Ninth Imperial Glorious Phoenix Chapter 778

Chapter 778: A Big Bug

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The next morning, still sore and tired, Mingzhu was rudely awakened by Yuwen Chu. Feeling miserable and with a headache, she couldn’t help but want to throw a tantrum. “Don’t want to get up,” she grumbled. 

Yuwen Chu coaxed and pulled her out of bed. “Be good and listen. You must attend your engagements as usual today, or rumors will start spreading.” 

Mingzhu was furious, refusing to budge from the bed. “Who says I won’t attend my engagements as usual? I’m just tired. Let me sleep a bit longer, and I’ll go naturally.” 

“No,” Yuwen Chu insisted firmly. 

“Why not?” Mingzhu retorted, getting irritated. Although it was a banquet hosted by Qi Wangfei and it was respectful to attend early, did she really need to go so early? 

“Because I want to accompany you there, and then I have matters to attend to at the palace.” Yuwen Chu briskly pulled her out of bed and handed her over to the maids. “Bring a cold damp cloth to cover her face. It will wake her up immediately.”

“Such a heartless person,” Mingzhu complained, pouting as she got up. While dressing, she grumbled, “It’s too early. The kids aren’t awake yet. I can’t let them wake up and not find me here, right?” 

“What’s the big deal if they don’t see you for one day? There are so many people to take care of them. Do you think they’ll be cold or hungry? Let me tell you, you need to stop spoiling Zhuang Zhuang like that,” Yuwen Chu said without a change in his expression. He signaled her, “Come over and help me get dressed! You’re getting lazier. You hardly take care of me anymore. Is this how a wife should be?” 

Was the Wangfei getting lazier? Not at all; she had always been lazy. Most wives would wake up early to help their husbands dress, have breakfast with them, and then see them off. But this one—since they got married, the times she properly helped him dress, had breakfast with him, and saw him off could be counted on one hand. She mostly stayed in bed until she woke up naturally, then played with the cats and dogs as she pleased. 

His Highness had never thought Wangfei was lazy before. Now he suddenly felt she was, probably because he was unhappy that she spent all her time watching the kids. This was commonly known as jealousy and vying for attention. 

Su Mei and Su Ju silently snickered to themselves as they stepped forward to hand clothes and accessories to Mingzhu. Mingzhu pretended not to hear anything, yawning and complaining softly, “I shouldn’t have listened to you and drunk so much. I’ll definitely be out of it when we visit today.” 

Yuwen Chu looked down and saw the faint red marks peeking from her open collar. He felt a mix of warmth, sweetness, and pride. If the maids weren’t present, he would have asked if it was really the alcohol that had worn her out. After a moment’s thought, he said very seriously, “I don’t think you were that drunk last night. You seemed pretty sober.” 

The words sounded normal and serious, so much so that Su Mei and Su Ju didn’t pick up on anything. But Mingzhu, feeling guilty, understood. While tying his belt, she took the opportunity to tighten it excessively, venting her grievance. Yuwen Chu didn’t move, just looked down at her with a smile. 

Mingzhu had no more fight left in her and obediently helped him finish dressing. While they had breakfast, she quickly got herself ready too. The two of them, looking very affectionate, left the residence shoulder to shoulder, chatting and laughing all the way. 

When they arrived at Qi Wang’s residence, someone came forward to greet them, expecting only Mingzhu. Seeing Yuwen Chu in the carriage, they were startled and quickly bowed. “Greetings to the Regent.” 

Yuwen Chu raised his hand slightly. “No need for formalities.” Then he looked at Mingzhu, “Drink less, have fun, and I’ll come to pick you up tonight.” 

Mingzhu knew he was there to support her and make a statement. If he weren’t so busy, she had no doubt he would have made a grand show of escorting her when all the guests were present. 

In high spirits, Mingzhu got off the carriage and walked inside. She met several noblewomen who had arrived early, and they subtly asked, “Did the Regent bring you? You two are really loving.” 

Feeling embarrassed, Mingzhu replied, “He was just passing by.” Her legs, which had felt weak and tired, suddenly regained their strength, and she walked with renewed vigor. 

Passing by? Everyone knew Qi Wang’s residence was to the east and the palace to the west. How could it be on the way? The noblewomen exchanged glances, understanding the situation. Either the Regent was incredibly generous, or the Regent Wangfei was indeed wrongly accused. The latter seemed more likely, as the Regent had proven himself not to be someone easily manipulated. Hence, any gossip about Wangfei was immediately silenced. 

Qi Wangfei and the Shizi wife had arranged a comfortable and enjoyable banquet. As guests arrived one by one, word spread about the Wusun Princess’s broken leg. Those sympathetic to Mingzhu, believing the Wusun Princess’s false accusations were driven by her own misery, felt she got what she deserved. Those who disliked Mingzhu now looked at her with more caution, realizing that her reputation for causing trouble remained unchanged. 

An Xiaogu, a frequent guest, whispered to Mingzhu, “Those gossips have shut up. It’s really peaceful today.”

Mingzhu didn’t care, she lazily leaned back in her chair watching the song and dance. She wasn’t afraid of gossip; if anyone wanted to make trouble, they could go ahead.

Next to her, Huayang Wangfei rested her chin in her hand, staring at her. After a while, she suddenly pulled at Mingzhu’s collar and smiled ambiguously, “Sixth sister-in-law, have you been bitten by a bug? Look at this big red mark.”

“Yes, this bug is quite fierce,” Mingzhu replied, extremely embarrassed. She blamed Yuwen Chu for being too rough. Normally, he wasn’t so aggressive, but last night he seemed to enjoy this rough play. Now, even her collar couldn’t cover it.

“Quite a large bug, isn’t it?” Huayang Wangfei laughed, covering her mouth. “Sixth sister-in-law is very fortunate; Sixth Brother is indeed a considerate person.”

For a woman, the most malicious rumors and attacks concern her chastity. If her husband harbored any doubts or became cold towards her, it would be devastating. Yuwen Chu surely knew Mingzhu would be attending the banquet today, yet he still acted so recklessly, indirectly telling everyone that he still cherished her and didn’t care about these rumors.

Mingzhu blushed and tightened her collar, feeling somewhat awkward. It was truly embarrassing that such private matters were seen by others.

To those who didn’t get along with her, her actions conveyed another impression: what a seductive troublemaker. Even such a major incident didn’t faze her; she could still enchant a man to the point of obsession. As a result, unbeknownst to Mingzhu, she gained a new title: Demon Consort.

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