Scent Of Time

Chapter 19

“How sharp can …… it be?”

I took the knife and cut to the wooden box in my hand. I hadn’t finished my words, and a corner of the wooden box was missing. What a sharp knife! It cut wood like mud, ah.

I couldn’t help but cut a few more times. I slashed the box several times before stopping, liking this exquisite small object even more.

“Give Hua Shen …… er, elder brother, a message. Say I like this thing,” I said lovingly. My impression of Hua Shen also got a bit better. It seemed that he wasn’t all a clueless idiot.

When I looked into Hua Rongzhou’s beautiful brown eyes, he seemed extraordinarily happy. Suddenly, he noticed he was still pulling my wrist, and his face instantly turned red. He kneels hastily, “This subordinate ……”

“Don’t say those useless things.” I pulled his body. “Come on, teach me how this turns back into a bracelet?”

This action was also simple. One only needed to press the button and twist it in the opposite direction. Then, it will change back to a flat and uninteresting bracelet. It was really a good item for defense.

A thought birthed in my mind when I looked at Hua Rongzhou, who kept his head hanging down and seemed to be an honest child. Maybe I should gather my own people.

“I don’t have anything that needs protection in this courtyard. Now that I’m preparing to enter the palace, I’m missing a guard.” I tried to put on a motherly expression, “Would it be alright if you came and drove for me?”

Hua Rongzhou looked up at me in dismay. I continued to smile like an old mother. His face reddened, but his eyes burned with less hostility, “This subordinate…follow orders.”

Since I decided to leave the King Jin Mansion, up to the Empress Dowager and down to the King Jin Mansion’s guards, I have to run a good network.

When I arrived at the palace, I followed the leading eunuch with my head down. Suddenly, that eunuch’s figure flashed and disappeared.

When I frowned, Qian Zhi by my side spoke nervously, “Your Highness ……”

I raised my hand to signal her there was no need to be alarmed. I was invited in in a big way. No one would dare to design me in such a blatant manner. A few moments later, a bright yellow figure appear at the front intersection.

Zhong Xiwu smiled. “Such a coincidence, ah. Princess Consort Jin.”

I smiled and performed a salute, but in my heart, I cursed. Coincidental, my ghost! To be able to make such a bold plan in the palace, it’s none other than him.

“I happen to be going to Mother’s side as well. Let’s go together.” Zhong Xiwu slightly sidestepped, and I slowly followed.

Noticing that the head eunuch beside him, Eunuch Li, was unobtrusively blocking in front of Qian Zhi, pulling away the distance between us, I realized he must had something to say to me.

“Are you feeling better from your injuries?” As expected, after he distanced himself from the servants, Zhong Xiwu opened his mouth, “That day at the King Jin Mansion, I didn’t even have the time to ask you in detail because of my royal brother.”

What else did he want to ask in detail?

“Reply to the Emperor. I am no longer in any serious trouble,” I answered moderately.

Zhong Xiwu’s footsteps lurched. I pretended not to know and continued to walk. He said again, “I see that you were still angry. Do you still think I am testing you at an inconvenient time?”

I didn’t even lift my head, “The emperor is joking. I don’t dare.”

“Don’t dare and not angry?” Zhong Xiwu’s voice didn’t carry anger and seemed helpless. But as always, gentle, “Then I promise you that in the future, I will never recklessly suspect you again. Can you stop your anger?”

What kind of messed up lines was this? I can’t help but glance sideways at Zhong Xiwu. Yet I saw him smiling sincerely, and the corner of my mouth twitched. He said this to the wrong person, right?

“What the emperor is thinking is all reasonable. How dare I count it as suspicion?” I continued to be polite.

I have dealt with him several times. Every time was a setup for me. To be on the safe side, I’d better act like a terrified woman.

“That’s fine. There’s a long way to go. I seem to understand now…” Zhong Xiwu didn’t dwell on the previous topic but came up with a perplexing sentence.

“Speaking of that day, I think about Princess Consort Jin’s words and felt that it was very reasonable.” Zhong Xiwu shifted the topic without any trace.

Here we go again. Talking to him was so heart-tiring, so many bends and turns, but I don’t dare not to answer.

“I am ignorant. I don’t know what I have said wrong again?”

Zhong Xiwu sighed: “I said I won’t suspect you. You don’t have to be so cautious.”

Heh, only ghosts believe it.

Zhong Xiwu’s hands clasped behind his back. He didn’t stop his footsteps while saying: “You said that people’s life is only one. So, it wasn’t worth using your life for fighting. You should think about it in the future.”

What do you mean? Threaten me with my life? Is this emperor hungry? He played with power every day, yet he grew that spring-breeze face. His tenderness was all for the heroine.

Seeing my face was not very good, Zhong Xiwu froze. He slowed down his footsteps and said: “What I mean is that ……”

Perfect timing. We had arrived at the empress dowager’s palace, and I strode in, leaving him behind.

Eunuch Li stops Qian Zhi, causing them to lag. They shouldn’t see this infringing action.

After transmigrating, I had tolerated everywhere. But this time, I did not want to listen to Zhong Xiwu’s nonsense. I did not have a good temper, but I did not believe that he would drag and behead me now.

I quickly entered the empress dowager’s palace. The empress dowager’s sharp eyes immediately saw me. She looked angry: “You! Don’t you know? Lan’er’s kung fu is so good. Why do you need to turn your head? Lying on the bed so long for nothing, and I still have to be worried in this palace.”

Even though she had a sulking face, her eyes were obviously concerned. My heart warmed as I sat beside her, smiling coquettishly: “Mother’s teaching is right. I’m too impulsive.”

The empress dowager’s face relaxed as she saw me taking the initiative. She pulled my hand and said: “Look how thin are you! Your body is not good in the first place, and now you have become like this. In the future, how can you give Lan’er children, ah.”

My smile stiffened. Are all elders like to force marriages and have children? I was pondering whether or not to talk to her about the change in my relationship with Zhong Yelan when Zhong Xiwu’s voice came over. “Empress Mother is too biased, isn’t she? I’ve been in for so long. Can’t you see me?”

Her son came, and the empress dowager’s face smiled even more, but her mouth was unforgiving, “You still have the nerve to say that, not even a child by now. I must put my expectations on Lan’er.” She finished and patted my hand.

I am a person who has never been in love. Why should I discuss the topic of having children with them here?

Zhong Xiwu looked helpless, so he honestly sat down and stopped talking. The empress dowager turned her head to me again. “You didn’t send a message even after being sick for so long, causing me to want to send a doctor for you.”

I raised an eyebrow and looked at Zhong Xiwu. His handsome face was awkward.

He claimed that because the empress dowager was worried about me, she asked him to bring an Imperial Doctor to see me. It was a loud slap in the face. The empress dowager doesn’t even know about this.

“It was because I’m exhausted. I won’t do that next time.” I pretend. Exposing Zhong Xiwu was meaningless. We all know it by heart, so why should we insist on tearing our face off?

“Next time?” The empress dowager slapped my head, “You are thinking that this old life of mine is too long, right?”

I beg for forgiveness hurriedly, coaxing a long time to appease this old lady. Previously, the empress dowager was close to me but still had some distance. We’re not like today, like a family member.

It seemed the arrows I intercepted for Zhong Yelan caused her to change her view of me. She thought I genuinely liked Zhong Yelan, so she didn’t mind the small tricks that Hua Qian had done before and regarded it as normal. After all, a woman who loved someone prone to make mistakes.

After accompanying the empress dowager for a long time, the day was getting late, so I tried to say goodbye. I just finished my words when Zhong Xiwu said: “The time is not early. I won’t bother mother anymore.”

I just said I would leave, and he followed. Isn’t this too obvious? It seemed he wanted to drag me into a war of words again.

The empress dowager was so sharp. Naturally, she also saw it. Her brows frowned, but she didn’t say anything. I had to leave the empress dowager’s palace together with Zhong Xiwu.