Alima blinked, thinking the old marquis was about to produce something astonishing. To her surprise, he pulled out a novel, its cover rather garish...
"Lirou, do you know how I've gotten through these years?" the old marquis asked with a smile.
Alima twitched the corner of her mouth and said nothing...
She wasn't interested in his unconventional late-life activities.
The old marquis tapped the novel in his hand and said with mock seriousness, "It's this very thing that has accompanied me for so many years. Don't be put off by the rather bold illustrations; the content is actually very dramatic, no, very exciting. You should take a look..."
With that, the old marquis thrust the novel into Alima's hands.
Alima glanced at the title and nearly fainted...
Across the top of the cover were written several large characters: "Three Thousand Handsome Men Cannot Compare to Your Graceful Smile: The Empress's Little Puppy."
Alima clutched the novel tightly and glared at the old marquis, "You read this sort of thing when you have nothing better to do?"
Good heavens, the once formidable Marquis of Pingyang had become a romance novel enthusiast in his twilight years...
"So what? This novel is my favorite. I've read it dozens of times, and it's really not bad!~" The old marquis swayed his head, lost in thought.
Alima chuckled, "I'm not interested in this sort of thing. Take it back!~"
"Oh, don't be like that. I'll leave it here with you for now. If you really can't stand it, you can return it to me later. I'm off now..."
With that, the old marquis, with a cheeky grin, left the sleeping chambers and returned to his own courtyard to rest.
As a man of his intelligence, he naturally knew how much benefit Alima could bring him.
After all, he and his son would be staying at the barbarian king's palace for some time. With the care of High Priestess Alima, they wouldn't have to worry about the guards causing them trouble...
Not long after the old marquis left, Alima picked up the novel and flipped open a page with evident disdain.
Then, the guards outside discovered that the lamp in the sleeping quarters of the priestess, who had always gone to bed and woken early with a regular sleep schedule, had been lit almost all night...
The next morning, inside the Yan Kingdom's imperial palace.
Murong Taotao had been busy with some official duties and was about to put on his mask and go for a walk when Emperor Ming suddenly entered.
"Taotao, good news, good news, haha!~" Emperor Ming's booming voice echoed through the hall, making Murong Taotao frown.
"Taotao, guess what the good news is?"
Emperor Ming walked around the screen, hands on his hips, laughing heartily, "As soon as I tell you, I guarantee you'll be overjoyed!"
Murong Taotao: "......"
This old emperor was being mischievous again. Couldn't he be less noisy in front of him?
"What good news?" Murong Taotao asked calmly, sitting down and pouring himself a cup of tea.
Emperor Ming licked his dry lips, long accustomed to the national advisor's rudeness and arrogance, so he didn't mind...
"Taotao, scouts reported this morning that your sister was seen in Chen Kingdom. However, Chen Kingdom has now been destroyed, and your sister's exact whereabouts need to be reconfirmed!" Emperor Ming said, bowing.
Murong Taotao raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, "So, this is the good news Your Majesty mentioned?"
This was clearly bad news!
Since Chen Kingdom had been destroyed, its people must be displaced and their homes ruined. His sister was so frail; could she protect herself?
Thinking of this, Murong Taotao glared furiously at Emperor Ming, his eyes almost spitting fire...
If Emperor Ming hadn't been so greedy and insisted on attacking Chen Kingdom, Chen Kingdom wouldn't have been destroyed.
"Taotao, why are you looking at me like that? I haven't finished speaking!~"
Sensing that the brat was about to get angry, Emperor Ming, with a strong survival instinct, quickly explained, "I've already had people inquire. Your sister is not dead at all. During the war, she fled to Liang Kingdom..."
"Is this true or false?" Murong Taotao knew the emperor was prone to exaggeration, so he confirmed it again.
Emperor Ming rubbed his beer belly and said with certainty, "It is absolutely true, and a monarch's word is his bond, Taotao. If you don't believe me, you can send people to inquire yourself. I won't get involved in this matter anymore..."
Murong Taotao lowered his gaze and pondered for a moment before putting down his teacup and smoothing his sleeves, "Since that is the case, I must indeed make a trip to Liang Kingdom. Only when I find my sister personally can I focus on other matters!~"
Emperor Ming: "......"
It was over. After all that effort, it had backfired.
If the Grand National Advisor left the Yan Kingdom, who would offer him advice?
Although the country was now prosperous and the court had a strong military, it couldn't withstand the constant peasant uprisings happening everywhere, which left Emperor Ming exhausted and his blood pressure stubbornly high...
At this critical juncture, if Taotao left, Emperor Ming would be like a blind man, unable to see anything clearly.
"I, I won't let you go!~" Emperor Ming, for the first time, put on a stern face, his expression unusually serious.
Murong Taotao chuckled upon hearing this, "What if I insist on going?"
Stubborn old man, refusing to let him go, how hateful...
Emperor Ming knew the national advisor's capabilities. If he insisted on leaving, even the Imperial Guards couldn't stop him.
It wasn't that the national advisor's martial arts were superior, but rather that he was too intelligent, with endless tricks up his sleeve. Often, before the guards could even catch a glimpse of him, Murong Taotao would have already slipped away...
"Taotao, I'm doing this for your own good. Think about it, Liang Kingdom already harbors hostility towards us. Otherwise, why would my second son have been castrated? If you rashly go to Liang Kingdom and your identity is exposed, wouldn't they tear you to shreds?" Emperor Ming softened his tone and persuaded him patiently.
Being torn to shreds, though painful, was better than being captured by the Emperor of Liang and forced to serve them...
At that time, all the efforts Yan Kingdom had painstakingly made would turn to dust.
Murong Taotao smiled slightly and patted Emperor Ming's shoulder, "Don't worry, I can protect myself!~"
He wasn't just afraid that he would take the opportunity to leave the Yan Kingdom and become an advisor to another ruler, was he?
Murong Taotao understood.
"Then, that's still not allowed!" Emperor Ming looked worried and quickly grabbed Murong Taotao's hand, "Taotao, if you want to go to Liang Kingdom, you can, but, but you must let me accompany you. Firstly, we can look out for each other. Secondly, secondly..."
"Secondly, you want to supervise me to see if I collude with Liang Kingdom officials, right?" Murong Taotao saw through Emperor Ming's thoughts in an instant.
Upon hearing this, Emperor Ming's face instantly turned red, and he stammered, unable to speak.
Murong Taotao rolled his eyes at him, withdrew his hand, "Since that's the case, Your Majesty can go if you wish. You're so suspicious all the time, it's annoying!~"
Emperor Ming: "......"