“Oh? Treated whom?” the Huo King asked casually.
“Reporting to Your Majesty, I treated myself,” Wei Linxia said.
The Huo King was surprised, and Xi Zhaoting, nearby, looked at Wei Linxia. Had she gone mad treating herself?
“Where did you apply the needles? Was it effective?” the Huo King relaxed, leaning back in his throne. This girl had courage; even if not useful now, she might be in the future.
Wei Linxia explained her reasoning, and the Huo King, impressed by her boldness, granted her two more years to practice before treating Concubine Ren.
The empress dowager ordered a palace maid to fetch a shell necklace, claiming it was picked up from the far western seaside and could hear the sound of sea winds. There were nine strands in total: eight for the princesses and one for Wei Linxia. The beautiful necklace emitted a delicate tinkling sound when moved. Although Wei Linxia wanted to keep it, the empress dowager instructed her to remove the qilin necklace and wear this one instead, as it matched her clothes better.
Where could she find the qilin necklace? Wei Linxia felt anxious and glanced at Xi Zhaoting, her eyes revealing a rare plea, which made him recall her white dress on the mountain that day.
“Huh? Where’s the qilin?” the empress dowager asked.
Wei Linxia quietly swallowed, deciding to fabricate an excuse about having removed it last night in a hurry for an audience with the King of Huo.
“Could it be lost? Last time you said the string was loose, what about now?” The empress dowager had an excellent memory.
“Your Majesty, I borrowed her qilin to make a replica,” Xi Zhaoting said.
Wei Linxia gave him a grateful glance, appreciative that the crown prince still had some conscience.
The empress dowager’s gaze sharpened: “Replicate? Why? For whom?”
“Just thought the shape was nice, made a replica to play with. I plan to return the qilin to Miss Wei soon,” Xi Zhaoting replied.
“Good, bring the replica for me to see. And don’t send around replicated items, or people will say our palace has only imitations,” the empress dowager said, to which Xi Zhaoting agreed.
Eunuch Wei Linxia had disappeared from the courtyard gate when Xi Linxuan turned back, scolding, “The water should have been boiled by now, so slow! Can’t do anything right. Idiot.”
