Chapter 39

“When did I say that you murdered Huangye?” Tang Xia wore a sneer on her mouth, and a gorgeous curve appeared on her fair skin in the candlelight, “What I mean is, it is impressive that you can still talk boastfully in front of the emperor after murdering Faner.”

“As for what you have said, that I maliciously accused you of murdering Huangye, I’m afraid that you feel guilty so you take my banter seriously.”

The contempt Tang Xia showed was so obvious that Yi Jiazi was shocked.

“Your Majesty…” Yi Jiazi bent over her body then knelt down in front of Helian Jue.

“Your Majesty, please help me. I’m so clumsy that Yue Ji’s eloquence is beyond my reach.” Yi Jiazi lowered her beautiful phoenix eyes as her curling eyelashes trembled along with her tremulous tone, which made her somewhat lovable.

Helian Jue wore a trace of impatience in his evil but charismatic face, then waved his huge sleeves, “It was just a bit of banter. Yue Ji did not mean it. You are taking it too seriously.”

After Yi Jiazi heard Helian Jue’s words, her eyes trembled, then she stepped forward, lowering her head as she was afraid of being blamed by the emperor.

“I’m sorry that I took it the wrong way. But I don’t know what the emperor of Southland will feel about all this.”

Yi Jiazi said calmly, threatening Helian Jue with the emperor of Southland in order to let Helian Jue regard her feelings a little bit.

“Ridiculous!” Helian Jue said angrily. As he had lost his affection of Yi Jiazi long ago, Helian Jue was more disgusted after Yi Jiazi had said such thing, “Yi Jiazi, what do you mean by saying so!”

Yi Jiazi raised her body slowly, bending low her back, “I have no other meaning. But you believed Yue Ji’s words several times over mine. I’m just worried how the emperor of Southland will react in the banquet in the days ahead if he knows my situation in the imperial harem.”

The indistinct smile in Yi Jiazi’s mouth made Helian Jue frown.

“Yi Jiazi!” Helian Jue raised his voice, “You are just an imperial concubine. I respect you, so I gave you a place as an imperial concubine. What does Southland dare to do to me even if I kill you here?”

Helian Jue’s body heaved as he said angrily, “I already saved your face even when you framed imperial concubines. Do you think your little trick can truly fool me?”

As she heard Helian Jue’s words, Yi Jiazi altered her facial expression but stayed calm immediately, with no emotion flickering in her eyes, “I have no idea what you mean.”

Helian Jue was in a fury at first, then calmed down after Yi Jiazi’s words, wearing unbridled coldness in his eyes.

There was a dense killing intent.

After taking deep breaths several times, Helian Jue wore a malicious smile, “Shun Decai.” Shun Decai standing aside adjusted his expression immediately, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I will proclaim the decree of the Lord: the cheap slave girl – Huangye has committed suicide after framing Yue Ji. Even death would not expiate all her crimes. Grind her bones to dust then spill her bone ash in front of the door of Yi Jiazi’s hall to warn the other slave girls!”

Helian Jue walked down the high platform as his robe brought up a gust of wind which blew Yi Jiazi’s hair by her ears.

“Moreover, I will attend the banquet with Yi Jiazi and Yue Ji tomorrow.”

As he finished his sentence, Helian Jue fixed his eyes on Tang Xia for a while but looked away in an instant.

“This is the end of this matter. If I hear anyone talk about it later, his whole clan will be implicated!”

Everyone froze for a moment then bowed to the emperor, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Helian Jue walked in front of Tang Xia then fixed his eyes on her fair skin and opened his lips but said nothing.

Tang Xia fixed her peach blossom eyes, which glittered with brilliance, on him which made Helian Jue feel like rippling waves were flowing into the softest place of his heart.

“Have a good rest.” After a long time, he said in a deep voice.

Tang Xia raised her chin with no emotion in her peach blossom eyes, then bowed to Helian Jue respectfully.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

What replied her was Helian Jue’s deep sigh.

As this was sort of the end of this matter, the bullet screen in front of Tang Xia was full of messages: most people were amazed at Helian Jue changing his character greatly and were happy that Yi Jiazi got what she deserved.

Some people were conjecturing Helian Jue’s intention.

[Fans] Snow In The Mist: As an irritable man, Helian Jue must have other plans to keep Yi Jiazi, who provoked him, alive.

[Fans] Bitch Lian: I don’t think so. What I see in the broadcast is totally different from the original work. It may be true that Southland is a powerful nation that Helian Jue will fear. He said those bold words just because he wanted to save his face as a tyrant.

[Fans] Langgelige: The bullet screen zone is so serious… What should I do…

Tang Xia lowered her eyes, not knowing if the fans’ words were right or wrong. It was hard to surmise why Helian Jue changed his character over and over again.

Luckily, Helian Jue was in favor of her, which was not a bad result.

Tang Xia exchanged a look with Chu Tiankuo, then turned around to leave when Lengmei passed her gently.

Lengmei wore a dark blue dress, making her red lips somewhat coquettish.

Her waving of her sleeves brought up the breeze, then Lengmei said elegantly, “I will wait for you at the orchid pavilion.”

Tang Xia was confused at first, not knowing what Lengmei’s plan was, but she was so arrogant that she would not retreat without fighting.

“Let’s go to the orchid pavilion.” Tang Xia comforted Chu Tiankuo with a look, then left with Anran behind her.

Anran followed Tang Xia cautiously. It was a little impetuous outside the hall.

As the sun hid slightly behind the clouds, the warmth from the skyline was cast on Tang Xia’s shoulder. Her skin was glittering like a superior unprocessed jade, appearing clearer in the light of the sun. As the cool breeze swept her face, Tang Xia’s curling eyelashes fluttered like the wings of a butterfly, hanging slightly on her cheek.

It was said that the orchid pavilion had been built since the previous dynasty. According to the legends, King of Chu planted a field of orchids in the Royal Garden in pursuit of Lan Ji, and built an orchid pavilion in the center of the orchid field.

As orchids have been precious since ancient times, planting a field of orchids proved the King of Chu’s love for Lan Ji clearly.

Ironically, Lan Ji never stepped into the orchid pavilion since Lan Ji had inborn hay fever.

Regrettably, a full romance was wasted by an “inborn” quality.

When Tang Xia arrived at the orchid pavilion, the sun happened to hide behind the clouds. The color of gold and pink along the road extended afar.

The dark blue robe Lengmei wore appeared more coquettish as the sun darkened, and her hair falling behind her head scattered with the wind. The sadness in Lengmei’s eyes touched Tang Xia inexplicably.

“There you are.” Lengmei’s cold voice drifted into Tang Xia’s ears while Tang Xia wore a trace of a smile on her mouth.

“Why did you call me, sister?” Tang Xia bowed slightly as her charismatic face looked more pretty in the sunglow.

Lengmei wore a cold look, “You just antagonized Yi Jiazi for several days and still call other imperial concubines ‘sister’. Yue Ji, I guess among the imperial harem, only you do not regard it disgusting.”

Tang Xia knew that Lengmei was always frank and outspoken but could not help frowning her thin eyebrows slightly, with her cheeks turning pink as the breeze swept by.

“Sister, you’ve mistaken my intentions. I’ve called you sister before Yi Jiazi came. Besides, your status in the imperial harem is below mine, so it is quite reasonable that I call you sister.”

What Tang Xia had said was quite polite and standard so that Lengmei frowned tightly.

“Yue Ji, save your superiority complex. You just came into the palace before me. We all know clearly of whom the emperor is in favor!”

Lengmei said with a trace of anger in her eyes. As a haughty woman, there was no wonder Lengmei would get annoyed that Tang Xia indicated that Lengmei’s status was below hers.

Tang Xia laughed in a low and charming voice as her delicate eyes appeared more glittering and charismatic in the sunglow.

“We both know of whom the emperor is in favor. Otherwise, why do you speak malicious words to me after knowing that the emperor will attend the banquet with me.”

Then Tang Xia wore a smile in her mouth with a trace of mockery.

Lengmei would only take matters related to Helian Jue seriously. Tang Xia was pondering why Lengmei did so at first. Then she figured it out immediately when she found jealousy in Lengmei’s tone.

As was expected, Lengmei wore a cold face right away, then lowered her eyebrows slightly and hid her delicate face in the dark.

“What do you mean?” Lengmei asked in a cold voice.

“No other meaning.” Tang Xia smiled indifferently, then fixed her peach blossom eyes on Lengmei for a long time.

Finally, Lengmei turned her head then gave a snort of disdain.

Tang Xia retained her smile, “I feel so happy every time I think about attending the banquet with the emperor. Sister, tell me, how about attending the banquet in my blue dress?”

Lengmei’s face darkened, “Yue Ji, you’d better think carefully. A woman who is restless and capricious will die fast.”

Tang Xia rolled up her hair in front of her forehead with her slender fingers while wearing a provoking smile, “In my opinion, the imperial concubines who are unwanted will die fast.”

As her forehead veins bulged, Lengmei managed to refrain from anger at last.

Lengmei forced a smile then looked Tang Xia up and down as if she would eat her alive.

“Yue Ji, we’ll see.”

“See you, sister!” Tang Xia replied to her immediately, and saw that Lengmei froze slightly then moved away quickly.

Anran bowed to Lengmei respectfully as Tang Xia followed Lengmei’s retreating figure.

As the sky darkened, Tang Xia’s extremely charismatic face appeared somewhat mysterious in the blurred light.

“Let’s go.” Tang Xia opened her red lips gently after a long time.

As Anran walked slowly following behind Tang Xia, the orchid fragrance along with the breeze permeated into the body through the nasal cavity, which made people feel quite relaxed.

Tang Xia then appreciated the orchid pavilion again and found that the King of Chu possessed outstanding calligraphy – the word ‘orchid’ on the plaque of the pavilion was written by him and appeared so vigorous and forceful that many sad memories may be brought with it.

“What kind of emotions did the King of Chu have such that he could show his longing for Lan Ji with only a word?”

“I should read the historical records of the previous dynasty someday.” Tang Xia could not help speaking out what she thought and Anran behind her replied smoothly.

“The Chu Dynasty flourished in calligraphy so that the love story of the King of Chu and Lan Ji spread over the whole country.”