Chapter 9 The Silly Pink Flower
Inside the imperial study, the air seemed to freeze.
Xiao Yu's deep eyes were fixed on Ajiu, his gaze seemed to be filled with ice and fire, making people shudder.
Chu Xuanyi felt his back completely soaked with cold sweat. He had only one thought: It's over, this time it's really over! His Royal Highness the Regent was notoriously averse to women, his chastity appalling. Numerous ministers in the court had been turned away from offering him beautiful women, and even the people who brought the gifts received "special treatment." Now, Ah Jiu was saying in front of His Majesty that he was going to have a romantic life. Wasn't that just walking into a trap?!
"Ajiu!" Chu Xuanyi's voice changed in an anxious tone, and he wanted to cover her mouth immediately, "Stop talking nonsense! Now apologize to His Royal Highness the Regent!"
Ah Jiu was bewildered, not understanding what she had said wrong. She was just telling the truth! This was exactly what she had seen!
"I... I'm not talking nonsense," Ah Jiu muttered softly, feeling a little aggrieved. "I saw it... There was a little pink flower floating above that brother's head, and there were a lot of little stars twinkling around it!"
Little pink flowers...and little stars...
Chu Xuanyi wanted to die. This description sounded like a picture book for a child!
Emperor Jingming's expression was also quite striking. He tried hard to suppress a smile, but the slight upward curve of his lips betrayed him. His younger brother, known for his cold and ruthless demeanor, commanded respect from everyone in the court and the country. Now, to be described by a little girl as having "little pink flowers" floating above his head, the image was simply too strong.
Xiao Yu's face was beyond description; it was as black as the bottom of a pot. He spoke slowly, his voice like it had been pulled out of an ice cellar: "Oh? Little pink flowers? And little stars?"
Ah Jiu was a little frightened by his gaze, but he still mustered up the courage to nod: "Yeah! And that little flower looks a little different from the others, it seems... seems a little silly..."
"Puff - cough cough cough!" Emperor Jingming finally couldn't help it and started coughing violently, his shoulders shrugging, obviously he was laughing too hard.
Chu Xuanyi's eyes rolled back and he almost died on the spot.
A heartless peach blossom?!
Auntie, are you praising me or scolding me?! Are you predicting His Royal Highness the Regent's romantic fortune or flattering him?!
The veins on Xiao Yu's forehead throbbed with rage. He took a deep breath, as if trying to suppress something. He had lived for over twenty years. What kind of scenes had he not seen? What kind of difficulties had he not endured? But today, having a little girl "predict" his private affairs in front of the emperor with such a strange adjective was the first time!
The point is, this description... sounds like he's scolding his future princess for being stupid!
"Little girl," Xiao Yu's voice was silent, but Chu Xuanyi could sense a hint of impending danger. "Do you know what will happen if you speak nonsense in front of me?"
Ah Jiu shrank her neck and whispered, "I... I'm not talking nonsense... This is what I calculated..." She paused and added, "But the adults said that sometimes my fortune telling will bring bad luck to people, so... if that brother didn't like this silly little flower, maybe... it wouldn't have come?"
It would have been better if he hadn't said this. Once he said it, Xiao Yu's face became even darker.
What does "I don't like this silly little flower" mean? As if he even has a choice! Besides, is this little girl certain that his future love interest will be silly?!
Chu Xuanyi had completely given up struggling. He felt that being able to walk out of the imperial study today was a blessing from his ancestors.
Just when the situation was tense and about to explode, the chief eunuch Li Dequan walked in holding a brocade box, breaking the eerie silence.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness the Regent, and Master Imperial Master, the Ruyi jade pendant has been retrieved." Li Dequan carefully presented the brocade box.
Emperor Jingming used this opportunity to clear his throat, trying to regain his imperial dignity. He said to Ah Jiu, "Little fortune teller, this is my reward to you. You have relieved the country's worries today, and your contribution is invaluable. As for the Regent's...personal affairs, please do not say any more."
He was secretly reminding Ah Jiu to stop.
Ah Jiu took the brocade box and opened it. Inside was a pair of jade pendants intricately carved with dragon and phoenix patterns. They were smooth and translucent, and clearly worth a fortune. She beamed, her nervousness and fear forgotten. "Wow! What beautiful jade pendants! Thank you, Your Majesty!"
She held the jade pendant in her hand and played with it lovingly, seemingly completely forgetting that she had almost "angered to death" His Royal Highness the Regent.
Xiao Yu looked at Ah Jiu's heartless expression, and strangely, the anger within him dissipated a little. It was truly beneath his dignity to argue with such a clueless little girl. And… for some reason, the image of a "silly little pink flower" actually surfaced in his mind, and he felt… a strange… urge to laugh?
He was startled by his own thought, and then returned to his usual calmness.
"Your Majesty," Xiao Yu said, "I still have some details to discuss with you regarding the affairs of the Northern Territory. As for this little fortune teller..." He paused, his eyes sweeping across Ajiu before finally settling on Chu Xuanyi. "Master Chu, it's best to take her back to the palace first. The imperial palace is a very important place, and it's not advisable to stay there for long."
It sounded like he was trying to get rid of someone, but Chu Xuanyi felt as if he had been pardoned. It was good to be able to leave! It was good to be able to leave this troubled place as soon as possible!
"Yes, yes, yes! I obey your command!" Chu Xuanyi responded quickly, pulling up Ah Jiu, who was still admiring the jade pendant. "Ah Jiu, quickly, take your leave from His Majesty and His Royal Highness the Regent!"
Ah Jiu reluctantly put the jade pendant away and bowed obediently: "Ah Jiu, I'll take my leave! Thank you, Your Majesty! Goodbye, fierce brother!"
Xiao Yu: "..." He decided that he never wanted to hear the name "fierce brother" again.
Chu Xuanyi almost dragged Ajiu away from the imperial study.
It was not until he walked out of the palace and got on the carriage back home that Chu Xuanyi breathed a sigh of relief, feeling like he had walked back from the gates of hell.
"Ajiu, Ajiu," Chu Xuanyi said weakly as he slumped on the cushions of the carriage, "Today... you really opened my eyes!"
Ah Jiu blinked his eyes and asked in confusion, "Sir, did I behave badly today? His Majesty even gave me a jade pendant!"
Chu Xuanyi smiled bitterly: "Good, very good! So good that my heart is about to jump out of my chest!"
He now seriously suspected that sooner or later he would be tortured to death at a young age by this brainless subordinate.
However, what Chu Xuanyi didn't know was that just after they left, in the imperial study, Emperor Jingming looked at Xiao Yu and said with a meaningful smile, "Royal brother, it seems I have to congratulate you in advance. 'Foolish little pink flower', I'm actually looking forward to seeing who on earth could catch the eye of such a cold-faced king of hell!"
Xiao Yu rubbed his brows and said helplessly, "Brother, please don't make fun of me. It's just the nonsense of a little girl."
Having said that, the phrase "silly little pink flower" seemed to have taken root in his heart, popping up from time to time, making him feel a little... inexplicably irritated, and a little... inexplicably expectant.
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