Chapter 42 Chapter 42 [VIP]
On the Dragon Boat Festival, the King of Chu celebrated Yuan Mu's birthday in his mansion.
It rained in the early morning, and the drizzle knocked down many lilac flowers in the yard.
The light purple petals swayed, forming a thin layer among the grass.
But after the rain, the branches and leaves of the grass and trees become even greener.
There was a banquet to be held today, so Yuan Mu woke up very early. She rubbed her eyes and sat up.
Jinzhi and several maids came up to Yuan Mu, holding a large sandalwood box and said happily, "My lady, happy birthday."
They make a lot of things for Yuan Mu every year.
There are small jade carvings, small pendants, small dolls, and small handkerchiefs.
Various exquisite items are packed in large sandalwood boxes, like a miniature beautiful mansion.
Yuan Mu arched his eyebrows and smiled sweetly: "Thank you."
She hugged the big box, opened it, played with it for a while, and then carefully placed it on the display cabinet.
Yuan Mu woke up very early, but King Chu came over soon after.
His voice rose slightly: "Is A Luo awake?"
Yuan Mu was changing the water for the flowers in the porcelain vase. After hearing his words, she responded softly, "A Luo is awake."
She was wearing a snow-white dress with pear blossom color, and the sleeves were decorated with light yellow forsythia patterns.
She looked delicate and cute, just like a little girl of sixteen or seventeen.
The King of Chu smiled and said softly, "Happy birthday, A'luo."
The more lively the birthday party is, the better.
If it weren't for Yuan Mu's special status, the King of Chu would have thrown her a grand birthday banquet for three days and three nights.
But she was actually very happy that someone celebrated her birthday.
There will be a banquet at the mansion today. After having breakfast, Yuan Mu started to prepare various matters.
The fragrance of mugwort wafted throughout the mansion, as if cleansing away all the filth.
The kitchen prepared a lot of rice dumplings.
Yuan Mu had a bad spleen and stomach, so she ate half of a sweet rice dumpling with a small spoon and didn't eat any more.
In the evening, the wine flowing through the winding stream is even more lively.
The sound of music and fireworks could be heard from far away in the inner court.
Yuan Mu learned from her last experience and did not dare to stay in the outer room for too long. She lay on the couch and fiddled with the big box, changing clothes for the little babies.
Jinzhi and her friends are very skillful and they made many sets of clothes for each doll.
Yuan Mu looks very mature, but he is actually a bit childish.
While other children were playing house, she was raised by her grandmother, living a depressed and boring life.
There was no girl in Qingyun Temple who was about her age.
Not to mention the imperial palace.
Yuan Mu didn’t know how Jinzhi and the others figured it out, but she really liked these little gadgets.
They always worry that she is lonely and isolated.
She was the one who organized the banquet, but she could never participate in the excitement outside.
Yuan Mu didn't care. She liked to be alone and quiet.
Today is the Dragon Boat Festival, and there is no one to serve in the inner court.
She gave the maids a holiday and stayed in her room playing until the banquet was almost over.
Yuan Mu leaned on the soft couch with her arms supported, her snow-white skirt like a pear blossom fell down, her slender legs swayed, revealing a carefree look.
She was pampered by the people around her, and after being away from the palace for more than two years, she became more lively and smart than before.
Yuan Mu changed the little kids into clothes of the same color, and then put the wooden carved peony that he had brought back from the bookstore some time ago into the little house.
It was originally a flower, but in the sandalwood box, it looked like a small pavilion.
Yuan Mu likes it no matter how he looks at it.
She got up and tried to find the wooden kitten she had made earlier and put it in there too.
The moment Yuan Mu glanced sideways, her eyes met the man standing by the door.
Gao Shi was leaning against the door of the inner room, wearing a black robe. He stood with his back to the light, and his face, which was obviously that of a military general, was half hidden in the darkness, revealing a cold and murderous intent for no reason.
He didn't know how long he stood there watching.
The moment Yuan Mu met Gao Shi's gaze, his heart stopped for a moment.
She had the illusion of seeing a ghost, her knuckles were trembling, and the long-lost fear and terror pressed down on her, making her screams mute in her throat.
Why is he here? What does he want to do?
Yuan Mu's body was shaking and his eyes were constantly shaking.
What she didn't know was that in the man's eyes, her helpless and pitiful appearance was like a little rabbit falling into a cage.
Gao Shi strolled in leisurely.
He smiled softly and said in a gentle voice, "Long time no see, my lady."
Yuan Mu's heartstrings tightened, and she said in a trembling voice, "This is the inner courtyard of the Prince of Chu's mansion. You dare to trespass twice. Don't you want to die?"
She stood up, her snow-white clothes fluttering, and she looked beautiful in a pretentious manner.
"What do you mean, my lady?" Gao Shi curled his lips and smiled. "I took such a big risk just to see you, and this is how you treat me?"
His eyebrows and eyes were full of ferocity.
Yuan Mu could clearly feel that this was a man with countless blood on his hands.
But come here, or I'll call for help."
Yuan Mu raised his eyes. She was so beautiful and had a cool temperament. When people saw her for the first time, Xue Yan would attract their attention.
, red lips and vermilion dots.
Only when you are close to her can you feel how enchanting those watery eyes are.
The color is light and faintly blue.
As clear as a mountain stream, flowing with moonlight.
Gao Shen walked up to Yuan Mu and pulled out the slender gold hairpin in her hair. Her thick long hair fell down like black silk.
She stepped back, her voice trembling: "Don't come over here again!"
Yuan Mu looked like a flower in a greenhouse. She was beautiful and fragile, as delicate as a dodder, and exuded a rich fragrance.
Gao Shen easily grabbed her slender wrist and knocked the long golden hairpin directly to the ground.
He had been immersed in military affairs for many years and was completely beyond Yuan Mu's ability to withstand.
There was an extremely sharp pain in the wrist bone.
Yuan Mu groaned, tears welling up in his eyes.
Gao Shen looked at her leisurely and asked lightly, "Do you have Hu ancestry?"
During the time of Yuan Mu's grandfather, the Tuoba royal family had already changed to Han customs many years ago. Moreover, the imperial family often intermarried with prominent families in the north, and the appearance difference was not much.
There was a sense of interest in Gao Shen's words, which made Yuan Mu feel nauseous.
She said nothing, but he smiled at her reaction.
"Hu people's women are nice," Gao Shi said nonchalantly. "Can you dance? Dance for me, and I won't bother you today."
He is different from Yuan Wei in his romantic and unrestrained nature.
When Gao Shi looked at the woman, there was no emotion in his eyes, as if he was looking at an utensil or a toy.
The moment he let go of Yuan Mu's wrist, she slapped him hard in the face.
The crisp sound of "pop" was very clear in the silent room.
Yuan Mu was forced to the wall, but there happened to be a very tall porcelain vase placed there.
Without any hesitation, she kicked him down.
The huge sound of breaking was deafening. Yuan Mu was half soaked by water, and Gao Shi's clothes were also in a mess.
She ran out desperately.
But Yuan Mu's reaction was still far worse than Gao Shi's. He held her slender wrist tightly, his eyes dark and terrifying.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at him in shock.
"This is the residence of the King of Chu," Yuan Mu said in a tearful voice, "If you dare to do anything, he won't let you go..."
She is really too fragile, but this kind of fragility has a kind of noble and delicate temperament.
It's simply touching.
Gao Shi listened to Yuan Mu's threats, and a smile suddenly appeared on his gloomy face. He whispered, "Then do you know who I am?"
"There's never been anyone I haven't been able to get," he said in a sinister voice. "And what's more—you're just a concubine, a prostitute?"
Gao Chi is like a poisonous snake.
When he pulled out the blade, Yuan Mu was so scared that he almost cried.
Gao Shi patted her face with the back of his knife and said in a cold voice, "See you later, my lady."
He just walked out of the inner court.
Yuan Mu looked up at him in a daze, a fear of being entangled by the Yin Snake gathered in his heart and did not go away for a long time.
She might be in real trouble.
There was a loud noise when the porcelain bottle broke, and soon a eunuch came over.
Yuan Mu covered her face and sat on the couch, her black hair disheveled, her dress half wet, the snow-white hem stained with dust.
The eunuch asked nervously, "Madam, what happened?"
Yuan Mu whispered, "I'm fine."
After they cleaned the inner courtyard, she returned to the tent.
Yuan Mu had met many sorcerers when she was young, and many of them said that she had a bad fate, but the words of one sorcerer were more relevant.
"Even this face alone is not good enough," he said to his disciples, "If she were to live in troubled times, she would be a disaster. Marrying three times would be too few."
Yuan Mu hugged the thin blanket tightly, her mind was confused, and her mind was full of dark memories of the past.
Memories are intertwined, and even dreams are noisy.
Yuan Mu's brows were tightly furrowed and her body was covered in cold sweat. When she was awakened, she realized that she was in a nightmare.
Her face was pale and her hair on her forehead was soaked with cold sweat.
The King of Chu whispered, "You're having a nightmare, A'luo."
He lit the lamp and brought the cup to her.
Yuan Mu supported herself with her arms and sat up, her black hair falling on her shoulders. The moment she looked up and saw the King of Chu, she misjudged his face and accidentally knocked over the cup.
She turned her face away, like a frightened bird, with fear in her eyes and brows.
The boiling hot tea splashed on the back of the King of Chu's hand, burning his white knuckles red.
He was stunned for a moment, then said softly, "It's me, A'Luo."
The King of Chu and the Emperor looked very similar; they were brothers from the same father and mother.
Yuan Mu had never been able to distinguish them clearly in the past, and now that he was getting older, she was more likely to get confused at certain moments.
The King of Chu looked more and more like Helan Zhen, and more and more like the emperor.
Yuan Mu suppressed his fear, raised his eyes and looked at the King of Chu again. He put his hands in his sleeves so that she could not see his knuckles that were burned red.
She whispered, "I'm sorry, I..."
As soon as Yuan Mu finished speaking, the King of Chu said softly, "It's okay."
"Have you been having nightmares lately?" He wiped up the tea, "Shall we have the court doctor come over tomorrow?"
Yuan Mu really wanted to say no, but when he met the King of Chu's gaze, he was speechless.
He should be a very proud man, but in front of her, he seemed to have no temper.
They have been together since leaving the palace.
The King of Chu was like a craftsman who was very good at growing flowers. He patiently pieced together Yuan Mu's broken and decayed petals bit by bit, bringing her back to life.
Yuan Mu thought that such a peaceful life could last for a long time.
As long as the emperor doesn't notice, nothing can shake the friendship between them.
But now Yuan Mu suddenly discovered that this was not the case.
She seemed to be born to bring disaster to others and was always involved in all kinds of obscure things.
Yuan Mu didn't know how Gao Shi got into the palace, but judging from the King of Chu's expression, he probably didn't know about this yet.
She is not an ignorant unmarried girl.
She understood Gao Shi's respected status and could clearly see the determined look in his eyes.
Now that he was in trouble, even the King of Chu would be unable to do anything without the Emperor's protection. However, he could not let the Emperor know anything about this matter.
Yuan Mu was very afraid that the emperor would discover her existence.
But what she feared most was that the King of Chu would be implicated.
The emperor's thundering wrath would often result in millions of corpses and thousands of miles of bloodshed, which was not something they could endure.
Yuan Mu suddenly felt a long-lost pain in his heart.
She lowered her head and said in a low voice: "A Zhang, why don't you just let me go..."
The King of Chu's hand holding the handkerchief suddenly stopped.
He whispered, "Did you dream about something?"
"No," Yuan Mu shook his head, "I just think this is not a good idea..."
She is very afraid of causing trouble to others, so she will suppress herself in any way to do so.
The King of Chu's expression changed slightly. He frowned and asked, "Did you see Gao Shi again today?"
He is so sharp.
They never hid anything from each other, but Yuan Mu really didn't know how to tell the King of Chu about what happened tonight.
She wanted to be more restrained and calm, but tears kept welling up in her eyes.
Yuan Mu shook his head, his voice filled with tears: "No, I didn't see him."
But what could the King of Chu not understand at this moment?
Gao Shi was a sinister and cruel person. His interest in treating women was different from that of ordinary people. His favorite thing was to plunder other people's wives and concubines.
Few people dare to attack the prince's people, let alone the emperor's younger brother.
But Gao was bold.
"I can send you somewhere else," the King of Chu whispered, "but what should we do next, A'Luo?"
He bent down, knelt on one knee, and gently held Yuan Mu's hand.
"You can't be without someone to look after you," the King of Chu looked at her face, "besides, if something like this happens again, who will protect you?"
Yuan Mu met the King of Chu's gaze in astonishment.
He wiped away her tears with his fingertips and said softly, "Don't be afraid. If anything goes wrong, we'll get through it together."
The King of Chu had an expression of transcendent calm.
Yuan Mu's panicked heart gradually calmed down. She rubbed her eyes and looked at him seriously.
The King of Chu said softly, "Gao Shi dares to look down on you like this because he thinks you are just my personal favorite."
Having no name or status, and hiding in the inner house, isn't that the same as being a private favorite?
But Yuan Mu's identity is destined to be hidden from the public.
"I will ask my brother the emperor for a title tomorrow," the King of Chu said in a low voice, "but I will have to make A Luo suffer and accept the position of concubine for now."
There was a flash of coldness in his eyes.
There were tears in Yuan Mu's eyes, but she didn't notice.
She simply grabbed the King of Chu's sleeve and said hesitantly, "Isn't this a bad idea? It's too dangerous..."
Yuan Mu's voice was weak and his eyes were full of fear.
"It doesn't matter," the King of Chu smiled lazily, "This day will come sooner or later, won't it?"
He is the kind of person who has been spoiled since childhood, and he is surprisingly calm and composed in everything he does.
Yuan Mu, who had been worried and nervous all night, suddenly relaxed.
Her little hands clenched and clenched, then slowly relaxed.
The King of Chu ruffled Yuan Mu's hair and said softly, "It's still early, go to sleep for a while."
He covered her with a thick blanket and then took a book from the shelf beside her.
"Close your eyes," the King of Chu said with interest, "I will read you a story today."
Yuan Mu had problems sleeping before, and Jinzhi would always read her stories to put her to sleep.
Her face flushed with shame, but she still closed her eyes obediently.
This time when I fell asleep, I had peaceful and sweet dreams all night long.
Yuan Mu slept until noon the next day. She had been busy preparing for the banquet these days, and the King of Chu had specifically instructed not to wake Yuan Mu up.
She stretched a little before slowly sitting up.
The maid smiled and opened the window, and a bird on the branch happened to fly in.
Yuan Mu tilted her head to look at the little bird. She took a little bird food and placed it in her palm, watching the little bird peck at it and eat it.
The bird's feathers are light yellow and look fluffy, very cute.
Yuan Mu curled his lips and said softly, "Are these the birds that built a nest in the front yard?"
"No, my lady," the maid said sideways, "it's a new one."
After the little bird finished eating the bird food, it flew away.
Yuan Mu looked at the bird flying into the distance, his eyes always bright.
She doesn't have big ambitions and doesn't have high material desires.
Yuan Mu’s greatest wish for the future is a peaceful and quiet life. Such an ordinary life is the greatest happiness for her.
She leaned against the window and took a long time to look away.
-
The letter from the King of Chu was sent urgently.
When the emperor received the letter, he frowned slightly, but after opening it, he realized that he just wanted to ask for a concubine.
This premonition came true before the person he sent arrived.
The emperor recalled that during the previous New Year, the King of Chu had only been in the palace for a few days before he hurried back to Shuofang.
That person had been by his side at least since last year.
There was not a single word in the letter from the King of Chu about the woman's identity, nor was there any mention of bringing her back to him to see.
It seems that there is really a problem with identity.
The emperor was a very traditional person. He believed that a good marriage should be one between two people of equal social status and with mutual respect.
There is nothing wrong with pampering a concubine in private, but the honor due to the wife is also indispensable.
Otherwise, all the rules would be messed up.
The King of Chu has not yet had a wife, but he has already asked to appoint a concubine as his concubine, and she is a woman who is quite favored. It will only make it more troublesome for him to get married in the future.
I don’t know how humble her origin must have been, as the King of Chu would ask for her to be a concubine instead of directly being the princess.
The emperor looked at the letter for a moment and became more and more upset.
He was very tolerant towards the King of Chu, but if the identities of the people around the King of Chu were so low that they could not be concealed, that would be a big trouble.
The emperor became more and more upset the more he thought about it. He had previously thought that the worst case scenario might be a married woman.
But he forgot there was a more troublesome possibility.
prostitute.
The King of Chu had never touched a woman in his life, and he was a bit stupid.
If the other person is really a scheming woman who is well versed in the ways of the world, I'm afraid she can trick him away with just a few words.
The emperor felt a throbbing pain in the acupoint on his forehead.
"Get ready," he whispered, "I will personally visit Shuofang in a few days."
Shuofang was a military stronghold arranged by the emperor himself. It was originally intended to dispatch soldiers and facilitate the war against the Rouran. It has become increasingly prosperous over the years.
It was time for him to go and see it in person.
The emperor stood up, and at this moment the breeze outside the hall blew up the letter on the table.
He lowered his hand and picked up the letter from the King of Chu, put them together, and suddenly realized that something was wrong.
The handwriting on the two pieces of letter paper may seem similar, but there are actually subtle differences.
The emperor freely studied calligraphy, and with a deep understanding of this art, his brows furrowed even tighter.
The King of Chu never asked others to write for him when he wrote letters, and he always wrote them himself. However, there were a few letters with obviously wrong paper, which might be the result of the writing of a beautiful woman.
The emperor was so angry that he almost laughed.
Should we say that the King of Chu acted absurdly, or should we say that he was truly a romantic man?
Now he wanted to go and see what kind of woman could make the King of Chu so obsessed with her?
-
Time flies.
In the blink of an eye, it was mid-May.
Yuan Mu didn't dare to leave the mansion these days. The King of Chu also increased the number of guards in the mansion, and the mansion couldn't even hold any banquets recently.
Every day she would flip through books, handle some trivial matters, and fiddle with flowers and plants.
King Chuliu of Chu delivered a letter to the emperor early in the morning. It was six hundred miles from Lingzhou to Jingzhao, and even if it was an expedited letter, it would take three to five days to arrive.
Yuan Mu sat on the terrace with his knees bent and his black hair loose.
On her lap was a history book about astronomy.
Yuan Mu was fascinated by such boring things.
The King of Chu watched with her, and at dusk, the two of them left the terrace.
The emperor hadn't replied yet, and Yuan Mu was a little worried. She curled her knuckles and whispered, "What if he doesn't agree?"
The King of Chu lowered his eyes to look at Yuan Mu's face and said softly, "No."
They had dinner together. It was very hot and she hadn't eaten much recently. She pushed the plate away after eating a little.
"Have some snacks," the King of Chu knocked on the table, "or you'll be hungry in the evening."
He placed the small plate in front of Yuan Mu and fed her two pieces with a small fork.
Yuan Mu really couldn't eat anymore. She walked out of the inner room barefoot and said softly, "I'll get some cool air and eat later."
She was wearing a snow-white robe, with thin colorful ropes around her ankles, and the sound of golden bells tinkling softly.
It was almost night, and the moonlight shone on Yuan Mu's body, giving him a lasting and peaceful feeling of tranquility.
The King of Chu looked at her back for a long, long time.
Yuan Mu sat on the wooden floor, fiddling with the Nine Rings in her hands. Her mind was actually very quick. After her staff taught her a few times, she was able to play it very smoothly.
Her life until she was nineteen was trapped in a cage.
The first time King Chu saw Yuan Mu, he felt that she was in great pain. It was a kind of silent oppression. Only when she was tortured severely would she let out a mournful cry.
He wanted to release her from the cage.
No matter how heavy the price, he hopes she can be free.
But the King of Chu has always overlooked one thing, that is, only sufficient power can support corresponding freedom.
Yuan Mu was born with such appearance, so he was destined to have a rough life.
Even if she was pregnant and had a big belly, there were still people who coveted her and were eager to plunder her.
The King of Chu deceived Yuan Mu. The emperor always replied quickly, especially to the letters he handed over.
There is only one possibility for him not to reply for such a long time, that is, he has discovered the problem.
From the day he brought Yuan Mu into the Prince of Chu's mansion, the King of Chu knew that this day would always come. Even if there was no Gao Shi, there would be other people and other things, but he could not let her return to the mountains.
Her wings were clipped and she had no ability to make a living.
That would not be giving her freedom, but sending her to death.
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