Chapter 37: Embrace Her

Lu Qiaoxiao pursed her lips as she walked over and said, "Hello, Prime Minister. I'm sorry to bother you by coming to my house and even letting Brother Ayao drive the car himself. You don't have to do this next time."

Shen Yuheng looked at her uncertainly, his fingertips moving slightly.

Wasn't she smiling brightly and freely on the wall yesterday? Why is she so distant now?

But there is no rush——

He had already submitted a memorial to the emperor, and Prince Ding'an helped him and teased him that perhaps they would become closer relatives soon.

Although the emperor was deeply dissatisfied with his refusal to marry Princess Lu Anning, he had no choice but to give up.

The emperor asked why he was so anxious to marry the girl from the Lu family.

He just said that he was itching to have a beautiful woman by his side.

The emperor laughed and said that you, Shen Changjue, have finally come to this day. He thought you were out of touch with the world.

He just laughed along, but his hands hanging by his sides were clenched tightly.

He sometimes has a dream.

I dreamed of a woman who was watering flowers in a small courtyard. She was hunched over and had some silver threads in her hair.

When she turned her back, the sorrow and resentment on her face were frightening.

However, what he never expected was that the frail, sickly figure had the same face as Qiao Xiao.

Although he had only had this nightmare once, it still left him terrified.

It’s better to put people by your side as soon as possible.

While Shen Yuheng's mind was wandering, Lu Qiaoxiao had already lifted Lu Shiyou's ear and taken him to the side.

"Sister, I want to go home too. I want to. I don't have to ask you to come here in person." Lu Shiyou looked aggrieved.

Lu Qiaoxiao subconsciously put her hands on her waist, then put them down as if she had thought of something. She whispered, "Anyway, I have only one request. When mom comes back in a few days, you have to be at home."

Lu Shiyou stammered, "That depends on whether my brother-in-law will give me leave."

A low laugh came from behind.

Lu Qiaoxiao's pretty face flushed slightly, and she subconsciously turned her head to look at him. Seeing his cold gaze, she moved her lips:

"It takes a lot of time to make a breakthrough. There's no need to rush to work hard." He raised his lips, and a hint of imperceptible joy flashed across his eyes.

——

Shen Yuheng and Lu Qiaoxiao walked side by side along the lakeside of the Prime Minister's Mansion.

The weather is nice today, the lake is sparkling, the spring breeze is blowing, the willows are gently brushing the water, the scenery is charming.

Perhaps because of this scene, Lu Qiaoxiao felt that Shen Yuheng's cold face had softened a lot.

"The day after tomorrow, I will dispatch two hundred men to escort Lord Lu to Qingcheng Mountain to bring back Madam Qiao." Shen Yuheng suddenly stopped and looked at her intently.

Lu Qiaoxiao's mind moved slightly. He actually arranged the time so early.

She knew that Shen Yuheng had a group of Qingyu Guards around him, whose main function was to protect him.

In the previous life, Shen Yuheng volunteered to go to the border, and the Qingyu Guards followed him.

In the end, no one survived.

She secretly swore in her heart that such a thing would never happen again in this life. She smiled and nodded, saying, "Master Shen's schedule is very tight."

Suddenly, a sneer came from the side, "Aren't you anxious?"

Then, Lu Qiaoxiao met a pair of sparkling eyes.

He was looking at her with a half-smile, his clear eyes looking at her: "No matter how perfect your actions were in Guanglin Temple, if Prince Ding'an thinks carefully, he will know that this was deliberately set up and will secretly check the list of everyone who appeared in the temple that day."

"That includes you, of course."

Lu Qiaoxiao's pupils suddenly shrank, as if he knew what she had done in the temple.

But when she looked carefully for a while, Shen Yuheng did not show any surprise. Instead, he glanced at her leisurely.

But--

People like Shen Yuheng never bend the law for personal gain.

In his previous life, his second brother got drunk and missed work, but others took the initiative to say that he was forgiven for the sake of Prime Minister Shen.

But Shen Yuheng insisted on holding his second brother accountable according to the law and dismissed him from his position.

It is said that when Shen Yuheng personally went to the Ministry of Punishment to interrogate prisoners, he didn't even blink when the hot iron was placed on the prisoner's chest.

Lu Qiaoxiao took a deep breath, looked up at him, and said, "According to the law, what crime should I be sentenced for?"

The air was still for a moment, and it was so quiet that the only sound could be heard was the rustling of willow leaves in the spring breeze.

Shen Yuheng glared at her, his voice filled with helplessness: "Now, it's truly perfect."

Suddenly, he raised his hand and stroked the smooth and soft cheek of the person in front of him, and his other hand reached out to her lower back. With a little force, Lu Qiaoxiao was brought into his arms.

I only felt a pleasant orchid fragrance hitting my nose, and buried my head firmly in his solid chest.

"Don't move." I heard his somewhat threatening warning.

She didn't move, but she was confused. What was going on?

It was as if a hammer with tiny thorns was hitting her heart, making her chest numb and itchy.

Even though his hands were so cold, they burned her hot, spreading from her neck to her ears.

After a long while, he finally let go.

Her face was as red as a ripe apple. Lu Qiaoxiao complained in a low voice with some dissatisfaction: "Master Shen, are you trying to intimidate me?"

Just as she finished speaking, she caught a glimpse of a flock of birds startled away from the shadows of the trees in the southeast corner, and then she realized what was going on.

"Was there someone there just now?"

In broad daylight, in the open air, who dares to be in the Prime Minister's Mansion—

"Prince Ding'an's men?" Lu Qiaoxiao exclaimed in a low voice.

Only then did she react. Wei Yan was so suspicious that he wouldn't even trust his partner completely, so how could he trust a minister who was so powerful that he could influence the situation in the court?

In the previous life, Shen Yuheng seemed to be very supportive of Prince Ding'an, and the court officials also thought that Prime Minister Shen was on Prince Ding'an's side.

Lu Qiaoxiao couldn't help but re-examine the person in front of him and met those eyes as cold as obsidian.

So, could it be that——

"You just need to remember that you went to Guanglin Temple that day to see me." Shen Yuheng's expression was cold, but his hands hidden in his sleeves were clenched.

He told Wei Yan that the young lady of the Yong'an Marquis's family has always had the habit of worshiping Buddha and has great respect for the Buddhist shrine.

He knew that the Lu sisters had made an appointment to go to Guanglin Temple, so he thought of trying his luck and meeting Lu Qiaoxiao.

Wei Yan was naturally skeptical. After all, as far as he knew, Shen Yuheng and Lu Qiaoxiao had only met a few times.

Although he might be attracted by her beauty, he wanted to settle down in his home with a woman who would not affect the political situation.

But could their relationship progress so quickly?

That's why he sent people to keep an eye on the Prime Minister's Mansion to see if Shen Yuheng would have any intimate behavior with Lu Qiaoxiao and whether Lu Qiaoxiao would accept it.

Lu Qiaoxiao felt that the wind in front of her made her feel a little cold, but it also made her feel sober.

Fortunately, Shen Yuheng was alert and explained in time, otherwise——

Given Wei Yan's suspicious nature, he would probably doubt her.

"Thank you, sir." The breeze mixed with the fragrance of orchids was still lingering on his nose, and Lu Qiaoxiao's voice unconsciously softened a little.

"By the way, there is one more thing." Shen Yuheng's gaze fell straight on her, his eyes shining and full of energy.

"What?" Lu Qiaoxiao's tone unconsciously let down her guard. She had never thought that in this world, besides her brother and mother, there would be someone who cared about her.

In his previous life, he was like this——

And in this life, he helped himself again.

——

When leaving the Prime Minister's Mansion, Lu Shiyou found that his sister looked a little uncomfortable.

She, who always had a steady body and strong body like an ox, unexpectedly stepped on empty air when getting on the carriage, her steps were unsteady and she was absent-minded.

He turned around and asked Shen Yuheng: "Sir, what happened to my sister?"

Shen Yuheng raised the corners of his lips, his voice revealing a hint of obvious joy: "I just told her that the wedding date is set for the sixth day of next month."