Chen Liqin was thinking while Shao Chen was patting his head. The pain made the temple area twitching very hard.
"I have given you the money so you have to follow my order! You understand?"
Shao Chen felt a bit reluctant. He did not want to obey to this hateful emperor but he could not help to drool on his money. At last he nodded reluctantly.
Knowing what was in Shao Chen's head, Chen Liqin decided to add the coins amount if Shao Chen could perform well.
"Okay!" Shao Chen immediately agreed, fearing Chen Liqin would change his mind.
Meanwhile, the guards were dumbfounded. Because of lack of lighting inside the pavilion, they could only see the silhouette of the two which came out to be a bit too intimate.
"I could not believe my eyes!" He Tao's impression of the emperor was crashed into dust.
"Did you see that? His Majesty was touching Young Miss's face! Did they kiss?" Wei Dong asked in small voice.
Lu Yang shook his head. Even though he felt disappointed towards the emperor but it still very wrong to peep on his majesty's private life so he pulled the two away before the guilt inside his heart got bigger and bigger.
Not long after that, Chen Liqin went out of the pavilion in deep thought. He had to come up with a good way to make that crazy girl's brain became more useful!
****
The next morning, a rumor had shocked almost all of the palace residence.
"Did you hear about that harem girl?" One of the maidservants asked to her colleague.
"Which harem girl?"
"Oh! Come one! Which harem girl will make us gossip like this if not that crazy one?"
"Oh! What did she do again?"
At the same time, on another side of the palace, the same question was heard.
"I heard that His Majesty The Emperor had 'this kind' of relationship with that crazy girl!" one of them exclaimed. With red face, she tangled his index fingers together, then twisted them several times to depict on the intimate relationship he meant.
"Oh my God! Are you sure?! Is not His Majesty ha—"
"Sshh! Lower your voice!" The servant turned around, making sure that it was safe to continue. She then leaned her body closer to her friends. "I am also shock when hearing that rumor! We know that His Majesty is as faithful as His Supreme Majesty."
One of them clicked her tongue. "It is true that man could not be trusted!" They began to pity Ming Yu even though, before today, they were jealous of the empress-to-be to had the love of their emperor.
The rumor continued to spread like a virus until it reached Ming Yu's ears. Ming Yu eyes narrowed with a sinister glint. He slapped the tea table beside him. "I thought by crying in front of him, he won't act flirtatious towards that girl again!"
When the rumor reached Ming Yu, it had been the nth updated version that became more vulgar than the initial one. Of course the vulgar act that had been spread was not true. Ming Yu knew the best how faithful the emperor was and he won't cross the line when having Ming Yu as his lover. However, looking at Chen Liqin's personality, Ming Yu could not feel at ease because when that man was willing to or to be approached by someone, there was something that caught his interest.
'I have to do something! If that old man find about this, I will be punished.' He was also unwilling to let this luxurious life go. He did not want to live in poverty again.
Someone on the other side of the bed rolled towards Ming Yu. Two strong arms circled tightly on Ming Yu's slim waist. "Did something happen?" The quilt fell, exposing a naked muscular body.
"Junjie, you better catch that Young Master from Yao family quickly. He began to become an eye sore!" Ming Yu grumbled while releasing himself from Dai Junjie's embrace. He picked the scattered clothes on the floor then threw them at Dai Junjie's face.
"What had he done?" Dai Junjie removed the clothes from his face, yawn before wearing his clothes.
Ming Yu told him the whole rumor. "You knew Liqin's character, right? I am afraid he won't love me anymore if we let that crazy from Yao kept loitering around Liqin!"
"I know. Besides that, that document must also in that Young Master's possession. If it gets to Liqin's hands, it won't be good."
"Then …." Ming Yu's eyes sparkled with hope but were instantly erased by Dai Junjie's next words.
"I could not dispose him know."
"Why?!"
"'He' insisted to get the document himself. Besides, if I suddenly talk to Yao Yusheng, it will invite suspicion." Dai Junjie got out of the bed. He had worn all of his clothes so it was time to get out from here before Ming Yu's servants came to visit.
Ming Yu snorted. "How can 'he' get the document himself? Did not 'he' fail yesterday? 'He' even get injured and we had to clean up 'his' mess. Useless!"
Dai Junjie did not want to give any response. He opened the door then went away in the blink of an eye. Ming Yu wanted to throw anything around him but at last, he restrained himself.
His position in the palace had been threatened. If he threw tantrum now, his impression might get worse.
'Calm down … Chen Liqin loves you very much! He won't throw you away just because of that silly Young Master.'
If Chen Liqin knew about this rumor, he will ran to Ming Yu sooner or later to clear the misunderstanding. 'When that happened ….' Ming Yu chuckled. His brain had cooked some good idea ….
*****
Wei Dong suddenly got smack in the head. He groaned while looking back, finding Lu Yang with two arms on the hips, glaring at him.
"Senior! You are so mean!"
Without any mercy, Lu Yang smacked Wei Dong's head again. "You are such a big mouth! Why did you spread that rumor, hah?!"
Wei Dong rolled his eyes to the sky. "I—I don't!" he lied.
"You still did not want to admit your mistake?!" Lu Yang almost smacked Wei Dong's head again when Shao Chen suddenly appeared from the direction of the cold palace.
"Young Miss, do you need something?" Wei Dong immediately dodged Lu Yang's hand then ran towards Shao Chen.
"No."
"Oh … maybe … I can help you bring your bag?" Wei Dong asked, desperately trying to find an excuse that could take him away from here for a while.
Shao Chen looked at his hands. "I don't bring bag."
"Hmm … then maybe—Uahhh!" Lu Yang pulled Wei Dong's collar, separating him from Shao Chen.
Lu Yang looked at Shao Chen apologetically. "I am so sorry, Young Miss. He had disturbed you right? I will punished him now." Lu Yang bended his lips upward but the smile did not reach his dark eyes which was staring at Wei Dong.
Wei Dong shivered. "Uahhh … Young Miss, please bring me with you!" he pleaded but before Shao Chen could response, he had been dragged away.
Shao Chen blinked several times, tilted his head in confusion. However, he did not dwell on it too long. He did not want to be late on his revenge so he immediately went to the kitchen.
"Good Morning, Shao Chen! I did not meet you yesterday." Chen Yongrui suddenly appeared beside him. He looked a bit annoyed even though a smile was painted on his face. His hand took out a gold coin in front of Shao Chen's eyes.
Shao Chen instantly distracted. His eyes sparkled and he almost stretched out his hand to get the coin when Chen Liqin's words playing inside his brain. His hand stopped in the air.
Chen Yongrui raised his eyebrows. He did not expect this kind of response from Shao Chen. "What happen?"
Shao Chen's hand slowly moved away from the coin. "I had promised not to accept coins from other people," he said dejectedly.
Chen Yongrui's eyes darken. "Who?"
"What?"
"Who asked you to make that promise?"
"Thief Emperor."
Chen Yongrui could not believe his ears. His eyes widen in shock and his feature became uglier. He wanted to say something but Shao Chen had arrived at the kitchen, asking for sweet tea.
This time, the maidservant that got his order did not seem very annoyed. Instead, he stared at Shao Chen intently as if wanted to say something but stopped before the words could go out from her mouth.
Shao Chen himself did not aware of it as he never cared about his surrounding from the beginning. He reminded himself incessantly to check on the Thief Emperor expression today when he drank the tea.
After getting the tea, he went out of the kitchen. Chen Yongrui still waiting for him there
"Is the rumor true?" Chen Yongrui asked.
"Rumor?"
Chen Yongrui nodded. "The rumor said that you do that kind of thing with Brother Liqin." He knew this rumor because the rumor had reached every high-ranking officials' ears. He did not believe it first but after hearing his brother asking Shao Chen to keep that promise, he could not be very sure anymore.
On the other hand, Shao Chen was more confused. "Do that kind of thing?"
'What kind of thing did I do to that Thief Emperor?' Lately, he only carried out his revenge plan. Don't 'say that, I had been found?!'
"Do …." Chen Yongrui stopped. He was unwilling to utter that kind of vulgar act from his mouth.
Shao Chen stiffened. If they knew about his revenge plan, what should he do? The Jiang sisters had warned him about this but he could not remember the detail anymore. Cold sweat started to trickle down his forehead.
"Doing that kind of thing on the bed." Chen Yongrui's voice became smaller gradually.
However, Shao Chen still could heard it clearly because of their closeness. 'Doing that kind of thing … on the … bed …?' Shao Chen's brain had short circuited for a second before the picture of what had he done with all of the girls from his previous life playing like a documentary film. At the same time, he stopped walking.
"Shao Chen?"
"HAH?!"
"Wuah! Wh—what happen?"
"I—i—impossible! How could I have done that? He is a man!" He was too shocked that the tray on his hand almost fell.
Chen Yongrui frowned deeply. "Yes … indeed, brother is a man … but, what is weird about that?"
For the first time in his life, Shao Chen felt thunder stroke in his head. He stared at Chen Yongrui like Chen Yongrui was a weird species. "Of—"
"Shao Chen!"
Yan Mei suddenly appeared from nowhere, trotted towards Shao Chen with a big smile. "What are you doing here?"
"Chen Yongrui hoped for Her Highness Queen Mother for a great health, long live and blessing." Chen Yongrui immediately cupped his hand and bowed.
"Oh my! You are very handsome today!" Yan Mei praised.
Chen Yongrui chuckled. "Queen Mother, I am also very handsome yesterday, no?" he asked in a funny tone.
Yan Mei laughed. "Yes, but today you dress very neat that your handsomeness was doubled!"
No one had brought up this topic before Yan Mei but Chen Yongrui really dressed very neatly today. Before, he would wear a very loose clothes that expose some area of his body but today, he used the proper casual clothing of a prince which was tightly closed from neck to toe.
"Haha … my father had been nagging nonstop about this. Today, father even forbid me to go out if I did not use these clothes, so I have no other choice." Chen Yongrui sighed. Being reminded by this tight clothing, he could not stop tugging on the collar uncomfortably.
"I see. You know your father meant good."
Chen Yongrui smiled helplessly. "I know."
Yan Mei looked at Shao Chen then at Chen Yongrui before asking, "Do you have something to say to Shao Chen? If not, I need to talk to her in private."
"I have done talking with her. Then, I will excuse myself." Chen Yongrui cupped his hand then bowed before walking away.
Shao Chen looked at Yan Mei in silent, waiting for her to talk but Yan Mei did not say anything until Shao Chen lost his patience. "What do you want to talk?"
Yan Mei was brought back from her thought, smiled happily. "Nothing! Let's go to the office!" She hooked her hand on Shao Chen then pulled him towards imperial office.
Inside her heart, she heaved a sigh of relief. Fortunately, she was passing the area and could interrupt Shao Chen's words.
'If not, everyone will know that he was a boy!'