Chapter 130: Jiang → Emperor, Trial Changes
Just as she finished eating with Sen Ji, the butler came to notify her. “Princess, His Majesty summons you to the study to see him.”
Xie Qiang gave a sound of acknowledgment.
“I’ll go with you,” Sen Ji said to her, putting down his utensils.
“His Majesty only summoned the Princess,” the butler said suddenly.
Xie Qiang looked at the butler. “Not even to escort me there?”
The butler bowed slightly. “His Majesty also has an appointment with Finance Minister Wanyan. He will be the one to escort the Princess.”
Sen Ji frowned slightly.
Was the Emperor deliberately creating an opportunity for Xie Qiang and Wanyan Jin?
“In that case, you wait for me at home.” catching Sen Ji’s expression, Xie Qiang rose and wiped her mouth, giving him a sweet smile. “The celebration banquet is the day after tomorrow. You can go to my walk-in closet and pick out an outfit for it.”
Sen Ji’s pupils dilated slightly, and a smile spread across his lips. “Mhm.”
She was hinting that he would be her dance partner at the banquet, and he could choose an outfit that matched hers.
Having pacified the dejected tiger, Xie Qiang changed into a simple and convenient silk shirt with flowy sleeves and black cropped jeans. After putting on mid-heeled shoes, she examined herself in the mirror.
Capable yet refined, obedient yet solemn.
It was the type of aura elder leaders liked most.
Xie Qiang nodded with satisfaction and walked toward the reception hall of the Princess’s Palace.
Hearing the doors open, Wanyan Jin rose and looked up. He was briefly stunned when he saw Xie Qiang.
She dressed so simply?
He thought she would dress in something complex and magnificent like she did last night and in her childhood—something that would make a Sentinel with sensitive vision unable to look directly at her. Wanyan Jin withdrew his gaze and quickly performed a standard courtly bow. “Princess.”
“Let’s go.” Xie Qiang didn’t enter the hall but turned and left.
Wanyan Jin was stunned for a moment, then caught up with the girl ahead.
She actually didn’t question why he didn’t show up yesterday?
Fine then; it saved him the trouble of explaining.
Wanyan Jin walked behind Xie Qiang at a moderate pace until they stepped out of the central palace doors and saw the silver-haired youth standing outside.
“Princess~”
Cang Jiu ran toward Xie Qiang, wagging his fox tail.
The youth’s fox ears twitched slightly, and the bell on them rang with an ethereal and pleasant sound in the snowy white surroundings. Those beautiful fox eyes looked at her with a bright light. “Where are you going? Take me with you~”
How could this person be using his demi-beast form to seduce her so early in the morning?
Xie Qiang couldn’t help but reach out to stroke his fox ears.
Cang Jiu bent his ears comfortably and leaned his head against her shoulder. His gaze swept carelessly over the man with snake-like eyes before his lips curled.
“Stupid snake,” he said soundlessly.
Childish.
Wanyan Jin coldly withdrew his gaze and turned to look at the snowy scenery in the distance.
Xie Qiang petted the fox ears and tail for a bit before remembering her business. she hurriedly withdrew her hand in annoyance and said to Cang Jiu, “Father summoned me.”
“Princess, I’ll go with you.” Cang Jiu stuffed his fox tail back into her hand and said with a smile, “The questions for the trials haven’t come out yet. Staying in the tower is so boring!”
Xie Qiang lowered her eyes. It seemed something had been stuffed into her palm. she looked at Cang Jiu, who was smiling with narrowed eyes.
Xie Qiang withdrew her hand and patted his head with the other. “Father doesn’t allow anyone else to accompany me. You go back first.”
“Fine then.” Cang Jiu reluctantly withdrew his fox ears and tail. “Then hurry back, Princess.”
After they parted, Xie Qiang secretly glanced at Wanyan Jin. After confirming his mind wasn’t on her at all, she lowered her eyes and opened the note in her palm.
[Jiang → Emperor, Trial Changes]
Another riddle to test her.
Xie Qiang stuffed the note into her pocket and pondered for a moment.
Does “Jiang → Emperor” mean Jiang Qingwan went to see the Emperor?
Xie Qiang felt it wasn’t that simple; Cang Jiu wasn’t that boring.
Then… could it be hinting that Jiang Qingwan wasn’t the First Prince’s person, but the Emperor’s?
If that were true, would the Emperor be the mysterious person who assisted Jiang Qingwan and informed the media of the host’s atrocities?
Thinking of the Sentinel’s corpse hanging at the buffet restaurant, Xie Qiang pursed her lips and glanced down at the lightbrain on her wrist.
From the moment she fell into the wormhole to the day she returned to the capital, this “doting” Emperor hadn’t sent a single message of concern.
She had thought it was very strange even then—especially considering that the Emperor specifically summoned Jiang Qingwan, who was “opposite” her at the time, to return to the capital, seemingly wanting to credit her with the destruction of the wormhole.
What exactly did this Emperor want to do?
And how was this connected to the “Trial Changes” in the second half of the note?
For some reason, an ominous premonition grew in Xie Qiang’s heart.
…
Reaching the door of the Emperor’s study, Xie Qiang stopped.
She glanced at Wanyan Jin.
She parted her lips and asked softly, “Finance Minister Wanyan, what kind of person do you think my Father is?”
Wanyan Jin frowned slightly. Those dark blue snake eyes under the gold rims swept coldly over Xie Qiang’s face before withdrawing without a ripple. He looked toward the study door. “His Majesty is a magnanimous person.”
Magnanimous? Xie Qiang couldn’t help but tilt her head, her face looking entirely innocent. “Magnanimous enough to make you participate in the trials? He clearly knows you hate me.”
Wanyan Jin’s brow twitched slightly, and he looked at her with displeasure. “Princess, watch your words.”
Xie Qiang shrugged and knocked on the study door. “Father, your daughter is here.”
“Come in.”
Xie Qiang pushed the door open to see Emperor Xie wearing a casual plain white sweater. He had a half-lens perched on his deep nose and was sitting behind his desk reviewing proposals from noble officials.
Taking off the lens, Emperor Xie looked at Xie Qiang dotingly. “Qiang’er, since when did you learn to knock before coming into my study?”
“I’ve grown up, after all. There are some rules to follow.”
Xie Qiang said with a smile. she walked to the desk and took a casual glance, then paused as her gaze fell on one of the proposals.
[Proposal Concerning the Expansion of High-Efficiency Healing Medicine Production].
Was it a coincidence?
A significant number of proposals were piled on both sides of the desk, with many scattered messily in the middle. Yet, as she walked in, she just happened to see this proposal related to the cooperation Yun Xinghu had requested yesterday.
“Qiang’er, what are you looking at?”
Xie Qiang looked up to see Emperor Xie’s doting face, which held a trace of confusion and an uncontainable smile.
A chill ran down Xie Qiang’s back.
If the female lead Jiang Qingwan was the Emperor’s person…
Then what connection did Yun Xinghu, the suspected male lead, have with the Emperor?
Was the Sentinel’s corpse hanging at the restaurant a test, or a warning to “behave” and not try to grow too fast and usurp power?
Was the indulgence and disregard for the host’s brutality true doting, or was it intentional—wanting to clear the obstacles for the First Prince, who was only an A-class Sentinel?
Did the Emperor know about the First Prince brainwashing his sister?
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