Chapter 33 Secret Meeting at the Temple
Chapter Thirty-Three: A Secret Meeting at the Temple
The afternoon sun slanted in, and the study in the Su residence was quiet. Su Jizhi hurriedly pushed open the door and entered, clutching a letter tightly in his hand, his face beaming with undisguised joy.
"Father, Susu has written a letter!" He said in a light voice as he handed her the letter.
"The letter said that she has been promoted to the rank of Noble Consort and moved to Yongshou Palace! My son said that the Emperor still has a soft spot for her. Such favor is unprecedented in the palace! Now, we can finally put our minds at ease."
Su Mufeng took the letter and carefully read it in the sunlight streaming in from the window. The handwriting on the letter was neat and elegant, quite different from the unrestrained and willful handwriting of the past.
He nodded slowly, his eyes revealing a look of relief, but also a complex mix of emotions that were hard to describe: "The Emperor's swift ascension to the throne and promotion... is truly unexpected."
His fingers gently traced the four characters "or harbor disloyal intentions," his gaze deepening. His daughter's letter was written subtly, but the meaning conveyed between the lines was crystal clear—there might be someone in the family with ulterior motives.
“Ji Zhi,” Su Mufeng looked up at his eldest son, “has the steward’s son been going to the second branch of the family often lately?”
Su Jizhi frowned upon hearing this: "They not only go often, but more frequently than before. My son has secretly observed them a few times. They are very meticulous in their actions. They always hold meetings in a side hall, and there are servants guarding the door."
Do you know what they are plotting?
"The specifics are still unclear, but..." Su Jizhi lowered his voice, "My son's men saw the steward's son secretly visit the manor a few times."
Su Mufeng's eyes narrowed. Zhuang Shijie's daughter had tried to frame Su'er in the palace but was instead deposed. Now the Zhuang family was also having close ties with the second branch of the family. There must be something fishy going on.
"Have someone keep a close eye on him," Su Mufeng said in a deep voice. "Zhuang Shijie is a vengeful man. He will never let his daughter get away with this after she was defeated in the palace."
Just as Su Jizhi was about to accept the order and leave, hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the study. A guard dressed in gray pushed open the door and entered. He was the secret guard who was ordered to monitor the movements of the second branch of the family.
"My lord, young master, the steward's son just drove the carriage and took the second young lady to the west of the city."
Su Jizhi exchanged a glance with his father and immediately said, "I will personally keep an eye on things. You continue to send people to keep a close watch on the Zhuang family's movements."
After saying that, he strode out of the study, his figure quickly disappearing into the courtyard and corridors.
On the official road west of the city, an inconspicuous blue-canopied carriage was traveling at a leisurely pace.
Su Jizhi followed far behind, his mind filled with doubt. Why was his cousin Su Linyue going out of the city with the steward's son?
About an incense stick later, the carriage stopped in front of the gate of Fayun Temple. Su Jizhi, hidden in the shadows of the trees, watched as Su Linyue, wearing a veiled hat, got out of the carriage and, led by the steward's son, walked straight to the back of the temple.
"Coming to the temple at this hour," the accompanying guard whispered, "is a good cover if it's for something else, as there are many worshippers around."
Su Jizhi shook his head, signaling him to be quiet. Although Fayun Temple was a famous place of quiet cultivation in the capital, it was currently afternoon, and worshippers came and went in an endless stream, making it a good place to hide one's presence.
He followed silently, and saw the two of them pass through several palaces and arrive at a secluded meditation room in the back courtyard. There were several guards in tight-fitting clothes guarding the meditation room, and judging from their attire, they were from the Zhuang family.
Alarm bells rang in Su Jizhi's mind. Using the trees as cover, he darted onto the roof like a swallow, gently lifted a roof tile, and immediately saw the scene inside the meditation room.
Inside the meditation room, a young man dressed in a brocade robe stood with his back to the window. Upon closer inspection, Su Jizhi realized it was Zhuang Zedong, Consort Zhuang's cousin and Zhuang Shijie's adopted son!
"Second Miss has finally arrived." Zhuang Zedong's voice carried a hint of flippancy. "I've been waiting for you."
Su Linyue removed her veil, revealing a carefully made-up face. Although she was not as strikingly beautiful as Su Su, there was a resemblance in their features. The sunlight streaming through the window onto her face added to her charm.
"What brings you here, Young Master Zhuang?" Su Linyue's voice trembled slightly, as if she were nervous or expectant.
Zhuang Zedong chuckled and took out an envelope from his sleeve: "This is what my father asked me to deliver. Don't worry, Miss, as long as things go well, the Zhuang family will definitely not mistreat the second branch of the family."
Su Linyue took the envelope, her fingertips trembling slightly. Just as she looked down at the letter, Zhuang Zedong suddenly reached out and pulled her into his arms.
"Ah!" Su Linyue exclaimed, dropping the envelope in her hand to the ground. "Young Master Zhuang, you..."
"Why bother with this pretense, Miss?" Zhuang Zedong whispered in her ear, his breath hot. "Since you came alone, why pretend to be reserved?"
Su Linyue's face flushed red, her hands pressed against his chest, a mixture of reluctance and acceptance: "Young Master Zhuang, this...this is improper..."
A hint of smugness flashed in Zhuang Zedong's eyes. He had long realized that this second young lady of the Su family was interested in him. He invited her here today to take the opportunity to firmly control her.
"Don't worry, Miss," Zhuang Zedong's hand lingered on her waist, "I will have my father come to propose marriage tomorrow. With the Zhuang family's social standing, are we not good enough for your second daughter?"
These words sent a shiver down Su Linyue's spine. Although the Zhuang family had suffered a slight blow because of Consort Zhuang's affair, they were still prominent families in the capital. If she could marry into the Zhuang family, her branch of the family would surely rise in status, and she would no longer be outshone by Su Su.
Just as she was wavering, Zhuang Zedong lowered his head and kissed her lips. Su Linyue had never experienced anything like this before, and she panicked, only able to let him do as he pleased.
Zhuang Zedong felt increasingly smug as he sensed the shy reaction of the woman in his arms. He had long harbored improper thoughts towards Su Su, but the woman, now a Noble Consort, was unattainable. This Su Linyue, though not as stunning as Su Su, bore some resemblance, and more importantly, was easier to control.
"Second Miss..." Zhuang Zedong's hand restlessly slipped inside her clothes, touching something smooth and slippery. "Give in to me today..."
Su Linyue gasped and tried to push him away, but was pinned against the wall and unable to move. Zhuang Zedong hurriedly ripped open her sash, revealing a pale yellow bodice underneath. Bathed in sunlight, the young girl's budding figure was exquisitely curvaceous, making Zhuang Zedong's eyes burn with desire.
"No...Young Master Zhuang..." Su Linyue's voice was choked with sobs, but it only fueled Zhuang Zedong's desire to conquer her.
He scooped her up in his arms and strode towards the bed in the meditation room. Su Linyue struggled slightly in his arms, but she was already lost in passion.
The curtains fell, concealing the spring scenery within the room. Clothes were thrown out of the curtains one by one, amidst the suppressed moans of women and the heavy breathing of men.
Looking at the dazed and confused Su Linyue beneath him, Zhuang Zedong felt a twisted sense of satisfaction. Since he couldn't have the high and mighty Consort Su, having this younger sister who resembled her in some ways wasn't so bad.
Su Jizhi, watching from the rooftop, was furious. He never expected that Lin Yue would have a secret rendezvous with Zhuang Zedong here and do such a shameful thing. This not only tarnished the Su family's reputation, but could also drag the entire family into an abyss of no return.
When the woman's painful groans and the man's satisfied sighs came from the meditation room, Su Jizhi could no longer bear to watch. He gently closed the roof tiles, and with a flash, disappeared silently.
Inside the meditation room, Zhuang Zedong looked with satisfaction at Su Linyue, who was holding him with tears streaming down her face, a cold smile playing on his lips. After today's events, the second branch of the family would undoubtedly be completely devoted to the Zhuang family. Then, he would make that high and mighty Consort Su taste what it was like to be manipulated.
At this moment, Su Linyue was immersed in a contradictory mix of shame and sweetness, completely unaware that she had become a pawn on the dealer's chessboard.
The temple bells rang melodiously in the afternoon, drowning out the unpleasant noises inside the meditation room and also concealing the conspiracy that was brewing.
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