Nangong Zeyue quickly closed the ledger, got up, and went out. "Who's looking for me? Are they old?"
The first person Nangong Zeyue thought of was her senior uncle or her eldest brother.
The waiter shook his head: "I don't recognize him. That person was dressed like an official, like a eunuch from the palace delivering imperial edicts."
Nangong Zeyue was puzzled. What did the palace have to do with him? Why would they send him such a ridiculous imperial edict?
Seeing that Nangong Ze had stopped, the waiter said with certainty, "Young master, that man has a high-pitched voice, he really is a eunuch."
"I'll go take a look."
A bad feeling rose in Nangong Zeyue's heart.
I lingered at the Jiang residence so late last night. Could it be that he's jealous and wants to punish me?
You bastard, saying you won't force Yue Niang and will give her freedom is all bullshit.
As Nangong Zeyue walked, she cursed Xiao Jingzhao eight hundred times in her heart.
Before she even reached the hall, Nangong Zeyue had already devised a plan.
So what if imperial power is greater than heaven? He simply ran away, and there was no way to punish him.
At worst, he could wait until things calmed down and then sneak back to the capital to rekindle his romance with Yue Niang.
Anyway, he was an orphan. According to the laws of Wanling Kingdom, the execution of nine generations of relatives required blood ties, so he wouldn't implicate his master and fellow disciples.
A moment later, Nangong Zeyue appeared in the front hall.
An official shouted in a shrill voice, "Nangong Zeyue, receive the imperial decree."
He glanced disdainfully at the eunuch who was delivering the imperial decree and said, "To interrogate someone, you're making it all so formal. The Emperor really knows how to play games. Just tell me, what crime are you going to fabricate against me?"
"How dare you! Kneel down and receive the imperial decree! How dare you slander the Emperor! Do you know that this is a grave offense of disrespect?"
Nangong Zeyue wasn't buying into the eunuch act. He lifted his robes and casually sat down in the nearest chair.
He crossed his legs and shook them, glared at the eunuch and said, "You can punish me if you want, but don't drag innocent people into it. I'm just a handyman at Juxian Pavilion. If you have a problem, come at me."
"You dare! This is outrageous!"
The eunuch who delivered the imperial decree was so angry his nose almost twisted out of shape.
Upon the ascension of the new emperor, he issued numerous decrees, addressing everyone from lowly ninth-rank officials to first-rank ministers.
Everyone else treats him with respect and courtesy, treating him like an honored guest, and they never skimp on tea or tips. This is the first time I've encountered such a shameless fellow.
Hearing a commotion in the front hall, Hu Qing hurriedly tumbled down from upstairs.
Seeing Nangong Zeyue sitting leisurely, the eunuch delivering the imperial decree stood there, his face flushed red.
He rushed forward and bowed to the eunuch who was delivering the decree, saying, "Please calm down, Your Excellency. Let's talk this out. Young Master Nangong is a man of the martial arts world and doesn't understand the rules of the capital."
"The martial arts world doesn't follow the rules anymore; this is blatant disrespect for imperial authority! His crime is compounded."
The eunuch delivering the imperial decree pointed at Nangong Zeyue, his hand trembling. His face turned pale and then red, but his lips were deathly white.
The only person who could make the imperial eunuch so angry that he almost died was Nangong Zeyue.
Hu Qing smiled and comforted her, then, out of the sight of the eunuch delivering the decree, turned and winked at Nangong Zeyue.
Nangong Zeyue slowly straightened her sleeves and said unhurriedly, "Manager Hu, I am resigning today. I will have no further dealings with Juxian Pavilion. Please settle my wages later. I need travel expenses to escape on the road."
Seeing Nangong Zeyue's unrestrained and unruly appearance, Hu Qing no longer wanted to continue the argument.
He left the eunuch who was delivering the imperial decree and went to Nangong Zeyue's side, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"Stop fooling around, kneel down and accept the decree. I'll give him a big red gag in a moment. It would be terrible if the Emperor blamed him."
Nangong Zeyue lowered her voice and said, "Stop fooling around. Go and get me a month's allowance. You have to sever ties with that eunuch in front of him, so he won't make things difficult for you after I leave."
Hmph! To punish him and then expect him to kneel down to receive an imperial decree in gratitude? Dream on!
Hu Qing was so anxious that sweat beaded on his forehead. He grabbed Nangong Zeyue's arm and tried to lift him off the chair.
"Stop arguing, quickly accept the decree. Why would the Emperor make things difficult for us for no reason?"
Hu Qing glanced at the plaque in the hall and said, "His Majesty has personally bestowed upon it the title of the Number One Restaurant in the World. Today's imperial decree must be good."
Nangong Zeyue's buttocks seemed glued to the chair, and no matter how hard Hu Qing tried, it was all in vain.
He glanced at the eunuch delivering the imperial decree in the hall and said, "Manager Hu, you don't understand. That plaque was sent to the owner. That petty person probably wishes he could send me to the frontier."
Seeing that Nangong Zeyue's attitude didn't seem to be lying, Hu Qing stared wide-eyed in astonishment, "What grudge do you have against the Emperor?"
"No, why would the Emperor target you for no reason?"
"this……"
Hu Qing was anxious, so he raised his voice a few decibels when he asked Nangong Zeyue.
The exasperated eunuch delivering the decree was completely bewildered. After piecing things together, he felt that Nangong Zeyue had some misunderstanding about the emperor.
He stepped forward and stuffed the imperial edict into Nangong Zeyue's arms.
"You ungrateful wretch, when did the Emperor say he would punish you?"
"No, not to interrogate?"
This time, it was Nangong Zeyue's turn to be completely confused.
The eunuch who delivered the decree turned and left in a huff, ignoring Nangong Zeyue's questions.
Hu Qing slapped his thigh, "Oh dear! I've misunderstood."
He left the bewildered Nangong Zeyue behind and hurriedly chased after her.
Hu Qing jogged along while reaching into his sleeve to pull out a silver ingot.
"Father-in-law, I'm so sorry, it was all a misunderstanding. This is just a small token of my appreciation, please accept it."
As soon as the eunuch delivering the imperial decree stepped out of the restaurant, Hu Qing caught up with him, smiling obsequiously, and pulled his hand, slipping a few silver ingots into his pocket.
Holding the heavy silver ingot in his hand, the eunuch delivering the decree felt much more at ease.
He turned around, and with his other hand, he pointed at Nangong Zeyue in the hall with a delicate, orchid-like gesture. "This man is truly an ungrateful madman. The Emperor bestowed an official title upon him, yet he acts as if the Emperor wants to kill him. He's really insane!"
“What you say is true, sir. He is indeed ill. Please forgive his petty mistake and do not mention it to the Emperor when you return to the palace. I will certainly give him a severe scolding later.”
Hu Qing bowed and scraped, smiling obsequiously, which softened the eunuch's expression.
He put the silver ingot in his hand into his sleeve and gave Hu Qing an approving look.
"As expected of the head manager of Juxian Pavilion, you speak in a pleasant tone and act with integrity. Our family likes to deal with people like you."
Hu Qing cupped his hands again, his face full of piety, and said, "You flatter me, Your Excellency. You have the Emperor's trust, which means you are a person of high moral character. I admire you the most."
A barrage of flattery made the eunuch beam with joy, and the unpleasantness of the previous moment vanished as if nothing had happened.
Hu Qing personally helped him onto the carriage, and as the carriage drove away, he secretly thought to himself how close he had come to disaster.
Remembering Nangong Zeyue's imperial edict, Hu Qing flung his robes, turned around, and hurriedly ran back.
Nangong Zeyue looked at the imperial edict in her arms as if it were a hot potato, and hesitated to touch it.
"Brother Nangong, take a look at what the imperial edict says. It seems the eunuch has said he's granting you an official position."
"Brother Hu, it seems I really misunderstood the Emperor." Nangong Zeyue's expression was indescribable.
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