247 Untitled (1/2)
”Ah… S-s-strangle…” The honest rabbit chief met the black-hearted tiger lord and was easily forced into a corner. The cowardly rascal didn't even dare to say the phrase ”strangle to death” as her face turned red with panic and tears started to well in her eyes. ”No, no, no…” She stuttered while desperately pulling at Meng Fuyao's sleeve.
Meng Fuyao grabbed onto her sleeve dramatically in return and wiped a few non-existent tears. ”Chief, us women have it hard…”
A simple sentence seemingly unrelated yet harbored such deep meaning, the lass immediately thought of how difficult her life had been recently and immediately launched herself onto Meng Fuyao's shoulder and began wailing.
”… I'll give… I'll give…” She said between sobs.
Meng Fuyao patted her and said gently, ”It's okay… It's okay… We'll save your big brother A-Yue and send you to your grandfather's place… When your father can't find you, his anger will cease…”
The girl against her shoulders was now sobbing uncontrollably as Meng Fuyao patted her. She slowly looked up toward the inner room. A long silhouette could be seen against the tightly shut screen, watching her and the little chief, his glassy eyes shining brightly.
Another few days went by, and the Emperor and Empress were soon preparing to go hunting. In the past, only the officials and imperial guards would follow them, but now that the Empress was participating as well, and that she had also ”extended the invitation in a display of love and acceptance”, the six palaces would come along to ”watch the Emperor in his glorious moment”. The ladies were all extremely delighted at being able to escape sewing and planting greens, and the chance to leave the palace. Hence, they were very excited about the event.
With the entire harem following her, Meng Fuyao headed towards the encampment. The ladies were separated from the men by a small hill. Magnificent red tents dotted the slopes as they swayed in the wind. Meng Fuyao stood on the slopes and stretched out her hands, exclaiming, ”Two little white rabbits came out to pick mushrooms, the ground is littered with poisonous mushrooms, and now the pot awaits them…”
Lord Yuan Bao squatted in her sleeve, listening darkly to her macabre recitation. He really missed the years following his master, listening to classical music, appreciating famous flowers, playing around… Ah, it felt as if it were a different life…
Meng Fuyao was drunk in her own poetic talent when someone behind her laughed and said, ”Great poem! Great poem!”
Meng Fuyao turned around to see the cross-dressing emperor holding an unknown beauty and immediately smiled. ”Your Majesty is too kind, I cannot match up to you.”
Xuanyuan Min placed a hand on his forehead as Meng Fuyao eyed the beauty who had already arrived in front. ”This is…?” She asked.
”The Consort of Virtue greets Her Grace the Empress.” The beauty halted her advance and bowed slightly. Her behavior was more regal than the Empress.
”Ah, the Consort of Virtue…” Meng Fuyao smiled brightly and asked, ”Are you feeling better?”
”Thanks to Your Grace's concern, I am much better now.”
'My ass, you claimed you couldn't even get out of bed yesterday, yet you can even come out to hunt today. Even dogs can't recover as fast as you,' Meng Fuyao thought vehemently.
However, the smile on her face did not falter as she replied, ”Consort of Virtue, I was just talking about you with the Jade Consort. She wants to gift you a set of hand-embroidered riding attire, did she manage to catch you? Oh, could she have gone ahead to your tent already?”
The Consort of Virtue's expression changed suddenly as she pressed a hand against her forehead. ”I suddenly feel rather dizzy…” She said apologetically to Xuanyuan Min.
”Oh dear, my love must have caught a cold!” Xuanyuan Min immediately ordered the eunuchs around him to take her away. He turned and glanced at Meng Fuyao's mischievous expression as she said, ”I've helped you get rid of the people already, if you have anything to say to me, hurry up.”
”I'll say, my queen, what is your name exactly?” Xuanyuan Min smiled and nudged Meng Fuyao's sleeve. ”You tell me you're called Yao Fu, but how can such a vicious person have such a common name?”
”This was what you wanted to say to me?” Meng Fuyao glanced at him and prepared to leave. ”What a waste of my time.”
”Ah, ah, don't leave,” Xuanyuan Min sighed and leaned towards her ear, looking as if he were being cheeky as he whispered, ”This isn't the palace. Many people are looking at us, so you should be more intimate with me.”
Meng Fuyao's eyebrow twitched slightly—of course, she knew that there were eyes on her and Xuanyuan Min, but those gazes were nothing but dog feces to her. However, she also sensed a different kind of gaze upon herself, one that seemed to become even more intense whenever Xuanyuan Min came near her.
”If you've something to say then say it quickly,” Meng Fuyao ”smiled” and ”lovingly” moved towards his ear and whispered, ”I'll spare the life of one concubine for every minute that you save.”
”I've really never heard of such a threat…” Xuanyuan Min coughed and lovingly grabbed her waist and whispered, ”We have to bring forward our plan earlier. There's been an increase in the number of suspicious people in the city recently. I'm not sure if Xuanyuan Cheng already suspects something, but, be careful.”
”Suspicious people in the capital, huh…” Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes and suddenly smiled. Her eyes shone with mirth, startling Xuanyuan Min, and he suddenly said, ”My Empress, I feel like I have never seen your true face…”
”It's better that you don't know me!” Meng Fuyao flicked away Xuanyuan Min's fingers and moved out of his grasp. Just then, she noticed a deer flash past in the forest. The deer was pure-white, a rarity among rarities.
She definitely wanted to hunt that white deer!
The sound of the hunting horn spread through the air as everyone around gave chase. Meng Fuyao's interest was piqued as well, and she found a white horse and chuckled, ”I want!”
She hoisted herself onto the white horse and tied up her hair, then immediately shot away like an arrow, disappearing from Xuanyuan Min's sight in a flash.
Xuanyuan Min watched as her white-clothed figure disappeared into the forest and ordered his guards to follow her. He hugged his shoulders and grabbed his heart as he mumbled, ”If there were really a day where she could be my real empress and tell me 'I want…”, how wonderful would that be…”
Behind him, Shadow Blade appeared noiselessly and replied coldly, ”You're looking for death!”
Cracking her horsewhip, Meng Fuyao hurriedly increased her speed. Due to her superb horse riding skills, she soon left the guards in the dust.