High-class maid

"The Emperor wants to see me?" Song Wenyang pointed to himself in disbelief.

“Indeed, I told my father that you had helped me a great deal, and he was deeply moved. He said he wanted to meet this young man I always talk about.” The Second Prince finished speaking with an expression that said, “Quick, praise me.”

“But I have never been to the palace. If I make a mistake, wouldn’t I be disgracing Brother Rong?” Song Wenyang said.

The claim that he had never been to the palace was merely a pretext. In his previous life, he spent his days traveling between the palace and his residence, and he knew the palace layout better than anyone else. However, everything was different in this life. Why would the Emperor suddenly summon him?

"Oh, don't be nervous, I'll be with you. With me, the Second Prince, around, no one will dare to make fun of you!" The Second Prince patted his chest and assured him.

Looking at the radiant Second Prince, Song Wenyang felt a sense of relief. Yes, this life was different from the last. He had met the Second Prince and Xing'er much earlier. Everything was heading in an unknown direction, but thankfully, he still held some control.

"Thank you for speaking up for me, Brother Rong. I will remember it in my heart." Song Wenyang clasped his hands in thanks to the Second Prince.

Although the second prince had his own ulterior motives in allowing him to gain favor with the emperor, if one takes everything so seriously, then one will have no friends in the world.

"Brother Song, there's no need to be so polite. Don't be nervous. Get some rest tonight. A carriage will come to pick you up tomorrow. I'll be waiting for you at the palace gate." After saying this, the Second Prince turned and left.

Recently, his secret guards said that some of the servants in the mansion were behaving strangely. It was likely that the servants in the mansion had been bribed during the months that the Second Prince stayed in Jinling. Now that they had been finally caught, he was going to go back and deal with these servants.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Song Wenyang, wearing a dark cloak and a black jade hair crown, arrived discreetly at the palace gate.

When the Second Prince saw the carriage arrive, he hurriedly went to greet it. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Song Wenyang, he led Song Wenyang smoothly to the Emperor's side hall.

“This… Brother Rong, is it inappropriate for you to bring me here? Will the Emperor punish you?” Song Wenyang looked at the side hall. Only the Emperor’s family members were allowed to come here. How could he, a commoner, dare to follow the Second Prince into this side hall?

"It's nothing. You're just being a little too cautious. Father won't blame me. Right now, Father is discussing state affairs in court. We can wait in the side hall to avoid being seen by outsiders." After saying this, the Second Prince sat down casually and started drinking the tea on the table.

Song Wenyang also felt that what he said made sense, so he stopped arguing and sat down to drink tea with the Second Prince.

After waiting for what seemed like an eunuch for some time, the two entered and said with a fawning smile, "Your Highness, yesterday His Majesty promised Consort Ru that he would have breakfast with her. Now that he has finished his work, His Majesty is afraid that Consort Ru will be angry, so he specially sent this old servant to invite you to have breakfast with her."

The second prince had no doubts. Although his brother was important, his mother was just as important! He hesitated for a moment, then turned to Song Wenyang and said, "Brother Song, wait for me here. I'll come after I finish breakfast with my mother. Don't be nervous even if Father comes; he's a very nice man."

Song Wenyang nodded, signaling the Second Prince to go without worry, and then sat back down in his chair, becoming a statue again.

The emperor stood behind the screen, looking at the young man in front of him. He had a handsome face, a high nose, and a sharp, arrogant gaze. From a distance, he gave off an aura of inviolability.

The emperor dared not go up and disturb him, but secretly looked at him from behind the screen again and again, from head to toe, and thought that everything about him was perfect.

Having practiced martial arts for many years, Song Wenyang already knew that someone was observing him. This was the emperor's side hall, and there was no one else here besides the emperor. He wasn't in a hurry and let the gazes scrutinize him.

After watching for a while, the emperor behind the screen laughed, thinking to himself, "This lad has the look of me back then." Then, remembering the injustices Song Wenyang had suffered over the years, he hesitated and dared not step forward.

"Are you the Song Wenyang that the second brother mentioned?" A deep, resonant voice rang out. Without a doubt, the voice belonged to the Emperor of Qin.

"It is indeed this humble subject who pays respects to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor!" Song Wenyang hurriedly rose and knelt to pay his respects, but the Emperor stopped him with a gesture.

"Since you are a good friend of the second prince, you don't need to be so polite. Please sit down." After saying this, the emperor sat down in the main seat.

Song Wenyang was not pretentious. Although he lowered his eyes, he held his head high and was not intimidated.

The Emperor was even more pleased with his behavior. He thought of Song Wenyang's mother, Lady Jin, who was so lively, kind, and beautiful. In the end, he realized that he had wronged her.

"I heard you were at Ouyang Academy in Jinling? Now that you've suddenly returned to the capital with the Second Prince, what will happen to your studies?" the Emperor asked with concern.

"Your Majesty, when I was in Jinling, I didn't often go to the academy. Instead, I studied at home. Now that I've come to the capital, it's just a change of place to study. There's no difference," Song Wenyang replied.

"Inside the mansion? Why not go to the academy? You've traveled all the way to Jinling, yet you haven't gone to the renowned Ouyang Academy. Why is that?" The Emperor asked, puzzled.

"Your Majesty, because I am not well and there are many people at the academy, I am afraid that my condition will disturb my classmates, so I have no choice but to study at home. However, I still have to go to the academy a few days a month."

When the Emperor heard him say that he was not in good health, he was already heartbroken. Now, when he heard that he could not even go to the academy often, he was even more furious. Song Wenyang was born healthy and strong, so why is he in this state now?

Song Wenyang did not dare to look up at the Emperor. He only heard the Emperor's voice tremble slightly: "Where do you feel unwell? Have you seen a doctor? Do your elders at home know anything about it?"

"Your Majesty, I am often awakened by nightmares every night, and I have been unable to sleep well for many years. Thanks to the imperial physician that the Second Prince found for me, I am now taking the medicine prescribed by the imperial physician, which has greatly reduced my symptoms." Although Song Wenyang was somewhat puzzled as to why the emperor asked such detailed questions, he assumed that the emperor was investigating his identity, so he told the truth.

"What kind of serious illness is it that even the imperial physicians cannot cure?" the emperor asked, puzzled.

He looked at Song Wenyang and thought of his own sons. When his sons came to his bedchamber, they were always carefree and uninhibited, while he had to be careful, afraid of being caught doing something wrong. His sons and daughters always acted spoiled towards him, but he could only refer to himself as a commoner.

Perhaps it's because he's getting older, but his heart has softened. Looking at the young man who resembled him in some ways, the Emperor suddenly couldn't help but speak.

"Keep your head up."