The next morning, Xiu Ying woke up and find that the space beside him is empty. He breathes a sigh of relief. It's better when the emperor leaves first. At least it won't be too awkward.
When Jing Yi came in to prepare the bath, he scanned him up and down, left and right. Try to find any traces left by the emperor.
"What are you looking at? Did I lose my nose or what?" Xiu Ying squinted.
"N- nothing. It's just... are you alright, Young Master?" Jing Yi's eyes fall on Xiu Ying's waist.
Xiu Ying blushes when he finally gets what Jing Yi trying to say. "Why would I not okay?! Nothing happened last night. His Majesty just came to have dinner because he has something to tell me. That's all."
"Really? Then, did His Majesty leaves as soon as both of you were done talking?"
Xiu Ying looks at Jing Yi with a quizzical look, "Don't you know when His Majesty left?"
Jing Yi shakes his head, "No. I and even the guards didn't see when His Majesty walked out from this room. I thought this morning His Majesty is still with Young Master in this room."
Both of them fell into silence.
'O....kay... This is getting scary. He was not on the bed when I woke up but no one saw him exit this room. Then, how did he get out?! Did he just disappear into the thin air? He had magic?! Wait! Do they even have magic in this era? Or what they usually call....cultivation! Did that guy as some cultivation power?'
Jing Yi watches his young master. Knitted brows then suddenly widened eyes, then frowning again. Jing Yi jolts when Xiu Ying suddenly, "Arghh! Whatever! I don't care. Now I want to bath." He quickly gets off the bed and walks into the separate bathroom.
.....
Right after the morning court, Wu Zhang Wei went to Jingren Palace to meet Empress Dowager. When he arrived there, his imperial mother is spending time with Princess Wu Xiao Qing.
"Zhang Wei, what's the important matter that you want to discuss with mother?" asked Wu Jiaying.
"Mother, Zhang Wei needs mother to do some favor for me. Is that alright?"
Wu Jiaying frowns. It is such a rare occasion for the emperor to ask for help from his imperial mother. "Favour? What is it?"
"Hmm... Please give out an order for Concubine Li to help out in the imperial pharmacy. Since imperial pharmacy's matter is under the mother's care, Zhang Wei hopes mother can do it." He sounds a bit commanding but still respectful to his mother.
"Imperial pharmacy? Concubine Li? Why so sudden?"
"Well... when Concubine Li treated Prince Yang before, Zhang Wei heard him talk about the diseases that even our imperial physician didn't know. It seems like he has a broad knowledge of medicine, so Zhang Wei wants to let him work together with our imperial physicians. Zhang Wei sure it will be a great help to improve the medication in our country."
Wu Jiaying has some thoughts and Zhang Wei waits in silence.
"Alright. Mother agrees. Mother was also impressed with the way he handled the matter. It seems like he has more experiences than our physicians." Zhang Wei nods, agreeing.
"Okay. Right after this mother will send out an order to ask Concubine Li to go to the imperial pharmacy."
"Thank you, mother." Zhang Wei bobs his head.
Wu Jiaying clears her throat. "Since mother had done a favor for Zhang Wei, now Zhang Wei needs to answer mother's question HONESTLY." Zhang Wei gulps down his saliva.
"When can mother expect a grandchild?" Her direct question almost makes her son choke.
"Mo- mother... why suddenly asked about gra- grandchild? It's not like any of Zhang Wei's concubine is pregnant." Even the mighty emperor couldn't stand the Empress Dowager's death stares.
"But mother heard that Zhang Wei always spends the night in Concubine Wen's room. Isn't it? Zhang Wei also had slept with all of the concubines except Concubine Li. So, sooner or later there must be a result right?"
"Mo- mother... I didn't- " Zhang Wei was about to say he's close to Wen Qian only because of Xiu Ying but he quickly changed his words, afraid that his mother's anger.
"Zhang Wei becomes close to Concubine Wen because she's different from others. She didn't care about position and whatnot. It's like, she treated Zhang Wei as a friend and so do I. As for other concubines... Zhang Wei only spend the night with them but.... didn't do the deed." He mumbles the last part but still can be heard by Wu Jiaying who sits beside him.
"What?! Didn't do it?! If you want to sleep then just sleep in your own room. There's no need for you to sleep at their place. Why you didn't do it?! How can you just sleep soundly when you're lying beside your concubine? Are you impotent or what?"
"Mother! How could you say that.." Zhang Wei tried to shush his mother from talking too loud to avoid the servants hearing their conversation. If suddenly a rumor he's impotent spreads out, Zhang Wei thinks he can't show his face anymore.
Wu Jiaying calms herself down and huffs. "Then, what's the matter? Do you not like any of them?"
"If can, Zhang Wei doesn't want them to carry my child. Concubine Yu, we all know that her uncle has some relation with Regent in South Empire. We don't want them to overpower us one day by using the excuse that her son is the crown prince." Wu Jiaying slowly nods.
When the Minister of Revenue proposed his niece, Yu Li Na to be Zhang Wei's concubine, both Zhang Wei and Wu Jiaying can predict his real aim. That is to slowly strengthen their power in this country. They reluctantly agreed because they don't want any dispute with the minister.
"Then, what about Concubine Lin?"
"She's not worth mentioning. Someone foul-mouthed and childish like her, if she carries my child, Zhang Wei sure my child won't grow up be a good person."
"Hmm...Concubine Li? Mother thinks he's a good man. Even though in the past he looks a little bit weird now he seems much better in every aspect."
Zhang Wei chuckles. "Mother, don't you know, Concubine Li always asked permission to return home whenever it is his turn? Zhang Wei didn't even have the chance to get to know him."
His face shows no emotion but his heart is actually blooming with happiness when he remembered how last night his beloved slept in his arm. Too bad he has to leave earlier and couldn't stay until morning. He doesn't want anyone to hurt his beloved so he left through the window as not to let those spies see him left the room.
Wu Jiaying sighs. "Zhang Wei, listen to mother. Why don't you just try to accept Concubine Wen? Mother knows she's a good child. She's someone with fewer words but mother knows she bears no ill-intention."
Wu Xiao Qing who just watching his mother and brother's conversation from the aside suddenly speaks up, "Wei-ge, I talked to her once during the banquet and she's okay. Better than Concubine Yu and Concubine Lin. But she's.... so-so. Not that pretty. Let's just hope if you guys have a child, that child will follow Wei-ge's face." She shrugs her shoulders.
"Watch your language, Princess." Empress Dowager glares at her daughter.
Zhang Wei just smiles and shakes his head. "Then, who do you think is the prettiest and suitable for Wei-ge?"
Xiao Qing rubs his chin, poses like she's thinking. "Qing-er thinks...Concubine Li suits Wei-ge. His face is out of this world. Too ethereal! Can't believe such a face was hidden behind that ugly makeup. Thank God he no longer wears it."
Zhang Wei is having a hard time controlling his smile. Feeling happy and relieved when his sister thought so.
Xiao Qing who is used to observing people's acts and expressions noticed the faint smile that plastered on his brother's face for a second. She smirks.
"Wei-ge, do you like Concubine Li?" Xiao Qing's sudden question makes both Zhang Wei and Wu Jiaying immediately turn to her. Zhang Wei's eyes twitched.
Wu Jiaying gently smacks on her daughter's arm, "Why you suddenly say like that?"
"Well... Wei-ge didn't say anything bad about Concubine Li. Then, he suddenly asked mother to place Concubine Li at the imperial pharmacy, which is totally out of his character asking help from mother. Qing-er sure this is Wei-ge's own idea because both of them never spent time together so Concubine Li won't have a chance to ask this matter to be forwarded to mother. In Qing-er's conclusion, Wei-ge is just trying to get close or maybe showing his good side to Concubine Li just to... get his heart." She looks at his brother that squinted his eyes. Xiao Qing smiles triumphantly.
Wu Jiaying slowly turns to Zhang Wei, "I- is that true, son? Zhang Wei likes Concubine Li?"
Zhang Wei opens and closes his mouth, like a fish breathing in water. Didn't know what to answer.
"Mo- mother...don't listen to this kid. She's just kidding." He laughs awkwardly.
Wu Jiaying looks at Zhang Wei with a face saying, 'YOU BETTER TELL ME THE TRUTH'.
Before Zhang Wei could answer, Xiao Qing cuts him off. "It's not wrong to like him. He's pretty, smart, polite and he's clearly doesn't like you which is rare. Unlike the other two. Openly trying to show off their body like a prostitute. That's why, I'll support you, Wei-ge! Someone like Concubine Li is hard to find. So you better get a hold of him."
Wu Jiaying and Zhang Wei look at each other then they look at Xiao Qing.
"Qing-er.... did anything happen between you and Concubine Li before? Or maybe between Concubine Yu and Concubine Lin?" asked Zhang Wei.
She tilts her head, "Why Wei-ge asked?"
"Well, it looks like you hate them and you supporting Concubine Li. You're not the type that takes any sides unless something happened to you that makes you despise them."
Xiao Qing glances at her mother and brother's face full of anticipation, she sighs.
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