Leng Ningyue glanced at the imperial guards in armor not far away and raised an eyebrow, "Are you talking about Lian Chengyi?"
"Yes! Originally, I arranged for that scoundrel to stay at the manor to accompany the envoy from Chile. But when the envoys from various countries were to have an audience in the evening, I didn't see any sign of that scoundrel. Ningyue, sister, do you think that scoundrel discovered I tricked him into being free labor and ran away?"
"That's unlikely, but his silent departure probably means he has something important to do." Lin Qingge rubbed her chin back and forth. "He's unfamiliar with the place here. If it's something important, it can only be to see his kind foster father."
"Are you saying he went to see King Wucheng?"
"If he has to see him, defying their contract, it's likely only King Wucheng. To be honest, I haven't even seen the legendary King Wucheng yet. I just wonder if King Wucheng had a hand in this scheme against me this time?"
Leng Ningyue narrowed her eyes slightly at the mention of this, "You mean King Wucheng and Fu Xun have joined forces?"
"I'm not sure if they've joined forces, but I can be sure that Fu Xun has helpers in Great Xia, and their identities are not low. The petty King Wucheng has always seen me as a thorn in his side. If he learns of Fu Xun's plan, even if he doesn't gloat, he will definitely kick me when I'm down. From another perspective, no matter how powerful Fu Xun is, he only dealt with the Crown Prince of a small country like Japan. He couldn't have reached under the new Emperor's nose to cause such a commotion. Therefore, he must have helpers in the palace!"
"Isn't that helper Prime Minister Shangguan?"
"Rather than a helper, Prime Minister Shangguan is more like a scapegoat who was set up. Moreover, after losing the pawn Shangguan Yuyan, Prime Minister Shangguan's influence in the palace is not as great. Ningyue, sister, you've been tossing and turning with me all night, let's go back and rest."
Leng Ningyue blinked in surprise, "Aren't you going to the courtyard where the Japanese delegation is staying to look for Fu Xun?"
"No point. Given Fu Xun's cunning, even if I go, I might not find anything. So, the world is big and sleep is most important. Besides, my Ningyue, sister, is so beautiful. If she gets dark circles under her eyes from staying up with me, wouldn't that be my fault?"
After saying that, Lin Qingge playfully stuck out her tongue.
Leng Ningyue looked at her, shook her head with amusement, and tapped Lin Qingge's forehead. "Slippery tongue."
But Lin Qingge disagreed, "Ningyue, sister, how can you call this a slippery tongue? It's clearly speaking the truth! Who told you my Ningyue, sister, is as beautiful as a celestial being! And also! Although Lin Moyuan is quite annoying, this red outfit really suits you, Ningyue, sister. Why don't you wear red dresses from now on? They are both opulent and stunning, even more beautiful than the hundred flowers blooming in the imperial garden!"
"It's fortunate you're a woman. If you were a man, with that honey-coated mouth of yours, who knows how many girls you'd have chasing after you!" Leng Ningyue chided verbally, but her eyes curved into a beautiful arc.
"Why would I coax others? Where else can others be as beautiful as my Ningyue, sister!"
Unable to win the argument, Leng Ningyue tapped the animated little face and fell silent. However, as she turned, she glanced at the shadows in the distance.
The moment the two of them left, a figure in bright yellow stepped out from the shadows of the trees.
"Your Highness, how can you be so unwise? To be wandering behind them in the middle of the night instead of sleeping and finding trouble for yourself? They are simultaneously pursuing love and handling cases, while you are neglecting your duties and just stalking. Your Highness, it's not that I'm speaking ill of you. You really need to learn from Feng Si, dedicating yourself wholeheartedly to state affairs without distraction. Of course, if Your Highness truly cannot sleep alone, then issue an edict to select concubines. I guarantee there will be tall, short, fat, and thin ones, all sorts. After all, when the candles are extinguished and it's dark, everyone looks pretty much the same~"
"Since they all look pretty much the same, then I shall issue an edict and bestow a batch of concubines upon you, so you can change one every day and not repeat for a month."
The one fanning himself was so scared upon hearing this that he quickly waved his hands, "Don't, Your Highness! I can't, my body is weak, I can't enjoy such a blessing~"
"Hmph!" The new Emperor let out a cold snort and turned to walk back.
At the same time.
Within the imperial mausoleum outside the city.
Lian Chengyi, who had disappeared, was, as Lin Qingge had guessed, paying a visit to his foster father, King Wucheng.
"May I ask what business my foster father has in summoning Chengyi?"
King Wucheng's face immediately darkened, and he snorted displeasedly, "You still have the nerve to speak? You abandoned your duties at the Northeast Great Camp and followed that Lin Jingxing to the capital. I haven't even held you accountable for dereliction of duty, and yet you have the audacity to ask me why I summoned you?"
"Foster father, Chengyi knows he was wrong!" After saying that, Lian Chengyi knelt on the ground with a thud, then whispered his defense, "Foster father, you once taught Chengyi that one must be true to their word. Although Lin Jingxing is cunning, Chengyi was indeed outmatched. That's why Chengyi willingly stayed."
"Then how did you act when I asked you to cooperate with our people to take Lin Jingxing's life?"
"Reporting to foster father, Chengyi finally found an opportunity when Lin Jingxing was alone. Who knew that Lin Jingxing would set a trap for Chengyi instead! And according to Chengyi's observation, although Lin Jingxing is eccentric and extremely greedy for money, he is a rare good official. Therefore..."
Although Lian Chengyi didn't finish his sentence, King Wucheng, who understood the general meaning, was so angered that he grabbed a teacup from the table and slammed it heavily at Lian Chengyi's feet.
"So, not only did you not make a move, but you also felt at ease acting as a bodyguard for Lin Jingxing?"
Lian Chengyi lowered his head to his chest and remained silent.
King Wucheng, a surge of wicked fire rushing to his head, paced back and forth in the room, pointing at Lian Chengyi's head and reprimanding him, "Do you know that your brother, Xu Shouxin, died at the hands of that Lin Jingxing? The hatred for your brother's killer is irreconcilable. Do you still intend to speak up for Lin Jingxing?"
"Brother?" Lian Chengyi suddenly raised his head, his face filled with surprise.
"Chengyi, it's time to tell you some things." King Wucheng couldn't help but sigh deeply at this point. "In the past, I made a mistake in chess and was forced by the late emperor to leave the capital and take a poisonous oath never to marry or have children. But how can someone who achieves great things truly have no successor? Therefore, I secretly conceived and gave birth to you brothers with a few confidantes."
"Us?"
"Yes, your mother was also one of my confidantes back then. It's just that she had a frail fate and passed away after giving birth to you. At that time, I was ordered to go to my fiefdom in the northeast, and out of necessity, I had to bring you, who were still in swaddling clothes, along with me as an adopted son. So you shouldn't call me foster father, you should call me 'Father King'."
"Fa-Father King?" The information was too overwhelming, and Lian Chengyi, unable to accept it all at once, mumbled repeatedly. He couldn't tell if he was more surprised or excited at that moment.