After Losing My Memory, I Became My Rival's Palm-Sized Chirper - Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Exercising Privilege

Qi Jia flapped his wings and flew out of Hongmeng Palace, only to find a large crowd gathered at the entrance.

They were all looking up at him—some with expressions of bewilderment, others with looks of panic.

Qi Jia descended directly, landing right next to Shuo Ling.

“My Lord.”

Seeing him, Shuo Ling was the first to salute.

Qi Jia greeted her back and then asked, “What’s going on? Who are they?”

He was referring to the elderly men standing before Shuo Ling—most with white hair and beards—as well as a few younger-looking immortals.

When he had first woken up, Qi Jia had released his divine sense to track Yu Baixi’s whereabouts. As expected, he found no trace of that “scumbag dragon” in Hongmeng Palace. Unexpectedly, however, he had overheard a group of people arguing.

Shuo Ling replied, “These are the Elders of the Immortal Clan. This gentleman is His Majesty’s cousin, Immortal Lord Huaiji.”

“Oh…” Qi Jia glanced at the man standing at the front—the one who had been shouting the loudest—and remarked, “If you hadn’t introduced him, I would have thought he was the Great Patriarch of your Celestial Clan’s relatives. What an arrogant posture!”

At these words, Immortal Lord Huaiji, who indeed had been doing most of the talking, sputtered: “…You!”

Qi Jia lowered his eyelashes slightly, ignoring Huaiji entirely. Without even looking at the man’s reaction, he asked Shuo Ling, “So, what’s this about? They were saying just now that His Majesty’s ‘Red Wedding Star’ (star of romance) has never moved. What does that mean?”

“This…” Shuo Ling looked slightly conflicted. After a moment, she answered tactfully, “…It means they are saying His Majesty is still a virgin dragon.”

“A vir—” Qi Jia blinked, asking in amazement, “Outsiders can actually tell that?! Your Majesty is quite pitiful then; it’s like he has no privacy at all!”

“Exactly!” Shuo Ling nodded in agreement.

Evidently misinterpreting Qi Jia’s simple curiosity as genuine concern, she began to vent: “Even the Master of Fate isn’t allowed to casually investigate or reveal His Majesty’s horoscopes! Besides, how could that be true? You and His Majesty are clearly in perfect harmony, wishing to be together day and night…”

“Ahem.” Qi Jia couldn’t quite agree with the second half of Shuo Ling’s statement—after all, their Majesty had bolted halfway through last night!

But since they were in the middle of a confrontation and the opposing side clearly held deep animosity toward him, he couldn’t undermine his own “chirpy” prestige.

Thus, Qi Jia switched the question: “Why do they care so much if Yu Baixi is a virgin dragon or not?”

“Rumors claim His Majesty is impotent. If he is, there will be no heir to the dragon lineage. The Heaven Realm would then have to select a successor from the royal relatives for the position of Crown Prince or even the next Heavenly Emperor.” This question was answered by Han Mo. As the one responsible for arguing these matters on behalf of His Majesty daily, no one understood the hidden motives better than him.

Han Mo glanced at Yu Huaiji: “However, the Yu clan has few descendants. Among His Majesty’s juniors, only Immortal Lord Huaiji has a son with decent aptitude.”

“Understood.” Qi Jia hovered in the air, raising a wing to rub his little chin. “So, if I didn’t exist, the Crown Prince might have been this guy’s son.”

“No wonder you’re in such a rush, showing up at the door so early.” This last sentence Qi Jia directed straight at Yu Huaiji.

“Nonsense! What Crown Prince? I am merely worried that His Majesty is being deceived by an evildoer!…” Yu Huaiji immediately retorted.

In fact, Yu Huaiji had been trying to interrupt since the beginning, but the three of them were incredibly willful and spoke with utter lack of restraint!

Now that the bird in the air was finally facing him, Yu Huaiji scrutinized it again… No matter how he looked at it, it was just an ordinary bird. He had been shocked by the news of the Emperor appointing an Empress yesterday, and he still found it unbelievable now.

Fortunately, this ordinary little bird seemed to lack guile, even gossiping with the immortal attendants right in front of him…

Qi Jia said, “So, the ‘evildoer’ you mentioned is me.”

Immortal Lord Huaiji: “His Majesty’s Red Wedding Star hasn’t moved; he has never been intimate with anyone. Yet you baselessly claim to carry the dragon’s heir. If that isn’t the work of an evildoer, what is?”

The little chubby bird maintained its chin-propping pose: “But I feel like if I were a ‘something,’ I should be a ‘demon bird,’ not an ‘evildoer’ (human demon).”

Yu Huaiji: “…What are you talking about?”

Qi Jia: “Oh, if your ‘evildoer’ was meant as an insult, it’s quite disrespectful to both the demon and human races. Sigh, for a cousin of His Majesty, your manners are truly lacking.”

Yu Huaiji: …???

“You evildoer, stop your nonsensical talk to distract us! Regarding the dragon heir, I advise you to confess the truth immediately. Deceiving the Emperor is a capital offense!”

Finally reaching the main point, Yu Huaiji hid his momentary grimace, adopting an air of certainty.

A parrot had barged into the Nine Heavens Cloud Palace demanding the Emperor take responsibility, and the Emperor had suddenly appointed an Empress without warning—anyone could see the haste was suspicious.

Moreover, the Master of Fate was certain the Emperor’s romantic star hadn’t moved. If so, where did the child come from?

Most importantly, the Empress had been here for a day, yet the Emperor had never summoned an immortal physician…

After a night of deliberation, Yu Huaiji felt certain this was a play staged by the Heavenly Emperor.

Find a random bird, claim it’s pregnant, and appoint it as Empress. Then, the Empress could “carry the child” for ten thousand years if necessary—plenty of time for the Emperor to maneuver. Perhaps by then, the Emperor could actually produce a real heir. If that happened, his own son would never have a chance at the throne.

However, without concrete evidence, Yu Huaiji didn’t dare voice such a suspicion. He didn’t dare target the Emperor, so he could only target the “Empress-to-be.”

By making a scene under the guise of “cleansing the court,” he might be able to find a flaw in this Empress and expose the Emperor’s scheme.

Yu Huaiji escalated his threats: “The Elders and I came today for the sake of His Majesty! If we find out the child you carry is a fake and that you deceived His Majesty to secure the position of Empress, I will be the first to throw you into the Great Prison to suffer daily under the Fire and Thunder Spikes. Don’t expect anyone to protect you then!”

“You talk too much. Are you done?” Qi Jia interrupted him, letting out a lazy yawn in mid-air while patting his belly with a wing. “Lord Huaiji keeps saying I’m lying, but my appointment as Empress was decreed by His Majesty’s own hand. By saying this, are you suggesting the Heavenly Emperor is so foolish he can be tricked by a bird? Foolish as a child?”

At these words, Yu Huaiji was instantly choked up—how could he dare call the Emperor foolish!

As for the Elders behind him, they all lowered their heads, pretending they hadn’t heard a thing for fear of getting into trouble.

Seeing that the Elders he brought wouldn’t take the lead, Yu Huaiji could only say stiffly, “Cease your attempts to sow discord between me and my brother! The Emperor’s majesty is not to be insulted! Just explain what is going on with the dragon’s breath in your belly. Or must I wait until I bring out the ancient immortal artifact, the Universe Mirror, to expose you? Once it shows whether the child is truly of dragon lineage, you will have nowhere to hide!”

“Since you’re so worried about your ‘good brother’ being deceived, why don’t you just go ask him yourself?”

Qi Jia continued, “The reason you came looking for me first thing in the morning instead of going to His Majesty is simply because you are terrified of the Emperor’s wrath and don’t dare ask him.”

“Furthermore, if the Emperor’s majesty is not to be insulted, can the Empress’s be insulted at will?”

The pale-yellow bird in the air spoke clearly, each word striking home. He turned and asked, “Shuo Ling, what is the punishment for insulting the Empress?”

Shuo Ling replied, “Minor offenses result in several days in the Light Prison. Serious offenses lead to the Great Prison, involving severe punishments—even the pulling of tendons and breaking of bones is possible.”

“Oh~” Qi Jia nodded.

Yu Huaiji understood the implication and immediately pointed a finger at the bird: “What do you mean? You… you don’t even have the Empress’s Seal yet, what kind of Empress are you!…”

“Then let’s count it as insulting the prospective Empress.” Compared to the agitated Huaiji, Qi Jia’s tone was much calmer.

He calmly produced his Empress Token, his tone playful but his eyes sharp: “Verbal insults are a minor offense. Let us sentence Lord Huaiji to a few days in the Light Prison to reflect on his words and deeds. As for the other Elders…”

“You dare!” Before he could finish, Huaiji shouted, “You’ve been here for only one day and you dare to punish me? I am His Majesty’s biological cousin, his only brother!…”

“Shuo Ling.”

The chubby bird in the sky seemingly picked at his ear, his voice crisp and naturally authoritative: “When the Empress deals with a criminal, who usually carries out the order?”

Shuo Ling grinned at the question and pointed to Han Mo beside her, indicating how convenient it was: “The Heavenly Guard, responsible for the order of the Jade Capital, follows the orders of the Emperor and Empress. This gentleman is General Han Mo, commander of the Heavenly Guard.”

“Ah… yes!” Han Mo, pushed forward by Shuo Ling, finally spoke up again. “I am Han Mo. Greetings to the Empress!”

As soon as he finished, he raised a hand and summoned his subordinates. Four immortal soldiers immediately executed the Empress’s order, bringing out immortal-binding ropes to arrest Lord Huaiji.

Upon closer inspection, General Han Mo, though standing tall and military-like before the little yellow bird, had two faint streaks of red on his cheeks.

Over there, Lord Huaiji tried to resist.

Han Mo immediately threatened: “The Empress Token is right here. Lord Huaiji, think carefully—resisting this is resisting the entire Heaven Realm!”

Huaiji: ?!

Huaiji was cowed. When the formidable general turned back to look at the bird, his face involuntarily reddened again.

Shuo Ling, watching from the side: …?

Qi Jia’s gaze swept over the Elders who were now avoiding eye contact. He suddenly said in a relaxed tone, “Everyone, there’s no need to be nervous. I am fair with rewards and punishments. Since the Elders have not offended me or shown disrespect, I will not involve you. On the contrary, if there is an issue, you may send word. As Empress, I will surely cooperate with any reasonable arrangements made by my elders.”

Seeing the Elders breathe a sigh of relief, Huaiji realized things had gone south and wanted to curse.

He had thought this was all an act orchestrated by Yu Baixi, but he hadn’t expected this little bird to actually dare use the Empress’s authority…

Just who was he?!

He… he wasn’t even afraid of Yu Baixi…

After the group dispersed, it was finally quiet outside Hongmeng Palace.

Shuo Ling stood properly to the side, replaying the scene in her head. General Han Mo still didn’t dare look up in the presence of someone he admired.

Shuo Ling: “My Lord, you were so cool! That Lord Huaiji usually acts like a tyrant in the Jade Capital, always sneaking around behind His Majesty’s back like a rat in a gutter!”

Han Mo nodded vigorously: “The Empress Dowager isn’t in the Jade Capital, so there are no elders here to maintain justice for His Majesty. Being the Emperor’s brother, His Majesty can’t easily discipline him without a major blunder, and the Elders are useless… Now that you’re here, it’s perfect for handling these clan issues!”

Shuo Ling felt vindicated, clenching her fist: “It’s time he suffered a bit!”

Han Mo couldn’t help but shoot another look of admiration: “Your Lordship’s aura just now was majestic and commanding—the true style of the Mother of Heaven. As expected of… the Empress! Most people wouldn’t dare issue orders like that even with the token in hand…”

Shuo Ling: “What are you saying? His Lordship is the legitimate Empress. As long as it’s not arbitrary tyranny, what is there that can’t be done?”

Han Mo: “Ah, yes, yes. I… I just think His Lordship is amazing. He is unlike anyone else. Of course, he is different…”

The General explained awkwardly and haphazardly.

Qi Jia: “…”

Don’t say anymore. Honestly, my little bird heart was thumping just now.

However, when facing someone with that kind of attitude, even though the “round bird” had no memories or experience, he instinctively knew how to deal with them.

Qi Jia looked at General Han, who was still praising him alongside Shuo Ling: “And this general is…”

He felt like the man’s eyes were practically shooting fire. But every time he made eye contact, the man would hurriedly look away. It was quite strange.

Han Mo hurriedly bowed and introduced himself. He also explained his duty to protect the Empress from now on.

“Oh, so you’re reporting for duty.” Qi Jia understood. He flapped his wings again. “By the way, they mentioned earlier that Yu Baixi is still a virgin dragon. Is that true?”

Shuo Ling: “How is that possible? His Majesty already has you! And the little Prince!”

Han Mo: “…” (Han Mo remained silent.)

Qi Jia asked again: “What is this ‘Universe Mirror’ Lord Huaiji mentioned?”

“It is an artifact left behind by the Immortal Xuan Jing tens of thousands of years ago. It can see through all illusions and reveal what the naked eye cannot.”

Han Mo was able to answer this. Seeing the “Empress” ask, he rushed to reply: “However, it is said that hundreds of thousands of years ago, the previous Immortal Xuan Jing attained godhood in the Primal Secret Realm, and the artifact was left there, its whereabouts unknown since.”

“So, whether I’m pregnant or not would be known with one look in that mirror…” Qi Jia muttered to himself, then pivoted: “What is the Primal Secret Realm? Is it dangerous? Why hasn’t anyone retrieved the mirror yet?”

Admiring the sharp and piercing nature of the bird’s questions, Han Mo explained: “The Primal Secret Realm was formed from the physical remains of the ancient Great Being, Immortal Yutian, upon his transcendence. It is said to hold countless treasures. It isn’t exactly ‘dangerous’ in terms of malice, but it is filled with layers of illusions. Furthermore, it only opens once every twenty thousand years. Thus… at least for the past few hundred thousand years, no one has found the Universe Mirror within it.”

Han Mo added, “However, to find that spiritual mirror, our Heaven Realm has been preparing for many years. It has been predicted that the Primal Secret Realm will reappear this year. Everyone believes it will be found this time.”

“I see,” Qi Jia said. No wonder Huaiji specifically mentioned the mirror when threatening him—it was because there was a chance it might be found.

“Mhm, mhm.” Han Mo couldn’t stop himself in front of someone he respected; unless it was something His Majesty specifically forbade him from saying, he wanted to share more: “Mainly, His Majesty has already decided to go there personally.”

“With His Majesty acting, he will surely succeed in one go. There won’t be any mistakes.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Unexpectedly, the chubby bird tilted its feathery head and suddenly let out a cold laugh: “Heh.”

Han Mo: “?”

…Why did he feel that the “Empress’s” laugh felt exactly like the Emperor’s occasional mocking sneer?

Both were so eerie and frightening.

After the Grand Court Assembly dismissed, the officials retreated. Only Yu Baixi remained seated at the head of the hall.

A pale-yellow little bird flapped its wings and flew in slowly, landing directly on the Emperor’s desk.

“Why are you sitting here instead of returning to the palace?” the bird asked.

“You’ve come,” the Emperor said.

The bird flapped its wings: “If I hadn’t come, were you planning to sit here forever?”

The Emperor lowered his eyelids: “I knew you were coming, so I didn’t move.”

“And if I didn’t come, would you have come to Hongmeng Palace to find me? Or to Weiyang Palace to see me?” the bird pursued relentlessly.

Emperor: “…”

“You really are avoiding me!” Qi Jia was displeased. He flew directly onto the Emperor’s shoulder, his voice fierce: “Speak! What was with you last night?! How could you treat me like that!”

Outside the hall, the officials who had seen Qi Jia fly in: “…”

They also happened to overhear the “Empress-to-be” scolding their Emperor.

After a moment of silence, the Head Official sighed toward the sky: “The deep affection between the Emperor and Empress is truly a blessing for our Heaven Realm.”

The other officials hurriedly chimed in: “Indeed, indeed!”