The emperor haughtily said, “You ought to say, Your Majesty,please dine”
Zhao Jin Yu, “…”
The emperor had thought of teaching the girl in front of himmore on what was seniority, but it was now stuck in the dish of fragrant fooda.s.sailing his nose, directly in front of him was a thoroughly cooked spare rib,the flaky and well-cooked meat already peeling off from its bone, languidlyleaning against the bottom of the bowl, like it was waiting for him to take abite, behind him was a soft potato, its warm heat pressed against his back,this moment was absolutely wonderful, the smell of the food was like a handtugging at his stomach, seducing his taste buds.
Not concerned now, first eat then talk later.
Zhao Jin Yu attentively looked at the stone, the more shelooked the more amazed she was, only seeing the little spotless white stonenesting in the bowl motionless, yet the food all around it however at a slowspeed under her naked eyes become less, she even moved her head closer to theedge of the bowl to look carefully, yet she couldn’t see anything, only faintlydetecting that the food seemed to only come near the stone and automaticallyvanish…, could it be every surface of the stone can act as a mouth to eat?
The emperor ate until he was full, his brows smoothed out,his mind however was thinking how he should coax the girl in front of him totell him her name and address in a while, who would have imagined he would seeZhao Jin Yu’s enlarged face when he lifted his head, that pair of clear eyeswas tainted with a misty fog because she was puzzled, under the dim light ofnight they were especially bright, beautiful like an obsidian soaked by water,his heart lurched, bellowing, “Do you have any sense of honour? Staring as uslike that…, we are indeed a man!”
Zhao Jin Yu was also scared she jumped, pulling her neckback, but very soon she returned to her senses, she couldn’t help smile,saying, “So you’re actually a man.” Rubbing the top of the stone’s head with afair and delicate fingertip, with a very tender expression.
The emperor frowned slightly, saying, “Don’t disregard ourwords, you ought to know, in accordance to your status, you’re not evensuitable to carry our shoes, you shouldn’t even absurdly think of peering atour imperial face.”
Zhao Jin Yu, “…”
“You’re merely someone below the level of an ordinaryperson.” The emperor said more and more arrogantly, “I hope you always rememberthis.”
A very uncomfortable feeling flashed through Zhao Jin Yu’sheart, saying, “Why must people be separated by cla.s.s? When we’re born we’reall naked coming into this world…, and we have two
eyes, one nose?”
“If you have the ability then use your own strength tochange the current situation, if you don’t then don’t speak this sort of falsestatement and consoling words to yourself…, these words of yours seemsreasonable, but in fact it’s an excuse of a weak person!”
Zhao Jin Yu, “…” She was so choked up she unexpectedly couldnot say a word of retort.
Since the afternoon it had begun to snow, it had stopped atall to the evening, Zhao Jin Yu finished eating and prepared to wash up, in theend the water in the water jar had already frozen and unable to use, lackinganother option she placed the bowls and chopsticks in the wooden basin andreturned to the inner room, fortunately she had prepared a pot of hot waterearlier, she could use it to brush her teeth and wash her face, soak her feet,as for the bowls and chopsticks she just had to wait until early tomorrowmorning to once again heat up the water to wash.
Waiting to go into her kang,Zhao Jin Yu stuck her face on the cotton-padded mattress nice and warm as itwas close to the kang, looking at thescene of silver white snow outside her window and thinking of worries, tomorrowwas the first day of the month, she can go to the prison cell to visit heradoptive father Zhao Chang Chun, time pa.s.sed very quickly, it was soon twomonths since the incident occurred with her adoptive father, and adoptivemother with older brother had returned to her native home almost half a monthago…, could it be she will always stay here? Not talking about that, her foodwas almost finished, this was the most realistic problem.
In fact she ought to have left long ago, forget about thehouse being shabby, staying in an absolutely empty place all the time, made herfeel even more lonely, just like a child having been abandoned, without help,bewildered as a baby.
Zhao Jin Yu thought of that heartless gaze of her adoptivemother before she left, “Now our Zhao family has encountered a greatcatastrophe, we honestly do not have the resources to look after you, let aloneyou’re not a part of the Zhao family, from now on take care of yourself.”
At that time she was both shocked and bewildered, her eyessearching for her older brother who had always loved her dearly, but seeing herolder brother avoid her gaze not daring to face her, Zhao Jin Yu could not saywhat the feeling was, it was like having everything, then suddenly havingnothing at all…
Full, and influenced by the warmth, Zhao Jin Yu hazily fellasleep, in her sleep she returned to the year when she was six, she had justopened her eyes to find she had travelled in time to this dynasty not evenhaving been recorded in history books.
She did not know her name, where her home was, her body didnot have any memories at all, so several days pa.s.sed muddleheadedly, so hungry,copying the few children besides her she took a rice straw sticking it in hermessy hair prepared to sell herself, shrinking down into a crouch she sat inthe corner, bursts of food smell came from the distant steamed bun store, makingher stomach cry out.
People came and went on the street, the sound of peddling,the sound of haggling prices never stopped, even more were n.o.bles with retinuesin front and behind them escorting them as they majestically strolled down thestreet, next to her was a child all skin and bone who she reckoned truly couldnot bear it anymore, with a somewhat determined look the child advanced towardsthe steamed stuffed bun store, very soon the painful sound of a child’spleading could be heard, “Don’t hit me, I just want to eat a bun.”
“A young beggar raised by a wh.o.r.e still wants to eat a bun?”The waiter scolded extremely vulgarly,
“Pei, ignoring you came to steal, evenif you came to buy it with money, I wouldn’t even sell it to you lowly being!”
Zhao Jin Yu blankly looked, that child was being kicked onthe ground by the waiter, beating so that
blood seeped from the corner of thechild’s mouth, choking with sobs, “My mother is not a wh.o.r.e, your mum is thewh.o.r.e!”
A child sitting beside Zhao Jin Yu, lowered their heads, asif they couldn’t bear to watch, saying to Zhao Jin Yu, “His family used to bevery good, his father was a bailiff responsible for catching criminals, thenhis father offended the head housekeeper of the princess’s residence, thathousekeeper found an excuse to beat him to death while still alive, his motherhad no choice but to sell her body to the brothels, every month she’ll sendmoney to him, he however didn’t want it, always begging for food here.”
All living things are equal?
Zhao Jin Yu suddenly felt she was somewhat ridiculous sayingsuch words.
Such a good person like adoptive father…
This was an era where the emperor was greater than the heaven.
“Hey, wake up!” Zhao Jin Yu became aware someone wasincessantly disturbing her sleep, she frowned, unwillingly opened her eyes, waitinguntil her eyes focused she saw the stone not too far away bouncing in anger,producing a disturbing banging noise, extremely ear-piercing, no wonder shewould be woken up by the noise, she helplessly held her forehead, saying,“Little thing, don’t be noisy, I’m very tired.” Then again she buried her headsunder the bedding, covering her head prepared to continue sleeping, thinkingabout it she had already not had this dream for a very long time, but she stillhadn’t gotten to the part where she met her adoptive parents, that was herfondest memory.
“Wake up for us!”
Zhao Jin Yu, “…”
“Humph, then don’t blame us for being rude!”
Zhao Jin Yu thought the emperor’s voice was just too cute,even though he was angry like this he still appeared like a soft and sweetchild, extremely provoking people to pamper him, thinking up to here, shecouldn’t help cover her face, groaning as she thought, she feared she hadbecome foolish from being alone, to other people they would perhaps see it as aterrifying freak, or an existence which made people afraid, how could shecompletely lack ill-feelings and think it’s adorable?
Thudding, a bang, Zhao Jin Yu felt pain on the back of herhand, she opened her eyes to look, the stone had used all its strength to jumpover from the table, not only the hand which got hit in pain but it was lookedvery greasy, “Little thing, what are you doing?”
The emperor seemed furious, criticising her, “You didn’tgive me a bath just now!” Then showing a somewhat malicious expression, “Sinceyou won’t give us a bath, then we will rub ourselves against your quilt, thisperhaps is your only quilt right?” The emperor simply did not know his currentactions were no different from a rascal, not at all conforming to his ident.i.tyas an emperor, = =.
“Don’t!” Zhao Jin Yu hurriedly grabbed hold of the restlessstone, somewhat helplessly said, “I’ll give you a bath.”
Before because she was sulking at the stone, franklyspeaking she felt the stone’s words were too offensive, obviously she knew itwas wrong, but again she had no means to retort, therefore she gave it acold-shoulder, in fact it was nothing more than punishing it, let it stay inthe greasy bowl after eating.
The stone had a lot of demands, such as the bowl for him towash in must be cleaned a few times over everywhere, and cannot use chopsticks,he was the most revered person so must use her hands to gently wash him.
“Why do you not even have soap?”
“Your hands are so rough!”
“Can’t you be more gentle?”
“The water is cold, add some hot water.”
“Fine Your Majesty!” Zhao Jin Yu gnashed her teeth, shewatched the stone appearing to immerse itself in a warm bath, and ordering herabout like a maid, she really wanted to toss it out, = =.
After washing it clean it comfortably laid on the pillow,actually it was the stone’s violent request, it felt its status was venerated,even sleeping it needed to maintain its most honourable position, this positionwas on the pillow.
The night was quiet, the sound of snow rustling outsidecould be heard, it seemed more and more quiet, the emperor was covered withZhao Jin Yu’s silk handkerchief as a quilt, adorably looking like a quail eggcovered with a quilt, he hesitated and asked, “Why were you angry just now?”
“Is it because of what I said?” The emperor thought about itthen continued, “This is simply a world where the weak are prey to the strong,a lot of the times if he doesn’t die then you will…, there simply will be nochance for you to take a breather, that’s why all living things have never beenequal? If you want other people to look up at you, you have to go work for itand not stay here uttering sentimental nonsense, say some pretty words tocomfort yourself.”
Zhao Jin Yu softly closed her eyes, some loneliness showedon her face.
The stifling darkness flowed all around, after quite awhile, the stone possibly felt uncomfortable, with a softened tone he asked,“There’s only you in this house, did something happen?” His soft and sweetvoice held a sense of concern, on this extremely lonely snowy night itpenetrated people’s hearts even more.
“En.” Zhao Jin Yu silently answered.
“So silly, just say out loud any worries, maybe we arewilling to help you.”
“You’re the silly one! Even if I say it what can happen…, alittle stone spirit, and can only be alive at night, simply cannot doanything.” Zhao Jin Yu finished speaking and again felt her manner was a littletoo cold and detached, earnestly expressing her thanks, “but nevertheless thankyou for your kind intentions.”
“Uh-huh.” The stone haughtily snorted.
The stone and the person became silent, as if immersed intheir own thoughts, after a long while the stone suddenly asked, “Thinkingabout it we still don’t know what your surname and name is? Where is this aswell? Is this the capital?” The stone appeared to carelessly ask, only aprofound secretiveness was hidden in his eyes.