Chapter 2 The Next Day
Waking up the next day, Xiao Shan was gone, but he had said he wouldn't leave again, so Ling Yao was not afraid.
After tidying herself up, she took Yu Liu and Yu Shan to the main hall of Feng Que Tower.
Feng Que Tower was the tallest and most magnificent building in the imperial palace, constructed by the skilled craftsmen of the entire Jingguo over three years.
With pavilions, bridges over flowing water, gardens, rockeries, and rare birds and beasts, in the summer, it was shaded by green trees, elegant and secluded, with birdsong and fragrant flowers, and butterflies fluttering everywhere.
At its liveliest, a separate courtyard was established solely for housing entertainers for her amusement, but she didn't like them, and later, she didn't know where her father had arranged for those entertainers to go.
The main hall was even more luxurious, with a double-eaved roof of golden glazed tiles that, under the azure sky, resembled a golden island.
The floor paved with marble was as bright as a mirror, reflecting one's image when walking on it.
In the past, rows of guards stood here, but now, it was extremely desolate, with a few palace maids idly chatting.
Seeing Ling Yao approach, the palace maids slightly restrained themselves, but did not show much respect. Ling Yao ignored them and went directly into the hall, not even giving them a chance to announce her.
Ling Xi was sitting at a jade desk, painting, with a palace maid standing behind her.
Hearing the sound, she looked up, "Why are you here?"
It was even colder here than in the side hall. When she was here before, it was as warm as spring. The potted plants around the hall were gone, likely frozen to death.
The golden-footed wine vessels, jade plates, and pearl curtains were all nowhere to be seen. Ling Xi, the goddess, had truly made it shabby.
Those people only treated her as a tool, yet she was proud of being a goddess and was willing to sacrifice her life for it.
"I was bored alone, so I came to chat with you."
Ling Yao surveyed the arrangement of the hall, looking at anything with a lotus symbol that could hide things.
"Stop looking, everything here is mine now, and I have nothing to talk to you about."
Ling Xi put down her brush. She was painting a lotus pond, but there was a white figure standing by the lotus pond, only a back outlined with a few strokes.
Ling Yao chuckled and walked to an enamel lotus-patterned plum vase, reaching her hand inside, "I just came to reminisce, I think I hid some fun things here."
She fumbled for a moment and took out a piece of paper. The paper was yellowed and old. Upon opening it, she saw two strange people drawn on it. Judging by their headwear, it should be her father and the Great Shaman playing chess. She didn't know how old they were when they drew it, their skill was very poor, and one could barely tell they were people.
There was also a poem written on it: Two old men are truly strange, their combined age exceeds a hundred. You ruin my moves, I hide the king, eventually, they quarrel and throw the board.
Heh, hehe, Ling Yao put away the drawing, seeming to recall that scene.
Ling Xi snorted disdainfully, finding her extremely boring.
Ling Yao turned around again, checking all the places where things might be hidden, but found nothing.
Ling Xi ignored her and continued painting.
All the good things in the hall had already been moved away, her efforts were in vain.
"Ling Xi, aren't you cold? You can tell the guards outside to bring in a brazier." Ling Yao said as she was leaving.
"My affairs as a goddess do not require your concern."
If she didn't appreciate it, so be it.
Ling Yao left the hall and walked towards the lotus pond.
The lotus pond was frozen over in winter, with bare lotus stems standing on the water. Would Eunuch Bai Xi hide things at the bottom of the water?
She stood by the railing and looked, and the Second Prince hurried over.
"Little sister!" His pale jade face showed a hint of dejection, "Eunuch Bai Xi is dead."
"What did you say?"
Ling Yao asked in shock. She had just gone to see him yesterday, and he died today?
That little eunuch would never dare to act recklessly. Who then harmed Eunuch Bai Xi?
"He climbed outside in a daze and froze to death in the middle of the night."
Ling Yao's hands gripped the railing tightly, her eyes fixed on the water surface, suppressing the turbulent rage within her.
Eunuch Bai Xi was not foolish, how could he have climbed outside?
Was he harmed, or did he commit suicide?
"Eunuch Bai Xi served Father Emperor his entire life, and Father Emperor didn't even see him when he died. Alas, it's quite disheartening," the Second Prince said in a low tone.
Ling Yao, however, let out a cold sneer, "You are disheartened, but did you ever visit Eunuch Bai Xi when he was alive? Did you know what he ate, what he wore? You were not raised by him? You have the right to blame Father Emperor? Whatever Uncle Prince of Runan says, you go by that. Have you visited the sick Father Emperor? You are Father Emperor's son, not Prince of Runan's son!"
"Little sister..." The Second Prince was stunned, somewhat at a loss.
Did he say something wrong again?
When did his little sister become so sharp, as if she had completely changed?
"I did visit Eunuch Bai Xi, but he was mad and didn't recognize anyone. I also instructed that little eunuch to serve him well. As for Father Emperor, Uncle said Father Emperor cannot be stimulated and is undergoing treatment!" he explained.
Uncle! Uncle! It's always that treacherous Prince of Runan!
Ling Yao really wanted to scold him awake, but he continued, "Don't worry, Uncle is sending people to find famous doctors, and they will surely cure Father Emperor. He works hard for state affairs every day, and it's not good for me to trouble him further. Besides, Father Emperor doesn't want to see me."
"Feng Shijin, you are the Crown Prince! You should be busy with state affairs! Prince of Runan is a subject, a subject, do you understand!?"
"Ling Yao, how can you say that? Uncle is also a member of the royal family. At this time, it's already difficult for him to manage alone. You actually suspect him? Even Empress Dowager said that the country cannot be without Prince of Runan."
The Second Prince actually thought her mind had become too deep: "Little sister, Father Emperor and Uncle are brothers, and they have always supported each other. You can suspect anyone, but not Uncle. He is our relative! You have always been kind and simple, how did you become like this?"
The country cannot be without Prince of Runan, but it can be without Father Emperor, is that it?
Ling Yao closed her eyes, no longer wanting to argue with him. She now really wanted to see her elder brother, rather than engage in a pointless debate with this fool.
She walked past the Second Prince and strode away, ignoring his calls from behind.
Her belly full of anger, she walked forward furiously. Just as she was about to leave Feng Que Tower, Yu Liu called out to her.
"Mistress, the Master is at the rockery."
Ling Yao's anger turned into grievance. She pouted and walked towards the rockery, where Xiao Shan pulled her into the cave of the rockery.
"Look how angry you are, your belly is bulging."
Xiao Shan's large hand reached into her cloak, touching her round belly and teasing her.
"Get lost."
He was talking nonsense.
"Don't you have something to do? Why are you still in Feng Que Tower?"
"Just came to see you! Don't pay attention to that idiot. Tomorrow, you can do whatever you want, I've arranged everything. Don't be unhappy. I heard that when you're pregnant, you should smile more, and the child born will be beautiful."
Ling Yao pursed her lips, "Then your mother must have been unhappy when she was pregnant with you."
Xiao Shan: "......"
"Then can I see Father tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow I will lead troops into the city, of course you can see him."
Ling Yao became happy, hugged Xiao Shan's neck, and took the initiative to kiss him.
The two lingered in the rockery cave for a long time, and Ling Yao came out with a rosy complexion, her lips as red as if she had applied lip rouge.
Yu Liu and Yu Shan exchanged glances and giggled secretly, lowering their heads.