chapter 43

“Little Ze, I want to eat almond pastries, the fresh ones. Go to the kitchen and have them start baking.”

Fengguang seemed to have a sudden craving of wanting to eat almond cookies so Little Ze quickly replied, “Yes, miss.”

Once Little Ze left, Fengguang immediately called for Miss Ah Lu to come closer. Once she stopped a step before her, Fengguang was unsure as she called out another name. “Luo Mei?”

“It is me.” She smiled. “How did my lady recognize me?”

After confirming her identity, Fengguang smiled. “Even though your face, body stature, and voice has changed, I don’t know why but when you spoke to me, I felt that it has to be you. Luo Mei, maybe it’s because… the feeling you give me, can’t be replicated by others.”

“Qian Qianwan and I can easily change and become anyone. We have deceived countless people. I never once thought that the lady could recognize me with one look.” Even though Luo Mei had been recognized, she didn’t feel frustrated and instead magnanimously stood there.

Fengguang liked her elegance that was not condescending towards others. She continued to ask, “Luo Mei, why are you here in my home?”

“Master has ordered me to bring a message for you, milady. In three days, the emperor of Dawei will hold a national banquet and we ask that you will attend when that time comes.”

“National banquet? Why haven’t I heard about this from my father?”

“That is because Prime Minister Xia hasn’t received the notification yet.”

“Why must I go…” Even though national banquets would allow ministers of the court to attend and oftentimes, the sons of the ministers would also have a place at the banquet to gain experience, however the daughters usually would not attend. After all, the national banquet was for discussing national matters and was not for nobles and royals to matchmake.

Luo Mei replied, “Master didn’t specify but said that the miss must attend. Otherwise, I’ll need to tie you up and bring you there myself.”

Fengguang’s expression twitched and she wanted to say a few more words when she saw that Little Lv had come to find her.

“Miss…” Little Lv saw that there was a stranger in the vicinity so she wasn’t sure whether or not to continue speaking.

Fengguang smiled. “It’s alright, speak.”

“Yes, miss. I have given the medicine to the person named Seven. I’ve also bribed the guards and they said that the Ghost King has not done anything to him yet. Seven is only being monitored more severely in the prison.”

Fengguang let out a breath of relief. “You’ve worked hard, Little Lv. Did you only just get back? Go rest then.”

“Yes, this servant will now retreat.”

After Little Lv left, Luo Mei asked, “Will things be alright having her go see Seven?”

“Don’t worry, Little Lv is more careful and reliable than Little Ze. She’s never once asked me for a reason regarding the tasks I’ve given her. She also won’t tell others. I trust her like how I trust that you won’t betray Xuean. You should also trust that my subordinates won’t betray me either.”

Luo Mei laughed. “My lady is correct.”

This was similar to the reason which Fengguang had given as an explanation to how she could recognize Luo Mei despite her disguised appearance. Fengguang had reasoning which wasn’t very reasonable but would somehow make people believe in her.

When Xia Chao got home after court, he brought news about the national banquet. Guangliu was going to have a representative come to Dawei to negotiate peace between their two countries. The two countries had feuded for many years. Whether it was the country’s people or resources, both sides had severe losses. Many people within both countries wanted to stop the war but there was never a good opportunity for it to be brought up and neither side wanted to lose face by suggesting it first.

Xiao Fen had heard about Guangliu’s old emperor passing away and having a young man take up his position. Originally, he had thought that this might be a good chance but who could have known that the new emperor was also not kind and had tactics that were even more over the line than his father. But now, he was offering a request for peace which Xiao Fen could only regard with great importance.

The national banquet that would receive the representative from Guangliu would have to be the greatest in all of history.