The Phoenix Reborn Book II

Chapter 16 What Is He Here For?

“Did you see that?” wei Shulin asked towards Rong Gui. “Isn't that Chenxiao?” His gaze turned again at the gate of Wu Meilan's courtyard which was now spread wide. It was seen that some of the palace guards who had come with Chenxiao entered the courtyard while others were forced to wait outside because there was not enough space.

Rong Gui nodded his head. “The Sixth Prince does have some obligation to keep the palace safe. Therefore, Chenxiao must have come to the residence of Princess Wu on behalf of the examination.” He took a deep breath watching the tense atmosphere that seemed to burst out from the courtyard. Suddenly, his forehead creased. “What is the Sixth Prince also involved with the Crown Princess?”

Wei Shulin gritted his teeth. “The situation in the palace is never simple. However, capable of engaging so many people, Third Cousin's Sister had gathered many enemies apparently.” His tone sounded annoyed at not being able to do anything to help his cousin's sister.

Rong Gui's eyes glanced at Wei Shulin's expression. “Chairman, do not forget that you are married,” he said making his boss was wide-eyed.

“Omong empty what are you talking about now?” Wei Shulin quickly retorted. He had indeed once liked Huang Miaoling, but clearly their relationship was something impossible since the girl did not have the same feelings. “I'm just worried about my cousin's sister.” After all, just like Rong Gui said, he was married. Not only that, his wife was an excellent and noble woman, and Wei Shulin loved her.

“Heh.” A wide smile was painted on Rong Gui's face as his gaze turned to stare towards Wu Meilan's courtyard.

While Wei Shulin was also doing the same, his mind suddenly soared to something. “No, not true.” The man blinked his eyes while clamping his chin with his thumb and index finger.

“What is not true, Chairman Wei?” ask Rong Gui.

Wei Shulin's head turned to face his subordinate. “The Sixth Prince is an ally of the Crown Prince, he knows clearly that the man respects the Third Cousin's Sister. Therefore, he couldn't possibly hurt her.” His eyes turned to the rows of soldiers kneeling on one leg in quick succession, signaling Wu Meilan's figure had come out to meet them. “However, with so many bodyguards, what does he want to do?”

Silence enveloped the two men for a moment. Then, upon seeing the line of bodyguards slowly standing up from the ground, Rong Gui said in a heavy tone, “None of them can ever be considered allies within the palace, Chairman Wei. Even a brother once is able to turn around attacking you in the blink of an eye.”

***

Wu Meilan clasped tightly onto his own hand as his eyes clashed against Chenxiao's. The princess of Wu Kingdom knew clearly that she had no choice in this matter. No matter how high of a degree and honor he had in Wu's kingdom, however much Emperor Weixin was distrustful of him in Shi's kingdom, but in a kingdom that did not belong to him, Wu Meilan was a foreigner who had to obey the rules. It was for his own good ..and also for the good of the people who went from Wu kingdom to Shi kingdom in the name of his devotion to it.

Finally, Wu Meilan turned around and walked into the room. He sat on one of the four chairs that surrounded the table used to entertain guests. One servant approached the Princess' side and poured tea for her.

“Do your duty,” said Wu Meilan in the end.

Hearing this, Chenxiao clasped his left fist, a sign of respect for the superior. “Thank you for the cooperation of Mr. Putri.” He stood up and ordered the other soldiers. “Check!” Along with the exclamation, the crowd of soldiers began to step into Wu Meilan's room.

However, before anyone could pass through the door frame and enter his room, Wu Meilan said in a stern tone, “Wait.” The one word that came out from those tiny lips stopped the movement of every soldier. His eyes were raised to look forward, to the figure that was right in front of the entrance of his room. “I said, ‘carry out your duty’ and not ‘do your duty’.” Darkening view. “However, I am the daughter of Emperor Huatai, also an unmarried girl. Letting so many men enter my room, how can I show my face before the princes the next time we meet?”

Hearing Wu Meilan's remark, Chenxiao's face turned a little difficult. “Mr Princess, you mean ..?”

“I told you like this and you still don't understand?” asked Wu Meilan who was followed by a sigh, as if showing that he was disappointed because he had looked too high on the intelligence of the man before him. “I mean, you can come in and check. The other, outside.”

Wu Meilan's words made the soldiers who had just wanted to step into his room immediately turn to stare at Chenxiao's figure who looked extremely shocked. ‘This girl ...’ Chenxiao tried to hold back his emotions.

After Wu Meilan said such a sentence, it was natural that Chenxiao felt he had to think twice about entering the Princess' room. As Wu Meilan said, the girl was still unmarried and it was very impolite for a man to enter the bedroom of a girl who had not gone through the wedding ritual, especially a respectable princess.

Previously, Chenxiao had paid no attention to this matter because he was on behalf of the palace's security protocol. In addition, not only himself would enter the room, but the other bodyguards. But now ….

“What's up?” wu Meilan asked who realized the doubt on Chenxiao's eyes. “Do your duty, isn't that what you want?” ask again in a slightly challenging tone.

Chenxiao took a breath. ‘No more care, I just executed the Sixth Prince's order.’ He then saluted Wu Meilan. “I will carry out according to the orders of the Princess,” he said making the temple Wu Meilan twitch, annoyed that Chenxiao made it seem as if he was the one who told the man to check his own bedroom.

Without delaying any longer, Chenxiao passed the figure of Wu Meilan sitting in the living room and entered the sleeping area. The man's eyes stared at the bed that looked like it had just been used, he squinted his eyes and then his gaze turned towards the cupboard that was on one side of the room. His forehead wrinkled when he found a cloth sticking out from between the closed closet doors.

Quickly, Chenxiao stepped closer to the closet and then opened it. His view also captured the existence of a piece of clothing cloth that had been sandwiched. He closed the cupboard and switched to the panel on the other side of the room. Just like the contents of the closet, there is nothing strange.

‘Not here?’ thought Chenxiao who had even briefly examined the bottom of the bed, his face was filled with a deep expression of confusion.

After all, Wu Meilan's bedroom wasn't big. After all, the room was just a temporary residence for the royal guests. Unlike the rooms of the palace residents with high positions such as Emperor Weixin, Empress Mingmei, and Li Guifei who had such a large room, other palace residents did not get the same luxury. There was no longer any place to hide someone in such a small room.

“What's still not finished?” asked a servant from the Wu kingdom who had served Wu Meilan by pouring tea into the princess's cup. The waiter walked up to the bedroom and said with one hand resting on his waist, “The room is so small, it's so obvious no one can hide here even if they want to. You spend so long in the bedroom while there is still a workspace to check, I will start to suspect you are here to peek at my master's stuff!” The servant's tone made Wu Meilan chuckle.

Chenxiao was wide-eyed and felt extremely offended. The only reason he spent longer in Wu Meilan's bedroom was because he clearly knew that the bedroom was the easiest place to hide.

“You—!” He pointed towards the servant for a while, but then lowered his hand back and sighed. Without saying anything, Chenxiao left Wu Meilan's bedroom and walked straight to the part of the room next to the West, his study.

“Greetings to the Fourth Prince and Sixth Prince!”

Hearing the reception from outside the room, Chenxiao who had just wanted to step foot into Wu Meilan's study immediately stopped his steps and turned his gaze outside the room. The same thing was done by Wu Meilan, with the little extra girl standing up from her chair and immediately walking out of the room.

Wu Meilan looked at the figure of Wang Junsi who was accompanied by Wang Chengliu, both of their faces were like covered in a mask of pretense that could only be seen by certain people. As Wang Junsi put a smile on his face, Wang Chengliu put on an uninterested face with a hint of annoyance from his cold eyes.

Seeing Wu Meilan's figure, the two princes lowered their heads and saluted. “Mr Princess.”

The figure of Wang Junsi who looked like he had never been poisoned before made Wu Meilan unable to resist looking confused. ‘The Fourth Prince ... looks so fine.’ He breathed in his heart. ‘Well, it's something to be grateful for.’ Then, he glanced at Wang Chengliu and a sour expression was painted on his face. ‘What's he here for?’