Si Ning quickly jumped up almost tumbling and kicking away the chamberstick. He yanked the wardrobe doors wide open, his hands all over the wall pulling the clothes that hinders him from inspecting the walls and dumping them on the floor. After searching for some time and found nothing, Si Ning had to clear out the wardrobe and started checking from the angles, tracing the edges with his fingers till he found a thin wooden plank that covered a cavity in the wall.
The wooden plank was so thin blending in with the wall smoothly that Si Ning wondered how his sister was able to find it. He even struggled before he was able to remove the plank and there was a box that sat on the hardwood in the wall and Si Ning quickly bought it out. It was a beautiful silver box that had his name inscribed on it with beautiful calligraphy. It was quite heavy and Si Ning hoped it contained more than the letters.
Si Ning had to tiptoe to avoid stepping on his clothes. He placed the box on the table and unlocked it by turning the little lock on it, flipping the lid to find neatly arranged letters with a hairpin resting on top of the letters. Si Ning checked to see none of the letters had an address written on them.
"What am I expecting." Si Ning muttered knowing there was nothing like a post office in this era. He either received the letters from the source, a messenger, or received them through the messenger's bird.
The hairpin was a replica of the dragon-shaped golden hairpin which Xiao Pei used to adorn Si Ning's hair back at the camp and he had been using it since then. After carefully checking it and turning it over to inspect it, the design reminded him of the dragon statues in the courtroom. It was quite disappointing to find out the box only contained letters and the hairpin. Si Ning was hoping he would find a journal even though he never kept one.
After burning most candles to read the letters, all Si Ning found out indeed he and the Emperor were lovers and it seemed it started when he was only sixteen but the letters stopped four years ago. Only one letter was dated a year ago and it was in this letter Xiu Zhicheng explained he married his wives to gain a strong foothold in the Great Xiu Nation. Si Ning knew he most likely received this particular letter before going to war but the problem was he had no idea if he sent a reply to Xiu Zhicheng or not.
It seemed he promised to marry Xiu Zhicheng when he had an heir to take over the throne to avoid passing over the throne to another family but Si Ning interpreted this promise as nothing but a statement of a teenager who was at the height of his puppy love. After Xiu Zhicheng had an heir he proceeds to marry two more wives. No matter how Si Ning looked at it, Xiu Zhicheng was nothing but a selfish man who wanted to have it all just because he was the Emperor.
It was exhausting reading all the letters and Si Ning finally dragged himself to bed when he was unable to keep his eyes open. Knowing that he doesn't have to attend the court assembly since he was excused, he slept off like a baby, and the next time he woke up it was already daybreak and he woke up due to Ah Dai that was at his door.
"Young Master Young Master Young Master...."
"What!" Si Ning snapped since Ah Dai that turned into a human alarm refused to leave and kept calling him repeatedly without raising his voice.
Ah Dai waited then repeated. "Young Master..."
"Come in!" Si Ning shouted and sat up brushing his hair back in annoyance. His eyes were swollen, red, and itching terribly. He quickly wiped the tears that were building up in his eyes due to his lack of sleep.
Ah Dai walked in and bowed, his eyes slightly shifted to the clothes Si Ning dumped on the floor. "Young Master, the Governor of Dong state of XilieNation, Prince Qiu Bai is here and waiting for you but Ah Dai told him Young Master is resting but Prince Qiu Bai wanted to wait and he had been waiting for long." He reported sounding guilty since he woke up Si Ning.
Governor of Dong state? Xilie Nation? Prince Qiu Bai?
Si Ning had to take his time blinking back tears that laid in his eyes and tilted his head to process what Ah Dai said. "I will go and meet him." He said after some time. He noticed Ah Dai had finally gotten a prosthetic arm.
"Yes Young Master and also General Shao Lang came this morning but I told him Young Master is resting in and he left but came back with a box containing a hundred-year ginseng and he refused to leave without seeing you." Ah Dai reported.
After some time Si Ning said. "I will go and meet him." He concluded he would see Qiu Bai before Shao Lang.
It was hard not having a manager in this world. Sending for Chen An to receive his visitors would be interpreted to him being rude. He was a bit curious about a Prince of Xilie coming to see him and also if Shao Lang finally came to apologize as Xiu TianZhao instructed him to do when they arrived at Zhonghua. Si Ning concluded he would never accept the apology if Shao Lang apologized to save his face and didn't apologize sincerely for not sending reinforcements.
"The Imperial Doctor apprentice came in this morning, he came to boil medicinal herbs for you and he is waiting because he said Young Master have to drink it while it's hot and he also made a light porridge for Young Master too. "Ah Dai told him before slowly kneeling on the floor. "Forgive me Young Master for being ignorant about your illness."
Si Ning wanted to roll his eyes at how Ah Dai had to interpret his lack of rest to some kind of serious illness. He ignored him, he was already used to Ah Dai acting docile. He now had three uninvited people waiting for him. If he delays Song Feng anymore than necessary then Song Feng might take it up and report to Xiu Zhicheng and that was one thing Si Ning doesn't want.
"Okay, you can stand." Si Ning sighed and placed a hand to support his chin wondering how to deal with Song Feng.
Ah Dai slowly raised to his feet and lowered his head to show his respects. "The messengers from the Imperial palace came to deliver the gifts the Emperor bestowed upon you and Madam received them on Young Master's behalf." He informed Si Ning. "Prince Qiu Bai is waiting in the meeting hall, General Shao Lang is waiting at the pavilion in the back courtyard and Young Master Song Feng is waiting at the dining hall and Ah Dai made sure none of them encounter just as Young Master instructed me."
After listening to Ah Dai. Si Ning concluded even in this world, it was hard being a celebrity.