Lu Shenyun was stunned for a moment when Qingchen was pulled into his arms.
The horse galloped past, its hooves churning and dust billowing.
"How come it's you..." she looked up at him and said.
“My men said they saw you and Xu Yan go into the alley.” Lu Shenyun released her and explained, “I’m afraid he might harm you.”
Lu Shenyun had been keeping an eye on Xu Yan's whereabouts. When the Imperial Guards reported back to him today, he heard Qing Chen's name and couldn't help but go there himself. He didn't know what Xu Yan and Qing Chen said, but later Xu Silin came, and he overheard their argument outside.
Knowing she was upset, he was worried, so he followed her. He hadn't originally planned to show himself; he just wanted to watch her get home quietly. Their relationship had always been like this: he only had eyes for her, but she never saw him.
Qingchen looked at him, still feeling depressed and listless. "Oh. Thank you."
"Why didn't you dodge? You clearly saw the horse charging towards you." There was a hint of coldness in his eyes.
"It's nothing, thank you for saving my life, Lord Lu." Too much had happened today, and she didn't want to talk much, only maintaining the polite demeanor expected of a superior.
Darkness fell, and ominous clouds drifted in. Birds flew back to their nests; a storm was brewing.
"Don't call me Lord Lu, just call me Lu Shenyun," he said.
Qingchen looked at him without saying a word.
“I know that something happened to Miss Mingxiang, and I know you are very sad,” Lu Shenyun said. “I’m sorry, I was outside and didn’t know what happened. I didn’t have time to help you.”
Qingchen shook his head. "It's no one else's fault. It's my own fault; I'm the one who harmed Mingxiang."
“…If you want to cry, you can lend me your shoulder,” he suddenly said.
He was a military general, cold and aloof, a loner, not good at comforting people, and not very eloquent. The fact that he could say these things meant he truly thought them.
"Thank you, but no need," Qingchen said. "I saved your life once, and now you've saved mine. We're even. You can go now."
As she spoke, Lu Shenyun's face remained indifferent, but his heart, which he tried to keep calm, was uncontrollably turbulent.
Fate may have been evened out, but what about love? When will his feelings for her be evened out as well?
It's raining.
The sky grew increasingly dark, and raindrops began to fall sparsely, hitting the ground and splashing into droplets. This was the first rain of the year.
“Come with me, let’s get out of the rain,” he said.
Qingchen stood still, refusing to move, and stubbornly said, "No need. You are a busy person, so please go first and don't worry about me."
It's raining. Mingxiang must be hiding indoors, tears streaming down her face. Gu Shaoheng is on his way to the northern frontier; I wonder if he'll have any shelter from the rain. And what about Song Yue? What is he doing? Is he feeling any better?
It's not a big deal for her to get caught in the rain, since she's already so sad.
"You know you don't like me, but you can't ruin your body like this." Lu Shenyun stopped moving and stood looking at her. "As you say, it's all your fault. So what do you want to do? Atone with your death?"
On the very day she received her official title before the emperor, when he confessed his feelings to her, he had already told her that Xu Yan was a ruthless man. She was an exceptionally talented civil official, a rare pillar of the state, and Xu Yan would stop at nothing to win her over. If she refused, he would do everything in his power to suppress and frame her… But at that time, she had her own ideals to uphold, and she didn't take his words to heart.
Now, the situation has indeed become like this.
"Death?" Qingchen murmured the word blankly, his gaze somewhat unfocused, his lips trembling slightly.
The rain gradually intensified, wetting her hair and eyelashes, and water droplets slid down her cheeks.
Seeing that she was actually considering his suggestion, Lu Shenyun suddenly took his Embroidered Spring Blade from his waist and held it in front of Qingchen. "Yes, die. You won't die from being rained on here. You can use this. This is fast and sharp; one cut will be enough."
Through the fine rain, Qingchen's eyes reddened as she looked at the embroidered spring knife that Lu Shenyun handed her. "My affairs are none of your business."
She knew he meant well, but she felt so repressed and guilty that she just wanted to indulge herself.
“Dying is so easy. Living is the hardest thing.” Lu Shenyun put away the knife. “I know you’re in pain. But you know very well that you shouldn’t wallow in this sadness. You should pull yourself together. If you don’t even have the courage to face yourself, how will you face Xu Yan in the future?”
He looked down at her intently, raindrops hitting his shoulders and sliding down his arms.
The rain was getting heavier and heavier, soaking the two men who were facing off. The wind felt especially cold against their skin.
Lu Shenyun suddenly grabbed Qingchen's hand. "Let's go."
"I'm not leaving," she said as she struggled.
He forcibly dragged her to stand under the eaves of someone else's house.
Qingchen tried to break free, but was pulled back and pinned against the wall.
Looking at the person in front of him who was emotionally distraught, Lu Shenyun couldn't help but whisper sharply, "Enough! If you want to get soaked in the rain, can you consider me? I don't want to keep chasing you in the rain. Be quiet, okay? If you don't want me by your side, I'll leave when the rain stops."
Qingchen was taken aback by his drinking. The person in front of her was usually aloof, reserved, and taciturn, but she could feel the concern in his eyes and a different kind of gentleness that went against his temperament.
He gives off a very special feeling, unlike Song Yue and Xu Silin.
Thinking of the two people who had both said they liked her, Qingchen felt a mix of emotions. Her nose stung, and she couldn't help but cry, tears streaming down her face.
Lu Shenyun's Adam's apple bobbed, and he raised his hand to wipe away the tears on her face. His fingertips were rough from years of martial arts training, but they were very gentle.
"Don't cry." He could say harsh words, but he was incapable of offering comforting words. Towards the one he loved, he could only utter these three simple words.
The rain poured down, and Qingchen's tears flowed even more freely. Her sobs were drowned out by the sound of the rain, which made her even more unrestrained, completely venting her emotions.
She was soaked to the bone, shivering from the cold, and her lips were pale.
Lu Shenyun, who had been silently watching her, finally couldn't hold back any longer and pulled her into his arms. "Cry."
He's really stupid. He can't say anything else to comfort people except "Don't cry, cry."
Qingchen tried to break free from his embrace, but Lu Shenyun said, "Don't move. I knew you were a woman just now."
He knew it the moment he pulled her back from under the horse's hooves and put his arm around her.
“I didn’t…” she cried, trying to deny it.
"You're too stubborn." He hugged her even tighter. "Don't move. Let me take the hand warmer off for you. Once the rain stops, you can hit me however you want."
Upon hearing these words, Qingchen burst into tears.
Lu Shenyun, who was holding her, blinked his eyelashes, and his cold face softened.
The rain poured down, soaking the newly sprouted grass and trees. Large raindrops pounded the ground, splashing up sparkling droplets. A dense curtain of rain had formed under the eaves, obscuring the view outside.
People outside can't see them clearly either.
After a while, the rain stopped and it got completely dark. Qingchen, who had been crying her heart out, gradually calmed down.
Lu Shenyun escorted Qingchen home.
When they arrived at her doorstep, she said to him, "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
She went inside to get a dry cloth and handed it to him, saying, "You're soaking wet, wipe yourself off."
He took it, casually wiped his face, and asked, "Is there any food?"
Qingchen was stunned for a moment.
Are you hungry?
"I'm not hungry..."
“And your father.” As he spoke, he walked to her stove and saw the vegetables and meat she had bought on the table next to it. So he took the embroidered spring knife from his waist and carried the things to the yard to arrange them.
Qingchen followed him, watching his every move, "What are you going to do?"
"Cook."
"No need to trouble yourself. I can do it myself. Your clothes are wet, you should go back and change."
Lu Shenyun didn't know what to say, so he simply kept quiet and continued working.
Soon, he chopped firewood, lit a fire, put the meat and vegetables into the pot, and made two dishes and a soup, which he then placed on the round table.
Then he clapped his hands and said, "I'm leaving."
"You made this yourself, won't you eat some?" Qingchen urged.
"No need. I said I'd leave as soon as I brought you back. Goodbye."
"Lu Shenyun..."
Hearing this sound at the door, he paused for a moment, but did not turn around. He then stepped into the night.
February 10th.
Spring is here, and everything in Beijing is coming back to life.
In the Ming Dynasty, there was a tradition that every early spring, the emperor would go to the Temple of Agriculture in the capital to offer sacrifices to the God of Agriculture, and then go to the Observation Platform to demonstrate plowing. During the plowing, the emperors would hold the plow with their right hand and the whip with their left, and plow the field back and forth several times. Therefore, this tradition was also called "personally plowing with the plow."
After Zhu Rui's imperial carriage left the palace in a grand procession, Consort Zheng also secretly left the palace.
Yesterday, she received a message from Song Yue through a messenger, saying that he wanted to meet her.
She was pleased that he had chosen this day to meet. With Zhu Rui away from the palace, she would have more time to communicate with him. She thought he must have felt the same way, which was why he had carefully chosen this day.
This also suggests that his answer shouldn't disappoint her, and there's a good chance it will even bring a surprise.
Because of the extended time they spent together, they could do more than just talk. Song Yue was a high-ranking official, refined and dignified, with a detached and aloof demeanor, always appearing detached from worldly affairs and ascetic. For a woman, to have even a day of intimacy with him would truly be a life well-lived.
Before going out, Consort Zheng took a bath and dressed up carefully, wearing a fragrant undergarment. She looked as delicate and fragrant as a flower blooming in spring.
The fewer people who knew about her leaving the palace, the better. Moreover, knowing that someone like Song Yue couldn't possibly have any intention of harming her, Consort Zheng only brought two personal attendants with her.
The carriage soon arrived at the agreed-upon location.
This is a three-courtyard house nestled deep in a hutong (alleyway), quite secluded. The courtyard is planted with many banana trees and bamboo, which, having survived the bleakness of winter, are now showing signs of spring green. There is also a small pond in the courtyard, beside which grows clusters of grapevines, their new buds just sprouting and curling around the bamboo fence.
Consort Zheng was also very satisfied with this place; it was quiet, undisturbed, and very romantic.
Song Yue was already waiting inside.
When Consort Zheng entered, he was leaning against the couch by the window, flipping through a book, looking languid. The hem of his long robe hung down to his side, revealing handsome eyebrows, refined eyes, and a radiant face; the light and shadow outlining his profile were simply perfect.
He raised his eyebrows slightly when he saw people arrive.
Consort Zheng removed her hood and cloak, hanging them on a clothes rack in the corner. "Your Excellency."
He put down his book and responded casually, "Coming."
"Hmm." She walked to his side, looking down at him. "I heard you were sick a couple of days ago. Are you feeling better now?"
As she spoke, she reached out to touch his forehead.
Song Yue tilted her head back, took her hand, and looked at her. "Much better."
The moment he grasped her hand, Consort Zheng suddenly felt a strange excitement, stemming from the long-dormant desire for him in her heart, to the point that she felt reluctant to let him go.
"Your hands are still very hot." She looked at him. "Are you really all better now? Is it not a problem at all?"
Song Yue raised an eyebrow slightly. "What do you think?"
She scanned him from head to toe. He was tall and imposing, with a strong chest, powerful arms, and long legs. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly on his neck, which wasn't covered by clothing, making him look very sexy.
The high-ranking Second Secretary of the Cabinet is now within her reach.
Consort Zheng smiled in her most charming manner and said, "You look so pleasing to the eye."
Song Yue glanced at her indifferently, then got up and went to the round table to pour her a cup of tea, handing it to her, "Have a sip of tea first."
She admired his every move, then smiled sweetly, pushed away his teacup, picked up the cup he had drunk from on the table, and said, "I'll drink yours."
Song Yue said nonchalantly, "Are you afraid I'll harm you?"
"I just felt that what you drank must have been very sweet."
She entered the palace in her teens and witnessed the scheming and intrigue among the concubines, which had long since instilled in her a habit of protecting herself. Although she didn't believe Song Yue would harm her, being cautious was a natural part of her being.
“Since Your Highness distrusts me so much, why did you even ask me to cooperate with you?” Song Yue said, downing the tea he was about to offer her in one gulp. “Just one cup of tea is enough to destroy our trust.”
“You’ve misunderstood me.” She gently patted his shoulder. “I really liked the drink you had. You don’t know, I liked you from the very first moment I saw you.”
“Your Highness is the Emperor’s Noble Consort,” Song Yue said calmly, her expression unreadable. “How can you say such things so casually? Aren’t you afraid the Emperor will find out?”
Consort Zheng smiled and said, "I'm speaking from the heart. I truly like you. And I know you won't tell the Emperor. Your ambitions haven't been realized yet, so how could they be delayed by a mere woman like me?"
Song Yue looked down at her and said, "Your Majesty is truly intelligent."
A slight smile played on her rosy lips as she traced his cheek with her slender fingers, speaking with a seductive and tender voice: "In your eyes, am I only clever?"
Song Yue remained noncommittal, instead asking, "Regarding our cooperation, aren't you going to ask me what I've thought about it?"
"You invited me out today, at this time and place, so the outcome shouldn't be one I don't want to hear. Besides, you're a smart person with ambition and drive; why would you disagree with such a good deal?"
Song Yue simply looked down at her without saying a word.
Consort Zheng tilted her head back and touched his lips. "You're quite charming even when you're not talking."
Seeing that he didn't flinch, she took a half step forward, embraced him, and buried her head in his chest. "With us together, everything you want can come true. When my son ascends the throne, this country will be the one you told me about. We can emulate Consort Li and Grand Secretary Zhang thirty years ago..."
As she spoke, she took a deep sniff. Song Yue had a faint, masculine fragrance that was enough to stir one's heart.
Song Yue didn't push her away, but looked down at her and asked, "His Majesty is in good health now, what do you plan to do?"
“You help me find a way to make Zhu Ruiyi the heir apparent, and I will make sure he passes away peacefully... At that time, we can…” As she spoke, she gently tiptoed, wanting to kiss his lips.
He suddenly pulled her close, turned her around, and pressed her against the round table, looking down at her.
Caught off guard, Consort Zheng's head tilted back slightly due to inertia, her proud breasts pressed against Song Yue's chest. His breath sprayed onto her face, warm and alluring.
Because of Song Yue's sudden initiative, her heart was pounding, and even her voice trembled with excitement, "Yue..."
He leaned close to her lips and whispered, "Do you really like me that much?"
She replied ambiguously, "I like you to death. I think about you every single night."
"Close your eyes."
She did as she was told and closed her eyes.
His lips drew near to hers...
At the same time, he took out a small porcelain bottle from his sleeve and poured the powder inside into the teacup behind her.
Consort Zheng kept her eyes closed, but he didn't kiss her. She was getting impatient and called out in a sweet voice, "Yue, what's wrong..."
Having done what he wanted, Song Yue immediately released her waist and said, "I'm thirsty."
Consort Zheng was stunned for a moment, then opened her eyes.
He picked up the teacup behind her, pretended to take a small sip, and then held the cup to her lips. "I've already drunk from it. Try it and see if it's sweet?"
She smiled slightly, took the cup, drank the tea in one gulp, and then licked her lips. "So sweet."
After saying that, she wrapped her arms around his waist again, trying to untie his belt, but he grabbed her wrist.
He was very strong, and it hurt her a little. "What's wrong? The Emperor will be returning to the palace soon, let's hurry up."
Song Yue looked at her coldly and shook off her hand. "Your Highness, please have some self-respect."
"Yue?" She looked at him in confusion, but suddenly felt dizzy. She glanced at the teacup and asked, "This tea... what did you give me to drink?"
"Aphrodisiac."
Why do this?
“In a quarter of an hour, you will fall unconscious, and the Emperor’s imperial carriage will arrive here. I handed the Emperor a note, telling him that there is something he wants to see here. When he arrives, he will see a bed in this room, you on the bed, and a man beside you.”
"You actually framed me!" she asked, leaning on the edge of the table with a furrowed brow.
He simply said, "If I can't even handle a woman like you, how can I talk about becoming the Grand Secretary?"
What exactly do you want?
"Here are paper and pens. Write as I say."
"What if I don't write it?"
“There are guards outside, you can’t get out. The guards you brought are unconscious now. Your Highness doesn’t have much time to think.” As he spoke, he had already laid out the paper for her, weighed it down with a paperweight, and dipped the brush in ink, holding it in front of her.
"What do you want to write?" she asked, having no choice but to take the pen.
"The clouds weave patterns, the stars convey sorrow, the Milky Way stretches vast and silent. A single meeting in the golden autumn breeze and jade dew surpasses countless encounters in the mortal world. Tender feelings flow like water, the auspicious day is like a dream, how can I bear to look back on the road to the Magpie Bridge? If our love is destined to last, why should we be together every day and night?" Song Yue said calmly, "Though I am in the palace, my heart belongs only to you..."
"you--"
Song Yue made her write this poem so that she would leave evidence of her secret affair with someone else, in order to deter her from taking He Ying's life again.
Consort Zheng knew this would be very detrimental to her, but she had no choice but to write it down. Compared to being caught red-handed by Zhu Rui, she at least had time to consider how to turn things around later.
She quickly wrote down what Song Yue wanted and handed the paper to him. At the same time, she felt her head growing heavier and her consciousness becoming blurry, and she had almost no strength left in her body.
"Song Yue, I like you so much, please don't treat me like this. Cooperate with me, as long as you're willing to help me, the Ming Dynasty will belong to both of us."
He put away the letter she had written, looked down at her, and said, "I'm sorry to have disappointed Your Majesty. Your Majesty is probably confused. Now that this letter is in my hands, the initiative is no longer in Your Majesty's hands. Now it's my turn to tell you that as long as you are willing to help me, Your Majesty can continue to be Your Majesty in peace. Otherwise, you may not even be able to keep your position as Imperial Concubine..."
"As expected of Grand Secretary Song, I never expected that you would turn the tables on me in such a favorable situation. Could it be that you had been planning to use my strength all along, and when I threatened you, I was playing right into your hands..." She looked at him and continued, "But I was right about you. You can't tolerate Xu Yan, and you still want to realize your ambitions and wishes. You are indeed... someone I like and who is worth cooperating with."
Song Yue remained noncommittal, only saying, "Your Majesty, please consider it carefully. I'll be leaving now."
"Wait." Consort Zheng leaned weakly against the table. "I have no strength left. Help me out."
He paused, then turned his back to her and said, "Your Majesty's guards are outside. Just call out, and they will come in to help you."
She frowned. "They weren't with you..."
"No. The Emperor's carriage didn't come this way either, and I didn't even pass him any note... He went to great lengths to personally demonstrate plowing and tilling, setting an example for the people. As his subject, how could I possibly delay this matter?"
"So it was all just a bluff..."
"I'm sorry for deceiving Your Majesty." With that, he stepped out of the room, leaving behind only the words, "I will come to you when I need Your Majesty."
Looking at his tall figure, Consort Zheng gave a bitter smile. Although she had been deceived by him, she wasn't that angry; instead, she still felt a pang of reluctance.
This person is intelligent, aloof, ambitious, shrewd, and resourceful, possessing a unique and captivating charm.
It's really likable.
In the afternoon, Song Yue returned to the Ministry of Rites, where Qing Chen was already waiting for him.
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