Chapter 128 Performance Achievement
Finally, finally...
He was deeply grateful, but with other eunuchs present, he could not kneel.
"This servant...this servant thanks the county magistrate for her great kindness!" His voice choked with emotion. His nephew was able to go to Xihan and live a peaceful life under the young lady's wings! This was simply an immense blessing! This moved him even more than a promotion or a raise!
Xie Sangning chuckled, "You should know who to contact for the necessary procedures, so I won't elaborate. When you return to the palace, if the Emperor asks about... my reaction after receiving the decree..."
She looked at Desheng with a meaningful look in her eyes, "You... just tell the truth."
"Tell the truth?"
Desheng was taken aback by what he heard, and subconsciously looked up, his eyes filled with confusion.
Tell the truth? Say you were overjoyed and moved to tears upon receiving the imperial edict? What His Majesty wants to see is you looking utterly devastated, frustrated, and furious! You want me to tell you the truth—that you were happy…how can His Majesty not be angry?
He hesitated, then tentatively asked, "Princess... if I tell the truth... His Majesty will surely be suspicious, or..."
“Tell the truth,” Xie Sangning interrupted him, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Looking into Xie Sangning's unfathomable eyes, Desheng's doubts vanished instantly!
The young lady's plans are flawless; she must have her reasons for saying this! As long as I obediently follow her instructions, my performance points will definitely skyrocket!
"This servant understands! This servant will certainly report the truth!" Desheng replied, his fat face once again plastered with a fawning smile.
Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Pei Yan was in an unusually good mood. Even as he reviewed the memorials, a slight smile couldn't help but appear on his lips. Just imagining Xie Sangning's possible expression upon receiving that imperial decree—shock? disbelief? anger? resentment?—made him feel completely at ease!
"Has Desheng returned?" he asked the young eunuch standing beside him without looking up.
"Your Majesty, Eunuch Desheng has just returned and is waiting outside the palace," the young eunuch hurriedly reported.
"Summon them!" Pei Yan put down his vermilion brush, leaned back, and looked on with anticipation, as if he were watching a good show.
Desheng lowered his head, took quick small steps into the hall, and knelt down with a thud: "This servant greets Your Majesty!"
"Get up." Pei Yan's voice carried a hint of pleasure. "The imperial decree has been delivered? What was Princess Jianing's reaction when she received it?"
He deliberately dragged out his words, imagining the wonderful scene that Desheng was about to describe.
Desheng stood up, his hands hanging down, a simple and honest expression on his face.
"Your Majesty... After this servant read Your Majesty's decree word for word... Princess Jianing..."
"How is she?" Pei Yan leaned forward slightly, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "But...astonished? Or...unable to contain her anger? Hmm?"
He could hardly wait to hear the news of Xie Sangning's loss of composure!
"Uh..." Desheng seemed startled by Pei Yan's questioning and shrank back. "The county princess...she...she's very happy! Very excited!"
"What?!" Pei Yan's smile froze instantly, thinking he had misheard!
"This servant dares not conceal anything!" Desheng quickly added, "The county princess... she smiled on the spot! She smiled so happily! She even said... that Your Majesty, understanding her homesickness, bestowed upon her her homeland, a kindness and virtue akin to being given a second life! She was moved to tears and vowed to do her utmost to govern Xihan well to repay Your Majesty's profound kindness! This servant saw... the county princess's appearance showed that she was genuinely happy! Her eyes were even red with emotion!"
Desheng finished speaking in one breath, then held his breath and carefully observed Pei Yan's expression.
Pei Yan's expression was like a spilled palette, full of wonderful variations!
First came astonishment, then disbelief, and finally, frustration!
"You...you said she...was very happy? Very excited? Even moved to tears?!"
Pei Yan's voice rose, "Desheng! You dog of a servant! Are you afraid I'll be unhappy if you say such nice things to appease me?!"
He slammed his hand on the table! He simply couldn't believe it! How could this be?! Xie Sangning was proud and arrogant; how could he possibly be so grateful for a piece of broken land?!
That lackey is definitely lying!
"Your Majesty, please calm down! Your Majesty, please calm down!"
Desheng was so frightened that he knelt down again with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly, his voice trembling with sobs, "This servant dares not! This servant would never dare to deceive Your Majesty! Every word this servant spoke is true! This servant was also... very surprised at the time! But the county princess... she really said that! And the way she looked so happy... this servant didn't think she was faking it! Your Majesty! If this servant has uttered even the slightest lie, may I be struck by lightning! May I die a horrible death!"
He swore an oath, his words sincere and earnest.
Pei Yan stared intently at Desheng's chubby face, which was filled with fear and grievance. The anger in his chest was like a bucket of cold water had been poured on it, unable to ignite, but instead making him feel even more uncomfortable!
He knew Desheng well; although this lackey was cunning, he wasn't very bold, especially when faced with his thunderous wrath, he wouldn't dare to tell such an easily exposed lie.
Is Xie Sangning really happy?
Why? !
What was there about that dilapidated piece of land that could make her happy?!
Can't she see that I'm humiliating her?!
Or is it... that she really has feelings for that godforsaken place, Xihan?! Or... is she putting on a brave face, deliberately acting like this to disgust me?!
A multitude of thoughts churned wildly in Pei Yan's mind, making him extremely agitated!
The frustration and anger he expected didn't materialize; it felt like... like punching cotton with all your might!
Suddenly, Pei Yan seemed to understand something, his eyes lit up, and he got it.
"You! You!" Pei Yan pointed at Desheng, who was kowtowing on the ground, and scolded him with exasperation, "You're just too honest! Too stupid! You have no sense at all! Was she really happy? Huh?! She was just pretending! She was putting on an act for me! You can't even see that? And you actually believed it?! She must be feeling extremely uncomfortable right now, but she doesn't want me to notice anything!"
Desheng lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly, and he stammered, "Yes...yes...Your Majesty is wise! It was this servant who was stupid! This servant...this servant is dull-witted! This servant deserves to die!"
In his mind, however, a frantic message was running: Yes, yes, yes! Your Majesty is absolutely right! The young lady is just acting! Keep your imagination running wild!
At that moment, he suddenly understood the young lady's intention in asking him to report the truth.
The emperor is an arrogant person.
He is always hard to believe things that are beyond his expectations, and he will always find a way to justify himself.
If it's a lie, and it's later revealed that Xi Han is actually doing very well, wouldn't Miss's feigned sadness become a crime of deceiving the emperor?
From now on, Miss will openly express that Xihan is great and she likes it very much; whether the Emperor believes it or not is his business.
Even if it is later discovered that Xihan surpasses Jinling, the emperor will have to bear the bitter consequences himself.
Thinking of this, Desheng couldn't help but laugh.
"Let's go see Consort Ru and tell her the good news!"
——
Princess's Residence.
Pei Mingyue leaned against the chaise lounge, her fingertips holding a grape, her gaze falling on Xie Wulu, who was carefully massaging her legs.
It's somewhat useful.
The sound of hurried footsteps came from outside the palace.
"Your Highness!" The maid's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible panic as she quickly walked to the bedside and whispered a few words.
Pei Mingyue's previously languid expression froze instantly!
She tightened her grip on the grapes, and the bright red juice instantly stained her fingertips!
Her almond-shaped eyes widened suddenly, and her pupils contracted sharply!
"What did you say?!"
She sat bolt upright on the couch. "Xie Sangning... has been granted the title of Xihan?! The entire territory?! And this title will be hereditary?!"
"It's...it's news that just came. The imperial edict has been issued, and the whole city knows..." The palace maid's voice trembled with fear, and she lowered her head even further.
Xie Wulu felt a chill run up to the top of his head, and his mind went blank!
Xie Sangning...is bestowed the title of Xihan!
How could this be?!
How is that possible?!
Has the emperor gone mad?! He actually gave the entire Western Han to Xie Sangning?!
He looked up, his face filled with horror and bewilderment!
Not only did he not harm Xie Sangning and the Second Princess in the slightest, he also helped them!
All his scheming, all his forbearance, all his humiliation... all turned into a huge joke at this moment!
He was like a clown, putting on a great show on stage, unaware that he had already become the most foolish supporting character in someone else's script!
"Heh...hehe..."
Xie Wulu couldn't help but laugh out loud at his own self-deprecation.
Pei Mingyue suddenly turned her head.
Those eyes were fixed intently on Xie Wulu!
She was already on the verge of a volcanic eruption!
Why? Why did she just send someone to Xihan secretly yesterday to investigate?! And today Xie Sangning has already obtained Xihan's fiefdom?! Why is the timing so coincidental?!
What a coincidence!
The only explanation is that the information was leaked!
Someone informed Xie Sangning in advance!
And who... is this person who leaked the information?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
