Chapter 181 - Pear Blossoms Bloom (Part Four)

For the past few days, Wang Lihua had been on edge. It had been five days since she’d returned from that dinner, yet she hadn’t heard any word of the Emperor planning to execute her.

On the sixth day at noon, as Wang Lihua waited in her room for her meal to be delivered, she was surprised to see that Eunuch Yue Dou came by himself.

Wang Lihua noticed that Eunuch Yue’s gaze was somewhat strange as he spoke, "Miss Wang... His Majesty invites you to dine with him."

"Dining together again?" Wang Lihua raised an eyebrow. "You’re not going to make me change clothes this time, are you?"

The corner of Yue Dou’s mouth twitched slightly as he awkwardly replied, "There's no need."

"Lead the way, then!"

The meal was once again set by the Leaping Carp Lake and within the same pavilion by the shore.

As she approached, Wang Lihua couldn’t help but pause in surprise. What had once been a bare lakeshore was now filled with young trees that surrounded the entire lake.

"It may not look like much now, but in a few years, when the trees have grown and blossomed, it’ll surely be a beautiful sight," Chen Kaiming said from behind her.

Wang Lihua turned and saw Chen Kaiming standing not far behind her. She bit her lip but said nothing.

Chen Kaiming smiled slightly.

"Are you satisfied? According to your suggestion, there are now pear trees all around."

"You’re not going to execute me?" Wang Lihua took a deep breath.

Chen Kaiming looked taken aback.

"When did I ever say I’d have you executed?"

Wang Lihua walked up to the pavilion, gazing at the pear trees surrounding the lake, and spoke softly, "Tyrant, why did you plant this pear tree grove?"

Chen Kaiming pursed his lips, feeling a bit helpless that

tyrant

had become his new name, but he replied, "Didn’t you say so yourself? That this lake lacked life..."

"What lacks life is not this lake..." Wang Lihua shook her head, turning to look at Chen Kaiming. "What I was referring to that day wasn’t the lake but the imperial court. Tyrant, you understood what I meant, but you instinctively didn’t want to acknowledge it. So what’s the point of planting this pear tree grove? To silence me? To give me an explanation?"

Chen Kaiming’s face darkened. He flicked his sleeve and walked up to the pavilion, looking down at Wang Lihua.

"There is no one I owe an explanation to!"

"Look at you, acting this way"—Wang Lihua sneered—"is truly unbecoming."

"Silence!"

Chen Kaiming roared like an enraged lion.

"Who in this world dares demand an explanation from me?"

"The people of Qizhou," Wang Lihua retorted coldly.

Chen Kaiming was stunned for a long moment.

"Let’s eat."

The meal was eaten in silence. Chen Kaiming and Wang Lihua sat across from each other, neither making any attempt to speak.

Wang Lihua was the first to put down her chopsticks, as if she were full. She stood up and began walking back the way she had come.

As Wang Lihua walked down from the pavilion, Chen Kaiming called out, "Wait..."

Wang Lihua glanced back and saw Chen Kaiming still sitting at the table, absentmindedly poking at the dishes with his chopsticks, seeming distracted.

Chen Kaiming’s gaze swept over the dishes as he said in a low voice, "I will give you an explanation."

Wang Lihua gave no response and turned to leave.

Watching her figure disappear around the corner, Chen Kaiming sighed with a sense of loss.

Yue Dou hesitated, then stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, isn’t Wang Lihua being a bit too..."

Chen Kaiming glanced at Yue Dou, who immediately fell silent, recognizing the displeasure in the emperor’s eyes.

Clatter—

Chen Kaiming tossed his chopsticks onto the table, stood up, and commanded, "Send word that I will hold a banquet for the ministers tonight."

***

By evening, Wang Lihua had been waiting in her room for quite some time. Her stomach was rumbling with hunger, but there was still no sign of anyone bringing her food.

Knock knock knock—

Wang Lihua jumped out of bed and hurried to answer the knock on her door, and to saw Yue Dou standing outside once again.

"Miss Wang, His Majesty requests your presence," Yue Dou announced with a faint smile on his face.

Wang Lihua looked puzzled.

"I just ate with him at noon, and now again in the evening?"

Yue Dou didn’t answer directly but handed her a set of clothing.

"Tonight’s occasion is formal, and His Majesty hopes... hopes that you’ll dress appropriately."

Wang Lihua pursed her lips at the sight of the clothing.

Yue Dou quickly explained, "Miss, please don’t misunderstand. This outfit... Well it is different from the last one..."

"I won't wear it."

Wang Lihua tossed the clothes aside without a second glance, and raised her chin at Yue Dou.

"Lead the way, Little Yue."

Hiss—

Yue Dou nearly choked, and struggled to catch his breath.

"Miss... Miss Wang..." Yue Dou stepped in front of her, smiling apologetically. "Please don’t make things difficult for me. This way... this way, I won’t be able to fulfill my duty..."

"Then I won’t go."

Yue Dou found the words oddly familiar. After a moment’s thought, he realized that she said the exact same thing that day when she refused to wear the clothes the Emperor had picked for her.

Emperor Chen Kaiming and his ministers were all seated in the Qinghe Hall.

Chen Kaiming sat at the head of the hall, with the ministers seated in two rows down the hall, leaving the center open for the dancers’ performance. The seat closest to him on the left was occupied by the current Internal Prime Minister, Fan Shaolin, who occasionally leaned over to converse quietly with Chen Kaiming.

Fan Shaolin held a revered position because, in addition to being the Internal Prime Minister, he was also the Emperor’s teacher. Chen Kaiming held him in high regard.

Tonight, Fan Shaolin was already filled with curiosity, for there was an additional table beside Chen Kaiming’s seat, currently empty. He couldn’t imagine who could be so honored as to sit on the same level as the Emperor.

Fan Shaolin wasn't the only one who noticed. The other officials, all astute, had already picked up on the odd arrangement and were whispering among themselves. With his sharp eyes, Fan Shaolin had noticed that although Chen Kaiming was making casual conversation with him, his gaze kept drifting to the entrance, as if he were waiting for someone.

"Your Majesty... are you waiting for someone?" Fan Shaolin asked tentatively.

Chen Kaiming was momentarily surprised, then smiled and replied, "Yes, indeed... waiting for someone who has taught me a lesson."

"Oh? And who might this remarkable person be?" Fan Shaolin asked, intrigued.

"I’ll introduce her to you shortly..." Chen Kaiming couldn’t hide his smile. "She’s actually... ah, here she is."

Fan Shaolin hadn’t caught the end of what Chen Kaiming was saying, but upon hearing she had arrived, he craned his neck to look toward the hall entrance.

Though it was late, the lanterns outside the hall illuminated the area as brightly as day. A woman in a flowing white gown walked gracefully under the lights, her dress billowing as if she walked through a cascade of colors.

A woman?

Fan Shaolin’s lips parted in surprise. He turned to Chen Kaiming for confirmation, only to find that the emperor’s expression had darkened.

Chen Kaiming stared at Wang Lihua, who was still dressed in her plain white gown, his brows twitching in annoyance.

Wang Lihua strode into the hall, ignoring the stunned ministers around her, and stood directly in front of Chen Kaiming, looking at him with a face full of reluctance and eyes brimming with defiance.

Yue Dou, holding the set of clothes, entered the hall behind her, casting a pained look at Chen Kaiming.

"Your Majesty, Miss Wang, she—"

Chen Kaiming waved his hand, signaling Yue Dou to remain silent.

The hall fell silent, everyone watching the scene unfold, no one daring to make a sound.

Seated at the table, Chen Kaiming tapped on the table and spoke slowly, "Wang Lihua, if you truly don’t want to change clothes, I won’t hold it against you..."

The corner of Chen Kaiming’s mouth lifted in amusement as he added, "But how many days have you worn that dress for? It’s starting to smell... shouldn't you change?"

Wang Lihua froze at his words, her face flushing red for the first time.