Above the Galaxy
Chapter 162 - 121: The Emperor’s Thoughts!

Chapter 162: Chapter 121: The Emperor’s Thoughts!

The ball ended, and everyone returned home in high spirits.

Phoenix, holding on to Xin Huai, returned to the Phoenix Pavilion and said, "You’ve been drinking, so you can’t drive. Just spend the night here..."

"Just say you want to sleep with me, instead of using the excuse of having drunk too much. Can’t the vast Imperial Palace find someone who can drive me home?" Xin Huai gave Phoenix a white look, oozing charm.

"I just want to chat with you," Phoenix also drank quite a bit, her voice carrying a coquettish tone.

"Ow, it’s rare to hear our Little Princess being so coy. Weren’t you always the one to disdain those women who speak in that pinchy voice? When Bai Ruizhi came to visit you, she spoke just a bit more softly, and you complained to me about it for ages..."

"When did I complain? It was only after you found her way of speaking weird that I echoed a few words..."

"Right, I have a bad character, so I can speak ill of others behind their backs. You are a Princess, the epitome for the populace, how can you indulge in such ungracious acts?"

"..."

Phoenix pulled Xin Huai to sit down on the sofa, and immediately, a ball-like creature jubilantly bounded over.

Holding the ball-like creature in her arms, Phoenix gently stroked it and lay her scorching cheek against Xin Huai’s exposed shoulder, blurting out, "Sister Xin Huai, I’m so happy today."

"Is it because you’re of age that you’re happy, or because you danced with Tang Fei?"

"It’s both," Phoenix spoke up, "Anyway, I’m just really really happy, feeling like all good things are happening to me, as if all the good luck is rushing my way..."

Xin Huai reached out and touched Phoenix’s cheek, remarking, "You’re drunk, your face is so hot..."

"I’m not that drunk," Phoenix said, "We must keep drinking, not stopping until we’re entirely inebriated."

Having said that, she summoned a maid over, saying, "Bring me another bottle of champagne."

"Make it chilled," Xin Huai added.

"And to cool you down," saying this to Phoenix.

The maid quickly arrived with an ice bucket and champagne glasses. After pouring the champagne for the two of them, she tactfully withdrew.

They both knew that Xin Huai liked to discuss topics not suitable for children. Several times they had listened in until their cheeks were red and their ears were burning, wishing they could just vanish into thin air.

Strangely enough, after a few days, they would find themselves particularly eager to listen again...

Phoenix raised her champagne glass and toasted, "Sister Xin Huai, here’s to you."

Xin Huai raised her own glass, clinked it with Phoenix’s, downed her champagne in one gulp, and then snatched Phoenix’s glass and finished it off...

Phoenix complained, "Why are you so greedy? We haven’t run out of drinks. You can drink as much as you want tonight; there’s plenty of champagne."

"You shouldn’t drink anymore." Xin Huai dropped the empty glasses onto the table in front of them, grabbed the champagne bottle to pour herself another drink, and said, "If you keep drinking, you might pass out, and then wouldn’t I be able to do whatever I want to you?"

"I don’t care, I still want to drink." Phoenix snatched her champagne glass from Xin Huai’s hand and said, "I’m of age now, today is a very important day, a very meaningful day, so I want to get thoroughly drunk. Come on, let’s drink till we drop."

Seeing Phoenix truly wanted to drink, Xin Huai no longer stopped her. After clinking their glasses again, she said, "To passing out."

They both raised their glasses to drink up again.

With a gulp of the cold drink, Phoenix felt she was becoming somewhat more sober. Clinging to Xin Huai’s arm, she said, "Sister Xin Huai, you don’t know how grateful I am..."

"What is there to be grateful for? You’ve already treated me to drinks before, we’re even."

"We’re not even." Phoenix shook her head and said, "I know you have done so many things for me, I know you’re helping me wholeheartedly. I just wanted you to go and chat with them; I had no idea you would go to such lengths..."

"What, are you jealous? Blaming me for not being right to cozy up to him and go socialize and drink?"

"How could I blame you? I know why you did it, I know you wanted to take some heat off me..."

Phoenix looked up seriously at Xin Huai and said, "You were willing to sacrifice your own reputation to help me with this, and I really don’t know how to thank you enough..."

’Pu-chih!’

Xin Huai burst out laughing and said, "Are you trying to kill me with laughter? What kind of sacrifice is that, sacrificing my reputation... Do I even have such a thing as a reputation? If I don’t have it, how could I sacrifice it?"

"You, you always like to frolic in the mud... but in truth, you’re cleaner than anyone."

"Heh, have you seen ’The Two Little Pigs’?"

"..."

"When I learn from them, jumping around in the mud, going for a roll every now and then... suddenly I find, it’s actually quite comfortable. I splatter myself with mud first, so no one dares to mess with me... After all, they are afraid that the mud on me might splash onto them..."

"Men, they want both substance and appearance. They want a beautiful body as well as a reputation that commands respect in public... When they find a conflict between the two, they will cautiously make a choice..."

"So, you see, how carefree and confident I live now, no one dares to provoke me... including your playboy older brother... who knows what this madwoman will do?"

"So, taking Tang Fei out for a walk will at most make people suspect we have something going on, maybe we’ve slept together a few times... Of course, whether we’ve slept together, you’re very clear on..."

"They will think that since Tang Fei and I have such an intimate relationship, then the relationship between you and me may not be that close... at least, not the serious kind..."

"True and false, false and true—who can really see it clearly? It’s better than having everyone’s eyes on the two of you all the time, scrutinizing with a microscope. Even the most perfect person can be found flawed..."

"Do you think they will believe it?" Phoenix asked.

"Does it really matter if they believe it or not? In this world, you only need to care about whether one person believes..."

"My dad?"

Sheng Xinhua sipped champagne and said, "That old man is very cunning..."

"..."

"What’s with that expression? I’m praising him." Sheng Xinhua said grumpily, "Do you think it’s easy to be an Emperor? Without exceptional wisdom, profound thoughtfulness, and unique abilities to govern people, who knows how his subordinates would deceive him. The Emperor’s Mindset is the most treacherous and extraordinary cultivation technique in this world."

"I always feel like what you’re saying isn’t something good."

"Your Highness, that’s unjust. If your dad heard that, he’d surely chop off my head."

"That won’t happen. He would have to chop off my head first."

"Look at you, have you drunk too much? On the night of coming of age, why are we talking about life and death matters?" Sheng Xinhua pinched Phoenix’s cheek, annoyed.

"You’re blaming me again..." Phoenix swatted away her playful hand and said, "Wasn’t it you who brought it up first?"

"I just mentioned it casually. But you always agree with me, which makes it hard not to love you."

"I don’t need your love."

"That’s right, our Princess Xiu Xue already has someone she likes." Sheng Xinhua said with infinite emotion, "Is that truly so?"

Phoenix pondered for a moment, then spoke, "I won’t like someone just because they’re outstanding. It’s because I like them that I am willing to appreciate their excellence."

"Oh, you’re really talking in circles."

"You’ll understand later." Phoenix looked at Sheng Xinhua with conviction, her eyes sparkling, "You don’t know what love is until you meet him. But once you do, you’ll tell yourself with certainty, yes, this is love."

"I feel like I’ve been convinced by you."

"I thought you were going to say ’convinced to sleep’ again."

"That would be fine too."

"..."

-------

Zhong Daolong stopped his work and cocked his ear, asking, "Is it over there?"

"Yes, father," Eldest Prince Zhong Tianque, who stood by his side, responded.

"Why aren’t you dancing with them and instead standing here by my side doing nothing?"

"I’m afraid if I went they’d be uncomfortable, better to stay by father’s side, help with serving tea and water, learn something." Zhong Tianque spoke.

Zhong Daolong sighed and said, "You, you’re just too serious... when it’s time to be serious, be serious, when it’s time to relax, relax. Keeping a stern face all the time is exhausting. Look at Tian Yi, he’s living much more comfortably than you."

"Father doesn’t feel tired, so neither do I." Zhong Tianque refilled his father’s tea cup and said, "The second brother has his own pursuits; no need to force."

"What do you think?" Zhong Daolong put down the document in his hand and asked.

Zhong Tianque paused, asking, "Which matter?"

"Qin Jianyi challenging Tang Fei, but losing... isn’t that too disgraceful?"

"Father is worried that the Qin Family is faking their valor to boost someone else’s reputation?"

"That’s unlikely. The Qin Family has their own dignity. If they could have won, Qin Jianyi would not have had to concede defeat to a newcomer from the Old Land."

"What does father mean, then?"

"To wish to win but end up losing," Zhong Daolong said, "But, this young man is somewhat sinister... have Chen Fenglei investigate what cultivation technique he used."

"Yes, father."

"With this setback, Qin Jianyi will certainly be underestimated." Zhong Daolong said, "This is the time for us to give him a hand... how long has he been with the Flame-Bathed Legion?"

"Three years and five months," Zhong Tianque responded fluently, as if anticipating his father’s question.

Zhong Daolong looked at him with some surprise and said, "I’ve heard he’s done well in the Flame-Bathed Legion, established quite a few achievements, it’s also time to give people some incentive. Isn’t there a Mechanical Camp within the Flame-Bathed Legion?"

"Yes, father, that’s one of Flame-Bathed Legion’s main forces."

"Let’s put him in charge of leading it," Zhong Daolong said with a profound gaze.

"Yes, father, I shall handle it."