Consort of a Thousand Faces

The Water Caltrop River was the mother river of Nanzhao, attracting numerous visitors on the second day of the state banquet. There would be many luxurious lantern-lit boats floating on its waters when night fell, leading to a bustling atmosphere.

 

In the horse carriage, Pei Qianhao stared at Su Xi-er quietly and didn’t say anything. Su Xi-er did the same, minus the staring. However, this only led to Pei Qianhao getting annoyed. He felt that he had indulged her too much, even compromising for her sake.

 

However, since she had obediently slept with me for a whole night last night, I will let her off.

 

Even still, Pei Qianhao broke the silence first. “Su Xi-er, don’t you think that you are missing something?”

 

Su Xi-er looked at him. Missing something? Missing what?

 

“Think about it carefully. If you can’t remember, you will be punished.”

 

“Then if this servant remembers, will I be rewarded?”

 

Immediately after the words left her mouth, she felt his fist knock lightly against her head. Su Xi-er furrowed her eyebrows slightly. “Prince Hao, if you want this servant to serve you, then don’t hit me so much. Otherwise, this servant will serve someone else.”

 

Wow, is she saying that I can’t live without her? Apart from her, no one else can serve me?

 

But just as Pei Qianhao reached out to give her another knock on the head, she quickly dodged it.

 

“Prince Hao, this servant has remembered. It was the purple dress that I left in the Eldest Imperial Princess’ repose palace. But this servant thinks that Prince Hao must have gotten it back.”

 

Pei Qianhao’s hand immediately stopped. She guessed it. “It’s not good for a woman to be too clever.”

 

“It’s not that this servant is clever, but that Prince Hao is clever. They say that geniuses think alike, and there are no talentless people around Prince Hao.”

 

Her words left no room for complaint, complimenting Pei Qianhao while covering for herself at the same time.

 

Pei Qianhao chuckled. “Are you as clever as this Prince?”

 

“Of course this servant isn’t as clever as you. If this servant was as clever as you, then I’m afraid that I wouldn’t still be alive.”

 

“Sometimes this Prince likes this mouth of yours very much, but feels like it is annoying at others. That said, you are indeed correct that this Prince had instructed an imperial guard to get your purple dress back.”

 

Su Xi-er knew that she couldn’t wear the purple dress anymore; otherwise, everyone who had seen her dance last night would recognise it.

 

However, the person dancing wouldn’t normally return to their repose palace and change into another dress after they finish their performance at the state banquet. With Ning Anlian having ‘worn’ two different purple dresses, there would have definitely been those among the crowd who had their suspicions.

 

Pei Qianhao then spoke again, breaking her out of her thoughts. “Everyone knows that someone danced in the Eldest Imperial Princess’ place; they just don’t know who that woman was.”

 

Pei Qianhao’s words made Su Xi-er pause for a second. He just said what I was thinking.

 

“The Emperor of Nanzhao is correct. The current Eldest Imperial Princess isn’t even a tenth of what Ning Rulan was. Your dance was so perfect that no one would doubt you.”

 

With how much Pei Qianhao is talking today, it seems like he’s in a great mood. Su Xi-er also wanted to know more about what happened at the state banquet, so she became a great listener.

 

“You want to hear about it?” He saw that she was curious and purposely asked to keep her in suspense.

 

Su Xi-er nodded. “This servant is curious because I left immediately after I finished the dance. Logically, even the most doubtful person wouldn’t have time to confirm their suspicions. The only way it could have gone wrong is if the Eldest Imperial Princess herself made an error.”

 

She already more or less knows what happened, but still wants me to tell her… Pei Qianhao smiled playfully. “This Prince won’t talk anymore.”

 

“Prince Hao, please say. This servant is listening.”

 

“Nanzhao’s business is not related to this Prince. I won’t say anymore.”

 

He couldn’t stop talking before, but now he is suddenly so stubborn. Su Xi-er glanced at him and was interrupted just when she wanted to open her mouth.

 

“Unless you kiss this Prince until this Prince is satisfied.”