The Twenty-Fourth Chapter

"If the Young Master doesn't remember Miss Liu, won't you have nothing to worry about?"

"Exactly. You think I should be happy too, don't you?" He lifted his head slightly from her shoulder, then settled back against it with a sigh, as naturally as if her shoulder had always been his pillow. "I should be happy I don't have to torment myself with suspicions anymore. He'll never see Rongrong again. I'll never have to worry about them secretly meeting where I can't see."

"But—I'm not happy." Pressing his face into the hollow of her shoulder, he shook his head. A few loose strands of hair slipped mischievously inside her collar. "If I'd known it would come to this, I'd rather have let him have Rongrong."

"..." She didn't like that. How could feelings be passed around at someone else's whim? Everyone had the right to choose. People belonged together only when they both wanted it. If Miss Liu truly wanted to be with Li Chenjing, that was how it should be, whether anyone "let" her or not. Otherwise, if she merely gave in to please others, Li Chenjing wouldn't be happy either, would he?

"Since Young Master Piao is willing to step aside, why not help Young Master Chenjing?"

"Help him?" He laughed. "How?"

"Help the Young Master remember the past and Miss Liu. Don't stand in his way anymore. Let everyone compete fairly. If Miss Liu still chooses you in the end, Young Master Chenjing will have to accept it! And you won't have to scheme against your friend while suffering through your suspicions, will you?"

"..."

Compete fairly? Him and Little Jing, competing fairly for a woman? Pfft! He had never imagined such a sight. Since coming of age, no one had dared speak to him of "fairness." He glanced at her expectant face, her eyelashes fluttering as if she were asking whether her plan wasn't brilliant.

Honestly—

It was rotten to the core.

Her notions of love, with all their entanglements in the mortal realm and mutual affection, belonged at a street stall, scribbled into little love letters. They suited neither him nor Little Jing.

But suddenly, he wanted to play along.

Patting his beloved consort's head, he snorted. "After all those twists and turns, you just want me to agree to let you take Little Jing to see Rongrong, don't you?" That was easy to say, but for a lord of the palace like him to let his woman go out would hardly do his dignity any favors.

"Yes! Seeing her will definitely jog his memory!" Exactly! Old lovers reunited, hearts racing, thunder meeting fire, dry kindling bursting into flame. However that fire burned, surely a shock this intense would get a reaction out of him!

"Hmph! You little brat. I told you to find me the Seal, and you turn around and scheme against me? What did Little Jing offer you? It's only been a few days, and already you're looking out for him? Hmm? Even helping him with his love life?" Beloved consort, scratch this disloyal wretch for Zhen.

"Huh? I—I—I'm not looking out for him! But if he doesn't hurry up and recover into the stern, magnificent Chief Counselor, and keeps following me around like a pitiful little thing, how am I supposed to investigate the all-important Seal for you and earn my silver?"

"Hmm. That does sound somewhat reasonable." He tapped his chin with a long finger, then lifted his head from her shoulder and rose, dusting off his robes. "Very well! I'll arrange things with Rongrong. But don't neglect the task I gave you. Have you found any leads?"

Hearing that he would arrange a meeting with Liu Rongrong, Zhu Bafu brightened at once. She stood and gave her superior a solemn report. "Yes! I've successfully touched Second Master Long's Seal at the Military Minister's residence. He hasn't given it to anyone. He still wears it around his neck."

"He hasn't given it to anyone. That fellow is unusually cautious. He doesn't want anyone learning his weakness."

"Cautious?" She looked scornful. Remembering how Second Master Long had arrogantly tried to harm her the other day still made her blood boil. "I'd call it selfish. No one in the world matters more to him than himself. Isn't that why he keeps the Seal on him?"

He made no comment and simply asked, "Heh. What about the others?"

"Uh—I don't know the others well yet." The Ministry of Revenue's Seal was on her little brother. Better not mention that for now. Xiaojiu's innocence was at stake!

"You don't know them well." Though he knew perfectly well, he raised his brows as if he didn't. "I could give you a hint or two."

"What hint?"

"In a few days, an old acquaintance will visit Little Jing. She may have a Seal on her."

"Who?"

"A beauty. A beauty renowned throughout the Capital."

With a deliberately mysterious smile, Young Master Piao scooped up the precious cat sleeping in his arms and smoothed its fur. "Ever since she became pregnant, she's been sleeping so much. I still have to buy her cat food. Stand properly for your punishment. See you."

What? He couldn't just wave goodbye and leave! "Hey! Hey, wait! Isn't your family rich? Can't you ask the Doctor to cut my punishment short? If I stand here for two hours, I'll dry out! Hey! Young Master Piao, whose family is rich!"

"Better not ask too much of your patron. I'll deduct it from your silver."

"..."

Rich people—she really hated them.

Author's note:

My first update after going VIP~~~

The Twenty-Fourth Chapter

"Little Eight! Why are you kneeling here alone? Are you all right? Open your eyes and look at me, Little Eight! Little Eight!"

Smack, smack, smack, smack! Several hard slaps, delivered in deep concern, struck Zhu Bafu's face. She grimaced in pain.

"Young Master, why are you slapping me?"

The sun had made her dizzy. She had been dozing in a daze, leaning against a pillar by the Imperial Academy Gate, with the "Grief in Vain" board above her head. It was warm and comfortable.

But to Li Chenjing, the sight—

Broke his heart!

She had worked so hard caring for the man she had eloped with while he suffered from amnesia, right up until he recovered. She had barely slept, then urged him to attend the meeting for the sake of his future, only to be made to kneel beneath the Imperial Academy Gate herself.

You fool. Why do so much for me?

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Historical Romance

Woman Dressed as a Man