Snap...
A crystal-clear tear slid down Xi Xizhi's cheek.
In the past, whenever her master forced her to practice martial arts, she wished he would disappear immediately. She never imagined that when the time for their final separation would come, she would actually remember that old man with the full white beard.
She felt the fine hairs around her eyes being stroked, and then a finger wiped away her tears.
"She cried." Those two words carried an indescribable mix of emotions. They sounded as if uttered without any feeling, yet also as if utterly surprised.
Xi Xizhi opened her eyes; her deep blue eyes, like the finest sapphires, were so clear they could reflect the other person's image...
Gazing silently at this emperor of noble birth, his narrow eyes were slightly upturned. Those eyes concealed too many secrets, always seeming unfathomable.
Without a doubt, this man is a terrifying presence.
Xi Xizhi scrutinized the other person's eyes, and after a long while, she realized... why could she see the eyelashes of those eyes so clearly? They were long and thick. Paired with those eyes, they were enough to bewitch countless young girls.
But the handsome face in front of it was only two or three centimeters away!
The little white furball was so startled that its fur stood on end, and it jumped more than a foot high. It had just woken up; couldn't it have avoided such a shock? Its little heart couldn't take it.
"So energetic, no wonder it's the pet I've chosen." An Honghan stroked his chin, watching the little ferret fall from mid-air with great interest.
Xi Xizhi braced her two furry front paws against her head, bracing herself for the pain of hitting the floor upon impact. But the expected pain was nowhere to be seen. Xi Xizhi opened her eyelids a crack and realized she had landed safely. She stepped on the ground with her hind legs—it was soft. Suddenly realizing something, Xi Xizhi looked down and saw—it was a human stomach!
Beneath her claws, a coiled dragon embroidered with gold thread soared through the clouds, its claws outstretched.
Is it a dragon robe?
She landed on An Honghan's stomach? Afraid of angering him, Xi Xi kicked off and jumped off him.
"Chirp chirp..." Xi Xizhi uttered animal language, gesturing with her two furry paws, like a child who had done something wrong explaining to her parents.
An Honghan rubbed his slightly aching stomach, his gaze dark and uncertain. He clearly had a chance to stop the little ferret from falling onto his stomach, so why did he let it go? Was it because he was afraid of hurting the little guy?
"Your Majesty, it's time to get up. Would you like to rise?" Lynn's voice came from the outer hall.
Xi Xizhi then realized that she and An Honghan were sleeping on the same soft couch. The couch was placed by the window, where sunlight streamed in, making it exceptionally warm, like an invisible quilt.
An Honghan has a habit of taking a nap every afternoon. Seeing the little ferret lying on his lap, fast asleep, he simply hugged the little ferret and slept with it for a while.
I didn't expect to see such an amusing scene with the little ferret so soon after waking up. But... how do I explain that tear?
Even An Honghan himself didn't realize that his interest in the little sable was growing stronger.
"If you chatter on and on, I'll sew your mouth shut." An Honghan didn't really mean to do that; he just wanted to scare the clueless little sable.
Xi Xizhi's words were cut off in her throat, and then she swallowed them back down.
The little ferret's pitiful look pleased An Honghan greatly. He grabbed its neck by the fur, lifted it up, and held it in his arms.
Xi Xizhi felt a tingling sensation on the fur around her neck, as if several hairs had broken off, causing her to scream in pain.
Startled by the commotion caused by the little sable, An Honghan was puzzled. What was going on?
Just then, Lynn entered from the outer hall, intending to help An Honghan rise. He happened to witness this scene: An Honghan was gripping the little ferret by the neck with one hand, pulling it into his arms. The little ferret struggled fiercely, baring its teeth and howling.
He said, "How could His Majesty, with his cruel nature, possibly keep a pet? With a gentle twist of his large hand, he could snap a sable's neck in two. Look at him now, finally revealing his ferocious side!"
Noticing the change in Lynn's expression, An Honghan narrowed his eyes slightly, "What kind of look is that?"
Lynn trembled with fright and knelt down on the ground. "Your Majesty, if you want to kill this little ferret, you don't need to do it yourself. Just leave it to the servants below."
"When did I say I wanted to kill it?" An Honghan asked, glancing at Lin En with a look of doubt in his eyes.
Could he have guessed wrong? But His Majesty's actions clearly indicated that he wanted to strangle that weasel.
"Why is it chirping like that?" He had deliberately threatened the ferret earlier, but now, hearing that chirping, he was extremely annoyed and had a real urge to snap its neck.
As expected of a servant who had served An Honghan for many years, Lin En calmed himself down for the time being. "Your Majesty, it's uncomfortable for the sable to be holding you by the neck like that, so of course it will cry out."
Xi Xizhi looked at Lin En gratefully. See? This middle-aged man was so kind and approachable. Unlike that certain king, who was so ruthless and lacked any gentleness. If he kept holding her by the neck like that, she'd turn into a bald little weasel sooner or later…
"Chirp chirp..."
Xi Xizhi spoke again.
"I see." An Honghan softened his grip, slipped his hands under the little mink's armpits, and lifted it up.
It's much more comfortable to hold you like this.
It's not entirely An Honghan's fault. As the ruler of a country, he had been pampered since childhood and was always served by others. He had never served others before. Therefore, it was inevitable that he would make mistakes at the beginning.
"Your Majesty, sable cubs, like human infants, are in an extremely vulnerable stage. During this period, they must be carefully cared for. For example, the way they are held; the slightest carelessness could cause lifelong disability." Don't underestimate this steward; although he may not be as learned as those literary ministers, he has a wealth of knowledge.
Especially when it comes to how to take care of and serve people, if he claims to be second to none, no one dares to claim to be first.
In Xi Xizhi's eyes, Lynn's image suddenly became much more imposing. This uncle was absolutely right; this emperor should have been properly disciplined long ago. Otherwise, her small frame wouldn't have been able to withstand his antics.
Xi Xizhi looked at Lin En with almost worshipful eyes. This displeased An Honghan, and his tone turned slightly cold, "Lin En, you've said too much."
Lynn was the steward who served An Honghan the longest. The previous stewards had all angered An Honghan within a few months and were dragged to the guillotine. Only he served An Honghan for a full five years.
The palace maids and eunuchs around An Honghan came and went, but he alone remained alive. The reason was simple: he knew how to conduct himself appropriately. He understood what should be said and what should not be said.
"This servant knows his crime and begs Your Majesty to calm your anger." Lin En knelt down again.
Throughout the day, Xi Xizhi had seen him kneel many times. She sighed inwardly, thinking how tough the knees of the ancients were. If she were to kneel like that every day, she probably wouldn't even be able to walk steadily.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com