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nTranslator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

nPrincess Rong Hua drank very fast; the feeling of drunkenness was coming up quickly. Her face was stained with a red glow now. The emperor looked at her daughter with a bit of worry.

nMeanwhile, on the opposite side, the girl was holding the glass with one hand, gently smiling, and she slowly drank up each glass of wine, as if she was not in a race, but was tasting good wine.

nBut unexpectedly, the surrounding onlookers found the number of empty wine glasses in front of her was increasing as fast as that of the Princess Rong Hua, or even faster.

nA drinking race between Princess Rong Hua and the royal princess? Unbelievable! This had never happened in history before. It was quite a big show for today.

nKada—

nThe wine glass collided with the table surface, making slight noises.

n“Give me that… brush pen!” Princess Rong Hua felt a little dizzy and weak, but her consciousness was clear. She staggered as she stood up, escorted by her maid, and walked to the table on which a big paper was spread.

nWith a splash of ink, Princess Rong Hua’s beautiful and grand calligraphy soon appeared on the paper.

n“It’s really nice calligraphy!”

n“Yes, indeed.”

nThe ministers standing nearby couldn’t help praising Princess Rong Hua’s handwriting. They came closer one after another to appreciate the creation process.

nThe heirs of the royal family were educated in all four arts, including music, chess, calligraphy and painting. They learned since childhood, which endowed them with great knowledge of them all, and in some aspects they were even quite proficient.

nThe calligraphy of Princess Rong Hua was the best among all the heirs, and the emperor was very proud of that as well.

nSo when Princess Rong Hua heard the praise of the ministers, she stood upright immediately and seemed to have seen the dawn of victory.

nBut having drunk too much wine really affected her. She delayed a little in writing. Then after she finally finished the writing, a feeling of weakness attacked her all at once. She almost lost her balance and leaned upon her maid to avoid falling over.

nShe looked to Ming Shu, who was still sitting in her seat and drinking wine, and whose posture was not even changed. She was also looking back at her with a smile.

nWhat is she laughing at?

nWhat’s so funny? Her smile is really ugly, as ugly as her appearance.

nPrincess Rong Hua pushed the maid away and staggered to Ming Shu. The latter was now holding a glass of unfinished wine in her hand. Princess Rong Hua couldn’t help giving a beaming smile. “You lose.”

n“Rong Hua.” The emperor, though, interrupted her.

n“Father, I win!” Princess Rong Hua became a little anxious and her face was filled with excitement. She knew she would win.

n“Rong Hua, the royal princess won,” the emperor said in a deep voice. “Don’t be silly, come now.”

nPrincess Rong Hua’s smile was frozen on her face. “Father… what are you saying?” How could she win, she didn’t even finish the wine!

n“Your Highness, it is indeed the royal princess who won, she finished the calligraphy faster than you…” the maid whispered in Princess Rong Hua’s ear.

n“She didn’t finish the wine! So what if she was faster than me in writing?” Princess Rong Hua pointed at the wine on the table.

nThe maid whispered again, “It was poured by Her Highness after she had finished the writing.”

nIt turned out that Princess Rong Hua was surrounded by the ministers just now, which totally blocked her sight. In fact, when she began writing, Ming Shu also finished her wine and started the second phase. She wrote faster than Princess Rong Hua.

nThat glass of unfinished wine was poured after she had finished the writing and sat down.

n“Thank you, Your Highness, for the gift.” Ming Shu raised her glass and smiled.

nPrincess Rong Hua stared at Ming Shu disbelievingly, but she didn’t make a scene. Keeping silent for a while, she turned and ran away.

n“Your Highness…”

nThe maid also chased her out.

n” Ho , childish! Royal Princess, don’t concern yourself with her. This dagger is yours now.” The emperor came out and broke the awkwardness. He ordered the maid to pass the dagger to Ming Shu, and continued, “Since two princesses showed their fine calligraphy, why don’t you ministers come and show what you can do? Come, whoever writes the best today, I will reward.”

nThe ministers complained in the bottom of their hearts. They only intended to watch a play, but now they had to play themselves for the emperor.

nHowever, they were so good at hiding their real thoughts deep inside. On the surface, they happily followed the emperor’s order.

nThe ministers went up to show off their calligraphy one by one, and the scene grew quite harmonious.

n“Why help me?”

n“What?” Ming Shu turned her head. The man sat perfectly straight next to her, leaving her with only one side of his face. Ming Shu looked around and then asked, “Are you talking to me, Uncle?”

nKing Huai didn’t answer.

nMing Shu held her chin with one hand, and the fingertip of another was playing with the porcelain wine glass. The liquid swaying in the glass reflected dots of light, which were scattered into her pupils, lending them a slight layer of soft luster. “I just wanted Princess Rong Hua to hate me.”

nKing Huai was a little surprised.

nThe girl with fine features was smiling tenderly. Her voice was crisp and ethereal, but the content of her words was so confusing.

n“You hate her?”

n“No.” In the words of the Harmony System, why should she hate a character existing in a game?

nIt’s all for the snacks… I have to gain her Hatred Points.

n“Why?” King Huai was even more curious, and he asked again.

nMing Shu offered another close-lipped smile. “Uncle is not an officious person. It doesn’t matter to Uncle. Why do you want to know?”

nHearing this, King Huai felt a little dumb for a moment, but then he nodded coldly. “Okay.”

nAfter that, there was only silence between the uncle and the niece.

nThe banquet ended in a weird mood. After the emperor left, Ming Shu dusted her skirt and got up. The ministers didn’t dare to offend her, so they humbly waited on the spot for her to go first.

nThe air outside the hall was much better than that inside. Ming Shu took a deep breath and stretched out. She walked down the steps briskly, like a bird that had just been set free from a cage.

nI need some snacks now.

nSnacks.

nSnacks !

n“Please wait, Your Highness.” A eunuch servant caught up with Ming Shu. “Your Highness, His Majesty wants to see you in the royal study room.”

nRoyal study room? At this time? What does he want?

n“Well, it’s too late at night, it’s not suitable for a man and a woman to meet. I will come tomorrow,” Ming Shu said in a soft voice.

nThat old fox was not a good person. He used her to embarrass King Huai, and let Princess Rong Hua bet with her…

nThe royals are all conspirators.

nWho has the energy to deal with a conspirator this late!

nNot to mention my snacks are waiting for me.

n… Eh? The eunuch was dumbfounded.

n“Your Highness…”

nMing Shu waved her hand and went straight to the litter parked outside the palace.

n“… His Majesty is waiting for you…”

nThe eunuch was frozen to the spot. He stared at the litter moving further and further away for a long time before coming to himself. How should he report to his royal master!

n…

nKing Huai stood in the shadows with his hands behind his back, watching Ming Shu’s litter leaving.

n“Lord, about what happened today… the emperor was obviously purposely targeting you.” Ye Cong stood beside King Huai, full of indignation. “If it weren’t for the royal princess, it might have gotten worse.”

nKing Huai retracted his gaze. “What do you think he would think of us?”

nYe Cong didn’t understand the meaning of this sentence for a while, then after thinking it over, he cautiously replied, “Perhaps he will think the lord and the royal princess are intimate.”

n“Right.” At the banquet, no matter for what reason, the royal princess helped him out, which would make his suspicious elder brother doubt him.

n“Lord, this does us no harm,” Ye Cong said. “The Heavenly Temple is not a weak chicken. And… it looks like the royal princess is easy to get along with.”

nEasy to get along with?

nKing Huai didn’t know how Ye Cong would have this conclusion in mind.

nIn his opinion, that girl was everything but an easy person to get along with. On the contrary, he had a feeling that she hid some unpredictable emotions beneath her frequent smiles.

n“Do some investigations into her past.”

n“Lord?”

n“She is not that simple.”

nKing Huai turned and walked in the other direction. His figure seemed blend into the darkness, and a cold voice came to the ears of Ye Cong from afar.

n“Everything must be under control for this comeback.”

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