Capítulo 907: Chapter 723: Mortal World, Naturally Lovesick Hearts
Outside the imperial carriage, the moon cage yarn draped like flowing clouds, dancing in the wind, extraordinarily splendid and enchanting.
And just at the moment when the wind lifted the curtain, with eagle eyes, Gu Changsheng saw a person beside the carved dragon stone town at his traveling palace gate!
A person cowering and hiding behind the stone town!
The imperial carriage suddenly stopped, silence fell around, and you could hear a pin drop. Hongyan Jiaojiao was out gathering strong men and had not returned yet. This time, the leading female official serving Gu Changsheng was Hongfu Su!
“Your Majesty?” Hongfu Su, clad in the traditional attire of the Miao Ethnic Group, was especially ceremonious as she entered the palace with the imperial carriage. Even the streamlined ceremonial guard arranged by Gu Changsheng was on full alert, yet the floral colors of the female officials could not be concealed.
The imperial carriage suddenly stopped, the figure hiding behind the carved dragon stone town stiffened, frightened.
The pomp of the Southern Emperor’s procession, even after being streamlined, was still extraordinarily grand. Ninety-nine female officials held glazed moonlight cups to pave the way, and nineteen officials held gilt incense burners, dragon and phoenix canopies, phoenix feather fan curtain, all perfectly in place!
“Lift the curtain and invite the person hiding behind the stone town out!” Gu Changsheng’s cold voice sounded from the carriage, tinged faintly with a lazy awe.
On hearing this, Hongfu Su was stunned and immediately obeyed.
In an instant, four female officials stepped forward, and the moon cage yarn was hung on a jade hook, revealing the scene inside the carriage completely.
Reclining on the dragon and phoenix grand chair installed in the carriage was a figure in crimson gold, exuding unspeakable nobility and grace…
“It was my negligence, I beg Your Majesty’s punishment!”
Seeing the female officials bringing out someone from behind the stone town beside the traveling palace, Hongfu Su immediately covered her chest with one hand and knelt.
The Southern Emperor traveling, and yet being coveted by someone outside, was her mistake!
“It’s no matter!” Gu Changsheng waved his hand, signaling her to rise, then turned his gaze to the man being brought over.
This man had clear eyebrows and eyes, not very tall but quite pleasing to the eye, though his face was tanned to a wheat color. From his clothes and appearance, it wasn’t hard to discern he was an ordinary commoner often exposed to the sun and rain.
“The clay doll vendor!” Gu Changsheng recognized the person, and a smile bloomed at the corners of his mouth.
The visitor was indeed the vendor selling clay dolls seen on the street yesterday. Recalling the charmingly naive clay dolls placed in his bed chamber, the smile on Gu Changsheng’s face deepened.
“Commoner, the commoner greets His Majesty the Southern Emperor… His Majesty the Southern Emperor’s beauty… beauty…” The clay doll vendor Wang Man was pressed to kneel on the ground, anxious to pay respects but couldn’t recall the formal greeting for the Southern Emperor in his panic.
“Haha… no need to fuss!” Gu Changsheng knew why he was hesitating and immediately waved his hand, “Release him, he is not an evildoer engaged in criminal acts.”
“But Your Majesty, he was hiding in front of the Heavenly Palace Gate, looking suspicious…” Hongfu Su was taken aback and spoke with concern.
“It’s fine, he’s an acquaintance I met yesterday. Isn’t my doorstep even in the Capital City still allowed for people to walk through?” Gu Changsheng smiled leisurely, reassuring Hongfu Su, then gestured to the kneeling Wang Man, “Get up and come forward to speak.”
“Yes… yes…” Hearing this, Wang Man stood up quickly, took a small step forward, then stopped, worried about offending the royal visage, and stood bowing.
“What is your name? Did Zhou Mu not grant you a waist token to find him for a job? Why linger around my residence without moving forward?” Gu Changsheng, in an unusually good mood, appeared exceptionally amiable.
Wang Man heard this, suddenly relaxed, thought for a moment and quickly gave a salute. He hadn’t dared to look at the person in the imperial carriage till now, but the voice was indeed that of the red-clothed woman at his stall selling clay dolls yesterday, so he knew his guess was correct.
Indeed, yesterday he encountered His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mu and His Majesty the Southern Emperor traveling in disguise!
“Commoner Wang Man, a native of Capital City, residing in West County Alley. The commoner had no intent to offend His Majesty the Southern Emperor, it’s just… just, the Crown Prince Mu’s palace is within the Imperial Palace, and a commoner cannot enter or meet him. Thinking that only His Majesty the Southern Emperor could accompany the Crown Prince Mu on a disguised outing, the commoner boldly came here, hoping for a chance to meet the Southern Emperor…” Wang Man spoke, bowing his head even lower.
However, he hadn’t expected the security at the Southern Emperor’s residence to be even stricter than that on the Imperial Palace Street, so he had lingered here since before dawn, yet still couldn’t find a way in.
“Haha… you really know how to talk.” Could only she accompany the evildoer for an outing? She liked that statement! Hearing this, Gu Changsheng laughed but then skeptically supported his head, “Don’t you have the waist token given to you by Zhou Mu? Holding that token, not only can you enter the palace, but no one would dare stop you even if you wish to see the Sovereign. Why seek an audience with me?”
“Your Majesty the Southern Emperor, this commoner has come precisely for this matter!” Upon hearing these words, Wang Man immediately raised his head excitedly.
In an instant, countless sharp gazes from Hongfu Su and others swept toward him.
The holy visage of the Southern Emperor must not be offended, and a mere commoner cannot gaze directly!
Frightened, Wang Man immediately lowered his head, vaguely seeing only a holy golden spot on the brow of the woman reclining on the imperial carriage, making the sun and moon pale in comparison.
Gu Changsheng waved her hand, gesturing for Hongfu Su and the others not to be like this, so as not to frighten the visitor unnecessarily.
“Speak then, what is the reason you have come?” Gu Changsheng recalled the bet her own evildoer insisted on making yesterday, and became interested, as the retinue stopped at the gate of the Heavenly Palace Traveling Palace, she unhurriedly asked.
“This humble commoner is not worthy to bear the favor of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mu, and has come to return the token given by His Royal Highness. Fearing that bearing the token to request an audience would undermine His Highness’s dignity, I must therefore seek an audience with Your Majesty the Southern Emperor here!” Wang Man said, immediately kneeling on the ground, raising yesterday’s waist token bestowed by Zhou Mu high with both hands, sincerely speaking with lowered head, “Under the Heavenly Emperor, this commoner knows his lack of propriety and has failed the Crown Prince’s favor, but this commoner must return the token…”
At this, Wang Man was deeply uneasy, for before him was the Southern Emperor, the Emperor of the Southern Country!
He was truly afraid that such lack of propriety would provoke the emperor’s wrath, causing rivers of blood!
However, he had no choice but to do so!
“Oh?” When Gu Changsheng heard this, she immediately put away her playful demeanor, sat upright on the Dragon and Phoenix Chair, and waved for someone to retrieve the waist token, the evildoer’s token, and after rubbing it in her hand, she looked at Wang Man, who was kneeling and trembling, with furrowed brows and eyes burning with intensity, “Wang Man, what is granted from above must not be refused, to do so is to deceive the sovereign. Are you aware?”
Such a golden opportunity falling from heaven was actually refused?
If this involved an ordinary noble, there would inevitably be rage! Yet at this moment, Gu Changsheng was not angry, only puzzled!
“This commoner deserves death! This commoner deserves death! His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mu and the Southern Emperor are magnanimous individuals and certainly would not stoop to the commoner’s level! This commoner dares only to act thus and begs Your Majesty to forgive! This commoner only wishes to live quietly as a small trader, earning a living to support his family, living out his days in peace, not seeking high office or wealth and nobility! This commoner implores Your Majesty’s permission!” Wang Man knelt on the ground, repeatedly kowtowing.
“Heh!” Hearing this, Gu Changsheng suddenly chuckled, indeed as the evildoer said, this person was eloquent and perceptive, clearly coming to apologize for his lack of propriety, yet he first pinned such a grandiose label on himself.
If she were to stoop to Wang Man’s level, wouldn’t she no longer be considered a genius, not magnanimous?
Interesting! Quite interesting!
“Your Royal Highness, the appointment with the Emperor of the Neighboring Kingdom, the time…” Hongfu Su timidly stepped forward to remind.
“No harm, just delayed a little.” Gu Changsheng waved a hand, then looked again at the trembling merchant kneeling on the ground, speaking in a deep voice, “Wang Man, tell me your reason! For an ordinary person encountering such fortune, to soar through the Dragon Gate to glory and prosperity, would certainly not refuse, why do you refuse?”
“This commoner…” Upon hearing this, Wang Man hesitated, worried that directly answering could bring unwarranted disaster to his wife and children at home, but if he did not speak the truth, could he really deceive the Southern Emperor’s eyes? After pondering momentarily, Wang Man found his answer, bowing his head to the ground, heavy with another kowtow, and spoke in a deep voice, “My wife, with a woman’s heart, said only one thing, fearing one day to regret encouraging her husband to seek nobility, and left everything else for this commoner to decide on his own. As a humble person, living only by a small skill, lonely since childhood, having obtained such a wife, my life has no regrets, and thinking it a great good deed to let my wife and children suffer no hardship along with me, this commoner believes he can remain true to his principles, but… but my wife was troubled and restless all day, watching that made this commoner heartache, if my wife’s heart is uneasy, what use is wealth and nobility to this commoner?”
“I beg Your Majesty the Southern Emperor to return this token to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. If the Crown Prince holds a grudge, this commoner is willing to bear it all! Please Your Majesty grant this request!”
As Wang Man spoke, he again knelt, bowing repeatedly.
“Regret encouraging her husband to seek nobility, so you don’t want this heavenly blessing?” Gu Changsheng murmured as she rubbed the waist token in her hand, a slight smile tugging at the corner of her mouth, “What a troubled wife’s heart, what use are wealth and nobility!”
Back then, in Liuzhou City, Zhou Mu, to reassure her, promised never to vie for that position for life. Now, with the vicissitudes of life, it was unexpected that she sat on the throne first!
The world is unpredictable, life is like a play, indeed half cannot be controlled!
“Indeed, the world has its lovesick souls! Your approach is commendable!” Gu Changsheng set the waist token aside, looking with a smile at Wang Man kneeling down, waving to Hongfu Su, “Someone, invite him into the palace residence, treat him well, until I return from meeting the Emperor of the Neighboring Kingdom, to further discuss with him.”
“Your Majesty the Southern Emperor?” Wang Man heard this and instantly became dumbfounded, his head in the clouds.
“And also, invite his wife and children from home!” Gu Changsheng added with a smile, “Wang Man, losing the melon, gaining the oak, I am quite curious, what kind of wife do you have! I think the two friends in my residence are also very curious!”