Chapter 31 Did she really not want to be with him? ...
Why is he here?
Could it be that they know about her asking Song Heng to help her obtain the female household registration document?
Mingwu's fingers, which were gripping the document, trembled violently, and she almost instinctively hid her hand behind her back. Then, realizing her mistake, she felt that her actions were tantamount to an admission of guilt.
My whole body froze.
Like a cat with its fur standing on end, it raised all its quills and stared at Lu Yuan warily.
Lu Yuan's breath hitched.
She... was actually standing with another man, guarding against him?!
This realization caused a series of subtle, stinging pains to rise in Lu Yuan's heart.
Previously, even if he saw these two standing together, he wouldn't have thought there was anything between them. This stemmed from his male confidence.
But now...
Lu Yuan, his face ashen, looked at Ming Wu and coldly commanded, "Come here."
Mingwu's heart skipped a beat.
He knew everything after all. Of course, he was the Prime Minister, and the entire Great Yan was under his control. Besides, he had never trusted her.
It's likely that her every move has been under his surveillance.
He deliberately brought her to the birthday banquet without making a sound, just to see her struggle in vain.
Mingwu pursed her lower lip, remaining motionless. This silent expression of her resistance.
Seeing this, Song Heng was delighted.
Although he had always been a dashing and debonair gentleman, whenever Lu Yuan was present, even with his cold face, his infamous reputation, and his complete lack of tenderness towards women, he would always act differently.
Without exception, those women could only see Lu Yuan in their hearts and eyes.
This is the first time a woman has resisted Lu Yuan.
Song Heng glanced smugly at Lu Yuan, then stepped forward, protectively blocking Ming Wu's path.
"Why is my cousin in the backyard?"
Lu Yuan glanced at the petite figure being protected behind Song Heng.
Surprisingly, she didn't refuse.
Lu Yuan clenched his fists tightly beneath his sleeves, his knuckles creaking under the weight.
The wind swayed the branches, the leaves rustling, cutting the light and shadows cast on the bluestone pavement into fragments.
Lu Yuan slowly emerged from the shadows under the eaves.
The sunlight illuminated his handsome yet cold face in an instant.
His face seemed to be covered with a layer of ice that never melts, without a trace of emotion, so cold that even the warm summer breeze around him turned into a blizzard, biting and piercing.
The dark brown official boots trod steadily on the bluestone slabs, making a clear and monotonous "tap, tap" sound.
The sound was amplified infinitely in the suddenly silent garden, each sound, slow and deliberate, heavily pounding on people's hearts, making it hard to breathe.
The hem of his purple official robe drew a heavy and sharp arc as he stepped forward.
The dark patterns of the Qilin embroidered with gold thread occasionally reflected a cold and majestic luster in the sunlight, intertwining with the low pressure emanating from him.
Extremely noble, yet extremely imposing.
He didn't speak harshly or sternly; he simply took things one step at a time.
The invisible pressure spread out as if it were a tangible force, completely freezing and crushing all sounds and vitality in the garden.
He stopped two steps away from Song Heng.
He was tall, standing there a head taller than Song Heng.
He didn't look at Song Heng, or rather, he didn't even acknowledge Song Heng. His gaze was fixed on Ming Wu, like a sharp arrow.
It pierced Mingwu's back like a thorn.
He said again, expressionless, "Come back with me."
He reached out his hand to her.
In the sunlight, the hand's knuckles were clearly defined, but the veins on the back of the hand stood out prominently. This revealed that his inner world was not as calm and composed as it appeared on the surface.
Before Mingwu could make a move, Song Heng spoke first with a smile.
"Cousin, you've misunderstood. My wife and I..."
Before he could finish speaking, Lu Yuan coldly interrupted him: "This is my home, Prince Ning, you have overstepped your bounds."
This was a warning, and Song Heng knew it.
The smile on his lips froze for a moment, then rose again.
“My cousin is used to giving orders in the imperial court, but he doesn’t realize that you can’t do that to a young woman. You’ll frighten her.”
Lu Yuan was not a man who showed his emotions easily; on the contrary, he had been taciturn and reserved since childhood. So much so that even his mother, Old Madam Lu, was somewhat afraid of him.
Not to mention, he had held a high position for many years.
He rarely shows his emotions.
However, lately, it has repeatedly failed.
Now, he was further provoked by Song Heng's words, and a bitter feeling welled up inside him. He glared fiercely at Song Heng, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.
It's like he's about to throw a punch at you in the next second.
Song Heng was inwardly surprised, but still fearlessly asked, "Cousin, are you going to beat me up?"
Lu Yuan quickly suppressed his outward emotions. He casually brushed away imaginary dust from his sleeve and said indifferently.
"When I arrived, the Dowager Consort was chatting happily with several ladies. I suppose she is now..."
He paused deliberately at this point, and sure enough, a look of panic appeared on Song Heng's face.
Lu Yuan's lips curled slightly as his gaze returned to Ming Wu's face, not missing a single change in her expression.
"The Dowager has already chosen a princess for my cousin, hasn't she?"
Upon hearing this, Mingwu looked at Song Heng in surprise, wondering whether she should congratulate him. But she saw that Song Heng's handsome face suddenly turned bright red.
He frantically tried to explain to Mingwu, but didn't know how to begin, or even why he needed to explain.
His lips twitched a few times, but he ultimately said nothing.
He turned and quickly headed towards the banquet hall.
The most urgent task now is to stop my mother.
Lu Yuan's gaze remained fixed on Ming Wu, like a hawk eyeing its prey, never wavering for even a moment.
Song Heng's hasty departure did not distract him in the slightest; the garden was so quiet that only the rustling of leaves in the wind could be heard.
He took a step forward and reached out to take Mingwu's hand.
Mingwu instinctively stepped back and dodged. After realizing what had happened, she looked at Lu Yuan in a panic and, sure enough, saw obvious anger on his face.
And a hint of... sadness, barely perceptible?
"Come here! Don't make me say it a third time."
It was just an illusion, really. How could someone as cold-blooded and ruthless as him possibly be sad? He doesn't even have a heart!
Several people approached the garden, but as they reached the entrance, they saw Lu Yuan and Ming Wu inside. Sensing something amiss, they quickly ran away.
It's as if there's some terrifying flood or ferocious beast in this garden.
Mingwu knew that Lu Yuan's patience was almost exhausted.
She slowly moved from her spot, each step heavy as if she were wearing iron shackles. Sunlight shone on her pale face, and her long eyelashes cast uneasy shadows on her eyelids.
Before he even got close, Lu Yuan lost his patience and suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist.
The force was so great that she frowned instantly and gasped in pain.
With a flick of his finger, Lu Yuan easily snatched the document that Ming Wu had hidden in her sleeve pocket.
Mingwu was terrified and reached out to snatch it.
"Give it back to me!"
Lu Yuan easily subdued Ming Wu. He frowned and looked at the thing wrapped in brocade, gently pinching it with his hand. It was thin.
It's paper.
Could it be... a love letter that Song Heng wrote to her?
As a man, he could naturally see what Song Heng meant by the look in his eyes when he looked at her.
The thought that her woman was being coveted by another man still made her value the love letters he wrote to her so much.
Lu Yuan felt as if his heart was filled with sour water.
It's sour, astringent, and causes severe blockage.
"Is he that important to you?!" Lu Yuan's voice was as cold as ice.
Mingwu stared intently at the document in his hand, her heart pounding in her chest. She was afraid he would open it and read it, and even more afraid that he would tear it up in a fit of anger.
This is her hope, her future.
Mingwu turned her face away, deliberately pretending to be indifferent.
"unimportant."
Lu Yuan seemed to believe him, shaking the object in his hand: "Really not important? Then..." He drew out the last word. His dark phoenix eyes were fixed on Ming Wu's face.
Mingwu couldn't help but look up and meet a pair of dark, deep eyes that seemed to see right through people.
Mingwu's heart skipped a beat.
Lu Yuan leaned slightly forward and whispered in Ming Wu's ear, "Since this thing is not important to you, Madam, then I will keep it safe. What do you think, Madam?"
Mingwu felt a lump in her throat, unable to breathe.
That scoundrel did it on purpose.
But the documents were in his hands, and it was clear that they couldn't be taken away. The only option was to appease him for now, and as long as he didn't discover them, they could find another opportunity to take them later.
Having made up her mind, Mingwu forced a smile.
"We'll do as the Prime Minister says."
Mingwu's obedience improved Lu Yuan's mood considerably. He took Mingwu's hand and walked out of the garden.
Just as they stepped out of the garden, the Dowager Consort sent someone to invite them. Mingwu was then led by Lu Yuan into the banquet hall.
As Lu Yuan led Ming Wu into the banquet hall, the laughter and chatter that had just filled the hall seemed to be abruptly cut off by an invisible hand.
Suddenly it became quiet.
Countless gazes turned to the two of them. More precisely, they fell on Lu Yuan's hand, which was tightly gripping Ming Wu's.
Lu Yuan's hands were long and strong, with distinct knuckles.
At this moment, she was completely enveloping Mingwu's hands in an unquestionable protective posture, strong and domineering.
The guests attending the birthday banquet were all high-ranking officials and dignitaries. Most of them had come to curry favor with Prime Minister Lu Yuan, so they naturally knew something about him.
He is the youngest and most powerful prime minister in the history of the Great Yan Dynasty.
However, he was not interested in women.
In his early years, a bold woman publicly professed her love to him, but he remained stern and ordered her to be thrown into prison.
It was said that it interfered with official business.
This left all the court officials dumbfounded. You see, since ancient times, a man's romantic affairs have been considered a beautiful tale, a symbol of his charm.
Some even secretly speculated that Prime Minister Lu had a penchant for wearing short sleeves.
Now, however, he is openly holding the hand of a beautiful woman at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet.
How could this not be astonishing?!
Lu Yuan seemed oblivious, his expression returning to its usual cold and indifferent state.
He took Mingwu's hand and walked straight towards the main seat.
The hem of the purple official robe brushed against the smooth ground, and the dark kylin pattern shimmered brilliantly under the lamplight.
Mingwu was forced to stay by his side, her wrist gripped tightly in his palm. The grip wasn't strong, but she couldn't break free. It was even tighter than when they were in the garden.
It was as if she was afraid that if she let go, she would disappear.
The Dowager Consort, seated at the head of the table, maintained her smile on her exquisitely made-up face. Her gaze, slightly questioning, turned to Song Heng, only to find him looking sadly at the woman being led by Lu Yuan.
The Empress Dowager's eyelids suddenly twitched.
This unfilial son, could he be...?
The Dowager Consort suppressed the turmoil in her heart, showing no sign on her face, and smiled, saying, "This must be my niece-in-law? She truly is a beauty."
Lu Yuan nodded slightly as a gesture of greeting.
"My wife is feeling slightly unwell, and I fear she may disturb the Empress Dowager's enjoyment. I will take her back to the residence to rest first. I hope the Empress Dowager will not take offense."
The Dowager smiled readily and said, "In that case, your health is of utmost importance. Prime Minister Lu, please take your wife back and get some rest."
Her gaze fell on Mingwu, with a hint of scrutiny: "You don't look well. Should we summon the imperial physician to take a look?"
Lu Yuan declined calmly, "There's no need to trouble the Dowager Consort."
With a slight exertion, he pulled Mingwu, who was trying to break free slightly, even tighter back to his side.
"Goodbye."
After saying that, he took Mingwu's hand and turned around.
Mingwu was practically being half-led by him as they walked out, hearing whispers behind them.
"So this is the Prime Minister's wife."
"Isn't everyone saying that the Prime Minister dislikes this wife and will soon divorce her and remarry? Why doesn't he seem to have no affection for her at all? Could it be that this isn't the original Prime Minister's wife, but rather... that Lady Qi?"
"I haven't heard that the Prime Minister has remarried."
"How can you take rumors as gospel?"
"Some people even say that Lady Qi was once a prime minister..."
She couldn't hear what was said after that, so Mingwu looked up at Lu Yuan.
He was looking straight ahead, the sunlight falling on his angular profile, turning his long, thick eyelashes a pale gold, and casting a small, subtle shadow on his lower eyelids.
His expression was unreadable.
But Mingwu keenly sensed that he was suppressing something.
Sensing Mingwu's gaze, Lu Yuan turned his head, his eyes falling on Mingwu's lowered hair. After seemingly thinking for a moment, he said with a stern face.
"If Madam wishes to know about Qi Lan..."
Mingwu felt that Lu Yuan was warning her, and immediately shook her head: "No need, no need. I welcome Qi Lan very much, but if the Prime Minister wants to..."
The hand that Lu Yuan was holding was suddenly violently flung away. Caught off guard, Ming Wu stumbled and nearly fell.
She glared angrily at the man in front of her, whose face was dark.
He goes crazy at the drop of a hat, it's inexplicable. What a jerk.
She rolled her eyes at him, walked past him, and strode forward.
Lu Yuan watched the woman walk away from him without a second thought.
An indescribable bitterness welled up from the bottom of his heart, rising to his throat. He wanted to vomit but couldn't, and could only swallow it back with difficulty.
Does she really not want to be with him?
Was she swayed by Song Yan's sweet talk and fell for that good-for-nothing pretty boy, wanting to become the Princess Consort of Ning...?
A sharp pain shot through my chest, like being stabbed repeatedly by a long, thin needle, leaving it raw and bleeding.
She can forget about it!
Lu Yuan's eyes sharpened, and he strode forward.
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