Chapter 20: Going Together to the Chancellor's Residence

  Every day, just as the sun rises, Zi Yanran has to sit in the grand hall with all the ministers for the morning court session. As the monarch, she not only has to listen to the different factions' verbal sparring matches, but also review memorials after the court session every day. This cycle repeats itself daily, yet she finds that whenever Zi Ruoye is around, she can occasionally relax a bit.

  Yi Ruoye narrowed her eyes, looking like she was about to fall asleep, with a slightly hunched back, making her look like a puddle of mud. Her purple imperial robe was embroidered with intricate golden-edged wood sorrel flowers. Yi Ruoye listened listlessly as the ministers argued until their faces turned red and their necks thickened, what a bore.

  "King Ye, what's your brilliant idea?" A cold voice rang out, and Zi Ruoye shivered, looking at Li Yu with a pout, why did she always have something to do with him?

  Ziyan suddenly heard Li Yu ask for Ziyue's opinion, and her eyebrows rose slightly, with a hint of amusement in her voice, "Yes, Imperial Sister, what do you think about this matter?"

  Zi Ruoye gave Zi Yanran a faint glance, "This useless king has no solution. The ministers have discussed for so long, they must have come up with something. I wouldn't know about these things." With a guilty conscience, she waved her hand and put on an innocent expression.

  The ministers looked at Ziyue Ye with a calm expression, but cast suspicious glances at Li Yu. How could Deputy General Li ask about the prince? Wasn't he still not awake from his early morning sleep?

  "In my opinion, Ye Wang, you're not unaware, but rather unwilling to speak. Li Yu's soft and gentle words were barely audible, yet every person in the grand hall heard them clearly. She took another step forward, continuing, 'Your Majesty, I believe...'"

  She was right, she just didn't want to say it.

  Since the Plum Blossom Festival, Li Yu has been like a hedgehog, always opposing Zi Ruoye whenever they meet, and Zi Ruoye, who understands Li Yu's overreaction, just yawns and ignores her or nods and bows to get past her.

  Watching her talk, with insights that are quite reasonable, it's just that Li Yu's personality is too impatient and eager for quick success. Zi Ruoye glanced at her, seemingly listening very seriously to the enigmatic smile of Zi Yanran.

  It wasn't easy to get through the night, but finally dawn broke. Zi Ruoye took the initiative to find Li Yu, rubbing his hands together in a fawning manner, with a flattering smile on his face, and said, "Vice General Li, can you accompany me to Chancellor's mansion?"

  "Why do I have to accompany you to the Prime Minister's mansion?" Seeing her, Li Yu's heart was not calm, although she was surprised that Zi Ruoye had taken the initiative to talk to her, but she couldn't understand what Zi Ruoye meant.

  Zi Ruoye's eyes darted around, and she stuttered, "You also know that I'm marrying Liu Qingyuan, the son of Minister Liu, on the third day of next month."

  Liu Qingyou? Li Yu's interest was piqued when he heard the name, and he recalled the story told by the storyteller that day. However, he didn't want to give Ziyue Ye the satisfaction, so he pressed his lips together and looked at her silently, waiting for Ziyue Ye's next words.

  "The last time I came, he seemed to be avoiding me. What's going on? He's about to become mine, yet he still puts on a high and mighty attitude!" She gritted her teeth in anger, but Zi Ruoye couldn't help but smile inwardly - that kid was indeed proud, but his temper wasn't small either.

  "Why are you looking for me?" Qing Gao? It is said that Liu Qingyou has a face similar to that of the Phoenix Empress...

  Upon hearing this, Ziyue Ye seemed to choke on her words and hesitated for a long time before speaking in a soft voice, "I was thinking of asking you to give me courage, beautiful people are great, but he's poisonous..." After finishing, she even pretended to pale, as if frightened.

  Looking at Zi Ruoye's reaction, Li Yu became even more interested in Liu Qingyou. Although he had already agreed in his heart, he pretended to consider it and finally sneered, "Alright, if you're driven out by others, you'll truly be our shame."

  Zi Ruoye hastily called out to the Prime Minister, who had just left, and after telling him about it, although Prime Minister Liu found it strange that Li Yu was also going, he still agreed.

  After these few days of contact, Liu Chengxiang still has a good impression of Li Yu, this junior, although she sometimes acts rashly, but it can be attributed to her youth and inexperience. But it's worth noting that Zi Ruoye is two years younger than her!

  All the way, Zi Ruoye had a drowsy look, occasionally wiping her mouth with her sleeve, her movements coarse and unrefined. Liu Chengxiang saw Zi Ruoye's appearance and frowned, according to the imperial edict, You'er would marry her, it was already a done deal, she found that she hadn't even carefully noticed their king, the only king of Zi Xuan country.

  In his mind, he recalled that during the Emperor's southern and northern expeditions, there were several battles that were difficult to capture, but they won a great victory like heavenly assistance. It was said that in the middle of the night, a group of black-clad men killed the war horses, destroyed the grain and grass, and let the enemy army collapse without a fight. However, no one knew where this force came from... The still astute Prime Minister's eyes suddenly flashed with a ray of light as he chatted with Li Yu, occasionally glancing at Ziyue Ye who was drowsy and drooling.

  Nothing can be done...

  A eunuch from the Prime Minister's mansion, the old steward of the Prime Minister's mansion was already waiting at the door. Seeing the Prime Minister followed by Zi Ruoye and Li Yu, he was shocked in his heart, and hastily ordered a small servant to prepare tea and snacks in the inner hall before coming forward to greet them.

  "See the prince." The people in the prime minister's mansion saw Zi Ruoye coming, and they quickly knelt down to pay their respects. How did this prince always come suddenly? Normally, people would have a visiting card, but the prince came twice, each time was an unexpected visit.

  Zi Ruoye waved her hand casually, indicating that there was no need to kneel. "No need to kneel." She took the lead and walked in first, casting a glance at the attendant beside her, but her eyes suddenly became ambiguous. "Prime Minister, last time I came in such a hurry, I didn't even get to see you, yet your mansion has someone as lovely as this?"

  Liu Chengxiang's face changed upon hearing this, was what the Emperor said really true?! "Prince Wang and Vice General Li follow me, let You'er also come to the inner hall, saying that Prince Wang has arrived."

  Zi Ruoye pouted, looking at another child who was scared by her, and reluctantly followed Liu Chengxiang. Li Yu was even more disdainful of Zi Ruoye's attitude, which did not distinguish between occasions, and followed Liu Chengxiang, occasionally glancing at the Prime Minister's mansion.

  The civil and military officials are standing in two opposing camps. The civil officials advocate for peace and reason, while the military officials despise the civil officials' emphasis on rhetoric and advocate for taking action first. They dislike the idea of "a gentleman uses his mouth but not his hands". Her mother had often clashed with Liu Chengxiang in court...

  The little servant retreated after hearing the prime minister's order and walked towards Liu Qingyu's room door. He was just standing behind the servant who was being teased by the prince, but why did he see the prince's eyes clear? As he walked, he tilted his head to one side, perhaps he had seen it wrong, he would go find a doctor to take a look another day.

  He walked to the quiet and secluded wing room of Liu Qing, lightly knocked on the door, and respectfully said, "Second Master, the Prime Minister asks you to go to the inner hall to see King Wang. The king has arrived today."

  Liu Qingyou didn't know if she was angry or embarrassed that day, but after running back, she locked herself in her room for many days. She even missed the Plum Blossom Festival, which she had been looking forward to. When a maid told her that "that scoundrel" had arrived, she angrily said, "I won't go! Tell Mother that I'm not feeling well today and can't see guests." He didn't want to see that good-for-nothing! At the time, giving him a slap was being lenient; she really wished she could stab him to death with a sword!

  Zi Ruoye, who has been wronged for a long time, is probably going to continue being wronged...

  Xiao Shi heard that Liu Qingyou was unwilling to go to the inner hall, and thought that he couldn't shirk his responsibility, so his face turned difficult again. He tried to persuade him once more, saying, "Second Master, you should still go. The Prime Minister said that you must go to the inner hall, and today it's not just the Prince, but also another important official."

  Another adult? Who could it be? Mother rarely brings colleagues from the government office back home, usually they go to a wine house or tea house... After hesitating for a moment, she asked in a low voice, "Who came with that scoundrel... Prince Wang?"

  The young servant thought for a moment, and just now he had been lowering his head without looking clearly. "It seems to be a woman with a handsome face, and her voice is somewhat similar to that of General Li in the court..." He said vaguely after trying hard to recall.

  General Li! ? Liu Qing's heart trembled, could it be... could it be...

  "Are you sure that person's voice sounds like General Li?" asked Liu Qingyu with a slight tremble in her voice.

  "Yes, I heard it clearly." Thought that Liu Qingyou would say something else, but after waiting for a long time, no one spoke up. Thinking of opening his mouth again, Liu Qingyou only faintly replied with a sentence.

  "You go back to your mother first and say... I'll be right there."

  The little servant nodded and went back to report, as long as the second young master was willing to come out and meet the king, it would be fine. Although the king had a bad reputation, which woman didn't have a good color? Moreover, at home, the young master was still the king's concubine! The little servant thought that although Liu Qingyou's face was not happy with the king, she must be delighted in her heart.

  When Zi Ruoye arrived at the inner hall, she took out a small wine jug from her bosom and started drinking by herself. Li Yu was still exchanging pleasantries with Liu Cheng, who would occasionally steal glances at Zi Ruoye. The scene was a bit strange. From time to time, Zi Ruoye's ears would move slightly, and she would smile faintly, her cunning eyes already veiled by the intoxicating effects of the wine.