Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Four People
Lu Chen wasn't surprised by her reaction and simply said, "The emperor has given orders, so I must go."
Seeing him so difficult, Zhe Rou couldn't help but frown and pursed her lips and said, "In such a situation, aren't you afraid that I will meet...other people?"
She didn't want to argue with Lu Chen, so she changed the subject. However, both of them knew who this "other person" was referring to.
Lu Chen's eyes darkened.
He knew full well that entering Genyue tomorrow would be tantamount to sending her right under Xie Yunzhou's nose. Even with all his cunning, how could he possibly set up defenses everywhere in the Imperial Family Garden? As long as Xie Mingqi was determined, he would definitely find a way to meet her privately.
Saying you don't mind is bullshit.
But the past experience between her and Xie Mingqi was like a poisonous thorn to him, piercing his flesh and blood and torturing him day and night. Rather than letting this thorn go deeper and deeper, festering and leaving scars, it would be better to be cruel and let her cut it out directly and get rid of it.
Zhe Rou couldn't persuade him after all, and the next afternoon, she was helped by a maid to change into the complicated ceremonial clothes for a lady of noble birth. After dressing up carefully, she stuck a pearl flower on her forehead, and went to Genyue with Lu Chen for the banquet.
It was almost noon when many court officials and their families began to arrive outside the main gate of Genyue. Familiar families chatted with each other warmly. After having their fish tokens and cards checked by the imperial guards, they were led into the inner courtyard by the eunuchs attentively.
Lu Wan and Gu Hongjian had been waiting for a long time. When they looked up and saw Zhe Rou being helped down the carriage by Lu Chen, they immediately came over with a smile and greeted her warmly, "Auntie, you're finally here."
Zhe Rou pursed her lips and smiled.
Lu Chen lowered his eyes and glanced at her. Although this was his first time attending such a grand banquet, he felt relieved to have Lu Wan by his side. After briefly instructing him, he and his brother-in-law headed to Chenglan Pavilion, where the banquet was being held.
Zhe Rou exchanged a few pleasantries with Lu Wan, and soon a young eunuch came forward to lead the way, bowing respectfully and crossing his arms, "Please follow me inside, my lord."
Lu Wan nodded and smiled, raised her hand to hold Zhe Rou's arm, and said affectionately: "Sister-in-law, let's go."
It was late spring in March, and the water in the pond in Genyue had long since thawed, with waves rippling across the pond. The pavilions were exquisite and elegant, with railings made of Xiuyan jade and pillars made of gold wire. Walking along Qujiang River, every place was decorated with exotic flowers and plants planted in the greenhouses, trees of different heights were scattered, and thousands of lanterns were hung on the water, shining brightly.
Zhe Rou walked through the place, seeing carved railings and jade bricks everywhere, as if she was back in the last year when she went to the capital and first attended a banquet at the County Earl's Mansion. A vague feeling of helplessness came over her again, but back then she still had Lu Chen to rely on, but now everything had changed.
After turning the corner of the corridor and heading towards the waterside pavilion, Zhe Rou suddenly felt an unusually sharp gaze sweeping towards her. Her heart tightened and she instinctively turned back to look. In an instant, their eyes met from a distance.
The dusk shone obliquely, and the man stood against the light, his face hidden in the darkness and could not be seen clearly. She only saw him standing side by side with Li Zhen, and she thought he must be of prominent status.
Lu Wan accompanied her, followed her gaze, and explained in a low voice: "That is the second prince of Xiqiang. He has come to our Great Zhou to propose marriage."
Zhe Rou's heart tightened, and she immediately looked away, feeling vaguely uneasy.
She had heard that the Qiang people were brave and warlike, that they considered dying in battle auspicious and dying of illness inauspicious, and that women did not avoid giving birth in the wind and snow.[1] She had not felt anything special when dealing with the Western Qiang caravan a few days ago, but the look in this man's eyes inexplicably reminded her of the brutality of the barbarian soldiers who plundered the grasslands and valleys in the south.
Zhe Rou secretly clenched her palms and unconsciously took a few quick steps.
Passing through the pavilion by the water, the female family members' table was not far away. Following the order of their husband's family titles and official ranks, Lu Wan took Zhe Rou's arm and led her to the table to sit down.
Stringed instruments began to play, and two rows of palace maids came in one after another carrying food boxes made of twined sandalwood, and placed exquisite dishes on the table.
Although the male and female guests were seated at separate tables across the Qujiang Lake, the banquets at the two places were no different. There were silver plates, jade cups, and ivory chopsticks. There were embroidered high-quality dumplings with eight fruits, as well as various carved honey-fried dishes, flower-cooked quail, steamed lamb in a cup, wine-cooked Huai white fish, lychee and white kidney... There was a dazzling array of various dishes.
This kind of palace banquet has never sought to be light and palatable, but rather luxurious and extravagant, to show off the country's strength in front of foreign countries. The dishes were actually too rich. Zhe Rou tasted a few of them, but soon felt bored and put down her chopsticks.
Lu Wan was well prepared. Seeing this, she took out the tourmaline wine decanter and poured her a glass of rose dew. "Sister-in-law, try this. This wine is very light and refreshing. We will serve some cold fruits later."
Zhe Rou curved her lips and smiled, "Thank you, Wan Niang."
There was incessant music at the banquet. By the time the five dishes were served, the rose dew in the wine jug was gone. Seeing this, the young eunuch leaned forward and added more wine.
The mouth of the pot was slightly tilted, and the clear rose dew slowly poured into the cup, but he didn't expect that his hand suddenly shook, and the rose dew in the wine spilled out, wetting a small corner of her clothes.
The young eunuch knelt down hurriedly to plead guilty, saying in panic, "Your Excellency, please forgive me!"
Zhe Rou shook her head gently and was about to let him leave when the young eunuch raised his eyes slightly and whispered tentatively, "Sir, would you like me to go to the side hall to deal with your clothes?"
But in just a moment, he hastily lowered his head again. Zhe Rou's heart suddenly jumped, and she had a vague intuition -
Mingqi.
Her heart was beating rapidly, and Zhe Rou secretly clenched her palms. She said something to Lu Wan as if nothing had happened, stood up, followed the eunuch out of the banquet, and walked towards the side hall behind the pavilion.
It was approaching dusk, and gorgeous clouds were rolling in the sky. The evening light was reflected on layer after layer of glazed tiles, making dazzling golden rays. Gauze lanterns were hung high on the treetops on both sides of the road, casting faint shadows among the pavilions and waterside terraces that were scattered at different heights.
Led by the young eunuch, Zhe Rou walked around the waterside pavilion and out of the corridor. Just as she was about to go forward, she heard a low call from behind the rocks beside her.
"Nine Lady."
When Zhe Rou heard this familiar voice, her heart suddenly twitched. She turned her head and saw a familiar handsome face. His lacquer-like eyes reflected the afterglow of the clouds in the sky, blazing like a torch.
After not seeing each other for over a month, Xie Yunzhou had lost a lot of weight. He was wearing a purple python silk robe with a belt that showed off his waist. He looked even cleaner and taller, like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath, full of heroic spirit.
Xie Yunzhou looked at the wide-sleeved formal dress for a third-rank lady of noble rank she was wearing, and felt a tightness in his throat. He wanted to say something, but didn't know where to start.
He was worried that she would be unhappy under Lu Chen's control, but he was also worried that she and Lu Chen really wanted to reconcile and reconcile. These two thoughts tore at each other in his heart, making him restless day and night.
He knew better than anyone that she and Lu Chen had been together for years during their most difficult times, relying on each other and never leaving each other. The affection between them was far beyond what he could compare to in the few short months he spent in Yanziwu.
The two of them stood in front of the steps. Although they were only a few steps away from each other, they felt as if they were in a different world. For a moment, they didn't know where to start and could only stare at each other in a daze.
At the banquet in the distance, the sounds of stringed instruments and orchestras drifted intermittently across the waterside pavilion, appearing particularly ethereal in the hazy twilight.
Lu Chen's alcohol tolerance was not very good. After a few glasses of liquor, he was already a little drunk. But a colleague came over to greet him. He responded perfunctorily while keeping an eye on Xie Yunzhou's movements.
After three rounds of drinks, Lu Chen saw that the seat at the other end had been empty for a long time. The corners of his lips twitched slightly, and he suddenly put down the jade porcelain wine cup, bowed slightly to his colleagues beside him, and said with a smile: "Everyone, drink slowly. Excuse me."
After leaving the pavilion, the noisy sound of stringed instruments gradually faded away. Lu Chen walked along the edge of the pond and went straight to Shoushan.
He was very familiar with Xie Yunzhou's temper. Those rockery caves, winding corridors and paths in Genyue were where they played in their childhood.
If Xie Yunzhou wanted to find a secluded place in the garden to talk, you could guess where he would go with your eyes closed.
He turned and looked towards the corridor on the west side.
The evening breeze swept across the curved pond, creating tiny ripples on its surface. The water reflected the setting sun, outlining the two figures standing opposite each other at the end of the corridor with exceptional clarity.
Lu Chen's footsteps suddenly paused, and he hid himself in the shade of the trees beside the pool. His eyes were calm and he stared at the expressions of the two of them motionlessly.
Xie Yunzhou stared at Zhe Rou for a long moment, his Adam's apple rolling as he finally spoke in a hoarse voice, "Jiu Niang, are you...are you doing well? If you want to leave, I'll try to help you again."
Zhe Rou pursed her lips.
It would be a lie to say that she was not moved, but ever since the incident with Zhou Xiao, she had decided not to drag others down or get involved in unnecessary matters.
The future depends on her, not on others. If she continues to drag him down, she will only harm him.
After a long moment, Zhe Rou blinked, suppressed the bitterness in her eyes, and said softly, "Ming Qi, thank you very much, but it's not necessary."
She paused, her fingertips digging deep into her palms, forcing herself to continue, "These days... I feel pretty good."
Xie Yunzhou's breathing stagnated. He took a half step forward and said in a tight voice, "You want to reconcile with him?"
Zhe Rou pursed her lips and said nothing.
"He forced you?" Observing her expression, which clearly showed reluctance, Xie Yunzhou's voice suddenly dropped. He frowned and said anxiously, "Did Lu Bingyan force you to do this? Jiuniang, you don't have to be afraid of him. I—"
"Mingqi." Zhe Rou interrupted him softly, trying to keep her tone calm, "I really think it's great."
She looked up at him, a faint smile curling up at the corners of her lips, but her eyes were empty, as if covered by a layer of mist. "These days, I've figured it out. Lu Chen... he has me in his heart. Aside from being a little rude occasionally, he treats me well in every way... You also know that between him and me, after all... the relationship is extraordinary."
Xie Yunzhou felt as if all the blood in his body had frozen for a moment, and he felt as if he had fallen into an icy cave. His chest felt as if it had been doused in boiling oil, and the burning pain was so severe that he could hardly breathe.
She was clearly standing in front of him, yet it seemed as if there were thousands of mountains and rivers between her and she was as faint as a shadow, almost elusive.
Xie Yunzhou's throat trembled, and he choked with sobs. "Jiu Niang, you didn't think this way before... Is it because of my identity? This is my fault, but believe me, I won't always be like this... I know what you want, and I can give it to you. You... don't be like this."
Trust me.
Please trust me for once and give me some time. Don't be fooled by him so easily.
Zhe Rou bit her lip tightly, a layer of mist gradually appeared in front of her eyes. She couldn't bear to look at Xie Yunzhou's expression anymore, and turned her face away hastily.
He is like a burning flame, passionate, sincere, clean, and pure enough to make people's hearts tremble.
She wasn't a heartless person, so how could she remain unmoved? It had been ages since anyone had treated her this well. He didn't expect anything in return, never forced anything, but simply, stubbornly, wanted to protect her.
But this throbbing is just a throbbing after all.
This little bit of joy was far from enough to make her risk her life again. She just wanted to live an ordinary life, without having to rely on others or submit to power.
In the past, when he left the royal family, he was free and unburdened. If she wanted to, she could give it a try with him. But now the situation is very different. He has too many things on his shoulders. He is no longer the Xie Mingqi who could do whatever he wants.
Soon she would have to find a way to leave Shangjing. By then, neither Lu Bingyan nor Xie Mingqi should have anything to do with her anymore.
Even if she finds someone to accompany her in the future, she will only look for someone who can make her feel at ease and is not much different from her.
Zhe Rou pursed her lips, trying hard to hold back the bitter tears in her eyes, and turned to leave.
Xie Yunzhou's heart sank, and he subconsciously reached out and grabbed her hanging sleeve. He wanted to say something else, but his throat felt like it was choked by wet cotton. Thousands of words were swirling around his tongue, and in the end, he couldn't utter a single word.
He didn't dare to pull her back with force, but he was unwilling to let her go. The two of them just stood there frozen, with their sleeves trembling slightly where they were connected.
"Nine Lady..."
At this moment, a crisp high-five sound suddenly came from not far away, mixed with a playful chuckle, "Oh, the young prince is still a romantic."
Hearing this voice, Xie Yunzhou's expression changed instantly. He quickly protected Zhe Rou behind him, looked coldly at the rock, and said in a cold voice, "Hu Liao's nature is indeed hard to change. He is rude wherever he goes and can't change his sneaky behavior."
As he was about to finish his words, Zhe Rou saw a burly young man lazily step out from behind the rocks. His eyes passed over Xie Yunzhou and fell directly on her face, looking her up unscrupulously.
Zhe Rou was caught off guard and met his eyes.
It was the Western Qiang prince who was on the shore earlier.
At that time she had only seen him from a distance, but now that she was closer, she could see the Qiang man's appearance clearly.
He was about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, wearing a golden brown round-necked robe with leopard patterns and linked beads, and black leather arm guards on his wrists. He had a tall and strong figure, a slightly dark complexion, deep eyes, an aquiline nose, and a single silver ring hanging from his left ear.
A pair of light-filled pupils glanced over in the light of the lamp, with an indifferent look yet an indescribable coldness and sharpness.
Like sizing up prey.
Zhe Rou's heart suddenly tightened, and she immediately withdrew her gaze, lowered her head and turned away.
Xie Yunzhou noticed her nervousness and immediately moved sideways, shielding her tightly behind him. He warned her in a deep voice, "If you dare to look at my noble concubines again, I will gouge out your eyes."
Li Baoji was stunned for a moment, then sneered from his nose.
Xie Yunzhou was too lazy to bother with this guy. Just as he was about to turn around and escort Zhe Rou back to the banquet, he looked up and saw Lu Chen coming out from the shade of a tree nearby.
"What a coincidence, Mingqi."
Lu Chen called out with a smile, but his eyes were as cold as ice, dark and without a trace of light. "No wonder you weren't at the banquet. You were hiding here from the wine and watching the fun."
Zhe Rou was stunned for a moment, a chill ran through her heart, and she froze in place, unable to move.
Not knowing where this guy had appeared from, Xie Yunzhou met Lu Chen's provocative gaze, and for a moment, his heart burned with hatred, his teeth itching. But in such a situation, in front of that Qiang Liao, he could not help but raise his lips and grin, "What a coincidence! I just came out to get rid of the smell of alcohol, and I ran into Jiu Niang. This is fate."
Lu Chen raised his eyebrows and sneered, then walked straight over. He took Zhe Rou's hand very naturally and completely held her slender knuckles in his palm.
His palms were cold, without a trace of heat. He didn't know how long he had been standing in the wind, and how much he had heard and seen.
Zhe Rou's heart trembled, and she asked in a low voice: "Why are you here?"
Lu Chen raised his hand and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. His knuckles paused imperceptibly as he gently wiped away the lingering tear from the corner of her eye.
Zhe Rou subconsciously wanted to hide, but she forced herself not to move. She instinctively didn't want to be too intimate with Xie Yunzhou in front of him, and for a moment she couldn't explain why. She didn't know whether it was embarrassment, or reluctance, or both.
Lu Chen seemed to have noticed something, his eyes darkened slightly, and he pinched her fingers subtly, using a little force, causing her to feel a slight pain.
Zhe Rou couldn't help but pause.
Lu Chen lowered his eyes, his gaze casually glancing at Xie Yunzhou, his tone becoming increasingly gentle, "Of course I came to look for you. The honey-seared dish at the banquet used spring peaches with the skin on, and I was worried you might accidentally eat it and get a rash again."
Zhe Rou knew his temper perfectly well. He looked gentle and considerate, but in reality, he was suppressing his anger. If he started to quarrel, she didn't know how it would end. She simply stopped struggling, paused for a moment, pursed her lips and smiled, "I understand. Let's go back."
Lu Chen raised his eyes, his gaze swept coldly across Li Baoji, then fell on Xie Yunzhou's face, and he smiled: "This is my first time attending a banquet, and I got lost and met some irrelevant people. It's my fault as your husband for not taking good care of her. I'm really sorry to trouble Mingqi. I'll treat you to a drink another day, cousin."
After saying that, without waiting for a response, he took Zhe Rou's hand and walked back.
Xie Yunzhou was so angry that his eyes widened, his teeth clenched, and his knuckles turned pale, but he did not take another step forward.
Everything was quiet again, with only the rustling sound of wind blowing through the treetops.
Li Baoji slowly walked to his side, looked at the backs of the two people walking away side by side, and suddenly chuckled with an ambiguous meaning.
Xie Yunzhou turned his head suddenly.
Seeing his pale face as he wished, Li Baoji raised his eyebrows provocatively.
Xie Yunzhou narrowed his eyes, then suddenly took a half step closer. He lowered his voice and spoke into his ear, "Li Baoji, since you want to be my Great Zhou's lover, then behave yourself."
"Otherwise, when we reach the Great Zhou territory one day, since I can kill your useless brother, I can naturally send you down to reunite with him!"
After he finished speaking, he glanced at Li Baoji coldly, turned around and strode away.
Li Baoji stayed there alone with his arms folded, lost in thought for a moment.
The night wind blew through the forest garden, bringing with it a faint and soft fragrance. It was not as luxurious and noble as the Forbidden Palace, but it had a unique elegant charm, like the fragrance of some flowers, lingering in the nose vaguely.
Dusk deepened, the air thick with darkness and silence. Li Baoji slowly raised his hand and unconsciously rubbed the tip of his nose. Recalling the woman's gentle features, and Xie Yunzhou's nervous defense and suppressed disappointment, an inexplicable heat surged through his chest, and an uncontrollable agitation and excitement rose within him.
What the Li family said was indeed true.
If he could forcibly take possession of the woman that Xie Yunzhou had been longing for... even if he couldn't kill his enemy and avenge his brother, it would be enough to make him feel unbearable pain.
At this moment, just imagining Xie Yunzhou's twisted and painful face made his blood boil, and in this chilly spring night, he actually broke out in a hot sweat.
As for that woman's husband...
Oh, it doesn’t matter.
The most satisfying thing is to snatch something from someone else.
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