Chapter 20：Such Heavy Taste

Before the night fell at Feng wangfu...

A mesmerizing paradise. At the entrance, one would be greeted by gigantic stone lions plated with gold.

The plaque that announced the ownership of the whole residence, Feng Wangfu, was also latent gold. The strokes of the calligraphy were dainty and delicate but carried with it an unknown beckoning as though a secret lover's call.

Once inside, one would be further seduced by the blatant flaunting of the master's riches. Every ten steps along the winding corridors stood antique vases from Da Xia and even the dynasties before it and duly crafted sculptures of the great heroes both from epics and real life.

The gardens were decorated with rare flowers and exotic herbs. The fake mountains were humongous. And the manmade ponds teemed with golden carps.

There were pavilions made of limestone here and there to shelter one from the heat or rain.

The palace maids and eunuchs who were scattered around but still looked orderly had dashing faces and figures. Some maids played with the shuttle cock or ribbons while the eunuchs gently fed the fishes.

If one had the fortune of entering the wangfu, one would describe it as the immortals' residence for it was full of pleasant fairy laughter and playfulness. Add up the exquisiteness of the architecture, it was really a dreamy palace.

Very unlike the imperial palace where protocols and the rules were strictly administered. One wrong step and the palace mama would turn to glare or worst, hand out punishment.

Amidst the out of this world atmosphere, a shadow darted and landed in one of the gardens.

As soon as the shadow's feet touched the ground, countless blades quickly appeared and pointed at him.

Quick as lightning, the palace full of marvel and joy became a cold cage able to detain even the monstrous of beasts.

The people wearing dark clothing and surrounding the single intruder was naturally also Feng wang's people.

'Kekekeke, it seems that wang shu is really not an herbivore.' Zhao Gang thought to himself.

From the innumerable weapons surrounding Zhao Gang, a single figure emerged.

"I don't know whether to admire Sir's gallant act or curse your foolishness intruding the palace alone." Shai's tone was evidently calm, like an unperturbed lake.

He didn't show on his face that he was secretly appalled to know that someone had actually successfully landed inside the prince residence and was able to escape their radar. Usually, the intruders wouldn't even have the chance to intrude, so to say. Did they become lax after returning to Da Xia? Looked like Shai had to discipline all the men later.

But the masked man was unfazed. Usually, Zhao Gang would probably answer with sarcasm or his dark humor but he instinctively knew that it wasn't time to fool around. He also didn't want to incur his mistress' wrath if he failed this mission.

Zhao Gang wordlessly raised his hand and all the surrounding hidden guards became even more vigilant, ready to attack any time.

But Shai stopped them when he saw what was dangling on the masked man's hand.

A medallion black jade shaped like a lone teardrop the size of a palm.

It was the symbol of the Yin family. Currently, only one Yin had the reason and daring to sneak inside Feng palace.

Shai waved his dominant hand and all the hidden guards disappeared as though they'd been swept.

Neither polite nor rude, Shai said: "Follow me."

The man with exotic beauty led the way for the lanky figure.

Shai had no reason to think that the medallion was fake. No one in Da Xia had the guts to ilegally represent the Yin clan or even had the ability to refine such a rare Shadow Onyx. And even if there was, it would not compare to the one Shai just saw earlier.

It was like the medallion was sucking the light surrounding it, trapping the light forever inside the darkness of the onyx.

After a while, the two arrived at the largest courtyard inside the wangfu. The sun had also slowly sunken.

"Master, a person of Yin has come." Shai said after lightly tapping the door to the study.

"That person is really impatient. Isn't she afraid ben wang will kill her precious person?" An enigmatic voice sounded.

The person with pale hair was lazily lying down on a chaise lounge, without a mind for propriety or image.

He was out of his flamingo robes and was wearing loose thin white robes, his bare and pale chest in perfect view. With his body leaning on one elbow, he narrowed those hazy plum blossom eyes on the 'guest.'

Any man or woman who'd be seeing Xia Lian Bei right now would prostrate themselves on the floor just to touch the hem of his clothes.

Where was the flashy and garish imperial uncle? Clearly, he was the epitome of seduction, the perfect temptation, the most tantalizing magnet of sin!

Unfortunately, Zhao Gang always had a problem with his brain because there was no difference looking at Xia Lian Bei or a piece of wood.

Zhao Gang only knelt on one knee to show his respect for royalty.

"Your Highness flatters this one but in Mistress' eyes, there are very few who are precious."

At this response, the man kneeling only felt like a heavy invisible fog slowly seeped inside the room. The unseen fog pressed down on Zhao Gang, making him sweat, even though it was nowhere being hot in here.

The source of the thick and burdensome pressure was none other than the pale and sickly looking man leaning on the chaise. But looking at his unhealthy and weak appearance, one would naturally doubt if he was really able to command the environment around him.

It was as though his presence mandated every single cell of Zhao Gang's body to be submissive. He only ever felt like this once. That rainy night, when his mistress suddenly went out in the rain to order all of her people never to touch Bai Chen Rong. But it was a fleeting experience. Who knew that he would suddenly undergo such ordeal again?

The pressure built up with the next words coming from Feng wang shu.

"Oh... don't you think ben wang is the one who knows that the most?"

Zhao Gang didn't answer. Mistress, if I die here today, you need to make sure Xin Tao, that girl will be my ghost bride ah!

Gods, everyone said that this prince used the generals in the battlefield to be his meat shields because he was secretly a coward. That Feng wang relied on his Brother Emperor in dealing with the people he disliked. All his life, Feng wang shu lived off of other people's achievements.

Here was Zhao Gang experiencing the opposite of those claims. Even though he was a man who never cared for tea talks, now he had more reason never to believe them.

He always thought that the most ridiculous story was his mistress being an incomparable goddess fairy. Now, he knew his mistress had a rival at hiding her true rotten self well.

"Speak, what matters do you have?"

With his back ram-rod straight, Zhao Gang uttered: "Mistress requests to meet his Highness, Feng wang."

Whether he had difficulties or not, one would not sense it. Zhao Gang was determined not to lose his mistress' face.

The reply was a light laugh. If not for the heavy pressure still in the room, the laugh could have been hypnotic.

"Gao Le princess wants to secretly meet with this lowly prince. How could ben wang refuse?"

Those few words were filled with malice and slander. But for once, Zhao Gang decided to shut up.

***

The imperial city might look magnificent to those who'd never been here before.

They always say that the capital was the richest place in Da Xia. Silver and gold flowed the streets and people live well every day.

Well, in truth, not all people lived as luxuriously as others thought.

Not everyone in imperial city were noblemen and women.

Like this district with ordinary looking houses. Common citizens lived here quite peacefully.

The first night of the autumn festival was also the liveliest.

There were men going home late and drunk and the festivities were just ending.

But in one of the courtyards quite far from the rest, a humble seamstress lived, the place was rather peaceful. The seamstress didn't like partaking in the happy activities outside and would go to bed early like usual.

But who would know that the seamstress wasn't really at home this time?

Inside the modest abode sat a man and a woman.

In this kind of ambiguous atmosphere, it was easy to misunderstand.

But looking closely, the lady sat with a courtly posture. Her aura alone made it look as though she was sitting on fine cypress furniture when actually she wasn't.

She was also wearing what a commoner maiden usually wore, a plain looking blouse and skirt, without any jade tassel of the sort.

Her inky black hair was half pulled up by a ribbon, making her look meek but quite mature at the same time.

The man sitting in front of her looked disinterested though.

His pale hair gave the illusion that the room was brighter. But his sanguine eyes made one wary of getting close. Nonetheless, there was an eternal curve to his lips as though everything that would happen would just pass by in bliss.

He could have been charming and enticing but not for the woman in front of him.

In between them was a low table with the single lamp illuminating the whole room.

"Ben wang didn't know that Gao Le princess has such heavy taste. Actually meeting in this rundown house to do secretive things. Ben wang is a bit excited!" He spoke in an unrestrained way.

"I don't care what Prince Feng thinks. Hua Lei is only here for one reason... Give her back to me." Yin Hua Lei's face was catatonic.

Right now, she only cared for one thing. Her daughter.

At the mention of this topic, Xia Lian Bei didn't treat her like he did on Zhao Gang. He only laughed, not caring to hide the deep sarcasm.

"Back? Did Tiandi ever have a place beside you? You're the mother who carried her for seven months. She was too little back then but not even two months later, you abandoned her in that place!"

Wave after wave of anger was evident in Xia Lian Bei's eyes, replacing the usual frivolous light they had. Yet, his manner of speech still appeared nonsensical and joking.

But Yin Hua Lei remained stoic.

She drew a deep breath, "I left her with all the things she needed with thoughts of getting her back some day. I planned for her future and even kept on sending her everything she needed after returning here. It was Feng wang who took her away under my nose."

There was suddenly a whoosh of air and Xia Lian Bei's taunting voice was heard near her ear.

"Yin Hua Lei. Have you no shame? Planned for her future? Does having my daughter adopted by a distant relative equivalent to planning for her future? While you wantonly chase after a man who will never look at you? Can't you lie any better than this?"

He was leaning so close to her as he lightly held her neck with his ice cold fingers.

While Yin Hua Lei received the greatest shock in her life.