If one were to say he wasn’t envious, that would certainly be a lie. Meng Changqi had been the noble Crown Prince since birth; others were too late even to flatter him, let alone his birthday banquet. What kind of lively spectacle that would be, he had never seen and could not imagine.
Compared to the flattery of being surrounded like the stars around the moon, everything he possessed right now already made him very satisfied.
Mei Jinshu knew he couldn’t give him much, nor could he read what Meng Xueran was thinking at that moment. The only thing he could be certain of was that his kindness toward him was immeasurable.
To someone who had never received affection, being given even a sliver of warmth could make an unforgettable impression.
Not to mention he had practically given almost all of his meager foundation to Meng Xueran. If even this wasn’t enough to satisfy him, then he would really have to file a complaint with the heavens, and then perish together with the system!
Seeing Meng Xueran staring blankly at that bowl of cleaned longevity noodles, Mei Jinshu spoke up to ask, “What is it? Did you not eat your fill?”
“Ah?” Meng Xueran hastily shook his head. “No.”
Mei Jinshu said, “If you haven’t eaten your fill, I’ll go cook some more for you.”
“Really, really no need!” Meng Xueran shook his head like a rattle-drum. Although that bowl of noodles looked decent, the taste was a bit hard to describe, and it didn’t have any salt in it.
He thought to himself that this was definitely made by adoptive father himself with no doubt; the only flaw was that he didn’t know how to cook.
Mei Jinshu rubbed his head and said, “Tomorrow both of us have important matters on hand, so let’s leave it at that for today. When I have some free time another day, I will also teach you a couple of sword forms.”
Meng Xueran’s eyes shone with brilliance as he said, “Okay!”
Urging him to go to sleep, Mei Jinshu subsequently drank a few more cups with Meng Xianxue. Feeling thoroughly satisfied, he swayed as he walked toward the main house, his footsteps floating and his head dizzy, before collapsing onto the bed.
The serving attendants removed his shoes, socks, and outer robes, took away the long hairpin binding his hair, and blew out the candles until they were dim, before withdrawing outside the door together with Ye Ting.
Normally, Mei Jinshu was never willing to let attendants wait on him with such meticulous detail, let alone let anyone see his drunken state. Perhaps he really had drunk too much today, and before long, he fell into a deep sleep.
His heart was beating so fast. In the quiet night, a distressed, muffled groan escaped his lips.
“So thirsty.” Mei Jinshu felt as if his throat was being choked, forcing him to open his eyes. However, what came into view was a lavish and unfamiliar palace!
A bronze mirror, a dressing table, a hibiscus couch.
No, this looked like a boudoir belonging exclusively to a woman. No, no, no, this place was a palace! Could this be the inner harem?!
Even more incorrect! He was a man serving as a court official, and he had no female relatives in the inner harem. How could he dare to trespass into the concubines’ quarters? Who would commit such a stupid mistake? This must be a dream. Wait, this is a dream!
Clearly, he had fallen asleep in the Prime Minister’s estate after getting drunk; how could he be in the inner harem, and in broad daylight no doubt!
Curiosity compelled him to walk over to the bronze mirror. Reflected in the glass was a flamboyant, eye-catching red ceremonial robe, a color he would never wear. Golden threads outlined phoenix feathers, and the collars and sleeves were edged with layers of golden scales. The light, airy sleeves trailed gracefully on the floor, so luxurious that no ordinary person could wear them.
Such a vibrant, true red was something he had only ever seen Empress Jiang Fu wear. The Empress?!
Could this possibly be a bridal gown!
Terrified, Mei Jinshu tumbled straight down onto a chair, knocking over a container of rouge and powder on the dressing table. He rushed toward the palace doors, only to find them locked securely. He pounded on them with all his might for a long time, but received no response, leaving him with no choice but to kick at them.
“Let me out! Where on earth is this!”
“What kind of ghost place is this? Wake up! Is anyone there? Someone come!”
He remembered the system’s warning that he must never put on a bridal gown. He didn’t know what consequences would follow, but this was simply too absurd! Why would he be wearing a bridal gown? He would never wear such a thing!
Angrily stripping off the glaring garments, he paced powerlessly around the room. The doors and windows were like solid copper and iron walls; no matter how much strength he exerted, he couldn’t shake them at all.
What on earth was going on? Why would he have a dream like this?
With no resolution to his dilemma, he could only sit on the hibiscus couch and wait quietly. He wanted to see just what they intended to do by trapping him here. I do not know how much time passed before the palace doors were pushed open and a group of people walked in, consisting of both men and women.
The leading maid stepped forward and said, “Empress Niangniang, it is time to groom and apply makeup. His Majesty is still waiting for you.”
“Empress?” Mei Jinshu nearly thought he was experiencing auditory hallucinations. He stood up and interrogated, “Who are you talking to!”
“Naturally, Empress Niangniang, you.” Not knowing where she had gone wrong to displease her master, the maid could only lower her head as much as possible. The hall instantly fell into a pin-drop silence, terrifyingly quiet.
Mei Jinshu found it unimaginable that he, a grown man, was expected to be an Empress in the inner harem. Either he had lost his mind, or the Emperor had lost his mind. No, wait, exactly who had ascended the imperial throne?!
He grabbed the maid in front of him and demanded harshly, “Who is the Emperor? Meng Changqi or Meng Xueran!”
The people before him dropped to their knees all at once. Terrified and at a complete loss, the maid stammered as she spoke, “This humble servant would never dare to speak His Majesty’s personal name directly. Please spare this servant’s life!”
Growing annoyed and realizing he wouldn’t get any answers, Mei Jinshu decided to go look for himself.
“Empress Niangniang, you cannot!” The guards blocked him at the doorway.
“There is no Empress here! Move aside for me!” Determined to break through, Mei Jinshu engaged the guarding soldiers in a merciless clash, snatched a sword, and slashed fiercely downward, frightening everyone so much that none dared step forward. “Scram if you don’t want to die!”
“Truly, you cannot. Please think twice!” Exchanging glances with one another, the guards feigned letting him pass, then pulled a hidden weapon from their sleeves and hurled a silver needle that pierced his neck, powerful enough to paralyze someone for a short while.
Mei Jinshu instantly felt his limbs grow weak. As he fell forward, two guards hurriedly caught him and carried him back into the palace.
“Offended, Empress Niangniang.”
“Impudent. I am the Prime Minister!” With veins bulging from anger and still struggling vigorously, Mei Jinshu was forcibly pressed down before the bronze mirror.
Eunuchs and maids swarmed forward. Some tied his hair and crowned him, pinning in golden tassel hair ornaments, while others applied rouge and powder, dabbing and patting his face until his naturally fair complexion looked even more ghastly white.
Mei Jinshu was practically driven to laughter by the absurdity of it all. Livid, he demanded, “Do you all think this looks good?”
The maid applying his makeup replied, “Pale yet not demonic, it is exceptionally pretty.”
Glaring at his own furious reflection in the mirror, Mei Jinshu shifted his gaze to the silver needle still lodged in his neck and said, “Remove the silver needle. You can’t possibly carry a wooden dummy out to see His Majesty, can you?”
His words fell on deaf ears as everyone continued going about their assigned tasks with tacit coordination. He was hoisted up and once more dressed in that heavy, luxurious red bridal gown. Like an inescapable destiny, no matter how he resisted, he kept being pushed step by step into the trap.
Heavy and frantic, it pressed down on him until he could barely breathe. This wasn’t a bridal gown; it was a shackle.
“No, I won’t wear it!”
“Scram! All of you, get out!”
His voice echoed through the palace hall, yet he could only watch helplessly as he was supported forward. Guided onward like a puppet, weighed down by cumbersome garments and walking with unsteady steps, his numb body began to show the slightest signs of response under the delay.
That’s great! It seemed the medicine from that silver needle wasn’t too potent either; as long as he delayed a bit longer, he would regain full mobility.
At the end of the long corridor, someone seemed to be waiting to swallow him whole. His pace naturally grew slower and slower. Fearing they would miss the auspicious hour and incur the Emperor’s punishment, the attending palace servants took matters into their own hands and quickened their pace.
Mei Jinshu hooked his left foot over his right and deliberately tripped, tumbling to the floor. The jade pearls adorning his garments chimed crisply, and his golden tassel hair ornament slipped crookedly, entangling itself with the strands of hair at his back.
“Ah! Empress Niangniang!” Terrified, the servants rushed to help him up and tidy his appearance. “This humble servant is derelict in duty for failing to watch out for Niangniang’s footing!” With that, they slapped themselves twice across the face.
“Enough!” Mei Jinshu said, “I’m thirsty. Go brew some tea.”
The eunuch looked troubled as he asked, “Must we drink it right now?”
Mei Jinshu replied, “Yes, drink it right now.”
Giving a subtle cue, the eunuch instructed a nimble-footed servant to swiftly fetch a cup of tea. Meanwhile, Mei Jinshu sat quietly under the veranda, waiting for the medicinal effect to dissipate. In about half the time it took to burn half a stick of incense, he would be completely free.
Holding the warm tea in his hands and completely ignoring the anxious servants hovering to his left and right, he admired the scenery as if no one else was around, slowly finishing the tea to stall for time despite the constant, nerve-wracking urging.
“If we don’t go now, His Majesty really will get angry!”
“I beg of you, Empress Niangniang.”
Smashing the teacup onto the ground, Mei Jinshu pulled out the silver needle from his neck, sprang abruptly to his feet, leaped over the veranda railing, and sprinted straight into the garden. He ran aimlessly through the unfamiliar grounds filled with flowers, trees, and murmuring streams, cursing the fact that this outfit was far too cumbersome!
The guards chased endlessly behind him. By the time he ran, his hair was disheveled, one of his golden hairpins had fallen off, his crown was crooked, and his robes were torn at the hem, making him look exactly like a fugitive madman.
“Stop right there, Niangniang!”
“Ugh!” Stepping on his own hem, Mei Jinshu scrambled up swiftly after a fall and kept running. It felt as though this place had no end; twisting and turning this way and that, he couldn’t find a way out. Was the inner harem really this massive?
Dammit, how on earth was he supposed to escape this!
Amidst his frantic thoughts, his body collided against a thick wall, or rather, a chest!
The person before him locked their arms around him, pulling him tightly into an embrace with a strength so overwhelming that he couldn’t break free no matter what. Panicking, Mei Jinshu cursed angrily, “Audacious! Where did this bastard come from, so utterly lacking in manners!”
The person before him let out a cold chuckle and refused to let go.
“You scoundrel, let me go right now!”
“I won’t let go.”
“I’m going to kill you, skin you, pull out your tendons, chop you into pieces, and feed you to the dogs!” No, why did this voice sound so familiar? Shuddering all over, Mei Jinshu instinctively lifted his head, desperate to make out the face of the tall man in front of him.
“You… Meng Xueran!” His breathing grew rapid and his eyes widened so far he couldn’t even finish his curses. Striking out with a palm to push the person away, he retreated step by step.
Stepping directly onto his trailing hem, Meng Xueran yanked him swiftly back into his grasp and scooped him up horizontally, walking toward the palace chambers.
“Didn’t I tell you to wait in the bedchamber? Why are you running around?”
“Scram!”
“Oh? Is the Empress too impatient to wait? You don’t want to wait in the bedchamber to be favored, and instead want to play something a bit stimulating?”
“Play your father.” Mei Jinshu was dropped onto the turf and had his mouth covered, held down firmly under Meng Xueran’s solid weight. “The late Emperor has already passed away. Wouldn’t it be fun to play with me, the new Emperor?”
“Could it be you still want to help Meng Changqi usurp the throne!”
Panic-stricken and flustered, Mei Jinshu yanked out the very last golden hairpin from his hair and stabbed it fiercely forward. The next instant, the absurd dream shattered violently, jolting him awake as he gasped for breath, trembling all over.
Water. He lunged toward the table, grabbed a teacup, and gulped down several mouthfuls before he finally managed to steady his nerves.
No way, why did he get taken advantage of again?!