"On what basis does she make you care about her?!" Consort Mi raises her voice as she says: "She's nothing more than an ordinary lass! What part of her deserves you treating her like this?! Could it be, you've forgotten how great we once were, how could you possibly do this to me for an irrelevant person, how could you possibly……" Speaking up to here, Consort Mi's voice carries quite a bit of misery.
He Lian Chen's voice is deep and cold, "What's good about her, zhen needs not explain to you. As for zhen and you……Mi Er, could it be you still don't understand, that is all in the past now."
"Past? What's called the past?" Consort Mi's voice shows no understanding, "How could it possibly be the past? Lian, we had once said we'll be one another's only one, we said we will accompany one another till old age, we said we will only love one another, and not love anyone else." Her emotions slightly grow out of control, "Yet right now you are telling me it's all in the past! You say you care for her! Care for a woman from another kingdom! How could you do this? How could you possibly do this?"
"Why can't zhen do this?" He Lian Chen calmly asks back: "Mi Er, could you have forgotten, it was you who betrayed out promises?"
"I……" Consort Mi chokes, "I know you are still bothered by this matter, but Lian, you know it, I did not want to be betrothed to Yu Xiang, the one I love has always been you. But what else could I do? I cannot defy the imperial decree, I don't have the capability to not accept the marriage……"
"Mi Er, zhen understands." He Lian Chen's tone carries laughter, but it’s somewhat satirical, "So what if zhen and you had an agreement, so what if we made spoken promises of the future, you - the noble daughter of the prime minister, will naturally be matched with the dragon and phoenix amongst the people (most outstanding person). Zhen is also nothing more than a blind man, in the eyes of Prime Minister, how could I possibly be your match?"
"Lian, why do you trouble yourself with saying such words to belittle me, Yu Xiang and I had never had anything between us before, could it be, this isn't even enough?" Consort Mi's voice is delicate and pitiful.
"Hahaha." He Lian Chen happily laughs out loud, then says with extreme satire: "Mi Er, you really think zhen doesn't know about it all? Is it that there was never anything between you and Yu Xiang, or is it Yu Xiang never wanting anything with you?"
"Lian……"
"Mi Er, hope you will be able to understand, zhen is no longer the He Lian Chen from back then, you are also not the Lin Mi Er from that time. Zhen does not wish to speak of some matters too clearly, and you, best learn to draw the line for zhen." He Lian Chen's tone becomes very imposing, "Should there be another time, then don't blame zhen for not considering past sentiments."
"Lian!" Consort Mi loudly cries out: "Should you really not hold an ounce of feelings for me like you said, then why did you marry me?!"
"Why zhen married you, could you possibly not know?" He Lian Chen slowly says: "You've already gotten everything you wanted, so be it now."
"Then what about you?" Consort Mi sounds a charming laughter, "Have you gotten everything you wanted, you know I have the thing you want, could it be, you've given it up? I can give you what you want, as long as you kill that woman!"
"Mi Er." He Lian Chen is not threatened at all, calm and composed as he says: "Why are you always so confident in yourself? So what if you have the thing zhen wants? Zhen does not have to have it. Also……" His voice suddenly turns dark and deep, "You best completely erase that thought from your mind, if not, zhen will bring everything to an end before you can act. Mi Er, remember, what you can give me, she may not necessarily be unable to. And what she is able to bring me, is definitely not something you or anyone else will ever be able to."
"He Lian Chen!" Consort Mi is close to collapsing, "How could you possibly do this to me?! Look, look at this doll, this was what you personally made me for my seventh birthday. You clearly couldn't see anything at all, yet you made a wooden doll for me, at that time, the palms of your hands were filled with blood from the wooden splinters, fingers swollen from the hammer. You said this doll will always accompany me just like you, you said……"
The sound of something getting knocked down is heard, followed by He Lian Chen's cold voice saying: "Mi Er, zhen doesn't wish to repeat what has been said, whether you think it through or not, take care of yourself."
Footsteps could be heard inside the room, I hurriedly hide behind the pillar, holding in my breath. The sound of footsteps gradually distances, He Lian Chen's figure also disappears from sight, just as I wanted to sneak away, I hear a burst of smashing cups and broken objects from inside the room. Inside that room with the doors still open, Consort Mi is currently red with anger, a pretty face resentfully sweeping everything off the table, water-like eyes faintly lined with tears.
"What right, what right, what right?!" She grits her teeth, "What right does she have to receive his doting love?! The one he loves, clearly, can only be me! An Ke Lan, I'm not going to let you off, I definitely won't let you off!"
I cannot refrain from shivering, a jealous woman is indeed horrifying, simply makes one's hair stand on end.
After saying such words with great anger, Consort Mi lowers her head and looks at an extremely roughly made wooden doll, a cold light rapidly flashes past her eyes, bending down to pick it up……
I furrow my brows, what she picked up is the box next to the wooden figure, and not the wooden figure?
Consort Mi's face becomes a little hideous, she suddenly laughs at the box, then overturns it and press something underneath, an additional compartment opens from the bottom of the box. Consort Mi takes something out from inside, holding it tightly, coldly laughing as she quietly mutters: "Lian, I have the bargaining chip you want, you cannot win."
I lean my back against the pillar as I narrow my eyes, turns out, Consort Mi had been gripping onto victory this entire time because Yun Zhan's treasure map is in her hands……now this, really is a right mess.
When I head back, I feign anxiousness as I pant and ask Eunuch Qu whether his majesty has returned yet, Eunuch Qu looks at me with blame, saying: "His majesty had long returned already. Seriously, relying on you to find him, afraid Yun Ze's envoy would have gone white-haired waiting for you."
I apologetically smile, "May Eunuch forgive me, if it isn't because this servant still haven't gotten very familiar with the palace yet, this servant is stupid, always forgetting the way."
"Mustn't be like this next time, got to learn to be smarter." Eunuch Qu side-eyes me, saying: "Although said to be his majesty's red man, you still mustn't forget what should be learnt and understood in this palace, if not, the one to suffer in the end is yourself."
"Thanking Eunuch's teachings, this servant understands."
Eunuch Qu takes me to the arranged place and then leaves, and only after I clean myself and change my clothes, do I have the spare time to have a good think about the matters that just happened. Consort Mi has Yun Zhan's treasure map in hand, He Lian Chen married her for the treasure map, but right now, has engaged in a conflict with her because of me……
'What you can give me, she may not necessarily be unable to. And what she is able to bring me, is definitely not something you or anyone else will ever be able to.'
I play around with the teapot with a seeming smile, He Lian Chen, these words of yours, just what do they mean?
Not long after, Xiao Shun Zi comes with a message, saying He Lian Chen's requested me to go serve him, I once again head to his study room as per usual, after entering, I see him with his thick brows tightly furrowed, seeming to have some worries and doubts. I walk up to his side, "Your majesty."
He raises his eyes, concealing the complex emotions within, then points at a golden invitation, saying: "Do you perhaps know who gave zhen this?"
I take a look at the pattern on this invitation, "Yun Ze……?"
"Do you perhaps know what is written inside?" His bony fingers strokes the invitation, as he causally says this.
I think for a moment, then helplessly say: "Your majesty thinks too highly of me, I am unable to see through things."
He Lian Chen lightly hooks up his thin lips, handsome eyes filled with a smile, "The invite speaks of a happy event, Su Qi, will ascend to the throne in a day."
I slightly fall into a daze, Seventh Brother……no, it's Su Qi, Su Qi of Yun Ze. I lightly smile, he has finally settled the internal discord and became the victor, my seventh brother, has never been one to be trifled with.
"Zhen also have another news here." He Lian Chen takes out another invitation, a red one this time, "You want to take a guess as to what this is?"
When I see the invite, I cannot help but to hold my breath for a moment, this is Yun Mi's symbol, red, which also means……
He Lian Chen rather meanly says: "This is an invite sent by your imperial sister, also a joyous event to be held in a day, just that it's not enthronement, but marriage."
I calmly smile as I say: "My imperial sister's grand wedding, shouldn't your majesty let me go back to visit my family?"
"Heng." He Lian Chen casually tosses the invite onto the table, "You want to go back and watch your imperial sister and Yuwen Rui get married so much?"
"It's Sister’s and Cousin's joyous event, I am of course happy."
He Lian Chen tentatively looks at me, "That best be how your heart feels as well. You and he are already thoroughly impossible, you had better let the feelings go."
I lightly smile and say nothing, women are indeed creatures that speak in contradiction to their hearts, I clearly feel stuffy at heart, yet say I don't care at all, clearly feel dejected, yet say I'm happy for their marriage.
I sure do f*cking love to fake it.
But……
Why is there a voice inside of me saying, trust him?
I lower my eyes and fall silent, having been together for over a decade, the feelings ultimately cannot be extinguished in one go.
The next day, I return to my duties, regarding the poisonous snake incident, He Lian Chen did not say anything to me, and I am also happy to not ask him. Regarding some matters, it'd be meaningless to be too open with them.
I presume he thinks that Consort Mi will give it a break for some time, but reality is, I run into a gloomy looking Consort Mi in a corner of the palace, and judging from her attitude, she had even accurately planned to run into me here.
I can only smile at her naturally, saying: "This servant greets your highness."
Hate flitters past Consort Mi's eyes, but her face still carries a charming smile as she says: "Oh, where are you heading off to now?"
I look down as I say: "If it isn't because I picked some fresh grapes, currently sending them over to his majesty."
Consort Mi hooks up her red lips, beautiful eyes looking enchanting, "So it's grapes……" Her white hand picks up a grape, "You also like to eat grapes?"
"Mm……it's alright."
"Hoho." She reveals a nostalgic and sweet expression, "I also like it, back then, Lian would always peel all the grapes before giving it me to eat, but he would not even touch it himself, refusing to eat it despite me persuading him in all sorts of ways, only telling me to quickly get eating……"
I quietly listen on, en, Consort Mi has come to show off the sweetness right now, I just need to listen.
"What about you, has Lian peeled them for you?" She pretends to casually ask this.
I shake my head, "No."
Consort Mi smiles more sweetly, the dangling ornament in her hair also shakes a little, "Is that so ah……?"
"That is precisely so." I smile, feigning sadness as I say: "His majesty is still waiting, I shall leave first."
Consort Mi is somewhat proud, "Talk to you next time then."
After I turn around, I think as though it's got nothing to do with me, indeed ah, in this world, whoever takes it seriously, whoever loses.
Only after walking halfway there, do I remember He Lian Chen entrusting me to get the bird's nest, and so, I change direction and head back. As I walk and walk, I am blinded by a sharp golden light, I slightly squint my eyes to look towards the light source, turns out within the cluster of trees, a dangling hair ornament had been dropped.
……dangling hair ornament?
I look around, Consort Mi has already gone without a trace, as for this hair ornament on the ground, exactly was it unintentionally dropped by her, or had it fallen under a special circumstance?
En, this matter is best thought out thoroughly, as if I like to carry out stupid acts.
After thinking this through, I prepare to leave, just that the heavens really doesn't like me, right when I had turned around, someone clutches onto my neck, a man's dark voice sounds beside my ear: "They say you're He Lian Chen's male pet?"
I'm suddenly rendered speechless as I choke, this great hero, am I able to say, 'I'm not' now?