Chapter 99 - The Royal Princess (5)

It was already afternoon when Ming Shu returned to the palace. The people of the Heavenly Temple and the emperor were all waiting for her. Upon her arrival, she was sent back to the Heavenly Temple, escorted by big crowds.

The Heavenly Temple was located in the northernmost part of the palace. It included a complex of extremely exquisite palaces, which were dotted with bridges, flowing streams, and winding paths, looking like a hidden but beautiful getaway spot. The temple was surrounded by green bamboos, and within their circle was the area under the control of the Heavenly Temple.

“Little Ci, you’re back, is everything okay?” As soon as Ming Shu entered the Heavenly Temple, an old man wearing a benign expression came up and asked.

“Yes, it’s nothing.” Ming Shu nodded her head.

This old man was the current Master of the Heavenly Temple. It could be said that the Host was raised by him, and he was like a real father to her.

However, because of the noble identity of the Host, the old man did not dare to be her “father.”

“Good, that’s good.” The old man patted Ming Shu on the shoulder and led her into the Heavenly Temple. “His Majesty will investigate this incident, so it will have an explanation, and those assassins will pay for what they’ve done.”

Ming Shu curled her lips in a slight smile and said softly. “I’m sorry, Master, you must’ve been worried about me.”

The old man sighed. “Everyone was worried about you. Right, I heard that King Huai sent you back?”

“Well, it seems like that.”

“How did you meet King Huai?” The old man frowned.

“I met him halfway.”

“Don’t worry about this matter, I will find a way to thank him for you. But don’t get close to King Huai in the future, do you understand?” the old man warned Ming Shu in a serious tone.

At present, the emperor was suspicious of King Huai. It was not appropriate for Little Ci to be connected to him. If he was a child of His Majesty, it would be easier to handle. But he was actually His Majesty’s brother. If something unpredictable happened, a relationship with him would cause a lot of trouble.

More importantly, that King Huai, how did he happen to meet Little Ci?

Just a conspiracy theory. But it’s better to keep Little Ci far away from King Huai.

The old man escorted Ming Shu for a little longer before ordering people to send her back to her room to rest.

When passing through a hall, Ming Shu saw the little girl from before kneeling in the middle of the hall. Ming Shu asked the person next to her, “What is she doing?”

“Your Highness, Zhi Qi is being punished.”

Zhi Qi left her owner to escape. Although it was ordered by Ming Shu, this was not in accordance with the rules of this era. Accepting the punishment was a lighter result.

Ming Shu nodded and didn’t speak for Zhi Qi right away. But after she returned to the room, she said quietly, “I’m a little hungry. You tell Zhi Qi to prepare some food for me.”

“This…” The maid hesitated for a moment. “Yes, Your Highness, I will tell her now.”

She sighed in her heart, thinking that Zhi Qi was lucky enough. Her owner was so kind and tried to stop her from being punished in this way.

Just as Ming Shu had put on clean clothes, the emperor’s imperial edict arrived.

Being the royal princess, Ming Shu wouldn’t have to follow all those sophisticated manners for accepting the edict. So all she needed to do was to listen to the eunuch with her head down.

The imperial edict mainly aimed to comfort her emotions, and the emperor gave all kinds of precious treasures to her as pacifying gifts.

“Your Highness, there will be a banquet in the palace of His Majesty the next night. His Majesty would be very glad to see you come.” After announcing the edict, the eunuch conveyed a verbal message from the emperor.

Banquet equals food.

Food!

Ming Shu immediately smiled and said, “I will go.”

“Excellent. I will not disturb your rest, Your Highness. I’ll return to the palace now.” The eunuch then said a few superficial words and bowed as he left.

Ming Shu let servants send him out. She wandered around among the big boxes, and opened one of them casually. Gold and silver jewels, as well as silk satins, were piled orderly inside, nothing more.

The things in the last box were a bit different though. There were a few calligraphy scrolls and paintings.

Zhi Qi was in low spirits with red eyes at the time, but when she saw the calligraphy scrolls and paintings in the box, her back suddenly straightened.

“Your Highness, it’s Mo Baisheng’s work.” Zhi Qi carefully unfolded the painting. “His majesty gave this ‘World Peace’ to you.”

Mo Baisheng?

It seemed the Host liked these calligraphy scrolls and paintings very much. Mo Baisheng was a painter that the Host liked very much. He’d lived in the dawn of the Wushang Dynasty, which was hundreds of years past. He left countless paintings and calligraphy scrolls to the later generations, which were praised and coveted by scholars and writers.

“World Peace” was one of Mo Baisheng’s most representative paintings and had been collected by the royal family when possible.

Now the emperor sent the painting to Ming Shu. The sincerity was true and touching.

“Hang them up.” It looks pretty good, but unfortunately it’s not edible.

“Yes, Your Highness”

Zhi Qi asked others to hang the painting. “Your Highness, these things…”

“Keep some, and send the rest to the master.” I have to keep some money for buying food, or what would I do when I’m about to starve to death someday?

The boxes were moved out and the room looked more spacious. Ming Shu lay on the beautiful couch and ate freshly baked desserts.

“Your Highness.”

Zhi Qi suddenly knelt to the ground, tears dripping.

“What are you doing, I’m still living, why are you crying?” Ming Shu waved her hands. “I know what you are going to say. I ordered you to leave then, so it was none of your business.”

Thinking of those wolves, Ming Shu was a bit angry. In order to get rid of them, she had expended great effort.

“But…” How could she leave her owner to escape by herself?

“If you want to cry, go back and kneel in the hall.”

Zhi Qi was truly self-condemning in her heart, and she really went back to kneel in the hall, though she didn’t cry. Even if the princess had forgiven her, she couldn’t forgive herself.

“…” What a silly girl.

…

The banquet was held in a special palace.

Ming Shu leisurely arrived at the palace just before the start of the feast. Zhi Qi had a cold as she was kneeling a long time last night, so Ming Shu didn’t have a personal maid to accompany her. The rest of the servants were not allowed to go in, so Ming Shu went in alone.

“Princess, Princess, slow down and be careful.”

“Uncle is back, where is he?” A petite girl ran in joyfully, while a maid followed behind and reminded her in worried voice.

Then the maid saw Ming Shu standing in front of her. She sped up the pace to stop her owner, reminding again, “Your Highness, the royal princess is here.”

This girl was Princess Rong Hua. Because the Host was named the royal princess, a title a little higher than her own, this Princess Rong Hua had always disliked the Host.

“So what? Do I need to salute her?” Princess Rong Hua was very disdainful as she looked at Ming Shu. “Is she not from the Heavenly Temple? If it weren’t for the Heavenly Temple, she would be nobody.”

“Why didn’t you die outside.” Princess Rong Hua murmured in a low voice.

Ming Shu put on a small smile and said, “Since Princess Rong Hua is still not dead, how can I die.”

Princess Rong Hua was startled, she said it so quietly…

Her bit on her lower lip lightly, and after a few seconds she snorted and ran away from Ming Shu.

I’ll not come for you today.

The maid nervously gave Ming Shu a salute, then chased after Princess Rong Hua to the palace.

Snap!

Suddenly a crisp sound came from the palace gates.

It was followed by the sharp roar of Princess Rong Hua: “You dare to hit me! Guard, take him!”

An eye-catching figure in bright yellow then stumbled out of the gates.

He was soon surrounded by Rong Hua’s people. Rong Hua ran out, lifting her the hem of her dress, and pointed at the man with impetuousness. She seemed to want to scold him, but with a glance around she saw too many people were with them, so she immediately changed her tone. “Brother, did you take your medicine today? Let Rong Hua send you back to take medicine, all right?”

“No, no, no.” The prince was frightened and waved his hand. “I… I didn’t mean it, I didn’t mean it.”

This was the male protagonist—Prince Mu Ze.