Chapter 79 Entangled Love and Hate
Inside the main hall, all the civil and military officials knelt on the ground in unison, forming a dense, dark mass, like a blanket of inky clouds.
The faces of the civil and military officials were solemn and righteous, as if they were now bearing the safety of the entire Great Zhou Dynasty on their shoulders.
Chu Huaiyu sat high on the dragon throne, looking down at the group of "loyal ministers," a faint, cold smile curving his thin lips.
enchantress?
He pondered those two words in his mind, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes.
They really think highly of Lu Zhaoxue...
If she were truly a vixen capable of bringing disaster to the country and endangering its people, why would she be bullied to this extent?
Covered in wounds, she huddled in Chengqian Palace, where even breathing peacefully was a luxury.
The thought of Lu Zhaoxue's current state made Chu Huaiyu's heart feel as if it were being pierced by fine needles, and a dense, persistent pain spread through her.
His gaze toward the assembled officials turned colder.
These people have no idea about the worries of an emperor; they only know how to use high-sounding reasons to pressure him!
"Your Majesty, since Lu Zhaoxue entered the palace, there has been widespread resentment both inside and outside the palace, and the people's hearts are in turmoil. Do you really intend to remain so stubbornly ignorant?"
The Imperial Censor kowtowed on the ground, his tone filled with deep sorrow and indignation.
"Your Majesty, this old minister cannot stand idly by and watch you bewitched by a sorceress and ruin the foundation of the Great Zhou Dynasty! I implore Your Majesty to kill that sorceress to rectify the ways of the harem and to appease the hearts of the people!"
Grand Tutor Li, with his white hair, lay prostrate on the ground, yet his tone still revealed an unyielding stubbornness.
"Your Majesty the Empress is of noble birth, dignified and virtuous, a virtuous mother of the nation! Your Majesty's favoritism towards the vixen and your cold treatment of the Empress will chill the hearts of the people! Your Majesty, I implore you to give Your Majesty justice!"
The Minister of Rites spoke earnestly, every word expressing his hope that His Majesty could rid the country of this scourge.
Chu Huaiyu found their repeated arguments laughable.
He slowly tapped his fingers on the armrest of the dragon throne, the "tap, tap, tap" sound seeming to resonate in the hearts of everyone in the hall.
These people are all talk and no action, but their hearts are as black as ice.
If they truly cared about the Great Zhou, they wouldn't cling so tightly to power, nor would they go to such lengths to send their daughters into the palace.
Chu Huaiyu's eyes darkened, and he understood.
This collective petition was probably entrusted by the Du family, right?
After all, Empress Du Xianyue was the Du family's biggest backer, and Lu Zhaoxue's existence was undoubtedly an eyesore to the Du family.
Chu Huaiyu smiled coldly. It seemed the Du family was afraid he wouldn't die fast enough...
Since that's the case, then don't blame him for being ruthless.
Chu Huaiyu abruptly stopped tapping his fingers on the armrest, his tone as cold as ice:
"Since you all insist on your own opinions and do not take me seriously at all, then I have no need to continue this stalemate with you."
If you love kneeling, then keep kneeling!
"It would be best if a few more people died to prove their innocence; perhaps then I would truly agree with your statement."
Chu Huaiyu hated being threatened more than anything in his life. The more people tried to force him to compromise, the more he would do the opposite!
With those words, Chu Huaiyu rose, flicked his sleeves, and left the hall without a second glance, ignoring the astonished expressions of the officials behind him.
After leaving the main hall, Chu Huaiyu couldn't wait to rush towards Chengqian Palace.
The late spring sun was shining brightly, casting a golden glow on the palace walls and making the glazed tiles gleam.
The temperature has gradually risen, and the peach blossoms in the courtyard have long since faded. On the branches, small, unripe peaches have formed, fuzzy and still immature, yet full of vitality.
It seemed to dispel the gloom within this deep palace.
A few steps from inside the hall, Chu Huaiyu heard intermittent coughing coming from within.
"Cough...cough cough..." The voice was soft but carried an undeniable weakness, and Chu Huaiyu's heart clenched instantly.
He strode into the hall and saw Lu Zhaoxue sitting on a soft couch by the window, covered with a thin velvet blanket.
She held a needle and thread in her hand, her head bowed as she intently embroidered something.
Haitang, the personal maid, stood to the side, looking at her with a worried expression.
"Your Majesty, you are still weak. Why don't you rest for a while?" Haitang gently advised.
"I'll only be embroidering for a little while, don't worry."
Lu Zhaoxue lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes casting a faint shadow under her eyelids.
Her silver needles moved back and forth across the plain silk, her movements gentle and skillful.
Chu Huaiyu was somewhat surprised that she had the leisure to embroider a handkerchief.
He walked quietly to the soft couch, sat down, and looked at her silently.
Sunlight streamed through the window and bathed her in a soft glow, adding color to her pale face and giving her a breathtaking beauty.
Lu Zhaoxue was so focused on her embroidery that the palace maid Haitang was also watching her closely, so neither of them noticed Chu Huaiyu's arrival.
Only after the last needle was inserted did Lu Zhaoxue slowly raise her head, wanting to stretch her sore neck.
But then he caught a glimpse of another figure on the other side.
When she saw that the person who came was Chu Huaiyu, she was slightly taken aback, and then struggled to get up and bow.
"Don't move." Chu Huaiyu quickly reached out to support her, his tone full of tenderness.
"You are not fully recovered yet, so there is no need for formalities."
Lu Zhaoxue obediently sat down, pouted, and looked somewhat helpless.
She knew that ever since she was kept in the palace by Chu Huaiyu, she had been almost completely isolated from the outside world.
But there are no secrets that stay hidden forever.
The rumors and gossip about her, the clamors to kill her, still reached her ears intermittently.
Chu Huaiyu saw through her thoughts and wanted to distract her.
His gaze fell on the handkerchief in her hand: "What is embroidered on this handkerchief?"
“…A cat,” Lu Zhaoxue answered softly, then lowered her head and continued to embroider carefully.
On the handkerchief, a cute little cat is curled up, its eyes lively and lifelike.
Chu Huaiyu felt a warmth in her heart as she watched.
He knew that Lu Zhaoxue was thinking about the cat named Tuanrong.
So, who was this handkerchief embroidered for?
It's probably Lu Zhaoxing. Lu Zhaoxing is always jumping around and often gets himself all dirty. This handkerchief will come in handy.
Just then, Chu Huaiyu suddenly felt an itch in her nose and couldn't help but sneeze.
He subconsciously took the handkerchief that Lu Zhaoxue had just embroidered and wiped his nose with it.
Lu Zhaoxue's face immediately went blank, and she stared at him with a stiff expression, her eyes full of disbelief.
She put a lot of effort into embroidering this!
That despicable Chu Huaiyu...
Chu Huaiyu only realized what had happened after wiping it off, and frowned slightly as she looked at the faint mark on the handkerchief.
She then said somewhat embarrassedly, "Well... since this handkerchief is dirty, keep it for me, and you can embroider another one for Zhaoxing."
Lu Zhaoxue pursed her lips, too lazy to argue with him anymore.
She silently picked up the fabric beside her, cut it again, and threaded the needle.
Looking at her puffed-out cheeks and angry expression, Chu Huaiyu thought she looked just like a wronged little rabbit.
A thought struck him, and he instinctively reached out to pinch her cheek.
He remembered saying that he loved seeing her angry; it was so vivid and adorable.
Lu Zhaoxue turned her head away from his touch, a hint of impatience in her eyes: "Your Majesty, have you dealt with the affairs of the court?"
"Is Zhaoxue concerned about me?"
Chu Huaiyu raised an eyebrow, his tone tinged with a hint of mockery.
"Don't worry, I can handle things in the court."
Lu Zhaoxue sneered, knowing full well how thick-skinned this man was, so she stopped talking to him and just quickened her pace.
But Chu Huaiyu became interested and, with great boldness, threw the needle and thread from her hand aside.
He picked Lu Zhaoxue up by the waist, turned around and put her on the bed in the inner room.
Lu Zhaoxue's eyes suddenly widened, making her look even more like a frightened little rabbit.
She bit her lower lip, her voice tinged with barely concealed panic:
"Your Majesty, what are you doing in broad daylight?
Chu Huaiyu lowered the bed curtains, cutting off the outside light.
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