“Eight, nine, ten pearls! Ten night pearls 1 , five pieces of Lantian jade 2 , six jadeite ornamental thumb rings 3 , further thirteen gold leaves, eight pearl necklaces, and one― eh― what is this thing again? Eh, whatever, as long as it’s worth some money!” After ZiLi closed the door and window and crouched beside the bed, he took out the goods he had collected daily, spread them out on the bedding and carefully assessed them.
“It seems that this is still not enough! Who knows how long I will have to hide and run to completely escape the pursuing soldiers? When the time comes, I will have to use money everywhere to survive! Um-hum, this is indeed not enough! I need to collect some more!” With this in mind, ZiLi carefully wrapped the jewels and was about to put them back under the bed, “Wait, this won’t do, it is too dangerous to put it here! In case someone cleans under the bed and discovers it, all my work will have been for nothing!”
ZiLi looked around the room but discovered that there was no safe place to hide the items!
Please read His Majesty's Hostage Chapter 31 on Project Bezemwagen :-)
Just when ZiLi was worrying about where to hide the stolen goods, he suddenly heard a high-pitched voice from outside the door, “Third Prince of Bei Ling please receive the Imperial decree regarding getting a reward――"Receive the Imperial decree to get a reward? What the hell is going on? ZiLi hastily stuffed the jewels in his hand under the pillow, fixed his crown in his hair and walked towards the door. Before he could open the door, the door was pushed open from outside and Ming Yue and Chun Lan entered with a happy expression on their faces, bowed and said, “Congratulations, Your Highness! Please, come out quickly to receive the Imperial decree!”
ZiLi was somewhat puzzled, as he was escorted out of the main hall, while being held by them left and right. As soon as he reached the entrance to the palace, he was immediately startled by the palace maids and eunuchs, holding salvers in their hands, in the courtyard. Wow, there are so many people!
As soon as Steward Lin 4 saw ZiLi, he immediately came to greet him with a wide-eyed smile and said, “All hail His Highness! A few days ago, I heard that Your Highness was ill. This old servant was very worried, but I could not come to pay my respects to Your Highness because I had to serve His Majesty all the time. But today this old servant has been specially ordered to deliver to Your Highness an Imperial decree. I am relieved now that I see Your Highness's face and body glowing with health!”
From the moment Steward Lin had opened his mouth, ZiLi had despised him the whole time. Such a nasty person, trying to curry favor 5 as soon as it seems advantageous 6 for him! But as they say, ‘You cannot hit the one who is smiling’ 7 . When ZiLi saw that Steward Lin was smiling so much that he could see all his teeth in his mouth, but not his eyes anymore, ZiLi had no choice but to put on a façade. So, he accompanied him, putting on a fake smile and saying a few polite words to him.
Please read His Majesty's Hostage Chapter 31 on Project Bezemwagen :-)
“Just now I heard Steward Lin speak about issuing an Imperial decree. I wonder, what is the Imperial decree Steward Lin will issue about?”“Ah, how foolish of this old servant, because I was talking to Your Highness the issuing of the Imperial decree has been delayed! This morning His Majesty received a tribute from a vassal state, and he was so pleased that he divided it all up and asked the servants to send it to the Imperial concubines and young lords 8 . Your Highness, His Majesty has personally chosen your gifts, which is a rare honor that even the Imperial concubines and young lords cannot enjoy,” Steward Lin was too engrossed in his flattery that he did not notice ZiLi’s increasingly ugly face.
“Your Highness, please take a look at this gift list.”
With a dark face, ZiLi snatched the Imperial decree from Steward Lin’s hand and threw it to the ground. This treacherous action made the surrounding people all turn pale with fright.
They saw ZiLi cursing furiously, “So what? You, go back and tell your Emperor, who thinks he is infallible, that This Highness is not his Imperial concubine from his harem, nor his male pet, and that This Highness does not care about the bullshit tributes he rewards! Take it out, take it all out for me!” ZiLi pushed Steward Lin, who was frozen in place, out.
“Heh, who made Our little hedgehog raise all of his spines on his body this time?” Suddenly, a deep and low voice was heard coming from outside the door.
Please read His Majesty's Hostage Chapter 31 on Project Bezemwagen :-)
“This servant pays his respect to His Majesty!” ZiLi’s action was so startling that the group of palace maids and eunuchs were frozen in place, and it was only when they saw Hong Xu, who had suddenly arrived, that they came back to their senses and hastily knelt on the ground.Among the figures lying on the ground in the main hall and in the courtyard, only ZiLi stood tall. Actually, as soon as he had heard the Emperor’s voice, ZiLi had already regretted his action. It was too reckless, offending this temperamental Emperor when his plan had not even taken shape yet, and he would definitely have to face the consequences for his reckless action! At this moment, when ZiLi was stared at by the Emperor's eyes that were smiling yet not smiling, he immediately lost half of his imposing stance. But since it already came to this, ZiLi had no reason to break his stance and suddenly apologize. That was not his style, and also too humiliating! So ZiLi had no other option but to straighten his back with great difficulty and confront Hong Xu with a completely fearless expression.
“You still have not told Us yet. Why are you losing your temper here?” Hong Xu asked, while walking up to him, his voice sending shivers down ZiLi's spine.
ZiLi swallowed his saliva and replied, “I have told you very clearly before, I am not your male attendant, and I do not care for your special favor!”
“He, so it was Us who has upset Xiao JinYu 9 . In that case, let Us be responsible for making Xiao JinYu happy again! Guards, bring those servants here!”
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