Chapter 379

Chapter 379: Is the Dragon Empress going to see me again?

Outside the Dragon Palace, in the courtyard, Zhu Cici sat blankly on a chair.

In Zhu Cici’s mind, all she could hear were Ming’s words from not long ago.

Every moment of Zhu Cici and Ming’s meeting replayed endlessly in her mind.

As she thought, Zhu Cici couldn’t help but sigh.

Zhu Cici instinctively stretched out her hand and placed it on her knee, softly muttering to herself, “Back then, he was only this tall…”

Ten years ago, Ming was only as tall as her knee; at that time, she was even half a head taller than him.

But now, he has grown so much. “Hmph, being tall is no big deal. He’s not as cute as he was when he was little. Back then, his chubby cheeks and sweet voice were adorable. Now, while he may look good, he’s nowhere near as cute as before, and his voice isn’t pleasant anymore.”

Zhu Cici pouted and rested her head on the table.

The more she scolded Ming in her heart, the more disappointed Zhu Cici felt.

“And that princess, is she really that great? Do you think so highly of her? You don’t even think half as highly of me. Though, it seems like you haven’t really evaluated me at all.”

Zhu Cici pulled her arms closer, burying her head in them, her muffled voice coming from within her arms.

“Cheater! The poem you gave me on my birthday, wasn’t that your way of proposing? But only I remember it, making me feel like such a fool.”

“Cheater! You were so kind to me when we were kids, but now you’re so cold.”

“Cheater! Even if you lied to me once, it would be better. Can’t you even tell a lie?”

The more she spoke, the more wronged Zhu Cici felt, her eyes glistening with tears.

“Cheater! I’ll never talk to you again! I never want to see you!”

When Ming returned to his residence, he passed by a place called “Qingxin Courtyard.”

After repeated reminders from Yu Wen Xi and Miao Feng, Ming unwillingly learned that this was where Zhu Cici, the head of the White Deer Academy delegation, stayed.

Ming thought for a moment, considering whether he should go find Zhu Cici and have a proper conversation.

Ming approached the gate of the young lady’s courtyard, raising his hand to knock.

But in the end, Ming withdrew his hand.

“Forget it, cutting ties won’t solve anything. If I go to her now, it will only confuse her thoughts further. It’s better to let her think things through on her own.”

Ming turned around and continued walking toward his own courtyard.

When Ming arrived at his courtyard, a maid dressed in palace attire was already waiting at the door.

“Miss Little Blue.” Ming bowed respectfully.

Little Blue, seeing Ming return, smiled and walked forward, bowing slightly, “I’ve been waiting for Master Ming for quite some time.”

“Sorry, sorry, I just had dinner with some friends,” Ming asked curiously, “I wonder what Miss Little Blue needs from me?”

Little Blue covered her face with her hand and giggled lightly, “What could I possibly need from Master Ming? Naturally, His Majesty wants to see you.”

“His Majesty?”

Ming was even more confused.

I’m already out of the picture, why does she still want to see me? Could there be something wrong with the previous test, requiring me to retake it? No, that’s unlikely.

“Do you have time, Master Ming?” Little Blue asked.

“Of course, I do.”

Can I say no? Even if I don’t have time, I must make time.

“In that case, please come with me to see His Majesty again,” Little Blue bowed.

Ming nodded, “Certainly, no problem. Please lead the way, Miss Little Blue.”

Little Blue nodded and headed towards the inner palace of the Dragon Palace, with Ming following behind her.

If the entire Dragon Palace were divided into three rings,

the first ring would be the private bedchamber of the Dragon Empress, accessible only to maidservants—no men allowed!

The second ring would be the garden Ming had visited earlier. Similarly, the Imperial Study was also located here, and regular court sessions took place in this area, making it primarily a place for political discussions.

The third ring was commonly known as the “outer perimeter” of the palace, generally used by the Dragon Palace guards and for hosting foreign envoys.

Ming thought he would meet the Dragon Empress either in the garden or the Imperial Study.

However, unexpectedly, Little Blue was leading him towards the “first ring” area! Ming began to feel truly perplexed.

What exactly is the Dragon Empress planning? Even if she thinks I failed the previous test and wants me to retake it, it should still be in the garden.

Or perhaps Little Blue made a mistake and went to the wrong place? Entering the inner chambers without permission is a capital offense! And as the main official of Wu Kingdom, it could easily cause diplomatic incidents.

Even stranger thoughts crossed Ming’s mind, like the Dragon Empress using “the Wu Kingdom official intruding into the inner chambers” as an excuse to provoke conflict due to some reason.

Or maybe I accidentally violated some taboo of the Dragon Palace? “None of these possibilities make sense!”

Ming truly felt bewildered inside.

I’m just an ordinary human, at most someone with some fame on the Azurecloud List.

And I’ve been here for so many days, always staying in the courtyard, rarely going out.

At most, I occasionally wander outside. How could I have violated any taboos?

During the first meeting with the Dragon Empress, Ming wasn’t nervous at all; instead, he felt leisurely, curious about how beautiful the legendary Dragon Empress looked.

But during this second meeting, Ming felt that nothing good would come from it. At this moment, Ming truly started to feel uneasy.

“Miss Little Blue, perhaps I shouldn’t proceed further?” Ming asked tactfully.

Little Blue smiled politely, clearly understanding Ming’s concerns, “Master Ming, please rest assured. We have no grudges with the Wu Kingdom and don’t want to create enemies unnecessarily. The emperor merely wishes to see you.”

“Just wants to see me?”

“What is there to see in me?”

Could it be that I fit the Dragon Empress’s aesthetic too well? Did she abandon her old lover to choose me? That’s ridiculous!