225 Untitled (2/2)

”What did he say to you?” Shadow Blade's eyes glinted as he asked.

”Meet him at the back garden of the Fragrant Jade House—that is, if I have a change of heart and accept his conditions,” Meng Fuyao replied wearily.

The corners of Shadow Blade's lips curved upwards slightly. ”To be his male empress?”

Meng Fuyao suddenly sat down on a bucket and said seriously, ”I feel that he doesn't deserve me.”

”Definitely,” replied Shadow Blade. ”The one who is worthy of Your Ladyship probably has yet to be born.”

Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes, refusing to argue with a sick man. She asked again, ”What do you think he means with this suggestion?”

”Xuanyuan has been recruiting concubines recently,” replied Shadow Blade replied. ”For His Majesty to enrich his harem. Although His Majesty has quite a number of concubines in his harem, they are all of poor standards. As for the Fragrant Jade House, it is precisely where a new batch of girls who are most likely to enter the palace are residing.”

”Ha, why hasn't an empress been selected after so long?”

”After a person's freedom had been restricted too much, he would surely find some way to get back, be it singing, playing dumb, or not selecting an empress,” Shadow Blade replied lightly.

Meng Fuyao sighed and squatted on the bucket. The noise outside had not yet died down as she wondered, ”Before night falls, Xuanyuan Cheng will surely search the palace again. We've already escaped him once, we can't possibly escape him again. Hey, has your fever resided?”

Shadow Blade replied mildly, ”Before tonight, I will relapse one more time, so you can leave by yourself.”

”Oh.” Meng Fuyao climbed down the close stools and scooped up Yuan Bao. ”Then I'll leave first, goodbye,” she replied.

She headed towards the door. Shadow Blade remained motionless, perched atop the close stools, watching her.

Meng Fuyao walked to the door and turned around. ”Hey, how do I get to the Fragrant Jade Palace?” she asked seriously.

Shadow Blade looked at her silently, then suddenly smiled.

His smile was like a fresh flower blooming, the original weak look disappearing as it was replaced by the brightness of his glassy eyes and fiery red lips, bathing everything around it in its light. For a moment, Meng Fuyao was blinded by its brightness and shut her eyes.

'How bright, truly bright, I'm both shocked and touched, I'm going to die by a beauty's smile, being an ”empress” is fine too…'

It was a pity that the smile only lasted an instant and Shadow Blade had already returned to his cold and pointed self. ”I don't need you to sacrifice yourself to do anything. Moreover, Xuanyuan Min's conditions might not be as simple as they look, why do you need to put yourself through this,” he said.

Meng Fuyao smiled and wrinkled her nose slightly. Pointing at herself, she said, ”Don't be so narcissistic already, Brother Shadow Blade. I'm not doing this for you. I just don't want Xuanyuan Cheng to be too comfortable, forcing me to hide so pathetically and almost losing my life. How can I just let it go? I insist on going against him; if Xuanyuan Min wants to use me, why can't I use him too?”

She waved a hand and said grandly, ”Since there's something fun, why can't I play and instead come here and gamble my life? Come, brother Shadow Blade, brother Yuan Bao, I'll be able to let you two eat bird's nest this time.” She adjusted her robes and readied her weapons, preparing for the arduous and risky journey to look for the Fragrant Jade House.

”Where is the Fragrant Jade House?” she asked again.

Shadow Blade looked at her for a long time until she was almost about to leave before finally saying, ”It's just next door.”

Meng Fuyao stumbled slightly against the wall and turned back bitterly. 'Damn child, you're too cruel…'

The Fragrant Jade House, where the new concubine candidates were staying, was just across a wall. Meng Fuyao tiptoed and peeked over the wall, smiling as she said, ”Ah, silk robes and fine dining, soft beds and beautiful tapestry, here I come…”

”Oh right, I haven't asked you, where did the bed I slept on last night come from?” Shadow Blade nodded his head at the bed, feeling that the material looked rather odd.

Meng Fuyao immediately laughed and turned around. ”I made it by combining the close stools,” she replied gaily.

This time, Shadow Blade stumbled, and Meng Fuyao pretentiously rushed forward to support him. ”Ah, brother, are you alright?”

Shadow Blade took a deep breath, then calmly said, ”I'm fine.”

Meng Fuyao said, sympathetically again, ”How can you go out in this condition?” She turned around, not looking at his beautiful, half-naked body and pinched her face as she added, ”If I'd known earlier I would have brought the robes that the cross-dresser was wearing. That red and green peony and macaw robes was really not bad.” After speaking, she shuddered herself.

However, Shadow Blade said, ”Are your eyes shot? Can't you see the bag hanging on the vines behind the wall?”

Meng Fuyao looked across, and sure enough, there was a cloth bag hidden between the vines, and two sets of eunuch robes were hidden inside. After helping 'Dar Charm' change, she too quickly changed into her set of robes. Their actions shook the vine, and someone had gently knocked on the wall. Carrying Shadow Blade, Meng Fuyao flipped over the wall. They landed in a little courtyard, where a man who looked like a eunuch was waiting for them on the front porch of the Fragrant Jade House.