NOVEL WEB The Imperial Garden in moonlight was quiet, with sleeping buds and silver starlight covering on the winding cobblestone path.
Away from calculating people he had to deal within the daytime, Yun Cang stood on the cobblestone path, looked up at the starlit sky, and felt carefree and peaceful. He heaved a long sigh. He could acquire a moment of quietness only at this moment.
Yun Cang was walking with something on mind. Eunuch Ling was following him quietly. Suddenly, he said subconsciously,
“Eunuch Ling.”
“I’m here, your majesty.” Eunuch Ling walked closer to the emperor as soon as possible.
Yun Cang kept silent for a while and then asked, “How long should I ignore Beauty Hua?”
Eunuch Ling laughed, “What’s this for, your majesty? Beauty Hua is a daughter of the Prime Minister. Treat her well if the Prime Minister does a good job; blame her if the Prime Minister makes you unhappy. You are skilled in those tricks in imperial court and harem. No need to ask for my advice, your majesty.”
Yun Cang showed a displeased expression, and Eunuch Ling held his smile back immediately, with no more word.
“She…” I did not confer her to manipulate the Prime Minister.”
“Ah?” Eunuch Ling thought for a while, and then understood suddenly, “I understand! You want to make Prince Yun Hai angry!”
Yun Cang clapped on the head of Eunuch Ling, “Am I so shameless? I don’t need to make him mad through a woman.”
Eunuch Ling rubbed his head and followed Yun Cang. “Well, Beauty Hua is not special. She is just cute in appearance, but her talent… I’d rather save my comment. Compared with other imperial concubines, she only has a good father. And…”
Eunuch Ling paused, plucked up courage and said, “Everyone knows that she is keen on Prince Yun Hai…”
Yun Cang glanced at him. Eunuch Ling shut up immediately.
Yun Cang pointed at Eunuch Ling, and scorned, “You are just ordinary people.”
Eunuch Ling listened quietly, saying nothing more.
“For as long as I remember, people around all want to get something from me, and even my mother couldn’t open her heart to my father through her whole life. I read in Saints’ books that finding a true love makes one even happier than becoming an immortal, so I wonder what it feels like to have true love…”
Yun Cang, the young emperor, stared at the moon and fell into imagination, “I was born into this kind of life. I used to think that I would never encounter someone with sincere feelings in my life, until I met Beauty Hua under the ancient tree, seeing her making relentless efforts to avoid being selected as my concubine…”
Yun Cang stopped, as if he recalled something, smiling.
Eunuch Ling sighed, “Yes, she has sincere feelings… but not for you, your majesty.”
Yun Cang glared at Eunuch Ling. He got so angry that he made a fist and said harshly, “So I will take everything good from Prince Yun Hai. He has always been defeated by me in every aspect since we were little boys. I can make the woman die for me willingly. I think… a small strategy will work.”
Yun Cang said complacently as he walked along. They did not know that a person hiding in the quiet flowerbed was eavesdropping.
Covered with a quilt, Hua Qingxin was hidden in a corner of the flowerbed, overhearing what Yun Cang said. She grinded her teeth in anger and itched to rush to him and strangle him to death.
But she had to refrain from doing so. She could not rush to fight with the emperor at the fit of anger, because… she was not his match.
After hearing what the emperor said, Eunuch Ling got excited and clapped his hands, “So your majesty is playing hard-to-get by not visiting her tonight.”
Yun Cang nodded with satisfaction, “That’s right. I’ll never let her know that I’ve been keen on her first… ah…”
Yun Cang was nearly tripped over by something.
“Ah, please be careful, your majesty.” Eunuch Ling went to hold the emperor as soon as possible.
The body of Hua Qingxin was taller than the corner she was hiding in. She forgot to take back her feet since she was concentrating on their talks.
Yun Cang got back and saw a trembling quilt moonlight.
“Ah, an assassin…”
“Wait a sec.”
Eunuch Ling was about to call for guards but was stopped by Yun Cang. “Haven’t you seen that the quilt is trembling like crazy? Someone in it is scared by us.”
Eunuch Ling looked at it and agreed. He demanded loudly, “Who are you? Show yourself…”
Before Eunuch Ling finished his words, Yun Cang pulled the quilt off without hesitation.
Eunuch Ling said in an astonished voice, “… Show yourself… Beauty Hua?”
The three persons were staring at one another in the midnight, amidst clear sound of chirps and the wind. Yun Cang looked especially grim.
“So…” Yun Cang raised his eyebrows and stared at her, “You’ve heard what we said just now?”
Hua Qingxin nodded, “Yeah.”
Yun Cang put on a strict look, not believing what she said, “Then repeat it.”
Hua Qingxin blinked with innocence, and said slowly, “You plan to play hard-to-get. You don’t want me to know that you are keen on me first.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
Silence fell. Even the slightest sound of chirps and wind seemed especially loud.
Yun Cang turned around and took a deep breath.
Embarrassing!
Super embarrassing!
It was as embarrassing as his underpants were stripped off!