Chapter 1 Love at First Sight
In late spring, shops lined both sides of the main street in the capital, and pedestrians thronged the area. The cries of vendors, the conversations of pedestrians, and the sounds of carriages and horses mingled together, a scene of peaceful and prosperous life for the people.
Yuwen Che walked slowly through the crowd, dressed today in a plain black brocade robe. A silver mask covered half of his handsome face, revealing only his well-defined jawline and thin, tightly pursed lips. His innate nobility caused passersby to instinctively give him a wide berth, while secretly glancing at him to see whose young master he was.
Today, the personal eunuch Li Dehai was disguised as a steward of an ordinary wealthy family, following Yuwen Che at a leisurely pace. However, his shrewd eyes were constantly scanning the surroundings with vigilance.
"Master, we're just ahead on Vermilion Bird Street, the most bustling street." Li Dehai's voice was very low, only Yuwen Che could hear it.
"Hmm." Yuwen Che responded lightly, his gaze sweeping over the street scene. He had been on the throne for five years, and he was not a monarch who stayed in the deep palace and was unaware of the hardships of the people. Whenever he had time, he would travel incognito, just to see with his own eyes the country he had conquered and to see the lives of the people. Today, after finishing his official duties, he changed his clothes and came out again.
As they were walking, a clear, bell-like laugh suddenly came from ahead, mixed with a girl's call.
"Fuling! Slow down! I can't catch up with you!"
The sound grew louder as it approached, breaking through the hustle and bustle of the long street and reaching Yuwen Che's ears.
He subconsciously looked up.
A girl in a light purple dress was chasing after another girl dressed as a maid, lifting the hem of her skirt. She was running quite fast, a few strands of hair clinging to her snow-white cheeks, and her voice was slightly out of breath, "Fuling, I've overtaken you! You're so slow!"
Yuwen Che paused slightly and looked over.
The owner of the pale purple figure ran past her maid, not looking ahead, but only glancing back at her maid with delight, and crashed straight into Yuwen Che.
"Miss, stop... Be careful!" the maid Fuling exclaimed in alarm.
Yuwen Che had practiced martial arts since childhood and possessed exceptional skills. He could have easily dodged the attack, but the moment he saw the girl's face clearly, he forgot to move. Or rather, it seemed he no longer wanted to dodge.
"oops!"
The girl crashed solidly into his arms. She had a faint scent of jasmine about her. Her body was soft and warm from running.
Su Luoxue was a little dazed from the impact. She covered her forehead and looked up, about to apologize, when she met a pair of eyes staring at her through the mask.
Their eyes met.
The surrounding noise seemed to vanish instantly, and all that remained in the world was the reflection in each other's eyes.
He saw the panic and apology in her eyes, as well as a trace of innocence and naivety untouched by worldly influences.
She saw the depth and majesty in his eyes.
Time seemed to stand still at this moment.
Su Luoxue was the first to come to her senses. Her cheeks flushed instantly, and she hurriedly took a step back and curtsied, saying, "I'm so sorry! Young master, I didn't mean to offend you. Please forgive me." Her voice was very pleasant, but it carried a hint of shyness compared to before.
Yuwen Che concealed the strange light in his eyes, his voice coming through the mask, simple and direct: "It's alright."
Li Dehai, standing to the side, was already astonished. Having served His Majesty for many years, he knew His Majesty was a clean freak and disliked others touching him, yet this was such a rash intrusion. Normally, His Majesty would have coldly turned away in disgust. But today, His Majesty not only wasn't angry, but… He secretly glanced up, quickly observing his master's taut jawline, and immediately understood—this young lady had likely caught His Majesty's eye.
Fuling ran over breathlessly and quickly stepped in front of Su Luoxue, apologizing repeatedly to Yuwen Che: "Young master, I'm so sorry, my young lady didn't mean to offend you, I hope you can be magnanimous..."
Su Luoxue tugged at Fuling's sleeve, signaling her not to be so nervous, then looked up at Yuwen Che, curiously examining the mask on his face: "Young Master, are you alright? I ran too fast just now..."
"It's nothing," Yuwen Che spoke again, his gaze still fixed on Su Luoxue's face, as if trying to see through her charming appearance to her true nature. "Miss, you should be more careful when you walk in the future. There are many people on the street, so please don't chase after them; it wouldn't be good if you bumped into the elderly or children."
"Thank you for the reminder, young master." Su Luoxue smiled brightly, a smile so radiant it captivated Yuwen Che. "I'll remember it. You look unfamiliar, young master. Are you from out of town? Are you here to find relatives or for sightseeing? I know this capital city very well. If you need a guide, I can..."
"Miss!" Fuling quickly tugged at her sleeve and whispered, "We should go back now, Master and Madam must be worried."
Su Luoxue then remembered her business and looked at Yuwen Che with some regret, then curtsied again: "Young Master, I am truly sorry for offending you earlier. I will take my leave now."
Yuwen Che simply nodded and said nothing more.
Su Luoxue turned around with her maid, took a few steps, and couldn't help but look back again. The man in black robes and a mask was still standing there, but he seemed to be looking in her direction. He seemed… very different. His figure stood out conspicuously in the crowd. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly turned back and hurried away.
Only after that pale purple figure disappeared around the street corner did Yuwen Che slowly withdraw his gaze.
"Li Dehai".
“This old servant is here,” Li Dehai immediately bowed and replied.
"Go and investigate." Yuwen Che's voice regained its usual calmness, yet carried an undeniable decisiveness. "I need to know which family she belongs to. Is she married?"
"Yes, Your Majesty... no, Your Highness." Li Dehai's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly replied. His Majesty actually inquired about the identity of a commoner woman, and even asked if she was married? He secretly noted down the girl's facial features and the direction she had gone.
Yuwen Che turned around and continued walking forward. The woman's beautiful and charming face, and the soft touch of her body as she bumped into his arms, lingered in his mind for a long time.
Born into an imperial family and raised in the inner palace, he was accustomed to women who were either conformist or harbored various ulterior motives. Whether it was the dignified and composed empress or the concubines vying for his favor, they were all cautious and cunning in his presence. They all lived behind masks. But the woman from just now was so free, vibrant, bright, and a little... mischievous, and she had entered his heart without warning.
That kind of vibrancy was something he hadn't experienced in a long time, something he hadn't truly had in the past twenty-five years.
Li Dehai was extremely efficient; in less than half a day, he reported the information he had gathered to Yuwen Che, who had already returned to the palace.
"Your Majesty, we have found out. The girl's surname is Su, her given name is Luoxue, and she is 18 years old this year. Her father is Su Wenyuan, a silk merchant in the West Market of the capital. His family has a respectable background and a good reputation. Her mother's maiden name is Liu, and the couple has a harmonious relationship. The Su family also has a son named Jingxing, a scholar who is currently preparing for the imperial examinations at home. Miss Su is lively, playful, and mischievous. Today's events were indeed an accident... and were probably not intentional."
Inside the Hall of Reflection, candlelight shone brightly. Yuwen Che had changed back into a dark blue brocade robe, his mask casually tossed on the desk, revealing his incomparably handsome yet cold and dignified face. He listened to Li Dehai's report, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the rosewood tabletop.
"Su Luoxue... is she just a merchant's daughter?" He repeated in a low voice, his deep eyes revealing no emotion.
"Is she betrothed?"
“Yes, she is just a merchant’s daughter, and she is not betrothed,” Li Dehai said cautiously, standing with his hands at his sides. “Your Majesty, what do you think…”
Yuwen Che stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the deep night outside. The palace nights were always exceptionally quiet, a quiet that could be oppressive. But tonight, the radiant young girl on the long street, and her clear, cheerful laughter, appeared even more vividly before his eyes.
He turned to look at Li Dehai, his voice steady and powerful, carrying the decisiveness of an emperor:
"Draft the imperial edict."
Li Dehai was startled and quickly bowed, saying, "Please give your instructions, Your Majesty."
"Su Luoxue is gentle, virtuous, and graceful, and has won my heart. She is hereby conferred the title of Imperial Noble Consort Chen and granted residence in Guanju Palace. She shall be brought into the palace immediately."
The imperial decree was concise and clear, yet it struck Li Dehai like a thunderbolt. A Noble Consort? The Imperial Consort Chen? Noble Consort Chen! Not a daughter of high birth, but the daughter of a merchant, yet she was granted the title of Noble Consort upon her first appointment, and the title "Chen" itself carries profound meaning! And then there's the "Guanju Palace"... "Guanju" is a poem praising the virtues of imperial consorts; His Majesty's intentions...
Li Dehai dared not think too much, much less question, and hurriedly replied, "This servant obeys! This servant will go and do it right away!"
He knew that this decree would cause a huge uproar in the court and the inner palace. The Empress Dowager, the Empress, and the concubines who relied on their family's power would never accept it easily. But once His Majesty made a decision, no one could change it.
Yuwen Che waved his hand, signaling Li Dehai to step down.
Silence returned to the Hall of Reflection. He walked to the dragon desk, spread out a sheet of Xuan paper, picked up the vermilion brush, but did not write for a long time.
"Su Luoxue..." he whispered, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on his cold lips, "From now on, you will stay by my side, bringing with you your happiness."
At that moment, in the heart of this young emperor, besides the affairs of the country, someone quietly took up residence. Little did he know how this chance encounter would change his fate, and the fate of the entire Great Zhou Dynasty for the next hundred years.
Far outside the palace walls, in the Su family mansion, Su Luoxue was vividly recounting her "thrilling" encounter on the street during the day to her parents and brothers. Her tone was filled with lingering fear, but even more so with curiosity about the mysterious masked young master. Little did she know that an imperial decree that would completely change her life was rushing toward the Su family.
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