Chapter 73 "Yuan Chaolu, it's been such a long time..."

Although the Empress was pregnant, her pulse was unstable, so the Emperor would wait a while before announcing the good news to the world.

The day after this incident, the Empress summoned one person to the palace.

The woman arrived in a carriage and entered Changqiu Palace silently in the afternoon. She was then taken by the female official Qingheng to the Empress's Changqiu Palace.

Yuan Chaolu looked at Li Qing'e, the wife of the head of the Yuan family, who was kneeling below, and said, "Try to recall carefully how your husband, Yuan Li, got into an argument with someone at the restaurant that day?"

After the death of Yuan Li, the head of the Yuan family, his wife Li Qing'e was left to struggle to support the family. Now she is emaciated and has lost her former beauty. It is said that during this time, creditors have been coming to collect debts, and no one is helping her. She is having a very difficult time.

Yuan Chaolu summoned Li Qing'e because she was thinking of Yuan Li, the head of the Yuan family, who had also gotten into a fight in a restaurant, was seriously injured, and died soon after falling ill. It seemed that there was no necessary connection between this and the matter of the second young master of the Lu family. However, after Yuan Chaolu sorted out the intricate details, a name almost immediately came to mind.

The Empress used a combination of kindness and severity, half admonishing and half threatening, "Is it related to Lu Changli? Will you talk or not?"

Li Qing'e's face was deathly pale. After a moment, she raised her swollen eyes and stammered, "You mean... Lord Lu. I only recently came to my senses. The death of the head of the family is inextricably linked to Lu Changli, the Minister of Revenue."

Li Qing'e prostrated herself before Yuan Chaolu, grasping Yuan Chaolu's embroidered shoe, "If Your Majesty the Empress is willing to protect me, then I will naturally tell you the truth..."

Yuan Chaolu said, "Explain yourself clearly, why is Lu Changli involved in this?"

"Because... I once said something I shouldn't have to Lord Lu. At that time, my family was desperate and had no choice but to beg Lu Changli for help. He promised to make the head of the family an official in charge of material allocation at Jingming Temple, but then the head of the family met with an accident."

"Oh? Did you say something you shouldn't have to Lu Changli?"

Li Qing'e huddled beside the table, thin and disheveled, showing no trace of her former noblewoman appearance. She suddenly fell silent, slumped in a corner, trembling.

Yuan Chaolu shook her head and was about to get up when Li Qing'e raised her voice and said—

"Regarding the Empress's mother, the matter of her murder back then."

Yuan Chaolu stopped and met Li Qing'e's sparkling eyes.

Li Qing'e said, "Back then, my elder brother, who was also the Empress's father, was framed and imprisoned for speaking frankly to the Emperor of Chu... It was the Lu family who fabricated the charges, which led the Emperor of Chu to severely punish my elder brother!"

"With the death of my eldest brother, the Yuan family has almost lost its pillar! Just then, the Hu people approached, and Chang'an was in chaos. The Chu Emperor ordered the eastward relocation. On the way, my sister-in-law was unaware of the Lu family's treacherous intentions. She traveled eastward with several high-ranking members of the Xiao and Lu families. Who would have thought..."

Li Qing'e wept bitterly: "Empress Dowager Lu summoned me to her presence and ordered me to devise a plan to cover up the incident where my sister-in-law was separated from the caravan!"

"I was forced into this situation and had no intention whatsoever of harming my sister-in-law! Nor did I wish to cause Her Majesty the Empress and her daughter to be separated and wander outside for more than ten years!"

When the words "Empress Dowager Lu" appeared, Yuan Chao's heart skipped a beat, but he wasn't too surprised.

However, Yuan Chaolu could not completely believe Li Qing'e's claim that she had absolved herself of all responsibility.

After reviewing the documents from the previous dynasty, Lu Chao learned that after the Chu dynasty moved its capital, the Lu family completely took over the former power of the Yuan family. The second branch of the Yuan family then attached themselves to the Lu family and benefited greatly from it.

Li Qing'e could not be allowed to live, but it would be easy for Yuan Chaolu to kill her. However, now was not the time to alert Lu Changli and let him know that he had found out about the past.

Yuan Chaolu said, "Go back first, and I will secretly arrange for people to protect your family."

Li Qing'e kowtowed repeatedly to express her gratitude.

Next, Yuan Chaolu summoned Lu Chun'an, the eldest son of the Lu family and a vice minister of the Chancellery.

Lu Chun'an recalled the details of Lu Er's argument with someone that night—

"My younger brother has only recently taken office. He went to a restaurant and met several young gentlemen from the capital who came up to congratulate him. My brother is easily swayed and inexperienced, so how could he withstand their toasts? He also wanted to make friends with these gentlemen, so he got a little drunk..."

Yuan Chaolu listened and found that the details were exactly the same as those described by Li Qing'e: Yuan Li had also met several high-ranking officials from the capital in a restaurant. They first exchanged toasts and then became sworn brothers. After that, he was instigated by others and got into a dispute with another group of people.

"This morning, officials from the court came directly to my residence and took my younger brother away. My father, who was already in poor health, almost fainted upon hearing the news."

Lu Chun'an's eyes revealed his true feelings: "My younger brother is useless, but he has realized his mistakes. He was just blinded by the power and influence of the nobles when he came to the capital. Naturally, I hope that Your Majesty the Empress can lend a helping hand."

Yuan Chaolu said, "Then do you know that it was His Majesty who personally determined the crime?"

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Lu Chun, who stood rooted to the spot. "Your Majesty!"

Lu Chun'an said, "Since entering Luoyang, my family has been living in constant fear and apprehension, afraid that our secret will be exposed. Please, in consideration of the Lu family's service to the Empress and our efforts to conceal the past, save my younger brother!"

Yuan Chaolu asked, "What does Lord Lu mean?"

Lu Chun'an said with exasperation, "Your Majesty, please save me just this once!"

Yuan Chaolu looked down at the man kneeling before her and chuckled, "I understand what Young Master Lu meant. That's interesting. Let's go back—"

She said again, "Lord Lu, please go back first. Allow me to think it over carefully. You can come to see me again in three days."

Lu Chun'an then withdrew.

Yuan Chaolu's eyes grew cold, but a faint smile appeared on his lips.

The Lu family is unaware that she is pregnant with the emperor's child; otherwise, they wouldn't have dared to speak so recklessly today.

From the moment she learned of what the Second Young Master Lu had done, she knew that joining the Lu family would inevitably be a hindrance.

She would never allow a family harboring her secrets to manipulate her at will...

Yuan Chaolu looked to her sides. Rows of chests and boxes were arranged on both sides of the hall, filled with glittering gold treasures. She touched them with her fingertips, and her expression softened.

These were all gifts sent by the Emperor this morning to the Empress and the unborn child.

**

After lunch, Zhong Changjun, the emperor's eunuch, came to pay his respects to the empress on behalf of the emperor.

Zhong Changjun placed the food box on the table, took out a bowl of medicinal soup from it, looked at Yuan Chaolu, and smiled so hard that the muscles on his thin face bulged. He said, "This is a nourishing soup for the fetus that His Majesty sent this old servant to deliver."

Yuan Chao paused for a moment, then said, "Thank you for coming, Lord Zhong, but my medicine has already been ordered by the Imperial Medical Bureau..."

Zhong Changjun said, "His Majesty inquired about the Imperial Medical Bureau this morning and learned that the Empress had not taken any medicine today, so he specially ordered me to bring this bowl."

He carefully delivered the medicine to Yuan Chaolu, saying, "His Majesty specifically instructed that, fearing that Your Highness might forget to take the medicine, I can only return to report after Your Highness has drunk it."

Yuan Chaolu frowned as she looked at the bowl of brown soup, then lifted it up and put it in her mouth. After putting the bowl down, her brows furrowed even more.

Zhong Changjun took the porcelain bowl and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty. I will go back to report now. Please take care of yourself, Your Majesty."

"etc--"

Yuan Chaolu rose from behind the table. "His Majesty is practicing riding and archery with some ministers in the rear garden of Zhaoyang Palace this afternoon. I have nothing to do this afternoon, so I'll go and see His Majesty."

Zhong Changjun's eyes lit up: "That would be perfect, I'll accompany you."

As the autumn wind rises, the maple leaves planted along the palace path turn red. When the autumn wind blows, they ripple like red clouds, creating a rustling sound.

Zhaoyang Palace was a hall where ceremonies, court assemblies and many other occasions were held. After the emperor and his ministers finished their discussions in the afternoon, they would practice riding and archery on a grassy field behind Zhaoyang Palace.

When Yuan Chaolu stepped into the front hall of Zhaoyang Palace, the magnificent hall was empty and deserted.

Zhong Changjun said, "Your Majesty, you are feeling unwell, please wait here. This servant will go and call His Majesty."

Yuan Chao did not use the open road, and went forward with Zhong Changjun, but saw a figure moving in the shadow of the curtain in the distance.

Soon, a figure stepped out from behind the curtain.

The first to step out was a young man, tall and imposing, still in his armor, talking to his subordinates behind him. He listened respectfully, then looked up at Yuan Chaolu, revealing a face that Yuan Chaolu recognized.

The man's expression hardened, and he quickly turned to the man beside him and said something.

Then, the leader looked over.

Helan Zhen, the young lady of the Helan family, was born beautiful and charming. Her elder brother, Helan Yi, was also outstanding in appearance and handsome. As a military general, he was tall and imposing, and his presence alone was enough to intimidate people.

The moment their eyes met, Yuan Chaolu felt as if a chill had filled her throat and chest, and her whole body began to tremble uncontrollably.

Why is Helan Yi here?

Shouldn't he be guarding the border?

Memories of how this man repeatedly caught her when she was trapped in Helan's house over the past few years, and how he treated her like an ant in the palm of his hand, surged up in a cacophony.

The figure drew closer, the crisp sound of footsteps striking her heart.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty?" Zhong Changjun spoke from beside her, and Yuan Chaolu suddenly came back to her senses.

The man stopped less than ten feet away from her, removed his helmet, took a step back, bowed, knelt, and saluted—a series of movements performed with fluid grace.

"This humble general, Helan Yi, has entered Luoyang to pay homage to Her Majesty the Empress—"

Every word he uttered was powerful and resounding, echoing throughout the hall.

Yuan Chaolu felt as if his throat was being choked, unable to utter a single byte, as if trapped in a suffocating nightmare.

Silence lingered in the hall for a long time; the air seemed to freeze.

The Empress stood still, never urging General Helan to rise. After a while, Zhong Changjun noticed something amiss and called out again, "Your Majesty?"

Yuan Chaolu smiled slightly, a perfectly timed smile on his lips, and his clear voice rang out: "So it's General Helan, please rise."

She raised her hand slightly, her wide sleeves cascading down, "General, you have made outstanding contributions to cleaning the outer court and guarding the borders for His Majesty. I have long heard of you, and today I finally get to see you."

Helan Yi slowly rose, his armor clattering softly. A smile played on his lips, but his eyes were as deep as an abyss as he looked straight at her. "Your Majesty flatters me. This humble general is merely fulfilling his duty."

"It is a pity that I was unable to congratulate Your Majesty and the Empress on their marriage. It is truly regrettable."

His gaze fell unabashedly upon Yuan Chaolu. "I wonder...did Your Highness like the gift I presented to you earlier?"

"Which one is it?" Yuan Chao frowned slightly, as if pondering, but quickly relaxed. "My memory is not good. Do you remember, Zhong Gong?"

Before Zhong Changjun could speak, Yuan Chaolu smiled and said, "General, you are very kind. His Majesty is waiting for me. It is not convenient to talk to you at the moment. I am feeling unwell. Zhong Changjun, please help me."

She placed one hand on Zhong Changjun's arm and the other hand gently in front of her body. This action naturally drew Helan Yi's gaze to her lower abdomen.

He stepped aside, leaned slightly forward, and said in a very low voice, "Your subject respectfully sees off Her Majesty the Empress."

As she brushed past him, Yuan Chaolu glanced sideways and met Helan Yi's direct gaze, a look that was both intense and blatant, just as it had been when she was at Helan's house.

They covet, savor, and make no attempt to hide it, even more so than before.

After bypassing the curtain and entering the rear garden of Zhaoyang Palace, a gust of autumn wind blew in her face. Yuan Chaolu finally seemed to break free from a nightmare and asked in a trembling voice, "Lord Zhong, why is General Helan here?"

Zhong Changjun spoke gently: "At the beginning of the year, Daqi won a great victory in the battle against the border. After the war ended, General Helan should have personally gone to Luoyang to report. However, due to many matters, he was delayed. Now that winter is approaching, the enemy troops on the border have not made any unusual moves. General Helan should naturally go to the capital."

"I just didn't expect the general to be so fast, arriving several days earlier than expected."

Yuan Chaolu composed himself and murmured, "So that's how it is."

Helan Yi's appearance was like an unexpected complication, disrupting Yuan Chaolu's mood. She had to force herself to calm down and think about what to do next.

Zhong Changjun said, "This servant will go and inform His Majesty that the Empress has arrived?"

Yuan Chaolu looked up and saw the Emperor practicing archery with others in the distant garden. The Emperor suddenly raised his hand and said, "His Majesty is accompanied by his ministers, so I can't say anything. Tell him that the Empress came to see him and that he has listened to the doctor's advice and taken the medicine sent to prevent miscarriage."

Zhong Changjun said, "Since Your Highness has already come, why don't we wait a bit?"

Yuan Chaolu raised her hand to her forehead, "The sun is too hot, I feel a little dizzy."

Zhong Changjun hurriedly stepped forward to help her up, saying, "Then Your Highness should go back and rest. This servant will go and have someone prepare the phoenix carriage."

She said "okay," and just then she saw a eunuch coming down from the grassland, carrying a water bag. She beckoned him over and asked, "Is this His Majesty's water bag?"

"yes."

"Then leave it to me. You can take it to His Majesty later and tell him that I personally fetched the water for him. Oh, and..."

The Empress added, "Please invite him to visit me at Changqiu Palace this evening. Be sure to tell him that I am waiting for him to dine with me."

The young eunuch caught a glimpse of a faint blush rising on the Empress's earlobes and quickly replied, "This servant will go and report this immediately."

Zhong Changjun sent someone to prepare the phoenix carriage, and Yuan Chaolu stepped into Zhaoyang Palace alone and walked out.

Sunlight streamed obliquely through the windows, falling on the dragon-carved pillars inside the hall, casting a hazy golden glow over everything.

The hall was empty, with only the sound of Yuan Chaolu's footsteps remaining.

An arm suddenly reached out from behind a pillar and pulled her behind a curtain.

The man's aura entered her nostrils, and almost instantly, Yuan Chaolu realized who it was. She stepped aside to avoid him, her gaze icy.

A tall figure stood in the shadows.

General Helan Yi, who should have left, stood there, his face half-lit and half-shadowed, except for his long, narrow eyes, which were illuminated by the light.

He spoke, smiling—

"Yuan Chaolu, it's been a long time."

-----------------------

Author's Note: There's a red envelope dropping in this chapter, muah~