Chapter 55: Chapter 055: Heartache
The cat pounced straight at her.
Sang Yan was so startled that she froze.
Pei Muyang saw this and quickly said, “Lord Sang, don’t be afraid. This cat is very understanding of humans and doesn’t hurt people.”
Indeed, the cat did not hurt anyone.
It pounced on Sang Yan.
Sang Yan wanted to push it away, but it was indeed very human-like, sticking out its little red tongue to lick her palm, then rubbing its soft head against her chin and neck.
Fine then.
True charm may be late, but it never fails to show up.
When the cat extended its two front paws, ekly gesturing a bow, Sang Yan truly fell for it.
“Has it been nad yet?”
She looked toward Pei Muyang.
“Not yet. The Emperor is waiting for Lord Sang to na it.”
Pei Muyang answered with a smile.
Sang Yan then began to think, “Hmm… Let’s call it Snowball.”
Pei Muyang smiled in response, “This servant will go tell the Emperor right away.”
“Wait—”
Sang Yan rembered the Emperor’s knee and asked, “Is the Emperor’s knee any better?”
Upon hearing this, Pei Muyang’s eyes quickly darted around, and he got an idea.
He put on a disconsolate expression and sighed, “Alas, it’s not. He still refuses to apply dicine. He says it’s about sincerity bringing the spirit to life. It got worse this morning; he couldn’t even get out of bed.”
Sang Yan: “…”
She knew Pei Muyang was exaggerating, but she was still worried, “How could he not apply dicine? Does he really have a masochistic streak?”
“Certainly not.”
Pei Muyang agreed, then quickly chastised himself, “Oh dear, this servant’s mouth… Please forgive , my lord. It’s not for this servant to judge the Emperor. It’s just that the Emperor truly won’t listen to this servant’s advice. I’m hoping Lord Sang could go and persuade him.”
He spoke in favor of He Ying.
Both master and servant knew how to play the victim.
Sang Yan was well aware of this, and said indifferently, “I understand.”
And with a wave of her hand, she dismissed him.
As for whether she’d go to persuade the Emperor or not?
She’d wash up first.
Pei Muyang led the others back to the main hall of Qingning Palace.
Inside,
He Ying was sitting at his desk, copying Buddhist Scriptures.
The scriptures were piled high.
His hand ached from writing, and when he saw Pei Muyang return out of the corner of his eye, he said, “I always feel Master Yixuan is playing tricks on . Humph! If it doesn’t work, let’s see how I deal with—”
He was copying Buddhist Scriptures, yet saying such things.
Pei Muyang hurriedly advised, “Emperor, it’s all about sincerity.”
He Ying: “…”
He instantly simred down.
He sighed and changed the subject, “Was the cat sent over? Did she like it?”
Pei Muyang, wanting to cheer him up, naturally picked the pleasant things to say, “She liked it. She was a bit afraid of the cat at first, but once she heard it was from the Emperor, she wouldn’t let go. She even nad it Snowball.”
“Snowball?”
He Ying, thinking of the cat with snow-like fur, smiled, “That is indeed fitting.”
Pei Muyang added, “Lord Sang also asked about your knee. This servant took the liberty of saying you hadn’t applied any dicine. I’m not sure if she will co over later?”
Upon hearing this, He Ying was convinced that Sang Yan would co and imdiately stood up, “Then what are we waiting for? Hurry up and bring so water!”
He had to wash off the ointnt!
While washing the ointnt off, he realized that his knee had actually healed quite a bit.
Pei Muyang felt awkward, “This… the Imperial Physician’s ointnt is truly…”
Too effective is also not good!
He Ying beca displeased, “I shouldn’t have listened to you last night.”
Pei Muyang imdiately slapped his own mouth, “It was this servant’s fault for being talkative.”
“Now what do we do?”
“…Perhaps Lord Sang won’t co.”
While they were speaking, a eunuch conveyed a ssage, “Emperor, Lord Sang is here.”
He Ying hurriedly put down his clothes and sat down by the desk.
“Pass it along.”
No need to pass it, for Sang Yan had already co in.
She made a beeline for him, squatting next to the desk, and cut straight to the point, “I heard the Emperor hasn’t applied dicine to his knee?”
A twitch appeared at the corner of He Ying’s mouth as he feigned anger, “Who said that? I’ve already applied the dicine. And I’m much better.”
Indeed, he was much better; there was no need to show her.
After all, it was enough that she ca to express concern.
Sang Yan, however, thought he was lying and insisted on seeing for herself: “Let see how much better you are.”
“There’s no need to see.”
He Ying felt inexplicably guilty as Sang Yan’s stare unsettled him, and he scrambled for an excuse: “n and won should not touch each other.”
Sang Yan: “…”
Such a ridiculous reason.
“So the Emperor is aware of this too?”
She curled her lip, and on the spot, she said sarcastically, “So, as a widow with a husband-killing fate, it’s even less appropriate for the Emperor to be so entangled with , isn’t it?”
He Ying was at a loss for words.
Sang Yan was growing impatient: “Emperor, I’ll take one look and then leave.”
He Ying sighed, “I’m really quite well. The Imperial Physician’s dicine is very effective.”
Effective enough that he felt like killing soone.
In curing his odd ailnts, there hadn’t been any progress in more than a decade, but his knee was responding quite quickly.
Sang Yan urged, “Hurry up. I want to see how effective it is.”
Left with no choice, He Ying could only lift his robe.
His knees were still bruised and purplish, but the swelling and bruising had indeed faded.
Compared to when she first saw them the previous night, he was indeed much better.
Sang Yan was relieved, “It’s good that the Emperor is fine.”
He Ying’s heart was sweet, his lips curved in a smile, “I feel that a little issue wouldn’t be bad either; otherwise, I’d never feel your concern.”
That Emperor was at it with his lovesick antics again.
He was even beginning to wish misfortune upon himself.
Sang Yan was both angry and helpless, “Emperor, choose your words wisely. You are the ruler of a nation, you carry the weight of your people; don’t joke about your health.”
He Ying obediently agreed, “Alright. I’ll listen to you.”
Seeing him so compliant, Sang Yan’s emotions were mixed. She turned her gaze away and noticed the Buddhist Scripture on the desk. Puzzled, she asked, “Why are you copying this?”
He Ying didn’t feel like using the Buddhist Scriptures he copied for her as a way to cheer her up at that mont and said instead, “Master Yixuan said that my malevolence is too strong and that I need to copy Buddhist Scriptures to cultivate my character.”
Hearing this, Sang Yan didn’t think much of it and was actually supportive, “The Emperor indeed should copy more, lest you be rash in taking lives.”
He Ying laughed indulgently and did not argue, “Hmm.”
Pei Muyang, listening, spoke up at the right mont: “How could it be? Clearly, the Emperor is copying these scriptures for Lord Sang. Up and about early in the morning to copy them. Clearly, you didn’t sleep much last night either. Seeing how the Emperor is wearing himself out, I really—”
The words ‘feel sorry’ were unspeakable.
Because the one who should be pitied wasn’t him, but her.
Sang Yan realized that this Pei Muyang was quite adept at playing martyr.
He could always, in a few words, maximize the Emperor’s likeability.
Was this the impressiveness of an imperial eunuch?
“The Emperor really goes to great lengths for .”
She was seventy percent touched and thirty percent sarcastic.
He Ying detected the off tone in her voice, but still shalessly replied, “It doesn’t matter, it’s worth it for you.”
Sang Yan nodded, standing up, “Then I won’t disturb the Emperor from copying the Scriptures.”
Seeing her about to leave, He Ying was sowhat reluctant, “Your presence doesn’t disturb.”
He changed the subject to keep her there: “How are you feeling today? Is there any discomfort?”
Sang Yan shook her head, “As long as the Emperor refrains from killing indiscriminately for my sake, I think I’ll feel quite well.”
He Ying disagreed, his tone becoming more forceful: “Those who hurt you must be punished severely. It’s a deterrent and a protection.”
Sang Yan knew the Emperor ant well for her, yet felt a vague unease: “I don’t want to be a fem fatale.”
“A fem fatale, you? You think too highly of yourself.”
He Ying couldn’t help but laugh, but then eting Sang Yan’s deep gaze, he chickened out, no longer daring to laugh, and could only hold it in and turn to Pei Muyang, “Tell our Lord Sang what a fem fatale is.”
Pei Muyang earnestly began, “If we’re talking fem fatales that shook the world, there indeed were a few… Let’s not ntion the calamity of Xia Ji from the previous dynasty, during the critical mont of flight, just because she ntioned she was hungry, the Emperor halted the escape to set up camp for her, to cook soup with his own hands. And from Emperor He Taizu’s ti, Imperial Concubine Jia lost a hairpin, and the whole army stopped to search for it. Oh, there’s also Consort Xiang of Beiqi, just because the King of Puluo Country remarked she was of low birth due to being a singer, the Beiqi Emperor raged, commanding ten thousand soldiers to march overnight, pressing on to Puluo Imperial City, just to get an apology…”
Sang Yan listened with complete indifference, even feeling that the incident concerning Consort Xiang of Beiqi was more likely the Beiqi Emperor looking for an excuse to make a move on Puluo Country; otherwise, to wage war over a single remark seed far-fetched.
But these matters had nothing to do with her.
Looking at the Emperor’s face, which was full of fascination, she furrowed her brow and asked, “The Emperor finds this amusing? Do you wish to emulate them?”
“Why not?”
He Ying asked in return, his tone natural and domineering: “I like you, and I want the whole world to know.”
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