Chapter 36 Xiao Zhuo: Ridiculous.

Xiao Zhuo lowered his eyes to look at the wrist she was gripping tightly. If the last dream was a coincidence, this time he couldn't find any explanation for why the details in the dream could appear in reality so quickly.

Ying Hui said that dreams may be omens of the future.

How ridiculous! He actually slept with a married woman, and even indulged in debauchery in the Xuande Hall during broad daylight, spending half a day together. And that woman happened to be Yuan Chaolu. In the dream, who was Yuan Chaolu's husband? She even mentioned the arranged marriage, which must have pointed directly to the Prince of Yan…

Yuan Chaolu stood up and asked, "Is Your Majesty angry with me?"

Xiao Zhuo said, "I'll go pour some tea and you can practice your zither."

Not long after he left, the beaded curtain behind him made a crisp sound as it clattered. Xiao Zhuo turned around and stopped beside the curtain, saying softly, "I practiced the zither for a long time today, and my wrists are really sore. I wanted to ask Third Brother if there's any ointment here that can soothe the muscles and tendons?"

Xiao Zhuo brought out the ointment from the inner hall and handed it to Yuan Chaolu. She took it, stroked the porcelain bottle, and said, "Third Brother is so good to me. He found a teacher for me before, and now he is teaching me like this. I have no brothers, so Third Brother treats me like family."

The emperor's inner palace was a forbidden place, and no woman had ever been allowed to enter it. But now, she entered it with ease.

Lately, she has been increasingly pushing the emperor's limits in her actions. Seeing that the emperor's attitude is mild, she always takes advantage of his kindness and acts with impunity.

Xiao Zhuo poured himself a cup of tea and brought it to his lips: "Starting tomorrow, you will no longer need to attend evening classes."

Yuan Chaolu was taken aback and was about to speak when Xiao Zhuo said, "I'm not angry with you."

Xiao Zhuo smiled and said, "I am unwell and need to rest for a few days. You should go back early tonight as well."

Yuan Chaolu frowned slightly, as if she still felt that Xiao Zhuo was angry with her. Xiao Zhuo then gestured for her to extend her hand. Under her burning gaze, he scooped a spoonful of ointment from the medicine jar with his fingertips and applied it to her wrist.

Yuan Chaolu said, "Third Brother even applied medicine for me, so it seems he really wasn't angry."

Xiao Zhuo didn't even raise his head. "Don't call me Third Brother. I don't like it."

When Yuan Chaolu withdrew his hand, the warmth of his fingertips still lingered on his wrist bone, making it feel unusually hot. He said, "Understood, Your Majesty."

Yuan Chaolu stroked her wrist bone, only realizing after leaving Xuande Hall that her wrist was covered in a fine layer of sweat. The Emperor's words that she didn't need to come again made her heart pound like a drum, and her suspicions were almost confirmed.

The man she kissed that night was tall and handsome, his features hidden in the darkness. Who else but the Emperor could resemble the Prince of Yan so closely?

But the emperor had not taken his anger out on her. If it really was him, since the emperor acted as if nothing had happened, she would also pretend not to know and maintain this superficial calm for the time being.

Inside the Xuande Hall, Xiao Zhuo watched that figure disappear into the distance. He raised his teacup to his lips, but the cold tea could not extinguish the burning heat in his heart. Even the fingertips resting on the edge of the teacup were trembling slightly.

The heavy candlelight cast an extremely long shadow on him.

The crickets and cicadas chirped noisily outside the window. He walked out, tugged at his clothes, thinking that there would finally be no trace of her in the hall. But what he saw was the sachet she had left on the zither table, placed on a pink handkerchief.

**

The cicadas' chirping in the summer is noisy and bothersome, and even the flowers and trees droop their buds lazily under the gentle breeze.

Empress Dowager Lu took a short nap in the afternoon. After Xiao Luozhi finished paying his respects, he left Penglai Palace with his entourage.

As Xiao Luo walked, his thoughts were still preoccupied with choosing a husband for Yuan Chaolu, until a clear and gentle voice came from beside him: "You've been so absent-minded lately, are you still troubled by the matter of the Yuan family woman?"

Xiao Luozhi suddenly came to his senses. The person beside him had a gentle and refined face and smiled at him, saying, "Aunt is unwell, Prince Yan, please don't always go against her wishes. Even if you have a thousand thoughts in your heart."

He reached out and brushed the fallen leaves from Xiao Luozhi's shoulder. "You have to keep it hidden, don't make it too obvious."

Xiao Luozhi was taken aback and said, "I know."

He walked forward with Lu Changli. The man beside him walked with an elegant gait and profound demeanor. This cousin, who came from a wealthy family, was highly respected and admired by many famous people. Although he was only one year older than him, he was much more composed and had a reputation for being a gentleman. If nothing unexpected happened, he would be the future head of the Lu family.

Xiao Luozhi asked, "Cousin, are you going to see His Majesty this afternoon?"

“Indeed,” Lu Changli nodded. “I need to report on the construction progress of Jingming Temple in the south of Luoyang. This pagoda is under my supervision. I went to Jiangnan before and did not supervise the construction, so the progress has fallen behind. The last few floors are still missing. It must be completed before my aunt’s birthday in the autumn. Otherwise, I will feel guilty and will have to ask to be imprisoned for punishment.”

When asked about this, Lu Changli's expression softened. "It was a birthday gift I gave to my aunt."

Xiao Luozhi suddenly remembered something and asked in a serious tone, "Cousin, have you stopped taking Five-Stone Powder recently?"

Lu Changli said calmly, "I used it to relieve the pain of my old wound. Your Highness need not worry. I know what I'm doing."

Xiao Luozhi's gaze fell on Lu Changli's left hand hanging by his side.

If there were any flaws in the handsome young master of the Lu family, it would be that he accidentally fell from his horse in his youth, twisting his left hand and rendering it crippled. He could no longer lift objects normally. Fortunately, it was only his left hand, not as fatal as a lame leg, but it was still like a crack in a flawless piece of jade.

"I remember when my cousin returned from Jiangnan, his wrist had already been healed?"

Lu Changli said calmly, "It's broken again. I'm used to it by now."

Xiao Luozhi pursed his lips and said, "The Five-Stone Powder is harmful to the body and is not a long-term solution. That famous doctor from Jiangnan can cure an old injury that even the Imperial Hospital couldn't treat. Her medical skills must be extraordinary. Why don't we invite that female doctor to the palace..."

Lu Changli said, "Your Highness, please don't bring this up again."

Xiao Luozhi noticed that Lu Changli's usually gentle expression suddenly turned cold because of those words. After a moment, his smile returned, and he deliberately changed the subject, "Your Highness, is that the academy ahead?"

The two stood on a high place, on the artificial hill, and could see the scene of students leaving the academy in the distance. Many noble ladies filed out of the academy, their clothes fragrant and their hair elegant, chatting and laughing. From afar, one could hear the clear laughter of the girls and the clinking of their jade pendants.

"Which one of them is Miss Yuan the Second?"

Xiao Luozhi gazed into the distance, then suddenly turned and stared intently at the person beside him.

Lu Changli said, "Why is Your Highness looking at me like that?"

Xiao Luozhi smiled and shook his head: "It's nothing. If you want to see it, cousin, I'll point it out to you."

Xiao Luozhi scanned the crowd, about to point something out, but found that Lu Changli's gaze was already fixed on Yuan Chaolu.

"Who is that?" Lu Changli frowned slightly.

Xiao Luozhi replied, "It is indeed Miss Yuan Er. My cousin has met you?"

Lu Changli's voice was extremely calm, "Somewhat like an old friend." His gaze passed through Yuan Chaolu, as if he saw something else.

Xiao Luo asked, "Who is this old friend?"

"I met a woman in Jiangnan, but she has already passed away. The two only look somewhat alike at first glance." Lu Changli turned back and smiled faintly. "Your Highness, are you perhaps considering having me marry a woman from the Yuan family?"

Xiao Luozhi said, "It seems my cousin is still unmarried. I was just thinking..."

His cousin had been a man of impeccable morals for many years, abstaining from women. There was no word of him having any romantic affairs with women. Prime Minister Lu and Empress Dowager Lu had tried to arrange a marriage for him, but he politely declined. Over time, all the prominent families knew that the young master of the Lu family had extremely high standards, yet the desire to form a marriage alliance with the Lu family never ceased.

Lu Changli said, "The Empress Dowager cannot tolerate the Yuan family's daughter. Even if Your Highness cancels the marriage with her, she will never allow me to marry her."

His voice was very faint, dissipating in the wind. Lu Changli shifted his gaze from Yuan Chaolu and strolled forward with the Prince of Yan.

**

Yuan Chaolu, caught up in the conversation between the two, was unaware of what others were saying about her. At that moment, she was carrying a book box and talking with Pei Lan under the eaves.

There were no classes scheduled at Hongwen Academy this afternoon, and the girls finished school very early.

She and Pei Lan agreed to leave the palace together in the afternoon to go to the military review ground to see the heavenly horses.

This Miss Pei may seem aloof, but she is actually warm-hearted and never looked down on her past or treated her with disdain. On the contrary, the two started interacting because of the Penglai Palace incident.

This was the first true friend Yuan Chaolu made after arriving in Luoyang, and he was unwilling to offend him.

Furthermore, since the Prince of Yan has repeatedly stated that there is absolutely no possibility of a marriage between them, I will take this opportunity to see what Pei Xi is like and try to get along with him...

Yuan Chaolu and Pei Lan bid each other a brief farewell under the corridor before Yuan Chaolu turned and went to her bedchamber to change her clothes.

Upon entering, one sees the tables in the hall piled high with robes, and He Yi's figure moving about the hall, packing her belongings.

Yuan Chaolu put down the book box. “Sister Heyi, you will be leaving the capital the day after tomorrow to deliver the antidote to your elder sister. I have bought you a few new robes. The journey will be dusty, so it will be convenient for you to change into them. Please see if they fit you.”

He Yi looked at the robe and her eyes immediately reddened. She said, "Why did you prepare all this? It's really made of the finest material. You've gone to so much trouble, A-Ju."

Yuan Chaolu reached out and took the moon-white long robe from Heyi's hands. "The situation on my sister's side is unclear. Be careful on your journey. If you encounter any difficulties, ask someone to send a message to the capital. I will find a way."

He Yi took Yuan Chaolu's hand and said, "I will deliver the medicine safely to your sister, but after I leave, you will be all alone in Luoyang, and I will really worry about you."

Yuan Chaolu smiled as she carefully folded the robe and put it into her bundle, saying, "Actually, it's better that you're not here, Sister Heyi. I don't have any scruples about what I do. Otherwise, like last time when you were poisoned, I worried about you day and night, and I would have felt really bad about it..."

He Yi gazed at her retreating figure: "There's one more thing, Aju, listen to me. While I'm gone, you must be careful of those high-ranking officials in the court."

Yuan Chaolu stopped what she was doing, turned around, and didn't understand why she suddenly said this: "Heyi?"

He Yi hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but stopped herself. In fact, not only today, but several times before, she had subtly hinted at it to Yuan Chaolu. Yuan Chaolu had long sensed that she had something else to say.

He Yi smiled and said, "It's nothing. I just want you to be wary of them and not offend the powerful. If you encounter any difficulties while I'm away, go and consult Doctor Qi."

Yuan Chaolu said softly, "Okay."

He Yi went to the Imperial Medical Bureau to get the antidote prepared by Qi Yu, while Yuan Chaolu moved to the inner palace to change her clothes.

She opened the cabinet, and what came into view was a brand-new riding outfit. The stitches were fine and even, and it was clear at a glance that it was made with the finest craftsmanship. The last time the emperor had her walk around in front of him while wearing the riding outfit, a few days later, this riding outfit was delivered to her palace. Compared to the previous one, the cuffs were more neatly gathered, obviously having been carefully altered to fit her figure perfectly.

The emperor was meticulous, considering even the smallest details.

However… since leaving Xuande Hall that night, no further summons had been sent to her from the palace. The two had not seen each other for several days.

What has been bothering her most lately is the harassment from Lu Yu of the Lu family. For two consecutive days, he has been blocking her way home from school, taking advantage of her being alone to come out from a secluded spot under the corridor.

Lu Yu's repeated offenses were due to the Empress Dowager's influence, and she had to prevent this from happening again.

As Yuan Chaolu took her riding gear out of the cabinet, she heard a loud crash as the window was ripped open by the wind. She rushed forward and pulled the window back open. Looking up, she saw leaden-gray clouds rolling across the sky and suddenly worried that her trip today would be disrupted by rain.

Just then, hurried footsteps came from the outer hall. Yuan Chaolu turned her head and saw He Yi stagger into the hall, her face as pale as a sheet of paper.

"Sister Heyi, what's wrong?" Yuan Chaolu's heart tightened, and she quickly went to meet her, supporting her trembling arm. "Did something happen when you were getting the antidote?"

He Yi grabbed Yuan Chaolu's hand; her fingertips were icy cold, making Yuan Chaolu shiver. He Yi's pupils darted, filled with terror: "I saw that person, the one who harmed your sister!"

Without any prior context, Yuan Chaolu urged her to calm down before speaking. He Yi's trembling voice rang out, "Do you remember, before your elder sister passed away, you asked her if she had any regrets?"

Yuan Chaolu murmured, "My elder sister said that if possible, we should investigate the truth behind the Yuan family being framed back then."

“That’s not all!” He Yi suddenly raised her voice, her eyes instantly turning red. “She never told you the truth. She was also framed and was afraid that you would be implicated because of her.”

Seeing her so panicked expression, Yuan Chaolu knew that something was definitely not normal, so he quickly helped her sit down.

He Yi's chest heaved violently as she spoke, word by word: "When your elder sister was in Jiangnan, she was framed by a brother and sister. They plotted against her, tarnished her reputation, seized her medicinal herb fields, and destroyed the decades-old legacy left by her teacher's wife..."

She still remembered that when Yuan Zhaobi was bedridden, tears would stream down his face when he brought up this matter, and he couldn't stop them.

He Yi said, "Your elder sister's health was already poor before she went to the capital. It was all because of that brother and sister. Those two were the descendants of nobles and high-ranking officials in the capital. The elder brother was ordered to come to Jiangnan under an assumed name to handle the canal transport business. In order to acquire land, he secretly approached your elder sister. However, the other party had the heart of a wolf and betrayed your elder sister. He also set fire to the medicinal herb fields. Your elder sister was seriously injured and went through a life-or-death experience before she finally escaped death. When she heard the news from the capital that the Yuan family had been exonerated, your elder sister dragged her crippled body back to the capital and finally regained her original name."

Yuan Chaolu asked, "Who are those two people? Why didn't you report them, elder sister?"

Tears welled up in He Yi's eyes: "How can I report them? When those officials from Jiangnan see them, which one of them doesn't bow and scrape before them? I heard they are officials appointed by the court, descendants of nobles, extremely prestigious. To be ordered to supervise such a major matter concerning the national economy and people's livelihood as the Grand Canal transport, they are far from ordinary officials. Your elder sister has just entered the capital and her position is not yet stable. She is afraid of alerting the enemy, so she can only suppress her grievances in her heart."

"She should have been resting and recovering, but upon hearing the news that you might still be alive, she set off for the Northwest to find you without even resting for a few days..."

Yuan Chaolu felt ice-cold all over. No wonder her elder sister kept reminding her to be careful of the treacherous and dangerous capital city before she closed her eyes.

It felt like something was gripping her heart tightly, the pain almost suffocating her.

He Yi choked up: "On my way back from the Imperial Medical Academy, I bumped into someone. He was the cousin of those two siblings. He was following them back in Jiangnan. But I'm not sure if he recognized me!"

Before the words were finished, a rapid and forceful knocking sound came from outside the palace door.

The two people in the hall exchanged a glance. He Yi's face was drained of color. Yuan Chaolu held her cold hand, her fingertips tightening slightly. "Perhaps it's Lord Pei or Pei Lan. I'll go take a look."

Outside, a torrential downpour was making the light extremely dim, casting the shadows of approaching people onto the doors and windows.

She walked step by step toward the door and asked, "Who is it?" but there was no response.

The knocking grew more urgent, like a death knell.

The door had barely opened a crack when a gust of wind, carrying icy raindrops, rushed in.

Lu Yu stood outside the door, his brocade robe half-wet from the rain, water dripping from his hair, his eyes dark and gloomy, as if weighed down by a layer of dark clouds.

Before she could speak, Lu Yu strode across the threshold: "Where is that woman? I saw her come in here!"