Chapter 586
Chapter 586
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 586
>Chapter Title: Imperial Palace
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Entering the imperial palace, the two's argument gradually faded. They cautiously poked their heads out from both sides of the sedan, reverently gazing at the vermilion palace walls around them.
Such a solemn place seemed to carry an innate majesty that made them afraid to speak loudly. Especially when a towering three-story palace appeared before them, they felt an urge to kneel.
"Truly no mistake? Does Senior Brother Gao really live here?" Yang Kid asked Chun Xiaoman, who was stepping down from the sedan beside him, in a somewhat fearful whisper.
Chun Xiaoman silently shook her head and took the lead toward the palace interior. The others snapped out of their shock and hurriedly followed.
The unfamiliar surroundings made everyone feel extremely restrained. But when they saw the familiar Gao Zhijian seated on the dragon throne, their unease vanished in an instant. Even though Gao Zhijian was now clad in dragon robes and sitting on a throne forged from pure gold, he was still the same Gao Zhijian they had once lived and died alongside.
Seeing his fellow disciples, Gao Zhijian broke into his old honest smile. He rose from the dragon throne and walked toward them.
"Heh heh! Zhijian! What's going on with you? How'd you end up as emperor just from one trip to the capital?"
As soon as Gouwa said this, the expressions of all the eunuchs in the palace changed. They shot hostile glares at him.
Chun Xiaoman directly shoved Gouwa aside with the scabbard of her sword. Tilting her head up, she addressed the emperor of Great Liang before her. "Zhijian, is Senior Brother Li here? And Miaomiao too? Weren't your people saying they're both here?"
Gao Zhijian nodded and said slowly, word by word, "They're here."
"Hey! Your stutter's gone? Nice! Becoming emperor even cured your illness?"
"The palace physicians had medicine. It cured it, somewhat."
Hearing this, Gouwa perked up. "That's impressive! Lend me one of those physicians to treat me. Maybe they can fix these white spots on my body!"
"Gouwa!! Are you done?! We came all this way just to chat?!"
Seeing Chun Xiaoman's furious face as she drew her sword an inch, Gouwa hurriedly retreated a few steps and obediently shut his mouth, no longer babbling.
Chun Xiaoman took a deep breath and turned back to Gao Zhijian about the main matter. "Since Senior Brother Li and Miaomiao are here, can you take us to see them?"
"Junior Sister Bai, yes. Senior Brother Li, no. His current state isn't convenient for meeting people."
"What's inconvenient about it? Did he peel off his own skin again? What's really going on?"
Gao Zhijian hesitated. "I don't know how to explain it to you. Things are too complicated to describe clearly. Wait until Senior Brother Li recovers, then ask him yourself."
"Forget it. Take me to see Miaomiao first." A trace of anxiety appeared on Chun Xiaoman's face. Until she saw the living person with her own eyes, she couldn't feel at ease.
Gao Zhijian nodded and led the others toward the imperial kitchen.
"Your Majesty." Four eunuchs knelt directly before them. "Your Majesty, you are the true dragon emperor, a body worth ten thousand taels of gold. For such lowly tasks, this servant can handle it in your stead."
Gao Zhijian scratched the back of his head, knocking his golden pearl crown askew. "Alright then. You take Xiaoman to find Junior Sister Bai."
The others were just about to follow Chun Xiaoman when Gao Zhijian stopped them. "Do you have anything you want? I'm the emperor now. I can give you whatever it is."
"There's such a good deal? Truly anything?" Gouwa's eyes lit up.
"Anything."
"You said it yourself. Then let me sit on the throne as emperor."
"How audacious!" The old eunuchs let out a intimidating low shout, scaring Gouwa so much he nearly wet himself. "I-I was just joking around. We used to mess with him like this all the time before."
Gao Zhijian waved a hand toward the back, looking at Gouwa with a complicated expression. "That won't do. Being emperor isn't a good thing. Pick something else."
Gouwa cautiously glanced at the old eunuchs, then tiptoed up to Gao Zhijian's ear and whispered furtively.
After hearing it, Gao Zhijian nodded and said "Good," before turning to Zhao Wu. "And you?"
Zhao Wu, leaning on his crutch, glanced in the direction Chun Xiaoman had left, then looked at Gao Zhijian with some complexity. He shook his head. "I don't want anything."
Gao Zhijian didn't press and turned to Yang Kid next. "What about you?"
Yang Kid was a bit nervous. "Senior Brother Gao, truly anything?"
"Mm, anything."
"Then can you help me find my parents? Can you find them for me?" Yang Kid's expression grew agitated.
A hint of hesitation crossed Gao Zhijian's face. He summoned an old eunuch and asked him. The old eunuch approached Yang Kid, sized him up and down, and asked in his shrill voice, "Do you have your birth details?"
"What's birth details?"
"Birth details are when you were born."
"Oh, like that." Realization dawned on Yang Kid's face, but then he shook his head. "I don't know."
The old eunuch's sagging face twitched slightly. He extended his talon-like hand and felt Yang Kid's bones. "Come with this one."
Gao Zhijian gave him a reassuring look. Yang Kid followed the old eunuch away somewhat uneasily.
And just as Yang Kid left the hall, Chun Xiaoman found Bai Lingmiao in the imperial kitchen, where she was simmering porridge.
"Miaomiao!" Chun Xiaoman, unable to hold back her tears, rushed up from behind and hugged her slender waist tightly.
"Careful, don't spill the porridge!"
Bai Lingmiao carefully set the full bowl of porridge on the stove edge before opening her arms to gently hug Chun Xiaoman. "Sister Xiaoman, why are you here? Don't cry. I really had something urgent come up, that's why I couldn't return."
"I left a letter for Senior Brother Li. I thought he'd tell you all."
Bai Lingmiao comforted her some more, and the emotional Chun Xiaoman finally stopped crying. "Next time, no matter where you go, take me with you, alright? It's too unsafe following Senior Brother Li."
"Sister Xiaoman, don't say that about Senior Brother Li. His illness seems to have improved."
Chun Xiaoman shook her head vigorously. "No way. You're so beautiful. What if something happens? It's settled."
"And now I've mastered all the White Lotus Cult's spirit possession techniques—not just that, but they're even stronger than before. I can definitely protect you!"
Bai Lingmiao smiled faintly. "I know."
"You know? How do you know?"
"Wait a bit. I'll explain everything slowly when I get back. First, I need to feed Senior Brother Li this bird's nest porridge, or it'll cool and lose its nourishing effect."
Bai Lingmiao released Chun Xiaoman, put the porridge into a food box, and headed out of the imperial kitchen.
"Then I'll go with you. I can check on Senior Brother Li too."
"No, really not. Senior Brother Li right now... isn't convenient to see. I'll be quick, out in a moment. Wait here for me, Sister Xiaoman."