What an Audacious and Sly Servant! Chapter 102

The second half of the banquet. Not much of a drama here (or at least for now).

I edited some of the parts in the previous two chapters especially concerning Yu Qing Ruo. Previously known as female emperor, I changed to female prince after reaching this chapter due to clearer clarification.

Chapter 102 – All Stars Gathering (Second Half)

Translated by HaruOngy at Geniusly Plain (If you can see this line, you must have read this in the aggregator site which illegally steal various works. Be shameful of yourself for not appreciating the translator's hard work. Don't think only you want to have it the easy way. Support the fanbase and translator!)

Zhao Shu Ran and Qian Qian returned to their respective seats. The crowd unceremoniously turned their gaze to the female prince from Po Ye country who had yet to talk. This Po Ye country was at the eastern side of the Chu country, voyaging through the sea would need at least half a month to reach the other side. Because the usual sea route was calm most of the time, the trading between two countries had always been frequent. However, Po Ye imperial family had always been claiming themselves as descendants of a banished immortal. They preferred those bizarre things. Even most of the successors were mostly women and they rarely took part in political affairs.

Chu Xun too didn't expect this time Po Ye country would actually take part this time and came this promptly.

Yu Qing Ruo's appearance, seeing all the five parts separately, they would look quite normal. However, combining them on her face, they seemed to have a demonic power that made others lingered on. This was probably known as worth a second look. Plus, this lady had excellent skin, there was no need for pace powder as she was noble and unsullied.

She felt nothing about those staring at her. She smiled slightly. Her clear and cold voice was calm, "I have make others laugh. I have no talent worth showing. Although there is no poor show, I can present a gift. I heard Emperor Chu has great interest in taking care of his face. I specially bring a heavenly face care product from Po Ye as a gift for Emperor Chu."

After saying, she pulled out a palm-size lacquer box from her sleeve and past to the maidservant behind her. The maidservant respectfully sent it over. Yu Qing Ruo smiled beamingly while looking at Chu Xun, waiting for Chu Xun to open it.

Chu Xun was curious, he stretched his hand to receive it.

Halfway, he got stopped by gonggong.

Chu Xun: Hey! Zhen's heavenly face care product!

Mei Qian Deng calmly snatched away the box and softly said, "Your Majesty, it's the rule of the palace. Things given to the Emperor must be checked by nucai first."

Chu Xun pursed his lips and took back his hand.

Mei Qian Deng opened the box in Chu Xun's stead. She saw a black piece of wood was inside it. It had a light, sweet smell. Mei Qian Deng let Chu Xun see from afar before closing back the small box.

"It's a sea agarwood." Yu Qing Ruo introduced it, "Grown at the bottom of the deep sea, growing with the qilin coral. It grows only a bit every ten years. With this sea agarwood's length, it is estimated to be around ten thousand years old. Your Majesty and Empress Dowager just have to place this sea agarwood in clear water and use this water to clean your face and take bath every day to nurture your skin tender and white. Our imperial palace has a much larger piece and been used for a hundred years. The princes and princesses used this type of bath since young." No wonder this female prince's skin was this good.

Chu Xun's eyes were already shining. He motioned with his hand at Mei Qian Deng, signalling her to bring over that box. Although Mei Qian Deng had never see sea agarwood, she had heard before the wonder of this item back when she worked for Qian Wan San. The female warrior didn't put much importance about the external look and wealth. She had heard it and thought about it before. She never thought today she could see this mysterious item. When Chu Xun opened the box again, she took another two looks.

Really couldn't be judged by its appearance.

"Good, good, good. Female prince's kindness really reaches zhen's heart."

"As long as Emperor Chu likes it."

The Empress Dowager let Xiao gonggong to step forward and offer the nine rotating tinkling pendants. Yu Qing Ruo selected the one made of white jade and carved with orchids. Empress Dowager said with a smile, "Po Ye's female prince gifted such a big present, making aijia this old woman's small toys look quite lacking. Female Prince Qing Ruo, please come over here."

Yu Qing Ruo abided by her words as she stood up and walked to the Empress Dowager's side.

The people at the back had stretched their neck to see what the Empress Dowager was doing. Xie Yun who was munching melon seeds and the lady sitting beside her were watching the commotion while conversing lividly.

The big young miss's eyes were red, "My father had said before that Po Ye is just a small country, unenlightened and behind the times. This female prince instead is rich and imposing."

Xie Yun spat out the shell of the melon seeds and looked at that big young miss, "That mind-set of your father is very dangerous. Look at how scheming she Yu Qing Ruo is, saying she has no talent and won't perform. It's probably because she looks down at this childish game. To gain a man's favour, making oneself into like a monkey."

"Big Sister, you know this too."

"Of course I know."

Right now, the Empress Dowager was holding Yu Qing Ruo's hand while taking down a jade bracelet from her own wrist. "Aijia's bracelet is not as precious as the sea agarwood. Please don't dislike this, female prince."

Yu Qing Ruo smiled and said, "For Empress Dowager willing to give personal item, it's Yu Qing Ruo's biggest fortune. It's said that jade cultivates a person. This jade bracelet had been worn on the world's most honourable person and drew the energy from the world for so many years. Gifting it now to me, it's me who had gained a lot."

Let's not say whether the Empress Dowager's jade bracelet was expensive or not, just ask the ladies other than Yu Qing Ruo who attended this banquet, who could get addition gift from the Empress Dowager? Most of them felt Yu Qing Ruo was the biggest winner for today's scene.

The big young miss beside Xie Yun sighed, "As expected, until the end we will not know where the flower will fall to."

Xie Yun, "Hey, you know nothing. Yu Qing Ruo coming here this time must had sounded out the Emperor's likes and expended some energy for it. His Majesty is long used to receiving expensive gifts and feels nothing about it anymore while Empress Dowager emphasises on manners the most. She even manage the imperial palace in the Empress' place. Of course she will overanxious a bit. I'm not as shallow as the outsiders, only seeing Empress Dowager specially treats Yu Qing Ruo. It's more like a mother-in-law feeling satisfied with her daughter-in-law. Probably, everything is part of Yu Qing Ruo's plan."

Xie Yun drank some tea to wet her throat. She felt grateful for the knowledge from all those years reading imperial harem battle novels. She suddenly remembered there was an important figure at the scene too and hastily glanced at her little sister-in-law who looked like she was not part of this standing beside Chu Xun. She sighed again.

"Big Sister, for you to sigh repeatedly is it because you too think there is no chance for us?"

Xie Yun raised her hand and clapped the young girl's shoulder, "It's better to realise the truth earlier. For you to be sitting here, your age must not be so young anymore. Look back and the shore is at hand[1], quickly find a matching family and marry off."

After the banquet hosted by Empress Dowager ended, let's not mention about how all sorts of comments spread among the imperial court and the commoners first.

Everyone could see Chu Xun happily hugged the sea agarwood gifted by Yu Qing Ruo as he quickly returned to the Ming Jue Palace. He was eager to try the sea agarwood. Mei Qian Deng maintained a steady speed as she followed behind him. Female warrior Mei imagined to herself that the Emperor was surrounded by multicolours bubbles and even accompanied by a merry background music.

Chu Xun's heart was in bliss when he suddenly remembered something. He immediately stopped walking. At a certain flat alley in the imperial palace, under the silent moonlight and the heavy palace walls, he turned around and looked at Mei Qian Deng with a beaming smile.

"Xiao Mei Zi~" According to Mei Qian Deng's experience as a eunuch, when the Emperor was in good mood, he would call her Xiao Mei Zi. When he was normal, he would call Mei gonggong. When he was angry, he would point at her nose while scolding her 'audacious, sly servant'. Although normally he had lots of time when he was happy, it absolutely was never like this. Xiao Mei Zi with a drag at the end while carrying a mild taste of coquettishness.

Mei Qian Deng shuddered and took a step backward.

"Zhen had guessed you will like those little gifts Imperial Mother gave to those young misses. Earlier, you're staring at Xiao gonggong's tray."

Mei Qian Deng, "Nucai didn't."

"There's nothing embarrassing to admit it." Chu Xun fished out something from his chest and stuffed it into Mei Qian Deng's hands without any word. He was like a child as he threw up his chin, extremely satisfied.

Mei Qian Deng opened her hands to look. It was a nine rotating tinkling pendant. However it was more exquisite than the waist pendants gifted by Empress Dowager. Using the rainbow coloured glaze as the base, it was carved with winding patterns. It was larger than the waist pendant by one time. Inside was a real nine layers, a ball inside another ball. It was a superb craftsmanship. "Zhen specially ordered the artisan to make a different one. Keep it well."

The pendant still had remnants of Chu Xun's body heat. Thinking back, this scheming Emperor had been holding this pendant throughout the whole banquet, it was really not easy. Mei Qian Deng sized up Chu Xun's chest.

Chu Xun instantly pulled his clothes, "What are you looking at?"

"Thankfully, Your Majesty is thin." A ball was hidden in his chest yet it was unnoticeable. Else, others would misunderstand the Emperor had big chest. That was still fine, what if someone imagined the Emperor had exaggerated pectoral muscles? It would really hurt Chu Xun's brilliance.

The scheming Emperor rolled his eyes and understood the underlying meaning behind Mei gonggong's words. He frowned. Pointing at Mei Qian Deng's flat chest, he retorted, "It's good too that you're thin."

Don't say anymore. What if you angered female warrior Mei until she throw the nine rotating tinkling pendant at your face on the spot? Even if you use the sea agarwood to wash your face every day, it probably will not be able to smooth out the big pit on your face.

It was good that Mei Qian Deng didn't mind it. She kept the gift, thanked him and with the usual calm face, she continued following Chu Xun walked forward.

However, what the imperial palace didn't lack the most was a pair of peeping eyes.

[1] An idiom. To repent and be saved.

Chapter end

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