Chapter 191

Chapter 191 (Part 1) Selecting consorts

However, Feng Cang admired this ‘special’ rival from the bottom of his heart. In any case, Ming Yue Cheng was an opponent worthy to be respected. He would never plot scheme or play trickery. Moreover, he had never play dirty tricks behind the back. As Ming Yue Cheng said before, “I love you, this has nothing to do with you.” Feng Cang thought that if it was him, he wouldn’t be able to do that on the matter of love.

The news of Nan Feng’s new emperor selecting consorts soon spread like wildfire throughout the entire Nan Feng.

These days during the court, Ming Yue Cheng could feel that the expressions of these ministers were weird. They looked at him as if they were looking at a delicious cake. Some people had even put portraits of their own daughter in the memorial to the emperor, hoping that Ming Yue Cheng could see them when he read the memorial and get a good impression of their daughter. Everyone thought highly of Ming Yue Cheng and all wanted to be connected to the imperial family.

So, a spectacular project about selecting consorts began in the capital. All the beautiful girls were arranged to enter the palace to begin the primary and secondary selections. Everyone strived to show the best of themselves and hoped to be selected by Ming Yue Cheng.

“Fu Er, how are things going?” Ming Yue Cheng wasn’t affected by the noise of the outside world at all. He still read the memorials conscientiously and occasionally asked one or two things about the matters of selecting consorts.

“Answering the emperor, the primary selection hasn’t yet begun! The quality of the beautiful girls this time is very high. Those young mistresses are all outstanding. It seems that this time sir Gu De is going to have a headache!”

“Ha….” Couldn’t decipher whether the laughter of Ming Yue Cheng was happy or sad. After reviewing the last memorial, Ming Yue Cheng stood up and stretched his muscles. Suddenly he said, “Fu Er, today’s weather is just right. Accompany me out of the palace!”

“Yes….” Fu Er had always complied with Ming Yue Cheng’s request. He immediately changed Ming Yue Cheng into the ordinary clothes. Afterwards, Fu Er followed behind Ming Yue Cheng and the two got out of the palace.

It was already early in the spring. The spring in Nan Feng arrived particularly early. Women selling flowers could be seen everywhere on the street. Those beautiful purples and brilliant red flowers were placed in the flower vase. Only by giving a few coppers, a small bouquet could be taken. It was really a good deal.

Beautiful purples and brilliant red: beautiful flowers

Ming Yue Cheng looked at the spray of flowers in front for a long time. He finally picked a bouquet of peach blossoms. Early spring, it was the perfect time when peach blossom bloomed most gorgeously. Peach blossoms were simple and small, with simple colors and small petal. They strived to flourish under the warm sun of spring as if they would use their whole life to embrace spring.

“Is it beautiful, Fu Er?”

“Beautiful! The peach tree is young and elegant, brilliant are its flower!”

The peach tree is young and elegant, brilliant are its flower: This sentence is from a Chinese poetry (桃之夭夭，灼灼其华). It means that the peach tree is in full blossom with its flower blooming very beautiful.

“Hm, well said!” Ming Yue Cheng took the peach blossoms and walked aimlessly in the capital. People brushed past him from time to time. Those smiling faces affected Ming Yue Cheng‘s mood more or less.

Just when Ming Yue Cheng was immersed in the beauty of spring, the sound of pipa came over.

Pipa (琵琶): a Chinese musical string instrument/ a Chinese lute

He followed the sound and found a girl in white clothes kneeling at the street corner not far from him. She had a slender yellow straw on her head and a body was lying in front of her. On the ground next to her, there was a piece of paper on which the words ‘selling body to bury father’ were clearly written.

The mournful sound of the girl’s pipa with this harmonious spring was somewhat not matched. Her head was lowered, her clothes were wet at the chest, and tears continued to slide down her cheeks. The girl’s voice was also very choked with sobs, so the sound came out particularly sad.

“Let’s go over to take a look!” Ming Yue Cheng came to the front of the girl. The girl drooped her head and a pair of slender white hands were plucking on the pipa. With her kneeling down like this at the street corner and occupying a small area, her eyes couldn’t see the liveliness of the endless stream of horse and carriages at all. She simply lowered her head to play the pipa and her softly singing became the alternative of the busy corner.

An endless stream of horse and carriages: heavy traffic on the street

“How much money?” Ming Yue Cheng looked at her for a long time and slowly opened his mouth.

“Two taels.” After seeing that somebody had pay attention to her, the white dressed girl raised her head. When Ming Yue Cheng looked at those teary eyes of her, his heart skipped a beat. This pair of eyes, this face, were actually somewhat similar to Feng Qi Qi.

“Death contract?”

“Yes.” The white dressed girl didn’t expect that the person who asked her would be a handsome gentleman. She was a bit nervous after looking at Ming Yue Cheng’s clothes, which clearly was of a nobleman. According to hearsay, the sons of those aristocrats didn’t regard women as human beings. A girl from her village was exactly tortured to death after being a slave to them. Is this misfortune coming to her now?

“Fu Er, give her two hundred taels and help her buried the body. Afterwards, bring her back.”

After leaving these words, Ming Yue Cheng turned away and left the white dressed girl in astonishment.

“Girl, let’s go!” Fu er sighed. It seemed that His Majesty was stuck in the magic of Feng Qi Qi. Was this calamity or fate?

After Fu Er was done with everything in the evening, he brought the white dressed girl into the palace.

Before, the girl had imagined for quite a while what kind of person Ming Yue Cheng was. Even when she saw the majestic standing and the gold and jade in glorious splendor of the imperial palace, she didn’t link Ming Yue Cheng to the emperor. Just after following Fu Er into the study and seeing a yellow dragon robe on Ming Yue Cheng, did she then know his identity.

Gold and jade in glorious splendor: a dazzling sight

“You, you are the emperor?” The girl looked at Ming Yue Cheng in astonishment. Fu Er’s brow furrowed as soon as he heard these words, “Audacious….”

That long and stern voice made the girl startled and she quickly knelt down. The girl was more affirmative of her inner thoughts after hearing the tone of Fu Er like this. Ming Yue Cheng was the emperor? What did the emperor buy her for?

Now, anxiety took up most of the girl’s heart. She was already a lonely person as she didn’t have parents. Now that she had met Ming Yue Cheng; she really didn’t know what would happen in the future.

“How old are you? What’s your name?” Ming Yue Cheng didn’t let the girl stood up and just stared at her. A moment ago, Fu Er had already let the girl change her white clothes and put on blue clothes. It actually washed away some of her grief.

“I…no, no, this subject’s daughter is called Lan Cai Yun and is fifteen years old this year.” Lan Cai Yun knelt down and didn’t dare to speak anymore.

“Can you read?”

“Answering His Majesty, this subject’s daughter was privately tutored by her father for several years, so had learned a few words.”

“Hm. Stand up and calmly take two steps.”

Lan Cai Yun was surprised at this request of Ming Yue Cheng. However, she couldn’t refute anything. She could only stand up and walked around the study according to Ming Yue Cheng’s request.

“Will you be loyal to zhen1?”

After Ming Yue Cheng asked the question, Lan Cai Yun immediately knelt down on the ground. “Your Majesty helped this subject’s daughter bury her father, so this subject’s daughter is a slave of Your Majesty and will be loyal to Your Majesty all her life.”

Ming Yue Cheng didn’t have any expression after listening to Lan Cai Yun’s words. He single-handedly supported his chin; after his fingers tipped the face twice, he nodded. “Zhen will trust you for the moment! Fu Er, take Cai Yun to rest! From tomorrow on, arrange an elder maid to teach her the etiquette of the palace. Zhen wants you to learn it in three days, or else…you don’t have any value of existence. Do you understand?”

“This slave understands. This slave will certainly do her best….”

“Retreat then….”

After Fu Er helped Lan Cai Yun settle down properly, he returned to the study.

“Your Majesty, this slave doesn’t understand what you mean?” He was saying he didn’t understand, but Fu Er’s heart could more or less guess what Ming Yue Cheng’s intentions were. He just wasn’t sure. After all, if Ming Yue Cheng really thought so, then it was really too rashly.

“Fu Er, what do you think of Lan Cai Yun?” Ming Yue Cheng didn’t directly answer Fu Er’s question. Instead, this question made Fu Er even more convinced of his inner thoughts.

“Your Majesty, Lan Cai Yun is a bit small-minded. I’m afraid she’s unable to suppress the harem.

Fu Er saying so, Ming Yue Cheng understood. This old man who had followed him for many years had guessed his real inner thoughts.

Indeed, Ming Yue Cheng was planning to let Lan Cai Yun participate in the selection of consorts. Since those people ‘forced’ him to accept woman because of continuing the royal bloodline and because a country couldn’t lack an empress, then he would pick a person who would surprise everyone.

It wasn’t that he didn’t understand those schemes of the court. It was just his heart was given to a woman named Feng Qi Qi and he didn’t have time to deal with other women. However, the matters about selecting consorts had already been announced to the whole country. He was afraid that if he backed out, he would be unable to comply with the people’s heart. Since this was the case, he just had to find a woman who he could control, such as Lan Cai Yun.

By afternoon, An Ying (a secret spy) had already found out about Lan Cai Yun’s past. She was an orphan girl without parents and didn’t have any status nor background. As long as they gave her a new identity and adjust her head and turn her face, she could have a new beginning.

Adjust her head and turn her face: cosmetic changes

The seat of empress? He had already promised to give it to Feng Qi Qi. Even if she wouldn’t become his empress, this seat was tailor-made for that woman. Others weren’t qualified to sit on it!

“Fu Er, did you think that I’m going to marry a lot of women? If she isn’t to zhen’s likeness, then zhen will rather not have her.”

The obstinate loneliness was revealed in the words of Ming Yue Cheng. Fu Er looked at this master’s resolute expression under the light and didn’t know how to persuade Ming Yue Cheng. He (FE) had served him (MYC) so many years, so he clearly knew how stubborn this emperor was. It was a pity that fate played tricks on people, otherwise Feng Qi Qi would really have been a perfect match for his master.

“Your Majesty, you really need to think clearly about this matter. The selection of consorts has already started. Miss Lan doesn’t have any backing to support her. How do you plan to put her among the lady-in-waiting candidates?”

“This is easy….” The corners of Ming Yue Cheng’s mouth lifted, “The prime minister had tricked zhen. Since zhen has demands, so he shall naturally help.”

1. Zhen:, I, used by the emperor

Chapter 191 (Part 2) Selecting consorts

Three days later, Ming Yue Cheng suddenly called Gu De to the palace, leaving Gu De puzzled. It was almost the primary selection, and the emperor suddenly summoned him. Could it be that there was something to be alerted or was it…the emperor had changed his mind?

Gu De entered the study with a nervous heart. After carefully observing Ming Yue Cheng twice, Gu De didn’t sense any strangeness. He hadn’t spoken yet, Ming Yue Cheng already looked up. “Uncle Gu De, sit!”

Fu Er sent people to get a chair and then sent everyone away. There were only Ming Yue Cheng and Gu De left in the room, while Fu Er guarded far away.

After waiting for a long time, Ming Yue Cheng was still talking about meaningless topics, which made Gu De’s heart in a mess. As far as he knew, Ming Yue Cheng wasn’t an emperor who would spend time chatting with people. The memorials on his desk were stacked up like hills. It was just too strange for Ming Yue Cheng to put down the memorials and chat with him.

After waiting for ages, Ming Yue Cheng still didn’t get to the main topic. Gu De couldn’t stand it anymore, so he took the initiative to talk. “Don’t know why Your Majesty has called this subject to the palace today? What is the matter? Is it because of tomorrow selection of consorts? Your Majesty can rest assured. This old subject knows what to do.”

“Prime minister really knows what to do?” The voice of Ming Yue Cheng rose and his address to Gu De changed from ‘uncle’ to ‘prime minister’. Such a change and the dignified words of Ming Yue Cheng made Gu De stunned.

“What do you mean, Your Majesty?” Gu De didn’t understand and couldn’t guess this young emperor’s thoughts. He (MYC) was such a ‘be a gentleman first and a soldier second’ and the pitch of his voice fluctuated. It made Gu De’s heart really uncertain. He didn’t know what kind of medicine Ming Yue Cheng was selling from the bottle gourd.

Be a gentleman first and a soldier second: try peaceful measures first before resorting to force

What kind of medicine one was selling from the bottle gourd: what has he got up his sleeve

“Fu Er, let her come in!”

When Lan Cai Yun followed after Fu Er, Gu De seemed to understand the thoughts of Ming Yue Cheng.

“Daughter Gu Yun Yao pays respect to adoptive father!”

“Lan Cai Yun went to Gu De and did the curtsy according to the noble etiquettes.

“Your Majesty, you.…”

“Congratulations prime minister!” Ming Yue Cheng interrupted Gu De. “Prime minister’s adopted daughter is really extraordinary. She must be able to stand out in the selection of consorts. Prime minister, what do you think?”

“Haha….” Besides giving a dry laugh, Gu De couldn’t find any words to say. It seemed that Ming Yue Cheng had already prepared these at an earlier time and was just waiting here for him to fall into the trap!

Gu De carefully looked Lan Cai Yun up and down and then nodded. She’s a pretty girl, and her appearance revealed virtuousness and gentleness. If His Majesty really liked this girl, as a matter of fact, there was no harm in it! He only gave this girl a noble identity.

“Yao er1, still not thanking the prime minister?”

“Yao er thanks adoptive father!”

After Lan Cai Yun withdrew, Gu De opened his mouth. “Your Majesty, what do you mean in the end? Could it be that you want Gu Yun Yao to participate in the selection of consorts?”

“That is exactly what zhen2 means. Didn’t uncle Gu De say that the palace needs a woman and zhen also needs a woman to justify myself to the whole world? Since that is the case, then this woman will be chosen by zhen personally. Is this not possible?”

“But, but what kind of person is she, Your Majesty? If there’s no good reason, I’m afraid that it can’t convince the masses!”

Ming Yue Cheng laughed at Gu De’s words. “What uncle Gu De said is really funny! Isn’t she your adoptive daughter? She has been kept in her boudoir and was only now let to appear in public. Could it be that uncle Gu De didn’t know? What’s there to be afraid if the ministers want to check? Yao er is prime minister’s adoptive daughter. This identity is sufficient to convince the masses!”

At this very moment, Gu De finally understood. Ming Yue Cheng had kept in mind what he (GD) did previously and dug a hole for him now. “Your Majesty, you have really caused destructive trouble to this old subject!”

As soon as Gu De thought that he would be questioned by those colleagues, he could only smile reluctantly. Ming Yue Cheng threw all the problems to him. It seemed that he (MYC) was already prepared at an earlier time.

“Your Majesty, this girl is your crush or is….”

“Is what?”

“Or did you find a puppet just for show?” Speaking this way, Gu De felt like he was too harsh. But he did everything for the sake of Ming Yue Cheng. He had never before heard that Ming Yue Cheng had had special feeling for any girl and now, some Gu Yun Yao suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Gu De had no choice but to doubt the reason behind this.

“If it is, then what? If it isn’t, then what?” Ming Yue Cheng seemed to be deliberately going against this stubborn man in front of him.

“Your Majesty, you….” Gu De was completely speechless this time. Could it be that he guessed correctly? This Gu Yun Yao wasn’t Ming Yue Cheng’s crush, but a countermeasure after he was forced to marry? Then wasn’t it…absurd?!

“Prime minister, zhen still has many memorials to read. Pay more attention to tomorrow’s selection of consorts. If Gu Yun Yao isn’t on the list of the chosen ones, then zhen don’t mind leaving the harem empty for several years and wait for the next selection of consorts.”

Blackmail! This was completely blackmail! Gu De wanted to say something. He was on the verge of speaking his mind, but he swallowed it back. If they didn’t push Ming Yue Cheng too far, then Ming Yue Cheng wouldn’t be like this. Moreover, the man in front of him wasn’t that boy who called him ‘uncle’ anymore. He was the emperor of a country. If he (GD) refuted again, he feared that he would hurt the camaraderie between them.

Only a moment later, Gu De made a decision. He would properly ‘teach’ Gu Yun Yao so that she would feel at ease as the emperor’s woman.

After Gu De left, Fu Er brought Gu Yun Yao in. “This slave pays her greetings to Your Majesty. Your Majesty, long live ten thousand years, long live ten thousand years!”

“Don’t call yourself a slave in the future anymore!”

“Yes, Yao er thanks Your Majesty!”

He had to say, Lan Cai Yun was a promising person. She originally wasn’t a small-minded girl. After three days of training day and night, her every movement had gotten the noble air of a girl from a noble house.

“From now on, you are the prime minister’s adoptive daughter Gu Yun Yao. What you need to do and how to do it. I believe that the prime minister will teach you. You must learn well!”

“Yes! Yao er will obey Your Majesty’s instructions.”

“Fu Er, send her to the prime minister’s residence.”

Gu Yun Yao spent the night at the prime minister’s residence. The next day, she was sent to the palace by Gu De and was included in the list of the lady-in-waiting candidates. The lady-in-waiting candidates were very surprised and also curious towards the sudden appearance of the prime minister’s adopted daughter. They had never heard that the prime minister Gu De had an adopted daughter. After seeing Gu Yun Yao, those people couldn’t help but look at her.

It wasn’t long before those high officials of Nan Feng also knew about the matter of Gu Yun Yao. These foxes were also very puzzled. However, everyone didn’t doubt the identity of Gu Yun Yao. Instead, they talked privately about Gu De. They thought that Gu De usually had a noble character and unquestionable integrity, but during critical moment, he (GD) was still unable to hold back his inner desire for power and came up with an adopted daughter. It was nothing more than a desire to compete for the position of empress. To put it bluntly, it was just to consolidate his (GD) position in the court.

These rumors spread to Gu De’s ear but he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. From beginning to end, he was the most ‘innocent’ person. This Gu Yun Yao was forced on him by Ming Yue Cheng. It was just because his status could give Gu Yun Yao a noble identity. Ming Yue Cheng doing so, coincidentally made his impartial image which he had always maintained, ‘destroyed’….

With Ming Yue Cheng looking after her, Gu Yun Yao successfully passed the primary and secondary selections. Soon, it would be the selection at the ha;;.

Hall selection: the emperor will choose a consort by testing the lady-in-waiting candidates at the palace hall.

In the evening, Gu Yun Yao who was lying down on the bed, still couldn’t believe the experiences of these days. Like a beautiful dream, she changed from the daughter of a teacher to the adopted daughter of the prime minister. From an ordinary civilian to a noble woman. All of this came too quickly. So quickly that Gu Yun Yao was still in the dream and didn’t wake up yet.

Recalling the situation where she first saw Ming Yue Cheng, Gu Yun Yao revealed a light smile.

Gu Yun Yao knew Ming Yue Cheng. He was once Nan Feng’s crown prince, and later he went to Xi Qi as a hostage. Afterwards, he returned to Nan Feng and started a palace coup d’état, seized the power, and became an emperor himself.

Gu Yun Yao didn’t have any special likes or dislikes towards Ming Yue Cheng’s past. She only knew that Ming Yue Cheng is a good emperor. Soon after he ascended the throne, Nan Feng annexed Xi Qi. This was an emperor with outstanding ability and grand vision. It was Gu Yun Yao’s blessing to be chosen by Ming Yue Cheng.

Even now Gu Yun Yao still remembered the words of Ming Yue Cheng. “Zhen will make you the only woman in the harem and will also make you respected by all people. A life of luxury, you won’t be short of it. However, all of these needs to be exchanged with your freedom. Are you willing?”

Gu Yun Yao didn’t even think at that time and nodded her head. Instead of wandering from place to place, it was better to follow the path that Ming Yue Cheng arranged for her. Anyway, she was an orphan girl. There was no one anymore in this world that she worried about and was fond of. Ming Yue Cheng helped her bury her father, so he was her benefactor. She had only a grateful heart towards Ming Yue Cheng. She was willing to do anything for Ming Yue Cheng, let alone just losing her freedom!

Gu Yun Yao had thought many times about why Ming Yue Cheng would choose her. There were many girls who were more beautiful than her, more talented than her and had a better background than her. Why did luck suddenly came and landed on her?

When she asked this question to Fu Er, the chief of internal affairs at Ming Yue Cheng’s side. She saw a strange expression from Fu Er’s face. Although fleeting, she still caught it.

That old man who had followed Ming Yue Cheng for more than ten years only said one sentence. “You just need to guard your heart and keep your mouth shut.”

It looked like two simple things, but it seemed to contain a lot of profound meanings. However, the young heart of Gu Yun Yao didn’t understand at this moment.

In the expectation of everyone, the hall selection began.

Early in the morning, palace maids came to dress up Gu Yun Yao. In the garden where she lived, there were many official’s daughters who passed the primary and secondary selection. Gu Yun Yao saw excitement and joy from their faces.

Those young girls all dressed themselves up gorgeously to show their most beautiful sides to Ming Yue Cheng. These days, Gu Yun Yao often heard them discussing privately what kind of person Ming Yue Cheng was. What was his appearance like? How was his temper? Was he easy to serve?

Whenever at this moment, Gu Yun Yao would retreat to one side and wouldn’t participate in these girl’s discussion. Their innocent faces were full of yearning for this palace.

Gu Yun Yao felt much better compared to them. At least she had seen Ming Yue Cheng. Although only a few times, but she still had seen him. That handsome and imposing man was indeed what woman would idealize. But for some reason, she couldn’t see anything related to love in the eyes of Ming Yue Cheng.

When Ming Yue Cheng told her about her future’s fate, Gu Yun Yao even saw a bit of indifference from Ming Yue Cheng’s eyes. She knew this indifference wasn’t because she did anything wrong, but because of other reasons. Gu Yun Yao didn’t understand why this young emperor’s eyes would be frozen like the mountains. Could it be that his heart was hurt?

These questions were only hovering in Gu Yun Yao’s ear, she didn’t say it out loud.

After everyone was ready, Gu Yun Yao joined the fifty-person group and slowly walked towards the main hall.

Under the sunlight, the capital in gold and jade in glorious splendor appeared more dignified. Lady-in-waiting candidates who were chit-chatting a moment ago, were now all holding their breath and quieted down. Each and every one was cautious, making their heart jumped into their throat.

In comparison, Gu Yun Yao seemed more relaxed. She already knew the result of the hall selection. Although she didn’t know why it was like this, but it would be fine if she just follow the orders of Ming Yue Cheng. Towards this benefactor, Gu Yun Yao had no other way of thanking him. She could only repay him with her own time in the future.

“Announce….”

The voice of Fu Er came from the hall. The lady-in-waiting candidates walked into the hall in groups of five people.

Ming Yue Cheng sat upright on the dragon chair, playing with the amethyst prayer bead in his hand. His expression was very serious and the hall became chilly because of the aura that came from him.

In such a quiet environment, those lady-in-waiting candidates all lowered their heads and didn’t dare to look at Ming Yue Cheng who was sitting on the chair. The exciting appearance of before had all turned each and every one into a dignified appearance now.

Gu De who was next to Ming Yue Cheng looked at the lady-in-waiting candidates while also secretly glanced at Ming Yue Cheng’s expression. Until now, Gu De finally realized that their “forced marriage” made Ming Yue Cheng unhappy. Confronted with so many exquisite women, there was no smile on his face and he was too solemn.

Ay…Gu De sighed in his heart. Although he didn’t want to force Ming Yue Cheng, but one in this position would always be without freedom to act independently.

Without freedom to act independently: involuntarily/ in spite of oneself

Emperors always had inevitably many difficulties and things they had to do. Unless they took off their yellow robe. However, it wasn’t easy to wear a yellow robe and it was even more difficult to take off the yellow robe. This was probably the tragedy of being an emperor since ancient times! The higher one is on the hierarchical ladder, the heavier the responsibilities one carries on the shoulders. One who chose the road of emperor, was doomed to be lonely….

“Withdraw….”

After waiting for a long time, Ming Yue Cheng didn’t speak. Fu Er had no choice but to let people withdraw, and then a new group of lady-in-waiting candidates came in.

“Withdraw….”

As the word ‘withdraw’ spread out, those beautiful girls who waited outside were more frightened. Already more than half of the people had entered, Ming Yue Cheng still didn’t choose one. Was it that this young emperor had very high standards? Many people began to get nervous and there was even a candidate who fainted directly outside the hall.

Looking at the beautiful girl being carried down, Gu Yun Yao had some sympathy towards these noble women. So, it turned out that being born in a noble family wasn’t actually so good! They carried the hope of too many families and also needed to devote their lives to live up to these expectations. It was really pitiful!

Finally, it was the turn of Gu Yun Yao’s team. Following the palace’s elder maid’s teaching, Gu Yun Yao walked in naturally and poised.

The moment Ming Yue Cheng who was sitting on the dragon chair, saw Gu Yun Yao, he was absent-minded. Gu Yun Yao who was trained was more and more similar to the woman in his memory. Although the facial features of Gu Yun Yao couldn’t be compared to Feng Qi Qi, but their expressions and their presence were very similar.

“What’s your name?” Finally, Ming Yue Cheng said the first sentence in this hall selection.

“This subject’s daughter Gu Yun Yao pays her greetings to Your Majesty. Long live ten thousand years, long live ten thousand years, my emperor!”

It was undeniable that Gu Yun Yao’s gestures were very decent and on point. However, after hearing that ‘long live ten thousand years, my emperor’, Ming Yue Cheng woke up from his dream. How could this person be Qi Qi? Feng Qi Qi wouldn’t say such things to him nor would she be so disciplined and respectful to him.

After a closer look, Gu Yun Yao and Feng Qi Qi didn’t resemble each other that much. Thinking till here, Ming Yue Cheng couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Was it because he missed her (FQQ) so much that he saw the shadow of Feng Qi Qi on Gu Yun Yao?

Words from etvo!

While we wait for the next chapter, come check out our newly finished modern, romance comedy Supernatural Girlfriend! An ordinary girl suddenly has the ability to see ghosts. And now, her neighbor is an author working on unsolved mysteries? Well, hurry up and solve them so these ghosts will get out of my apartment!

If you can’t get enough of transmigration, come check out Transmigration: Of Mysteries and Songs! Having transmigrated, our FL can’t go back to her world until she finds seven ancient zithers and plays songs on them!

And lastly, a plug for my own novel, Return of the Swallow! It’s an ancient China version of Hidden Marriage, full of intrigue, a smart MC, and culture!

1. Er: term of endearment

2. Zhen: I, used by the emperor