Chapter 24

Inside the Imperial Study

"Your Majesty, this is the tribute initially drafted by the Ministry of Rites for the Kingdom of Qi Ping. Please take a look." The head of the Ministry of Rites said respectfully.

His Majesty waved his hand unhappily, "Since the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister are here, you can read it. It's a good opportunity for them to listen as well."

"I obey your order." The head of the Ministry of Rites opened the scroll and began to read: "Three thousand taels of gold, three thousand pieces of cloth, one thousand bushels of pearls..."

"Wait a minute." Li Yin interrupted the head of the Ministry of Rites and asked in confusion, "Why is the tribute so much more this year than in previous years?"

The Prime Minister continued, "Because His Royal Highness the Crown Prince needs the consent of Qi Pingguo to act as the acting governor this year, we must please them."

"To please?" Li Yin sneered.

"Because they are the ones holding the knife and we are the ones waiting to be killed, so we must please them," the prime minister added.

"They are the ones holding the knife, so who was holding the knife before?" Li Yin asked back.

The prime minister did not answer and the atmosphere was a little tense.

His Majesty tried to ease the atmosphere and said, "Prince, since acting as the governor requires their consent, we will just turn a blind eye to the tribute!"

"If you turn a blind eye today, I might dig out your entire eye tomorrow. Please forgive me for not being able to do that."

"So what do you want to do?"

"I have my own way." Li Yin showed a determined smile, then said goodbye and went to the library.

Luo Sanrong's fever had subsided, so he didn't dare to delay and went to work immediately.

"Your Highness, so you are in the library?" Luo Sanrong said flatteringly. Ever since she saw Li Yin, she would recall the scene of him saving her from falling into the lake, which made Luo Sanrong a little at a loss.

In the eyes of others, Luo Sanrong was a man, and the prince jumped into the water to save her out of humanitarianism. However, Luo Sanrong herself knew that she was a woman, and according to the laws of Xia An Kingdom, a woman in this situation must give herself to the prince in marriage.

Luo Sanrong was about to express his gratitude: "Thank you, Your Highness..."

Before he could finish, he was interrupted by Li Yin, who was reading a book. Without even looking up, he said, "Little pet, didn't I tell you? You are not allowed to see me until your cold is healed."

Hearing this, Luo Sanrong's gratitude instantly vanished, and her expression changed. "My cold has long been cured, thanks to Brother Wei's care last night. Unlike someone who thought I would infect him..."

"Brother Wei?" Li Yin raised his head and snorted with an unclear expression.

"What's wrong?" Luo Sanrong was confused.

"Come here and sit down." Li Yin ordered Luo Sanrong.

This order just happened to arouse Luo Sanrong's rebellious nature. Luo Sanrong said stubbornly, "I don't want it."

"You don't want it?" Li Yin repeated Luo Sanrong's words, took a step forward and looked directly into Luo Sanrong's eyes.

Luo Sanrong took a step back, pretending to cough, and said weakly: "Your Highness, please stay away from me. I haven't recovered from my cold yet. If I infect Your Highness, I will be severely punished..."

Li Yin was still getting closer, and suddenly, with lightning speed, he stuffed a pill into Luo Sanrong's mouth.

“Ahem—”

"What is this? Do you want to poison me? Just because I didn't listen to you and sat there?" Luo Sanying said crying.

"Cry, it's poison, it will kill you, a person with no good heart..." Li Yin said angrily.

Upon hearing this, Luo Sanrong realized that this might be a good medicine for her cold. She shook Li Yin's arm ingratiatingly and said, "I'm sorry. I wrongly blamed you."

When Li Yin heard this, he shook off Luo Sanrong's hand and said disdainfully, "Don't act like a spoiled child, Daddy."

Luo Sanrong let go of his hand, feeling embarrassed and not knowing where to put it.

Li Yin took a look and snorted again, shaking his sleeves without taking away a cloud.

Luo Sanrong curled his lips and said to himself, "Loading." After that, he just walked to the door of the library when he was stopped by Eunuch Ma, "Luo Sanrong——"

"Master Ma." Luo Sanying performed the etiquette between eunuchs.

"Is your cold better?" Eunuch Ma asked with concern.

"Thank you for your concern, I'm almost well now."

"It's just right. I also have good news to tell you." Eunuch Ma kept it a secret.

"What good news?" Luo Sanying asked curiously.

"Well, we, the eunuchs, have decided to give the eunuchs who assisted at the envoy's banquet a special holiday during the Mid-Autumn Festival. You also assisted at the banquet, so you can enjoy the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday."

"Really?" I originally thought that Li Yin would not let me ask for leave, so I would have to stay in the palace bored. Unexpectedly, Eunuch Ma was so humane. I thought so in my heart and said it unconsciously.

"Eunuch Ma, you are so kind. Good people will be rewarded, unlike someone..." Luo Sanrong said flatteringly.

"What?"

"Nothing." Luo Sanrong said evasively.

"Then I'll go get busy first."

Eunuch Ma nodded, looking at Luo Sanrong's back, and recalling the Crown Prince's unintentional advice to him today, "The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon, and the eunuchs in our palace have been busy for a while. Isn't it time to give them a holiday so they can have a good rest..."

Looking at Luo Sanrong's obviously excited back, I couldn't help but give His Highness a thumbs up in my heart, "Your Highness is such a nice person."

Luo Sanrong walked to the eunuch hall and found that the eunuchs were gathered together and seemed to be discussing something. With the intention of watching the fun, Luo Sanrong also went forward to listen.

"That Eunuch Zhang is really too domineering."

"Exactly. We were supposed to clean the dancers' back hall, but he took it upon himself, forcing me to clean the side halls, which are even harder to clean..."

"Really..."

Luo Sanrong asked curiously, "Who is that Eunuch Zhang?"

Everyone recognized Luo Sanrong as the prince's favored eunuch. He had always shared any gossip with them in advance, so they told him directly, "It is said that the eunuch's godfather's brother's neighbor is the prime minister's housekeeper, so he always feels that he has more power."

Luo Sanrong is well versed in the art of getting along with others, which is that no matter whether a friend is a man or a woman, when he or she complains to you about someone, you must insist on standing on your friend's side and agree with your friend.

"That's right, it's so hateful, how can there be such a disgusting person..." Luo Sanrong was so absorbed in complaining that he didn't notice the dead silence around him.

Until a ghostly voice came from behind him, "Who are you talking about? Ah..."

Luo Sanrong turned his neck stiffly and found that it was the focus of the topic - Eunuch Zhang. He was so embarrassed that he wanted to find a hole in the ground to crawl into.

"Eunuch Zhang, why are you here?" He inadvertently glared at his 'friend' beside him.

"I didn't come and I couldn't hear you, so why are you saying this to me behind my back?" Eunuch Zhang said expressionlessly.

"Hehe——" Luo Sanrong smiled awkwardly.

Eunuch Zhang suddenly leaned close to Luo Sanrong and whispered, "Eunuch Luo has a woman's scent on him."

"Ah? Really?" Luo Sanrong raised his sleeve and smelled it.

Eunuch Zhang continued, "Eunuch Luo's face is more handsome than that of an average man. If he were to dress up as a woman, no one would be able to tell."

Luo Sanrong's mind became alert, "What does this mean, Master Zhang?"

"It's nothing, just a joke." After saying that, he left.

Luo Sanrong had a bad feeling in his heart.

The eunuch behind him patted Luo Sanrong on the shoulder, and Luo Sanrong jumped up immediately.

"What's wrong? What did Eunuch Zhang say to you?" a eunuch asked curiously.

"Nothing." After saying that, Luo Sanrong left with a heavy heart.