Chapter 22 I'm a Jerk

By the time we arrived at Yuhua Mountain Palace, the sun had already set.

After a long and tiring journey, Qi Jincheng and Ye Mingyu arranged for everyone to return to their respective courtyards and rest.

The dinner is scheduled for the end of the 5-7 PM.

As the sun sets in the west, its crimson rays, like blood, bathe everything in its radiance, from the nearby trees and flowers to the distant rugged rocks, creating a vibrant and colorful spectacle.

Shen You and his entourage arrived at the prepared courtyard under the guidance of the eunuch.

Although the palace was not as spacious as the mansions in Lin'an, it was elegantly decorated, complementing the beautiful scenery of Yuhua Mountain.

The servants were busy carrying luggage to various rooms, while Green Ivy burned the mugwort incense she had brought in the corners of the rooms to repel mosquitoes.

The delicate scent of mugwort wafts through the air, bringing a sense of peace and comfort.

After changing her clothes, Shen You sat in the courtyard with a cup of tea in her hand, admiring the beauty of the layered peaks of Yuhua Mountain.

A gentle summer breeze lifted the girl's skirt.

Green Ivy came out of the house. "Miss, it's getting late. Would you like to wear this cloak to the banquet later?"

Shen You turned his head and glanced at it. The scarlet cloak was bright and eye-catching, and it would definitely stand out in a crowd.

She shook her head and said, "Change to something in a lighter color."

Green Ivy understood, replied "okay," and turned back into the house.

As night falls, the bright moon hangs in the night sky.

Inside the main hall of the Yuhua Mountain Palace, candlelight blazed and the atmosphere was lively.

All the officials and ministers had arrived, but no one dared to sit down at the table, because the eunuch came to tell them that the emperor had some state affairs to discuss with the Duke of Zhenguo and would arrive later.

Fortunately, since they were there to escape the summer heat, everyone was relaxed and the atmosphere inside the palace was not stagnant.

A quarter of an hour later, Qi Jincheng and Ye Mingyu appeared in the main hall with Qi Zhaoyan. Chu Xiao followed behind the three of them and sat down as well.

The man was dressed in a dark brocade robe with gold trim tonight. He had long legs and broad shoulders. His cold gaze swept through the crowd and finally settled on a figure not far away.

As the music began in the hall, Qi Jincheng remained unaffected by the discussions in the study. A smile graced his handsome face, and he ensured that everyone left satisfied.

Shen You sat behind Shen Yao, and Green Luo came forward to pour her wine.

A faint aroma of wine wafted out, and her nose twitched slightly, a hint of surprise appearing in her clear eyes. "Osmanthus wine."

Seeing that she liked it, Green Ivy smiled and whispered, "Miss, a palace maid brought it over just now. She said that Her Majesty the Empress knew that you especially loved the fragrance of osmanthus, so she specially prepared it for you."

Shen You picked up the cup and brought it to his nose, taking a careful sniff.

The fragrance of osmanthus is light yet exceptionally long-lasting, refreshing and delightful.

She turned to look at Ye Mingyu, who was seated at the head of the table, and raised her cup to her. Ye Mingyu felt her gaze, and the two smiled at each other.

Shen You downed the wine in his cup in one gulp. "Indeed, it's fine wine."

Green Ivy gently reminded her, "Miss, Her Majesty the Empress said that this wine has a strong aftereffect, so please don't drink too much."

Good osmanthus wine is sweet and fragrant, and has no spiciness like sake. Shen You usually has a decent alcohol tolerance, so when he heard this, he just nodded slightly.

The moon is bright tonight, and the officials are composing poems at the banquet. The atmosphere is lively, and many people are moving around. People are constantly going in and out of the main hall.

Chen Qiurong led Chen Xiangning to her feet and they walked toward the Lady of Mingyi Marquis.

However, Li Cheng suddenly turned around at that moment and came towards Shen You.

Shen You paused in his drinking, which was originally done with his eyes down. He quickly put down his cup and looked up, only to find his gaze meeting Ye Mingyu's.

She frowned slightly, about to gesture to Ye Mingyu to indicate that she would leave first, when she saw that Ye Mingyu seemed to already understand her meaning and nodded gently.

So Shen You used the excuse of moon-viewing to leave with Green Ivy.

The girl's moon-white skirt gently parted in an arc beside the wooden table. Li Cheng didn't even have time to speak to her before he could only watch the beauty disappear from his sight.

He instinctively wanted to chase after him, but then he heard a dignified voice behind him.

"Is the heir apparent of the Marquis of Mingyi present at the banquet?"

Qi Jincheng suddenly spoke up, and all eyes in the room turned to the young emperor seated at the head of the table.

Then Qi Jincheng said, "I've heard that the heir of the Marquis of Mingyi is exceptionally talented. The moonlight is just right today, why not compose a poem?"

Upon hearing the Emperor call his name, Li Cheng disregarded his pursuit of Shen You and quickly bowed, saying, "Yes, Li Cheng obeys the decree."

When Wang Hui heard that the Emperor had personally selected her son to compose a poem, she was filled with pride and dignified smiles as she accepted the compliments and congratulations from the other ladies around her.

No one noticed that Shen You was not the only one who left during the banquet.

***

The moonlight was bright and clear, and the night was serene and tranquil.

Stepping out of the palace, the mountain air was fresh, the trees rustled in the breeze, and all the noise and bustle of the crowd were left behind.

Shen You took a deep breath, but still felt the fragrance of osmanthus wine lingering on her lips and teeth.

At this point, the master and servant were not in a hurry to return to the Shen family courtyard. Instead, they strolled leisurely along the path, enjoying the rare summer night scenery.

A night breeze blew by, and Shen You covered his mouth and sneezed.

She had just drunk quite a bit of osmanthus wine, and now, with the breeze blowing, the effects of the alcohol were starting to surface.

Green Ivy then realized that in their haste to avoid Li Cheng when they left the banquet, they had left the apricot-pink cloak behind in the palace.

"Miss, let's go back to the courtyard first, and I'll go back to get the cloak."

Shen You smiled slightly, and seeing a pavilion not far ahead, she said, "I'll wait for you there."

Green Ivy was worried about leaving her alone there. "Miss, let's go back first."

Shen You looked at her, her clear eyes glistening with tears, still maintaining her composure for the moment. "Don't worry, the Imperial Guards are always on patrol, nothing will happen."

If you listen carefully, you can also hear the orderly footsteps of the soldiers patrolling the perimeter.

Green Ivy heard this and felt a little relieved.

She helped Shen You into the pavilion. "Miss, please wait here for a moment. I'll be right back."

Shen You nodded and gently reassured her, "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."

"Okay," Green Ivy said, and quickly left.

The footsteps faded into the distance, and the area fell silent.

Shen You sat on the balustrade, leaning against the side to watch the flowers in the flowerbed swaying gently in the night breeze.

The surrounding candlelight flickered, mingling with the moonlight and spilling onto the girl's delicate profile. She reached out slightly, through the railing, as if to touch the flowers in the flowerbed.

The waist is straightened, creating a beautiful waistline.

However, the next moment, she felt a weight on her shoulder; a dark silk shawl had been placed on her shoulders.

Shen You was taken aback. His mind, still a bit slow from the alcohol, was a little slow to react. He thought it was Green Ivy returning and chuckled, "Green Ivy, you're back pretty quickly."

As she spoke, she turned to look at the person who had come, and only then did she belatedly smell his unique, cool scent.

"Chu Xiao?"

The girl's voice was soft and gentle, seemingly no different from usual, but if you listened carefully enough, you could hear that the tone was a little muffled.

It's because the alcohol is making me feel better.

Chu Xiao lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on her flushed face, then at her outstretched hand that she hadn't yet retracted. "Want to pick flowers?"

Shen You was indeed a little drunk, and did not resist his burning gaze. She simply nodded in agreement with his words, then shook her head, "I won't pick them, just look at them."

After saying that, she turned her head back and continued to look at the various small flowers in the flowerbed.

Chu Xiao sat down beside her and asked, "Are you drunk?"

Otherwise, why would she allow him to get close?

"Hmm?" Shen You seemed not to have heard what he said, or as if she had only just realized that the person in front of her was him. She narrowed her almond-shaped eyes and uttered three words, "You rascal."

She raised her hand and waved it fiercely, as if to shoo him away, "Go away, go away."

This tone was spoiled and willful, completely different from usual.

Looks like he's really drunk.

The fragrance of osmanthus and Longjing tea mingled with the faint scent of osmanthus wine emanating from the girl enveloped him in that instant.

Chu Xiao's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. He stared at her dazed eyes for a few seconds, then raised his hand to grasp hers, echoing in a deep voice, "Yeah, I'm a jerk."

Shen You ignored him, turned her head and continued to stare at Xiao Hua. Her head was dizzy, and soon she rested her head on her arm and leaned on the chaise lounge.

The back of her head was facing him.

Chu Xiao stood up, changed his seat, and sat down opposite her, his gaze fixed on her jade-like face.

The girl's almond-shaped eyes were misty, like autumn water shrouded in smoke, with slightly red corners. Her usual aloofness had faded, replaced by an alluring charm that she was unaware of.

Chu Xiao's heart skipped a beat, and his eyes instantly darkened.

A sinister thought crept into his mind: knowing she was currently delirious, he even wanted to use this opportunity to get closer to her.

Thinking this, he leaned closer, his long arm resting on the back of the chair, as if encircling her.

Shen You was completely unaware, his eyes half-raised, muttering something under his breath.

He leaned closer and finally managed to hear a little.

"asshole..."

"Let me get a divorce..."

"Cold-hearted..."

The girl's words were all mumbled, but they were all very clear to him.

Chu Xiao felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on his chest, his heartbeat so heavy it felt like it was being squeezed tightly.

He took her hand and pressed it against his heart, his eyes filled with guilt mixed with deep emotions, as dark as an abyss.

A warm touch came from beneath his palm, and Shen You finally recovered after a few moments of slow reaction.

She withdrew her hand, stood up, and stared at him with her watery eyes, it was unclear whether she recognized him or not.

Her face was flushed, her elegance tinged with a touch of allure.

She shook her head, trying to clear her mind, but felt even more dizzy. She muttered, "Men and women should not touch each other," and stood aside, leaning against the pillar next to her to steady herself.

The cloak the man draped over her shoulders was so large that the hem drew an arc on the ground, almost falling down.

Chu Xiao stepped forward, grabbed the collar of the cloak, and fastened the knot for her. "It's windy at night, put this on."

Shen You looked up at him, her gaze unfocused, taking a long time to finally settle on his face. She brushed his hand away, trying to avoid his touch. "Green Ivy... will be back soon..."

"I have a cloak, I don't need yours."

Chu Xiao paused in his actions, about to say something, when hurried footsteps came from the path outside the pavilion.

Upon seeing her young mistress surrounded by a man, Green Ivy disregarded everything and rushed in, calling out, "Miss!"

Unexpectedly, Mu Geng stopped him at the entrance.

Only then did Green Ivy realize that the man in the pavilion was the Duke of Zhenguo.

"Let go of my daughter!"

Upon hearing Green Ivy's voice, Shen You staggered towards her, leaning on a pillar.

Although she was somewhat more lucid, her body, which had been intoxicated, was somewhat out of control. Her legs were so weak that she was swaying and unable to walk in a straight line.

Without further hesitation, Chu Xiao bent down and picked her up in his arms, saying, "I'll take you home."

However, as the world spun around him, Shen You's forehead nerves throbbed, and a wave of nausea surged up in his throat.

"Let go..."

I feel like throwing up...

Chu Xiao thought she was resisting him, so he didn't let go and carried her out.

Just as he stepped down the stone steps of the pavilion, the girl in his arms suddenly vomited.

In an instant, everything around fell silent.