The splendor of the Red Chamber, the power that reigns supreme.

Chapter 149 The Emperor Pursues Master Shi, the High-Ranking Official and Painter Shi
Cai Jing returned to his magnificent prime minister's residence. The vermilion gate slammed shut behind him, cutting off the noise of carriages and horses outside. But the cloud of doubt in his heart grew thicker and thicker, like muffled thunder in June, making his chest feel suffocated.

He shooed away all the servants who were attending him like flies, and went alone into the quiet study where you could hear a pin drop.

He even forgot to take off the heavy Grand Tutor's hat on his head, and slumped into the rosewood Grand Tutor's chair, feeling as if all the bones in his body had fallen apart.

“Heretical path…heretical path…” He muttered the two words to himself, as if chewing on a piece of tasteless wax. His brows were furrowed so tightly they could trap a fly, and his well-maintained fingers tapped impatiently on the smooth tabletop, the tapping sound unsettling.

Today, the Emperor's pronouncements on "new painting techniques" in the imperial court still resonate in our ears, resounding with conviction and marking a definitive conclusion.

This kind of painting technique is only fit for the common people, for the curiosity of peddlers and laborers; it is absolutely unfit for high art, and certainly not for the Imperial Academy of Painting!

These words were firm and unequivocal, leaving no room for negotiation.

As the prime minister, Cai Jing naturally understood the implication.

however!
Right after this thunderous pronouncement, the Emperor bestowed upon the painter, whom he seemed to have heard of somewhere before, an unprecedented favor!
"What is the Emperor up to?" Cai Jing felt as if his brain was being fried in hot oil, and his temples were throbbing as if there was a toad inside.

He picked up the Ding kiln white porcelain teacup that had long since gone cold, brought it to his lips, and then slammed it down again. He had no interest in tasting the tea anymore.

This is eerie!
Cai Jing prided himself on being a master at understanding the emperor's intentions, a veteran of three reigns, and with decades of experience, what storms hadn't he weathered? But today, the emperor's move truly left him "completely baffled."

Was that painting done by a fox spirit? Could it have bewitched the emperor? This emperor, who is usually so particular about elegance and upholds orthodox painting, has even disregarded his own words and the dignity and rules of the court, and has blatantly slapped himself in the face.

It wasn't just Cai Jing who racked his brains!

At this moment, all the civil and military officials in Bianliang, the capital of Tokyo, felt as if they had twenty-five mice crawling on their hearts—a hundred claws scratching at their hearts!
As soon as the palace gates were locked, the civil and military officials who had just finished court all wore expressions of utter bewilderment. Those who usually argued fiercely over trivial matters were now surprisingly united, huddled together in twos and threes, whispering and gossiping:

"Tsk! Strange things happen every year, but this year there seem to be more than usual! Is the government up to something, perhaps some kind of bewitching potion?" An old scholar stroked his goatee, shaking his head.

"Who says otherwise! One minute they've belittled that painting skill to the point of worthlessness, trampled it into the mud; the next minute they've praised the merchant who presented the painting to the skies! The Xianmo Pavilion, the Imperial Academy! So many upright scholars who passed the imperial examinations have spent their hair turning white in the process and still haven't gotten anywhere!" another person chimed in sourly.

"That Ximen Qing from Qinghe County should be called Ximen Xianmo now. He must have had incredible luck, like his ancestors' graves emitting auspicious smoke, and he stumbled upon a true Buddha?"

"Your heart is like the sea, unfathomable..." Cai Jing exhaled a long breath, as if to release all the pent-up frustration in his chest.

He opened his piercing old eyes, yet a layer of unyielding confusion still lingered within them. Those eyes, which had seen through countless human schemes and calculated countless court intrigues, were now inexplicably stumped!
Who exactly is this Ximen Qing? The more I hear the name, the more familiar it seems!

What Ximen Qing didn't know was that for the next half month, Cai Jing couldn't eat or sleep properly, and the scales in his heart were constantly being turned back and forth, unable to find a balance.

He had become noticeably thinner from the stress, his eyes were sunken, his chin was sharp, and even his purple robe looked loose on him. Truly, "cleverness backfired," he had calculated everything, but he couldn't fathom the emperor's unfathomable thoughts!
Inside the Imperial Study, the bright candlelight illuminated the room as if it were daytime, revealing the deep luster of the sandalwood and the subtle fragrance of the fine Huizhou ink in every detail.

But this bright light did not dispel the bone-chilling desolation and loneliness; instead, it stretched the empty shadow of the person on the carved window frame, making them appear even more solitary.

Emperor Huizong had no interest in touching the mountain of memorials tonight—those damned things were enough to give him a headache.

He also had no interest in picking up his pen to write his unparalleled "Slender Gold" calligraphy.

He was alone, like a lost soul, sitting blankly behind the cold rosewood imperial desk. On the desk, there was nothing else but a newly framed painting spread out.

On one side are captivating beauties, and on the other are rugged, cold rocks.

But the emperor's eyes, which were used to appreciating the world's treasures, were now fixed on the person in the painting, and could not tolerate even the slightest shadow of the stubborn stone.
He stretched out his fingers, which now trembled slightly with an almost reverent, uncontrollable tremor, and carefully stroked the eyebrows and eyes of the person in the painting again and again.

Fingertips traced the delicate skin, so smooth it seemed one could squeeze water from it; they traced the slightly upturned lips, hinting at a faint smile; they traced the fluffy, soft hair, like clouds of mist...

"Zitong..." A hoarse, dry call, squeezed from the depths of her throat, echoed faintly in the deathly silent study.

But that little sound was instantly swallowed up by the boundless emptiness, leaving only the crackling of the candle wick on the candlestick, as if mocking his loneliness.

The beautiful woman in the painting is turning her head to look back, smiling gently. The gentle grace in her brows and eyes, the delicate and charming air in her gaze... she bears a striking resemblance to his deceased empress!

The one in the painting looks younger, with a youthful innocence that comes with naivety.

The candlelight danced in his deep eyes, reflecting even more clearly the stunning beauty of the woman in the painting, churning and swirling in his gaze like boiling water.

“No wonder…no wonder there are such skilled hands in the world…” He murmured to himself, looking at the painting, his voice as soft as if afraid of startling a butterfly that had landed on a petal: “To be able to…bring 'you'…vividly from my heart…onto this paper?”

His gaze was drawn to the painting by a magnet, fixed on the girl's seemingly expressive, watery almond-shaped eyes.

"Zitong... could it be... could it be that Heaven took pity on me... and specially sent down this person to draw 'you'... to fill the void of my heart-wrenching longing?"

"Zitong! If... if our poor child hadn't died..." At this point, Zhao Ji's voice trembled uncontrollably, the last few words crushed between his teeth by immense grief, leaving only suppressed sobs:

"If she were still here... she would be... she would be about the same age and look like the 'you' in the painting!"

On the candlestick, scalding hot candle wax flowed silently, layer upon layer, congealing into a pale and cold little mountain.

This cold painting has now become the only sacred object that the supreme ruler can use to express his heart-wrenching longing.

He gazed at the painting again and again, greedily and desperately, as if if he looked long enough and deeply enough, the spirit in the painting would gracefully descend and use its illusory tenderness to gradually mend his heart, which was already riddled with holes and leaking with wind and rain.

After a long while, the heart-wrenching grief receded like the tide, leaving behind only exhaustion and a strange, hollowed-out calm.

Emperor Huizong leaned back heavily, sinking into the large rosewood imperial chair, and exhaled a long breath, as if to expel all the pent-up emotions from his lungs.

Emotions come on strong and go quickly.

The painting, which conveyed his boundless sorrow, lay quietly on the table, like the aftereffects of a strong medicine, making him feel weak all over, yet strangely bringing a sense of relief and exhaustion.

"Tap, tap." He raised his fingers and tapped twice on the smooth, cool rosewood tabletop. The sound wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the deathly silent space.

Almost at the same instant, the heavy brocade curtain seemed to be blown open by a gust of cold wind, and a figure "slid" in silently like a ghost, landing without a sound. It was none other than Liang Shicheng, the Grand Eunuch.

He bowed low, his face plastered with just the right amount of flattery and subservience, like a well-trained old dog, always waiting for its master's orders.

"Your Majesty," Liang Shicheng said in a low, shrill voice, with a hint of obsequious trepidation.

Zhao Ji didn't even lift his eyelids, his voice hoarse from venting his emotions and tinged with barely perceptible urgency: "Liang Banban, under Genyue, that 'road' leading outside... has it been dug through yet?"

Liang Shicheng knelt down with a thud, his knees hitting the gold-brick floor with a dull thud, his head bowed even lower: "Your Majesty, this old servant deserves to die! Because the tunnel is connected to the underground channel, the craftsmen were afraid of disturbing the soil and stones above, so they dared not make any major moves!"

"Only... only a narrow path could be barely carved out, just enough for one person to pass by while bending over. Inside... it was all wet mud and gravel, not paved with bricks, let alone... let alone repaired or decorated. It was really... really an obstacle to Your Majesty's journey..."

As he spoke, he stole glances at the emperor's expression, afraid that the simple passageway would displease the emperor.

Zhao Ji waved his hand: "It's alright. I just wanted some convenience and to sneak out for some fresh air. It's not like I'm going on a grand procession. Why make it so magnificent? As long as I can walk, that's enough! Tell me, where is the exit?"

Seeing that the emperor's mood seemed to have improved, Liang Shicheng felt much relieved and quickly replied:
"Your Majesty is wise! The exit... the exit is located outside Zhen'an Ward, not far from Miss Li... cough, Miss Shishi's villa, separated only by a narrow alley. It's an inconspicuous little courtyard, which this old servant has secretly bought under an alias. Only a few guards are left inside to watch over it, so it couldn't be safer."

"Good! Good place!" Zhao Ji clapped his hands: "There's no time like the present! Liang Banban, let's go now! You accompany me... to go out for a walk to clear my mind! Tonight's show will be called: The wealthy merchant Zhao Yi visits Li Hangshou at night. We'll have Li Hangshou sing a couple of songs in her courtyard."

"Now?!" Liang Shicheng was so shocked he almost bit his tongue. The sun had just set, it was pitch black, and the tunnel was even less than respectable... But when he looked up and saw the official's unquestionable eyes, he immediately swallowed back the words of advice that were about to come out.

He said with a forced smile, "Your Majesty, but that Master Li has never sung songs in his own courtyard."

"Just bring more silver," Zhao Ji said, waving his hand.

"Yes, Your Majesty, you are in a good mood! This old servant will arrange it immediately! However... the tunnel is really filthy, I'm sorry to have troubled Your Majesty... If I may be so bold as to ask Your Majesty to change into some more comfortable clothes?"

"Stop babbling! Go and prepare!" Zhao Ji urged impatiently. He had already walked to the side and quickly tore off the bright yellow dragon robe that symbolized supreme nobility, tossing it onto the back of the chair to reveal a dark blue brocade casual dress underneath.

His movements were swift and efficient; there was no trace of the heart-wrenching look he had just given the portrait.
Liang Shicheng dared not delay any longer. He scrambled to his feet and, like a nimble old cat, silently retreated to make the arrangements.

Meanwhile, in Li Shishi's secluded courtyard, Ximen Qing and Li Shishi stood in the back garden of the small courtyard.

The night was deep in autumn, and the chill had already seeped into the bones.

A crescent moon hung alone in the dark blue sky, casting a cold and pale light. The garden had long lost the lushness of spring and summer, leaving only a sense of desolation.

A few clumps of withered chrysanthemums barely held on to their twilight years, while the withered lotus in the pond lay decayed, leaving only a few charred leaf stalks piercing the night sky.

The official looked at Li Shishi. He knew that she was so beautiful that he had heard about her beauty every day in Qinghe County.

Now that it's so close, it truly lives up to its reputation.

She was almost identical to Qin Keqing and Jinlian, and was not merely a collection of ordinary cosmetics.

Gazing at a beautiful woman under the moonlight at this moment, one feels an indescribable wonder.

But Li Shishi was blushing with shame.

Her face was completely free of makeup, revealing her natural skin, which shone with a soft, lustrous glow under the moonlight, like the finest mutton fat jade.

Because of the exercise she had just done, two delicate blushes of peach blossom color naturally spread across her cheeks, extending from her cheekbones all the way to her ears, so tender that they looked as if you could squeeze water out of them.

A few strands of his long, dark hair were damp with sweat, clinging to his smooth forehead and snow-white neck, adding to his languid and carefree charm.

The sweat, wave after wave, enveloped the hot, white vapor rising from Li Shishi's body, and went straight into Ximen Qing's nostrils.

The sweat smelled completely natural, without any artificial scent. It was slightly sour, like fermented dough, with a warm, slightly fishy, ​​and fresh aroma, followed by a creamy, sweet warmth.

Fine beads of sweat glistened on his forehead and the tip of his nose, reflecting the light of the lamp and shimmering like water, glistening and alluringly trembling.

She pulled a silk handkerchief from her sleeve, its scent of jasmine powder lingering. She gently patted it onto her smooth, white forehead. As the handkerchief became damp, the powdery scent mingled with the sweat, becoming even stronger.

The towel slid down her smooth neck to wipe the slightly undulating hollow of her collarbone. The hollow was shallow, holding a few drops of fragrant sweat. As she moved, her sleeve slipped down halfway, revealing a section of her snow-white forearm. This wiping had no effect; as she gently raised her jade-like arm and the sleeve slipped slightly, the hot, damp scent of sweat rushed straight to Ximen Qing's face, as if it were alive.

The smoke made the official furious, so he could only force a dry laugh and say, "Alright! Li Xingshou has kept me here so that I wouldn't end up on the streets. There must be something important on your mind. Now that I'm grateful for your kindness, may I ask how I can thank you properly?"

After wiping away her sweat, Li Shishi crumpled the damp, perfumed handkerchief in her hand, glanced at the master, and whispered with watery eyes, "Master, what are you saying? I'm keeping you here for no other reason than to ask you for one... a small favor."

The word "small" was spoken so lightly and softly, like a feather tickling the tip of the heart.

"Oh?" The official raised an eyebrow and leaned forward slightly. "Speak freely."

“It’s simple,” Li Shishi’s voice grew even softer and more seductive, with a slight pant. “I only ask that my lord… paint a small portrait of me, just like the one you painted yesterday.” As she spoke, her eyes sparkled, a mixture of reproach and delight.

Upon hearing this, Master Ximen was first taken aback, then burst into laughter: "I thought it was some earth-shattering event, but it turns out to be such a trivial matter. What's so difficult about this!"

"When the sun shines bright tomorrow, I will definitely paint a lifelike portrait of Li Xingshou! I guarantee he will be even more beautiful than Chang'e in the moon!"

Li Shishi gently shook her head, took a small step closer, and her intoxicating fragrance of sweat mixed with her orchid-like breath brushed against the official's face: "My lord has misunderstood. I don't want the beauty's head on the paper with ink marks. I... want a full-body portrait."

As she spoke, her eyes were watery and she stared intently at the official.

Ximen Da Guanren was taken aback again. This time, his brows furrowed slightly, showing genuine difficulty. He waved his hands and shook his head repeatedly, clicking his tongue and saying, "Tsk tsk tsk, this... this is indeed difficult to handle!"

Seeing his refusal, Li Shishi frowned, her fair face showing a hint of anger: "What? Is it too big? Too much work and materials? Just name your price, sir, and I'll pawn my jewelry and other valuables to make sure you don't lose out!"

She assumed that this guy was deliberately putting on airs and trying to raise the price.

"Ha!" Master Ximen slapped his thigh, and that ambiguous smile returned to his face, carrying a mischievous tone mixed with a hint of helplessness:

"Master Li, what are you thinking! It's not about money. It's really...it's really that my skills are still far from mastered, and I'm far from proficient!"

“If it were a portrait, I could barely capture seven or eight parts of the likeness and cover up the flaws. But… but if it were to depict a person wearing clothes…” The official shook his head at this point, saying with regret, “I’m still not skilled enough; I simply can’t do it!”

"Ah—!" Upon hearing his explicit words, Li Shishi blushed instantly, her face turning bright red as if scalding hot rouge had been splashed on her.

The blush suddenly flared up from the base of her ears, spreading like wildfire across her cheeks, not only staining her delicate earlobes but also running down her fair, smooth neck, burning deep into the slightly open collar of her dress.

A vibrant, luscious peach-pink hue quickly spread across her smooth, snow-white skin, causing his heart to pound wildly, as if he were carrying seventeen or eighteen startled rabbits. He cursed inwardly:

"That despicable scoundrel! That vile scoundrel! I thought he was so refined and polite just now, but it turns out he's full of wicked and depraved thoughts! He's clearly using painting as an excuse to undress me with his words, deliberately provoking me and taking advantage of me!"

She was filled with shame and anger, and for a moment she couldn't speak. She just twisted the handkerchief in her hand so hard that her knuckles turned blue and white. She wanted to spit a mouthful of phlegm at him right away, but she couldn't because of her status and dignity. The anger in her chest was so strong that she wanted to curse him.

"Crack!" Li Shishi retreated sharply, and the withered branch snapped in response.

Her two jade-like arms were crossed over her chest. Her fair face, which had been flushed and glistening with dew from her singing practice, now seemed frozen in frost. Her pearly teeth bit her cherry lips, and her cold, starry eyes flashed with shame and anger, piercing directly at Master Ximen: "Master! Please have some self-respect!"

This sharp shout startled the crows on the old tree, causing them to fly away in disarray.

"I work in the music academy, selling my beautiful voice, not my looks!" Her chest heaved, and her plain white cotton blouse, half-soaked with sweat, clung to her body, casting a hazy, undulating shadow in the moonlight.

Beads of sweat slid down her jade-like neck, and her voice rose, cracking like ice:

"He possesses an inner strength that is pure and untainted! If you, sir, harbor any intention of using the 'painting' as a pretext for frivolous and voyeuristic behavior..."

Her eyes burned with rage. "That's an insult to me, Li Shishi! It's a disgrace to the reputation of painting! This painting is better left unfinished!"

Her spine was ramrod straight, like a green bamboo in the snow.

A cold wind swept across her sweaty body, causing her to shiver slightly, revealing the sharp, unyielding contours of her shoulder blades beneath her damp shirt.

The rising steam, mixed with the fresh scent of soapberry, was particularly distinct in the cold night.

The official was taken aback by this sudden rebuke. Realizing she had misunderstood, he cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and said sincerely, "Master! Please calm down! Don't misunderstand!"

“What I say is by no means frivolous. The painting techniques I have learned are methods of seeking truth, using charcoal to depict forms and lines to depict reality, striving for accuracy down to the smallest detail, and revealing the very essence of the subject!”

"The difficulty of this skill lies not in painting the skin and depicting the bones, but rather in the clothes that cover the body!"

"To paint a naked human body, simply follow the steps, outline the bone structure, and depict the muscles. Light and shadow will follow, and the form and spirit will naturally emerge. This is like a tree with roots and water with a source; just follow the principles!"

He abruptly changed the subject, his finger tracing the lines of his clothing in the air, his expression full of helplessness:
"But once you put on clothes... alas! That's the real difficulty of ascending to heaven!"

"This soft cloth, when attached to a living body, can be taut like a drumhead, piled up like clouds, or cascading like a waterfall... a thousand wrinkles, ten thousand forms, seemingly just cloth, but in reality, its roots lie in the unseen bones and flesh beneath, and the flow of blood and qi!"

He sighed heavily, "My sketching skills are still quite rudimentary! I can barely make still life or lifeless objects resemble them. But to see through these layers of fabric..."

He pointed to Li Shishi's sweat-soaked clothes, "Precisely capturing how the acromion supporting it rises, how the spine sinks, how the curve of the ribs guides the direction of the fabric... how full and plump it is, is extremely difficult!"

He shook his head, his expression extremely solemn: "It is truly that my skills are insufficient and my painting technique is crude! If I were to force it, what I would produce would be a stiff wooden puppet draped in a death shroud, which would only make the head of the troupe laugh at me and further disgrace the troupe's vibrant and sensual nature! This is a regret due to my inferior skill, and absolutely not due to any evil intentions!"

The moonlight, like a ribbon, spilled across Li Shishi's exquisite courtyard, also illuminating her beautiful, unadorned face, which had just flushed slightly with surprise and doubt.

Her heart had been pounding wildly, and she was filled with anger. Her bright eyes were fixed on the official in front of her, but he looked serious and composed. His brows were no longer furrowed with the usual frivolity, but instead revealed a rare solemnity.

Seeing that his gaze was fixed on her face without flinching, she felt a sense of openness.

The nameless rage in Li Shishi's heart, which had been burning fiercely, was suddenly extinguished by his earnest demeanor, like boiling water poured on snow, with a hissing sound.

She cursed inwardly, thinking to herself, "Could it be that I've misunderstood him?"

Li Shishi's expression gradually softened. She merely glanced at his face twice, and her anger finally dissipated with each breath into the cool night air: "This gentleman... doesn't seem to be lying at this moment!"

But then the handsome, wicked-looking man before him smiled again and said, "In any case, I am grateful to Chief Li for allowing me to stay for the night. How about this? To express my gratitude, I will first paint a small portrait of you. If you find my work satisfactory..."

"It's still passable, and I feel I can be entrusted with some tasks. As for the remaining matters, let's proceed slowly and discuss them in detail, shall we?"

He changed the subject, paused, and said, "After I go back and hone my skills for a while, I will paint another 'well-dressed and prosperous' portrait for the head of the guild! It will all be up to the head of the guild to decide."

Li Shishi listened, her long eyelashes drooping slightly, her mind racing. Drawing a portrait wouldn't be a big deal; it could be a way to test his true colors.

Furthermore, the fact that he spoke in such a humble manner and made promises for the future shows a degree of sincerity.

She moved her jade-like neck slightly, nodded her head lightly, and uttered a single word, "Good," her voice like pearls falling onto a jade plate: "Please sit in my room, so I can light the lamp and examine it more closely."

"Hey, Li, wait a minute!" Master Ximen didn't move. Instead, he looked up at the icy moon in the sky, then surveyed the moonlit courtyard, and laughed:
"Master Li, you are mistaken! Such a blessed time and beautiful scenery, with the moonlight as clear as water, perfectly complements your unparalleled elegance, making you even more radiant!"

"If we confine ourselves indoors, lighting that dim yellow oil lamp, wouldn't that be a waste of nature's bounty and a disservice to Heaven's good intentions? If the leader trusts my meager skills,"

He turned to the side and pointed to a corner next to the flower stand where the moonlight was strongest and the flower shadows swayed, "Why don't we use this spot? The moonlight is strongest here, and the fragrance of flowers is intoxicating, which would best bring out the stunning beauty of the woman in the lead!"

Following his fingertip, Li Shishi saw that the moonlight was like mercury spilling onto the ground, with flower shadows cast across the scene, creating a serene and unique atmosphere.

She hesitated for a moment, thinking that the courtyard was spacious and the maids and servants were nearby, so she figured he wouldn't do anything outrageous. She nodded slightly as a sign of agreement: "...Very well, I'll do as you say, sir."

The official's eyes lit up with delight when he saw her agree: "Please wait a moment, Master. I'll go and fetch the charcoal pencil and paper." He turned to leave.

"It's such a small matter, why should you, sir, go to such lengths?" Li Shishi said softly, then turned to the maid standing to the side and called out loudly.

The official quickly replied, "My charcoal pencils are kept in a special box. Just ask my servant Dai'an for them."

Upon hearing this, the maid couldn't help but burst out laughing, then crisply interrupted, "My lord, please don't mention your precious servant! Just now, outside the courtyard wall, I don't know which blind scoundrel had wrapped a stone in silk and thrown it into the courtyard with a 'thud'!"

"When your servant saw this, he was so angry that he jumped up and down, cursing, 'Where did this filthy scoundrel come from, daring to mess with me! I'll teach you a lesson today!' Before he finished speaking, he rolled up his sleeves and rushed out the door like a gust of wind to seek his revenge! By now, he might have chased you for two blocks!"

Upon hearing this, the official's composure froze instantly, clearly not expecting this turn of events: "In that case, I would be very kind of you to make the trip, young lady, and simply bring over the entire blue cloth bundle that I kept in the east wing's side room."

The official here is preparing to paint.

In a separate courtyard not far from Li Shishi's boudoir.

It was usually deserted, but today a few figures suddenly appeared.

Liang Shicheng, dressed in casual clothes, was covered in dust, but he didn't bother to brush it off. He quickly turned around and stretched out a well-maintained but thin hand to carefully help the person behind him.

The person behind him followed out, looking somewhat disheveled, like Zhao Guanjia.

Liang Shicheng glanced at the official's face, then spoke in a high-pitched voice, his tone extremely low and full of obsequiousness: "Your Majesty, watch your step! Look, push open that small side door in front, go through it, turn right and walk less than a hundred steps, and you'll be at the back wall of Li Hangshou's courtyard!"

His beady eyes gleamed in the dim light, and he hunched over like an old shrimp. "This old servant will go knock on the door for Your Majesty..."

"Hmph!" Before he could finish speaking, the official interrupted him with a low laugh and a hint of impatience in his voice. "You old eunuch! What do you know about romance? The pursuit between men and women is all about sentiment and sincerity!"

"You're a rootless nobody, how could you have ever experienced such intoxicating pleasures? Sending you to knock on the door would only spoil the mood and dampen my spirits, preventing her from underestimating my feelings!"

As he spoke, he straightened his back and adjusted his official hat: "At such a critical juncture, it is only natural that I... no, I, Zhao Yi... personally go to knock on the Jade Gate Pass! Only then can it show solemnity and sincerity!"

Liang Shicheng felt as if a wad of cotton was stuck in his throat, but he still gritted his teeth and, in a high-pitched voice, kept it lower than a mosquito's hum:
"Your Majesty...Your Majesty is wise! This old servant...this old servant dares to be bold, but my heart...it's not at ease!"

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(End of this chapter)