EMPRESS LIU

~TWENTY-NINE~

It's been four days since Liu Changsheng entered the emperor's palace as Xiao Long. And there's only one thing in his head. Pretending to be crazy when you're completely sane is too tiring. And Liu Changsheng was frustrated with how the other servants of the emperor's courtyard treated him.

He was given a small two room courtyard to live with Ying Lianying. Given his disguise he had to accept it. He was constantly worried about Mu Ling who was in Dachen's territory and couldn't be found. But also can't leave without the help of Ying Lianying. Because only she can help both of them to go unnoticed by the emperor.

In these four days he has familiarised himself with some rumours. Most of them being about the things that happened in the last five years before he died.

He has potentially listened in to two of furen's maids to know that someone has spread the rumour that it wasn't Liu Changsheng who poisoned the dowager empress. It was a concubine from the second prince's harem who did it out of spite to Liu Changsheng.

Also the prime witness of Liu Changsheng's assassination attack to the emperor wasn't killed by Liu Changsheng but the emperor himself.

This made things more complicated for Liu Changsheng than it already was. He needed to know more. But he can't just rashly go out of the palace and blow up his disguise. Also the fourth prince constantly pestering him isn't helping either.

"Xiao Long." Just like right now Xiang Wang was trying to get some answers out of him. "Tell me. You like Peony, don't you?"

Liu Changsheng tried his best to look timid and distant. "I haven't seen them, your highness."

Luckily Ying Lianying comes to his rescue on time. "Daqing! Don't follow him."

"A-jie. What happened to him? How is he alive? Tell me please." The fourth prince wasn't someone to give up easily. He spoke to Ying Lianying like Liu Changsheng wasn't even there.

Liu Changsheng kept pretending to be a maniac and listened in to the shadow guard and the prince's conversation.

"Daqing. Will you stop pestering him if I tell you?"

Xiang Wang looked at Liu Changsheng once as if trying to weigh his options. Then agrees.

"Hao. I'll help him get his memories back."

Ying Lianying looks at the young prince like he was crazy. It wasn't the point. The point was to not attract too much attention for Liu Changsheng. But if Hong Daqing keeps pestering Liu Changsheng it will look suspicious to everyone. And this, both Liu Changsheng and Ying Lianying knew well.

"Please A-jie. Let me. No one will be suspicious. I'll make sure of it." The prince kept being persistent.

"Do you think he will let you live if he really remembers?" Ying Lianying was equally persistent to the younger man. Reluctant to give a space.

The next thing the fourth prince said struck Liu Changsheng like lightning. He expected so much from his fourth prince but never this.

"Even he won't, even he pushes a knife through my heart, I will still do it." The eyes of the prince showed a light that was equal to the twinkle of the night sky. Clear and transparent. And very very still. The determination in his eyes frightened the young master of the Liu household. The only survivor of the massacre of the whole Liu blood.

When the killer says he will resurrect the victim, it not only surprises people. It sounds very very untrustworthy to the listener. Liu Changsheng felt exactly the same. At this point he was sure that if given the chance he would really push a knife through the blackened heart of the tyrant he once loved with all his heart. He will by his own hands make sure that this person he loves will never be able to say things that made him what he is today. A confused maniac. A victim of massacre for love.

Liu Changsheng wanted to pounce on Hong Daqing and strangle him to his demise. But this was not the right time. His time will come. Soon!

He wasn't paying attention to what was being said between Ying Lianying and the fourth prince, but suddenly he was pushed to go to the daily market with the fourth prince. Although reluctant, he had to go because he too had his reasons. He had to know more about what was going on. He had to know who spread those rumours. He can't live like a wanted assassin forever. That would be worse than death.

And thus he finally found himself in a restaurant called Duan Ming Mu Dan. Short Lived Peony.

The restaurant they used to go after their marriage. The restaurant that hold distant memories of an almost love story that ended in tragedy. A love story that broke a world apart, massacred a whole household and still didn't stop it's destruction. A love story that sent him to the edge of a cliff, forced him to kill himself.

A love story that brought nothing good.

Liu Changsheng was given a disguise. A beautiful young man who's being courted by a prince. His face looked radiant with the treatment of the furen Duan's maid.

They sat on a seat on the second floor facing the window. The straw hat Liu Changsheng was wearing was kept aside. The long white gauze from it fell on the side like an abandoned waterfall.

There were two red dots on the side of Liu Gongzi's eyes that looked like two stars.

The prince ordered a serving of braised porks and a serving of fried sweet potatoes. The bearer brought the food up to the table and put it in front of them.

Liu Changsheng knew why the fourth prince was doing this. There was no discredit in it. But he just wanted to reject any effort from the said prince as an instinct. So naturally he picked up the chopsticks and while listening to the conversations of the other guests he put his hand forward to pick up food.

To his surprise the plate was snatched from in front of him.

"You don't like them."

So, you remember what I like and what I don't like! This is what Liu Changsheng wanted to say. But his words were stuck in his throat when the unexpected came from the fourth prince. Never in his two lifetimes did he expect this prince to say this, but here right now, he's saying it.

"Please forgive me Shengsheng. I know you remember."

And the most surprising thing was the same lone tear on the corner of the mighty prince's eyes. The same picture of a twenty years old man that he saw the moment Xuehui pierced his heart. A picture that confused two lifetimes in front of him. Making him forget revenge for a second. Reminding him of a day, specifically his birthday. On the fourteenth month after their wedding. A picture that was blurry suddenly became clear.

A young twenty-one years old, a prince, carefully climbing a tree to bring down a bunch of the most beautiful peony for his beloved.

Hello everyone! Here's a new chapter... I have a lot to say, but don't know how to say it.... Don't know how I can convey the feeling of not being able to answer to those who are patiently waiting expecting an update....

So I can only say.... I'm sorry for not updating...

And now that I'm here I'll try not to disappoint....

So, see you in the next chapter...
All the love
C 💕

Also please don't forget to vote!! ⭐⭐