Sheng Jiu withdrew his hand from the water, stared at the little merman for a moment, then reached out and gently stroked the top of his head.
"Wait for me obediently."
The little merman quickly grabbed his sleeve. Sheng Jiu stiffened, then turned to look at him. The little merman bit his lower lip. Although he still seemed a bit afraid of Sheng Jiu, he mustered up the courage to speak.
"Come back quickly..."
Sheng Jiu raised his eyebrows and asked,
"What? Afraid someone will touch you?"
The little merman lowered his eyes and said nothing. Sheng Jiu smiled and walked out of the door. Standing at the door, he ordered,
"No one is allowed to approach the royal bedroom before I come back."
The guards outside responded in unison.
"The Queen Mother was found in a secret passage and has now been taken to the main hall."
Sheng Jiu frowned slightly, his tone filled with a hint of confusion.
"A secret passage?"
"Yes. There is a secret passage leading out of the palace in the rockery of the imperial garden."
Sheng Jiu's eyes darkened.
"Besides the Queen Mother?"
"There was also a waiting maid and a guard. They have all been detained in the main hall."
Sheng Jiu said calmly,
"Behead them. What's the use of keeping these two servants?"
The guard behind him was stunned for a moment, then nodded.
"Yes."
The guard's name was Ming Lang. He had been by Sheng Jiu's side for many years. In the past, he knew that his master was not as indifferent to worldly affairs as he seemed. But after the concubine was forced to death by the Queen Mother, his master gradually changed from being indifferent to being patient and ruthless.
Just from the palace coup, he could tell that his master was no longer the former Prince Chengxiang. Instead, he had become a ruthless ruler. But what was he trying to protect by being so cruel?
Even though she was dragged back from the secret passage by the servants, the Queen Mother still maintained her noble bearing. Her dignified appearance was exactly the same as when she forced his mother to death.
"Your Majesty the Queen Mother, why are you in such a mess today?"
When the Queen Mother saw him, her eyes were filled with hostility.
"I've always known that you mother and son were up to no good! The Emperor has been on the throne for many years, yet you still have such thoughts! When I die, I'd like to see how you'll face our ancestors in the underworld!"
Sheng Jiu looked at her lazily and sneered disdainfully.
"That's something that will happen after death. Now I'm going to be the Emperor. When I ascend the throne, I do hope that Your Majesty the Queen Mother will be present..."
Sheng Jiu pinched her cheek.
"Don't worry. I won't let you die so easily. I'll make you watch as I take everything from your son..."
The Queen Mother shook her head in horror.
"You're crazy! You're a madman!!"
Sheng Jiu smiled, but his eyes were filled with cruelty and malice.
"Come, take Her Majesty the Queen Mother to the cell next to the Emperor's. Take good care of her."
"Yes."
The Queen Mother was dragged away, and her shrill curses gradually faded away. Sheng Jiu's face was cold.
"My Lord, there seems to be some movement in the royal bedroom. Because of your order, your subordinates didn't dare to approach. They've just come to report to you."
Sheng Jiu's expression darkened. He pushed the guard aside and walked towards the royal bedroom. There was a hint of nervousness on his face.
When Sheng Jiu returned to the royal bedroom, the little merman was struggling to climb onto the shore, but then he slipped back into the water. Sheng Jiu walked over on the stone slabs. He grabbed the little merman and threw him back into the water.
The little merman dived into the water and then emerged, looking at Sheng Jiu in horror. Sheng Jiu grabbed the front of his clothes and gritted his teeth.
"You're really good at courting death!"
The little merman leaned back, looking at him aggrievedly. Sheng Jiu got closer to his face.
"You're so eager to see him?"
The little merman didn't say a word.
Sheng Jiu asked coldly,
"Can you grow legs?"
The little merman shook his head.
"I'm still young. I haven't..."
"Then crawl to the prison."
Sheng Jiu interrupted him.
The little merman bit his lower lip and looked up at him. It seemed that if Sheng Jiu got any angrier, he would cry. After looking at Sheng Jiu for a long time, he found that Sheng Jiu's expression showed no sign of relenting. So he grabbed the edge of the pool. It seemed that he really intended to crawl to the prison like this.
Sheng Jiu stared at his actions with a look of incomprehension in his eyes. He didn't quite understand the meaning of what the little merman was doing. Was it because he really liked Sheng Jue?
Sheng Jiu squatted down and looked at his clumsy posture. After a long silence, he asked,
"Is my brother really that good?"
The little merman nodded blankly.
"Yes. He's very kind to me."
Sheng Jiu pressed his lips together. The coldness in his eyes was so obvious that even the innocent little merman could feel it. He shivered. Sheng Jiu asked calmly,
"What's so good about him?"
The little merman lowered his head and really thought about it seriously. But after thinking for a long time, he couldn't come up with an answer. He could only repeat his previous answer.
"He's very kind to me."
Sheng Jiu frowned and grabbed his collar, looking impatient.
"Don't you have a brain? He's in prison now. He can't be kind to you anymore."
The little merman tilted his head, his eyes full of confusion.
"He's your brother. Why can't you release him?"
Sheng Jiu frowned slightly and stared deeply into the little merman's eyes.
Yes, Sheng Jue was his brother. But in the royal family, there was no such thing as deep brotherly affection.
Sheng Jiu stroked the little merman's smooth and delicate face and lowered his voice to tempt him,
"Yes, we're brothers. So in your heart, we should be the same, right?"
Actually, the meaning of his words was quite clear. But unfortunately, the little merman's comprehension ability was really poor. He tilted his head and looked at Sheng Jiu for a long time, but he still couldn't understand what Sheng Jiu meant.
Sheng Jiu forcefully inserted his finger into the little merman's mouth and said word by word,
"Do you think we look alike?"
Because there was a foreign object in his mouth, the little merman groaned and shook his head. Seeing him shake his head, Sheng Jiu pushed his finger deeper and glared at him coldly.
The little merman quickly nodded. Sheng Jiu suddenly smiled. He pulled out his finger, which was covered with the little merman's saliva, and laughed hoarsely.
"Be good. Don't go looking for him. Stay by my side obediently. I'm no worse than my brother."
The little merman refused with red eyes.
"No... I want to see him."
"What then after you see him?"
Sheng Jiu asked coldly.
What then after seeing him?
The little merman was stunned for a moment. He hadn't thought about what would happen after seeing Sheng Jue. So he buried his head deeply.
Sheng Jiu looked down at his wet front. The little merman's fair chest was faintly visible, with a hint of pink. He was like a precious jade that had not been discovered at the bottom of the water, clear, crystal - like, and charming.
Sheng Jiu said what the little merman didn't answer,
"After you see him, put away your feelings and stay by my side. As for Sheng Jue, don't even think about him."