The Beloved Imperial Consort - Chapter 115

“Your Highness, the gatekeeper has received a secret letter sent by a little girl. She specifically asked it to be delivered to the hands of Danruo Courtyard’s steward, claiming that she had an urgent matter to report.” 

Tian Fu Shan rushed to the study as soon as he heard the news. Right now, as long as it was a news related to that one in Danruo Courtyard, his Highness was bound to go over them in person. His master hasn’t taken any rest since the accident with mistress Yao. 

Yesterday, it was already exhausting enough to entertain guests at the banquet. As for now, his Highness has stayed up all night. His Highness’s eyes were covered densely with small blood vessels, yet he held on firmly and waited for the various sides to bring in the news. 

“Your Highness, He Lian principal consort has sent a message just now. She would like to pay you a visit. Su cefei wishes the same.” 

Zhong Zheng Lin took the paper note. He was fully focused on searching for Mu Xi Yao’s traces. All the other things were ignored by him. He didn’t even bother to lift his eyelids. All of his thoughts were put on quickly finding Mu Xi Yao and bring her back to the residence. Yuancheng Emperor will return the day after tomorrow. If he was even one step late, it would lead to a fatal event. 

Tian Fu Shan gave a little laugh, daring not to mention it again. The aura around his Highness was already so cold one could see ice crystals falling. 

“Tian Fu Shan!” Zhong Zheng Lin suddenly shouted. His fist punched the writing desk. He carried an unusually excited expression. 

“Prepare gold-crowned hummingbird!”  

Jiao Jiao, for once, you’ve spared bendian worries.  

If Mu Xi Yao was present, she would be probably very pleased with herself. When Zhong Zheng Lin recalled her radiant smile, his eyes deepened. This woman made him love and hate her at the same time. Yet, right now, he missed her with madness. 

What is a gold-crowned hummingbird? Tian Fu Shan, who was frightened by Zhong Zheng Lin’s sudden outburst, did not dare to ask more questions. He hurriedly sent people to ask around. Looking at the master’s appearance, could it be that there was news about cefei? 

——

Mu Xi Yao was sitting in the house. All cheerful, she ate her meal with relish. That content appearance of hers made the lips of the brawny man who was keeping watch over her at the side twitch. 

This woman went to so much trouble and it was truly just for this table of dishes! Was this how the sixth prince usually spoilt his woman? Indulging oneself in pursue of enjoyment and having no regard for life? 

Sir feared that there was a catch with the cook Mu Xi Yao spoke of hence he specifically instructed him to order more food and mix them with the ones Mu Xi Yao asked for. On the way back, the food changed hands several times. To one’s surprise, the breeze was still and waves were quiet, nothing out of usual occurred. 

As the brawny man watched her sitting there upright and fully focused on using the meal, he was unable to figure out this woman’s thoughts.

The thing that condemned prisoners in death row were most afraid of was a feast. Yet, look at her. Not only did she look down her nose at the food, she even went into a confrontation with others. How did this woman’s brain grow? Was it truly for the sake of her unborn child like she claimed? But it didn’t seem to be the case…..

When the middle-aged man received the report, he fell into deep contemplation. 

Mu’shi was an oddball. Every smart man had an eccentricity. It was not in his power to manage such an oddball woman. Zhong Zheng Lin himself was too profound to be understood, yet the woman he kept was also crafty and eccentric. 

“Sir, this is the new menu that woman wrote.” 

The movements of the middle-aged man halted. It was more difficult to abduct a woman than to commit the assassination. 

Since Mu Xi Yao had nothing to do, she got up and started to walk around the room. 

“Who is here?” Zhong Zheng Ming slowly woke up. He stroke his forehead and spoke with a hoarse voice. 

When Mu Xi Yao heard him call for people, she finally felt at ease. If Zhong Zheng Ming doesn’t wake up, she would start to suspect that his mute point1 was sealed. 

This place was too boring. It was better to have a person to speak to than just to stare into space all by herself. 

“Your Highness.” Mu Xi Yao approached the wall. 

“Mu cefei?” Zhong Zheng Ming was surprised. 

When he woke up, his body felt weak and his internal force was sealed off. As soon as he called out for people, he heard Mu Xi Yao’s reply coming from the next door. 

“Your Highness, listen to qie.” Mu Xi Yao informed Zhong Zheng Ming about the accident last night as well as her suspicions in a detail. Her explanation was clear and organized and the analysis she made showed perspicacity.  

“Therefore, we’re trapped in this prison cell at the moment, at their mercy?” Zhong Zheng Ming was not upset. His tone was calm. Clearly, he was not a person who waited helplessly for death. These imperial princes all grew up in a foul wind and a rain of blood. Not to mention the captivity, even if left with only one breath, they still won’t give up on the will to survive. 

“Is your Highness hungry? Qie has ordered dishes from Ju Xian House and specially left you half of them.” 

Zhong Zheng Ming was surprised. The rebels from Shu have abducted them, yet they were given this sort of special privileges? Why did it appear like rebels persuading them to surrender? 

The fifth Highness has missed the good show this morning hence he was unaware of the situation.

“Big brother over there!” Mu Xi Yao shouted at the top of her lungs toward the outside, calling for people to come. Making herself at home, she told the man to send food to Zhong Zheng Ming next door. 

The brawny man was ordered around by Mu Xi Yao with a displeased expression. Yet, he said nothing. 

Sir was tormented by her severely so he kept himself far away from her. He was made to stay behind with “bear for a few days and put the interests of the whole above everything else” and had to stand this woman’s crap all by himself. 

Zhong Zheng Ming looked at his expression and immediately understood that this person was most probably fixed ruthlessly by Mu Xi Yao. Otherwise, how could he be so mild-tempered? 

The rebels going as far as to act as a servant girl, Mu Xi Yao was indeed capable. 

Zhong Zheng Ming moved the dining table close to the wall and engaged with Mu Xi Yao in a casual conversation while elegantly using the meal. 

“The lunch is also from Ju Xian House?”

“Of course not. Qie has ordered for lunch a crispy duck from Cheng Ji.” 

Zhong Zheng Ming let out a muffled chuckle. The person abducted was a fine choice. They’ve abducted a little devil.  

“Isn’t cefei afraid?” Was she not worried at all? 

“Your Highness’s life is far more valuable than qie’s. Even if qie has to be afraid, it should be after your Highness.” Mu Xi Yao teased him. She didn’t believe that Zhong Zheng Ming had no ace in the hole. 

“In that case, bendian will have to wrong cefei for few days. Bendian will take you out the day after tomorrow.” 

“The day after tomorrow is too late. His Majesty would have already returned to the capital.” 

Zhong Zheng Ming frowned. Detoxifying the secret drug and unsealing the pressure points need at least two days. Will it be too late? 

“Your Highness needn’t worry. Qie’s fortune was always good.” Mu Xi Yao chuckled. Zhong Zheng Ming will have to ride on her coattails when the time comes. 

If she waited until the day after tomorrow, everything would be too late. She better count on Zhong Zheng Lin as it was, comparatively, more reliable. 

Then again, boss, you’re not that “something2” like a teammate, are you? When will he come? Mu Xi Yao pouted. 

——

“Your Highness, there are only two pairs of the gold-crowned hummingbird. One pair is located in Empress Dowager’s palace and the other pair is in the fourth princess’s residence.” Tian Fu Shan wiped his sweat. He was unable to accomplish this task. He did not dare to disturb Empress Dowager. As for the fourth princess….her birth mother was consort De who was imprisoned in the Cold Palace. 

Was it founded? Zhong Zheng Lin’s heart was filled with excitement over finding a hummingbird. As for the fourth princess that Tian Fu Shan mentioned with emphasis, the sixth Highness’s reaction was indifferent. 

“What are you doing?!” Zhong Zheng Ying angrily rebuked. Zhong Zheng Lin’s guard turned up uninvited and even dared to trespass the princess’s residence. 

The woman he doted on has already caused mother-consort to be sent to the Cold Palace, and now even mere servants dared to bully her? Did they think that she could be humiliated however they pleased since she lost backing? 

“Replying to your Highness, your hummingbird, his sixth Highness wants it. Please name a price.” Wei Zhen braced himself and did as his Highness instructed him to. 

“Simply presumptuous! It was bestowed by the imperial father. On what basis is he asking for it?!” 

Was Zhong Zheng Lin crazy? He went so far as to indulge his subordinates in entering forcibly into the princess’s residence and robing her of an item bestowed by the emperor. 

While being subjected to the fourth princess’s red eyes that were the result of her fury, he repeated his HIghness’s ordinal words. 

“His Highness asks the princess to hand over the hummingbird if the princess doesn’t wish the matter of you keeping male lovers be known to Empress Dowager.” 

Zhong Zheng Ying’s face was a mix of stark white and livid colors. She was so infuriated she smashed the glazed eight treasure vase at hand. 

“Scram along with the hummingbird!” 

Zhong Zheng Lin, you went too far! 

While carrying the birdcage, Wei Zhen swiftly returned to the residence by the horse. Indeed, nothing good came from bumping into mistress’s Yao’s matters. This time, he even became a bandit and bullied a woman. It was not manly at all. 

“You needn’t accompany. Have the shadow guards to follow bendian. It will suffice. Also, nobody is allowed to step into the study. Those who disobey are to be killed!” 

Zhong Zheng Lin was attired in a black-colored brocade robe. He gathered his qinggong3. Within a few ups and downs, the person has disappeared.  

Zhong Zheng Lin left behind only a vicious command which scared Wei Zhen into a tremor. 

No one knew that the sixth Highness, who was rumored to be attacked by assassins and sustained serious injuries, pursued closely the hummingbird and led the shadow guards to the west of the city.

Translation notes:

[1] Mute point is a pressure point that if sealed would make one unable to speak in the world of Wuxia 

[2] Something in this context is referred to as the pig from the idiom “I’m not afraid of an opponent like a God, I’m only afraid of a teammate like a pig” 

[3] Qinggong is a wuxia fiction move that enables the martial artist to move swiftly and lightly at superhuman speed, and perform gravity-defying moves such as gliding on water surfaces, scaling high walls and mounting trees (learn more)