"Indeed, the day Overbearing Flower didn’t show up, I had the best day of all my school years. I could do whatever I wanted without restraint, even copying others’ howork boldly, and no one dared to hit ."
"The next day, Overbearing Flower was still absent, and I was overjoyed. Suddenly, I rembered the misdeed Overbearing Flower committed before the break, so I took the opportunity to quietly snitch to the teacher before anybody else arrived. Once Overbearing Flower would show up, she would be waiting to be punished. However, that ti, after I told on her, the teacher didn’t get as angry as usual, he just sighed, shook his head, and walked away, which was extrely puzzling to ."
"The third and fourth days passed, and Overbearing Flower still didn’t appear. Slowly, rumors spread throughout the streets and alleyways that the Lian Family was in trouble, and they had all been taken away. Back then, I was too young to pay much attention."
"It wasn’t until people in the school started saying that Overbearing Flower was missing and her friends were taking leave that I realized sothing had happened to the Lian Family, Overbearing Flower’s family. ’Humph’, I thought, ’these classmates really have no loyalty. Overbearing Flower used to bully and my people for their sake every day. But now that her family has encountered trouble, they’ve all turned into cowards, hiding away.’ Tch, how are such people worthy of being her friends?"
"For so reason, I just couldn’t stand it. Overbearing Flower had beaten up more than once for the sake of these weaklings, but now that she was gone, not only did these people not look for her, but they also hid themselves away. If I were Overbearing Flower’s friend...forget it, I’m not. My father doesn’t like the Lian Family, so I don’t like Overbearing Flower either."
"So, when those people ca back, I started bullying them every day. With Overbearing Flower gone and no one else to take it out on them, it was sowhat amusing. However, later I found out that Overbearing Flower’s friends hadn’t actually failed to look for her. They had been confined at ho by their parents and not allowed to go out. Later on, they did go to look for Overbearing Flower, but to no avail. After learning this, I stopped bullying them."
In the end, He Hao spoke with a sense of loss, "Overbearing Flower never showed up again. While I should have been happy about this, school without her, where I was the one everyone looked up to, sohow began to feel increasingly uninteresting. I continued half-heartedly for a little more than a year before I stopped attending. It seed pointless..."
"Sotis I dream that Overbearing Flower has co back, and it frightens awake. Yet, once I realize it was just a dream, I don’t know why, but I feel very disappointed. Overbearing Flower was my nesis; whenever I tried to act tough, she would beat up. But without her, it always seed as if sothing was missing, everything felt dull and tasteless."
After saying this, He Hao looked very dejected and didn’t continue.
When I first heard this, His Majesty, trying to contain his anger, asked, "Do you know that you are one of the reasons she could no longer co to school?"
The boy from the He Family, after being stunned for a mont, said, "I didn’t know at first because no one at ho told . My mother did ntion that from that mont on, no one would dare to bully again, and I could do whatever I wanted in the city. It didn’t make sense at the ti. As I got a little older and saw my father’s business growing and the Lian Family’s house becoming ours, I started to guess what might have happened. But what could I do about it? He’s my father."
His Majesty scoffed coldly, "You are rightfully reaping the consequences of your actions today. Do you accept that?"
The boy from the He Family hung his head in silence until, just as His Majesty was about to leave, he finally spoke, "Your Highness, I won’t lie to you; while I was here in this dark cell, I thought it was the ghost of soone my father had hard coming to get . I was so scared, I wet my pants."
He sighed deeply and said frankly, "Ah, I had thought that a day like this might co. My father has done so many bad things, it’s a wonder he hasn’t been struck down by lightning. As his son, who’s benefited from his good fortune, it’s only right that I don’t end up well. That’s why, after I figured out what happened to Overbearing Flower’s family, I gave up on trying. My father wanted to learn to manage the business, but I couldn’t be bothered. I spent my days fighting crickets, drinking, listening to music in the Flower Building. Isn’t that delightful? After all, our family’s money is boundless; I should enjoy life while I can."
These words actually made His Majesty respect the boy from the He Family a bit. He hadn’t expected this seemingly worthless and sly boy to have such an open attitude. The thought of punishing the boy by association with his father’s deeds diminished sowhat.
This prodigal son was rely spoiled by his family. At heart, he hadn’t committed the awful deeds himself, and when given a choice, he didn’t choose to follow in his father’s corrupt ways, unlike Xue Wanjun.
In the end, His Majesty didn’t go through with his initial intention to have the young man beaten. Instead, he had him taken back, but he didn’t let him off lightly. As the boy from the He Family had said, having enjoyed the advantages brought by his father, he had to pay the price.
If his Little Concubine’s family were still alive and well, it wouldn’t be unacceptable to spare the life of the young lad from the He Family. It would also serve as a fulfillnt of the boy’s loyalty after the incident that befell his Little Concubine.
"Your Majesty, it’s your turn."
A call brought the Emperor back to the present, and when he looked up, he saw his Little Concubine supporting her waist as she approached him, her round almond eyes curiously staring into his.
He broke into a smile, casually pinched her chin, and kissed it, "What’s the matter?"
Lian Hua blinked and asked, "My Lord, have you encountered so difficulty?"
The Emperor reached out to support her waist, making her more comfortable, "Why do you ask that?"
Lian Hua settled back down, adjusted the soft pillow, and placed it behind her back, "You look preoccupied, My Lord. When you usually have a problem to ponder, you have this look."
It must be a very, very serious matter to make him look like this.
Nothing could be discerned from his expression, not even a furrowed brow, but she just knew that His Majesty was facing difficulties, and this ti, they were probably very, very severe.
The Emperor felt warmth in his heart and his lips curved slightly, "Nothing much, just a pest issue."
He couldn’t speak of the He Family’s issues, nor of the Lian Family’s. All he could ntion was a pest problem.
After finishing his words, he moved a piece on the chessboard.
Upon hearing of the pest problem, Lian Hua imdiately perked up, "A mice infestation?"
She couldn’t even focus on playing chess anymore, her eyes sparkling as she boasted, "My Lord, I am quite skilled at dealing with this! If it’s mice in the house, just get a tabby cat, just one, and I assure you, the larder will remain in good order. The re sound of the cat’s ow will have the mice scared witless. Our family used to have an orange tabby nad Lucky, which I nad myself."
Her family’s Lucky, small as it was, with orange patterns and a body full of agile muscles, would patrol its territory on light paws after a full al, like a little tiger. Catching mice alone was enough to sustain it, no need to feed it anything else, so formidable. The mice it caught were usually a third of its own size, quite impressive.
"Hmm?" The Emperor followed up, his interest piqued, "What about a pest issue in the fields? What’s to be done then?"
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