The Choice Queen's

TCQ 34: Will Not Touch

In the courtyard of Changsun Palace whose flowers were blooming and the grass was greening, Li Fengran was sitting enjoying the full moon while drinking tea and eating snacks. Xiang Wan sat down beside him, eating the sweet snack he requested from the kitchen section.

“Did dad already go?” asked Li Fengran. His only meeting with ‘his adopted father’ was at the banquet that day.

“Big Master came home two days ago. He hastened his return schedule because of Big Miss Li Shiyu,”, said Xiang Wan.

“Is it because of the rumors spreading in the capital lately?”

“Maybe. Merely, the social sanction Miss Shiyu received was truly great. Many people threw him rotten vegetables and fruits until they kept him confined in the residence.”

Li Fengran let out a slow breath. Actually, it doesn't have to be like that. The matter could have been resolved if Li Shiyu repented and apologized to her. But, it was Li Yan himself who exposed his family's troubles until everyone found out and let his rumors spread to the capital.

It seemed, Li Yan was already determined to cut off the hopes and desires of her despicable biological daughter. He allowed himself to be targeted and damaged his own family's reputation only to have Li Fengran not get into any other trouble. If thought of, Li Yan was really willing to do anything to atone for his guilt.

“Nona, the Great Lord came here on the day of the banquet. He gave me a letter for you,” Xiang Wan suddenly remembered. “I'll get it for you.”

The servant ran into the palace and appeared a while later with a letter in his hand. As soon as Li Fengran read it, his forehead frowned. His father said that it was not Li Shiyu who told people to throw it away that night and told him to be careful.

If not Li Shiyu, who else would dare? Could it be that someone else was also trying to harm her?

But, he couldn't find anyone to think about.

Li Fengran put down his letter when suddenly the figure of Nangong Zirui flashed through his mind. Ah, true. Today is the day of Queen Donghao's new appointment. Nangong Zirui must be in Shen Lihua's place right now and as the Sword Stakeholder, Li Fengran did not interfere in his harem affairs.

It should have been a happy thing because he could avoid the ignorant eyes and cunning Nangong Zirui who kept on working on him by providing additional work. But, for some reason there was another part in the hidden corner in his heart that was not happy.

Li Fengran immediately brushed aside the displeasure by drinking his tea as much as possible. Xiang Wan was startled and was about to snatch his teapot, but Li Fengran kept it in his hand tightly. “Nona, you can be bloated if you keep drinking it!”

“Don't stop me!”

The girl was about to drink it again, but a delicate white hand grabbed her from behind. His reflexes followed the direction the hand was coming from, his eyes flashing a few times while frowning. This figure he saw, was it a ghost disguised as a handsome man?

“Other people get drunk after drinking wine. You want to get drunk with a cup of tea? My Sword Stake's taste is unique.”

Nangong Zirui chuckled while putting the teapot back on the table. Xiang Wan knew himself and immediately retreated a few meters back with Wang Bi. They gave space to the King and the Sword Bearer, letting them speak under the silver light of the full moon.

“Your Majesty, why are you here? Shouldn't His Majesty be at Linghua Palace with your queen?”

“Are you expecting me to be there?”

The question was ambiguous and Li Fengran did not know what to answer. Nangong Zirui chuckled. He took one unused cup and poured tea on it and drank it. Li Fengran looked at him suspiciously as if Nangong Zirui had just committed a crime.

“If I lasted a little longer in that place, I would really get into a trap. Just think about it, isn't this King so good at controlling himself and not letting others ruin his chastity?”

“What is he planning? Did he put an aphrodisiac in your drink?”

“Your mouth should indeed be screened.”

“Your Majesty, you don't know how to treat women. If he gives you an aphrodisiac, then he should be in charge of serving you.”

Nangong Zirui's expression turned grim and difficult to decipher. The atmosphere in the palace garden slowly matched it. Li Fengran realized he had made a mistake. He looked at the gloomy yet calm Nangong Zirui. Gosh, this situation actually makes the man even more charming!

“Xiao Feng, are you going to give yourself to someone you don't like?”

“Of course not.”

“I too. I won't touch a woman I don't love.”

Simple, but it was enough to make Li Fengran's heart almost jump out. His cheeks heated up and he drank a lot of tea to relieve the heat. Nangong Zirui's words clearly told her that the person she liked was not in the Back Palace, neither of the queen and her two concubines.

In the back, Xiang Wan boldly asked Wang Bi, “Easy Wang, what does His Majesty mean?”

Wang Bi clucked. “You're this little waiter! If you are not smart, your master will sooner or later get into trouble.”

Wang Bi looked at his king with a smile. He knew how hard Nangong Zirui's efforts were to regurgitate the wine he drank at Linghua Palace after coming out from there. His king knew the Queen would do the trick to tie him up, so he teamed up with her pretending not to know, then left there as quickly as possible.

Of all the palaces, the place he went was even the Changsun Palace. Isn't this already very clearly showing to whom his heart wants to be given?

Only, this king is not a person who is easily soluble in feelings and controlled by desire. He would not fall on that person before completely ascertaining his feelings. Wang Bi rasa, now his king is in a stage of self-assurance.

“If Miss gets into trouble, won't Your Majesty help her?”

Nangong Zirui was now staring at the full moon in the sky. This spring, it feels different to previous years. His gaze then involuntarily caught a letter that was still lying on the table near Li Fengran's cup.

“Did Li Yan give you a letter?” tanyakanya.

Li Fengran nodded.

“What did he say?”

“Daddy said that the person who wanted to poison me more and make me almost die then wanted to dump me that night was not Li Shiyu, and he told me to be careful.”

“It's possible. I guess Li Shiyu also had no connection that could be his accomplice in this palace.”

“Then the culprit must be someone else. He can infiltrate and move around in the palace, that means he has the ability.”

“You're right. Xiao Feng, I will help you find out, but before that, you must help me first.”

“Your Majesty, I am your Sword Stakeholder. Since when do you have to ask me for permission to give me a job?”

Li Fengran was reminded of the tacit revenge Nangong Zirui had taken on him lately. The attitude of this king was very unstable and difficult to guess, his mood also changed unpredictably. If only he hadn't been preoccupied with the Queen's affairs and banquets, Li Fengran might have been exhausted into his moons.

But, there was something else that made Li Fengran feel the other side of Nangong Zirui. This guy, messi looks mean and annoying, he's got a good heart. He has compassion and a tendency to protect those closest to him.

Presumably, this side was unknown to others so they viewed it as focusing only on the reclaiming of the power of the four regions. Actually, it's not always like that. There was a time when Nangong Zirui became himself, removing the mask as the dominant king figure.

Nangong Zirui just chuckled. He was very used to her.

“Go to Jinchuan with Mo Wei to oversee the distribution of disaster relief,” he said.

“I think His Majesty has already dealt with it, apparently not yet? How can people affected by the flood disaster there survive?” Li Fengran widened his eyes.

“Jinchuan Authority has already sent help. Yesterday after finishing the banquet, I had Su Ren report the situation.”

“Why does His Majesty want me to watch him alone? Wasn't Mo Wei enough? Then what is the use of the Minister of Social Affairs who every day debates you?”

“Because you have a lot of sense. The seed of chaos has begun to sprout, I can rest easy if you come to watch her.”

“Is Jinchuan far away?”

“No.”

“Near?”

“Not really.”

“Which one is right?”

“Sedang-medang course.”

“Your Majesty, speak the truth!”

“Good. Just two days of travel is enough.”

“I received the order.”

Pretty, not too long. Li Fengran would not protest about the reason for such a long journey like this. Nangong Zirui definitely wanted him to do something useful for her, so he put her in a helping hand. Alright, Li Fengran all wanted to see the world outside the palace and wanted to know what Jinchuan really looked like.

“Xiao Feng, remember to always be careful.”

“I know. Your Majesty, is your arrival known to others?”

“Besides Wang Bi, no more.”

“Good.”

“You're afraid they'll find a calculation with you?”

“Just worry. You know for yourself how jealous your wives are.”

“Not going. I'll handle them.”