Hearing this, Tang Mei purse her lips. She fears that any further attempt to redirect the sixth prince attention would result in deepening his grave.
Indistinctly turning her gaze to the empress, Tang Mei laughed dryly. The empress is breathing heavily as if she's repressing her demon. She looked ready to smack the prince till he sees the stars.
"Sixth Prince! I see now how truly loyal you are to this empress!" Wei Yi Yi said laced with sarcasm all over.
"Sister, you are slighting this brother," Jiang Liu sighed sadly. He picked up Mao'er and cuddle her like a precious baby. "Between all existing people, only to you, did this brother swear his allegiance."
The prince appeared serious and wronged but the empress was quicker to comprehend between the lines.
"You!!! You mean that when this piece of... of bipolar... ball of utter calamity... is counted to the equation then you would betray me?" Wei Yi Yi eyed Mao'er with disgust.
"The Empress is actually comparing herself value against an animal?" Jiang Liu directed a weird look at her.
"The one who always does that have no right to give me a judgemental look!"
"Compare to people, animals are saints bestowed from the heavens. It is their privilege to be compared to these holy beings."
Wei Yi Yi's eyes were unamused. "I remember hearing you insulting people by comparing them to animals negatively."
"They are the one getting offended by their pettiness, I only spoke the truth," Jiang Liu gave a wicked smile and in return, Wei Yi Yi rolled her eyes. This kid is fully aware when giving a low jab, no one could convince her otherwise.
"Also!" Jiang Liu quickly follow up. "How could Big Sister be so heartless as to maltreat an adorable, tiny, harmless little Mao'er."
The instant she heard the word 'harmless' being use as a description for that fur ball type of satan, Wei Yi Yi frustratingly pointed at Mao'er. "That thing?! Harmless?! If I don't know that she's a cat, I would think she's your master!"
Copying her frustrated tone, Jiang Liu insists on his feeling of injustice. "Don't you even feel guilty about acting a villain towards Mao'er?"
Folding her arms, Wei Yi Yi snorted at his words and produce the proudest look she could. Looking down at both Mao'er and Jiang Liu, she said, "Guilty? This bro believe on equality among all beings!"
"What?"
"What 'what'?"
"The word 'petty' is ringing strongly around you, Big Sister."
"I know right."
Suddenly, as they were just at a corner near the gates, the two heard a clear greeting.
"Your Majesty…" said by a guard with a deep masculine tone.
Except for the empress, who else could be address this way?
The duo looked each other with bulging eyes.
"It is Royal Brother!" "Holy Fries! Boss is here already!"
They both whispered to each other in chorus. Their expression appears to be shouting at each other.
At that moment, as if rats getting disturbed by the cat, they scattered. Flustered, Wei Yi Yi kept pushing Jiang Liu to move faster and he almost stumble face first to the ground. In the chaos, Mao'er jumped down to the ground and Tang Mei readily picked her up again. She then run closely after the two royalty. The servant's expertise on picking the mess after her mistress is getting polished by the day.
Hot on his heels, the emperor sharply asked the guard before the man could finished his greeting. "Does the empress passed here?"
Answering attentively, the guard immediately said, "Answering his majesty, indeed the empress passed here not long ago."
Jiang Yu waved his hand in dismissal and the guard proceed to stand in attention. The emperor continue to inquire, "Did you see where she went?"
"Her majesty was…" The guard, who actually kept an eye on Wei Yi Yi all this time, bend his body a bit to the side. "…talking to His Highness, Liu Wang… just… moments ago."
The guard trial off. He happened to just look a bit away and the empress was already gone? Was that coincidental? Or did they run off when they heard the emperor coming?
Suddenly, the big bulky man paled. That line of thought was highly inappropriate and dangerous.
"They are no longer here," Jiang Yu said to himself as he followed the guard's line of sight.
He turn his attention back to the guard. Asking, "What were they talking about?" instead of where they went.
"That… This servant dare not listen…"
The emperor gave out an unhappy sound and the guard almost wanted to press his head on the ground in fear.
By this time, Xiao Lin Xi finally caught up. Poor old man walked from the western side to the eastern side then to Consort Shen's courtyard. And before he could catch his breath, he was already running towards the gate.
Still, despite all the effort, he couldn't catch up to Jiang Yu's strong and wide strides, and couldn't compare to the emperor's youthful endurance.
If Wei Yi Yi saw the almost heaving exclusive secretary Lin, she would smack his back to make him feel better. Not that it would.
"Xiao Lin Xi," the emperor called out for him. Despite the wobbling of his old bones, the eunuch tried to properly stand. "What orders does the emperor have?"
"Zhen's brother is of age and no longer young. Remind Zhen to bestow a marriage partner for him on the day of the selection."
Xiao Lin Xi cannot see the emperor's expression but he knew that it is time to light some incense for the young prince.
Who doesn't know in the emperial family that Liu Wang easily picks fight with ladies?
They are very sensitive on how they look yet this prince would say something like, 'your eyes is as moist as that of a frog'. Perhaps, if he is not a prince, those maidens would have kicked Jiang Liu like what Wei Yi Yi did towards him long ago.
The eunuch could only swallow his saliva and stiffly replied with an obedient, 'yes'.