After a short chat with Ke Er, Shi Sheng was certain that he truly loved Mi Nai as his own child. Her attitude couldn’t help but turn more docile and polite.
“Someone’s impersonating you?!” Once he heard the reason why Shi Sheng had been blocked from entering, Ke Er’s expression turned unsightly. “Who was so bold as to dare impersonate you?! I’ll send someone to investigate right now!”
“Godfather, don’t worry. I can handle it on my own.”
“That won’t do!” Ke Er appeared a bit angry.
“Godfather, trust me.” Shi Sheng looked at him. “I’m all grown up now.”Ke Er blanked out for a moment before roaring with laughter. “Fine, fine, have it your way. Godfather will support you no matter what.”
Shi Sheng smiled in reply and spoke a few seconds later, “Godfather, please be more careful during this time.”
“Hm?”
“I’m not certain, but I’m worried there’ll be people looking to play some tricks. You can never be too careful.”
Ke Er nodded, his expression turning more serious. “Have you heard the news about the selection for a new King?”
When Shi Sheng nodded, he continued, “None of us old fellows will be participating, so the new King will be one of the younger generation. You’re a Pure Blood, and so your vote will be very important. If the others receive word that you’re back, they’ll be certain to pay you a visit. So for now, just stay in the castle. If you have anything you need, just ask Rui Yi.”
Ke Er’s gaze when he looked at Shi Sheng contained some pity. ‘Had her parents still been here, she would’ve had the chance to take part in the selection. But someone without blood family... even if they took the throne, they wouldn’t be able to accomplish much.’“Is Rui Yi going to participate?” Shi Sheng didn’t give him a direct reply and subtly redirected the topic.
“No.” Ke Er walked over to the other side of the desk and spoke, seeming to lament. “It’s not that easy to take the throne and hold it.”
‘Of course, it’s not that easy to be a ruler.’
Shi Sheng engaged in some more idle chitchat with Ke Er before leaving the study and heading back to her room.
However, the moment she entered, she received a fright from the room full of clothing that greeted her.
‘The hell is going on?’
“Milady, you’re back.” The servant who was currently arranging the clothes greeted her upon noticing her entry.
“These clothes...” Shi Sheng hesitated.
The servant replied with a smile, “Lord Rui Yi instructed us to bring them over. During each month of Your Ladyship’s absence, Lord Rui Yi would prepare clothes of all manner of fashions for you to wear.”
Shi Sheng, “...” ‘This dress-up maniac... There’s almost nowhere for me to walk in my own bloody room anymore!’
“No need to arrange them. Take them all away. Just give me several sets like the one I’m wearing.”
Shi Sheng had no intention to wear those types of pink, lacey and overblown princess dresses. They’d hinder her when she wanted to fight.
The servant didn’t ask any questions and got the others to move the clothes out. But they weren’t taken away. Instead, they were placed in a room beside Shi Sheng’s.
Shi Sheng had taken a peek and immediately felt like making an expression like this: ( ¬_¬)
Could you imagine seeing a room filled with clothes? If she started up an online store to sell them, there’d be enough to sell for several years.
......
The Vampiric Feast was to be held a month hence. These few days, vampire hunters and the vampires that had been living spread out amongst the human world flocked to the territories.
As the eldest son of a Prince, Rui Yi was in charge of the security details of the Vampiric Feast, so he spent little time at the castle.
This allowed Shi Sheng to heave a heavy sigh of relief. Had that fellow stayed in the castle, who knew to what ends she’d be tormented?
She remained in the castle for several days, not taking a single step outside. But this day, she discovered the servants were busying themselves.
“What are you guys up to?” Shi Sheng descended the stairs and asked idly.
“A guest will be arriving today, so His Grace has instructed us to prepare.”
“Guest? Who?”
The maid shook her head innocently. “Don’t know.”
Shi Sheng made to leave the castle and just so happened to bump into Ke Er.
“Godfather, you have guests.” Shi Sheng obediently addressed him.
Ke Er’s expression was a bit cold. One could tell how bad his mood was when it didn’t lighten up even upon seeing Shi Sheng. He harrumphed coldly, “Didn’t you say there was someone impersonating you? Well apparently, we’ll be having visitors today.”
Shi Sheng blinked and soon understood what he was trying to convey. The woman who was impersonating her was about to arrive.
But...
“Godfather, don’t be angry. Let’s see what she wants.”
Ke Er ruffled Shi Sheng’s hair. How could he be unable to tell whether or not the daughter he’d raised for so long was a fake?
Around noon, a car arrived from the outside as expected. Ke Er had ordered for only the calm and composed servants to show themselves and for the rest to hide themselves.
As a result, the cute and livelier maids ended up jostling together in Shi Sheng’s room.
“Yah, does she really resemble Her Ladyship?”
“Milady, what do you think she’s up to?”
“Her Ladyship is a Pure Blood—she has a signet ring that represents her status and it can’t be duplicated. Let’s see what the impostor has to say about that!”
The maids went into an avid discussion.
Shi Sheng leaned against the window. From her vantage point, she could see the person below had already entered the castle. Even the woman’s clothing was similar to hers—a regular person wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between the two of them.
“Milady, milady, hurry up! We wanna go take a look!” The maids opened the door and beckoned Shi Sheng over.
“What’s so nice to look at? I’m standing right here for you to admire, isn’t that enough?” Shi Sheng raised a brow, a hint of wickedness appearing on her face.
The maids covered their mouths with their hands and laughed. “Your Ladyship, you’re about to catch up to Lord Rui Yi in narcissism.”
“Are you saying I don’t look good?”
“No, no, of course not! Milady looks are the best!” The maids all reached an accord on this. ‘Our Ladyship is really beautiful!’
In the end, Shi Sheng conceded to this group of maids who had lived several centuries—yet had curiosity rivalling that of newborns—they went to go observe the imposter together.
Ke Er was waiting in the guest hall of the castle. Shi Sheng and the girls were located on the corner of the second floor, where they could see what was happening downstairs, but the people downstairs couldn’t see them.
Ke Er sat on the lord’s seat as he gazed expressionlessly at the woman in front of him.
Ling Xiang’s hand, that was resting on her thigh, clenched slightly. She tentatively called out, “Godfather...”
Bang! Ke Er angrily slammed his hand down on the table, “So you know how to come back.”
Ling Xiang’s body shook. ‘Wasn’t it said Prince Ke Er doted on Mi Nai a lot? What’s going on now??? Could it be he’s upset because Mi Nai left the territories?’
Ling Xiang calmed down. Lowering her head, she expressed remorsefully, “Godfather, this child was unfilial. Don’t be angry.”
Ke Er harrumphed coldly with a stern expression, “Do you know how much damage you caused when you fled the marriage?”
‘Fleeing from a marriage? What? Can’t understand... Master never told me about this!
But... Ke Er wouldn’t randomly say things, right? Could it be that this was a private arrangement, so outsiders wouldn’t be aware? I suppose it’s rather possible. After all, Mi Nai was his adopted daughter not his blood daughter.’
Ling Xiang’s imagination filled in the gaps, making her think she’d stumbled upon the truth.
Her reason for coming here was to obtain Ke Er’s trust. If she didn’t respond, she’d raise suspicion, so Ling Xiang could only grit her teeth and reply, “Godfather, I know I let you down. But this concerns my lifetime’s happiness. I had to fight for it...”
Ke Er’s expression turned even colder.
Meanwhile, the group of eavesdroppers upstairs were fighting to hold back their laughter. ‘His Grace sure knows how to dupe people! What kind of engagement could Her Ladyship have? If Lord Rui Yi and His Grace had anything to say about it, they’d want to keep her in this castle forever!’
