43 No Right
Tang Tian sighed, "Ok, I should send the invitations out tomorrow's morning."
"Who are we inviting?"
"Both Prime Ministers, the high generals," Tang Tian listed the people he planned to send the invitations to. The final name, "and Prince Shen."
Upon hearing that Prince Shen was on the list, Noble Concubine You knew that her daughter would be ecstasy. "Your Majesty, since Prince Shen will attend your birthday, how about matching him up with our precious daughter?"
Tang Tian's just lightened mood was plundered by Noble Concubine You's request. He looked at Noble Concubine You then at the patterned-floor.
He had never invited Prince Shen to any banquet since six years ago when the young man first showed up mysteriously in his little kingdom. He couldn't do anything to the young man, because of the place where the young man came from. He also had to grant the young man a title of prince. The guy chose a really unusual name though, Shen...[1]
Not because he didn't want to, it was Song Hui Yao that told him to not send any invitations. Even if he did, Song Hui Yao wouldn't bother to give the letter a chance to be read through. He was still not sure if Prince Shen would show up or not, let along being a matchmaker and proposing a marriage for the young man. "Of everyone in Qianyu Kingdom, only the Prince of Shen is someone this emperor can't bestow orders and decrees upon."
"What does Your Majesty means?" With the authority and title as the Qianyu Kingdom's emperor, how was it that he couldn't control a person of a lower title?
The Emperor chuckled lightly, "It's nothing." Putting one of his hands on Noble Concubine You's shoulder, the Emperor said, "My beloved, I still have a lot to do. Go back and rest, all right?"
She stared at his face with her beautiful and cloudless eyes then left silently under Tang Tian's order.
-----
The next morning, the housekeeper of Prince Shen's Manor received an invitation from a palace's eunuch. The housekeeper went to the grass plain and presented the invitation to Song Hui Yao.
Looking at the golden letter, Song Hui Yao smiled. "I'm surprised that he sends an invitation to Prince Shen's Manor. A gold one, too."
Song Hui Yao returned the golden letter to the housekeeper. "A month ago, your birthday was ruined on its eve. I wonder if the dragon would receive a similar present."
Zhu Xiao Wan stared blankly at the grass but her ears were listening assiduously to Song Hui Yao's statements. Her gaze became focused and she rotated her head to look at him. Then she asked a question that made Song Hui Yao stumped for words.
"Do you like Tang Rue?"
If he was currently drinking tea, it would have splattered all over the spotless green grass. "No, I don't have such a low standard for women."
"..." Not looking at him anymore, she stared at the grass again. Sometime later, she said, "I have owed you a lot, but please help me with something."
"What do you want?" Raising his brows.
"I'm sure you wouldn't want her to continue badgering you, so help me do one thing." Albeit she couldn't see for the past month, she knew that Tang Rue had visited the manor for more than ten times. So much that it became obvious enough for her to notice. "Make Tang Rue believes that you care for her, romantically."
If the former was stumped for words, the latter would be choked to death. "Seducing that plaster saint?"
Her eyelashes flickered and she turned to stare at Song Hui Yao with an eyebrow raised, she repeated questionably, "Plaster saint?"
Song Hui Yao accidentally blurted out 'that plaster saint.' But hearing Zhu Xiao Wan's words, he nodded without changing his expression. "Plaster saint."
"Then please do act like you adore her," Zhu Xiao Wan said apathetically. "There are still two weeks before the emperor's birthday banquet."
"Are you going to help me shake off this stubborn leech?" He laughed. "She has been clinging to me for a few years already. It's irritating."
Zhu Xiao Wan nodded. She wanted to destroy the sweet fantasy Tang Rue were having; that sweet fantasy of her had murdered a family.
Looking at her slim legs, Song Hui Yao asked, "Are you sure? Your legs have not healed."
She nodded again. Without a pair of healthy legs that could function properly, she could still act. She was letting Tang Rue indulged in her sugary delusion for another two weeks.
