Chapter 96 Spirit Zhao Liangxu is refreshed
Anhe's heart tightened, and she asked, "What is it?"
"Yesterday, Eunuch An asked me what I meant by binding my breasts. I didn't argue with him much then, but today I want to hear your explanation. Does Eunuch An prefer large breasts and wide hips?"
Although Zhao Liangxu wasn't exactly narcissistic, she was quite satisfied with herself.
However, what she said was just a minor squabble with someone close to her; it could be interpreted as deliberately picking a fight.
It was just that he had the urge to tease Anhe again.
How could that be?
Anhe stammered, thinking about the absurd question she had asked last night: "My...my family likes someone like you, petite and pretty."
Zhao Liangxu looked at him with a half-smile.
Seemingly realizing that his words had been too presumptuous, he changed his tune.
"You have a well-proportioned, very well-proportioned figure; you are extremely beautiful."
Seeing An He's flustered explanation, Zhao Liangxu suppressed a laugh and said, "Does Eunuch An like it?"
Anhe nodded hurriedly.
Zhao Liangxu then lifted Anhe's hand and placed it on top of his hand.
"Then Eunuch An can touch it more often from now on."
As if whispering, Zhao Liangxu leaned close to An He's ear, her voice as soft as a feather: "I like it too."
Zhao Liangxu waited for Anhe to continue, but Anhe blurted out, "This is not in accordance with the rules... Even if we have seen a lot in the palace, we cannot engage in lewd behavior in broad daylight."
Hearing this, Zhao Liangxu leaned against An He and laughed so hard her body shook.
Zhao Liangxu rubbed her face, which was almost frozen from laughing, and asked, "So, does Eunuch An intend to follow the palace rules, or do he want to make me happy?"
An and Mo remained silent.
Then, after some internal struggle, he hugged Zhao Liangxu tightly.
Anhe said slowly, "Actually, it doesn't matter if the rules are broken."
He then asked, "Are you really... not sore at all?"
"You didn't go to sleep until 3 AM yesterday, you haven't had a proper rest yet."
Zhao Liangxu understood now; Anhe thought she was a big yellow girl.
She gently tugged at Anhe's hair and said, "Of course you haven't rested well. What are you thinking, Eunuch An?"
Zhao Liangxu chuckled a few times, stopped teasing him, and got up to put on her clothes.
While tying the sash on her clothes, Zhao Liangxu said, "Let's skip the daytime today, I'm too tired."
Anhe secretly regretted her wild thoughts.
After Zhao Liangxu finished dressing, she pulled Anhe up and asked him to tie her hair up again.
She rubbed her temples, looked up and thought for a moment, and said, "But I think tonight is fine, after all, Eunuch An's cooking skills are quite good."
Anhe quickly combed Zhao Liangxu's hair into a bun.
Zhao Liangxu looked at herself in the mirror from left to right and said sincerely, "The craftsmanship is indeed quite good."
The compliment seemed to be a double entendre.
After Anhe and Zhao Liangxu finished getting ready, they prepared to go out. During this time, Zhao Liangxu heard the sounds coming from the courtyard.
"Let me hear what they're saying outside."
After the door opened, the three people who were talking in the courtyard immediately fell silent. Zhu Mu carefully looked at An He next to Zhao Liangxu. Remembering the tricky task Zhang Sheng had given her, she hesitated for a long time but did not dare to tell An He directly. So she simply said to Zhao Liangxu, "Princess Zhao, Eunuch Zhang came to see the Emperor this morning and left after a while."
Zhao Liangxu understood Zhu Mu's meaning when she realized that while Zhu Mu was speaking to her on the surface, he was actually talking about things related to Anhe.
She turned to look at Anhe, who, in front of outsiders, reverted to his usual demeanor and nodded, saying, "We understand."
The sky is azure blue today, with only a few white clouds that can't block out the sunlight.
The comfortable sunlight shone on the two people standing in front of the door. Zhao Liangxu and An He were shoulder to shoulder and about the same height. The other three people in the courtyard watched the familiar interaction between the two and suddenly had a strange and surprising idea.
Princess Zhao and the Prince did indeed have a handsome and beautiful appearance together.
They are a perfect match.
Bamboo and wood dispelled the thoughts in his mind.
If Qian Sui is a kind person, Zhu Mu would be very moved that Zhao Liangxu has found someone who cares for her.
But this person happens to be nine thousand years old.
Fear.
"Eunuch An, you should go ahead and attend to your business. Are you staying in the palace today and not coming back?"
Zhao Liangxu scratched Anhe's palm again.
"I'll be back tonight."
He coughed twice, responding somewhat awkwardly.
"Okay, then I'll come find you tonight."
Anhe gently brushed Zhao Liangxu's neck with his fingers and said, "You should rest well. If there's anything you want to eat that your people can't make today, just tell our kitchen. If you need anything, just go to the An family's storeroom and get it yourself. The servants have already followed orders, and they won't stop you if it's you."
After An He finished speaking, he left. Zhang Sheng must have come to inform him of something. He figured it must be that the secret police had made progress in investigating Zhao Chengxin.
Zhu Mu and the others quickly made way for An He.
After Anhe left, Zhumu quickly approached Zhao Liangxu and whispered, "Princess, will His Highness come often?"
Anhe might not easily cause them trouble, but they are afraid nonetheless.
The thought that the Ninth Prince would come to the courtyard from time to time made me uneasy.
"He probably won't come too often, don't worry, he's not that scary."
Zhao Liangxu patted the bamboo and wood.
Bamboo and wood are worried.
After eating some pastries, Zhao Liangxu called Zhu Mu over and said, "Come on, let's go shopping."
She didn't know if it was because she absorbed Anhe's essence yesterday, but she felt refreshed and full of energy.
Even the usual sluggishness after waking up was not evident today; in fact, there was a sense of boundless energy.
Zhao Liangxu found all the strange and wonderful thoughts in her mind quite amusing.
*
Anhe entered the palace, enduring Li Ying's resentful gaze. After watching him learn some things that an emperor should know, she summoned Zhang Sheng and asked him to report.
"Did you come looking for us this morning because of the whereabouts of the female bodyguard who works next to Zhao Chengxin?"
Anhe held the whisk in his hand, gazing at the tips of his white beard as he waited.
"Reporting to Godfather, there is some information, but the secret police are still confirming it. Besides this, there is another matter I need to tell you, Godfather."
Zhang Sheng looked up to observe An He's expression; An He seemed to be in a very good mood today.
Indeed, my godfather usually spends some time with my godmother before speaking to them, and his tone is much gentler than usual.
But it looks quite different today.
Zhang Sheng had been with An He the longest, so he was naturally more perceptive of An He's emotions.
My godmother is really capable.
Although Zhang Sheng didn't know what Zhao Liangxu had done, he couldn't stop her from sincerely calling her "godmother" from the bottom of her heart.
After seeing An He's expression, Zhang Sheng felt more confident and said, "Godfather, although the female guards have not been fully investigated yet, our people have discovered that Zhao Chengxin is becoming restless. His people have recently been interacting with officials in the court. It's not like Zhang Heye's case, where they sneaked in as servants, but rather they have some connections with the families of several officials of low rank."
"Oh? Who are those officials? Are they not high-ranking?"
Were several low-ranking officials colluding with Zhao Chengxin? What enormous benefits could they possibly gain?
What's the point? Is it to easily obtain a charge of colluding with traitors?
"Reporting to Godfather, these people are not closely related and do not interact much. They are among the most inconspicuous people in the court. They only have one thing in common: they are all civil officials."
Zhang Sheng took out a carefully kept piece of paper and presented it to him, saying, "Godfather, this is the list. Please take a look."
Anhe took the list and looked at it; indeed, they were all minor figures he didn't recognize.
"How dare a few insignificant people do such a thing? Have you investigated their network of connections?"
"Reporting to Godfather, the investigation is still ongoing. The individuals belong to several clans, so it will take some time."
Anhe chuckled and said, "You continue your investigation, and don't let the government offices sit idle either."
"Godfather, what do you mean?"
"The person who raided these businesses is probably not a clean and efficient one. They just randomly picked a few charges and raided these businesses. The person behind it will definitely feel uneasy."
Anhe casually placed the list on the table.
He would never believe that there wasn't someone of even higher rank and power watching over these people.
Anhe's smile didn't reach her eyes as she fiddled with the tassel on the jade handle of her whisk and said, "Tell them they're going to be busy these days."
"yes."
After Zhang Sheng left, An He planned to go and see what Li Ying was doing, but instead saw someone he shouldn't have seen in the palace.
He looked at the man in blue robes walking from the palace road, and his good mood vanished instantly.
Anhe unconsciously cast a cold, disgusted look at him.
How could it be him?
Chen Qinglie.
Anhe suddenly remembered that after listening to Zhao Liangxu's words a few days ago, he had at least not secretly asked someone to trip up Chen Qinglie, and even kindly helped him smooth things over with a couple of people.
Some of his handwriting was left inside.
He's just a stupid scholar. Even if you give him a chance, do you think he can seize it?
Even if we catch him, what kind of life can he possibly have?
He wanted Zhao Liangxu to see that even if this person could become a minor official, he wouldn't have much of a future.
As for Zhao Liangxu's point about avoiding making enemies, that's probably the least significant reason, though it carries some underlying ulterior motives.
But what he really wanted to see was what kind of person this scholar would become.
The best and most likely outcome would be that Zhao Liangxu hears that he obtained his official position by currying favor with the Vice Minister of Rites, and that he will not be promoted any further. Anhe then casually mentions that he secretly helped him a couple of times, but unfortunately, this man is just an incompetent fool. In the end, Zhao Liangxu will sigh with regret. That would be the best outcome.
Zhao Liangxu could only have eyes for him.
Anhe harbored a deep prejudice against Chen Qinglie. His recklessness that day had already led Anhe to label Chen Qinglie as someone with no real ability.
An He was too lazy to pay attention to him, and Chen Qinglie didn't want to see An He either, but An He was the Grand Master of Ceremonies, the Ninth Prince, so he had to bow to him.
"I have met Your Excellency." Chen Qinglie's palms were sweating again.
It's like the scene from that day.
His mindset is different now, but he was in such a sorry state that day that he still can't shake off his fear of Anhe.
It doesn't matter, he now has colleagues and the appreciation of the Vice Minister of Rites.
And... He came to see His Majesty today, and I heard from Eunuch Wang, who is by His Majesty's side, that there seems to be an intention to reconcile the situation?
An He wanted to ignore Chen Qinglie completely, not even bothering to give him a sidelong glance, and walked straight past him.
Chen Qinglie replied, "Your Majesty, it was His Majesty who summoned me to the palace today. I must thank Your Majesty for your appreciation."
I don't understand what this eunuch means, but he can't be lacking in manners.
Chen Qinglie felt very conflicted.
Anhe then remembered that he seemed to have mentioned this to Li Ying.
Learning to employ capable ministers is also part of what emperors should learn. However, Anhe thought that Chen Qinglie didn't have the guts to gossip in Li Ying's ear, so he casually mentioned this person.
Rather than wanting Li Ying to value Chen Qinglie, An He was more interested in watching the drama unfold.
He was busy spending time with Zhao Liangxu and had long forgotten about it.
Anhe stopped in his tracks.
Chen Qinglie lowered his head, and a light, amused chuckle came from above.
"oh?"
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Author's Note: There's a very petty person in this chapter, but I won't say who.
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