Inside the imperial palace, in the Chengqian Palace.
Helian Qi was sitting on the grand master's chair, but he simply couldn't focus on the official documents on the table in front of him.
He was thinking about the brief eye - contact between Dongfang Yi and his younger brother in the Cining Palace today. It was obvious that they knew each other, and their acquaintance was beyond his expectations. Suddenly, he felt a strange feeling in his heart.
Just as he was deep in thought, he heard the shrill voice of Eunuch Li outside the palace shouting, "Your Majesty, Prime Minister Nangong requests an audience."
After hearing this announcement, Helian Qi frowned ever so slightly. He thought to himself, "So this old guy finally couldn't hold back and came."
Then he said to the outside, "Let him in."
After a while, a pot - bellied man with narrow and slanting eyes entered the palace. That man was none other than the old man Nangong.
"The old subject pays his respects to Your Majesty," he bowed slightly and said.
"Rise quickly, my dear subject," Helian Qi said with a broad smile on his face, waving his hand.
Then he asked, "My dear subject, what brings you here?"
The old man Nangong rolled his eyes in his sockets. Then he knelt on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, I dreamt about you last night." After saying that, he looked up at the man on the grand master's chair.
Helian Qi let out an almost imperceptible cold laugh, but still played along and asked curiously, "What did you dream about me, my dear subject?"
The old man Nangong still knelt on the ground with his head down and said, "I dreamt that Your Majesty was in great trouble in the dream. You were very worried and there was no one who could solve your problems. I was so anxious that I came to see Your Majesty early this morning."
Helian Qi thought his current appearance was extremely ridiculous, but he couldn't show his irritation. So he pretended to smile and said, "You are truly a loyal subject, my dear subject. You are still worrying about me even in your dreams."
The old man Nangong immediately stood up, bowed to the man in front of him, and said in a solemn manner, "Your Majesty, if you have any need of the old subject, the old subject will spare no effort and is willing to die for you!"
Helian Qi smiled on the surface, but in his heart he thought it was really laughable. This old man just wanted to get the qualification to renovate the imperial mausoleum from him, yet he put it so grandly and even made up a dream as if it were real.
Then he decided to go along with his intention. He pretended to be quite concerned and said, "You've come at the right time, my dear subject. I've actually been quite worried about something recently."
After saying that, he stared intently at the old man in front of him.
The old man Nangong rolled his eyes again, narrowing his long and thin eyes even more. He thought to himself that the emperor was indeed young. With just a few words, he had led the emperor to talk.
Then he pretended to look worried and asked, "Your Majesty, just tell me what it is. The old subject will spare no effort."
"Hey - don't talk about sparing no effort. You're overstating it, my dear subject. I just want to renovate the imperial mausoleum and I'm worried about not finding a suitable person to share this burden with me. I wonder if you, my dear subject..."
After Helian Qi finished speaking, he continued to stare at the man below. He saw a shrewd glint in his eyes, but the man still pretended to be modest and said, "I'm not sure if I can meet Your Majesty's expectations in such a major event."
Seeing his hypocritical appearance, Helian Qi still patiently continued to play along and said, "Didn't you just say you'd spare no effort? Why are you backing out now? I've decided. You're the only one suitable for this renovation of the imperial mausoleum!"
"This... Well then! The old subject will surely live up to Your Majesty's expectations!" The old man Nangong replied forcefully. Then he bowed and, thinking no one could see, showed an extremely treacherous smile.
All of this was clearly seen by Helian Qi sitting on the high seat. A meaningful smile appeared on his lips.
"Then the old subject will go down and prepare for the matter of the imperial mausoleum. The old subject takes his leave," the old man Nangong continued.
After seeing the man in front of him nod, he turned around and left the Chengqian Palace.
After his figure completely disappeared from Helian Qi's sight, Eunuch Li at the palace gate walked in and said, "Your Majesty, which concubine's palace will you visit tonight?"
Helian Qi looked at the gray - haired but rosy - faced old eunuch in front of him and said without hesitation, "I'll go to Concubine Shun's palace."
The eunuch Li said with an extremely shrill voice and a smile, "Concubine Shun is truly blessed."
After saying that, he bowed his head and backed out of the Chengqian Palace.
Helian Qi was left alone with a cold look in his eyes. His mind was full of thoughts, but he was in full control of the situation.
The fish has taken the bait, hasn't it...
On the other side, in the Queen's palace.
Dongfang Yi was watering the flowers she had raised. It was a pot of variegated chrysanthemums. As autumn was approaching in the palace, these flowers should be about to bloom.
Recently, Dongfang Yi felt more and more like she was living an old - age life. Every day, besides eating and sleeping, she just raised flowers and played with birds, leading a leisurely life.
Just as she was thinking about these things, the special giggles of women suddenly came from outside the palace. Then she saw Concubine Dong and the others appear at the palace gate.
Concubine Shu shouted from afar, "Your Majesty the Queen." Then she trotted over to her side.
Concubine Dong behind her was still complaining that Concubine Shu was so ill - behaved. Concubine Jia beside her kept trying to persuade them, saying that Concubine Shu was just such a straightforward person.
Suddenly, the Queen's palace became lively.
"Hey, sisters, I've learned to make a super delicious snack recently," Dongfang Yi said as she looked at the three of them.
The three of them immediately looked a bit nervous. They had tasted the Queen's cooking skills before. Just like last time, the Queen insisted that she had learned to make something called French fries, but after they ate them, they almost broke their teeth.
Then Concubine Jia took the lead and said, "Um... Your Majesty the Queen, I'm really full today and can't eat anything else."
Concubine Dong and Concubine Shu beside her also kept nodding in agreement.
But Dongfang Yi just let out a treacherous laugh a few times and then waved her hand and said, "Donghua -"
Then Donghua suddenly popped up from somewhere and stood behind the three of them with a sinister look on her face.
"Please, ladies, go to the small kitchen," Dongfang Yi continued.
Donghua immediately showed a treacherous smile too. She had to eat the Queen's strange - tasting food every day. Now finally someone was going to share it with her. So even her voice trembled a bit as she said, "Please, ladies."
Then they saw Concubine Dong and the other two being led into the small kitchen helplessly. Dongfang Yi also followed them in.
After a while of hustle and bustle in the small kitchen, Dongfang Yi with some ash on her face walked out holding a plate. There were some black and gray lumps on the plate.
" Sisters, today I made fried chicken!"
"Ah -!"