"It's a Vampire. I have read the stories of them." Meimei suggests Yuzu.
Yuzu chuckles "Vampire drinks blood , Meimei."
"Yes .. remember the riddle .. he has two eyes , two feet but no blood. Vampire has two eyes and two feet also he drinks blood because he doesn't got any."
Yuzu shakes his head with a deep sigh "Those are all stories. Let's sleep. It's already midnight."
Meimei frowns "But you said, we need to find the answer today."
Yuzu nods "But we can't leave our lifestyle for a riddle. It's already late. You and I, we both need rest."
"Then what about the riddle ?"
"For that .. I need you little help Meimei. Tomorrow I will visit Minister Xingchen and you will make sure his highness doesn't get the news and appears in front of us out of no where."
Meimei gasps "Is it necessary? Master , his highness just took you back, he even gave you 'Blue moon', what if he hears about this, he will abandon you back to that chamber .."
Yuzu squints his eyes "Does Meimei have any problem living with me in abandoned chamber ?"
Meimei gasps more "no master, I can even go to hell with you. I am just worried about you.."
Yuzu laughes out loud.
Meimei looks at her master worried "what should I do tomorrow?"
"Not much .. just follow Zixuan. And if he comes near us, whistle, make sound or anything.. just let us know. Ok ?"
Meimei nods reluctantly before leaving her master's room. Follow his highness ? Will it be easy ? What if guards attack her thinking her as assassin? What if ...
Meimei shakes her head. She will do it. Minister also said it's good for her master. So she needs to do it. Meimei sighs while closing the door of her master's room.
Yuzu sits silently with a serious face alone in his room. He has written the lines of the riddle in a piece of paper after Zixuan left his room.Now he burns the paper slowly with the candle in his room. It can't be possible. Whatever he is thinking, should be wrong.
Yuzu sighs as the paper turns into ash completely. All of these never happened in his previous life. Why this life is so different than his last life ? Is it only because he decided to protest ?
It can be. In his last life he never protested and the healer was never captured for lying. In this life healer got arrestested and maybe, he confessed his bigger lies to get mercy?
Yuzu stands up. He can't sleep tonight like this. It is serious. But he is sure if he goes to visit Xingchen now, that will creat a huge trouble for both of them. But can he meet the healer in the dungeon?"
Yuzu steps out of his room with a shawl covering his upper body. He looks at his left side. He doesn't know if it's co-incidence or not but his and Zixuan's room is side by side to each other. If he needs to leave his room, he needs to pass by the entrance of Zixuan's room.
Yuzu just wishes Zixuan is still in Jia-li room because if not he can't leave. Yuzu takes one step forward. No hindrance. Two steps .. three steps.
He waits for Zixuan to come out. Nothing. Yuzu runs out of the the hall with blue moon jingling on his head.
He heads straight for the garden. He knows a shortcut of dungeon from the garden. Once he was thrown in dungeon in last life, that time... Meimei used to visit him through that shortcut. He never thought he himself will use the shortcut this life.
Yuzu stops in front of garden gate with a rushed breath.
"Water ?"
Yuzu nods and takes the glass "Thank y... "
Yuzu looks at Zixuan with wide eyes.
Zixuan stands there in front of him in all his glory.
Yuzu looks at the indifferent expression on Zixuan's face. He can't read it. He stays silent with the glass of water in his hand.
Zixuan keeps looking at Yuzu without saying anything.
Yuzu gulps. "I ... Just needed some fresh air."
"Drink the water." Zixuan folds his arms in front of him.
Yuzu looks down at the glass. Then he looks up. "I ..
"Drink!" Zixuan orders.
Yuzu gulps before hurriedly drinking the water.
"Go back to your room." Zixuan orders again as Yuzu finishes the glass of water.
Yuzu blinks. Why Zixuan seems so calm. It's not the usual self of Zixuan.
"I was not going to meet any minister." Yuzu informs before cursing himself in mind. Why the hell should he explain anything to Zixuan? Why he can't get rid of that old Yuzu?
"Go back." Zixuan takes the glass back from Yuzu.
Yuzu frowns this time "Don't behave like I am in the wrong. Does your every consort take your permission before leaving the palace ?"
Zixuan looks directly in the eyes of Yuzu "I have never seen a consort sneaking out like a thief in a night gown."
"I am a male. There is nothing in me that could be sexualised in night gown." Yuzu retorts.
Zixuan closes his eyes calmly "N.Consort Yuzu, you are the consort of the Zi kingdom. If not about mine, then think about your own reputation."
"I am not doing anything wrong."
"Then why sneak out ? Walk out like a noble consort. People only sneak out when they are doing something wrong, something shameful." Zixuan walks past Yuzu to leave the garden gate. He didn't ask Yuzu to go back again.
Yuzu stand in front of garden gate alone with a gloom face. He hates Zixuan but he hates himself more.
He took his one whole life to get imume to Zixuan's anger and hatred only to realise he is not imune to Zixuan's indifference.
Yuzu hits the garden gate with his palm while breaking down in tears. Why again ? Why again, he is crying for the same man ..?
Zixuan stops hearing a loud bang. He turns around... only to find an empty stop where consort Yuzu was standing.
Zixuan closes his eyes with a gritted teeth again. He can't believe, even after listening such harsh words, consort Yuzu still went to visit Xingchen. So they are really having an affair ?
Zixuan strides towards his room with a sour face. How can Yuzu be so daring ? Even if he dares as the noble consort, how the fuck Xingchen betray him ? Xingchen isn't bad looking. He can get any man in the kingdom if he wants, why going after the only man that belongs to him.
Zixuan growls in anger as soon as he steps into his room "GUARDS !"
The guard who was guarding the door of Zixuan walks in "your highness !"
"Go guard Minister Xingchen's chamber from today. Notice each and every person that comes to visit minister Xingchen. Inform me then and there if any of my consort visits minister Xingchen at any hour."
The guard bows "Noted.your highness."
"Start from now. Go and see the activity of the Minister , I want the information in half an hour." Zixuan orders before sitting on his bed.
"Guards !" He calls again with a eased tone this time.
"Another guard walks in "your highness."
"Go and watch the activity of concubine Jia-li, if she falls down, breaks her leg, gets poisoned or dies .. call the healer first, before me. If I ever get a fake summon again, I will cut all the tongues that summoned me."
The guard scrunched his face in worry "Noted. Your highness."
Zixuan takes a deep breath "If she slaps you, throws tantrums or harms you physically, complain to the noble consort."
He should do at least one of his duties. Zixuan mumbles to himself before looking at the guard again "Has Noble consort called for a morning greetings yet ?"
"His highness, called for one tomorrow but it is cancelled. It will be the next day after tomorrow. First hour morning greeting are reserved of the servants and second hour for the consorts and concubines."
Zixuan raises his one eyebrow hearing the alternate way. First hour for servants ? Zixuan nods anyway.
"Ok, retreat and start your new job from tomorrow."
The guard bows.
The guard was about to leave when one thing struck in Zixuan's brain. "Wait ! What reason has noble consort gave to cancel tomorrow's greetings?"
The guard turns around "His highness hasn't said anything. His head maid informed us about the cancellation. She was saying, his highness has a very important job to do tomorrow.
"Very important job ?"
"Yes ! Your highness."
Zixuan tilts his head a little "Do another thing. Announce my order to the palace early in the morning tomorrow."
"Announce .....
"Today's court is cancelled as his highness has to go out of the palace for a very important job. Therefore, he orders the ministers to carry on their responsibility without any slack. His highness will return to the palace till evening."
Meimei repeats the exact same words that the courtier announced early in the morning.
Yuzu takes a breath of relief "well, that's .. a good news."
"Yes ! We can visit minister, ask the meaning of the riddle and come back before his highness comes back."
Yuzu nods "No .. not we. You stay here and keep an eye on Zixuan's room. He visits his room first whenever he returns from anywhere. What if he returns early ?"
"Oh ! You are right , master. Ok, If his highness returns early, I will inform you first."
Yuzu smiles thinly as Meimei didn't catch his intention of leaving her behind. "Then, I am leaving."
"Be careful, master. There are some stupid servants who speak bullshit about you." Meimei replies cautiously.
"Like how I am a cruel scum consort who ordered to shave heads of two beautiful women?"
"You know ?" Meimei asks.
"I do. I know everything.Don't worry."
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( A/n )
Hey everybody,
I wanted to let you all know about this long time ago, but I go busy with my life.
ঃ So, the first thing is ..
One day a notification came from this wattpad account saying this story is eligible for Wattys 2023 award (submission)
So, you all deserve a huge thank you from me. This was something new and something wonderful. You all found me out of nowhere, read my story, cursed my ML , loved my MC and made my day and still doing it.
I am an introvert girl with literally no friend , so wattpad is like a home to me. You all are my warm family members ... So, thank you so much.
ঃ The second thing is,
Is anybody interested in pictures of the charecters ? Animated like you see in manga ... I don't use Ai but I do paint in watercolour. If you are interested, let me know. I'll share another news with you !
With regards
_Bee !