Chapter 44 The Empress Dowager's honey trap was only half-used, and it's difficult...
"A goose!"
Chu Yueyuan was about to leave the stall with Pei Muwei when she suddenly heard a shout that was louder than thunder. She turned around instinctively.
Under the dazzling lights, the man with thick eyebrows and large eyes, dressed in military uniform, stood tall and straight. His gaze was ardent, and whether he was a naive young man or a mature and steady young general, his gaze toward her seemed to have never changed.
Chu Yueyuan was momentarily stunned, her delicate eyebrows slightly raised, and she asked in surprise, "Meng Xun..."
When Meng Xun saw that Chu Yueyuan recognized him, his smile became even brighter, revealing two neat tiger teeth. He didn't bother to explain to his colleagues beside him, and rushed over to hug the woman he had been longing for for the past few years.
Meng Xun is the only son of the Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness, and is three years older than Chu Yueyuan.
When Meng Xun was five years old, he visited a neighbor with his mother and fell in love at first sight with a little girl in the Chu family who was even more exquisite and beautiful than Mohele.
From then on, he often climbed over the courtyard wall to play with Chu Yueyuan, bringing her clay figurines, taking her to fly kites, and teaching her to read.
When Chu Yueyuan got a little older, she would call him Xun-gege in her childish voice and tell him not to teach her to read anymore, because he was teaching her all wrong and had caused her to be punished by the teacher.
To make amends, he found the best Qiaoguo (a type of fried dough) in the entire capital for her.
He liked to call her Big Goose, even though Chu Yueyuan protested, saying that the "Yuan" in her name came from the Book of Songs, "The kite flies to the sky, the fish leaps in the abyss," and that the kite was a very fierce ancient mythical beast, not an ordinary bird or beast.
Meng Xun didn't like reading, and he didn't understand the Four Books and Five Classics. He thought Chu Yueyuan was like a goose, looking fair and tender, gentle and harmless, but when she got fierce, she was like a goose chasing after people and pecking at them.
Time flies, and the delicate little girl has become the famous Miss Chu in the capital. When she meets him, she no longer calls him Brother Xun, but treats him with the same courtesy as other noble ladies, calling him Prince Meng in a soft voice.
But he still liked to call her Big Goose.
"Big Goose, is it really you? What are you doing here? Are you craving something sweet again, remembering the seafood dumplings I took you to eat at this stall before?"
Meng Xun said happily, his eyes flashing with light, but before the woman could answer, he was suddenly startled to feel a sharp palm wind approaching.
Having just returned from the battlefield, Meng Xun reacted swiftly. He dodged the palm strike to the side and then turned around to throw a punch. He thought that with the speed and power of his fists and feet, the thug opposite him would definitely take a solid hit.
But his fist, which was swirling with wind, seemed to sink into a sand pit. The man wearing the wolf-head mask easily deflected his force. Meng Xun was shocked. By the time he tried to pull back his fist, it was too late. He felt a piercing pain in his ribs and was sent flying.
"Boss Meng, Boss Meng!"
The soldiers rushed over to check Meng Xun's injuries. Seeing how powerful the assailant was, they drew their swords without hesitation and prepared to subdue him.
The atmosphere suddenly changed. The cold blades gleamed, and the frightened diners dropped their bowls and chopsticks, shouting "Murder! Murder!" and ran away in a flash.
Meng Xun staggered to his feet, glaring angrily at the masked man who was holding Chu Yueyuan's wrist. He spat out blood, "Pah! We've been traveling all night, and I'm so weak that I've been injured by a petty thief!"
He raised his chin and shouted, "Under the Emperor's nose, you madman dares to abduct an innocent woman, and it's even my beloved goose! If I don't chop you into mincemeat tonight, I'll take your surname from now on!"
Meng Xun's shout startled the soldiers present. They looked at the beautiful woman being held hostage by the thugs, and two thoughts flashed through their minds.
Firstly, Meng Tou'er wasn't bragging. This Miss Chu had a fair complexion, peach-like cheeks, almond-shaped eyes, and red lips. She was even more beautiful than the fairies on the lanterns; she was practically a fairy descended to earth.
Secondly, it's no wonder that Meng Tou'er was furious. He fought desperately on the battlefield, and when he returned to find that his beautiful wife had almost been kidnapped, anyone would be frantic.
At that moment, a soldier shouted angrily, "You audacious thief, release Meng's wife at once and surrender!"
Pei Muwei's phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, his mask unable to conceal the chill on his face. His fingers, gripping the woman's wrist, slowly tightened, his voice as cold as if it had been chilled to the bone:
"How many husbands does my sister-in-law have? Should I help you get rid of this one too?"
Chu Yueyuan knew that the Regent was not joking with her. As long as he gave the order, the archers hidden in the shadows would shoot Meng Xun and the others into a pile of porcupines.
"Prince Meng is an old acquaintance of mine, Minister Pei, please do not harm them..."
Having spent so much time together, Chu Yueyuan had come to understand the man's temperament somewhat. Although her wrist was gripped so tightly it hurt, she didn't struggle. Instead, she obediently nestled in his arms, placing her other hand on his rising and falling chest, and spoke in the same soft tone she used to coax Xiao Yun:
"Prince Meng left the capital when I was engaged to Shen Zizhan. He went to the northwest to join the army and has been away from the capital for two years. I suppose he has just returned to the capital and is unaware that I have entered the palace. In his haste, he mistook Minister Pei for... a madman. Please allow me to explain to him, shall I?"
Chu Yueyuan's guess was pretty accurate.
Two years ago, Meng Xun learned that Chu Yueyuan and Shen Zizhan were engaged. In a fit of anger, he went to the Northwest military camp, wanting to make a name for himself and then come back to compete with Shen Zizhan and win back his goose through his own strength.
When Countess Zhongyi learned that her son had joined the army, she was so shocked that she fainted and woke up repeatedly. The couple tried their best to persuade their son to come back, but Meng Xun insisted on staying in the Northwest Army Camp. He only asked his family to send letters on time to inform him whether Chu Yueyuan had married Shen Zizhan.
Later, when Chu Yueyuan was officially appointed to the palace, the Countess worried that Meng Xun would find out about it and start a rebellion that would reach the capital. So she concealed the news in her letter, only saying that Chu Yueyuan and Shen Zizhan's marriage would be postponed for a year, and told him to stay in the Northwest and continue killing the Hu people.
Unaware of the truth, Meng Xun relied on his perseverance in defeating Shen Zizhan to repeatedly achieve military merits in the Northwest, and finally received an imperial edict to bestow a title upon him.
Meng Xun returned to the capital in high spirits. He first led his soldiers to see the bustling night market in the capital, and then prepared to dress up and go to the Chu family to propose marriage the next day.
Unexpectedly, the goose that appeared in his dreams every night actually appeared before his eyes.
Before he could even rejoice, his goose was kidnapped by a masked madman. He was so frightened that his legs went weak, and his graceful body almost nestled in the madman's arms.
Meng Xun's eyes blazed with fury, wishing he could tear the madman in front of him to pieces!
"Prince Meng, have your men put away their weapons and not disturb the people in the night market."
The goose's call is still as beautiful as ever.
Meng Xun's heart fluttered for a moment, then he patted his chest and shouted, "Don't worry, Big Goose, I will definitely rescue you safely from this madman!"
Chu Yueyuan looked up at the sky speechlessly, feeling like her head was about to be pecked dizzy by Meng Xun's constant pecking at the goose.
Determined to cut to the chase, she said directly, "Young Master Meng, a lot has happened in the two years you've been away from the capital. Now, I... I'm already married!"
Meng Xun then noticed that Chu Yueyuan was wearing a married woman's hairstyle. His expression changed, and he vehemently denied it, saying, "That's impossible! My mother said in her letter that your marriage to Shen Zizhan has been postponed. When I came to the capital, I specifically inquired about it, and Shen Zizhan is not married."
Chu Yueyuan sighed softly, "I didn't marry Shen Zizhan, but someone else..."
"Who is he? Is he Li Ji of the Marquis of Pingning, Jiang Bai of the Duke of Anguo, or Wen Bojian, that sickly fellow from the household of the Minister of Revenue...?"
Meng Xun rattled off the names of several young masters from prominent families in one breath. Chu Yueyuan clearly noticed the increasingly intense gaze fixed on her face by the man beside her, and hurriedly interrupted:
"My husband is dead, and I am now a widow..."
Meng Xun was stunned for a moment, then a relieved smile appeared on his face. He said with genuine joy, "Good riddance! Good riddance! It doesn't matter that you're a widow, I'll marry you!"
Pei Muwei couldn't listen any longer. He snapped his fingers with a cold face, and more than a hundred imperial guards emerged from the darkness like a tide, quickly surrounding Meng Xun and his group.
At the same time, a modestly decorated blue-curtained carriage drove up and stopped by the street.
"You madman, don't run away!"
Seeing that Chu Yueyuan was about to be taken away by the masked men, Meng Xun became extremely anxious and desperately tried to break through the encirclement.
"Pei Qing, promise me you won't harm Prince Meng and the others." Chu Yueyuan pleaded while turning to look at Meng Xun, who was locked in combat with the Imperial Guards.
Pei Muwei's cold eyes were icy as he said in a chilling tone, "Get in the car."
Seeing that the young empress dowager was stubbornly refusing to leave, her heart and eyes fixed on that Prince Meng, a dark glint flashed in his eyes, and his voice was as cold as ice: "If Your Highness wants them to live, then you shall immediately get into the carriage with me."
Chu Yueyuan immediately shut her mouth and decisively climbed into the carriage.
The axle whirred and turned, gradually leaving the sounds of fighting behind, and finally falling silent.
The silence was oppressive.
Chu Yueyuan quietly raised her eyes and saw that the Regent had already removed his wolf-head mask, was sitting with a jade belt and black robe, his long eyes slightly closed, resting.
The moonlight outside the window fell on his deep brow bone, reflecting a shallow abyss between his brows, his face as cold as jade.
After hesitating for a moment, Chu Yueyuan mustered her courage and moved her body, like a timid little fox, slowly approaching the resting wolf king.
She gently tugged at his sleeve and said softly, "Minister Pei is broad-minded and always fair in rewarding and punishing his subjects. Prince Meng did not know your identity and spoke rudely, which is indeed punishable. However, considering his military achievements in the Northwest, his merits and demerits will be considered equal. Minister Pei will only have Commander Lin give them a good beating and will not take their lives, right?"
After receiving no response from the Regent for a long time, Chu Yueyuan assumed he had fallen asleep. She got up and sat opposite him, intending to wait for him to wake up before making a request.
Just then, the carriage, which had been moving smoothly, shook violently. Judging from the noise, the axle had gotten stuck in a deep pit. Chu Yueyuan had just stood up when she was jolted back two steps and fell straight into the man's arms.
The sudden waft of sandalwood scent momentarily stunned her, until the man's clear, cold voice rang out:
"In order to plead for Prince Meng, the Empress Dowager has resorted to using a honey trap. Does she regard me as a lecherous man like Li Sanlang?"
"I did not use my beauty to seduce you. It was clearly the carriage that was jolting, and that's why..."
Chu Yueyuan looked up to explain, only to suddenly realize that their current posture was too ambiguous. Her arms were tightly wrapped around his neck, so close that their faces were almost touching and their eyes were locked.
They resembled a pair of lovers, their necks intertwined in tender affection.
Her cheeks flushed, and she tried to get up, but her waist was gripped tightly by the other person's hot hand.
"The Empress Dowager's honey trap has only been half-used. Don't you want to save your Xun-gege anymore?"
The man's eyes, hidden in the moonlight, resembled those of a wild beast lurking in the darkness, making his sharply defined face appear even more aggressive.
Chu Yueyuan couldn't stand his intense gaze, so she lowered her head, revealing a small mole on her neck. The black mole stood out conspicuously against her fair skin.
"The Meng and Chu families are neighbors, and Madam Meng and Madam Du are brothers-in-law. The two families have looked after each other for many years. I have known Prince Meng since childhood, and we are like siblings. It's not what Minister Pei thinks..."
After hearing the Empress Dowager's explanation, Pei Muwei narrowed his cold eyes, wishing he could bite off the mole on her fair neck, and sneered, "Like siblings? What beastly brother would covet his own sister?"
Pei Qing's words make sense. A brother who covets his sister is worse than a beast, so what about a brother-in-law who clings to his widowed sister-in-law?
Of course, Chu Yueyuan only dared to mutter these thoughts to herself. In the past, as long as she brought up her status as a widowed sister-in-law, the Regent would still be somewhat wary of her. But from some point onwards, her status as a widowed sister-in-law not only failed to stop the man from acting recklessly, but also emboldened him to become even more unscrupulous.
Why does Meng Xun call His Highness "Big Goose"?
Chu Yueyuan frowned and said truthfully, "Young Master Meng is not well-educated and finds the character 'Yuan' awkward to pronounce, so he gave me the nickname 'Big Goose'."
She paused, then continued, "It's just a nickname I gave him when I was young and ignorant. I even called him Grasshopper. Prince Meng has been wandering around for two years and obviously doesn't know that I am now the Empress Dowager. It doesn't count as presumptuous or disrespectful to me. Minister Pei wouldn't punish him for this..."
Even at this moment, the woman did not forget to protect her Xun-gege (brother Xun).
Pei Muwei's face was gloomy. He lifted the woman's alabaster chin with his long fingers, forcing her to tilt her head back. He stared intently at the beautiful face before him, his voice hoarse:
"Your Majesty is not only Lord Shen's beloved daughter, but also Prince Meng's beloved daughter, and also my daughter. Your Highness is truly adept at handling all matters equally and without any mishaps!"
What a beautiful face! Alabaster skin, arched willow eyebrows, a high and straight nose, lips as red as the sunset, and eyes that ripple with tenderness when she smiles.
But how much of her smile at him was genuine, and how much was fake?
Chu Yueyuan was enraged by the man's mocking tone.
Her bright eyes widened, and she retorted defiantly, "When did I become Pei Qing's 'Niannian'? Isn't it just a temporary title we adopted tonight when we were traveling incognito to avoid being noticed? It's just a stopgap measure!"
Pei Muwei narrowed his cold eyes, his gaze deep and almost black. He grabbed her chin with his other hand, his deep voice suppressing his anger: "An expedient measure? Then everything Your Highness did to me was just an expedient measure?"
Chu Yueyuan was startled by the man's obsessive gaze, feeling as if his words made her sound like a fickle, promiscuous woman who would start a relationship and then abandon it.
"Pei Qing, explain yourself clearly, what exactly did I do to you?"
"The Empress Dowager has repeatedly prevented me from choosing a concubine, personally made taro cake for me, and rushed to administer acupuncture and bloodletting after I was poisoned and injured. Are all these actions truly out of Your Highness's concern for me, or is there another motive?"
As the man recounted the past events, Chu Yueyuan's heart sank into an icy abyss.
She then realized that she had done so many foolish things to test him and make him misunderstand her.
She did indeed have designs on him, but she absolutely could not let him know what she was planning.
Especially since she had already figured out that Xiao Yun was not his biological son.
If the truth were revealed, given the man's ambition and methods for the throne, Xiao Yun would surely die.
But the man is very perceptive; how should she answer to escape this predicament?
In a few breaths, Chu Yueyuan had made her decision.
She met his dark gaze, her bright eyes shining, and spoke frankly: "I have designs on Pei Qing. You are destined to be the future emperor, while the emperor and I are merely puppets playing a part in maintaining a facade of peace for the officials. I have flattered you in every way, hoping that after you have accomplished your grand ambitions, you will grant the emperor and me a peaceful end."
She paused, her voice calm and devoid of emotion: "In this matter, I am too pragmatic. I do not wish to see Pei Qing marry a concubine because I fear that once you gain the power of the new princess's family, you will no longer need me to help you maintain the peace of the previous dynasty. Therefore, I have tried every means to delay the time."
"As for visiting you when you were poisoned last time... it was because I didn't want you to die. After all, compared to the two-faced Prince Chen, I trust you more..."
Lies cannot be concealed, sincerity is the most touching.
Chu Yueyuan concealed one part of the truth and revealed her true feelings for the man without any concealment.
However, the woman's honesty was like a sharp sword piercing Pei Muwei's heart. Every explanation she gave seemed to mock his feelings for her.
It turns out that it was all just wishful thinking on his part from beginning to end.
How ridiculous, how utterly ridiculous!
Pei Muwei's jaw tightened. He stared into her watery eyes, his voice low and devoid of emotion: "So the Empress Dowager's frequent attempts to curry favor with me are all for your and the Emperor's future?"
"good..."
Chu Yueyuan lowered her eyes and said softly, "I am just a weak woman. I lost my mother at a young age, had no father's love, and had no relatives to protect me. I was bullied everywhere and had long been used to clinging to powerful men. When I was young, it was Brother Xun; when I reached marriageable age, it was Lord Shen; and after entering the palace, it was Minister Pei..."
As she spoke in a low voice, she took off the satin fox fur cloak draped over her shoulders, and with her delicate fingers, she unfastened the jade buttons on her lake-blue cotton coat with dark floral patterns, gradually revealing her slender white collarbone and a close-fitting light pink embroidered butterfly undergarment.
The woman's skin was snow-white. A cool breeze from the window caused her breath to tremble slightly, and a bewitching blush spread across the corners of her eyes, slowly creeping up to her jade-like neck under the man's gaze...
Under the clear moonlight, the valley is fragrant, butterflies flutter, and the peaches are heavy, white with a hint of red, snowy, soft and fragrant.
"Since I've caused Pei Qing to misunderstand... then so be it..."
"I only ask that, afterward, Minister Pei, you will not let me down..."
The woman's voice was soft and gentle, and her cheeks were as beautiful as if they had been rouged. She tremblingly stretched out her slender, lotus-root-like arms and took the initiative to put them on the man's shoulders, like a trumpet creeper that needs to lean on and cling to him for its entire life, gradually wrapping itself around him.
Chu Yueyuan closed her eyes, looking shy, and tilted her head back to kiss him.
Just as her crimson lips were about to cover the man's thin lips, Chu Yueyuan felt the arms binding her waist suddenly loosen.
Pei Muwei turned her head, her delicate lips brushing against his cheek, like flower petals glistening with morning dew gently caressing his skin, inadvertently leaving him with her subtle fragrance.
Her scent seeped into his blood, penetrated his bones, and burrowed into his heart.
Even though his body was burning with passion, Pei Muwei's words remained as cold as ever: "Empress Dowager, please have some self-respect."
His gaze fell upon the fullness of the moon, which was even fuller than the full moon. He swallowed hard, quickly looked away, and reached out to pull the white silk undergarment that was open to the woman, concealing the captivating moonlight.
The man's fingers were icy cold, like a blade carrying a chilling aura resting on her chest, as if he might rip out her heart at any moment to take a look.
Chu Yueyuan's body trembled slightly as she endured the chilling shiver he brought her.
"Your Highness is not Li Sanlang, and does not need Your Highness to repay me with your life."
Hearing the man's indifferent and heartless words, the blush on her face gradually faded, and her fingers, gripping the cloak, clenched tightly.
"Your Highness, I am neither Lord Shen nor Prince Meng. I urge you to cease your manipulative tactics. If you continue to provoke me without cause..."
Pei Muwei picked up the gold foil fox mask from the rosewood tea table without expression. With a slight exertion of his long fingers, the exquisitely painted gold foil mask instantly distorted.
"That's how the Empress Dowager met her end."
Looking at the shattered mask, Chu Yueyuan realized that her words had thoroughly enraged him.
Pei Muwei raised his eyes to look at the stunned Empress Dowager, his gaze deep and his voice clear: "Does Your Highness understand?"
Chu Yueyuan nodded, her face pale.
"Your Highness may now dismount from my body."
"good..."
The heavy, dark felt curtains were lifted, and a cool night breeze rushed in, instantly dispersing the warm fragrance in the carriage.
"Pei Qing, please wait a moment..."
Pei Muwei paused in his act of lifting the curtain. He turned his head, his eyes flickered slightly, and asked in a calm tone, "Is there anything else, Empress Dowager?"
Chu Yueyuan hesitated, biting her lip lightly. Meeting the man's dark eyes, she forced herself to ask, "Will Pei Qing let Prince Meng and the others go?"
Under the bright moonlight, the man's tall figure seemed to freeze for a moment. He sneered, "Since Prince Meng is Your Highness's former lover, how could I possibly harm his life?"
Chu Yueyuan seemed not to hear the man's sarcasm and nodded, saying, "Thank you, Minister Pei."
The felt curtain fell heavily, and the cool breeze it stirred up hit Chu Yueyuan's face, making the stray hairs at her temples fly wildly.
But I can finally put my mind at ease.
Chu Yueyuan felt a huge weight lifted off her shoulders, thankful that she had made the right bet once again.
She bet that the Regent was arrogant and proud, and that once he learned she was a vain and fickle woman, her attempt to throw herself at him would only intensify his disgust for her.
That's fine too. She is the current Empress Dowager, and he is the future new emperor. His dislike won't take her life, but his affection might.
She didn't want to be a bird in a golden cage, trapped in a small world, waiting for a new emperor to bestow his love, a love that had to be shared with other women, and to be constantly scheming against each other. Eventually, she would lose all her spirit and die trapped in the magnificent golden cage.
She is a kite, not a sparrow.
Kites soar to the heavens, fish leap from the abyss.
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