Chapter 200: Chapter 182

Chapter 182

After having her subordinates carry the unconscious Mozhu away, Yue Mingsheng left the imperial study in a good mood.

Meanwhile, Jun Zishu sat down and started handling paperwork. She did not visit Meng Lanxi immediately, choosing to leave him hanging for the time being.

In reality, Meng Lanxi was well aware that the original owner liked his unrelenting behavior, so he had taken advantage of this fact by threatening to commit suicide whenever the original owner attempted to bed him. However, would he actually go through with his threat had the original owner forced herself onto him? The answer would be a definitive “no.”

After leaving the imperial study, Yue Mingsheng continued visiting the various palaces in the rear court, making sure to remove every harem member from the palace complex. When she watched as these men packed their belongings and got ready to leave, her heart fluttered with joy.

However, as if ordained by fate, Yue Mingsheng suddenly came across Meng Lanxi when walking past a pavilion.

[Host! Host! Yue Mingsheng and Meng Lanxi made contact with each other!]

Little Fairy hurriedly alerted Jun Zishu to instill a sense of crisis into her host. When Little Fairy sensed Lord’s energy signature coming from Yue Mingsheng, she knew that her host’s first mission was already in the bag. However, even if her host didn’t end up with Lord, Little Fairy wouldn’t allow some random punk to flirt with Lord.

When Jun Zishu heard Little Fairy’s report, she dropped her brush and had Little Fairy broadcast the scene for her.

…

“Please wait, Your Highness,” Meng Lanxi hurriedly called out when he saw Yue Mingsheng walking past the pavilion without stopping.

Yue Mingsheng had originally planned on ignoring Meng Lanxi. However, since Meng Lanxi had called out to her, she had no choice but to stop.

“Is there something you need, Prince Meng?” Yue Mingsheng asked after walking up to the pavilion by herself. Then, she scrutinized Meng Lanxi’s appearance and couldn’t help but find him irksome.

It feels like he’s a vixen. A male vixen.

Although Yue Mingsheng didn’t know why she would use such a description to describe Meng Lanxi, this was how she felt about him.

“I heard that Her Majesty is dismissing the harem… What about me?”

Meng Lanxi wore a surprised look on his face when he asked his question. However, only seven parts were true, while the three remaining parts were an act.

Meng Lanxi had long since wanted to leave the imperial harem. After all, his original goal in taking the imperial exam was to stand above the masses as the ultimate minister, not to become a canary in a cage.

Throughout the days he had spent in the imperial harem, he hadn’t developed an ounce of good feeling toward the empress. However, he developed some good feelings toward the beautiful and talented princess.

“I did not receive an order from Her Majesty to allow you to leave the palace,” Yue Mingsheng said while making a curt bow. She naturally wouldn’t tell Meng Lanxi the truth.

Meng Lanxi immediately grew depressed when he heard Yue Mingsheng’s answer. He had more or less expected the empress to not let him leave judging by the strong interest she had shown in him.

Meanwhile, when Yue Mingsheng saw Meng Lanxi’s expression that seemingly said, “I knew she still liked me and wouldn’t let me leave,” she instantly felt her blood boil!

Reason told her that Meng Lanxi was innocent and that it was natural for him to hate imperial sister for stripping him of his freedom. However, Yue Mingsheng was akin to a biased, brainwashed fan found in modern times. So long as she got involved with matters concerning her imperial sister, her mind could no longer think objectively.

After all, that person was her ruler and her master. That was the person she had sworn allegiance to and held unspeakable thoughts for.

“I understand,” Meng Lanxi said, his hand squeezing the railing beside him tightly until his knuckles turned a little white.

Meng Lanxi had instructed the palace servants following her to wait outside when she walked into the pavilion. After looking around and making sure that nobody else was nearby, she asked in a lowered voice, “Are you so reluctant to remain by Imperial Sister’s side, Prince Meng?”

“You know how I entered this place, Your Highness. How could I possibly be willing to stay here?” Meng Lanxi said with a bitter smile.

“Has your mind not changed even after so long? You should know that there are people refusing to leave.”

“It has never changed.”

“Then, what if Imperial Sister insists on having you?”

“I’d rather die than get humiliated.”

Meng Lanxi was currently standing before the woman he liked, so his voice was filled with certainty when he said those words.

In that case, please die when that day comes, Yue Mingsheng thought, her lips curling slightly upwards. Then, after taking one last look at Meng Lanxi, she promptly turned away and left.

Meng Lanxi failed to understand Yue Mingsheng’s reaction. He even thought that Yue Mingsheng had smiled because he approved his behavior.

Meanwhile, after Yue Mingsheng left the pavilion, her expression returned to her previously indifferent state.

…

After Little Fairy turned off the broadcast, Jun Zishu picked up her brush again. Although she didn’t know why her little cousin would suddenly start to behave indifferently toward Meng Lanxi, she was more than glad to see this happen.

How wonderful.

After dipping her brush in ink, Jun Zishu resumed processing the documents before her.

The original owner had very beautiful handwriting since she had trained from childhood, and all of her words exuded elegance. In contrast, Jun Zishu’s handwriting was bold and regal, befitting her identity as a ruler.

Although Jun Zishu had the original owner’s memories and could mimic the original owner’s handwriting, she chose not to do so. Of course, to avoid attracting suspicion, she made sure to make the changes gradually.

Moreover, if someone were to question the change in her handwriting, she could simply say that her mood had changed. If her mood had changed and her heart had become more open, the words she wrote would naturally become more generous.

Time always passed by quickly when one was immersed in work. Eventually, Defu entered the room and tentatively reminded Jun Zishu that it was time for dinner.

“Invite Mingsheng to join me for dinner,” Jun Zishu said as she put aside her brush and massaged her fingers.

“Understood.”

…

After changing her clothes, Yue Mingsheng visited Jun Zishu’s palace to have dinner together.

“Set those dishes in front of Mingsheng. They’re her favorites,” Jun Zishu said to the palace maids setting up the table.

“How did you know, Imperial Sister?” Yue Mingsheng asked in surprise, her eyes filled with warmth as she looked at Jun Zishu.

“I noticed that you would always go for those dishes.”

Yue Mingsheng grew delighted, and she began eating in an excellent mood.

Yue Mingsheng knew that she wasn’t actually Jun Zishu’s little sister. They couldn’t even be considered cousins. Moreover, Jun Zishu was even her master. So, whenever she was before Jun Zishu, she would always lower her posture and behave with humility.

However, the affection and kindness Jun Zishu had shown her and the strange emotions that were gradually accumulating in her heart these past few days caused her to panic a little.

She found it difficult to distance herself from Jun Zishu. Yet, she was also afraid that she couldn’t hide the beast in her heart if she got too close to Jun Zishu.

When Jun Zishu saw the delight on her little cousin’s face, she couldn’t help but have the urge to pinch the girl’s cheeks. However, she refrained from doing so since they were currently at the dining table.

After the meal, Jun Zishu stopped Yue Mingsheng from leaving immediately.

“Do you need me for anything else, Imperial Sister?” Yue Mingsheng asked in a delighted tone. It just so happened that she was trying to find a reason to spend more time with Jun Zishu.

“All of you withdraw for now,” Jun Zishu said, waving away the palace maids and eunuchs.

“Understood.”

After the maids and eunuchs were gone, Jun Zishu asked, “Are you still keeping up with your martial arts training these past few years, Mingsheng?”

“I have never stopped.”

Although Yue Mingsheng was now a princess, she had made sure to train her martial arts in her palace’s hidden room every night. Not once did she dare to slack in her training. Otherwise, she’d fail as a shadow guard if something happened and she failed to protect her master.

“Teach me a thing or two, then.”

The original owner knew martial arts, but only a little. She was more adept at death-point striking since she preferred this method of attack. As for everything else, she only dabbled in them a little without delving too deeply.

However, Jun Zishu wanted to learn more powerful martial arts. At the very least, she needed to have the ability to protect herself should she come across an assassination attempt.

“Now?”

“Later. For now, let’s take a bath together.”

“To-Together?”

“Is there something wrong?”

“It will be my pleasure.”

When Little Fairy saw her host fervently teasing Lord, she couldn’t help but grow confused. While she was aware that Lord would try to flirt with her host whenever they arrived in a new world, her host shouldn’t be aware of this. Yet, now, what was her host doing?

Her host had invited Lord to bathe together?

Was her host not afraid that Lord would push her down?

The windows were opened, and the scent of flowers flowed into the dining room along with the wind.

“Let’s go and have a walk first.”

“Okay.”

[Host?]

Hm?

[Are you trying to seduce the target?]

Huh? Why would you think that?

Jun Zishu tilted her head slightly, smiling at Yue Mingsheng when she locked eyes with the other party.

[Didn’t you invite her to bathe together?]

…What nonsense are you thinking? I just think that it’ll be easier for her to help me with my internal energy without my clothes getting in the way.

[Is that so?]

Little Fairy had more or less expected such an answer. After all, she knew that her host was a responsible employee focused on her mission. However, while her host might not be having such thoughts, the same couldn’t be said for Lord.

My first mission might be to prevent Yue Mingsheng and Meng Lanxi from getting together, but that doesn’t mean Yue Mingsheng has to fall in love with me. Also, she should like men, right?

Even if all of her partners in her past mission worlds were female, Jun Zishu doubted that all of her mission targets would be lesbians. Moreover, going by the original storyline, Yue Mingsheng should like people of the opposite sex instead.

[That won’t necessarily be the case.]

What Little Fairy wanted to say was, “That definitely wasn’t the case,” but she held herself back from doing so. She had already watched Lord chasing after her host across so many worlds, so there was no way Lord would give up on her host and fall in love with a man. Unless, of course, her host became a man. However, that would never happen unless her host requested it.

Jun Zishu couldn’t help but feel that Little Fairy’s words sounded a little strange. However, when she recalled that all of her past partners were originally described as straight women, she felt that it wasn’t exactly impossible for a change to happen to Yue Mingsheng’s sexual orientation.

But getting together with Yue Mingsheng, huh…

This was a possibility Jun Zishu had never considered. In her eyes, Yue Mingsheng was merely an exceptionally pleasing and well-behaved little sister. She had a very good opinion of the girl, and she hoped that Yue Mingsheng could live a happy and smooth-sailing life.

“How old are you this year, Mingsheng?” Jun Zishu suddenly asked as she looked at the carps jumping about in the pond.

Having Yue Mingsheng marry someone was a good option. If Yue Mingsheng got married, it would completely remove the possibility of her getting together with Meng Lanxi.

“I am 17 this year.”

Seventeen wasn’t a young age in this ancient era. Most girls would already be married at the age of 15.

“Have you taken a liking to anyone, Mingsheng?” Jun Zishu asked.

Yue Mingsheng was startled by this question. Of course she had someone she liked. However, there was no way she could reveal who she liked.

“I don’t wish to marry, Your Majesty. I wish to remain as one of Your Majesty’s people forever,” Yue Mingsheng said with a terrified expression. She was truly afraid that Jun Zishu wanted to let her go no matter what.

“Alright, alright. Look how scared you are,” Jun Zishu said when she held up Yue Mingsheng’s hands and noticed how cold they had become.

“You’re not allowed to talk about this anymore in the future, Big Sister.”

“Okay, okay, okay. I won’t mention it anymore.”