Chapter 51 "Does Your Majesty like it?"...

Xiao Luozhi was shocked to hear this and asked again to make sure he hadn't misheard.

Prince Anle said, "Your Highness once had a close relationship with Miss Yuan, but later it was rumored that Your Highness's teacher and Miss Yuan were getting married. This should not be said to His Highness Prince Yan, but we have seen for sure that Miss Yuan and a young man were in the woods."

Xiao Luo asked, "Who is that young master?"

"We were too far away, and the light in the bamboo forest was dim. The man had his back to us, so we couldn't see him clearly. We could only make out from a distance that he was wearing a scarlet robe and was quite tall."

Xiao Luo asked, "Are you sure it's a secret rendezvous?"

The other young man beside him said, "Of course, if it were an ordinary relationship, that man wouldn't have helped Miss Yuan brush the grass off her hair and held hands with her in the woods, would he? Not only me, but everyone saw it at the time."

Everyone testified that they saw it with their own eyes, and that the man was not Lord Pei, because they had seen Pei Xi on the way up the mountain.

The crowd asked, "Would Your Highness like to come with us to take a look?"

Xiao Luozhi pondered for a moment, glanced at the palace behind him, and said, "I have no mind to care about this matter right now. Let's wait until the Empress Dowager is out of danger before we talk about it."

His mind was in turmoil, and he naturally couldn't leave the Empress Dowager's palace at this moment, but he couldn't help but wonder who the man was.

Upon hearing this, his first thought was, could the person Yuan Chaolu was having a secret rendezvous with be his own brother?

He was deeply puzzled when he learned from Pei Xi that the one who rode the heavenly horse in the martial arts arena that day was Yuan Chaolu. He had clearly asked his brother before if the Miss Zhou who rode the heavenly horse was Zhou Aju, but his brother had denied it outright...

But I'm afraid my brother wouldn't be able to bring himself to have a secret rendezvous with a woman tonight.

Moreover, my elder brother has never liked wearing scarlet clothes.

Who else could the man in the woods be but the Emperor? I've never heard of Yuan Chaolu getting close to any young man in the academy.

As he was lost in thought, the palace doors opened and Qi Yu walked out, saying that the Empress Dowager had awakened.

Xiao Luozhi breathed a sigh of relief. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw everyone behind him kneeling down. He then turned around and saw the emperor walking slowly towards him with his attendants.

The night was as white as frost, adding a layer of radiance to the emperor's moon-white robes.

Xiao Luozhi's gaze first fell on his robes, lingered for a moment, and then he raised his head to bow and said, "Your Majesty, Mother has awakened."

Xiao Zhuo said, "Let's go in together."

Inside the hall, the windows were closed, and heavy curtains hung, filling the air with a strong, almost impenetrable, medicinal smell.

Empress Dowager Lu lay on the vermilion nanmu bed, her face weak and pale. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at the emperor and the people behind him.

The emperor sat down beside the couch, took the empress dowager's hand, and gently comforted her.

"The medical records sent by the Imperial Medical Bureau previously stated that the Empress Dowager's health had improved, and there were no signs of deterioration during her visit to Hualin Garden. How could her illness have suddenly worsened tonight?" the Emperor questioned.

Qi Yu bowed his head and said, "The Empress Dowager's old ailment is intermittent. Now, in the height of summer, the heat is unbearable, and her abdomen is often filled with dry and stagnant qi, which is why her symptoms have come on so suddenly today. Your Majesty, please rest assured, I have already performed acupuncture on the Empress Dowager to relieve the symptoms, and I will surely ensure that the Empress Dowager's health will improve completely."

The emperor remained silent for a long time, and Qi Yu's palms began to sweat.

"Since you are in charge of the Empress Dowager's medical records, you should have been aware of this beforehand."

Qi Yu repeatedly apologized, and another old physician behind him also kowtowed, accepting the blame together, confirming that what Qi Yu said was true.

Although the emperor had a distant relationship with the empress dowager, he was extremely strict when it came to matters concerning the safety of the empress dowager.

Just then, a faint voice came from inside the bed, "Runlan, where is Runlan?"

The Emperor took the hot handkerchief from the eunuch and wiped the fine sweat from her forehead, saying, "Runlan is still down the mountain. I will have Changli go and call her."

The Empress Dowager's gaze slowly fell on the Emperor's face, and she said, "Good."

**

Miss Lu was in Helan Zhen's tent at that moment. She stood in the center of the tent, her hands stained with blood and beads of sweat rolling down her forehead.

The woman on the bed fainted from the pain, her eyes tightly closed, her breathing weak, and a thick, suffocating smell of blood filled the entire tent.

Lu Runlan stared at her trembling fingertips. Finally, she used the sharp dagger to sever He Lanzhen's already bitten arm.

Helan Zhen is currently running a fever and is in critical condition, with no sign of being out of danger.

"Runlan." Lu Changli's voice came from outside the tent behind her. Lu Runlan seemed to wake from a dream and dropped the gauze in her hand.

"Where is Miss Lu going?" asked the old woman from the Helan family.

Ignoring the obstruction, Lu Runlan stepped out of the tent and ran into Lu Changli. His gaze fell on her, looking her up and down. Lu Runlan didn't need to look to know what her current situation was.

Lu Changli gestured for her to wait outside, then lifted the tent flap and looked inside. He immediately saw the bloody scene inside. His brows furrowed, and as he withdrew, he waved his sleeve to sweep away the stench of blood.

Lu Changli said, "You and I will go first. Physician Qi is here, so there's no need for you to stay."

Lu Runlan nodded, stiffly took the handkerchief to wipe her hands, and watched the imperial physicians enter the tent.

Before meeting the Empress Dowager, Lu Runlan washed off the bloodstains on her body and changed into a clean robe.

The two walked toward the mountain palace. Lu Changli saw that the person behind him was as pale as paper and unsteady on his feet. He asked, "What's wrong? You seem restless the whole way."

Lu Runlan gripped his sleeve, her fingertips trembling slightly: "He Lanzhen's left hand was ripped off by a wild bear, and her forearm was a bloody mess. When I was applying acupuncture..."

Her voice choked with sobs, “I don’t know where the acupoint went wrong, I failed to seal it properly, and the infection spread badly. In desperation, I had no choice but to cut off her entire arm to prevent it from spreading further.”

Lu Changli suddenly stopped, seeing her pale face and helpless expression, and stretched out his arms to pull her into his embrace.

Lu Runlan said, "Brother."

Lu Changli patted her on the back, "Don't panic, at least you're still alive. The imperial physicians will handle the follow-up matters carefully."

He paused, then said in a steady tone, "Besides, it was Helan Zhen who encountered the wild bear. What does it have to do with you? You're already being generous by saving her life."

His calm demeanor and composed tone were indeed very effective in easing people's anxieties.

Lu Runlan took a deep breath. "If it were anyone else, it would be fine, but the other party is Helan Zhen. I'm really afraid of incurring the displeasure of the Helan family."

Lu Changli didn't seem to care: "You're afraid of that?"

“Brother, have you forgotten? I’m going to marry a man from the Helan family,” Lu Runlan said, her eyes sparkling. “If the Helan family asks, you’ll have to help your sister.”

Lu Changli said, "When have I ever not helped you, brother?"

He walked slowly up the mountain, saying, "Wasn't it the same in Jiangnan?"

Lu Runlan was taken aback, not expecting him to bring this up on his own initiative. When Lu Changli was ordered to go to Jiangnan, she used some tricks to get the owner of the folk medical book into prison in order to obtain it. Later, she asked her brother to step in and save him. He staged a play to get the man out of prison, which led to the series of events that followed.

Lu Runlan said, "I caused you trouble, brother, but that woman eventually healed your wrist. Thank you so much, brother."

Lu Changli said, "Don't worry, your marriage to the Helan family will not be affected."

He changed the subject, "But what about Helan Zhen tonight? Shouldn't it be your turn to stay and treat her injuries?"

This is a thankless task. If done well, you might at most receive a word of thanks from the Helan family, but if something goes wrong, there will be endless troubles.

Lu Runlan was uneasy about this. She sighed and said, "At that time, the Helan family insisted on stopping me and Physician Qi. I asked Physician Qi to treat my aunt and stayed behind myself. Besides, I had served in the military camp before and treated wounded soldiers. I thought I could handle this situation well."

However, Helan Zhen's condition was far more critical than imagined; her injuries were spreading rapidly, and she was swollen all over.

Lu Runlan hadn't treated this kind of injury in a long time, and her skills were somewhat rusty. She had definitely made a mistake, causing He Lanzhen's arm to swell and the infection to spread, ultimately leading to the amputation of the entire arm.

She's been spending a lot of time with Helan Zhen lately, and I wonder how she'll view this when Helan Zhen wakes up...

She continued up the mountain, still feeling uneasy.

**

After the commotion of the previous night, the hunting grounds were quiet the next day.

No one expected that such a serious incident would occur at this hunting ceremony, with a noblewoman being ambushed by wild beasts.

Miss Helan's condition is dire. Although the imperial physicians pulled her back from the brink of death, she has not yet woken up after a day and a night, and it cannot be said that she is completely out of danger...

That night, candles were lit in Yuan Chaolu's tent.

The two women sat at the table, conversing quietly. Yuan Chaolu whispered, "Is it all settled?"

Qi Yu said, "Of course everything is fine. It was done very discreetly so that no one would find out that there was a problem with the Empress Dowager's medicine. The box of problematic gold needles that was left for Lu Runlan last night was also destroyed afterwards."

Yuan Chaolu said, "You've worked hard all night."

Qi Yu said, "It's alright. I have always served the Empress Dowager closely and diligently, so she won't suspect anything. But His Majesty is very meticulous, and I'm always worried that he might notice something."

Yuan Chaolu gently patted her hand, "The hunting ceremony will end soon. In a few days, after everyone has left, everything will be fine."

Seeing that it was getting late, Qi Yu had to leave to serve the Empress Dowager, so he bid farewell to Yuan Chaolu and departed.

Before leaving, she took out a box from her sleeve. "You said there was something wrong with this box of spices and asked me to check it. I have already checked it."

Seeing Qi Yu's unusually embarrassed expression, Yuan Chaolu asked, "What is it?"

"An aphrodisiac fragrance."

Yuan Chaolu froze, a blush rising from her neck until her face turned bright red.

After Qi Yu left, Yuan Chaolu stared at the tent for a long time.

She bit her lip, feeling extremely embarrassed and annoyed, when she heard footsteps outside the tent.

"Miss Yuan the Second." The speaker was Zhong Changjun.

Soon after, a tall, slender figure lifted the curtain and entered.

The emperor gestured for Zhong Changjun to leave, then slowly lowered the curtain and stepped into the tent.

Yuan Chaolu remained seated, her gaze following his approach, without ever bowing. After a long while, she rose and said in a low voice, "Why has Your Majesty come?"

Seeing her flustered expression, Xiao Zhuo said, "Since the sister of the General of the West has had an accident, I naturally want to show some concern and come to visit her. I also want to ask you for more details about what happened yesterday."

"What's wrong? Why is your face so red?"

Yesterday, Yuan Chaolu hurriedly recounted the events to him. She and Helan Zhen had an unintentional encounter in the forest, and soon a wild bear pounced out from the shadows. Fortunately, the golden lion protected her and she escaped. In contrast, Miss Helan was not so lucky.

Yuan Chaolu did not answer, staring at the box of spices.

Xiao Zhuo sat down at the table. "The court has already sent a letter to General Zhenxi, transferring him to another general to handle the final stages of the war. He can come to the capital ahead of schedule."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Chaolu was taken aback, forgetting all about the aphrodisiac incense, and stepped forward, saying, "Your Majesty has summoned Helan Yi to the capital ahead of schedule?"

Her strong reaction, and her direct address of Helan Yi by his full name, made Xiao Zhuo take a closer look at her.

Yuan Chaolu came to her senses and sat down beside him, slowly moving closer. "Your Majesty, could you please delay summoning General Helan to the capital? I am truly afraid of General Helan. At that time, Miss Helan and I were in the forest together, and I was fortunate enough to escape unharmed. I fear that when Miss Helan wakes up, she might blame me."

"Since you haven't hurt her, why are you so worried?"

Yuan Chaolu said, "How can I not worry? Miss Helan is delicate, flamboyant, and vindictive. I previously punished Miss Helan by imprisoning her in the Yeting Prison and subjecting her to caning. Has Your Majesty forgotten?"

“Miss Helan and I have never gotten along. I don’t know how she will complain when the time comes.”

Xiao Zhuo said, "I remember that she was the one who spoke ill of you behind your back first, so this punishment is not wrong to blame her."

The young woman's long eyelashes trembled slightly as she said with utter helplessness, "But I am worried. If General Helan insists on seeking justice for Miss Helan, what will I, an orphan, do? Could you please ask General Helan to delay his arrival in the capital..."

Xiao Zhuo said, "That doesn't make sense. Why are you afraid of Helan Yi?"

Yuan Chaolu's fingertips, which were hanging on the carpet, slowly traced towards his fingertips and gently touched them. "It's not that I'm afraid of General Helan, but I'm afraid of those powerful and influential people. If General Helan were to make things difficult for me, would Your Majesty protect me?"

This matter suddenly awakened Yuan Chaolu. Her marriage to Pei Xi was canceled, and she had to get married before Helan Yi entered the capital. She would then be completely married off. At that time, with the old and new grudges combined with the matter of Helan Zhen, Helan Yi would definitely do everything he could to target her.

She was unaware that her words were extremely unusual and had already caught the emperor's attention.

In the dim candlelight, her eyes met the man's.

Xiao Zhuo then saw the girl lean over and take his hand, her eyes shimmering like waves. "I heard from people outside that recently small animals have been sneaking into tents at night. After what happened yesterday, I was really scared."

Xiao Zhuo had come tonight to inquire about the details, saying, "There are guards on duty nearby, so it's very safe for you here..."

Before he could finish speaking, the girl was already close by.

“I don’t dare to rest alone,” she said, her eyes clear. “I need…someone to stay with me.”

Xiao Zhuo raised an eyebrow slightly.

When she said "someone," she lightly hooked her fingertips around his wrist, the implication clear.

Yuan Chaolu turned to look at the Boshan incense burner on the table, picked up an exquisite silver box, and said, "This is the incense that His Majesty brought last time. There is still some left. I think it smells extremely good. May I light some first?"

Xiao Zhuo's gaze fell on that beautiful face, but he did not respond.

She then leaned over to add the spices, and the sound of burning soon filled the air.

She turned around and brought her face closer.

"I really can't spare the time tonight; I still have state affairs to attend to." Xiao Zhuo stood up, but the next moment, she suddenly reached out and grabbed his arm.

Xiao Zhuo lowered his eyes and looked at her smiling face.

The words uttered between the opening and closing of those lips caused Xiao Zhuo's eyelids to tremble slightly.

Because what she asked was: "Are my lips soft?"

She stood up, tiptoed, and whispered in his ear, her voice as fragrant as orchids, "Are my lips pleasant to kiss?"

She was shy yet bold, with innocent and pure eyes.

"As Your Majesty's fiancée, I imagine she is extremely kissable. The night before last, Your Majesty refused to let go, entwining your lips with mine."

Xiao Zhuo's eyes darkened, and his back went numb. Because of those words, it felt as if every pore on his skin had opened up.

Yuan Chaolu wrapped her arms around his neck and brought her lips close to his.

As the candlelight burned out, it flickered and cast the slender shadows of the man and woman onto the tent.

The rising steam of the incense tea stirred one's senses. Xiao Zhuo saw her raise her hand to her chest, as if she were in unbearable discomfort, and some ambiguous sounds escaped her lips.

Under the influence of that voice, the man's handsome face gradually tensed up.

"Your Majesty, I wish you could kiss me again. Because, Your Majesty's kiss made me feel... it felt like..."

She leaned on his shoulder, and a voice, seemingly coming from her throat, said, "I have a strong reaction."

The moment the candle inside the tent went out, Yuan Chaolu's waist was embraced by a pair of strong arms, and she was instantly taken from breathing.

The kiss was passionate, and she was so stimulated that her body trembled slightly.

She pressed herself against him and kissed him passionately.