Chapter 20 His Majesty's eyes followed her
Looking down at Yun Yi, who was dressed in black and looked a little younger than in his previous life memories, but more spirited, Chen Dingyao felt mixed emotions.
Of all his sons, this one was the one who looked and felt most like him, and he had always loved and had the highest hopes for him, until he had Yuan Zhao. Yuan Zhao was born to the woman he loved, and his appearance was exactly like Chan Zhen, delicate as a jade doll, making him want only to bring the best things in the world to them.
He looked at Yuan Zhao with a loving father's heart, but looked at Yun Yi more like his younger self. Perhaps it was because they were so similar that they fell madly in love with the same person, eventually severing their ties and becoming enemies.
"Father, these are the documents I've reviewed recently. Please have a look." Despite his outward appearance of calm and composure, Chen Yunyi felt a certain trepidation when facing his father. His mother had said he was most like him, but he always felt he was far inferior. He also yearned for the day when he could emulate his father's authority, commanding the empire and commanding all to obey his orders.
Chen Dingyao unfolded it and glanced at it casually. He was the one who taught Yun Yi since he was a child, and his methods of handling political affairs were almost a replica of his when he was young. However, when he was Yun Yi's age, he had been on the throne for more than three years, and he had fewer scruples in his actions, while Yun Yi's methods at this time were still softer.
"I understand." He casually placed the document on the table. "You've been doing quite well recently, much better than your two brothers."
Prince Yu was taught by Concubine Shu to be too arrogant and foolish, and Prince Zhuang was too weak due to his birth, so he never considered them as candidates for the crown prince.
"Your Majesty, you are too kind." Yun Yi didn't dare to accept the compliment. Although he also believed that Prince Yu and Prince Zhuang were not capable of great things, making it public would damage the harmony between the brothers. His father was now strong and healthy, and it was far from the opportunity to seize the throne. Maintaining a superficial harmony would always leave a good impression on his father and the civil and military officials.
Chen Dingyao did not want to expose him. They were all princes who had emerged from among thousands of others, so some things should be known to each other.
"I heard that Prince Yu mocked you in front of all the officials regarding his southern tour. Is this true?"
Chen Yunyi remained calm and said, "It was just a little quarrel between brothers. Thank you, Father, for your concern."
But secretly he straightened his back. Prince Yu was a fool and dared to say anything without restraint. He didn't care about Prince Yu's ridicule, but was worried that his father would think that he was resentful of the southern tour.
"Really?" Chen Dingyao chuckled nonchalantly, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. His unhurried movements carried a compelling aura. "Then how does Yun Yi feel? Does he resent me for this?"
Chen Yunyi broke out in a cold sweat. "I dare not. Your Majesty has your reasons for making any decision."
He looked up at the almighty emperor, his face revealing admiration. "Your Majesty, I regard you as my God, and naturally I will not question your decision."
Chen Dingyao watched his reaction coldly. Sure enough, Yun Yi was still too immature at this moment. No wonder Chan Zhen suffered so much grievance when she was with him in her previous life. No matter whether it was Concubine Shu or the relatives in Prince Jin's Mansion, anyone could humiliate her, and Yun Yi had the power to favor her but no ability to protect her.
He never regretted snatching Chan Zhen from Yun Yi. She was so fragile that only supreme power could protect her tightly.
"I do have selfish motives in this southern tour, and you will know it later." He looked down at Yun Yi. He could not simply regard Yun Yi as his son. In front of Chan Zhen, Yun Yi was the only man who was on par with him.
Countless times in his previous life, he watched them interacting from afar, his face expressionless but his heart raging with jealousy.
…
"Your Highness!"
It was a large-scale royal autumn hunt. The princes were accompanied by their favorite concubines. Among the many female relatives, she was the most dazzling, like a pearl emitting a lustrous luster in the night.
He was wearing a cloak, and he noticed her immediately in the crowd, the woman who had once knelt trembling in front of the Shufei Palace. Even though they had only met once, that delicate and pitiful face was deeply imprinted in his memory, allowing him to recognize her from such a distance.
Yun Yi jumped off his horse, strode forward and took her into his arms. From a distance, he couldn't make out what they were talking about, but seeing her suddenly blush in Yun Yi's arms, burying her head in his chest, and Yun Yi's face full of gentle smiles, he suddenly felt a sense of injustice in his chest.
He didn't know where this depression came from, but he subconsciously turned sideways and gave a few instructions to Guo Kai beside him.
After hearing Guo Kai's words, the affectionate atmosphere between Yun Yi and her was immediately broken.
Yun Yi patted her back gently to comfort her and walked towards her under her worried gaze.
But for some reason, his gaze passed Yun Yi who was walking towards him and looked at the woman behind him. By chance, the woman met his gaze, and her glass-like eyes were startled at first, and then she lowered her head in panic and avoided him.
An inexplicable smile appeared on his lips. In his eyes, her reaction was really cute. It reminded him of the little deer he had missed in the forest when he was young and hunting with his father.
He had already drawn his bow and aimed at the fawn that suddenly jumped out of the deep forest, but when he saw the bright eyes looking at him blankly and innocently, for some reason he put down the bow and arrow and let the deer turn around and jump into the forest. After that, he passed by the jungle several times, but never saw any trace of the fawn again.
After many years, he thought he had forgotten the eyes of the deer, but for some reason he remembered them again when he saw her. An inexplicable regret and unwillingness quietly began to take root in his heart, but he had not noticed anything at this time.
The hunt began, and many princes and their accompanying guards rode their horses into the deep forest. Arrows rained down, stirring up a bloody storm in the peaceful jungle.
He subconsciously noticed the direction Yun Yi left, and wanted to go deeper to the other side, but his hands seemed to be out of control, driving the horny horse towards where the women were staying.
There are few prey there, and there are guards all around, so it is much safer than in the forest.
Seeing His Majesty, who was supposed to be deep in the forest, suddenly appear before them, the women were at a loss as to what to do, and bowed to him in fear. He sat on his horse, looking down from above, but did not see her figure.
"I ordered you to guard this place well, but now it seems that there are fewer people."
The guards trembled under his gaze. Suddenly, a woman from an unknown family spoke up, "I just saw Concubine Song from the Prince of Jin's mansion walking west alone."
So her last name was Song? Such a poetic and vague surname was just like the memory she left.
Under everyone's anxious gaze, he galloped westward, finally catching sight of her by a small stream. He stopped his horse at a distance, but didn't approach. He only watched her slender figure from afar. She was alone, staring at the water in silence, looking a little lonely.
But the guards around him didn't know what he was thinking and disturbed the silence with their voices.
"Your Majesty, this place is located on the outskirts of the hunting grounds, and the prey we can hunt is very scarce!"
She seemed to have just realized that someone had come here. She turned around suddenly, and a pair of glass eyes sparkling with broken light met his eyes. The breeze blew up her long hair, and the thin hair touched her face, and her whole body seemed to melt in the sunlight.
Just one glance made him unable to sleep from then on.
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