The tune ended.
Du Liniang flitted away behind the gossamer veil.
Fang Zhi was still eager for more. Standing on the crescent - shaped stage, she asked, "It's over? Just like that? I haven't even sung or danced yet! How could it be over? This is too simplistic!"
Feng Xiao gave her a disdainful look. "Stop causing trouble! If you were to sing and dance, Lady Cheng would have to find someone to mime for you. It would be so tiring!"
He was seething inside.
Originally, he had come to the Changxing Inn today to support Xiao Jingnan and to have a thoroughly enjoyable day.
Such a novel inn, unique in the whole Dacheng Empire, he was surely going to have a good experience.
But all his expectations were ruined by these people...
Where was the immersive experience?
The spooky thrills?
The puzzle - solving and treasure - hunting?
None of them...
They had just sung and danced in the yard.
It was like he had rushed over excitedly, hoping to savor a bowl of celestial nectar, but the innkeeper had stuffed a ladle of cold water into his mouth, and it was just a single sip, not nearly enough!
Feng Xiao knew well that Li Wanming and Xiao Jingnan had no other choice.
Zhao Yanke and Fang Zhi had come, and they had almost fought over the roles. If they had followed the original plan, who knew what kind of chaos would have ensued?
They didn't dare to take the risk.
So they had to stage such a singing and dancing show and call it a day.
Safe, healthy, positive, and everyone was supposed to be happy.
Only he was extremely disappointed...
The expression on the Princess Dowager's face, however, was becoming more and more relaxed. She even showed a faint smile.
She took a gentle sip of her tea and stroked her fingernails, which were redder than rose petals.
"Lady Cheng's establishment has been the talk of the town in the capital these days. Everyone knows about it. I thought there would be some really novel tricks, but it turns out to be just so - so."
"All it is is a shabby stage set up in the yard, with a few pieces of white gauze. They use the tricks of ghosts, gods, and blessings from immortals to let the guests walk on stage for a while."
"In the end, it's still the same old stuff of light songs and graceful dances. Does Lady Cheng think she can make a fortune with this? She must be too naive about doing business in the capital."
Hearing this, Fang Zhi's disappointment grew deeper.
"Right! I thought it would be really fun, but it's just this?"
"Lady Cheng, you've really let me down after all my expectations these days."
...
Li Wanming was furious.
What did they mean by "just this"?
If it weren't for these four privileged brats suddenly barging in and driving away the normal guests of her inn, would she have had to go through so much trouble to put on such a mediocre show for them?
She had struggled to change the script on the spot, instructed the actors, and accompanied them in their nonsense whole - heartedly, only to be met with "just this"?
If it weren't for the overwhelming wealth and status of these four people, she would have loved to grab a broom and sweep them all out.
Out of sight, out of mind!
Seeing the anger on Li Wanming's face, Xiao Jingnan knew that they had offended her by disregarding her efforts. He quickly stepped forward to smooth things over:
"Our Changxing Inn is just opening today, and all of you are honored guests. It's inevitable that there are some coordination issues. Please forgive us."
"Now, it's getting late, and the show is over. The beds and meals in the inn are too crude to meet your standards. Maybe it's better for you to..."
Fang Zhi lifted her eyelids and pouted. "Are you trying to drive us away?"
Xiao Jingnan lowered his head. "I wouldn't dare, my lady."
Fang Zhi scratched her arm. "Fine. Anyway, Father told me to go back after having fun. I'll go home first... The fabric of these clothes is too rough. It's scratching my arm. Li Wanming, next time, change it to brocade. Remember that?"
After saying that, Fang Zhi glanced at her, bowed casually to Zhao Yanke and the Princess Dowager, and went back to the wing - room to change clothes.
Li Wanming gritted her teeth and cursed silently in her heart: If you're willing to pay a hundred taels of silver for a day's stay, not only brocade, but even Shu brocade, I can get it for you!
Xiao Jingnan knew she was angry. He secretly patted her arm, signaling her to endure for now and get through this night first...
While they were talking, Zhao Yanke had been silent all along. He stared blankly at the crescent - shaped stage in the middle of the yard, as if he hadn't yet emerged from the performance.
Xiao Jingnan coughed lightly. "Your Majesty, it's getting late. May I ask where you would like to rest tonight?"
He didn't want Zhao Yanke to stay in the inn.
On one hand, it wasn't safe.
On the other hand, if he were to stay, would the Princess Dowager also want to stay?
This was something he and Li Wanming didn't want to see at all.
However, the palace gates had already been locked, and Zhao Yanke definitely couldn't go back to the palace tonight.
So where would he stay?
At General Feng's mansion? Or... maybe, at the Prince Ning's mansion?
The General Feng's mansion might not work.
Old General Feng already had a poor opinion of Zhao Yanke. If he knew that Zhao Yanke had sneaked out of the palace for fun and stayed out all night, he might be so angry that he would defect to Empress Dowager Kang the next day.
The Prince Ning's mansion wouldn't work either.
His father and mother weren't in the mansion. Only his uncle and aunt were there. Having them receive the emperor might lead to unexpected problems.
So in this capital city, which family could accommodate this precious and noble emperor?
Just as Xiao Jingnan was deep in thought, he heard Zhao Yanke say blankly: "She's so beautiful. I... I want to marry her as the empress."
"Empress? Um, empress... What?!!"
Xiao Jingnan suddenly raised his head.
It was as if he had been struck by lightning.
The people around were also stunned, thinking they had misheard.
They saw Zhao Yanke looking at the empty crescent - shaped stage, his eyes full of reluctant tenderness.
"I said, I want to marry her as the empress."
He withdrew his infatuated gaze and repeated it.
This time, his voice was much louder, and his tone was calmer.
But it was this calmness that was even more terrifying.
Marry whom?
"Du Liniang"?
A singer - actress he had only met once and who had performed on stage...
He was crazy! Zhao Yanke must be crazy!
Leaving aside her status, did he even know anything about her?
Did he know her real name?
Where she lived? How old she was? Whether she was married? Whether her parents were still alive, how many people were in her family, what her personality was like, and what her hobbies were...
He knew none of these things, yet he said he wanted to marry her?
And make her the empress...
When Li Wanming gradually came back to her senses from the shock, the only thought in her mind was: This fatuous emperor must be here to bring about the extermination of her whole family!
The emperor watched a show in her inn and then wanted to marry an unknown woman as the empress... If Empress Dowager Kang found out, she would surely skin her alive, tear her into pieces, and grind her bones to ashes!
Zhao Yanke continued, "I didn't see her clearly just now, but I could feel that she must be a gentle and virtuous girl. And did you hear her voice? So plaintive, so low, as if she had endless sorrows..."
Smash!
A teacup was thrown to the ground and shattered into pieces.
The Princess Dowager's face turned ashen. "You haven't even seen her face clearly, yet you say you want to marry her?!"
Zhao Yanke shook his head. "Sister, you don't understand. When it comes to marriage, the most important thing is the spiritual connection, not the appearance! Sister, why are you so vulgar?"
The Princess Dowager couldn't bear it any longer. She rushed forward, trying to grab Zhao Yanke.
"What did you say? Who are you calling vulgar?"
Zhao Yanke leaped up in fright and started running around the yard to avoid her. But he still stuck out his neck and shouted, "You don't understand. This is love!"
"Love your ass!"
The veins on the Princess Dowager's forehead bulged. She couldn't help but curse, and all her former charm and languor disappeared.
"You ignorant fatuous emperor!"
"You dare to scold me? Be careful, or I'll execute your whole family!"
...
The siblings staged a "King Qin Runs Around the Pillar 2.0" in the yard.
Li Wanming and Xiao Jingnan stood in the middle. They glanced at each other, both looking helpless.