Chapter 58: Testing
"I've taken a fancy to that Zhao Yebai horse in your backyard!" Chao Yinzhen chuckled. "Could you help me ask General Luo for it later?"
Luo Zhaohan looked at the girl's cunning smile and couldn't help but shake his head and smile.
Seeing Luo Zhaohan lost in thought, Chao Yinzhen couldn't help but chuckle, "Why, you got scared when I mentioned Pei Ji? Do you know why he's the first person I thought of? It's because of the matter of Princess Xinyi Zhaoyang of Liuyang."
Chao Yinzhen stopped teasing Luo Zhaohan, realizing she was just as intimidated by Pei Ji as he was, and instead talked about the palace banquet on the day the eldest princess returned to the capital. "Just wait and see. With Zhaoyang's domineering personality, she'll definitely back off the moment she sees Pei Shaoqing."
Luo Zhaohan's expression changed slightly, and he quickly suppressed his chaotic thoughts and focused on thinking carefully. It turned out that Princess Liuyang had heard of Pei Ji's reputation on her way back to the capital.
Given Princess Jieyou's abilities, how could she be completely unaware of the situation in the capital, even from her fiefdom in Dongling? Her selection of Pei Ji, Junior Secretary of the Dali Temple, was likely to cause a stir in the court.
In her previous life, Pei Ji and Princess Liuyang did not get married. She originally thought that someone behind the scenes had obstructed them in time and she had made all the necessary preparations.
Unexpectedly, even before the palace banquet began, Princess Liuyang had already revealed her feelings. It seemed the mastermind behind this wasn't acting hastily, but had a thorough plan.
Today's welcoming banquet is likely to be more dangerous than expected, and Pei Ji's situation is becoming increasingly precarious!
"Zhao Han, we're here!"
Chao Yinzhen patted the back of her hand, and they both got out of the carriage. The princess's carriage had the privilege of entering the imperial garden directly, without having to squeeze in with the ordinary officials and their wives outside the palace gate.
As soon as he landed, he saw a eunuch in blue waiting by the roadside, and when he greeted him, his waist was bent like a shrimp.
"This servant pays his respects to the princess."
Chao Yinzhen, displaying his royal dignity in front of outsiders, frowned slightly, "Which palace are you from? What's the matter?"
"My Lady, I am from Lanxin Palace." The eunuch turned to Luo Zhaohan and said, "In compliance with the imperial decree of Consort Li, Miss Luo, please move aside and have a conversation."
Luo Zhaohan was about to say goodbye, but his heart skipped a beat when he heard this. Concubine Li? Why had Prince Rui's biological mother, with whom she had no prior contact, suddenly summoned her?
"Princess Li?"
Chao Yinzhen also looked suspicious. Prince Rui's grandson Yinlong had no connection with the Luo family, so why would his mother summon Zhaohan for no reason? She glanced back worriedly, only to see Luo Zhaohan gently shake his head—this matter shouldn't involve the princess.
"Please lead the way, eunuch." Luo Zhaohan bowed and followed the eunuch into the vermilion palace wall.
Chao Yinzhen looked at his friend's back, frowned slightly, turned around and walked quickly towards the banquet.
Luo Zhaohan followed silently, without asking the reason, but just secretly looked at the scenery of the imperial garden.
There are pavilions and towers with carved beams and painted rafters arranged in an orderly manner, feathers of rare birds can be seen among the rockery stacked with Taihu stones, and the branches of wintersweet are full of flower buds. I think when the lights are turned on at night, the sky will be full of fireworks and flowers all night long.
Arriving at Zhuhua Pavilion, a palace maid led the way. As soon as they entered the main hall, a warm fragrance filled the air, a stark contrast to the bitter cold outside. Luo Zhaohan lowered his head, abiding by palace rules.
The footsteps of the palace servants were as soft as rain, and the clinking of teacups rose and fell from time to time, but no one called me.
It was left like this for a whole incense stick of time, and Luo Zhaohan remained motionless like a pine or cypress.
When she was guarding the border with her father in her early years, she once stood guard in a blizzard for three hours. This little scene was nothing to her now.
After an unknown amount of time, the rustling sound of silk rubbing against each other suddenly came from the inner room, and a lazy voice wrapped in warm fragrance floated out: "Bring it in."
Nanny Qi walked over quickly and saw that Luo Zhaohan's temples were covered with sweat and his cheeks were rosy from being heated by the floor heater. She sighed in her heart: With such a complexion, it's no wonder that the young master can't forget her.
"Young lady, please follow me." The nanny led the people around the twelve-panel rosewood screen, where an animal-head incense burner was emitting wisps of green smoke.
As Luo Zhaohan knelt to salute, he quickly glanced at the soft couch - Concubine Li's hair was half tied up, and the hem of her pomegranate red skirt with gold sprinkled on it was draping on the ground. How could she look like she had just woken up?
"look up."
Luo Zhaohan looked up as he was told but still kept his eyes down. He heard a chuckle from above his head: "She's quite a pretty girl."
The hem of her brocade skirt, embroidered with lotus flowers, stopped three feet in front of her. Concubine Li's fingertips were entwined with the tassel of the jade pendant at her waist. "Hong Lei scared your horse on the long street a few days ago. I apologize on his behalf."
Luo Zhaohan's heart skipped a beat, and his expression became even more respectful. "Your Majesty, I'm sorry to trouble you. That day was an accident. Young Master Sun has come to apologize in person."
"Oh?" Li Fei suddenly leaned forward and said, "I heard that you broke off the engagement with the Xie family?"
The topic took an abrupt turn. Luo Zhaohan pinched his palm with his fingertips in his sleeves and said, "Your Majesty, it is true."
"Xie Wuqi was your childhood sweetheart, yet he married someone else." Concubine Li walked around, her gold-inlaid jade armor brushing against her shoulders. "Are you really willing to accept this?"
Luo Zhaohan's back straightened: "If he is not my beloved, why would you be so unwilling?"
"You have a very clear mind." Concubine Li suddenly clapped her hands and chuckled, the jade bracelet on her wrist jingling. "I like you. How about asking for an imperial decree to grant you marriage?"
These words startled Luo Zhaohan so much that he fell to his knees: "Your Majesty, your humble servant is so unworthy that I dare not trouble you."
"Stand up and talk." Concubine Li helped her up personally, but her nails, dyed with red nails, secretly exerted force. "I want to say, if you have someone you like..."
"I have no intention of getting married for the time being."
The warm room suddenly became so quiet that one could hear the crackling of the charcoal brazier.
Concubine Li flung her sleeves and sat back on the couch, her jade-like face covered with a layer of frost: "Miss Luo is quite noble."
"Your Majesty is terrified." Luo Zhaohan wanted to kneel down again, but the nanny held his arm.
"I'm just giving you this advice in vain." Concubine Li fiddled with the red plum blossoms on the table, petals rustling onto the golden brick floor. "Girls' blooms are short, so don't try to imitate the winter plum blossoms that insist on defying the snow and frost—"
During these days, Concubine Li had been thinking over and over again. If Sun Honglei could really marry Miss Luo, it would be a wonderful thing for her son Yinlong.
She had originally wanted to directly ask His Majesty for permission to marry, both to settle Hong Lei's lifelong affairs and to help him find a suitable partner. However, the Luo family was ultimately a military family, and although General Luo had relinquished his military power, his family background remained, and his every move was still closely watched.
It seems that if this marriage is to be carried out smoothly and without leaving any room for gossip, the best thing would be for the two young people to fall in love with each other, so that it can come to fruition naturally and stop the gossip.
But Luo Zhaohan, at the moment, seems a little ungrateful.
After Li Fei's words, which were clearly meant to warn him, Luo Zhaohan's expression changed quietly, and his heart was suddenly in turmoil.
What Concubine Li said just now... Could it be that she wanted to pair her up with Sun Honglei?
Sun Honglei, that was the Sun family's cherished treasure! There were many noble ladies in the capital, and even for the sake of the power behind them, there were many ladies from more prestigious families than her, who came from the Fuyuan General's Mansion.
What's more, she had previously broken off the engagement, and her reputation in the capital was not very good.
Is Sun Honglei aware of this? Or is he also under pressure from his family?
Luo Zhaohan's mind raced, and he was about to respond respectfully when he heard a high-pitched voice from outside the attic, breaking the silence: "The Emperor has arrived—!"
Concubine Li's face changed slightly, and she hurriedly stood up from the bed and walked outside to greet the emperor. Before she left the inner room, a figure dressed in dark blue clothes stepped into the palace with steady steps.
"Your Highness."
"Greetings, Your Majesty."
Suddenly everyone in the hall knelt down.
"Your Majesty," Concubine Li's soft voice carried just the right amount of surprise and joy as she gently snuggled up to the Emperor's side. "Aren't you talking to the Princess Royal? Why are you here at this hour?"
The emperor's expression was calm as he walked straight towards the beauty couch and sat down. His voice was steady and calm, "That girl Zhaoyang was clamoring to go play in the front, so the eldest princess took her there. I'm a little tired, so I decided to rest here with you."
Concubine Li listened with a smile, and at the same time, she gave a subtle wink to Aunt Qi who was standing beside her, indicating that she should take Luo Zhaohan away from there quickly.
Madam Qi understood what she meant and was about to step forward to lead Luo Zhaohan and the other palace maids out when the emperor glanced around and his eyes fell on Luo Zhaohan. He raised his eyebrows slightly and asked, "Princess Li, who is this girl?"
Luo Zhaohan's heart tightened, and he stopped immediately when he was about to stand up. He quickly lowered his head and knelt again.
Concubine Li kept her smile on her face and explained softly, "Your Majesty, this is Luo Zhaohan, the daughter of General Luo from Fuyuan."
"Oh?" The emperor's eyes were deep, with a hint of barely perceptible interest. "Look up."
Upon hearing this, Concubine Li subconsciously tightened her fingers slightly under her wide sleeves.
His Majesty has never been one to indulge in beauty, but the young lady from the Luo family before him has bright and lively eyes and exudes a vigorous vitality. Her temperament is completely different from those ordinary noble ladies in the boudoir who are well-behaved, gentle and quiet.
Not to mention others, even she, who had been in this deep palace for many years, couldn't help but be secretly amazed by its freshness and brightness when she first saw it.
Luo Zhaohan followed his instructions and slowly raised her head.
The Emperor didn't speak immediately, merely silently and scrutinizingly examining the kneeling girl. His gaze was so intense, carrying the natural pressure of an emperor, that time seemed stretched out to an infinite length, so long that even someone as experienced as Concubine Li felt a faint unease.
She opened her lips slightly, and was about to find an excuse to smooth things over and ease the slightly tense atmosphere, but the emperor spoke at this moment, his tone calm, his emotions unrecognizable, but every word struck a chord with her:
"I heard that during the turmoil at Prince Duan's mansion, it was you who protected the Crown Princess? Even the mother of Junior Justice Pei Ji, the Lady of the Earl of Changning, was saved by you."
Luo Zhaohan's heart skipped a beat when she heard that. Almost instinctively, she bravely raised her eyes and glanced upwards quickly.
As far as her eyes could see, she could sense the overwhelming majesty of the dragon atop the throne. The originally small and delicate beauty couch, bearing the emperor's body, unexpectedly took on an unusual solemnity. She didn't dare to look closely at the emperor's face, her gaze quickly withdrawing.
However, in this fleeting glimpse, the corner of her eye just happened to catch the look of surprise that flashed across Concubine Li's face!
Luo Zhaohan's heart suddenly moved, and his thoughts flashed through his mind like lightning.
The news of Pei Ji's mother's rescue might not have been enough to cause the accustomed Concubine Li to lose her composure so obviously. So... could it be that Concubine Li was completely unaware of the details of the treacherous assassination attempt on the Crown Princess at Prince Duan's mansion?
Although Prince Rui did not visit Prince Duan's Mansion in person that day, no matter whether he was the person behind the scenes or not, Luo Zhaohan would never believe that Prince Rui would know nothing about such a big commotion.
Could it be that His Royal Highness Prince Rui did not inform his mother, Concubine Li, about this matter?
So, when His Majesty suddenly brought up these two matters in front of Concubine Li, was it intentional or unintentional? Was it a warning? A test? Or was it simply... a statement of fact?
With the Emperor in front of him, he had to suppress his turbulent emotions. Luo Zhaohan quickly gathered his thoughts and replied respectfully:
"Your Majesty, I learned some rudimentary martial arts from my father since childhood. I have no other abilities except for my strength. These two incidents were a matter of chance. I happened upon them, and I was simply brave enough to do my bit."
Seeing Luo Zhaohan's modest and appropriate response, the emperor waved his hand casually, his tone seeming a little gentler than before: "In other families, it is common for a tiger father to have a dog son, but Mr. Luo has a good daughter who is as capable as any man."
He paused slightly, his gaze lingering on Luo Zhaohan for a moment before turning elsewhere in the hall. The second half of his words were spoken in a calm tone, yet seemed to carry a hint of an elusive sigh as they fell lightly:
"It's a pity that I don't have more sons, otherwise..."
The air inside Zhuhua Pavilion was filled with the scent of ambergris. The emperor's hand holding the red brush suddenly paused. "The prince of Prince Duan's Mansion is unmarried. I remember he is Yinzhen's elder brother?"
Luo Zhaohan's fingertips suddenly pinched into his palm, his face still maintaining a submissive expression: "Your Majesty, please understand. I have withdrawn from the engagement before."
"So what if you've called off the engagement?" The emperor put down the memorial and tapped his jade ring against the rosewood table. "You've done a great job protecting the Crown Princess. Who in the capital dares to criticize you?"
The girl's back was stretched straight, with sweat oozing from her dark-black temples: "Your Highness has the appearance of a dragon and a phoenix, while I am of a weak character. I really dare not marry him. Moreover, after what happened before, I have no intention of getting married at the moment." She bit her lower lip just right, revealing a hint of sadness.
The warm room was so quiet that you could hear the dripping sound of the copper clock.
"That's all." The emperor suddenly chuckled. "I allow you to choose your own husband. When you find a suitable husband, ask your father to submit a memorial."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!" As Luo Zhaohan knelt on the ground, he caught a glimpse of the hem of the black dragon robe passing across the golden brick floor, and the twelve tasseled jade ornaments flashed into fragments of light before his eyes.
When she stepped out of Zhuhua Pavilion, the cold wind of December blew snowflakes at her, making the back of her neck feel cold - her collar was soaked with cold sweat.
It is said that serving the emperor is like serving a tiger. Pei Ji has been serving in front of the emperor for many years, so I wonder how many clever tricks he has developed?
The eunuch leading the way was waiting under the plum tree, holding a sheep-horn lantern. Suddenly, two palace maids in apricot-yellow bodices came hurriedly over. "The Crown Princess invites you to the Linshui Pavilion to chat. Princess Yinzhen is also here."
In Zhuhua Pavilion, Concubine Li was handing the peeled kumquat to the emperor's lips, and her pomegranate-red sleeves slipped down, revealing her frosty white wrists.
"My beloved concubine, why did you think of summoning the girl from the Luo family today?" The emperor closed his eyes and leaned on the lotus pillow, allowing Concubine Li to gently press on his temples with her soft hands.
"It's all because of my useless nephew." Concubine Li's voice was as sweet as honey. "If the Sun family and the Luo family can get married, Hong Lei will definitely change his mind!"
"Sun Honglei?" The emperor suddenly opened his eyes, startling Concubine Li so much that the kumquat in her hand fell to the ground. "I remember Miss Luo just said—"
"The emperor has promised to grant the marriage?" Concubine Li's almond-shaped eyes suddenly lit up, and the red-gold hairpin in her hair swayed.
The emperor twirled the coral beads around Concubine Li's waist, his tone half sighing and half laughing, "It's a pity she's half a step too late. I've already allowed her to choose her own husband."
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