Liu Tián Qǔ forcefully retained her diminishing calm and peace. The Emperor and Liu Tián Qǔ stared at each other for a heartbeat or two before Liu Tián Qǔ calmly bowed. She apologized for her inattention and greeted the Emperor.
There was a stillness in the air. Everyone seemed to hold their breath as they awaited the response of the Emperor.
Liu Tián Qǔ was so angry with herself inwardly. She didn't mean to allow herself to fall into a deep meditation. She only meant to calm her nerves. She really wanted to kick herself for being so stupid. Liu Tián Qǔ held her deep bow and waited for the petty cunning Emperor to tell her to rise.
The Emperor was already annoyed with her. She hoped her actions didn't make him really angry. She really didn't do it on purpose.
However, the Emperor's anger was already calmed under the peace he saw in Liu Tián Qǔ's eyes. It also helped to calm his anger when he saw the Liu Tián Qǔ didn't deliberately slighted or disrespect him but really seemed to be temporarily lost in another world.
Sweat pour off of the Housekeeper, Butler, and Zhou Yù. They were frightened out of their wits. Even the poor Doctor felt pressured, and he was just a bystander. The doctor felt so wronged. 'I'm no longer in the palace, and I am already this old. How did I end up on the side that angered the Emperor. I thought I already left those days behind me.' The Doctor inwardly wailed.
Jūn Zhōng Xīn, Měng Tiān Cái, Wēi Yǒng Měng and the Lord and Lady of Wang Royal Manor stared at Liu Tián Qǔ as though they had seen a ghost. Jūn Zhōng Xīn, Měng Tiān Cái, and Wēi Yǒng Měng clearly knew the temperament of their friend. The Grand Prince knew his younger brother better than anyone present. Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā also knew and understood the Emperor very well. They all clearly saw and felt the Emperor's anger a few seconds ago.
However, all Liu Tián Qǔ did was open her eyes, apologized, and greeted the Emperor. That was all she did, and just like that, the Emperor's anger abated. Never had they witness anything like this. Whenever the Emperor got angry, it always took him a bit of time to calm down. Even after he calmed down, he'll become sulky.
Unfortunately, all the attention was on Liu Tián Qǔ and the Emperor. No one paid any attention to Wang Fèn Yǒng. Had anyone looked over at Wang Fèn Yǒng they would have seen a faint smirk on his face. Earlier, Wang Fèn Yǒng was a bit upset with his Imperial Uncle. Now he looked at him with eyes full of amusement.
He understood just how the Emperor felt because Liu Tián Qǔ had once looked at him with those same eyes of peace and calm. Liu Tián Qǔ seemed so mysterious to Wang Fèn Yǒng. Every time Wang Fèn Yǒng thought he had Liu Tián Qǔ all figured out. Liu Tián Qǔ would then do something that threw all of Wang Fèn Yǒng's preconceived notions out the window. It made Wang Fèn Yǒng wonder who Liu Tián Qǔ was in her first life.
Wēi Wò Yàn's eyes almost popped out of his head. His eyes kept bouncing back and forth between the Emperor and Liu Tián Qǔ as if he was watching an intense tennis match. Jiang Tài Píng watched Liu Tián Qǔ with an indescribable look in his eyes. All the various warriors watched the show between the Emperor and the Young boy with an expressionless look on their faces. However, not all of them were as calm and indifferent as they looked.
"You may rise," the Emperor finally said. As Liu Tián Qǔ rose the Emperor closely watched and observed Liu Tián Qǔ. The Emperor was genuinely perplexed on how such peace and calm could be found in one so young.
The Emperor felt some of the unease in him toward Liu Tián Qǔ vanish. This strange Young Lord appeared out of nowhere. His identity had yet to be verified, however, to strike a deal with the Young Lord. The Emperor had granted the Young Lord military might.
The Emperor had yet to be informed of Liu Tián Qǔ's identity, so he still thought Liu Tián Qǔ to be a bastard child of the Liu Family.
The Emperor had felt a bit unease with Liu Tián Qǔ. However, upon meeting Liu Tián Qǔ, the Emperor thought on his Imperial grandfather's opinion of Liu Tián Qǔ and found his Imperial grandfather to be extremely wise.
The Young Lord did not have the eyes of a person with wild ambition. Nor did a troublemaker have eyes filled with such peace. The Emperor discerned a strange, inexplicable knowledge and understanding in the Young Lord's eyes and agreed with his Imperial Grandfather that these were not the eyes of a child.
Although the Emperor was no longer angry with the Young Lord. He still felt a sense of displeasure with the daring Young Lord. With a neutral look on his face, the Emperor questioned Liu Tián Qǔ, "Inattention, you say?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Please forgiven me. I unintentionally fell into a slight meditation." Liu Tián Qǔ answered outwardly in a calm manner.
Inwardly Liu Tián Qǔ screamed, 'Dude, you're really going to stand here and nitpick with me!? Ah?! You're lucky this isn't the 21st century. If it were, I would've given you one good punch in the face and just pay the settlement money! Why are you being so petty?! It's not that serious!'
The Emperor looked at Liu Tián Qǔ with a raised eyebrow, "You knew I was en route to your residence. How is it you still found time to meditate pending my arrival?"
If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
Liu Tián Qǔ decide not to pull the tiger by the tail this time. So Liu Tián Qǔ met the Emperor's eyes and asked? "Do Your Majesty want platitudes or the truth?"
Carefully watching the Emperor's eyes, Liu Tián Qǔ inwardly breathed a sigh of relief when she saw humor enter the Emperor's eyes.
The Emperor's second eyebrow joined the first eyebrow, "What if I say I want to hear platitudes."
Liu Tián Qǔ bowed then said, "Then I would tell Your Majesty that I was heavily contemplating on your generosity and loyalty to the returning martial families. Word reached me that your majesty ran all the way from your palace to hurridly welcome and greet the returning families." Liu Tián Qǔ said with blatant unhidden false flattery and faint mockery.
Continuing her obviously fake bootlicking, Liu Tián Qǔ said, "It touched my heart so deeply. I begin meditating on what I could do to assist the Emperor in his endeavors. My meditation was so heavy I failed to notice the arrival of Your Majesty. Your Majesty, I ask once again that you forgive me for my inattention." to add a little cream on the cake, Liu Tián Qǔ even performed a full ceremonial kowtow.
Liu Tián Qǔ had promised that she wouldn't pull the Emperor's tail. However, this couldn't be blamed on her since the Emperor is the one who told her to do it.
Liu Tián Qǔ inwardly shook her head and complained to Butler Zhou in her head as she kowtowed, 'Uncle Zhou I was being good this time so this can't be blamed on me. The Emperor is the one who told me to give him platitudes. I only obeyed the command of the Emperor. So don't blame me, this is not my fault!'
The Grand Prince could no longer control himself at Liu Tián Qǔ obvious and blatantly false flattery and bootlicking. The Grand Prince burst into laughter. Jūn Zhōng Xīn, Měng Tiān Cái, Wēi Yǒng Měng, and Jiang Tài Píng looked at the bold Young Lord in disbelief, shock, and deep amusement. They couldn't decide if they wanted to laugh or remain in deep shock. This was a big eye-opener to them. With just this much, they had learned much about this Young Lord.
Poor Wēi Wò Yàn, his eyes remained bulging out of his head for so long they were dry and started to hurt. Yet his shock wouldn't let them return to normal. He couldn't believe that the Young Lord, who he looked down on this morning, had the courage to talk to the Emperor like this.
Although Wang Fèn Yǒng face remained cold and unapproachable, his eyes shined in deep amusement. His mother, Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā, tried unsuccessfully to hide her laughter behind coughing. The various warriors watching the show dared not laugh. They hid their amusement and continue avidly watching the show between the Emperor and Young Master Liu.
When Liu Tián Qǔ rose from her kowtow and look at the grin on the Emperor's face, her poor heart almost faltered. The grin on the Emperor's face wasn't a good kind of grin. The only thing that popped into Liu Tián Qǔ's mind when she saw the grin on the Emperor's face as he looked down at her was 'Shit I'm going to get screwed! This smiling face tiger is about to screw me over!'
She didn't know what the Emperor was going to do, but she knew that 'I'm going to screw you' grin on his face quite well. She wore it quite often, right before she screwed an opponent over in her previous life.
Liu Tián Qǔ heart sank when the smiling Emperor underhandedly said, "Young Master Liu, I can see that you really do have the country in your heart. I hear you designed the carriage I rode in earlier and had it custom made. I can foresee where this newly designed carriage that you worked hard on will bring about a good change in the Tolling Lands."
'Look it here at this shameless petty Emperor! He's really going to try to commandeer my carriage?! I haven't even got a chance to test drive it yet!' Liu Tián Qǔ tried to act like she didn't understand what was going on.
Waving away the Emperor's false praise, Liu Tián Qǔ said, "Your Majesty, I dare not. Honestly, I selfishly designed it only to cater to my comfort. I am just glad that Your Majesty didn't scold me for being ostentatious."
The Emperor's smile only grew as he thought inwardly, 'Indeed this is Young Master Liu. However, this time, that cunning tongue of yours will not help you. Since you displeased me, the punishment will be your carriage. You dare to call me ostentatious, huh? Let's see who will drive away with this carriage.'
"Ostentatious? Young Master Liu, this carriage cannot be called that. Not even I have a carriage as good as the carriage that Young Master Liu has. Although you can't tell from the outside, many people can fit inside comfortably. The carriage is generously cushioned, yet the cushion doesn't feel like it's trying to swallow you whole." The Emperor ignored the snickering of his newly returned friends behind him.
Jūn Zhōng Xīn, Měng Tiān Cái, Wēi Wò Yàn, and Wēi Yǒng Měng couldn't help snickering as they watched the Emperor of the Tolling Lands bully the daring Young Lord out of his carriage.
The Emperor also ignored the deep belly laughter of his older brother, who couldn't seem to stop laughing.
"Aiya Imperial Brother, this will help even the score I think you won this round." The Grand Prince laughed. Although no one else understood this inside joke between the Emperor and his Older Brother. The Emperor understood. So did Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā and Wang Fèn Yǒng. This caused Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā to burst in laughter. Wang Fèn Yǒng threw a censuring look at his Imperial Uncle.
The Emperor ignored his Older Brother and continued speaking, "However, the most important part is that the carriage ride in the carriage you designed is probably 70% smoother than any carriage ride I ever had. How can this be called ostentatious? I think your design can further help advance the transportation technology of the Tolling Lands." Liu Tián Qǔ felt so wronged. She lost her carriage to a petty black-bellied Emperor. How could she argue to keep her carriage when the Emperor shamelessly said she has something, not even he owned? 'Aiya, my carriage!' Liu Tián Qǔ inwardly wailed.
Liu Tián Qǔ was so pissed. She didn't realize she was openly glaring at the Emperor. However, instead of getting mad, the more gloomy Liu Tián Qǔ got, the more happy and joyful the Emperor got. The Emperor was like a bucket of sunshine shining brighter than the sun. People no longer made a pretense of hiding their laughter. Deep laughter rang in the air from the people watching the show. The show was just too funny. Even Liu Tián Qǔ's butler and housekeeper could no longer hold back their mirth.
When Liu Tián Qǔ finally realized she was glaring at the Emperor. Immediate, her face and eyes became expressionless. All the peace that was in her heart had already flown away, and Liu Tián Qǔ was pissed off.
However, outwardly, she calmly said, "Since the Emperor has such high praise for the carriage and like it. Then Your Majesty, please accept this small little gift from me."