Chapter 403

Chapter 403: As Expected, You’re Still the Same as Before

Ming, the palace maids: “???”

They wondered if they had heard wrong.

What did His Majesty just say? Turn around? Is it enough for Minister Ming to just turn around? This doesn’t seem to be a matter of turning or not, does it?

“Your Majesty, perhaps I should just step out,” Ming said again. “You can call me back once you’ve changed.”

“There’s no need for such trouble. I said it’s fine if you just turn around,” the Dragon Empress tilted her head and looked at Ming. “What’s wrong? If even I don’t mind, why do you care so much? Could it be that Minister Ming looks down on me?”

“Your Majesty, what are you saying?” Ming quickly replied, his tone full of panic, though inside he was cursing like crazy.

“That’s settled then.” The Dragon Empress spread her arms and said to the palace maid, “Help me change clothes.”

The palace maids: “…”

Since the Empress has spoken, they had no choice but to step forward and help her change.

Ming immediately turned around.

Ming wanted to leave by opening the door, but the Dragon Empress was changing, and she hadn’t told him to go out.

If I leave now, it would be considered disobeying an imperial order.

But come to think of it, I am a subject of the Wu Kingdom, not the Dragon Palace.

My calling myself ‘subject’ is merely out of humility. By principle, you have no authority over me.

And if I stay here while the Dragon Empress changes in front of me, I’ll be in deep trouble! I thought about explaining later —— I’m not your old lover.

I wouldn’t even know how to explain it then.

Because the Dragon Empress thinks I’m her old lover, which is why I’ve been given this kind of privilege.

Here’s the problem:

If the Dragon Empress finds out I’m not the reincarnation of her old lover,

and realizes she has misunderstood all along,

what will my fate be?

As someone who has seen most of the Dragon Empress’s skin, and even stayed in the same room while she changed clothes behind me without any clothes on,

once I return to Wudu, I’ll probably be living on borrowed time.

Considering the Dragon Empress’ personality, she dared to kill her relative’s son. When she decides to take my life, Emperor Wu won’t protect me.

Even though Emperor Wu treats me well, in front of Wu Kingdom’s interests, he could sell me out anytime.

It might not even need the Dragon Empress to act directly; Emperor Wu himself might chain me up and send me to the North Sea.

“I can’t stay here!”

Ming made up his mind to leave! But just as Ming was about to defy the Dragon Empress’ command and leave the bedchamber, he found he couldn’t move his feet.

Ming looked down.

Pale blue fluorescence was sticking to his feet.

“Shit!”

Ming cursed inwardly.

She really insists on changing clothes behind me.

What kind of weird preference is this? Ming wanted to shout, “I’m not your old lover!” But hearing the sound of silk rubbing behind him, he knew the Dragon Empress had already taken off all her clothes and was putting on undergarments.

It was too late now.

To save my life, even if I’m not her old lover, I have to pretend to be one.

“Am I effectively stealing her old lover’s thunder?” With no other choice, Ming’s heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally gave up, and he started thinking about random things. He thought he probably was.

But I didn’t willingly become a bull-headed person; I was forced into it! All I can say is, sorry, old lover of the Dragon Empress.

“Minister Ming, you may turn around now,” the Dragon Empress said.

The pale blue fluorescence disappeared from Ming’s feet, and Ming no longer thought about leaving.

Ming turned around.

The undergarment the Dragon Empress wore was integrated with underwear design, so Ming couldn’t see the two critical areas.

“Minister Ming, please continue choosing,” the Dragon Empress waved her hand, and a few maidservants stepped forward.

This time, they were choosing the long skirt to wear outside, which was the most formal and important piece.

The attire for the Four Seas Ceremony looked very beautiful. The sea-blue long gown was both luxurious and elegant, with embedded pearls giving it a perfect touch, neither excessive nor lacking, adding a noble aura to the robe.

The golden-yellow long gown suited the identity of the emperor more, and when worn by the Dragon Empress, the empress-like aura would definitely skyrocket.

But Ming’s attention was drawn to a black-golden long gown.

This black-golden gown, whether in terms of stitching or patterns, gave Ming a sense of comfort.

Ming thought that if the Dragon Empress wore this black-golden gown, it would look amazing.

“Subject boldly suggests that this gown would suit Your Majesty better,” Ming said.

The Dragon Empress glanced at the black-golden gown, a flicker of surprise passing through her eyes: “If that’s the case, we’ll choose this gown. As for jewelry, Minister Ming can also help me select them.”

After the Dragon Empress spoke, the remaining palace maids split into groups and took turns walking to Ming.

Ming selected hairpins and various types of jewelry for the Dragon Empress.

Although Ming didn’t have expertise in jewelry, looking at these pieces of art, he was sure each was priceless.

When Ming finished selecting, several palace maids took the gown and jewelry to dress the Dragon Empress.

After a joss stick’s worth of time, when the maids scattered and the Dragon Empress dressed in the black-golden gown stood before Ming, his eyes lit up instantly.

This gown naturally exuded an aura of authority when worn by the Dragon Empress. The trailing gown was held by palace maids, with a black-golden sash tied around the Dragon Empress’ slender waist.

A black-golden step-shaking hairpin was pinned into the Dragon Empress’ hair, with no other jewelry.

This clean feeling formed a mysterious harmony with the black-golden gown.

Ming stared at the gorgeously dressed Dragon Empress, unable to tear his gaze away.

Beautiful.

Truly breathtakingly beautiful.

It seemed the word “beautiful” was created solely for the Dragon Empress.

Suddenly, a thought popped into Ming’s mind: the woman in front of him was truly the first on the Red Beauty List. Even the concept of Tiandao couldn’t compare.

The Dragon Empress noticed Ming’s gaze and felt quite satisfied: “I’ll wear this set for the Four Seas Ceremony. Thank you, Minister Ming, for taking the trouble to come today.”

“Your Majesty speaks too highly. It’s my honor to be able to assist Your Majesty,” Ming bowed. “If there’s nothing else, I shall take my leave.”

The Dragon Empress nodded and didn’t stop him this time.

When Ming completely disappeared from the Dragon Empress’ sight,

the Dragon Empress looked at her outfit and lowered her gaze:

“Indeed, you still like this set on me, just like before.”