Chapter 26: Liu Xing Entered the Palace and Became an Eunuch
“Liu Xing kowtows in salute……. Yao fei niang niang……” Liu Xing stood uneasily at the entrance, not daring to meet Yao Mowan’s eyes as he spoke in a low voice.
“Liu Xing! What have you done?! Who had you do this!?” Yao Mowan strode with large steps to Liu Xing, forcing herself to keep her tears from spilling out. Her lips trembled as she sternly scolded him.
“Liu Xing was self-willing…… Liu Xing only wants to continue to stay at Miss’s side to protect Miss and not allow anyone to bully Miss…… Sorry…… Liu Xing did not intend to make Miss angry……” Liu Xing self-deprecatingly lowered his head until it was almost buried in his chest. His hands were tightly glued together, like a child that did something wrong and now didn’t dare to lift his head.
“You’re truly foolish! They all say ben gong is foolish, but the most foolish person is you! The one that should be apologizing is ben gong! Not you! Lift your head!” Yao Mowan had staunchly believed that after rebirth she would be able to endure anything and be able to remain indifferent regardless of humiliation or favor. But at this time, she still disappointed herself as tears fell. She did not have the heart to face Liu Xing, much less the heart to tell him that the person he used his life to protect had already left this world. The current Yao Mowan standing in front of him did not need anyone’s protection, her powerful inner heart(mind) is enough to bring this Imperial Palace to ruins.
Liu Xing lifted his head little by little, still not daring to meet Yao Mowan’s eyes until Yao Mowan’s hands pressed upon his shoulders. Finally, he was forced to look at the girl who had always been in his sight but out of reach for him in this lifetime.
“Liu Xing, listen up. From now on, ben gong will not let you bear anymore sufferings! No matter if it’s you or Ting Yue, whoever dares to touch you two, ben gong will repay them tenfold!” Yao Mowan’s voice was like an evening drum and the morning bell is it rippled through the main hall of Guan Osprey Palace, as it rippled in Liu Xing and Ting Yue’s hearts.
“Niang niang…… then niang niang doesn’t blame Liu Xing anymore?” Ting Yue wiped her tears and spoke with a voice full of choked back emotion.
“Since things have already happened, we must look forward. There is no point clinging to the incidents of the past. But from now on, no matter what you two do, you must let ben gong know!” Yao Mowan collected back up the sorrow in her eyes and solemnly looked towards Liu Xing. Her rebirth was not for the sake of wallowing in grief and misery, not for crying the springs(seasons) and mourning the falls.
“Liu Xing will remember!” Liu Xing firmly nodded, a trace of a resolute smile appearing on his face.
At breakfast, Yao Mowan instructed Ting Yue to prepare an extra pair of chopsticks and bowl. But all the way until she finished having breakfast, Ye Junqing still did not appear.
“Niang niang, should this servant go to the west wing to call the Esteemed Prince?” Ting Yue moved with several small quick steps to Yao Mo Wan’s side, seeking instructions.
“Let him be. Bring ‘Fluffy*’ over to ben gong.” Yao Mowan spoke indifferently. Soon after, she got up to take the kitten from Liu Xing’s arms. ‘Fluffy’ was the name Yao Mowan came up with for this kitten, there was no particular hidden meaning because based on her intelligence, this kitten’s name can only be this childish.
絮子 – The actual name is something like a cotton thing. So I was thinking cottonpuff… but then I read on and it was supposed to be even more childish, so fluffy~
“Niang niang, you(formal) intend to go out?” Seeing Yao Mowan walk towards the palace entrance while carrying the kitten, Ting Yue and Liu Xing hurriedly followed.
“You two stay here to tidy up, ben gong wants to take a stroll alone.” Yao Mowan stopped Ting Yue and Liu Xing and left Guan Osprey Palace while carrying Fluffy, heading straight towards the Imperial Garden.
Stepping on the pebble-paved stone path, Yao Mowan only felt her heart chill to the bone. This was a path she had walked hundreds of thousands of times. At this time, stepping upon it actually caused a particular feeling of desolation.
When Yao Mowan wound her way to the pavilion of the Imperial Garden, she was surprised to see that familiar figure, the white robe purer than snow and gently swaying ink black hair. Ye Junqing was currently holding a cage constructed from bronze, his black jade-like pupils quietly gazing at the hamster inside.
“Moxin, you’re truly heartless ah. How could you leave without a sound like this, abandoning it without care like this, abandoning me without caring……” Ye Junqing lightly stroked the hamster inside the cage, a gem-like light flickering in his eyes.
Heart, felt very pained, as if it was being encaged by piercing thistles and thorns. Everytime it thumped, it was pricked until fresh blood dripped. The hand Yao Mowan was using to carry Fluffy unconsciously tightened, causing Fluffy to cry out uncomfortably.
“Who is it?” Ye Junqing abruptly lifted his eyes, his sharp pupils searched for the sound and immediately shot to Yao Mowan who was standing in the corner.
“It’s me ah! You also like this hamster? I also like it!” Yao Mowan knew she could not be able to hide so she simply strode forward. She raised her delicate face and smiled towards Ye Junqing.
“You were following me?” Ye Junqing’s sword-like brows slightly creased. He couldn’t tell if this girl in front of his eyes was Yao Mowan or if she was actually the Jing Xin he saw that day!
“Why do I have to follow you ah! You can come see this hamster but I simply can’t? You’re such a weird person!” When Yao Mowan was about to approach again, she was stopped by Ye Junqing.
“You stay away further away! It doesn’t like that animal in your arms!” Ye Junqing very carefully took the bronze cage into his arms protectively, and then he looked at Yao Mowan with a warning gaze. Or perhaps it should be said, he looked at the cat in Yao Mowan’s arms.
“I also don’t like you calling it animal. It has a name, it’s called Fluffy!” Yao Mowan pouted up her little lips as she mumbled. Her smooth fingers continuously stroked to calm the white cat stirring about restlessly in her arms.
“Are you real or fake?” Looking at Yao Mowan’s naive appearance, she seemed to be a completely different person from that day’s Jing Xin. Ye Junqing’s eyes narrowed as he couldn’t help but ask. Before he was able to get Yao Mowan’s reply, the sound of Yao Suluan’s startled exclamation came from not far away.
“Mowan, so you were actually together with the Esteemed Prince! His Majesty had been looking for you all over the place!” With Ye Hongyi next to her, Yao Suluan deliberately bit out the word ‘together’ especially crisply. The unconcealable joy in another’s misfortune showed on her face.
“Your Majesty, you were looking for Wan er?” The instant she saw Ye Hongyi, Yao Mowan ran over with little steps, seeming without any hesitation. Her beautiful eyes curved into crescent moons as she smiled brightly and naturally.
“En, what is Junqing doing here?” Ye Hongyi took Yao Mowan into his arms, chilliness penetrating through his indifferent pitch-black eyes. He hates that hamster, and even more, hates the person that was currently holding that hamster!
“This humble servant felt that this hamster was very pitiful and so wanted to bring it back to raise. Wonder if Your Majesty will allow this humble servant to do so?” Ye Junqing lifted his eyes to meet Ye Hongyi’s ice-cold gaze, the magnificent radiance in them simply subdued Ye Hongyi’s imposing manner.
At the side, Yao Mowan felt pain inside. Only a person who did not care about anything on the brink of death would be so reckless and unrestrained in front of their nation’s monarch. Did her death actually cause Ye Junqing to no longer care about anything to this point!?
“Esteemed Prince, I’m afraid you’ve misunderstood. This hamster is the late Empress’s remnant, right now His Majesty is personally raising it, it is treated quite well. If not for the fact that it caught such an unpleasant ailment, HIs Majesty would not be able to bear hanging it here!” Yao Suluan spoke indirectly, intending for Ye Junqing to understand the difficulties and retreat in order to avoid angering the sacred countenance(emperor). Even though she loathed Yao Moxin, she actually harbored selfish motives towards Ye Junqing. Afterall, what woman wouldn’t want to get close to an immortal-like man like this?
Just as Ye Junqing was about to continue insisting, Yao Mowan suddenly raised her own little head to look towards Ye Hongyi.
“Your Majesty, this is something Big Sister raised?” Yao Mowan curiously asked.
“That’s right, what? You like it?” Ye Hongyi’s thin lips lightly smiled, yet in the depths of his eyes a trace of cold light flashed past as he looked towards Yao Mowan with a deep gaze.
“Then can Your Majesty have Second Sister bring that hamster over?’ Yao Mowan acted like a spoiled child as she rubbed her head against Ye Hongyi’s chest, her eyes clear just like water.
“Why not? Suluan, since Wan er wants it, you go get it.” Ye Hongyi turned his gaze towards Yao Suluan, an unrefusable imposing command in his eyes.
Yao Suluan’s face abruptly turned green and her body turned rigid. No matter what she was still an imperial gui fei, that idiot actually dared to order her about! She has seriously ate a leopard’s guts to have such gall! But there was no other choice. His Majesty has opened his golden mouth for her; so even though Yao Suluan had a thousand unwillingnesses, at this time, she could only obediently walk to Ye Junqing.
“Esteemed Prince has already heard it all, Yao fei likes this hamster.” Yao Suluan forced her mouth open, extremely unwillingly lifting the cage.
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Credits: Translated by Chiyomira, Proofread by Sonia
