Chapter 140 - 138. Unravelling the Identity III

Third person POV

Hong er's voice could freeze the whole lake. Her usual smile disappeared and replaced with a scowl.

Hong er: " If Your Majesty truly is Sheng ge then please forgive Chen qie if the words that Chen qie will say offended Your Majesty."

Hearing Hong er didn't call him Sheng ge like how she always did in the past despite knowing his identity was too much for his fragile heart.

Hong er: " Do Your Majesty know how it feels to be left by the person they love?"

Weisheng: " E-en."

Hong er: " Then that person resurrected from the death like a miracle, isn't that surprising?'

Weisheng: " In-indeed it is."

Hong er: " Forced to marry someone you don't know. To be in the position of choosing between her promise with her lover or the life of her whole family is really tough. At the end of the day, you choose your family's safety and had prepared to live in guilt."

Hong er stopped her sentence and focused on her hand.

Hong er: " And you realized that your whole family and that person planned everything behind your back without you knowing anything?"

Weisheng: "…"

Weisheng furrowed his brows as he blamed himself, in his heart he kept telling himself if he could just tell her everything then this wouldn't happen. He clenched his hand until his knuckles turned white, how is he supposed to explain everything to Hong er.

While he was contemplating about his life without Hong er, white small hands slowly reached out to his clenched hands. Those small hands massaged the big rough hands to loosened up its grip.

Hong er: " Don't clench Your Majesty's hands like that, you will hurt yourself."

Weisheng studied Hong er's face, even though she wasn't smiling, her cold eyes had gone and now it was the usual tranquil Hong er. Even though she was extremely upset with Weisheng lying to her, she still loves him and cares about him. Not to mention, seeing Weisheng's guilty face made her heart softened. She almost laughed at his pitiful expression, it felt like she saw a big dog who was kicked out by its master with its tail and ears flopped down.

Hong er caressed the calluses in his hands while pondering if she should forgive him or not. Eventually, the kind-hearted Hong er couldn't stay angry for a long time, she sighed in defeat. On the other side, the over-thinking Weisheng thought that Hong er was disappointed in him and thinking about leaving his side.

He didn't want her to leave but considering the lies that he had told Hong er all these years, he felt that it was already very kind of Hong er to just leave him without killing him off. However, imagining that another man would hit on his wife when he was not there beside her made his blood boil.

Hong er: " Your Majesty…"

Weisheng took a deep breath and closed his eyes, he didn't dare to look at Hong er's disappointed face, afraid that it would haunt him for the rest of his life. He was ready to hear Hong er's rejection.

Weisheng: ' I'm ready!!.... or not?'

Hong er didn't know his questioning face if he was ready or not to hear Hong er's deadly words as she was too busy staring at his rough hands.

Hong er: " Chen qie doesn't blame Your Majesty. Chen qie knew that Your Majesty has a reason for doing this. After knowing Your Majesty for many years, Chen qie could see that inside of that cold demeanor is a kind hearted ruler."

Weisheng widened his eyes as he didn't hear any word of leaving the palace. He whipped up his head to look at Hong er's eyes directly.

Weisheng: " Yo-you are staying, right?"

Hong er: " Hm?"

Hong er tilted her head in confusion. But unknown to her, her head tilting action causes the man in front of her fanboying.

Weisheng: ' My god, so cute.'

Weisheng: " Ehem! I-I mean, you are not going to leave the palace after knowing the truth right?"

Hong er: " Hm? Why would I do that?"

And now, Weisheng sighed in relief, he was just too over-thinking about anything that related to Hong er.

Hong er: " Is something wrong, Your Majesty?"

Weisheng: " No, nothing. I just thought that you will leave the palace after knowing the truth."

Hong er: " No, Chen qie will never do that. Even if Your Majesty isn't Sheng ge, Chen qie would still keep living in the palace as Chen qie's family's life depends on every decision that Chen qie choose, no matter how trivial it is."

Weisheng understood what she meant as he lived his 20 years of life just like how Hong er said. He even had to think carefully of what he ate and dressed. The more powerful one's family is, the more cautious one had to be.

Hong er: " Your Majesty…."

Hong er hesitantly called out to Weisheng, Weisheng woke up from his train of thought and smiled gently while look fixedly at Hong er's eyes.

Weisheng: " En?"

Hong er: " Ch-chen qie didn't mean to break our promise. It-it's just-"

(A/N: Their promise is to marry each other but Hong er married another guy even though it is actually the same person.)

Weisheng: " Shh shh shh~ It is fine, I understand."

Weisheng put his finger on her lips and gave her an understanding look.

Weisheng: " Just like what you said. I have my own reason to disguise as Sheng ge and you have your own reason to make the decision to marry someone else. Though it is still me that you married to so it doesn't count as breaking our promise."

Hong er: " En. And I think that this isn't a coincidence too, am I right Your Majesty?"

Hong er gave him a sly grin, Weisheng flinched as he was being exposed. Surprisingly, there was no marriage candidate for Hong er even after she entered her marriageable age. Considering the status that Hong er had even without being bestowed any rank by Da Chu's emperor was high, it was quite unbelievable that no family wanted to offer their son to marry Hong er. Usually they would quickly secure the position by engaging their children to the powerful family but that's not her case.

Weisheng: " Ye-yeah… probably?"

Weisheng stuttered as his eyes wandered everywhere while maintaining his cold expression. Hong er giggled cutely and patted Weisheng's hand.

Hong er: " Okay, the night has arrived. We still have a long time to explain everything, firstly let's continue the ritual, Your Majesty."

Weisheng knitted his brows in dissatisfaction.

Weisheng: " Hong er, why don't you call me Sheng ge?"

Hong er: " That would be inappropriate for Chen qie to call Your Majesty with a nickname."

Weisheng: " No, it doesn't."

Hong er: " Yes it is, Your Majesty. People will start a rumor that Chen qie was being disrespectful towards His Majesty and didn't learn any manner beforehands."

Weisheng: " But I insisted."

Weisheng said firmly with his hand gripping Hong er's hand. He knew that it was inappropriate for Hong er to call him with nickname and it would cause unnecessary rumors to spread around but it felt so distant when Hong er called his name formally. His lips slowly arched down into a pout without him realizing. Hong er coed inside of her heart from the gap moe.

( A/N: Gap moe is when a character does something completely contradictory to what their usual habits/personality/character/appearance dictates.)

Hong er: " Then how about I call Your Majesty with 'Sheng ge' when we are alone. But if we are in front of public, I will use my utmost respect to address Your Majesty. Okay? Good?"

Hong er smiled brightly at Weisheng which she knew that he couldn't resist. And as she predicted, Weisheng clicked his tongue in defeat.

Weisheng: " Ck, fine."

Hong er: " Hahaha, don't pout Sheng~ ge~"

Hong er nudged Weisheng's arm and cutely called his name. Hearing Hong er called him Sheng ge, the corner of his lip slightly arched.

Weisheng: " En."