Chapter 6 Drunken Questioning
As night deepened, Lu Zhaoxue, fearing further trouble, spoke softly, "Siheng, it's getting late. Let's hurry back so that others won't gossip."
"Okay." Chu Siheng responded softly, tightening his grip on Lu Zhaoxue's hand. The two walked hand in hand slowly toward the lonely courtyard shrouded in the night.
After returning to Jingyou Garden, Chu Siheng's cough became even more severe.
Lu Zhaoxue stayed by his bedside without leaving him for a moment, wiping his sweat, handing him water, and feeding him medicine until late at night when he gradually calmed down and fell into a deep sleep.
Looking at Chu Siheng's tired sleeping face, Lu Zhaoxue sighed softly and went to the kitchen to boil water for a bath by the dim candlelight.
A ladle of warm water washed away the fatigue and dust, and also slightly calmed the knot in my heart.
After washing up, Lu Zhaoxue brought over a wooden basin, soaked the clothes she had changed out of in it, and slowly scrubbed them by candlelight.
The night was so quiet that you could hear the crackling of the candlelight. Suddenly, a very light footstep came from behind, stepping on the bluestone slabs, almost imperceptible.
Lu Zhaoxue assumed Chu Siheng had woken up, and without turning around, she asked gently, "Siheng, why are you awake?"
"But you're not feeling well again? Would you like some water?"
However, no one responded for a long time.
A cool breeze blew in from the window, carrying with it a strong smell of alcohol mixed with the familiar scent of ambergris, instantly filling the air.
Lu Zhaoxue's heart sank suddenly as she realized something was wrong; it wasn't Chu Siheng's aura!
Chu Siheng had been suffering from a long-term illness, and his body always carried a medicinal fragrance, rather than such a strong smell of alcohol and ambergris.
Her heart tightened, and she was about to turn around to see what was going on when suddenly a pair of strong arms tightly wrapped around her waist, the force almost causing her pain.
The man's warm breath sprayed onto Lu Zhaoxue's neck from behind, the heat carrying the scent of alcohol, instantly enveloping her completely.
Lu Zhaoxue felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave, her breath almost stopped, and the blood in her body seemed to freeze at that moment.
"Lu Zhaoxue, you have quite the nerve." A deep, magnetic voice rang in Lu Zhaoxue's ear, carrying an undeniable anger and pressure.
Upon hearing the voice, Lu Zhaoxue felt a chill run down her spine, and an uncontrollable fear spread from her feet to her entire body.
It was Chu Huaiyu.
Why would he come to Jingyou Garden?
This place is remote and desolate, a cage he specially used to imprison Chu Siheng. He has always disdained to set foot here, so why would he visit so late at night?
"You...Your Majesty...Let me go!"
Lu Zhaoxue tried to turn around in a panic, but he held her tightly and she couldn't move. She could only struggle in vain, her voice trembling with tears.
Chu Huaiyu sneered, his breath growing increasingly hot. He tightened his grip on her waist, his strength so great it seemed he wanted to crush her in his arms.
"How dare you pawn the things I gave you?"
That was their token of love.
After he quelled the border rebellion and made great contributions, Emperor Wu of Ming allowed him to choose his own reward. He immediately took a liking to the jade bracelet in the imperial treasury.
He then personally placed it on her wrist, saying that he would be with her year after year, never betraying her.
Lu Zhaoxue had no idea what the "thing" he was talking about was.
"What is it?" Lu Zhaoxue asked instinctively, her tone full of confusion and helplessness.
But she didn't expect that these words would completely enrage the man behind her.
Chu Huaiyu's arms tightened around her waist, almost embedding her into his bones. His arms were like two iron hoops, tightly encircling Lu Zhaoxue in his embrace.
Lu Zhaoxue felt a tightness in her chest and her breathing became increasingly rapid, but she still bit her lower lip tightly, not daring to make a sound.
She was afraid that the loud noise would wake Chu Siheng, who was sleeping soundly in the inner room, and that he would see her in such a disheveled state. She was even more afraid that he would incur Chu Huaiyu's wrath again because of it.
"Your Majesty, I am Chu Siheng's wife. Please show some respect!" Her voice carried a hint of stubborn resistance, and her neck was flushed.
Chu Huaiyu gave a low, cold laugh, the smell of alcohol mixed with ambergris spraying onto her earlobe, carrying a burning heat.
The next second, he exerted force and slammed her against the cold wooden door with a dull thud that made her whole body go numb.
His large hands roughly tore at Lu Zhaoxue's clothes, the fabric making a ripping sound that was particularly jarring in the quiet night.
Behind her was the coldness of the door panel, while in front of her was his body, burning hot as if it were on fire. The stark contrast made Lu Zhaoxue tremble uncontrollably.
Lu Zhaoxue shook her head in fear, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Your Majesty, you can't do this! I am Siheng's wife, let me go! Let me go!" Chu Huaiyu stared down at her, his dark pupils gleaming in the dim light.
A half-smile curled at the corner of his lips, his tone laced with knowing mockery: "As husband and wife, how could he not know why you go to Cining Palace every time?"
“You…” Lu Zhaoxue stared in disbelief, her dark almond-shaped eyes wide open.
How did he know? How could he know she went to Cining Palace?
Empress Dowager Yu harbored deep resentment and took it out on her. Whenever she was in a bad mood, she would summon her to the palace under the pretext of "having a chat".
But it wasn't a conversation at all; it was just making her kneel on the cold brick floor for an entire day, not allowed to get up or say a word.
Every time she returned to Jingyou Garden, she had to be very careful. She only dared to apply the ointment secretly at night, never daring to let Chu Siheng discover anything unusual, for fear that he would worry, and even more so, that he would clash with Empress Dowager Yu and cause trouble again.
But Chu Huaiyu, holding a high position and busy with countless affairs, how could he possibly notice these hidden details?
Seeing her shocked and bewildered appearance, with her round almond-shaped eyes like a frightened fawn, Chu Huaiyu suddenly remembered the jade bracelet that she had "pawned," and his anger instantly surged even higher.
Chu Huaiyu reached out and roughly pinched her chin, his fingertips pressing hard. The smell of alcohol between his lips and teeth grew stronger, a mixture of seven parts drunkenness and three parts sobriety.
Chu Huaiyu asked in a deep voice, "Lu Zhaoxue, you hate me, don't you?" Lu Zhaoxue turned her head sharply, hurriedly avoiding his burning gaze.
Her face was pressed tightly against the cold door, trying to escape his control, but Chu Huaiyu's arms tightened their grip, making her unable to move and only able to feel the violent aura emanating from him.
Chu Huaiyu stared at her reddened earlobes, as if speaking to her, yet also as if murmuring to himself, his voice low and obscure: "Hate? Then continue to hate..."
Before he finished speaking, he leaned down to kiss her, but Lu Zhaoxue reacted quickly, turning her head sharply to avoid Chu Huaiyu's lips, letting his kiss land on her cheek, burning hot.
"No...you can't do this...let me go." Lu Zhaoxue bit her lower lip tightly, suppressing her voice, which trembled uncontrollably and contained a hint of helpless pleading.
But this restrained resistance only fueled the fire, further provoking Chu Huaiyu's bloodshot eyes, where the possessiveness and violence surging within them almost overflowed.
Chu Huaiyu no longer hesitated. He gripped the back of her neck firmly with his fingers, his strength forceful and domineering, forcing her to raise her head and kissing her lips.
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