Chapter 120: Lip Service
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Jiang Shanshan walked into Zhaoyang Palace with a calm demeanor, only to see the young emperor standing in the shadows with a grim expression, gazing into the distance. Following the young emperor’s gaze, she happened to see Yuwen Chu’s tall figure.
Her heart skipped a beat, so she quickly turned and walked down another path. However, the young emperor spoke up, “Jiang… Shanshan, that’s your name, right?”
With no way to retreat, Jiang Shanshan could only put on a graceful and gentle expression, respectfully walking over to bow before the young emperor. The young emperor didn’t call her to rise, allowing her to remain bowed as he spoke, “Do you hate those two people?”
Even though no one else was present, Jiang Shanshan smiled gracefully, “Your Majesty, I don’t understand your words.”
The young emperor sneered, “Stop pretending. I know you hate them immensely. A cooked duck can fly away; who wouldn’t hate it? Even if you don’t hate the cooked duck, you must hate the one who took it away. So, you hate Fu Mingzhu, wishing to see her completely destroyed, don’t you?”
Jiang Shanshan shook her head decisively, “No, Your Majesty. I have no enmity with Ying Wang, and the Great Empress Dowager is also doing what she thinks is best for me. Mingzhu is naturally innocent and carefree, and I’ve always been fond of her. I hope she lives well.”
The young emperor smiled, extending his toe to lift her chin, forcing her to look up at him. “Look at me. I can tell when you’re lying just by looking into your eyes. Treating me like an ignorant child, are you looking for death… Do you believe I can easily end your life, and no one would dare to say anything? Both Empress Dowagers and even Fu Xiang would cover for me. Therefore, it would just be an accident.”
Internally shocked, Jiang Shanshan felt deeply humiliated and angered by the foot resting on her chin, but she didn’t show it on her face. Instead, she tearfully said, “Even though I don’t know why Your Majesty is angry with me, if you wish for my death, then I have no choice but to die. Please proceed, Your Majesty.”
The young emperor stared at her for a moment before retracting his foot, squatting down in front of her and whispering softly, “Whether you’re pretending or not, I do hate Fu Mingzhu a lot. I can’t wait for her to die.”
Jiang Shanshan exclaimed in surprise, “Your Majesty jests, right? You just punished Princess Funing severely but spared Mingzhu lightly. How can you hate her?” She had heard that the young emperor used to enjoy playing with Mingzhu when they were children…
“Well, childhood affection.” The young emperor chuckled softly. “Now that you mention it, I recall some of her good qualities. I can’t bear to see her die just yet.”
Jiang Shanshan panicked, fearing that he might change his mind and send someone to retrieve the bowl of camel soup or stop Empress Dowager Min’s plan since it failed. But she couldn’t afford to show any unnatural behavior. Although she used Hai Momo to accomplish many tasks, she didn’t want to expose herself. She understood the temperament of the mother and son duo very well, preferring to quietly manipulate them from behind the scenes to achieve her goals.
Fortunately, the young emperor didn’t pay attention to her expression but recalled something else, pointing at Yuwen Chu’s back and smiling, “The Sixth Prince has been waiting outside instead of coming in. He must be worried about Cousin Mingzhu. It’s a pity that old friendships fade as new ones bloom. Even after so many years, there’s still some sentimentality involved. Second Miss Jiang, being treated so coldly by him, don’t you feel anything?”
Jiang Shanshan lowered her head in embarrassment, murmuring, “I dare not, Your Majesty.”
“Dare not.” The young emperor circled around her, evaluating her. “Hmm… In terms of looks and cuteness, you’re a bit inferior to Mingzhu. But I’ve heard that you’re exceptionally learned, virtuous, and gentle, which can make up for it. Unfortunately, Sixth Uncle doesn’t like you, no matter what.”
Jiang Shanshan’s hand clenched into a fist, but she didn’t feel the pain. She only felt humiliation and resentment.
“You don’t need to feel too bad. I just learned something interesting,” the young emperor said with a meaningful smile. “It turns out, the reason Sixth Uncle was so determined to marry Cousin Mingzhu is because he had a crush on her since he was a child. I remember, he’s about seven or eight years older than Cousin Mingzhu, right? Which means, he liked her when she was very, very young. What do you think about that? At that time, Cousin Mingzhu was just an innocent chubby little child, didn’t know anything. Does that make him a beast? Having such strange preferences!”
Jiang Shanshan, with her head lowered, said slowly and deliberately, “Your Majesty, age has little to do with such matters.”
“Age has little to do with it? Love is love regardless of age?” The young emperor seemed pensive as he glanced at her. “You’re a smart person. If there’s nothing urgent, you can come and talk to me often in the future.”
This was an unexpected gain for today. Although she didn’t want to provoke Yuwen Chu and Fu Mingzhu openly, she couldn’t refuse a decree. Suppressing her joy, Jiang Shanshan performed a proper bow. “I will obey Your Majesty’s decree.”
“Rise.” The young emperor scrutinized her for a moment before saying, “As long as you’re obedient and loyal, I will fulfill your wishes one day.”
Jiang Shanshan obediently agreed with lowered eyes. She caught sight of Yuwen Chu outside, seemingly about to come in this direction. Afraid of displeasing him if he saw her, she was troubled to find an excuse to leave. Suddenly, a young eunuch rushed in, looking panicked, and knelt before the young emperor. “This slave greets Your Majesty!”
Furrowing his brows, the young emperor commanded, “You are dismissed.”
“Yes,” Jiang Shanshan replied, stepping back and curiously glancing over.
She saw the young eunuch with a pale face, large beads of cold sweat dripping down his forehead, shaking uncontrollably, eyes filled with horror. His voice was faint, but that didn’t stop Jiang Shanshan.
Due to special circumstances in the past, she had learned lip reading, so she clearly understood what the young eunuch was telling the young emperor: “Linan Wang suddenly caused a commotion, overturning the camel soup, killing the ants with poison. Eunuch Rong took a silver needle to test, captured the involved palace maid, and reported to the Great Empress Dowager.”
That’s enough.
Jiang Shanshan quickly escaped from this troublesome place, clenching her fists in frustration as she walked inside. Fu Mingzhu was really lucky, managing to evade trouble one after another. Last time, the marriage alliance with the Wusun tribe fell through, but it hastened the agreement between the Great Empress Dowager and Yuwen Chu for her marriage. And now, she managed to avoid this again. Since this matter has alarmed the Great Empress Dowager, the second part of the plan probably won’t work either…
Wait, why did Yuwen You appear at this exact moment? Could it be that someone has seen through this scheme and deliberately led him to expose it?
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