5 – The Nine Thousand Year Old Man Comes to Capture People (Revised)
A luxurious carriage stopped in front of the Sixth Prince’s Mansion. The night pearls on its roof refracted the sunlight, forming a stark contrast with the mansion’s dilapidated state.
“Surround the prince’s mansion,” Wuhuan commanded.
A deep confusion was etched on Wuhuan’s face.
He couldn’t understand—couldn’t comprehend why his master, upon hearing at the palace gate that a palace maid from the Emperor’s side had been sent to retrieve old belongings, immediately turned around and headed for the Sixth Prince’s Mansion, even ordering it to be surrounded. Could it be that there was some treasure hidden within the Sixth Prince’s Mansion?
Shang Guanqi stepped down from the carriage and entered the Sixth Prince’s Mansion, walking with familiar ease toward Jiang Lige’s former bedroom.
“This servant pays respects to Nine Thousand Years.”
Hearing footsteps, Luzhu hurried out from inside the room and knelt at the doorway.
Shang Guanqi stepped into the room and glanced around.
Inside, there was an old bed, a table, a few chairs, and several cabinets—everything was laid out plainly.
“What have you come to retrieve?” Shang Guanqi asked coldly.
Luzhu lowered her head and replied, “His Majesty bled today and has been unsettled ever since. He recalled the peace pouch that Consort Zhao made for him in the past. Since it couldn’t be found in the Moon Departure Palace, he ordered this servant to search for it here in the prince’s mansion.”
Shang Guanqi took two steps closer and looked down at her. “Did you find it?”
Luzhu opened her hand, revealing an old, worn-out sachet lying in her palm. Embroidered on it were the characters “Peace Is Blessing”.
Shang Guanqi reached out and picked it up, turning it over with a hint of amusement. “When was this pouch made?”
Luzhu remained kneeling on the ground, her hands still raised high. “It was embroidered by Consort Zhao herself for His Majesty’s sixth birthday.”
Shang Guanqi scoffed and tossed the pouch back into Luzhu’s palm.
The force wasn’t strong, but Luzhu couldn’t help trembling slightly.
Shang Guanqi straightened up and paced toward the innermost door of the inner chamber, which led to a small bathing room.
Luzhu’s forehead was beaded with nervous sweat as she fixed her gaze on Shang Guanqi’s shoes, watching him step into the bathing room.
“Splash—”
The sound of water came from inside.
In the center of the bathing room stood a large bathtub, with small splashes of water scattered around it.
“Come out!”
Shang Guanqi commanded from three steps away from the bathtub.
With another splash, a woman emerged from the water, her head breaking the surface.
“Nine Thousand Years, spare my life! This servant accidentally fell into the pond in the courtyard earlier and soiled my clothes…”
A maid climbed out of the bathtub and knelt on the ground. She was drenched from head to toe, with traces of black mud still clinging to her clothes.
Shang Guanqi frowned slightly and turned to leave the Sixth Prince’s Mansion.
“Return to the palace!”
…
In front of the western gate of the palace, a carriage came to an abrupt halt after speeding past.
“Your Majesty, we have arrived at the western palace gate.”
Xie Shu helped Jiang Lige down from the carriage.
Upon hearing that Shang Guanqi had turned back and headed to the Sixth Prince’s Mansion, Xie Shu had Wen Zhimo arrange for a maid to stay behind with Luzhu while he personally drove the carriage to escort Jiang Lige back to the palace.
Time was pressing, and Jiang Lige hurriedly bowed her head and quickened her pace toward the palace gate.
Holding her token, she tried to enter swiftly, but an elderly woman and a middle-aged man ahead were entangled in an argument with the guards, making Jiang Lige’s heart burn with anxiety.
“Do you know who I am? How dare you lay hands on me! It was your Empress Dowager Su who invited us in. I am the current Emperor’s uncle—the State Uncle!”
Just as Jiang Lige was growing frantic, she overheard someone mentioning her name and pricked up her ears.
“That’s right! We are esteemed guests invited into the palace by Empress Dowager Su! Show some respect,” the elderly woman declared.”I have never seen either of you before. Please cooperate with the inspection and present your hand tokens,” the guard demanded.
The rumbling sound of a carriage approached from behind. Jiang Lige glanced back and saw it was precisely Shang Guanqi’s luxurious carriage adorned with night pearls.
She could no longer afford to hesitate. Waving the token in her hand and clutching her stomach, she cried out in feigned pain as she rushed inside.
“Ouch, my stomach hurts! Let me in first…”
“Halt!”
The guard shouted after her, but suddenly someone called out, “Nine Thousand Years has arrived!”
All the guards immediately stepped back, standing at attention with utmost reverence.
Jiang Lige broke into a run as if pursued by demons, sprinting with all her might toward the Moon Departure Palace.
Shang Guanqi’s carriage did not pause for even a moment, passing directly through the palace gates.
“To the Moon Departure Palace!”
The carriage sped straight to the Moon Departure Palace, stopping before its entrance. He gestured for the others to remain outside and entered quietly on his own.
The scruffy dog caught the scent of a stranger and stood up, but before it could bark, a small stone struck its head, and the dog instantly collapsed to the ground.
Shang Guanqi walked unhurriedly toward the inner chamber, his hands clasped behind his back.
The inner chamber was silent. A pale yellow silk curtain hung around the dragon bed, and from behind it came the sound of rapid breathing.
The curtain was lifted. On the bed, Jiang Lige huddled beneath a thin quilt, only her head visible. Her long hair spilled over the pillow, and her small face was drenched in sweat.
This delicate appearance was not unfamiliar to Shang Guanqi from his past life.
Her constitution had always been weak, and in her previous life, she had endured much suffering. For instance, when Empress Dowager Su had plotted against her the day before, in that past life, she had not encountered him. Instead, she had endured half a day of rain, caught between chills and fever, and that very night, she had fallen gravely ill with a high fever, nearly losing her life.
It was during that incident that Shang Guanqi had summoned a physician and discovered Jiang Lige’s true identity as a woman.
Recalling the past, Shang Guanqi’s hardened heart softened slightly. He sat on the edge of the bed and reached out to touch her face.
The moment his fingers made contact, Jiang Lige opened her eyes and curled up in a corner, clutching the quilt tightly.
“Don’t kill me,” she pleaded, her eyes filled with terror.
Shang Guanqi felt as if a needle had pierced his heart, but his expression remained unchanged. “If you obey me, who would dare harm you?”
Jiang Lige lowered her head and remained silent, fearing that saying too much might reveal her secret.
Noticing how she kept the quilt wrapped tightly around herself, Shang Guanqi grew suspicious. He reached for a corner of the thin quilt, intending to lift it, but a smooth, fair arm pressed down on his hand.
Jiang Lige held the quilt against her chest with one hand while grasping Shang Guanqi’s palm with the other. Her rounded shoulders, half-hidden by her long hair, peeked out delicately.
“It’s too hot… I… I’m not wearing anything… Could you turn around first?” Jiang Lige stammered, her face flushed and her voice trembling with nervousness.
As if shocked by electricity, Shang Guanqi withdrew his hand, stood up, and turned his back to the bed.
“Rest well, Your Majesty. I have matters to attend to.”
With long strides, Shang Guanqi departed, but before leaving, he casually flicked his hand to let the bed curtain fall back into place.
Jiang Lige broke into a cold sweat down her back. She had rushed back in such haste that she had only managed to remove her clothes, with no time to change into the Dragon Robe.
If that damned eunuch had truly lifted the quilt, he would have discovered not only the maid’s uniform hidden beneath but also her secret as a woman.
It was far too close a call.
Jiang Lige let out a sigh of relief, then inwardly marveled: This Xie Shu is truly a reincarnation of Zhuge Liang—he anticipated everything.Before entering the palace, Xie Shu said to her, “If Your Majesty encounters a crisis, you might consider showing weakness and coquettishness in front of Shang Guanqi. According to our investigation, Shang Guanqi has a preference for male companions. Though it is shameful, Your Majesty can use it for self-protection.”
Jiang Lige rose from the bed, changed into the emperor’s clothes, and sat before the dressing mirror to tidy her hair.
Did Shang Guanqi like men? Did he like the original owner?
She looked at herself in the mirror—a fair face with large eyes, frail and delicate, the very image of a submissive partner.
Whether he truly liked men or not, she would find an opportunity to test it out and see.