Zhao Ming was confused when she heard Ji Cheng's strange questions. She looked at him and blinked innocently.

  She just wanted to visit Wen Ru's shop. He was his cousin, so there should not be any problem. Or is it?

  ' Why is he behaving like I wanted to run away with Wen Ru?' She doesn't know whether to laugh or cry hearing Ji Cheng's question.

  She wanted to go to his shop because if she goes to that shop she could figure out the working pattern in this world and try to convince him to sell her products at the shop as well.

  She also wanted to get out of the palace. She has never left this palace since she came here.

  She still doesn't know what the world outside of the palace looks like. She wants to go out and explore the area and the local market.

  She wants to see what kinds of things are sold here. It would be a shame if she didn't explore this place before going back.

  Ji Cheng looked at her when he heard her response. He never thought that she would give him such a plain response.

  He wants to know why she wants to go to the shop and she said because she wants to?

  She could have put in some more effort and told him why she wants to go but her half-hearted response made his expressions turn gloomy.

  He looked at her as his brows frowned. But seeing her looking at him innocently, his heart couldn't help but melt seeing her cuteness.

  Wen Ru, on the other hand, looked at Zhao Ming with surprise when he heard her say ' because I want to.'

  She has never shown interest in his business before and neither other consorts were interested either. They just asked him to get gifts for them but never said that they wanted to visit his shop.

  But Zhao Ming blatantly said that she wanted to go to his shop. Moreover, she did not explain further why she wants to visit his shop.

  ' Hmm. She has some guts to give such short replies to Ji Cheng.'

  'Until now, only Ji Cheng used to be cold and used to give short answers but today he will know how annoying it is when someone gives you short answers.' he snickered as he swirled his teacup.

  ….

  Zhao Ming pursed her lips when she saw Ji Cheng's gloomy expressions. Ji Cheng was looking at her with his brows furrowed and jaw tightened.

  Xiao Li smiled seeing Ji Cheng's reaction.

  ' Hah. She wants to visit Brother Wen's shop. Is she trying to seduce him as well? What a bitch. How can she ask to visit another man's shop in His highness.' Xiao Li snickered lightly seeing Ji Cheng's dark expressions.

  She wanted him to scold her because he has seen her with Ah Leng before and now she shamelessly talking about another man in front of him.

  Xiao Li was expecting a great show.

  Zhao Ming looked at Ji Cheng and raised her brows. She took a deep breath and said, "Ahm…… I want to leave the palace. I am so bored by being stuck in the palace all day long. I want to go out and see new things." she said in a low voice

  " I also wanted to see brother Wen's shop. Would you mind if I go out?" She looked at Ji Cheng as she pouted her lips as she blinked her eyes.

  Ji Cheng gulped seeing Zhao Ming looking at him with her puppy eyes. She used her cutesy charm at him to make him agree to her demand.

  Seeing her peachy pink lips pouted like this, he couldn't resist and smacked his lips as the felt dry.

  Zhao Ming knows that he won't let her go out easily. The rules at the palace are so strict.

  She has to take permission to do anything.

  Ji Cheng coughed lightly and said in a low voice, " Okay. You can go, but……"

  Zhao Ming looked at him in confusion when she heard him say, " But I will come with you. You recently woke up from the coma, and it's not safe for you to go there alone.".

  Wen Ru stared at Ji Cheng with his mouth open. He agreed to her request?

  He didn't said anything to her and asked anything more and just simply agreed?

  Ji Cheng even wants to accompany her to his shop. Even though he was her brother, he never once visited his shop.

  It's an honor for him that Ji Cheng is himself visiting his shop. This will increase the value of his shop in the market.

  Even though its working fine and many customers are women from well to do families and many are from middle-class families as well.

  But many shops have emerged in the market with similar products like his but if Ji Cheng visits his shop then it will become a great achievement for him.

  …


  Zhao Ming was stunned when she heard Ji Cheng's words.

  ' He wanted to come with me? It means it will be our first time when we will go out properly……' Zhao Ming blushed when she realized that it will be the first time that they will go out together.

  Even though he has arranged for breakfast at the riverside, they didn't go out of the palace. She didn't see the world outside the palace.

  Before she could say anything, she heard Xiao Li's voice from the side, " I will accompany my sister to Brother Wen Ru' s shop as well. I want to go out as well." Xiao Li chimed in when she heard that Ji Cheng is going out as well.

  At first, she was not interested but when she heard that Ji Cheng is going as well, then she will not leave this chance and let them go alone.

  If they went alone then it would not be good for her. It will give them more time to be together.

  Zhao Ming frowned when she heard Xiao Li's words. She was happy to go with Ji Cheng alone but this Xiao Li has to interfere between them.

  ' What's her problem?'

  " Consort Xiao Li, I am sorry to say this, but at least you have to stay back at the palace. Because Empress Dowager is not here and if his highness and I went together, then there will be no one at the palace who can make decisions."? Zhao Ming seriously said as she turned to Xiao Li.

  " There should be someone who can manage the palace behind our absence. And only you can do that. If all of us went together, then there will be no one at the palace to keep everything in check. " Zhao Ming worriedly explained herself.

  " If you want to go out that much, then let's do this. You can go with his highness and I will stay behind to look at the palace. There should be someone at the palace who will manage everything. " Zhao Ming said with a sad smile on her face.

  Ji Cheng frowned when he heard Zhao Ming's words.

  " You don't need to do that. Consort Xiao Li will stay back. We can bring gifts to her if she wants. Or if she wants to go out, she can go later. " Ji Cheng said plainly.

  Xiao Li frowned when she heard Ji Cheng and Zhao Ming's words. She gritted her teeth because she knows that Zhao Ming said these words deliberately.

  She was not planning to stay back at all but she said to make a show and so that Ji Cheng will say something.

  If there is no one at the palace for some time, it will not be a big issue like she was showing.

  Hearing Ji Cheng's words, Zhao Ming smiled and looked at Xiao Li.

  She gave her a helpless look and said, " Consort Xiao Li, will that be fine with you?" Zhao Ming looked at her like she was helpless and was feeling bad for her.

  Xiao Li gritted seeing Zhao Ming's expression and clenched her fists tightly.

  " Yes. It's okay. I can just go another time." Xiao Li replied with a forced smile on her face.

  " I am sorry that you have to cancel your plan like this. I will bring you some gifts." Zhao Ming smiled at Xiao Li as she thankfully looked at her.

  Wen Ru looked at Zhao Ming from the sides and appreciated how she was handling Xiao Li.

  She managed to make her stay without saying anything rude.

  ' Seems like our Empress has grown some guts after waking up from the coma.' he smirked as he stared at Zhao Ming who was happily eating her dessert.

  It is surprising to see how much she has changed. Her eating habits have changed drastically.

  She was eating hastily and her elegant movements were nowhere to be seen.

  The elegance and composure that she has before have disappeared completely.

  ###

  "If you're not reading this novel on webnovel.com, then this work has been stolen. To support the author and fight against the theft please read this novel on webnovel.com. Regards, kamlyn."