfortable. She waved her hand to dismiss them, saying she would call for them when needed.
Soaking in a wooden tub filled with petals and wafting with a faint floral fragrance, Mei Shuang felt an indescribable sense of relaxation permeate every pore of her body. To prevent her wound from getting infected, she only dared to soak below her waist.
Gazing at the half-inch long scabbed wound under her ribcage, she realized it was inconvenient to be alone. She called over a maidservant to help her wash.
Lowering her gaze, she saw her radiant face reflected clearly in the water. The mist rising from the tub made her skin appear even more delicate and smooth, prompting even the attending maidservants to admire Mei Shuang's porcelain-like complexion.
Such compliments made Mei Shuang feel a bit elated. Even in modern times, she would have to spend money to achieve such beauty, yet here it came effortlessly. Not only did others find her pleasing to the eye; she herself was quite taken with her appearance.
In high spirits and after wandering outside for quite some time that evening, Mei Shuang had soaked in the relaxing tub long enough to feel utterly exhausted. As she climbed out and onto the bed, her head barely touched the fragrant pillow before she fell fast asleep...
---
In the Hall of Governance, Emperor Xiao Luo of the Great Qin Empire was staring intently at a document in his hand, his brow furrowed in deep thought. After several moments of contemplation, he ultimately did not put down the red brush he held.
Just as he was lost in worry, he looked up to see Li Gonggong hurriedly entering and whispering, "Your Majesty, Prince Zhao has arrived."
As soon as Li Gonggong finished speaking, Nangong Nuo followed closely behind him into the room. Upon seeing Emperor Xiao Luo at the dragon table, he did not observe the formalities expected between ruler and subject but lazily asked, "What troubles you so?"
Nangong Nuo was so unconcerned with the details that those who knew him were left dumbfounded by his bold and reckless actions.
Those familiar with Zhao Prince understood that this eccentric royal was always true to himself, disregarding everyone except for the current Empress Dowager. Among the many princes during Gaozong's reign, he was the youngest and yet the least favored. Now, among the princes of the same generation as the Emperor, aside from the Emperor himself, no one paid him any mind. Although Zhao Prince was a peer of the Current Emperor, being the Emperor's uncle, the current ruler was no longer the former Lord Luo. The distinction between sovereign and subject was clear; Zhao Prince's failure to kneel or bow before the Emperor could be seen as treason!
Despite the eunuchs in the palace sweating over Zhao Prince's arrogance, Xiao Luo merely glanced at this uncle of his, who was of similar age and had grown up alongside him, and calmly said, "Take a seat."
Nangong Nuo did not hold back; after sitting down, he took the teacup handed to him by Li Gonggong and drank it all in one go before expressing his displeasure. "It's the middle of the night, and you're disturbing my good business. You, as Emperor, are busy with state affairs; do you think I’m not busy too?"
"Why didn’t you come to see me when you returned?" Xiao Luo tossed aside the document in his hand and fixed his gaze on his nonchalant uncle, frowning slightly. "What? You trust the Empress Dowager but not me?"
Nangong Nuo set down his teacup and replied dismissively, "Am I not here now?"
Xiao Luo snorted disdainfully and said with a sneer, "If it weren't for that incident involving Mei Manor's young lady, you probably wouldn't have shown up at all."
"If you were truly in love with her, my appearance would only complicate matters."
"You know very well that I can never marry her. I suppose you were worried I might mistreat her, so you rushed back early. How was your time hiding out at Miaochun Tower?"
Miaochun Tower was the most renowned brothel in Purple Dawn City, where every woman possessed exceptional beauty and talents in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. If anyone claimed that women from Miaochun Tower ranked second, no other brothel in Purple Dawn City would dare claim first place. Miaochun Tower maintained strict management standards for its newcomers and adhered to various protocols. Over time, it gained a reputation as a favored spot for high-ranking nobles in Purple Dawn City. Every evening, crowds flocked to Miaochun Tower, making it a bustling place.
Thinking about how Nangong Nuo had used an inspection tour as an excuse to linger there for nearly a month—almost jeopardizing important matters—Xiao Luo felt an anger rising within him. "I find it hard to believe that the usually self-assured Prince of Promises would willingly degrade himself for a woman."
"Alright," Nangong Nuo brushed off his unwrinkled brocade robe without a hint of embarrassment at being called out or mocked. Instead, he shrugged nonchalantly and said, "I must admit, after spending time together, you understand me best. However, speaking of experiences like this one, I must ask you: how does it feel to be Emperor?"
Xiao Luo shot him a cold glance, knowing he had conceded defeat. Moreover, this fellow had thick skin and would hardly admit fault easily. So he said nothing more and walked to the window to gaze into the distance before replying lightly, "It can't compare to fighting on the front lines..."
"Does that mean you're still thinking about Chu Xiruo?" Nangong Nuo casually crossed his legs and asked.
Beside him, Li Gonggong cautiously observed the Emperor's expression, bitterly thinking that Zhao Prince truly had a knack for stirring trouble. Miss Chu had long since vanished without a trace, and the Emperor was troubled by it. Sighing, he braced himself for the Emperor's impending fury.
Sure enough, Xiao Luo turned around at the mention of her name, his dark eyes glinting with a hint of sarcasm. "Aren't you just as unable to let go of Mei Manor's legitimate daughter?"
Nangong Nuo's expression stiffened, his brows furrowing. "Is she really so detestable to you that you won't even utter her name? Don't forget how much effort she put in to marry you! You show no gratitude at all?"
Xiao Luo frowned deeply, his face betraying his disdain. "Her actions are truly intolerable—if one can simply be forced into compliance, then why do you disdain the women of Miaochun Tower?"
Nangong Nuo immediately stiffened, arguing back, "How can a mere courtesan be compared to her? Besides, she was framed and deserves her innocence restored—yet you indiscriminately cast her into the Cold Palace, where she nearly died!"
"With you and the Empress Dowager watching over her, how could she possibly die? You were there the night she attempted suicide, weren't you?" Xiao Luo replied coldly.
Nangong Nuo felt a bit embarrassed; it seemed Xiao Luo was well aware of his movements. Nevertheless, he maintained his defiance. "I was merely worried that you might mistakenly harm an innocent person. I was looking out for you to prevent any damage to your reputation that you'd regret later..."
"Fine, now that she's been returned to you, we should discuss Xi Ruo... Why did Xi Ruo provoke her? Why did she insist on putting her life in danger?" Remembering Chu Xiruo's disappearance stirred unrest within Xiao Luo.
"I won't meddle in women's jealousy and rivalry..." Seeing Xiao Luo getting angry, Nangong Nuo quickly shifted the topic. "Now your wish has come true; Mei Shuang will no longer appear before you. I'll take her away..."
"You think it's that simple? You want to take my Xi Ruo away while keeping your beloved safe?" Xiao Luo shot a glance at Nangong Nuo, mocking him. "After I’ve done this for you, is this how you repay me?"
"......"
After a long pause, Nangong Nuo sighed. "It's not that I'm criticizing you; you've only focused on studying since childhood and have grown up only knowing how to lead troops into battle. Now that you're an Emperor with three palaces and six courtyards filled with women, you can't deny that you're late to understand matters of love. It's true that Chu Xiruo saved your life, but I'm curious—do you really love her? Love and gratitude are two entirely different things. You've yet to marry anyone because of her, but knowing that marrying her is impossible... How long do you plan to wait? Are you going to live your life as a lonely emperor if she never returns?"
"This isn't your place to lecture me. If we can't find Chu Xiruo, just wait for your beloved to accompany her..." Xiao Luo's face was filled with anger.
In recent days, he had sent many people secretly searching for Chu Xiruo's whereabouts.
Previously, the Empress Dowager mentioned that Chu Xiruo often accompanied the Azure Lamp and Ancient Buddha. The people he sent out were eager to dig three feet into the ground in search of temples within the country, but there was no trace of Chu Xiruo at all. This often made him worry whether Chu Xiruo had already passed away. He wondered if her association with the Azure Lamp and Ancient Buddha was merely an excuse from the Empress Dowager.
Upon hearing Xiao Luo's words, Nangong Nuo's expression also changed. However, Xiao Luo's anger was not without reason; Mei Shuang was indeed being quite excessive. There is no need to elaborate on the process, but at least after Chu Xiruo fell from grace in the General's Residence, her lonely departure from home was not without Mei Shuang's influence.
He could only force a smile in response.
Xiao Luo then eased his expression and said seriously, "Let this matter rest for now; I have important matters to discuss with you. The court is currently unstable. Before I return from the border, the situation there has been relatively calm. Now, across the sea to the east, Wa Country intends to open border trade with our dynasty, which raises suspicions of their intentions towards us. Recently, many merchants from the east have suddenly appeared in Purple Dawn City, and I suspect they are probing for information about our dynasty. Their ambitions are dangerous and cannot be ignored..."
As Xiao Luo spoke, Nangong Nuo had already risen and approached the antique shelf, reaching out to pick up a piece of porcelain. He squinted his peach blossom eyes and examined it closely.
As if he hadn't heard Emperor Xiao Luo's words, he muttered to himself, "Oh? This piece of porcelain is beautiful; why haven't I seen it before?"
"Don't change the subject," a black line appeared on Xiao Luo's forehead.
This uncle of his had always been cunning since childhood, with a keen political sense. Whenever it came to matters closely related to him that he was unwilling to discuss, he would behave like this. However, if you want to take your beloved away for a private world together, I will not let you succeed. "I have decided that you will lead people to guard the eastern border. You will set off tomorrow immediately. This is an imperial decree!"
Upon hearing this, Nangong Nuo nearly dropped the porcelain in his hand. He shoved it back onto the shelf and said unhappily, "Your Majesty, I've noticed that your temper seems to be getting more impatient! You say that all these years Mei Shuang has been so eager to become your Empress; have I been this anxious? Yet here you are, saying we will depart just like that! What about my family..."
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