They Said We Are Very Close

"Don't worry, he did not like that girl. We can continue the plan," a middle-aged man said while sitting comfortably on a chair that full of gold ornament.

Dai Junjie who was standing at the corner of the room only smiled without showing much of his thought. "Alright then."

He never told this old man about Shao Chen's true gender because Ming Yu requested him with his body as the payment. Thinking about that slender and sexy body, Dai Junjie could not stop the corner of his mouth from curling slightly up.

"What are you grinning for? Do your work quickly before that young man had a change of heart!" the middle-aged man exclaimed in a hurry. Even though, he could state firmly that the emperor did not love the girl now, but he could not guarantee it will stay like that in the future. 

If he knew Shao Chen was a man, he would not have been this nervous. The only weakness Chen Liqin had was the fact that he loved man. If Chen Liqin really became a normal man who loved girl again, it won't be a great benefit to him. In contrary, if Shao Chen was a man, and Chen Liqin fall in love with him, the old man would only change the tool he use from Ming Yu to Shao Chen. The fact that the emperor could not have any offspring won't shake and it would become his downfall eventually!

Ming Yu knew this old man mindset that was why even though he had to pleasure Dai Junjie, he won't let the old man know the fact, never!

Dai Junjie was about to reply politely then go away when one of his subordinate appeared, whispering something. Hearing that, Dai Junjie smiled wickedly.

"What did he tell you?" The old man was a bit suspicious but at the same time could not restrain the glisten of happiness in his eyes. If Dai Junjie had that kind of expression, usually it was a good news.

Answering his hope, Dai Junjie said, "I have a great idea."

*****

"Sigh …." Chen Liqin could not stop lamenting when seeing a big pile of documents that had not been checked.

Shao Chen had take too much time than he had ever expected to learn. The sky had turned orange when they got back to the office. 'How can I meet Ming Yu?!' His hand moved quickly, hoping that he still could finished the work before night had fallen deeply.

Meanwhile, Shao Chen began to do the new way of sorting. His brows frowned as he forgot some of the words.

"What is this again?" Shao Chen asked but Chen Liqin ignored him. Not because of irritation, but he was only too focused on finishing the document that he did not aware of his surroundings.

Shao Chen went closer then stab the emperor's arm with his index finger. "What is this?" he asked while pointing at the open scroll in his hand.

"What?!" Chen Liqin snapped. 'Please don't disturb me now!'

"I forget," Shao Chen replied without any guilt. Besides, he knew Chen Liqin had fully understood his brain capacity. So why should Chen Liqin mad?

Chen Liqin sighed. He began to regret the decision he made. It seemed that what he thought would help him had back fired. However, at last, Chen Liqin still told Shao Chen the answer of his question.

Knock! Knock!

"Your Majesty! There is something urgent!"

"Come in!" Hearing the hurried knock, Chen Liqin's head hurt. Bad premonition gnawed his heart.

Two of the guards who had helping Chen Liqin on delivering the report documents came inside. Their hands were full of scrolls.

"Wha—Why there are still reports at your side? Did not the two of you had deliver all of them this morning?"

The two of them kneeled, trembled. One of them answer, "This humble servant apologized deeply to Your Majesty! We did not realize that there were other documents that had been sent to the palace several days before. These documents had to be sent back tomorrow! We are so sorry!" He almost cried out loud, afraid that he would be beheaded. His friend beside him had fully kowtowed, knocking his forehead on the floor several times.

"What have you done?! Hurry placed the documents here! Tomorrow, came to here to get your punishment!" 

The guards had never seen the emperor wrath. They immediately did as they ordered then apologizing several times again before went out from the office after Chen Liqin hushed them away.

BAM! Did not know where to vent his anger, Chen Liqin could only hit the desk several times. Shao Chen who was still sitting beside Chen Liqin would jerk his body in shock every time the emperor hit the desk.

"You! Sort this all, quick!"

"????" Shao Chen had not recover from the shock so he only stared at the two big pile of documents in a daze.

Chen Liqin slammed the desk again. "What are you waiting for?! Quick!"

The pity Shao Chen who did not understand anything could only do as ordered because he was too afraid of Chen Liqin's fierceness.

Outside the office, every palace residence was also busy, busy gossiping about the emperor's secret hot and spicy relationship with the infamous harem girl.

"The rumor turns out to be true!" A petite maidservant exclaimed with a restrain voice to her colleagues.

The others were dumbfounded but also full of curiosity. One of them asked, "How do you know?"

"His Majesty and that harem girl were walking around the palace from morning to evening! Only-the-two-of-them!" The petite maidservant announced, pressuring on the last sentences while raising her index and middle finger in form of peace sign.

"What?! How about Her Highness Empress-to-be?" The other asked in a very low voice, afraid that one of the empress-to-be's people heard their conversation and giving them punishment for gossiping about her highness.

The petite girl also lowering her voice. "At first, I am also thinking about that, but think about it guys. Several decades ago, it was not weird for the emperor to have many concubines. We are too used to His Supreme Majesty faithfulness that we thought like this now."

What the petite girl had said was true. Actually, for an emperor to have only their empress without any concubine was even rarer. In fact, only His Supereme Majesty Chen Guang that had embraced this practice, not only in the entire Xin Kingdom's history, but also in the entire history of this world. After thinking about it, the others nodded in agreement. "You are right."

Not only the servants and guards, the higher officials were also talking about this. Even, Chen Liqin's own parents.

"Did you see they were walking side by side this entire day? I am so happy!!" Yan Mei hugged his husband's neck until he almost suffocated. Even though, at first, she only got Shao Chen closer to his son as Chen Guang requested, she really loved Shao Chen liked her own flesh and blood now.

"Cough! Cough!" Chen Guang took several deep breath after he managed to free from his wife. He almost saw heaven for a seconds. But he could not complain when looking at his dearest wife's smile, even smiled back lovingly. He could be hundred percent sure that the reason the two young people were strolling around the palace today was not because of love but he was also happy to see them became friendly to each other.

But, he could not be at ease as long as his son still had special relationship with Ming Yu.

"Did you get any update from your maidservant?" Cheng Guang was asking about the maidservant that Yan Mei had sent to spy on Ming Yu.

Remembering about her precious and trusted young maidservant, Yan Mei's feature darken. "No updates. She vanished without a trace after I sent her there."

Chen Guang squinted his eyes. He propped his head on his hands, pondering. "Did something happen to her?"

"I don't know. The other maidservant also did not know about her whereabout."

Frowned deeply, Chen Guang tapped his finger on the desk. He did not stop searching for information about Ming Yu but even after Zhang Zhiqiang helped him, they still could not find anything. After hearing about the disappearance of that maidservant, the uneasiness inside his heart became thicker. The desire to separate the two was getting stronger.

Yan Mei was also became worried. The uncertainty of Ming Yu's identity frightened her. That was also why she was very happy when her son became closer to Shao Chen instead of Ming Yu.

Speaking of Shao Chen ….

"Why did you choose Shao Chen? I heard that you could not find any information about Shao Chen too?" If they could not get any information about Shao Chen, did not Shao Chen could become a threat too?

Chen Guang showed a thin smile. "That is because he is really dumb and I am sure he did not do it as an act."

"Oh …." Remembering the how ridiculous Shao Chen these days, Yan Mei could not help but laughing out loud. Shao Chen was really harmless, at least that was what she felt intuitively.

Suddenly, a knock interrupted their talk.

"Come in!"

The door was opened and Zhang Zhiqiang appeared. He closed the door then kneeling in one leg. "Sorry for disturbing you this late, Your Supreme Highness, Your Highness Queen Mother. This humble servant was hoping for your great health, long live, and blessings."

Yan Mei smiled then excused herself to inner room.

Chen Guang nodded briefly. Without further ado, he asked full of hope, "Any progress?"

Zhang Zhiqiang shook his head. "However, this servant had gotten a piece of information. There was someone who recommended this man. He is a professional informant. Every information he got was thorough and spotless but the price was big too. This servant only got the information from mouth to mouth so I could not guarantee the reliability. What do His Highness think? This servant hoped for you advise."

"The ones who give you the information, did they have ever use the informant's service?"

Zhang Zhiqiang noded. "Some of them."

"What do they say?"

"They said that they satisfied with the result. The informant was also tight-lip. Except someone paid high, he won't open his mouth."

Chen Guang pondered for a long time. If there were someone insane enough to bought the information they needed with a higher price, the palace would be in trouble. However, this informant was like a light among the darkness. If they did not take this opportunity, who would know when they could get any clue.

"Where was he?"

"He lives on the eastern part of this country, on the Ri City."

"Send some of your trusted subordinate to investigate him. I will decide whether to use his service after I get your next report."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"