"Eldest Madam, Eldest Madam!" Wang Xia hurriedly caught her and steadied her.
Ignoring the palace attendants' attempts to stop her, Liu Wan rushed to the little coffin.
She was so panicked she did not know what to do, her hands still trembling, when a chubby little hand suddenly poked out over the coffin lid and scrabbled at it.
Then there were two.
A dainty little head, as exquisite as carved jade, popped out, its round black eyes looking everywhere.
"Mother... Mother... bury."
She pointed at the coffin, then at Mother.
Liu Wan's heart finally dropped back down from her throat. She reached in and lifted the little one out of the coffin.
Holding her in her arms, she checked her carefully.
Once she confirmed the child was unharmed, she remembered that her daughter had played this same game with the Empress Dowager.
Only then did she put on a stern face and scold her quietly. "You scared Mother half to death! You must never play like this again!"
Playing burial was one thing, but they had even brought in coffins.
Whose damned idea had this been?
Everyone's gaze slowly turned toward the larger coffin.
Inside it, the emperor lay with his eyes closed, looking peaceful. In reality, his toes were already curling hard enough to gouge the coffin boards.
What do I do? What do I do?
How did my Ninth Imperial Younger Brother come barging in with her actual mother?
Where's my own mother?
With so many people watching, how am I supposed to get out of this with any dignity?
Only after seeing that the little one was safe did Xia Siheng breathe a sigh of relief. He glanced at Little Wanwan several times, then told Liu Wan, "Don't worry. With me here, nothing will happen to her!"
Then he leaped forward and sent the emperor's coffin lid flying with a spinning kick.
He looked dashing as he landed, the wind sweeping through his hair.
Xia Siheng ordered coldly, "His Majesty has lost the will to live. Haul him out. I'll talk some sense into him!"
Eunuch Yu hastily nodded in assent, excitedly calling for people to dig the emperor out.
At the same time, he wondered why the usually cold and aloof Ninth Prince had personally kicked open the emperor's coffin lid.
To leave the emperor a little dignity, Xia Siheng had Liu Wan and her daughter escorted to a side hall first.
Once only the two of them remained, Xia Siheng lifted the hem of his robe and sat on the edge of the emperor's coffin.
"Get up. Everyone's gone."
The emperor suddenly opened his eyes and sat up, nearly startling Xia Siheng into toppling over.
He took a small bronze mirror from inside his robe and admired his face. "Ninth Imperial Younger Brother, do you think I've become more handsome?"
Xia Siheng: ...
He dearly wanted to send this man flying, coffin and all.
"Why did you put my dau... Wanwan in a coffin with you and bury yourselves here? If you want to die, find one of your consorts to accompany you to the grave. Don't get any ideas about those two."
The emperor chuckled. "I heard the Empress Dowager say that being buried with Wanwan beautifies the face and nourishes the complexion. Look, I'm more than a decade older than you. How can I neglect my upkeep now?"
Xia Siheng rolled his eyes at him. "What nonsense are you talking about? Haven't you always been handsome?"
The praise left the emperor floating on air. He shifted aside to make room in the coffin.
"Ninth Imperial Younger Brother, try it and you'll understand. Xie Wanwan truly is a deity bestowed upon the Great Xia Dynasty by Heaven. Even the bruises the Empress Dowager just left on my face are gone."
"Her name is Xia Wanwan," Xia Siheng said.
"All right, all right, Xia Wanwan it is. But you'll have to work harder. The Empress Dowager wants me to make her a princess... Ow! You dare hit me?"
The emperor clutched his head and looked at him resentfully.
Why was being emperor so damned humiliating? Anyone could hit him, was that it?
Xia Siheng said, "If you dare make her a princess, I'll tear down your Imperial Palace!"
"As for whether Liu Wan knows, that's my own business. She hasn't yet secured an amicable divorce. Unless she makes a clean break with Jing'an Marquis Manor, there will likely be endless trouble later. I may not care about my reputation, but I won't let them be disgraced."
"Jing'an Marquis Manor's reputation already stinks to high heaven. That day won't be far off."
With that, Xia Siheng rose from the edge of the coffin, dusted off his robe, and turned slightly.
"Oh, Imperial Elder Brother, did I look handsome when I kicked your coffin open just now?"
The emperor said, "Would you listen to what you're saying?"
Fine, fine. You're so noble. You're so impressive.
You kicked my coffin lid off just to strut around like a peacock spreading its tail!
Xia Siheng arrived at the side hall. On seeing him, Liu Wan moved to pay her respects.
He casually raised a hand to stop her. "I happened to be in the palace, and you're a guest here. How could I let anything happen to you?"
Then his icy gaze turned toward the little one in her arms.
Suddenly, every trace of coldness melted away.
Only tenderness and affection remained in his eyes.
"Thank you, Ninth Prince, for coming to our aid once again. I will always remember your kindness. If there is ever anything I can help you with..."
Under Xia Siheng's gaze, Liu Wan quietly retreated half a step.
She never stayed alone in a room with a man outside her immediate family. Even with family members, she made sure servants were present.
Now that Pan Chun and the others were standing guard outside, she had to be even more careful to keep her distance, lest people find fault with her.
"You've said that already."
Xia Siheng smiled faintly.
Liu Wan's retreat undoubtedly drove a tiny thorn into his heart.
Seeing how distant and formal she was, it seemed she truly did not remember what had happened that night.
Liu Wan murmured an acknowledgment and nodded, momentarily at a loss for words.
[The big villain! Woohoo! I finally get to see the big villain! The book said Xia Siheng was a calculating old schemer with a repulsive face. Though his looks were passable, compared with the Male Lead, the difference was heaven and earth-like a banished immortal beside an ant!]
[Now that I've seen him, the author was clearly talking out of their ass!]
[Xia Siheng is tall and well built, with a face like fine jade and sharp, commanding brows. He's clearly a deity untouched by mortal dust. How could that revolting Male Lead possibly compare?]
[Author, get out here! Why didn't you make him my daddy?]
[As far as I'm concerned, he's the only one in the whole book fit to be my daddy!]
Little Wanwan stared at Xia Siheng, chewing her finger and beaming.
He was already so handsome. How could her mother not feel even a flutter?
Xia Siheng froze for a moment!
Where had that voice come from?
Was the baby in Liu Wan's arms talking?
Because he was standing some distance away, he had only vaguely heard the baby call him repulsive and a calculating old schemer.
Liu Wan was so frightened that her temples throbbed. She forced a smile. "Ninth Prince, is Consort Ling in good health?"
"Other than being unable to get out of bed and walk, she's doing well. My mother often talks about you, though. Consider it a favor to me."
"Since you're visiting the palace this time, would you go see her and chat with her?"
P.S. Aaaaaah! This author's words have been blessed with magic! Sisters who've read this far, leave five stars and tap the update reminder, and you're sure to strike it rich this year. Comment to claim your fortune, and earn a hundred million by the end of the year!
Before you continue