What’s Your Gender, Princess? 6

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【6】

I was the crown prince, so I could sit on a palanquin when I’m going to the place where the Emperor was recuperating. But Prince Wumin was different, he could only walk beside the palanquin.

Because he had been too lavishly dressed, the black hair on his head was barely visible and only the dazzlingly gold decorations and jewelry could be seen. When I saw it, let alone him, the person who was the one wearing it, even I felt that it was scary.

But I felt that his ability to adapt to situations was very formidable. Even I wasn’t used to wearing the clothes he was wearing right now, but he didn’t seem to be unaccustomed to being dressed in a girl’s clothes, wearing a girl’s jewelry, and even putting on make up. I can only say that he was either very flexible, or that… he had often cross dressed in secret before…

In East Yuan Country, I rarely rode the palanquin. On one hand, I didn’t really use it because I didn’t really like riding it. On the other hand, nobody cared if I sat on it or not. But right now as I sat in it, the pace in which we were going to the palace wasn’t that quick, so it was even slower than the normal walking pace. Sitting on this wobbling palanquin, I looked at the back of Prince Wumin’s dazzling gold head and only felt really bored, so my thoughts drifted away…

When we finally arrived at the Body Cleansing Palace, where the emperor resides, just as I was about to sigh in relief, I heard Prince Wumin quietly say: “My uncle has arrived as well.”

I nervously sat upright and saw a paunchy middle-aged man getting off the palanquin that was about to approach. Even though he was a bit fat, the space between his eyebrows somewhat resembled Prince Wumin’s. He ought to be a pretty handsome man back when he was young. I also got off the palanquin. He looked at me and made a faint salute: “Crown Prince.”

“King of Xiuyi.” I returned the courtesy, “You have also come in hopes of seeing my royal father?”

“Yes.” He nodded, but his eyes nevertheless veered in Prince Wumin’s direction. He probably thought that me having a woman by my side was really weird.

I pretended as if I didn’t see that and said: “Then we’ll go together.”

“Mn.” The King of Xiuyi slightly narrowed his eyes as his expression sharpened. I had no reason to feel scared, but a cry could suddenly be heard from the inside. It was the followed by a sharp voice: “The emperor has perished —— !”

Haah?! I haven’t even entered, and West Yang Country’s Emperor died just like that?!

I turned my head and looked at Prince Wumin with a dumbstruck expression, and then staggered a few steps because he had pulled me in. Knowing that he probably wanted me to kowtow, I hurried inside with a small jog. On the entire way there, I heard someone unceasingly call out, “Crown Prince”, but I didn’t pay attention to that as I looked at the dragon bed and went down to kneel.

Aside from those few servants, there were two other people kneeling next to me. One was an old, white haired man dressed in an official’s garment. The other seemed to be an eunuch. But immediately after, the King of Xiuyi had also plopped down beside me and kneeled.

After kneeling, I didn’t really know what to do next. As I slightly turned my head around, I actually saw Prince Wumin enter as well. He kneeled behind me, with tears in both his eyes. The crying of a woman in makeup, even if it was my face, when I looked at it, it still scared me a bit…

But when I thought about it, I realized that even though Prince Wumin seemed to be emotionless and heartless, this Emperor that just recently died was his father… how could he possibly not feel bad.

As I thought to this, I suddenly felt an extremely painful sensation on my thigh. So painful that I started tearing immediately after, and then cried out loudly.

…So cheap, to actually use a needle to stab me…

I immediately realized that it was Prince Wumin’s great work. He probably saw that I forgot to cry, so e directly jabbed me to make me remember. And his handiwork was not even a bit light at all as he directly stabbed onto my acupuncture point. It hurt so much that my tears continued to flow as I cried out loud.

The King of Xiuyi beside me was currently leaning forward on the bed and sobbing slowly, but once he saw that I was crying loudly, he suddenly looked at me, gritted his teeth, and also started to cry loudly: “Royal brother!”

……

As expected of an uncle of the same bloodline, he’s just as fake as well…

When I loudly cried “Royal father”, I actually was faintly thinking about how I previously thought that Prince Wumin wept excessively because he was grieving, but how could a person who’s actually grieving have the mind to pay attention to the fact that I wasn’t crying? And even stab me with a needle? Even if it were a grieving person who cried, he wouldn’t stop halfway and notice the things around him, and even reveal such a strange expression…

Prince Wumin, are you really not sad at all?

When my father died, I was indeed not sad, but… Prince Wumin and I are not the same.

He is the only crown prince, and I’d assume that the West Yang Emperor treated him very well, which made him end up with this weird personality, so how could he feel nothing for his own father?

While puzzling over this, I was still sobbing loudly that the old white haired elderly and eunuch came over to console me. As I randomly dealt with it, I heard Prince Wumin speak to me: “Tell them to all go out, say that you and the King of Xiuyi need a little space.”

I quickly said: “You may all go out first, let my uncle and I keep my royal father company for a while…”

That white haired elder said: “Yes…” Paused, and said again: “However, before sadly passing, Crown Prince has to first listen to the imperial decree the Emperor had left before he passed away —— Eunuch Cao, please.”

That Eunuch Cao nodded, wiped his tears, and started reading. I wasn’t really cultured enough, so when I listened, I didn’t really understand it and only understood some parts of it. Something like “Each of the late emperor’s were all virtuous, and We had also aspired to be that… Prince Wumin’s conduct is great in all aspects. As a fine scholar and soldier, West Yang Country shall be given to him, in hopes that he will be virtuous and kind, and comfort the common people. With his appearance and bravery, We hope that he will make it all peaceful in these troubled times…”

In short, this Emperor position had undoubtedly been given to Prince Wumin. I secret snuck a glance at Prince Wumin and saw his expression relax greatly. As for the King of Xiuyi, his complexion did not look that great.

I received the decree while still crying, and the two left while bringing all the servants with them. They probably still had to notify the others that the Emperor had passed away.

At this point, only three people remained inside the large bedroom: me, Prince Wumin, and the King of Xiuyi.

The King of Xiuyi gradually turned to look at me in the midst of his sobbing: “Prince Wumin… Sigh, I can only call you Prince Wumin now, but I’ll have to call you Your Majesty later on.”

I didn’t answer him. It’s not as if he was actually thinking about that anyway.

He continued speaking: “Only… the girl beside you, who is she? The Grand Adviser and Eunuch Cao probably did not see her because of their extreme sadness, but I did… Who the exactly is she, hm?”

This King of Xiuyi was indeed too bold. Prince Wumin had just received the decree that he was to become Emperor, but he dared to ask him questions. It was clear what he meant by that. I opened my mouth, and just as I was about to answer, Prince Wumin suddenly took something out of his sleeve. Before me or the King of Xiuyi even had time to react, he used that thing and ruthlessly stabbed into the King of Xiuyi’s chest.

I only felt a sweeping wind before my eyes. After looking attentively in front of me again, I saw that the King of Xiuyi had already collapsed. The cyan official’s garment was gradually being stained by a red liquid, revealing a strange color… I extended a trembling hand and felt the King of Xiuyi’s neck. He’s actually… already dead.

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