NOVEL NEXT Chapter 89 – Outwardly Aloof but Inwardly Caring
"I accept!" Xiang Ning almost blurted out. She was breathing rapidly, her heartbeat speeding up. On her charming cheeks, there was an inexplicable feeling of heat.
"Ahhh...why am I so impatient? What if the gift Fan the treacherous official sent is meant to harm me? That's right! I don't want his gift, I just want to expose his sinister plot to see what new tricks he's trying to play on me again, humph!" Xiang Ning mumbled to herself, giving herself plenty of excuses.
This was Xiang Ning's third day after being kidnapped to the Brahma Sound Pure Land. She had felt angry, depressed, broken down, and agonized. During the sleepless nights, she didn't know how many times she had secretly shed tears. In short, Xiang Ning hadn't smiled once.
But at this moment, as Xiang Ning silently listed Fan Li the treacherous official's numerous crimes, the corners of her lips curled up into a sweet smile. A white box floated quietly in front of Xiang Ning.
This kind of gift box wrapping could only be found in Fan Li's old world before his transmigration. Xiang Ning knew this was a gift, but she pouted with an aloof attitude.
"The packaging is so simple. Doesn't the Fan household have thousand-year huanghuali wood boxes or top-grade zitan spiritual wood boxes? To send me a gift so carelessly, he's truly a treacherous official through and through."
Her mouth was harsh but her hands weren't slow either. She eagerly picked up the white gift box and opened it, immediately revealing the [Dust Destiny Necklace · Yin] inside!
"This is...!?"
Xiang Ning had never seen this kind of necklace before!
The [Dust Destiny Necklace · Yin]'s style simply didn't belong to this world.
Utmost simplicity was its beauty. The necklace's main component was like a droplet of immortal water an immortal had taken from the Milky Way.
The droplet's surface was as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the even more beautiful face of Xiang Ning.
She couldn't help but praise it in her heart: "This necklace really resembles the tears I've shed these past few days. Could it be he knows I'm suffering in the Pure Land so he specially sent over this gift like teardrops?"
Unconsciously, Xiang Ning held it in her hands, lightly pressing it against her heart. It felt as if doing this allowed their hearts to connect...
"Hello?"
"Hello, hello?"
"Can you hear me?"
"Your Majesty, can you hear me? This is Fan Li."
Suddenly, the familiar voice actually came from the necklace, giving Xiang Ning a huge fright.
"Treacherous minister!? Where are you? How can I speak to you?" Xiang Ning's voice contained joy. It was just difficult to change speech habits for a while.
"Uh..." Fan Li felt a bit awkward hearing that. He had given Xiang Ning half of such a valuable system reward. Could it have been the wrong decision?
"Your Majesty, your minister is still in Peng City. The necklace you received is a kind of... communication device that allows me to easily communicate with you anytime."
Fan Li briefly explained and was about to continue asking about Xiang Ning's situation. But Xiang Ning's slightly disappointed voice came from the necklace instead.
"Oh, it's just a communication device?"
Fan Li: "???"
What else could it be?
He also remembered the Dust Destiny Necklace's other function and supplemented, "Aside from communication, this artifact also has a protective function and can block a fatal strike for Your Majesty."
Damn, women were so hard to please. But she should be satisfied now right?
"Oh." Xiang Ning's still indifferent voice came from the Dust Destiny Necklace.
Fan Li was rendered speechless for a moment, not knowing what to say. After a brief silence, Xiang Ning suddenly spoke.
"Fan Li."
"Hm?"
Strange. She didn't use formal terms like Prime Minister, Duke Jin, Imperial Father. There also weren't insulting words like 'treacherous minister'.
A direct call of his name?
Fan Li was full of question marks.
"After you found out about my kidnapping, were you worried about me?"
"Of course! Although I cannot rescue Your Majesty immediately, I'm already preparing. Aside from using the Dust Destiny Necklace to maintain contact with Your Majesty, I've also persuaded Princess Chang Le to ask Qing Qiu Sage Ruler to look after Your Majesty..."
Fan Li chatted incessantly. Xiang Ning didn't interrupt him and seemed to be listening attentively. Only when Fan Li finally finished talking did Xiang Ning let out a light 'hmm' sound.
"Thank you, Fan Li."
"Uh...you're welcome."
Fan Li really wasn't used to Xiang Ning using this almost gentle tone to speak to him. Both of them also felt a hint of strangeness and fell silent again.
After a long time, Xiang Ning said, "Hasn't my Eldest Imperial Brother Xiang Chong almost ascended the throne by now?"
Fan Li coldly laughed. "According to reliable sources, Xiang Chong has already custom ordered ten brand new dragon robes. He's afraid of being assassinated so he's been hiding in the Inner Palace, demanding the palace servants call him 'Long Live Lord'."
"He's that anxious?" Xiang Ning's tone was very calm. She didn't seem angry at all. In one night, she had also grown a lot.
She now understood. Although Xiang Chong was her elder maternal half-brother and his cultivation was slightly higher than hers, in this entire matter he was just an insignificant character.
Xiang Chong was nothing more than a famous figurehead for the Brahma Sound Pure Land, an indirect puppet for Imperial Mother Li's grasp on power in Chu.
"How are the Empress and Imperial Noble Consort?" Xiang Ning asked again.
"Very well, please don't worry, Your Majesty. After the Empress Consort Liu Man returned to the palace, she immediately feigned illness and shut the doors of the Pepper Room Palace, refusing to see anyone. I heard that the Empress Dowager and Xiang Chong wanted to meet the Empress but were refused.
The Imperial Noble Consort, Lu Fubao, also followed the Empress's example and shut herself inside the Eternal Peace Palace where she lives, claiming illness and not seeing anyone."
Xiang Ning nodded as she listened. She felt somewhat guilty towards Princess Chang Le and Lu Fubao for disguising herself as a man.
"Will they run into any trouble?" Xiang Ning asked again.
Fan Li smiled. "The maternal families of both the Empress and Imperial Noble Consort aren't ordinary. Xiang Chong and the Empress Dowager still don't dare do anything to them yet."
Xiang Ning inquired about the court and folk situations. Fan Li answered everything one by one.
When she learned that Fan Li had relied on the Fan clan's influence to reduce the negative impact of the imperial succession to a minimum, Xiang Ning was very satisfied.
"So the Chu dynasty's stability truly lies with the Fan clan."
If it was the past, Xiang Ning might have felt jealous and vigilant towards Fan Li. But now she instead felt at ease. With herself unable to shelter the Chu dynasty's mountains and rivers and its common citizens, Fan Li could help bear the pressure on her behalf.
"Your Majesty, tomorrow is the new emperor's formal court session to listen to governance. Do you have any instructions for me?" Fan Li asked.
Xiang Ning was stunned hearing this. As long as she spoke up, no matter what request she made, Fan Li would agree?
What an odd feeling... A mischievous impulse suddenly arose in Xiang Ning!?
She pondered deeply for a long time before finally slowly opening her mouth, "Fan Li, what do you think your position is in the Chu dynasty?"
Fan Li was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected Xiang Ning to suddenly mature so much overnight that she could ask such a thought-provoking question.
He didn't hesitate at all or try to avoid the question. "I am Chu's powerful minister with power over the court and realm."
Fan Li admitted it frankly for the first time. His voice was overbearing and arrogant, yet it contained a matter-of-factness!
Listening to his voice, Xiang Ning actually felt this statement extremely pleasant to her ears!
"Then you must continue to maintain that status while I'm away!"
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