Chapter 9 – I Will Not Kneel to Him!

Liu Shubo calmed down while also getting the vague feeling that something was fishy. He studied this youth once more; no panic when met with a problem, but instead, remained calm and indifferent. Not bad indeed.

"Then who do you think did it? How can I believe you if you haven't found the culprit?" Liu Shubo was curious, how will the boy deal with this situation next.

Out of everyone's expectations, Zi Moyan only said one sentence. "Go search for the one who has the pebble, that person is precisely the culprit that you wanted to find."

When all was said and done, Murong Xu was only a child so his mind couldn't stay calm.

As soon as he heard this one sentence, his heart became a mess. His hand involuntarily shook as a small pebble dropped, the sound wasn't loud but it still attracted everyone's attention.

Liu Shubo finally understood, so it was actually this little devil’s good deed. Following after, he angrily grabbed Murong Xu's small hand and as expected, there were not just a few pebbles in Murong's palm.

Liu Shubo raised the ruler and mercilessly struck Murong Xu's small palms. "Who told you to be still as unruly?! You don't even study properly!" It was just a few strikes though, Murong was a prince after all, so he can't be too harsh.

Murong Xu endured the pain, his small face pale, but he still glared defiantly at Zi Moyan with an expression of 'I'm not done with you yet'.

However, Zi Moyan completely didn't put him in her eyes. Murong Xu was just eleven or twelve years old after all.

He was just a little brat in Zi Moyan's eyes, there was no need for her to bother with him.

Everything that had occurred here had been seen by the eyes of a handsome black-robed man outside the door. The man observed Zi Moyan's small, delicate face as well as her calm and collected response despite her small age.

Enticing thin lips upturned slightly while a trace of curiosity and inquiry were caught inside of those icy cold eyes. "This little fellow is really interesting."

After cla.s.s, Zi Moyan returned home. However, she hadn’t even had a good enough rest before Zi Haotian dragged her soon afterwards to enter the Imperial Palace once more.

"Father," Zi Moyan's face carried weariness as she spoke. "Why are you taking me with you into the palace?"

In fact, she doesn't want to enter that Imperial Palace again one bit. After going through today's ordeal, she just wanted to take a nice long nap.

Zi Haotian was also somewhat nervous inside, but he answered with a serious expression, "Moyan, I have already heard about what happened in your cla.s.s. Only, I don't know how it happened, but the Emperor unexpectedly also knew about this matter. The Emperor had someone delivered over an Imperial Decree, wanting me to take you to meet His Majesty!"

Zi Moyan frowned slightly, the Emperor wants to meet her? Forget it, she certainly didn't want to see him. Meeting the Emperor meant that she needed to kneel down and do this and that.

She certainly doesn't have the patience for it and she also doesn't want to kneel to anyone.

Zi Moyan's expression slightly turned cold, standing up wanting to leave. "Father, I don't want to go. I'm already too tired today, I want to return early to rest."

Zi Haotian hurriedly dragged Zi Moyan back, his face showing helplessness. "Just go meet with the Emperor for your father's sake." He didn't know why but he completely couldn't put on airs in front of Zi Moyan when the latter was clearly his son. Therefore, he could only persuade verbally.

“……” Under Zi Haotian's coaxing and firm pull, Zi Moyan finally agreed with his request. He was, after all, her father – if only in name.

They arrived at the Imperial Palace and entered into the Diligent Hall [1], where the Emperor usually administer government affairs.

It was said that Emperor Murong Tianchen was Long Lin Empire's twenty fifth as well as Long Lin's wisest and most farsighted ruler. His martial arts were the highest among the emperors, yet his personality was cold and heartless with the aura around his body being able to freeze a group of people to death.

Murong Tianchen didn't wear the dragon robe but a set of ordinary black clothes. Extraordinary handsome, but his eyes were too cold. He sat upright in highest ground of the main hall, looking down loftily on Zi Moyan in silent contemplation. The ice hidden deep within his eyes dissolved a bit, carrying instead a trace of probing and curiosity.

Zi Haotian kneeled down towards the lofty man, respectfully greeted, "This humble official pays his respect to Your Majesty, long live Your Majesty!"

Zi Moyan, however, didn't kneel. Instead, she was not in the least bit apprehensive as she studied Murong Tianchen and no fear visible as well when she met with his cold eyes.

Upon seeing this, Zi Haotian hurriedly tugged on Zi Moyan's clothes and said anxiously, "Moyan, what are you still standing there for? Quickly greet the Emperor!"

Zi Moyan remained unconcerned as she said indifferently, "I will not kneel to him."

[1]勤政殿: Diligent Hall, but full name is Diligence in the State of Affairs Hall if directly translated (TL: and I ain’t gonna use the latter because it’s too long lol).