Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-One

Night time, the torrential rain outside doesn’t stop, the pattering rain relentlessly smashing down, abundantly spraying drops of water, unaware of the disturbance it is bringing to countless people’s quiet sleep. I lie in bed sleeplessly tossing and turning, the nerves-soothing incense faintly lingers in the air of the room, but is unable to bring me any sleep.

I get out of bed and go to sit at the table, originally wanting to light the candle, but place my hands down in the end, quietly sprawling out over the table as I close my eyes. I listen to the melody of raindrops falling on the rooftop, hear the sound of rainwater hitting the trees, hear the light notes of waterdrops joining the puddles. They are all freely singing together so naturally, full of vibrancy.

I don’t know where my freedom lies.

I originally thought I could continue to quietly live on in this palace, with my cluelessness, with my onlooker’s observation, quietly watching other people’s lives, be it happiness or sorrows.

I can only watch from the sidelines, because I am an outsider with no involvement.

But everything does not seem to be going as smoothly as I thought, at an unknown point, I had already been dragged into this whirlwind, and I have unknowingly become involved with them. Yuwen Rui, Yuwen Xiu, Imperial Sister, Ying Lu, perhaps there is even ––– Meng Shao Jue.

I rub my temples in irritation, casually writing on the table top: Yun Mi, Yun Ze, Yun Zhan.

This era has been split into three kingdoms, the kingdoms being, Yun Mi Kingdom, Yun Ze Kingdom, Yun Zhan Kingdom.

Yun Mi is thriving with businesses, is a wealthy kingdom, is in control of trading goods amongst the three kingdoms. Yun Ze is adept in agriculture, abundant in food, providing the necessary food supplies for the three kingdoms. Yun Zhan is well-versed in battles, but weaponry and food both comes from the other two kingdoms, hence having no choice but to flex their muscles. Each of the three kingdoms have their own strengths, but are also kept in check with these strengths, it could be said to be a perfect food chain cycle.

Over ten years ago, Yun Mi and Yun Zhan had once engaged in battle when a problem occurred with the Yun Ze child hostage, Yun Zhan who was an onlooker at the time, took advantage of the situation, wanting to reap the benefits from the chaos. Fortunately, the Yun Ze emperor and Yun Mi emperor had called a stop to the battle in time, reaching a settlement and then joins forces to drive out Yun Zhan, Yun Zhan makes a timely gesture of goodwill, and only then did the matter finally come to a rest. Now that over ten years have passed, the peace between the three kingdoms have already been shaken, each kingdom restlessly ready to take action.

And the target, is clearly Yun Mi.

As the Yun Ze child hostage, Yuwen Xiu has lived on in Yun Mi for over ten years without anyone knowing, and now, Yun Ze has sent Meng Shao Jue over as Yuwen Xiu’s aide. Meng Shao Jue disguises himself as a grain trader in order to take control of the army’s food supplies, holding back the soldiers, which also means, the battle between the two kingdoms is already imminent, everything has went as they have planned. Then what about Yuwen Rui? Does Yuwen Rui perhaps know of their scheming?

I suddenly smile bitterly, in fact, Meng Shao Jue simply didn’t need to worry about me spilling all this information out, I’m someone who does not like to do anything unnecessary, even if the person I face is Yuwen Rui. It is also because that person is Yuwen Rui, that I will even more so won’t say anything.

Yuwen Rui definitely didn’t reach the status he holds today by chance, speaking from my understanding of him, only he can scheme against others, should anyone want to scheme against him, that will be quite the difficult task. The scheming between the two kingdoms right now, I need not say any more. Oh, no, perhaps, I should also add the well-hidden opportunist Yun Zhan into the equation.

But regarding the national affairs between men, what’s it got to do with a weak lady like me?

Thinking up to here, I cannot hold back from cursing at Meng Shao Jue, this guy truly is malicious, all I did was accidentally run into such a tiny secret of his, could he not have just played deaf and dumb, and let me go? Just had to place a bug in me! Thinking of the burning pain I felt after he played the flute that night, I open my mouth to once again curse, “Meng Shao Jue you scoundrel with a donkey-smashed brain…..”

The window is lightly pushed open by someone, followed by the appearance of face masked in black, mockingly saying to me: “To call out my name deep within the night, did you miss me that much?”

In fact, I had jumped up in great shock, my heart presumably missed a few beats, yet my face remains unchanged as I calmly look at him, slowly saying: “The imperial palace is my home, a safe and reliable home, can you not casually stagger in?”

Meng Shao Jue pulls down the black cloth, that handsome face slightly paled, “Who are you to give so many views, going wherever I like to, is my pleasure.”

I get up and pull at the window, sweetly smiling at him, “It’s late now, time to sleep.” Having said that I close the windows, shutting off that pretty face outside.

I turn back and dust off my hands, ai~, as if he can f*cking come just because he wishes to. I contemplate wither I should tell GOD that I want China’s football team to win the world cup, would GOD readily agree?

Having barely made a few steps, I hear the windows open, then Meng Shao Jue’s laughter-filled voice sounds, “Such swift and strong action from a lady, almost got my nose clipped.”

I think to myself, best to clip it off, I turn to him and shrug my shoulders, expressionlessly saying: “It’s my pleasure.”

“……” Meng Shao Jue falls silent for a moment, then step by step approaches me, I notice his footsteps looking a little unstable, and just as I was thinking this, his entire body falls towards me, a pair of arms tightly wrapped around my waist, like a deflated balloon, he chuckles at me extremely weakly, “Princess, from hereon, this life of mine will depend on whether you’re feeling pleasured or not.”

I extend my hands, wanting to push him away, but feel a wet substance coat it, leaning in to smell it, a thick scent of blood flushes up my nose, I furrow my brows, feeling an oncoming headache, solemnly asking: “Can I not be pleasured?”

Great Master Meng’s phoenix eyes narrows, eyes flashing stars, “What do you think?”

I fall silent and lower my eyes, at this day and age, the first to take ruthless action shall be lord.

The heavy rain outside continues to fall, amongst the boundless rain, there is some other sound that can be heard, I furrow my brows, finally deciding to stuff Meng Shao Jue under the bed. I point towards the bottom of the bed, saying to him: “Go in.”

Meng Shao Jue raises his brows, “Kitten, you don’t think they won’t be able to find me if you hide me here, do you?”

I copy him in raising my brows, “Young Master Meng, can you hold back on the nonsense?”

Meng Shao Jue lowly chuckles, lying down and rolls under the bed, “I’d sure like to see what plan you have.”

I take his sleeve and wipe away the blood from his wound, then turn to get in bed, squinting my eyes to get into the right mood.

Outside the doors, Xi Xi’s voice is clearly heard, “These [Older] Brothers here, what’s going on?”

“Everyone spread out, carefully look through each and every room in this palace hall!” That resonant male voice does not answer Xi Xi, laying out the order without a care.

Xi Xi’s voice rises a little, “What are you all doing right now, this is a lady’s private room, how is it a place for you to enter as you please?”

The man says: “We’re currently catching an intruder! Lady best cooperate well, out the way, I need to go in and see this room!”

“You think you can enter as you please? This is our princess’ private room!” Xi Xi angrily says: “Catching the intruder is your matter, what has it got to do with us?!”

The man impatiently says: “You think it’s none of your matter just because you say so? Out the way!”

The door is strongly beaten, the man loudly says: “Open the door!”

At the first sound I ignore him, after he yells out even louder, I drowsily respond: “Xi Xi?”

Xi Xi hurriedly says: “Our princess is currently sleeping! Can you not be lighter?!”

Yet that man domineeringly says: “This subordinate is currently catching an intruder, may Princess cooperate, quickly open the door!”

I slowly stand, “Ah, oh.”

I walk extremely slowly amongst the darkness, disorderly waving my arms around as I aim towards the table, my foot kicking at a stool without any hesitance, then following that, a burst of crackling noise loudly sounds, I fall to the ground, and the doors are kicked open. I raise my head to hazily look at the vicious looking man, the half drawn out sword reflecting a light that blinds my eyes, I squint my eyes and look towards Xi Xi beside him, blankly saying: “Xi Xi?”

Xi Xi hastily snaps into action and runs over to my side, “Oh heavens, Princess are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?”

I shake my head, “No.”

The man by the door coldly laughs, saying: “I sure find it strange as to why Princess’ room would have the scent of blood?”

“Ah!” Xi Xi screams, grabbing my hand and pointing at that man, loudly shouting, “Scent of blood? Don’t you be a blind cat catching a piece of sweet potato, only to think it’s a dead mouse! Imperial Army? Does being the Imperial Army makes it alright to treat our Princess with disrespect?!”

The man is stunned by the scolding, then seeing my hand, his domineering air weakens by a lot, “This, this subordinate is only eager to catch the intruder……”

“Intruder, where is the intruder?!” Xi Xi deadly glares, “Princess’ room hides an intruder? Are the brains of you Imperial Army people filled with straw? Aren’t you going to leave now! Should Gentleman Yuwen ask about this matter, I’ll guarantee you will get more than you bargained for!”

The man’s air of dominance weakens even more, “Princess, this subordinate was only inspecting as a matter of routine……”

I tug at Xi Xi’s sleeve, “Xi Xi, hurts.”

Xi Xi’s brows points down, pointing at that man, saying: “Aren’t you going to leave us now?! I need help our princess, apply, medicine! Should the delayed treatment affect the wound, watch out Eldest Gentleman doesn’t demand an answer from you!”

The man finally feels threatened, once again looking at my hand, then says: “This subordinate has offended, this subordinate shall leave now.”

The man leaves after saying so, having feeling a sense of relief at heart, I finally start to care about my own hand. This one look is just simply……really f*cking painful ah.

Before, I had deliberately swept the teacup on the table onto the floor, then walked into the stool, when falling to ground, I directly pressed my hand onto the smashed cup, and then my fair and smooth little hand is now looking bloody, too horrible to look at……

Of course, I had secretly squeezed out the blood in order to bring out a more horrifying effect.

Xi Xi’s entire head was covered in sweat from anxiousness, taking the medicine box from inside the room and helping me to dress the wound, her actions gentle and quick, “Princess, how could you be so hasty, could you not have slowed down a little, look at this, the cup has cut into your hand……it’s all that brainless Imperial Army’s fault!”

I knit my brows together in pain, looking at her and saying: “Xi Xi, did something happen?”

“Who knows what happened?! Intruder intruder, only seeing them chasing after intruders day and night, yet has never caught many! And they call themselves Imperial Army, a bunch of rice pots (good for nothing that only knows to eat)!” Xi Xi bluntly curses.

I really want to applaud, wow, getting more and more better at cursing people.

After dressing my wound, Xi Xi instructs me to be mindful of applying pressure to the wound when sleeping, don’t use force, and so on, after I nod to all of it, she finally leaves. I sit at the edge of the bed, grievingly looking at my left hand wrapped in a white cloth, heck, this sacrifice is too big.

Meng Shao Jue comes out from under the bed, he holds his left shoulder and gives me a pale smile, appreciation lining the bottom of his eyes, “Intelligent, intelligent, kitten is indeed clever, but I’m afraid your hand……must have lost a lot of blood, right?”

From the bottom of my heart, I carelessly shrug, thinking out loud: “It doesn’t matter, just treat it as having two periods this month.”

“Ke-ke.” Meng Shao Jue lightly coughs, phoenix eyes looking rather weary, “Ah-Lan, help me dress my wound.”

I walk over with great displeasure, forget it, you’re the great lord here, you take charge.

Meng Shao Jue’s wound is not very deep but just happens to be on the most tender area of the chest, I help him treat his wound without being very gentle, thinking to myself, this action is becoming more and more familiar. In a blink of an eye, I coldly smile, well if it isn’t right? Helping two people dress their wounds within one day, I’ll have to be familiar even if I was unfamiliar.

Meng Shao Jue’s complexion recovers a little, he leans back against the chair to rest for a while before getting up to neaten his clothing, pulling me in front of him in one move. He lowers his body very close to me, long and narrow eyes containing unclear meaning, “Although I know your sacrifice is because of the bug, but……” He slightly narrows his phoenix eyes, thin lips lazily hooking up, “I’m still thankful to you.”

Having said that, Meng Shao Jue pecks my cheek, I pause without reacting, my face expressionless until he walks up to the door, and only then do I pick up an orange and throw it towards his head, but he turns around and catches it with ease.

“Kitten, oranges……aren’t as sweet as you.” Meng Shao Jue meaningfully says, his face lit with a proud smile like a cat that stole a fish.

I use my sleeve to wipe my face, lamenting: “The mosquitos this year are so much more malicious.”

Meng Shao Jue’s face darkens, closing the doors, and leaves. I turn around, getting in bed, and sleep.

The next day, talks of the intruder matter circulates everywhere, the intruder was said to have went to the imperial study room wanting to steal something, but before he could steal anything, was discovered by the incomparably courageous Imperial Army, and then –––– escaped.

The corners of my lips pulls up, in a shallow smile, ho-ho, how funny.

Intruders in the imperial palace is not a curious matter, especially when within this year, at this special time –––– my Father Emperor, will be reaching the grand age of fifty in six days’ time. Everyone in the palace is busying here and there in preparation for Father Emperor’s birthday banquet, and each kingdom’s envoys that are here to offer birthday greetings will also be arriving soon.

Three days later, Yun Mi’s imperial palace welcomes their first guest, Yun Zhan Kingdom.