Chapter 56 Jealousy: He realized that Zhao Liangxu liked someone else...

An He ignored Zhao Liangxu's little provocation, which was clearly meant to make him tone it down and not make things too difficult for Chen Yisheng.

But why should he restrain himself? He simply won't!

"Chen Yisheng, judging from your appearance, you must have come from the Imperial Academy. What's your name? Let me see this fine name of a scholar. Perhaps Chen Yisheng will enter the court and rise through the ranks in the future, and I will have to rely on him." These words were clearly sarcastic.

But Chen Qinglie had to reply: "I am Chen Qinglie, just an ordinary scholar with no special skills. Your Majesty is too kind. What merit do I have to be so highly regarded by Your Majesty? It is truly an honor for me."

“Chen Qinglie,” An He murmured, then laughed, “Oh, quite a bold and impressive name. It also reflects Chen Yisheng’s behavior just now; truly youthful and fierce.” An He’s words were sarcastic.

Chen Qinglie lowered his head even further.

Anhe looked at Chen Qinglie's frightened appearance and mocked him mercilessly.

What kind of resolute young man was he? He was nothing more than a coward who acted on impulse and thought himself brave.

Although Anhe himself was not very old, he had been in the palace for many years and had been at odds with the pedantic and shrewd scholars for so long that they were not wrong to call him a treacherous eunuch.

Having endured many years of hardship, the eunuchs had quite a few tricks up their sleeves.

How could he not see through Chen Qinglie's intentions? The hero saving the damsel in distress had somehow ended up saving him instead?

How ridiculous!

He had seen many people like Chen Qinglie, who appeared proud but were actually weak.

"Secretary Zhao, you really are quite capable. Look how infatuated you are with Chen Yisheng that he even dares to offend us. When we meet him, we really think Chen Yisheng is someone special."

Chen Qinglie wasn't stupid; he could tell that An He wasn't going to let him off easily. As a result, his face grew even paler, and his lips trembled as he tried to explain himself.

Zhao Liangxu was speechless when she heard An He pass the buck to her again.

How come it's my fault again?

Zhao Liangxu didn't want to pay attention to An He, who was now filled with jealousy, and didn't even bother to give him a glance.

Anhe was even angrier.

She didn't even respond to him. Could it be that Zhao Liangxu was dissatisfied because he had ridiculed this lowly translator and embarrassed Chen Qinglie?

Great! In just two months, Zhao Liangxu has already found a suitable candidate.

She probably thinks that everyone is much better than her, a eunuch, and she can't wait to hook up with someone else so that they can leave her as soon as possible!

He could clearly see that Chen Qinglie had feelings for Zhao Liangxu. Such a foolish idiot was indeed easy for Zhao Liangxu to manipulate.

He didn't believe that Zhao Liangxu also had any romantic feelings for Chen Qinglie. He was now like a quail in front of him. How could she possibly look down on such a weak person who only had outward appearance?

Zhao Liangxu is such a smart person, she wouldn't do that. She probably just wants to use Chen Qinglie.

An He ignored Chen Qinglie, who was still standing restrained in front of him, his mind was racing, but his eyes were fixed on Zhao Liangxu.

She doesn't look at me.

Although they were clearly similar gray-blue official robes, Chen Qinglie looked unremarkable in them, and even made An He feel a little shabby.

However, Zhao Liangxu's attire was simple yet elegant. The gray-blue color was very plain, but in An He's eyes, Zhao Liangxu's round-necked robe, which didn't even have any patterns, was truly beautiful.

This gray-blue color is very similar to that of a magpie with blue feathers, standing out as a delicate and elegant beauty amidst the gray feathers.

A simple belt cinches the waist, outlining an elegant and graceful figure.

Anhe often felt confused, doubtful, and fearful of himself. He liked Zhao Liangxu, and his liking for her grew stronger with the subtle displays of intimacy she showed him.

From no longer wanting to kill her, to not wanting her to get hurt, to wanting her to smile at him all day long, to wanting her to be closer to him.

He no longer resembles a high-ranking official.

He was a man whose emotions were swayed by Zhao Liangxu's emotions, and he was powerless to do anything about it.

He didn't even dare let Zhao Liangxu know his sordid thoughts; a dignified high-ranking official like himself was so humiliated.

Anhe always thought that maintaining the status quo was actually quite good.

If Zhao Liangxu is willing to pretend, then he is more than happy to pretend along with her, willing to blur the lines between Zhao Liangxu's side in this muddled way.

However, he became too proud of this and forgot that Zhao Liangxu would come into contact with countless other people besides himself.

And, unconsciously, they will attract attention.

Doesn't she know her own appearance? If she spends even a little more time with these disgusting intellectuals, they'll think she's already hopelessly in love with them! Conversely, their admiration is cheap, and they love themselves the most for their self-pity.

Zhao Liangxu may have just unintentionally had more contact with Chen Qinglie. Look, this young scholar is already going to offend him for Zhao Liangxu's sake.

Furthermore...

An He recalled Zhao Liangxu's little tricks when they were together, and his face darkened again.

What if Zhao Liangxu got used to these actions and started hugging and cuddling with others? He knew that Zhao Liangxu never cared about the separation of men and women promoted by Southern Zhou. He had been secretly pleased about this before, but now he was terrified at the thought.

Since that's the case...

Anhe stretched out his arm, unusually taking the initiative to slip it through Zhao Liangxu's wide sleeves, wrap it around Zhao Liangxu's waist, and pull her towards him.

Zhao Liangxu was startled and before she could react, An He pulled her close to him.

The sandalwood scent emanating from the two of them blended together very naturally.

An He looked at Chen Qinglie with a hint of smugness that even she herself didn't realize. When Chen Qinglie saw Zhao Liangxu being forcibly pulled into An He's arms, a spark of courage that had been extinguished rekindled within him: "Your Highness, how can you treat a woman like this! In broad daylight, how can you defile a woman's purity!"

He raised his voice and questioned An He in a very reasonable manner.

Even if he were a high-ranking official, he shouldn't be in such close contact with a woman outside the palace for no reason!

Although Zhao Liangxu...

As soon as he thought of something, Chen Qinglie's dizzy mind was suddenly doused with a bucket of cold water.

He remembered the rumors Zhao Liangxu had been spreading. It wasn't a big deal, but he couldn't stop thinking about it. He was momentarily speechless, unable to stammer out any more words.

In his panic, he uttered a deeply sinful sentence: "Even if you are too..."

He suddenly shut his mouth.

No matter how stupid he is, he should know what he can say and what he can say that will lead to his death.

An He felt even more disgusted with Chen Qinglie at this moment. He wanted to mock Chen Qinglie's wavering mind, but the words he spoke with a smile could not hide his murderous intent: "Chen Yisheng, you should know who Zhao Liangxu is to our family, right? What right do you have to speak to our family like this?"

"How dare you speak to our family like that?"

"What are you trying to say? Even if our family is a eunuch?"

Anhe didn't know how he could still hold back and continue, "In my opinion, you're not thinking about the word 'eunuch,' are you? You're probably thinking, 'Even if I'm a eunuch,' right?"

He knew that everyone secretly mocked and looked down on his eunuch status, and that he could kill them all. But that didn't mean that he could ignore someone who was openly flaunting their status in front of him.

In his eyes, Chen Qinglie was already a dead man.

But at this moment, Zhao Liangxu reached into Anhe's wide sleeve and groped to take his hand.

Zhao Liangxu was pulled into An He's arms. She instinctively struggled, but this only made An He hold her even tighter.

Seeing that Anhe was getting angrier and angrier, she knew that Chen Qinglie had completely angered Anhe.

Although Chen Qinglie and she were not close friends, they had worked together for two months and were considered relatively familiar colleagues.

She wasn't a truly wicked person, nor was she a bloodthirsty monster; she couldn't possibly watch Chen Qinglie charge straight at An He and deliver his own head to the ground.

Moreover, Chen Qinglie came for her. Although she didn't know what strange stories Chen Qinglie was imagining, and although his words sometimes inexplicably made her feel uncomfortable, it was better not to die if she could avoid it.

She took Anhe's hand from under her sleeve and tickled his palm twice.

Zhao Liangxu sighed inwardly.

Sigh, she still doesn't understand what her feelings are, even though they've held hands so many times.

Zhao Liangxu said to An He, "Eunuch An, getting angry is especially bad for your health."

She shook Anhe's hand again: "He does know me after all. For my sake, Eunuch An, at least calm down and let it all down?"

Zhao Liangxu's two words gently fell into An He's ears, but they did not alleviate the situation at all; instead, they made him even more jealous.

Zhao Liangxu actually pleaded for him? What is Chen Qinglie anyway, and what ability does he have to win Zhao Liangxu's plea?

Could it be that he's mistaken?

It wasn't just Chen Qinglie talking; could there really be some feelings between the two of them?

Could it be that in just two months, Zhao Liangxu has really fallen for this Chen Qinglie?

Otherwise, why would she plead for a mere colleague?

Zhao Liangxu noticed that An He's breathing had become heavier and more rapid.

She was really puzzled as to what Anhe was thinking. When Anhe heard her say those two sentences, Anhe not only didn't calm down, but became even angrier.

Zhao Liangxu felt that if they waited any longer, the situation might turn from a stalemate into a deadlock.

In the blink of an eye, an idea popped into Zhao Liangxu's mind. Even she felt that the idea was somewhat inappropriate, but if the situation continued to stalemate, it would indeed be dangerous.

Zhao Liangxu could only brace herself against An He with one hand, trying to break free from his embrace.

If An He insisted on holding on tightly, he could probably entangle with Zhao Liangxu for a while, but Zhao Liangxu was struggling fiercely, and he was worried that with his current temperament, continuing to hold her forcefully might hurt her.

He had no choice but to angrily let go.

But he became more and more certain that Zhao Liangxu's feelings for Chen Qinglie were definitely not ordinary!

Otherwise, why would Zhao Liangxu, who is usually so demure, be so different now, even unwilling to have any close contact with Chen Qinglie?

Anhe was so angry she wanted to grind her teeth to powder.

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Author's Note: Sigh, Eunuch An, sigh, jealousy [winking emoji]