TCN: Mei Gongqing

Mei Gongqing 155-157

Chapter 155: Sincerity or Pretense

Wang Hong slowly formed a smile.

"Greetings from Wang Hong, Your Majesty," he called as he stepped out and bent over in a deep bow.

His voice roused the other two, who turned to look back at him with their laughter still on their faces. The emperor's annoyance was abundantly clear.

Wang Hong ambled to them with a polite yet nonchalant smile.

He cast Chen Rong a brief glance before his mouth curved to address the emperor: "Hong Yunzi is a Daoist name Your Majesty had bestowed, and so you must not make light of it."

His voice was kept soft and airy, and his smile very easy.

But both the emperor and Chen Rong could hear the threat in his words.

The emperor snorted. He tapped his forehead in comprehension while exclaiming: "Is that right, now? Ah yes, I had ordained Ah Rong into the monastic orders."

He turned around to regard Chen Rong for a while, and then slapped his thigh with a cry: "Oh I know!"

"Ah Rong," he began, leaning to her, "Are you aware that I'm called a foolish and absurd ruler around here?" There were twinkles in his eyes when he cocked his head and gleefully added, "Say, if my empress were to be a Daoist nun, would it be unprecedented? Would it be very shocking?"

He glanced back at Wang Hong. "Don't you know me, Qilang? I embrace all things that are scorned. How else can I live up to my absurdity?"

And then as if he had thought of something, he turned his head to fully look at Wang Hong, suddenly asking: "Or have you come here for Ah Rong?"

He gave Wang Hong a glare, pulled Chen Rong behind him and then scowled, "I thought you hold her in disdain because of her humble origins? Since you look down on her, you should give her to me."

He reached for the nearby antique jade bowl and graciously negotiated, "Here, I'll trade this with you!"

Wang Hong froze on the spot.

He instinctively looked to Chen Rong, his glassy eyes willing her to speak.

He looked as though he was certain she would open her mouth to tell the emperor she was his and only his in this lifetime... Except for him, she would not have any other man.

Chen Rong stilled, unable to help herself from wondering: Does he by chance know about my meeting with Ran Min and our exchanges?

She dropped her gaze and avoided his eyes.

The emperor leaned over. He looked at Chen Rong, then at Wang Hong, back at Chen Rong, and again at Wang Hong.

His eyes slowly curved into a mirthful smile.

He continued to push the jade bowl into Wang Hong's arms and said in earnest, "Come now Qilang, take it." When he saw that Wang Hong was still looking at Chen Rong, he made a face and impishly goaded him: "Qilang, Qilang, take it, take it."

This translation belongs to hamster428.

As he said this he took the bowl still with leftover crumbs in it and shoved it into Wang Hong's arms.

Wang Hong took a step back.

He withdrew his pointed gaze from Chen Rong, deeply bowed to the emperor, and wryly smiled. "You jest, Your Majesty."

As he spoke, he cast a glance at the woods.

Just as the emperor relentlessly stepped forth and tried to put the bowl into his arms, an elderly eunuch ran out from the woods and called, "Your Majesty, Grand Tutor Zhao is coming."