Liu Dayou couldn’t bother to wipe his tears and turned his head to look. He silently praised, "Good lad, well-prepared. Truly soone who was trained under him."
Lian Hua’s eyes widened in amazent as she counted out loud, "One to ten, you’ve said them all, even ’fortune from all directions’ is included!"
Feeling very delighted, she said generously, "Little Doggie, it’s been so ti since we’ve seen each other, and you really make one take a second look. Let see, hmm..." She thought she should say a few words of praise.
Chen Weiwu looked at Lian Hua eagerly. Now, when others called him Little Doggie, he took note of it in his heart, but when Master Lian called him, he found it extraordinarily pleasant to hear.
Lian Hua touched her chin, carefully examining Little Doggie, wanting to say a few laudatory words. Seeing that he was still skin and bones, there wasn’t much to praise, but his spirit seed much better than before. She took a closer look and discovered sothing, then imdiately praised, "Oh, it seems you have grown a bit taller, indeed looking more imposing, hmm, not bad at all!"
Xiao Linzi followed her gaze, scratched his head, completely baffled. He couldn’t understand how his master noticed soone had gotten taller while they were kneeling. It was, however, true that Little Doggie’s hat was a bit taller today.
Xiao Jizi’s eyes twitched. Such a tiny difference in height was hardly visible to the naked eye, he didn’t know how his own master noticed it. But Xiao Qing changed every month, growing like a little sapling that’s been watered and fertilized, shooting up each month. When he first arrived, he was shorter than Xiao Jizi, but now he was taller, which was truly bittersweet.
Chen Weiwu’s eyes lit up; he had indeed grown a little, but nobody else seed to notice—only Master Lian had eyes like a fiery torch.
He was extrely touched, his tears flowing freely, "It’s all thanks to Master Lian’s blessings. It’s because Master Lian nad Weiwu that even the heavens were moved, allowing to grow a bit taller. In the future, I will certainly not fail to et Master Lian’s expectations, continue to grow taller, and beco imposing and majestic, not disappointing Master Lian’s high hopes."
With that, he kowtowed three loud tis.
Ever since he was given the na, Chen Weiwu’s life had improved significantly. He ate well, slept well, and because of his changed status, Liu Dayou took much better care of him. Those who used to bully him didn’t dare anymore. His life improved, he relaxed, and his body began to grow properly, actually gaining a bit of height.
At this mont, everyone looking at the thin Chen Weiwu wouldn’t think that his words would co true, that in the next ten years, he would indeed grow into a tall and imposing figure, living up to his na.
"Where, where, you’ve done so well yourself, it’s all your own rit. Please get up," said Lian Hua with a beaming smile, then suddenly rembered sothing and quickly turned to the side, "Xiao Linzi, quickly write down what Little Doggie just said." She was planning to curry favor with His Majesty afterward!
"Master, which words?"
"Foolish Xiao Linzi, the part where he wished wealth from numbers one through ten."
"Oh, right, Master."
Consort Xu De watched the scene with amusent, thinking to herself that wherever her sister was, there was joy to be found. Her sister’s attention was indeed easily diverted; she even left Liu Dayou hanging and forgot to inquire about the Emperor’s decree.
Catching a glimpse of Cui Laner’s expression, she imdiately understood what was on the lady’s mind. Consort Xu De’s face grew sowhat colder; she couldn’t even be bothered to mock her. The greater the hope, the greater the disappointnt. Still hoping to turn things around through the Emperor, she probably had so crying to do later on.
Amidst Lian Hua and Chen Weiwu’s cordial exchange, Cui Laner felt her eyes sour with impatience, eagerly waiting for Liu Dayou to hurry up and reveal what the Emperor’s decree was, yet he didn’t seem to be in any hurry at all.
She fiercely thought, once she was free, she would certainly rember these servants, for the sake of ingratiating themselves with Beauty Lian, they delayed the imperial decree, a cri worthy of death.
Finally, Lian Hua finished her pleasant conversation, forgetting all about Cui Laner’s bad mood, and was in the mood to inquire about other matters.
She cleared her throat and straightened her expression before turning to Liu Dayou and asking with concern, "His Majesty isn’t busy now, is he? How is he doing?"
His Majesty must be quite tired today, busy from one task to another without rest. She really wanted to know what he was up to, hearing that there would be wine at the banquet for entertaining the officials later.
It was finally his turn, and Liu Dayou’s spirits lifted as he was about to answer; however, understanding the question, he couldn’t help but pull a long face. Not to ntion his ignorance, even if he knew, it seed he shouldn’t speak, as he was not one of His Majesty’s close attendants and couldn’t say.
The question was too difficult, and with a troubled expression, he said, "Master Lian, this... I’m not aware, it was soone from the Star Palace who inford this servant of His Majesty’s decree."
"Is that so..." Lian Hua felt a wave of disappointnt, losing any further interest in the conversation. She was only worried about tiring His Majesty. Since Liu Dayou was unaware, then let it be.
Liu Dayou still wanted to say sothing pleasing, but Lian Hua, losing interest, waved her hand dismissively, "In that case, I won’t hold up Eunuch Liu’s important duties any longer, go ahead."
Feeling blocked, Liu Dayou thought it seed that every ti he failed to catch Master Lian’s attention. Before he could flatter her, Master Lian would already have sent him away, with all the lilight going to Chen Weiwu instead.
His heart sunk, and he wanted to struggle further.
Consort Xu De felt it was about ti and asked, "What is His Majesty’s decree?"
Reminded, everyone lifted their eyes to look at Liu Dayou in unison.
Especially Cui Laner, whose eager eyes seed almost to lt soone. Reminded by Lian Hua and unable to resist the thought, the current Shichen was precisely the ti for the Longevity Event. No matter what, there shouldn’t be a decree at this ti. But since the decree had co, the most likely possibility was that the Emperor had learned of her grievance and wanted to stand up for her. This thought alone made her ecstatic.
When it ca to important matters, Liu Dayou regained a solemn attitude, his voice slightly raised so that all those around could hear him, and he respectfully said, "To answer the Consort, His Majesty sent a decree through this servant. It states that Lady Cui lacks talent and virtue, demoting Lady Cui to a commoner. Once Consort De has punished her according to the harem rules, this servant is to imdiately escort Lady Cui out of the palace—there must be no mistakes."
Lian Hua nodded in understanding. She had said earlier that Cui Laner was without virtue and unworthy of her position, unable to remain in the palace, and that there must be punishnt for faults. His Majesty and she seed to share a heroic vision. She couldn’t help feeling very content, was this what being in perfect harmony felt like?
The crowd was shocked, even Consort De was sowhat surprised. For those concubines who had been sent out of the palace, the Emperor was very lenient, issuing a gracious decree personally to smooth their path ho. These won could lead a smooth life if they did not bring it upon themselves to do otherwise.
But conversely, for those who were demoted to commoners and then expelled from the palace after being punished, their future was basically over. Any family would consider such a daughter a disgrace. This punishnt was even more severe than she had imagined.
She unconsciously looked up at Lian Hua and noticed she was smiling sweetly, as if she hadn’t considered it so deeply. She couldn’t help but smile wryly herself.
The Emperor also went through a lot of trouble. To establish Lian Hua’s authority and make those who thought of harming her weigh the consequences carefully, he made an example out of Cui Laner to warn the entire harem. The most crucial point was to show that every move within the harem was under his watchful eye—even during the Longevity Event, he could spare the effort to deal with matters, so none should harbor any hope of luck.
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