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墨書 Inktalez
Mei Shuang had been living this way for almost two weeks, adhering to the principle of waking up early and going to bed early, with her days filled with activities.
Breakfast, reading, exercising, reading, lunch, napping, reading, exercising, dinner, reading, lights out for sleep. This routine was not bad, but being alone every day made it monotonous and dull.
Although the Empress Dowager had granted her the freedom to move around from her residence to the Empress Dowager's quarters, the Empress Dowager had not summoned her again during these days. Did this mean that the Empress Dowager no longer liked her? Her days in the palace relied entirely on the Empress Dowager.
Thus, in a state of anxiety and uncertainty, Mei Shuang increasingly missed the days when Nangong Nuo was with her. Although that person often took advantage of her and almost "took advantage" of her one night, at least they could chat and alleviate boredom. Now, there wasn't even a mouse around; it was truly cold and lonely.
Sometimes she seriously doubted whether everyone had forgotten about her. Perhaps they had used her to bring Kuranami Miyako back to the palace with the intention of letting her fend for herself. Otherwise, even Nangong Nuo had disappeared without a trace.
To relieve her boredom at times, she would read scriptures aloud until her throat was dry and her voice hoarse. Not for any other reason but to have some sound in her quiet dwelling. Occasionally, she would sing a few sweet songs at full volume. Unfortunately, no matter how expressive her reading or how delicate her singing was, there wasn't a single listener—not even a mouse.
One afternoon, Mei Shuang sat on a chair outside the palace. After reading a scripture several times while sipping water to moisten her throat, visitors finally arrived.
As Mei Shuang refreshed herself with a sip of water, several sparrows landed on the terrace outside the window. They hopped lightly while cautiously listening for sounds and pecking at flower seeds that had fallen onto the windowsill.
Mei Shuang instantly perked up; having sparrows to talk to during such a lonely time was nice.
Xiao Luo stood outside the door. After Li Gonggong opened a door, he stopped Li Gonggong and peered through the large gap in the door at Mei Shuang, who was obliviously chatting enthusiastically with the little sparrows.
“Hi, little sparrows! How are you? Let me introduce myself; my name is Mei—oh no, I mean Lin—ah no—actually, I do have my own name; it's just that it’s been so long since anyone used it…”
At this point, a hint of stillness passed through Mei Shuang's eyes before she smiled broadly. “Alright then, I won’t think about that anymore. You can call me whatever you like; I don’t mind. After all, there’s no one else here but us. Let’s relax a bit, okay? They say ‘where there is a phoenix tree in the house, phoenixes will come to roost.’ This isn’t really my home and there’s no phoenix tree here either; so there are no phoenixes coming. But I’m very happy you’re here… It’s great to see you…”
This self-introduction and Mei Shuang's earnest expression made Xiao Luo outside the door smile slightly. He had never seen someone converse with birds like this before; it was quite amusing.
After speaking, Mei Shuang carefully picked up the Sweet Potato that she had not finished eating at noon. She peeled it and gently crushed a piece before tossing it to where the sparrows were standing. The little sparrow was startled and quickly hopped over to peck at the food.
Mei Shuang chuckled and said indulgently, "Don't fight, don't fight, there’s plenty more. As long as you come to keep me company every day, I will always save some for you..."
Her childlike smile was truly radiant, with a beautiful face and bright teeth, clear like a pool of pure spring water, without a hint of impurity. It suddenly reminded Xiao Luo of the phrase "A Beauty from the South, captivating both the nation and the city." Having seen the palace concubines who either smiled cautiously or with hidden displeasure, it always felt like wearing a mask, leaving one uncomfortable inside. Such a pure smile was rarely seen.
The little sparrows quickly devoured the food in front of them, and when Mei Shuang looked around, she realized there was nothing left to feed them. Seeing that the little sparrows seemed ready to take flight, she suddenly remembered the scriptures beside her. She hurriedly picked them up and said in a negotiating tone, "How about this? I'll read you a passage from the scriptures; stay with me a little longer..."
Mei Shuang cleared her throat and began reading a few lines. Just then, several well-fed little sparrows flapped their wings and flew away in fright.
Watching their retreating figures, Mei Shuang exclaimed angrily, "They eat their fill and just fly away! How ungrateful!"
Then she sighed deeply, "Damn it, this feels like being imprisoned!"
Staring blankly at the blue sky for a while, she didn’t even notice when the scriptures slipped from her hands. When she could no longer hold back her complaints, she bit her tongue; everyone knew that the palace was full of intrigue. If someone overheard her, what would she do?
Alright then, stay calm.
Although Mei Shuang's heart was filled with complaints about being trapped here like a stampede of wild horses rushing through her mind, on the surface she forced herself to remain composed.
It wasn't until she glanced at her empty hands that her gaze shifted around. Just as she leaned down to feel for the scriptures again, she suddenly noticed someone standing at the door.
Startled, she instinctively straightened up and forced a smile on her face. "Your Majesty..."
On one hand, her face burned with embarrassment at the thought that her mutterings might have been overheard; how humiliating! On the other hand, she secretly felt relieved—if she had really complained out loud, who knew what kind of trouble it could have caused? Indeed, silence is golden.
Yes, she should endure loneliness like a seasoned Proletarian warrior.
Xiao Luo walked in with the steps of Chiang Mai, first surveying the surroundings before approaching Mei Shuang. He suddenly bent down to pick up a scripture from the ground and flipped through a few pages. "How is your reading going?"
With him so close, a faint and pleasant incense aroma instantly cleared Mei Shuang's muddled mind. What a wonderful thing this is; its effect is more refreshing than menthol.
Xiao Luo was wearing a light purple brocade robe today, with golden threads woven into a dark pattern of nine dragons that shimmered in the sunlight, captivating anyone who looked. Mei Shuang merely glanced at the Supreme Ruler's face and felt that he seemed somewhat lacking in spirit today.
The faint bluish tint under his eyes spoke volumes; could it be due to a rich nightlife and excessive indulgence?
Moreover, what did he mean by that? Was he suggesting that she should stay here every day reading scriptures as part of his arrangement?
Mei Shuang pondered internally and replied, "It's fine; I've basically finished reading..."
"Oh?" Xiao Luo did not continue discussing the scriptures but changed the topic. "Are you getting used to living here?"
Used to it?
Mei Shuang couldn't hold back her impatience. Did he think that if she said "used to it," he would let her stay indefinitely? She mustn't simply answer "yes" or "no." So she lowered her gaze and said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. This place—after all, is not my home..."
"So that means you're not used to it. Then where is your home?" Xiao Luo asked.
Emma!
My home, yes, where is my home?
At that moment, Mei Shuang suddenly realized with a jolt of fear that she was completely homeless!
"Uh..." Mei Shuang stammered, her heart sinking as she understood. She hadn't seen anyone for so many days, and now the Emperor had come in person. If he claimed to be here just to check on her living conditions, wasn't that absurd?
Calculating the days in her mind, Mei Shuang felt a wave of anxiety wash over her. Could it be that the time had come for the truth to be revealed?
Looking at the Emperor's inscrutable expression, it was difficult for her to glean any hints from his face. A sense of unease gripped her heart.
As she noticed the slight tightening of Mei Shuang's lips and the sudden flicker of panic in her lively eyes, Xiao Luo was reminded of that night at Miaochun Tower when she had fallen into his arms from the windowsill. He had feared that when she looked at him after he had handed her over to Madam of Miaochun Tower, she would wear that same expression—clearly flustered yet trying hard to appear calm.
A glimmer of mischief flashed in his eyes as he glanced at Mei Shuang before settling into a chair outside. He said leisurely, "What’s wrong? Didn’t Zhao Prince mention anything to you?"
"Zhao Prince? About what?" Mei Shuang was utterly confused.
What did this mean?
Was it a segue? First asking if she was comfortable, implying that Zhao Prince had already informed her about this matter?
Or was it a change of topic? Was he referring to something else entirely?
Moreover, it sounded as if the Emperor believed Nangong Nuo had already told her everything. But heaven knew, she hadn’t even caught a glimpse of Nangong Nuo. The crucial question remained: was this news good or bad?
In truth, after these past few days, she could have guessed with her toes that Nangong Nuo was furious.
Before entering the palace, she had received Nangong Nuo's instructions: as long as she firmly refused to enter the palace, he would find a way to change the Emperor's mind.
However, who could have predicted that her father would unexpectedly show up? Not only that, but she also bore the shame of being called unfilial and received a hard slap for it. Clearly, if she refused to stay in the palace, it would put her father, Chancellor Mei, in a very awkward position, and her "unfilial" reputation would be further tarnished.
Sighing, she lamented her bad luck. That night, she just happened to run into trouble at Miaochun Tower; otherwise... well, there was no point in speculating about what could have been.
In an instant, Mei Shuang's expression changed. She even sensed the mocking tone in Xiao Luo's casual words, which made her heart sink. Ultimately, she reached a sorrowful conclusion: Nangong Nuo had ignored her. Thus, this emperor was reluctantly coming to discuss matters that should have been conveyed by Nangong Nuo.
"Please enlighten me, Your Majesty," Mei Shuang nearly bowed deeply as she spoke.
"I will be going to Dazhao Temple tomorrow to pray for the Empress Dowager. You should come along..." Xiao Luo's gaze lightly swept over Mei Shuang's delicate face, capturing the fear that flickered in her eyes.
Indeed, Mei Shuang was taken aback. Wasn't this about her situation in the Eastern Kingdom?
"Ah? Pray for the Empress Dowager? What has happened to her?"
As she spoke, Mei Shuang's face was filled with genuine anxiety. This was not an act; after all, the Empress Dowager had shown her warmth and concern during their previous encounters, indicating that she genuinely liked her. Moreover, there was a hint of selfishness in her worry—her safety in the palace relied heavily on the Empress Dowager. If anything were to happen to her... it would be disastrous.
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