Chapter 33: Slap

Wei Chi Li got goosebumps from her head to feet and quickly took 3 steps back, almost bumping into Liu Wen Chang.

“You are….” She endured her numbing scalps as she asked.

“This sage’s surname is Li and is a palace eunuch. Today, by the emperor’s order, hereby invites Wei Chi Princess to enter the palace and meet the emperor.” That man bent down lower and moved a few steps closer to Wei Chi Li.

Wei Chi Li stepped back again and turned her head to asked Liu Wen Chang: “Are all the eunuchs here like him?”

Liu Wen Chang could not handle the discomfort too. While rubbing his sweaty arm, he whispered: “Normally not. But Eunuch Li is a special case.” 

Understanding this, Wei Chi Li nodded then turn around with a smile on her face: “So it turns out to be Eunuch Li. I’m afraid I have been a poor host, please sit down quickly.”

Eunuch Li smacked Wei Chi Li and said: “The princess has joked. The emperor is still waiting for this one to return. A carriage has been prepared outside the mansion for the princess. You can freshen up and enter the palace.”

Wei Chi Li clutched her aching arm that was smacked by him and laughed with difficulty.

“Can eunuch tell me why the emperor has summoned me into the palace?” Wei Chi Li removed the jade ring from her finger and stuffed it into Eunuch Li’s hand.

Eunuch Li light up with pleasure as he kept the ring, moving a little closer to Wei Chi Li and said with a mysterious attitude: It seems like someone from the Northern Territory has come and indicated that they want to see you. Emperor has said that since you have come to Yan country, you have only been to the palace a few times. So, he summoned you to the palace to chat.” 

Wei Chi Li slightly wrinkled her nose, enduring the perfume scent on his body and said politely: “So that’s the case. Many thanks to Eunuch Li.”

After Eunuch Li exchanged another round of polite remarks then left with a twist and turn. When he left, he took out the jade ring and raised his head to looked at its quality and was very satisfied.

This Northern Territory princess was slicker than when she first came. This was better too as it was much more convenient to talk her and was able to get some good things too.

Wei Chi Li kept up an appropriate smile until she could no longer smell that perfume then let out a long and comfortable sigh as she supported herself on the shoulder of the person behind and coughed.

The choking made her head hurts. Such an interesting person stays by the emperor’s side every day. Could this Yan Country’s emperor already be in late stages of rhinitis?

“What is the matter with princess?” A familiar voice came from above her head and Wei Chi Li immediately stood up straight and smile.

“It is nothing. It is just, that the weather is dry.” she gave a perfunctory answer.

When did Liu Luo Yi walk up to behind her?

Liu Luo Yi looked Wei Chi Li up and down lightly, slightly furrowed her brows: “Princess has changed, incense? Why is it so pungent?”

Wei Chi Li was stunned for a moment and when the words reached her mouth has changed into: “Yes. I have just change incense. Xin Ran bought it and was being cheap, so it was especially unpleasant. I will teach her a lesson later.”

Xin Ran was used to taking the blame and when Liu Luo Yi looked over, she gloomily put on a slightly brilliant smile. 

“Um, I have something and need to go out. You shall accompany Liu Wen Chang as he practised with his sword. I will be back soon.” Wei Chi Li chuckled, turned, and left.

“Don’t pretend anymore. I will go to the palace with you.” Liu Luo Yi said.

“You heard it and still lied to me?” Wei Chi Li turned around and pretended to be angry.

“And weren’t you trying to keep this from me and enter the palace alone?” Liu Luo Yi’s eyes were cold.

Hearing this, Wei Chi Li immediately softened her attitude and moved closer to her side and persuaded earnestly: “You should stay at the mansion with ease. It is too dangerous, if upon entering the palace, you were eyed on by the person hidden in the dark.”

“But if you are not by my side, wouldn’t I be in more danger.” Liu Luo Yi was unmoved.

“Moreover, I will be worried about you.” Liu Luo Yi whispered.

She lowered her eyes so that others could not see the emotions in her eyes. Wei Chi Li could not stand seeing her like this and gave in easily. She sighed: “Forget it. With me around, nothing will happen. It is just that you have to keep following behind me and say that you are my servant.”

So, in the end, the 2 still rode in the same carriage as it wobbles to the imperial city.

The Imperial carriage was indeed exquisite as there were even cushions on the seats in the carriage making it extremely comfortable. Wei Chi Li leaned against the wall comfortably as she recalls the plot in the original book. Perhaps because it was too long ago, a lot of details has blurred.

Only remembering the Liu Luo Yi in the original book that apart from going to school, she had almost never gone out and never entered the palace at all.

Later, after she was sealed as the main wife, she performed a dance at the palace banquet and was thought highly by the emperor. She was sealed as ‘something something mandate wife’ and even rewarded Lu Yun Kui a lot of things.

It also caused an uproar in the capital.

She asked Liu Luo Yi cautiously: “Have you been to the palace before?”

“No. My father is strict with me so, every time he does not allow me to enter the palace. Even going out for a walk outside the mansion was not allowed.” Liu Luo Yi said as her eyes were a little dim.

Wei Chi Li often felt that this matter was a little odd. Yan country’s social custom was open and although women still have a lowly status, they could go out for a stroll. There were also many female officials in the palace. As a dignified prime minister, Liu Ru neither allows her daughter to go out nor enter the palace. What was the reason for it?

Was he afraid that his daughter was too beautiful, and the emperor would be smitten?

Thinking like this, Wei Chi Li immediately felt that it was not possible. She rarely went out yet was widely known as the number 1 beauty. If she were to appear in the palace carelessly, would she not be coveted even more?

“I felt that it is not right. It is better to let Xin Ran send you back.” Wei Chi Li hesitated then said.

Hearing this, Liu Luo Yi suddenly grabbed Wei Chi Li’s sleeves, raising her eyes, and said: “I’m afraid.”

She does not dare to be too far away from Wei Chi Li. It seems that as long as there was Wei Chi Li, whether it was at a mountain full of knives or in the depth of fire, it was safe.

She was terrified of such dependence yet was not able break away from it.

Wei Chi Li looked at the slender and tender fingers that were clutching her sleeves and a strange feeling surged in her heart. Then immediately she said ‘forget it’ in her heart as it was rare for her to be so wilful, so she let her be.

It was better to see her being wilful than seeing her being so cautious every day.

The 2 did not say anything anymore as they went all the way to the imperial city in silence. The carriage stopped abruptly, and Xin Ran stuck her head in: “Princess, we are here.”

Wei Chi Li leapt down lightly and reached out to Liu Luo Yi. Liu Luo Yi jumped down and inevitably fell into Wei Chi Li’s arm. She blushed and backed away, hiding her uneasiness.

Wei Chi Li did not notice anything as she stuck her hands to her waist and looked up at the majestic red palace gate. Smacking her lips and sighed: “This old lady was able to see a palace that is not a cultural relic. It was worth it.”

The 2 guards drew their swords with a ‘shua’ and said loudly: “Who is here!”

Wei Chi Li was startled as to why the sound travelled from all direction. She raised her head to look and saw that there were 5 heads protruding out from above the gate at the same time and shouting together.

“Who is here!” They shouted again. Seeing such ghostly like scene, Wei Chi Li held back her laughter and took out her waist token and swayed it in front of them.

“Greetings to Wei Chi Princess!” There was another consistent movement sound then with a loud crash, the palace gate opened, revealing a high arched passage. Wei Chi Li turned her head and let out her sleeves and after Liu Luo Yi grasped it only then did she walked in.

Xin Ran felt aggrieved as she followed behind. Saying in her heart that both were slaves but did not receive such treatment. 

This was also her first time entering the palace, she was also panicking!

The Imperial palace was indeed the imperial palace. The moment they entered, Wei Chi Li was lost and had grabbed a few palace attendants before finally asking for the right direction. Bewildered all the way to the Imperial study room then went around several times before encountering a three-way intersection.

Wei Chi Li was so angry that she rolled her eyes and said in her heart that this emperor makes people work hard and waste money for nothing. Designing a palace like a maze, torturing people.

She turned around to look at Liu Luo Yi who was obviously unable to walk anymore but refused to say anything and said softly: “There is no one passing by here, wait here first. I will go explore first. Xin Ran, protect her.”

Xin Ran hugged her sword with a darkened face and gave an angry ‘oh’ response.

Liu Luo Yi watches as Wei Chi Li strode away and bit her lip. She lowered her head and hammered her numb legs but Xin Ran suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her up then dragged her to the side of the road and pressed her onto the decoration stone.

“No one will see it, anyway. Sit down for a while.” Xin Ran said fiercely.

Although she listens to the princess and will treat Liu Luo Yi well but secretly, she still wants to hate her.

Liu Luo Yi sat down, and her legs finally felt better. She looked up at Xin Ran, feeling grateful towards her as she curled the corner of lips and smiled at her: “Many thanks to Miss Xin Ran.”

Xin Ran only felt that the sky was instantly a little brighter. She turned her head and stammered: “No need to thank me”

But Miss Liu was really, pretty……

At this moment, suddenly a man turned from the corner and walked towards them. When Liu Luo Yi saw that person’s face, her heart suddenly tightened, and her palm started sweating. She stood up abruptly and backed away.

Lu Yun Kui, why was he here?

The current Lu Yun Kui has lost his former daring and energetic spirit. His hair was messy, looking very sloppy and there was no more concealment between his eyebrows, exposing even more horrible gloominess.

When he saw Liu Luo Yi, he stopped walking. Although he stared at her closely then walked over quickly.

Liu Luo Yi could not retreat anymore but Xin Ran suddenly stood in front of her and drew the sword out and pointed it at Lu Yun Kui.

“If you take another step forward, I will strike you!” She said sternly.

Lu Yun Kui turned to look at Liu Luo Yi, his lips moved a little and finally forced out a sentence: “Have you been doing well?”

A sense of disgust emerged in Liu Luo Yi’s heart, turning her head to ignore him but could not endure the fear in her heart.

Lu Yun Kui ignored Xin Ran’s sword as he stood up straight and walked forward. Xin Ran knew that she could not hurt people in the palace and could only steps back slowly. But she kept blocking in front of Liu Luo Yi as she glared at Lu Yun Kui.

Lu Yun Kui was about to say something but was suddenly slapped in the face. When he turned his head back, he saw Liu Luo Yi glaring at him fiercely.

“I’m warning you, stay away from me.” Liu Luo Yi said word for word clearly.

She has already escaped and there was someone protecting her, so she was no longer afraid of him.

Lu Yun Kui did not seem to believe that Liu Luo Yi would actually strike him, so he took 2 steps forward. Hence, he was slapped on the other side of the face.

Although Liu Luo Yi’s hand was trembling, she did not shrink back.

“Do you really, hate me that much?” Lu Yun Kui’s eyes were blood red and there was a trace of sadness in his tone.

Suddenly, there was another slap on his forehead. This slap was much stronger, and he had to stagger 2 steps back. He looked up in a panic. But saw Wei Chi Li standing in front of him with a disdainful face and said: “Hate you, your head. What a huge reputation you have, taking yourself so seriously.”

Wei Chi Li turned around and pulled Liu Luo Yi’s hand and smiling slyly: “So obedient. Knew that you have to wait till I am here before striking.”

[T/L Note]: Heya! I would like to apologise to all readers for not responding to your comments for these 2 weeks and did not update as promptly as desired! Have quite a few doctor appointments (Mine and not mine) and was tired. All is fine now though, I will make up and update a lot more (Finger crossed)

I know many people is wondering who is the one hiding behind and manipulating! All I can say is that, don’t jump into conclusion first! there will be more characters revealed soon! (･ω<)☆