79 Visitors (2/2)

The Patriarch turned towards the monarch and with a bow asked, ”Your Majesty, this lowly official must have done some good deeds in his time for Your Majesty to visit this humble dwelling.”

Su Li looked at all the clan's member present in the room and thought of how best to explain her reason without giving away any information and without having to consume any more snacks - the snacks these ancient people consumed were full of sugar and she didn't want to die of diabetes without completing her tasks.

Thinking about it, she replied, ”Zhen would like to discuss something with the first branch of your family.”

At her words, except for Ning Fu and his parents, everybody else left the audience hall.

Still, Su Li signalled one of the Shadow Guards to make a sweep outside and when she was satisfied that her talk wouldn't be overheard, she tried to speak but couldn't get the words out.

She stood up agitated by from her seat and at her actions, the Ning's wore expressions of worry and concern.

Trying to put her words into some coherent speech, Su Li started, ”Zhen felt it best to not

for our discussion that there was no chance of being overheard.”

”Is something wrong, Your Majesty?” Ning Fu questioned.

His Majesty replied tersely, ”Yes, everything is fine. Zhen would like to ask if you would like to have a child?”

Ah!

That didn't come out right, Su Li thought.

In her panic, she had forgotten her pre-planned words and blurted out those words.

The Ning's were looking at her with their mouths agape.

”Ah! Not a new-born one. A partially grown-up child and more like, the child won't stay with you full-time. More like on a short term lease.”

”Your Majesty is renting out deformed children?” Ning Fu questioned with an audible squeak in his voice.

At least, he was faring better than his parents who seemed to have been shocked out of a speech by the monarch's words.

Hearing Ning Fu's words, Su Li jolted in her position.

She wondered what The Unit Commander was talking about?

What deformed children?

Moreover, what renting?

She wasn't running a paedophile escort business, was she?

When no words were forthcoming from any of the four present, Su Li decided to try once again.

”Zhen thinks you must have heard about a boy who is staying in the Imperial Palace - Zhou Sheng.”

”Yes, this lowly official has heard about the child Your Majesty favours,” Ning Fu's father replied with a bland smile.

However, Su Li felt as if he wanted to add 'you fatuous ruler' at the end of his words but had withheld those words.

”Indeed. Zhen has known him from before Zhen took the throne. You could say that he and Zhen almost grew up together,” Su Li replied with a smile on her face.

”Zhen's concern lies with the fact that Zhen cannot keep him in the palace all the time. Many officials are grumbling about it and Zhen doesn't want anyone to target him just to get a rise out of Zhen.”

The patriarch's eyes grew wide at those words.

It seemed that the boy was quite important to the monarch, of the monarch was willing to come to a subject's house and discuss this with them.

However, what was the reason for all this talk?

Did the monarch want them to provide additional security to the boy?

If so, they could send a few second-order generals to protect the boy from the shadows.

”How can this lowly official be of help, Your Majesty?” Ning Fu's father asked.

The next words out of the dragon's mouths left the Ning's slack-jawed once again.

”Zhou Sheng doesn't have any appropriate guardians that Zhen can trust implicitly. Zhen would be immensely grateful if the first branch of The Ning's would agree to take in the boy and provide him with a family. In return, Zhen can fulfil any wishes the Ning's have.”

The Ning's looked at each other in surprise at the monarch's words and when Su Li saw them dumbfounded at her words, she hedged.

”Zhen can give you some time to think about it. However, Zhen would like an answer within a fortnight.”

Finished with her words, Su Li ducked out of the room and ran away in mortification from The Ning Manor.

However, The Ning's felt that the monarch had left in anger because they hadn't acquiesced to his request even though he had already humbled himself to come to their home and talk about it with them, instead of simply writing and announcing an Imperial Decree.

While Father Ning and Mother Ning went ahead to think and talk about it, Ning Fu felt as if his heart had become restless as soon as he had heard the monarch's words.

For a person who ruled over everyone and everything under heaven, to be so worried about someone, how unfathomable.