Capítulo 488: Chapter 276 Anomaly

“Please forgive me, Your Majesty,” Shu Wan lowered her eyes amidst the encompassing night, conveying a clear and hazy beauty, “I simply wish to alleviate Your Majesty’s concerns.”

Qi Yuan remained silent, his gaze heavy upon Shu Wan. Despite knowing it was impossible, he still subconsciously asked, “Where did you learn that secret sign language?”

He had come to the side hall where Shu Wan resided because just now at the palace gate, while speaking, she had stealthily made several gestures with her right hand to him.

That was a form of sign language used to convey messages in the military, common among the ranks, but for a contestant nurtured in seclusion to understand it was quite uncommon.

In truth, Qi Yuan knew that someone must have taught Shu Wan this behind the scenes.

Yet he still asked, even though he himself did not understand why.

“Your Majesty, it was the Third Prince who instructed someone to teach me,” she replied.

“A county magistrate’s daughter like you could only have come this far with the guidance of the Third Prince, and now you have betrayed him. What do you want to do?”

“Your Majesty is the chosen one of heaven, I only wish to survive,” Shu Wan said, looking up, her eyes reflecting nothing but the figure of Qi Yuan, “Moreover, Your Majesty is my husband, and it’s only natural for me to help Your Majesty.”

When Shu Wan spoke the first half of the sentence, her spine was straight, intelligent and resolute. For a moment, Qi Yuan even saw the shadow of someone from his past.

But when Shu Wan looked up, her cool eyes bore expectations, adoration, and nervousness that would never have appeared in the eyes of that person from before.

Qi Yuan’s eyes darkened slightly, “What a pity, I am not yet at the point where I require a Junior Attendant to do anything.”

He was the most absolute Emperor in history, and after years of rule, he was well aware of the Third Prince’s movements, only choosing not to act against them for the time being.

Thus, Shu Wan’s initiative to confess loyalty was meaningless to him.

Hearing Qi Yuan speak this way, Shu Wan was not flustered, aware that, indeed, if it were entirely meaningless, Qi Yuan would not have bothered to come at all.

She smiled at Qi Yuan, “I just want Your Majesty to know that I stand with Your Majesty. I’m afraid that Your Majesty might misunderstand.”

Shu Wan was beautiful, bearing a seven-part resemblance to Shu Wan’s original appearance, the remaining three parts adding a touch of youthful sweetness and naivete.

Her smile made Qi Yuan think of the first time he met Shu Wan at a palace banquet when he was 11 years old.

At that time, Shu Wan was only 6 years old, as lovely as a fairy from a New Year’s painting. Her baby-faced smile, complete with dimples, could be described as universally adorable without exaggeration.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have sent the Jade Pendant reserved for the Crown Princess Consort to Shu Wan after just one encounter.

Realizing that he was thinking of Shu Wan through Shu Wan, Qi Yuan’s brow furrowed.

The imitation could never compare to her. She was unique, and how could he so defile her memory?

With that thought, Qi Yuan’s gaze on Shu Wan carried a trace of disgust.

He thought to himself, he must be mad, running over here in the dead of night.

Shu Wan knelt on the ground, originally waiting for Qi Yuan’s response, only to find him suddenly changing his expression and leaving abruptly, as if he were angry.

Shu Wan was somewhat dazed. She reviewed her own behavior and thought that even if Qi Yuan didn’t like Shu Wan, facing such a sincere confession from a young girl, it wouldn’t warrant such anger.

The night deepened and the ground grew cool. Shu Wan stopped pondering the mess of thoughts, stood up, rubbing her knees, and gave a soft sigh.

One important reason she wanted to return to the modern era was that she wouldn’t have to kneel so frequently.

In this era, unless one was the Emperor, kneeling was necessary before anyone, everywhere you went.

On this day, having knelt so much for her, my knees were nearly raw.

Qi Yuan had already walked far off, and Shu Wan had returned to her sleeping quarters. Exhausted from the day, she needed to rest well, because tomorrow there would be a tough battle to face.

Just as Shu Wan had expected, early in the morning, before the sun had even fully risen above the horizon, the sound of scattered footsteps could be heard within the courtyard.

“Get up and pay respects to Consort De. Have you no manners?”

The eunuch’s shrill voice shattered the calm, instantly waking Ning Yuan and Shu Wan.

Ning Yuan, groggy, dressed herself and glanced at the geng lou, “Paying respects this early, perhaps Consort De herself has not even risen?”

Shu Wan had not slept well either, but she still got up.

In this era where those in power held absolute authority over life and death, she had no luxury to act willfully, “Let’s go, since they’ve come to call us.”

“Oh, okay.” Ning Yuan just complained a bit, but after all, she dared not offend Consort De.

Ning Yuan and Shu Wan quickly changed their clothes, then followed the palace attendants to the main hall.

However, the doors of the hall were tightly shut.

“Consort De hasn’t yet”

“How dare you!” Before Ning Yuan could finish, the eunuch cut her off, “Do you expect Consort De to wake up and wait for you to pay respects? Just wait quietly, that’s enough, no need for more words!”

In her own home, even amidst hardship, Ning Yuan would not be scolded by servants. Now, scolded by the eunuch, her eyes reddened with grievance.

Shu Wan gave her a gentle shake of the head, and Ning Yuan held back the words she originally wanted to say, standing with Shu Wan at the entrance of the hall, waiting.

This wait lasted the whole morning.

They hadn’t even eaten breakfast before being rushed over and had been standing all morning. With sore backs and tired, hungry bodies, Ning Yuan and Shu Wan, having been pampered since childhood, were finding it hard to keep standing, swaying on the verge of collapse.

Just then, the doors of the hall were opened, “The lady has awoken, come in.”

Ning Yuan quickly shook her head, gathered her spirits, and exchanged glances with Shu Wan to check their appearances. Assuring there was nothing amiss, they then entered the palace.

Compared to the simplicity and decay of the side hall, the main hall could be described as a temple of the gods.

Yet at this moment, the two had no attention to spare for the palace decorations. As they walked into the hall, they immediately paid respects to Consort De, “We pay our respects to Consort De.”

Xu Yinjia reclined on her sumptuous couch, casting a nonchalant glance at the kneeling pair, “Which one of you is Shu Wan? Raise your head, let me have a look.”

As Xu Yinjia finished speaking, Shu Wan raised her head. Xu Yinjia, who had been about to eat a grape, dropped it in shock upon seeing Shu Wan’s face.

She had heard that this year a new contestant resembled Shu Wan, but she had not expected such a striking resemblance.

Xu Yinjia’s gaze shifted several times before she finally spoke, “Ning Yuan, you may leave. Shu Wan, stay behind.”

“Yes.”

Ning Yuan breathed a sigh of relief, paid her respects and walked out. Xu Yinjia then dismissed the palace attendants serving on both sides, and soon, only Shu Wan and Xu Yinjia were left in the hall.

Xu Yinjia picked up a cup of tea and slowly sipped it, not speaking for a long time, and Shu Wan also remained quiet, waiting patiently.

After a while, Xu Yinjia finally put down her cup, “Do you know why I kept you behind?”

“I do not know, Your Majesty. Since I have been assigned to Changning Palace, I am a person of Changning Palace, ready to serve at your command.”