Chapter 484 - Proper Palace Intrigue (23)
Shi Sheng entered Yulang Tower. It was too dark inside, so she could only make out the outline of various shelves around the room.
A faint light appeared from behind her and gradually grew stronger. Ming Jin was holding onto a luminescent pearl as he moved closer to Shi Sheng.
She cast him a glance.
He smiled gently. It seemed as if there was a thin veil over his eyes, preventing one from making out the emotions in their depths clearly.
Shi Sheng shivered and shifted her gaze to look at her surroundings. ‘This pervert!’
There were a lot of shelves here. Various jade and porcelain pieces were placed on them, with paintings and calligraphy hanging from the walls.
This ought to be a storeroom.
“Miss Zhuang, what are you looking for? I can help you.” Ming Jin held up the luminescent pearl in his hand as he followed Shi Sheng.
The latter kept silent. Because she didn’t know what she was looking for.
Shi Sheng searched the entire Yulang Tower but still had no results.
‘So did I guess wrong? Fuck! Don’t wanna do this broken quest anymore!’
[Host, your Life Points.] System fulfilled its duties to the fullest by showing up to remind Shi Sheng.
‘Your grandpa!
Shi Sheng grit her teeth. ‘Calm down. Just you wait! You’re gonna cry at some point!’
“Miss Zhuang.” At some point, Ming Jin had gone to stand next to a painting in the corner. He called out to her softly.
Shi Sheng walked over, whereupon he pointed at the painting while smiling. “This painting’s a bit off.”
“Why is there light coming from this room? Let’s have a look…”
Suddenly, voices could be heard from outside.
Ming Jin put the luminescent pearl away, grabbed Shi Sheng, and leapt onto the roof beam.
Creak—
Someone opened the door and several dark figures filed into the room.
“Why is it gone?”
“Check the area. If anything happens to the young prince, our heads are forfeit.”
The guards dispersed to check the rooms.
There wasn’t much room above the roof beams—Shi Sheng was pretty much completely enveloped in Ming Jin’s arms.
His warm, light breath tickled her ears.
Ming Jin brought Shi Sheng’s head closer to himself, before suddenly lowering his head and planting his lips on hers. He didn’t give Shi Sheng any time to react as he assaulted her mouth with his tongue.
As it just so happened, someone was standing right below them. Just as he was about to lift his head though, someone called out to him from afar.
He scratched his head and left.
The room fell into darkness once more.
Ming Jin licked at Shi Sheng’s lips, his voice a bit hoarse as he spoke, “Satisfied, Miss Zhuang?”
“Mediocre.” Shi Sheng pushed him away expressionlessly and jumped off the roof beam.
‘This idiot! He dares to ask me(lz) despite being such a terrible kisser.’
Ming Jin brushed at his lips with his index finger and followed her down. “How about we practise a few more times? I’m sure I’ll satisfy you.”
Shi Sheng suddenly turned around and grabbed him by the lapel, pressing him against the wall to the side.
“Come on, Miss Zhuang.”
Shi Sheng slowly leaned closer to Ming Jin.
She got closer and closer till he could feel her breath on his skin.
But the next moment, she brushed past to lean in close to his ear. “Talk nonsense again and I’ll kill you, got it?”
”Even if I were to die, I’d take you with me.” Ming Jin reached out to encircle Shi Sheng’s waist and tightened his hold on her. He spoke in a gentle voice, “After all, how could I bear to let Miss Zhuang live such a lonely life?”
“I can bear for you to die alone.”
“It’s okay. I won’t let you live alone.”
Shi Sheng, “…” ‘As expected, Feng Ci is really annoying like this. Really wanna hack him.’
Ming Jin released her before she attacked him, and turned to look at the painting from before. He took it down, revealing an indentation behind it.
Shi Sheng felt like the indentation looked rather familiar. The next moment, she saw Ming Jin take out his jade pendant and place it there, twisting it slightly, causing the bookshelf to the side to silently shift aside.
Shi Sheng, “…” ‘So why is the key with this idiot?’
Ming Jin took the pendant back. Seeing Shi Sheng staring at it, he handed it over to her. “Miss Zhuang, are you sure you don’t want my love token?”
‘This thing seems like an important quest item; of course I want it!’
Shi Sheng calmly took the pendant from him.
Ming Jin’s gaze was gentle as he spoke, “Miss Zhuang, aren’t you going to give me one too?”
“Not giving you my life or my money.”
Ming Jin closed in on Shi Sheng, reaching out to touch her face. “Then I’ll take what I want.”
Shi Sheng kneed him, whereupon Ming Jin hurriedly retreated. “Miss Zhuang, ladies shouldn’t be so rough.”
“Just try getting frisky again.” Shi Sheng revealed a dark smile. “I promise you an experience you’ll never forget.”
“Come now, it has to be an equal exchange. I gave you a love token; shouldn’t you give me one?” Ming Jin refused to give up.
“No.”
Shi Sheng turned to look behind the bookshelf. ‘This idiot doesn’t even pay attention to where we are now. Flirt your head!’
There wasn’t a secret chamber hidden behind the bookshelf, only a hollowed-out space where several boxes were placed. Amongst them, one in particular stood out due to its size.
Shi Sheng took it out. It was covered in a thick layer of dust. One could see how long it had been sitting here untouched.
Ming Jin stood to the side and watched her, a hint of cloudiness in his gentle gaze.
Shi Sheng opened the box.
Inside was an edict. It was a will. From the dating used[1], the edict should have been written during the time of the current emperor’s father’s father. In other words, Yuwen Xun’s grandfather.
The contents of the will dictated who was to inherit the throne.
“Yuwen Mo?” ‘I don’t believe the previous emperor was called Yuwen Mo?’
Ming Jin’s gaze swept past the edict and he reminded her, “Let’s leave first.”
Shi Sheng kept the decree and restored the bookshelf to its former position before leaving Yulang Tower.
She was halfway out when she doubled back and found Yuwen Jing’s sleeping quarters. After knocking out the people inside, she took a look at Yuwen Jing.
Only once they’d left the chamber did Ming Jin speak as though deep in thought, “I never expected Miss Zhuang to have some conscience.”
“I don’t.” ‘That thing was fed to the dogs long ago.’
“Then why did you save Yuwen Jing?”
Shi Sheng raised her chin. “I felt like it.”
No excuse or reason could beat that logic.
Ming Jin walked behind. Staring at her back, it seemed he could clearly hear his heart pounding. That was a feeling he’d never felt before. It was as if she was the true purpose he was living for. His heart beat for her.
When they returned to Star-Plucking Tower, Shi Sheng originally planned on locking him outside, but this fellow actually climbed in through the window.
Shi Sheng felt like she should really have the window sealed up.
‘No wait! If I seal up the window, what do I do when I wanna leave through it? This idiot!’
“Why is your pendant the key to the mechanism?” Shi Sheng took the edict out and asked offhandedly.
“Do you know who Yuwen Mo is?” Ming Jin sat across from Shi Sheng.
“Dunno.” ‘Never heard of that name…’
“He is the preceding emperor’s younger brother, who was once the Third Prince.”
‘The preceding emperor’s younger brother? Pear dies for peach… Which means to say, the former emperor stole the throne which rightfully belonged to Yuwen Mo?’
“But what does that have to do with your pendant?” ‘Aren’t you the prince of Xi Liang?’
Ming Jin’s gaze changed slightly. “When I was first sent to Dong Jin, I lived in the Third Prince’s residence till I turned 4.”
Shi Sheng’s eyes narrowed. ‘He was sent to Yunyin Temple 16 years ago and only returned to the capital a year ago. So just what happened at that time?’
[1] The Chinese made their calendars based on the reigning Emperor. Each Emperor would pick a “reign name” and that name would be used to count time. For example, the 5th year of Yongzheng (or something, idk). It’s a bit confusing I’ll be honest.