The Little Consort's
Eps. 34: Replace Loss

“Oh no, my first kiss!”

Li Anlan sat on the floor, bemoaning her first kiss that simply disappeared. It's all Long Ji Man's fault that he's involved in his wife's affairs. Li Anlan should just go into hiding, not having to care and make a deal that eventually took away the sanctity of his lips, which he had guarded for twenty-three years.

A few meters further, Xiao Biqi lowered his head begging for mercy for not being able to stop Duanmu Shui resulting in this kind of trouble. Meanwhile, Wang Tianshi stood firmly on Xiao Biqi's left side, staring in disbelief at something that happened just a moment ago.

“I lost, no. I've lost!”

“You expelled Duanmu Shui so great, Li Anlan! Your sentence period is not reduced!”

Li Anlan. He had just lost something very important, but what was this? The man blamed him. He thought, who would want to kiss him? Should Long Ji Man be grateful, because thanks to the incident, Duanmu Shui didn't bother him any longer.

“Are you crazy? I just wanna blame you! You stole my first kiss! I guarded it for twenty-three years, today it just vanished!”

“What's wrong with kissing your own husband?” asked Long Ji Man no less spicy.

“Ha..Haha…. What did you say?” Li Anlan's laughter sounded bland.

“You think it's just your first kiss? It was also my first time!”

Li Anlan laughed, getting louder and more bland. But, his expression was very far off in contrast to his laughter. His face was like a persecuted madman, which made him look hideous. Li Anlan was like a magical grandmother who was transformed into a concubine.

“No! I can't believe it. You've got a lot of women, it's impossible if you never do it!”

Seeing Li Anlan who kept nagging was unclear, Long Ji Man became annoyed. It's just a kiss, isn't it? What is the problem like that for? Moreover, the first to take the initiative was Li Anlan, not himself. It should have been Long Ji Man, not Li Anlan. The woman should feel lucky because she was the only one who managed to get something that not even any woman in Dongling could get.

“Niang-niang, I think His Majesty who suffered the most loss,” said Xiao Biqi.

“You little eunuch, shut up! Obviously I'm the loser here!”

“But niang-niang, you were-”

“If you work well, Duanmu Shui won't barge in!”

Xiao Biqi. His lips closed, feeling guilty because this was his negligence. But, on the other hand, he also felt strange. Why is a little thing like this so confusing and involving many people? Wouldn't it happen if something like that happened? The king and concubine are a married couple, though not through a legal marriage bond. Long Ji Man, legally the husband of Li Anlan.

“I have to calm down.”

Li Anlan got up, then walked out of Hongwu Palace. Long Ji Man and the others stared at the woman's departure in bewilderment. Li Anlan's destination was Xingyue Palace. He had to calm himself down first, only to discuss the compensation that Long Ji Man had to provide to compensate for his losses.

“Hey, your working hours are not finished!” yang Long Ji Man.

“I don't care.”

“Anlan, how about the class?” ask Long Ji Man.

“Forget it.”

He walked past Lake Houchi with a blank look, like a dazed person. The sun above his head also heated up the atmosphere, provoking Li Anlan to quickly arrive at his cool and serene palace. The ripples of water in Lake Houchi laughed at his stupidity.

As his feet stepped on the courtyard of Xingyue Palace, Xie Roulan ran up to him. Seeing the gloomy and empty face of his master, Xie Roulan grew worried. Inevitably he finally asked what had happened, and why Li Anlan had returned so quickly. Usually, he only returned in the afternoon, not midday like this.

“Mistress, are you okay?”

“No, I'm not okay.”

Li Anlan sat by his bed. His condition is still the same as before. Xie Roulan massaged his legs, hoping that this master could be a little calmer, and told him slowly everything he had experienced today.

“I'm going on strike! Long Ji Man, you just look!”

Xie Roulan finally understood. His master must be fighting again with His Majesty the King. Otherwise, it might be possible for him to return here with the face of the magic granny who lost her wand.

“Prepare water, I want to shower!”

Xie Roulan nodded. After that, he left.

Li Anlan was still silent. Slowly, his gaze began to come back to life. A moment later, he shouted,

“Aaaaaaa basic fool!”

Meanwhile, at Hongwu Palace, Long Ji Man unfurled a paper containing a composite sketch of the faces of the criminals that Li Anlan had thrown. The young king showed it to Wang Tianshi and Xiao Biqi. The paper was slightly tangled, but the soft lines that formed the faces were still intact.

“This is very good, Your Majesty,” replied Wang Tianshi.

“But, he said that I should look for a new painter.” Long Ji Man was still dissatisfied.

“Perhaps, Consort An meant, you should find a new painter to print their face again.”

Long Ji Man seemed to be thinking. Wang Tianshi's words made sense.

“Biqi, find a qualified painter! I want to duplicate their faces as much as possible!”

Xiao Biqi nodded.

“Good, Your Highness.”

Long Ji Man turned to look at Wang Tianshi.

“How is the project progress?”

“Jawab, Your Grace. Everything is going well, maybe another half month is done.”

Long Ji Man nodded. The man switched back. Now, he was busy checking the pile of documents that were piled up and had not been cleared by Li Anlan. Not long after, Wang Tianshi resigned. Long Ji Man remained inside Hongwu Palace alone.

If Li Anlan was here, Long Ji Man would have already been scolded all out. The man simply did not understand the intent of “new” painter that Li Anlan had said. The term suggests that Long Ji Man should recreate the sketches of the faces of criminals that are more natural and look real, rather than like sketches in cartoons and comics. Long Ji Man must find a naturalist painter who can make the same picture as the original. Not duplicate as much as possible.

Two days later, Xiao Biqi came carrying dozens of folds of paper containing sketches of the faces of the criminals to Long Ji Man. Long Ji Man then ordered Xiao Biqi to spread and paste these sketches throughout the city through the Security Bureau under the Minister of Security, the statement said, anyone who can catch them will be rewarded. Long Ji Man wanted those extremely disturbing criminals to be arrested as soon as possible.

“How about Li Anlan?”

“Report, Your Honor. Concubine An seems really angry.”

Two days later, Li Anlan went on strike. He did not come to Hongwu Palace, and chose to relax at Xingyue Palace and Houchi Lake park. Xiao Biqi repeatedly came asking Li Anlan to leave, but was always rejected. The young eunuch had always been kicked out of Xingyue Palace by Li Anlan.

Now, Li Anlan even pasted a paper with the inscription “Hongwu Palacemen were forbidden to Enter” at the gate of Xingyue Palace. He also ordered the six guards to block any envoys from Hongwu Palace, and forbade them from entering his palace. Despite the hesitation, the guards finally nodded in agreement.

During the day, there was a commotion in front of the gate of Xingyue Palace. The guards of six were arguing with the ten officers carrying the crates. They came at the order of the king. The guards of Xingyue Palace obeyed Li Anlan's order to forbid those who came from Hongwu Palace from entering. As a result, two camps of two different palaces were small in front of the gate.

The envoys of Hongwu Palace carried two chests containing ten scrolls of high quality expensive silk cloth. They ordered the king to deliver this to Xingyue Palace, and relayed a message from the king that these cloths were a form of compensation to the owner of Xingyue Palace.

“What is this?”

Everyone who was arguing, was shocked when a voice with peerless majesty buzzed in their ears. The debate stalled, and everyone looked down in fear of the owner of the voice. Behind them, Long Ji Man stood firmly, holding a beautiful fan and in a long robe. Beside him, Xiao Biqi stood half-down.

“Your Highness, these guards made it difficult for us,” said one of the chest bearers.

“Sorry, Your Grace. We just executed the order,” overwrite one of Xingyue Palace's guards.

Long Ji Man walked towards the tightly closed gate. The guards were about to obstruct, but were forbidden by Xiao Biqi. Long Ji Man pushed the door, but to no avail. It seems like this gate is locked from the inside.

“Help me break it!”

“Ya, Your Highness.”

The people who were originally at odds, cooperated in breaking down the gate of Xingyue Palace. But, even though their power was great, the door still did not open in the slightest. The door was locked to death.

“Li Anlan, if you don't release the key, I'll kill you!” yelled Long Ji Man.

Li Anlan, who was behind the gate with Xie Roulan and the two auxiliary eunuchs, was undaunted. He kept locking the gate, completely unwilling to open it. He's still angry and upset. Now, Long Ji Man's arrival just made him even more angry.

“Try it if you dare!”

Feeling this would not work, Long Ji Man retreated. He walked to the side. After preparing, Long Ji Man leapt up, flying using the science of lightening the body past the great wall that fenced off Xingyue Palace. His feet landed on the grass perfectly. He turned his head, seeing two women and two eunuchs standing behind the locked gate.

“This is how you welcome the arrival of the king?”

Li Anlan and the three others turned their heads. They were immediately surprised. Their faces pias like corpses.

“Y-Y-Your Majesty?”

...***...