Sheng Jiu pinched his slender neck. "Let you go? Where would you go? You don't even have legs."
After saying that, he fell silent. He loosened his hand and sized the other up from head to toe. After a moment's thought, he said, "Little mermaid, I can give you a pair of legs. What do you think? Do you want them?"
Wanwan stared at him with a dazed look in his eyes and murmured the words after him, "Give me a pair of legs..."
If he really had legs, it would be much more convenient for him to do things. Maybe one day he could go home on those legs.
The image of the deep blue waters flashed through Wanwan's mind. He felt a pang in his heart.
"Really?" he asked in a timid voice.
Seeing that he had taken the bait, Sheng Jiu's expression softened a bit. His voice took on a coaxing tone. "Of course..."
Wanwan hesitated for a moment. He scrutinized Sheng Jiu's expression carefully and asked in a hushed voice, "Then... can I come and go as I please?"
A shadow gradually fell over Sheng Jiu's face. His face darkened. "What? Do you want to go to the prison to see Sheng Jue?"
Wanwan moved his lips but said nothing.
Sheng Jiu gritted his teeth, picked him up and threw him into the water. Then he got up coldly. "Just stay in the water!"
Wanwan stared at him blankly. Maybe the slow-witted little mermaid had sensed that "Sheng Jue" was Sheng Jiu's sore spot.
He remembered the person who used to stand outside the window. Although he had been wrapped up tightly at that time, the pair of eyes that were exposed were extremely beautiful.
Wanwan didn't have a bad impression of him, but now it seemed that this young man really had a bad temper.
Wanwan lay on the stone wall aggrievedly and watched his angry back. He wanted to say something nice to please him, but he was really bad at speaking. He was also afraid of saying something wrong and touching his sore spot.
Sheng Jiu stood on the shore, looking at the silent mermaid. His expression didn't improve. Maybe he realized that the mermaid didn't intend to say anything. Sheng Jiu flicked his sleeve at him and strode out of the palace.
Wanwan let out a long breath. It was hard to tell whether the expression on his face was sad or relieved.
After Sheng Jiu left, his eyes fell on the place under the pillow that Sheng Jue had mentioned. He had said that there was a dagger there, which could be used to kill Sheng Jiu. Once Sheng Jiu was dead, he would come back.
Wanwan looked hesitant. His beautiful face was full of hesitation.
After leaving the palace, Sheng Jiu realized that he had nowhere to go. His usurpation of the throne had been going very smoothly. Everything was settled. The only thorny problem should be the aggressive attitude of those veteran officials at the morning court tomorrow.
Sheng Jiu turned to Ming Lang. His tone was a bit hesitant. "How about... holding a palace banquet?"
Ming Lang frowned slightly. It was a problem who to invite to the palace banquet at this time. When the former emperor held a palace banquet, he would usually invite him. Now the emperor didn't even have a family member.
Those ministers hadn't shown their stances yet. It would be inappropriate to hold a palace banquet rashly and invite them all.
"My lord, who do you want to invite?"
Sheng Jiu blinked his eyes and thought for a long time but couldn't think of a specific person. He couldn't help feeling a headache. He waved his hand and compromised. "Forget it. I'll drink by myself."
Ming Lang lowered his head. "Then I'll go and make preparations."
Sheng Jiu didn't say anything. Ming Lang quietly withdrew.
Ming Lang was very efficient. In less than the time it took to burn an incense stick, there were jade goblets of fine wine, crystal-clear grapes, and even... beautiful women with their shoulders and waists exposed.
Sheng Jiu reclined on the dragon throne. The sound of music slowly sounded. He squinted his eyes and sized up the waists of those beautiful women.
They were nice... but he always felt that something was missing. Sheng Jiu twirled his fingers and remembered the slender waist he had held in the water. His heart skipped a beat. It was just a pity that he couldn't take off that annoying white robe on him and take a good look.
While Sheng Jiu was lost in thought, a delicate fragrance of rouge suddenly rushed into his nose. He blinked his eyes and came back to his senses. He saw that the dancing beauty was throwing the gauze on her wrist at his face.
Sheng Jiu closed his eyes slightly. Maybe the fragrance had made him a little absent-minded. He propped his head up and looked at the beauty. He involuntarily raised his hand and caught the thin gauze.
She seemed to blush. She cast a shy look at him. Sheng Jiu took a closer look and found that it was just the rouge.
This woman was both smart and bold. Sheng Jiu pulled on her gauze and said indifferently, "Come here."
The woman swayed her soft waist and walked over. She knelt down at his feet. Sheng Jiu lifted her chin with one hand and said, "Let me see what you look like... Your dancing is not so good, but you're quite good at seducing people."
The woman looked up at him fearfully. She met a pair of smiling eyes. She bit her lower lip and coquettishly said, "Your Majesty~"
This "Your Majesty" seemed to have a hook. It made Sheng Jiu feel a little flustered.
The image of the little mermaid missing Sheng Jue flashed through his mind. His face darkened involuntarily. He pressed on the woman's red lips and lazily asked, "I haven't taken a concubine yet. It'll be you. Do you want to be my concubine?"
This honor came so suddenly that the woman was immediately stunned. She couldn't come back to her senses for a long time. Sheng Jiu blew a breath at her and slowly said, "Express your gratitude."
Only then did the woman come to her senses. She prostrated herself on the ground. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your great kindness."
Ming Lang opened his mouth but didn't say anything. He looked at Sheng Jiu with a very complicated expression.
No emperor in previous dynasties had ever made a dancing girl his concubine on the first day of his accession to the throne. It was obvious that Sheng Jiu didn't take this throne seriously, nor did he care about his reputation.
Ming Lang watched the woman snuggle up to him and the two of them drink together. He suddenly realized... Maybe Sheng Jiu wasn't a good emperor. No, it was that he didn't want to be a good emperor.
He had usurped the throne not for the sake of the common people. How could he have the common people in his heart?
The bright moon hung high in the sky. It was already midnight.
Sheng Jiu pinched the woman's waist and said ambiguously, "Come back to my palace with me tonight. We'll hold the conferment ceremony tomorrow. Do you have any objections?"
The woman blushed. Her soft chest pressed against his. She shook her head. "No."
Sheng Jiu smiled. He put his big hand around her waist and carried the woman on his shoulder. The woman let out a soft cry and then giggled.
Although Sheng Jiu was a little dazed, his steps were steady. He didn't stagger at all.
Sheng Jiu carried the woman back to the palace like this. He kicked the door open. There seemed to be a "plop" sound of water inside, as if someone had been frightened.
Sheng Jiu stood by the pool and stared at the water for a long time.
Wanwan emerged from the water, biting his lower lip. He looked at the woman on Sheng Jiu's shoulder, looking a bit confused.
Sheng Jiu neatly threw the woman into the water. Before the woman could say a word, Sheng Jiu spoke first.
"Teach him to serve me."