The temperature difference between day and night in autumn was stark. During the day, a single long gown was enough, but at night, a thick coat was necessary, especially in this mountainous area.
The morning mist shrouded everything, filling the entire royal temple with a thin, ethereal haze.
Carrying a gauze lantern, Su Zhenzhen walked along the deserted corridor.
The dim light illuminated a cute little dog with a tilted head painted on the lantern. Her gaze wandered around the royal temple until she spotted the familiar sacrificial vessel warehouse ahead.
A faint, gloomy lamp hung at the warehouse entrance. Su Zhenzhen walked over and, through a narrow crack in the door, saw the young boy locked inside.
The boy looked up at her, his face stained with blood.
Beside him stood a man in the flying fish suit of the Imperial Guards, holding an embroidered spring sword. The sharp blade was pressed against the boy's neck.
"His Majesty has ordered that everyone be beheaded today."
"No!"
Su Zhenzhen snapped her eyes open, only to find that she had actually fallen asleep while kneeling.
Human adaptability was truly remarkable.
A person would die without sleep.
And not only had she fallen asleep, but she had also dreamt.
What a nightmare.
She wondered how Mu Dan was doing right now.
The tent was very quiet. Su Zhenzhen didn't know if the Emperor had left yet.
He must have left. Otherwise, if he had caught her sleeping while kneeling, she would be dead for sure by now.
Su Zhenzhen's body was incredibly stiff. It was so stiff that she felt like she was back in her yoga class, where the instructor, who usually loved pushing sales, couldn't help but want to refund her money just by looking at her.
Although the instructor didn't actually refund her in the end, the money wasn't wasted at all; it was entirely spent on the instructor giving her private, one-on-one sessions.
Unfortunately, Su Zhenzhen simply had no talent for yoga, and even after transmigrating into this body, she remained just as untalented.
She moved her legs, crossing them to make herself a little more comfortable.
Her waist was aching too.
She tried to lower her waist to relieve the stiffness.
Resting her cheek on her crossed hands, Su Zhenzhen struck a pose that would have made her yoga instructor burst into tears.
Pressing against the soft white felt, she blinked slowly and then felt a wet sensation on the back of her hand.
Was it sweat?
Su Zhenzhen tilted her head slightly, her cheek brushing against her hand.
It wasn't sweat; it was tears.
Had she actually cried during her dream?
The curtain behind her was lifted. Su Zhenzhen turned around and saw Wei Heng walking in, holding a stack of memorials.
"Godfather."
Su Zhenzhen called out to him while sitting on her knees.
Wei Heng's expression paused for a moment. He placed the memorials on the imperial desk behind the screen before stepping back out to say, "His Majesty is not here. Come out and have lunch."
Was it already noon of the second day?
Su Zhenzhen propped herself up, stood, and followed Wei Heng out of the tent.
The sun was shining brightly today. Su Zhenzhen wondered, with such fine weather, what might the Emperor's mood be like?
"The sun is very glaring today. His Majesty must be in a terrible mood," Wei Heng remarked, glancing at Su Zhenzhen as a warning.
Su Zhenzhen was speechless.
"Godfather, has the trial for the sacrificial vessel case begun yet?"
"Not yet."
Wei Heng led Su Zhenzhen all the way into his own tent.
Lunch was already set up inside Wei Heng's tent. He lifted his robe and sat down. Seeing Su Zhenzhen standing there motionless, he raised his hand and said, "Take a seat."
Only then did Su Zhenzhen sit down.
Although Wei Heng was the tyrant's favorite, his meals were very ordinary.
Su Zhenzhen had thought she would get to see legendary exotic delicacies. However, true to his character, Wei Heng was not the type to be interested in extravagant food; he only cared for ancient books, paintings, and calligraphy.
Wei Heng was the eldest legitimate son of the Wei family. He had been exceptionally brilliant since childhood, taking first place in both the provincial and metropolitan examinations. If not for that tragic disaster, he would have undoubtedly secured first place in the palace examination as well, becoming the youngest top scholar of the dynasty. He would have climbed the ranks steadily, become a distinguished official of his generation, realized his ambitions, gone down in history, and enjoyed a perfect, harmonious family.
Su Zhenzhen lowered her head to hide the pity in her eyes, her gaze falling upon the round table in front of her.
Stir-fried lotus root, braised tofu, a bowl of seaweed egg soup, and finally, two bowls of pearl rice.
Everything was vegetarian; there wasn't a single piece of meat.
Su Zhenzhen and Wei Heng sat together, each holding a bowl of rice as they ate.
As a scholar, Wei Heng strictly believed in the rule of not speaking during meals or before sleeping.
"Godfather, may I have another bowl?"
Because of this, Su Zhenzhen only spoke up after she had finished her first bowl.
Wei Heng remained silent.
Wei Heng had always been health-conscious, believing that eating less led to a longer life.
"Go fetch another bowl of rice."
After the meal, a young eunuch brought tea for rinsing their mouths.
Unaware of this custom, Su Zhenzhen held the cup and drank it.
Wei Heng gave her a look.
Su Zhenzhen lowered her head and handed the teacup back to the young eunuch.
The eunuch walked away with the tray and returned a moment later with tea meant for drinking.
Su Zhenzhen drank a cup.
She didn't like drinking tea. Those teas that were supposedly worth their weight in gold, impossible to buy, or produced only a few pounds a year all tasted the same to her. Asking her to evaluate these teas was pointless; she would be much better off as a milk tea evaluator. She could instantly name the signature drinks of over a dozen milk tea shops on the market and rank them.
Just as they finished their meal, a young eunuch fetched a hand warmer and handed it to Wei Heng.
The weather wasn't even that cold yet, so why was he already using a hand warmer?
Su Zhenzhen's gaze followed Wei Heng's hand downward. She saw him place the hand warmer on his knees and cover it with his long robe.
She remembered now. In the original novel, because Wei Heng had worked in the palace's servant quarters during his youth, toiling without rest even in winter while wearing thin clothes, he had developed a chronic leg condition that flared up whenever the weather turned cold.
"Godfather, do your legs often feel stiff and swollen? Especially after the onset of winter, does the pain become unbearable and make it hard to bend or stretch? I know some medicine. Will you let me try and treat it?"
Wei Heng glanced at her. "Not even the Imperial Academy of Medicine could cure my legs."
Su Zhenzhen knew that her medical skills naturally couldn't compare to the Imperial Academy of Medicine. It was an institution that gathered the top physicians in the entire Great Zhou Dynasty, equivalent to the most prestigious general hospital in the modern world.
However, she had one advantage they didn't.
She came from the modern era, carrying medical knowledge and effective folk remedies that spanned thousands of years. Most importantly, she possessed the accumulated experience of predecessors over millennia, and her family was a deeply rooted dynasty of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners.
Su Zhenzhen said, "Although the imperial physicians have high medical skills, staying in the Imperial Academy for so long inevitably makes them stuck in their ways."
Wei Heng looked at her, persuaded by her words.
"Then give it a try."
Su Zhenzhen asked Wei Heng to place his hand on the table so she could first check his pulse.
A deficiency in both Qi and blood, caused by excessive worry and overthinking.
He was the only one left in his entire family, and he was a physically incomplete man; suffering from mere overthinking was already considered a good outcome for him.
Su Zhenzhen withdrew her hand and took out the silver needle kit she carried with her. She then asked Wei Heng to sit on the nearby couch and roll up his trouser legs.
Wei Heng watched as Su Zhenzhen squatted by his feet, her gaze focused and unswerving. Her pure and kind face instantly turned serious.
With swift and steady hands, Su Zhenzhen inserted the needles accurately into the acupoints.
"Done."
Half an hour later, Su Zhenzhen removed the silver needles from Wei Heng's legs.
After disinfecting the dozen or so needles, she placed them back into the needle kit.
Wei Heng stood up. The sluggish, stiff sensation in his legs from earlier had completely vanished. The way he looked at Su Zhenzhen instantly changed.
"Where did you learn... such medical skills?"
"I learned it before entering the palace."
She had brought it with her before transmigrating into the book.
"With such excellent medical skills, you are just a lowly palace maid?"
Hearing this, Su Zhenzhen lowered her eyes. "Even as a lowly palace maid, I live as if walking on thin ice."
Hearing these words, Wei Heng fell silent.
Hiding one's talents might not necessarily be a bad thing.
"I have written down the sequence and acupoints for the silver needles for you, Godfather. You can ask the people from the Imperial Hospital to help continue the acupuncture. Acupuncture is a slow treatment, and your leg will probably take about half a year to heal." As Su Zhenzhen spoke, she took Wei Heng's paper and pen and began to write down the acupuncture therapy for him.
Wei Heng walked over. Seeing Su Zhenzhen's chicken-scratch handwriting, his breathing paused for three seconds before he looked away.
After Su Zhenzhen finished writing, she smiled brightly and handed it to Wei Heng. "Please put in a good word for me in front of His Majesty, Godfather."
Wei Heng: ...
"Su Zhenzhen."
"Yes, Godfather."
"Go back and kneel."
Su Zhenzhen: ...
Before leaving, Su Zhenzhen swiped the osmanthus cakes from Wei Heng's tent.
Wei Heng watched Su Zhenzhen's retreating figure as she walked out of the tent, then unhurriedly took a sip of the tea in front of him.
Although he didn't know how this palace maid had angered His Majesty, those who angered His Majesty usually didn't live past the night. Yet, it was already the second day.
After finishing the osmanthus cakes, Su Zhenzhen first went to take care of her bodily needs before returning to the emperor's tent to continue kneeling.
The two Brocade Guards keeping watch at the door already recognized her.
"Lord Wei Heng told me to come back and continue kneeling."
The two Brocade Guards nodded.
Su Zhenzhen raised her hand, lifted the tent flap, and walked in.
The tent was very quiet. Su Zhenzhen saw that the small charcoal basin had already been refilled with fresh charcoal, warming the entire tent nicely.
She liked the heat and disliked the cold.
Su Zhenzhen crouched by the charcoal basin to warm her hands, then tilted her head and looked around the tent.
The interior of the tent was very simple. Aside from the massive folding screen in front of her, there was only a standing glazed lamp.
It was about half a person's height, a boneless lamp with a full glazed frame. The top was a cylindrical glass lampshade decorated with openwork gilded interlocking lotus patterns, and the edges were adorned with a circle of crystal chains. Below was a cloisonne enamel glass base. When lit, it could illuminate half of the tent.
Su Zhenzhen leaned in for a closer look, her fingertips brushing over the crystal chains below.
It seemed like this lamp was never extinguished.
The tent was also sealed tightly, impervious to the wind.
Was he afraid of being assassinated?
Indeed, the original novel stated that this tyrant was surrounded by many people who wanted him dead.
A large portion of them were even fanatic believers cultivated by Shen Yanci's side.
After being brainwashed, these believers became Shen Yanci's tools for restoring the Yan State. Like death-sworn soldiers, they advanced wave upon wave to become stepping stones on Shen Yanci's path to the throne.
They were distributed across various provinces and fields. Even though the current Shen Yanci, for reasons unknown to Su Zhenzhen, had not gained the support of Zhou Changfeng, Wang Ji, and others as per the original plot, his believers were still spread all over the Great Zhou Dynasty. As soon as he gave the order, half of Great Zhou's territory would inevitably suffer.
Those believers hidden among the common people might normally be sullen peasants holding hoes, or shrewd accountants holding abacuses, but in the very next moment, they would turn into charging warriors.
Their faith would break through physical pain and the fear of death. They trusted their god and were willing to sacrifice everything for him.
-
After Wei Heng finished his tea, he glanced at the sky and waited until after sunset before standing up.
He walked to the back of the sleeping tent, lightly and quietly lifting the rear curtain to enter.
Inside the sleeping tent, a young man was sleeping on the floor, ignoring the dragon bed placed nearby.
Lu Hexu was not asleep. A standing glazed lamp, identical to the one in the front imperial tent, was also placed in the sleeping tent.
He slept right beneath this glazed lamp, his wide sleeves covering his eyes and brows. Upon hearing the movement, the long sleeves slowly shifted away, revealing a pair of eyes that looked up at Wei Heng with a dark, heavy gaze.
Every time Wei Heng met the eyes of this young emperor, he felt a sense of intimidation.
That terrifying sensation of having one's mind seen through always made him shudder.
No one could help but fear a person who could see right through their heart.
"Come in."
Wei Heng bowed and took a few steps inside, completely blocking out the remaining daylight behind him.
"Your Majesty, the memorials have been delivered to the front tent."
"Mm," Lu Hexu replied with his eyes closed, his voice very low.
He raised his hand and waved his sleeve, which struck the crystal chains on the glazed lamp beside him.
The crystals collided with a clattering sound, seeming exceedingly noisy.
Wei Heng immediately stepped forward and reached out to cup the crystal chains, preventing them from making any more noise.
This ancestor had never liked noise. Normally, Wei Heng didn't even dare to breathe too heavily around him.
The young man's gloomy expression swept past the chains, and then his gaze landed on Wei Heng.
"How is she today?"
Wei Heng knelt on the floor. While holding the crystal chains, he said, "From what this servant can tell, it looks like she has cried."
Lu Hexu frowned.
What was there to cry about.
If it were anyone else, they would have been dead long ago.
After speaking, Wei Heng stayed off to the side and remained silent.
The affairs of His Majesty were not something he was allowed to comment on.
"She also hasn't been eating her meals well," Wei Heng added, kneeling there with his head bowed, his voice lowering.
-
Survived another day.
Su Zhenzhen sprawled on the floor, her kneeling posture having become very improper.
Anyway, the tyrant wasn't here. Before she could rescue Mu Dan, she couldn't just kneel herself to death.
The curtain behind her was lifted, and Su Zhenzhen quickly resumed a proper kneeling posture.
Wei Heng walked behind the folding screen holding a red-lacquered tray.
Su Zhenzhen heard the clinking of cups and saucers from inside.
A moment later, the curtain behind the folding screen was lifted.
Su Zhenzhen couldn't see anything; she could only hear the rustling of fabric hems and the faint sound of someone's breathing.
Has he arrived?
Su Zhenzhen instinctively held her breath for a moment before slowly starting to breathe again.
As soon as the tyrant appeared, the atmosphere in the entire tent suddenly became oppressive.
Su Zhenzhen heard the clinking of a bowl and spoon. She seemed to catch a whiff of the sweet scent of honey, which was then dispersed by the fragrance of tea, making it hard to smell clearly.
Lu Hexu sat behind the folding screen, adding honey from a porcelain bowl into his teacup. Ice cubes were placed in the cold tea, and the unsteeped tea leaves were gradually absorbed by the melting ice, slowly steeping into a cup of cold tea.
The honey was diluted by the tea, and Lu Hexu picked it up to take a light sip.
Listening to the sound of ice cubes stirring behind the screen, Su Zhenzhen thought:
Drinking tea at night will keep you awake.
"Your Majesty, your subject Zhou Changfeng requests an audience."
A voice came from outside the tent.
Wei Heng glanced at Lu Hexu, then walked out and lifted the tent curtain. "General Zhou, please."
A mountain-like man clad in armor walked in, holding an object wrapped in black cloth in his arms. He stepped inside, then knelt on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, the traitors have all been executed. This is Zhao Lingyun's head."
Separated by the folding screen, Zhou Changfeng offered the black-cloth-wrapped head with both hands.
Su Zhenzhen kept her head down, trying her best not to look in that direction. She felt goosebumps rising all over her body.
Under normal circumstances, Lu Hexu would have been in the mood to admire it.
"General Zhou, His Majesty acknowledges this. You may withdraw."
"Yes."
Zhou Changfeng stood up holding the human head. He took three steps out, then turned back. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for granting the marriage. I thank you on behalf of my wife." After speaking, Zhou Changfeng kowtowed three times loudly through the folding screen.
Zhou Changfeng was a silent man of few words, stubbornly straightforward and rigid in his beliefs. Otherwise, he wouldn't have become Shen Yanci's man in the original novel just because Shen saved his wife. Now, this debt of gratitude was credited to this tyrant.
After kowtowing, Zhou Changfeng left.
The autumn night was long, and the fine autumn wind swept the curtains inward.
Su Zhenzhen was staring at the gap in the tent when Wei Heng stepped forward and sealed the curtain tightly.
Was it because of the wind?
Su Zhenzhen remembered Wei Heng mentioning yesterday that His Majesty had a problem with headaches.
"Your Majesty, this servant knows a little about medicine and can treat Your Majesty's headaches."
Wei Heng, standing to the side, instantly widened his eyes.
This Su Zhenzhen looked cowardly, so why did she always do such earth-shattering things?
Su Zhenzhen already felt like she was risking it all.
Ever since she entered this tent, her life had been hanging by a thread anyway.
If she couldn't save Mu Dan, she would just become a pair of doomed lovers with him.
The next moment, a crumpled ball of paper was thrown from behind the screen, hitting Su Zhenzhen right on the head.
Ugh.
Fine, if you don't want treatment, then don't. May the pain kill you, tyrant.
-
Perhaps because she saw the human head in Zhou Changfeng's hands today, Su Zhenzhen's heart was very unsettled.
She wanted to see Mu Dan.
To see if he was safe and sound.
Su Zhenzhen pulled out the silver needles from Wei Heng's leg and squatted there quietly. "Godfather, can you let me see Mu Dan?"
Wei Heng's gaze fell on her face. "You went to beg His Majesty these past two days for him?"
Su Zhenzhen nodded, carefully observing Wei Heng's expression.
But how could she possibly read an old fox like Wei Heng?
Wei Heng lowered his eyes, his expression unchanging, except for a slight twitch at the corner of his eye, as if he was pondering something.
"You are Mu Dan's godfather, please have pity on him." Su Zhenzhen's voice lowered, carrying a hint of a sob.
Wei Heng looked at her lowered head, his heart softening at the sound of her crying tone.
But he couldn't figure it out. If Su Zhenzhen was begging His Majesty for Mu Dan, then what exactly was His Majesty angry about?
"You go out first."
Hearing Wei Heng's answer, Su Zhenzhen's shoulders slowly slumped.
Right, he wasn't a biological son, just a godson. Offending His Majesty for a godson, and possibly losing his life in the process, was obviously not worth it.
Su Zhenzhen got up and went out.
After thinking to himself in the tent for a while, Wei Heng got up and went behind the sleeping tent.
"Shadow One?"
No one answered.
"Shadow One."
Wei Heng called out again.
A dark shadow landed behind him.
Wei Heng turned around and almost bumped into him.
"Looking for me?"
"I have something to ask you." Wei Heng looked around, and seeing no one else, he spoke: "What happened that night at the sacrificial vessel storehouse?"
Shadow One's black-clad face was hidden in the darkness. "Wei Heng, you must not carelessly discuss His Majesty."
Wei Heng was silent for a moment. "Did His Majesty see anyone that night?"
This much could be said, as many Imperial Guards had seen it at the time.
"Li Jinhuai."
Li Jinhuai was already dead.
Wei Heng remained silent.
Shadow One waited for a while, getting a bit anxious, so he spoke up himself: "That palace maid, the one who has been kneeling in the tent, also ran into Li Jinhuai that night."
"Oh?"
"They were very close. Li Jinhuai said he would take care of her, and she said..."
"Said what?"
"She said she could be a witness for Li Jinhuai."
Wei Heng remembered that the night that ancestor killed Li Jinhuai, he said there was one more person.
Then he carved Su Zhenzhen's name on the desk.
He must have been so angry because he knew about the conversation between Su Zhenzhen and Li Jinhuai.
But obviously, Su Zhenzhen didn't come for Li Jinhuai.
Her words must have been said just to stall Li Jinhuai.
Such a simple trick could deceive Li Jinhuai, but how did it also deceive His Majesty?
In Wei Heng's view, His Majesty was not foolish at all, but rather very smart.
How could a smart person become so foolish?
As Wei Heng thought about it, he suddenly smiled.
Shadow One looked at Wei Heng and thought he had gone mad.
He who lies with dogs will rise with fleas; had Wei Heng finally caught the madness from their Majesty?
Wei Heng looked up at the sky and felt that the moon was especially bright tonight.
A young man experiencing the first awakenings of love couldn't even understand his own true feelings.
-
Su Zhenzhen found time to return to the dining tent.
Ah Sui had not received orders to deliver meals to Su Zhenzhen for several days and was worrying about her. Seeing Su Zhenzhen return, she was instantly thrilled.
"I thought you had died, sister."
Su Zhenzhen: ...
"Ptui, ptui, ptui! Sister, I misspoke."
"I'm starving. Do you have anything to eat?"
Ah Sui quickly brought Su Zhenzhen some pastries, which coincidentally happened to be red bean cakes.
Su Zhenzhen stared at the red bean cake in front of her, paused, and then slowly took a bite, tasting the red bean filling inside.
So sweet.
Su Zhenzhen swallowed it down. "Are you still keeping an eye on that little eunuch who stole things?"
"I'm watching him."
Ah Sui poured Su Zhenzhen a cup of hot water. The two squatted by the stove to talk, where it was warmer.
The fires in the dining tent were kept burning twenty-four hours a day, because there was no telling when a noble might want to eat something.
Most importantly, a constant supply of hot water had to be guaranteed.
Su Zhenzhen's face was slightly flushed from the heat of the stove. She pinched the cold, hard red bean cake in her hand. "Let me ask you something, is Li Jinhuai dead?"
"I haven't heard about that. I only heard that General Zhou returned."
The news was sealed very tightly.
But according to Su Zhenzhen's guess, since Han Shuo had killed so many patrol camp guards disguised as Imperial Guards, it was impossible for him to let Li Jinhuai go.
If Li Jinhuai was dead, when the sacrificial vessel case was investigated, Mu Dan would also be cleared of suspicion, although he would still have to bear the responsibility for poor supervision.
"Have you still been delivering meals to the sacrificial vessel storehouse lately?"
"I am, sister."
"Did you buy the things I asked you to buy last time?"
"I bought them, sister."
-
Wei Heng entered the sleeping tent carrying a food box.
The crystal chain on the standing glazed lamp was gone, making the light seem a bit dimmer.
The young man lay on his side on the white felt, the shadow of the glazed lamp casting over him.
Wei Heng lightly placed the food box on the table.
The food box intended for the person at the sacrificial vessel storehouse was brought here every day.
The young man lying on the ground moved, his thin arms propping up his body, his gaze falling on the food box.
Wei Heng stepped forward and opened the food box.
Inside the food box was a white porcelain bowl.
Lu Hexu stared at it for a while, reached out, and opened it.
Inside were two spun sugar figures, a little dog and a little cat, hugging tightly together. If forced apart, the sugar figures would be torn to pieces.
There was another layer below in the food box, holding fresh almond cream candies, candied fruits, sugar-coated haws, and dried persimmons... Where on earth did she get so many snacks that couldn't be found in the palace?
Lu Hexu looked at these things expressionlessly, raised his hand to pick up the lid of the food box, and covered it.
Did she think he would be soft-hearted?
A noisy commotion came from behind the sleeping tent, and Lu Hexu raised his eyes to look at Wei Heng.
Wei Heng immediately went out to check.
"Lord Wei, there is a stray cat..." The imperial guardsman stood there, dangling a small white cat from his hand. "This subordinate will deal with it immediately."
The small cat struggled with all its might, letting out heart-wrenching cries. It was clearly terrified.
The curtain of the sleeping tent was lifted by a hand. Lu Hexu stood behind it. "Bring it in."
Sushan was let inside.
Cats recognize people. Seeing Lu Hexu, it immediately stopped its miserable cries and affectionately rubbed against his calf.
Lu Hexu looked down at it, his voice tinged with a youthful gloominess. "You are going to die too."
"Meow..." Sushan continued to rub against him, rolling around and nuzzling in an attempt to beg for dried fish treats.
Lu Hexu raised his hand to open the food box and took out an almond cream candy.
The round little candy fell to the ground. Sushan chased after it playfully, batting it with its paws, chasing it from one side of the tent to the other.
The tent was incredibly quiet. The young man's face was hidden in the shadows of the lamplight.
"If she so much as opens her mouth, I will kill her."
-
Su Zhenzhen had just lifted the tent curtain when she heard a series of crisp tapping sounds. The sound was clear and melodic, but in this deadly silent tent, it seemed excessively noisy.
A small white cat was standing on its hind legs, using its front paws to bat at the crystal tassel chains on the standing glazed floor lamp.
Sushan?
Su Zhenzhen paled in shock.
How did it sneak in!
Your little cat life is forfeit!
She had come in here with her life hanging by a thread, yet this cat had waltzed right in seeking its own death.
Su Zhenzhen immediately walked over, wanting to carry Sushan out. Unexpectedly, the next moment, the curtain behind the folding screen fluttered, and someone walked out.
Su Zhenzhen's body reacted faster than her brain. She quickly dropped to her knees, hiding Sushan under her skirt.
His Majesty sat behind the folding screen. Su Zhenzhen pressed down hard on her skirt hem. She shot a glance at Wei Heng and pointed a finger toward the kitten hidden in her dress.
Wei Heng gave her a slight shake of his head.
Did that mean it was fine?
Or that it could not be saved?
Su Zhenzhen received the signal, but before she could open her mouth, Sushan let out a cry from under her skirt.
"Meow..."
Su Zhenzhen: ...
"This servant... this servant has learned ventriloquism and can perform to relieve Your Majesty's fatigue. Meow..."
The next moment, a crumpled ball of paper was thrown at her.
If you do not want to listen, just say so.
Wei Heng stepped forward, took Sushan from Su Zhenzhen's hands, and carried it out. Before leaving, the look he gave her carried a hint of helplessness.
Su Zhenzhen: ...
