You’re the character who asks to get hit, huh? Don’t you think you know too much?!
“I will handle these problems. You need not worry.”
“Sounds like you didn’t understand. I am not referring to the generous, honest noble beauty behind us who is always concerned about the people’s welfare. I am referring to the one in Hangzhou.”
I spun lightning-fast towards Tianhu.
“What?! Miss Shen’s child really is yours?! You animal!” Tianhu kicked me to the ground, then legged it.
I will wash your head in front of the entire nation sooner or later Craphu, you cornhole!
“Feizhen!” Tianhu was already thin air by the time Boss Shen reached me.
“Boss, I’m okay. I just tripped.”
Boss Shen grabbed my collar.
“Uh…?”
“Wh-wh-what lies did you tell him?! Will you never drop your habit of spewing nonsense until I beat it out of you?!”
I saw the inkstone was too familiar with again.
I thought you rushed over to help me! It was all Tianhu! Craphu!
I had to explain Tianhu set me up in a strange voice due to all the bruises on my face.
“Got it. You’re innocent. Be careful not to let it happen again.”
“… Roger that,” I softly replied, still in pain. “Boss, what did you come here so early in the morning for?”
“I was planning to see Sister Suwen off, but I received word too late, so I figured I might as well pay you a visit.”
“Visit me?” Figuring it would be a long conversation, I suggested, “Over some wonton soup?”
“… It’s always food with you, isn’t it? All right, which eatery?”
“There’s one that provides plenty of stuffing for a steal. The oil melts off, and the soup aroma is marvellous. I lead the way; you pay the bill!”
I dragged Boss all the way to the place I strongly recommend and ordered ten bowls. What? Not enough? Amateur. Wonton soup is best served warm. What’s the point of ordering a hundred bowls and then letting it go cold by the time you get to it? Besides, you think they can wrap them fast enough? Take your time.
A smile bloomed on Boss Shen’s lips after she had a taste of the soup. Watching her eat, I forgot to eat my own.
“A big event is going to take place in Nieyao today. As the city’s lord, you must attend, so I came to fetch you.”
“A big event? What big event?” I delivered two wontons into my mouth.
“Have you forgotten about Morcher’s restoration? The eleven states’ leaders in addition to Abels and A-Lan will convene in Nieyao today to discuss it.”
It was today?
“All the sovereigns are coming, huh? Doesn’t that mean…”
Nieyao is going to be the breeding ground for a headache today?
From what I heard, the states’ leaders loved to have get-togethers to argue when they were bored, and they’d never reach any conclusions. I don’t know why they even bothered when that was always the case. If I knew about that, Abels should’ve also been aware. It wasn’t Abels-like to go throw himself into this sort of mess.
Boss Shen raised her shoulders to her ears. “Building a nation doesn’t happen in a sentence. Merely dealing with all the power wielders would take years. Abels and His Majesty both hold the opinion that they need to be swift. Whatever the opposition says, the two of them are determined to blaze a trail. Restoration takes priority, so compromises will have to be made if need be. You are today’s host. Therefore, you need to prepare properly as soon as possible.”
“As lord of Nieyao, I have yet to see anything except radishes in jars. How am I supposed to supervise? Can you replace me?”
“You’re the lord. What am I supposed to be?” Boss Shen smiled. “Not knowing how to receive guests and the sort is fine. Just greet them, and then retreat into the background. Although His Majesty didn’t commission you, if you perform poorly as the city’s lord, you will have blame to share. A minor punishment would be compromising your sal-”
“Huh?! A salary reduction?!”
Th-this is unfair. After all my painstaking efforts for a year, I haven’t even saved five silver taels. Is this the part where I have to start life as a beggar? I refuse!
I raised up my bowl to my mouth to slog back one bowl and then huffed down the rest. “Boss, you take your time. I am heading off first.”
Boss was stupefied. Only once I was gone did she finish, “… a severe punishment would be demotion or relief from your post… though it appears that isn’t a concern for you.”
Shen Yiren looked down to the three wontons left in her bowl and chuckled, recalling Ming Feizhen’s endless praise for them, then sat back down to finish her bowl.
***
I might’ve forgotten where guests were to be received today, but I was confident Shiri Palace would be the only alternative to having a picnic by the small creek given the architecture of Nieyao at present. I guess it helps to have one spot to receive guests.
Pretty much anyone who set foot outside of their residence recognised me as the lord of Nieyao while I was out cold.
“All right, set up, set up, chop, chop! Chop! Chop!”
My salary was on the line.
“Pick up the slack! Pick up the slack! The eleven states’ monarchs are coming. Make sure everything is done right! If I find a single blunder, you people are to blame.”
My salary was on the line, yet I wasn’t the one badgering people. The ones coming over from the adjacent section were Long Zaitian and Song Ou. As soon as we met each other, all three of us were thinking, “Oh, crud.”
What blasphemy are these two up to again?
Glossary
The break in Shen Yiren’s sentence when Ming Feizhen bolts out – I tried, but I couldn’t come up with any word to connect it in English.
