Chapter 47 Bewitching: The Nineteenth Prince was drunk and groped me.
From evening until the two returned to Yun Palace to rest, Yao Ruyi did not help the emperor grind ink. Instead, Gu Huizhou, the supreme ruler, ground ink for the mushroom all night long.
The emperor watched Yao Ruyi write from beginning to end like a teacher, his dark eyes as deep as ink. "You've used too much force. Rewrite it."
"The strokes are not strong enough, rewrite it."
"Okay, continue."
...
A thick stack of written papers sat on the chair beside the table, covered with the three characters "Gu Huizhou".
Until midnight, Yao Ruyi rubbed her aching hands and returned to Yun Palace with Gu Huizhou. Her already groggy mind became even more muddled. After washing up, she fell asleep on the bed less than a quarter of an hour later.
Even Gu Huizhou standing by the bed was unaware.
The man snorted coldly, pulled two letters from the bundle by the window, read them with a dark face, and then crumpled the letter from Qiao Yu into a ball. Just as he was about to tear the letter to shreds, the emperor exhaled, flattened the letter, and finally placed it at the bottom of the bundle.
“Qiao Yu…” a name was uttered from thin lips.
He's just a clown; there's no need for him to go to such lengths.
After saying that, Gu Huizhou bent down and buried his head in that fair neck, taking a deep breath. The faint sound of water lingered between the two of them. After a long while, the man stood up and looked at the blush that appeared on the jade-like neck, and a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.
They left satisfied.
The news that the grassland prince, Yuan Liao, was about to enter the palace to meet the emperor spread throughout the capital, attracting countless onlookers. Most were in high spirits, after all, the grasslands were their vassal state, and they had received tribute from the grasslands since the late emperor's time.
The arrival of people from the grasslands to pay homage in the capital will only bring more cattle, sheep, gold, and silver.
Outside the palace gates, dozens of ministers waited under the scorching sun. They had come early from their homes to wait at the capital gates for Crown Prince Yuan Liao to enter the palace.
Leading the group were Xue Qingping and Liang Fu, who had always been at odds with each other in court. Today, the two were sent by the emperor to escort the crown prince, and even if it was just for show, they had to do it properly.
Liang Fu had been back in court for quite some time now, and he could clearly sense the change in the attitudes of the people in the court towards him. He didn't show it on his face, but he was almost grinding his teeth in his heart.
A bunch of sycophantic bastards!
Even as a mere fourth-rank general, Liang He was enough to make the Liang family, a powerful family in the court, wary. But now…
The Liang family has only one member, Liang Fu, who serves as the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat in the court. The Minister of the Imperial Secretariat is said to be the head of the Six Ministries, but how can he compare to the Ministers of the Six Ministries who are in charge of their own affairs?
It sounds nice.
Now that the Liang family has no military officers in court, what good is half of the Tiger Tally in their hands?
Liang Fu and Xue Qingping adjusted their official robes a couple of times before standing at the front, followed by dozens of ministers. Their faces were wrinkled from the scorching sun, and they were anxiously waiting.
Xue Qingping was much better than Liang Fu. He coughed lightly and reached out to shield himself from the sun.
"It's not even May yet, how come it's so hot?"
"It'll only be a few days; it'll stay cold for a while longer. It's the same every year, so you can't be tempted by the cold now. Otherwise, you definitely won't be able to stand it!"
"Hahaha, what you say is true, sir!"
...
The ministers behind them chatted in twos and threes, but the two in front remained silent. Several minor officials wanted to come up and strike up a conversation, but after looking around, they didn't take a step.
"They've arrived?"
"Looks like it, let's go, let's go."
Liang Fu let out a long breath, swallowed, and exchanged a smile with Xue Qingping, though their smiles didn't reach their eyes. "Minister Liang, please!"
"Lord Xue, please."
The minor official met the prince of the grasslands outside the capital and led him and his entourage from the city gate to the palace, where he saw Xue Qingping and Liang Fu. The minor official bowed to the two men and then withdrew.
"Former Crown Prince of Liao".
"This is... Lord Xue?"
The prince of the grasslands could speak the Central Plains dialect flawlessly; were it not for his attire and appearance, he would be indistinguishable from the crowd. Yuan Liao had waist-length curly hair, and his wheat-colored skin made him appear robust and tall. His eyes were not large but deep-set, his nose was exceptionally high and straight, and his thin lips held a smile as he performed a somewhat imperfect bow.
He had also set foot on this land a year ago, and one of the two people who came to greet him was Xue Qingping, whom he recognized.
"The former Crown Prince of Liao is still as dashing and handsome as ever." Xue Qingping stroked his beard, his eyes crinkling with laughter. The two chatted back and forth like old friends, leaving no room for others to interject.
Even with his best efforts to restrain himself, Liang Fu couldn't help but turn pale.
Xue Qingping, seeing that it was about time, turned around and said, "Does Your Highness still remember Lord Liang? Today, His Majesty has ordered the two of us to come together to welcome Your Highness into the palace."
Yuan Liao's gaze fell on Liang Fu, who looked much older than the previous year. He nodded nonchalantly, "I remember, Minister of the Imperial Secretariat."
The title "Minister of the Imperial Secretariat" sounded like a mockery, and Liang Fu almost lost his composure. He forced himself to smile and said, "Prince of Yuan Liao."
Yuan Liao nodded with a smile, but made no move to reply. He had already noticed Liang Fu's impatient expression and sneered inwardly. He raised his hand and looked at Xue Qingping with a smile, "I originally thought the scorching sun on the grasslands was unbearable, but I didn't expect it to be the same in the capital. Lord Xue, why don't we hurry up and go to the palace to pay our respects to His Majesty the Emperor?"
"Alright! This way, Your Highness."
The carriages that had been following Yuan Liao stopped as they entered the palace gates. Only then did Xue Qingping realize that the grassland saintess, Yue Qingyou, was also traveling to the capital with them.
"Lightly by the Holy Maiden."
"Lord Xue, Lord Liang."
They exchanged glances as a greeting, and Xue Qingping led the way, guiding Yuan Liao into the palace.
As before, the prince of the grasslands went to the capital to present tribute and receive a banquet from the emperor, and the palace was bustling with activity.
Despite the busy schedule, things were organized. Cui Xiangzhu had given the instructions early on, and the Imperial Household Department didn't want to lose face in such a matter.
Gu Huizhou sat on the dragon throne with his eyes closed. The last time he saw him wearing a bright yellow dragon robe was on the day Yao Ruyi returned to the capital. Outside the palace, the heat was intense, but inside the palace, there were several blocks of ice, each about half a person's height, which made the room much cooler. Yao Ruyi couldn't stand the heat, so he huddled close to the ice blocks, practically leaning against the ice jar as he read.
As the sky gradually darkened and the heat outside the palace subsided, Yao Ruyi looked up from her book.
Staring at the person in the high position, is he about to leave?
"What are you looking at?"
Their eyes met, and the man clearly saw the panic in Yao Ruyi's eyes, finding it amusing.
"It's nothing," Yao Ruyi explained slowly, then hesitated for a long time before asking, "Your Majesty, are you going over there?"
"You will come with me."
The person leaning against the ice rink's side lit up, their voices leaping with excitement, "Me too?"
Why not?
But how could guards stay at the banquet? Only the Imperial Guards were allowed to watch over the banquet. "I can lie on the roof," he said.
The man frowned. "Follow behind me."
Yao Ruyi nodded. Now that he was going too, he needed to pack his things. Even at this time of year, the moonlight brocade he was wearing wouldn't make him feel hot. He only knew that the prince of the grasslands was going to the capital to meet the emperor, and he didn't know much else. "Your Majesty, who will be there tonight?"
“Yuan Liao, Yue Qingyou.”
Prince Yuan Liao, that music was light and gentle...
Gu Huizhou had anticipated his question and continued in one breath, "Prince Yuan Liao, Holy Maiden Le Qingyou."
"The grasslands are inhabited by nomadic peoples who, like the Yun Kingdom, crown their leaders as kings and hunt under the king's guidance. However, countless people are injured on the grasslands. One tribe, who have been skilled in medicine since ancient times, has passed down their medical knowledge to the Holy Maiden for generations in order to save the people of the grasslands."
Therefore, Yue Qingyou is the Holy Maiden, and Yao Ruyi understands.
It was almost time, so the two headed to the palace banquet one after the other. Cui Xiangzhu followed behind them with a smile, listening to their conversation without interrupting, for these were his two masters.
If the 19th Prince were to enter the court in the future, he would undoubtedly be a favored minister.
Everyone had arrived at the palace banquet, with Gu Huizhou being the last to sit down. As soon as he took his seat, those around him rose to their feet, exclaiming, "Greetings, Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!"
With a slight raise of his hand, the banquet began.
The grasslands were not affected by the famine. The previous year's cattle and sheep were plentiful, so a lot of beef and mutton were transported here. Gold and silver jewelry were also countless. All of these were collected by Gu Huizhou in the national treasury and never touched again.
The palace banquet was proceeding peacefully for half its duration when Xue Qingping glanced at the grassland saintess, Le Qingyou, then turned to look at his own emperor. His thoughts grew stronger, and he put down his wine cup, about to speak.
But as he was about to stand up, he met Gu Huizhou's gaze. The cold look made him turn back, as if to say, if you don't want to die, sit back down.
this!
Gritting his teeth, Xue Qingping sat back down, but the thought lingered in his mind.
His Majesty has yet to take a concubine, and even the palace maids have not gained the Emperor's favor. What... what will become of the Crown Prince?
How can an emperor be without an heir!
"Qingyou greets the Emperor of Dayun." The palace music played softly, and the ministers' toasting and clinking of cups stopped at the sound of this voice. "Qingyou entered the capital with the Crown Prince without His Majesty's summons. I hope His Majesty will forgive me."
Her voice was sweet and charming, and her eyes were alluring and captivating. Born on the grasslands, she was not as fair-skinned as the women of the Central Plains, yet she was still stunningly beautiful. In the sweltering heat of early summer, Yue Qingyu's gauze skirt swayed with her movements, and the thin veil covering her body vaguely revealed her graceful figure.
She was tall and slender, with long, beautiful legs. Yao Ruyi glanced at her and then looked away, muttering "Don't look at what's improper." Turning her head, she saw Gu Huizhou staring at her intently, her brows furrowing instantly, and she remained silent.
It felt like a breath was stuck in my chest.
"Hmm." The man said in a deep voice. He looked away from the person's face, his eyes sweeping over the teacup, and he gently touched it with his hand.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I have a matter I would like to ask of Your Majesty upon my arrival in the capital."
"explain."
Yue Qingyou's voice was melodious, her beautiful eyes were captivating, and her laughter seemed to have a bewitching power. Most of the people at the palace banquet almost had their eyes glued to this saintess. "Qingyou grew up with her aunt since she was a child. Qingyou learned her medical skills from Aunt Wujin. Her aunt once told Qingyou that men from the Central Plains who are literate are gentlemen."
Her voice was melodious yet clear, “Qingyou has always had a fondness for men from the Central Plains, and she thought that this time she would go to the capital to choose a good man who could follow her back to the grasslands.”
This is to find a son-in-law to live with the family...
The officials, who had been eager to try their luck, were immediately deflated, their eyes brimming with dissatisfaction and sarcasm.
But some people just can't stop themselves from talking: "The Ququ vassal state actually wants our Dayun men to be sons-in-law! It's utterly absurd!"
"How is this possible!"
...
Gu Huizhou tapped the table lightly with his hand, feeling the burning gaze behind him move away. A slight smile involuntarily appeared on his lips. He raised his eyelashes slightly and swept his gaze back at Le Qingyou's face, his eyes narrowing slightly.
It's so true.
The woman in my memory wore the same gauze dress when she first entered the palace, just like the day she was hung from the roof beam.
She called her "aunt" quite naturally.
Cui Xiangzhu was startled when he saw the emperor's cold expression; this holy maiden was also confused.
If you're going to find a son-in-law, just do it. Why bring up the Empress Dowager? The Yue family of the grasslands doesn't choose their holy maiden based on age; it's always been whoever has the best medical skills. This holy maiden and the Empress Dowager, who was once Consort Jin, Yue Wujin, may not necessarily be as deeply in love as she claims.
"Please do as you please, Holy Maiden."
"His Majesty!"
"Your Majesty, please reconsider!"
"How can we allow the men of Dayun to become sons-in-law of the grasslands!"
Gu Huizhou clicked his tongue in annoyance, and the hall fell silent. Liang Fu touched the calluses on his hands, his gaze falling on Le Qingyou, the thoughts in his heart like seedlings breaking through the soil, impossible to suppress.
He smiled and said, "Your Majesty."
The ministers' furrowed brows had not yet smoothed out; they turned their heads away, their brows furrowed.
Once everyone had looked over, Liang Fu said loudly, "Your Majesty has granted the Holy Maiden's request, and we have no right to interfere. But please, Your Majesty, heed my words. It is already disgraceful for a man to marry into another family. Why not choose a suitable pretext to send him there, so as to preserve the dignity of our Great Yun?"
Xue Qingping asked, "What are your thoughts, Lord Liang?"
He chuckled a few times. “I have heard that the southern part of the grasslands is a vast expanse of green land, a veritable fertile ground. Wouldn’t it be a pity if it were not cultivated? It would be better to appoint the man who married into the family as the Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture before we go there.”
"this……"
Before the words had even finished, and before the assembled officials could even exchange glances and discuss their thoughts, Yuan Liao stood up. Instead of showing any anger, he wore a joyful expression. "This is wonderful! The fertile land in the south has been barren for several years, and all our efforts have been in vain. I've long heard that the fertile land of Dayun has been persecuted by treacherous people in recent years, but this year we see it flourish again."
“If Your Majesty agrees, the Liao will naturally obey.” He turned to face Gu Huizhou. “If this harvest is bountiful, the Liao will honor its promise to pay 70% as annual tribute.”
"Seventy percent!"
"This...this is a good idea."
Gu Huizhou nodded slightly. He glanced at Liang Fu and then looked at Yuan Liao and Le Qingyou. "Then let it be."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Gu Huizhou chuckled, "It's all thanks to Minister Liang's excellent suggestion. However, it's a pity that Minister Liang only has one son. Otherwise, I would definitely arrange a marriage between him and Young Master Liang."
Liang Fu stiffened, his chest heaving more and more, a smile vanishing from his face as he gritted his teeth, "Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty!"
"Yes, I know."
Yuan Liao sat in his seat with a smile on his lips. He looked at Liang Fu, whose face was ashen with anger, and felt a sense of schadenfreude. This man had tried to steal a chicken but lost his rice instead, giving others a good laugh.
Yuan Liao and Yue Qingyou sat to one side. He turned his head and raised an eyebrow at the beautiful woman, lowering his voice, "Why do you always like these pretty boys from the Central Plains? I am quite handsome, yet I cannot catch your eye?"
Le Qingyou sighed helplessly, “If the Crown Prince hadn’t designated me as his apprentice doctor when I was a child, I wouldn’t have witnessed so many of his foolish deeds.”
Yuan Liao seemed to be deep in thought. From birth, the prince of the grasslands had to designate one of the young girls from the Yue family to be his personal physician, so that she could observe his pulse from a young age.
The two have known each other for over twenty years now, and they've probably gotten tired of seeing each other.
Having noticed a guard behind the emperor several times before, Yuan Liao looked in that direction and asked, "Does the Holy Maiden like the one behind the emperor?"
Le Qingyou followed the gaze, but before she could see Yao Ruyi's face, she met a gloomy, admonishing gaze. She smiled charmingly and lowered her head, "Of course I wouldn't dare to have any designs on her."
Yuan Liao drank cup after cup of wine. The fruit wines from the Central Plains were like tea to them. He couldn't help but glance at the person behind the emperor, who was so fair-skinned and yet watched so closely by the emperor.
He smiled to himself, never expecting that the Emperor of Yun Kingdom would have a preference for men.
Fortunately, they didn't consider sending the Holy Maiden to the palace again. Yuan Liao pondered that they had lost two Holy Maidens in the Dayun Palace, and should have been at each other's throats, but now...
Facing Da Yun, they are doomed.
The palace banquet ended with the clinking of wine glasses. Han Jiqing didn't linger; he had to rush back to the palace to see Xiaoyuan. Even Han Dahai didn't have time to call him back, shaking his head helplessly. Han Dahai couldn't help but smile as he thought of his soon-to-be-born grandson.
Now, apart from the Han family and the emperor, no one knows that the eldest princess is pregnant; even the Xiao Kingdom has not sent anyone to inform her.
This makes things much safer.
Han Dahai walked along the palace path towards the palace gates. Even the hottest days of early summer wouldn't last until night, and the night breeze quickened his pace. He vaguely saw that the person ahead looked like Minister Li, and upon closer inspection, it was indeed him.
Li Shilang was devastated by the loss of his beloved daughter and remained depressed for many days. These days, he finally has a smile on his face again. However, he doesn't know when he and Baili Yi became so close, and the two of them are chatting and laughing happily.
"call--"
The wind was getting stronger, as if it were about to rain. Han Dahai quickened his pace, not even having time to think about Li Li, and hurried towards the palace gate.
This outfit is extremely expensive; if it gets wet in the rain and gets muddy, I'm bound to get a scolding from my wife.
He strode onto the carriage, saying, "Back to the mansion."
Deep within the palace.
The two entered the bedchamber one after the other. The cool evening breeze was just what Mushroom liked. Cui Xiangzhu had already sent someone to move the ice jar out. The temperature inside the bedchamber was just right. If they were to go to sleep at night, they would need to cover themselves with some blankets.
Gu Huizhou strode onto the dragon throne, picked up the hot tea beside him and drank it. He had drunk quite a bit of wine at the palace banquet, and he was bored listening to those people talking, so he picked up the wine cup and drank it one cup after another.
Yao Ruyi stood behind the emperor like a mascot. He didn't understand why he had gone there; his legs were aching from standing. He plopped down on the bed and started tapping his legs.
"Oh."
Gu Huizhou's eyebrows and eyes flushed red. This little bit of wine was insignificant to him, but he always showed signs of drinking, no matter how much he drank.
With redness around his eyes, under his eyes, and on the tip of his nose, Gu Huizhou got up and took off his outer robe, revealing a white inner garment that made him look even thinner.
Yao Ruyi muttered to herself, looking down. "This person just looks thin."
"Come here, let me see."
Yao Ruyi complained, "My legs are sore, I don't want to go."
"Then I will go there."
Having said that, the emperor on the high throne actually got up because of his sore legs, and walked steadily to the golden nanmu bed. His large hands were bulging with veins from the alcohol. He supported himself on the headboard with one hand, leaned over and covered Yao Ruyi in his arms.
The fruit wine was sweet and refreshing, and the sandalwood scent on the emperor made Yao Ruyi feel dizzy. He looked up and met the man's half-smiling gaze, and his eyes suddenly trembled.
"May your wishes come true."
"His Majesty?"
The man chuckled, turned, and sat down beside her. His large hand followed Yao Ruyi's hand, gently kneading the muscles on her mushroom-shaped leg. Standing for a long time inevitably causes soreness. You can't feel it when you knead it yourself, but it's very noticeable when the other person's large hand is on it.
Compared to the previous pinch, it seemed like a joke. The man's hands were long and strong, pressing down on the acupoints on his calves again and again, causing a surge of soreness and distension hundreds of times stronger.
Yao Ruyi looked flustered and hurriedly waved her hands, "No—I won't press it anymore!"
He'd rather be sour for two days.
The man chuckled lightly, but his hands didn't stop moving. He pinched and played with the kneecap from the calf upwards, finally lingering on the knee.
"Hmm—"
I felt much more relaxed after getting used to it.
The emperor massaged her leg intently, but Yao Ruyi felt an itch from the hand on her leg. She impatiently moved back a little, and the hand stopped. The owner of the hand looked up from her concentration, her rosy eyebrows and eyes seemed to have been stained with plum blossom juice, and even her lips were a bewitching red.
Yao Ruyi was startled as her collar had come undone halfway from the movement. The other woman's chest was also flushed pink from drinking.
He felt his cheeks flush slightly and avoided Gu Huizhou's gaze.
But the man stepped forward, retreating to the head of the bed with no room to retreat any further. Yao Ruyi whispered, "Your Majesty, what are you doing?"
The man pondered for a moment, then said, "Since I'm massaging your legs, I should at least offer some compensation."
Mushroom was taken aback. He had just said he didn't need it, but he insisted on giving him a massage. How could he be asking for payment now? Wasn't this just forcing him to buy something?
"You're being forceful—"
Their eyes met, and Yao Ruyi's heart trembled. She guiltily finished her sentence, "Forced sale."
"Forced buying and selling?" the man muttered. "Isn't this something they learned from the 19th Party Congress?"
How did it become something he learned from him? Mushroom frowned. How could he be compared to someone like Deng Zeyu? "That's not the behavior of a gentleman."
"Tsk."
"I am not a gentleman."
After saying that, the man suddenly moved forward, and the distance between the two shortened abruptly. Their noses almost collided. Yao Ruyi's heart raced and she closed her eyes tightly. After a while, she heard the man chuckle softly.
He had just opened his eyes when he saw someone lean closer. The aroma of wine lingered in front of his nose, making him dizzy. A hot spot pressed against his neck. Yao Ruyi shrank back, his body feeling numb as if enveloped by water. "Your Majesty."
"His Majesty!"
The person buried their face in his neck and remained motionless. After a long while, Yao Ruyi called out loudly, "Gu Huizhou!"
He touched the other's lips with his large hand. The man raised his head, his bright red lips glistening with moisture. His eyes were filled with complex emotions. "You're getting more and more audacious, daring to call me by my name."
"It's clearly you ignoring me!"
Never before had Yao Ruyi felt so confident. She covered her neck with her hands, afraid that the man would bite her again.
"You really don't remember?"
Mushroom paused, looking puzzled. "Remember what?"
Gu Huizhou sat on the bed, turned around and sat next to Yao Ruyi against the headboard. One of his feet dangled on the ground, and the blue and white jade beads on his wrist were being played with again and again. "The night of Lan Yan's wedding."
With a smile in his eyes, he said, "The Nineteenth Prince is drunk and has been groping me. Just like before, but he's much more audacious, because you bumped into me here."
After saying that, the man looked at Yao Ruyi with a seductive gaze and reached out to lightly touch his lower lip.
His gaze gradually moved downwards, finally settling on the swollen spot on the other person's lips, and he swallowed hard.
His pupils dilated in disbelief, and Mushroom's mouth gaped open in shock, his cheeks flushed as red as a man's after drinking. He was taken aback, but when he thought of his swollen lower lip the next day and the emperor's appearance, he was already mostly convinced.
He actually did something so disrespectful to the emperor...
Struggling, she asked, "Is it me?"
The man said impatiently, "Could it be me?"
Her tone was urgent, and the image of two people in the alleyways of Jiangzhou City flashed through Yao Ruyi's mind. Her voice grew increasingly light, "How could I—"
The man's gaze swept downwards, staring at Yao Ruyi's clasped hands, his voice low and hoarse, "Yao Ruyi, come forward."
"Um?"
"My lord, see if Your Excellency can remember."
————————
Let me see.
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