Outside the hall, on the stone steps, those palace maids, as beautiful as flowers, all had faces full of adoration, gazing intently at the retreating figure of Young Master Leng Yue.
Inside the grand hall, a rich dragon saliva incense burned in the crane-shaped bronze cauldron. Palace lanterns hung from the four corners, illuminating the hall with a golden splendor that was dazzling and magnificent. Yun Xiao walked in with neither humility nor arrogance, bowed, and paid her respects.
"Leng Yue pays respects to the Emperor."
"Rise."
Shangguan Yao's cold voice rang out. Although he felt a flicker of joy within, his expression and voice remained unchanged, just as usual.
Yun Xiao clasped her fists and slowly thanked the Emperor, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Raising her head, she saw Shangguan Yao bathed in the lamplight. He was dressed in white, which lent his features an uncharacteristically gentle aura. His eyes remained sharp and cold, but the imposing presence he exuded in his imperial yellow dragon robe was replaced by a different kind of charm.
The white attire softened his features, making them appear sculpted and three-dimensional. His dark hair was tied high, crowned with a jade coronet that gleamed faintly. The white robes made his dark hair appear even blacker, like lustrous, smooth black silk.
This appearance bore a striking resemblance to Murong, about sixty to seventy percent similar. If he were accustomed to wearing white, and one were not close to him, it would be difficult to distinguish between the two.
No wonder the court officials dared not suspect anything; there was indeed a reason. If they were not completely alike, they surely would not have dared to attempt such a clandestine switch.
"Where have you been recently? I sent people to fetch you, but you did not come."
Shangguan Yao raised an eyebrow and even descended from his high seat. He spoke casually, as if treating Yun Xiao as a friend, even softening his sharp and ruthless demeanor considerably.
Yun Xiao lowered her gaze, her eyes darkening. She wondered what Shangguan Yao truly intended. She spoke cautiously.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, because a patient from out of town offered an exorbitant consultation fee, Leng Yue went to treat a patient elsewhere."
"I never knew Leng Yue was a greedy person. Then shall I bestow upon you a thousand gold pieces?"
These words were profound and difficult to decipher, and Yun Xiao did not understand the man's intention. However, she knew it was not a time for ambiguity. "Your Majesty's words are inaccurate. Why is Leng Yue not a greedy person? If not for greed, why open a medical clinic? It's just that greed can be divided into elegant greed and vulgar greed, can it not?"
"Are there further discussions to be had about this matter?"
Shangguan Yao did not seem to suspect her at all and instead became intrigued by her words. He slowly walked to the side and sat on a soft couch. Seeing Leng Yue still standing, he said in a deep voice, "Come and sit down."
Yun Xiao was not afraid to sit, but the thought of sitting beside this man made her feel a sense of aversion. However, not wishing to show it, she could only politely and distantly say, "Before Your Majesty, Leng Yue dares not be presumptuous."
"This trip out of the capital, Leng Yue seems different from before?"
Shangguan Yao's deep eyes narrowed sharply. Yun Xiao's heart tightened. It seemed her caution had aroused the suspicion of this damnable emperor. An uncharacteristically arrogant person becoming timid was bound to arouse suspicion. She ought to be more forthright. She slowly began to speak.
"Then Leng Yue shall obey."
After speaking, she walked over and sat to Shangguan Yao's side. At this moment, a richly attired palace maid stepped forward to serve tea and then withdrew to the side.
Shangguan Yao, recalling Yun Xiao's earlier words, became interested. He held the teacup, raised his eyebrows, and asked, "What is the difference between the elegant greed and vulgar greed that Leng Yue spoke of?"
Yun Xiao took a sip of tea first, then slowly and deliberately spoke.
"This elegant greed, you see, is when I am in a good mood today; a thousand gold pieces are not refused, and I accept all who come. This can be called elegant. If it is vulgar, then of course it is accepting money at sight, and being happy upon seeing money. Hence, it is called vulgar. Therefore, there is a distinction between elegant and vulgar. The elegance is that when I am in a good mood, everything is agreeable, let alone money. The vulgarity, however, is defined by money, and hence it is vulgar."
After speaking, Yun Xiao put down her teacup and said with a smile, "I hope Your Majesty will forgive my presumption."
Unexpectedly, Shangguan Yao actually laughed, a rare occurrence, and nodded repeatedly. "Leng Yue, you are truly interesting. I find it quite amusing to listen to you. Indeed, there is some truth to it. Tell me more such interesting anecdotes."
Upon hearing Shangguan Yao's words, Yun Xiao's expression turned completely blank. Did this man summon her to the palace repeatedly just to have her tell him such things? She cast a cold glance at him.
"Does Your Majesty summon Leng Yue to the palace repeatedly merely to hear these matters?"
"I am too bored in the palace and have no one to talk to, so I thought of you. Hence, I summoned you to the palace. In the future, when I have nothing else to do, I will summon you to the palace to tell me jokes and relieve my boredom."
"Ah?"
Yun Xiao felt an urge to stand up and kick him fiercely, but this was a thought she could only entertain, not act upon. Her gaze inadvertently swept over Shangguan Yao's waist. Indeed, there was the Jade Dragon Talisman, a talisman she had never seen before.
She had taken it for a large jade pendant, not expecting it to have some use. However, how could she possibly swap out this Jade Dragon Talisman from under this man's watchful eyes?
This man was inherently suspicious. Any slight misstep might arouse his suspicion. Although she was not afraid of him, she needed to switch the talisman for it to be useful.
Shangguan Yao, seeing Leng Yue's furious expression, couldn't help but laugh again. This was the Leng Yue he was familiar with, utterly arrogant.
A deep, alluring flame flickered within his dark, profound eyes, leaping and calling out. He could not make the slightest move that would reveal his feelings to Leng Yue; that would only make him a laughingstock.
How embarrassing would it be for a dignified ruler of a nation if it were rumored that he was fond of men? Therefore, he suppressed his feelings and treated him as a friend. As long as he could see him often, he seemed content.
As Shangguan Yao was lost in thought, Leng Yue suddenly spoke, "Since Your Majesty wishes to listen, Leng Yue shall tell Your Majesty a story that occurred during this outing."
"Mm."
Shangguan Yao responded, leaning back lazily against a nearby chair, his posture extremely languid, completely shedding his usual vigilant coldness and his cruel bloodlust.
Without his malevolence, he was surprisingly gentle and elegant. Yun Xiao couldn't help but ponder that if the Empress Dowager had not done what she did, perhaps he would have been a refined gentleman. How significant was parental education for one's children?
However, the matter was settled, and further contemplation was in vain. She raised her eyebrows and spoke with a hint of coldness, referring to the Empress Dowager's affair, intending to taunt the emperor.
"During my outing, I encountered an interesting matter. An old couple had been in love for many years. In their youth, the woman practiced a certain dark art, which resulted in her only being able to have one child and no more.
Later, that child unfortunately died. However, the two remained in love for decades. Who would have thought that when the old man was sixty years old, he would fall in love with an eighteen-year-old courtesan, and then take her as a concubine and remarry? The elderly wife caused a great scene at the wedding and was even injured by the old man."
Before Yun Xiao could finish, and just as she paused, Shangguan Yao let out a cold snort. He then brushed back his dark hair, his expression full of disdain.
Yun Xiao thought he was looking down on that old man, who was the former Martial Arts Alliance Leader, Ding Haowen. Who knew that what he said next almost made her die of anger.