ã€ŠHeavenly Divine Doctor: Abandoned Concubineã€‹


 Chapter 1

    <strong>Chapter 1 ¨C Poisoned Wine (1)</strong>

    The autumn rain was cold, angry streaks of lightning seen on the dark horizon. It brought a feeling of hopelessness to the people in thend but Ye Zhen remained the sole exception. She stood outside her doorstep for hours, earnestly waiting, not for the first break of light, but for a carriage bearing the emperor¡¯s seal.

    Her dark hair was soaked with rainwater. Some of the wet strands stuck to her cheeks, making her appearance unruly and her face more fragile. Nevertheless, she stood resolutely, not minding the cold the weather brought.

    ¡°Wang fei<strong>**</strong>, you should wait inside. Anytime from now, His imperial majesty might send someone to take you to his pce.¡± Her maid anxiously said. She has been married to the former prince, the current Emperor Mo Rongzhan who ascended the throne two days ago. It was custom to have her picked up and sent to his pce to live with him as his wang fei. But why wasn¡¯t there any news about his arrival yet?

    <strong>**wang fei ¨C the highest ranking imperial consort next to the empress.</strong>

    Ye Zhen felt uneasy. She was only 13 years old when she had married Mo Rongzhan. Pitiful though, for during the two years of their marriage, not once did he went to see her. In fact, thest time she saw him was on their wedding day. Now that she has grown up into a woman, he might not even recognize her anymore! Will he take her to the pce now that he has sessfully usurped the throne?

    ¡°Wang fei!¡± The maid who went out for a while hade back bearing news. Judging from her grim face, Ye Zhen knew right away that the news was a terrible one. Arriving in front of her mistress, the maid took a deep breath before speaking...

    ¡°From what this servant has heard, Youngdy Lu was escorted to the pce. The emperor¡¯s carriage was sent yesterday just for her!¡± She said breathlessly. ¡°A-and the emperor gave a decree...¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s heart raced; her face appearing paler. With a trembling voice, she said, ¡°What does the decree say?¡±

    ¡°All valuable possessions in the Ye residence were confiscated...Tomorrow, the entire Ye family will be beheaded as ordered by His Majesty!¡± the maid cried out.

    ¡°Wha-why is this happening?¡± Ye Zhen stuttered. She almost fainted, the news too much for her. She was about to crumble to her knees, but the maid was fast to support her copsing frame.

    Her entire family will be beheaded by order of the same man she married. She desperately hoped that all of it was only a nightmare, but the loud roar of thunder kept her from being deaf to the bitter reality.

    Given that the Ye family once helped the former prince, Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t understand why Mo Rongzhan did this. Wasn¡¯t she of any value to him?

    Despite the turmoil in her mind, she thought of ways she could possibly amend this problem. In the process, she remembered only one person.

    ¡°Go and find Lu Lingzhi!¡± She ordered when she finally found the strength to speak. ¡°On second thought, I will find him myself!¡± Ye Zhen pushed aside her maid¡¯s hand and dashed through the rain.

    There was more than a dozen of guards outside the pce gate who stopped her, saying only that the Emperor ordered not a soul was allowed to go out.

    ¡°Ye Zhen!¡± Lu Lingzhi came from the gates and looked at her worriedly. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    Despite being born from a family of merchants, Lu Lingzhi was able to be an official, his wiles became his steppingdder. Naturally, he already knew of the decree, so he decided to pay his friend a visit.

 Chapter 2

    <strong>Chapter 2 ¨C Poisoned Wine (2)</strong>

    ¡°Lingzhi! I need your help. You said you would help me, didn¡¯t you?¡± Ye Zhen grabbed his arm, a desperate look on her face. For the past two years, he had helped her tremendously. For that, she regarded him as a close friend, her closest actually. She had sent letters to Mo Rongzhan through him. And now, she thought he was the only one who could certainly help her, especially in this situation.

    ¡°I did say I would help you.¡± Lu Lingzhi said with a reassuring smile. He watched as Ye Zhen pulled something from the folds of her gown: a green stone with the image of a phoenix engraved on it.

    ¡°Help me take this to the emperor, and as soon as he sees this, he wille and see me.¡± Ye Zhen took out the jade pendant that she had worn and kept for eight years.

    ¡°It will not be a problem.¡± Lu Lingzhi¡¯s eyes gleamed over the stone. ¡°It is just that the emperor may be busy attending to his royal duties.¡±

    ¡°I beg you, Lingzhi. Do anything you can to talk to him. I didn¡¯t ask him for anything. I saved his life. He said he¡¯d promise me one thing as long as I have this. Please, tell him I am only asking this one thing: spare the Ye family.¡± Ye Zhen felt tears choking her up. She didn¡¯t desire to live with him anymore. Now, she just wanted to save the Ye family.

    She handed it to Lu Lingzhi with her hands trembling.

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s eyes glistened over the jade penchant in his hand. ¡°You can count on me. Wait here for my return.¡±

    Ye Zhen went back to the house and waited but little did she know, that a ss of poisoned wine was awaiting her arrival...

    ¡°Why?¡± Ye Zhen looked at Lu Lingzhi, confused. By seeing the jade pendant, he would have known that she was the girl who had saved him. But why didn¡¯t hee to see her?

    ¡°The Emperor always believed that the girl who saved him is Shuang¡¯er. Even if you took out this jade pendant and had me show this to him, it wouldn¡¯t change anything,¡± Lu Lingzhi said faintly.

    Ye Zhen suddenly raised her eyes to Lu Lingzhi. ¡°Shuang¡¯er? Lu Wushuang is your sister, right? You knew I was the one who saved the emperor. Why didn¡¯t you exin it to him?!¡±

    But Lu Lingzhi only stared at her face with a hint of disdain.

    ¡°Lingzhi, answer me! Why-¡±

    Before she could throw another question, the hands of the people she trusted seized her. She kicked and wriggled but she was too weak.

    ¡°Ye Zhen, I owe you this life.¡± Lu Lingzhi whispered, ¡°Have a safe trip to the afterlife.¡±

    Her most trusted maid around her had already buckled her jaw open and poured wine into her mouth when she was caught off guard.

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s voice reached her in a low voice ¡°If...there is indeed an afterlife.¡±

    She was reduced into a heaping mess on the floor, scratching her throat as she struggled to breathe. During her suffering, she looked nowhere but to Lu Lingzhi¡¯s smug face alone.

    Then suddenly, she didn¡¯t feel anything but the pain in her heart. The pain of betrayal.

    Her soul flew out of the body and lightly floated in mid-air like an empty entity. She watched as Lu Lingzhi gave the order to kill all the servants in the pce, including the maid who had just fed her poisoned wine.

    A big fire engulfed the pce where she once lived, and all traces of Ye Zhen were erased.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s soul followed Lu Lingzhi into the pce and drifted towards the royal study.

    ¡°Your Highness, Imperial concubine Ye Zhen learned that you will keep her under house arrest in the pce. She was unwilling toply and set fire to her own home. No one survived.¡± Lu Lingzhi knelt down in front of a man and said respectfully.

    Ye Zhen drifted across the pir. And now that there was nothing to stop her body, she just stood in front of the man and looked straight at his bright golden clothes, which made his whole dignified face feel familiar and strange. She felt herself tremble uncontrobly.

    Having not seen him for many years, he was no longer the teenager she remembered wearing in clothes with a smile on his face despite his disability. He had be more handsome, straight-eyed, unfathomable and indifferent, which she felt was quite a daunting change.

 Chapter 3

    <strong>Chapter 3 ¨C Poisoned Wine (3)</strong>

    ¡°Why did you let them kill me, Mo Rongzhan? Why didn¡¯t you keep your promise? Why didn¡¯t youe to see me, even for once?¡± Ye Zhen asked, but no one could hear her.

    Mo Rhongzhan¡¯s eyes fell coldly on Lu Lingzhi¡¯s figure in front of him. ¡°Is Ye Zhen dead?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    There was a moment of silence. For a moment, Ye Zhen thought that she would see a glimpse of sorrow or regret in his eyes, but there was none.

    ¡°If an insignificant person dies, then let it be.¡± He didn¡¯t want her inside the pce, but he made sure that all of her needs were taken care of. Food, clothes-she had it all. If she wanted to die, she might as well die, he thought.

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s eyes shed. ¡°Yes, I agree.¡±

    ¡°Go on. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll make Shuang¡¯er the Imperial Concubine. If Shuang¡¯er hadn¡¯t saved me, I wouldn¡¯t be here today,¡± Mo Rongzhan said. Although she didn¡¯t remember the secret words, it was normal for she was only seven years old at that time. It¡¯s possible that she wouldn¡¯t be able to remember such an old memory.

    Ye Zhen suddenly had an impulse tough loudly. She waited all her life for his affection but all she got was a cup of poisoned wine and the apathetic words from his mouth saying that she was nothing to him at all. An insignificant woman.

    The bitter thing was, she didn¡¯t even know the truth until she died.

    She screamed out of anger, out of despair, ¡°Mo Rongzhan, if there is an afterlife, I, Ye Zhen would surely have revenge!¡±

    Having enough of what she¡¯d seen, she turned to flee the pce. She wanted to visit her deceased family¡¯s abode, but no matter how hard she struggled, she could not break free. It was like there was an invisible force that held her captive inside the pce.

    This went on for two more years.

    She became a soul, floating and walking unseen in the pce halls. She was able to hear every rumor from the maids in the pantry, had seen guards lousily guarding at night when everyone was asleep and most of all, she had seen how Lu Wushuang filled the emperor¡¯s head with her lies.

    ¡°Your Majesty, do you still remember this jade pendant?¡± Lu Wushuang, who took Ye Zhen¡¯s ce and became Wang Fei, took out a piece of stone with a charming smile and asked him.

    Mo Rongzhan nced at it, smiling, ¡°This,¡± He took ahold of the stone. ¡°-is what I gave you to meet me. It¡¯s a pity that I waited for you for how many days, but you didn¡¯t show up.¡±

    Lu Wushuang reclined in his arms and didn¡¯t know what to say.

    It was the exact jade pendant Ye Zhen gave to Lu Lingzhi. It turns out, he did not give it to Mo Rongzhan, but instead, he handed it to her sister, Lu Wushuang, to let her take Ye Zhen¡¯s ce.

    Ye Zhen never knew there was more hatred than what she felt at this moment.

    ¡°This emperor wants you to keep this.¡±

    Lu Wushuang stretched out her hand to grab the jade pendant from the emperor when suddenly, it gave off a me which seemed to be invisible to their eyes, only not to Ye Zhen¡¯s. It immediately made Lu Wushuang feel a searing pain on her palm.

    ¡°Ahh!¡± Lu Wushuang eximed, and the jade pendant fell to the ground, suddenly breaking into half.

    As the invisible me gradually disappeared, the soul of Ye Zhen finally broke free from the pce.

 Chapter 4

    <strong>Chapter 4 ¨C Her Return (1)</strong>

    ¡°Yao Yao, are you awake?¡±

    Ye Zhen had a splitting headache when she heard a woman calling her attention beside her. She tried to open her eyes and was weed with an onught of light. Her vision was first unfocused and vague, but she was still able to make out the worried face of a woman.

    Looking at the unfamiliar woman in front of her eyes, she tried to remember who she was but found she didn¡¯t know her at all. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    The woman was shocked when she heard these words, ¡°Yao Yao, can¡¯t you even remember your own mother?¡±

    Yao Yao? She just called her by her nickname. Wasn¡¯t she dead? Howe she¡¯s here?

    Ye Zhen felt her limbs were weak as a baby, her head was getting more and more painful as she tried to regain consciousness. Suddenly, many pictures shed through her mind, then, it went nk. Her face grew ghostly white and she was plunged back into darkness.

    *

    She woke up again after three days had already passed. But her mind hadn¡¯t been idle in those days, Ye Zhen had remembered many things.

    She looked at the canopy of the bed calmly, a little dazed, and feeling a little ridiculous at her current situation.

    She actually came back to life and became Lu Shiming¡¯s adopted daughter! Lu Shiming is Lu Lingzhi¡¯s uncle and she...she had been born again in her twin sister¡¯s body. She couldn¡¯t help but feel overwhelmed at the thought.

    Ah, yes, her twin sister. Mentioning her was a taboo in their family.

    She only found out about her twin sister when her grandmother died. Their family had believed in the Taoist priest¡¯s words that they could only raise one of the twins or else, their family woulde to ruin. So her grandmother sent her twin sister away, out of their reach.

    As for where her sister was sent away, only her grandmother knew of it. After all, her grandmother had kept the secret to herself all her life. She had quietly taken care of her sister and in the end, she allowed the child to be adopted by Lu Shiming. Last month, Lu Shiming returned to the capital with Ye Zhen¡¯s sister. His adopted daughter was in aa for half a month because of a serious heart illness. And when she woke up, she was no longer Lu Yaoyao-Ye Zhen had been reborn in her body.

    Ye Zhen finally understood why her mother had been so indifferent to her for so many years when she knew she had a twin sister who had been sent away. Now she had robbed her sister of her body and had no chance to reunite with her or to even say a word to her.

    However, she knew that her sister had a wonderful life. She was taken good care by Lu Shiming and his wife and was also attended by her grandmother from time to time. At the very least. what Ye Zhen saw in her sister¡¯s memory were only happy ones and she hadn¡¯t suffered any grievances. This made her feel relieved if only a little bit.

    Looking at the mirror not too far from her bed, it was no doubt that she entered her sister¡¯s twin body. She covered her face with her hands, myriad of emotions pouring out of her. How did everything turn out this way?

    ¡°Yao Yao, what¡¯s the matter with you? Is something wrong? ¡± Deep in her thoughts, Ye Zhen did not notice when a 17 or 18-year-old boy entered her chamber. She recalled the memories of her sister and him in the past 13 years.

    Ye Zhen turned to look at him. He learned from his sister¡¯s memory that the boy was Lu Shiming¡¯s son and her sister¡¯s legal brother. They had been close to each other since childhood, almost inseparable, and was a good brother to her twin sister. Only when she found out this did she gave a little smile, ¡°Eldest brother, why are you here?¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi sat down at the foot of the bed and looked at Ye Zhen anxiously. ¡°Yao Yao, aren¡¯t you ufortable? I¡¯ll call mother toe over.¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s just that I have been lying down for a long time, so I feel weak. It¡¯s no big deal. I am really fine.¡± said Ye Zhen. It¡¯s a funny coincidence that her father had given her the nickname Yao Yao from an early age. Unexpectedly, her sister¡¯s nickname was Yao Yao too.

    Is this the natural fate of twin sisters?

 Chapter 5

    <strong>Chapter 5 ¨C Her Return (2)</strong>

    ¡°Mother and father have juste back! And they can¡¯t cope with the guestsing to see you in these past few days. So after the guests leave, they¡¯lle to see you, so don¡¯t worry!.¡± Lu Xiangzhi thought that his sister had wept quietly because her parents weren¡¯t present when she woke up.

    His sister¡¯s mind was the most sensitive. Although she was usually lively and optimistic, she always had a condition with her heart. It started ever since she knew not too long ago, that she was not his real sister.

    Ye Zhen said with a smile, ¡°I know that they must have a lot of things to do after returning from the capital in a long while.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi touched her sister¡¯s head and felt that her sister was really sensible today. ¡°When you are well and energized, eldest brother will take you out to y while we are in the capital, which is quite different from our boring border town. It¡¯s more fun here and the foods are heavenly; the capital is far more prosperous than towns out of nowhere, I tell you!¡±

    ¡°En.¡± Ye Zhen still smiled and nodded. In her heart, she silently wanted to tell him that his beloved Lu Yaoyao was already dead. And that she is more familiar with the capital than anyone else in this household.

    ¡°Well, nowadays the news of the newly ascended emperor is everywhere. With the city too busy, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be allowed outside for now.¡± Lu Xiangzhi sighed defeatedly. It looks like they will be stuck at home for the meantime.

    The corners of Ye Zhen¡¯s mouth twitched, her smile freezing. Hiding her surprise, she asked in a calm tone, ¡°A new emperor has begun to reign? What new emperor?¡±

    Didn¡¯t Mo Rongzhan take the throne two years ago? She remembered that she had been dead for two years. Did someone usurp the throne after her death?

    ¡°Yes, the prince of this Qin dynasty ascended the throne a few days ago. Moreover, for some reason, also three days ago his Wang fei and all her people were burned to death. Today, Shuang¡¯er was appointed Imperial Concubine and the whole family is in high spirits...¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi rambled on but Ye Zhen could no longer hear a word.

    Mo Rongzhan was the Emperor and she was his deceased Wang fei! There was no way that Lu Xiangzhi was speaking about other people.

    He had just ascended the throne when she was shortly killed two days after...How could this happen? How could her soul return to two years ago, when she was trapped in the pce for two agonizing years!?

    ¡°Wang fei...is that the Youngdy from the Ye family?¡± Ye Zhen asked numbly, her trembling hands forming into fists, hidden underneath the quilt.

    Lu Xiangzhi nodded and missed how Yao Yao was able to know that the princess¡¯ surname was Ye. ¡°The Ye family was beheaded at the gate two days ago. You didn¡¯t see how the meridian gate was still covered with blood. It even rained for several days but it still wasn¡¯t able to wash off the blood. I took one look and immediately came back; I couldn¡¯t sleep all night at all!¡±

    The whole Ye family was beheaded. Including her loved ones...her family.

    How could she forget that when Mo Rongzhan ascended the throne, he had already begun to annihte the people who had opposed him before? The Ye family was just one of them.

    Ye Zhen gritted her teeth and felt stabbing pain pierce her heart once again when she remembered she was given the poisoned wine. Her resentment towards Lu Lingzhi¡¯s betrayal for the sake of his sister, Shuang¡¯er, and the Lu family will never dwindle. Not to mention, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s apathy to her demise and the Ye family will never be forgotten!

    She took a deep breath, repressed her hate and unhurriedly looked at everything before her. She forced herself to calm down, to not show any questionable behavior in front of Lu Xiangzhi.

    Mo Rongzhan killed the whole Ye n including those who were innocent. What about her father? Her father was just a nobleman who had never harmed anyone and had secretly helped him in the past few years. Yet, he had still ordered for the whole house to be burned and everyone killed!

    Ye Zhen silenced the hatred reflecting in her eyes and quietly listened to the young man talking excitedly beside her. Suddenly, she felt pain in the palm of her right hand. She raised it before her face in order to see it clearly and out of nowhere, a sh of me appeared in front of her eyes. Her palm felt a strange burning sensation and her hand felt like it wasn¡¯t her own.

    Ye Zhen let out a surprised cry and fainted once again.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6 -Phoenix (1)

    T/N: Wrongly edited part in thest chapter; they are currently at the capital and NOT in the border town lol so sorry everyone, hope no one¡¯s confused!

    Ye Zhen had a long dream. A dream of her past life and her sister¡¯s, leaving her a rather forlorn feeling at her wake. The details were so vivid that she felt like she was actually there looking at a tanned girl with hair swaying with the howls of the wind while sheughed her heart out as her brother slipped on one slimy rock.

    Almost abruptly, the sight became distorted and she found herself in familiar territory, dressed with a wedding frock she couldn¡¯t possibly forget. A terrible choice that day was, she realized. She tried to flee from the scene, but even before she could, her dream took another turn.

    A shift in her surroundings and she was no longer dwelling upon the memories. But instead, she found herself in a stark white ce which seemed to be dismally empty and endless. Out of nowhere came a phoenix ¨C the exact phoenix from her jade pendant! It bore the same ming feathers, singing a calming, sweet tune all over her.

    Stretching out her hands, the Phoenix willingly settled on her right palm while it changed dramatically into a palm-sized bird which came pecking, almost lovingly, her tender palm.

    Afterward, it turned into a me that disappeared into her hand.

    For some inexplicable reason, Ye Zhen seemed to have heard the Phoenix telling her that it would be her protector in theing future as the fire slowly died down...

    Then she woke up and heard people talking beside her bed.

    ¡°Father and mother are worried...are you feeling well now?¡± She heard Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Why did your sister suddenly fainted when she was already getting better?!¡± Lu Shiming¡¯s deep voice could be heard as he threw his son a death re.

    Although she was only their adopted daughter, she was raised as though she was no less than their own. Since her childhood, Lu Yaoyao¡¯s character was already somewhat unruly but her innocence was still that of a child. For sure, she had a jovial time, with all the freedom and support she received from them. But now, Lu Shiming had seen that her daughter lost so much weight in just half a month of her illness. But what¡¯s even more concerning was her noticeable lost in her interests.

    Lu Xiangzhi didn¡¯t know exactly why Ye Zhen fainted. He told his father what he said to her before she lost consciousness, but before he could even finish speaking, Lu Shiming had kicked him hard. ¡°You fool! You didn¡¯te to your sister with your senses barred in your mouth. When did your sister ever heard of beheading? You...!¡±

    Pei Shi saw the chaos and she couldn¡¯t help but interject in a low voice ¡°Both of you! Don¡¯t make too much noise! ¡°Father and son immediately ceased and looked at Ye Zhen with the same worried faces.

    ¡°Yao Yao¡¯s pulse condition is much calmer than in the morning, but she is still too weak. She needs to be nurtured further.¡± Pei¡¯s heart was beyond relieved to see her daughter¡¯s health slowly improving. ¡°Help me change her clothes.¡± she ushered the maid.

    Lu Shiming heard that his adopted daughter was alright and saw that there was already nothing to fuss about. So he carried his son by the ear out of the room, leaving his wife to look after Ye Zhen.

    *

    Ye Zhen was able to go out after half a month of Pei¡¯s care. After this period of recuperation, she became more sober and calm. She was reborn in her sister¡¯s body, a fact that she came to ept. She went back in time, two years to be exact.

    This was her destiny; God gave her a second chance at life.

    At this time of the year, Autumn is getting more and more pervading. The cool breeze, sunshine and the gentle rustle of leaves were only some of the few things the people enjoy in this season. Standing on the steps of the courtyard, Ye Zhen looked at therge house with carved beams and sturdy build.

    Today was her first time spending autumn, not within theforting confines of her own home, but with the enclosure of her enemy¡¯s proud abode.

    She was deep in her musings when all of a sudden, she felt a tingle in her hand. She turned her eyes downcast and examined her right palm. This was the palm where the ming phoenix appeared in her dream. The image of the Phoenix was lifelike, a phoenix with ming wings. However, at this moment, the ming phoenix was not visible in her palm.

    What was left was the phoenix image, like a tattoo, imprinted deep in her skin. Is it true that the Phoenix merged with her hand just like in her dream?

    She didn¡¯t know if she truly was going crazy but when a red drop from the phoenix¡¯s eye began to materialize, she began to panic internally.

    With haste in her steps, she went back inside the mansion and asked one maid to fetch some water for her. The drop of red liquid then fell into the clear water and instantly lost its color.

    ¡°Is everything all right, Third miss?¡± The maid serving Ye Zhen saw her staring at her hand intensely and could not help but ask anxiously, thinking that the girl who came from the border town was indubitably strange. She was always hiding in the yard and was unwilling to go anywhere. She also refused to engage herself in conversations.

    Ye Zhen clenched her hands and managed to ster a smile on her face, ¡°I am finished, you can now take the bucket away.¡±The maid nodded and went out of the house carrying the basin.

    The flowers and nts in the courtyard had withered, so the maid poured the water all over diligently.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7 ¨C Phoenix (2)

    After rushing back to her chamber, Ye Zhen reopened her palm to look again at the lifelike phoenix tattoo. She remembered her soul trapped in the pce for two years and finally, broke free when the jade pendant was torn in half. Lu Wushuang¡¯s hands were scorched by the me the stone emitted, so she quickly loosened her grasp causing the stone to hit the floor hard. This tattoo, in her deliberation, somehow had a connection with the jade pendant given by Mo Rongzhan.

    Brushing these thoughts aside, she took ahold of herposure and identally caught her reflection in the mirror near her. She gave a frustrated at what she saw. Nowadays, nothing worries her more than her appearance.

    In fact, her twin sister¡¯s appearance was not exactly the same with hers Though they shared the same features, her sister¡¯s skin, hair and physique were different. Ye Zhen was raised by a delicate woman in her boudoir since her childhood. Her skin was pearly white, seldom touched by the sunlight and her hair was well-kept, showered with scented oils frequently.

    All the while, her sister Lu Yaoyao grew up in the border town without her freedom constrained. Aside from having sunbaked skin, her skin was much darker; blemishes from being under the sun for too long was an unpleasant sight. The illness left her only a few meat on her body; she looked scraggly and unhealthy.

    Dark and thin, people would probably doubt she was connected, a twin even, to the former Wang Fei.

    On the brighter side, this was an advantage. She doesn¡¯t want anyone to know her rtionship with the Ye family. Not yet. It is only when the enemy sees her twin sister in her person that she can act conveniently. For the past half month, she didn¡¯t look like a person seeking revenge, only a dependent daughter and sister. She had already enjoyed the glory and wealth in her past life but even that couldn¡¯t help her achieve her wants. How could she take revenge?

    More than anything else, she wanted to see the people who have caused her family their miserable end, be trampled and crushed. But even with her current strength regained, she couldn¡¯t do anything. Evenying a finger on them she couldn¡¯t do!

    One of the people who had wronged her was Mo Rongzhan, the most powerful figure in this era. How could she, a fragile young woman of thirteen, make him repay?

    ¡°Yao Yao?¡± came the voice of Lu Xiangzhi from outside her door.

    Ye Zhen snapped out of her stupor and looked at herself in the mirror, but this time, she fixed a bright cheerful smile on her face, all the traces of hatred gone. She had to remind herself that in everyone¡¯s eyes, she is not the Ye Zhen who was reborn out of resentment and most certainly, not the sweet girl of the Ye family. Instead, she is Lu Shiming¡¯s adopted daughter and the Lu Family¡¯s third miss.

    She¡¯s Lu Yaoyao whose nickname is Yao Yao, so Ye Zhen acted gaily just like her.

    Ye Zhen took the initiative to wee him. ¡°Eldest Brother, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°You always called me eldest brother, but there are still three elder brothers ahead of me in our lineage.¡± Lu Xiangzhi looked at her sister who has recovered and fondly raised his hand to rub her head like he always did. ¡°Today, one of our eldest brothers has been anointed as an imperial official. An assistant war minister!¡± Lu Xiangzhi informed, excitement in his tone. ¡°Saying so, Grandma is going to throw a family dinner to celebrate. Mother asked me to pick you up.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi! Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes flickered with hatred and felt some self-mockery that after her rebirth, she found herself living in an enemy¡¯s house and had the obligation of calling him eldest brother for the next months toe, or even for the rest of her life! Meeting Lu Lingzhi was thest thing she wanted to do.

    ¡°Eldest brother, I am afraid that I am still not feeling well.¡± Ye Zhen bowed her head and feigned being weak.

    ¡°Where are you still sick? Don¡¯t talk nonsense! You must not think too much. You are the third miss of our family. How can you not attend the family dinner?¡±

    Ye Zhen justughed out and shrugged her shoulders, running out of excuses, ¡°Fine.¡±

    Noticing how her gown barely hanged on her bony shoulders, Lu Xiangzhi couldn¡¯t help butment on it, adding salt to the wound. ¡°You¡¯ve lost too much weight. Look at you! You¡¯ll have to take care of yourself or else...¡± He grinned from ear to ear.

    ¡°Or else?¡± Ye Zhen challenged him to continue.

    ¡°You¡¯ll forever look like a ck monkey!¡± Lu Xiangzhi imitated behaviors of a monkey by rubbing his forehead and chin simultaneously.

    ¡°You are the monkey!¡± Ye Zhen rebutted. She knew from his sister¡¯s memory that Lu Xiangzhi used to poke fun on Lu Yaoyao¡¯s looks. But this was just his way of expressing his concerns, so she didn¡¯t take his words at heart.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8 ¨C Recognition (1)

    Despite their sudden fame, it still couldn¡¯t be denied that the Lu family was no different to themon folks before. Nothing but a small family of merchants, no titles and such, who somehow prospered by establishing ties with the pce ¨C the emperor to be specific. Although Lu Lingzhi was lowborn, he was as handsome as he was brave and militant. Outstanding in his work as general under Mo Rongzhan¡¯smand, he proved himself useful, a utilitarian in siege tactics.

    Therefore, as soon as Mo Rongzhan imed the dragon throne for his own, he gave the position to Lu Lingzhi with a silver te. An assistant war minister was a high position and an even higher position for amoner, which may seem ridiculous to the many.

    Lu Shiming is Lu Lingzhi¡¯s uncle. Lu Lingzhi¡¯s father pivoted the third generation of heirs in the family who chose not to inherit the family business and became officials. Now the business of the Lu family is handed over to Lu Erzhi, his uncle also. His father had passed away, leaving only two sons and one daughter.

    The most senior person in the Lu family is Old Madam Lu.

    Ye Zhen had simple understanding between the rtionship of her family and the Lu family. She was not even truly integrated with thedies of the family including Lu Wushuang, who became the imperial concubine, the one who took her ce. And most of all, the name of the Old madam nor her reputation had never crossed her awareness before.

    ¡°Grandmother is strict, but her heart is the most kind! Don¡¯t be timid when you meet her and eldest brother as well.¡± Lu Xiangzhiforted Ye Zhen in a garrulous way. Ye Zhen just smiled, nodded and spoke no more. She knew better than anyone how gentle Lu Lingzhi looked, but it is people like him who should be feared. A vile creature behind a beautiful mask indeed.

    After two years of acquaintance with him, she really believed that he was gentle and credible as he appeared to be. Helplessly gullible, she treated him like a big brother, not knowing how despicable and shameless he truly was inside. She wished she could drink his blood oozing from hiscerations she herself would want to inflict!

    Their conversation took a longer course with Ye Zhen answering timidly all the way. Lu Xiangzhi reflected on how his sister seemed to be a different person. How a chatterbox has turned mute from everything. He turned to look at his sister¡¯s emaciated side face. When she was in the border town, the climate was much warmer than Kyoto. Her love for outdoor activities made her tan, yet now, she looked significantly pale. . Her cheeks lost their ruddy colors and she has be more poised and womanly. It perturbed Lu Lingzhi to witness how his sister¡¯s days of confinement inside the mansion had morphed her into an entirely different person. Although her appearance would still not pass as a prim woman of Kyoto, she no longer looked like a wild girl he knew..

    However, this change was not only physical. Her ck and smart eyes seemed to be a little more sharp than usual, like those of hawk¡¯s observant gaze. Also, when she thought he was not looking, her lips were pinched like she finds everything distasteful.

    Probably because of nervousness! Lu Xiangzhi surmised. He faced his sister and smiled as if his sister¡¯s sudden change is brought only by the new environment. It was her first time settling in Kyoto after all!

    ¡°Rx. Grandma is not as strict and harsh as some old madams. Just take care of the usual rules.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi¡¯sfort was returned by Ye Zhen¡¯s acquiescing but tight smile. In her heart, she thought how this family rose from blood. Lu family was not a famous family but a lineage of ipetent businessmen. Rules? What rules are there to follow? This family didn¡¯t know rules! All they knew was to step on other people to make their way on top.

    She now felt a deep resentment towards the Lu Family. If she hadn¡¯t wanted revenge and remembered Lu Shiming and his wife¡¯s sincere love for her twin sister, she would have never considered staying here for long.

    Making herself presentable as possible, Ye Zhen left her room to meet Old Madam Lu.

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9 ¨C Recognition (2)

    Only the sounds of their sandals hitting the paved wooden floor could be heard as Lu Lingzhi and Ye Zhen walked in haste. Her heart was beating erratically in rhythm with the asional squeak her sandal made. Stepping onto the upper tier of the mansion, Ye Zhen slowed her pace, keeping herself two steps away from Lu Xiangzhi who walked forth with ease.

    Upon arrival, she saw an old woman of about 50 or 60 years old sitting on the main seat. Her hair which must have been dyed appeared ck and lush. The plush chairs on both sides of her was already upied ¨C Lu Shiming, and on the other was Pei Shi. Leaning closest to the old Madam was of course Lu Shiming, who made the old Madamugh frequently.

    Heads turned in unison when Ye Zhen entered the room and made herself known. She saluted calmly at them.

    ¡°Ah, so this is the wild girl you told me. Surprisingly, she looked very poised and clever.¡± Old Madam Lu said sizing her up with an approving smile on her face.

    Looking around the room, Ye Zhen noticed the absence of Lu Lingzhi. Why isn¡¯t he around? Ye Zhen¡¯s tense mood rxed a bit. She thought she would see him. She was overwhelmed by her hatred and forgot that she was the presence of the old madam. A ticking bomb, she might not be able to restrain herself at the sight of him.

    Ye Zhen, who was absorbed in her own thoughts, did not hear the old Madam Lu talking about her. Pei Shi gave her a gentle tug, pulling her from her stupor. Upon realizing, she smiled shyly for the unexpectedpliment.

    ¡°This girl has not seen much of the world aside from the border town. Apart from that, she was sick and has just recovered.¡± Lu Shiming exined Ye Zhen¡¯s unresponsive state to Old Madam Lu.

    Old Madam Lu didn¡¯t know that Ye Zhen was Lu Shiming¡¯s adopted daughter. She thought of her as a close granddaughter. Seeing her lose so much weight, she felt pity for her and hurried to her side for a moment of care. ¡°Now, you can¡¯t me me for being worried about you. Look at you! You are bones and skin. I shall see you everyday until you are well, just like a flower in slow bloom!¡± This sudden act made Ye Zhen remember her past. She was one of the girls who are lucky enough to be born in a life of greatfort. She grew up in a luxurious environment. not only did her grandmother cherished her, but her father also doted on her. She was lovely and charming. If she didn¡¯t fall in love with someone not deserving, she wouldn¡¯t have lived a miserable life and lost her bright perceptive at this age.

    Old Madam Lu was coaxed in a smile and hugged Ye Zhen¡¯s small frame. ¡°Grandma, father said the same thing about me. People really do love to see flowers bloom!¡±

    ¡°You little shameless...¡± Lu Shimingughed and felt relieved to see that his daughter had regained her former liveliness.

    Pei Shi looked at Ye Zhen enveloped by the old madam¡¯s tight embrace with a broad smile, proud of her. She was worried that Old Madam Lu wouldn¡¯t like her daughter but it seemed that even the most difficult persons to please could not resist Yao Yao¡¯s charms. She was a true blessing in the family.

    Old Madam Lu was shocked by what Ye Zhen said and immediatelyughed out loud. Several people, maids-in waiting were also not able to hide their amusements. Little did they know that although she had a charming smile on her face, she dread the moment Lu Lingzhi shows himself. She was afraid that he would recognize her and kill her before she could do anything else.

    ¡°What is taking him so long?¡± Lu Shiming suddenly asked at someone behind her.

    ¡°I went to see the eldest brother in the study just now. He is trying to finish his work as of the moment and would join us as soon as he is finished.¡± said Lu Xiangzhi.

    Ye Zhen held his breath and fisted her hands tightly, not even knowing that her fingernails were already deep in her flesh, drawing out blood.

    Still witless on how to face Lu Lingzhi without losing herposure, she squeezed harder until pain brought back her cool. Lu Lingzhi tricked her into believing that he is a friend. Naivety had been her downfall. False as he was, he only used her secret to help his sister make her ce in the pce. He was also the tyrant who ended her life. Does these people know the means he used? She wondered.

    There is nothing more ridiculous than her bing his cousin after her rebirth. How should she regard Lu Lingzhi as her eldest brother?

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10 ¨C Family Dinner

    When Lu Xiangzhi took his leave again to join Lu Lingzhi, Old Madam Lu pulled Ye Zhen with her to meet the other members of the family.

    Several misses of the Lu family has not arrived yet and the hall was mostly upied by the men ¡ª sons, and daughters who have clearly reached the age of marriage but not have wed yet.

    Lu family¡¯s advancement in society turned them into one of the prominent figures in Kyoto. Because of this, people wanted to appease the Lu Family at any chance they could. Some are even hoping to have their daughters married to one of the Lu¡¯s bachelors. Why not? Tying the knot with any Lu family member would mean a secured life not only for their daughter but also for their family!

    Among the husband candidates, Lu Lingzhi appeared to be the most promising. It was rumored that he will be the minister of war in two years time. Aside from that, he now served as the emperor Mo Rongzhan¡¯s right hand.

    ¡°These two gentlemen here are your second and third older brother.¡± Lu Shiming introduced to her two young men namely Lu Tingzhi, her second brother and Lu Zanzhi, her third brother. Both were handsome and prim and were also were kind enough to ask about her health to which she answered with thanks.

    Being introduced to the members, Ye Zhen cleverly put each person¡¯s appearance in her mind.

    Just then there was theughter that resonated from outside. Two girls of simr age, Second Miss Lu, Lu Yingying and Fourth Miss Lu, Lu Yanyan came in and immediately injected a beautiful scenery into the hall.

    Both of them are charming and lovely, making people at awe for a while. These girls must be thedies of the Lu family, Ye Zhen thought.

    Second miss Lu was the eldest daughter of a concubine, and Fourth miss Lu was born of a second concubine. Only Lu Wushuang and Fifth miss Lu who was not around were the legitimate daughters of the Lu family, that is, they were the daughters of the first wives.

    The fifth miss Lu who was not able to attend the dinner. She went to Jiangnan with his uncle as guardian and the family wasn¡¯t told of her return.

    Lu Shiming wasn¡¯t fond of concubinage and had Pei as his legal and only wife. So, in the eyes of many, Lu Yaoyao is also a legitimate daughter of the family as well.

    ¡°Yao Yao, do you still remember me? I went to see you the other day.¡± Second miss Lu was older than Ye Zhen. Though she is not as beautiful as Lu Shuanger, she still has the charm of a jasper.

    Ye Zhen no longer remembered her. She was trapped between the memory of her past life and her sister¡¯s memory. Her memory of this person was muddled in her mind and she did not know when and where exactly did she see her. ¡°Third miss doesn¡¯t particrly remember but she must remember it sometime from now.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Don¡¯t feel obliged. It is just understandable for you were ill for almost a month.¡± Second miss Lu said, taking no offense that Ye Zhen didn¡¯t remember her.

    Looking at the two girls, Ye Zhen saw the difference between the two miss. Second miss Lu looked gentle as she is gentle to everyone. On the other hand, Fourth miss Lu who was only two months younger than Ye Zhen, looked haughty and seemed to look down on her. She doesn¡¯t even look at Ye Zhen right in the eye. Like she was not worth even an ounce of her attention.

    Liu Xiangzhi, who went to Lu Lingzhi, also came back ¡± ... suddenly someone in the pce called the eldest brother, and eldest brother ordered me to inform everyone his apology. He would note back tonight.¡±

    The disappointment was evident on Old Madam Lu¡¯s face. On her side was Ye Zhen who released a deep sigh of relief she didn¡¯t have to see Lu Lingzhi so soon.

    She was not afraid of him but rather, she¡¯s afraid of herself. Seeing him in the flesh, she might be out of control and attack him right in front of everyone. Time is what she needed. Time to think over her moves and how she would face him¡ªher cousin in everyone¡¯s eye.

    ¡ª-

    If you¡¯re not reading this at Word Excerpt then you¡¯re reading at an agg-re-gate channel.

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11 ¨C Family Dinner (2)

    Next came the much awaited family dinner and old Madam Lu asked Ye Zhen personally to sit beside her; the same seat where Lu Lingzhi was supposed to sit if not for his sudden appointment. This invitation, more like an order, made the Fourth miss Lu to send a fleeting re towards the timid Ye Zhen.

    As expected, Lu Family, even with their advancement in society, didn¡¯t still regard table etiquette. They were no nobility and Ye Zhen saw it quite easily. As a member of a noble family, she was honed on the standard requirements of aristocratic woman and she was always forbidden to chat at the dinner table.

    But Old Madam Lu was persistent in asking her of her life in the border town even if it was clear that she was unwilling to speak. Finally, she simply forgot all the rules she learned through years of discipline and talked rigorously with the old madam, coaxing her into liking her all the more.

    ¡°Border town is fun. Fourth brother taught me how to catch sparrows. We roasted sparrows in the mountains and ate them fresh from the grill.¡± Ye Zhen looked mischievously at Lu Xiangzhi and continued to speak, ¡°There was one time that he stole father¡¯s wine, but he only let me drank a small amount.¡± This earned gasps from everyone on the table and some shake of heads towards the beet-red Lu Xiangzhi.

    ¡°-and in summer we went to the river to do fishing. This miss didn¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into him but Fourth brother stayed underwater far too long that I thought he was in trouble! So, I desperately cried for help. I couldn¡¯t save him myself, I can¡¯t swim. The next thing that happened is one thing I shall never forget.¡± Ye Zhen looked at the people around her with her hand on her chest. All of them hanged into her every word.

    ¡°He jumped up from underneath the water surface and scared me causing me to lose my bnce! I fell hard into the river and went home drenched and freezing that day.¡±

    Old madam Lu listened to Ye Zhen¡¯s story with delight. Sheughed and looked at Lu Xiangzhi sitting on the other side of her and scolded him in jest ¡°Such a naughty boy! Bullying her sister!¡±

    ¡°Grandma, these are all things of the past. Don¡¯t you know this girl is also very unruly?¡± Lu Xiangzhi begged for mercy and there wasughter at the dinner table afterwards.

    Ye Zhen saw that Old Madam Lu turned her attention to Lu Xiangzhi, putting a faint smile on her face, d that she could now enjoy her wine in peace.

    As the night progressed, Ye Zhen felt her energy slowly slipping out her body. She had just recovered her health and had spent most of the day trying to please the Old Madam. But now, she couldn¡¯t stand it any longer.

    Seeing that her daughter was tired, Pei approached Ye Zhen and sat down to examine her face before whispering, ¡°You should retire to your chamber now.¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at Pei¡¯s loving eyes and felt awkward. She had no affection for all the Lu family. But her sister was raised with tremendous love. She should not condemn and hurt the people to whom she owed his sister¡¯s great life to. Nheless, she deeply knew that this was futile, a pointless whim, for once she asks for the price of the vile deeds against her and her family, there would be no sparing them.

    Old Madam Lu also noticed the tiredness in Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes and asked her to retire and rest early. ¡°It has been only a few days since she recovered from her illness. She must have a good rest now.¡±

    Ye Zhen could not bear it any longer so she went to the courtyard, catching some breath of fresh air.

    Several brothers also withdrew from the hall and drank wine in the warm pavillion on the east side of the mansion. .

    Wine ss nked as Lu Tingzhi touched his ss with his cousin, Lu Xiangzhi. ¡°How have you been in the border town, fourth brother?¡±

    ¡°Well, at first, I was not used to the simple life at the border town but I gradually fell in love with it.¡± Lu Xiangzhi said with a smile. ¡°Elder brother must go to the border town when he has the chance. I¡¯ll show you around.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your disposition that spoiled the third sister.¡± Lu Tingzhiughed. ¡°You always had the heart for adventures. Bet she became your

    ¡°Haha. You are wrong. Second brother must know that Yao Yao has been a restless girl since she was little. She beat other girls on her first day of school without me teaching her.¡± Lu Xiangzhi shook his head with a smile.

    Lu Tingzhiughed at the news, ¡°Didn¡¯t you go to the border town when your sister was born?¡± He asked as he remembered that he had never heard of his third aunt¡¯s pregnancy. How could she have a daughter as soon as she arrived in the border town?

    Lu Xiangzhi went to the border town with his parents when he was three years old. Lu Shiming run a medicine business with Pei Shi in his aid in border town. . But how perplexing it was for Pei bore a daughter after just a few months of leaving Kyoto.

    ¡°From what I can remember, mother gave birth to my sister earlier than she expected. As a result, Yao Yao was not very well when she was born and mother took care of her for a long time. Father said that the bumpy road at that time left a bad root in my mother¡¯s womb ... Fortunately, mother survived the delivery.¡± Lu Xiangzhi said with a smile, he did not want others to know that Yao Yao was adopted.

    Lu Xiangzhi knew that the revtion affected Yao Yao even if she tried to not show it. That is why, he was afraid that Yao Yao would think too much of this and feel inferior, an outcast now that she was in the Lu family¡¯s mansion.

    Lu Tingzhi nodded and there was no doubt in his mind.

    If you¡¯re not reading at Word Excerpt and you¡¯re seeing errors, then you¡¯re reading at an agg-re-gate channel.

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12 ¨C The Spirit in Her Palm (1)

    As the night delved deeper, the brothers continued to immerse themselves with each other¡¯spany until the conversations dwindled and the night embraced its quiet. At this hours, Ye Zhen had already retired to her room alone, she let her maid-in-waiting rest right after she finished helping her step into her nightgown.

    Weary, she nestled under the sheetsfortably and let exhaustion lull her. She was about to lost herself in her dreams when she felt the familiar tingling sensation on her right hand. She groggily sat up and fixed her gaze over her right palm.

    The ming phoenix tattoo on her right palm had another drop of red glittering water which she remembered, appeared once before. She froze, chills ran the back of her spine. Her transmigration was a mystery, and this was yet a part of it.

    She tentatively touched the droplet with her fingertip, ans the droplet rolled on one fresh wound of her palm she caused herself when anxiety of meeting Lu Lingzhi became too great of a burden. The wounds bled, yes, but she didn¡¯t as much gave it attention for she dealt with pain much worse than a scrape by fingernails.

    But at this moment, her attention was invested entirely on the wound, not by the presence of it but rather, by the absence of it! She opened her eyes wide in horror. What is going on?

    She turned the palm of her hand. Is she hallucinating? The palm of her hand, which had jus been pinched bloody by her fingernails now had only a few traces of faint scars.

    No way! Ye Zhen eximed to herself. The wound on her left palm was oozing with blood and she could actually recall the stabbing pain the moment her fingernails dug deep in her skin. It surely couldn¡¯t be an illusion!

    Ye Zhen¡¯s was shocked and uncertain. She had no idea what had happened. The palm of her hand, which had been bloody a moment before, was now only scarred. If it were not for the strange experience that she had once died, she would have screamed out in terror.

    By then, a struck of suspicion hit her. Looking closely at the eye of the phoenix, she saw another droplet of glittering water slowly emerge from it.

    With pounding heart, she tentatively smeared the droplet on another wound on her left palm. Although there was only one drop, it was enough to soak the entire wound.

    The bleeding wound slowly stopped and the opened skin was healing..

    Just like a spring, droplets of water continued to appear from the phoenix¡¯s eyes. She turned ghastly pale as an absurd idea came to her. Was she, Ye Zhen was not only reborn but was also given such a wonderful ability by God?

    Unutterable panic swarmed her thoughts and she hastily put her hands in the basin and watched the droplets disappear in the water. It took her a long time before she wiped her hands and decided to finally have a good sleep.

    Maybe tomorrow she will find that she was dreaming. She hoped.

    *

    Ye Zhen did not sleep well that night. She dreamed all night that she was discovered by Lu Lingzhi and then consumed once again by the scorching fire.

    ¡°Third miss, did you have a nightmare again?¡± The maid came to attend to her mistress and saw her sitting bed gasping for air.

    Confused, the maid didn¡¯t understand what was exactly going on with Ye Zhen but it did look like nightmares haunt her everyday that sedatives couldn¡¯t even help anymore!

    Ye Zhen nodded and heaved a sigh of relief. She then looked down at her hands and was astonished. How odd for the once rough and scarred hands are now smooth, wless even!

    Instead of having soft smooth hands just like other little girls, Lu Yaoyao¡¯s hands were rough since her childhood. Due to her constant trek in the meadows, scars from idental scratches marred the back of her palms.

    Ye Zhen looked at the basin of water where she washed her handsst night... The droplet mixed with the water, was it the one who made her scars disappear?

    ¡°Is the water in that basin still there?¡± Ye Zhen asked the maid next to her, only to find that she did not seem to know the name of the maid serving her.

    ¡°The other water in the basin the third miss used in the courtyard the other day was poured and yesterday, this servant looked at the flowers and nts outside, and some withered nts bloomed to life again! So, this servant emptied the basin in the miss¡¯ room fromst night and poured it to the garden also.¡± Seeing Ye Zhen finally taking the initiative to talk, the maid can¡¯t help but say a few more words.

    Ye Zhen was stunned. True to the maid¡¯s words, how did the withered flowers bloomed to life from pouring the water she washed her hands with?

    ¡°What is your name?¡±

    ¡°This maid servant¡¯s name is Dai Mei, third miss.¡± said the maid with a smile.

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13 ¨C The Spirit in Her Palm (2)

    Ye Zhen smiled in return and asked Dai Mei to help her change her clothes. Now that she is in good shape, she could no longer pull off her pretense and keep holed up in her chamber. Her deep hatred couldn¡¯t be quenched by staying idle.

    That¡¯s why after breakfast, Ye Zhen and her maid came to the hall to greet Old Madam Lu.

    Just as she got out of her small courtyard, Ye Zhen saw Fourth Miss Luing gracefully from the other side. From thest time she saw her, Fourth miss Lu¡¯s temperament wasn¡¯t any brighter. She must be given credits for this, Ye Zhen thought amusingly, for her lofty and aloof aura made her look like ady of high standing rather than just a daughter of a merchant.

    ¡°Fourth Sister,¡± Ye Zhen took the initiative to approach her and acknowledge her presence. If she wanted to gain trust of the family, she must start off first by being cordial to everyone, including the fourth miss no matter how she behaved like a little hellion from the seven hells!

    ¡°Are you going to greet Grandma too? Perfect because I was about to ¡ª¡±

    Fourth Miss Lu looked at Ye Zhen coldly and proudly said, ¡°What time is it now that the third elder sister decided to pay her respect? If you wanted to pretend to be filial, you can at least show some sincerity.¡±

    Ye Zhen stupefied for a moment that how mean and direct Fourth Miss Lu was. She got upte because of nightmares and was thus,te in paying filial piety. Still, this didn¡¯t bother her at the least, it was all just an act after all.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bear that in mind, Fourth sister.¡± Ye Zhen smiled sweetly, not letting people see the sarcasm in her eyes.

    Fourth Miss Lu gave Ye Zhen a contemptuous look and proudly left with her chin up. Her heart was really proud. She didn¡¯t even bother to hide her disgust towards Ye Zhen whom she deemed as some pathetic rat from the border town ¡ª the wild girl who was not worth to be called her cousin.

    ¡°Third miss, please don¡¯t take offence of Fourth miss¡¯ words. She is just like that because she is attending the women¡¯s college where she gained the praise of one certain professor. Lu family is quite popr in the capital and Miss Lu bears the pressure of having the surname.¡± Dai Mei worried that Ye Zhen might take it to heart and so, sheforted her in a low voice.

    ording to Fourth Miss Lu¡¯s temperament, Ye Zhen could see that her poprity got to her head.

    Ye Zhen smiled faintly, ¡°I have just arrived in the capital and I don¡¯t know a lot about them, so I need you to say everything you tell me everything about my family.¡±

    Dai Mei hurriedly said no, but she told Ye Zhen all about the temperament of the girls.

    Old Madam Lu held great importance to the the girls of the Lu family, Second and Fourth Miss Lu was no exception despite being daughters of concubines. She had Lu Lingzhi send them to the women¡¯s college to study. Second Miss Lu who entered the college earlier didn¡¯t graduate until she reached the age of 16. It took her longer than anyone else in her batch to graduate. As a result, she didn¡¯t get any marriage prospects even after she earned the degree because of her mediocre performance back at the academy. So, she stayed home, unwed.

    After the new emperor ascended to the throne, the Lu family rose on thedder of status. Fourth Miss Lu¡¯s reputation in the academy became more and more prominent. Therefore, she regarded herself more as ady of a respectable family, fed in her poprity. Even her second older sister was disdainful of what her sister had be.

    A woman of noble status, Ye Zhen also had her fair share in the hardship the academy offered. Nheless, she was an exquisite student. She was talented and did an excellent job in her studies. Unfortunately, she had to stop attending the college when she married Mo Rongzhan at the ripe age of 13.

    She and Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t consummate their wedding. Some said that he deemed her as child, but others who fostered envy of her said that Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t find her interesting at all.

    With the absence of Mo Rongzhan, Ye Zhen then returned to the college and it only took her one year to finish her studies!

    Wang Fei of Qin Country used to be a legend in the women¡¯s college, but no matter how hard she tried, she was just an insignificant person to Mo Rongzhan. Not a letter of felicitation was sent by the emperor regarding her sess.

    ¡°The capital¡¯s most famous college is not an official school but a women¡¯s college. It is said that it was opened by Empress Duan Hui of the former dynasty 100 years ago.¡± Dai Mei thought that Ye Zhen did not know the origin of the women¡¯s college and introduced it to her patiently.

    How could Ye Zhen not know how the women¡¯s college came into being? It was the Empress Duan Hui of the previous dynasty who personally opened the college. She was the true legend that not only won the exclusive favor of Emperor Rui Wu, but also changed the status of women all over the continent!

    Whenever Ye Zhen was bored, she liked reading biographies best, and the Empress Duan Hui, a powerful figure in the Qin dynasty who broke all the bounds of gender, was the woman she always yearned to follow.

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14 ¨C Women¡¯s College

    As Ye Zhen and her maid strutted forth the silent corridors of the mansion, theughter of the old madam suddenly rang out. Her age didn¡¯t seem to dampen her lively mood! After series fleet of stairs, she finally arrived and the curtain quickly, ¡°Third Miss Lu ising, madam..¡±

    Ye Zhen nodded to the maid with her usual smile, lowered her head and went in. ¡°Grandma, I havee to greet you.¡±

    Fourth miss Lu was already inside the room. She was sitting on the left side of the Old madam with a look of displeasure on her face. Carrying a particr dislike towards Ye Zhen, she was somewhat reluctant to pay courtesy the moment Ye Zhen came in, but nheless, gave a small courtesy afterwards for she was in thepany of the old madam. Moreover, the old madam has sharp eyes for this things. If anything, Fourth Miss Lu shading Ye Zhen would spoil the old madam¡¯s perception of her.

    Wearing a calm dexterity, Second miss Lu loungedfortably on the Old madam¡¯s right, holding a round fan hiding the half of her face. ¡°Third sister, you look rather better today.¡±

    Ye Zhenughed, ¡°Well, that shows that this mansion has the spirit to make people well!¡±

    Old madam Lu shook her head at the remark. ¡°Yes, she looks better, but she¡¯s still too thin and needs to take care of her body.¡±

    ¡°Grandma can rest assure that I will keep myself fair and plump. I just came in and heard youughing happily, but what¡¯s the pleasure?¡±

    ¡°Fourth sister here is talking about the college. Ady from a famous family looks down on us and was not shy in expressing it. Oh, but the poor gal lost herself in crying!¡± said Second Miss Lu.

    Not all families, aristocrat and peasants alike, looks positively at Lu Family. It was just normal that such temperament as the Fourth Miss was used to make room for ridiculing her of her birth status. ¡°It seems that college is quite fun.¡± As soon as Ye Zhen said this, what little smile left on the Fourth Miss Lu¡¯s face was wiped away.

    ¡°Third sister, how can you so casually say that when you have never been admitted in college? You can¡¯t say that in public without making a joke out of yourself!¡± Fourth Miss Lu felt a bit insulted.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s face was innocent and ignorant. ¡°I haven¡¯t been to college. Naturally, I don¡¯t know what it is like. Next time my fourth sister takes me to have a look, then I will know.¡±

    Old madam Lu nodded and said, ¡°Yao Yao certainly didn¡¯t have a women¡¯s college back in the border town. But now that your eldest brother has some status, I¡¯ll let him support you and let you go to the college to study. It doesn¡¯t matter how many things you have to study. You just have to at least earn a respectable reputation, especially now that you are of age.¡±

    The women¡¯s college passed down over a century has lost the original intention of Empress Duan Hui when she found it, which was to let those lonely women learn skills to make a living for themselves. Later, with the college¡¯s reputation getting more and more famous over the time, only the girls from famous families are epted by the college except only for the few girls from ordinary families who had literary talent that is superior. Plus, they also had to pass the infamous examination!

    There was a flicker of contempt on the Fourth Miss Lu¡¯s eyes. If it weren¡¯t for Old Madam Lu¡¯s presence here, she wouldn¡¯t be able to stop herself fromughing at Ye Zhen right in the face. In her mind, how could someone who grew in the border town be able to keep up with the college¡¯s demands? Not to mention the piano, chess, calligraphy and painting! She wasn¡¯t even acquainted with at least one famous figure in the college. If by some miracle she passes, she would still be driven out like an outcast that she was.

    ¡°Still, third sister has to pass the exam even if she has eldest brother to support her. She is also too old, 15 years old. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s toote,¡± Second Miss Lu said, followed by a scoff from the Fourth Miss.

    ¡°The college didn¡¯t stipte that you can¡¯t go to school when one is aged 15! Besides, Lu Yaoyao can learn Four arts** just like those eleven or twelve-year-old girls!¡± Old Madam strongly disagreed then looked at Ye Zhen seriously. ¡°Tell me child, I heard you studied medicine with your mother before. Would you like to go to the college¡¯s Medical art to study then?¡±¡± Olddy Lu asked.

    **T/N : Four Arts of China (ËÄË‡) includes qin (the guqin, a stringed instrument. ÇÙ), qi (the strategy game of Go, Æå), shu(Chinese calligraphy •ø) and hua (Chinese painting ®‹).

    Originally, practicing medicine was a dirty profession, but because Empress Duan Hui was a famous imperial doctor and founded the college by her own efforts, medical field was given another light especially in the women¡¯s outlook. She also opened a medical center when she opened the women¡¯s college. All women who graduated from the medical center have the opportunity to be women¡¯s medical officers inside the Imperial Pce!

    If she chose to be a female medical officer, will she have a chance to take revenge? If she wants revenge, she must find a strong backer. Looking across the capital, there is only one person she can find.

    That is the Empress Dowager of the dynasty, the mother of Mo Rongzhan.

    Back when she was still Ye Zhen wed to Mo Rongzhan, the dowager empress was kind to her.

    ¡°Grandma, I want to go!¡± No matter what method she uses, she will enter the pce. Only when she could do that can she have the chance of revenge! Only when she enters the pce can she obtain the power she longed for!

    Not only did she want to be a female doctor, but she also wanted to make use of the position of the Lu Family to strive for more good things for her.

    Lu Lingzhi used to manipte her in a hypocritical way. Blind with hurt and anger,, she wished she could the things they did to her. Now she already knows that whether she poisons Lu Lingzhi or robbed Lu Wushuang of her identity, it will never be enough. She will retaliate against them for how they treated her in the least ways expected!

    The next time she met Lu Lingzhi, she would be firm and unafraid. She would instill in her mind that as long as she lived through her sister¡¯s body, she is his cousin. In the presence of the enemy, she must forget Ye Zhen¡¯s identity.

    Lu Lingzhi and Lu Wushuang, I¡¯m back. Are you ready?

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15 ¨C Love of Beauty (1)

    The two Lu sisters looked at Ye Zhen at the same time; one with a disdainful look and one with a discreet forced smile. It will be such an honor if someone from Lu family will be on the field of medicine. But, with just a fewpliment from the Old madam in her hands, could she really get pass the exam and be a student of the prestigious women¡¯s college?

    Many women of noble families have tried multiple of times and failed. Moreover, these women started studying and preparing themselves for the college at an early age! Lu Yaoyao was already 15, too old to be admitted as a freshman in the college. Aside from that, it was the medicine school they were talking about. People say that it was the hardest field in the college One should be naturally talented and break bones in order to seed!

    Students of the college must learn the Six Arts**.

    **T/N : Six Arts of China ¨C To promote all-around development, students were required to master six practical disciplines called the Six Arts (li¨´ y¨¬ in Chinese): rites, music, archery, chariot racing, calligraphy and mathematics.

    For one to survive in the medicine school, one naturally has to master its craft. Relying from her sister¡¯s memory, Lu Yaoyao learned some useful medical skill from Pei Shi. But, Pei Shi was not a woman of high birth nor an alumni of the college. Her ways were not sophisticated enough to earn a key to the school.

    Lu Yaoyao would be simply a hillbilly who can¡¯t get on the table! She has no self-knowledge at all, and she had a wishful thinking about entering the women¡¯s college. Does she really think her eldest brother can now call the shots and she can get directly into the college?

    Second and Fourth miss Lu shared the same feelings this time. Old Lady Lu did not think so much about what her two other granddaughters will feel about this. They¡¯ve spent years pleasing the Old madam Lu and giving Ye Zhen her education after meeting for only a month was a hard p to their faces. As much as they hated it, Ye Zhen had earned the Old madam¡¯s favor in such a short time.

    Old madam Lu was just a businesswoman. When she sees an potential opportunity, she grabs it without thinking twice. After all, if Ye Zhen seeds, she will bring great honor to the family, and some powerful individual might ask her hand in marriage! ¡°Wait until your eldest brotheres back and I will have him support you!¡±

    Ye Zhen happily replied with a grateful bow.

    Seething in anger, Fourth Miss Lu wanted to reprimand Ye Zhen for being overconfident but she could see the happiness of Old madam Lu so she decided to hold her tongue.

    She was only a miss of the family, daughter of a concubine even, who had won the respect of the Old madam because of her achievements in the college. Having the olddy get tired of her theatrics and eventually, lose her favor would put her years of hard work into waste.

    Old Madam Lu also mentioned that there will be a flower appreciation meeting in Kyoto in three days time. Once a year, the flower appreciation meeting was held in the royal garden, which is different from the imperial garden located at the heart of the imperial pce. It is not located in the pce, but near the women¡¯s college, where imperial courtdies often hold a banquet to admire the flowers.

    Lu Family was not qualified to go to Baihua Garden before, but now it is different.

    Old Madam Lu has decided to bring her three granddaughters to the party to show those who despise the Lu family that they, despite being a family of merchant, are also capable of teaching sensible girls.

    ¡°Flower Appreciation Festival?¡± Ye Zhen looked at trance upon hearing these three words. A replica of a past unforgotten. She and Mo Rongzhan met at the flower appreciation festival when she was only seven years old. He was the unpopr prince and was also blind. She was the first daughter of Ye Family, a prominent family in Kyoto, loved by thousands of people.

    ¡°The nobles in the capital will be there and you, my dear, will attend with us.¡± Old Lady Lu said with a gleam in her eyes. Hearing the excited in the madam¡¯s voice, Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes stooped low and the corners of her mouth became tight. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll embarrass you when I go.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense!¡± Old Lady Lu rebuked. ¡°We are the Lu family and they are nowhere near us.¡±

    Fourth missughed in her heart at the olddy¡¯s preference for Ye Zhen due to her entricity. What¡¯s the point of her preference for Ye Zhen who was tanned and thin?

    Ye Zhen touched her face and said, ¡°I don¡¯t look good.¡±

    Old Madam Luughed, reckoning Ye Zhen¡¯s words as foolishness, ¡°Who said you were going to attend all tanned from the border town? Just a bit of tonic and you will be a great beauty! In fact, you already are a beauty, no doubt.¡±

    This was a losing battle, Ye Zhen thought. Old Madam always had her ways to have all her wishes and desires be granted. If she wanted Ye Zhen to attend the festival, then she will.

    Putting on apliant smile, Ye Zhen appreciated the madam¡¯spliment. ¡°If Grandma says that I am a beauty, then I shall believe it. I will be d to join Grandma and my sisters at the festival.¡±

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16 ¨C Love of Beauty (2)

    In the beginning, there was no one in the capital who couldpare to the beauty of thete Wang Fei of the Qin dynasty, Ye Zhen.

    Being twins, both Ye Zhen and Lu Yaoyao were true beauties. However, over the years, Lu Yaoyao has never cared for her own appearance and had dark and rough skin. For so long, she had been careless, her appearance coudn¡¯t bepared with the spoiled Wang Fei.

    Moreover, Ye Zhen had always been fond of beauty itself. Even at a ripe age, she had meticulously paid great attention in enhancing and maintaining her appearance. Her mother¡¯s vanity table was her most favorite.

    Now, she found it a pity to look at her sister¡¯s spoiled beauty.

    But she will bring it back!

    Beauty is a weapon for women. She knew this well, so she won¡¯t let herself be ugly any longer.

    Fourth miss Lu heard Ye Zhen boasting that she was a great beauty and finally could not help but to ridicule her. She turned to see Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes that seemed to be talking and her fine and beautiful features, though dark, was still prominent. And suddenly, she could not say any more.

    If...Third sister will be fairer and a little plump, would she snatch all the attention towards her?

    ¡°A few days ago, I arranged some gowns for your sisters, and I will have the dressmaker make one for you. You will all be beautifully dressed on that day.¡± Old Madam Lu said excitedly.

    Ye Zhen smiled in return. How can one not be excited about having new gowns?

    It was not until an old friend came to snatch the Old Madam¡¯s attention that the threedies bid their goodbyes and retired from the room. When Ye Zhen was about to proceed to Pei Shi¡¯s courtyard, a cold voice made her halt in her steps.

    ¡°Third sister, stay.¡± It was Fourth miss Lu, standing behind Ye Zhen who stood tall and proud. It was as clear as water that she despised Ye Zhen, but thetter couldn¡¯t care more. She came here with a mission, an envious missus wasn¡¯t one of her concerns!

    She wanted to go to Pei Shi but it seemed like her n would have to be dyed. Despite the ice-cold treatment towards her, Ye Zhen asked her in the sweetest voice she could muster.

    ¡°What do you want from me, Fourth sister?¡±

    Fourth miss Lu was half a fist taller than Ye Zhen and she looked at her coldly with a condescending attitude. ¡°Third Sister, when you first came to the capital, you were ignorant of the rules here. In fact, you still are.¡± She released a soft chuckle, mocking Ye Zhen at her position. ¡°It looks like we need to talk more.¡±

    Talk? By the way she approached her, it sounds more like a confrontation. It¡¯s not like raising a point at all, a warning.

    ¡°Please, Fourth Sister. I don¡¯t have time for this.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you have.¡± Fourth miss raised her voice a little and stepped closer to Ye Zhen, refusing to let her slip through her fingers. ¡°Third sister never heard of the reputation of the women¡¯s college. Not anyone who have the desire to enter seeds. There¡¯s absolutely nothing wrong with dreaming, sister, but make sure you know your limits. And know the people who¡¯ll carry the shame of your reckless actions.¡±

    ¡°Tell me sister, what exactly do you imply by that?¡± She still wore the smile on her face, not giving the fourth miss the satisfaction of seeing her affected by her words.

    ¡°You should consider the difficulty of the eldest brother. The eldest brother had a hard time getting into the ministry of war. Could assistant minister be able to casually ignore the rules of the college and send you in? Then not only will the Lu family be a joke in the capital, but also the reputation of the eldest brother will be dragged down!¡±

    Ye Zhen was irked at the mention of Lu Lingzhi and his so called ¡®achievements.¡¯ Of course, he worked hard for his position, killing hundreds and tricking people was a lot of work! He was now standing on numerous people¡¯s blood! Even her had died in his hands.

    ¡°If that what Fourth sister is worried about, I can assure her that I won¡¯t embarrass my eldest brother.¡± Aside from envy, Fourth Miss Lu didn¡¯t believe she could make it. Whether Ye Zhen passes or fails, it would never be a piece of good news to the fourth miss. Her passing the exam would snatch all the attention of the Lu family and failing would mean embarrassment to the whole Lu family.

    That¡¯s why Fourth miss Lu thought that it was much better if Ye Zhen not try at all.

    Fourth Miss Lu¡¯s face sank. ¡°So, you still want to go to college?¡±

    ¡°Why won¡¯t I? The fourth sister is also in the women¡¯s college, isn¡¯t she? ¡± Ye Zhen looked worried for a fleeting moment. Failure means losing the chance to avenge herself.

    ¡°You...¡± Second sister said, her voice shaking. ¡°Can you pass the entrance examination? How much do you know about Six Arts? Even if you use grandma and eldest brother as leverage, you can never survive the college and be a medical doctor. Just who do you think you are, huh, wild girl? Your ignorance will forsake the family!¡±

    Raging Fourth Miss Lu had her temper to the brim and was about to attack Ye Zhen when Second Miss Lu stepped in and held her back.

    If the Lu family was involved in her burial, why would she not dare not bring trouble to them?

    Ye Zhen said lightly, ¡°Fourth Sister, you worry too much.¡±

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17 ¨C Apprentice (1)

    Ye Zhen¡¯s casual attitude exasperated the Fourth Miss Lu. Her words were like junky swords, poorly sharpened and futile.

    Why was she not worried, even for just a little bit? Fourth Miss Lu wondered.

    ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t listen to my advice, you¡¯ll be humiliated and you can¡¯t me others.¡±

    ¡°Fourth sister can rest assured that third sister will not me anyone.¡± If she fails the exam, she might as well die again.

    In her previous life, she graduated from the women¡¯s college with the first grade. The medical field will surely not be a piece of cake but given her intelligence, she would likely fare well enough.

    Speechless, Fourth Miss Lu doubted the sanity of the girl in front of her, wearing a nonchnt smile. The gravity of what she was doing didn¡¯t fit her confidence. It was like she was talking to an entirely another woman!

    If anything, Ye Zhen didn¡¯t appear inferior at all.

    In Fourth miss¡¯ mind, the wild girl from the border town was ignorant, or perhaps, her dreams were just as wild as she was. The capital was nothing like the border town wherein she can do whatever she wanted!

    Seeing that there was nothing she could do anymore, the Fourth Miss Lu left with her maid hot on her trail. Second Miss Lu soon followed, but not before apologizing softly for her sister¡¯s outburst.

    ¡°The Fourth miss is getting hot tempered these days.¡± Dai Mei whispered beside Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Talented women have a somewhat strange temper, don¡¯t you think?¡± She never regarded herself as a talented woman. As a matter of fact, she rarely showed her temper before, even when she was only a child.

    It was etiquette for women of nobility; to be always calm and reserved.

    *

    Ye Zhen went to Pei Shi¡¯s courtyard afterward. Wearing a simple gown that has seen better days and her hair in a neat bun. Pei Shi was on sitting on a plush chair, sorting out dusty medical books she had brought with her from the border town.

    Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t understand it, but seeing the sight of her made her calm. Like she was indeed her mother.

    When he saw her daughtering in, she weed her with her usual embrace and pulled an extra chair for her to sit. ¡°Have you just greeted your grandma?¡±

    ¡°Yes, mother.¡± Ye Zhen was more careful in the presence of Pei Shi. Mothers and daughters are said to be linked together. They have a particrly strong bond.

    No matter how the world changes, she was not Lu Yaoyao, she could never be. One suspicious move will make Pei Shi suspect her as a fraud.

    ¡°Grandma said she would take us to a flower appreciation meeting in a few days.¡±

    Pei smiled and looked at her daughter, who seemed to ¡°Well then, go and see if your temperament fits the capital. But remember dear daughter, in here, you can¡¯t afford things that are arbitrary.¡±

    Ye Zhen cleverly nodded, ¡°Does Mother think that her daughter is still a wild girl?¡±

    ¡°You weren¡¯t wild when you were in the border town. You just didn¡¯t stay at home all day long because you love the wild too much.¡± Pei said with a chuckle.

    Ye Zhen emitted a long audible sigh, ¡°I know capital is not the border town, thus, I will be more obedient and behaved.¡±

    She picked up a medical book and looked at it carelessly. Her sister¡¯s understanding of these obscure medical theories has even led to the emergence of a lot of pharmacological knowledge inside her. The knowledge that she never knew before and knowledge that she pledged to learn would be put in good use.

    Pei Shi saw her fascination towards the medical books, smiled and said nothing.

    ¡°Mother,¡± Ye Zhen raised her head from the book she was reading. ¡°Can I take these books with me in my study?¡±

    ¡°Oh dear, you really have changed! Whenever I asked you to read these books before, you always had your little alibis, telling me your eyes hurt or you suddenly have a headache. Why do you want to read them now?¡± Pei asked in surprise.

    ¡°Grandma urged me to go to the women¡¯s college, saying that only the medical school is the best ce for me.¡± Ye Zhen deduced how Pei Shi would react, she thought she would be overjoyed by this.

    But, looking at Pei Shi¡¯s pursed lips, Ye Zhen realized that she was wrong.

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18 ¨C Apprentice (2)

    Shifting in her seat, Pei Shi put down her books and reached out to hold Ye Zhen¡¯s hands. ¡°Yao Yao, did the olddy oblige you to go? Or is this your choice?¡± Old Madam Lu could be very impulsive sometimes that Pei Shi was afraid she was forcing her daughter to follow the other Lu sister¡¯s steps.

    Lu Yaoyao was a carefree, willful girl of the border town, and Pei Shi would let her stay that way if it means her daughter¡¯s happiness and contentment.

    ¡°I want to go, mother,¡± whispered Ye Zhen whil she squeezed Pei Shi¡¯s hands, offering her reassurance.

    ¡°There was no Women¡¯s College in border town Since you were a child, I didn¡¯t restrict you to learn anything that you want to learn, but learning is far different in the college. It is much moreplicated.¡± Pei Shi thought that her daughter¡¯s decision to enter the college was for the sole purpose of having fun.

    It seemed that her sister¡¯s yful nature was giving Pei Shi doubts, so Ye Zhen remained undeterred and stood with her decision.

    ¡°Mother, we probably won¡¯t go back to the border town in the future. Eldest brother is now the minister of war and will definitely continue to be promoted in the future. I can also see it that my elder brother will also enter the civil service in the future. He will eventually leave me here behind. I can¡¯t still be like a wild girl and spend my days in rainbows and sunshine. I¡¯m already 15 years old. I want to learn in the college, something that a 12-year-old girl does here. ¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at the pile of books near them. ¡± Besides, I learned medicine from you since I was young. It¡¯s most appropriate for me to go to the medical center. I want to test my capabilities.¡±

    Less than a month of stay in the capital and Lu Yaoyao already had new ideas in her head. Was there someone feeding her with these ideas?

    ¡°Did anyone told you of this? Has someone questioned your capabilities?¡± Pei Shi asked with a heavy voice.

    Cold fear ran at the back of her spine; Ye Zhen had forgotten her sister¡¯s character! Lu Yaoyao rarely had an opinion of her own. She was careless and never had an inclination towards her education.

    ¡°No one told me anything but ... I seem to be a little out of ce when I see my second sister and my fourth sister.¡± Ye Zhen reasoned out while looking on the floor beneath her.

    Pei Shiughed at this. She never saw her daughter¡¯s simplicity as a shoring. But if she felt like this, then it was Pei Shi¡¯s desire to relieve her of this self-doubt.

    ¡°The entrance examination for women¡¯s college will not be easy. You don¡¯t like to learn those things when you were still a child. What if you don¡¯t pass the exam?¡±

    ¡°I n not to. I have at least half a month to train and study.¡± Ye Zhen spoke in a determined voice. ¡°Mother, didn¡¯t you say I was smart? I¡¯ll pass if I chose to.¡±

    Pei Shi nodded her head, ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll find someone to train you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, mother!¡± Ye Zhen hugged Pei¡¯s arms, her face wearing a gleeful smile and cheeks red out of happiness.

    ¡°No matter how old you get, you are still a child for me.¡± Pei embraced her daughter. ¡°If you want to read these books, let people take them to your Easternpartment.¡±

    ¡°Yes, mother.¡± Stand Ye now needs to read more of these medical books. Although she has the memory of Lu Yaoyao, medical science is a broad body of knowledge.

    Moreover, Lu Yaoyao didn¡¯t devote herself hard in studying for she didn¡¯t have much interest in medicine.

    She summoned the servants, had them carry the books and kissed Pei Shi goodbye. Really, her sister was lucky; she had a doting mother. One thing that Ye Zhen didn¡¯t have.

    *

    True to her words, Pei Shi didn¡¯t let the days pass without aplishing her mission of finding an instructor for Ye Zhen.

    It was a man from the women¡¯s college who resigned due to a certain disagreement with his boss. Rumors said that he would rather be a private teacher than continue working with people who didn¡¯t share the same principles such as his.

    Despite his resignation, he was still famous not only in capital, but in the entire Jin country also. How manydies of noble families invited him to be their teacher and was turned down? Surely, a lot.

    It felt like she was once again the young Ye Zhen who was about to meet her teacher ¡ª the stone cold faced, Mister Shan. The same teacher who taught her to ace the college before.

    As soon as Pei Shi mentioned him, she was so stunned she couldn¡¯t speak for a minute or longer.

    But how? Howe a teacher like him decided to teach someone such as Lu Yaoyao privately?

    Not only that, Pei Shi arranged their first session immediately.

    ¡°The rules of Mister Shan will be handed over to youter,¡± said Pei Shi who appeared extra polite today.

    Mister Shan was about 25 to 26 years old, tall, thin and handsome. Having an air of indifference, he looked unapproachable. Surprisingly, Pei Shi could get along with him really well; she even persuaded him to be Ye Zhen¡¯s teacher quite sessfully!

    Ye Zhen went forward to pay her respect and saluted ordingly. ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure having you as my teacher, sir. Forgive me for I wasn¡¯t able to prepare, even a small gift.¡±

    ¡°Miss Lu, you and I will be master and apprentice. Rise, we don¡¯t have to follow the ritual**.¡±

    **

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19 ¨C Who The Hell Are You (1)

    ¡°Ah, I know that my daughter will not disappoint you.¡± Pei Shi said, grateful that someone of impressive academic credibility was to assist her daughter.

    Being his friend, Lu Yaoyao knew that Mr. Shan was a born tactician, and he doesn¡¯t invest time on people whom he knew would not be worthy of it. Also, he never finishes a work empty-handed.

    Ye Zhen looked at Pei Shi, did she promised him wealth? But there were families in the capital who could offer him thrice as much gold the Lu family could provide!

    Mr. Shan threw a fleeting look across Ye Zhen¡¯s direction and nodded his head lightly. ¡°Third miss Lu looks smart. I can tell that it will not be difficult to teach her.¡±

    Even Pei Shi couldn¡¯t say that her daughter looked smart, but one thing was for sure, books were her enemy. Ye Zhen bowed her head and acted obediently. The only person who knew her best in the world except her father and brother was Mr. Shan, who apanied her for the longest time in the years before she became Wang Fei of the Qin Dynasty.

    After a few exchanged words, Mr. Shan was personally escorted to Ye Zhen¡¯s study. On the way, Pei Shi whispered to Ye Zhen. ¡°Yao Yao, it will be tough being a student of Mr. Shan. Even if it is hard, you have to grind your teeth and endure it.¡±

    ¡°Well, mother I will.¡±

    And she would. This is her only chance. She doesn¡¯t want to miss it. Failing to enter the college means misfiring of her revenge and at the same time, tarnishing her sister¡¯s reputation.

    When they arrived in the study, Pei Shi left the two of them for she had other things to do in her courtyard.

    Inside, Mr. Shan looked at Ye Zhen straight and upright as if he wanted to find someone¡¯s shadow through her face.

    ¡°Sir?¡± Ye Zhen held her breath for a second, afraid that Mr. Shan would recognize her, though it was impossible.

    ¡°Have you lived in a border town since you were a child?¡± Mr. Shan¡¯s eyes suddenly became sharp. The girl looked too much like her former student, except for some distinct difference, she was not at the least, a replica of his deceased student, Ye Zhen. He almost thought that Lu Yaoyao was indeed Ye Zhen.

    Maintaining a cool countenance, Ye Zhen replied, ¡°Yes, sir, I have lived in the border town since I was born.¡±

    Noticing the books arranged at the shelves, he asked, ¡°And what have you learned?¡± Mr. Shan¡¯s face was indifferent, but his heart was in a storm. What on earth was his master thinking? It was he who told him to consider the idea of being a husband to Ye Zhen before and now, he let him grant Pei¡¯s request that shee to teach this little girl of the Lu family.

    Originally, he wondered whether his master knew the Lu Family or not. He only knew that his master was truly acquainted with the Ye Family.

    Lu Yaoyao ...Ye Zhen... What is their rtionship?

    ¡°Aside from my mother¡¯s medical teachings, I also studied Thousand Character ssic** and Biographies of Exemry Women.¡± This is what Lu Yaoyao learned, but probably Lu Yao did not like reading such books, so she didn¡¯t learn much at all.

    **T/N: Thousand Character ssic is a Chinese poem that has been used as a primer for teaching Chinese characters to children.

    ¡°What¡¯s the use of learning tho when surviving the college has be a matter of women¡¯spetence in the Six arts... Don¡¯t you have any talent to master?¡± Mr. Shan frowned and asked.

    The women¡¯s college requires the entrance examination to master six basic abilities: etiquette, music, archery, royal, calligraphy, and mathematics.

    If one fails to execute at least one of these, then she definitely couldn¡¯t step foot inside the college. For Ye Zhen, this wasn¡¯t a problem as she passed this exam before. But for Lu Yaoyao, it was very difficult for sure.

    ¡°Please teach me, sir,¡± Ye Zhen made a courtesy and showed great respect.

    Mr. Shan lowered his eyes and looked at her for a moment before he uttered in a resolute voice, ¡°Write me a few words.¡±

    Ye Zhen nodded, went to the bookcase and picked up the sheep hairbrush beside it. She was at first hesitant to scribble on the spread sheet of paper in front of her. Gripping the brush tightly and with her brows creased, she wrote the phrase that first came out of her mind in shaky strokes.

    Clothes might change, but people do not.

    Mr. Shan saw the words written by Ye Zhen when he first met his students in the Spring and Autumn** period sh before his very eyes.

    **T/N : Spring and Autumn is a period in Chinese history that was marked by a decline in court power and a gradual increase in power of individual states.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20 ¨C Who The Hell Are You (2)

    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Mr. Shan asked fiercely, ¡°Do you think that looking like thete Wang Fei gives you the reason to imitate her? Presumptuous!¡±

    Is this a coincidence? His mind was nowhere near in peace. Ye Zhen just stared at him, dumbfounded but her hands were fisted under the table tightly, turning her knuckles white.

    It was already too coincidental that the nickname and appearance are the same. Now she even writes the same words.

    But upon his closer inspection, there was an obvious contrast between their handwriting. No, it¡¯s not the same. Ye Zhen¡¯s handwriting was far less crooked than those of Lu Yaoyao. They are not ugly at all while Lu Yaoyao¡¯s handwriting was no more than that of a child!

    If she isn¡¯t rted to the deceased Wang Fei then why does his master care about this girl?

    Mr. Shan became more and more suspicious, but no matter how many questions he had, his master seemed to have fled the moment e epted this offer. He couldn¡¯t find him even if he searched the ends of the earth.

    Feigning ignorance, Ye Zhen looked at Mr. Shan with incredulity.¡±Sir, I don¡¯t understand what you are saying. Who do I look like?¡±

    Ye Zhen would like to tell Mr. Shan that she is indeed his former student, but she cannot say yet.

    ¡°You can¡¯t write well if you don¡¯t hold the pen in the right position. You need to practice more.¡± Mr. Shan stiffly changed the subject. She didn¡¯t want Lu Yaoyao to know too much about Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhen also won¡¯t break the pot at this time and proceeded to practice her writing, acting like Mr. Shan¡¯s outburst didn¡¯t happen.

    Mr. Shan stood beside her and looked down at Ye Zhen¡¯s beautiful face that was as calm as the ripples of water. No one could predict what she was thinking. Maybe that was one attribute of her that made her different from Ye Zhen. The Ye Zhen he knew wears her emotions on her sleeve. Her grief, her happiness, every emotion she had was palpable in her eyes.

    ¡°Pardon my intrusion but Third miss, your eldest brother havee to see you.¡± The maid¡¯s apologetic voice came from outside the door of her study.

    Her heart began to ram painfully against her chest. Atst, she was to face her deepest fear.

    Lu Lingzhi hade to meet her. She thought that she¡¯d be given some time before she would finally meet him.

    Fear in her gut, yet she knew this fear won¡¯t bring Lu Lingzhi into his perils. She is Lu Yao Yao now. If Lu Lingzhi would see Ye Zhen in her, then it was not a thing to be worried about, not hers at least. Let him be haunted by her appearance, let him ponder his mischievous deeds!

    Besides, this moment was inevitable. She shouldn¡¯t think about how to avoid Lu Lingzhi. Instead, she should let him believe that she truly is Lu Yaoyao, the third miss of his family. Otherwise, how would she take revenge? Their favor and trust towards her would help her achieve her revenge, hold power and lead them to their demise.

    ¡°You should take your leave.¡± Mr. Shan said tly and picked up Ye Zhen¡¯s paper and looked at them carefully.

    ¡°Of course, sir. If you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± Ye Zhen bowed, washed her hands and proceeded to the main hall. She hasn¡¯t seen Lu lingzhi in family gatherings since their arrival and this will be the first time she¡¯ll see him as Lu Yaoyao.

    When she arrived at the hall, Ye Zhen saw a man in blue suit standing by one of the windows, his back facing her. The memory of his betrayal came to her, and she fought back the strong urge to push her through the window.

    Yet, she can¡¯t. Or else, she¡¯ll live the rest of her life in exile, or left on the streets bleeding to death as a just punishment for murdering the assistant minister. So, mustering all her strength, she suppressed her wrath, wore a calm demeanor and approached Lu Lingzhi quietly.

    ¡°Eldest brother...¡± She called in an appropriate strain and shyness of her voice that would not make anyone deem her as strange.

    When Lu Lingzhi turned around and saw the girl standing behind him, he waspletely stunned. His mouth was agape as he purposely blinked to make sure his mind wasn¡¯t ying tricks on him.

    But, it can¡¯t be! Lu Lingzhi eximed in his mind. The girl in front of him is thinner and darker and her eyebrowcks the aristocratic shape Ye Zhen had. Nheless, the resemnce between them was uncanny.

    Seeing Lu Lingzhi¡¯s face, Ye Zhen knew that he must have shocked himself, giving her just a bit of satisfaction. ¡°Eldest brother? Are you my cousin?¡±

    He snapped out of his trance and realized how impossible it was for Ye Zhen to survive. She drunk the poison and her body burned by the me. This is the daughter of his uncle

    Lu Lingzhi smiled at Ye Zhen. ¡°I heard that Third sister wants to go to the women¡¯s college?¡±

    ¡°Yes, grandmother said that women have to go to college to have a good future,¡± said Ye Zhen with a silly smile. ¡°Eldest brother, I know I don¡¯t know anything. And I¡¯m afraid that I will be theughing stock of the family in the future if I staycking in academic background.¡±

    The girl¡¯s expectant and hopeful eyes were quivering as she looked at him. Lu Lingzhi was moved for a moment by Ye Zhen¡¯s sincere words, but he still whispered, ¡°What if the eldest brother won¡¯t let you go to college?¡±

    The urge to kill the man in front of her became heavier to contain. But Ye Zhen remembered her mission and she spoke in a delicate, grieving voice. ¡°Why? Did Yao Yao do something wrong? ¡°

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21 ¨C I am The Best (1)

    Expressing his refusal to send his third sister to the Women¡¯s college, Lu Lingzhi thought he saw a murderous look and resentment on the girl before him.

    But when he looked carefully, he only saw a face of innocence, which was clearly disappointed and hurt.

    Was it just an illusion? Or was it only a trick of the light? Sighing to himself, he thought that because he has killed too much recently, he¡¯s been perceiving things falsely, like some form of self-mockery.

    ¡°Yao Yao, you didn¡¯t do anything wrong! I just don¡¯t see the point of this. Even if you don¡¯t go to college, I can just ask your husband to teach you at home. You are the third miss of Lu, any man would be a fool if he¡¯ll refuse to wed you! As your eldest brother, I know what is good for you.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi softened his voice. he had just gone to his grandma and was informed that his third sister was going to the Women¡¯s College.

    He wouldn¡¯t have stopped her from going to college if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that she look like Ye Zhen too much.

    Ye Zhen sneered in her heart, but still yed coy and pouted her lips. ¡°Second and fourth sister went to college too. Grandma said that it would be good for me if I go to college as well. Don¡¯t lie to me.¡±

    Don¡¯t you lie to me!

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s expression was vague as he thought he saw the beautiful girl he knew with the delighted and expectant voice in her. She told him not to lie to her. He lied to Ye Zhen for two years and now he was doing the same thing to Lu Yaoyao.

    ¡°Do you really want to go to college so much?¡± Lu Lingzhi asked Ye Zhen in a low voice

    ¡°Yes, I want to go.¡± Ye Zhen nodded and looked at his warm eyes firmly.

    If she wouldn¡¯t, how would she be a female medical doctor? How would she get herself in the imperial pce? How would she avenge herself?

    Lu Lingzhi sighed, exhaustion evident on his face. He didn¡¯t wish to wound her heart but he couldn¡¯t let this subject go. He didn¡¯t want her to go to the women¡¯s college. He didn¡¯t want people to see her.

    Her appearance would remind people of Ye Zhen. This, he was afraid of.

    Although he did not know how many people still remembered what she looked like, given that Ye Zhen almost lived the life of seclusion inside her pce, she had a reputation and beauty that was hard to forget.

    Even though she is dead now, her remains turned to ashes by the fire that engulfed her home, many people secretly sympathize with her and miss her.

    With this, he couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of influence Yao Yao would bring to the college.

    ¡°If third sister can get into the exam ording to her own ability, go ahead. Eldest brother will not be behind her back. ¡± Lu Ling said tly that he hoped the girl would withdraw from the exam without his support and blessings.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes looked slightly red out of frustration at Lu Lingzhi¡¯s statement. She wanted to know his reasons, of his insistence to stop her from admitting herself to the college.

    ¡°If I passed the entrance examination ording to my ability, will my eldest brother stop me?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. Eldest brother is not that heartless.¡±

    As he uttered those words, Ye Zhen suddenly had the urge to puke, disgusted deep in her gut that a vile of a man deems himself as not heartless.

    ¡°Moreover, the entrance examination is not easy, Yao Yao.¡±

    Aside from her frightening resemnce to Ye Zhen, Lu Lingzhi didn¡¯t want her to be hurt in the future and feel even more inferior as he was certain that she will fail the exam.

    He heard that she was from the border town, where people lived a much simpler life. No hassle and fuss, just bunch of ships and boatsing by everyday and folk who works just enough to fill their family¡¯s bellies. She could literally do anything without people condemning her for her ws.

    But in the capital, her mistakes would not go unnoticed.

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22 ¨C I Am The Best (2)

    Ye Zhen gave a firm and confident smile, ¡°Then it¡¯s a deal. I don¡¯t need eldest brother to take care of my affairs.¡±

    ¡°Yao Yao?¡± Lu Lingzhi frowned upon recognizing her tone of sudden estrangement and resistance to him.

    ¡°If there is nothing else, I have to go back to practice calligraphy,¡± Ye Zhen said, taking advantage of this opportunity to taint her rtionship with her supposed cousin before it even buds.

    In this way, she doesn¡¯t have to respectfully pretend to be congenial to him in the next meetings toe.

    God knows how hard it was to stop herself from thinking the crime hemitted against her and her family.

    A bit ounce of respect from her was the most she could give, for the sake of her disguise!

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s eyes went slightly sunken seeing Ye Zhen giving him the cold shoulder. ¡°Do you resent your eldest brother because of this?¡±

    ¡°I dare not feel that. After all, you do it for my own good, I know,¡± said Ye Zhen.

    ¡°People are most afraid of beingpared. . . You will soon realize that the eldest brother is really looking after your own good.¡± Fourth miss was a famous figure in the college and people would definitelypare Lu Yaoyao with her as they share the same surname, Lu.

    What¡¯s even worse was that people would see her resemnce to thete Wang Fei of Qin Dynasty.

    If she will ever bepared to her former self, then she better surpass her former achievements as Ye Zhen. What a burden!

    Looking so simr but not as good as thete Wang Fei, she will be considered as a mere copycat in the future! Theseparisons are not good for a 15-year-old girl who had so much at her hands; the prospects of marriage.

    Ye Zhen understood what Lu Lingzhi meant. She smiled a confident smile and said, ¡°Eldest brother, do not fret. I always thought I am the best.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi was taken aback. That smile, he could never forget. What are the odds, their smile was also uncannily simr!

    When he wanted to see the expression again, Ye Zhen already lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯ll go back to practice calligraphy first, eldest brother, I won¡¯t keep you any longer.¡±

    Ye Zhen turned around and went out to only see Mister Shan standing in the courtyard. She wondered if he heard their conversation.

    Lu Lingzhi came out from behind her and saw Mister Shan frowning slightly, but he didn¡¯t say anything. He just strode out of the yard without acknowledging the teacher¡¯s presence.

    Calming herself, Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes sought serenity in the courtyard. Her eyes rested on the flower bed in the , where small clusters of flowers and nts grew so well that even the withered chrysanthemum had sprouted back to life.

    She looked at her palm with drooped lids. It seems that the drops emerging from the eye of the phoenix tattoo are spiritual springs.

    Since the wound can foster the growth of nts and bring the withered ones to health, her lips went dry as an imminent idea came to her, would it do the same to humans?

    ¡°What made you want to study at the Women¡¯s College?¡± Mister Shan spoke without warn and Ye faced him while hiding her hand behind her.

    Ye Zhen slowly looked up carefully at Mister Shan¡¯s inquisitive eyes. ¡°I want to enter the pce by bing a female medical officer, that is all.¡±

    The reason why some women strives hard to be a doctor was that the profession would buy them a key towards living inside the Imperial pce. It would bring great honor to their families.

    At the same time, they will be entitled, and experience life of luxury for as long as they want!

    Mister Shan smiled faintly. After looking at Ye Zhen for a long time, his smile deepened. ¡°Well, I can help you with that. But in order to be a female medical doctor, I want you to do something for me. Do you promise me?¡±

    ¡°Fine. What is it?¡± Ye Zhen nodded without hesitation.

    Mister Shan seemed satisfied with her soft tone of reply. ¡°I will help you pass the entrance examination in the shortest possible time starting from tomorrow. Besides Six and Four Skills, you still have something to learn.¡±

    ¡°And you are referring to?¡± Ye Zhen asked in curiosity.

    ¡°Beauty! I want you to take good care of yourself and to be at the pink of your health.¡± The college favors those who are considered beautiful ording to the standards. Mister Shan saw potential in her, and he hated to see that into waste.

    This was also what Ye Zhen wanted so she smiled brightly and said, ¡°Yes please, Mister Shan.¡±

    *

    For the next two days, Ye Zhen didn¡¯t go anywhere without thepany of books and Mister Shan.

    She woke up every day to train and learn the Six and Four Arts. What she was taught was no longer new to her. Yet, she had to hide herself.

    Obviously, she was the best at it, but had to pretend to not understand a thing at first.

    After studying for two days, Flower Appreciation Festival day hade. Mister Shan, who had no interests to flowers felt obliged to attend. Old Maam Lu invited him to apany her to the event.

    Mister Shan and Old Lady Lu shared the same carriage while Ye Zhen was with the two Miss Lu. But it seems that today, the two girls, specially Fourth Miss Lu was not happy to be in the same carriage with her.

    ¡°Second Sister and Fourth Sister.¡± Ye Zhen took the initiative to greet them and curtsied.

    Miss Lu looked up at Ye Zhen and said, ¡°I thought my third sister would not go to the flower festival today. She has been studying with Mister Shan for the past two days. You must be already brilliant, I assume!¡±

    This tone sounds sour but Ye Zhen only finds it funny. ¡°Fourth sister, I have only learned for two days. I am not a genius.¡±

    The second miss Lu smiled and said, ¡°Third sister, you have my best wishes. With Mister Shan, you will surely pass.¡±

    ¡°People who have studied for two or three years may still not be able to pass the exam.¡± said the Fourth miss with a sneer.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that Mister Shan¡¯s good reputation is going to be tarnished by third sister¡¯s insolence!¡±

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23 ¨C Flower Appreciation Festival (1)

    Ye Zhen finally looked intently at the fourth miss of the Lu family who showed distaste to her ever since the day they first met. She grew up in the capital and looked down on Lu Yaoyao just because she had led a carefree life back in the Border Town.

    Was Fourth Miss Lu jealous of her?

    ¡°Fourth Sister, what do you mean by that?¡± Ye Stand said and looked at her face of confusion and ignorance although, she was without anger.

    In the bottom of her heart, Fourth Miss Lu despised Ye Zhen. When she learned that Mister Shan was willing to teach her, she almost smashed the vase in her room!

    She had gone to Mister Shan personally before and had asked him to be her teacher. But then, he declined the offer and said that she was not at all qualified to be his student!

    Does this mean that Lu Yaoyao¡¯s qualifications far better than hers?

    Uncontrolled jealousy and unwillingness to ept such fact have filled her heart. She already envied Lu Wushuang who is the most popr girl in the Lu family and the current Wang Fei of Qin dynasty.

    Now, herees another girl named Lu Yaoyao who has easily taken away the Old Madam Lu¡¯s care for her.

    ¡°Everyone in the capital knows that Mister Shan¡¯s students are all exceptional. If others will know that you are his student when you attend the festival...¡± Fourth miss Lu covered her mouth as if she thought of something funny, before speaking, ¡°...It is important that you ought to not have stage fright!¡±

    It didn¡¯t take Ye Zhen long to know that her fourth sister was mocking her. Taking a deep breath, she pulled herself together and looked at her without wearing her usual smile.

    Fourth Miss Lu must know better than to make fun of her, ¡°Thank you, fourth sister, for reminding me that Mister Shan will be there to protect me from having stage fright.¡±

    Fourth Miss Lu¡¯s face turned blue with anger and gave Ye Zhen a hard look. She then turned away and refused to talk to her again.

    ¡°Third younger sister, you may not have heard of Mister Shan¡¯s reputation in the Border town, but Mister Shan is a famous and talented man. Over the years, only two have been admitted as his students. One is the former Wang Fei of Qin Dynasty, and the other is Zhao Yang of Zhu region. Unfortunately, the Wang Fei¡¯s life is so short and Zhaoyang has be a widow...¡±

    This is like saying that Mister Shan¡¯s students are not blessed. Ye Zhen smiled at the thought of Princess Zhao Yang but said nothing.

    Her rtionship with Zhao Yang was not very good. Still, there is a mutual feeling between them, since they are both well-cultivated and bright, that they will not do anything to hurt each other.

    If one of them provokes and anger the other, they will maintain their ground and never allow that anger control them.

    Both of them looked down upon doing such things. Of the people she knew, Zhao Yang was among the few who didn¡¯t feel the need to please people. She also had quite reasonable views in life, always choosing harsh truth over kind falsity.

    ¡°Second sister, are you then afraid that I will be a widow too?¡± Ye Zhen asked Second Miss Lu with mirth in her eyes.

    Second Miss Luughed in return, her eyes wrinkling at the corners, before replying, ¡°Third Sister, don¡¯t be offended if I just say it so casually.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled and shook her head. ¡°I know that Second Sister cares for me. How can I be offended by that?¡±

    She was uncertain if she would be able to meet Zhao Yang at this flower appreciation meeting, but the chance was not slim. She thought things over and realized ¡ª she has no one to ask for help nor she could help. Although she has been reborn, she could not do anything, she was powerless.

    Who knows that she is Ye Zhen and help her at her call? No one!

    But, what if she could still help her old friend in the person of Lu Yaoyao, the person she was reborn as?

    Second miss gave a falteringugh and suddenly, the carriage settled down at a new road.

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24- Flower Appreciation Festival (2)

    Ye Zhen looked through the carriage curtain to see the scenery outside. She basked in nostalgia as she thought of the ce they arrived at, for she had grown up here and was familiar with Kyoto¡¯s every nook and cranny.

    But now, she looks at it with a stranger¡¯s eyes and even detachment.

    When Ye Zhen was about to pull down the curtain, the carriage suddenly halted, and yet despite this abrupt motion, she still noticed that a hill in the distance seemed a little strange.

    She frowned as she looked at it.

    ¡°Does not that mountain called the ¡°dead mountain¡± look terrible? In fact, the Ye family has been recently buried there, hundreds of people from their n rests there, executed in their own home I heard!¡± The Second Miss Lu exined after seeing Ye Zhen staring at the hill.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s face faltered as she grabbed the curtain and tightened her grip on it. She struggled to find her voice, before speaking, ¡°The Ye Family... are they all dead?¡±

    ¡°Who knows,¡± answered the second miss. ¡°Only the eldest brother knows of it. We only heard a little about their deaths.¡±

    ¡°The Ye Family deserves to die for all the evils they have done.¡± Fourth miss said with a snort, ¡°Who would really sympathize with them even if they are all dead?¡± she added.

    ¡°What kind of things did the Ye family do to make you feel that so many of them deserved to die? I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be so kind and noble in the future with a heart like that.¡± Ye Zhen told her, while keeping her voice from sounding strained.

    Fourth Miss Lu was ready to pounce on Ye Zhen at any moment when she heard this. With gritting teeth she said, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°You heard exactly what it means,¡± said Ye Zhen said coldly. It¡¯s the first time she had shown her true emotion since she was reborn.

    ¡°You...¡± Fourth Miss Lu was about to charge at Ye Zhen, but she was held back by her sister.

    ¡°We have arrived in the Baihua Gardens!¡± Second Miss Lu said hurriedly and urged the Fourth miss to calm down.

    ¡°Third sister here doesn¡¯t know of what the Ye family has done to our family.¡±

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t see the point in further arguing. Moreover, she was afraid that she would do something that she wouldter regret.

    She was not hot-tempered, for as a Wang Fei, she was taught to be reserved and demure. But hearing someone say such awful things about her deceased family, she felt like she could easily lose control of her emotions.

    At the moment the carriage stopped, she immediately lifted the curtains and hurriedly dismounted from the ride.

    Old Madam Lu and Mister Shan also got off their carriage. Ye Zhen walked over to them, pressing her palms against her heart earnestly and willing herself to appear calm, and hide her true emotions, as she did this, she greeted the two with a smile.

    In autumn, the blue sky is clear, glittering and vivid. When one walks into the Baihua Garden, one can see the white clouds reflected in the middle of the artificialke which flows from ake not far from it.

    The waterke had fishes swimming in it too, to and fro, adding to the color of the clouds reflected on it, making it look like a painted canvas.

    After passing the artificialke, Ye Zhen saw a well-dressed womaning towards them.

    ¡°I offer you my humble greetings, Old Madam Lu! Everyone has been waiting for your arrival.¡± The woman greeted Old Madam Lu affectionately.

    Ye Zhen nced at the woman and gave her a faint smile. The woman¡¯s surname was Chen, she was the former assistant minister¡¯s wife who used to be a friend of the Ye family. She once despised the Lu family but today, she was fawning over Old Madam Lu.

    ¡°And this is ... Mister Shan?¡± Madam Chen at first, had mistaken Mister Shan, who was standing beside Old Madam Lu, as one of her grandsons! But upon closer inspection, she realized that the man turned out to be the famous teacher in the country.

    Mister Shan nodded lightly at the recognition, ¡°Madam Chen.¡± he had greeted in reply.

    Madam Chen was befuddled by his presence, and Madam Luughed lightly before stating, ¡°Mister Shan here is the teacher of our dear Lu Yaoyao. Im sure you haven¡¯t met each other before.¡±

    Ye Zhen shyly smiled and gave Madam Chen a deep bow, ¡°Greetings Madam Chen.¡±

    Fourth and Second Miss Lu were standing behind Ye Zhen and looked at her with envy in their eyes.

    For today it was obvious that Old Madam Lu is going to let everyone know who Ye Zhen which would make her seem like the most important character among them three!

    But why? Why was such a wild girl given such importance by the Old Madam? Is it because she is Mister Shan¡¯s student? This, they wondered.

    Mrs. Chen had only seen thete Wang Fei who had not left the cab before, and had only a slight impression of her. So when she saw Lu Yaoyao, she only felt familiarity with her but was not reminded of Ye Zhen at all.

    ¡°All the Lu girls are really beautiful. How lucky you are, Old Madam Lu.¡±

 Chapter 25

    <h4>Chapter 25 ¨C Disgrace (1)</h4>

    Ye Zhen was not ugly, but she had a darkerplexionpared to the women in the capital. Still, among the girls of the Lu family, she was the one with the most beautiful facial features.

    It was a pity though that aside from her dark skin, she was also thin from her illness making her look fragile and unhealthy. Fortunately, she had a pair of captivating, bright eyes that made her look more lively.

    Old Madam Lu smiled with pride at Madam Chen¡¯s words. ¡°Our girl is quite good. Yao Yao has just returned from the border town, but she has already be a student of no other than Mister Shan!¡±

    Madam Chen actually looked down upon the Lu family¡¯s kind. Old Madam Lu, for example, wished everyone knew that her family is of royalty thus, he only wore things of luxury. All day long, she wanted to be thought of as at par with the famous families in the capital, but she didn¡¯t know that everyone else was mocking them secretly in the inside.

    But who would have thought that Lu Family would raise a *high-ranking imperial concubine, and Lu Lingzhi also became the most valued courtiers of the new emperor?

    <i>*Wang Fei ¨C High ranking Imperial concubine</i>

    At a young age, Lu Lingzhi became the assistant minister of the Ministry of War, and there were talks circting that he would be a minister in two years time.

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t expect Old Madam Lu to show her off as her granddaughter so bluntly. Her cheeks were slightly hot from the attention, but she still smiled and held her hand.

    On the other hand, Mister Shan spared Ye Zhen a light look, appreciating her calm and somewhat natural reaction.

    When they went inside, a line of people greeted them simultaneously as they passed. When they made their way towards the garden, the rich fragrance of flowers filled the air and greeted them delightfully.

    In the sea of flowers in front of them, there were two or three groups of beautifully dressed guests. And in the open space, a bamboo shed was set up, and under it was a banquet table filled with various fruits and wine.

    Old Madam Lu¡¯s appearance, however, quieted the crowd around them.

    Soon, a young woman in bright clothes came up and said, ¡°Old Madam Lu, you are finally here! Madam Wu has been talking about you for a long time, and she also said that if you didn¡¯te today, she will have to go to your home to fetch you herself!¡±

    ¡°Madam Wu should not y jokes on me, an Old Madam! How daree I not to the flower appreciation party held by Madam Wu this year?¡±

    Every year, there are different contractors for the Flower Show, all of whom are chosen by the Empress herself.

    This year, however, the Pce has no Empress, and the person in charge of the harem is of course, Imperial concubine Lu Wushuang.

    Who knows when the Wang Fei would be appointed as the empress in the future? Ye Zhen understood that this was the reason why no one wanted to offend the Lu family.

    In fact, everyone seemed to strive to be on their good side, even the previous friends of the Ye.

    Ye Zhen tailed Old Madam Lu, and silently asked to excuse herself from the party, she then went elsewhere, alone.

    Thedies under the bamboo shed saw Old Madam Lu and got up one after another to greet her.

    Ye Zhen looked at this scene, and her heart ached. When did these aristocratic women in the capital felt the need to bow before her like this? Just because Lu Family has made a contribution to the imperial pce and had Lu Wushuang be the imperial concubine, they seemed to have forgotten the Ye family!

    Looking at the Old Madam Lu¡¯s face, Ye Zhen noted that the former couldn¡¯t hide her satisfied smile as she exchanged greetings with everyone, Ye Zhen was sad, for herself, and also for the family she would never be with again.

    However, Ye Zhen admits to herself that Lu Family has had more vision than most people. For who would have thought that the unpredictable Prince of Qin dynasty had the ability to rebel and usurp the throne!

    Second and Fourth Miss Lu exchanged nces when they saw so many distinguisheddies present. They both saw the excitement in each other¡¯s eyes at the scene unfolding before them.

    They took a step forward and squeezed their way through, pushing Ye Zhen aside in the process.

    Seeing her granddaughters, Old Madam Lu said with a proud smile, ¡°These are my granddaughters. Pay your respectsdies, quickly!¡±

    ¡°Greetings to thedies.¡± Both of them said with gentle and sweet smiles on their faces, the two of them tried to present their best faces to the public.

    Ye Zhen followed in paying her respects, although she stood silently behind them and did not speak a word.

    ¡°These are your granddaughters? They are indeed beautiful just like Wang Fei Lu! As expected of your granddaughters, for where else would they go but high ces?¡± Madam Wu said with a smile.

    ¡°They have not reached far, aspared to my dear Lu Wushuang who is already at a high ce.¡± Old Madam Lu replied, for she sensed it was appropriate to appear modest at times.

    Old Madam Wu¡¯s eyes fell behind old Madam Lu and settled on Ye Zhen¡¯s face, the former¡¯s eyes widened in surprise before she uttered,

    ¡°This girl, it seems, I haven¡¯t seen her before!¡±

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26 ¨C Disgrace (2)

    ¡°This is my third granddaughter who have just returned from the border town where she has been living since her childhood. Today, I brought her here to see the world,¡± said Old Madam Lu with a smile and called Ye Zhen to her side. ¡°My granddaughter, who did not know of anything else, managed to be Mister Shan¡¯s student only a few days ago for she is filial and intelligent.¡± Old Madam Lu added.

    Old Madam Wu had a strange smile on her face as she replied, ¡°Indeed, your third granddaughter is so lucky and that Mister Shan has gained another good student.¡±

    People didn¡¯t know what Madam Wu meant by her statement, but Ye Zhen knew what she had meant. Madam Wu used to see thete Wang Fei before, but now she is afraid to think of the dead, but she just couldn¡¯t say loud, that this thought troubles her.

    Second and Fourth Miss Lu saw that others only noticed Ye Zhen, anger filled them but they could not say even if they found the events ufortable. ¡°Madam Wu, you don¡¯t know how lucky third sister is! Have just arrived in Kyoto and are now nning to go to college!¡± said Fourth Miss Lu with sarcasm in her verdict.

    ¡°Poof!¡± the group did not know whoughed aloud. ¡°Why? Another girl from a merchant background also wants to take an examination for a women¡¯s college. Tell me, Lu Jing, how are you any different from her?¡±

    This was very sudden, and everyone around them quieted down and eyes straight at the speaker.

    ¡°Princess Liu Hua, what exactly do you mean?¡± Fourth Miss Lu¡¯s face slightly changed as she stared at the girl sitting nearby.

    Ye Zhen knew that Princess Liu Hua was the daughter of an imperial princess and the cousin of Mo Rongzhan. When Ye Zhen¡¯s soul dissipated, she had seen everything that will happen in the future two years to be exact, as she was reborn back in time when she was killed. In a year¡¯s time, she knows that Princess Liu Hua would enter the pce to be concubine of Mo Rongzhan. She will then give birth to a daughter. As for the oue, Ye Zhen did not know for after two years of roaming in the pce, her soul broke free and she woke up in the body of her sister Lu Yaoyao.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what I mean? My, how embarrassing! Is the college training such dim-witted girls these days?¡± Princess Liu Hua looked at Fourth Miss Lu, then to Ye Zhen with clear disdain.

    Princess Liu Hua was pampered since she was a child, and her character was unruly and willful. Seeing that all the people only ingratiate themselves with the Lu girls, she was already dissatisfied and decided to humiliate Fourth Miss Lu.

    She loved Mo Rongzhan for a long time. She thought she would be the Wang Fei of Mo Rongzhan, but instead, Ye Zhen was chosen to be his imperial concubine. When Ye Zhen died, Lu Wushuang was quick to take her ce. Furthermore, he had told her that he loved Lu Wushuang like a rare treasure. How could she not be jealous? With her cousin choosing someone of merchant¡¯s blood over her?

    She couldn¡¯t wait for the Lu family to die as quickly as the Ye family!

    Valueimpression ceholder

    ¡°You...¡± Fourth Miss Lu¡¯s face turned red with rage as she thought that this shy girl was humiliating her.

    She and Princess Liu Hua had already had the displeasure of meeting each other in college. She was about to start swearing, when she heard a calm and cold voice saying, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being a daughter of a merchant? How can the daughter of a merchant be inferior to that of a princess when you are behaving as though you are not?¡±

    ¡°Impudent! Who are you to dare say that to the Princess of this country?¡± Princess Liu Hua angrily said and rose from her seat.

    Fourth Miss Luughed mockingly, ¡°Even Mister Shan knows of it. It seems that your are just as short sighted as I expected.¡±

    ¡°Sir.¡± Ye Zhen greeted Mister Shan.

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27 ¨C To Be Famous (1)

    Mister Shan gave a slight nod towards Ye Zhen¡¯s direction before he set his gaze towards the ming Princess Liu Hua. He looked at her with indifference which made Princes Liu Hua more frustrated.

    She was also a student of the Women¡¯s College. So why then hasn¡¯t she heard of Mister Shan¡¯s name? Even if she felt angry, she was able to resistshing out, for the sake of reputation she had to look after.

    Mister Shan gave a courtesy to thedies. ¡°Ladies, you are all looking well! After years of absence, you have be even more elegant and young.¡±

    ming faces of thedies, young and old, were soon hidden behind their fancy fans.

    ¡°When did youe back, Mister Shan?¡± Madam Wu asked coquettishly.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been back for some days now and I wanted toe meet thedies. I send you many thanks for your generous hospitality.¡± Mister Shan replied before his eyes fell on Ye Zhen¡¯s calm face.

    Just now, he saw the scene under the bamboo shed. Somehow, he felt more and more inclined to the fact that Lu Yaoyao was very much like his former student. But another part of him told him that the third miss would not deliberately imitate Ye Zhen in both manner and appearance.

    Besides, Lu Yaoyao had never seen Ye Zhen before for she lived her whole life in the Border town.

    Is there really such a coincidence in this world, for both people to seem so alike?

    ¡°It is said that Mister Shan has a reputation of being very prestigious and never takes in students quite easily. I didn¡¯t expect to receive a merchant¡¯s daughter today. It seems that the rumors about him are not true.¡± Princess Liu Hua was unwilling to see Lu family being held in regard like this, and her being thrown in pits of defeat!

    ¡°Perhaps Mister Shan has lowered his standards or maybe he had decided toe in their favor after their status differed?¡±

    Mister Shan looked at her lightly. ¡°If the Princess Liu Hua knows that the Lu family is different now, why should she make remarks to provoke them?¡±

    Princess Liu Hua pointed to Ye Zhen and asked, ¡°The princess of this country would like to know how a merchant¡¯s daughter can be at par withte Wang Fei Ye Zhen and Zhao Yang? And how can she be deemed eligible in Mister Shan¡¯s eyes to be his student?¡±

    When Ye Zhen heard her name in the words of Princess Liu Hua, her eyes shed slightly with gloom and she looked up silently. Mister Shan appeared to be contemting his next words, but he soon gave a soft smile before speaking.

    ¡°I ept students when I see the potential I wanted. It¡¯s true, Yaoyao is iparable to the other two students, she has only read **Thousand Character ssic, but when she enters the college, you will know why she became my student.¡±

    **T/N : Thousand Character ssic ¨C is a Chinese poem that has been used as a primer for teaching Chinese characters to children from the sixth century onward.

    Princess Liu Hua smiled condescendingly, ¡°Are you telling me that she wants to enter the college after reading only A thousand Character ssic? Mister Shan, are you kidding me? ¡±

    The moment he epted Ye Zhen in answer to his master¡¯s whim, Mister Shan decided that he was taking it upon himself to prove that his reputation of having an eye for great students and being sought after by those who aspired to be his students were not for naught.

    ¡°She will be training for half a month. After that, we¡¯ll know if I am wrong or not.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s really something to look forward to.¡± The Princess of Liu Hua looked at Ye Zhen contemptuously and thought, how talented this woman really was to have caught Mister Shan¡¯s eye?

    It was a ridiculous to think that she had only learned A thousand Character ssic and nothing more! Princess Liu Hua learned it just short after she left the crib! And now, Lu Yaoyao stood unaffected before everyone, thinking that the women¡¯s college was a ce where she belonged.

    Truly, all the Lu girls are too ambitious for their own good, Princess Liu said in her mind with disgust.

    By this time, Ye Zhen felt anxious and her heart was in distress. If she doubted before, now she is certain that Mister Shan was not a person who wanted to argue with others who questioned his judgement.

    But today, he was uncharacteristically trying to make her famous in the capital.

    But why was he doing this? Why did Mister Shan want to make Lu Yaoyao as a thorn in the side of all these reputable people?

    To do so in a such a way is unthinkable, didn¡¯t he know that if Lu Yao were to fail in entering the women¡¯s college, then he will lose face?

    Mister Shan would lose his reputation and might even be unable to gain a foothold in the capital!

    It seemed to everyone that Mister Shan had gambled with his own reputation.

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28 ¨C To Be Famous (2)

    Ye Zhen looked at Mister Shan but saw that he was just smiling peacefully and seemed to have great confidence in her abilities.

    Seeing that the atmosphere was somewhat heavy and tensed, the gracious host Madam Wu smiled and said, ¡°This year¡¯s chrysanthemum blossoms has been very lovely. Why don¡¯t we go and enjoy the chrysanthemum?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good suggestion,¡± Old Madam Lu was aware of the stares of the people who looked down upon them secretly and who kept their distaste in their hearts. In return, she also disdained to deal with these kind of two-faced people.

    It was better to enjoy the flowers and be at ease somece else than here.

    However, Second and Fourth Miss Lu didn¡¯t have the heart to leave, so they excused themselves and decided to stay behind to talk and socialize with the girls from other families. Ye Zhen held Old Madam Lu¡¯s hand, and assisted theter out of the bamboo shed.

    The group haven¡¯t walk more than just a few steps, when they heard a shrill voice announcing,

    ¡°The Wang Fei has arrived!¡±

    Ye Zhen held Madam Lu¡¯s hand in surprise, a chill ran down her spine. The anger that she suppressed in her heart was starting to boil, roaring like a wild animal ready to leap out of her chest.

    Long-lost memoriese to mind like spring water rushing out.

    ¡°Thank you eldest brother, you were able to gain Ye Zhen¡¯s trust that she even confided her past with the emperor to you. If not for that, will the emperor ever think that I was that little girl who saved him?¡±

    ¡°Fortunately, I got her jade pendant in time. Ye Zhen is dead and everyone believes shemitted suicide.¡±

    ¡°If she¡¯s now in heaven and see how the emperor dotes on me now, she must have been vomiting blood out of envy!¡±

    ¡°All that matters is that you, Shuang¡¯er is the Wang Fei and not her anymore.¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s mind is filled with memories of those two years that passed with her being a roaming ghost. She watched Lu Wushuang own her jade pendant instead of her. She watched her being loved by Mo Rongzhan and how sheughed at Ye Zhen¡¯s ipetence and stupidity when no one was around.

    The most foolish thing she did in her life was not only trusting Lu Lingzhi, but also marrying Mo Rongzhan!

    Aware of the sudden tensing of Ye Zhen beside her, Old Madam Lu thought she maybe was too nervous and smiled to appease her, ¡°The Wang Fei is your cousin¡¯s own sister. There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of.¡±

    ¡°Grandma, I am...I am afraid I may displease the Wang Fei.¡± Ye said in a faint voice.

    At first, Ye Zhen doubted whether Lu Wushuang still remembered her appearance. She and Lu Wushuang¡¯s status was very different then.

    They were only seven years old when they met once in Baihua and since then, they never met again.

    Lu Wushuang couldn¡¯t possibly recognize her. Ye Zhen found it amusing that Lu Wushuang had gained a ce in Mo Rongzhan¡¯s heart by using the knowledge of Ye Zhen¡¯s rescue of him.

    In fact, she did not tell Lu Lingzhi that much and so, it was not difficult to expose Lu Wushuang¡¯s true face. But she did not want to have anything to do with Mo Rongzhan anymore.

    She didn¡¯t even want Mo Rongzhan to know that it was her that had saved him.

    Yes, when she was still ill and couldn¡¯t meet him, she buried a wooden box with her belongings in the ce where she had saved him. She does not know if those things were still buried there, if the box was still there, she must go there, find and destroy it.

    Mo Rongzhan no longer deserves her heart.

    Old Madam Lu returned to the bamboo shed. Everyone bowed, knelt down and greeted Lu Wushuang. Ye Zhen gritted her teeth and bit back her anger, holding it down her throat. She willed herself to kneel down along with Old Madam Lu.

    Once her knees touched the ground, she immediately felt the spreading of a terrible pain, but not from the difort of her knees kissing the rough ground but the pain she felt in her heart like needles piercing.

    She knelt down in front of the woman who delivered her to her demise.

    She felt great hatred but she could only endure. It was only Ye Zhen who knows what it was like, to feel such pain. . .

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29 ¨C Imperial Concubine Lu (1)

    Lu Wushuang was dressed in purple cotton, satin, and a flesh-coloured flying butterfly brocade. She wore a small hairpin with a golden penchant and arge peony* flower pinned near her sideburns, which made her appear beautiful and graceful.

    *T/N : Peonies ¨C Ancient China¡¯s national flower

    Ye Zhen had never seen Lu Wushuang until she was reborn. Back then Ye Zhen was the first and most important maiden in the capital and Lu Wushuang was a nobody. During that time, she never paid attention to Lu Wushuang, thetter had not caught her interest.

    After all, Lu Wushuang was only a daughter of a merchant, therefore she never step foot inside the Ye mansion nor Ye Zhen¡¯s abode.

    How could such a girlpare with the eldest daughter of a famous family like the Ye?

    But a mere merchant¡¯s daughter had indeed defeated Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Grandmother, please get up. Today, the pce is excited to see and bask in the glory of the flowers. Everyone should behave as usual. Please, do not bow before me.¡± Lu Wushuang personally lifted Madam Lu up her feet without batting an eye to Ye Zhen as she did so.

    Old Madam Lu¡¯s face was about bloom withughter at this remark, she then replied, ¡°The Wang Fei has a high status. How can an elderly woman such as myself not know of propriety?¡±

    ¡°Grandma, please don¡¯t speak of it.¡± Lu Wushuang chuckled and gestured to the imperial secretary behind her.

    ¡°Please give my grandma a seat, and everyone as well, do sit down. I heard the excitement here from a distance, I wonder what it is all about?¡±

    Hearing this, Ye Zhen looked at Mister Shan, who was standing behind the crowd, and suddenly saw in Mister Shan¡¯s eyes a hint of hatred.

    She was stunned by this for a moment. When she nced back at him to see his expression more clearly, he was already sporting a look of calmness.

    Was she wrong? Why did Mister Shan give such a look towards Lu Wushuang?

    ¡°Your imperial Highness, just now, Princess Liu Hua was betting with Mister Shan that his new student, our third sister will never be admitted to the Women¡¯s College because she is one of us, just from a merchant¡¯s family. Mister Shan said that even if third sister only learned thousands of characters ssic, she could still be admitted to the college nheless.¡±

    Fourth Miss Lu gestured anxiously in front of Lu Wushuang, she immediately stood up for she had wanted to take the opportunity to step on the foot on the princess as she spoke.

    When Lu Wushuang heard of Fourth Miss Lu¡¯s words, her eyes shed with a ray of disgust. She looked faintly at Princess Liu Hua and then at the using Fourth Miss Lu.

    ¡°Now who still dares to say that the Lu family are just mere merchants? The emperor has sealed grandfather as the marquis of Anyang. Have you forgotten all about it?¡±

    Fourth Miss Lu did not please but angered Lu Wushuang, the former¡¯s face changed slightly and she cast her head to look at the ground.

    Ye Zhen looked at Lu Wushuang and sneered at her in her heart. No one knew just how much Lu Wushuang disliked being known as a daughter of a merchant more than anything else.

    Back when her soul was still roaming in the pce, she witnessed Lu Wushuang executing her maid-in-waiting all because she identally uttered the word ¡°merchant¡± once.

    Princess Liu Hua looked pale.

    She was jealous that Lu Wushuang managed to gain the sole favor of the emperor. But now even her mother has lost the trust of the emperor which her mother had held before.

    She now, does not dare to be in such a situation with Lu Wushuang. For Lu Wushuang could crush her with only the tips of her fingers.

    Lu Wushuang looked scornfully at the Princess Liu Hua, and then turned her eyes back towards them, ¡°Grandma, is this my third sister?¡±

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30 ¨C The Imperial Concubine Lu (2)

    ¡°To answer the Wang Fei, this is the third miss who had lived at the Border town since her childhood. The little girl¡¯s name is Yao Yao.¡± Old Madam Lu quickly took Ye Zhen¡¯s hand as she said this.

    ¡°Third Sister,e here quickly and let me have a look at you.¡± Lu Wushuang looked at the appearance of Ye Zhen, she was dark-skinned and thin, but possessed a gentle smile on her face.

    Ye Zhen headed towards her, her face lowered to the ground as she walked. She did not do anything to alert them to her hatred, she kept those feelings hidden with all her strength.

    By doing this, she knew that to all the onlookers she appeared timid and cowardly.

    Those who had expected much from her would be a little disappointed.

    In this situation, in such a small familiar crowd, she managed to unexpectedly look at Mister Shan¡¯s eyes, it seemed to her that there was nothing in Mister Shan¡¯s eyes, just his irises staring back at her...

    ¡°Well, she looks like third aunt. Have you grown ustomed to living in capital?¡± Lu Wushuang took Ye Zhen¡¯s hand while eyeing her up and down once again, the hard ridges of the callous hands of Ye Zhen touched the soft, pampered palms of the Wang Fei.

    Ye Zhen answered in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m used to it now, your Imperial Highness. Grandmother is very kind to me.¡±

    Lu Wushuang gave a soft smile and said, ¡°I like what I see in you. We, daughters of the Lu family have never lost to anyone else. You have to strive to gain more courage and take the entrance examination to college, relying on your own strength.¡±

    By saying this, Lu Wushuang had meant that as imperial concubine, she will not help Ye Zhen enter the women¡¯s college, that she will not use her influence merely for her sister¡¯s benefit.

    It was a good thing saying this in front of the many, so whenever Ye Zhen seeds in entering the college in the future, people would say that it was all her doing, a fruit of her hard work.

    Lu Wushuang nodded with a smile and asked her to go back to Madam Lu, ¡°I heard that this year¡¯s King Chrysanthemum has bloomed exceptionally well. I can¡¯t help but feel pride that once again, the pce had lived up to its name.¡±

    Madam Wuughed, ¡°The Wang Fei never disappoints. Only she is worthy of the praises as beautiful as the Chrysanthemum King.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Madam Wu, you tter me too much!¡± Lu Wushuang nodded her thanks, and announced, ¡°Everyone, please enjoy the flowers of this pce!¡±

    Miss Lu and Miss Lu came and surrounded the olddy. Ye Zhen was pushed aside by them.

    While looking at Lu Wushuang leaving being followed by her entourage and a flock of people surrounding her, Ye Zhen¡¯s footsteps slowly stopped. She was not interested in enjoying the flowers. She had other things to do.

    The bamboo shed now housed no other people, even Mister Shan, and Princess Liu Hua had gone elsewhere to admire the flowers.

    Ye Zhen nced at the crowd in the distance and turned to the other direction.

    After walking for some time, she slowed down her pace. As she neared a familiar road, the memory of that fateful year slowly crept in her mind...

    If she hadn¡¯t run away and lost her way back then, she wouldn¡¯t have left so many things behind and she wouldn¡¯t have lost her heart as well.

    The grove is just ahead, Ye Zhen thought as she took careful steps. It was as if she saw a young boy and a little girl snuggling up to each other there, seeing this, her memory came rushing like a flood that burst from its enclosure, and flooded her mind.

    It was so fast and painful that she couldn¡¯t hold down nor control the distress she felt. She remembered that time when she was seven years old, there was a flower show hosted by the Ye family.

    She hade quite early with her grandmother. There were so many people at that time, and her grandmother and mother were busy entertaining guests.

    Therefore, she had wandered around by herself, until she had lost her way in the forest and met young Mo Rongzhan who had fallen into the well.

    At that time, Mo Rongzhan was still blind. He had fallen into the well and could not get out. His servants were all gone too.

    In order to save him, Ye Zhen ran to find many roots and tied them together one by one!

    For it was only through the tying method which her father had taught her would she be able to save him and pull him out of the well. The connected vines which were as strong as ropes, she diligently tied to a nearby tree, helped the young princee up from the well.

    One could see but got lost, and the other could not walk out of the woods for he was blind, so they had to stay for a while waiting for someone else to find them.

    ¡°I have only little food with me but I¡¯ll share with you its half.¡± The seven-year-old Ye Zhen had found two cakes from the pockets of her gown and had handed one to Mo Rongzhan.

    ¡°Is your hand hurt?¡± He had asked her, even if he couldn¡¯t see, his other senses made up for it.

    His sense of smell, for one, was particrly keen, and Young Mo Rongzhan was able to smell the blood from Ye Zhen¡¯s wound. His face that had been indifferent suddenly looked somewhat distressed.

    Her lips pouted, Ye Zhen replied in a low voice, ¡°I was scratched by the root of a tree and it hurts.¡± she hadined at the injustice of it all.

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31 ¨C The Young Emperor and Ye Zhen (1)

    When she was young, she had a sweet, and fruity aroma. It made people feel at ease around her, her presence soothed them physically and mentally.

    Her voice too was delicate and soft that people couldn¡¯t help but be calm.

    ¡°How did you get here?¡± Who was this? The young emperor of Qin Dynasty who was a crown prince back then was used to being on his guard, but for some reason, he couldn¡¯t help but lower his defenses to the little girl with him, and his voice grew much softer.

    But ever since Ye Zhen young, she had taken to heart her father¡¯s teaching. She knew that she should not tell strangers about herself, most importantly, she must not reveal her name. The Ye family is a noble line and people might take advantage once they find a lone child bearing the surname Ye.

    She faced the teenager then, she moved her neck in such a way as to slightly tilt her head to the side, she had asked him, ¡°Who are you then? How did you fall into the well?¡±

    ¡°Myst name is Mo, and my first name is Rongzhan. I ... lost my sight and identally fell into this well.¡± The young prince said in a low voice, but the expression on his face was dreadful, horribly gloomy even.

    Young Ye Zhen was surprised by his revtion, she stretched out her hand to him and held his face, ¡°Do your eyes hurt? Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be your voice, and shout for you!¡±

    Mo Rongzhan was surprised by this, he suddenly had a pair of soft palms cradling his cheeks. A body who smelled like fruit fell into his arms. He reached out to hold her. Only then did he know that the little girl was smaller than he had imagined.

    How old was she? Was she eight or seven?

    Just as he had begun to startle, something gentlynded on his eyelids, smoothing out the worry on them. It was her puckering lips. The sweet and honey-like aroma of fruit was quite pronounced. It took him a some time to respond to her touch.

    She then sprung out of his arms and smiled, ¡°Brother Mo, you are quite handsome. If only your eyes could see, then you will know that you must be the best-looking person in the capital. No, actually, the second best-looking. My dad said that it is I, Yao Yao, who is the prettiest person here!¡±

    The young emperor chuckled aloud, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my eyes will be well soon, is your name Yaoyao?¡±

    ¡°Oh, why did I say my nickname?¡± The young girl covered her mouth.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if I keep it a secret, no one will know of your name.¡± The young emperor of Qin Dynastyughed.

    Young Ye Zhen cast her head down. ¡°I¡¯m so hungry, why hasn¡¯t anyone found us yet?¡±

    ¡°There are fruit trees inside this forest. Let¡¯s find some fruits to appease our hunger. I believe someone will find us soon.¡±

    She became his eyes, hisrge hands grasped her small ones, their fingers interlocked together, as they walked deeper into the woods.

    s! they found a pear tree, although Mo Rongzhan couldn¡¯t see, still, he could urately pick the pears that were hanging, while Ye Zhen held the plucked pears and stuffed her face with loads of it. Juices sttered all over her then plumped face.

    The young emperor could not see what the little girl looked like, but he thought she must be a bright and cute girl. They talked in the woods for the remainder of the day.

    For most of it, it was Ye Zhen who was talking. She had just lost a front tooth a few days ago. The sisters in the family joked that she had lost the wind.

    She also told him that she had painted a pig on her father¡¯s face while he slept yesterday, and told her father that it was her brother¡¯s doing.

    And that it was her Brother¡¯s masterpiece, needless to say, the eldest brother was fatally punished by her father.

    The young emperor could only imagine the vivid expression on her face. He did not know why, but for the first time in his life, he hoped to see the light again. He wanted to know what the lovely little girl with him looked like.

    ¡°Will youe here to meet me again in three months?¡± Young Mo Rongzhan took the little girl¡¯s soft little hand and asked.

    ¡°Why in three months?¡± Asked the little girl.

    The young emperor said lightly, ¡°At that time, maybe I can finally see you.¡±

    Young Ye Zhenughed, ¡°You don¡¯t even know what I look like, how will you recognize me in the future?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you are right, how can I recognize you?¡± The young emperor lost his smile at this realization.

    But how could he not recognize her? Her voice andughter impressed him so deeply that he was certain he could not easily forget it.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t recognize me in the future, I¡¯ll tell you this, the King of Heaven, the Tiger of Earth, the River Devil of Pagoda Town, that¡¯s my code and yours. You can¡¯t tell anyone this, it¡¯s our secret.¡± Young Ye Zhen said innocently the secret code of her and her father¡¯s. There would be no third person in the world who knew it, right or wrong.

    Now Mo Rongzhan also knew it, making it three people who are knowledgeable of the code.

    The Emperor of Qin thought the phrase was weird, but he didn¡¯t say anything. He just took a jade pendant from his waist.

    ¡°You keep it. If I don¡¯te to you in three months, you cane to me with it in the future...Just show it and I will do as you say, for I owe you a favor.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± The girl epted the jade and held it close to her heart.

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32 ¨C The Young Emperor and Ye Zhen (2)

    Three monthster, little Ye Zhen became seriously ill and wasn¡¯t able to return to the woods to keep the promise.

    By the time she recovered and was allowed to go out, half a year had already passed!

    Later, she learned that Mo Rongzhan was the crown prince and was most unloved by the sovereign emperor, his father. She sought for him but he had already left the capital to fight in the brewing war against the neighboring country.

    And then...

    It was she who had asked her father to marry the Prince of Qin Dynasty, despite the few disapproval from her family, but she, as strong-willed as she was, remained undeterred.

    Thus, with the Ye Family¡¯s blessings, offering great wealth to the emperor as Ye Zhen¡¯s dowry and the Emperor¡¯s obligation to take someone as his Wang Fei, the two were wed on short notice.

    Despite this, Ye Zhen was never given he chance to reveal herself, to tell him that she was indeed the one who rescued him from the well.

    In their two years of marriage, they only met once and that was only during their wedding day, which she remembered Mo Rongzhan not sparing her even a single nce.

    On the night of their wedding, he came but only to express his distaste towards her family, then he left.

    Ye Zhen woke up from her memory. She looked at the still-existing dry well with a faint contemptuous look on her face. Now she recalls the past, but feels that the innocent little girl was a stranger and has nothing to do with her.

    She had truly wanted to marry him, and had just wanted to tell him that she was the little girl whom he met him in the woods. But before she knew it, he had already left for war again, robbing her of the opportunity to speak with him.

    It was two years before he came back and usurped the throne. She remembered her old self standing foolishly on her doorstep, waiting for a carriage that never arrived. Instead, she only received a cup of poisonous wine...

    It amused her that back then, she had truly hoped that she will grow old with him. The irony of it evoked a bitter smile on her face.

    Making sure that she was alone in that part of the woods, Ye Zhen walked to the big tree next to the dried up well.

    After she recovered from her serious illness, she came to the forest as soon as possible. She guessed that he would certainlye back again, so she buried a box under the tree with a purse she made herself. If he saw it, he would surely know who she was.

    He certainly didn¡¯t notice the secret code she carved in the tree, let alone the box she buried underneath. Ye Zhen dug up the ck wooden box from memory, and the pouch she had made was lying intact inside.

    The purse was not exquisite, but it was her first time to do embroidery for someone. She gave it to Mo Rongzhan instead of giving it to her father or brother.

    Property of Yao Yao whose true name is Ye Zhen.

    A son should return to his family.

    A line of words embroidered in the purse appeared to be little childish, but it was knitted with sincerity.

    She embroidered her nickname and boudoir name there along with a little message signifying that she wished his safe return.

    Tremendous effort of making this and Mo Rongzhan still regarded Lu Wushuang as her in the long run!

    Ye Zhen took down a hairpin from her bun and pulled out the threads of the purse, her fingers shaking uncontrobly.

    The purse has been around for years, made by her when she was still seven, thus the threads had long grown weak.

    Little by little, she tore open the purse that once carried her past and love. Ye Zhen died, and so did her love.

    It was not until the purse was destroyed that Ye Zhen finally threw the wooden box into the dry well. Inside the well, the torn rags could be seen discarded.

    Finally, thest tie with Mo Rongzhan was gone. It felt great and liberating.

    Ye Zhen walked out of the woods with a satisfied smile, but she couldn¡¯t stop the tears from streaking her cheeks..

    Not long after she left, a tall figure, who stood straight and proud, also came to the dry well, he nced at the small hole that had been dug under the tree.

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33 ¨C He Might As Well Die! (1)

    The man was wearing a dark blue embroidered ck brocade robe, which weighed on his stern figure, the air around him was made cold by his presence. He had a look on his eyes that made people uneasy each time they looked upon them.

    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± A man with a pale face, apparently a eunuch, behind him let out a cry in a deep voice.

    The man¡¯s gaze fell to the ground in an instant. The cold and fierce movement of his body was like a sword drawn out of its sheath. The tension from him was apparent.

    He bent down and picked up a small piece of clothying on the ground.

    ¡°Ford, go and check if the Wang Fei has visited this forest.¡± The man¡¯s voice was low, but it seemed to be mixed with a hint of coldness, too cold for a person to not dare look at him.

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Ford replied, bowing his head as he left the emperor to do his bidding.

    The man standing next to dry well was none other than Mo Rongzhan, who came to enjoy the flowers in the Baihua Garden. He had remembered what happened at the flower appreciation meeting and revisited the old ce out of nostalgia.

    He did not know why, but his heart always felt a little regretful. Though he believed that he found the girl who had saved him, in the person of Lu Wushuang.

    He had already confirmed that the little girl he had met back then was Lu Wushuang, and it was true he dotes on her, but he always felt something was missing. Lu Wushuang also seems not to like talking about the past they shared, she even forgot the secret code between the two them.

    She said she was too young to remember it ¡ª isn¡¯t she?

    She was nine years old at that time. Girls that age could clearly remember the remarkable!

    Mo Rongzhan eyebrow shot up, although he couldn¡¯t see the little girl at that time due to his temporary blindness, he thought she was at most six or seven years old.

    Not knowing what to make of the piece of cloth he found, Mo Rongzhan jumped into the dry well. The dry well was a prison to him back then for he was little and blind at that time, but now it was no longer a problem for him.

    Inside the dry well, there was a wooden box that had been broken into pieces. There are still pieces of it scattered inside the well. The Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes dulled slightly and he gathered all the pieces of cloth.

    The cloth was brocade, its color is faded and it didn¡¯t seem new, looking like it was made ages ago.

    He pieced together the reparable rags, others are far ruined, in his hands and when he was through, it revealed a broken word, his face broke into a realization.

    ¡°Yao¡±

    Looking at the familiar name embroidered, he was suddenly brought back to the time she was saved by the little girl.

    ¡°Brother Mo, you are quite handsome. If only your eyes could see, then you will know that you must be the best-looking person in the capital. No, actually, the second best-looking. My dad said that it is I, Yao Yao, who is the prettiest person here!¡±

    All of the sudden, the sweet, honey-like and soft voice of the little girl filled his ear, and he bowed his head and tightly stared at the words on the cloth. Is this what she left behind? Why was it torn to pieces?

    There was no stain on the cloth. It should not have been thrown away! It deemed to him that someone has been on the exact ce he was standing!

    Mo Rongzhan immediately jumped out of the dry well, and went out of the woods, who was it? Who was here just now?

    He circled the woods, but did not see a figure. He tightened his fist and doubt slowly floated in his heart. If he didn¡¯t see the word Yao, he almost forgot, the little girl was nicknamed Yao Yao.

    Lu Wushuang never said she had a nickname.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I have just made my inquiries discreetly. The Wang Fei has been enjoying the flowers back there and has never been here.¡± Ford reported as he returned. Seeing Mo Rongzhan¡¯s face, he could read the malicious and insidious feelings swelling up in his master¡¯s heart.

    Mo Rongzhan said coldly, ¡°Go and find out who had been to this grove.¡±

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34 ¨C He Might As Well Die! (2)

    Ford, the pce eunuch. quickly set out to do the emperor¡¯s bidding, still he felt a slight doubt in his heart. Why did the emperor have such a special liking for this small forest?

    Since the emperor has been crowned and sat on the dragon throne, he came here from time to time as if he was waiting for someone.

    What surprised Ford most was back when the emperor was newly wed, he had left his young wife in the room and sat alone inside the woods, all night.

    Mo Rongzhan went back to pick up the wooden box from inside the dried up well, he carefully searched for it again. He found no other pieces of cloth that would be of help.

    Only then did he calmly left the well. On his way, he saw Ford walking aimlessly, a deep crease on his forehead as he diligently asked people on whoever happen to have entered the forest.

    He put the pieces of cloth inside the box which he carried in his hand. Noticing his master¡¯s foreboding presence, Ford ran up to him and Mo Rongzhan ordered him covertly to find out where the pieces of cloth came from.

    ¡°You are dismissed, you can now enjoy the flowers.¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s face no longer had fury and was once again calm, but his eyes seemed to have grown colder.

    Having stayed with him for many years now, Ford sighed, knowing that the emperor had never trulyughed since he was a child. When he met the Wang fei Lu Wushuang, he saw tenderness on his face, but these past days he seemed to have returned to the past.

    Although, at the very least, the Wang fei was already special to the emperor. Unlike the former Wang Fei Ye whom he didn¡¯t visit at all. When he thought of thete Wang Fei, Ford sighed again.

    He remembered the emperor¡¯s Blood Feud with the Ye family which lead to the death of the whole n. Tying the knot didn¡¯t stop the bitter end that fell on the Ye family.

    Just as Ford was immersed in the thoughts of this memories, Mo Rongzhan had already arrived at the chrysanthemum forest. Amongst the crowd, Wang fei Lu saw the familiar tall figure, and her face burst into a brilliant and matchless smile.

    ¡°Emperor, why are you here?¡± She greeted him with a deep curtsy.

    In her mind, she must have been so special for the emperor toe and join her in the festival!

    Mo Rongzhan nced at thedies before looking down at Lu Wushuang. ¡°I haven¡¯t been to Baihua Garden for a long time, and I wanted toe here to admire the flowers.¡±

    Lu Wushuang smiled smugly, knowing that thedies around her was burning with envy, ¡°I thought the emperor was somewhere with the elders and men.¡±

    Today, aside from the gathering of her kinsmen and women from the capital and, there was also a gathering of men on the other side. In addition to enjoying the flowers, they were scheduled to go on hunting along the nearby hills.

    ¡°I will walk with you.¡± Mo Rongzhan said in a whisper, showing his special favor to Lu Wushuang.

    All the young women present were envious at the disy of the couple¡¯s obvious affection towards each other. This scene was witnessed by the people who gathered under the bamboo shed.

    As expected, the Princess Liu Hua was fuming red with jealousy. She could not sit still any longer. She could no longer take it. She immediately got up and went over to do steal the attention of Mo Rongzhan.

    It was no surprise that Ye Zhen also saw Mo Rongzhan. Although the distance between them was a little far, she could still see his appearance quite clearly. Her soul had stayed beside him for two years. His appearance is already engraved deeply in her mind.

    He did not look that much different from when he was in his youth, but now he appears to have a more calm and restrained countenance. He had narrow, sharp eyes, thin and light lips that still had no trace of a smile, his features were handsome and could manage to steal people¡¯s breath away, he was tall but did not have a bulky figure.

    Just like a sword in the scabbard showing pride to the outside world with an aura of independence.

    ¡°Do you envy the Wang Fei because she is treasured by no other than the Emperor himself?¡± Suddenly someone spoke to her.

    Ye Zhen was startled and looked back to see that it was only Mister Shan. Ye Zhen¡¯s mouth smiled slightly and looked at the tall figure walking farther away. ¡°What is there to envy?¡±

    Mister Shan raised his eyebrows and looked at Ye Zhen. ¡°There is no young woman in the world who does not want such honor. Don¡¯t you want it too?¡±

    Yes, she imagined that all women desired such honor and the luxury thates with it. But if she wanted it, she would not have married Mo Rongzhan before.

    The Emperor of Qin Dynasty was thete emperor¡¯s least favored son. She even heard that he was a bastard and his father loathed his existence. That¡¯s why, even he was the first born son, thus the crown prince, his father wasn¡¯t willing to pass to him the throne.

    Generally, Ye Zhen didn¡¯t expect Mo Rongzhan to actually usurp the throne yet, she still had her eyes on him alone.

    Back then, many people in the Ye family was displeased of her marrying Mo Rongzhan. She turned a deaf ear towards her family¡¯s objections and followed her heart.

    As a result, she had pitifully died, killed in cold blood by the people she trusted. And most of all, she left this world without her love being reciprocated.

    She has only one purpose in her life now.

    As for Mo Rongzhan, he might as well die!

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35 ¨C Hunting (1)

    Hearing Ye Zhen¡¯s answer, Mister Shan looked at her in fascination, as if to find out if she meant what she said. Ye Zhen looked back at him with clear and calm eyes, then she trained her gaze over the beautiful flowers.

    ¡°You are special.¡± Mister Shan mumbled to himself as he came to realize that among the Lu Family, Lu Yaoyao is indeed special, different in many ways.

    ¡°Sir, why don¡¯t we go somewhere else?¡± Not long from now, Mo Rongzhan would certainlye back here with Lu Wushuang and Ye Zhen wanted to steer clear from fostering any interaction with them.

    At first, she thought that she would be very excited to see Mo Rongzhan again, but at this time, she was rather withdrawn, and her heart¡¯s excitement had ceased to exist.

    Mister Shan also seemed unwilling to divulge himself more in thepany of thedies and agreed to Ye Zhen¡¯s proposal. They excused themselves and walked in the opposite direction the couple went off to avoid undesired meetings.

    However, the odds wasn¡¯t in her favor and she found Lu Lingzhi on the other side! The thought of enjoying flowers in peace by avoiding Mo Rongzhan and Lu Wushuang turned out to be a useless attempt!

    Nheless, Ye Zhen carried on with her stroll in the garden as if his presence didn¡¯t bother her. If she left, she would be definitely giving room for suspicion in Mister Shan¡¯s mind.

    Lu Lingzhi knew that the Wang Fei Lu Wushuang, his dear sister, was enjoying the flowers in the forest. He thought that Yao Yao must be with the her at this time and probably, with thepany of the emperor too!

    With her sister and the emperor not in in sight, he just wished silently that Lu Yaoyao wasn¡¯t with them. He was still worried that the emperor would be reminded of Ye Zhen the moment heys his eyes on Ye Zhen.

    By the time he¡¯d seen Ye Zhen not far away, talking with Mister Shan, the famous academe teacher in Jin country, Lu Lingzhi felt like a burden was just lifted off his chest. He wondered what they were talking about, specially when Ye Zhen¡¯s face slowly brightened up, followed by her sweetughter.

    Theugh was sweet and charming. Suddenly, his nostrils were filled with the fragranceing out of the earth. Autumn, Ye Zhen¡¯s favorite time of the year.

    Funny, she also used tough like that. But it was a long time ago, he shook of the memory.

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Some of Lu Lingzhi¡¯spanion noticed his indifference to their conversation and quickly snatched his attention back.

    A total of five or six people on his side were young men who had followed Mo Rongzhan to conquer the world. When they saw Lu Lingzhi¡¯s eyes directed behind them, they also looked behind and see what¡¯s getting him captivated.

    Doing so, they happen to see Ye Zhen picking up a pink crab apple flower* from a tree and pinned it to her temples with a smile on her face.

    *T/N : Crab Apple flower

    ¡°Ah! I¡¯d never thought I¡¯d see the day where our dear Lu Lingzhi, a man of iron heart, will stare like a besotted fool on a little girl!¡± A handsome man beside him named Tang Zhen burst outughing.

    Lu Lingzhi nced back at him annoyingly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t wait until we ask which family the girl is from, and then the brothers will propose for you!¡±

    Theughter was too loud, it was impossible for Ye Zhen to act deaf of it, but she must remain detached from themotion for she knew Lu Lingzhi was a part of it.

    ¡°Sir, let¡¯s go somewhere else.¡± Ye Zhen asked Mister Shan as she really had no intention of paying greetings to Lu Lingzhi.

    Mister Shan gave a confused look at Ye Zhen.

    What¡¯s the matter with this little girl? Lu Lingzhi is her eldest brother. In the future, she may have to rely on him to have a better future. Why doesn¡¯t she seem to like him and avoids him like gue?

    ¡°Yao Yao!¡± Lu Lingzhi had already stopped Ye Zhen from her tracks. Her shoulder stiffened as she held her breath.

    s! It was toote to leave!

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36 ¨C Hunting (2)

    It¡¯s a pity that she hasn¡¯t at least taken two wide strides earlier! Ye Zhen was beyond frustrated.

    Now, Lu Lingzhi had already drew nearer with his horse. Narrowing the distance between them, Lu Lingzhi acknowledged Mister Shan then looked at Ye Zhen. Afterwards, he smiled, the smile Ye Zhen knew all too well.

    ¡°Yao Yao, I have heard that you often go hunting with your fourth brother in the border town. Your fourth brother is now in the woods. Do you want to join him?¡±

    Not at all! Ye Zhen refused deliberately in her heart, but with a smile on her face, she replied, ¡°Eldest brother, if I go hunting, my mother will break my leg. She will not allow me to be as crazy as I have been in the border town.¡±

    ¡°How can hunting be crazy? You are not the only one in the woods. The princesses in the women¡¯s pce are also there, riding their stallions!¡± Lu Lingzhi urged. Before Ye Zhen could refuse again, he called out the near servant boy.

    ¡°Young man! Bring the horse over.¡±

    Ye Zhen saw thed unsaddle the horse dutifully then she frowned at Lu Lingzhi before sternly refusing, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go.¡±

    On her side, Mister Shan felt helpless, and was a bit concerned at Ye Zhen turning down her eldest brother¡¯s request tantly. This might create a stain on her name!

    At a moment¡¯s notice, he intervened. ¡°Go ahead. You will have to take the entrance examination and take the royal riding examination. It¡¯s a good idea to practice now.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi nced at Mister Shan gratefully. He didn¡¯t want the emperor to meet Lu Yaoyao at this time. Although he felt that the emperor might not remember the appearance of Ye Zhen, he still wanted to avoid it. And one way to be certain of this was to keep her by his side.

    Even if Mo Rongzhan can¡¯t remember, what about the people around them?

    Ye Zhen could not reject the invite anymore so she seized the reins, mounted and maneuvered the horse cleanly.

    In fact, both Ye Zhen and Lu Yaoyao¡¯s riding skills were good. The difference is that Lu Yaoyao was trained purely for ying and hunting. On the other hand, riding for Ye Zhen was a necessity.

    Her father taught her personally. Whether it was only for ying polo or hunting, she showed the demeanor of a miss of a noble family in the capital.

    Mister Shan was also from a well-known family. Just looking at the posture of Ye Zhen handling the horse, he knew that the little girl was not bad at riding.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Lu Lingzhi looked at Ye Zhen with a slight squint. His handsome face cheered up and his mood seemed to mirror the tranquility of the ce, although still a little skittish inside.

    Ye Zhen nodded and bid herpanion goodbye. ¡°Sir, I¡¯ll go first.¡±

    ¡°I hope there will be fresh rabbit meat to cook tonight,¡± Mister Shan said in jest.

    ¡°Sir, rest assured that as long as there are rabbits in the woods, I will make a hot pot for you.¡± Ye Zhen smiled and looked ahead to their destination. Mounting the horse, she seemed to reminisce the past, her previous life.

    At that time, no matter how infuriating she was just as what her mother imed her to be, her father always embraced her and made her feel better.

    Father...

    Ye Zhen remembered her father¡¯s generous and gentle smile as he taught her how to ride a horse. Her father¡¯s soothing words throughout her angina pectoris*.

    *T/N : Angina pectoris is the medical term for chest pain or difort due to coronary heart disease.

    Overwhelmed with emotions, she threw the reins in her hand and galloped out like an arrow in full swing! The people nearby were startled.

    Lu Lingzhi and hispanions raced to catch up while people watched the scene of bustle. Riding behind him was Tang Zhen whom he urged them to keep up with his pace.

    ¡°It¡¯s really nice to extend the riding skill to the girls of the family! Her skills is not a bit like those spoiled girls¡¯ in the capital!¡± Tang Zhen couldn¡¯t help but remark.

    He too was amazed that a girl such as Ye Zhen harbors such impressive skills!

    ¡°Yao Yao! Slower!¡± Lu Lingzhi shouted amidst the wind.

    Despite Lu Lingzhi¡¯s yell, Ye Zhen didn¡¯t hear a word ¡ª or chose not to. She could only enjoy herself at this moment where she felt like is herself again, when she didn¡¯t feel the need to be careful to keep her disguise, just letting her hands take the reigns as the horse galloped freely on the vastnd.

    With her swift pace, she shortly entered the woods and cast aside the people that was hot on her trail.

    However, Lu Lingzhu and his colleagues was honed in the harsh conditions of battlefield ¡ª riding was like a picking que stuck between their teeth. They soon caught up with Ye Zhen.

    They warned her to stop but when they saw her hold the arrow hanging on the side of the horse, they were lost for words...

    Ye Zhen, like a true marksman, drew the bow and arrow fluidly with her frail arms..

    The arrow was too fast for their eyes to follow its glide...What they only saw as soon as Ye Zhen released the arrow was a grey rabbit flopped down on the ground, the arrow plunged deep in its head. From its position, it could be disclosed that it was hiding behind the tall grass.

    How did Ye Zhen managed to shoot it?

    Lu Lingzhi was stupefied while he looked at Ye Zhen¡¯s delicate side face and the rabbit she shot like an ace.

    ¡°Yao Yao!¡± Lu Xiangzhi heard of the ruckus and came quickly. Seeing Lu Xiangzhi, saw Ye Zhen came to him happily at once.

    ¡°Brother, I shot a rabbit!¡± Ye Zhen beamed at Lu Xiangzhi. In her mind, there are only three people in the Lu family she would not resent. That is Pei Shi, Lu Shiming and Lu Xiangzhi.

    Without them, how could her sister live so splendidly?

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37 ¨C Competition (1)

    Ye Zhen got off the horse and went with Lu Xiangzhi to fetch the gray rabbit that had been shot. However, she shared one attribute of her sister Lu Yaoyao, they are both afraid of blood. As she neared the rabbit, she called out for Lu Xiangzhi. ¡°Brother, please pick it for me!¡±

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you changed your fear of blood?¡± Liu Xiangzhi teased her, looked her up and down, whispered to her ear, ¡°Yao Yao, I found you look a lot better today. It seems that you are indeed suitable to be called as the monkey of the capital.¡±

    Ye Zhen gave him an angry look. ¡°I am a great beauty!¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi burst outughing and shook his head. He tapped the temples of Ye Zhen who appeared to be sulking and said, ¡°Come, I¡¯ll take you hunting with me!¡±

    ¡°Ahem.¡± Lu Ling¡¯s gentle cough reminded them not to be toocent and forgetful, while others were watching them.

    His eyes rested on Ye Zhen. The younger miss Lu seemed to have never smiled at him like this. The genuinely happy smile from the heart made her look bright. Even though her skin was not fair enough, she still made people reluctant to remove her eyes from her face.

    ¡°Eldest brother, you are here.¡± Lu Xiangzhi paid a courtesy on his trip. ¡°I¡¯ll take Yao Yao to hunt there. We won¡¯t disturb you any longer.¡±

    ¡°Lingzhi, she¡¯s your cousin,, eh?¡± Tang Zhen¡¯s calcting eyes fell at Ye Zhen. He couldn¡¯t be mistaken, the little girl called Lu Xiangzhi her brother which makes her a rtive of his pal, Lu Lingzhi!

    Lu Lingzhi just remembered at this moment that he has not yet introduced Ye Zhen. ¡°My fourth brother and third sister just came back from the Border town.¡±

    ¡°Sister?¡± As soon as Tang Zhen heard of this, his eyes lit up, he immediately looked at Ye Zhen with augh, ¡°Miss Lu is good at riding and archery!¡±

    The smile on the corners of Ye Zhen¡¯s mouth narrowed a little, and she gave him a courtesy. ¡°Many thanks.¡± was her timid reply.

    ¡°Third sister, shall we have apetition?¡± This made Ye Zhen threw a withering look at Tang Zhen, showing that she was not impressed by his audacity to call her his sister. My, this man was a tough job!

    Instead of answering, she turned her head to Lu Xiangzhi. She was only a girl raised in a boudoir. Faced with such an invitation, she naturally asked her brother to intervene and let his opinion be heard.

    Regrettably, Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s impression of Lu Yaoyao was that she never cared about the vulgarity of thesepetitions. He only thought his sister wanted to join but was too afraid of being scolded by their mother. He deemed the look she gave him as not a helpless look but rather, a yearn for approval!

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. Brother is with you. Let them see what you can do!¡± Lu Xiangzhi winked at Ye Zhen, thinking that he just did her a favor where in fact, it was the other way around. When they were in the Border town, they often went out to hunt with others without telling Pei Shi. This would not be different.

    Ye Zheng stared at him, absolutely a frustrated. She didn¡¯t mean that at all. She had no interest in spending the festival with these people, let alone participating in apetition instigated by a man driven by his pride!

    ¡°By all means, let Yao Yaopete against him.¡± Lu Lingzhi said encouragingly.

    Ye Zhen nced at Tang Zhen lightly. She was not blind. Naturally, she saw that this Tang Zhen wanted to please her intentionally and so, he approached her. ¡°It¡¯s alright to have apetition, but what is the price for the victor?¡±

    ¡°What do you want third sister?¡± asked Tang Zhen in his sly voice.

    Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t take more of his boldness. She found him repulsive, his bearing not reflecting his docile and pleasant appearance. ¡°Don¡¯t call me sister so casually. My brothers are here.¡±

    Tang Zhen was not angered either. Instead, he grinned. ¡°Lu Lingzhi and I are sworn brothers, and his sister is naturally my sister too!¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at him coldly and noticed one thing. A silver whip which glinted from catching the rich rays of the sun was pinned to his waist. ¡°If I win, you will lose that silver whip to me.¡±

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38 ¨C Competition (2)

    Without thinking twice, Tang Zhen nodded. ¡°What if you lose then?¡±

    He didn¡¯t expect this girl to have such a good eye, thus picking his silver whip at a nce. It was not an easy-to-get treasure. In fact, it was thest piece of its kind in the world!

    ¡°I¡¯m a weak woman. What¡¯s so strange about losing hunting to you? You must be ashamed to ask me for something.¡± The others all burst outughing and said that Ye Zhen spoke very well.

    Ye Zhen actually did not know these people, at least in her lifetime, she had never seen them, but she knew that these people are the most trustworthy men of Mo Rongzhan.

    In her years as a vengeful ghost in the pce, she often saw Tang Zhen at the pce. The way he easily talks to everyone without care, including Lu Lingzhi told her that his achievements were still above Lu Lingzhi¡¯s.

    Tang Zhen smiled wryly, ¡°You¡¯re too clever as a younger sister.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi intervened, with clear voice he said, ¡°Do you darepete?¡±

    Tang Zhenughed at this, he has never been sure his entire life than this moment! ¡°Ah, third younger sister, Elder brother Tang Zhen will let you have three arrows. The one who shoots a sika deer first wins!¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Ye Zhen nodded and mounted her horse again. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go first.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi frowned at Ye Zhen¡¯s disappearing figure in the woods and said to Lu Xiangzhi, ¡°Fourth Brother, do hurry up. Third Sister is not familiar with this ce.¡± He told Lu Xiangzhi to keep up with Ye Zhen¡¯s horse.

    Tang Zhen smugly looked ahead, and the people next to him came and asked him eagerly, ¡°You got this silver whip from the emperor with great difficulty. Are you really willing to give it to that little girl?¡±

    ¡°The silver whip is precious, but isn¡¯t that little girl more precious?¡± Tang Zhen imagined the girl holding the silver whip. She would be breathtaking, he thought.

    ¡°Go, go, go and we shall see!¡± Someone urged, can¡¯t wait to know whether the Third miss Lu can win against Tang Zhen. Lu Lingzhi caught up with Ye Zhen and turned to her and waned softly,

    ¡°Third sister, the deeper the forest goes, the more dangerous it is. You can¡¯t risk your own safety for the sake of winning or losing.¡±

    Ye Zhen ignored his plead. What¡¯s there to be worried of? She was very familiar with this ce...

    She used toe here to hunt with her father and her second brother. When she thought of her father and her second brother, she felt a twinge of pain in her heart and hated Lu Lingzhi beside her even more...

    ¡°If you are worried about danger, you don¡¯t have to follow me, I have my brother with me.¡± Ye Zhen said with seething voice.

    Lu Xiangzhi, who had just arrived just in time to hear her words scolded her immediately, ¡°Yao Yao, how can you talk to eldest brother like that?¡± His face was very disappointed and was a bit red out of embarrassment.

    Lu Lingzhi motioned with his hand, ¡°Third Sister is still young.¡± He looked at Ye Zhen¡¯s unhappy side face. ¡°Eldest brother only cares about you and has no other meaning.¡± said Lu Lingzhi patiently as though she was a child in fit who needed pacifying, and more patience.

    Ye Zhen pressed down the hatred in her chest, pulled the reins and continued to advance deeper in the forest.

    ¡°Eldest brother, Yao Yao, she¡¯s a little short-tempered, others say she¡¯s hard to deal sometimes. But I¡¯m certain that she meant no offense.¡± Lu Xiangzhi spoke well of his sister.

    Lu Lingzhi nodded and understood, ¡°I know, you watch her carefully.¡± He could already feel that his third sister disliked him because he wouldn¡¯t let her go to the women¡¯s college.

    It also didn¡¯t escape Lu Lingzhi¡¯s heedful senses how reluctant she was when she called him eldest brother, but when she called him Lu Xiangzhi her elder brother, she was intimate and tender. That¡¯s what a sister looks like.

    Looking at Ye Zhen gallop farther and farther, Lu Lingzhi hurried up. Why did she seem to be familiar with this ce? Has she, by any chance, visited this ce before?

    Ye Zhen is indeed very familiar with it. She knows where the deer herds are most. She used to only liked to hunt small animals, but her second brother likes to hunt sika deer here and taught her how to properly hunt.

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39 ¨C Gambling and Losing (1)

    Deep in the woods, the group stumbled upon akeside forest which the sika deer find most pleasing to live. Sika deers have a particr liking towards cleanliness and silence just as what this ce appeared to be. Nheless, they are very social animals which are quick in running in the presence of danger.

    Autumn is the season when the does are in heat. At this time, they will appear restless and will have losses in appetite. With the females in the herd in heat, male deer are fierce and aggressive, so hunters must be more careful than usual.

    Ye Zhen rolled over, dismounted and walked slowly in the grass. She saw a sika deer feasting on the grass with its head bowed. Lu Lingzhi¡¯s brothers walked behind her with one eye on the sika deer and the other on Ye Zhen moving with stealth through the forest. Her sandals slowly touched the dirt and she crouched low after fathering the hems of her gown.

    Tang Zhen soon arrived and saw only three horses on the other side and no one. He made a sign with others to disperse and go hunting. He took a few steps to the front and found a slight noise in the grass. He thought it was prey but when he looked intently, he saw that it was only Ye Zhen and her brothers.

    He bent down and walked past them, only to find a sika deer not far from them ¡ªYe Zhen was eyeing it intensely. Tang Zhen held his breath and did not move forward again for fear of alerting the sika deer.

    Ye Zhen has pulled out the bow and arrow, positioned her arm, ready tounch. When she released the arrow, doubt crept on her face all of a sudden and she intentionally budges the bow a little to the left. As a result, the arrow hit not the deer, but the grass it was eating!

    The sika deer jumped and ran as fast as it could deeper in the forest.

    Frustrated, Ye Zhen¡¯s eyebrow wrinkled up, giving an almost murderous look towards hispanions. After brushing her knees, she stood erect and gathered her bow and arrow in her frail arms. ¡°I¡¯ll find the next prey.¡± She whispered to Lu Xiangzhi.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you shoot it?¡± Lu Lingzhi asked in a low voice.

    Ye Zhen turned around and found Tang Zhen behind. He and Lu Lingzhi had a look of confusion on their faces. It was such an excellent opportunity wasted! Why did she not shoot down the sika deer?

    ¡°Third sister, don¡¯t you want my silver whip?¡± Tang Zhen asked with a yful smile.

    Lu Xiangzhi answered before Ye Zhen could throw a word, ¡°Just now, it was a female deer and is pregnant. A pregnant female deer shall not be killed.¡±

    Ye Zhen was slightly stunned in her heart. She didn¡¯t expect Lu Xiangzhi held dear to the same principle This brought her to thinking of Lu Yaoyao. He and her twin sister always did the same thing in the past. Surprisingly, although she and her sister did not grow up together, many of their habits were the same! Feeling remorse in her heart, Ye Zhen thought that if they grew together, she and Lu Yaoyao would have agreed on so many things.

    ¡°Third younger sister, I¡¯m afraid your kindness will cause your defeat,¡± said Tang Zhen before belting augh.

    Ye Zhen said tly, ¡°The prosperity of all things requires continuous growth. If hunters kill even the pregnant female deers sooner orter, there will be no deers to hunt anymore! What kind of hunting did you wish to y then? Killing the youngs are benevolent enough, let alone butchering the pregnant does.¡±

    Tang Zhen didn¡¯t expect Ye Zhen to say such a thing, and he couldn¡¯t help but admire. ¡°What the third sister said is true.¡± The corners of Lu Lingzhi¡¯s lips lifted as he watched the exchange. Judging by her origin, he didn¡¯t expect her to have such reasonable insights about these things.

    Guess what, Lu Lingzhi was in for more of her surprises.

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40 ¨C Gambling and Losing (2)

    Ye Zhen went to the woods with her bows and arrows. Tang Zhen followed suit, watching her with keen eyes, observing her every move and seeing if she could really hunt.

    He had seen women hunting before, but most of them wanted to show off their kindness in front of the man they liked. Some were more cruel than men. Both young and pregnant female animals were all shot mercilessly. This girl is different though, he thought to himself.

    The more Tang Zhen looked at Ye Zhen, the more he felt that he liked her. It was really strange that he had justughed at Lu Lingzhi. When he knew that this girl was his sister, he felt very lucky.

    Ye Zhen did not know what Tang Zhen was thinking while walking behind her. She found another male deer so she stopped to find a hiding ce in the woods.

    Tang Zhen also found several sika deer in the woods. He turned to look at Ye Zhen. Although he didn¡¯t mind giving her the silver whip, if he really lost, he would also lose his face. Ah! The embarrassment of losing to a girl!

    But he promised to give her three arrows.

    Ye Zhen has picked up her bow and arrow and aimed it at a male deer that seems to have just had a fight. He doesn¡¯t look alert and is licking the wound on his leg. Male deer often fight for female deer this season.

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s eyes fell on Ye Zhen unblinkingly. He felt that the third miss was very much like to thete Wang Fei Ye Zhen, not only with their looks but also with their ardor in hunting.

    Ye Zhen was a woman who is kept in a deep family so she was raised to be an ideal noble woman. Lu Yaoyao, however, was not as beautiful as Ye Zhen but she was more vivid and bright than Ye Zhen was.

    Fortunately, Lu Wushuang doesn¡¯t know what Ye Zhen looks like, or Lu Yaoyao will not be allowed to stay in capital the moment Lu Wushuang notices their resemnce.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s ck and clear eyes glowed with burning determination as she pulled the bowstring full and quickly released the arrow from its position. Before it could reach the male deer, she had already taken out the second arrow and shot it out quickly.

    Hearing the string whooshing on air, the male deer jumped up in shock, dodged the first arrow but could not hide behind the second and third arrows. Each arrow hit crucial parts, making the deery lifeless on the ground, dying without pain. It was a quick death.

    Lu Xiangzhiughed and was d that his sister was more urate than before. ¡°Yao Yao, your archery is better than before!¡±

    That¡¯s for sure. Lu Yaoyao did not have any training while Ye Zhen was taught by her father. If Lu Yaoyao was not sent away, she would probably be better than Ye Zhen!

    Ye Zhen looked a little sad and Lu Lingzhi looked at her with concern, ¡°Why are you not happy to win?¡±

    Thepetition between her and Tang Zhen was over. Tang Zhen also said that she would have three arrows. now she won without having to

    ¡°Oh brother, we¡¯ll take the male deer back and make a coat of deerskin for grandmother,¡± Ye Zhen said to Liu Xiangzhi.

    Lu Xiangzhi nodded and moved the male deer atop his horse. Tang Zhen has also shot a male deer, eventhough thepetition was over. He lost anyway.

    ¡°I lost to my third sister¡± and was convinced that this little girl¡¯s archery was not a joke.

    Ye Zhen smiled, ¡°Thank you for your silver whip.¡±

    ¡°Only when you call me brother Tang Zhen will I give you the silver whip.¡± Tang Zhen has taken the whip from his waist dramatically as though he has to give it to a beautiful woman as a gift.

    ¡°Don¡¯t y tricks on me, Tang Zhen..¡± Ye Zhen frowned. Where did shee from so many brothers?

    Lu Lingzhi casted a cold look to Tang Zhen, ¡°You were willing to Bet and Lose!¡±

    This caused aughter from Tang Zhen who then shook his head and offered the silver whip to Ye Zhen. ¡°Please ept it, Third Sister.¡± Ye Zhen took the silver whip and put it into her horse¡¯s bag. ¡°Thank you, I like the silver whip.¡±

    Who doesn¡¯t like such precious treasures?

    ¡°Do you still want to continue hunting?¡± Tang Zhen asked. Lu Lingzhi tried to stop Ye Zhen from agreeing and saying ¡°yes¡±. Ye Zhen on the other hand didn¡¯t find the idea so bad, she hasn¡¯t been so carefree in a long time, just taking this opportunity to rx.

    Deeming Ye Zhen¡¯s silence as a yes, Tang Zhen gleefully fetched her horse for her, ¡°Third younger sister, please.¡±

    Ye Zhen looked back at Lu Xiangzhi ¡°Brother, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi smiled and nodded back to see Lu Lingzhi reluctantly mounted his horse and seemed to be nning to go with them. Heughed, ¡°Eldest brother, you haven¡¯t fired an arrow yet!¡±

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41 ¨C Failure (1)

    Even before Ye Zhen imed her price by piercing the arrow deep in the deer¡¯s head, the malerades around had already settled their bets, and that is on theirmander Tang Zhen. That¡¯s why, their jaws hit the ground as soon as the silver whip was handed to Ye Zhen as a token of her victory!

    It was simply unthinkable! Tang Zhen was already the best among them in archery. How could he lose to a little girl?

    Or did he intentionally gave way to Ye Zhen?

    Oh but in all truth, Tang Zhen was guilty of this. He was mesmerized by the young miss Lu that his attention was solely spent on her grace the whole time they were hunting.

    Yet, he felt impressed nheless for Ye Zhen could easily be referred to as the best woman archer in the capital. She was that good.

    Amidst the bustle, Lu Lingzhi was silent in one corner as he watched events unveiled. Seeing his third sister attracts too much attention and thus, making herself recognized, he sighed helplessly. He was still afraid that her being the spitting image of thete Wang Fei would bring her trouble.

    He could only hope that the word of her resemnce would not reach Lu Wushuang¡¯s ears. Or else, Lu Wushuang would not be able to hold her grudge and Ye Zhen would be hurt in no time.

    One of hisrades tapped him on his back, so Lu Lingzhi hid his disappointment quickly and temporarily eased down the worries which lingered in his mind. Just like anyone else, he was also infected with a smile the moment he saw the tiny frame of Ye Zhen rode away to a distance where rabbits were holed up.

    It was near sundown when Ye Zhen returned to the group bringing with her two rabbits. She looked for Lu Xiangzhi to boast her hunt, but then she saw someone else instead..

    Not far from where she stood was the proud figure of Lu Lingzhi, who was on the act of pulling an arrow to shoot a ck hawk soaring in mid-air.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes shed, her blood boiled and she was again driven with anger and hurt..

    She looked back at the men and saw everyone in the heat of the hunt, including Lu Xiangzhi who was deeply absorbed in hunting a doe.

    With shaking hands, she took hold of her arrow and aimed it at the ck hawk as well.

    If only I could kill him..

    Ye Zhen¡¯s heart beat faster, and the excitement of seeking revenge filled her senses. Not a day after her death did she not want to kill Lu Lingzhi herself, in cold blood. Now, she had a chanceid in front of her.

    The only thing she had to do next was to seize this chance.

    Her arrow slowly moved down until it aimed the back of Lu Lingzhi¡¯s head.

    She drew the bow and the arrow shot up..

    Go to hell!

    Just as she thought her revenge would now take its end course, a ck arrow interjected with the arrow she shot, causing it to miss Lu Lingzhi¡¯s head, wounding his arm instead. Ye Zhen was stunned, the source of the arrow she didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°Eldest brother, are you all right?¡± Ye Zhen concealed her disappointment, face drawn in concern.

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s arm was drenched with his own blood. Throughout the haze of pain, he looked at Ye Zhen¡¯s pale face who looked back at him with panic and fear.

    He turned to see a white rabbit hidden in the grass not far from him. It could be that his third sister was already tired from hunting too long. Or it could be that she really abhorred him for a reason he didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°If third sister is tired, she should take a rest,¡± Tang Zhen came out from the other side. He just deviated Ye Zhen¡¯s arrow.If not for him, Lu Lingzhi could have been dead right at this moment.

    Hearing of the ident, Lu Xiangzhi sprinted towards Lu Lingzhi, his face reflecting the dread he saw. ¡°Eldest brother! Yao Yao, she didn¡¯t do it on purpose!¡±

    ¡°I know she didn¡¯t mean to do it it. She¡¯s tired today. Please take her home first,¡± Lu Lingzhi said, ignoring the pain from his bleeding arm. Several men gathered to help him.

    ¡°Eldest brother, let me dress your wound first,¡± said Lu Xiangzhi.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fret! This is only a minor injury.¡± Lu Lingzhi became worried when he saw his third sister¡¯s shaking form.

    Lu Xiangzhi had to nod, left the men to aid his eldest brother and lead Ye Zhen out of the woods.

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42 ¨C Failure (2)

    Ye Zhen stood stunned in her ce, If it weren¡¯t for Tang Zhen¡¯s arrow, she would have surely killed Lu Lingzhi today.

    After taking heaps of breath, she finally gathered her wits and realized that killing Lu Lingzhi this early would do her no good. The Lu family would be forced to execute her thus, she could no longer finish her revenge against the family.

    Ah! She was still too impulsive.

    Killing Lu Lingzhi was not the way she wanted revenge ¡ª what she yearned for was the destruction of the Lu family. She also wanted to see specific people in Jin country turned their backs during her family¡¯s perish.

    No, she couldn¡¯t die right now! She must live to see those people get retribution.

    ¡°Yao Yao, how did that happen?¡± Lu Xiangzhi quietly asked her.

    Ye Zhen blinked, tears soaking hershes. ¡°It was the rabbit I meant to shoot, not him! But my hand suddenly shook...and..and...¡±

    Seeing her two tiny arms trembled, Lu Xiangzhi hushed her and enveloped her in his embrace. He didn¡¯t suspect her, not at all, not his little sister. ¡°You haven¡¯t hunted for too long and you must have beaten yourself to exhaustion.¡±

    ¡°Will eldest brother me me?¡± Ye Zhen asked through the haze of tears.

    ¡°No, eldest brother knows that it was an ident. Go home and procure a medicine to bandage his wound as an apology.¡± Lu Xiangzhi said.

    When they arrived back at the festival, Mister Shan was nowhere in sight and it looked like thepany of the Old madam would worsen her situation. The specks of blood on her gown would certainly raise spections. So, Lu Xiangzhi let her rest in the pavilion while he went to find the Old Madam Lu himself.

    Mo Rongzhan and Lu Wushuang had long left the festival and went back in the imperial pce. Lu Xiangzhi found the Old madam and told her that Ye Zhen went hunting with them, but he dared not say the incident with Lu Lingzhi.

    He only said that she was too tired to join her again, so must leave immediately.

    Old Madam Lu was moved when she heard that Ye Zhen went hunting just to make a coat for her. So she ordered Lu Xiangzhi to take Ye Zhen home at once.

    Back in the woods, Lu Lingzhi, with the help of hispanions, simply wrapped his wound in a make-shift bandage. He breathed a sigh of relief when he learned from a servant boy that the Emperor and Wang Fei had returned to the pce.

    Tang Zhen sat beside him and looked at the wound on his arm, head slightly tilted as he thought of something.

    ¡°It won¡¯t take more than two days to heal.¡± was what Tang Zhen said but the smirk on his lips told Lu Lingzhi that there was something he was itching to tell him.

    ¡°What do you want to say?¡± Lu Lingzhi nced at him and asked directly.

    ¡°It¡¯s normal for the third sister to be young and weak. Don¡¯t take it to heart. If you let your elders know, they might have something to say about her,¡±

    Lu Lingzhi calmly responded. ¡°She is my sister, not your¡¯s. What worries you?¡±

    ¡°Your sister is my sister and we are brothers.¡± Tang Zhen beautiful face lit up. ¡°Tell me, is third sister engaged?¡± He asked bluntly.

    ¡°Forget whatever you are thinking right now, my sister is still young.¡± Lu Lingzhi stood up with a look of displeasure on his face.

    Tang Zhenughed, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can wait.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi was toozy to continue talking. After tidying up, he turned on his horse and told Tang Zhen of the emperor¡¯s return to the pce.

    ¡°Ah! Today¡¯s trip was not at all in vain!¡± Tang Zhen pulled himself up and followed Lu Lingzhi¡¯s trail.

    Ye Zhen returned to the Lu mansion and hastily went in to change her gown and get rid of the smell of blood. Pei Shi knew that she went hunting and reprimanded her.

    And she also knew that Ye Zhen had hurt Lu Lingzhi. Lu Xiangzhi couldn¡¯t just hide something from their mother.

    ¡°When your eldest brotheres back, you will send the medicine to bind up your eldest brother¡¯s wound! Your eldest brother will not tell the Old Madam so that she spares you of her wrath,¡± Pei said grumpily.

    Ye Zhen showed her little daughter¡¯s charming smile, ¡°Mother, I know I¡¯m wrong and dare not do this again next time. Grandma won¡¯t me me for making a coat of deer skin for her.¡±

    Pei Shi knew her daughter had been locked up in the mansion for too long and was not used being ordered. ¡°My dear daughter, you are not at all reassuring.¡±

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43 ¨C Reluctance (1)

    Ye Zhen waited for the return of the Old Madam. She sat on the porch until a familiar carriage was seen approaching the mansion at sunset.

    ¡°Grandma, you¡¯re back!¡± Ye Zhen cleverly weed the Old Madam and practically clung at the side her with some feigned uneasiness and nervousness.

    ¡°Please forgive me for I wasn¡¯t able to spend the festival with you. It¡¯s because I was invited to hunt.¡±

    ¡°Oh, child! Don¡¯t be sorry. What kind of grandmother would forbid her granddaughter from doing the thing that she likes? I heard Mr. Shan saying that you need to take a riding test in the next month¡¯s exam. Then, by all means, you should practice!¡± Old Madam Lu assured her. Their arms interlocked as they went inside the mansion.

    ¡°Before I forget, did you really beat a sika deer for your grandmother?¡± Old Madam Lu voice which sounded pleased. She had a simple heart and liked a person who does things to be in her favor, just like Ye Zhen.

    Maybe she loves her granddaughter and loves her youngest son Lu Shiming who had been away from her for many years.

    ¡°Yes, grandma. It¡¯s a male deer which I sent to the tailor to make leather out of it. I¡¯ll make a coat for my grandmother and several rabbits furs into sleeves,¡± Ye Zhen said smilingly, leaning on Old Madam Lu¡¯s arm.

    Old Madam Lu beamed as she felt that although her granddaughter didn¡¯t grow under her roof, she was the most filial and obedient. ¡°Well, Grandmother is waiting for your coat and don¡¯t forget to make one for your mother.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t forget, grandma.¡±

    ¡°Good!¡± Old Madam Lu eyes squinted with her smile, and she led Ye Zhen by the hand into a corner, having something important to tell her.

    ¡°Today, the Wang Fei asked how you are doing with your preparation for the entrance exam of the women¡¯s college. She encourages you to work hard to have the opportunity to work inside the imperial pce!¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes shed a dim light, which the Old Madam mistook for satisfaction. ¡°Her Highness is so kind,¡± was Ye Zhen¡¯s timid answer.

    Old Madam Lu smiled and nodded, ¡°The Wang Fei is the blessing of our Lu family.¡±

    ¡°Grandma, aren¡¯t you tired after a day outside? Your legs must beat!.¡± Ye Zhen veered the topic off of Lu Wushuang. After the incident with Lu Lingzhi, she couldn¡¯t trust herself anymore.

    The mere mention of Lu Wushuang¡¯s name would put her into rage. She was afraid that she would uncontrobly show her disgust for the reigning Wang Fei in front of the Old Madam.

    ¡°I heard that your eldest brother was injured by a sharp branch during the hunt. Don¡¯t you still want to take an examination of the medical museum? Show your eldest brother your skills and mend his wound.¡±

    Old Madam Lu encouraged her, not knowing a bit of the unfortunate incident.

    Ye Zhen reluctantly epted the suggestion. She came to curry favor from the old madam just to avoid attending to Lu Lingzi. But the old madam readily introduced her grandson as a practice patient for her!

    She was about to decline but she suddenly remembered Pei Shi. Ah! She would definitely scold her if a word of her apathy reaches her ears.

    ¡°Of course grandma, I¡¯ll take some medicine to my eldest brother,¡± said Ye Zhen reluctantly.

    Old Madam Lu, however, regarded her as shy and nervous. ¡°Go ahead, that¡¯s your eldest brother. Don¡¯t be afraid. You know that your eldest brother is the best person to get along with.¡±

    Ye Zhen scoffed softly. He was indeed the best person to get along with who could kill people without blinking an eye!

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44 ¨C Reluctance (2)

    Although reluctant, Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t refuse but visit Lu Lingzhi, bringing with her various medicines. Only when she got to the front yard did she hesitate to go in. She internally sulked, frustrated that now, she was to attend to his injury. Ah!

    Lu Lingzhi had a maid which was preparing ointments for him but when she saw Lu Yaoyao outside, she quickly informed her master. ¡°Third Miss Lu seems to be here.¡±

    Hearing that Ye Zhen came to him, a trace of joy rose in his heart and he personally went out to see Ye Zhen standing outside the courtyard wandering aimlessly. He looked at her amusingly. ¡°Why can¡¯t my third sistere in now that she¡¯s here?¡±

    Ye Zhen nced at him before lowering her gaze to the basket she brought, ¡°These are the medicines. Let me bring it to you.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Come in and dress my wounds then.¡±

    His injury was not really serious. Following the emperor for years, he had suffered from more serious injuries. Stitches and medicine and his injuries healed. Now he watched the little girl reluctantly hand him the wound medicine.

    Ye Zhen frowned and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you have a maid? Just let the maid dress you. I won¡¯t!¡±

    Lu Lingzhi looked at her with amusement. ¡°Didn¡¯t you learn medicine from third aunt at an early age? How do you get into the medical center without enough practice? ¡±

    Ye Zhen scoffed and decided to leave, pivoting on her heels. Turning around, she was weed with the sight of Lu Shiming and Lu Xiangzhi, father and son giddily waving their hands as they approached closer. Instantly, Ye Zhen¡¯s face fell into a frown.

    ¡°Yao Yao, are you here to deliver medicine to eldest brother?¡± Lu Xiangzhi, having the clearer eyesight among the two, was the first to see her sister and stepped up his pace.

    Upon arrival, Lu Shiming tapped Ye Zhen¡¯s forehead ¡°You hurt your eldest brother. You shall not hunt from now on.¡±

    ¡°Third uncle, Yao Yao didn¡¯t mean it. In fact, she¡¯s here, bringing medicine as an apology.¡± Lu Lingzhi was quick toe in Ye Zhen¡¯s defense.

    Lu Xiangzhi looked at Lu Lingzhi¡¯s arm and couldn¡¯t help but notice the rags that covered the wound. ¡°Well, it looks to me that Yao Yao still hasn¡¯t bandaged your wound.¡±

    Ye Zhen could not refuse any more despite her unwillingness. She had to follow Lu Lingzhi into his house, Lu Shiming and Lu Xiangzhi followed on their trail.

    Before Lu Lingzhi showed his true nature, Ye Zhen always thought he was a helpless schr and befriended him. Later she was poisoned by him before she realized that he was too good at disguising himself.

    His vile ways and excellent martial arts brought him in the position as the right hand of Mo Rongzhan. Together, they won victory after another on the battlefield.

    Looking at his strong arm, Ye Zhen wished she possessed a knife to cut off his hand and be done with it all.

    ¡°Third younger sister, here. ¡± Lu Lingzhi looked up at her with a gentle smile while offering his wounded arm. He only felt that this younger sister really didn¡¯t know how to hide her little thoughts. Him disagreeing to her attending the college made her sour towards him, he believed.

    Ye Zhen looked at the wound on his arm, sprinkled some medicine on it, and took a clean white cloth to wrap it with.

    If she desired to use the miracle drops from her palm, she could do it very well and the wound would heal faster. However, in her heart, she sought for his demise, not his well-being.

    Thus, she wrapped the wound neatly and stood up to bid her farewell.

    ¡°If my father and brothers are all right, I¡¯ll go back first.¡± Ye Zhen asked permission from from Lu Shiming.

    Lu Shiming knew that her daughter has been studying with his wife recently. ¡°Well, you go home. I¡¯ll just have something to discuss with your eldest brother.¡±

    Gathering the medicines and leaving some on the table, Ye Zhen left without exchanging words with Lu Lingzhi.

    Lu Shiming watched his daughter leave and shook his head, ¡°This daughter, I have spoiled too much.¡±

    ¡°The Lu family can now afford to spoil the girls. It¡¯s no big deal,¡± replied Lu Lingzhi before throwing a calcted look towards Lu Shiming.

    ¡°Third uncle, you could easily be an official just like what Grandma wished you to be. I presume you have no ns going back to the Border Town.¡±

    While Lu Lingzhi urged his uncle to join politics, Lu Shiming felt torn about this. Unlike the rest of the family, Lu Shiming was content in the simple life he lived in the border town.

    ¡°I was just about to tell you that the Old madam is getting older and older. Not granting her wish, I can¡¯t be considered a filial son anymore. She said it¡¯s a shame to see this opportunity in vain.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s always difficult at the beginning but you have to consider the advantages it offers. Would you like to build a clinic here in the capital just like the one you opened in the border town?¡± Lu Lingzhi tapped his fingers on the desk, his eyes lingered on his uncle¡¯s face.

    ¡°Next year, fourth younger brother will take the imperial examinations. If third sister enters the college, her status will be different. If you be an official, you will pave the road for them.¡±

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45 ¨C Envy (1)

    Having experienced prejudice in the capital, Lu Shiming left the capital with a heavy heart and lived a secluded life in the Border Town.

    He took the imperial examination* at the age of 16. Although son of merchants were allowed to take the prestigious exam, it was never easy to them. Lu Shiming was conceited and talented. He thought that he would be able to enter the top 10, even if hecked the proper education and wealth.

    *T/N : Imperial examinations in ancient China were civil service exams for those who desired to be public servants or officials who represents the interests of the people.

    To his surprise, he failed the exam, his name absent on the list of passers. Later, he learned that his name had been reced by someone else and his eldest brother agreed to it! Turns out, he indeed passed the exam and evennded 5th ce among the hundreds of examinees!

    The owner of the name which reced his was the son of a governor of the capital. Lu Shiming was livid and his eldest brother told him of his reason.

    He learned that the family¡¯s business was at risk. The governor made clear of his threat of ruining their business if ever his eldest brother refused to let his son¡¯s name be written instead of Lu Shiming¡¯s.

    Lu Shiming sacrificed his honor for the family¡¯s sake and everyone believed that he failed the exam.

    Three yearster, he took another exam. Unfortunately, he failed this time because he was a merchant and the examiners abhorred him for it.

    During that time, the said examiners were overwhelmed with greed and took advantage of the exams they held. To gather more silvers from those who were desperate, they sold test questions to the students.

    Seeing this as an opportunity to avenge himself, he sold out questions using the name of the examiners who wronged him. Questions with wrong answers which made students nk down the exam.

    Thus, the examiners were spurned and mocked by students and their families and they eventually lost their positions. Ah! His sweet revenge gave him bliss and satisfaction. Doing this, he actually felt like he was the top scorer in the imperial exam.

    Still in his prime age Lu Shiming took another imperial exam three yearster. He was full of youthful vigor and was frivolous in his decisions.

    Finally, he ranked 3rd this time but the odds were still not in his favor.

    During the court examination, the reigning emperor gave him a small position, almost insignificant. A son of a merchant was truly not given what he deserved, so Lu Shiming made an excuse and took his wife and children out of the capital to open a small clinic in the border town.

    Returning never crossed his mind, but when the news of usurpation and the death of the previous emperor who belittle him, Lu Shiming decided toe back.

    Now, he was hesitating to be an official again.

    ¡°Uncle, I know you have ambition in your heart. My father was sorry for you in those days. After all these years in the border town, haven¡¯t you ever thought of doing something for the people all over the world?¡± Lu Lingzhi asked sincerely.

    Lu Shiming smiled faintly. ¡°Your father didn¡¯t owe me. He did it for Lu family.¡± He held his temples and finally said, ¡°I will consider what you said.¡±

    ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll wait for good news from third uncle!.¡± Lu Lingzhiughed.

    By the time his eyes were opened to politics, he wondered how the Old Madam Lu let her son stay far away from her for many years. He also couldn¡¯t help but notice how Lu Shiming was different from the rest of his uncles.

    Lu Shimingughed. ¡°I have one more thing to ask you. I want to find a gentleman for Xiangzhi¡¯s exam next year.¡±

    ¡°Uncle, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Lu Lingzhi said.

    ¡°Good.¡± Lu Shiming nodded with a smile and said to Lu Xiangzhi, ¡°Go on! Thank your eldest brother.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi scratched his head out of embarrassment but still gave a grateful smile towards Lu Lingzhi. ¡°Thank you, eldest brother.¡±

    ¡°We are brothers. I will do everything for this family.¡±

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46 ¨C Envy (2)

    Terribly frustrated at mending Lu Lingzhi¡¯s wounds, Ye Zhen went back to her room for a moment of solitude.

    Yet, she felt another string of frustration the moment she arrived at her doorstep. Second and Fourth Miss Lu was sitting side by side inside her bedchamber, awaiting her arrival.

    Ah! So much for wishing a moment of peace!

    ¡°There you are! Third Sister, it¡¯s really a pity that you weren¡¯t there at that time. The Wang Fei rewarded us with many things. You see, these pearls and flowers are only found in the pce and can¡¯t be bought outside.¡± Second Miss Lu pointed at the delicate and beautiful pearl flower on her head, and her face was covered with pride and joy.

    ¡°Well, they indeed look beautiful.¡± Ye Zhen nodded with a smile while looking at all the beautiful pearl jewelry adorning their delicate necks.

    She sneered at her heart. How could she envy such jewels if it came from the person she despised? Certainly, she didn¡¯t want anything from Lu Wushuang, not even a piece of her wealth.

    Fourth Miss Lu looked askance by seeing Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes devoid of neither envy nor jealousy she expected! How odd.

    By this, she felt intrigued. ¡°I heard that her sister went hunting?¡±

    ¡°Mmm.¡± Ye Zhen nodded, she was a little confused why the sisters were here. Did theye to only show the jewels given by Lu Wushuang?

    Fourth Miss Lu coughed softly, picked up a cup of tea and took a sip, ¡°I heard that you were with eldest brother, so...who else was there with you?¡±

    Ye Zhen felt that the fourth younger miss¡¯ remark was a bit strange, ¡°Some of his friends.¡±

    ¡°I remember the eldest brother¡¯s friend has a surname Tang. He is already the marquis at a young age. Have you...er...seen him?¡± Fourth Miss Lu asked again, her cheeks reddened.

    ¡°Do you mean Tang Zhen?¡± After Mo Rongzhan ascended the throne, he made sure those who had helped him was given awards. He honored Lu Lingzhi as the war minister and gave Tang Zhen the position of a marquis.

    The Lu and Tang family were the dazzling sessful families in the capital who gained foothold inside the imperial pce.

    ¡°Have you met the young marquis?¡± The fourth miss sat up straight with her eyes fixed on Ye Zhen.

    Her tone, Ye Zhen thought how the Fourth Miss Lu sounded like a child robbed of her favorite toy!

    It didn¡¯t take her twice to understand that she was smitten with Tang Zhen.

    Finding the conversation fascinating, Ye Zhen smiled and rified some things, ¡°If you¡¯re talking about Tang Zhen and you¡¯ve seen us together, it was only because we¡¯ve had apetition. Andhe lost.¡±

    Fourth Miss Lu¡¯s big eyes looked at Ye Zhen incredulously. ¡°What did you say? What did youpete with the young marquis? How could he lose to you?¡±

    ¡°He lost in thepetition he instigated himself, hunting. That precious silver whip was what he lost to me. ¡±

    Anyway, the news of thepetition would spread sooner orter. Instead of the second miss hearing it from someone else, Ye Zhen found it best to say it to her herself.

    With envious eyes, Fourth Miss Lu stared at the silver whip hung on the wall of Ye Zhen¡¯s bedchamber. Her face suddenly turned white as an idea hit her. The silver whip was a precious and rare gem. Even Lu Wushuang¡¯s jewels couldn¡¯t be at par with it!

    ¡°Third younger sister, I didn¡¯t expect you to be excellent in archery! That even the marquis lost to you!¡± Second Miss Lu¡¯s looked defeated that Ye Zhen was more talented that what she first deemed her to be.

    She originally intended to make the third miss mad with envy yet she found herself in the position instead. Now, it seemed that it already dawned on her who must envy whom.

    Tang Zhen had recently been very conspicuous in the capital and had received special attention fromdies because he remained a bachelor.

    Now that he holds a high position and enjoys the trust of the emperor, Ye Zhen wondered how many girls wanted to marry him so badly.

    Fourth Miss Lu reluctantly smiled, ¡°Third Sister, what do you want this silver whip for?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. It just looked good as an ornament.¡± Ye Zhen said.

    ¡°What a pity! It happens that I like it very much. Why don¡¯t you give it to me?¡± With pleading eyes, Fourth Miss Lu said even though she knew that Ye Zhen would most likely refuse to give her the whip, given how bad she treated the third miss in the past few days.

    Ye Zhen, of course, refused with a gentle shake of her head.

    Miss Lu smiled reluctantly and did not insist.

    ¡°We won¡¯t disturb our sister¡¯s rest anymore.¡± said Fourth Miss Lu who found it dull to sit and listen to Fourth Miss Lu¡¯s romantic caprice.

    She therefore took her younger sister with her and left Ye Zhen in peace.

    After sending the two girls away, Ye Zhen took the silver whip off the wall, waved it in his hand a few times and hung it back.

    This was the trophy that belonged only to her.

    Before going to bed at night, Ye Zhen asked people to fetch water to wash her face. She looked at the ming phoenix tattoo on her palm and saw a drop of red miraculous liquide out of it.

    Carefully, she smeared the liquid over the pear flower cream women use to take care of their skin. Then, she applied it all over her face and hands.

    Every time she takes a bath, she always used drops of the miraculous liquid by mixing it with the water provided for her bath.

    In the past two days, she felt her diforts slowly disappeared. It was just like...she waspletely reborn, and even her sense of smell was bing much better than usual.

    However, it seemed that her sunburnt skin has not yet regained its paleplexion. It looked like it needed more time to lighten her skin tone with the use of the red drops.

    Patience, all she needed was patience.

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47 ¨C Doubts (1)

    The extravagant Imperial Pce was made grander by the addition of red heavy draperies of which fell to the floor like supple ripples. People carrying varied colors of peonies and decorativenterns scurried to and fro, while shadow guards stood guard, tall and imposing, in every corner.

    A tense Mo Rongzhan was staying in the imperial study. His hands gripped the wooden box he had found from the dry well as he grimly stared at the pieces of cloth inside¨Ctorn no doubt. His face was dark and indifferent. Even he himself couldn¡¯t decide what he should feel about this.

    Should he rejoice?

    Or should he be livid?

    To find the wooden box with the cloth bearing the word Yao could only mean one thing¨CLu Wushuang could be an impostor. His hands tightened more around the box at the thought of this deception.

    ¡°Emperor, Shen Yi asked for an audience,¡± his servant Ford said with his head bowed.

    The anger in Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes slightly dwindled. ¡°Let him in,¡± he acquiesced.

    Shen Yi¡¯s brooding presence cloaked in a ck suit came from outside, walking with determined steps. He was the shadow guard under Mo Rongzhan¡¯smand who remained in secret until the emperor¡¯s reign.

    Tasks that should be done in secrecy were handed to exclusive shadow guards like him.

    ¡°Your majesty,¡± Shen Yi knelt down on one knee in front of Mo Rongzhan¡¯s firm, icy face, devoid of any superfluous expression.

    Mo Rongzhan looked down at him and with a flip of his finger, the guard stood up. ¡°Did you find anything of substance?¡±

    Shen Yi handed the piece of cloth to Mo Rongzhan and answered, ¡°The emperor¡¯s subordinates have found out that this is one of the brocades bestowed to the friends of the previous emperor during his twenty-five years of reign. Except for several pce concubines, daughters of noble families had been given the same brocade as a reward for allegiance.¡±

    ¡°Which families of nobility received the brocades?¡±

    Despite the information, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s voice didn¡¯t change one bit. It was still heavily cold and insipid.

    ¡°Aside from Princess Chang who is too old to be the person his highness is seeking...¡± Shen Yi swallowed a lump in his throat before saying, ¡°The Ye family was also given one as a token of their loyalty...¡±

    The Ye Family? Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes shed with a diferent light. He looked at the piece of rag with his brows crossed.

    Wasn¡¯t Ye Zhen, the girl he married nicknamed as Yao Yao? Then...could it be possible that she was the same Yao Yao who saved him before?

    What if this rag was all she had left behind?

    But Ye Zhen is dead! For the first time, Mo Rongzhan felt despair at this possibility.

    But he thought once more, Lu Wushuang is unlikely to own this brocade. Is she really the little girl who saved him?

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s heart was filled with doubts once more.

    ¡°Has anyone been to that forest beside me?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked in a low voice.

    Shen Yi answered, ¡°I¡¯ve seen another path in the woods aside from the main road the emperor has walked on...onlookers did say that someone passed through that road at that time, but I still haven¡¯t found out who it was.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan nodded, satisfied that this investigation was getting to something.

    ¡°In any case, we have to find out who has been to the woods.¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s voice suddenly stopped.

    If his suspicion that Lu Wushuang was not the person she pretended to be, then perhaps the person who dug up the box was Yao Yao herself!

    But why? Why didn¡¯t shee to him?

    If Ye Zhen was the little girl who saved him, how could Lu Wushuang have the jade pendant? How did she know of it?

    It never crossed his mind that the person who saved him in those days would be rted to the Ye family,the family who¡¯d wished his immediate death before.

    When he knew that the Ye family also had this cloud brocade, he had automatically excluded the possibility of his savioring from the Ye family.

    Who knows, it might have been them who¡¯d dug the dry well he fell into to be his early grave!

    Therefore, how could he possibly think that someone from this family could save him?

    Shen Yi left the royal study leaving Mo Rongzhan to sit alone behind a bookcase, meditating in the solemn silence.

    But soon after, the voice of the Wang Fei requesting entrance outside his study was heard.

    Mo Rongzhan collected the pieces of cloth, stuffing them back into the wooden box and ced the item away from his tabletop into an inconspicuous area. Lu Wushuang then came strutting in, with a bright smile like the sun.

    This kind of smile gave him peace of mind before.

    Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t feel the same this time

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48 ¨C Doubts (2)

    ¡°This Wang Fei haven¡¯t seen the Emperor.¡± Lu Wushuang walked into the royal study and curtseyed.

    Suddenly, her bright smile conformed into a frown.

    ¡°Your majesty, you said you would apany this Wang Fei to dinner tonight, but you were too busy to even leave this study.¡±

    ¡°I forgot.¡± Mo Rongzhan smile, stretched out his hand and took Lu Wushuang¡¯s hand ¡°But I¡¯m d that the Wang Fei visited to remind me.¡±

    Lu Wushuang¡¯s gorgeous face lit up, ¡°I personally cooked some of the emperor¡¯s favorite delicacies.¡±

    With a little tug, Mo Rongzhan was able to pull Lu Wushuang¡¯s delicate form towards him. They were so close, a hair breadth distance between them. Inhaling deeply, the scent of Lu Wushuang filled the emperor¡¯s nostrils.

    The perfume of rouge had always been on Lu Wushaung¡¯s body, Mo Rongzhan realized.

    It was not the sweet fruit fragrance of childhood which reminded him of the little girl who broke bread with him in the middle of the forest.

    ¡°Emperor¡± Lu Wushuang thought that Mo Rongzhan wanted to have a warm and affectionate moment, so with a charming voice, she let out a cry, ¡°How about having a meal first?¡±

    Smiling slightly, he naturally loosen his hold on Lu Wushuang¡¯s hand.

    All his life, he never paid much attention to food, none of the delicacies the pce offered was remarkable.

    Though, there was one food that he could never forget. It was a piece of sweet and sour cake with a cherry taste given by a little girl named Yao Yao.

    Due to his temporary blindness that time, he didn¡¯t manage to have a glimpse of her face.

    ¡°Have you ever had a nickname, Wang Fei?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked Lu Wushuang in his usual voice.

    Lu Wushuangughed, ¡°My family used to call me Shuang¡¯er, the emperor. Even the emperor addresses me the same.¡±

    Shuang¡¯er...

    The girl said her nickname was Yao Yao!

    Lu Wushuang was not the little girl in the woods in those days! Mo Rongzhan felt sure for the first time that he mistook one for another, but what happened to that piece of jade pendant?

    Mo Rongzhan ate something without savoring the taste and let Ford in to take everything from his sight.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t the Wang Fei¡¯s prepared food satisfy the Emperor?¡± Lu Wushuang asked with a hint of hurt and confusion.

    Although in the eyes of many, she was the emperor¡¯s beloved, Lu Wushuang didn¡¯t dare to be too presumptuous in front of this man.

    He was kind and gentle to her only because he believed that she was the innocent girl who saved him.

    along with and even some moody he was kind to her just because she stayed with him for many years and thought she was the savior of the year.

    The emperor held his temples while he said, ¡°It¡¯s just that I find the uneven border crossing disconcerting. The food was excellent as always.¡± Mo Rongzhan said tly, ¡°I¡¯ll send you back to the pceter.¡±

    Lu Wushuang¡¯s face was filled with joy. ¡°Alright.¡±

    Back to the Pce of Earthly Tranquility*, Mo Rongzhan wished for a lone time with Lu Wushuang before they part. Thus, the Wang Fei¡¯s maid-in-waiting stood outside Lu Wushuang chamber, leaving the couple inside.

    Mo Rongzhan sat on a plush seat and said inadvertently, ¡°Is the jade pendant I gave you back then still there? Thest time I saw it, it was broken and old. I was thinking of giving you a new one.¡±

    *T/N : Pce of Earthly Tranquility ¨C residence of the Empress during the Ming Dynasty

    ¡°This Wang Fei is afraid of damaging the pendant more so she tucked it away.¡±

    Lu Wushuang quickly felt disgruntled at the mention of the pendant. Why did the emperor suddenly asked about it?

    ¡°Does the Emperor wants this Wang Fei to fetch it?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan nodded ¡°Well, let me see it.¡±

    Lu Wushuang got up hesitantly and went to the cupboard to take out a golden box where she kept the pendant.

    In the process of doing so, her heart beat painfully against her chest. Did the emperor discover something? No, it¡¯s impossible! Everyone in the Ye family died. No one in the world except her and her eldest brother knew that the jade pendant came from Ye Zhen¡¯s hand!

    ¡°Ah!¡± Lu Wushuang cried out in horror when she opened the box.

    Mo Rongzhan immediately got up and walked over to her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°The..the...¡± Lu Wushuang tearfully looked inside the box. ¡±

    With tremble in her voice, she faced the Emperor. ¡°When this Wang Fei kept this pendant, it was still fine, just broken in half. I don¡¯t know what happened!¡±

    The jade phoenix pendant was not only broken, but it was crushed in fragments! The phoenix design remained intact, but it lost its vivid color. Mo Rongzhan appeared stupefied as he gazed over the phoenix..

    It changed, he thought. It looked a bit lonely.

    The corners of the emperor¡¯s mouth tightened and took the box from Lu Wushuang. ¡°I¡¯ll go and see if someone could mend this.¡±

    But it was obviously beyond repair.

    How else to repair it?This was indeed a bizarre happening, Mo Rongzhan thought. The pieces were all in ce, making the pendant look like it broke by itself!

    Is it because he mistook one person for another that the jade pendant broke in pieces?

    ¡°This Wang Fei is terribly guilty of not protecting the jade pendant well.¡± Lu Wushuang said, kneeling down and bowing her head morosely.

    Yet, deep inside, her heart was without remorse or guilt. In fact, she felt joyful that the jade pendant being thest link between the emperor and Ye Zhen was now destroyed.

    With her by the side of Mo Rongzhan, he would sooner orter forget the heroic act the young Ye Zhen did to helpless emperor.

    ¡°You should rest. My royal duties awaits me in the imperial study.¡± Mo Rongzhan said coldly and left carrying the golden box.

    With a face of dismay, Lu Wushuang was left sulking inside her chamber.

    Isn¡¯t she as important as the jade pendant?

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49 ¨C The Slow Change (1)

    Ye Zhen had no idea that she identally left rags in the woods. She was driven with her emotions, she tore the brocade to pieces to her heart¡¯s content and left without looking back.

    This, beyond her awareness gave Mo Rongzhan room for suspicion towards Lu Wushuang.

    In her times as a vengeful ghost, Ye Zhen remembered how Mo Rongzahn had never doubted the Wang Fei¡¯s ims over the identity of the little girl who rescued him years ago.

    Most of all, Ye Zhen didn¡¯t expect that another miracle would happen to her. Aside from her unexinable reborn, she was given a gift. This miracle was none other than the healing liquid oozing from her right palm.

    With this liquid, her skin became smoother and fairer!

    Although it is not as pale as those ofdies of nobility, it was indeed much better than when she first came to the capital.

    At least her skin was no longer felt as callous as before. Freckles on her cheeks exposed to the sun have disappeared. Her eyes were clearer than before, gone was the dark circles her sickness gave her.

    Aside from her face, her body also seemed to have developed.

    Ye Zhen noticed some changes which made her look well-endowed, more womanly. Her chest was more swollen than before, and her previous clothes were now shorter by at least two inches. She grew a lot taller in such a short time!

    Fortunately, she made new clothes, otherwise she would be disgraced if she wore inappropriate clothes and shing skin underneath her short gown.

    ¡°Sir, the music in the six arts examination does not necessarily specify what instrument the examinee shall use. Can I use other musical instruments?¡±

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t want to use his piano skills when taking part in the examination of the talent of music because the fact that it was easy to tell whether a person can y the piano well!

    And Lu Yaoyao had never touched a piano in her entire existence!

    It goes without saying that thete Wang Fei Ye Zhen was unmistakably the best at ying the piano. Needless to say, all the teachers in the women¡¯s college, including Mr. Shan were very skilled at music.

    Therefore, it would be easy for him to notice that Ye Zhen was no beginner in ying the instrument.

    ¡°Then what do you want to y?¡± Mr. Shan frowned and asked with a crease on his forehead.

    He wasn¡¯t exactly worried about Lu Yaoyao¡¯s talents or herck thereof. Instead, he only wanted his students to do things willingly and with ease.

    Besides, the college examination was fast approaching. Piano could be tedious and might require more time to master. Maybe it¡¯s best for the third miss to try other instruments she sees fit, Mr Shan thought to himself.

    ¡°Drum!¡± Ye Zhen remembered a talent she had never shown before. No one knew that she could y the drum except her maid and father, who were already gone.

    Mister Shan rested his chin on his hand, It didn¡¯t sound like a bad idea to him.

    ¡°There are several kinds of drums. Which one do you like?¡±

    ¡°What do you think of drum dancing, sir?¡± ying the drum by dancing on top of itpletely meets the requirements of the music art without showing her basic skills in piano art.

    In ancient times, drums were revered as a heavenly artifact, which could be used not only to support the military forces but also for sacrificial ceremonies. Drums had the power to boost and inspire people.

    However, due to women¡¯sck of strength and boldness, only few usually choose such musical instruments to learn.

    If Ye Zhen performed differently, then she could garner more attention!

    Mister Shan was pleased found that the third miss was much smarter than he thought. So smart that perhaps she could bepared to her previous apprentices.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone dance on a drum before. A big drum alone is not easy to find.¡± Mister Shan said.

    Ye Zhen said, ¡°I know that there is one ce that can make this big drum. It will take about ten days, and then I could practice just in time for the exam!¡±

    sping his hands together, Mister Shan had a determined look on his face.

    ¡°Now that you have decided, let¡¯s do it. Besides, there will be no problem if you can pass only three of the six arts.¡±

 Chapter 50 - The Slow Change (2)

    <strong>Chapter 50 ¨C The Slow Change (2)</strong>

    Among the skills to be mastered, Ye Zhen¡¯s archery would certainly be not a problem. Her nose buried in books and numbers, but Mister Shan made sure that she develop in areas where her strengthsid.

    It really didn¡¯t matter whether she can pass or not in other fields of the exam, just as long she could showcase at least three excellent skills out of the six.

    What¡¯s most important now is her sessful admission in the college. In terms of the areas she¡¯s having a hard time with, Mister Shan could teach her in depth about those. He would train her until she finds her ce inside the imperial pce which was every young woman¡¯s dream!

    Ye Zhen worked with Mister Dan for half a day. Arithmetic was her weakest subject, but it won¡¯t be a hindrance in passing the exam.

    ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day. Old Madam Lu¡¯s servant kept came several times to see if we¡¯re done. I think that the Old Madam craves your attention.¡± Mister Shan said tly, obviously having little understanding why the Old Madam liked the third miss among her granddaughters.

    She was somewhat fond of Lu Yaoyao.

    Ye Zhen felt a twinge of annoyance in her heart. She did not like to go to the Old Madam, she must feel resistance in liking her. But deep inside her, she had grown fond of the Old Madam far beyond her preference.

    Most of all, she didn¡¯t want to cross roads with Lu Lingzhi! The tyrant was the Old Madam¡¯s favorite so Lu Lingzhi were usuallytched on the Old Madam¡¯s side!

    ¡°Sir, I must go to my chamber first.¡± said Ye Zhen. She wasn¡¯t properly dressed to be at the presence of the Old Madam at the moment.

    Although Ye Zhen didn¡¯t like to join the Old Madam, she deemed it necessary to please her. In doing so, she could move with ease in the Lu family by gaining everyone¡¯s favor.

    It was almost past dinner time. Ye Zhen presumed that the Old Madam wanted her to join her in dinner so she dressed up quickly, not nning to make the Old Madam wait for much longer.

    There was a raucousughter inside the dining hall. Ye Zhen hardy reached the door when she heard the distinct voices of Second and Fourth Miss Lu. Aside from them, she also heard other unfamiliar voices.

    Looks like she¡¯ll be in thepany of visitors! Ye Zhen sucked a deep breath and moved forward with a heavy heart.

    ¡°Third miss,e!¡± The maid at the door casted the draperies aside, and weed Ye Zhen happily.

    Ye Zhen gave her a shallow smile, but the maid was shocked at the third miss¡¯ appearance!

    She had a hard time distinguishing her a moment ago. Howe that the wild girl who had just entered the dining hall became so beautiful?

    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m here¡± Ye Zhen had changed into a charming and naughty look when she stepped into the room, and even raised a smile as bright as the sun.

    When Ye Zhen came in, the people in the room became mute for a fleeting moment. They were mesmerized by the little girl¡¯s smile. She was so gorgeous and pure that everyone else in the room lost their luster!

    When did the tan and thin wild girl became so beautiful?

    Old Madam Lu smiled and squinted and waved Ye Zhen to her. ¡°Come dear! You must be very tired after a day of training!¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at all the people in the room. Besides Second and Fourth Miss Lu, there were two girls whom she¡¯d never seen before. They were sitting on the right hand side of the Old Madam.

    Judging by their looks, Ye Zhen presumed that they were between the ages of 14 and 15. They looked back at her with curious and somewhat indecisive eyes.

    With the transformation of Ye Zhen from day to day, she no longer looked like the sickly girl who arrived in the capital not long ago.

    And with her continuous use of the miracle drops from her hand, she would gradually be more stunning.

    ¡°Grandma, I could never be tired. What¡¯s the point of being tired now that the examination ising near?¡± Ye Zhen cleverly sat down and took the Old Madam¡¯s arm affectionately. ¡°As long as you leave me delicious food, my whole body will be full of strength.¡±

    Old Madam Lu was amused andughed, ¡°I knew you wanted some food.¡±

    ¡°What can I do? Food are blessings.¡± Ye Zhen said solemnly.

    ¡°Indeed, a blessing which will kill us if we don¡¯t consume in moderation!¡± jested the Old Madam Lu which brought outughter from the people surrounding the grand table.

    Clearing her throat, Old Madam Lu smiled gently towards the two girls in the room who had been looking at Ye Zhen. One finger she pointed at them and said, ¡°These two are your cousins visiting the capital for a few days.¡±

    Ye Zhen stood up and saluted. ¡°It¡¯s so nice to meet two cousins. This miss is d that grandma is apanied well.¡±

    The two girls also stood up at the same time and returned the gesture.

    ¡°We¡¯ve heard of third sister a long time ago and we are honored to have met her today.¡±

    Before they arrived in the Lu mansion, they heard that there was a third miss who took residence inside the mansion. They¡¯d be lying if they say that the news of her origin reached their ears!

    Truly, they didn¡¯t expect her to be a beauty considering the harsh conditions in the Border Town.

    Fourth Miss Lu smiled and introduced the two girls to Ye Zhen, ¡°Third Sister, these are Cousin Qiuping and Cousin Liping. They are also students of the Women¡¯s college.¡±

 Chapter 51 - The Chen Sisters (1)

    <h4>Chapter 51 ¨C The Chen Sisters (1)</h4>

    The two miss belonged to the line of Old Madam Lu¡¯s mother. Before the Lu family entered the limelight, the Chen family didn¡¯t associate much with them.

    But now, their attitudes towards the Lu family hadpletely changed.

    When Ye Zhen heard that Fourth Miss Lu deliberately stressed that they were students of the prestigious college, she just smiled. ¡°That¡¯s great! Having more than two sisters in the college would be joyful!¡±

    Chen Qiuping nced at Ye Zhen and said with a smile, ¡°We only got in by luck.¡±

    Those who can get into the women¡¯s college can¡¯t just get away with luck. The Chen sisters had been trained by their family to have high aspirations since childhood.

    With them being a family ofmoners, the Chen sisters had difficulty arranging marriage with men from noble families. Therefore, they could only make efforts to change this.

    They told themselves that as long as they could make a name in the Women¡¯s College, they would gain poprity and chance for a higher status.

    Indeed, they seeded. Only, they didn¡¯t expect Lu Jing to outshine them,pletely shadowing their glory.

    However, now that they have the third miss who has juste from the border town, the Chen sisters felt that a rare opportunity was handed to them!

    It was their time to finally shine!

    In their minds, If Ye Zhen makes a fool out of herself during the exam, then people would startparing her with them, making them look far superior in talents!

    With this in mind, Chen Qiuping smiled more and more kindly at Ye Zhen. ¡°It¡¯s really good that my third sister will learn with us soon.¡±

    Ye Zhen faintly frowned and said, ¡°Unfortunately, I will take the examination of the medical center, which is different from my sisters¡¯ chosen fields.¡±

    Besides, the Chen sisters entered college at young ages and have been performing well ever since. In fact, they would be finishing college after a year.

    Lu Yaoyao should¡¯ve graduated with them if only she wasn¡¯t contained in the Border Town all her life. They were the same age and even Lu Jing who was younger than her was already admitted in the college.

    Due to this fact, Old Madam Lu felt the need to clear things out and intervene.

    ¡°Yao Yao missed the opportunity to study in the women¡¯s college in the border town, but luckily the medical center does not restrict her age. she has some basic skills which the Women¡¯s College could appreciate.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so good about the medical center? Do you want to be a doctor when you graduate?¡± Chen Liping had some disdain in her eyes. She despised practicing medicine as she deemed it a poor profession. For women, that is.

    The tone of displeasure didn¡¯t escape the Old Madam¡¯s notice. Upon hearing, her head perked up as her mouth curled into a frown,

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being a female doctor? Wasn¡¯t the Empress Duan Hui of Qin Dynasty a doctor?¡±

    It was more than a hundred years ago. Who knows if what the history books say is true or not? Chen Liping thought bitterly to herself.

    Although the women¡¯s college was founded by the Empress and the medical center enjoyed a good time, the country was no longer a scenic country, and the royal family was no longer speared by the Emperor of Qin Dynasty. Everything had long been different.

    Seeing Chen Liping¡¯s disdain, Ye Zhen also disagreed. In the past, she rarely went to a medical museum as it never fascinated her, but now she realized its importance.

    Not only it was a respectable and quite an impressive job a woman could have, but it could also be her fastest way of entering the imperial pce where her revenge would transpire!

    ¡°My grandma¡¯s opinions are always sensible but I dare not be like the Empress of Qi Dynasty. Our Wang Fei is already a blessing. I am already satisfied to be a first-ss female medical doctor inside the imperial pce.¡± Ye Zhen rubbed her arms a few times, showing a little bashfulness while speaking sweetly.

    ¡°Dear, you are young yet you sound more sensible than most girls your age!¡± Old Madam Lu touched her face and liked her granddaughter a little more.

    Lu Jing gave Ye Zhen a look and secretly hated her third sister for pleasing the Old Madam with her words!

    ¡°Grandma, I will take the graduation exam next year. You said before that if I do well in the exam, I will be rewarded.¡±

    ¡°Well, what reward do you want?¡± The happiest thing for Old Madam Lu was to watch several of her granddaughters to sessfully graduate from the Women¡¯s college. It was also an honor for their family.

    Those who look down on their Lu family and think that merchants can¡¯t afford to be noble and be generous, just wait for a p in the face!

    Old Madam Lu decided to give whatever Fourth Miss Lu¡¯s wish was.

    Lu Wushuang was dubbed as one of the most remarkable Wang Fei the capital ever had, which was the biggest p to those people. Even Ye Zhen, the daughter of a distinguished family could not rival with her!

    ¡°Grandmother, the third sister got a good whip the other day. I like it very much. Please ask the third sister to give me the whip as a reward if ever I manage to graduate...¡±

    Lu Jing deliberately said with an innocent and wless face looking eagerly towards the Old Madam.

 Chapter 52 - Then Chen Sisters (2)

    <strong>Chapter 52 ¨C Then Chen Sisters (2)</strong>

    Old Madam Lu looked at Ye Zhen with the same look, ¡°Yao Yao, what good whip have you got that Jing¡¯er wanted?¡±

    Ye Zhen gave Lu Jing a glint of hubris for the Fourth Miss was being so tantly shameless. Now, how could she refuse the Old Madam! Ah! The girl was testing her cool!

    Even if the whole Lu family was spoiling and pampering her, it had nothing to do with Ye Zhen.

    And most of all, whether she could graduate or not had nothing to do with her precious silver whip!

    ¡°Grandmother, that was when I went hunting with my eldest brother the other day. Marquis Tang Zhen wanted topete with me. He lost the silver whip to me,¡± Ye Zhen said in a humorous manner, making it looked like she found the situation ridiculous.

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect my fourth sister to like marquis¡¯ silver whip so much. If I had

    known, I would have let her fourth sisterpete with the marquis herself..¡±

    That¡¯s what she won, the price of her sweet victory! Why should she give Lu Jing such a rare whip?

    Old Madam Lu had known about the littlepetition that took ce between her third granddaughter and the marquis.But not until today did she know that it came with a price, the silver whip Lu Jing wanted.

    Thinking about this, the Old Madam¡¯s eyes lit up. Why did the marquis went through such measure, offering something to lure her granddaughter into participating in his game?

    It appeared to her, the corners of the madam¡¯s lips lifted a little, that the marquis is interested to Lu Yaoyao!

    ¡°The silver whip of the third sister is useless to her, but I certainly like it¡ª¡± Lu Jing pursed her mouth and spoke with clear naivety.

    With her achievements and reputation in the Women¡¯s College, she felt like she was entitled to everything she wanted.

    Before Lu Jing could even finish her plea, the curtains was hurled up to show Lu Lingzhi with several of his brothers. His distinguishable upright voice greeted the Old Madam.

    ¡°Greetings to our ever lovely Grandma!¡± He said with a wide smile.

    Old Madam Lu immediately smiled at her favorite grandson, ¡°Why are you all here?¡±

    ¡°Well, we are all famished so we came to have some delicious food. We all met on the way.¡± As he said so, his eyes uncontrobly swept towards the stunning vision which was Ye Zhen, who stood beside the Old Madam.

    A glimpse of surprise shed across his eyes!

    Wasn¡¯t it just days since hest saw her? Howe she changed so drastically?

    Was Mister Shan really that good that he can change a wild girl so thoroughly?

    Old Madam Luughed and said, ¡°I see. Your brutish monkeys came long when they heard of the little feast. Well, they are most wee.¡±

    The menughed boisterously, taking no offense for they knew the madam was only jesting.

    Lu Lingzhiughed along and without saying a word, sat down on a plush chair. ¡°Two cousins are here.¡±

    Chen Qiuping and Chen Liping stepped forward to pay respect.

    ¡°Eldest brother.¡±

    Ye Zhen lightly looked at the two miss. She found a little shyness on Chen Qiuping¡¯s face, in the corner of her eyes, she was constantly stealing nces at Lu lingzhi.

    Oh, so it is!

    It seems that Lu Lingzhi is truly an excellent match for any girls!

    ¡°Just now, when I entered the door, I heard Jing¡¯er say something about the silver whip. What was it about?¡± Lu Lingzhi asked lightly while asionally filling his ce with food as did his brothers.

    Lu Jing son look embarrassed smiled reluctantly and considered how to answer.

    The Second Miss Lu, Lu Fangughed behind her lips, ¡°Where is the silver whip that my Fourth sister wanted so badly from third sister?¡±

 Chapter 53 - A Motherâ€™s Worry (1)

    <strong>Chapter 53 ¨C A Mother¡¯s Worry (1)</strong>

    Lu Jing simply didn¡¯t want to see Tang Zhen¡¯s things in Ye Zhen¡¯s hands. Thus, she had tried to persuade her, even get to her good side but none of those worked!

    But now, who could say no to Old Madam?

    ¡°It turns out that fourth sister also likes whips but she couldn¡¯t just ask third sister to turn over what she won with great difficulty. So, eldest brother will find another silver whip.¡± Lu Lingzhi¡¯s face, with a warm and jade-like smile, resolutely forbid Lu Jing to make the silver whip as bargain..

    Lu Jing face changed slightly as her heart was suddenly filled with disappointment. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I really didn¡¯t really want it that much.¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at her and smiled victoriously.

    Seeing the smile in Ye Zhen¡¯s face as some sort of ridicule, she felt livid deep in her heart.

    ¡°Since your eldest brother wants to give you a new whip, isn¡¯t that good enough for you?¡± Old Madam Lu asked, genuinely d that the matter had settled.

    Lu Jing nodded timidly and acted as though she agreed with Lu Lingzhi¡¯s decision.

    Soon, Lu Shiming and his wife came and the talks of the whips and graduations could no longer be heard.

    After greeting the couple, Lu Fang took Chen Qiuping with her and they went out to breathe some fresh air, finding the political conversations uninteresting. And there, they talked about the college and nothing more.

    Left on the dining hall, Ye Zhen sat still by Pei Shi¡¯s side who seemingly aware of her daughter¡¯s sudden change. Her daughter became more beautiful and had a gentle smile on her face.

    Pei Shi couldn¡¯t understand but she suddenly felt worried over her daughter.

    On the other side of the table, Lu Shiming had a sincere conversation with the Old madam, entailing his decision of entering politics.

    ¡°... after so many years of neglect, I don¡¯t know if I can adapt to the dy until I find a job in the academician courtyard and finally set foot in its office.¡±

    Joy! The Old Madam felt only this when she heard of Lu Shiming¡¯s new prospect.

    God knows how she suffered with him during the years of his youth! Her youngest son who had topped an imperial exam was cheated, and his name was reced by a son of a governor! All thanks to the permission of his then eldest brother.

    Not only that, the incident also tainted the rtion with Lu Shiming and his eldest brother. No matter how many times Lu Shiming said that all was forgiven, Old Madam Lu could still tell that he still carried the pain.

    Poor Old Madam Lu could only witness with a broken heart how her family turned their backs against each other.

    What broke her heart most was Lu Shiming¡¯s departure followed by the death of her eldest son.

    ¡°Good! Your brother will be very happy...I hope you do your very best.¡± The most regrettable thing in her life is her young son migrated with hate and regret towards his eldest brother.

    Now that Lu Shiming¡¯s eldest brother is gone, Old Madam Lu found it consoling to see Lu Shiming reach his dream and thereby, forgiving his brother in the process.

    ¡°Mother, you can rest assured that I will.¡± Lu Shimingughed and threw asional nces at his wife.

    Pei Shi looked back at Lu Shiming with a gentle smile but felt a trace of bitterness in her heart for some reason. Everytime she looked the other way, Ye Zhen saw sorrow in her eyes.

    This made Ye Zhen wonder if something happenedtely.

    Ever since she woke up in this body, she had been thinking of her revenge and had never cared about other people¡¯s affairs.

    Deep down in her heart, Pei¡¯s family loved her and cared for her, and even if she had a deep hatred towards the Lu family, she could not attain to hate her and Lu Shiming.

    She owed them her twin sister¡¯s good life!

    With this, Ye Zhen decided to take care of Lu Yaoyao¡¯s adoptive parents.

    Brimming with excitement, Old Madam Lu called Lu Lingzhi¡¯s attention. ¡°You should find an imperial secretary job for your uncle at once!¡±

    Lu Lingzhi nodded, and was thoroughly invested to his meal when the Old Madam spoke once more.

    ¡°By the way, one of your cousins caught the very attention of Prime Minister Xu. What can you say about that?¡±

    ¡°Grandma, You don¡¯t have to worry about my own opinion about the marriage of my cousins..¡± Lu Lingzhi said with a wry smile.

    ¡°How long have you been postponing marriage?¡± Old Madam Lu stared at him. ¡°What about your younger brothers, do you expect them to marry before you?¡±

    Lu Lingzhi pointed to his younger brothers with a smile: ¡°Grandma, although they could find themselves suitable wives before me, I don¡¯t mind getting married after them.¡±

 Chapter 54 - A Motherâ€™s Worry (2)

    <strong>Chapter 54 ¨C A Mother¡¯s Worry (2)</strong>

    ¡°How dare younger brothers cross with the eldest brother? Let¡¯s wait until eldest brother has kissed!¡± Lu Tingzhi immediately jested and broughtughter inside the hall.

    Ye Zhen looked up at Lu Lingzhi¡¯s gentle and kind handsome face. Using her memory as a ghost in the pce before her rebirth, she tried to remember who Lu Lingzhi would marry in the end.

    It seemed like it was..

    Her nose scrunched up as she tried to remember but not anyone appeared in her mind. She was floating in the pce for the past two years, and she hadn¡¯t heard Lu Lingzhi, the biggest fish of the Lu family, had wed.

    Lu Lingzhi seemed to have felt Ye Zhen¡¯s stare and suddenly returned the gesture at her with a shallow smile.

    On instinct, Ye Zhen looked away immediately!

    In the middle of talking andughing, it was finally time for the second courses to be served.

    The banquet resumed its feast and people started to gather. Ye Zhen didn¡¯t know if she was under some illusion, but she felt that Lu Jing became closer with the Chen sisters than before!

    They were always talking, and she was left out and sometimes, given the cold shoulder.

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t think it was bad to be isted. Anyway, she had nothing to talk about with them.

    ¡°The third sister will take the exam in half a month. Are you sure?¡± Chen Liping raised her right eye brow and asked Ye Zhen.

    In the end, there was still some disbelief from people surrounding her. Ye Zhen felt determination in her heart, she would prove them wrong by passing the exam!

    Before they came to the Lu Mansion, they had already heard of the tan and ugly third sister from the Border Town.

    As a result, they didn¡¯t know the rumor was not credible until they met Ye Zhen, the third sister who was not only beautiful but could also bepared to them!

    Ye Zhen cocked her head and thought for a moment, ¡°I dare not take the exam if I am not sure.¡±

    Lu Jing covered her mouth andughed. ¡°My sister should know what to take in the entrance examination. Your riding and archery are all right. what about other aspects. . . especially musical instruments?¡±

    ¡°This ...... I¡¯m a little not good at it, but Mister Shan said it doesn¡¯t matter even if I fail the musical instruments exam as long as I pass the other exams.¡± Ye Zhen answered with confidence.

    ¡°Then you must really want to pray for god and Buddha that you pass the other exams!¡± Lu Jing sneered, discreetly mocking Ye Zhen on the table.

    Yet, Ye Zhen kept her cool. She nodded seriously, ¡°I heard that the Temple of Guarding the Nation* is very effective. You are right, fourth sister, it is good to ask for a spiritual sign before I take the exam.¡±

    *Temple of Guarding the Nation

    ¡°I will go with my third sister.¡± said Chen Qiuping suddenly.

    ¡°Good!¡± Ye Zhen gave her a thankful smile.

    At the end of the banquet, Lu Jing took the Chen family sisters and left first. While men were indulged with themselves, Ye Zhen saw this as an opportunity to talk to Pei Shi alone.

    She took her hand and invited her to go outside, saying that a small exercise is good for the digestion after a hearty meal.

    ¡°Mother, don¡¯t you ... don¡¯t you like father being an official?¡± Ye Zhen thought that Lu Shiming¡¯s desire for politics was what made Pei Shi look crestfallen all of a sudden.

    Pei Shi looked at Ye Zhen in surprise. ¡°Mother doesn¡¯t dislike it. Why do you think so?¡±

    ¡°I think Mother¡¯s face looked gaunt as ofte. . .¡± she asked inquisitively though her mother¡¯s appearance was apparently caused by poor diet andck of sleep.

    ¡°Yao Yao, Mother is fine.¡± Pei Shi lovingly touched Ye Zhen¡¯s head.

    ¡°It is just that some people are not used to the life here. But don¡¯t worry, I will adjust soon enough! Besides, I¡¯m d that the capital suits you.¡±

    However, Ye Zhen felt that things were not so simple as what Pei Shi had said.

    She must have something on her mind, but Ye Zhen didn¡¯t force her to speak anymore and just nodded obediently.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s time to go back and rest early. Mister Shan will be training you tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Mother, I¡¯ll go back first,¡± said Ye Zhen after giving Pei Shi a warm embrace and a peck on her cheek. She decided to ask Lu Xiangzhi tomorrow since he must know better about what was happening to his parents.

    On her way back, Ye Zhen saw Mister Shan standing in the courtyard, looking at all the flowers and grass in the garden, lost in his thoughts.

 Chapter 55 - Justice in Every Crime (1)

    <strong>Chapter 55 ¨C Justice in Every Crime (1)</strong>

    Ye Zhen stood aside and passed silently as she didn¡¯t wish to disturb Mister Shan. Doing so, she couldn¡¯t help but notice the luscious flowers that bloomed because of her miracle liquid drops.

    The servants in the mansion privately told her that the ce had good omen. Not only were the flowers and nts fresh, but even the third miss has be more and more lustrous by the day!

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you join me?¡± Mister Shan noticed Ye Zhen sneaking behind his back.

    Only then did Ye Zhen came to Mister Shan¡¯s side. ¡°Seeing that Mister Shan is meditating, this miss was afraid to disturb him.¡±

    Mister Shan¡¯s beautiful face shed a disappointed smile. ¡°The moonlight is good today. I¡¯m just thinking of my old friend.¡±

    ¡°Sir, if you don¡¯t mind, who do you think of?¡± Ye Zhen asked in a low voice.

    He remembered his apprentice whom he deeply cared for and the man who put her into shame until herst breath..

    She was no longer in this world.

    ¡°I am thinking of my former student.¡± Mister Shan¡¯s face showed a look of sadness. ¡°A woman who was astounded and brilliant, fell in love with someone she shouldn¡¯t have loved, and died.¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s throat tightened.

    When she was determined to marry Mo Rongzhan, Mister Shan once persuaded her that Emperor of Qin Dynasty was uncertain and had old grievances with the Ye family. When she married him, she would certainly be not in harmony with her husband.

    At that time, how did she answer him? She said that the Emperor Mo Rongzhan had an old grudge with her great uncle, which had nothing to do with her or their house.

    Besides, she saved him. As long as he knew who she was, he would not resent her.

    She was too naive!

    The big house of the Ye family represents the whole Ye n.

    She should¡¯ve known that the great hatred between her great uncle and the Emperor couldn¡¯t be changed by marriage. At that time, her uncle almost broke off his rtionship with her father just to protect the family.

    Yet, they all died in the end.

    ¡°Do you mean...Ye Zhen?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but ask quietly, concealing the strain her voice the hardest she could.

    Mister Shan gave her a light look. ¡°Do you know her?¡±

    ¡°I have heard others say that you were proudest of her. ¡± Ye Zhen said softly, ¡°They said the Ye family did evil things...so...¡±

    ¡°Ye Yiqing was just an idle person, a man who wouldn¡¯t even hurt a fly! What does the other family member had to do with his brother¡¯s crimes? It was Ye Yisong who has done so many evil deeds against the crown! Why did others had to die with him?¡± Mister Shan¡¯s voice was somewhat angry.

    Ye Yisong was Ye Zhen¡¯s uncle and the most powerful and treacherous court official in the previous dynasty. The first emperor was ipetent and had a great rtionship with him.

    If Ye Zhen would be asked if she felt mournful of her uncle¡¯s death, she would definitely say no!

    She knew that the Ye family, which used to be under the authority of her uncle, had been able to bully others.

    Her father and herself persuaded him, but his uncle never took it at heart.

    However, Mo Rongzhan wanted to kill Ye Yisong. But Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t understand why he also killed her father and her eldest brother! They were innocents!

    Her father had helped Mo Rongzhan, was sparing his life a tad too heavy for an act of gratefulness?

    ¡°Sir, even if you feel anger about thete Wang Fei¡¯s miserable end, there¡¯s nothing you can do now.¡± Ye Zhen smiled wryly in a low voice. ¡°This miss begs you to not mention any of this outside, especially to my family. You might get yourself in trouble.¡±

    No matter how she looked at it, Mister Shan had been a good friend to her. For this, she became afraid for his safety.

    She knew what Lu Lingzhi could do if he ever finds out that the teacher knew more about her.

    Mister Shan, perceiving herst statement as a threat, looked at her coldly.

    ¡°The Ye family might not get its retribution but your Lu family will suffer fate that is just as bitter in the future.¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at Mister Shan in surprise and saw the look of hatred in his eyes for the first time.

    T/N : oooohhh...sizzle

 Chapter 56 - Justice in Every Crime (2)

    <strong>Chapter 56 ¨C Justice in Every Crime (2)</strong>

    Ye Zhen stood unperturbed at her ce while Mister Shan gave a pointed re. He was angry and little did he know that it was his friend he was to, right at that very moment!

    The Lu family, naturally, Ye Zhen won¡¯t let them have a good end. Yet after experiencing love from Lu Yaoyao¡¯s family, she decided to seek revenge only from those who wronged her. She won¡¯t be as ungrateful as Mo Rongzhan was.

    Mister Shan rubbed his eyes and found that he had said too much this night. ¡°You should go back inside. I just had a drink and I am not in a good mood.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t a bit surprised, he smelled of wine and his eyes showed the despair he felt inside.

    Shepletely understood him. It took her a long time to get out of the sadness of her father and brother¡¯s murder. Mister Shan lost her, a friend.

    If only she could tell him that she was Ye Zhen! But she couldn¡¯t...

    ¡°Sir, I¡¯m tired today. Please have an early rest, too.¡± Ye Zhen said softly.

    Mister Shan looked at her student¡¯s face and finally sighed, ¡°I see.¡±

    Ye Zhen turned into the house, stood by the door and turned around. He saw that Mister Shan was no longer standing in the courtyard.

    ¡°Third miss, you¡¯re back!¡± Dai Mei came up and took off of her shoulder the cape she wore to protect herself from the freezing cold outside.

    Specially that these recent days, the nights had been palpably gloomy and cold. Just before the sun sets, the maids always scurried back inside the mansion to find refuge.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m a little thirsty. Please make me a ss of honey water.¡± Ye Zhen ordered lightly before disappearing behind the screen to wash her face and her body.She had been dropping her miraculous liquid drops in the she bathes with these days, so she purposely didn¡¯t want Dai Mei to serve her.

    Only when she was fully clothed did shee out from behind the screen with her hair down.

    Dai Mei brought the drink and looked at Ye Zhen¡¯s waist-length hair and said, ¡°The hair of the third miss is getting better and better!¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at the hair falling on her chest and noticed how different it was from before. Her inky ck hair gained vibrance and was now thick and healthy until its ends.

    ¡°It seems to be good to wash ones hair with Shou Wu* extract.¡± Ye Zhen said with a faint smile.

    **T/N : Shou Wu ¨C traditional chinese herb

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it? This handmaiden even thinks that even the Fourth Miss Lu¡¯s hair is not as good as yours! Third miss¡¯ skin is also getting better and better.¡± Dai Mei said proudly, insinuating that the better Ye Zhen looked like, the stronger is the proof that she had been of good service.

    Ye Zhenughed. ¡°Don¡¯t let Fourth Sister hear this, otherwise, you will be punished.¡±

    Dai Mei covered her mouth and shook her head. ¡°I dare not let her hear of this.¡±

    ¡°Well, you should now go and take a rest. I don¡¯t want you to wait here.¡± Ye Zhen sent her out kindly.

    ¡°This handmaiden will go but if the third miss will need something, she can ring the bell and this handmaiden wille.¡± Dai Mei curtsied before leaving Ye Zhen¡¯s chamber.

    All alone, Ye Zhen sat up on her plush bed, eyes low on her right palm while her other hand held the drink Dai Mei gave her.

    It just urred to her that she entertained the idea of drinking the liquid it emits! For so many days, she has been using the drops carefully in fear of any bad effect. However, the effects are obviously excellent.

    What will happen if she tries to drink it?

    Upon her discovery of the miraculous liquid drops which bore the deep color of blood, she felt fear but soon calmed down.

    Literally, she¡¯d witnessed miracles since her death. Her soul was afloat in the imperial pce for two years and she was soon reborn on no other than her twin sister¡¯s body! Not only that, she woke up two years back in time, just days after her death! What other strange things in this world could she not ept?

    Ye Zhen took a deep breath, train of thoughts crossed her mind as she held the drink beneath her palm and watched one drop of miraculous liquid mix with the honey water.

    All things have to be tried before the results are known. She thought that since the miraculous liquid could heal wounds and make her more beautiful, it must also be edible!

    She took the ss of honey water mixed with one drop of the liquid and poured all of its content into her throat.

    Apart from the warmth that spread inside her belly, she felt no ufortable feeling..

    After a few minutes of waiting, she still felt nothing unusual. Ye Zhen shook her head and smiled to herself as she thought she was being ridiculous.

    Then, sheid down on her bed and soon fell into a deep slumber.

 Chapter 57 - Skin as White as Tofu! (1)

    <strong>Chapter 57 ¨C Skin as White as Tofu! (1)</strong>

    Ye Zhen slept soundly, immersed in a dream. Or rather, a memory; of the day she got married.

    Years of wishing ¡ª finallying true! Only those who had been in love could understand how ecstatic she felt.

    Sitting inside her new chamber, she was looking forward to seeing Mo Rongzhan again after the ceremony. She would tell him that she was sick that year and couldn¡¯t meet him in the forest.

    Finally, she would tell him that she was the girl who saved him! Just the thought of it made Ye Zhen¡¯s heart leap with joy.

    He came in, tall and imposing, with a straight lean body and a face full of indifference. And when he stalked towards her ¨C Oh! Ye Zhen¡¯s breath hitched,pletely overwhelmed by his presence, her face turning shades closer to red as he drew nearer.

    Ye Zhen was thankful of the red veil she wore for the wedding for it concealed her scarlet cheeks.

    Standing in front of her, Mo Rongzhan swept off the veil from her head quite callously. Doing so, Ye Zhen looked directly at his face and couldn¡¯t help but notice the unmistakable disgust stered on it.

    She tugged his robe by his arm and wanted to show him the jade pendant she kept carefully for years. But she was surprised for Mo Rongzhan practically brushed her hand off like her skin scorched his!

    When he did that, what did he say?

    Oh, she remembered perfectly.

    In a calm voice, he said, ¡°The Ye family is already beneath one man, Ye Yisong. Why do they need their first daughter married to this emperor? Did they think that making you as Wang Fei would make a difference?¡±

    Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t speak, her mouth went dry. Everything went downhill at that moment, and she could only look back at the man she loved with big watery eyes.

    ¡°Well, they are mistaken.¡±

    With that, he left and never returned to her chamber.

    At that time, although she was hurt by his words, she still innocently thought that he would definitely change his mind after he knew who she was.

    Facts have proved that she was still naive, that confrontation didn¡¯t as much dwindle her undying love towards him.

    He went out on the second day of his marriage to fight a fierce battle. No one thought he woulde back alive, let alone expect him to win the battle.

    But he still took 5,000 soldiers and went to the border for a year or two until the first emperor died. Despite the family dispute, with Ye Yisong faced with usations of treason, the Ye family supported his reign.

    Within two months, Mo Rongzhan seeded in usurping the dragon throne and reced the puppet emperor.

    Ye Zhen dreamed again of what his father had said to her. He said, ¡°Yao Yao, everything in this world is doomed. The Ye family will have the disaster of n annihting sooner orter. No treacherous court official in history canst this long. Even if that dayes, I will protect you and your brother.¡±

    ¡°Yao Yao, if your father leaves in the future, you should be at ease and wait, and he wille back to you.¡±

    ¡°Remember our code. If anyone else in the world knows it, then he is surely a genius too just like father! Hahaha.¡±

    Then, as if she had seen a scene of blood soaring into the sky, all the members of the Ye family died under a single charge...

    ¡°Father, second brother!¡± With the heart-piercing pain of ten thousand arrows, Ye Zhen woke up screaming her lungs out.

 Chapter 58 - Skin as White as Tofu! (2)

    <strong>Chapter 58 ¨C Skin as White as Tofu! (2)</strong>

    Dai Mei, who was outside, hurried in. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Third miss?¡±

    Ye Zhen was panting and sweating. She looked at Dai Mei in front of her with a lingering fear. It took her awhile to wake up from her dream.

    ¡°I¡¯m all right.¡± Ye Zhen whispered and looked out of the window until she realized it was finally dawn.

    ¡°Is the third miss having nightmares again?¡± Dai Mei looked at her anxiously. She had been better these days. Why did she start having nightmares again?

    Ye Zhen shook his head and said, ¡°I should bathe, I am covered in sweat.¡±

    Only then did Dai Mei look at Ye Zhen¡¯s body. Indeed, even her clothes were dripping with sweat! Not only that, her clothes were also smudged with dirt!

    ¡°The miss should quickly take off her wet clothes so as not to catch a cold.¡±

    Strange, didn¡¯t she change her clothes yesterday? Why did it look so dirty?

    Ye Zhen also found something strange in her body. She dismissed the maid immediately. ¡°Go fetch some water first and I¡¯ll change my clothes.¡±

    Right after her handmaiden left, Ye Zhen took of her gown. There was ayer of ck stuff on her gown and even on her body! Some of it, mixed in with sweat, made her whole skin look like it was covered in grime.

    ¡®What is happening?¡¯, she thought to herself, confused.

    She was sure that, when she went to bedst night, she was still clean. When did she stick on these ck things?

    Ye Zhen took the towel to wipe away the sweat from her forehead and wiped her arm, only to be surprised to find that her skin was much whiter and smoother than yesterday.

    Wait. Was this because of...

    Looking at her arm, Ye Zhen was reminded of the fact that she drank a drop of the miraculous liquidst night before going to bed.

    Her mouth went dry all of a sudden.

    Was this rted to the miraculous liquid? Could it really discharge dirt with sweat?

    Ye Zhen was shocked and uncertain. She quickly took her new clothes and dressed. When Demi knocked in bringing a basin of hot water, Ye Zhen handed over her dirty clothes to the servant.

    ¡°This dress is too dirty. Don¡¯t bother washing it. Take it and throw it away.¡± Shemanded before turning around, beginning the motions of preparing her bath.

    Seeing her doing a chore she was supposed to do, Dai Mei insisted to serve her mistress.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Ye said, still feeling troubled and confused. She didn¡¯t want anyone else to be here.

    ¡°Then, this servant will go fetch the Miss her breakfast.¡± Dai Mei said, bowing before turning away, already haven gotten used to the habit of Ye Zhen refusing her service.

    Ye Zhen sat in the bathtub, washed away the stains on her body and then, sood in front of a tall bronze mirror. She looked at the person looking back at her and only two observations appeared in her mind.

    Her face had the color of a lotus flower, and her skin became as white as tofu!

    Unexpectedly, the miraculous liquid had such a magical effect.

    Ye Zhen was secretly pleased, but a little nervous. Which woman didn¡¯t want to be beautiful? But, still, now was not the time to be prominent. It was impossible to change in a span of hours!

    If she went out today, she would certainly arouse suspicion.

    Her mind was tangled up. Pretending to be sick wasn¡¯t an option for her, people would start visiting her in her chambers!

    Gathering all her wits, she carefully thought for a moment and called the maid stationed outside. She ordered her through the screen to pick a certain grass from the courtyard.

    Fortunately, she had her sister¡¯s knowledge of herbs in her mind, and knew hat kind of grass in the courtyard can temporarily cover her skin. As for her body, she could just cover it with her extravagant clothes. It was more important to tan her face, a bit..

    The miraculous drops, she would not dare to drink eat any more! If it became too severe, it would be impossible to hide it.

    The little maid followed Ye Zhen¡¯s description and found the grass. Ye Zhen let her go towards townter in the day as a reward for a job well done.

    She smashed the grass and smeared the juice all over her face, hands and neck. The jade-like skin immediately turned dark yellow!

    Dai Mei brought in the breakfast. Seeing that Ye Zhen was dressed up and her ck hair was tilted on the soft couch, she walked over and said with a smile, ¡°Third Young Miss, this servant has brought breakfast. When you have finished, this servant willb your hair.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled and gave a grateful yes.

    Dai Mei looked at the third miss whose face was yellowish.

    For some reason, she felt that something was off with her today. However, she could not say what was different. Looking at the third miss, she noticed that she looked a little better than yesterday.

    After eating breakfast, Ye Zhen went to the study to find Mister Shan and learned the etiquette for two hours. Finally, she got half an hour¡¯s rest time.

    Remembering the disgruntled expression on Pei Shi¡¯s facest night, she gave a word to Mister Shan to give her more time and went to find Lu Xiangzhi.

    To her disappointment, Lu Xiangzhi was just as unaware as she was. He¡¯d been following his mentor Mister Wang for days that he didn¡¯t know the whereabouts of his parents. Thus, he became worried as he heard it from his sister.

    Ye Zhen said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it either. I¡¯ll go to mother and ask her. I¡¯ll talk to you when I have news.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi felt that his sister and his mother must talk personally with each other, so he nodded, ¡°Then you should go ask her yourself.¡±

    In the end, when Ye Zhen turned to leave, Lu Xiangzhi snickered and called her out. ¡°Yao Yao! You look better everyday. If only you knew the capital was such a nurturing ce, you should have visited here much earlier!¡±

    Ye Zhen turned back and gave him an angry look. ¡°Even in the border town, I am already a beauty!¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi burst outughing, ¡°Yes, yes, my third sister is the first beauty in here and in the Border Town!¡±

 Chapter 59 - A Foolish Lover (1)

    <strong>Chapter 59 ¨C A Foolish Lover (1)</strong>

    Pei Shi lived in a house with a humble courtyard close to the main house. When Ye Zhen arrived, Pei Shi had just retreated to the upper rooms, causing the young miss to wait.

    When a few moments passed and the third madam still did not return, Ye Zhen¡¯s lips curled into a small frown as she started to wonder if she shoulde backter.

    Mid-way into her decision making, a beautifully dressed woman emerged from the east wing room, gaining her attention and jolting her out of her thoughts. With one look at the woman¡¯s hair and attire, Ye Zhen mused to herself that this woman was certainly no maid. Rather, this woman reminded her of thedies she used to see back at Ye mansion.

    Upon seeing her, the mystery woman¡¯s lips curled into a smile, turning to walk towards her, stopping short only to bow into a curtsy. ¡°Are you the third miss?¡± , she inquired as she rose, the smile still on her face as she took a small moment to stare at her before turning her gaze away.

    ¡°The third madam went outside. Third miss might as well wait inside the madam¡¯s house. Your mother should be back soon.¡±, she informed.

    Ye Zhen squinted at her slightly and was sure that there was no such person in her sister¡¯s memory. She should be from the capital then!

    She was definitely not a maid. Then who was she? What was her business with Pei Shi?

    Deciding that it wasn¡¯t good to stick her nose in everyone¡¯s business, Ye Zhen frowned slightly before nodding and turning to leave,¡±Alright. Thank you.¡±

    But as soon as she took one step towards the house, Pei Shi¡¯s maid Hai Tang came into the room, stopping in her tracks when she saw her and the mysterious woman together. Though, that onlysted for a small moment before she calmly turned to bow to Ye Zhen, paying her respects, ¡°Greetings to third miss Lu.¡±

    Smiling at her sudden appearance, Ye Zhen quickly returned her greetings before venturing to ask, her voice sweet and innocent, ¡°Sister Hai Tang, I¡¯m looking for mother, is she not here?¡±

    Hai Tang stiffened at the question, shooting the mysterious woman a cold look before turning back to Ye Zhen with a somewhat strained smile, ¡°Madam went to the upper rooms and will be back shortly.¡±

    Really, if Ye Zhen was not focused on the handmaiden for her response, she would have missed that quick exchange.

    The woman, not even acknowledging Hai Tang nor looked her way, then stepped forward, linking her arms with Ye Zhen¡¯s. ¡°Then the third miss will wait for the third madam in the courtyard. I will sit with her.¡±, the woman said, that wide smile still stered on her face as she ushered Ye Zhen towards Pai Shi¡¯s room.

    How odd..

    At that point, Hai Tang stepped forward, blocking the woman¡¯s advance and effortlessly untangling her hold on Ye Zhen with cold eyes, ¡°Madam said that no maid in this room can enter except me and Shao Yaoyao. Older sister Xue Liu, there is no mention of you being allowed in thus, you are not toe in. So, I will apany the Third Young Miss. We won¡¯t bother you any longer.¡±

    Xue Liu¡¯s face sank, ¡°You...!¡±

    ¡°Third young miss, pleasee in.¡± Hai Tang interjected, voice firm. She was simply too tired to deal with the likes of Xue Liu at the moment.

    At that invitation, Ye Zhen nodded, adopting a serene expression despite the rather tense scene, ¡°Then, let us go and wait for my mother, Sister Hai Tang¡±.

    With quick but calm steps, Ye Zhen crossed the threshold, following Hai Tang inside the room, her mind still going over the sudden exchange. Once done, Hai Tang quickly let the curtains down, neither woman sparing a nce at the left behind Xue Liu, whose face would turn blue in anger.

    Judging by the heated exchange between Pei Shi¡¯s trusted maid and the woman, Ye Zhen knew right away that Xue Liu wasn¡¯t exactly liked in this ce.

    Once seated, the third young Miss cast a quick nce at the handmaiden before turning away, pursing her lips, ¡°... Sister Hai Tang? Who was that? I have never seen her before.¡±

 Chapter 60 - A Foolish Lover (2)

    <strong>Chapter 60 ¨C A Foolish Lover (2)</strong>

    Copying the young miss¡¯ expression, Hai Tang began to exin, ¡°Her name is Xue Liu. She has lived in the capital all her life. She used to serve third master Lu Shiming. But, when the Third master went to the Border Town without her, she pledged to Old Madam Lu that she¡¯d wait for the master¡¯s return! Two days ago, the Old Madam sent out for her in fulfillment of their agreement. If the third madam Pei Shi will not manage to drive her away, I heard that she would take residence in the east wing!¡± Hai Tang eximed, her voice quickly growing more fervent, more horrified.

    ¡°¡ªThat woman, she wanted to see your father and has been barging in here for three days now! She also often speaks with the Old Madam. Even if the Third Master had treated her well before, that was when the your mother wasn¡¯t married to your father! Now the third master has a wife, what does she think she¡¯s doing?¡±

    Hai Tang finished with a sigh, trying to keep herself from speaking too harshly in front of Ye Zhen. If not for her presence, she would have scolded that shameless hoof!

    Ye Zhen now understood that Xui Liu was Lu Shiming¡¯s former room maid. Lu Shiming didn¡¯t take her with him when he went to the Border Town. Obviously, he didn¡¯t like her so much, but the woman was able to wait for so many years, not to mention being old and losing her charm of youth.

    She didn¡¯t marry and waited for Lu Shiming with all her heart.

    Were they involved romantically in the past?

    As far as Ye Zhen saw, Lu Shiming was a devoted husband to Pei Shi. But Xui Liu, why did she wait all these years? Especially when her service wasn¡¯t needed any more. Pei Shi could take care of herself and Lu Shiming just fine! Back in the Border Town, Pei Shi didn¡¯t even have a single handmaiden.

    ¡°My mother is unhappy these days. Is that the woman bothering her?¡± Ye Zhen asked lightly.

    Pei Shi and Lu Shiming have been in love for more than ten years. Suddenly, he found that he had a maid waiting for him. It is normal for Pei Shi to feel that way, if it was indeed the reason of her sadness.

    However, Lu Shiming held no affection for Xui Liu. What was Pei Shi unhappy about?

    Ye Zhen felt that there was more to this than what Hai Tang was saying.

    ¡°There was another thing that she did that made this handmaiden angry!¡± Hai Tang snorted and stomped her feet, ring at the closed curtain as if she could still see Xue Liu outside.

    ¡°The master has been busy recently and has been spending his time at the rear courtyard. Xue Liu took advantage of the third madam¡¯s inattention and has one time, brought a soup personally to the master¡¯s courtyard!

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyebrows shot up to the sky at this information, her face quickly growing grim, her voice solemn, ¡°Did my father spend that night with her?¡±

    At that question, Hai Tang ced a hand on her mouth in shock, only now realizing what kind of information she was sharing and to who exactly she was sharing it to. The third miss wasn¡¯t supposed to hear any of this!

    With flustered cheeks and wide eyes, the handmaiden cried out in rm, bowing in front of her, ¡°Third miss, you must not say this to anyone. If your mother hears this, she will kill this handmaiden!¡±

    At this, Ye Zhen¡¯s face softened, her lips curling into a small smile, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be afraid. I will not tell a word of this to anyone.¡±

    At her reassurance, Hai Tang quickly adopted her previous position, looking a bit shame-faced

    at her demeanor. Seeing the expectant gaze of the Third Young Miss, she quickly dove back into her exnation, wanting to reassure her, ¡°The Third Master can¡¯t remember her at all. He didn¡¯t go to her house, I heard. If the Old Madam did not tell him to ept her service, Third Master would have drove her away a long time ago! Letting her stay was only to save the face of the Old Madam.¡±

    Ye Zhen now understood why Pei Shi had lost her spirit. She was worried that the woman would manage to dig her ws into her husband!

    Who wouldn¡¯t? The woman was painstakingly desperate from what Hai Tang had told her.

 Chapter 61 - A Foolish Lover (3)

    <strong>Chapter 61 ¨C A Foolish Lover (3)</strong>

    Any man who had a woman waiting for him for that many years would feel vain. And despite everything, Lu Shiming was still a man.

    Truly, this was a big problem. As a daughter, as Lu Yaoyao rather, she could not interfere with Lu Shiming¡¯ affairs. Left unattended, Xue Liu would be capable of causing havoc between the married couple.

    A havoc which Pei Shi would not be able to solve. A havoc which Lu Shiming¡¯s interests would decide the oue.

    Now knowing the reason, Ye Zhen was at a loss. With a heavy sigh, she turned to look towards the timetable and frowned, noting the time. With another, smaller sigh, Ye Zhen pushed herself into a stand, her lips forming into a small frown.

    ¡°Mother still hasn¡¯te back and Mister Shan is still waiting for me. I¡¯lle backter when she returns.¡±

    Hai Tang, after acknowledging and promising to tell the third madam of her daughter¡¯s current and future visit, apanied Ye Zhen to send her off. As they left the room, they caught sight of Xue Liu still standing at a corner of the courtyard, fuming.

    Shooting a weak smile towards that direction, Ye Zhen said her goodbyes and went back to her courtyard.

    In the evening, Pei Shi actually came to find her.

    ¡°Mother, I was just about to go and find you when you came.¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile after curtsying, offering her respects. Pei Shi looked at her daughter¡¯s bright smile, and smiled weakly in return.

    ¡°Mother didn¡¯t bother you when she knew you were going to study this afternoon.¡± She replied as Ye Zhen reached out to hold her hand, guiding her to sit at the table.

    With a shake of her head, Ye Zhen immediately dismissed that idea, iming her mother would never bother her.

    ¡°In fact, I wanted to talk to you about something today.¡± Ye Zhen chirped as she turned to look at Pei Shi with wide impish eyes and a pout, fluttering her eyshes like she did as a child.

    Pei Shi, amused at her daughter¡¯s antics, squeezed her hand, idlyparing Ye Zhen¡¯s look to that of a begging puppy. ¡°Oh? What is it?¡±

    ¡°Mother, I heard that there was a hot spring soup at the suburbs and our family currently owns the **Zhuangzi! Shall we go and stay there for a few days?¡± Ye Zhen asked softly, her eyes twinkling.

    **T/N : Zhuangzi ¨C The Lu family¡¯s hot spring

    ¡°Hot springs?¡± Pei Shi paused, tilting her head as she observed her daughter. ¡°How did you think of going to the hot springs?¡±

    Ye Zhen instantly smiled and said, ¡°Hot spring bathing can make people happy physically and mentally. It can also nourish the body. Shall we stay for a few days?¡±

    ¡°Then you don¡¯t need Mister Shan to study?¡± Pei Shi knew that her daughter wanted her to go lighten her spirits. She felt warm in her heart, yet at the same time, she felt guilty about the depression she had suffered in recent days.

    Honestly, Lu Shiming did not remember Xue Liu, at all. He did not even ask her toe and kowtow for so many days, stating clearly that he did not want to talk to the woman.

    However, she still resented that the woman poses a threat against their rtionship. All because of Lu Shiming¡¯s frivolous youth!

    In order not to let her feel sad and angry, Lu Shiming had lived in the rear courtyard for days now. Really, of things kept on being like this, their feelings of husband and wife will eventually fade.

    ¡°Mister Shan will go with us. Studying there will certainly get twice the result with half the effort.¡± Ye Zhen said quickly.

    Pei Shi smiled and nodded her head. ¡°Then I¡¯ll discuss it with your father.¡±

 Chapter 62 - Reconciliation between Husband and Wife (1)

    <strong>Chapter 62 ¨C Reconciliation between Husband and Wife (1)</strong>

    Pei Shi agreed to take Ye Zhen to the hot springs, but realized she still had to ask Lu Shiming his permission and perhaps invite him. Leaving Ye Zhen, she decided to go to her husband¡¯s courtyard where he would surely be found.

    Naturally, she had a moment of hesitation at first, they¡¯ve been on a silent quarrel after all!

    But she remained resolute and started her short walk towards the front courtyard. In her mind, if he doesn¡¯t want toe, she would still take her daughter and son to stay in the hot springs with her for a few days.

    **T/N : courtyard ¨C an open spacious area signifying a family¡¯s wealth and prosperity

    Being an official, Lu Shiming now had a separate courtyard adjacent to Lu Lingzhi, which he also used as a facility to meet colleagues and handle business.

    However, because of the couple¡¯s misunderstanding, the courtyard had been her husband¡¯s home for a few days now.

    Pei Shi has not yet reached the courtyard gate when she was weed by the sight of no other than Xue Liu!

    She was carrying a tray of food and was walking gracefully, a gentle sway of her hips on her every step.

    If anything, she didn¡¯t look like a maid at all! Her clothes were even more extravagant than Pei Shi¡¯s.

    Donned in a golden silky gown, adorned with a sapphire gourd, she looked ethereal under the dim light of the night. She wasn¡¯t youthful anymore but she had thissting appeal that made Pei Shi¡¯s heart grieve tremendously.

    What a shame! She, the wife, hasn¡¯te to the front courtyard every day but this woman was able to do so.

    The woman had her desperate ways. upying the Old Madam by running errands for her gave her the opportunity to wait for Lu Shiming to let her inside his courtyard.

    ¡°Third Madam.¡± Xue Liu who stood outside the study saw Pei Shiing and immediately bowed respectfully.

    The servant boy standing on the steps turned around, greeted Pei Shi and went inside the courtyard to tell Lu Shiming that her wife requested entrance.

    No matter how hard she tried to hide it, Xue Liu¡¯ surprise of Pei Shi¡¯s visit couldn¡¯t be measured.

    Of all things that could have happened today, she didn¡¯t expect Pei Shi woulde to see him on her own initiative.

    Wasn¡¯t she too high-minded to visit her husband? Is this a change of heart?

    ¡°Third Madam, did you alsoe to seek the Third lord? It¡¯s a pity that he is too busy and doesn¡¯t let anyone inside.¡± Xue Liu said disappointingly, appearing extremely sorry for Pei Shi.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid the Third Madam has to wait.¡±

    Pei Shi just gave her a light look, this woman seemed to not have noticed that she is the wife here.

    ¡°Is that it? Madam Xue Liu must be very patient to wait here everyday.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Xue Liu¡¯s face turned a shade paler. She came to see him every day, but he never once granted her entrance. What perplexed her was Pei Shi¡¯s knowledge of this misfortune of her!

    Otherwise, why did Pei Shi¡¯s face look so hurt these days? She even kept her husband away.

    She wanted to take advantage of their husband¡¯s and wife¡¯s troubles but none of her ways worked, much to her utter disappointment.

    After a few minutes, the servant boy who went in to report to Lu Shiming came out of the study and whispered to Pei Shi, ¡°Third Lady, Third lord asked you toe inside.¡±

    Pei Shi gently nodded and motioned Hai Tang to wait outside. She walked in with her head held high but was immediately stopped in her tracks by Xue Liu.

    ¡°Madam, I have stewed the soup for the Third lord. It is better for me toe and serve the soup.¡±

    ¡°The Third lord is in good health, but Miss Xue Liu, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s cold here outside? It looks like you are in need of that soup more than him.¡± Pei said with a subtle chuckle.

    Xue Liu looked pale. She wanted to go in with her, but was stopped by the servant boy and Hai Tang. ¡°Miss Xue Liu, Third lord didn¡¯t let you in.¡±

    The door of the study was closed again. Hai Tang gave her a contemptuous look and whispered softly, ¡°Shame on you.¡±

    Xue Liu gave Hai Tang a haughty look, and swore to herself that someday, if the odds would be in her favor, she would give her a taste of her own medicine!

    In the study, Lu Shiming put his arm around Pei Shi¡¯s shoulder with a slightly excited smile on his face, ¡°My wife, you are finally willing toe to me.¡±

    Not sharing the same feeling of enthusiasm, Pei Shi gave him an angry look. ¡°If you don¡¯te with us, will you then let people from outsidee in to serve you?¡±

 Chapter 63 - Reconciliation Between Husband and Wife (2)

    <strong>Chapter 63 ¨C Reconciliation Between Husband and Wife (2)</strong>

    Lu Shiming quickly begged for mercy, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my mother¡¯s sake, I would certainly not allow her to be outside. Don¡¯t think about it. You have ignored me these days. I can¡¯t eat or sleep well. The children starts to notice this. Do you have the heart to forgive me?¡±

    ¡°Of course I have! Your daughter won¡¯t give up.¡± Pei Shi snorted lightly before emitting a small smile.

    ¡°Yao Yao wants to go to the hot springs. I remember there is a bath near our home. if you can squeeze out a few days, you cane with us. if not, I can take Yao Yao and Xiang¡¯er without you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have that much time to spare. I¡¯ll take you there and stay one night.¡± Lu Shiming said in a low voice that he would like to spend more time with his wife, but he was now a new official and had many things to do.

    Looking at her husband intently, it then came to Pei Shi that if she and her children went to the baths, leaving Lu Shiming alone, wouldn¡¯t it give Xue Liu a chance?

    Lu Shiming knew at a nce what she was thinking and said with an assuring smile.

    ¡°Tomorrow I will tell mother that the rules of the family should be set up. Now we are different from before. We can no longer let the servantse to the front yard whenever they want to, so Xue Liu will not be able toe near me. I have been living in the front yard for several days. When youe back from the bath, can I go back to your chamber?¡±

    He had a boyish smile on his face while he held Pei Shi closer to him.

    Pei Shi justughed. ¡°Yao Yao said that he would ask Mister Shan to go to the baths together. The exam will be held in half a month. I¡¯m worried that she won¡¯t be able to focus her studies in the baths.¡±

    Feeling a little guilt, Lu Shiming realized that he had neglected his daughter a little recently. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether Yao Yao would fail or pass the exam.¡±

    As a father who loved her daughter regardless of her unruly nature, Lu Shiming was proud of Lu Yaoyao, even if she fails.

    ¡°In spite of that, which of the girls in the Lu family is not from the Women¡¯s College? I don¡¯t want our daughter to feel inferior to them in the future.¡± This was every mother¡¯s desire, to see their children lead a better life.

    ¡°No worries! We¡¯re so smart that I¡¯m sure she will pass the exam!¡± Lu Shiming said with augh, ¡°I heard from Xiang¡¯er that Yao Yao has be more beautiful and moredy-like. It seems that capital really suits her.¡±

    Pei Shi¡¯s face was somewhat worried, her hands visibly shook.

    Lu Shiming saw the change in her expression and asked what was the matter.

    ¡°Do you remember? The man who gave Yao Yao to us at the beginning ...he had the ent of the capital. Will anyone recognize Yao Yao as theirs?¡±

    Pei Shi worriedly asked, her teary eyes aglow while she gazed up at her husband¡¯s face. She hurt herself when she gave birth to her son, and was unable to bear a daughter in the Border Town.

    Indeed, she was given a daughter. Her and her husband adopted Lu Yaoyao without hesitation. Pei Shi was seriously ill on the road and her health forbid her to be pregnant again.

    Thus, one can just imagine the happiness she felt when Lu Yaoyao arrived on their door, a little babe squirming in fine silk wrapped around her small body.

    But now she had taken Yao Yao as her daughter. How could she give her back to others?

    Fifteen years have passed, and if Yao Yao hadn¡¯t overheard them, she wouldn¡¯t have known her life. However, although she knows now, she still treats them no different as before. This was more than enough to make her happy.

    ¡°After all these years, when did anyone recognize our Yao Yao? Even if someone does, don¡¯t worry, she is our daughter.¡± Lu Shiming said.

    Pei asked in a low voice, ¡°Did you find out ... whose child is Yao Yao?¡±

    ¡°I have not tried to avoid doubts.¡± Lu Shiming said, ¡°Let me go back with you. Don¡¯t think so much about it.¡±

    Pei Shi thought for a moment that even if someone really wanted to rob her daughter, she would not give Lu Yaoyao without a fight!

    Their love as a mother and daughter built for many years was not so easy to break, she hoped.

 Chapter 64 - Laying the Odds on Her Name (1)

    <strong>Chapter 64 ¨C Laying the Odds on Her Name (1)</strong>

    Lu Shiming personally told Old Madam Lu that he would take Pei Shi and the children to the baths for a few days. Surprisingly, the Old Madam appeared to have heard this.

    ording to her, the brother and sister have been busy recently, that visiting the baths would help them relieve exhaustion.

    However, Old Madam Lu asked him to take the other misses with him.

    Ye Zhen heard the words of the Old Madam and naturally felt disappointed in her heart. She proposed to go to the hot spring to avoid the family, so that she could naturallye back more beautiful!

    But in thepany of the misses of the Lu family, how could her stunt pave off?

    Oh heavens please be good to me!

    Giddy with ideas for a trip in her head, Old Madam Lu went to find Lu Jing and Lu Fang to ask them personally if they¡¯d like to go to the baths too.

    ¡°Grandma, we¡¯d like to go, but yesterday we just epted the second daughter of Prime Minister Xu¡¯s family. Tomorrow, we will go to their family for a poetry meeting. We also have an appointment to go to Baihua Garden to enjoy the flowers.¡± Lu Jing said, clearly having no interest in going to the hot springs, especially in thepany of Ye Zhen.

    Old Madam Lu did not force her, but asked Ye Zhen, ¡°Yao Yao, do you want to go to the baths or join Jing¡¯er and her friends to poetry reading?¡±

    The second daughter of Prime Minister Xu¡¯s family, isn¡¯t that Xu Huiru? She and Ye Zhen both studied in college before. Both were excellent at poetry and painting. Xiu Huiru was always displeased with Ye Zhen, always trying to prove that she was better than her.

    ¡°Grandma, I won¡¯t go. I don¡¯t know how to write poems or even paint! Going will only cause trouble to fourth sister. I¡¯ll go after I learn.¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile, humbling herself in front of the hateful sisters.

    Tilting her head a little higher, Lu Jing seemed pleased of Ye Zhen¡¯s words. ¡°Third sister is right not to go.¡±

    A bit disheartened by her granddaughter¡¯s decisions but seeing that she couldn¡¯t persuade anyone anymore, Old Madam Lu did not insist any further.

    ¡°Well, then, my third daughter-inw will take Yao Yao and Xiang¡¯er to stay at the baths for a few days.¡±

    With that, Ye Zhen¡¯s spirit was lifted, her mouth couldn¡¯t help but morph into a victorious smile!

    Pei Shi saw this, and thought how she didn¡¯t know how much her daughter loved the baths. So, she quickly ordered the maids to prepare their needs for the journey.

    It was best to leave for the baths before noon, the roads could be dangerous at night..

    Ye Zhen was in a good mood and threw a charming smile at the Old Madam. ¡°Grandma, you shoulde with us, too. I heard that hot springs can beautify you. We¡¯lle back way more beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Ha, ha, ha, grandmother can¡¯t go this time. But if youe back more beautiful then there shouldn¡¯t be any reason for me not to go the next time! ¡± Old Madam Lu said happily.

    Lu Jing secretly showed a disdainful expression, her hands curled into fists, as she watched the madamugh heartily because of Ye Zhen.

    If one can be beautiful by soaking in hot springs, why does ugliness and obscenities exist in this world?

    The matters are set and Ye Zhen left the room briskly. She told Dai Mei to pack up her things and went to Mister Shan to personally invite him.

    As what she had presumed earlier, Mister Shan had no problem. For him, studying is the same everywhere.

    On her way out, she found some of the miss ying piano in the pavilion by the garden, the Chen sisters specifically who took temporary residence in the mansion. With them was Lu Jing and Lu Fang, and their faces were close to each other, as they talk about something trivial.

    Or someone! Surely, Ye Zhen was one of their hot topics! Envious hellions!

    ¡°The third sister didn¡¯t go to the baths to avoid the poetry meeting, did she?¡± Chen Liping asked suspiciously.

    ¡°Sister Liping shouldn¡¯t say that. It hurts her third sister.¡± Lu Jing chuckled mockingly. ¡°-When the third sister enters the women¡¯s college, she will naturally dare to attend the poetry meeting.¡±

    Chen Qiuping was a bit more restrained and said nothing.

    Ye Zhen gave them a carefree look and said with a smile, ¡°I may not be able to pass the entrance examination yet. Please don¡¯t go outside and say it, lest I be humiliated.¡±

    ¡°Still needs us to stay quiet? During the Flower Appreciation Festival, many people heard about you. The third miss of our family who have only learned a thousand characters but have the guts to take entrance examination! Third sister may not know about this but people have secretly started bets!¡± Lu Jing eximed tauntingly.

    Dai Mei who was at Ye Zhen¡¯s back froze at the news.

    ¡°Bets? What bets?¡± she asked in disbelief.

 Chapter 65 - Laying The Odds on Her Name (2)

    <strong>Chapter 65 ¨C Laying The Odds on Her Name (2)</strong>

    ¡°Oh? Third sister doesn¡¯t know? All the madams and misses who attend the poetry meeting on weekdays are willing to make a bet on whether you can get into the medical school or not!¡± Lu Fang dramatically whispered to Ye Zhen.

    Tongue-tied, Ye Zhen took seconds to find the right words to say.

    ¡°Oh? And how is it going? ¡± she was indeed interested, and shocked.

    ¡°People who wins will have ten times the money they spent over their choice of bet. But so far, majority of thedies have bet against your sess.¡± Lu Jing said gloatingly, a smug look on her face. Lu Yaoyao had won everyone¡¯s favor at home, but she still hadn¡¯t won over those of the capital!

    Ye Zhen showed an injured expression, ¡°I see. I must go now, it is almost noon. I¡¯ll see you when I return.¡±

    Leaving the garden, the smile on Ye Zhen¡±s face brightened up, leaving Dai Mei beside her thoroughly confused. Clearly, it wasn¡¯t the reaction she was expecting.

    Is the third miss so excited to be shamed and belittled?

    *

    Lu Shiming and Lu Xiangzhi rode in front while Pei Shi and Mister Shan traveled in one carriage, they seemed to have something important to talk about. As a respectful daughter, Ye Zhen agreed to ride alone in a carriage behind them.

    Pei Shi originally wanted to be with her daughter, but Mister Shan said he had something to ask her, therefore, she sat with him in his carriage patiently.

    ¡°Tell me, do you have anything to say, is it a matter of death?¡± Pei Shi asked anxiously.

    Mister Shan looked at Pei¡¯s facial features carefully, frowning slightly and asked, ¡°Please don¡¯t me me for speaking straight. I don¡¯t spit out a thing if I don¡¯t find it necessary.¡±

    Pei Shi¡¯s heart was slightly tight, and his face smiled as usual. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Yao Yao, is she truly your daughter?¡± Mister Shan asked directly. No one could me him for doubting this possibility, it was because everyday, Lu Yaoyao was looking like Ye Zhen even more!

    After getting along with her these days, he sometimes thought that Ye Zhen was standing in front of him instead of Lu Yaoyao.

    ¡°Why do you ask? Yao Yao is my daughter. I gave birth to her in the Border Town.¡±

    Sure enough she didn¡¯t!

    This was indeed the moment Pei Shi dreaded so much about! Why of all the people did Mister Shan ask her this question? Did he know any of Lu Yaoyao¡¯s rtives?

    Breaking out in a sweat, Pei Shi wished that the carriage¡¯s window was not closed. ¡°I just think it¡¯s a coincidence that Yao Yao looks too much like...like the daughter of an old friend of mine.¡±

    ¡°Are there any missing daughters in their family?¡± came Pei Shi¡¯s question. She felt even worse now for the family of Lu Yaoyao...But she couldn¡¯t entertain the thought of her daughter leaving her.

    ¡°Not that I heard of.¡± Mister Shan shook his head. Perhaps he was thinking too much.

    Shrugging her shoulders, Pei Shi was relieved, ¡°Some people can be quite simr, you know.¡±

    Giving out an audible sigh, Mister Shan nodded condescendingly, ¡°You are right, though they look so much alike, Yao Yao is just as intelligent as the daughter of my old friend. Perhaps, she will have better prospects in the future.¡±

    Pei Shi saw that Mister Shan had dispelled his doubts and his smile deepened. ¡°That¡¯s because we have such good gentlemen as you.¡±

    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t left then, you would have been a doctor.¡± Mister Shan looked at her and said.

    ¡°The past will not be mentioned.¡± Pei Shi shook her head and chuckled. She followed Lu Shiming without hesitation. She was also reluctant to let him suffer injustice in the capital. They had been in the Border Town for so many years.

    In fact, life back there was very satisfying. Even ifing back meant living again in their simple ways, she would be more than willing..

    Everyone has their own ways, and their decisions buds from this. Mister Shan understood Pei Shi¡¯s choice. He himself also chose to leave the Women¡¯s College and would rather wander around.

    Remembering the life she left years ago, Pei Shi couldn¡¯t help butugh at its irony. Never have she thought she would give up on her dreams in favor of the man she loved.

    Looking at her children¡¯s faces, she never regretted this life she chose.

    ¡°I only hope Yao Yao can inherit my mantle and study medicine in the medical center. If she wants to be a female medical officer, she has my full support.¡±

    Mister Shan turned to look outside. He hoped Lu Yaoyao would not only be a female medical officer.

    To him, she could be so much more...

 Chapter 66 - Memories Tied to a Place (1)

    <strong>Chapter 66 ¨C Memories Tied to a ce (1)</strong>

    The golden sun slowly set, brandishing the sky with thin stripes of violet hues. Beneath the wide horizon, the lined-up carriages of the Lu Family arrived at the Zhuangzi Hot Springs.

    Lu Shiming had already sent people to the Zhuangzi to take care of everything. When they arrived, the establishment¡¯s housekeeper had already met them at the door.

    Upon arrival, Pei Shi went to check on Ye Zhen, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You¡¯ve been in the carriage for most of the day. I must make a hot soup for you.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we go to hot spring together with the rest?¡±

    ¡°Every courtyard here draws water from the spring. There is not only one pool.¡± Pei Shi spoke with wonder.

    Ye Zhen smiled. No one is more familiar with the structure of the hot spring Zhuangzi than she is. This was originally her dowry! Given by her family to the emperor upon their marriage!

    She died without children, and her family died right after her death. Therefore, all her things became Mo Rongzhan¡¯s.

    She felt bitter in her heart, the tyrant gave her Zhuangzi to the Lu family!

    At the thought of this, Ye Zhen¡¯s heart was filled with anger, and his hatred for Mo Rongzhan deepened somewhat.

    Because she was an unimportant person to him, her dowry can be freely given to others.

    Pei Shi felt that her daughter¡¯s mood was a little foul. Perceiving it as some kind of travel exhaustion, she sent out maids to take Ye Zhen to her temporary chamber and courtyard.

    When Ye Zhen came to the courtyard arranged for her, she had a bitter-sweet smile on her face. It turned out to be such a yful coincidence.

    She used to live in the very courtyard she was standing on now. Back then, she personally chose this part of the baths for it had thergest courtyard and the biggest pool that had a secret passageway to the adjacent hills.

    Although the establishment was surrounded by wooden walls, it was not difficult to swim out and find inexplicable freedom at the other side of the wall.

    When she was still unmarried, every time she visited this ce she would secretly sneak into the back hill at night. And there, she would bask under the moonlight and embrace the warmth of the night scenery until it was near dawn...

    This ce also housed memories of her childhood. Her father and her brother, she could see their shadows at every corner.

    Her insides shivered and in no time, her eyes welled up with tears. She felt miserable and alone.

    Oh god, how she missed them! If only she could turn time back but miracles were not in her control.

    ¡°Yao Yao!¡± Lu Xiangzhi rushed up from behind and the smile was immediately wiped away when he saw tears in his sister¡¯s eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Ye Zhen wiped away tears, smiled and shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Why aren¡¯t you with father? What brings you here? ¡±

    Pure disbelief in his eyes, Lu Xiangzhi frowned and ignored his sister¡¯s query. Instead, he held her shoulders at arm¡¯s bay and looked at her right in the eye.

    ¡±Are you worried about the entrance examination? Or did you hear about other people betting on you? ¡±

    ¡°You know?¡± Ye Zhen was surprised to ask, has this matter already spread?

    One of Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s faces looked exactly like this: ¡°Don¡¯t worry about what other people think, don¡¯t they say you can¡¯t enter if you don¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Brother, you can bet for me.¡± Ye Zhen smiled through tears and tugged at Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s sleeve before saying, ¡°All my savings are one hundred and twenty taels. If you bet on me, bet that I will seed in entering the college, my one hundred taels will turn to one thousand!¡±

    ¡°Eh? You will put you savings at risk?¡± Lu Xiangzhi eyes look like it would fall at any moment!

    Pursing her lips, Ye Zhen put her hands at her sides, a face of injustice stared back at Lu Xiangzhi. ¡°Does brother also think I cannot enter? You also look down on me! Hmph!¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi said hastily, ¡°How can I look down on you? Our family is smart and you will definitely be admitted to the college.¡±

    ¡°Then you should bet on me to win!¡± Ye Zhen smiled and her clear eyes sparkled like jewels.

    T/N : Turns out, this ce was linked to her past, did you see thating?

 Chapter 67 - Memories Tied to a Place (2)

    <strong>Chapter 67 ¨C Memories Tied to a ce (2)</strong>

    He looked at her beautiful smile and pondered for a moment. Realizing that there was no way he could get out of this, he blurted out and agreed, ¡°Alright! Alright!.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled sheepishly, ¡°It¡¯s very kind of my brother.¡±

    ¡°Go and rest!¡± Lu Xiangzhi rubbed Ye Zhen¡¯s head, his eyes were full of pride at spoiling his sister.

    Lu Xiangzhi looked at his sister¡¯s retreating back and sighed worriedly in his heart. It didn¡¯t take long for his sister to be a gracefuldy from a wild girl he grew up with. He just found out that among all the girls he met, including the other sisters of the Lu family, none seemed to be at par with her.

    That¡¯s why, the thought of a man marrying her sister and not treating her well irked him!

    His baby sister was growing up too fast, that he deemed it necessary to protect her at all cost! He even indignantlyined to her father about this matter.

    Lu Shiming pped him hard on his head. ¡°Don¡¯t think about that now! I myself can¡¯t bear to have your sister married so soon! I won¡¯t allow it!¡±

    ¡°Any man who tries will have a taste of this fists!¡± Lu Shiming raised his two fists in the air.

    Lu Xiangzhi nodded, ¡°Father, you are wise.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s why you should study!¡± Lu Shiming criticised his son with humor.

    *

    In the evening, after Ye Zhen had eaten, she took Dai Mei to the hot spring pool with her and said enthusiastically, ¡°I¡¯ll go down and soak for a while. You can wait for me outside.¡±

    Dai Mei replied with some worry, ¡°Miss, it¡¯s getting dark. We shoulde back tomorrow.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°Today, Ah! My body feels stiff and sore due to the bumps on the roads. If I don¡¯t take a bath, I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t be able to sleep well tonight.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! If you don¡¯t know how to swim, go to a nearby pool and soak in it. This hot spring can not only relieve fatigue, but also make your skin look better!¡± She reassured Dai Mei.

    Listening to her mistress at heart, Dai Mei moved forward but didn¡¯t get into the water. Instead, she helped Ye Zhen get rid of her external garments and had nned to wait for her outside.

    As Ye Zhen¡¯s gown fell into pools around her feet on the ground, her white and moist shoulders came into view.

    ¡°Miss, do you want your hair down?¡± Dai Mei looked at her mistress¡¯ rosy skin and asked quietly.

    Ye Zhen nodded and Dai Mei gently took off the hairpins off her head. His ck hair fell like a waterfall until her waist.

    She was wearing only a belly band* and a pair of knee-length silk trousers. No herbal ointment was used to Ye Zhen¡¯s hair tonight, so her waist length hair fell freely to cover her bright and clean back.

    *T/N : Belly band

    The pink belly band hung on her thin shoulders, wrapping around her two puffy breasts. Her small waist was so delicate and her slender legs slowly walked into the water and deeper and deeper...

    Moonlight covered her like ayer of fine luster, lining her skin, making it appear more jade-like.

    Even if she was a woman, Dai Mei could not help but blush, her heart beating faster at the magnificent sight.

    It urred to her, that no words could describe the beauty that she sees. Since when did the third miss be so beautiful?

    Ye Zhen roamed satisfactorily in the hot spring, thinking of her father teaching her to swim with her second brother when she was a child.

    Her tears rolled down, mncholy spreading inside her. The people she loved were all gone.

    Ye Zhen sank deep into the water, long enough that her eyes became sore the moment she floated again.

    ¡°Dai Mei, kindly go outside and wait, I¡¯ll call you in when I¡¯m done.¡± When Ye Zhen saw Dai Mei still lingering, she rose from the water and stood by her side. She didn¡¯t want others to see her crying so she sent her out.

    ¡°Yes, Third miss.¡± Recovering from her stupor, Dai Mei put aside the tea in her hand which thankfully didn¡¯t spill at her inattention, looked back at Ye Zhen onest time and left.

    Now, Ye Zhen was alone so she should have no scruples.

    After being reborn as her sister for so long, she was always on guard against life, afraid to let people see something strange. Now in the ce she used to be very familiar with, her mood was somewhat out of control.

    She sank to the bottom again and swam across the wooden wall flexibly, which is what she used to do. The hot spring pool outside the wooden wall was so muchrger than that in the courtyard, and the surrounding scenery was more beautiful.

    And atst, she foundfort...

 Chapter 68 - Beautiful Demon Under the Moonlight (1)

    <strong>Chapter 68 ¨C Beautiful Demon Under the Moonlight (1)</strong>

    Over the wooden wall, there was another world outside.

    Ye Zhen came out of the water with her eyes aglow, her lushshes felt heavy as her sight took at the familiar scenery with awe.

    Surprisingly, the ce had still not changed since her childhood memory. At five years old, she always felt wronged of her mother¡¯s obvious neglect, she always felt unwanted.

    However, she did not dare to cry at home for fear that her mother would hate her even more.

    Her father brought her here. In this very ce, where no one is within earshot, only the solitude of the night, he taught her to swim and let her cry her heart out without holding back.

    Then he told her softly that even though her mother didn¡¯t seem to love her, her heart must not be broken. In fact, her mother loved her very much, her father used to remind her of this.

    Everytime she felt that bitter neglect, shees here and cry... Just cry out loud until she felt her grievances lifted, leaving her heart a lot lighter.

    Then, when she returned, she was already smiling.

    Back then, when she finished releasing all the pain she felt inside, there was always a pair of warm, big hands ready to take her home.

    However, now, there was none anymore.

    Through the mist filled the air, Ye Zhen squinted her eyes and tried to see through the thick smoke.

    Ah! This sight was the most magnificent. Over the tall mountains that loomed over the springs, the moon shone proudly, painting the surrounding clouds like a ssh of ink.

    Drifting her gaze farther towards the horizon, she saw distant mountains...Or was it clouds? At this position, she couldn¡¯t tell anymore. Yet, she marveled at its beauty, at the sense of enigma it brought her.

    Overwhelmed by a strong sense of loneliness, grief and mncholy, the tensions from months of living in her sister¡¯s twin body suddenly poured out of her. Ye Zhen buried her face in her hands and began to cry in sorrow.

    Father, I am in pain. Where are you?

    She was wrong. She shouldn¡¯t have married Mo Rongzhan for her own sake nor have even loved him! However, it was toote.

    Now, she didn¡¯t even know how to get revenge. With her status as nothing now, how could she avenge the death of her father and brother?

    Ye Zhen cried for a long time. After she cried before, the grievance in her heart always disappeared, but now why can¡¯t the hatred and sadness in her heart be alleviated?

    She raised her head, looked at the still bright moon, stretched out her arms and swam back and forth in the hot spring pool.

    Too Immersed in her grief, it slipped from her notice that a tall figure lurking in the woods on the other side of the pool, with deep and bright eyes was staring at her.

    Mo Rongzhan did not expect that he would see such a stunning woman in this mountain on a whim! Although it was dark, the moon was bright and he was a martial arts practitioner. His eyes could see farther and more clearly than ordinary people could.

    He was bathing in another pool and only came when he heard a woman crying. Who is this woman? Did any of the officials who wanted to please him arrange her to be here at this exact time?

    Mo Rongzhan eyes were slightly heavy, coldly looking at the woman swimming back and forth in the water like a mermaid.

    She was weeping, he thought astonishingly. This was a new scheme in attracting his attention. Most of thedies sent to him before tried to seduce him, quite desperately he might add...

    Did weeping softly in front of him supposed to make him pity her? Unfortunately, he had no mercy, even over weeping flowers.

 Chapter 69 - Beautiful Demon Under the Moonlight (2)

    <strong>Chapter 69 ¨C Beautiful Demon Under the Moonlight (2)</strong>

    Suddenly, the woman in the water stopped swimming, much to Mo Rongzhan¡¯s disappointment. Indeed, he was quite fetched with seeing her glide to and fro in the water gracefully.

    But, he was even weed with a more enchanting sight when Ye Zhen rose from the water, exposing to him her whole appearance...

    She sat on the stone b in the middle of the pool, seemingly tired and breathing heavily. Her side was facing him. At her position, he could clearly see her plumpness wrapped by her bellyband.

    Her breasts rose and fell with her every breath and her lustrous skin shimmered. Under the moonlight, she looked like a demon.

    A beautiful demon, definitely. Her face was rosy like lotus, skin was smooth and jade-like, her movements graceful and enticing.

    Seeing such delightful image, Mo Rongzhan felt his breath getting heavier while his feet advanced over the rocks uncontrobly. He was lost to the beauty of the nymph sitting unaware on the stone that he couldn¡¯t help but drew nearer to her.

    Ye Zhen felt a bit weak. She sat on the stone b and wanted to rest for a while. After swimming for so long, her mood had calmed down and her anger and sadness were finally suppressed. Now she just wanted to go back to sleep for tomorrow she would be strong again.

    Suddenly, she seemed to hear a slight noise. Ye Zhen looked around doubtfully. When she turned her head, she was shocked to her core.

    She didn¡¯t notice that a man wearing a dark gold-rimmed robe stood beside the hot spring pool all this time. His broad robe hung loosely over him, and his belt was only tied casually, revealing his strong chest.

    Mo Rongzhan? Ye Zhen froze and stared at him. Why is he here?

    Just when Ye Zhen was stunned, Mo Rongzhan strode into the pool, to her direction. The sound of his body shing through the surface of the calm water finally woke Ye Zhen from her momentary trance.

    As fast as she could, she jumped into the water like a mermaid and intends to quickly leave the ce by the small opening at the bottom of the hot spring¡¯s wall. She could not meet Mo Rongzhan under such circumstances. Absolutely not!

    Just as she was about to reach the wooden wall, a big hand grabbed her feet and dragged her back vigorously.

    Ye Zhen wriggled and kicked as hard as she could with her other unbuckled foot!

    And in a second, she heard a muffled grunt before she felt her feet released from the grasp of a big strong hand.

    Wasting no time, she immediately dived into the water, swam across the wooden wall and called Dai Mei in panic...

    ***

    Mo Rongzhan put his hand over his bloody nose and looked at the wooden wall in front of him. It was the first time that a woman dared to kick him.

    If this woman was not arranged for him, then who is she?

    He stared at the wall for a moment before he left the hot spring pool with a cold face. There was no way he could go after her, the hole in the wall was too narrow for him.

    Shortly after leaving the woods, he saw Ford hurrying over with his clothes in his hands.

    Mo Rongzhan changed from his wet robe, and then returned to Chengde Mountain Vi. Tang Zhen and Lu Lingzhi, who came with him to hunt, were waiting for him in the hall. When they saw himing back, they all knelt down to salute him.

    ¡°Get up!¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s voice was cold, his eyes bore remote indifference.

    Lu Lingzhi and Tang Zhen exchanged nces, it seems that the emperor¡¯s mood was not so good.

    ¡°Your Majesty, what happened to you?¡± Tang Zhen looked up to see Mo Rongzhan¡¯s nose slightly bleeding and could not help but ask details of histest trek.

    Mo Rongzhan heard Tang Zhen¡¯s query and his mood became even more sour. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just went out to take a bath in a nearby spring.¡±

    Tang Zhen smiled and said, ¡°Nice idea! This is the best time to soak in the warmth of a spring! We can also go bathe in the hot springs when wee back from hunting tomorrow!¡±

    What if I meet that woman again? Mo Rongzhan thought to himself that if he saw the woman again, he would not let her go again.

    ¡°Is there any hot spring in this neighborhood?¡± He asked lightly.

    Lu Lingzhi smiled gratefully before speaking, ¡°Your highness, there is! The Zhuangzi spring which you bestowed to my family.¡±

    At this revtion, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes became darker. The woman is then from the Lu family. He touched his nose. If her appearance was really intentional, why would she dare kick him?

    His forehead creased a little as he thought somberly, did she now regard him as some pervert?

 Chapter 70 - I Donâ€™t Want to Go! (1)

    <strong>Chapter 70 ¨C I Don¡¯t Want to Go! (1)</strong>

    When Ye Zhen returned inside the walls of Zhuangzi Hot Springs, she was furiously gasping for air, fear and shock evident on her face.

    ¡°Third miss, have a cup of tea.¡± Dai Mei poured a cup of tea and noticed her mistress¡¯ pallid expression. By this, she instantly became worried,

    ¡°Miss, are you alright?! Did you bathe too long?¡± She never imagined that the miss would be agitated of her absence.

    Upon exiting the spring, exhaustion immediately kicked in, thus, Dai Mei fell asleep for a while. She was then woken up by Ye Zhen¡¯s shrill cry.

    Only then did her senses came back in full gear!

    Deep in her thoughts, Ye Zhen was shocked by the tter of the ceramic cup ced on the nearby table.

    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m fine, but...I¡¯ve been in the water for too long, my legs feel numb.¡±

    ¡°Third miss, this handmaiden will dry your hair.¡± Dai Mei offered, she felt extremely guilty of taking a long nap. If she had gone in earlier to remind the third miss, the miss would not have stayed too long in the water.

    While Dai Mei dried her mistress¡¯ hair with a towel, thetter reclined on a soft couch, hands sped the quilt that covered her body, her thoughts on the scene that had just transpired.

    If she was caught by Mo Rongzhan, what would have happened? Will he recognize her now that she was looking more and more like how she used to be? If he discovered that she was the daughter of Ye family, would he then order for her to be killed?

    These thoughts made her shudder. Fortunately, she was not caught by him. Death didn¡¯t scare her, but she certainly did not want to die at this time. At least she had to wait for her revenge to take ce before she could let herself die.

    However, shouldn¡¯t he be in the imperial pce? Why was he here?

    Chengde Mountain Vi...

    It all made sense! Mo Rongzhan had always been fond of the recluse he finds in the Chengde Mountain Vi situated near the Zhuangzhi Hot Springs.

    But Ye Zhen suddenly felt jitters, for she knew that an Emperor must have been assisted by his loyal officials. This could only mean one thing, Lu Lingzhi was with him!

    The more Ye Zhen thought about Mo Rongzhan and Lu Lingzhi, the more she felt oppressed in her heart and simply shook her head.

    ¡°Third miss, did this handmaiden pull too hard?¡± Dai Mei asked anxiously after seeing Ye Zhen shook her head vigorously.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m thinking about something, you go on.¡± she answered. Shortly after, her eyelids started to droop and her vision became drowsy.

    Having such an eventful night, Ye Zhen weed sleep without a fight.

    *

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t know when she had gone to sleep. On the light of the dawn, she found herself cocooned in a soft quilt, her handmaiden by her side. Dai Mei dared not leave her in fear that she might fall down on the soft bed.

    ¡°I fell asleep here?¡± Ye Zhen had no dreamst night, she slept quitefortably.

    Dai Meiughed and said, ¡°Third miss suddenly fell asleepst night. When this handmaiden saw you sleeping soundly, she did not ask you to get up.¡±

    On the end of the bed, Ye Zhen took notice of a pail of clean, warm water. Then, she felt guilt that her handmaiden must not have slept all night.

    ¡°This handmaiden went to fetch some water for the third miss to wash her face.¡±

    Ye Zhen nodded, changed her clothes and went to the mirror. She looked at the delicate, frosty girl in the mirror and smiled, pleased with her appearance.

    Yet, the memory ofst night with Mo Rongzhan brought back a feeling of trepidation and her smile faded at once.

    Dai Mei quickly drew water in but she appeared to be not alone. A little maid followed behind her, hiding her face behind Dai Mei¡¯s skirt.

    Upon reaching her, the little maid looked up at Ye Zhen, and her whole person was stunned.

    ¡°Girl, you must not stare long!¡± Dai Mei gave the little maid a look but smiled proudly at the end. The third miss was really capable of stunning everyone who sees her.

    After washing up, Ye Zhen said to Dai Mei, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to serve me this morning. Go back to sleep, or else you won¡¯tst the day.¡±

    ¡°Then how can I serve you this afternoon? When this handmaiden takes her lunch break, she will perhaps sleep a little longer.¡± came Dai Mei¡¯s reply.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere today, I will just be reading and writing with Mister Shan. If I need something to be done, I¡¯ll let this little girl right here to do it.¡± Ye Zhenughed.

    Dai Mei exined some things to the little maid. Only then did she retire and rest.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Ye Zhen asked the little maid with a smile.

    ¡°Gr¡ªgreetings to the third miss. This maidservant is named Xiao Yin.¡± was the girl¡¯s nervous reply.

    Ye Zhen nodded. ¡°Dai Mei will not be here today, she needs to rest. You can stay here and run errands for me. How does this sound to you?¡±

    Suddenly, the girl¡¯s prior shyness faded, and she beamed with joy at Ye Zhen. ¡°This maidservant will be delighted, third miss!¡±

    After eating breakfast, she took out the nt extract which she used to keep her color a little tan and smeared it all over her face. However, this time she didn¡¯t use much. She looked a little paler and ruddy than yesterday.

    Just as she was preparing to find Mister Shan, she saw Lu Xiangzhi strode up towards her and behind him was ... Lu Lingzhi?

 Chapter 71 - I Donâ€™t Want To Go! (2)

    <h4>Chapter 71 ¨C I Don¡¯t Want To Go! (2)</h4>

    ¡°Yao Yao!¡± Lu Xiangzhi came over with a smile. ¡°Eldest brother visits us! He invites us to go hunting in the mountains together. Are you going or not?¡±

    Quite stupefied by the turnout of events, Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t respond for a second, and had only woke from her stupor by the time Lu Xiangzhi snapped a finger in front of her face.

    Her days would never go peaceful with Lu Lungzhi breathing on this verynd!

    ¡°Yao Yao? Did you hear me? Eldest brother is here!¡±

    She muttered a faint ¡°Pardon¡± before giving salute to Lu Lingzhi. ¡°Eldest brother, have youe to Zhuangzi to bathe in the hot springs?¡±

    Before Lu Lingzhi could even answer, Lu Xiangzhi spoke with delight. ¡°Aha! You really didn¡¯t hear me. Eldest brother didn¡¯te to Zhuangzi. He went hunting in the mountains with others. He heard that we were in Zhuangzi, so he specially came to invite us. Father has agreed to let us go.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to go! Ye Zhen knew that if she hunt with them, she would definitely meet Mo Rongzhan.

    ¡°Brother, I have to learn etiquette from Mister Shan today, and the exam will be held in a few days. I can¡¯t be distracted any more, otherwise I will lose my one hundred taels!¡±

    ¡°What one hundred taels?¡± Lu Lingzhi asked curiously.

    Hands on his stomach, Lu Xiangzhiughed at how absurd it sounded, his sister ordering him to bet on her name!

    He told Lu Lingzhi everything about it, thedies throwing bets on Ye Zhen¡¯s sess or failure in entering the Women¡¯s College and her persistence in making her money grow by nagging him to participate.

    My, my, it never urred to him that his sister didn¡¯t have a faint heart. Even risking a hundred taels!

    ¡°Since Yao Yao doesn¡¯t want to go, we can¡¯t help it. I¡¯ll just hunt with fourth brother and get my third sister a rabbit at my return.¡± At the back of his mind, Lu Lingzhi also didn¡¯t want Ye Zhen to apany them, especially in the presence of the Mo Rongzhan. He only went to the Zhuangzhi to invite Lu Xiangzhi alone, not exactly wanting Ye Zhen to be in the emperor¡¯spany.

    If she went appearing the same way she did when she first arrived in the capital, dark, thin and simply unattractive, it would have been fine to bring her with them.

    But she was now different, undisputedly.

    Though she wasn¡¯t as fair as Lu Wushuang, she bore a pair of delicate eyes. In addition to that, her delicate figure seemed to have been more womanly as time passed by.

    In simple, unswayed words, Lu Lingzhi didn¡¯t trust the emperor. Who knows, by the simple sight of her, Mo Rongzhan would be attracted in a heartbeat!

    Most of all, his sister Lu Wushuang had a dangerous temperament. If the emperor really likes her, Ye Zhen will not have a good life even if she enters the pce. The most terrible thing was that someone will recognize that she looks the same as thete Wang Fei Ye. What should he exin then?

    Such things, if given negligence could turn into a catastrophe.

    Ye Zhen nodded smilingly and said to Lu Xiangzhi, ¡°Brother, go ahead and I¡¯ll wait for you here in Zhuangzi.¡±

    When Lu Xiangzhi saw that his sister really didn¡¯t want to go, he ceased his persuasions. ¡°Well, we must leave now. Sister, I will be right back in no time.¡±

    *

    Amidst the scorching heat of the afternoon, Lu Lingzhi brought Lu Xiangzhi to the mountain, joining with them was some men and of course, the emperor.

    Upon their arrival, Tang Zhen immediately noticed the absence of the third miss! He asked disappointingly, ¡°Xiangzhi! Why didn¡¯t your sistere?¡±

    ¡°Marquis Tang, my sister needed to study with Mister Shan so she unfortunately cannote today. If you want to win back the silver whip, you¡¯d better wait for another time.¡±

    There were other men around who are all an acquaintance, if not a friend, of Lu Xiangzhi. But one man, who permitted an air of indifference, forbidding anyone to look straight at his eyes, caught his interest. Who was this man?

    He stood calm and restrained beside Tang Zhen.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes sank slightly. He was now certain that the woman he metst night was the third miss Tang Zhen had mentioned.

    Since she was a miss from the Lu family, he lost at least three points of interest in her.

    There was already Lu Wushuang in the pce. No more girls from the Lu family can enter the pce. Otherwise, the Lu family would be held up too much.

 Chapter 72 - To Dance Gracefully (1)

    <h4>Chapter 72 ¨C To Dance Gracefully (1)</h4>

    The forest in this side of the mountain was entirely different from the one in the Baihua Garden. As a royal hunting ground, the men were not only heavily guarded, but also felt more voracious on catching their first prey.

    Inside the heart of the wilderness, Lu Lingzhi ordered his fourth younger brother to follow him closely in fear that he might get lost identally.

    Leading the men was none other than the emperor, who although looked aloof and indifferent, was undoubtedly keen towards the start of the hunt.

    Right behind him, Lu Lingzhi couldn¡¯t help but look up at the tall and imposing figure of Mo Rongzhan, and his heart became somewhat doubtful and uneasy.

    Last night, he found that the emperor¡¯s nose was looking unusual, reddish specifically. He looked at it this morning and found that it was actually swollen!

    What happened to the emperorst night? Lu Lingzhi quietly asked his personal eunuch Ford, but Ford¡¯s mouth was too tight and he refused to disclose any information.

    What happened to the emperor that he chose to keep it to himself?

    Lu Lingzhi sighed in his heart. He wasn¡¯t worried about anything, except for Lu Yaoyao. He was afraid the emperor would see her.

    Too bad he didn¡¯te home for the past two days, he would have forbid Ye Zhen to go to Zhuangzi hot springs!

    It was too risky!

    But at the back of his mind, he surmised that he just might be overthinking. Visiting his young wife whose face was partly hidden by a red veil, in their dimmed bridal chamber only to say that he abhorred her family, Mo Rongzhan did not know what Ye Zhen even looked like!

    He hated the Ye Family to the highest extent. Even if others would say that Lu Yaoyao looked exactly as Ye Zhen, he would probably not care.

    He was put out of his thoughts by a sheepish voiceing from beside him.

    ¡°Eldest brother, is that...the emperor?¡± While walking, Lu Xianghi noticed the guards around following them like dogs. He suspected whether there was an important man here.

    Looking at the respectful manner of Marquis Tang and his eldest brother to the man in front of them, he made head and tails of the situation and guessed the identity of the other party.

    Lu Lingzhi nodded faintly and whispered to him, ¡°Since the emperor does not want to reveal his identity, you should be quiet about it.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Lu Xiangzhi said in hushed tone. He looked at the man with awe in wonder, he did not think that he would have a chance to be in thepany of the emperor himself!

    Along the way, Mo Rongzhan appeared silent. Lu Lingzhi obviously felt that the master¡¯s mood was not very good. This was indeed odd, for the emperor¡¯s tenor was remarkably lighter before he went outst night.

    Mo Rongzhan was a bit gloomy. Upon reaching the hunting ground, he let everyone go hunting while he silently went deeper in the woods all by himself.

    With the men dispersing towards different directions, Lu Lingzhi put on an excited expression while he pressed Lu Xiangzhi into hunting with him. This was Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s first hunt in this woods, after all.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go and test our luck today!¡± he exuberantly invited Lu Xiangzhi, but it appeared thed didn¡¯t reflect the same enthusiasm. Instead, he looked elsewhere while his mind drifted off somewhere else.

    ¡°If my third sister came, she will certainly like it here.¡± Lu Xiangzhi remembered his sister.

    ¡°It was better for her not toe.¡± Lu Lingzhi murmured before putting a heavy hand on Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s shoulders, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    The beauty of the sunset was ineffable while the hunters went back to their camps with delighted hearts. Mo Rongzhan hit a ck bear, and all the attendants cheered loudly.

    Mo Rongzhan handsome indifferent face finally gave a smile.

    ¡°Make a fire and let¡¯s have barbecue tonight!¡± He told the crowd whom gave a boisterous cheers of approval!

    Although Lu Xiangzhi wanted to stay and have fun with the men, after all, it was not everyday he gets to have barbecue jamboree with the emperor, he remembered that he ought to give his third sister a rabbit.

    Ye Zhen did say that she¡¯d wait for his return. <i>But would it not be rude to leave the jamboree early?</i>

    ¡°Fourth brother, what are you thinking?¡± Upon seeing the conflicted expression on the young man¡¯s face, Tang Zhen decided to join him. yfully, he pped his shoulders hard, Lu Xiangzhi could only rub the sore area of his skin.

    ¡°Brother Tang.¡± In private conversations such as this, Lu Xiangzhi got used to calling the marquis ¡®brother¡¯. In fact, Tang Zhen could be a little presumptive sometimes, he even called Lu Xiangzhi as his fourth brother and Ye Zhen, his third sister!

    Lu Xiangzhiughed. ¡°I promised my sister that I would give her a rabbit, but here! found a fawn in the woods. She should like this!¡± He said excitedly.

    Tang Zhen¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll go with you and bring this gift to the third sister!¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi nodded pleasantly surprised, ¡°Is that alright?¡±

    ¡°Wait, I must ask permission from the emperor first.¡± Tang Zhen said, turned and went to the Mo Rongzhan¡¯s keep.

    Mo Rongzhan was changing clothes ¡ª his once clean hunting clothes now had blood stains from killing the ck bear. Hearing Tang Zhen¡¯s request, he was silent for a moment, but gave a slight nod shortly after.

    ¡°Go ahead, you shoulde back without further dy.¡±

    Tang Zhen knew that the emperor meant not to dy drinking with the men. Heughed and said that he would just take Lu Xiangzhi to a vi at the foot of the mountain quickly.

    And when Lu Lingzhi found out that they were missing, it was toote. The two were already half in their journey.

    The Zhuangzhi hot springs being not far from the hunting ground, it only took half an hour horse ride to reach it. Lu Xiangzhi dismounted outside the second gate, and two young doormen came and led their horses.

    Hearing a sound of ying music vaguely, Lu Xiangzhi asked a servant, ¡°Where¡¯s the lord and the madam?¡±

    ¡°To answer the fourth young master, the third lord and the third madam are roasting meat in the garden.¡± The servant replied.

    <i>Barbecue?</i> Lu Xiangzhi nced curiously at Tang Zhen nearby. ¡°Marquis Tang, why don¡¯t youe with me?¡±

    Tang Zhen softly declined, remembering that he needed toe back as soon as possible. He merely wanted to have a glimpse of Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Just go, I just came to give Lu Yaoyao gifts.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi fell silent in his heart. Tang Zhen was a marquis, and his father an imperial secretary. He thought that it was only proper to invite the marquis into the vi, even for just a little while.

    And so it was agreed. Lu Xiangzhi then apanied Tang Zhen towards the vi¡¯s garden.

    Before they reached the garden, the sound of drums and harps was already reverberant in the air.

    Lu Xiangzhi thought that no one in the family knew how to y the piano. Well, his father did, but not once did he listened to him. He wasn¡¯t this good either.

    The two sped up their steps, and when they were at the gate of the garden, they could not help but slow down...

 Chapter 73 - To Dance Gracefully (2)

    <strong>Chapter 73 ¨C To Dance Gracefully (2)</strong>

    In the wide garden, a bonfire is burning in the middle, the woods underneath it cracking as the fire danced, painting a magnificent glow in the garden.

    Lu Shiming was bakingmbs nearby, Pei Shi was knocking over the wine bowl with chopsticks, the piano is yed by Mister Shan.

    As for the drums ...

    Lu Xiangzhi and Tang Zhen¡¯s eyes rested on the dancing girl in the middle. She was wearing a long red dress with a small drum tied to her waist. She danced lightly with the tune of the piano. She had a bright and beautiful smile on her face.

    When the piano was ying softly, she moved slowly like wind, her hands gently touched the drum. The sounds the piano and the drum was producing was passionate, she whirled lightly on her toes while keeping a graceful posture.

    Her hands gaily slicing through the air, and her eyes...incredibly enticing.

    She skipped and swayed with her vibrant red dress fluttering in the wind.

    Her appearance was entuated by the shiny tassels twirling, over and over again, stirring unspeakale emotions from the young marquis who watched in silence...

    Tang Zhen¡¯s heart beat faster and his eyes were burning at the beautiful girl. He thought it was a fairy who fell into the world identally. He even breathed carefully, fearing that he might disturb her and frighten her away from the world.

    Not far from him, Lu Xiangzhi did not harbor such an idea. He looked at Ye Zhen proudly and soon, loudly apuded.

    The sound of the piano was not cut off because of Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s intrusion. Instead, Ye Zhen gave a warm smile towards Lu Xiangzhi and continued to dance. This time, the drums became yful and lively.

    By this time, Lu Shiming¡¯s attention was caught by his son¡¯s sudden arrival. He recognized the figure of the marquis, slightly hid in the shadows, so he hastily stood up and gave his salute.

    Tang Zhen hardly turned his eyes back from Ye Zhen when he returned to Lu Shiming¡¯s courtesy. ¡°Don¡¯t be polite, Lord Lu, it¡¯s this marquis who is bothering you.¡±

    Only then did Ye Zhen noticed his presence, without a moment¡¯s dy, she stopped dancing. When the little maid next to her saw her stop, she immediately came up with her beaded shoes and put them on her.

    Tang Zhen took an unconscious nce at the corners of his eyes and saw Ye Zhen¡¯s white lotus feet. His heart was about to jump out of his throat at the sight!

    He never knew ... that he would be so inappropriate towards a little girl.

    Lu Shiming already knew that Lu Xiangzhi went to the hunting ground. Having a hunch of the emperor¡¯s participation, he thought his son would note back tonight.

    ¡°Yao Yao, look!¡± Lu Xiangzhi gently ced the baby deer that had just been born on Ye Zhen¡¯s arms.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes were slightly bright. ¡°How lovely, where did you find it?¡±

    ¡°In the woods, it may have lost contact with its parents, so I brought it back for you to keep.¡± Lu Xiangzhi said with a smile.

    ¡°Thank you, brother.¡± Ye Zhen¡¯s heart was slightly warm, Lu Xiangzhi really loved her sister, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t be thinking about her wherever he was.

 Chapter 74 - Thereâ€™s a Woman Who Starts To Grow Up (1)

    <strong>Chapter 74 ¨C There¡¯s a Woman Who Starts To Grow Up (1)</strong>

    Aside from bringing the fawn to Ye Zhen, Lu Xiangzhi also acquired two rabbits and pheasants for her. Ye Zhen then gave them to the servants to bathe and bring up to her chamber.

    ¡°Brother, has hunting been fun today?¡± Ye Zhen asked with a smile.

    ¡°It has been! But it¡¯s a pity that you didn¡¯te with us, otherwise you would have liked it.¡± Lu Xiangzhi said regretfully.

    He didn¡¯t have any idea, hunting with them would put her into plight. With Mo Rongzhan and Lu Lingzhi around, she certainly wouldn¡¯t have enjoyed herself.

    ¡°We¡¯ll go together again next time!¡± was her enthusiastic reply.

    Lu Xiangzhi nodded. ¡°I think we must go back now. Eldest brother must be waiting for us.¡±

    ¡°Why did youe with Tang Zhen?¡± the tone of displeasure from her voice was apparent.

    She then took a look at the handsome man whom she got the silver whip from. He was talking to Lu Shiming, his hands behind his back.

    ¡°Tang Zhen is a good man. He talked to the emperor for me! If not for him, I wouldn¡¯t have been here to give you my gifts.¡± Lu Xiangzhi felt a little irked how his sister hated the presence of his good friend who could indeed be impulsive and rude at times, but had attributes worthy of recognizing.

    Upon the mention of the emperor, Ye Zhen frowned slightly and took a nervous nce sideways before asking. ¡°Did the emperor ask you anything?¡±

    ¡°If the emperor asks me anything, I will tell everyone that his highness talked to me.¡± he directly answered.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Ye Zhen nodded, lightlyughing with Lu Xiangzi. Her heart was quietly relieved, it seemed that Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t order someone to find the woman he metst night.

    ¡°Fourth younger brother, we should go back now.¡± Tang Zhen came up and said to Lu Xiangzhi, but his eyes were trained towards Ye Zhen alone, ¡°Third Sister, we have met again.¡±

    Giving a quick curtsey, Ye Zhen smiled faintly before asking, ¡°Marquis Tang, I wonder if there has been anypetition in hunting today?¡±

    ¡°Well, if the third sister was there, there must have been a secondpetition.¡±

    Ye Zhen raised her brows while crossing her arms over her chest, ¡°Saying so, do you still have a silver whip to lose to me?¡±

    How was he supposed to answer? Tang Zhen was left speechless, he does not lose all the time!

    Lu Xiangzhi felt that his sister was a bit unkind and coughed lightly. ¡°Sister, we must go.¡±

    Tang Zhen didn¡¯t have the heart to go back to the camp this time. He¡¯d rather eat roasted mutton in the presence of the beautiful Ye Zhen. But the emperor expects his immediate return, so he started to walk unto the garden¡¯s gate.

    Walking farther from the light of the fire, the path they crossed, despite being a short trip, was now dark. Lu Xiangzhi even tripped over a rock!

    ¡°Brother, be careful.¡± Ye Zhen told Lu Xiangzhi with concern.

    ¡°Third sister, why do you only care about your fourth brother?¡± He sacrificed the only silver whip in the world to her just to gain her attention. And here he was, receiving the cold shoulder like bacsh.

    Ye Zhen just red at him indifferently. ¡°Marquis Tang, you don¡¯t need to walk slowly. Your face is as hard as a rock, I believe.¡±

    Almost instantly, Lu Xiangzhi grimaced at his sister¡¯s snarky remark.Thankfully, Lu Shiming and Pei Shi was out of ear shot! He smiled and faced the marquis apologetically.

    ¡°Don¡¯t take offense, Marquis Tang. My sister is just like that. She often talks a lot.¡±

    Witnessing this scene, Lu Shiming exchanged nces with Pei Shi with knowing smile on their faces. They joined the three young people and walked them to the door.

    Tang Zhen politely invited them back. ¡°Lord Lu, don¡¯t have to see me off. I and Lu Lingzhi are brothers. You are his third uncle, and therefore mine as well.¡± He said with confidence.

    Afraid of how it may sound to others, Lu Shiming just gave a helpless smile. He couldn¡¯t dare call himself the third uncle of the marquis!

    After the two men were sent off, Ye Zhen went back to the garden where he found Mister Shan still sitting by the piano. He had a distant look at his face while he stared at the bright fire.

    She sat down next to Mister Shan and said, ¡° ¡°Mister Shan ys very well.¡±

    Mister Shan didn¡¯t answer her right away. He just stared at Ye Zhen with unconcealed suspicion.

    ¡°You dance well and have excellent rhythm. Do you really not know how to y the piano?¡±

 Chapter 75 - Thereâ€™s a Woman Who Starts To Grow Up (2)

    <strong>Chapter 75 ¨C There¡¯s a Woman Who Starts To Grow Up (2)</strong>

    How can a person who ims to not know how to y the piano responds to its tune so...perfectly?

    Not to mention her outstanding technique of ying the drums with her feet, it was naturally in sync with the piano.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s heart skipped a beat, her muscles tensing under the scrutiny of the teacher, sweat started to break out from her temples.

    After a pregnant silence, she squeezed out a made-up exnation.

    She smiled while speaking, ¡°Back in the Border town, there was a dance troupe near my home. At that time, I would go and see them practice almost every day. From there, I learned how to dance!

    Mister Shan raised his eyebrows lightly, not believing Ye Zhen¡¯s words, imusibly fabricated at a moment of panic.

    However, he was impressed by her choice of words. He couldn¡¯t think of a more suitable excuse other than what she gave.

    When he saw the young miss dancing today, he suddenly felt that his student had many secrets and perhaps hidden talents that others still did not know.

    But, why should she do this? The miss was indeed a puzzle he has yet to solve.

    ¡°Who was that man just now?¡± Mister Shan asked in a low voice. He had recently came back to the capital and wasn¡¯t yet informed that Tang Zhen was now the marquis.

    Ye Zhen answered tly, totally uninterested, ¡°Did you mean Marquis Tang? He is an orphan. I heard that he followed the emperor from an early age. By the time the new emperor ascended the throne, he was given the position of a marquis. ¡±

    Although having no support from arge family, such people like the marquis who took roles in the war, are more likely to gain the trust of the emperor, guaranteeing three generations of wealth and splendor in his family!

    In fact, thedies who wanted to marry him in the capital forms a long queue.

    Mister Shan sat straighter, his eyes fell to Ye Zhen somberly.

    ¡°I think he¡¯s too concerned about you. If you know how to love yourself, listen to my advice. Listen to me as your teacher. In this world, most men have few words to be believed in. Men are deemed the coldest since ancient times.¡± he spoke the words grimly.

    Ye Zhen knew that Mister Shan was worried that she would be yed and afterwards, neglected like used goods.

    She had a promising future, it would be disheartening to see it recklessly thrown away!

    ¡°Sir, you can rest assured that this student naturally know the depth of her actions.

    He nodded. ¡°Just always remember what I said.¡±

    Afterwards, Mister Shan had kept quiet. Seeing that Ye Zhen understood what he said, he stopped talking.

    Lu Shiming and his wife came back, and themb had been finally roasted, infiltrating the air of an appetizing smell.

    The herbal juice Ye Zhen applied to her face herself had now disappeared, removed by sweat. Henceforth, in the light of the bonfire, her jade skin was revealed, making her an image of tantalizing beauty.

    ¡°Yao Yao.¡± Lu Shiming seemed to have just noticed how drastic his daughter¡¯s change was.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Ye Zhen was cutting mutton when she heard Lu Shiming calling her. She smiled and raised her head.

    His daughter has be so beautiful. In his previous impression, Yao Yao was like his little wild boy. Really, it was like he was raising two sons in the Border Town!

    When did my daughter be like this?

    ¡°Nothing, eat more.¡± Lu Shiming was pleasantly surprised but felt more worried.

    If she looks so pretty, she would attract others¡¯ attention as long as she¡¯s seen in the public. A deep stab in the gut put him on edge, what if her biological parents see her. Will they recognize her?

    Lu Shiming had an impulse to hide his daughter in the boudoir and not let her go out!

    But after all, he couldn¡¯t possibly do it. He would be thest one who could stand to lock her up.

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t know what Lu Shiming was thinking. She got Pei Shi¡¯s approval politely and drank several cups of fruit wine with Mister Shan. She just drank a little too much and got a little bit drunk.

    Pei Shi asked the maid to take her back inside

    ***

    When Lu Xiangzhi and Tang Zhen returned to the hunting ground, everyone was already drinking and stuffing their mouths with meat, and two guards were wrestling in the middle.

    Mo Rongzhan sat on one side, drinking while looking at the court guards shing in force, and rolling to the ground in the heat of the match. When he heard of the two men¡¯s return, he just nced lightly at their figures.

    Lu Xiangzhi and Tang Zhen saluted Mo Rongzhan before returning to their respective positions.

    ¡°Why did youe back just now?¡± Lu Lingzhi frowned.

    ¡°My family is also having a barbecue. When we went back, we saw third sister dancing. Eldest brother, you don¡¯t know, third sister¡¯s dancing is really good!¡± Lu Xiangzhi said in an ostentatious manner that his younger sister had be so beautifully talented and that he was very proud of it.

    Lu Lingzhi frowned. ¡°Dancing?¡±

    He imagined Yao Yao dancing, and his chest felt stuffy and sour. His sharp gaze immediately turned to Tang Zhen who was casually sitting by the door, a yful smirk at his face while his eyes stared at nk space and not to the wrestling duo.

    It seemed like he was fantasizing of someone.

    And Lu Lingzhi knew who it was!

    ¡°Yes, Mister Shan yed the piano while Yao Yao danced with drums! Eldest brother should have seen her, just like a fairy! She was so good, Brother Tang was even stunned!¡± Lu Xiangzhiughed.

    Lu Lingzhi snorted coldly. Tang Zhen overheard the conversation was now throwing dagger-like res towards talkative Lu Xiangzhi.

    Then, to dissipate the pressure, he gave a sheepish innocent smile towards Lu Lingzhi.

 Chapter 76 - Injured (1)

    <strong>Chapter 76 ¨C Injured (1)</strong>

    Lu Shiming went back to the capital early morning of the next day, leaving his family in Zhuangzi.

    On the other hand, Lu Xiangzhi followed Lu Lingzhi in hunting and have yet returned.

    Ye Zhen has been learning etiquette and writing these past few days. Etiquette was rtively easy to learn as she learned it since she was little!

    But writing proved to be a difficulty for her.

    Ironically, she was not afraid of not being able to write well, but worried that her writing was too good to arouse Mister Shan¡¯s suspicion!

    To avoid this morbid possibility, while practicing in front of her teacher, she put down the ink and faked a frustrated face.

    ¡°Sir, writing can¡¯t be learned in a day or two anyway. Why don¡¯t I practice riding and shooting instead?¡±

    She was not worried of Mister Shan recognizing her handwriting as the same as that of the original Ye Zhen. During the two days in the pce, she practiced various copybooks** when she had nothing to do.

    **T/N : A copybook is a book used in education that contains examples of handwriting and nk space for learners to imitate.

    She could write any kind of words she wanted in different handwriting if she wished!

    But every time her ink touches the parchment of paper, it was evident that her writing skills were umted from years of practice.

    Lu Yaoyao didn¡¯t pay much time in academics, and writing too well was never in her character.

    Thankfully, Mister Shan agreed with her and felt that instead of spending time writing and reading, it was better to practice what she was good at.

    ¡°Let¡¯s learn riding and shooting tomorrow!¡± he said, ¡°Hhm...we will practice riding in the morning and archery in the afternoon.¡±

    Ye Zhen immediately bobbed her head up and down. She was well aware that doing this would not put her chance of entering the college in jeopardy ¡ª she could still pass up by mastering the arts of music, archery, riding and etiquette.

    In the evening, Dai Mei went into her mistress¡¯ chamber and asked Ye Zhen if she wanted to go bathe in the hot springs.

    Ye Zhen hesitated for a moment. Since she met Mo Rongzhan, she hadn¡¯t gone to the hot spring for the past two days, thinking that he was still in the hunting ground.

    ¡°Go bathe for a while. I want to rest.¡± Ye Zhen ushered her handmaiden. Ever since her arrival in the baths, she hadn¡¯t drank even a drop of the miraculous liquid from her palm.

    Ah! She would surely look like a ghost if she did!

    However, when she was drinking that day, she quietly dropped a drop into the hip sk. Lu Shiming, his wife and Mr. Dan drank it.

    The next day, they looked much better, but their was not as visible as hers.

    Maybe it was the dosage. As far as she could remember, she drank one drop all to herself while the three of them shared one drop equally.

    Henceforth, she became afraid to use these drops at will now, but still insisted on dropping it into the water she uses to wash her face.

    At night, Ye Zhen came to the hot spring pool again. This time she didn¡¯t let Dai Mei go out. Instead, she just let her wait nearby. She didn¡¯t swim out of the wooden wall again and went out of the water when she finally felt tired.

    The next day, she came to the garden to practice archery with a spirit of one hundred times better than yesterday!

    She wore new clothes made not long ago, a sleeved riding outfit specially made for the convenience of her riding.

    The plush peach-colored riding outfit made her look even more spirited. Her face was not smeared with herbal juice, and her hair was simply pulled up, leaving beautiful tresses hanging by the sides of her face.

    Mister Shan saw her in and elegant dress, with a satisfied smile on his face. Although this Lu Yaoyao was not as brilliant as Ye Zhen, she had a talent in showing her most beautiful side.

    ¡°Sir, when I take the archery test in the college, how many steps away will the target be?¡± Ye Zhen asked, pretending not to know.

    ¡°Twenty steps, but you better start practicing thirty steps away from target.¡±

    Having heard that, she took 30 steps from the target, positioned her arrow and bow, tensing her wrists.

    She looked sharply at the target in front of her and pulled the bowstring in full st, letting go of the arrow.

    Straight to the heart!

    A loud apuse came from Mister Shan who believed in his heart that the girl¡¯s ability in riding and archery was exceptional.

    As long as he deliberately makes things difficult for her, Ye Zhen entering the college would be a piece of cake!

    Despite this, there was still something that worried him. Mo Rongzhan.

    He thought day and night if Mo Rongzhan remembers thete Wang Fei and would see her in Lu Yaoyao. But a consoling thought entered his mind, the emperor left for war right after his wedding, he might not remember Ye Zhen¡¯s face at all.

    He just wished that what he was thinking was true... Lu Yaoyao earning the attention of the emperor would not bring her any good.

    More importantly, Lu Yaoyao was not surnamed Ye and had no deep hatred towards Mo Rongzhan.

    ¡°Sir, sir?¡± Ye Zhen has shot all the arrows in her hands. Looking back, she saw Mister Shan in a daze. She called him several times but he was unresponsive.

    Mister Shan returned to his awareness and looked at Ye Zhen and smiled. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Sir, why don¡¯t you go back to the house and have a rest first? My brother should be back in the afternoon. Then he will apany me to ride outside.¡± Ye Zhen thought he was tired, thus sending him off to have respite.

    Before Mister Shan could refuse, Pei Shi came in view at a distance, waving her hand in panic. ¡°Yao Yao!¡±

 Chapter 77 - Injured (2)

    <strong>Chapter 77 ¨C Injured (2)</strong>

    Pei Shi looked flustered while she sprinted towards her daughter.

    Ye Zhen, gathering the hem of her gown around her, broke into a dash to meet her halfway.

    When the two finally held each other, Pei Shiboriously breathed and yet, made great efforts in speaking.

    ¡°Someone...someone sent a message saying that your elder brother fell off his horse and broke his leg!¡±

    ¡°Is the injury serious?¡± Ye Zhen too was perturbed of the news, she didn¡¯t have any hatred for Lu Xiangzhi and was even grateful to him for treating Lu Yaoyao well. From the bottom of her heart, she hoped he could have a good life.

    Worry etched on her face, and the reality of her son hurt became too overwhelming, Pei Shi¡¯s knees crumbled beneath her all of a sudden. Luckily, Ye Zhen was there to quickly support her frame.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Yao Yao. I don¡¯t trust your brother. I have to go and see him myself!¡±

    Remembering that her miraculous drop could heal wounds, Ye Zhen immediately offered, ¡°Mother, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Pei Shi didn¡¯t think much and was just grateful that she would not be going alone.

    Mister Shan frowned at what was happening but definitely did not prevent Ye Zhen from leaving. Ye Zhen looked at him meaningfully, and he nodded as permission.

    In order to save time, Pei Shi demanded not for a carriage, but for two horses.

    The imperial guard who came to tell the news was still waiting for her outside. By the moment Pei Shi came out apanied by a delicate little miss, his jaw dropped in surprise!

    Would the miss ride at the back of his horse along with her mother? He looked around, there was not a single carriage!

    His confusion was cut off when the delicate miss mounted a horse without as much assistance. And he even felt more embarrassed making such assumption.

    Ye Zhen rode alongside him. Looking at the surrounding scenery. she had an increasingly bad feeling.

    This was not the way to the hunting ground, it was a road leading towards the Chengde Mountain Vi!

    She suddenly felt regretful that she came. What if she meets Mo Rongzhan? Surely, Lu Xiangzhi would be in great care by his mother, right?

    In the surge of panic, Ye Zhen thought desperately thought of an excuse to go back, but before she could have one, they had already arrived at the magnificent gates of the Chengde Mountain Vi.

    Just after dismounting her horse, she saw Lu Xiangzhi stride out of the vi, totally fine...

    ¡°Mother, Yao Yao, why are you here?¡± Lu Xiangzhi was about to return to Zhuangzi to report the news, but was surprised to see his mother and sister when he came out!

    Ye Zhen stared at the arm wrapped in white cloth and the foot that walked freely. She became livid.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you break your foot?!¡± She uncontrobly had the urge to strangle Lu Xiangzhi right on the ground he¡¯s standing! Turning her head to the other side, she shoot daggers at the imperial guard who was now avoiding her gaze.

    Lu Xiangzhi was stupefied. ¡°The eldest brother fell off his horse to save me. His left leg is injured...¡±

    Before they knew it, Pei Shi walked past Ye Zhen and hugged her son tightly before checking if he was indeed unharmed.

    After seeing that he was fine, she left out a sigh of relief. ¡°How is your eldest brother now? Can you take us to see him? ¡±

    A thousand times certain in her heart, Ye Zhen didn¡¯t want to step foot in this ce. After all, it was better for Lu Lingzhi to die! She wouldn¡¯t havee if she had known.

    ¡°Yes, my eldest brother is resting. Mother, sister, I¡¯ll take you there.¡± Lu Xiangzhi said.

    Pei Shi turned to Ye Zhen and said, ¡°Yao Yao, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Unwilling, she whispered to Pei Shi. ¡°Mother, why don¡¯t I go back first? I wasn¡¯t finished training with Mister¡ª¡±

    ¡°Nonsense! Your eldest brother was injured from saving your brother. Let¡¯s go and see him.¡±

    Ye Zhen reluctantly followed her. ¡°Of course, Mother...¡±

 Chapter 78 - Losing Control (1)

    <strong>Chapter 78 ¨C Losing Control (1)</strong>

    The imperial doctor took his time in tending the fracture of Lu Lingzhi, giving Lu Xiangzhi, a known chatterbox, the room to ry to them how the ident took ce.

    This morning, when the men were out hunting, Lu Xiangzhi rode in front. Out of the blue, his horse started to act wild as if it saw something frightening and ran straight to the cliff!

    It all happened too fast but before Lu Xiangzhi fall down with his horse, and possibly break several bones in his body, he was pulled by Lu Lingzhi who was riding behind him.

    He jumped off his horse and grabbed Lu Xiangzhi, catapulting both of them to the rocky side of the road. Both of them were fine, but the horse didn¡¯t survive, Lu Xiangzhi hurt his hand and Lu Lingzhi¡¯s leg was pitifully fractured.

    If it weren¡¯t for Lu Lingzhi¡¯s heroic act, Lu Xiangzhi would have been dead by now having fallen from the steep cliff.

    ¡°Eldest brother, my mother came to see you!¡± announced Lu Xiangzhi before he opened Lu Lingzhi¡¯s door and let thedies enter the parlor.

    As if on cue, two imperial doctors with medicine boxes came out of Lu Lingzhi¡¯s chamber. Lu Xiangzhi naturally asked them about his eldest brother¡¯s condition in a hurry. He was relieved to learn that the injury was not as serious as he had dreaded.

    ¡°You still have to let your eldest brother take a good rest for at least a hundred days.¡± Pei Shi told her son sincerely.

    Just then, another young man in a dark purple robe came out. His eyes visibly lit up when he saw Ye Zhen, ¡°Third sister!¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s sour mood plummeted down even more while she looked up at him.

    ¡°Marquis Tang.¡± she greeted.

    Only then did Tang Zhen noticed the presence of the Third Madam.

    Afraid that he might appear rude by not acknowledging the presence of Lu Yaoyao¡¯s mother, he quickly smiled at Pei Shi, taking his eyes off Ye Zhen for a while.

    ¡°Greetings to Third Madam Lu! Have youe to visit Lu Lingzhi?¡±

    Pei Shi recognized Tang Zhen as the man who had been to Zhuangzi just two nights ago and her mouth instantly conformed into a smile. ¡°I heard he was injured, so we came to have a look on him.¡±

    ¡°Lu Lingzhi¡¯s just inside, Third Madam Lu. I¡¯ll show you in.¡± When speaking, his eyes did not forget to nce at Ye Zhen.

    On the other hand, Ye Zhen didn¡¯t notice the marquis unabashedly stealing nces from her, her eyes only staring at the floor as if looking for gold.

    The possibility of meeting the emperor still putting her into fit of difort.

    Tang Zhen led them into the room.

    Lu Lingzhi, confined in his bed, had already heard voices from outside. Immediately, he recognized the voice of Pei Shi which then made him think if Ye Zhen came with her.

    Panic surged up inside him at once!

    Even though he was in pain, he forced himself to sit up.

    The moment they came in, he greeted them, showing his gratitude the best he could muster, yet, his hands beneath the sheets were fisted, his blood running cold at the sight of Ye Zhen emerging from his door.

    ¡°Third aunt, third younger sister, why are you here? I¡¯m fine, this is just a minor injury.¡±

    A hurried look at the window, he softly uttered, ¡°You better be home, it will get dark soon.¡±

    Saying so, Lu Lingzhi took a long look at Ye Zhen and felt a burst of surprise!

    After a few days, she unexpectedly changed so much. There was almost no trace of the girl who came from the Border Town. Standing in front of him was delicate miss, Lu Lingzhi was palpably baffled by her appearance.

    ¡°Third aunt, the emperor ordered me to stay here for a few days. I will return when the wound is better.¡± He shut his eyes close, trying to stabilize his flustered heartbeat.

    To his surprise, Pei Shi shook her head and made her objection be known.

    ¡°Third aunt is staying here to take care of you for theseing days. Don¡¯t be too stubborn to refuse! Although there are imperial doctors, they are not as careful as a woman.¡±

    ¡°Third Aunt, there are pce maids here.¡± Lu Lingzhi smiled wryly.

    ¡°Hmph! Pce maids know nothing about medicine. Don¡¯t forget, your third aunt is still a physician.¡± She stated in protest. Her heart was not only grateful to Lu Lingzhi but was also guilty.

    After all, he was injured because of her son,

    Ye Zhen pursed her lips, she didn¡¯t like what her mother was insinuating! She would never want to stay here to take care of Lu Lingzhi, regardless of his death!

    Lu Lingzhi knew he could not win against his third aunt, so he condescendingly said, ¡°I understand that my third aunt feels guilty about her nephew, but my third sister is about to take the exam, so she should not stay here. Let her fourth brother send her home.¡±

    Pei Shi looked back at Ye Zhen, thinking she didn¡¯t wish to hamper her daughter¡¯s studies.

    Almost instantly, Tang Zhen intervened with enthusiasm, a wide smile painted on his face. ¡°Fourth brother is also injured. Let me take third sister home.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s tranquil face stared at him, indicating that he wasn¡¯t a bit impressed of his friend being too friendly with his third sister. ¡°I don¡¯t wish to bother you, Marquis Tang.¡±

    ¡°No trouble, no trouble!¡± Tang Zhen motioned with his hand, this was his job he insisted.

 Chapter 79 - Losing Control (2)

    <strong>Chapter 79 ¨C Losing Control (2)</strong>

    Hiding the satisfaction in her face, Ye Zhen kept her head bowed while timidly inching closer to Pei Shi, in a low voice she said, ¡°Mother, I must return...¡±

    While these happened, Lu Lingzi silentlymented on the fact that his third sister was as cold as ice to him. Since entering the door, she had not paid a nce towards his way.

    Was she still angry with him just because he didn¡¯t agree with her in her n to go to the Women¡¯s college before? Did his third sister hate him just because of this trivial argument?

    In contrary, Pei Shi didn¡¯t find Ye Zhen¡¯s attitude towards Lu Lingzhi strange. She only thought that her daughter still wasn¡¯t familiar with her eldest brother, so his injury didn¡¯t perturb her one bit.

    With gratitude in her eyes, she nodded at Tang Zhen then held her daughter¡¯s hand, before saying, ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll have the marquis apany you to the Zhuangzi hot springs.¡±

    ¡°Madam Lu, don¡¯t worry, I will take her home safely.¡±

    ¡°Mother, I¡¯ll apany Yao Yao out.¡± Lu Xiangzhi graciously offered.

    Totally delighted, Tang Zhen was grinning like a fool at the corner when Lu Lingzhi¡¯s warning stare sliced through him like a sword, quickly wiping his smile off of his face.

    Tang Zhen said politely to Ye Zhen, ¡°Third Sister, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t wait to leave this terrible ce, she heard his words and immediately went out, as if there were evil spirits chasing her from behind!

    ¡°Yao Yao, why the rush?¡± Lu Xiangzhi caught up with her and held out his unharmed hand.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you show concern about eldest brother¡¯s injury?¡±

    ¡°Of course I care! It¡¯s just that mother is already there to ask if he was feeling alright. I have nothing to ask, so I haven¡¯t asked.¡± Ye Zhen said with clear and innocent eyes.

    Lu Xiangzhi frowned. He had always felt that his sister, even though congenial to everyone, was specifically cold to their eldest brother.

    Tang Zhen only looked at them from behind, still beaming from ear to ear.

    In his eyes, he only saw Ye Zhen whom he thought looked good on everything she wore, even her voice sounded heavenly to him.

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk when I get back.¡± Lu Xiangzhi muttered, seeing that this was really not the ce to talk to his sister¡¯s inexplicable apathy.

    Slowing in her steps, Ye Zhen showed a sweet smile, the corners of her eyes crinkled mirthfully. ¡°Brother, you must not think too much, you should recuperate and get better! Your hand injury, is it serious or not? Let me have a look! ¡±

    Reluctantly, Lu Xiangzhi showed his injured hand wrapped in quilt, ¡°It¡¯s just a scratch from a rough stone. No more than a skin injury, really. There¡¯s nothing to be worried about..¡±

    With haste, Ye Zhen took a bottle ofudanum from her skirt ¡ª she added several miraculous drops to it before they went in the vi! With a drop of the miraculous liquid, she was certain that Lu Xiangzhi will get better by the morning.

    ¡°I brought it from home. You should use it when changing those wrapping quilts tonight.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. The emperor has given a medicine, which is definitely better than ours.¡± Lu Xiangzhi said reassuringly.

    ¡°Do you despise my medicine?¡± Ye Zhen unjustly gaped at Lu Xiangzhi, her eyes starting to well up with tears.

    Lu Xiangzhi was most afraid of seeing his sister drop the golden beans! He was always scolded for it since he was little.

    ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t say that. I¡¯ll use your medicine tonight. Is that okay?¡± he took back his words and rubbed his head anxiously.

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate the medicine I have prepared. It is definitely better than what the emperor has given you.¡± She handed the bottle towards Lu Xiangzhi who in return, epted it willingly.

    ¡°Well, we are the indeed the best.¡± Lu Xiangzhiughed.

    Tang Zhen looked at Lu Xiangzhi with great envy. In his mind, if third sister had specially prepared medicine for him, he would surely carry it with him every day! He was in his own bubble of happiness, knowing that Ye Zhen¡¯s trip back to the baths was trusted under his care.

    Before they could get through the vi¡¯s gate, Ye Zhen suddenly halted in her steps, remembering one thing.

    ¡°Brother, tell me, how did your horse suddenly lose control?¡±

 Chapter 80 - Meeting (2)

    <strong>Chapter 80 ¨C Meeting (2)</strong>

    When Lu Xiangzhi heard Ye Zhen¡¯s meaningful question, he was startled and couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Yao Yao, what do you mean by that?¡±

    Her forehead slightly creased as she thought deeply before finally blurting out the words she felt the need to say.

    ¡°The horse you rode belongs to the Chengde Vi. That horse, it certainly was not meant for you. Why is it so coincidental that your horse was the only one troubled? Don¡¯t the people in the barn know how to take care of the horse? Haven¡¯t you checked any problems beforehand?¡±

    Hearing Ye Zhen¡¯s descend of questions, he stood speechless and felt a little confused.

    It just urred to him that he never thought of this possibility. In his pure and peaceful life, he couldn¡¯t believe that even horseback riding could be involved in a conspiracy!

    ¡°Do you mean someone wanted to hurt me?¡±

    Ye Zhen thought Lu Xiangzi was really innocent and naive. ¡°Not to hurt you, I think you may have be a scapegoat.¡±

    It¡¯s not that she was belittling Lu Xiangzhi in any way, but for someone to attack a boy who was literally powerless, it was too far-fetched.

    Lu Xiangzhi was simply a candidate for the uing provincial examination, how could someone in Chengde mountain vi saw it worthy to frame him up?

    Behind them, Tang Zhen popped out of his bubble of fantasy, and bore a solemn face. He couldn¡¯t avoid but listen to the siblings¡¯ conversation.

    Unexpectedly, the little miss was able to point out these crucial joints in a few words. Was she really just a little girl raised in the Border Town? He surmised.

    Lu Xiangzhi had been silly, he really didn¡¯t spend time to think about it and believed that it was just pure ident.

    Shrugging her shoulders, Ye Zhen puffed out a breath of disappointment in front of Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s dumbstruck face.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing that brother does not suspect anything. If my qualms are right, someone should be watching your every move...It is only through ignorance that you will recover peacefully.¡±

    ¡°The third sister is right. This matter needs to be investigated.¡± Tang Zhen¡¯s voice was unusually devoid of cheerfulness as he spoke, his eyes a shade darker.

    Right after Lu Lingzhi¡¯s ident, he began to investigate right away, sensing that something was off.

    He wanted to move in secret and thus, chose to not alert Lu Xiangzhi, but surprisingly, Ye Zhen beat him to it.

    Lu Xiangzhi listened to Tang Zhen awe-stricken. His eyes darted back and forth the marquis and his sister, his heart shocked beyond words.

    Ye Zhen was deeply worried that in the present situation of the Lu family, Lu Xiangzhi would inevitably be an official in the future. Yet, his nature was simple, too simple actually.

    If he enters politics, he would be as defenseless as a child!

    Now, she would let him think and learn. Under the care of his parents, he was raised away from the evils of the world, thereby, this was a first for him.

    ¡°Brother, I must go¡± Ye Zhen bid goodbye but not after reminding him of the medicine she gave. ¡°Remember to apply my medicine to your wound tonight.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi pursed his lips and nodded.

    Tang Zhen took Ye Zhen out of Chengde Mountain Vi, both of them riding a horse.

    Unable to contain his wonder, he asked Ye Zhen directly. ¡°Third Sister, how do you know there was something wrong with that horse?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that an easy question?¡± Ye Zhen answered his question with a question, a smart move to avoid further queries from him.

    Is it easy? Even Xiangzhi thought it was just an ident!

    ¡°In fact, you don¡¯t really have to apany me. I could perfectly return to Zhuangzi by myself.¡± said her boldly.

    As much as possible, she didn¡¯t want to have too much contact with the people around Mo Rongzhan, especially those who have made contributions to his usurpation.

    Not feeling a bit offended by Ye Zhen¡¯s desire to get rid of him, Tang Zhen smiled and said, ¡°How can I do that? I promised Madam Lu that I would apany you back to Zhuangzi.¡±

    A flicker of displeasure shed across her eyes. ¡°Hmph! Do as you please!¡±

    Tang Zhen was a nice person, she could tell. If she was another person, she would have loved being his friend¡ªand more, if fate allows it . But, remembering Lu Lingzhi¡¯s friendly face when he poisoned her, an emperor¡¯s loyal subordinate also, she couldn¡¯t help but be vignt and avoid Tang Zhen.

    When she was ready to leave, she saw a group of peopleing towards their direction. Judging from their uniforms, they were imperial guards.

    Who brings so many guards when going out?

    Ye Zhen¡¯s face sunk as she soon understood who these guards are protecting...

    Tang Zhen dismounted his horse quickly. ¡°It is the emperor who hase back from his hunt. Third sister, hurry down!¡±

 Chapter 81 - Meeting (2)

    <strong>Chapter 81 ¨C Meeting (2)</strong>

    A tremendous regret in her heart, Ye Zhen wished she left much earlier!

    She got off her horse and stood directly behind Tang Zhen, hoping that the emperor would pay no heed to them.

    Most importantly, she hoped that Mo Rongzhan won¡¯t recognize her as the one who kicked him in the hot spring pool the other night!

    Mo Rongzhan was behind the first line of imperial guards. He looked tall and handsome in his ck gold-embroidered riding suit. His face was as usual, indifferent and cold.

    His dark and deep eyes did not see Ye Zhen at first. Instead, he only noticed Tang Zhen standing by the roadside.

    His eyebrows slightly shot up, Tang Zhen was supposed to investigate Lu Lingzhi¡¯s ident, what was he doing outside the vi?

    He stopped in front of him but was surprised by a glimpse of the woman standing behind him with her head down. She wore a simple pink tightly-fitting sleeved gown, her skirt was red just enough for her to move with ease.

    With her head bowed down, at an odd angle, he could only see her slender white neck exposed.

    ¡°I pay my respects to the emperor.¡± Tang Zhen knelt down on one knee, leaving Ye Zhen in full view behind him!

    She trembled visibly, and ineptly knelt down beside Tang Zhen as well, her eyes shut to not see the man on horseback.

    This was because, without a doubt, the hatred in her eyes would show the moment she opened it...

    ¡°Get up, why are you here?¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s asked in his deep voice while his searing eyes were fixed on Ye Zhen.

    The woman, he realized, looked familiar, very much like the woman he saw by the hot spring pool that night.

    Tang Zhen gave a faltering smile. ¡°To answer his majesty, standing before him is the third miss of the Lu family, who upon knowing that her eldest brother was injured, came to pay him a visit. Her mother decided to stay in the vi to take care of assistant minister Lu Lingzhi.¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s heartbeat quickened, she felt like at any moment it would jump out of her chest!

    This was the first time that she faced Mo Rongzhan at this close range since her rebirth. She was not prepared at all.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s narrow phoenix-like eyes squinted slightly towards her.

    ¡°Third miss from the Lu family?¡±

    Instead of looking up and greeting the emperor, Ye Zhen bowed her head lower, pretending to be timid and afraid.

    Tang Zhen at this time also felt troubled, he knew how attractive she was... What if the emperor wanted to put her in the pce?

    This was one of those moments where he felt fear in front of the emperor. If Mo Rongzhan bes interested with the woman he likes, there was literally nothing he could do but watch her live inside the pce...

    Without a moment¡¯s dy, he slightly shifted his body on one side, blocking half of Ye Zhen¡¯s body from Mo Rongzhan¡¯s view. He looked up and smiled anxiously at Mo Rongzhan¡¯s imposing figure.

    ¡°Your Majesty, third miss Lu had just returned from the border town. She is inevitably timid in the presence of his majesty. Please don¡¯t take offense.¡±

    Aware of what he was doing, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyebrow slightly raised, finding it ridiculous that Tang Zhen believed that blocking the third miss Lu from his gaze would hinder something.

    In the eyes of these officials, will he still be taken by beauty? Even if miss Lu is very beautiful, she was still surnamed Lu, he couldn¡¯t afford to have another Lu in the imperial pce.

    ¡°How is Lu Lingzhi?¡± he asked casually. When he was hunting, he heard about the ident ¡ª Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s brother suddenly lost control of his riding horse.

    He intuitively thought that someone had made a move on the horse. As for how he did it, he had to have someone investigate it.

    It took Tang Zhen a second or two to realize that the emperor asked him of Lu Lingzhi, veering their conversation away from the woman behind her.

    ¡°Back to the emperor, the imperial doctor had checked on him. He has a terrible fracture in his leg and needs to stay in bed.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan frowned slightly. ¡°I see.¡±

    Casting a final nce towards the woman who had been hanging her head in silence, Mo Rongzhan noticed how tense her slender figure appeared to be. She seemed to really fear him.

    On that night, Mo Rongzhan felt sure that she didn¡¯t know he was the emperor or why else would he kick him? Her timid disposition now was only because she was already aware of the identity of his identity.

    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Mo Rongzhan had lost interest on when the miss would lift her head, pulled the reins of the horse between his legs, leading it towards the now wide-open gates of the vi.

    As soon as the emperor passed them, Ye Zhen shoulders loosened, then she promptly mounted her horse and galloped without notice, ignoring Tang Zhen who was following behind her.

    ¡°Yao Yao, wait for me!¡± Tang Zhen shouted.

    Mo Rongzhan who hade inside the vi suddenly tightened his hold to the reins...

    With his sharp gaze, he looked back at the disappearing figures outside...

    Yao Yao?

    He heard Tang Zhen yell this very familiar name...

 Chapter 82 - The Same Name (1)

    <strong>Chapter 82 ¨C The Same Name (1)</strong>

    Until the retreating figurespletely fades from his view, Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t move a muscle, shocked by the name he recently heard.

    Is this just a coincidence? Many people may have the same name. But another part of him screamed that there was more to this!

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s heart swelled with doubts. Lu Wushuang had the jade pendant he gave to the little girl who saved him years ago, the girl whose nickname was Yao Yao¡ªLu Wushuang¡¯s nickname wasn¡¯t Yao Yao, not even close!

    Herees a miss from the family who bore the same nickname which kept him up many nights.

    His eyebrows scrunched up, thinking of the woman he saw with Tang Zhen earlier. This coincidence was just too good to be true..

    He remembered the torn embroidered brocade he found in the dry well. From what he remembered, his trusted subordinates investigated the pieces of brocade, and told him that it was one of the pieces bestowed by the previous emperor to the wealthy families having solid allegiance to the crown.

    How could any other miss from the Lu family possess the said brocade if at that time, neither wealth nor fame they didn¡¯t have?

    Mo Rongzhan calmly went into his bedchamber and changed his riding clothes, which reminded him of Lu Lingzhi¡¯s injury.

    He met Lu Lingzhi when he was most depressed. At that time, his mutiny would not have been so smooth without the help of his merchant ships and caravans.

    Therefore, he was willing to give his family wealth and splendor. He even favored his sister Lu Wushuang.

    Inspite of this, he only gave her the highest position of a concubine ¡ª Lu Wushuang was in

    no time, anointed as the Dynasty¡¯s Wang Fei.

    As for the position of the empress, there was only one person in his mind. Lu Wushuang imed to be the Yao Yao he met in the woods, but his heart was somewhat reluctant...

    When he found that Lu Wushuang owned the jade pendant, for at one point, he believed that she was indeed the person she deemed herself to be, but by the time he asked her of their secret code, she knew nothing of it!

    Perhaps, because of this that he began to have qualms.

    How could she forget? If his memory served him right, the little girl told him it was her and her father¡¯s secret code!

    ¡°If you don¡¯t recognize me in the future, I¡¯ll tell you this, the King of Heaven, the Tiger of Earth, the River Devil of Pagoda Town, that¡¯s my code and yours. You can¡¯t tell anyone this, it¡¯s our secret!¡±

    He reminisced on the memory, and seemed to have heard again the cheerful voice of the girl.

    The secret code was engraved deep in his mind and his heart.

    *

    Lost in these thoughts, Mo Rongzhan found himself standing outside of Lu Lingzhi¡¯s house before he even knew it! The people outside shouted that the emperor had arrived.

    As he strode in, the people in the house immediately knelt on the ground and inside Lu Lingzhi¡¯s chamber, he found him holding on his bed for support as he tried to render a salute.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother to salute when you¡¯re hurt, just lie down.¡± Mo Rongzhan said tly, seeing that the two imperial doctors were both here, he asked about Lu Lingzhi¡¯s condition and learned that it was not a big deal.

    Lu Lingzhi was moved by the fact that the emperor came to visit him. ¡°Your majesty, I am only slightly injured, forgive me for I may have rmed you.¡±

    The emperor¡¯s gaze swept over his injured leg. ¡°I won¡¯t have my assistant war minister injured. Serious or not, you will be temporarily recuperating in Chengde mountain vi and will only return afterplete recovery.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Lu Lingzhi gratefully agreed.

    Mo Rongzhan looked around the room and saw the woman kneeling in the corner. In quick apprehension, he knew that she was the third madam of the Lu family who Tang Zhen had mentioned.

    He wanted to ask about their family, but there were others present.

    ¡°Assistant minister, have a good rest. I must go.¡± Mo Rongzhan found that when he was around, people are ufortable. The thirddy didn¡¯t even dare to look up at him.

    Lu Lingzhi bowed his head in a hurry and instructed the servants, ¡°Please see the emperor outside.¡±

    The others then followed suit.

    Mo Rongzhan came out of the house, thinking about going to the hot springs in theter hours again. If he intentionally cross through the wooden wall, he might see the woman who bore the nickname Yao yao.

    Slowly walking, with his attendants in tow, he was put out of his reverie by an unforeseen intrusion.

    ¡°This student pays salute to the emperor!¡± A young man knelt down beside him and saluted.

 Chapter 83 - The Same Name (2)

    <strong>Chapter 83 ¨C The Same Name (2)</strong>

    Mo Rongzhan momentarily stiffened, halted his steps, then gazed at the young man.

    ¡°Stand up.¡± Mo Rongzhan spoke lightly and looked at Lu Xiangzhi with deep and remote eyes. ¡°Are you the brother of Lu Lingzhi, the son of Lu Shiming?¡±

    ¡°Yes, your majesty.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi was on edge since he talked with his sister and Tang Zhen. In order to think clearly, he went to the stables, in thefort of his favorite creatures, the horses.

    However, after a moment, he still couldn¡¯t believe it and couldn¡¯t see why anyone would intentionally do it. Deciding to go out, he was greeted by the attendants and guards lined up behind the emperor.

    Knowing that the emperor has been so kind to send him medicine for his injured hand, he hastily approached Mo Rongzhan and knelt beside him.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes were slightly sunken as he asked, ¡°How long did your family live in the Border Town?¡±

    ¡°Back to the emperor, this student had lived in the border town since he was three years old.¡± Lu Xiangzhi answered, his mind brimming with confusion, why did the emperor asked him of this?

    ¡°None of your family had evere back?¡± Mo Rongzhan frowned. I f so, his sister could not have appeared in Baihua Garden years ago.

    Lu Xiangzhi lowered his head. ¡°None, your highness. This is our first visit in the capital ¡±

    Mo Rongzhan felt slight disappointment in his heart, ¡°You are dismissed.¡±

    It is not her!

    Just because the names are simr, it didn¡¯t mean that the girl who saved him was the Third Miss Lu! Mo Rongzhan felt his heart bled.

    If Lu Wushuang used his sister¡¯s identity, how could she not know the right nickname and secret code?

    This moment, he promised himself one thing.

    All be damned, but he will find her!

    *

    Ye Zhen gradually slowed down her horse upon reaching an ample distance from Chengde Mountain Vi. Her heart was still pounding painfully against her chest.

    Fortunately, he didn¡¯t recognize her as the one who kicked him at that unfortunate night. Otherwise, she couldn¡¯t imagine the punishment he would have bestowed!

    Tang Zhen caught up from behind. Taking notice of Ye Zhen¡¯s pale face, he asked worriedly, ¡°Yao Yao, are you all right?¡±

    ¡°This is nothing.¡± Ye Zhen shook her head, secretly vowing to never step to that terrible ce again.

    ¡°Are you afraid of the emperor?¡± Tang Zhen¡¯s tone was somewhat pleased.

    He dreaded the moment when the emperor would discover her stunning beauty and had presumed that Ye Zhen would act like any other miss ¡ª catching the attention of the emperor and preferring the splendor of living inside the pce.

    However, she just hid behind him with her head down, and seemed to be very afraid of being under the emperor¡¯s gaze.

    His heart was flying in utter bliss!

    Ye Zhen took a sharp intake of breath and looked back at him. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the son of heaven above all else. Isn¡¯t it a matter of course to be afraid of him?¡±

    She had never been afraid of Mo Rongzhan. Before she died, he had always been the gentle elder brother in her heart. Now, he was just the enemy she wanted to kill.

    ¡°Your sister is not afraid.¡± Tang Zhen began to look at a distance. Sister? Ye Zhen figured out that he was talking about Lu Wushuang...

    ¡°When we were in Weicheng, other people were afraid of the emperor. Only your sister was not. She is an extraordinary woman. Not all women would go fight with the emperor like that! In those days, even our men could not believe what she did. Turns out, she was the woman the emperor was finding for a long time.¡±

    A mocking smile appeared on the corners of Ye Zhen¡¯s mouth. ¡°Because Wang Fei Lu once saved the emperor?¡±

    Tang Zhen was stunned. ¡°How do you know? Your eldest brother told you?¡±

    Looking ahead, she refused to let Tang Zhen see her troubled face and thus, spoke softly as to not put her emotion in show.

    ¡°Zhuangzi is ahead, please go back to the Chengde Mountain Vi, Marquis Tang. This miss can take it from here.¡±

    Why does no one remember her, thete Wang Fei? When Mo Rongzhan lived and enjoyed in thepany of other women, did anyone think of Ye Zhen who was abandoned in her pce?

    Wang Fei of Qin Dynasty ...Ye Zhen...seemed to have be a taboo, a memory that did not exist, and no one dared to mention her or her family again, believing that it would bring them bad luck.

    What a pitiful end! Ye Zhens eyes were sour, it was hard to suppress the hatred in her heart.

    Tang Zhen noticed Ye Zhen¡¯s sudden change of mien. He looked at her back doubtfully. ¡°Yao Yao, are you all right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m alright. Thanks to the marquis for his concern.¡± Ye Zhen said tly, grabbing the reins harder and galloping towards the Zhuangzi.

    As soon as she arrived at the gate of Zhuangzi. Ye Zhen handed the horse to the doorman but was disappointed to see that Tang Zhen followed her, looks like he didn¡¯t have the heart to leave her in peace!

    She faced him, her icy stare digging holes at his handsome bewildered face.

    ¡°Marquis Tang, don¡¯t you need to find out who did the trick on my brother¡¯s horse? Why waste your time here in leisure?

    ¡°Yao Yao, I didn¡¯t provoke you, did I? Why are you angry with me?¡± Tang Zhen helplessly looked at her and asked.

    Ye Zhen looked at him coldly, took a step forward and asked him in a low voice..

    ¡°Have you ever thought about the abandoned Wang Fei of Qin dynasty when you sing praises to Mo Rongzhan and Lu Wushuang for sharing weal and woe? Have you ever wondered how she died?¡±

 Chapter 84 - Questions (1)

    <strong>Chapter 84 ¨C Questions (1)</strong>

    Tang Zhen staggered back in surprise.

    For the first time in such a long time, he heard someone mention thete Wang Fei. Today, almost no one in the capital dares of that name in public.

    How did Lu Yaoyao know? Wasn¡¯t she always in the border town? It is impossible for her to know thete Wang Fei Ye Zhen!

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know, no one in the Ye family is good, even the Wang Fei... She was not a good person at all!¡± was his defense. The whole world knew that they deserve to die.

    ¡°Have you seen her?¡± Ye Zhen asked with a conniving smile, not a good person? Ye Zhen felt likeughing.

    ¡°Have you ever seen the Wang Fei? Do you know what kind of person she is? Ye family did all kinds of evil, you say. But did the innocents truly deserve to be killed?¡±

    Tang Zhen squinted at her slightly, ¡°Where did you hear of this? Did someone tell you this rubbish?¡±

    Ye Zhen took a deep breath. She had be impulsive and careless to say these things to him.

    ¡°Marquis Tang, it¡¯s toote for me to invite you for a tea. It¡¯s getting dark, you should leave as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Yao Yao!¡± Tang Zhen stretched out his hand in attempt to hold her back.

    Ye Zhen avoided his hand and said coldly, ¡°Marquis Tang, please respect yourself.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to others gossiping in front of you. You have to see some things with your own eyes before you believe. If the Ye family was innocent, the people of the capital wouldn¡¯t have set off firecrackers to celebrate the moment they were beheaded.¡± Tang Zhen whispered.

    ¡°Get out of here!¡± Ye Zhenshed out, ring at him venomously before turning towards Zhuangzi¡¯s gate with heavy steps.

    Only after the gates were closed did Tang Zhen moved from the ce he was standing. He felt more and more sure that someone was behind the third miss sudden aggression.

    Ye Family...

    Is it not because of the Ye family that he became an orphan?

    What is the motive of the person who fed Lu Yaoyao of those ideas? From his perspective, Lu Yaoyao was coerced to sympathize with the infamous family.

    Tang Zhen saw this as a problem. Hence, with a determined face, he turned his horse around and rode as swift as the wind! He had to go back and investigate the ident, afterwards, he nned to talk to Lu Lingzhi about his third sister.

    Withing the confines of the Zhuangzi¡¯s walls, Ye Zhen ran as fast as her legs could go, afraid that if she didn¡¯t leave the soonest, she won¡¯t be able to stop herself from pouring out her rage!

    Yes, she knew better than anyone how her uncle was despised by the whole world, but what does this have to do with her father and brother?

    And her? What did she have to die for?

    She ran for a long time, until her legs hurt, her breathing out of her chest in painful heaps...

    Today had been more eventful that what she¡¯d expected, it was too much for her to bear, too much for her heart to take.

    She couldn¡¯t help but question Tang Zhen. She wasn¡¯t able to suppress her anger towards the likes of him.

    Upon reaching the garden, Ye Zhen buried her face in her hands but found herself unable to cry out, and she felt even more terrible...

    Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t recognize her, isn¡¯t it good? At least he would not know what she had to do with Ye family, and it would be easier for her to get revenge in the future.

    ¡°Third miss, are you all right?¡± When Dai Mei passed through the garden, she saw Ye Zhen miserably hugging her knees on the ground so she hurried over.

    Ye Zhen heard footsteps and saw Dai Mei approaching.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. The Third Madam will stay with eldest brother for theing days so she can take care of him personally. Please tell the housekeeper not to let anyone in.¡±

    She knew that Tang Zhen woulde and see her again, but she didn¡¯t want to face him anymore.

    By the tone of her mistress, she didn¡¯t want to be disturbed so Dai Mei dutifully went out to do her bidding, leaving her again to herself.

    Willing herself to stand up, Ye Zhen returned to her chamber and changed her clothes before finding Mister Shan.

    When Mister Shan heard that Lu Lingzhi was injured, his eyes brightened slightly, but was disappointed to hear that it was not at all serious.

    ¡°Sir, let us stay in Zhuangzi until I take the college entrance exam.¡± Ye Zhen suggested, not wanting to return to the capital so soon.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Mister Shan had no problem. Anyway, learning is the same wherever ce one desires to do it.

 Chapter 85 - Questions (2)

    <strong>Chapter 85 ¨C Questions (2)</strong>

    On the other side, when Tang Zhen returned to Chengde Vi, he devoted a massive effort in his investigation, trying to find out why Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s horse behaved feral leading to its death.

    When he got substantial information in his hands, he went to see Mo Rongzhan.

    ¡°The two boys in the barn have already been taken for interrogations. Those who offered Lu Lingzhi¡¯s brother the horse were separately locked up, the assistant minister sent people down the hill to retrieve the body of the horse and examined it...¡±

    The marquis could be seen flipping on a book of herbs as he continued.

    ¡°Your Highness, the horse was fed with golden ragwort**. It¡¯s leaves looked ordinary but is really poisonous and drives the horse that ingested it of madness. If the horse did not fall off the cliff, it will still die eventually.¡± Tang Zhen told Mo Rongzhan what he had found out.

    **T/N : Golden Ragwort

    Mo Rongzhan listened silently, then asked in a low voice, ¡°Do you know who ordered it?¡±

    Tang Zhen thought for a moment and said in a low voice, ¡°The boys feeding the horses don¡¯t even know where this leaves came from. Wang Han, who is in charge of feeding the horses, disappeared this morning. I have already sent someone out to look for him.¡±

    The emperor¡¯s mouth twisted into unpleasant sneer...

    ¡°¡ªthis matter...may have something to do with the deposed emperor of the previous dynasty.¡± the marquis finished.

    Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t kill the puppet emperor, he imprisoned him instead. However, some people still supported the deposed emperor and hoped for him to retake the world.

    ¡°Then find out who has seen the deposed emperor recently.¡± he ordered, his eyes glowering in anger.

    Tang Zhen nodded. ¡°This marquis will check it out.¡±

    ¡°You can go now .¡± Mo Rongzhan motioned with his hand. But when Tang Zhen was almost at the door, he suddenly stopped him.

    ¡°What¡¯s the name of Lu Lingzhi¡¯s sister?¡±

    His shoulders tensed instantly upon the mention of Lu Yaoyao. Tang Zhen grimly faced the emperor once again.

    ¡°Back to the emperor, Third Miss Lu... she is called Yao Yao.¡±

    Tang Zhen felt sour, is the emperor really interested in her? If Mo Rongzhan desires it, before he could make Ye Zhen like him, he¡¯d be forced to watch her enter the pce...

    Mo Rongzhan lowered his eyes and sped his fingers on the table. ¡°Did you lose your silver whip to her?¡±

    ¡°To answer His Majesty, this marquis indeed lost his silver whip to the Third Miss Lu.¡±

    ¡°I see. You are dismissed.¡± Mo Rongzhan nodded gently, maybe it was just a coincidence. Third Miss Lu had never been to the capital in thest few years, and could not possibly save him.

    Tang Zhen looked up at Mo Rongzhan for a moment. Seeing that he was not interested in the third miss anymore, he felt a little relieved and bowed his head before leaving.

    *

    *

    *

    Still puzzled by the third miss¡¯ previous tirade, Tang Zhen decided to pay Lu Lingzhi a visit. On the way, he met Pei Shi who came to deliver medicine she decocted herself.

    ¡°Madam Lu, you should leave these matters to the servants. you don¡¯t have to decoct the medicine yourself.¡± Tang Zhen thought it was the maid-in-waiting who snubbed the Third Madam Lu. He grudgingly scowled at the eunuch standing beside her.

    The eunuch lowered his head and quickly exined, ¡°With due respect to the marquis, this eunuch told the same thing to the third madam but¡ª¡±

    Pei Shiughed and shook her head, ¡°I want to decoct the medicine myself, others are not as skilled as I am.¡±

    When Lu Lingzhi took the medicine, Pei Shi vacated the room, leaving Lu Lingzhi and Tang Zhen in the chamber.

    ¡°Have you found out?¡±

    ¡°It has something to do with the man in captivity. I think he was trying to deal with you.¡± Tang Zhen disdainfully informed, ¡°As for who ordered it, I need to investigate more thoroughly.¡±

    Satisfied with the information, Lu Lingzhi shut his eyes closed until Tang Zhen spoke again...

    ¡°Until then, I have another thing to ask you.¡±

 Chapter 86 - When Another Man Desires Her

    <strong>Chapter 86 ¨C When Another Man Desires Her</strong>

    Lu Lingzhi saw Tang Zhen¡¯s disconcerted look, which made him think that there was something else he was keeping to himself.

    ¡°What is it? Is there anything else wrong with that horse?¡± Lu Lingzhi asked.

    Tang Zhen shook his head gently. ¡°It has nothing to do with that matter. It has something to do with...Yao Yao.¡±

    At the mention of his third sister, Lu Lingzhi frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Yao Yao?¡±

    The marquis started to pace the room, his brows crossed, befuddling thoughts in his mind.

    ¡°Did Yao Yao really grew up living in the Border Town? Does she know the Ye family? She seems to have ... different feelings for them.¡±

    Because mentioning the Ye family was a taboo, Tang Zhen¡¯s voice was no more than a whisper while heid out his concerns in front of his friend.

    Before Lu Lingzhi saw Lu Yoayaos appearance, the Ye family had no meaning to him, except for the little shame he feels when reminded of the woman he killed by poison.

    However, Lu Yaoyao was the splitting image of Ye Zhen. After the murder, he had an inexplicable resistance to the memory of the Ye family and didn¡¯t want to have any kind of involvement.

    He had been afraid that Lu Yaoyao would bring back Ye Zhen to the memories of the people, but how despicable was it to find that his sister had known the deceased Wang Fei all this time!

    ¡°Yao Yao has lived all her life in the Border Town, and she doesn¡¯t know the Ye family at all.¡± Lu Lingzhi answered directly, with a spat of disgust.

    Unconvinced, Tang Zhen borately repeated Ye Zhen¡¯s words to Lu Lingzhi. The longer he spoke, the more Lu Lingzhi felt shaken...

    ¡°... she seems to be very familiar with Ye Zhen. Go and find out if there is anyone feeding her with lies.¡±

    Lu Yaoyao and Ye Zhen

    Does Lu Yaoyao knew that she looked like thete Wang Fei? Lu Lingzhi grimaced at this thought.

    The Gods were ying him in the most torturous way possible! Did they purposely gave him a third sister that looked exactly like Ye Zhen to remind him of what he had done to the woman?!

    ¡°I know who it is.¡± Lu Lingzhi said in dangerously low voice, ¡°The gentleman beside Yao Yao is the former teacher of Ye Zhen.¡±

    Tang Zhen suddenly froze, realization hitting him. ¡°It is that man who was doing the trick. I¡¯ll take care of him!¡±

    Just before recklessness gets the best of the marquis, Lu Lingzhi stopped him in his tracks.

    ¡°I only know that teacher came from a powerful family, born of the first wife I heard. As long as he is breathing, we cannot touch him.¡±

    ¡°Then should we just let him continue poisoning Yao Yao¡¯s mind?¡± Tang Zhen asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fret. I¡¯ll talk to my third sister.¡± Lu Lingzhi sighed lightly. No wonder Lu Yoayao had always been cold and indifferent to him. Is it because she sympathizes with the Ye Family and thinks he was the executioner?

    Tang Zhen threw a fleeting nce at him. ¡°I don¡¯t think Yao Yao likes you very much. If you talk to her, would she listen to you?¡±

    He hated to admit this but Tang Zhen was telling the truth. Lu Lingzhi¡¯s face sank realizing that she would not listen to him at all.

    ¡°It¡¯s better that I tell her myself.¡± Tang Zhen cautiously said, ¡°If she knew about Tang family, she would understand that the Ye family deserved to die.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi craned his neck to give a warning look at Tang Zhen, knowing exactly his motive.

    ¡°You stay away from Yao Yao. She is my third uncle¡¯s daughter. Although she is my sister, she is still not on the marriage shelf. My third uncle may not want her to marry a marquis.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi was able to see through his mind easily, but Tang Zhen was not offended at the very least. ¡°I have no parents. Yao Yao will not have to please an old family in the future. There¡¯s no other woman whom I am interested. Why won¡¯t the third master agree?¡±

    What was his friend talking about? He was simply the best young man in the world to marry!

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s heart grew restless, he never expected to see the day when he would have this kind of conversation with his friend!

    ¡°You will have to have Yao Yao¡¯s consent. She will go to the Women¡¯s College. Even if she indeed entertains the thought of getting married, it will be after two years.¡±

    Tang Zhenughed, ¡°That¡¯s right, I can get to know Yao Yao first during those two years.¡±

    He admires third miss Lu, Tang Zhen was sure of it. If after years of pursuing her and his offer would still be turned down, he promised himself that he would be a gentleman and not force her despite his position.

    ¡°Yao Yao is a little girl who knows nothing about the world. if you destroy her reputation, I will not forgive you.¡± Lu Lingzhi said coldly.

    Tang Zhen nodded solemnly, ¡°I naturally know the weight.¡±

 Chapter 87 - A Shrill Cry in The Forest

    <strong>Chapter 87 ¨C A Shrill Cry in The Forest</strong>

    The next day, Tang Zhen visited Ye Zhen¡ªor tried to visit her rather.

    Much to his frustration, he was turned away when he went to Zhuangzi Hot Springs. However, Lu Lingzhi was somewhat pleased to have heard about this.

    Ye Zhen knew that Mo Rongzhan had not yet returned to the imperial pce,and would probably go hunting today so she made sure to steer away from the hunting grounds.

    There was a mountain forest near the baths. Before, she often hunted sparrows in that forest with her father and second brother. The thrill of the hunt was always followed by a small feast of roasting the hunted sparrows.

    Dwelling on these memories, she suddenly had the urge to visit it once again, thus coerced her teacher to have the training inside the forest.

    Mister Shan was not good at riding, so he just advanced slowly with his horse while Ye Zhen had already raced into the woods.

    The woods inte autumn seemed to be covered with gold, the ground topped with fallen leaves.

    In spite of that, the wind was still chilly, making Ye Zhen¡¯s face feel numb and her teeth chatter.

    Ye Zhen ran deeper along the path in the woods. It was too familiar to her that she was not a bit afraid of getting lost.

    After running for a while, she slowed down, finding the perfect spot to hunt.

    Mister Shan was still nowhere to be seen so she decided to hunt without him assessing her.

    She tied the horse to a trunk of a huge tree and took a bow and arrow, seeing if there was any prey nearby.

    Although it was nowhere near as good as the royal hunting ground nor the Baihua Garden, small animals still resided in this forest.

    She felt the earth beneath her and walked carefully. This forest had many traps for animals. Now that it¡¯s autumn, leaves coated the ground, making it a difficult task to find those traps.

    She could only walk slowly, afraid of falling into one of it.

    It was not long when a hare could be seen hiding behind the bushes. Ye Zhen drew herself closer, lifted her arrows and¡ª

    ¡°Help! Help!¡± a shrill voice alerted the hare and caused her shot to miss it! Before she knew it, the hare had already run a good distance away from her!

    The first time she heard the call, she thought she just misheard it. It could be the wind or the sounds of animals...but suddenly, the voice rang out again!

    ¡°Anyone, help!¡± In the silent forest, the voice came out, but this time, it was more subdued like the owner had run out of hope.

    Ye Zhen frowned and walked to the source of the sound.

    Deep in the woods, she saw a trap set by a hunter and a...a child?!

    How can there be a child in this remote mountain forest? Ye Zhen looked at him warily. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    The little boy, who was crying for help, heard someone¡¯s steps and raised his head in a hurry. He looked at Ye Zhen, but could only see the top of her head. With tears in his eyes, he pleaded. ¡°Help me, help me up!¡±

    With his small build and the depth of the trap which was at least two meters deep, there was nothing around to help himself up.

    Although the little boy was not injured, it was impossible for him toe up all by himself. Ye Zhen looked at him and saw that he was wearing fine silks and satins, his skin was white and delicate. He should be a master of arge family ...

    No, this boy looks familiar.

    Ye Zhen frowned at him, unable to remember where she¡¯d seen him, ¡°How did you fall into the trap?¡±

    ¡°Be quick to help me up, and when I go back, this prince will certainly give you lots of rewards!¡± The little boy ushered Ye Zhen, his face was flustered.

    Prince? Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes were slightly cold as she finally remembered who the boy was.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s younger brother was only ten years old and ranked 11th in the noble list. His name was Mo Rongyi! He was the only prince who still lived in the pce and also the youngest one.

    When Ye Zhen¡¯s soul was trapped in the pce, she¡¯d seen him several times. No wonder he was familiar.

    ¡°I see, it turns out that you are a prince! So there¡¯s no need for thismoner toe rescue you. I think your guards should be nearby. Your highness, please wait a little longer, someone wille to rescue you soon.¡±

    After that, Ye Zhen turned around, intending to leave the boy to his misery.

 Chapter 88 - The Sobs of the Little Prince

    <strong>Chapter 88 ¨C The Sobs of the Little Prince</strong>

    ¡°Stop!¡± Mo Rongyi shouted at Ye Zhen and stomped his foot anxiously. His voice breaking into helpless sobs. ¡°I ran out alone without any guards.¡±

    No guards? Even an imperial secretary didn¡¯t apany such defenseless child? The child would definitely starve to death as no one was aware of his location.

    Ye Zhen had nned to leave, but stopped when she heard this. She dragged her feet back to the pit and looked down at him. ¡°What are you doing here all by yourself?¡±

    Mo Rongyi pouted his mouth and said, ¡°I¡¯vee to find someone!¡±

    Who was the person he was trying to find? Ye Zhen frowned for a moment. Only one person popped in her head, he must have been finding the emperor!

    ¡°Do you want to go to Chengde Mountain Vi?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, but I lost my way identally ... my horse is gone, please help me up first, and I will certainly treat you well in the future.¡± cried Mo Rongyi, his face made dirty from the constant wiping of tears with his grubby hands.

    Ye Zhenughed. ¡°I¡¯d like to save you. Unfortunately, how can I, a weak woman save you?¡±

    He willed himself to stop crying and looked at Ye Zhen with pleading eyes. ¡°You just have to find a way to pull me up, I beg you.¡±

    ¡°Stay calm and wait here.¡± Ye Zhen originally didn¡¯t want to meddle with the emperor¡¯s affairs, let alone rescue his brother!

    But after a moment of thought, she remembered that she ought to be an imperial doctor in the future. Saving Mo Rongyi could at least help her win the favor of the Dowager Empress. Thus, paving the road for her.

    She had two ropes in her bag, which was meant to tie up her prey, but the rope was too short to be tied to a nearby tree, therefore, she had to pull him up by her own strength.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you ready yet?¡± Not seeing Ye Zhen¡¯s figure anywhere, Mo Rongyi began to cry louder, afraid that the miss had tricked him and ran away.

    Quickly, Ye Zhen came again with two ropes tied together, ¡°You grab this rope, I¡¯ll pull you up.¡±

    ¡°You ... are you strong enough? Don¡¯t be dragged down by my weight!¡± As Ye Zhen came into view, the little boy had the chance to see her full appearance.

    Mo Rongyi saw that she was only a little miss, therefore, he became worried that she might not be able to save her, both of them would fall into the trap instead!

    ¡°If you can¡¯te up, I will leave!¡± she grumpily replied. Her sister¡¯s body was stronger than it looked. Lu Yaoyao was never a delicate girl, she¡¯d rather wrestle than y with her dolls!

    Mo Rongyi was really afraid that Ye Zhen would leave and he wailed loud enough for Ye Zhen to be momentarily deaf.

    ¡°Don¡¯t leave.¡±

    Ye Zhen felt sympathy for the little boy and her ears so she threw the rope immediately.

    ¡°Grab it and use your strength toe up. Don¡¯t you practice martial arts at your leisure? Is climbing new to you? ¡±

    ¡°No! But I¡¯m too hungry to be strong.¡± Mo Rongyiined that he had been in this trap for almost two hours. He was afraid and cried for so long, wasting most of his energy.

    ¡°Tie the rope around your waist first, and then hold on to it tightly. I¡¯ll pull you up but you¡¯ll also have to help yourself. You have strength as long as you don¡¯t starve to death.¡± She instructed, ¡°If you can¡¯te up, I¡¯ll definitely let go then I won¡¯t be able to save you!.¡±

    Mo Rongyi¡¯s face turned pale with fear. He grasped the rope tightly and stepped on the wall with his feet. He started to climb up bit by bit.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s hand reddened but she endured. It was not easy to save the child than it was to save Mo Rongzhan. At that time, she just threw the tied roots into the well and tied it around a big tree. Mo Rongzhan climbed up on his own...

    After a while, the prince finally climbed up from the trap.

    ¡°Whoops, I still don¡¯t have enough strength to walk...¡± To Ye Zhen¡¯s horror, the boy continued to cry even after being on the safety of the ground. What a crybaby!

    Ye Zhen fetched the water bag from her things and gave him a drink of water. ¡°Why are you crying? Didn¡¯t youe up?¡±

    The little boy desperately sped his hands around the water bag, and gulped its contents.

    But after his thirst was quenched, he began to cry again..

    ¡°...¡± Dumbfounded Ye Zhen simply did not know how to react.

 Chapter 89 - A Trace of Her

    <strong>Chapter 89 ¨C A Trace of Her</strong>

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry, give me something to eat!¡± cried Mo Rongyi whose eyes are now swollen. He wiped his non-stop flow of tears and ordered Ye Zhen deliberately.

    Ye Zhen was not impressed, he was indeed a Mo! His tone of aloofness and highness says it all!

    ¡°I only have two steamed buns.¡± she said tly.

    ¡°If you find food for this prince and apany him to the vi, he will reward you. A hundredfold!¡± Mo Rongyi straightened up his chest while he bargained with the miss.

    He found that the girl was very beautiful. But looking at her dress, she did not seem like a woman from a wealthy family. Now that she knew his identity, she would surely fawn over him.

    Yet, the miss sneered, quite different from what he had expected.

    ¡°Sister has no time to apany you. Here are the water bag and steamed stuffed buns. Please leave here after eating.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to leave me here?¡± Mo Rongyi looked at Ye Zhen with disbelief.

    ¡°Yes. What else do you want? ¡± Ye Zhen asked lightly.

    Mo Rongyi took a bite of the steamed stuffed bun and said, ¡°You ... you must apany me! I will give you a hundred taels of gold.¡±

    ¡°I am not short of money.¡± she rebutted.

    ¡°That ... that ...¡± Mo Rongyi struggled to speak while eating the steamed stuffed bun.

    His incredulous little face stared at her whilst he thought how to tempt her. Some people didn¡¯t want gold, then what reward does she want?

    Ye Zhen sighed, ¡°When you finish eating steamed buns, keep walking along this road, you will see Chengde Mountain Vi at the end. I have work to do, so I won¡¯t apany you.¡±

    Mo Rongyi haven¡¯te up with something to tempt Ye Zhen and could only watch her figure disappear from his sight.

    He didn¡¯t know such a person existed! She clearly knew his identity, but was still indifferent!

    He finished the two steamed buns and drank all the remaining water in the water bag. Only then did he follow Ye Zhen¡¯s instructions and walked down the road she pointed.

    ***

    Not long after he left, he met Mo Rongzhan who came to find him.

    Looking at Mo Rongzhan¡¯s gloomy face, Mo Rongyi burst into tears, ¡°Brother, I almost died!¡±

    ¡°I see that you are well enough to dare run away from the capital alone!¡± Mo Rongzhan scolded. If not for his younger brother looking like aplete mess, he would have brought people over to beat him.

    Mo Rongyi continued to cry, sniffing. ¡°... I identally fell into a trap and called out for help! No one came to save me for most of the day. Fortunately, a woman was kind enough to rescue me. Brother, I almost didn¡¯t see you.¡±

    ¡°Then how did you manage to get rid of your attendants?¡± the emperor asked angrily.

    ¡°I will never dare do it again!¡± Mo Rongyi sobbed harder.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes suddenly fell on the rope around his waist. He squinted slightly, ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°This is the rope the woman used to rescue me!¡± Mo Rongyi eximed, pointing to Ford. ¡°Ford,e and help me untie this!¡±

    ¡°Bring it here!¡± Mo Rongzhan looked at the rope andmanded.

    Ford untied the rope and handed it to Mo Rongzhan with both hands.

    Mo Rongzhan touched the knot on the rope in his hand, surprisingly, the knot was done the same way as the girl who saved him...He couldn¡¯t be mistaken, even if he was blind, he knew that only this knot could withstand his weight.

    He looked at Mo Rongyi and said, ¡°Where is the woman who saved you?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s gone!¡± Mo Rongyi said, ¡°I promised her a hundred taels of gold but she didn¡¯t want it ... What an odd woman!¡±

    ¡°Ford, send the little prince back to the vi.¡± Mo Rongzhan ordered.

    Could it be her? There won¡¯t be so many coincidences in this world. He intuitively thought that the girl who saved him must be in capital, but who is she?

    He called one of his attendants and said, ¡°Fetch my horse, I have somewhere to go.¡±

 Chapter 90 - An Unexpected Encounter

    <h4>Chapter 90 ¨C <strong>An Unexpected Encounter</strong></h4>

    Ye Zhen knew that someone shoulde to Mo Rongyi soon enough. She didn¡¯t intend to stay and take credit for it. Anyway, he remembered her and will naturally remember her heroic act for the rest of his life.

    She went back to find Mister Shan, but did not see him. This forest, although small inparison to the royal hunting ground, was still vast. For all she knows, Mister Shan could be at the opposite end of the forest, looking for her.

    She figured that the best thing to do was to wait. It would just make it moreplicated if she moved from her ce as Mister Shan coulde at her location any time soon.

    With nothing to do, she prompted herself to hunt pheasants by herself.

    When the hours passed and there was still no sign of her teacher, she finally decided to go home.

    But as soon as she mounted her horse, she saw a familiar figure at the intersection...

    Mo Rongzhan seemed to be looking for someone and when his eyes found her, it turned cold.

    Why is Mo Rongzhan here? Ye Zhen¡¯s leaped in panic and she instantly felt herself froze. <i>Is he here because Mo Rongyi?</i>

    <i>Should I dismount and salute?</i> Ye Zhen hesitated, she was not willing to render a salute to this very person. However, now that he was the emperor of the high above and her, only a small official¡¯s daughter, she must be as humble as a worm in the presence of salt..

    Mo Rongzhan wasted no time and approached Ye Zhen. Mounting his horse, he was able to reach Ye Zhen quickly.

    ¡°Did you save the prince?¡± Mo Rongzhan looked at her with his burning gaze. Today he could really see the woman¡¯s face clearly. She was even better looking than he thought. The fragrant and delicate jade appeared more tantalizing under the shade of the bright sun.

    Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t look at him straight, instead her eyes cast down, seeing the rope in his hands on the process. She immediately understood, it was the knot!

    That¡¯s the way her father taught her to bind. When he saved him with the roots, she tied the roots using the same knot.

    ¡°I¡¯m asking you something!¡± Mo Rongzhan said coldly, looking straight at her face.

    ¡°Yes ...¡± Ye Zhen whispered back to him, his throat a little ufortable. She married him for two years, her soul stayed beside him for two years but their first conversation turned out to be like this.

    Mo Rongzhan took the rope in his hand. ¡°Who taught you to tie this knot?¡±

    He let some people investigate her, the woman in front of her had really never been to capital, so she couldn¡¯t be the girl he was finding.

    Ye Zhen shook her head gently. ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan dismounted and came closer to Ye Zhen step by step.

    When Ye Zhen felt that she was safe atop her horse, Mo Rongzhan pulled her off her horse¡ª hisrge hand grasped her waist until she stood on the ground with him looking down on her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you for thest time. Who taught you to tie this knot?¡±

    ¡°Back to the emperor, this miss knew many people back in the Border Town. The person who taught her, she already forgot who it was.¡± Ye Zhen bowed her head and did not look at his beautiful face.

    Her heart was not as calm as what could be sensed on the surface. This was the man she had loved for eight years and the man she scorned now.

    She felt hurt and sad at this time, because the softest and best memory in her heart no longer existed, and the teenager she once have been ... had died in the memory of Ye Zhen.

    Mo Rongzhan looked at her coldly. He had a lot of questions which bud from his suspicion ¡ª Lu Wushuang did not rescue him at the beginning. Why did she know everything except the secret code? Why did she have the jade pendant?

    The Lu family also had a girl named Yao Yao. <i>Is this a coincidence or is someone deliberately ying with me?</i>

    Lu Wushuang! Mo RongZhan suddenly woke up. Why did he bother to find Lu Yaoyao? Lu Wushuang must know everything, he just needed to make her tell the truth.

    Looking at the timid woman in front of him, he couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°Do you know a woman named Yao Yao?¡±

 Chapter 91 - Is She His Death?

    <h4>Chapter 91 ¨C Is She His Death?</h4>

    Ye Zhen suddenly raised her head fearlessly and looked at him in the eye.

    <i>Does he still remember? Remember when she told him that her nickname was Yao Yao?</i>

    Then how could he still regard Lu Wushuang as her? Seeing Ye Zhen¡¯s reaction, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes sank, ¡°Answer me.¡±

    ¡°Never heard of someone bearing the same name.¡± was her brief answer.

    A sh of hurt crossed across the emperor¡¯s face and a pregnant silence followed. The woman would be the death of him! He thought to himself.

    After some moment, Mo Rongzhan nodded in surrender and asked her another thing.

    ¡°Were you the woman in the hot spring pool that day?¡± he suddenly asked.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s face paled slightly. Did he want to settle ounts?

    Seeing her face, Mo Rongzhan snorted softly. ¡°You are quite daring, even dared to fight me?¡±

    ¡°On that night, this miss didn¡¯t see his majesty clearly and deemed him as amoner...¡±

    Ye Zhen looked terrified, as if she had just found out that the man on that day was the emperor. But she wasn¡¯t afraid even a bit.

    Her eyes were slightly cold. She really wanted to make a face of him, but as a matter of fact, being emperor changed him. His skin got really thick.

    ¡°Get out of here!¡± Mo Rongzhan wanted to change her name, but this would make Lu Wushuang find clues, and he waved his hand wearily.

    Ye Zhen gave a salute and took the horse and left.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes looked at the rope in his hands, may be a lot of people knew this knot. Lu Yaoyao knowing this didn¡¯t mean that she and <i>his</i> Yao Yao was the same person.

    How Lu Wushuang got the jade pendant was one thing he needed to know.

    After a long walk, Ye Zhen turned over her horse and quickly left the forest without looking back.

    Why was Mo Rongzhan still looking for her? Wasn¡¯t he convinced that Lu Wushuang was the one who saved him? Unexpectedly, just by a knot, he had already been suspicious. If he had not suspected Lu Wushuang, he would not have been so sensitive.

    Since when did he suspect Lu Wushuang?

    She remembered the two years when her soul floated in the pce. He had never doubted Lu Wushuang, at least he didn¡¯t look like it. Even if Lu Wushuang did not remember the secret code, he was very kind to her.

    But in this case, Mo Rongzhan already suspected Lu Wushuang.

    Ye Zhen was confused, the turn out of events were very different from what she witnessed when she was still a vengeful ghost...

    A shallow smile rose from the corner of Ye Zhen¡¯s mouth. She was still thinking about how to crack Lu Wushuang¡¯s lies. But it seemed that she did not need to start at all. Mo Rongzhan had already questioned her and would have questioned Lu Wushuang not long after. Wouldn¡¯t he have Lu Lingzhi questioned too?

    Deep in her musings, she didn¡¯t even notice that she had already arrived in the Zhuangzi.

    ¡°Yao Yao, where have you been? I¡¯ve been looking for you for half a day!¡± When Ye Zhen came out of the woods, he saw Mister Shaning with his horse.

    Ye Zhen jumped off his horse andughed, ¡°I beat two pheasants and went back to make hot soup in a pot tonight.¡±

    ¡°I have seen imperial guards just now. Have you met anyone?¡± Mister Shan asked in intuitive voice.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see the guards, but when I met a child who fell into a trap, I rescued him and left.¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile.

    Mister Shan¡¯s eyes shed slightly, ¡°A child?¡±

    On his way, Mister Shan have seen imperial guards apany a child out of the forest. Those people have already gone to Chengde Mountain Vi. <i>Was that a child an imperial prince?</i>

    Ye Zhenughed. ¡°I didn¡¯t believe it when the child said he was a prince. A prince doesn¡¯te here alone so I thought that he was just a son of a hunter. After I rescued him, I let him go back.¡±

    Mister Shan was speechless at Ye Zhen.

 Chapter 92 - Rewards (1)

    <h4>Chapter 92 ¨C Rewards (1)</h4>

    When Mo Rongzhan returned to Chengde Mountain Vi, he rewarded the Lu family with many things, saying that the third miss of the Lu family had rendered meritorious service in saving the little prince.

    He had no doubt about Ye Zhen, he believed all she said`. Now the only person who could let him know the answer was Lu Wushuang.

    Pei Shi was pleasantly surprised to learn that Ye Zhen had identally saved the little prince. After thanking him, he let people take all the things the emperor had given to Ye Zhen.

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s heart, on the other hand, was not happy. The emperor had already seen Yao Yao. Did he recognize that she looked like thete Wang Fei?

    After some thought, Lu Lingzhi felt that the emperor had not recognized the resemnce, or why else a word about the Wang Fei didn¡¯t reach his ears? And the emperor had not summoned him.

    If he did recognize Lu Yaoyao remarkable resemnce to Ye Zhen, the emperor would have questioned him.

    <i>Did this count as perfect escape? </i>Ah! His heart could only rejoice at this fact.

    Tang Zhen came in sullenly from the outside. ¡°Yao Yao went to the woods. If I was there, I could have met her.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi gave him a light nce. ¡°The emperor has ordered us to go back to the pce tomorrow. Do you want to stay?¡±

    ¡°I ... would like to!¡± Tang Zhen replied in his casual voice, his face morphing into a frown as he realized that his job was not yet over. His investigation with the horse had not yet reached itspletion.

    Ah! When will he have time to live here leisurely?

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that I am injured, otherwise I can certainly help you.¡± Lu Lingzhi said frustratedly..

    Tang Zhen pulled out a fake smile, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, I wille to see you when I find out the truth.¡±

    ¡°Does she still refuse to see you? Yao Yao will not avoid you if she wants to see you. Give her some time.¡± Lu Lingzhi¡¯s mood improved when she learned that her sister didn¡¯t want to see Tang Zhen.

    ¡°And what? Let her continue to sympathize with the Ye Family? If I don¡¯t tell her the truth, she might even me you in the future. ¡± Tang Zhen said.

    ¡°Who is ming eldest brother?¡± Lu Xiangzhi came in from the outside with medicine in his hand.

    Tang Zhen looked at Lu Xiangzhi and saw that his hand was already able to move freely. He could not help but exim in wonder. ¡°Your hand...It already healed.¡±

    That was too fast! He had seen Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s wound with his own eyes, although there is no fracture, but the deep gash scraped by the stone would not heal well in half a month. At this time, he looked as if he had recovered.

    Lu Xiangzhi immediately moved his injured hand, waving it in the air. ¡°I took Yao Yao¡¯s medicine, but I didn¡¯t want to take it. Yao Yao made me have to take her medicine. As a result, I don¡¯t feel the usual apin today. It has not healedpletely yet, but Yao Yao¡¯s medicine is really effective.¡±

    ¡°Since you have such a good medicine, why didn¡¯t she give one to eldest brother?¡± Tang Zhen examined Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s wound and it was indeed much better than yesterday¡¯s. It seems that Yao Yao¡¯s medicine was even better than the one sent from the pce.

    Lu Lingzhi smiled bitterly, ¡°Because I am not <i>her</i> brother.¡±

    ¡°Eldest brother, that is definitely not the case. Maybe ... maybe Yao Yao only had one bottle of medicine, so she wasn¡¯t able to give one to you.¡± Lu Xiangzhi was embarrassed for sounding too proud in front of his elder brother, but he was still very happy to think that his sister cares for him more.

    Tang Zhen looked at Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s wound, which was covered with ayer of scab. ¡°Yao Yao¡¯s medicine is amazing. Go and ask her for two more bottles. Maybe the leg injury that has been dyed will get better faster.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi said, ¡°Mother asked me to send something to Yao Yao. Afterwards, I will ask her of eldest brother¡¯s medicine.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to find Yao Yao? I¡¯ll go with you! ¡± Tang Zhen immediately said. If she found him with Lu Xiangzhi, she would no longer had reasons to refuse to talk to him.

    But as soon as Tang Zhen had said this, Ford¡¯s voice came from outside, ¡°Marquis Tang, the emperor has asked this servant toe and invite you over.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Tang Zhen grimaced, ¡°It seems that I can¡¯t go with you.¡±

    Lu Lingzhiughed and shook his head. ¡°Go quickly!¡± The emperor must have something important to tell for him to ask Ford toe to you.¡±

    Tang Zhen had to go to see Mo Rongzhan first.

    ¡°Eldest brother, you take the medicine first.¡± Lu Xiangzhi brought up the medicine and whispered, ¡°Eldest brother, don¡¯t me Yao Yao for not being sensible. She is just like this.¡±

    ¡°I know, Yao Yao is young.¡± Lu Lingzhi took the medicine and put the bowl aside. ¡°Go and give her what the emperor has given you. I don¡¯t know if she said anything in front of the emperor. Go back and ask.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi thought the eldest brother was worried that Yao Yao would be disrespectful to the emperor. He immediately said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll ask her when I get back.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi knew that his brother had misunderstood, but he didn¡¯t say much more. He asked Lu Xiangzhi to leave quickly as nightfall was fast approaching...

 Chapter 93 - Rewards (2)

    <strong>Chapter 93 ¨C Rewards (2)</strong>

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t expect that the emperor would give her so many things, Aside from the pce cloth brocade, he gave her one hundred and twenty gold taels which made her a little dizzy.

    This was what Me Rongyi referred to when when he promise her rewards. She didn¡¯t want it because she wanted to take advantage of this kindness to get more benefits such as having greater chance in entering the pce. Yet, Mo Rongzhan brought a hundred and two pieces of gold taels to cut ties with her. Did he see her n?

    ¡°Mother said that since these were given to you by the emperor, you should put them away properly. Both elder brother and mother have thanked you.¡± Lu Xiangzhi said to Ye Zhen with a smile.

    Ye Zhen nodded, thinking where to put away the hundred and twenty taels of gold. ¡°I will.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t say anything in front of the emperor, did you?¡± Lu Xiangzhi asked her. Ye Zhen¡¯s face instantly fell into a sullen look.

    ¡°In your opinion, am I just a wild girl who only causes trouble?¡± Ye Zhen eyes stared back hurtly.

    Lu Xiangzhiughed, trying to ease up things.¡±No, isn¡¯t this the first time you meet the emperor? Of course you must have been nervous! Eldest brother was also concerned of how you talked to him.¡±

    Ye Zhen snorted. ¡°If the emperor asks, I will answer. What else will I say?¡±

    The first time she saw the Emperor, she was really nervous. However, she actually spent two years with Mo Rongzhan as a ghost. She didn¡¯t feel strange with him anymore. They just spoke to each other for the first time..It was just a bit sour.

    At first, she felt that she had many things to ask him, but she couldn¡¯t.

    Lu Xiangzhi said, ¡°What did the emperor ask you?¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s heart sneered. It must have been Lu Lingzhi who asked her brother to ask her of this. She was too aware of what Lu Lingzhi was afraid of. Ah! He was terribly afraid that Mo Rongzhan would recognize her resemnce with her old self.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask anything. He just asked if me if knew a girl named Yao Yao.¡± Ye Zhen said doubtfully, ¡°Do you think someone has the same name as me?¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi eyes widened in surprise. ¡°The emperor also asked you of that? Last time he asked me your name and where we lived before we came to the capital.¡±

    Mirroring the same reaction, Ye Zhen was also stunned to hear that Mo Rongzhan had already suspected her, but did he not remember that she once said her nickname? How did ite his mind just recently?

    Is it because hearing someone call her by this name touched his memory and reminded him of eight years ago?

    Ye Zhenughed internally, things were happening just the way she wanted.

    Things that never happened during her two years of being an invincible phantom in the pce happens now after she transmigrated in her twin sister¡¯s body.

 Chapter 94 - Return To The Palace (1)

    <strong>Chapter 94 ¨C Return To The Pce (1)</strong>

    Before he could forget, Lu Xiangzhi asked Ye Zhen for another bottle of the medicine she gave.

    ¡°I just applied it twice and today, I found that my wound is covered in scabs already! Eldest brother still can¡¯t walk, you should also give him one. He is our eldest brother.¡±

    He is your eldest brother, but he will never be my eldest brother!

    Ye Zhen replied with utmost disinterest. ¡°I wanted to give him, but Zhuangzi did not have the medicine I needed. The bottle I gave you was still from our home.¡±

    ¡°What nt do you need? I¡¯ll bring it to you.¡± Lu Xiangzhi immediately said,thinking that Chengde Mountain Vi¡¯s forests might have the nt she used to concoct the medicine.

    ¡°That medicine is not easy to find. Let me go up to the mountain tomorrow to find out if there is any.¡± Ye Zhen said vaguely. She would like Lu Lingzhi to be crippled, then how could she use her miraculous drops to cure him?

    ¡°¡ªIn fact, everyone has a different physique. My medicine can cure your injury, not necessarily the elder brother¡¯s.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi looked at her sister carefully. ¡°Yao Yao, I think you don¡¯t like eldest brother very much.¡±

    Ye Zhen said with grievance, ¡°Brother, I am different from you. You used to live in the capital and you and eldest brother knew each other for a long time! But I am not yet familiar with him. It is really hard for me to treat him like you. Last time he didn¡¯t let me go to college, how do I urge myself to like him?¡±

    ¡°Eldest brother is for your own good, ah, now I said you also don¡¯t believe it, you will know after getting along with eldest brother for a long time, he is an excellent person.¡± Lu Xiangzhi sighed.

    Ye Zhen smiled and nodded, ¡°I know, I will get to know my eldest brother slowly.¡±

    ¡°I must go.Tomorrow the emperor will return to the pce. Mother said she would take the eldest brother to live in Zhuangzi for two days.¡± Lu Xiangzhi finished.

    Mo Rongzhan is returning to the pce? Ye Zhen breathed a sigh of relief from the bottom of her heart. She didn¡¯t have to worry about meeting him again!

    Although she wanted to be a female medical officer, she would have to see Mo Rongzhan often in the future. By that time,she would be prepared.

    Ye Zhen apanied Lu Xiangzhi to the gates and returned to her chmaber afterwards. She read a book for a while and looked down at the ming phoenix tattoo in her palm.

    There were still ten good days before the exam. She knew that in her present appearance, many people would surely think of Ye Zhen when she appeared in front of the public.

    However, Lu Yaoyao and Ye Zhen look somewhat different. In the two years after she married Mo Rongzhan, she did not live very happily. In addition to missing him every day, she also restrained her temper and became unhappy. During that time, she had a good-looking appearance, but she had no spirit at all.She was really very different from Lu Yaoyao now.

    Yao Yao...Ye Zhen looked at the person in the mirror, her eyes were brighter and darker than hers, and her face shape was somewhat different.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s original eyebrow eyes were like their father¡¯s while Lu Yaoyao¡¯s eyebrows were more like their mother¡¯s. Probably because of drinking the miraculous drops, her skin was more ruddy and white, and the temperament of the whole person was different.

    Inparison, thete Wang Fei Ye Zhen was dignified and reserved while Lu Yaoyao was charming and lovely, more like a lovely little girl.

    Actually, when she didn¡¯t marry Mo Rongzhan, she was also charming. Now, she doesn¡¯t need to be depressed for whom, or to restrain her temperament for whom.

    She was Lu Yaoyao and Ye Zhen at the same time.

    Ye Zhen dropped a drop of the miraculous liquid in her teacup. Since it was inevitable that the entrance examination would attract attention, she nned to appear in front of everyone beautifully.

 Chapter 95 - Return To The Palace (2)

    <strong>Chapter 95 ¨C Return To The Pce (2)</strong>

    The next day, Chengde Mountain Vi had been in a tight and rambocious situation. The emperor was finally returning to the pce!

    Ye Zhen finally did not have to worry about meeting him everytime she leaves for a hunt.

    However, Ye Zhen was not happy for the following two days because Pei Shi brought Lu Lingzhi to the Zhuangzi Hot Springs.

    ¡°Yao Yao, your eldest brother¡¯s feet need to be carefully nursed. Please do take care of him in your free time.¡± Pei Shi told Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhen nced at Lu Lingzhi lightly. ¡°Mother, Mister Shan has given me a lot of homework.¡±

    Even at her free time, she wouldn¡¯te tend to Lu Lingzhi¡¯s injury.

    I forbid it!

    Lu Xiangzhi muttered beside her, ¡°Yao Yao, I showed your medicine to Mother. She has brought all the medicine you needed. All you have to do is to make another bottle for eldest brother. Thest time I used your medicine for eldest brother, his injury became much better!¡±

    Ye Zhen had a real impulse to beat Lu Xiangzhi to death. He gave Lu Lingzhi the medicine. What a waste!

    Pei Shi gave Ye Zhen a confused look. ¡°Yao Yao, I didn¡¯t teach you how to make medicine. When did you learn it?¡±

    ¡°Mother, you have given me so many books. I usually find them interesting, so I learned how to prepare medicine myself.¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile, using the excuse that she had already thought over.

    Pei Shiughed and felt relieved. It seems that her daughter was really gifted in this aspect. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll teach you how to attend to your eldest brother.¡±

    ¡°Mother, eldest brother has you to take care of him.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense! I have to go back to the capital tomorrow. If I¡¯m not around to look after your eldest brother, who would?¡±Pei Shi gave Ye Zhen a look. ¡°Don¡¯t bezy!¡±

    Ye Zhen thought that Lu family still had a maid who was eyeing up Lu Shiming.

    In this case, it would be good for Pei Shi to go back. Naturally, she didn¡¯t want to see Xue Liu fawn over her husband, Lu Shiming after all.

    ¡°I know, mother, you can rest assured that you can return to father who would not be able to leave you .¡± Ye Zhen said in a delicate voice.

    Pei Shi face became feverish and she looked at her daughter fiercely.

    Ye Zhenughed and ran out.

    Lu Lingzhi was shocked when he saw the light and charming figure run out of the door. This was the first time he saw his third sister ying coquetry!

    He didn¡¯t know why but he thought of Ye Zhen again. If Ye Zhen had been like his third sister at that time ... he couldn¡¯t imagine what would happen.

    ¡°Until now, your third sister is just like that, and you will have to shoulder more responsibilities in the future.¡± Pei Shi smiled back and looked apologetic at Lu Lingzhi.

    Of which, the man replied in a low voice, ¡°My third sister is so lovely and adorable that it is impossible to not be fond of her.¡±

    Peishi smiled and said, ¡°You don¡¯t know, she used to be so naughty when she was still a child. I myself wanted to banish her every time she did something wrong, but when she yed softly on me, I lost all my temper and just wanted to hold her in my arms.¡±

    Lu Lingzhiughed, and could imagine Lu Yaoyao¡¯s naughty and lovely appearance as a child.

    Ye Zhen was in a bit of a bad mood because Lu Lingzhi lived in Zhuangzi. She spent the whole day practicing calligraphy in the house. Mister Shan thought she was worried about the exam, so he called her out and let her rx.

    ¡°Efforts should be made, but we should not be too nervous.¡± He reminded her.

    ¡°Sir, let¡¯s go to the hot springs for a dip. As I said in the medical book, more than one dip could make people feel better physically and mentally, and the skin will also be better!¡±

    Ye Zhen said with a carefree smile, not being worried about meeting Mo Rongzhan again.

    For propriety¡¯s sake, she nned to bring Dai Me with them. Mister Shan was afterall, a hot-blooded male and he would have to bathe in a separate pool, his vision obscured from the sight of the females taking their baths.

    Mister Shan considered it for a moment and nodded in agreement.

    After spending many days with Lu Yaoyao, he, without his notice, had started to like the Third Miss Lu.

 Chapter 96 - Care (1)

    <strong>Chapter 96 ¨C Care (1)</strong>

    Pei Shi returned to the capital the next day, leaving a pair of children to take care of Lu Lingzhi in Zhuangzi.

    Ye Zhen begged Pei Shi to take her with her but Pei Shi just grabbed her ear and said that she waszy and heartless. Instead, she insisted that Ye Zhen take charge of changing dressings of Lu Lingzhi¡¯s wounds.

    Ye Zhen felt suffocated with all of these but was left with no choice other than to yield and tend to Lu Lingzhi¡¯s injury!

    Not only that, Lu Xiangzhi also pestered her to reproduce the medicine she previously gave him. Ye Zhen was secretly disappointed that she wished she had never given Lu Lingzhi the wound medicine mixed with drops of the miraculous liquid from her palm.

    If there was a next life, she would never let Lu Lingzhi use her miraculous drops!

    ¡°I made thest medicine by ident, and this one may not have the same effect as thest one.¡± She told Lu Xiangzhi.

    ¡°Eldest brother¡¯s wound needs dressing change. Come on, let¡¯s give him this medicine!¡± Lu Xiangzhi took the medicine enthusiastically.

    Ye Zhen stood still and looked away.

    ¡°Yao Yao, mother said you should change the dressing of eldest brother.¡± Lu Xiangzhi saw at a nce that his sister was toozy to do her chore and shook his head helplessly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you like eldest brother?¡±

    ¡°People are predestined friends with each other. Maybe eldest brother and I just don¡¯t have that kind of fate, so we are not meant to be congenial to each other!¡± Ye Zhen snorted and followed Lu Xiangzhi unwillingly.

    Lu Xiangzhiughed, ¡°You have done the wrongest things since you came to the capital, you seem to be a little different.¡±

    His mirthful remark, however was not reciprocated. Ye Zhen disyed a gloomy face, while she looked down at her feet.

    ¡°Everyone will change. we used to only one family in the border town. It didn¡¯t matter what I do or say, but now it¡¯s different.¡±

    ¡°Yao Yao...¡± Lu Xiangzhi suddenly stopped and looked at Ye Zhen seriously. In front of him, the girl with picturesque eyes, painted eyebrows and white skinparable to snow and frost frowned. She hardly had the appearance of the wild girl in the border town. ¡°Do you still care about that?¡±

    Ye Zhen appeared confused. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi touched her head. ¡°Your elder brother knows that you¡¯ve been prudent since we¡¯ve arrived in the capital. You don¡¯t have to do this. You don¡¯t have to grieve yourself. You will always be your brother¡¯s sister.¡±

    ¡°Brother ...¡± Ye Zhen¡¯s heart warmed. Lu Xiangzhi thought her change was because she was worried that they didn¡¯t want her. Sheughed at how ridiculous and sweet it sounded.

    ¡°I have not wronged myself. I know that you are kind to me, so I also want to do better.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi flicked her forehead, ¡°What are you talking about? You are fine now, better than ever.¡±

    Ye Zhen cocked her head and smiled prettily, ¡°Why is it that my brother talks as if he have a profound understanding of the women¡¯s 18 big changes**?¡±

    T/N : Women¡¯s 18 big changes (Å®´óÊ®°Ë±ä) ¨C chinese idiom that says women changes 18 times between childhood and womanhood.

    Lu Xiangzhi lightlyughed then nodded. ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s because my sister is indeed undergoing the 18 changes.¡±

    Afterwards, brother and sister came to Lu Lingzhi¡¯s houseughing on their way. When the step foot inside Lu Lingzhi¡¯s chamber, Ye Zhen¡¯s previous smile shrank a little.

    Lu Lingzhi was stunned when she came in. In a few days of not seeing her, how could it be possible that the little girl became more dazzling?

    ¡°Eldest brother, Yao Yao and I will change your dressing.¡± Lu Xiangzhi said with a proud smile and motioned Ye Zhen toe with him.

    Ye Zhen threw an angry look at Lu Xiangzhi, walked to the short stool beside the bed and sat down. She took the wound medicine from Lu Xiangzhi but not sparing Lu Lingzhi a look as she did so, her head kept bowed down.

    Lu Lingzhi lifted his eyes and looked at her drooping face. Her skin seemed to glow like jade that even Ye Zhen, the most famous person in the capital during her reign as Wang Fei, would seem inferior to her.

    How could she change so fast? How long did it take to change from a wild girl to such stunning delicate miss?

    He was certain that if he had not been seeing and witnessing her change, he would think that Lu Yaoyao was reced by another woman.

    Ye Zhen could feel Lu Lingzhi¡¯s curious stare the whole time so she couldn¡¯t help intensifying her hold on his injured foot...

 Chapter 97 - Care (2)

    <strong>Chapter 97 ¨C Care (2)</strong>

    ¡°Hmmph!¡± Lu Lingzhi grunted in pain, looking at her delicate hands.

    Despite this, he chuckled, deeming it as just a pure clumsy mistake. ¡°Yao Yao, show me some mercy.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi looked apologetic and looked at Ye Zhen at the corner of his eye. ¡°Yao Yao, be careful.¡±

    ¡°I am inexperienced. Naturally, I¡¯m not good at changing wound dressings.¡± Ye Zhen reasoned grumpily.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I didn¡¯t feel any pain.¡± Lu Lingzhi managed a soft smile.

    Even with his patient approach, Ye Zhen still didn¡¯t look at him, he proceeded to smear the medicine on his bare wound, and tied the board which put his injured foot in ce afterwards. ¡°The bone has healed, but still not strong enough. Eldest brother should take some rest and not exert himself.¡±

    Well, if Lu Xiangzhi hadn¡¯t given her medicine to him, he would not have recovered so quickly.

    ¡°Fourth brother, nowadays I can¡¯t go anywhere. Why don¡¯t youe here to study and I will teach you.¡± Lu Lingzhi offered, having enough of the everyday silence in his chamber.

    Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s eyes instantly brightened. ¡°Yes, eldest brother, then I must and get my books!¡±

    As a candidate for the imperial exam, Lu Xiangzhi was ecstatic at this opportunity. Being taught by Lu Lingzhi was much better than learning from other schrs

    Ye Zhen watched Lu Xiangzhi run out in excitement and shook her head amusingly.

    ¡°Yao Yao, thank you for changing the dressing for eldest brother.¡± Lu Lingzhi expressed his gratitude upon seeing her about to leave.

    ¡°You¡¯re wee. It was nothing.¡± In the long run, Lu Lingzhi still saved Lu Xiangzhi. This was the most she could do as a repayment of that act.

    Just as she reached the door, Lu Lingzhi spoke again, stopping her in her tracks.

    ¡°Yao Yao, do you hate your eldest brother so much?¡± Lu Lingzhi asked her helplessly.

    Those words sounded strange from the mouth of someone she detested. Ye Zhen refused to look at him and answer his question, her back facing him.

    ¡°Stillining that I won¡¯t let you go to college?¡± Lu Lingzhi askedughingly, that¡¯s what he said the first time they met. Ye Zhen remembered it vividly remembered the day she saw him again since her transmigration. From that moment until now, she could not stomach treating him as her eldest brother.

    Ye Zhen was silent, her hatred for Lu Lingzhi had umted for two years. Even though she had tried to restrain herself, she could not pretend to like him at all.

    ¡°Or is it because someone said something about the Ye family?¡± Lu Lingzhi saw that she would not answer at any moment so he asked regarding his suspicion in a low voice.

    Pivoting in her heels, Ye Zhen turned around to look at his face. What does he mean by this?

    ¡°What did Mister Shan say to you?¡± Lu Lingzhi thought he was right and asked in a heavy voice.

    ¡°What did you do to the Ye family?¡± Ye Zhen asked back, looking at him with prating sharp gaze.

    Lu Lingzhi whispered, ¡°Whatever I do, it was not my original intention.¡±

    Ye Zhen sneered in her heart, not his original intention? Including deceiving her trust, enticing her to say how she saved Mo Rongzhan, and then turning all those things into Lu Wushuang¡¯s doing, was it all not his original intention?

    ¡°Thete Wang Fei of Qin dynasty is a former student of Mister Shan and therefore, my schrly elder sister. How did she die?¡± Ye Zhen asked in a stern voice, stable enough to not Lu Lingzhi see through her disyed calm dexterity.

    Lu Lingzhi remembered the scene when Ye Zhen drank the poisoned wine and couldn¡¯t help but close his eyes.

    ¡°The Wang Fei¡¯s pce was caught in a fire, and she was burned to death.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled faintly, ¡°The youngdy was just unlucky, perhaps..¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to others about everything. Some truth needs to be discovered by yourself.¡± Lu Lingzhi said.

    She knew the truth better than anyone else.

    ¡°I have to go back to practice calligraphy, eldest brother. Get well.¡± Ye Zhen stood up. She could no longer show her dissatisfaction with the Ye family¡¯s case, or she would arouse suspicions.

    That day in front of Tang Zhen, it was she who lost control.

 Chapter 98 - Is She Really The Third Miss? (1)

    <strong>Chapter 98 ¨C Is She Really The Third Miss? (1)</strong>

    Half a month passed in a blur.

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s foot injury had not yetpletely healed and his recovery rate was far slower than Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s.

    However, because he had used Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s medicine before, he had been able to walk down for half a month, although it came with difort.

    ¡°Yao Yao is going to take the college entrance exam in two days. We should go back today!¡± Lu Lingzhi said that he had rested in the vige for half a month. He should go back to the pce to see the emperor.

    Ye Zhen had the same n, but she didn¡¯t n to go with Lu Lingzhi. She thought he would stay here for at least another half a month.

    But at the time of departure, an extra carriage was prepared and she immediately understood that it was for Lu Lingzhi.

    ¡°If we return, I am afraid that everyone would be stunned.¡± Mister Shan looked at Ye Zhen and said.

    Ye Zhen beamed from ear to ear. ¡°Isn¡¯t it surprising that Mister Shan looks a few years younger now?¡±

    A few days ago, she saw in a medicine book that pearl powder and some medicinal materials can be used to make ointment. She applied it to her face every night before she goes to bed.

    If one practiced it for a long time, she surmised, their skin would be light and ruddy. She made several boxes ording to the form in the book, and finally added her miraculous drops to it, and sent a box to Mister Shan, whose skin had be much ruddier now than before.

    Mister Shan couldn¡¯t care more. He just used the ointment to pay importance to his student¡¯s recent work. He didn¡¯t expect that it would have some visible effects on him.

    On the other hand, Ye Zhen was pleasantly surprised and pleased. When she returns, she could exin that her change was because of the hot springs and the ointment she prepared.

    By then, people would not be suspicious.

    Mister Shan shook his head. ¡°You have such little thoughts. In the future, people will be willing toe to you if you show such skills.¡±

    ¡°Yes. We should depart at once. I¡¯ll send some of these to my mother and grandma.¡± Ye Zhen enthusiastically proimed.

    After two hours, they finally returned to the Lu mansion.

    The moment Ye Zhen came out of the carriage, the people around her were stunned. They didn¡¯t recognize this beautiful and delicate woman like lotus in water.

    When she appeared, her beauty radiated like spring flowers, and the people could not move their eyes away from her.

    ¡°Sir, you should go and rest first. I¡¯m going to pay my respects to my grandma.¡±

    Mister Shan nodded.

    Lu Lingzhi held Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s hand and limped along. ¡°Yao Yao, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Third miss?!

    The surrounding servants heard Lu Lingzhi¡¯s voice and looked at Ye Zhen in surprise. is this ... the ck and thin Third Miss Lu before? Deceptive!

    Ye Zhen nced at Lu Lingzhi and followed him silently to the room,

    Old Madam Lu had already been waiting for them in the house. She had heard that her eldest grandson was injured. If Lu Shiming hadn¡¯t stopped her, she would have gone to the vige to see Lu Lingzhi herself!

    The maid who was outside the house cried out happily, ¡°Old Madam Lu, the third miss, eldest and fourth master havee back!¡±

    ¡°Grandma, they¡¯re finally back.¡± Lu Jing said with a smile.

    Old Madam Lu looked forward to finally returning her baby grandson.

    Lu Xiangzhi helped Lu Lingzhi toe in from the outside. as soon as they saw Old Madam Lu, he wanted to kneel down.

    ¡°Hold him fast!¡± Old Madam Lu cried, ¡°Why are you trying to kneel when your feet are hurt like this? Oh! My heart, my liver! Why are you so thin?¡±

    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m not thin, I¡¯m fat.¡± Lu Lingzhi said with a smile, ¡°besides, my injury is better than half. my fourth brother and third sister are taking care of me, and I will recover in a few days.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi said guiltily, ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s all my fault. If eldest brother hadn¡¯t saved me, he wouldn¡¯t have been hurt.¡±

    ¡°Now that you are both fine, I can rest assured.¡± Old Madam Lu wiped away her tears and looked at her two grandchildren again and again, holding them in her arms.

    Ye Zhen went up to her with a smile and knelt down in front of the Old Madam. ¡°Grandma, eldest brother and fourth brother know you miss them and they have been good.¡±

    Old Madam Lu looked quizzically at the little girl in front of her. Is this... ¡°Yao Yao?¡±

 Chapter 99 - Is She Really The Third Miss? (2)

    <strong>Chapter 99 ¨C Is She Really The Third Miss? (2)</strong>

    ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t you even recognize me? It¡¯s only been a few days, but it turned out that my grandma didn¡¯t love Yao Yao at all and forgot me immediately.¡± Ye Zhen pretended to be hurt.

    In front of her, the little girl was dressed in green cedar, with a pleated skirt of green grass covered with scattered flowers and mist, which made her look as innocent and pretty. In her return, she became more charming to some degree.

    Not only did the Old Madam Lu look stunned, but the sisters Lu Jing and Lu Fang, who were sitting nearby, couldn¡¯t believe that the beautiful miss was none other than Lu Yaoyao.

    Although Lu Yaoyao became significantly fair and beautiful before she left for Zhuangzi, it was not enough to shock people. It was just a little better from her original dark and thin appearance.

    But now in this room, who was better looking than her?

    No, the sisters were afraid that there was no one more stunning than Lu Yaoyao in the capital.

    Old Madam Lu quickly recovered. She put Ye Zhen in her arms.

    ¡°How did my Yao Yao be so beautiful that her grandma almost didn¡¯t recognize her?¡±

    Ye Zhen covered her mouth and smiled, ¡°Yao Yao knew that my grandmother would not recognize her. I read the medical book before. Soaking in hot springs has been good for my skin. I also made an ointment and applied it to my face ording to the prescription in a medical book. Of course, I made two bottles for my grandma.¡±

    Women love beauty, regardless of age.

    Ye Zhen asked Dai Mei to bring over the ointment she made. ¡°You just ... soaked in hot springs and put on those ointments to be so fair and delicate?¡± Old Madam Lu asked incredulously.

    Lu Jing said sourly, ¡°What ointment is so magical?¡±

    ¡°Grandma, Yao Yao had been studying earnestly for these ointments. ¡°Lu Xiangzhi said proudly.

    Lu Lingzhi looked at them with a smile. He was used to Ye Zhen¡¯s changes, but he still could understand others¡¯ surprise.

    Old Madam Luughed, ¡°That also tells us that Yao Yao is a natural beauty. Before, she did not know how to dress up in Border Town. She just learned how to make herself beautiful here in the capital.¡± The madam¡¯s eyes shone with unadulterated pride.

    This was true. If Lu Yaoyao had a natural beauty, without the miraculous drop, she would still bloom into a beautiful flower if she learns to take heed of her appearance.

    Ye Zhen hugged the Old Madam¡¯s arm, ¡°My grandma is the best one at seeing that I am a natural beauty.¡±

    Hearing this, the Old Madam couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°You are indeed my Yao Yao, who is a little shameless.¡± she tapped Ye Zhen¡¯s forehead affectionately.

    Lu Jing, who was on one side, was clutching the handkerchief in her hand tightly, jealous and hatred rose from her chest. Her eyes were fixed on Ye Zhen.

    Not only did she envied Ye Zhen for being prettier than her, but she saw the smiles of the Chen family sisters also became somewhat reluctant.

    All along, they all felt that they had superiority in front of Ye Zhen, but now it seemed to have be worthless.

 Chapter 100 - A Filial Granddaughter

    <strong>Chapter 100 ¨C A Filial Granddaughter</strong>

    Lu Lingzhi sat in the room for a while before he decided to take Lu Xiangzhi to the front yard. They felt out of ce since they were surrounded by their family¡¯s misses and the Chen sisters.

    The two decided to wait in the front yard until everyone gathers tonight.

    ¡°...in the morning, we went out to hunt a few rabbits and pheasants! At night, Dai Mei and I soaked in the hot springs. Grandma, you should reallye with us the next time we visit Zhuangzi. The hot springs felt sofortable and nurturing to my skin, you see, I am not as dark as before. When I returned to the capital, I finally realized that I am a girl. I used to think of myself as a boy. ¡°Ye Zhen chattered with Old Madam Lu, retelling her experiences with sincerity.

    Curiosity made Old Madam Lu reach out and touch Ye Zhen¡¯s right cheek¡ªit was like touching a piece of tender tofu.

    Then, she turned to Lu Fang and said, ¡°You should have gone to Zhuangzi with Yao Yao. I reckon,ing back more beautiful is much better than attending poetry meetings.¡±

    ¡°My aunt said that Zhuangzi is not far away so we can still go.¡± Chen Qiuping was envious in her heart. What she wanted most was to have a skin as white as jade.

    Ye Zhenughed and ceased speaking, but snuggledfortably around Old Madam Lu.

    If Lu Jing did not like Ye Zhen before, now she feels even more disgusted just by looking at her.

    It¡¯s not like she had never been to a hot spring before! If she drank the whole hot spring, she was certain that there would be no such effect as Lu Yaoyao.

    She spat in her mind angrily, thinking that Ye Zhen was feeding the Old Madam and the Chen sisters with useless ideas.

    ¡°I won¡¯t go. The mid-autumn festival ising, and there are still lots of things to do in the Women¡¯s College. I can¡¯t possibly leave the capital for some time.¡±

    The college was about to start sses. This year, Lu Jing was no longer regarded as a mere daughter of a merchant, but a noble miss.

    Those who looked down on her before were now currying in her favor. She was enjoying this kind of life, and was looking forward to the day after tomorrow is the entrance exam of the College¡¯s Medical School.

    As her sister, she had to watch Lu Yaoyao take the exam.

    Chen Qiuping was a little disappointed. She regretted why she didn¡¯t follow Ye Zhen and her family to Zhuangzi that day. If she did, she would have been the one who took care of Lu Lingzhi.

    ¡°Anyway, the Zhuangzi will be always there. You can go whenever you want.¡± Old Madam Lu said with a smile. Turning to Ye Zhen once again, her eyes crinkled out of mirth.

    ¡°Yao Yao is going to take the exam, and we will all go and support her.¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s face turned red. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to humiliate our family.¡±

    Right after she said those words, Lu Fang, the second miss of the familyughed. ¡°The appearance of Third Sister going out is the face of our Lu family. How can we lose face?¡±

    It sounded as if Ye Zhen only needed a beautiful face, but it was not the case.

    But appearance was never the most important thing for alldies of famous families. It was character.

    Lu Yaoyao grew up in istion in the Border Town. How could she pass the talent without talent, ethics, and beautiful appearance?

    Old Madam Lu seemed to have heard no one else but Ye Zhen. She justughed and said, ¡°Our Yao Yao is so smart, I¡¯m certain she would pass the Women¡¯s College¡¯s exam.¡±

    Chen Liping added, ¡°Yes, third younger sister will certainly be able to enter the college. If they were in the early years of college, there would be no need for so many rules.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled faintly. Yes, the college today ispletely different from when it was first founded. At that time, the women¡¯s college had no identity restrictions. All women, including aristocratic women and merchants, could study as long as they meet the requirements.

    Now ... Ye Zhen sneered, the college epts students depending on their status. Besides, orfinary people didn¡¯t have the resources to study the Six Arts for the entrance exam. It was clear that the college was not willing tomoners.

    It was because of their identity as imperial merchants that the Lu sisters were admitted to the school. But still, they were belittled when they first step foot inside the college.

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t like how the women¡¯s college changed, but she still had to pursue being a student. The medical school was a part of the Women¡¯s college; entering it would be her only key inside the imperial pce.

    ¡°Whether I can get in or not, I will try my best.¡± Ye Zhen told the Old Madam.

    Old Madam Lu smiled and nodded, ¡°That¡¯s the reason I am confident in my third granddaughter. How many misses in the capital wants to be Mister Shan student? You are better than them.¡±

    Ye Zhen nodded vigorously, ¡°Grandma is right.¡±

    ¡°Third Sister, what did you say about the ointment?¡± Chen Liping was fascinated by the ointment that Ye Zhen imed to have whitening effects.

    Other people also looked at Ye Zhen, interested in what she has to say.

    Once again, Ye Zhen asked Dai Mei to bring the left ointments she brought with her.

    There were only four bottles in total. Ye Zhen added only a few of her miraculous drops to each one, but the effect was already excellent.

    ¡°I identally read an instruction on how to concoct this beauty ointment. It was originally just a thing I did out of boredom, but I never thought it would have such an effect.¡± Ye Zhen narrated.

    ¡°However, I dare not say that this is effective for everyone. Its effect might vary.¡±

    Still, Chen Liping expressed her interest more, already having her eyes on the ointment.

    ¡°It looked effective on third sister, so it will certainly be of use to us.¡±

    Ye Zhen gave her a kind look, but she didn¡¯t utter that she wanted to give one to her.

    Old Madam Lu nced at the girls and said with a smile, ¡°You girls can have one bottle each. I am already an old woman. I am not suitable to use these things.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, aunt!¡± Chen Liping thanked her with joy, took a bottle at once.

    Lu Fang and Lu Jing looked at each other and saw that the Old Madam did mean it. They just smiled and said thank you before taking a bottle for themselves.

    Ye Zhen, the owner who concocted the ointment, waspletely forgotten.

    Seeing that the girls were happy, Old Madam Lu stood up, ready to leave.

    ¡°Well, all of you shall go home ande back together tonight.¡±

    ¡°Grandma, we will surelye back.¡± Lu Jing stood up and gave a salute.

    When they were all gone, Ye Zhen took out two small porcin vases from her arms, one pure white and the other a pale blue.

    She went up to the Old Madam. ¡°Grandma, this white porcin ointment is applied to the face. This blue one is for your health, make sure to take once a day. I secretly kept it for you. These are better than what my sisters have.¡±

    Moved by her granddaughter¡¯s affection, Old Madam hugged Ye Zhen and called her a little rascal.

    Her granddaughter was filial and remembered her grandmother in her heart.

    Ye Zhen smiled and bowed her head. She was indeed filial to the Old Madam.

    It was because first, she wanted to repay the kindness of Lu family to her sister. Second, she needed the Old Madam to be her prime supporter.

 Chapter 101 - Old Grievances (1)

    <strong>Chapter 101 ¨C Old Grievances (1)</strong>

    Ye Zhen learned to feel lessplicated about everyone. From her first resistance, she had gradually been able to please and deal with them with ease.

    She knows that her identity would be eventually revealed. She was a daughter of the Ye family and was destined to have a deep blood feud with the Lu family.

    But at present, she¡¯s only Lu Yao Yao, the daughter of Lu Shiming and his wife.

    In the evening, the whole family gathered at the Old Madam¡¯s house.

    Ye Zhen stood behind Pei Shi. She had received too much attention today. Not a servant had an incredulous look when presented with the sight of her, unable to believe her change.

    Old Madam Lu turned to Lu Shiming and said these words, ¡°Your second brother is already on his way. He said he woulde back to celebrate my birthday this year. When he arrives, we will be truly reunited!¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen my second brother for years.¡± Lu Shiming said with a nostalgic smile.

    Second Lord Lu took over the business of the family. Although the Lu family had long advanced from being merchants, the industry at sea was one thing the Second Master could not let go. He took his wife and daughter to do merchant business in Jinkou City.

    ¡°If my husband is still here, then the family will bepletely reunited.¡± Wearing in and light clothes, Eldest Madam Lu named Lui Shi sat by and said faintly.

    **T/N : Now this could be really confusing. Old Madam Lu is the grandmother in the Lu Family. Eldest Madam Lu also named as Liu Shi signifying her maiden n name is the widow of the Eldest Lord Lu and is also the daughter-inw of the old madam.

    The cheerful atmosphere in the room froze because of Liu Shi¡¯s words.

    Ye Zhen looked up at the Eldest Madam Lu. Today was the first time she saw her in person. When they arrived in the capital, she was ill, so the Old Madam didn¡¯t let here. But for the sake of weing the return of her son, Lu Lingzhi, she personally chose to join the current reunion.

    It was said that since the death of the Eldest Lord Lu, Liu Shi had been unhappy. Old Madam Lu handled the family¡¯s big and small matters,

    The only person who could still make Liu Shi care was Lu Lingzhi.

    ¡°Mother...Father has not left us all this time. He lives in our hearts.¡± Lu Lingzhi said gently to his mother.

    Liu Shi nced at him then looked at Lu Shiming darkly.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid some people think he¡¯s dead.¡±

    ¡°If you are still not feeling well, go back to your room and rest. Don¡¯t be delirious and say things that people don¡¯t understand.¡± Old Madam Lu spoke tly.

    As a response, the woman just smirked. Liu Shu used to fear the majesty of the Old Madam, but now she had be unafraid of anything.

    Her son was already a high-ranking official, who lifted the whole family from being mere merchants to nobles. Without her son, she surmised, how could the Lu family have the glory they so enjoy today?

    ¡°Mother.¡± Eldest Madam Lu addressed the Old Madam, her mother-inw.

    ¡°¡ªI¡¯m just telling the truth. How many people in this family still remember what the eldest Lord paid for this family at the beginning? But some just enjoyed the benefits thenined in their hearts.¡±

    Lu Shiming became an imperial secretary now, but if not for histe eldest brother who sold his name on the top list of passers during his younger years to a governor¡¯s son, Lu Shiming could have be more.

    In Liu Shi¡¯s eyes, this man had detested her husband until his very death and could¡¯ve been the reason for her husband¡¯s then failing health.

    These people, she thought, were not qualified to enjoy the glory brought by her husband daughter Lu Wushuang and son, Lu Lingzhi.

    But the Old Madam¡¯s heart was partial to no side, and she loved her youngest son, Lu Shiming, even though he left his home.

    Lu Lingzhi frowned at his mother. ¡°Mother, please don¡¯t say it. Everyone in this family remembers father.¡±

    ¡°Eldest sister-inw, the events of that year ... are over, let¡¯s all forget it.¡± Pei Shi also said softly.

    ¡°Of course, the Lu family is different now. The three of you came back immediately when you saw the benefits. If none of the sess happened, would you still be pleased to join us with smiles?¡± she snorted coldly.

    ¡°Eldest sister-inw, you have misunderstood. I didn¡¯te back because the Lu family is different now, but I wanted toe back for paying filial piety to my mother. If you think we are in the way of you, we can move out.¡±

    ¡°Move out? That¡¯s nice to say, but don¡¯t go telling everyone that this family has hurt you.¡± Liu Shu sneered.

    ¡°Silence!¡± Old Madam Lu collided her fist with the table in great anger and looked coldly at her eldest daughter inw.

 Chapter 102 - Old Grievances (2)

    <strong>Chapter 102 ¨C Old Grievances (2)</strong>

    ¡°Do you think everything the Lu family has today is all because of your house**, and other people should feel unworthy of it? If you don¡¯t like to see others, you will just have to stay in your house and don¡¯t have toe out!¡±

    **T/N : House means a specific family branch. In this case, Lu Yaoyao¡¯s family is referred to as the Third House and Lu Lingzhi¡¯s family is the eldest house.

    Liu Shi stood up in shock and anger. She couldn¡¯t believe that even today, the Old Madam still gives little credit to her house.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk, mother.¡± Lu Lingzhi¡¯s face had calmed down as he whispered to the handmaiden behind his mother. ¡°Eldest Madam Lu is notfortable. Please send her back for her to rest.¡±

    ¡°Does my son also wants to do this to his own mother? Don¡¯t you know how terrible they treat our house? ¡°Liu Shi asked in a shrill voice, her eyes in pain and anger, but her son did not help her.

    Lu Lingzhi stood up, took her hand, and said to Old Madam Lu, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll take my mother back to the house first.¡±

    ¡°Mmm!¡± Old Madam Lu nodded sullenly. If it weren¡¯t for her being a widow, she wouldn¡¯t have let her go so easily today.

    Liu Shi refused to leave in this way; her eyes were still staring at Lu Shiming. Lu Lingzhi grabbed her by the hand and apanied her out.

    After her figurepletely disappeared, Lu Shiming looked onto the ¡°Mother ...¡± Lu Shiming wanted to speak.

    ¡°All of you children, please leave and have dinner first. I want to talk to your third uncle alone.¡± Old Madam Lu looked at several children who were too scared to speak.

    Ye Zhen learned today that Lu Shiming had a grudge against the eldest house, but she did not know what had happened before. However, judging from the appearance of Liu Shi, his hate must have been paramount.

    Silently, they departed the room leaving the Old Madam Lu, Lu Shiming, and Pei Shi alone.

    ¡°The Eldest Madam seldom goes out on weekdays. This is the first time I have seen her this month.¡± Lu Fang whispered to Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyebrows flicked slightly. ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°Do you know why the Eldest Madam said those things today?¡± Lu Fang asked in a low voice that there should be a lot of people at home who knew that Madam Lu was so disgusted with the third house.

    Eldest Madam Lu had a daughter who was a noble concubine and a son who was an assistant war minister. Her position in the Lu family was more honorable than anyone else. If she hates the third house, Ye Zhen became afraid of the things that could happen to Lu Yaoyao¡¯s family.

    Ye Zhen shook her head indifferently. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    For her, whether Liu Shi¡¯s attitude was amicable or not, she had nothing to do with it. Apart from Lu Shiming¡¯s family, she had no feelings for others at all.

    Lu Jing looked at Ye Zhen with some pity and whispered, ¡°Well, Yao Yao, what should we do, will grandma let Third Uncle move out?¡±

    Noticing her mocking tone, Ye Zhen just gave her an indifferent look before saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Lu Jing wanted to say something more until Ye Zhen loses her cool, but another person suddenly halted her sharp tongue.

    Lu Zan, who had been silent for a long time, uttered coldly, ¡°Jing, keep quiet. This matter is not allowed to be mentioned again.¡±

    Lu Zan was Lu Jing¡¯s first brother. Hearing his words, she did not dare to speak again..

 Chapter 103 - What Does He Owes Us? (1)

    <b>Chapter 103 ¨C What Does He Owes Us? (1)</b>

    In the room, Old Madam Lu sat sullenly, surrounded by Lu Shiming and his wife.

    ¡°When your eldest brother left, he still remembered you. He couldn¡¯t get your forgiveness and refused to close his eyes until he was finally told that you had never med him. I showed him all the ginseng medicine you sent him before he breathed hisst ...¡± Old Madam Lu¡¯s voice seemed shaky.

    Lu Shiming bowed his head. He didn¡¯t know about this. When he heard the death of his eldest brother, he tried toe back as soon as possible, but he still didn¡¯t have time to see him alive. ¡°Mother, I didn¡¯tin about the eldest brother.¡±

    ¡°I know that your rtionship with your eldest brother has always been the best. The thing about your imperial examination was that your eldest brother was sorry for you, and you didn¡¯t want him to be sad to see you when you moved away from home.¡± Old Madam Lu sighed softly, ¡°Your sister-inw is just too sad. Don¡¯t take her words to heart.¡±

    Lu Shiming whispered, ¡°Mother, I don¡¯t me my sister-inw. I know she didn¡¯t mean it.¡±

    ¡°You and your wife have been away from the capital for too long. I hope the family will be neat and will not be separated again.¡± Old Madam Lu said this when looking at Pei Shi.

    Pei Shi smiled and said, ¡°Mother, even if you drive us away, we will not go.¡±

    The Old Madam Lu people were relieved, ¡°if you leave, it will be even sadder to prolong it.¡± She said, pertaining to the fact that she had be fond of their daughter Lu Yaoyao these past months.

    ¡°Mother, we know.¡± Pei Shi said softly.

    ¡°Since your eldest brother¡¯s death, Liu Shi had kept herself in the house. Fortunately, she realized that she had children, so she chose to stay alive and not follow my eldest son.¡±

    ¡°¡ªEven if your eldest sister-inw will say something unpleasantter, please endure it, just for the sake of this old woman.¡± The Old Madam sighed, ¡°I¡¯ve lived to this age, and now I just want to see the whole family in good terms. When I die, you can have my wealth divided ording to your wants. I won¡¯t need it anyway.¡±

    ¡°Mother...!¡± Lu Shiming knelt down in front of the Old Madam Lu, ¡°I am not filial! I shouldn¡¯t have left for so many years but stayed to help. ¡°

    His mother was quick to lift him on his feet. ¡°Get up! You have already helped a lot by sacrificing your fame for your family.¡±

    ¡°Mother, he also did it for my sake...¡± Pei Shi hurried to shoulder the responsibility.

    ¡°Well, this is all a thing in the past.¡± Old Madam Lu interrupted Pei¡¯s words, ¡°Let¡¯s go; it¡¯s gettingte for dinner, those children must have been scared.¡±

    Pei Shi knew that her daughter had no idea of the past feud between the eldest house and their house. She purposefully hid this from Lu Yaoyao, sparing her of worries.

    In the dining hall, several daughters and sons of the Lu family sat side by side but no one ate. They were all waiting for Old Madam Lu.

    ¡°Zan, go and see if your eldest brother and second brother havee back.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi and Lu Tingzhi sent the the Eldest Madam Lu back to her room. Liu Shi was unwilling and took her two sons by the hand and cried, ¡°I just can¡¯t swallow this treatment. Your father did not even have a life for the Lu family. Why should they enjoy the benefits and extend themselves to the court? You are my sons. Don¡¯t you still understand what mother¡¯s heart is grieving for?¡±

    ¡°Mother, we all know, but he¡¯s still our third uncle.¡± Lu Tingzhi said that he followed his father from an early age and was also knowledgeable about what happened in those days. He didn¡¯t believe his father did something wrong, but he also felt that his uncle, although having the right to feel wronged, had already forgiven his father.

    She cried and scolded, ¡°Are you going to help outsiders shame me now?¡±

    ¡°Tingzhi, you should to grandma first, don¡¯t let wait too long.¡± Lu Lingzhi sat down in the plush chair and sent out his brother.

    Only then was mother and her first son were finally left in the silent room.

    ¡°Mother, what do you think Third Uncle owes us?¡± Lu Lingzhi looked at his mother and asked in a low voice.

 Chapter 104 - What Does He Owes Us? (2)

    <h4>Chapter 104 ¨C What Does He Owes Us? (2)</h4>

    ¡°Mother, what do you think Third Uncle owes us?¡± Lu Lingzhi looked at his mother and asked in a low voice.

    Liu Shu looked at her most valued son and tearfully asked, ¡°What good did the third house did to you that you are you helping them like this? Everything the Lu family has today was all yours and your father¡¯s doing! Why do they get the same benefits on their return?¡±

    ¡°If Third uncle didn¡¯t sacrifice his fame, our family would have split up a long time ago. He could have been a high official and have a good sry now, yet he gave up all of those for the family. Mother, it is true that father and I did so much, but it wasn¡¯t just for ourselves but for everyone in the family to have a better life. Third uncle didn¡¯t say anything about the change of examination papers because of this family.¡± Lu Lingzhi exined in a heavy voice.

    Shaking her head, Liu Shi fisted her palms and said in a sneer, ¡°I just don¡¯t want to...¡±

    ¡°What? What don¡¯t you want to do? me Third uncle why father refused to see you before he died?¡±

    Lu Lingzhi swallowed a lump in his throat.

    ¡°Father hid the truth from the whole family and imed that the selling of test papers to others was his work. Even grandma still doesn¡¯t know that you have hurt Third Uncle. Why do you hate him?¡±

    Lu Lingzhi watched how his mother¡¯s face crumpled as he threw the words he kept to himself for years.

    In utter shock, Liu Shu looked at her son sharply, but her expressioncked any guilt.

    ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°Right at the beginning, you didn¡¯t sell Third uncle¡¯s examination papers for the sake of the Lu family, you only sold it out of self-interest. You were afraid that Third uncle would pass the examination which would make him better than father and could, therefore, overpower our house.¡±

    For a minute, Liu Shi couldn¡¯t talk. Her secretsid out in front of her by her own son.

    ¡°Mother, Third uncle doesn¡¯t owe us anything.¡± Lu Lingzhi added sincerely.

    ¡°You! You also want to be like your father and me me for being a mother by putting the outsiders to their ce, don¡¯t you?!¡± Liu Shu¡¯s shoulders trembled, she was fuming in anger.

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    Even so, Lu Lingzhi stayed calm and said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to treat you like this, Mother. I only hope that you don¡¯t vent your anger on others.¡±

    ¡°What benefits did the third house gave you?!¡± She asked in a shrill voice, brimming with anger and hurt.

    ¡°Before father died, he wanted us to help Third Uncle and his family.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi looked at his mother tly; his slip of emotion reced by indifference.

    ¡°If mother wants to take advantage of this matter and refuses to take her responsibility as the eldest madam of this family, thus making grandma shoulder all of it, her son does not agree with her. You are in poor health. There are second and third aunts in this family who could easily rece you. You¡¯d better take good care of yourself!¡±

    An amount of hurt appeared on the mother¡¯s face. ¡°Do you want to put me under house arrest?¡±

    ¡°This son does not wish to. I just want my mother to take good care of herself until her illness is cured.¡± Lu Lingzhi said, with his mother¡¯s current situation, she wouldn¡¯t be able to manage the house affairs like what Old Madam Lu does. This situation could lead to the Lu family dispersing sooner orter.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t know what benefits the third house has brought to you and your father ...¡± cried Liu Shi.

    ¡°I am your mother! Your father had neglected me for more than ten years for the sake of the third house! Do you want to do the same?¡±

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    Since Lu Shiming left the capital, the Eldest Lord Lu had entirely snubbed his wife, Liu Shi, and wholly left her to her misery.

    How could she not hate the Third house?

    Is it not for their good that she had done what she saw was right?

    Why don¡¯t you understand my heart at all? Liu Shi grieved.

    Lu Lingzhi stood up and said in a warm voice, ¡°I don¡¯t want to treat you like this, Mother. Grandma is still waiting for me. You have a good rest; I wille to see you tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 105 - Farewell (1)

    <h4>Chapter 105 ¨C Farewell (1)</h4>

    Lu Lingzhi returned to the upper wing of the mansion. Upon doing so, he saw that everyone waiting for his return¡ªthey had not yet touched the dishes on the table that had gone cold.

    He smiled and saluted to Old Madam Lu then sat down beside her. ¡°Eldest Madam Lu is sick. She can¡¯t join us anymore.¡±

    Seeing the solemn faces around the table, he couldn¡¯t help but add, ¡°What are waiting for? Let¡¯s all get our chopsticks!¡±

    ¡°Since your mother is not feeling well, let her have a good rest.¡± Old Madam Lu uttered.

    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll call a doctor to see her tomorrow.¡± Lu Lingzhi nodded while urging everyone to start eating.

    When they least expect it, Lu Jing, the fourth miss of the family, made herself known.

    She suddenly spoke in a rather queer voice. ¡°Isn¡¯t Third aunt a physician?!¡±

    Pei Shi nced at Lu Jing indifferently. With her sister-inw¡¯s disgust for their third house, Liu Shi certainly didn¡¯t want Pei Shi to look after her.

    With that, Pei Shi fell into silence...and so did everyone. The miss had chosen the wrong time and ce in voicing out her absurd opinion.

    Neither Old Madam nor Lu Lingzhi spoke a word.

    After a moment, tes and bowls started to tter as everyone ate.

    ¡°Third uncle, I want to take my fourth brother to see Mister Xu tomorrow.¡± Lu Lingzhi told Lu Shiming.

    ¡°Xu Lao?¡± Lu Shiming was somewhat surprised. ¡°Haven¡¯t he resigned? Will he still ept students?¡±

    The Xu family is a centuries-old family in the capital that served three prime ministers.

    Xu Lao resigned six months ago. At that time, Mo Rongzhan had not yet ascended the throne. However, when Mo Rongzhan became a new emperor, Xu Lao himself refused to enter the imperial court again.

    Lu Lingzhiughed and said, ¡°Xu Lao epts students from whom he sees potential. I am certain fourth brother has some.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid Xu Lao will dislike this boy¡¯s stupidity.¡± Lu Shiming spoke while ncing at his son.

    Naturally, Lu Xiangzhi protested. ¡°Father! You can¡¯t say that about your son!¡±

    The surrounding atmosphere lightened up, and everyone was smiling again as if the unpleasantness brought by Liu Shi not long ago forgotten.

    Lu Jing¡¯s face turned blue with shame. She regretted saying that just now. How foolish she was to announce the first thing that came to her mind!

    She didn¡¯t expect that she would be ignored so thoroughly as if she was only a buffoon, and everyone became dismissive of her.

    For the first time, she felt so embarrassed in the presence of her family.

    However, no one cared what she felt at this time.

    Ye Zhen was sitting beside Lu Jing. Indeed, she didn¡¯t care how embarrassed Lu Jing must have felt at this moment. Instead, she just looked at Lu Xiangzhi thoughtfully.

    She knew Xu Lao; her father used to take her to the Xu family before.

    It seemed that Xu Lao had still not forgotten his friendship with her father. She guessed that the reason why he refused to be an official was mostly rted to the Ye family extermination.

    Her brother wanted to learn from Xu Lao, but Ye Zhen knew he was not likely to seed.

    When the banquet was over, Ye Zhen looked for an opportunity to throw Lu Xiangzhi a wink and motioned him not to go back to the front yard so quickly, gesturing that she had something important to tell him.

    Lu Xiangzhi saw the vivid expression on her sister¡¯s face, slowed down with a smile, walked up to her and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Come and see me before you go to see Xu Lao tomorrow.¡± Ye Zhen whispered.

    ¡°Why?¡± Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s right eyebrow raised before his mouthpletely broke into a snicker.

    ¡°Do you want to go too? That one won¡¯t do, eldest brother won¡¯t agree!¡±

    ¡°What won¡¯t do?¡± Lu Lingzhi came over and happened to hear what Lu Xiangzhi said.

    Ye Zhen pouted her mouth and red at Lu Xiangzhi.

    ¡°Eldest brother! My sister wants to go with us to meet Xu Lao.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡± Ye Zhen had the urge to kick this idiot to death! She wanted to tell him everything that he needed to pay attention to when meeting Xu Lao, not to follow him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡± Lu Lingzhi smiled faintly. He nced at Ye Zhen with sunken eyes and saw that she did not seem particrly happy. ¡°Yao Yao, are you worried about the entrance exam the day after tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°I am not worried at all.¡±

    The corners of Lu Lingzhi¡¯s mouth lifted when he saw how confident she seemed to be.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go back first.¡± Ye Zhen said that with Lu Lingzhi here, what she wanted to tell Lu Xiangzhi have to wait.

    Back in the room, Mister Shan was earnestly waiting for her in the study.

 Chapter 106 - Farewell (2)

    <h4>Chapter 106 ¨C Farewell (2)</h4>

    Getting along with Ye Zhen in Zhuangzi for half a month, Mister Shan didn¡¯t feel as unfamiliar to her as before.

    He did not face her coldly any more.

    ¡°Mister Shan, haven¡¯t you rested yet?¡± Ye Zhen came in with a smile and saw Mister Shan facing the chessboard alone, slightly dazed.

    ¡°Can you y chess?¡± Mister Shan asked.

    Ye Zhen smiled shyly, ¡°A little bit but not very well.¡±

    ¡°Come and join me in the next round.¡± Mister Shan waved and asked Ye Zhen to sit down opposite her.

    This is ...Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes looked down at the chessboard. Her eyes shed with sadness, and she briskly said, ¡°Sir, this is an encirclement game**.¡±

    **T/N : Encirclement game board

    Mister Shan looked up at her. ¡°You can see that it¡¯s a siege. That¡¯s good.¡±

    How could she not see it? Her father liked this game before, and he loved it best when he surrounds the enemy¡¯s stones and kill them with his own.

    Ye Zhen had a white stone in her hand. Her chess skills was not bad. If she wanted to be serious, her attacks could easily breakthrough Mister Shan¡¯s defense, but in front of him, she didn¡¯t want to show too much. Mister Shan watched Ye Zhen y chess in an orderly manner.

    ¡°Tomorrow, I am leaving.¡±

    Ye Zhen looked up in surprise, ¡°What does Mister Shan meant by this?¡±

    ¡°I promised your mother at the beginning to teach you how to pass the entrance examination of the college. Now that the examination is approaching, I have nothing to teach you anymore. How well you do then depends on your luck.¡± In fact, he didn¡¯t hate Lu Yaoyao as a student. On the contrary, this student is brilliant, he thought.

    ¡°Sir, if I fail to enter the women¡¯s college, can you still be my teacher?¡± Ye Zhen asked in a low voice that she knew better than anyone that Mister Shan could teach her a lot. She had already learned everything she needed but just couldn¡¯t bear to be separated from him like this.

    ¡°No.¡± Mister Shan refused cleanly. ¡°If you can¡¯t even get into the college, what qualifications do you have to be my student again?¡±

    Ye Zhen bowed her head. ¡°Mister Shan said that I will definitely enter the college, and I believe him.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be nervous either. You¡¯re not taking a women¡¯s ss, but a medical school. It¡¯s rtively easier to enter.¡± Mister Shan said.

    The women¡¯s college has several branches, and the most difficult one is the women¡¯s teaching ss. There were three sses for each grade, and girls could enter the school from the age of 12.

    Besides passing the six arts, their family background should also be impressive in the eyes of the interviewing teachers. The most popr branch is the medical center.

    The medical center is limited to the age of 16. Women who graduate from the medical center have the opportunity to enter the pce to be female medical doctors. Other sses such as life skills ss, embroidery speed sses had few students

    Mister Shan cleared his throat and fixed the tight clothing that was making him feel heavy at this moment¡ªor was it the clothing?

    Ye Zhen looked up at him, imprinting his image in her mind. Tomorrow, this man who had been her friend since her previous life as the Wang fei, would be leaving her.

    He became a reminder of her past, and now, she would have to continue her mission without him.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, farewell in advance, Mister Shan.¡±

 Chapter 107 - Seeking An Audience (1)

    <strong>Chapter 107 ¨C Seeking An Audience (1)</strong>

    The next day, Lu Xiangzhi fetched Ye Zhen early in the morning to take her with him to meet Xu Lao.

    ¡°Brother, I don¡¯t want to see Xu Lao. I am a girl! He won¡¯t ept me!¡± Ye Zhen said grumpily.

    ¡°I heard that Xu Lao has a strange temperament, and others think something is wrong with him. Anyway, he is an old man different from ordinary people. Maybe he will ept you as his student.¡± Lu Xiangzhi responded with a grin.

    With suspicious eyes, Ye Zhen raised her eyebrows and looked at him. ¡°Is it Lu Lingzhi who asked you toe to me?¡±

    And the grim from Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s face disappeared immediately. He scolded sternly. ¡°Yao Yao, that¡¯s the eldest brother you are talking about. If I hear you being so disrespectful again, I will definitely let mother punish you.¡±

    This is the first time Lu Xiangzhi had spoken a bit harshly to Ye Zhen that she couldn¡¯t help but be stunned.

    ¡°Yao Yao, your brother doesn¡¯t want to scold you, but this temper is horrible. Whether you go to college in the future or get married, it is not good for you.¡± Lu Xiangzhi did not soften because of her sister¡¯s expression and still taught her a lesson with a cold face.

    Ye Zhen listened silently. She knew that her attitude towards Lu Lingzhi was strange. After all, she could not wholly regard herself as Lu Yaoyao. Everytime she sees Lu Lingzhi, her blood boils that she wanted to kill him immediately.

    ¡°I know.¡± Ye Zhen said in a low voice, and she smiled, ¡°I will take him as my eldest brother in the future.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi sighed and touched her head. ¡°Yao Yao, you have to remember that this is no longer a border town. We can no longer say what we want and do what we want as before. Everything is different.¡±

    ¡°Mmm.¡± Ye Zhen continued to respond quietly. Liu Shi embarrassed them in front of the whole family yesterday. There may be more contradictions in the future, so she should be more cautious.

    ¡°Eldest brother is thinking that you will have an exam tomorrow. He wants to take you out for a walk. Even if you don¡¯t go to Xu Lao¡¯s ce, you can go out and rx, so as not to be too nervous tomorrow.¡± Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s voice softened.

    Ye Zhen said, ¡°I¡¯m not going. Mister Shan is leaving today. I¡¯m going to see him off.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi was shocked. ¡°Where is Mister Shan going?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ye Zhen shook her head gently; Mister Shan did not tell her of his destination.

    ¡°All right then. Only I and eldest brother will go to Xu Lao¡¯s ce.¡±

    The matter was settled until Mister Shan came out of the house and said, ¡°Yao Yao will go.¡±

    Ye Zhen frowned, ¡°Sir?¡±

    ¡°I live in the capital. You don¡¯t have to send me off. Xu Lao is of great erudition. If he could teach you a few things, will be of great benefit to you in the future.¡± Mister Shan was about to leave when he heard the brother and sister standing under the courtyard talking.

    Lu Xiangzhiughed, ¡°Mister Shan is absolutely right. Sister, this is a rare opportunity. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    With wary eyes, Ye Zhen looked back at Mister Shan and saw that he just nodded gently and waved at her.

    Even if she wanted to stay and send him off, she couldn¡¯t. Thetter didn¡¯t want to, thinking that he was robbing her of some opportunity.

    Lu Xiangzhi led Ye Zhen to the front yard, where Lu Lingzhi was already waiting for them inside the carriage.

    ¡°Eldest brother!¡± Ye Zhen greeted him out loud to avoid Lu Xiangzhi from thinking that she disrespects Lu Lingzhi.

    Lu Lingzhi saw here, and his smile deepened. ¡°Yao Yao, proceed to the back carriage, let¡¯s go.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to be in the same carriage as him, but she was left without a choice.

 Chapter 108 - Seeking An Audience (2)

    <strong>Chapter 108 ¨C Seeking An Audience (2)</strong>

    The Xu family mansion was not far from the Lu family¡¯s. Initially, the Lu family had no mansion built in this neighborhood.

    Naturally, the families surrounding them were rich and noble. Although the Lu family had silvers before, as they were merchants, they could not buy arge house in this area at all without the help of the Emperor.

    In less than half an hour, they had arrived in the Xu family¡¯s humble abode.

    When the doorman heard of their arrival, he did not invite them in immediately but asked them to wait a moment before turning around to inform Xu Lao, the master of the house.

    Lu Xiangzhi whispered to Lu Lingzhi, ¡°Eldest brother, this Xu Lao hates audience I heard. Will he see us?¡±

    ¡°Xu Lao has erratic behavior. Even if he does not see us today, we can ask for another visit.¡± Lu Lingzhi said with a reassuring smile.

    However, Lu Xiangzhi did not think so. He felt that the man won¡¯t entertain them. Anyway, he didn¡¯t expect to be a student of Xu Lao.

    Ye Zhen looked up at them. She didn¡¯t think Lu Lingzhi really wanted to take Lu Xiangzhi to visit Xu Lao to be his teacher. Xu Lao was a very stubborn person and always looked down on people.

    From the moment she died in his hands, Ye Zhen came to recognize what type of person Lu Lingzhi is. He didn¡¯te here just for the benefit of Lu Xiangzhi. He came with a motive, she was sure of this.

    As a loyal subordinate of the Emperor, Lu Lingzhi came to find Xu Lao presumably to persuade him to return to the imperial pce.

    What Mo Rongzhancked most was a great schr like Xu Lao, who could be respected by students all over the world. If Xu Lao bes his minister, it would be easier for Mo Rongzhan to widen his scope of power if he desires so.

    She remembered from her memory when she was a confined ghost in the pce that Lu Lingzi seeded in making Xu Lao return in the imperial pce, therefore gaining the ultimate trust of the Emperor.

    However, that should be a year from now, not at the time being.

    Before long, the doorman came out and said politely that the old man was entertaining other guests as of the moment. Come back another day, he told them.

    Lu Lingzhi was somewhat disappointed. Although he had already known this would happen, Xu Lao really did not give him face.

    At his side, Lu Xiangzhi looked mournful as well. The boy really had such a sensitive heart.

    Ye Zhen nced at the doorman and suddenly said with a charming voice, ¡°Sir, please tell Mister Xu that we are here to break his chess game, not to ask him for anything else.¡±

    The doorman was visibly stunned. ¡°Please wait a moment, miss.¡±

    After he left, Lu Lingzhi looked at Ye Zhen curiously, ¡°How do you know about Xu Lao¡¯s chess game?¡±

    Even he didn¡¯t know about this. How did Yao Yao know?

    ¡°I certainly have a way to know.¡± Ye Zhen snorted proudly. At the beginning, her father won against Xu Lao in a chess game. As a result, Xu Lao thought for two years how to break her father¡¯s encirclement and killing method.

    Now that her father is gone, Xu Lao will probably want to find a solution.

    Lu Xiangzhi gave her a flick on the forehead. ¡°Mister Shan must have told you. What if you can¡¯t break Xu Lao¡¯s chess gameter?¡±

    ¡°I said I was here to break his chess game, but I didn¡¯t say I could definitely break it.¡± Ye Zhen pouted while rubbing her forehead.

    Lu Lingzhi chuckled and looked at Ye Zhen gently. ¡°The third sister is very clever to think of this excuse.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am brilliant.¡± Ye Zhen looked at him and answered.

    At this moment, the doorman came out again and asked Ye Zhen to enter.

    Lu Lingzhi was surprised to find that Mister Xu would really see them.

    It seemed that Mister Shan really knows a lot.

 Chapter 109 - The Big Revelation (1)

    <strong>Chapter 109 ¨C The Big Revtion (1)</strong>

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    OK

    Ye Zhen followed the doorman to a smallke in the backyard. Xu Lao was sitting on the bench inside the waterside pavilion. On the stone table was a white jade chessboard. The ck and white pieces on the table was a mess.

    His eyes glued on the chessboard before him, he seemed extremely dangerous and intimidating.

    In addition to Xu Lao, there was no one else in the waterside pavilion. The guest he said just now was just an excuse.

    Xu Lao looked up at the three of them, and finally, his eyes rested on Ye Zhen¡¯s face. Almost instantly, his eyes shed with surprise, wondering to himself if his memory was still serving him right.

    This little girl ... she looks so familiar. Have I seen her anywhere?

    Ye Zhen bowed gracefully, ¡°This little miss greets Mister Xu.¡±

    Xu Lao recovered and looked sharply at Ye Zhen. ¡°Whose daughter are you?¡±

    ¡°The father of the little girl is Lu ...¡± Ye Zhen hesitated for a moment¡ªshe almost said that her father was Ye Yiqing.

    ¡°Who is Lu Lingzhi?¡± Suddenly Xu interrupted Ye Zhen, and his voice cooled down.

    Ye Zhen looked back at Lu Lingzhi.

    ¡°Here is her cousin, Mister Xu.¡± Lu Lingzhi gave Xu Lao a salute.

    Old Mister Xu waved his hand, closed his eyes and said, ¡°Lord Lu, I¡¯ve been looking forward to meeting you for a long time.¡± His voice was full of mockery.

    ¡°What¡¯s so important that my distinguished guests came at my door?¡± he finished with an air of indifference.

    Lu Lingzhi knew at once that the old man did not particrly like him. Still, he wore a gentle smile on his face. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about Mister Xu, and today I specially brought my younger cousins to visit.¡±

    He was yet to say a word about Lu Xiangzhi desiring to be Xu Lao¡¯s student. If he did so, the old man would drive them out of his door.

    Old Mister Xu sneered. ¡°My home is small. Lord Lu should invite me to his home the next time and avoid barging at my door.¡±

    With that, Lu Lingzhi had enough. He turned to walk away, urging his cousins to do the same. But, he stopped in his tracks upon hearing Ye Zhen¡¯s delicate voice.

    ¡°You can¡¯t just drive us away. I¡¯m here to break your chess game.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you his sister? Now that he¡¯s leaving, why are you still here? The ruthless and unrighteous also deserve to y chess with me now?¡± Xu Lao snorted with disgust.

    Ye Zhenughed and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t finished yet. They will leave as you wish but I will y chess with you. If I win, you will ept my brother as a student. How do you like it?¡±

    Sitting upright on his sit, Xu Lao frowned at Ye Zhen¡¯s brazen words, ¡°Why do you think you can win against this old man?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s try it then.¡± Ye Zhen smiled sweetly and naively. She could ask for Xu Lao for Lu Xiangzhi, but she would definitely not let Lu Lingzhi beat her into coercing the old man.

    No, she wouldn¡¯t let him use Xu Lao to gain more power.

    ¡°If you tell me what game I am ying, I will y against you.¡± Xu Lao inquired.

    Ye Zhen looked down at the chess game on the table. ¡°Encirclement Game.¡±

    The Encirclement game was deadly. Someone once vomited blood on this game because they could not break the situation. This game was set up by her father, but no one knew.

    Xu Lao¡¯s eyes lit up slightly, and he ordered the doorman on none side. ¡°Please go ahead and have tea with two young masters of the Lu family.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi took a look at Ye Zhen. Although there were many doubts in his heart, it was not appropriate to ask her to leave. Therefore, he gave Lu Xiangzhi a wink, and the two left waterside pavilion together.

    ¡°Sit down, girl.¡± Xu Lao ordered.

    Ye Zhen sat down opposite Xu Lao and looked up at the old man who had treated her like a granddaughter before. She blinked and gave a small smile.

    Seeing her smile, Xu Lao finally remembered whom she looked like. ¡°You look like the daughter of an old friend of mine!¡±

 Chapter 110 - The Big Revelation (2)

    <strong>Chapter 110 ¨C The Big Revtion (2)</strong>

    ¡°Are you talking about thete Wang Fei Ye?¡± Ye Zhen lowered her head and asked softly.

    Instantly, Xu Lao¡¯s cold eyes fixed on the young miss opposite him. Instead of answering her question, he squinted his eyes, prop up his elbow on the table, and asked, ¡°Whose daughter are you?¡±

    ¡°My father¡¯s name is Lu Shiming, and my mother¡¯s name is Pei Shi. For 15 years, I have been living in the Border Town.¡± Xu Lao nodded, his shoulders visibly loosening up. ¡°To answer your query, yes, I am talking about thete Wang Fei. You must have heard of the tragedy.¡± The teacher was momentarily lost in the memories. He remembered all of it, the n annihtion of the Ye family.

    ¡°Sir, do you think all of them deserved to die?¡±

    ¡°Some deserve to die; some don¡¯t!¡± Xu Lao looked at her. ¡°Are you Lu Shiming¡¯s biological daughter?¡±

    Ye Zhen fisted her hands. She must get Xu Lao¡¯s trust before Lu Lingzhi could manipte him. And she only knew one way ¡ªshe must give him a fragment of her connection to her father, who was his friend.

    ¡°No, I am his adopted daughter. Not anyone knows about it, but now Mister Xu does.¡± Ye Zhen answered without hesitation. The old man was astonished, his eyes widening by a fraction but before he could speak, Ye Zhen beat him into it.

    ¡°Sir, who don¡¯t you think deserved to die in the Ye family? Ye Yiqing?¡± Ye Zhen boldly inquired.

    ¡°Yes, he didn¡¯t deserve to die!¡± Xu Lao sat down again, and his voice gradually became soft as he was reminded of his old friend.

    ¡°There are not many good people in the Ye family, and he was one of the good people I know.¡± Ye Zhen picked up the stone in her hand and gently lowered it, making her first move.

    ¡°But he is dead, and both his children too.¡± Xu Lao stared at Ye Zhen in silence.

    ¡°What is your rtionship with Ye Yiqing?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know ...¡± Ye Zhen shook her head. ¡°Since others say I look like the Wang Fei of Qin Dynasty, I may have something to do with the Ye family.¡±

    ¡°I have never heard Yiqing say that he has another daughter. However, if you are really connected to the Ye, you had at least got away from the extermination. Maybe you can meet him in the future.¡± Xu Lao said with a sigh.

    Meet him in the future?

    Ye Zhen heard something strange in Xu Lao¡¯s tone. It was as if he was insinuating that her father was still alive! She squeezed the ck stone in her hand. ¡°What did you say, sir?¡±

    Xu Lao looked down and said, ¡°This old man collected the corpses of his friends. There were 130 people in the Ye family, but there were no Ye Yiqing and his son¡¯s corpse that I found!. Maybe they have escaped!¡±

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Ye Zhen wanted to control her emotions, but she still trembled and held her hands together.

    ¡°Do you mean to say... Ye Yiqing and his son, they might be still alive?¡±

    ¡°This old man didn¡¯t find their bodies, so there¡¯s a strong possibility of them being alive.¡± Xu Lao said that as for whether they were alive or not, he was not certain. Ye Zhen¡¯s hands trembled so much that she grabbed a handful of her skirt, and her tears poured up without her control, but she held them back as hard as she could.

    ¡°They must not be dead yet!¡± Father is so powerful, so omnipotent, how could I have believed that they died? Yes, she also dreamed of her father, he told her to wait for him ... He must still be alive!

    Xu Lao looked at Ye Zhen, who appeared to be rejoicing over this very fact. In his heart, he already understood her identity. However, considering that the Ye family was still a topic that could not be mentioned, he hid all his guesses in his heart and pretended not to know anything.

    Ye Zhen walked back and forth in the waterside pavilion for several times, and finally suppressed her excitement. She looked back at Xu Lao, ¡°Mister Xu, do you think if Ye Yiqing is not dead, where would he have gone to?¡±

    ¡°I always heard him say that he wanted to live by the sea.¡± Xu Lao said. ¡°Yes ... that¡¯s what he said.¡±

    Ye Zhenughed and remembered that her father always loved the sea. She took a deep breath, steadied her surging excitement, sat down again, and said in a calm voice, ¡°Mister Xu, let¡¯s y chess now.¡±

    She felt happier than ever before. In this world, she cared most about her father and elder brother. Now that she knew they may still be alive, she seemed to see a little light in the dark. She would find them, this she promised to herself. For their sake, she would live well.

    Father, second brother! You must wait for me toe and find you!

 Chapter 111 - Tsundere (1)

    <strong>Chapter 111 ¨C Tsundere (1)</strong>

    Xu Lao seemed to not heard Ye Zhen murmuring to herself. He looked down at the chessboard and was shocked beyond words.

    He didn¡¯t expect that the young miss would have the skill to change the trend of enclosure and killing method in the game. It would have been a dead-end, but now the whole situation became different because of her first move.

    He looked up from the chessboard and gave Ye Zhen a deep calcting look. It looked like he underestimated her before.

    ¡°Mister Xu, your turn.¡± Ye Zhen has calmed down from the shock and ecstasy. Seeing Xu Lao looking at her, she smiled and asked him to render his attack.

    ¡°Who taught you how to y this game?¡± Xu Lao asked.

    Ye Zhen smiled widely, ¡°When I was a child, I liked watching my father y chess with other people, and I learned from those experiences.¡±

    Afterward, Xu Lao didn¡¯t speak again and yed with Ye Zhen intently. After several matches, he was even more surprised to find that the young miss¡¯ game was exactly the same as Ye Yiqing¡¯s!

    ¡°I heard that Lu Lingzhi has a third uncle who has been living in Border Town. Is that your father?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Lu Shiming is his name.¡± Ye Zhen replied with a smile and dropped another stone. At this time, she was able to make Xu Lao¡¯s defense vulnerable.

    ¡°And who does he often y chess with?¡±

    Ye Zhen gazed at the chessboard, she just told him that she often watched her Lu Shiming y chess with others, but in truth, she learned from her true father, Ye Yiqing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡± was her timid answer.

    ¡°Your move is very simr to an old friend of mine. If it weren¡¯t for her daughter¡¯s early death, I would have thought you were his daughter.¡± The old man spoke nostalgically.

    ¡°Do you mean Ye Yiqing?¡± Ye Zhen uttered the name of her father carefully. ¡°Perhaps, because his daughter died unwillingly, her soul was reborn in me.¡±

    This remark made the old man snapped his gaze to the young miss, but doing so, he only saw a yful smile on her lips as if she only mean it as a jest. He shook his head and sighed, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen wonders in this world, but this old man wishes there be such a miracle.¡±

    Ye Zhen wanted very much to tell Xu Lao the truth of the matter, but she didn¡¯t dare. There¡¯s no one in this world whom she could really trust now. She could only carefully protect her secret until the time is ripe.

    ¡°I myself would like to have such a miracle.¡± Ye Zhen muttered, earning a small smile from Xu Lao. Their battle continued, until such time that the teacher dropped his white stone in defeat.

    ¡°My defense is gone, and this old man has lost in the game.¡±

    Ye Zhenughed, ¡°You didn¡¯t try your best.¡±

    Indeed, Xu Lao allowed himself to be defeated, and the young miss thanked him for that. ¡°Are you now willing to ept my brother as your student?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Xu Lao expressed his refusal in one word. ¡°Since you feel wronged for Ye Yiqing in your heart, why must you help the Lu family now?¡±

    ¡°Because my surname is Lu, and the third house of the Lu family is very kind to me.¡±

    ¡°The Lu family did not show great kindness to me, nor did I promise to ept your brother as a student.¡± Xu Lao motioned with his hand and said that he was not afraid of being called shameless.

    ¡°But Mister Xu¡ª ¡± Ye Zhen pointed at the chessboard and cried, ¡°I have defeated you. How can you do this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no problem for me to promise you anything else but this.¡± Xu Lao remained unfazed.

    In a fit of disappointment, Ye Zhen helplessly reasoned out with him. ¡°Mister Xu, my brother is excellent. You will know it when you ept him as a student.¡±

    ¡°If the teacher won¡¯t ept me, forget it, sister. Let¡¯s go.¡± Lu Xiangzhi originally nned to sneak over and have a look. He knew that his sister would not break the chess game of the teacher, but he did not expect to see her begging pitifully.

    Ye Zhen did not expect Lu Xiangzhi to appear suddenly. She looked at him with wide eyes.

    ¡°Brother, why are you here?¡±

 Chapter 112 - Tsundere (2)

    <strong>Chapter 112 ¨C Tsundere (2)</strong>

    Lu Xiangzhi took her hand and said, ¡°If we can¡¯t break his chess game, we can¡¯t break it. Even if I am not his student, I can still get a title. Don¡¯t burden yourself.¡±

    ¡°Brother, I don¡¯t feel burdened at all.¡± Ye Zhen knew Lu Xiangzhi misunderstood and exined with a smile, ¡°I have broken the chess game!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Lu Xiangzhi cried in surprise. Did he mishear?

    Xu Lao snorted coldly while looking at Lu Xiangzhi up and down.

    ¡°Is this the boy who wanted to be my student? Hmph! I forbid it!¡±

    In a split second, Lu Xiangzhi blushed out of embarrassment, feeling like his younger sister lost face just because of him.

    Ye Zhen said in a delicate voice, ¡°Well, you are not true to your words. If I had known before that you are not trustworthy. I would have beaten you to pieces.¡±

    Xu Lao stared at her, ¡°Little miss, don¡¯t talk so highly of yourself! I am the one who let you win!¡± Xu Lao slightly rose from his seat, his ire in full view.

    ¡°I disdain to lie, Mister Xu. Trust me when I say I was the one who let you win, not the other way around.¡± Ye Zhen contradicted with a determined air.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go y again!¡±

    Xu Lao glowered and red at the young miss. He couldn¡¯t believe Ye Zhen didn¡¯t give her all. He had already exerted eight points of his strength and ability!

    He had won significant victories, but at this moment, he was not a sure winner.

    Ye Zhen shook her head lightly, ¡°No, that¡¯s all right.¡±

    She picked up a spot and ced it in the middle position. Xu Lao¡¯s guarding stones were suddenly in jeopardy at Ye Zhen¡¯s lethal move.

    She had few stones in her hand, and in following attacks, Xu Lao¡¯s defeat was most likely to ur.

    The expression on Xu Lao¡¯s face was full of wonder as he stared at Ye Zhen, ¡°You ...¡±

    ¡°How is it?¡± Ye Zhen asked smilingly.

    ¡°I can ept him as a student, but I have one condition¡ªat your expense.¡± Xu Lao suddenly said.

    A fraction of gratitude shown on her face, Ye Zhen asked with interest, ¡°What condition?¡±

    At the same time, Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s eyes brightened as he clearly knew what it would mean to be a student of Xu Lao. Although he could not bear to let his sister humble herself in front of him, he would be more than grateful to have the opportunity to learn from Xu Lao.

    His boundary was that Yao Yao should not be wronged in any way. And at this moment, his sister looked far from needing his intervention.

    However, at the mention of the teacher asking his sister for a condition at her expense was one thing he couldn¡¯t bear.

    ¡°No way!¡± Lu Xiangzhi refused before Xu Lao could say the terms. He turned back to Ye Zhen and said, ¡°Yao Yao, don¡¯t wrong yourself! You don¡¯t need to do this.¡±

    Yao Yao?

    Xu Lao squinted slightly towards the miss who has just been called the familiar nickname...

    ¡°Your boudoir¡¯s name is Yao Yao?¡±

    Was it the same nickname as Ye Yiqing¡¯s daughter? What a strange coincidence..

    Ye Zhen nodded, ¡°Yes, my name is Lu Yaoyao.¡±

    ¡°If you are also my student, I can consider epting your brother.¡± Xu Lao said.

    Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s eyes have brightened up at the moment. This condition waspletely eptable.

    ¡°That won¡¯t do. I¡¯m going to take the medical center exam tomorrow. I can¡¯t be your student.¡± Ye Zhen implied that what she wanted to learn in the future was not piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but medical skills.

    But Xu Lao couldn¡¯t teach her medicine.

    Xu Lao¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Where in damnation are you going to do in the medical center?¡±

    Ye Zhen answered calmly, ¡°I inherited my mother¡¯s mantle, and I n to exercise it. Mister Xu, I can feel that you are a Tsundere**.¡±

    **T/N : Tsundere ¨C presenting as blunt and unfriendly but warm and tender inside.

    ¡°¡ªWhat¡¯s wrong with my brother? If you ept my brother as a student, and I can just oftene here and y chess with you!¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi coughed softly. He wanted to persuade his sister to promise to be a student of Xu Lao, which was much better than going to the medical center.

    The corners of the old man¡¯s mouth slightly lifted up, thinking of the foreign word she just said.

    Tsundere?

    How many times did his friend call him that? The young miss actually knew the exact word Ye Yiqing used to make fun of him. At first, he didn¡¯t know what it meant. He thought it was apliment to, butter he realized it wasn¡¯t apliment at all, but a mockery.

    Is this still a coincidence?

 Chapter 113 - The Woman Hiding Behind the Pillar

    <strong>Chapter 113 ¨C The Woman Hiding Behind the Pir</strong>

    Xu Lao became more and more suspicious of Ye Zhen¡¯s identity in his heart, but because Lu Xiangzhi was present, he could not ask away.

    However, even if he asked, the young miss would not likely answer him.

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t want to be Xu Lao¡¯s student; it was never on her n. Luckily, Xu Lao didn¡¯t force her either. He reluctantly let Lu Xiangzhi be his student with the agreement of allowing Ye Zhen oftene to y chess with him in the future.

    This is the best choice the siblings could get, so Ye Zhen gave her utmost thanks and left the waterside pavilion with Lu Xiangzhi.

    Lu Lingzhi, who was waiting in the front yard, saw his cousinsing back together. He narrowed his eyes slightly and looked particrly at Ye Zhen. From her facial expression, he could not tell what transpired in the pavilion.

    ¡°Eldest brother!¡± Lu Xiangzhi ran up happily to him. ¡°Xu Lao promised to ept me as a student!¡±

    Lu Lingzhi naturally smiled and patted him on the shoulder, ¡°Very well, you have to pay more attention to your studies in the future.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think Yao Yao Yao could really break the chess game, eldest brother. Xu Lao also said he would ept Yao Yao as a student, but Yao Yao refused.¡± Lu Xiangzhi could not suppress the joy in his heart.

    ¡°Why refuse?¡± Lu Lingzhi looked at Ye Zhen doubtfully.

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°I am ought to study medicine in the future.¡±

    With sheer disappointment in his eyes, Lu Lingzhi suppressed the thing he had to say. ¡°Alright, we should leave now.¡±

    ¡°Eldest brother, elder brother, I don¡¯t want to go back. I haven¡¯t been on the street since I came to the capital. I want to see more of it.¡± Ye Zhen knew that Lu Lingzhi would definitely call her to question her decision when she returns home.

    Why wouldn¡¯t he? Lu Lingzhi desired in his heart that she not be admitted to the Women¡¯s College. Thus, Ye Zhen sought a way to avoid this discussion¡ªhe would undoubtedly force her to be Xu Lao¡¯s student.

    Thus, she should not go back and listen to him.

    ¡°Where do you want to go? I will apany you.¡± Lu Xiangzhi offered immediately.

    Ye Zhen nced at him. ¡°Elder brother, can¡¯t you thank me by letting me buy myself a rouge powder**?¡±

    **T/N: Ancient Rouge Powder ¨C cosmetics

    With wide eyes, Lu Xiangzhi looked at his sister while stifling augh. ¡°Yao Yao, you never bought these things before!¡±

    She crossed her arms and retaliated grumpily. ¡°Well, I used to be so dark that people couldn¡¯t notice the reddish tint of rouge in my cheeks!.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Lu Xiangzhi couldn¡¯t find the words to refute and kept himself fromughing. He knew it would hurt his sister.

    Lu Lingzhi knew Ye Zhen¡¯s little thoughts and didn¡¯t want to confront her at this time and simply said, ¡°Since Yao Yao wants to go somewhere else, Fourth brother and I shall return first.¡±

    ¡°Then you should be careful ande back early!¡± Lu Xiangzhi told her uneasily.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere else; I¡¯ll just explore bits of the capital from inside the carriage.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t bring your maid with you, so don¡¯t wander too long by yourself.¡± Lu Lingzhi reminded her for thest time.

    ¡°I know.¡± Ye Zhen nodded obediently, got into the carriage, and let the boy servant take the reins.

    ¡°This sister ...¡± Lu Xiangzhi muttered, watching the carriage drew father until it was out of his sight. Since they came to the capital, his sister had be more and more unpredictable.

    Beside him, Lu Lingzhi chuckled and said, ¡°Women undergo 18 changes, remember? Yao Yao is now a big girl, naturally different from before.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the difference? She¡¯s still a silly girl.¡± Lu Xiangzhi uttered with a shake of his head, but his face showed true admiration for his younger sister.

    On the other hand, Lu Lingzhi didn¡¯t think the same in his heart. If she was a silly girl, how could he make Xu Lao ept Lu Xiangzhi as a student?

    ¡°Come on. We should go back and tell Third Uncle the good news.¡±

    *

    *

    *

    Ye Zhen got rid of her two brothers and finally didn¡¯t feel the need to hide her emotions. She looked at the scenery outside through the hazy screen window. She was no stranger to the capital, but now she felt a little confused, looking at the passing scenes.

    After several rounds of roaming in the streets, Ye Zhen asked the servant boy to stop the carriage at one bustling market. With enthusiasm, she stepped out of the carriage with the servant keeping a close eye at her, fiddled with different rouges disyed, and finally, bought several boxes for her.

    Afterward, she mounted the carriage once again and ordered in a low voice.

    ¡°Go to the East Side.¡±

    Most of the houses located on the east side of the capital were old houses proudly thriving in wealth and with a history of years. Noble families lived in this area.

    Unlike the prosperity surrounding the Lu family, there was a profound and long-standing heritage in the noble families living in this part of the capital. There were no new nobles here, only centuries-old families.

    The quietness here was totally different from where she lived today.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Ye Zhen suddenly said, she lifted the curtain and looked at the big mansion across the street.

    The seal of the gate has not yet broken, but the que was not as bright as she remembered...

    The once strongest family in the Jin country had now fallen into a state of brokenness¡ªruined to the point of impossible restoration...

    Ye Zhen still had a deep memory of the Ye family, but she dared not show her feelings.

    ¡°It¡¯s quiet here, so I¡¯ll get off and take a stroll. You wait here.¡± Ye Zhen shoved the curtain over her head and dismounted the carriage as soon as she left instructions for the servant.

    ¡°Third miss, this servant must follow you!¡± The servant intervened her steps with worry in his voice.

    Ye Zhen looked at him and saw that he was only a teenager of 13 or 14 years old. She smiled kindly and asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    The servant boy was stunned by Ye Zhen¡¯s brilliant smile and answered in a daze.

    ¡°To answer the third miss, this servant is named Quan Fu!¡±

    ¡°Quan Fu, you can see the end of the road here. I can¡¯t possibly be lost! Just wait here, I promise that I wille back safe and sound.¡± Tomorrow she would take the entrance examination of the Women¡¯s college¡ªher real test ising atst.

    Standing outside Ye¡¯s mansion, Ye Zhen¡¯s heart was surprisingly calm. To tell the truth, when she began to understand the chaos surrounding her family, she already felt that the Ye family would be doomed to extermination sooner orter.

    It was all fine when her Grandma was still alive. Her kind but authoritative Grandma restrained her uncle from doing harmful things. But when she died, no one in the family was able to stop her uncle from returning to his sly ways.

    Even her father wasn¡¯t able to stop his brother.

    Just as what her father had said, her uncle¡¯s desire for power has reached a kind of desperate persistence. He encouraged the previous fatuous emperor to kill his loyal ministers, all who opposed him. Ye family was really powerful at that time.

    Ye Zhen did not want to avenge her uncle Ye Yisong, he was the ultimate cause of her family¡¯s demise!

    What she hated most about Mo Rongzhan¡¯s decree was not him killing her uncle. No, it was the fact that even though he knew there were innocents, her father and brother included, he still sentenced everyone to the veryst member of the Ye family to death.

    Her hate was not only for Mo Rongzhan, but also for Lu Lingzhi and Lu Wushuang. She was incapable of revenge now, but she would have a chance in the future.

    Ye Zhen once again took a longing look at Ye¡¯s mansion. If she would have a chance in the future, she would take it back.

    Wanting to leave, she turned around but was stopped in her tracks when her eyes swept to the side alley and caught a familiar figure.

    Ye Zhen turned her head in surprise and saw a face full of unadulterated astonishment¡ªa woman in coarse cloth was standing behind the pir with half of her face covered. She was staring at Ye Zhen with incredulous, big eyes.

    It¡¯s her! Ye Zhen was internally shocked, she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. The woman¡¯s eyes and physique were of someone she knew too well!

    She looked back at the carriage and saw that Quan Fu was not looking at her direction, so she immediately headed for the alley.

    ¡°Young miss, young miss ... Is that you?¡± Seeing Ye Zhening up, the woman almost knelt, and her voice broke uncontrobly.

    Ye Zhen pretended to look at her coldly. She knew who the other person was, but she must pretend otherwise.

    ¡°Do you know me?¡±

    This is her maid Hong Ling, who grew up with her. She thought Hong Ling had died in the fire with her. How could she be here alive?

 Chapter 114 - Marriage is Not for Me! (1)

    <strong>Chapter 114 ¨C Marriage is Not for Me! (1)</strong>

    Hong Ling looked at the woman who looked exactly like the miss in the family. She was clearly the fifth miss! How could she not recognize her?

    ¡°Young miss, you don¡¯t remember this handmaiden? This is Hong Ling! ¡± Hong Ling grabbed Ye Zhen¡¯s clothes and said, ¡°You¡¯re alive miss! This is a miracle!¡±

    Ye Zhen took a deep breath, looked back at the servant at a distance, and asked in a low voice, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    She couldn¡¯t believe Hong Ling. The maid who forced her to drink the poisonous wine had served her since childhood. What about this woman in front of her?

    She perfectly recalled the scene of that day. At that time, Hong Ling was not at her side. Even the fire engulfed her pce. She did not even see her shadow. Where did she go?

    Hong Ling cried and said, ¡°On that day, the Hong Yan locked this handmaiden inside a room. When this handmaiden woke up, the whole pce was on fire! Xiao Qi saved me... But miss, you... you were all right. The handmaiden heard that you were caught in the fire!¡±

    ¡°Wang Fei of Qin dynasty is dead.¡± Ye Zhen said tly but felt shocked that Xiao Qi had saved Hong Ling.

    Xiao Qi was a white wolf that she raised. It was sent to her when it was still a pup, and she raised it with her own hands. She used to take it with her only as a pet, but she didn¡¯t expect it to save Hong Ling.

    Hong Ling could not understand Ye Zhen¡¯s words, ¡°Miss, you ...¡±

    ¡°This is not the ce to talk. Where do you live?¡± Ye Zhen asked softly, she didn¡¯t expect the former maid to be still alive, which was a pleasant surprise.

    Her former maid, whom she personally trained, including the traitor Hong Yan, had been killed by Lu Lingzhi. Hong Ling was the confidant she valued most and would not betray her at all.

    Hong Ling could be Ye Zhen¡¯s confidant. It also helped that she was also a wise and transparent person. After taking a look at Ye Zhen, she knew that the girl in her family must have a different life than she imagined. ¡°Miss, this handmaiden lives in ck Carp Lane.¡±

    ck Carp Lane! Corners of Ye Zhen¡¯s mouth slightly evoked a little smile, ¡°Alright, you must go! I¡¯ll have time to find you.¡±

    Hong Ling watched Ye Zhen turn around and leave, her face startled.

    The fifth miss acted very differently from before! Is she really the fifth miss Ye Zhen? If not, how can she look so simr?

    After Xiao Qi rescued her, she quietly went to visit the vicinity of the Wang Fei¡¯s pce the next day. There were no survivors left. They all said that the Wang Fei had died in the fire. She cried for some time and felt worthless for their miss.

    Hong Ling watched Ye Zhen get into the carriage and leave, and her doubts deepened.

    Ye Zhen did not look back at Hong Ling. When the servant boy asked her, she just said that the other party was asking for directions, then she quickly got on the carriage. Her white and slender fingers covered her eyes, forcing the sourness in her heart to show a faint smile.

    She was snubbed by Mo Rongzhan and abandoned in her pce for two years. In order to find something to do, she started to do some small business. It was not convenient for her to show her face, but her servants could.

    It was not convenient for her to show her face, but her descendants could. In those two years, she opened a trade shop in Jinkou City and trained several people who worked for her outside.

    Those people were all her part of her dowry, and her father personally picked them for her. After many things that happened, she was not so sure now whether they were still loyal to her.

    ck Carp Lane is the ce where she used to meet with those people. She didn¡¯t want others to know that she has shops in Jinkou City, so she let Hong Ling buy a house in ck Carp Lane to serve as a meeting ce where she could meet her workers.

    When goods were sent to the capital, they were first ced in that house.

    Ye Zhen was fortunate. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t tell Lu Lingzhi about it at that time; otherwise, those people would probably not have escaped death.

    If all her former confidants coulde back and remain loyal to her as before, they would be of great help to anything she would want to do in the future.

    She has never been a conceited person, but revenge was not easy on her own. She needed people to help her.

    Today she couldn¡¯t talk more with Hong Ling. She was afraid that the servant boy Quan Fu would tell Lu Lingzhi when they return.

    And she was even more afraid that Lu Lingzhi would find Hong Ling, and have her killed.

    T/N: Hi everyone. I am proud to see Heavenly Divine Doctor: Abandoned Concubine blossom into such a fantastic and heart-warming novel, and please know that with this novel¡¯s growth, you y a big part.

    For this, I would like to thank you.

    Also, recently, Moon-er and I have released new novels. We would really appreciate it if you leave your reviews in novelupdates. <3 Check them out below;

 Chapter 115 - Marriage is Not for Me! (2)

    <strong>Chapter 115 ¨C Marriage is Not for Me! (2)</strong>

    Back at the Lu mansion, Ye Zhen was called over by Lu Shiming just after she got off the carriage.

    Disimer: To avoid our trantions from being shut down, DO NOT repost our works on ANY social media, otherwise we will be forced to shut down.

    Ye Zhen guessed that it must have something to do with Xu Lao. He came to Lu Shiming¡¯s study with a face of nervousness. In addition to Lu Shiming, Lu Lingzhi was there.

    ¡°Father, you wanted to see me?¡± Ye Zhen¡¯s expression was uneasy, but her tone was light.

    Lu Shiming beckoned her toe closer. ¡°Where have you been that you came back just now?¡±

    ¡°I bought my favorite snacks and the best rouge in capital for my mother. Father, the capital is wonderful. It is much more lively than the Border town. I also went to the east side. The houses over there are so beautiful.¡± Ye Zhen said smilingly and directly sat down beside Lu Shiming.

    ¡°Just bought for your mother? What about me? ¡± Lu Shiming pretended to ask crossly.

    Ye Zhen cocked her head and said sheepishly, ¡°I couldn¡¯t decide what to give you. I¡¯ll buy you a present when I have the chance next time.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi looked at her with a smile and thought that the sister was really adorable and lovely, but she seemed congenial only to others. To him, Yao Yao never seemed to be coquettish with him. ¡°How did you think about going to the East Side?¡±

    ¡°I want to see all the ces I haven¡¯t been to.¡± Ye Zhen said.

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you want to be Xu Lao¡¯s student?¡± Lu Shiming asked.

    Sure enough, he would ask this! Her eyes, which grew darker, darted towards Lu Lingzhi.

    Ye Zhen pursed her lips, ¡°What can Xu Lao teach me? If I be his student, I can no longer take the Women¡¯s College exam! I¡¯m not interested in ying chess, calligraphy, and painting. Father, you know, I have to go to the medical center to learn something useful. I don¡¯t care about anything else.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? It¡¯s no use learning from those. How many girls in the capital would like to be Xu Lao¡¯s student? You are really...¡± Lu Shiming looked angry with his daughter for wasting a great opportunity.

    Lu Lingzhi was quick to persuade her even further.

    ¡°If you be a student of Xu Lao, you would have a better reputation in the capital. It would be best for you. Even if you don¡¯t go to the medical school, it¡¯s alright. Now, daughters of the Lu family can have a good future without going to the Women¡¯s College.¡±

    ¡°What good future?¡± Ye Zhen asked with injustice. ¡°Eldest brother, tell me, am I only supposed to marry a man of good family and character in the future? I never worried about getting married. Besides, I have long set my eyes on the Women¡¯s College.¡±

    Lu Shiming felt an itch in his hand and could not help but give her a little scolding. ¡°Yao Yao, what are you talking about? You will be of age; you can¡¯t forever avoid thinking about it!¡±

    ying the daughter¡¯s card, she willed herself to tear up.

    ¡°I am just telling the truth, father. This must have been eldest brother¡¯s idea.¡± Ye Zhen cried in pretense. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m going to take the entrance examination tomorrow. Whether or not I can get in depends on my fate. What are you worried about? Let¡¯s just see if I get in or not.¡±

    Lu Shiming shook his head and nced to Lu Lingzhi, ¡°Your sister...tsk tsk. I swear, she could kill people with her temper!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough for today, third sister.¡± Lu Lingzhiforted her.

    Ye Zhen wiped the tear that fell to her lips. ¡°Father, if you have nothing else to say, then I¡¯ll go and see Mother first.¡±

    ¡°Go, go!¡± Lu Shiming didn¡¯t have the spirit tofort his daughter at this time.

 Chapter 116 - Ghost! Ghost! (1)

    <strong>Chapter 116 ¨C Ghost! Ghost! (1)</strong>

    The next day, Ye Zhen got up early in the morning to prepare for the entrance examination. Today, she was going to take part in the entrance examination at the women¡¯s college.

    Disimer: To avoid our trantions from being shut down, DO NOT repost our works on ANY social media, otherwise we will be forced to shut down.

    She intently kept an air of nervousness; she was still a wild girl from the border town. Being too confident would raise suspicions.

    Old Madam Lu purposely asked Lu Fang to apany her. It also happened that Lu Jing didn¡¯t have to attend sses today, so they all volunteered to apany Ye Zhen to the college.

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t wee Lu Jing¡¯s enthusiasm. These sisters didn¡¯t want to cheer her up¡ªthey clearly came to see a joke.

    Today Ye Zhen wore a narrow waist jacket adorned with silk that looked like cascading water with freshly-sprouted buds. Underneath it was green, westerly-cut silk skirt, which made her skin more white and jade-like.

    Looking at Ye Zhen, the gown looked enchanting; even Lu Jing couldn¡¯t take her eyes from her.

    She felt a twinge of jealousy in her heart. Even if Lu Yaoyao failed in everything, her appearance alone would be enough to make people remember her.

    ¡°Yao Yao, I have used your ointment, but my face hasn¡¯t changed at all?¡± Chen Liping looked at Ye Zhen¡¯s perfectly rouged face and was so envious that she really wanted to rip off Ye Zhen¡¯s face and put it on her own.

    Ye Zhen answered in a kind tone. ¡°The ointment is not a miraculous elixir. It does not take one or two days to show effects, besides we have different skin types.¡±

    ¡°Then how did it changed you so fast?¡± Lu Jing asked, pouting her lips.

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand natural beauty.¡± Ye Zhen jested. The proud expression made other girls anxious to crush her!

    Chen Qiuping, who was likely to be their eldest sister-inw in the future was not as envious of Ye Zhenpared to her younger sister. She said gently, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. We should set off, Yao Yao. Today is your important day.¡±

    ¡°She can¡¯t pass the exam anyway, many people bet on this likely possibility..¡± Lu Jing sighed and cooed Ye Zhen fraudly, ¡°Third sister, it doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t pass the exam.¡±

    From this, Lu Fangughed. ¡°Yao Yao hasn¡¯t taken the exam yet. How can you say such bad things?¡¯

    ¡°Fourth sister, If you can tell a good story, you really need to...speak more.¡± Chen Liping followed with raucousughter.

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t care about their taunts, but instead thanked for their reminders¡ªshe almost forgot about the betting.

    There should be a lot of people who want to pay attention to her test today. She heard that the princess Liu Hua instigated the gamble herself. Because Mister Shan shunned her that day, she became livid and coerced others to make bets on Ye Zhen.

    This was her attempt to humiliate Ye Zhen in the eyes of the many.

    Humiliating her means humiliating the Lu family. Lu Jing was a fool not to see this and kept betting with others.

    ¡°The college must be very lively today.¡± Ye Zhen uttered intively.

    Lu Jing nced at her mockingly and said, ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true. This is not a famous entrance examination. If it were another center of the college, the teaching center perhaps, then it would be vivacious.¡±

    Most of the girls taking the entrance examination of the medical center were old and had an ordinary family background, which was naturally different from the women¡¯s teaching ss.

    She spoke no more. There was no point in arguing with a narrow-minded person like Lu Jing. Several girls split up and went to two separate carriages before setting off towards the college.

 Chapter 117 - Ghost! Ghost! (2)

    <b>Chapter 117 ¨C Ghost! Ghost! (2)</b>

    The Women¡¯s College covers an impressive area. Each of the different academic centers was located in different locations. It was like different colleges brought in one academy.

    They finally arrived at the college and the examination was about to begin.

    Ye Zhen directly let the carriage drive to the front gate of the medical center, and when she got off, she already felt the eyes from all directions.

    She looked up and saw Princess Liu Hua not far ahead. The princess quickly approached her with bulging eyes.

    ¡°Are you ... Are you Lu Yaoyao from Baihua Garden that day?¡±

    Ye Zhen gave a courtesy, ¡°The princess has a good memory.¡±

    ¡°Impossible! You are not Lu Yao Yao!¡± Liuhua lost his voice and cried out, how can it be! That day she was certain that she ridiculed a fragile and dark-skinned wild girl!

    Even wearing silk and satin was not able to conceal the temperament and appearance of someone raised from the Border town!

    How did she changepletely?

    ¡°It¡¯s funny. Isn¡¯t she Lu Yaoyao? Must this miss of the Lu family have to answer such a stupid question?¡± Lu Jing and Princess Liu Hua were not able to settle their differences. When they saw each other, they instinctively shed their iron swords together.

    The Princess Liu Hua looked at Ye Zhen with jealousy. ¡°The Princess of this county wants to see if you can enter college today.¡±

    Ye Zhen nodded and smiled. ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡±

    ¡°Who cares about you, bah!¡± Princess Liu Hua hated Ye Zhen¡¯s calm dexterity and could only give hateful remarks to earn a reaction from her.

    ¡°Ah ah ...¡± Suddenly, someone screamed,¡±Ghost! Ghost! ¡±

    Two women who had juste down from a extravagant carriage were looking for Princess Liu Hua when they caught sight of the Third Miss Lu. Their faces instantly turned white and they screamed out in horror.

    Princess Liu Hua looked back at them. ¡°Xu Huiru, what ghost are you talking about?¡±

    The screaming woman was none other than Ye Zhen¡¯s former ssmate, Xu Huiru, daughter of Xu Xiang, now a famous talented woman in the capital.

    ¡°You ... who are you?¡± Xu Huiru didn¡¯t seem to hear the question from the princess and instead, looked at Ye Zhen in disbelief.

    Ye Zhen looked at her back in bewilderment.

    Lu Jing always liked to associate herself with noble and talented women. She was even more ingratiating with Xu Huiru. When she asked, she smiled and said, ¡°Sister Xu! This is my third sister, Lu Yaoyao.¡±

    Xu Huiru¡¯s face was still pale as she took in Ye Zhen¡¯s facial features. ¡°Lu Yaoyao? Your name is Lu Yaoyao? ¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled timidly and bowed, ¡°Miss Xu, I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡±

    ¡°You ... look so like her!¡± Xu Huiru muttered to herself. No way!

    Thete Wang Fei and Lu Yaoyao looked exactly the same that she thought she was the same person. No wonder she thought she was seeing a ghost.

    Knowing who Xu Huiru was talking about, Ye Zhen still asked doubtfully, ¡°Miss Xu, who are you talking about?¡±

    Xu Huiru quickly shook her head, realizing her mistake. ¡°No one! I didn¡¯t say anything!¡±

    Now mentioning that person¡¯s name was almost a taboo in the capital, no one dares to do so, as they believed it would bring them bad luck. Xu Huiru was not a fool, there was no way she would mention Ye Zhen¡¯s name here.

    Ye Zhen nodded and nced back at her sisters. ¡°The examination time ising. I must go and sign my name on the list first.¡±

    Chen Qiuping took Ye Zhen¡¯s hand. ¡°Yao Yao, don¡¯t be afraid of what others will think of you, just do your best.¡±

    ¡°Mmm.¡± Ye Zhen gratefully smiled. ¡°I think I can pass the exam.¡±

    Having heard of this, Princess Liu Hua smiled contemptuously, ¡°Can a college entrance exam be passed by a person who has only read A Thousand Words ssic which is a children¡¯s book? Are you as blind as your teacher?¡±

    Ye Zhen grinned and said, ¡°Sister, teachers are naturally bole**.¡±

 Chapter 118 - Her Most Awaited Entrance Examination

    <strong>Chapter 118 ¨C Her Most Awaited Entrance Examination</strong>

    Ye Zhen entered the halls of the medical center. First, she went to her designated ce and acquired a palm-sized card. It was brandished with six words, each of which had a square below it. It was where the teachers would write scores based on her performance.

    At least three A¡¯s of the six subjects must be earned to ensure entrance in the Women¡¯s College, Ye Zhen kept this in her mind. Sooner orter, this card would be filled.

    Everywhere Ye Zhen went, she attracted a lot of attention, which was even more exaggerated than when she was in her previous body as the Wang Fei. She was much younger back then, only 12 years old when she first entered the proud halls of the Women¡¯s College.

    That time, she still didn¡¯t grow in all aspects unlike her current appearance in the body of her twin sister Lu Yaoyao. Her elegance surprised everyone¡¯s eyes.

    Many people inquired about her family background and learned that she was the object of a bet recently instigated by the Princess Liu Hua. Her beauty shone among the many, but if one looked at her closely, her eyes could be seen bearing a hint of contempt.

    In truth, there were not many people who recognize her resemnce to thete Wang Fei. When she was still alive in her original body, she returned to the Women¡¯s College after marrying Mo Rongzhan. However, things then became different.

    She learned in istion, most of the time, the teachers taught her separately from others and she often had ssmates. Xu Huiru knew her because they had been friends for a long time. Later on, Xu Huiru didn¡¯t like to be outshined by her light and immediately stoppedmunicating with her.

    Ye Zhen came to a hall where a dozen girls of her age were waiting. When they saw her, their eyes shed with astonishment.

    She went to thest ce and waited. She decided to take the etiquette and archery examinations first, the two subjects she was most sure of passing.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± A girl standing next to Ye Zhen asked quietly, ¡°You look great.¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at the girl with low eyes. The other party was slightly fat, with a round adorable face.

    ¡°My name is Lu Yao Yao, and you?¡± She asked just like other girls, with innocent curiosity on her face.

    ¡°My name is Sun Wen.¡± Sun Wen whispered, ¡°Five people have just taken the exam, but they all left crying.¡±

    Ye Zhen listened to Sun Wen¡¯s tone of nervousness and fear. She then soothed her with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, we will get through this.¡±

    Sun Wen nodded vigorously, ¡°My best skill is arithmetic, and my other skills are not so good. What about you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not very good at anything.¡± Ye Zhen answered with a shy smile.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid!¡± Sun Wen took Ye Zhen¡¯s hand. ¡°You look so good, you will definitely pass!¡±

    In an instant, Ye Zhen lost her smile. Does being good-looking has anything to do with passing the exam?

    Sun Wen covered her mouth and snickered, ¡°I am naturally fond of good-looking people. If I am a teacher, I would definitely give you an A!¡±

    What a straightforward girl! Ye Zhen smiled and nodded humbly, ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    When the people in front of them heard what they were talking about, they looked back at Sun Wen specifically with severe disgust. ¡°Ugly people make more mischief.¡±

    Sun Wen blushed and red angrily at the person in front of her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡±

    Ye Zhen patted her on the shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s our turn soon, don¡¯t dispute with her.¡± If you quarrel with people here, then don¡¯t think about passing the etiquette exam.

    ¡°Mmm!¡± Sun Wen reluctantly nodded, and she also knew it was not suitable to quarrel here.

    Soon it was their turn, and the woman standing in front of Sun Wen advanced into the hall. Before long, she came out with a smile.

    It seemed to be a good result.

    Sun Wen turned back to Ye Zhen and said, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you outside for a while, and we¡¯ll go to take other tests together.¡±

    Ye Zhen nodded her head.

    Sun Wen did not do very well in the etiquette examination. She only got a C, but her face did not look unhappy. She just blinked with Ye Zhen and went outside to wait for her.

    Ye Zhen took a deep breath, lifted her foot and went in.

    There were three college teachers in the hall. When Ye Zhen walked in, they all gave her a surprised look.

    Ye Zhen had never seen the three teachers before, probably belonging to different schools. She knelt down with her head down and gave them a student salute.

    This exam was mainly about etiquette. Don¡¯t look back when you walk, and don¡¯t lift your lips when you speak. Don¡¯t move your knees when sitting or shake your skirt when standing.

    None of this was a problem for Ye Zhen. She was born from a noble family and could execute etiquettes well.

    However, she couldn¡¯t do too well, which was not in line with Lu Yao Yao¡¯s image. So, she made some deliberate mistakes in several moves, and finally she got a B grade, which was quite good.

    When Ye Zhen came out, he saw Sun Wen waiting for her outside.

    ¡°Yao Yao, which subject are you going to take next?¡± When Sun Wen saw Ye Zhen smiling, she immediately came over and asked.

    ¡°I want to take the riding and shooting exams next.¡± Ye Zhen said.

    Looking at Ye Zhen¡¯s delicate appearance, Sun Wen thought she was the least good at these two subjects and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid when you ride a horse. The more you are afraid of it, the more disobedient it will be!¡±

    Despite this, Ye Zhen just smiled from ear to ear and nodded, ¡°Thank you for reminding me. Are you good at riding?¡±

    ¡°I used to live in a Border Town. I grew up riding on horseback when I was a child!Riding a horse is nothing to me.¡± Sun Wen beamed.

    As they spoke, they came to the race course. Ye Zhen was surprised to find that the people here were not good. Even Princess Liu Hua and Xu Huiru were around.

    ¡°There is a hunting ground. It is said that the Marquis Tang apanied the little prince to hunt today and all those people came here.¡± Sun Wen pointed to the other side of the race course. A little far away from them, Ye Zhen vaguely saw figures of guards.

    As for Tang Zhen, she still hadn¡¯t seen him. Anyway, Ye Zhen was not interested in seeing him.

    Beyond her notice, the Princess Liu Hua found her and came up to ask sarcastically, ¡°Lu Yaoyao, how many A¡¯s have you got?¡±

    Ye Zhen answered honestly, ¡°None, but I will have soon¡±

    ¡°Will you?¡± Princess Liu Hua hissed, ¡°Then we shall wait and see!¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡± Ye Zhen smiled and handed the palm-sized card to the examiner who invigted the race course.

    ¡°Go and pick your horse.¡± Ye Zhen¡¯s did so without the examiner not looking up at her.

    Ye Zhen recognized the examiner, who had taught her equestrian before. However, she did not say anything but silently took the whip and picked a white horse.

    Princess Liu Hua gazed at her scornfully from a distance. Beside her, Xu Huiru couldn¡¯t help but stare at Ye Zhen in wonder. Their eyes followed her every move, Ye Zhen neatly turned over and mounted the horse.

    The requirements to pass the exam was very simple. First, run for ap, then go through five barriers¡ªa piece of cake for Ye Zhen.

    She drove the horse and ran slowly then faster and faster. The sunlight fell on her, highlighting her jade-like skin and making people think that she was shining like brilliance.

    The teacher holding Ye Zhen¡¯s exam card squinted at her slightly and pinched the card tightly with her fingers.

    Ye Zhen has alreadypleted a fastp. She loosens one hand, stands up slightly, and drove the horse over the first fence.

    ¡°Lingzhi, is that Yao Yao?¡± In the distant hunting ground, Tang Zhen looked at the race course with burning eyes.

    Reigns in his hand, Lu Lingzhi nced at him. ¡°Where? I can¡¯t really see.¡±

    Fronting them, a shrill small voice suddenly intervened. ¡°That woman on horseback, this little prince remembers her! She was the one who saved mest time!¡± Mo Rongyi, who was riding on the horse, cried, ¡°It turns out that she is in the college today. Let¡¯s go and have a look! Please! Please!¡±

    The beautiful woman, with her gown fluttering in the wind wasparable to a magnificent flying dragon.

    This was the only concrete idea in Tang Zhen¡¯s mind at this moment.

 Chapter 119 - Audiences of Great Importance

    <b>Chapter 119 ¨C Audiences of Great Importance</b>

    Leaping over thest fence, Ye Zhen showed a brilliant smile. She gasped for breath, a thinyer of sweat appeared on her bright white forehead. While mounting her horse, she saluted the examiner.

    ¡°Your name is Lu Yaoyao?¡± The examiner was a middle-aged man, with a big and tall figure and a pair of bright eyes looking at Ye Zhen with wonder.

    Is my eyes ying tricks on me?

    The woman looked too much like the students he knew before! She didn¡¯t only look the same, but she also bore the same exquisite imperial skill.

    Ye Zhen looked up at him. ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Lu family people! Jiang Haishan sighed softly in his heart, it would be impossible for her to have anything to do with his former student. Unexpectedly, people in this world could possibly be so simr.

    ¡°Who taught you how to ride?¡± He asked once again. Ye Zhen then replied ordingly, ¡°I used to live in the Border Town and go hunting with my brother. I learned to ride a horse before I knew it.¡±

    She grew up in the Border Town! Jiang Haishan nodded and returned the test card to Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Here you are.¡± Ye Zhen took it with both hands and saw that the annotation under the riding skill was A.

    The corners of her mouth slightly raised, ¡°Thank you, sir.¡±

    Not far from where she stood, Princess Liu Hua stared at her gloomily. Even as a woman, she had to admit that Ye Zhen looked really dazzling when she was on horseback. It was also because of this truth that she felt even more annoyed with her.

    Ah! She wanted to crush her into pieces.

    ¡°Even if she gets an A, there were still several exams she has to take.¡± A girl in yellow gown ttered the princess.

    Exactly. Princess Liu Hua hummed softly and walked over to Ye Zhen.

    At that time, Ye Zhen was talking to Sun Wen who was in a slight daze.

    ¡°It¡¯s your turn, you must go!¡± She pushed her out of her trance.

    Finally, Sun Wen recovered from her astonishment and cried, ¡°Yao Yao, you were so good! I have never seen a woman who looked as good as you on horseback!¡±

    ¡°When people are good-looking, they look good in everything they do.¡± Ye Zhen said smilingly. Deep inside her, she found it really nice to not have to put on a dignified and generous stand as the Wang Fei. In the eyes of many, she was just a little turtle from the Border Town, thus, she could say whatever she wanted.

    ¡°What a shame!¡± Princess Liu Hua just heard this sentence when she came. Ye Zhen then faced her, smiling innocently.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the princess agree? It¡¯s only true! Only those who look good know about such things.¡± The implication of her statement was that Princess Liu Hua did not look good, so she didn¡¯t understand this ¡®artistic¡¯ conception.

    Everyone around themughed, as everyone in the capital knows that the princess =hated people who says that she was not at all good-looking.

    She had to fight with the previous Wang Fei all day long. Unfortunately, Wang Fei Ye did not even see her. Now, even Lu Yaoyao, a miss who ranked beneath her, dared to mock her in front of everyone.

    She pointed at Ye Zhen, her face was blue with anger but she couldn¡¯t think of a smarter response.

    Ye Zhen brushed past her and said to Sun Wen, ¡°Go to the exam, I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡±

    When Sun Wen entered the racetrack examination, Ye Zhen waited quietly, ignoring the shy re from the then quiet princess.

    Suddenly, she felt that the atmosphere around her seemed delicate. Except for Ye Zhen who was still as proud as a peacock¡¯s train and had no expression, all the other girls became more gentle and watery in an instant.

    Ye Zhen looked back and immediately realized that the girls hid their faces behind their handkerchiefs.

    Mo Rongyi came over on horseback, followed by two teenagers about his age and the charming marquis¡ªTang Zhen.

    Lu Lingzhi did not follow them. His foot injury was not good enough to ride a horse. He would not havee out if he hadn¡¯t been bored at home for more than half a month.

    Tang Zhen looked only at Ye Zhen among the sea of faces.

    Their gazes met, one with an indifferent eyes while the other with utter admiration. Nheless, Ye Zhen gave a subtle nod at which the marquis returned.

    ¡°Hey you,e here.¡± Mo Rongyi , the young, handsome and immature prince pointed at Ye Zhen

    Ye Zhen frowned slightly and hesitated before walking past the women.

    ¡°Do you still remember me?¡± Mo Rongyi looked at the woman who saved him that day and thought that this woman was Lu Lingzhi¡¯s sister. No wonder she didn¡¯t want his gold that day. His young mind told him that she definitely wanted greater benefits!

    ¡°Your Highness, it was not easy to forget you even if this miss wanted to.¡± Ye Zhen gave a salute and looked at Mo Rongyi with a smile.

    Mo Rongyi¡¯s face sank. ¡°You have a lot of courage. You are not afraid of the emperor¡¯s punishment, even telling me that you are a woman from an ordinary family!¡±

    Ye Zhen whispered, ¡°Your majesty, please forgive me for my fault. Truth is, I hardly see myself as a noble woman.¡±

    ¡°How can you be so glib! Wang Fei Lu is dignified and gentle but she has such a shrewd sister.¡± Mo Rongyi was irked, pouting his lips and folding his chubby arms.

    ¡°Back to the prince, this has lived in the border town since she was a child. she has been used to being wild since childhood. if she is wrong, she asks the prince of forgiveness.¡± Ye Zhen was displeased, she didn¡¯t want to bepared with Lu Wushuang at all.

    Tang Zhen coughed softly. As the second grew, he became more uneasy that the little prince will quarrel with Ye Zhen here.

    ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s many eyes watching her. Don¡¯t dispute with miss Lu, she is still taking an exam.¡±

    ¡°How many A¡¯s have you got?¡± Mo Rongyi thought that this woman had saved his life and did not want to continue making things difficult for her so he changed the subject.

    Ye Zhen held out a finger, ¡°One!¡±

    Mo Rongyi chuckled, ¡°I didn¡¯t think you are stupid, why did you get only one A?¡±

    ¡°My A the prince is referring to was the first one I earned after taking only two exams.¡±

    ¡°...¡± The crowd was speechless, is A that easy to take?

    Sun Wen also finished the examination soon. Unfortunately, no one noticed her riding skills except the examiner. Although she was not as good as Ye Zhen, she was also superb and got an A grade.

    Without further ado, the two proceeded to the archery exam which took ce in the same grind as the riding examination.

    Ye Zhen won Tang Zhen¡¯s silver whip so it was easy for her to get her another A. When Ye Zhen¡¯s third arrows hit the red heart, everyone froze.

    ¡°It turns out that her archery is so good!¡± eximed Mo Rongyi, his reddened cheeks puffing out as he smiled cheekily.

    ¡°The little prince does not know? Third Miss Lu hadpeted with this Marquis Tang and won his silver whip!¡± eximed Hu Kai, a young man beside the marquis.

    He was also present at thest hunting and was Tang Zhen¡¯s good friend.

    Mo Rongyi looked at Tang Zhen in surprise, ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°I did lose to miss Lu when Ipeted with her in hunting.¡± Tang Zhen gazed at Ye Zhen with burning eyes.

    Ye Zhen ignored theirments. After taking back the test card, she smiled with the satisfaction of having another A.

    Now, she only needs one more exam to nail.

    Furthermore, there were still music, writing and arithmetic exam she needed to take. In her original body, she was best at writing, but obviously this wasn¡¯t the case for Lu Yaoyao.

    Even Lu Yaoyao¡¯s handwriting was not good at all. If she suddenly writes with good handwriting and poetic words, she would appear suspicious.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to take the writing examination next.¡± Ye Zhen said to Sun Wen.

    Sun Wen also gained two A¡¯s and happily left with Ye Zhen.

    When Mo Rongyi saw Ye Zhen leave, he turned to Tang Zhen and said, ¡°This prince won¡¯t go hunting today. I will just wait here and see how many A¡¯s Miss Lu Yaoyao will get. But before anything else, this prince will bet 1,200 yuan that she will seed in entering the college!¡±

 Chapter 120 - Beneath the Emperorâ€™s Gaze (1)

    <strong>Chapter 120 ¨C Beneath the Emperor¡¯s Gaze (1)</strong>

    Princess Liu Hua didn¡¯t instigate the bet to make money, but rather, she only wanted to humiliate Ye Zhen in front of the people of the capital. She wanted to nt to everyone¡¯s mind that even if the Lu family rose into nobility by helping the emperor im the dragon throne, they were still merchants and ofmoner¡¯s blood.

    That is to say, they still couldn¡¯tpare with the real noble families and that, Ye Zhen was no exception. With vulgar determination, she desired to remind everyone that even if Lu Wushuang became the Wang Fei, a noble concubine, she couldn¡¯t change the fact that she is of low birth.

    Most of all, she wanted to humiliate Lu Wushuang who won the favor of the emperor over her! If Lu Yaoyao bes a joke in the Women¡¯s College ounting for her failed examination, wouldn¡¯t it also embarrass Lu Wushuang?

    Princess Liu Hua yed this abacus very well, but she did not expect that Lu Yaoyao would be so beautiful that people around couldn¡¯t help but feel jealous.

    But what crushed her in a fatality was the involvement of the little prince, Mo Rongyi who just had bet 1200 yuan in support to Ye Zhen. Mo Rongyi and her were cousins but she didn¡¯t like him at all nor she cared about not having to do with the Dowager Empress.

    All-day long, she was with her noble family in cold doors with her not feeling warmth nor joy. And in all truths, she was not of a close rtionship with her family in the capital.

    But this was Mo Rongyi who suddenly decided to intervene, and she dared not offend him at all. He was the emperor¡¯s only brother after all.

    ¡°Yi, are you kidding?¡± She endured her displeasure and asked Mo Rongyi with a tight smile. Does he really think Lu Yaoyao can get three A¡¯s?

    Mo Rongyi gave Liu Hua an annoyed look, grinned and said, ¡°This prince is not joking. He is betting that Lu Yaoyao will enter the college. I heard that it that you opened the gamble. If that¡¯s right, can you take my bet?¡±

    Tang Zhen agreed and called his eunuch to prepare 500 taels, ¡°This marquis also thinks that Third Miss Lu will definitely get three A¡¯s.¡±

    Princess Liu Hua¡¯s face turned blue. Since she opened the gamble, only a few people bet on Lu Yaoyao¡¯s admission to the college. Although most people were just trying to give her face, it was true that most of them think it was impossible for Lu Yaoyao to be enrolled in the college.

    Why do Rongyi and Marquis Tang thinks different?

    ¡°Well, this princess will ept your bets and you must not regret it.¡± Losing money was a small matter, but the face was important.

    Mo Rongyi asked the eunuchs around him to give Liu Hua 1,200 silver taels. The young boy¡¯s face was beaming, ¡°Even if Yaoyao fails to pass the examination, this prince will not regret it!¡±

    Sulking in his side, Princess Liu Hua¡¯s face became sullen after she asked her maid to ept the 1,200 taels from Mo Rongyi and the 500 taels from Tang Zhen.

    This side had just made their bet, and Ye Zhen¡¯s test results for the writing examination hade out.

    However, her test card showed only a grade of C.

    ¡°C?¡± Prince Liu Huaughed exaggeratedly and turned to Mo Rongyi, ¡°It¡¯s been a while since one got a score as low as C. Oh my...Lu Yaoyao is really opening everyone¡¯s eyes.¡±

    Mo Rongyi red at her angrily then turned his fuming face to everyone, ¡°What will Miss Lu Yaoyao take next?¡±

    The imperial secretary who came to answer said in a low voice, ¡°To answer His Majesty, it is Musical examination which will be held at the bamboo forest ahead.¡±

    Immediately, the little prince tugged Tang Zhen¡¯s suit and jumped from his seat. ¡°Let¡¯s go and have a look!¡± Mo Rongyi urged, he did not believe Lu Yaoyao could not obtain three A¡¯s.

    Mo Rongyi¡¯s cheerful words bothered Tang Zhen for a moment, he wasn¡¯t sure if men would be granted entrance at the forest of the Medical Center. But when the teachers didn¡¯t stop the prince from stepping on the premise, he heaved a sigh of relief.

    Although this was a women¡¯s college, when sses begin on weekdays, men couldn¡¯t enter and leave at will. Yet today, it happened that the college did not start sses. With Mo Rongyi taking the lead, the teachers of the college turned a blind eye.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe Lu Yaoyao¡¯s happiness won¡¯t be any better if she gets a third C in her test book. Let¡¯s go and have a look, everyone!¡± Princess Liu Hua was in a good mood and invited all the girls behind her.

    She was getting more and more confident that Ye Zhen would embarrassingly fail.

 Chapter 121 - Beneath the Emperorâ€™s Gaze (2)

    <strong>Chapter 121 ¨C Beneath the Emperor¡¯s Gaze (2)</strong>

    Not far, watching from a distance, were the Lu sisters- Jing and Fang. Seeing as how things stood, the siblings exchanged a meaningful nce. It was no secret that they were both skeptical about Ye Zhen¡¯s capabilities. More than that, they did not want her drawing people¡¯s attention. But what they also certainly did not want was for this cousin from the Border Town to bring shame to the Lu family by failing the exam.

    Looking at the Princess yonder, brimming with pride and contempt, they could only hope that Ye Zhen would not bring trouble to their family. Thus, the two chose to y mute spectators and make themselves as scarce as possible.

    As soon as the group of people entered the woods, they were greeted by resonant and rxing sounds of the piano. It felt as if they were in the mountains, surrounded by serene greenery and soothing rivulets. The melody was peaceful and leisurely, evoking a sense of calm within.

    Mo Rongyi¡¯s eyes lit up as he thought it was Ye Zhen who was making the soulful tune. He took nimble steps into the bamboo grove, and in a clearing, found a woman ying the piano.

    s, it was not her.

    The woman, dressed in a pale yellow, was the very one who had chastised Sun Wen and implicitly ridiculed her appearance. When she had finished her piece, she bowed to the examiner, who acknowledged with a smile. She also didn¡¯t forget to snicker and sh Ye Zhen a defiant look, unting her skills.

    Utterly unfazed by the provocation, Ye Zhen simply awaited her turn. After all, such things never entered her eyes. She was here for a purpose, and her purpose alone was what she cared about.

    Ye Zhen was now d in a white dress with narrow sleeves. A delicate line of crimson crescents adorned the hem. It all appeared as simple as simple could be, albeit did not diminish her beauty.

    She had to wait for Sun Wen to finish, she was up after.

    Sun Wen¡¯s choice of instrument was a flute. Though the tune she yed could not be deemed very outstanding, at least shepleted the exam. Fortunately, Sun Wen had already secured three A¡¯s after acing the writing examination while Ye Zhen had only managed a C, which was somewhat surprising.

    When it was finally Ye Zhen¡¯s time, everybody seemed to be holding their breaths. Just then, suddenly, a figure emerged from the woods. There was not a single eyeball that was not trained on this new arrival.

    Oblivious to the gazes about him, Lu Xiangzhi walked over from the other side. His steps were a tadboured for in his hands was¡ªa big drum.

    ¡°Drum?!¡± Princess Liu Hua, who was standing right behind Mo Rongyi, burst intoughter. ¡°No one has ever chosen a drum as an instrument before!¡± She was never the one to miss a chance to ridicule.

    Mo Rongyi was provoked. He turned back, wanting to p her vanity with a rejoinder, but something caught his sight. In the rear, were two familiar figures approaching them.

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s leg had yet to recover, his gait was still unsteady as he made his way towards this group. And beside him, there was...

    Brother? Even my Emperor Brother came?!

    Just as he was about to open his mouth, Tang Zhen grabbed his hand and hushed him. ¡°Prince, Third Miss Lu is about to start.¡±

    Tang Zhen¡¯s eyes had also naturally found Mo Rongzhan. One look at the Emperor donning hunting gear was enough to know he was here to apany the Little Prince on a hunt. Perhaps, he had looked for Mo Rongyi on the hunting ground, unable to find his little brother, he came to the nearby Women¡¯s College.

    The Emperor had not made his presence felt, thus,he had arrived quietly. Even so, his sudden appearance startled everybody who saw him.

    Mo Rongyi was a little afraid of his big brother Mo Rongzhan, so this nervous royalty did not dare to look towards him again. From the moment he had heard the Marquis, his eyes were fixed on Ye Zhen and Ye Zhen. He was anticipating her musical performance.

    Thankfully, before long, he was drawn by Ye Zhen¡¯s actions. What had started as a tactic to evade his big brother¡¯s eye, was now an unbidden fascination.

    By now, Lu Xiangzhi, and the big drum, had reached the spot where the performance was to take ce. It took two people to ce it on the ground. Once they had ced the drum, Lu Xiangzhi and his helper took their leave.

    Ye Zhen then bowed to the examiner, she walked to the big drum and climbed it.

    The crowd exchanged their bewilderments.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°What is she nning to do?¡±

    ¡°Master, the musical instrument chosen by this student is a drum.¡± Ye Zhen spoke with a humble smile. Under the stunned gaze of the examiner, she raised her foot and straightened her back...

    The gentle sound of the drum gradually became louder. Her every prance bequeathed a momentum so impressive that it could shatter stones.

    Ye Zhen flung out her long sleeves, the sonorous drums suddenly thundered with might, as if hordes of troops were marching forward. Since ancient times, the drums and the battlefield had an uncanny kinship, one that could galvanize an army¡¯s morale. Now Ye Zhen¡¯s drums seemed to have stirred a slumbering lion, that was slowly waking up. It was slowly mustering momentum, rousing the spirits of those around; the rhythm resonating deep inside their hearts.

    However, what was even more striking was Ye Zhen¡¯s dancing.

    So brilliant...so charming.

 Chapter 122 - Game of Trickery and Deceit (1)

    <strong>Chapter 122 ¨C Game of Trickery and Deceit (1)</strong>

    There was none who could escape the enchantment, their eyes fixed on the pliant petite woman dancing vibrantly at the center. Her movements precise and gentle, the sway of her hips tantalizing. No one dared even blink, afraid they would miss.

    Susceptible to this enchantment, Mo Rongzhan was also fetched by the girl who was spinning lightly on her toes.

    He watched her with inexplicable burning in his chest. His mind upied by the image of her and of the scenes in the hot spring pool that suddenly came rushing to his mind. The girl¡¯s jade-like skin glinted under the moonlight, he remembered and his eyes turned darker and darker.

    Beside him, Lu Lingzhi was horrified. He steadied his heart beating in chaos and looked back at the emperor once more. He was also a man, so he knew right away what the depth in Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes which reflects endless abyss of interest meant at this time. And he felt an inexplicable panic...

    He had been a fool, he sneered to himself. When he still had time, he should have found ways to stop Ye Zhen from taking the examination! He would rather have her confined in the mansion, away from the emperor¡¯s eyes andter on, find her a satisfactory marriage.

    ¡°Excellent!¡± A loud shout interrupted Lu Lingzhi¡¯s anxiety.

    Mo Rongyi had already forgotten that his brother emperor was also here, and immediately pped and shouted as soon as he saw Ye Zhening down from the drum.

    It was only then that all the people discovered the arrival of the distinguished guests. Women could be seen reddening at the sight of Mo Rongzhan, Tang Zhen and Lu Lingzhi, while men seemed to have straightened their backs.

    Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t want anyone to know he wasing, so he quietly turned around and left. Lu Lingzhi, upon seeing him leave had hurried to follow him.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao should be able to get her third A this time, right?¡± Mo Rongyi asked the marquis, beaming from ear to ear.

    Tang Zhen nced quietly at the back of Mo Rongzhan then smiled softly in the direction of the little prince, ¡°In this marquis¡¯ opinion, she must certainly get an A for that.¡±

    Mo Rongyi bobbed his head up and down with satisfaction, ¡°Fo sure, Miss Lu Yaoyao will gain her third A and be admitted to the college!¡±

    Her fists clenched and brows furrowed, Princess Liu Hua cried unashamedly, ¡°How can this count? It is clearly a drum dance, how can it be regarded as an instrument! This should not be counted!¡±

    ¡°Is it up to you to decide?¡± Tang Zhen couldn¡¯t hold his annoyance anymore.

    Ye Zhen also heard the words of Princess Liu Hua but she just looked back and said nothing. With her eyes on the examiner, she anticipated for her grade.

    ¡°Drums really shouldn¡¯t be regarded as an instrument, Lu Yaoyao, do you know any other instruments?¡± One of the female teachers in blue asked.

    ¡°No.¡± Ye Zhen tightened her lip. ¡°Teacher, why can¡¯t drums be used as musical instruments?¡±

    The examiner nced at her with morose. ¡°Drums are naturally musical instruments, but what you are performing today is dance inspiration, not really an instrument examination.¡±

    ¡°There is a wide range of instruments women can choose from. I personally picked drum because it is rarely used.¡± Ye Zhen said.

    ¡°Still, it is not the orthodox method.¡± The female teacher said tly.

    Ye Zhen took a measuring look at the female teacher. She had never seen the teacher before. Seeing that she frequently looked at Princess Liu Hua, she immediately understood why she was making things difficult for herself.

    Orthodox or unorthodox, her fate was already decided even before she started performing.

    Not liking where this is going, Mo Rongyi pointed to the female teacher and asked, ¡°You said her method was wrong, then you shoulde and y the drum yourself and tell this prince what is right!¡±

    The female teacher turned red when asked directly by the little prince. She was not good at drumming and Mo Rongyi¡¯s words were clearly intended to embarrass her.

    In the teacher¡¯s rescue, Princess Liu Hua answered Mo Rongyi. ¡°Teacher Bu is excellent at ying the piano. Isn¡¯t it to harsh for the prince to push her to y such ¡®barbaric¡¯ instrument?¡±

    ¡°Well, it is too difficult for her then!¡± Mo Rongyi raised his eyebrow. ¡°Besides, Miss Lu Yaoyao¡¯s performance is far from looking barbaric!¡±

    ¡°Yi, are you just trying to win the bet? You don¡¯t have to stand up for Lu Yaoyao. Her drumming was just uneptable!¡± She was winning, she could feel it.

    When Ye Zhen heard the bet, she turned her eyes Rongyi quickly. ¡°Your Highness, did you bet that I will pass?¡±

    ¡°For saving my life, of course, I want you to pass! But if you don¡¯t, you will give me back 1,200 taels!¡± Mo Rongyi said unhappily, his lips puckering and chubby arms folded in front of his chest.

    ¡°1200 taels?¡± Ye Zhen was stunned, the amount of money was no joke!

    ¡°If I pass, how much money can you have then?¡± Ye Zhen asked.

    Princess Liu Hua chuckled, ¡°Of course it¡¯s ten to one. If he wins, he will receive 12,000 silver taels. Lu Yaoyao, why do you ask? Do you really think you can get into college?¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled without fury which left people wondering how could she be so calm at this heated situation. ¡°Of course I can get in, but don¡¯t you think that it¡¯s a little frugal of you to pay only 12,000 silver taels?¡±

    ¡°Well, if you manage to enter the college, this princess will return the money of the winners 20 times!¡±

 Chapter 123 - Game of Trickery and Deceit (2)

    <strong>Chapter 123 ¨C Game of Trickery and Deceit (2)</strong>

    At this moment, everyone audibly gave series of stunned ¡°Ooohhh.¡± Princess Liu Hua looked satisfied, she bore a smug look as the crowd marveled at the magnanimous wealth she was willing to risk.

    ¡°Marquis Tang, how many silver taels do you have now?¡± Ye Zhen turned to ask Tang Zhen. She didn¡¯t want to take this bet too seriously because her confidence was high.

    However, thepetition morphed into a game of trickery and deceit. The teacher in front of her was clearly loyal to Princess Liu Hua and there was no way she would let her pass the exam.

    Princess Liu Hua used her power well. Having two puppet teachers in the college, she personally instructed them to forbid Ye Zhen from entering the college.

    On the other hand, Ye Zhen didn¡¯t want to bring trouble to Princess Liu Hua but thetter was seeking trouble herself.

    Tang Zhen made one of his eunuchs take out 2,000 silver taels. ¡°2,000 taels, is this enough?¡±

    Giving a grateful smile, Ye Zhen borrowed it and said to the princess. ¡°This is my bet. Will you ept this?¡±

    Liu Hua smiled contemptuously. ¡°As long as you say so, this princess will ept it.¡±

    ¡°One to twenty, that¡¯s what you said.¡± Ye Zhen gave the silver taels to the maid of Princess Liu Hua.

    ¡°It depends on whether you have the ability to win the money.¡± Liu Hua sneered and looked at the two examination teachers.

    The other students who have finished the examination all watched the scene and couldn¡¯t tell what kind of results Ye Zhen would get in the end.

    Among them, Sun Wen was the most nervous. She was afraid that Ye Zhen would not pass the examination. It would cause great humiliation to her and her family.

    ¡°Your Highness, please be my witness that the princess has charged me 2,000 taels. In her words, If I can enter the academy, she will have topensate 20 times this amount of money.¡±

    Mo Rongyi patted his chest and announced with a loud voice. ¡°The prince is the living witness!¡±

    Ye Zhen nodded with satisfaction and saluted the two teachers. ¡°Teachers, please rate my performance.¡±

    The two teachers looked at each other in the eye. the examiner cleared her throat and said, ¡°Although your drums were excellent, they are not the orthodox method of taking the exam. That should be dancing on drums, not performing musical instruments. I will give you a B.¡±

    Princess Liu Hua heard these words and the corners of her mouth lifted up..

    Of all the reactions people expected from someone who fails, Ye Zhen¡¯s was the most different¡ªshe smiled sweetly and held her head high.

    ¡°Teachers, have you forgotten that drum dancing is part of musical art? Why is my drum dance not orthodox? Unless the two of you have forgotten what the six arts are all about? ¡°

    The so-called six arts of China involves Calligraphy, Mathematics, Archery, Charioteering, Music, and Etiquette. Among the six arts, music was the most diverse as examinees could use numerous instruments such as harp, pipa, piano, drums, zither and more.

    Her drum dance was perfectly matched.

    ¡°If you two say that I can¡¯t dance well on the drum, then this student have to disagree,¡± Ye Zhen said lightly.

    Tang Zhen decided to intervene, ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask the college dean of her opinion?¡± The college dean was a woman whom Princess Liu Hua couldn¡¯t intimidate with her silvers.

    ¡°There is no need to invite the dean! We¡ªwe are narrow-minded and didn¡¯t expect Lu Yayao is going to perform by using drums!¡± One examiner said hastily and wrote an A on Ye Zhen¡¯s test card.

    Seeing this, Princess Liu Hua¡¯s turned blue with anger and panic. ¡°How can you change your decision that fast?!¡±

    Ye Zhen sneered in her heart. Now, some teachers in the college had been reced with dense, undignified educators. No wonder Mister Shan insisted on leaving and did not want to stay to teach.

 Chapter 124 - Four Aâ€™s

    <strong>Chapter 124 ¨C Four A¡¯s</strong>

    Ye Zhen took the test card from the teacher. At this moment, there were three A¡¯s of which one was written shakily, and two B¡¯s. There was no doubt that she would be able to enter the Women¡¯s College.

    She looked at Princess Liu Hua with a faint smile and knew that the other party must be unconvinced, but so what? Her drum dancepletely met the examination standard. Did they expect her to beat the drum with both hands when they saw Lu Xiangzhi take out a huge drum? Music is not only about musical instruments, but dancing is also a big part of it.

    ¡°Princess Liu Hua, aren¡¯t you still convinced?¡± Ye Zhen asked with a smile.

    The princess hissed and scornfully looked at her, ¡°How dare you use the teacher¡¯s fear for the dean to have your third A? So shameless!¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled, ¡°Dancing is part of the musical art, don¡¯t you know?¡±

    If Princess Liu hadn¡¯t bought the two teachers, how could she meet trouble today? Ye Zhen didn¡¯t want to argue too much with Princess Liu Hua before, but she was forced to do so.

    ¡°If you can get an A in mathematics, then this princess will finally be convinced!¡±

    There was only one subject left that she had to take and it was Mathematics.

    ¡°Very well.¡± Ye Zhen nodded. She had nned to take only three A¡¯s, but now she had to take another A¡¯s in order to convince the princess and the people.

    All the people behind looked at Ye Zhen in silence, among which Xu Huiru felt the deepest emotion.

    Her greatest rival in life was Ye Zhen, who was superior to her in talent and appearance. When the news of Ye Zhen burned to death in her own pce came out, she thought that she had finally lost her strongest opponent and that no one in the capital couldpete with her anymore.

    Who would have imagined that another girl named Lu Yaoyao would crush her hopes? What¡¯s more, she looked exactly like thete Wang Fei!

    She heard that Lu Yaoyao was a wild girl who grew up in the Border Town. Naturally, she deemed that the wild girl who let Princess Liu Hua humiliate her was a native turtle. Only when she saw her today did she feel fear¨Cher temperament, and appearance were hard to forget.

    What worries her the most was that Lu Yaoyao was not at all stupid and ignorant as Lu Jing and Liu Hua imed her to be! Not ounting her good looks, today¡¯s dance was already enough for her to impress the present people of the capital who would then spread the words of her talent and beauty.

    Wang Fei Ye was gone, but a Lu Yaoyao came as a posing threat! How could Xu Huiru feel better?

    Ye Zhen doesn¡¯t like Mathematics, but it had not been a problem for her to obtain an A. When four A¡¯s appeared on her test card, Princess Liu Hua¡¯s became livid beyond words. Her face scrunched up, no words could describe how pathetic she looked.

    ¡°Princess Liu Hua, thank you very much.¡± One to twenty, she made a fortune this time!

    ¡°Impossible!¡± She lost her voice and cried, she couldn¡¯t believe Lu Yaoyao got four A¡¯s. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just learn A Thousand Character ssic?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I didn¡¯t say I couldn¡¯t count to nine.¡± Ye Zhen cocked her head and made a witty remark.

    The princess¡¯ shoulders trembled with anger, her stunt brought her great humiliation instead. In theing months, she would be the talk of the capital.

    To rub salt on her wound, Ye Zhen gave her a cheerful look. ¡°Princess Liu Hua, tomorrow I¡¯ll send someone to your house to collect my money. I must go home first.¡± With that, she turned on her steps.

    ¡°Miss Lu Yaoyao!¡± Mo Rongyi stopped her. ¡°This prince is going to hunt and you¡¯ll go with him!¡± Despite the child¡¯s forced authoritative voice, his eyes shone pleadingly.

    ¡°Not today, your highness. I have to hand in this test card to the college. Thank you for your help today.¡± Ye Zhen saluted the little child. If Mo Rongyi had not been here today, she would not have been able to get four A¡¯s so easily.

    Tang Zhen whispered to Mo Rongyi, ¡°His imperial majesty is still in the hunting ground...¡±

    It was only then that Mo Rongyi remembered that he just saw his brother here. He quickly looked back behind him but Mo Rongzhan couldn¡¯t be seen anymore.

    ¡°Well, next time, this prince willpete with you!¡± Mo Rongyi said loudly. He couldn¡¯t wait to join his brother now.

    Ye Zhen doesn¡¯t want to go hunting, but she won¡¯t refuse to Mo Rongyi at this time. Anyway, she would just find an excuse when that dayes.

    ¡°Alright. Off you go.¡± Ye Zhen bid him goodbye.

    Tang Zhen gave her a deep look. ¡°Yao Yao, you finally got what you wanted.¡±

    She faced him and stepped closer, his brooding height not intimidating her at the very least,¡±My wish hasn¡¯t been fulfilled yet. When my wishese true in the future, Marquis Tang wille back and say this to me again.¡± Her face showed no warmth all.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Tang Zhen felt bitter in his heart. Since that day he had a dispute with her about the Ye family, he felt that she became increasingly estranged from him.

    Looking at the shadow of Mo Rongyi and Tang Zhen drifting away, Ye Zhen took the test card and handed it to the college teacher.

    ¡°Yao Yao, how many A¡¯s have you got?¡± Chen Quiping saw Ye Zhen came to hand her test cards and immediately approached her to inquire.

    Since the appearance of Tang Zhen and Mo Rongyi, more and more people have paid attention to Ye Zhen¡¯s exam. Like Lu Jing and Lu Fang, they followed Ye Zhen all the way. Only the Chen sisters lost track of Ye Zhen as they were busy reuniting with their friends.

    As soon as they saw Ye Zhen, they hurried over her bearing forlorn faces and was nning tofort her.

    ¡°Four.¡± Ye Zhen told them happily. In fact, she didn¡¯t feel happy with the four A¡¯s, but she must show great joy so as to be more like Lu Yaoyao.

    Chen Liping was stunned. ¡°How many again?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got four A¡¯s from charioteering, archery, music andstly, mathematics.¡± Ye Zhen put on a delighted smile. ¡°I think I am really lucky.¡±

    How is that possible? The Chen sisters exchanged bewildered nces. Both of them only had three A¡¯s when they took the exam. How did she manage to get four? What sorcery is this?!

    Ye Zhen had already changed back to her original clothes and was handing her examination cards when she saw Lu Xiangzhiing up.

    ¡°Brother, thank you for today.¡± She brightly thanked Lu Xiangzhi for bringing the huge drum for her.

    Lu Xiangzhiughed and rubbed his sister¡¯s head. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. This brother is happier than anyone else!

    Chen Qiuping soon recovered and urged her sister to congratte Ye Zhen. ¡°Yao Yao, congrattions, you finally got into college!¡±

    Waving her hand gently, Ye Zhenughed. ¡°That¡¯s an early congrattions. I still have to get a notice from the college but thank you.¡±

    The former empress also came up with the admission notice. Even if the examination resultse out, whether she could enter the school depended on whether she would receive the admission notice.

    Chen Liping pouted her lips and said, ¡°You¡¯ve got four A¡¯s. If you won¡¯t receive a notice, it will be a mistake.¡±

    Ye Zhen leaned on his side, ¡°Brother, do you have somewhere else to go? If it¡¯s all right, can you apany me home?¡±

    ¡°Yes Yao Yao should go back home first, we will wait for your sisters here.¡± Chen Liping agreed.

    Since Ye Zhen got four A¡¯s, Lu Jing and Lu Fang had been missing, and even Princess Liu Hua and her maids had disappeared.

    Ye Zhen bid farewell to the Chen sisters and went back to the Lu family mansion with Lu Xiangzhi. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t forget the bet. If Princess Liu Hua has a bad memory, remember to remind her that she lost 40,000 silver taels to me. ¡±

    ¡°When did you be a money addict?¡± Lu Xiangzhi lightly pokes her on her forehead.

 Chapter 125 - Fear (1)

    <strong>Chapter 125 ¨C Fear (1)</strong>

    Lu Lingzhi apanied Mo Rongzhan back to the hunting ground. Ye Zhen¡¯s fantastic dancing still reeling in the Emperor¡¯s mind. Though Lu Lingzhi heard Tang Zhen say that Lu Yaoyao¡¯s dancing was excellent before, he didn¡¯t expect it to be so magnificent.

    On the other hand, Lu Lingzhi was frustrated. He misyed his cards, and now, Ye Zhen had finally caught the Emperor¡¯s eyes.

    If he knew that she would be as dazzling as spring, he would have definitely kept Mo Rongzhan from seeing her!

    ¡°Your Majesty, the little prince is still in the college.¡± Lu Lingzhi could not help but speak in a low voice when he saw Mo Rongzhan silent.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s indifferent voice soon came. ¡°Let¡¯s leave him be. With Tang Zhen by his side, nothing bad will struck him.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty.¡± Lu Lingzhi agreed, but in his heart, he wondered why the Little Prince was so concerned about Ye Zhen. Heck, it undoubtedly became a convenience to Tang Zhen.

    ¡°Lingzhi, why did your sister decided to enter the medical academy?¡± Mo Rongzhan walked at a leisurely pace and asked casually.

    Lu Lingzhi followed him slowly. He did not dare to walk too fast because his foot was yet to recover entirely. ¡°Back to the Emperor, my Third aunt and uncle are proficient in medicine, and they greatly influenced my sister. She also has the talent, so she thought of taking the examination.¡±

    ¡°Is it because of her medicine that your injured foot is healing fast?¡± Mo Rongzhan raised his brows inquisitively and asked, gazing down at Lu Lingzhi¡¯s foot.

    In just a few days, Mo Rongzhan was surprised to see him walk, even though a bit unstable. Generally speaking, a fractured bone will take at least a month to recuperate.

    ¡°Strange to say, the first time I took the medicine she gave, it felt miraculous, butter on, its effects somewhat subsided.¡± Lu Lingzhiughed, not knowing how Ye Zhen¡¯s medicine didn¡¯t work as well as the one she gave to Lu Xiangzhi.

    Mo Rongzhan only nodded slightly, and the topic did not continue its course¡ªfavoring Lu Lingzhi. He did not want him to pay too much attention to Lu Yaoyao. Therefore, now that the Emperor no longer mentions her, Lu Lingzhi naturally followed suit.

    Finally, he was able to breathe with ease¡ªbut this was only for a while, for the Emperor¡¯s next words shook him once more.

    ¡°The first time I met Shuang¡¯er, she said she had a childhood nickname.¡± Mo Rongzhan suddenly mentioned Lu Wushuang.

    Nickname? What nickname is the Emperor talking about?

    He has never heard thete Wang Fei Ye Zhen mention a nickname of hers before. Is there anything else he didn¡¯t know?

    ¡°I have been away from the capital since I was a child. I always followed my father everywhere, so I am not certain of how my grandmother called the Wang Fei.¡±

    Instantly, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s lips thinned in a grimace. Lu Wushuang said that she has no nickname, but even if she has one, it can¡¯t possibly be the same as her cousin Yao Yao.

    ¡°You once said that Shuang¡¯er was once ill when she was still a child. Is that the reason why she forgot things?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked in a direct tone.

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s heart was already ringing furiously with rm bells. Why does the Emperor always ask about the past these days? Does he already suspect that Lu Wushuang is not his rescuer?

    Before he handed the jade pendant over to Lu Wushuang, the Emperor had utterly believed that she was the savior he met during his childhood. How could he doubt it now?

    ¡°Yes, when my sister, the Wang Fei, was ten years old, she suffered fever and only got better after two days of treatment. But when she woke up, she forgot a lot about the past, so we called for a doctor who advised us to refrain in forcing her to remember her forgotten memories.¡± Lu Lingzhi spoke clearly, feeding Mo Rongzhan with his lies.

    If Mo Rongzhan hadn¡¯t found the torn purse in the woods and remembered that the little girl said her name was Yao Yao, he wouldn¡¯t have doubted Lu Wushuang, and until now, he would have doted on her still.

    Some part of him wanted to believe her. But once doubts arise in the heart and mind, more of it will follow.

 Chapter 126 - Fear (2)

    <strong>Chapter 126 ¨C Fear (2)</strong>

    Mo Rongzhan now knew that Lu Wushuang was not the one who saved him. With this discovery, his heart became intent to know how exactly she got the jade pendant he gave to the little girl he met in the woods.

    Thest thing he forbid himself to think was that the little girl whom he searched for years was no longer alive, which is why the jade pendant fell into the impostor¡¯s hands.

    ¡°I see. No wonder she forgot the secret code she shared with me.¡± Mo Rongzhan faintly said; his teeth gritted as he forced to spew words calmy.

    Livid... He felt absolute ire of Lu Wushuang and Lu Linzghi¡¯s trickery. However, he could not ignore the favors the Lu family had given him over the years. Besides, Lu Lingzhi was still needed in his cab.

    Just yet, he couldn¡¯t strangle the man riding beside him. His adam¡¯s apple bobbed up and down at the mere thought.

    He has just ascended the throne¨Chis hold was still unstable. At this rate, he still couldn¡¯t get rid of Lu Wushuang and relieve Lu Lingzhi of his services. If he let his emotions get the better of him, his reign would crumble into a heap.

    Trepidation made Lu Ligzhi¡¯s back run cold...He thought there must be a reason why the emperor as these things, but what is it? Where did the emperor see a clue?

    It seemed necessary to enter the pce and talk to his sister right away.

    Mo Rongzhan pressed down his displeasure from his heart and by the time he faced Lu Lingzhi again, he was already bearing a small smile. ¡°There are still many things I need you to do. Get enough rest.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, I can¡¯t sit still at home. Although I still walk like a slug, I can very well go back to the Ministry of War to work.¡±

    The Emperor nodded, ¡°Alright.¡±

    ¡°Brother!¡± Mo Rongyi, who hade out of the college, shouted from far away and galloped closer to his brother.

    ¡°Come down!¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s face sank as soon as he saw the little arrogant figure and ordered Mo Rongyi with a cold voice at once.

    Pulling the reins of his horse, Mo Rongyi stopped hastily and came down. He then hurried to Mo Rongzhan with a smiling face. ¡°Brother, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to hunt? How did you get inside the college? ¡± Mo Rongzhan asked calmly, he left his duties at the pce upon learning that his little brother finally wanted to hunt. He came to have a look, but was greeted with not even his shadow! The next moment, he found himself looking for him in the nearby Women¡¯s College which seemed to be holding a festive event.

    Not mistaken, he surely found Mo Rongyi¡¯s tiny form watching women y music. Is my brother growing up too fast?

    Mo Rongyi was most afraid of his brother¡¯s straight face and was immediately scared to death. ¡°I saw Miss Lu Yaoyao there, so I wanted to go and have a look at her performance... Brother, you don¡¯t know that it was fortunate that I was there today, otherwise, she would not be able to enter the college!¡±

    ¡°Do you now feel entitled that you¡¯re the reason why she passed?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked with a slight sneer.

    ¡°Brother, that¡¯s not the case! Lu Yaoyao¡¯s drum dance today clearly has no problem but Liu Hua bought off two teachers and insisted on giving her a B! Miss Lu Yaoyao is smart though. She bet to Liu Hua that she would definitely enter the college then she borrowed 2,000 taels from Marquis Tang. After arguing with the two teachers, one of them gave her an A in fear!¡± Mo Rongyi¡¯s mouth was faster than the emperor¡¯s fastest horse. Words after words, he spoke without pause.

    Giddy with excitement, his eyes lit up while he ryed the greatest news he had for today. ¡°I also won 12000, brother! Hmph! I will have one of my servants to fetch my money from Liu Hua tomorrow!¡±

    As his little brother bbered his way out of his scolding, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s mind was filled with the appearance of the tender and delicate miss arguing butter on, shook himself out of this reverie.¡±If the princess goes to the pce toin to her mother about this, I will not protect you.¡±

    ¡°Miss Lu Yaoyao took four A¡¯s and Liu Hua definitely lost. I did nothing wrong!¡± Mo Rongyi¡¯s face crumpled in dismay. His pursed mouth shook.

    Lu Lingzhi frowned, the two teachers were indeed cruel and unreasonable. They were not very proficient in six skills, so they made such ridiculous excuses just to forbid Ye Zhen from passing.

    Fortunately, Ye Zhen did not let them seed.

 Chapter 127 - Not Going to Happen!

    <strong>Chapter 127 ¨C Not Going to Happen!</strong>

    Ye Zhen returned to the Lu mansion, changed her clothes and went to see Old Madam Lu. She intended to tell her about today¡¯s college exam. When the madam heard that she had four A¡¯s, she embraced her in her arms happily.

    ¡°That¡¯s how smart our Yao Yao is. She¡¯s been able to get four A¡¯s after only a few days of training!¡± she cheerfully eximed.

    Beaming also with equal joy and pride for his younger sister, Lu Xiangzhi had a wide smile as he watched them, but with this tion. his sister¡¯s victory reminded him of the displeasing treatments she received today.

    ¡°Grandma, you don¡¯t know, Yao Yao almost got one less A today...¡±

    After hearing Lu Xiangzhi talk about the difficulties the princess and two teachers gave her, Old Madam Lu frustratedly struck the table with her outrageously huge fan. ¡°How dare they think that we, Lu family, are so easy to bully?!¡±

    Quick in lightening up the mood, Ye Zhenughed and sweetly soothed her. ¡°Grandma, they didn¡¯t seed in bullying me! In fact, I won 42,000 dors from the princess! When I get the silver, I¡¯ll invite you to eat spicy foods at the market shops.¡±

    ¡°Whose inviting who?¡± Lu Shiming and his wife came in from the outside.

    ¡°Father, mother.¡± Ye Zhen stepped forward and gave a deep salute. ¡°This daughter of yours won arge sum of silver today. She wants to invite her grandma to eat outside.¡±

    ¡°Gee, Mother, look at her! After all these years of raising her, she didn¡¯t even think about inviting us. She only cared for you.¡± Lu Shiming said with a face of jealousy, addressing the Old Madam in a jest.

    The Old Madamughed with her heart, ¡°Yao Yao managed to get four A¡¯s today! This is a happy event, therefore we must gather to celebrate my dear granddaughter¡¯s sess! Perhaps, a table in the shop nearby.¡±

    Ye Zhen immediately put her arms around her. ¡°Grandma, I want to eat their spicy noodles.¡±

    ¡°Well, we shall have noodles then. ¡± Old Madam Lu turned to tell her servant. ¡°Chen Wei, please arrange a reservation for us at one of the shops in the market.¡±

    The servant bowed and left.

    Pei Shi gave Ye Zhen a faintly disapproving look and turned to Old Madam Lu with a smile, ¡°Mother, you can¡¯t spoil this girl like this.¡±

    ¡°But our girls are meant to be pampered.¡± With little concern, she answered. Mentioning this, she suddenly noticed the absence of the other Lu misses.

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t my other granddaughterse back yet?¡±

    ¡°My cousins seemed to have other things to do so they went with Miss Xu. I want toe back early so I didn¡¯t wait for them.¡± Ye Zhen uttered, mustering a look of concern on her face.

    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, and they should be back. I will wait here for them¡±

    ¡°And I shall apany my grandma.¡± Ye Zhen grinned which made the Old Madamugh again.

    After apanying Old Madam Lu for a long while, Ye Zhen scurried towards Pei Shi¡¯s chamber.

    ¡°Did the princess really spite you? Is everything okay?¡± Pei Shi called her daughter to her room, and only then did she ask about what she heard. Because she was with the old madam, she restrained herself from spoiling the moment of joy.

    Ye Zhen answered dismissively, ¡°Princess Liu Hua bought off two teachers of the college, thinking that I do not understand the musical art. I danced on a drum which they disagreed with. Fortunately, Mister Shan taught me a lot of things and I was able to defend myself...¡±

    Not liking how her daughter participated in a debt, Pei Shi scolded her. ¡°You should have known when to stop and should have just ignored the princess!¡±

    ¡°Well, if I didn¡¯t defend myself, she¡¯ll continue to bully me in the future.¡± Ye Zhen said that she had suffered too much grievance when she became the Wang Fei before, but now she didn¡¯t want to follow the same path she took.

    What¡¯s the point of being given another life if she¡¯d do the same mistakes?

    Instantly, Pei Shi¡¯s face softened. ¡°Tomorrow will be the distribution of the admission notice. You have to be ready by now.¡± She was definitely ted by her daughter¡¯s sess.

    Coughing softly, Ye Zhen bats her eyshes, having something to ask from Pei Shi. ¡°Mother, I want to live in the medical school.¡±

    ¡°Why? It¡¯s not far from home!¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s not far. But it takes me more than an hour to go back and forth every day. I don¡¯t like to take a carriage. I will just stay in the school for a few days and have a rest for the weekend which I n to spend in visiting you here. ¡± Ye Zhen begged. If she could live in the school, it would be much easier for her to move in secret.

    She also had to see Hong Ling and her former confidants. If she remains contained inside the mansion of the Lu family, it would be difficult for her to go out without raising suspicions

    Fortunately for her, Pei Shi also loathes the moment when her daughter gets painful bumps in the carriage every day. ¡°This matter has to be discussed with the old madam. If she won¡¯t agree, mother will not be able to give you her permission either.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled proudly, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. grandmother has already agreed. she is only worried that you and father won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You sly little..¡± Pei¡¯s poked Ye Zhen¡¯s forehead. ¡°The School of Medicine dormitory has two people living in one room. Are you used to living with strangers?¡±

    ¡°Even if I am not ustomed to it, I must. A person like me can certainly get along well with others.¡± Ye Zhen thought it would be easy to get along with someone as long as he or she is not Princess Liu Hua.

    Amusingly, Pei Shi shook her head. ¡°You have some entric habits since you were a child. I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t stand other people¡¯s small habits.¡±

    ¡°Mother, I haven¡¯t tried yet.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll tell your father about it. He probably won¡¯t object.¡± Pei Shi said helplessly.

    Ye Zhen hugged Pei Shi¡¯s arm lovingly, ¡°Mother, you are the best.¡±

    *

    Pei Shi let Ye Zhen return to her room first, and then She went to talk to Lu Shiming about the matter. Lu Shiming naturally disagreed at first. He could not attain to not see his daughter for a few days, but then,ter on, gave in when he thought of the daily journey back and forth which was too much for his delicate daughter.

    When Ye Zhen knew that Lu Shiming had agreed, her mood soared even higher. She immediately asked Dai Mei to start packing her things.

    In the evening, Lu Fang and Lu Jing finally came back and saw Ye Zhen flutter on the Old Madam Lu like a butterfly. The expressions on their faces were subtle.

    Lu Fang smiled and went up to her first. ¡°Yao Yao, congrattions. I didn¡¯t expect you to get four A¡¯s! We were deceived into believing that you only learned A Thousand Character ssic!¡±

    Ye Zhen listened to her sour words and just smiled and calmly spoke. ¡°Second Sister, I told you the truth. I secretly learned to dance on the drum. Later on, Mister Shan pointed out to me that drum dancing could be performed at the examination.¡±

    Her younger sister, Lu Jing, had her lips curled up. ¡°Although you are admitted to the college, you offended Princess Liu Hua by humiliating her in front of everyone, even participating in her bet, making her lose a lot of money and dignity. You should have been more considerate.¡±

    ¡°What does it have to do with me if she can¡¯t ept defeat? I am not the one who started all of it.¡± Ye Zhen looked wronged but her heart relished in those moments. Asking her to let Liu Hua off her hook? Not going to happen!

    Lu Zan smiled and nodded, ¡°Yao Yao is right. It¡¯s not like our family asked the princess to humiliate herself. Tomorrow I¡¯ll go with my fourth younger brother to the princess¡¯ pce to ask for your silver.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Third Brother!¡± Ye Zhen smiled and thanked him.

    Lu Tingzhiughed out loud, ¡°Let¡¯s wait until the eldest brotheres back. He may not agree with us doing this!¡±

    With that, Ye Zhen¡¯s little smile sank down and she whispered to herself, ¡°What an annoying, loathsome person!¡±

    Her whisper, however, was too loud for Lu Xiangzhi, who was near her, to hear.

    He red at her¡ªa re that promises a series of scolding.

    Here we go again.

 Chapter 128 - Let Him Deliver Himself to Death!

    <strong>Chapter 128 ¨C Let Him Deliver Himself to Death!</strong>

    Lu Lingzhi came back veryte. Ye Zhen was apanying the Old Madam for a stroll in the garden to aid digestion after a sumptuous meal when she saw him slip inside.

    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m back.¡± Lu Lingzhi held Old Madam Lu¡¯s hand and looked back at Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Where have you been? Is your foot alright?!¡± She looked anxiously at Lu Lingzhi¡¯s injured foot. Just now, he walked so unsteadily that she couldn¡¯t help but fuss over her adored grandson.

    ¡°Go to the gazebo over there and sit still!¡±

    To ease up the Old Madam¡¯s worry, Lu Lingzhiughed indifferently, ¡°I didn¡¯t walk very much today. I apanied the Emperor to the hunting ground but just stayed at a corner to watch and didn¡¯t participate in hunting.¡±

    ¡°Still, you should havee back earlier.¡± Old Madam Lu softly scolded. ¡°Yao Yao got four A¡¯s today so we had a little celebration. We were waiting for your return.¡±

    Disying an apologetic smile on his face, Lu Lingzhi¡¯s gaze flickered across Ye Zhen then to his grandmother with certainty.

    ¡°I already know about this, and I saw Yao Yao dance on the drum at the college today. She was splendid!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± The Old Madam¡¯s eyes lit up with utmost pride.

    Hearing Lu Lingzhi says so, Ye Zhen forced a smile. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll show youter.¡±

    The madam immediately nodded with a smile, then asked Lu Lingzhi, ¡°The princess knows her power. You should watch out for Yao Yao and make sure that she receives the notice from the college...whatever it is called.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡± Lu Lingzhi said firmly.

    Ye Zhen frowned, this indeed happens¡ªwomen who performed excellent sometimes didn¡¯t get the notice for some unknown reason. Although this possibility is small, who knows what Princess Liu Hua has on her sleeves?

    ¡°This matter is being watched by the little prince. Therefore, the princess is afraid to do so.¡±

    ¡°Little prince?¡± Old Madam Lu had some doubts. What does this matter have to do with the Little Prince?

    ¡°Yao Yao did save the little prince once, he probably feels grateful to our Yao Yao. ¡± Lu Lingzhi smiled and reminded her grandma of this incident. ¡°Grandma, you can rest assured that the two teachers who deliberately made things difficult for Yao Yao today have been expelled from the college by the dean.¡±

    Immediately, Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes widened in surprise and she looked at Lu Lingzhi with uncanny disbelief. ¡°So soon?¡±

    ¡°They argued in with the little prince. How can Mo Rongyi let them go?¡±

    He was leaving out some details in purpose, Ye Zhen thought. The prince certainly asked his brother emperor to give the order for the expulsion of the two teachers.

    Upon the mention of the surname ¡®Mo¡¯, Lu Lingzhi visibly looked agitated at himself. As much as possible, he did not want his sister to think too much about Mo Rongzhan and his family.

    Ye Zhen had slowly be fond of the little prince Mo Rongyi. The young boy was really bloody! In less than a day, he managed to punish the two teachers.

    While the Old Madam listened, she soon felt tired and asked Chen Wei to apany her inside the mansion. This, of course, left Lu Lingzhi and Ye Zhen sitting in the pavilion. The tension was imminent in the air.

    Ye Zhen was not interested in sitting there facing him so as soon as Old Madam excused herself and left the pavilion, she immediately stood up to follow her.

    ¡°Yao Yao.¡± Before she could take a step or two, Lu Lingzhi called her name and quickly, stood opposite her. ¡°I¡¯ve heard from Three uncle, do you really n to live in the college in the future?¡±

    Thinking of Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s warning, Ye Zhen reluctantly smiled, ¡°Yes, it is more convenient to live inside the college.¡±

    He wanted to speak a few more words to persuade her in changing her n but thinking of her temper, he swallowed the words back, ¡°Take a maid with you.¡±

    ¡°No, I can take care of myself.¡± Ye Zhen assured him with a gentle smile.

    ¡°The rest of the students must also have maids so you don¡¯t have to worry about being noticed by being...different.¡± He spoke a little hard.

    Ye Zhen smiled faintly and looked at him with her eyebrows raised. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t have a maid, I am already very popr.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi was shocked when he heard this and could only force out a chuckle, ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I said.¡±

    ¡°How did the eldest brother go to college today?¡± She just heard him say she saw her dancing, but she didn¡¯t notice him at all.

    ¡°I just happen to pass through the college and was attracted by the festive noise. ¡± Lu Lingzhi exined vaguely for he didn¡¯t want to say that he was with Mo Rongzhan who came to the college to look for his little brother.

    Ye Zhen suddenly remembered that when her soul was trapped in the pce, she had not seen Lu Lingzhi for a period of time. Thinking about this memory, she realized that it was about this time.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the assistant war minister? Why don¡¯t you look upied these days? Now that the border is not peaceful, aren¡¯t there rebellions everywhere?

    ¡°Originally, the emperor wanted me to lead troops to suppress rebellion, but now I¡¯m injured and I can¡¯t even go.¡± Lu Lingzhi¡¯s eyes became filled with disappointment. In fact, he direly hoped to lead troops out to suppress those rebellious captaincies. Although he had been given a high position, he still needs to seal the Lu family¡¯s position in the emperor¡¯s mind.

    Mo Rongzhan was different from the first emperor. He was not a ruler who could be controlled by others. After following him for so many years, Lu Lingzhi learned very well how powerful the emperor is today.

    From an unpopr Prince of Qin to a forbearing,posed, resolute and omnipotent emperor whom everyone could not help but follow and serve, he usurped the throne with an iron fist. Lu Lingzhi was deeply devoted to him, and he especially condemns those who rebel against the emperor.

    When did he be guilty and defensive about Mo Rongzhan? It seems that it all started since he poisoned Ye Zhen on his own initiative...

    ¡°I have made a new medicine, which can make your foot heal faster,¡± said Ye Zhen with a bright face. She now felt some regrets about not giving Lu Lingzhi the medicine added with her miraculous liquid. If not for his injury, he must have long left for the border!

    More importantly, he would perhaps be seriously injured when he goes to suppress the rebellious captaincy, and would only be able to recover after recuperating at home for less than a year.

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t want to change these things that should happen because of her rebirth¡ªshe didn¡¯t want to watch Lu Lingzhi escape this disaster.

    ¡°How did you know that the eldest brother wants to go out with troops?¡± The confusion in his face was showing.

    ¡°Every brave man seeks to serve his country¡ªand his family. If the eldest brother doesn¡¯t have such a heart, how can the Lu family todaye into being? How many people¡¯s blood did you spill in the battle to give this family a strong foundation? Eldest brother surely knows what I mean. That injury keeps you from your duties.¡±

    Lu family was not a century-old family, with no foundation and no connections, so Lu Lingzhi needed more achievements to stabilize the family¡¯s position. Ye Zhen pointed out in precision his ns.

    ¡°How do you know so much, Third sister?¡±

    Ye Zhen snorted softly, ¡°Do you still underestimate this me?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. Eldest brother is just surprised.¡± Before, he only thought Yao Yao was just a thoughtless wild girl, he didn¡¯t expect her to have such knowledge.

    ¡°Do you want my medicine or not?¡± Ye Zhen asked.

    Lu Lingzhi, who had seen the effects of her medicine definitely couldn¡¯t refuse, ¡°Thank you, Third sister.¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s mouth slightly tilted, ¡°I¡¯ll have the maid deliver it to youter.¡±

    Hurriedly letting his injury heal so he can lead troops to war and die on the battlefield is even an act of better revenge. Let him deliver himself to death!

 Chapter 129 - Secret Ingredient

    <strong>Chapter 129 ¨C Secret Ingredient</strong>

    When Ye Zhen returned, she immediately took a bottle of her concocted medicine and added a drop of her miraculous liquid to it. Then, she asked Dai Mei to take it to Lu Lingzhi.

    ¡°As soon as you see him.¡± was her solid instruction.

    She now wished for Lu Lingzhi¡¯s fast recovery, so that he¡¯d be able to leave the capital the soonest. With him around, she always felt his vignt eyes watching her and thus, had to guard herself against him.

    As instructed, Lu Lingzhi received the medicine sent by Ye Zhen through Dai Mei. Looking at it, he shook his head and smiled lightly. It looked no different from what he had used before, but he thought it must still be different for his third sister to specially rmend it.

    The next day, to his surprise, Lu Lingzhi woke up and found that his injured leg was not only not painful anymore, but it looked much better than yesterday!

    Yao Yao¡¯s medicine actually has such a miraculous effect!

    ***

    It was a bright morning, a perfect time for farmers to harvest their crops¡ªand Ye Zhen decided to do the same. She woke up early, intending to collect the silvers she won from the aggravating Princess Liu Hua.

    When her n reached the ears of Lu Xiangzhi and Lu Zan, the two quickly kept her from leaving the mansion. After a thorough discussion, they had agreed to fetch her silvers for her. Her showing up to the princess¡¯ doorsteps might cause trouble, they said.

    This arrangement was fine with Ye Zhen as she didn¡¯t want to go out too much. She willingly handed the documents bearing the princess¡¯s signature, with the Little Prince Mo Rongyi as the prime witness.

    Without dy, the men went out with the documents.

    Ye Zhen finished her exams and now she was left with nothing to do. Mister Shan has moved away thus, she didn¡¯t have to pretend to study hard anymore. At the moment, she was surrounded by medical books from which she picked up one and opened.

    She had never studied medicine before, but when she became Lu Yaoyao, some knowledge of medical skills and knowledge on herbs came into her mind inexplicably, and right away, she perceived that these were her sister¡¯s memory.

    What Lu Yaoyao learned before had naturally appeared in Ye Zhen¡¯s mind.

    It was also because of Lu Yaoyao¡¯s memory that she knew they were twin sisters. Lu Xiangzhi always thought that Lu Yaoyao knew her life story only by eavesdropping on hushed conversations between Lu Shiming and Pei Shi. But in fact, this was not the case.

    Lu Yaoyao knew it as early as a year ago. It was Old Madam Ye¡ªYe Zhen¡¯s grandma, who secretly slipped a baby Lu Yaoyao to the Border town to protect her. In one of her visits before she died, she told Lu Yaoyao the truth¡ªthat she is a daughter of the Ye family and that she has a twin sister named Ye Zhen in the capital.

    The moment Ye Zhen woke up in her twin sister¡¯s body, only then did she know that Lu Yaoyao was her twin sister. Her family fell toplete ruin and now she could only do revenge through her sister¡¯s identity and knowledge.

    ¡°Third miss.¡±

    Ye Zhen quickly tore her gaze from the medical book and looked up at the door, finding Dai Mei standing with her head bowed down. ¡°The Second and Fourth Miss Lu areing.¡±

    With this, a finely painted brow instantly shot up. What are they doing here? Since she took four A¡¯s from the college yesterday, her sisters have taken a different attitude towards her. More affectionate, you can say.

    Ye Zhen felt no such thing as sisterhood towards them and naturally didn¡¯t care about what they thought of her. ¡°Please invite them to the tea hall.¡± Ye Zhen ordered casually as she does not allow others toe to her study¡ªespecially these misses.

    There are many things she does not want them to know. Ye Zhen didn¡¯t like the two sisters very much, but she still had to brace herself to deal with them.

    ¡°Third Sister, have you received the admission letter?¡± Lu Fang had just sat down in the tea hall when he saw Ye Zhening in from the outside. She showed a smile so bright it could momentarily blind anyone in a heartbeat.

    ¡°Not yet.¡± she dutifully answered and finally sat opposite the two miss.

    Right beside Lu Fang, Lu Jing bore a sour expression. She wouldn¡¯t havee to Lu Yaoyao if her sister didn¡¯t force her.

    It irked her more seeing Ye Zhen ept them in the tea hall instead of in her study. She genuinely thought that their visit would tter her.

    ¡°Third Sister, look at my face.¡± Lu Fang took Ye Zhen¡¯s hand and raised her head to let her see her face clearly. ¡°Look, I used the ointment you gave us. Although my face turned white, somehow, red bumps appeared today and I feel pain pressing it!¡±

    With calm in her voice, Ye Zhen looked for a moment then nodded head in understanding. ¡°Is my second sister having her monthly visit soon and has been eating spicy foods recently?¡±

    Lu Fang looked at Ye Zhen in bewilderment. ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It will disappear in a few days.¡± Ye Zhen said that she had read published medicine books of the one notable empress who built the Women¡¯s College, Empress Duan Hui who wasmonly known in her maiden name as Qi Yanling.

    Her books contained treatments to several diseases which were previously considered incurable.

    Ever since she before she entered the college in her previous life, Ye Zhen already adored Qi Yanling very much. Now she reads her books and admires them in her heart. Her father once said that Qi Yanling came from the same ce as him. However, Ye Zhen was very young at that time and didn¡¯t understand any of it.

    Looking back now, she felt that her father knew the Empress Qi well.

    ¡°Yao Yao! Do you have any medicine that can make these things disappear immediately?¡± Lu Fang didn¡¯t feel relieved even after Ye Zhen¡¯s assurance.

    ¡°Uhm...I have a medicine but unfortunately, it could only relieve the pain and itchiness. And as you are having your monthly visit, I wouldn¡¯t advise it.¡± Ye Zhen knew what Lu Fang was talking about. The Second Miss Lu believed that she has an immediate cure which was true¡ªbut the miraculous liquid, Ye Zhen decided to not use them anymore.

    She just didn¡¯t want to make people doubt the reason why she suddenly changed physically.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there something like those salves that...you smear on your face?¡± Cleverly, Lu Fang tried to trick Ye Zhen into admitting that she must have something that she applies to her face for her to have such remarkable change.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t tried those salves but you can ask the eldest brother for it. There should be many of those inside the imperial pce. Maybe he knows!¡±

    ¡°Second sister.¡± Lu Jing called her sister in a venomous voice all of a sudden. ¡°You are wasting your energy. Do you really think that third sister just wiped something on her face for her to be like this? There must be some secret ingredient that she put on her face and body that we don¡¯t know. Since, it¡¯s a secret, why would she tell us?¡± she finished bitterly.

    Yesterday, Lu Yaoyao has been in the college for only half a day, but she had already amazed the whole capital. Not only that, but she also caught the eyes of aristocrats. Her dancing made the little prince marvel at her and¡ªLu Jing felt a stab of pain and envy¡ªMarquis Tang was also there watching her.

    Lu Jing remembered Tang Zhen¡¯s gaze at that time¡ªfull of admiration which she had never seen in his eyes when he looked at her.

    Why did this woman have to appear in our lives?! Lu Jing spat in her mind.

    Originally, she thought she was the most talented person in the Lu family. Even if she could notpare with her Wang Fei sister, she was outstanding in the college and have even performed better than Lu Fang, her older sister.

    Now, herees Lu Yaoyao who seemed to be taking everything away from her! How can she be content with this?

    ¡°Yao Yao, do you really have a secret ingredient?¡± Lu Fang looked at Ye Zhen with bright eyes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know whether it should be called a secret ingredient, but when I was in Zhuangzi, I always asked Dai Mei to help me get some hot spring water and milk to pour into my bath, which whitened my skin.¡±

    In a pleasant surprise, Lu Fang almost jumped from her seat. ¡°I have heard that the former Empress Xiao likes to wash her face with milk best. Maybe it is really effective!¡±

    Her eyes squinted and her mouth lifted, Ye Zhen said with delight, ¡°There¡¯s no harm in trying it.¡±

 Chapter 130 - Strength of Character

    Chapter 130 ¨C Strength of Character

    Lu Jing did not expect Ye Zhen to have the audacity to prove her wrong. Although Ye Zhen imed that she held no secret, Lu Jing was unwilling to be humiliated especially by her.

    ¡°Yao Yao, I heard that you sent Third and Fourth brother to find Princess Liu Hua?¡± Lu Jing soon asked.

    Thrown with such question, which sounds harmless to others but actually bears malice, Ye Zhen only felt annoyance. She knew that the Fourth Miss Lu didn¡¯t like her and have always wanted to crush her. This time, Ye Zhen thought, she chose the wrong method.

    ¡°Yes, she owed me money. Since she epted my bet and I won, she will naturally lose an amount of money... to me.¡±

    ¡°But Liu Hua is the only daughter of the eldest princess. Even the emperor has great respect for her. Didn¡¯t you make her lose face by letting our brothers knock on her door and collect the money she lost by defeat? I¡¯m afraid that Third sister¡¯s mindlessness would make sworn enemies to our family sooner orter!¡± Lu Jing practically snorted, folding her arms in front of her chest.

    As everyone in the college knows, Lu Jing tried her best to befriend the princess and now that Ye Zhen humiliated Liu Hua, she felt afraid that it would spoil her rtionship with the princess.

    Although the Lu family now had Lu Wushuang as a noble concubine and Lu Lingzhi as a high official, in the eyes of the real aristocratic families, the Lu family is still nothing.

    ¡°If her mother, the eldest princess, was afraid of her daughter losing face, she wouldn¡¯t have let Liu Hua open the bet in the first ce. Since she instigated it herself, she should be prepared to lose. Besides, If I didn¡¯t ask her for my silvers, she would think that I don¡¯t take her seriously.¡± Ye Zhen said with a nimbleugh.

    ¡°You are simply trying to argue rationally!¡± Lu Jing fumed with anger.

    ¡°Fourth sister, why don¡¯t you help me instead of worrying about people who try to humiliate me? You¡¯re not worried because of my rtionship with the princess, it is yourself that you are so concerned about. Liu Hua does not associate with you that much and it¡¯s our business. She won¡¯t be angry with you.¡± Ye Zhen said lightly.

    Lu Fang followed and said, ¡°Yes, Fourth sister, don¡¯t worry about it. Besides, when you made the bet, the princess openly expressed her agreement.¡±

    ¡°You...¡± Lu Jing stared at them with disgust. ¡°Do you even know the princess? Aside from being the only daughter of the eldest princess, she is the dowager empress¡¯ most loved princess! There are many nobledies who have made friends with her in the capital. What good can it be for us to make feud with her? Ah! She must be abhorring me now!¡±

    With a horrified face, Lu Fang gasped in realization. ¡°That¡¯s also true ...¡± She forlornly nodded and turned her gaze to the floor.

    Nheless, Ye Zhen faced them with incorrigible confidence. ¡°You are now misses from a noble family and you are different from before. Why do you feel the need to go through all these lengths to please others?¡±

    The sisters couldn¡¯t speak so Ye Zhen continued.

    ¡°There is no need to curry favor with others deliberately. If you think others don¡¯t want you in their circle nor to talk to you, then you should consider simply nodding across their ways whenever you see them. What a simple thing to do.¡±

    The Lu family sisters used to be the daughters of imperial merchants. In order to gain some respect, they are used to worshipping noblewomen like saints. But for Ye Zhen, she was born in a family of splendor and came from a high position. She had her own strength of character and would never stoop low to curry favor with Liu Hua.

    Lu Jing turned pale after Ye Zhen spoke. ¡°So, Third sister thinks that it is not worthy to talk to the princess?

    Extremely tired and exasperated by all of these, Ye Zhen answered indifferently. ¡°If you want to think like that, there¡¯s nothing else I wish to say.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Second sister, let¡¯s go.¡± Lu Jing pulled up Lu Fang with her and ranted to her as they walked away from the tea table.

    ¡°I don¡¯t agree with Third sister at all! We just want to make friends and there¡¯s nothing wrong with this! It turns out that these are all despicable practices in the eyes of the third sister. She even thinks so highly of herself that she refused to ept us in her study!¡±

    Able to hear every word that came out of Lu Jing¡¯s mouth, considering her deliberate loud voice, Ye Zhen let out a sigh. She spected none of the things the Fourth Miss Lu had said.

    Now, in brisk steps, Lu Jing took her sister¡¯s hand and urged her to be haste. They stepped on the upper room and saw Lu Lingzhi talking sincerely to the Old Madam. Nheless, Lu Jing announced their arrival with adamant fervor. ¡°Grandma, you have to decide for us!¡±

    Looking at the two granddaughtersing in with flushed and disappointed faces, Old Madam Lu asked what happened right away.

    ¡°Third sister is really cruel!¡± Lu Jing¡¯s nose red and her voice choked faintly.

    When Lu Lingzhi heard that it has something to do with Ye Zhen, he decided to postpone his leave.

    ¡°Yao Yao? What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Old Madam Lu asked.

    Huffing a breath, Lu Jing¡¯s eyes became moist, and she ryed exactly what Ye Zhen told them. ¡°...Grandma, listen to this, Third sister thinks lows of us! Is it wrong for us to get along with others as if our doing humiliates her?¡±

    ¡°Yao Yao has just arrived in the capital. She is a little ignorant so you should not dispute with her.¡± Old Madam Lu said, her heart was still in favor of Ye Zhen.

    Taking in what had transpired, Lu Lingzhi let his opinion be heard, ¡°Yao Yao is not wrong. Now you have different identities. You don¡¯t have to be the same as before. You always cater to others¡¯ favor. You have to show respect to yourself before others will respect you. In the first ce, you should have taken Yao Yao¡¯s side.¡±

    Lu Jing originally wanted to shame Lu Yaoyao while Lu lingzhi listens, but she didn¡¯t think that even he was biased towards Lu Yaoyao.

    ¡°Eldest brother, should we then be like the third sister who likes to feud with others?¡± She asked, clearly hurt.

    ¡°Feuding with others? These girls! It seems that I should invite someone toe and teach you etiquette!¡± Old Madam Lu could be seen shaking her head, not a bit pleased by the sisters.

    ¡°Grandma, what else are we not doing well?¡± Lu Jing was a little anxious. She didn¡¯t know what she was doing badly and how Lu Yaoyao was right. She felt that her position in the Lu family slowly declined from what she first thought it was.

    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you how to be a noblewoman!¡±

    ¡°Grandma...¡± Lu Jing bitterly sobbed. Where on earth am I not like a noblewoman?

    Thinking of how kind Ye Zhen gave her medicine for his injury, Lu Lingzhi added. ¡°Although Yao Yao grew up in the border town, she did not lose sight and tolerance to others. She is just bold with her words, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Although Old Madam Lu did not think Ye Zhen¡¯s words were entirely right, her mind changed into thinking that Ye Zhen was definitely right upon listening to her grandson¡¯s opinion. Misses of the Lu family should not lower their status by pleasing others now.

    ¡°She was brought up by your third uncle. How can she be any less bold in character?¡±

    At this very moment, with the Old Madam and Lu Lingzhi opposing her, Lu Jing knew that it was futile to argue further. As long as Lu Lingzhi thinks that Lu Yaoyao is right, no one would dare say that he is wrong.

    This way, she felt even more resentful towards Ye Zhen.

    All the while, Ye Zhen finally received the admission notice from the Women¡¯s College, and the Lu brothers also had arrived with the silvers she won from the princess.

    A total of 21,000 taels, although not arge sum, was really a lot of money for Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Brother! I also want to return 2,000 taels to Tang Zhen.¡± Ye Zhen took the bag of silver and beamed at Lu Xiangzhi.

 Chapter 131 - Big Girl (1)

    <strong>Chapter 131 ¨C Big Girl (1)</strong>

    Ye Zhen was relieved to receive the admission notice from the Women¡¯s College. She knew that seeking retribution from those who wronged her and her family was a tough plight and the notice in her hands only served as her first step.

    Now, she was no more than an adopted daughter of a newly anointed imperial secretary, thus she must make things possible for herself.

    Her object of revenge was Lu Lingzhi and the current Wang Fei Lu Wushuang. As for Mo Rongzhan ... she could only deal with him when she is fully fledged. Talking about revenge against him at her current power or theck thereof, she is undoubtedly a mere egg against a stone.

    The Lu household prepared for Ye Zhen¡¯s trip to the academy and Pei Shi was happy to pack the things she wants her daughter to take to the college.

    As everyone was busy, Lu Xiangzhi also kept Ye Zhen and his mother busy by chatting with them relentlessly.

    At this moment, he rys to them how Princess Liu Hua surrendered Ye Zhen¡¯s silvers.

    ¡°Originally, she refused to acknowledge the documents butter, when Brother Tang came in my defense, Princess Liu Hu¡¯s face turned green! I don¡¯t think she would dare show her face in the capital for a long time.¡± Lu Xiangzhi sniggered.

    ¡°Why was Tang Zhen there?¡± Ye Zhen asked at the mention of the young man.

    ¡°Brother Tang, who made his bet too, also came to fetch his silvers! Ah, I was really lucky.¡±

    Thinking back to her impoliteness in front of Tang Zhen before, she obscurely avoided talking about him by veering the topic. ¡°Did the little prince also go today?¡±

    ¡°No, I heard that Princess Chang went into the pce early in the morning to find the Dowager Empress. The little prince Mo Rongyi was then detained in the pce by Her Highness.¡± Lu Xiangzhi said, reaching for the silversid on the nearby table.

    ¡°Her daughter had started a gamble and was defeated. Princess Chang should not go to the pce and cry in front of the Dowager Empress. This¡ª¡± He ran his fingertips on the silvers.

    ¡°¡ªis what my sister has won.¡±

    When Pei Shi heard this, she gazed disapprovingly at her daughter and son ¡°You two little tyrants, you have offended the princess thoroughly by asking for those silvers. You...! I will talk to your father about thister!¡±

    Giving a sheepish smile towards his mother, Lu Xiangzhi spoke again but with a little nervousness this time.

    ¡°If she is offended, then let her be offended...Why did she start a gamble in the first ce if she is a person who can¡¯t ept defeat?¡±

    Being a protective mother, Pei Shi naturally believed that her children were wrong in doing so as she was worried that fostering hostility with the princess would bring them trouble. Not only that, but the Wang Fei Lu could also be put in jeopardy amidst all of these.

    ¡°I heard that the princess is quite popr with the Dowager Empress. We cannot bring trouble to your sister Wang Fei..¡± Pei Shi warned them.

    When ites to Lu Wushuang, Ye Zhen seemed to wither and lost her cheer.

    ¡°Mother, does the Wang Fei have any nickname when she was a child?¡± Lu Xiangzhi asked out of the blue.

    In return, Pei Shi frowned and shook her head ¡°**Shuang¡¯er¡¯s nickname? I remember calling her Big girl... ¡±

    **T/N: Adding ¡°er¡± in Chinese names signifies endearment, mostly for a family member.

    ¡°What?!¡± Lu Xiangzhiughed, ¡°I never knew the Wang Fei has such a nickname!¡±

    Carefully controlling the tone of her voice in such a way that she wouldn¡¯t sound so perturbed about his sudden question, Ye Zhen calmly asked him.

    ¡°Why is my brother asking about this?¡±

    ¡°Yesterday, I heard my eldest brother ask my second brother of this. I don¡¯t remember that the noble concubine has a nickname.¡± Lu Xiangzhi answered,pletely ignorant of what was going on inside his sister¡¯s head.

    Lu Lingzhi has asked for a reason, Ye Zhen surmised to herself. She recalled that Mo Rongzhan once asked her in the woods if she knew another person named Yao Yao. He must have suspected that Lu Wushuang was not the one who saved him!

    Lu Wushuang¡¯s nickname could not be Yao Yao, because she already had a cousin named the same, so Mo Rongzhan must now believe that the woman he chose to keep was not the one who saved him.

    So why still let Lu Wushuang be his noble concubine? Ye Zhen frowned, thinking that she had witnessed a lot when her soul was trapped in the imperial pce for two years...Aside from being transmigrated to the body of a twin sister she never met, she returned back in time, just a few days before she died...

    In the memories of her as a roaming ghost inside the cold walls of the imperial pce, she spected that the Jin country was then in a period of superficial calm and actual turmoil. She remembered that in the first year of her soul¡¯s entrapment, she often saw Mo Rongzhan in the imperial study discussing countermeasures with his ministers.

    It seems that there were many wars in Jin country at this time.

    Ye Zhen sneered mockingly in her heart. She knew that Mo Rongzhan was a very powerful person. He would turn Jin country into a prosperous nation sooner orter, but she felt rather sour envisioning this idea.

    Didn¡¯t her father and second brother help him? How can he repay kindness with cruelty? His father paid painstaking efforts to his usurpation.

    When she has the chance in the future, Ye Zhen wanted to certainly take back all the things he owes her family.

 Chapter 132 - Big Girl (2)

    <strong>Chapter 132 ¨C Big Girl (2)</strong>

    Ye Zhen scoffed when the thought of her saving his life in those days came to her mind. Perhaps when Mo Rongzhan knew that the person who saved him was her, he would change his verdict over her family¡¯s fate.

    Or maybe¡ªhe would hate knowing the truth and scorn them even more.

    Ye Zhen was thinking about her own affairs in his heart when she heard Pei Shi saying to Lu Xiangzhi, ¡°The Wang Fei doesn¡¯t like this nickname. You mustn¡¯t mention it in front of others, lest it would reach Her Highness¡¯ ears!¡±

    ¡°Mother, I will be very careful.¡±

    Brushing off this subjectpletely, Ye Zhen went over and hugged Pei Shi¡¯s arm. ¡°Mother, there are still two days before I need to go to college. I want to see Mister Shan tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes! You must send the good news to Mister Shan and thank him properly!¡± She nodded in agreement. ¡°He lives in Dongcheng. I¡¯ll go with you tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°But aren¡¯t you going out with father tomorrow?¡± Ye Zhenughed softly.

    With this, Pei Shi bore a constricted face as it urred to her that she and Lu Shiming has nned to go to his colleague¡¯s house tomorrow to taste his one-month fermented wine.

    ¡°Can you then go there yourself?¡±

    ¡°Of course I can, Mother. I¡¯m not a child anymore. I¡¯ll go with Dai Mei.¡± Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t help but chortle.

    Peishi looked at her graceful daughter and felt some emotion in her heart. ¡°I didn¡¯t think our Yao Yao would grow up so fast.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi shook his head in sheer disagreement.

    ¡°I look at Yao Yao and I think that she is still the same as before. Mother, do you remember? When she was a child, she followed me out to y. As a result, she identally fell into a cow excrement pit ... ¡±

    ¡°Lu Xiangzhi!¡± Ye Zhen screamed at the mention of a disgusting memory. She didn¡¯t want to dig it out of Lu Yaoyao¡¯s memory at all but now that Lu Xiangzhi mentioned it, she couldn¡¯t help but envision it.

    She chased Lu Xiangzhi and said, ¡°Don¡¯t mention it again, or I¡¯ll never let you live!¡±

    Despite this threat, he mischievous Lu Xiangzhiughed and ran out, ¡°You don¡¯t want me to mention this matter? But I could still remember other...¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Ye Zhen took down the silver whip hung on the wall, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t me me of things I could do if you say it again.¡±

    Watching her daughter chase her son, Pei Shi couldn¡¯t help but smile, all the worries she felt a moment ago was gone. When Lu Xiangzhi looked at her way, his eyes asking for help, she pointed at him and unexpectedly said, ¡°You deserve that for making your sister angry!¡±

    ¡°Mother, stop my sister please. That whip of hers is not for fun!¡± Lu Xiangzhi cried as he and Ye Zhen ran in circles.

    ¡°Hit him!¡± Pei Shi instead urged Ye Zhen and lost it when the top of the whip hit Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s advancing rear by a fraction. And sheughed more than what propriety wanted her to.

    Despite the protests of Lu Xiangzhi, Ye Zhen chased him with her whip relentlessly. Her gown not slowing her down even for a little.

    ¡°But mother, I am also your child!¡± Lu Xiangzhi shouted.

    ¡°I am still the mother¡¯s younger child!¡± Ye Zhen swung her whip at Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s back.

    ¡°Ouch! You really hit me!¡± Lu Xiangzhi rubbed the sore area of his rear.

    When he saw his sister¡¯s frail but capable hands swung the whip again, Lu Xiangzhi cried for ultimate mercy. ¡°Sister, I promise to not mention the past again!¡±

    Ye Zhen snorted, ¡°Not a word?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t mention that besides falling into a cow excrement pit, you were pecked by a bird when you climbed the tree and ran home crying! Remember this?¡±

    ¡°No! I only remember father hitting you with a whip like this!¡± Ye Zhen sneered and ran up to beat him.

    Lu Xiangzhiughed and ran away. ¡°Alright! I won¡¯t tease you anymore! Brother promises not to mention it any of it! Are we good now?¡±

    Ye Zhen shook her head. ¡°Only if I beat you up will you keep your mouth shut!¡± Lu Yaoyao used to get along with her brother in this way and Ye Zhen actually adored their rtionship.

    She also used to bicker like this with her second brother.

 Chapter 133 - The Proof of Her Existence

    <strong>Chapter 133 ¨C The Proof of Her Existence</strong>

    The siblings had carried on with their quarrel until Pei Shi ordered them to cease at once. And when the night fell, Lu Shiming hade back, and the family happily dined together after days of being iplete.

    The next day, Ye Zhen took Dai Mei to apany her in finding Mister Shan.

    When Pei Shi told her about Mister Shan¡¯s residence, Ye Zhen knew where it was as soon as she heard it. In Liuqing Lane in Dongcheng, the houses, although not significant, stood in peaceful grounds, away from the bustle of the city. ces like this were likely the dwelling of the teacher could be located.

    In her previous life, Ye Zhen used to visit him here. Mister Shan¡¯s courtyard had a vine and a pomegranate tree, carefully taken care by his servants. The grapes were fat and sweet, which was her favorite.

    Mister Shan already knew Ye Zhen woulde today so he had a table set up in the bamboo pavilion in his courtyard early in the morning,

    Yesterday it snowed heavily, and the weather was still a bit cold today. Therefore, Ye Zhen came wearing a fox fur cloak in defense of the nipping cold, making her look like a fox spirit that has decided to bless the ce with her presence.

    ¡°Sir.¡± Ye Zhen gave Mister Shan a salute and looked at him with bright eyes.

    At the sight of her, Mister Shan was a bit distracted. He almost thought it was the original Ye Zhen who came to him just now! In front of him, Lu Yaoyao has truly be more like his former student.

    The same agitating feeling struck him, despite knowing the facts, he again doubted whether there was any rtionship between them.

    ¡°Come, sit down and have a cup of hot tea.¡± He told her with a weak smile, pointing to the vacant seat opposite his.

    Willingly, Ye Zhen sat down and, with vigor, informed her former teacher about the purpose of her visit. ¡°Sir, I havee to give you good news!¡±

    Before she knew it, a small smile had started to form at Mister Shan¡¯s mouth. ¡°I heard yesterday that you got four A¡¯s.¡± He then poured her a cup of tea; his long fingers snatched the small teapot.

    ¡°I was just lucky.¡± She gently shook her head.

    At this, Mister Shan looked at her and straightforwardly informed her. ¡°I¡¯ll be your teacher then.¡±

    The tea was suddenly forgotten, as Ye Zhen stared at him in surprise. ¡°Sir, do you mean you will go back to college?¡±

    ¡°Um.¡± Mister Shan raised one thick eyebrow. ¡°Don¡¯t you want me to?¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s face lit up instantly. When Mister Shan left the Women¡¯s College and became her private teacher, many people had begged him to return. Ye Zhen even heard that even the dean of the college came to see him personally.

    But back then, the imposing teacher didn¡¯t change his mind despite the dean¡¯s persuasions and pleas. What made him go back to the academy this time?

    Mister Shan smiled lightly, it was because of his master¡¯s request, ¡°I was not used to some of the college¡¯s practices, so I left. But now that I have gained some years, I see things differently.¡±

    Differently?

    His answers were vague, and Ye Zhen, if given permission, would like to ask him thoroughly. But she knew him well; Mister Shan won¡¯t say anything unwillingly.

    She felt a little confused and suspected that what Mister Shan was doing now has a purpose. As for what purpose, Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t tell what it is.

    ¡°Why did Mister Shan choose to stay in the medical center?¡± Ye Zhen asked she remembered that Mister Shan used to teach in the college but not in its affiliated schools like the Medical Center.

    ¡°It just happens that I know the curator of the Medical Center.¡±

    Ye Zhen saw that he didn¡¯t want to say much about it, so she stopped asking.

    ***

    After leaving Dongcheng, Ye Zhen didn¡¯t want to go back so soon. She wanted to go to Qingyu Lane to find Hong Ling, but she couldn¡¯t do so in the presence of her maid.

    ¡°Third miss, aren¡¯t we going back?¡± Dai Mei asked her when the carriage seemed to take a longer route.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I just want to see the capital for a little longer. It¡¯s not every day that I get to go out like this.¡±

    Looking outside with lonesome eyes, Dai Mei seemed to have something she wanted to say to her mistress but was too overwhelmed with nervousness. She squirmed in her seat and nced at Ye Zhen¡¯s serene face asionally.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ye Zhen noticed her maid¡¯s unusual behavior and asked.

    ¡°Third miss...This servant¡¯s younger brother has been ill recently. My mother came to me the other day, but Chen Wei won¡¯t let me go home to visit him.¡± Dai Mei stammered and looked at Ye Zhen morosely.

    Chen Wei was the Old Madam Lu¡¯s personal maid and has been ever since in charge of the family¡¯s servants.

    ¡°Where do you live?¡±

    ¡°In Shajing Lane, third miss.¡±

    Shajing Lane? It¡¯s on the North Street of the capital! Ye Zhen visibly frowned as she imagined how far it was from Qingyune where her former servant Hong Ling lived!

    After a fleeting moment, her eyes widened in pleasant realization. Her shop is located on the same street, and she could go there to have a look!

    ¡°Then go, but not for more than an hour.¡±

    Dai Mei nodded and was grateful to Ye Zhen beyond words.

    Without further dy, Ye Zhen ordered Quan Fu to take the carriage to the North Street. There, she saw a formidable shop that was hard not to notice. It bore a que that reads, ¡°Thousands of Pounds of Gold.¡±

    As an abandoned Wang Fei, Ye Zhen started this shop herself. The previous empress, Empress Qi also had a simr shop in the capital before but itter on sunk and just became part of the capital¡¯s long list of history.

    For Ye Zhen, the shop meant more than following the steps of the woman she wished to follow¡ªshe also wanted to do something that would prove that she once existed.

    ¡°What goods does that shop offer?¡± Ye Zhen pretended not to know.

    ¡°Oh Third miss, almost everything the people needs! That¡¯s thergest and mostpletemodity store in the capital, which sells things that are brought back from overseas. It¡¯s an excellent business.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then I must go shopping there. You go home and look for me in the storeter.¡±

    Dai Mei couldn¡¯t contain her happiness, her eyes locked with Ye Zhen in doubt. ¡°Third miss, is this really okay?¡±

    ¡°Why not? You are my maid. Naturally I have the final say, not Chen Wei. Go quickly.¡± Ye Zhen urged her to leave with a soft smile on her face.

    ¡°This maidservant truly thanks the third miss.¡± Dai Mei bowed her head before she hurried down from the carriage. Her home was not far from here. She would visit her brother and say a few words to her mother. One hour was enough.

    Left alone to herself, Ye Zhen stared at the shop in front of her. Ironically, this was her first time toe to this shop since she opened this. Usually, she just let others deal with the shop, and the ounts were all looked up by Hong Ling.

    There are rows of shelves in the shop where goods were disyed neatly. Around her, people were busy making their purchases. Ye Zhen wore a simple curtain hat over her head to obscure her face. She slowly walked around the shop, and sure enough, she saw many interesting things.

    However, none of it was new to her. When these overseas goods were sent to the capital, her assigned shopkeeper used to send one to her first.

    ¡°Shopkeeper Sun, a new batch of goods, has arrived today! Have you checked them?¡±

    Just as Ye Zhen was thinking about what to do next, she suddenly heard a familiar voice.

    It¡¯s Hong Ling!

    She looked at Hong Ling standing next to the shopkeeper and sauntered past them.

    When Hong Ling felt someone approaching her, she raised her guard and looked back vigntly at the woman wearing a hat.

    Ye Zhen lifted one corner of the curtain hat and nodded slightly to her.

    ¡°Miss, did you find something to your liking?¡± Hong Ling took a deep breath and smiled politely.

 Chapter 134 - Yes, Im Back (1)

    <strong>Chapter 134 ¨C Yes, I¡¯m Back (1)</strong>

    Ye Zhen nced around. She didn¡¯t know anyone except Hong Ling. Even the shopkeeper present in the store, she had never seen before.

    In the vicinity of a ce that should appear strange to her, Ye Zhen did not dare show any familiarity, but only smiled and said, ¡°I heard that you have perfumes from overseas. Can you show it to me?¡±

    Looking pleased, Hong Ling¡¯s eyes crinkled in a friendly smile. ¡°Miss, you are just in time! Ships have just arrived with a batch of top perfumes for our store! Why don¡¯t youe with me upstairs to have a look at all of them?¡±

    At first, Ye Zhen was astonished of her previous maid¡¯s calm exterior and versatile acting. Thus she discreetly released a sigh of relief when Hong Ling seemed to have yed along. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s best that I have a look first.¡±

    Then, Hong Ling led Ye Zhen to the room upstairs. As soon as the door was closed, she immediately pulled out a dagger from her gown and pointed it at Ye Zhen. ¡°Who are you? Why are you so simr to our young miss and so knowledgeable about her affairs?¡±

    Although she was a maid, she was trained when she was a child at Ye¡¯s mansion.

    She was surprised to see that this woman looked exactly like her mistress so she mistakenly thought she was indeed the Wang Fei Ye Zhen. After returning to her home, she thought everything carefully over andter on, realized how it was impossible.

    Her memories were still fresh¡ªshe watched the tyrant Lu Lingzhi push her girl into mes with her own eyes. Even if she was not dead, Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t survive without scars. It¡¯s just impossible.

    These days, she has been inquiring secretly, only to know that she is the third miss of the Lu family, that is Lu Lingzhi¡¯s cousin. How can Hong Ling not be alert? She suspected that this was another trick of Lu Lingzhi!

    Ye Zhen looked at such vignt eyes of Hong Ling and admired her for it. The maid still hasn¡¯t changed one bit. She took off her curtain hat and revealed her beautiful face.

    ¡°When you came to me at the age of six, you couldn¡¯t speak clearly. Liu Wei wanted to send you away, but I refused. I gave you your name and taught you how to write it. One time, I¡¯ve been naughty and climb up the tree to pick peaches. identally, I fell , but you embraced me and caressed my broken hands...¡±

    ¡°These are not secrets, as long as you inquire carefully, you can know!¡± Hong Ling suppressed the shock in her heart and still could not believe that this person was the Young Miss Ye. How is it possible? The beautiful and noble miss in the family she served to... has been killed by Lu Lingzhi!

    This person in front of me is not her, not her!

    ¡°Then what secrets should I know for you to believe?¡± Ye Zhen asked lightly.

    ¡°Our young miss has a name ...¡± Hong Ling¡¯s voice shook for a little.

    ¡°Yao Yao.¡± Ye Zhen spoke directly.

    Hearing the name she has not heard for a while now, Hong Ling¡¯s eyes opened wide, and her tears fell uncontrobly.

    ¡°Under the crabapple tree in the northwest yard, I buried my front teeth that I lost when were still children. Every time my mother was angry with me, I liked to hide in my father¡¯s study so that no one could find me ...¡± Ye Zhen saw Hong Ling¡¯s tears, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel shaken at the memories.

    ¡°Young miss, it¡¯s really you!¡± Only she and Ye Zhen knew about burying her front teeth under the specific tree. She was indeed the girl of the Ye family whom she grew up with!

    Ye Zhen nodded gently, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m back.¡±

 Chapter 135 - Yes, Iâ€™m Back (2)

    <strong>Chapter 135 ¨C Yes, I¡¯m Back (2)</strong>

    Hong Ling repressed herself from crying and knelt in front of Ye Zhen. ¡°Young miss, that bastard Lu Linzghi! Didn¡¯t he¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story. But first you have to get up so we can talk.¡± Ye Zhen said in a hushed tone, ¡°There is one thing I have yet to tell you...¡±

    Ye Zhen helped Hong Ling to her feet, thetter bore inquisitive, teary eyes.

    ¡°I had a twin sister who was sent away when she was still a baby. That¡¯s why mother always disliked me...I was poisoned by Hong Yan and died. When I woke up, I became the third miss of the Lu family.¡±

    A gasp was heard from Hong Ling immediately.

    ¡° If you don¡¯t believe me, I can¡¯t possibly me you. It¡¯s a mystery I myself can¡¯t exin.¡± Even Ye Zhen herself was still muddled by her transmigration and the regression she went through. Waking up in the body of her sister and finding herself back in time, was all beyond her understanding.

    How could she expect everyone to believe her and not think that she has lost her sanity?

    But far from the reaction she expected, Hong Ling immediately shook her head, ¡°Miss, this handmaiden believes you! Did you already forget? Master Pu Sheng once said that your life was as thin as paper, but it was worthy! Said you would die and transmigrate! At that time, Old Madam Ye was livid upon having heard of it, so she drove him away! Don¡¯t you remember?¡±

    This left Ye Zhen into a state of stunned confusion. It indeed happened in the past¡ªMaster Pu Sheng who used to work in the Ye mansion told her things that her grandmother referred to as too crass for her delicate, young mind.

    But the memory of this happening was vague in Ye Zhen¡¯s mind. She could only remember that her father told her at that time that Master Pu Sheng¡¯s words can¡¯t be trusted and her fate can be changed by her own hands.

    However, now she lives in her sister¡¯s body. Is this supposed to be her fate?

    Ye Zhen sighed deep in her heart. It was futile to say all these things now. ¡°These are not important. Have you never seen Lu Lingzhi grace this ce?¡±

    ¡°He thought that this handmaiden had been burned to death. How could he know that I am still alive in this world?¡±

    This earned a satisfied nod from Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Do you know the whereabouts of my father, the Second Lord and my brother, the Second Young Lord Ye?¡± Ye Zhen asked in a low and hopeful voice.

    ¡°The handmaiden went to the execution ground quietly that day and didn¡¯t see even the shadow of the Second Lord and Second Young Lord Ye. Could they have escaped?¡± Hong Ling asked, she had always thought of this.

    A glimpse of hope buds in her heart upon being reminded of this possibility.

    ¡°They might have and I can¡¯t think of anyone but you whom I should task to find them. I¡¯ll leave this matter to you and to other servants who lives here in Jinkou City. Let them investigate secretly about my father and brother.¡±

    Hong Ling looked at Ye Zhen worriedly. ¡°Miss, what will you do now?¡±

    ¡°Lord Lu Shiming is my sister¡¯s adoptive father. I can¡¯t just leave the Lu family. My chances of revenge are higher with my sister¡¯s family.¡± She said lightly.

    ¡°If Lu Lingzhi will know that you¡¯ve been here...would he hurt you?!¡± Hong Ling asked anxiously.

    Ye Zhen smiled slightly and assured her in a calm voice, ¡°He won¡¯t know.¡±

    Still brimming with concern for the miss whom she lost long ago, Hong Ling couldn¡¯t help but ask again, ¡°Miss, since we heard the tragic event, your servants has been very angry and threatened to avenge you. Do you want to meet them?¡±

    Her servants were all hand-picked by her father and was loyal to her naturally, However, if Hong Ling tells them the truth, they might not believe her.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t tell them my true identity, you can just say that I am Ye Zhen¡¯s sister. Before Ye Zhen died, she was able to tell me everything. You can tell them this and that, and when they believe you, I wille here and see them.¡± Ye Zhen¡¯s voice sank a little.

    These people were loyal to her and if they knew Lu Yaoyao was her sister and therefore, a daughter of Ye Yiqing, they would perhaps subject their unparalleled devotion to Lu Yaoyao.

    They have a master now, this was the sole thing they need to believe at this moment of need. She would let them all think that eventhough Ye Zhen was already dead, her legacy would live in the person of her twin sister Lu Yaoyao.

    ¡°Yes miss, this handmaiden knows what to do.¡± Hong Ling responded in a determined voice. Then, she was silent for a moment. It took her awhile to speak again.

    ¡°Miss, how are you doing at the Lu family?¡±

    Ye Zhen gave a sincere smile. ¡°I am doing just fine.¡±

 Chapter 136 - An Incident on the Road

    <strong>Chapter 136 ¨C An Incident on the Road</strong>

    How could she have a bad life in the Lu family now? No one among them knows her real identity. Even Lu Shiming and Pei Shi were clueless that she was the daughter of the Ye family.

    Therefore, how can anyone act hostile against her? Except for the Lu misses who were in deeply envious towards her.

    Moreover, she had been enjoying the wealth and mor of the family, all brought by Lu Lingzhi, who earned it by stepping on flesh and blood of the Ye family!

    ¡°Miss, do you still want to live with the Lu family now? This handmaiden intends toe back to you...¡± Hong Ling pleaded. Now know that she knew her mistress was still alive, she wanted things to be just as it was before¡ªher serving and protecting the Young Miss Ye.

    ¡°There is just no way.¡± Ye Zhen looked at her previous handmaiden solemnly in the eye.

    ¡°Lu Lingzhi has seen you before. If he sees you at my side, he will definitely suspect. Besides, I will go to the Medical School of the Women¡¯s College, and therefore, you will be my eyes outside the college.¡±

    Hong Ling asked, ¡°What does the miss need this handmaiden to do?¡±

    Ye Zhen nced around in mncholy. ¡°I started this precious business thinking that I could follow the steps of the previous Empress Qi Yanling and to have something to be busy about...something that could boost my self-worth. But now, this is the only thing that is left of me.¡±

    ¡°Although father said that the execution of our family is inevitable, how can I be worthy of being called a miss of the Ye family if I wasn¡¯t able to save them? My uncle had sinned, but my father, brother, and the rest of the n had not.¡±

    Hearing this, Hong Ling said hastily, ¡°Miss, how do you want your revenge to transpire?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a little early to talk about revenge.¡± She answered firmly. ¡°Just remember that if we keep a low profile, it will tighten my grip on the chance of getting my family¡¯s deserved retribution.¡±

    Hong Ling quickly understood.

    ¡°Why did the miss decided to enter the Medical School of the Women¡¯s College?¡± Hong Ling asked doubtfully, knowing that Ye Zhen had been educated before and had never shown interest in the field of medicine.

    Ye Zhen tapped her finger on the table on a slow rhythm. ¡°I have nned to go and live inside the imperial pce.¡±

    Eyes bulged in surprise; Hong Ling almost cried in disbelief, ¡°Miss!¡±

    Hasn¡¯t the girl given up on Mo Rongzhan? In the beginning, the young miss had insisted on marrying the Emperor of Qin, but the man didn¡¯t even take a look at her! With what had happened to her and her family, did the miss remained infatuated with him?

    Right away, Ye Zhen knew what Hong Ling was thinking. She smiled lightly, ¡°If I don¡¯t enter the pce, how will I get revenge? With your current status and mine, how can we fight against an emperor and a war minister? I want to be a female medical doctor to step foot inside the imperial pce.¡±

    ¡°Young miss, that is too risky!¡± Hong Ling said worriedly that the people in the pce would recognize Ye Zhen as the deceased Wang Fei of the Qin Dynasty.

    The things Mo Rongzhan could do, Hong Ling was most terrified.

    ¡°Now, if I don¡¯t do anything, is there no danger? Hong Ling, I am no longer Ye Zhen, the pampered daughter of the Ye family.¡±

    Hong Ling only felt too distressed about Ye Zhen. ¡°Miss, as soon as we find the Second Lord, everything will be alright...¡±

    Ye Zhen touched Hong Ling¡¯s head. ¡°At this time, I can only trust Man Qin and Ho Tan. Please go to Tianjin and give them my letter.¡±

    ¡°Yes, miss.¡± Hong Ling immediately nodded yes and prepared paper and ink for Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhen started writing a letter and sealed it with wax. ¡°We must hand it over to Man Qin and Ho Tan. Don¡¯t let others know.¡±

    Hong Ling nodded cautiously.

    ¡°My maid will be back soon. I can¡¯t stay here too long. I must go now¡±

    Hong Ling looked serious. ¡°Girl, this handmaiden knows what to do.¡±

    ¡°Bring me some bottles of perfume.¡±

    Since she came here to try perfume, it was only natural that she buy a few bottles to avoid suspicion.

    ¡°Miss, this perfume was bought from Persia. Try it.¡± Hong Ling packed several bottles for Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhen came downstairs with the perfume, and as soon as she walked out of the door of the shop, she saw Dai meiing hurriedly, ¡°Third miss, this maidservant is back!¡±

    ¡°I just finished shopping too. Take this.¡± Ye Zhen handed the perfumes to Dai Mei. Turning back to Hong Ling, she said meaningfully.

    ¡°If this perfume is to my mother¡¯s liking, I will return here to buy some more.¡±

    Hong Ling smiled. ¡°Third Miss Lu, don¡¯t worry. I assure you that the Third Madam Lu will not be disappointed.¡±

    Ye Zhen nodded with a smile, ¡°Indeed, I must trust you.¡±

    She took Dai Mei¡¯s hand and got inside the carriage. She nced at Hong Ling one more time and put down the curtain.

    Dai Mei put the perfume aside. ¡°Third miss, there are cakes I have brought with me. Do you want some?¡±

    ¡°No, but thank you.¡± She refused kindly. ¡°How is your family?¡±

    ¡°Back to the third miss, this maidservant¡¯s mother is almost as well as before, and she will be fine in two days.¡± Dai Mei replied happily.

    Ye Zhen was in a good mood today, with a slight smile on her mouth she spoke. ¡°That¡¯s good news!¡±

    As the carriage continued to trudge forward, Ye Zhen closed her eyes and wanted to have a quick respite. Suddenly, a sudden halt of the carriage nearly rolled her all the way to the front. Fortunately, Dai Mei held her back and didn¡¯t hit her head hard against the wall.

    ¡°Third miss, are you all right?¡± Demi quickly asked.

    Ye Zhen steadied herself and touched her forehead. ¡°I¡¯m fine, go and see what¡¯s going on outside.¡±

    Quan Fu, the driver of the vehicle, could be heard rumbling in panic outside, ¡°Are you all right, Third miss? I just saw someone in the middle of the street, so I quickly grabbed the reins. Are you hurt?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. See if anyone has been injured.¡±

    Dai Mei lifted the car curtain and went out. She saw a twitching child lying on the ground in front of her. She was startled and asked Quan Fu, ¡°Did you hit anyone?¡±

    One onlooker, a madam, said hastily, ¡°He was lying on the ground before your carriage arrived!¡±

    Quickly, Dai Mei got into the carriage and informed Ye Zhen, ¡°Third miss, there is a child in front of the carriage lying on the ground twitching in pain perhaps! Quan Fu said our carriage didn¡¯t hit him at all!.¡±

    Ye Zhen subconsciously felt that the child outside should be ill. She frowned, desiring to mind her own business, she wanted Quan Fu to turn around and take another path. But before she could order so, she heard someone calling for help.

    And in that second, her heart, hands and feet seemed to have their consciousness. She lifted the car curtain and got off the carriage.

    ¡°Third miss ...¡± Dai Mei was somewhat startled. Seeing Ye Zhen getting out of the carriage, she quickly followed her.

    Ye Zhen saw people gathered around the child but no one seemed to have the intention to help...Finding Quan Fu among the crowd, she ordered him.

    ¡°Get these people out of the way. The heat will harm the child.¡±

    Be Ying and Livy¡¯s patron and get ess to several advance chapters:

 Chapter 137 - The Little Boy in Distress

    <strong>Chapter 137 ¨C The Little Boy in Distress</strong>

    It was a little boy whoid on the ground, shaking uncontrobly. He looked only five or six years old. His cheeks were red, his facial expression looked painful and his whole body convulsed pitifully while his mouth foamed.

    Is this epilepsy?

    Thoroughly startled by the sight that greeted her, Ye Zhen quickly knelt beside him and lifted his head, leaning it to the side. Through this manner, she let him spit the foams from his mouth. Afterwards, she pulled a silver handkerchief and she shoved it into his mouth gently, untied his cor for him to breathe with ease.

    What should I do? Ye Zhen was a little anxious. Her medicals skills was stillcking!

    Now, she would have to rely on her sister¡¯s memory¡ªher sister who had not really treated anyone before!

    ¡°Third miss, what should I do?¡± Dai Mei, who was then kneeling beside her, whispered.

    Hearing the unmistakable murmurs around her, Ye Zhen looked up from the little boy and gazed at the people who continually gathered around them. Some pointed at her and seemed to have recognized her. It was then that she realized that her face was not hidden by her curtain hat!

    But there was no time to worry about this, she thought. Training her attention to the child soley, she found that the boy had gradually calmed down.

    ¡°First, let us help him to the carriage, maybe his family wille soon.¡± She instructed.

    Someone nearby said, ¡°That child seems to be Mister Qi¡¯s grandson.¡±

    The words were loud enough for her to hear but Ye Zhen ignored what the man had said as she had grown worried of the child who was currently burning with fever. She remembered what she had seen in Empress Qi Yanling¡¯s medical books. His fever could have caused the epilepsy. If he won¡¯t cool down in time, it might not be good for his brain.

    ¡°Is there any wine in the carriage?¡± Ye Zhen asked Dai Mei in an almost frantic voice.

    Dai Mei nodded, ¡°Yes!¡± The wine will help ward off the cold.

    Ye Zhen asked Quan Fu to hold the child in his arms and they went back to the carriage. There, she took a wine previously warmed by the carriage¡¯s burner.

    Then, she rubbed the little boy¡¯s neck and thigh with the liquor. These are things she read recently from the Empress Qi¡¯s medical book. It seemed baffing though for even if she only read them once, she was able to recall the procedures quite perfectly.

    From this, she found that after her rebirth, besides the gift of the miraculous liquid from her palm, she was also given a sharp mind which was of great help to her.

    It was not until the temperature of the little boy lowered down that she asked Dai Mei to wrap him full again with his clothes.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s forehead was already dripping with sweat by the time she finished, and the voices around the carriage were still buzzing¡ªpeople asking who she was, if she even was a doctor and if she would dare carry a stranger¡¯s child to her carriage.

    ¡°Third miss, he is waking up!¡± Dai Mei saw the little boy¡¯s eyelids moved and cried happily.

    ¡°Kindly pour me a ss of water.¡± Ye Zhen¡¯s mouth turned up, clearly ted and relieved. ¡°Then ask around about this child¡¯s parents.¡±

    Dai Mei handed the cup to Ye Zhen and got off the carriage with a triumphant smile. The child probably didn¡¯t live too far away. He probably just ran out of his house to y.

    Ye Zhen took a sip of the water and watched the little boy move ufortably a few times. He must still be hurting...

    She took a deep breath and not long after, a drop of the miraculous liquid drip from her palm which she carefully mixed with her cup of water.

    The little boy finally came to consciousness and Ye Zhen was quick to ce the cup near his mouth, assisting his upper body to a sitting position. He was probably thirsty for as soon as the water slipped to his mouth, he gulped desperately, draining the contents

    Only then did he opened his eyes.

    ¡°Finally awake?¡± Ye Zhen asked with a smile, ¡°Do you want more?¡±

    The little boy opened a pair of good-looking dark eyes, looked at Ye Zhen with some doubts, and gently nodded his head.

    Ye Zhen poured him another ss of water. Again, he drank it all in one breath.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name and where do you live?¡± Ye Zhen asked in a tiny voice, coaxing the child to speak to herfortably.

    The little boy just puckered his lips and looked unwilling to speak.

    Ye Zhen felt strange, the boy won¡¯t just speak!

    Taking his silence as a sure sign of difort around strangers such as her, she smiled at him softly and said,¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll have someone take you home.¡±

    To her bewilderment, the little boy shook his head vigorously without saying a word, and his dark eyes began to shed tears. His tears poured but not a sound came from his lips, Ye Zhen was surprised. Is this little boy mute?

    Amidst her musings, Dai Mei came back with news. ¡°Third miss, we have found his family!¡±

    *

    *

    *

    Ye Zhen lifted the curtain and saw that standing behind Dai Mei was a woman in her 50¡¯s. She was dressed in simple and clean clothes. She looked like amoner, but she bore a noble air.

    If the person in front of her was of noble birth, she should have known her but Ye Zhen was clueless who she was. Presumably, she came from other ces, or perhaps, she had been in the capital for long but rarely showed up at banquets held at the Ye mansion.

    ¡°Thank you for saving my grandson. Qi family will certainly remember this.¡± The woman looked at Ye Zhen and then to her grandson who was sitting inside the carriage, rubbing his puffed eyes.

    Seeing him well, the former tension in her eyes eased down and she thanked Ye Zhen, sincerely grateful.

    Qi? Ye Zhen¡¯s heart skipped a beat but she managed to smile calmly. ¡°It was nothing. I just helped him cool down. Madam should pay more attention next time.¡±

    Qi Jin looked at Ye Zhen in amazement. ¡°Does the miss know medicine?¡±

    ¡°Only a little.¡± Ye Zhen answered, in her mind, she had already guessed the identity of the person she was talking to¡ªit seems that the other party was proficient in medicine!

    In the capital, those who bore the surname Qi were most likely medicine practitioner. Although the Qi n which rose to thedder of nobility in the previous dynasty and lost their luster when the new dynasty came, their medical skills had always been the most exquisite.

    Because of this, Ye Zhen was a little excited. After the change of dynasty, almost all the members of the Qi family disappeared from sight of the social circles of the capital. Not only that, Empress Qi Yanling¡¯s emperor, Emperor Tai Zong had been searched for a long time but could not be found.

    Nheless, the woman and the child are rtives of the woman she looked up to¡ªthe former Empress Qi Yanling!

    Qi Jin gave Ye Zhen a grateful look and held out her hand towards the little boy inside. ¡°Xi-er,e to grandma.¡±

    The little boy put down his cup, climbed out of the carriage and tightly hugged Qi Jin¡¯s neck.

    ¡°Today, because my grandson is still ill, I can¡¯t thank you enough. I will personally find you another day to offer my tokens of gratitude for saving his life. ¡± Qi Jin was skilled in medicine so she naturally knew how dangerous her grandson¡¯s disease was. If it weren¡¯t for Ye Zhen, he must have been dead already.

    Ye Zhen said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s really nothing. Anyone who knows some medical skills will try to save him.¡±

    Qi Jin nced at the inscription inscribed on the carriage. She probably guessed the identity of the other party because her face slowly conformed into shock. ¡°You are the third miss of the Lu family.¡±

    ¡°How did you guess?¡± Ye Zhen asked in surprise, but she didn¡¯t say a word further than this.

    Qi Jin smiled faintly, ¡°The miss will know in two days.¡±

    Third Miss Lu became famous in the Women¡¯s College, thus it was impossible for Qi Jin who taught in the college to not hear of it! Since this Lu miss knows some medicine, who would she be rather than the famous Third Miss Lu?

    Ye Zhen was utterly baffled, the woman spoke vaguely but when she wanted to clear her confusion, Qi Jin was already leaving with her grandson without even dropping her full name.

    ¡°Farewell, Third Miss Lu.¡±

 Chapter 138 - Summon of the Wang Fei (1)

    <strong>Chapter 138 ¨C Summon of the Wang Fei (1)</strong>

    Ye Zhen watched Qi Jin and her grandchild disappear into the crowd. She did not know why, but she had an intuition that she would see them again soon.

    ¡°Miss, that woman is very rude! You saved her grandson, but she didn¡¯t even leave her name!¡± Dai Mei grunted, defending her girl against this kind of injustice.

    ¡°Let her be. Maybe we¡¯ll meet again in the future. Besides, her gratitude is enough.¡± Ye Zhen could only smile at the thought of the bizarre woman. ¡°We must go home.¡±

    Today, she has stayed outside for too long, which she wasn¡¯t originally used to.

    After bing Wang Fei of Qin, she hardly went out. But now, as Lu Yaoyao, she figured that she should get used to this gradually. As her father once said, women should not only iste themselves in their chambers, but they also should have their own beautiful life.

    In the past, she didn¡¯t understand Ye Yiqing¡¯s words, but now she realized that what her father had said was all for her sake. Being the Wang Fei, propriety hindered her from doing several things she used to do. Her father watched her sink into pitfalls and could not bear to see her hurt like that for long. So he urged her to make herself feel better and do the things she formerly wanted.

    Now, Ye Zhen no longer desires to change herself to please others.

    With the chance of rebirth, she must have a wonderful life for herself and for her sister, instead of seeking approval from others.

    The opportunities she missed and the people thate with it, she would seize this time.

    Ye Zhen was in high spirits. She opened her hand to look at the ming phoenix tattoo in her palm. Her medical skill was still not perfect, but it didn¡¯t matter. She had the ability never to forget anything, and she also had the miraculous liquid that could heal injuries. What is there to be worried about?

    She would enter the pce to be a female medical doctor, and those who once dismissed her and harmed her would crawl under her feet.

    Upon returning to Lu mansion, Ye Zhen went to Pei Shi first and told her about Mister Shan¡¯s return to the college to teach. Thetter was pleased and felt that in this way, her daughter could continue learning from him.

    Ye Zhenughed, ¡°I am delighted too.¡±

    ¡°The old madam seems to be looking for you. Please go and greet her quickly.¡± Pei Shi urged her daughter.

    ¡°Then I must go to grandma, but first, ept these perfumes I bought for you. I was told that these just came from overseas!¡± Ye Zhen took out two bottles of perfume from the side of her. ¡°I have smelled it, and it is quite good.¡±

    Pei Shi smiled and said, ¡°Oh my, you have grown up. You never paid attention to these things before!¡±

    With this, Ye Zhenughed out loud. ¡°Mister Shan said that girls who do not like beauty products would naturally not look good, so I bought these.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh, now I think my daughter is getting quite loquacious!¡±

    ¡°Well, mother, I am pleased to amuse you by being so.¡± Ye Zhen smiled then went off to bring Old Madam Lu the rest of the perfumes.

    *

    *

    *

    Old Madam Lu¡¯s room was bustling as the older people liked to have their children and grandchildren with her.

    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m back,¡± She had yet seen Ye Zhen, but her sweet, pleasant voice told her of her arrival.

    Ye Zhen came in and saw that several other sisters were all there, offering gifts to Old Madam Lu and one another. Then she sat down and took out the bag of perfume.

    ¡°I just passed through Thousands of Pounds of Gold Shop in Shajingne and heard that everything there was from overseas. I thought the perfume smelled excellent, so I bought several bottles for my grandma and sisters.¡±

    To her surprise, Lu Jing scoffed in distaste, ¡°Third elder sister, unless you forget what our family does? We are merchants, so then, do you think that we are still short of anything from overseas? Besides, Thousands of Pounds of Gold Shop is our sworn enemy, and you went there to buy their things! Do you think that our family¡¯s shops are not as good as theirs?!¡±

 Chapter 139 - Summon of the Wang Fei (2)

    <strong>Chapter 139 ¨C Summon of the Wang Fei (2)</strong>

    Ye Zhen only learned today that Lu family had taken up the shop she built as a rival. She looked at the old madam with some embarrassment. ¡°Grandma, I don¡¯t know ... I bought perfume only because I thought you would like it.¡±

    Old Madam Lu patted her on the hand and said, ¡°You have just arrived in the capital. Naturally, you don¡¯t know anything about it, but it¡¯s nothing. Since our Lu family was knighted, our business has been transferred to other ces so that no one will think that our Lu family is bullying others. It doesn¡¯t matter if you go shopping in Qianjin.¡±

    ¡°Mmm.¡± Ye Zhen smiled and nodded, pretending to be ignorant, and asked, ¡°Does Second uncle now manage our Lu family¡¯s business? Don¡¯t second uncle often go to sea? ¡±

    Old Madam Luughed, ¡°He doesn¡¯t go to sea very often either. He is in the trade street of Jinkou City, which is the original foundation of our Lu family.¡±

    Lu family started out as merchants, andter, as Jinkou City started making overseas trade, their business grew bigger and bigger until such time that the dynastybeled the family as imperial merchants.

    Only those noble families were the ones who always looked down upon the Lu family¡¯s nobility, which, in all facts, didn¡¯t stem from heritage.

    The boost of their business was no secret and this made Ye Zhen want to know more about the other side of Jinkou City.

    ¡°Grandma, didn¡¯t you say that Second uncle ising back soon? Why hasn¡¯t there been any news?¡± She asked as she heardst time that the Second Lord Lu wasing back to be with her mother on her birthday. Yet, any days had already passed without news of his n of return.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he will soon arrive.¡± Old Madam Lu gave an assuring smile, but worry was noticeably etched on her face.

    When Ye Zhen thought the discussion was over, Old Madam spoke to her again.

    ¡°There is something else I need to tell you...The Wang Fei¡¯s edict came from the pce today, asking you to enter the pce tomorrow. My dear, she wants to see you.¡±

    Abruptly, Ye Zhen¡¯s face grimaced, and her smile froze on the corners of her mouth. ¡°The Wang Fei... wants to see me? Grandma, what is going on?¡±

    ¡°You have been admitted to the Women¡¯s College and therefore, gave honor to the Wang Fei. She was thrilled and probably wanted to give you something.¡± Old Madam Lu said.

    She doesn¡¯t want to enter the pce at this time! Ye Zhen resisted much in her heart. She was unwilling to meet Lu Wushuang, especially when she bore no protection now. What if Lu Wushuang casually finds an excuse to kill her inside her pce?

    ¡°Grandma, I have never been to the pce for fear of trouble.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Grandma will apany you to the pce tomorrow herself.¡± Old Madam Lu cheered her up.

    So it is tomorrow...Ye Zhen felt herself crumble inside..

    Seeing the reluctance in her face, Lu Jing said sourly, ¡°Third sister, we haven¡¯t been to the pce yet, and this is a rare opportunity. Would you dare refuse?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go in my stead?¡± Ye Zhen asked with an innocent smile.

    ¡°I was not invited!¡± Lu Jing threw a scornful look and took Ye Zhen¡¯s words as a show-off. Even if she were envious and jealous, she would never admit it, but her actions never failed to unveil her.

    Before this esctes into something more serious, Old Madam Lu intervened, ¡°The Wang Fei will let you enter the pce in the future. She will just be meeting Yao Yao first. Don¡¯t fret.¡±

    ¡°Yes, grandma.¡± Lu Jing and Lu Fang soon reluctantly smiled and bowed their heads in embarrassment.

    The Chen sisters who were also around were somewhat ufortable, primarily when having heard of the glorious invitation from the Wang Fei to anyone but the girl they used to underestimate before.

    Chen Liping¡¯s shining eyes were already glued at Ye Zhen, wishing that they exchange ces. But what they didn¡¯t know was that Ye Zhen was secretly in chaos for she understood well Lu Wushuang jealousy and malice...

    This invitation was not for the Wang Fei to congratte her personally, but rather, Lu Wushuang was unhappy and would love to see if she indeed has the potential to morph into a threat in the near future...

    And if she saw her as one, she would find means to kill her.

 Chapter 140 - Unspeakable Truths

    <strong>Chapter 140 ¨C Unspeakable Truths</strong>

    When Lu Lingzhi was still in the pce, he heard that the Wang Fei had given an order for Lu Yaoyao to visit the pce tomorrow. He frowned and nced at Tang Zhen beside him. ¡°You should leave the pce first. I have something to ask my sister, the Wang Fei.¡±

    Understanding this as a personal matter, Tang Zhen nodded and asked no more about this. But, in his inquisitive nature, he carried on pestering his friend about his injury.

    ¡°Wait, do you really want to go out with troops? Your injury is not yet well!¡±

    ¡°Yao Yao gave me medicine, and it is much better now.¡± Lu Lingzhi said in a cheerful tone that he didn¡¯t even realize he was capable of making.

    ¡°Yao Yao¡¯s medicine?¡± Tang Zhen said with envy, ¡°Isn¡¯t she so fond of you, eldest brother?¡±

    Lu Lingzhi gave him a lingering look. ¡°I am her eldest brother, and even if I said a few hurtful words to her, she would not put grudge against me forever.¡±

    Hearing this, Tang Zhen rolled his eyes, automatically ignoring Lu Lingzhi¡¯s unting. When will Ye Zhen be affectionate to him? He wondered. If she gave him medicine, he would be very much ted.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to visit the Wang Fei? Changed your mind?¡±

    Lu Lingzhi smiled, ¡°See youter.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan was still in his imperial study when he had known of Lu Lingzhi¡¯s sudden request to visit his sister. Immediately, he ordered his subordinates dully. ¡°Let¡¯s postpone my visit to the Wang Fei.¡±

    Then a smile crept up his face.

    *

    *

    *

    Wasting no time, Lu Lingzhi hurried to the Pce of Earthly Tranquility, where her sister lives. Lu Wushuang was already waiting for him inside. Her beautiful face was painted with a delicate rogue. ¡°Eldest brother, why did you suddenly want to see me?¡±

    ¡°I have something to discuss with the Wang Fei.¡± Lu Lingzhi gave a salute and looked grim.

    ¡°Please sit down quickly.¡± Lu Wushuangughed at his formality. ¡°You and I, brother and sister, are slowly bing strangers now. We should see each other more often.¡±

    By this, Lu Lingzhi shook his head in disagreement. ¡°The Wang Fei and this war minister differ greatly in noble ranking. My sister¡¯s status now is high, and she needs to adapt to it.¡±

    ¡°My identity has indeed be different, but this istion, I can¡¯t stand.¡± Lu Wushunag gave a wry smile. ¡°Anyway, the eldest brother, what can I do for you?¡±

    ¡°I heard that the Wang Fei summons her third sister for tomorrow?¡± Lu Lingzhi asked in a low voice.

    Lu Wushuang frowned slightly and said crossly, ¡°Is it for this reason that eldest brother sought to visit my pce? I just heard that the third sister got into the Women¡¯s College and won great honor for our Lu family, so I asked her toe into this very pce and give her something! What¡¯s wrong with this?¡±

    ¡°The Wang Fei seems to be in a bad mood today.¡± Lu Lingzhi gazed at Lu Wushuang¡¯s eyes zed with anger.

    In return, Lu Wushuang became deeply irritated with the familiar scrutiny. ¡°I heard that some courtiers wanted the emperor to expand the harem. The dowager empress told me yesterday that she wanted the emperor to ept Princess Liu Hua into the pce. Eldest brother, it has only been a few days since I became the Wang Fei! Few days!¡±

    Slowly, Lu Wushuang¡¯s face contorted into a hateful, sinister look¡ªa look that Lu Lingzhi had seen hundreds of times before. This was the reason why he came to talk to her today.

    ¡°Can¡¯t they see that the emperor favors me? But ah, yes! The emperor has not been here for several days and must have already been seduced by some wench!¡±

    ¡°The emperor is the king of this country. He can¡¯t have you as his only concubine! It is inevitable for him to expand the harem. Why are you angry with this? Besides, you will always be special in the emperor¡¯s heart.¡± Lu Lingzhi whispered.

    Losing her coolpletely, Lu Wushuang¡¯s voice broke, and she cried, ¡°How different, because... because of our mutual affection? Or is it only because of how he recognizes me?¡±

    ¡°Sister, be careful.¡± Lu Lingzhi warned her, his eyes dark.

    Some things can¡¯t be said. Otherwise it will lead to disaster, especially about this matter. Brother and sister both knew exactly who saved the emperor.

    ¡°I thought I could ... could...¡±

    She shook her head and knew that she had been right¡ªMo Rongzhan doesn¡¯t adore her like he used to anymore.

 Chapter 141 - Unspeakable Truths (2)

    <strong>Chapter 141 ¨C Unspeakable Truths (2)</strong>

    With the help of what her brother had stolen, she thought that she could get the emperor¡¯s favor. Yet recently, she gradually felt his coldness. It¡¯s only been a few weeks since we married! How could he reject me this fast?

    Meanwhile, Lu Lingzhi listened indifferently. In his mind, he believed that men are fond of new things and are easily tired of old ones. What¡¯s more, as an emperor, Mo Rongzhan already made Lu Wushuang his highest-ranking imperial concubine. And this is all because he believed that she is the little girl who saved him before.

    ¡°Wang Fei, Princess Liu Hua is the daughter of a high ranking princess by lineage. The Empress Dowager wants her to enter the pce for the sake of her imperial reputation. Besides, third sister and Princess Liu Hua have not forged any hatred and cannot do anything against you.¡± He knew his sister too well and would certainly not allow her to hurt Lu Yaoyao.

    Raising one finely painted eyebrow, Lu Wushuang squinted at him slightly. ¡°Eldest brother, you sound as if you are concerned with our third sister.¡±

    ¡°Since Yao Yao is our cousin, of course, I am concerned.¡± Lu Lingzhi answered simply.

    ¡°It is said that the third sister has grown more and more beautiful in a short time. Is she now more beautiful than I am?¡± Lu Wushuang thinks she is iparable in beauty. That¡¯s why when she heard others mention that Lu Yaoyao now bears a lotus-like beauty, she scoffed at the prevalent news and only saw it as an exaggeration.

    ¡°No one would be as elegant as the Wang Fei.¡±

    With this, a gentle smile was slowly hooked at the corners of Lu Wushuang¡¯s lips, but it faded too soon by her brother¡¯s sudden inquiry...

    Lu Lingzhi leaned closer to his sister and spoke in a low voice that only the two of them could hear. ¡°Have you ever heard of the emperor asking your nickname? I believe that he has doubts about you, the person who ims to have saved him..¡±

    Hearing Lu Lingzhi¡¯s words, Lu Wushuang¡¯s face changed into cold stone before remarking shrilly, ¡°What?!¡±

    In an instant, Lu Lingzhi shot her a cold look; his mouth pursed tightly. Lu Wushuang then immediately covered her mouth and looked silently at her brother with fright.

    Afterposing herself, she gave sideways nces at every corner of the room they were in. Emperor¡¯s shadow guards could be with them at the moment, just hidden behind the heavy drapes.

    She took a deep breath...

    And slowly, she dipped one elegant finger in a ss of water near her and wrote on the table words with it.

    ¡°She never mentioned her nickname to you before?¡±

    If she did, I would have told you a long time ago! Lu Lingzhi shook his head, eximing inside in frustration.

    ¡°Remember to act normally. It¡¯s also better if you put away the jade pendant, he might ask for it.¡± He wrote as well.

    Reading Lu Lingzhi¡¯s words, Lu Wushuang turned pale and blurted out, ¡°The emperor once wanted to have a look at the jade pendant, but it suddenly broke in pieces!¡±

    Does Mo Rongzhan doubt my sister¡¯s identity for long now?

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s heart was shocked, but he quickly discarded the idea. He would¡¯ve noticed it at the soonest! Nheless, goosebumps started to coat his skin, elicited not by the cold air but of deep trepidation.

    He knew the emperor very well. If he seeks the truth, he would never tire of chasing it. Now, his heart is filled with doubt and uncertainty, and Lu Lingzhi was afraid that this wouldn¡¯t be the case for long.

    Where did the emperor see the clues? Lu Lingzhi and Lu Wushuang were puzzled at the same time. The two of them looked at each other one at a time, but they were silent and did not speak again.

    ¡°Be careful.¡± Lu Lingzhi wrote on the table.

    If the emperor knew that Lu Wushuang was a fraud and thete Wang Fei was indeed the girl whom he was finding for a long time, he would surely understand that Ye Zhen did notmit suicide, andter on, would find out that Lu Lingzhi poisoned her.

    Indeed, this would be the fall of the Lu family.

    With sheer determination, Lu Wushuang¡¯s hands sped together; her eyes looked sullen at the front of her. She had a hard time getting to where she is right now and had put her life in line just to catch Mo Rongzhan¡¯s heart. Thus, she would never let anyone take her noble status away from her!

    Ye Zhen¡¯s nickname? Will this be the only thing that would cause her and her family¡¯s demise? Lu Wushuang looked at Lu Lingzhi and nodded gently to him. She knew that her eldest brother would do everything for her, just like before when she asked him to end his friend¡¯s life...

    Didn¡¯t he also acquire Ye Zhen¡¯s most precious secret? Ah! There isn¡¯t a single thing my brother can¡¯t do!

    Thinking of the woman who was no longer in the world, Lu Wushuang was filled again with determination. Where is the woman who was formerly praised by the whole capital now? She defeated her and had taken her ce, she smirked. What¡¯s even bitter was that she became a taboo in the verynd she grew, and everyone seemed to have forgotten her.

    No matter how good-looking and talented you are, how prominent your life is, you will end up nameless after your death.

    That is, only if you don¡¯t y the cards well, Lu Wushuang sang in her mind.

 Chapter 142 - Entering the Palace (1)

    <strong>Chapter 142 ¨C Entering the Pce (1)</strong>

    Ye Zhen came down from the upper room, and as soon as she stepped inside her chamber, Dai Mei hurried in, telling her that one of the Chen sisters wanted to see her.

    ¡°Which Chen sister?¡± Ye Zhen asked doubtfully at which Dai Mei quickly answered. ¡°It¡¯s the second miss of the Chen family.¡±

    Chen Liping? Ye Zhen could already guess the other party¡¯s intention. She smiled sweetly, ¡°Please invite her in.¡±

    The Chen sisters stayed in the Lu family for some time and refused to go back to the residence arranged for them by their family. What is the purpose of this? Ye Zhen can¡¯t understand it.

    Chen Qiuping was clearly interested in Lu Lingzhi and always inquired about him. However, Old Madam Lu seemed not to want her grandson to marry Chen Qiuping.

    Thinking of it, it could be that because Lu Lingzhi had be a high official, his wife-to-be should be of aristocratic blood to tighten his hold on his beloved position. What the Lu family currently needed most was to create strong ties with noble families, to improve their status in the capital. Unfortunately, Chen Qiuping was not one, and so was her sister Chen Liping.

    With bounce in her steps, Chen Liping came in with a brocade box in her hand and smiled gently towards Ye Zhen

    ¡°Yao Yao, I¡¯ve got two new pearl hairpins! Here, I brought you one!¡±

    ¡°Oh, but I already have many hairpins. You¡¯d better keep them for yourself.¡± Ye Zhen said with a solemn smile. Chen Liping was not generous at ordinary times. Today, she offered her an expensive hairpin; she must have something to ask from her.

    ¡°Yao Yao, you will enter the imperial pce tomorrow, you... Are you nervous? ¡± Chen Liping put the brocade box on the table and stared at Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhen nodded. ¡°I¡¯m nervous. I¡¯ve never been to the pce. How can I not be afraid?¡±

    Chen Liping looked at her admiringly. ¡°I wish I could see the Wang Fei and the pce she lives in. Ah! If only I could also go into the pce.¡±

    ¡°There may be a chance in the future.¡± Ye Zhen took a sip of tea, her pleasant smile unfaltering.

    ¡°Yao Yao, can you... take me to the pce? ¡± Chen Liping looked at her imploringly. She didn¡¯t dare to ask this to the old madam and chose to test her luck with Lu Yaoyao. She always thought that Lu Yaoyao, among the members of the Lu family, has a better chance to persuade the old madam into bringing her with her to the pce.

    Even though she couldn¡¯tpare with Yao Yao in terms of beauty, she was still a beauty. And as a young woman, she must fish opportunities for herself when her age is still ripe.

    Ye Zhen chuckled in her heart. Does Chen Liping see her as a child? Why would she take her to the pce? If this happens, Old Madam Lu would think that she is willful and stubborn for insisting on taking Chen Liping with her.

    She could also imagine that by the time she agrees, Chen Liping will definitely tell everyone that Ye Zhen was in dire need of apanion, for she was too nervous and afraid.

    ¡°You have to go ask grandma about it.¡± Ye Zhen shook her head in a hurry and pretended to look scared.

    With no signs of giving up, Chen Liping continued to try coaxing her and said, ¡°As long as you ask the old madam, she will approve!¡±

    Ye Zhen bit her lower lip and sped her hands together. ¡°That is not an easy thing to do. Grandma might not agree to let me in the pce if I insist.¡±

    ¡°Just tell her that if I¡¯m with you, you won¡¯t be nervous!¡± Said Chen Liping impatiently.

    When Chen Liping saw that Ye Zhen was resolutely refusing to take her into the pce, she became angry. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, then forget it! I just hope you will be humiliated tomorrow!¡±

    With the sudden re of anger, Ye Zhen looked at her timidly, with a pair of ck eyes, shining like stars at midnight.

    Seeing her delicate and beautiful appearance, Chen Liping became filled with jealousy again that she harshly grabbed the brocade box from the top of the table. ¡°Since you despise my things, I¡¯ll take them back!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I despise ...¡± Ye Zhen spoke, but Chen Liping has already left in a huff. Ye Zhen looked at her retreating back and couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud.

 Chapter 143 - Entering the Palace (2)

    <strong>Chapter 143 ¨C Entering the Pce (2</strong>)

    In the evening, Pei Shi sent Ye Zhen a new set of clothes to wear to the pce tomorrow.

    ¡°Mother, isn¡¯t this color too bright?¡± Ye Zhen looked at the elegant pink dress spread out on the bed before her. She had no idea what to wear when visiting the imperial pce but certainly knew this dress was not a good idea.

    Pei Shi gave her a disapproving look, ¡°While you are still young, you should not hesitate in wearing beautiful clothes! Why, you won¡¯t be able to wear these gowns when you reach my age.¡±

    Still, Ye Zhen shook her head vigorously. ¡°I¡¯d better wear this one.¡± She pointed her finger to the simple blue dress with small bunches of flowersid beside the extravagantly beautiful pink dress. Its colors are all-natural and light, which was exactly what she needed.

    ¡°But dear, isn¡¯t that too in?¡± Pei Shi asked with a frown, ¡°What if the Wang Fei won¡¯t like that?¡±

    ¡°Mother, I think¡­although this pink dress is beautiful, it is not suitable for someone who will be entering the pce. I will wear it on theing asions.¡± Ye Zhen hugged Pei Shi¡¯s arm.

    Her resistancees with a reason. Lu Wushuang would surely remember her if she entered the pce ostentatiously dressed like that. She had seen the jealousy of that woman, and it¡¯s not something to be underestimated.

    In fact, if she could, she would like to use some nt juice to draw on her face tomorrow¡­ With this, a mischievous idea suddenly popped in her head. Perhaps, she should do something with her face to make her look a little less attractive!

    After deep deliberation, Pei Shi didn¡¯t force Ye Zhen anymore. Anyway, she didn¡¯t want her daughter to enter the pce like Lu Wushuang. She only hoped that she could find a husband of kind and humble family and be able to live a happy and serene life.

    ¡°Then let it be.¡± Sheughed, ¡°Ah, I really didn¡¯t know that my daughter harbors such rational ideas.¡±

    Ye Zhen leaned on Pei Shi¡¯s shoulder juts like how Lu Yaoyao used to do. ¡°Because I have grown up.¡±

    Pei Shi pinched her cheek and smiled without saying a word.

    ***

    The next day, the sun had not yet risen in the horizon when Ye Zhen went out of the mansion. Even breathing the cold breeze was painful, but to no avail, she stood on the stone steps of the mansion and took in the peace and quiet of the ce.

    After some time, she began to stretch her limbs, jump in her ce for a few times, and execute a set of boxing techniques which is quite strange in the eyes of the passing outsiders.

    As a delicate woman before, she also felt that these movements were strange and should not be done by ady such as her. However, her father insisted that she practice them every morning, like how everyone practice martial arts. Expectedly, after doing several rounds, she felt exhausted.

    However, it was beneficial to her health. Lu Yaoyao was ill for a while and her body was originally very weak. Although she had the miraculous liquid, Ye Zhen still insists to take care of her twin sister¡¯s body this way.

    By the time the magnificent sunrise appeared in the eastern sky, Ye Zhen was already covered with a thinyer of sweat. She changed into the clothes Pei Shi had prepared yesterday and dolled herself up with the help of Dai Mei.

    As agreed, she wore the thin cotton dress with small indigo flowers painted with moons and a cascadingke at its bottom. Although the dress was not as beautiful as yesterday¡¯s pink dress, the one Pei Shi suggested, it still made her look graceful and gave highlight to her pearl skin.

    Fronting a mirror, Ye Zhen gazed at her white and wless face. Her eyes shed a sly look before she took out a bottle of nt extract she preparedst night.

    Deep in her heart, she thanked Pei Shi for giving her the medicinal books from which she learned a lot. Some nts, aside from their healing effects, could cause avert reactions from the skin¡­

    When she appeared in front of Old Madam Lu, she almost gave everyone in the room a heart attack.

    ¡°Yao Yao, what are those red dots on your face?!¡± Old Madam Lu asked hysterically.

 Chapter 144 - Entering the Palace (3)

    <strong>Chapter 144 ¨C Entering the Pce (3)</strong>

    Ye Zhen heard Old Madam Lu¡¯s scream and touched her face instinctively.

    Her eyes were red as she spoke morosely. ¡°Grandma, I only found these when I woke up. What should I do? I can¡¯t hide it with rouge as it appears even more uglier.¡±

    With her mouth still agape, Old Madam Lu¡¯s face reflected utmost dread and frustration. Her eyes ogled on the red dots marring her granddaughter¡¯s beautiful face.

    She originally wanted to parade Lu Yaoyao¡¯s beauty to the pce so that she can have good marriage in the future.

    Now she look at Lu Yaoyao and thinks that there was no way those dots won¡¯t be noticed. Several were in the middle of her forehead, which was an eyesore.

    Lu Fang covered her mouth andughed. ¡°Grandma, I also had the same red spots too. Yao Yao said its nothing to be worried about as it will disappear in two days.¡±

    ¡°But why did it appear now of all time? Now that our Yaoyao will be visiting the pce!¡± Old Madam. Lu was almost out of control. At this time, there was no way she could turn down Lu Wushuang¡¯s invite.

    When all hopes seemed gone, Pei Shi suddenly said, ¡°The dots on her cheeks are not obvious, but the ones on her forehead have grown in cluster. I do have a way to cover those.¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at her with a jerk and a slight twitch of her mouth.

    Old Madam Lu asked hastily, ¡°What can you do?¡±

    ¡°Mother, please wait a moment.¡± Pei Shi said with a smile and took Ye Zhen¡¯s hand, leading her out of the room.

    After about a quarter of an hour, Pei Shi reappeared with Ye Zhen. Old Madam Lu¡¯s worried face was reced by joy instantly. ¡°Now she looks more charming than usual!¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s forehead was delicately painted with petal, and her cheeks were expertly covered with rouge. If one doesn¡¯t look carefully, the red spots on her face would not be noticed at all. Her skin looked as soft as tofu. If anything else, she looked more attractive and gorgeous.

    ¡°Women in border town used to paint petals on the crease of their foreheads which this daughter-inw remembered. As you can see, it enhances a woman¡¯s beauty.¡±

    Old Madam Lu nodded with satisfaction, ¡°Yes, you can teach the girls in the family how to make those.¡± Her most favorite was to dress her granddaughters up like a fairy.

    If this was a normal asion, Ye Zhen must have pestered Pei Shi to teach her how to paint the petals, but today she didn¡¯t like it at all. She purposely allowed red spots on her face in a self-destructive way. Now that she thinks about it, she should. It is useless.

    Old Madam Lu happily led depressed Ye Zhen out of the house. Seeing her silent and looking miserable, she thought she was just nervous so she took her hand. ¡°The Wang Fei is your cousin. Although you don¡¯t live together, you two are sisters! You must not feel nervous.¡±

    In response, Ye Zhen gave a nervousugh and uttered, ¡°Yes, grandma.¡±

    In fact, she was not nervous at all. Her soul was trapped in the pce for two years. She was no stranger to that ce. She just didn¡¯t want to see Lu Wushuang.

    However, no matter how Ye Zhen refused, the carriage stopped outside the imperial pce gate.

    Some imperial officials came to meet Old Madam Lu. Ye Zhen walked behind her with her head bowed down. But even so, she didn¡¯t need to look around her surroundings as she knew every nook and crook of this very ce...

    During the two years she was trapped here as a ghost, she was around Mo Rongzhan during the day and could only stay away from him at night. For some reason, she felt burning pain all over her body whenever she kept her distance from him except when its night...

    During those two years, her heart was full of hatred, and now she has entered the pce again. Her mood has been calm and all hatred has been well restrained.

    Unconsciously, they have already arrived at the Pce of Earthly Tranquility.

    The imperial secretary, who was leading the way for Old Madam Lu looked back and saw Ye Zhen raise her head. She was so shocked that she halted in her steps.

    Unaware of this, Ye Zhen followed Old Madam Lu into the hall of the Pce of Earthly Tranquility. Lu Wushuang could be seen sitting at the top of the table, dressed in a brocade robe with a silver-purple phoenix tail pattern, looking bright, elegant, and charming.

    She had a gentle smile on her face as her eyes skipped over her grandma and fell on the person behind, her third sister Lu Yaoyao.

 Chapter 145 - A Restless Heart (1)

    <strong>Chapter 145 ¨C A Restless Heart (1)</strong>

    When she met this cousin in Baihua garden that day, Lu Wushuang only felt that the other person was not a beauty. Back then, her skin was tanned and callous and her appearance was made pitiful by her scraggly figure as she had just recovered from an illness.

    Therefore, when she heard rumors outside about how beautiful Lu Yaoyao had be, she didn¡¯t believe any of them. Only now, having seen her in the flesh, did she know that people were not exaggerating at all. Her cousin had changed so much that she could hardly recognize her!

    Old Madam Lu smiled and saluted, ¡°Atst! I have seen the Wang Fei. My humble greetings to Her Highness.¡±

    ¡°Grandma, you and I are family! We don¡¯t have to do this kind of empty ceremony.¡± Lu Wushuang regained absolute calm and asked herdies-in-waiting beside her to assist Old Madam Lu up to her feet and then, help her sit on the plush chair beside her.

    Ye Zhen knew that she was expected to kneel down and salute at this moment, but her feet were too stiff to move and her heart, unwilling. But eyes were on her, therefore her knees slowly kissed the porcin floor...

    ¡°Your Imperial Highness.¡± Ye Zhen clenched her teeth and forced herself to kneel down with great strength.

    The Wang Fei¡¯s eyes squinted at Ye Zhen slightly. Lu Wushuang addressed the Old Madam Lu with a smile, ¡°Grandma, if you didn¡¯t bring my third sister into the pce with you, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to recognize her outside. Gee, she has really changed!¡±

    ¡°This madam thanks the Wang Fei for her kind words. Your third sister, putting her beauty aside, is very silly. She can¡¯tpare with you at all.¡± The old madam said in a jest, a clear attempt to instill warmth into her jealous granddaughter¡¯s smile.

    Sheid her eyes on Ye Zhen¡¯s face again. The dark, thin and sickly girl she saw in Baihua Garden was gone. The little girl in front of her didn¡¯t only had skin like tofu, but also had bright eyes adding up to her remarkable appearance.

    Indeed as everyone said, a stunning beauty!

    Lu Wushuang mood was dampened in an instant¡ªher cousin bears a beauty that could surpass hers! She regretted that she summoned Lu Yaoyao to the pce today. What if the

    emperor sees her?

    Even holding the highest position of a concubine, she had been unable to own Mo Rongzhan¡¯s heart and Lu Yaoyao catching his interest would put her inplete frenzy.

    Kneeling on the ground, Ye Zhen felt pins and needles digging in her skin, the Wang Fei¡¯s heated gaze trained only to her.

    With her cousin¡¯s noticeable strain, Lu Wushuang urged Ye Zhen to stand. ¡°Third Sister, get up. This is your first time in the pce so don¡¯t be too restrained.¡±

    Ye Zhen mumbled a soft ¡°yes, your majesty¡± then stood up in haste. She walked behind Old Madam Lu and stood still.

    ¡°My third sister is really fighting for our family¡¯s face. I heard that she passed the exam which made Liu Hua lose a fortune.¡±

    ¡°Wang Fei, I believe that our Yao Yao was indeed very lucky. ¡±

    Lucky? Lu Wushuang found this word ridiculous. She never knew that there were still chances to pass the entrance examination into the women¡¯s college.

    ¡°Whether it was luck or not, she did it and now, everyone seems to know her:¡± Lu Wushuang had a bitter taste on her tongue.

    ???

    Ye Zhen listened to Lu Wushuang and Old Madam Lu in silence. She looked around the ce from the corner of her eye. From her memory, the furnishings here were all gaudy and luxurious.

    Lu Wushuang had always abhorred people saying that she was of lowborn. In remedy to this dilemma, she made her identity clear to everyone by living in a magnificent and noble style.

    Although she looked very luxurious, she still could not take off the temperament of a merchant¡¯s daughter and people like Ye Zhen could see this.

    Drawing a tiger¡¯s print on a dog does not make it a tiger. It¡¯s just not how things work.

 Chapter 146 - A Restless Heart (2)

    <strong>Chapter 146 ¨C A Restless Heart (2)</strong>

    Time slowly passed with Lu Wushuang asking Ye Zhen questions here and then. Seeing that she was taciturn, her answers were bumpy and dull, her displeasure was somewhat reduced to a degree. She thought that even how good-looking her third sister is, she is still a daughter of a small family that could not be at par with her.

    As for Lu Wushuang, her family background had often been talked about. Thankfully, with the help of her master, she learned etiquette when she was still a child and now, she could always live with a facade.

    However, her third sister grew up in a border town. What kind of tolerance must the people have for her? She wondered. Clearly, If there had been no Mister Shan in the entrance examination of the Women¡¯s College, she would not have been able to enter.

    ¡°Third sister seems to be bored here. Let my maid-in-waiting apany you to the side pce halls. You can go outside if you want. However, don¡¯t go too far to different houses in this pce, so as not to offend other noble people,¡± Lu Wushuang said with a smile.

    This was not a suggestion, but rather, an order. Without fuss, Ye Zhen followed Lu Wushuang¡¯s maid-in-waiting out of the hall after giving a nimble nod. She knew that Lu Wushuang was going to send her out anytime soon as she had something to say privately to the Old Madam.

    When she arrived at one of the side pce halls, she felt not in the mood to go out at all. Although Mo Rongzhan should be in his imperial study at this time, she still felt that she should not walk around to avoid meeting people she should not meet.

    Shi Liu, Lu Wushuang¡¯s maid-in-waiting, stood aside and carefully looked at the little girl sitting quietly. In her mind, she¡¯s a little surprised that Ye Zhen looked more beautiful than the Wang Fei even when clothed with much simpler gown.

    With Ye Zhen and her maid-in-waiting gone, Lu Wushuang sat down beside Old Madam Lu with keen interest.

    ¡°Grandma, didn¡¯t you say there was a secret to easily conceive a child? Is there?¡± She had been itching to say this for a while now..

    Hearing this, Old Madam Lu had a surprised look on her face and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Didn¡¯t the Wang Fei say she isn¡¯t in a hurry before? What happened now?¡±

    ¡°I used to think it was enough to win the emperor¡¯s favor but I have realizedtely that he is still a man and sooner orter, I will have to share his attention! How can he only devote himself to me then? But grandma...an heir would tie him to me.¡± Lu Wushuang said with a bit of resentment.

    ¡°Dear, you are already the Wang Fei, the most distinguished concubine in this pce! Is your majesty not good to you? If you wanted to be the only concubine, you should not have entered the pce in the first ce.¡± Old Madam Lu spoke in an almost heavy tone.

    If her granddaughter couldn¡¯t understand this way of life, she would be thoroughly hurt.

    Which woman in this world doesn¡¯t like to be loved wholeheartedly? But men are always fond of new women and the emperor of this country was no exception, Old Madam Lu¡¯s heart grieved for Lu Wushuang..

    There could be 3,000 beauties in the harem if the Emperor wishes to. Whoever can give birth to an heir and eventually be the Empress Dowager would be indisputably, the winner.

    With this thought, Lu Wushuang said discontentedly, ¡°The emperor has only been on the throne for less than half a year, and the ministers are already moring for him to appoint a princess! Grandma, what if the imperial pce is filled with potential concubines?¡±

    ¡°There are many women in the pce, but they are onlydies-in-waiting. Besides, the emperor only has you as a high-ranking imperial concubine, and the other imperial concubines positions are all vacant. Yet, dear, you should be ready for the emperor is expected to contribute to the imperial bloodline and is still young. Naturally, he is expected to widen the harem...¡±

    As the Old Madam made her understand, the more Lu Wushuang¡¯s heart became restless.

    ¡°Also, the Wang Fei should set an example and let everyone know that you are a good wife.¡± finished Old Madam Lu.

    ¡°Why should I set an example? It is not like there are no lowly concubines who were specially favored in history, then Empress Qi shouldn¡¯t have¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wang Fei!¡± Old Madam Lu intervened, raising her voice a little. ¡°You think too much.¡±

    How many women in this world can follow the steps of the former empress Qi Yanling? Old Madam Lu thought to herself. It¡¯s not that she underestimates her granddaughter, but how can Lu Wushuangpare with Qi Yanling?

    On the other hand, Lu Wushuang knew this was a far-fetched dream, but she still yearns for it¡ªthe position of an Empress.

 Chapter 147 - Inevitable

    <strong>Chapter 147 ¨C Inevitable</strong>

    ¡°Wang Fei, I will have the secret recipe sent to you. No matter what you do, you must think twice.¡±

    ¡°Are you afraid I will do something that will bring trouble to the Lu family?¡± Lu Wushuang asked in a somewhat defiant tone.

    Old Madam Lu sighed, shook her head and said, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid for the family¡¯s reputation but rather for your brother¡¯s efforts. I just hope you don¡¯t get involved in any trouble that would cause him something.¡±

    When Lu Lingzhi was mentioned, Lu Wushuang¡¯s former ire curbed. ¡°How can I bring trouble to him?¡±

    ¡°Wang Fei, to let our family have a strong foothold in the capital, he begged the emperor to allow him to join the war while he is still wounded. Must all his sacrifices be wasted just because the Wang Fei¡¯s recklessness?¡±

    ¡°Grandma, I know, I just ... I¡¯m sad to hear that the Emperor will marry another woman soon, so I want to have a baby before that.¡± Lu Wushuang bit her lip, and her heart felt like being poked by needles when she thought of Mo Rongzhan anointing another woman as his concubine.

    Sympathy in her eyes, Old Madam Lu took her hand. ¡°My dear, the Emperor is destined to have three official wives and four concubines. It is inevitable. As long as he still has you in his heart, it is enough.¡±

    ¡°Mmm.¡± Lu Wushuang took a deep breath, still unconvinced by her grandmother¡¯s words.

    What things can I not do now that I have reached this far? She said to herself, feeling unwilling to sit idle while the emperor loses his interest in her.

    In the first ce, she was able to take credit from the Wang Fei Ye Zhen, it¡¯s not possible to seed this time..

    I will be the only one in the Emperor¡¯s heart...

    Old Madam Lu visited Lu Wushuang, not only for the purpose of assisting Ye Zhen but she also liked to talk Lu Wushuang into helping her attain marriage prospects for several of her unmarried granddaughters.

    But when she saw Lu Wushuang crestfallen face, she chose to be silent.

    ¡°By the way grandma, have the third sister already received a marriage proposal?¡± Lu Wushuang asked indifferently, pretending not to care.

    Having witnessed her cousin¡¯s beauty, she felt the need to betroth Ye Zhen as soon as possible for her heart to be finally at ease.

    ¡°Not yet, but Yao Yao is still young and has just entered college. Two years will still have to pass before she graduates from the college. Besides, Fang-er and Jing-er remains unmarried in the family and is expected to marry before her.¡±

    Lu Wushuang nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to set marriages for several of my younger sisters, but eldest brother said that my pce should not intervene with these things. He has his own ns.¡± Lu Wushuang said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s just that Yao Yao is so good-looking, and I don¡¯t know what kind of marriage is suitable for her in the future.¡±

    Old Madam Lu nced at her and with carefulness, she chose her words.

    ¡°Yao Yao has a beautiful face. The rest of her, I¡¯m afraid, she won¡¯t get a marriage within the pce. Nheless, it will still be nice to see her be a part of a small family soon.¡± From Lu Wushuang¡¯s words, she knew right away what she was insinuating¡ªshe¡¯s afraid that Ye Zhen would be her rival in the emperor¡¯s heart.

    ¡°But with the Lu family¡¯s acquired nobility, it is not possible.¡±

    Old Madam Lu sighed in her heart. Even being at a high position and living in nothing but luxury, her granddaughter was still too narrow-minded and envious.

    Just as she was about to get up and bid goodbye, a maid-in-waiting sought an audience, ¡°Reporting to the Wang Fei, Aunt Cheng is here.¡±

    For this, Lu Wushuang was utterly surprised. ¡°Please invite her in.¡±

    Aunt Cheng is a confidant of the Empress Dowager and had followed and served her since she was a child. For everyone in the pce, her identity was special that even Lu Wushuang had great respect for her.

    From outside came a woman in her forties, round and white. She had a kind smile on her face, which made everyone around her feel at ease.

    ¡°Greetings to the Wang Fei.¡± Aunt Cheng curtsied to Lu Wushuang as soon as she entered.

    Lu Wushuang¡¯s head lifted with an exuberant, proud smile. ¡°Aunt Cheng, what brings you here? You should¡¯ve sent one of the maids if you have something to ry to this pce. But if the Empress Dowager has something to tell me, I¡¯d like to trouble you toe here in person.¡±

    Thetter nodded, then saluted to Old Madam Lu upon noticing her presence.

    ¡°The Empress Dowager knew that Old Madam Lu is visiting the pce of the Wang Fei today. She thinks that she hadn¡¯t seen the madam for a long time and desires to have a small talk with her.¡±

    From Lu Wushuang¡¯s smile, it can be said that she was pleased by this message. The Empress Dowager rarely epts visit so her inviting her grandma was an honor.

    ¡°¡ªshe also heard that Third Miss Lu is here, so she has invited her as well. Since the Third Miss Lu saved the little prince, the Empress Dowager has been wanting to see her.¡±

 Chapter 148 - The Chants of the Dowager (1)

    <h4>Chapter 148 ¨C The Chants of the Dowager (1)</h4>

    Her heartbeat quickening, Lu Wushuang¡¯s smile froze upon hearing this. ¡°Does the Empress Dowager want to see Lu Yaoyao?¡± Her face was full of disbelief.

    ¡°Yes, Wang Fei.¡± Aunt Cheng smiled and nodded, ¡°Not long ago, the little prince went to Chengde mountain vi without permission and fell into a trap. It was Third Miss Lu who saved him. Since then, the Empress Dowager has been saying that she wants to meet her.¡±

    I really shouldn¡¯t have let grandma bring Lu Yaoyao here in the pce today! Lu Wushuang eximed regretfully in her heart.

    ¡°Aunt Cheng, please tell the Empress Dowager that we¡¯ll be there in a minute..¡± she said with a forced smile.

    ¡°Then this handmaiden will go back to the Empress Dowager.¡±

    Old Madam Lu watched Aunt Cheng leave and then turned to Lu Wushuang with sheer satisfaction. ¡°Wang Fei, the Empress Dowager still cherishes you so much. What are you so worried about?¡±

    ¡°Why did grandma say that?¡± Lu Wushuang asked sullenly.

    ¡°If the Empress Dowager doesn¡¯t value you, why would she want to see me? The Empress Dowager gives you honor!¡±

    Despite Old Madam Lu¡¯s effort to brighten up her mood, Lu Wushuang remained sulking. After throwing a bitter smile to the Old Madam, she asked the maids outside to fetch Ye Zhen from the side halls.

    *

    *

    *

    Ye Zhen was currently memorizing the contents of the medical books she readst night in her mind while she leisurely roamed the halls of one of the pce¡¯s temples.

    All of a sudden, she was called back. Are we now going home?

    To her surprise, she was told that the Empress Dowager wanted to see her. Oh heavens! She didn¡¯t know what to make of this news!

    ¡°The Empress Dowager is a kind person, so you don¡¯t need to be afraid. Just answer whatever question she asks of you.¡± Lu Wushuang took a look at Ye Zhen and felt bothered that her third younger sister¡¯s looks were too remarkable and would leave an imprint on the Empress Dowager¡¯s mind whose favor she was currying for a long time now.

    Ye Zhen was a little anxious, not because she was afraid of the Empress Dowager, but she was totally unprepared to meet her so soon.

    Not to mention, she was also uncertain of whether the Empress Dowager still remembers her appearance. If she recognizes that she looks simr with thete Wang Fei, would she suspect her identity?

    Old Madam Lu noticed Ye Zhen¡¯s pale face, so she took her by the hand and whispered, ¡°The Empress Dowager is also a human being and will not eat you.¡±

    For this, Ye Zhen gave a wry smile. ¡°Grandma, I know the truth, but I just can¡¯t help it.¡±

    ¡°Let us go. We must not keep the Empress Dowager waiting.¡± Lu Wushuang smiled faintly, secretly hoping that Lu Yaoyao would be disrespectful in front of the Empress Dowager.

    Without dy, the three proceeded in their short walk towards the Ci Ning pce, the very ce where the Empress Dowager dwelled.

    *

    *

    *

    Ye Zhen lowered her head to cover up the expression disyed on her face.

    In the eyes of others, she was just extremely nervous but in fact, although she felt a little uneasy she did not feel as what everyone thought.

    But instead, she felt a faint excitement upon visiting the Ci Ning pce.

    When she was trapped here, her favorite thing to do was to stay at Ci Ning Pce at night, because it was when the Empress Dowager would chant mantras** for her, feeling sorry for her tragic death and wishing for her soul to have its deserved peace...

    **T/N : Death mantras are chanted to help souls escape the electromaic field of the earth and attain ultimate peace.

    At that time, whenever she listened to the Empress Dowager¡¯s death mantra, she felt her soul in serenefort, as if wandering in a warm ocean.

    For others, many things haven¡¯t happened yet and only Ye Zhen knew that the Empress Dowager had silently recited the death mantra dedicated to her for two years.

    They soon arrived at the Ci Ning pce and Ye Zhen went in with bated breath.

 Chapter 149 - The Chants of the Dowager (2)

    <h4>Chapter 149 ¨C The Chants of the Dowager (2)</h4>

    While Lu Wushuang¡¯s pce was extravagant, the Dowager Empress¡¯ pce looked humble which reflected herself.

    Entering the main hall, the Empress Dowager could be seen sitting peacefully on a seat with an unwavering kind smile etched on her face.

    She was regal and kind.

    When she was still the Wang Fei, Ye Zhen didn¡¯t have many chances to interact with her. In fact, she was seldom seen in the imperial pce grounds.

    The first emperor was always in search for younger women,pletely leaving the Empress Dowager alone in her pce. She lost the favor of the former reigning emperor when she gave birth to the little prince, Mo Rongyi.

    Hence, she lived in her pce in seclusion, and seldom visits the imperial pce to see her husband who was also uninterested in seeing her.

    In truth, Ye Zhen met the Empress Dowager only two or three times on some asions, and they only looked at each other from a distance.

    The only time she sat down with her to talk was when she had just married her son, Mo Rongzhan.

    Ye Zhen quietly looked at the Empress Dowager who was talking to Old Madam Lu. She was still young, in herte 40¡¯s. Her skin was white and ruddy, and her facial features were very delicate. The handsome appearances of Mo Rongzhan and Mo Rongyi were clearly inherited from her.

    Looking at such a gentle andpassionate Empress Dowager, Ye Zhen felt soft in her heart.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t youe to this pce often and have asional chats with this Empress Dowager? Ah! These pce walls are getting dull as time passes by.¡± The Empress Dowager said to Old Madam Lu, her voice full of warmth.

    Old Madam Lu smiled and humbly answered, ¡°I came to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager. We¡¯ve already bothered Aunt Cheng and this madam do not wish to bother Her Highness for the days toe.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t be a nuisance as I almost have nothing to do! Really, you should visit me during your free time, Old Madam Lu.¡±

    While the Empress Dowager and Old Madam Lu exchanged words, Lu Wushuang stayed in silence. It bothered her that until this very moment, the Empress Dowager ignored her presence.

    Much more than she could admit, she had some contempt for the Empress Dowager in her heart. Lu Wushuang always thought that the woman was too weak.

    If it wasn¡¯t for her beauty, how could the first emperor have taken a liking to her? Now that the first emperor was dead, she only had her sons to rely on.

    Really, she couldn¡¯t me others for saying that the widow had it easy. With her son, the Empress Dowager remained in power without having difficulty.

    ¡°Is this the third miss in your family?¡± The Empress Dowager¡¯s eyes fell excitedly on Ye Zhen who was behind Old Madam Lu.

    Ye Zhen raised her head, smiled shyly at her and knelt down. ¡°This miss pays respects to Her Highness, the beautiful Dowager Empress.¡±

    Her heart was without doubt enlivened up for a sweet smile started to form on Ye Zhen¡¯s lips. Since her entrapment as a ghost in the pce, she liked the Empress Dowager and was grateful to her.

    The woman had no arrogance. She was not used to holding such a high position. When the First Emperor was still alive, she was nothing. Even though she had two sons, the First Emperor did not give her a title.

    She had been living in peace for a long time and was suddenly appointed as the Empress Dowager with her son¡¯s usurpation to the dragon throne.

    The Empress Dowager felt that the little girl was really beautiful. She had never seen such a beautiful girl in her pce for so long!

    ¡°Does your Lu family specialize in beauties? Come closer so that this Empress Dowager can see you clearly. This widow has never seen such a pretty girl!¡± The Empress Dowager¡¯s eyes shed with surprise and she asked Ye Zhen toe to her.

    Thest time Ye Zhen saw the Empress Dowager was two years ago, when she was only 13 years old. Hopefully, she had forgotten her former appearance now.

    Even if her twin sister Lu Yaoyao whose body she transmigrated into looked like her, there must be some differences. Not only that, she radiates a different aura now.

    With a thumping heart, Ye Zhen slowly walked towards the Empress Dowager.

 Chapter 150 - A Living Reminder

    <h4>Chapter 150 ¨C A Living Reminder</h4>

    As Ye Zhen came forward, the Empress Dowager stretched out her hand as if to encourage her. She looked carefully at Ye Zhen¡¯s facial features which was bing clearer to her sight as the distance became narrower.

    When Ye Zhen was finally in front of her, the dowager looked at Aunt Cheng in astonishment.

    Aunt Cheng was already in utter shock when she saw Ye Zhen entering Cining Pce. She gently nodded to the Empress Dowager, confirming secretly to the dowager that the rumor was true all this time.

    The Third miss of the Lu family did look very much like the dead Wang Fei of Qin.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name, child?¡± When the Empress Dowager thought of her daughter-inw, she felt sad and spoke softly to Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhen gazed back at the Empress Dowager, who was the only elder that made her feel warmth when she became nothing but a soul trapped inside the imperial pce. Her eyes naturally shone with respect and gratitude.

    ¡°To answer Her Highness, this maiden¡¯s name is Lu Yaoyao.¡±

    Lu Yaoyao. The Empress Dowager nodded with a sad smile¨Cthis girl was indeed another person, she concluded in her mind.

    ¡°What a good name. Did you grow up in the Border town?¡±

    ¡°Yes, has the Empress Dowager ever been to the Border town?¡± Ye Zhen pretended to be ignorant of the dowager¡¯s isting herself in the pce.

    ¡°This widowed Empress Dowager has never visited the Border town but she has heard of it.¡± The Empress Dowager eyes crinkled deeply as she spoke again, ¡°Then what did you use to do in the Border town?¡±

    Lu Wushuang¡¯s face turned green when she saw the dowager¡¯s sheer interest to her third sister. She thought the dowager only wanted to see the Old Madam Lu and Lu Yaoyao, just to ord respect to her, a high-ranking imperial concubine, by epting her family. After a few nice words, she expected the Empress Dowager to let them leave.

    But now she seemed to like Lu Yaoyao very much and in fact, gauging her into conversation! Is it because she saw Lu Yaoyao¡¯s beauty and now she wanted to put her inside the pce?

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t have to look at Lu Wushuang¡¯s face to know how she was feeling at that moment. Instead, she smiled shyly and began to search her memory for traces of Lu Yaoyao¡¯s life.

    ¡°My brother and I liked to catch cicadas during the summers. Mother won¡¯t let me climb trees to catch cicadas so I always slipped out the house. I also remember that we lived next door with a crippled soldier who taught me how to ride a horse. In fact, I rode better than my brother because of him. One time, when my brother took me for a hunt, he lost to me in archery for I hit two hares for the first time.¡±

    The little girl¡¯s sweet and tender voice filled the room, which made people feel better all of a sudden.

    With her honesty and innocent vulnerability, the Empress Dowager liked the little girl all the more, ¡°So, you learned both horse riding and archery in the Border town, what else did you learn?¡±

    Ye Zhen bowed her head, looking somewhat embarrassed. ¡°I did not learn much back in the Border town. Though my mother urged me to learn medicine, I didn¡¯t think it was useful at all until we moved here in the capital. With my grandma¡¯s support and Mister Shan¡¯s teachings, I decided to take the Women¡¯s College exam though I am still not good with my handwriting and etiquette.¡±

    ¡°You are already excellent!¡± The Empress Dowager rubbed Ye Zhen¡¯s head and love overflowed through her eyes. It spoke volumes, the memory of her daughter-inw who perished from this world.

    Unwilling to watch the scene proceed, Lu Wushuang smiled stiffly and intervened. ¡°Yao Yao, why are you saying all this nonsense in front of the Empress Dowager? Her Highness doesn¡¯t need to know that you were once a wild girl in the Border town!¡±

    Yes, in Lu Wushuang¡¯s eyes, Lu Yaoyao was just a wild, ill-bred girl no matter how she looked.

    Despite the thick rouge applied on her face to hide the red dots marring her skin, Ye Zhen could be seen turning pink. ¡°Empress Dowager, when I was in the Border town, I was free, unlike my sisters in the capital. My mother said I was a wild girl.¡±

    The Empress Dowagerughed and took Ye Zhen¡¯s hand as she said to Lu Wushuang, ¡°Wang Fei Lu, your sister is a blessed person. There is nothing wrong with her being a wild girl at all.¡±

    Heaving a sigh of relief, Old Madam Lu was very pleased to see that the Empress Dowager really liked Yao Yao even after Lu Wushuang¡¯s sudden intervention. Indeed, anyone couldn¡¯t help but like her granddaughter.

    Of course, except those who envied her.

    Lu Wushuang reluctantly smiled, ¡°Of course, the Empress Dowager is right.¡±

    ¡°Child, you muste to this pce often to visit this widow!¡± said the Empress Dowager excitedly.

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t like the Imperial Pce, but she liked the Empress Dowager. ¡°Your Highness, I don¡¯t know how to speak properly in your presence. What if I say something wrong?¡±

    The dowager only shook her head andughed softly. ¡°If this widow feeds you more sugar, you will understand how to speak.¡± The dowager said, pertaining to the sweetsid on the table inside the hall.

    ¡°Empress Dowager, my granddaughter is nothingpared to Her Highness but you treat her so gently.¡± Old Madam Lu couldn¡¯t help but say. ¡°Her Highness is so generous.¡±

    ¡°I like such a little girl.¡± She reminds me of someone... The dowager liked to add but stopped herself from doing so.

    She didn¡¯t know if it was because Lu Yaoyao looked like Ye Zhen, or because she spoke vividly and had a sweet voice that made her very fond of the little girl.

    Lu Wushuang curled her mouth in secret, in her heart she felt even more disgust for Lu Yaoyao.

    Old Madam Lu could see the expression on Lu Wushuang¡¯s face who was sitting opposite her, and felt said in her heart that her granddaughter was filled with so much insecurity.

    Just as the dowager and Ye Zhen continued to talk, a woman dressed as a grand pce maid was seening in a hurry.

    Aunt Cheng immediately excused herself and went out to ask the maid-in-waiting what was the matter.

    ¡°Why? Is the little prince making a scene again?¡± The Empress Dowager looked at Aunt Cheng worriedly.

    ¡°Back to the Empress Dowager, it¡¯s the little prince ... he heard that Third Miss Lu is here and

    is now throwing tantrums to make us let him see her. Also, he still refuses to take his medicine.¡± Aunt Cheng gave Ye Zhen a concerned look and whispered to the Empress Dowager.

 Chapter 151 - Lovesickness

    <h4>Chapter 151 ¨C Lovesickness</h4>

    Upon the mention of the little prince, Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes sank slightly. She couldn¡¯t hear Aunt Cheng¡¯s words as she carefully whispered it to the Empress Dowager¡¯s ears, but she suspected that it had something to do with her.

    What is Mo Rongyi up to this time?

    The Empress Dowager shook her head helplessly, ¡°That child!¡± She looked at Ye Zhen and said, ¡°Yao Yao, do you remember the little prince whose life you saved near the Chengde Mountain Vi?¡±

    ¡°Back to the Empress Dowager, this miss remembers the little prince.¡±

    It¡¯s hard to forget.

    ¡°He has been suffering from cold recently and isn¡¯t willing to take the medicine prescribed by the imperial doctor, so he has not recovered. Now he wants to see you again...¡± The Empress Dowager hesitated. She did not wish to cause inconvenience to people by asking them to deal with difficulties, especially the ones caused by her spoiled, younger son,

    ¡°Empress Dowager, let Yao Yao go to the little prince and let her ask him to take his medicine. When Mo Rongyi sees Yao Yao, he might be persuaded.¡± Lu Wushuang, seeing this as an opportunity to get her third sister out of the dowager¡¯s sight, quickly suggested.

    Ye Zhen cast a sideways nce at Old Madam Lu, asking for her opinion.

    Without hesitation, the Madam smiled and nodded, ¡°Yao Yao, please go and greet the little prince.¡±

    ¡°Yes, grandma.¡± Ye Zhen nodded, feeling a little bit annoyed that Mo Rongyi¡¯s stunt cut off her conversation with the dowager.

    That little brat! It must be because Princess Liu Hua did notpensate him of his money that he requests to see me.

    The Empress Dowager lovingly touched Ye Zhen¡¯s head and asked the maid-in-waiting to take her to the little prince.

    Because Mo Rongyi was still young, the Empress Dowager was reluctant to let him live inside the premises of the Imperial pce where a sessor like him was supposed to live, so she continued to let him live in a pce closest to hers.

    Mo Rongzhan did not have a son yet, so Mo Rongyi was the sole prince of the country and his sessor.

    Ye Zhen wasing in when she heard him whining and refusing to take medicine.

    ¡°Little prince, Third Miss Lu is here.¡± The maid-in-waiting walking beside Ye Zhen gave her an embarrassed look and informed Mo Rongyi from outside his door.

    As soon as the door creaked open, Mo Rongyi ran out, ¡°Yao Yao, are you really there?¡±

    Ye Zhen thought that Mo Rongyi was just pretending to be ill but seeing his thin body and his pale, sallow face, she knew right away that she was wrong.

    ¡°Little prince, why don¡¯t you take medicine when you are ill?¡±

    Mo Rongyi¡¯s young, chubby face was full of resentment. Hearing Ye Zhen¡¯s words, he cried out more scandalously, ¡°I am sick! I have a heart disease! No medicine can cure it! ¡±

    ¡°What kind of heart disease do you have? Heart diseases, I believe, are curable with medicine. ¡± Ye Zhen confusedly asked.

    ¡°Lovesickness!¡± Mo Rongyi covered his chest with an agonized look. At this moment, Ye Zhen used all her will to stop herself from sniggering. Has the prince fallen in love with someone who did not return his affections?

    The maid-in-waiting next to him hurriedly cried, ¡°Little prince, how are you feeling? Where did you get this lovesickness from?¡±

    The maid-in-waiting who brought Ye Zhen spoke suddenly , ¡°Third Miss Lu, don¡¯t listen to the little prince¡¯s nonsense. It¡¯s not lovesickness, he just caught a cold.¡±

    Mo Rongyi looked sullenly at the maid then toYe Zhen, ¡°I miss my silvers!¡±

    Aha! I was right all this time!

    The prince really called for her presence because he missed, not someone special, but his silvers which Princess Liu Hua refused to give!

    With a smile, Ye Zhen calmly spoke to the little prince, in hopes of calming him down. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that lovesickness must be treated with love peas**?

    **T/N : Love Pea is a red-bean which is known in China as a symbol of romance. This concept originated from a tragic ancient chinese poem and was in fact, revived by an animated video titled ¡°Lovesickness¡±.

    ¡°Love peas? Will you help me get my money?¡± Mo Rongyi asked brightly.

    ¡°Yes, but you should take love peas first.¡±

    ¡°What can that do?¡± Mo Rongyi asked painfully.

    ¡°Treat lovesickness.¡±

    ¡°Well, you can find it for me. I am not feeling well.¡± The little prince agreed.

    ¡°Miss Lu, isn¡¯t love pea a poison?¡± The maid-in-waiting puffed at the corner of her mouth, thinking to herself that Ye Zhen was a bad influence.

    Mo Rongyi¡¯s face changed. He stared at Ye Zhen and asked, ¡°Do you want to give me poison?¡±

    ¡°Of course not, Your Highness.¡± Ye Zhen stood aside, she was just trying to trick the prince into having him drink his medicine.

    ¡°You all go down, this prince has something to say to Miss Lu.¡± Mo Rongyi waved the others out of his chamber.

    ¡°But Your Highness, you haven¡¯t taken your medicine yet!¡± Cried the maid-in-waiting anxiously.

    Mo Rongyi frowned and crossed his meaty arms, ¡°For the hundredth time, I don¡¯t want to!¡±

    With his order, every maid silently departed his chamber but only after Ye Zhen silently took the medicine from one of the maid¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Princess Liu Hua swallowed up this prince¡¯s twelve thousand silvers!¡± As soon as they were left alone, Mo Rongyi shouted, ¡°Silver matters little, but my reputation matters a lot! How can I save my face!¡±

    ¡°Oh, how pitiful! Lucky for me, I had my brothers take 41,000 taels from her.¡± Ye Zhen smiled smugly.

    For a while, Mo Rongyi pointed to Ye Zhen and could not say a word, realizing that she was mocking him. On the next second, he cried with fervor, ¡°Liu Hua said that this prince bullied her! After being lectured by mother, all the money this prince had bet was lost to Liu Hua! How dare she not pay me?¡±

 Chapter 152 - Life is Not Always a Matter of Choice

    <h4>Chapter 152 ¨C Life is Not Always a Matter of Choice</h4>

    Ye Zhenughed gloatingly, ¡°That little silvers are nothing to you anyway. You and Liu Hua are cousins, you can¡¯t make a fuss out of this, can you?¡±

    What a joke! Mo Rongyi smiled, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Liu Hua will be sent to the pce, Mother wouldn¡¯t have done this to me.¡±

    Princess Liu Hua is going to enter the pce? Ye Zhen smiled, but it was earlier than she knew. In herst life, the Chief Princess, Liu Hua¡¯s mother, had been sending her daughter to the pce but Mo Rongzhan ignored her and it took a year to seal Liu Hua¡¯s position as his wife at the request of the Empress Dowager.

    Mo Rongyi continued to cry, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I just want my silvers back!¡±

    Ye Zhen handed him the medicine in her hand. ¡°If you drink this, I¡¯ll teach you a way to get your silvers.¡±

    ¡°What way?¡± Mo Rongyi immediately asked.

    ¡°Drink this medicine first.¡± Ye Zhen said, motioning him to take the medicine in her hand.

    ¡°Is that the love pea?¡± Innocent Mo Rongyi asked with a bitter face, ¡°In fact, I¡¯m not ill. If I really have a cold, I would have been well after taking several different medicine for a few days. Why do I still feel sick all over?¡±

    Ye Zhen saw that he was pale and looked really sick. She pointed to the drum stool beside him and said, ¡°Sit down over there and I¡¯ll check your pulse.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Mo Rongyi burst outughing, ¡°How long have you been studying medicine? Imperial physicians haven¡¯t even cured me of my illness, so what can you, a young girl, do?¡±

    ¡°Well, I should still give medicine to a dead horse**.¡±

    **T/N : Give medicine to a dead horse is a chinese idiom that means trying everything in desperate situations.

    Because she read medical books and records often, she could clearly remember in her mind several treatment methods to corresponding conditions.

    Other people strives to study medicine to practice the profession to save the many, but she was different. She yearned to use it as her key to the imperial pce. She had never thought about bing a great doctor, not even dreamed of it...

    They say life is a matter of choice, but sometimes it is not.

    Yet, surely, the miraculous liquid gifted to her was meant for good. She could help thousands with it, a really powerful ability.

    Mo Rongyi¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Do you regard me as a dead horse then?¡± The prince had no clue and looked at Ye Zhen with his brows scrunched up.

    ¡°It was just a metaphor. Who knows? Maybe you can be cured by good luck.¡±

    If she wants to enter the pce in the future, she must find several powerful people and make good rtions with them. The Empress Dowager and the little prince are the people she wants to make good friends with.

    ¡°This prince shoud better take some medicine now.¡± Mo Rongyi gave her a disgruntled look, took the medicine from her hand and drank it slowly then wiped his mouth clean, ¡°Alright, tell me quickly, how can make Liu Hua return my silvers to me?¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes shed a sly smile before she said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s very simple. let someone tell Princess Liu Hua that you don¡¯t want your silvers back and have decided to give it to her as a dowry.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Mo Rongyi looked at Ye Zhen with his eyebrows raised. He did not believe that this would make Princess Liu Hua to voluntarily return his silvers.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Princess Liu Hua will enter the pce? She will be an imperial concubine upon marrying your brother, the Emperor and therefore, will be your sister-inw. What kind of sister-inw would ask her brother-inw for her dowry? If this rumor spreads out, she will be forced to give back your silvers to save her reputation.¡±

    Mo Rongyi¡¯s eyes brightened realizing that Ye Zhen had made a point, ¡°That seems to be quite feasible.¡±

    ¡°If it this doesn¡¯t work, there is only one reason. Princess Liu Hua already lost her face.¡± Ye Zhen said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to take the message immediately.¡± Mo Rongyi was in high spirits and turned to Ye Zhen and said, ¡°I suddenly feel that my sickness haspletely disappeared. Maybe I will be better tomorrow.¡±

    Mo Rongyi coughed, his little body quivered for a little.

    Ye Zhen raised her eyebrows. ¡°Well, it was my idea that made you feel better just now. But you are still not well, I can tell.¡±

    Once again, the little princeughed at her, ¡°How can you say so? You are only a little girl.¡±

    Little girl? Ye Zhen smiled with mirth, ¡°Little prince, I seem to be several years older than you. Don¡¯t you feel guilty when you call me little girl?¡±

    ¡°Why should this prince be guilty?¡± Mo Rongyi said stubbornly.

    ¡°Why not? I have given you a feasible solution to your problem. Shouldn¡¯t you repay me?¡±

    ¡°What reward do you want?¡± Mo Rongyi asked, raising his chin.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to the Women¡¯s College tomorrow but I still have not had a patient before. But if you let me feel your pulse now, you would be the first!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not easy,e on!¡± Mo Rongyi protested while he start to drag himself to sit towards the stool near Ye Zhen who afterwards, immediately reached for his wrist.

    Little did they know that for some time now, a person was quietly eavesdropping outside and is now retreating, his steps determined to reach the Emperor¡¯s study...

 Chapter 153 - Tumor

    <h4>Chapter 153 ¨C Tumor</h4>

    Mo Rongzhan was talking with his cab ministers in the imperial study, their discussion surrounding Lu Lingzhi¡¯s expedition to Long Yang to suppress Prince Qiu Liu¡¯s forces.

    Prince Qiu Liu was a sovereign prince of the country. Because he gave the First Emperor a stunning beauty, the fatuous Emperor granted him the title of a prince as a form of his gratitude. As soon as the First Emperor died, Prince Qiu Liu was quick to take his ce but was usurped by Mo Rongzhan after only half a year of his reign.

    No doubt, he held a great grudge towards the reigning Emperor and had even raised a rebellion a month ago. ording to the scouts, he had already taken three cities.

    ¡°Your Majesty the Emperor, War Minister Lu once went to battle with you. There¡¯s no doubt that he is brave and good at fighting. It¡¯s just now that he is wounded; I¡¯m afraid that he can¡¯t lead the troops to suppress the rebellion.¡± Prime Minister Xu frowned, expressing his dislike about Lu Lingzhi participating in the war. Hearing other people¡¯s proposals saying Lu Lingzhi be sent off to war immediately, he naturally objected.

    ¡°Your Majesty, as far as I know, the injury of the minister is much better now. He won¡¯t have a problem to lead troops to battle.¡± Another cab minister, Liu Zongyuan, spoke in a heavy voice.

    Lu Lingzhi and Tang Zhen represent the forces of the new noble families in the capital, and Prime Minister Xu represents the dignity of the old aristocratic families. However, everyone knows that the Emperor had no favorable impression for those hundred-year-old noble families.

    In the desire to please the Emperor, Liu Zongyuan supported new noble families who had gained power by helping the Emperor during his seize of the dragon throne. Therefore, he convinced everyone that Lu Lingzhi¡¯s injury was not at all a hindrance in his participation in the war.

    Several cab ministers argued with each other but Mo Rongzhan remained silent. He didn¡¯t speak a word, not until the disagreement took up to a dangerous notch.

    ¡°Since Lu Lingzhi¡¯s injuries are almost healed, let him lead troops to the war. As for other generals... I have other ns.¡± He uttered, breaking the rising uproars of opposing ministers.

    ¡°But Emperor...¡± Prime Minister Xu said, still unwilling to give up his fight.

    The rest of his words were not heard for Mo Rongzhan¡¯s gaze lifted, making everyone seemed to have lost their tongues.

    Ever since he came to absolute power, no one ever thought that he would have such strong governance¡ªintimidating even his ministers. The imposing manner of awe and majesty has kept them all from daring to be impudent towards him.

    Not long after, Ford came in from the outside, ¡°Your Majesty, the prince had taken his medicine...Only, it was with the help of someone...¡±

    *

    *

    *

    Ford bowed respectfully and told Mo Rongzhan what Fu Ping had just heard from the prince¡¯s chamber.

    Mo Rongzhan smiled faintly and looked at a group of old men discussing onest time. He felt bored already. ¡°Apany me to my brother.¡±

    Since he knew Lu Wushuang was not the little girl who saved him, he had lost his love for her. If not for the fact that she had been by his side all these years and worked hard to fight with him, he wouldn¡¯t even want to see her.

    He knew Lu Wushuang had already sensed his coldness, and by this, he ordered several men to watch her every move. Upon hearing that she requested Lu Yaoyao to visit her in her pce, Mo Rongzhan suspected that Lu Wushuang was showing off her cousin, determined to marry her off to any officials inside the imperial pce.

    His eyes darkened. From what he heard from Ford, Lu Yaoyao was currently inside the prince¡¯s chamber!

    Is this charming looking girl as vicious and lecherous as Lu Wushuang?

    Ye Zhen, who was still in the prince¡¯s chamber, did not know that Mo Rongzhan wasing her way. She had a tight frown on her face; her hands were still on Mo Rongyi¡¯s pulse.

    ¡°The imperial doctor said that you have a cold. Did he mention other problems?¡± Feeling his pulse, Ye Zhen suspected that the prince¡¯s condition was a lot more concerning than a cold.

    Mo Rongyi held his chest and said, ¡°It¡¯s just heart disease. knowing Liu Hua won¡¯t give me money, my whole body hurts!¡±

    ¡°...¡± Ye Zhen gave him a meaningful look. His pulse felt rough, like a knife scraping against a surface, sluggish and unsmooth. What was even more rming was that it was weak.

    Ye Zhen also noticed that he was always covering his chest, which shows that he was suffering from abdominal pain. In her mind, Ye Zhen immediately came up with various treatment methods for his sickness, including his pulse condition and response, all of which appeared in her mind.

    These were all written in the medical cases she had read before. However, she felt Mo Rongyi might not believe her.

    ¡°Little Prince, the medical doctor who tended to you, who is he?¡± Ye Zhen asked in a low voice. Howe the imperial doctor didn¡¯t notice these?

    ¡°This prince doesn¡¯t know. The imperial doctors who used to treat me have other things to do, so Liu Guifei called another imperial doctor to see me. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Mo Rongyi asked absentmindedly, still thinking of the silvers Liu Hua would have to give him.

    The silver represented his face.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask another imperial doctor to take your pulse?¡±

    ¡°If you can¡¯t see what¡¯s wrong with this prince, then let it be. You are not a doctor anyway¡± Mo Rongyi¡¯s young face was beaming with pride.

    ¡°I am not blind, and I do not know whether you believe me or not.¡± Ye Zhen red at him. ¡°You always feel pain here and there. Heart disease is not like this.¡±

    Filled with confusion, the innocent face of the prince gazed back at Ye Zhen, his mouth puckered.

    ¡°Little prince, you may have an abdominal tumor.¡±

 Chapter 154 - On a Narrow Road

    <h4>Chapter 154 ¨C On a Narrow Road</h4>

    ¡°Nonsense!¡± Mo Rongyi snorted, making his disbelief clear.

    ¡°Press your stomach and feel if there are any lumps.¡± Ye Zhen pointed to Mo Rongyi¡¯s stomach.

    With hesitation, Mo Rongyi did what she instructed and pressed his stomach gently. It seemed that...there were indeed hard lumps as small as unrefined grain salts.

    His mouth formed into a grimace¨Cit was excruciating!

    ¡°You still won¡¯t believe me?¡±

    ¡°Maybe it was a coincidence.¡± Mo Rongyi said firmly.

    ¡°Then I won¡¯t disturb you anymore.¡± Ye Zhen motioned with his hand, ¡°You have taken all your medicines. I have to go to the Empress Dowager to say goodbye. If you¡¯ll excuse me, Your Highness.¡±

    Mo Rongyi cradled his stomach unconsciously and waved his hand. ¡°You can go.¡±

    Ye Zhen originally wanted to give him a medicine she had developed. Although the pill was only for strengthening the body, she added a drop of miraculous liquid to it. Although it may not cure his disease, it can at least relieve his pain before he would be prescribed the right medicine.

    Yet, the little prince was too stubborn. Even if she gave him her concocted medicine, he surely wouldn¡¯t take it. It would just be a waste.

    When Ye Zhen left the prince¡¯s residence, Mo Rongyi also readied himself to go outside to seek his cousin Liu Hua and trick her into giving him his silvers back just as Ye Zhen had told him to.

    Suddenly, his eunuch Fu Ping came barging in his room, ¡°Little prince, the Chief Princess and her daughter, Liu Hua, have entered the imperial pce.¡±

    Mo Rongyi¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°They are going to Cining Pce now. When I saw them, I quickly came here to tell you.¡± Fu Ping proudly smiled.

    ¡°Just in time! This prince is looking for Liu Hua.¡± Mo Rongyiughed until another thought entered his mind. He then faced Fu Ping with a look of trepidation.

    Miss Lu had just left! She won¡¯t meet them, right?

    If they saw Lu Yaoyao, the two might do something to her. Ye Zhen was heading back to the Cining pce where Chief Princess and Liu Hua are visiting.

    ¡°Quick, stop Miss Lu Yaoyao!¡± Mo Rongyi cried and had already marched out.

    *

    *

    *

    As a famous idiom says, enemies linger mostly on a narrow road.

    Ye Zhen did not expect to meet Chief Princess and Liu Hua in the pce¡ªthe mother and daughter she seldom dealt with in her previous life.

    Rumors said that Chief Princess was arrogant and overbearing. Because she had helped the Emperor in his usurpation and therefore, urges for her daughter to be his concubine, she thought highly of herself, so high that she ignores even the Empress Dowager herself.

    If she doesn¡¯t bat an eye to the Empress Dowager, why would she pay attention to Lu Yaoyao, a nobody, right?

    When Ye Zhen saw them, it was toote to go back on her steps. In a fury, she mes herself for thinking too much of the prince¡¯s disease and, therefore, not noticing the pair whose backs were facing her.

    Princess Liu Hua, informed by her maid-in-waiting, already knew Ye Zhen was behind her. Intentionally, she abruptly stopped in her steps when she felt Ye Zhen was near. Then, she suddenly dropped to the ground as if someone pushed her and pointed Ye Zhen usingly.

    ¡°Have you got no eyes, cheap maidservant? How dare you hit this princess?¡±

    ¡°Princess, I didn¡¯t even touch you.¡±

    Ye Zhen sneered in her mind. When she saw Liu Hua here, she knew there would be trouble, but she didn¡¯t expect Liu Hua would go through this childish mean and frame her.

    ¡°Are you Lu Yaoyao?¡± The regal woman in a purple gown looked at Ye Zhen haughtily and asked her in a cold and proud voice.

    Ye Zhen recognized the woman as the Chief Princess at a nce¨CPrincess Liu Hua¡¯s eyebrow looked exactly like hers.

    ¡°To answer the Chief Princess, this miss who stands in front of her is indeed named as Lu Yaoyao.¡± Ye Zhen bowed her head.

    ¡°As expected, she looks like a fox. ¡°The Chief Princess chuckled. ¡°Did you coax the little prince to make a bet for you?¡± She looked at Ye Zhen coldly and made it clear that she would not spare her today.

    Despite the apparent mocking and insult, Ye Zhen answered politely. ¡°Chief Princess, since ancient times, any woman who is called a fox is the one who will overthrow the country and ruin it. miss has no such ambition.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and with sharp tongue also.¡± With a sneer, the Chief Princess ordered the maids next to her, ¡°Take her down to our pce. Today our pce will teach her a lesson that will serve as a reminder to the Lu family.¡± The Chief Princess said arrogantly, referring to the Cining pce looming over them.

    Princess Liu Hua stood beside her mother with an equally proud face. ¡°Mother, if this cheap maidservant dares to hit me on the ground and talks back at you, she deserves to be killed.¡±

 Chapter 155 - In the Arms of a Dark Shadow

    <b>Chapter 155 ¨C In the Arms of a Dark Shadow</b>

    Even though two maids gripped her hands, Ye Zhen¡¯s face did not show any fear. ¡°Under the clear sky, it was so easy for the Chief Princess to kill the daughter of a court official in her pce. I have never thought that Cining Pce is hers to execute punishment within its walls.¡±

    Even if her identity was nowhere near as noble as theirs, Lu Shiming was still a court official, and the Lu family had just entered nobility. Now, how could the Chief Princess kill her?

    ¡°I would first have a look at this pce, then have you beaten to death inside. What can your Lu family do to save you, little fox?¡±

    Chief Princess looked lowly at the Lu family, who were former imperial merchants. In her eyes, even if Lu Lingzhi was now a minister, he was still nothing.

    ¡°Then try it.¡± Ye Zhen¡¯s bright ck eyes stared straight at the Chief Princess. The cold in her eyes shocked all the people around her.

    Clearly, she was only a daughter of a businessman and had a humble background but, never did they expect that she would have such a noble air that made her look more dignified than the Chief Princess herself.

    Liu Hua red at Ye Zhen. Seeing that she looked more beautiful today than she saw in the college, she thought she was deliberately dressed like this to seduce the Emperor.

    The Lu family is full of shameless women!

    ¡°How dare you challenge this princess?¡± Liu Hua raised her hand to p Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Mo Rongyi saw the scene from afar and immediately shouted.

    Liu Hua did not spare a look at Mo Rongyi, her hand surged up mid-air and was about to hit Ye Zhen¡¯s delicate face when suddenly her arm was grabbed in a tight grip.

    Before she knew it, Ye Zhen seized her arm and smiled at her. ¡°Even if you are a princess, you have to have a reason to hit someone. We both know that I didn¡¯t knock you over but instead, it was all your doing. Are you angry because you lost an amount of silvers to me? Then find a legitimate reason to get back at me.¡±

    ¡°You ...¡± Liu Hua was livid with anger and shouted at the two maids behind Ye Zhen, ¡°Who told you to let go?!¡±

    When the twodies-in-waiting saw Mo Rongyiing, they had already loosened their hold on Ye Zhen¡¯s arm in panic. Otherwise, Liu Hua would have pped Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Liu Hua, what are you doing? Do you dare beat people in my mother¡¯s pce?¡± Mo Rongyi came running gasping for air. He pushed Liu Hua aside and checked on Ye Zhen.

    In no time, Liu Hua¡¯s tall physique, which stood in front of Ye Zhen, was pushed aside softly, reced by the little prince¡¯s handsome and immature face brimming with annoyance.

    ¡°Little prince, what are you doing here? This Lu Yaoyao is just using you, and you believe her.¡±The Chief Princess frowned and said.

    Mo Rongyi grinned and refused to answer the question. instead, he decided to take action of his n, ¡°Chief Princess, my humble greetings.¡± He saluted then turned to Liu Hua, ¡°And to you too, my cousin Liu Hua! I have good news for you!¡±

    Crossing her arms, Princess Liu Hua snorted and looked at the little prince with indifference. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°This prince will not let his people ask you for his silvers again! Although you instigated a gamble which this prince had won, I don¡¯t care about the silvers anymore. Dear cousin, aren¡¯t you going to enter the pce? I will leave the 22,000 silvers to you as your dowry. so, you don¡¯t have to give it back to me.¡±

    Liu Hua took long to respond, but the Chief Princess had already turned green with anger and shame. ¡°Little prince, Liu Hua doesn¡¯t need your money as a dowry.¡±

    Mo Rongyi¡¯s brain was already turning fast and was able to draw sentences that would further shame the two. Hearing the Chief Princess¡¯ words, he smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s alright, this prince doesn¡¯t care about the 22,000 yuan. He wishes to give it to his cousin, who will be his sister-inw soon.¡±

    Who sister-inw will take her brother-inw¡¯s silver as dowry? The Chief Princess thought grumpily in her heart. Her eyes looked coldly at no one but Ye Zhen. It must be this girl who taught the little prince to say these things!

    She winked at the maid-in-waiting next to Ye Zhen. No matter what happens, she would not let her go unscathed today.

    Liu Hua has recognized the meaning of Mo Rongyi¡¯s words and stamped her feet and cried, ¡°I don¡¯t want your money; I¡¯ll give it back to you when I get home!¡±

    The corners of Mo Rongyi¡¯s mouth rose uncontrobly. ¡°Cousin, why are you being so polite now? This prince did not ask for the silvers.¡±

    Ye Zhen shook her head with amusement. This little prince is really cunning.

    Suddenly, the maid-in-waiting standing to Ye Zhen¡¯s left gave her a hard bump. Ye Zhen staggered back a few steps and found herself stepping on an empty space. She could not help but exim aloud, ¡°Ah!!!¡±

    They were all standing beside a lotus pond. The maid-in-waiting hit Ye Zhen so hard that she lost her bnce. When she was about to fall into the lotus pond, a dark shadow appeared in a sh...

 Chapter 156 - How Could it be Him

    <b>Chapter 156 ¨C How Could it be Him?</b>

    In a blink of an eye, the dark shadow saved Ye Zhen from falling; strong arms held her back by her waist and whirled her around to safety without difficulty.

    Initially, she was sure that she was going to fall into the pond. Whether she would drown or not was the second thing that came to her mind. With Mo Rongyi around, his people would surely save her and pull her out of the water, but she could not bear losing face here.

    Once she falls into the water, her maiden name would be tainted, and the humiliation would hinder her from entering the pce to be a female medical doctor.

    For this, she felt intense anger towards the Chief Princess and her daughter, Liu Hua, for the first time.

    She didn¡¯t want to provoke them nor cause any trouble with them. Yet, they refused to let her go in peace since the moment theyid their eyes on her!

    What¡¯s more, she saw it all¡ªthe meaningful wink of the Chief Princess to her maids-in-waiting. Just vicious and cruel.

    From the moment she felt the maid shove her, she didn¡¯t expect anyone to save her¡ªher and her reputation.

    In that brief moment, she thought several times about what to do if she indeed fell into the water so as not to damage her maiden name. Fortunately, strong hands held her firmly.

    ¡°Thank you ...¡± She felt her feet touched the ground and her frame steadied. With a happy heart, she looked up to thank the person who saved her.

    Sharp eyes hovered over her, knife-shaped eyebrows lifted and thin lips slightly pressed. The man was donned in a ck embroidered golden dragon uniform with his neckline and cuffs embroidered with a dark golden auspicious pattern, making him look more powerful if possible.

    However, the coldness in his gaze eyes and inherent domineering aura hindered anyone to dare to make a sound.

    How could it be him?

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s hands were still on her waist as he looked down at her with seemingly confused face.

    In shock, Ye Zhen pushed him away without thinking and stepped back a few steps. The resistance and disgust in her eyes was noticeable.

    ¡°Brother.¡± Mo Rongyi looked delighted, but his voice sounded timid. He had always been afraid of his elder brother. At this moment, even him was too scared to speak.

    Chief Princess was clearly disappointed by the sudden appearance of the Emperor, but she still forced herself to bow before him. ¡°Your Highness...¡±

    Her daughter also gave salute to the Emperor, only it was quite different. Liu Hua looked at Mo Rongzhan with a coquettish and happy face, and stepped closer to him.

    ¡°Cousin Emperor, why are you here?¡± she asked, fluttering hershes towards him.

    Instead of answering, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s cold eyes fell lightly on Ye Zhen. Seeing that she hung her head down, he spoke in a heavy voice, ¡°Raise your head.¡±

    Is he talking to me? Ye Zhen was shocked. Her hand, clenched in a fist, remained hidden in her sleeves. Slowly, she raised her head and quickly, bowed down on her knees.

    ¡°This miss thanks His Highness for saving her life.¡±

    When he met her in the Chengde Mountain Vi, the little girl looked a little different. Mo Rongzhan scrutinized her for a moment, then turned his head and nced at the others. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, this miss bumped on me and refused to admit her mistake with strong arguments.¡± Liu Hua stared at Ye Zhen¡¯s beautiful face, envious in her heart. For fearing that she would attract the Emperor, she immediately went to his side and cried out with injustice.

    Mo Rongyi came to Ye Zhen¡¯s defense. ¡°You fell yourself! Where exactly did Yao Yao hit you?¡±

    By then, a venomous voice contradicted the little prince. The Chief princess spoke, the hatred in her eyes evident.

    ¡°My sweet little prince, did you see Liu Hua fall on her own? We all know that you are inclined to help your friend Lu Yaoyao. Do not tell lies.¡±

    ¡°You...¡± Mo Rongyi¡¯s face turned red with anger. The Chief princess was his aunt. however, she despised them. He still remembered the first time he and his mother, the Empress Dowager, saw her. At that time, the Empress Dowager wanted to greet the Chief princess, yet, she ignored them in front of many people, saying that her mother was too low in status to speak to her.

    ¡°You should not be even standing before me! How dare!¡±

    Mo Rongyi remembered that scene very clearly like it happened just yesterday. That year, his brother had just left capital for an expedition, and his father no longer doted on his mother, who was the without a title.

    They did not have a good time in the pce. Although he was very young, he remembered clearly the look on the Chief Princess¡¯ face at that time.

    Now, his brother is already the most honorable person in Jin country. Why does the Chief princess still dare to show an arrogant attitude in front of them?

    He gritted his teeth, stared at princess royal and said, ¡°What if this prince wants to help Lu Yaoyao? She is my friend. If I should not help her, should I help you instead?¡±

    ¡°You are impudent!¡± The Chief Princess shouted louder than she¡¯d expected, ¡°How dare you talk to me like this!¡±

    ¡°Then tell me, aunt, how should I talk to you? Or do you think that this prince is not even qualified to stand before you?¡± Mo Rongyi¡¯s young face was full of resentment.

 Chapter 157 - Do you Call Me a Scoundrel? (1)

    <b>Chapter 157 ¨C Do you Call Me a Scoundrel? (1)</b>

    Ye Zhen looked at Mo Rongyi with imminent surprise. She didn¡¯t expect the little prince to stand up for her like this.

    The Chief Princess thought Mo Rongyi was just like her mother, timid and cowardly. The two never existed for her, not until now. Never did she expect that she¡¯d be in this position, Mo Rongyi giving her a question she couldn¡¯t answer.

    And for the first time, in an argument, she was the one who became silent.

    In one stride, Mo Rongzhan reached his little brother. He looked down, the difference in height was significant, and told Mo Rongyi, ¡°Aren¡¯t you still ill? Why are you outside?¡±

    ¡°Brother, I better head back.¡± When Mo Rongyi saw his brother before him, his ire immediately subsided.

    ¡°Did you take the medicine prescribed by the imperial doctor? You still look unwell.¡± Mo Rongzhan spoke in an unhappy tone.

    Recognizing his brother¡¯s disappointment, ¡°Yes, brother, I have taken my medicine obediently.¡± He nodded his head vigorously.

    ¡°Go back to the prince¡¯s pce.¡± Mo Rongzhan gave him a look and asked the eunuch next to him to apany Mo Rongyi back. Then he looked back at the Chief princess and said, ¡°Chief princess, Yi is still young and doesn¡¯t understand everything, so don¡¯t dispute with him.¡±

    The Chief princess still had a high status today, not only because of her dominion but also because of her understanding of current affairs and political vision. Two years ago, she felt that even if Prince Qiu Liu sessfully ascended the throne, he would not be able to sit for long. Therefore, she secretly helped Mo Rongzhan in his usurpation.

    Otherwise, she would have had be like other ns today, under house arrest in their own mansions.

    ¡°What the Emperor said is true; the little prince is no more but a child. However, Lu Yaoyao did disrespect me just now. The girl simply doesn¡¯t know the right etiquette. Your Highness, let our pce teach her a lesson.

    ¡°Chief princess, the Empress Dowager likes this girl very much. If you want to deal with her, you should ask the Empress Dowager first...¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s dark eyes glistened. ¡°I saw just now that Lu Yaoyao never collided with Liu Hua, and what she said to Chief princess is not rude.¡±

    Seeing that she already lost the fight, the Chief princess grimly said, ¡°In that case ... then I won¡¯t dispute with a little girl any longer. Liu Hua, the Empress Dowager is still waiting for us. Hurry!¡±

    Liu Hua couldn¡¯t believe what just happened. Why did he help Lu Yaoyao to speak? Does he not know that Lu Yaoyao humiliated her?

    She pursed her mouth and marched towards Mo Rongzhan, ¡°Cousin Emperor, how could you help her? Is it because she is Lu Wushuang¡¯s sister that you speak for her?¡±

    He gave Liu Hua an indifferent look. ¡°Princess Liu Hua, why would I not?¡±

    ¡°Cousin Emperor...¡± Liu Hua whispered to him, hoping to get some pity from him.

    But before she knew it, her mother came forward and fetched her hand before reluctantly smiling, ¡°Your Majesty, we must leave first.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan nodded, dismissing them.

    The Chief princess took away the reluctant and very disappointed Liu Hua. The maid who knocked Ye Zhen away still knelt on the ground, her legs trembling. Seeing that the Emperor had no intention to punish her, she hurried away to the direction the Chief princess and Liu Hua went.

    Ye Zhen nced at them with cold eyes. This is the difference between someone of her status and people like the Chief princess. Even if she was bullied, Ye Zhen could only assume that nothing had happened.

    ¡°Unsatisfied?¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s low voice came overhead of her. Noticing her unmistakable fury, he asked.

    She gasped, she almost forgot that Mo Rongzhan was still beside her! ¡°This minister¡¯s daughter is grateful to His Highness.¡±

    ¡°Why did you go to the prince¡¯s ce?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked tly, looking at her face with sunken eyes.

    ¡°The little prince refused to take medicine, so the Empress Dowager asked this miss to persuade him.¡± Ye Zhen still kept her head down, not sparing the Emperor a look.

    Including the two years when she became a soul trapped in the pce, she loved him for eight years, hated him for two years, and for ten years in summation, they never said a word to each other, except when they first met in the woods.

    Everytime she sees him, the hatred in her heart devours her.

    But Ye Zhen did not want to hate him. She hoped that in the sight of him, she would feel nothing.

    Only in this way could she truly be freed. Freed from him and all the sorrows he caused her.

    His face always reminded her of her past¨Cher whole-hearted infatuation and love for him which were all unreturned. Involuntarily, looking back at her previous life, she felt pitiful and ridiculous to herself.

    Ye Zhen, who was determined to fight against the entire Ye family because of her love, Ye Zhen, who sadly hid in the quilt and wept quietly because of missing him, Ye Zhen, who hoped for his safe return from the war.

    But in the end, for him, she was a no one.

    Mo Rongzhan only knew that Ye Zhen went to Mo Rongyi, but he did not know that his mother had asked her personally to go, ¡°Did you ask the little prince to make Liu Hua give back his silvers?¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyebrows naturally crossed, she looked defensive. ¡°Back to the Emperor, this minister¡¯s daughter only gave a suggestion to the little prince.¡±

    To her utter surprise, Mo Rongzhan snorted softly, which was entirely out of his character. ¡°You¡¯re making him incur hatred towards the Chief princess.¡±

    ¡°This minister¡¯s daughter thinks that the Chief princess won¡¯t care about the silvers.¡± Ye Zhen replied, thinking that the Chief princess was too petty to even intervene.

    ¡°What did you see when you visited the little prince?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked again.

    Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t help but wonder in her heart; how could everything she did and said to Mo Rongyi have reached this man¡¯s ears? Maybe he sent someone to spy on them?

    ¡°There is nothing in this pce that I do not know.¡± Mo Rongzhan could not see her expression and could guess what she was thinking.

    ¡°This minister¡¯s daughter didn¡¯t see anything.¡± Ye Zhen firmly denied.

    ¡°Really?¡± Mo Rongzhan looked at her lightly. ¡°Since you can persuade him to take medicine and knows what kind of disease he has, then you can probably treat the little prince.¡±

    Ye Zhen finally raised her head in dismay. ¡®Are you crazy?¡¯ She almost blurted out.

 Chapter 158 - Do you Call Me a Scoundrel? (2)

    <strong>Chapter 158 ¨C Do you Call Me a Scoundrel? (2)</strong>

    ¡°Your Majesty, this minister¡¯s daughter is only an apprentice, and would still enter the medical school tomorrow.¡±

    Let her treat the little prince?<i> Is he kidding me?</i>

    ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work out, you don¡¯t have to go to the medical school.¡± Mo Rongzhan had a smile on the corner of his mouth and gazed down at Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes, which were full of anger.

    Since he appeared, the little girl had kept her head down and did not dare to look at him. If she had not seen her before, he would have thought she was only timid and shy.

    But, why does he feel like the girl despises him and abhors his very presence instead?

    Now, because of his cruel words, she looked up at him, therefore, exposing her face.

    Her clear ck eyes shone with anger and confusion. Today, he found out that her eyes were bright and vivid, and was very expressive.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do you feel like I am bullying you? ¡°

    Although she didn¡¯t speak, her eyes revealed her feelings. Mo Rongzhan found that he could tell what she wanted to say through her eyes. This was very interesting.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s face showed a dignified and appropriate smile. She answered, unfazed by his mocking, ¡°The Emperor is the son of heaven. How can he bully a weak woman? Only a scoundrel would do such a thing.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°Do you call me a scoundrel?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡± Ye Zhen looked ahead and answered calmly.

    ¡°Your heart doesn¡¯t think so?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked in a low voice. He suddenly remembered the scene he saw that night by the hot spring pool. The young girl¡¯s graceful and beautiful body leaped into the water like a mermaid. His eyes squinted slightly and looked at Ye Zhen thoughtfully.

    With no trace of fear, Ye Zhen looked at him in the eye while saying, ¡°Does the emperor have to care what other people think?¡±

    It is simply baffling! She didn¡¯t know before that Mo Rongzhan had such a shameless side.

    Mo Rongzhan recognized Ye Zhen¡¯s welling anger towards his taunts and couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Just because I asked you to cure the little prince, you are already livid?¡±

    ¡°I have noints.¡± She would be foolish to admit that she hadints in front of the Emperor.

    ¡°Since you can cure Minister Lu Lungzhi¡¯s leg injury in a short period of time, can you treat the disease of the little prince?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked her sincerely this time.

    ¡°What if it doesn¡¯t work?¡±

    ¡°Then, I will punish you.¡± Mo Rongzhan said simply, in his usual apathetic manner.

    There was no doubt that he was challenging her. Ye Zhen stared at Mo Rongzhan, who was far from what she knew before. She thought he would not bother to embarrass a woman like her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you ept?¡± The girl before him blushed with anger but refused to say a word. If she lowered her head and begged for mercy, he might not be interested in teasing her anymore. Yet, this wasn¡¯t the case.

    She looked stubbornly at him and didn¡¯t cower even for a little.

    The more he saw her refusing to bow, the more he wanted to test her limits.

    Ye Zhen smiled patiently, ¡°Thank you very much for your respect. This minister¡¯s daughter will do her best to cure the little prince.¡±

    She actually agreed? Mo Rongzhan pressed his lips tightly.

    When he met her in the Chengde Mountain Vi, he thought she was deliberately trying to attract his attention. Later he found out that she was not like other women, whoy traps for him desperately.

    Instead, Lu Yaoyao was intentionally avoiding him like gue. She was, without a doubt, very different from Lu Wushuang.

    Mo Rongzhan could not tell whether he looked at her differently because of her beautiful appearance or because she was also nicknamed Yao Yao. However, he knew very well that as long as Lu Wushuang was still a high-ranking imperial concubine, he would never let another Lu woman into the pce again.

    Only, Ye Zhen seemed to have exceeded his expectations.

    Lu Yaoyao was admitted to the medical center. ording to the rule of the Women¡¯s College, the pce would select two women from the medical center every year to be female medical doctors in the imperial pce.

    <i>Will she be chosen to enter the pce in the future?</i>

    Upon this thought, Mo Rongzhan somehow felt strange about himself. Why does he care anyway?

    Apart from her mother and the little girl he met in the woods when he was still a blind teenager, he never cared about any woman except Lu Wushuang, whom he would not even let into the pce if she didn¡¯t fake her identity.

 Chapter 159 - When a Woman Gets Jealous (1)

    <strong>Chapter 159 ¨C When a Woman Gets Jealous (1)</strong>

    <i>Cining pce</i>

    After Ye Zhen left, Lu Wushuang talked to the Empress Dowager earnestly, hoping to earn her affection. However, after a while, the Chief princess and Liu Hua requested an audience.

    With the sudden intrusion, Lu Wushuang¡¯s smile froze, and she turned to look at the Empress Dowager with a grim face. The Empress Dowager did not seem to notice her disdain, for she dly invited the unexpected guests toe in.

    The Chief princess had just been enraged by Ye Zhen, so when she came to Cining Pce and saw the Lu family, her dissatisfaction heightened. She made a hasty salute to the Empress Dowager, which is deemed disrespectful.

    On the other hand, unlike her mother, Liu Hua bowed before the Empress Dowager. She knew that she would rely on her when she entered the pce as a concubine. Hence, as early as now, she had to get her approval.

    Still, no matter how they hide it, their faces showed their unhappiness. For this, the Empress Dowager felt suspicious.

    ¡°Chief princess, please sit down. There is no need for formality in this pce.¡±

    Old Madam Lu stood up and gave the guests a sincere salute, but this act was returned with a sneer.

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand the presence of the Lu family.¡± The Chief princessined without holding back.

    The Empress Dowager frowned and said, ¡°Chief princess, what¡¯s the matter with you? Old Madam Lu has not offended you.¡± She gave an apologizing look at the Old Madam.

    ¡°Empress Dowager, you must know this. When we were on our way here, we met Lu Yaoyao. She knocked me down to the ground and also disrespected my mother.¡± Liu Hua reported bitterly. Her heart ached with envy at the thought that the Emperor stayed in the imperial garden with Lu Yaoyao alone.

    ¡°Have you met Yao Yao?¡± The Empress Dowager asked a cheerful smile crept slowly to her face, ¡°Yaoyao, that child is very clever and respectful. How could she possibly disrespect you?¡±

    At this time, the Chief princess chuckled and gave Lu Wushuang a squinted gaze. ¡°That miss of the Lu family is not as harmless as she pretends to be. Not only did the little prince reprimand me for being an aunt, but even the Emperor became involved in her scheme!¡±

    At the mention of the Emperor, Lu Wushuang gloomily spoke. ¡°Chief princess, the Emperor is in his imperial study. Howe he met Yao Yao?¡± She looked at the princess with hopeful eyes and a doubtful heart.

    ¡°It seems that Wang Fei Lu doesn¡¯t know much about her sister, either! Third Miss Lu is very skillful. She must have known that the Emperor is outside and deliberately allowed herself to fall into the nearby lotus pond so that the Emperor, bless him for his kind heart, could save her from falling.¡±

    With such news, fear and anger filled Lu Wushuang¡¯s heart instantly.

    ¡°I am deeply sorry to say this, but I think that you, the Wang Fei, deserve to know.¡± The chief princess remarked cleverly. While Lu Yaoyao was away, she must first provoke the feelings of Lu Wushuang so that she turns a blind eye to her daughter Liu Hua in the future.

    The Empress Dowager, who listened gravely, couldn¡¯t believe the Chief princess. She always had a good eye for people, and Lu Yaoyao didn¡¯t strike her as the kind of girl who would seduce the Emperor to uphold her status.

    But seeing the Chief princess and her daughter so upset, she began to have qualms.

    <i>I have only met the little girl. </i>

    Lu Wushuang was not as calm as the Empress Dowager. She had been provoked by the Chief princess before, and none of it was false. Therefore, she believed that Lu Yaoyao was really seducing the Emperor behind her back. She suddenly stood up. ¡°Empress Dowager, I have something to do. Please allow this Wang Fei to leave.¡±

    The Empress Dowager knew that Lu Wushuang believed the Chief princess and wrath filled her senses. Hence, she urged her to stay and talk things out.

    Don¡¯t be too impulsive and let yourself be tricked, she wanted to say but couldn¡¯t in the presence of the Chief princess.

    ¡°How important is it that you must leave our little reunion here? It¡¯s better to do itter, Wang Fei.¡±

    Lu Wushuang couldn¡¯t wait to find Lu Yaoyao right away. The thought of her meeting Mo Rongzhan and seducing him...She couldn¡¯t sit still in the Cining Pce!

    ¡°Empress Dowager, Grandma, and Chief princess, things are rather urgent. I wille back as soon as I finish.¡± Lu Wushuang said despite Old Madam Lu¡¯s objection. She already stood up and left in haste.

    Old Madam Lu didn¡¯t know where her granddaughter would go. She believed Lu Yaoyao wouldn¡¯t do anything like that. However, the Wang Fei left in such a hurry that even if Lu Yaoyao didn¡¯t do anything, others would think otherwise.

    Lu Wushuang storming out the Cining ce would surely make spections. The Old Madam felt like she was to have a heart attack anytime soon.

    The Empress Dowager gestured to Aunt Cheng, who immediately understood the order and hurriedly followed Lu Wushuang outside.

    With pride in her heart, the Chief princess watched the scene, the corners of her mouth twitched into a benevolent smile.

    Even if Ye Zhen slipped from her grasp a while ago, at least she was able to start a feud between the two cousins.

 Chapter 160 - When a Woman Gets Jealous (2)

    <strong>Chapter 160 ¨C When a Woman Gets Jealous (2)</strong>

    Lu Wushuang left the Cining Pce and hurried to the Lotus Pond in the Imperial Garden. As long as she thought of Lu Yaoyao¡¯s scheme to attract Mo Rongzhan, she felt like there was a fire burning in her heart. She couldn¡¯t wait to scratch Lu Yaoyao¡¯s face. Only then would she feel relieved.

    From a distance, she saw Mo Rongzhan and Lu Yaoyao standing face to face. Lu Yaoyao looked up at Mo Rongzhan with expressive eyes.

    Two figures stood beside the lotus pond; the woman was slim and graceful, the man was long and upright. If anything, they looked like a couple having their quiet time in the garden. Lu Wushuang fumed with anger. She was almost too jealous even to breathe.

    What¡¯s more, Mo Rongzhan was smiling. He actually smiled at Lu Yaoyao ... He seldom smiles at her!

    As ordered by the Emperor, Ye Zhen was tasked to treat Mo Rongyi. She nned to leave and return the prince¡¯s pce as soon as possible.

    Then, she suddenly heard heavy steps approaching, and Lu Wushuang came to sight. From the look on her face, she was livid. Ye Zhen didn¡¯t need another trouble for this day.

    ¡°Your Majesty, if you have no other orders, this minister¡¯s daughter should go now.¡± She would still have to prescribe the sick little prince.

    Mo Rongzhan was a man with intense martial arts. From afar, he could already sense Lu Wushuang¡¯s presence¡ªand her anger. The woman had never disyed an unpleasant behavior in front of him before. Was it all a facade?

    He wanted to know what she would do next.

    ¡°The Wang Fei is here, don¡¯t you want to meet your cousin before leaving?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked lightly.

    Ye Zhen felt that he was up to no good in saying so. She was not blind. Lu Wushuang¡¯s face looked like she wasing to kill her.

    But at the back of her mind, she did want Lu Wushuang to beat her so that everyone would see her true nature.

    As Ye Zhen was thinking of this, Lu Wushuang had already marched up to her. Passing the Emperor, she didn¡¯t give a salute, her heated gaze trained to her cousin alone.

    And before they knew it, a loud p resonated in the area.

    Lu Wushuang, blinded by jealousy and hurt, had already pped Ye Zhen hard in the face. It was so hard that Ye Zhen¡¯s head tilted to one side, and a spat of blood flowed out from her mouth.

    An ugly red mark immediately marred her face.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes were as cold as ice, he witnessed it all. When Lu Wushuang raised her hand again to p Ye Zhen for the second time, he grabbed her arm. ¡°Wang Fei, what are you doing?¡±

    The furious Wang Fei answered maniacally, ¡°I¡¯m teaching my sister a lesson. She is so shameless. If her parents didn¡¯t teach her right, I will!¡±

    Ye Zhen buried her face in her hands, perfectly hiding the smile on her face.

    ¡°Wang Fei, I only asked your sister to watch over my brother. What is so shameful about it?¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s voice was ominous and with just a hint of surprise. If not for the gentle face, he won¡¯t recognize the woman whose arm he held in captivity to protect Ye Zhen.

    Lu Wushuang stared at Ye Zhen with a pair of eyes that seemed to burst into mes anytime soon.

    A p was not enough. Lu Wushuang was dying to destroy her cousin¡¯s face.

    ¡°Your Majesty, this minister¡¯s daughter will take her leave now.¡± Ye Zhen learned today that Lu Wushuang¡¯s jealousy was so terrible that she wasn¡¯t able to control herself.

    It seemed that any woman couldn¡¯t get close to the Emperor as she morbidly thought that other women are all trying to steal Mo Rongzhan¡¯s favor from her.

    Lu Wushuang looked at Ye Zhen with a disdainful look and felt even more that her cousin did not take her seriously. ¡°Did I permit you to go?¡±

    ¡°What else does the Wang Fei want to do? Give me another p?¡± Ye Zhen raised her eyebrows and looked at Lu Wushuang in the eye mockingly.

    Lu Wushuang, whether in the Lu family or in the pce, was a pampered woman. No one dares to question her like Ye Zhen!

    <i>Does she think the Emperor really takes a fancy on her, so she dares to be so presumptuous that she doesn¡¯t even care to regard me as the Wang Fei? She is way beneath me!</i>

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, how dare you be presumptuous!¡± Lu Wushuang was so angry that she wanted to kill Lu Yaoyao on the spot. Anyway, she had no feelings for her cousin as they did not live together, not to mention developed sisterhood.

    Ye Zhen calmly said, ¡°Wang Fei I don¡¯t know what I did wrong that made you so angry. Please calm down and don¡¯t be mad at me. ¡°

    Mo Rongzhan held back Lu Wushuang, who glowered and kicked, but the little girl who was beaten was calm and serene, showing her excellent cultivation.

    Both were born in Lu family, but Lu Yaoyao was more elegant than Lu Wushuang. It seems that Lu Shiming raised his daughter well.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to lose face, vacate the imperial pce immediately and nevere back! You lowlying ¡ª ¡± Lu Wushuang screeched towards Ye Zhen, giving all her might to escape from the Emperor¡¯s hold.

    ¡°Enough!¡± Mo Rongzhan intervened, ¡°I have just said that I only want Lu Yaoyao to watch the little prince and make sure he takes his medicine. Wang Fei Lu, do you want to lose your face?¡±

 Chapter 161 - Am I Not Enough Anymore?

    <strong>Chapter 161 ¨C Am I Not Enough Anymore?</strong>

    This cold remark made Lu Wushuang stop for a second...Mo Rongzhan¡¯s words felt knives stabbing her heart.

    Why should Lu Yao Yao watch over the sick little prince? She is not a female doctor in the pce, so it was clear that the Emperor has other motives, Lu Wushuang thought scornfully.

    ¡°Your Majesty, if you are tired of this Wang fei, I can¡¯t do anything about it. But Lu Yaoyao is my cousin. Does the Emperor wants to embarrass this Wang fei?¡± Lu Wushuang¡¯s face softened, hershing dissipated for a while as she looked longingly at Mo Rongzhan.

    ¡°Am I not enough anymore?¡± She asked helplessly.

    Undoubtedly, Lu Wushuang wanted to upy the harem alone, even though the Emperor was destined to have multiple wives. As the Wang fei, she was expected to ept this. Hence, her words sounded foolish to everyone.

    ¡°Lu Wushuang, you embarrass yourself.¡± was the Emperor¡¯s remark before he removed his grasp on her arm. A resigned look on his face.

    Ye Zhen, who stood watching the exchange, felt confused. This was far from what she witnessed when she only embodied nothing but her ghost watching over the happenings inside the imperial pce.

    Before her transmigration¡ªthe period she woke up in her twin sister¡¯s body and turned back two years in time¡ªshe remembered seeing Mo Rongzhan very fond of Lu Wushuang. Even if Lu Wushuang oppressed other concubines in the pce out of jealousy, the Emperor always reminded her that she has a special ce in him.

    <i>But howe, that at this time, he is impatient with Lu Wushuang?</i>

    <i>What is the reason for this change in events? </i>Ye Zhen surmised to herself. Things are rather different from her memory.

    Just when Ye Zhen was absorbed in her thoughts, Lu Wushuang began to cry softly, which put her out of reverie. Mo Rongzhan, on the other hand, found himself unable to look at her pathetic state. This was the woman whom he adored before¡ªthe same woman who tricked him!

    Thus, he turned to Ye Zhen, and in an indifferent voice, told her. ¡°What are you still doing here?¡±

    Ye Zhen bowed her head and firmly answered, ¡°Pardon, Your Majesty. This minister¡¯s daughter will leave at once.¡±

    Just when Ye Zhen turned on her heels, the Emperor spoke once more, halting her to her steps. ¡°Ford, please bring Third Miss Lu two bottles of the lotus ointment.¡±

    When Ye Zhen looked up, his disappointed gaze was trained on the swollen palm print on her cheek.

    Ordered by the Emperor, Ford, who had been hanging his head in silence, moved into action.

    ¡°Y-yes, Your Majesty.¡± His voice was a little shaky. He hardly looked up at Ye Zhen. Just one look and he was already frightened to his core!

    Third Miss Lu indeed looked too much like the former Wang fei, even though her eyebrows and eyes were a little bit different.

    The Emperor hardly saw Wang fei Ye when she was still alive, but there were times when his eyes caught a glimpse of her remarkable beauty. Upon Lu Yaoyao¡¯s drastic change in appearance, he began to realize their uncanny resemnce.

    She looked so much like Ye Zhen, her former Wamg fei.

    He couldn¡¯t help but sneer at this thought and feel that fate is indeed yful.

    Amidst her cry, Lu Wushuang heard perfectly that Mo Rongzhan ordered to give lotus ointment to Lu Yaoyao. This ointment was a rare medicine given as a tribute to the imperial pce. As the Wang fei, she also got a bottle. How could he give two to Lu Yaoyao so casually?

    Not only that, he demanded to give her two bottles!

    All this time, silently watching in astonishment, Lu Wushuang¡¯s maid-in-waiting stood at the corner of the imperial garden and didn¡¯t dare to involve herself in the scene.

    Upon the Emperor¡¯s hand gesture to her, Dai Ping hurried over to her mistress to assist her.

    Then, without giving Lu Wushuang onest look, Mo Rongzhan turned around and walked away. Lu Wushuang could only watch him grow the distance between them.

    Ye Zhen followed immediately, but a sinister voice stopped her before she could even take two steps.

    ¡°Did I let you go already?¡± The Wang fei contemptuously called her back. She was yet done with her!

    ¡°Wang fei, Third Miss Lu!¡± Aunt Cheng suddenly came up just as Lu Wushuang was about to begin an assault to Ye Zhen again.

    Aunt Cheng must have been unable to see Lu Wushuang¡¯s tears on her face for she smiled widely while approaching them. Ye Zhen released a deep sigh of relief.

    ¡°The Empress Dowager sent this handmaiden to fetch Third Miss Lu, fearing that she might get lost.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled back in return, ¡°Aunt Cheng, you are just in time. This miss was going back to the Empress Dowager but was uncertain of the direction as the halls of the Cining pce could be really confusing.¡±

    Aunt Cheng dly offered her hand and grinned, ¡°This handmaiden is d to lead the way for Third Miss Lu.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Aunt Cheng.¡± Ye Zhen looked at ease. She felt genuinely grateful for Aunt Cheng¡¯s arrival.

    ¡°Wang Fei, this handmaiden must bring Third Miss Lu to Empress Dowager and her grandma at once. If the Wang fei has no order, this handmaiden and Third Miss Lu must leave first.¡±

    Lu Wushuang¡¯s anger has not dissipated yet. However, due to Aunt Cheng¡¯s intrusion, she finally found a little sense in her and forced a smile, ¡°This Wang fei doesn¡¯t need anything. You can leave now.¡±

    <i>What happened to her today?</i> Lu Wushuang asked herself. No matter how angry she used to be, she never lost her cool in front of Mo Rongzhan.

    And most of all, he never defended other women in front of her. If it weren¡¯t for Lu Yaoyao, all of this humiliation would not happen to her in the first ce.

    ¡°Wang fei?¡± Her maid-in-waiting behind her called her attention in a strained voice.

    ¡°Dai Ping, was I too impulsive today?¡± Lu Wushuang watched Ye Zhen disappear from her sight before she asked the maid-in-waiting in an almost a whisper.

    ¡°Wang fei, the Emperor likes you most. He will not be angry with you. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Lu Wushuang smiled bitterly in her heart. She was also certain that Mo Rongzhan would not ignore her for long. He had always regarded her as a lifesaver.

    However, since Lu Lingzhi told her that the Emperor knew Ye Zhen had a nickname and therefore, giving him room for suspicions, she seemed to be nonexistent to the Emperor.

    Her heart began to feel uneasy. <i>His recent coldness, is it rted to this?</i>

    No! Lu Wushuang¡¯s eyes were gloomy. She would not let anyone take the Emperor¡¯s favor from her! Mo Rongzhan was only skeptical now, and Lu Wushuang was determined to keep it that way.

    He will never know the truth!

    If he really despised her, he would have punished her already.

    <i>But he didn¡¯t!</i> In desperate attempt to console herself, she felt a bud of hope inside her.

    As for Lu Yaoyao, she vowed not to let her have another chance to get close to Mo Rongzhan. To do this, she could only think of one person who could help her.

    ¡°In a few days, please invite my mother, the eldestdy, into my pce.¡± she ordered.

 Chapter 162 - A Time for Retribution

    <strong>Chapter 162 ¨C A Time for Retribution</strong>

    Ye Zhen left with Aunt Cheng. Her cheek was still burning, but, contrary to one might expect, she felt no anger. Lu Wushuang¡¯s p led to fruitful results.

    Sometimes, appearing weak and defenseless could be beneficial.

    Lu Wushuang acted headstrong and unruly in front of Mo Rongzhan, which would definitely make him doubt the Wang fei even more.

    However, Ye Zhen received the p, not for the intention of gaining sympathy from Mo Rongzhan. No, Ye Zhen wanted to go back to the Lu family with her swollen cheek, so that both Old Madam Lu and Lu Lingzhi would know that she had been wronged in the pce.

    She has now been able to get along with Lu Lingzhi calmly and rationally and act as his cousin very well. From today¡¯s events, Ye Zhen has never understood a truth so clearly.

    If she wants revenge, the only thing she could rely on for the time being is the Lu family and Lu Lingzhi.

    With Lu Lingzhi¡¯s position in the court and the Lu family¡¯s sudden rise to nobility, she could go further and get everything she wanted.

    Didn¡¯t Lu Lingzhi do the same thing to her when she still lived in her previous body? He disguised himself so well that he cheated her of her trust. At thest moment, he took away her most precious jade pendant and gave her a fatal blow. She learned from his methods¡ªshe would gain Lu Lingzhi¡¯s affection as his cousin, and at thest moment, she would sh her sword against his very eyes.

    As for how to get Lu Lingzhi¡¯s trust and favor, it would start with Lu Wushuang¡¯s p on her face.

    Lu Wushuang got her present status only because of Lu Lingzhi¡¯s love, so he took away what belonged to Ye Zhen.

    Now, it¡¯s time for Ye Zhen¡¯s retribution. She would take away Lu Wushuang¡¯s most precious things bit by bit.

    ¡°Aunt Cheng, can you take me to wash my face first? I¡¯m a little embarrassed to see the Empress Dowager in this state now.¡± Ye Zhen felt grateful to have entered the pce today; otherwise, she would not have such clear and profound consciousness.

    After her rebirth, she was clueless about the things she must do and was reluctant to face Lu Wushuang, Lu Lingzhi, who became her family.

    Aunt Cheng gave Ye Zhen a concerned look, and only then did she notice the red mark on her face. She nodded in haste, ¡°Third Miss Lu, please follow this handmaiden.¡±

    The handmaiden had seen the Wang fei Ye several times before. The beautiful Wang fei was different from other misses in the Ye family. Despite her high status, she was very kind to her servants. At that time, even though the Empress Dowager had a rtively low status in the pce, Ye Zhen secretly let people send things to the Empress Dowager. She was very considerate and filial, not only as a daughter-inw but as a person in general.

    Therefore, the Dowager Empress always praised her and even mourned her death. The pce lost such a kind soul when the Wang fei died.

    If Wang fei Ye were not born in the Ye family, she would have lived a better life. Aunt Cheng morosely thought.

    The Emperor¡¯s scorn for the Ye family was too deep; he refused to ept Ye Zhen in his life.

    When the Emperor left for war, the Empress Dowager awaited his return. She intended to tell her son that Ye Zhen was not the unruly and willful woman he thought she was, but the Empress Dowager never had the chance.

    Aunt Cheng sighed painfully in her heart. Surprisingly, Third Miss Lu doesn¡¯t only look like the Wang fei Ye, but also bears simr temperament, which is much more decent than Lu Wushuang.

    Aunt Cheng brought Ye Zheninto a vacant room and personally brought her a basin of water and rouge. Ye Zhen then patted her cheek with the water and then put on ayer of makeup.

    However, her skin was pearly white, and Lu Wushuang¡¯s p was full of strength. No matter how she used rouge to cover her face, she could not hide the swelling.

    Of course, she didn¡¯t want to cover it up but just wanted to show to Aunt Cheng how much she wants to avoid causing a ruckus by hiding the palmprint.

    Seeing her struggle, Aunt Cheng advised her, ¡°Third Miss Lu, the Empress Dowager is still waiting for your return.¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at the elderlydy with some embarrassment and hesitantly put down the rouge. ¡°Aunt Cheng, do I look ugly now?¡±

    Aunt Chengughed, her heart softened by this innocent remark, ¡°Third Miss Lu is naturally beautiful, and she is not ugly in any way.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± With raised brows and a generous smile. Ye Zhen immediately brightened up.

    When she saw her swollen cheek, Aunt Cheng expected that the Third Miss Lu would weep in front of the dowager and askfort from her grandma. But instead of doing this, she washed her face in an attempt to conceal from everyone the proof of the Wang fei¡¯s assault.

    Lu Yaoyao surprised her with her rare and mature temperament.

    ¡°Third Miss Lu, let¡¯s go.¡± Aunt Cheng said with a smile.

    Ye Zhen patted her cheek, which was not that red anymore. ¡°Alright, Aunt Cheng.¡±

 Chapter 163 - Her Pretense Coyness

    <strong>Chapter 163 ¨C Her Pretense Coyness</strong>

    In the main hall, the Chief princess and Liu Hua haven¡¯t left yet. They are talking to the Empress Dowager, ignoring Old Madam Lu beside them. The Empress Dowager has taken the initiative to speak to the Old Madam Lu several times as she had no intention to snub her. However, Chief princess¡¯ heart became more and more displeased as seconds passed by. Therefore, she began to talk with thorns unabashedly.

    ¡°Old Madam Lu is very lucky. It¡¯s not easy to raise granddaughters. Whether it¡¯s the Wang fei or Lu Yaoyao, both have a good upbringing. You did a terrific job, Old Madam Lu.¡± The Empress Dowager praised the Old madam sincerely. This earned a soft sneer from the Chief princess. Her face became gloomier than when she had entered.

    ¡°When can the misses of our familypare with those from noble families? It¡¯s just that my granddaughters work a little harder than others, especially in their education. Their hard work and talents also protect them from those who oppress them.¡±

    <i>Bollocks!</i> Liu Hua eximed in her mind.<i> Lu Yaoyao must have done something to earn entrance to the Women¡¯s college! </i>

    Princess Liu Hua badly wanted to hit Lu Yaoyao. She was humiliated because of her. Not only that, but she also lost a fortune!

    On the other hand, the Chief princess felt a stabbing pain in her heart. Old Madam Lu was certainly pertaining to her daughter, who oppressed Lu Yaoyao during the college examination. The thought of tens of thousands of silvers that her daughter had lost recently, her heart tremored in anger.

    ¡°Your granddaughter is indeed a merchant¡¯s daughter, who loves to take the silvers of others cunningly.¡± she snorted.

    Immediately, the Empress Dowager¡¯s face sunk, ¡°That¡¯s enough! Chief princess, what is the matter with you today? Why did youe to the Cining pce? ¡°

    The princess¡¯ cold gaze darted towards the Empress Dowager. <i>Who said I¡¯m prohibited from entering this pce? I am more entitled than you are!</i>

    Deep in her, she still despised the Empress Dowager because of her origin. She was not born of a noble bloodline. <i>No wonder, she gets along with Old Madam Lu so well!</i>

    However, she was the biological mother of the Emperor and had to pay respect to her. Even so, everyone could see that she didn¡¯t have any.

    ¡°Empress Dowager, when would you arrange my daughter¡¯s marriage to the Emperor? You are taking too much time.¡±

    Old Madam Lu was dumbfounded as she listened to Chief princess¡¯s tone. She had no respect for the Empress Dowager. What was her status that she could casually demand something from the Empress Dowager?

    The Empress Dowager addressed her calmly, ¡°This widow has already told the Emperor. It¡¯s all up to the Emperor now.¡±

    Liu Hua, who was standing behind her mother, listened and bit her lip with some injustice.

    She liked the Emperor as early as a few years ago, but for Ye Zhen¡¯s interference in their lives, she was forced to remain as a princess for a while.

    Chief princess frowned and wanted the Empress Dowager to urge the Emperor again. She was about to raise her request when she saw Aunt Cheng appear with Ye Zhen in tow.

    Seeing Aunt Cheng bring Ye Zhen back, the Empress Dowager showed a tender smile on her face. But upon bing aware of the red and swollen face of the miss, her eyes shed with anger.

    Old Madam Lu also saw the palm print, which was haphazardly concealed with rouge. She appeared calm and serene, but her heart was already in a fury. She didn¡¯t need to ask anyone who did this to Lu Yaoyao. Lu Wushuang ran out in a hurry and must have gone to her.

    Did Yaoyao really do anything to displease the Wang fei?

    Old Madam Lu believed that Lu Yaoyao would not do anything out of line, and the Wang fei should not have hurt Lu Yaoyao for no reason! The more she thought about it, the more upset she felt.

    When Chief princess saw Ye Zhen¡¯s appearance, she covered her mouth with her long sleeves andughed aloud, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Third Miss Lu¡¯s face? She was fine when I I left her. How could she be beaten like this when I turned around?¡±

    Ye Zhen gave Chief princess a confused look and asked naively, ¡°Chief princess, what¡¯s wrong with my face? Did I not apply the rouge evenly? ¡°

    ¡°Third Miss Lu, you didn¡¯t let me put on the rouge for you. Your face is still visibly swollen.¡±

    Ye Zhen faked a gasp and touched her cheek immediately.

    ¡°Aunt Cheng, you didn¡¯t inform me. You said I don¡¯t look ugly.¡± cried Ye Zhen, who buried her face in her hands with pretense coyness.

    Seeing her dispirited, the Empress Dowagerughed and waved her hand, ¡°Let this widow see if it¡¯s indeed ugly.¡±

    Ye Zhen stepped forward gracefully and exposed her cheek, ¡°Look, Empress Dowager.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not ugly. Who dares to say that you are ugly?¡± The Empress Dowager made no secret of her adoration for Ye Zhen.

    When Chief princess and Liu Hua saw this scene, their faces became livid. They did not know that the Empress Dowager would treat Lu Yaoyao so well.

    Doesn¡¯t the Empress Dowager know that this Lu Yaoyao recently let Liu Hua lose face? What is the meaning of her actions? Does she favor an outsider more than the Chief princess and her daughter?

    Ye Zhen smiled in gratitude.

    ¡°Has the little prince taken his medicine?¡± Asked the dowager.

    ¡°Back to the Empress Dowager, the little prince took the medicine I gave him.¡± Ye Zhen remembered that Mo Rongzhan asked her to treat the little prince. She already knew how to prescribe. How would she tell this to the dowager without her making any presumptions?

    Aunt Cheng leaned forward and whispered a few words to the Empress Dowager¡¯s ear.

    The Empress Dowager looked at Ye Zhen in surprise and asked softly, ¡°The emperor wants you to treat the little prince?¡±

 Chapter 164 - How Could She?

    <strong>Chapter 164 ¨C How Could She?</strong>

    Ye Zhen acted embarrassed¡ªshe avoided the dowager¡¯s gaze and spoke softly.

    ¡°Empress Dowager, this minister¡¯s daughter was informed of the little prince¡¯s cold for days and felt worried for him. With the prince¡¯ permission, he let me feel his pulse.¡± At this moment, she looked up at the Empress Dowager with somber eyes. ¡°His pulse is weak and for this reason, the Emperor¡ª¡±

    Before her words were finished, Liu Hua abruptly interrupted, ¡°How dare you feel the pulse of the sovereign prince; you have yet entered the medical center. Do you think you are better than the imperial doctors here in the pce?¡±

    The Empress Dowager nced at Liu Hua unimpressed and did not acknowledge her. She continued to speak to Ye Zhen, her son¡¯s recovery was the most important thing to her.

    ¡°And then? What did you find out?¡±

    ¡°Empress Dowager, this minister¡¯s daughter has only learned few medical skills. If she is wrong, can you forgive her?¡±

    The dowager¡¯s heart softened by Ye Zhen¡¯s humbleness. ¡°This widow will not me you,¡±

    ¡°Back to the Empress Dowager, I think the little prince is not only suffering from cold, but also from abdominal tumors, exining the pain he is suffering.¡± Said Ye Zhen.

    Afterward, the dowager visibly became forlorn. The little prince had always said that his stomach aches but insists that he only have heart disease.

    She gave Aunt Cheng a perturbed look. ¡°Qi Jin should have already finished her work. Tell her to report to this pce and look after the little prince.¡±

    Aunt Cheng nodded in obedience. The dowager sighed helplessly at the thought of her stubborn son.

    ¡°All the imperial doctors are afraid of that boy. He is not willing to be examined and even refuses to let them feel his pulse. Heart disease, he says! When Qi Jines to the pce, he will naturally be obedient.¡±

    <i>Qi Jin? Who is she?</i> Ye Zhen became curious but didn¡¯t ask. It¡¯s not deemed respectful to question the dowager.

    ¡°This minister¡¯s daughter hopes that the Empress Dowagers is not offended by her bold remarks.¡±

    The dowager shook her head and touched Ye Zhen¡¯s head adoringly. ¡°You are just concerned to the little prince. Why should I be offended?¡± she smiled gently at Ye Zhen.

    Nose up in the air, the Chief Princess snorted coldly, which made all heads look her way.

    ¡°Aha! It seems that although Miss Lu grew up in the Border town, she was taught how to win favor for her own benefit!¡±

    Exasperation showed on the dowager¡¯s face as she addressed the Chief princess. The woman had already insulted her guests for several times.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think caring for the welfare of my son is Lu Yaoyao¡¯s way to win my favor. It just that, she has a kind heart.¡±

    From the moment the Chief princess and Liu Hua visited her, not once did they ask for the condition of the little prince. This just showed that they had nopassion for the prince.

    With disgust in her face, the Chief princess stood up, ¡°Empress Dowager, you seem to have uhm...distinguished guests here, so I won¡¯t bother you anymore. I¡¯lle back to visit you in two days.¡± she said in sarcasm.

    ¡°Aunt Cheng, apany Princess Liu Hua and the Chief princess outside.¡± The dowager showed no intention to stop them from leaving and felt no remorse for it.

    Instantly, the Chief princess¡¯ jaw fell¡ªshe thought the dowager would beg them to stay longer, but instead, they were sent out directly! Her face turned red with anger. <i>How could she?!</i>

    ¡°Liu Hua, let¡¯s go.¡± Chief princess¡¯s chest heaved violently. She red at Ye Zhen before she left with heavy steps.

    Not long after, Old Madam Lu got up from hand bid goodbye to the Empress Dowager as well.

    But before the dowager finally let them go, she took a long look at Ye Zhen¡¯s face and ushered Aunt Cheng to get a bottle of her snow lotus ointment. ¡°This ointment can help heal your swollen cheek. This widow is already old and doesn¡¯t need it now. But this is appropriate for a young miss like you.¡±

    In haste, Ye Zhen shook her head in refusal. ¡°Empress Dowager, there is no need. This miss has her own ointment at home. She doesn¡¯t wish to bother Her Highness any longer.¡±

    Still, the dowager put the bottle of ointment on Ye Zhen¡¯s hand, ¡°There are still plenty for myself here.¡±

    ¡°Yao Yao, you should offer your thanks quickly.¡±

    As graceful as she could muster, Ye Zhen kneeled down and bowed her head. She knew that snow lotus ointment was very precious. The Empress Dowager was indeed very kind to her... Whether she was the Wang fei Ye or Lu Yaoyao.

    Coming out of Cining Pce, Ye Zhen was still thinking about whether to go to Mo Rongyi again. She felt anxious that Mo Rongzhan would prohibit her from attending the medical center if she disobeyed his order.

    However, before she coulde up with a solution, she saw Mo Rogzhan¡¯s eunuch approaching with two bottles of snow lotus ointment in his hands.

    ¡°Miss Lu, these are the snow lotus ointments that the Emperor wants to give to you. His Highness also said that that the medical doctor Qi Jin had already entered the pce to look after the little prince. You need not take what he said to you seriously.¡± Ford informed her.

    Ye Zhen breathed a sigh of relief.

    She would not be obliged to return to the imperial pce anymore to treat Mo Rongyi, thus reducing the chance of running into Mo Rongzhan.

    Sincerely, she thanked the eunuch with a grateful smile and epted the two bottles of snow lotus ointment. However, when she looked at the Old Madam, thetter bore a rather conflicted face.

    For this reason, Ye Zhen¡¯s heart pounded, fearing that the Old madam had misunderstood.

 Chapter 165 - Nothing Excites Her More Than This

    <strong>Chapter 165 ¨C Nothing Excites Her More Than This</strong>

    Old Madam Lu did not speak a word on their way out of the pce. With Ye Zhen in tow, they left the vicinity in ufortable silence, until they boarded the family carriage.

    As soon as the curtain of the carriage was lowered, Ye Zhen¡¯s tense expression loosened, and she threw herself into the Old madam¡¯s arms. She sobbed, ¡°Grandma.¡±

    Initially, Old Madam Lu suspected that Lu Yaoyao must have had done something wrong. Yet, now, hearing her granddaughter¡¯s choked voice, her heart suddenly softened, ¡°Yao Yao, tell grandma, what happened?¡±

    Ye Zhen took a deep breath. Her whole body trembled as she clenched her teeth to stay silent.

    ¡°Did the Wang fei hit you?¡± Old Madam Lu asked in a sympathetic voice.

    ¡°The Wang fei misunderstood.¡± Ye Zhen uttered with difficulty. She then told Old Madam Lu that she went to the little prince as told by the dowager, met the Chief princess on her way back to the Cining pce, and was pped by Lu Wushuang.

    She omitted the part when Mo Rongzhan saved her from falling into the pond.

    After hearing this, Old Madam Lu shook her head and sighed, ¡°Yaoyao, I have wronged you.¡±

    When she saw Lu Wushuang leave in rage, she felt that something would happen, and yet, Old Madam Lu did nothing. She, among everyone, watched the Wang fei grow up, and therefore, she knew Lu Wushuang¡¯s true nature.

    Lu Wushuang loves to look dignified and virtuous, but she easily condemns those who displease her.

    Most of all, she was raised to believe that no one else could be better than her.

    However, the Old madam didn¡¯t expect Lu Wushuang to go as far as hurting Ye Zhen physically.

    Ye Zhen shook her head in disagreement. ¡°Grandma, you did nothing wrong. The Emperor only tasked me to treat the little prince of his sickness. I ... I didn¡¯t know it would upset the Wang fei.¡±

    ¡°Hush, child. I don¡¯t me you for this. The Wang fei misunderstood the situation. Don¡¯t take it to heart. I¡¯ll speak to your cousin for you.¡±

    What¡¯s the use of making Lu Wushuang understand? She already believed that Lu Yaoyao was seducing Mo Rongzhan. Thus, her heart was now determined to find a way to deal with her.

    Pertaining to this, Ye Zhen felt no fear of what Lu Wushuang could do. The best course of action is to reverse the cards¨Cmake the Wang fei lose the support from Lu Lingzhi.

    One¡¯s best revenge is to use one enemy to deal with another.

    And nothing excites her more than this thought.

    Ye Zhen looked up and smiled at Old Madam Lu, full of trust and expectation. ¡°Thank you, grandma.¡±

    In response to the innocent gesture, the Old Madam Lu smiled lightly and touched her red and swollen face. ¡°Does it hurt?¡±

    ¡°I feel no more pain.¡± Ye Zhen cheekily smiled.

    ¡°You should use the snow lotus ointments given by the dowager and the Emperor. It will reduce the swelling.¡± Old Madam Lu initially preferred Lu Wushuang most amongst her grandchildren, but now she has a kind granddaughter like Ye Zhen and feels a little dispute in her heart.

    Nheless, a grandmother¡¯s love for her grandchildren is immeasurable. In her heart, she only wanted peace between Lu Yaoyao and Lu Wushuang.

    It pained her to know that Lu Wushuang has grudges towards her younger cousin. She just hoped that Lu Wushuang would listen to her before her temper destroys her.

    The imperial pce was nothing like the Lu family mansion where everyone values and cherishes Lu Wushuang. If she refuses to change her temper, the Emperor will reject her even more.

    Old Madam Lu didn¡¯t know the crime Lu Lingzhi and hiss sister did to thete Wang fei Ye. She always thought that the Emperor was smitten with Lu Wushuang, hence, he appointed her as the highest-ranking imperial concubine.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say any of this to anyone when we go back home.¡± Old Madam Lu said.

    Ye Zhen nodded gently. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t say anything.

    Sure as fate, Lu Wushuang¡¯s assault of her woulde out sooner orter.

    Returning to the Lu mansion, Ye Zhen proceeded to her chamber first. After washing her face, she applied the ointment and put a drop of the miraculous liquid. In an instant, the redness and swelling abated.

    However, if one looks closely, it is still noticeable.

    Except for the Eldest Madam Liu Shi, all the family members were present in the upper hall to wee Ye Zhen and Old Madam Lu.

    And of course, Lu Lingzhi was present.

    His eyes rested on Ye Zhen¡¯s face intensely. When he finally withdrew his sight from her, he asked the Old madam, ¡°Grandma, I heard that the Chief princess also visited the pce today.¡±

    When reminded of the Chief princess¡¯ visit, the smile on Old Madam Lu¡¯s face faded instantly, ¡°I met her at Cining Pce and exchanged a few words.¡±

    Her grandma¡¯s answer was vague, but Lu Lingzhi could only nod thoughtfully. The Chief princess¡¯ despise for the Lu family was no secret, and Princess Liu Hua¡¯s defeat against Lu Yaoyao must have put her in a fit of anger.

    It was only natural for him to think that his grandma meeting the Chief princess in the pce would likely lead to a disaster.

    In a different light, Old Madam Lu told him that their visit went just fine, and again, Lu Lingzhi nodded and seemed to believe her.

    But in truth, he didn¡¯t.

    Beyond the Old madam¡¯s awareness, his eyes were sharp, so he easily saw through the thick rouge applied on Ye Zhen¡¯s face.

    <i>Is it the Chief princess or her daughter who pped Yao Yao?</i>

 Chapter 166 - She Is Not That Kind of Person

    <strong>Chapter 166 ¨C She Is Not That Kind of Person</strong>

    ¡°Lingzhi, I heard that the Emperor has allowed you to lead the troops to suppress the rebels?¡± Lu Shiming suddenly asked Lu Lingzhi, temporarily pulling him from his train of thoughts.

    ¡°We will leave in three days.¡±

    ¡°How are your legs?¡± Anxiously, Old Madam Lu inquired him, her displeasure from the pce suddenly turning into a worry for his grandson.

    In the corner, Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes glinted with interest when she heard this information.

    Before, she could not wait for Lu Lingzhi to be sent off to the battlefield, but today, with her recent encounter with Lu Wushuang, she wishes that Lu Lingzhi would not go so soon. He could be his instrument against Lu Wushuang.

    From her knowledge of Lu Wushuang¡¯s cunningness, Ye Zhen knew that the Wang fei was already orchestrating ns to ruin her.

    ¡°It¡¯s much better, and besides, I can continue recovering while traveling towards the rebel¡¯s dominion. It doesn¡¯t bother me at all.¡± He stood up and took a few steps to show them that his leg injury had indeed gotten much better.

    In spite of this, Old Madam Lu was still worried, ¡°Our family doesn¡¯t need military exploits now, what is important is everyone¡¯s health.¡±

    ¡°Grandma, I have my limits.¡± Lu Lingzhi assured her.

    Seeing her grandson firm with his decision, the Old madam stopped her insistence and no longer continued the talk of the war. Instead, to enliven the mood, she diverted everyone¡¯s attention to Ye Zhen with a smile full of pride.

    ¡°The Empress Dowager likes our Yao Yao very much. In fact, she wants her to revisit the pce!¡±

    Pei Shi embraced her daughter lovingly and nced at Lu Shiming, who also had a proud look. There are no parents who dislike others praising their children.

    ¡°Mother, didn¡¯t Yao Yao say anything wrong in the pce today? This child acts mischievous most of the time.¡±

    Old Madam Luughed, ¡°Yaoyao is very good, which made the dowager adore her.¡±

    <i>Has there really been nothing wrong with their visit? </i>Then where did the palm print on Ye Zhen¡¯s face came from? Lu Lingzhi wondered, and at the same time, had decided to talk with his grandma when everyone retires.

    ¡°It¡¯s still thanks to mother¡¯s guidance. Otherwise, I couldn¡¯t trust Yaoyao to enter the pce alone, afraid she would say something wrong¡ªor be wronged.¡±

    Upon hearing the word ¡°wronged,¡± Old Madam Lu couldn¡¯t help butugh awkwardly.

    *

    *

    *

    After the dinner, Lu Lingzhi stayed to talk with the Old Madam.

    ¡°Have you decided to go to war? You have already done too much for the Emperor. Risking your life can never be repaid by his whole riches.¡± At the moment, no one else, rather than the two of them were around, so Old Madam Lu disyed no further scruples when talking to her grandson.

    ¡°Although I am already an assistant war minister, there are still many people who despise our family.¡±

    The madam¡¯s face turned grim; she knew he was not entirely telling the truth.

    ¡°Did you decide to do this just for Shuang-er* to have more peace of mind in the pce?¡± She asked in a somewhat constricted voice.

    <i><strong>*T/N: Lu Wushuang¡¯s nickname is Shuang-er, in which ¡°-er¡± designates their endearment for the Wang fei.</strong></i>

    ¡°Grandma, I admit, that is also one of the reasons. Although Shuang¡¯er is now the Wang fei, the Emperor will soon appoint another concubines. If those new concubine¡¯s standing is higher than Shuang-er, her life in the pce will not be so easy anymore.¡±

    He had only one sister. Who else would he risk his life for?

    As long as Lu Lingzhi is breathing, he would do everything to uplift the status of the Lu family in the society, and therefore, securing his sister¡¯s position and happiness inside the imperial pce.

    Old Madam Lu sighed, ¡°I know you have already done so much for everyone in this family, but Shuang-er¡¯s character is not suitable for the pce ...¡±

    ¡°Grandma, did something bad happened in the pce today?¡± Lu Lingzhi directly asked the question that had been putting his mind in shambles for a while now.

    At first, Old Madam Lu hesitated to speak, but couldn¡¯t stop herself from spilling what she had nned to keep to herself.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen Yaoyao¡¯s swollen face? If it weren¡¯t for the snow lotus ointment given by the Empress Dowager, how could she ever daree out and meet people at this moment? Shuang¡¯er couldn¡¯t even be considerate of her cousin. If the Emperor weed another concubines, do you think she would get along with them peacefully? Besides, the Emperor will have an Empress in the future... I am anxious about Shuang¡¯er.¡± Old Madam Lu finished with a sigh.

    After hearing this, Lu Lingzhi¡¯s brows knit. ¡°How did Yaoyaoe across the emperor so coincidentally?¡±

    ¡°Lingzhi, what do you mean by that? Do you think it is Yaoyao who sought the Emperor on purpose? Is that how you see her? The pce is vast. How could a young miss, who stepped inside the pce for the first time, know where and when the Emperor would be at that particr time?¡±

    His question sounded using, making the Old madam¡¯s face troubled, out of pity towards her innocent granddaughter.

    ¡°Yao Yao is not that kind of person.¡±

 Chapter 167 - Rejection

    <strong>Chapter 167 ¨C Rejection</strong>

    ¡°Grandma, I didn¡¯t mean it that way.¡± Lu Lingzhi hurriedly took back his words. He was only worried that people around Mo Rongzhan would recognize Lu Yaoyao¡¯s resemnce to the deceased Wang fei Ye.

    ¡°Yao Yao is pure and tolerant. It was only a coincidence that the Emperor met her which angered Shuang-er. Lu Shiming and Pei Shi don¡¯t even raise their hands against Yao Yao, how could Shuang¡¯er do so? She is very hot-tempered¡ª¡± Old Madam Lu wanted to criticize Lu Wushuang more but suddenly remembered that she was already the Wang fei, so she didn¡¯t continue.

    Lu Lingzhi listened intently. He knew his sister like he knew his own mind. Lu Wushuang wouldn¡¯t act so rash if she was not provoked.

    She must have heard the Chief princess¡¯ taunting word, adding up to her jealousy to Lu Yaoyao¡¯s beauty. Then, she became agitated, thinking that her cousin would garner the Emperor¡¯s interest, and in a haze of fury, pped Lu Yaoyao hard.

    His younger sister still did not understand that Mo Rongzhan was not the kind of person who would be tempted by beauty. Did the Wang fei Ye not look good at the very beginning? But the Emperor ignored him.

    In the end, it was Lu Wushuang¡¯s insecurity that made her act callous.

    Yet, why would she feel insecure in the first ce? If the Emperor still doted on her, she would not feel threatened every time a woman approaches Mo Rongzhan.

    ¡°Grandma, I will go into the imperial pce and talk to Shuang¡¯er.¡±

    The Old madam nodded encouragingly. ¡°Since she was still a child, she listens only to you. Tell her to keep herself from overthinking and her actions must stay in modesty. If she doesn¡¯t trust her sister, who else can she trust?¡±

    ¡°Grandma, I know you are already tired. You must rest early.¡± Lu Lingzhi told her.

    Different from Old Madam Lu, he knew that Lu Yaoyao, is not a weak and timid person. What happened in the pce was not as simple as the Old madam believed. He couldn¡¯t wait to get to the bottom of it.

    Indeed, Old Madam Lu felt a little tired. ¡°I didn¡¯t see the Wang fei when I left the pce. I don¡¯t know what she could have been thinking that moment. I¡¯m afraid of the things she could do against Yao Yao. Watch her.¡±

    ¡°Yes, grandma.¡±

    Coming out of the upper hall, Lu Lingzhi looked at the small courtyard situated on the other side, which is Ye Zhen¡¯s.

    <i>Perhaps, I should visit her tomorrow.</i>

    In her chamber, Ye Zhen was sighing at the red spots on her face. ¡°If I had known it was useless, I wouldn¡¯t have done it! Now I must find a way to make you disappear.¡±

    ¡°Third miss.¡± Just then, Dai Mei came in from outside.

    Ye Zhen wiped her face with the ointment once more and looked at her maid. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Minister Lu Lingzhi just left the hall.¡± She said, wondering why her mistress suddenly wanted her to spy on Lu Lingzhi.

    ¡°Oh, alright. You should retire now.¡± Ye Zhen smiled at her gratefully. Now she knew that Lu Lingzhi was indeed suspicious. Otherwise, he would not have stayed longer to talk to Old Madam Lu alone.

    He would visit her tomorrow, she was sure.

    ¡°Dai Mei.¡± Ye Zhen stopped the maid on her tracks before she reaches the door, ¡°You can¡¯t say a word about this to anyone. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°This maidservant understands and rest assured that she would be silent of this, Third miss.¡± Dai Mei has now taken Ye Zhen as her only master. How could she ever betray her?

    Ye Zhen nodded with satisfaction, ¡°Thank you and rest well.¡±

    Tomorrow she would go to the Women¡¯s College, but this time, she would go with great determination. She would achieve her goal, no matter how hard it could be.

    She nced at the mirror again, hoping that by the time she got up tomorrow, the red spots already disappeared and she wouldn¡¯t have to go to the college with it.

    As she changed her clothes andid down on her bed, her mind kepting back to today¡¯s events. Mo Rongzhan¡¯s attitude towards Lu Wushuang baffled her. Could it be that he already knew that she tricked him?

    In the pce, Lu Wushuang gradually calmed down from the outrage she felt and realized she lost her gentle and dignified manner in front of Mo Rongzhan. A tremendous regret in her heart.

    As an apology, she willed herself to get up and visit Mo Rongzhan in his study.

    Mo Rongzhan was holding a piece of the broken jade pendant when he heard of Lu Wushuang¡¯s request for an audience. His dark and gloomy eyes shed a cold light. He tucked the pendant away and ordered;

    ¡°Let the Wang fei in.¡±

    Lu Wushuang, who was outside, heard the summon of the Emperor, her face beamed with joy, she fixed her hair and entered the imperial study with a smile. With injustice and tenderness on her face, she spoke ruefully.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I havee to apologize.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan looked at her, ¡°What is the Wang fei apologizing for?¡±

    ¡°Today, this Wang fei acted impulsive and rude in front of the Emperor. Will the Emperor forgive her for this?¡± Lu Wushuang remorsefully asked.

    If he hadn¡¯t found out that Lu Wushuang is a fraud, Mo Rongzhan would not have been angry with her for such a trivial matter, but today he felt repugnant of her presence. If not for Lu Lingzhi¡¯s uing war and his quiet search for the little girl who saved him, he won¡¯t have this conversation with her to begin with.

    ¡°I¡¯m not angry with you, don¡¯t take it to heart. I have other things to do. Go home.¡± was Mo Rongzhan¡¯s dispassionate response before he drew his gaze back to his scrolls.

    Lu Wushuang¡¯s smile froze in that very instant. She didn¡¯t expect to be driven away so soon.

    For so long, it was only at this moment that she felt like a nobody in his eyes.

    <i>This tant rejection, was this how the Wang Fei Ye felt before?</i>

 Chapter 168 - A Dangerous Existence (1)

    <strong>Chapter 168 ¨C A Dangerous Existence (1)</strong>

    Rather than leaving, Lu Wushuang stood firm at her ce and looked at Mo Rongzhan with some grievance.

    Her show of reluctance made Mo Rongzhan look up at her again. ¡°Wang fei, is there anything else?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, are you still angry with this Wang fei?¡± Lu Wushuang walked closer to the Emperor. She didn¡¯t want to leave like this. She couldn¡¯t stand him treating her so coldly.

    When Lu Wushuang was still living in the Border town, when her whole family was still solely merchants, she saw the Emperor riding his horse and donned in ck armor one day. His natural domineering aura and deep eyes had attracted her deeply. She couldn¡¯t help but fall in love with him, but he was always so indifferent that even if her eldest brother was already his confidant at that time, he did not acknowledge her.

    Later on, she learned from Lu Lingzhi that Ye Zhen had saved his life when he was still a child, and this, the Emperor was yet to know.

    Therefore, seeing this as an opportunity, she imed that she was the one who saved him.

    Mo Rongzhan actually believed it and began to take notice of her. She had never seen him so gentle to anyone as he was soft on her. She was addicted to this special treatment and asked her eldest brother to tell her more details about Ye Zhen¡¯s rescue of the Emperor.

    Back then, the person she loathed most was Ye Zhen. If Mo Rongzhan knew that Ye Zhen had saved him, he would certainly be kind to her and finally snatch his attention from Lu Wushuang. Thankfully, Mo Rongzhan hated Ye Zhen, and therefore, Ye Zhen didn¡¯t have the chance to reveal the truth of her identity.

    Lu Wushuang, in envy and hatred, wanted Ye Zhen to die as soon as possible. She was fortunate for she had a brother who would do everything for her happiness¡ªLu Lingzhi killed Ye Zhen, the person who treated him as her dearest friend.

    Mo Rongzhan did not know what Lu Wushuang was thinking at this time. ¡°I am not angry.¡± He once again told her.

    Lu Wushuang wakes up from her memory, looks at the Emperor¡¯s handsome side profile, and feels pain in her heart. ¡°Emperor, I will not do that again.¡±

    Still, even with the sincerity and determination on her voice, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s face remained hard as a stone.

    ¡°Well, you are the Wang fei and therefore, should act like one.¡±

    ¡°When I heard that Your Majesty was going to appoint another concubine, I felt despondent. Only when the Chief princess provoked me did I finally lose control.¡± Lu Wushuang exined, merely looking at his face, finding traces of his love for her.

    She found none.

    ¡°If you feel that way now, you will be even more devastated in the future.¡±

    Since Mo Rongzhan is now certain that Lu Wushuang was not the little girl he met before, every time he saw her, he would think of his mistake.

    Why did he believe what Lu Wushuang said? The little girl in those days was so charming, soft, and lovely that even if he could not see her, he should know only by the tone of her voice that she could never be Lu Wushuang.

    ¡°Your Majesty ...¡± Lu Wushuang did not notice the sh of anger in Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes. His words shook her.

    <i>What does he mean? Is he going to keep making wives? Doesn¡¯t he love me anymore?</i>

    Mo Rongzhan frowned, and his dark eyes dispensed only bitterness for her. ¡°I don¡¯t want to repeat what I have said. I¡¯m busy. Go home now.¡±

    His imposing manner overcame lu Wushuang. Even if she wanted to question him further, she did not dare to speak. She curtsied and bowed, ¡°Your Majesty, this Wang fei will leave now.¡±

    From the imperial study, Mo Rongzhan did not spare her a look again.

    Lu Wushuang¡¯s eyes glistened with tears. She almost ran back to the pce of Earthly Tranquility, with her heart surging with bitterness and hurt.

    ¡°Those wenches!¡± Once she arrived in her chamber, Lu Wushuang vented her anger by smash quilts and pillows on her bed to the ground.

    <i>All those shameless women wanted to seduce the Emperor, especially Liu Hua, who could not wait to be a concubine!</i>

    An expensive ceramic vase collided with the wall and fell in pieces to the floor.

    <i>If it weren¡¯t for them, why would the Emperor want to make another concubine so soon?</i>

    ¡°Wang fei, calm down! Don¡¯t be so hard on yourself!¡± Diane Ping, his maid-in-waiting quickly withdrew all the other maids serving and put away the mess Lu Wushuang had made.

    Lu Wushuang sneered, ¡°I¡¯m afraid there will be no ce for me in this pce soon.¡±

    ¡°How can that be? The Emperor likes you the most. Even if other women enter the pce, you will be his most-favored.¡± Dai Ping had been serving Lu Wushuang since she was a child of Lu family, and she knew her temperament better than anyone else. Therefore, sheforted Lu Wushuang the best she could.

    Lu Wushuang shook her head gently and murmured, ¡°No, the emperor is different to me now ...¡±

    ¡°Why, the Emperor has no other concubines in the pce except for the Wang fei. In what way is he different towards you?¡± Dai Ping urged.

    Lu Wushuang suddenly remembered Lu Yaoyao, who entered the pce today. Mo Rongzhan¡¯s smile on her when they were alone in the imperial garden became engraved to her mind. She suddenly sat up straight. ¡°Have you sent a message back to the Lu family? I want to see my mother.¡±

    ¡°Old Madam has just entered the pce today, so this maid will go to the Lu mansion first thing in the morning tomorrow and ask the Eldest Lady to visit the Wang fei.¡±

    ¡°You wille out of the pce tomorrow with the seal of our pce. Then you will say that I only want to know how the Eldest Lady is doing.¡± Lu Wushuang instructed.

    ¡°Yes, Wang fei.¡± Dai Ping hurriedly agreed.

    Lu Wushuang looked sullenly out of the window. She must take precautions. No matter whether or not Lu Yaoyao meant anything to the Emperor, she would not let Lu Yaoyao have a chance to enter the pce as a concubine.

    She didn¡¯t know if she was just overthinking, but she felt like Lu Yaoyao...would be a dangerous existence.

    *

    *

    *

    In the Lu mansion, Ye Zhen woke up, feeling excited about what this day has to offer. She slept peacefully and woke up in high spirits. Especially when she found that the red spots on her face had disappeared, her mood became a lot better.

    Today, she would take another journey¡ªshe would finally be attending to the Women¡¯s College. She got up early, afraid to bete.

    She went to greet and say goodbye to Old Madam Lu first. It would take her about five or six days toe back.

    Then she went to Lu Shiming and Pei Shi to bid goodbye and met Lu Xiangzhi on her way back.

    ¡°Yao Yao, I wanted to take you to college today, but I have to go to Xu Lao¡¯s ce. But don¡¯t worry, eldest brother offered to apany you instead.¡± Lu Xiangzhi said to Ye Zhen with some guilt on his face.

    To ease his feeling, Ye Zhen motioned with her hand and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. The college is not far anyway. You need to study with Xu Lao.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi patted his sister on the shoulder, ¡°Our Yao Yao is really getting more and more sensible.¡±

    ¡°I am already very sensible!¡± Ye Zhen gave him an angry look. Deep inside, she was a little surprised that Lu Lingzhi would apany her.

    <i>Shouldn¡¯t he be preparing to go to the war?</i>

    Lu Lingzhi was already waiting for her outside. His foot injury has notpletely healed, so he would not ride a horse but would sit in the carriage with Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Yao Yao,e on, we should go.¡± was the first thing he said upon seeing her.

    Lu Lingzhi looked a bit askance, finding that the redness and swelling on her face had already disappeared.

    Before getting into the carriage, Ye Zhen smiled at him and gave him a sincere salute, ¡°Eldest brother.¡±

 Chapter 169 - A Dangerous Existence (2)

    <strong>Chapter 169 ¨C A Dangerous Existence (2)</strong>

    Ye Zhen sat opposite Lu Lingzhi, cocked her head, and looked at him doubtfully. ¡°Eldest brother, I can go to college myself. Your injury is still not healed, so you shouldn¡¯t have bothered to send me off yourself.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi looked at his cousin, who had significantly changed in a short period. Today, she wore a green brocade dress made tight with a girdle. Her skin was as white as porcin, her bright eyes sparkling like the stars of midnight. A shallow smile was stered on her face but still, she looked beautiful like spring.

    It is no wonder that such a young girl made Lu Wushuang feel threatened.

    ¡°Eldest brother is going to Xishan camp and will just drop you off.¡± Lu Lingzhi informed her, He then averted his gaze away from her and talked in a grave tone, ¡°Yao Yao, did something bad happen to you in the pce yesterday?¡±

    Indeed as expected, he started to ask about yesterday¡¯s events! Ye Zhen looked at him in surprise. ¡°Why is the eldest brother asking this? Nothing unfortunate happen yesterday.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi did not miss the surprise and panic on her face. He then assumed that she must be worried that the Wang fei in the pce still misunderstands her.

    ¡°I know everything.¡± Lu Lingzhi said.

    Of course, you do. Ye Zhen smirked internally. When Lu Lingzhi was not looking at her, she assumed a calm exterior. Anyway, she had nothing to hide now.

    ¡°Yao Yao, can you tell me what happened?¡± Lu Lingzhi asked in a concerned voice.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Eldest brother just say that he knows everything? Why should I ry the urrences of my visit to the pce?¡± Ye Zhen said nonchntly.

    She wanted Lu Lingzhi¡¯s help, but she couldn¡¯t just change her previous rejection of him that fast, otherwise, it would make him think that she was seeking something from him.

    Lu Lingzhi smiled faintly, ¡°Grandma told me something, but I still feel curious. How did you meet the Emperor? What happened between you and the Chief Princess?¡±

    Ye Zhen pursed her lips and was somewhat displeased. Lu Lingzhi suspected that she deliberately approached the Emperor. She said coldly, ¡°When I came out from the little prince¡¯s pce and met the Chief princess and her daughter on the road, Liu Hua used me of pushing her to the ground even if she fell on her own intentionally. In retribution, one of the Chief princess¡¯ maid shoved me to the lotus pond nearby us. The Emperor happened to see this just in time and saved me from this ultimate embarrassment. If eldest brother suspects that I met the Emperor intentionally, then he is wrong.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi looked at her angry face and couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Eldest brother doesn¡¯t doubt you, don¡¯t overthink.¡±

    ¡°No doubt?¡± Ye Zhen looked at him mockingly, ¡°Am I only overthinking? Eldest brother, are you only worried that I will make the Wang fei unhappy?¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao, the Wang fei is a sister to you. Yesterday was just a misunderstanding. If it weren¡¯t for Chief princess stirring up discord, she definitely wouldn¡¯t... misunderstand you.¡± Lu Lingzhi spoke for Lu Wushuang.

    There was no doubt that he was a good brother who takes good care of his sister. No wonder he betrayed Ye Zhen and poisoned her for Lu Wushuang¡¯s benefit. ¡°Do you mean to say that I deserve the Wang fei¡¯s p?¡±

    The apathy in Ye Zhe¡¯s tone made Lu Lingzhi felt an indescribable heartache. ¡°Eldest brother doesn¡¯t mean that.¡±

    ¡°Eldest brother, I know what you mean. I shouldn¡¯t have entered the pce yesterday. If I hadn¡¯t entered the pce, there would be no such misunderstanding, I wouldn¡¯t be hurt, and most of all, I wouldn¡¯t have angered the Wang fei. It was all my fault.¡± Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes were slightly red, and her tone a little angrier.

    The conversation took a direction that Lu Lingzhi didn¡¯t expect. At this moment, he felt a surging worry. He had a hard time getting Lu Yaoyao to be cordial to him. He didn¡¯t want to make her hate him because of this.

    ¡°This matter has nothing to do with you. Today I will go to the pce to exin your side to the Wang fei.¡±

    What is there to exin? Ye Zhen floated as a ghost in the pce for two years. She was too familiar with Lu Wushuang¡¯s temperament. Lu Lingzhi will not get good results if he speaks for her in front of his sister. It will only make Lu Wushuang hate her more.

    However, this didn¡¯t bother Ye Zhen. She wanted Lu Wushuang to resent her while she appears defenseless. People are very strange and like to sympathize with the weak. In everyone¡¯s eyes, between her and Lu Wushuang, she is the weak one.

    She wanted Old Madam Lu and the Lu family to stand by her side, and Lu Lingzhi to stop doing everything for Lu Wushuang. Although this was a difficult thing to do, her determination says otherwise.

    ¡°Will the Wang fei believe you?¡± Ye Zhen bit her lip and acted as if she could not hide her grievance. ¡°I exined it yesterday, but she didn¡¯t believe what I said.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi smiled and said, ¡°The Wang fei doesn¡¯t know you, so she misunderstood you.¡±

    ¡°The Wang fei doesn¡¯t know me. Does the eldest brother doesn¡¯t know me well too?¡± Ye Zhen asked lightly, ¡°Do you think I met the emperor on purpose?¡±

    ¡°No, no. Eldest brother said the wrong thing.¡± Lu Lingzhi said helplessly.

    Ye Zhen nced at him. ¡°You are right to think so. The Emperor is young and handsome, and is the most superior. Who doesn¡¯t like him?¡±

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s face changed slightly. ¡°Yao Yao?¡±

    The corner of Ye Zhen¡¯s soft mouth lifted and her eyes gleamed with cunningness. ¡°I understand why eldest brother think that I like the Emperor. But, I have lived a carefree life in the Border town since I was a child. I have long been ustomed to that unconstrained life. If I am allowed to live in the pce, I would rather go back to the Border town.¡±

    This was her sincere words. After three years of living in her lonesome pce as the Wang fei and two years of being trapped in its walls watching the concubines fight each other, is it worth it to get the attention of Mo Rongzhan?

    Mo Rongzhan was a cold-hearted person who never pays much attention to any woman. To fall in love with such a man was foolishness. Besides, he is still the Emperor, his sole wife was the country.

    With this said, how could Ye Zhen repeat the same mistake and like Mo Rongzhan again?

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to go back to the border town to be free.¡±

    Ye Zhen lifted her chin as she said, ¡°of course, I will be a woman doctor in the future.¡±

    ¡°Why do you want to be a female medical officer? Many women will stay at home after they married and have children. ¡°Lu Lingzhi had raised eyebrows and asked, this was the first time he had ever heard of this reasoning.

    ¡°Why do women have to stay at home with their husbands and children. Don¡¯t they have dreams? Well, I do, and it is to be a female medical doctor.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t want to enter the pce? But to be a female medical officer, you have to go to the pce frequently.¡±

    Ye Zhen red at him. ¡°How is that the same? I will go to the pce only to serve.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi was amused by her and just shook his head. ¡°If someone bullies you in the college, please tell your eldest brother.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the use of telling you? Can you beat them for me?¡±

    ¡°Why, with that tone, I would think that you want to beat people yourself.¡± Lu Lingzhi¡¯s handsome face showed a warm smile.

    Ye Zhen looked at his familiar smile and felt disgusted¡ªit was the same smile he used to give her when she was still the naive Wang fei Ye.

    Nevertheless, she smiled back, ¡°Yes, I will do that.¡±

 Chapter 170 - Division of Classes (1)

    <strong>Chapter 170 ¨C Division of sses (1)</strong>

    The carriage stopped just outside therge gate of the Women¡¯s College. Lu Lingzhi found it inconvenient for him to take Ye Zhen inside as he was already runningte. Therefore, he said goodbye to her at the gates.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a maid to take care of you. If you ever have difficulty living inside the college, let someone tell us.¡± He told her.

    Ye Zhen smiled and nodded, ¡°I know, eldest brother, don¡¯t worry about me.¡± She must be able to take care of herself.

    Lu Lingzhi looks at Ye Zhen with a smile, and then gets on his carriage again and leaves.

    Unlike other girls here, Ye Zhen came in without single luggage because Pei Shi had people send her daily necessities to the medical school yesterday.

    ¡°Yao Yao!¡±

    She just entered the college when she heard someone call her name behind her. She immediately looked back and saw a soft yellow figure approaching her. The girl had a buxom figure, and her smile was bright and sweet. She waved enthusiastically at Ye Zhen.

    Upon squinting her eyes for a fraction, Ye Zhen realized that it was Sun Wen whom she met in thest exam! She stopped right where she stood and watched Sun Wene closer with her unwavering smile.

    ¡°Yao Yao, I didn¡¯t expect to meet you on the first day of school!¡± was Sun Wen¡¯s happy remark upon reaching Ye Zhen, who was also secretly d that she met an acquaintance.

    Just before Ye Zhen could emit a word, thetter talked again, unable to ovee her excitement on seeing a familiar face. ¡°This is really a fortunate incidence! How lucky I am that I met you; otherwise, I won¡¯t know what to do! I just arrived in the capital not long ago and didn¡¯t know anyone. I couldn¡¯t find someone to talk to...¡±

    Words were a natural thing for Sun Wen. Ye Zhen listened to her incessant prattle, and when she was through, she finally spoke, ¡°I just arrived, too, and met you here unexpectedly.¡±

    Since the day of their exam, Sun Wen made no secret of her fondness towards Ye Zhen, but this lively girl has quite an entricity. When she makes friends, she likes to look at their faces intently, and if she finds someone good-looking, that person would then be her favorite.

    ¡°Yao Yao, I think we will be in the same ss!¡±

    ¡°I will like that.¡± In her past life, Ye Zhen didn¡¯t have any close female friends as she was always isted. Facing such a passionate Sun Wen, she was a little unprepared and didn¡¯t know how she should react.

    Despite Ye Zhen¡¯s imminent chagrin, Sun Wen remained passive of herpanion¡¯s difort as she proceeded to take her hand, leading her towards the medical school.

    The medical school was vast¡ªthe widest in the Women¡¯s college. Although it was no longer as grand as when it was first built, there are still many girls who choose to study medicine here

    There were 40 students in the beginner sses, divided into two groups. Ye Zhen and Sun Wen went to find out which ss they were in first.

    ¡°Yao Yao, we are both in ss B...¡± Sun Wen said dishearted.

    Of the two sses, A and B, the better one was naturally ss A. Their test results were obviously not bad. Why are they in ss B?

    Noticing Sun Wen¡¯s disappointment, Ye Zhen consoled her, ¡°It¡¯s alright. Both sses are the same anyway; it both teaches medicine.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Sun Wen nodded and had a cheerful look once again.

    On the next moment, a scornfulugh and a disdainful remark reached their ears. ¡°Hhmmph! Indeed, they are both from the countryside but have the nerve to attend medical school!¡±

    <i>That voice... </i>Sun Wen was the first one to find the source of the taunt, her mouth curling dissatisfied as she saw who it was. Ye Zhen, on the other hand, also felt that the voice was familiar, so she also looked back.

    A girl in pink with a haughty face looked at both of them with disgust.

    Instantly, the two remembered who this person was ¡ª it was Gao Xueping, the same person who taunted Sun Wen on the exam day.

    Seeing this girl¡¯s arrogance and hearing her surname, Ye Zhen knew right away that she was the miss of the Gao Family in Longshan.

    Although the Gao family was not a century-old family, it still belonged to the nobility. Therefore, it was not entirely surprising that Gao Xueping attended the medical center.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being from the countryside?¡± Sun Wen red at the aggravating girl.

    Gao Xueping was rtively tall and looked at Sun Wen from a rather high position. ¡°I don¡¯t talk to ugly people. Get out of my way.¡±

    Of all things, Sun Wen hates people saying she is ugly the most. ¡°You... Don¡¯t go too far or else you might regret it.¡±

    Despite the imminent warn in Sun Wen¡¯s voice, Gao Xueping ignored her and raised her eyebrows to Ye Zhen instead. ¡°Are you Lu Yaoyao?¡±

    Instead of answering, Ye Zhen took Sun Wen¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I never talk to anyone who thinks she is beautiful, even though she is not.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Sun Wen looked at Ye Zhen with awe as they headed towards their sses, leaving the humiliated Gao Xueping on her misery. Gao Xueping had no choice but to watch their retreating backs. In her mind, she already marked them as her rivals.

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t like to make enemies, but she also disliked others humiliating her friends.

    ¡°Yao Yao, you shunned Gao Xueping off!¡± Sun Wen felt proud and adored Ye Zhen even more.

    ¡°Sun Wen, she is a narrow-minded person. You must not provoke her in the future.¡± Ye Zhen reminded, not because she was afraid of Gao Xueping, but she remembered that the Gaos had some solid rtions with the Chief princess. Although Sun Wen was an official¡¯s daughter, she could never defeat the Chief Princess.

    Sun Wen felt rebellious in her heart, ¡°She has provoked me first. We were only defending ourselves...¡±

    ¡°Just avoid her. Come on, we are going to bete.¡±

    With Ye Zhen¡¯s excellent results in the exam, she should have been assigned to ss A. However, the two college teachers Liu Hua ordered to invalidate her performance during the examination, were expelled and this added fire to her dispute with the princess.

    Her thrown in ss B was only a warning.

    Upon arriving, they saw the two sses adjacent to each other. In such an arrangement, the sses¡¯ differences were easy to distinguish. Most of the girls in ss A were native of the capital and had good backgrounds while in ss B, the girls were from the provinces. Such division showed that there was no equality inside the college, utterly different from what they uphold.

    If it weren¡¯t for her desire to be a female medical doctor, Ye Zhen wouldn¡¯t want to attend the Women¡¯s college at all.

    ¡°Yaoyao, let¡¯s sit over there.¡± Sun Wen pointed to the front seats and took Ye Zhen¡¯s hand.

    The college was indeed spacious, everyone has a table, and the floor covered in soft cushions. There were already many people inside, and when Ye Zhen and Sun Wen came in, all eyes fell on them.

    In response, Ye Zhen nodded to them respectfully while Sun Wen dragged her to their ces.

    ¡°Are you Lu Yaoyao?¡± A girl in green frock sitting behind Ye Zhen asked curiously. She was about 15 years old, adorable and lovely. Two deep dimples appears when sheughed. Looking around her surroundings, Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t help but notice that she was different from the rest who were already in vigorpany with each other. She sat alone as it seemed like nobody around wanted to talk to her.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ye Zhen nodded, her eyebrows slightly puckered. She was suddenly so famous, and everyone seemed to know her!

    The girl continued, ¡°My name is Chen Jinru. I met you on the day of the exam. You were really good!¡± Ye Zhen only gave her a small smile back.

    ¡°My name is Sun Wen. I saw youst time. You y the piano very well.¡±

    Chen Jinru did not expect that she would have people to talk to, and felt ecstatic. Sun Wen¡¯s lively personality sparked a conversation between them and Chen JInru didn¡¯t feel so alone anymore.

    However, people around them found their group odd; Ye Zhen could just feel curious stares digging holes on her back. It also didn¡¯t help that the other girls heard that she was the famous Lu Yaoyao. Upon seeing her beauty, they felt even more displeased.

    ¡°So, you are Lu Yaoyao!¡± Out of the blue, a miss with an annoying sharp voice demanded attention.

    Ye Zhen was absorbed into the conversation with Sun Wen and Chen Jinru when she heard someone mention her name. She looked over doubtfully.

    Sitting in another corner, two or three women gathered and looked at her contemptuously. The youngest one stood up and pointed at Ye Zhen and said, ¡°You are the shameless Lu Yaoyao, who coaxed all men to spend their money to bet on you, thus humiliating Princess Liu Hua!¡±

    Instantly, Ye Zhen¡¯s face sank. She looked at the girl with hostility. ¡°What did you say?¡±

    The little girl thought Ye Zhen won¡¯t dare quarrel with her at all. She walked up to her with more arrogance and pointed her at her nose. ¡°Am I wrong? You are shameless. If you hadn¡¯t tricked the little prince and Marquis Tang, how could you have entered the college?¡±

 Chapter 171 - Division of Classes (2)

    <strong>Chapter 171 ¨C Division of sses (2)</strong>

    ¡°I heard ... she cheated her way to earn Marquis Tang¡¯s silver whip...¡± Someone whispered.

    To Ye Zhen¡¯s defense, Sun Wen scolded them, ¡°Shameless? It is you who are shameless! Which family are you from? Didn¡¯t your parents teach you what propriety is? How can such people be students of this college?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. Do you even know what you are doing? Do you even know who you are talking to?¡±

    Sun Wen rested her hands on her hips. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t run up to us like a madman, I wouldn¡¯t have cared about you, Huang Fuxiang. Why are you so jealous?¡±

    Ye Zhen loosened her already clenched fists and watched Huang Fuxiang¡¯s eyes lose confidence.

    ¡°What did you say? Who do I need to be jealous of?¡± Huang Fuxiang became angry from embarrassment and red at Sun Wen. She then turned to Ye Zhen. ¡°Lu Yaoyao, hand over my cousin¡¯s silver whip!¡±

    <i>Cousin? Is this Huang Fuxiang Tang Zhen¡¯s cousin?</i>

    Ye Zhen grinned, but her eyes were somewhat mocking. ¡°Just because you are Tang Zhen¡¯s cousin, do you think that you have the right to demand his silver whip? I won the whip on a fair game.¡±

    Huang Fuxiang stared jealously at Ye Zhen¡¯s face, ¡°Yes! I have the right to do so!¡±

    ¡°Did he order you to retrieve back his silver whip for him?¡± Ye Zhen smiled widely. ¡°I would have never thought that a marquis could never ept defeat. But it was so considerate of you to sympathize with him, really.¡±

    She only knew that Tang Zhen was an orphan, but she didn¡¯t know that he had rtives in the capital who seemed very familiar with Liu Hua.

    Huang Fuxiang listened to Ye Zhen¡¯s words, and she lost all colors from her face. Her original intention was just to let everyone know that Lu Yaoyao was a shameless person, and she never wanted to bring trouble to Tang Zhen¡¯s reputation. Now, Ye Zhen had turned the tables and made it look like she brought trouble to her cousin.

    ¡°Miss Lu is really eloquent. No wonder even the Princess Liu Hua is no match to you.¡± An older woman made herself known. She raised her eyebrows and gave Ye Zhen a hard look. ¡°I hope your skills are as good as your eloquence.¡±

    When Huang Fuxiang saw the woman, she brightened up in an instant, d to have someone rescue her from Ye Zhen¡¯s skillful strike. ¡°Sister Su!¡±

    Su Xinmei nodded and looked at all the people around. ¡°Sit down, everyone. You don¡¯t want to cause trouble just after the sses start! I hope you remember that no matter how prominent your family background is, you are all equal when you enter this school. I am an elder teacher, Miss Su Xinmei. If you don¡¯t understand anything, pleasee and ask me. For today, I¡¯ll give you books to transcribe. Afterward, you can walk around the school halls and have a look at the medicines disyed. In the future, if you study hard, you will learn how to use all of them.¡±

    Everyone heard Su Xinmei say that she was an elder teacher, so they dared not take liberties any more and obediently returned to their seats. Huang Fuxiang gave Ye Zhen a proud look and turned away with a snort.

    Ye Zhen had just sat down when Chen Jinru behind her whispered to her, ¡°The Huang family adopted sister Su before.¡±

    No wonder Huang Fuxiang can be so fearless! Ye Zhen realized the girl¡¯s atrocious behavior.

    Her first day in the college seemed a little different from what she had imagined. When she was the Wang fei Ye, no one dared to challenge her. Now she was only Lu Yaoyao, and almost everyone underestimates her.

    Su Xinmei started to hand books to each of the students. They would need to transcribe any books they borrow from the library.

    Books are rare, and good books are even rarer. The books in the library were all leftover from a hundred years old library and are well preserved. Therefore, everyone who transcribes them must be careful. If the books were damaged, the college would not let the student responsible go unpunished.

    ¡°Everyone has a book on hand, which is the basic introduction to herbs.¡± Su Xinmei¡¯s voice was clear and crisp. ¡°Tomorrow, this teacher will take you to the medical field, but as early as now, memorize the herbs found in the book I have given you.¡±

    Ye Zhen browsed through the book and found that she had already learned all the herbs in it. It was not difficult to remember them.

    ¡°Now you can walk around the school hall.¡± Su Xinmei said.

    Huang Fuxiang stood up and said to Su Xinmei, ¡°Sister Su, can you apany us? We don¡¯t know the way.¡±

    Su Xinmei dly stood up. ¡°Of course, let¡¯s go.¡± This favoritism made Huang Fuxiang even prouder, throwing a smug look to Ye Zhen¡¯s way. Then, all the girls she befriended followed her and Su Xinmei out.

    ¡°She thinks so highly of herself! Argh!¡± Sun Wen said, thoroughly annoyed.

    ¡°Sister Su grew up with the Huang family, and it is only natural that she should be nice to Huang Fuxiang.¡± Chen Jinru told her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go out too.¡± Ye Zhen veered the topic. There was no use of mulling over someone whom she deemed unimportant. She only wanted to learn and be a female medical doctor in the future.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao!¡± Just when Ye Zhen thought that she could finally be at peace and walk the halls of the school in absolute serenity, she saw Gao Xuepinging up to them with heavy steps.

    ¡°Miss Gao, what can I do for you?¡± Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t help but frown in sheer disappointment.

    ¡°Do you want to live inside the school premises too?¡± Gao Xueping looked at her coldly, her head slightly tilted upward to show her dominance.

    ¡°Does this have anything to do with Miss Gao?¡± Ye Zhen asked with a faint smile.

    Her snarky response made Gao Xueping lose all her cool, and she burst out without control. ¡°I don¡¯t want to live with you! Move out and live with others!¡±

    Ye Zhen was shocked. Unexpectedly, she was arranged to live with Gao Xueping! ¡°Miss Gao can move out if she doesn¡¯t want to be in the same room as me.¡±

    ¡°There is only one room between, why should I move out?¡± Gao Xueping said proudly.

    The dormitories in the college were also divided into different kinds, and the best ones were upied by at least two people. Pei Shi naturally chose the best for her daughter.

    Ye Zhen only calmly smiled, ¡°Miss Gao, as you said, there is only one room. Why should I move out instead of <i>you</i>?¡±

 Chapter 172 - To Find a Way

    <strong>Chapter 172 ¨C To Find a Way</strong>

    Ye Zhen had never quarreled with others since she was a child. This is because no one dared to oppose her, except her brother. However, she had always known that her temperament was soft and calm, and if her old self were to face Gao Xueping, she would be submissive as a prey.

    When she woke up from her transmigration, she desired one thing¡ªthe ability to defend herself which she hadn¡¯t done in her previous life. This time, for her and her twin sister¡¯s life, she would not step back from anyone else.

    Gao Xueping didn¡¯t expect Lu Yaoyao to refuse. <i>Who does she think she is? Even if she is a cousin of the Wang fei and the assistant minister, she only belongs to the third house of the Lu family!</i>

    It also didn¡¯t escape her awareness that Lu Lingzhi¡¯s mother hold grudges against Lu Yaoyao¡¯s parents. <i>Therefore, why should she be treated as a noble girl here in the college?</i>

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, don¡¯t be ungrateful.¡± Gao Xueping shouted angrily, ¡°In this college, people with higher status than you are everywhere. Don¡¯t even think that because you are the minister¡¯s cousin, we should be afraid of you. To frankly tell you, you are nothing in my eyes.¡±

    Unperturbed by her belittling words, Ye Zhen looked at Gao Xueping with equal defiance and a smile of faint mockery. ¡°Miss Gao, if you don¡¯t want to live with me, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll find a way.¡±

    ¡°What will you do?¡± asked Gao Xueping who perked up upon hearing so.

    ¡°Ask no more.¡± Ye Zhen raised her eyebrows and smiled, ¡°For I always have my ways naturally.¡±

    Gao Xueping thought that Ye Zhen already gave up the fight and looked prouder. ¡°Alright. I shall wait.¡±

    When Gao Xueping left, Sun Wen grabbed Ye Zhen¡¯s hand and cried, ¡°How did you promise her that, why would you move on her benefit? Don¡¯t be afraid of her. ¡°

    The Gao family was only relying on the power of the Chief princess who currently dominates inside the pce. Now, the Lu family had wealth and power at their fingertips stemming from the emperor¡¯s recognition of Lu Lingzhi¡¯s help in the previous wars. It won¡¯t be long until the Lu family would be recognized as equal to the Gao family.

    However, Lu Yaoyao had no desire to wait for that time toe. For her, Gao Xueping was just another kid to be taught a lesson.

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of her.¡± Ye Zhen said in defense.

    The Women¡¯s college especially favors students who have silvers to spend. In this case, Ye Zhen won¡¯t have a problem.

    She still had more than 40,000 taels won from Liu Hua, and absolutely fine about living alone. Moreover, she knew someone in the college that could help her in this dilemma.

    ¡°If you are not afraid of her, why did you promise to move out instead of her?¡± Chen Jinru asked curiously.

    Ye Zhen winked cunningly, ¡°When did I promise Gao Xueping that I will move out? Wait for me here, I¡¯ll see someone first. ¡°

    ¡°Yao Yao, where are you going?¡± Sun Wen asked hastily.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± She wasted no time and ran away briskly with her skirt in her hand.

    Both Sun Wen and Chen Jinru saw that she didn¡¯t want them to follow, so they had to endure curiosity and patiently wait for Ye Zhen to return.

    Ye Zhen went to the northernmost part of the medical center. This is the house of the academy. The rows of buildings look somewhat different from ordinary houses. There were ten rooms for each floor,prising a three-story establishment.

    She walked through the school and saw a middle-aged woman dressed in coarse cloth by the garden. She wasdling water to make tea and did not notice Ye Zhen¡¯s arrival.

    Ye Zhen walked over her with a pleasant smile, ¡°Aunt, can I ask for a cup of tea?¡±

    The woman looked back at Ye Zhen, dazed, ¡°Wang fei Ye?¡±

    ¡°Wang fei Ye?¡± Ye Zhen looked at her doubtfully, feigning confusion about what the other party was saying.

    ¡°How can anyone look so simr to her?¡± The woman muttered to herself, looked up at Ye Zhen, frowned and asked, ¡°Who are you, and why are you here?¡±

    Ye Zhen dly answered, ¡°My name is Lu Yaoyao. Today is my first day in college. I was just roaming around when the marvelous smell of aunt¡¯s tea wafts towards my nose.¡±

    ¡°Your nose is quite sharp.¡± The woman grunted.

    ¡°I like drinking tea since I was young, and its smell naturally attracts me.¡± Ye Zhen skillfully threw words, looking at this smug and indifferent woman whose name was Wen Xiu¡ªone of the administrators of the medical school. She cooks good tea. However, although this person looked just like any other grumpy olddy, she has a vulgar hobby¡ªher obsession for silvers.

    Instead of sparing Ye Zhen a look, Wen Xiu said coldly, ¡°Go home. Don¡¯t just stroll around here if you have nothing to do.

    With a mischievous smile, Ye Zhen sat down instead, with her palms on the table holding 500 silver taels.

    Like a real goblin, Wen Xiu¡¯s eyes shone brightly upon seeing the silvers. Suddenly, Ye Zhen caught her attention, the tea forgotten. ¡°I want to ask my aunt for something today.¡±

    ¡°Say, what is it?¡± Wen Xiu took the silver from Ye Zhen¡¯s hand in a snap, thinking that the girl was a person with a generous heart.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to share the same room with Miss Gao. can you please arrange it for me?¡± Ye Zhen blurted out with confidence.

    ¡°That¡¯s not difficult.¡±

    ¡°Then please, aunt.¡±

    ¡°If you know what kind of tea this is, I¡¯ll take your five hundred silver taels.¡± Wen Xiu challenged.

    ¡°Good!¡± Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes shed brightly. She took a sip of tea. the aroma of carbon fire was light, and there were a faint scent and elegant rhyme. ¡°It¡¯s an excellent tea.¡±

    Wen Xiu snorted softly, ¡°What kind of tea is this?¡±

    ¡°Aunt, this is Tieguanyin baked by carbon fire.¡±

    Wen Xiu was surprised. ¡°You really know tea.¡±

    ¡°I only know a little and could neverpare with Aunt.¡± Ye Zhen said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take this five hundred tael. You must go.¡± Wen Xiu waved and drove Ye Zhen away.

    Ye Zhen bowed gratefully, ¡°Thank you, aunt.¡±

    As Ye Zhen strode off, Wen Xiu kept her gaze fixated on the tea in her hand and did not speak a word. She knew who Ye Zhen was referring to as Miss Gao¡ªit was the same hot-headed miss who had juste to her with her head held high and demanded she upy her room alone.

    <i>That woman doesn¡¯t know etiquette! </i>She grudgingly said in her mind as she thought Gao Xueping. <i>How could she dare act arrogant in front of me?</i>

    The certainty of her sess painted a satisfied smile on Ye Zhen¡¯s lips as she was returning to herpany.

    She felt quite curious about Wen Xiu¡¯s life experience. Generally speaking, the administrator did not have such a disdainful temperament. It just happened that she was so cold and softens at the sight of silver. However, the curator of the medical museum was very indulgent and protective of her.

    ¡°Yao Yao, what did you do just now?¡± Sun Wen asked curiously. She couldn¡¯t shake off the thought that Ye Zhen came back a little strange¡ªperhaps, happier? Far from the reaction she expected from someone who had just a fight with Gao Xueping.

    Ye Zhen smiled cunningly, ¡°Nothing, let¡¯s go have a cup of tea.¡±

    Sun Wen looked incredulous. ¡°You are still in the mood to drink tea even after Gao Xueping has bullied you.¡±

    Just then, Gao Xueping came towards them with a livid face.

 Chapter 173 - What Silver Can Do

    <strong>Chapter 173 ¨C What Silver Can Do</strong>

    Seeing Gao Xueping¡¯s furious appearance, Sun Wen and Chen Jinru looked at each other, clueless of what trouble she brings this time.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao!¡± Gao Xueping snapped at Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Miss Gao, what can I do for you?¡± Ye Zhen asked politely.

    Sun Wen and Chen Jinru¡¯s eyes widened for Gao Xueping was not alone this time, she brought with her Xiu Liu and¡ªthey both felt their stomach sunk¡ªthe other one was none other than Princess Liu Hua!

    Nheless, Ye Zhen remained calm as she watched the three figures drew nearer...

    Upon reaching her, Gao Xueping pointed at her and with a furious voice, yelled, ¡°You are mean! Shameless! How cruel of you to make me move out in such a mischievous way. Lu Yaoyao, you are very deceiving!¡±

    sted with the usation, Ye Zhen remained looking innocent. ¡°Miss Gao, you made it clear that you didn¡¯t want to live in the same room with me, and I could only think of this way to solve your problem.¡±

    ¡°Xueping? What did you expect? She was born to a merchant family and is used to work with money. Even in college, she practices her merchant skills.¡± Liu Hua sourly spoke.

    While this transpires, Xu Huiru remained silent beside Liu Hua. Since she badly wanted to be friends with the princess, she was bound to follow the princess even if she does not exactly agree to them feasting over Lu Yaoyao.

    ¡°Silver is really a good thing.¡± Ye Zhen chuckled and asked Liu Hua daringly, ¡°Since the early times, silver is already used to solve crisis, so why should I not use it this time? Does it mean that only when the Lu family uses would it look vulgar, but when the princess does so, she would look particrly noble?¡±

    Gao Xueping¡¯s face turned red with anger. Although she was from a well-known family, she was in fact, living beyond her means. She would not want to be admitted to the medical center if not for her family¡¯s efforts in worshipping the Chief princess and her daughter, Liu Hua.

    She could only hope to be a female medical officer in the future and bring some glory to her family. And perhaps, if fate permits it, she would catch the emperor¡¯s attention when she finally enters the pce.

    Only, she met an obstacle. What she did not expect was that there would be a Lu Yaoyao who would enter the medical school at the same time with her. When she first saw her, she felt threatened.

    <i>This person... looks too dazzling. Anyone standing with her would lose shine.</i>

    ¡°You said clearly just now that you would find a way to move out. How could you turn the tables around?¡± The more she thought of Ye Zhen¡¯s scheme, the more Gao Xueping felt agitated.

    ¡°Is that what I said?¡± Ye Zhen sounded surprised. ¡°I think the room is quite good. You don¡¯t want to live with me, so I have to give more silvers to own the ce alone. Anyway, I just won some silvers the other day, so I put it into good use..¡±

    Liu Hua¡¯s face crumpled. Of course, she knew where the money Ye Zhen said came from. It was all hers!

    She stared daggers at Ye Zhen. ¡°Lu Yaoyao, is the p you received yesterday in the pce still painful?¡±

    When the other girls heard that Ye Zhen had been pped in the pce, they all looked inquisitively at her face.

    ¡°Thank you for your concern. I hurt my face yesterday by ident. However, I don¡¯t feel any pain today because of the snow lotus ointment given by the Empress Dowager.¡± She said clear enough to earn gasps from everyone.

    Liu Hua squinted her eyes at Ye Zhen¡¯s face and found that there was no redness and swelling as what she had seen yesterday. It seemed that the Empress Dowager indeed gave her the precious ointment!

    For this, jealousy filled her heart. She was chasing the affection of the dowager for a long time now, but why couldn¡¯t she get such treatment? While Ye Zhen earned the dowager¡¯s favor after seeing her for just a day!

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, don¡¯t think you can bully others in the college through the Wang fei!¡±

    ¡°Princess, I am not bullying anyone. If miss Gao wants to live alone, she can give me back the money I gave Aunt Wen and I will move out without resistance.¡± Ye Zhen posed a calm exterior, which irked the opposing girls even more.

    Gao Xueping snorted, ¡°Well, how much money did you give?¡±

    ¡°One thousand two hundred.¡± Ye Zhen smiled. Even if Gao Xueping could get the money, she would definitely earn a little profit too.

    ¡°You ...¡± Gao Xueping turned pale. She only spent dozens of taels more for the shared chamber, while Ye Zhen spent 1,200 taels!

    Liu Hua said to Gao Xueping, ¡°Give her money so she moves out!¡±

    Gao Xueping was in deep trouble. How could she get 1,200 taels? Even if she can acquire such arge sum of silvers, Aunt Wen may not ept it. When she approached Aunt Wen, she didn¡¯t that she was the school¡¯s administrator and acted rudely to her. Only when the old woman ordered a servant and when Liu Hua politely saluted her, did Gao Xueping realized her mistake.

    But then, it was all toote. Aunt Wen was already very disappointed in her.

    ¡°Anyway, Princess Liu Hua could just give silvers to Miss Gao if she does not have.¡± Ye Zhen suggested.

    Liu Hua gave Ye Zhen a hard stare. Early this morning, her mother let people take 20,000 silvers to the little prince as his winning prize from the bet she instigated in an attempt to humiliate Ye Zhen.

    Therefore, within only just a few days, the Chief princess lost tens of thousands of silver taels. Saying this, Liu Hua could not ask for silvers from her mother anymore. Where could she get 1,200 taels for Gao Xueping?

    Gao Xueping knew what Liu Hua had in mind¡ªher friend couldn¡¯te to her aid this time. She felt ashamed and resentful and therefore, opted for another way even if it meant defeat. ¡°Why would I be as vulgar and low as you? I refuse to be part of your games, Lu Yaoyao.¡± She said, before turning around to leave.

    Liu Hua took two steps forward, looked straight at Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes with some animosity, and suddenly uttered in a threatening tone, ¡°Lu Yaoyao, don¡¯t you think you can be arrogant here for long. Lu Wushuang will not leave you in peace. Everyone fears her. The things she could do to you...¡±

    Ye Zhen eyes looked at her lightly, she knew what Liu Hua was going to say.

    ¡°Wait and see how your Wang fei sister treats you.¡± Liu Hua finished.

    ¡°Princess, why are you so afraid of the Wang fei?¡± Ye Zhen asked doubtfully, she knew what kind of person Lu Wushuang was, but she could never say anything bad about her outside.

    Liu Hua¡¯s face sank. ¡°Why should I be afraid of her?¡±

    ¡°If you are not afraid of her, why nder her in front of her cousin sister? The Wang fei is kind and gentle. She smiles amiably at everyone. As her younger sister, I am exceedingly proud of her. What is your purpose in creating discord between us like this? ¡°

    Liu Hua was angry and smiled, ¡°Even if you curry favor with Lu Wushuang, will she let you enter the pce?¡±

    ¡°Last time, it was the Wang fei who requested for me to visit the pce.¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s retaliating remarks felt like a hundred p on Liu Hua¡¯s face. Her eyes bore malice as she had a hard time looking at Ye Zhen while keeping her urge to hurt her physically at bay.

    ¡°You wait and see, this princess is not done with you.¡± Liu Hua grunted.

 Chapter 174 - Guilt

    <strong>Chapter 174 ¨C Guilt</strong>

    After Lu Lingzhi sent Ye Zhen to the academy, he proceeded to the imperial pce and visited his sister, Lu Wushuang.

    ¡°Eldest Brother, I think you should prepare for the war in the Camp Xishan instead of being here.¡±

    She was no fool¨Cshe already guessed her brother¡¯s intent in visiting her today. Grumbling to herself, Lu Wushuang expressed her distaste towards Lu Lingzhi¡¯s presence in the Pce of Earthly Tranquility, the pce she resided in.

    ¡°The camp can wait, Wang Fei. I visited because I have something to say to you.¡±

    ¡°What does my brother wants to say?¡±

    Just by her tone, one could tell she was brimming with impatience.

    He probably came here to talk about Lu Yaoyao! Grandmother must have told him, otherwise, why else would he spare me a visit today?

    ¡°Did Grandmother tell you? Do not worry; I will not act impulsively anymore. If the empress dowager wants another concubine to enter the pce, let her. I will not stop her.¡±

    A nimble nod from Lu Lingzhi returned her words, hence, the ever snappish Lu Wushuang thought that he would finally leave her to her peace...

    Yet, Lu Lingzhi stood, unmoving, having another concern he wished to ry.

    ¡°Wang Fei, I¡¯m d that you were able to think through the ws of your actions. But there is another thing I must discuss with you¨C it¡¯s Yaoyao.¡±

    As the name of the person she had now vowed to destroy was mentioned, Lu Wushuang raised her cold eyes to her brother hurtfully.

    ¡°Eldest Brother, did youe to the pce solely for that girl?¡±

    When Lu Lingzhi neither admitted nor denied, one thing became clear to her...

    Her hunch turned out to be right¨CLu Yaoyao had gained too much importance in the Lu Family than what she preferred.

    Sensing the displeasure in her words, Lu Lingzhi instantly became aware of his sister¡¯s feelings towards Lu Yaoyao.

    ¡°Wang Fei, Yaoyao grew up in the border town from an early age. Her temper is unrestrained, and her mind simple. She will definitely not do anything against you. Yesterday was just a misunderstanding. I hope Wang Fei will not take it to heart.¡±

    Does she have a simple mind? Lu Wushuang sneered. Anyone who skillfully maneuvers herself to be in the exact ce as the emperor is no simpleton!

    ¡°Eldest Brother, you do not know her well enough. How dare she insult me by gettingfortable with Mo Rongzhan?¡±

    ¡°Wang Fei, it¡¯s because Yaoyao does not understand anything, and you being hard on her makes thingsplicated. Her meeting the emperor yesterday is a coincidence, not intentional.¡±

    ¡°Eldest Brother, I think you are confused.¡± Lu Wushuang red at him. With a sour tone, she said, ¡°Did you believe what she said? It cannot be a coincidence!¡±

    ¡°I believe Yaoyao, who is our cousin, will definitely not do anything against our family,¡± Lu Lingzhi said without hesitation.

    ¡°Eldest Brother now only has Yaoyao as his sister in his heart. Am I nothing to him now?¡±

    Yesterday, she felt that her grandmother especially fawned over Lu Yaoyao.

    Has Lu Yaoyao already reced her in the Lu Family?

    ¡°What is Wang Fei talking about? You and Yaoyao are my sisters.¡± Lu Lingzhi uttered helplessly.

    ¡°Eldest Brother, if you want me to believe Yaoyao has no ill-motives against me, then let her marry as soon as possible. Only in this way will I be able to ept her as my sister,¡± Lu Wushuang said.

    She knew Lu Lingzhi cared about all the members of the Lu Family, but he cared for her the most. He was always indifferent to his other sisters except her. Yet, this time... she felt that this had somehow changed.

    He was so concerned about Yaoyao, to the point of exining on her behalf. This was the first time Lu Wushuang saw him care about another person rather than her.

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s face sank. ¡°Wang Fei, Yaoyao¡¯s marriage is to be decided by Third Uncle and Third Aunt. We should not interfere.¡±

    ¡°I, the wang fei of this country, have bestowed her marriage. Is there anything else that you find unsatisfactory?¡± Lu Wushuang proudly dered.

    With this childish exercise of her powers, Lu Lingzhi¡¯s face sank, and he countered her.

    ¡°Even if you are the wang fei, you do not have the right to decide for other people¡¯s lives¨Cespecially a sacred bond such as marriage. Sister, I hope you do not portray this behavior in front of anyone else.¡±

    ¡°This behavior?¡± Lu Wushuang stubbornly hit the table with her bare hands and stood up sharply. ¡°You all favor her; all of you! Is Lu Yaoyao better than me?!¡±

    Her eyes shone with malevolence, as she stared daggers at the person who used to treasure her the most in this world.

    ¡°Eldest Brother, are you going to send her to the pce to rece me when I fall out of the emperor¡¯s favor?¡±

    A wry smile fell on Lu Lingzhi¡¯s lips. ¡°Wang Fei, how could you think such things?¡±

    ¡°Am I correct? Soon, there will be more and more concubines in this harem. When I lose the emperor¡¯s favor, would there still be a ce for me in this pce?¡±

    Lu Wushuang felt extremely wronged. Life in this pce was utterly different from what she had imagined.

    ¡°Wang Fei, as long as you do not do anything wrong, the emperor would keep you. After all, he believes that you saved his life. As for Yaoyao, I will not let her enter the pce.¡±

    ¡°Eldest Brother, you know best the things we did just to be with the emperor,¡± Lu Wushuang said with grievance, ¡°I would hate to see it all in vain.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi looked at Lu Wushuang¡¯s disheveled appearance and felt pity¨Cshe must not have slept a winkst night. He lowered his voice and asked her gently, ¡°Shuang¡¯er, why are you so afraid of losing the emperor¡¯s favor? Why are you so guilty? The... the truth will prevail the more you dread it.¡±

    ¡°Eldest Brother...¡± Lu Wushuang sounded feeble, her face looked resigned and exhausted.

    Day and night, she worried that Mo Rongzhan would know the truth one day. And with the emperor¡¯s sudden coldness to her, she became paranoid that he would look at other women.

    ¡°Ye Zhen is dead. No one will reveal our secret. Why do you act so guilty?¡±

    ¡°I cannot find out what her nickname is.¡± She gnashed her teeth in absolute misery.

    She had thought it would be easy to find out, but even after she had sent someone to investigate, it was fruitless.

    ¡°Did you send someone to find out?¡±

    When Lu Wushuang looked away from him, ignoring the question, Lu Lingzhi felt terror sinking in his veins.

    ¡°Wang Fei! Are you out of your mind? Do you want the emperor to know? How sure are you that the person whom you ordered could be trusted?!¡±

    Unhappy at being reprimanded so suddenly, Lu Wushuang curled her lip in defiance.

    ¡°We did not continue to investigate.¡±

    ¡°You are simply careless! Now the emperor has doubts, and we cannot do anything about it.¡± Lu Lingzhi turned blue with anger.

    ¡°I know.¡± Lu Wushuang nodded, panic surging inside her. The fear of losing everything soon became more relevant.

    ¡°As for Yaoyao, it¡¯s not what you think. She is not that kind of person. But, do not worry, for I will find a marriage for her in the future.¡±

    He stood up to leave.

    ¡°If you cannot find it in yourself to like her, do not summon her to the imperial pce again, so the emperor will not have a chance to see her.¡±

    Lu Wushuang stayed silent.

    ¡°I must leave now.¡±

    Since Lu Wushuang did not want to talk about Lu Yaoyao anymore, Lu Lingzhi did not persist further. He then turned on his heels, intending to leave once and for all.

    But just before he went out of her sight, Lu Wushuang spoke in a soft voice and called his attention.

    ¡°Eldest Brother, please take care of yourself on your trip to Camp Xishan.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡± Lu Lingzhi could not help but chuckle.

    Despite everything, she was still his little sister, and there is nothing he would not do for her.

 Chapter 175 - Snow (1)

    <strong>Chapter 175 ¨C Snow (1)</strong>

    Gao Xueping moved out of the room she was supposed to share with Ye Zhen, and was then assigned to another by Aunt Wen. Undoubtedly, it was a hard day for her; she left in haste and with a bitter heart.

    Ye Zhen, on the other hand, was pleased. Rather than share, she preferred living alone. This way, she would not have to fret about being discovered while concocting medicines. Her effort at getting rid of Gao Xueping proved worthwhile.

    ¡°If only my mother would let me live in the school.¡± Currently, the three women, who had grown fond of one another, were enjoying a pot of hot tea¨Ca delightful refreshment in cold afternoons.

    Sun Wen was envious that the other students, like her friend Ye Zhen, had the liberty to live in the academy without being restricted by their families.

    ¡°Will your mother not let you stay here in school?¡± Chen Jinru who was holding a cup of steaming tea, nced at Sun Wen.

    Thetter sighed with a heavy heart; her face crumpling for just a little at the moroseful thought that came to her.

    ¡°My mother says that she has looked after me for 15 years and will continue to do so until I wed. But soon, I must convince her. Else, I would know not a thing about independence.¡± Her nose scrunched up. ¡°Ah! But, I fear she would not agree. She has always bound me with her rules. This life is too painful, really!¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at her with a smile. ¡°Sun Wen, perhaps, those rules exist for your well-being. Where is the pain in that?¡±

    ¡°Yao Yao, are you not forced to follow rules, that are not particrly to your liking, back at your home?¡± Sun Wen asked, unconvinced.

    ¡°Some rules exist for your benefit. You may not like them, yet, they are a necessity. Just like a person who dislikes eating something distasteful, yet eats only for survival.¡± Ye Zhen spoke softly, gently gazing out of the window.

    Now, it was just past noon, but the sky outside seemed a tad heavier than usual. Judging from the gloomy weather, it would not be too long before the snow covered the paths of the academy.

    With eyes full of fondness, Sun Wen looked at her. ¡°Yao Yao, what you said is very reasonable, but what if I am unable to do it?¡±

    Ye Zhen retracted her gaze from the sceneries outside, and faced Sun Wen, who looked impressed by her recent words. She grinned. ¡°Unable to do? Is it hard for you to eat?¡±

    ¡°It is not difficult. I will die if I do not eat, after all.¡± Sun Wen retorted in jest.

    Seeing the two banter, Chen Jinru chuckled aloud. ¡°Rules can beplicated, but in this academy, as long as you study hard, your life could, perhaps, be easy.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of an easy life, I, in fact, prefer to live in Yumen Pass, enjoy life and be in thepany of horses. There, I do not need to look at other people¡¯s faces nor listen to words that I cannotprehend.¡±

    Sun Wen faintly expressed her disappointment. Her father was only a garrison. Even so, hemanded respect in Yumen Pass. This only changed when they moved to the capital where he was regarded as nothing.

    Hearing this, Ye Zhen¡¯s interest piqued. Truth be told, she knew nothing about her new friend, Sun Wen and this was the first time she had heard her speak about herself. ¡°Why then did youe to the medical academy?¡±

    ¡°I want to be a war doctor in Yumen Pass.¡± Sun Wen bore her heart out, her cheeks reddening for a little. ¡°You do not know, there are only a few doctors who tend to the soldiers suffering from injuries... Many die helplessly without aid...¡±

    With this, Ye Zhen¡¯s impression of Sun Wen immediately changed. She was under the belief this girl came to the medical academy only to gain the reputation of a schrly woman. It turned out, she hadpassion for others, a trait most women in the academy were found wanting. ¡°If you have such a kind heart, then I wish you all sess in the future.¡±

    ¡°Thank you...but, women are a forbidden existence in the army. I am just delusional.¡± Sun Wen shook her head in dismay. The fervent fire within her suddenly put out.

 Chapter 176 - Snow (2)

    <b>Chapter 176 ¨C Snow (2)</b>

    Ye Zhen dipped her head and took a sip of the hot tea. Her voice sounded somber as she continued. ¡°There will always be a first time for everything. Before Empress Qi Yanling appeared, female medical doctors were unheard of. Nothing is impossible as long as you set your heart on it.¡±

    ¡°Yao Yao is right, it is possible that you can be a war doctor.¡± With a smile on her lips, Chen Jinru concurred.

    At her friends¡¯ words of encouragement, Sun Wen soon put away her pessimism and donned her usual enthusiastic smile. ¡°It is fate for the three of us to meet here. I, Sun Wen, propose a toast to you with tea instead of wine.¡±

    ¡°Good!¡±

    Amidst gleefulughter, three cups rose in the air.

    Thus began Ye Zhen¡¯s journey at the medical academy. In her heart, she knew all too well, the future days here would be anything but calm. However, such things did not deter her. Now, the only unsettling thing was Lu Wushuang¡¯s unpredictable schemes.

    <i>Would Lu Lingzhi protect her from his sister¡¯s wrath? Or would it be the same as before; him removing all obstacles for Lu Wushuang?</i>

    And by obstacles, she meant <i>herself.</i>

    Her journey had only just begun; she did not wish for it to end this soon. With her current status, she had no ability topete with Lu Wushuang. She could only protect herself with the aid of others. However, even Old Madam Lu was away from her now.

    However, in any case, now that she had taken her first step, she would keep going. No one could stop her.

    The next day, Ye Zhen woke up at dawn. She pushed open her window, only to be greeted by a fluffy white nket of snow.

    She stretched out her hand; reveling in the feel of snow gliding across her palm. <i>Today, I should meet the teachers of the school. </i>She somehow harboured some expectations.

    Snow, brought peace to many. But in this moment¨Cbasking in the first light of dawn, besieged by a soothing silence¨CYe Zhen felt none.

    ***

    As she stepped into the school, she met Gao Xueping. The resentment still fresh, she shot a Ye Zhena a cold stare, held up her chin in reserve and walked away.

    The corners of Ye Zhen¡¯s mouth slightly lifted as she came to ss B.

    Sun Wen and Chen Jinru had also arrived. They were both wearing thick gowns. Seeing her friend enter, Sun Wen waved vigorously.

    It being the first day, all the students in the academy were in attendance. As Ye Zhen walked in, she could clearly feel some students stealing nces at her, scornfully eyeing her.

    <i>Were they despising her for evicting Gao Xueping from her room using underhanded means yesterday?</i> Oh, she did not give a whit about what others thought of her at all! It did not matter to her anymore.

    Not long after Ye Zhen was seated did a middle-aged man slowly enter. Dressed in a cotton-padded jacket, he looked simple and neat. Though he emanated a very upright aura, as a teacher, he seemed approachable.

    ¡°I am surnamed Qin. You can call me Doctor Qin or Master Qin, whichever you prefer.¡± He sat down in the plush chair behind his desk and added, ¡°It is snowing, the medicine fields are closed, so there is no need to visit the fields today.¡±

    The students stood up in concert and respectfully greeted Qin Fuzi.

    Qin Fuzi motioned with his hand. ¡°Have you read the introductory book I asked your teacher to hand you yesterday?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Well, then, you should also pay attention to your aptitude in studying medicine. The first thing you need to assess, is your skill in identifying herbs. Since you cannot go to the medicine field, you will take a test here,¡± Qin Fuzi said.

    As soon as they heard an examination was to be held, a few students broke into whispers. <i>Who knew they would face an examination on their second day of academy?!</i>

    ¡°Bai Song, Jing Tian, Mu Rong.¡± Master Qin read the names of three herbs, squinted and said with a smile, ¡°Describe their appearance, define their names, and the symptoms of the diseases they can cure.¡±

    The words of the master had hardlynded when Huang Fuxiang spoke up. ¡°Master Qin, we have never started ss. How do we take the exam?¡±

    Without deigning to even look up, Qin Fuzi answered this incidental query. ¡°Yesterday, I asked Su Jiao to hand out the introductory book. Today, you are supposed to go to the medicine field to identify herbs. Have you not read the book all day?¡±

    Huang Fuxiang was speechless. However, there were some resentful res sent towards the Su Xinmei sitting on the side.

    ¡°Silence, examination.¡±

    And with that, the master set things up in stone.

 Chapter 177 - Definitely Not

    <b>Chapter 177 ¨C Definitely Not</b>

    With her head lowered, Ye Zhen mulled over the challenge that Master Qin had tossed them. Though it had all the elements of a conundrum, a logical analysis proved it otherwise.

    The three herbs weremonly used drugs. Bai Song could regte body temperature, promote diuresis, lower down blood pressure and arrest bleeding. However, the effects varied depending on the method used. Sedum (Jiang Tian) was known to cure inmmation, pyrexia, erysips and pediatric fever. Sedum flowers also helped with women-only diseases and improved eyesight. Hibiscus mutabilis (Mu Rong) was instrumental in alleviating lung-heat, cooling blood, dissipation of heat, purging toxic materials, and treating carbuncle, ulcers, swelling, toxic and malignant inmmations of all sizes.

    In the world of medical books, this trinity of herbsmanded a prefatory position. Seldom was there a book that did notprise these herbs as its opening page. Thus, seen in a prudent light, this ad hoc test did not intend to throw them into hot waters, but rather gauge their ability to swim. Simply put, this was the master¡¯s definitive method to adjudge his pupils¡¯ meticulousness.

    Despite the pin drop silence in this examination hall, the unbidden sighs resonating from around Ye Zhen, were a testimony to the fact that not many were in thepany of the introductory book yesterday.

    Unfolding the white sheet of paper upon her desk, beginning with the illustration of the three herbs, Ye Zhen enumerated their characteristics and applications. This was a problem, but not to her.

    Besides some basic knowledge of medicine from Lu Yaoyao, Ye Zhen was blessed with an eidetic memory. Although she did not practice medicine, she could very well be a genius.

    Not everybody possessed an ability such as hers.

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    From the podium, leaning on his chair, Qin Fuzi ran a practiced eye around the assembly below. As a veteran, it was his prerogative to hand-pick prospective talent. He had assessed the students in ss A yesterday, there were but a few promising women Imperial Doctors. Today, it was ss B¡¯s turn. Although he did not hold much expectation, he still wanted to take a chance.

    These days, fewer and fewer students qualified to be women Imperial Doctors at the Pce. It was believed that the Pce was going to select a few women Imperial Doctors this year.

    So far, among all the female doctors in the Pce, Qi Jin was the one with the highest rank. She was especially responsible for tending to the Empress Dowager. She was also tasked with diagnosing and treating diseases for the women in the pce. However, aside from the few doctors in the Pce, many female doctors were subpar. This had created a huge void.

    It was this very void that this taskmaster was seeking to fill.

    Looking around, Qin Fuzi was met with many a nk faces and sheets. It needed no telling, they were incapable of answering. He was slightly disappointed. Just when he thought he too would have to draw a nk, something caught his sight.

    Right in the center, with a head buried deep, oblivious to the surroundings, was a girl immersed in writing. In his bid to reaffirm what he had seen, he squinted slightly and took a careful look.

    By now, Ye Zhen had finished sketching all the three herbs. In order to not draw suspicion, she had deliberately made them look unappealing. However, one could still tell what type of herbs they were.

    Ye Zhen was oblivious to Master Qin¡¯s watchful gaze upon her. To her, the more she pondered over the uses of the three herbs, the faster the pen in her hand moved.

    It seems that ... she also had an interest and knack in medicine. She had always felt that it was indeed amazing to be able to cure people with herbs and such.

    With his hands sped behind his back, Master Qin stood up and took deliberate steps towards the aisle in the middle, ncing at the papers all along. Some students could only define the herbs, while others had only managed to draw a few leaves. Only the student who was fully immersed in a world of her own, had not only furnished aplete illustration, but also an in-depth description of characteristics and effects.

    Actually ... it was not bad at all!

    <i>Did this student work hard yesterday?</i>

    No. Despite the hard work, one would not be able to borate on the three herbs to such an extent, at the same time. And, in only one night. If this student was not proficient in herbs already, she was a genius.

    Master Qin was a little excited. The college had not had such a fascinating student in a long time! While he was still caught up in his musings, abruptly, a voice brought it to a full stop

    ¡°Master, I have finished.¡± Ye Zhen handed in her roll. She was the first to do so.

    The others in the ss looked on silently. Some envied, while some were not convinced. A myriad of thoughts engulfed their minds, but themonality was: <i> How could a person be beautiful and intelligent at the same time?</i><i>This was not normal at all.</i>

    No matter what others thought, Ye Zhen had always wanted to be humble and low-key. She had tried to keep herself out of the limelight on every asion. However, now she thought otherwise. Ye Zhen hade to a conclusion, that it was now time to disy her prowess. It was time to step out of obscurity, lest she be unable to reach her goal.

    As he perused Ye Zhen¡¯s answers, Qin Fuzi looked a little lost in thought. <i>Her answer was also ... tooplete!</i> It¡¯s even more detailed than the introductory books¨Cthose could not evenpare to the answers she had supplied.

    ¡°Have you studied medicine before?¡± Qin Fuzi looked at Ye Zhen and asked.

    ¡°My mother is a physician. I learned from her.¡± Ye Zhen replied truthfully.

    <i>So, it was a long tradition of family learning!</i><i>No wonder she could answer so well.</i><i>However, although this was the case, this student was already sufficiently excellent.</i>

    One after the other, the rest of the ss also handed in their papers. Other than Chen Jinru¡¯s sketches of the three herbs and description, most of them could only manage to draw the herbs, some even handed in a nks.

    Huang Fuxiang red at Ye Zhen with eyes full of hate, neither was she able to conceal the jealousy within.

    Once he had received all the examination papers, Qin Fuzi did not immediately review them, but exined the theory of herbs. He was responsible for the identification and elucidation of herbs. As for the other aspects, other teachers would be handling them.

    Ye Zhen was well aware that to be an Imperial Doctor in the Pce, she would have to not only rely on the spirit ring in her hand, but also have truly convincing medical skills. And today¡¯s challenge was only just the beginning.

    It had been a pretty hard morning. After ss, Mister Qin left with a pile of papers.

    ¡°Yao Yao, do you know what those three herbs look like?¡± Just after ss, Sun Wen immediately came to Ye Zhen and asked.

    Ye Zhen nodded. ¡°I do. There are records in the book.¡±

    Sun Wen cried out. ¡°You are amazing. I read the book yesterday, but I just cannot remember anything.¡±

    Chen Jinru, sitting at the back, said with a smile, ¡°If you want to remember these herbs, you had better go to the medicine field several times for a look and memorize them.¡±

    ¡°Ah Ru, do you know?¡± Sun Wen ced her palm on her forehead, utterly dejected. ¡°I don¡¯t understand anything.¡±

    ¡°You are not the only one who fails toprehend.¡± Chen Jinruforted her.

    When Huang Fuxiang overheard their conversation, she assumed that they were talking about her.

    Huang Fuxiang turned her white eyes and came over. ¡°It is not important to know a few herbs now. What <i>is</i> important is to be a doctor in the Pce in the future.¡±

    ¡°If you do not know what herbs look like, can you still be a doctor?¡± Sun Wen sneered at the twisted logic.

    Twisted or not, one thing could be said about Huang Fuxiang. She was someone who practiced what she preached, after all she had handed in a nk paper.

    ¡°Then wait and watch!¡± Huang Fuxiang snorted, never the one to back down. Then, turning around, she walked out in a huff.

    Two of her underlings immediately ran after her. ¡°Ah Xiang, do not pay those people any mind. They do not know that Doctor Huang is your aunt, they will certainly be embarrassed in the future.¡±

    Huang Fu Xiang coldly uttered, ¡°In the afternoon is the etiquette lesson. That Lu Yaoyao is a woodlouse from the countryside, does not even know how to courtesy! She wants to show off suddenly? Then I will give her what she wants!¡±

    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t believe that she, a girl from the border town, knows everything! Today, I want to let her know the difference between her kind and a real nobility.¡± Someone seconded.

    ¡°Then it is decided!¡± Huang Fuxiang smiled smugly, as if she had seen Ye Zhen make a fool of herself already. The more she thought about it, the prouder she felt.

    <i>If Tang Zhen were to know that Lu Yaoyao wascking, would he still like her? </i>

    <i>Definitely...not. </i>

 Chapter 178 - Finding a Cure (1)

    <b>Chapter 178 ¨C Finding a Cure (1)

    </b>

    <b> </b>

    Walking out of ss B, the examination papers still in hand, Qin Fuzi came to the small courtyard at the south of the Medical Academy. This was the ce where all the teachers and curators convened after ss hours.

    The que on the courtyard was old and looked like it had weathered many a winter. On it, in a majestic script that looked as awe-inspiring as dragons and phoenixes dancing in the air, was inscribed the words ¡°Office Building¡±. These words were said to be written by Huangfu Xiu himself, the greatest Emperor of Jin country

    This courtyard housed three pavilions, with the one in the centreprising three floors. The first floor was very wide and spacious. The otherwise dull walls were brought to life by calligraphy and paintings. If one took a careful look, one would find that these calligraphy and paintings had a long history and were precious treasures that not anyone couldy their hands on. It seemed a lot of thought and effort was put into it.

    ¡°Qi Jin!¡± Qin Fuzi¡¯s excitement was evident in his voice. Without a pause, he rushed directly to the pavilion in the centre and onwards to the second floor.

    As the Chief Professor of the Medical Academy and the highest ranked female doctor in the Pce, Qi Jin held a very important position in this ce of learning, ranking second only to the curator in power. Looking through the records and research papers, the Second Floor was where one could find her whenever she was in the academy premises.

    Today, Qi Jin had not visited the Pce. She hade straight to the Medical Academy to look for the medical records left by the erstwhile Empress Dowager. So absorbed in perusing, that was how an excited Qin Fuzi found her. Catching sight of the prim and proper master skipping his way in, she looked up and smiled.

    ¡°Fuzi, all these years and you still cannot change this temperament? Now, what is so exciting?¡±

    ¡°Take a look at today¡¯s answer papers.¡± Master Fuzi smiled, his eyes brimming with exhration. His age was about the same as Qi Jin¡¯s, but it seemed only natural that he should be treated like her junior. ¡°Some have answered very well, the kind I have not met in years!¡±

    Qi Jin raised her eyebrows and cast him an all knowing gaze. ¡°Is that so? Did you give them an exam on the first day? ¡±

    Now that his little rusey bare, Master Fuzi let out a gentle cough and touched his forehead. ¡°Ehhh, <i>cough</i> ....Did you and Huang Yiguan not get selected to the Pce like this?¡±

    ¡°Let me take a look at the papers.¡± Qin Jinughed. This man had always been passionate about medicine and talent. ¡°Nowadays, unlike in the past, the proficiency of the female doctors is leaving much to be desired. Some may not necessarily enter the Pce to be a doctor. The Imperial department already intends to revoke the rule for female physicians to be picked from the Women¡¯s college to enter the Pce.¡±

    Qin Fuzi frowned. ¡°This is a century-old rule, how can it be revoked?¡±

    Qi Jin just smiled and shook her head, turning her attention to the papers Qin Fuzi brought.

    For a long time, the Medical Academy has had a rule of selecting students to enter the Pce as female doctors. This rule did not disappear even after the country¡¯s rise and fall. Originally, female doctors were not to have any kind of personal rtionship with any prince of the Imperial family. However, thete Emperor was licentious and without morals. As soon as a beautiful female doctor caught his lecherous eyes, he would bludgeon her into submission, making her his concubine. For a period of time, the Jin country did not let anyone send interns to the Pce.

    Now, the Emperor was all powerful, domineering and very handsome. <i>How many would want to grab the Emperor¡¯s attention?!</i>

    If she could not find a woman whose sole focus was practicing medicine, she would rather rescind the rule.

    ¡°Gao Xueping?¡± Qi Jin took out one of the papers. ¡°This is a good answer.¡±

    Qin Fuzi smiled. ¡°There are better things toe.¡±

    Qi Jin side eyed him and continued to look through the examination paper. The other students in ss A could answer, but not as detailed as Gao Xueping. She began to read through ss B¡¯s, she held no expectations. She came to a point when she was somewhat...stunned. She took a moment before speaking.

    ¡°This is ... Lu Yaoyao?¡±

 Chapter 179 - Finding a Cure (2)

    <b>Chapter 179 ¨C Finding a Cure (2)</b>¡°This student was the first to hand in her papers. She gave an in depth exnation about the medicinal herbs from the introductory book.¡±

    The corners of Qi Jin¡¯s mouth lifted into a smile. Ye Zhen¡¯s papers in hand, she went through it slowly, word by word. Her mind thought back to the day she had met the girl in the street. A beautiful face, a pair of pure, limpid eyes; a girl who could easily evoke a favourable impression.

    ¡°This is Wang Fei Lu¡¯s sister. She grew up in a border town. It would be nice if she is really gifted,¡± Qi Jin said.

    Qin Fuzi smiled. ¡°The student seems modest and not impetuous. However, we have to wait and watch if she is feigning it. If she is really as calm and talented as she appears, she is a good prospect indeed.¡±

    ¡°Mmm.¡± Qi Jin nodded.

    That day was still fresh in her mind. Lu Yaoyao had stumbled upon Xi¡¯er, Qi Jin¡¯s little grandson, in the streets, at the exact time his pain red up. The days following that, Xi¡¯er had notined of any pain, in fact, she looked much better than before.

    She had been curious about the whole affair. Thus, she asked Xi¡¯er if Lu Yaoyao had given her anything to eat. She was curious to know if Xi¡¯er¡¯s improvement had anything to do with the other girl.

    <i>If</i><i>she</i><i>could</i><i>alleviate</i><i>Xi¡¯er¡¯s</i><i>illness</i><i>in</i><i>less</i><i>than</i><i>an</i><i>hour,</i><i>then</i><i>this</i><i>little</i><i>girl</i><i>was</i><i>really</i><i>not</i><i>simple.</i>

    Qin Fuzi pointed to another paper. ¡°This Chen Jinru is also good.¡±

    <sup>Advertisement</sup>

    Qi Jin smiled. ¡°It seems that many good students have been admitted this year.¡±

    ¡°These two students should be in ss A.¡± Qin Fuzi frowned.

    ¡°What is the difference between ss A and ss B?¡±

    Qi Jin tly stated that she had never thought the students in ss A were really excellent. She was never the one to believe in such illogical disparity.

    Qin Fuzi smiled as he said, ¡°How many are as transparent as you?¡±

    Qi Jin smiled faintly. ¡°We are getting on in the years now. It is not easy to find a sessor. We cannot be deceived by the surface.¡±

    ¡°If your nephew is in ...¡± Qin Fuzi let out a sigh as he thought of Qi Jin¡¯s extraordinary nephew. Unfortunately, no one knew which corner of the world he was hiding in.

    ¡°Hehe ...¡± Qi Jin chuckled aloud. ¡°Even if he is in the Capital, he is not suitable for entering the Pce.¡±

    Qin Fuzi knew that Qi Jin did not really want to talk about her nephew, so he diverted the course of the conversation and asked what brought her to the Medical Academy. ¡°I remember you don¡¯t have sses today. Is there not a noble in the Pce who is ill?¡±

    Qi Jin frowned and handed over the examination papers to Qin Fuzi. ¡°It is precisely for this matter that I came here, to see if there is any simr treatment method in the medical record left behind by thete Empress Qi Yanling. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find it.¡±

    ¡°Is it really serious?¡± Qin Fuzi lowered his voice. ¡°Who is the noble?¡±

    Qi Jin shot him a faint nce. ¡°Master Qin, this is not something you should ask.¡±

    Master Qin smiled. ¡°Curiosity is inevitable.¡±

    ¡°Some curiosity can kill people.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll go first.¡± Qin Fuz decided to leave her to her research. After all, a life was at stake and he did not trifle with such matters.

    Qi Jin acknowledged with a gentle nod. Once Qin Fuzi had left, she retrieved her medical record and looked at it carefully. In her life, she had only encountered two most helpless diseases; one was her grandson¡¯s, the other was the Little Prince¡¯s.

    The Little Prince¡¯s illness hade too quickly, she had been caught unaware. If she could not find a cure, she really did not know what to do.

    <i>Abdominal</i><i>tumor</i><i>was</i><i>not</i><i>difficult</i><i>to</i><i>treat,</i><i>but</i><i>why</i><i>had</i><i>the</i><i>Little</i><i>Prince</i><i>not</i><i>been</i><i>cured?</i>

    Qi Jin carefullypared the medical records ording to the symptoms of the Little Prince, hoping to find a cure.

    Nowadays, the students in the Medical Academy had kept her busy, not letting her devote much attention to this matter of the noble. Of course, she was fond of Ye Zhen. She did believe that the little girl had potential, she could be molded. Right now, she is still a diamond that needs polishing. However, she would not rush; she would not approach without really understanding Ye Zhen.

    As Qi Jin perused through the chronicles of various diseases, something suddenly caught her eye. This illness seemed to be simr to that of the Little Prince.

    When she read through the treatment, she was stupefied.

 Chapter 180 - Could This Be About Marriage?!

    <b>Chapter 180 ¨C Could This Be About Marriage?!</b>Next was the Etiquette ss.

    In the past, there were more students in ss A than in ss B, and the sses were conducted separately. However, due to the diminishing number of students taking part in the medical school examination each year, the two sses werebined for some courses.

    Ye Zhen had long been familiar with etiquette and customs, but she still came to ss with a devout bearing.

    However, today was special. She would be reunited with someone dear to her¨CMister Shan. Ye Zhen had always been grateful to the person who had not only yed the role of a teacher and groomed her, but also a friend, even when she was Wang Fei Ye.

    She had always felt that in her moments of dire need, Mister Shan had never failed toe to her aid. Even in her past life.

    Mister Shan¡¯s return to the college drew a lot of attention. Back in the day, he had left a legacy here, needless to say, the students were looking forward to this very day.

    ss A and ss B had sses together. ss A had a natural sense of superiority in front of ss B. Thus, one could find ss B already sitting quietly in a corner, making themselves as obscure as possible.

    All except Huang Fuxiang who was already chattering endlessly to Gao Xueping. Huang Fuxiang, because of her aunt, had a special standing in the school. Since her aunt was of repute, in the field of medicine at that, no one dared to look down upon her.

    Ye Zhen and Sun Wen walked into the ss together. There was no console table in the ss, only a small table for each student. They soon found one for themselves and sat cross-legged.

    Their arrival soon caught the attention of Gao Xueping and Huang Fuxiang, they stopped talking and looked at the two who had just walked in, particrly Ye Zhen. Huang Fuxiang sneered, turned to Gao Xueping and said something, evoking thetter¡¯s smile.

    The students were talking amongst themselves, creating a buzzing sound around the room. After a while, with the appearance of Mister Shan the ss quieted. He ran a light gaze across the whole room, when he got to Ye Zhen however, he did not linger and moved away swiftly.

    ¡°I taught all the etiquette and books in the First Grade of this medical school. You can all call me Mister Shan.¡± He simply introduced himself.

    All the students, in concert, stood up, bowed and paid their respects.

    Mister Shan acknowledged with a light nod. ¡°Let us begin.¡±

    ¡°Food and clothing are not enough to know honor and disgrace. However, one¡¯s self-restraint and etiquette are inseparable. A woman should be mindful of etiquette, understand it in order to not appear disrespectful to others andmit gaffes in society ...¡±

    ¡°Today, let¡¯s talk about the religious etiquette first.¡±

    Thus, he began his lecture.

    Turning to Sun Wen, with a faint smile, Ye Zhen talked about Mister Shan. Before, she was of the belief that Mister Shan should be able to evince his value better in college. A pity that such a talented man should only serve as a teacher in the mansion.

    ¡°Religious etiquette is one of the five rites of the etiquette art of this country. The ritual activities of offering sacrifices to gods, people and ghosts, some of which do not require women¡¯s participation, but as a patriarchal n, the arrangement and etiquette of the sacrifices must be understood. You should practice the ritual less often, which is probably clear long ago ... ¡± Mister Shan said.

    As the lecture progressed, Huang Fuxiang¡¯s mouth twitched. It was not long before she burst intoughter, interrupting Mister Shan¡¯s words.

    ¡°Mister Shan, we have practiced these customs since young. However, some people may not know.¡± As she spoke, her gaze on Ye Zhen made it clear who she was alluding to.

    Mister Shan looked at Huang Fuxiang coldly. ¡°If everyone knows, what is the significance of this course? It is only because some people do not understand it. If you think you understand it, you can, by all means, leave the ss.¡±

    Huang Fuxiang turned white. She did not expect Mister Shan would be this curt, even telling her to note to the ss.

    She was originally going to embarrass Lu Yaoyao, so that everyone would know that Lu Yaoyao was nothing but an empty face. As it turned out, she could do nothing. Moreover, it was beyond her expectation that this Mister Shan did not answer her, instead, showed her the door.

    ¡°Mister Shan, do we have to learn from the most basic? Is that not a waste of time?¡± Someone came to Huang Fuxiang¡¯s rescue.

    After all, the few had all quietly agreed upon embarrassing Ye Zhen in ss.

    ¡°If you do not want to learn, do not learn.¡± Mister Shan said simply, ¡°My sses will start from the foundation, and you are all wee to miss them.¡±

    These words immediately blocked those who still wanted to speak. How could they dare offend Mister Shan? In the future, the teacher would be required to evaluate their scores.

    Things were different from what Huang Fuxiang had imagined. She thought that Mister Shan, like Master Qin, woulde up with an examination. With that, they would have a way to humiliate Lu Yaoyao. But in the end, their ns came to a naughtt leaving them no chance to deal with Lu Yaoyao.

    ¡°Keep going.¡± Mister Shan could not be bothered with the lot any more.

    Huang Fuxiang turned to look towards Ye Zhen and red at her angrily.

    But who was Ye Zhen? To think that she could not sniff out their intentions beforehand, would be a gross error. These people were thinking of ways to deal with her and she had been aware all along.

    <i>This Huang Fuxiang ... What exactly is wrong with her? Is it because I won Tang Zhen¡¯s silver whip?</i>

    <i>This is just unbelievable!</i>

    After ss, Ye Zhen originally wanted to catch up with Mister Shan, but when she stepped out of the ssroom, she did not know where the teacher had walked towards.

    Ye Zhen saw Huang Fuxiang and Gao Xueping go out together, and did not want to collide with that pugnacious pair. She turned and left first. She did note to the medical center to bicker with these people. In fact, she really did not need to think to deal with them. Truth be told, these people did not matter to her.

    Shortly after returning to the academy, Lu Jing came looking for her.

    ¡°Fourth Sister?¡± Ye Zhen was somewhat surprised. She thought Lu Jing was disgusted with her and would note looking for her.

    ¡°Third Sister, are you used to living here?¡± Lu Jing came in and took a look at Ye Zhen¡¯s room. She was secretly jealous. She had lived in a dorm before, but she would not want to go home every day if she could live in such a ce.

    Ye Zhen said with a smile, ¡°Living well, still not used to it.¡±

    ¡°In fact, it is also good that Third Sister now lives in the school, so she would not suffer indignities at home.¡± Lu Jing took a jab at her.

    <i>Why did she mention the family suddenly?</i>

    With her head lowered, eyes downcast Ye Zhen was sipping her tea, trying to guess Lu Jing¡¯s reason for visit.

    <i>Had something happened at the mansion that concerned her?</i>

    Lu Jing had been waiting for Ye Zhen to raise the question, but even after waiting for a long time, she did not hear her speak. She was not angry. She came here today just to see Ye Zhen¡¯s reaction once she knew what was going on at home. She was certainly not here for tea.

    ¡°Third Sister, how many days until you go home?¡± Lu Jing asked.

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t feel the need to ask Lu Jing of her intention. The woman hade to her in the first ce, so she would certainly tell her what had happened at home.

    ¡°Ah, Eldest Brother¡¯s Mother has suddenly recovered and expressed the desire to take charge of the family again ...¡± Lu Jing nced at Ye Zhen. ¡°I heard that she had gone to ask Third aunt about you.¡±

    <i>What could Lu Lingzhi¡¯s mother ask Pei Shi?</i>

    Ye Zhen¡¯s heart suddenly sank.

    <i>Could this be about marriage?!</i>

 Chapter 181 - The Little Princeâ€™s Wish (1)

    <b>Chapter 181 ¨C The Little Prince¡¯s Wish (1)</b>

    Previously, Ye Zhen had met Eldest Madam Lu, Lu Wushuang¡¯s mother. And one of those asions was the not so pleasant family dinner that hadid a few matters and scars bare. Thus, she was aware of the deep resentment this Eldest Madam Lu held towards the Third Household. If not for a very important matter, she would never deign to visit Pei Shi.

    One thing had to be said about Madam Lu. She feared no one,ing and going as she pleased. The family dinner was plenty of proof, and yet, she had feigned illness. And for this long.

    <i>What is she hiding up her sleeve?</i><i>Such an uncanny coincidence, here Lu Lingzhi sets off on an expedition, there Madam Lu suddenly graces the family with her presence. </i>

    Ye Zhen was inclined to think that this abrupt turn of events was not as incidental as they appeared to be. She had a hunch, Lu Wushuang would have a hand in this somehow.

    <i>Why did Madam Lu suddenly have a change of heart? Why take over the familial duties now? And most of all, why inquire about me?</i>

    <i>What is she trying to do?</i>

    Up until now, Lu Jing had been intently eyeing Ye Zhen. Seeing as there was no change in her expression, she continued.

    ¡°Third Sister, what do you think Eldest Madam Lu asked Third Aunt about?¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled lightly. ¡°How would I know, Fourth Sister, I have been away from home these two days.¡±

    <i>It had only been two days. Did Lu Wushuang have a word with her mother?</i>

    ¡°I heard that Eldest Madam Lu told Grandmother that she was ready to take over the management of the family.¡± Lu Jing looked askance, her cheeks a little flushed.

    <i>Ready to manage the family? Certainly, this has something to do with marriage.</i>

    Ye Zhen¡¯s smile was a bit cold. No one knew better than her of Lu Wushuang¡¯s methods. When Lu Lingzhi could not help her, she had to find someone else. Who in the Lu family would be at her mercy now? Naturally, if there was one person she would ask for help, it had to be her mother.

    ¡°My Fourth Sister, Eldest Madam Lu has been ill for so long. How can grandma let her work so suddenly?¡± Ye Zhen nced at Lu Jing and faintly smiled.

    ¡°Besides, I believe that the position must be yours. Would you like to go home and have a look?¡± asked Lu Jing.

    If Madam Lu presided over the family, the first to suffer would be the Third Household. Eldest Madam Lu detested Lu Yaoyao¡¯s family.

    Ye Zhen said quietly, ¡°Fourth Sister, thank you for telling me, but this is not a matter of urgency and there is no need for me to go back.¡±

    Lu Jing took a careful look at Ye Zhen. She looked unfazed, contrary to her expectations and wishes. A little vexed, she said, ¡°It seems that everything I said is nothing to you, so I should not have bothered toe here and tell you.¡±

    ¡°That was not what I meant.¡± Ye Zhen denied with a smile but added. ¡°I know what my Fourth Sister wants.¡±

    Lu Jing snorted coldly. She had made this trip especially to tell Lu Yaoyao about this goings-on. As expected of someone with ill-will, she had appeared in sheep¡¯s skin¨Cshing her kindest smile, speaking the sincerest words, as if she were indeed concerned. All she wished was for Lu Yaoyao to return to the residence and kick up a row. And in the process, offend the Eldest Madam. Needless to say, this would spoil her reputation within the family. The idea was indeed great, s, the bait was not taken.

    ¡°In that case, I must go back first.¡± Lu Jing stood up and walked to the door. But before her figurepletely disappeared, she halted in her steps and nced back at Ye Zhen.

    With a sneer, she said, ¡°Since one is already here, one will take the opportunity to advise Third Sister. Do not make enemies here in the academy. You cannot afford to provoke anyone. Do not think you can reap any benefits by ying with fire.¡±

    Ye Zhen still smiled calmly. ¡°I see. Thank you for the kind reminder, Sister.¡±

    Lu Jing found that no matter what she said, Lu Yaoyao would remain indifferent towards her. If anything, she looked uninterested and bored. Even so, she gave it a onest try.

    ¡°You should be careful!¡±

    After seeing the Fourth Sister¡¯s being and her ¡°good-will¡± off, Ye Zhen¡¯s smile instantly vanished.

    <i>What is Madam Lu doing?</i>

    Her neglect of duty these past several years had forced Old Madam Lu out of retirement to retake the reins of the family. Hence, one could say, reiming her position was long overdue. Lu Fang, the Eldest Miss of the family, was the ¡®heir apparent¡¯ once the Old Madam retired. However, as things currently stood, one could not be too sure.

    Ye Zhen was of the belief that Lu Shiming and his wife were not someone who could be manipted by Madam Lu. So, Matriarch or not, with respect to the Third Household, things would, perhaps, not go as smoothly as one desired. Thinking up to here, Ye Zhen felt some relief. For the time being, she decided not to dwell on this matter. As soon as she returned home, she would ask Pei Shi and have her answers. Until then, it was best for her to divert her attention elsewhere, as pondering over it would get her to nowhere.

    Time is no ve. Before she knew it, it had been three days since Lu Jing¡¯s visit. Ye Zhen was gradually adapting to life in the Medical Academy. As days passed by, she found herself more and more invested in the world of medicine. In fact, she wished she could learn more every day. The books she had refused to even touch before, were now being read with great gusto. To her surprise, she discovered she had an insatiable appetite for learning.

    All in all, this part of this Empire was tranquil.

 Chapter 182 - The Little Princeâ€™s Wish (2)

    <b>Chapter 182 ¨C The Little Prince¡¯s Wish (2)</b>

    However, the same could not be said about the other side.

    Right now, in the Imperial Pce, the atmosphere was growing tense by the moment. Everybody was on tenterhook.

    The Little Prince¡¯s condition had suddenly rpsed. Although the Empress Dowager had summoned Qi Jin for treatment and even heeded Ye Zhen¡¯s diagnosis, during this time, Mo Rongyi¡¯s illness had neither relieved nor palliated.

    Mo Rongyi was diagnosed with Abdominal Tumor. This condition typicallyprises obstruction in the intestine characterized by acute abdominal inmmation and pain. Although it should be a localized pain and in that restricted to the Fu organs1, due to the vague location, the effect is global. The cause can range from organ injury, malnourishment to even emotional imbnce. Consequently, the <i>Qi2</i> is clogged and blood coalesces, damaging the liver and spleen while throwing the entire visceral organ system into disarray. That said, it is the absence of a robust <i>qi</i>, that is the root cause of this disease...

    Once the cause is determined, the illness can be remedied without much difficulty. Thus, Qi Jin had prescribed the Little Prince the right medicines which were administered diligently.

    Yet, he showed no sign of improvement.

    ¡°Your Highness, now only acupuncture and medication can be used.¡±

    Qi Jin had gone through the medical records of the same disease and observed the Little Prince for two more days before finally determining the treatment method. One could say, she had employed the necessary recourse to no avail.

    The Empress Dowager was well aware of her son¡¯s condition. No matter how rational or prudent one may be,moner or royalty, in the end, a mother was still a mother. How could she not be affected?

    Now, this sullen mother was sitting by her child¡¯s bed. Her face had lost all its pallor, the eyes radiance; her heart ached to look at the pale little face lying before her. Helpless and scared as she was, nheless, decided to address the knot in her heart.

    ¡°Can you cure the Little Prince this time?¡±

    Qi Jin was no ordinary doctor. She was very much deserving of the fame and position she currently held, for she possessed immense experience and a wealth of knowledge. Even so, today, this talented doctor, who was otherwise quick on her feet, was unsure of how to answer. After all, the heart was willing, but the experience pointed to otherwise.

    She nced at Mo Rongyi, at his innocent face that was wreathed with excruciating pain; her heart sank. With hesitance, she said, ¡°Your Highness, at this point... I fear I am unable to assure you.¡±

    As if on cue, Mo Rongyi opened his weary eyes. Despite his age, he was intelligent and in those short few sentences had surmised what was to happen next.

    ¡°Imperial Mother, I do not want acupuncture or medicine ...¡± His puckered lips trembled. Upon hearing the dreadful method, tears rolled from his eyes.

    The Empress Dowager¡¯s eyes are full of tenderness and doting as she tended to her younger son. ¡°How can you feel better without taking medicine? A¡¯Yi, when your illness is cured, would you wish for 3Aijia to let you y outside?¡±

    Of course, it was a good thing to be able to go out of the Imperial Pce to y, but Mo Rongyi felt that he would not have the chance to do so again. He could feel his body slowly losing life...

    His condition was such that even the simplest things were arduous. Let alone moving around, even talking was a herculean task. Whenever he tried to speak, an immense pain would shoot from his chest and abdomen. It was impossible to endure. So much so, that he preferred death over such torment!

    ¡°Imperial Mother, I want to see Lu Yaoyao.¡± Mo Rongyi abruptly said aloud.

    Although the Empress Dowager and Qi Jin were taken aback for a moment, they quickly recovered and looked askance at the Little Prince¡¯s unexpected request.

    ¡°Why do you wish to see her?¡±

    Mo Rongyi¡¯s face turned pale. Ever since he was little, he had but a few friends. The number was such that one¡¯s fingers were sufficient to count. To him, Lu Yaoyao was special. Not only was she remarkable, but she had also even saved him. At the thought of him dying any time from now, he felt it would be nice to establish a bond with her and add her to his shortlist of friends.

    ¡°She made a wager that she can cure my illness. I wish to tell her in person, she lost.¡± Mo Rongyi remarked in jest and revealed a wan smile.

    The Empress Dowager felt even more heavyhearted and coaxed softly.

    ¡°She is a little girl who only wagered such nonsense!¡±

    ¡°Imperial Mother, I just want to see her...¡± Mo Rongyi insisted. ¡°She is my friend. And the state I am in, should she note see me?¡±

    ¡°Well, well, this widow will ask her toe and see you at the Imperial Pce. But first, you must take your medicine obediently!¡± The Empress Dowager hurriedly said, lest her child changes his mind!

    Mo Rongyi smiled cheekily and nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±

    Thus, this royal mother-son pair, with perfect slyness, was able to gain their end goal. The mother got her son¡¯s cooperation for the treatment, the son his wish of meeting his friend.

    The Empress Dowager looked back at Qi Jin and said, ¡°Jin, you can go ahead with the acupuncture first.¡±

    Qi Jin lowered her head slightly. ¡°Very well, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Send someone to invite Miss Lu to the Imperial Pce.¡± The Empress Dowager instructed Aunt Cheng next to her.

    Acquiescing in a low voice, Aunt Cheng turned to leave.

    Just then Qi Jin abruptly interjected.

    ¡°You will not find Miss Lu at the Lu Mansion. Aunt Cheng needs to look for her in the Medical Academy.¡±

    Her words took the Empress Dowager by surprise.

    ¡°Is she now your student?¡±

 Chapter 183 - Glasshouse

    <b>Chapter 183 ¨C sshouse</b>

    Intermittently, the Medical Center allowed students a two-day rest period during which they could visit their homes. Tomorrow would be the day Ye Zhen could go home and have two days for rest. Although she was not inclined to go back to the Lu Mansion, in order to know what Madam Lu was hiding up her sleeve, she had to return.

    But today....

    Today was a fine day. Despite the characteristic winter chill, the weather was pleasant, the sky clear and the sun bright. It had snowed these past few days, so today was a wee change.

    Thus, Qin Fuzi decided to put this day to good use and instructed his students to head to the fields of the Medical Academy in the Cuiyan Mountain. Once there, they were to identify and gather herbs.

    This medicinal field, in thep of the Cuiyan Mountain, was a vast expanse of lush flora. Great care was observed to nurture and grow a plethora of medicinal herbs. Needless to say, this was a treasure by itself, so protecting it was only natural. Even so, since this was the Medical Academy¡¯s bailiwick, the way the things were conducted differed from the standards. And this field was no exception.

    That said, one would not find a battalion guarding this cornucopia or sentries stationed here and there. In order to protect it, especially from the cial temperatures over these past few days, ayer of an unknown material was spread across it. One heard that this would prevent the herbs from freezing to death and in spite of the recent cold and snow, this vegetation remained unaffected.

    In her past life, Ye Zhen had never been exposed to herbs, directly or indirectly. Except the times when she was ill, and had to partake of them for her betterment, she had no contact with whatsoever. Since she hailed from a noble family, never had a need or opportunity risen.

    But that was then. This life was different. Today, she had the opportunity and the need. However, up until she came to the Medical Academy, Lu Yaoyao¡¯s memories and the few books from her mother served as her only sources of knowledge. But here, she had ess to more books and learning materials and could widen her knowledge. With her newfound penchant for medicine, she was determined to excel.

    Upon entering the medicine field, Ye Zhen was immediately drawn by the vastness of this ce. It was green as far as the eyes could see and beyond. She marvelled at the boundless foliage that healed aplenty. She was grateful to be here.

    Without wasting a moment further, she quickly focused on the task at hand. Retrieving a paper from her sleeve, she looked through its contents. As she skimmed, the particrs of herbaceous nts she had perused in the book, slowly surfaced to her mind. Every single nt illustration in the book, its name and purpose, was right before her eyes...as though it was not a paper she was holding, but the medical manual itself.

    What was before her was not the same as what she had seen in the books though. There was a drastic difference in looking at illustrations and seeing the actual herbs. Feel, color, odor, size, there were various aspects that an illustration could not do justice to. This field trip enabled her to etch the information before her deep in her mind.

    At the moment, the students were spread out in threes or twos. Each, like Ye Zhen, was holding a sheet of paper with the names of five herbs on it. Each was tasked with finding those herbs, with the paper serving as reference. Once done, the ¡®find¡¯ was to be brought over to Master Qin.

    ¡°Yaoyao, which five herbs do you have?¡± Sun Wen came over to Ye Zhen with a herb in hand.

    Ye Zhen showed her the white paper with illustrations. The five herbs assigned to her were not verymon. It would take some time and effort to find them.

    ¡°Unlike yours, have you found them?¡±

    ¡°I have to find this.¡± Sun Wen sighed as she showed her paper to her friend. ¡°The medicine field is so big; we need a lot of time to find the herbs. I do not know what the others look like. I am confused as they all look the same.¡±

    ¡°If they look simr, you just have to taste it.¡± Ye Zhen smiled as she guided. ¡°Besides, these herbs are not poisonous and are edible.¡±

    Sun Wen looked at her in surprise. ¡°Do you even know the taste?¡±

    Ye Zhen said grumpily, ¡°Have you even read?¡±

    ¡°The book is not very clear in eliciting that each herb has its distinct taste.¡± She refuted. ¡°I have read it, but cannotmit all of it to memory.¡±

    As she eyed Ye Zhen, Sun Wen said, ¡°Do you think everyone is as smart as you?¡± She jested to break free from Ye Zhen¡¯s intense grilling.

    ¡°Look for it then.¡± Ye Zhenughed as she let Su Wen off the hook.

    Unbeknownst to the two, there were a pair of unfriendly eyes looking at them.

    Not too far away was Huang Fuxiang, casting a grim look at Ye Zhen. Turning on her heels, she looked in a particr direction and nodded her head, as if it were a cue.

    <i>Another evil scheme has begun!</i>

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, what kind of herbs do you have?¡±

    While she was looking for herbs, Ye Zhen heard a clear voice calling out her name. Only then did she look up. It was a girl in a pink dress, about the same age as her, looking at her with a friendly smile. Other than Sun Wen and Chen Jinru, this was the first time someone had taken the initiative to find and reach out to Ye Zhen to make friends.

    Ye Zhen smiled lightly but did not miss the tension in the girl¡¯s eyes. ¡°Shi Jun Zi and Xuan Fu Hua...¡±

    [*T/N Xuan Fu Hua- a Traditional Chinese Medicine for Relieving Phlegm Cold

    Shi Jun Zi- a type of herb that kills parasites and promotes digestion]

    ¡°I have the same three herbs as you, can we look for them together?¡± the girl said, shyly then added, ¡°My name is Lu Qiongqiu.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Ye Zhen nodded and did not refuse.

    By now, Sun Wen had gone over to Chen Jinru. Since the two were looking for the same herbs, they had decided tobine their efforts and share the burden. So, when Lu Qiongqiu came over, Ye Zhen was by herself.

    ¡°I have just looked for it here, but there are none that we are looking for. Let¡¯s go and have a look at it over there. It seems that no one has been there to look for them.¡±

    ¡°Then go and have a look.¡±

    Ye Zhen knew that what the other girl said was right, for she had checked here as well but there were none of the herbs that were on her list.

    Lu Qiongqiu had pointed out that particr part of the field that had not been checked yet. Given the sheer size of the medicine field, it was almost half a mountain of herbs. So, naturally it was not humanly possible to scour over each part. Also, the herbs around them were mainly used in the Imperial Kitchens. Over the years, this rule had remained unchanged. Considering the fact that the herbs in her list were the umon variety, they could possibly be growing elsewhere. So, broadening the area of search would yield better results.

    ¡°Yaoyao, look, is that ... the legendary sshouse?¡±

 Chapter 184 - Trap (1)

    <strong>Chapter 184 ¨C Trap (1)</strong>

    They had barely walked a few steps, when Lu Qiongqiu, suddenly cried out and excitedly grasped Ye Zhen¡¯s hand, pointing in the direction of what looked like a small house with many windows, in the distance.

    Ye Zhen looked to where Lu Qiongqiu¡¯s was pointing. There was indeed two transparent houses yonder. They were not big, but they looked very delicate. Unlike the normal house, they did not have walls but ss windows in their stead.

    <i>So, this is the sshouse.</i>

    [T/N: sshouse is a structure with walls and roof made chiefly of transparent material, such as ss, in which nts requiring regted climatic conditions are cultivated; also known as greenhouse]

    ¡°I heard that only the Huangfu family knows how to build sshouses. Unfortunately, now the family is nowhere to be found. Thus, no one else in the world can make sshouses.¡± Lu Qiongqiu said, ¡°It is said that this sshouse was acquired by Qi doctors ten years ago, when they were looking for descendants of Huangfu family. It is said to be very rare.¡±

    Ye Zhen nodded gently. Of course, she knew that sshouses were invaluable in medical centers. Not only because they were scarce, but also because of their usefulness. They provided the perfect habitat to grow a few precious herbs.

    <i>Perhaps, one day, I will have the opportunity to take a look inside.</i>

    Lu Qiongqiu held Ye Zhen¡¯s hand tightly as she mischievous glint flitted past her eyes.

    ¡°Let¡¯s sneak a peek before someone notices us.¡±

    ¡°This is not a good idea.¡± Ye Zhen stood still, making her objection obvious. ¡°The teacher did not send us here to let us go there. We had better not go.¡±

    ¡°We can just take a look, not go in.¡± Lu Qiongqiu whispered in her bid to persuade.

    Ye Zhen patted the back of her hand. ¡°Let us look for herbs first.¡±

    ¡°Well then.¡±

    Lu Qiongqiu wore a look of disappointment as she looked back, towards Huang Fuxiang, before following Ye Zhen to find the herbs they needed.

    Ye Zhen not only wanted to find the herbs handed down by Master Qin, but she also wanted to use this opportunity to identify other herbs. If she could, she really wanted to stay here all day. She was liking it here, for it offered a lot of knowledge.

    In no time, the two busied themselves with looking for the herbs. Since the herbs were spread out, they had to cover a lot of ground. The more they looked, the imperceptibly close they were to the sshouse. Noticing their proximity, Lu Qiongqiu¡¯s eyes lit up. As she talked to Ye Zhen, she surreptitiously steered closer to that side.

    Here, Ye Zhen was immersed in the realm of herbs. Currently, she was engrossed in recollecting their appearance, characteristics, uses and medicinal properties. She did not notice that she was in the vicinity of the sshouse.

    ¡°Yaoyao!¡± Lu Qiongqiu suddenly eximed in a low voice. ¡°Look, is that ... fire lotus?¡±

    Ye Zhen was awakened by Lu Qiongqiu¡¯s voice. Her eyes slowly moved away from the herb in her hand and turned towards Lu Qiongqiu.

    In an instant, she furrowed her brows. <i>When did we get here?</i>

    Noticing that she had caught Ye Zhen unawares, Lu Qiongqiu fueled her momentary stupor and pointed to a fire-red lotus inside the ss room, and said in astonishment, ¡°It is said that fire lotus blooms in warm ces. I cannot believe it ... I cannot even imagine seeing one in Kyoto.¡±

    Ye Zhen stood up peeped into the sshouse. ¡°Indeed, it is a fire lotus ...¡±

    ¡°I wonder if there would be snow lotus...if it can grow in a sshouse, would it be easier to get snow lotus pasteter?¡± Lu Qiongqiu asked, excitedly.

    Ye Zhen smiled faintly at herpanion¡¯s simple thoughts. ¡°A sshouse is designed only for nts that need to be kept warm, not cold.¡±

    In fact, she was not particrly surprised by the sshouse. She remembered her father telling her once, that if the government did not ban private ss making, he would have also made one.

    ¡°The door is unlocked. Let us go in and have a look.¡± Lu Qiongqiu whispered as she urged Ye Zhen. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a fire lotus before. Let us go in and take a closer look.¡±

    Before Ye Zhen could even answer, Lu Qiongqiu took her hand and pulled her into the sshouse.

    She was not interested in the sshouse per se but was pleasantly surprised by the herbs in it. These were the precious medicinal herbs mentioned in the Qi Family Medicine ssic.

    <i>Unexpectedly, I am able to glimpse these treasures with my very eyes. Such a rare sight! Such a pleasure!</i>

    Today, in her quest for herbs, Ye Zhen had indeed wandered far.

    The sshousemanded a legendary status. Not only because the Huangfu family who had built it were nowhere to be found, but also for what it housed. If the medicinal field was a treasure, this was a treasure amongst treasures. The herbs grown here were of the rare and finicky kind that demanded utmost care.

    Now, within the confines of these transparent walls, Ye Zhen was entranced. The more she looked, the more fascinated she was; the more she saw, the more engrossed she became. As she explored each and every herb that was growing here, she had drifted into a realm of her own. So much so that not only was she oblivious to her surroundings, but also the person she was here with. She did not pay mind to Lu Qiongqiu was up to.

    Recently, she had be progressively interested in studying medicine. Her every waking hour was spent in either reading books or gathering information, to the extent that she even often forgot to eat. At the sight of these precious herbs, she naturally wanted to put to good use this rare opportunity she had gleaned and taken a closer look at them.

    Seeing that Ye Zhen was immersed in tending to the herbs and ignored her, a cold smile formed on Lu Qiongqiu¡¯s lips. Taking this chance, she quietly slipped out of the sshouse and to the other side of the medicine field, leaving Ye Zhen all alone.

    Ye Zhen who was preupied withmitting to memory the characteristics of these precious herbs, did not notice Lu Qiongqiu¡¯s absence. As she took a good look at each one, she finally stopped when she came to the Fire Lotus. This rare beautypletely enraptured her.

    <i>But, what is this...</i>

    The flowerpot was tilted on its side, all its soil and leaves scattered around, petals still bright and roots dangling from the edge of the pot. Only a moment ago, this Fire Lotus was still in good shape. But now, it was uprooted and in shambles. This must have happened not long ago, Ye Zhen was certain about it for she had only just passed by. She wondered who might be the culprit.

    <i>Howe this happened? There were only the two of them who had entered the sshouse unless... the person she was with intended to push her into a trap!</i>

 Chapter 185 - Trap (2)

    <strong>Chapter 185 ¨C Trap (2)</strong>

    One needs to know, there was a reason these herbs were termed precious. Right from their avability to growth, their upkeep was a challenge of its own. And Fire Lotus was no exception. Especially, its little bud that was the most difficult to blossom. When every herb growing here bore thebel ¡®invaluable¡¯, no wonder the sshouse was a forbidden ce for the students. However, Ye Zhen was not aware that there existed such rules.

    This was deliberately concealed from her. In this Medical Academy, there were too many who wanted to see her falter, and many who wanted to oust her.

    In the face of this grave predicament, Ye Zhen did not panic nor looked to escape. She knew doing so was futile. Just as she was deliberating over her plight, she saw Huang Fuxiang bringing Su Xinmei and Qin Fuzi over.

    This was a tricky situation. She was all alone in this sshouse with the ruined Fire Lotus- the damage was done, and no matter what, she would have to shoulder the me. However, if she were to go out of the sshouse at this time, she would be most certainly used of a greater crime, thus, conforming to the trap set upon her.

    She stared at the Fire Lotus before her, eyes seething with rage. Time and again they had been schemed against. She knew she had walked right into their snare. She was incensed that those people had actually used a mere Fire Lotus nt to frame her! But who was Ye Zhen? Was not she clever enough for the emergent situation?!

    <i>Well, I truly wanted to pay no mind to them. Looks like it is time to kill the chicken to warn the monkey.</i>

    Ye Zhen did not waste a minute longer. Instantly, she set about looking for a bigger flowerpot. Then, she filled this pot with the scattered soil, ced the nt inside and along the way buried the fallen leaves. She picked some green grass from outside, and spread ayer of grass atop the soil.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, what are you doing?¡±

    Just in time, Su Xinmei appeared outside the transparent walls of the sshouse. She looked at Ye Zhen with fierce eyes. But when her line of sight fell on the Fire Lotus, she shouted angrily, ¡°How dare you destroy the Fire Lotus!¡±

    Ye Zhen was about to speak when she heard Su Xinmei snap at her.

    ¡°Do you not know that the sshouse is a forbidden ce in this medicine field? You do not have the permission to enter here. You have vited the rules of the Medical Academy. You even dared to destroy the Fire Lotus. Do you know how big a crime you havemitted? Even you cannotpare to the Fire Lotus. How dare you destroy it!¡±

    A furious Su Xinmei spared no effort in admonishing Ye Zhen.

    All the while, Master Qin had been quite. Slowly and quietly, he walked into the sshouse. Upon seeing the Fire Lotus flower in Ye Zhen¡¯s hand, he was a little surprised.

    On the side, as she stood behind Su Xinmei, Huang Fuxiang was beaming with pride. She looked at Ye Zhen with a scornful gaze.

    ¡°Master Qin, Su Xinmei, I just saw Lu Yaoyao sneaking over here. Knowing that this is a forbidden ce, it seems that she wanted to steal the Fire Lotus.¡± Huang Fuxiang maliciously insinuated.

    Su Xinmei¡¯s thoughts were evident in her cold eyes. Gradually, her cold gaze on Ye Zhen turned icy, and she said to Qin Fuzi, ¡°Qin Fuzi, this matter must be brought to the curator.¡±

    If this matter were to be handed over to the curator, Lu Yaoyao was bound to be expelled from the Medical Academy.

    However, Qin Fuzi did not answer Su Xinmei. Instead, he just calmly walked towards Ye Zhen, looked down at the Fire Lotus in her hand, raised his eyebrow and asked, ¡°Did you change the flowerpot?¡±

    By now, Ye Zhen had surmised that no matter what she said, no one would believe her if she were to associate Lu Qiongqiu with this matter. Nor did she have the evidence to prove thetter¡¯s mischief and it was amply obvious, Lu Qiongqiu and Huang Fuxiang were in cahoots.

    ¡°Replying the Master, this student did not intend to go to the nearby area while collecting herbs. But saw that the Fire Lotus had blossomed, but was not in full bloom. There was a small flower bud beside it. If one does not mind changing for a bigger flower pot, one is afraid that the Fire Lotus would soon wither and the small flower bud would never bloom.¡± Ye Zhen answered respectfully, with no sign of tension.

    Qin Fuzi pointed to ayer of grass on the Fire Lotus and asked, ¡°And what is that?¡±

    ¡°Wild grass. The root of the Fire Lotus needs to be warm. Originally, this student was going to find some hay to burn and spread the ashes on, but there was no fire hinge, so one had to use this method.¡± Ye Zhen exined.

    ¡°Do you know how to nt Fire Lotus?¡± Master Qin was a little surprised.

    Ye Zhen replied with a bashful smile, ¡°One has let Master see a joke. I like to read books every day.¡±

    Qin Fuzi smiled and nodded. ¡°You have learned very well. It is important to change the flowerpot of the Fire Lotus flower, but the one in charge of changing the flowerpot is not here. You have done well.¡±

    When those words fell, Su Xinmei and Huang Fuxiang were dismayed. Their thoughts were incidentally aligned.

    <i>Should not Lu Yaoyao be punished? Why did Master Qin praise her instead?</i>

    ¡°Master Qin, does she not need to be punished for entering the sshouse without permission? She also caused damage to that precious Fire Lotus!¡± Huang Fuxiang cried. How could she admit defeat?!

    ¡°Wherein was the Fire Lotus nt damaged? Is it not alright?¡± Master Qin replied reasonably.

    ¡°As for the sshouse... I remember the sshouse is always locked. Why was it not locked today? Do we need to bring this to the curator and discuss who is at fault? And if we do, would not the people who manage the sshouse be held responsible?¡±

    Su Xinmei¡¯s face changed slightly. She knew if this matter were to be escted, it would not bode well. She looked at Ye Zhen in disdain and could only say, ¡°Well, it is up to Master Qin.¡±

    Huang Fuxiang stomped her foot in angst. ¡°Qin Fuzi, you are taking sides with her.¡±

    ¡°So what?¡± Qin Fuzi asked.

    ¡°How can you do that? It is clearly her fault!¡± Huang demanded with indignation.

    Ye Zhen was not flustered by the usations and spoke lightly. ¡°I saw that the Fire Lotus was dying, and I had to change the flowerpot. Howe I did wrong?¡±

    ¡°You damaged the Fire Lotus on purpose!¡± Huang Fuxiang barked angrily.

    Ye Zhen suppressed her surging rage and asked with a smile, ¡°You saw it with your own eyes? How do you know that the Fire Lotus is damaged?¡±

    Su Xinmei intervened, she wanted to end this verbal spar before much more was lost. Looking at Huang Fuxiang, she said, ¡°That is enough, Huang Fuxiang. This matter, it is up to Master Qin. It is not your turn to speak, return!¡±

    Huang Fuxiang felt constrained in her heart. She had managed to find a chance to deal with Ye Zhen, but had lost it.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, go back to ss, too.¡± Su Xinmei turned and looked at Ye Zhen with unconcealed coldness.

    Ye Zhen replied, ¡°Yes, Master Qin, Su Xinmei, this student will go back first.¡±

    Full of resentment, Huang Fuxiang walked back to the field. When she turned back and saw Ye Zhen following, she walked back towards her and said, ¡°Do not becent, you shall learn your lesson.¡±

    ¡°You have made me angry.¡± Ye Zhen looked at Huang Fuxiang and said lightly.

    They had no animosity before, so she did not want to care about each other¡¯s asional provocation. But today, if it were not for the books she had read, particrly on how to nt Fire Lotus, she might have been expelled from the medical school. <i>Perhaps, fate was in her favor.</i>

    She had finally entered the Medical Academy and wished never to be dismissed. Now, Huang Fuxiang had provoked and incited her, adding to the stumbling blocks she had to break. Therefore, the consequences of her anger would be more serious.

    Huang Fu Xiang sneered.¡±What if you are angry? What can you possibly do to me?¡±

    ¡°I really did not wish to do anything to you.¡± Ye Zhen nodded softly. ¡°But by fair means or foul, I will do anything.¡±

    She would do anything for Huang Fuxiang to not dare provoke her again.

 Chapter 186 - Request From the Sovereign

    <strong>Chapter 186 ¨C Request From the Sovereign</strong>

    Huang Fuxiang was a proud daughter of a noted family. She was beautiful, intelligent and with an exemry aunt, had the connections too. One could say she was the archetype proud, arrogant Young Miss of an affluent family.

    Needless to say, Ye Zhen had never entered the eyes of the haughty Huang Fuxiang. She ever looked up to Ye Zhen in terms of talent, nor was she wary of her in terms of social status. But somehow, when Ye Zhen had spoken those menacing words, she involuntarily shrank.

    She felt an inexplicable fear course through her veins.

    Although this girl with ethereal beauty had not spoken another word after, she still made her feel so threatened that her pallidplexion had yet to regain color.

    A trace of regret flitted past Huang Fuxiang¡¯s heart.

    <i>Should I not provoke this person? </i>But soon enough she was miffed at her own thoughts. <i>Why should I regret it? Lu Yaoyao is not from a noble family, but why must I be afraid that she will make it?</i>

    Just as she was about to retort, Ye Zhen walked past her, a faint fragrance of fruit wafted through the air. When Huang Fuxiang looked, she saw her holding a basket of herbs.

    The herbs were handed over to Qin Fuzi¡¯s assistant. All along, Ye Zhen stood by the side, not once looking at Huang Fuxiang.

    When she saw her, Sun Wen trotted to Ye Zhen¡¯s side and spoke in a whisper. ¡°Yaoyao, did something happen?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. I suddenly wanted to understand something,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile.

    By now, Chen Jinru had alsoe over.

    ¡°Were you not with Lu Qiongqiu? We just saw hering back but we did not know what she said to Huang Fuxiang. Then, we do not know where Huang Fuxiang was after that.¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes slightly sunk. Initially, when Lu Qiongqiu had approached her, she had had her suspicions. Her instincts warned her this out of the blue cordiality was not without a purpose. So, when she asked her to go to the sshouse, at first, she had refused to go. And for the things that came after, she only had herself to me. Who asked her to be gung-ho about the herbs and serve Lu Qiongqiu her much sought after opportunity on a tter?! Thereafter, walking into her trap was only an eventuality.

    ¡°What did Lu Qiongqiu do to you?¡± Sun Wen asked in a low voice. She was anxious for her friend, and somehow knew that person did not bode well.

    ¡°Nothing.¡± Ye Zhen replied as she looked at Lu Qiongqiu, who was standing not far away with her head bowed.

    All this time, Lu Qiongqiu had also been very nervous. Little had she expected that Lu Yaoyao could get out of the situation without much trouble. Her current anxiety was a result of failing to fulfill the task assigned to her. At the sight of a Huang Fuxiang was seething in rage, she inferred things did not happen as she had imagined.

    She did not want to hurt anyone, but ... had no choice.

    Lu Qiongqiu stole a guilty look at Ye Zhen, ashamed but incapable of doing anything.

    There are times when one has to do things that one does not necessarily want to.

    Just then, Qin Fuzi returned. After checking the herbs his students picked, he praised Ye Zhen with satisfaction. ¡°A rare talented medical genius. Keep working hard.¡±

    Talent was a rare gift, to say nothing of a genius talent. Such people were few and far between and one found one, one as treasured. In recent years, few had made Qin Fuzi pay this much attention to. And in this batch, Ye Zhen was the first one. So, Qin Fuzi wanted to harness and hone this talent as much as he could.

    She reckoned she would attract many envies and despise, but she could not care less.

    However, at Qin Fuzi¡¯s words, Ye Zhen was somewhat distressed. She was not a genius at all. She just had a different fate. She was ufortable with this de bestowed upon her. Since she could not exin this, she could only keep quiet and go with the flow.

    Thereupon the gathering of herbs, Ye Zhen went to Master Qin to seek approval as she wanted to stay in the medical field for a while.

    ¡°Why?¡± He was surprised by the request as few liked to stay in the cold, remote and deserted medicine field.

    Ye Zhen said with a smile, ¡°I feel delighted seeing these herbs.¡±

    Qin Fuzi was delighted as well. This was proof his eyes had not been mistaken about this girl. Without a qualm, he agreed to let her stay and gave her the key to the sshouse. She was allowed to go in and have a look, but she must not damage the herbs inside.

    ¡°Thank you very much, Master Qin.¡± Ye Zhen wore a grateful smile.

    For the first time since she had transmigrated into her twin¡¯s body, she felt warmth from an outsider. She felt genuine kindness and expectation from Master Qin. She was indebted and motivated.

    Qin Fuzi smiled with satisfaction and left with the others.

    Sun Wen and Chen Jinru insisted on staying with her, but Ye Zhen dissuaded them.

    ¡°You still have to go home. It is alreadyte, and the gate will be closed when it gets dark.¡±

    ¡°You should also go back early. The medicine field is just here and you could always visitter.¡± Sun Wen made a final attempt in persuading her to leave.

    Chen Jinru also echoed her thoughts. ¡°I agree, there is no need to rush for a while.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled and nodded. She knew her friends meant well and were concerned about her. But she was really in a hurry. If she could, she wanted to learn all the medical skills at once. But she also knows that haste makes waste.

    Ye Zhen did not wish to linger on the topic any further and reassured her friends. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a little while.¡±

    Seeing that she had made up her mind, Sun Wen and Chen Jinru did not urge her any more. Thinking that, since this ce was under the purview of the Medical Academy, strangers and trespassers would not be allowed entry. She would be safe here even if by herself. Hence, at ease, they left.

    As soon as she had the field to herself, Ye Zhen set about chronicling the character and appearance of each herb. She took note of their distinguishing taste and then wrote out the various prescriptions in her mind. She had an excellent memory. As long as she had perused the medical records, she could write them down, word for word, without a hitch. However, she realized she had not seen enough and needed more practice. Now, she was even more determined to bridge this gap.

    When people are quiet and focused on doing something, the most annoying thing would be being disturbed.

    However, Ye Zhen had a different feeling for this intruder.

    ¡°Eunuch.¡± She dropped her eyes and bowed. <i>It was Eunuch Ford.</i><i>How could it be him?</i>

    Eunuch Ford had been here for a while now, but had yet to deliver the message he brought from the Imperial Pce. Crouching in the middle of the medical field, holding a leaf in mouth earnestly- this was how Eunuch Ford found Ye Zhen when he arrived. Her beautiful and clever eyes looked confused yet delighted. She looked like a fairy who had strayed into the dust. Eunuch Ford was unwilling to disturb her.

    He didn¡¯t have the heart but had to do what he was told to.

    ¡°Miss Lu, pleasee with me.¡± Eunuch Ford curtsied.

 Chapter 187 - Do You Resent Me? (1)

    <strong>Chapter 187 ¨C Do You Resent Me? (1)</strong>

    <i>Miss Lu does look like a fairy. Most of all, she resembles... thete Wang Fei Ye. Is it really possible for two people to look so alike? </i>The eunuch couldn¡¯t help but think so.

    Ye Zhen stood still with eyes looking at Eunuch Ford in wonder. ¡°Where to?¡±

    Eunuch Ford was slightly taken aback. There was hardly a soul who did not know he was the Emperor¡¯s person. He would invite people at the behest of the Imperial Pce. Naturally, he was here to invite her to the Imperial Pce.

    <i>Why did Miss Lu ask?</i>

    ¡°Miss Lu, the Little Prince requested for you,¡± Eunuch Ford said.

    <i>Mo Rongyi?</i>

    Ye Zhen got anxious but her heart was inexplicably relieved that Mo Rongzhan was not the one looking for her. The meeting with him in the Imperial Pce the other day had brought a lot of trouble. Before she had finally attained the position of an Imperial Physician, she did not want to be in unnecessary trouble.

    <i>Is something the matter with the Little Prince?</i> Ye Zhen eventually came about as she remembered that awkward tangled youngster. <i>Did he wish to see her? Why is Eunuch Ford seeking me?</i>

    Eunuch Ford turned aside and motioned Ye Zhen to leave with him.

    Ye Zhen found Eunuch Ford too quiet and thought it must be inconvenient to tell her here. Regardless, she would know when she sees Mo Rongyi.

    The carriage was parked outside the medicine field. There were no students around. Before Eunuch Ford arrived, all the students were driven away. Perhaps some people did not want the news of Ye Zhen¡¯s invitation to the Imperial Pce to be known.

    Ye Zhen was very satisfied with this arrangement. She wanted no one to know that she had entered the Imperial Pce, especially Lu Wushuang. Even if she had nothing to do with Mo Rongzhan, she did not wish this matter to reach the WangFei¡¯s ears.

    When she got on the carriage, Eunuch Ford vaguely said that the Little Prince wanted to see her, because he was unwell and the Empress Dowager heeded his request.

    <i>What happened to Mo Rongyi?</i>

    Thest time she entered the Imperial Pce, she knew that he was sick and ufortable. The Empress Dowager had also said that she would ask another Imperial Physician to treat him.

    <i>Is he not better yet?</i>

    Ye Zhen suddenly had a bad premonition. She fell into deep silence, trying to recall the news about Mo Rongyi in the two years she was trapped in the Imperial Pce.

    During the two years of wandering in the Imperial Pce as a ghost, there was almost no news about Mo Rongyi. But then again, her every moment had been spent in anger, loathing and following Mo Rongzhan like a shadow.

    She had never concerned herself with other people¡¯s whereabouts.She was so consumed in the betrayals and blows that were served to her on a tter, that Ye Zhen was left with little interest in anything else.

    <i>How long could Mo Rongyi live?</i> Ye Zhen was troubled by the question. She had no recollection of the matter to ease her worries.

    <i>Will his sickness persist? </i>Her musing came to a halt when suddenly the Little Prince¡¯s forlorn but dignified face came to her mind, and without hesitation, Ye Zhen went to visit the Imperial Pce.

    Eunuch Ford could not help admiring the youngdy he was apanying. He had been around the emperor for quite a long time now. He had met his fair share of youngdies of the wealthy families, but none were as calm as Miss Lu. With a sense of propriety, she did not pry on things she was not involved in.

    Steady and self-aware, was how he viewed this youngdy. In terms of appearance and bearing alone, she looked better than the Wang Fei! Unbeknownst to him, the more he saw these qualities, the more he admired her.

    When Ye Zhen reached the Imperial Pce, she was taken aback. She thought she would be taken to see Mo Rongyi immediately. Unexpectedly, she would have to meet the emperor first.

    ???

    In the pavilion in the emperor¡¯s courtyard, exuding an air of regality, Mo Rongzhan stood with his hands behind his back. He was wearing a ck robe with wide sleeves on which was embroidered a five-wed dragon. The afternoon sun fell on him, highlighting his full grandeur. His facial features were as clear and beautiful as a carefully chiselled sculpture. His eyes, intimidating dark pools, had always made people dare not look straight at him.

    Seeing Mo Rongzhan, Ye Zhen immediately became cautious. In front of this man, she refused to let her guard down.

    ¡°This official¡¯s daughter greets the emperor.¡± Ye Zhen stopped right outside the pavilion and curtsied, hoping that Mo Rongzhan was not waiting for her.

    Mo Rongzhan stood on a raised tform and had to look down at Ye Zhen who was reluctant toe forward. His eyes were unpredictable, and the surroundings were strangely quiet, that even Eunuch Ford was afraid to breathe loudly.

    Today, Ye Zhen was dressed in an ivory-colored short jacket and wore simple makeup. Despite the in clothes, her beauty and jade-like skin stood out. She looked ethereal.

    ¡°Come here.¡± The emperormanded in a deep voice.

    <i>Is he .. going to talk to me? What is there to talk about?</i> Ye Zhen was reluctant, but she slowly walked up to the pavilion and waited for Mo Rongzhan to speak.

    ¡°Did you make a wager with the Little Prince that you can cure him?¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s voice was slightly heavy, looking coldly at the girl in front of him. He was scrutinizing her, not wanting to miss even the slightest reaction.

    Ye Zhen was stunned for a moment, looked up at Mo Rongzhan in surprise, and made sure that he was not teasing her.

    <i>When did I bet with the Little Prince?</i>

 Chapter 188 - Do You Resent Me? (2)

    <strong>Chapter 188 ¨C Do You Resent Me? (2)</strong>

    Mo Rongzhan did not miss the change in her countenance. When he heard that his younger brother had made a bet with her, his first thought was that she intended to take advantage of the young prince to get his attention. It was not that no other woman had used this method before, but no one used it better than her.

    He had a somewhat suppressed interest in her, but the bet had turned that interest into disdain.

    However, she did not seem to know much about such a bet. ¡°You did not bet with the Little Prince?¡± Mo Rongzhan squinted slightly and looked at Ye Zhen coldly.

    She could see the disgust in his eyes, she smiled lightly. ¡°If the Little Prince says so, then I did.¡±

    An icy re burst out of Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes, Ye Zhen¡¯s face paled. She doubted whether he would kill her the next moment.

    ¡°No matter what purpose you have, I will not kill you at this time.¡± Mo Rongzhan saw the vignce in her eyes and said in a cold and dignified tone, ¡°If the Little Prince¡¯s illness cannot be cured, you will be buried with him. ¡±

    <i>It seems that Mo Rongyi¡¯s illness is really serious!</i> Ye Zhen frowned slightly, worried that the spections were true.

    She looked at Mo Rongzhan lightly. ¡°What does the emperor mean? That this official¡¯s daughter should treat the Little Prince?¡±

    There was a mocking sneer in the corner of Mo Rongzhan¡¯s mouth. ¡°You are not even a medical doctor, how can you cure the Little Prince?¡±

    After a while, he added, ¡°Are you afraid of death?¡± Mo Rongzhan stared at her eyes.

    Ye Zhen looked at him and nodded softly. ¡°I just do not want to die.¡±

    <i>It is not fear of death. But she refused to die... Yet.</i>

    ¡°There is an Imperial Physician treating the Little Prince. But since she requested to see you and you have made a wager with him, then I demand that you must alleviate the Little Prince. ¡±

    ¡°Since His Majesty said so, it seems that I am left without a choice,¡± Ye Zhen said lightly. Undoubtedly, the man that stood before her was the most powerful person in this country. What else will he say and not be done?

    Despite her bold words, Mo Rongzhan felt no anger. But instead, he found her dejection almost ridiculous. ¡°Do you resent me in your heart?¡±

    ¡°I dare not, Your Majesty.¡± Ye Zhen bowed her head.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, do not disappoint me. The life of the Little Prince is more precious than yours.¡± Mo Rongzhan warned in a low voice.

    The corners of Ye Zhen¡¯s mouth lifted into a curve. Of course, she knew how insignificant her life was to him. His piercing words upon her death still haunted her like a bitter memory. How could she not know who he held important. She had once hoped to be one of them, but that was then. The past. About this matter, today¡¯s Ye Zhen was clearer than Mo Rongzhan himself.

    ¡°If this official¡¯s daughter can make the Little Prince¡¯s illness better, what will the emperor reward one?¡± Ye Zhen asked.

    Mo Rongzhan puckered his lips, and looked coldly at Ye Zhen.

    <i>This girl ... dared to talk about conditions without fear. Is she just too greedy? Or is she trying to prove something to me? </i>

    It was not that Ye Zhen was oblivious to the inexplicable contempt suffusing the emperor¡¯s eyes. Even so, she looked at him stoically, containing her anger in her heart. His abhorrence did not affect her in the least. But those eyes had also hurriedly painted her as a greedy being, just because of the wager, whose truthfulness he had not bothered to ascertain.

    <i>This</i> irked her.

    ¡°If you can really make the Little Prince¡¯s condition better, whether he heals or not, as long as you take care of him, watch him take medicines and be administered with acupuncture, I will grant you a wish.¡± Mo Rongzhan said coldly.

    In Mo Rongzhan¡¯s mind, it became clear that she was definitely not as simple as she seemed. He had never liked cunning women and this girl with innocent looks was slyer than a fox.

    Ye Zhen slightly smiled. ¡°Can I have any wish?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Mo Rongzhan was upset by her insatiable greed, although he did not know why he felt upset.

    Ye Zhen smiled and counted herself blessed. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty. If His Majesty has no other orders, then this official¡¯s daughter will go see the Little Prince.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan waved impatiently as Ye Zhen asked for permission to leave, and it seemed that he did not want to see her again.

    Ye Zhen turned and left the pavilion thinking about the bet she did not make. But it was not the time to dwell upon it. She had a pressing matter in hand.

    <i>Just how should I deal with Mo Rongyi¡¯s case?</i>

    At the thought of Mo Rongzhan staring at her at the moment, Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes shed with a cold glint. Nothing had really changed in him. His thoughts, decisions... no one could ever change his mind.

    He was still the same man she had married in her previous life. Cold, unfeeling, ruthless and full of suspicion. Just like how she was determined to marry him in the beginning, she had made it known that she liked him. But he still thought that she had other motives.

    He would rather lead an army for several years than see her.

 Chapter 189 - Once Poisoned

    <strong>Chapter 189 ¨C Once Poisoned</strong>

    As Ye Zhen made her way out of the pavilion and with that the emperor¡¯s sight, she felt her heart stifle with tension¨C she was having trouble swallowing heaps of breath. How so? Well, she did not expect to meet Mo Rongzhan. She thought she would be directly taken to Mo Rongyi.

    Not only did she see him, but had to even bear his inexplicable loathing and threats. And every time she saw him, her resolve to remain unaffected by his presence would go down the drain. She hated it and its consequences.

    Sheposed herself and refocused on the crux of the matter: the bet! The root cause! Besides her and Mo Rongyi, no one knew of that conversation. Moreover, she had only just casually mentioned it. And right now, thanks to Mo Rongzhan, it had casually be a mountain threatening to be her undoing. She decided she would ask Mo Rongyi if he had talked behind her back and neatly delivered her right to the emperor¡¯s feet.

    Before she knew it, mulling and delving, Ye Zhen had arrived at the Little Prince¡¯s chamber. She walked in amidst the baffled gazes of all the maids around. She didn¡¯t mind one bit.

    However, when she saw Mo Rongyi, all the questions turned into shock. She almost did not recognize that the skinny boy before her was the plump and lovely little prince. She felt a tug in her heart.

    Mo Rongyi had just finished acupressure. His cheeks had an abnormal flush, he looked drained. But seeing Ye Zhen walk in, he was delighted.

    ¡°How did you be like this?¡± Ye Zhen blurted. She was still reeling in shock. She was so concerned that she even forgot to pay her respect to the Little Prince.

    However, Mo Rongyi did not care about her discourtesy, beckoning her to pass. ¡±Why did youe just now?¡±

    A touch of pity shed in Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes. Yes, her heart was full of grievance and vengeance. Even so, she did not wish to see Mo Rongyi die so soon. This young child had done nothing wrong. Why should fate treat him so?

    ¡°The Little Prince¡¯s illness would not have been recognized if not for Miss Lu¡¯s diagnosis. Otherwise, I would not have known that His Highness is suffering from an abdominal tumor.¡± Qi Jin whispered.

    Only then did Ye Zhen notice Qi Jin nearby. Seeing this middle-aged woman, she was shocked.

    ¡°Are you the...?¡±

    ¡°Miss Lu, we meet again.¡± Qi Jin nodded with a smile.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s face became somber as she bowed before her teacher. ¡°This student greets Imperial Physician Qi Jin.¡±

    Thest time she met her, she had said her surname was Qi, and there was only one person in the Imperial Pce who had the same surname as the one treating the Little Prince. It was none other than Qi Jin, the chief faculty of the Medical Academy.

    <i>It was her!</i>

    ¡°The Little Prince has just finished acupuncture and will take his medicer. You can talk with him now.¡± Qi Jin did not say anything more as she stepped back from Mo Rongyi¡¯s bed and curtsied before him. Then she walked out of the chamber.

    Ye Zhen sat down beside the bed. ¡°Is it painful all over?¡±

    Right then, Mo Rongyi dismissed all the maids in the room. It was not until he was alone with Ye Zhen, that he revealed an expression of affliction.

    ¡°It hurts so much, it hurts so much! I do not wish to live any longer.¡± He screeched in agony.

    ¡°How could this happen?¡±

    Ye Zhen felt that with Qi Jin taking the lead in treating Mo Rongyi¡¯s illness, he should be cured soon. And yet, not only had he not recovered, he was deteriorating.

    ¡°I feel stabbing pain in my heart when eating...¡± Mo Rongyi gave a wry smile. ¡°... but I can¡¯t show it in front of the Empress Dowager. She will be very sad.¡±

    Before her transmigration and time regression, Ye Zhen remembered things as if they only happened yesterday. When she was still nothing but a floating entity inside the Imperial Pce, she noticed the Empress Dowager¡¯s frequent absence from the Cining Pce. Having been used to living in istion before her son¡¯s reign on the dragon throne, the dowager refused to see anyone else, except her son¨C Mo Rongyi. At that time, the Empress Dowager did not care about anything else but the Little Prince, whom she cherished the most.

    However, would Mo Rongyi really perish from this world... she was uncertain. Of one thing she was certain, in those two years, Ye Zhen had not seen any deaths inside the pce. And Mo Rongyi was a person of import. Any news rted to him, especially death, would have bound to have talks. But no such thing had reached her ears.

    ¡°May I take your pulse, Your Highness?¡± Ye Zhen felt no anger anymore for whoever saw Mo Rongyi¡¯s condition could not lose their temper.

    Mo Rongyi turned supercilious. ¡°Can you cure me?¡±

    ¡°The emperor said that if you die, I will be buried with you. Your Highness, for the sake of my life, can you cooperate?¡± Ye Zhen said grumpily.

    ¡°B¨Cbrother. My brother. Did he ... really say that?¡± Mo Rongyi asked in surprise.

    Ye Zhen nced back at him.

    ¡°I must ask the Little Prince when have I ever made a bet with you about your health?¡±

    ¡°Ahem!¡± Mo Rongyi coughed a few times. ¡°I was just too bored. I want to talk to someone. Besides, did you not say you have not treated anyone? This prince now gives you a chance.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much, Your Highness.¡±

    Mo Rongyi did not feel her sincerity but was still very generous to extend his hand. ¡°You take the pulse.¡±

    Ye Zhen took the Little Prince¡¯s wrist in her hand and felt his pulse. The thumping of his heart was weaker than thest time. The abdominal tumor had not improved. He was not in good condition. She looked at him anxiously.

    ¡°Where else do you feel pain?¡±

    ¡°Here!¡± Mo Rongyi said, clutching his chest.

    ¡°Are you suffering from any heart disease?¡± Ye Zhen asked. She had heard him say more than once that his chest hurt.

    Mo Rongyi gazed at her. ¡°Do not waste your energy. Even Qi Jin cannot cure my disease, let alone you.¡±

    Ye Zhen covered him with a quilt. ¡°Even so, I still hope you can get better.¡±

    ¡°I was...¡± Mo Rongyi¡¯s voice was a little light hiding the bitterness he felt. ¡°When I was very young, I was poisoned.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Ye Zhen looked at him in surprise.

 Chapter 190 - Ye Yisong

    <strong>Chapter</strong><strong>190</strong><strong>¨C</strong><strong>Ye</strong><strong>Yisong</strong>

    Mo Rongyi smiled and said, ¡°Actually, I have no memory of it. I heard that I was only two years old at that time. Someone poisoned me. Qi Jin was just in time and managed to save me. However, the person who poisoned me has already died.¡±

    ¡°Who.. wants to harm you?¡± Ye Zhen faintly felt that she knew the answer, but she dared not to dwell on that thought.

    ¡°Ye Yisong.¡± Mo Rongyi¡¯s gaze revealed disgust. ¡°That treacherous minister killed too many people. He killed several princes in the pce who were favored by the emperor. I was fortunate. Qi Jin was just in time to save my life. However, sometimes I still suffer from angina pectoris.¡±

    <i>[T/N:</i><i>Angina</i><i>pectoris:</i><i>a</i><i>condition</i><i>marked</i><i>by</i><i>severe</i><i>pain</i><i>in</i><i>the</i><i>chest,</i><i>often</i><i>also</i><i>spreading</i><i>to</i><i>the</i><i>shoulders,</i><i>arms,</i><i>and</i><i>neck,</i><i>owing</i><i>to</i><i>an</i><i>inadequate</i><i>blood</i><i>supply</i><i>to</i><i>the</i><i>heart.]</i>

    Ye Zhen stared at Mo Rongyi nkly. She already had a hunch that the person who wanted to hurt him was rted to the Ye family. And he said it himself, which made her feel sorry.

    Her uncle deserved to die. If she were Mo Rongzhan, the first thing she would do after ascending the throne was to kill the great treacherous court official. Why not? That vicious man had not spared anyone. How many young and old had he sent to their early graves!

    ¡°Is it because you have been poisoned before that you have been suffering from this illness and unable to cure it?¡± Ye Zhen asked softly.

    Mo Rong Yi frowned and said, ¡°It should be so.¡±

    Ye Zhen sighed softly in her heart. ¡°You will be better.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have confidence at all.¡± He shot her a supercilious look.

    Contrary to what he was thinking, Ye Zhen felt very confident. She would use the miraculous liquid to treat him as a payment for this debt of the Ye family to Mo Rongyi. The child was innocent. As for Mo Rongzhan¡¯s debt to her, it was a different matter altogether.

    Moreover, she also wanted to do something in return for the Empress Dowager. If something were to happen to Mo Rongyi, the dowager would certainly be deste.

    At this time, a maid came in with medicine. It was the head maid of the pce who Ye Zhen had seen thest time.

    Mo Rongyi cried in disgust. ¡°I hate taking medicine the most.¡±

    Ye Zhen found the Little Prince funny. ¡°How can you recover without taking medicine?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, you said that as long as Miss Lu came to visit you in the pce, you would take your medicine obediently,¡± the pce maid said.

    Mo Rongyi red at her. ¡°Madam Nuan, you¡¯re being crueler and crueler to this prince¡¯s heart.¡±

    Madam Nuan said with a smile, ¡°This servant is only devoted to the Little Prince¡¯s wellness.¡±

    ¡°Close your eyes and drink it at once.¡± Ye Zhen took the medicine from Madam Nuan.

    ¡°Shall I ask the Empress Dowager to let me stay here for two days for you to take medicine?¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Mo Rongyi¡¯s eyes lit up.

    He had very few friends and was extremelyfortable talking to Lu Yaoyao. Although there were other people in the pce who served him, they respected him but could not say much. But this girl was different, she brought with her a sense of calm. She was courteous but not subservient. He liked that about her.

    Ye Zhen nodded. ¡°You take medicine; then I shall seek permission from the Empress Dowager.¡±

    ???

    With Ye Zhen¡¯s reassurance, a happy Mo Rongyi did not cause further trouble and readily took the medicine. Exhausted as he was, he immediately fell asleep.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes were brimming with gentleness as she gazed at the quietly slumbering prince. His palm-sized face looked wan and gray, robbed of its usual cheer and life. He looked so peaceful that if not for the sound of his breathing, one might think he was dead.

    Ye Zhen collected herself and turned to the head pce maid.

    ¡°Madam Nuan, can I see the Empress Dowager?¡± she asked in a whisper.

    ¡°Aunt Cheng has just arrived and is waiting for Young Miss outside.¡± Madam Nuan replied, leading Ye Zhen out of the Little Prince¡¯s bedroom.

    Even if she did not seek an audience with the Empress Dowager, it was the dowager herself who surprisingly sought her instead.

    ¡°Aunt Cheng.¡± Ye Zhen walked out of the chamber and saw Aunt Cheng standing outside.

    ¡°Miss Lu, the Empress Dowager sent this old servant to invite you to the Cining Pce,¡± Aunt Cheng said with a smile.

    Ye Zhen greeted Aunt Cheng, and politely asked her to lead the way. ¡°Aunt Cheng, please..¡±

    In the Cining Pce, the Empress Dowager was leaning on the soft couch. Her weariness was hard to hide. These days, because of the Little Prince¡¯s illness, she could not rest well. She was constantly on her toes, tending to her little one. It was no surprise; this mother had lost her spirit.

    Although she was aware of Ye Zhen¡¯s arrival at the pce to visit her son, she did not attempt to visit his chamber. There was no animosity or negative feelings as such. Since her younger son liked this girl, she naturally had a reason to like her back. If this girl could make her son take medicine obediently, then what is there for her to worry about?

    When Aunt Cheng brought Ye Zhen to the Empress Dowager¡¯s chamber, she saw her reclining with her eyes closed. As much as she knew how vital this rare moment of rest was, she still had a duty to uphold. So, in a low voice, she called out ¡®Her Highness¡¯.

    The Empress Dowager opened her eyes slightly and looked at the girl who was already kneeling in front of her. She smiled. ¡°Yaoyao hase?¡±

    When Ye Zhen saw how tired the Empress Dowager was, her eyes showed concern. ¡°This official¡¯s daughter pays respect to the Empress Dowager.¡±

 Chapter 191 - A Cry Of Pain

    <h4>Chapter 191 ¨C A Cry Of Pain</h4>

    ¡°Get up, child. You left your studies to visit the pce. We are the ones indebted here,¡± the empress dowager said with a smile.

    ¡°It does not matter what I do. I can always make up for it,¡± Ye Zhen said solemnly. The little prince¡¯s condition had tugged her heart, to say nothing of this helpless mother. ¡°Your Highness, you also need to take care of yourself. His Highness will be fine.¡±

    At the mention of Mo Rongyi, the empress dowager frowned in sadness. ¡°Aijia also hopes that Little Prince¡¯s illness can be cured soon.¡±

    ¡°Empress Dowager, may this official¡¯s daughter make a bold suggestion?¡±

    The sight of a forlorn empress dowager had steeled Ye Zhen¡¯s previous fleeting thoughts into a resolve. She decided she would stay in the pce for a few days and tend to Mo Rongyi. This would be a great opportunity to administer in the lingquan1. It may perhaps prove useful to his illness. Since she did not know for sure, she could at the least try.

    The empress dowager looked at her and said, ¡°You may speak freely.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, I wish to stay and take care of the little prince for two days,¡± Ye Zhen said in a low voice... Not to repay the empress dowager¡¯s kindness, not topensate the little prince on behalf of the Ye Family, but to support him as he had in the academy that day. She could not just watch Mo Rongyi in this condition.

    Besides, as long as Mo Rongyi was still sick, Mo Rongzhan would not spare her. That bastard had tied her life to the little prince¡¯s.

    ¡°Why?¡± The empress dowager did not immediately agree, but looked at Ye Zhen with careful eyes, taking measures of her reasons.

    Treachery and deceit were a norm in the life of royals. Those vicious hearts would not spare anyone. As such, the poisoning incident was ample proof. Although Ye Zhen was several years older than Mo Rongyi, who knows what she could do if she bore ill-motives? The dowager could not just entrust her son to anyone but given the circumstances, she would want someone close to her son to take care of him. Yet, she still felt skeptical...

    She was finding it difficult to ce her trust in someone who had appeared out of the blue. Someone, her child liked. But he was just that, a child. What would he know of the web of deception intricately woven around him?

    Seeing how the surroundings had quieted down, Ye Zhen looked at the empress dowager calmly. She understood thetter¡¯s concern and was not in the least bit offended by her mistrust. She decided to be forthright and breached the silence.

    She said in a sweet voice, ¡°Your Highness, ever since I came to the capital, many people looked down upon me. They all think that I am unworthy of the identity of an official¡¯s daughter, that I am unworthy of entering the Academy for Women and the School of Medicine for that matter. Little Prince is the first one who thought that I would seed, and even wagered on me regardless of my identity.¡±

    ¡°In ancient times, some people even died for their confidants. This official¡¯s daughter is grateful to the little prince¡¯s regard for me. I always felt that... I am not worthy of His Highness¡¯ recognition, I do not know how to repay it. Now that he is ill, and this official¡¯s daughter has learned medical skills, I dare not say that I can cure his illness, but would take good care of him.¡±

    In the quiet hall, only Ye Zhen¡¯s voice resounded. Her face was calm, eyes were clear. She did not say anything sensational, but the empress dowager felt a little moved.

    ¡°You are a good child. How can a child who knows how to repay kindness be called unworthy?¡±

    Ye Zhen raised her head and looked into the loving eyes of the empress dowager. ¡°Little Prince is also a good man. And a good man shall have a good reward. He will certainly get better.¡±

    Although there were physicians and maidservants who could take care of the little prince, the empress dowager did not want to reject Ye Zhen¡¯s heart. Besides, the little prince really likes her.

    ¡°What do you think of Little Prince?¡± The empress dowager asked in a low voice.

    Ye Zhen thought for a moment. ¡°Friend.¡±

    Not a king, not a lord, but a friend.

    The empress dowager nodded. ¡°You shall temporarily reside in the pce maid¡¯s room of the little prince¡¯s chamber for two days. Aijia will also ask Madam Nuan to tidy up the room for you.¡±

    Perfect! Ye Zhen gratefully bowed. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡±

    The empress dowager smiled. ¡°No one will look down upon you again.¡±

    Such a girl must have a bright future ahead of her. Those who despise her may not be better than her.

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°I will make them dare not look down upon me.¡±

    Before she could say a few more words, the pce maid from the little prince¡¯s chamber came. She said that the little prince had woken up after a short sleep and his whole body was writhing in pain. She was ordered by Qi Jin, who was already in Mo Rongyi¡¯s chamber, to speak to the empress dowager.

    As soon as the empress dowager heard this, she was flustered. She immediately set off to the little prince¡¯s chamber.

    Ye Zhen followed her.

    As soon as they entered the little prince¡¯s chamber, they heard Mo Rongyi screaming in pain. The empress dowager suddenly went weak in her legs and almost could not stand stably.

    Aunt Cheng supported her. ¡°Your Highness... ¡±

    Ye Zhen was worried that Mo Rongyi would hurt himself if he went on like this. She said to the empress dowager, ¡°Your Highness, I will go first and have a look.¡±

    The empress dowager nodded. Ye Zhen immediately ran into the bedchambers where she almost hit people along her way.

    She looked up and saw a person with a pair of dark eyes deeply looking at her. Ye Zhen looked faint and gave a silent bow.

    ¡°Ah ah...¡± Mo Rongyi cried out in pain.

    Ye Zhen could not care about Mo Rongzhan who was standing in front of her at this moment. She walked past him and went to Mo Rongyi¡¯s bed.

    Afraid that the little prince would hurt himself, four eunuchs held his hands and feet while Qi Jin tried to let Mo Rongyi take his medicine.

    ¡°Your Highness, this is a painkiller. As long as you take it, it won¡¯t hurt.¡± Qi Jin was sweating all over her head. Having a patient who refused to take medicine always distressed her.

    Mo Rongyi did not want to take medicine. If he took it in, it would make him want to die of pain. He did not even want to eat. He did not want to take in the medicine at all.

    Ye Zhen looked distraught and could not help but ask Qi Jin, ¡°Imperial Physician Qi Jin, can you use acupuncture to relieve pain?¡±

    ¡°Acupuncture was already used a few days ago. It cannot be used to relieve pain anymore.¡± Qi Jin said helplessly.

    ¡°I will give it a try!¡± Ye Zhen thought for a moment and went over to untie Mo Rongyi¡¯s clothes. ¡°Your Highness, you have to bear with it.¡±

    Qi Jin looked at Ye Zhen in surprise and did not continue to feed Mo Rongyi.

    Ye Zhen clenched her hands into fists, gently pressed on Mo Rongyi¡¯s body with her knuckles. This technique was veryplicated and fast, the people around were dazed.

    Others could not see theposition of the movement, but Qi Jin saw it clearly.

    She looked at Ye Zhen in shock.

    This pain-relieving acupoint massage technique... how could she know about it?

 Chapter 192 - The Most Precious Thing

    <strong>Chapter 192 ¨C The Most Precious Thing</strong>

    The room was shrouded in a deathly stillness, but for the young prince¡¯s cries of pain. The onlookers were in varied moods. The master of the pce looked on skeptically, the Imperial Physician perplexed, while the attendants and eunuchs in sheer stupefaction.

    Whatever the thoughts, whatever the person, no one dared to interrupt Ye Zhen nor breathe, lest the sound disturbs her.

    Thus, when the Empress Dowager eventuallyposed herself and reached the Little Prince¡¯s chambers, she was greeted by the sight of the little girl pressing on her son¡¯s body using a strange technique. She did not quite understand what she was doing but did have some inhibitions. So, she turned to Qi Jin for answers. Upon seeing the expert was not only allowing it but was acting as a bystander, she said nothing but looked on in surprise.

    This was exactly why everyone else was at a standstill¨Cthe master herself did not interrupt her pupil,naturally, they would not stop her from administering the acupressure to the young royal either. They watched silently as the little girl used her delicate hands and put pressure on certain points. Every time she pressed, her fair hands turned whiter... like they had lost blood. But her face showed neither fatigue nor pain.

    Though the faintest glimmer of hope took birth in their hearts, their rationality still got the better of them: it asked but one question¨C<i>Can</i><i>it</i><i>really</i><i>relieve</i><i>pain?</i>

    Their answer was Mo Rongyi¡¯s gradually waning cries and steady breathing. And when the innocent face seemed to have calmed, that glimmer of hope seemed to have been justified.

    Seeing that her little one was soothed, the Empress Dowager let out a sigh of relief. She did not dare to think how long this wouldst for; to her even if this were but momentary, it was immensely gratifying. However, the mother¡¯s heart did long for more.

    Her gaze moved to the pale dainty profile that was glistening with perspiration. She could see the sheer confidence and determination in those delicate features. There were modesty and concern too. This girl... she had simply given in to her on a whim; she had no expectations least of all hope. But who knew, letting Ye Zhen stay in the pce proved to be the best decision.

    She took a nce at her older son beside her. When the other looked towards her, she gently nodded. Then, Mo Rongzhan looked at the girl. His gaze was profound, but none could discern whaty within. The turn of events unsettled him.

    He had happened to be around when his little brother begged their mother for Ye Zhen. At first, he was determined not to allow it, but in the end, he had softened for the sake of his ailing brother and had sent for Ye Zhen. However, he did not ask Aunt Cheng to look for Ye Zhen; instead, let Ford go.

    Ever since he had seen her, he felt something strange in his heart. He did not understand the feelings she evoked in him, nor did he like the fact that he had absolutely no control over it. To him, she was a mystery that was refusing to unravel itself. She was unfathomable and unrestrained.

    It would have been fine had it been limited to him, but here even the Little Prince could not escape her charms. Was she deliberately getting closer to his brother? What was even more frustrating was the fact that he could not understand her. And what he did not understand, he would nip it in the bud. In this case, by keeping her far away from his brother and the pce.

    <i>Lu</i><i>Yaoyao...</i><i>What</i><i>kind</i><i>of</i><i>person</i><i>are</i><i>you?</i>

    ¡°How are you feeling, Your Highness?¡± Ye Zhen¡¯s hands were still pressed in his body. Even if she had used up all her strength, she still pressed on, hoping he would feel better.

    Mo Rongyi could only manage a limp nod and spoke in betweenbored breaths. ¡°It does... not hurt. You do... not have... to press.¡±

    Only then did Ye Zhen stop and heave a sigh of relief. ¡°I did not think it would be beneficial,¡± was her humble confession.

    By now, Qi Jin had recovered from the shock. Time and again, this girl had surprised...no, shocked her. She had always performed the impossible and with such simplicity. Be it that timely help to her grandson, her performance in Qi Fuzi¡¯s test, the prognosis of the Little Prince, and now, this acupressure... she had exceeded all expectations. She felt a hint of pride blooming within her.

    As a person of medicine, and an expert at that, Qi Jin was always hungry for knowledge. And the source of knowledge never mattered to her. It was perhaps because of this quality that she was where she was today. Left to her, she wanted to quell her curiosity right here, right now. But one look at Ye Zhen, and she realized that some words did not suit this ce.

    With great difficulty, she reined in her eager heart and calmly took the Little Prince¡¯s pulse. She found that it was stabler than before.

    Knowing what was toe next, the clever Mo Rongyi said weakly, ¡°I do not want to eat anything. No matter what I eat, I feel sick all over.¡±

    ¡°How can one not eat?¡± Mo Rongzhan said with a heavy voice and cast a stern gaze at his little brother.

    Mo Rongyi cried, ¡°I would rather starve than die of pain.¡±

    Upon these words, the Empress Dowager¡¯s eyes immediately turned red. ¡°What do you want Aija to do?¡±

    ¡°Mother, I¡¯m in pain.¡± Mo Rongyiined.

    Mo Rongzhan looked coldly at Qi Jin. ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, when will the Little Prince be cured?¡±

    ¡°Replying to the emperor, this humble servant can hardly say, ¡± Qi Jin said helplessly. ¡°If only the Little Prince had not been poisoned before, his illness would not havested for this long.¡±

    Suddenly, it felt like the room was thrown into frigid temperatures. Mo Rongzhan¡¯s dark, piercing gaze was shooting icicles. ¡°Why is it hard to say?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, shall I cook porridge for you?¡±

    Suddenly, Ye Zhen¡¯s voice was heard. She seemed to be oblivious to the tense conversation between Mo Rongzhan and Qi Jin, treating them like thin air. Right now, her focus was on feeding the miraculous liquid to the Little Prince. If she were to dy, she was afraid he might notst long.

 Chapter 193 - The Most Precious Thing (2)

    <strong>Chapter 193 ¨C The Most Precious Thing (2)</strong>

    Mo Rongyi shook his head and said in a choked voice, ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°I will make you a medicated diet to fill your stomach and relieve pain, okay?¡± She spoke as if coaxing a child.

    ¡°What if it hurts?¡± Mo Rongyi asked, a little peeved.

    Ye Zhen thought for a moment. ¡°If it still hurts, then I will give you my most precious thing.¡±

    Mo Rongyi considered for a moment in silence. ¡°What is your most precious thing?¡±

    ¡°Forty thousand silver taels.¡± Ye Zhen said that silver was the most precious thing for her today, ¡°It took me a long time to save it, and there can be no more.¡±

    ¡°Then, if it doesn¡¯t hurt, you must take forty thousand silver taels silvers from me!¡± Mo Rongyi resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

    <i>Hmmph!</i><i>Did</i><i>she</i><i>think</i><i>that</i><i>a</i><i>majestic</i><i>prince</i><i>like</i><i>me</i><i>can¡¯t</i><i>provide</i><i>a</i><i>thousand</i><i>taels?</i>

    Ye Zhen nodded in all seriousness. ¡°Then, it is settled. Little Prince, you must not go back on your word.¡±

    Mo Rongyi asked in exasperation, ¡°When did this prince break his promise?¡±

    ¡°Well, I shall cook porridge for you now,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile.

    The mood of all those present was somewhatplicated.

    <i>How</i><i>did</i><i>they</i><i>get</i><i>to</i><i>silver</i><i>from</i><i>persuading</i><i>the</i><i>Little</i><i>Prince</i><i>to</i><i>take</i><i>medicine?</i><i>And</i><i>what</i><i>has</i><i>happened</i><i>to</i><i>the</i><i>Third</i><i>Miss</i><i>Lu?</i><i>Is</i><i>there</i><i>anyone</i><i>who</i><i>could</i><i>haggle</i><i>over</i><i>money</i><i>with</i><i>the</i><i>Little</i><i>Prince</i><i>like</i><i>this?</i><i>Isn¡¯t</i><i>she</i><i>too</i><i>confident?</i>

    Although this was the collective opinion, the Empress Dowager was not bothered. This little deal brought her a smile. No matter what method the girl used, it was a skill to get the Little Prince to eat.

    Mo Rongzhan looked at Ye Zhen, his eyes deep and secluded. He recalled the way she had deftly masked her fury and even dared to negotiate with him in the pavilion not long ago. At that time, he thought that she had benefited from the Little Prince. But if she wanted more, should she note and please him instead?

    <i>How</i><i>could</i><i>I</i><i>ever</i><i>understand</i><i>this</i><i>girl?</i> He felt so conflicted by his discernment of her.

    With that, Ye Zhen quickly curtsied before the Empress Dowager and, with her head bowed, went out of the chambers. She heaved a deep sigh.

    ¡°Your Highness, Your Majesty, I will help go help her.¡±

    Qi Jin still had many words to ask Ye Zhen. When she saw Ye Zhen leaving the bedroom, she followed along.

    The Empress Dowager went to the bedside and touched Mo Rongyi¡¯s forehead lovingly. ¡°Do not say that again. Aija does not like hearing those words.¡±

    Mo Rongyi¡¯s eyes were crimson and pale from all the crying he had just done. ¡°Mother, I do not want to either.¡±

    ¡°Your surname is Mo, and you should not be so cowardly.¡± Mo Rongzhan whispered beside him, looking at his only brother. He did not know how to educate him. He was quite helpless too.

    Mo Rongyi said unconvinced, ¡°What about the surname Mo? There are more cowardly people in the emperor¡¯s family, and there are also foolish people.¡±

    ¡°Our ancestors once defeated the Huangfu Empire and built the present Jin country. If treacherous court officials had not tricked imperial Father, he would not have been... used,¡± Mo Rongzhan said.

    ¡°Brother, I am not you,¡± Mo Rongyi said in a low voice. ¡°Even if I can survive this disaster, I will not live long. We all know that.¡±

    The Empress Dowager held his hand tightly. ¡°Who said that? You will live well.¡± Mo Rongyi smiled bitterly.

    This bitterness did not match his age. How could his body be so weak like this? Imperial Physician Qi said that he could not surpass the age of fifteen. He was already ten this year; perhaps he could live but five years? It was so cruel.

    Mo Rongzhan looked at him and saw his little brother¡¯s watery eyes. If it were not for Ye Yisong, his younger brother would not have suffered such pain now.

    <i>Ye</i><i>Yisong</i><i>did</i><i>not</i><i>deserve</i><i>a</i><i>quick</i><i>death.</i>

    ¡°Brother, please do not embarrass Lu Yaoyao. She did not wager with me. I lied to Mother. I just wanted to summon her here,¡± Mo Rongyi suddenly said. He did not want to bring trouble to Lu Yaoyao even after he died.

    Mo Rongzhan, who had already guessed the truth, was not surprised to hear those words. He just said lightly, ¡°When did I embarrass her?¡±

    The Empress Dowager was unaware of her older son¡¯s suspicious temperament. However, she helped defend Ye Zhen, ¡°Yaoyao is a good child.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s thin lips slightly pursed. He did not speak again.

    ¡°Mother, I do not feel any pain now,¡± Mo Rongyi touched his chest and said to the Empress Dowager.

    ¡°Aija has permitted Yaoyao to stay in the pce. Let her take care of you for two days,¡± she said in a soft voice. Upon hearing Ye Zhen¡¯s heart and seeing her concern for the Little Prince, she thought it would be a good thing to let her stay. Perhaps she could really alleviate her child¡¯s illness.

    However, at these words, Mo Rongzhan furrowed his eyebrows, his eyes seemed confused about what was going on.

    <i>Ah,</i><i>so</i><i>she</i><i>has</i><i>charmed</i><i>Mother</i><i>as</i><i>well...</i>

 Chapter 194 - Is this So

    <strong>Chapter 194 ¨C Is this So-Called Fate?</strong>

    The Little Prince¡¯s residence was equipped with a small kitchen. Usually, it was used to make small snacks and simple things that he wished to eat. However, since his illness, for ease and reliability, it was now being used to brew his medicines too. Thus, Ye Zhen was able to avoid the mundane journey to the Imperial Kitchen to cook the medicated porridge.

    As she stepped into the kitchen, she took in her surroundings. She turned around, and immediately requested Madam Nuan, who was close at heels, for paper and pen. Without wasting a moment, she listed several kinds of medicinal herbs and ingredients. Then, she dispatched a maid to fetch it from the Imperial Pharmacy. That done, she swiftly moved on to the next phase: cooking.

    If one were to assess Ye Zhen¡¯s cooking skills, one would certainly not find itcking. After all, when one pours one¡¯s heart into something, how can the oue be subpar? She had specially learned to cook when she was living in her pce as the Wang Fei of the Qin Dynasty. She had looked around for the best cooks to teach her a variety of dishes. She had spent time diligently practicing too so that one day she could cook for Mo Rongzhan.

    Her father had once said, ¡®the way to a man¡¯s heart is through his stomach¡¯ and the determined little girl had etched those words in her heart. Although Ye Zhen was the best pupil, s, there was no one to appreciate it. It was a perfect case of¨C while the dropping flowers pine for love, the heartless brook babbles on*.

    [E/D<i>: Âä»¨ÓÐÒâ£¬Á÷Ë®ÎÞÇé¡£(Lu¨° hu¨¡ y¨¯u y¨¬£¬li¨²shu¨« w¨² q¨ªn¨À: Chinese idiom meaning, the flower has intentions, but the water has no feeling. Here, YZ had feelings, but MR rejected her.</i>]

    Right from the time she saw her leave the chambers, Qi Jin¡¯s gaze was locked on to Ye Zhen. Unlike girls her age, who were bound to be flustered upon entering a kitchen, what more of a prince, she appeared confident and at ease. The way she delegated tasks to the maids and when she busied herself in the small kitchen, one could not help but admire. As she followed this little girl with her eyes, she was reminded of the shock the girl had brought her only some time back. At that time, she was hard-pressed to contain her curiosity but now, she was still contemting how to broach the subject.

    Ah, but Imperial Physician Qi was not the only one in awe.

    To Madam Nuan, Ye Zhen was new to this ce. Moreover, her delicate disposition made it hard to believe that this young miss of a wealthy family had ever entered the kitchen, let alone cook porridge. Thus, she took it upon herself and came along to help. However, her fears proved to be unfounded. Dainty as she appeared, Ye Zhen was a bundle of surprise. The ease with which she moved around and took control of the situation without as much as a help, she had shocked this veteran servant. By and by she had demonstrated her versatility leaving everyone who saw in awe.

    ¡°Madam Nuan, please look after the Little Prince in the meanwhile. I shall not be long,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile. She did not want someone standing by her side, how else could she slip in the miraculous liquid into the porridge?

    ¡°Miss Lu, this servant will go back first. If you need anything, just say so and it will be done.¡± Madam Nuan was the first rank pce maid beside Mo Rongyi. She not only had the trust of the Little Prince but also the Empress Dowager liked her very much. Needless to say, the pce maids in the small kitchen dared not offend her. Seeing that she respected Ye Zhen so much, they dared not put on airs.

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°You can go back first.¡±

    Madam Nuan left a few words with the pce maid next to her and then went out of the small kitchen.

    ¡°You can do your own work. I can do this myself,¡± Ye Zhen said, thwarting any and all intentions of assistance. She wanted little attention.

    Soon, a group of maids returned with the medicinal herbs and ingredients. Giving them a cursory check, Ye Zhen separated the ingredients from the herbs. One by one, she started adding the ingredients to the pot of water. Next, she added the bones and brought it to a boil. Once it had thickened to satisfaction, shedled out a portion to cook the porridge. Bit by bit the herbs went in.

    She ran a furtive eye around her, to see if anyone was noticing her. She dared not be careless. It was time to add a few drops of her miraculous liquid. She had decided against adding too many drops, afraid that Mo Rongyi¡¯s little body would be overwhelmed. Then, she took the washed white rice in her palm and skillfully concealed the miraculous liquid and dropped the whole thing into the soup.

    All this was done with such finesse, that even the Qi Jin outside the door, whose gaze never left Ye Zhen, did not notice anything amiss.

    ¡°Miss Lu.¡± Qi Jin called out from outside.

    Ye Zhen turned around and bowed. ¡°Imperial Physician Qi.¡±

    Qi Jin smiled faintly and walked towards Ye Zhen. ¡°Did you learn this medicated diet from your mother?¡±

    ¡°No, I read it in a book.¡± Ye Zhen smiled demurely. ¡°Last time, after I felt the Little Prince¡¯s pulse, I went back and looked for a medical journal. It mentioned that one could have a medicated diet to relieve hunger and pain.¡±

    ¡°I have tried adding herbs to the Little Prince¡¯s diet before, but it has not had much effect.¡± A puzzled Qi Jin frowned.

    She had spent a lot of time researching the disease and its possible cure. After the normal recourse had failed to deliver the desired results, she had turned to unconventional forms. But this involved a lot of unpleasant tasting herbs. Well aware of Little Prince¡¯s aversion to taking medicine and the ensuing temper tantrums, she had secretly changed his diet to a medicated one. However, the oue, much to her chagrin, was not even a fraction of what she had hoped for. She had almost given up when this little girl had walked in like a ray of hope. Somehow, that acupressure had sealed her faith in her.

    Ye Zhen could understand the thought process of this medical stalwart. She knew she was eager to know the solution. However, her secrets were hers to keep. After a moment of silence, she said, ¡°If not, I will lose 40,000 taels.¡±

    This caught Qi Jin by surprise. She was speechless for a fleeting moment before bursting intoughter. ¡°Do you care much about silvers?¡±

    ¡°It took a lot of effort to win, hence, I do have to care about the silvers that will be involved. Besides, it gets the prince to cooperate.¡± Ye Zhen exined. However silly it may sound, this was the only way to steer this astute mind before her away from the truth.

    Qi Jin shook her head and thought that it was rare for a youngdy to love silvers so unabashedly. She looked at Ye Zhen with unconcealed geniality and decided to be forthright.

    ¡°Where did you learn the acupressure technique?

    ¡°I read it in the book too.¡± Ye Zhen wondered why Qi Jin would ask such a thing. To her, the book she had read<b></b>Qi n Medical ssics was a book that Imperial Physician Qi should have read by default. After all, it was a renowned medical canon that every medical practitioner was aware of.

    <i>If I remember correctly: Qi Jin¡¯s ancestors trace back to the previous dynasty and should be the Marquis Zhenguo, the god of war- the eldest brother of Empress Qi Yanling. How could she not know the most famous massage technique in<b></b></i><i>Qi n Medical ssics</i><i>?</i>

    Qi Jin¡¯s expression looked a little strange as if those three words had baffled her. ¡°Qi n Medical ssics?¡±

    Ye Zhen nodded and decided to express her thoughts directly, after all, she was still a student and it would do her no good to be presumptuous. ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, have I erred?¡±

    ¡°No! Absolutely not! You did well!¡± Qi Jin made no secret of her admiration for Ye Zhen. ¡°Continue with what you are doing, I shall check on the Little Prince now.¡±

    In a brief span of time, Qi Jin had envisioned a dozen answers from Ye Zhen. However, what was offered to her in the end, was beyond her expectation. After so many years, the sacred<b></b>Qi Medical ssics left behind by none other than Empress Qi Yanling to the Qi family, had somehow fallen into the hands of a young girl. Thete empress had poured her heart and soul to single-handedlypile this canon. Those fortunate to study this would certainly go on to be renowned medical practitioners.

    As for Qi Jin... truth be told, she had yet to see this canon, the essence of Empress Qi Yanling¡¯s life, with her own eyes. She knew of its legend and had longed for it too, but had never had the chance. Furthermore, she had least expected it tond in Lu Yaoyao¡¯s hand.

    Then, is this the so-called fate?

 Chapter 195 - It Was Meant For Her (1)

    <strong>Chapter 195 ¨C It Was Meant For Her (1)</strong>

    <i>Fate</i><i>sure</i><i>works</i><i>in</i><i>mysterious</i><i>ways.</i><i>How</i><i>many</i><i>times</i><i>have</i><i>I</i><i>thought</i><i>of</i><i>retrieving</i><i>the</i><i>medical</i><i>ssics?!</i><i>And</i><i>how</i><i>many</i><i>times</i><i>have</i><i>I</i><i>failed</i><i>at</i><i>it?!</i><i>But</i><i>now...</i><i>it</i><i>is</i><i>in</i><i>Lu</i><i>Yaoyao¡¯s</i><i>hands,</i><i>a</i><i>very</i><i>talented</i><i>person. Perhaps</i><i>this</i><i>was</i><i>what</i><i>Empress</i><i>Qi</i><i>Yanling</i><i>had</i><i>envisioned,</i><i>and</i><i>it</i><i>manifested</i><i>after</i><i>all</i><i>these</i><i>years...</i>

    Ye Zhen looked at Qi Jin¡¯s departing figure in puzzlement. Although thetter had shown a positive reaction, she wondered why she felt a bit strange. Her questions and ensuing reactions to her answers seemed too out of the ordinary. She had seemed astonished and unsettled.

    However, she had no time to dwell upon it. The porridge was ready.

    Since Mo Rongyi had only eaten light meals for several days, she avoided adding too much seasoning. She had chosen the bone soup as the base instead of in water to ensure the porridge did not have a heavy medicinal vor. When she checked the taste, it felt good. Moreover, the miraculous liquid added a fragrance masking the unpleasant smell of the herbs.

    Soon, she personally brought over the medicated porridge to the Little Prince¡¯s chambers. She saw the mother and son having a chat. It was such an endearing sight.

    ¡°Your Highness, the porridge is ready,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile. Looking around, she noticed Mo Rongzhan¡¯s absence, she instantly felt better.

    ¡°Are you certain I will not be in pain if I eat?¡± Mo Rongyi still had lingering fears; he refused to eat immediately.

    Ye Zhen put down the tray. ¡°I cannot say for sure.¡±

    At those words, Madam Nuan, who was in the midst of scooping out the porridge into a bowl, stilled. She looked towards Mo Rongyi, checking for his reaction.

    Mo Rongyi simply stared at Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhen let out a smallugh. ¡°You have to try. Who can survive without eating?¡±

    The Empress Dowager was also anxious about her son¡¯s refusal to eat. She persuaded him. ¡°Even if it hurts, Yaoyao¡¯s massage will relieve pain. Go on now, have some.¡±

    Mo Rongyi hesitated for a moment and leaned over to smell it. ¡°It smells good.¡± He dered.

    He was a little surprised. Since he was ill, he almost ate nothing and seldom smelled the vor of the meal because they would ruin his rare appetite immediately. This was the first time he had actually found the food appealing.

    The Empress Dowager was pleasantly surprised. ¡°Then, have a taste.¡±

    Mo Rongyi puckered his lips and took a small sip. The porridge that rolled out from the bone soup effused a pleasant fragrance. The taste of the medicine was very light, but astonishingly it added to its deliciousness.

    <i>It¡¯s</i><i>delicious!</i> Mo Rongyi¡¯s eyes brightened as Madam Nuan fed him spoon after spoon.

    In a short time, a bowl of porridge bottomed out.

    The Empress Dowager was pleasantly surprised. The Little Prince had not eaten so much for a long time.

    Qi Jin was equally surprised. She gazed at Ye Zhen. <i>Is</i><i>there</i><i>anything</i><i>special</i><i>about</i><i>the</i><i>porridge</i><i>she</i><i>made?</i>

    ¡°Give me another bowl,¡± Mo Rongyi said. It was rare that he had an appetite.

    ¡°Little Prince, how do you feel now?¡± Afraid that Mo Rongyi would fall ill, Qi Jin cannot help but ask.

    Mo Rongyi touched his chest. ¡°This prince feels... quite warm.¡±

    It came as a shock to those around, that Mo Rongyi, who loathed medicated diet and never once eaten without throwing tantrums these past few days, ate two bowls of porridge. Neither did hein about the taste nor say that he felt pain while eating. Had Qi Jin not stopped him, this little royalty would have wanted another bowl!

    Mo Rongyi was a little peeved. For someone who up until recently could not consume even half a bowl of anything without agony, two bowls of porridge seemed insatiable. Thus, he tried to argue his right to the third bowl.

    ¡°This prince has not eaten so much in a long time and here you are depriving him.¡±

    Every spoon that Madam Nuan had fed the Little Prince, had heightened Ye Zhen¡¯s senses. Her eyes never left the prince¡¯s face, peering at him cautiously.

    Apart from Qi Jin¡¯s grandson whom she had identally met, she had not used the miraculous liquid to cure anyone. She was unsure of its effects. This time, she had taken a huge gamble by adding it to the porridge. Through her experience, when she had herself consumed it and found the changes in her body, she surmised it could help alleviate Mo Rongyi¡¯s illness. Even so, she did not dare to take it for granted and kept a constant lookout for ill effects.

    ¡°How do you feel now, Your Highness?¡± Qi Jin asked again. He had downed two bowls so the medicine should be taking effect by now.

    Mo Rongyi shook his head in puzzlement. ¡°I feel better.¡±

    At that, Ye Zhen¡¯s lips broke into a smile, her eyes looked at him brightly. ¡°Do you not feel any pain?¡±

    ¡°I feel no pain.¡± Mo Rongyi was keenly observing the sensations in his body, especially the usual feeling of dying pain post-ingestion. He was astounded to feel nothing of the sort.

    A long lost smile appeared on the mother¡¯s lips, the once deste eyes shone with a glint of happiness. The Empress Dowager was evidently ted by the improvement, albeit a tiny one, in her son. For the first time, the pce staff witnessed their mistress¡¯ unconcealed ebullience.

    She stood up, pped her hands, and said, ¡°Oh, just let him eat to his heart¡¯s content!¡± She beckoned Madam Nuan to bring another bowl of porridge.

    Qi Jin simply gazed at Ye Zhen in wonderment. She had never doubted this little girl¡¯s capabilities, but what she evinced today, was beyond words. In fact, it was nothing short of a miracle.

    Mo Rongyi yawned. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m a little tired.¡±

    The excruciating pain had kept him from sleeping. Moreover, he had recently cried and made a din. Now that he felt the warmth all over his body, he just wanted to sleep soundly.

    ¡°Then have a rest.¡± The Empress Dowager immediately gestured towards Madam Nuan to help Mo Rongyi lie down.

    Qi Jin went over to Mo Rongyi¡¯s bed, checked his pulse, and confirmed that there was nothing strange. She nodded to the Empress Dowager and smiled at Ye Zhen again.

    As soon as hey down, Mo Rongyi fell asleep. It had been a long time since this Little Prince had felt calm.

    Looking at her peacefully sleeping son, the Empress Dowager felt immense relief. ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, the Little Prince shall be handed over to you.¡±

    Qi Jin acquiesced with a low bow before the ted dowager.

    ¡°Yaoyao, you did well.¡± The Empress Dowager looked at Ye Zhen with satisfaction. She had always found this young girl¡¯s character likable. Not only could she relieve her son¡¯s pain but could also restore his appetite. A knot seemed to have untangled in her heart.

    Ye Zhen humbly kowtowed and said, ¡°This is what one ought to do.¡±

    The Empress Dowager¡¯s smile expressed her genuine pleasure. This girl, her words and deeds, always seemed to touch her heart. ¡°I will ask the Little Prince to give you 40,000 taels.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, this official¡¯s daughter was only jesting.¡± Ye Zhen replied awkwardly.

    ¡°This jest... I shall take it seriously,¡± The Empress Dowager said with a smile. She took one final nce at her blissfully slumbering son and left with Aunt Cheng to the Cining Pce.

    Soon after, Madam Nuan approached Ye Zhen. ¡°Miss Lu, this servant will take you to your room so you can rest.¡±

    Ye Zhen obliged politely. ¡°Please lead the way.¡±

 Chapter 196 - It Was Meant For Her (2)

    <strong>Chapter 196 ¨C It Was Meant For Her (2)</strong>

    Although the ce where Ye Zhen¡¯s temporary ce of residence was the room where the pce maid lived, this single room looked veryfortable and pleasing to the eye. It was not as borate as a royal¡¯s chambers but did notck anything. Nomoner could say this ce was for a maid. But indeed, this was where the pce maids like Madam Nuan lived.

    ¡°Miss Lu, we have arrived. If you need anything, just tell your maidservant,¡± Madam Nuan said.

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°Okay, thank you, Madam Nuan.¡±

    ¡°This servant will take leave now. You must rest.¡±

    Madam Nuan was very courteous to the Ye Zhen, whom she very much admired. <i>Such</i><i>medical</i><i>skills</i><i>at</i><i>such</i><i>a</i><i>young</i><i>age,</i><i>how</i><i>extraordinary!</i>

    Not long after Madam Nuan left, Qi Jin visited Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi?¡± Ye Zhen was a little surprised and quickly offered Qi Jin a seat inside the room.

    ¡°Well, was that medicated meal also from the Qi n Medical ssics?¡± Without mincing words, Qi Jin directly addressed the doubts she had in her heart.

    Ye Zhen gently shook her head in negation. ¡°No, the medicated diet... it is this one¡¯s own recipe. Imperial Physician Qi, is there something wrong with the meal I made?¡±

    ¡°No, you did well.¡± Qi Jin smiled and nodded, ¡°Better than mine.¡±

    Ye Zhen had a hunch that Qi Jin was trying to probe, but she did not know what it was about. Albeit, she looked at the other in perplexion.

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re up to...¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao, can I ask you a question, please?¡± Qi Jin¡¯s mellow voice sounded.

    ¡°You may ask.¡± <i>What</i><i>does</i><i>Imperial</i><i>Physician</i><i>Qi</i><i>want</i><i>to</i><i>know?</i>

    Qi Jin looked at her gently. ¡°I want to ask... about the Qi n Medical ssics. Where did you get it from?¡±

    ¡°Qi n Medical ssics? It is a book my mother gave me. Imperial Physician Qi, is there any problem with the book? ¡±

    ¡°No. There is no problem. I was just a little curious as this is a very good book. You should study it well,¡± Qi Jin said with a smile.

    <i>Maybe</i><i>Pei</i><i>Shi</i><i>was</i><i>not</i><i>aware</i><i>that</i><i>she</i><i>had</i><i>such</i><i>a</i><i>special</i><i>book,</i><i>the</i><i>Qi</i><i>n</i><i>Medical</i><i>ssics.</i><i>Otherwise,</i><i>she</i><i>would</i><i>not</i><i>have</i><i>kept</i><i>it</i><i>so</i><i>casually.</i><i>But,</i><i>any exceptional</i><i>physician</i><i>would</i><i>know</i><i>the</i><i>significance</i><i>of</i><i>this</i><i>book...</i>

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, Have you not read the book?¡± Ye Zhen was surprised. In Qi Jin¡¯s tone, she had unmistakably recognized her yearning for Qi n Medical ssics.¡± The book in my family should only be a transcript.¡±

    Qi Jinughed. ¡°There is no transcript of Qi n Medical ssics in this world, only your copy.¡±

    Ye Zhen was utterly shocked. She thought that the medical books she read every night were just transcripts.

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, I... did not know.¡±

    ¡°Keep it,¡± Qi Jin said nothing more.

    She had once been an enthusiastic young girl who had decided to dedicate her life to medicine. And she did. As a member of the Qi n, she was privy to the existence of her ancestor¡¯s magnum opus. She also knew that this treasure was lost. No one knew of its whereabouts, nor had it appeared anywhere. In her quest to satiate her hunger for knowledge, in vain, Qi Jin had looked for the book. But after she had given up all hope of finding this priceless jewel, fate had yed an uncanny trick.

    Qi Jin was not someone conceited. She knew she was getting on in the years, and although she still possessed the fervor for learning, it was not feasible for her to fulfill her lifelong wish. All she could do was draw sce in the fact that the Qi n Medical ssics had not been lost. Ity in worthy hands.

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, I will return the Qi n Medical ssics to you,¡± Ye Zhen said earnestly.

    Such words were hardly expected. Qi Jin was inexplicably moved. As a descendant of Empress Qi Yanling, she had naturally hoped that the book would be kept in the Qi family or the Huangfu family. However, seeing the calm and sincere Ye Zhen, she just smiled and said, ¡°No, it is in its rightful ce.¡±

    Now, she was certain. <i>Perhaps</i><i>this</i><i><strong>is</strong></i><i>her</i><i>fate.</i><i>Perhaps</i><i>this</i><i>young</i><idy</i><i>really</i><i>possessed</i><i>extraordinary</i><i>talent</i><i>in</i><i>medicine,</i><i>and</i><i>the</i><i>book</i><i>was</i><i>meant</i><i>for</i><i>her.</i><i>No</i><i>wonder</i><i>no</i><i>one</i><i>else</i><i>could</i><i>find</i><i>it.</i>

    ¡°But...¡±

    Ye Zhen was ill at ease. All these days, she was oblivious to the origins of the book. She had treated it as just any book. But now that she knew what it really was, and the fact that itswful owner was before her, she was ethically bound to return it. Moreover, Ye Zhen had already memorized the content of the book. Even if the book was returned, she had already learned what she ought to have. So it did not matter.

    ¡°Maybe... that journal was destined for your hands.¡± Qi Jin reiterated with a smile. She was someone who believed in fate.

    However, fate¡¯s chosen one was somewhat embarrassed. If not for her rebirth and subsequent transmigration into her sister¡¯s body, she would not have had the opportunity to even know of this book to mention nothing about learning from it. But how could she say she was undeserving? It was indeed vexing.

    Qi Jin sensed that the other would stubbornly harp on returning the book, so she deftly turned the topic away.

    ¡°Thest time you saved my grandson, I was not able to thank you.¡±

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi is too polite. This student merely did what one ought to do,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile.

    ?

    While the master and pupil were happily engaged in a conversation there, here thetter was being reported on.

    Inside the Imperial Study, Mo Rongzhan listened attentively to Eunuch Ford¡¯s ount on Mo Rongyi.

    ¡°... The Little Prince had two bowls of porridge. He felt no pain and has been sleeping for some time now.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°Two bowls of porridge and sleeping soundly?¡±

    Eunuch Ford replied gloomily. ¡°Replying to the emperor, yes, the Little Prince did not suffer pain again after eating the porridge Miss Lu cooked. And the Empress Dowager was very happy.¡±

    ¡°It seems that she is not useless.¡± <i>Had</i><i>he</i><i>underestimated</i><i>Lu</i><i>Yaoyao?</i>

    Eunuch Ford thought back to the girl he had first seen in the Medicine Field. She was so engrossed in researching those herbs that she did not even sense his presence. Back then, he had felt she was not someone ordinary. But today, Lu Yaoyao had disyed her capability in full glory. She had not only alleviated the pains but had also calmed the Little Prince enough to sleep soundly.

    Mo Rongzhan stood up and brought him out of his musings.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go and see Yi.¡±

 Chapter 197 - The Wang Feiâ€™s Intention (1)

    <strong>Chapter 197 ¨C The Wang Fei¡¯s Intention (1)

    </strong>

    <strong> </strong>

    The much loved Lantern Festival was just around the corner. Young and old, rich and poor alike celebrated it with great zeal. In every street and courtyard, the litnterns painted a joyous scene. The Imperial Pce too was shrouded in festive air. With its every nook and cranny illuminated, it made for a ster setting. Indeed, it was a sight to behold.

    The eyes of the figure standing on the stone steps leading to the Pce of Earthly Tranquility mirrored the festive mood.

    People in the pce were looking at the road ahead, in anticipation of a tall figure. Tonight, it seems they would be disappointed yet again. For even after the long wait, they caught nary a glimpse of the person they longed to see.

    The pce maid who had been sent to inquire returned with news, she respectfully kowtowed. ¡°Your Highness, the emperor just left the Imperial Study and is heading to the Little Prince¡¯s residence.¡±

    Lu Wushuang¡¯s taut face eased ever so slightly. A glint seemed to appear in those disappointed eyes. <i>If I do not pay close attention, those lowly maidservants will not know their ce. </i>

    Life in the pce was indeed a bed of roses. While the men were besieged by power and intrigue, the women were enved by splendor and insecurity. Only time would tell how they would end, in disgrace or glory.

    There were no other concubines in the pce as of the moment, but that did not mean there were no other women. After all, what pce maid did not fancy the emperor¡¯s attention? And what emperor did not have a fickle heart?

    ¡°Your Highness, the Little Prince is seriously ill. It is normal for the emperor to visit him,¡± Dai Ping said in a low voice. She was aware of her mistress¡¯ train of thought.

    Lu Wushuang smiled faintly. ¡°I know. Should I go visit the Little Prince? After all, he is my brother-inw.¡±

    In response, Dai Ping simply looked at her mistress in silence. She wanted to remind her that no matter how noble her current position, she was only a concubine, not the Empress, hence she was less privileged than the Empress Dowager. Even if a Wang fei was favored, there was no denying that she was still a mere concubine.

    There was a decorum that she had to adhere to. And that very decorum dictated that she did not have the status to visit the Little Prince.

    If these words were to spread, she would be aughingstock. But how was she to tell her this? She was but a servant.

    Upon receiving no answer, Lu Wushuang turned to look at her. ¡°Dai Ping, what do you say?¡±

    Dai Ping bowed her head and said, ¡°The Empress Dowager cares about the Little Prince. If Her Highness and the emperor know of your concern, they will surely understand. However, it is not appropriate to go to the prince¡¯s chambers directly. This servant thinks it would be better to visit the Cining Pce first.¡±

    ¡°You have a point.¡± Lu Wushuang replied.

    Continuing with ¡®decorum¡¯, a prince¡¯s residence, crown prince or not, was no ce for a concubine to waltz in. A concubine belonged to the harem. The harem was the empress¡¯ and in her absence the empress dowager¡¯s turf. Having said that, a concubine had no freedom to entertain her whims and fancies. Her every move, desire, and need, whether favored or not, was bestowed by the mistress of the pce. Even the emperor did not deign to interfere in the matters of the inner pce.

    Lu Wushuang quickly tidied herself. Looking bright and beautiful, she decided to go to the Cining Pce. She had not seen Mo Rongzhan for several days now. Today, she was determined to bring him to the Pce of Earthly Tranquility.

    Mo Rongzhan was in his prime, with coital desires demanding to be fulfilled. There was no way he could be without thepany of a woman and for so long, unless... there was another woman who had caught his attention. However, this was certainly impossible. With a personage such as Lu Wushuang¡¯ lurking in the pce, the maids dare not be unbridled.

    And yet, things were so. Neither had he visited her nor had he sent a word. Puzzled as she was over his behavior, she refused to admit there could be other reasons fueling this current mood. Instead, she chose to believe that if Mo Rongzhan were to see her, he would not be able to resist her¨Cafter all, he had chosen her willingly.

    And in order for that to happen, it was imperative that she visit the Little Prince. Moreover, she had the pretext and the means.

    Having arrived at the Cining Pce, she found out that the Empress Dowager had only just woken up from a nap. These days, because of the illness of the Little Prince, his mother was also deprived of peaceful slumber. It was only today that she was able to rx. Hence, after returning from his residence, she decided to take a short rest.

    Lu Wushuang curtsied and stated her purpose of visit before the Empress Dowager. She said that she got word that the Little Prince was seriously ill and hence wished to visit him and express her concern.

    The Empress Dowager raised her head and acknowledged Lu Wushuang¡¯s presence. The girl before her was indeed enchanting and charming. Her elegance, demeanor enthralled women to say nothing of men. However, she could see right through her. After all, how many such beauties had she not seen? Was not she herself one such in her heydays? One look and the demure facade would be undone.

    <i>Does she really care about the Little Prince? Ah, I suppose this wine-lover¡¯s heart1 is not in the cup.</i>

    ¡°The Wang fei must be concerned. The Little Prince had a hard time taking a rest these few days. For the time being, let no one disturb him.¡±

 Chapter 198 - The Wang Feiâ€™s Intention (2)

    <strong>Chapter 198 ¨C The Wang Fei¡¯s Intention (2)</strong>

    Since the time she had entered the pce, Empress Dowager had a neutral stand¨C she neither liked nor hated Lu Wushuang. But the emperor liked her, so she had been tolerant this far, not voicing opinion in matters concerning her.

    However, after the Wang fei had pped Lu Yaoyao thest time, the dowager was somewhat unhappy with her. Lu Wushuang¡¯s bnce seemed to be tipping, even if slightly, towards the unpleasant side.

    Lu Wushuang was reluctant to return to her chambers. ¡°Your Highness, this Wang fei just heard that the Little Prince has gotten better. So, one wanted to have a look.¡±

    The Empress Dowager frowned in displeasure. ¡°It is gettingte. If Wang fei really cares about the Little Prince, she would let the Little Prince take a rest and visit him tomorrow instead.¡±

    <i>Lu Yaoyao is now in the prince¡¯s residence. Given Lu Wushuang¡¯s jealous temperament, if she sees her, she might attempt to assault her again.</i>

    The Empress Dowager did not want Lu Yaoyao to be wronged again. No one knew better than her the kind of person Lu Wushuang was. She had turned a blind eye to her antics up until now, but she felt it was time to put her foot down. Not only was the demand unreasonable, but it was also insincere. Also, she had a moral obligation to protect the girl tending to her ailing son.

    ¡°Empress Dowager...¡± Lu Wushuang made a desperate attempt but was cut short.

    ¡°Wang fei Lu, if you want to see the emperor, you might as well send someone to invite him instead of wasting your time here.¡± With that, the Empress Dowagerid bare the other¡¯s true intention.

    Lu Wushuang¡¯s face turned green. She cursed the Empress Dowager several times in her heart. Only then did she grin and excuse herself.

    ¡°Since the Empress Dowager will not let this Wang fei visit the Little Prince, one will return to her chambers.¡±

    The Empress Dowager was too weary and just ignored the unveiled rancor in Lu Wushuang¡¯s words and simply waved her off.

    Huffing and puffing Lu Wushuang returned to the Pce of Earthly Tranquility, ¡°That damn...¡±

    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Dai Ping quickly stopped her. ¡°Walls have ears!¡± She cautioned.

    In case the Wang fei uttered something she should not, not only would she be punished but also the whole Lu family.

    Lu Wushuang could not vent the pent up anger in her heart. Her eyes were red in exasperation. The Empress Dowager¡¯s intuition was empirical. ¡°Why won¡¯t the Empress Dowager allow me to go to the prince¡¯s chamber?¡±

    Dai Ping whispered. ¡°Your Highness, the Empress Dowager is clearly after you.¡±

    Dai Ping sighed in her heart. <i>Did Wang fei Lu dress like this to pay a visit to the Little Prince? She must have wanted to seduce the emperor. No wonder the Empress Dowager did not let her.</i>

    ¡°Dai Ping, go to the prince¡¯s residence tomorrow and find out what the emperor has done tonight.¡±

    For some reason, Lu Wushuang had a bad feeling about this. She felt that it was unusual for the emperor to stay with the Little Prince thiste. She had to find out what was going on. She had a gut instinct that much was being concealed.

    ¡°As you say, Your Highness.¡± Dai Ping replied immediately.

    Dai Ping could not help but whisper a reminder. ¡°Your Highness, the emperor does not like people probing his affairs. If His Majesty gets a wind about this, I am afraid he will be displeased.¡±

    Lu Wushuang said coldly, ¡°Then do not let the emperor know.¡±

    The emperor was not someone to trifle with. If he were to discover that Wang fei was sending maids to spy on his affairs, he would not spare the pce maid from her deserved punishment¨CDai Ping would never see the light again...

    When Lu Wushuang¡¯s resolute tone fell on Dai Ping¡¯s ears, she knew that no matter how she tried to persuade her, she could not change her mind. Her mistress was bullheaded for her own good.

    ???

    The Prince¡¯s residence¨Cinside the chambers...

    Mo Rongyi had slept for two hours. If he did not feel the growling of his hungry stomach, he would not have woken up and just continued to sleep.

    ¡°Brother, why are you here?¡± Mo Rongyi woke up in surprise when he saw Mo Rongzhan seated next to him.

    ¡°I heard that you no longer feel pain after eating, so I came to see you.¡± Mo Rongzhan looked at hisplexion. ¡°You look better.¡±

    Mo Rongyi touched his chest gingerly. He felt perplexed. ¡°Except for feeling hungry, I do not feel any pain.¡± He half asked, half stated.

    ¡°Ask the kitchen to prepare meals and bring it here. I will be apanying the Little Prince here.¡± Mo Rongzhan ordered the maid.

    Mo Rongyi hastily interjected. ¡°Brother, I want to eat something cooked by Lu Yaoyao.¡±

    He was afraid that eating food from the kitchens would inflict pain all over his body.

    Mo Rongzhan frowned slightly and said, ¡°Bring Lu Yaoyao over.¡±

    Madam Nuan kowtowed and answered, ¡°Replying to the emperor, Miss Lu is in the small kitchen preparing the medicated diet for His Highness.¡±

    ¡°Then ask her to bring the medicated diet.¡± Mo Rongyi cried happily.

    Mo Rongzhan raised an eyebrow, unable to understand his brother¡¯s profound fondness for Lu Yaoyao. <i>There must be something about her.</i>

    ¡°Eunuch Ford, go to the imperial kitchen and bring my emperor brother meals.¡± Mo Rongyi added.

    ¡°Why? Can¡¯t my little brother just share his medicated meal with me?¡± Mo Rongzhan blurted out. The one most surprised by those words was he himself.

    Mo Rongyi paused for a moment and looked at his brother sheepishly, cheeks puffing as he did so. ¡°Brother, Yaoyao only made a meal for me to eat. I¡¯m afraid it would not be enough for both of us.¡±

    With his little brother¡¯s reasonable reply, the emperor was left speechless.

 Chapter 199 - Squabble Over Meatballs (1)

    <strong>Chapter</strong><strong>199</strong><strong>¨C</strong><strong>Squabble</strong><strong>Over</strong><strong>Meatballs</strong><strong>(1)</strong>

    At this moment, Ye Zhen was in the small kitchen preparing the Little Prince¡¯s medicated meals. Her little experiment with the porridge hadid to rest her initial concern regarding the adverse effects of the miraculous liquid on an ailing body. Now that it was proven to be helpful, she could breathe easy. Thus, here she was, making various types of food like she would a normal person.

    A jujube cake, a small pot of porridge, a cup of stew, and some snacks to satiate the Little Prince whenever he was hungry between meals all came from her delicate hands. All of these contained the miraculous liquid. She had only two days in the pce, and she wanted him to have the potion as much as possible. Hence, no matter what she cooked, it would contain a few drops.

    However, when she stepped inside the chambers holding a food box*, she stilled. She did not expect Mo Rongzhan to revisit the prince¡¯s residence!

    [This is how a traditional Chinese <u>food</u><u>box</u> looks like... so pretty!]

    ¡°Smells good!¡± Mo Rongyi¡¯s eyes brightened and glistened at the sight of the food box.

    Ye Zhenposed herself and curtsied. ¡°This official¡¯s daughter greets His Majesty and the Little Prince¡±

    All along, Mo Rongzhan cast a peculiar gaze on the jade-like face before him, his thin lips pursed. He said in a cold voice, ¡°Rise.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao, what have you prepared?¡± Mo Rongyi did not wait for her reply and took the initiative to take over the food box.

    ¡°It¡¯s still the medicated porridge. You are just getting better now. Do you think you could eat a generous amount of fish and meat?¡± Ye Zhen replied in jest.

    ¡°Medicated porridge will do,¡± Mo Rongyi said grudgingly. He had been eating porridge and vegetarian dishes for several days now, his sense of taste turned insipid.

    ¡°I made you a jujube cake and these small snacks from fresh, dried meat, fish congee, and stew. I know you haven¡¯t eaten meat for a long time, and I made you four meatballs.¡± Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t helpughing at his gluttonous appearance.

    Mo Rongyi¡¯s young face showed a silly smile. If he had not known how to restrain himself, the watery liquid from his mouth would have dripped down.

    ¡°Can he eat meat already?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked curtly. He was displeased with the way she was treating him, only focused on his brother like he did not exist.

    Ye Zhen was irked. <i>Did</i><i>he</i><i>think</i><i>she</i><i>was</i><i>dense?</i> She wanted to say, even so, she bowed her head. ¡°Replying to the emperor, I have chopped the meat finely, so it is not difficult to digest.¡±

    When Mo Rongzhan looked at her face, her sullen mood was even more apparent. He could not discern what was going on in her mind.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Mo Rongyi had not eaten meat for a long time. The food that was allowed was nd, in other words, tasteless. Thus, he immediately poked a ball with chopsticks and put it in his mouth.

    Ye Zhen looked at him and smiled.

    Mo Rongzhan did not look at his brother. He was staring at Ye Zhen the whole time. Seeing that she had a kind of gentle smile on her face, his eyes turned grim.

    ¡°Uh!¡± Mo Rongyi suddenly turned red and thumped his chest.

    ¡°Why, does it hurt again?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked hurriedly. He quickly stood up and barked at Ye Zhen coldly, ¡°Did you not say it was okay?¡±

    Ye Zhen ignored the jumpy emperor and calmly walked towards Mo Rongyi, patted him hard on the back, and half of the meatball came out of his mouth.

    ¡°Oh, I almost choked!¡± Mo Rongyi patted his chest and gasped heavily for air.

    ¡°Your Highness, can you eat more slowly?¡± <i>Really!</i><i>Almost</i><i>scared</i><i>me</i><i>to</i><i>death.</i>

    Mo Rongyi coughed a few times. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I have not eaten meat for a long time.¡±

    Ye Zhen reced the meatball with another one. ¡°Slowly, Little Prince.¡± She reminded him.

    Seeing that his younger brother was okay, Mo Rongzhan was relieved. He turned around to look at the still calm and quiet Ye Zhen. He was taken aback, it was as if his previous admonition was nothing but a drifting vapor.

    <i>Is</i><i>she</i><i>not</i><i>afraid</i><i>of</i><i>me</i><i>at</i><i>all?</i><i>Or...</i><i>is</i><i>she</i><i>only</i><i>nonchnt</i><i>to</i><i>my</i><i>dislike</i><i>of</i><i>her?</i>

    Thinking of the possibility of thetter, his face expression worsened.

    ¡°Brother, have you not eaten yet? Why don¡¯t we eat together? ¡± Mo Rongyi noticed that Ye Zhen had prepared a lot of food. With this amount, it would take him forever to finish eating.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes, calm as water, finally revealed some waves. She gnashed her teeth and almost cried out that she had spent so much time and meticulous care in making the medicated cuisine for the Little Prince, not for Mo Rongzhan!

    <i>If</i><i>Mo</i><i>Rongzhan</i><i>ingests</i><i>the</i><i>medicinal</i><i>diet</i><i>with</i><i>miraculous</i><i>liquid,</i><i>would</i><i>it</i><i>not</i><i>make</i><i>him</i><i>stronger?</i><i>This</i><i>is</i><i>simply</i><i>too</i><i>aggravating!</i>

    Mo Rongzhan originally wanted to refuse, but when his eyes caught the subtle emotional changes in those ever cid eyes, he nodded lightly. ¡°Madam Nuan, prepare bowls and chopsticks, I will be eating with the Little Prince.¡±

    ???

 Chapter 200 - Squabble Over Meatballs (2)

    <strong>Chapter</strong><strong>200</strong><strong>¨C</strong><strong>Squabble</strong><strong>Over</strong><strong>Meatballs</strong><strong>(2)</strong>

    Ye Zhen, who wished to empty the whole bowl into Mo Rongzhan¡¯s mouth, with immense grit, held herself back. shing a fake smile she said, ¡°Your Majesty, these are all medicated meals. I¡¯m afraid they are not suitable for your appetite. Why not let Madam Nuan go to the Imperial Kitchen and bring food more suitable to you?¡±

    ¡°I have never been picky about food.¡± Mo Rongzhan said tly and stuffed a meatball into his mouth, thwarting all means of retorts.

    <i>Why</i><i>not</i><i>choke</i><i>him</i><i>to</i><i>death!</i>

    Mo Rongzhan had little expectation about the medicated diet Ye Zhen made. However, he was really shocked by the crisp and fresh meatballs he savored. It was truly delicious and did not even carry a hint of medicinal taste.

    ¡°Brother, try Yaoyao¡¯s porridge,¡± Mo Rongyi said, ordering Madam Nuan to give Mo Rongzhan a bowl of porridge.

    Ye Zhen red at the sight of Mo Rongyi, simply giving out her special cuisines to Mo Rongzhan.

    All along, the said man had been observing her expressions. Seeing her reluctance, he broke into an indiscernible smile. Then, thinking as to how these medicated dishes were meant only for his brother, he felt a faint tug in his heart... <i>Am</i><i>I</i><i>not</i><i>as</i><i>good</i><i>as</i><i>Yi?</i>

    ¡°Bring me the te of dried meat.¡±

    Ye Zhen was reaching the limits of her patience now. Gritting her teeth and said, ¡°Your Majesty, these are for the Little Prince.¡± <i>If</i><i>this</i><i>went</i><i>on,</i><i>how</i><i>would</i><i>the</i><i>prince</i><i>be</i><i>cured!</i>

    Mo Rongzhan just looked at her with dark eyes. A magnificent face without a trace of anger made one feel more repressed, and right now was no exception.

    ¡°Yaoyao, hurry. You can make moreter.¡± Mo Rongzhan did not back down.

    Compelled by the emperor¡¯smand, she brought out the dish, all the while cursing in her heart. <i>This...</i><i>this</i><i>fellow...</i><i>What</i><i>a</i><i>hooligan!</i><i>Argh!</i><i>Wish</i><i>he</i><i>suffers</i><i>a</i><i>stomach</i><i>ache</i><i>upon</i><i>eating...</i><i>Has</i><i>he</i><i>never</i><i>seen</i><i>food?</i><i>Will</i><i>not</i><i>even</i><i>spare</i><i>his</i><i>little</i><i>brother¡¯s</i><i>food...</i>

    However, in her disappointment, she forgot that her dried meat was filled with the miraculous liquid. How could it make people suffer a stomach ache? If anything, this ¡®imperial hooligan¡¯ would be stronger.

    Ye Zhen felt that Mo Rongzhan¡¯s whole persona was up to no good, he was brazenly shameless, domineering, and had zero consideration for anyone! To think she was once in love with such a man... she loathed him even more.

    ¡°Yi, don¡¯t you feel any pain?¡± Mo Rongzhan saw that his younger brother had eaten a lot of food and worried that he would suffer from pain for a while.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt. I feel veryfortable.¡±

    When Mo Rongzhan looked at Ye Zhen, his eyes held a profound meaning. ¡°Did you make all of this by yourself?¡± Ever the skeptic emperor was sure to voice his doubts.

    Ye Zhen nodded nkly.

    ¡°Then, you may stay in the pce as a physician, making medicated meals for the Little Prince every day.¡±

    He felt that she would be delighted with his grace. After all, who would not want to escape the arduous journey one would have to take through the Medical Academy to be a physician! He had given her a smooth and easy out, not to mention the prestige that would bring her and her family.

    ¡°Your Majesty, if the condition of the Little Prince improves by tomorrow, he only needs to take the medicated meals for two more days. And, this official¡¯s daughter shall return to school,¡± Ye Zhen said with a straight face.

    <i>Is</i><i>this</i><i>a</i><i>veiled</i><i>refusal?</i> Mo Rongzhan looked at her, confusion written across his face. This girl was simply beyond his understanding. He could not believe she had turned down his offer in a roundabout manner. Turned down... <i>why?</i>

    ¡°You entered the Medical Academy, is it not because you wanted to be an Imperial Physician?¡±

    Contrary to how he perceived her, Ye Zhen was not someone who could be swayed by a mere disy of sovereignty. He may be the emperor, and she is just a young girl, but her self-esteem would not fall short.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ye Zhen nodded. ¡°That¡¯s different from being a physician <i>now</i>.¡±

    She did not want to enter the pce without justification, least of all as a benefaction from the man she immensely loathed. There was once a time when she would have cut her heart out for him without a word, but now, she was unresigned to ept his reward even for the sake of keeping appearances.

    Most of all, she did not care about giving face to the man who trampled her heart over and over, even if he was the supreme power. Also, if she were to enter the pce now, no matter how hard she tried, she would still be acknowledged as the Residing Imperial Physician, but in reality, it was just a glorified name for¡ªa trivial medical woman.

    Mo Rongzhan snorted<i>.</i><i>Did</i><i>she</i><i>really</i><i>agree</i><i>to</i><ie</i><i>here</i><i>out</i><i>of</i><i>good</i><i>intentions</i><i>alone?</i><i>Doesn¡¯t</i><i>she</i><i>want</i><i>something</i><i>in</i><i>return?</i><i>I</i><i>refuse</i><i>to</i><i>believe</i><i>it!</i>

    Ye Zhen looked at him with limpid eyes. She hade here out of concern for the sick prince. But, yes, she indeed wanted to get something out of this... to pave the way for her original ns.

    Nheless, when the emperor presented such an offer, in such a crude manner, she could not help but refuse. The reason was in and simple¡ªshe did not want to enter the pce because of his grace.

    ???

 Chapter 201 - Ignoring Him

    <strong>Chapter 201 ¨C Ignoring Him (1)</strong>

    Ye Zhen had unwittingly refused Mo Rongzhan. She was bracing for the ensuing tempest, after all he was the emperor and a proud one at that. She knew his temperament all too well. His pride, curtness, disdain and obstinacy, if he did not have the ability to govern a country, he would have been branded a tyrant by now.

    ¡°Miss Lu, leave at once.¡± Mo Rongzhanmanded as he suddenly did not want the presence of the girl who so tantly rebuffed his grace. It was akin to looking down upon him and his sovereignty. He was being benevolent by asking her to leave.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I still have to watch the Little Prince take his medicine.¡±

    <i>If he doesn¡¯t want to see me, why not get lost himself?</i>

    Mo Rongyi suddenly raised his head. ¡°I still have to take medicine?¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°Of course, how can one get better without taking medicine? I personally brewed the medicine today.¡±

    In hope of best results, she had also added a drop of miraculous liquid to the medicine.

    ¡°Now that I feel better with a medicated diet, I don¡¯t need to take medicine.¡± Mo Rongyi reasoned and frowned at the thought of the acrid medicine.

    ¡°Treating only the symptom but not the root cause will not make one¡¯s condition better. Having a medicated diet alone is not a cure to your illness.¡± Ye Zhen patiently exined.

    ¡°Well then.¡± Mo Rongyi nodded reluctantly, it was not like he had a choice.

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll get the medicine.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes were cold. He always felt that he had no sense of existence in front of this girl. But today and now... <i>Is she deliberately ignoring my presence?

    </i>

    <i> </i>

    <i>Does she even take me for a person let alone the emperor? How can there exist someone like this?</i>

    ¡°Your Majesty, this official¡¯s daughter will take her leave.¡± Ye Zhen curtsied, all along her head bowed.

    Mo Rongzhan nodded in return.

    Whether he was unhappy or not, Ye Zhen did not care a whit. As soon as she was done speaking, she turned around, not bothering to even wait for his response. Then, with a back ramrod straight and a head held high, she swiftly strode out under his watchful, icy gaze.

    While the emperor¡¯s eyes were glued on the departing figure, unbeknownst to him, there were a pair of eyes glued on to him.

    Mo Rongyi had carefully taken in the interaction between his brother and his friend. He was puzzled. He was too young to understand certain things, but there was one thing that even a child could understand: hostility.

    He gazed at Mo Rongzhan curiously. ¡°Brother, do you not like Lu Yaoyao?¡±

    ¡°Why do you think so?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked lightly. Although the question shocked him, he was able to deftly mask it.

    ¡°If not, why do you make things difficult for her?¡± Mo Rongyi carefully looked at his brother, anticipating his reply.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s face turned gloomy. He felt he was wrongly used and that too by his own blood brother!

    ¡°When have I made things difficult for her?¡±

    <i>Although it is not obvious, I can still see that elder brother is making things difficult for Lu Yaoyao</i>. <i>But who is to tell him so?</i>

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, elder brother. Yaoyao is not that kind of woman. She just stayed for my treatment, not for you,¡± Mo Rongyi said earnestly. This child had somehow managed to hit the nail on the head with respect to the monarch¡¯s misgivings.

    Mo Rongzhan looked at his brother for a long time. If one were to look closely, they would catch on to the myriad emotions flitting past those orbs. And yet, he did not utter a word. Deep within he knew, his little brother was right.

    He abhorred those women who tried toe on to him, fawn over him and whatnot. He had always dismissed them brusquely and without qualms. He was the emperor, holding the supreme power that no one could resist or refuse. Why would this girl be different? However, he felt bad when he was confronted by Yi that the woman did not enter the pce for him. It felt like he was being proven wrong. But would he admit?

    ¡°I know!¡± Mo Rongzhan gnashed his teeth.

    ¡°Brother, go and apany Wang Fei Lu. I will take the medicine obediently.¡± Mo Rongyi blinked. He thought that Mo Rongzhan came to make sure he takes his medicine. But now that he had been here for quite a while, he felt he was getting impatient because of the dy. All he could do was assure him.

    Mo Rongzhan frowned. He had not been to the Pce of Earthly Tranquility for a long time. He did not want to see Lu Wushuang¡¯s two-faced countenance at all. The more she pretended to be virtuous and dignified, the more he felt she was too fake. If she was truly that little girl he met before, she would not be like this.

    <i>What would she be like?</i>

    <i>Cunning... clever... intelligent. She must be charming enough that people would envy her.</i>

    Immersed in his conjectures, a vague figure suddenly appeared in Mo Rongzhan¡¯s mind. As the hazy figure became clearer and clearer, he was stupefied. His expression changed for the worse and he suddenly stood up.

    ¡°Ridiculous!¡±

    ¡°Brother?¡± Mo Rongyi was startled.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving,¡± Mo Rongzhan said on the spur of the moment.

    ¡°...¡±

    Mo Rongyi was confused. <i>Did I say something wrong?</i>

    Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t look at his brother, so missed his expression of surprise. Taking brisk and long strides he walked towards the exit. When he had reached the door, he saw Ye Zhening with a tray. Under the light of the setting sun, her skin seemed as white as porcin, her face shone with radiance.

    The vague image of the little girl whom he was seeking for so long came to his mind, but unbeknownst to him, Ye Zhen¡¯s delicate figure reced it.

    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Ye Zhen curtsied, faintly smiled as she walked past him.

    Mo Rongzhan stared at her for a while, and left the prince¡¯s residence with a gloomy face.

    <i>How could Lu Yaoyao have something to do with the little girl I am seeking?</i>

 Chapter 202 - Ignoring Him (2)

    <strong>Chapter 202 ¨C Ignoring Him (2)</strong>

    ¡°Your Majesty...¡± Ford followed closely. ¡°Your Majesty, are you going to the Pce of Earthly Tranquility today?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Mo Rongzhan coldly replied.

    Ford knew he had talked too much and quickly lowered his head to plead guilty.

    Mo Rongzhan was in a foul mood. He desperately wanted to find the little girl. These days, he had been secretly looking for her, but there was no news yet. He knew Lu Wushuang knew the truth, but he couldn¡¯t ask her directly. He was worried that he would inadvertently alert her, and knowing her, she would certainly bring her harm.

    The only thing that surprised him was the appearance of Lu Yaoyao. She was very beautiful and had the same name as the little girl. Even though he had always been cold, he paid her a lot of mind. Knowingly or unknowingly, if she were in the vicinity, his attention was sure to go to her.

    <i>This is not a good thing! </i>

    He did not know what it was that was attracting him to her. It was not a question of how to get a woman to enter the pce for he was already the emperor and one word from him would set things in stone. But he did not want to have another woman from the Lu Family. He would not want the Lu Family to gain enough power one day. Lu Wushuang was enough. He did not want a second Ye Family.

    Thinking of the Ye family, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s face grimaced. That family was a disgrace to him. Not to mention that Ye Yisongmitted a hideous crime by killing so many people, the woman actually used the power of the9 family to force him to marry her!

    He never recognized Ye Zhen as his first wife! Nor would he ever!

    Mo Rongzhan went back to the Imperial Pce and asked Eunuch Ford to bring in all the pending paperwork. He didn¡¯t stop reading until his mind put aside the stray thoughts and was submerged in the state affairs.

    Atst, Lu Yaoyao no longer lingered in his mind

    ???

    Ye Zhen did not know that she had troubled Mo Rongzhan. Most of all, she did not expect this day to be eventful. But she was satisfied with the turn of events, except the part involving a certain someone. However, she was determined not to dwell over it and steer clear from that unpleasant royalty as much as possible.

    ¡°Miss Lu, you were very busy today. I brought you a set of clean clothes. Please do not refuse.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled and took the clothes gratefully. ¡°Thank you Madam Nuan. This is very good.¡±

    ¡°A moment ago, Imperial Physician Qi came over and checked the Little Prince¡¯s pulse. She said his pulse is showing improvements. Your medicated diet is very helpful to the Little Prince¡¯s illness,¡± Madam Nuan said.

    ¡°I am d that I was able to be of some use to the Little Prince, even with my obviousck of experience.¡±

    <i>In this way, we should be able to save Mo Rongyi¡¯s life.</i>

    Madam Nuan looked at the young girl before her in earnesty. She was modest and wore an ever gentle smile, she was neither humble nor haughty. She could not help thinking... <i>such a young girl, how can she be so calm in any situation?</i>

    Madam Nuan was quite good at reading people. She knew that behind the benevolent and demure facade, Wang fei Lu was an ill-tempered and vicious. Many people in the pceughed at her because she was of a low background and uneducated. She even came from a small family. So in a way, her behaviour was justified. But Third Miss Lu also hailed the same family; yet she was very calm and prudent. Such a stark contrast!

    ¡°Miss Lu, the Little Prince asked me to give this to you.¡± Madam Nuan took out a pile of silver from her arms.

    Ye Zhen froze for a moment and took it awkwardly. ¡°He is really giving me 40,000 taels of silver?¡±

    Madam Nuanughed. ¡°The Little Prince said that he cannot make you feel that he is not true to his words.¡±

    ¡°Is the Little Prince taking his rest?¡± Ye Zhen asked amused for she was only trying to coax him to eat the medicated diet.

    ¡°It didn¡¯t take long for him to go to sleep after taking the medicine.¡± Madam Nuan replied. ¡°Miss Lu, you should go to bed early. It has been a hard day.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s day was full of ups and downs. It was necessary to have a good rest. Tomorrow, would the moment of truth: would Mo Rongyi¡¯s condition improve further or rpse?

    ¡°This servant shall go back now.¡± Madam Nuan smiled.

    ???

    Ye Zhen was rxing when a maid walked in with a basin of hot water. She was sent to serve the young miss in her bath. Knowing that she had secrets in her body, since taking over her sister¡¯s body, she had never allowed anyone to serve her in the bath. She, who had been served by an entourage once, now let the maids tend to her basic needs and nothing more. Therefore, unlike the misses from the other wealthy families, one would not find her being apanied by maids, etc. at all times.

    By and by, she had be ustomed to being alone, and she was surprised at how much she liked it. Besides, the path she had chosen to embark on, was best traversed alone for she could trust none else.

    Gathering herbs for the most part of the day, rushing over to the pce, taking care of the Little Prince, the day had been quite demanding. However, she did not feel an ounce of fatigue. Looking at how rxed she was, no one could say she was out doing what she did.

    But, tired or not, she could never refuse a hot bath. Soon after the soak, she felt even better and drifted into a blissful slumber just after lying down.

 Chapter 203 - Summoned At Midnight

    <strong>Chapter 203 ¨C Summoned At Midnight</strong>

    The full moon shone brightly in the night sky, the gentle breeze cooled the air; the pce was enjoying the peace and quiet even as its people with peonynterns walked around silently like wandering souls.

    But not all was peaceful tonight.

    At the moment, the Pce of Earthly Tranquility was nothing like its name. The mistress was restless, the attendants on tenterhooks.

    After throwing a temper tantrum, Lu Wushuang was now tossing and turning in her bed, but sleep still evaded her. Seldom has a worried heart slumbered serenely.

    She had waited for a long time, but Mo Rongzhan never came. She sent someone to spy on him and gathered that he would be staying in the Pce of Heavenly Purity again. She felt a knot in her heart. Her anxieties of him being charmed by another woman resurfaced. Mo Rongzhan, however, was not with any woman. She did not know what to feel¨C happy that there was no one or angry for he had not even visited her chambers recently.

    How long had it been since he had visited her? If this were to continue, she was afraid she would lose track of time.

    <i>Would he rather be in his pce thane to her?</i>

    ???

    At this time, there was one other ce that the nocturnal cidity had not managed to breach: The Pce of Heavenly Purity.

    After perusing the pile of pce memorials, Mo Rongzhan was exhausted. Soon, he changed his clothes and decided to go to bed. However, just as heid down, his eyes suddenly pricked. At first, he thought he had dust in his eyes, but the incessant watering seemed to say otherwise.

    Ever since his eyes saw the light again, this had never happened. He was visibly shocked.

    ¡°Your Majesty, are you all right?¡± Eunuch Ford rushed in horrified. He had been around Mo Rongzhan the longest and had yet to see him shed a drop of tear let alone a river like now. The man was stoic and never once wore his heart on his sleeve.

    ¡°Go to the prince¡¯s residence. If the Little Prince is fine, bring Lu Yaoyao here.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan grabbed a white cloth and covered his eyes. As his mind raced to seek the reason behind this strange urrence, he went through the happenings of the day. He soon came to the conclusion, today was just like any other day. He did his usual work, went to the usual ces, met the usual people. Even the food he had was no different. Everything was the same... except for his dinner.

    As he thought, he narrowed down to the only exnation to his present condition: the medicated diet he had taken not too long ago.

    He ate the same food as the Little Prince... <i>but if Yi is fine after eating it, the problem must have note from the medicated diet.</i>

    <i>But why do my eyes keep shedding tears after eating it?</i>

    <i>Only Lu Yaoyao can answer this.</i>

    ???

    She felt her body stirring, someone was calling out to her. She tried to open her eyes, but they felt heavy. With all her might she forced them open.

    Ye Zhen was awakened from her deep sleep, her eyes still a bit bleary. She tried to orient herself, she had no idea what was happening.

    ¡°Miss Lu, wake up... Miss Lu, wake up.¡±

    ¡°Madam Nuan?¡±

    When she came about, she could clearly see the person who was gently shaking her awake. Then, as if struck by a lightning sat bolt upright on high alert. Thisdy,ing in at this time of the hour meant only one thing...

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Did something happen to the Little Prince?¡± she asked, hurriedly.

    ¡°No, the Little Prince has fallen asleep.¡± Madam Nuan assured her.

    Ye Zhen was about to sigh in relief when she heard the other whisper.

    ¡°Eunuch Ford came to invite you to the Pce of Heavenly Purity.¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at her in shock, her settling heart was stirred again. ¡°Pce of Heavenly Purity?¡±

    ¡°Miss Lu, hurry up and change your clothes.¡±

    Madam Nuan could not guess why Ye Zhen was summoned to the Pce of Heavenly Purity at midnight, however, Eunuch Ford¡¯s solemn face was a sign that something must have happened.

    <i>Mo Rongzhan... </i>She could not help grit her teeth. <i>What does he want? Summoning her to his chamberste at night... If word of this were to spread out, what would people think of her? No, this won¡¯t do, she had to find a way around it.</i>

    ¡°Madam Nuan, what did Eunuch Ford say?¡± Ye Zhen¡¯s face turned pale. She wanted to gather as much information to help here up with an apt excuse.

    ¡°Eunuch Ford went to see the Little Prince a while ago and asked him if he felt anything strange after eating the medicated meal. Miss Lu, do not worry it is not what you think,¡± Madam Nuan said in a hushed voice.

    Well, one could not fault Ye Zhen here. Given the circumstances, most people would think just like her. After all, the emperor had suddenly asked her toe to him. Whoever the maiden, being invited at this hour at night, one could only think of one thing:<i> that</i>.

    Like the former emperors, did they not let pce maids enter their chambers in the middle of the night to serve them in bed?

    Ye Zhen finally calmed down at Madam Nuan¡¯s reassurance. The emperor must have another reason for calling her. Mo Rongzhan was many things, but unscrupulous. If he really wanted her, he would not use such an underhanded means. After all, she was not an ordinary maiden but the daughter of the Lu family.

    ¡°Then I shall go,¡± Ye Zhen said softly, knowing well she had no choice but to abide by the emperor¡¯s order.

    Putting on the warm clothes the head maid gave her, Ye Zhen tied her hair in a simple bun and went out. When he saw her walking out, all dressed up, Eunuch Ford did not say anything¨Cjust looked at her withplicated eyes.

    ¡°Eunuch Ford, what is the matter that the emperor ordered you to personally bring me thiste at night?¡± Ye Zhen saw that he was alone, without his subordinates. <i>He must have been ordered to keep it discreet.</i>

    ¡°Miss Lu, please, there is not a moment to lose.¡± Eunuch Ford did not mask the urgency in his tone.

    ???

 Chapter 204 - Brown Tear

    <strong>Chapter 204 ¨C Brown Tears</strong>

    She could absolutely sense the change in his temperament. The prim and proper official, who had found her at the sshouse that noon, seemed to be nowhere in sight. In his ce stood a desperate retainer.

    She took a deep breath trying topose herself and without further ado followed him silently all the way to his master.

    Her garb was shrouded by the dense darkness. Even the moon had hidden behind the clouds, unwilling to reveal her ndestine affairs. If anyone were to see her now, they would assume she was just a pce maid about her errands.

    The Pce of Heavenly Purity was the emperor¡¯s ce of repose. It was here that he conducted meetings with his ministers and officials and took rest.

    This was also the ce her soul often wandered. She had spent two years here... how could she be a stranger to this ce?

    Her nimble feet came to a halt upon reaching the all familiar hall, where the emperor held his meetings. However, to her utter astonishment, she was brought to the emperor¡¯s bed-chamber.

    Ye Zhen could not contain her shock. ¡°Eunuch Ford?!¡±

    ¡°Miss Lu, pleasee in.¡± His tone was somewhat anxious, not giving her a chance to speak.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s heart beat frantically. She could not believe her worst fears were materializing. She wanted to leave right now... but was that even possible? No matter what, she would hold her ground, she wouldn¡¯t sumb to his tyranny... it would not happen a second time. Clenching her fists tight, she resolved¨C<i>if Mo Rongzhan dared do something to her, she would not hesitate to cast a spell to kill him!</i>

    For the first time, Ye Zhen discovered she had a tendency to overthink.

    As she gingerly stepped into the emperor¡¯s chambers, she was a little shaken. Her fists trembled, and lips quivered.

    She was then greeted by the sight of a Mo Rongzhan dressed in bright yellow traditional robes, one hand covering his eyes with a in white cloth, the other resting on his knee. His whole person was different from his usual self.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao,e here!¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s voice was as cold as ice.

    Ye Zhen held her breath. She felt that he looked a little strange. She curtsied, not immediately following the emperor¡¯s orders.

    ¡°This official¡¯s daughter greets the emperor. Ten thousand blessings to His Imperial Majesty, the emperor.¡±

    ¡°What exactly did you put in the medicated diet?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked coldly.

    Since Eunuch Ford had brought her, it was clear that there was nothing wrong with Yi. That is, there was no poison in the medicated diet. But why was his condition so?

    Ye Zhen was bbergasted. Never had she imagined she would be summoned at an ungodly hour over food! She took a moment to speak.

    ¡°This official¡¯s daughter does not understand what His Majesty means. Naturally, medicine is incorporated into a medicated diet.¡±

    <i>It was that obvious!</i>

    Mo Rongzhan loosened the white cloth. ¡°Is your medicated diet harmful to people¡¯s eyes?¡±

    ¡°Of course not...¡± As she said that, she looked at the emperor¡¯s eyes in astonishment.

    <i>What is the matter?</i>

    ¡°Miss Lu, the emperor¡¯s eyes have been unwell. Eating the medicated cuisine you made could be the reason for His Majesty¡¯s uneasiness.¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s lips pursed.

    ¡°This is not easy for me to say. But I did say that the medicated cuisine is for the Little Prince.¡± Ye Zhen did not care if she sounded curt.

    <i>Ha, ha! This happened because he ate the food I made for the Little Prince, not him. </i>

    ¡°You are saying...¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s voice sounded gloomy. ¡°...that I was the one who insisted on eating the medicated cuisine, and therefore will not condemn you?¡±

    Once his words fell, she realized she had gloated a little too soon. She had forgotten how sharp this man was.

    ¡°Your Majesty, the medicated cuisines cannot hurt people¡¯s eyes. I suppose...¡± She paused, measuring her words carefully. ¡°... perhaps the problem lies with you.¡±

    It was a good thing that Mo Rongzhan could not open his eyes, they were still watering. Otherwise, his eyes would have frozen Ye Zhen in ce.

    ¡°If His Majesty does not believe me, he can ask the imperial physician.¡± Ye Zhen added in a trice.

    Well, if he could take this matter up with the imperial physician, he would not have let Eunuch Ford bring her to him secretly. Now that the world was not really stable, he must not let slip that his eyes were in trouble again. Time was critical, the hounds and hyenas were prowling.

    He used to be blind. He had almost resigned to his fate then. But now that he had tasted the pleasure of light, he refused to drift into that dismal abyss. In his lifetime, he did not want to live in darkness again.

    ¡°Heal my eyes,¡± he said, softly. The tone was in, without any threat.

    Even so, Ye Zhen felt chills running down her spine.

    ???

    Since the time she was abruptly awoken to up until this moment, everything felt surreal. Even before she could grasp and respond, she was thrown another... veiled threat. Although Mo Rongzhan¡¯s words seemed proper, she knew better. But what choice did she have other than to sumb to it?

    Ye Zhen hesitated for a moment before walking towards him slowly. All along she was puzzling over what he had said: <i><strong>Is your medicated diet harmful to people¡¯s eyes?</strong></i>

    She had never thought that taking those medicated meals would have an adverse effect on the emperor¡¯s eyes. She wondered if it was the miracle liquid. However, the few people she had used it on, had no suchints. She was tipping towards terming it a coincidence, but her prudent mind was nudging her to explore.

    When she came to him, she dared not face him too closely like the time she was caught by him in the hot spring. Looking at the handsome face of the man she once loved, her eyes were somewhatplicated.

    ¡°Your Majesty, can you open your eyes and let this official¡¯s daughter take a look?¡± Ye Zhen asked in a low voice.

    Mo Rongzhan smelled a faint fruity smell on her body as her soft voice reached his ears. She sensed she was close but not too close. He slowly willed his eyes open and a dam of tears suddenly burst forth.

    <i>Huh?</i> As she saw the stream gushing down his eyes, and to his cheeks, she swiftly took the white cloth in his hand and wiped it.

    <i>Brown tears?</i>

 Chapter 205 - Stay Here With Me

    <strong>Chapter 205 ¨C Stay Here With Me</strong>

    Ye Zhen was perplexed. Normally, the tear nds had a colorless liquid. In case of injury, it would turn red, but that was essentially blood. But here, it was brown... Bizarre as it was, her mind raced to find an answer and hit upon a possibility.

    ¡°Your Majesty, did your eyes not see before?¡± Ye Zhen asked.

    She had known of his sightlessness before, she had met him in that condition. But she did not know how his blindness hade about. Was he congenitally blind or due to an ident? Back then she had not bothered to find out, she was too young to even understand these things. Then suddenly word of him regaining eyesight came. She didn¡¯t know how that happened because no one seemed to talk about it.

    Also, during the time she was married to him and the two years she spent wandering in her spirit form, she had not stumbled upon anything rted to it either. Thus, now would be the first time she would be gaining information, if at all.

    ¡°My eyes were burned with poison when I was young, but were curedter,¡± Mo Rongzhan said in a deep voice without trying to hide a thing.

    This was not a secret. Everyone knew that the emperor of the Qin Dynasty was blind before. But very few knew the reason. However, although his vision was restored, few knew that his eyes often felt ufortable; they still felt sore.

    Ye Zhen was visibly shocked.

    <i>He was poisoned too... What kind of an ill fate did these two brothers have?!</i>

    Remembering how Mo Rongyi had been poisoned by her uncle, resulting in prolonged heart disease, she started to ponder over the culprit behind Mo Rongzhan¡¯s poisoning.

    <i>Could it be rted to the Ye Family as well?</i>

    <i>Is this the real reason why he did not spare the Ye Family after ascending the throne?</i>

    Ye Zhen sank into self-deprecation. She now knew what he might have felt when she had insisted on marrying him.

    <i>Indeed, he must have hated me.</i> Something in her heart tugged, a pain engulfed her albeit momentarily. She rposed herself and focused on the now.

    ¡°Your tears are colored, Your Majesty,¡± Ye Zhen said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ll bring some water to cleanse your eyes.¡± She added.

    <i>Colored tears?</i> He looked down at the white cloth in his hand, half of which was soaked and brown. He was stunned.

    ¡°Eunuch Ford, fetch water.¡±

    There were only three people in the emperor¡¯s bed-chambers including the emperor himself. Mo Rongzhan naturally could not ask her to do the odd job. Not out of concern but caution. If someone were to see her, trouble was bound to arise.

    The silence in the wake of Eunuch Ford¡¯s departure was particrly trying. Although each one was to one¡¯s thoughts, the air still felt stiff. While the man was mulling over the brown tears, the woman was reflecting upon the injustice the other had suffered. By the looks of it, it seemed it was her kin who had brought fatal trouble to the imperial family time and again.

    Eunuch Ford soon returned with a basin of warm water.

    A guilt-ridden Ye Zhen considered for a moment. The wrongs that she had suffered were unforgivable, but the ones <i><strong>he</strong></i> had at the hands of her uncle were unjust as well. Thus, she went up to take the copper basin, reached into it, and furtively dropped her miraculous liquid.

    Well, truth be told, there <strong>was</strong> a moment when she considered letting Mo Rongzhan go blind like this. But when rationality had brushed aside her vindictiveness, she concluded this would only bring her trouble. After all, she had personally made the medicated diet. Hence, she didn¡¯t give in to her moment of impulse. Besides, it would be too easy on him.

    Taking a clean white cloth, she dipped it into the water, wrung it, and gently dabbed his closed eyes.

    ¡°Your Majesty, please open your eyes and let your tears flow out,¡±

    As her soft hands covered his eyes, something in him stirred. Since they were close, all he could do was smell the fragrance wafting from her body. It was a sweet, fruity smell that felt somewhat familiar, yet somewhat different.

    Mo Rongzhan shook his head. <i>How could it be the same? The girl I met in the woods back then was unique.</i><i>Granted they have simrities, Lu Yaoyao is unlikely to be the girl.</i>

    Ye Zhen was oblivious to his thoughts and simply focused on cleansing his eyes. When she spread the white cloth on his eyes, more tears oozed. She changed the white cloth to another and another until the third white cloth and the tears were no longer as colored as before.

    ¡°Your Majesty, do your eyes still feel uneasy?¡± she asked.

    Mo Rongzhan blinked a few times and closed his eyes. He could feel his eyes were no longer pricking or uncontrobly watering. He opened his eyes and looked at her.

    ¡°The uneasiness in my eyes, does it have something to do with your medicated diet?¡± He was certain it had to be it.

    ¡°This official¡¯s daughter¡¯s medicated diet is mainly for detoxifying because I heard that the Little Prince had been poisoned before. It may be because of this that your eyes were affected.¡± This was the only exnation she coulde up with for now.

    She fought hard the urge to roll her eyes.

    <i>I did remind him that the medicated diet was not suitable for him. Who told him to have it?</i>

    Mo Rongzhan silently nced at her and pursed his lips.

    Ye Zhen continued with the cleansing until his eyes stopped watering. Then, she stepped back and said, ¡°It is done, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°What medicine did you put in the medicated diet?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked while rubbing his eyes.

    She furnished a slew of names. She knew they were not harmful and she even had Imperial Physician Qi to vouch for her. She had nothing to fear.

    This whole ¡°tearing eyes¡± had had a sizable impact on the once blind Mo Rongzhan. He had felt that he would plummet into that perpetual darkness yet again. But then it had vanished just as it had arrived: abruptly. He found it all very uncanny.

    Like a child who had found his lost favorite toy, he looked around the room and beyond. Suddenly, he realized his vision was much clearer than before. Moreover, he could not feel that underlying disturbing pain anymore.

    <i>Can her medicated diet really purge the toxins umted for many years?</i>

    ¡°Will my eyes be like this in the future?¡± he asked, still incredulous.

    Ye Zhen lowered her eyes in disappointment. She had hoped that he would just go blind, but her miraculous liquid would only help him, not harm him. She had never thought that she would one day help him, of all the people, with her miraculous liquid. But that day came and sooner.

    ¡°I cannot guarantee that, Your Majesty.¡± In case the poison was notpletely expelled this time, what would happen if he were to be blind the next time?

    ¡°So, there is still a possibility that my eyes will still be like this in the future?¡± he asked, coldly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She replied tly.

    ¡°Then what do you know?¡± His tone still frigid.

    ¡°This official¡¯s daughter...¡± She wanted to say I don¡¯t know once more, however, upon seeing him disheartened, she no longer continued.

    Hey down on his bed and barked. ¡°Continue attending to my eyes.¡±

    A curl formed at the corners of Ye Zhen¡¯s lips. She frowned.

    ¡°Your Majesty, since Eunuch Ford is here he can apply it to you. Just use this water instead of using another medicine.¡± She did not wish to spend another moment here.

    ¡°I want you to be the one to do it.¡± Hemanded. ¡°Stay here with me.¡±

 Chapter 206 - In the Same Bed (1)

    <strong>Chapter 206 ¨C In the Same Bed (1)</strong>

    The night was ying a strange game with the women of the Lu Family. Both were being tantalized by sleep; while it eluded one it refused to free the other. Here, Ye Zhen was forced to stay up, there Lu Wushuang was unable to sleep.

    How could she when anxiety gued her heart? Was it because of the several nights of solitude or the happenings of this evening alone? For some unknown reason, she had been feeling that something would happen tonight. She was at unease and vaguely flustered.

    Knowing that Lu Wushuang was restless, Dai Ping walked in with quick steps and in a low voice called out.

    ¡°Your Highness...¡±

    Lu Wushuang immediately sat up straight. ¡°What happened?¡±

    She knew something must have happened for Dai Ping toe to her at this hour, and then there was that gnawing as well. Her heart was on the edge even before she heard the other say her piece.

    ¡°The servant sent to the Little Prince¡¯s residence saw Eunuch Ford bring a maiden to the Pce of Heavenly Purity in the middle of the night.¡± Dai Ping reported.

    ¡°A maiden?¡± Lu Wushuang¡¯s bright face was suddenly covered with dark clouds. ¡°Is it a pce maid of the emperor?¡± She queried.

    Dai Ping nodded softly. ¡°The person who came to report said that the pce maid¡¯s clothes were like that of the head maid from the Little Prince¡¯s residence...¡±

    Lu Wushuang abruptly stood up. ¡°Come and dress me up for the emperor¡¯s residence.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness?¡± Dai Ping was surprised<i>.</i>

    <i>It is stillte in the night, what does the Wang Fei want to do?</i>

    ¡°I am going to see which maiden dares be shameless in seducing the emperor when he visited the Little Prince!¡± Her shrill voice echoed through the quiet night sending chills to the ears it met.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s disregard for her these past few days, his cold-heartedness and indifference, the empress dowager¡¯s refusal to let her see the Little Prince while he was there, one by one they bombarded sending her into a frenzy. Her anxiety transformed into wrath and an unlucky maid had to bear the brunt of it.

    <i>It must be that lowly maid! Had she not seduced the emperor, how could he not visit the Pce of Earthly Tranquility for several days on end?</i>

    <i>She who has the audacity to climb the dragon couch right under my nose seems to be a cunning bitch!</i><i>It¡¯s impossible for the empress dowager to take part in this, otherwise, why did she not let me go to the Little Prince¡¯s residence today?</i>

    When she recalled how resolute the empress dowager had been today, the way she had treated her behind her back, her hate for the old woman deepened.

    ¡°Your Highness, would not your visit to the emperor¡¯s residence at this time upset him?¡± Dai Ping cautiously pointed out.

    ¡°This pce will deal with those shameless pce girls even if it would upset the emperor!¡±

    Jealousy, fury and indignation carried Lu Wushuang far and beyond. Tonight, she was a loose cannon on a mission to wreak havoc, she would obliterate anyone who stood in her path.

    After changing her clothes, she took long strides out of the Pce of Earthly Tranquility. The calm night wind only fueled the inferno within.

    Dai Ping hurried out with her, making a final attempt to avert the disaster. ¡°Your Highness...¡±

    Is it so easy to rein in a rogue beast and a delirious one at that? Needless to say, the prudent caveat fell on deaf ears.

    All Lu Wushuang wanted to know was which lowly maid had enchanted Mo Rongzhan to take her to the ce of Heavenly Purity. Even she herself... the most favoured one, the only one in his inner pce, had never spent the night in the Pce of Heavenly Purity.

    ?

    Meanwhile, the Pce of Heavenly Purity was oblivious to the storm heading its way. And the root of it was the serenest of them all.

    After an arduous battle, Ye Zhen had finally given in to the exhaustion. Sitting on the stool, she had right royally dozed off. The difort of sleeping in a new ce and on an ufortable seat in lieu for her bed, this fatigued soul seemed not to care a whit about it all and slept peacefully. How then would she notice that the master of the pce had woken up?

    Mo Rongzhan rubbed his eyes and was surprised to find that they felt much morefortable. Even at night, his vision was no longer as blurred as before. He had to admit he was happy about it.

    <i>Lu Yaoyao, this girl... has some abilities.</i>

    He raised his eyes and looked at her lightly: her beautiful face without a trace of rouge, skin as white as porcin, the small head dozing off little by little, and the slightly parted red lips... beckoning to take a bite.

    He was shocked by his own thoughts. He frowned slightly. However, before he could go on a self-chastising spree, he noticed she was about to fall down... on a reflex, he swiftly lunged and caught her.

    Ye Zhen fell softly into his arms and on an impulse, he brought her closer to his chest. Broad and sturdy, she epted thefort and warmth, her cheek rubbed against his chest several times before she fell deep into unconsciousness.

    She was very petite, at least for the Mo Rongzhan who had a strong build, her whole body couldpactly curl up in his arms. He picked her up and looked at her sweet sleeping visage with eyes downcast, a part of his heart turned soft.

    He had never felt so soft-hearted towards any woman.

    ¡°Your Majesty...¡± Eunuch Ford looked at Mo Rongzhan in astonishment. ¡°This old ve shall bring Miss Lu back.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Mo Rongzhan coldly replied, slightly tightening his arms, unwilling to hand over the charming creature in his arms.

    Eunuch Ford was shocked further. He was unsure if his eyes were ying him... <i>Was that a touch of tenderness he saw in the eyes of the ever callous emperor?</i>

    He had never seen such a look not even when facing the Wang Fei. <i>Why then was he looking at Lu Yaoyao this way?</i>

    <i>Does the emperor know that Lu Yaoyao looks exactly like thete Wang Fei?</i>

 Chapter 207 - In the Same Bed (2)

    <strong>Chapter 207 ¨C In the Same Bed (2)</strong>

    Eunuch Fu stole a furtive nce at the slumbering Ye Zhen in Mo Rongzhan¡¯s arms and decided against divulging this secret. Since the moment he hadid his eyes on this little girl, his discerning eyes had seen her in a favourable light. To him, she was industrious, humble, and quite talented. As if to prove him right, today, she had even inadvertently cured the emperor¡¯s eyes.

    <i>However, if she were to enter the pce, the wang fei would not take it lying low.</i>

    Not long after he came out of the chambers, he saw a figure scurrying over in the dark. As the person drew closer, he was stunned; he couldn¡¯t help the look of surprise shing on his otherwise impassive face.

    ¡°This eunuch greets the wang fei.¡± He had long stoved away his shock and returned to his usual self.

    The other part did not reply, not that he minded. He was all too familiar with this personage¡¯s attitude. But when he saw Lu Wushuang about to rush into the chambers, even the ever servile him took a step forward to block her advance.

    ¡°Your Highness, the emperor is resting. What can I do for thedy that she visited the Pce of Heavenly Purity in the middle of the night?¡±

    ¡°Dog ve, step away!¡± Lu Wushuang knew that it was Eunuch Fu who went to the little prince¡¯s residence to fetch maid. Now, she was disgusted at the sight of him and made it amply evident through her stance.

    However, the ¡®dog ve¡¯ stood rooted to the ground, guarding his master¡¯s interests with all his loyalty.

    ¡°If thedy wants to see the emperor, she needs to let me in to report it.¡± He was neither haughty nor humble, but he made it clear that he was not letting her in.

    ¡°When did I ever need to announce my arrival to the emperor? You shameless eunuch, have youe to block me? Get out of my way!¡±

    Lu Wushuang¡¯s eyes were crimson with rage. The more Eunuch Fu stopped her, the more she felt that Mo Rongzhan was hiding something. She was determined to uncover the truth now.

    She winked at Dai Pingmanding her and the other attendants to stop Eunuch Fu. Then, she gathered her skirt in her hands and marched away.

    Miffed at the happenings, Eunuch Fumanded the eunuch next to him to stop her. He had always thought that the wang fei thought too highly of herself. She was arrogant and conceited who looked down upon everyone, including the empress dowager. However, if she just barged in like this, would the emperor just let her be?

    ???

    As early as when Lu Wushuang appeared, Mo Rongzhan knew of her presence. He looked down at the Ye Zhen in his arms and remembered that she had been pped by the other thest time. If Lu Wushuang knew that the person here was her, she would not let her off this time.

    Mo Rongzhan gently ced Ye Zhen on the bed, making her lie slightly on her side.

    Ye Zhen who had been deep in sleep knew not what the din outside was about. Suddenly, she opened her eyes and woke up.

    Ye Zhen: ¡°...¡±

    She blinked and looked at Mo Rongzhan in front of her. <i>Am I dreaming? How could I sleep beside him?</i>

    He was supporting her head in one hand, facing down at her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make any noise.¡± Mo Rongzhan whispered in her ear.

    Ye Zhen felt ufortable. She sat up in a hurry and found that her clothes were all neat. She felt relieved.

    ¡°I want to go back.¡± She then started getting off the bed.

    Hearing the fast-approaching footsteps, Mo Rongzhan immediately held her in his arms. ¡°Do you want Lu Wushuang to see you here?¡±

    Ye Zhen raised her head in astonishment, understood what he meant, and even so, red at him.

    Mo Rongzhan was amused by her lovely appearance.

    ¡°Your Majesty, Your Majesty!¡± Lu Wushuang¡¯s anxious voice sounded. She had walked in thought the curtain without waiting for Mo Rongzhan toe to her. She was desperate to know if there was a woman on the dragon couch right now.

    When Lu Wushuang appeared, Ye Zhen deftly buried herself under the quilt. She must not let Lu Wushuang see her, otherwise, she would certainly use more vicious methods to deal with her.

    --Mo Rongzhan grabbed Lu Wushuang¡¯s hand that was reaching for the quilt and shoved her roughly.

    ???

    The night had turned deathly silent. The air inside the emperor¡¯s chambers had turned ghastly cold.

    Lu Wushuang, who had been ruthlessly shoved, had knocked against the low stool. The very one, Ye Zhen had been dozing off on.

    Still sprawled on the ground, she felt excruciating pain in her back. Even so, the pain could notpare to the torment of her heart at the moment. She looked at Mo Rongzhan strangely, unable to believe that he had treated her as such.

    And yet, that was not all it seems...

    ¡°Wang Fei Lu!¡± His thunderous roar sent chills down her spine, her whole being stilled. ¡°What do you want when you break into my pcete at night?¡± His frosty eyes made no secret of his disgust.

    It took her a moment to speak.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I... I heard that some pce maid did not know the rules, so I wanted toe over... ¡±

    Lu Wushuang¡¯s face was as white as a sheet. She just could not get a hold of her senses. Could she even hear herself? Clearly not!

    Mo Rongzhan sneered, the fire of doubt that had been steadfastly burning within him fueled his wrath. For long he had ignored her impudence... was this the opportunity he was waiting for?

    ¡°You havee for that? Who do you think you are? Do I need your approval if I choose to favor any pce maid? Wang Fei Lu, you are just an imperial concubine!¡±

    No matter how high her status, even the empress dowager who was in charge of the six pces was not entitled for a say in matters of the emperor bestowing special favour to whichever woman. To think this woman had the gall to say so!

    Even someone with a remote sense of sensibility would have known when to stop. But it looked like someone would not shed tears until they saw the coffin*.

    [*not to shed a tear until one sees the coffin: ²»ÒŠ¹×²Ä²»ÂäœI Chinese idiom, is a cautionary tale that suggests you are unknowingly (though it should be obvious£©on a bad course. It further suggests that you will not realize your folly until the worst has happened. Fig. refuse to be convinced until one is faced with grim reality.]

    ¡°Your Majesty has not visited the Pce of Earthly Tranquility for so many days. Is it because of that lowly maiden?!¡± Lu Wushuang pointed to Ye Zhen behind the curtain. She had just caught a glimpse of the pce maid¡¯s garb. She was even more certain that there was a woman behind it.

 Chapter 208 - A Steep Fall

    <strong>Chapter 208 ¨C A Steep Fall</strong>

    The night had turned deathly silent. The air inside the emperor¡¯s chambers had turned ghastly cold.

    Lu Wushuang, who had been ruthlessly shoved, had knocked against the low stool before falling to the ground.

    While still there, she felt excruciating pain in her back. Even so, the pain could notpare to the torment of her heart at the moment. She looked at Mo Rongzhan strangely, unable to believe that he had treated her as such.

    And yet, that was not all it seems...

    ¡°Wang Fei Lu!¡± His thunderous roar sent chills down her spine, her whole being stilled. ¡°What do you want when you break into my pcete at night?¡± His frosty eyes made no secret of his disgust.

    It took her a moment to find her words.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I... I heard that some pce maid did not know the rules, so I wanted toe over... ¡±

    Lu Wushuang¡¯s face was as white as a sheet. She just could not get a hold of her senses. Could she even hear herself? Clearly not!

    Mo Rongzhan sneered, the me of doubt that had been steadfastly burning within him fueled his wrath. For long he had ignored her impudence... was this the opportunity he was waiting for?

    ¡°You havee for that? Who do you think you are? Do I need your approval if I choose to favor any pce maid? Wang Fei Lu, you are just an imperial concubine!¡±

    No matter how high her status, even the empress dowager who was in charge of the six pces was not entitled to have a say in matters pertaining to the emperor bestowing special favour upon whichever woman. To think this woman had the gall to say so!

    Even someone with a remote sense of sensibility would have known when to stop. But it looked like someone would not shed tears until they saw the coffin*.

    <i>[*not to shed a tear until one sees the coffin: ²»ÒŠ¹×²Ä²»ÂäœI Chinese idiom, is a cautionary tale that suggests you are unknowingly (though it should be obvious£©on a bad course. It further suggests that you will not realize your folly until the worst has happened. Fig. refuse to be convinced until one is faced with grim reality.]</i>

    ¡°Your Majesty has not visited the Pce of Earthly Tranquility for so many days. Is it because of that lowly maiden?!¡±

    Lu Wushuang pointed to Ye Zhen behind the curtain, her face full of disdain. She had only caught a glimpse of the pce maid¡¯s garb. She was even more certain that there was a woman behind it.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s face turned darker than the bottom of a wok. ¡°Lu Wushuang, are you taking control of me?¡± He demanded. <i>Just because he had turned a blind eye to her antics, she thought she could hold him on a tight leash?!</i>

    Even though Lu Wushuang was seething in anger and jealousy, she dared not say that she wanted to take control of him. But how could she ignore the deep indignation she was feeling now? Indeed, the way he was behaving currently, the lowly maid seemed to have a better status than her. He was tantly humiliating her!

    ¡°I dare not. I just miss His Majesty. Is it appropriate for a Wang Fei like me to be even inferior to a pce maid?¡±

    ¡°You look like a shrew now, any pce maid is better than you!¡± Mo Rongzhan said curtly.

    His words savagely pierced her heart, her eyes welled up with tears, face appallingly pale, throat felt dry.

    ¡°What... what did I do wrong?¡± she looked him in the eye and asked.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know your wrongs?¡± Mo Rongzhan looked at her lightly. ¡°It seems that the education of the Lu Family iscking. Since you do not know what the rules are as a Wang Fei, return and stay at the Pce of Earthly Tranquility for self-reflection. For the time being, the Empress Dowager shall be responsible for the affairs of the Inner Pce. You must ponder over your mistakes for three months behind closed doors. If you still do not know how to act as a Wang Fei, then might as well not be one.¡±

    <i>What does he mean?</i> Lu Wushuang could not even pretend to be pathetic. How could she not understand what the emperor meant?

    <i>Is he... trying to cast me aside?</i>

    ¡°Ford, what is the use of you guarding there? You cannot even stop people from entering my residence!¡± Mo Rongzhan bellowed in rage while looking at the door where the eunuch stood.

    ¡°Your Majesty, this ve deserves death for his ipetence.¡± Eunuch Ford dropped to his knees without dy.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s icy re leveled on the sobbing Lu Wushuang as he barked orders. ¡°Kill all those who were blocking you.¡±

    The deathly silence descended yet again.

    Eunuch Ford was shell shocked, only now did he know just how furious the emperor was. He did not dawdle further.

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    Lu Wushuang¡¯s face was paler than snow. She had forgotten to breathe. She had been dealt blows one after another, giving her no time to recover.

    However, she was still in denial. She was unable to believe that Mo Rongzhan had punished her. How could he be so ruthless?

    Who in the capital did not know that the emperor only favoured her? She too had always thought that Mo Rongzhan viewed her differently. Well, why not? For such a long time she was the sole upant of his Inner Pce. She did as she pleased, he doted on her immensely. She had grown ustomed to it,cent even.

    But now, she could not evenpare to a pce maid! She had lost to a lowly pce maid and how! She did not see thising. It was indeed a rude shock.

    ¡°Your Majesty, all of those pce servants are just subjects. Theirmitment and loyalty is towards protecting their master.¡± Lu Wushuang pleaded on the pretext of righteousness.

    Mo Rongzhan smirked. ¡°In this pce, is there a master other than me?¡±

    Suddenly, the shrewd Lu Wushuang was rendered speechless.

    ¡°Send Wang Fei Lu back to the Pce of Earthly Tranquility. She is to be confined to its premises for three months hence.¡± Mo Rongzhan was decisive.

    Well, one must not be quick to judge this emperor now. In fact, when seen in a prudent light, this punishment was not as harsh as it appeared. He did not banish her to the cold pce or worse sentence her to death for impudence like his predecessors.

    However, to Lu Wushuang, this conniving woman who coveted absolute power, it was a fatal blow. Never had she thought that one day Mo Rongzhan would treat her like this. She had fallen, hard and deep.

 Chapter 209 - Foolish

    <strong>Chapter 209 ¨C Foolish</strong>

    ¡°Your Majesty, you must punish this Wang Fei. I dare notin. But, one wants to know whom one lost to.¡±

    She knew she could not refute or influence his decision now. But she wanted to know who the maiden was. She was certain her current plight was only temporary, in a fit of rage Mo Rongzhan had done what he had; after all, a man¡¯s ego is taller than the tallest mountain and this one was an emperor at that. So, she believed that when he was marginally appeased, she would regain his favor in the future. And when that day arrived, this girl would be shredded to pieces.

    But who was Mo Rongzhan? Did she think he would not see through her ruse? He broke into a ruthless smile.

    ¡°Leave at once!¡±

    The iota of hope and faith that Lu Wushuang had in Mo Rongzhan was suddenly shattered¨Cshe looked aghast at his brutality. The man who once doted on her unconditionally was shielding a lowly maiden while tossing her aside without so much as remorse.

    <i>Was it to protect her or for other reasons?</i>

    Eunuch Ford immediately summoned two little eunuchs to force Lu Wushuang out.

    ¡°Your Majesty, Your Majesty...¡± Lu Wushuang was reluctant to leave. She desperately wanted to know who the maiden was.

    <i>Why did Mo Rongzhan suddenly change his temperament? Did he not think of me as his savior? How could he forget so quickly?</i>

    Mo Rongzhan was unaffected by Lu Wushuang¡¯s shrill cries for mercy even as she was unceremoniously dragged out of his chambers. She had undermined his authority and ran amuck, this time she had really touched his bottom line. Thus, he had steeled his heart, and somewhere, he was even d about it.

    After it had quieted down, he turned to look at the person who was still hiding under the quilt.

    ¡°You cane out,¡± he said.

    There was a smile in his eyes; <i>this little girl who was akin to a little beast that refused to admit defeat before him was this afraid of Lu Wushuang.</i>

    Ye Zhen quickly got off the bed and cast Mo Rongzhan a light look. Without a preamble, she said, ¡°Your Majesty, can this official¡¯s daughter leave now?¡±

    ¡°So, you are afraid of Lu Wushuang?¡± He was still amused by his findings.

    ¡°I just do not want any trouble.¡± She did not mince words.

    Now that Lu Wushuang had brought honor to the Lu Family as this country¡¯s Wang Fei, their entire family heeded to her as if her words were an imperial edict. When this was the extent of blind faith, it was no surprise that she did not have the confidence to challenge, let alone topple, her position in the family. For now, the best approach was avoidance and she had actively advocated it thus far.

    Mo Rongzhan looked at her chilly visage and the glint in his eyes was reced by sternness.

    ¡°What kind of trouble?

    Ye Zhen¡¯s brows creased, she did not know if this man holding the supreme power was stupid or blind. <i>Could he not put two and two together? Did she have to spell it out for him?!</i>

    ¡°Your Majesty really does not know?¡± Her eyes reflected her incredulity. ¡°Last time, Wang Fei misunderstood this official¡¯s daughter, which has affected our sisterly feelings. If she sees this official¡¯s daughter here again, the whole Lu Family might misunderstand.¡±

    <i>Had he forgotten about the p she was served? He was a witness to it!</i>

    ¡°Are you afraid that others will misunderstand you?¡± His brows furrowed, he did not like the way things were shaping.

    ¡°It does not matter what other people think of this official¡¯s daughter. One is only worried that others would misunderstand one¡¯s actions towards the things one does not intend to do.¡± Ye Zhen looked at him squarely and made herself absolutely clear.

    How could Mo Rongzhan not grasp the meaning in her words? His face suddenly turned cold.

    Ye Zhen disregarded his reaction and continued with a smile. ¡°No matter what your thoughts are, Your Majesty, your eyes are already fine. It¡¯s time for this official¡¯s daughter to go back. One still has to prepare breakfast for the Little Prince in the morning.¡±

    ¡°Things you do not intend to do? Then,ing here to the pce, you did not harbor the same intentions most women have.¡± He was stunned at her words.

    ¡°No. Your Majesty can rest assured that this official¡¯s daughter will not be <i>foolish </i>in her life.¡±

    It was enough for her to be stupid once. The price had been too steep. She would not make the same mistake again!

    <i>Foolish?!</i> He stared at her with a livid face. ¡°Lu Yaoyao, aren¡¯t you too daring!¡± He roared.

    Ye Zhen took two steps back at the abrupt change, nevertheless, she persisted.

    ¡°Is it not a foolish act, Your Majesty?¡± There was a hint of ridicule in her tone. But before he could react he continued. ¡°Before, this official¡¯s daughter heard that His Majesty favours the Wang Fei. Everyone knows that she is doted upon in the Inner Pce. But witnessing what happened today, I do not think it is the case anymore. I¡¯m not after riches andforts of luxury. As such, I won¡¯t be foolish to let myself be lonely for a lifetime in this pce.¡± She decided it was time to permanently ay his suspicions about her and award herself the much needed respite.

    ¡°Be lonely in the pce for a lifetime?... It depends on whether I will allow it or not.¡±

    For the first time in his life, Mo Rongzhan had met a woman who despised him and did not seek the eminence an emperor could offer. Unable to fathom the idea, his heart choked in anxiety.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao,¡± he said with gritted teeth, ¡°in this lifetime, don¡¯t even dare to think about bing my woman!¡±

    ¡°Then this official¡¯s daughter thanks His Majesty¡¯s empathy.¡± Ye Zhen smiled, agreed in mock sincerity, and added. ¡°Your Majesty, this official¡¯s daughter will take her leave.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan took a deep breath and fought the urge to lose patience and strangle the unscrupulous woman with his bare hands.

    ¡°Get out of my sight!¡±

    The words were music to her ears, Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes instantly lit up.

    Ah, finally, she could leave this terrible ce!

 Chapter 210 - A Dissatisfied Emperor (1)

    <strong>Chapter 210 ¨C A Dissatisfied Emperor (1)</strong>

    By the time Ye Zhen stepped out of the Pce of Heavenly Purity, it was still some time before dawn. Keeping her head down, she raced to the Little Prince¡¯s residence. Thankfully, she did not encounter anyone.

    Madam Nuan had been waiting outside the door. Upon the sight of a scurrying figure, she rushed forward and took a quick nce around. Finding no one in sight, she asked in a low voice, ¡°Miss Lu, are you all right?¡±

    This old hand had spent the entire time Ye Zhen was away, waiting for her. She had mixed feelings all along. On one hand, she was worried about the little girl¡¯s plight, on the other curious as to why the emperor had summoned her. She had not been able to discern anything from Eunuch Ford¡¯s conduct either.

    ¡°I am fine.¡± Ye Zhen nodded gently, and together they went back to the Little Prince¡¯s residence.

    Eunuch Ford was a man of discretion and the emperor¡¯s most trusted aide. When he brought Ye Zhen out of the Little Prince¡¯s ce, he had done so with utmost caution. So much so, that even the clothes that she had worn were not without a thought.

    That said, despite the precautions, Lu Wushuang had caught a whiff and quite quickly. She had arrived at the emperor¡¯s chambers rtively swiftly and even knew that it was a maiden who had been brought out of Little Prince¡¯s residence and by the hands of his most loyal servant nheless. This pointed to just one thing: there was a spy in the ranks taking note of the goings-on at the young prince¡¯s residence. It was quite an rming fact, but not unexpected given her personality.

    Madam Nuan carefully looked at the youngdy by her side. Her practiced eyes concluded that she did not seem to have served someone in bed. She let out a breath she knew not she was holding.

    She asked in a whisper, ¡°What did His Majesty summon you for?¡±

    Ye Zhen took a moment to consider before replying. The person asking her was not only trusted by the empress dowager, she did not feel any ill-will from her either. Thus, she did not feel like concealing.

    ¡°Today, the emperor ate some of the medicated diet I made for the Little Prince and felt uneasy in his eyes. He asked me toe over and inquired about the medicated diet.¡± She spoke in a low voice.

    ¡°Is the emperor all right?¡± Madam Nuan was panic-stricken, knowing all too well that if anything were to happen to the emperor, Lu Yaoyao would be held responsible.

    Sensing her anxiety, Ye Zhen quickly put her at ease. ¡°He is fine. If there is something wrong, would I have returned?¡± Then, she said with a smile, ¡°Madam Nuan, you have waited for me for a long time... please rest now. I am fine.¡±

    Madam Nuan was relieved. ¡°Oh it is nothing. You take your rest too. It will be dawn soon.¡±

    It was better to get some little rest as at daybreak they would have to prepare breakfast for the Little Prince.

    Ye Zhen smiled and nodded, she was tired. ¡°Alright.¡±

    Having gone back to her room, Ye Zhen made up for her lost sleep. She was in a good mood, a smile graced her childlike face¨Cunexpectedly she had witnessed something she had longed for...

    For two years she had wandered about as a ghost in the pce, and never had she seen anything but doting for Lu Wushuang. Mo Rongzhan had held her in his palm and treasured her with his life. She alone knew the torment she went through witnessing this everyday. How she wished to rip the mask and tear apart that unending affection!

    But tonight, the woman who had robbed her of everything, Lu Wushuang, had atst fallen out of favor. If she had not be Lu Yaoyao, perhaps the conniving woman would have continued to be favored. Her rebirth and transmigration, it seemed, still had an impact. She was satisfied.

    However, she was no fool. She knew the emperor best. And his stand tonight was a testimony to his thoughts. Ye Zhen was clear that Lu Wushuang still had her uses. Otherwise, Mo Rongzhan would not have just confined her. His reason was clear as day: Lu Lingzhi. This man was on an expedition and was an important character in the overall power y.

    Mo Rongzhan was a capable emperor. Time and again, he had proven his mettle. Be it in the battlefield or the court intrigue, he had handled things with aplomb. He was an experienced yer, he knew how to weigh situations and fetch loyalty- through means fair and foul.

    Regardless, seeing Lu Wushuang being punished, Ye Zhen was still ted. After all, this was just the beginning.

    ?

    Compared to Ye Zhen¡¯s bright mood, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s was quite the opposite.

    That innocent face, those caustic words... such an uncannybination! The whole scenario kept ying in his mind. He had been outrightly rejected, his conjectures proven wrong. How could anyone be in a good mood?

    ¡°Your Majesty, would you like to have a rest?¡± Eunuch Ford asked in a low voice.

    He sent Lu Wushuang back to the Pce of Earthly Tranquility, and brought Dai Ping and herckeys to the Imperial Household Department to serve their punishment. Only then did he return to the Pce of Heavenly Purity.

    A gloomy voice asked, ¡°Has Lu Yaoyao returned to the Little Prince¡¯s residence?¡±

    ¡°Replying to the emperor, Miss Lu has gone back to the Little Prince¡¯s residence.¡± He thought that his master seemed to care about that young girl.

    Mo Rongzhan pursed his lips. For as long as he remembered Lu Yaoyao¡¯s expression of despise to his sovereignty, his rage would surge.

    ¡°Bring those *Xiunu albums.¡±

    <i><strong>[T/N: Xiunu album is a collection of portraits for the Xiunu (elegant females) selection, where emperors choose their imperial consorts]</strong></i>

    There was no need to take a woman¡¯s opinion to heart. He was the ruler, the suprememander of this country. What kind of woman would not want his eminence?

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

 Chapter 211 - A Dissatisfied Emperor (2)

    <strong>Chapter 211 ¨C A Dissatisfied Emperor (2)</strong>

    A stunned Eunuch Ford hurried to fetch the Xiunu album piled up in the corner covered with dust.

    Soon after, Mo Rongzhan was looking through the album. After quite a while, it seemed none of them could please his eyes. He flung it away. The more he looked at it, the more upset he became.

    Eunuch Ford was horrified to see them being treated so. Apparently, all these girls were as beautiful as flowers and pure as jade. Although they could notpare to the Third Miss in the Lu Family, they were all beauties in their own right.

    <i>How could the emperor not see this?</i>

    The said man had not even taken a nce more than necessary before mercilessly tossing them aside.

    ¡°What is the Imperial Household Department doing? Do they think they can fool me with this?¡± He demanded in fury.

    ¡°Your Majesty, these are... daughters of aristocratic families in the capital.¡±

    Making a Xiunu album was no less than braving the fiercest winds and harshest rains. The girl needed to be not just exquisite in beauty but also outstanding in talent. She had to hail from a family useful to the crown. Only after being subjected to a series of trials and tribtions, would they find a ce in the album and before the eyes of the emperor. As such, a clumsy job would ord death and who would wish one? Needless to say, there was no way that the department had performed their job half-heartedly.

    Mo Rongzhan frowned. ¡°Send these Xiunu albums to Cining Pce and let the Empress Dowager choose some concubines for me.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    It seemed that no one could satisfy the emperor.

    ?

    The next morning, the first rays of sunlight prated the clouds. The blue sky was illuminated withyers of golden light, beckoning the capital to a new day.

    Pei Shi shook Lu Shiming to wake him up.

    ¡°Husband, get up. Quickly.¡±

    Lu Shiming squinted. ¡°I... do not need to get up this early today... I n on resting.¡± He pulled the quilt over and turned his back to her.

    ¡°Yaoyao did not return yesterday. Go to the academy and check, I hope not something untoward has happened.¡±

    Ever since her daughter had arrived, there was never a day she did not spend with her. Pei Shi had to steel her heart in order to allow her precious daughter to live in the dormitory. She had never been separated from her daughter for so many days. Now that she had not returned as per her schedule, she was worried.

    At her words, Lu Shiming was jolted awake. He quickly got off the bed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look.¡±

    Pei Shi hurriedly helped him dress and soon, Lu Shiming was all set to leave. When he reached the gate, he was unexpectedly stopped by Old Madam Lu.

    ¡°What? In the pce?¡± Pei Shi looked at Old Madam Lu in astonishment.

    <i>When did Yaoyao go to the pce? How could we not know?</i>

    Old Madam Lu revealed a smile. ¡°It¡¯s the Little Prince who requested to see her. These days, the Little Prince¡¯s body is in a bad condition. He and Yaoyao have known each other before. She had saved his life. It¡¯s only natural that he wanted to see her.¡±

    Pei Shi was somewhat bewildered. <i>When did the Little Prince get along with Yaoyao so well? Even if he was ill, he wanted to see her.</i> She remembered the Little Prince was only ten years old.

    ¡°Yaoyao is now apanying the Empress Dowager. You need not be anxious. She will be out of the pce in two days.¡± Old Madam Lu revealed a smile.

    ¡°Mother, why is she with the Empress Dowager again?¡± Lu Shiming asked in consternation.

    Old Madam Lu smiled. ¡°The Empress Dowager conferred Yaoyao a special favor. This time, she let Yaoyao stay.¡±

    This was characteristic of Yaoyao. No matter where she went, she garnered attention. Who knew that the Empress Dowager, who was rarely piqued, would be interested in her. In a way, this would bode well for Yao Yao in the future.

    This mother didn¡¯t know whether to be happy or nervous. But she was a prudentdy, who could not be swayed from reality. She knew, as much as the pce was quick toud, it was unforgiving.

    ¡°I hope Yaoyao does not falter.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao is in the Empress Dowager¡¯s Cining Pce. Nothing could go wrong.¡± Old Madam Lu reassured.

    She understood her daughter-inw¡¯s heart. She too had been worriedst night upon the news. If it was not for the Empress Dowager personally tasking Aunt Cheng to see her, she would not have been as relieved.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why the Empress Dowager is fond of this girl.¡± Pei Shi let out a softugh. Suddenly, she thought about Madam Lu, she was afraid this would upset her. She asked in a low voice, ¡°Mother, does my sister-inw know about this?¡±

    ¡°What does it have to do with her?¡± Old Madam Lu said faintly. ¡°It is not up to her to decide the things happening with Yaoyao.¡±

    At those words, Pei Shi was able to free a stone from her heart. Her face regained some color. ¡°Thank you, Mother.¡±

    Before, Madam Lu had asked her to be in charge of Yaoyao¡¯s marriage. At that time, she had refused. However, she was still worried.: would she interfere in the affairs of Yaoyao if she presided over the family¡¯s affairs?

    Because of Old Madam Lu, she could at least feel at ease. No matter what the eldest sister-inw intended on doing, Pei Shi had Old Madam Lu to protect her.

    ¡°You return first. As long as you are aware of this matter, no one else has to say anything about this to others,¡± Old Madam Lu said.

    Pei Shi responded with a smile and pulled Lu Shiming¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Mother, then we shall return.¡±

    ¡°Hm, go!¡± Old Madam Lu nodded with a smile.

 Chapter 212 - The Little Princeâ€™s Vigor (1)

    <strong>Chapter 212 ¨C The Little Prince¡¯s Vigor (1)</strong>

    <i>Cining Pce</i>

    Word about the nocturnalmotion had yet to spread when Eunuch Ford was standing before the mistress of Cining Pce. His arrival with the first light wasn¡¯t as much of a surprise as was his purpose.

    The Empress Dowager took the phoenix seal and a handful of Xiunu albums that Eunuch Ford had only just handed in. She looked intently at them and frowned.

    ¡°The emperor has asked aijia to choose fine maidens as his concubines?¡± She reaffirmed.

    The triennial *Xiunu selection was scheduled to be held this year. Lu Wushuang, as the Wang Fei, was the one responsible for overseeing this matter. The Empress Dowager did not wish to involve herself in these matters. Her son had never bothered her with such affairs either.

    <i>Why then did the emperor suddenly change his mind?</i>

    <i><strong>[T/N: </strong></i><u><i><strong>Xiunu (elegant females) selection-</strong></i></u><i><strong> a selection process, held once every three years, where all qualified women under certain criteria are required to present themselves in the imperial pce to be selected by the emperor as his imperial consort.]</strong></i>

    ¡°Replying to Her Highness, the emperor is of the opinion that the Wang Fei is unsuited for presiding over the Xiunu selection, so...¡±

    ¡°Where is the emperor?¡± Her frown deepened. This whole matter was too abrupt and strange.

    <i>The emperor has always been fond of Lu Wushuang. Why does he find her unsuitable?</i>

    ¡°The emperor left early this morning to the Imperial Court.¡±

    Eunuch Ford was the emperor¡¯s confidante. There was nothing he wasn¡¯t privy to. The fact that he was speaking in riddles meant there was more to it and he was hinting to the very fact.

    ¡°When the emperor finishes his official business, aijia will ask in person. Return and say that the phoenix seal and the Xiunu albums are still in aijia¡¯s possession. However, aijia needs to know what happened.¡±

    She knew that if it was not for a certain reason, the emperor would not delegate her the responsibility to preside over the pce affairs at this time. He knew how preupied she was with the Little Prince¡¯s illness and that she was in no mood to attend to anything else.

    With that, Eunuch Ford took his leave.

    Holding the phoenix seal in her hands she mulled over the sudden turn of events. She thought back to the happenings ofst evening because up until then things were quite normal. The more she thought, the more she was certain that something must have happenedst night to effect such a huge mandate. Her frown deepened further.

    After a moment, she looked at Aunt Cheng and said, ¡°Find out what happenedst night.¡±

    Aunt Cheng acquiesced.

    Worried about Mo Rongyi¡¯s condition, the Empress Dowager collected the Phoenix seal and the Xiunu albums and immediately set out to the Little Prince¡¯s residence. When she got there, the whole ce was shrouded in pin-drop silence. Qi Jin was administering acupuncture while Ye Zhen was standing by.

    This morning, after a meager sleep, Ye Zhen had hurriedly made breakfast. In the hopes of a better oue, she had added a few drops of miraculous liquid to the porridge. When she brought it over and saw that the young prince¡¯splexion looked much better than it did yesterday, the trace worry about the harmful effects of the miraculous liquid was washed away. She was genuinely d.

    ¡°Ten thousand blessings to the Empress Dowager.¡±

    Seeing the Empress Dowagering in, except Qi Jin, who was in the midst of acupuncture, everyone else curtsied.

    ¡°Rise.¡± The Empress Dowager waved her hand as she spoke. Then, she walked to the bedside to look at her son.

    ¡°Yi, did you sleep wellst night?¡± she asked, affectionately.

    Mo Rongyi was full of vigor. Seeing his mother, he immediately broke into a bright grin.

    ¡°Mother, I slept wellst night. I have not woken up because of pain unlike before.¡± He spoke with a verve that had been long evading him.

    Qi Jin took the needle and said with a smile, ¡°I assure Your Highness that the Little Prince will be better soon. His pulse today is much better than before.¡±

    ¡°It is all due to Yaoyao¡¯s medicated diet.¡± Mo Rongyi immediately stated, smiling to the limit.

    Originally, he had asked Lu Yaoyao to enter the pce because he just wanted to let her know that he was going to die. In hisst moments, he had wanted to talk to her for onest time because he considered her his friend. But little had he expected she would save him instead. The silly wager was actually a lifesaver.

    The Empress Dowager looked at the little girl. She knew her son was speaking the truth, she felt so too. The gratitude in her heart manifested into a smile.

    Ye Zhen said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s only good that the Little Prince has been willing to take his medicine. If one had refused to take medicine, one would have been beyond saving. Previously, you used to throw up every time you took the medicine, naturally, the efficacy could not be achieved.¡±

    ¡°Nevertheless, it¡¯s good that the Little Prince is getting better,¡± the relieved mother said with a smile.

    Right then, a eunuch hurried in saying that the Fifth and Eighth prince were here to visit the Little Prince and awaiting the Empress Dowager¡¯s permission.

    The Empress Dowager took a look at Mo Rongyi. ¡°Your Fifth and Eighth elder brothers havee to see you. Do you want to see them?¡±

    Mo Rongyi frowned. ¡°If it were Sixth Elder Brother, I would not mind meeting. But these two, I do not wish to see them.¡±

    The two used to bully him at every given opportunity. They would take a jab at him saying his mother was not of noble birth; they mocked that his elder brother was blind. They were mean, he disdained them and did not want to see them at all.

    The Empress Dowager nodded gently. She understood her son¡¯s loathing. ¡°Then return to the two princes and tell them that the Little Prince has just finished acupuncture and needs rest. Let theme back another day.¡±

    The little eunuch withdrew in haste.

    Ye Zhen knew of the three princes in the capital. Apart from these two princes, there was also the Sixth Prince. She had met him. He was of a cheerful disposition, straightforward and generous. Unlike the other royals, he was not fond of paying attention to other people¡¯s business. He aptly suited his moniker: the *carefree prince1. Probably it was because of this, he was able to live up until now.

    However, to be able to live as a present sovereign prince, she thought his life was not very simple. Even if he were not interested in the court intrigue, the royals were creatures of suspicion, would they let him be? Indeed, he must have a tough life.

    She was soon brought out of her reverie when Qi Jin and her had to step out. The Empress Dowager was apanying Mo Rongyi for a talk, so they had all retreated.

    Ye Zhen had to prepare Mo Rongyi¡¯s lunch. After talking to Qi Jin for some time, she headed straight to the small kitchen.

    Apart from Madam Nuan, no one in the entire pce knew that she was called to the Pce of Heavenly Purity yesterday. Moreover, the news that Lu Wushuang was confined was not known. Ye Zhen was looking forward to it. <i>What would Lu Lingzhi do once this news spreads in the capital?</i>

    She was not afraid of Lu Lingzhi helping Lu Wushuangpete for favor. What she was afraid of was his inaction. If he did nothing, he would not falter. And if he did not make mistakes, how could she get a hold of him?

 Chapter 213 - The Little Princeâ€™s Vigor (2)

    <strong>Chapter 213 ¨C The Little Prince¡¯s Vigor (2)</strong>

    Before the empress dowager returned to the Cining Pce, she had already heard from Aunt Cheng that Lu Wushuang was under confinement.

    ¡°For three months?¡± The empress dowager was surprised. Didn¡¯t the emperor like Lu Wushuang very much? Why is she confined?

    ¡°What exactly happenedst night?¡± she asked in a low voice.

    ¡°When a maiden was seen in the middle of the night, Wang Fei took her entourage to the Pce of Heavenly Purity. The retainers have been sent to the Imperial Household Department for investigation. Several of Wang Fei Lu¡¯s confidants were executed by flogging, leaving only Dai Ping alive.¡± Aunt Cheng reported.

    ¡°The emperor ordered the execution of retainers?¡± The empress dowager gasped in surprise. What was the emperor thinking? Does he still expect Lu Lingzhi to suppress the rebellion in the western buffer region? Why is he angry with Lu Wushuang at this point in time?

    Aunt Cheng nodded gently. ¡°It was the emperor¡¯s edict.¡±

    ¡°Were you able to find out what happened at the emperor¡¯s residencest night?¡± she frowned and asked.

    ¡°This servant could not find out.¡±

    This matter must have been put under control by the emperor himself. No wonder, there was not the slightest tittle-tattle even after such a long time.

    The empress dowager didn¡¯t say anything more. Shortly after, Mo Rongzhan himself arrived.

    ¡°Your Highness.¡± After a curtsy, Mo Rongzhan took a seat beside his mother.

    ¡°All of a sudden, His Majesty is asking Aijia to take over the affairs of the Inner Pce. Tell me, what really happened?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan pursed his lips and shot Aunt Cheng a light look. Taking the cue, she bowed and walked out of the room with the others, leaving the room to just the mother and son.

    ¡°Mother, yesterday my eyes incessantly shed tears... ¡±

    Mo Rongzhan spoke in a whisper and recounted the events fromst night, including the fact that he had no intention of eating the medicated meal and eventually asked Ye Zhen to attend to his eyes.

    ¡°Lu Wushuang was jealous and thought that I was bestowing special favors to a pce maid. Despite the obstruction, she still barged into the Pce of Heavenly Purity. I¡¯m simply teaching her a lesson.¡±

    ¡°How are your eyes now?¡± She asked after what she¡¯s most concerned about.

    ¡°Now, my eyesight is clearer than before. The uneasiness is gone as well.¡± Mo Rongzhan told her honestly.

    The empress dowager patted her chest and said, ¡°Fortunately, Yaoyao¡¯s medicated diet is harmless to your eyes, otherwise you...¡± Not continuing her words, she lightlyughed. ¡°Aijia thinks Yaoyao is really a person of good fortune. She has just entered the pce, and has taken good care of both yours and the Little Prince¡¯s health.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan snorted coldly, as he thought of the young miss who had shunned him.

    ¡°Ah, about the girls you asked Aijia to choose... do you not need to look at it yourself? ¡°

    ¡°Empress Dowager is in charge,¡± he said tly.

    As far as Mo Rongzhan was concerned, he did not care whether the woman selected would be charming or not. After all, women who entered the emperor¡¯s pce... were they not solely for the purpose of bncing the powers of the Imperial Court?

    *

    News of Lu Wushuang¡¯s confinement in ordance with the emperor¡¯s edict did not remain concealed for long¨Csoon it spread like wildfire, all over the pce, reaching the ears ofmoners and nobles alike.

    Having witnessed it the previous night, Ye Zhen was barely surprised, it was an eventuality of course. Instead, she felt bouts of disappointment.

    All along, she had considered Lu Wushuang as the most formidable foe. She thought it would take years to sow discord, have her fall out of favour and bring her down along with the entire Lu Family.

    However, it took her only a few days of residing inside the imperial pce.

    With the wang fei¡¯s confinement, one thing became clear to everyone¨Cthe emperor no longer doted on Lu Wushuang. As much as it came as a surprise to all, the royals were entric, to begin with. And history was ample proof. How many beauties were raised to the pedestal only to crumble and turn to dust?!

    However, to Ye Zhen, this abrupt change was no less than a conundrum. She¡¯d seen the way he held her in the palm of his hands; two years the sight had stung, pierced, and jabbed her. And now, just like that, it had all washed away...like it had never existed... why?

    Was it because he found out that Lu Wushuang was not the little girl who saved him, and therefore he turned cold and indifferent towards her?

    Ye Zhen¡¯s mood turned sour. Mo Rongzhan, suddenly giving her attention, was uncalled for. However, she knew in her heart that he acted as such for he was unaware of who she really was. If Mo Rongzhan knew that she was Ye Zhen, his former Wang Fei, he probably... wouldn¡¯t fawn over her.

    Ye Zhen smiled wryly as she stared silently at a tall pagoda in the distance. Built during the reign of Emperor Wu of the former dynasty, it housed a collection of books owned by Empress Qi Yanling. A century had passed, and yet, the ce looked as elegant and tranquil as ever. Indeed, it was well-preserved.

    What made it more fascinating was its exclusivity¨Cno one, except the sessive emperors, had ever been able to enter the pagoda.

    ¡°That¡¯s the library pagoda.¡± Qi Jin walked slowly from behind, following her gaze. She seemed to know her thoughts. ¡°It is home to the collection of books from the Baicao Tang Medical Sect in the old days.¡± She added.

    Ye Zhen suddenly turned to look at Qi Jin. ¡°Baicao Tang?¡±

    Baicao Tang, the guild the greatest Divine Doctor in history belonged to? She had never known that Empress Qi Yanling had something to do with the Baicao Tang Medical Sect.

    ¡°At that time, Empress Duanhui had left the books in the hands of her most trusted imperial guard, a disciple of the Baicao Tang Medical Sect, for safekeeping. The treasure was subsequently passed down to the new generation of disciples, and protected at the secret cove where the Jiang Family went to seclusion. It was there that it was transcribed too.¡± She let out a deep sigh, nostalgic over the past. ¡°If you can take a look at those materials, it will definitely enhance your medical skills.¡± The veteran smiled, still looking at the pagoda longingly.

    ¡°Empress Qi Yanling must be a book lover.¡± Ye Zhen muttered to herself. If not... I don¡¯t think the collection of books in the library pagoda would have been preserved until now.

    Qi Jin smiled gently. ¡°The medical skills I learned were from the collection of books I have at home. You have to ascend a flight of stairs after you enter to take a look at the books.¡±

    Ye Zhen pursed her lips and mumbled after a while. ¡°Is it possible for students to enter the library pagoda?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps fate is needed as well.¡±

    Those simple words carried profound meaning, one that wouldpel to mull.

    What kind of fate must one have to enter the library pagoda?

    Ye Zhen was about to ask Qi Jin when suddenly, Aunt Cheng appeared. She was forced to swallow her query. Her curiosity shall be sated another time, she surmised.

    ¡°Miss Lu.¡± She greeted Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Aunt Cheng.¡±

    Ye Zhen thought that Aunt Cheng was here for Qi Jin, hence she hurriedly dismissed herself. ¡°Imperial Physician Qi Jin, this student will go back first.¡±

    However...

    ¡°Miss Lu, the empress dowager wants to have a word with you,¡± Aunt Cheng said with a smile.

    Ye Zhen was out for words. The empress dowager is looking for me?

    ¡°Well... ¡°

    Qi Jin smiled and patted the back of Ye Zhen¡¯s hand. ¡°Well then, go,¡± she said, encouragingly.

 Chapter 214 - A Prestigious Offer

    <strong>Chapter 214 ¨C A Prestigious Offer</strong>

    Cining Pce

    The empress dowager could be seen browsing through the Xiunu album, intent on picking some gentle and elegantdies for her son, Mo Rongzhan.

    ¡°This official¡¯s daughter greets the empress dowager. Ten thousand blessings to Her Highness.¡± Ye Zhen curtsied as she came in.

    However, she was taken aback at the sight of the Xiunu albums atop the table. Did she walk in at a wrong time? But she was brought here!

    The empress dowager revealed a smile as she affectionately beckoned her. ¡°Yaoyao,e here.¡±

    And Ye Zhen went to the empress dowager¡¯s side.

    ¡°Aijia knows aboutst night.¡±

    The empress dowager looked at her pitifully. As someone who had lived in the pce for many years, she learned to not trust everything that reached her ears. It was true that she herself had doubted Lu Yaoyao¡¯s motives, and even thought that the young miss was after the emperor. However, she had a discerning eye and as soon saw her sincere concern for the little prince, she was quick to realize that the child before her had no such thoughts.

    Gazing up at her, Lu Yaoyao¡¯s eyes looked so clear that one could seemingly see her thoughts at a single nce. If she indeed had the slightest desire to covet the emperor, she did not need to go through the ordeal. With her looks, emperor or not, no man would refuse.

    ¡°Your Highness, this official¡¯s daughter was negligent and has erred.¡± Ye Zhen instantly knelt and kowtowed to acknowledge her mistake.

    ¡°You are not to be med. After all, those medicated meals were not made for the emperor.¡± The empress dowagerforted her with a smile and added. ¡°Aijia thinks you have done a great service to this pce.¡±

    Ye Zhen immediately understood that the empress dowager was alluding to the incident involving the emperor¡¯s eyes. Left to her, she would never havemitted such a blunder¨Cletting Mo Rongzhan consume her medicated meals! But what choice did she have? She was powerless before the obstinate, childish emperor who had set his eyes on his brother¡¯s food.

    Argh!

    ¡°This official¡¯s daughter is grateful to Her Highness and His Majesty for not ming her. One dares not take credit for oneself.¡± Ye Zhen respectfully replied.

    This put yet another smile on the dowager¡¯s face. ¡°Yaoyao, how would it be if Aijia bestows you the title of ¡®Princess of a Commandery¡¯?¡±

    Ye Zhen raised her head and looked at the empress dowager in surprise. For a moment, she didn¡¯t know how to respond.

    ¡°Your Highness ... this... official¡¯s daughter must not be bestowed a reward undeserving of her.¡±

    If she had the title of a princess, would it be easier to get revenge? However, once Lu Wushuang regained her footing in the future, she would be more vignt and never show her any mercy.

    Princess... there will surely be advantages and disadvantages!

    ¡°How could you be undeserving when you have rendered a meritorious service? Without you, Little Prince¡¯s illness would have not alleviated for Imperial Physician Qi¡¯s medicines were of not much use.¡±

    ¡°But the little prince has already given me 40, 000 taels of silvers.¡± Ye Zhen reasoned. At no cost did she want this title.

    Also, although her lingquan may be worth more than 40,000 taels of silver, she didn¡¯t want to take any credit for treating Mo Rongyi. She just wanted to repay the empress dowager for the kindness she had once shown her.

    A wise motherughed. She remembered that wager; despite its silliness, the ruse had worked like a charm. She had even marveled at the little girl¡¯s ingenuity at that time.

    ¡°He deserved to lose the 40,000 taels of silver. This is exactly what Aijia wants!¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled bashfully. She took a moment before voicing her concern.

    ¡°Your Highness, if one is a princess... will one still be able to enter the pce as a physician?¡±

    ¡°You want to be a physician?¡± The dowager slightly frowned. ¡°The status of an imperial physician is notparable to that of a princess.¡±

    She did not know why this little girl would be hesitant to embrace a prestigious opportunity. Being raised from the status of amoner to that of a royalty, how many had the good fortune?!

    Ye Zhen was in a dilemma.

    If I ept this title, I will have to live in the pce. But how can I avenge myself if I do not reside in the pce?

    Even so...

    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯d better not be a princess. I hope to be a physician in the future so that everything that I have learned or will learn can be put to practice.¡± Ye Zhen¡¯s exined in a carefully feigned na<b>?</b>ve tone.

    The empress dowagerughed and rebuked her good-naturedly. ¡°What a silly child! Say, why do you want to be a physician?¡±

    ¡°To prove that the general perception of women¡¯s ipetence is erroneous. Women can do what men can.¡±

    Ye Zhen dared to speak her mind, her small face wreathed with a red tinge of nervousness as she gazed at the empress dowager who could be unhappy upon hearing such words.

    The empress dowager was taken aback by the little girl¡¯s courage and sagacity. She was young and childlike, yet she fostered such profound thoughts. She paused, gazed at her for a while, then smiled and nodded.

    ¡°Very well. Aijia will be looking forward to the miss entering the pce and bing an imperial physician.¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s countenance was girdled with a smile. ¡°Thank you very much, Your Highness.¡±

    Although the title of royalty would make her status more honorable, what she needed now was not an honorable identity, but one that would allow her to go about things conveniently.

    She wanted the Lu Family, who rose by stepping on the corpses of the innocents, to copse; and for Mo Rongzhan to lose everything that he possessed. These were not the things that could be aplished by dignitaries. How could she avenge relying on her strength alone?

    Ye Zhen had yet to figure out a more convenient method. She could only take one step at a time. Perhaps, an opportunity would arise in the future.

    As of now, Lu Wushuang had lost Mo Rongzhan¡¯s trust. Even if she regained the favor, it would never be the same as before.

    When something breaks, it can never be whole again no matter how adeptly it is mended.

 Chapter 215 - An Unsolicited Wish

    <strong>Chapter 215 ¨C An Unsolicited Wish</strong>

    Suddenly, the atmosphere had turned even more harmonious. Gone was the awkwardness and inhibitions between a superior and subordinate. If anything, the gap was bridged and the respect for one another deepened.

    The empress dowager held Ye Zhen¡¯s hand and led her to the table, pointing to the album.

    ¡°Look, how are these girls?¡± said she.

    At a nce, Ye Zhen recognized those girls from various families. Some were from within the capital, others from around the country. They came from a mixed parentage, each with her own virtues; but none of low-birth.

    She knew the purpose behind this album, however, why was she being shown these? She had neither the standing nor the desire to be a part of this.

    ¡°Your Highness, what is this?¡± Ye Zhen looked curious, pretending to know nothing.

    ¡°This is this year¡¯s Xiunu Album. Aijia has selected several that look good, and they shall be assessed once more when they enter the pce,¡± the dowager said with a smile.

    Ye Zhen looked at them carefully and found it interesting that thedies chosen by the empress dowager were all the ones she had note across in her past life. After all, in the past life, it was Lu Wushuang who had presided over the Xiunu selection. How could she pick those whose identity and appearance were superior to the wang fei¡¯s? Apart from Liu Hua, who entered the pce without the Xiunu selection, all the others were her rivals.

    However, the empress dowager had selected diversely; some had a good social background, some appearance, and some gentle temperaments. In any case, Lu Wushuang would be dumped on the streets soon. By the time these beautiful women entered the pce, Lu Wushuang would not need to be suspicious all day long, thinking that the emperor was interested in other women. Because by then, she would be one among the many wives of the emperor.

    ¡°Your Highness, these women are as beautiful as flowers and pure as jade; dignified and elegant. Every one of them is a finedy,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile, eager to find a few more people who could provoke Lu Wushuang.

    ¡°Aijia feels the same.¡± The dowager responded with a smile.

    ¡°Your Highness, is this Xu Huiru... the second miss of the Xu Family?¡± Ye Zhen inwardly sneered.

    She knew that Xu Huiru was a talented woman and had always been disdainful of others. As Ye Zhen, she had faced her off enough times. She was a perfect opponent to the conniving Wang Fei. In a way, they were the proverbial match made in heaven. If she were to enter the pce, it would not take long for her and Lu Wushuang to turn into sworn enemies. After all, two tigers cannot rule the same mountain.

    Ye Zhen was in full anticipation of that day. The day when they would fight tooth and nail when their true self would be peeledyer byyer; when they would kill each other¨C and unknowingly avenge her. She would not even need to lift a finger and...

    ... yes, she just couldn¡¯t wait to see that day.

    ¡°Ahh... yes. This is the second daughter of Prime Minister Xu¡¯s family. Aijia heard that this second miss is the most talented woman in the capital.¡±

    As the dowager uttered the words, she felt nostalgic. She thought of Ye Zhen... her aura and charisma. If Ye Zhen was still here, who couldpare to her!

    When Ye Zhen saw the dazed empress dowager, she called out softly. ¡°Your Highness?¡±

    The empress dowager responded with a faint smile and said, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that you grew up in a border town. If you were in the capital, you probably would have seen what a truly stunning beauty looks like.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, who are you referring to?¡± Ye Zhen felt a tingling in her heart, she was able to guess who the dowager was referring to.

    ¡°Ye Zhen, thete Wang Fei.¡±

    The empress dowager, unlike others, did not take the words ¡®Ye Zhen¡¯ as a taboo. She just did not mention it before Mo Rongzhan, but that did not mean she was afraid to mention it at all.

    Ye Zhen looked up at the empress dowager in a stupor. She didn¡¯t expect to pleasantly hear her previous name from none other than the dowager herself.

    The empress dowager shook her head and sighed. ¡°Beautiful women suffer unhappy fates. This is probably the case with the youngdy. Ye Zhen was quite a fine woman. If only her surname was not Ye... .¡±

    ¡°Being missed Empress Dowager like this, the wang fei... must be immensely blessed.¡± Ye Zhen lowered her head, preventing the empress dowager from seeing her crimson eyes.

    ¡°If she was truly blessed, she would not have been...¡± The dowager sighed. ¡°There is no use saying these things now. Please apany Aijia in selecting more fine women.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Ye Zhen also felt that it was really inappropriate to talk about her previous identity. She was afraid that the repressed grief and anger in her heart would surge uncontrobly.

    After apanying the empress dowager in selecting more than a dozen beautiful women, Ye Zhen thought about returning to the little prince¡¯s residence. She wanted to go back to make dinner for Mo Rongyi.

    ¡°You do not have to worry about your family. Aijia has sent someone to tell your grandmother that Aijia brought you into the pce.¡± The empress dowager reassured as Ye Zhen was about to step down.

    Well, if such was the case, she would be clear of all me in the matter of Lu Wushang¡¯s confinement. The Lu Family nor the woman herself will be able to fault her.

    A grateful Ye Zhen curtsied but hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Your Highness, may I go see Wang Fei Lu?¡±

    ¡°What do you want to see her for?¡± The empress dowager frowned and added. ¡°She has been forbidden by the emperor to step out and no one is allowed to see her.¡±

    ¡°It was because of me that Wang Fei has misunderstood,¡± Ye Zhen said with guilt.

    The empress dowager¡¯s visage was suffused with anger. ¡°If she had not been impulsive, she would have not angered the emperor. Let her reflect upon herself. Aijia will send two tutoring aunts to teach her the rules well during this period.¡±

    Ye Zhen asked in a low voice, ¡°Your Highness, will His Majesty hate the wang fei?¡±

    ¡°As long as she mends her ways, how can the emperor hate her?¡± The dowager smiled and said, ¡°You are still concerned about her.¡±

    ¡°Wang Fei is still a sister of this official¡¯s daughter.¡± As those words left her lips, Ye Zhen reckoned she still needed to refine her act.

    The empress dowager nodded and thought of the contrast between Lu Yaoyao and Lu Wushuang. The matter with Lu Wushuang was not about her family education, but her character. Lu Yaoyao is also the daughter of the Lu Family. How could she be so much better than her?

    ¡°You need not be responsible for her.¡± The dowager assured Ye Zhen.

    At those words, Ye Zhen revealed a rxed expression and walked away with her head bowed all along.

 Chapter 216 - Your Majesty, Please Calm Down! (1)

    <strong>Chapter 216 ¨C Your Majesty, Please Calm Down! (1)</strong>

    Going back to the little prince¡¯s residence, Ye Zhen saw Mo Rongzhan stepping out.

    Ye Zhenposed herself, stood aside with her head hanging low, not wanting to see the gloomy, handsome face. Her instincts said that this man was in a foul mood: she must not provoke him this time, so as not to incur his wrath.

    Dressed in a dark blue, royal robe, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s manly figure came to a pause right in front of Ye Zhen. He looked at her calm jade-like face beneath him. Apparently, every time he saw her, her face had always been like this.

    No need to be afraid. Steady now. This is just... nothing!

    Even as his icy gazed intensified the pressure in the air, Ye Zhen tried to calm her taut nerves.

    ¡°Where have you been?¡± he coldly asked.

    ¡°Replying to the emperor, this official¡¯s daughter is returning from the Cining Pce.¡±

    Indeed, as expected he is in a bad mood. Ah, this tone of his invokes fear.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s cold eyes fixated on her. ¡°What do you want?¡± He demanded.

    At that, Ye Zhen raised her head, her doe-eyes evincing her confusion.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I do not quite understand what you mean.¡±

    ¡°Now that Little Prince¡¯s illness has improved, I shall give you one wish,¡± Mo Rongzhan said tly. How could this girl have forgotten?

    ¡°Really?¡±

    As soon as Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes lit up, the rigid and calm expression on her face immediately became vivid. Her eyes were as clear as the stars of the midnight.

    Mo Rongzhan froze for a moment. It was the first time he had seen her look so happy. An involuntary upward curl appeared on the corner of his mouth. ¡°Zhen does not go back on his word.¡±

    Surprisingly, he was not miffed by her skepticism.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I can wish for anything?¡± Her voice dropped to a whisper.

    ¡°As long as I can do it, naturally, there will be no problem.¡± Mo Rongzhan looked at her, quite looking forward to what kind of wish she would have.

    Then, Ye Zhen¡¯s fair hands pointed to a distant ce. ¡°Your Majesty, can I go and study there?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan was baffled. Of all the things she could ask for...

    ¡°Your wish is to go to the library pagoda?¡± he asked shocked.

    ¡°Can I not...?¡± Her shoulders drooped in visible disappointment, the light in her eyes faded. How she longed to go in and have a look.

    Initially, she was only curious, but perhaps the conversation with Qi Jin this morning, heightened her interest and before she knew it, the curiosity had transformed into a yearning.

    ¡°Do you not have other wishes?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked with stern eyes. Why was she unlike the normal girls? Why were her interests and wishes so stark?

    Ye Zhen shook her head gently. She could not think of any other wish. In fact, at this moment she did not want anything else. She wanted nothing else... but did he want... ?

    She abruptly looked at Mo Rongzhan and noticed his livid face; her eyebrows suddenly creased.

    She looked him right in the eye and asked, ¡°Your Majesty, do you want this official¡¯s daughter to wish to intercede for the wang fei?¡±

    The man and the woman looked squarely at each other, neither party wanting to avert their gaze. However, the air around the former had turned somewhat sullen, while thetter was, obviously, oblivious to it. One looked sombre, the other vacant. Ah, such were the matters between men and women it seems; one would seldom understand the other.

    There was one other who wished he were invisible, if not, at least be able to bury his head in sand so as to be exempted from such a nerve wracking situation: The able Eunuch Fu, who could perpetually think on his feet, standing right behind his master now, for the first time ever, failed toe up with the right response in the moment.

    ¡°Lu... Yaoyao!¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s perplexed voice squeezed out from thin, pursed lips. ¡°Are you a fool?¡± He barked.

    He was so miffed that he wanted to wring this dartedss¡¯ neck! He admitted, she did have the gall and the knack to tempt fate itself!

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Of course not!¡±

    How could he say that? What a conceited man!

    ¡°Then how did youe to think I wanted you to intercede for Lu Wushuang?¡± Mo Rongzhan demanded, suppressing his growling heart over the darn, dubious woman.

    ¡°This official¡¯s daughter merely conjectured. Your Majesty, please calm down!¡± Ye Zhen forced a smile. She had to quell the beast before her lest she end up in a spot.

    Truth be told, she was really afraid that Mo Rongzhan would regret punishing Lu Wushuang. Just then, she was only testing the waters is all. Why would she help Lu Wushuang with this regard anyway? She was no fool!

    It took immense determination for Mo Rongzhan to rein in this temper albeit looking exasperated. Looking at the petite youngdy, he felt that he could lose his patience any time now.

    ¡°Leave at once!¡± He took a deep breath. If Ye Zhen stayed any longer, he was not sure if he could hold out his anger.

    Before she left, Ye Zhen wanted to rify if she could go to the library pagoda. He hadn¡¯t given an explicit answer after all. However, when she caught sight of the rage in his eyes, she reluctantly swallowed her words.

    ¡°Your Majesty, this official¡¯s daughter will take her leave,¡± she said as politely as possible.

    And yet, with a frosty face, Mo Rongzhan stormed out.

    And with that...

    Eunuch Fu was handed a new lease of life, he was able to breathe again, and immediately sprinted to catch up with his master.

    *

    When night came, the news about Lu Wushuang being confined finally made its way to the Lu Family, shrouding the entire household in a dismal air.

    ¡°Mother, what is the matter? How could Lu Wushuang be confined?¡± Madam Lu¡¯s distraught, incredulous voice demanded.

    Needless to say, as much as this was a shock to all, the most difited was Madam Lu. As soon as she had heard the news, she had run to find the old madam. She was at her wit¡¯s end, stilling to terms with the abrupt turn of events.

    It was no secret that the emperor doted on the wang fei. For long she had solely ruled his heart and with that the roost. And this year was especially critical for her position. The entire capital was aware of the uing Xiunu selection in the pce.

    Yet, at this crucial urrence, how could the wang fei be confined?

    Agitated by the matter, Madam Lu couldn¡¯t be at ease.

    ¡°Mother, what should we do? Should we send a letter to extend our thoughts on this matter? Our family must not sit by idly.¡± Madam Lu persuaded.

    Old Madam Lu turned cold. She could not believe that her daughter-inw had just spouted such nonsense.

    ¡°When the rebellion is being suppressed in the Western Buffer Region, at a life and death crisis, you dare meddle with the emperor¡¯s decision in his Inner Pce?¡±

    ¡°Should we not be concerned about Wang Fei?¡± Madam Lu reasoned in a sharp voice.

    What rebellion! What life and death crisis! To her, right now, nothing was more important than her daughter¡¯s situation.

 Chapter 217 - Your Majesty, Please Calm Down! (2)

    <strong>Chapter 217 ¨C Your Majesty, Please Calm Down! (2)</strong>

    ¡°Is this something we can handle? The emperor has confined the wang fei, she must have done something that angered him. Now, we still do not know anything. How do you n to help her? Do not act hastily and bring trouble to our family.¡± Old Madam Lu chastised.

    Madame Lu sat back and calmed herself. Her daughter was in a very dicey position now. One wrong move, and things could turn catastrophic. Even so, the old madam did not seem nervous at all. No matter how desperate she was, she dared not act rashly for she too was worried that it would affect the Lu Family.

    If the Lu Family had not had my daughter as the wang fei, would the family be as prosperous as it is today? Is it not that the old madam has pinned all her hopes on the Third Household?

    Humph! Lu Shiming is just an imperial secretary, whypare him with my son? Even if his daughter has be more beautiful, it cannotpare with Lu Wushuang.

    When Lu Shiming saw Madam Lu calm down, he softly asked Old Madam Lu, ¡°Mother, have you not heard anything else from the pce?¡±

    Old Madam Lu shook her head. ¡°Lu Wushuang has not only angered the emperor, but also the empress dowager. I heard the empress dowager sent two tutoring aunts to teach her the rules.¡±

    ¡°What is wrong with my Lu Wushuang?¡± Madam Lu could not sit still when she heard this. She could not believe that her impable daughter had been subjected to such humiliation.

    Old Madam Lu nced at her coldly. Tonight, this woman was hell bent on trying her patience it seems. ¡°Do you think you know the rules?¡± she asked sarcastically.

    ¡°Mother, how can you always target the Eldest Household? If Shuang¡¯er has really fallen out of favor, can the Lu Family still relish thisfort? What you are enjoying now, is it not brought about by my daughter?¡± Madam Lu cried grumpily.

    ¡°Liu Shi, the glory and wealth of the Lu Family today are indeed brought by your children. However, if it wasn¡¯t the property earned by the ancestors given out to help the emperor, would the Lu Family be where it is today? Do not frighten others in the name of your children. If you feel that you have suffered a loss, wait until he arrives and ask him if he wants to separate from this family.¡± Old Madam Lu¡¯s stern voice resonated in the hall.

    Madam Lu was left speechless for a moment. However, she soon rposed herself and took the softer approach this time.

    ¡°Mother, I am just worried about Wang Fei.¡±

    ¡°Who is not worried about Wang Fei? Who do you think you are to meddle in the emperor¡¯s household affairs?¡± Old Madam Lu asked.

    ¡°Should we just do nothing?¡± Madam Lu asked grudgingly. If it weren¡¯t for the old woman, she would¡¯ve rushed to the pce gates by now.

    ¡°Doing nothing is helping the wang fei!¡± Old Madam Lu hollered. She didn¡¯t know what was brewing in this insane woman¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Mother...¡±

    Madam Lu was interjected before she could say another word.

    ¡°Do not inquire about it any more. What we know now is enough, when the timees we shall know more about the matter. I¡¯m tired. Return.¡± Old Madam Lu dismissed the eldest daughter-inw, so as not to cause her more headaches.

    ¡°Mother, I¡¯ll take my leave,¡± she said reluctantly.

    Just then, she glimpsed at Pei Shi, who had been silent all along, her head bowed. Her blood boiled at her serene countenance. She was living in peace while her daughter was going through hell. She could not endure it. Since she could not say a word to the old woman, she decided to direct her frustration to her.

    ¡°Third Sister, the matter I mentionedst time, you had better think about it. We are all members of this family. You cannot always let the Eldest Household bear the burden of the whole family. Yaoyao is not a child anymore. This is yourst chance. Had you heeded, someone would have been of help to the wang fei now.¡±

    Pei Shi¡¯s face turned red in anger as she raised her head. ¡°Eldest Sister, I would never consider. You need not to talk about this again.¡±

    ¡°How can you be so selfish? Do you not have any share of responsibility in this family?¡± Madame Lu cried.

    Pei Shi sneered. ¡°Let me marry my daughter on an auspicious day, and let her live a happy life. Elder Sister, marrying off my daughter to a widower... hmph! Over my dead body!

    ¡°You...¡± Madam Lu stared angrily at Pei Shi, pointing her finger towards thetter as she almost swore.

    Bang!

    The tea cupnded on the table heavily, the table shook and the whole hall descended into silence.

    Old Madam Lu¡¯s face was dark. She glowered at Madam Lu icily.

    ¡°Liu Shi, do you think I¡¯m dead? When have you had the right to decide on the marriage of thedies in our family? Why don¡¯t you marry off your own daughter as you like to be a rtive by marriage to the Liang Family? After all, Yaoyao is not the eldest unmarried miss in this family!¡±

    ¡°Mother, I was just saying...¡±

    When the wang fei had sent people over to deliver gifts, it also included a reminder: No matter what, she needed to marry off Lu Yaoyao, otherwise, it would negatively affect her status within the pce. However, Madam Lu did not dare reveal her daughter¡¯s intentions as such.

    At that time, Madam Lu had thought her daughter was unreasonably anxious and did not take it to heart. She too, after all, was aware of thetter¡¯s excessive paranoia. Moreover, she had never considered Lu Yaoyao a threat nor anticipated that her daughter¡¯s position would be threatened.

    But now she knew better. She saw Lu Yaoyao was not what she appeared to be. She was a fox veiled as an innocent doe. She was as it is not easy to handle, and now she was living in the academy making it even harder for her to rein her in. This was why she had approached Pei Shi, who could be fooled easily, to agree to the marriage. However, who knew she was a stubborn mule and would reject all advice? Instead, the olddy was enraged.

    ¡°I¡¯m still alive. You are in no position to argue!¡± Old Madam Lu grunted and put an end to the topic.

    ¡°Yes, mother.¡± Madam Lu¡¯s mouth twitched. Now, more than ever, she felt that the Third Household¡¯s presence in the capital would only bode them ill. One after the other things were falling out of ce. The old madam is simply biased.

    Old Madam Lu gave her a sidelong nce, as if reading her thoughts. ¡°If there are no matters in the future, do not go outside. Did you not just recover? Don¡¯t fall ill again.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Madam Lu was so upset, that she felt like cursing the damned old woman in front of her.

    With a flick of her sleeve, she left in a huff.

 Chapter 218 - Leaving the Palace (1)

    <strong>Chapter 218 ¨C Leaving the Pce (1)</strong>

    The hall, once the ¡®storm¡¯ had passed, descended into silence. The remaining members collectively breathed a furtive sigh of relief.

    However, at Madam Lu¡¯s exit, Old Madam Lu sighed heavily and shook her head. This daughter-inw had always given her headaches. She felt it was better when she used to be ill, now she was really getting out of hand.

    She looked at Lu Shiming and said, ¡°Your Elder Sister-inw is such a misfit. Forget what she has said, and don¡¯t take it to heart.¡±

    ¡°Mother, we would not argue with Elder Sister-inw.¡± Lu Shiming faintly smiled.

    Normally, he did not mind such things, treating them as trivial. It was not the first time his Elder Sister-inw had behaved so he was used to it. However, with matters pertaining to his child, no matter who he had to face, he would not let them be wronged in the slightest.

    Old Madam Lu sighed and spoke in a low voice. ¡°The Wang Fei in the pce has the same temperament as her. This time she is forbidden by the emperor. Perhaps she has also made a mistake.¡±

    Instantly, Pei Shi¡¯s thoughts went to her daughter who was still in the pce. She anxiously asked, ¡°Mother, Yaoyao is still in the pce. Will she... be affected by this?¡±

    Old Madam Lu considered for a moment before replying. ¡°Yaoyao will not be involved. I heard that she is with the empress dowager. Nothing untoward could happen.¡±

    Although Pei Shi was unconvinced, she still concealed her worries and reassured Old Madam Lu. ¡°Mother, please do not worry about it either. Let the Third Master secretly ask around about it tomorrow, and he will let us know.¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    Lu Lingzhi was away quelling the rebellion. Now Old Madam Lu could only depend upon Lu Shiming.

    Lu Shiming said, ¡°Mother, Second Brother¡¯s arrival will be dyed for a while. He should be in the capital in two days. He wille back. There are many of us in our family who can take matters in our hands. You do not have to worry too much.¡±

    At the mention of her second son, Old Madam Lu¡¯s eyes smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t know what caught him halfway. If he does not make it to my birthday, I will not concern myself with him.¡±

    Lu Shiming replied with a smile. ¡°Mother, please put your heart at ease. Second Brother is the most filial. He will return before your birthday.¡±

    Old Madam Lu revealed a smile.

    Pei Shi agreed and said, ¡°Mother, you should take your rest. Do not worry about other things these days. Recently, you said that you have been feeling dizzy and tired.¡±

    ¡°Well... well, I shall listen to you. Go to bed now.¡± Old Madam Lu heeded her daughter-inw¡¯s concern with a smile.

    *

    It had been two nights since Ye Zhen¡¯s stay in the pce. She was all set to return to the academy the following day.

    Looking back, she was quite satisfied with the two days. Except for a certain someone¡¯s presence, she could say her time here had been satisfactory. She was able to see her nemesis stumble, repay the kindness she was once shown, and to an extent set right the wrong her kin had brought about. Yes, she felt good.

    Ye Zhen had tried her best to incorporate the miraculous liquid into the medicated meals of Mo Rongyi for these two days. Needless to say, the miraculous liquid had worked its miracles; the Little Prince¡¯splexion returned to its ruddiness, gone was his pains and spasms. He still looked very thin, but he was eating well and feeling spirited. On the whole, he was progressing at a good rate.

    ¡°These are the dried meat I made for you. You can have some everyday. Some candied fruits that I¡¯ve soaked in medicinal juice, you can eat one after taking your medicine.¡± Ye Zhen went about exining to Mo Rongyi.

    Every one of those things had the miraculous liquid. She was concerned that upon her departure from the pce, Mo Rongyi would not be able to take the miraculous liquid, and hence, she had made these to make do. This would ensure he would consume the liquid every day, for as long as theysted.

    Mo Rongyi gestured to Madam Nuan to take the snacks and said with a smile, ¡°This prince looks fine now. Imperial Physician Qi said that there is no need to take medicine in another two days.¡±

    Ye Zhen shed a smile. ¡°That is good news! I can be at ease and go to ss tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Are you already leaving the pce?¡± Mo Rongyi frowned as he looked at her. ¡°Then no one will apany this prince anymore?¡±

    ¡°When His Highness recovers, he still has to attend sses in his study. Someone will have to apany him there,¡± Ye Zhen said and continued in jest, ¡°If His Highness were to go out of the pce, I could still go hunting with him, but he must not cry when he loses.¡±

    Mo Rongyi cried in great anger. ¡°Lu. Yao. Yao, how dare you look down upon me!¡±

    ¡°Well, well, I wonder who fell into the trap in the woods thest time. If it were not for the girl who happened to pass by...¡± Ye Zhen teased Mo Rongyi.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao! Just wait until I fully recover!¡± The young and puerile boy¡¯s face was chafed. ¡°This prince will certainly win against you. Just wait!¡± He dered with a face wreathed with determination.

 Chapter 219 - Leaving the Palace (2)

    <strong>Chapter 219 ¨C Leaving the Pce (2)</strong>

    Ye Zhen covered her mouth and giggled. ¡°Well, then I can wait for the challenge after His Highness recovers.¡±

    Mo Rongyi snorted, then eventuallyughed. ¡°Tell this prince what reward you want and he shall certainly satisfy you.¡±

    The young prince¡¯s heart was generous and kind. Even if he was displeased, his anger would onlyst a fleeting moment. Ye Zhen looked at Mo Rongyi with kind and gentle eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t you give me 40,000 taels?¡±

    ¡°Then what should I reward...?¡± Mo Rongyi¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°Shall I send you some seeds?¡±

    ¡°Seeds?¡± Ye Zhen was stunned. She certainly did not have time to nt flowers now!

    Mo Rongyi smiled mysteriously. ¡°You know there is also a medicinal field in the pce, filled with rare herbs from around the world. Usually, there are medicine farmers there to take care of them. Those herbs are used in the imperial pharmacy. I can give you some seeds. However, whether you can grow them would depend on your own ability.¡± In the end, he threw her a challenge and somewhat avenged his tiny ego.

    ¡°Very well!¡±

    Ye Zhen was ted. Of course, she knew that there is a small medicinal field in the pce. In fact, it¡¯s arge sshouse. She had seen the herbs in the sshouse but didn¡¯t know what they were. It¡¯s not easy to sneak into this ce, thus it was better to get the seeds in a proper manner. Who knew, her wish would be granted without her saying so!

    Besides, she had wanted to grow some herbs herself. This would be a good start.

    Mo Rongyi said, ¡°However, this prince cannot get the seeds today. I¡¯ll give it to you when I get them in a few days.¡±

    ¡°Little prince, how would you get those seeds?¡± She was curious.

    It was said that no one was allowed near the sshouse without the permission of the emperor.

    ¡°That is to say, this prince has a n. Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Mo Rongyi said, still continuing being mysterious. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going? Go, go!¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at the sky outside. If she were to leave now, she would have been able to return to the Lu Family.

    She curtsied. ¡°Little Prince, then I¡¯ll return to my family ande to see you when I have the chance.¡±

    Mo Rongyi coldly snorted. He did not want her to leave but would not say so either.

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t take his reaction to heart and went to Cining Pce to seek permission.

    The empress dowager had already asked Qi Jin for a report. She knew that the Little Prince was feeling much better and did not need to eat the medicated meals anymore. She also knew it was time to send Lu Yaoyao back now, otherwise, she might have to let her stay for a few more days.

    ¡°Return to the college and study medicine well. Aijia will be waiting for your admittance in the pce as a physician.¡± As she spoke, the empress dowager gently smiled, her eyes full of gratitude, affection, and pride.

    ¡°One has let Her Highness see a joke. Please don¡¯tugh at me for having dreams.¡± Ye Zhen replied sheepishly.

    ¡°Dreams doe true.¡± The empress dowager said, ¡°Your grandmother must be missing you these days. You should return to Lu Household. Aijia has ordered Aunt Cheng to send you off.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡±

    Ye Zhen was a little reluctant to part with the dowager. She had always felt a deep connection with this wise woman. Be it as Ye Zhen in her previous life, or now as Lu Yaoyao, she had nothing but admiration, respect, and inexplicable affection for the woman before her.

    She held the dowager¡¯s arm, rubbing it, as she said, ¡°If Her Highness allows it, can this official¡¯s daughtere and apany Her Highness asionally?¡±

    The Empress Dowager smiled and narrowed her eyes. ¡°With someone as pleasant as you, Aijia will always be d to have you around.¡±

    Aunt Cheng, beside them, was smiling in delight. In the imperial family shrouded in the darkness of treachery, deceit, and betrayal, a glimmer of sincerity, selflessness, and affection was a rarity. She was d to have glimpsed upon one such, and between two totally unrted people.

    The two spoke for a while before Ye Zhen was dismissed. However, before Ye Zhen and Aunt Cheng reached the imperial gardens, Eunuch Ford came to invite her to the imperial study.

    ¡°Eunuch Ford, is there anything else the emperor has ordered?¡± Ye Zhen was reluctant to see that man again. She was only just rejoicing that she had not seen him today.

    ¡°I also do not know. Miss Lu, you will know when you go to the imperial study.¡± Eunuch Ford answered.

    Ye Zhen frowned and followed the retainer to the imperial study.

    As she stood in front of the closed doors, she took a deep breath. She didn¡¯t particrly like the imperial study very much. She could still feel goosebumps on her skin, even after all the time that had psed. After all, it was in this ce that housed many annals of righteousness, an atrocity wasid bare.

    Soon after her death, her spirit had arrived here, unbidden... perhaps, to witness treachery and brutality in their truest forms.

    She saw how her ¡°most trusted friend¡±, Lu Lingzhi, had stabbed the already dead her when he presented the jade pendant without an iota of guilt... how her ruthless husband felt nothing but relief upon the news of her demise... he didn¡¯t wait to remarry.

    ... Yes, this was where the truth behind everything had unraveled... her illusion and hope shattered.

 Chapter 220 - Filthy Kiss (1)

    <strong>Chapter 220 ¨C Filthy Kiss (1)</strong>

    Since the moment Eunuch Ford had appeared, Ye Zhen was dispirited. She could think on her toes to glean the purpose of his visit and it was precisely why she was miffed.

    Today, of all her time being here, she had not seen even a shadow of that man. It was such a happy day... She¡¯d thought, if ever they met, the most she would do was greet and be done with him.

    And yet... her she was...

    Ah, fate had an eerie way to things. Or, was it simply that enemies were bound to meet on a narrow path?

    She schooled her thoughts and expression, opened the door, and walked in with her head held low.

    ¡°This official¡¯s daughter greets the emperor.¡± Ye Zhen tightly pursed her pink lips and curtsied.

    Mo Rongzhan sneered, he could see right through her.

    ¡°Every time you pay your respects, you are so reluctant. You had better not pay respects at all,¡± he said, sarcastically.

    ¡°Your Majesty, paying no respect at all seems very impolite. Others would say that this official¡¯s daughter is disrespectful.¡± Ye Zhen solemnly replied.

    <i>Does she really not want to pay respects?!</i>

    Mo Rongzhan was angered and amused at the same time. This darn girl was truly unlike any other, he just couldn¡¯t read her.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, do you think I really dare not punish you for such insolence?¡± He demanded, looking right at her with a piercing gaze.

    ¡°Your Majesty, you are the emperor of this country. If you want this official¡¯s daughter to die, she will have to die. However, this official¡¯s daughter is no one¡¯s servant. One cannot just punish me as one pleases.¡± Ye Zhen unwaveringly reasoned.

    Mo Rongzhan wore a mysterious smile, his thoughts imperceptible. ¡°Lu Yaoyao, you have a lot of courage.¡±

    Ye Zhen cocked her head and thought for a moment. ¡°I fear death, so I cannot be regarded as courageous,¡± she said tly.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Suddenly, Mo Rongzhan felt despise towards her indifference. The image from when he had seen her the first time at the hot spring flitted past his mind. How she was flustered, shy... she had fled like she had seen a monster. The ¡®her¡¯ now was a stark contrast to the ¡®her¡¯ then. A stark contrast to the impression he had formed of her. Was this indeed her real temperament? Unconcerned and cold?

    When Ye Zhen saw the faint smile on Mo Rongzhan¡¯s lips, she could sense his malicious intent. She took a step back.

    ¡°Your Majesty, if you have no other orders, then this official¡¯s daughter will take her leave.¡±

    ¡°I have reservations.¡± Mo Rongzhan slowly stood up and started walking towards Ye Zhen, his gaze never leaving her once.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid this official¡¯s daughter cannot help with His Majesty¡¯s reservations.¡± Ye Zhen coldly replied. She felt uneasy with a pair of spiteful eyes staring at her.

    ¡°Every woman over the age of thirteen in this country must take part in the Xiunu selection. Lu Yaoyao, why are you not in the Xiunu?¡±

    By now he had stopped right in front of Ye Zhen and in an instant, stretched out his hand and held her chin.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s entire body froze. She had never anticipated this move. For a moment, she went nk, even so, she never once averted her gaze from him.

    ¡°This official¡¯s daughter was so ugly before that the county¡¯s elders did not take notice of her. Naturally, one couldn¡¯t be a Xiunu.¡±

    She had long prepared this reply, in case the empress dowager had pointed out. What the mother had not bothered with, the son was very interested in.

    ¡°In that case, I will add you to the list of Xiunu.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan smiled cruelly. He was especially pleased as Ye Zhen¡¯s face turned pale at his words.

    ¡°Are you foolishly happy?¡± He jibed.

    <i>Such a fool! </i>Ye Zhen cursed him in her heart. Only by taking a deep breath could she calm her ire somewhat. ¡°Your Majesty, this is against the rules.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan loosened his grip on her chin and sneered. ¡°I am the rule.¡± He provoked her.

    ¡°Your Majesty, this official¡¯s daughter does not want to be a Xiunu!¡±

    Ye Zhen gnashed her teeth. How could she not know what the man was thinking? He was doing it on purpose! He clearly knew that she wanted to be a physician. If she became a Xiunu, she wouldn¡¯t be able to go to the medical academy. He wanted to clip her wings even before they were even formed.

    <i>What a sadist!</i>

    ¡°Why is that?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked, feigning ignorance. He wanted to see how far he could push her, what her limit was... her breaking point. He wanted to see her whole facade crumble, to see who she was out and out.

    How she wished to smash his head right this instance, to rip apart that face and mouth that seemed so innocent. Even so, she concealed her intentions behind a in veneer.

    ¡°This official¡¯s daughter grew up in a border town as a child. She was uncouth and ignorant of any rules. If this official¡¯s daughter bes a Xiunu, she would be aughing stock. Your Majesty, I beseech you, for the sake of our ancestors, do not let the Lu Family lose face.¡± Ye Zhen replied.

    Mo Rongzhan stared vacantly at Ye Zhen, listening to her myriad pretexts to refuse him. After all, she had made it amply clear she didn¡¯t want to be his woman. In fact, a part of him that he had chosen to ignore in that moment of recklessness, knew his provocations would end up in vain. She would cleverly slip past him while firmly holding on to her mask. Perhaps, he was eager to see this side of her and hence went ahead, nevertheless...

 Chapter 221 - Filthy Kiss (2)

    <strong>Chapter 221 ¨C Filthy Kiss (2)</strong>

    ¡°Entering the pce as a concubine can bring your family prosperity, do you not want that?¡± Though his tone was light, it was clear he was not letting her off.

    ¡°Why should I sacrifice my life for my family to attainforts of luxury and high position? My elder brother will take the imperial examination soon. He would stand out among his peers, won¡¯t he? My parents will not sell their daughter for their own glory.¡±

    Ye Zhen even omitted the respectful appetion. She wished she could hold out her hand and scratch Mo Rongzhan to death. She herself knew how she was fighting her urge.

    Without even realizing it, her pink lips slightly pouted. An angry Ye Zhen seemed coquetry, enhancing the beauty of her originally gentle and beautiful face, her eyes vivid and radiant.

    For a moment, Mo Rongzhan lost his mind. Before he could regain his senses, he had stooped his head and blocked the lips that dazzled his mind.

    <i>How soft! So luscious! </i>

    His pupils dted as he tightly embraced her in his arms. He kissed her soft, supple and tender lips... as sweet as nectar... savouring every bit, making him want for more.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes flew wide open, her whole body turned stiff. She couldn¡¯t respond to what happened at all. She was caught off guard, dazed until she felt his warm tongue slip into her mouth. She struggled hard as she hit Mo Rongzhan¡¯s shoulder with both her hands.

    <i>What does this mean? What does he want to do?</i>

    Ye Zhen¡¯s rage surged in her heart, but at the same time, she felt fear. <i>If Mo Rongzhan really wanted her... there was no room for her to refuse!</i>

    His arms were as sturdy as iron. No matter how much strength she exerted, she could not push him away. Unhindered, he rolled the tip of her tongue and kissed her passionately. She almost could not breathe. All she could sense was his masculine breath.

    Tears flowed out from the corner of her eyes. When she had loved him with all her heart and soul, he did not even spare a moment to see her... not even on her deathbed. He did not even know what his wife looked like! He had disdained her, her presence... her very name!

    <i>What is he doing now?</i>

    Although she despised him now, there was no denying that he was the man who had ruled her mind, heart, and soul for many years. On the rational side was the injustice meted out to her, on the other a tender heart with unrequited love. She felt conflicted, a hint of reluctance emerged.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s tears flowed out uncontrobly. All her anguish, the feeling of being wronged, the pent up grievances... drop by drop formed a stream and trickled down her fair cheeks. And every time she thought that he had kissed Lu Wushuang, she felt nauseous.

    He could feel something salty on his lips. It took him a while to realize it was her tears.

    He was jolted back to his senses, realization dawned upon him. However, he had no regrets. Instead, he felt extremely right about her. He had never kissed any woman. Even Lu Wushuang, he had never kissed her so intimately.

    <i>It turned out that kissing someone indeed feels like...</i>

    When Ye Zhen noticed that he did not continue forcing himself onto her, she reflexively raised her hand and waved it heavily.

    <strong>Pa! </strong>

    A palm was clearly imprinted on the monarch¡¯s jade-like face.

    ¡°Mo Rongzhan, you are so disgusting!¡±

    Ye Zhen was teeming with such fury that she forgot that she was Lu Yaoyao. She just wanted to vent her resentment and anger. How could this man do as he pleased, taking her for granted?!

    ¡°What did you say?¡± He glowered.

    Mo Rongzhan was pped for the first time. With stern eyes, he gazed at the young miss who was still in his arms as if to pinch her to death the next moment. He didn¡¯t know what came over him, but he had certainly not expected such a strong reaction from this dainty girl.

    Ye Zhen stared right at him with tears brimming in her eyes, her hands tingling with pain. The pain gradually woke her up from the memory of the past. She didn¡¯t expect to... hit him.

    ¡°I said, you are disgusting.¡± Ye Zhen wanted to contain her emotions, but she couldn¡¯t. Time and again this man had inflicted pain in her. He wouldn¡¯t even let her heal!

    Mo Rongzhan turned frosty. ¡°You say it again!¡± he said, clenching his teeth.

    ¡°Kiss...¡± She sniffed. ¡°... it¡¯s something that only lovers do. You... how can you kiss me when you¡¯ve kissed so many women? You... You... ¡± The dam broke and tears burst forth.

    If word of this matter got out, her reputation would be ruined.

    Her red eyes incessantly watered; they were suffused with usation, indignation, and pain... the scene gradually dispelled his anger, an unknown string in his heart tugged.

    He spoke gently trying to soothe her. ¡°I will make you a princess. Do not cry.¡±

    And yet...

    ¡°Why should Ipete with so many women for an old cucumber?!¡± An incensed Ye Zhen spat out.

 Chapter 222 - Old Cucumber (1)

    <strong>Chapter 222 ¨C Old Cucumber (1)</strong>

    The imperial study plummeted into a deathly silence, the air still¨C nothing but the sound of heavy breathing filled the room. The livid doe-eyes glowered, the shocked hawk-eyes red as a woman and man stood in a deadlock... neither willing to back down.

    <i>Old cucumber?!</i>

    <i>[T/N: old cucumber: is a shrivelled old man. Here, it is an allusion to an overused ¡°third leg¡±.]</i>

    Mo Rongzhan nearly doubted what he had just heard.

    <i>What did she just say? Old cucumber?</i>

    This was too vivid. Even if he did not want to think about it, he waspelled to. A young girl, yet to be married, and to his surprise*...

    <i>[T/N: he¡¯s surprised cos it¡¯s a term that should be known only to married women. And here, a still ¡°pure¡± LYY mentioning it takes him by surprise.] </i>

    Ye Zhen was also a little dumbfounded at this time. In her fit of rage, she had repeated the words once spoken by her father.

    Back when she was determined to marry Mo Rongzhan, her eldest uncle had strongly opposed. He had wanted to marry her to the crown prince, saying that she could be the mother of the world in the future.

    Her father firmly disagreed and shouted at his brother.

    <i><strong>¡°Why do you want her to enter the pce topete with other women for an old cucumber*?¡±</strong></i>

    <i>[T/N: Continuing from the previous note, her father must have used the term to say the crown prince is an old man, if not he definitely has a fair share of concubines and the father found it disgusting as is. And YZ just parroted him without much thought.]</i>

    She remembered those words even to this day. They seemed to have been, unknowingly, etched in her mind.

    Mo Rongzhan was unwilling to let her off, looking down at her eyes full of shame, he asked with some uncertainty, ¡°Lu Yaoyao, what did you just say?¡±

    Ye Zhen tightly pursed her lips and refused to speak again. She had uttered those words at the peak of her emotions. Now that she¡¯s embarrassed to even think about it, how could she say it again.

    Mo Rongzhan looked at her clear and clever eyes with shame and anger. He red at her then pressed his lips together.

    ¡°Who taught you that?¡± Mo Rongzhan demanded. <i>Let him know who talked rubbish in front of her, he would certainly not let that person off!</i>

    ¡°Your Majesty, would you let me go?¡± Ye Zhen said coldly.

    Mo Rongzhan gazed at her rosy, glossy lips and asked, ¡°Lu Yaoyao, is it because of the Wang Fei that you refuse to enter the pce?¡±

    Ye Zhen smirked looking at him squarely. ¡°Even if there is no Wang Fei Lu, I will still refuse.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Mo Rongzhan creased his eyebrows as he asked.

    This girl was beyond his understanding. To say she sought no fame, she was ambitious: she was attending the Medical Academy and wished to be an Imperial Physician. She snubbed the offer he had willingly, time and again, made her; an offer that every girl yearned and fought to grab.

    <i>Why? Ha! What does it matter to him!</i> For a split second she was tempted to blurt the truth, but one ¡®old cucumber¡¯ was enough for today. She did not wish to bury herself deep, not yet, least of all alone.

    ¡°I do not desire to marry now. Moreover, why must I do it to enter the pce?¡± said she, ¡°Besides, the likes of you can never understand the beauty of being a couple for a lifetime... fickle in affection; loving the new and loathing the old.¡± Ye Zhen smiled, while her limpid eyes looked on in ridicule.

    She was such a person. She had a deep sense of justice and emotions. When she loved, she would do so with her entire being, all the way to the end, never once wavering. Or, she would never love at all. She had always found the notion of the world she was in hypocritical and refused to bow down to it. A woman was expected to pledge her heart and soul to her man, while he was allowed to ¡°share¡± his love without any qualms. Was it so difficult for a man to have a one and only?

    <i>Ah, having a husband whoys down with other women... she would rather not marry at all!</i>

    <i>A couple for a lifetime?</i> Mo Rongzhan wanted tough at those words. However, when he saw how serious she was, he clenched his teeth and pressed his lips together instead. The smile on the corner of his mouth gradually faded, his hand around her waist gently loosened.

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t waste a moment to push him away, took several steps back, and eyed him warily. She had clenched her fist on her sides, ready to pounce if necessary.

    Mo Rongzhan had an indescribable emotion in his heart. Her words... her actions just then, somewhere in the deep crevices of his heart, he felt an inexplicable pain. What she sought, was the very thing he could not give. He was unsure if it was because of an emperor¡¯s helplessness or a man¡¯s unwillingness. But give, he could not.

    He soon brushed aside his sentiments and snapped back to reality. After a moment, his rationality returned, and he categorized this requirement as what it should be: absurd.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, you know this idea is not realistic. All men like having three wives and four concubines.¡± He was surprised by his own words, why was he trying to appease her?!

    ¡°Not all men do.¡± Ye Zhen replied softly. She believed this had more to do with intent than the societal norms. Should a man put his foot down andmit himself to just one woman, who could stop him?

    ¡°What if you can¡¯t find one?¡± He countered.

    Ye Zhen just smiled like he had missed something obvious. ¡°Your Majesty, how many women in the capital do you think have looksparable to mine? Since I am already the best, who would choose those who are worse than me?¡±

    If he thought he could demoralize her, he was barking up the wrong tree. She was well aware of her worth, and needed no man to tell her so, certainly not the one standing before her.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s mood turned gloomier at the thought of how some men would taste her sweetness in the future. He was unreconciled. His childishness got the better of him.

    ¡°What if... Imand you enter the pce?

    He was the emperor, who on earth could defy him? If he wanted her, then no one could stop him and no man could have her.

    ¡°I would rather die.¡±

 Chapter 223 - Old Cucumber (2)

    <strong>Chapter 223 ¨C Old Cucumber (2)</strong>

    A moment of silence drawled.

    Ye Zhen also felt a tense feeling within her. She was very angry. The hatred she had for the man before her eyes was far different from Lu Lingzhi¡¯s. What she felt towards Mo Rongzhan was resentment.

    me him for betraying her heart, me him for mistaking another for her, me him for being cruel and ruthless that ultimately led to her poisoning. He who had shunned her, refused to even see a shadow of her was now taking the initiative to ask her to enter the pce- <i>ha ha, how ironic!</i>

    ¡°Leave at once!¡± Mo Rongzhan said in a heavy voice.

    He was aware his feelings towards her were different from others, but he did not choose a wife based on lust. Since bing the emperor, he had more than his own preferences to be considered. Every move, whether inside the court or inner pce, had to be meticulously measured lest the consequences be unbearable. If anything, there was no ce for any emotions least of all love.

    Ye Zhen breathed a sigh of relief and turned to take her leave.

    At her indifference, something in him pricked.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, there are many things in the world you cannot wish for,¡± Mo Rongzhan said, looking at her back.

    Ye Zhen turned her head, with a sneer on the corners of her lips said, ¡°I believe I have a deeper understanding of this than the emperor.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan faintly squinted at her.

    ¡°Your Majesty, is there any woman who loves you with all her heart and soul that is willing to fight against everyone for you?¡± Ye Zhen asked softly.

    She did not know what came over her to be asking him that.

    ¡°No!¡± Mo Rongzhan replied decisively, looking into her eyes. ¡°I have never met such a woman.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled even more coldly. ¡°What about thete Wang Fei Ye?¡±

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao!¡± He bellowed with a cold voice, his frosty eyes pierced right into hers.

    Anyone would have shrank, but she stood undeterred.

    ¡°Oh, it turns out that you are so disgusted with her that even the mere mention of her name makes you so agitated.¡± Ye Zhen smiled gently, feeling inexplicably cold in her heart.

    Mo Rongzhan was even colder. ¡°Do not think I really dare not do anything to you.¡± He roared.

    ¡°Many thanks to His Majesty¡¯s grace for not killing me. This official¡¯s daughter will take her leave.¡± Ye Zhen bowed her head as she curtsied and walked towards the door.

    All of a sudden, Mo Rongzhan asked, ¡°Lu Yaoyao, how do you know Ye Zhen?¡±

    ¡°Naturally, I¡¯ve heard about her.¡± Ye Zhen replied without looking back.

    ¡°Do not mention her again,¡± Mo Rongzhan said curtly.

    ¡°Does mentioning Ye Zhen make the emperor feel guilty?¡±

    She had turned and looked at him with a contemptuous smile.

    ¡°Why should I feel guilty? She¡¯s from the Ye Family. They all deserved to die.¡± Mo Rongzhan coldly replied without any remorse.

    ¡°If everyone from the Ye Family deserved to die, what about the emperor? The former emperor also avenged and killed many people. As the son of the former emperor, should you not be considered guilty by association?¡±

    As she spoke, Ye Zhen thought of her father and brother. They had had to pay for the crimes for her uncle with their lives. Was it fair? Her hatred for Mo Rongzhan immediately poured out.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s face turned stone cold. He had never expected anyone to argue with him over a unanimously epted decision, and a girl at that.

    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± He demanded.

    ¡°Not everyone in the Ye Family deserved to die.¡±

    ¡°Get out!¡±

    Mo Rongzhan restrained his wrath in his heart. If the woman talked once more, he was afraid he might unleash terror.

    Ye Zhen did not dawdle and went straight out of the imperial study without once turning back or slowing her pace. When she saw Aunt Cheng standing outside waiting for her, she smiled faintly.

    ¡°Aunt Cheng, thank you. You have waited for long.¡±

    Noticing her scarlet eyes, and streaked cheeks, Aunt Cheng immediately understood she had just cried. She was a little surprised, but deftly masked it with her usual smile pretending to have not noticed. It was not her ce to ask, besides, the girl would be embarrassed.

    ¡°Miss Lu is very kind. This handmaiden shall take you out of the pce now.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Aunt Cheng.¡± She smiled.

    By the time they settled into the carriage, Ye Zhen¡¯s mood had gradually calmed down. She had weathered the storm quite well, but in the end slipped up. She regretted losing control and mentioning her former self.

    <i>Would he harbor suspicions?</i>

    But even if she regretted it, she swore she would give him a harder p if he said one more time that he¡¯d take her as his concubine!

    Ye Zhen firmly touched her mouth. <i>Argh! So filthy!</i>

    Right then, something dawned upon her... Ye Zhen was stunned.

    When he¡¯d kissed her and she refused his offer, she had already epted death. Nevertheless, she was shocked that the tyrant Mo Rongzhan did not punish her. She had pped him. Her entire performance had just one word in the moral code of conduct¨C treachery. She had not stopped at that and even mentioned his most taboo name.

    And yet, he let her leave. It was hard to believe that she had returned from the clutches of death unscathed.

    There was one thing that Ye Zhen failed to understand: <i>When did Mo Rongzhan be interested in her? When she had entered the pce, did he not look at her with a face full of disgust?</i>

    <i>Indeed, a mystery!</i>

    While she was immersed in her musings, Aunt Cheng stole a nce at Ye Zhen and without a word lowered her eyes.

 Chapter 224 - Look Into Her (1)

    <strong>Chapter 224 ¨C Look Into Her (1)</strong>

    The beautiful girl had left behind a deathly silence and dismal air. Behind the writing desk, with a gloomy face, sat the master of this study and the entire pce.

    No one had mentioned Ye Zhen before him for quite some time now. Nor had he thought of the woman he was once married to. Why would he? He had no affection for her, only a strong sense of disgust. He had never bothered to see her even, not even on their wedding day was he curious to know how she looked. All he knew was that she had used despicable and shameless means to aplish her ends.

    Back then, he was just a prince without any power or support. All he had was his father¡¯s despise and loathing. He felt the battlefield was a much nicer ce than his home, unlike here where they stabbed in the dark, the enemies there attacked right in the face. One such vicious viin of his life was Ye Yisong.

    He still remembered the day Ye Yisong had dared to threaten him at the cost of his mother and Yi¡¯s safety in the pce, forcing him to marry his niece and support the crown prince wholeheartedly.

    Left to him, he would not have yielded to the coercion and married Ye Zhen. However, holding his mother and brother¡¯s life hostage was only the tip of the iceberg. If he were to defy the conditionsid before him, the ruthless man would have certainly attacked him from all fronts.

    At that time, he was leading troops into battle. Ye Yisong controlled the Ministry of Revenue»§²¿, and withheld the supply of army provisions. Without the provisions, he could not send out the troops. Besides, it was toote to withdraw from the war. So, for theck of a better option, he had married Ye Zhen.

    <i>What did that woman look like?</i>

    Mo Rongzhan tried hard to recall the happenings from the day of their marriage. No matter what, he could not remember her. Her face, voice... absolutely nothing came to his mind. If he were to say, he did not know what his wife of two years looked like, no one would believe him. But it was the truth.

    Half a year ago, upon his ascension to the throne, he had eliminated Ye Yisong, the treacherous official. As Lu Yaoyao said, not everyone in the Ye Family deserved to die.

    He admitted that there were good people in the Ye Family, like Ye Yiqing, his father-inw. He was a good man, nothing like his tyrannical brother.

    However, he had just ascended the Dragon Throne. There was internal strife and external aggression. Everybody in the Ye Family had to be killed and the n annihted. Otherwise, it would cause chaos in the imperial court.

    Without a second thought, he had ordered the execution of the Ye n unto the third generation. However, he had people secretly save Ye Yiqing and his son. No one knew about it, and he did not intend to let anyone know.

    <i>Lu Yaoyao... why does she stand crying injustice on behalf of the Ye Family? Did she not live in the border town all that time? How did she know about Ye Zhen?</i>

    Mo Rongzhan was not able to make sense of this. In his view, the Lu Family should hate the Ye Family. Who didn¡¯t know of the crimes theymitted? The world was rejoicing over their demise, after all. And yet, here was a young girl tantly using him of tyranny.

    ¡°Your Majesty, Lord Tang seeks an audience.¡± Eunuch Fu¡¯s voice interrupted the emperor¡¯s musings.

    Mo Rongzhan returned to his senses, and lightly said, ¡°Show him in.¡±

    Tang Zhen walked in and curtsied. ¡°This humble servant greets His Imperial Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Rise.¡± Mo Rongzhan lifted his eyelids and looked at Tang Zhen.

    ¡°Your Majesty, all the cases that Ye Yisong wronged back in the days have been investigated. A total of thirty officials have been killed unjustly. Twenty-five people are now in prison. These are the reviews of those cases.¡± Tang Zhen presented a thick book in his hand.

    Eunuch Fu came forward to take it and put it in front of Mo Rongzhan.

    Mo Rongzhan turned several pages at will. Some of them were very familiar names. Several of them were famous ministers in the previous years. Because they were honest and upright, they disagreed with Ye Yisong¡¯s opinions, so they were persecuted and sent to prison.

    ¡°After examining the cases, the confiscated possessions shall be returned to them,¡± Mo Rongzhan softly said. As he thought of what Ye Yisong had done in those days yet again, anger surged in his heart.

    Tang Zhen bowed, his hands cupped in obeisance. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan collected the book and lightly looked at Tang Zhen. ¡°I have something for you to look into.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, pleasemand,¡± Tang Zhen said.

    He was the trusted confidant of Mo Rongzhan. He did a lot of things that were inconvenient to bring to the table. Compared with Lu Lingzhi, he was more trusted by Mo Rongzhan.

    ¡°I want to know everything about Lu Yaoyao¡¯s life in the border town¨Cwho she has been with and what she has done since she came to the capital,¡± Mo Rongzhan said in a deep voice.

    <i>Lu Yaoyao?</i>

    Tang Zhen¡¯s expression changed a little but went unnoticed.

    <i>How could the emperor notice Lu Yaoyao? Why is he suddenly asking me to look into her?</i>

 Chapter 225 - Look Into Her (2)

    <strong>Chapter 225 ¨C Look Into Her (2)</strong>

    Mo Rongzhan looked at Tang Zhen with keen eyes. ¡°Do not hide something from me just because she is an extended family member of Lu Lungzhi.¡± He issued a veiled threat.

    ¡°I dare not.¡± Tang Zhen hurriedly replied.

    He suddenly remembered that Lu Yaoyao hadined about the injustice done to the Ye Family in front of him.

    <i>The emperor wanted to look into her. Is it rted to this?</i>

    Tang Zhen didn¡¯t think much about Mo Rongzhan¡¯s intention in other aspects. In his perspective, Mo Rongzhan was not a person who would be casually attracted to women. It was not that there was no stunning woman who showed him kindness before, and yet, Mo Rongzhan had turned a blind eye to them all.

    Even so, the reason gued him to no end. His mind raced to find a quick answer even as he surmised.

    <i>He wants to investigate Lu Yaoyao. He must not like her after he found out that she had once spoken up for the Ye Family</i>.

    ¡°No one is to know that I have asked you to look into Lu Yaoyao,¡± Mo Rongzhan instructed.

    ¡°Very well, Your Majesty.¡±

    Tang Zhen did not dare ask why he wanted to check on Lu Yaoyao. It was his beloved girl. He had looked into her once before and had found nothing amiss. In his opinion, everything she had done was a direct result of Teacher Shan¡¯s incitements. There was no other exnation for her behaviour.

    Coming to the capital, she had be closely associated with her teacher who was also thete Wang Fei¡¯s teacher. Obviously, a naive girl like Lu Yaoyao was bound to be influenced considering her master was a prominent figure. Given her age, it was no surprise that her moralpass could be easily swayed and without her knowing, even miid. After checking it once more, he would have a clearer understanding and naturally report it to the emperor. He had nothing to fear for the girl of his dreams.

    Thus, upon receiving his orders, Tang Zhen was dismissed.

    ?

    The Lu Mansion

    While the imperial study was unsettled, the carriage was still quiet. Ye Zhen and Aunt Cheng had hardly spoken before they had arrived at the mansion.

    As soon as they disembarked, Aunt Cheng directly went to Old Madam Lu.

    ¡°Third Miss is indeed a beautiful and intelligent woman. She only made several medicated meals for the Little Prince. The Little Prince¡¯s condition has improved a lot. Imperial Physician Qi said before that because of the Little Prince¡¯s incessant bouts of vomiting, he could not stomach any medicine. As a result, nothing could be done to alleviate his illness. Thanks to Third Miss, the empress dowager could not even say how happy she was. Third Miss was asked to apany the dowager for a talk in the pce,¡± Aunt Cheng said with a smile.

    Old Madam Lu was beaming with pride. She humbly said, ¡°Indeed, the empress dowager thinks highly of this child.¡±

    Aunt Cheng did not converse with Old Madam Lu for too long. She just talked about how Ye Zhen had won the favor of the empress dowager in the pce and took her leave. Her purpose was to clear any doubts that may or may not be hanging due to the abrupt turn of affairs. The empress dowager had especially tasked her with clearing Lu Yaoyao¡¯s name in the incident concerning Wang Fei Lu.

    Old Madam Lu was someone who knew her ce. She did not ask anything about her eldest granddaughter, though curious.

    However, when Aunt Cheng was about to leave, she only whispered that there was no need for the old madam to worry about anything.

    Perhaps this is how the wise converse. Nothing had been said, but Old Madam was relieved.

    Not long after seeing off Aunt Cheng, Madam Lu arrived. She had got word that Aunt Cheng had sent Lu Yaoyao back. Apparently, Third Miss had not returned from the pce these past two days.

    ¡°Mother, I heard that Aunt Cheng was here.¡± As soon as Madam Lu entered the door, she asked in a hurry, ¡°Did you ask her about the Wang Fei? Can you ask her to ask for a favor from the empress dowager? ¡±

    Old Madam Lu was about to converse with Ye Zhen when Liu Shi had wasted no time in asking her questions. She was a one-track mind after all, just like her daughter.

    The elder¡¯s face sank. She didn¡¯t know how to settle this agitated daughter-inw without stirring further trouble.

    ¡°Aunt Cheng just sent Yaoyao back.¡± She replied tly.

    ¡°Why did Yaoyao enter the pce?¡± Madam Lu immediately demanded, staring at Ye Zhen with sharp eyes.

    Ye Zhen looked back at her lightly. She was not willing to deal with Madam Lu at all. One, it was a wasted effort for the other would only believe what she wanted two. Two, the Little Prince¡¯s condition was a sensitive issue, she did not know how much she was allowed to divulge. So it was best to stay mum.

    Madam Lu was more and more irritated by Ye Zhen¡¯s gaze. She had never found her pleasing to the eye. Last time the Wang Fei had sent a message to her, asking her to marry off Lu Yaoyao as early as possible. Back then she had not taken it seriously. However, today, she had an exact picture of the goings-on.

    <i>Perhaps looking at the Wang Fei being doted upon makes her think that if she were to seduce the emperor she could enter the pce too.</i>

    ¡°Why did Yaoyao enter the pce? What does it have to do with you?¡± Old Madam Lu threw back a question.

    ¡°Mother, you can¡¯t always be partial towards the Third Household. Shuang¡¯er is being confined this time. Perhaps, she has something to do with it. Who knows what she did in the pce!¡± Madam Lu said viciously.

    Old Madam Lu was so angry that she smashed the teacup on the floor!

    ¡°Silence! Is this how you behave as an elder? Today, Aunt Cheng personally sent Yaoyao back. She has been in the Cining Pce these past two days. Must you take advantage of Empress Dowager?¡±

    She had had enough of her daughter-inw¡¯s antics. If she let her be, she would run rampant. Such caustic words, disregard for her... she would not tolerate it.

    ¡°This daughter-inw dares not,¡± Madam Lu said, albeit unwillingly, ¡°I just want to know why Lu Wushuang was confined.¡±

    She looked squarely at Ye Zhen, refusing to back down. She was certain this girl was in the know, and today she would have her answer at all cost.

    Ye Zhen returned a cold and steady gaze. ¡°The Wang Fei was confined because she broke into the Pce of Heavenly Purity in the middle of the night incurring the emperor¡¯s great anger.¡±

 Chapter 226 - Still a Concubine (1)

    <strong>Chapter 226 ¨C Still a Concubine (1)</strong>

    Silence descended in the room, the two women, one old and one middle-aged, were visibly stunned. Their jaws dropped. It took many breaths for the words to sink in, but all along their face reflected their thoughts in session: shock, disbelief, denial, and eventually fear.

    <i>She... broke into the Pce of Heavenly Purity? In the middle of the night... ?</i>

    Eldest Madam Lu¡¯s lips were quivering uncontrobly. She was clenching her fist, breathing heavily. Although she did not quite understand the rules and matters of the court, she knew that the Pce of Heavenly Purity was the ce where the emperor resided.

    <i>Why did Wang Fei break into the emperor¡¯s residence?</i>

    Perhaps she was too overwhelmed by the news, or maybe she just refused to ept facts, whatever the case, her next words were simply foolish.

    ¡°Nonsense! Wang Fei is the emperor¡¯s wife. Breaking into the Pce of Heavenly Purity must not be the reason for it.¡± Eldest Madam Lu cried.

    <i>Such ignorance and stupidity!</i> Ye Zhen mocked in her heart, her face concealing her thoughts.

    ¡°Aunt, it is merely what I heard from others. Whether it is the reason or not, I cannot be sure.¡±

    Eldest Madam Lu sneered. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you are well aware of the reason. Is it really such a coincidence that the wang fei was confined and you happened to be in the pce? Yaoyao, just so you¡¯re aware, although you are Wang Fei¡¯s sister, you still need to know your ce. Even true sisters do not act this way... ¡±

    Before the daughter-inw could even finish her heedless words, Old Madam Lu¡¯s fierce and cold eyes stopped her in mid-sentence.

    ¡°Was it Yaoyao who made the wang fei go to the Pce of Heavenly Purity? Even so, do you know what the emperor¡¯s <i>consort of the</i><i>highest position </i>is called? <strong>Empress!</strong> Even if the empress wanted to see the emperor, there would still be no enough reason for her to break into the Pce of Heavenly Purity without his permission!¡±

    Old Madam Lu took a pause and breathedboriously before continuing.

    ¡°Or did you think the wang fei was an exception?¡± She shook her head at the foolish women before her. ¡°This time, we are lucky that the emperor has only forbidden Shuang¡¯er from entering his pce. What about the next time?¡±

    Madam Lu turned pale. The weight of Old Madam Lu¡¯s words dawned upon her. Death was a possible punishment if this incident were to repeat. None had ever lived to tell the tale of their defiance after all- consort ormoner.

    ¡°Mother, how could you say that?! How do you... how do you know that Wang Fei won¡¯t be the empress in the future?¡±

    She was incensed by the old woman¡¯s words. The whole world knew how the emperor treated the wang fei as the pearl on his palm. It was only a matter of course before she was dered the empress. Her son was on an expedition for the emperor, her daughter the sole upant of his heart- he would surely acknowledge them!

    ¡°Ah, it is difficult to have a mother like you.¡± Old Madam Lu sneered, thinking that despite Lu Wushuang¡¯s situation, her mother still thought of this ridiculous and greedy notion. ¡°Liu Shi, don¡¯t think that just because you are the mother of the wang fei, I dare not take any action against you. If you humiliate the rest of the family again, I won¡¯t let you get away with it.¡± She warned.

    The matriarch knew well what this woman was capable of. Stoking the fire of hatred within, she had always been blinded by her false notions bringing nothing but distress and disharmony in the family. If left unchecked, in no time she would run amuck and shove the entire n into the abyss of disgrace.

    ¡°Mother, we cannot just listen to Yaoyao¡¯s side of the story.¡± Madam Lu cried as she tried to justify herself.

    Old Madam Lu turned to Ye Zhen and said, ¡°Go and find your mother first. She has missed you for several days now.¡±

    Ye Zhen knew her grandmother was giving her a decent way out. She was more than happy to grab it and wrest herself free from Madam Lu¡¯s clutches.

    And so, she responded with a sweet smile. ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯ll go. Today I have to go back to the academy. When I return, I will chat with you.¡±

    ¡°Well, go quickly.¡± Old Madam Lu nodded with a smile and urged her granddaughter to leave.

    Under her grandmother¡¯s affectionate gaze, Lu Yaoyao skipped her way out of the hall.

    Looking at the way the old madam doted on Lu Yaoyao, Madam Lu felt ufortable in her heart. This elder had never gone to such an extent for Lu Wushuang. She did treat her daughter well but never once had she seen that twinkle in her eye she had reserved for this third granddaughter of hers.

    She believed Yaoyao was iparable to Lu Wushuang. This wild girl could never match up to the wange fei¡¯s poise and beauty.

    And yet, the feral girl had the old madam¡¯s heart in her grasp. She was vexed by their behaviour and the feeling of being wronged, deepened.

    Now, only Madam Lu and her mother-inw were left in the room. Madam Lu looked at the old madam, sitting on the kang bed, with fear.

    Her two children were already rich enough and exemry in status, logically, she should be the most honorable person in the Lu Family. Even so, she was afraid of the old madam. In front of her mother-inw, her confidence was nowhere to be found.

    All this was because her son, a high official, extended his respect to his grandmother. Thus, she felt the need to respect the old madam.

    The room descended into silence, and the old madam looked towards the other with an impassive gaze. Gone was the smile from just now, all that remained was her businesslike manner.

    ¡°Do you know what Wang Fei needs the most when she is in the pce?¡± Old Madam Lu looked at Liu Shi and asked.

    ¡°Naturally, she needs the support of her family.¡± Madam Lu replied.

    ¡°Just what do you mean by ¡®support¡¯?¡± Old Madam Lu asked. ¡°No matter how noble and respected the wang fei is, she is still a concubine. What did you mean by ¡®wife¡¯? Then using this inference, will you not mind if Yi Niang*1 Cheng tells the public that she is Shifeng¡¯s <strong>wife</strong>?¡±

    Madam Lu¡¯s expression changed. <i>If Aunt Cheng dared to say that </i><i><strong>she</strong></i><i> was the </i><i><strong>wife</strong></i><i>, she would definitely tear her into pieces!</i>

 Chapter 227 - Still a Concubine (2)

    <strong>Chapter 227 ¨C Still a Concubine (2)</strong>

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to? Such an identity is not clear. Now, do you still have the audacity to stand up for the Wang fei?¡± Old Madam Lu sneered. ¡°Liu Shi, don¡¯t go and humiliate yourself and our family.¡±

    Madam Lu¡¯splexion turnd pale.

    ¡°The reason why Wang Fei was confined was that the emperor wanted to favor a pce maid. She forced her way into the Pce of Heavenly Purity and made a scene with the emperor. Such behavior was enough to abolish her position,¡± Old Madam Lu frankly said with a burning heart.

    Lu Wushuang was indeed spoilt rotten by her family. Her wilful ways as a child had only gotten more out of hand as she grew. No one stopped her, always giving in to her demands, no matter how untenable.

    She hadn¡¯t changed after her marriage to the emperor. If anything, she had turned even more rampant. So much so, that in her fit of rage she had forgotten who held the supreme power over the Qin Dynasty. It seemed she still had no qualms in behaving impulsively without any forethought for the ramifications.

    Who could stop the Son of Heaven from doing as he pleased? Whichever woman the emperor chose to pamper, could the wang fei stop him? Still, she broke into the Pce of Heavenly Purity! Fortunately, for old time¡¯s sake, the emperor didn¡¯t really punish her for her treachery. Otherwise, the entire Lu Family would be killed.

    Madam Lu didn¡¯t expect this to be the reason. She cried in a low voice. ¡°The emperor already has Lu Wushuang. What else does he want from a pce maid? How could he... ¡±

    ¡°Silence!¡± Old Madam Lu yelled in rage. ¡°Who do you think the emperor is? Even if he is to be an ordinary son-inw, you can¡¯t stop him from taking a concubine. The emperor is the one who rules this country, and having three thousand beauties in the harem is not an issue. Who can object to whichever woman he wants to favor?¡±

    ¡°Mother, I understand.¡± Eldest Madam Lu¡¯s mouth twitched.

    She¡¯s aware that she had said something wrong. She was merely aggrieved and had to speak on behalf of her daughter. Her daughter was without a doubt, a beauty. But she thought that the emperor, like other men, gets disenchanted by women once they got sick of the old one and enamored by the new. One cannot me a concerned parent for being angry.

    Old Madam Lu took a deep breath. ¡°Behave yourself. You must not cause trouble for Wang Fei.¡±

    ¡°Mother, even if the matter of Wang Fei being confined has nothing to do with Yaoyao, I think still it¡¯s not appropriate for Yaoyao to always enter the pce. It would be better to arrange her marriage first avert trouble in the future.¡± Madam Lu looked at the old madam tentatively.

    ¡°Yaoyao will bring forth what kind of trouble?¡± Old Madam Lu coldly asked.

    Madam Lu moved her lips upon seeing the old madam¡¯s countenance bing more and more unsightly. However, she was already riding the tiger[1], there was no way she could get off now.

    [1] Riding the tiger is to take on a responsibility or embark on a course of action which subsequently cannot safely be abandoned.

    ¡°Mother, although Marquis Liang is a widower, he is only thirty years old. Why don¡¯t we marry off Yaoyao to the marquis? Such a marriage and a family is not easy to find. Moreover, Yaoyao grew up in a border town since she was a child. She is still ignorant of the tropes of the capital. But, I¡¯m quite certain that the Liang Family would not turn their backs on her, and guide her to fit here.¡±

    Old Madam Lu looked at her with a bitter smile but didn¡¯t answer a word.

    <i>Marquis Liang appears good on the surface, but the Liang Family is already at the point of death. What is Liu Shi even thinking of!</i>

    ¡°Liu Shi, if you abuse other people¡¯s daughters like this, be careful of your retribution,¡± Old Madam Lu said tly.

    Madam Lu was visibly taken aback, the change in her expressions said so. These were the heaviest words the old madam had ever said to her.

    ¡°You need not meddle in family affairs anymore. You can make offerings to the gods, pray to them to help us settle this matter. As for me, I¡¯ll wait for your return. For this, you better stay in your room or go to Zhuangzi to recuperate,¡± Old Madam Lu said in a decisive tone.

    ¡°Mother... ¡± Madam Lu cried. ¡°... do you intend to banish me?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Old Madam Lu nodded firmly. ¡± ... to avoid you causing trouble to anyone in the Lu Family.¡±

    Madam Lu paled and looked at the old madam incredulously. She opened and closed her lips, but nothing came out... even words seemed to have abandoned her.

    ¡°You may leave.¡± The old madam simply dismissed her.

    ¡°If you had not been so biased then, I would have not be estranged from my husband. Madam, what¡¯s wrong with me?¡± Madam Lu asked in a piteous voice.

    Back then when she betrayed Lu Shiming, was she not also worried that the old madam would be even more partial to the third household? Unexpectedly, her husband med her and even her son did not understand her.

    Old Madam Lu nced at her lightly. ¡°That¡¯s because you are foolish.¡±

    <i>If one had a brain, would one have treated her own husband coldly for most of his life? Would one have kept her husband out of one¡¯s house for more than a decade?</i>

    Old Madam Lu was not an old fool. Even if she didn¡¯t know the actual facts during that time, she could guess what happened from her eldest son¡¯s conduct and deeds.

 Chapter 228 - Exploit Oneâ€™s Marriage (1)

    <strong>Chapter 228 ¨C Exploit One¡¯s Marriage (1)</strong>

    As soon as she left the hall, Ye Zhen went straight to find Pei Shi. She had to make use of this little time she had before she returned to the academy to not only ay the mother¡¯s worries but also find out about the recent goings-on.

    The mother and daughter talked for some time. Deftly, she tried to probe as to what exactly had happened that Lu Jing was gloating over one¡¯s misfortune. No matter how much she hemmed and hawed, it all came to naught.

    She surmised, Pei Shi probably didn¡¯t want her to know too much, disclosing only partial information, saying that everything was up to her and the old madam to decide and that she need not have to worry.

    What could she be worried about? Ye Zhen did not even know what they were talking about until she heard everything from Lu Xiangzhi. She was so angry that she regretted not spitting blood directly onto Liu Shi.

    <i>What a Liu Shi! Marrying me to a loser like Liang Chun, not only a widower but also a cut sleeve * and pedophile. Is she so desperate to scale up the statusdder? Ha! If I guessed right, Lu Wushuang must be the brain behind this whole scheme. Ha, ha, that woman is truly vicious! Just because one happened to meet Mo Rongzhan, she¡¯s going as far as ruining one¡¯s life.</i>

    <i>[E/D: A ¡°cut sleeve¡± is a homosexual. This term dates back to Emperor Ai of the Han Dynasty. Here¡¯s the </i><u><i>story straight from history</i></u><i>]</i>

    ¡°Elder Brother, I cannot let anyone interfere in my affair,¡± Ye Zhen grabbed Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s hand and said, thinking about how she could make Liu Shi dare not meddle with her affairs again.

    ¡°Even if she wants to, she cannot manage to do so. Besides, we have Mother and Grandmother on our side,¡± Lu Xiangzhi said with a smile.

    Looking at the way things hade to be, Ye Zhen understood that the old madam was not in favour of the way Liu Shi was handling the matter. The only reason for this disagreement was the benefits that the other party brought to the table. The Liang Family, although a marquis, was not sufficient to pique her interest. Since she knew the worth of the Lu Family¡¯s social standing, she wasn¡¯t averse to waiting for a better prospect.

    The matriarch was an astute businesswoman after all. She weighed things on the scale of pros and cons. She never let herself be at the slightest disadvantage. Why then would she let go of opportunities to benefit herself? And wasn¡¯t marriage one such benefit? Whenever <strong>that </strong>benefit appeared, Ye Zhen was certain, the old madam would be the first one to grab it. It wouldn¡¯t matter what her preferences were, she would be the sacrificialmb.

    Be that as it may, she would never sacrifice herself for the benefit of the Lu Family.

    ¡°Elder Brother, I heard that Eldest Aunt wanted to take charge of the family affairs?¡± Ye Zhen asked softly.

    While she was here, Ye Zhen wanted to gather as much information as possible. This would enable her to prepare a counter, if necessary. Right now, Liu Shi was the weapon Lu Wushuang was wielding, she couldn¡¯t rest easy.

    Lu Xiangzhi frowned. ¡°This too requires Grandmother¡¯s approval. Isn¡¯t Eldest Aunt still ill?¡±

    Ye Zhen revealed a mocking smile. <i>Then stay sick a little longer so as not to cause more trouble!</i>

    Not long after, Ye Zhen was preparing to leave for the academy. She went to her room and sent Dai Mei out. All alone in her room, she was fiddling with something for a while before she came out. Then, she decided to visit Lu Fang.

    ¡°Second Elder Sister, I haven¡¯t seen you for quite a while, and I missed you a little.¡± Ye Zhen entered Lu Fang¡¯s room wearing a smile, two bottles in hand.

    ¡°Yaoyao, you just came back from the academy?¡± Lu Fang was somewhat surprised to see Ye Zhen.

    Still smiling, Ye Zhen said, ¡°There¡¯s something I had to do thest two days. Today, I longed to see my family. I heard that you¡¯ve been ill these days. Are you all right?¡±

    Lu Fang smiled, albeit reluctantly. She looked a little gloomy. Offte, the eldest madam had been often seen visiting the third household. And she was unsettled over the reason for these visits.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m in a bad mood, and I don¡¯t want to go out.¡± She did not want to speak to anyone, least of all Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Second Elder Sister needs to go out to meet more people. That will be good for you,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    She could guess why Lu Fang is in a foul mood. What else could upset this girl but marriage matters!

    Lu Fang was already sixteen. If she were a young miss from another family, her marriage would have been long settled. Previously, the Lu Family was pretty upied helping Mo Rongzhan usurp the throne, ignoring Lu Fang¡¯s marriage. Since the achievement of the Dragon Throne, the Lu Family was prospering, however, the betrothal of thedies in the family had not been easy.

    The reason for this was simple. Although they were the imperial merchants they stillcked a lineage. The prestigious aristocrats despiseddies who hailed from merchant families. And those that admired the Lu Misses belonged to middle-ss families. Needless to say, the Old Madam Lu was also reluctant.

    Thus, the marital affairs were at a standstill and Lu Fang¡¯s marriage had been dyed over and over.

    ¡°When have I not been thinking about going out? But even if I want to, Mother needs to give me permission,¡± Lu Fang faintly said.

    Since Lu Fang was a concubine born, the main wife, in this case, Liu Shi had to permit her.

    Ye Zhen nced at her and eximed softly. ¡°Second Elder Sister, pardon me for asking directly, do you often visit and greet Eldest Aunt?¡±

    ¡°Mother had to rest herself before. I didn¡¯t want to bother her.¡± Lu Fang replied.

    ording to the rules, concubines and their children were supposed to pay respects to the main wife every day. But since Liu Shi had been ill for a long time, things were slightly different in the first household. But as such, they had to be mindful of their position in the household.

    ¡°But Aunt doesn¡¯t need to rest quietly to recuperate,¡± Ye Zhen said, smiling. ¡°She is still your mother...¡±

    Those words ... made Lu Fang perplexed. Liu Shi was still her mother. Even if the old madam was the one making arrangements for her life-long affairs, she still needed Liu Shi¡¯s consent in the end.

 Chapter 229 - Exploit Oneâ€™s Marriage (2)

    <strong>Chapter 229 ¨C Exploit One¡¯s Marriage (2)</strong>

    When Ye Zhen saw that she was able to convey her point, the corners of her mouth formed a smile. ¡°I have to go back to the academy. I have something to give you, this rose water. I dab it on my face before going to bed every day. I made it when I was reading medical books in the academy.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± Lu Fang asked.

    ¡°Rosewater is used to make one¡¯s face ruddier.¡± Ye Zhen smiled and continued. ¡°I have also given two bottles to Grandmother.¡±

    Lu Fang¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°Well, thank you.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go now.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao, you know... about the Liang Family... ¡± With her red face, Lu Fang called, stopping Ye Zhen from leaving.

    ¡°I have heard of it.¡± Ye Zhen frowned and continued. ¡°I will not consent. I will not get engaged until I finish my studies.¡±

    These words of Ye Zhen brought a wide smile to Lu Fang¡¯s face andughter to her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll see you out.¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes shed with a touch of sarcasm. ¡°Hmm.¡±

    A few words had been enough to turn this miss¡¯ mood! But she didn¡¯t mind one bit, her purpose of visit had long been achieved.

    After sending off Ye Zhen, Lu Fang took the two bottles of rose water and immediately went to Liu Shi.

    Madam Lu had just been driven out by the old madam, she was in a fit of ill-temper. When she heard that her husband¡¯s daughter from a concubine wasing, her eyes were filled with even more hatred¨Cshe felt disgusted.

    She knew what Lu Fang was most anxious about now. <i>Humph! I¡¯ll make that lowly Cheng feel that even if she was favored, it wouldn¡¯t change her situation. She¡¯s still a mere concubine. Can her daughter make her own decisions now?</i>

    ¡°Let the Second Misse in,¡± Madam Lu said in a cold voice.

    Although her husband had died, after many years of indifference and alienation, her affection for Lu Shifeng had turned into deep resentment. How could she make his favorite concubine live well?

    Lu Fang came in with a smile. ¡°Mother, I heard that your health is getting better. I specially came here to greet you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to have a rest tomorrow. You don¡¯t have toe and pay your respects,¡± Madame Lu said with a sneer, looking at Lu Fang¡¯s face. Contrary to what she was thinking, Lu Fang was a pretty delicatedy, however, she was small-minded.

    ¡°You are my mother. How can I note to pay my respects?¡± Lu Fang said with a smile.

    She did not know what Liu Shi had been hiding up her sleeve, why she had been feigning illness and for some time, refused to take over the familial duties. However, she could not give up on marrying into the Liang Family.

    Madam Lu raised her eyes to look at Lu Fang. ¡°Why did youe looking for me?¡± She curtly demanded.

    She had always directed her disdain and loathing for her husband and his concubine on their offsprings. Never once had she spoken normally, let alone politely.

    ¡°Mother, this is rose water. It¡¯s from overseas. It can make people look younger after applying on one¡¯s face. Although you are already beautiful, you could even look more morous with this,¡± Lu Fang said courteously, hoping Liu Shi would feel tenderness towards her. In her opinion, as long as she became the marquis¡¯ wife, this madam should be gratified. After all, her purpose was to establish connections, build support for her daughter, so how did it matter who married, as long as it was a Lu that married.

    Madam Lu took the two porcin bottles and smiled. ¡°This rose water did note from overseas. Yaoyao gave it to you.¡± The girl¡¯s little ploy was a child¡¯s y to the seasoned eyes.

    Liu Shi knew that this was the very one that Lu Yaoyao gave to the old madam. She had noticed that the old madam¡¯splexion had been ruddy recently, making her visibly younger. Later, she found out it was Lu Yaoyao¡¯s present.

    Lu Fang somewhat felt embarrassed.

    ¡°I know what you¡¯re going to say. Yaoyao doesn¡¯t want to marry into the Liang Family, and she has her eyes above her head. As for you, I dare not be in charge of your affairs. If you are really interested, go have your Yi Niang beg the old madam. If the old madam agrees, I will arrange things for you.¡± Madam Lu didn¡¯t mince words and revealed the young miss¡¯ true intentions.

    She surmised that the Liang Family held the title of a marquis at the very least, so if Lu Yaoyao refused, she¡¯d let Lu Fang marry instead. Either way, it¡¯s hard to tell whether she still could help the wang fei in the future. At longst, she could be satisfied that she had made use of the opportunity.

    ¡°Thank you, Mother!¡± Lu Fang was suddenly over the moon.

 Chapter 230 - The Marquisâ€™ Advise

    <strong>Chapter 230 ¨C The Marquis¡¯ Advise (1)</strong>

    After she had given Lu Fang the rose water, Ye Zhen did not immediately return to the academy. Rather, she instructed Dai Mei to watch over the second miss. Once news of her second sister visiting Liu Shi with to bottles of rose water reached her ears, she broke into a leisurely smile.

    ¡°All right, I have to go.¡± Ye Zhen chirped looking at her brother.

    Lu Xiangzhi wanted to send her off to the academy but tly refused.

    ¡°Elder Brother, I¡¯m not a child. Don¡¯t you have Quan Fu to send me?¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile, pushed Lu Xiangzhi back, and continued, ¡°You better return and read your books. Did Master Xu not give you a lot of homework?¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi smiled at how much his sister had changed. Inwardly, he was prouder than ever. ¡°Well, then, be careful.¡±

    Ye Zhen waved goodbye and got on the carriage. A lot had happened thesest few days, she needed time to settle her emotions. If only they were that easy to settle.

    Trying to take her mind off things, she looked through the window. Glimpsing the mesmerizing scene of a sea of people bustling on the streets, inexplicably her chest tightened. As she ced her hand on her heart in a bid to soothe its rapid beating, a thought inadvertently surfaced in her mind.

    She was once Ye Zhen, the noblest woman in this capital. These were the very people who had admired and looked up to her. Then, she had died but given a second chance. Not just that, she was reborn two years back in time even. Such a phenomenon was beyond all imagination not to mention logic. She would herself have not believed it had she not been the recipient. How then would she exin, let alone convince the people of Jinkou City? What method would she have to use to prove that she, Ye Zhen, is now reborn as her twin- Yaoyao. Bizarre as it was, she couldn¡¯t begin to imagine the repercussions it would have. How would people react? How would it affect them? Would it even matter...?

    She sighed. Although this was a huge problem, it was one whose time had yet to arrive. She was getting ahead of herself. Right now, her focus should be elsewhere. In order to take the big leapter, she had to ensure her foundation was strong. And for that, she needed her father¡¯s confidants.

    If she could convince those confidants in Jinkou City, then she could start to do what she wanted to do. But all this needed time. And unfortunately, it was the very thing she wascking.

    As much as she wanted to head to Qianjin right now and get things started, she knew better. Going there and back to the academy, demanded a lot of time. Plus, the matter she wanted to deal with was not something to be finished in a jiffy. So right now, the best recourse was to put this on hold until she had the opportunity to sneak out again.

    *

    Arriving at the academy, Ye Zhen saw a carriage outside the gate. She wondered who was still outside the academy at this time. When she was about to enter the gate, she was stopped by a voice.

    ¡°Yaoyao.¡±

    Tang Zhen had been waiting for about half an hour now, and finally, the <i>purpose</i> of his visit had arrived. His tall and upright figure soon stepped emerged through the carriage.

    ¡°Marquis Tang?¡± Ye Zhen looked at him in surprise.

    <i>What is Tang Zhen doing here?</i>

    There are times when the body reacts faster than the mind. And one such time was now.

    A pair of burning orbs fixated on the beautiful youngdy standing by the gate. It was only natural for they hadn¡¯t glimpsed this beauty for a long time now. While the heart raced, the mind slowly regained its senses.

    As if it seemed she felt touched by his visit, he smiled. ¡°Did I surprise you?¡±

    ¡°Have youe to see me?¡± Ye Zhen asked, puzzled as to why Tang Zhen thought so.

    ¡°Yaoyao, I have something to ask you,¡± Tang Zhen said in a low voice.

    Thest time the two had met, it had ended with a heated argument. Ye Zhen had lost her cool and reprimanded Tang Zhen for his prejudice about thete wang fei. After that, the two had not had a single opportunity to happen upon each other.

    Needless to say, Ye Zhen had reined in her emotions, except for the time before Mo Rongzhan, she was resolving to hold her cool. Besides, there was no point in developing animosity with the man before her. He was after all an influential personage.

    Ye Zhen took a look at him, turned her head, and said to Quan Fu, ¡°You can go now. We have already arrived at the academy.¡±

    A reluctant Quan Fu looked at Tang Zhen. ¡°Third Miss, I shall leaveter.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡± Ye Zhen knew that he was just worried, not knowing why Tang Zhen came to see her. She smiled and stepped aside to talk with Tang Zhen, she somehow had and inclination as to why he was here.

    ¡°Marquis Tang, you¡¯vee to see me here at the academy at this time. What is the matter?¡± Still smiling, Ye Zhen asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. Do not worry,¡± Tang Zhen said hastily, looking at her jade-like face with eyes downcast.

    There was a moment of silence, before the man, taking a deep breath spoke. ¡°Yaoyao, what you said to mest time about the Ye Family... Did you say anything about it elsewhere?¡±

    <i>Indeed as expected it really is rted to the Ye Family! Did Mo Rongzhan order Tang Zhen to investigate me?</i>

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Ye Zhen frowned and asked lightly.

    ¡°In that case, you can only talk about it in front of me in the future. Do not talk about the matter just about anywhere. What if someone hears you? If anyone out there wishes to bring you trouble, you could be punished when they spin a tale.¡± Tang Zhen concernedly warned in a low voice.

    Ye Zhen looked at him coldly. ¡°Do you mean even if everyone in the Ye Family is dead, others still cannot mention them? How heinous are they to get those who mention them punished?¡±

 Chapter 231 - The Marquisâ€™ Advise (2)

    <strong>Chapter 231 ¨C The Marquis¡¯ Advise (2)</strong>

    Ye Zhen was seething in rage inwardly. One person¡¯s evil intentions negated an entire n¡¯s good deeds. Yes, her uncle was the ck sheep, but why had the whole family to bear the brunt? Wasn¡¯t it enough that they had paid with their lives, that now they were being sullied even in death? What trouble? What punishment? Did anyone even care to know the truth?

    ¡°Yaoyao, that¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Tang Zhen hurriedly said. He did not want a repeat and worsen his ties with her that was already hanging by the thread. ¡°I just want to remind you that what one says in front of you is not necessarily true, but to take advantage of your na?vety and innocence. I know better than you what one¡¯s purpose is.¡±

    He was bbergasted to the extent Teacher Shan had indoctrinated this young girl. Earlier he only had a hunch, but now he was certain it was the teacher¡¯s doing. One, she was thest wang fei¡¯s teacher and was bound to be sympathetic towards her pupil. Two, how else would a girl born and brought up in border town be so passionate about someone she had no connection with whatsoever?

    ¡°Marquis Tang, whose words are you rying?¡± Ye Zhen raised an eyebrow and looked at him, suspecting Mo Rongzhan¡¯s suspicions. Clearly, he was a messenger.

    Tang Zhen smiled trying to quell her ire. ¡°No one asked me to speak to you about this.¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at him suspiciously. ¡°Then why do youe to me all of a sudden? Did what I say to youst time spread out? Even so, I don¡¯t feel guilty. Not everyone in the Ye Family hasmitted many evils, just like not every emperor is engrossed in debauchery.¡±

    ¡°How could you say that!¡± Tang Zhen almost wanted to put his hand over her mouth. ¡°Yaoyao, this is the capital. Sometimes even if you don¡¯t mean to say a word, the consequences could be grave.¡±

    Although her courage was admirable, Tang Zhen feared she would as soonnd herself in trouble. As a good friend of her brother and the feelings he had for her, he had taken it upon himself to see that she did notnd in trouble. But right now, he was doing a very poor job at it.

    Ye Zhen pursed her lips, she had received the confirmation she was seeking. It really was Mo Rongzhan who ordered Tang Zhen to investigate her. A sneer shed across her charming eyes. <i>What does he want to know?</i>

    He wanted to know why a member of the Lu Family should speak for the Ye Family when she should be enemies with them.

    Her eyes were even colder than ice. As the happenings of this morning in the imperial study flitted past her mind, her heart turned frosty. It was today that she realized that she still did not know enough about Mo Rongzhan, just as she did not know how different he was in her previous life. In just a few short months, he no longer doted on Lu Wushuang. The things she had seen as a wandering spirit, how he held her in the palm of her hand, was still fresh in mind. How he coaxed her and gave her free rein, turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to all her misdeeds. And yet, what she witnessed yesterday was a stark contrast. Most of all, she did not understand why he¡¯d kissed her today.

    Two days ago, when she entered the pce, he still looked disgusted at the sight of her. But today he wanted to make her a concubine? Ye Zhen found it absolutely ridiculous.

    <i>What did he see in me? When I was his wife, he considered me beneath his contempt. Now that I¡¯m just a wild girl who grew up in a border town... he likes it instead? How fickle can he be!</i>

    <i>I wish for him to die!</i>

    ¡°Thank you for reminding me, Marquis Tang. I shall keep that in mind,¡± Ye Zhen said in feigned civility. She was well aware of Tang Zhen¡¯s feelings for her, unfortunately, she didn¡¯t want him to be in a fool¡¯s paradise. It would do everyone well if this fire wasn¡¯t extinguished well before time.

    Tang Zhen looked down into her eyes. ¡°Are you angry?¡±

    Ye Zhen chuckled. ¡°You are so kind as to remind me, although it is for the sake of Eldest Brother, you just do not want me to be put at a disadvantage in the future. How can I be angry?¡±

    Thest time he had brought up the Ye Family, she had been incensed for quite a while. He decided not to push his luck today. ¡°I won¡¯t stay for long. Yaoyao, I wish you well.¡±

    Ye Zhen lowered her head and did not speak.

    Tang Zhen¡¯s eyes misconstrued it as shyness. His heart rate suddenly elerated. ¡°Yaoyao, I...¡±

    Before the words of confession were uttered, Huang Fuxiang¡¯s figure appeared behind them and interrupted him loudly. ¡°Cousin, what are you doing here?¡±

    Hearing Huang Fuxiang¡¯s voice, Tang Zhen¡¯s face sank, and he stepped closer to Ye Zhen. ¡°Yaoyao, I came here today to tell you that. Later, you should be careful, and don¡¯t just believe other people¡¯s words.¡±

    Apparently, Tang Zhen still believed that she was instigated to speak for the Ye Family.

    ¡°Thank you, Tang Zhen,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so polite,¡± Tang Zhen said with a bright smile.

    Huang Fuxiang came near them. Seeing Ye Zhen, she red at her fiercely, and asked Tang Zhen, ¡°Cousin, have youe to see me?¡±

    ¡°Miss Huang, I¡¯m not your cousin. I can¡¯t stand you calling me as such,¡± Tang Zhen said coldly. He could not let Yaoyao misunderstand his rtionship with Huang Fuxiang.

    Huang Fuxiang felt wronged as she looked at Tang Zhen with teary eyes. ¡°Cousin, how can you say that? My mother is certainly your aunt.¡±

    ¡°Miss Huang, it seems that your mother did not tell you. Fifteen years ago, your mother had already cut off any rtionship with my mother. I, Tang Zhen, have been living alone in the capital with no rtives.¡± Tang Zhen coldly asserted.

    ¡°Cousin...¡± Huang Fuxiang felt wronged and held Tang Zhen¡¯s sleeve.

    Tang Zhen strenuously waved away, turned his head, and said to Ye Zhen gently, ¡°Yaoyao, I shall leave now.¡±

    ¡°Well, then,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile.

    Huang Fuxiang wanted to grab Tang Zhen by the sleeve once more, but she could not even touch it let alone take a hold of him. She watched Tang Zhen get into the carriage as he left without hesitation.

 Chapter 232 - An Apology (1)

    <strong>Chapter 232 ¨C An Apology (1)</strong>

    As the carriage rumbled onwards, a heart was ruthlessly crushed in its wake. However, anger and humiliation far surpassed the hurt.

    Left with no choice but to helplessly stare at the departing coach, Huang Fuxiang stomped her feet and red daggers at Ye Zhen. She had been outrightly ignored and tantly shunned and in the presence of this wretched girl. How she wished to wring her neck now.

    Ye Zhen did not even deign to nce at her, she turned around and took her steps to leave.

    ¡°You stop!¡± Huang Fuxiang yelled at Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Quan Fu, take me to the School of Medicine.¡±

    Seeing Ye Zhen had simply turned a deaf ear to Huang Fuxiang, Quan Fu immediately got himself ready to take her to the School of Medicine.

    Such a response was out of Huang Fuxiang¡¯s expectation. Ye Zhen was treating her like air. Her face turned red in anger. With quick steps, she grabbed Ye Zhen¡¯s arm before she could get into the carriage.

    ¡°Yaoyao,e down. I haven¡¯t finished yet.¡± She bellowed.

    ¡°Just because you¡¯re not finished doesn¡¯t mean I have to listen.¡± Ye Zhen looked at her coldly, waved her hand off, refusing her touch.

    ¡°Why did my cousine to see you? Tell me. What is your rtionship with him?¡± Huang Fuxiang demanded.

    When she¡¯d spotted someone resembling Tang Zhen and the academy gates, she thought she was mistaken. Upon a closer look, to her surprise, she discovered it <i><strong>was</strong></i> him! She was so delighted that she almost sprinted just to have a word with him.

    Ye Zhen refused to answer, looked at her lightly, and ordered the servant. ¡°Quan Fu, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Huang Fuxiang felt ignored, her cheeks trembling with anger.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, where are you going? I¡¯m still talking to you.¡±

    Quan Fu noticed that the young miss didn¡¯t want to pay attention to Huang Fuxiang¡¯s intentions. As soon as he swung the horse rope, the carriage sprinted. Dust rolled, and Huang Fuxiang ate a mouthful of soil.

    <i>Ptui! Ptui!</i> ¡°Lu Yaoyao!¡± Huang Fuxiang spat twice and screamed on top of her voice.

    Ye Zhen was toozy to look back. She had not forgotten how Huang Fuxiang had framed her. She refused to believe that Lu Qiongqiu had approached her and led her to the sshouse on her own ord. It must have been orchestrated by Huang Fuxiang. It was not that she was incapable of fighting back, just that thesest two days she had been quite busy.

    Having returned to her dormitory, Ye Zhen asked a maid to fetch her hot water. Shefortably took a warm bath and settled with perusing the <strong>¡¶</strong>Qi Medical ssics<strong>¡·</strong>.

    Unexpectedly, this was the only copy of the invaluable treasure singlehandedly written by Empress Qi Yanling. And all along she¡¯d mistaken it for a transcript. All this time, she had been living in fortune without knowing fortune.

    She had already finished reading the book. But after reading it a second time, she felt different. Apparently, Ye Zhen started to feel differently about the entire field of art of healing. In a previous life, she had hardly given this a thought despite her idol being a doctor. She had seemed to overlook the profundity of the woman she admired and wished to replicate. But now, she knew better... the woman who changed the course of women in history and the true essence of medicine.

    Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. ¡°Miss Lu, are you there?¡± A not very familiar voice called.

    Ye Zhen put down the book and went to open the door. When she saw it was Lu Qiongqui, she didn¡¯t invite the other party into her room. shing a smile, she asked, ¡°Miss Lu, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao, I¡¯m here to apologize to you.¡± Lu Qiongqiu whispered. ¡°That day... I know it was my fault. But I didn¡¯t mean to. Someone threatened me. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°You mean to say... you deliberately damaged the root of the fire lotus to frame me?¡± Ye Zhen grinned as her eyes looked squarely at the girl. ¡°I thought I misunderstood.¡±

    Hearing the sarcasm in the other¡¯s tone, Lu Qiongqiu flushed. ¡°Yaoyao, it¡¯s not like I wanted to do it, I was really forced.¡± Her voice carried a hint of desperation.

    Ye Zhen smiled faintly and decided against dragging this matter any further. ¡°Well, I know. To be honest, I would also like to thank you. If it weren¡¯t for you, Master Qin wouldn¡¯t have given me the key to the sshouse. Now I can go in whenever I want. Others don¡¯t have such benefits.¡±

    ¡°Master Qin gave you the key to the sshouse?¡± Lu Qiongqiu was astonished. She couldn¡¯t believe that their scheme had ended up benefitting this girl and to such an extent. For a moment she thought the other was bluffing.

    As if sensing her skepticism, Ye Zhen took out a key with a peculiar shape from her sleeve. ¡°Yes, this is the key to the sshouse. I will go to the sshouse tomorrow. Do you want to go?¡±

    Lu Qiongqiu shook her head awkwardly. ¡°I won¡¯t go, you go.¡±

    ¡°Well, then.¡± Ye Zhen put the key back, and with a smile on her face said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel burdened about this. I¡¯m not angry with you.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao, you are very kind,¡± Lu Qiongqiu said in a low voice. She lowered her head, hesitated for a moment, and whispered. ¡°You still need to be careful. Someone asked me to spy on you.¡±

    Ye Zhen took a measured nce at her. It was as she¡¯d guessed!

    bel><bel>

 Chapter 233 - An Apology (2)

    <strong>Chapter 233 ¨C An Apology (2)</strong>

    She had guessed as much that Lu Qiongqiu¡¯s unexpected visit had had to do with none other than Huang Fuxiang. That girl not only refused to learn her lesson but was assured that Ye Zhen was a fool. Coming up with the same scheme, did she think she would be fooled for a second time?

    ¡°Miss Lu, it¡¯s gettingte. I have to take my rest,¡± Ye Zhen said, indicating for her to leave.

    Lu Qiongqiu nodded awkwardly. ¡°Then I won¡¯t interfere with you.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡± Ye Zhen nodded faintly.

    As she closed the door after, she couldn¡¯t help thinking about the troublemaker Huang Fuxiang. The girl was hell-bent on not giving up it seems. She was determined to stir up all kinds of trouble, only because she was mum? Repeatedly trying to frame her, did she really think she wouldn¡¯t dare retaliate?

    As Ye Zhen kept the <strong>¡¶</strong>Qi Medical ssics<strong>¡·</strong> safely aside, she had resolved. In this little game that the foolish Huang Fuxiang was intending to make, she would make the first move this time. Otherwise, it would be a bother to constantly keep guard against this person in the academy. Problems were best nipped in the bud, troublemakers even so.

    The next day, Ye Zhen went to ss as usual. News of her visit to the pce had not reached any student so far. However, the fact that the students did not know did not mean that the teachers were ignorant too.

    Qin Fuzi was one of the people in the know. He had found out from Qi Jin of course. Due to this fact, he was even more convinced that his discerning eyes had not failed him. The student he valued, indeed, had the talent to learn medicine.

    After finishing her ss, Ye Zhen finished her ss spoke with Qin Fuzi, then took the medicine book to the medicinal field. She wanted to go there to study and learn more about some medicinal herbs.

    She had only managed to take a few steps when Sun Wen caught up with her.

    ¡°Yaoyao, when did you leave the medicinal field that day? When I went back to find you, I didn¡¯t even see your shadow.¡± She demanded.

    On that day, she had gone back to the field looking for her friend afraid that something untoward may happen to her.

    ¡°Oh, when someone came to pick me up, then I left.¡± Ye Zhen replied with a smile.

    ¡°Are you going to the medicinal field now? Again?¡± Looking at the diagram of herbs in her hand, Sun Wen thought there could be no other ce she would be headed to.

    ¡°There is nothing to do anyway. So, why not go to the medicinal field?¡± Ye Zhen said, still smiling.

    Sun Wen was visibly miffed. ¡°No wonder Master Qin likes you so much. Others are not as diligent as you.¡±

    ¡°Then will you go with me or not? Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to be a physician in the army?¡± Ye Zhen teased.

    Truth was, Ye Zhen wasn¡¯t after recognition or appreciation. What good books, what Qin Fuzi or Qi Jin... nothing mattered to her. She genuinely wished to study and know more about the herbs illustrated in her books. She wanted to see what they looked like, smell them, and etch this picture she saw with her own eyes in her mind. There were bound to be differences between what one sees in the book from what it really looked like in reality. It was this gap that she intended to nullify.

    After all, she had a guiding star in her hand, the medical book; there was a vast horizon before her, the medicinal field... only a fool would let go of such an auspicious opportunity, and she was no fool.

    ¡°Then I shall apany you.¡± Sun Wen smiled and walked briskly, holding Ye Zhen¡¯s arm. ¡°Isn¡¯t Huang Fuxiang envious of you? She looked at you just now like she couldn¡¯t wait to eat you.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even do anything to her. When will she see me pleasing to the eye?¡± The corners of Ye Zhen¡¯s mouth lifted into a shallow smile.

    ¡°Then better be careful, so as to avoid incidents like thest time.¡± Sun Wen, like a good friend, advised.

    ¡°Mmm.¡± Came the reply. ¡°One who always does harm to others will one day harm oneself.¡± Ye Zhen added.

    There was no one in the medicinal field except for the two or three attendants applying fertilizer and pulling weeds. By now they were used to the pretty girl¡¯s visit to the field. As such, they continued with their work not minding her at all.

    Ye Zhen quietly read the description, looking for the herbs mentioned in the book. Before she knew it, two hours had already passed. Seeing that their free time was almost over, she and Sun Wen returned to ss.

    *

    Archery was one of the subjects she¡¯s good at. She had taken it before. She was meticulously taught by her father in her previous life and Lu Yaoyao was skilled in it as well. Together, she made an impressivebination in this field.

    An instructor surnamed Tu was assigned to teach them. After exining the rules of archery, he directed them to choose their own bow and arrow for practice.

    Gathering their respective bows and arrows, the girls then headed towards the target area.

    As Ye Zhen was getting ready to shoot, a sharp arrow wasunched from behind her.

 Chapter 234 - A Shot From The Back (1)

    <strong>Chapter 234 ¨C A Shot From The Back (1)</strong>

    <i><strong>Swoosh!</strong></i>

    ¡°Yaoyao, be careful!¡±

    Sun Wen was standing next to Ye Zhen when she saw Huang Fuxiang, not far away from them, holding up her bow and arrow towards her friend. She reflexively yelled to alert the ¡®target¡¯. s, the arrow was already in flight.

    Ye Zhen had no time to turn back. Fortunately, her reflexes were quick and body nimble. When she heard Sun Wen¡¯s cry, she swiftly leaned sideways and then on her back. The sharp arrow passed inches from her nose.

    ¡°Oh! How did this arrow shoot out of my hand?¡± Huang Fuxiang cried in surprise. The smile girdled on her face said otherwise.

    Teacher Tu, their instructor for archery, feigned ignorance and continued to teach the other students how to hold bows and arrows.

    Ye Zhenposed herself and looked at Huang Fuxiang lightly. Suddenly, she clenched the bow and took an aim.

    <i>It seems that she really thinks she can bully me as she pleases!</i>

    <i><strong>Swoosh¡ª¡ª</strong></i>

    An arrow shot out and urately hit Huang Fuxiang¡¯s clothes.

    Huang Fuxiang screamed in horror. ¡°Lu Yaoyao, how dare you aim at me!¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at the bow and arrow in her hands in surprise. ¡°Oh, how did this arrow shoot out of my hand?¡±

    <i><strong>Swoosh¡ª¡ª</strong></i>

    A second one wedged straight into her updo.

    Huang Fuxiang was visibly frightened, her face lost all color. She fell onto the ground screaming. ¡°Help! Lu Yaoyao is going to kill me!¡±

    This time the instructor wasted no time in rushing over, yelling at Ye Zhen to stop as he did. ¡°Lu Yaoyao, what are you doing?!¡±

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t even deign to nce at the instructor. As if surprised, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, these arrows are uncontroble.¡±

    <i><strong>Swoosh¡ª¡ª</strong></i>

    As if to prove her words, another arrow quickly pinned itself onto Huang Fuxiang¡¯s sleeve.

    Huang Fuxiang was ashen with fear. She wanted to run away, but her skirt and sleeves were pinned to the ground. She couldn¡¯t move at all.

    <i><strong>Swoosh¡ª¡ª</strong></i>

    Now, her other sleeve was pinned as well.

    ¡°Help!¡± Huang Fuxiang cried, looking at Ye Zhen¡¯s expressionless face. The seething anger within her shook her whole body, murderous intent suffused her eyes. Even so, all she could do was whine.

    Teacher Tu pointed to Ye Zhen and said angrily, ¡°Lu Yaoyao, put down your bow and arrow at once! Do you want to kill your ssmates?!¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at him with a seemingly innocent face. ¡°Teacher Tu, I don¡¯t know why it is like this. To be fair, why don¡¯t you ask Huang Fuxiang? Didn¡¯t she do the same awhile ago?¡±

    ¡°You...¡± Teacher Tu red daggers at Ye Zhen.

    Little had he expected his own trick toe biting him and this soon. He had turned a blind eye to the incident because he had something to ask of the Huang Family. So, even if the aggrieved party brought the matter to him, he would still rule in favour of the culprit. But in this ploy, he had failed to factor in Lu Yaoyao¡¯s courage. That she would dare to shoot Huang Fuxiang, right before his eyes, and not just once was beyond his imagination.

    ¡°Argh, what¡¯s this smell? It stinks!¡± Sun Wen said, covering her nose while looking at Huang Fuxiang.

    Huang Fuxiang was flush with tears. She had started the game for sadistic pleasure, to avenge Lu Yaoyao and scare her, but had never expected for the tables to turn. So there was no question of her being courageous when tasting her own medicine. Right now, this haughty miss had wet herself in fright.

    With a smirk on her face, Ye Zhen casually walked over to the girl and pulled out the arrow from the hair. Then she looked at the troublemaker right in the eye, all along standing tall. ¡°Huang Fuxiang, since you are so timid, don¡¯t inflict harm on others. Or the next time,¡± she poked the center of her forehead as she said, ¡°... the arrow shall be here.¡±

    Huang Fuxiang red at Ye Zhen thinking that would scare her into backing off. She was shocked by her audacity, to think she could push her to the corner! Just who did she think she was?! The terror for just a moment ago was engulfed by indignation and ire. She yelled hoarsely. ¡°Lu Yaoyao, I will not let you get away with this. You¡¯ll see!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Ye Zhen said, ¡°but you might want to change your clothes first. It¡¯s awfully... unkempt.¡±

    ¡°Argh, grown girl wet herself!¡±

    ¡°She acted all arrogant, yet she¡¯s like that.¡±

    <i>¡°...¡±</i>

    Hearing the whispers and mockery of the students around, Huang Fuxiang almost wanted to bury herself in the ground. She had never resented Ye Zhen as she did now, how she wished to tear her whole person apart. In the end, all she did was...

    ¡°Wahh...¡± She burst into uncontroble tears.

 Chapter 235 - A Shot From The Back (2)

    <strong>Chapter 235 ¨C A Shot From The Back (2)</strong>

    Some brave ones who didn¡¯t mind the noise and the stench helped pry the arrows from her sleeves. As soon as she had been set free, she held her skirt and dashed out of the ce.

    Forced to have witnessed the whole thing in silence, Teacher Tu was fuming. His bestid ns hade to a naught because of this darted girl. How could he face the Huang Family now? Well, he didn¡¯t have control over what happened, but he could still salvage the situation.

    Pointing to Ye Zhen, he said, ¡°You,e with me to the headmaster. How can there be such a cruel and cold-blooded student in this academy? You are not worthy of being here.¡±

    ¡°Teacher Tu, are you certain you want me to meet with the headmaster? Then, you who connived Huang Fuxiang to shoot arrows behind one¡¯s back, are you worthy of being a teacher? Had I not evaded in time, I would have been dead by now. She can take a shot at me, but am not allowed to even startle her? While the life of the young miss of the Lu Family is insignificant and worthless in your eyes, not a hair should be touched on the head of the precious miss of Huang Family, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Teacher Tu¡¯s face was as dark as the bottom of a wok. ¡°I didn¡¯t see her shoot at you!¡± he said between clenched teeth.

    ¡°I saw it!¡± Sun Wen immediately cried out. ¡°I saw with my own eyes that Huang Fuxiang intended to shoot Yaoyao.¡±

    Ye Zhen faintly smiled. ¡°Teacher Tu, since you are our teacher, then you are responsible for our safety. How can you let Huang Fuxiang shoot an arrow behind one¡¯s back?¡±

    Regardless of where this matter went, it¡¯s their teacher¡¯s fault. He had let the situation fly out of control neglecting his duty... deliberately or inadvertently, it didn¡¯t matter. Thus, Ye Zhen was not at all worried about going to see the headmaster at all.

    It was the second time Teacher Tu¡¯s intentions were mercilessly thwarted by the young girl. He had wanted to escte the matter, seek ¡°justice¡± for the Huang Fuxiang, and gain a chance to ask for that favour. He didn¡¯t expect that let alone penalize, he could not even threaten her. ¡°Since you know it¡¯s wrong to shoot arrows at others, how can you shoot four arrows at Huang Fuxiang in session?¡±

    ¡°I was too scared that I lost control of my hands,¡± Ye Zhen said with a helpless face.

    Teacher Tu badly wanted to punish Ye Zhen, but he knew not what excuse to find. If he were to punish her now, shouldn¡¯t Huang Fuxiang be punished as well? Ultimately, word of this matter would reach the dean.

    The headmaster may protect him, but who was to say the dean would too?

    ¡°Teacher, if you have no other instructions, I¡¯ll continue practicing my bow and arrow,¡± Ye Zhen looked at Teacher Tu and said lightly.

    ¡°Humph! Practice archery yourself!¡± Teacher Tu shot everyone a stern look, turned around, and walked away. He had to ask people to attend to Huang Fuxiang. If something were to happen to her, he could not bring himself to give an exnation to the Huang Family.

    However, this matter was not going to rest easy. After Huang Fuxiang returned home, she whined to her mother. When Madam Huang heard that her daughter was threatened in such a way, she immediately went to the academy demanding that Ye Zhen be brought to justice.

    The incident rmed the headmaster. He was a petite and serious old man with grizzled hair past the age to realize his destiny. After hearing Madam Huang¡¯sints, he gently nodded. ¡°There really cannot be such cruel and cold-blooded students in this academy. Summon Lu Yaoyao.¡±

    <strong>[T/N: Realize his destiny- a phrase in the Analects of Confucius, it means knowing the truth of the changes in the world and everything else, conforming to it. This is typically a person is in his fifties, and hence used as a metaphor.]</strong>

    ¡°Headmaster, Lu Yaoyao is... Wang Fei Lu¡¯s cousin.¡± The teacher beside him called his attention in a whisper.

    The headmaster said angrily, ¡°No matter whose sister she is, it is not good to do such things to hurt her ssmates. This academy cannot let such students remain.¡±

    ¡°What kind of students cannot stay?¡± Qi Jin walked in with a smile. She nced at Madam Huang and her daughter, greeted the headmaster with a bow, and said, ¡°Headmaster, I heard that today some students shot arrows behind others¡¯ backs?¡±

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, you¡¯vee just in time. We were just talking about that matter. Today, Lu Yaoyao hurt people with her arrows. This incident must not be tolerated. I havee to a resolve to expel Lu Yaoyao,¡± the headmaster said with a stern voice.

    ¡°Did she now?¡± Qi Jin faintly smiled, looking at Huang Fuxiang, who was still pale and had been hiding behind Madam Huang. ¡°Lu Yaoyao shot an arrow at you secretly behind your back?¡±

    ¡°She shot an arrow at me while I was unprepared...¡± Huang Fuxiang grievingly replied.

 Chapter 236 - Target (1)

    <strong>Chapter 236 ¨C Target (1)</strong>

    Time travels fast, gossip even faster.

    Be it because the young miss of the noted Huang Family was famous in the academy, or for the sheer incredulity of the incident, the matters of ss B¡¯s Archery ss spread like wildfire.

    The news had reached Qi Jin¡¯s ears within moments of her arrival at the academy. At first, she was taken aback, however, she knew better than anyone the kind of tales tongues could weave. She had as soon questioned a few people including one of the two chief characters Lu Yaoyao, in order to get the real story.

    So now, inside the headmaster¡¯s office, as the ¡®victim¡¯ poured out her grievance between sobs and cried injustice, making for a perfectly pathetic sight, Imperial Physician Qi was neither touched nor moved. If anything, <i><strong>this</strong></i>st round of ¡®interrogation¡¯ had served as proof that Teacher Tu and Huang Fuxiang were spinning lies.

    In her harried and aggrieved state, Huang Fuxiang had cleverly omitted the part where she was the one who had first shot the arrow from the back and started it all. Instead, she had painted Lu Yaoyao as the viin in vivid colors and with such ir that if Qi Jin hadn¡¯t investigated the prior to arriving here, she would have certainly sided with her just like the headmaster was now.

    Seeing how this young girl was unabashedly concealing her own faults and righteously hailing the other as the evildoer, Imperial Physician Qi was rather disenchanted. Such a young age and such a scheming mind, dead set on ruining another¡¯s future without remorse, inside the academy and not the inner pce, was truly despicable.

    Qi Jin didn¡¯t hesitate to make her disappointment loud and clear. With sharp eyes she bored into the girl and asked in a stern voice, ¡°Huang Fuxiang, was Lu Yaoyao the first one to shoot an arrow?¡±

    The headmaster creased his brows and looked at Qi Jin. Had it been anyone else saying so, he would have given them a piece of his mind already. This woman could not be repudiated on an impulse. So, even though he had already made his judgement and had only to announce the verdict, he had to indulge her right now.

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, the truth is very clear. You can even ask Teacher Tu. He was there.¡± Saying so, he gestured towards the man himself.

    Qi Jin looked at the other coldly. ¡°Teacher Tu, I heard that Huang Fuxiang was the first tounch an arrow at Lu Yaoyao¡¯s back, saying she couldn¡¯t control the bow and arrow. Is this not true?¡±

    Teacher Tu lightly coughed. ¡°I didn¡¯t see Huang Fuxiang shoot an arrow...¡±

    ¡°One didn¡¯t see it and one didn¡¯t do it... are two different truths,¡± Qi Jin said in a stony voice and continued, ¡°This academy will not allow any student to attack their fellow ssmates, nor teachers to be partial.¡±

    The headmaster¡¯s frown deepened. He was getting jittery about dragging this matter more than necessary. But since this woman was involved now, he could not dismiss it without a just cause. ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, what do you mean by this?¡±

    ¡°Headmaster, this matter should not be resolved hastily. The truth ought to be found out,¡± Qi Jin said in a heavy voice.

    ¡°What do you mean? Are you saying we¡¯re just using Lu Yaoyao?¡± Madam Huang pointed out in a shrill voice. She had been ted at the sight of Qi Jin. Her appearance would add credibility to this whole affair, shutting those that harbored the slightest doubts into silence. But now, seeing the other¡¯s intentions, she was miffed.

    ¡°If Huang Fuxiang did not shoot an arrow first, how could Lu Yaoyao get frightened and grasp her bow and arrow to strike back? To harm someone from behind, that¡¯s abominable! If Lu Yaoyao had not dodged the arrow in time, who would justify the incident to the Lu Family? Is the life of a miss from another family worthless?¡± Qi Jin demanded with a calm face.

    Huang Fuxiang¡¯s shoulders shuddered, she hid behind Madam Huang.

    Teacher Tu said, ¡°Even so, Lu Yaoyao is still at fault here. How could she shoot four arrows in a row...¡±

    ¡°That being said, she narrowly dodged an arrow. Or was it her luck? Can¡¯t she counter an attack when she got frightened?¡± Qi Jin reasoned.

    Teacher Tu was left speechless, he didn¡¯t know how to refute.

    It was now that the headmaster felt that he may have been led by the nose. He sternly looked at Teacher Tu and asked, ¡°What is going on?¡±

    Madam Huang said coldly, ¡°It¡¯s not my daughter¡¯s fault. Where is that girl named Lu Yaoyao? Summon her here. I¡¯d like to see how the Lu Family taught their daughter that she turned out to be such a vulgar girl.¡±

    Suppose this incident had happened before, she naturally would not dare say such a thing. Having heard that Wang Fei Lu was confined to her premises by the emperor, and had fallen out of favor as an imperial concubine, did she need to be afraid?

    ¡°Madam Huang,¡± Qi Jin lightly said, ¡°no matter how vulgar you may think thisdy from another family is, she didn¡¯t do anything to inflict harm behind their backs.¡±

    Madam Huang pointed to Qi Jin, about to rain curses on her. But when she recalled that Qi Jin had the favor of the empress dowager, she swallowed the words she was about to say. ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, are you being partial to your students?¡±

 Chapter 237 - Target (2)

    <strong>Chapter 237 ¨C Target (2)</strong>

    ¡°I¡¯m simply discussing the matter as it is,¡± Qi Jin said, unfazed by the usation.

    ¡°Since Imperial Physician Qi likes to discuss things, then let¡¯s discuss certain matters.¡± In waltzed a woman of about the same rank as Qi Jin. Behind her, was Su Xinmei.

    This woman was another imperial physician. Although her rank was below Qi Jin¡¯s, she had always been conceited, never once acknowledging the other¡¯s position. This had created a chasm between them and neither woman had bothered with it.

    ¡°Imperial Physician Huang, why are you here?¡± Qi Jin raised her eyebrows and asked. <i>Physician Huang is not teaching in the School of Medicine. She is not in the pce. Why did she show up here at the academy?</i>

    ¡°Fortunately, I managed toe over here today. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t know how Imperial Physician Qi would deal with my niece,¡± Imperial Physician Huang said, coldly. She was of a slender build, and erect posture. She wore a look of perpetual indifference and looked at everyone with conceited eyes.

    Qi Jin smiled. ¡°How could I dispute with a <i>xi¨£o b¨¨i</i>*? However... I don¡¯t think she is suited to remain in the academy.¡±

    [T/N: xi¨£o b¨¨i- junior or the younger generation]

    ¡°Ha, ha, then who is suited to remain? That <i><strong>Lu Yaoyao</strong></i> you mentioned? A student who destroyed the most precious sshouse in the School of Medicine... such a student is suited to stay? Imperial Physician Qi, how just you are!¡± Imperial Physician Huang sneered.

    ¡°Physician Huang, what do you mean? What happened to the sshouse?¡± The headmaster asked in a trice.

    Su Xinmei greeted him with a bow and said in a low voice, ¡°Headmaster, today Imperial Physician Huang came to take the fire lotus flower. When we went to the sshouse, we found that all the herbs in it were uprooted. Even if we are to rent them, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s hopeless.¡±

    The headmaster stood up, his wrinkled face flushed with anger. ¡°Who dared do it? It¡¯s a capital offense to bring damage to the precious herb in the sshouse!¡±

    Qi Jin calmly looked at Su Xinmei. ¡°There are only three keys to the sshouse. One is in my hand, the other in the hands of Teacher Su, and thest one is in the hands of Master Qin. Teacher Su, who did you say brought damage to the sshouse?¡±

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, a student heard that Master Qin gave the key to Lu Yaoyao,¡± Su Xinmei said in a low voice.

    ¡°Therefore, you¡¯re trying to say that Lu Yaoyao did it?¡± Qi Jin chuckled. ¡°How do you know she has the key?¡±

    ¡°Whether she has it or not, just let here and we shall find out,¡± Imperial Physician Huang coldly said.

    ¡°Summon Lu Yaoyao.¡± The headmaster immediately ordered.

    Ye Zhen had long surmised that an incident such as today would not be enough to frighten a seasoned bully like Huang Fuxiang. She was not afraid of Huang Fuxiang making a din, nor was the Huang Family someone she couldn¡¯t afford to provoke. Even if she did make a scene, the Huang Family was not as powerful as the Lu Family.

    When she arrived at the headmaster¡¯s office, several pairs of eyes were fixed on her, unfazed she walked in. The woman, particrly the one standing in front of Huang Fuxiang was staring at Ye Zhen as if sieving through her.

    ¡°Are you Lu Yaoyao?¡± The headmaster looked at Ye Zhen, a pair of heavy gray eyebrows wrinkled up. ¡°Are you the one who shot an arrow and hurt Huang Fuxiang?¡±

    Ye Zhen bowed respectfully. ¡°Headmaster, I luckily survived and lost control of my bow and arrow out of anger. Miss Huang, on the other hand, somehow shot an arrow aiming at my back. <i>That</i> is just inexplicable.¡± She stood straight, neither humble nor haughty.

    ¡°You did it on purpose!¡± Huang Fuxiang pointed to Ye Zhen and cried.

    ¡°Are you not the one who aimed at my back on purpose?¡± Ye Zhen countered.

    ¡°No! How would I know I¡¯ll shoot you,¡± Huang Fuxiang boldly said.

    Qi Jin looked at her sternly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say you didn¡¯t shoot an arrow at Lu Yaoyao¡¯s back?¡±

    Huang Fuxiang turned pale and turned to look at Madam Huang hastily.

    ¡°This matter in archery can be put aside for the time being. The most important matter now is the destruction of the sshouse. Lu Yaoyao, why did you destroy the herbs in the sshouse?¡± Imperial Physician Huang said coldly.

    Ye Zhen looked at Physician Huang in surprise. ¡°I cannot enter the sshouse, how can I destroy the herbs inside?¡±

    ¡°You liar! How can you not get in when you have a key?¡± Su Xinmei immediately asked.

    ¡°I... I don¡¯t have the key.¡± Ye Zhen was a picture of innocence.

    She wasn¡¯t lying. She really didn¡¯t have the key to the sshouse. Early that morning, she had returned it to Master Qin.

 Chapter 238 - Youâ€™re Suspicious Too (1)

    <strong>Chapter 238 ¨C You¡¯re Suspicious Too (1)</strong>

    That many eyes, that many emotions. While the Huang Family was boiling with rage, conceit, arrogance, and malice; the headmaster full of skepticism. Teacher Tu only hoped to trample the girl for ruining his ns, whilst Qi Jin wanted to shield her at all costs.

    As such, the room was divided, each one with one¡¯s own agenda... and yet, Ye Zhen was unperturbed.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have the key?!¡± Su Xinmei¡¯s face turned livid, her eyes boring into Ye Zhen. ¡°How can you not have the key when Master Qin certainly gave it to you?¡±

    Unfazed, Ye Zhen looked at her with a smile. ¡°Teacher Su, may I ask when were the medicinal herbs in the sshouse destroyed?¡±

    Su Xinmei pursed her lips tightly. ¡°We just went in and found they were destroyed. Perhaps, it happened earlier. I heard that you were in the medicine field at noon.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Still at ease, Ye Zhen conceded and continued. ¡°Is my visit to the medicine field proof enough that it was I who destroyed the medicinal herbs?¡±

    ¡°Who else could it be other than you?¡± Su Xinmei demanded.

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°But, how could I get in when I don¡¯t have the key?¡±

    This back and forth was getting on Su Xinmei¡¯s nerves. Losing her cool, she said aggressively, ¡°Who knows, you might have let someone duplicate the key and have it hidden in one¡¯s possessions!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to know who can make a duplicate of the key!¡± Qi Jin interjected.

    The sshouse, a treasure that the Huangfu Family had left behind, was cherished by the ruling dynasty. Tending to it and guarding it, was something that only the most dependable ones were entrusted with.

    When meticulous care was being meted out to maintain and preserve it, how could something as important as a key be neglected?

    The key in question was particrly unique. Apart from the hands serving the Imperial Household Department, no craftsman in the entire Jin Country was capable of reproducing the exact thing. Needless to say, a duplicate was a far fetched notion.

    No matter how much she wished, it was toote for Su Xinmei to retract her tactless remark now. She was red, in embarrassment and anger. She hurriedly looked to salvage the situation, lowering her head she reiterated her im in a low voice. ¡°Other than Lu Yaoyao, one cannot think of anyone who could have destroyed the herbs given that she has been to the sshouse.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have the key too? Could it mean you destroyed the medicinal herbs then?¡± Ye Zhen asked, still smiling.

    The little girl¡¯s calm demeanor and ever-present smile were pricking and piercing. It looked as though she was mocking the other, or so the other thought.

    Su Xinmei¡¯s countenance swiftly changed. ¡°Lu Yaoyao, you¡¯re making false usations against me!¡± Furiously pointing a trembling finger at her, she barked.

    ¡°Teacher Su is your assistant teacher. How could she do such a thing?¡± Despite her palpable anger, Imperial Physician Huang wasposed when interrupting.

    ¡°Just as she would not do such a thing, why would I destroy the medicinal herbs?¡± Ye Zhen countered Imperial Physician Huang, her tone profound.

    Ever since the pair of doctor and assistant teacher and barged in, they had been tantly and vehemently using. They brought no evidence, sought no exnation, and wasted no time in dering Ye Zhen the culprit.

    ¡°What evidence do you have to prove your innocence?¡± the headmaster asked. He had almost wanted to consider Ye Zhen¡¯s exnation in the archery matter but was incensed when this issue came to light. But he still wanted to give this girl a chance, perhaps because he did not want to be led by the nose a second time.

    ¡°Why am I the one being used of causing the destruction? What evidence do you have then?¡± Ye Zhen answered with a question.

    ¡°You have the key!¡± Su Xinmei cried out.

    This was the most twisted logic the pair of women were trying to impress upon everyone. Just because one had the means, one had the motive too. Going by this theory, all those with weapons were murders!

    ¡°I have already returned the key to Master Qin.¡± Ye Zhen looked at the assistant teacher squarely and replied.

    ¡°If you say so, must we believe it?¡± Su Xinmei sneered.

    Despite the peaking intensity, provocation and imputation, Ye Zhen remained calm andposed through it all. If one didn¡¯t know better, looking at her serene self, one would think this absolutely didn¡¯t concern her, and she was but a mere spectator.

    Ye Zhen had long discerned the goal of this farce. This act of vandalism was an extraordinarily frantic and desperate attempt to implicate her. Since they couldn¡¯t harm her themselves, they were taking a roundabout route borrowing the hands of thew.

    She was neither shocked nor hurt. She had learned the hard way that people and viciousness were as inseparable as fish and water. When personal gain was the guiding factor, there was no right or wrong.

    But it would be wrong to say she was impassive towards this whole thing. In fact, she was mighty miffed by this vile scheme. Those medicinal herbs were precious. It was not easy cultivating them.

    In order to deal with her, these people had even taken for granted the efforts of the people who had diligently cared for the medicinal herbs by destroying them!

    Her anger made her take offense, not wanting the matter to pass quickly.<i> They must serve a just punishment!</i>

 Chapter 239 - Youâ€™re Suspicious Too (2)

    <strong>Chapter 239 ¨C You¡¯re Suspicious Too (2)</strong>

    ¡°When were these medicinal herbs destroyed? Ask the medicine farmers in the medicine field. If you¡¯re still not convinced, then ask Master Qin.¡± Ye Zhen said, coldly. ¡°The medicinal herbs in the sshouse are extremely precious. I hope that when the whole truth is revealed, whoever sabotaged the medicinal herbs will be punished as one deserves!¡±

    Qi Jin¡¯s face was quite unsightly. Since the time she had heard that the medicinal herbs in the sshouse had been destroyed, she had been repressing her rage.

    ¡°Where is Master Qin?¡± The headmaster requested for Qin Fuzi.

    After a while, a person returned saying Qin Fuzi was outside the sshouse, weeping and refused toe.

    The headmaster immediately shot to his feet. ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look.¡±

    Imperial Physician Huang immediately followed him out.

    Madam Huang snorted coldly, revealing a witheringly imperious look at Ye Zhen as if she had already seen the oue she imagined: Ye Zhen kicked out of the academy. ¡°Let¡¯s go and have a look too.¡±

    Su Xinmei followed in silence with her head down.

    Ye Zhen turned to look back at Qi Jin. She believed that she was certainly feeling the same way as her at the moment.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go and see how much of the herbs have been damaged,¡± Qi Jin said.

    As they approached the medicine field, a wailing reached their ears. Then, they spotted Qin Fuzi in the distance.

    ¡°My fire lotus flower! ... my ck dragon tongue! Who in the world killed you!¡± Qin Fuzi thumped his chest and stomped his feet and cried at the thought of the fire lotus being casually plucked, it had withered beyond repair. Crestfallen, he mourned at the death of this precious treasure, and no amount of consoling did him any good.

    [T/N: dragon tongue- is a kind of Chinese herbal medicine with the scientific name Sauropus spatulifolius]

    Ye Zhen pursed her lips tightly, looking coldly at the shambles that was once a proud sshouse. The mutted medicinal herbsy scattered all over the ground, the pots that held them shattered. The fire lotus was mercilessly trampled upon, its delicate petals pulverized beyond recognition. Of the numerous precious healing herbs, not one was spared. The heart-wrenching scene stood as a testimony to the savagery of the miscreant.

    <i>Who in the world actually destroyed these precious medicinal herbs just to deal with me? Does one not know how hard it is to cultivate these medicinal herbs?</i>

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, you have such a vicious heart for destroying every medicinal herb in the sshouse!¡± The headmaster seethed and huffed, staring daggers at Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Headmaster, is such a student still worthy of staying in this academy?¡± Not wanting to lose the momentum, Imperial Physician Huang fueled the fire.

    ¡°Now, there is still no proof that Lu Yaoyao destroyed the medicinal herbs. Imperial Physician Huang, how do you know it was her?¡± Qi Jin asked, coldly.

    Ye Zhen paid no attention to them, silently walked past, lifted the fire lotus, and muttered. ¡°Such a selfish and treacherous person may cross the sea by trick, but will certainly never have good days in the future.¡±

    [T/N: cross the sea by trick- to achieve one¡¯s aim by underhanded means.]

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, are you talking about yourself?¡± Huang Fuxiang looked at Ye Zhen contemptuously. She couldn¡¯t believe that the headmaster was still unnecessarily dawdling and not expelling this wretched girl out of the academy at this instance.

    Ye Zhen nced at the door of the sshouse. ¡°The door lock is in good condition, it seems that someone came in with the key...¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Imperial Physician Huang shouted in a stern voice. ¡°Lu Yaoyao, don¡¯t try to make any excuses. You destroyed the sshouse. This incident cannot be brought to justice without driving you out of this academy. You have to stand before the empress dowager, and you shall not be spared, never!¡±

    Qin Fuzi¡¯s howling was suddenly put to a stop. He stared at Imperial Physician Huang in incredulity, and asked, ¡°Who destroyed the sshouse? I shall tear that person to pieces!¡±

    Imperial Physician Huang pointed to Ye Zhen. ¡°It is her! Master Qin, you should have at least thought of this kind of day when you handed her the key. ¡±

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao doesn¡¯t have the key. How could she get in?¡± Qin Fuzi asked loudly, ¡°How can we get to the bottom of this matter? Lu Yaoyao had already returned the key to me. I too came to the sshouse at noon, there was nothing unusual about the medicinal herbs then. How could something like this happen just when I turned around?¡±

    Imperial Physician Huang¡¯s face slightly changed. ¡°Master Qin, you can¡¯t be partial to her just because she is your student. You said that the medicinal herbs were fine at noon, but Lu Yaoyao came to the medicine field at noon. Who is to say she really returned the key to you? This incident seems suspicious.¡±

    ¡°At noon, I discussed with the dean when to send the fire lotus to the pce. If Physician Huang doesn¡¯t believe me, she should go seek the dean!¡± Qin Fuzi grumpily dered. ¡°Don¡¯t look at Lu Yaoyao as if she has already been proven guilty. You¡¯re already putting all the me on her!¡±

    Without waiting for Imperial Physician Huang to speak again, Qin Fuzi pointed to Huang Fuxiang and Su Xinmei. ¡°Haven¡¯t you two been to the medicine field today? You are under suspicion too!¡±

    She hadn¡¯t expected for a finger to be pointed to her, and definitely not this soon. So, a flustered Huang Fuxiang promptly said, ¡°I haven¡¯t been here. Master Qin, you can¡¯t use me of this.¡±

    Su Xinmei wanted to say that the two of them just came to collect some medicinal herbs. But now that Huang Fuxiang had spoken first, she couldn¡¯t give an exnation anymore.

    She nced and frowned at the dumb Huang Fuxiang, a little ruffled and upset.

 Chapter 240 - Blood Is Thicker Than Water (1)

    <strong>Chapter 240 ¨C Blood Is Thicker Than Water (1)</strong>

    Qin Fuzi was fuming with anger, ring at Su Xinmei as he contemted the destruction of the medicinal herbs in the sshouse. In the beginning, he didn¡¯t know what the headmaster and his party were trying to point out. Now he understood. These people were aiming at Lu Yaoyao.

    ¡°I saw it myself that the two of you were sneaking around in the medicine field. Headmaster, if you don¡¯t believe me, there were even several medicine farmers in the medicine field at that time. Besides, Lu Yaoyao did not have the key anymore. How could she get into the sshouse?¡± Qin Fuzi took out the key from his sleeves. ¡°You¡¯d better say: how did Lu Yaoyao get into the sshouse without the key?¡±

    This time of the day was not without hustle and bustle. Someone would have certainly noticed theings and goings of people. If Qin Fuzi had been able to spot them, there could be more. And since it was the same day that they were talking about, it would be fresh in their memory.

    Huang Fuxiang turned pale, looked at Su Xinmei, and hastily cried out. ¡°That¡¯s no concern of mine, I don¡¯t have a key!¡±

    Su Xinmei stared at Huang Fuxiang coldly.<i> This idiot!</i>

    ¡°That¡¯s right! Even if we pursue looking into those who have keys, what does it have to do with my daughter?¡± Madam Huang cried at once.

    ¡°Since Lu Yaoyao¡¯s key has long been handed back to Master Qin, it would not be hard to find out who destroyed the medicinal herbs in the sshouse.¡± Qi Jin sneered.

    The number of people who were in possession of the key was a hand few, how difficult would it be to narrow down the culprit?

    Frightened, Huang Fuxiang grabbed Madam Huang¡¯s arm, and nervously said, ¡°Mother, I have a stomach ache. Let¡¯s return now.¡±

    Su Xinmei shot a nce at her and turned to the headmaster. She was between the devil and the deep blue sea. At one hand was her benefactor, who she could never fall out of favor with and the other was the academy and her ambitions. In the end, she chose the lesser of the two evils.

    ¡°Headmaster, this incident... It¡¯s my fault.¡± She spoke haltingly. ¡°My... my key was stolen.¡±

    ¡°Stolen?!¡± Qi Jin snorted and continued. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so before? Why only now?¡±

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, I...¡± Su Xinmei uneasily looked towards Huang Fuxiang.

    Huang Fuxiang almost jumped, her heart palpitated in anxiety. Right now, she was the perfect case of guilty conscience needing no user. Su Xinmei hadn¡¯t even mentioned her and she had sprung into self-defense.

    ¡°What are you looking at me for? Do you want to say that I stole the key? Su Xinmei, don¡¯t forget, the Huang Family has been good to you.¡± She issued a veiled threat, reminding her of the consequences.

    Ye Zhen looked at Huang Fuxiang and smirked. This girl thought people were so stupid as to not see through the farce she was trying to pull? She was determined to unveil her sly little schemes now.

    ¡°Can one steal her keys and destroy the medicinal herbs in the sshouse just because the Huang Family has been good to Teacher Su?¡±

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, what did you say?¡± Huang Fuxiang was flustered and frustratedly asked.

    ¡°Did you not steal Teacher Su¡¯s key? Huang Fuxiang, Imperial Physician Huang has just said that the destruction of the sshouse should be settled with the empress dowager. When Jin Wei from the Ministry of Justice investigates what else can be concealed?¡± Ye Zhen lightly said.

    She was no fool. When Lu Qiongqui came to find herst night, she knew that Huang Fuxiang had not admitted defeat. After the fire lotus incidentst time, she had long wanted to teach this miss a lesson. Her resolve was further deepened with the archery incident. The one thing she didn¡¯t expect was that Huang Fuxiang would destroy every medicinal herb! How far was this girl willing to go to for revenge? A light punishment would not be enough to quell her anger.

    Su Xinmei¡¯splexion turned white. She knew too well that it would not benefit her if this kind of incident broke out. Perhaps, she would even be expelled from the academy. However, if she put all the me on Huang Fuxiang, Imperial Physician Huang would certainly not bring her into the pce. And being an imperial physician was her ultimate goal.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, don¡¯t bewitch people with your words!¡± Imperial Physician Huang said at once.

    ¡°What she said is a fact. How can she bewitch people? Even if Imperial Physician Huang won¡¯t report this matter to the empress dowager, this official shall tell her about it,¡± Qi Jin lightly said.

    Huang Fuxiang shuddered with fear. ¡°That¡¯s no concern of mine. It¡¯s... it¡¯s... ¡±

    Su Xinmei decisively eximed before Huang Fuxiang could say anything. ¡°Headmaster, Imperial Physician Qi, I shall take responsibility for this. I¡¯m willing to ept the punishment. After Huang Fuxiang stole my key, I haven¡¯t reported to you on time. I thought she just wanted to visit the sshouse. I didn¡¯t expect...¡±

    ¡°You lowly servant. How dare you nder your master like this!¡± Madam Huang bellowed. ¡°It seems that the Huang Family¡¯s dog indeed bites people.¡± She cursed.

    ¡°Silence!¡± Imperial Physician Huang nced at Madam Huang and turned to look at Su Xinmei. ¡°Can the key to the sshouse be stolen at will? You said that Huang Fuxiang stole your key, who is to say if this is true?¡±

    Now that the tables had turned, there was a rift in the union. Blood would certainly be thicker than water, and the pawn was set to be sacrificed.

 Chapter 241 - Blood Is Thicker Than Water (2)

    <strong>Chapter 241 ¨C Blood Is Thicker Than Water (2)</strong>

    ¡°It must still be in her purse now. If you don¡¯t believe it, you can search her purse,¡± Su Xinmei said, in a desperate attempt to save herself. She knew that the position of the imperial physician was a lost cause, but if she were to spite the academy too she would have nowhere to go. So, she would rather offend the Huang Family than being expelled from the academy.

    Huang Fuxiang tightly held her purse and nervously said, ¡°I didn¡¯t steal her key, she gave it to me.¡±

    ¡°Headmaster, now that the truth has been revealed, do you still need to continue the investigation? If you still think the evidence is insufficient, let Jin Wei investigate,¡± Qi Jin said in a deep voice.

    It was well-known that if Jin Wei were to investigate, the end would be much more terrible.

    Huang Fuxiang had been scared several times today. So much so that now, the mere mention of Jin Wei, sent her trembling in fear. She hid in her mother¡¯s arms and pitifully said, ¡°Mother, I shall not be involved in this incident. It was Su Xinmei¡¯s idea. She said Lu Yaoyao had the key to the sshouse. As long as there was an incident in the sshouse, <i>she</i> would definitely be expelled from the academy...¡±

    ¡°So you stole the key and caused destruction to the medicinal herbs?¡± Ye Zhen coldly demanded.

    ¡°All this is because of you! If it were not for you, these medicinal herbs would have been fine!¡± Leaving her mother¡¯s embrace, Huang Fuxiang shouted. ¡°Lu Yaoyao, you have no sense of shame! You even seduced Brother Tang. How could you be in possession of his silver whip? Go to hell! Go die!¡±

    ¡°I had a fair and square archerypetition with himst time. My elder brother was even there. Huang Fuxiang, how could you say I¡¯m shameless?¡± Ye Zhen red at Huang Fuxiang; her voice neither loud nor too low, cold yet calm; confident but not furious, assertive and not audacious.

    ¡°Then why doesn¡¯t he pay attention to me?!¡± Huang Fuxiang cried.

    ¡°You should ask yourself this. How can others know?¡± Ye Zhen smiled and replied.

    ¡°Shut up and don¡¯t ever mention that bane of existence again!¡± Madam Huang reprimanded her daughter. She had already lost face in the capital because of Tang Zhen. She thought that as long as she said a few nice words, her nephew would certainly be grateful. However, Tang Zhen had dered that the Tang and Huang families had already severed their ties and refused to recognize her as an aunt. What¡¯s more, he didn¡¯t even acknowledge the rtions between the two families.

    Although she had distanced herself from the Tang Family in the fear that it would bring trouble to the Huang Family before, she hadn¡¯t expected the decision would break off the rtionship for a lifetime. Now that the ship had sailed, there was no use harping over it.

    So what if he were an influential man now, someone the emperor heavily relied upon, there was no dearth of young and promising men for her daughter who hailed from a prestigious family. So what if he used to be her nephew, someone without gratitude was unsuited to be a son-inw.

    At her mother¡¯s words, Huang Fuxiang¡¯s rage knew no bounds. She stomped her foot and said, ¡°Mother, if you had not been heartless back then, Tang Zhen would have not denied our family¡¯s marriage!¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Madam Huang was livid, upset at her own daughter.

    ¡°If Brother Tang hadn¡¯t ignored me, I wouldn¡¯t have framed Lu Yaoyao. Mother, this is all your fault!¡± Huang Fuxiang flounced out, threw her purse to the ground, turned around, and ran away wailing.

    Picking up the purse, Qi Jin opened it. Indeed, inside there was the key to the sshouse. She looked at the headmaster and said, ¡°Head Master, how do you think this incident should be handled?¡±

    The headmaster nced at Ye Zhen, and then looked at Imperial Physician Huang and said, ¡°Since the truth has been revealed, we shall deal with it in ordance with the regtions of the academy.¡±

    Imperial Physician Huang looked at Su Xinmei coldly, and said to the headmaster and Qi Jin, ¡°Since the headmaster will handle this matter ording to the regtions of the academy, it would not be necessary to make the matter a trivial one. It is better for the academy to handle it by itself.¡±

    The implication was that she just didn¡¯t want Qi Jin to report the incident to the empress dowager.

    Qi Jin revealed a faint smile. She may not report the matter to the court, but she must let Imperial Physician Huang owe her a favor. ¡°For Imperial Physician Huang¡¯s sake, we can be lenient. However, Huang Fuxiang can no longer be a student in the medical academy.¡±

    ¡°Very well, then!¡± Imperial Physician Huang gnashed his teeth and agreed.

    Had she known that her niece had done it, she would not have gotten involved in the matter.

 Chapter 242 - The Teacher Is Dismisse

    <strong>Chapter 242 ¨C The Teacher Is Dismissed</strong>

    <i><strong>IMPORTANT NOTE: Teacher Shan (mentioned as Mister Shan in the previous chapters, tranted by the previous trantor Moon-er) is a female, I just recently found out. She is a widow, and a dear friend of our Ye Zhen.</strong></i>

    Things have an uncanny way of working out, or not working out. No one had imagined today would be filled with such events. The twists and turns, the winner and loser, had one wagered one would have sure lost. After all, today was utterly unpredictable.

    To those who were still reeling in the aftermath of ss B¡¯s archery ss incident, and iming Lu Yaoyao would be the one facing the guillotine, Huang Fuxiang¡¯s expulsion from the academy came as a shock.

    The young miss of a notable family, with an exemry aunt, had been shown the exit. As if this was not enough, suddenly Assistant Teacher Su Xinmei would no longer teach. However, she was still allowed to stay in the academy, it was unclear though for what means.

    Truth was, Ye Zhen wasn¡¯t exactly a pir of innocence in this whole sequence of events. She had long wanted to settle scores with Huang Fuxiang, in that, she was waiting for the opportune moment. So, when the ¡®dog¡¯ came sniffing over, at its master¡¯s behest, the ¡®kind¡¯ Ye Zhen had thrown it a bone.

    When Lu Qiongqiu had sought her holding a heart full of remorse and an olive branch, she had instantly forgiven going so far as revealing the key in her possession as an act of good faith.

    If she hadn¡¯t disclosed this ¡®key¡¯ information, Huang Fuxiang would not have thought of destroying the medicinal herbs to frame her. Thus, first thing in the morning she had returned the key to Master Qin and patiently waited for the other party to make her move.

    Yes, she had lured Huang Fuxiang and knew her revenge would involve the sshouse somehow. No, she didn¡¯t know the other would take things to such an extreme.

    Huang Fuxiang was an infamous tyrant. She took pride in crushing the weak and showing off her might. With her gone, at once, the entire ss B descended into harmony. Gone was the hostility, people started to breathe free and easy. Those who did not dare tomunicate with Ye Zhen before now took the initiative to talk to her.

    However, Lu Qiongqiu, the one who led Ye Zhen to the frame up in the sshouse before, and was instrumental this time even, waspletely isted.

    Although the incident in the sshouse was deliberately concealed, Huang Fuxiang¡¯s dismissal from the academy and Su Xinmei¡¯s sudden discharge from duty as a teacher... those that could read between the lines, sniffed out the connection between the two abrupt urrences. After all, everyone was privy to the rtionship the said people shared. There¡¯s no denying that people had already guessed the truth.

    Ye Zhen did not care much about the subtle changes in others. She believed people were fickle creatures and this was a passing phase. Although it was refreshing to not have to constantly keep looking over her shoulder, she was not just about to make the best of friends here at the academy.

    The ones who had befriended her at the start, she reckoned, were worthy people. As such, those others didn¡¯t enter her mind. Besides, right now, all her waking thoughts were invested in saving the medicinal herbs in the sshouse or rather what was left of them.

    From the moment the incident at the sshouse hade to light, she was agitated beyond limit. She had contained and concealed her emotions well, but inwardly she was in turmoil.

    Somewhere, all this came to be because of her. She was the cause that effected the ruination of the sshouse. The anger and resentment that had to be directed at her, was borne by the life saving, priceless herbs.

    She had as soon taken it upon herself to help salvage. As such, apart from the severely damaged fire lotus, the<i> lingquan </i>had rescued the remaining herbs. By now, about two-thirds of the herbs had already revived, which lessened her guilt somewhat.

    Gradually, the days turned tranquil as no one came to Ye Zhen looking for trouble. She was able to concentrate on studying medicine. Although she still didn¡¯t like to keep close contact with others, she gradually adapted to life in the academy.

    *

    A monthter, Teacher Shan suddenly called her home. Like always, the tea-table had been set and the teacher was awaiting her arrival.

    Every time she saw her teacher, Ye Zhen felt a kind of sce and warmth within. She was happy that after her transmigration, she had found her teacher and friend... theforting constant from her previous life.

    ¡°Yaoyao,¡± kneeling before the tea-table over a kettle of boiling water, Teacher Shan softly said, ¡°I can no longer continue teaching in the academy.¡±

    Holding a cup of fragrant tea in hand, Ye Zhen was basking in epicurean delight. She would somehow leave her worrying and nagging thoughts behind, every time she entered the doors of her teacher. And today was no different. However, her peace was shattered by the very one who brought her sanity.

    She raised her head in astonishment. ¡°Teacher... why...?¡±

 Chapter 243 - Mention of an Old Friend (1)

    <strong>Chapter 243 ¨C Mention of an Old Friend (1)</strong>

    The news was too much for her to contain. She was agitated, flummoxed, and heartbroken. A part of her heart ached, while the other wept. Her face gradually paled as she looked at her teacher for some constion.

    Teacher Shan put the kettle on the five-legged copper stove beside her and took the white porcin teacup to smell the tea. She appeared to be oblivious to her pupil¡¯s distress, or was she rendering another important lesson?

    ¡°Yesterday, the headmaster came to me and told me the academy was dismissing me.¡± She sighed, before breaking into a smile. ¡°As for the reason, it was a sheer fabrication out of nothing. And any excuse would have been enough.¡±

    Ye Zhen blinked, obviously shocked, and stared at her. Her mind was fumbling to grasp things. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She tried a second time and managed to say...

    ¡°Teacher, has this something to do with me?¡±

    ¡°How could this possibly have something to do with you?¡± Teacher Shan just smiled and continued. ¡°Most likely... people just don¡¯t like me.¡±

    Teacher Shan had once left the academy due to differences in opinions. Since the methods and teachings in effect were quite opposite to her beliefs and principles, she had chosen to quietly part ways. But then, she had returned and the academy had willingly weed her back even. And yet, here they were now.

    <i>Teacher Shan always keeps to herself. She has never been involved in any row or misunderstandings. How can anyone see her in an unfavorable light?</i><i>I¡¯m afraid... it is I who is dragging her down.</i>

    Ye Zhen surmised this had to be due to the recent incident with Huang Fuxuang which got Teacher Shan involved.

    As if reading her mind, Teacher Shan shook her head. ¡°It must not have been easy for Headmaster to find me and talk to me personally about leaving the academy. Perhaps he was only following orders. How could it have something to do with you?¡±

    The headmaster was an astute academician, wizened through years. He knew the value of a good teacher and had immense respect for the remarkable Ms. Shan. When she had rejoined the academy, he was ted. So, despite him not explicitly saying so, theme excuse he had furnished was proof that he was acting under pressure.

    Ye Zhen suddenly remembered Tang Zhen¡¯s visit to her and her thoughts drifted to Mo Rongzhan again. Her countenance changed slightly, she looked at Teacher Shan guiltily.

    ¡°Teacher...¡±

    Teacher Shan raised his eyebrows slightly and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid... This is all because of me,¡± Ye Zhen said in a low voice.

    The more she thought about it, the more convinced she was that it was she who brought trouble to her beloved teacher. Her first argument with Tang Zhen, when she had lost control and then with Mo Rongzhan, all of it pointed to the fact that both men had made some deductions of their own. Tang Zhen had even alluded something to the tune...

    <i>Tang Zhen must have thought it was Teacher Shan who told me about the Ye Family. It¡¯s been only a month now, and they want her out of the academy. It has to be rted... this is too much of a coincidence otherwise...</i>

    <i>Is this... Mo Rongzhan¡¯s idea? Tang Zhen¡¯s words alone cannot make the Academy for Women dismiss Teacher Shan</i>.

    ¡°How could it be because of you?¡±

    Teacher Shan¡¯s voice brought Ye Zhen out of her musings and she noticed her serene smile. She felt a pang in her stomach and decided to confess.

    ¡°I once...¡± Ye Zhen¡¯s voice dropped to a whisper. ¡°... felt aggrieved for thete wang fei in front of Tang Zhen. Tang Zhen must have concluded that it must have been you who told me about the Ye Family.¡± She lowered her head in dismay.

    ¡°Why did you feel aggrieved for thete wang fei?¡± Teacher Shan was startled at the mention of her old friend.

    In the past, she was entrusted by her master to ept Ye Zhen as her student. She hadn¡¯t asked any questions then, not that she would have received an answer.

    But by and by she had grown genuinely fond of this intelligent and clever pupil she had been thrust. Their rtionship had blossomed to more than a mentor and mentee, they were friends, confidantes, and perhaps even family.

    So when she had found out Ye Zhen was in trouble, she had hurried back. But s, it was toote. Incidentally, her master had sent word around the same time. He wished for her to take Lu Yaoyao as her student. She had been reluctant at first like she had during Ye Zhen¡¯s time... then again, history had repeated in an uncanny manner and she had grown fond of this pupil as well.

    <i>But... I have rarely mentioned Ye Zhen in front of Lu Yaoyao. How did she know about her?</i>

 Chapter 244 - Mention of an Old

    <strong>Chapter 244 ¨C Mention of an Old Friend (2)</strong>

    As if understanding her befuddlement, Ye Zhen glimpsed at Teacher Shan and said in a low voice, ¡°True that Ye Yisong was guilty of a terrible crime but not everyone in the Ye Family deserved to die. Just what was thete wang fei¡¯s offense? Why do people regard all of them as perpetrators of heinous crimes? I have never known them, but... I¡¯ve always felt sorry for some members who were involved.¡±

    Teacher Shan cast Ye Zhen a deep look.

    ¡°The wang fei herself wanted to marry the current emperor of the Qin Dynasty. At that time, Ye Yisong was hell-bent on supporting the crown prince. He originally wanted to marry off Ye Zhen to the crown prince. Later on, because of Ye Yiqing¡¯s insistence, Ye Yisong threatened Emperor Mo Rongzhan by holding the army provisions at ransom and forced him to take Ye Zhen as his wife.¡± Then, her voice dropped to a mncholic whisper. ¡°Ye Zhen was... an amazing woman. Unfortunately, she loved the wrong person.¡±

    A deste silence engulfed the room, Teacher Shan looked vacantly at the burning fire.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s love for Mo Rongzhan could be said to be many things but never selfish. She had defied her family¡¯s will and wish, she had unheeded her teacher¡¯s advice, but she was wholehearted and selfless in loving him. If anyone was to fault her, it would be for losing herself to the wrong man. Neither was her love valued nor was she acknowledged. In the end, her death was in vain.

    Ye Zhen never knew that her uncle had threatened Mo Rongzhan. She thought that Mo Rongzhan was willing to marry her for he was moved by her sincerity and persistence... It turned out to be so.

    ¡°Teacher, I¡¯m going to find Tang Zhen. This matter has nothing to do with you. You can¡¯t be dismissed from the academy because of this.¡± saying so, Ye Zhen stood up.

    ¡°No need.¡± Teacher Shan stopped her. ¡°No matter who wants me to leave the academy, there is only one purpose. One just doesn¡¯t want me to stay with you. That is, they don¡¯t want me to continue being on your side. It would still be useless if you look for Tang Zhen. I am Ye Zhen¡¯s teacher, after all, there are many in the capital who want me to disappear.¡±

    Ye Zhen wanted to go find Mo Rongzhan badly to settle the matter with him, but she knew better, with her status right now, she had no right to question him.

    ¡°Teacher, then... will you really resign and leave the academy?¡±

    ¡°What is there toin about? I¡¯ve longed to travel around. Since I cannot stay in the capital, I¡¯d better go elsewhere,¡± Teacher Shan said lightly.

    She was able to arrive at the Lu Mansion at her master¡¯s behest. She had formed a strong bond with the girl before her, much to her astonishment. Thereafter she had joined the academy. None of this was without her master¡¯s knowledge. Now, although she did not want to leave, she had to. There was nothing she could do to change it, and her master would certainly have no reason to me her.

    Ye Zhen could hardly calm herself. Because she spoke of the Ye Family in front of Mo Rongzhan, he had ordered Tang Zhen to investigate her. Now, he was banishing Teacher Shan... strong-arming people in her life. What right did he have to rob people of their will? She so wanted to crush him right now!

    Teacher Shan looked at Ye Zhen and said, ¡°I shall be leaving the capital tomorrow. There is something I want to tell you.¡±

    ¡°Teacher, do you really not want to stay?¡± Ye Zhen asked helplessly.

    ¡°Yaoyao, it is not that I don¡¯t want to stay, nor do I me you for this. As early as I returned to the capital, I expected this day woulde. Everyone knows I am Ye Zhen¡¯s teacher.¡± Teacher Shan revealed a smile.

    She had epted all this with great calm. As much as she was sentimental, she was prudent. She did want to avenge her student, each day the fire in her grew, but she was not impulsive.

    She knew her position, weighed her pros and cons, and concluded that it would do her better to bide time for now; the opportunity had yet to present itself.

    ¡°If I had not mentioned the Ye Family in front of others, I would have not caused you trouble.¡± Ye Zhen regretted that she had argued with Tang Zhen about the Ye Family.

    ¡°Even if you hadn¡¯t mentioned, as long as I am Ye Zhen¡¯s teacher, others will always be suspicious.¡± Teacher Shan paused, her deep gaze concealing her thoughts. ¡°Yaoyao, tell me the truth, have you met His Majesty the Emperor?¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask this?¡± Ye Zhen was surprised at the mention of Mo Rongzhan.

 Chapter 245 - Farewell Dinner (1)

    <strong>Chapter 245 ¨C Farewell Dinner (1)</strong>

    A pair of exquisite beauties sat opposite one another as the kettle on the stove table whistled on. The master and the pupil gazed at each other seemingly engaged in a tacit conversation. None was in a hurry to breach the serene silence, even if their were hearts aflutter.

    While few knew a pce eunuch apanied Ye Zhen one afternoon, it did not escape Teacher Shan¡¯s ever-discerning eye that her disciple had not returned to the academy from the medicinal field that day.

    She even knew that it was His Majesty the Emperor¡¯s right-hand man, Eunuch Fu, who had been tasked with the job. This went on to show, Ye Zhen, in the imperial eyes, was no ordinary maiden. Especially Mo Rongzhan, he seemed to view her in a different light.

    The ring simrities between thete wang fei and Lu Yaoyao, Teacher Shan wondered if there were others who had noticed it. However, she was certain Mo Rongzhan was in the dark. Had he known, he would be sure to never cross paths with her. And since nothing untoward had befallen the girl, it solidified her conjecture.

    But this was true of the emperor, not those around him. How could she have escaped the many curious eyes in the pce? Would they not have spotted the resemnce? And what would they think ... that the emperor summoned thete wang fei¡¯s look alike?

    <i>But what was it for?</i>

    When Teacher Shan had epted the girl as her pupil, she was only going through the motions of being a filial disciple to her own master. It would be a lie to say she wasn¡¯t swayed, towards the fulfillment of her deepest, scorching desire to avenge her deceased student, when she had firstid eyes on the girl. In fact, it was this hope that Lu Yaoyao could avenge Ye Zhen that stimted her enthusiasm. To her, the existence of this girl was the will of the heavens, which she believed was not impossible.

    ¡°Teacher, when I entered the pce, I met the emperor,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    She wasn¡¯t forting about the matters that had transpired in the imperial study. She didn¡¯t want her teacher to think, and be rmed, that she was treading the forbidden path yet again. More so, it was because her subconscious mind wanted to forget everything Mo Rongzhan had done to her as if it had not happened at all.

    Teacher Shan¡¯s solemn gaze was scrutinizing her every reaction. ¡°Yaoyao,¡± she said, ¡°Mo Rongzhan is not a person who can be provoked casually. Some people may seem magnificent and grand on the surface, but only they know of the hardships they experience on the inside.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled as she nodded. ¡°Teacher, I only went to the pce to see Little Prince at that time. It had nothing to do with him.¡±

    She tried her best to ay her teacher¡¯s worries. If only she could, she wanted to tell her who she was and why she would not have anything to do with that man in this lifetime.

    ¡°If you can make Mo Rongzhan treat you sincerely, things will be different.¡± Teacher Shan smiled faintly.

    Deep in her heart, she nurtured the hope for Lu Yaoyao to win Mo Rongzhan¡¯s unparalleled attention, to be his favorite consort, for Lu Wushuang to fall out of favour ... for only this way would it be easier to avenge. After all, the most ruthless betrayal came from those closest.

    If she was shocked at the words, Ye Zhen adeptly concealed it. ¡°Teacher, you¡¯re joking.¡±

    <i>How could she let Mo Rongzhan treat her sincerely? That man¡¯s whole world revolved only around himself. There was no space for anyone in his heart!</i>

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying.¡± Teacher Shan didn¡¯t say anything further. She had a vague premonition that Lu Yaoyao would surely attract Mo Rongzhan¡¯s attention. As such, she would let things take their course.

    ¡°Teacher, what would you like to tell me?¡± Ye Zhen asked, steering the topic away from Mo Rongzhan.

    ¡°What I¡¯m about to say is just a guess and not necessarily true ... even so, I don¡¯t think there are so many coincidences in the world. You and Ye Zhen look very much alike. When I saw you, I thought I saw her.¡± Teacher Shan looked in the girl¡¯s eyes.

    Little by little, as time went by, the youngdy before her eyes had broken away from her dark and thin appearance ... seeming more and more like the nobledy.

    <i>Lu Yaoyao¡¯s demeanor definitely resembles Ye Zhen¡¯s.</i>

    When Ye Zhen heard Teacher Shan¡¯s words, her heart stilled. Somewhere within a knot tugged hard, she inwardly winced but held her silence.

    ¡°Teacher, having a resemnce to others ... perhaps it¡¯s just a coincidence.¡±

    ¡°There are not so many coincidences in this world.¡± Teacher Shan immediately dismissed her words. ¡°The reason why I became Ye Zhen¡¯s teacher was because I was ordered to and that I will likely be a private tutor to you at the Lu Mansion was also exined to me by this man. Is this also a coincidence?¡± Teacher Shan asked.

    ¡°Who is that man?¡± Ye Zhen sat up straight.

    <i>Besides Father and Grandmother, who else knows that we¡¯re sisters?</i>

 Chapter 246 - Farewell Dinner (2)

    <strong>Chapter 246 ¨C Farewell Dinner (2)</strong>

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell who he is. He¡¯s not from the Ye Family, but he knows Ye Zhen and you very well. You and Ye Zhen resemble each other. How can I not guess the truth?¡± Teacher Shan said.

    This was the first time Ye Zhen had heard that someone had unexpectedly been instructing Teacher Shan.

    <i>Being able to order about someone of status such as Teacher Shan¡¯s ... one is certainly not an ordinary person. Who is it? Does someone already know our identity as sisters? But what¡¯s his reason for secretly helping us?</i>

    ¡°What truth?¡± Ye Zhen asked.

    ¡°What is your real rtionship with Ye Zhen?¡± Teacher Shan asked in a low voice and continued, ¡°Yaoyao, aren¡¯t you curious at all? Although people may look simr, there can¡¯t be such timely coincidences.¡±

    Ye Zhen shook her head gently. Even if the answer was on the tip of her tongue, that her heart was jumping to reveal the truth, she could not. This was not the moment. ¡°Teacher, the one who asked you to help me ... why is he doing this?¡±

    This time Teacher Shan shook her head and smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why he is doing it. He is the most unpredictable person I have ever met. Now I can¡¯t continue to be your teacher. Maybe he will arrange something else.¡±

    As time went by, Teacher Shan was convinced that her master hadn¡¯t sent her on a wild goose chase. He worked in mysterious ways, and she knew better than to question his intent or demand an exnation from him. So, she had drawn her own conclusions, which included asking Pei Shi if Lu Yaoyao was her biological daughter.

    The more Ye Zhen listened, the more confused she felt. She really couldn¡¯t figure out who could be silently looking out for her. When she was wandering the pce as a spirit, no one had cried injustice on her behalf. Nor had anyone rebelled. Now in this life, apart from those trusted confidants of her father, who had yet to know and acknowledge her existence, she could think of no one who would extend a kind word towards her let alone generous help.

    <i>Then he ... Does he know that Lu Yaoyao is Ye Zhen?</i>

    The thought sent a shiver down her spine, Ye Zhen broke out into cold sweat all over her body. This was her biggest secret, it was impossible for someone else to know!

    ¡°Teacher ... ¡±

    Ye Zhen did not know how to describe the shock her heart felt at the moment. All of a sudden, she became aware that someone was silently watching her. The feeling suffusing her heart was very unsettling.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not a bad thing.¡± Teacher Shan reassured her with a smile.

    <i>Not necessarily a good thing! </i>Ye Zhen smiled despite herself.

    ¡°I have been in the border town since I was a child. No matter where I go, people think that I am a wild girl. That person, capable of earning your respect, must be a superior one. How could I make someone superior regard me worthy of his attention?¡±

    ¡°Since one is superior, naturally one can see more than ordinary people,¡± Teacher Shan said with a smile.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyebrows wrinkled even tighter. She very much liked to know who this person was. However, she also knew that Teacher Shan was highly unlikely to reveal the person¡¯s identity.

    ¡°You need not worry. He¡¯s unlikely to show up.¡± Teacher Shan said softly, ¡°The rtionship between you and Ye Zhen is worth checking.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ye Zhen nodded gently.

    No one knew of her rtionship with her sister better than she did. She didn¡¯t want to tell her secret to Teacher Shan before because she was hesitant. Now that she thought about it and knew not who the person behind Teacher Shan was, she dared not act rashly and reveal her secret. Who knew what danger she might put herself into!

    Now that Teacher Shan had made her point, she didn¡¯t continue talking about the academy. Instead, she said, ¡°I heard Imperial Physician Qi saying that you are very talented in medicine. Others have to learn the knowledge for one year, you learned it in a month. This year, you may be able to enter the pce ahead of time to be an imperial physician.¡±

    Nowadays, it was more and more difficult to be an imperial physician. Only two students were chosen from the School of Medicine every year. ording to the usual rules, it was impossible to choose from the newly enrolled students. But Ye Zhen could take the exam. If she passed, she could strive to be a candidate.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the exam,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile before hesitatingly adding, ¡°However, I can¡¯t guarantee the result.¡±

    ¡°Eight points for effort and two for providence.¡± Teacher Shan smiled and said, ¡°I won¡¯t say goodbye to your mother. Tell her as you return.¡±

    ¡°Teacher, where would you go after leaving the capital?¡± Ye Zhen asked.

    It hurt her that she had to leave, she wanted her to stay with her so badly. She felt like a piece of her heart was being slowly sliced away.

    ¡°The world is so huge, I haven¡¯t walked half of it. Naturally, I will go and finish the other half,¡± Teacher Shan said.

    Ye Zhen held up the teacup and said, ¡°Teacher, I shall take tea instead of wine and apany you in this farewell dinner.¡±

    Teacher Shan nodded, smiled clinking cups, and drinking tea with her.

    *

    When she left, Ye Zhen did not directly return to the Lu Mansion. She went to Qianjin to meet Hong Ling. It had been quite some time since herst visit because she had been too busy. Having gotten the chance, she grabbed the opportunity to visit her confidant.

    Hong Ling happened to be in the store. Upon seeing Ye Zhen, she came forward to her like she were attending to any other distinguished guest and led her to the wing on the second floor.

 Chapter 247 - The Loyal Confidant (1)

    <strong>Chapter 247 ¨C The Loyal Confidant (1)</strong>

    Life has an uncanny way of mixing ironies every now and then. When she lived as the noble Ye Zhen, never once had she set foot in Qianjin despite being its mistress. And here she was, as Lu Yaoyao, visiting a second time and that too as a customer.

    Ye Zhen chuckled inwardly as she followed Hong Ling up the stairs and to the second floor. Thest time she was here, she had tasked her former maid with establishing contact with her father¡¯s most trusted confidantes in Jinkou City.

    When she found out that there were two bodies less among those executed on Mo Rongzhan¡¯smand, she was hopeful that they were alive. And when she discovered those two belonged to her father and brother, she wanted to find them immediately.

    It was her good fortune that she had met her former maid while visiting the charred remains of her former residence. It was then that her hope turned to resolve. She knew then she would be able to track the whereabouts of her father. These were their people, the ones handpicked by her father, who had helped her before ... absolutely loyal.

    ¡°Young Miss, you are here atst. I have been looking forward to your visit.¡± Hong Ling got a little excited, she had some much to tell her.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t get away. I finally found time today. When did youe back from Jinkou City?¡± Ye Zhen asked.

    Hong Ling had been to Jinkou City to find Man Qin and Tian Jiu with a letter Ye Zhen had written. Since then she had been anxiously waiting for news. She had not admitted who she was, instead presented herself as the young miss¡¯s younger sister. The challenge was in convincing them, only time would tell if they would believe her.

    ¡°Young Miss, this handmaiden came back a few days ago. The letter you asked for me to deliver was already sent to Uncle Man, and he came to the capital with this handmaiden,¡± Hong Ling said and continued, ¡°Young Miss, please wait for a moment, this handmaiden will invite him here.¡±

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t expect Man Qin toe to the capital. <i>Did the letter convince him? Or did he just want to confirm if he could trust me?</i>

    ¡°Go.¡± She nodded softly.

    No matter what Man Qin would do to probe, she was well prepared.

    Hong Ling immediately turned and invited Man Qin into the attic.

    Man Qin was her father¡¯s most trusted. When she got married, he was ordered by her father to apany her to the prince¡¯s residence. However, when her happiness was shattered and the reality of her marriage started to seep in, she decided to send Man Qin and Tian Jiu to Jinkou City. This was how they had evaded Lu Lingzhi¡¯s vicious clutches and the heinous act. Had they insisted on staying with her, or returned to her father they would be dad either way.

    From outside the door sounded a few quick steps and a knock. Soon, Hong Ling led Man Qin in.

    ¡°... Young ... Miss?!¡± A stunned Man Qin stood stockstill at the door, arrested by the sight of the figure waiting by the window.

    ¡°You must be Uncle Man, the one mentioned by my elder sister. I am Lu Yaoyao. I believe you have read my sister¡¯s letter.¡± Looking at the man in front of her, Ye Zhen could only pretend they met for the first time.

    Man Qin was about thirty, of sturdy build, sported a little beard. He was quite handsome, dignified, looking nothing like amoner rather a romantic schr.

    After a brief moment of silence, he managed to gather himself. ¡°Are you really ... Lu Yaoyao?¡±

    He could not get over his astonishment, looking at the girl before him. At first he felt his eyes were ying tricks on him, he was certain his master had but one daughter. Yet the person before him was a spitting image ... So, he looked at her carefully, meticulously trying to seek any difference he could discern between this Lu Yaoyao and their young miss.

    Ye Zhen could tell what the man was thinking at the moment, his eyes were suffused with incredulity. And she didn¡¯t me him. Wasn¡¯t she stunned at first too?

    She simply smiled and nodded, trying to reassure him. ¡°Yes, I learnedter that Ye Zhen is my elder sister.¡±

    Man Qin frowned at her and asked suspiciously. ¡°You grew up in the Lu Family, but now you wish to deal with them?¡±

    Although this question was one filled with anger, the answer could determine a lot of things. If she were to say yes, there was a chance she would be termed an ingrate, biting the hand that fed her. If she inclined on the nay side, well, there was no point in being here. Her words needed to be weighed, she had to win his confidence and yet keep her integrity intact.

    ¡°No!¡± Ye Zhen said lightly. ¡°I do not wish to deal with the entire Lu Family. I just want to deal with Lu Lingzhi. He killed my elder sister, also made up evidence to implicate the entire Ye n.

    Clearly, there were a number of innocents in the Ye Family, but all of them died.¡± She paused, trying to rein in her emotions and not get carried away before continuing.

    ¡°Although I am surnamed Lu now, I have been growing up in the border town since childhood, and share no strong sentiments with the other members of the Lu Family. It was only the Third Household that has been genuinely kind to me. As far as Lu Lingzhi and Lu Wushuang are concerned, they are only enemies.¡±

    Lu Shiming and Pei Shi had painstainkingly raised her younger sister. They had showered her with nothing but affection andforts, letting her live a life as she willed unrestrained. Even after she had discovered her true identity, their love for her did not diminish.

    Even Lu Xiangzhi had been unconditional when it came to her demands, treating her like his biological sister. Even if Ye Zhen hated Lu Lingzhi, she would not hate the Lu Family¡¯s third household.

 Chapter 248 - The Loyal Confidant (2)

    <strong>Chapter 248 ¨C The Loyal Confidant (2)</strong>

    Man Qin was slightly taken aback by the young girl¡¯s fervor. For someone her age, who should be more invested in clothes and makeup, she was remarkably determined.

    ¡°Young Miss, what do you intend to do?¡±

    When Man Qin received Ye Zhen¡¯s letter, he somewhat hesitated. Only when he saw Lu Yaoyao with his own eyes did he finally believe that Ye Yiqing had two daughters. But even then he held some doubts, after all, looks are deceptive. However, the aura and conviction she was emanating were gradually forming an impression on him.

    ¡°I want to find Father first.¡± Ye Zhen said softly, ¡°Uncle Man, I believe Father is not dead.¡±

    Contrary to an animated response, Man Qin was quite calm. He was not shocked by the words if anything a glint flitted past his solemn eyes. He had as well hoped the same in his heart, he had found it hard to believe that his master was no more. Rather, he had preferred not to believe it.

    ¡°Finding Second Lord ... it won¡¯t be easy. We don¡¯t even have concrete evidence if he¡¯s dead or alive, not to mention there¡¯s a vast sea of people out there.¡± He looked at the girl, wondering if the girl would falter in the midst of hopelessness.

    ¡°No matter how difficult, please help me find Father.¡± Ye Zhen pleaded. She was somehow convinced he was alive and knew in her heart that she would be able to find him if she dedicated herself to the task.

    ¡°Young Miss, we will find Second Lord, but how will you handle the Lu Family?¡± Man Qin queried.

    It was one thing to dere enmity, but avenging was quite the contrast. Retribution ... revenge ... reckoning were words that were easier said than done. How many possessed the courage to see it through? How many had stood ground until they had seen it through? Men wavered, what¡¯s more, a girl? And she was up against two of the most powerful people in the capital with all odds against her.

    ¡°Although the Lu Family has been conferred with nobility, its roots are not stable. It is still their business that sustains them all. Uncle Man, do you have any means to make Lu Family¡¯s business copse?¡± Ye Zhen said softly.

    Ye Zhen was never an impatient person. Even though she was desperately seeking revenge, she also wanted to make sure her every move was right by taking it step by step.

    If the Ye Family was still around, she naturally did not need to be this cautious. But what identity did she have now? An orphan girl living under another¡¯s roof! As long as her identity was not exposed that she was not Lu Shiming¡¯s biological daughter, she could still make use of her identity to execute her ns.

    She had two goals. First, to enter the pce and be a physician, gain the trust of the empress dowager, and then nt the seeds of doubts in Mo Rongzhan towards Lu Lingzhi. She wanted to let the man lose his left and right arm, little by little. The second goal was to handle the Lu Family. As long as trouble arose in their business, the family would be thrown into chaos.

    Man Qin did not readily respond. Considering that the Lu Family¡¯s business was deeply rooted, he felt it would not be so easy to deal with Lu Shixun.

    ¡°Young Miss, you cannot avenge the Ye Family and Fifth Miss overnight,¡± Man Qin said in a deep voice.

    Now that the Ye Family was obliterated, even if she was surnamed Lu, one cannot simply handle a high official, let alone her enemy ... the current emperor.

    ¡°I understand that it won¡¯t be easy and this would take time, but everyone has weaknesses. I don¡¯t believe that Lu Shixun has no weakness. Uncle Man, it is said that an ant can swallow an elephant,¡± Ye Zhen said in a resolute tone, confidence written on her face.

    For a moment, Man Qin was reminded of Ye Yiqing. When his master faced difficulties, he would have the same confident and determined look on his face, sure that he would seed in achieving his goal as long as he stood firm.

    After his moment of silence, Man Qin asked, ¡°What would you like to do?¡±

    Ye Zhen nced at him, a faint smile emerged on the corners of her lips. ¡°We shall start from the unstable ones. Words are a great weapon, we will use this to our advantage and snatch their business for ourselves. Their business has been running for so many years, it is bound to have many rivals. Uncle Man, we can start from here ...¡±

    Man Qin silently listened to Ye Zhen as she exined how to deal with the Lu Family¡¯s business in Jinkou City. As word after word fell, his shock deepened further and further. He was unable to fathom how a young girl as such coulde up with such a detailed n.

    <i>Did this young miss really grow up in the border town since childhood? Such strategies and opinions ... are even deeper than Ye Zhen¡¯s.</i>

    He just didn¡¯t know how deeply Ye Zhen had invested this second life to retribution after her death. There was not a waking moment when she thought of anything but the plot to bring down her foes. Her n was meticulous, in that she understood the nuances of not just the nature of the Lu Family business but also her two main antagonists. Simply put, she knew to hit where it hurt the most.

    ¡°Young Miss, I will task someone with finding Second Lord and begin the matter with the Lu Family. You are now the only daughter of our master, we shall obey your orders.¡± Man Qin dropped down on one knee and formally expressed his loyalty to Ye Zhen.

    Ever since the death of their young miss and the execution of the Ye n, they had been stoking the fire of vengeance within them. How they had longed to slice the heads of those responsible. It was with mammoth willpower that they had reined in their fury and sat still.

    He admitted Ye Zhen¡¯s letter had brought him a ray of hope. The reason why he himself came to see her was that he was afraid ... afraid that if he sent anyone else, they might not have the courage to assess the girl. And assess, he had wanted badly. He wanted to see if the girl who had been sheltered and raised by the Lu Family, and the one who imed allegiance to the Ye Family ¨C what was she like? Would she go soft on the hand that fed her, think twice about the bold decision she made or would she have the same fearlessness as her sister, the grit as her father?

    Now, he had no such concern. Not only <i><strong>his</strong></i> loyalty but also of those in Jinkou City, all of whom were headed by Man Qin was pledged to this young girl.

    Ye Zhen secretly felt relieved. Finally, she was able to convince her former confidant of her identity as Lu Yaoyao. Letting them know the truth would not be easy. However, if one yearned to reveal the truth to such loyal confidants, that she is thete Wang Fei Ye Zhen, she needed some time.

 Chapter 249 - Unexpected Report of Victory (1)

    <strong>Chapter 249 ¨C Unexpected Report of Victory (1)</strong>

    Now that the initial inhibitions and doubts had settled, Ye Zhen and Man Qin talked about Qianjin in Jinkou City. Although she did not particrly manage the business there before, it didn¡¯t mean she wouldn¡¯t get involved in the business now. She ought to learn and understand things thoroughly only then would she be able to uproot her enemy the Lu Family.

    As the young girl borated on her ns, Man Qin, inwardly, went through a series of changes. What started with surprise in no time turned to astonishment, eventually halting at intimidation. The grasp the girl had over the business was astounding, her views and ideas were neither immature nor impulsive. As he listened, by and by, he was skeptical about whether Lu Yaoyao had really grown up in the border town.

    He had seen many a young misses, but none topare to the aura and intellect that Fifth Miss possessed. Qianjin had started out as a hobby, but now it was a name to be reckoned with; achieved singlehandedly by his former mistress. So, when he came over, he held little expectation about this sister who had abruptly materialized. He knew it would be unfair to draw simrities between the two misses, even so, he was unconsciously harboring the notion.

    However, he did not dare to think so now. The girl had evinced remarkable wisdom but he brooked no suspicion towards the origin of this knowledge. By now he had concluded that it must have been Ye Zhen who had deeply trusted this sister and shared every detail of the business with her. Otherwise, how else would this girl from border town be able to glean so much in such a short time?

    Soon the discussion came to a close, more so because Ye Zhen was time-bound and could not linger any longer. Man Qin made no attempts to conceal his thoughts, his admiration and support were clearly written on his face. Satisfied, she got up to take her leave.

    Hong Ling followed her downstairs. She had been restlessly ever since the day she had confirmed this miss¡¯s identity. Taking the opportunity now, she spoke out her innermost desire. ¡°Young Miss, when can this handmaidene and serve you?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you helping me now?¡± Ye Zhen asked with a smile. ¡°I am in the academy now, and I don¡¯t need people to serve around me. You can help me do more things outside.¡±

    ¡°This handmaiden is afraid that others will not serve you well,¡± Hong Ling said.

    Growing up along with the young miss, she knew best her preferences. Knowing how pampered and spoiled the young miss was, and knowing how Ye Zhen could be a little fastidious, she was worried others would not be able to take care of her well.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Came Ye Zhen¡¯s reply.

    She was no longer the former Ye Zhen. Thus, she would not be angry because of the poor service of the maids assigned to her. These things were just trivial matters to her now.

    Hong Ling gazed at the young miss who was markedly different from before. Gone was the childlike cheeriness she once had about her. The nonchnce and solemnity with which she carried herself were at the same time impressive and heart-wrenching. Although the girl was no longer petnt and headstrong, she still dearly loved and cared for Ye Zhen.

    <i>It¡¯s only when one is loved that one dares to be petnt and willful. Now, is there anyone who can indulge in loving the young miss like the second lord?</i>

    ?

    Back at the Lu Mansion.

    The moment Ye Zhen returned, she went to find Old Madam Lu to pay her respects. Initially, she had started to do this to gain the favor of the fattest thigh in the household, but now it had be a habit. It served her well, this habit, for the old woman was fond of her. At least on the surface, she was; however, how deep it ran remained to be seen.

    A few days ago, it was the old madam¡¯s birthday. Lu Shixun, the second lord of the family, had kept his word and returned on time. The old matriarch was absolutely ted, who would not be over a filial son?

    Unlike Lu Shiming, who was as warm as jade, Lu Shixun was a very serious and calm person. Being solely responsible for the family business, he had developed a character that of an astute stoic tradesman. Such a person, by far, was not easy to assess let alone find a weakness.

    ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯m back.¡± As Ye Zhen entered the room, her face wore a sweet and bright smile.

    There were many people in the room. Except for a few cousins, it seemed like the whole household was here. Even Lu Shixun and his wife were present, talking with the old madam.

    Old Madam Lu saw Ye Zhene in, and the smile on her face became even kinder.

    ¡°Yaoyao is back. Come here, let Grandmother have a look. You haven¡¯t been home for many days.¡±

    Ye Zhen was inwardly surprised. <i>What¡¯s the matter today? Everyone is here with Old Madam. </i>She smiled and greeted the elders. Then she snuggled up to the old madam.

    ¡°Grandmother, do you think I¡¯m fat? Am I tanned?¡±

    Old Madam Lu pinched Ye Zhen¡¯s cheek. ¡°There¡¯s hardly any meat left and you¡¯re asking if you are fat? Let me see. Well, it¡¯s white.¡±

    ¡°Mother, this child is more and more unruly in front of you.¡± Pei Shi was somewhat annoyed by her daughter. She showed reserve nor bashfulness that was expected of girls her age.

    Ye Zhen had a characteristic charm that would impress and wriggle its way in through the coldest of hearts. She knew to read people, and especially the old madam. It was no wonder that the matriarch took pride in the girl¡¯s skittish but sincere ways. The other misses were quite uptight and did not like being coquettish as much as she did.

    Ye Zhen rubbed against the old madam¡¯s arms and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m filial to my grandmother, how could I be unruly?¡±

 Chapter 250 - Unexpected Report of Victory (2)

    <strong>Chapter 250 ¨C Unexpected Report of Victory (2)</strong>

    Lu Fang and Lu Jing on the other side curled their lips at the scene before them. They preferred to present themselves in a primp and proper manner, lest the others not perceive them as a miss of a wealthy family.

    ¡°I like Yaoyao. I¡¯m happy to see her.¡± The old madam said with a smile.

    ¡°Grandmother seems to be in a very good mood today, what¡¯s there to be particrly happy about?¡± a beaming Ye Zhen asked.

    ¡°We just received good news about your eldest brother. The rebellion in the west will soon be quelled.¡± Old Madam Lu patted Ye Zhen¡¯s hand. With such reports of victory about her grandson, the old madam was, no doubt, in the best of her moods for the past two months.

    Deep inside, Ye Zhen was somewhat shocked, and the smile on the corners of her mouth nearly froze. ¡°Eldest Brother won the battle?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the battle is won. Your eldest brother will be back soon,¡± Old Madam Lu said with a smile.

    <i>Impossible!</i>

    This was different from what she knew when she wandered in the pce as a spirit for two years. Ye Zhen did not expect the happenings to deviate to such an extent.

    <i>Why is Lu Lingzhi not hurt? He should have been injured!</i>

    Lu Shixun revealed a faint smile. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing for this family that they won the battle.¡±

    As Lu Wushuang was put in limbo, many people in the capital thought that the Lu Family was going to fall out of favor and crash. With Lu Lingzhi¡¯s victory, they believed that they could stand tall again and the people who were deadset on the family¡¯s downfall would change their minds.

    ¡°I hope this will also help the wang fei,¡± Lu Shiming said.

    Ah, those words did not go down well with Ye Zhen.

    Lu Wushuang had been confined for over a month now. If it were to continue, with the xiunu selection underway, she would as soon be one of the many concubines losing the favour and stature she had up until now enjoyed.

    She had hoped she would continue being confined and at odds with the emperor until the xiunu gained his favour. She was sure, given the wang fei¡¯s personality, she would certainly sh with the girls and lose her standing further and further. But the concubines had yet to be chosen, if her confinement were to be lifted, who was to say she would not regain Mo Rongzhan¡¯s favour?

    ¡°Grandmother, can we go to the pce to visit our elder sister?¡± The little girl sitting next to Old Madam Lu asked innocently.

    Ye Zhen looked at the little girl. She was Lu Shixun¡¯s daughter. She turned five this year. She looked very cute and adorable with her pink puffy cheeks. However, she looked a lot like Lu Wushuang.

    Old Madam Lu said smilingly, ¡°We should be able to visit the wang fei soon.¡±

    ¡°Great! I haven¡¯t seen my elder sister for a long time.¡± Lu Tong pped cheerfully.

    Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t vent her heart, she took the little girl over and poked the bun on her head. ¡°You only like Elder Sister, don¡¯t you like me?¡±

    ¡°I like you! Tong¡¯er likes Third Sister too,¡± Lu Tong said hurriedly.

    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s more like it.¡± Ye Zhen added with a mischievous smile. ¡°If you don¡¯t like me, I won¡¯t give you a cake next time.¡±

    Although she seemed to be talking to the little girl, Ye Zhen¡¯s mind was fast at work¨C <i>Would Mo Rongzhan really lift Lu Wushuang¡¯s confinement? With the way he weighs situations, he might actually do so.</i>

    ¡°There is still one more thing to celebrate.¡± Liu Shi, who had been sitting beside Old Madam Lu reluctantly dered.

    Ever since she was ordered by the old madam to stay in the house to recuperate, this was the first time she went to the mansion¡¯s main hall. After the old madam had reprimanded her, she did not dare to talk recklessly.

    Old Madam Lu asked sedately, ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Fang¡¯er¡¯s wedding. The Liang Family ising to propose marriage in two days.¡± Liu Shi smiled as she spoke. Seeing Lu Fang on one side bowing her head bashfully, a hint of gloom shed past her eyes.

    ¡°Who gave you the permission to betroth Fang¡¯er?¡± Old Madam Lu¡¯s good mood was suddenly destroyed and she asked Liu Shi calmly, containing her anger.

    Liu Shi¡¯s smile froze. ¡°Mother, Fang¡¯ er is not too young. What is wrong with Marquis Liang? It¡¯s not bad for Fang¡¯er to marry him.¡±

    Old Madam Lu smirked in extreme anger. ¡°You really are capable ... You¡¯ve been staying in the house to recuperate and were still able to settle Fang¡¯er¡¯s marriage to the Liang Family. I don¡¯t agree with this marriage!¡±

    Liu Shi¡¯splexion changed. ¡°Mother, what is wrong with this marriage?¡±

    She had thought that the old woman would wee this proposal based on the Liang Family¡¯s status. Though it was not the girl she had initially intended it for, it was still the family her Shuang¡¯er had chosen. She hade to terms with it, but now this old woman was creating obstacles.

    When Lu Fang heard the old madam¡¯s words, her face turned pale as she bit her lip and bowed her head in grievance.

    ¡°The misses in the Lu Family don¡¯t need to be second wives of a widower.¡± Old Madam Lu dered.

    ¡°Mother, please don¡¯t get angry. If you are not satisfied with Fang¡¯er¡¯s engagement, we can look for someone until you feel satisfied. Now our Lu Family is very different from before, there must be a lot of young men we can choose from for our family¡¯s girls,¡± Liu Shi said to the old madam with a smile.

 Chapter 251 - Desperate to Marry (1)

    <strong>Chapter 251 ¨C Desperate to Marry (1)</strong>

    Marriage had its foundation in status and benefit than feelings and emotions. In a world run by power, the more influential one was, the longer one wouldst. And no one knew this better than the old matriarch of the Lu Family who had weathered many a storms.

    Thus, when her eldest daughter-inw willingly offered a middle ground, the Lu matriarch¡¯s face softened a little. She looked at Lu Fang and said, ¡°The Liang Family is not a good match. I¡¯ll make the decision for you.¡±

    Seeing that the wind was steering away from the course, Liu Shi was quick to interject, albeit with a sneer. ¡°Mother, this marriage is Fang¡¯er¡¯s own request and not my arbitrary decision.¡±

    Lu Yaoyao was the one that was meant to marry into the Liang Family, this was what her daughter had nned. And Liu Shi had rallied vehemently to see the matter through, only to incur the old madam¡¯s wrath. So, this time around, she wanted to be sure that no one pointed fingers at her and conveniently pushed the me on the girl¡¯s shoulders.

    Old Madam Lu¡¯s sharp gaze fell on Lu Fang. ¡°Fang¡¯er, is what your mother said true?¡±

    The matriarch was all too familiar with Liu Shi¡¯s methods. She would always look for ways to see through her ns, no matter how obstinate the impediments. So, she was inclined to believe that this was forced like it was in the case of Lu Yaoyao and sought rification directly from the party involved.

    ¡°Grandmother, please allow us.¡± Lu Fang dropped to her knees and begged.

    Lu Fang was many things, but delusional she was not. The Lu Family¡¯s status was vastly different from a decade or so ago. From mere merchants to the position of nobility, was not lost on her. However, all this was for the <i><strong>family</strong></i>, not her. <i><strong>She</strong></i> was still an ordinary concubine born, a fatherless girl living under the mercy of the main wife. Who, in here, loved her? Who here cared about her?

    She possessed neither the talent of her fourth sister nor the exceptional beauty of the third. There was already a wang fei, so what now, wait to be the empress? She knew her standing in the family and society in general. She was nothing but a pawn in this game of power and status. When such was the case, why not be one on her own terms?

    If she missed this opportunity, she would never be the wife of a marquis. Even if she was to be a second wife, Marquis Liang had no son. In the future, she would be the main wife, one who managed the household. What she wanted most was such a status.

    ¡°Fang¡¯er, what are you saying? There is no girl who asks for marriage like this. Are you worried that Mother will do you harm?¡± Lu Shixun frowned and reproached.

    Old Madam Lu looked at Lu Fang concernedly. ¡°Have you thought this through?¡±

    Ye Zhen gently tugged Lu Fang and said, ¡°Second Sister, the Liang Family is not as good as you think. You should reconsider.¡±

    ¡°I have thought it over very well, Grandmother. Please~.¡± The Lu Fang who was until now kneeling, kowtowed.

    It was not easy for her to let the eldest madam take charge of the marriage for her. She had been through a lot and was not just going to fail in the end. As long as she became the wife of the marquis, she would be able to fight for her mother, a concubine, in the future.

    Old Madam Lu said with a cold face, ¡°If I don¡¯t agree, will you me me for obstructing this marriage? Even Yaoyao knows that the Liang Family is no good. Why can¡¯t you understand when you are two years older than her?¡±

    ¡°Fang¡¯er dares not,¡± Lu Fang said and held her head low.

    ¡°Since you are determined to marry into the Liang Family, I don¡¯t want to provoke resentment in you. However, you have to bear and take responsibility for the good and bad days in the future. I will advise you once more. The Liang Family is not worthy of you. You go back and think about it. Come back to me with your answer tomorrow.¡± Old Madam Lu said.

    Lu Fang¡¯s dull eyes immediately lit up. ¡°Yes, Grandmother.¡±

    Ye Zhen took in every gesture of the girl who was earnestly imploring the elder ... her eyes, the glistened imparts that tantly said that she would not change her mind no matter how much time she¡¯s given to reconsider. She admitted that this oue was beyond her imagination. She had only wanted to use Lu Fang as a diversion to prevent Liu Shi from exploiting herself, but she did not expect Lu Fang would willingly want to marry into the Liang Family.

    If being married into the Liang Family was really good engagement, why would Liu Shi just let Lu Fang marry this marquis? Indeed, she was up to no good. After all, Lu Fang was the daughter of her husband¡¯s favorite concubine.

 Chapter 252 - Desperate to Marry (2)

    <strong>Chapter 252 ¨C Desperate to Marry (2)</strong>

    This incident significantly affected the Old Madam¡¯s mood. It took a good deal of effort from Ye Zhen and Lu Shiming to uplift the old madam¡¯s mood. Atst, listening to the father-daughter¡¯s jokes and instances from their border town, the matriarch burst into a fit ofughter.

    ¡°You¡¯ve learned your father¡¯s temperament. You¡¯re like an unruly monkey¨C naughty and yful.¡± Old Madam Lu good-naturedly reprimanded, teasing and pulling Ye Zhen in her arms.

    ¡°Grandmother, unruly monkey¡¯s children are unruly monkeys as well.¡± Ye Zhen replied in all seriousness.

    ¡°Do you mean that Mother is also an unruly monkey?¡± Liu Shi on the side put on a fake smile, regarding Ye Zhen as a thorn in one¡¯s flesh. ¡°

    <i>This Liu Shi, does she really know when to speak without reserve! </i>

    Ye Zhen shed her a pleasant smile and said politely, ¡°Auntie, if Grandmother is a monkey, I wonder how many people would want to be a monkey. How many people can be like the old madam who has beautiful granddaughters, handsome grandsons, and nobles and officials as Elder Sister and Elder Brother?¡±

    The room erupted in a peal of boisterousughter, Lu Shixun shook his head and said to Lu Shiming, ¡°Third Brother, your daughter really has a way with words.¡±

    Lu Shiming nodded proudly. ¡°She takes after me.¡±

    ¡°You are the most shameless,¡± Old Madam Lu said to her son bluntly.

    The jesting and banter continued on for a while as the family held a celebratory banquet in honor of Lu Lingzhi¡¯s victory.

    Ye Zhen all along apanied the old madam on her side. Like everyone else, she was looking forward to the return of the man himself. Looking at the smiling faces of everyone in the family, her heart seethed in rage. In the beginning, she had encouraged Lu Lingzhi to go to the west, not to make contributions, but to return with an injury.

    She knew that he would be seriously wounded during his campaign. He had to recuperate for at least half a year. As long as he stayed at home injured, she would be able to deal with him.

    <i>Today¡¯s ¡°good¡± news ... perhaps is just the beginning. The real good news has yet toe.</i>

    Ye Zhen had a hard time staying up until the end of the banquet. Not long after she had retired in her room, Lu Fang came to find her.

    ¡°Second Sister, you¡¯re just in time. I was about to find you.¡± Seeing Lu Fang arrive, Ye Zhen ordered Dai Mei to prepare tea and let the second miss in.

    Lu Fang looked at Ye Zhen with a straight face. ¡°I know what you want to say to me. You don¡¯t have to say anything. I won¡¯t change my mind about this matter.¡±

    Ye Zhen slightly frowned. ¡°Second Sister, Liang Chun may be well-off but marrying him is not as good as you imagine.¡±

    ¡°But after I marry him, I will be the wife of the marquis,¡± Lu Fang said in a low voice.

    ¡°You¡¯re marrying Liang Chun just to be an official¡¯s wife?¡± Ye Zhen felt that this was a ridiculous reason. <i>Is the statusparable to her own lifelong happiness?</i>

    ¡°I don¡¯t have your good looks, Yaoyao. Even if you enter the pce in the future, you may not lose to the wang fei. Don¡¯t argue with me about Marquis Liang, will you?¡± Lu Fang urged.

    ¡°......¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m trying to argue with you? If I wanted this marriage, I wouldn¡¯t have refusedst time. Second Sister, if you don¡¯t listen to Grandmother¡¯s advice, you will regret it in the future,¡± Ye Zhen sarcastically asked.

    ¡°Even if I regret it, this is my business.¡± Came Lu Fang¡¯s stubborn reply.

    Ye Zhen nodded. ¡°Well, then I won¡¯t pry too much. For the sake of your sisters, I say again, you better ask around about Liang Chun and then decide whether to marry him or not.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your concern, Third Sister.¡± Lu Fang raised her chin and pretended to be noble and said, ¡°I¡¯m also grateful to you. If you had not mentioned this to me, I would not have been able to ask my mother to fix this marriage of the Liang Family for me.¡±

    Ye Zhen was left speechless. She hoped that Liu Shi would just fall ill for more days. Who knew if this person of poor health still had her way tomunicate with the Liang Family? It seemed that she underestimated Liu Shi.

    Girdled by her haughty aura, Lu Fang turned on her heels and sashayed out of the room. Seeing the departing figure, Ye Zhen shook her head and sighed. She had said what she ought to say. Even so, the girl still obstinately persisted in going about things the wrong way. Now matters were beyond her, she could do nothing about it.

    As for Liu Shi ... As long as she keeps from meddling in her affairs, she would not deal with her on her own ord. If not, she should be prepared to continue being ill for a few more days.

    ¡°Third Miss, this invitation was delivered for you just now.¡± An envelope in hand, Dai Mei entered the room.

    Only

    <i>Who sent this?</i> Ye Zhen wondered as she opened the letter. In no time, her serene countenance turned cold. To her surprise, it was Tang Zhen!

    <i>He has the nerves to invite me to a banquet at his house!</i>

    Wasting no time, Ye Zhen picked up a brush and briskly penned a response. ¡°Check if the person who sent the letter is gone, and hand them this!¡± She instructed Dai Mei.

    When Tang Zhen read the contents of the reply he was left speechless.

    <i>Go to hell!</i>

 Chapter 253 - For The Emperorâ€™s Harem (1)

    <strong>Chapter 253- For The Emperor¡¯s Harem (1)</strong>

    It took him a long time to gather his thoughts, but until then he stared at the three-word reply in shock. He had never expected a reply from the girl, much less something like this. He sighed and then chuckled, why should he be astonished at something that was obvious? It was his fault that he had assumed things were smooth.

    The most prominent, and perhaps the first thing that had attracted him to Ye Zhen after her beauty was her decisiveness. When they had first met, from the time they started hunting to when she had relieved him of his precious silver whip, she had never once flinched, cowered, or showed signs of nervousness. And given her age and background, such a characteristic was indeedmendable.

    Furthermore, their spat over thete wang fei went on to show how headstrong the girl was, not to mention she knew to hold her grudges.

    Why then did he think all was well between them and she would heed to his words?

    Tang Zhen sighed and collected the reply, certain that Ye Zhen was angry at him. It didn¡¯t take him long to put two and two together. He knew her anger must have stemmed from Teacher Shan¡¯s abrupt dismissal, and she must think he facilitated it. Truth was, he had only honestly reported every detail to the emperor. As for what came after, it was wholly and solely the emperor¡¯s discretion.

    <i><strong>Go to hell!</strong></i>

    <i>What a grievance it is!</i>

    It was beginning to be more and more clear to Tang Zhen that the path to attain his heart¡¯s truest desire¨C the beautiful Lu Yaoyao, had be more and more distant.

    <i>On second thought, why not find an excuse to see Lu Xiangzhi tomorrow, meet her and exin?</i>

    If Lu Xiangzhi wasn¡¯t around, he could always look for Third Lord Lu. These days, he was quite familiar with the third lord of the Lu Family. So, if he were to propose marriage at an opportune time in the future, it was unlikely that Lu Yaoyao¡¯s father would make things difficult for him.

    Tsk, if only things were as easy as the young marquis thought.

    When he went to find the beauty the next day, he discovered she had already returned to the School of Medicine for sses. And there was no way he could waltz into the academy and seek her out. He had a nagging feeling that this was not a coincidence, but what could he do about it? For now, he had to resign to the fact she was avoiding him like the gue, but he would keep his ear firmly to the ground lest he misses an opportunity.

    If there was one thing Ye Zhen had mastered in <i><strong>this</strong></i> life, it was gauging people. Intelligence was finding a solution to a problem, and wisdom in averting it all together. That said, she had long anticipated Tang Zhen¡¯s move, and took the very first moment to thwart all his attempts of meeting her. What was there to talk about? They weren¡¯t friends, so there was no need for exnation and justification. Of course, she knew that the person behind Teacher Shan¡¯s dismissal was not him, but she was equally certain he was instrumental in bringing it about. As such, she regarded him with contempt. And why not? He was prejudiced and did not make the effort to verify his assumptions before presenting the matter to the emperor.

    As the year was drawing to a close, the students would soon be on vacation. After spring would be the screening examination for imperial physicians. Ye Zhen had already expressed to Qin Fuzi her desire to participate in this assessment. Other than her, there would be Gao Xueping and two other students in their first grade who would be going through this in advance. As such, she did not n on returning to the Lu Mansion, intending to stay back in the academy for the rest of the month and study with Master Qin.

    Unexpectedly, a few dayster, the empress dowager sent Aunt Cheng over to the academy to bring her to the pce. It was a month since herst visit, but she knew that the little prince was doing well. Little Prince had been ordered by the empress dowager not to leave the pce and was tasked with taking good care of himself. No wonder the boy hadn¡¯te looking for her.

    ¡°Aunt Cheng, how is the empress dowager recently?¡± On the way to the Cining Pce, Ye Zhen asked Aunt Cheng in a low voice. Truth was, what she really wanted to know was if Lu Wushuang¡¯s confinement had been lifted, but it would be inappropriate to ask.

    ¡°Empress Dowager is doing well. In fact, she always mentions you,¡± Aunt Cheng said with a smile.

    Only

    <i>Had it been someone else ... for that matter even me in Lu Yaoyao¡¯s stead, winning the empress dowager¡¯s open fondness, I would probably like to visit the pce and apany the empress dowager every day! But this girl ...</i>

    Aunt Cheng thought back to thest time she had seen Ye Zhen, it was when she had personally sent her to the Lu Mansion. Such a long time and not a shadow of the girl had been seen. If it were not for the empress dowager¡¯s constant mentioning of the girl, one would conveniently forget her existence.

    <i>Sigh. Third Miss Lu how are you so different? Immersing yourself in studies, keeping a distance from the pce ... neither do you take advantage of the empress dowager¡¯s favor nor the initiative to visit especially when Her Highness has explicitly allowed you to enter the pce to apany her at will.</i>

    All along Ye Zhen was oblivious to Aunt Cheng¡¯s unspoken criticism. When she heard that things were smooth at the empress dowager¡¯s side, she showed a happy smile. ¡°That¡¯s good. Her Highness must have been very busy recently. I heard that the women for the emperor¡¯s harem have entered the pce.¡±

    By now her curiosity was overwhelming her, but her sensibility reigned over and she sought a roundabout way to quell it.

 Chapter 254 - For The Emperorâ€™s Harem (2)

    <strong>Chapter 254 ¨C For The Emperor¡¯s Harem (2)</strong>

    ¡°Wang Fei is still learning the rules. The empress dowager is watching over all the significant and trivial matters in the inner pce. She is much busier than before,¡± Aunt Cheng said.

    <i>Oh! It seems that Lu Wushuang is still confined.</i>

    Ye Zhen¡¯s mood improved at once. She went to the Cining Pce with a brisk pace and wore an especially sweet smile.

    ¡°Ten thousand blessings to Empress Dowager!¡± Ye Zhen curtsied as she entered the hall. When the empress dowagermanded for her to rise, she discovered that there were other people present in the hall. She recognized one of them.

    Unexpectedly, Xu Huiru was among the beautiful and elegant women in the hall.

    ¡°Yaoyao hase. If the Aijia did not summon you, you would have not entered the pce to apany Aijia.¡± The empress dowager revealed a displeased look and motioned her hand to indicate for her toe closer.

    Ye Zhen smiled bashfully. ¡°One was afraid it would bother Her Highness.¡±

    Right from the moment the girl had entered, Xu Huiru¡¯s eyes were fixated on her. At first, she was startled by her sudden appearance. But now, sitting in a high-back chair, she looked bbergasted.

    The way the empress dowager and this girl were interacting was truly shocking. She was one of the few who knew that Lu Yaoyao and Ye Zhen bore an uncanny resemnce. However, she did not know that this girl was quite close to the empress dowager.

    <i>Does the empress dowager not know that Lu Yaoyao and thete Wang Fei Ye look alike?</i>

    <i>Has the emperor seen Lu Yaoyao? Didn¡¯t they say Ye Zhen disgusted him? Is he disgusted seeing Lu Yaoyao too?</i>

    Xu Huiru looked at the girl standing close to the empress dowager. The two looked like they had a mother-daughter rtionship. She couldn¡¯t help but be rmed within by the fact that Lu Yaoyao possessed the capability of making people like her and the empress dowager at that.

    <i>Who would have thought that it was not enough for the Lu Family to have a Lu Wushuang in the imperial pce? After Lu Wushuang falls out of favor, they have a Lu Yaoyao to mend their tainted reputation.</i>

    ¡°These are the girls for this year¡¯s xiunu selection. They havee to greet Aijia.¡±

    When the dazed Xu Huiru heard the empress dowager talking, she immediately regained her senses,posed and readily shed her dignified and elegant smile.

    Ye Zhen cocked her head, her clear and bright eyes resting on Xu Huiru; thetter was instantly flustered. ¡°Miss Lu, why are you looking at me like this?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m talking to the empress dowager about the xiunu. When I first came to the capital, my sisters told me that the xiunu are not only brimming with talent but also refined as precious jade. You live up to such a title,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile.

    Ye Zhen was indeed looking forward to Xu Huiru¡¯s fierce fight with Lu Wushuang in the not-so-distant future. Given the characteristics of the two, and their insatiable jealousy and ambition, she was certain they would not disappoint her and put up a show worth watching.

    Xu Huiru¡¯s smile in response was a little reluctant. ¡°I really don¡¯t deserve so much praise. With Miss Lu in the capital, who dares to regard oneself as a beauty?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, is Xu Xiunu praising me for my good looks?¡± Ye Zhen turned her head and innocently asked the empress dowager in a low voice.

    ¡°You must be proud of yourself.¡± The empress dowager nodded and smiled.

    ¡°Your Highness, is this girl Wang Fei Lu¡¯s sister? Indeed, she is as beautiful and charming as Wang Fei,¡± sitting opposite Xu Huiru, a woman wearing a beautiful dress said with a smile.

    Ye Zhen nced at that person and immediately recognized that she was one of the girls in the xiunu album from thest time. Her name was An Xiuzhen, a gentle and charming miss from a humble family, the magistrate¡¯s legitimate daughter in Pingliang.

    However, if one were to dere one¡¯s own beauty one wouldn¡¯t be as admirable.

    ¡°Aijia feels that Yaoyao and Wang Fei Lu are not much alike.¡± The empress dowager faintly spoke.

    An Xiuzhen masked her embarrassment with an awkward smile and said, ¡°Then this maiden must have mistakenly recalled.¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at another silent xiunu, Hu Yue, the daughter of a magistrate of a county. She was born from an ordinary family. Nheless, she is also a beautiful and lovely miss.

    Seeing that the empress dowager seemed to prefer to talk to Lu Yaoyao, Xu Huiru stood up and with a smile and said, ¡°Your Highness, this maiden shall not disturb you. One will send you the sutras tomorrow after one has finished writing them.¡±

    The empress dowager looked at Xu Huiru, pleased, and nodded. ¡°Then you should go back first.¡±

    An Xiuzhen did not want to leave yet but since the empress dowager had already spoken, naturally, she could not just stay behind. After paying respect, she refrained herself from seeing the woman sitting beside the dowager.

    The woman ... was the most beautiful one she had ever seen. <i>Could His Imperial Majesty still be able to look at other women when such a person walks in the pce?</i>

    When Xu Huiru and all the other girls were dismissed, Ye Zhen asked the empress dowager, ¡°Your Highness, are they all the ones we sawst time?¡±

    ¡°Well, what do you think of them?¡± The empress dowager asked, smiling.

    ¡°They all look wonderful.¡±

    Only

    The societal norms dictated a woman¡¯s attributes, attitude, and ambition. Being born in a patriarchal society, one had to heavily rely on first father, husband, and thereon son.

    When a woman in amon household was embroiled in tiffs with the concubines over her husband¡¯s attention, what more is to be said of a harem full of beauties vying for favors of the most powerful man in the country. These women were selected based on their virtues, and it would be the very virtues that would force them to fight with each other without qualms. Mo Rongzhan would indeed be tossed from side to side, his precious time being squandered over such petty fights!

    The empress dowager nodded. ¡°Although there are some small ws, it is not a big problem.¡±

    Ye Zhen zealously agreed.

    The empress dowager looked at her with a smile. ¡°To tell you the truth, Aijia was not the one who summoned you to enter the pce today. It¡¯s the emperor- ¡°

 Chapter 255 - Fulfilling Her Wish (1)

    <strong>Chapter 255 ¨C Fulfilling Her Wish (1)</strong>

    The empress dowager¡¯s face was still as serene as ever, she didn¡¯t flinch at the fact that she was doing her son¡¯s bidding. However, it remained unknown if she knew of theplicated rtionship brewing between her son and the girl she was so fond of, and that this little miss may not have readily answered the summons had the emperor issued one directly.

    Upon the empress dowager¡¯s tant admission, Ye Zhen¡¯s countenance changed, albeit slightly. Unbidden the scenes from herst visit to the imperial study inundated her mind. Herplexion paled a little at the thought that she might have to go see the man today. Needless to say, she wanted to leave the pce at once.

    When the empress dowager saw her like this, she couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Does mentioning the emperor scare you?¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s beautiful, petite face revealed timidity. ¡°Your Highness, this official¡¯s daughter is afraid that Wang Fei would misunderstand again.¡±

    ¡°Why would she misunderstand? You have cured the little prince. The emperor has not rewarded you yet. Don¡¯t you want to go to the library pagoda? I shall give you enough time to read books in the library pagoda for two days,¡± said the empress dowager with a frown. She was clearly miffed at the mention of Lu Wushuang.

    ¡°Really?¡± Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes instantly brightened up as she looked at the empress dowager in disbelief. How she had dreamt of going to the library pagoda!

    <i>Mo Rongzhan ... he actually agreed!</i>

    ¡°Can Aijia deceive you?¡± The empress dowager smiled and said, ¡°Aijia will have Aunt Cheng take you there. You can spend time there as long as you want.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Your Highness, I wish to go to the library pagoda.¡± Ye Zhen was thrilled and hurriedly agreed.

    The library pagoda was a ce where people of the Apricot Forest yearned to visit for it housed all kinds of medical books collected by Qi Yanling herself. It was a plethora of knowledge to anyone who sought it, but seldom was anyone allowed the privilege.

    [T/N: In Chinese, ¡°Apricot Forest¡± is another term for the medicalmunity. Medical professionals often call themselves ¡°persons of the Apricot Forest¡±.]

    The empress dowager broke into a peal of heartyughter seeing the excited girl. ¡°You need not attend your sses in the academy for two days. Spend that time visiting and reading books in the library pagoda.¡±

    Ye Zhen instantly bowed in curtsy. ¡°Many thanks to Your Highness Empress Dowager.¡±

    Looking at Ye Zhen¡¯s frank, sincere, and lovely appearance, the empress dowager was amused again. ¡°Go on quickly now, don¡¯t just stay here.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, I shall take my leave,¡± Ye Zhen said, beaming with happiness. Then, holding Aunt Cheng¡¯s hand she said, ¡°Aunt Cheng, please lead the way.¡±

    Aunt Cheng said with a smile, ¡°It seems that Third Miss Lu highly regards this library pagoda.¡±

    ¡°Aunt Cheng!¡± Ye Zhen shook her arm and pouted. ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me.¡±

    ¡°Bring her to the library. She must be as eager to return home as soon as possible,¡± said the empress dowager with an indulgent smile. She was not wrong about this girl, her interests were unlike her peers and certainly nothing like her cousin. A sweet warmth spread in her as she saw the girl¡¯s departing figure.

    Despite being on her way to the library pagoda, Ye Zhen found it hard to believe. It was all so surreal. It had been several days since she had expressed her wish to the emperor. She knew he would not grant her wish, even so, she had dared ask. Unexpectedly, Mo Rongzhan did.

    Ye Zhen was someone who knew to hold grudges and gratitude. She would be sure to show her gratitude to any who did her the tiniest act of kindness. However, she did not feel grateful to the emperor. Why should she? She had earned this!

    Soon, they came to a halt before a lofty bronze gate. Aunt Cheng handed the letter of order to the eunuch keeping the gates and finally passed through. The doors of the library pagoda were locked, the lock simr to that in the sshouse.

    ¡°Old Master Jiang.¡± Aunt Cheng called out in a low voice to a room beside the library pagoda.

    Ye Zhen curiously looked in the direction. An old, white-haired man slowly stepped out. When she raised her head to take a better look at the man, his bright, hale, and hearty eyes stupefied her.

    <i>This elderly man ... apparently still seems to be in good health. Moreover, he has a beard on his face. He is not a eunuch in the pce.</i>

    ¡°Who are you?¡± He frowned at Aunt Cheng in an utterly indifferent tone.

    Aunt Cheng replied politely. ¡°This handmaiden is Her Highness Empress Dowager¡¯s maid-in-waiting. This is the emperor¡¯s order to allow the girl to enter the library pagoda for two days.¡±

    Only

    The old man took the letter of order and nced at Ye Zhen. ¡°What book does this young miss want to read in the library pagoda?¡±

    ¡°All the books!¡± Pat came Ye Zhen¡¯s reply.

    Old Master Jiang sneered. ¡°You might as well reach the next life.¡±

    Ye Zhen solemnly said, ¡°I shall read the books to the best I can.¡±

    ¡°Come with me.¡± Old Master Jiang nced at her lightly, ced the letter of order in his arms, and walked slowly to the door with a key.

 Chapter 256 - Fulfilling Her Wish (2)

    <strong>Chapter 256 ¨C Fulfilling Her Wish (2)</strong>

    Aunt Cheng exined to Ye Zhen in a low voice. ¡°Old Master Jiang from the Jiang Family has been guarding the library pagoda here for decades. It is said that since the previous dynasty, he has been the guardian of the pagoda.¡±

    As for why the guardians of the former dynasty did not change even after the change of dynasties, the reason was unclear.

    After ascending to the throne, Mo Rongzhan changed his reigning title to Yuanding. It had been nearly a century since the annihtion of the empire of Jing. Still, all kinds of traces left by Emperor Wu of Jing Dynasty and his empress, Qi Yanling, could be seen everywhere.

    Old Master Jiang opened the copper lock with two hands, and said to Ye Zhen, ¡°You can read inside, but you must not transcribe or damage any book. You can only use night pearls to read at night, and are not allowed to use oilmps.¡±

    Ye Zhen understood that this was a measure to protect the library pagoda. Given the contents of this building, one errant flicker of light could set the whole ce aze. Night pearls not only ensured there was light but also no threats of fire. She nodded in response, ensuring the old man that she would abide by the said rules.

    ¡°Then go in!¡± said Old Master Jiang.

    Aunt Cheng looked at Ye Zhen and said, ¡°Third Miss Lu, don¡¯t forget to eat, otherwise, Empress Dowager will not let you read books for two days inside.¡±

    Ye Zhen nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t let myself starve to death here.

    Aunt Cheng smiled and took her leave.

    Ye Zhen could not wait to enter the library pagoda. As she walked in, her hold on the door loosened. She paid no mind to the resounding shutting of the doors for she was shocked by the sea of books before her.

    <i>How tall! So many books!</i> She had estimated that there would be a good many books here, but never imagined that there would be so many ...

    The library pagoda was nine stories high. From the first floor to the top of the dome, the pagoda was filled with books. Each floor had its own woodendder, reading tables, and chairs. The entire library was well-lit, sunlight seeping through the ss windows. Ye Zhen found that there is ayer of ss outside each bookshelf protecting the books within.

    <i>No wonder people can¡¯t juste in here. Indeed ... this ce is breathtakingly stunning.</i>

    Ye Zhen hastened to calm herself down from all the surging astonishment. She did not have much time, so she could not waste it on wonderment. She had to read quickly, there was not a moment to lose.

    She ran a quick gaze around and decided to start reading on the first floor. Afterward, she went on to the second floor.

    At first, she thought there would be a lot of medical books written by Qi Yanling herself. Now she knew that the books here were not written by her, but rather her collection of books in Baicao Tang.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s mood excitedly stirred up. People thought that the books from Baicao Tang were already destroyed and did not expect that Qi Yanling had collected the books in the pce. Truly, this was a treasure that deserved to be guarded the way it was. The slight resentment she had had earlier over the rule forbidding people from entering, vanished.

    Time passed unconsciously. Ye Zhen, with her highly retentive memory, read one book after another wanting to fill them all in her every nook and cranny of her mind.

    While the brain was having a feast, the stomach was being neglected. As the sun gradually set in the west, Ye Zhen¡¯s tummy growled in protest. That grumble shook her out of her perusing, she realized she had been at it for most of the day.

    ¡°Third Miss Lu, it¡¯s time for dinner.¡± Someone called from the outside.

    Despite spending most of her day in the library, Ye Zhen still felt reluctant to put down the book she was holding. However, dying her time to dine would probably make the empress dowager decide to let her out of the pagoda depriving her of the pleasure of reading the books.

    Only

    So, she quickly went out and was taken by the little maid-in-waiting to the house near the library pagoda to have a meal and freshen up. Before the maid-in-waiting could apany her to the pagoda, she had already returned on her own to read more books as it was getting dark and she did not have a night pearl on hand.

    When she arrived in the library pagoda, the scenery that came before her eyes overwhelmed her once again.

    It turned out that there were night pearls on every floor of the library pagoda. With the night pearls¡¯ luminescent glow, the library was still as bright as day even after the sun had long bid adieu.

    Ye Zhen could not describe her mood at this time. But then again, this was no time to stop and marvel.

    She quickly schooled her thoughts, sat down, and began reading books as fast as she could.

 Chapter 257 - Desire (1)

    <strong>Chapter 257 ¨C Desire (1)</strong>

    The days of the emperor were always busy and today was no exception.

    Mo Rongzhan had finally finished reading thest pce memorial on top of his writing desk. He rubbed his tired eyes and looked up to the sky outside to check its color. Immersed in the perusal of a pile of those pce memorials, he had been oblivious to the passage of time. When he dide about, he noticed it was getting dark.

    Eunuch Fu quietly brought a cup of hot tea and said in a low voice, ¡°Your Majesty, would you like to go to the Cining Pce today?¡±

    Recently, the Xiunu had tried to present themselves at their best and greeted the empress dowager in the Cining Pce. At the same time, they wished to see the emperor. Ever since Wang Fei Lu¡¯s confinement, the emperor had not shown favor to any woman. Although there were no other concubines in the inner pce yet, the Xiunu that had entered the pce today were all very beautiful and aplished in their own right. Indeed, only the finest in the country were the potential concubines of the harem. If the emperor were to like one ... <i>the one</i> would indeed be very fortunate. But hey, who would believe that the emperor didn¡¯t like being close to women? In the past, he had even thought he really liked Wang Fei Lu, but now it seemed as though this was not the case anymore.

    ¡°Has anyone entered the pce today?¡± Mo Rongzhan lightly asked.

    A retainer¡¯s efficiency was determined not just by his ability to execute his master¡¯s orders, but more so by his capability to deliver the answer his master sought. Needless to say, the one who mastered this ¡°game of discerning¡±, kept his head over his shoulder the longest.

    However, at this moment, the most efficient Eunuch Fu almost failed to keep pace with Mo Rongzhan¡¯s question. <i>Who could have entered the pce today to make the emperor care this much?</i> He carefully deliberated for one slip up and he would be the ¡®honored¡¯ recipient of the monarch¡¯s undivided wrath. A moment passed, he cautiously said, ¡°Your Majesty, I heard ... Aunt Cheng went to pick up Third Miss Lu and apanied her into the pce.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes sank slightly. ¡°Hmm?¡±

    <i>What does the emperor mean? Does His Imperial Majesty want to know more?</i> Although he had served the emperor for many years and seemed better than everyone else in gauging his mood, at this instance, he was ill-disposed to tell what the look on his master¡¯s face meant.

    In a sh he thought things through and said, ¡°Third Miss Lu went to the library pagoda to read books. She has spent most of her day there, and it seems she is still inside the pagoda right now.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, you may go now.¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s handsome face was still indifferent. No one could seem to tell what he was thinking.

    However, Eunuch Fu vaguely felt that the emperor¡¯s mood seemed to be getting better. Ever since a month ago, this master¡¯s face had not been this rxed.

    Not long after, Mo Rongzhan came out from the Pce of Heavenly Purity, he had changed out of his dragon robes and now wore casual clothing with a cloak draped over his shoulders.

    ¡°I am going for a walk.¡± He faintly told Eunuch Fu.

    Eunuch Fu: ¡°......¡±

    Looking at the emperor¡¯s rxed demeanour, Eunuch Fu thought to himself, <i>when did the emperor ever have the habit of taking a walk at night?</i>

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s tall and lofty figure soon disappeared into the night. Fude collected himself and silently followed him. As they drew closer and closer to the library pagoda, he knew what the emperor¡¯s so-called walk was for.

    This made him even more curious about what happened between the emperor and Lu Yaoyao in the imperial studyst month which made the emperor seem preupied with somethingtely.

    <i>Does one act like his soul was somece else? Ah, that¡¯s very disrespectful! There¡¯s no way my grand and magnificent emperor would reveal such a strange behavior. I must¡¯ve overthought.</i>

    ¡°Fude, keep watch here.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s deep voice interrupted Eunuch Fu¡¯s flights of fancy, but the seasoned retainer that he was, he swiftly took the orders at once. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    When Old Master Jiang heard voices, he immediately went out. Upon seeing that the man was the emperor, he bent down, saluted, and returned to his room in silence.

    Only

    Mo Rongzhan pushed open the gates and went in. He was greeted by a petite figure, her upper body perched on the desk near the window. The soft light of the night pearls shone a faint halo on her. Her skin on the other side of her face looked as white as porcin and glistened like jade.

    <i>How could one be this reluctant to leave, even sleeping here?</i>

    With nimble steps, Mo Rongzhan quietly approached the slumbering girl, his lidded eyes never once leaving her serene visage. She seemed to be at peace, head lying on her arms as if she were resting on a lush, downy bed and not hardwood. Slowly his gaze traced down to the open book underneath, it seemed she was reading it. He carefully picked it up and saw that it was a medical book about acupuncture and moxibustion; uninterested, he put it down thinking that there was nothing to see.

    Draped in a light-yellow satin jacket with bamboo orchid patterns and yellow-green cotton silk skirt, Ye Zhen¡¯s delicate waist was especially fetching to his eyes, he was fighting hard the urge to hold her right here and now.

    As his gaze on the sleeping beauty intensified, his breathing turned ragged. In the end, he sumbed to his desire. Slowly he sat down beside her taking care not to wake her and gently enveloped her in his embrace and couldn¡¯t help stroking her rosy cheeks.

 Chapter 258 - Desire (2)

    <strong>Chapter 258 ¨C Desire (2)</strong>

    But before he could bask in the pleasure, unbidden, the scenes from their interactions came to his mind. She had never vied for his attention, treating him like air, unlike the other maidens who fought tooth and nail if only for his momentary nce. How she had stubbornly proimed she did not want topete with other women for an old cucumber! In no time, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes turned gloomier.

    At that moment, Ye Zhen stirred. She looked like she was a little annoyed by his antics. She iled her small hand, rubbed her cheek against his chest a few times, and continued enjoying her sweet, sweet dreams.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s thin lips rose into a little smile, he suddenly lowered his head and pecked her pink lips like a dragonfly lightly skimming the surface of water. He licked his lips and felt unsatisfied.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s breathing was impeded, her eyelids quivered a few times. He sensed that the girl in his arms seemed to be waking up. He gently pressed with his fingers the sides of her neck pushing her into a deeper sleep.

    Ye Zhen, who was put to sleep, did not know that she was like amb delivered to the wolf¡¯s mouth. Without a care, shey there letting him do as he pleased. It was not like she was aware of his presence anyway.

    Afraid that he would not be able to bear it if he kept going on, he had to resist the impulse and pull himself back. Then, wrapping a cloak on her, he reluctantly turned away and walked the library pagoda.

    Eunuch Fu who had been waiting in chilly cold wind outside the library pagoda for most of the night, atst, saw his master striding out. At first, he wanted to meet him and say a few ttering words but as soon as he saw the emperor¡¯s gloomy face, he immediately sealed his mouth and dared not utter a peep.

    <i>Oh, what did Third Miss Lu do to the emperor? When the emperor entered the library pagoda a while ago, the radiance of spring was written all over his face. How long has it been? The look on his face seems to be ... an insatiable desire.</i>

    Back at the Pce of Heavenly Purity, Mo Rongzhan ordered Eunuch Fu to fetch water for a bath.

    It wasn¡¯t that the emperor didn¡¯t want to pamper a few women but due to his mysophobia since childhood, he didn¡¯t like to touch them at all. At first, he¡¯d thought Lu Wushuang was the little girl who¡¯d saved him, so he was willing to touch her. Now that he knew otherwise, he didn¡¯t even want to look at her.

    Outside the folding screen, Eunuch Fu took the clothes Mo Rongzhan wore, and let out a deep sigh ofment in his heart ... <i>Ah, at this rate, how will the emperor expand the harem ...</i>

    ?

    The golden rays of the morning sun seeped in through the translucent window, kissing the beauty to wakefulness. Her eyes fluttered open, she blinked trying to take in her surroundings. When realization dawned upon her, she hastily sat up, a puzzled look on her face as she noticed that her body was covered with a cloak, and a space heater was ced beside her. She remembered that she was lying on a tablest night and yet ...

    <i>How did I end up lying on the side of a woven mat now? Also ... whose cloak is this?</i>

    Curious, Ye Zhen took the cloak and went out of the library pagoda to find Old Master Jiang. She wanted to know if there was anyone else inside the pagodast night and this old-timer would be the best person to ask.

    Outside the old master¡¯s house, she called out several times but received no response. In the end, she had no choice but to carry the cloak back in. She didn¡¯t mull over it now, time was of the essence, there were many <i>pages</i> to scale.

    Not long after, the pce maid from the day before brought in her breakfast. After a quick bath and doing her hair, she got to eating breakfast. As she hastily moved her chopsticks, she didn¡¯t forget to shoot a question to the person before her.

    Only

    ¡°Dai Mao, did youe to the library to see mest night?¡±

    Pce Maid Dai Mao promptly shook her head and said, ¡°This handmaiden was supposed to give Third Miss Lu a quiltst night, but Eunuch Fu who was outside stopped this servant from doing so.¡±

    Ye Zhen almost choked to death on the steamed buns she was nibbling. Stunned, she looked towards the other and said, ¡°Who did you say was outside the library pagoda?¡±

    ¡°Eunuch Fu.¡± Dai Mao reiterated.

    <i>Since Eunuch Fu was here in the library pagodast night, that means the emperor ... was here as well?</i>

 Chapter 259 - Shameless Rascal (1)

    <strong>Chapter 259 ¨C Shameless Rascal (1)</strong>

    ¡°Who else did you see besides him?¡± Ye Zhen thought of the cloak, she had a bad feeling about her hunch of just who the owner might be.

    Life in the imperial pce sharpens even the dullest minds. And Dai Mao, as young she was, was adept at handling certain matters in this premise of intrigue. See here now, how without a second thought, she simply feigned ignorance over the whole affair. ¡°This servant didn¡¯t see anyone else.¡±

    <i>Not seeing anyone does not mean that there was no one!</i>

    It was precisely this equivocal response that strengthened Ye Zhen¡¯s conjecture, she was certain that it was Mo Rongzhan who had visited the library pagodast night! <i>What did he do? </i>She was in such deep sleep that she didn¡¯t even know someone was around her. She was a light sleeper, so the man must have moved around dangerously quietly.

    ¡°You may leave.¡± Ye Zhen immediately dismissed Dai Mao.

    Once she was all alone, she went back, not to her books this time but for a mirror instead. After some looking around, she found one inside the house. She took a deep breath and carefully examined her body, looking to check if there was something strange. When her gaze stopped at the purplish-red mark on her chest, she turned white in anger.

    <i>What the hell is this?!</i>

    She¡¯s quite sure that she didn¡¯t have it before she entered the pce yesterday. <i>Why did it take only one night for her to ...</i>

    <i>Damn Mo Rongzhan! That shameful rascal!</i>

    Even if she thought with her toes, she knew it was the hateful emperor of a man who had left behind the cloak. And here she was wondering how he had suddenly been kind enough to allow her to enter the library pagoda! It turned out that he had ulterior motives!

    How she wished to go to him this instance and give him a thorough tongueshing. She was stewing within but knew better. This wasn¡¯t the time to settle scores impulsively. If she were to provoke and infuriate him, the consequences could be dire. Besides, except for this tiny evidence, there was nothing else the matter with her, how could she prove it was his doing? As such, she had no choice but to huff and puff in her heart and contain her anger. It took her a while to calm down as she kept pushing herself to focus on the bigger picture.

    After a while, putting on her jacket again, she returned to the library pagoda. She still had one day to stay and read books, she was unreconciled to waste this precious time on that rascal. She would record this grudge for now, and think about her next move after she was done perusing.

    This library pagoda offered a plethora of books, but what she was most interested in were acupuncture and moxibustion. However, there were so many books on it that she would not be able to finish them all even after a year and she had but a day. <i>Sigh</i>, she could only pick the ones she needed the most, after all, something is better than nothing.

    When one is immersed in things that one loves, time retreats into oblivion. But that doesn¡¯t mean, it doesn¡¯t exist. The dim light of the night sky peeked through the windows, heralding the arrival of night, with a heavy heart Ye Zhen looked at the books in hand. Time had flown past in the blink of an eye, reluctant as she was, she still had to leave this ce tomorrow.

    <i>I wonder if I¡¯d still have a chance to enter this library pagoda again in my life ...</i>

    Regardless, she had read a lot of books in the past two days. Thanks to her eidetic memory, she was so thorough she would make a note of them and slowly peruse whenever she felt like. The old-timer had forbidden her from transcribing, but this couldn¡¯t be counted as one, right?!

    One by one, she returned all the books to their original ces. When she was about to leave, the ck cloak she had put aside came into view. She was as soon reminded of the loathsome Mo Rongzhan, she stomped her feet grumpily.

    <i>Step on you! Step on you! You rascal!</i>

    ¡°How did that cloak offend you?¡± A cold voice resounded through the quiet and peaceful library pagoda.

    Ye Zhen was frightened and turned around to see Mo Rongzhan standing by the door. Her eyes widened, words terse. ¡°When did you arrive?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly. The dainty girl¡¯s boldness took him by surprise- not paying respects to the emperor and even daring to question him upon his arrival. ¡°Zhenes and goes as Zhen pleases.¡±

    ¡°This official¡¯s daughter shall not disturb His Imperial Majesty.¡± Although Ye Zhen badly wanted to smash the cloak on his face, she did not do so for she also knew that the other party was the emperor, lest she is pinned down for l¨¨se-majest¨¦.

    ¡°So frightened of Zhen?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked with amusement, looking at the way she had just vented her anger on the cloak.<i> Does she know I was herest night?</i>

    Ye Zhen fixed her gaze to the ground, refusing to even take a nce at him. ¡°How many people in the world are not frightened of the emperor?¡±

    ¡°Zhen sees that you are bold enough to dare step on my cloak,¡± Mo Rongzhan said coldly.

    Only

    ¡°How could His Imperial Majesty¡¯s cloak be here?¡± Ye Zhen ring daggers at him, waiting to see how the unscrupulous man would exin himself.

    After a brief moment, an unperturbed Mo Rongzhan slowly took a step forward, eyes never once leaving he seething beauty before him. When he neared, he suddenly lifted his finger and poked her in the face.

    Ye Zhen was astonished by his impertinence. <i>Is there anyone more shameless than him? </i>She took a step back tantly snubbing his touch, and with gritted teeth said, ¡°Your Majesty, please behave yourself.¡±

    Her anger only amused him further. The more he saw her, the cheekier the otherwise upright man became.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, Zhen shall have you enter the pce. All right?¡± he said, looking her right in the eye.

 Chapter 260 - Shameless Rascal (2)

    <strong>Chapter 260 ¨C Shameless Rascal (2)</strong>

    Mo Rongzhan had spent his entire night thinking this through. It would be better to say, re-examining himself. He was a chronic mysophobic. He detested the touch of men, to say nothing of women. He would never speak to the fairer sex on his own ord, in all these years, none had entered his sights. He had never been attracted to anyone except for that little girl in the woods. He alone knew the desperation and yearning he held for her. How he had looked for her in vain. When he thought he had found her atst, he was even more disappointed.

    As he stood on the fence reassessing Lu Wushuang¡¯s authenticity, fate had conjured this girl out of thin air. At first, he was not interested, even going as far as disdaining her. But then, slowly things changed; he could not point out where exactly they had turned, but he had grown intrigued by her and was now at the point where he was admittedly smitten by her.

    After all these years of looking for his ¡®Little Yaoyao¡¯, he was presented with a Yaoyao, so what if she was not the same? He had spent enough years in anguish over her, so why not embrace this namesake instead? After all, she was the only one after that little girl he had been attracted to. He couldn¡¯t ignore the fact now, could he?

    And thus he had decided- <i>If I cannot find my Yaoyao, it would be good to get another.</i>

    ¡°Definitely not!¡± Ye Zhen didn¡¯t wait a moment to deliver her cold and caustic reply, outrightly rejecting him. She knew she was ying with fire, but she was prepared to burn if it came to it.

    Despite her harsh refusal, Mo Rongzhan spoke with a smile, seemingly provoking her on purpose. ¡°What if Zhen decrees?¡±

    Ye Zhen was stunned with disbelief, it was only now that she realized his seriousness. A hellish fire roared in her heart, she wanted to tear this man down right here and now.

    <i>Is he insane?! Why does he suddenly want me to enter the pce?</i>

    Fuming with rage, Ye Zhen finally lost control and blurted out: ¡°You¡¯re such a rascal!¡±

    ¡°Oh, how could Zhen be called a rascal?¡± Instead of taking offense, Mo Rongzhan looked at her with mirth.

    Ye Zhen pursed her lips tightly, agitated at the sight of his smile. The man had dealt her a double-edged sword. She was a primp and proper noble Ye Zhen, how could she casually say what might have happenedst night? This fellow had no sense of propriety, it didn¡¯t mean she had to stoop to his level! However, on the other hand, if she wouldn¡¯t say anything, it would mean she didn¡¯t mind it at all, taking it as if nothing had happened.

    It was rare for her to not instantly retort. The man precisely took advantage of this moment and pressed on. ¡°It seems that you know all too well what happenedst night. In this case, you are not guaranteed to be innocent. Besides entering the pce, who else would marry you?¡± asked Mo Rongzhan.

    ¡°I would rather spend my years and die alone than enter your pce.¡± Ye Zhen leveled him a frigid stare.

    Mo Rongzhan suddenly pinched her chin. ¡°Why?¡± Not waiting for her reply, he said coldly, ¡°If you dare to mention any more old cucumbers, Zhen will let you experience it for yourself.¡±

    Ye Zhen tried to push his hand away, but no matter how much strength she used his grasp was intact. Instead, he forced her on the pir behind her, his robust body dangerously close, she could feel the scorching heat from him.

    ¡°Your Majesty, are you forcing this official¡¯s daughter?¡± Ye Zhen asked frostily.

    ¡°If you be my woman ... Don¡¯t you want to enter the pce?¡± His horse voice evinced his feelings within. He dipped his head and gently nipped her thin, pink lip.

    Only

    Ye Zhen pushed him hard and said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be like Lu Wushuang.¡±

    ¡°As long as you behave, I will not treat you like that,¡± Mo Rongzhan said.

    This man had reached her bottom line, enough was enough. She was not an object that he would use as he pleased. One lifetime was enough for that, not anymore. And thus, she delivered the fatal blow.

    ¡°Even if I look like Wang Fei Ye, will you still favor and not be indifferent to me?¡± Ye Zhen demanded, her unflinching gaze trained pointedly at him.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s hand that was about to slide through thepel of her jacket, stilled. He raised his head and narrowed his eyes to look at her. ¡°What did you say?¡±

 Chapter 261 - She Looks Like Ye Zhen! (1)

    <strong>Chapter 261 ¨C She Looks Like Ye Zhen! (1)</strong>

    The words stilled the air, the man and woman looked into each other¡¯s eyes- a staring contest had begun, none was ready to relent. His hawk-eyes were suffused with astonishment while her doe-eyes nothing but unveiled resentment.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s heart raced, her fists clenched to her side. She was unreconciled, she wouldn¡¯t ept this! She had spent an entire lifetime pining for this man, who had done nothing but shun her, going as far as awarding her death in return for her love.

    And now, in this life, he was shamelessly chasing after her, coercing her to be his woman! How could she ept Mo Rongzhan falling for her! He was the one who had actively kept her at bay once, so then why did he suddenly want her to enter the pce this badly?

    No one knew this man better than her- his wants, needs, and taboos. He never did things without a motive, there was no such thing as ¡®genuine feelings¡¯ when it came to this man, just advantages and disadvantages. He was a tyrant, who never cared about anyone else¡¯s feelings, just doing as he willed. No one was clearer than her- he may let her off now, but there was no telling when his whims and fantasies would run rampant and he would decree her to enter the pce.

    The way to stop this once and for all was to make him loathe her. And who better than his greatest taboo ever to nip it in the bud?!

    One could say she was being myopic. The prudent Ye Zhen was overlooking the fact that being the most favoured concubine came with its fair share of benefits. This status would not just aid, but perhaps even expedite her revenge on the Lu Family. Although she stood to gain from it all, she was absolutely unwilling.

    No doubt she wanted to avenge her father and brother, as well as herself, but she was not willing to deliver herself to a lifeless life, let alone marry Mo Rongzhan. One lifetime had been enough for it to say nothing of another. No one knew better than her about the golden cage called the imperial harem. It was all nice and rosy on the outside, but there was nothing but mncholy and despairying in wait.

    And besides, what was the best way to deal with your enemies? It was to ruin the things that cherished.

    Yes, she wanted to absolutely ruin Lu Lingzhi and Lu Wushuang¡¯s reputation¨Ctheir glory and wealth, and destroy Mo Rongzhan¡¯s Jin Country. The trio that was her undoing, needed to pay for their crimes and atrocities. So, why should she torment herself in the process? She was here to inflict pain not suffer herself.

    That said, even if she became a beloved concubine, all she could do was live within the walls of the pce all her life, only relying on Mo Rongzhan¡¯s favor to avenge her. But what if his favor was but a passing whim? Didn¡¯t history have enough proofs of emperors and their ephemeral love? What hope could she have in her life then?

    As for the said man, he was still trying to process her words. It wasn¡¯t the first time that this girl had brought that person up, but what she said was truly shocking. He wasn¡¯t sure if she was saying things just to rile him up and escape. He simply stared at her, lost.

    ¡°Your Majesty, it seems like you don¡¯t remember at all what your former wang fei looked like. Aren¡¯t you disgusted with Ye Zhen? Do you not know that anyone in the capital who has seen Ye Zhen says that I look very simr to her? Yet, you still demand for me to enter the pce, is it because your conscience constantly reminds you of her?¡± Ye Zhen provoked as she looked at Mo Rongzhan straight in his sharp eyes, which was the only way to stop him from wanting her. She didn¡¯t know if his brazen behaviour should be attributed to infatuation or willfulness, whatever it was she wanted to kill it right here, right now.

    Mo Rongzhan loosened his grip and no longer held her in his arms, his face frosty and stern, gone was the yfulness from a moment ago. ¡°Have you ever seen Ye Zhen?¡± he asked tersely.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve just heard from others,¡± Ye Zhen said as a matter-of-factly.

    ¡°You heard from your Teacher Shan?¡± Mo Rongzhan coldly asked.

    That woman had been his bane, how he had beenpelled into doing things against his will all because of her. Of course, he loathed her; he had not the slightest remorse about his deeds involving her or her death. He felt she deserved every bit of it. He had been relieved at the news of her passing, and now never wanted to be reminded of her in any way whatsoever. He had made sure her name nor memory existed.

    And if this woman ... Lu Yaoyao really looked like her, he wouldn¡¯t let her be around either.

    Only

    At the mention of Teacher Shan, Ye Zhen¡¯s fury surged, she had long stoved away that fire only for it to be rekindled now. ¡°Is it you who dismissed Teacher Shan from the academy?¡± She demanded.

    Despite her seething mien, Mo Rongzhan did not respond immediately, merely looking at her coldly. In all truth, he did not know what Ye Zhen looked like until this moment when he heard for the first time that Lu Yaoyao resembled her.

    ¡°Leave at once!¡± Mo Rongzhan said icily, having had enough of Ye Zhen¡¯s provocation.

    Ye Zhen sneered in her heart as she looked at him. <i>See, this provocation is quite effective.</i>

    His sudden shift in attitude was evidence of his deep loathing for Ye Zhen, just the fact that she bore resemnce to her disgusted him enough to dismiss her at once. So much for his insistence on her entering the pce!

 Chapter 262 - She Looks Like Ye Zhen! (2)

    <strong>Chapter 262 ¨C She Looks Like Ye Zhen! (2)</strong>

    ¡°This official¡¯s daughter shall take her leave.¡± Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes touched with a sh of ridicule, she walked out of the library pagoda with her head lowered.

    No one knew what was going through her mind at the moment, but one thing was certain: The way things stood now, she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about what he would do to her in the future.

    ¡°Third Miss Lu?¡± Eunuch Fu, who was keeping watch outside, was a little surprised. <i>Why is Third Miss Lu the first to leave tonight?</i>

    ¡°Eunuch Fu.¡± Ye Zhen reluctantly smiled.

    Before Eunuch Fu could ask anything, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s stony voice summoned him inside. Ye Zhen just faintly smiled while Eunuch Fu nodded as a reply and heeded his master¡¯s call.

    In hindsight, she had no regret over her behaviour just then. She was never the one to dilly-dally, always brusque and decisive. Her move just then was not without consequences. For one, this could mark as her first and final visit to the library pagoda ever, and she may not be summoned to the pce as often either.

    As she slowly reached the library gates, her only regret was perhaps losing the chance to read those books again. But she knew she would be just fine without them. After all, she had gained quite a bit of knowledge in the past two days, that in itself was a rare feat.

    The skies had darkened, the night curfew was in ce. She couldn¡¯t leave the pce and could only find shelter at the Cining Pce. As such, her footsteps traced the path to the empress dowager¡¯s abode.

    ?

    Inside the library pagoda, the temperatures had turned frigid. Despite that, Eunuch Fu was wreathed with ayer of sweat on his forehead. His anxious heart thumped loudly, any louder and he feared it would pop right out. The ever calm retainer had been tossed the hottest potato ever: his master¡¯s question was the proverbial double-edged knife.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen Ye Zhen, haven¡¯t you?¡± Mo Rongzhan did not turn to look at him, which made the subordinate even more burdened to answer the question that he surmised would follow the first one.

    ¡°Replying to the emperor, this servant has seen her twice.¡± Eunuch Fu replied in a low voice, bracing for the next question but reality proved one could never be fully prepared when facing his unpredictable master.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s lips formed a faint smile but never reached his eyes. His face was frosty as if he had fallen into an ice cer. ¡°Does Lu Yaoyao look like Ye Zhen?¡±

    <i>What?! </i>Eunuch Fu¡¯s jaw dropped in shock, eyes wide to the limit. <i>How could the emperor know ...</i>

    Seeing Eunuch Fu¡¯s reaction, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes turned even colder. ¡°Bring Zhen a portrait of Ye Zhen.¡±

    Eunuch Fu did not dare ask him how he had discovered the likeness between Lu Yaoyao and Ye Zhen for he knew that as long as thetter was involved it was the emperor¡¯s greatest taboo.

    However, where could he find a portrait of Ye Zhen? At that time, when thete Qin Wang Fei¡¯s residence was reduced to ashes by a huge fire, everything rted to her was incinerated. He could only go to the Imperial Household Department to look for it. If he could not find one, he could only paint a portrait of her.

    Mo Rongzhan coldly nced at his cloak in a corner, grabbed it, and stormed out.

    Eunuch Fu quickly took the cloak in his hand and did not dare to ask any questions. He immediately went to the Imperial Household Department and searched for what felt like an eternity. Yet, he found not a portrait of Ye Zhen. On the verge of giving up, resigning to make one himself, he was just about to leave when he remembered the Ye Family. It was customary for the pce to keep a record of its noble families, and it was there that he found what he was looking for.

    Grabbing the portrait, Eunuch Fu hastily delivered it to the Pce of Heavenly Purity.

    As Mo Rongzhan unfolded the portrait on the table a full portrait of a young girl, about twelve to thirteen years old, came into view. Dressed in a pink dress with picturesque features, lily-white skin, she bore at least 70% simrities to today¡¯s Lu Yaoyao.

    While the girl on the canvas was naturallyposed and dignified, the girl who caught his fancy was clever and na?ve. It was indeed a stark contrast.

    As he gazed at the girl in pink, he was peeved. The dignity and elegance that she was exuding, despite being an inanimate object, was nothing but a sham in his eyes. He refused to believe it and was ever more incensed. <i>It turns out that his original match is like this.</i>

    He sneered. If she had not insisted on marrying him, Ye Yisong would not have threatened him. He also knew that after their marriage, Ye Zhen had seldom contacted the Ye Family. Perhaps this was the sole reason he did not want her to die after he returned to the capital and became the emperor. Of course, he would not let her be his empress or even enter his inner pce. He was reconciled, he would never give the Ye Family any chance to rise again.

    <i>If she had not burned the pce of Qin Wang, she might have still been alive now. Since she did not cherish her own life, why should others care about hers?</i>

    ¡°Burn this portrait.¡± Mo Rongzhan ordered in a chilly voice.

    Eunuch Fu did not dare hesitate and immediately took the source of misery away. ¡°Your Majesty, this servant shall burn the portrait right away.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes were frostier than frost. No one dared to mention Ye Zhen before him, not even his imperial mother. Yet, Lu Yaoyao ... She was not only audacious but unafraid of death even!

    It was cheap of him to dismiss Teacher Shan from the Academy for Women. But he held no remorse. He wanted to unroot any and every connection of that despicable girl he had once married. And the situation right now was evidence that he had made the right move. How else would Lu Yaoyao know she resembled Ye Zhen if not for the teacher?! He was absolutely certain now that it was that very woman who had disclosed such a crucial piece of information. It was perhaps an attempt to incite grievance and sympathy for the deceased, or the teacher was using Lu Yaoyao to attain her revenge. But in the end, he had nipped it all in the bud.

    In fact, if he hadn¡¯t insisted on Lu Yaoyao entering the pce as his imperial concubine, she certainly would not have revealed that she and Ye Zhen resembled each other. In order to refuse him, she really had thrown caution to the wind.

    [T/N: throw caution to the wind- meaning doing something without fear]

    Only

    Soon, head bowed, Eunuch Fu cautiously entered and said, ¡°Your Majesty, the portrait has been burned.¡±

    ¡°Where is Lu Yaoyao?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked.

    ¡°It seems that ... She went to the Cining Pce,¡± Eunuch Fu said, curious as to what really happened in the library pagoda and how Lu Yaoyao made the emperor suddenly want to see the portrait of Ye Zhen.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes suffused with indifference. He didn¡¯t want to ask her anymore. Since she didn¡¯t want to enter the pce, he wouldn¡¯t force her. It¡¯s not like he had to have her!

    In all this, the girl had indeed disyed her cleverness. She had urately deduced the extent of his loathing for Ye Zhen- he would certainly not want to see anyone who even remotely resembled her what¡¯s more her who was a spitting image.

 Chapter 263 - The Imperial Consorts (1)

    <strong>Chapter 263 ¨C The Imperial Consorts (1)</strong>

    In the cold night wind, a lone figure walked towards the brightly lit Cining Pce. Although a dainty form, the ramrod-straight back spoke volumes of the grit within. She had long let go of the matters of the library pagoda, as each step drew closer to the empress dowager¡¯s dwelling, her mood was renewed. Such was the tenacity of Ye Zhen, undaunted she would stand tall to face anything that fate sent her way.

    She had barely settled into the Cining Pce when in came the little prince.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, you swindler!¡± Just as Mo Rongyi saw the delicate figure, he immediately began to use her. ¡°You said you will enter the pce to visit me, what happened?! I see that you don¡¯t care whether I live or die. Return the silvers you ripped off this prince!¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled not minding those words one bit. ¡°Little Prince, there is no such trick. The silver is obviously mine, and there is no reason to give it back to you.¡±

    ¡°Humph!¡± A miffed Mo Rongyi turned away his head and ignored Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Moreover~¡± She continued with a smile. ¡°It is just unfair when you say I don¡¯t care whether you live or die when in fact I ask Imperial Physician Qi every day. And I know you¡¯re well.¡±

    Mo Rongyi red at her. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you enter the pce?¡± he asked, sulking. ¡°You said you wanted to go hunting with me, but now I¡¯m afraid you have forgotten.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled and looked at the little boy¡¯s ruddy face. Although hisplexion was much better, he still looked too thin. ¡°Hunting is not fun now, let¡¯s wait until after spring.¡±

    The empress dowager cast Mo Rongyi a displeased look. ¡°You didn¡¯t even know what Yaoyao did for you. What do you mean she did not think of you, didn¡¯t she ask Imperial Physician Qi to bring you a lot of food?¡±

    Mo Rongyi coughed lightly, caught in a spot, and somewhat losing his upper hand. ¡°Imperial Mother, I¡¯m just saying,¡± he said, trying to defuse the situation before it escted.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think that Aijia doesn¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking. You just want to go out and y outside of the pce all day. It¡¯s not that Aijia won¡¯t let you go out. Well, if you can, you can tell your brother yourself,¡± said the empress dowager how to fix her son all too well.

    ¡°Emperor Brother just cares too much.¡± Mo Rongyi mumbled.

    At the sight of the sulking little figure before her, Ye Zhen could not help but cover her mouth andugh.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, if you dare tough at me again, I will not give you those seeds!¡± Mo Rongyi yelled as he threatened.

    <i>Seeds?!</i> Ye Zhen quickly thought back to what Mo Rongyi had promised her before. He was to send her seeds of a few precious herbs, she had almost forgotten about it! Instantly, her eyes brightened, and her glib tongue made to appease the peeved little royal. ¡°Oh, Little Prince, I¡¯m notughing at you. You must be mistaken.¡±

    Mo Rongyi was still an innocentd at heart, how could he hold grudges, especially against someone he truly considered his friend. He handed Ye Zhen a small embroidered pouch, not forgetting to take credit for himself. ¡°It was not easy for me to get it from Old Master Jiang.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve made a lot of food for you.¡± She shamelessly retorted. ¡°You cannot ask silver from me in exchange for these seeds.¡± Saying so, she snatched the pouch over before he had the chance to take it away. When she peeked, she greeted by the sight of several different seeds. She immediately broke into a splendid smile and narrowed her eyes in mirth.

    Mo Rongyi angrily pointed at her, furious at being yed. ¡°You simply fell into the eyes of money!¡±

    Amused at the antics of the duo before her, the empress dowager broked into a heartyugh. Their innocence, naughtiness, and guileless rapport warmed her heart.

    ¡°Imperial Mother, you take care of that person who is notdylike at all. She cannot open her mouth without talking about silver,¡± Mo Rongyi said with a grunt.

    ¡°I wonder who is still angry because of the silver.¡± Ye Zhen teased.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, I¡¯m younger than you. Why do you argue with me? You are so shameless.¡± Mo Rongyi huffed, there was no way he could win over her quick wit, this was the only counter he could think of to shut her up.

    Only

    ¡°You are an imperial prince. How can you argue with an ordinary girl like me?¡± Ye Zhen asked with a smile. But before Mo Rongyi could get any angrier, she hastily appeased him. ¡°All right, I will argue with you no more. Indeed, one should not argue with a child, only a few words and he is all riled up. Since you like hunting so much, let¡¯s go after the New Year¡¯s Festival. However, Her Highness the Empress Dowager must agree.¡±

    ¡°Imperial Mother~¡± Mo Rongyi eagerly turned to look at the empress dowager.

    ¡°If you take good care of yourself until that timees, Aijia shall ask and have your emperor brother promise you,¡± the empress dowager said with a smile.

    ¡°Imperial Mother, after spring, I will definitely gain weight and be healthier.¡± As he beamed with joy, the little prince instantly dered.

    ¡°Very well.¡± The empress dowager nodded with a smile.

 Chapter 264 - The Imperial Consorts (2)

    <strong>Chapter 264 ¨C The Imperial Consorts (2)</strong>

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, then you can make another supper for this prince. What you make is delicious!¡± Mo Rongyi shed his twinkling eyes at Ye Zhen.

    ¡°It¡¯s alreadyte, and it¡¯s not good for your health to eat supper again,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    Looking at the bickering pair, the empress dowager immediately felt a lot more cheerful. She turned to Aunt Cheng, and said with emotion, ¡°How delightful would it be if Aijia had such a daughter!¡±

    That wish reminded Aunt Cheng of a smidgen of information she had just gleaned. Apparently, the emperor had visited the library pagodast night. She sighed within thinking, <i>without such a daughter, who knows, there could be such a daughter-inw?</i> As for the happenings in the pagoda, she was utterly ignorant.

    ¡°It¡¯s snowing outside.¡± Ye Zhen cried out just as she saw snowkes floating outside the window. ¡°This should be thest snow this year, we can make icenterns tomorrow!¡±

    ¡°There are many icenterns in the pce. It will be the New Year¡¯s Festival in more than half a month now. When that timees, there will be colorfulnterns lining all the streets in the capital. During the Lantern Festival, particrly the Lantern Meet, surely it will be beautiful.¡± Mo Rongyi added excitedly.

    She naturally knew how busy New Years and the Lantern Festival in the capital would be. Back in the day, her father took her and her brother out to have fun, but that was Ye Zhen not Lu Yaoyao. She quickly hid the soreness in her heart as she said, ¡°Is it so? We don¡¯t have anynterns in the border town. Even if there arenterns, they are not all over the streets.¡±

    ¡°I will make you antern,¡± Mo Rongyi said proudly, ¡°Thentern I madest year was the best one. Imperial Father~¡±

    However, the little prince was unable to finish his words. He was instantly reminded of the happenings of the previous year. His emperor brother had yet to ascend the throne, he and his mother lived their days warily in the inner pce. Every step, move, and word was not caution. As such, how could a little boy dare to act out his fantasy, no matter how simple? Although he had made his ownnterns, he didn¡¯t dare to bring them out and could only enjoy it quietly with his mother. Despite knowing well that hisnterns were far better than those made by others, the young heart still closeted the urge to disy his artistry and hunkered within the walls of his mother¡¯s pce.

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°Thank you very much, then, Little Prince.¡±

    Not counting the two years her spirit was wandering in the pce, at this timest year, she lived alone in Qin Wang Fei¡¯s residence. She knew that the first emperor was an ipetent tyrant and that the empress dowager and Mo Rongyi had a hard time in the harem.

    Mo Rongyi nodded a little triumphantly, ¡°Seeing that you have made so much delicious food for me, I will make antern for you.¡±

    After chatting with Mo Rongyi for a long time, she didn¡¯t hear any bad newsing from Mo Rongzhan, much to her surprise. She¡¯d presumed he would forbid her from entering the pce again. She was relieved, at the same time, a little worried. His silence only perturbed for she didn¡¯t know what to expect from him next. More importantly, she couldn¡¯t tell how he would treat her in the future.

    Just because she looked like her former self and one found her displeasing to the eye, could that one even ban her from bing a female physician?

    Until she left the pce the next day, Ye Zhen didn¡¯t see Mo Rongzhan again. Nor did she hear anything from him. She returned to the academy anxiously, unable to ascertain if this calm was before a storm. And so, half a month passed.

    The academy had dipped into vacation mode now. She packed her medical books in the dormitory to bring with her as she returned to the Lu Mansion. She started with sorting out the books she had read in the library pagodast time. She was done with ten books so far, there were still a few that had yet to be written. She thought she had nothing to do anyway, so it should be good to write it down from memory when she got back home.

    ?

    Back at the Lu Mansion, the air was filled with bitter-sweet news. On one side there was happiness, now that the wang fei, Lu Wushuang¡¯s confinement had been lifted. On the other, there was a sourness over the addition of a Xianfei*, two Jieyu* into the inner pce along with several dignitaries, all of whom were selected from this year¡¯s Xiunu Selection.

    Only

    <strong>[T/N: 1. Xianfei (ÏÍåú)- a title for an imperial consort; one of the sub-rankings within the </strong><i><strong>fei</strong></i><strong>, the highest major rank in the imperial harem.</strong>

    <strong>2. Jieyu (æ¼æ¥)- a title for a third-rank pcedy; two ranks below the empress.]</strong>

    The title of Xianfei was naturally bestowed to Xu Huiru, the daughter of Prime Minister Xu. As for the rest, they were unable to pique the interests of the several masters of the Lu Family.

    Wang Fei Lu¡¯s rival had finally appeared, she could no longer enjoy the peerless status in the imperial harem.

    The pent up anxiety from thest few days finally abated. Ye Zhen¡¯s mood took a turn for the better, after all, she was certain Mo Rongzhan would not pay attention to her anymore.

 Chapter 265 - Gratitude (1)

    <strong>Chapter 265 ¨C Gratitude (1)</strong>

    As the bitter-sweet news reached every young master, miss, and even the Old Madam of the Lu Family, it was more bitter than sweet. The joy of Lu Wushuang¡¯s confinement being lifted was but a fleeting moment. In its stead was nothing but more worry, one that was deeper than when she was in detention.

    Lu Wushuang had long been the emperor¡¯s one and only favoured consort. The status she had once enjoyed wasparable to an empress¡¯s. Never had anyone imagined she would fall to such a bleary plight and this soon. Yet, she had, defying everyone¡¯s and her own expectations. She, who was once held in the palm of his hand by none other than the most powerful man in the empire, had been mercilessly crushed to pieces by the very person. And rubbing salt to the wound was the arrival of the xiunu.

    Earlier, there was still some hope. There was a chance for her to appease the emperor and win him over once she was out of confinement. But now, with all the new and beautiful additions to the inner pce, the woman who was once the sole recipient of the entire capital¡¯s envy, would she be able to reim her throne in his heart?

    Her fate that was now in limbo was the cause of this entire family¡¯s anxiety. Her status had catapulted them to overnight fame, now would it hurl them away with greater speed into an abyss? What gued them even deeper was Lu Lingzhi¡¯s predicament: Would he, who was far away in the western borders campaigning for the sovereign, bear the brunt of it too?

    It would be a lie to say Ye Zhen wasn¡¯t gloating in the face of others¡¯ misfortune. She was not in the slightest rueful over the sorry state the family had been, in a sh, reduced to. Whether Lu Wusuhuang would earn back her lost favour, Lu Lingzhi died during the expedition or the ramifications on the whole family, what did it have to do with her? It would be best if her archenemy never returned from the borders, it would save her from dealing with him in the future. Perhaps her only remorse was that things were not dire enough. Even so, her countenance betrayed none of her inner delight, if anything, her delicate mien wasced with worry.

    ¡°Yaoyao, why didn¡¯t you go and apany Old Madam in recent days?¡± Pei Shi softly asked as she came in and saw her daughter busy writing on the desk.

    Ye Zhen put down her writing brush and stood up. ¡°Mother, you¡¯re here.¡± She smiled. ¡°I just returned from apanying Grandmother. She had a talk with Second Aunt. And I suppose it¡¯s not appropriate for me to stay and listen to their conversation, so I came back.¡±

    Recently, Old Madam Lu was thinking about visiting Lu Wushuang in the pce and was trying to find ways to regain the emperor¡¯s favor. She didn¡¯t want to be a part of that conversation, so she had avoided it altogether.

    ¡°It¡¯s your vacation these days, and all you¡¯ve been doing is copying and writing every day in the house. Before, I was worried you couldn¡¯t sit still, but now I¡¯m worried you might overwork and suffocate yourself in here.¡± Pei Shi helplessly looked at her daughter who had undergone a sea of change. When she was in the border town, her child yed crazy all day, but when she arrived in the capital, she seemed to be a different person. She didn¡¯t know whether to worry or be d about it. Somewhere she even doubted if this was the same child she brought back from the border, after all when a wild and unbridled girl suddenly transformed into a primp and proper young miss, it would take a long time to get used to.

    ¡°Tomorrow, I shall visit Master Xu¡¯s residence with Elder Brother since I have promised Master Xu that I¡¯d y <i>Go</i> with him,¡± Ye Zhen said with a charming smile. She liked her sister¡¯s foster mother. She had always found her genuine. Initially, it was out of gratitude on behalf of her sister that she was polite, but by and by she hade to ept the woman as her mother somewhere.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have any ssmates to study with?¡± Pei Shi sighed with feeling, hoping that her daughter would associate with girls of the same age. She had turned so mature, her scarcely existent social life revolved around elders somehow. Either she was in thepany of the old matriarch, or Teacher Shan or now Master Xu. She admitted she did long to see some hints of the effervescent girl who spent her every waking moment indulging in frolic and mischief.

    Only

    ¡°Mother, I will be going to enjoy the plum blossoms with Sun Wen in a few days. Don¡¯t worry that I will feel stuffy at home. I am afraid that you might not want me to go out in the future,¡± Ye Zhen said with coquetry.

    Pei Shi poked her forehead and said, ¡°You~¡±

    ¡°By the way, Mother, there¡¯s something I forgot to tell you. Teacher Shan, she has left the academy,¡± Ye Zhen said in a low voice. She had not told of this matter to Pei Shi yet.

    ¡°She left again?¡± Pei Shi put on a wry smile and shook her head. ¡°I knew she wouldn¡¯t stay long.¡±

    Ye Zhen bowed her head and snickered, but didn¡¯t divulge the real reason behind Teacher Shan¡¯s departure.

 Chapter 266 - Gratitude (2)

    <strong>Chapter 266 ¨C Gratitude (2)</strong>

    The next day, Old Madam Lu brought Second Madam Lu to the pce to greet the imperial concubine. At first, the old matriarch wanted her to go with her, but Ye Zhen made excuses and deftly evaded. One, with all that had happened in the past few days she was in mood to return to the ce that she had just been from. Two, for sure, Lu Wushuang couldn¡¯t wait to devour her with her ruthless jealousy. So why should the prey actually offer herself on a tter for the predatory?

    Perhaps the Lu Elder had already figured out the truth of the matter and was just being considerate for she didn¡¯t insist on bringing the girl along. Crisis averted, Ye Zhen cheerily followed Lu Xiangzhi to the Xu Mansion as per her earlier intentions.

    When they arrived, unlike usual, they didn¡¯t find Xu Lao in the study, but at the pavilion by theke. Approaching the waterside pavilion, they found a young man ying<i> Go</i> with the master of the house.

    Moon-white robe, ck hair tied loosely behind his back with a silver band, a few errant strands hanging by his temples, eyes narrow and protracted, a visage as beautiful as jade ... He looked every inch handsome and debonair even as he set the dull ck stone on the board. His was the kind of elegance that was as natural as the gliding clouds and cascading waters. One glimpse and the onlooker would be certain he was nothing but nobility.

    <i>Who is this man?</i> Ye Zhen was surprised. She¡¯d never once heard that there were people of such eminence in the capital.

    ¡°Master. Mister Chen.¡± Lu Xiangzhi went forward and respectfully bowed, his eyes gleaming with unveiled adoration at the man in white robe.

    Xu Lao smiled and excused Lu Xiangzhi, then turning towards Ye Zhen said, ¡°Young Miss, finally you havee to apany this old man for <i>Go</i>.¡±

    Ye Zhen curtsied and said with a smile, ¡°In all truth, I have long wanted to learn Master Xu Lao¡¯s wise moves again.¡±

    ¡°I have no time to y <i>Go</i> with you today. Mister Chen¡¯s skill for this game is far above mine. You can y with him instead.¡± Xu Lao pointed to the man opposite and turned towards him. ¡°This is the youngdy I told you about.¡±

    Mister Chen raised his head to look at Ye Zhen. His long and narrow eyes revealed a smile. His exquisite features aside, he seemed quite astute. As she met his eyes, she was soon wreathed in smiles.

    ¡°Miss Lu, would you like to teach me?¡± Mister Chen smiled and asked with a gentle voice.

    Ye Zhen blushed slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t dare to teach Mister Chen. This miss just learned some superficial knowledge. Last time, I was lucky enough to make Master Xu take notice of my skills. Today, I am afraid I will make a fool of myself in front of Mister Chen.¡±

    ¡°This humble one is called Huangfu Chen,¡± he looked at Ye Zhen and said, while simultaneously collecting the ck stones on the board game.

    Xu Lao stood up. ¡°You can y<i> Go</i> here for a while. We are going to the study.¡±

    After spring, Lu Xiangzhi would be participating in the examination. Xu Lao had not epted any students for a long time now. Naturally, he did not want his only student to fail the exam.

    The master and pupil bade leave leaving behind just the young man and the little girl. The wind by theke was chilly but was blocked by the bamboo curtains skirting the pavilion.

    Ye Zhen stared at the man before her. <i>He said his name is Huangfu Chen ...</i>

    Huangfu was the surname of the imperial n of the erstwhile dynasty. Although not everyone with that surname were rted to them, there was only one Huangfu Chen in this world.

    Although Huangfu Chen was a descendant of the former imperial n, he didn¡¯t like going to the imperial court. Even during the former emperor¡¯s ipetent and brutal reign, no one encouraged him, who was only thirteen years old at that time, to re-establish the Jing Dynasty. In order to avoid these disputes, he chose to leave the capital and live in seclusion where no one could find him.

    Certainly, these were not the factors that Ye Zhen cared about. She was just surprised because she once heard that he was not only skilled in medicine, but also a genuine fortune teller.

    ¡°Miss Lu, why do you stare at this humble one in such a manner?¡± Huangfu Chen asked as he looked at her with eyes that seemed to be smiling at one¡¯s younger generation.

    Ye Zhen returned to her senses, cheeks flushed, she said awkwardly, ¡°I¡¯m just a little surprised. Are you ... <i>that</i> Huangfu Chen?¡±

    <i>Oh, what a stupid question! If he¡¯s not </i><i><strong>him</strong></i><i>, why would Master Xu call him Mister Chen? Why would he be so polite and respectful to him?</i>

    <i>How many people in this world would Master Xu treat as such?</i>

    Huangfu Chen smiled. ¡°Which Huangfu Chen is Miss Lu talking about?¡±

    ¡°Mister Chen, I was rude,¡± Ye Zhen said after a bow, ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect to see you in person.¡±

    ¡°Miss Lu, you need not be so polite. You saved my nephew¡¯s life. I should thank you,¡± Huangfu Chen said with a smile on his face.

    Ye Zhen looked at him and wondered. <i>When did I save his nephew?</i>

    Only

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi is my aunt, and her grandson is my nephew,¡± Huangfu Chen said, noticing her puzzlement.

    She almost forgot that Huangfu Chen and Qi Jin were rted. Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t do much.¡±

    With a profound look, Huangfu Chen said, ¡°Still, I want to thank Miss Lu.¡±

    Embarrassed, she quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s very kind of you.¡±

    ¡°Miss Lu, please.¡±

 Chapter 267 - Enraged (

    <strong>Chapter 267 ¨C Enraged (1)</strong>

    The chilly wind danced on the surface of theke, forming endless ripples. A serene air shrouded this otherwise quiet waterside pavilion. None could tell there was a battle in y right in the middle of it all.

    With a sigh, Ye Zhen dropped the white <i>Go</i> piece and held her palms together in surrender. ¡°Mister Chen, I lost.¡±

    Observing the game they had, Huangfu Chen was amazed at this young miss¡¯s skills in ying the board game. Her <i>Go skills</i> were even better than what Xu Lao had described. He reckoned she must have concealed her true extent when she hadst yed with him.

    ¡°Miss Lu is excellent at <i>Go</i>. This humble one is all admiration,¡± Huangfu Chen said with a smile. <i>A child who grew up in a border town without the guidance of a teacher but has such skills, indeed one is remarkable.</i>

    He seemed to have underestimated this young miss. The image he had formed of her based on an enchanted Xu Lao¡¯s description, that he had deliberately underyed by a few notches, he now realized was a far cry from the reality before him. This girl was in every way capable and exceptional.

    Ye Zhen smiled bashfully. ¡°I just cannot show off my ipetence in the presence of an expert like yourself.¡± She was not trying to tter him, she genuinely felt that the man before her was a talent extraordinaire.

    ¡°I heard that Miss Lu would rather study medicine than take Xu Lao as her teacher?¡± As he gathered the <i>Go</i> pieces, Huangfu Chen casually mentioned.

    ¡°I have liked studying medicine since I was a child. It has been my dream to go to the School of Medicine.¡± Ye Zhen stated in a low voice,cking in confidence as she spoke because Lu Yaoyao did not like medicine at all. She just liked to y around all day. She felt like she was living her dream, rather imposing it, on and through her sister¡¯s body. Somewhere she was guilt-stricken, but could anyone fault her?

    ¡°I see.¡± Huangfu Chen smiled faintly, those narrow and profound eyes seemed to be able to see through people.

    Ye Zhen felt more and more embarrassed that she had to say these things when she only started to study medicine not because she liked it, but because she chose it as a path to achieve her goal.

    ¡°It is said that Mister Chen is a divine doctor-¡± Ye Zhen¡¯s voice trailed as she thought back to the Qi Medical ssics still in her hands. As a matter of fact, Huangfu Chen should be the one to possess it, being the rightful heir.

    Huangfu Chen chuckled. ¡°Possessing a little knowledge about the art of healing does not make one a divine doctor.¡± It wasn¡¯t sure if he was understating his acumen or diverting attention from the topic, whatever it was, he was clearly in no mood to acknowledge anything.

    Seeing how things stood, she decided toe clean. ¡°Mister Chen, the Qi Medical ssics is in my possession. If I see you again next time, I should return the book to its rightful owner.¡±

    ¡°So, you have the book.¡± He shook his head and smiled. ¡°That book was left behind by my ancestors to be imparted to future generations. It does not matter who takes possession of the book, but there are five books in this set, and the other four are still here. If Miss Lu likes it, she can take them all.¡±

    ¡°Do you mean to say you are willing to lend them to me?¡± Ye Zhen was pleasantly surprised at his generosity.

    ¡°The book was meant to be passed on, why can¡¯t I let you read them?¡± he asked with a smile.

    Ye Zhen was deeply moved knowing that the Qi Medical ssics was a precious book handed down by his ancestors. Many senior physicians were even reluctant to let others know about a prescription, let alone lend such precious books to others. Here was the true epitome of magnanimity.

    It turned out her ears had not been mistaken. Huangfu Chen was indeed as she had heard and expected. He was certainly not an ordinary man.

    ¡°Then I will thank Mister Chen in advance,¡± Ye Zhen gratefully said, albeit a little puzzled.

    <i>Last time, when Imperial Physician Qi knew that I have the medical ssics, she seemed very excited. Did she not know that the other four books were in her nephew¡¯s possession?</i>

    ¡°Another game?¡± Huangfu Chen asked with a smile.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s countenance was girdled with a smile, her eyes shining bright. She reckoned the man held a perpetual smile, that was contagious. No matter how catastrophic the things got, that curve on his lips would never abate. ¡°Mister Chen, as you please.¡±

    As the sun descended, Ye Zhen and Lu Xiangzhi left the Xu Mansion. She had gained a lot today. It was an honor and rare opportunity to know Huangfu Chen, not to mention that he had promised her he would lend her his collection of books.

    ¡°Yaoyao, what did you and Mister Chen talk about that you are in such a good mood?¡± Lu Xiangzhi turned to look at his sister. He had not seen such a radiant smile on his sister¡¯s face in a long time.

    Only

    Ye Zhen ced both of her hands on her cheeks and blinked. ¡°Is it so obvious?¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi smiled. ¡°Your eyes say it all.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d that Mister Chen offered to let me borrow and read his collection of books.¡± Ye Zhen said, ¡°Eldest Brother, have you met him before?¡±

    ¡°No, I only met him when I came to see Master Xu two days ago. Today is the second time seeing each other,¡± Lu Xiangzhi said.

    If this was the case, Huangfu Chen must have been away from the capital. Perhaps he only returned two days ago. No matter where he went, people would surely notice him. And since there had been no news wafting around, it served as proof he was out of town.

 Chapter 268 - Enraged (2)

    <strong>Chapter 268 ¨C Enraged (2)</strong>

    When they got home and stepped into the inner courtyard, they felt that the atmosphere was somewhat strange. The ce was quiet, people cautious. Not a peep sounded from the main hall even, the old matriarch who loved to chat over a cup of tea or two seemed to have shut her doors for some reason.

    Ye Zhen and Lu Xiangzhi exchanged puzzled nces as they tried to grasp the situation ... <i>just</i><i>what happened here?</i>

    In the end, unable to make head nor tail, they simply shrugged and turned towards the main hall anyway. What was the point in standing here and guessing, when they could walk in and find out? However, before they went in to pay respect to the old madam, they were summoned by Pei Shi.

    ¡°Your grandmother is in a bad mood. I heard your second aunt say that Old Madam got angry because of the wang fei,¡± Pei Shi said in a low voice, afraid that her children would go to the elder¡¯s room making her even more unhappy.

    Ye Zhen sat down beside Pei Shi, frowned. ¡°Mother, how did Wang Fei make her angry?¡± she asked. It was just a visit, how did things turn out so? Angered over the most doted upon granddaughter at that!

    Pei Shi sighed. ¡°We can only talk about this matter among ourselves. We cannot mention this outside. Although the wang fei was confined for three months, she seems to have not learned her lesson at all. Knowing that His Imperial Majesty has selected concubines, she almost made a big scene. Something that your second aunt said seemingly triggered her and the old madam and she had a massive showdown. Ever since they have returned, your grandmother has locked herself in her rooms, and refuses to see anyone.¡±

    ¡°What did Second Aunt say?¡± Ye Zhen asked.

    Seeing her daughter¡¯s innocent gaze, Pei Shi had to fight back her anger. ¡°She inadvertently said that you entered the pce a few days ago. The wang fei asked the old madam not to allow you to enter the pce in the future, and immediately set your marriage.¡±

    ¡°The old madam, because of me ... against the wang fei?¡± Ye Zhen asked in astonishment.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the specifics. The old madam is lying in anger while Wang Shi is hiding in her courtyard. I¡¯m really worried~¡± Pei Shi felt her heart ache as she looked at Ye Zhen. Before, she was worried about her daughter who looked like a wild girl. Now that the one young girl she raised had undergone the eighteen changes, she couldn¡¯t feel relieved if she looked this good. Now, she was even worried to death!

    With that, the mother-daughter pair fell into their own pool of thoughts.

    This was all because of Lu Wushuang! She had never seen such an envious and vicious woman in all her life. She couldn¡¯t even tolerate her own cousin! Every time Lu Yaoyao entered the pce it was because she had been summoned by the empress dowager, not that she could do anything about it. What was this wang fei so vexed about?!

    <i>It seems that it was Lu Shuang¡¯er who told Liu Shi to let Yaoyao marry into the Liang Familyst time.</i> Pei Shi surmised.

    Ye Zhen, on the other hand, stared nkly into the distance. She was brooding over Lu Wushuang¡¯s recklessness and foolhardiness. She was indeed an ant on a hot pan, acting without any forethought whatsoever. She was on the brink of desperation it seems, helpless now at losing the emperor¡¯s affection. She was also shortsighted: worrying that her cousin would threaten her status when there was already a bevy of belles in the inner pce, who was on par with her vying for the emperor¡¯s favor.

    ¡°What is Elder Sister thinking? Why does she not like Yaoyao so much?¡± Lu Xiangzhi asked angrily. ¡°Aunt has been like thatst time, and now Elder Sister is~¡± he didn¡¯t understand why those two people in the eldest household were vehemently after his sister¡¯s life.

    ¡°Now that she is the wang fei, what she says and what she does ¨C can we say that it¡¯s wrong?¡± Pei Shi lectured him. No matter how upset they were, they couldn¡¯t speak brashly, they had to follow the decorum lest someone hears and they are punished for l¨¨se-majest¨¦.

    Only

    ¡°Mother, do not worry too much about this.. After two days, the wang fei will not be this concerned about me.¡± Ye Zhen cated Pei Shi in a low voice. ¡°I shall go and speak with the old madam. Wang Fei was only worried about thest incident. When she realizes that I was not a threat, she would naturally not mind me much by then.¡±

    ¡°Speak with Old Madam then.¡± Pei Shi agreed to her suggestion.

    While it looked like the two women had had a disagreement over her, perhaps things were not really so. Ye Zhen conjectured that Old Madam Lu was angry, but not necessarily because Lu Wushuang wanted her to get engaged. Compared with being angry, she would be more worried about it.

    Having this reckless Lu Wushuang in the pce was like having the entire Lu Family on the tip of a knife. The only person who could persuade her is Lu Lingzhi. Unfortunately, he was now in the west and couldn¡¯t manage his impulsive sister.

    For now, Ye Zhen just hoped Lu Wushuang could be a little stupider.

 Chapter 269 - The Wang Feiâ€™s Pred

    <strong>Chapter 269 ¨C The Wang Fei¡¯s Predicament (1)</strong>

    A hush shrouded the Lu Mansion, no one dared to make a peep afraid to rake up a storm. Thus, the usually boisterous mood of the household was reduced to an eerie silence with every being treading on thin ice.

    And yet, would a trivial matter such as this bother the ever effervescent Ye Zhen? As such, with a vivacious air about her, skip in each step, a pot of personally brewed ginseng tea in hand, she arrived at the main hall to visit the Old Madam. But before she stepped in, she ran into Lu Fang and Lu Jing.

    ¡°Third Sister, why did youe sote? Old Madam Lu cherishes you so much, yet you only care about yourself, and never pay a visit.¡± Lu Jing waggled her sarcastic tongue as soon as she saw her.

    Only a few people knew the reason for Old Madam Lu¡¯s sudden sickness. As for these two girls, just like those not in the know, thought that she was just tired.

    Ye Zhen looked at them with a smile then frowned and asked, ¡°How¡¯s Grandmother now? Did you find her a doctor?¡±

    Healers do not heal themselves, especially the elderly. Therefore, every time when Old Madam Lu was feeling unwell, they would find her a doctor.

    Lu Fang nced at Lu Jing, and said to Ye Zhen, ¡°Grandmother only allows Second Uncle to go inside her room, so we only greet her outside. Madam Chen was asking us to leave, so I suppose it¡¯s unnecessary for you to try. Grandmother doesn¡¯t want to see anyone.¡±

    ¡°I made Grandmother some ginseng tea, I¡¯ll let Madam Chen take it inside,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    She had added some <i>Linquan</i> to the tea. Even though she didn¡¯t like the Lu Family, the old matriarch treated her quite nicely. She was a reasonable olddy, and Ye Zhen believed that she was oblivious to the misdeeds of Lu Lingzhi and Lu Wushuang and as such, she didn¡¯t deserve her hatred.

    Lu Jing twitched her mouth and said, ¡°You thought you could go in by making that tea? You should see the reality, Grandmother only favors Wang Fei, do you think you canpare with her?¡±

    ¡°Why would Ipare with her?¡± Ye Zhen smiled and asked, ¡°Fourth Sister, you are overthinking.¡±

    ¡°I think what too much~¡±

    Even before the impatient Lu Jing finished speaking, Ye Zhen who was in no mood to fight, simply walked past her and stepped on the stairs to see Old Madam Lu.

    Lu Jing stared at Ye Zhen¡¯s back, preparing to taunt her after she failed to see the elder.

    ¡°Third Miss is here, Old Madam is expecting you inside.¡± Madam Chen whispered in Ye Zhen¡¯s ear and took over the ginseng tea from her.

    Ye Zhen nodded softly. ¡°Is Grandmother all right?¡±

    ¡°She is just having some headache, nothing major.¡± Madam Chen whispered.

    <i>Seems like she was really outraged!</i> Ye Zhen lifted the scarlet curtain and went inside the room.

    ¡°How can she go inside and see Grandmother?!¡± Lu Jing couldn¡¯t believe what she saw. ¡±Old Madam doesn¡¯t want to see anyone, howe she allows Lu Yaoyao to see her alone?¡± she asked Lu Fang in a huff.

    Lu Fang said indifferently, ¡°Didn¡¯t Old Madam see your father as well?¡±

    ¡°Can Lu Yaoyaopare with my father?¡± Lu Jing shouted sharply.

    ¡°I urge you to keep quiet, this is the main hall,¡± Lu Fang said, ignoring Lu Jing who was by now absolutely incensed.

    Ever since she had insisted on marrying into the Liang family, Lu Fang was clearer than anyone else she had deeply upset the old matriarch. Being born of a concubine, she had spent her days cautiously in this household, taking care not to incur anyone¡¯s wrath, especially Liu Shi¡¯s. Her time here was numbered, three more months and she would be married off as such she wanted to tread carefully and avoid getting into conflicts. As for who the old madam cherished the most, was none of her concern anymore.

    But would someone like Lu Jing, who was stewing in envy and agitation, let people be at peace? The girl grabbed the other¡¯s hand and refused to ept her nonchnt facade. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel angry at all?!¡± she asked. ¡°We are all Old Madam¡¯s granddaughters, why does she only see Lu Yaoyao?¡±

    How could she take this insult and injustice? She had never known why the old matriarch was this biased. She could bear the disparity when Lu Wushuang was around, but she would never ept that a bumpkin from border town had weaseled her way into the elder¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Jing¡¯er, we are all Grandmother¡¯s granddaughters, that is true indeed, but there are still differences.¡± Lu Fang smiled at her.

    ¡°What¡¯s the difference? Are you saying that I can¡¯tpare with Lu Yaoyao?¡± Lu Jing demanded.

    ¡°What part of you can bepared to her? Are you the Di* Daughter? Is your appearance as good as hers? Do you have any nice ways to please Grandmother like she does?¡± Lu Fang smiled and asked her by way of an answer. ¡°Forget about it, Jing¡¯er, none of us is as capable as her. I first thought that she¡¯s a country bumpkin, but it is now that I realize we are the bumpkins.¡±

    Only

    [<i>Di</i> daughter/son are the children of the main/first/official wife. Theymand a higher status in the household and society than the <i>Shu</i> aka concubine born.]

    All else aside, just the identity as a Di Daughter in the family put Lu Yaoyao above them all. Even without the looks and charm that she was blessed with, she would have never shared the same status as them.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t try to fawn over Old Madam now, what about your dowry? Do you expect to rely on your mother or your aunt? You are marrying into the Marquis Family, you don¡¯t want your dowry to be embarrassing, do you?¡± Lu Jing snorted and took a jab.

    Lu Fang looked at her with a faint smile. ¡°Fourth Sister, you don¡¯t need to incite me, do you think us, the Lu Family will short on anyone¡¯s dowry?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to listen.¡± An irate Lu Jing stomped, turned away, and stormed away.

 Chapter 270 - The Wang Feiâ€™s Pred

    <strong>Chapter 270 ¨C The Wang Fei¡¯s Predicament (2)</strong>

    Lu Fang sneered at the departing figure. Right now, this girl was calmer than a m. She saw right through the other¡¯s heart and refused to rise to the bait. So what if she were angry, what did it have to do with her?!

    As soon as Ye Zhen went inside the room, Lu Shixun stood up from the bed and said to Old Madam Lu, ¡°Mother, then I shall retire. Rest well.¡±

    ¡°Second Uncle.¡± Ye Zhen curtsied and remained standing by the door.

    Lu Shixun looked at her indifferently and nodded. ¡°Yaoyao is here.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao,e to Grandmother.¡± Old Madam Lu waved at Ye Zhen. She was sitting on the bed with the headband, looking a little pale.

    ¡°Take good care of your grandmother,¡± Lu Shixun said to her and left the room.

    Madam Chen put down the ginseng tea. ¡°Old Madam, Third Miss made you some ginseng tea.¡±

    Old Madam Lu smiled with lidded eyes. ¡°Our Yaoyao is such a filial girl.¡±

    Ye Zhen took the tea from Madam Chen¡¯s hand said, ¡°Grandmother, let me feed you.¡±

    ¡°Old Madam, I shall leave the room.¡± Madam Chen smiled.

    When they were the only ones in the room, Ye Zhen started to feed the elder ginseng tea. Sip by sip the tea soothed and eased her. Warmth surged in a heart, and she gazed at the dainty girl with a kind smile.

    It was no secret, that in the beginning, the only granddaughter she cared about was Shuang¡¯er. She was filled with nothing but pride and doting when it came to the girl, and see how she had raised the family¡¯s status to the pinnacle, her choice was justified. It was not that she didn¡¯t wish to favour anyone else, but none of them was striking enough and thus her hopes and aspirations solely focused on the eldest granddaughter.

    However, all that changed with the arrival of this border town girl. From the moment she had firste to pay her respects, she had developed an affinity to this beautiful, gentle, and kind granddaughter. By and by, she had made a ce for her in her heart.

    One could argue that it was her unparalleled beauty that smitten the old matriarch. Of course, beauty was important, and no one knew this better than this old woman. But she who was worldly wise knew just how much importance one had to attach to a thing called beauty. Even a celestial beauty would pale before an innocent and tender heart. And it was this very trait in Yaoyao that had won her through and through.

    When presented with two of a kind,parisons are bound to arise. Lu Wushuang and Lu Yaoyao were both di daughters from the same family. While one was raised in thep of luxury and was spoiled rotten, the other grew up in the harsh environs of the borders. And yet, it was thetter that had turned out to be the gem. Kind, filial, tolerant, humble ... bereft of any superficiality. She was astute, knew what she wanted clearly.

    <i>Why couldn¡¯t Shuang¡¯er be like Yaoyao?</i><i>No, even just half of Yaoyao, she wouldn¡¯t need to be so worried.</i>

    As she looked at the girl sincerely serving her, the old matriarch sighed with feeling. ¡°Today Wang Fei wanted me to settle your marriage.¡±

    Slightly taken aback at the abruptness, Ye Zhen moved her eyes and said in a low voice, ¡°Why does Wang Fei have to settle my marriage? The Lu Family just cannot bear with me at all?¡±

    ¡°Silly girl! That is nonsense!¡± Old Madam Luforted her softly. ¡°Shuang¡¯er is spoiled, and always thinks that we should all listen to her. If anyone is not pleasing to her eyes, others should hate them too.¡± And just like that, without mincing her words, she had inly stated the darkest fact. Not at all shielding the other¡¯s shorings.

    Only

    Ye Zhen was quite astonished at the sudden admission. Although her words were meant to prod and lighten the atmosphere, never did she expect this old-timer to reveal such a matter. Somewhere, her heart tugged. She had to admit, this old woman perhaps genuinely liked her to be so forthright.

    ¡°Grandmother, then ... who does she want me to marry?¡± Ye Zhen asked quietly.

    Old Madam Lu patted Ye Zhen¡¯s hand lightly. The girl was young and full of aspirations. She had never been driven by whims and fancies, and unlike the others her age, her actions and decisions were not only prudent but sincere even. Since the time she had entered the academy, this elder¡¯s faith in her genuineness had only deepened.

    ¡°You are still studying at the academy, we won¡¯t settle your marriage so soon. Don¡¯t worry, Grandmother is here. Anyway, without your parents¡¯ consent, who would make this decision for you.¡± She reassured the na?ve girl.

    Setting aside the teacup, ovee with emotions, Ye Zhen held Old Madam Lu¡¯s arm slightly. ¡°Grandmother, you are so nice to me, I will treat you better in the future.¡±

 Chapter 271 - Marry Yaoyao Away (1)

    <strong>Chapter 271 ¨C Marry Yaoyao Away (1)</strong>

    The limpid eyes reflected her guileless heart, the honeyed tone a testament for sincerity. Such a winsomess!

    Old Madam Lu chuckled, gazing at the sweet and adorable little girl leaning on her. Somewhere along the way she¡¯d admitted to herself that no matter how impetuous and insecure Shuang¡¯er was, her apprehensions about this pretty one were all justified. Indeed, she was such a good girl that if she were to really marry the emperor, the wang fei would certainly lose her position in the harem. The charm and elegance this girl exuded were unparalleled, she was a sublime blend of intelligence and innocence. Little wonder that her eldest granddaughter had been perpetually on tenterhooks, wanting to nip the threat forever by way of settling her marriage at the earliest.

    ¡°Yaoyao, don¡¯t resent your eldest sister. It took her a lot of effort to be Wang Fei. It is right for her to be careful, she just doesn¡¯t know you well.¡±

    When all was said and done, Old Madam Lu was first the matriarch of the Lu Family. Her foremost responsibility was harmony among the members, thest thing she wished for was for the two sisters to end up foes. Since she couldn¡¯t breathe sense into the one in the imperial pce, she could only cate the sensible one at home.

    ¡°Grandmother, how did Eldest Sister meet His Majesty? I heard she had been following His Majesty in his campaign all over the ce since a long time ago,¡± Ye Zhen asked as if she were really curious.

    Old Madam Lu carefully went over her memory. ¡°I remember when your eldest uncle was here, he loved Shuang¡¯er very dearly, even handed over the family business to her. One time, when His Majesty was still Qin Wang, he was ambushed in the frontline. The previous emperor was deluded by treacherous officials and didn¡¯t send reinforcement to the frontline, even the supply was intercepted mid-way. She followed Lingzhi¡¯s order, pretended to be a merchant, and delivered the supply, which saved Qin Wang. From then on, she followed your eldest brother in the frontline.¡±

    Ye Zhen bit her lips, silently listening to the old woman as she continued. ¡°You should have heard, Qin Wang once had a Wang Fei, but Qin Wang Fei wasn¡¯t a simple woman. She was aware that Shuang¡¯er was at the frontlines, so she sent people to kill her. Fortunately, Qin Wang was there and saved her, otherwise ... Aye, I¡¯ve never personally met that Ye Shi, but only heard that she was extremely beautiful, yet didn¡¯t win His Majesty¡¯s favor. I suppose that suggests some of her qualities.¡±

    Ye Zhen almost jumped at those words. <i>When did she send people to kill Lu Wushuang, she didn¡¯t even know who Lu Wushuang was!</i>

    ¡°However, Qin Wang Fei is no more. Rumors said that she burnt herself to death, another pitiful soul.¡± Old Madam Lu sighed. ¡°If she were still alive, I¡¯m afraid Shuang¡¯er would never have had a chance to be Wang Fei.¡±

    <i>Lu Wushuang definitely has her way. With Lu Lingzhi¡¯s help, she can definitely get that position. </i>Ye Zhen sneered.

    Pathetic as it was that she had ended up the stupidest of all, not only was she mes for things she didn¡¯t do but had also to lose her life for no good reason. <i>She¡¯d burnt herself to death?! Now all I want is to burn that b*tch to death!</i>

    ¡°Grandmother, then Eldest Sister has finally received the rewards after all her sufferings,¡± Ye Zhen said unwillingly.

    ¡°Aye, I used to think so, but now I don¡¯t. Your eldest sister started at a high position, so she¡¯s used to being the only wang fei in the imperial harem. Now that there are other concubines in the harem, how would she be reconciled to that? I met Xian Fei today, neither her appearance nor manners lose to your sister. I¡¯m only worried that your eldest sister would do something silly and jeopardize the entire family, even your eldest brother.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°Grandmother, don¡¯t worry too much. It¡¯s because everything went too smoothly for Wang Fei after she entered the harem and she didn¡¯t encounter any frustration. Now that there are Xian Fei and other nobledies in the harem, once Wang Fei has a sense of crisis, she would tone it down. People always turn wiser in crisis.¡±

    ¡°Who taught you that?¡± Old Madam Lu was amused, even so, she thought those words made some sense.

    ¡°I heard it from somewhere.¡± Ye Zhen said, ¡°Grandmother, Wang Fei is a smart woman, soon she would realize how to survive longer in the harem and keep the emperor¡¯s favor.¡± Although those were her words, her heart hoped for the exact opposite. How she wished that woman would falter miserably.

    Old Madam Lu sighed. ¡°I wish your sister were half as sensible as you are.¡±

    Only

    Ye Zhen hurriedly flourished her hands. ¡°Grandmother, I can¡¯tpare with Eldest Sister. I would never have a fortune like hers. All I want to be is an imperial physician in the future.¡± She took the opportunity to reiterate her interests and aspirations while at the same time reassure the old woman that she was not a ¡®threat¡¯. She had to win her overpletely, and seeing how she was already leaning towards her, she wanted to only strengthen it further.

    The old matriarch smiled. ¡°Everyone has their own fate, who would say being an imperial physician is worse?¡± In her eyes, Lu Yaoyao was destined to have a bright future, what remained to be seen was the course.

    ¡°Grandmother, please lie down and rest. In just a few days Eldest Sister would realize that I am no threat to her.¡± Ye Zhenforted. She didn¡¯t want to alert her enemy, she had toy low until she was ready. This could count as the second step towards it, the first being casting that ¡®disenchantment spell¡¯ on the emperor.

    Old Madam Lu nodded and sincerely said, ¡°I hope so.¡±

    On this side, the grandmother and the granddaughter had finished a peaceful conversation. On the other, the argument seemed to see no end.

 Chapter 272 - Marry Yaoyao Away (

    <strong>Chapter 272 ¨C Marry Yaoyao Away (2)</strong>

    ¡°Third Brother, if Wang Fei thinks that we should settle down Yaoyao¡¯s marriage as early as possible, then we should not hesitate. Mother is chastised every time she visits the pce.¡± Lu Shixun hade directly to Lu Shiming after he¡¯d left the main hall.

    Lu Shiming was palpably gloomy at the moment. ¡°Then who do you think we should marry Yaoyao to?¡±

    ¡°I have an old friend in Jinkou City whose family is quite decent and wealthy~¡± Lu Shixun lowered his voice but was interrupted before he finished.

    ¡°You want to marry my daughter to a merchant in Jinkou City? Second Brother, such an honor for my daughter!¡± Lu Shiming almost choked with rage. He didn¡¯t ask for an incredible marriage for his dear daughter, but at least he would never agree to marry her to a merchant that far away.

    Lu Shixun took a deep breath, trying to rein in his temper. ¡°What is wrong with a merchant family? Didn¡¯t we, the Lu Family, once start as merchants as well? If Wang Fei doesn¡¯t like Yaoyao, then we will send her away from the capital, nobody can harm her in Jinkou City with me being by her side.¡±

    ¡°Nobody wants to hurt her, it has always been her own family that wants to hurt her!¡± Lu Shiming was so angry both hands were shaking. ¡°Second Brother, I am telling you, unless I¡¯m dead I will not let anyone stick as much as a finger in my daughter¡¯s marriage. Wang Fei treats my daughter like this simply because she doesn¡¯t like her. If she wishes, does my daughter have to die in front of her?¡±

    He had sacrificed his career once for the sake of this very family. He had never held a grudge against his brother, neither did his wife. They had tacitly retreated, nursed their wounded hearts. Now, history was barging in again in the form of his beloved daughter? How could he tolerate this? Rather why should he? The girl in the pce, with all her whims and fancies, what right did she have to dictate the life of his daughter?

    ¡°Third Brother, now that is too much!¡± Lu Shixun roared in fury, hurt by those words too. He actually quite liked Yaoyao, but since Wang Fei disliked her so much, for the sake of the well-being of the whole Lu Family, he had to sacrifice one of them ... to avoid bing enemies in the future. And since he couldn¡¯t haggle with the already unreasonable girl, he had chosen the safer route- his brother. As much as it pained him to propose the idea, he too was duty-bound as the man helming the family. Right now, all he wanted to do was settle this matter as amicably as possible and at the soonest.

    ¡°Second Brother, I don¡¯t care what you think, I already said what I had to- Yaoyao didn¡¯t do anything wrong. You can¡¯t sacrifice her only because of her excellence and beauty. If the Lu Family can¡¯t bear with her, then I¡¯ll take her away, and leave you for whatever you want. But, nobody can force my daughter to do things she doesn¡¯t want.¡±

    ¡°Living in the border town for so many years, have you be so selfish that you disregard the overall situation?¡± Lu Shixun scolded.

    Lu Shiming sneered. ¡°Situation? Whose situation should I care about to sacrifice my daughter? No situation is more important than her.¡±

    His daughter was being turned into a sacrificialmb at the behest of a tyrannical wang fei, how could he as a father tolerate it? If he wouldn¡¯t shield her, who would? He cared about no riches or fame, all that mattered to him was his daughter¡¯s happiness. If he had to fight his own family for it, he wouldn¡¯t bat an eye.

    ¡°Are you going to make Mother feel awful between her two granddaughters?¡± Lu Shixun asked angrily.

    ¡°Second Brother, what exactly did Yaoyao do? She didn¡¯t do anything, just because she has the empress dowager¡¯s affection, and was summoned a few times, she has to pay with her entire life?¡± Lu Shiming asked him back. He felt miserable for his daughter to suffer such tragedy for no good reason.

    Lu Shixun looked at him silently. He knew well there was no point in arguing with his bull-headed brother. In the end, he chose to end the matter but not without a word of caution. ¡°Third Brother, I hope you won¡¯t regret in the future.¡±

    Somehow, he had a deep foreboding that Yaoyao would bring catastrophe upon the Lu Family.

    ?

    The uncanny thing about unrest is that itcks nopanions. Sooner, thanter, it always finds kindred spirits. On one hand, it had thrown the Lu Mansion in turmoil,ying everyone- young and old, on a bed of pins and needles; on the other, it showered the imperial pce with a night rife in anguish sparing neither thedy nor monarch. And right now it was at its best.

    Only

    Tonight the Pce of Earthly Tranquility seemed exceptionally quiet. However, there were turbulent currents coursing beneath the tranquility.

    Staring at the mirror before her, Lu Wushuang was lost in thought. The delicate makeup on the white and ruddyplexion, theke blue dress with silver beads adorning her waist, entuating her curves ... She looked bright and charming as usual, the recent confinement had cast not a shadow on her beauty. Despite all the distress, she oozed confidence and vanity.

    This past couple of months in confinement, she had indeed introspected and reflected on her actions and behavior. She had learnt her share of lessons and realized her wrongs. She had spent time analyzing things,ing to the conclusion that her rampant deeds would do the most harm to herself.

    As such, she wanted to right her wrongs, cate the master on the pce, and reim her former ce in his heart. She was more determined now than before for Mo Rongzhan was still giving her the cold shoulder. Despite releasing her, he had kept her waiting for days at length without the slightest inclination to see her.

    Word of his visit to Xu Huiru¡¯s pce had flown to her at the soonest. She even knew the two Jieyu had served him. <i>Did he like the new and hate the old, forget about his Wang Fei who had gone through thus far with him?</i>

 Chapter 273 - The Emperorâ€™s Mysophobia (1)

    <strong>Chapter 273 ¨C The Emperor¡¯s Mysophobia (1)</strong>

    The more Lu Wushuang stewed in thoughts, the more despondent she was. But was there anything she could do? The two months of confinement seemed so much better than these past few days of tant rejection.

    To the world, she had been forgiven, but only she knew she was still paying the huge price for breaking into the Pce of Heavenly Purity. She didn¡¯t dare to think for how long this would continue ... if this would go on forever ... More than the seclusion it was his indifference towards her that was piercing her heart. The man who once doted on her without a care in the world, who held her in the palms of his hand, had not once seen her.

    Her moment of anger and impulse had cost the lives of many of her retainers that night. Several eunuchs and maids under her had been put to death with the exception of Aunt He ( aka Dai Ping) who had served her since she was little. Dai Ping and Qiu Yan were the only maids that she could trust and rely on. Although she was aching to go see him again, she was afraid that he might punish her even more harshly this time.

    ¡°Wang Fei.¡± Qiu Yan walked in.

    Lu Wushuang turned to her with joy on her face. ¡°Is His Majesty here?¡±

    Qiu Yan shook her head slightly, not wanting to see her mistress¡¯s disappointment she cated her. ¡°Wang Fei, His Majesty might be busy right now, he mayeter.¡±

    ¡°Withdraw.¡± Lu Wushuang waved impatiently and walked around grumpily in her chamber.

    She had to restrain herself from breaking into the Pce of Heavenly Purity again. She wanted to question Mo Rongzhan: <i>did he forget everything he said to her, that he would use his lifetime to treat her nicely? Was this the ¡°nice¡± he meant?</i>

    <i>Did he forget that she saved his life!</i>

    ¡°Wang Fei, it¡¯s ratherte now, you should please rest.¡± Dai Ping urged softly.

    ¡°Aunt He, is His Majesty nevering to my pce again?¡± Lu Wushuang smiled bitterly. Her confinement had been lifted for a few days now but the reins of the inner pce still remained with the empress dowager, seemingly Mo Rongzhan had no intention of giving it back to her. Half a year, was all the time she had enjoyed the glory before losing it all. Her heart was hurt as if it was stumbled with thousands of needles.

    ¡°How can that be!¡± Dai Ping hurriedly spoke. She pitied her mistress¡¯s plight, she had always treated her as her own child. ¡°His Majesty must be busy with the affairs of the state, so how would he have time to visit?¡± Sheforted softly.

    Lu Wushuang shed a smile that looked worse than crying. ¡°Then why did he have time to go to Xu Huiru¡¯s pce yesterday?¡±

    Dai Ping was speechless, she did not know how tofort her anymore. She worried that she would go find the emperor impulsively. If something like thest time were to happen again, she might lose her life too.

    ¡°Wang Fei, now that new people have entered the harem, it ispletely normal that His Majesty feels fresh. Instead of waiting here, why not try doing things that would please him?¡± Dai Ping could only offer a concrete distraction knowing well how this woman¡¯s mind worked. She was someone riding a tiger, she hade too far to dismount now. Regardless of the path she chose, her fate was strongly tied to her mistress¡¯s position in the harem. So, she might as well help her stand up again, give it her all to win or lose.

    Lu Wushuang looked at her in perplexion ¡°Aunt He, what do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Wang Fei, His Majesty respects the empress dowager and cherishes the little prince the most. You haven¡¯t been acquainted with her, so why not take this chance to impress her? His Majesty will surely pay attention to you by then.¡± Dai Pin suggested in a whisper.

    ¡°Empress Dowager?¡± Lu Wushuang said reluctantly, ¡°The empress dowager even wanted to arrange the marriage between Liu Hua and His Majesty. She doesn¡¯t like me at all, despite the efforts I put in.¡±

    ¡°Wang Fei, Princess Liu Hua hasn¡¯t entered the harem even now, which hints that His Majesty doesn¡¯t like her. Empress Dowager never mentioned it again, so you should just forget about it too.¡±

    There was another reason why Lu Wushuang didn¡¯t want to please her mother-inw: it was a known fact that the empress dowager liked Lu Yaoyao, and for some inexplicable reason she had always felt that her little cousin would be her nemesis.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see His Majesty? He greets the Empress Dowager at Cining Pce every day.¡± Dai Ping pressed on.

    Only

    Didn¡¯t they say- if you love the master, you must love his dog? History stood proof to all the bribes and favors the favorite eunuchs and maids were showered with, all in a bid to win over the Buddha. Since there was no way to directly approach the emperor, they could only take a meandering path. Besides, it was his mother and little brother, a lot better choice than lowering oneself to his retainers.

    Lu Wushuang¡¯s eyes lit up as she grasped the crux of the words. She did want to see Mo Rongzhan. ¡°Then let¡¯s greet Empress Dowager tomorrow.¡± She dered with an exceptionally pretty smile.

    ¡°Wang Fei, you can¡¯t behave the same way like before in front of the Empress Dowager, you need to be ... softer.¡± Dai Ping couldn¡¯t help remind her. She had always been haughty and conceited before her mother-inw, it was all ok in the past when she was still favored. But since things had taken a drastic turn, it would be best if she could ingratiate the empress dowager like Xu Huiru did, otherwise how could she be happy?

    ¡°I see.¡± Lu Wushuang nodded slightly. <i>I would treat her like Old Madam Lu.</i>

    Seeing that she seemed to understand, Dai Ping, inwardly heaved a sigh of relief.

 Chapter 274 - The Emperorâ€™s Mysophobia (2)

    <strong>Chapter 274 ¨C The Emperor¡¯s Mysophobia (2)</strong>

    In the imperial study of the Pce of Heavenly Purity, Mo Rongzhan had finished with thest of the pce memorials. Putting down the red brush, taking a sip of the hot tea, eyes closed he reclined on the back of his chair.

    Right then, Eunuch Fu walked in with a tray and curtsied. ¡°Does Your Majesty wish to flip the tiles* tonight?¡±

    [Back then, a harem wouldprise of the metaphorical 3000 beauties ¨C The head eunuch would bring a tray of tiles (which could be made of wood, jade, porcin, etc.) etched with the names of wives and concubines. The emperor would then proceed to flip the tile of the beauty whom he wished to spend the night with, and shower them with his ¡®heavenly blessings¡¯ (i.e., favor).]

    Mo Rongzhan raised his head, a trace of coldness shing through his eyes as eyed the tiles in disgust. ¡°Get out!¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Frightened, with the tray in his hand, Eunuch Fu scurried away.

    Inexplicably miffed and irritated, Mo Rongzhan rose from his seat and stormed out of his pce all alone. Though he did see his master leave, Enuch Fu dared not follow him without being summoned.

    In no time he stopped before the library pagoda. It only took him a few moments to climb atop the structure and sit on its roof, gazing at the stars. Despite the serene night enveloping him, his heart was tumultuous. His mind was in chaos, nothing seemed to give him peace. Slowly, his thoughts prated theyer byyer defense he had built up to reach the crux of his agitation.

    He had been deeply immersed in his work just then when he was triggered- the tiles with the name of his concubines.

    He had followed the norms of the imperial harem without any misgivings. He had a Xian Fei now, expanded his harem with quite a few newdies. They were all exceptional in their own right, beautiful too. He should be immersed in the arms of the beauties instead of sitting on the cold and rough rooftop. Even so, he felt no difference. He had simply gone through the motions of epting the women, he felt not a smidgen of emotion for them. At first, he had not paid it much mind, but soon the truth had stood to face him.

    The other night he had visited Xu Huiru, but he had no desire of touching her. Not that she was ugly, she was indeed dignified, tender, and talented. He was satisfied with every aspect of her. However, he felt no urge toy his hands on her, hold her, or spend a moment with her. He had simply left. His heart knew the reason best of it all- he still had a chronic mysophobia for women.

    In the past, the crown prince had sent him no end of women. Despite his disgust, he had epted them all, ying the role of the skirt-chaser to perfection. Only he knew it was but a ruse to make him lower his guard against him (MRZ). Soon after he went to the frontlines and developed a serious mysophobia for women. At that time, Lu Wushuang hadn¡¯t pretended to be his Yaoyao yet, so he didn¡¯t even want to talk to her.

    <i>If it were not for her lies ... how stupid of him to fall for her ploy, believing blindly she was his Yaoyao ... </i>As he reminisced the times, his gullibility and her deceit, his killing intent intensified.

    He was more furious at himself. He shouldn¡¯t have been more prudent in his approach instead of readily trusting Lu Wushuang. He had not once tried to verify the facts, he had forgotten the vital details even. The mey more with him than her, for he let her deceive him, willingly walking into her trap. This whole thing had only served to intensify his mysophobia for women. He now repulsed them more than ever. But it also had left a hole in his heart, his girl was yet to be found.

    <i>When would he find his Yaoyao?</i>

    Not a day passed when he had not thought of the girl he met in the woods. Her sweetughter, honeyed voice, and gentle touch were still fresh in his memory as if it had all happened just then. But offte, every time he missed her the image of the Lu Yaoyao, blissfully sleeping in his arms a few days ago, would inexplicably appear in his mind.

    Thinking of her naturally brought to mind her soft, tender lips ... her fruity fragrance- her taste still lingered on his tongue. His eyes sank, body underwent subtle changes.

    Instantly, his face took a dark and terrifying turn. It dawned on him that he could bear with his mysophobia when he was with Lu Yaoyao, in fact, his body craved for her. She was an exception ... <i>But that darn woman just wouldn¡¯t marry him!</i>

    Only

    <i>Is there someone in her heart?</i> As the thought emerged, he fiercely stood up. <i>Is this the reason for her willingness?</i>

    As he mulled over her stance, this was the only reason he could deduce for her rejection. Why else would a girl throw away the fortune that was willingly knocking on her door?

    <i>But who could it be?</i> Lu Yaoyao had onlye to the capital before long and barely met any men. <i>Or was it someone she met in the border town?</i>

    As he dived deeper and deeper into it, he was more determined than ever to find the person behind it all. He would send people to thoroughly investigate the person behind who had so thoroughly won her over that she hadn¡¯t hesitated to spurn him.

    <i>Yes, he had find out how he was inferior to that man!</i>

 Chapter 275 - Tending To the Old Matriarch

    <strong>Chapter 275 ¨C Tending To the Old Matriarch</strong>

    It is the heart that hurts and forgives. Ye Zhen¡¯s heart had hurt a lot in her past life, time and again she had been dealt with fatal wounds. In this life, she had shed all her sympathies, and decisively marked her friends and foes. And this was especially true in the case of the Lu family that was sheltering her at the moment.

    She had resolved to shield her sister¡¯s adopted parents and brother, she was willing to extend her benevolence to Old Madam Lu even- but that was as far as she would go. Though she had initially had reservations towards the old matriarch, everything had changed before she even realized it. What had started off as a perfunctory show of filial piety, to hug the biggest thigh in this family for support, had now transformed into genuine concern.

    Look here now, throughout the day and all through the night, Ye Zhen had been constantly by the old madam¡¯s side. She ate with her, drank tea with her ... made herugh. As abined effort of this and the miraculous healing properties of <i>lingquan</i>, the old madam¡¯s health had remarkably improved, her spirit a lot better than usual.

    Just as the old madam¡¯s health bes better, the atmosphere of the entire Lu Mansion, finally, started getting better as well. As the year was drawing to a close, the whole family was busy with cleaning up and weing the new year- the air was full of excitement and jubtion as if the previous gloom had never happened.

    ¡°Thanks to my Yaoyao, Mother looks so much better now,¡± Wang Shi said looking at Ye Zhen with a smile.

    Ye Zhen, who was standing next to Old Madam Lu with her head bowed, was on a high alert now. Compared to the temperamental and short-sighted Liu Shi, she was warier of the ever polite Wang Shi. Being by Lu Shuxin¡¯s side in Jinkou City for many years now, needless to say, she had a better insight of dealing and managing people. She was patient, tactful ... never revealing her heart.

    ¡°Second Sister-inw, don¡¯tpliment Yaoyao too much. What else can she do except talk to her grandmother all day long? If it weren¡¯t for you and Second Brother finding a skilled doctor, would Mother have recovered this quickly?¡± Pei Shi said with a smile.

    Wang Shi lips lifted into a smile. ¡°Third Sister-inw, don¡¯t be modest. The family doesn¡¯tck in daughters but it is only Yaoyao who can stay in the main hall. Others aren¡¯t as blessed.¡±

    See here now, in a space of a few words the conniving Wang Shi had made a target out of Ye Zhen. On one hand, she was praising her good fortune, on the other, making the other girls aware of their position in the eyes of the old matriarch.

    The Lu Fang to the side, simply kept her head lowered, and didn¡¯t utter a word. It was not that she couldn¡¯t see through Wang Shi¡¯s intentions or knew not her status in the family, but right now she had but one goal- life out her days here in peace. However, Lu Jing was another matter. Over and over she had felt her grandmother¡¯s biasedness, she was unreconciled. But since she couldn¡¯t voice her grievance, she red daggers at Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Mother, Grandmother has asked me toe and live in the main hall.¡± Lu Tong, who was sitting next to Wang Shi, spoke in a milky voice.

    The triumphant smile on her face froze as she stared down at her own daughter.

    Old Madam Lu, who had been quiet for some time now, looked at Wang Shi and spoke with a light smile. ¡°Second Daughter-inw, if you like the upper room so much, let¡¯s have Tong¡¯er stay in the West Wing. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Mother, Tong¡¯er is still young. I¡¯m afraid it will disturb your rest,¡± Wang Shi said hurriedly.

    Old Madama Lu smiled. ¡°Yaoyao is studying at the School of Medicine. She is more proficient with medicine than the others and is taking care of me in the main hall. Is there anyone better suited for such a job than her?

    ¡°Mother, that is exactly what I wanted to say about Yaoyao,¡± Wang Shi said with a smile.

    Old Madam Lu returned the smile. ¡°Although am old, am not muddled. I can understand everything you say.¡± Her tone was light but the meaning was profound.

    Wang reluctantly smiled.

    Old Madam Lu ran a gaze around the room, taking in each and every person present. ¡°The New Year is soon arriving. A few days ago Wang Fei bestowed a lot of gifts. Second Daughter-inw, go to the storehouse, have a look, and send them over to every room.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± Wang Shi answered in a low voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m still a little tired. Go down first.¡±

    Two days ago, Old Madam Lu had temporarily handed over the family affairs to Wang Shi and Pei Shi. She had asked them handled the matters together.

    Only

    Lu Jing took the opportunity and immediately went over. ¡°Grandmother, let me help you back to your room.¡±

    ¡°You all can go back now. Since the doctor said my illness is cured, you don¡¯t need to stay here to take care of me here. Yaoyao, you go back too. You did nothing but stay by my side these past two days,¡± Old Madam Lu said.

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°Grandmother, then I¡¯ll go back now.¡±

    She had decided to stay in the main hall and tend to the old matriarch because she really liked her. She had been kind to her and her illness, even if indirectly, was because of her. Had she not ended up in a squabble with Lu Wushuang, she would have not been angered to the point of sickness. As such, she wanted to repay her kindness, very unwilling to owe her something in the future.

    As soon as she had exited the main hall, Ye Zhen picked pace. She knew Lu Jing, who was hard on her heels, wanted to speak to her. But right now, she was in no mood to entertain the jealous girl.

 Chapter 276 - I Donâ€™t Want To

    <strong>Chapter 276 ¨C I Don¡¯t Want To</strong>

    ¡°Yaoyao.¡±

    Before Ye Zhen walked into her courtyard, she was stopped by Lu Shixun.

    ¡°Second Uncle, are you looking for me?¡± Ye Zhen bowed and looked at her father¡¯s brother with a smile. Although she wondered as to why he came to find her, she was certain nothing good woulde out of this.

    Lu Shixun had seen his share of beauty, being a merchant and now helming the family business, he was an astute eye. However, even he had to admit, the little girl before him ... her delicate features, limpid eyes, elegant demeanor, and refined eloquence lent a unique charm to her being. She was particrly fetching in an adorable and endearing way. Little wonder that his eldest niece, Shuang¡¯er, regarded her as the thorn by her side.

    ¡°Yaoyao, Second Uncle has something to tell you,e with me.¡± His tone, though polite, brooked no room for refusal.

    Ye Zhen had long wanted to deal with this man who held the reins of the Lu Family business. She was a staunch believer of ¨C<i> know thy enemy and know thyself; in a hundred battles, fear no peril*.</i> And this was especially true in the case of the second lord. Now that opportunity hade knocking at her doorstep, she would certainly not look away.

    [E/D: <i>zh¨© j¨« zh¨© b¨«</i> ¨C Öª¼ºÖª±Ë know yourself, know your enemy (idiom, from Sunzi¡¯s ¡°The Art of War¡± ŒO×Ó±ø·¨|Ëï×Ó±ø·¨[Sun1 zi3 Bing1 fa3]) <i>b¨£i zh¨¤n b¨£i sh¨¨ng</i> ¨C °ÙÕ½°ÙÊ¤ to emerge victorious in every battle; to be ever-victorious]

    ¡°Okay.¡± She politely agreed.

    Lu Shixun brought Ye Zhen to his study. It would be a lie if she said she wasn¡¯t piqued by his sudden appearance. His solemn visage and sinct words had hardly betrayed his intentions, as such, she was treading blindly.

    ¡°Second Uncle, I wonder what you wish to say to me,¡± Ye Zhen asked curiously, seeming perfectly docile and courteous.

    ¡°Yaoyao, you should be well aware of the reason your grandmother fell ill this time.¡± Lu Shixun did not beat around the bush and got straight to the point, he knew that this niece of his was smart.

    Ye Zhen gently nodded, warily eyeing the man. She was trying to discern where he was headed, but so far she could glean nothing. She knew this man was no easy foe as such she was on the edge right now.

    ¡°Yaoyao, not only are you devastatingly beautiful* but also kindhearted. For the sake of your grandmother and the Lu family, you would be willing to settle for less, right?¡± His serious demeanour cracked into a seldom worn benign smile.

    [E/D: *q¨©ng ch¨¦ng q¨©ng gu¨®- Çã³ÇÇã¹ú lit. capable of causing the downfall of a city or state (idiom); fig. (of a woman) devastatingly beautiful]

    s, in Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes, his smile seemed faker than wearing a mask. ¡°Second Uncle, since I¡¯m this good, why should I aggrieve myself?¡±

    ¡°For the Lu Family, of course! Yaoyao, your second uncle wants you to marry into Jinkou City in the future. Are you willing?¡± Lu Shixun had also felt this little girl was sensible andpassionate. Given her rapport with his mother and her behaviour in general, he was confident that unlike her father, she would certainly consider the overall situation and not turn down his request. With her by his side, his brother wouldn¡¯t have a choice but fall in line with his wishes.

    ¡°Because Wang Fei wishes me far away from the capital, I should marry into Jinkou City in the future ... Is this for the sake of the Lu Family and the wang fei?¡± Ye Zhen asked, veiling her suspicions with a smile.

    ¡°That¡¯s right! The Lu Family cannot foster hatred between sisters. The best arrangement is for you to leave the city,¡± Lu Shixun said. Now that his eldest brother was no more, he was the pir of the entire family. It was only logical that he had to prioritize the welfare of the family above all else. A small hole can sink a great ship; history was proof that the downfall of an empire could be attributed to a speck of ill-will to say nothing of a family.

    Ye Zhen said word by word, ¡°I. Don¡¯t. Want. To!¡±

    Lu Shixun was momentarily stupefied. He never expected this answer, even thinking he may have misheard. ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°Second Uncle, I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, why should Ipromise? What you worry about will never happen.¡± Though her words fell lightly, Ye Zhen made her stand clear.

    ¡°Yaoyao, Second Uncle is doing things for your own good,¡± Lu Shixun said in a deep voice trying to control his surging rage.

    <i>What a Lu Shixun!!! So conceited, thinking that his decision is right! It seems that this person must also be used to being arbitrary in business!</i> ¡°I think I am doing well now.¡±

    Only

    Lu Shixun was stunned by her nonchnce and arrogance. He had thought she would be easy to deal with, but he was mistaken it seems. This girl indeed harboured flights of fancy, if left unchecked she would be their undoing. Tossing all pretences aside, he unleashed a volley of rebuke determined to show her her ce. ¡°What do you think you can gain by staying here? Yaoyao, it is impossible for our family to have another imperial concubine!¡±

    She had been shocked by his previous words, but now she was teeming with disdain for the man. Such petty thoughts he possessed!

    ¡°Second Uncle, what are you thinking? Who said that I am going to enter the pce? Is it good enough only if I entered the pce?¡± Ye Zhen said in an ironic tone, ¡°Thank you for worrying about the future for me, but it is none of your concern. I already have my affairs arranged by my father and grandmother, so you have nothing to worry about¡±

    <i>This girl is as stubborn as her father!</i> He was unreconciled and decided to y the sentimental card. ¡°Are you going to watch your grandmother suffer?¡±

    ¡°I am not the one who makes my grandmother suffer. If Second Uncle wants to be really filial, it is better to go to the pce and talk to her,¡± Ye Zhen said without any tone, ¡°This niece has other things to do, she shall not disturb Second Uncle.¡±

 Chapter 277 - A Fatherâ€™s Love

    <strong>Chapter 277 ¨C A Father¡¯s Love (1)</strong>

    Her nimble steps quickly brought her out of the study. While her serene visage shielded her thoughts the cogs of her mind were swiftly turning within.

    Rather than miffed, she was more determined to see her ns of vengeance through. Indeed, it was a bit unexpected that Lu Shixun woulde to her and for such a thing. It seemed this encounter was not without advantage. The second lord¡¯s solemn and taciturn deportment had led her to believe that he must be a fair-minded and reasonable person. However, today disyed in full view that he was nothing but a wily old fox who wouldn¡¯t hesitate at the slightest to see through his gains. Just because he couldn¡¯t spite Lu Wushuang, he would make her a sacrificialmb? Marrying her away and how?!

    She reckoned he must have first had a word with Lu Shiming, and when that hit an impasse he sought her out. ying the sentimental and filial card to lure her out of the capital ... making it all seem as if it were her own initiative ... Like this, even if he wished, Lu Shiming wouldn¡¯t be able to do a thing about it.

    It was truly a well thought out n, except he had overestimated himself! Or rather the extent of her filial piety.

    Ye Zhen shook her head and smiled. All this was because the eldest miss of this family was perched high up in the society, so high that he would not think twice before pushing the innocents in the family into the firepit at her behest. <i>What kind of glory did Lu Shixun think Lu Wushuang could bring to the Lu Family?</i>

    Indeed, she had amplified her foe¡¯s intellect. She had thought, this man who was at the helm of affairs would be astute and meticulous. It turned out, the man was markedly short-sighted. Still, her heart held a tinge of thanks for what he did and said to her today. If not, how else would she have glimpsed the true persona of the head of Lu Family¡¯s business?

    To be fair, she could understand the man¡¯s anxieties. If the family had not a miss who became a wang fei, would the business flourish as such? With the man¡¯s apprehensionsid bare, it would be much easier for Man Qin to deal with Lu Shixun.

    Now, the smile on Ye Zhen¡¯s face was even more genuine. Her mood was not at all affected by Lu Shixun. Instead, she was happier ... her enemy had walked right up to her and bore his true intentions.

    Ye Zhen skipped back to the room, and before she sat down for a cup of tea, Lu Shiming came to her.

    ¡°Father, what brings you here?¡± Ye Zhen asked with a smile and went to fetch the floral tea leaves that she grew on her own.

    A worryced Lu Shiming scanned her quickly and asked, ¡°Yaoyao, did your second unclee to you just now?¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°Father, try it, this is made with the floral tea leaves I grew myself.¡±

    ¡°I am asking you about some serious business.¡± Lu Shiming red at Ye Zhen but still took a sip from the white porcin cup in his hand, and sighedfortably. ¡°This tea is good, and I will bring some of it to your mother.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father. You can make some tea to bring to the study too,¡± Ye Zhen said. This floral tea was grown with <i>lingquan</i>, it is more fragrant and stronger than normal tea. ¡°Second Uncle dide to me just now.¡± She dawdled no more and broached the subject herself.

    Lu Shiming¡¯s smile immediately faded. ¡°What did he say to you? Yaoyao, don¡¯t listen to what he says. It¡¯s just some nonsense.¡± He hurriedly reassured his daughter. She was the pearl on his palm, and his brother with his ridiculous notions wanted to bring her to grief. He was more afraid of his innocent girl falling into his pace.

    Ye Zhen chuckled. Ah, Lu Shiming was ever the modest gentleman. His words were always polite, demeanour gentle, and manner affectionate. For someone like him, to use such a foul tongue, just how agitated might he be? He was clearly angry at his brother, she felt inexplicably warm in her heart.

    ¡°Father, don¡¯t worry. I didn¡¯t listen to him. I only listen to you.¡± Her eyes gleamed with yfulness.

    Lu Shiming looked at his mischievous daughter and said with a smile, ¡°Your second uncle is not really mean. He wants to do good for the family, but he can¡¯t ask you topromise for the good of the family.¡±

    Only

    ¡°I am notpromising as long as you are here.¡± Ye Zhen reassured him with a smile.

    ¡°Lass, you¡¯ve grown up and changed so much, I¡¯m a little surprised. No wonder the wang fei can¡¯t tolerate it.¡± Lu Shiming looked at her as if she had be another person after returning to the capital, feeling deeply moved.

    Ye Zhen pouted and said, ¡°Father, am I not good enough?¡±

    ¡°Who dares to say that my daughter is not good?¡± Lu Shiming¡¯s eyes red. ¡°Yaoyao, no matter who tells you what, as long as you don¡¯t like it, don¡¯t agree to it. I will take care of everything.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father.¡± Ye Zhen smiled mischievously.

 Chapter 278 - A Fatherâ€™s Love (2)

    <strong>Chapter 278 ¨C A Father¡¯s Love (2)</strong>

    Lu Shiming shook his head and smiled. ¡°I will talk to your second uncle again.¡±

    ¡°Father, don¡¯t get into fights with Second Uncle because of me,¡± Ye Zhen said hurriedly. Thest thing she wanted was internal strife. It would set back her ns and not to mention aggrieve her foster father. As much as possible, she wanted him, his wife, and son to be away from all the ruckus.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know how far I can go.¡± Lu Shiming patted his daughter on the head. ¡°You are tired from taking care of your grandmother day and night these past two days. Take some good rest.¡±

    Ye Zhen nodded with a smile and said yes.

    She didn¡¯t know what the two brothers spoke, but for the next few days, she didn¡¯t catch sight of as much as a shadow of Lu Shixun. When she went to meet the old matriarch, he seemed like his usual self ... like that matter between them had never happened.

    Ye Zhen was only too happy to join in the charade. Soon she had long put the unhappy incident behind her and even asked Sun Wen to apany her in enjoying the plum blossoms.

    Plum blossoms bloom duringte winter and early spring. From a distance, the white flowers are spread out and scatteredyering the ground and sky in lush white carpet. The picturesque Meihua Forest* in the Baihua Garden was indeed very famous, many people visited this serene ce to enjoy the flowers

    [T/L: <i>Meihua Forest*: Meihua means Plum Blossom</i>]

    Sun Wen had asked Ye Zhen and Chen Jinru toe to the Baihua Garden, but she didn¡¯t expect that there would be quite a many people here, and they even met Princess Liu Hua and Gao Xueping.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t the best idea to go out today without reading the almanac*.¡± Sun Wen whispered to Ye Zhen. She hated Gao Xueping the most.

    [E/D: Almanacs are used to predict the tides of the day, auspicious times, etc. SW is making light here upon the appearance of their sworn enemies.]

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°Just pretend we didn¡¯t see them. They can look at the flowers and we enjoy ourselves.¡±

    Although she said that, the others didn¡¯t agree as much. look here now, when Ye Zhen¡¯s group made to walk into the Meihua Forest, Princess Liu Hua and Co. had already walked over and stood in front of them.

    ¡°It¡¯s really unlucky to encounter dirty things wherever I go.¡± Princess Liu Hua took the handkerchief and held it by her nose, looking at Ye Zhen with clear disdain.

    Ye Zhen smiled faintly, and looked towards the other side of the road and said, ¡°It is said that a good dog will not block the way, and I don¡¯t know what dog is blocking the way now.¡±

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, how dare you humiliate this princess?¡± Liu Hua¡¯s expression changed, and she stared at Ye Zhen angrily.

    Ye Zhen looked at her in surprise. ¡°When did I humiliate the princess?¡±

    She hadn¡¯t named her from the beginning to the end and simply mentioned a dog, so who was taking it personally now?

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, don¡¯t think that your glib tongue will make me afraid of you!¡± Liu Hua snorted coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t try to pretend to be innocent. If you can frame Huang Fuxiang, this princess will not let you do it.¡±

    Ye Zhen said indifferently, ¡°Princess, what is it that you are trying to say?¡±

    Gao Xueping walked over, whispered to Liu Hua, and tried to persuade her. ¡°Princess, be a bigger person, if she goes back andins, it will only get even moreplicated.¡±

    Liu Hua¡¯s face changed, and she looked at Ye Zhen fiercely. ¡°What did you say in front of the empress dowager?¡±

    Ye Zhen looked confused. ¡°Does what I said to the empress dowager have anything to do with you?¡±

    Only

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, you are really despicable and shameless. You ndered me in front of the empress dowager and told Her Highness not to let me enter the pce. You want to prevent me from entering the pce. Don¡¯t even think about it! The emperor has already cast aside Lu Wushuang, there is nothing you can do to change it.¡± Although Liu Hua spoke harshly and on top of her voice, she was actually not sure at all.

    <i>It was obvious that the empress dowager had already agreed to let her enter the pce, so why was there no progress up until now? How could Lu Wushuang possibly be better than me? And that Xu Huiru!</i> It was only now that she realized Xu Huiru was just a bitch. She entered the pce without her noticing, became a beautiful young miss, and now she was also a concubine ...

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t know how to describe her feelings at this time. She held back her smile and couldn¡¯t believe that Liu Hua actually thought she was filling the empress dowager¡¯s ears and curbing her entry into the pce as a concubine.

    ¡°Princess, you are really overthinking this. I¡¯m just an insignificant person. How can I influence the empress dowager¡¯s decision? What¡¯s more, whether you can enter the pce or not is determined by the emperor. It cannot be decided by just a few words,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    Though what Ye Zhen said was the norm- it was the emperor and not the empress dowager who had the final say on who was allowed into the inner pce, the ever leery Liu Hua was far from convinced. In her delusion, she was certain that Mo Rongzhan liked her but it was his mother who wasn¡¯t giving the nod. And so, he couldn¡¯t let her enter the pce.

 Chapter 279 - Incite Disharmony (1)

    <strong>Chapter 279 ¨C Incite Disharmony (1)</strong>

    Under the clear blue sky spread a carpet of exquisite white, a delicate fragrance seeped through the air adding to the mystifying allure of the lush Meihua* Forest. The only path inbound was paved by the plum blossoms, beckoning all with open arms to bask in its splendour. So peaceful, so enchanting ... One would want to drown in this ethereal setting.

    [<i>Meihua</i>: Plum Blossom]

    And the bevy of beauties standing right at the mouth of the forest made for a beautiful painting. Any onlooker wouldn¡¯t help but gasp at such a picturesque sight. Beauty and beauty as far as the eye can see ... However, things were not as they seemed with this group but only they would know.

    Right now, the aforementioned was at a peculiar deadlock. Liu Hua and her entourage looked like they were conversing with Ye Zhen and her friends, but in reality, they were blocking the only road into the forest. That said, the former was in no mood to back off either. As such they had entered into a staring contest, attracting many a gaze. Even so, neither party was bothered about the inconvenience they were currently causing.

    ¡°Princess, whether you will go into the Meihua Forest or not, let us pass. If you so desperately want to be a concubine in the pce, what¡¯s the use of finding fault with Yaoyao? You should seek the emperor himself!¡± Sun Wen said crossly.

    As they stood blocking the entry, the girls were slowly turning into the centre of attention. And now, as Sun Wen¡¯s unconstrained voice resounded this empty ce, many gazes openly sought Liu Hua.

    Liu Hua red at Sun Wen with rage and embarrassment. She hadn¡¯t expected her opponent to be unrestrained. Oh, but she was in no mood to retreat. She clenched her teeth and spat out: ¡°Wretches, what are you talking about?!¡±

    ¡°Princess, although my father¡¯s official position is not high, he is a garrison at least. I¡¯ve never heard that a guard¡¯s daughter can be called an wretch. No wonder she can¡¯t get into the pce. Whichdy in the pce is like this¡ª¡± Sun Wen didn¡¯t finish her words, simply looked at Liu Hua with disdain and turned her head coldly.

    Flushed with anger, Liu Hua huffed and even stuttered as she retaliated. ¡°Yo-you ... what¡¯s your name? Someonee, p her mouth for this princess!¡±

    Ye Zhen stopped her with a smile. ¡°Princess, after all, we are in the Baihua Gardens. If you embarrass others here, what does that make you? Just let this pass.¡±

    ¡°Spare the likes of you!¡± Liu Hua pushed Ye Zhen hard. ¡°This princess will teach you a lesson today!¡±

    Ye Zhen staggered back a couple of steps. She frowned, looked at Liu Hua, and said in a cold voice, ¡°Princess Liu Hua, how do you want to teach us?¡±

    This entire time, Gao Xueping hadn¡¯t uttered a word, quietly standing at the side, eyes fixed on Ye Zhen. She had long been stoking the fire of retribution, waiting for an opportunity to crush this girl before her. It had taken her a lot of effort to rein in her patience, to resist the impulse of acting brashly. She was aware that Ye Zhen would be participating in the exam after spring. But, only one of them could be an imperial physician. She had long heard of Imperial Physician Qi Jin attaching great importance to her if the former chose to be biased, she was afraid she would lose the opportunity to be an imperial physician for good.

    Thus, she concluded, the only way to avert this was by thwarting Ye Zhen¡¯s chance of participating in the examination itself. If she didn¡¯t attend, there would be nothing even the emperor could do, let alone Qi Jin.

    In truth, Liu Hua had no intention of making trouble for Ye Zhen. She simply wanted to vent her anger. The emperor still held the Lu Family in esteem while her family wasn¡¯t having it any easy. Her father had been repeatedly criticized this entire month, making his cold indifference towards her family jarringly clear.

    ¡°p her!¡± Liu Huamanded the servant maid behind her.

    Only

    Ye Zhen took two steps forward. ¡°Then you should try to hit me, Liu Hua. Do you really think you can hit anyone you want?¡±

    Although the Lu Family was not really an aristocratic family but had rendered meritorious service to the reigning sovereign. Besides, Lu Wushuang¡¯s confinement had now been lifted. What¡¯s more, Lu Yaoyao was the daughter of an official, even if Liu Hua was a princess, one could not just hit someone as one pleased.

    As the tension in the air mounted, Liu Hua rage towered to an unknown zenith, the sly Gao Xueping smoothly backed out. She looked at Ye Zhen and said faintly, ¡°Lu Yaoyao, I heard that you are going to take the medical examination. It seems that you are really keen on going to the pce.¡±

    Liu Hua¡¯s eyes revealed sarcasm. ¡°Why, do you want to go to the pce and pretend to be a good sister to the wang fei?¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at Gao Xueping with a smile yet not a smile. ¡°Then, what is that girl, Gao Xueping, going into the pce for?¡±

 Chapter 280 - Incite Disharmony (2)

    <strong>Chapter 280 ¨C Incite Disharmony (2)</strong>

    ¡°With Xueping there, you can¡¯t even think about winning over her.¡± Liu Hua snorted.

    ¡°Oh, one has to try to know.¡± Ye Zhen was a little sympathetic to the stupidity of Liu Hua. <i>Can¡¯t she see that Gao Xueping is using her? I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m actually sympathizing with her.</i>

    It was rare for such a stupid person to be this conceited.

    Liu Hua decided not to argue with Lu Yaoyao. In the future, she would have a lot of opportunities to deal with her. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We don¡¯t have to talk with these wretches.¡±

    Gao Xueping¡¯s eyes shed with a dark hue. She was a cunning girl, she knew she was no match for Ye Zhen and didn¡¯t wish to confront her directly either. After all, she wasn¡¯t as influential as Liu Hua. As such, she had used the conceited princess as her tool, and cleverly used her words to incite her.

    <i>Isn¡¯t this mindless princess the most fond of beating people? Why not let people beat Lu Yaoyao? It would be better if someone injures Lu Yaoyao¡¯s hand so that she wouldn¡¯t be able to attend the examination at the beginning of spring.</i>

    But now, seeing her ns foiled, Gao Xueping panicked albeit inwardly. ¡°Princess, are you going to just let Lu Yaoyao go like this?¡± she asked in a low voice.

    Liu Hua sneered. ¡°Who said that I¡¯ll just let her go? Peoplee and go in here, it is not a ce to teach her a lesson.¡±

    Gao Xueping¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°What does the princess mean?¡±

    ¡°I want her to leave the capital forever!¡± Liu Hua sneered and said with a cold smile. <i>Nevermind teaching her a lesson today. Her dark days are not far away!</i>

    Ye Zhen was far out of ear shots by now. One didn¡¯t know how she would react, but for now she was oblivious to what Liu Hua had said.

    ¡°How could we meet them today? Had I known they¡¯d be here, I would not havee to the Baihua Garden,¡± a vexed Sun Wen said.

    Ye Zhen faintly smiled. ¡°If we did not meet them today, someday, somewhere here in the capital we would still encounter them.¡±

    ¡°Why are you not angry at all after what she just did to you?¡± Sun Wen asked. She really admired her friend¡¯s calmness. If it was her, she might have fought with that haughty princess earlier.

    ¡°Suppose you are bitten by a dog, will you bite back?¡± Ye Zhen smiled and asked. ¡°I¡¯m already used to Liu Hua¡¯s arrogance. There is none in the capital who isn¡¯t privy to her vanity. Why bother to argue with her in public? She didn¡¯t let herself lose face. She was encouraged and used.¡±

    ¡°You mean Gao Xueping?¡± Chen Jinru asked in a low voice.

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, pointing to the pink plum blossom in front, ¡°Let¡¯s enjoy the plum blossoms, let not others affect our mood.¡±

    Sun Wen and Chen Jinru immediately stopped talking about Liu Hua.

    ¡°Yaoyao, are you really going to take the medical examination?¡± Chen Jinru walked beside Ye Zhen, looked at her beautiful face, and asked calmly.

    ¡°Well, I n to.¡± Ye Zhen nodded and did not answer Chen Jinru directly.

    Chen Jinru said with a smile, ¡°I heard that Gao Xueping will also take part in the exam. You can certainly do better than her.¡±

    Ye Zhen shook her head and smiled. ¡°She has Princess Royal to help her behind the screen. Even if she doesn¡¯t do well in the examination, she will probably still be an imperial physician.¡±

    ¡°So ... What will you do?¡± Chen Jinru and Sun We exchanged nces with each other, worried about Ye Zhen.

    ¡°I shall do my best.¡± Ye Zhen looked at them. ¡°Didn¡¯t wee out to rx today? How can you think about all these things?¡±

    Sun Wen said with a smile, ¡°Well, let¡¯s not talk about it. Let¡¯s enjoy the plum blossoms.¡±

    The appearance of Liu Hua earlier was an unpleasant episode, but Ye Zhen¡¯s mood was not affected. She asked Dai Mei to pick a big basket of plum blossoms and prepare to go back and make plum wine.

    ¡°Yaoyao, let¡¯s go out and visit the flower market during the new year.¡± As they were leaving the Baihua Garden, Sun Wen suggested.

    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t therenterns to see?¡± Ye Zhen asked with a smile.

    Only

    ¡°Are there?¡± Sun Wen, who had been in the capital for less than a year, knew nothing about it.

    Chen Jinru said with a smile, ¡°There are countlessnterns in the streets of the flower market but those are just decorations. The most interesting is the Lantern Festival. During the new year, we should go to the flower market. With thousands of purples and reds, surely it would be beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s fightnterns* when the timees,¡± Sun Wen said, excitedly grabbing Ye Zhen¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Well, then ¡ª¡±

    [<i>Fight Lanterns</i>: SW doesn¡¯t mean a literal fight, it¡¯s more figurative here. Apparently, they all make their ownnterns andpete with one another, in a friendly way, to see whose is the best. A few chapters ago, Mo Rongyi had the same gusto.]

 Chapter 281 - The Road to Peril (1)

    <strong>Chapter 281 ¨C The Road to Peril (1)</strong>

    Nature has an uncanny knack for dispelling foul mood. Add to it the fragrance and beauty of the plum blossoms, any vexation would be tossed out of the door. It was no different for the trio that was strolling the picturesque expanse of the Meihua Forest. The three girls had enjoyed to their heart¡¯s content putting long behind the skirmish with the haughty princess like nothing had happened.

    But all good thingse to an end.

    By the time she came out of Baihua Garden, it was afternoon. The winter sun shone warm enough to make people feelfortable all over. Ye Zhen boarded her carriage, sat down, and closed her eyes slightly. Amidst the rhythmic trudging on the wheels, the contents of the medical books slowly surfaced in her mind as she harked back to every word from every medical record she had perused.

    Her eidetic memory was indeed a boon. All thanks to it, she had been able to peruse all the necessary books in the Library Pagoda that day, transcribed a copy, and kept them at home. After reading so many books, she found that her medical knowledge seemed to have improved a lot. Unfortunately, there was no actual case for her to practice.

    <i><strong>Bang!</strong></i>

    Her musing was interrupted by a sudden m, she was almost thrown out of the carriage by the severe turbulence.

    ¡°Third Miss, are you all right?¡± Quan Fu called out urgently from the outside.

    Ye Zhen grabbed the edge of the seat and steadied herself. ¡°I¡¯m fine. What happened?¡±

    ¡°There are bandits ... ah, help!¡± Before Quan Fu could finish, he cried for help loudly, and then went silent.

    <i>Bandits? How can there be bandits in broad daylight?</i>

    ¡°Don¡¯t go out, Young Miss,¡± cried Dai Mei frantically. ¡°This handmaiden should have a look first.¡±

    ¡°Be careful!¡± Ye Zhen cautioned.

    By now their surroundings seemed to have quieted a little. Taking a deep breath, Dai Mei gingerly lifted the curtain when a big hand suddenly hauled her out.

    ¡°Hahahaha, there is also a maid, but this is not enough for us!¡±

    ¡°Who are you? Do you not know who our young miss ... Ah!¡± ... Dai Mei screamed as she was pped hard and passed out.

    Ye Zhen was frightened and rmed. When she was about to lift the curtain, a masked man in coarse cloth had already broken into the carriage. Ogling the damsel in distress, he burst forth in an obscene guffaw.

    ¡°She¡¯s really a beauty. Would be worth a lot of silvers if sold,¡± cried the man to his bandit-mate outside.

    ¡°Get that person down and let¡¯s go!¡± Someone outside called.

    Ye Zhen was rmed. <i>These people are traffickers? What do they want</i>? She suddenly had some regrets. Earlier, Sun Wen had offered to give her a lift. Now, with her coachman and maid¡¯s plights unknown, she had to deal with these traffickers on her own.

    <i>Just how many people are out there?</i>

    ¡°Come here!¡± The man let out a cry and stretched out his hand to grab Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhen quickly took her hairpin, thrust it into the back of the man¡¯s hand, and kicked him away.

    ¡°Ah ... ah¡ª¡± The hairpin went through the back of his hand, and the pain made the man cry.

    While the man was crying in pain, Ye Zhen picked up the bow and arrow beside her and dashed out of the carriage. Seeing that there were two men wearing coarse cloth outside, she was all the more nervous.

    ¡°The little bitch actually has thorns!¡± Shrieks were heard, the aplices saw her run out of the carriage and immediately followed to catch her.

    Ye Zhen immediately drew her bow and shot an arrow, hitting one of them on the shoulder. When the other one was about to run away, she shot another arrow.

    ¡°Dare to take a step closer and I will shoot through your heads!¡± Ye Zhen threatened, preparing tounch the arrow from the bow. As soon as the other party took another step forward, she would shoot at once.

    ¡°You bitch, I don¡¯t believe you can dare to kill!¡± One of the bearded, big men looked at the wound on his shoulder and strode towards Ye Zhen. He didn¡¯t believe that a delicate, young miss would kill people. <i>As soon as he captures her, he would give her an unforgettable lesson.</i>

    Ye Zhen eyed him coldly. If she had not gone through all that she had before, she would have certainly not dared to kill or dare to hurt anyone. But she had already died once. What was she afraid of now?

    <i><strong>Swoosh!</strong></i>

    An arrow swiftly took flight and wedged itself straight into the burly man¡¯s forehead.

    The apanying duo stilled, utterly dumbfounded at witnessing the scene just then. It was incredulous that a dainty and charming little girl who seemed tock the strength to truss a chicken could actually kill a person in cold blood. And headshot at that!

    ¡°I only have one question.¡± Her cold voice loomed in the deathly still air, her frosty eyes leveled at the thugs before her- one was holding his bleeding hand, the other gaping in shock. ¡°You can leave after answering it, otherwise, I can guarantee that you will be just like him.¡±

    Only

    Ye Zhen¡¯s aura had rendered the pair of ruffians pale. With thumping hearts, they gawked at the beauty before still reeling the aftermath of the sudden twist in the tale. The man who stood far away trembled and made to flee. He had barely even moved his foot and an arrownded at his feet, scaring him witless. He didn¡¯t dare move further.

    Ye Zhen had quickly readied new arrows, watching them cautiously. ¡°Who ordered you to abduct me?¡± She coldly demanded.

    The two looked at each other in dismay but remained stubbornly mum.

    Ye Zhen shot another arrow. ¡°I won¡¯t ask again.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ... it¡¯s the miss in Princess Royal¡¯s household, it¡¯s none of our business.¡± The man with the injured hand shouted.

 Chapter 282 - The Road to Peril (2)

    <strong>Chapter 282 ¨C The Road to Peril (2)</strong>

    <i>Turned out to be Liu Hua!</i> Ye Zhen sneered. ¡°Take this man away and get lost!¡±

    Wherever these two perpetrators would hide, even if they were not afraid of Ye Zhen¡¯s arrows, they would have to worry about the Lu Family for trying to harm one of their misses. Even if it¡¯s none of their business, the fact that they had attempted to abduct Ye Zhen by the order of Princess Royal¡¯s people, they would have to face the consequences.

    Watching them beat a hasty retreat, Ye Zhen could finally feel at ease, so much so that she almost sat down on the ground.

    Fortunately, the bow and arrow from her archery ss were still in the carriage, otherwise, she definitely could have done nothing to defend herself. <i>Liu Hua!</i> Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes shed with fierceness, determined to make that princess payback.

    ¡°Miss Lu, are you all right?¡± A clear and gentle voice came from behind.

    Ye Zhen was frightened again thinking there were still other aplices around. When she turned around and saw Huangfu Chen, she was relieved. ¡°Mister Chen, it is you.¡±

    ¡°I just saw Miss Lu in distress. I was going to help her, but I didn¡¯t expect ... Miss Lu is a woman who is not inferior to a man. It was a real eye-opener to me. I don¡¯t know if I should sympathize with those thugs who wanted to hurt you,¡± Huangfu Chen said with a smile.

    He had appeared when Ye Zhen¡¯s maid was knocked unconscious. He was nning toe to rescue her when saw Ye Zhen exit the carriage andpletely subdue the trio with one arrow after another.

    Like a female warrior, she had raised and shot arrows with her bow in an imposing manner. Her eyes gleaming, domineering aura, her whole person seemed to shine brilliantly rendering people speechless at first nce.

    ¡°Mister Chen, you are joking.¡± Ye Zhen wryly smiled and shook her head. Remembering that her two servants were all injured, she hurriedly went to check their injuries.

    Dai Mei was just knocked unconscious and didn¡¯t have any injuries. Quan Fu was stabbed, the clothes on his chest were soaked with blood.

    Huangfu Chen softly said, ¡°Go back to the carriage first, I¡¯ll have a look here.¡±

    Ye Zhen remembered that Huangfu Chen was also a doctor, and nodded gently, asking him to help carry Dai Mei into the carriage. Then, she passed him a bottle of salve. ¡°I made this wound medicine, this might help heal Quan Fu.¡±

    Huangfu Chen took it with a smile, checked Quan Fu¡¯s condition, and made sure that he was still alive so that he could deal with the wound for him, while Ye Zhen went to apany Dai Mei.

    ¡°His injury is severe. I am afraid that he will not wake up so soon. It is almost dark. I will send you back,¡± Huangfu Chen said to Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Thank you for your trouble Mister Chen,¡± Ye Zhen said gratefully. Now, she really needed someone to send her back to the Lu Family.

    Dai Mei soon woke up, and as soon as she opened her eyes, she cried, ¡°Young Miss ... Young Miss, let¡¯s go¡ª¡±

    *

    News of Ye Zhen¡¯s brush with abduction shook the Lu Mansion, especially Old Madam Lu. Her precious granddaughter had been on the brink of tragedy, upset as she was for the little girl¡¯s sake, she was even more incensed by the audacity of the perpetrators. She at once had the victim sketch the bandits that escaped and posthaste dered rewards to anyone who apprehended them.

    Pei Shi was still reeling in shock, clutching her daughter tightly in her arms. It was unfathomable that a girl who had only been to appreciate the Meihua Forest was imperiled and within the capital!

    ¡°Mother, I¡¯m fine, really.¡± Ye Zhenforted Pei Shi in a soft voice.

    Ever since the incident, her heart had been unsettled. She was no stranger to killing, but that was limited to hunting. This was the first time she had aimed her arrows to im a human life. But she was slowly finding herposure, reminding herself that if she had done otherwise, she would be embracing the Almighty and not her foster mother.

    ¡°You almost got abducted. How could you be fine?¡± Pei Shi said with a choked voice. ¡°That Liu Hua is going too far in bullying others! We, the Lu Family, are really being bullied.¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes were slightly heavy, her face was buried in Pei Shi¡¯s arms. She wouldn¡¯t let Liu Hua get away with this. It was only an argument and she had gone as far as hurting her mortally. If she did not have the bow and arrow today, the consequences would have been unimaginable. As she ruminated, Ye Zhen¡¯s determination ... So what if she had no evidence against the princess, she could still nder her reputation.

    Old Madam Lu affectionately looked at Ye Zhen, and said in anger, ¡°Yes! I can¡¯t just leave this matter alone. Tomorrow I shall submit a petition into the emperor¡¯s pce and personally find Empress Dowager to redress the injustice.¡±

    ¡°Grandmother, Mother, I¡¯ve made you worry.¡± Ye Zhen whispered guiltily.

    ¡°How can you be med for this? Now that you¡¯ve returned home safely, we feel at ease at least.¡± Old Madam Lu said softly, ¡°Many thanks to Mister Chen. Fortunately, he passed by, otherwise¡ª¡±

    Only

    Ye Zhen extracted herself from Pei Shi¡¯s arms and asked, ¡°Where is Mister Chen?¡±

    Pei Shi affectionately patted Ye Zhen¡¯s head. ¡°Your father and brother are thanking him. It¡¯s a good thing he¡¯s here. He¡¯s our benefactor.¡±

    ¡°Well¡ª¡±

    Deep down Ye Zhen was also grateful to Huangfu Chen. Her first impressions of the man had been favourable. She had thought of him as a noble, elegant, and erudite gentleman. Today only strengthened his image in her heart. He could have walked away at the first instance, yet he chose to get involved in the melee. He had willingly escorted her back, for though she was only almost abducted, gossip would still do its rounds. So, the sensitive and honorable man had decided to send her home himself and put a stop to all rumours before they even arose.

    Old Madam Lu looked at Ye Zhen gently. ¡°Yaoyao, you must have been terrified today. Go and have some rest. You can rest assured Grandmother will get justice for you.¡±

 Chapter 283 - WhiChapter Mister Chen?

    <strong>Chapter 283 ¨C Which Mister Chen?</strong>

    Pei Shi said, ¡°Mother, I will send Yaoyao back to her room.¡±

    ¡°Go!¡± Old Madam Lu nodded gently.

    Before Pei Shi and Ye Zhen could depart, they saw Second Madam Lu bring Lu Jing over in a hurry. She eagerly called out: ¡°Oh, I heard that Yaoyao was almost abducted, who rescued her? Is Yaoyao all right?¡±

    Pei Shi looked at Wang Shi¡¯s face that seemed to be basking in schadenfreude over Yaoyao¡¯s plight. The ever polite Third Madam Lu said with a cold face, ¡°Yaoyao has not been abducted. She is fine.¡±

    ¡°Howe ... I heard¡ª¡± Wang Shi stared straight at Ye Zhen, trying to glean a little clue from her face.

    Old Madam Lu lightly asked, ¡°What did you hear? That Yaoyao is not here and well now? Fortunately, she¡¯s so good at archery that she came back unscathed.¡±

    ¡°The heavens must have blessed and protected her.¡± Second Madam Lu was somewhat disappointed. ¡°I thought Yaoyao ... Anyway, it¡¯s good she came back safe. Did anyonee to rescue Yaoyao?¡±

    ¡°Mister Chen,¡± Old Madam Lu said lightly.

    Wang Shi was visibly stunned. ¡°Which Mister Chen?¡±

    ¡°Huangfu Chen, I assume Second Sister-inw has heard of Mister Chen¡¯s name.¡± Pei Shi replied with a nk face.

    ¡°Mister Chen ... Is he in the capital?¡± Wang Shi asked in shock, wondering what fate Lu Yaoyao could have that she even met Mister Chen.

    Ye Zhen gently tugged at Pei Shi¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Mother, I want to go back to my room.¡±

    Pei Shi said softly, ¡°All right, all right, let¡¯s go back.¡±

    Looking at the retreating figures of the mother and daughter, Second Madam Lu reluctantly smiled. ¡°Mother, what do we do about Yaoyao in the future? Though she¡¯s returned now, there will indubitably be unpleasant rumors spread outside.¡±

    ¡°What unpleasant rumours when she¡¯s been nothing but well all this while?¡± Old Madam Lu couldn¡¯t bear anyone ndering Lu Yaoyao. Thus, when she heard Wang Shi¡¯s words, her face immediately grew a shade darker.

    When Second Madam Lu saw the old madam¡¯s unhappy appearance, she smiled and said, ¡°Mother, can I not be worried about Yaoyao?¡±

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t need your worry, Yaoyao is fine.¡± Old Madam Lu retorted. ¡°Mister Chen has himself apanied her home (like a true gentleman would), how can there be any lieu for outsiders to aimlessly point fingers and spew nonsense?¡±

    When Lu Jing heard that Lu Yaoyao almost had an ident, it was difficult for her to hide her joy. She wanted to immediatelye over and see the girl in dire straits, but everything seemed to be different from her imagination. ¡°Is that Mister Chen really that great?¡±

    ¡°Huangfu Chen is the only living descendant of the imperial family of the erstwhile dynasty. He can foresee with divine precision and even bring the dead to life. What¡¯s more, even the former emperor bestowed him a deferential treatment. He and Yaoyao met each other in Xu Lao¡¯s ce. Fortunately, they met again today, and then sent her back safely,¡± said Old Madam Lu.

    Lu Jing was surging with envy. <i>Why is Lu Yaoyao always so lucky</i>! She curled her lips. ¡°Third Sister is really lucky.¡± She sneered.

    Old Maam Lu nced at the pair before her. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re concerned about Yaoyao but don¡¯t mention it again.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Grandmother.¡± Lu Jing conceded although she did not feel so inside her.

    ?

    On the other side, Lu Shiming was entertaining Huangfu Chen. He felt really grateful to thetter. When he saw Quan Fu covered with blood, he was terrified thinking something untoward had befallen his daughter. It was only upon a detailed inquiry that he was able to ascertain it was a false rm and rest assured.

    ¡°I can assure you that there is nothing wrong with this humble one. Miss Lu was the one who scared those people away,¡± Huangfu Chen said with a smile.

    Lu Shiming coughed gently. ¡°Although our family is good at archery, however, she still should have not killed someone¡ª¡±

    <i>How could anyone ever believe that a little dainty girl like Lu Yaoyao had killed the bandits? Wouldn¡¯t that make her a monster? Anyway, it¡¯s not like anyone had seen her in action. It¡¯s best to have everyone assume that it was Huangfu Chen who was responsible for ying them. This would retain Yaoyao¡¯s innocence as well as keep the true extent of her ability hidden from evil eyes.</i>

    Lu Shiming thought silently in his heart that he wanted to raise a delicate and lovely girl, not a tough daughter who could ride a horse, shoot arrows, and kill bandits. This was very different from the future he had imagined for his daughter, that she would be caring and approachable.

    Although they were just words ofment on the surface, Huangfu Chen caught on to their true meaning. He understood that Lu Shiming loved his daughter dearly and he feared that if little rumors were to spread, they would not bode the girl well. He smiled and acquiesced. ¡°Nevertheless, it is good that Miss Lu hase back safely.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi clenched his fists and stood aside. All along, he had been quietly listening to the other two, but no more. He had reached the limit of his endurance and raged. ¡°Father, I will definitely look for those three bandits by all means to avenge my sister!¡±

    Only

    ¡°Remember ¨C Find, not kill them.¡± One was already in, if the other two were also silenced how were they to deal with the princess?¡±

    Huangfu Chen said, ¡°It is not difficult to find them. I know the direction of their escape. They were both injured and can¡¯t run far.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi immediately said, ¡°Then, I shall have to trouble Mister Chen for some advice.¡±

    ¡°Mister Chen, your great kindness will be remembered by our Lu Family,¡± Lu Shiming also said gratefully.

    ¡°Third Lord Lu¡¯s words carry too much weight.¡± Huangfu Chen acquiesced, shaking his head politely.

 Chapter 284 - Seeking Justice (1)

    <strong>Chapter 284 ¨C Seeking Justice (1)</strong>

    Old Madam Lu meant every word she said. She would certainly not let the matter rest until the desired oue was met. As such, bright and early the very next day, she sought an audience with none other than the empress dowager herself. She had chosen her over Lu Wushuang for the sheer reason this woman was the second-highest authority in the country, while the fact whether her granddaughter would be able to help in the matter, remained unclear.

    When the ever serene empress dowager received details of the mishap, her countenance visibly paled out of fear. As shocking as it was that such a peril befell a little girl from a wealthy family, it was terrifying that it had happened within the confines of the capital.

    ¡°In broad daylight, there exist such audacious evildoers who dare to abduct people in the streets?¡±

    The capital was a rtively secure ce, unlike the outskirts. Besides, the streets were bustling making it difficult to carry out such a dastardly act. And yet, things were so.

    ¡°Replying to the empress dowager, if it wasn¡¯t for the help of the noble one yesterday, I am afraid today ¡ª¡± Old Madam Lu wiped the tears trickling down her eyes. ¡°I beg Your Imperial Highness to seek justice for the Lu Family and Yaoyao.¡±

    ¡°Old Madam Lu, please rise immediately. If you have something to say, Aijia regards Yaoyao as her own daughter. How can she not make decisions for her?¡± The empress dowager asked Aunt Cheng to help Old Madam Lu get up.

    All this while, the old matriarch had been suppressing her stewing anger. All Lu Yaoyao had done was visit Baihua Garden. Neither was the location remote nor was it deserted. She was aware of her granddaughter¡¯s encounter with Liu Hua. She also knew that as soon as she had left the premises and homeward, she was ambushed by the thugs. It was their good fortune that she was skilled in archery and Huangfu Chen had arrived in time to apany her home.

    She hadn¡¯t been idle though. She had had the perpetrators interrogated who were only too eager to confess and unveil the mastermind behind the act- Princess Royal mansion. ording to the two, someone from the princess¡¯s mansion had paid them for the task.

    How could Old Madam Lu not be seething in fury? How could she not put two and two together and know how it came about?

    ¡°¡ª Your Imperial Highness the Empress Dowager, we, the Lu Family humbly ask to follow thepass and go with the set square*. The children in our family are not troublemakers, and we have never offended Princess Royal. If we were the kind to take offence at every turn, Princess Royal would feel humiliated over thest time she had the entire capital wager over Yaoyao¡¯s performance at the entrance examination to the academy. A y between two girls has gone too far this time. How can one y with human life? If it weren¡¯t for Mister Chen, our Yaoyao ... we are afraid to even think about what would have happened yesterday.¡± As Old Madam Lu talked about the traumatic event of the day before, tears burst forth.

    [Ñ­¹æµ¸¾Ø ¨C to follow thepass and go with the set square(idiom); to follow the rules inflexibly; to act ording to the convention]

    The empress dowager turned sullen. She had a mix of emotions surging within her. On one hand, there was the little girl she genuinely liked, dainty and well-behaved ... and on the other the haughty and brat Princess Royal with her equally conceited daughter. She had experienced their malice first hand and yet, what had happened was beyond her. Nevertheless, she wasn¡¯t the slightest bit surprised.

    <i>They can really do such a thing!</i>

    ¡°Aijia will certainly seek justice for you,¡± said the empress dowager coldly.

    Old Madam Lu gratefully kowtowed. ¡°Many thanks to the empress dowager for her benevolence.¡±

    The empress dowager asked with concern, ¡°How is Yaoyao? She must have been scared.¡±

    While she, who had heard of the ount from a third party was scared witless, what¡¯s more, a little girl who had been thrust into it? She couldn¡¯t begin to fathom the state she must be in.

    Old Madam Lu echoed the other¡¯s fears. ¡°I had a nightmarest night and was scared. How scared must the little girl have been when encountering such a thing all alone?¡± The matriarch was full of empathy and pity for her granddaughter.

    On a side note, while the two women were as such, the ¡®victim¡¯ had a dreamless night. So, where was the time for a nightmare to appear?

    Only

    The empress dowager saw the girl as if she were her own daughter ... How she wished she was her daughter. So, it was only natural she was distressed beyond limit. ¡°Poor little Yaoyao.¡± She sighed. ¡°Aunt Cheng, bring the thousand-year-old ginseng the emperor sentst time and send it to Yaoyao.¡±

    Old Madam Lu said in a hurry, ¡°Empress Dowager, how can Yaoyao use such precious ginseng? She has been much better after drinking Anshen tea.¡±

    The empress dowager said angrily, ¡°Liu Hua is bing more and more arrogant as if there is no proper breeding at all. Aunt Cheng, ry Aijia¡¯s order to Princess Royal to bring Liu Hua into the pce¡ª¡±

    But before the empress dowager could finish her words, the little maid-in-waiting reported from the outside that Princess Royal together with Liu Hua asked to see her.

    ¡°Aijia doesn¡¯t go to them, theye instead. Let them wait outside,¡± said the empress dowager coldly.

 Chapter 285 - Seeking Justice (

    <strong>Chapter 285 ¨C Seeking Justice (2)</strong>

    Witnessing the brief exchange, the old madam realized the empress dowager¡¯s hate for Princess Royal. Right then she thanked her foresight foring to the right ce. She doubted if Wang Fei Lu would be even able to say a word let aloney a finger on the imperial mother-daughter pair.

    From the matter fromst time, one could see the empress dowager was actually tolerating Princess Royal. Old Madam Lu was aware of the former¡¯s fondness for Yaoyao, but she hadn¡¯t known the extent of it. However, today, she could stand as a testimony to it all. Now that she had delivered the message, she was certain the empress dowager wouldn¡¯t let go of Princess Royal easily.

    As for the said princess, who would know a child better than the mother? She knew to the T what her daughter had been up to, why else would she enter the pce this early in the morning? Also, vain as she was she didn¡¯t think that the empress dowager would take the lead for the Lu Family. Who was she after all? She was Princess Royal who had bestowed kindness to none other than the emperor himself. So, even if the empress dowager didn¡¯t necessarily like her, she had to still consider how she had helped this mother and son before.

    So, the royalty had sashayed into the imperial pce beaming with confidence. The first one to lodge theint would have an advantage after all. In the end, it would be the imperial word against amoner¡¯s. It was a perfect n Princess Royal had thought of, except in her smugness she failed to factor in ...

    <i>I didn¡¯t expect her to block me outside the Cining Pce!</i>

    ¡°The empress dowager won¡¯t see this princess?¡± Princess Royal demanded of the little maid-in-waiting, feeling extremely humiliated. She was so angry that she wanted to turn on her heels and leave.

    Liu Hua hastily took her hand. ¡°Mother, you said you would have Empress Dowager promise me to enter the pce today. If you leave like this, Empress Dowager will not want me to enter the pce.¡±

    Her daughter¡¯s words brought to mind their family¡¯s situation. Her husband hadn¡¯t been having it easy offte, constantly being the subject of the emperor¡¯s censure. Their hopes for a better future now rest on her daughter. If Liu Hua could enter the pce and give birth to a son and a daughter for the emperor, then the mother and son would have to rely on them. Thinking up to her, he reined in her temper somewhat. ¡°I think it¡¯s the bitches of the Lu Family who came to look for the empress dowager, why else would she refuse to see me.¡±

    Liu Hua gnashed her teeth and said, ¡°Really, that cheap Lu Yaoyao!¡±

    ¡°Silence!¡± Princess Royal red at her daughter and said, ¡°You are innocent in this matter. No matter what, you must not show any ws.¡±

    ¡°Are we still afraid of the Lu Family?¡± A Liu Hua was confused impulsive concluded. She just hated Lu Yaoyao and wanted her to disappear from this world. This was why she had done what she had done. The princess was thoroughly convinced that that darted girl was the reason her life was miserable.

    Princess Royal grumpily asked, ¡°Do you want the emperor to think you are a vicious person? If you let slip that it was you who was behind it all, do you still expect you could enter the pce?¡±

    Liu Hua stomped her foot. ¡°She must die next time!¡±

    ¡°Well, don¡¯t say anything.¡± Princess Royal nced at her daughter and once again asked the maid-in-waiting by the door for a reply.

    It was a long wait for the mother and daughter. It wasn¡¯t until their hearts were overflowing with a sea of anger and legs numb to the point of copse, that they were summoned in.

    When she went in, Princess Royal first saw Old Madam Lu. With gloomy eyes, the old woman was sitting on a high-back chair, looking in the direction of the door. She instantly realized that the Lu Family had beat her to it andined first.

    ¡°Why has Princess Royal entered the pce?¡± the empress dowager asked lightly, not giving them a seat immediately.

    Princess Royal could clearly see the empress dowager was reluctant to see them. <i>She is just lucky to be the empress dowager. What kind of royalty does she pretend to be in front of everyone!</i>

    ¡°Empress Dowager, Liu Hua said that she has note into the pce to greet you for many days, so she came here today. I didn¡¯t expect Old Madam Lu to be around.¡±

    The empress dowager lowered her eyes and looked at the teacup in her hand. ¡°Liu Hua, I heard that you met Lu Yaoyao in Baihua Garden yesterday.¡±

    Liu Hua¡¯s fawning smile froze. ¡°Yes, Your Imperial Highness, I did meet her.¡±

    ¡°So you arranged for someone to abduct Lu Yaoyao?¡± The empress dowager looked at Liu Hua, her eyes suffused with indifference.

    ¡°Wha ... what?¡± Liu Hua blinked nervously. ¡°Empress Dowager, I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡±

    <i>Who cannot see that she is covering up her guilt?</i> The empress dowager¡¯s eyes shed with disgust. ¡°You don¡¯t understand? The two thugs said that they were instructed by the people in Princess Royal¡¯s mansion to kidnap Lu Yaoyao. Liu Hua, does this matter have anything to do with you? ¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Liu Hua cried in a loud voice. ¡°Empress Dowager, it¡¯s Lu Yaoyao who ndered me!¡±

    Princess Royal sneered. ¡°How could Empress Dowager not allow me toe in today? It turns out that someone has been telling tales to use my daughter.¡±

    Old Madam Lu snorted coldly. ¡°Whether this is an usation or not, Her Highness the Empress Dowager shall find out.¡±

    Only

    ¡°Why do you say I did it? Do you have any evidence?¡± Liu Hua asked in a shrill voice.

    ¡°The two thugs who escaped have been caught. Empress Dowager, you can send someone to inquire. If this subject is lying, Empress Dowager shall punish her,¡± said the old madam.

    Princess Royal squinted at Old Madam Lu slightly. ¡°Can you guarantee that all confessions made under torture hold water?¡±

    The empress dowager looked at the mother and daughter. ¡°Aijia never meddles with the affairs outside. Since Liu Hua said that she has not done it, let the emperor decide for this matter.¡±

    At those words, Princess Royal¡¯s face changed. The entire capital knew how the emperor hated unruly women most. If the emperor found out that this matter was really rted to Liu Hua, would he let her enter the pce?

 Chapter 286 - Gossip Kills (1)

    <strong>Chapter 286 ¨C Gossip Kills (1)</strong>

    ¡°Old Madam is in the pce?¡±

    Transfixed on the woman in the mirror, Lu Wushuang was intently painting her eyebrows. Every day, she made sure to take meticulous care of her beauty, who knew when the emperor may decide to grace her with his presence ...

    When she heard Qiu Yan¡¯s words, she put down the brush in hand and turned to look at her maid.

    <i>Why didn¡¯t Grandmothere to see her when she entered the pce?</i>

    Lu Wushuang frowned in displeasure. ¡°These days, this wang fei has been paying my respects to the empress dowager. She is as indifferent to me as before. Do you want me to just watch Empress Dowager talk andugh with Xu Huiru? If so, don¡¯t ask me to go to the Cining Pce in the future again.¡± She bellowed.

    In order to make amends, she had followed her maid¡¯s advice and religiously visited the empress dowager every day. The originally stiff rapport between her and her mother-inw remained unaffected. She had almost reconciled to the fact until she saw the old woman¡¯s chatting andughing with Xu Hiuru. Upon the disparity in treatments, the fire of humiliation had been long stewing in her heart.

    Aunt He was helpless. Although she was the one to offer the advice, she had only done so with good intention. Little had she known that the other concubines were seen in a better light than her mistress. But she was not rueful over her words, she knew it was the best and only recourse they had now.

    ¡°Your Highness, you have to be patient. Hasn¡¯t Xian Fei Xu been paying her respects to Empress Dowager every day too? With time, the empress dowager will naturally acknowledge your filial piety.¡±

    ¡°Until when should I wait?¡± Lu Wushuang was surging with impatience. It had been days since her confinement had been lifted and yet Mo Rongzhan still hadn¡¯te to see her. <i>Has he already forgotten their times together?</i>

    ¡°Your Highness, didn¡¯t the emperor show any favor to anyone these days? Even Xian Fei Xu hasn¡¯t seen the emperor for several days. This is your chance, so you should often visit Empress Dowager¡¯s pce to pay respect.¡± Aunt He tried to persuade her.

    Lu Wushuang hesitated and considered her maid¡¯s words. She realized those words weren¡¯t wrong. Since the arrival of the new concubines in the pce, there had been no word of the emperor visiting anyone let alone bestowing a favour, except for that one time when he had been to Xu Huiru ce. But nothing after that. In the end, she epted the reality- Since no one had seen the emperor, it was only natural to strive for it.

    ¡°Your Highness, Princess Royal, and Princess Liu Hua have entered the pce.¡± Qiu Yan came in and whispered.

    ¡°What are they doing in the pce?¡± At once, her face darkened.

    If there was something that beat Lu Wushuang hatred of Xu Huiru, it was the words- Liu Hua. Every time she found out that this woman had entered the pce, she had been angered to the limit.

    Qiu Yan cautiously replied, ¡°Replying to Her Highness, they went to Cining Pce.¡± But before her mistress could blow her top, she hurriedly added: ¡°Empress Dowager did not see them immediately and had Princess Royal wait outside for a long time before letting them in.¡±

    Lu Wushuang¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°Is that so?¡±

    <i>Isn¡¯t Empress Dowager the most indulgent of Princess Royal? She used to be very polite to her imperial sister-inw, how could she treat her coldly today?</i>

    ¡°I shall go and greet Empress Dowager!¡± Lu Wushuang said excitedly as she thought that if the empress dowager hated Princess Royal and her daughter, she would not let thetter enter the pce.

    Aunt He sighed in her heart. She didn¡¯t know when her mistress would wake up from the fact that she was still as favoured as before, and the emperor was only angry with her and still loved her. But who could make her see the truth? ... Her former status and days of glory would never be revived.

    <i>If the emperor had her in his heart, he would havee to visit her. Why wait until now? If one does not serve the empress dowager well, perhaps even the position ... an imperial concubine, would be lost in the future.</i> She kept her thoughts to herself, after all, she was riding a tiger she couldn¡¯t dismount.

    Lu Wushuang was very excited to go to Cining Pce to enjoy the scene of Princess Royal being treated coldly. When she arrived, she was immediately invited in.

    In the main hall, in addition to the Old Madam Lu were Princess Royal and Princess Liu Hua with their ghastly pale faces.

    Only

    ¡°Ten thousand blessings to Empress Dowager. This wang fei greets Her Highness.¡± Lu Wushuang¡¯s smile had never been sweeter, her attitude extremely respectful.

    ¡°Wang Fei came. Give her a seat.¡± The empress dowager nced at Lu Wushuang lightly.

    How could she not know why Lu Wushuang came to see her every day? Now, she was not the only concubine in the pce, besides the emperor didn¡¯t like her. She hoped to see the emperor here.

    Lu Wushuang sat down, turned to look at Old Madam Lu, and asked with a smile, ¡°Grandmother, why did you enter the pce?¡±

    <i>She didn¡¯te to see me when she entered the pce, but came to find the empress dowager? What happened?</i>

 Chapter 287 - Gossip Kills (2)

    <strong>Chapter 287 ¨C Gossip Kills (2)</strong>

    Old Madam Lu didn¡¯t expect to see her granddaughter, least of all here ... As if the mother-pair wasn¡¯t enough, now even her granddaughter got thrown into the melee. But things were so, she couldn¡¯t quibble now, could she? In a low voice, she exined her reason for entering the pce.

    ¡°What?¡± Lu Wushuang¡¯s delicate and beautiful eyes looked at Liu Hua. ¡°How could such a thing happen?¡±

    <i>Liu Hua ... This useless person! If she really wanted to do something to Lu Yaoyao, why didn¡¯t she find some better men to do the job? If something happened to Lu Yaoyao, then it¡¯s killing two birds with one stone, getting rid of two thorns on my side at the same time.</i>

    ¡°The truth of the matter has yet to be determined. How can you surely know that Liu Hua ordered it? Old Madam Lu, you should be careful. A loose tongue may cause a lot of trouble,¡± Princess Royal said coldly.

    ¡°Either way, I believe the emperor will find out,¡± Old Madam Lu said faintly. She wasn¡¯t someone easily threatened.

    Lu Wushuang snorted coldly. ¡°At the foot of the Son of Heaven, there is unexpectedly such a matter when one¡¯s eyes are above one¡¯s head. Apparently, in the eyes of many people, our Lu Family can be bullied as pleased.¡±

    ¡°What is your Lu Family!¡± Liu Hua nced at Lu Wushuang contemptuously.

    Lu Wushuang was about to get angry but was stopped right on time by Old Madam Lu¡¯s meaningful nce. She immediately changed her course and pitifully looked towards the empress dowager. ¡°Yes, our Lu Family naturally cannotpare with Princess Royal¡¯s. We cannot act as we please, let alone show no reverence to the emperor and Her Imperial Highness.¡±

    Princess Royal¡¯s eyes sank. ¡°Wang Fei Lu, when did we ever ignore the emperor and the empress dowager?¡±

    ¡°If one still highly regards the emperor and the empress dowager, how can one try to abduct a girl in broad daylight? Fortunately, Yaoyao is fine. But what about her reputation?¡± Lu Wushuang wanted to ruin Ye Zhen¡¯s reputation. In a way she was hinting at the idiot mother-daughter pair right now.

    Old Madam Lu¡¯s countenance slightly changed. How could she not know what her granddaughter was up to? Under the dismal influence of her hatred for her cousin, she knew not what was right or wrong.

    The empress dowager said in a heavy voice, ¡°When those bandits appeared, Mister Chen happened to pass by. Although Yaoyao was not hurt at all, she was scared. How can there be damage to her reputation?¡±

    Liu Hua immediately nodded. ¡°Yes, she is fine.¡±

    Lu Wushuang snorted coldly in her heart. <i>As expected, Empress Dowager still favors Lu Yaoyao!</i> ¡°I¡¯m just worried about what the people would say.¡±

    ¡°It depends on who dares to talk nonsense,¡± said the empress dowager coldly.

    Lu Wushuang was shocked by the empress dowager¡¯s cold and bold tone. She pursed her lips and said nothing more.

    Princess Royal stood up and said, ¡°Empress Dowager, this princess shall take her leave.¡±

    Liu Hua also stood up after her mother, ring at Lu Wushuang. She was reluctant to leave because she had not even been able to glimpse the emperor yet.

    The empress dowager said faintly, ¡°Then Aijia shall not keep.¡±

    Not long after the troublemakers departed, Old Madam Lu took her leave.

    ¡°This matter shall not be ignored by Aijia. By all means possible, justice shall be served to the Lu Family. After she has rested, have Yaoyao visit the pce ande before Aijia. I haven¡¯t seen her for a few days, but I feel that I miss her again,¡± the empress dowager smiled and said to Old Madam Lu.

    ¡°Very well, Your Imperial Highness.¡± Old Madam Lu nodded with a smile. She didn¡¯t expect for Empress Dowager to be this cold to Princess Royal. After all, it was Princess Royal who made others feel inferior to her. This time, the young misses of the Lu Family were not to be bullied by anyone as they pleased.

    Lu Wushuang left the Cining Pce along with Old Madam Lu. ¡°Grandmother, is Yaoyao okay?¡±

    Only

    ¡°Many thanks to Her Highness¡¯s concern. Yaoyao was just scared but nothing serious happened to her,¡± Old Madam Lu said with a smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s not good to let Yaoyao go to the academy after such an incident. Grandmother, it would be better to have Second Uncle take her to Jinkou City with him,¡± Lu Wushuang said in an unyielding tone.

    Old Madam Lu smiled faintly. ¡°Your Highness, Yaoyao is doing well at the academy. Besides, her parents are in the capital, so there is no reason to send her to Jinkou City.¡±

    ¡°Grandmother¡ª¡± Lu Wushuang looked at the old madam with seemingly probing eyes. ¡°Do you intend to send Yaoyao to the pce in the future?¡±

    Old Madam Lu was so angry that her chest swelled. ¡°Wang Fei must be worried.¡±

 Chapter 288 - Justice Unserved (1)

    <strong>Chapter 288 ¨C Justice Unserved (1)</strong>

    It would be wrong to say that the incident hadn¡¯t shaken Ye Zhen. But what had actually sent her heart into a tumultuous whirlwind was killing a man in cold blood. In herst life and this, all she had used her bow and arrow for was hunting animals and nothing else. And though she had done it in the fit of self-defence, her heart was still unsettled.

    The Anshen Sleeping tea Pei Shi prepared for her, had its desired effects. She had a dreamless night, slept like a baby. When she woke up, her spirit was much better, and the anxiety guing her from the kill had abated. When she was about to visit the old madam in the upper hall, she knew that the old madam had entered the pce.

    She chose to return to her room and read a book. Before she knew it, a while had passed, and Pei Shi sent her another round of Anshen Sleeping tea to calm her nerves.

    ¡°Mother, really, I¡¯m fine. I don¡¯t have to drink this anymore,¡± Ye Zhen said in a low voice. She felt now that her heart had settled, she didn¡¯t need to drink this tea anymore.

    But Pei Shi wouldn¡¯t hear a word of it. She was just too worried. ¡°Drink some more, dear.¡± She urged her.

    Without a choice, Ye Zhen acquiesced. ¡°Grandmother hasn¡¯te back yet?¡± she said, after downing the tea.

    ¡°Mother is still in the pce. Your brother has already apprehended the two bandits in the morning. The people in the pce took them away. They should be interrogating them by now.¡± Pei Shi was very angry and aggrieved over the turn of affairs. Left to her, she would confront the princess and her daughter herself. But still, she knew how to rein in her rage. ¡°Empress Dowager is looking out for you. Let¡¯s see how arrogant Princess Royal can be.¡± Her anger evident in her tone

    Ye Zhen knew that her twin sister¡¯s foster parents genuinely took her as their daughter. All of Pei Shi¡¯s reactions were as a result of it and not a pretense. She felt, again, that her sister had lucked out, even if her biological parents sent her away, she hadnded in very loving hands.

    She smiled, Pei Shi was indeed a na?ve person. ¡°With the words of those two bandits, Liu Hua may not necessarily admit it.¡±

    Princess Royal was not an easy person. She was of imperial blood, seasoned in the game of intrigue right at the heart of it all- the inner pce. It would beughable if such an incident would be her undoing. Neither the empress dowager nor Mo Rongzhan would attack Princess Royal¡¯s residence at this time. As such, she wasn¡¯t expecting any major developments.

    Old Madam Lu was no fool. She knew the inner workings of the imperial pce all too well. She was well-aware of the status quo Princess Royal held. Her reason in bringing this matter, and personally, before the empress dowager was to add fuel to the fire of hatred burning in the emperor¡¯s heart. She wanted to use her fondness for Lu Yaoyao in sending a warning to the Princess Royal mansion, that they were not a family to be trifled with. While at it she also wanted to create an opportunity for Lu Wushuang to bridge the gap with Mo Rongzhan.

    Although Old Madam Lu was not born from an aristocratic family, her wisdom and counsel could not lose to any old madam of any other family, be it amoner or nobility. Ye Zhen had always felt that the old madam was instrumental in the sess the Lu Family¡¯ basked in today. Such contributions couldn¡¯t go unnoticed.

    ¡°Regardless if she admits or not, we should bring their ill-deeds to the empress dowager and the emperor¡¯s notice,¡± Pei Shi said.

    Ye Zhen nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±

    After a while, Ye Zhen received word that the old matriarch had returned. She immediately went to the gates to meet her. Seeing that the old madam didn¡¯t look well, she leaned over with some concern.

    ¡°Grandmother, are you all right?¡±

    Old Madam Lu smiled and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a little tired.¡±

    In actuality, she was boiling with anger. Having reached this stage, Lu Wushuang was still thinking about having Yaoyao leave the capital. Instead of being grateful to her cousin for creating such a good chance to regain her favour, the ingrate was biting the hand that was helping her!

    <i>Ah, if only Shuanger doesn¡¯t make mistakes in the pce, the emperor can¡¯t spoil her as much as before.</i>

    Old Madam Lu categorically refused to see everyone but Ye Zhen. As they sat in the main hall, she looked at the kindly girl before her and sighed. She was saddened and helpless at how things stood.

    ¡°This matter,¡± she said looking at the limpid eyes before her, ¡°may not be able to meet true justice, but at least it will curb Princess Royal¡¯s arrogance somewhat. Yaoyao, we can¡¯t just look at the present. Even if we do not get the justice we deserve today, we still have the future to look forward to.¡±

    How could Ye Zhen not understand the dynamics of the world? If it were herst life, she would have been angry and upset, but that innocent girl had long ceased to exist. She was aware of the selfishness belying the selflessness of the society and especially the imperial family. She had experienced it all first hand.

    Only

    Ye Zhen said in a low voice, ¡°Grandmother, I understand.¡±

    Yes, she wouldn¡¯t argue with the old matriarch, but that didn¡¯t mean she would back down against Liu Hua!

    ¡°Empress Dowager has apprised the emperor of this matter, and His Imperial Majesty has asked the personnel in the Ministry of Justice to carry out the interrogation,¡± said Old Madam Lu.

    <i>Mo Rongzhan is having people interrogate? </i>Now, Ye Zhen felt that it was even more impossible to have a satisfactory result. However, in any case, she felt that she had avenged herself. Sooner orter, she would be able to sort things out with this Liu Hua character.

    The Ye Zhen on today wasn¡¯t the one to seek justice for herself from anyone but herself.

 Chapter 289 - Justice Unserved (2)

    <strong>Chapter 289 ¨C Justice Unserved (2)</strong>

    Two dayster, came the day the emperor sealed the decree. Results of the interrogation from the Ministry of Justice had been submitted. The two bandits had never seen Liu Hua at all, only a maid beside her. Finally, under the influence of Princess Royal, only the maid was executed while the mastermind, Liu Hua, remained unharmed. However, the empress dowager gave an order to reprimand her for herx discipline and have her ponder over her mistakes behind closed doors in her residence. This provided some relief to Ye Zhen.

    The entire capital was aware of this incident now. They all knew it had something to do with Liu Hua, but due tock of evidence, nothing could be done. No sooner had they confessed, the two thugs had inexplicably died in their prison cell. There was no drama behind it all. It seemed the matter could have only ended this way.

    ¡°A maid died then it¡¯s over?!¡± Pei Shi indignantly voiced her grievance. How she wished she could whip that abominable girl Liu Hua!

    Old Madam Lu said in a deep voice, ¡°To be able to kill the two bandits in the prisons of the Ministry of Justice proves that Princess Royal still has some ability.¡±

    Ye Zhen leaned over Old Madam Lu and smiled. ¡°Yes, Grandmother, let¡¯s not be anxious over that.¡±

    Her hate for Mo Rongzhan only deepened. <i>He must have intended to protect Liu Hua! </i>For the sake of power, he felt that Princess Royal should not be overthrown yet, so he turned a blind eye.

    However, the more Princess Royal exposed her strength, the warier Mo Rongzhan would be about her. She would only undermine his influence more quickly, and he would want to get rid of her sooner.

    What¡¯s the rush? Wait ¡®til Princess Royal reaps what she had sown.

    Old Madam Lu chuckled and shook her head. ¡°How sensible my Yaoyao is!¡±

    ?

    As time buried the matter, the new year arrived.

    The Centennial Festival was the grandest ceremony of all, filled with merriment and joyful festivities. The past few days saw the members of the Lu Family busying themselves to the limit. They had picked auspicious days to spring clean the house. They polished the floors, painted the walls, and spared not a nook and cranny of the entire mansion.

    On New Year¡¯s Eve, which was also the seal reopening ceremony in the imperial court, Lu Shiming returned.

    He and Lu Shixun, together with some of the boys in the family, hung portraits of the ancestors of the Lu Family in each hall, and pasted Red Spring Festival couplets on the front door. Pei Shi also took servants to paint red the edge of the beds and water jar in each room, a symbol of good luck.

    Looking at this lively scene around her, deep inside, Ye Zhen was iparably sad. Memories from the Ye Mansion inundated her ... How her father took her and her brother to paste couplets and the Fu symbol. They would stay up all night to wee the new year together. The next day, upon waking up, they would find a small fish made of gold next to their pillows.

    <i>If Father were still here ... If the Ye Family had not been executed,</i><i>she would have still been able to live such a scene.</i>

    ¡°Yaoyao ... Yaoyao?¡± Pei Shi saw her daughter holding a Fu character in a daze and came over to call her a few times.

    Ye Zhen came back to her senses and looked at Pei Shi smilingly. ¡°Mother, what is it?¡±

    ¡°Go and paste the Fu symbol. Why are you in a daze here?¡± Pei Shi said with a smile.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Ye Zhen pulled out a little smile in an attempt to mask her sadness.

    ?

    In the evening, the entire family had a happy reunion dinner. Even Madam Lu joined. In the midst of the drinkers¡¯ wager game, there was a shout outside.

    ¡°Old Madam, d tidings from the west ... The marquis won the battle again.¡±

    ¡°Atst! Victory!¡± Lu Shiming happily eximed.

    Old Madam Lu hurriedly said, ¡°Let the persone in and report.¡±

    Only

    The soldier was invited in. It was Lu Lingzhi¡¯s subordinate who had juste out of the pce. With the permission of the emperor, he came to the Lu Family to report the good news.

    Ye Zhen lowered her head and drank a mouthful of wine. <i>How could Lu Lingzhi win again? Impossible! </i>She clearly remembered that he had sustained injuries when he returned.

    ¡°The marquis has captured the prince in the west. Now only the remnants of the rebel party are fighting against the court. As soon as they are nabbed, the marquis will withdraw the troops and return to the imperial court,¡± said the proud subordinate.

    Old Madam Lu was very d. ¡°Well, well! As long as the marquis is safe and sound.¡±

    While the entire family was rejoicing over the news, Ye Zhen was even reluctant to smile, under the pretext of being drunk, she refrained from saying anything at all.

 Chapter 290 - Losing Favor (1)

    <strong>Chapter 290 ¨C Losing Favor (1)</strong>

    The darkness that had been looming over the Lu Family, seemed to have cleared. Lu Lingzhi¡¯s victory settled every worrying heart, rekindling hopes, and joy. The already happy new year¡¯s celebrations turned more jubnt. Moreughter and noise rang through the mansion.

    However, Ye Zhen felt otherwise. Every word gesture of happiness was like a knife wedged in her heart. She was unreconciled, angry ... she loathed her enemy¡¯s victory, all she wished for was his defeat. Unable to bear it any longer, under the pretext of being drunk and having a headache, she excused herself. No one made any objections and the old madam sent her back to her room.

    Lying on her bed, eyes wide open, she gazed at the canopy over her bed. Things were different from what she¡¯d supposed them to be. She remembered that Lu Lingzhi had been seriously injured in the west. However, seeing that the battle in the west wasing to an end, no matter how dangerous a battle could be, he still kept on sending good news to the capital.

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s victory was good news for both Lu Wushuang and the Lu Family, but for Ye Zhen, it could only be worse.

    <i>What should I do?</i> Now that Lu Lingzhi returned victorious, bringing honor to the family, it would be even more difficult for her to get revenge. The enemy¡¯s footing was growing stronger and stronger, while she hadn¡¯t even begun.

    Ye Zhen was baffled. She had thought everything was under her control only to wake up to a harsh reality.

    <i>Why has Lu Lingzhi not been injured?</i>

    <i>No, it can¡¯t be!</i>

    She clearly remembered he had returned injured, and she was certain she wasn¡¯t mistaken. But here ...

    Ye Zhen suddenly sat up straight. Of course, she was mistaken! He had not been injured in the battle itself but on his way back to the capital! Therefore, this is not the time that he got seriously injured. She had it all mixed up.

    <i>Yes, that¡¯s it!</i> All she needed to do now was wait.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s mood suddenly felt better again. She hugged the quilt in her arms, the corners of her mouth wore a little smile. She slowly reclined and dug hard into the happenings over those two years in the pce. She wanted to be sure she would not be mistaken again. As her mind wandered deeper and deeper into memory, she gradually sumbed to slumber.

    ?

    Imperial Pce.

    The people in the pce, royalty or not, were also immersed in the mood the New Year¡¯s Eve brought about. Joy and woe; hope and despair ... it had all of it. Some were excited over the bustlings and rejoiced in anticipation of gifts, while some could only hide the sorrows in their eyes in the dark corners of the pce and secretly weep, missing the times they could have spent and be reunited with their families.

    While Mo Rongzhan and the empress dowager were having their reunion dinner, they received the good news about Lu Lingzhi¡¯s victory.

    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s good news.¡± The empress dowager looked at Mo Rongzhan, smiling.

    ¡°It is good news.¡± Mo Rongzhan nodded and put the good news aside. Since he had sent Lu Lingzhi to the west, naturally, he had expected nothing less.

    The empress dowager looked at him. ¡°Your Majesty, you have not visited Wang Fei Lu for a long time now.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi had won the battle. As the emperor, he should at least show gratitude to the Lu Family. Paying a visit to Lu Wushuang was the best expression for it.

    Mo Rongzhan nodded faintly. ¡°Zhen shall go to the Pce of Earthly Tranquilityter.¡±

    ¡°Go now. In a moment, A¡¯Yi will be here to apany Aijia. You don¡¯t have to be here to apany Aijia,¡± said the empress dowager.

    ¡°Imperial Mother, Zhen shall go take a look.¡± Mo Rongzhan frowned. Just the thought of visiting Lu Wushuang, made him ill all over. But he knew his mother was right. What had he not faced in life ¡®til now, what¡¯s more a girl like Lu Wushuang.

    Only

    If only things were as easy as they seemed ...

    Walking out of Cining Pce, the emperor¡¯s otherwise bold and brisk steps slowed. It was as if his whole body, especially his legs, were protesting. He did not wish to go to the Pce of Earthly Tranquility. His eyes didn¡¯t wish to see the conniving woman, his heart held nothing but hatred towards her and his mind was always reminded of his Yaoyao in her presence.

    Her deceit and treachery ... how he wished to wring the truth from her. How he was dying to demand an answer from her ... what happened to his Yaoyao. He was exuding immense determination in holding himself back, but he knew it was slowly crumbling with each passing moment.

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, we have arrived at the Pce of Earthly Tranquility.¡± Eunuch Fu¡¯s low voice breached his sovereign¡¯s musings.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyebrows creased. <i>How could we have arrived this soon.</i>

 Chapter 291 - Losing Favor (2)

    <strong>Chapter 291 ¨C Losing Favor (2)</strong>

    The maid in charge of keeping the gates of the Pce of Earthly Tranquility kowtowed. ¡°This servant greets His Imperial Majesty¡ª¡±

    The man did not wait for her to finish before he tookrge strides inwards.

    Lu Wushuang, who was inside quickly came out, startled at his arrival. ¡°Your ... Majesty ... This wang fei greets His Imperial Majesty.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan looked at Lu Wushuang with hooded eyes. His face, which used to be bright with affection, now looked ordinary and indifferent. He said faintly, ¡°Rise.¡±

    Lu Wushuang felt excited. She had been waiting for Mo Rongzhan all this time. They all thought he had already taken her for granted, they did not expect he woulde.

    <i>It seems that he still has her in mind. </i>At the emperor¡¯s unexpected arrival, the pce maids thoughts to themselves.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I made these dumplings myself today. Would you like to try them?¡± Lu Wushuang walked meekly beside Mo Rongzhan and looked at his cold and indifferent face carefully.

    When he used to be on the battlefield, he¡¯d liked her dumplings best.

    ¡°No, Zhen has already eaten,¡± Mo Rongzhan said faintly and sat down on the kang bed. ¡°Good news from the west just came. Your elder brother won another battle and nabbed the prince of the west.¡±

    Lu Wushuang smiled. ¡°That¡¯s great. Your Majesty, you will soon be able to unify the country.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan nodded apathetically. ¡°Wang Fei Lu, I heard that you often go and greet Empress Dowager recently?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, this wang fei used to be someone who is not sensitive enough to understand and made you angry. I shall not act the same way again,¡± Lu Wushuang said in a low voice. She now clearly understood that Mo Rongzhan was no longer the crown prince of Qin Dynasty but the emperor of this country, he was no longer the man who would humour her if she yed a small temper tantrum.

    ¡°Realizing one¡¯s mistakes and being able to reform oneself is a good thing.¡± Mo Rongzhan caught a whiff of the rich scent of rouge on Lu Wushuang¡¯s body, and the more he longed for the light, fruity fragrance of Yaoyao¡¯s body.

    Whether it¡¯s his Yaoyao or Lu Yaoyao, their fragrances were tantalizing. Unlike other women who all smelled of rouge.

    At those words, Lu Wushuang thought he had forgiven her, sheughed all the more and acted charming as she sat down beside him. ¡°Your Majesty, Shuang¡¯er misses you a lot. I won¡¯t make you angry again.¡±

    When she was ready to lean against Mo Rongzhan, he abruptly stood up. ¡°It¡¯s enough that you know that you are wrong. Zhen still has something to do. You should rest.¡±

    Lu Wushuang looked at Mo Rongzhan in consternation. <i>He¡¯s leaving just like this? Didn¡¯t hee to sleep with me?</i> ¡°Your Majesty, are you still angry with your wang fei?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan walked towards the door, not even looking back, and said, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then where do you want to go? Are you going to see Xian Fei Xu?¡± Lu Wushuang asked, in distress, unable to control her jealousy.

    ¡°Lu Wushuang, you have overstepped your boundaries!¡± Mo Rongzhan looked at her coldly.

    ¡°Your Majesty, this wang fei¡ª¡±

    Lu Wushuang was caught up in the moment that she was not able to control her temper once more but Mo Rongzhan had long strode out. No matter how she called him from behind, he did not look back.

    Looking at the tall figure disappearing into the dim light of night and she started crying.

    ¡°Your Highness¡ª¡± Aunt He called her helplessly.

    ¡°He must have gone to Xu Huiru. He must have gone to see her!¡± Lu Wushuang cried.

    Aunt He thought to herself,<i> even if the emperor goes to find Xian Fei Xu, what then? Can you stop the emperor from doing so?</i>

    Lu Wushuang turned and ran to her bedchamber, threw herself on the bed and began to sob.

    Only

    She never thought that her falling out of favor woulde so quickly. She was caught off guard. <i>What went wrong? We were definitely fine before ...</i>

    ¡°Your Highness, why did you lose your temper in front of the emperor again?¡± Aunt He said in a low voice, ¡°You forgot again that the emperor is the supreme ruler of a country.¡±

    Lu Wushuang cried all the more. ¡°If my brother had not won the battle, he wouldn¡¯te to see me. Now the emperor only has Xu Huiru in his heart!¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, please keep your voice down.¡± Aunt He turned pale with fright and quickly stopped her mistress from getting herself into trouble.

    ¡°Go and see if the emperor went to Xu Huiru,¡± Lu Wushuang bit her lip and said.

 Chapter 292 - Anger (1)

    <strong>Chapter 292 ¨C Anger (1)</strong>

    The tranquil New Year¡¯s Eve night was especially glittery, the night sky seemed to sparkle like litnterns.

    In this rare moment of peace, Eunuch Fu was intending to just sit by the side pce halls and have a cup of hot tea. Since the emperor was visiting the Pce of Earthly Tranquility this time of the evening, he didn¡¯t think he would be going anywhere else tonight. He considered changing his tea to a few cups of wine, it was New Year¡¯s Eve, after all, he should enjoy a little as well.

    But even before Fude could warm his bottom, he saw the emperor storming out. He stood up in a trice, unable to tend to his tea, abandoning all thoughts of wine whatsoever as he darted after his master.

    ¡°Your Majesty, you left the Pce of Earthly Tranquility¡ª¡± Before Eunuch Fu could even finish asking, catching sight of his liege¡¯s sullen face, he covered his mouth and didn¡¯t dare make a peep.

    Mo Rongzhan did not directly return to the Pce of Heavenly Purity. Instead, he trudged around the pce premises. Not far away, fireworks bloomed in midair, popping, and echoing ... making for a spectacr sight. The sprightly colors in the distance seemingly spread cheer and joy.

    ¡°Your Majesty, it is the little prince setting off fireworks,¡± Eunuch Fu said in a low voice.

    ¡°Is A¡¯Yi going out of the pce tomorrow?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked lightly.

    Eunuch Fu wondered how he knew if the little prince would be leaving the pce tomorrow. ¡°This servant does not know.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan coldly snorted, there seemed to be some dissatisfaction.

    ¡°This servant shall inquire immediately,¡± Eunuch Fu said, taking the cue of his master¡¯s discontent. He wondered about the sudden change in the emperor¡¯s attitude. All these years, he had cared naught about his little brother¡¯s whereabouts but would always be sure to send people after him. <i>Why did he ask today?</i>

    ¡°Go on.¡± Mo Rongzhan waved his hand and went on ahead.

    When Eunuch Fu saw that the emperor wanted to return to the Pce of Heavenly Purity, he instructed the imperial servants to keep pace with him. Then, he turned to find the little prince.

    When Mo Rongzhan returned to his residence, he dismissed all his retainers. After a while, a ck figure appeared quietly before him.

    ¡°What did you find out?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked in a low voice.

    The man was none other than Mo Rongzhan¡¯s shadow guard. Kneeling on a knee, he reported. ¡°Replying to His Majesty, this subordinate is ipetent. I have searched but could find out who the little girl that His Imperial Majesty met in the woods is, also Wang Fei Lu has no rtion to her at all.¡±

    ¡°Her name is Yaoyao. You only have to search this entire capital, yet you have not found anything about it at all?¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s tone held some anger.

    Shen Yi lowered his head. ¡°Your Majesty, except for the third miss of the Lu Family, there is no other miss who has the same name. If one has the same name ... one¡¯s age is not the same as the one His Imperial Majesty is looking for.¡±

    <i>Yaoyao is just her nickname, her given name is definitely not this!</i> Mo Rongzhan rubbed his eyebrows. He regretted not asking more questions at that time. It was because he felt she was guarding herself too much, he was afraid that she would think he was approaching her with ulterior motives. Only now he regretted the decision he had made.

    Mo Rongzhan asked in a heavy voice, ¡°Have you found out about Lu Yaoyao¡¯s encounter with the bandits?¡±

    ¡°Replying to His Majesty, it was Princess Liu Hua who sent people after Lu Yaoyao. She wanted to abduct her for several days. The maid was just a scapegoat. The two bandits were beaten to death in prison.¡±

    ¡°Princess Royal¡¯s hands are getting longer and longer. Even in the prisons of the Ministry of Justice, she has her people.¡± Mo Rongzhan sneered, furious that Liu Hua dared to let people hurt Lu Yaoyao. When he thought of how Lu Yaoyao was almost abducted, given her looks, he was afraid those men had malicious intentions. If ever something untoward were to befall her ... even now he felt a throbbing pain in his heart, his face turned gloomy.

    Shen Yi snuck a peek at his master and continued in a low voice: ¡°What Old Madam Lu said about Lu Yaoyao¡¯s rescue, it was not Huangfu Chen.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes moved lightly. ¡°Huangfu Chen didn¡¯t save her?¡±

    Only

    ¡°She saved herself¡ª¡± Shen Yi recounted every detail he had gleaned from the bandits themselves before their deaths.

    It was only now that it dawned upon Mo Rongzhan, Lu Yaoyao was an excellent archer. It was said that she had astonished everyone in the academy when showcased her skills.

    A faint smile graces his lips. He could imagine how she had scared the three bandits away by pulling a bow and shooting her arrows.

    Then he remembered something else. ¡°One of the bandits died. Was it Lu Yaoyao¡¯s arrow?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked.

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Shen Yi replied.

 Chapter 293 - Anger (2)

    <strong>Chapter 293 ¨C Anger (2)</strong>

    So it turned out that Lu Yaoyao was not scared of the bandits; she was frightened at having killed someone. Her beautiful face emerged in his mind. Suddenly, he felt the urge to see her and hear her voice.

    Mo Rongzhan frowned. His thoughts had again drifted to the girl who had rejected him time and again. He was utterly baffled by his own behaviour, hisck of pride ... Offte, the moments he thought of her were beyond his own imagination. He couldn¡¯te up with a reason why his mind would wander off in her direction at the slightest pretext.

    He looked at Shen Yi and said in a deep voice, ¡°Continue searching for the whereabouts of the girl named Yaoyao and gather evidence regarding the crimes in Princess Royal¡¯s household.

    He could endure Princess Royal¡¯s despotic arrogance, but he couldn¡¯t tolerate her putting her hands into the Ministry of Justice. What made him angrier was Liu Hua¡¯s viciousness, wanting to hurt Lu Yaoyao without a care for consequence. As an emperor, he couldn¡¯t vent his temper openly, but he could do many a things furtively. He didn¡¯t intend to just let Princess Royal¡¯s household get away with everything.

    <i>Didn¡¯t Liu Hua want to enter the pce? Then let her enter. When she is in the pce, let¡¯s see how far her arrogance will bring her.</i>

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Shen Yi bowed his head and epted the emperor¡¯s orders.

    ?

    Xinhe Pce

    Not far from the emperor¡¯s dwellings, on the other side of the pce, was a brightly lit abode. A beauty, dressed particrly well tonight, gazed out the window eagerly awaiting an arrival.

    ¡°Did the emperor really go to the Pce of Earthly Tranquility?¡± Xu Huiru asked the maid-in-waiting, her refined eyebrows revealing a touch of sorrow.

    In the eyes of others, she seemed to be quite favored. However, only she knew the bitterness gnawing at her heart. <i>How could she be called ¡®the favored one¡¯ if she hadn¡¯t received it at all?</i>

    Xu Huiru did not understand why the emperor, despite being at her pce several times, had never touched her. He asked her to paint and y an instrument while he just sat watching. No one knew what he was thinking, once done, he would get up and leave.

    <i>But if the emperor hated her, why should he make her his concubine? Does the emperor really only have Lu Wushuang in his heart, to the point that he doesn¡¯t even want to touch other women?</i>

    <i>No. It can¡¯t be.</i>

    She had heard that there were several Jieyu and noble people who had gone to the Pce of Heavenly Purity to serve in bed. <i>If the emperor really only liked Lu Wushuang, how could they have served him in bed?</i>

    <i>Lu Wushuang ...</i> Xu Huiru had only ever envied one person in her life- Ye Zhen. Upon her death, she hadn¡¯t felt a tinge of jealousy in a long long time.

    Yes, she liked the emperor. When she had first seen him, she was already moved. She had never seen such a handsome and dignified man as him. How could she not be moved at first sight?

    ¡°Your Highness, the emperor did go to the Pce of Earthly Tranquility, but left shortly after.¡± Qian Lan whispered. ¡°It seems that the emperor didn¡¯t spend the night with Lu Wushuang.¡±

    Xu Huiru lips curled into a satisfied smile, even so, her mood was somewhat glum. Lu Wushuang was once touted as to ¡®favoured¡¯, now she was enjoying the same courtesy. The difference was, in the case of thetter it had been true while hers was only a sham. She was more skilled at reading people than anyone her age. So, she knew for certain the emperor was not ignoring her for Lu Wushuang¡¯s sake. If so, he wouldn¡¯t have deigned to visit her at all. <i>Then why?</i> The more she mulled, the more she could see it clearly ... there was someone in his heart. <i>Who was that woman?</i>

    ¡°Your Highness, it looks like Wang Fei Lu has really fallen out of favour,¡± said another maid-in-waiting, Yu Lan, with a smile.

    Only

    ¡°As long as Lu Lingzhi is still the Marquis of Anyang, Lu Wushuang will not fall out of favor.¡± Xu Huiru said softly, ¡°Tomorrow is the first day of the lunar new year, I wish to pay my respects to the empress dowager early. I want to rest now¡±

    Qian Lan said, ¡°Will the emperore here tonight?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, the emperor loves you so much. Perhaps he wille here tonight,¡± Yu Lan said with a smile.

    Xu Huiru frowned. ¡°If the emperor wished toe, he would have already been here.¡±

    Seeing that their mistress was unhappy, the two maids exchanged nces and started to help her wash and change.

 Chapter 294 - The Lantern Festival (1)

    <strong>Chapter 294 ¨C The Lantern Festival (1)</strong>

    Lu Linghzi¡¯s victory in the battle continued to fuel the cheer in the Lu Mansion. While every member- servant and master, were all smiles, Ye Zhen was exceptionally glum but none of it showed on her face. Every time an enemy triumphs, the heart sulks deeper, and she was the living example at the moment.

    Her gloom prevailed for several days now, so much so that she didn¡¯t even go to the Flower Market with Sun Wen on the first day of the year. Fortunately or unfortunately, her dispiritedness was, unequivocally, credited to the recent kidnapping incident. They all concluded the little girl had had quite the scare and dared not step out of the house.

    One day, her good friends, Sun Wen and Chen Jinru decided to visit her at home. Having gotten wind of her dejected state of mind, they came to see her. The girls spent a lot of time together. In the end, the two even persuaded her to step out to have fun with them during the uing Lantern Festival.

    It was only now that Ye Zhen remembered Mo Rongyi. She had agreed to meet the little prince on the day of the festival. As such, she didn¡¯t promise Sun Wen.

    In a blink of the eye, the fifteenth night of the first lunar month had arrived. This was the Lantern Festival Day. Perhaps this was the most loved festival, the air was especially rife with merriment. The six streets and three bazaars of the capital, be it nobility or plebians, every family hung the Fu symbol outside their homes. Every store spread a red carpet at its gates, and almost every building in the capital was adorned with rednterns. On the main street stood the Lantern Tower, an over one storey building, prepared especially for the people to disy their handiwork. Needless to say, people took theirnterns a tad too seriously going so far as expending immense effort at making their ownnterns and ushering in thepetitive spirit.

    Thest time that Ye Zhen met the little prince was quite some time ago. Given that, she didn¡¯t expect the little prince would even remember they were to meet. So she didn¡¯t wait for him nor made an attempt to remind him of the same and instead, decided to head out with Lu Xiangzhi to enjoy thenterns tonight.

    ¡°Elder Brother, you still have your old clothes ... Lend me a set,¡± Ye Zhen said, before dering, ¡°You shall take me to see thenterns tonight.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi frowned and looked at his sister who wore the wilful air. ¡°Yaoyao, we better not go, I¡¯ll buy you antern.¡± He dissuaded her. The abduction incident had scared him to the bones. Although her cheerless self wasn¡¯t a heartwarming sight, he still preferred her cooped up at home.

    ¡°Why not? Buying me one won¡¯t be as exciting as when I wander outside.¡± Ye Zhen¡¯s small mouth pouted. ¡°Do you feel that I¡¯m a burden that you don¡¯t want to take me out? I¡¯ll talk to Father.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao, I¡¯m worried you¡¯ll be in danger when you go out,¡± Lu Xiangzhi said, ¡°there are too many people outside tonight.¡±

    ¡°How will I be in danger when there are so many people?¡± She demanded.

    The doting brother was helpless and powerless before his adorable sister. Be it her frown at being refused or the haughty huff at being treated like a child, he simply couldn¡¯t win over the cuteness and sternly put his foot down. But this was the most dangerous time of all. How many times had people gone missing from such events? How should he exin to her that even if she didn¡¯t provoke danger, danger would seek her?

    ¡°Will Grandmother let you out?¡± Lu Xiangzhi had long epted he was no match for her obstinacy. Without a recourse, he had to bring up the old madam.

    Ye Zhen smiled and changed her tactics. She knew her brother best. All she and to act was cute, and the fellow would simply melt. ¡°Why won¡¯t you let me go out? Grandmother already told me to have fun.¡± Before he could even think of confirming or contradicting she added: ¡°Hey, Elder Brother, you should still have your clothes when you were 13 or 14 years old. Give me a set.¡±

    Her doe-like eyes, filled with anticipation and innocence pierced his heart. He sighed inwardly, he knew he was going to sumb to her charms yet again. Yes, he was a hopeless case, a paper tiger that his sister could easily set afire. In the end, he had the maid go to his room to look for the looks his sister wanted.

    Puzzled, he asked, ¡°Yaoyao, what do you want my clothes for?¡±

    Only

    ¡°You will know at night.¡± Ye Zhen revealed a fetching smile with a glint of mischief in her serene eyes.

    Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s maid soon returned and said to Ye Zhen with a smile, ¡°Madam used to make a lot of clothes for the fourth young master. Here are two sets of clothes that have never been worn. Now the fourth young master can¡¯t wear them. This maidservant brought them to Third Miss to have a look.¡±

    Ye Zhen pinched the cheek of the maid. ¡°You are indeed bing smarter and smarter. I shall ept these two sets of clothes. Elder Brother, remember to wait for me at night.¡±

    ¡°Do you really want to go out? Yaoyao ... Yaoyao¡ª¡± Lu Xiangzhi called, a final bid to change her mind as the girl turned her back on him.

    Ye Zhen dashed her way out without once looking back. Returning to her room, she immediately asked Dai Mei to give her a men¡¯s hairdo. By the time she was done, putting on Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s clothes and all, an engaging teenager stood in her stead.

 Chapter 295 - The Lantern Festival (2)

    <strong>Chapter 295 ¨C The Lantern Festival (2)</strong>

    ¡°How about ... like a man?¡± Ye Zhen was wearing a silk robe, embroidered with an azure blue precious flower, which highlighted her white and ruddy skin. Her lips red and teeth white, carved like jade, she looked like both a beauty and a beautiful youngster.

    Dai Mei was somewhat bbergasted.

    ¡°Miss, are you ... are you really going out dressed like this tonight?¡± Dai Mei asked in shock. This third miss never failed to amaze her.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I am going out dressed like this tonight,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile.

    ¡°So, like a man¡ª¡± Although the getup didn¡¯t rob her good-looks, there¡¯s always a little difort lingering.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Ye Zhen was quite decided she had thought this through. This was a patriarchal society, where women were expected to look beautiful and men powerful. Although both had their advantages and disadvantages, it was undeniable that some things were much more convenient for men than women. After all, they possessed something that women were deprived of- freedom.

    At dusk, Ye Zhen dragged Lu Xiangzhi out of the door. Just when they got out of the Lu Mansion¡¯s gate, they were greeted by the sight of a blue carriageing their way. Before anyone could as much as think, the curtain parted, and the puerile face of Mo Rongyi came into view.

    ¡°Little Prince?!¡± Lu Xiangzhi looked at him in amazement. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    Mo Rongyi hopped off the carriage as soon as it halted. ¡°I¡¯m here to enjoy the Lantern Festival tonight. Yaoyao, this little prince allows you to watch thenterns with me.¡±

    Ye Zhenughingly nodded. ¡°Many thanks to Little Prince¡¯s benevolence.¡±

    ¡°For the sake of curing my illness.¡± Mo Rongyi put on a haughty look and looked at Ye Zhen again. ¡°Why are you dressed like this?¡±

    ¡°This is convenient. Well, let¡¯s go.¡± Ye Zhen said humorously, ¡°If we don¡¯t go now, there will be too many people in a while, and we can¡¯t squeeze in the crowd.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi had a headacheing. As if his sister wasn¡¯t enough, not the little prince joined the melee. <i>It would be simply dangerous tonight.</i>

    ¡°Yaoyao, why don¡¯t you go with your second and fourth sisters?¡± Lu Xiangzhi asked Ye Zhen in a low voice thinking it would be good for his young sisters to have fun together.

    Ye Zhen said faintly, ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡±

    Lu Fang and her friends had gone out together. They didn¡¯t roam around but just stayed in the tavern¡¯s wing room, watching the fun from afar. Ye Zhen used to be like that. She thought thatdies of the wealthy family shouldn¡¯t join in the fun everywhere. There was a decorum that one had to adhere to, an image that had to be maintained at all costs. Opulence came with more don¡¯ts than dos.

    Perhaps, with <i>that</i> life such notions had long bid adieu. For now, all Ye Zhen cared about was enjoying every moment bestowed upon her. She had long packed away the ¡°wooden noble Miss¡±, this edition would see her letting loose and embracing her desires unabashedly.

    Soon, they arrived at the main street. What was usually a mundanene, was not adorned withnterns and colorful banners on either sides, lighting it up as bright as day. People came and went,ughing and talking, adding the bustles of what would have been an otherwise quiet time. Anywhere the eyes saw, there was nothing but similes and more smiles. The excitement was contagious that one would be easily swayed away.

    While Mo Rongyi was being protected by two imperial servants, Lu Xiangzhi blocked the crowd for Ye Zhen, not letting anyone get close to her.

    ¡°That¡¯s the Lantern Tower over there. Let¡¯s go and have a look.¡± Mo Rongyi pointed to the temporary set-up in front of them and urged Ye Zhen to apany him.

    Ye Zhen used to only watch others fightnterns in the tavern, not really being able to appreciate thenterns in the tower. She immediately nodded at the newfound opportunity. ¡°Let¡¯s go and have a look. I also want to know what Lantern King looks like this year.¡±

    Mo Rongyi¡¯s puerile and handsome face shed a different color and soon returned to normal. ¡°In a while, you will see whichntern is the Lantern King.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled and nodded. ¡°Well, I have a good eye.¡±

    When they arrived at the front of thentern tower, many were already fightingnterns. This was a seriouspetition and the rules were very pretty simple. People wouldpete with each, in that, the bestntern would win. The winner in turn would progress to the next level while the loser would go home. So on and so forth, through systematic elimination, thestntern standing would be dered the Lantern King and awarded 1,200 taels of silver from the imperial court.

    One thousand two hundred silver taels was a lot of money for themoners. How many would give it their all and disy their skills to be the Lantern King by all means?

    ¡°Hey, those twonterns on the stage are very beautiful. Can¡¯t no onepete?¡± Ye Zhen pointed to the twonterns hanging on the building¡¯s balcony: one was a vivid and lifelike peacockntern, the other an octagon depicting a phoenix surrounded by birds bowing in reverence.

    Only

    Mo Rongyi asked in a low voice, ¡°Which of the twonterns do you think can be the Lantern King?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t say for sure. Perhaps there will be better-lookingnterns in a while,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile.

    ¡°Humph! You don¡¯t have a good eye at all!¡± Mo Rongyi disdained her in a low voice.

    Understandably, thepetition was time bound. So, after another half hour had passed and there were still no contenders for the twonterns on the stage, they were both dered as the Lantern King ¡®candidates¡¯.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need topete any more. The Lantern King title belongs to this young master.¡± Before even deciding the oue, a young man in silk brocade, feeling high and mighty, stood up and dered aloud.

 Chapter 296 - What the Heart Says (1)

    <strong>Chapter 296 ¨C What the Heart Says (1)</strong>

    As the haughty voice rose bustling fell, and soon the crowd quieted. Not many knew who the voice belonged to, but Ye Zhen and Mo Rongyi were the clearest as to who it was. Such arrogance and conceit only a handful in this capital possessed and this was none other than one-half of the imperious siblings- Xie Longyuan.

    Princess Royal had a son and a daughter with Liu Hua being the eldest and Xie Longyuan the youngest. Just like his hoity-toity sister, this young master took shelter under the shadows of his mother¡¯s status and bullied the people in the capital all day long. He was a perfect example of a tyrant, basking in thepany of idlers and sycophants who kowtowed to and ttered the mighty while abusing and harassing the weak. He and his cronies amused themselves with drinking, loafing, and picking on people. Many in the capital avoided him and dare not confront him head-on, lest they be bullied and have nowhere to avenge themselves.

    There was a time when Mo Rongyi used to fear this scourge and avoided him like the gue. But that was all in the past. Now, the little prince was only filled with deep resentment and fury having been ridiculed and bullied. This time, he wouldn¡¯t go without a fight.

    ¡°We haven¡¯t started thentern fight yet. Why is the title Lantern King yours?¡± The little prince demanded aloud.

    The days and deeds of a wastrel are hard to keep an ount of. One couldn¡¯t tell just how many people had been victims of Xie Longyuan¡¯s harassment. That said, there was no one in the capital who wasn¡¯t privy to his wayward ways.

    The young master looked towards where the defiant voice hade from. He saw that it was a young boy and hispanions, seemingly good-looking and dressed beautifully. He quickly deduced he must be the son of a wealthy family, used to having all his wishes granted. But who could ever intimidate him except for the in the pce?

    ¡°Why?¡± Xie Longyuan leveled his gaze at the boy, pointed to the peacockntern, and said in an even louder voice, ¡°That is myntern. Why, do you think you canpete with me?¡±

    In response, Mo Rongyi pointed to the octagonalntern and said, ¡°That¡¯s myntern. I don¡¯t think myntern is inferior to yours.¡±

    Xie Longyuan burst outughing. ¡°Oh, there are still people who dare to fightnterns with me! Come here and let this young master see what skills you have.¡±

    ¡°What skills does one need in thisntern fight? We only look atnterns.¡± Ye Zhen nced idly at the snob and saw that he had the same conduct as Liu Hua. Indeed, a brother-sister pair raised under the ¡®able¡¯ tutge of Princess Royal.

    ¡°Well, let the judges decide which of these twonterns is the winner.¡± Xie Longyuan looked at the judging panel on the stage, threatening them with his fierce face.

    There were five judges on the stage. Apart from the assistant minister of the Ministry of Works, the others are all experts at makingnterns. This assistant minister knew all too well who Xie Longyuan was, and also Mo Rongyi. So, with almost no hesitation, he chose Mo Rongyi¡¯sntern as the king ofnterns.

    However, the other four were hesitant. The twonterns had their own characteristics, but the peacockntern seemed more exquisite.

    ¡°Although it¡¯smon to see a hundred birds in front of a phoenix, take a closer look.¡± As he spoke, with a smile, the assistant minister gently twirled thentern. Just this small action and all the birds on thentern seemed to havee alive.

    ¡°True God!¡± Someone eximed in admiration.

    Ye Zhen looked at Mo Rongyi with surprise. ¡°Is that thentern you made?¡±

    Mo Rongyi snorted calmly. ¡°Yes, I spent a long time making it.¡±

    Only

    ¡°You are really amazing!¡± Ye Zhen sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had such skills.¡±

    Xie Longyuan said with a ck face, ¡°But are a few stray birdsparable to my peacock king?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯te out to disgrace people if you don¡¯t have insight. No matter how beautiful the peacock is, how can itpare with the phoenix? Who dares to say that the peacock is above the phoenix?¡± Ye Zhen sneered.

    A hundred birds paying reverence to the phoenix, a scene adorning a robe befitting only the empress dowager and the emperor. Now that he had called them ¡®a few stray birds¡¯ in arrogance, Xie Longyuan was like an ant on a hot pan, afraid he had gotten himself into trouble.

    One needs to understand, like their mother who was infamous for her menacing ways, her children were no different. Ever since he was a child, Xie Longyuan had spent his days browbeating and tyrannizing people. So, this girl and boy who stood before him with their chins held high, rebutting him at every turn with even more haughtiness than his, without fearing the consequence ... it was his first time encountering something like this. Would he cow down?

 Chapter 297 - What the He

    <strong>Chapter 297 ¨C What the Heart Says (2)</strong>

    ¡°What are you? Dare to talk to this young master like that!¡± Xie Longyuan shouted aloud, pointing to Ye Zhen.

    ¡°I am your grandfather,¡± Ye Zhen said, smiling.

    Lu Xiangzhi, who had made his presence scarce until now, coughed lightly. As much as he wanted to beat Xie Longyuan because he was the son of Princess Royal he had to restrain himself because of the royal personage beside him and let him handle it.

    Xie Longyuan¡¯s face turned red with anger. ¡°Hold them for this young master, and beat them to death!¡±

    Mo Rongyi took a step forward and looked at Xie Longyuan coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch her!¡±

    ¡°If you want to fight for a while, let us see first to whom thentern king title will be rewarded.¡± Ye Zhen was not afraid of Xie Longyuan. There were many who could defend Mo Rongyi. Xie Longyuan wanted to fight them, but he didn¡¯t want to die.

    ¡°The Lantern King is¡ª¡± the assistant minister of the Minister of Works looked at Xie Longyuan and said, ¡°A hundred birds paying reverence to the phoenix, octagonalmp.¡±

    Xie Longyuan had been dead sure of winning. He had long wagered with others that he would be the Lantern King. Now that the title was snatched away by a boy, how could he stomach the humiliation? He immediately ordered his entourage behind him to catch thed. ¡°Just break their hands and feet, but keep them alive.¡±

    Ye Zhen pulled Mo Rongyi and took a step back. Seeing this, Xie Longyuan¡¯s courage grew. He said to the two servants around Mo Rongyi, ¡°Forget it. Kill them if you have to. It is useless for such people to live.¡±

    Mo Rongyi snorted coldly. ¡°Whoever touches this prince shall be put to death.¡±

    Right in front of the Lantern Tower, it was utter pandemonium. Xie Longyuan hadn¡¯t expected expert fighters around Mo Rongyi. Looking at how they were making a child¡¯s y out of hisckeys, he immediately surged with the need to jump into the fray.

    In order to protect Mo Rongyi and Ye Zhen, Lu Xiangzhi kicked out those who approached and stuck close to them. He had to do something.

    Ye Zhen watched it all with relish. How could Xie Longyuan¡¯s idle followerspare with the pce guards? Just a few tricks and they were beaten ck and blue.

    She tried to locate Mo Rongyi in the midst of this chaos and found him standing on the other side. Just when she wanted to move to that side, she suddenly felt an arm around her waist. Before the startled her could even cry out for help, she was whisked out of the melee. After several twists and turns, she realized she had left thentern tower far behind. And it had all happened with such speed, that she didn¡¯t even have the chance to shout.

    ¡°Let me go! Help!¡± Ye Zhen screamed as she was being carried into the depths of a desertedne. She felt unprecedented fear. <i>Who is this person? What does he want to do?</i>

    ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± A deep voice rang by her ear, and Ye Zhen was too stiff to struggle any more.

    ¡°Mo Rongzhan?¡± She blurted out and called him by name.

    Mo Rongzhan locked her in his arms and looked at her with low eyes. ¡°Lu Yaoyao, you have be bolder and bolder. You dare to encourage the little prince to fight with Xie Longyuan.¡±

    Ye Zhen was in a panic.<i> What does he want to do that he brought me to this ce? Shouldn¡¯t he hate me and not even want to see me?</i>

    ¡°How can I not when it was very clear that Xie Longyuan wanted to bully the little prince?¡± Ye Zhen looked up in defiance and stared at him. There were no lights in the alley. She could only see his handsome outlined by the moonlight. His eyes shone like the morning star, bright and pure. She seemed to vaguely see the smile at the corner of his lips.

    Mo Rongzhan lowered his head and smiled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of being clumsy?¡±

    Ye Zhen said faintly, ¡°What am I afraid of? If worsees to worst, the people in Princess Royal¡¯s Mansion will be caught again.¡±

    ¡°Do you me me for being unfair and not getting justice for you?¡± Mo Rongzhan dipped his head and sniffed the faint fragrance of her temples. The gloomy mood seemed to be much lighter now.

    Only

    ¡°This official¡¯s daughter dares not,¡± Ye Zhen replied coldly.

    Mo Rongzhan looked at her for a moment, pinched, and pecked her pink lips gently. ¡°You cannot dare to say it, but is that what you think in your heart?¡±

    Ye Zhen gasped, <i>why did he kiss me? He knows I look like the woman he hates the most!</i>

    ¡°What? Nothing to say?¡± Mo Rongzhan chuckled and couldn¡¯t help kissing her soft lips a few times.

    <i>Pa¡ª</i>

 Chapter 298 - Do You Have Someone In Mind? (1)

    <strong>Chapter 298 ¨C Do You Have Someone In Mind? (1)</strong>

    <i>Pa¡ª</i>

    A clear sound echoed, and Mo Rongzhan¡¯s cheek was covered with a shallow palm print. His warm lips were still glued to Ye Zhen¡¯s cheek. Although he did not feel any pain, this was the second time he was hit, and by the same woman at that.

    Ye Zhen bit her lip tightly, ayer of mist formed in her limpid eyes. Every time she saw him, she was reminded of the mncholy and solitude that had apanied her for two years instead of the husband she longed for. Just when she had stowed him away like a precious, beautiful dream, and told herself he must have forgotten her, he had taken in another woman as <i><strong>her</strong></i> ... and showered the imposter with all his love and affection. She had stood there and watched in silence, his apathy for her and love for the who he thought was her. She felt she had made peace with it all, nursed her aching heart while living her second chance. But reality proved otherwise. Even after so long, she could not NOT feel nothing for him ... she could not treat him as a stranger when she saw him. She was unreconciled with herself.

    How much she loved him once was how much she hated him now ...

    ¡°This is the second time you have hit me.¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s fingers gently stroked the skin around her neck, his fingers were a little rough rendering her delicate skin limp and numb.

    Ye Zhen pressed both her hands against his chest and looked at him coldly. ¡°Your Majesty, this official¡¯s daughter is not a shameless person. Please let me go.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan pushed forward further, almost holding her whole person in his arms, his breath brushing her ear. ¡°Should Zhen sentence you to death, or ... should I punish you through other ways?¡±

    ¡°Had you not acted in such a way, I would not have hit you.¡± Ye Zhen held back her tears refusing to show her weakness before him. When she had loved him with all her heart, he had heartlessly turned a blind eye to it. He had trampled her heart, emotions and threw her aside like a rag. Now that she had a second chance, being reborn in her sister, thest thing she wanted was treading the same path that had once lead her to bleakness. She wanted to stay as far away as possible from him, never to have any contact with him. And yet, he provoked her again and again.

    <i>What did he want to do?</i>

    Mo Rongzhan did not speak a word. He simply lowered his head and kissed her lips. Unlike the kiss a while ago, that was just like a dragonfly grazing past the water, this time it was more intense. He forcefully pried open her pursed lips and like a hurricane, stormed into her mouth. In retaliation, she clenched her teeth, stubbornly refusing to loosen up. But the man didn¡¯t care, he sucked her pink lips hard until she breathed out softly in pain. His tongue took advantage of her momentarypse in attention and burrowed deep into her mouth and absorbing all her sweetness.

    Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t push him away, nor could she endure him. She felt sick at the thought of the many concubines in his inner pce, how he had would have entangled with those women. She felt her stomach churn.

    Mo Rongzhan couldn¡¯t stop kissing and loathed to part away. Her lips were really soft and tender, the more he tasted the more he wanted to indulge. He sped her hands on the wall with one hand, slipped the other into her jacket ... gently kneading her well-endowed bosom.

    <i>This bastard ... This scoundrel ...</i>

    Ye Zhen¡¯s tears gushed out of her eyes, her hate for him growing deeper. Mo Rongzhan kissed her tears bit by bit, and then covered her lips again. He was just that reluctant to let her go.

    Bitterness filled her heart, she hated to be dominated by him all the time. <i>Why do I¡¯ve to hurt myself like this? So what if he¡¯s the emperor? If worstes to worst, I¡¯ll die again!</i>

    Only

    <i>Go to hell! Asshole!</i>

    ¡°Ugh...¡± Mo Rongzhan groaned in pain as a metallic but sweet taste spread through his mouth. He looked at her coldly with low eyes. ¡°You bit me?¡±

    Finally free from his grasp, Ye Zhen red daggers at him and gasped for air. She was going to bite him to death!

    Mo Rongzhan chuckled, smiling in a seemingly frightful manner. As if she had challenged him, he blocked her lips hard once more, and let her experience the sweet taste in his mouth.

    ¡°Mo Rongzhan, back off! Go away!¡± Ye Zhen kicked him like crazy. She found him repulsive, disgusting, and making her feel sick in the stomach.

 Chapter 299 - Do You Have Someone In Mind? (2)

    <strong>Chapter 299 ¨C Do You Have Someone In Mind? (2)</strong>

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s lips departed Ye Zhen¡¯s. He held her in his arms and whispered, ¡°Lu Yaoyao, the more you resist, the more Zhen will want you.¡±

    Ye Zhen cried uncontrobly. ¡°You are so disgusting. Don¡¯t touch me.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s face turned livid at her reaction. Women longed for his touch and her she was ...¡±What makes you feel sick about Zhen?¡±

    ¡°Let me go, I¡¯m going to throw up.¡±

    Even before either of them could move away, a deep nauseous feeling surged within ... she couldn¡¯t help retching.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, how dare you!¡± An enraged Mo Rongzhan stared at the woman who had thrown up all over him. <i>She actually threw up because I kissed her?</i>

    Ye Zhen vomited all the food she had eaten that evening and felt much morefortable. She raised her head and saw the filth painted on Mo Rongzhan¡¯s chest. She turned white and stepped back a few steps. ¡°I just said, I feel disgusted ... It¡¯s none of my business.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to die?¡± Mo Rongzhan gnashed his teeth and asked.

    Ye Zhen wiped the tears on her face, hurled at him to ask aloud, ¡°Just what did I do wrong? I did not provoke you. Can¡¯t you let me be? Do you not think of Ye Zhen when you see me? The woman you betrayed and killed, don¡¯t you feel even a little guilty when you go to bed every night?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to Zhen who you look like.¡± Although Mo Rong Zhan was stered with filth, he was still imposing, not a bit embarrassed. ¡°Zhen has never felt guilty for Ye Zhen. Zhen does not owe her!¡±

    Ye Zhen suddenlyughed. ¡°Right, Ye Zhen is no more than an insignificant woman to you. There are so many women in your harem, which one do you truly care about?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan slightly squinted at Ye Zhen. ¡°Lu Yaoyao, what do you want? Zhen can give it to you.¡±

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, you are joking. You cannot give me what I want. Please let me go for the sake of the Lu Family,¡± Ye Zhen said in a low voice, her face so pale and body frail.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Mo Rongzhan looked at her intently and asked.

    Ye Zhen looked up at him. The irony of her life was just too funny. This man had been the root of it all, then and now. When she was determined to marry him, she had only one desire in her heart, no matter how many lives she took, this wouldn¡¯t change. ¡°I only desire for a man who will never leave me. I just want to spend my life with my beloved. He doesn¡¯t have to have a high post, wealth, or glory and splendor as long as he is sincere and stays with me all his life. This is what I want, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± Her voice was low but resolute.

    Mo Rongzhan looked at her silently, and recalled what he had thought of her these past few days. Originally, because she resembled Ye Zhen, his interest in her was not as strong, but he didn¡¯t know why looking at other women in the pce, he missed her more and more .. to the point that even if she resembled Ye Zhen, it didn¡¯t matter anymore.

    Only

    So, knowing that Mo Rongyi wasing to meet her today, he came along and just to see her. Looking at her standing beside the little prince, garbed in men¡¯s clothing evoked in him have an urge to catch her and hide her in his arms so that no man could see her. She did not look like a man but was more charming and lovelier than when she was dressed in women¡¯s clothing.

    She has seen her take the opportunity to provoke Mo Rongyi to fight with Xie Longyuan. He had immediately sent people to protect the little prince and then took her away while taking advantage of the ensuingmotion. He just wanted to say a few words to her, but when he held her in his arms, he couldn¡¯t help but want to kiss her.

    But she actually threw up ... How much she loathed him .... She also said that she wanted to stay with her beloved ... Mo Rongzhan¡¯s heart seemed to have been struck with something inexplicable, he had a sudden impulse to kill someone.

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, please let me go.¡± Ye Zhen saw that he remained mum, so she urged again in a low voice.

    ¡°Do you have someone in mind?¡± Mo Rongzhan leveled his gaze at her and asked coldly.

 Chapter 300 - Why Does He Care?

    <strong>Chapter 300 ¨C Why Does He Care?</strong>

    An eerie silence surrounded the man and the woman, arresting them in a battle of res. The doe-eyes were seething with anger and resentment, while the hawk-eyes anxiety and envy.

    <i>Why does he care whether there¡¯s someone on my mind? That¡¯s none of his business!</i>

    Her grievances of the past, his coercion of the present assaulted her rationality, and the desire to rain curses and hurl abuses at this so-called righteousness started to overtake her. She almost yelled at the man but never did the storm in her heart reflect on her countenance. She simply looked at him calmly and said, ¡°Yes.¡±

    There was once a person who she thought she would love for her entire life. One who was the most precious to her, who she knew would treasure her heart just like she would his.

    The indifference and gloom in those dark irises couldn¡¯t be more pronounced as they bore right into the misty eyes without breaching the silence.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s heart was pounding fast, not knowing what he would do to her. <i>Would he give her death or treat her crueler?</i>

    ¡°Send her back!¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s deep and cold voice roared in the depths of the silent alley.

    Before Ye Zhen could react, a shadow appeared behind her. ¡°Miss Lu, please.¡±

    She stared at the stranger, deathly frightened. She hadn¡¯t known there was someone else other than them here. <i>Did he see what Mo Rongzhan did to her just now?</i>

    Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t leave a word to her, just his cold back.

    Ye Zhen nodded slightly to the man in ck and followed him out of the dark alley.

    ?

    On the other side, the chaos at thentern tower had subsided. Xie Longyuan and his entourage had disappeared, and Lu Xiangzhi and Mo Rongyi were anxiously looking for Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Little Prince, Brother.¡± Ye Zhen tidied up her clothes and ran to them.

    ¡°Yaoyao, where have you been? We¡¯ve been looking for you.¡± Lu Xiangzhi was nervous because he couldn¡¯t find her.

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°I was just pushed away by the crowd and got lost. But I found you now.¡±

    Mo Rongyi took a look at her and was relieved to see that she was not hurt. ¡°We thought you were caught by Xie Longyuan¡¯s men. I¡¯m d to see you¡¯re all right.¡±

    ¡°Are you all okay?¡± Ye Zhen hurriedly asked and ran a casual nce to her rear, but the man in ck was already nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°Of course we¡¯re all right. You didn¡¯t see us beat Xie Longyuan? Princess Liu Hua was also here, trying to put pressure on me. But don¡¯t worry, I have avenged you,¡± Mo Rongyi said.

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°What did you do?¡±

    It was Lu Xiangzhi who answered. ¡°While Little Prince was beating Xie Longyuan up, Xie Liu Hua was holding antern and trying to smash it on Little Prince, but she was blocked back and her hair was burnt instead.¡±

    ¡°She deserved it!¡±

    Xie Liu Hua was really audacious, going as far as to do whatever she pleased. So pompous and conceited she was, that she dared not think twice before hurting the little prince.

    Mo Rongyi smiled. ¡°The two of them used to bully me, but they didn¡¯t know who I was. Then when he did learn of my identity, he was scared to death.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled and nodded. ¡°They were blind.¡±

    Xie Longyuan was not the only one who didn¡¯t recognize Mo Rongyi since the little prince was not favored before. At that time, probably no one would have thought that Mo Rongzhan would suddenly be the emperor.

    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, we should go back,¡± Lu Xiangzhi said to Ye Zhen.

    Mo Rongyi had his servants bring hisntern over. ¡°Lu Yaoyao, thisntern is for you.¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°I promised to give you one, and this is the King of Lanterns.¡± Mo Rongyi looked verycent.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± As Ye Zhen took thentern, she expressed her sincere gratitude. She could tell he wanted to stand up for her with Princess Royal, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t hide his identity and fight with Xie Longyuan deliberately.

    Mo Rongyi¡¯s cheeks flushed slightly, but he pretended to be calm. ¡°No need to thank me. This is my reward for you.¡±

    Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t help butugh, how could she not know that behind the imperial facade, this prince was just a little boy. ¡°I will cherish it. Thank you for your reward, Your Imperial Highness.¡±

    After parting ways with Mo Rongyi, Lu Xiangzhi sent Ye Zhen back to Lu Mansion. Sitting in the carriage, Ye Zhen curled up into a ball and buried her face in her knees, still shaken up by the events just then. She was really afraid that Mo Rongzhan ... wouldn¡¯t let her go!

    Only

    At this moment, Lu Xiangzhi was recounting to her how they¡¯d fought with Xie Longyuan. ¡°¡ªXie Liu Hua brought several men with her, and we almost lost. But suddenly some guards came from nowhere and beat their ass out.¡±

    <i>They were probably Mo Rongzhan¡¯s people. I wonder how long had he been around. </i>Ye Zhen thought.

    ¡°Yaoyao, was everything all right tonight?¡± Lu Xiangzhi asked her outside of the carriage.

    Ye Zhen raised her head, showed a faint smile knowing well the meaning behind her brother¡¯s words. Her heart warmed and she promptly reassured him. ¡°No, I already told you, I was just lost.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi smiled back. ¡°All right then.¡±

 Chapter 301 - A Childrenâ€™s Quarrel (1)

    <strong>Chapter 301 ¨C A Children¡¯s Quarrel (1)</strong>

    After they returned to the Lu Mansion, Ye Zhen simply said she was too tired and excused herself from seeing the old madam. News of the incident at thentern tower had been passed back, so Lu Xiangzhi needed to exin to their grandmother.

    Ye Zhen regretted going out today and didn¡¯t want to hear about thentern tower anymore.

    Once she was back in her room, she asked Dai Mei to store thentern she was carrying carefully. She changed her clothes and looked into the mirror, smiling bitterly. If she would have gone to the main hall, Old Madam would be suspicious.

    It was dim outside so Lu Xiangzhi and Mo Rongyi hadn¡¯t noticed, but now, under the bright light, it was all obvious.

    In the mirror was a pale Ye Zhen with red and swollen lips. She seemed like she was ... She undid her clothes and saw the scratches on her chest. She closed her eyes, wanting to forget everything that had happened.

    ¡°Miss, Third Lady sent some rice balls to you,¡± Dai Mei said as she entered.

    Ye Zhen immediately moved her face and answered quietly, ¡°Just leave it there. I¡¯ll go to bed after eating.¡±

    As shey on the bed, Ye Zhen was still thinking about the way Mo Rongzhan turned his back to her. She was unsure of what to expect next. The man had been unpredictable after all.

    But she was sure of one thing though... No matter what punishment or condemnation Mo Rongzhan bestowed upon her, she would not ept willingly!

    ?

    On the other side, Lu Xiangzhi was narrating to Old Madam Lu and his parents everything that had happened in thentern tower.

    ¡°¡ª Xie Longyuan and Xie Liu Hua were beaten up by Little Prince¡¯s men. Especially Princess Liu Hua, her hair was all burnt. I¡¯m afraid she wouldn¡¯t want toe out for at least a couple of months.¡±

    While his heart cried <i>Well done!, </i>with a solemn face, Lu Shiming¡¯s lips said, ¡°How can you young people fight outside?¡±

    Old Madam Lu asked with a smile, ¡°Yaoyao was not frightened, was she?¡±

    ¡°Grandmother, Yaoyao was just a little tired. She was frightened too, so she went to rest now, but she wille to see you tomorrow,¡± Lu Xiangzhi said.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need. Just let her rest well.¡± Old Madam Lu felt that Ye Zhen was probably tired after her nerves had settled.

    Pei Shi scowled Lu Xiangzhi. ¡°You¡¯re so sweaty, go change.¡±

    Only now did Lu Xiangzhi resign from Old Madam Lu¡¯s side with a smile.

    ?

    A storm was headed towards the Princess Royal¡¯s Mansion.

    Huffing and puffing the siblings ran back to their mother. When she saw her precious children were in a dire state, Princess Royal immediately ordered her guards to teach those responsible a lesson. However, she quickly forced down her anger when she heard who the culprit was.

    She had already exposed two of her hidden confidants when she executed the thugs in the Ministry of Justice before. She knew the emperor must be keeping an eye on her, so she could onlyy low this time.

    ¡°Mother, you have to avenge us. That little bastard Mo Rongyi, how dare he beat me!¡± Xie Longyuan cried. He had never been so embarrassed growing up. All his life, he had been the one to tyrannize people, now that he got a taste of his own medicine he immediately cried foul.

    Princess Royal looked at her treasured son and said in a low voice, ¡°Who let you provoke Little Prince? Where were your men? Why did they watch you being beaten like this?¡±

    ¡°There were too many of them, we couldn¡¯t beat them. He was only a little prince, I couldn¡¯t believe there were imperial pce masters following him,¡± said an aggrieved Xie Longyuan.

    ¡°Imperial pce masters?¡± Princess Royal mulled over the words. ¡°Who else did you see beside the little prince?¡±

    Xie Longyuan shook his head. He didn¡¯t remember what the little prince looked like, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have initiated the fight. ¡°There were two other people, very white, like girls¡ª¡±

    ¡°Mother, why are you asking these questions? Let¡¯s go to the pce and seek Empress Dowager and His Majesty for justice.¡± Looking at her half-burnt hair Liu Hua wanted to kill herself. Now she wanted to kill that little bastard, Mo Rongyi.

    ¡°Do you think His Majesty will be on our side?¡± Princess Royal said coldly.

    Liu Hua cried and stomped in vexation. ¡°Mother, look what he has done to me, do we just let it go?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go into the pce tomorrow, but you shall stay away from Little Prince from now on.¡± Princess Royal only hoped that this wasn¡¯t a warning to them from the emperor.

    Only

    ¡°Mother, what about me? Can I still go into the pce like this?¡± Liu Hua wailed.

    She rubbed her daughter¡¯s head lovingly. ¡°Your hair will grow back soon. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Early next morning, Princess Royal entered the pce. She sought the empress dowager and cried injustice for her children saying they were bullied by Mo Rongyi¡¯s men and hoped that she could stand up for them.

    The empress dowagerforted her. ¡°Little Prince has already told me about this. It was just a children¡¯s quarrel and nothing else. Is Longyuan okay? Ay, how could Rongyi hit his family?¡±

    Princess Royal almost choked on her breath in rage when she heard those words. <i>Children¡¯s quarrel? Was that only a children¡¯s quarrel?</i>

 Chapter 302 - A Childrenâ€™s Quarrel

    <strong>Chapter 302 ¨C A Children¡¯s Quarrel (2)</strong>

    ¡°Empress Dowager, even if it was only children quarreling, he shouldn¡¯t have burnt Liu Hua¡¯s hair!¡± she cried.

    ¡°I heard that was because Liu Hua was trying to smash A¡¯Yi with thatntern, and the guard blocked her. I will scold that guard, don¡¯t you worry.¡± The empress dowager calmly replied.

    Now Princess Royal understood the other was clearly on Little Prince¡¯s side. So, if she said what happenedst night was only a children¡¯s quarrel, then there was nothing they could discuss.

    Even though she was unwilling to let Mo Rongyi get away from this, he was the blood brother of the emperor, Empress Dowager¡¯s favorite son. What else could she do?

    As such, Princess Royal left the pce aggrieved and unreconciled. However, to appease her, the empress dowager decreed to seal Liu Hua as Hua Fei, and excuse her froming to the pce before she recovered.

    When Ye Zhen heard this news, she just sneered in her heart. This was indeed Mo Rongzhan¡¯s way of doing things. When he nned to win over someone, he would always reassure the person when the person was aggrieved. At least she and her brother were not implicated in the incidentst night, so that was good news. However, she didn¡¯t know if Mo Rongzhan would let her off the hook.

    ?

    After the Lantern Festival, it was time for Ye Zhen to return to the academy. She had to attend the Imperial Physician¡¯s Exam in March. Although she was confident in her medical skills, she wouldn¡¯t take it lightly and wholeheartedly immersed herself in gaining new knowledge.

    As time slowly passed, she was finally able to put behind the incident of the Lantern Festival. She also entered the pce to meet the Empress Dowager afterwards. While there, she caught sight of Mo Rongzhan enjoying the flowers in the imperial garden with Xu Huiru. He treated her like everyone else, indifferent and aloof as if what happened that evening was only her nightmare.

    This was enough. He had let her off, and she didn¡¯t have to worry anymore!

    ¡°Yaoyao, tomorrow is the second of February, Dragon-Head-Raising Festival. Let¡¯s go to the temple to worship.¡± Pei Shi came in and saw her daughter cooped up inside the house again reading a book. Ever since the Lantern Festival, Lu Yaoyao had mewed herself up in the mansion refusing to step out unless absolutely necessary.

    Ye Zhen raised her head and smiled. ¡°Mother, what brought you here?¡±

    ¡°Look at you, you¡¯ve lost a lot of weight and always stay inside the house. I used to worry about you running around, now I worry that you stay in the house too much.¡± A slightly miffed Pei Shi then said, ¡°If I knew that this would happen after you entered the School of Medicine, I wouldn¡¯t have let you go.¡±

    ¡°Mother, can I go worship with you tomorrow?¡± Ye Zhen immediately put down the book in her hand and ran to hold Pei Shi¡¯s arms.

    Pei Shi chuckled and shook her head, knowing all too well her daughter¡¯s coquetry. ¡°What were you reading?¡±

    ¡°The book Mister Chen gave me. Mother, where did the Qi Medical ssicse from in our family?¡± Ye Zhen asked.

    ¡°Qi Medical ssics?¡± Pei Shi was confused. ¡°Howe I¡¯ve never seen that book? The books I gave you are mostly collected in the border town. Do we really have the Qi Medical ssics?¡±

    As the daughter of a doctor¡¯s family, Pei Shi naturally understood the meaning of the Qi Medical ssics and couldn¡¯t believe such a precious book was in their possession.

    ¡°There¡¯s only one, mainly about various medical cases. Mister Chen has lent me several others,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    Pei Shi was a little surprised. ¡°Then you shall take a good look. Qi¡¯s Medical ssics are extremely precious, many people have wished to read them but never had a chance. We¡¯re really lucky.¡±

    Ye Zhen nodded. ¡°I will read them very carefully.¡±

    Only

    She was very grateful to Huangfu Chen. If it were her, she might not be willing to lend such precious books, but he did it without any hesitation.

    ¡°All right, you need to prepare. Let¡¯s go to the temple tomorrow, and fetch some water back from the moat. There is this custom in the capital, that after His Majesty brings the citizens and the officials to make offerings to God, Heaven would send blessed water to the moat, and if we bring back some water to our well, we will be blessed to have enough food and clothing for a year.¡± Pei Shi exined to her.

    ¡°Mother, I know. We shall take more tomorrow; we have two wells.¡± Ye Zhen smiled.

    How could she not know about the custom of the second of February?

    In the past, her father used to take her to the moat. He told her that although customs and legends were not credible, traditions must be followed.

 Chapter 303 - Divination (1)

    <strong>Chapter 303 ¨C Divination (1)</strong>

    On the second of February, also referred to as the Dragon-Head-Raising Festival, the empress dowager would deliver meals and the emperor would cultivate in the farnd in person.

    The Dragon-Head-Raising Festival originated in the Fuxi era. Fuxi valued agriculture, and dragons were said to be able to bring blessings and dispel disasters, symbolizing auspiciousness. So it had be a custom to pray for peace and good harvest with various dragon-rted folk activities.

    Ye Zhen went out with Pei Shi early in the morning. The ceremony today would be crowded, so Old Madam Lu didn¡¯t join them.

    After worshiping in the temple, they went to the moat.

    Despite the early hours, a throng was spread across the moat. Ye Zhen chose to watch from a distance, not intending to approach at all.

    ¡°Yaoyao, you can just wait here, and I¡¯ll go get the water with your brother.¡± Seeing the crowd yonder, Pei Shi also felt it was inappropriate to let Lu Yaoyao go with them, as such, she let her wait at an empty and shaded ce.

    Lu Xiangzhi pointed in a distance and said, ¡°Mother, let¡¯s go somewhere further, there are fewer people over there.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Pei Shi nodded. Some people would send servants to get the water, buting in person would express their sincerity.

    ¡°Did Second Aunte to fetch water as well?¡± Ye Zhen caught sight of Lu Jing and reckoned that Wang Shi should have brought her cousin out in the morning already.

    Pei Shi didn¡¯t want to talk about Wang Shi, she just nodded slightly in response. ¡°It has nothing to do with us whether shees or not.¡±

    Upon her mother¡¯s reluctance, Ye Zhen stopped prodding further. Last time, she was almost abducted, and this Second Lady of the Lu Family had been gloating for quite some time. What¡¯s more, she had even spread some rumors outside infuriating the ever serene Pei Shi. When Old Madam Lu caught wind of the matter, she reprimanded and constrained Wang Shi. However, her third daughter-inw was unreconciled and stopped talking to the woman with malicious intent towards her daughter. Thus, they came out separately today.

    Ye Zhen waited while Pei Shi and Lu Xiangzhi went to fetch the water. She was bored at first, standing there by herself until she unexpectedly saw Huangfu Chen.

    He was holding a little boy, and talking about something whileing out of the moat. He didn¡¯t notice Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Mister Chen, you are here too.¡± Ye Zhen walked onwards and greeted them with a smile.

    ¡°Miss Lu?¡± Huangfu Chen seemed to be surprised at meeting her and smiled back at her. ¡°Are you here for the water too?¡±

    ¡°I came here with my mother. I didn¡¯t know Mister Chen ... Do you also believe that the water in the moat will bring blessings?¡± Ye Zhen said.

    She remembered that Huangfu Chen was proficient in divination. He might not be able to make prophecies, but he seemed to see things better than others.

    ¡°If you believe so, then you¡¯re blessed,¡± Huangfu Chen said with a smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± The little boy next to Huangfu Chen looked at Ye Zhen with surprise. ¡°I remember you!¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at the boy, searching through her memory, and finally remembered that he was the boy that she saved with <i>lingquan</i> for the first time. He seemed to be the grandson of Imperial Physician Qi.

    ¡°Thank you, Miss Lu, for saving my nephew.¡± Huangfu Chen looked down at Qi Zixi. ¡°Xi¡¯er, say thank you to Miss Lu.¡±

    Only

    ¡°Sister, thank you for saving my life.¡± Qi Zixi respectfully bowed to Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhen held his hands, and said to Huangfu Chen, ¡°It is what I should do, Mister Chen, no need to thank me.¡±

    Huangfu Chen said, ¡°Xi¡¯er has been suffering from an insidious disease since little. Thanks to youst time, it hasn¡¯t broken out since then, and he has be stronger than before. You were his benefactor, you deserve this.¡±

    It must be the effects of <i>lingquan</i> on his disease that the boy had regained his long lost vigour. Ye Zhen looked at the seven or eight-year-old boy and said, ¡°It was only a coincidence. With such a great doctor like you by his side, I believe he will be cured very soon.¡±

    Huangfu Chen smiled and shook his head. In fact, he had gone to the ce where the descendants of Baicaotang lived to find the cure for his nephew but hadn¡¯t been able to so far. It was Ye Zhen who gave Qi Zixi something to eat and miraculously made him stronger.

 Chapter 304 - Jealousy

    <strong>Chapter 304 ¨C Jealousy</strong>

    Ye Zhen had by now seen the gazes on them. A person like Huangfu Chen would naturally grab attention wherever he went, especially from women. Some women even smiled shyly at him, but he continued talking to Ye Zhen as if he didn¡¯t notice any of those.

    ¡°There¡¯s another thing I would like to ask you, Miss Lu, but here is not the ce to talk. I¡¯ll be teaching at the School of Medicine tomorrow and will ask you again then,¡± Huangfu Chen said in a low voice.

    Ye Zhen widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°Mister Chen, you¡¯re going to teach at the School of Medicine?¡±

    Huangfu Chen sighed. ¡°Yes, Imperial Physician Qi ordered me to, so I have to.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be my teacher then!¡± Ye Zhen was overjoyed, it was her fortune to be taught by Huangfu Chen!

    ¡°Are you that happy?¡± Upon seeing her delight, Huangfu Chen also smiled.

    Ye Zhen said, ¡°Naturally, I¡¯ve longed to be your student.¡±

    Huangfu Chen asked, ¡°So, what do you want to learn?¡±

    ¡°I¡ª¡± Ye Zhen hesitated and looked at him. ¡°Could you teach me divination?¡±

    ¡°Why do you want to learn divination?¡± Huangfu Chen was quite surprised, he thought her interest was medicine.

    Ye Zhen lowered her head slightly. She used to be disbelieving and uninterested in it, but her soul had been wandering for two years, and she was reborn in her sister¡¯s body. She wanted to learn divination in the hopes she could at least foresee some hints.

    ¡°It¡¯s my interest, but it¡¯spletely up to your convenience.¡± Ye Zhen answered.

    Huangfu Chen cast a deep look at her. ¡°You are free to choose, but not everyone can learn it. Let me see your hands first.¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at him suspiciously at the man reaching out for her hands.

    Her hands were slender and white, nails clean and naturally pink, and without any nail polish. Huangfu Chen¡¯s eyes shone for a small instant, and he gently squeezed her fingertips, and said to her with a hint of surprise, ¡°Miss Lu, you have a pair of good hands.¡±

    Ye Zhen asked, smiling, ¡°Does that mean, I am qualified?¡±

    Huangfu Chen smiled. ¡°If you hope so, Miss Lu, I can certainly teach you, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mister Chen!¡± Ye Zhen immediately thanked him gleefully.

    Huangfu Chen chuckled and looked passionately at the little girl¡¯s bright smile.

    In a carriage not far from them, a pair of gloomy eyes witnessed everything. A killing intent emerged when the hawkish gazended on Huangfu Chen holding Ye Zhen¡¯s hands.

    ?

    The Dragon-Head-Raising Festival was marked with prominence for themoners and royals alike. After all, everyone wished for prosperity.

    Early in the morning, Mo Rongzhan, the empress dowager and the officials of the court went to the temple to pray. On the way there, they passed by the city moat. Looking at the bustle outside the window, his little brother expressed his desire to take a look. He was curious as to how themoners asked for blessed waters. As such, the emperor brought him along.

    But who would have known that they would see such a sight!

    She had never smiled as bright and stunningly before him. The sunlight shone upon her with a dim halo. Everything around him seemed to have lost its color. He could only see her smile, as bright as the spring¡¯s glory, and as pure as the autumn moon.

    And then, he saw her reach out ... and the man standing before her grasped her fingers. He didn¡¯t know what they said to each other, but her eyes glimmered with joy.

    Mo Rongzhan had lived for twenty three years, and there was only one woman he yearned for most- the little girl in the woods. He had never felt his heart stir ... void of all feelings ... no sourness or sweetness; bitterness or tion. However, at this moment, he could only feel a sourness rising within and a quaking fury.

    <i>Is that man the person of her heart that she had spoken about?</i>

    ¡°Imperial Brother, I want to go down and have a look too,¡± Mo Rongyi said softly.

    Mo Rongzhan finally withdrew his gaze and looked at his brother. ¡°Go then, but don¡¯t go too far.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Mo Rongyi nodded in delight, and happily hopped off the carriage. Two guards hurriedly followed the little prince.

    ¡°Hm, Lu Yaoyao!¡± Mo Rongyi hadn¡¯t noticed Ye Zhen standing by the big tree in the front until he got off the carriage. Now, he immediately ran over to her. ¡°You guys are here too?!¡±

    Ye Zhen was a bit surprised to see Mo Rongyi here. ¡°Little Prince, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I be here?¡± Mo Rongyi said with his chin up. ¡°Can I note to pray? But why are there so many people here?¡±

    Before Ye Zhen could answer him, Mo Rongyi had already noticed the Huangfu Chen standing at the side. He widened his eyes. ¡°Mr. ... Mr. Chen? When did you return to the capital?¡±

    Huangfu Chen lightly smiled. ¡°Greetings, Little Prince.¡±

    Mo Rongyi hurriedly dodged his bow. ¡°Mr. Chen, you don¡¯t need to be so courteous. I didn¡¯t even hear from Imperial Physician Qi that you have returned.¡±

    ¡°Why should you have to know about my uncle returning to the capital.¡± Qi Zixi stood behind Huangfu Chen, alertedly taking a nce at Mo Rongyi.

    ¡°What would you know, Kid!¡± Mo Rongyi sneered.

    Qi Zixi flushed with anger. ¡°You¡¯re the kid! You¡¯re only two years older than me!¡±

    Ye Zhen watched them in surprise. She turned to look at Huangfu Chen. She hadn¡¯t known that Mo Rongyi was known to him. And from the looks of it, his nephew also seemed to have been old acquaintances with him.

    ¡°Little Prince lived at my ce for a period of time before.¡± Huangfu Chen softly exined.

    Ye Zhen suddenly recalled what Mo Rongyi had said ... that he had been saved by someone after being poisoned. It seemed that that someone was Huangfu Chen.

    Mo Rongyi was still arguing with Qi Zixi. They seemed to be prepared to battle it to death. Ye Zhen amusedly said, ¡°Little Prince, weren¡¯t you here to get some blessed water? I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    ¡°Xi, we should be going back,¡± Huangfu Chen said to his nephew.

    ¡°Mr. Chen, are you still living at your old ce? I¡¯ll go visit you tomorrow,¡± Mo Rongyi hurriedly said to Huangfu Chen.

    ¡°I¡¯m still living next to the bamboo forest. Little Prince, you cane anytime you like,¡± Huangfu Chen lightly said.

    Mo Rongyi beamed with delight. ¡°Mr. Chen, I¡¯ll go see you tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s allright if you don¡¯te!¡± Qi Zixi immediately said.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to see you!¡± Mo Rongyi shouted.

    ¡°Xi, don¡¯t be impolite.¡± Huangfu Chen lightly scolded Qi Zixi.

    Qi Zixi pouted, unhappily lowering his head.

    ¡°Miss Lu, Little Prince, I bid my farewells,¡± Huangfu Chen quietly uttered.

    Only after sending off Huangfu Chen did Ye Zhen whisper to Mo Rongyi, ¡°When you were poisoned, it was Mr. Chen that cured you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. If it weren¡¯t for him, I would be long gone.¡± Mo Rongyi stated, looking at Ye Zhen from the corner of his eye. ¡°Mr. Chen has the best medical skills I¡¯ve ever seen. He¡¯s also extremely skilled in divination. Before, he had always said that Imperial Brother would rise to a position of great honor. At that time, I took it as a joke. But who would have thought that it would be true.¡±

    <i>Then could Huangfu Chen divinate her future? Would it be Ye Zhen¡¯s, or Lu Yaoyao¡¯s?</i>

    ¡°Is he really that great... .¡± Ye Zhen muttered, her interest in divination growing.

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s really that great!¡± Mo Rongyi simply dered.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s brow twitched as she took a look at Mo Rongyi. ¡°So are you going to get the blessed water or not?¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to see how other people got their blessed water. Just then, in the temple, the High Priest already prayed for us.¡± Mo Rongyi looked at themoners standing next to the city moat. There were many people crowded by the river. It was best for him to not join them.

    Ye Zhen smiled, shaking her head. <i>A kid would be a kid.</i>

    ¡°This is for you.¡± Mo Rongyi brought out a ck wooden tablet. It was about the size of a thumb, marked in Sanskrit, a script that Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°What is this?¡± she curiously asked.

    Mo Rongyi said, ¡°The High Priest gave it to us. I asked for an extra one. If you wear it, it can help protect you.¡±

    Ye Zhen was moved, reaching out to rub Mo Rongyi¡¯s ears. ¡°Thank you then, Little Prince.¡±

    ¡°Let go! Is this the attitude with which you will thank me? Impudence, where is your etiquette!¡± Mo Rongyi blushed as he spoke.

    ¡°Stop trying to act like an adult, little kid.¡± Ye Zhen took the wooden tablet, smiling as she watched the little boy blush with embarrassment.

    Mo Rongyi red at her. ¡°You....¡±

    ¡°Help! Someone¡¯s fallen into the water! Help....¡±

    Suddenly, a scream sounded from the crowd at the riverside.

    Ye Zhen and Mo Rongyi exchanged a nce, and thetter ordered his guards to go rescue the person and headed towards the river with her.

    Watching them from within the carriage Mo Rongzhan frowned. He had also heard the cry for help. When he saw that Ye Zhen and Mo Rongyi hadn¡¯t gone with the crowd, he couldn¡¯t resist getting out of the carriage.

    The person that had fallen into the water was a little girl. She was quickly saved, but, because she had choked on the water, she was still unconscious.

    ¡°My child, my child!¡± A woman ran out from the crowd, and sobbed, holding the girl.

    ¡°Hurry for a doctor.¡± Someone shouted.

    Ye Zhen wanted to hurry to their aid, but stopped after taking two steps near. She stopped Mo Rongyi too who had wanted to rush over, whispering in his ear, ¡°Let¡¯s not be nosy and meddle in these matters. Just watch from the side.¡±

    Only

    ¡°What?!¡± Mo Rongyi looked at Ye Zhen with surprise.

    Ye Zhen grabbed him, wanting to run in the opposite direction. But suddenly, the woman stooped over the little girl jumped up. A sword had, at some time, materialized in her hands. She moved straight, stabbing it towards Mo Rongyi.

    ¡°Careful, Little Prince!¡± Ye Zhen shouted, forcefully pushing him aside.

    The sword didn¡¯t retract with Mo Rongyi¡¯s retreat but continued onwards to Ye Zhen.

    Just as Ye Zhen thought she was about to be struck, someone grabbed her arm, and firmly pulled her into his embrace. The sword was stopped between his fingers, trapped in midair.

 Chapter 305 - Best Candidate for Son-in Law (1)

    <strong>Chapter 305 ¨C Best Candidate for Son-in Law (1)</strong>

    Shock and silence filled the air. No one dared to move.

    The woman probably hadn¡¯t expected someone to be able to stop her sword with just two fingers. She wanted to pull it back but saw that, with just a slight movement of her opponent¡¯s fingers, her sword had already broken.

    <i>What powerful qi!</i> The woman was taken aback. She retrieved her broken sword and hurriedly retreated. The unconscious girl who had been drowning suddenly jumped up, reached towards Mo Rongyi, wanting to grab him.

    Bu the little prince already had guards protecting him precisely against any risk of attack. The girl was unable to even get near him.

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, are you all right?¡± Tang Zhen appeared with the guards. He took a look at Ye Zhen, who was in Mo Rongzhan¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Arrest them!¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s cold and deep voice wasden with the majesty of a sovereign. Several guards quickly circled the two assassins.

    Seeing that there was no means of escape, the assassins wanted to raise their broken swords in an attempt tomit suicide. However, they were immediately stopped by Tang Zhen, he even dislocated their jaws to prevent them from drinking poison.

    At this time, the civilians near the city moat had already been gathered to a side by the guards, to cordon off an area for investigation. They soon discovered the drowning girl was actually a young skinny boy. Tang Zhen called for someone to take them away.

    Ye Zhen lightly pushed Mo Rongzhan away, lowering her head and bowing. ¡°Your Imperial Majesty.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan looked at her with aplicated gaze. ¡°How did you know there was something wrong with those people?¡±

    He had seen her pulling A¡¯Yi towards the other direction. If she hadn¡¯t found out there was something amiss in time, then his little brother would¡¯ve probably already been in great danger.

    ¡°That drowning little girl ... looked a bit strange. Her hands and feet weren¡¯t those of a usual little girl. And that mother, her hands were covered with thick calluses in areas that looked like she frequently wielded knives and swords. So I felt that they hadn¡¯t really drowned.¡± If they hadn¡¯t really drowned, then they must have had other motives. Naturally, she would have to take Mo Rongyi away, in case there was any danger.

    Mo Rongzhan looked at her again and said, ¡°Go then.¡±

    Ye Zhen was taken aback. <i>He would just let her leave?</i> She looked at his cold side profile, lowered her head, and left before he could look at her again.

    After the civilians at the moat knew that the emperor himself hade, they all knelt down and kowtowed.

    Mo Rongzhan let them stand, and didn¡¯t continue in the area, immediately leaving with Mo Rongyi. Tang Zhen was the only one to stay behind, continuing to investigate for any possible remnant assassins.

    ¡°Yaoyao, are you all right?¡± Pei Shi took her daughter¡¯s hand, looking her up and down.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mother, you don¡¯t need to worry.¡± Ye Zhenforted Pei Shi. Having experienced so many things now, she wasn¡¯t even scared in the face of something like this.

    A still jittery Pei Shi poked her. ¡°You just scared me half to death. That sword almost got to you.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m fine, aren¡¯t I?¡± Ye Zhenughingly said.

    Right then, Tang Zhen walked over from the other direction, solemnly looking at Ye Zhen. ¡°Yaoyao, were you startled?¡±

    Ye Zhen was still a little miffed at Tang Zhen, but with Pei Shi and Lu Xiangzhi here, she could only restrain herself. Even so, she perfunctorily answered, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Marquis Jing Ning, who were those two people?¡± Pei Shi asked.

    Tang Zhen saw that Ye Zhen was still mad at him, he felt a little bitter in his heart. He smiled in spite of himself and replied, ¡°Third Madam Lu, those two people are yet to be identified. We still need to further interrogate before we can know anything.¡±

    Lu Xiangzhi said, ¡°Brother Tang, you¡¯re very skilled.¡±

    Tang Zhen smiled lightly, his gaze unconsciously turning towards Ye Zhen. ¡°I¡¯ll have them send all of you back. This area is probably not too safe.¡±

    Only

    ¡°Then we shall inconvenience you, Marquis Jing Ning.¡± Pei Shi said, smiling.

    She liked Tang Zhen. Although her daughter didn¡¯t have any ns to get married as of now, that didn¡¯t interfere with her silent observation of all of the young men in the capital. She had already made a choice and felt that the best choice was Tang Zhen. Though he was an orphan, that also meant that her daughter would be thedy of the house as soon as she married him, and wouldn¡¯t have to deal with a mother-inw. The entirety of the Marquis Mansion would be under hermand. Most importantly, the young man was greatly talented, handsome, and pleasing to the eye. Paired with her daughter, they would be the most perfect couple. There was no one more suitable than him in all the capital.

    Ye Zhen frowned, saying, ¡°The assassins have been captured. What other danger could there be here? Marquis Jing Ning, you must be a bit of an rmist. We can leave on our own, and need not inconvenience you.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao, I think that it¡¯s better for me to send you all back.¡± Tang Zhen said, ¡°You saved Little Prince, and those two people must have masters in the shadows. I¡¯m afraid that they might harm you.¡±

    Ye Zhen still wanted to refuse but was stopped by Pei Shi. ¡°Marquis Jing Ning, you are right. It¡¯s not good for Yaoyao to leave the house in theing days.¡±

 Chapter 306 - Best Candidate for Son-in L

    <strong>Chapter 306 ¨C Best Candidate for Son-in Law (2)</strong>

    ¡°Mother!¡± Ye Zhen didn¡¯t think the situation was that severe.

    ¡°We¡¯ll wait for the results of Marquis Jing Ning¡¯s interrogation for further discussion.¡± Pei Shi frankly cut off Ye Zhen¡¯s words.

    Tang Zhen hurriedly said, ¡°It¡¯s all right, Auntie. If Yaoyao wants to go to the academy, I can send people to escort her.¡±

    ¡°We have our own guards, and don¡¯t need to bother you.¡± Ye Zhen expressionlessly stated.

    Tang Zhen didn¡¯t say anything else but called two guards over to escort Pei Shi and the rest of them back to the Lu Mansion.

    As soon as they reached the carriage, they saw Wang Shi walking over with Lu Jing.

    ¡°Second Sister-in-Law, you are here as well.¡± When Pei Shi saw Wang Shi walking over her expression was not very pleasant.

    However, Wang Shi seemed to have not noticed as she took her hand and asked, ¡°Third Sister-in-Law, did you just see His Imperial Majesty? I saw him from afar, and thought that he was truly... handsome, tall, and majestic.¡±

    Pei Shi frowned, retracting her hand. ¡°If Second Sister-in-Law wants to know what His Imperial Majesty looks like, you can just ask Wang Fei the next time you go to the imperial pce.¡±

    Wang Shi slightly sneered. If it hadn¡¯t been for the fact that she had been standing too far away and hadn¡¯t seen the emperor, would she have toe to ask Pei Shi?

    ¡°Was that, Marquis Jing Ning?¡± Wang Shi took a look at the tall figure ordering the guards to block and search the streets, and couldn¡¯t help but ask Pei Shi.

    Pei Shi acted as if she hadn¡¯t heard and told Ye Zhen to hurry onto the carriage.

    ¡°What is she so proud for!¡± As Wang Shi saw Pei Shi¡¯s carriage leave, she sneered angrily.

    ¡°Mother, let¡¯s go home too.¡± Lu Jinger whispered.

    Wang Shi coldly looked at her concubine-born daughter and mockingly said, ¡°Did you see? Yaoyao is truly skilled. Not only did she let the emperor save her himself but also make Marquis Jing Ning care so tenderly for her. You are all daughters of the Lu Family. Jing¡¯er, in the future, are you going to be inferior to even Fang¡¯er?¡±

    Lu Jinger¡¯s expression slightly soured, her hand tightening into a fist from beneath her sleeves. Naturally, she was unwilling to lose to Lu Fang and Lu Yaoyao, but what could she do about it?

    <i>Why was Tang Zhen so concerned for Yaoyao? Was it that he truly... </i>Lu Jinger was unwilling to ept this. Where was she inferior to Lu Yaoyao?

    She turned to look at Tang Zhen, who was not far away, her eyes revealing slivers of her regards.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, what are you looking at? No matter how long you look, he will never be yours.¡± Wang Shi yelled. She would only help her own daughter. As for a concubine-born daughter, well, her fate would be up to herself.

    Lu Jinger hung her head and followed Wang Shi into the carriage. <i>The path of her future would be one she chose for herself. She wouldn¡¯t let anyone stop!</i>

    <i>That was certain!</i>

    ?

    Ye Zhen helped Mo Rongyi out of peril once again. After the empress dowager was informed of this, she concluded that she was Mo Rongyi¡¯s lucky star. She wanted to give the little girl the title of princess, and treat her like her own daughter.

    ¡°Imperial Mother, you want to make Lu Yaoyao a princess?¡± After Mo Rongzhan heard of his mother¡¯s ns, he dropped everything and came to the Cining Pce.

    The empress dowager smiled and said, ¡°Correct, I think that Yaoyao is extremely likable, She is just like a little wool sweater, close andforting to me. Your Imperial Majesty hase at the right time. I was just picking out a title for her. What does Your Imperial Majesty think about the title Furong?¡±

    [TL: Furong means fortunate and glorious.]

    <i>If Lu Yaoyao were to be a Princess, then wouldn¡¯t she be his sister? Then there truly would be no chance for her to enter his inner pce.</i>

    Only

    ¡°Imperial Mother, I think that it is unsuitable for her to be a princess. If you like her, then just give her some more rewards. If you really want to give her a title, then make her a viscountess.¡± Mo Rongzhan logically prevented the empress dowager from her ns of making Lu Yaoyao a Princess.

    However, the empress dowager was just enthusiastically picking out a title. At her son¡¯s words, she was taken aback, and looked up towards him. ¡°You think that Yaoyao is unworthy of the title of princess?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean that.¡± Mo Rongzhan slightly frowned. How was he going to exin that he still had ns of making Lu Yaoyao his concubine in the future? If she became a princess, then she would be his sister. How would he make her a concubine then?

    ¡°Then what do you mean?¡± she said with confusion. She didn¡¯t think that giving someone the title of princess would make the emperor dissatisfied. She knew her son well. He never had any will to disobey her.

    Mo Rongzhan felt a strange sort of distress. ¡°Imperial Mother, it is not suitable to give Lu Yaoyao such a high position at once.¡±

 Chapter 307 - She Cannot Become Princess

    <strong>Chapter 307 ¨C She Cannot Be Princess</strong>

    The empress dowager looked earnestly at him, wanting to find some hint or clue from his face. She understood Mo Rongzhan, and knew that he was never one to be bewitched by beauty. He was different from the previous emperor who had countless beauties in his harem. Apart from the initial Lu Wushuang, she had never seen him be especially doting towards someone. She had even begun to suspect that her son was a bit too emotionless. This was the first time she saw him so concerned over a girl. ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, do you have other ns for Yaoyao?¡±

    ¡°Imperial Mother, why do you ask as such?¡± Mo Rongzhan quietly asked, his handsome face still clear and cold.

    ¡°Seeing as you don¡¯t, I think it is still suitable for me to confer her the title. Thest time, I wanted to make her a viscountess, but she was unwilling ... stated that she only wanted to be an Imperial Physician in the future. I have decided that I¡¯ll make her a princess this time. In the future, it¡¯ll be up to her, whether she wants to be an Imperial Physician or not.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s gaze deepened. ¡°She¡¯s unwilling to be a viscountess?¡±

    ¡°I think that she might not even want a title of princess. However, I¡¯ve already decided. I¡¯ll make her Princess Furong.¡±

    ¡°Imperial Mother!¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s brows knitted even tighter. ¡°Lu Yaoyao cannot be a princess.¡±

    If the empress dowager still couldn¡¯t tell what her son meant, then it would be a waste of so many years of living. She took a good look at Mo Rongzhan. ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, I know that Yaoyao is a good girl. But what time did you think of her as such?¡±

    A smudge of awkwardness shed across Mo Rongzhan¡¯s gaze. ¡°Imperial Mother, I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡±

    ¡°Do you truly not understand, or are you just pretending to not understand?¡± She teased. ¡°If I give Yaoyao the title of princess, then she will be Your Imperial Majesty¡¯s little sister. In the future, Your Imperial Majesty needs to direct a marriage for her, and find a good princess consort for her. What does Your Imperial Majesty think of this?¡±

    The scene of Huangfu Chen holding her hand yesterday quickly shed through his mind, his chest felt so stuffed it hurt. ¡°I won¡¯t direct a marriage for her.¡± He dered.

    ¡°Oh, then I will direct a marriage for her.¡± She saw that her son was still stubbornly trying to deny his feelings, and lowered her head to search for a title again. ¡°I think that there are not many men worthy of Yaoyao in the capital, but Marquis Jing Ning seems all right .... Your Imperial Majesty, what do you think?¡±

    ¡°Imperial Mother, I won¡¯t let Lu Yaoyao be a princess.¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s expression had already begun to darken.

    The empress dowager felt that the matter was all the more amusing. ¡°Then what do you want her to be? Would you prefer her be one of your concubines?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s handsome face blossomed with a strange flush. He lightly coughed, before turning away. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee anything about the future.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve asked Yaoyao for her opinion. She doesn¡¯t seem to want it. Your Imperial Majesty, you can¡¯t engage in wishful thinking, and continue this unrequited love along.¡± If it were a girl of some other house that the emperor would take to heart this much, she would naturally wish for nothing more than to take her into the inner pce immediately. But it was different if it was Lu Yaoyao.

    If that little girl wanted to enter the harem, then she wouldn¡¯t have refused her offer of viscountess. She was worried that the emperor would continue this wishful thinking, and force Lu Yaoyao into submission.

    Mo Rongzhan was poked in his sore spot, his expression darkened like ink. As of today, wasn¡¯t he just engaging in wishful thinking, and continuing this unrequited love along? Not only did her heart already belong to another, she had also thrown up on him after he kissed her. Whenever he thought back to this, the sourness, jealousy, and anger in his heart would re up like a roaring me.

    ¡°She¡¯ll naturally agree in the future.¡± He vehemently iterated.

    The empress dowager frowned, looking at him. It seemed that he truly liked Yaoyao. ¡°You want Yaoyao to enter your harem. Then what about Wang Fei Lu?¡±

    <i>Wouldn¡¯t that be overtly exalting the Lu Family? </i>She didn¡¯t really care about Yaoyao¡¯s status, but feared that what she would have to face when she entered the imperial pce would be rather grueling.

    ¡°Imperial Mother, I know my own measures concerning this matter,¡± Mo Rongzhan said between gritted teeth.

    After careful consideration, the empress dowager said, ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, I still have to ask Yaoyao for her opinion. If she has no will of entering the inner pce, then I still want to make her a princess. Do you still remember what Mr. Chen said? If it weren¡¯t for the fact that A¡¯Yi has escaped danger over and over again, I would have forgotten his past words.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan felt annoyed at the mere mention of Huangfu Chen. ¡°What did Huangfu Chen say?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Chen once divinated for A¡¯Yi, and said that he wouldn¡¯t be able to make it past 15 unless he met someone noble. At that time, I had asked who A¡¯Yi¡¯s noble person was. Mr. Chen had said that it was most likely a family member. As of today, I think that Yaoyao is his noble person, so I want to make her a princess.¡± She saidughingly, ¡°If she is unwilling to be your concubine, then she must be my daughter.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan suddenly felt that he disliked Huangfu Chen even more.

    ¡°Imperial Mother, Huangfu Chen might not necessarily mean Lu Yaoyao.¡±

    The empress dowager nodded. ¡°That is why I have already called for people to invite Mr. Chen into the pce, and let him divinate for A¡¯Yi again.¡±

    ¡°¡ª ¡± Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t actually know what to say.

    Only

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, if you are busy with official matters, then you need not stay here,¡± she said, smiling.

    Mo Rongzhan wanted to say that he wanted to wait for Huangfu Chen, as he also wished to know the results of the divination. However, seeing as his mother had put it like this, it wasn¡¯t good for him to stay. ¡°Imperial Mother, then I will return to imperial study.¡±

    She cheerily nodded. ¡°Go ahead then.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan could only retire and leave the Cining Pce, coldly ordering Eunuch Fu: ¡°Report to me immediately if Huangfu Chen enters the pce.¡±

    Eunuch Fu hurriedly heeded his words.

 Chapter 308 - A Change In Fate (1)

    <strong>Chapter 308 ¨C A Change In Fate (1)</strong>

    There was a pile of pce memorials lying on the table in the imperial study, each more important than the previous. Holding a document in hand, Mo Rongzhan began reading like always- utterly focused. However, even after an hour had passed, he had yet to finish.

    Today, the emperor was especially waiting for an arrival. He needed to meet up with his old friend, Huangfu Chen, before he could see the empress dowager. But despite waiting for an entire hour, Eunuch Fu still hadn¡¯t returned to report. He put down his documents and tasked a pce servant to check if the man had entered the pce.

    After a while, the pce servant gingerly walked into the imperial study. ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, Eunuch Fu was summoned by the empress dowager into Cining Pce ....¡±

    Mo Rongzhan frowned and put down the pce memorial in his hand. It looked like his mother knew what he wanted to do, so she had ordered Eunuch Fu away before he could even start.

    <i>What would Huangfu Chen say to Imperial Mother?</i>

    ?

    Cining Pce

    The empress dowager smiled as she looked at the Huangfu Chen standing before her. They were meeting after many years now, but he was as charming as ever. His handsome jade-like face, long willow-like brows, standing as graceful as a jade tree against the wind, no gesture suggested anything but elegance and nobility. He was a living proof that a person of imperial lineage, even if a branch of the erstwhile imperial family, was no ordinary man.

    ¡°Mr. Chen, it has been a long time, have you been well?¡± the empress dowager smiled and asked.

    Huangfu Chen bowed but didn¡¯t kneel. He hailed from the Huangfu Family, a part of the erstwhile imperial n. As a mark of respect, even thete emperor would never make him kneel in ceremony. ¡°Thanks to your providence, I have been well these years.¡±

    ¡°Hurry and sit,¡± the empress dowager said cheerily. If it hadn¡¯t been for Mr. Chen, that year, she would have already lost one of her sons. And it was also fortunate that he was present, or the emperor¡¯s blindness would¡¯ve never been cured.

    ¡°Was there a reason that Your Imperial Highness requested that I enter the pce?¡± Huangfu Chen gracefully sat down. Despite being in the presence of the empress dowager, his attitude was no different than when faced with anyone else.

    The empress dowager said, ¡°Thank goodness you were there that year that A¡¯Yi was able to survive. Aijia has always remembered.¡±

    Huangfu Chen lightly smiled. ¡°Your Imperial Highness thinks too much of it. I am a schr of medicine. To cure and care for the sick is part of my duties.¡±

    ¡°No matter what, I still have to thank you, Mr. Chen.¡± The Empress Dowager said, ¡°The reason I requested for your presence today ... there is actually something I wish to ask of you, Mr. Chen.¡±

    Huangfu Chen slightly nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°Please, Your Imperial Highness.¡±

    ¡°That year ... you once told me that if A¡¯Yi didn¡¯t meet that noble person of his, then he wouldn¡¯t be able to live for long, possibly not even over the age of fifteen. As of today, he is already ten. He has constantly been able to find fortune among the dangers. Is it that he has already met his noble personage?¡± she asked.

    ¡°What dangers did A¡¯Yi encounter?¡± Huangfu Chen quietly asked.

    The empress dowager recounted all the perils Mo Rongyi had encounteredtely. Right from being trapped in the hunter¡¯s ditch in the forest, to his near brush with death due to poisoning and the recent assassination attempt. ¡°¡ª Every time, he has been saved by the same person. So I couldn¡¯t help think back to what you had told me.¡±

    Huangfu Chen smiled and asked, ¡°Does Your Imperial Highness wish me to divinate again for A¡¯Yi?¡±

    ¡°Correct.¡± The empress dowager nodded and ordered Aunt Cheng to give Huangfu Chen two birth details. ¡°Aijia must trouble you with this, Mr. Chen.¡±

    ¡°Then I will try my best.¡± Huangfu Chen was not without suspicions. <i>Why did Empress Dowager suddenly think back to what I had said before?</i> When Aunt Cheng gave him the birth details, he was slightly taken aback.

    Only

    <i>These birth details....</i>

    Huangfu Chen brought out his ultation yarrow, and first divinated for the two records. He found that Mo Rongyi¡¯s hexagram was clearly different from what it had been years ago. It was clear that his destiny had been changed.

    <i>There was really someone that could change another person¡¯s destiny.</i>

    A surprised Huangfu Chen picked up the other record and started divinating. This time results greatly astonished him.

    The empress dowager had been watching him anxiously. ¡°Mr. Chen, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

 Chapter 309 - A Change In Fate (2)

    <strong>Chapter 309 ¨C A Change In Fate (2)</strong>

    ¡°I am unable to find any results for divination in this person¡¯s fate.¡± Huangfu Chen looked up at the empress dowager. This wasn¡¯t the first time he had seen these details. <i>But... how was he unable to find any results?</i> He remembered that he had been able to do it the first time.

    ¡°Why is this so?¡± the empress dowager hurriedly asked.

    ¡°I can¡¯t exin. Sometimes, when someone is extremely fortunate or noble, it is impossible to divinate their fate,¡± Huangfu Chen said.

    The owner of these details shouldn¡¯t be alive, but there were also signs of incontestable fortune. He couldn¡¯t understand. <i>What was the reason for this?</i>

    Before when he had divinated this record, the signs had shown conflicting Gemini: twin figures. If they lived together, then they must conflict as they lived, bringing them both early deaths. If they lived separately, then one would die tragically, and the other would lead an iparably noble life.

    Who would have thought that, after so many years, her fate would already change to something he couldn¡¯t understand.

    When the empress dowager heard the words ¡°iparably noble¡±, she was almost certain that Ye Zhen was Mo Rongyi¡¯s ¡°noble person¡±. ¡°Do you think that she will be A¡¯Yi¡¯s noble person?¡±

    Huangfu Chen looked down at the two divination records. He knew that this was Lu Yaoyao¡¯s. If he wasn¡¯t able to divinate for her, then that meant that something must have changed concerning her fate. And Mo Rongyi¡¯s original fate had also changed. It looked like it had something to do with Lu Yaoyao, who had repeatedly saved him.

    ¡°Your Imperial Highness, Little Prince¡¯s fate seems to be different from what it was before. It doesn¡¯t suggest a short life anymore.¡± Mo Rongyi seemed to have avoided a tragedy.

    The empress dowager hurriedly stood up, moved, as she looked at Huangfu Chen. ¡°Mr. Chen, is what you speak of truth?¡±

    Huangfu Chen smiled and nodded. ¡°The divination results clearly suggest this.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful!¡± The empress dowager pped in joy. All these years, her greatest worry had been Mo Rongyi¡¯s divination result from many years ago. Today, after Huangfu Chen¡¯s words, she could finally rest easy.

    Huangfu Chen carefully asked, ¡°May I ask who this noble person is? Their fate is quite odd.¡±

    ¡°It is a little girl that I am extremely fond of.¡± The empress dowager smiled.

    ¡°So it is.¡± Taking the hint, Huangfu Chen didn¡¯t ask anything else.

    The empress dowager soon dismissed the pce attendants, and quietly asked Huangfu Chen, ¡°Mr. Chen, I won¡¯t hide this from you. I have the wish to make this girl a princess. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°If speaking about this fate, a princess would be more suitable.¡± However, he remembered when he was divinating, Lu Yaoyao should have the fortune of an empress. But, as of today, he didn¡¯t dare put out the word again.

    Lu Yaoyao¡¯s identity was a secret. It was unlikely that she would be empress. If she could be a princess, she could be able to save her own life in the future.

    Only

    The empress dowager asked with a little hesitation, ¡°Then if she were to be a concubine¡ª¡±

    ¡°If she were named a princess, it would be more beneficial for Little Prince,¡± Huangfu Chen said. Even if it were just on the behalf of his deceased acquaintance, he still had to stop the empress dowager from having Lu Yaoyao enter the imperial harem. Lu Yaoyao was Ye Yiqing¡¯s other daughter, and her sister had died at the hands of Mo Rongzhan. If her identity were revealed in the future, she would be led to the same tragic end.

    ¡°Then, I understand.¡± The empress dowager nodded slightly. <i>It seems that Yaoyao and Emperor are ill-fated for each other.</i> However, since A¡¯Yi¡¯s fate had changed, she was willing to help her older son but still had to ask Yaoyao for her opinion. ¡°Thank you for today, Mr. Chen.¡±

    ¡°Your Imperial Highness speaks too greatly of it.¡± Huangfu Chen smiled faintly. Before entering the pce, he had already deduced the reason for the empress dowager¡¯s summons. The only thing he hadn¡¯t expected was that Lu Yaoyao¡¯s fate had actually changed.

    Huangfu Chen took his leave from Cining Pce. But before he could go far, Mo Rongzhan had sent someone to bring him to the imperial study.

 Chapter 310 - Childhood Acquaintance

    <strong>Chapter 310 ¨C Childhood Acquaintance (1)</strong>

    When Huangfu Chen heard that Mo Rongzhan had invited him to the imperial study, he shook his head and smiled, not in the least surprised. He then followed the pce attendant.

    When he saw the man enter, Mo Rongzhan, with gloom dripping from his face asked coldly, ¡°When did youe back?¡±

    ¡°A couple of days ago.¡± Huangfu Chen bowed. Before Mo Rongzhan could speak, he had already sat down in the chair next to him. An onlooker could deem this as impertinence, but the two men knew this was absolutely called for. ¡°Your Imperial Majesty wanted to see me so urgently. Is it possible that you wanted to reminisce with me?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan shot him a faint nce. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you had returned?¡±

    ¡°I was afraid that you didn¡¯t remember me anymore,¡± Huangfu Chen said with a smile.

    ¡°When I could see again, I had told you that I wouldn¡¯t let Ye Yisong go,¡± Mo Rongzhan said in a low voice. The man who had cured his blindness had also once advised him to refrain from going on a killing spree after he took the throne. The ones he had killed the most had been the Ye Family, sparing no one in the end.

    Huangfu Chen took the teacup next to him and used the lid to lightly stir the liquid inside. His gaze fell on the tea water, voice still soft and gentle, he asked, ¡°Yes, Ye Yisong was deserving of death, but there were other innocent people. In so doing, what was the difference between you and a tyrant?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan looked at Huangfu Chen sharply. He knew this man didn¡¯t mince his words and wasn¡¯t afraid to speak his mind. It was also something he admired in him. ¡°With Ye Yisong¡¯s power uncontested, none of his retainers were innocent of being tyrannical. They ran amuck, harassing everyone, everywhere. I want everyone in the world to know that treacherous officials will see a fitting end.¡±

    ¡°You know who I¡¯m talking about, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± Huangfu Chen put down the cup and looked at Mo Rongzhan tly. ¡°I¡¯m talking about your father-inw, the father of your original wife, and your brother-inw. You arepletely aware of the fact that they were innocent. If it weren¡¯t for your father-inw who was secretly helping you, how could you have easily gotten the food and grass? Did they deserve to die as well?¡±

    [Food and grass= military rations]

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s thin lips pressed tightly. Looking at his childhood friend, he only said, ¡°Ye Yiqing and Ye Chunnan are not dead. The entire kingdom wanted the Ye Family to be executed, and I did order this edict, but the two are not dead.¡±

    ¡°Where are Ye Yiqing and his son now?¡± Huangfu Chen looked at Mo Rongzhan with surprise. He hadn¡¯t expected that he would let them go. His heart lept in joy at the unexpected information.

    ¡°I had originally nned to let people send them to Dongqing, but as of now, their whereabouts remain unknown,¡± Mo Rongzhan said lightly.

    Huangfu Chen frowned. ¡°How could they be missing? Where is Ye Yiqing?¡±

    ¡°How would I know?¡± Mo Rongzhan snorted coldly. He had sent people looking for them, but they had all returned empty handed. ¡°Howe you know Ye Yiqing and care about him so much?¡±

    ¡°He once helped me.¡± Huangfu Chen said, ¡°One more thing ¡ª¡±

    Mo Rongzhan angrily said, ¡°Are you ever finished?¡±

    ¡°You know what I want to ask!¡± Huangfu Chen looked at him squarely. ¡°If you could let Ye Yiqing go, why couldn¡¯t you let Ye Zhen go? She was sincere to you.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want her to die. I wanted to ce her in the pce. She was unwilling.¡± When they spoke of Ye Zhen, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s tone became colder.

    Huangfu Chen said, ¡°Ye Yiqing must have left because of his daughter¡¯s death.¡±

    ¡°Ye Zhen and Ye Yiqing were not the same kind of people. She was Ye Yisong¡¯s servant.¡± Mo Rongzhan said coldly, ¡°Why did she marry me? To monitor me. She was already in an affair with the prince, I saw her meeting with him!¡±

    He refused to believe that he had wronged her. He was clear on this matter, and he was adamantly sticking to it no matter what.

    ¡°Just meeting with the prince doesn¡¯t prove anything.¡± Huangfu Chen retorted and turned silent for a moment, saying a word in his heart for Ye Zhen, who he had never known.

    Mo Rongzhan said lightly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore now.¡±

    Huangfu Chen nodded lightly. Many things weren¡¯t important now. After all, people couldn¡¯te back to life. Ye Yisong was indeed sinful. What Mo Rongzhan did to the Ye Family was an act for the people, as he should as an emperor. Truly, he couldn¡¯t even say that he(MRZ) was at fault.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave now.¡± He stood up to say goodbye.

    Mo Rongzhan called out coldly, ¡°I haven¡¯t finished talking yet, why are you in such a hurry to leave?¡±

    ¡°If you want to know what I said to Empress Dowager, then ask Her Imperial Highness yourself, what are you tossing around with me for?¡± Huangfu Chen looked back at Mo Rongzhan, amused.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao cannot be a princess,¡± Mo Rongzhan said in a voice lowly.

    Huangfu Chen quirked his eyebrows and looked at him. ¡°What is the reason for upholding the Lu Family?¡±

    ¡°It has nothing to do with upholding the Lu Family.¡± Mo Rongzhan looked away, not wanting the other to see his emotions.

    Only

    ¡°I only said what I should say,¡± Huangfu Chen said.

    ¡°How did you get to know Lu Yaoyao?¡± Mo Rongzhan did not forget the scene from yesterday, he still felt sour now when he thought about it.

    A look of surprise shed in Huangfu Chen¡¯s eyes. ¡°From tomorrow on, she will be my student.¡±

    When Mo Rongzhan heard this, the jealousy in his heart immediately disappeared. ¡°You¡¯re going to the academy to teach?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Huangfu Chen nodded.

 Chapter 311 - Childhood Acquaintance (2)

    <strong>Chapter 311 ¨C Childhood Acquaintance (2)</strong>

    ¡°It¡¯s almost noon. We haven¡¯t had a drink together for a long time, have a drink with me.¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s mouth was upturned, and his mood suddenly improved a lot.

    None of this was lost upon the ever observant Huangfu Chen, he said with a smile, ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, you are really interesting today.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan smiled without saying a word. The two then proceeded to the imperial garden for a drink.

    ?

    In the evening, Mo Rongzhan went to greet the empress dowager. Upon learning that his mother was holding steadfastly to her decision about making Lu Yaoyao a princess, the smile on his lips turned stiff.

    ¡°Imperial Mother, why do you still want to make her a princess?¡± Mo Rongzhan frowned and asked. <i>Didn¡¯t Huangfu Chen say that A¡¯Yi¡¯s fate had already been changed?</i>

    The empress dowager said with a smile, ¡°This is what Yaoyao deserves. Aijia adores her and we are destined to have a rtionship.¡±

    ¡°Imperial Mother, if you wanted to get along with her, you could do that without making her a princess,¡± Mo Rongzhan said.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I don¡¯t like to force others into submission. Since I want to get along with her, I must consider her wishes. I have already sent people to the Lu Family to talk about it. In two days, I¡¯ll have Old Madam Lu bring Yaoyao to the Baihua Garden. It¡¯s been a long time since I have visited it too. When the timees, I will naturally ask for Yaoyao¡¯s thoughts,¡± she said with a smile.

    In fact, she still had a hidden worry in her heart. Her son probably didn¡¯t know that Yaoyao bore a striking resemnce to Ye Zhen. <i>What if she married Yaoyao into the pce for him, and after a few days he learned about it?</i><i>Would he hate Yaoyao?</i> She didn¡¯t want to see that little girl living alone in the inner pce like Ye Zhen had.

    Seeing how things stood, Mo Rongzhan could only hope that Lu Yaoyao didn¡¯t want to be a princess.

    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing¡ª¡± The empress dowager¡¯s tone suddenly grew serious. ¡°Does Your Imperial Majesty know what happened to the assassin yesterday?¡±

    ¡°Imperial Mother, do not worry, you will find out the truth soon.¡± Mo Rongzhan whispered. This time, he didn¡¯t n on worrying about anything else.

    The empress dowager snorted. ¡°The more you indulge them, the more they¡¯ll overstep.¡±

    ?

    At this time, Ye Zhen had returned to the academy. She was aware that the empress dowager wanted her to apany her to Baihua Garden in two days.

    She wondered, <i>Why does Empress Dowager suddenly want to go to Baihua Garden at this time?</i>

    ?

    It didn¡¯t take long to unearth the origins of the pair of assassins at the moat. And it wasn¡¯t surprising when the name of the mastermind surfaced.

    Princess Royal¡¯s son, Xie Longyuan, had hired killers in his bid to avenge Mo Rongyi. Those two killers had been tailing the little prince right from when he was in the temple, lying in wait for an opportune moment to strike. They had been ill at luck until they finally saw him by the moat.

    But how could they have known that their attempts would be thwarted and by a little girl no less?

    Once word reached Mo Rongzhan, he immediately ordered Tang Zhen to arrest Xie Longyuan. There was no need to torture him for was so cowardly that he could say anything.

    What was the crime of assassinating a prince? Naturally, it was enough to order for the execution of the entire family. However, considering the contributions Princess Royal made towards Mo Rongzhan¡¯s enthronement before, he had to be merciful.

    Today, Princess Royal had personally entered the pce to beseech the empress dowager and Mo Rongzhan, even willing to take out half of the family property to atone for her son.

    ¡°Imperial Aunt, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to let Longyuan go. He is my cousin. A¡¯Yi is my younger brother. If it weren¡¯t for A¡¯Yi¡¯s fate, I¡¯m afraid it would end a tragedy this time.¡± Mo Rongzhan sighed and told Princess Royal that he couldn¡¯t bear to convict Xie Longyuan.

    Princess Royal gritted her teeth with hatred. If Mo Rongzhan had really viewed her son as family, he wouldn¡¯t have been put in prison and forced to confess his crime. Did she, a seasoned hand in pce intrigue, need telling? But the safety of her son was paramount.

    Only

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, I did not teach my son well. He hasmitted such a mistake today, and I am to me. Please allow me to take my son¡¯s ce in atonement.¡± Princess Royal knelt before Mo Rongzhan and begged. She didn¡¯t believe that Mo Rongzhan would dare to make her a scapegoat. The little prince was unharmed anyway. So, even if her son had done something wrong, the most they had to do was discipline him after bringing him home.

    Mo Rongzhan gave the kneeling woman a deep nce and whispered, ¡°Imperial Aunt, since ancient times, there has never been a mother who has atoned the crime of her son. Are you trying to me Longyuan for not being filial?¡±

    Princess Royal¡¯s expression changed. She quickly masked her shock, schooled her tone, and said, ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, do you have to condemn Longyuan?¡±

    ¡°I will go and talk with Imperial Mother,¡± Mo Rongzhan said.

    <i>What¡¯s the use of pleading with Empress Dowager!</i> Princess Royal was hopping mad. She had waited outside Cining Pce for a long time, the empress dowager refused to see her. <i>How could she let her son go?!</i>

 Chapter 312 - Conviction

    <strong>Chapter 312 ¨C Conviction</strong>

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, don¡¯t just look at the face of the monk. Look at the face of the Buddha*. If it weren¡¯t for me, how could you have what you do today? Longyuan is my only son. If you want to condemn him, you will be asking for my life.¡± She spoke rudely, as she didn¡¯t believe that Mo Rongzhan would dare to offend her at this time. She still had a few cards left of her own.

    [*Don¡¯t just look at the present, look at where you started.]

    A cold chill shed in Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes. Princess Royal had always used the fact that she had once helped him as an excuse to disrespect him and the empress dowager. Recently, she had even secretly asked people to find a way to contact the deposed emperor. <i>What did she want to do?</i>

    ¡°Imperial Aunt, go home first; I will find a way,¡± Mo Rongzhan said softly.

    Princess Royal looked at the other and said, ¡°Okay, then I will leave now.¡±

    She could only hope that Mo Rongzhan wasn¡¯t an ingrate, otherwise, she would definitely not stop with just this.

    Watching Princess Royal leave the imperial study, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s handsome face was full of solemnity. How could he not see through her? She was nning to threaten him. If Xie Longyuan was not released, what would she want to do then? Form an alliance with the deposed emperor he had ced under house arrest in the summer pce, to deal with him?

    To an onlooker, Princess Royal had been merciful to him. But the truth was, she hadn¡¯t had the slightest intention to help him at the time. She was simply sitting on the fence, betting on both sides ready to move with the course of the tide. As such, only when she saw him bring troops back to the capital, did she decide to fully support him. <i>Did she really think that he didn¡¯t know she had sent someone to assassinate him and the empress dowager?</i>

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, Marquis Jing Ning wishes to see you.¡± Eunuch Fu¡¯s voice from outside interrupted his train of thoughts.

    Mo Rongzhan nodded. ¡°Come in.¡±

    Tang Zhen came in from outside and said, ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, Xie Shaojie has taken the people to the prisons of the Ministry of Justice.¡±

    ¡°He wants to get his son?¡±

    Princess Royal was a strong and domineering person, but the Princess Consort was a timid, cowardly, and conceited man. Not only had he not done anything in the court for many years, but left countless mistakes for the others to clean after. He was a henpecked husband and this move, it didn¡¯t need the genius to tell who had orchestrated.

    ¡°He said that it was Princess Royal who ordered him to get him.¡±

    Before, Princess Royal had secretly killed two people in prison. So, Mo Rongzhan had ordered Tang Zhen to take over the Ministry of Justice. This time, it wouldn¡¯t be as easy for her to kill someone.

    Mo Rongzhan sneered. ¡°Leak the evidence collected about Xie Shaojie and his son tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, what about Princess Royal?¡± Tang Zhen asked.

    ¡°What did she do? Whatever it is, keep it down for the time being,¡± Mo Rongzhan said.

    Tang Zhen was a smart man, just those words and he knew that his liege naturally had other arrangements for Princess Royal. Since he had no other questions, he took his leave and got to work.

    Early the next morning, the supervisor leaked all of the evidence of Xie Shaojie and his son¡¯s crimes against him. There were dozens of crimes, of which, any single one would be a crime worthy of death.

    When word reached Princess Royal¡¯s home, she almost didn¡¯t get angry. She understood immediately. Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t n to let her son go. Not only that, he refused to let go of anyone in the entirety of the Princess Royal Mansion. He wanted to get rid of her!

    <i>Good!</i><i>If Mo Rongzhan would be ruthless, then why should she show mercy any more?</i> Princess Royal immediately let her confidant leave the capital and to the deposed emperor¡¯s pce. <i>If she could help Mo Rongzhan win the throne, naturally she could help another nephew reim the throne!</i>

    However, even after a long time, there was no news from her confidant. At night, there was a sound from the door. She immediately ordered someone to open it. Seeing that the entire mansion was surrounded by guards, she was shocked.

    Mo Rongzhan walked in slowly from the outside, smiling at her. ¡°Imperial Aunt, who are you waiting for thiste at night?¡±

    Seeing the man before her, Princess Royalughed coldly. ¡°I understand, all of this was part of the trick that you nned. You knew from early on that I had rtions with Rong Ming.¡±

    ¡°Imperial Aunt, I have given you everything I could. What else is there that you are unsatisfied with?¡± Mo Rongzhan tly asked.

    Princess Royal coldly snorted. ¡°You promised me that you would make Liu Hua uparably honorable. Did you do it? You have no intention of making her your empress!¡±

    Mo Rongzhan emotionlessly looked at Princess Royal. ¡°She already has the honor of being a viscountess and is also Hua Fei. Is there anything you should be unsatisfied with?¡±

    ¡°You never had the intention of making Liu Hua Empress!¡± Princess Royal shouted.

    ¡°Is she worthy?¡± Mo Rongzhan enigmatically asked.

    Princess Royal¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Is my daughter not worthy of you?¡±

    Only

    He was now the emperor, and higher than any other. But what was he in the past? The empress dowager was just a humble despicable pce maid. To speak of worthiness, it would be him that was unworthy of being paired with her daughter!

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s smile had a mocking lilt to it. ¡°Imperial Aunt, all these years, there are many things that you have done and I have ignored. But there is one thing that I cannot permit. Do you know what that is?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t put it so prettily. As of today, what can you do to me?¡± Princess Royal snorted.

    ¡°It seems like my imperial aunt has forgotten what she has been up to these few years. The deaths of the Second and Third Princes, and Consort Rou, Lady Yun... I¡¯d think that you¡¯d still remember!¡± Mo Rongzhan lightly said.

    Princess Royal immediately paled. <i>How did Mo Rongzhan find out about these things?</i>

 Chapter 313 - The Favored Xianfe

    <strong>Chapter 313 ¨C The Favored Xianfei Xu (1)</strong>

    Princess Royal was demoted into amoner!

    Just two days, and the once invincible Princess Royal¡¯s Mansion that even the emperor had apprehension in dealing with, was vanquished as such.

    Princess Liu Hua lost her title of viscountess too but was made a concubine. Even if she had yet to formally enter the pce, she could now be regarded as the emperor¡¯s woman making it impossible for her to even think of marrying anyone else. When Princess Royal¡¯s Mansion was seized, she was also taken into the pce.

    ¡°Your Highness, Princess Liu Hua has entered the pce.¡± Qiu Yan came in and whispered in Lu Wushuang¡¯s ear.

    Lu Wushuangzily looked at her freshly dyed fingernails and snorted without even looking up. ¡°When one enters the pce, one enters the pce. What¡¯s the big deal?¡±

    Qiu Yan was greatly astonished. When her mistress heard that the emperor had made Liu Hua a Hua Fei, she was so angry that she could not eat for three days. <i>How could she be so calm now?</i>

    ¡°Your Highness, aren¡¯t you angry?¡±

    Lu Wushuang snorted lightly. ¡°What should I be angry about? Xie Liu Hua is not a viscountess anymore, and Princess Royal has be just amoner now. Do you think the emperor will still dote on her?¡±

    A concubine who was put into limbo before she got the emperor¡¯s favor, she had nothing to worry about. So why would she lose sleep over something trivial?

    Her mistress¡¯s words sounded deeply reasonable. Qiu Yan, was only happy the crisis has been averted. ¡°Your Highness, even if Princess Liu Hua had entered the pce, it would have had no effect.¡±

    ¡°Naturally,¡± Lu Wushuang said, smiling.

    ¡°Your Highness, this handmaiden has found out something,¡± Qiu Yan said in a low voice.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Lu Wushuang asked, dropping her voice subconsciously.

    ¡°It¡¯s said that empress dowager has sent a message to Old Madam and Third Miss to apany her to Baihua Garden tomorrow,¡± said the loyal maid.

    The smile on Lu Wushuang¡¯s face suddenly froze. ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°This handmaiden does not know why Empress Dowager likes Third Miss so much,¡± Qiu Yan said and took a careful look at her mistress.

    ¡°That¡¯s the skill of my cousin!¡± Lu Wushuang¡¯s eyes were full of ferocity. ¡°She can change from a wild girl to such a girl in just a few months. I see that she is no ordinary girl. It seems that she spends more time with Empress Dowager than in this pce.¡±

    She belittled Lu Yaoyao without the slightest qualms. She thought that a country girl from the border town had no right to be on the stage even if she held wild hopes. It was hard to imagine that she could coax the empress dowager into liking her this much. But the truth was staring her in the face, saying otherwise.

    ¡°Get Aunt He. This wang fei will apany Empress Dowager to Baihua Garden tomorrow.¡± Lu Wushuang was so cold that the chambers felt frigid. She refused to believe that the empress dowager could stop her from going along.

    Qiu Yan heeded her mistress orders, turned round to go out and fetch Aunt He.

    Soon, apanied by Aunt He, Lu Wushuang went to Cining Pce to see the empress dowager. However, the dowager did not let her in. She had to recite the scriptures and refused to be disturbed. So she ordered Lu Wushuang to return to her pce.

    <i>What an old woman!</i> Lu Wushuang cursed in her heart. If she was not afraid that the empress dowager wanted to bring Lu Yaoyao into the pce, she wouldn¡¯t try to please her at all!

    Right as she turned on her heels, she met Xu Huiru. Seemingly she too was her to see the empress dowager.

    Lu Wushuang immediatelyposed herself, straightened her back, chin slightly raised, haughtily stared at the other.

    Xu Huiru bent her knees and said, ¡°Greetings to Wang Fei.¡±

    ¡°Sister Xu is not in Xinhe Pce at the moment. What brings one here?¡± Lu Wushuang hated Xu Huiru in her heart, but she knew well not that she couldn¡¯t express her dissatisfaction at will. She was an imperial concubine and didn¡¯t need to dispute with other women whose status was inferior to hers.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to pay my respects to Empress Dowager. I didn¡¯t expect that Wang Fei Lu is concerned about Empress Dowager,¡± Xu Huiru said with a smile, her tone so respectful and polite that no one could pick the slightest fault.

    Lu Wushuang chuckled. ¡°Of course. This wang fei is the epitome of the imperial concubines. If one cannot be more filial than you, can one be the first among the four pces?¡±

    Without an empress in the pce, Lu Wushuang was naturally the highest-ranking concubine. Xu Huiru just nodded with a smile. ¡°As Wang Fei pleases.¡±

    ¡°I advise you not to disturb Empress Dowager. She may not want to see you.¡± Lu Wushuang¡¯s tone still held traces of anger.

    Xu Huiru smiled. ¡°We have alle here. Even if Empress Dowager is busy, it is a matter of one¡¯s heart.¡±

    Thest thing Lu Wushuang liked was a hypocrite like Xu Huiru. ¡°Suit yourself!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother to send me off, Wang Fei.¡± Xu Huiru curtsied.

    Lu Wushuang turned her head and left. After taking several steps, she stopped again and whispered to Qiu Yan, ¡°Go and see if Empress Dowager met her.¡±

    Xu Huiru stood outside Cining Pce for a while. Aunt Cheng came out and greeted her with a smile.

    Only

    The empress dowager had just stepped out of the Buddhist temple and looked at Xu Huiru with a smile. ¡°Xian Fei, you need note here every day. Aijia knows your heart.¡±

    ¡°One helped Her Imperial Highness transcribe the scriptures recently. One felt calmed down a lot.¡± Xu Huiru came forward and held the empress dowager¡¯s arm. ¡°Empress Dowager, I shall recite sutras with you in the future.¡±

    The empress dowager said with a smile, ¡°Why should you? You are still young. If you have nothing to do, just think about how to take care of the emperor and give birth to a fat boy in Aijia¡¯s family as soon as possible. You can¡¯t think about chanting scriptures.¡±

    Xu Huiru bowed her head bashfully. ¡°Empress Dowager, why mention such things.¡±

    ¡°Although the emperor doesn¡¯t speak much, it is not difficult to get along. You should pay more attention to the emperor, and he will naturally understand your heart,¡± the empress dowager said, very satisfied with Xu Huiru.

 Chapter 314 - The Favored Xianfei Xu

    <strong>Chapter 314 ¨C The Favored Xianfei Xu (2)</strong>

    Since entering the pce, Xu Huiru had never shown any arrogance and impulsiveness. Even though the emperor went to her pce the most times, she came to Cining Pce to greet her as usual. Such a woman was very suitable for living in the pce. The empress dowager liked her gentle and dignified temperament as well. It would be better if the emperor could also like her.

    ¡°His Imperial Majesty deals with a myriad of state affairs every day. I only hope the emperor will have afortable ce to rest when hees to the inner pce,¡± Xu Huiru said softly.

    The empress dowager nodded with satisfaction. ¡°You are right to think so.¡±

    Xu Huiru said with a smile, ¡°Empress Dowager when one came here just now, one saw that the flowers in the imperial garden were blooming very well. Tomorrow, I will apany Her Imperial Highness to enjoy the flowers.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to Baihua Garden tomorrow¡ª¡± The empress dowager paused for a moment. She thought that since she was bringing Lu Yaoyao to Baihua Garden tomorrow ... If Xu Huiru went with her, she could also bring along the emperor. This way the emperor and Xu Huiru would feel grateful for the opportunity to get along with each other and perhaps he would see her in a more favorable light.

    ¡°Xian Fei Xu, if you have nothing to do tomorrow,e to the Baihua Garden with Aijia to enjoy the flowers,¡± said the empress dowager.

    Xu Huiru raised the corners of her mouth slightly, bowed her head, and said, ¡°Yes, Your Imperial Highness¡±

    This matter somehow reached Lu Wushuang¡¯s ears, and she almost stormed in anger.

    ¡°What a Xu Huiru!¡± Lu Wushuang clenched her teeth.

    <i>Seems like I belittled this bitch. Ah, Empress Dowager didn¡¯t even see me while she was willing to see that bitch and ask her to go to Baihua Garden with her tomorrow!</i>

    ¡°Your Highness, calm your anger. You¡¯d better find a way to make Empress Dowager like you.¡± Aunt He advised.

    Lu Wushuang clenched his fist. ¡°This wang fei won¡¯t lose to her.¡±

    ?

    The sun was radiant and enchanting. As Spring blossomed, flowers bloomed in the Baihua Garden. It was a beautiful sight to behold.

    Since the empress dowager was to enjoy the flowers here today, imperial guards were stationed to keep an eye on the surroundings, no one was allowed to enter without her permission.

    Ye Zhen and Old Madam Lu were waiting by the waterside pavilion. When they heard the empress dowager¡¯s voice, they stepped out of the pavilion to greet her.

    Upon seeing Xu Huiru beside the empress dowager, Ye Zhen was slightly surprised. She reckoned she must be pleasing to the empress dowager¡¯s eyes but wasn¡¯t in the least bit surprised.

    Although Xu Huiru was full of pride and vanity before everyone else, she had the knack of dancing with long sleeves* for those that were beneficial and useful to her. As such, more often than not, she left a good impression on people.

    [*long sleeves help one dance beautifully (idiom); money and power will help you in any upation]

    ¡°Ten thousand blessings to Your Imperial Highness.¡± Ye Zhen curtsied, slightly bowing her head, and then followed it with paying her respects to Xu Huiru. ¡°This official¡¯s daughter greets Xian Fei Xu.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao,e here.¡± The empress dowager¡¯s arm was originally held by Xu Huiru. When she saw Ye Zhen, she let go of thetter¡¯s hand and motioned to the little girl toe over. ¡°Were you scared that day by the moat?¡±

    ¡°No, Your Imperial Highness. Look at me... I look ruddy, I still eat well and have good night sleep. Where do I look scared?¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile.

    Old Madam Lu shot an angry look at her granddaughter and said to the empress dowager, ¡°Look how big this child¡¯s heart is! We were all frightened for her. Fortunately, she and Little Prince are fine. In the future, we¡¯d better not go to such a busy ce. There are diverse people out there, and we don¡¯t know which among them have ill intentions.¡±

    Only

    ¡°Your grandmother is right. You can¡¯t go to such a crowded ce in the future,¡± said the empress dowager.

    Ye Zhen immediately nodded. ¡°Yes, Your Imperial Highness.¡±

    Although Xu Huiru looked at them with a calm smile, her heart was rolling like waves. She knew that the empress dowager was fond of Lu Yaoyao, but she didn¡¯t expect they were close to such an extent.

    <i>If Lu Yaoyao intends to enter the pce, perhaps there would not be a problem.</i> With Empress Dowager¡¯s benevolence, she feared she couldn¡¯t get the attention of the emperor all the more.

    <i>However, does Empress Dowager know that Lu Yaoyao has a resemnce with Ye Zhen? If Her Imperial Highness is aware of that, should she not like her so much?</i>

 Chapter 315 - Princess Fur

    <strong>Chapter 315 ¨C Princess Furong</strong>

    ¡°A¡¯Yi was supposed toe today. But the emperor said that he had fallen behind in many of his lessons, so he had to go to the imperial study,¡± Empress Dowager said with a smile.

    <i>That is so wonderful!</i> Ye Zhen thought happily in her heart. She was worried that Mo Rongzhan woulde to Baihua Garden today. Apparently, he would not be able to it seems.

    ¡°Little Prince is not around to apany Her Imperial Highness, but there is me.¡± Ye Zhen intimately took the empress dowager¡¯s arm. ¡°Empress Dowager, let¡¯s go enjoy the flowers. I just had a look and I saw that this year¡¯s flowers have grown so pretty.¡±

    ¡°They are pretty, indeed.¡± The empress dowager smiled and nodded, and was led out of the waterside pavilion by Ye Zhen.

    Old Madam Lu followed the empress dowager,ughing and talking all the way to enjoy all kinds of exotic flowers and nts in the garden.

    After a while, the empress dowager unwittingly brought the topic back on Lu Yaoyao. ¡°Over the years, the only regret Aijia has is having no daughter. In the past, when A¡¯Yi was a child, there were many disasters. After he met Yaoyao, he averted many a disaster. Last time, I asked Mr. Chen to divinate for him, he said that he had escaped the catastrophe¡ª¡±

    As she listened on, Old Madam Lu was a little frightened. <i>Empress Dowager doesn¡¯t want to marry Yaoyao to the little prince, does she?</i>

    <i>That¡¯s absolutely not OK! How old is the little prince?</i>

    The empress dowager was oblivious to the unease in the old matriarch¡¯s heart at this time. She sighed, and said, ¡°If only Yaoyao could be Aijia¡¯s daughter... .¡±

    Old Madam Lu looked at the other in surprise. ¡°Empress Dowager, what do you mean?¡±

    Ye Zhen was dumbfounded as well. <i>She wants me ... treat me like a daughter?</i>

    All this time, Xu Huiru¡¯s heart was on tenterhooks, afraid that Lu Yaoyao would enter the pce. Previously, there was a Ye Zhen who she couldn¡¯t match up to. <i>Now, if Lu Yaoyao ...</i> At this rate, she was afraid she would never get the emperor¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Aijia wants to make Yaoyao a princess,¡± the empress dowager said in a low voice.

    If Old Madam Lu had not controlled her emotions ... she almost screamed out. ¡°Empress Dowager, this... How can Yaoyao have such a blessing? You must not.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± the empress dowager countered and said with a smile, ¡°Aijia loves her. It is not about happiness, it is about fate. Aijia believes Yaoyao is brought here by fate.¡°

    Xu Huiru quirked up her eyebrows and said with a gentle smile, ¡°What Empress Dowager means is, if there is no fate, how could Miss Lu save the little prince time and again, and get along with you like this.¡±

    Old Madam Lu turned to Ye Zhen for she was too surprised to speak and wanted an opinion. But only when she saw the equally dumbfounded face of her granddaughter did she realize she too did not know of the empress dowager¡¯s n in advance. She quickly schooled her feelings, and said, ¡°Your Imperial Highness speaks highly of Yaoyao.¡±

    ¡°Aijia hopes to have a daughter like Yaoyao but doesn¡¯t know if Yaoyao wants to have Aijia as her mother....¡± the empress dowager said with a smile.

    Although her heart would prefer Yaoyao to be a daughter-inw, considering the many problems underlying that arrangement, she felt that it was not as good as being a daughter. However, if Yaoyao was interested in the emperor ... She wouldn¡¯t force it.

    Ye Zhen was still a little dazed. It all felt surreal ... she had never thought she would be a princess one day. This was different from being bestowed the title ¡®Princess of Commandery¡¯*. If she were a princess, even if she were not an imperial physician in the future, she could stille and go in the pce as pleased. She reckoned this way it would be easier to aplish her goal than being a female medical officer.

    [*This was the title Empress Dowager offered to YZ but she declined]

    <i>It¡¯s much better than being a ¡®Princess of Commandery¡¯. </i>She saw no reason in turning it down.

    The biggest advantage ... was that she could break away from the threat of Mo Rongzhan. If she became a princess, how could he brazenly do such things to her? After all, in name, she was his sister.

    Ah, she would love that!

    The empress dowager mistook Ye Zhen¡¯s silence for hesitation. She smiled and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, Aijia won¡¯t force you.¡±

    ¡°Your Imperial Highness... .¡± Ye Zhen choked at her words. <i>How could she not want to?</i> Regardless of who she was, the Ye Zhen before or the Lu Yaoyao now, the empress dowager had always loved her dearly. She just didn¡¯t know how to repay this woman¡¯s benevolence.

    Now, even Old Madam Lu was afraid her granddaughter would refuse. After all, if there were another princess in the Lu Family, there would be nothing to worry about.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The empress dowager looked at her with a smile.

    Ye Zhen resisted the impulse to rush into the empress dowager¡¯s arms. ¡°I don¡¯t know how many people want to be your daughter. How can I be reluctant? I¡¯m afraid... Yaoyao will fail to live up to Your Imperial Highness¡¯s love and disappoint her in the future.¡±

    Only

    The empress dowager lovingly touched her head. ¡°The little princess* of Aijia, how can I be disappointed?¡±

    [Little princes aka spoiled child/girl, in a good way.]

    Xu Huiru wasted not a breath and immediately knelt down to congratte. ¡°Congrattions to Empress Dowager. We will have a princess in the state of Jin.¡± <i>If Lu Yaoyao bes a princess, she will never be a concubine.</i>

    Old Madam Lu nodded with a smile. <i>In this way, Shuang¡¯er should be really relieved. Yaoyao shall be a princess, and that is an emperor¡¯s sister.</i>

    The empress dowager was in a great mood, holding Ye Zhen¡¯s hand, she said, ¡°Aijia has already thought about it. Later, you shall be Jin Country¡¯s Princess Furong*.¡±

 Chapter 316 - Winning Over (1)

    <strong>Chapter 316 ¨C Winning Over (1)</strong>

    <i>Princess Furong!</i>

    Though the imperial edict had yet to be passed, Ye Zhen still knew that her status would be different from this point on. Thest time she had consciously turned down the title of viscountess for it would never near enough something that could help her attain her goals. However, a princess was different. And she admitted that this was also something unexpected.

    <i>Perhaps it was time to change her ns for revenge...</i>

    Originally, her ns were based off on her attaining the position of an imperial physician. While on one hand, it would enable her toe in contact with the empress dowager and gain her trust, on the other she could gain an insight into the workings of the imperial court. Especially the most important officials. The higher their standings in court, the more privileges they were bestowed; one of them being the services of the imperial physicians. Admittedly, it was a meandering path, but one that a female of this era could tread toe closer to the imperial pce- that is if she didn¡¯t want to be a part of the inner pce.

    Ah, but if she became a princess, would she still be able to be an imperial physician?

    Although Ye Zhen had a deep-seated desire to bring ruins to Mo Rongzahn¡¯s empire, the pragmatic her was well-aware this was an impossible feat. She was clear in her heart of the end she wished Lu Wushuang and Lu Lingzhi, but Mo Rongzhan ... she still did not know what to do to quench the raging hatred in her heart.

    ¡°Congrattions, Miss Lu.¡±

    While Ye Zhen was lost in thoughts by theke, Xu Huiru had unknowingly arrived at her side.

    The empress dowager and Old Madam Lu had walked but for a while before feeling tired, and were now sitting in a cool pavilion, resting. Ye Zhen had spotted a couple of herbs she had needed by theke and as such asked the empress dowager to excuse her beforeing over to pick them. Thinking of her new status as Princess, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh in wonder at the sudden turn of affairs. However, the reason this imperial consort was by her side now was beyond her.

    When Xu Huiru had arrived, her kissing up, care, and concern towards the empress dowager- none of it had missed Ye Zhen¡¯s notice.

    ¡°Imperial Consort Xian.¡± Ye Zhen bowed in greeting, not really wanting to converse with Xu Huiru here. This woman was different from others after all, in that she had an actual understanding of Ye Zhen. After all, this woman was once her rival. As such, she was unwilling to let slip in her presence and reveal the slightest ws in her disguise. So the less they interacted, the better it was.

    ¡°This should be our second time meeting. The first time I saw you, was at the academy. I was truly taken aback.¡± Xu Huiru was all gentle and polite now, a stark contrast to her cold and proud demeanour from that day.

    Ye Zhen knew she was courteous because of Empress Dowager, she could see right through her facade. ¡°Yes. When I first arrived at the capital, I had heard of Imperial Consort Xian¡¯s good reputation. But, who would have thought that on our first meeting in the school, I would scare you.¡±

    Xu Huiru looked at Ye Zhen. ¡°That is because you look extremely alike to one of my old acquaintances.¡±

    ¡°Qin Wang Fei?¡± Ye Zhen smiled and asked.

    ¡°You know?¡± Xu Huiru looked at her with surprise.

    <i>Ah, Lu Yaoyao knows she looks like Ye Zhen, yet still dares to appear before the empress dowager, and even enter the pce?</i>

    <i>Does she not know Ye Zhen is taboo to almost the entire capital, and that almost no one dares to mention her?</i><i>Not to mention that she looks so simr to her!</i>

    Ye Zhen feigned a look of confusion. ¡°Yes, people have told me of the resemnce. Imperial Consort Xian forgets, Teacher Shan was once Ye Zhen¡¯s teacher.¡±

    Only

    ¡°Then you....¡± Xu Huiru wanted to ask her why she still dared to approach the empress dowager, but she quickly understood. Perhaps the Empress Dowager had never seen Ye Zhen. She had heard that even the emperor had never seen her, so it was possible that his mother wouldn¡¯t have seen her either. As such, they wouldn¡¯t know that the two resembled.

    Xu Huiru lightlyughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t tell anyone about this. Actually, not many people in the capital have seen what Ye Zhen looked like. After she became Qin Wang Fei, she rarely went out.¡±

    Ye Zhen thought it was funny. <i>Was Xu Huiru wishing to kiss up to her, and win her over?</i>

    ¡°Imperial Consort Xian, then I will thank you for keeping my secret,¡± she politely said.

    ¡°Miss Lu... no, I should call you Princess now, you need not be courteous. We are going to be family not long from now,¡± Xu Huiru said, smiling.

 Chapter 317 - Winning Over (2)

    <strong>Chapter 317 ¨C Winning Over (2)</strong>

    <i>A family?</i> Ye Zhen¡¯s smile grew deeper. <i>This was an interesting way to put it. </i>¡°I dare not attest to that. Imperial Consort Xian, you just heard the Empress Dowager as well. I am only going to be getting a title, that¡¯s all. There¡¯s really nothing that has changed.¡±

    Although she was now a princess, until she got married, she would be staying at the Lu Mansion. The empress dowager had stated that she wanted to build a new princess mansion for her. As for the one given to Princess Royal, she thought that it was unlucky. Also, it would be at least two or three years before the said mansion finished construction.

    Ye Zhen was also happy at the Lu Mansion. How else would she be able to watch over Lu Lingzhi? Furthermore, the empress dowager had also said that if she still wanted to study at the School of Medicine, she was free to do so. After all, it was because of her medical skills that she was able to save Mo Rongyi.

    Having the empress dowager¡¯s word, Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t think of any excuse to refuse the title of Princess Furong.

    ¡±In the future, you will understand that being a princess is much different,¡± Xu Huiru said, seemingly implying something far deeper.

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°Imperial Consort Xian, Empress Dowager seems to be looking for us. Let¡¯s return to the cooling pavilion.¡±

    Xu Huiru turned only to find Aunt Cheng looking their way. She then returned with Ye Zhen to the pavilion.

    The empress dowager smiled and said to Xu Huiru, ¡°The emperor and the prime minister are at the water pavilion over there. Imperial Consort Xian, why don¡¯t you go over. I will be fine with just Yaoyao.¡±

    ¡°Empress Dowager, why don¡¯t I continue apanying you in observing the flowers.¡± Xu Huiru¡¯s face grew red. She knew that the other was giving her an opportunity to grow closer to the emperor. However, she needed to act a bit more reserved lest her intentions are discovered.

    To this day, she was still unsure of how she had made the emperor dissatisfied with herself. Why would he not allow her to wait upon him (sleep with him)? Was it that he was trying to warn her to keep her ce?

    The empress dowagerughed. ¡°I have Yaoyao here. Why don¡¯t you go?¡±

    Xu Huiru insisted no more, bowed, and took leave.

    Ye Zhen looked emotionlessly at the departing figure. Compared to Lu Wushuang, Xu Huiru was noticeably more skilled and scheming. She had once thought that the two would be enemies. But as of today, it was clear that the former was no opponent of thetter.

    Old Madam Lu was a bit difited at the sight of Xu Huiru gaining so much favor with the empress dowager. She feared that Shuang¡¯er¡¯s days in the inner pce would grow increasingly more difficult.

    ¡°Yaoyao,e sit near me.¡± The empress dowager waved at Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhen immediately sat next to her. ¡°Empress Dowager.¡±

    The other touched her head. ¡°Yaoyao, speak honestly with me. Would you like toe to the pce frequently in the future and talk with me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I would like to.¡± Ye Zhen lightly nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll just hope that you don¡¯t think of me as annoying in the future.¡±

    Old Madam Lu gave her a look. Seeing this granddaughter of hers, she felt a slight sense of relief. At least now Shuang¡¯er wouldn¡¯t want Yaoyao to leave the capital anymore. This was a pretty good thing.

    The empress dowager sighed as she looked at Ye Zhen. If only Lu Yaoyao didn¡¯t look like Ye Zhen, she would¡¯ve been willing to help fulfill the emperor¡¯s wishes. However, if the Emperor grew to know of this and then hated her, then wouldn¡¯t that be pushing this little girl onto Ye Zhen¡¯s old path? She couldn¡¯t bear that. If she didn¡¯t truly love this girl, how could she bear to work against her own son?

    Only

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t know what the empress dowager wasmenting over, smiling as she said, ¡°Your Imperial Highness, I know that there is a forest in the Baihua Garden, with many fruits on the trees. I¡¯ll go fetch some for you to taste.¡±

    The empress dowager looked at her with surprise. ¡°You know that there are fruits in the forest?¡±

    ¡°I saw them thest time I came here.¡± Ye Zhen smiled and answered.

    Old Madam Lu shook her head and said, ¡°I feel like you are just unwilling to stay still for any longer.¡±

    ¡°Go, go.¡± The empress dowager smiled and waved.

 Chapter 318 - Anger

    <strong>Chapter 318 ¨C Anger</strong>

    Early in the morning, Mo Rongzhan summoned Mo Rongyi to the imperial study for lessons. By the time he had finished with the official matters, Mo Rongyi was already sleepy, and no longer pestered him to go to Baihua Garden. Once he finished his sses, the little prince returned directly to his residence to sleep.

    Today, the empress dowager, together with Imperial Consort Xian, went to Baihua Garden. Mo Rongzhan was well aware that his imperial mother did not go to admire the flowers there. She went because of Lu Yaoyao.

    He didn¡¯t want her to be a princess. Even if, to this day, she was still unwilling to abide by his wishes. However, the more she acted like this, the less willing he was to let go. If she became a princess, wouldn¡¯t she then be his sister?

    ¡°Prime Minister Xu, have you been to Baihua Garden?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked as he looked at the man sitting opposite him.

    ¡°It has been many years since Ist went,¡± a confused Prime Minister Xu smiled and said. <i>Weren¡¯t they just discussing how to repair the river? How did the conversation switch to Baihua Garden?</i>

    ¡°The weather is pretty nice today. Why don¡¯t you apany me on a walk at Baihua Garden?¡± Mo Rongzhan seriously stated.

    Prime Minister Xu was taken aback, but couldn¡¯t refuse. ¡°Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.¡±

    So, Mo Rongzhan brought Prime Minister Xu to Baihua Garden. Hearing that the empress dowager was in the garden observing the flowers, they went to the water pavilion to see the view of theke, drinking tea and ying go.

    When Xu Huiru arrived, she saw a Mo Rongzhan dressed in casual attire sitting inside the water pavilion, making the tea himself. His movements were as fluid as water. There was an indescribable grace and elegance to it; his sculpted face was as handsome as that of a fallen deity. She watched almost dazed.

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty.¡± Xu Huiru hid the love in her eyes, slowly walked into the water pavilion, and bowed gracefully to Mo Rongzhan.

    Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t even raise his head. ¡°Please rise, my beloved consort.¡±

    Prime Minister Xu saw that his daughter was also here and hurriedly bowed with delight.

    ¡±Father, you need not be so courteous,¡± Xu Huiru said softly, her eyes staring lovingly at Mo Rongzhan. ¡°The empress dowager heard that Your Imperial Majesty was in the Baihua Garden, and told me toe see you.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t hate Xu Huiru, but he also didn¡¯t like her either. He lightly nodded. ¡°Where is the empress dowager?¡±

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, Her Imperial Highness is in the cooling pavilion near the plum tree forest,¡± Xu Huiru said gently. She truly liked Mo Rongzhan. There was no man on this earth finer than him. Only a man like this was worthy of her.

    ¡°Please sit.¡± Mo Rongzhan looked up to look at Eunuch Fu.

    Xu Huiru was delighted, but tried to hide it. She sat at Mo Rongzhan¡¯s left. ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, let me brew the tea.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan knew that Xu Huiru was very good at brewing tea. He smiled slightly and handed her the pot in his hands, saying to Prime Minister Xu, ¡°Consort Xian¡¯s tea is light and transcending. Prime Minister Xu, why don¡¯t you have a taste.¡±

    The sight of his daughter and the emperor, Prime Minister Xu felt it was a match made in heaven. He was inwardly delighted. Originally, he had worried that his daughter would lose the imperial favor after she entered the inner pce, as there was already an Imperial Consort Lu. But who would have known that the once most favour consort would lose her favor with the emperor so quickly?

    ¡°Since she was young, she has lived by her grandmother¡¯s side. My mother likes brewing tea, above all things.¡±

    ¡°It seems that Prime Minister Xu¡¯s entire family is skilled in the art of tea,¡± Mo Rongzhan said lightly.

    Prime Minister Xu humbly denied. ¡°We are just a bit more fond of drinking tea.¡±

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, please.¡± Xu Huiru ced a cup near Mo Rongzhan¡¯s side.

    Mo Rongzhan looked down, and said, ¡°Put it down, the cup is hot.¡±

    Xu Huiru put the cup down with a blush. She was a bit unsure if he had asked her to do so out of concern for her, or his unwillingness to touch her hand.

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, I just remembered that there are some things I have not finished concerning the repair of the river. I will not interrupt Your Imperial Majesty¡¯s sightseeing in Baihua Garden, and leave now.¡± Prime Minister Xu left, tactfully, not interrupting the emperor and his daughter.

    Xu Huiru looked at her father with gratitude.

    Mo Rongzhan slightly nodded. ¡°Please, Prime Minister Xu.¡±

    There was only Mo Rongzhan and Xu Huiru left in the water pavilion. Xu Huiru looked at the man beside her shyly, her heartbeat elerating. ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, the flowers in Baihua Garden are beautiful this year. Shall I apany you to see them?¡±

    ¡°You have toiled much today, apanying the empress dowager. You don¡¯t need to keep tiring yourself.¡± As always, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s was cold and aloof.

    Only

    Xu Huiru was a bit disappointed, She wanted to apany him in this fairnd-like Baihua Garden. If she could get a gentle hug from him, that would be even better.

    ¡°I am not tired. Princess Furong is apanying the empress dowager today. I was only a guest...,¡± Xu Huiru said sofly. Before she could finish, she saw Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes grow terrifyingly cold and sharp... it was so scary, she couldn¡¯t even finish.

    Mo Rongzhan looked coldly at Xu Huiru. ¡°Consort Xu, what Princess do you speak of?¡±

    Xu Huiru¡¯s face grew a little pale. ¡°Princess Furong...the empress dowager said today that she wanted to make Third Miss Lu a princess.¡±

    <i>Dammit! Has Lu Yaoyao already agreed?</i>

 Chapter 319 - Be Obedient, Donâ€™t Agree

    <strong>Chapter 319 ¨C Be Obedient, Don¡¯t Agree (1)</strong>

    <i>Dammit! Has Lu Yaoyao already agreed?</i>

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s dark eyes shed. His handsome face seemed to be sheathed with ayer of unbreakable ice. ¡°Is that so, then I will have to go congratte my imperial mother.¡±

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty?¡± Xu Huiru was taken aback. <i>Did she say something wrong? Why did he seem to have changed into another person?</i>

    Mo Rongzhan stood up, and without a word strode out of the water pavilion.

    Eunuch Fu came out from the other side, whispering in Mo Rongzhan¡¯s ear. His expression grew even more dark and cold. He brushed off his sleeves, and his figure moved like a sh, quickly disappearing into the plum forest.

    Xu Huiru¡¯s face grew white. She didn¡¯t know what had just happened.

    <i>Was Mo Rongzhan angry because Lu Yaoyao was about to be a princess? Why was he upset?</i>

    Ye Zhen, who was unaware of the fact that Mo Rongzhan was so mad he could choke her, had unknowingly walked close to the dry well from so many years ago. Looking at this familiar ce, she couldn¡¯t feel anything but an ache in her chest.

    This was one of the most beautiful ces in her memory... because she had met him here, and fallen in love with him at first sight. She could never forget.

    She lightly smiled, then shook her head. She wouldn¡¯t hark back to the things of her past life anymore. It was a bygone era, she had learnt her lessons. She took her basket that was already full of fruits and turned to leave. She had only just looked behind her when a cold and tall figure appeared. She jumped, startled, and stepped back. But her step fell empty... She had forgotten about the well behind her.

    Mo Rongzhan eyes were like ice. Seeing her fall, he didn¡¯t extend his hand to help her. Only when she was plummeting into the well, did he jump, catching her as she was about to hit the floor. The two of them safely floated to the bottom of the well.

    As soon as Ye Zhen stood steady, she saw the fruits on the ground, and forcefully pushed Mo Rongzhan aside, angrily ring at him. ¡°Mo Rongzhan, are you trying to scare someone to death?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s dark eyes stared at her. His body was surrounded with shocking cold, his lips pursed, and he stayed silent.

    ¡°What... do you want to do?¡±

    Ye Zhen was afraid.

    *

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s face was overcast, his thin lips shaped in a handsome angle. He looked at her deeply with his dark eyes in silence. Yet, despite not saying a word, Ye Zhen still felt a pressure that made her breathless.

    He looked at those clear and bright eyes, her upturnedshes were trembling with nervousness. Her beautiful face was looking up at him with stubbornness. Clearly, she was just a disobedient little girl who happened to look like Ye Zhen, yet, he was unable to forget her.

    He had no impression of Ye Zhen whatsoever, so even if the two were a spitting image of each other, it had little effect on him. He thought, if only he had exercised a little more patience, naturally, she would be willing to enter his inner pce. But who would have known that she would agree to be a princess?

    As long as the empress dowager¡¯s imperial edict was passed, she would be his imperial sister. How could she then be his woman?

    ¡°Yaoyao, do you want to be a princess?¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s low voice sounded mellower in the well, as drunken as old wine.

    Ye Zhen quietly said, ¡°The empress dowager wants to make me a princess. Could I refuse?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan reached out against the stone wall behind her, locking her in his embrace and lowering his head to look into her eyes. ¡°As long as you say that you are unwilling, naturally, I will speak with Imperial Mother about it.¡±

    ¡°Why should I say that I am unwilling? I am willing!¡± Ye Zhen said, her face full of confusion. ¡°What¡¯s so bad with being a princess. In the future, I can also enter the pce as I wish to apany the empress dowager,¡±

    <i>She was much too willing!</i><i>She could avoid this bastard, and also reach her goal. There was nothing that would make her happier.</i>

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes grew darker, almost bursting out with rage. But as he saw the mirth in her eyes, he controlled himself and softly coaxed her. ¡°Yaoyao, listen to me. If you be a princess, then you will be my imperial sister.¡±

    ¡±Then shouldn¡¯t I call you Imperial Brother?¡± Ye Zhen asked with a smile, sweetly calling, ¡°Imperial Brother.¡±

    His expression turned even more distorted. ¡°Do not call me Imperial Brother!¡±

    ¡°Then what should I call you? Your Imperial Majesty, why don¡¯t you first send me up. The Empress Dowager is still waiting for me,¡± she asked with confusion.

    Only

    ¡°Yaoyao, be obedient. Don¡¯t agree with Empress Dowager¡¯s ns. I won¡¯t force you to do anything in the future, okay?¡± He ignored her words, wrapping a hand around her waist, whispering in her ear.

    She pushed away his hand. ¡°You are forcing me right now.¡±

    He ced his hand on the stone wall again. ¡°Tell me, what is it that you want?¡±

    ¡°Imperial Brother, the empress dowager has already decided to make me a princess. It is not too... well for you to act like this,¡± she said tly.

    He had never known the words ¡®Imperial Brother¡¯ would make him so ufortable.

 Chapter 320 - Be Obedient, Donâ€™t Agree (2)

    <strong>Chapter 320 ¨C Be Obedient, Don¡¯t Agree (2)</strong>

    Mo Rongzhan looked at Ye Zhen icily. ¡°Do you really think that after bing my imperial sister, I won¡¯t dare do anything to you?¡±

    Well, she really did think so, though she wouldn¡¯t admit it. ¡°You are the high and mighty emperor, I am as humble as an ant before you. How could I be fearless after bing a princess?¡±

    ¡±I want you,¡± Mo Rongzhan said softly.

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, I am already your imperial sister,¡± Ye Zhen said, her expression changing.

    He smiled. ¡°And what about it? Has the imperial edict been passed? If not, then it is only the words from the empress dowager¡¯s mouth.¡±

    She widened her eyes, ¡°Your Imperial Majesty¡ª ¡± <i>Could you not act so shameless£¡</i>

    Before she could say anything, he had already lowered his head and blocked her lips, his tongue moving to separate her teeth, domineeringly invading her mouth.

    ¡°No¡ª¡± She struggled, wanting to push him away. But her meager strength was nothing against him.

    He took a hold of her hand, leaned against her, and using his other hand untied the straps to her dress.

    Ye Zhen shook her head fiercely. ¡°Mo Rongzhan, stop! You can¡¯t do this.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you want me to do?¡± He panted roughly. He was unable to ept the fact that she had be his imperial sister. <i>Was it that he would have to direct her wedding in the future as well?</i>

    <i>Make him marry her to another man? Not unless he was dead!</i>

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, if you touch me today, I will kill myself here.¡± Ye Zhen closed her eyes, giving up her struggles.

    Mo Rongzhan red at her angrily, unable to believe what he heard as he asked, ¡°You would rather die than to marry me?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Ye Zhen immediately answered.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao!¡± Mo Rongzhan was seething in fury.

    How had he been bewitched by her? How was she so heartless? He had already indulged her so much, yet she was not moved in the slightest. What other woman would dare hit him? She had already hit him twice! He couldn¡¯t bear to punish her, yet she still remained untouched.

    Ye Zhen gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and refused to look at him.

    Mo Rongzhan almost wanted to choke her right then and there, to save him the effort of not being able to let go. He slowly released her hand and stepped back. ¡°I have never been unable to attain anything that I desire.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a thing!¡¯ Ye Zhen shouted.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, you¡¯re not a thing. You are a woman that I desire.¡± Mo Rongzhan smiled lightly. ¡°Even if you be a princess... what about it? Do you really think that I would care?¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You might not care, but the empress dowager will!¡±

    Mo Rongzhan curved his lips in a shallow smile, his dark eyes reflecting her pale figure. ¡°Yaoyao, you will understand in the future.¡±

    <i>Understand what?</i> Ye Zhen frowned and looked at him, wanting to wait for him to continue. But he didn¡¯t say anything else and simply turned around.

    Ye Zhen pursed her lips tightly. If he wouldn¡¯t say anything, naturally, she was unwilling to speak and ask him what he meant either.

    ¡°This is the ce where I was almost in an ident,¡± Mo Rongzhan suddenly said.

    <i>Why would he suddenly speak of this? </i>Ye Zhen frowned, puzzled. <i>This well was where she had once saved him. But what was there about it?</i>

    ¡°The little girl that once saved was, like you, also named Yaoyao.¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s voice was filled with a heavy disappointment. ¡°I... was tricked by someone into thinking she was someone else.¡±

    Ye Zhen frowned and asked, ¡°You¡¯re telling me this because I have the same name as her?¡±

    <i>He was making her a substitute for this girl?</i>

    Mo Rongzhan looked at her tly. He couldn¡¯t deny that his initial interest in her had been because of her name. Butter, unknowingly, whenever he now thought of Yaoyao, he could only see the image of her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send you up.¡± Mo Rongzhan calmed down. He had just almost ¡°wanted her¡± (sexually). This was the ce he first met little Yaoyao. He couldn¡¯t make any unhappy memories here.

    Ye Zhen immediately tidied her hair and clothes, taking a look at him before quickly lowering her head again.

    Only

    Mo Rongzhan held her by the waist and sent her up. Before she could thank him, he had already strode out of the forest, leaving her with only a strong, straight back.

    Ye Zhen silently looked for a while, before lowering to pick up the fallen fruits back into the basket.

    As she had expected, he had found out that he had been tricked... <i>So this was why Lu Shuanger had lost his favor, right?</i>

    <i>What if he knew that little Yaoyao was Ye Zhen? What then would he think?</i>

    <i>He would probably regret everything...</i>

 Chapter 321 - The Imperial Decree (1)

    <strong>Chapter 321 ¨C The Imperial Decree (1)</strong>

    Tousled hair and slightly soiled clothes, Ye Zhen certainly didn¡¯t look the prim and proper miss she was. Faced with the discerning gazes of the two women, she attributed her current unkempt condition to the time she was picking fruits saying she didn¡¯t know when her clothes got dirty. Neither empress dowager nor Old Madam Lu smelt anything fishy and simply ordered the maids to help clean her up.

    Not long after, Xu Huiru returned as well.

    The empress dowager was taken aback when she saw her. ¡°Xian Fei Xu, shouldn¡¯t you be with the emperor?¡±

    Xu Huiru looked a little difited. However, maintaining her bing smile, she said, ¡°Your Imperial Highness, His Imperial Majesty said that he still needed to return to look at the court memorials, and told me to stay here and apany you. He wille another day and have a look around Baihua Garden with you.¡± When she spoke her eyes uncontrobly nced towards Ye Zhen, and though she saw that her expression was like it usually was and didn¡¯t seem to be any different from what it was in her usual condition, she still felt like there was something pressing on her heart. <i>Mo Rongzhan had only given up on her because of her new status as Princess...</i>

    <i>Had the emperor left to go find her?</i>

    She didn¡¯t dare think any further and restrained herself from walking the path of overthinking. Lu Yaoyao was already a princess, which made her the younger sister of the emperor. Even if there was something between the two before, there was no possibility that there would be anything from this point on. Only when she thought about it like this did her heart settles somewhat.

    However, the empress dowager was a little disappointed. She had always felt that her eldest son lived an overly lonely life. <i>What a chance that such a caring, gentle, and bing girl like Xu Hui Ru would be at his side, yet how could he still be unmoved?</i>

    After their trip to the Baihua Garden ended, the empress dowager returned to her pce. Not long after, Mo Rongzhan went to pay his respects to her. ¡°I had nned on apanying Imperial Mother, but who would have thought that Prime Minister Xu would bring up the river repairs. I had to return to the court and discuss this with the court officials. I¡¯ll go with you to Baihua Garden next time,¡± Mo Rongzhan said lowly. All signs of his former anger in the garden had already dissipated.

    The empress dowager looked at him for a while. ¡°Emperor, I have already decided to make Yaoyao a princess. What do you think about this?¡±

    <i>What did he think about this?!</i><i>What could he think about this?!</i> Mo Rongzhan silently thought. He looked up only to see his mother looking at him in concern. He smiled and said, ¡°As long as Imperial Mother likes it, it is fine.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao¡¯s temperament is not suitable for living in the pce. I want to let her continue doing what she likes. I¡¯ll just be giving her a title. In the future, when she gets married, I¡¯ll build her a Princess¡¯s Mansion,¡± the empress dowager said.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes grew slightly dark. ¡°Does she still want to attend sses at the School of Medicine?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Speaking of this, wasn¡¯t the reason she was able to help A¡¯Yi out of disaster this time her medical skills? I think seeing that she has skills in this area, and likes studying medicine so much, I will let her do as she likes,¡± the empress dowager said with augh.

    ¡°All right then,¡± Mo Rongzhan said tly.

    Once they were done eating, Mo Rongzhan left Cining Pce. He didn¡¯t want to hear anything else concerning Lu Yaoyao. On his way back from Baihua Garden, he had already thought things through.

    She was nothing more than a girl that he had fallen for a little bit. Seeing that she thought nothing of him, why should he continue to care for her? After all, not every person could be like his Little Yaoyao, etching an unforgettable mark in his heart.

    ¡°Lady Cheng, have I erred? How does the emperor really feel about Yaoyao?¡± the empress dowager looked at Mo Rongzhan¡¯s departing figure, and couldn¡¯t help but ask her handmaiden standing beside her.

    ¡°Your Imperial Highness, I cannot tell what His Imperial Majesty thinks either,¡± Lady Cheng said in a whisper, ¡°However, I can tell that Miss Yaoyao... most definitely does not think that way.¡±

    Only

    The empress dowager slightly nodded her head. ¡°I¡¯ve already noticed that she does not hold any of those intents. That was why I wanted to make her a princess. Aye, this son of mine, I do not know who he is like. How is he so withdrawn? There are so many consorts in the pce... Is it that there is not a single person that he can look eye to eye with?¡±

    Lady Cheng lightly nodded. She was slightly afraid of the emperor and didn¡¯t dare hazard a guess about his thoughts.

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t that Yaoyao looked so much like her, I would really want to marry her to the emperor.¡± Empress Dowager said in a whisper, ¡°I¡¯m just afraid of the fact that, in the future, when the emperor knows the truth, he will treat Yaoyao like he did her. At that point, wouldn¡¯t I be a sinner?¡±

    Lady Cheng was taken aback. She immediately felt that the empress dowager¡¯s decision to make Lu Yaoyao a princess was actually a means of protecting her. ¡°Empress Dowager, please don¡¯t think too much now. How would Miss Yaoyao be the same as ... Wang Fei? Miss Yaoyao is a very fortunate person. She has an Imperial Mother like you to look over her. ¡±

    Empress Dowagerughed and nodded. ¡°Hmm, you are right.¡±

 Chapter 322 - The Imperial Decree (2)

    <strong>Chapter 322 ¨C The Imperial Decree (2)</strong>

    When Ye Zhen and Old Madam Lu returned to the Lu Mansion they spoke nothing about the news of her bing (or about to be) a princess. After all, the imperial edict hadn¡¯t been passed yet, it wouldn¡¯t do good for them to get everybody¡¯s hopes up for nothing should something untoward happen.

    However, Ye Zhen still secretly told Pei Shi.

    Pei Shi was happy and sad at the same time. She didn¡¯t know whether or not this daughter that she had held so carefully in the palm of her hand from the time of her birth would drift away from her after bing a princess. ¡°Yaoyao, you are fortunate.¡±

    Ye Zhen grabbed her arm and said, ¡°Mother, no matter what I be in the future, you will always be my mother. ¡±

    Pei Shi¡¯s heart immediately melted into a puddle. ¡°Don¡¯t continue going to the academy after you be a princess.¡±

    ¡°I want to go. In two days, I also want to attend the examination,¡± Ye Zhen said cheerily. Unknowingly, she had already fallen in love with medicine. She thought that it was great that she could save people with her medical skills. Though she had be a princess, and her status was now different, but what difference did that make? It was just an imperial edict. There was a possibility that she might no longer be a princess one day.

    She wanted to learn medicine and be as skilled as Mister Chen. Then, at that time, no matter what stood against her, she would have the confidence to face it.

    Pei Shi furrowed her brows in distaste. ¡°What, are there any princesses who have also be imperial physicians? ¡±

    ¡°But there have been empresses in the past dynasties that have left theforts of the pce to cure people,¡± Ye Zhen countered.

    ¡°You...you... you.¡± Pei Shi looked at her daughter helplessly, ¡°Since when did you get so many big ideas? It is fine, whatever you do as long as you get the empress dowager¡¯s permission.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°The empress dowager says I¡¯m free to do whatever I like.¡±

    Since things hade to this, there was nothing Pei Shi could say. She didn¡¯t even know why the empress dowager so treasured her daughter. She always felt all this was surreal.

    The next morning, the said imperial edict arrived.

    Ye Zhen was made Princess Furong, with Furong as her title. It was clear as day, the empress dowager¡¯s love and respect for her. Apart from the small minority that had already known about this, the rest of the people were shocked.

    <i>Why was it so sudden? How has the Lu Family suddenly produced an iparably noble princess?</i>

    The moment Liu Shi and Wang Shi heard the imperial decree, their faces instantly fell. With gloom, their gazes looked towards Ye Zhen more probingly.

    ¡°Yaoyao bing a princess is a happy event. Give everyone in the family five taels of silver,¡± Old Madam Lu said with a smile. Only after getting the imperial edict could she rest her heart. That was the truth.

    ¡°Mother, do you want to have a banquet and invite all of our rtives and friends?¡± Lu Shixun asked with a smile, as he was naturally happy to see his niece bing a princess. Now, there would be no more sisters turning their backs against each other. Also, Yaoyao could still be of help to his oldest niece, Lu Wushuang, in the future.

    Lu Shiming frowned and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be too ostentatious about the banquet business for the time being. We are still in the midst of a battle with the western regions. The emperor has ordered the court to be frugal.¡±

    ¡°Then we will celebrate privately,¡± Old Madam Lu dered.

    Only

    ?

    Although the Lu Family deliberately kept a low profile, the news that Ye Zhen was bestowed the title of Princess quickly spread. The happiest of all was Lu Wushuang. When she got word, she suddenly felt that her cousin was a lot more likable than before. A lot!

    As for the subject of the hot topic, Ye Zhen, she had no significant thoughts whatsoever. Upon visiting the pce to express her gratitude along with Old Madam Lu, she returned to school. Today, Huangfu Chen would start teaching at the School of Medicine. He had promised that he would teach her divination. She didn¡¯t want to miss any of Mister Chen¡¯s lessons.

    It wasn¡¯t just her. Word had spread like wildfire in the academy that Huangfu Chen would be teaching at the School of Medicine. The entire school was rife with excitement, after all, who was Huangfu Chen?

    Though the erstwhile imperial family of Huangfu had long lost its reign upon the fall of their dynasty, the empresses Qi Yanling and Zhao Linxiu had created an unprecedented prosperous era. Who knew what kind of power they had left overseas or in other areas?

 Chapter 323 - Huangfu Chen Teaches

    <strong>Chapter 323 ¨C Huangfu Chen Teaches</strong>

    From the time the former emperor had been stupid and useless, there had already been arge number of people that had hoped the Huangfu Family would take over the empire. No one doubted Huangfu Chen¡¯s abilities. If it hadn¡¯t been that Huangfu Chen had no desire for the empire, perhaps... it wouldn¡¯t be the Mo Family sitting on the imperial throne.

    Huangfu Chen was a legend. A legend people couldn¡¯t help but sigh in wonder at.

    Now that this legend was at their school, how could they not be excited?

    There were many people in the capital that had yet to glimpse the shadow of Huangfu Chen but had already heard of his god-like art of healing*. Also, his divination abilities that almost allowed him to see the future were no less awe-inspiring. In their hearts, his existence was akin to that of a deity¡¯s.

    [* q¨« s¨« hu¨ª sh¨¥ng- to rise from the dead (idiom); fig. an unexpected recovery]

    But, despite knowing Huangfu Chen was extraordinary, they still had not anticipated he would be so good-looking. When he appeared in the school dressed in a moonlight white robe, he was greeted with silence.

    Huangfu Chen didn¡¯t acknowledge those around him, gracefully stepping into the school. His eyes were gentle and smooth like jade, his figure long and sculpted. ¡®A gentleman like jade¡¯ was perhaps written to describe him.

    Even Ye Zhen felt her heart pinch as she watched him walk by the forest. A person like this... <i>what kind of girl would be able to stand by his side in the future?</i>

    There were dozens of students in the School of Medicine. In no particr order, they were all arranged to be seated on the grass. Huangfu Chen would teach a day every month. As for how much the students could get out of it, that would depend on their own understanding.

    Seeing the captivated students, Master Qin couldn¡¯t help butin to Qi Jin, ¡°Are these students here to learn or to look at your nephew? I see few have learned something.¡±

    Qi Jin just smiled lightly. Looking at Huangfu Chen, who was teaching, she felt a sense of pride rise in his heart.

    Ye Zhen sat on the grass. This was her first time listening to Huangfu Chen teach. Hearing his smooth, flowing voice, and seeing his jade-like face, she felt fortunate that she had already met him a couple of times. Otherwise, she would probably be like the others, drowned in her astonishment of him.

    ¡°You are already a princess. Why do you stille to the school?¡± someone asked Ye Zhen quietly.

    Ye Zhen looked back to see who it was Gao Xueping. She slightly smiled. ¡± What, can¡¯t princessese to the school?¡±

    Gao Xueping clenched her teeth, ring at Ye Zhen with hatred. Previously, she had always been sure that she would be able to defeat thetter. But as of today... she no longer had that kind of confidence.

    Princess Royal had been reduced to amoner. The Gao Family had been almost entangled in that affair. All these years, they had always survived by depending on Princess Royal. Now that she had beenpromised, their family would inevitably be affected.

    <i>She had to be an imperial physician! She couldn¡¯t lose to Lu Yaoyao.</i>

    ¡±You already hold a high position., why do you still need to partake in the examination?¡± Gao Xueping asked. She couldn¡¯t understand where Lu Yaoyao got her luck from. How had she let the empress dowager value her so much?

    ¡°Do you really think that if I don¡¯t take the exam, you will definitely be able to be an imperial physician?¡± Ye Zhen asked back.

    Gao Xueping¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Lu Yaoyao, do you really want to sabotage me?¡±

    ¡°What are you thinking about? Why is it that all that you ever think about is sabotaging others or others sabotaging you?¡± Ye Zhen scoffed. ¡°You are not worth those dirty tricks.¡±

    ¡°You...!¡± Gao Xueping¡¯s eyes grew red with rage. This was her first time clearly feeling that Lu Yaoyao had never seen her as anything.

    ¡°Listen to the lesson.¡± Ye Zhen didn¡¯t want to keep wasting time with her. She turned to listen attentively to Huangfu Chen¡¯s lesson.

    The four-hour lecture was about to end. Many students had yet to react, totally immersed in the tutor¡¯s charisma.

    Huangfu Chen smiled and looked at them. ¡°Our afternoon lesson is in the medicinal herb grounds. Everyone, first go and eat.¡±

    All the students left reluctantly. Ye Zhen walked to Huangfu Chen¡¯s side after everyone had left and bowed in greeting. ¡°Mister Chen, when are you going to divinate for me?¡±

    ¡°You were serious?¡± Huangfu Chen lowered his eyes to look at her. These days, he had always wanted to solve the mystery of her horoscope. But the more he calcted, the more he felt that her fortune was blurry, and couldn¡¯t be clearly understood.

    Ye Zhen yfully smiled. ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°All right then,¡± Huangfu Chen smiled and said, ¡°I live in the bamboo forest in Shiliwu. You can go find me when you have time.¡±

    ¡°I have to go to ss tomorrow. I¡¯ll go see you in a couple of days,¡± Ye Zhen said immediately.

    Huangfu Chen smiled and bowed his head. ¡°Then I will humbly await Your Highness¡¯s arrival.¡±

    ¡°Teacher, you are making fun of me,¡± Ye Zhen said awkwardly. She had only gained the title of Princess, nothing else had changed.

    ¡°How would I be making fun of you? Haven¡¯t you already be Princess?¡± Huangfu Chen asked with a smile.

    ¡°Although I am a Princess....¡± Ye Zhen lowered her eyes, hiding the bitterness deep within them. ¡°Mister Chen, I will definitely go see you in a couple of days. I¡¯ll first leave now.¡±

    Huangfu Chen lightly nodded. Seeing Ye Zhen¡¯s departing figure, he furrowed his brows in slight confusion. <i>Why was it that... he felt this little girl seemed to have many secrets?</i>

    Ye Zhen left the grass field. She hadn¡¯t walked for long before she saw a familiar figure standing in front of her. She frowned and walked over.

    ¡°It seems like I have always underestimated you.¡± Gao Xuepingughed coldly and said, looking at Ye Zhen, ¡°Someone who grew up in the countryside could be Princess, and be so close to Mister Chen... I am humbled by your ploys.¡±

    Only

    ¡°Gao Xueping, what are you trying to say?¡± Ye Zhen tly asked. She didn¡¯t like Gao Xueping.

    From the very beginning, when Gao Xueping had looked down on Sun Wen, to the time where she had mocked others, she had felt that there was something twisted about her character. As of today, Gao Xueping had somehow gotten the idea that she was her enemy.

    Gao Xuepingughed coldly. ¡°The examinations are based on skill. If someone like you, who tries to win through kissing up, defeats me, I will not ept it.¡±

    Ye Zhenughed and said, ¡°Miss Gao, are you mistaken? Why would I care whether or not you ept it? Even if you do not, would it change the fact that I won?¡±

    Gao Xueping angrily red at Ye Zhen. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that!¡±

 Chapter 324 - Learning Divination (1)

    <strong>Chapter 324 ¨C Learning Divination (1)</strong>

    Ye Zhen found a day she didn¡¯t have to go to school. After informing her family, she went to Shiliwu to find Huangfu Chen.

    There was a bamboo forest in Shiliwu. In it, there was a path that led deep into the forest. The wind blew past, and the forest lightly swayed, dancing in a beautiful melody.

    Deep in the forest was a house. Around it was a fence with a crawling patch of purple flowering ivy. There were also begonia trees in the yard, with a garden for vegetables on the other sides. Two roosters trotted about the area.

    Ye Zhen was taken aback by this ce, which was suffused with the humble feeling of mankind.

    ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re here. Pleasee in.¡± Huangfu Chen walked out to greet her. Seeing Ye Zhen stand dazedly outside, he couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    ¡°Mister Chen, it¡¯s really... surprising here,¡± Ye Zhen said as she smiled. Previously, she had imagined Huangfu Chen¡¯s residence to be something like a fairnd. How else would it pair with his graceful air? But it seemed that she was wrong.

    Huangfu Chen smiled and asked, ¡°Why are you surprised?¡±

    ¡°You appear like you do not inject the essences of the human realm. It doesn¡¯t... look like that here.¡± Ye Zhen walked in. To her, this ce exuded a sense of greatfort enveloped in warmth and gentleness from all around.

    ¡°So do I not need to eat?¡± Huangfu Chen smiled and ced the feed on the ground. The two roosters immediately rushed up to eat.

    Ye Zhen suddenly felt that Huangfu Chen had be human (and no longer a fallen deity), increasing the feeling of ¡°real¡±.

    ¡°Perhaps you really gave people the impression that you could live without eating,¡± Ye Zhen smiled and said.

    Huangfu Chen was at first taken aback, then broke out inughter. ¡°Then I wouldn¡¯t be a human anymore.¡±

    <i>Wasn¡¯t that so?</i> She had thought that he was almost not a human.

    ¡°Princess, pleasee in,¡± Huangfu Chen said with a smile, turning to lead her into the bamboo house.

    ¡°Mister Chen, don¡¯t call me Princess. You make me embarrassed. Call me Yaoyao,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    Huangfu Chen lightly nodded. ¡°All right.¡±

    They walked to the back of the bamboo house. It was slightly different from the front, with many nted medicinal herbs, and a bamboo pavilion to the side. Within it, there were two seats. They sat cross-legged on them. Huangfu Chen brought out a tortoiseshell and some yarrow.

    ¡°Though I don¡¯t know why you want to learn divination, you have talent. I have never taught anyone else, and don¡¯t know how to teach. I can only teach you the theory and techniques. As for whether or not you can learn, it will still be up to you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mister Chen.¡± Ye Zhen nodded. She naturally knew that her sess would be up to herself. The fact that Huangfu Chen was willing to help was enough for her to be grateful for.

    Huangfu Chen handed her the tortoiseshell and yarrow. ¡°They are for you. There are two forms of divination. One uses tortoise shells and the other yarrow. Use the yarrow then the shell, only then can you arrive at a true conclusion.¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at the tortoiseshell that was about the size of her palm and then at the yarrow. Her eyes grew bright as she attentively listened to Huangfu Chen¡¯s exnation.

    ¡°The results of divination are called hexagrams. Before, when the ancient people divinated, every time they reached a certain point, they would mark it on their pupils. These would be the records of their divination. Every divination would include hexagram images, hexagram paintings, hexagram remarks, line remarks, and hexagram names. I will exin to you the differences...¡±

    Ye Zhen knew that divination wasn¡¯t a simple thing. Hearing Huangfu Chen¡¯s lesson today, even though she had a memory far superior to the average person, she still felt that it was hard to understand, and something she would have to ruminate over and over. However, she thought it was interesting and wasn¡¯t bored in the slightest.

    ¡°... that will be everything for today.¡± Huangfu Chen had spoken for about two hours, and stopped, ¡°Divination is not something that can be learned in a couple of days.¡±

    Ye Zhen nodded. ¡°All right, what you have taught me just now is enough for me to think over for a couple of days.¡±

    Huangfu Chen smiled. ¡°If there is anything you do not understand, you can ask me.¡±

    ¡°Teacher, can I calcte my own horoscope?¡± Ye Zhen raised her head and asked. She really wanted to know how her fate had changed after she had been reborn.

    ¡°Why do you want to calcte your own horoscope?¡± Huangfu Chen asked in return.

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°I¡¯m curious. People are always interested in what their futures might bring.¡±

    ¡°Divinating for yourself canmonly shorten your own lifespan. And you might not be able to arrive at a conclusion. So, it¡¯s best not to do it.¡± Huangfu Chen said quietly, ¡°Just like the saying that a medical practitioner cannot heal themselves, divinators cannot divinate for themselves.¡±

    ¡°Oh, then I won¡¯t divinate for myself,¡± Ye Zhen said without a thought.

    Only

    ¡°I¡¯ll divinate for you.¡± Huangfu Chen took Ye Zhen¡¯s tortoiseshell. ¡°You cannot believe everything about divination. You can choose what to believe. Things concerning fate are notpletely set in stone.¡±

    She nodded and wrote out a few things. She wrote Ye Zhen¡¯s horoscope.

    Huangfu Chen held the yarrow and looked at her horoscope. He was silently taken aback.

    <i>This horoscope... isn¡¯t Lu Yaoyao¡¯s.</i>

    <i>It¡¯s Ye Zhen¡¯s!</i>

 Chapter 325 - Learning Divination (2)

    <strong>Chapter 325 ¨C Learning Divination (2)</strong>

    When he had be a divination master at age fifteen, his first divination had been for a pair of twin sisters. At that time, the divination signs had been extremely bad. The twins were natural disasters for one another. One was a tragic beauty, the other iparably noble. If the two lived together, they would undoubtedly end in tragedy.

    At that time, he had yet to learn the art of keeping secrets, as such, his na?ve self had revealed it all to the old madam of the Ye Family. Later, one of the sisters had been sent away. He had felt apologetic towards them and was even warier that his early calctions could have been wrong. So, thereon, he had always paid attention to them. However, reality had proved him correct.

    Ye Zhen was the tragic beauty and Lu Yaoyao clearly iparably noble. But he remembered they had both indicated short fates. That said, as of today, he could no longer calcte Lu Yaoyao¡¯s fate.

    Huangfu Chen quietly calcted Ye Zhen¡¯s horoscope. When he finished, he was silent for a long time. <i>This... was clearly Ye Zhen¡¯s horoscope. But why was it so odd?</i>

    ¡°Mister Chen?¡± Seeing him staring at the horoscope silently, she was a little anxious. <i>Has he figured something out?</i>

    ¡°Yaoyao, this shouldn¡¯t be your horoscope,¡± Huangfu Chen said quietly. ¡°This horoscope should belong to an iparably noble person. Unfortunately, their fortune is not the best, and they are already dead.¡±

    Ye Zhen was taken aback, she looked at Huangfu Chen with surprise. She was totally in awe of him. In the past, she hadn¡¯t thought that divination was something that was urate. But as of today, it was clear that it could show many things.

    ¡°Did I forget?¡± Ye Zhen feigned surprise as she looked at her horoscope. ¡°Oh, I wrote the wrong time.¡±

    When Huangfu Chen saw her write her own horoscope, he lightly smiled, but his divination results were still the same as before.

    ¡°There¡¯s no hexagram...¡± Huanfu Chen furrowed his brows. ¡°Yaoyao, I can¡¯t calcte your hexagram.¡±

    ?

    <i>Couldn¡¯t calcte her hexagram?</i>

    <i>What does that mean?</i>

    Ye Zhen looked at Huangfu Chen with perplexion as she asked, ¡°Teacher, why are you unable to calcte my hexagram?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps it is because your fate has changed, or... because I am not good enough at my craft.¡±

    <i>Her fate has changed?</i> Ye Zhen¡¯s face grew slightly pale. <i>Had this happened because she was reborn into her twin sister¡¯s body?</i>

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. There are some people that are just like this. It isn¡¯t something bad.¡± Seeing that Ye Zhen didn¡¯t look very well, Huangfu Chen smiled andforted her.

    Ye Zhen forced a smile in response.

    He said nothing else, boiled two cups of tea and handed her a cup. ¡°Yaoyao, do you have any blood sisters?¡±

    ¡°Hmmm?¡± Ye Zhen was taken aback.

    ¡°Although there is no hexagram on your horoscope, by the looks of it, you should have a sister,¡± Huangfu Chen said softly. He felt that Lu Yaoyao hadn¡¯t written the wrong horoscope by ident. She had purposefully written out Ye Zhen¡¯s horoscope for him to see.

    <i>She knew of her own lineage! Who had told her? Even Lian Danshi didn¡¯t know about Lu Yaoyao¡¯s lineage. Who else would know?</i>

    Ye Zhen wanted to say that she had a sister. However, in the end, she just smiled and shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I do.¡±

    Huangfu Chen smiled lightly and didn¡¯t continue on the matter.

    In the afternoon, the sunlight was bright and warm. Ye Zhen bid farewell to Huangfu Chen and told the coachman to bring her to Qianjin.

    There were some benefits to bing a princess. The empress dowager had bestowed her eight servants, four maids, two courtdies, and a pair of eunuchs. From now on, they would be hers, and would receive pay directly from her. In the future, she probably wouldn¡¯t be able to go everywhere alone, she would need to bring a servant with her.

    When they arrived, the manager who was already familiar with her brought her up to a room in the second floor without any extra words. Before long, Hong Ling appeared.

    Only

    ¡°Miss.¡± Hong Ling bowed. ¡°I have some good news for you.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled and asked, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Uncle Man answered in a letter not long after he returned to Jinkou City. He said that he had already gotten in touch with the Lu Family¡¯s manager,¡± Hong Ling whispered.

    This was a pretty good start. However, it was too slow to start their ns on a small manager. It would take forever to copse the Lu Family business. ¡°I have a letter here. Send someone to bring it to Uncle Man.¡±

    She had made careful notes about Lu Shixun¡¯s temperament and what she had understood about the most recent events of the Lu Family business and hoped that he would be able to find a way to deal with the second master of the household.

 Chapter 326 - Assassination

    <strong>Chapter 326 ¨C Assassination</strong>

    Hong Ling took the letter and looked at Ye Zhen seemingly having something to say.

    Ye Zhen smiled and asked, ¡°What, do you want to ask me something?¡±

    ¡°Miss, I heard that... you are now a princess?¡± Hong Ling asked in a whisper.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ye Zhen lightly nodded. ¡°With the title of princess, it does seem easier to do what I want.¡±

    Hong Ling felt frustrated and wronged as she asked, ¡°Seeing as they can be so kind to you today, then why would they have~¡±

    Ye Zhen nced at Hong Ling lightly and stopped her from continuing. ¡°Now, myst name is Lu, not Ye.¡±

    If she were Ye Yaoyao today, as long as she was a member of the Ye Family, no matter how much the empress dowager liked her, she would not make her a princess.

    ¡°Then...what if they find out about your identity?¡± Hong Ling asked worriedly. <i>If they found out that Lu Yaoyao was Ye Zhen¡¯s sister in the future, how would they treat her miss?</i>

    ¡°I¡¯ll make ns for the future when ites around.¡±

    Now she could only n her steps as she took them, calcting wherever she went. As for the future, if she were still alive after she had gotten revenge, then she only hoped for an elegant and clean little hut where she could peacefully spend this life.

    Hong Ling sighed in her heart, she felt very sorry for her miss.

    ¡°Is there no news on Master and Young Master yet?¡± Ye Zhen asked in a low voice. What she wanted to know most now was the whereabouts of her father and brother. She had always believed that they must be alive.

    Hong Ling shook her head slightly.

    Ye Zhen was a little disappointed. ¡°Keep looking, they must be living safely somewhere in this world.¡±

    ¡°Miss~¡± Hong Ling hesitated for a while, lowered her head, and said, ¡°Uncle Tian is leading a group of people to assassinate Lu Lingzhi.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Ye Zhen stood up abruptly. ¡°Who let him go? When did he go?¡±

    Hong Ling had expected that Ye Zhen would be furious. She hurriedly said, ¡°A month ago, Uncle Tian found out that Lu Lingzhi had poisoned you, so he told Uncle Man to be silent on the matter. He took a group of people to Xifan. There is no news on them yet.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re only telling me now?¡± Ye Zhen shouted angrily. ¡°Do you know how dangerous it is? If Lu Lingzhi were so easy to kill, why would I have to wait until today?¡±

    ¡°Miss, Uncle Tian¡¯s martial abilities are strong, and all of the people he brought with him are very powerful. Maybe he can really kill Lu Lingzhi,¡± Hong Ling said hurriedly, attempting to cate her incensed mistress.

    ¡°What if he can¡¯t kill him? Do you know how many people Lu Lingzhi brought to Xifan this time? Let Uncle Tiane back immediately, don¡¯t act rashly!¡± an irate Ye Zhen said.

    ¡°Uncle Man has already sent someone to tell him this, but... Uncle Tian can¡¯t be persuaded.¡±

    ¡°That old stubborn thing!¡± Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t sit still. She didn¡¯t want her closest confidant general to die before he killed the Lu Family. She needed Tian Jiu to deal with Lu Shixun for her, but he had run off to assassinate Lu Lingzhi! The man had taken thousands of elite soldiers with him to Xifan. Even if Tian Jiu seeded, could he escape the pursuit of those elite soldiers after bringing the assistant war minister to grief?

    Ye Zhen became more and more anxious as she thought about it, and wished to personally bring Tian Jiu back.

    ¡°Miss, it¡¯s useless to be anxious now. Uncle Man has sent someone to find Tian Jiu, don¡¯t worry.¡± Hong Ling persuaded Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Hong Ling, I don¡¯t want to lose any of you anymore. Listen to me, don¡¯t move carelessly.¡± Ye Zhen closed her eyes and sighed. She had lost too much. She didn¡¯t want to anymore, and couldn¡¯t lose anything else.

    ¡°Miss~¡± Hong Ling looked at Ye Zhen with tears in her eyes. She had never seen her miss like this, desperate and scared as if she were afraid that she would fall into an abyss in the next moment.

    Only

    ¡°I won¡¯t let Lu Lingzhi die. I will keep him alive,¡± Ye Zhen whispered.

    Wanting someone to suffer was not to kill him, but to keep him alive, and make him watch as he lost everything that had once belonged to him, little by little. That was the cruelest thing of all.

    ¡°Miss, what about Uncle Tian?¡± Hong Ling asked.

    ¡°Find a way to stop him. If you can¡¯t stop him, make sure that Tian Jiu cane back safely. Don¡¯t let him get caught by Lu Lingzhi¡¯s people. Even if Uncle Tian won¡¯t betray Man and the others, could Lu Lingzhi remain oblivious?¡±

    Once he was caught, the people in Jinkou City would definitely be implicated, so they couldn¡¯t afford for anything to happen to Tian Jiu. Only now did Hong Ling understand how much risk Tian Jiu had taken to go kill Lu Lingzhi. He had put not only his life but also the safety of others on the line with him.

 Chapter 327 - Serious Injuries (1)

    <strong>Chapter 327 ¨C Serious Injuries (1)</strong>

    Ye Zhen had just returned to the Lu Mansion and was about to walk in the door when she saw Lu Xiangzhi running out quickly and shouting to her, ¡°Yaoyao, you are here at just the right time! Stop Little Prince, I¡¯m going to Master Xu¡¯s ce. I have to take the exam next month. I don¡¯t want to y with the Little Prince.

    ¡°Lu Xiangzhi, stop for this prince!¡± Mo Rongyi¡¯s frustrated voice sounded from behind.

    Lu Xiangzhi had no time to talk to Ye Zhen and immediately jumped into Ye Zhen¡¯s carriage. ¡°Quick, hurry over to Master Xu¡¯s house.¡±

    By the time Mo Rongyi got outside, all there was to see was the rear of the departing carriage.

    ¡°What do you want my brother for?¡± Ye Zhen asked amusedly. ¡°Running yourself into such a sweat.¡±

    ¡°Where did Lu Xiangzhi go?¡± Mo Rongyi asked, huffing and puffing.

    ¡°My brother is about to take the exam. He has to study carefully these days. Don¡¯t ask him to y.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t find anyone else. If I could find someone else, would I need toe and find your brother?¡± Mo Rongyi stomped his feet. ¡°If Lu Xiangzhi is not going, I will go find your other brothers.¡±

    ¡°Tell me, what are you looking for my brothers for?¡± Ye Zhen took his hand. ¡°My brothers are not avable, you don¡¯t need to look for them.¡±

    Mo Rongyi almost jumped up frantically. ¡°Then who else should I call for help? I have been so humiliated. Who will return my dignity to me?¡±

    ¡°Just how have you been humiliated?¡± Ye Zhen asked.

    ¡°Yesterday I yed cuju* with Eighth Imperial Brother and the others, and I lost,¡± Mo Rongyi said with a stiff neck. ¡°Those people are even worse at riding than me. How did they win Eighth Imperial Brother?¡±

    [E/N: Cuju is ancient Chinese <u>football (ser)</u>]

    ¡°Eighth Imperial Prince is much older than you. It doesn¡¯t matter if you lose to him,¡± Ye Zhen said frustratedly.

    ¡°Eighth Imperial Brother found some little boy from somewhere who is younger than me, and he beat us really badly. I can¡¯t swallow this without a fight!¡± The little prince griped.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t care about winning or losing so much. If you lose this time, you will win it back the next time.¡± Ye Zhen patted on his shoulder as if he were a child throwing a temper, refusing to admit defeat.

    ¡°I must win them!¡± Mo Rongyi said firmly, ¡°They used to make fun of me for not being worthy to y with them. Am I not worthy yet? I need to win them once, just to prove that I can win them.¡±

    Ye Zhen had already nned to leave but stopped at the words. ¡°Eighth Imperial Prince always bullied you before. Does he still dare to bully you now?¡±

    Mo Rongyi hmmed. ¡°Now they dare not bully me openly, but they still look down on me in their hearts, not only Eighth Prince but also the other people in the n... they just look down on me and Imperial Mother.¡±

    ¡°When are you ying cuju with them again?¡± Ye Zhen knew that those in the imperial n looked down upon the empress dowager¡¯s background, and knew how much this little boy had been wronged before. Now, those people were not bullying him like they did before, but they chose another way to tell Mo Rongyi he was not worthy of his position today.

    ¡°Three dayster. Whoever wins will get a silver-colored satin flower,¡± Mo Rongyi said with eyes full of grievance.

    Ye Zhen nodded. ¡°Okay, I will help you restore your dignity in three days.¡±

    ¡°You?¡± Mo Rongyi quirked his eyebrow in skepticism. ¡°You are just a girl. How could you help me restore my dignity?¡±

    ¡°Anyway, I will have a way to do it.¡± Ye Zhen red at him. ¡°Are you looking down on girls?¡±

    Mo Rongyi asked suspiciously, ¡°Do you really have a way to do this?¡±

    ¡°Do you know who I am? I am now your sister.¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile, ¡°Return to the pce, I¡¯ll see you in three days.¡±

    ¡°Then I will believe in you this time!¡± A still doubtful Mo Rongyi nodded and reluctantly left with his servants.

    Ye Zhen watched him leave amusedly and then went to the room to see Old Madam Lu.

    ¡°Oh, Princess Furong is here, should we kneel to greet you?¡± Second Madam Lu immediately stood up and asked this twistingly.

    Hearing the jealousy that could not be hidden in Wang Shi¡¯s tone, Ye Zhen just smiled. ¡°Second Aunt, why are you being so courteous to family? It¡¯s not toote to kneel down when you go outside.¡±

    Wang Shi pouted. ¡°After all, the title of princess is different. Even your mother... has to kneel for you.¡±

    Pei Shi shot a fleeting nce and ignored her acrimonious words.

    Ye Zhen smiled as she said, ¡°Since ancient times, filial piety has always been the greatest. Even if I am prosperous and wealthy, is my mother not my mother, and my grandmother not my grandmother anymore?¡±

    ¡°Whatever Princess says is correct.¡± Wang Shi snorted softly.

    Only

    Old Madam Lu cast her a faint look and took Ye Zhen to her side to sit down. ¡°Little Prince is here, did you see him outside?¡±

    ¡°I have seen him. He has already gone home.¡± Ye Zhen smiled.

    ¡°Your second uncle is going to Jinkou City tomorrow. Today, our family will send him off,¡± Old Madam Lu said.

    Lu Shixun was about to return to Jinkou City. So it was about time for Man Qin to begin preparation to deal with him.

    Lu Jing stood behind Wang Shi, looking at Ye Zhen with a somewhat obscure look. She thought she was not much different from Lu Yaoyao, but thetter had be a princess... an unreachable gap and appeared between them. How could she not be jealous if she couldn¡¯t catch up to that distance?

 Chapter 328 - Serious Injuries (2)

    <strong>Chapter 328 ¨C Serious Injuries (2)</strong>

    As they were happily talking, several noises suddenly came from outside the door.

    Old Madam Lu frowned and asked the maid, Chen Wei, to go out to see what had happened.

    But before she could go out, they saw Lu Shiming striding in. ¡°Mother, something happened to Lingzhi.¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s spirits lifted up at once. <i>Did Lu Lingzhi really get hurt? Who had hurt him? Was it Tian Jiu or the rebels?</i>

    Old Madam Lu clenched her hands tightly. ¡°What happened to Lingzhi?¡±

    ¡°Lingzhi was seriously injured on the way back. The emperor has already sent Qi Yizheng to treat him.¡± Lu Shiming ryed to the family the news he had received from the court today.

    <i>Seriously injured?</i> Old Madam Lu swayed and almost fainted, but Ye Zhen quickly caught her.

    ¡°Grandmother, take care,¡± Ye Zhen said in a low voice while supporting Old Madam Lu.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the Xifan rebellion suppressed? Why would you still encounter assassins on the road?¡± Old Madam Lu felt like the ck shadows were appearing before her eyes.<i> If something happened to Lu Lingzhi, who else could the Lu Family rely on?</i>

    ¡°They said that a confidant of the Prince of Xifan wasing to his aid. Now the assassin has been arrested, and the truth will be clear only after interrogation,¡± Lu Shiming said.

    Ye Zhen was shocked. <i>If Hong Ling hadn¡¯t said that Tian Jiu had gone to Xifan, she would have apuded... but now she couldn¡¯t rest assured, fearing that the assassin who was caught could be Tian Jiu.</i>

    ¡°Is the injury serious?¡± Old Madam Lu asked hurriedly.

    Lu Shiming did not dare say that Lu Lingzhi was unconscious now, otherwise, he feared the olddy would not be able to bear the shock. ¡°There should be no problem if Imperial Physician Qi Yizheng is going to treat him in person. Mother, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡±

    ¡°How can I not worry?!¡± Old Madame Lu yelled anxiously.

    ?

    The news of Lu Lingzhi¡¯s serious injury was passed back to the capital, and everyone in the Lu Family suddenly felt that there were dark clouds looming over their heads. Ye Zhen¡¯s heart also felt heavy. She was worried that the person they had apprehended was Tian Jiu. She wished nothing would happen to her father¡¯s trusted confidant.

    As such she decided to enter the pce for rity of the situation. In order to find out more, she nned to stay in the pce for a few days.

    When Old Madame Lu heard Ye Zhen wished to go to the pce to inquire about the news, she was very touched. ¡°Seeing you care so much about your eldest brother, he will be very happy when hees back.¡±

    ¡°I have nothing that I can do for the family. I can only ask for more information, so Grandmother can rest assured,¡± Ye Zhen whispered.

    ¡°Good girl, you are so considerate.¡± Old Madam Lu touched the little girl¡¯s head, feeling very relieved in her heart.

    ¡°Grandmother, don¡¯t worry too much, Eldest Brother will return safely.¡± She knew Lu Lingzhi would return safely and that his wounds would take a long time to heal. However, she dearly hoped he would be unable to recuperate.

    Old Madam Lu nodded. ¡°I know, your eldest brother will be fine.¡±

    The very next day, Ye Zhen went to the pce. Even before she had entered the pce, the empress dowager was aware of her worries. So she asked the emperor to inquire into the matter.

    ¡°¡ª I heard that it was an arrow in the shoulder and a knife in the calf. Originally, the injury was not serious, but there was poison on the edge of the knife. Imperial Physician Qi is going to treat him himself. Don¡¯t worry, Qi Yizheng is very good at detoxification,¡± the empress dowager whispered to Ye Zhen.

    When Ye Zhen¡¯s soul had been wandering in the pce, she had heard that Lu Lingzhi was injured, but she didn¡¯t know exactly what had happened. She had even wondered what kind of injury would take him out for so long. It seemed that it wasn¡¯t the wound but the poison that was the problem.

    ¡°Imperial Mother, I heard that it was the confidant of the Prince of Xifan who hurt my eldest brother?¡± Ye Zhen asked tentatively.

    Only

    The empress dowager raised her eyebrows. ¡°That¡¯s what they said, but they had originally caught three people. I heard that two are already dead. One of them was imprisoned. They should be sent to the prison for interrogation in a few days. ¡±

    Ye Zhen lowered her head and said nothing, feeling a little uneasy in her heart. She wanted to know what happened.

    Seeing her like this, the empress dowager thought she was worried about Lu Lingzhi, so she smiled and said, ¡°A¡¯Yi talked about you for a long time yesterday. It seemed like he was looking for something to do with you.¡±

    ¡°He lost in a cuju match, and I promised to win it back for him.¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile, ¡°Imperial Mother, I will go see him, lest he quarrels with me and gets angry.¡±

    ¡°He should be back from the imperial study now. Go on.¡± The empress dowager said, ¡°Even if you are anxious about your eldest brother, it is useless to worry now. Come back in a few days. Then you will know the details.¡±

 Chapter 329 - Adorable Little Prince

    <strong>Chapter 329 ¨C Adorable Little Prince</strong>

    Ye Zhen wanted to say that she wasn¡¯t worried in the slightest about Lu Lingzhi¡¯s life or death. She just wanted to know who had been caught.

    When she came to the little prince¡¯s dwelling, Mo Rongyi had just returned from the imperial study. When he saw her waiting for him, he was so excited, the only thing that was left for him to do was to jump up with joy. ¡°Yaoyao, have you found some people to help me?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t found anyone yet. You can show me how many people you have,¡± Ye Zhen said. Since he was trying topete with people in the imperial n, she couldn¡¯t use the guards around him, lest the other party have an excuse to taunt the little prince.

    Mo Rongyi took Ye Zhen to see his little friends. Those children were all hispanions. But they were just that- children used to only reading books. Only a few had ever yed cuju.

    ¡°They won¡¯t y cuju with me anymore. They said that they want to y polo!¡± Mo Rongyi said angrily to Ye Zhen, ¡°I wanted to tell you about this yesterday. Imperial Brother won¡¯t let me out of the pce.¡±

    ¡°Polo?¡± Ye Zhen quirked her eyebrows. <i>That would be a test of their equestrian skills. Isn¡¯t this openly bullying Mo Rongyi?</i>

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to agree. They said I was a coward and didn¡¯t dare topete with them,¡± Mo Rongyi said with a face full of sorrow.

    ¡°Oh? Who are these people who want to try and y polo with you?¡± Ye Zhen asked.

    ¡°Two cousins of Second Imperial Uncle¡¯s family, the heir of Marquis Pingyang, and the second son of Marquis Xinping-¡± Mo Rongyi listed several people. ¡°They are all in cohorts with Eighth Imperial Brother.¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s face soured. ¡°They are all older than you, so you are just being bullied by them. If the eighth prince can find someone older than you to bully you, why can¡¯t you go find someone else too? These littlepanions, how can they help you?¡±

    Mo Rongyi met the scolding with an aggrieved look. ¡°Haven¡¯t all the people who can help me been bought out?¡±

    ¡°Idiot!¡± Ye Zhen wanted to knock this little guy to death. ¡°There are so many people in the capital who can help you!¡±

    Instantaneously, Ye Zhen remembered that Mo Rongyi had almost never had contact with the aristocratic families in the capital before. When the previous emperor was alive, he and the empress dowager could only live humbly in the shadows.

    <i>How could he know the situation of each family in the capital like her?</i>

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask the emperor?¡± Ye Zhen asked, looking at thed¡¯s disgruntled face.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want others to say that I can only rely on Imperial Brother,¡± Mo Rongyi whispered.

    ¡°A¡¯Yi, you don¡¯t need to rely on anyone now. You are Little Prince. As long as you go out, there are many people who would want toe in contact with you.¡± Ye Zhen softened her tone. ¡°You don¡¯t need to fear anyone anymore.¡±

    Mo Rongyi had been looked down upon since he was a child. Although he was a prince, the children of the imperial n had shunned him because the empress dowager was not a high-born. Even the aristocratic children had no impression of him. If not, Xie Longyuan and the others would not have dared start a fight with him at thatstntern festival.

    ¡°Then what should I do?¡± Mo Rongyi asked. He instinctively believed in Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Let those aristocratic children get to know you first. If you live in the pce and don¡¯t take the initiative to make friends with them, how can they interact with you?¡± Ye Zhen said.

    Mo Rongyi looked at Ye Zhen with bright eyes. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Ye Zhen knocked him on the head amusedly. ¡°When will you y polo with Sixth Prince?¡±

    ¡°I nned it for the fifth day of next month,¡± Mo Rongyi said.

    ¡°Then there is still one month left. Tomorrow I will give you a list of the aristocratic children. Where do you want to have a banquet? Find a reason to post and invite them. In this way, everyone would know what Little Prince is like. As peoplee and go, you will get to know more people.¡± Ye Zhen told him.

    Mo Rongyi nodded. ¡°You are right. It is my birthday in two days. I¡¯ll go ask Imperial Brother if I can hold a celebration in the pce. If I can, I¡¯ll invite them to the pce.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a list of names tomorrow,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile, ¡°A¡¯Yi, you need to face those aristocratic children on your own. You need to make them respect you yourself.¡±

    Only

    ¡°Can I do it?¡± Mo Rongyi was a little timid.

    ¡°What is there that you can¡¯t do?¡± Ye Zhen encouraged him. ¡°Trust me!¡±

    Mo Rongyi looked at Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes, full of trust and reassurance, and nodded firmly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go see Imperial Brother right now.¡±

    Ye Zhen wanted to say that they didn¡¯t need to be in such a hurry, but Mo Rongyi had already run away, a trail of smoke following his path.

    ¡°What a child!¡± Ye Zhenughed and shook her head. <i>How could such an annoying person like Mo Rongzhan have such a cute little brother?</i>

 Chapter 330 - How Do You Know (1)

    <strong>Chapter 330 ¨C How Do You Know (1)</strong>

    The older brother gazed at his little brother who was excitedly expressing his opinions. It was the first time he saw A¡¯Yi this confident. The little boy was probably used to being bullied in the pce before and had always been a little timid, tending to rely on him, the reigning emperor, and not daring to really go and meet those aristocrats.

    But today, he had actually said that he would host a banquet and invite those people. Mo Rongzhan was immensely surprised.

    ¡°What made you want to host a banquet?¡± he asked in a deep voice. He surmised it had to be under someone¡¯s influence that his brother actively chose to seek the very people he had avoided this far.

    ¡°Because Yaoyao told me to.¡± The little prince sold Ye Zhen out without the slightest hesitation.

    Mo Rongzhan was startled a little. ¡°Lu Yaoyao? What did she tell you?¡±

    ¡°She said that-¡± Mo Rongyi recounted every single thing to his brother all along observing how he would react lest he enrages him.

    <i>Who would know she could think of such a thing?</i> Mo Rongzhan was surprised. From what he knew about those aristocratic families, he thought that Lu Yaoyao wouldn¡®t be as great as those from the capital because she had grown up in a border town. Even though she had already amazed him so many times, he was once again impressed by her.

    ¡°Are you stillpeting with Prince Shun and the others in polo?¡± Mo Rongzhan quirked his eyebrow and asked.

    ¡°Yaoyao said, we can beat Prince Shun up.¡± Mo Rongyi emphasized quickly.

    Mo Rongzhan was a bit jealous. Lu Yaoyao was even closer with A¡¯Yi. When she was with him, she never talked much. ¡°Leave the banquet to the Imperial Household Department. As for the invitations, write them yourself.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Imperial Brother!¡± Mo Rong Yi said with a big smile. He had never written invitations himself. He had hosted banquets before, but it was only Imperial Mother, him, and a few other people that celebrated his birthday. This would be the first time he would host an actual banquet, so he was a bit nervous.

    ¡°Yaoyao came to the pce this early just to help with your things?¡±Mo Rongzhan asked, seemingly indifferent. Although he said he didn¡¯t care, it was still obvious that he wanted to know about her because he asked about hering to the pce.

    Mo Rongyi didn¡¯t notice the awkwardness of his imperial brother at all. ¡°Yaoyao just went to see Imperial Mother. She is probably asking after her eldest brother, but she is going to teach a fewpanions of mine how to y polo at the field.¡±

    ¡°She also ys polo?¡± Mo Rongzhan raised his eyebrows.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know~¡± Mo Rongyi couldn¡¯t sit still now. ¡°Imperial Brother, let me go have a look.¡±

    Without even thinking about it, Mo Rongzhan blurted out, ¡°Zhen will go with you.¡±

    ¡°Brother, didn¡¯t you use to y polo very well?¡± Mo Rongyi asked excitedly, ¡°Will you teach me?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t even ride the horse well and now you want to y polo?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked faintly. ¡°First, you should learn how to ride a horse.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Mo Rongyi lowered his head with disappointment.

    The pair of brothers arrived at the polo field. There was only one person riding a horse on the huge polo field with several boys watching her ride with amazement. Even the guards nearby had turned their heads towards the polo field.

    Ye Zhen was in a red narrow-sleeved riding outfit that ttered her so well that she looked tall and slender, her skin fair as porcin. With a stick several feet long in one hand and the reins in the other, she sped along the polo field. Suddenly, she tilted, lowered her body to one side of the saddle, and hit the qibao ball into the goal with one shot.

    The beauty regained her original position, reined in the exquisite horse yet again, aimed for the qibao ball, and sent it flying into the goal post in quick session as if shooting stars.

    Under the sun, she wore a bright smile. Every shot was on point and swift. Her riding skills were even better than most other men.

    Mo Rongzhan seemed to hear his own heartbeat beating faster, <i>lub-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub</i>. He gazed at her intently, and couldn¡¯t look away.

    Only

    ¡°Amazing!¡± Mo Rongyi shouted and pped his hands. ¡°Yaoyao, I did not know that you can y polo so well!¡±

    Ye Zhen turned her head towards the voice and saw the man next to Mo Rongyi at a nce. She was shocked and immediately took the stick back. She slowed down the horse and got off. She said to the boys who were stunned, ¡±See? This is how you y polo. You looked like you did not eat when you were ying. Practice harder.¡±

    Mo Rongyi ran over and took her hand. ¡°Yaoyao, why are you a girl? If you were a man, it would be so nice, so you can beat up Prince Shun for us.¡±

    Ye Zhenughed and pushed away his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there are many people who are better than me. I will give you a list tomorrow, and you can try to convince them to help you.¡±

    ¡°How do you know who else is good at ying polo?¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s voice came from behind her in a low tone.

 Chapter 331 - How Do You Know (2)

    <strong>Chapter 331 ¨C How Do You Know (2)</strong>

    Ye Zhen¡¯s shoulders stiffened a bit. <i>Oh, no! She forgot that she was now Lu Yaoyao and not Ye Zhen.</i><i>Lu Yaoyao had lived in the capital for less than a year. How could she know so much about the aristocratic families?</i>

    Mo Rongyi didn¡¯t notice the abnormality in her behaviour, and said excitedly, ¡°Yaoyao, Imperial Brother also ys polo very well!¡±

    ¡°A¡¯Yi, go practice riding and let... Yaoyao take rest,¡± Mo Rongzhan said.

    Without a word, Mo Rongyi left with his buddies to practice equestrianism.

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, I will go first.¡± Ye Zhen didn¡¯t want to face Mo Rongzhan¡¯s suspicion alone, so she couldn¡¯t wait to just leave.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t answered zhen¡¯s question yet.¡± Mo Rongzhan watched the sweat slipping down her fair cheeks and resisted the impulse to wipe it off for her.

    Ye Zhen looked at him, pretending to forget what he had asked, ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, what do you want to know?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan smiled and said, ¡°A¡¯Yi told me that it was your idea to host a banquet and invite other families?¡±

    ¡°I just think that Little Prince should know more people, and hosting a banquet on his birthday is the best way,¡± Ye Zhen answered inly.

    ¡°Then how do you know who can help A¡¯Yi?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked.

    Ye Zhen bit her lip. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    She was always defensive in front of him, and he never knew how much of what she said was true. For the first time, Mo Rongzhan felt a little frustrated. <i>Could it be that he intimidated her before?</i>

    ¡°Go get changed ande to the imperial garden,¡± Mo Rongzhan said in a low voice.

    Ye Zhen looked at him, frowned, and asked, ¡°I don¡¯t know what else His Imperial Majesty has to order, but you can just let me know now.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you call me imperial brother?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked with a smile. She was already Princess Fu Rong but refused to call him brother. Although it might sound awkward, if she could let her guard down by bing a princess, he could treat her as his sister for the time being. After all, he had ways to change the identity of a princess.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me not to call you imperial brother?¡± Ye Zhen asked rhetorically.

    Mo Rongzhan choked. ¡°Go get changed. Zhen will be waiting for you at the imperial garden!¡±

    ¡°I have something else to do.¡± Ye Zhen was extremely afraid to be with him alone.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know about your eldest brother?¡± Mo Rongzhan had to toss a bait.

    She cared not a whit about Lu Lingzhi, however, she did want to know about Tian Jiu. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go and change first.¡±

    ?

    After she had changed, Ye Zhen came to the imperial garden. Mo Rongzhan was already waiting for her at the pavilion by theke. Seeing her reluctantlying towards him, he appeared to be ufortable.

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty.¡° No matter how much she dallied, she still entered the waterside pavilion, bowed, and looked at the man with a trace of vignce in her eyes.

    ¡°Have a seat.¡± Mo Rongzhan pointed to the ce on the opposite side.

    Ye Zhen sat with her head down, never once looking at Mo Rongzhan. His words from thest time around still haunted her. <i>She was a princess, but so what? There was nothing she could do if he wanted to do something.</i>

    ¡°Why are you so afraid of me?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked in a low tone, his eyes lightly fixed on her fair face. She was afraid of him, so much so that he could sense it from the very beginning.

    ¡°How many people in this world are not afraid of you? You are the emperor,¡± Ye Zhen said calmly.

    ¡°If you continue to talk nonsense in front of me, zhen will punish you in my own way,¡± Mo Rongzhan said indifferently.

    <i>Since when did she talk nonsense? Obviously, she was telling the truth!</i> Ye Zhen raised her head, frowned, and looked at him. ¡°Did I say it wrong? No one is going to fear you if you are not the emperor.¡±

    Only

    The smile on Mo Rongzhan¡¯s face emphasised the nonchnce in his heart. ¡°I thought you were afraid that zhen would kiss you.¡±

    She instantly flushed and was quick to re back defensively. ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, I am now your sister.¡±

    ¡°Sister?¡± He chuckled and looked at her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you enter the pce to find out about your eldest brother?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± She trembled, feeling the weird air when he called her sister in a sarcastic tone.

    ¡°Lu Lingzhi¡¯s injury is not bad. It is just that he is poisoned. I have asked Qi Jin to treat him with the antidote made with the fire lotus flower, he will be fine,¡± he said quietly.

 Chapter 332 - Play Chess With Me

    <strong>Chapter 332 ¨C y Chess With Me</strong>

    <i>Fire lotus?!</i> Ye Zhen was ovee with immense regret. Had she known this fire lotus* was going to save the life of her nemesis, she would have set it aze herself!

    [E/D: This is the same fire lotus that was destroyed by Huang Fuxiang and was restored by Ye Zhen using the lingquan on her palm.]

    As she inwardly sizzled in ruefulness, she outwardly betrayed nary a sign. ¡°I heard that it was a confidant of the Prince of the West that hurt my brother. Has he been caught yet?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but before he could be interrogated he was taken awayst night.¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes were cold. It was clear that the rebellion in the west had been suppressed. The Prince of the West surrendered, so who else could being after Lu Lingzhi? Besides, someone could still take away the perpetrator despite strict vignce. It must have been carefully nned, and not just something with just good martial art skills.

    ¡°He was rescued?¡± Ye Zhen eximed with a suppressed ecstasy in the heart. ¡°But why ... How could it happen?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan snorted. ¡°Even though he has been taken away, zhen will still have him hunted down. ¡±

    It was better off to not catch him again. Ye Zhen lowered her head and gritted her teeth. Now it seemed that it was safe whether that guy was Tian Jiu or not, as long as he would not be caught again by the man before her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be disappointed. Zhen has already sent people to hunt them down.¡± Mo Rongzhan thought that the little girl was disappointed because he did not capture the rebels.

    Ye Zhen nodded lightly. ¡°I only hope that my brother cane back safely, the rest is nothing I can change.¡±

    ¡°If his condition is stable, he will be back in a few days,¡± he said casually.

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi is very skillful. I believe she can cure my brother, ¡± Ye Zhen said against her will. Since she actually hoped that Lu Lingzhi would die, it would be best if he did note back at all!

    ¡°y chess with zhen.¡± Mo Rongzhan was difited to see the gloom on her face, especially because of other people, even if the man was her cousin.

    In truth, Ye Zhen was lost in thought. She was d learning Tian Jiu had been rescued, she reckoned Uncle Man had probably sent someone. However, upon being asked by the man to y chess with him, she was awash with incredulity. ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, Empress Dowager is still waiting for me. You should ask someone else to y chess with you.¡±

    ¡°If you win against me, I will let you go to the library pagoda again,¡± Mo Rongzhan said as if he didn¡¯t hear her at all.

    <i>This temptation is so strong!</i> Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t help waver a little. ¡°What if I can¡¯t beat you?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan looked at her with a smile and said, ¡°But you are good at almost everything.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Ye Zhen replied simply. ¡°I am nobody, so how can Ipare to Your Imperial Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Fude, bring over the chessboard.¡± Mo Rongzhan smiled faintly.

    She had nothing to lose, but she had what he wanted most. As for him, He didn¡¯t want to scare her away anymore lest she avoids him even more. Only step by step could he eventually win her heart.

    Ye Zhen really wanted to go to the library pagoda again. She nced at Mo Rongzhan and felt that he no longer seemed as strong and dominant as before. At least, he recognized her as a princess.

    <i>He would not want to do something to his sister, right?</i><i>Empress Dowager would definitely not let him get away with it!</i>

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, so you promise me that if I win, you are going to let me go to the library pagoda again, right?¡± Ye Zhen said.

    Her probing tone invoked a smile from him. ¡°If you win a round, I will let you stay in the pagoda for an entire day.¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes brightened instantly, and her eyes shone as brilliant as stars in the night sky. It was hard for Mo Rongzhan to look away, he felt the urge to hold her in his arms and kiss her fiercely.

    ¡°Are you serious? You can¡¯t take back your words,¡± Ye Zhen was so happy that she did not even notice the change in the other¡¯s eyes.

    Mo Rongzhan reassured her and tried to hold himself back.

    She quickly held the white pieces in her hands and said, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°You seem confident.¡± He knew not how adept she was in chess let alone that she had won against Xu Lao before.

    ¡°I have to give it a shot before knowing the result,¡± Ye Zhen said calmly. She did not know how well he yed either. She had spent more than two years in the pce as a spirit but she had never seen anyone y chess with him.

    Mo Rongzhan smiled. ¡°Yes, please.¡±

    ¡°Then I will go first,¡± Ye Zhen smiled, nning to finish the game quickly by winning.

    Eunuch Fu was standing right outside the pavilion looking at the blue sky and worrying about the emperor. After all, only he knew how well he yed. Those hands of his were the ones that had ended the games with countless victories. In order to make Princess Fu Rong happy, he was going all out.

    Time passed slowly bringing the game to a close.

    Only

    Ye Zhen stared at the board and could not believe her eyes. She could not believe that she lost the game.

    ¡°That was close.¡± Mo Rongzhan looked at her awkward face and smiled. He was also surprised that Lu Yaoyao was so good at ying chess. He thought that he would have won the game easily, it seemed that she was much more than what he knew about her.

    Ye Zhen could not ept her loss. ¡±Let¡¯s y another round.¡±

    <i>How could she lose?</i> She really did not know that Mo Rongzhan was so much better than her at chess, she had certainly underestimated him.

    Mo Rongzhan nodded. ¡°Okay. Another round it is.¡±

 Chapter 333 - Tricked

    <strong>Chapter 333 ¨C Tricked</strong>

    Ye Zhen almost wanted to m the chessboard.

    <i>How was this possible? Mo Rongzhan might be lucky to win one round, but eight in a row?</i> That was just incredible!

    ¡°I¡¯m out!¡± After losing yet another game, all Ye Zhen wanted to do was put down the chess pieces and leave right that instant.

    Mo Rongzhan smiled. ¡°This is all the patience you have? Don¡¯t you want to go to the library tower anymore?¡±

    Ye Zhen red at him angrily. ¡°You won¡¯t let me win at all.¡±

    Now she could finally see that his chess skills were much better hers. He said that he would let her go to the tower if she won, but this bastard would definitely not give her a chance to win.

    ¡°How didn¡¯t I let you win?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked amusedly, only thinking that an incensed Yaoyao was particrly lovely.

    The dark eyebrows and eyes made the skin look even fairer, andughter mixed with anger was always right. This saying probably best described her.

    Ye Zhen knew that she was a little bit irritated. She had been too confident before and was convinced she would win, only now did she realize that she had underestimated him.

    ¡°You just don¡¯t want me to go to the library tower,¡± Ye Zhen whispered in the end. In front of Mo Rongzhan, she didn¡¯t even bother to look respectful anymore.

    ¡°If you win, you can go,¡± Mo Rongzhan said, ¡°Maybe not today, but some other day.¡±

    ¡°Just wait and see, Your Imperial Majesty. I will manage to beat you up once,¡± said Ye Zhen fiercely.

    Mo Rongzhan smiled. ¡°I look forward to that.¡±

    ¡°What are you fighting over?¡± said the empress dowager with a smile. She had arrived when the two were too immersed in the world of their own and spoke before Enuch Fu could pass the message to the emperor.

    ¡°Imperial Mother, you are here.¡± Ye Zhen ran over.

    Mo Rongzhan stood up and nced at Ye Zhen with a smile. ¡°Imperial Mother, I am ying chess here with her. Someone was arguing with zhen because she lost in the chess game.¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s face flushed a deep hue. ¡°When did I argue with Your Imperial Majesty?¡±

    The empress dowager felt relieved upon seeing them getting along like brother and sister. ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, did you make fun of your sister?¡±

    <i>Sister... </i>Mo Rongzhan hated this title. He smiled and said, ¡°Imperial Mother, I¡¯m just ying chess with her. If she wins, I will let her go to the library tower for a day.¡±

    The empress dowager gave him a look. ¡°You said that you didn¡¯t bully Yaoyao, but this is obviously that you are making fun of her.¡±

    Ye Zhen said, ¡°Imperial Mother, my skills are not as good as him, but one day, I will beat the emperor at chess.¡±

    The emperor looked at her with a smile. ¡°Okay, I will wait and see.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you let Yaoyao win once?¡± Empress Dowager said with a smile, ¡°You are the emperor.¡±

    ¡°Imperial Mother, Yaoyao does not want me to just let her win.¡± Mo Rongzhan came over and sat down next to his mother. ¡°I am waiting for her to challenge at any time. As long as she wins, I will let her go to the tower to read.¡±

    Ye Zhen thought that if Mo Rongzhan intentionally let her win, she might not want to go to the library tower that much. As they were talking, he saw Mo Rongyi running over.

    ¡°Yaoyao, Yaoyao...¡±

    ¡°What happened to A¡¯Yi?¡± Empress Dowager asked Ye Zhen, who was standing next to her in surprise, seeing her little son running in a hurry.

    ¡°Imperial Mother, he was just practicing how to ride better. He is going to y polo with Prince Shun and the others in a few days. ¡± Mo Rongzhan exined with a smile.

    Empress Dowager couldn¡¯t help being a little worried. ¡°Why does A¡¯Yi want topete with Prince Shun in polo? Didn¡¯t he just lose and surrender a few days ago?¡±

    ¡°Imperial Mother, don¡¯t worry about him. This is how he can grow up.¡± If there was no failure or frustration in life and everything just went too smoothly, it was not a good thing.

    By now Mo Rongyi had already reached the pavilion, he bowed to his mother and brother and said, ¡°Yaoyao, I could ride over three railings today.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled and nodded. ¡°Wonderful! That¡¯s some nice progress.¡±

    ¡°Go get changed. You have sweat all over your body. Don¡¯t catch a cold!¡± Empress Dowager said and turned to ask Aunt Chen to take him away.

    Mo Rongyi was very excited, but with his imperial mother and the emperor¡¯s presence, he didn¡¯t dare make any trouble and left to change his clothes first.

    ¡°Wang Fei Lu just came to Cining Pce several times to look for you. You haven¡¯t seen her since long, go over today,¡± Empress Dowager said to Ye Zhen.

    Only

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t want to see Lu Wushuang at all. She didn¡¯t need to guess to know what she was going to say. ¡°Imperial Mother, I will send you back to Cining Pce first.¡±

    ¡°I know that you don¡¯t like it, but you should go and have a chat,¡± Empress Dowager said to Ye Zhen in a low voice, ¡°whether you like her or not, you are sisters. You need to actually show some courtesy.¡±

    ¡°Imperial Mother, then I will go to Pce of Earthly Tranquility.¡± Since things were like this, despite her ardent unwillingness, Ye Zhen had to meet Lu Wushuang.

    Mo Rongzhan frowned and said, ¡°Just don¡¯t go if you don¡¯t want to.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°Wang Fei is my sister. Why would I not like to go?¡±

 Chapter 334 - Deep Sisterly Affection (1)

    <strong>Chapter 334 ¨C Deep Sisterly Affection (1)</strong>

    Every time she talked to him, she wore a facade. It felt very fake. Annoyed, Mo Rongzhan just yelled, ¡°Then just do as you like!¡±

    Ye Zhen reluctantly came to the Pce of Earthly Tranquility. When Lu Wushuang¡¯s courtdy saw hering, she hurriedly weed her in. ¡°Princess Fu Rong is here, Wang Fei has been waiting for you for a long time now.¡±

    ¡°Is Yaoyao here?¡± Lu Wushuang¡¯s joyous voice drifted from within. After a while, the woman herself came out. ¡°Yaoyao,e in, it has been long since we saw each other. It is nice to have you here in the pce today. Let¡¯s just have some nice conversation!¡±

    ¡°Wang Fei, I am here today because of Eldest Brother,¡± Ye Zhen said worriedly. She really hated how Lu Wushuang looked when she talked. Knowing that she was now a princess, she seemed to no longer consider her a threat so her attitude had just changed.

    Lu Lingzhi had taken a lot of effort just for this stupid sister of his. No wanted he wanted her to die lest she is a perpetual threat to this woman.

    It was a pity that things were very different now. None of them would have imagined the possibility of hering back alive. They didn¡¯t know that Mo Rongzhan¡¯s suspicions had turned into certainty now, he knew Lu Wushuang was not the girl who had saved him.

    Lu Wushuang was stunned for a moment. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him? Hasn¡¯t hee back victorious already?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know yet?¡± Ye Zhen was a little surprised. She didn¡¯t expect this girl to be so left out in the pce that she hadn¡¯t even heard about her own brother.

    ¡°So what happened?¡± Lu Wushuang frowned as she asked.

    ¡°Eldest Brother was injured by an assassin on his way back. The emperor has already sent Imperial Physician Qi over. Everyone in the family knows about this, so howe you don¡¯t?¡± Ye Zhen said indifferently.

    <i>Howe she did not know? Because no one came to tell her!</i> Everybody in the pce knew the emperor no longer doted on her like he had once, she had long fallen off the pedestal she once perched on. And now, she was bing more and more awkward as a concubine!

    ¡°Is his injury okay?¡± Lu Wushuang asked nervously. If something were to happen to Lu Lingzhi, she might have to lose what she had too.

    ¡°I heard that he was poisoned¡ª¡±

    ?

    Lu Wushuang¡¯s face turned pale. She knew too well her prosperity and wealth were closely tied to Lu Lingzhi. If something were to happen to him, she wouldn¡¯t be any better off.

    ¡°Poisoned? How could he be poisoned?¡± Lu Wushuang stood up anxiously.

    Ye Zhen watched as the woman grew anxious, and said tly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, with Imperial Physician Qi here, Eldest Brother will be fine.¡±

    Lu Wushuang nced at her. ¡°If there is any news from Eldest Brother, you must tell me immediately.¡±

    ¡°Wang Fei, you should be able to get news more easily in the pce than we are able to. I came to get some insight from you,¡± she said with a smile.

    ¡°The emperor would not let the women in the harem inquire about the court, how would I know?¡± Lu Wushuang would never admit before others that she was being tantly disregarded by Mo Rongzhan.

    Ye Zhen nodded lightly but didn¡¯t expose the other. ¡°Then I can only ask Empress Dowager. But... if Eldest Brother¡¯s condition is stable, he should be back in a few days.¡±

    Now, Lu Wushuang wanted to win over Ye Zhen even more. If something happened to Eldest Brother, the only person who could help her in the pce was this cousin of hers.

    ¡°Yaoyao, fortunately, you came to me, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t know anything.¡± Lu Wushuang held Ye Zhen¡¯s hands and said sincerely, ¡°Us sisters, we must support each other in the future. Before, it was a misunderstanding on my part. Only now can I see how good it is to have a younger sister.¡±

    Only

    <i>So disgusting!</i> Ye Zhen truly admired Lu Wushuang in her heart. <i>How could she change her attitude so quickly?</i> Not long ago, she obviously wanted to drive her out of the capital, but now she was all over this ¡°deep sisterly affection¡±.

    ¡°Wang Fei, you are my cousin. Who could I help but you?¡± Ye Zhen smiled lightly.

    Lu Wushuang was very happy, she thought that Lu Yaoyao was very easy to coax. As long as she spoke a few nice things, she would be able to make her believe in herself. ¡°My good sister, it¡¯s no wonder Grandmother loves you so much. You have a heart of gold.¡± She smiled and said, ¡°You weren¡¯t in the Cining Pce today. Where did you go today?¡±

    ¡°I yed polo with Little Prince.¡± She didn¡¯t mention she had yed chess with Mo Rongzhan, she knew the other would definitely be suspicious again.

    But Lu Wushuang was a little difitted. <i>Why did both Empress Dowager and the Little Prince like this girl?</i> She put so much effort into pleasing them, but her mother-inw didn¡¯t even spare her a single nce, and only blindly favored Xu Huiru. Thest time she went to Baihua Garden, she only took that b***h. ¡°You have a good rtionship with Little Prince.¡±

 Chapter 335 - Deep Sisterly Affection (2)

    <strong>Chapter 335 ¨C Deep Sisterly Affection (2)</strong>

    ¡°We just get along well,¡± Ye Zhen said without going into specifics.

    Lu Wushuang pretended to be indifferent and asked casually, ¡°Last time in Baihua Garden, did you meet Xianfei Xu?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ye Zhen replied in good faith. She had long discerned Lu Wushuang¡¯s focus in meeting her today had to be rted to Xu Huiru.

    ¡°The emperor went thereter?¡± Lu Wushuang¡¯s expression tightened. What she feared most was that Xu Huiru would really win Mo Rongzhan¡¯s heart.

    Ye Zhen nodded. ¡°She seemed to have gone. Xianfei Xu went to see His Imperial Majesty. However, he did not stay long and left soon.¡±

    No one knew about the incident involving Mo Rongzhan and her in the dry well, and she didn¡¯t n for anyone to know either. It was best to be forgotten forever.

    Lu Wushuang coldly snorted. ¡°That Xu Huiru is despicable and hypocritical. If she tries to talk to you, please ignore her.¡±

    Whether Xu Huiru was despicable and hypocritical was difficult to say for the time being. However, on the surface, she had done much better than Lu Wushuang; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have made Empress Dowager like her so much.

    ¡°Xianfei Xu knows that I am your cousin. How can shee to talk with me?¡± Ye Zhen smiled lightly as she remained nonmittal.

    ¡°Yaoyao, really, I also want to show my filial piety to Her Imperial Highness. But, for some reason, she seems to have some misunderstanding with me. She treats you well and trusts you. You have to put in some good words for me,¡± Lu Wushuang said with a smile.

    Ye Zhen almostughed out loud. When Lu Wushuang was treasured by the emperor before, what kind of attitude had she disyed before Empress Dowager? She hadn¡¯t put her in her eyes. Now that Mo Rongzhan was ignoring her, she now wanted to please her? From Lu Wushuang¡¯s point of view, was the world supposed to revolve only around her?

    ¡°Wang Fei, don¡¯t worry. I will definitely say something nice about you before Empress Dowager.¡± Ye Zhen looked at the charming face before her, and concluded Mo Rongzhan must have been blind in herst life. How could he have thought that this woman was the girl who saved him as a child?

    Having achieved her end goal, Lu Wushuang was satisfied now. ¡°My good sister, I will definitely treat you well.¡±

    Ye Zhen stayed patiently to entertain Lu Wushuang for most of the day. When it was almost dark, she was finally able to leave. After having dinner with Empress Dowager, she returned home.

    Originally, the empress dowager had wanted to give her a pce of her own, but Ye Zhen had declined. Thus, now she lived in a side pce of Cining¡¯s. Besides, she didn¡¯t enter the pce often, so it didn¡¯t matter where she lived.

    The next day, she took her list to Mo Rongyi, and one by one, gave a brief of each of the individuals. ¡°Marquis Xinyang does not only have one son. Although his elder son gets along with Prince Shun, it is not the elder son that is truly promising. In fact it¡¯s the second young master. There¡¯s also Marquis Pingyang... I have made a note of all the young masters of other families as well as their personalities and hobbies. Please take a good look.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao, how do you know so much about them, even what hobbies they have?¡± Mo Rongyi looked at Ye Zhen in surprise, his eyes full of worship.

    ¡°If you want to know someone, you naturally need to know more about their family,¡± Ye Zhen said. Before, when looking for a suitable hand in mariage for the Ye family girls, First Uncle would ask someone to scope out all of the young talents in the capital. It was only after that he would let them choose carefully from amongst them. Although she felt this method was very domineering, she had still benefited from it. At least she knew a lot about the situation of each family.

    Mo Rongyi took up the list and said, ¡°I will go back and take a look, and then write invitations one by one.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°Take a good look. Some you can develop deep friendships with, some you can only be acquaintances, and some others... you can only deal with. I¡¯ve written it down very clearly.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao, you are amazing.¡± Mo Rongyi was suffused with admiration. ¡°You wrote all this in a single night?¡±

    Only

    ¡°I have a good memory,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile. ¡°My father used to call me a genius.¡±

    ¡°Third Master Lu is right, you are a genius.¡± Mo Rongyi nodded in agreement.

    The father that had praised her for being clever and a genius was not Lu Shiming, but Ye Yiqing, but Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t exin, so she just smiled and stayed mum.

    While Mo Rongyi returned to his pce with the list, Ye Zhen went to bid the empress dowager farewell. She then left the pce to deliver Old Madam Lu news about Lu Lingzhi.

    Now, knowing that Tian Jiu was safe and sound, she had nothing else to inquire about. However, after she came out of the pce, she first went to the Qianjin to tell Hong Ling that their man had escaped. She also wanted her former maid to secretly pass on the news to Man Qin, and tell him to, in any case, stay out of the public eye for the time being. Also, it was best to have Tian Jiu try to avoid public attention too.

 Chapter 336 - Inexplicably Jealous (1)

    <strong>Chapter 336 ¨C Inexplicably Jealous (1)</strong>

    It was rare when Mo Rongzhan would wrap his official matters early, and today was one such. He had already finished reviewing the court memorials. He was under the impression Lu Yaoyao would stay at the pce for a few days. And today, he had nned to y chess with her again.

    But when he got to the inner courtyard, he found out that she had already left the pce for the Lu Mansion. Upon not being able to see her, he was a little disappointed and stopped by Little Prince¡¯s Pce.

    ¡°What are you writing?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked as he entered the room, seeing his younger brother engrossed in the act.

    When Mo Rongyi saw his Imperial Brother here, he hurriedly got up and bowed. Then, pointing to the list on the desktop said, ¡°Imperial Brother, I¡¯m writing an invitation. You see, this is the list that Yaoyao wrotest night.¡±

    ¡°It was all written by her?¡± When Mo Rongzhan saw the content inside, his expression turned dark. <i>How could that girl know about which young masters were of good temperance?</i>

    ¡°Yes, Imperial Brother, Yaoyao is really amazing. She knows everything.¡± Mo Rongyi sighed.

    Mo Rongzhan wasn¡¯t happy before, but now he had... an impulse to kill. ¡°Don¡¯t let other people know that Yaoyao gave you this.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Mo Rongyi asked confusedly.

    ¡°Because I said so,¡± Mo Rongzhan said with a cold face. ¡°After you finish with the invitations, send them over to me.¡±

    Mo Rongyi saw that his expression was not pretty, so he didn¡¯t dare to ask more. He could only agree in a soft voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Mo Rongzhan snorted coldly and strode out.

    Eunuch Fu hurriedly followed.

    Mo Rongzhan went to the Pce of Heavenly Purity and saw that the cab ministers were still working. When they saw the emperoring in, they knelt down and bowed.

    ¡°Continue working, I am just here to take a look,¡± Mo Rongzhan said softly and sat down in the upper armchair.

    The ministers nced at Mo Rongzhan nervously. They didn¡¯t dare dy and soon finished handling everything they had at hand.

    As he rested, Mo Rongzhan looked at Minister Liu, who had married off his daughter not long ago. ¡°Secretary Liu, before you married off your daughter, did you carefully investigate all the young talents in the capital?¡±

    Secretary Liu was taken aback for a moment, and hurriedly lowered his head and answered back, ¡°Answering the emperor, I would inquire about one or two and then investigate all of them at once... it is a bit much.¡±

    Prime Minister Xu said with a smile, ¡°I have heard that some people scope out all the young talents, find the best, and bring them home for their daughters to choose from.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Mo Rongzhan frowned.

    ¡°There is indeed such a thing. Your Imperial Majesty, are you nning to marry off Princess Furong?¡± Prime Minister Xu asked with a smile.

    <i>nning to marry off Lu Yaoyao? Unless he suddenly went crazy, how would he be willing to marry her off to another man!</i>

    <i>The reason why she knew so many things about the young masters of the aristocratic families was because the Lu Family had been nning a marriage for her? So that was why they went to investigate the details of those people?</i>

    Thinking up to here, Mo Rongzhan felt a fury rise in his chest, and he was unable to find an outlet to vent.

    ¡°If you want to arrange a marriage for Princess Furong, I can rmend someone to Your Imperial Majesty.¡± Prime Minister Xu didn¡¯t notice the dark clouds looming on Mo Rongzhan¡¯s mien this time. He simply interpreted it as the emperor worrying over Lu Yaoyao¡¯s marriage.

    A sneer appeared at the corners of Mo Rongzhan¡¯s mouth. ¡°Who would Prime Minister Xu rmend?¡±

    ¡°I think Marquis Jing Ning is a good candidate. He also seems to be very interested in the princess,¡± Prime Minister Xu said with a smile.

    <i>Tang Zhen?</i> Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes darkened slightly. He remembered that Lu Yaoyao had tried hunting with Tang Zhen before. <i>Could it be that Tang Zhen was already interested in her?</i>

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, I also rmend¡ª¡± Others immediately chimed in.

    As of today, there was only one princess in the entire Country of Jin, and she was very treasured by the empress dowager. Seeing the emperor¡¯s attitude, it seemed that he also valued Princess Furong. If they could be the Princess Consort... naturally, it was an opportunity to enjoy inexhaustible glory and wealth.

    Mo Rongzhan stood up and said coldly, ¡°Princess Furong has not graduated from the academy, and isn¡¯t in a hurry for marriage. Just keep working.¡±

    ¡°¡ª¡± The ministers were bbergasted.<i> If he refused to make a marriage appointment for Princess Furong, why then did the emperor ask so much just now?</i>

    Only

    Mo Rongzhan strode out without looking back. He didn¡¯t even go to the imperial study. Instead, he went straight to the sleeping quarters to the rear. When he thought about the fact that Lu Yaoyao was already considering a candidate to marry, he wished to capture her back, lock her in the pce and never let her leave.

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty¡ª¡± Eunuch Fu called out cautiously. ¡°Actually, there are still two girls in the Lu Family waiting to be married. Perhaps, it¡¯s for them¡ª¡±

    Mo Rongzhan nced at the other coldly. ¡°Leave!¡±

    When Eunuch Fu saw that the hostility in the eyes of his liege had dissipated by a lot, he knew that he was not angry, so he held back a smile and retreated.

    Mo Rongzhan suddenly felt a little d that Lu Yaoyao was Princess Furong. At least her marriage was not something that the Lu Family could take care of. Otherwise... he really didn¡¯t know if he could stop her from marrying someone else.

 Chapter 337 - Inexplicably Jealous (2)

    <strong>Chapter 337 ¨C Inexplicably Jealous (2)</strong>

    Ye Zhen, who had already returned to the Lu Family, was oblivious to the fact that Mo Rongzhan was angry for most of the day because of the list she had written. Before she went to find Madam Lu, she was called by Lu Shiming.

    ¡°You can¡¯t talk to Mother about your eldest brother¡¯s poisoning. I¡¯m afraid your grandmother will not be able to bear it.¡± Lu Shiming whispered to Ye Zhen. ¡°Wait for your eldest brother toe back before you tell her.¡±

    ¡°Father, if Eldest Brother¡¯s injury stabilizes, Imperial Physician Qi will bring him back,¡± Ye Zhen said, although she eagerly hoped that he would nevere back.

    Lu Shiming sighed softly. ¡°His injuries aren¡¯t the problem, this poison¡ª¡±

    ¡°There is Imperial Physician Qi.¡± Ye Zhen smiled andforted Lu Shiming.

    ¡°Fine, it¡¯s useless to regret what has happened. Go to Mother and speak carefully. Don¡¯t let her catch the clue. No one in the family knows that Lingzhi was poisoned.¡± Lu Shiming cautioned softly.

    Ye Zhen did not want to trigger the matriarch. She hated Lu Lingzhi, but she could not hate everyone in the Lu Family, especially Lu Shiming and his wife. Without them, how could she have been reborn as her younger sister today?

    In the upper hall, apart from Second Madam Lu, there were a few others that Ye Zhen had never seen before. Old Madam Lu called her over and introduced her to those who belonged to Lu Lingzhi¡¯s uncle¡¯s family. When they heard that something had happened to their nephew, they had alle over to speak a few words offort.

    ¡°This is the newly titled Princess Furong, right?¡± The woman sitting next to Second Madam Lu looked at Ye Zhen in surprise. ¡°Oh, seeing her is really like watching a figure walk out of a painting.¡±

    When the others heard the words Princess Furong, they immediately got up and bowed.

    Ye Zhen smiled faintly. ¡°Please don¡¯t be courteous, please sit down.¡±

    The woman who had just spoken was Lu Lingzhi¡¯s eldest aunt, Hu Shi. She had a plump body and with a faint smile on her face, she said, ¡°We heard that Lingzhi was injured, we came here in a hurry. Fortunately, it¡¯s not serious.¡±

    Old Madam Lu seemed a little tired to deal with them, looked at Ye Zhen, and asked, ¡°Yaoyao, what news did you gather in the pce?¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°Everything is okay. They said that they will send Eldest Brother back to the capital soon.¡±

    Hu Shi said hurriedly and happily, ¡°That¡¯s good. Our Lingzhi is a very fortunate person.¡±

    Old Madam Lu nodded slightly, rubbing her eyebrows tiredly.

    ?

    Hu Shi noticed Old Madam Lu¡¯s reluctance to engage in a conversation with her. Taking the hint, she smiled and excused herself on the pretext of seeing Liu Shi. Eldest Madam Lu had been ill ever since hearing news of her son¡¯s injury.

    Old Madam Lu asked Chen Wei to lead them over.

    ¡°Grandmother, let me help you to rest.¡± Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t bear to see Old Madam Lu like this and went to hold her arm.

    ¡°Silly child, I¡¯m not really tired, I just don¡¯t want to see these people.¡± Old Madam Lu whispered in disgust. ¡°Do you think they really care about Lingzhi? These people are only worried about losing their benefits.¡±

    ¡°What benefits?¡± Ye Zhen asked suspiciously.

    Old Madam Lu hummed. ¡°Your eldest brother previously promised to find a position for his elder aunt¡¯s son. If the Liu family didn¡¯t have your eldest brother, how could theye to the capital now? Even his uncle¡¯s matters were arranged by Lingzhi.

    ¡°We can¡¯t control what other people think. Everything will be fine as long as Eldest Brotheres back safely. Grandmother, don¡¯t worry too much,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    ¡°How can I not worry about him? Ever since I found out that something has happened to him, I have always been upset. Yaoyao, speak truthfully with your grandmother, your elder brother... what¡¯s really going on?¡± Old Madam Lu always felt that the truth was being concealed. ¡°You can tell me. Although I am old, after so many ups and downs in life, what else can I not stand? ¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°Grandmother, why don¡¯t you believe me? After Imperial Physician Qi is done healing Eldest Brother, he wille back.¡±

    Old Madam Lu shook her head and sighed. ¡°If it¡¯s just a minor injury, why should the emperor let Imperial Physician Qi rush to him? He must have been severely injured.¡±

    ¡°That is because the emperor values Eldest Brother, and also to ensure he is safe and sound,¡± Ye Zhen whispered.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Old Madam Lu still didn¡¯t believe it.

    Only

    Ye Zhen smiled and sat down beside Old Madam Lu. ¡°If you¡¯re still worried, just let Second or Third Brother go there in person.¡±

    Old Madam Lu suddenly had an epiphany. ¡°You are right. I must have a look myself to be assured! Yaoyao, you and I will go see Lingzhi.¡±

    ¡°Grandmother, you want to go in person?¡± Ye Zhen was dumbfounded.

    ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t rest assured if I don¡¯t take a look in person.¡± Old Madam Lu said, ¡°Come here, go and invite the Third Master over.¡±

    Ye Zhen hurriedly persuaded, ¡°Grandmother, it is a long journey. We don¡¯t know where Eldest Brother is resting. If we go about like this, we may miss seeing Eldest Brother altogether.¡±

 Chapter 338 - Forging Ties

    <strong>Chapter 338 ¨C Forging Ties</strong>

    ¡°We don¡¯t know, but your father always knows.¡± Old Madam Lu had already made up her mind, she quickly sent the maid outside the door to invite Lu Shiming over.

    When Lu Shiming came over and heard of his mother¡¯s n of going to see Lu Lingzhi, he looked up at his daughter. Ye Zhen returned him an expression full of helplessness.

    ¡°Mother, why don¡¯t I first find out where Lingzhi is healing now, and when I determine the location, I will take you to find him.¡± Lu Shiming could only dy as much as possible, hoping his nephew could return soon.

    Old Madam Lu frowned and said, ¡°It¡¯s not hard to find out where he is healing. You can ask today. I will set off tomorrow. If you can¡¯t find out, I¡¯ll look for the location along the way.¡±

    ¡°Mother, how could you stand the journey yourself? If you are not at ease, how about you send me, I can go there in person?¡± Lu Shiming said hurriedly.

    ¡°I want to go personally!¡± Old Madam Lu stubbornly held to her decision.

    Ye Zhen said hurriedly, ¡°Grandmother, how about I apany Father, then write to you truthfully? Okay?¡±

    Old Madam Lu looked at Ye Zhen hesitantly.

    ¡°Grandmother, if I go with Father, I can ride a horse on my own, and will be much faster.¡± Ye Zhen persuaded.

    It was only then that the matriarch finally relented. ¡°Okay, but you will set off immediately.¡±

    ¡°Mother, I¡¯ll go to my superiors and seek permission first, and then find out where to stay. It¡¯s still early now, we will leave after lunch,¡± Lu Shiming said.

    ¡°Go on.¡± Madam Lu hurriedly urged him to take leave.

    Lu Shiming nced at Ye Zhen helplessly, and said to the Old Madam, ¡°Mother, I will go now.¡±

    Ye Zhen also said, ¡°Grandmother, then I will prepare too.¡±

    When the two left the room, Lu Shiming couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Yaoyao, what did you tell her?¡±

    ¡°Father, how can Grandmother be so easily coaxed? She knew that Qi Jin was going to treat Eldest Brother personally, and already guessed that his injury was serious,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    Lu Shiming had also been worried about Lu Lingzhi¡¯s injury. Even if his mother didn¡¯t say anything, he had nned to take leave to visit him tomorrow. ¡°I¡¯ll go by myself. You stay here.¡±

    Ye Zhen said, ¡°If I don¡¯t go, Grandmother will definitely be worried. It¡¯s okay. I can ride a horse by myself.¡±

    Lu Shiming had no choice but to agree. He hurriedly went to his boss to take a leave of absence.

    ?

    On the other side, the Liu family went to visit Liu Shi and happened to mention Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Eldest Madam, we met Princess Furong at Old Madam¡¯s just now. She is really a beautiful girl. Is she married?¡± Hu Shi asked excitedly.

    Liu Shi¡¯s face was sallow, she was still worried about her son¡¯s injury. Upon those words, she shot the other a cold look. ¡°Are you here to care about Lingzhi or see that Princess Furong?¡±

    Hu Shi smiled. ¡°Of course we are concerned about Lingzhi, but after listening to Princess Furong, she said that he only had a minor injury and that Imperial Physician Qi was going to treat him. I think it is not a problem.¡±

    Liu frowned. ¡°She really said that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I heard that she just came out of the pce. Could it be fake? Oh, our Lingzhi has such a fortunate life, how can something happen? Eldest Madam, don¡¯t worry,¡± Hu Shi said with a smile.

    Others also persuaded. ¡°Eldest Madam, you must take care of yourself. This Marquis Mansion cannot function without you. Are you going to let the second branch take advantage of this time?¡±

    Liu Shi immediately sat up straight. ¡°I won¡¯t even let them think about it!¡±

    Only

    Hu Shi said with joy, ¡°Eldest Madam, you are in charge of this Marquis Mansion now. Your eldest nephew hasn¡¯t married yet, is it possible... What about Princess Furong?¡±

    ¡°Has Eldest Nephew made a name for himself yet? If it were before, there would still be a possibility. That Yaoyao, except for being a little more attractive, is no different from a wild girl who grew up in the country. She has only been able to please the empress dowager and was just titled Princess. She hasn¡¯t even been allocated Princess Mansion.¡± Liu snorted disdainfully, feeling that Lu Yaoyao was not worthy of her nephew.

    Hu Shi was overjoyed. She didn¡¯t care whether Lu Yaoyao grew up in the country or not. Just her being a princess was enough to make her happy. ¡°Eldest Madam, then you have to put in some good words for your nephew. If we can make ties with the princess, then our Liu Family will have a bright future.¡±

    Liu Shi didn¡¯t want to let her maiden family know that she didn¡¯t have power over anything in the Lu Family, so she simply nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡±

    Hu Shi took this as her agreeing and felt her son would definitely be able to marry Lu Yaoyao.

 Chapter 339 - Residual Toxin (1)

    <strong>Chapter 339 ¨C Residual Toxin (1)</strong>

    In order to show that Ye Zhen really cared about Lu Lingzhi, she went back to the room and randomly selected several kinds of vulnerary herbs*, which had not been blended with <i>lingquan</i>. Once done, she left strict instructions with Dai Mei and the rest of her retinue to not let peoplee in as they pleased.

    [*medicine used in the healing of wounds.]

    Since the empress dowager sent her eight pce maids, the rules in her courtyard had been set up. Except for Pei Shi and the old madam, everyone else had to report before they came in.

    ¡°Princess, rest assured. There are maidservants here,¡± a tall maid said with a smile. Her name was Yuping. She used to be a servant in the Cining Pce. She was a head maid handpicked by the empress dowager to serve Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Princess, it would be better if you let Yuying apany you. She has skills. It¡¯s safer to have her to protect you,¡± Aunt Rong said.

    Ye Zhen looked at the young maid standing behind Yuping. She looked to be only twelve or thirteen years old. It¡¯s said that she had been a martial arts practitioner since her childhood, the reason why she was so good with that skill. However, the little girl seemed inarticte. Even upon being mentioned, she just stood nkly, unwilling to show her face.

    ¡°Then Yuying shall follow me,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile. Right now, her requirements had changed. She didn¡¯t need any clever maids to follow as long her safety was ensured.

    However, she was just a little curious. <i>How could the young girl, Yuying, be so good at martial arts? Does the pce maids practice martial arts from a young age? </i>Curiosity begets inquisition. <i>After all, they were sent by Empress Dowager, so they must have been carefully selected.</i>

    Lu Shiming was back soon. He took Ye Zhen to pick out the horse. ¡°Now that the healing will take ce in Jinwu City, we¡¯ll need to get there quickly. Still, it will take us three days at our fastest. But I¡¯m afraid your body won¡¯t be able to stand it. Are you sure you want to follow?¡±

    ¡°Father, you can be rest assured that it would not be a problem to me,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile.

    Perhaps she couldn¡¯t bear it before, but now she had the <i>lingquan</i>, and a few days and nights of travel was not a problem.

    They arrived at Jinwu City early in the morning on the fourth day. Along the way, Ye Zhen added <i>lingquan</i> to her and Lu Shiming¡¯s water. Although she had been travelling for several days, her spirit was not very tired.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s skin was too delicate to begin with. Offte, she had been used to travelling in carriages. So, the continuous riding these past few days made her thighs sore. Although she dabbed the salve regrly, she still walked slowly.

    Qi Jin knew that they wereing, so she immediately sent someone out to take them to see Lu Lingzhi.

    Lu Lingzhi had been in aa for three days. He only woke upst night.

    Seeing the person whom she hated deeply again, Ye Zhen¡¯s mood seemed to be calmer than before. She looked at the man lying on the bed. His chest and shoulders were wrapped with ayer of white cloth, and there were mottled blood stains on it.

    Lu Lingzhi was still sleeping. His ashen and frail face served as a testimony that he was poisoned. There was almost no blood on his lips.

    Fortunately, Old Madam Lu did note. Otherwise, when she saw her dear grandson being like this, no matter how strong she was, she wouldn¡¯t be able to bear it.

    After taking a look at Lu Lingzhi, Lu Shiming and Qi Jin went outside to talk while Ye Zhen stood by the door and listened.

    ¡°The knife that pierced his shoulder was poisonous. Although it has been detoxified with the fire lotus, the poison hasn¡¯t been purgedpletely. It cannot be cured in a few days. Now we can only use acupuncture to slowly force out the residual poison.¡± Qi Jin whispered to Lu Shiming.

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, how long will it take to force out the residual poison in his body?¡± Lu Shiming asked.

    Qi Jin was silent for a while and whispered, ¡°This ... I can¡¯t be sure. This poison is too potent. If it weren¡¯t for the fire lotus, I¡¯m afraid I wouldn¡¯t be able to deal with this poison.¡±

    ¡°Where is the assassin?¡± Lu Shiming asked in a low voice.

    ¡°I heard that the assassin escaped¡ª¡± Qi Jin shook her head. ¡°Lord Lu, I don¡¯t know how the residual poison affects Marquis Anyang. Now I can only hope that he will recover as soon as possible.¡±

    Only

    Ye Zhen stood by the door and listened silently, the corners of her mouth unconsciously rising.

    Fire lotus could actually cure all kinds of poison. The keyy in how one took it. It seemed that Imperial Physician Qi had yet to know the real uses of fire lotus. Now the only fire lotus there was, was gone. It was estimated that if the residual poison in Lu Lingzhi¡¯s body could not be cured within half a year, it would, perhaps, follow him for a lifetime.

    <i>What kind of poison is so potent?</i>

    Ye Zhen walked past the man lying on the bed, curiously eyeing the injury on his shoulder. She put her hand on his pulse, and sure enough, there is residual poison on his body. She saw he was still asleep, and reached out to untie the white cloth on his shoulder.

    As soon as she touched his shoulder, a big hand grabbed her by the wrist making her scream.

 Chapter 340 - Residual Toxin (2)

    <strong>Chapter 340 ¨C Residual Toxin (2)</strong>

    ¡°Ye Zhen?¡± Lu Lingzhi was a little confused. When he opened his eyes and saw a familiar face, he was so nervous that he blurted out <i><strong>her</strong></i> name.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes were slightly cold and she said faintly, ¡°Eldest Brother, you mistook one for another.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi let go of her hand and smiled gently. ¡°Yaoyao, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°I heard that you were injured. Grandmother was worried, so she let me and Fathere see you.¡± Ye Zhen looked at him and said, ¡°Who hurt you? You are not easily defeated in martial arts. How could you be hurt so easily? ¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know ... it doesn¡¯t look like a close confidant of the Prince of the West, but the person was wearing their clothes. The dead man was the former bodyguard of the Prince of West. The one who hurt me was injured by me and has been arrested.¡± Lu Lingzhi looked at Ye Zhen with a smile. ¡°Yaoyao, Eldest Brother didn¡¯t expect you toe see me.¡±

    <i>If it weren¡¯t for the old madam, why would she want toe here?</i> ¡°Grandmother is very worried about you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a minor injury, let Grandmother not worry,¡± Lu Lingzhi whispered.

    ¡°You are poisoned,¡± Ye Zhen said, ¡°can I take a look at your wound?¡±

    It was only now that Lu Lingzhi realized he had been holding her wrist. ¡°The wound is terrible. How will you look at it, little girl?¡±

    He let go of her hand, and his eyes fell on the face before him. Just now, he had really regarded her as Ye Zhen. Unexpectedly, it had been so long since he remembered her.

    <i>Is it because of the guilt that cannot be forgotten?</i>

    Ye Zhen had been studying about detoxification recently. She was just curious about what poison he had. ¡°I am a student of medicine, why can¡¯t I see it?¡±

    ¡°I heard that you are already Princess Fu Rong, and you are still studying medicine.¡± Lu Lingzhi said with a smile, ¡°A princess is iparable to a female physician.¡±

    ¡°It seems like you look down upon medical women.¡± Ye Zhen curled her lips. ¡°I want to be a physician. Even if I have the title of a princess now, I still want to practice medicine.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi was amused by her anger and coughed gently. ¡°<i>Cough</i> ... I don¡¯t look down upon physicians. Don¡¯t get me wrong.¡±

    Qi Jin and Lu Shiming heard voices and hurried in.

    ¡°How do you feel now??¡± Lu Shiming quickly asked.

    ¡°Third Uncle, I am fine.¡± Lu Lingzhi smiled and saw Ye Zhen standing to one side with her head lowered. When she didn¡¯t even look at him again, he felt an inexplicable loss.

    ?

    Lu Lingzhi woke up with much more vigor than the previous night. When his confidants came to see him, they delivered the news of the assassin¡¯s escape.

    ¡°At that time, several of us were interrogating the assassin. Suddenly, there was an abrupt sound from another assassin outside. We were afraid of bringing harm upon the marquis and left only a couple of people behind. When we found out that the tiger was descending the mountain*, the people had already been rescued,¡± Luo You, Lu Lingzhi¡¯s deputy said..

    [T/N: it means a diversion]

    ¡°It seems that there are still a few fish that have slipped through the.¡± Lu Lingzhi sat on the bed. ¡°I know the assassin¡¯s appearance. Portraits of him are to be posted everywhere. He was also seriously injured. He can¡¯t go far. It shouldn¡¯t be difficult to find him. At this time, he should still be with hispanions. If you find him, you can find the rest of them.¡±

    Ye Zhen was boiling medicine by the door. When she heard these words, she was itching to cripple Lu Lingzhi¡¯s hands, so that he couldn¡¯t draw a portrait of Tian Jiu.

    Imperial Physician Qi was a diligent doctor and seldom trusted her work with others. Ye Zhen was an exception though. Since the girl was here, the physician handed her the medicine herbs together with the wound dressing supplies and immersed herself in the study of purging the residual poison.

    ¡°Marquis, I¡¯ll draw as you say,¡± Lu Lingzhi¡¯s aide said.

    ¡°Very well!¡± Lu Lingzhi nodded and asked someone to get the brush and ink. The man then started to draw as Lu Lingzhi described the assassin that escaped.

    It had been a long time since Ye Zhen had seen Tian Jiu, she only had a faint impression about him now. As she listened to Lu Lingzhi¡¯s description, she was not sure if it was him. So, she still needed to see the portrait to know.

    Only

    ¡°Marquis, is this the person?¡± The man lifted up the portrait and held it for Lu Lingzhi to see.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s him.¡± Lu Lingzhi said in a low voice. ¡°Make more copies of the portrait and send them to the capital. The emperor will surelymand you to trace them. You should search the vicinity. Don¡¯t let him go far, search everywhere whether in the vige or the mountains.

    ¡°Yes, Marquis.¡± The crowd of confidants responded in unison.

    Ye Zhen came in with the medicine, and said to Lu Lingzhi with a straight face, ¡°You just woke up. If you don¡¯t cherish your body, don¡¯t even drink the medicine.¡±

    ¡°How dare you speak to the Marquis that way?¡± Others didn¡¯t know that Ye Zhen was Lu Lingzhi¡¯s sister. They thought she¡¯s just a little medical girl. Luo You immediately reprimanded her.

 Chapter 341 - Do I Look Good?

    <strong>Chapter 341 ¨C Do I Look Good?</strong>

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly how I said it. Do you have any problem?¡± Ye Zhen coldly looked at him, her line of sight turned to the portrait on the tabletop.

    <i>It¡¯s Tian Jiu!</i> Although she hadn¡¯t seen Tian Jiu for a long time, once she saw the portrait she recognized it was him.

    ¡°You!¡± Luo You wanted to teach this little girl a lesson.

    Lu Lingzhi stopped him. ¡°You all go down. This is my sister, Princess Fu Rong.¡±

    <i>¡°¡ª¡± Princess Fu Rong? The Lu Family seems... to have a princess. It must be this girl before us.</i>

    Ye Zhen was toozy to pay attention to them. She went over and put the medicine on the small table next to him and looked at Lu Lingzhi coldly. ¡°What assassin are you looking for when you are hurt like this? Are people still waiting for you to catch him?¡±

    Lu Lingzhi waved his hand to dismiss the deputy generals. Those people gave Ye Zhen a salute and quickly took the portrait away. Offending the princess was not a joke.

    ¡°The assassin was injured. If the person who saved him still wants him to live, he would not run too far and will definitely stay and heal.¡± Lu Lingzhi whispered and looked at the little girl¡¯s face, thinking that she was concerned about him. ¡°I¡¯m listening to you and I¡¯ll take good care of the injury.¡±

    Ye Zhen actually didn¡¯t care if he recuperated properly. She was only worried about whether Tian Jiu would hide in the same ce as he said. <i>What must she do if Lu Lingzhi catches him?</i>

    ¡°Take the medicine,¡± she said simply while giving the medicines prescribed by Qi Jin. She had seen the dregs, and determined that the concoction would only serve to heal his wound quickly and not actually aid in getting rid of the residual poison.

    He looked at her with a smile. ¡°I feel sorry for letting the princess prepare my medicine for me.¡±

    ¡°I am taking care of you because of Grandmother,¡± Ye Zhen said coldly. She already knew what poison was in him. It was Qitiantong*. As long as the residual poison was not cleared, Lu Lingzhi would be tortured by it. Each time the poison attacked, it would only get worse every time.

    [T/N: The names of poison in ancient times were usually literal and descriptive. Qitiantong means ¡®seven days pain¡¯]

    <i>It seems that Tian Jiu didn¡¯t mean to kill Lu Lingzhi, but wanted to torture and make him suffer.</i>

    The residual poison of Qitiantong was not so easy to cleanse. Besides, it was his shoulder that was injured. Perhaps the poison had invaded his heart. As to how the poison would torment him was uncertain.

    He smiled gently. ¡°I¡¯ll write to Grandmother, otherwise she will still be worried.¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t tell her that you were poisoned,¡± she said.

    ¡°Well, don¡¯t let Grandmother know.¡± He nodded.

    She took the brush and ink, and moved the table for him, and asked him to write a short letter.

    ¡°I¡¯ll write another letter and have it sent to Grandmother immediately,¡± Ye Zhen said softly.

    Lu Lingzhi nodded with a smile and took the medicines she had prepared. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°How can you still smile?¡± she asked, wondering. <i>When he should be suffering from pain, it seems that nothing happened to him.</i><i>Does he feel no pain at all</i>? ¡°

    ¡°It¡¯s already like this, should I cry instead of smile?¡± Lu Lingzhi¡¯s jestingly asked. ¡°There is one more thing I¡¯d like to thank you for. Fortunately, the vulnerary you gave me didn¡¯t run out. When Imperial Physician Qi hadn¡¯t arrived yet, I applied your medicine, and the wound didn¡¯t sting¡ª¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s face turned ck all of a sudden. In order to make him fight in the west, she had given him a vulnerary with <i>linquan</i> in it. She hoped that his fracture would get better soon. Unexpectedly...

    She suddenly felt pain in her heart, liver, and lungs. This feeling of regret felt too ufortable. <i>If her vulnerary could relieve the poison...</i>

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that there is only a little left. After two days, it will run out. Yaoyao, do you still have that medicine?¡± He asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go back and have a look.¡± She looked down and squeezed her fist tightly. <i>No wonder he didn¡¯t feel pain. It was her lingquan ... did it relieve the toxicity?</i>

    He said, ¡°I won¡¯t have that medicine for the next two days. The wound would hurt very badly.¡±

    She had seen his woundst night. The blood looked poisoned. The vulnerary with <i>lingquan</i> was not enough to cure his poison. It seemed that it only eased his pain for a few days. Thinking of this, she felt better. She looked at Lu Lingzhi¡¯s handsome face and asked faintly, ¡°Have you seen Ye Zhen?¡±

    Lu Lingzhi suddenly looked up at her. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    Only

    ¡°You took me for her yesterday. Are you familiar... with Ye Zhen?¡± She tried to ask, but she never thought that he would still remember her.

    ¡°Not really.¡± He said faintly, ¡°I have only seen her several times before.¡±

    ¡°I look like her, don¡¯t I?¡± She asked, smiling. ¡°Many people have said so, and some thought I was a ghost.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi frowned. ¡°Yaoyao, you are you, not someone¡¯s body double.¡±

    ¡°I know, I am curious about thete Wang Fei Ye.¡± Ye Zhen looked at him clearly and brightly. ¡°Do you think I look good?¡±

 Chapter 342 - Why Choose Her?

    <strong>Chapter 342 ¨C Why Choose Her?</strong>

    Lu Lingzhi looked up at his cousin. At first nce, he felt that she was just like Ye Zhen. However, with her transformation, she appeared in front of everyone with an amazing demeanour.

    <i>Does she resemble Ye Zhen?</i>

    <i>Indeed!</i>

    However, unlike Ye Zhen, she was cleverer, adorable, charming, and more mischievous.

    <i>Such a little girl actually asked him if she was good-looking?</i>

    Lu Lingzhi couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Very good-looking, Yaoyao looks the best.¡±

    Ye Zhen sneered. ¡°Since I am so good-looking, then Ye Zhen must have been good-looking too, at least better than Wang Fei Lu. Why did the emperor dislike her instead and choose Wang Fei Lu?¡±

    Little by little, the smile on Lu Lingzh¡¯s lips faded. ¡°Yaoyao, did someone say something to you?¡±

    ¡°Who will say what in front of me? I just feel strange.¡± Ye Zhen nced at Lu Lingzhi with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s one thing to be gentle and virtuous if Wang Fei Lu is beautiful. But she is jealous and selfish. It¡¯s hard to imagine that the emperor chose her instead of Wang Fei Ye.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao!¡± Although Lu Lingzhi wanted to shout, he still held himself, and in the end, spoke in a low voice. ¡°How can you say that about Wang Fei Lu? She¡¯s still your sister.¡±

    The corners of Ye Zhen¡¯s lips revealed a deep smile. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my title as a princess, do you think I could still stay in the capital? Eldest Brother, you don¡¯t know yet, do you? Wang Fei Lu told Second Uncle that she wanted to marry me off to Liang Chun as a second wife. Don¡¯t you know what kind of person Liang Chun is?¡±

    Liu Lingzhi¡¯s face had visible changes. Liang Chun was not only a widower but also a cut sleeve*. How can Yaoyao be married off to him? ¡°impossible! Are you serious?¡±

    [T/N: <u>Cut sleeve</u> is a euphemism for homosexuals. These are times when homosexuality was looked down upon. For those interested in the origins of the term, check out the embedded link.]

    ¡°Thest time, Grandmother almost got sick because of Wang Fei Lu since she wouldn¡¯t let me stay in the capital and wanted to marry me off far away. If I hadn¡¯t been titled a princess, I don¡¯t know what would have happened to me now.¡± Ye Zhen didn¡¯t say that Lu Wushuang had fallen out of favor, she just wanted to provoke the feelings between this brother-sister duo.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know ... Shuang¡¯er, she is like this,¡± Lu Lingzhi said helplessly, d that Yaoyao had not been ruined by her.

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°So I am very curious. To what extent waste Wang Fei Ye evil that the emperor would fall for Wang Fei Lu? I heard that the emperor hates Wang Fei Ye very much.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi didn¡¯t know how to answer. He was worried that Lu Wushuang¡¯s days in the pce were not as carefree as before. Mo Rongzhan was not a fatuous king. If he were to glimpse Lu Wushuang¡¯s true nature, he would doubt her identity even more.

    ¡°Yaoyao, aboutte Wang Fei Ye... it¡¯s because her surname is Ye.¡± Lu Lingzhi replied bitterly, ¡°Don¡¯t mention her anymore. You and she are two different people.¡±

    Ye Zhen said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m different from her of course. I won¡¯t marry the emperor. I¡¯m Princess Fu Rong. How can I be as unlucky as her?¡±

    Lu Lingzhi had no choice but to smile. ¡°What else did Wang Fei Lu do to you?¡±

    ¡°How can she do anything to me now? She has deep sisterly affection for me. I hope I can put in a good word for her in front of Empress Dowager.¡± She smiled. ¡°Eldest Brother, tell me, how can I deepen my sisterhood with Wang Fei Lu?¡±

    ¡°Ah... Yaoyao, if you don¡¯t like her, don¡¯t go see her.¡±

    After what his little sister did to her before, how could he ask Yaoyao to be good to Lu Wushuang? With the kind of person Liang Chun was, he understood that marrying off Yaoyao to him meant destruction to her.

    <i>This... Shuang¡¯er has gone too far.</i>

    Ye Zhen was someone who knew when to stop. Before she went too far, she deftly diverted the conversation to the letter. ¡°I will send the letter to Grandmother. You should have a good rest.¡±

    Only

    Lu Lingzhi nodded with a smile and watched the little girl walk out of the room. Once she was out of sight, his eyes doused in solemnity.

    He knew that he shouldn¡¯t have let Lu Wushuang impersonate Ye Zhen. Over time, she would certainly reveal her true colours. How can a smart man like Mo Rongzhan not sense the changes in Lu Wushuang¡¯s temperament? She was not the kind of person with a deep mind and would show signs sooner orter.

    <i>Had Mo Rongzhan found out?</i>

    If Mo Rongzhan knew Ye Zhen was the one to save him back then, he would have surely taken her to the pce and made her Empress. Even the Ye Family would not have been entangled in the mess. Also at the very least, Ye Yiqing and the others would still be alive despite being connected to that crime.

    Lu Lingzhi closed his eyes. His concealment had indirectly brought deaths upon many people. He could only try not to recall these things, otherwise, he would live in guilt every day. He was sorry for Ye Zhen and could only repay her in the afterlife.

 Chapter 343 - Bloodstain

    <strong>Chapter 343 ¨C Bloodstain</strong>

    After returning to her room, she wrote a letter. Together with Lu Lingzhi¡¯s, they were sent to Old Madam Lu.

    Ye Zhen was worried that because of his injuries, Tian Jiu would not have been able to travel far and could be hiding here in Jinwu City. How could she find him?

    ¡°Yaoyao, I¡¯m going to the mountain. There¡¯s no medicine in the city. I shall take a walk in the mountains, perhaps I can find it. You can stay and take care of Marquis Anyang.¡± After scouring the medical books in the hope to find an antidote for a long time, Qi Jin came to find Ye Zhen. Although she had finally found a way to detoxify, it was not necessarily the cure. As such, she could only try.

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, it¡¯s better for me to go to the mountains and find the herbs. It¡¯s better for you to be around here with Eldest Brother,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    Qi Jin hesitated for a moment but handed her the sketch anyway. ¡°This is Qijie grass. It grows in deep mountains. It¡¯s notmonly seen. I¡¯m not sure if there is Qijie grass here.¡±

    <i>Qijie grass?</i> Ye Zhen rifled through her mind. She had seen this herb in the medical books. It could be a treatment for Qitiantong, but it could only relieve pain, not detoxify.

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, you can rest assured that I will find it.¡± Ye Zhen was certain that Qijie grass was impossible to grow in Jinwu City. This ce was not wet enough, this type of herb was found in the swamps deep in the mountains.

    ¡°Then, be careful. I¡¯ll have someone apany you. If you can¡¯t find it,e back. There will always be a way to find it,¡± Qi Jin said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of myself.¡± Ye Zhen said, smiling. This was her chance to seek and disclose information to Tian Jiu and let him leave quickly.

    When Lu Shiming heard that his precious daughter was going up the mountain to collect herbs, he went along, regardless of what Ye Zhen would say. In addition to her father, there were also Luo You, two imperial guards, and Hongying in tow.

    There were many soldiers in the city. Soon, Tian Jiu¡¯s sketches were everywhere. Sitting on her horse, Ye Zhen frowned when she found out how fast they had spread the word. Arriving at the city gates, she found that it was guarded with massive military force. No matter where one entered and exited, there were people stationed to inspect, not letting anyone off the hook.

    With such a situation, she could only hope Tian Jiu was not in the city, otherwise, even if she wanted to help, it was beyond her capability.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go out of the city to find them? Can assassins be found in the city?¡± Lu Shiming asked Luo You next to him.

    ¡°The assassin was injured. If they don¡¯t want to die, they will go to the city to find a physician. Moreover, if they don¡¯t go to the city to buy medicine, where else can they go to recuperate?¡± Luo You exined.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s heart sank. <i>With such close inspection and guard, could Tian Jiu really escape?</i>

    ?

    Out of the city, garbed in in attires, Ye Zhen and the others went to the mountains not far away. Though she had nurtured it for a day, due to the initial bruise on her thighs, her flesh was still tender. As such, it was not long before she began to feel ufortable again.

    Previously, she had been on the road for three days straight, and her legs were sore to the point of bleeding. Now that she had only just recovered from the injury, she still had to travel once more to gather medicine for Lu Lingzhi... Just the thought of it made her feel very much unreconciled. In short, even if she were to spot Qijie grass that the other needed, she would not collect it for him!

    <i>I hope it hurts him to death! Let him suffer from the poison for as long as he lives!</i>

    ¡°There is a forest deep in the mountain ahead of us, the horses can¡¯t get in. So, from this point on, we can only go on foot,¡± Luo You said to Lu Shiming.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s just go on foot. Didn¡¯t Imperial Physician Qi say that the medicine can be obtained in the mountain?¡± Lu Shiming got off his horse, looked back at his daughter and said, ¡°Yaoyao, only a few of us will go into the mountain. You don¡¯t need to go there.¡±

    Ye Zhen herself really didn¡¯t want to go into the mountain to look for the medicine since she was feeling ufortable, still... ¡°Father, let¡¯s split up. That way, it¡¯ll be easier to find it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with Luo You to look for the medicine. Meanwhile, the rest of you protect the princess.¡± Lu Shiming stated for everyone to hear.

    In this way, trying to look for the Qijie grass, the group split into two. While Lu Shiming and Luo You went up to search, Ye Zhen chose to walk around a rtively low spot in the mountain.

    ¡°Princess, are you tired?¡± Hong Ying asked as she held Ye Zhen¡¯s hand to support her, fearing she would be injured again. After all, she was the one who knew best the brusied condition of her mistress¡¯s legs.

    Ye Zhen only smiled as she said, ¡°It¡¯s all right. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    With great difficulty, she finally got up to the mountain and glimpsed the dense woods and shrubbery before her. She could only smile and said, ¡°You should all look at the sketch carefully and see if you can find it.¡±

    Only

    However, the two bodyguards apanying her did not dare to walk too far away from the princess¡¯s side. So, they simply took the sketch and looked for the herb nearby her.

    s, the Qijie grass looked almost like a weed. That said, despite spending a long time looking for it, they still hadn¡¯t managed to find one. They dide across many simr looking nts, but none was the Qijie grass they needed.

    While she was scouring the flora on the ground, Ye Zhen suddenly noticed something strange in the grass in front of her. She looked back at Hong Ying and the two bodyguards busy searching just like her and found them not far away from her. However, they didn¡¯t seem to have noticed the situation on her side.

    <i>There¡¯s bloodstain in the grass!</i>

 Chapter 344 - Iâ€™m Sorry!

    <strong>Chapter 344 ¨C I¡¯m Sorry!</strong>

    Ye Zhen held her breath and started tracking from where the bloodstain spread. Atst, she saw two figures hidden behind some grass that was half as tall as a man¡¯s normal height.

    One of the figures was a man holding a long knife and staring at her coldly.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s gaze then fell onto the other figure. She was slightly startled at the sight on the unconscious man. <i>It was Tian Jiu!</i> She was very surprised to find that they had escaped from the city.

    All the while, the man with the knife was staring at Ye Zhen tenaciously, a murderous intent brimming his eyes, ready to attack at any moment.

    ¡°Princess, I don¡¯t see any Qijie grass around here,¡± a guard said as he came over to find Ye Zhen.

    ¡°I can¡¯t find it here either. Let¡¯s go to the other side to check,¡± Ye Zhen hurriedly said, stopping the bodyguard froming over.

    When she looked back at the man again, she noticed him frowning at her, his hand still tightly clenching the knife.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go into the city,¡± Ye Zhen subtly said. She then took out a bottle of wound medicine from her bosom that was filled with <i>lingquan</i> and quietly threw it to the ground.

    As long as they were not hiding in the city, and inside this mountain, Lu Lingzhi¡¯s people would not be able to find them so easily.

    The man with the knife didn¡¯t know her. He wouldn¡¯t do anything to her if she said nothing. However, if she were to say they were there, she didn¡¯t doubt the guy would immediately kill her without remorse. As such, the choice was obvious to her.

    Ye Zhen then left the ce with her imperial bodyguards and maid. When they arrived at the foot of the mountain, they happened to meet Lu Shiming and his group who were on their way back.

    ¡°I found a Qijie grass. Really, this thing was so hard to find that I almost gave up when I finally saw it,¡± Lu Shiming said with excitement. ¡°Let Imperial Physician Qi try it first. If it is really useful, then we will have people to look for it everywhere.¡±

    <i>If people were to sent into the mountains to look for medicine, then wouldn¡¯t it be easy for Tian Jiu¡¯s location to be exposed? No good!</i>

    Ye Zhen said, ¡°Generally, this kind of Qijie grass doesn¡¯t usually grow in cluster. It was already arduous for you to find one by theke... Perhaps it¡¯ll be easier to find it in the mountain located more to the south than here.¡±

    Lu Shiming nodded. They had not been able to find it even after searching for a long time, and even the one they found looked wilted, so he didn¡¯t doubt his daughter¡¯s reasoning at all. ¡°You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s return and talk about it.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Ye Zhen smiled while hoping that Tian Jiu and his colleagues could leave this ce by today.

    Upon returning to the city, they were about to go and find Qi Jin when they suddenly heard a scream of pain in Lu Lingzhi¡¯s room. Startled, Lu Shiming and Luo You hurried over to check.

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s residual poison had red up, he felt as if ten thousand ants were biting his flesh. It was so painful that he could no longer endure it.

    Qi Jin immediately asked the people to hold Lu Lingzhi¡¯s limbs down, worried that the man would hurt himself by moving too much. She then used acupuncture to relieve the pain.

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, we have found the Qijie grass.¡± Lu Shiming was so distressed seeing the pain his brother¡¯s son was going through that he hurriedly brought over the herb and handed it to the physician.

    ¡°Yaoyao, quickly take this Qijie grass and boil it. Then add it to the medicine Marquis Anyang used to drink,¡± Qi Jin said loudly.

    Standing by the door, Ye Zhen was looking at the Lu Lingzhi on the bed writhing in immense pain. A sense of relief and pleasure washed over her heart. Compared to the suffering she had endured, what was his suffering worth?

    ¡°What are you waiting for Yaoyao?¡± Qi Jin cried out.

    It was only then that Ye Zhen regained her senses and went over to get the Qijie grass in the other¡¯s hand.

    Lu Shiming didn¡¯t think much about his daughter¡¯s dyed response, only that she was frightened because she had never seen such a scene before. So he gently appeased her and said, ¡°It¡¯s all right. Your elder brother just needs to drink the medicine and he¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡± Ye Zhen nodded and turned to go out to brew the medicine.

    Meanwhile, Qi Jin wanted to use more acupuncture to help ease Lu Lingzhi¡¯s pain further, but the muscles in his body had turned so taut that she couldn¡¯t insert needles in his acupoints at all.

    Ye Zhen simply cooked the medicine and sent it to him. At this time, Lu Lingzhi was almost out of his mind due to pain, so none of the four big men holding him down was able to persist and identally let him go. Due to this, the wound on his body tore open soaking his clothes with blood. It looked awkward and pathetic.

    However, though her eyes took in this sight, it was difficult for Ye Zhen¡¯s heart to feel even a smidgen of pity for him.

    Only

    ¡°Yaoyao, let me do it,¡± Lu Shiming said, taking the medicine from her. He then ordered the servants. ¡°You hold him down while I pour the medicine into his mouth.¡±

    Ye Zhen then went to help Qi Jin pack her things in order. She was standing close to the bed. So when Lu Lingzhi suddenly got the strength to hold her in his arms, she was stunned.

    ¡°Let me go!¡± Ye Zhen shouted angrily, having snapped back to her senses she pushed him away. s, it was futile!

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry... I¡¯m sorry...!¡±

    In his trance, Lu Lingzhi hugged her even tightly, crying out apologies indistinctly. And though the others could not hear what he was saying, Ye Zhen did. She understood that his mind was so hazy that he took her as Wang Fei Ye.

 Chapter 345 - Return to the Capital (1)

    <strong>Chapter 345 ¨C Return to the Capital (1)</strong>

    ¡°Yaoyao, don¡¯t move.¡± Lu Shiming hurriedly cried out. ¡°Let your elder brother drink the medicine first.¡±

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t move, body stiff and motionless in Lu Lingzhi¡¯s arms. Despite her stiffness, she was still able to feel the tremor that was wrecking the other¡¯s body. From just that, she could assume he must truly be in pain.

    At this time, Lu Shiming had walked over with the medicine and said, ¡°Just wait until you drink everything, then it won¡¯t hurt anymore.¡±

    ¡°Eldest Brother, quickly take the medicine.¡± Ye Zhen, who was being held in the other¡¯s arms, urged while feeling ill all over her body. She simply wanted to push him away immediately.

    However, Lu Lingzhi was hugging her tightly as if doing so could alleviate the pain he was in. But under Lu Shiming¡¯s persuasion, he obediently drank the medicine and soon passed out.

    Taking the chance, Ye Zhen didn¡¯t waste a breath in pushing him away and stood far away, staring at the man who had fainted on top of the bed. Her eyes dark, only wishing he had died from pain.

    Qi Jin and the others did not notice this change in Ye Zhen though. They were only focused on looking at Lu Lingzhi and properly rebandaging his wound.

    ?

    Capital, The Imperial Pce

    Mo Rongzhan, with deep eyes, was looking at the secret report in his hand.

    <i>Unexpectedly, that little girl has really gone to Jinwu City! She can just not sit still even for a moment!</i>

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, Marquis Anyang suffers from Qitiantong poisoning, it is an extremely potent poison. It can¡¯t bepletely neutralized by the fire lotus,¡± Tang Zhen said, frowning as he bowed his head. He couldn¡¯t help but worry as he thought about the injuries of his good friend.

    ¡°Have someone collect all of the Qijie grass in the capital and send it over.¡± Mo Rongzhan instructed.

    ¡°Your Majesty, this official shall personally deliver it,¡± Tang Zhen said.

    Mo Rongzhan immediately recalled that Tang Zhen seemed to wish to be Lu Family¡¯s son-inw. So, he looked up at his confidant and said, ¡°I heard that Princess Fu Rong also went to Jinwu City.¡±

    Tang Zhen¡¯s eyes abruptly lit up in delight as he said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Ah Zhen, you seem to be at the right age for marriage?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked while thinking over which girl in the imperial family would be suitable for marriage. He wanted Tang Zhen to give up early on, so he wouldn¡¯t always think about Yaoyao.

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, you wish to bestow marriage for this official?¡± Tang Zhen asked, excited, thinking that the emperor wanted to marry him and Lu Yaoyao.

    Although bing a <i>fuma*</i> meant one couldn¡¯t involve oneself with state matter, he didn¡¯t care. As long as he could marry Lu Yaoyao, it was worth it.

    [*fuma = princess consort, wang fei = prince consort]

    ¡°Are you interested in someone?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked, probingly.

    Tang Zhen nced at Mo Rongzhan and asked with a low and expectant voice, ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, can this official pay his esteem to the princess?¡±

    <i>There is only one princess in the entirety of Jin Empire right now!</i> Mo Rongzhan¡¯s handsome face immediately turned ck, realizing who Tang Zhen was talking about. Still, he asked, ¡°Which princess do you want to esteem?¡±

    ¡°Princess Fu Rong,¡± said Tang Zhen immediately, eyes earnest as he continued confessing, ¡°I have admired her for a long time.¡±

    <i>To be enamored with her for a long time... </i>Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyebrows twitched a few times.

    ¡°We are unable to make a decision for Yaoyao¡¯s marriage. Wait until her return to talk about this again,¡± Mo Rongzhan said with a voice that was as cold as the tundra. However, when she returned, he was determined to clearly ask what she thought of Tang Zhen.

    Standing quietly on the side, Eunuch Fu hung his head low, silently lighting a candle for Marquis Jing Ning in his heart. <i>How can the emperor let anyone marry Princess Fu Rong?</i>

    Only

    At this moment, Eunuch Fu was the only one in the entirety of Jin to be aware of the emperor¡¯s thoughts regarding Princess Fu Rong.

    Tang Zhen was oblivious as to what the emperor¡¯s heart was thinking about. For ever since Lu Yaoyao was titled a princess, all he had been thinking was when he could stand before the empress dowager, so he would be able to be the <i>fuma</i>.

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, this official will take the Qijie grass over immediately,¡± Tang Zhen said happily. He couldn¡¯t wait to see Lu Yaoyao when he arrived at Jinwu City. He had to exin it clearly to her, otherwise who knew how long she would stay angry with him.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to take it. The report indicates the injury has been stabilized, so they should be back soon,¡± Mo Rongzhan lightly said, halting Tang Zhen¡¯s thought.

    Despite being somewhat disappointed, Tang Zhen still loyally responded in agreement.

 Chapter 346 - Return to the Capital (

    <strong>Chapter 346 ¨C Return to the Capital (2)</strong>

    Jinwu City.

    The scene from when Lu Linghzhi was being tormented by the poison was etched in Lu Shiming¡¯s mind. As such, he didn¡¯t waver and the next day, took more people to look for Qijie grass.

    This made Ye Zhen very nervous. She was worried that Tian Jiu would still be taking shelter in the mountains and could get caught. On the off chance he were caught, what would happen then?

    ¡°Yaoyao, did I hurt you yesterday?¡± Lu Lingzhi asked, looking at Ye Zhen who was standing by the door, with a voice that was full of fatigue.

    ¡°No,¡± Ye Zhen faintly said, not even willing to look him in the eyes.

    Lu Lingzhi rubbed his eyebrows and said, ¡°This is the first time I was attacked with poison, and just like you said before, I truly couldn¡¯t bear it. Now I know how painful the subsequent days are going to be.¡±

    Ye Zhen turned around and looked at him with indifferent eyes. ¡°When you were attacked by the poison yesterday, did you know what you did?¡±

    ¡°What did I do?¡± Lu Lingzhi asked doubtfully.

    ¡°You held me and kept saying you are sorry.¡± The corner of Ye Zhen¡¯s mouth twitched lightly into a sneer as she continued. ¡°You said sorry to Ye Zhen. But... Aren¡¯t you unfamiliar with her? What have you done to make you apologize to her?¡±

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s originally wan face worsened as he eximed loudly, ¡°You heard me wrong!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Ye Zhen simply smiled and did not persist. It seemed Lu Lingzhi himself felt sorry for her. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t apologize to her when he was delirious.

    <i>But what was the use of that now?</i>

    Aplicated look in his eyes, Lu Lingzhi stared at his beautiful and elegant younger sister¡¯s profile in a daze. With her here, it was hard for him to not think of Ye Zhen.

    It wasn¡¯t until evening that Lu Shiming came back with the Qijie grass. Even then, they had only found two after having dug through the entire mountain.

    ¡°Father, did you only find Qijie grass today?¡± Ye Zhen asked, feeling a little nervous for fear that they might have found traces of Tian Jiu in the mountain.

    Fortunately, Lu Shiming said, ¡°It¡¯s already good to find two Qijie grass.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we have looked through every nook and cranny of the mountains, but couldn¡¯t find more than these two.¡± Luo You also added from the side.

    <i>It seems Tian Jiu and the others have left the mountain!</i> Ye Zhen breathed a sigh of relief before she said, ¡°These two grasses are already enough to support Eldest Brother for now. So, let¡¯s get people to go to the south and look for more there.¡±

    In half a month, Lu Lingzhi¡¯s injury gradually healed. And though the poison had yet to bepletely cleared, he was able to walk around. The Qijie grass was almost used up. It was now that Qi Jin asked them all to leave for the capital.

    Two days ago, the troops that went to suppress Xifan had returned to the capital, and the Prince of Xifan had also epted the emperor¡¯s punishment. Meanwhile, Lu Lingzhi and his family spent another ten days on the road to return to the capital.

    Lu Linghzhi had alost a lot of weight and appeared ver pale. Old Madam Lu¡¯s face turned sour at the sight of her dear grandson. She knew very well that his injury was not a trivial one like the people made it to be. Fortunately, she had experienced a lot of things through the course of her life and thus was able to stay strong and appear firm on the surface.

    However, unlike the old madam, as soon as Liu <i>shi</i> saw her son, she cried loudly. Her voice was full of grief. Old Madam Lu¡¯s face turned ck. Without hesitation, she ordered people to take Liu <i>shi</i> back to the house, so they would not lose face outside.

    ¡°Grandmother, grandson has worried you.¡± Lu Lingzhi was indifferent to Liu <i>shi¡¯s</i> grief, but his eyes, as he looked at the olddy, were gentle.

    Old Madam Lu took his hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s good that you are back.¡±

    ¡°Mother, it has been a long journey on the bumpy road. Let my nephew go back in first to take a rest.¡± Lu Shiming suggested, afraid that Lu Lingzhi¡¯s poison would rpse at any moment and scare the olddy. After all, today should be the seventh day since thest time the poison red up and it could erupt any moment. Moreover, he had yet to have the Qijie grass, so his screams could be louder than usual. As such, it was better to get Lu Lingzhi back to his courtyard as soon as possible.

    Old Madam Lu didn¡¯t hesitate either and said, ¡°Quickly send the marquis back to his room to rest.¡±

    Ye Zhen simply stood by and looked at Lu Lingzhi, who was escorted in, with expressionless eyes. Qijie grass could not be used to relieve the pain for a long time. Sooner orter, it would be useless. What would he do then? She couldn¡¯t wait to find out.

    ¡°Yaoyao, you must be tired, too. Go freshen up and rest as soon as possible,¡± Old Madam Lu said thoughtfully when she looked back and saw that Ye Zhen had thinned a full circle.

    ¡°Grandmother, I don¡¯t want to be a hindrance.¡± Ye Zhen was indeed very tired from looking after Lu Lingzhi inside the carriage these past few days. Honestly, had it not been for Imperial Physician Qi¡¯s presence, she would not have cared about his life or death.

    Only

    Old Madam Lu didn¡¯t know her thoughts, so she simply said, ¡°I heard you were taking care of your eldest brother all along the way. How can you not be tired? Go back to your room and rest. We¡¯ll talk tomorrow.¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at the darkening sky and considered. By the time they returned to the capital, it was already dark. And Lu Shiming still had to go to the pce and report to the emperor. However, her legs were already sore and in pain. In addition, she had to endure Lu Lingzhi¡¯s presence throughout the journey for thest few days as well, which was more exhausting than anything else. As such, she easily acquiesced and said, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go back and take a rest now, Grandmother. I¡¯ll talk to you tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Well, go on!¡± Old Madam Lu said.

    Ye Zhen greeted others before going back to her yard with Hong Ying. Looking at the freshly litntern in the Lu Mansion, she revealed a smile that was as soft as silk.

    <i>If Lu Lingzhi fell, the Lu Family would fall with him!</i>

 Chapter 347 - Sneaking into the Boudoir at Night

    <strong>Chapter 347 ¨C Sneaking into the Boudoir at Night</strong>

    When Ye Zhen returned to her chambers, she saw that Yu Ping had already prepared a hot bath for her. She nodded approvingly. These past few days, she had been unable to have a good bath on the road. Now that she was finally back to the capital, she could be at ease.

    ¡°You all go out.¡± Ye Zhen sent Yu Ping and Dai Mei to clean up her room.

    Once the maids left, she took off all her clothes and checked on the scabs on her inner thigh. In order to avoid having to look at Lu Lingzhi all the time, she had insisted on riding. In the end, her legs bore the brunt of her wounded heart¡¯s unwillingness.

    Fortunately, she had <i>lingquan.</i> She had diligently spread it on the wound every day. Otherwise, she would not have been able to walk now.

    Sitting in the water, Ye Zhen focused on the mark on her palm. Soon, many drops of <i>lingquan </i>dripped into the bathwater. She leaned on the edge of the tub, closed her eyes and immersed her weary body. It was a long time before she felt her taut muscles ease. Refreshed, she went to her room and saw Dai Mei had prepared some snacks along with light food. However, she just drank a bowl of millet congee and chicken soup, not even touching the other things.

    She then grabbed a book and read for a while before exhaustion hit her. She was so sleepy that she was unable to hold on and soon fell asleep on the bed.

    She was simply too tired. While she was at Jinwu City, she had always worried about Tian Jiu and his people getting caught. Then, when she was on the roadback, she had to face Lu Lingzhi. In short, she was unable to have a good rest during that period of time.

    In the dead of the night, wrapped in a tranquil air, Ye Zhen was sleeping soundly. It was not only her courtyard that was calm. The ambience of the entire Lu Mansion was serene all thanks to Lu Lingzhi¡¯s return. Now, without the panic and uneasiness that had permeated the family in the past few days, everything seemed to be very peaceful and quiet.

    Out of nowhere, a dark shadow appeared and walked silently into Ye Zhen¡¯s courtyard. Yu Ping, who was sleeping right outside her mistress¡¯s room, didn¡¯t hear a thing nor had any chance to stir from her sleep as the figure released a burst of fragrance pushing her into a deeper sleep than normal.

    The shadow then came to stand beside Ye Zhen¡¯s bed. At this time, the faint light from the moon seeped through the window and illuminating her being.

    ¡°This little girl has lost a whole circle of weight,¡± the shadow said to no one in particr, sitting down while gently touching her smooth cheek.

    The moment he did that, Ye Zhen unconsciously frowned and knitted her brow. The shadow touched a little point on her neck making her fall into a deeper sleep.

    ¡°Even when you¡¯re asleep, you still keep your guards up... Are you that insecure?¡± a deep voice asked with a smile.

    The owner of this voice was, astonishingly, Mo Rongzhan.

    Dressed in ck from top to bottom, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s figure almost melted into the night. However, the moonlight soon shone on his handsome face and entuated his eyes which looked almost like a morning star in the night sky. He was looking at the slumbering girl with glowing eyes.

    With a sigh, hey down on the empty side of her bed and half-embraced her. ¡°Do you hate me so much? Why didn¡¯t you tell me when you went to Jinwu City?¡±

    s, only Ye Zhen¡¯s rhythmic breathing answered his question.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s face slowly drew closer to her cheek and gently kissed. His arms could not help but hold her waist even tighter, bringing her body closer to his.

    Ye Zhen whimpered. Ufortable, she turned her head unconsciously, avoiding his kiss. However, she still didn¡¯t wake up.

    ¡°You won¡¯t even let me touch you even when you¡¯re asleep, huh?¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s breath was somewhat short as he murmured.

    He hadn¡¯t touched a woman for a long time now, to the point he thought he was a man who was uninterested in self-indulgence. As such, he only sought to carry on with the family line. But regardless of how he tried, he had no strong desire. It was only after he met her that histent desire seemed to surge making it difficult for him to control and manage.

    He buried his face in the crook of her neck and breathed in the sweetness of her body. His heart was thumping so loudly it seemed it was about to jump out from his chest while blood seemed to be coursing in a frenzy.

    Only

    The woman in his arms was akin to a mature peach emanating a charming fragrance, enticing him to devour herpletely. Neither could he put her down nor bear to let go.

    ¡°Wu¡ª¡± Ye Zhen let out an ufortable sound, her eyelids moved a few times as if she were about to wake up.

    Mo Rongzhan hurriedly let go of her, gulping as he gasped for breath. He waited until the restless feeling in his body died down and Ye Zhen fell back into a deep sleep again before he held her again. However, for fear of waking her up, he dared not move too much. Simply tasting it for a while before leaving.

    Right then, his gaze fell on her thighs. His heart raced and eyes heated up. He¡¯d heard she was injured, so he came, wanting to take a look. Just that the location of the injury was... He wasn¡¯t sure if he would be able to calmly let her go if he saw it.

    Taking a deep breath, he reached towards <i>that</i> area. His slender fingers were trembling slightly as he untied her underpants.

 Chapter 348 - Unannounced Arrival

    <strong>Chapter 348 ¨C Unannounced Arrival</strong>

    <i>For it to be rubbed to this extent...</i> At the sight of the scabs on her inner thighs, his heart tightened. <i>How painful she must have felt!</i>

    Taking out a porcin bottle from his sleeve, he gently dabbed the <i>xuelian</i> ointment on her wound. Although the wound had formed a scab and was still red, smearing this <i>xuelian</i> ointment on it would at least prevent a scar in the future.

    While dabbing the salve, Mo Rongzhan spent a lot of effort to suppress the wild and fanciful thoughts in his mind. Once done, he put all her clothes back on properly. He couldn¡¯t let her find out he had been here, or else she would probably never see him again for the rest of her life.

    ¡°Little Girl, I won¡¯t marry you to anyone else.¡± Mo Rongzhan whispered. ¡°You will be mine eventually.¡± He nced back at her onest time before leaving.

    As he stepped out of Lu Mansion, Eunuch Fu appeared out of nowhere and looked at his tensed liege. He said, ¡°Your Majesty¡ª¡±

    Mo Rongzhan just nced at him coldly.

    ¡°Your Majesty, the weather is too dry, you... You have a nosebleed.¡± Once Eunuch Fu finished speaking, he only wished he could bury himself on the ground.

    ¡°¡ª¡± Mo Rongzhan expressionlessly reached out and touched his nose. Sure enough, the palm of his hand was covered with blood. His face sank instantly.

    Eunuch Fu immediately offered a silk handkerchief with both hands and buried his head even lower. With a livid expression, Mo Rongzhan wiped off the blood without a word.

    ¡°Your Majesty, tomorrow this ve will invite Imperial Physician Huang to give you¡ª¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s frosty gaze shut the astute eunuch immediately.

    ¡°Return to the pce,¡± Mo Rongzhan said coldly. He knew all too well the reason for his nosebleed.

    <i>It¡¯s all that bothersome Little Girl¡¯s fault!</i>

    Back in the pce, Mo Rongzhan first went to change his clothes. Gathering his master¡¯s soiled clothing, a thoughtful Eunuch Fu softly asked, ¡°Your Majesty, do you wish to summon Xianfei?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t good for one to hold back one¡¯s fires, not to mention he was still the emperor. As for solving it on his own... that wasn¡¯t a good thing either.

    ¡°Get out!¡± Mo Rongzhan said angrily.

    *

    All through the night, Ye Zhen slept very deeply and woke up in high spirits the next day. However, it was unknown if it was a mere illusion or not, she had this incessant feeling that something was amiss.

    ¡°Yu Ping, did anyonee to my roomst night?¡± Ye Zhen asked suspiciously. She faintly felt someone hadest night, but she had slept too deeply and didn¡¯t know who it was she had sensed.

    Yu Ping shook her head. ¡°This servant slept soundlyst night and didn¡¯t hear anyoneing.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled. <i>Perhaps she was overthinking.

    </i>

    <i> </i>

    After breakfast, she went to pay respect to Old Madam Lu and recounted the happenings in Jinwu City.

    ¡°When will your eldest brother get better?¡± Old Madam Lu asked. All she was bothered about was her grandson¡¯s recovery. Looking at hisplexion yesterday, she knew he had not really recovered.

    Ye Zhen was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°Imperial Physician Qi is already thinking of a way.¡±

    Old Madam Lu¡¯s face fell, she spoke with tears in her eyes. ¡°I had thought your eldest brother could finally enjoy a good time after all the hardships are over... But how could we know that Heavens would let him suffer such a torment instead?¡±

    <i>Isn¡¯t this Lu Lingzhi¡¯s retribution?</i> Ye Zhen honestly did not know what to say tofort the old matriarch. After all, she didn¡¯t really want that man to recover.

    Still, to keep up the fa?ade, Ye Zhen tried tofort her. ¡°Grandmother, don¡¯t be sad. Imperial Physician Qi may be able to find a way,¡± she said in a low voice.

    It took some time for Old Madam Lu¡¯s sullen mood to recover. Once she regained her spirits, she said, ¡°Come, apany me to take a look at Lingzhi. I was not able to talk to him properly yesterday.¡±

    Despite her reluctance, Ye Zhen still nodded her head when she saw the old matriarch¡¯s eyes still held traces of redness.

    Lu Lingzhi had yet to marry, so he lived in the outer courtyard. However, what greeted them on arrival was his poison ring bout. They could see that though Lu Lingzhi was clenching his teeth and holding back his scream, he was still sweating profusely. Fortunately, after he drank the medicine, he finally rxed.

    Seeing her favorite grandson enduring such a torment, Old Madam Lu simply felt incredibly pained as if she were experiencing the same thing. She held Lu Lingzhi in her arms and teared up as she said, ¡°My pitiful Lingzhi.¡±

    ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯ll be alright soon.¡± Lu Lingzhiforted in a low voice.

    Only

    Next to him, Pei Shi¡¯s eyes had reddened, tears threatening to spill out. Lowering her head, she quickly wiped them away.

    As if that was the cue they were waiting for, everyone in the room burst into tears. However, Ye Zhen didn¡¯t want to pretend to be sad for Lu Lingzhi, so she quietly retreated from the room.

    ¡°Yaoyao.¡±

    She had juste out of the room, when she heard someone calling her. Ye Zhen subconsciously looked up when she heard the familiar voice and was surprised to see the man striding in her direction.

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty?¡±

 Chapter 349 - Undercover Inspection

    <strong>Chapter 349 ¨C Undercover Inspection</strong>

    <i>What is Mo Rongzhan doing here? No, more than that, I can¡¯t believe that no one announced his arrival!</i>

    Looking at her stunned expression, Mo Rongzhan smiled and said, ¡°Zhen is going on incognito inspection today. The people outside do not know that zhen is the emperor.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao, the emperor hase to see Lingzhi,¡± Tang Zhen said, his unabashed eyes glued on Ye Zhen. He hadn¡¯t seen her for a long time.

    However, Ye Zhen only nced at him faintly and said, ¡°Call me Princess.¡±

    With those words he instantly knew she was still angry at him. Helpless, he directed a bitter smile at her and cupped his hand in greetings. ¡°Her Highness, the Princess.¡±

    A sh of pleasure passed Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a slight smile.

    ¡°Yaoyao, where is your eldest brother?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s inside,¡± Ye Zhen said briefly, not bothering with any superfluous action. Since Mo Rongzhan came here incognito, there was no need for her to salute.

    ¡°Why did you go to Jinwu City?¡± As he spoke, Mo Rongzhan went up the low stairs and stood in front of Ye Zhen, his lidded eyes resting on her face that was as fair as jade. The charming scene of her body that he had seenst night suddenly emerged to the forefront of his mind. Immediately, a certain ¡®thing¡¯ in his lower body quietly reacted, heating up his body with desire.

    Feeling she was a little too close to Mo Rongzhan, Ye Zhen imperceptibly frowned as she took a step back. ¡°My grandmother was worried about him, so I went with my father.¡±

    ¡°You missed A¡¯Yi¡¯s birthday banquet. He isn¡¯t happy with that, so go to the pce and visit him these two days.¡± Mo Rongzhan whispered yet again. Left to him, he still wanted to stay and talk to her longer, but he was here to see Lu Lingzhi.

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Ye Zhen nodded and invited him into the room. ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, pleasee in.¡±

    ¡°En.¡± Mo Rongzhan took a deep look at her, then turned around,and walked into the room.

    Though Tang Zhen followed his master, his eyes couldn¡¯t help but stray to Ye Zhen. He whispered, ¡°Yaoyao, are you still angry?¡±

    Ye Zhen only said faintly, ¡°Why should I be angry with Marquis Jing Ning?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll exin it to youter,¡± Tang Zhen said hurriedly before he entered the room.

    Sounds of people dropping to their knees drifted out of the room while Ye Zhen stood outside the door. Then came Mo Rongzhan¡¯s words of concern for his assistant war minister and the grateful voices of the Lu Family.

    As she stood there, listening, she couldn¡¯t help but think it was funny. The two men inside were people who were responsible for the destruction of her Ye Family, yet here she was as their sister...

    ¡°Yaoyao.¡± Tang Zhen came out of the room and looked at her carefully.

    Ye Zhen nced at him and turned around, wanting to leave.

    ¡°Are you still mad at me? What happened to Teacher Shan has nothing to do with me.¡± Tang Zhen caught up to her and hurriedly exined.

    ¡°Marquis Jing Ning, who but you would suspect Teacher Shan?¡± Ye Zhen asked coldly.

    Tang Zhen tried to reason. ¡°If I didn¡¯t tell him, wouldn¡¯t the emperor begin to doubt me? Furthermore, Teacher Shan was originally Ye Zhen¡¯s teacher. So, what is her purpose in approaching you? Clearly she had a purpose.¡±

    ¡°Then tell me, what was her purpose? Don¡¯t tell me you think she¡¯s trying to use me for revenge?¡± Ye Zhen was not in a good mood as she yelled.

    ¡°Yaoyao, I was wrong, alright? I was wrong. Don¡¯t be angry with me,¡± Tang Zhen said softly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Teacher Shan would leave the academy because of this.¡±

    Ye Zhen also knew that she was venting her fury. She knew that if she hadn¡¯t mentioned Ye Zhen in front of Mo Rongzhan to save herself, Teacher Shan would not have been forced to leave. But... She nced at Tang Zhen and said, ¡°Are you afraid that I¡¯ll be angry and me you? You can rest assured, I don¡¯t have the ability to deal with Marquis Jing Ning.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Tang Zhen looked at her anxiously. ¡°Yaoyao, to me, it doesn¡¯t matter whether you are a princess or not. I just don¡¯t want you to be angry with me.¡±

    Ye Zhen nced at him surprised, but when she saw the affection in his eyes, she suddenly understood. Ufortable, she turned her head away and said, ¡°I¡¯m not angry anymore.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Tang Zhenughed happily. ¡°Yaoyao, I heard that you are going hunting with the little prince. I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re still nning to win the silver whip back?¡± Ye Zhen frowned.

    Tang Zhen was stunned for a moment before he burst out into a peal of heartyughter. ¡°It¡¯s already Yaoyao¡¯s, how can I want it back?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what day the hunt will begin.¡± Mo Rongyi was going to have a polo match with Prince Shun in a few days. Therefore, it was certain that she was going to go to have a look.

    ¡°Now is not the best time for hunting. However, in a few days, it will be the best time for spring hunting tomence in earnest,¡± Tang Zhen said.

    His words reminded Ye Zhen of the distress she had experienced thest time over. Then on, she had always wanted to create a bow and arrows that she could carry with her. As such she asked, ¡°Do you know where I could go tomission a bow and arrows for me?¡±

    Only

    ¡°What type of bow and arrows do you want?¡± Tang Zhen asked.

    ¡°Light and easy to carry.¡± Ye Zhen dropped her voice. ¡°Sharp, should deliver fatal damage in one move.¡±

    Tang Zhen looked at her in surprise and asked, ¡°What do you want to do with such a bow and arrows?¡±

    ¡°Protect myself,¡± Ye Zhen stated, voice light yet heavy at the same time.

    ¡°I¡¯ll find it for you.¡± Tang Zhen also recalled the incident, he immediately felt that it was necessary for him to bring along a bow and arrows with him.

 Chapter 350 - Ride with Me (1)

    <strong>Chapter 350 ¨C Ride with Me (1)</strong>

    Although Mo Rongzhan was going incognito for inspection, his identity could not be changed. He was still the emperor. So, even if he told the members of the Lu Family they didn¡¯t need to be too reserved with him, his presence still made people in the room ill at ease. Therefore, he didn¡¯t insist on staying for long. After telling Lu Lingzhi to recuperate well at home and that he appreciated his effort in the battle against Xifan, he rose from his seat and left.

    When Old Madam Lu and the others were seeing Mo Rongzhan off at the door, they happened to spot Ye Zhen and Tang Zhen standing together under the tree in the courtyard, talking. The atmosphere between the two had lost the previous strained air and they seemed to be chatting happily with each other.

    At once, the smile on Mo Rongzhan¡¯s lips faded as ayer of frost formed in his eyes.

    Tang Zhen was sharp, he soon found that Mo Rongzhan hade out of the room, so hurriedly promised Ye Zhen that he would help her find the bow and arrows she wanted. He then went to Mo Rongzhan¡¯s side and said, ¡°Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Marquis Jing Ning, what were you and Princess Fu Rong talking about?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked, forcefully enduring the displeasure he felt in his heart at seeing the two together. <i>Just a moment ago, Yaoyao clearly was not willing to talk to Tang Zhen, but howe at this moment she was talking to him so happily?</i>

    ¡°Your Majesty, this official had provoked the princess before and made her unhappy. So I apologized to her just now.¡± Tang Zhen answered with a smile.

    By now, Ye Zhen had alsoe over, ncing briefly at Mo Rongzhan without saying a word.

    And though Mo Rongzhan dearly wished to know what they had been speaking about ¨C as well as how Tang Zhen had made Yaoyao forgive him ¨C there were simply too many people around him at the moment. As such, he could not voice any of the questions he so eagerly wanted to.

    ¡°Yaoyao, Imperial Mother misses you very much. When will you go into the pce and apany her to talk?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked in a low voice as he looked at Ye Zhen intently.

    Ye Zhen nced at Old Madam Lu before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll go to the pce and apany Imperial Mother in a few days.¡±

    Old Madam Lu knew that her granddaughter was worried about her, so she softly persuaded. ¡°Yaoyao, go to the pce. You have been in Jinwu City for almost a month. Empress Dowager certainly misses you very much and wants you to visit her.¡±

    Before Ye Zhen could even open her mouth, Mo Rongzhan immediately said, ¡°Then, follow us to the pce.¡±

    At that point, Ye Zhen knew that she had no chance to refuse. Still, she looked back at Old Madam Lu and tried. ¡°Grandmother, let me apany you today. I¡¯ll go to the pce tomorrow to see the empress dowager.¡±

    But Old Madam Lu waved her away and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, your grandmother here has been through a lot of things. I will be fine.¡±

    Left with no choice, Ye Zhen followed him to the pce. Anyway, now that Pei Shi and Imperial Physician Qi were taking care of Lu Lingzhi, they didn¡¯t need her at all. Then again, that was fine by her since she didn¡¯t want to take care of him at all.

    But when they went out, there was only one carriage prepared in front of Lu Mansion. <i>Why didn¡¯t anyone prepare another carriage for her?</i> Ye Zhen frowned and was about to ask her servant to prepare another carriage for her when Mo Rongzhan said faintly, ¡°Yaoyao, you get on the same carriage as us.¡±

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, that is against the rules.¡± Ye Zhen softly stated as she, by no means, wished to be in contact with him in the carriage.

    Mo Rongzhan, still with a faint voice, said, ¡°There are no rules here. Get in the carriage now.¡±

    Ye Zhen saw that he seemed to be in a bad mood, so she was even more reluctant to be alone with him. ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, I will have someone prepare another carriage.¡±

    Tang Zhen did not see the deep displeasure in Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes, his focus was wholly on Ye Zhen. So hearing her words, he immediately turned around and spoke to the Lu Family¡¯s servants. ¡°What are you doing? Why are you still not going to prepare Princess Fu Rong¡¯s carriage?!¡±

    Eunuch Fu sighed in silence. He had sensed the emperor¡¯s mind and deliberately didn¡¯t tell the servants to prepare the carriage. Now, this was not something easy to achieve without arousing suspicion, but Marquis Jing Ning¡¯s words had destroyed his meticulous effort.

    Mo Rongzhan looked at Ye Zhen deeply before turning around and finally getting on to the carriage prepared for him.

    Only

    Upon entering the pce, Ye Zhen courteously curtsied before Mo Rongzhan before heading to Cining Pce.

    Empress Dowager, upon seeing Ye Zhen had lost a lot of weight, embraced her. She wanted to persuade her to have a good meal but then remembered the other was filial. Furthermore, aside from not wanting to let Old Madam Lu worry, she also cared about her eldest brother. In the end, she didn¡¯t say anything and just told Aunt Cheng that she wanted the imperial kitchen to make more delicious food for Princess Fu Rong. She needed to be fed back to her initial state.

    Ye Zhen could neitherugh nor cry. She had just lost a little weight, but it seemed that in Empress Dowager¡¯s eyes, she had suffered a lot.

    ¡°Yaoyao, Yaoyao¡ª¡±

    Ye Zhen had only said a few words to Empress Dowager when she heard Mo Rongyi¡¯s voice calling for her from the outside.

 Chapter 351 - Ride with Me (2)

    <strong>Chapter 351 ¨C Ride with Me (2)</strong>

    Empress Dowager was unable to help herself andughed. ¡°He hase to find you. A few days ago, he held a banquet at his ce, and a lot of people came. It made him very happy for a long time.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°A¡¯Yi ought to have invited those people long ago.¡±

    At this time, Mo Rongyi ran in and saw Ye Zhen sitting next to Empress Dowager. Immediately, he beamed with joy. ¡°Howe you¡¯re just back now? I¡¯ve been looking for you for days.¡±

    Empress Dowager nced at him angrily. ¡°You only know how to y all day long. You think everyone is the same as you?¡±

    ¡°Imperial Mother, how can you say I am just ying all day? I¡¯m doing something serious,¡± Mo Rongyi said solemnly.

    ¡°So, what did you do?¡± Ye Zhen asked with a smile.

    Mo Rongyi coughed and said, ¡°I¡¯ve found a partner who¡¯ll y polo with me. You cane with me to the polo court and take a look.¡±

    He had made friends with those people ording to the tips Yaoyao had given him. Initially, he was worried that they would not follow him. However, to his surprise, those people from noble families didn¡¯t look down on him like they used to. Instead, they were willing to associate with him. These days, they were even practicing polo together with him, gradually bing familiar with one another.

    Ofte, Mo Rongyi had finally realized his life had changed from the moment his brother ascended the throne. Now, he was no longer the little prince who used to hide in the corner, only able to watch othersugh without joining in on the fun.

    Empress Dowager smiled and said, ¡°Yaoyao, go with him, so he won¡¯t keep harping about it for several days. That will be truly vexing.¡±

    ¡°Imperial Mother, how can you say that about your son?¡± Mo Rongyi shouted with a red face.

    But he was soon distracted when Ye Zhen stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go to the polo court with you.¡±

    Mo Rongyiughed happily, and at once took Ye Zhen to the polo court. Unlike thest time, there were a lot of people in the polo court today. Aside from the few little boys they had met before, there were a few more teenagers around thirteen and fourteen. They were vigorously riding the horse as they struck the ball with one hit, which was certainly notparable to those smallpanions who yed with Mo Rongyi before.

    ¡°When will you y polo with Prince Shun?¡± Ye Zhen asked with a smile. ¡°Then again, looking at this, you should be able to win.¡±

    Her words pumped him up. An excited Mo Rongyi asked, ¡°Really?¡±

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t answer. She looked at the teenagers in the polo court and said, ¡°When you interact with them, you have to be sincere. Only in this way can they be sincere and loyal to you in return.¡±

    ¡°I regard them as my friend. They should be loyal to Brother-Emperor,¡± Mo Rongyi said seriously.

    Ye Zhen was stupefied for a moment, looking at Mo Rongyi in a daze. <i>Can¡¯t they be loyal to the little prince?</i>

    In that case... She wanted to take her revenge on Mo Rongzhan, but she didn¡¯t want the Empire of Jin to fall into the hands of a foolish, wasteful emperor. If the empire were to be at the mercy of a muddle-headed and ipetent emperor, it would only be themon people who would suffer in the end. However, what if it was Mo Rongyi who reced Mo Rongzhan?

    <i>Can¡¯t Mo Rongyi be the emperor?</i>

    Ye Zhen¡¯s heart beat a little faster at the thought. This idea that suddenly came to her mind confused her a little.

    ¡°Yaoyao, what are you thinking? Why aren¡¯t you talking to me? I didn¡¯t hear you answer,¡± Mo Rongyi said as he tugged at Ye Zhen¡¯s sleeve, waking her up from her contemtion.

    ¡°Oh, what did you say?¡± Ye Zhen looked down at Mo Rongyi¡¯s innocent face. <i>This child is kind and gentle. He will certainly be a kind emperor in the future. If... I can really help him usurp the throne...</i>

    <i>That will be the greatest revenge I can inflict on Mo Rongzhan.</i>

    ?

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s curiosity was at an all-time high. He had clearly seen how Lu Yaoyao had been chilly towards Tang Zhen when they had stepped into the Lu Mansion. He desperately wished to know how his subordinate had managed to earn Lu Yaoyao¡¯s ire.

    Only

    But upon arriving at the pce, the girl immediately went to Cining Pce, and the marquis had also excused himself. So, he didn¡¯t know whom to ask.

    <i>Could it be that Yaoyao and Tang Zhen ...</i> Mo RongZhan¡¯s face turned sullen. Even if he had such a thought in mind, he would not allow it.

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty.¡± Eunuch Fu came in from the outside, bowed down, looked at Mo Rongzhan¡¯s face, and whispered, ¡°Little Prince and Princess Fu Rong have gone to the polo field.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes turned slightly bright. ¡°A¡¯Yi asked Yaoyao to y polo with him again?¡±

    Eunuch Fu replied with a smile, ¡°This ve hasn¡¯t been there to see it. Your Majesty, why not go and have a look?¡±

 Chapter 352 - The Brothers (1)

    <strong>Chapter 352 ¨C The Brothers (1)</strong>

    ¡°Hmm. I¡¯ll have a look.¡± Mo Rongzhan nodded with a straight face while feeling his personal eunuch knew him better and better; almost too much better.

    They had yet to reach the polo field when they heard all kinds of shouts and cries. It seemed the game had entered a fierce battle. Mo Rongzhan deliberately slowed his pace as he walked over. At a nce, he spotted Ye Zhen standing under the arbor. She was happily waving and cheering aloud the little prince on the polo field.

    Split into two teams, Mo Rongyi and his friends were in the midst of a match.

    When the guards stationed around saw the emperor arrive, they made to kneel. But Mo Rongzhan dismissed them with a wave, so as not to interrupt the game.

    He slowly walked over to Ye Zhen¡¯s side, gazing down at her bright and happy smiling face.

    ¡°Come on, get away¡ª¡± Ye Zhen yelled, but Mo Rongyi was too immersed in his game to notice anyone around.

    ¡°Oh, how could you let him take the ball away!¡± Ye Zhen yelled in disappointment. When she raised her hand, she identally bumped into the person next to her. She thought it was a pce attendant, but when she looked back, it turned out to be Mo Rongzhan. Someone didn¡¯t react.

    Mo Rongzhan looked at her with a smile. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°When did you ... When did youe?¡± Ye Zhen asked in surprise, she hadn¡¯t even noticed his arrival.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been standing here for a long time now, seeing you wholeheartedly watching the game, I didn¡¯t disturb you,¡± Mo Rongzhan softly said.

    Ye Zhen flushed slightly and said, ¡°It¡¯s this subject who is rude.¡±

    ¡°This subject?¡± Mo Rongzhan frowned and looked at her meaningfully. ¡°It seems that you are not yet veryfortable with your princess status, or could it be that you don¡¯t want to be titled Princess Furong after all?¡±

    ¡°Brother Emperor, it¡¯s just that your imperial sister isn¡¯t used to the title yet.¡± Ye Zhenid special emphasis on the word ¡®brother¡¯.

    Mo Rongzhan gave a faint smile and turned his attention to the polo field. ¡°How is A¡¯Yi doing?¡±

    Seeing that he didn¡¯t pay her any mind, Ye Zhen was relieved in her heart. Not long ago, she was still thinking about how to pull him down from a high position. Now that he had suddenly appeared, she was worried he would see her thoughts. ¡°A lot better than before.¡±

    ¡°You have been very kind to A¡¯Yi and have helped him a lot. Little wonder Imperial Mother thinks you are his noble person.¡± He looked at this younger brother who seemed very different from before. He has to admit that Lu Yaoyao has a great influence on him.

    Ye Zhen naturally was aware she had indirectly changed Mo Rongyi¡¯s fate. She smiled and said, ¡°Yes, I am very blessed.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan chuckled and said, ¡°I feel very blessed too.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t you need to go through the memorials? Can you be here so... leisurely?¡± Ye Zhen quirked her eyebrow and looked at him, <i>how could he have time to speak of nonsense with me?</i>

    ¡°No matter how busy one is, one has to rest.¡± Mo Rongzhan smiled faintly. ¡°What happened between you and Tang Zhen?¡±

    Ye Zhen turned her head questioningly. <i>What¡¯s going on?</i>

    ¡°At the Lu Mansion this morning, you seemed to be angry with him?¡± Mo Rongzhan pretended to casually ask her.

    ¡°No.¡± Ye Zhen pursed her lips, wondering why the fellow was so annoying and the fact that he¡¯d even noticed this.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s heart bubbled with sourness, feeling even more suspicious about her obvious concealment and perfunctory remarks. He said, ¡°Yaoyao¡ª¡±

    He wanted to probe her further, but he had hardly begun when he was interrupted by his little brother.

    ¡°Brother Emperor, why are you here?¡± Mo Rongyi asked aloud happily.

    This drew the attention of those others in the field, they as soon got off their mounts and saluted the emperor.

    ¡°Zhen came to see you,¡± Mo Rongzhan said lightly, ¡°continue ying.¡±

    Mo Rongyi just won a small victory, and he was still excited. ¡°Brother Emperor, you should y a game with us.¡±

    Ye Zhen knew that Mo Rongzhan was excellent at polo. If he were willing to teach Mo Rongyi, then they could win more easily in a few days.

    Only

    ¡°There¡¯s just a few of you, and you still want to beat zhen?¡± Mo Rongzhan shed a sly smile.

    ¡°Brother Emperor, I am better than before.¡± Mo Rongyi shouted, and looked at Ye Zhen again. ¡°Yaoyao, you and I willpete with Brother Emperor together.¡±

    Had it been the usual times, Ye Zhen would¡¯ve naturally agreed. However, her injuries were giving her a tough time healing, and the scabs were still there. If she were to ride and y a match today, she would definitely not be able to walk tonight.

    But before Ye Zhen could refuse, Mo Rongzhan had already spoken in a low voice, ¡°How can a girl like Yaoyao be as crazy as you? Zhen will y with you.¡±

    No one knew better than him the extent of Ye Zhen¡¯s injuries. After all, he had personally applied medicine for herst night. How would he be willing to let her hurt herself again today?

 Chapter 353 - The Brothers (2)

    <strong>Chapter 353 ¨C The Brothers (2)</strong>

    Mo Rongyi was a little disappointed. He felt that if Yaoyao teamed up with him, the chances of winning against his brother would be better.

    ¡°His Majesty is rarely willing to apany you to y polo, so study hard.¡± Ye Zhen also didn¡¯t want to join, she was someone who feared pain.

    The people of the aristocratic families probably didn¡¯t expect to y polo with the emperor one day. Everyone was very excited. Mo Rongzhan divided them into two teams, and the two brothers fought on the polo field.

    As Ye Zhen watched the two brothers on the field, the thought she had only just pressed down, resurfaced. Looking at Mo Rongyi, who seemed somewhat simr to Mo Rongzhan, she felt more and more that he would make a good emperor in the future.

    But after Mo Rongzhan had ascended the throne, he seemed to be greatly loved by the people. She had to admit that, undoubtedly, he was a good emperor; much better than the first emperor and the tyrant, deposed emperor.

    But to her, so what if he was a good emperor? The whereabouts of her father and brother were still unknown, she didn¡¯t know if they were dead or alive and the Ye family had long ceased to exist.

    Ye Zhen nced at them again. Seeing that they were already immersed in the fierce battle of polo, she turned around and left quietly.

    While Mo Rongzhan was ying with his younger brother, he was also teaching him how to y. When they emerged victors and wanted to go to Ye Zhen, they found out that she was no longer in the polo field.

    ¡°Where is Yaoyao?¡± Mo Rongyi was also looking for her only to find her nowhere.

    ¡°She¡¯s probably keeping Imperial Motherpany.¡± Mo Rongzhan lowered his eyelids, veiling a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

    Mo Rongyi smiled and said, ¡°Brother Emperor, when Ipete with Prince Shun, will youe to watch?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Mo Rongzhan nodded faintly. ¡°You must strive for sess.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t lose!¡± Mo Rongyi said as he resolutely nodded his head.

    ?

    From the polo field, Ye Zhen came straight to Cining Pce. She wanted to take her leave from the empress dowager. However, she was met with reluctance as thetter was not willing to let her go back like this, wishing that she stayed in the pce for a few more days so she could gain back the weight she lost.

    She didn¡¯t know if she shouldugh or cry. Finally, considering how she would have to pretend to care about Lu Lingzhi even if she were to go back, she didn¡¯t insist further and continued to stay in Cining Pce.

    The two had only just finished talking about Mo Rongyi¡¯s polo when a junior pce attendant from the announced the arrival of Xianfei. The empress dowager smiled and let Xu Huiru in. She seemed to like her a lot.

    Ye Zhen had reservations about Xu Huiru. Before she married Mo Rongzhan, they had been schoolmates and didn¡¯t like each other. While on the surface Xu Huiru seemed close to her, she would be scheming from the shadows. She had only discovered her true colors muchter. With her charming looks and conniving mind, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult for her to gain favour in the inner pce.

    She had felt an inexplicable irritation at the thought that Mo Rongzhan might like Xu Huiru.

    ¡°This concubine greets the empress dowager. Blessings unto you.¡± Xu Huiru was very well-behaved, treating the empress dowager with familiarity.

    ¡°Please rise,¡± The empress dowager said with a smile, and asked her to have a seat.

    Xu Huiru smiled gently at Ye Zhen. ¡°I heard that Princess Furong had left for Jinwu City. Did you juste back?¡±

    <i>She has only just returned and already cannot wait to enter the pce... It seems that Lu Yaoyao really knows how to please the empress dowager.</i>

    Ye Zhen understood the meaning behind her words. She smiled faintly and said, ¡°Yes, I came back yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Princess seems to have lost weight. I heard that Marquis Anyang was seriously injured. Is he better?¡± Xu Huiru said sincerely as if worried about Lu Lingzhi.

    ¡°A lot better, thank you for your concern.¡± Ye Zhen dealt with her smoothly.

    Xu Huiru smiled and turned to the empress dowager. ¡°Empress Dowager, this concubine copied a book of the Merciful Blessings to give to you.¡±

    Only

    The empress dowager frowned and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to copy these things? Just take care of the emperor, and give me a grandson to hold soon.¡±

    ¡°Empress Dowager, this... these are two different things.¡± Xu Huiru lowered her head pretentiously, however, she couldn¡¯t help theplicated emotions coursing through her heart. She could see that the emperor did not hate her, and asionally even visited the Xinhe Pce. Sometimes he¡¯d even stay untilte into the night. Several times she thought that she could serve him in bed, but he did nothing after all. She even wondered if she had misstepped, that the emperor refused to touch her at all.

    Ye Zhen felt even more irritated at Xu Huiru¡¯s shamefacedness.

    Oblivious to all undercurrents within the beauties before her, the empress dowager said with a cheeky smile, ¡°I am aware of your filial piety. It is not long since the emperor ascended the throne hence it is inevitable that he will focus his energy on national affairs. If you are more considerate of him, he will naturally like to go visit you.¡±

    It seemed that the empress dowager really liked Xu Huiru. If it had been Lu Wushuang, she certainly would not have said such words.

 Chapter 354 - Pretending to Be Sick

    <strong>Chapter 354 ¨C Pretending to Be Sick</strong>

    ¡°This concubine will care more about the emperor in the future.¡± With the words of the empress dowager, Xu Huiru felt that she had more excuses to care for the emperor.

    Ye Zhen lowered her head, the corners of her mouth tightened slightly. Now, it was one thing that she despised Mo Rongzhan, but she had loved him for several years and it was definitely not a fake. Seeing him now surrounded by so many women, she felt... Somewhat ufortable in her heart.

    Right then, a ce attendant walked in from outside and said after curtsying, ¡°Reporting to the empress dowager, Wang Fei is feeling unwell today. Hearing that Princess Furong entered the pce, Wang Fei wishes to invite Princess Furong over.¡±

    <i>Why would Lu Wushuang want to see her again? </i>A wave of impatience shed through Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes.

    When Xu Huiru raised her head, she happened to catch sight of the emotions in Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes, she lowered her head and her lips curved upwards into a smile.

    The empress dowager said to Ye Zhen, ¡°Wang Fei Lu is probably worried about Marquis Anyang. Yaoyao, go ahead.¡±

    Ye Zhen had no desire to go in the slightest, but the empress dowager had spoken, what else could she do?

    ¡°Yes, Empress Dowager.¡± Ye Zhen responded in a soft voice.

    When she arrived at the Pce of Earthly Tranquility, Ye Zhen frowned and looked at Lu Wushuang. ¡°Wang Fei, you were looking for me?¡±

    Lu Wushuang put one hand on her chest and said, ¡°Yaoyao, you are back. Quickly tell me, what happened to Eldest Brother?¡±

    ¡°Eldest Brother has returned, but the residual poison in his body has yet to be purged. He needs Imperial Physician Qi to remove the remaining poison for him.¡± Ye Zhen looked at the other passively. ¡°I heard Wang Fei is not feeling well, why don¡¯t you invite the imperial physician?¡±

    Lu Wushuang was weak with relief. ¡°I was just worried about my eldest brother. Now that I know that he is back safely, I feel much relieved.¡±

    ¡°Since Wang Fei is okay, then I will take my leave first,¡± Ye Zhen said. It was in as day to her that Lu Wushuang was not sick at all, <i>who is she trying to fake her illness for?</i>

    Lu Wushuang hurriedly stopped her. ¡°Yaoyao, the emperor has not seen me for a long time. Can you persuade him, I want to see him.¡±

    Ye Zhen almostughed. <i>Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯te to see Lu Wushuang, and she expects her to have a way to make him love her again?</i>

    ¡°Wang Fei, how can the emperor listen to me? If you want to see him, just have someone invite him over,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    She still remembered how Mo Rongzhan spoiled Lu Wushuang in her previous life. At that time, he had never doubted her as he always thought she was the one who saved him back then. Even if Lu Wushuang was jealous, he would still pamper and fulfill her wishes; even if she was indifferent and cold, he would never let her status be threatened.

    In this life... Ye Zhen was still confused. <i>Why did Mo Rongzhan suddenly remember the nickname she had mentioned before? In the past, he could never remember it...</i>

    Lu Wushuang said bitterly, ¡°One doesn¡¯t know what methods she used, that Xu Huiru has coaxed the emperor from visiting me. Yaoyao, you are now a princess, you can always speak well of me to the emperor.¡±

    ¡°How do you want me to speak for you?¡± Ye Zhen asked with a smile. <i>How long could Lu Wushuang survive in the pce without Lu Lingzhi? She doesn¡¯t evenpare to Xu Huiru!</i> Without Mo Rongzhan¡¯s favor, at least she must know how to honor and be filial to the empress dowager. And yet she actually pretended to be sick every day as an excuse to not visit her.

    Thinking that her cousin was willing to find Mo Rongzhan for her, Lu Wushuang happily said, ¡°Just say I miss him and I want to see him. If I don¡¯t see him, my illness will not get any better.¡±

    Only

    Ye Zhen suddenly felt that she wasn¡¯t obligated to do anything for Lu Wushuang. With the other¡¯s intelligence, she had already walked the path of a dead end.

    ¡°I will do my best,¡± Ye Zhen said lightly. ¡°However, the empress dowager seems to want Xianfei to care about the emperor. Perhaps... It is unlikely for the emperor to want to see me.¡±

    As Lu Wushuang heard that Xu Huiru waspeting for favour with her again, her facial expressions instantly darkened with hatred.

    Ye Zhen left the Pce of Earthly Tranquility in an especially good mood. Regarding Lu Wushuang, she didn¡¯t need to lift a finger at all. She believed a dead-end would be upon her in a short time.

    ¡°Princess.¡± Eunuch Fu had concealed himself beside the cobblestoned path at some point. Seeing Ye Zhen emerge from the Pce of Earthly Tranquility, he immediately revealed himself and stopped her.

 Chapter 355 - Requesting a Visit (1)

    <strong>Chapter 355 ¨C Requesting a Visit (1)</strong>

    ¡°Eunuch Fu?¡± Ye Zhen frowned as she looked at him. His presence every time meant it would have something to do with Mo Rongzhan. Subconsciously, she didn¡¯t really want to see him.

    Fude* said with a smile, ¡°Your Highness, the emperor invites you to the Pce of Earthly Purity.¡±

    [*Fude = Eunuch Fu]

    ¡°Eunuch Fu, please ry a message to the emperor for me. I have to go to the empress dowager instead so I won¡¯t be going to Pce of Earthly Purity,¡± Ye Zhen said with a cold expression. <i>What did Mo Rongzhan want to do with her again?</i>

    ¡°Your Highness, the emperor wants to invite you to y Go,¡± Fude said hurriedly,.¡±His Majesty is addicted to Go, but there is no opponent in the pce. Only you can y against His Majesty a few rounds.¡±

    <i>Her library pagoda!</i> Ye Zhen¡¯s heart moved. Thest time she had lost to Mo Rongzhan in eight rounds, it still made her slightly uneasy. ¡°Isn¡¯t the emperor ying polo with Little Prince?¡± she asked.

    Eunuch Fu smiled and said, ¡°The emperor came back after ying only one round with Little Prince. After going through the memorial for a while, he suddenly wanted to y Go.¡±

    <i>Sigh, why does the emperor have to go through all this? If he likes Third Miss Lu so much, why pretend not to care and watch as the empress dowager made her a princess? Now although there are more opportunities to get closer to her, she has already be a princess... Who knows what happenedtest night, the princess doesn¡¯t seem to be aware at all...</i>

    ¡°Let¡¯s go then!¡± All that was on Ye Zhen¡¯s mind was the library pagoda. For all you know, she could even win a game today!

    Eunuch Fu did not expect the princess to actually agree. He thought in his heart that the emperor really understood the princess. As long as ying Go was mentioned, she would definitely go.

    When they arrived at the Pce of Heavenly Purity, even from a distance, they caught sight of a slender figure standing outside. Ye Zhen recognized Xu Huiru at a nce.

    <i>The empress dowager had only just asked her to care more about the emperor, and indeed she immediately came to the Pce of Heavenly Purity to look for Mo Rongzhan. However, seeing that she has been standing outside, could it be that Mo Rongzhan did not let her in?</i>

    ¡°Xianfei, good fortune unto you.¡± Fude went up and bowed to her. ¡°Your Grace, what are you...?¡±

    Xu Huiru had also seen Ye Zhen, she was slightly startled, but said with a smile, ¡°The empress dowager asked me to send some snacks to His Majesty. Eunuch Fu, can you please ry the message to him.¡±

    Eunuch Fu was stunned. He looked back at Ye Zhen for a moment, before responding in a low voice, ¡°Yes, Your grace.¡±

    ¡°Princess, did Gui Fei Lu ask you to see the emperor?¡± Xu Huiru surmised that Ye Zhen appearing here had to be for Lu Wushuang.

    Ye Zhen was very pleased she misunderstood. ¡°Some things, unfortunately, have ast resort.¡±

    Xu Huiru nodded. ¡°I understand your difficulties. However, I am afraid that you may not be able to see the emperor.¡±

    Based on her observations these days, the emperor hadpletely lost interest in Lu Wushuang. Lu Yaoyao was here to plead on her cousin¡¯s behalf, but it would most likely be in vain.

    <i>It seems that there is no need to y Go with Mo Rongzhan today. He should be more willing to spend time with Xu Huiru, after all, she is his new favorite concubine. Forget it, I¡¯ll just win him in another round. </i>Ye Zhen deliberately ignored some of the unpleasantness bubbling within her at the moment, she decided she was not eager to know how much Mo Rongzhan liked Xu Huiru.

    Just when Ye Zhen wanted to turn around and leave, Fude came out. ¡°Your Imperial Highness, the emperor invites you to go in.¡±

    The confident smile stered on Xu Huiru¡¯s face froze slightly, and she looked at Eunuch Fu in surprise.

    Fude lowered his head and said, ¡°Your Grace, HIs Majesty said, he is in no habit of eating snacks. May you take them back and enjoy them yourself.¡±

    <i>What?!</i> Xu Huiru suddenly felt as if she had been pped in the face. <i>What did the Emperor mean by this? Why is the emperor be willing to meet Ye Zhen and not her? She had already made it very clear that she was ordered by the empress dowager to give him a snack... Even if he really didn¡¯t like it, for the sake of the empress dowager, he should see her first!</i>

    Xu Huiru nched, and she determinedly looked at Ye Zhen. <i>Does the emperor still have Lu Wushuang in his heart? Does he know that Lu Yaoyao came to see him for her?</i>

    Ye Zhen reckoned Xu Huiru must be very dissatisfied. She didn¡¯t say anything. At this time, no matter what she said, it would be futile.

    Only

    ¡°Princess, please,¡± Fude said to Ye Zhen quietly.

    Ye Zhen nodded to Xu Huiru and walked in.

    Xu Huiru suppressed the anger surging in her heart, and said to her hand-maiden Qian beside her, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±

    ¡°Your Grace¡ª¡± Qian looked at Xu Huiru hesitatingly.

    ¡°I thought that Lu Wushuang has already fallen out of his favor, but now it seems that the emperor is still nostalgic about his previous feelings.¡± Xu Huiru was uncontrobly jealous that Lu Wushuang could get the emperor¡¯s attention.

 Chapter 356 - Requesting a Visit (2)

    <strong>Chapter 356 ¨C Requesting a Visit (2)</strong>

    ¡°Did the emperor know the princess would visit Gui Fei Lu, so he asked Eunuch Fu to invite her over?¡± Qian Lan asked in a low voice.

    Xu Huiru was startled, just now it seemed... It was Fude who invited Lu Yaoyao to the pce.

    ¡°It seems the emperor knows quite a lot about what urs in the harem.¡± Otherwise, how could he know that Lu Yaoyao was going to see Lu Wushuang.

    Qianforted her. ¡°Your Grace, perhaps the emperor only became nostalgic for the sake of Marquis Anyang and the princess. You are the emperor¡¯s most beloved concubine these days.¡±

    Xu Huiru smiled slightly. <i>Yes, Marquis Anyang returned victoriously and was injured on the way. Naturally, he would be highly valued by the emperor. Lu Wushuang is Lu Lingzhi¡¯s younger sister. The reason the emperor would express concern for her now is because of her elder brother.</i>

    When she thought of it this way, the unhappiness in Xu Huiru¡¯s heart was finally relieved. But she still had some inexplicable signs of anxiety about Lu Yaoyao being granted entry to the Pce of Heavenly Purity.

    As for this Third Miss Lu, she was not worried at all. After all, she had a handle on her. As long as the emperor and empress dowager found out she was simr to Ye Zhen, they would naturally try not to get close to her.

    Unaware of the cursing and dissatisfaction in Xu Huiru¡¯s heart, Ye Zhen followed Eunuch Fu into the Pce of Heavenly Purity. Last time, because of Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes, this was the ce where her soul had lingered the longest.

    ¡°Yaoyao,e here.¡± Mo Rongzhan was wearing a dark blue home-styled, casual clothing, sitting leisurely on the brick bed near the window. Seeing Ye Zhene in, he waved to her with a smile.

    There was a small table already ced on the bed. On it was a white jade Go board with an endgame, it looked like the game had yet to finish.

    Ye Zhen moved slightly and looked up at Mo Rongzhan¡¯s clear eyes. ¡°Your Majesty, Xianfei is outside, won¡¯t you see her?¡±

    ¡°I said before, the concubines in the harem are not allowed toe to the Pce of Heavenly Purity, what for is she here?¡± Mo Rongzhan said lightly, pointing to the seat opposite. ¡°Sit down.¡±

    Ye Zhen nced at him. She remembered that Lu Wushuang used toe to the Pce of Heavenly Purity often. <i>Why had he not said that his concubines could note back then?</i>

    ¡°Do you want me to see her?¡± Mo Rongzhan raised his eyes to look at her beautiful face. His own heart elerated, and the extravagantly beautiful picture of her fromst night resurfaced in his mind.

    ¡°Whichever concubine the emperor desires to see, how can this imperial sister intervene?¡± Ye Zhen said lightly, ¡°If I win you today, can I go to the library pagoda?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan said with a smile on his face, ¡°If you can solve this endgame, I will let you go to the library tomorrow.¡±

    With that, Ye Zhen looked at the endgame on the Go board with bright eyes.

    ?

    Ye Zhen carefully observed the cement of the pieces on the Go board, frowning a bit. The game drew to a close with a ¡®thousand-storey treasure pavilion¡¯ situation. The board disyed a five-six step formation, which was extremelyplicated to navigate. She was treading a narrow bnce between offence and defence. The situation so precarious a single mistake would tip the odds against her.

    Sure enough, Mo Rongzhan was really not an easy person, so how could she easily enter the Library Pagoda?

    ¡°What?¡± Seeing her furrowed forehead, the corner of Mo Rongzhan¡¯s mouth slightly tilted upwards as he said, ¡°Even if you can¡¯t solve this, zhen won¡¯t force it.¡±

    ¡°If I can¡¯t solve it, are you still willing to let me enter the Library Pagoda?¡± Ye Zhen asked without looking up.

    ¡°No emperor has ever gone back on their words. How could zhen not mean what zhen has said?¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s voice was low. As his gaze fell on her slightly pouting pink lips, his mouth dried up. Picking up the teacup, he took a big sip of the tea, trying to quench his thirst.

    Ye Zhen snorted softly. <i>Since that was the case, then she still had to solve the end game.</i>

    She tried to make a move, but the game changed the next moment. And no matter how she moved forward, she was faced with a dead end.

    Time passed, yet Ye Zhen was still unable to see the way to solve this game of <i>Go</i>.

    ¡°Drink your tea,¡± Mo Rongzhan said, unable to stop himself from feeling distressed when he saw her knitted brows, as he sent a cup of tea to her hand. ¡°The reason why the end game cannot be solved is that sometimes people¡¯s ideas are fixed. They worry too much that in the end, they hold themselves back.¡±

    Only

    Ye Zhen paused for a moment before taking the teacup from his hand, she then raised her head questioningly. ¡°Have you solved this particr <i>Go</i> game?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan nodded his head gently, and said, ¡°It¡¯s solved. That is why zhen asked you to try it. Zhen used half a day to break through the tie.¡±

    ¡°I may not be able to solve it in a day.¡± As she sipped the tea, Ye Zhen turned her head to look outside the window, only to find that it was already dark.

    ¡°It¡¯s dark, I have to leave now. I¡¯ll go back and think about how to disentangle it. When I do, I¡¯lle back and show it,¡± Ye Zhen said as she put down the teacup, silently saying to herself that she didn¡¯t want to hinder him from spoiling his concubines.

    However, Mo Rongzhan was enjoying the time alone with her, so how could he let her leave just like this? ¡°Do you still want to go out of the imperial pce today?¡±

 Chapter 357 - Will You Crown Her Em

    <strong>Chapter 357 ¨C Will You Crown Her Empress?</strong>

    ¡°I¡¯ll go visit Cining Pce first as Empress Dowager said she will look for me,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    ¡°Imperial Mother has just sent someone here. She knows that you¡¯re ying <i>Go</i> here, so it doesn¡¯t matter. You can just solve the game and go back,¡± Mo Rongzhan said casually, pretending to be indifferent even as he was trying to convince her to stay.

    Ye Zhen nced at him and said, ¡°Won¡¯t that interfere with Your Imperial Majesty¡¯s time?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan raised his eyebrow and asked, ¡°Interfering zhen¡¯s what?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you need to appease Xu Xianfei who was driven away by you today?¡± Ye Zhen asked as she retook her seat. <i>Isn¡¯t Xu Huiru his favorite concubine nowadays?</i>

    ¡°In your mind, is zhen a muddle-headed emperor immersed in women¡¯s charms?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked, voice cooling down slightly in displeasure.

    Ye Zhen propped her chin with one hand and continued to stare at the Go game before her, eyes lidded as she replied in a cold voice, ¡°How would I know? Anyway, aren¡¯t you going to see Gui Fei Lu ? She has said she is ill and wants to see you.¡±

    The moment Lu Wushuang was mentioned, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes sank. ¡°If she¡¯s sick, why doesn¡¯t she summon the imperial physician over? Why is she asking for zhen? Could it be that she thinks zhen is able of curing her illness?¡±

    Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t help herself from raising her head and looked at him in all seriousness. ¡°Are all emperors this fickle?¡±

    ¡°You think zhen is fickle?¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s tone became slightly colder than before. In his opinion, he felt that he was still too affectionate. Otherwise, why would he still keep her constantly on his mind? Even when he was aware that she was unwilling to be with him, he still went to see her in the middle of the night, disregarding his identity. If this was not him being an affectionate person, then why would he do such a thing?

    ¡°A few months ago, you still doted on Gui Fei Lu so much, yet you have forgotten to care for her even though it isn¡¯t that long ago since there are new people in the harem. Could it be that this isn¡¯t considered being fickle?¡± Ye Zhen chuckled aloud. Which man did not have three wives and four concubines? Which man did not know how to embrace one on the left while cherishing others on the right? As an emperor, perhaps he knew this better than other men.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s thin lips were pursed tightly in consternation as his eyes darkened. He looked at her and said, ¡°The person zhen wishes to dote on is not Gui Fei Lu. However, she pretended to be <i><strong>that</strong></i> girl and reced her. It is only recently that zhen discovered the truth. If it isn¡¯t due to not wanting to rm people and the loyalty of the Lu Family, zhen will not let her be in her position as an imperial consort.¡±

    A strange light flitted past Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes, and she wondered out loud. ¡°In that case, who do you want to dote on? Is it... the girl who saved you before?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan looked out of the window indifferently and began to exin. ¡°At that time, zhen was blind and was ensnared by Ye Yisong to fall into a dry well. Zhen had temporarily lost our martial arts and was without internal force; thus, zhen could not leave the dry well. It was only after waiting for a long time that zhen got saved by a little girl. However, zhen couldn¡¯t see. Zhen had nned to find her after regaining sight, so zhen made an appointment. s, on the day of the appointment, zhen waited but did not see her for a long time. In the end, the only clue zhen had left was the jade ornament zhen had given her. Then, Lu Wushuang appeared with the same jade ornament and said she was the little girl who saved me.¡±

    ¡°She said that and you simply believed her words just like that?¡± Ye Zhen was somewhat indignant when she heard this. <i>Is he truly that stupid?</i>

    Mo Rongzhan could see that she was scolding him in her heart and could only smile helplessly. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just because of that, but she knew exactly what had happened that year. Only zhen and that little girl knew those things. If Lu Wushuang wasn¡¯t that little girl, then how would she know?¡±

    ¡°How did you realize that she isn¡¯t that little girl then?¡± Ye Zhen asked again. This was what she was most curious about.

    ¡°Zhen went to that dry well some time back and saw something that had her name on it. Then, I finally remembered the little name she once told me,¡± Mo Rongzhan said, taking a deep look at her. However, he didn¡¯t say that the little girl was also called Yaoyao. Otherwise, <i><strong>this</strong></i> little girl before him might once again let her imagination run wild.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s smile grew increasingly taunting as she said, ¡°The fact that you can still forget her little name means that you don¡¯t necessarily long to see her again.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan shook his head and smiled bitterly. ¡°In your heart, is zhen that kind of an unbearable person? Previously, zhen¡¯s eyes were blinded by poison, and even though zhen has been cured, there were side effects that caused me to forget a lot of the past. It was onlyter that zhen gradually remembered the things zhen had forgotten.¡±

    ¡°Still, howe Gui Fei Lu has the jade ornament you gave that little girl? How can someone like her hide it from you? It looks like you¡¯re also not too smart, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± Ye Zhenughed merrily, making fun of the emperor. At the same time, her words were also aimed to make Mo Rongzhan suspicious of Lu Lingzhi.

    ¡°This is what zhen can¡¯t figure out. Zhen can¡¯t find that little girl, and at the same time find out why Lu Shuanger has that jade ornament. Moreover, even though it has been so long since that time, zhen has wondered from where she learned about what had transpired between that little girl and me,¡± Mo Rongzhan said, frowning.

    At this, Ye Zhen smiled and stated, ¡°Although she is my older paternal cousin, I have to admit that Lu Wushuang can¡¯t do these things on her own.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan narrowed his eyes slightly as he asked, ¡°Yaoyao, what do you want to say?¡±

    Only

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything, ah. Anyway, although the gui fei was not the one who saved you, in the end, she is still your gui fei. At the very least, she has served you. Will you really ignore her so ruthlessly? You might as well ask her where the little girl is.¡± Ye Zhen wanted to know what Mo Rongzhan would think if he knew that the person who saved him had been killed by a ss of poisoned wine.

    ¡°Zhen is worried that it will inadvertently alert her, she may kill the little girl before I find her.¡± Mo Rongzhan whispered.

    ¡°Can you guarantee that the little girl is still alive?¡± Ye Zhen asked indifferently. ¡°Perhaps she¡¯s already dead.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes immediately went cold as he said, ¡°Zhen believes she is still alive.¡±

    ¡°And then what?¡± Ye Zhen looked him in the eye. ¡°What are you going to do when you find her? Are you going to marry her and crown her your empress?¡±

 Chapter 358 - It Wonâ€™t Affect You (1

    <strong>Chapter 358 ¨C It Won¡¯t Affect You (1)</strong>

    If it was in the past, Mo Rongzhan would not have hesitated to answer ¡®Yes, zhen will marry that little girl, confer her as the empress and give her a lifetime of honor and love¡¯. However, looking at Lu Yaoyao now, he hesitated.

    ¡°When you thought that Lu Wushuang was the little girl, why didn¡¯t you confer her as your empress?¡± Ye Zhen pointedly asked. She was aware that she was being aggressive and that she shouldn¡¯t ask so many questions, but she simply couldn¡¯t stop herself. She just wanted to know the answer.

    She had been asking these questions a countless times in her heart. And now that she had the opportunity to question the man himself, she naturally didn¡¯t want to miss it.

    ¡°It never urred to zhen to confer her as the empress.¡± Mo Rongzhan whispered. Even when he thought that she was his little girl, he did not consider making her his empress. For in his heart was a faint inkling that she shouldn¡¯t be one.

    Ye Zhen looked at him with a smile and asked, ¡°Then, what will you do to the little girl who saved you, should you find out she is not what you think she is? Will you still treat her as well as ever?¡±

    ¡°Zhen will make the decision after finding her.¡± Mo Rongzhan stated. He had learned his lesson with Lu Wushuang. Therefore, he would not make a hasty decision again.

    Ye Zhen smiled faintly and stopped asking him any further questions. Besides, she should stop at this point and leave it at that. Anyway, whether he would doubt Lu Lingzhi or not depended on his own thoughts.

    ¡°Are you bothered about how zhen is going to treat that little girl, hm?¡± Mo Rongzhan eyed her with a meaningful smile. <i>Her tone was a little off today... Could it be due to jealousy?</i>

    ¡°That¡¯s only natural. If that little girl does appear, then won¡¯t that mean that Gui Fei Lu will bepletely out of favor and may even implicate the Lu Family,¡± she lightly said.

    ¡°No matter what happens in the future, it will not affect you,¡± he whispered.

    ¡°What¡¯s the point of not implicating me? There are still my grandmother, my father, and my mother besides me¡ª¡±

    Ye Zhen was not that great a person to want to save the whole Lu Family. However, that didn¡¯t mean she was an ungrateful person either. As such, she was still willing to repay those who were kind to her. Especially Lu Shiming and his wife. After all, how could her younger sister have a happy life without them?

    ¡°Greedy girl!¡± Mo Rongzhanughed, a cold glintced his eyes.

    Today, Lu Yaoyao¡¯s words made him realize that he had never once suspected people would conceal things from him. After all, for Lu Wushuang to be able to get his jade ornament and speak such a big lie and to his face indicated that there must be someone helping her from the shadows. <i>But who exactly was that person?</i>

    <i>Lu Lingzhi?</i>

    He was the only person toe to mind. After all, apart from him, there was no one else in the Lu Family who had the means to pull off such a thing. Still, if Lu Lingzhi really did it, then it would be even more difficult for him to find Yaoyao. <i>Perhaps... that little girl might not be in this world anymore.

    </i>

    <i> </i>

    ¡°I got it!¡± Ye Zhen suddenly eximed, pointing to the Go game. ¡°See, I have solved it.¡±

    Her silver-bell-likeughter rang out, it was teeming with joy. In this serene and quiet hall, it seemed to be particrly melodious and pleasant to the ears. Mo Rongzhan looked at her and smiled. The haze that surrounded his heart suddenly dissipated as if there was a warm current chasing it away, and his mood turned into a cheerful one.

    ¡°A step back?¡± Mo Rongzhan studied her move carefully, a little surprised.

    Ye Zhen smiled and exined, ¡°Since there is no way forward, let the piece die and resurrect again. Take a step back for now, break both his left and right arms, and smash a bloody path to victory.¡±

    Only

    Mo Rongzhan nodded his head. ¡°That¡¯s right. Zhen didn¡¯t think of such a method at that time.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. You said you¡¯ll let me go to the Library Pagoda when I solve the game.¡± Because she was too excited, Ye Zhen momentarily forgot that the other was Mo Rongzhan as she unexpectedly revealed the coquettish and charming side of a little girl.

    ¡°Zhen didn¡¯t say that zhen wouldn¡¯t let you go to the Library Pagoda. However it¡¯s already dark now. You cane to the pce tomorrow and go there.¡± Mo Rongzhan said with a smile.

    ¡°I don¡¯t n oning out until I¡¯ve seen enough this time,¡± Ye Zhen said stubbornly.

    ¡°Only one day.¡± Mo Rongzhan raised his eyebrows at her. If he hadn¡¯t enticed her with the promise of letting her browse through the library as she pleased, would she be willing to spend her time with him ying Go? He didn¡¯t believe that to be the case. So, of course, he would set a limitation. This way, he would always be able to further tempt her into spending time with him alone.

 Chapter 359 - t Wonâ€™t Affect You (2)

    <strong>Chapter 359 ¨C It Won¡¯t Affect You (2)</strong>

    ¡°Just now, you didn¡¯t say that you¡¯d only give me one day. Since that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s only natural that I can stay in the library for as long as I want.¡± Ye Zhen beamed confidently as she spoke.

    Mo Rongzhan just chuckled with a low voice and said in a doting tone, ¡°Little Girl, don¡¯t act so presumptuously.¡±

    Ye Zhen immediately red at him. ¡°When did I act presumptuously? You have said it yourself. I only need to solve the Go game and you¡¯ll let me go to the Library Pagoda. You never mentioned any time limit, therefore, I can spend several days there as I wish.¡±

    ¡°You can only go there for one day every single time you visit the ce. If you stay in there for days, you¡¯ll be pedantic,¡± Mo Rongzhan said.

    ¡°Since you say one day, then one day it is.¡± <i>That¡¯s still better than none anyway.</i> ¡°Then, Imperial Brother, I¡¯ll go back to Cining Pce first. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll rely on your expertise to choose the book from the Library Pagoda.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan also stood up and said, ¡°Zhen is going to send my greeting to Imperial Mother as well. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Ye Zhen seemingly smiled as she looked at him and said, ¡°Imperial Brother, do you want to see Xianfei Xu?¡±

    Today, after discovering that it really wasn¡¯t his intention to forget her little name, Ye Zhen felt he was pardonable. However, that didn¡¯t mean that she could feel at ease with him.

    After all, she couldn¡¯t easily forget the pain and heartache brought about by that ss of poisoned wine. In fact, physical pain couldn¡¯t evenpare to what her soul went through.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± Mo Rongzhan said.

    Ye Zhen tugged her lips downward and walked out of the Pce of Heavenly Purity in silence.

    By this time, the entire imperial pce was already brightly lit. However, it was different from before. During the time of the former emperor, the inner pce had nevercked a sound. The night was filled with revelry and frolicking, entertainers singing and dancing to the tune of the guqin. It was a time when everything was luxurious and prosperous, at least on the surface that is. It was a very different timepared to the silence of today¡¯s era.

    She had to admit that Mo Rongzhan was really a good emperor. Even though his reign was stable now, his life continued on as if nothing had changed. He was still a quiet man.

    Eunuch Fu walked in front with the maids, leading the group with the peonyntern in hand. When he passed the imperial garden, he found the light there was dimmer than elsewhere. Seeing this, he looked back at the two people walking side by side at the end, he then motioned to the two maids holding thentern to walk faster.

    Ye Zhen was oblivious to it all as she walked with her head down. She really didn¡¯t want to walk side by side with Mo Rongzhan. However, no matter how fast or slow her pace, he still kept up.

    All of a sudden, the lights dimmed down, disallowing her from seeing the road ahead. In the face of the sudden situation, she could only opt to walk more carefully lest an ident befell.

    Back then, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes would constantly tear up and were quite weak despite having recovered from the blindness. But now, not only did they no longer stung or pained but they could also see clearly in the dark. However, his eyes had always stayed on her the entire time they were walking, looking at the rich and lovely expressions that appeared on her beautiful face. And the longer he watched, the more he felt his heart soften, so much so that it felt as if water could drip out at any time.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Ye Zhen eximed, having stepped on a stone, almost tripling in the process.

    Fortunately, the moment she eximed, Mo Rongzhan had already put his arms around her waist and prevented her from taking a tumble. With his thin lips almost pressed against her ear, he whispered, ¡°Be careful. Do you not look at the road when you walk?¡±

    ¡°How can you look at it when the road is so dark?!¡± Ye Zhen asked angrily as she gave a hard push on the other¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let me go!¡±

    Mo Rongzhan tightened his grip and looked at her with half-lidded eyes. He wanted to kiss her.

    Only

    Ye Zhen looked up and saw the look in his eyes, surprised. ¡°Your Imperial Majesty!¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao¡ª¡± Mo Rongzhan called her name with a husky voice, wanting to get closer to her and kiss her earlobe.

    ¡°Imperial Brother! I am your sister!¡± Ye Zhen eximed. She had thought that he no longer harboured this kind of idea about her!

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes sank before he then smiled, ¡°Did zhen scare you?¡±

    Ye Zhen did not answer. She pushed him and immediately strode away.

 Chapter 360 - The Onsets of Doubt (1)

    <strong>Chapter 360 ¨C The Onsets of Doubt (1)</strong>

    Ye Zhen arrived at Cining Pce to apany and chat with the empress dowager. When Mo Rongzhan came in, she didn¡¯t even want to spare him a nce. She wouldn¡¯t y Go with him hereon. She thought he treated her as a younger sister. Now, it seems that this bastard was still the same as before, harboring ulterior motives.

    Mo Rongzhan knew she was angry, so he didn¡¯t stay for too long. He made to leave soon after greeting his mother. But before he left, the empress dowager told him to go to Xianfei Xu.

    He agreed and snuck a peek at Ye Zhen. Seeing how she had lowered her eyes, refusing to even look at him, he felt a tinge of bitterness in his heart.

    When Mo Rongzhan left, the empress dowager asked Ye Zhen, ¡°Yaoyao, what happened to you and the emperor? Did he do something to make you upset?¡±

    The empress dowager knew her son¡¯s intentions towards Ye Zhen, and considered trying to not let them be alone. After all, Lu Yaoyao had already be a princess, but she couldn¡¯t be too obvious lest she attract suspicion towards herself.

    Today, when she heard that the two were ying Go, she felt gratified and thought that the emperor had finally put aside <i>those</i> intentions. Now, looking at Lu Yaoyao¡¯s countenance, it seemed that something had happened.

    Ye Zhen naturally knew that she couldn¡¯t tell the empress dowager the real reason. Between her and Mo Rongzhan, he would be the one to be favored. She leaned toward the empress dowager. ¡°Imperial Mother, Brother Emperor is very bad, I don¡¯t want to talk to him anymore.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Although the girl said so, the empress dowager felt her expression said otherwise.

    ¡°Today, he told me that I can go to the Library Pagoda as long as I solve the endgame. I solved it, but he said that I can only go in to read books for one day. Imperial Mother, he didn¡¯t say at the beginning that it would be just for one day!¡±

    The empress dowager immediately burst into a heartyughter. ¡°Didn¡¯t he say just one day when he yed Go with you the other time?¡±

    ¡°Thest time was thest time, but he didn¡¯t say it today.¡± Ye Zhen harrumphed emphatically. ¡°I won¡¯t y Go with him anymore. He cheated.¡±

    ¡°Aijia will take care of the scoundrel who acts shamelessly about his words. Do you still want to read books in the Library Pagoda for several days? No man is this foolish. Just go and see it next time. ¡±

    Ye Zhen thought that she didn¡¯t want to y Go with Mo Rongzhan anyway, and probably wouldn¡¯t have a chance to go to the Library Pagoda. ¡°Imperial Mother, what about Brother Emperor?¡±

    The empress dowager smiled and nodded her head. ¡°Aijia shall take care of it for your own good!¡±

    After chatting andughing with the empress dowager for a while, she ate the fish maw soup the empress dowager had asked the imperial kitchen to prepare for her. Then, she finally returned to her chambers to rest.

    Thinking back to Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes that looked at her, she was afraid. How could she have forgotten how dangerous he was only after a few days?

    Ye Zhen was lying on her bed thinking she didn¡¯t know as to when to retaliate against Mo Rongzhan. For now, she needed to be with Mo Rongyi as he grew up. From now on, she would teach the little prince how to win people¡¯s hearts and how to make the aristocratic families in the capital loyal to him. Mo Rongzhan had a group of confidants to apany him. Mo Rongyi also needed a group of loyal and reliable supporters.

    Mo Rongyi also needed to be taught how to rule a country. Now, Mo Rongzhan certainly wouldn¡¯t ask a teacher to teach him these things. If she wanted to teach him, she had to do without leaving a trace, she couldn¡¯t afford being found out.

    Also, this was the best way for her to get rid of her hatred. She didn¡¯t want the people of Jin to be ruled by a fatuous monarch while she didn¡¯t want to see Mo Rongzhan sit in that high position either. She had to support the little prince and let Mo Rongzhan taste the pain of betrayal. Then she would drop everything and leave. Of course, the premise was that Lu Lingzhi and his sister would also meet retribution.

    Imagining the future, Yee Zhen¡¯s lips lifted into a smile, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

    In the dead of the night, Mo Rongzhan appeared beside her bed again. Embracing her, he kissed her for a long time and then reluctantly let her go.

    Only

    <i>Brother Emperor...</i> Mo Rongzhan never thought these two words would sound so harsh.

    ¡°Yaoyao, zhen wants your heart, so I am willing to give you time.¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s husky voice drifted to her ear. Anointing her a princess had also been a ruse to ease her psychological defense.

    Ye Zhen slept sweetly and didn¡¯t hear Mo Rongzhan¡¯s whisper at all.

    Mo Rongzhan nibbled and sucked her lips for a moment longer before lying down beside her for a nap. After a while, knowing that it would be the third night watch* soon, he got up reluctantly to return to his chambers.

    [*Ancient Chinese time-keeping method: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_Chinese_timekeeping ]

 Chapter 361 - Rewards (1)

    <strong>Chapter 361 ¨C Rewards (1)</strong>

    Back at the Pce of Heavenly Purity, Eunuch Fu was holding the soiled pants that Mo Rongzhan had just changed out of, and felt the wet crotch. He felt even more sympathetic towards the emperor.

    <i>What¡¯s the point, can only see but not eat...</i>

    After a cold bath, Mo Rongzhan dressed in a casual robe and leaned against the plush chair. One didn¡¯t know when Shen Yi had arrived, but he was now kneeling before him.

    ¡°This servant greets the emperor.¡± Shen Yi bowed his head and saluted.

    ¡°Rise.¡± Mo Rongzhan raised his hand. ¡°What news did you bring?¡±

    Shen Yi said in a low voice, ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, I searched but ... still can¡¯t find it. I could only collect the names of the girls who appeared in the Baihua Garden that year. Please have a look.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan nced at it and found no familiar name.

    Shen Yi whispered, ¡°Late Wang Fei also went there that year. The cloth ... only the Ye Family possessed it before¡ª¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be Ye Zhen!¡± Mo Rongzhan denied coldly. He believed it was the Ye Family that ensnared him. So, how could Ye Zhen save him? <i>The cloth can¡¯t be hers. What¡¯s more, I¡¯ve never heard of Ye Zhen having Yaoyao as a little name.</i>

    Since the emperor said no, it was definitely not.

    ¡°Check these people one by one, even at the ends of the earth, find the truth,¡± Mo Rongzhan said coldly.

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Shen Yi could only ept his master¡¯s order in a low voice.

    ¡°Also¡ª¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly. ¡°The jade pendant Lu Wushuang possessed may not have been obtained by herself, someone should have given it to her. Check Lu Lingzhi, he may know where Yaoyao is.¡±

    <i>Lu Lingzhi?</i> Shen Yi was a little surprised. He looked up at the emperor and said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    If Lu Lingzhi had helped Lu Wushuang behind his back, then this meant thetter had been sessful in hiding her brother¡¯s deeds over the years. However, in Mo Rongzhan¡¯s heart, he didn¡¯t want this to have anything to do with Lu Lingzhi.

    Shen Yi was ordered to leave.

    There were not hundreds or dozens of girls who had gone to the Baihua Garden. At that time, it was the students from the Academy for Women that had been visiting. It¡¯s not easy to find out as some of them had already left the capital with their families.

    As for Lu Lingzhi... Shen Yi thought this was more difficult. The assistant minister of war was not as gentle and harmless as he seemed. He had seen his ruthlessness and stratagem before the emperor ascended the throne.

    If this matter with Lu Wushuang really had something to do with Lu Lingzhi, Shen Yi reckoned the girl named Yaoyao must no longer be in the world.

    Someone like Lu Lingzhi would not leave any traces that might get him in trouble in the future.

    ?

    Ye Zhen left the pce the next day. Although the empress dowager wanted her to stay for a few days, she had insisted on returning on the pretext of worrying about her family for she wanted to check Lu Lingzhi¡¯s progress. In the end, the empress dowager let her leave but only after packing a pile of fish maw along.

    The emperor also bestowed Lu Lingzhi a lot of rewards and made him a general. The Lu Family was in the limelight for a while.

    This should have been a very happy turn of affairs. Had circumstances been normal, Old Madam Lu would have hosted a banquet to celebrate. However, the residual poison in Lu Lingzhi¡¯s body had yet to be purged. For the Lu Family, it was like a huge stone weighing on their hearts. Thus, there was no such thing as holding a banquet to celebrate.

    Ye Zhen first went to see Old Madam Lu and found that in only one day, the old madam looked haggard and tired. ¡°Grandmother, are you all right? Did you not have a good rest yesterday?¡±

    Wang Shi, who was apanying Old Madam Lu, smiled and said, ¡°Your Highness is back. We thought you were going to stay in the pce for several days. Don¡¯t worry, Old Madam has us to take care of her at home. You have to coax the empress dowager, that is the most important thing for you to do.¡±

    Ye Zhen cast Wang Shi a cold look and ignored her innuendo.

    Old Madam Lu looked at Ye Zhen with a smile. ¡°Isn¡¯t Empress Dowager keeping you in the pce for a few days? Why are you back?¡±

    ¡°I was worried about my eldest brother and you, Grandmother, so I came back.¡± Seeing the old madam like this, Ye Zhen thought she would give her some water with <i>lingquan</i>.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, but I went to bed a littletest night, and I don¡¯t have much spirit today,¡± Old Madam Lu said with a smile, ¡°your elder brother is in better condition today. He just came to greet me.¡±

    Now was not the time to think about the poisoning of Lu Lingzhi. Besides, she didn¡¯t really care if he would be fine. Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯ll go and see him in a while.¡±

    Only

    ¡°Your elder brother is a general now. His Imperial Majesty has bestowed him gifts and herbs. Your mother and Imperial Physician Qi have been taking care of him since yesterday until now. After a while, you go and let them have a good rest,¡± Old Madam Lu said.

    Ye Zhen nodded. ¡°Yes, Grandmother.¡±

    Wang Shi¡¯s mouth twitched. She said, ¡°We also want to take care of Lingzhi, but we are not doctors, and we might just cause trouble.¡±

    ¡°Second Aunt not causing trouble is already a help,¡± Ye Zhen said lightly.

    Wang Shi choked, revealing a defiant look.

 Chapter 362 - Rewards (2)

    <strong>Chapter 362 ¨C Rewards (2)</strong>

    Ye Zhen advised Old Madam Lu to rest.

    As Wang Shi had something to tell her mother-inw, she said to Ye Zhen, ¡°Yaoyao, Mother has me here. Go and see Lingzhi.¡±

    ¡°Grandmother did not have a good restst night, and she can¡¯t be tired today.¡± Ye Zhen didn¡¯t know what Wang Shi was up to, but by the looks of it, she was able to discern the other obviously didn¡¯t have concern for the old madam.

    Old Madam Lu said to Wang Shi, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to leave in two days? Go. The third household is here. You and your second child can go to Jinkou City.¡±

    Wang Shimented in her heart. How could she leave the capital at this time? In case Lu Lingzhi died, who would inherit the title? He wasn¡¯t married yet, so he would have to pass the title to his brother. Even if she didn¡¯t fight for her son, she would fight for their Second Household.

    ¡°Mother, how can we go peacefully to Jinkou city now? During these times, we cannotck pirs to stand for this family. Now is the time we have to take care of each other,¡± Wang Shi said.

    Old Madam Lu didn¡¯t say anything and simply turned to Ye Zhen. ¡°Help me rest on the bed.¡±

    Ye Zhen pursed her lips with a smile. ¡°Okay, Grandmother. I¡¯ll prepare a calming tea for you. You¡¯ll have a good sleep after drinking it.¡±

    ¡°Just call a maid to do that,¡± Old Madam Lu said with a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ll prepare it myself.¡± Ye Zhen insisted. Otherwise, how would she have the chance to add <i>lingquan</i> to the tea?

    Wang Shi saw how this granddaughter was very close to her grandmother. She curled her lips disdainfully. <i>Indeed, Old Madam has her favor for the third household. This exins why she treats Yaoyao so differently. Even Gui Fei Lu is not this close to Old Madam.</i>

    While Ye Zhen was preparing the tea, Wang Shi took the opportunity and sat down beside the old madam¡¯s bed. ¡°Mother, will Lingzhi really get better?¡±

    Old Madam Lu snorted calmly. ¡°Of course he will get better! I know what you¡¯re thinking. You don¡¯t have to think about it. It¡¯s not your turn.¡±

    Wang Shi¡¯s face turned white. She did not expect the old madam to be this sharp. Even though she was old, she was not someone to be trifled with. Wang Shi hadn¡¯t even spoken yet, and the matriarch had seen through her facade.

    ¡°Mother, I didn¡¯t say anything,¡± Wang Shi said, embarrassed, ¡°how do you know what I¡¯m going to say?¡±

    Old Madam Lu just closed her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are trying to say.¡±

    Wang Shi did not dare to say anymore. ¡°Mother, have a rest. I won¡¯t disturb you.¡±

    ¡°Go to Jinkou city with the second child. The pirs of our family can still handle things well,¡± Old Madam Lu said without opening her eyes.

    A defeated Wang Shi fled with a white face, she walked past Ye Zhen who was returning with tea.

    Ye Zhen served the tea to Old Madam Lu. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Second Aunt? She doesn¡¯t look fine.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps she¡¯s not feeling well,¡± Old Madam Lu said with a faint smile. She drank the tea and asked her to go see Lu Lingzhi.

    Ye Zhen looked after her grandmother until she fell asleep before she left. She didn¡¯t want to see Lu Lingzhi, but thinking of Pei Shi¡¯s working hard to take care of him, she had to go and see her.

    Lu Lingzhi looked a little more energetic today than the past couple of days. Basking in the sun in the courtyard, he saw Ye Zhening. His thin handsome face revealed a gentle smile. ¡°Yaoyao, why are you back?¡±

    ¡°Eldest Brother looks better today.¡± Ye Zhen smiled back at him. She looked behind him and asked, ¡°Are Mother and Imperial Physician Qi around?¡±

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi had some matters to attend to, she just left. I asked Third Aunt to go back and have a rest. She didn¡¯t sleep all nightst night,¡± Lu Lingzhi said sheepishly.

    Ye Zhen looked at him for a while. ¡°I met Gui Fei Lu yesterday.¡±

    The emotions in Lu Lingzhi¡¯s eyes slightly changed. He frowned and said, ¡°Why did you go see her? She didn¡¯t do anything to you, did she?¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t do anything to me, but she is not doing very well in the pce,¡± Ye Zhen said lightly. ¡°She asked me to ask His Imperial Majesty to see her.¡±

    ¡°The emperor ... refused to see Shuang¡¯er?¡± Lu Lingzhi was rmed. <i>How did this happen? Does the emperor already know that Shuang¡¯er was not the one who saved him?</i>

    Only

    Ye Zhen nodded. ¡°Yes, Empress Dowager and the emperor are being good to Xianfei Xu.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s eyebrows wrinkled up. He hadn¡¯t imagined Lu Wushuang falling out of favor this soon. He knew it couldn¡¯t be because the emperor liked the new and hated the old. <i>The emperor might know ...</i>

    ¡°However, I think the emperor will still favor Gui Fei Lu again, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Ye Zhenforted him with a smile.

    Lu Lingzhi shook his head with a wry smile. He knew Mo Rongzhan too well. Once he hated someone, there was no room for reversals.

    What worried him more was Mo Rongzhan knowing the whole truth, although it was unlikely.

 Chapter 363 - Imperial Physician Examination (1)

    <strong>Chapter 363 ¨C Imperial Physician Examination (1)</strong>

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t want to say too much in front of Lu Lingzhi, as long as he knew that Lu Wushuang had fallen out of favor now, he certainly wouldn¡¯t sit and watch. And as long as he took matters into his own hands, he would find ways to handle it.

    Old Madam Lu slept through the night, and her spirit was much better than that in the morning. Lu Shixun also decided to set out on a journey to Jinkou City the next day.

    Ye Zhen was going back to the academy, too. Three dayster it was the imperial physician¡¯s examination, and she was going to take part in it.

    But before going to the academy, she made a trip to <i>Qianjin</i> first. She wanted to confirm whether or not Tian Jiu was rescued by Man Qin. She had seen him on the mountain that day. Although she left him some medicine, she was uncertain if he would live.

    ¡°Young Miss, Uncle Man said that he could not rescue Tian Jiu. This is his letter that came yesterday.¡± As soon as Hong Ling saw Ye Zhen, she handed her the letter from Man Qin.

    Ye Zhen took the letter in shock. ¡°Uncle Man didn¡¯t rescue him? Impossible! Then, who rescued Tian Jiu?¡±

    Hong Ling knew that Tian Jiu had been saved. ¡°But Young Miss, Uncle Tian was rescued.¡±

    <i>If Man Qin¡¯s people couldn¡¯t save Tian Jiu, who else in the world is willing to take such a big risk to save him? </i>Ye Zhen¡¯s heart was bewildered. She had her suspicions on who it could be, but she dared not think about it, let alone be sure.

    ¡°Uncle Man must not go find Tian Jiu. When he is safe, he will naturallye to us,¡± Ye Zhen said in a low voice.

    Hong Ling was surprised. She, too, was bewildered and couldn¡¯t figure out who else could have saved Tian Jiu. ¡°Young Miss, could it be ... Second Lord?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Ye Zhen said, keeping her voice low. ¡°Regardless, it is enough that Tian Jiu has been saved.¡±

    <i>Did Father save Tian Jiu?</i> Ye Zhen was nervous yet at the same time was looking forward to it. Besides her father, she could not think of anyone who would save lives.

    <i>If it is indeed Father who¡¯s behind this, then he can¡¯t let people know the whereabouts of Tian Jiu. Otherwise, even Father¡¯s whereabouts may be exposed.</i> Ye Zhen felt that nothing should be done for the time being. As long as there was no news, it shall be considered good news.

    Ye Zhen left <i>Qianjin</i> carrying with her a hundred-fragrant-flowers perfume. She couldn¡¯t help her feelings afloat. Although it was not certain that it was her father that saved Tian Jiu, as long as there was a little possibility, it was enough to make her brim with expectation.

    Arriving at the academy, Ye Zhen first went to see Qin Fuzi. She had not been here at the School of Medicine for a month now and had missed many lessons. However, this did not affect her determination to take the imperial physician¡¯s examination.

    ¡°Do you still want to take the exam?¡± Qin Fuzi was surprised. Now that she was a princess and even asked for a leave of absence for a month, this veteran tutor hardly expected she would take the exam anymore.

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°Of course! I enrolled in the School of Medicine to eventually take part in the medical examination.¡±

    Qin Fuzi looked at her in amazement. ¡°You are already a princess, even if you pass the medical examination, what can you do?¡±

    ¡°Master, although I am now sealed as a princess, I am not a real princess after all. What if I stop being a princess one day?¡± Besides, Ye Zhen was willing to be a princess just to avoid Mo Rongzhan and had not pinned her future on this identity.

    Qin Fuzi smiled and said, ¡°Since you have been made a princess, you no longer have time.¡±

    ¡°Master, there is no stiption that a princess can¡¯t take the Imperial Physician¡¯s Examination. Didn¡¯t the granddaughter of Empress Duanhui also take the same examination? She is both a physician and a princess, ¡± Ye Zhen countered.

    ¡°Well, the medical examination is in two days. You should read more books.¡± Qin Fuzi had to admit that he was very optimistic about Ye Zhen. Over the years, no student had ever been as talented as her.

    After meeting with Qin Fuzi and before returning to the student¡¯s dormitory, Ye Zhen came across Gao Xueping.

    Gao Xueping was determined to pass the imperial physician¡¯s examination. The only one to make her feel threatened was Lu Yaoyao. Without her, she thought she could be the next imperial physician.

    ¡°Your Highness.¡± Gao Xueping bowed haughtily. ¡°I thought you were going to live a leisurely life at home. I didn¡¯t expect you to return to the academy.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I have to take an exam,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile, knowing the other didn¡¯t want her to take the medical examination.

    Sure enough, Gao Xueping¡¯s face changed slightly. ¡°You are already a princess. Why do you still want to be a physician?¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at her nonchntly. ¡°I just like to be one.¡±

    Only

    Gao Xueping thought that Ye Zhen was aiming at her on purpose. She couldn¡¯t help but gnash her teeth with hatred. ¡°I won¡¯t let you do what you want. I¡¯m the only one who will be passing the medical examination, not you.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Ye Zhen put on a smile. For now, it¡¯s useless to say anything. It was best to defer the argument until after the results of the exam.

    Gao Xueping coldly snorted, and secretly vowed that one day she would let Lu Yaoyao know her capabilities.

    At night, when everything was quiet and the School of Medicine peaceful, silently a figure appeared. Before the figure could enter the student¡¯s dormitory, someone immediately noticed. ¡°Who is there?¡±

    The shadow paused and soon disappeared into the night.

 Chapter 364 - Imperial Physician Examination (2)

    <strong>Chapter 364 ¨C Imperial Physician Examination (2)</strong>

    Wen Xiu¡¯s figure came out from the darkness, different from her usual listless appearance, her eyes were fierce, and her whole body exuded the breath of a strong martial artist.

    The shadow that had left the academy wasfortably perched on a horse¡¯s back. His eyes were condensed as he looked back at the Academy for Women.

    ¡°Your Majesty¡ª¡± Eunuch Fu, who had been standing beside the horse, was somewhat surprised. <i>Why did the emperore out so quickly tonight?</i>

    Mo Rongzhan asked in a cold voice, ¡°Tomorrow, have people check those that are in the School of Medicine.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan believed that his martial arts were not bad. No one had ever noticed him when he walked at night. However, tonight, when he had not even gotten close to the student¡¯s dormitory, someone noticed him. <i>There must be someone excellent at martial arts keeping an eye on the student¡¯s dormitory.</i>

    Eunuch Fu instantly understood the reason the emperor returned sooner today. <i>Apparently, he couldn¡¯t see Her Highness. Otherwise, why would hee back so soon? Are there people highly skilled at martial arts in the students¡¯ dormitory?</i>

    Not being able to see Ye Zhen, Mo Rongzhan returned to the pce with a livid face.

    The next day, Ye Zhen woke up with a refreshed spirit and began to return to her life in the School of Medicine. Sun Wen and Chen Jinru expressed their joy at her return. They held hands and chatted for a long time.

    ¡°Yes, Yaoyao. Jinru will also take part in the Imperial Physician¡¯s Examination,¡± Sun Wen said.

    Somewhat embarrassed, Chen Jinru lowered her head. In fact, she thought that Lu Yaoyao wouldn¡¯t want to take the exam, so she just wanted to give it a try. Now that she was back, even if she(CJ) went to the exam, she wouldn¡¯t be able to pass it.

    Ye Zhen encouraged her with a smile.

    ?

    Two dayster, it was the Imperial Physician¡¯s Examination.

    There were only about a dozen people in the junior grade, and more people in the senior grade, with a total of 50 students, all of whom were taking the exam in the examination hall.

    This year, the pce had changed the previous regtions. The examination would pick out five best among the fifty to be imperial physicians. Indeed, this was such a rare opportunity.

    The first round of examination was medical knowledge. For Ye Zhen, this was not a problem. She had a highly retentive memory and had read a lot of books on medicine. Even though she had not attended ss for a month, it did not hinder her. Therefore, this round, she undoubtedly passed with ease.

    ?

    There were a total of three rounds in the examination. The second was for the participants to identify herbs. This round did not trouble Ye Zhen in the slightest, so she passed to the third round smoothly.

    In the third round, they had to actually examine a real patient. There were only ten students who had made it this far. Besides Ye Zhen and Gao Xueping, there was also Chen Jinru.

    Sitting before them was a woman. A careful look at herplexion and they could already spot her morbid pallor on her slightly sallow skin. She kept coughing from time to time. Just from sitting in front of this woman, even if they didn¡¯t feel her pulse, they could already see that there was something wrong with her body.

    The proctors of the third round were Qi Jin and Imperial Physician Huang. Thetter took a look at the students in front of them. However, when she saw Ye Zhen, Imperial Physician Huang¡¯s eyebrow imperceptibly wrinkled and her mouth moved as if she wanted to say something. But, in the end, she didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°Each of youe up and feel her pulse. Then, write down her illness and treatment n on the paper,¡± Imperial Physician Huang said before she added. ¡°You aren¡¯t allowed to whisper to one another, let alone read each other¡¯s papers.¡±

    Only

    With that, the first senior student went up and felt the pulse of the patient. It was just... As she felt the pulse, her eyebrows scrunched deeper and deeper, and her face became even heavier than that of the patient.

    When it was finally Ye Zhen¡¯s turn, she gently put her hand across the gauze on the patient¡¯s wrist and felt the pulse. And she sensed that the pulse of the patient was fluctuating and intermittent. It seemed that she had contracted the disease in winter. However, this was only her conjecture as she could not open her mouth to ask the patient herself. Therefore, Ye Zhen could not ask her when she first started to have this symptom, and could only observe the condition as carefully as possible.

    Once they were all done, they began to write down their diagnosis and treatment methods before submitting them to the proctors. Not wasting time, Qi Jin immediately picked out five papers and began to peruse.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t all of you girls forgetting something when checking the patient¡¯s condition? Remember, all of you will be imperial physicians, and the patients you are going to look after are all people of high rank or nobility. So, even if it is only an exam today, you all still need to pay attention to the details that should be taken note of. In particr, you should pay attention to your facial expression. As a medicine woman, no matter what kind of illness the patient has, you should not let your knowledge of it show on your face. You are not a barefooted physician who wants to fool people in the street, so, there is no need for you to show such a rich expression on your face.¡±

    Qi Jin¡¯s sharp words made several people bow their heads.

 Chapter 365 - Unconvinced

    <h4>Chapter 365 - Unconvinced </h4>

    <strong>Chapter 365 ¨C Unconvinced</strong>

    Meanwhile, Imperial Physician Huang stood beside Qi Jin with an expressionless face, her gaze roving across the examinees until finally stopping at Gao Xueping.

    ¡°Liu Chunmei, do you think she simply didn¡¯t have enough rest and isn¡¯t sick?¡± Qi Jin asked as she began toment on each test paper. ¡°You have taken her pulse and still felt nothing strange about it? Go back and learn how to feel the pulse first before taking this exam!¡±

    That was how one person was eliminated.

    Such a strict and direct examination method inevitably made everyone nervous. Even Ye Zhen could not help but feel a little nervous at this time.

    Eventually, there were only six people left. Of those, only Gao Xueping and Ye Zhen¡¯s test papers had not been checked andmented on.

    ¡°Gao Xueping, do you think the patient¡¯s illness is a lung disease?¡± Qi Jin asked as she looked at the girl.

    ¡°Yes, Imperial Physician Qi. This student thinks that the patient¡¯s cough was caused by the bad qi in her lungs as a result affecting the five internal organs.¡± Gao Xueping answered confidently.

    However, instead of directly evaluating her answer as correct or wrong, Qi Jin looked at Ye Zhen and asked, ¡°Lu Yaoyao, do you think the patient¡¯s qi in her spleen and stomach is deficient?¡±

    Ye Zhen bowed and said, ¡°This student thinks that the patient should have incurred this illness during winter. First, the qi in the patient¡¯s stomach is obstructed, affecting the spleen; this has caused bloating affecting the patient¡¯s appetite leading to poor temper and health. The heart, liver, spleen, and lungs are all located in the center of the human body, and all of them rely on qiing from the stomach to reach the Taiyin lung¡¯s meridian. However, the qi in the patient¡¯s stomach is insufficient, negatively impacting the spleen causing the skin to heat up and appear pale and sallow¡ª¡±

    Listening to Ye Zhen¡¯s words, Qi Jin couldn¡¯t help her reaction, letting the corner of her mouth form a slight smile.

    Meanwhile, Gao Xueping¡¯s expression was getting worse and worse. She did not think she was wrong, but she was still worried that Qi Jin would make an evaluation that favored Lu Yaoyao and dere her correct.

    ¡°How can you be sure that it¡¯s a lung disease caused by insufficient qi in the stomach?¡± Imperial Physician Huang asked coldly.

    Despite her coldness, Ye Zhen was still calm as she answered. ¡°Her lungs are swollen. And from time to time, the patient also covered her stomach. Not just that, but she¡¯s also coughing. As such, this student determines that the patient¡¯s illness should be a lung disease caused by insufficient qi in her stomach.¡±

    ¡°Your judgement is based on a guess.¡± Gao Xueping quipped, still unwilling to concede.

    ¡°This student boldly made a guess, then carefully verified.¡± Ye Zhen replied with reason.

    Qi Jin smiled at those words. ¡°This is not a guess. You being able to notice that she is covering her stomach already proves that it¡¯s not a mere guess. It is already at the level of minute observation.¡±

    Gao Xueping¡¯s expression suddenly changed. <i>Does this mean what Lu Yaoyao is saying is correct?</i>

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, although Lu Yaoyao¡¯s answer is more urate, I don¡¯t think she is suitable to be an imperial physician,¡± Imperial Physician Huang said faintly.

    Qi Jin raised her eyebrow and asked, ¡°Why isn¡¯t she suitable?¡±

    ¡°She is a princess, and the life of an imperial physician who is just starting her practice is not afortable one. Can she be like the other imperial physicians and bear hardships?¡± Imperial Physician Huang said ndly. After what had happened to her niecest time, she had a preconceived aversion to Lu Yaoyao.

    ¡°Could it be that you think because of my identity as a princess, I have the right to ignore the rules of this exam?¡± Ye Zhen asked with a soft voice.

    Imperial Physician Huang only sneered and asked, ¡°Princess, your identity is already very honorable. There is no need for you to pass the imperial physician¡¯s exam to increase your honor. The life of an imperial physician is not as simple as you think.¡±

    ¡°How hard could it be?¡± Ye Zhen asked, ¡°Now that I have decided to take the exam, I am naturally prepared to face the hardships that maye in the future. Why should you decide for me?¡±

    Imperial Physician Huang once again sneered and said, ¡°This one just doesn¡¯t want to miss a real talent because of the princess¡¯s momentary fun.¡±

    Between Ye Zhen and Gao Xueping, there was only one person who could be an imperial physician. However, from this, it was obvious that Imperial Physician Huang preferred Gao Xueping.

    ¡°Imperial Physician Huang, this is an exam.¡± Qi Jin reminded the other faintly. ¡°You should still remember that there was a princess in the former dynasty who took part in the medical examination and went on to be an imperial physician.¡±

    At this, Imperial Physician Huang curled her mouth and looked at Ye Zhen without saying a word.

    Finally, Qi Jin announced the result of the exam. Ye Zhen won against Gao Xueping and became the imperial physician. Aside from Ye Zhen, Chen Jinru had also passed along with three other senior students.

    Not convinced with the result Qi Jin announced, Gao Xueping boldly went forward and asked, ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, what is the basis for this ruling? Even if I am wrong in my judgement, it is not all wrong. Is the result truly worse than the others?¡±

    ¡°Like Chen Jinru, your answer is just slightly wrong. However, you forget to put down your pride. You forget that you are going to be an imperial physician for the nobility and people of high ranks, not your servants or people of lower rank. Acting aloof and high above will not allow you to survive in the pce,¡± Qi Jin said.

    Gao Xueping¡¯s face immediately turned white and red in anger. She saw that the patient was poorly dressed, so she was sure that the patient was amoner who came from the street. Therefore, she didn¡¯t put down her attitude. Naturally, if she had entered the pce, she would have acted differently.

    Qi Jin looked at her and said, ¡°As an imperial physician, our patients are not only nobilities and high-ranking people. Moreover, in the eyes of a physician, all patients are the same.¡±

    With that, Gao Xueping burst into tears. She covered her face and ran out.

    ¡°Being able to pass the imperial physician¡¯s exam proves that the knowledge you have learned is sufficient for you to take on the work of an imperial physician. However, do not let yourself rx, thinking that it¡¯s enough. All of you should still strive to learn more medical skills with increased diligence.¡± Qi Jin exhorted as she looked at the remaining five people present.

    ¡°Yes, Imperial Physician Qi!¡± Ye Zhen and Chen Jinru looked at each other with a smile, d that they had finally passed the entrance examination and became genuine imperial physicians.

 Chapter 366 - Polo MatChapter (1)

    <h4>Chapter 366 - Polo MatChapter (1) </h4>

    <strong>Chapter 366 ¨C Polo Match (1)</strong>

    Out of all those who knew Ye Zhen and Chen Jinru had be imperial physicians, none was happier than Sun Wen.

    ¡°Well, you two are going to enter the pce in the future, what am I going to do then?¡± Sun Wen cried out once her happiness for his friends abated, for it was only now that she realized she was going to lose two of herpanions in the future.

    Chen Jinru smiled and said, ¡°We are not going to be in the pce every day. We still have to go to school to continue with our study.¡±

    ¡°Nevertheless, it¡¯s still different. We can¡¯t meet every day in the future,¡± Sun Wen said, stomping her foot childishly. ¡°Had I known this would happen, I would have apanied you to the exam. Perhaps, I could have passed like you two.¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at her and smiled. ¡°Then take the exam next year, that is, if you still want to be an imperial physician in the pce.¡±

    Sun Wen sighed and said helplessly, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can pass the exam. After all, I don¡¯t have your talent. However, even if I can¡¯t pass the exam, it doesn¡¯t matter. I can still go to the border and be a physician in the military.¡±

    Chen Jinru didn¡¯t know how tofort the other, so she turned to Ye Zhen and whispered, ¡°Princess, do you know when we will enter the pce?¡±

    Ye Zhen said, ¡°It¡¯s better for you to call me Yaoyao in the future. I¡¯m really not used to being called princess. Anyway, we will have to wait for more than half a month before we can enter the pce. In any case, we just need to be patient, time will pass by in a sh.¡±

    Although they had been admitted to the pce, it didn¡¯t mean that they could enter it just like that. They would¡¯ve to first report their names and have their backgrounds investigated one by one. It was only after they were determined to be innocent that they would be allowed to enter the pce. This entire process would take at the very least half a month.

    At this time, Ye Zhen did not go back to the Lu Mansion. Anyway, the news that she had be an imperial physician would not bring any surprise to the people of the family. After all, in the eyes of the Lu Family and anyone else, she was already a princess. So, her identity as a newly admitted imperial physician was merely icing on the cake. There was no need to be too happy over it.

    Time passed by and a few dayster it just happened that the school was closed for the holiday. Even so, Ye Zhen did not have a chance to return to the Lu Family as Mo Rongyi had sent someone to bring her to the pce. It turned out the polo match he was going to y in was going to be held tomorrow, and the little prince wanted her to watch the game.

    The game was held in front of Daming Hall in the pce. Not only that but the emperor and empress dowager were going to act as the umpires. Out of all sides of the field, three were surrounded by low walls ¨C approximately around a thousand feet in length each ¨C to protect the people. Furthermore, the surface of those low walls was as t as a whetstone and as smooth as a mirror.

    There were two ways to y the polo game. A single goal and a double goal. And the method that Mo Rongyi and his opponent chose was a double goal game. However, this required the yers to have superb skills in order for them to hit the ball into the goal and score. The goal line was simply too small for unskilled scoring.

    Ye Zhen followed Empress Dowager to the Daming Hall. On the top step, there were two seats already prepared for Mo Rongzhan and the empress dowager. On either side of these seats, quite a lot of children from the imperial family were gathered. It seemed that many people were concerned over today¡¯s game.

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t find this strange. After all, this match between Mo Rongyi and Prince Shun was not only a matter of their respective faces but also rted to the matter of the newly emerging forces that Mo Rongyi represented. Therefore, it made sense to her that the children of those forces were in the audience. The imperial family and those old-fashioned families certainly did not want to see the little prince growing. After all, his growth represented Mo Rongzhan¡¯s strength.

    Mo Rongzhan had not seen Ye Zhen for several days. Therefore, when he looked back and saw her standing beside Empress Dowager, his eyes unconsciously fell on her fair as jade face and stayed there. ¡°Yaoyao, I heard you passed the imperial physician¡¯s exam?¡±

    ¡°Replying to Imperial Brother, I was lucky to pass the exam¡±, Ye Zhen politely and respectfully said.

    Mo Rongzhan frowned, not liking the tone she used to speak to him, but there was nothing he could do. So, he simply ordered Eunuch Fu, ¡°Fu de, prepare a seat for the princess.¡±

    ¡°Imperial Brother, there¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯ll just stand next to Imperial Mother.¡± Ye Zhen politely declined, not willing to ept Mo Rongzhan¡¯s affection.

    ¡°The sun is strong today. Won¡¯t you be tired if you stand?¡± Mo Rongzhan knew that she was still angry, so he softened his voice appeasingly.

 Chapter 367 - Polo MatChapter (2)

    <h4>Chapter 367 - Polo MatChapter (2) </h4>

    <strong>Chapter 367 ¨C</strong><strong>Polo Match (2)</strong>

    At this time, Empress Dowager also opened her mouth and spoke to Ye Zhen. ¡°Yaoyao, listen to your imperial brother.¡±

    A helpless Ye Zhen had no choice but to sit down. However, she still asked someone to put the stool beside Empress Dowager, far away from Mo Rongzhan as she didn¡¯t want to be close to him at all.

    The moment they sat down, thepetition between Mo Rongyi and Prince Shun also began. Prince Shun was ranked eighth amongst the siblings, and he was seventeen this year. He had brought four other people with him topete with Mo Rongyi. And though Mo Rongyi and hispanions¡¯ ages were younger ¨C all of them were around fourteen to fifteen ¨C they weren¡¯t too weak inparison to Prince Shun in thispetition.

    Both sides hade to the field with wooden staffs, several feet long, ready in their hands, riding their horses. Their eyes were shining brightly, ready for the uing battle. While the fine steed under them were all snorting, their riders were all unable to hold back their excitement, enjoying the happiness that came from the moment they would charge and broke through the enemy¡¯s lines. They had all decided beforehand that victory or defeat would be based on how many balls were shot into the goal.

    A long whistle rang across the sky. It was immediately followed by the sounds of hooves chaotically mixed together. Mo Rongyi¡¯s staff and Prince Shun¡¯s were locked together, each trying to hit the other¡¯s away. Soon, the two sides rapidly engaged each other fiercely, struggling to beat the other. People were shouting, the horses were neighing, kicking up a mass of dust underneath.

    Ye Zhen looked at the youngster galloping on the horseback in the field and her heart couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat touched. The current Mo Rongyi looked differentpared to the kid she had rescued from the trap in the past. Now, he was obviously taller and had be a true man.

    ¡°Unexpectedly, Ah Yi is able to y polo so well,¡± Empress Dowager remarked to Mo Rongzhan with a smile.

    Mo Rongzhan nodded and involuntarily looked at Ye Zhen. ¡°It¡¯s all due to Yaoyao.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s all Ah Yi¡¯s own efforts.¡±

    As soon as she finished her words, she saw that Mo Rongyi was swept by Prince Shun¡¯s staff and got hit on the shoulder. He almost fell off his horse.

    Ye Zhen instantly rose to her feet, nervously looking at Mo Rongyi, fearing that he would fall.

    Prince Shun put his long staff away and quickly dismounted from his horse to apologize to Mo Rongyi. He gave off the impression that the hit from before was not intentional on his part.

    Mo Rongyi was hit on his right hand. So although he did not fall off his horse, he could not lift his hand. This automatically meant he would not be able to continuepeting.

    ¡°Did Prince Shun do it on purpose?!¡± Ye Zhen asked, anger obvious in her voice.

    Mo Rongzhan and Empress Dowager¡¯splexion were somewhat gloomy, and they were unable to tell whether the Eight Prince was being deliberate or not. However, how could there be so many coincidences?

    ¡°I¡¯ll go and have a look.¡± Seeing that no one spoke, Ye Zhen could no longer wait. She ran down the stone steps and went in Mo Rongyi¡¯s direction.

    The game was paused for a while as Mo Rongyi was sent down to heal his injuries.

    ¡°Ah Yi, are you all right?¡± Ye Zhen pushed the people surrounding Mo Rongyi away and saw that his white shoulders were bruised ck and blue. Anger filled her eyes at the sight.

    At first, Mo Rongyi was still clenching his teeth, enduring the pain. However, as soon as he saw Ye Zhen, his eyes reddened and he called out, ¡°Yaoyao, I can¡¯t lose to Prince Shun!¡±

    ¡°Does your shoulder hurt?¡± Ye Zhen softly asked.

    ¡°It hurts.¡± Instead of being stubborn and holding his silence, the young boy opened his mouth and admitted, looking at Ye Zhen with great grievance.

    Distressed, Ye Zhen touched his head and said, ¡°Let a substitute rece you. Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t lose. For now, you go and have a rest.¡±

    Mo Rongyi nodded his head obediently. He was ustomed to believing Ye Zhen¡¯s words unconditionally.

    Ye Zhen nced at the other four youngsters and ordered, ¡°You go back to the polo field. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    Empress Dowager looked at them from a distance and asked Mo Rongzhan, ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, where do you think Yaoyao is going?¡±

    ¡°Zhen also does not know.¡± Mo Rongzhan slightly narrowed his eyes as the delicate voice faded away from his line of sight along with the owner¡¯s figure. He then turned to Eunuch Fu and said, ¡°Let Little Prince return to heal his injuries.¡±

    In the distance, Prince Shun seemed guilty, but at the same time, there was a smile in his eyes. Right then, he was talking to the old <i>Wangye</i> from Mo Family. In the eyes of many imperial nsmen, Mo Rongzhan was not an orthodox emperor. As such, though on the surface they obeyed his rules, from the depth of their bones, they were unconvinced with his rise.

    Since they could not retaliate against Mo Rongzhan, they could still deal with Mo Rongyi. This was what their despicable and shameless minds hade up with.

 Chapter 368 - Crazy Horse On The Field (1)

    <h4>Chapter 368 - Crazy Horse On The Field (1) </h4>

    <strong>Chapter 368 ¨C Crazy Horse on the Field (1)</strong>

    Mo Rongyi¡¯s shoulder was injured, and he was unable to y the game any longer. Hence, his team nowcked amander, the leader of the team. When they were discussing who to choose to rece Mo Rongyi as themander, they saw someone wearing their team¡¯s clothesing to be the substitute.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that...¡±

    Some people were stunned, especially several of Mo Rongyi¡¯spanions who had met Ye Zhen before. Hence, they all froze at the sight of Ye Zhen wearing the clothes that their team used for thispetition.

    ¡°I¡¯ll y on Ah Yi¡¯s behalf in the next game. All of you still need to stick to your original positions and beat those little bastards up until they are in a sorry state!¡± Ye Zhen said, enduring her anger until she could unleash it at her target.

    She had been watching the game attentively and was already quite angry with what she saw. Her anger stemmed from her observation. She had noticed that those people Prince Shun brought with him when they were ying with the ball, had always intentionally or unintentionally swung their staff in Mo Rongyi¡¯s direction. Two of them even managed tond a hit on his leg. How could it not enrage those who saw it?

    ¡°Yes!¡± The team¡¯s morale was boosted upon Ye Zhen¡¯s words

    ¡°So what if they are the children from imperial ns? Don¡¯t tell me that you can still use your identity when you¡¯re on the battlefield? You and I need to be resolute when we beat them. After all, when they can hurt the little prince by ident, don¡¯t tell me that we can¡¯t beat them to death by mistake! As long as they dare to approach and knock against us, call me. I¡¯ll immediately hit them back!¡± Ye Zhen said coldly.

    This im immediately stunned everyone, they couldn¡¯t help but think... <i>It turns out that the princess is this bold! With a princess like this, we won¡¯t have to take a beating on top of our horsebacks.</i>

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Satisfied with their responses, Ye Zhen deftly jumped and mounted the horse and said, ¡°Get on your horses!¡±

    At this time, Mo Rongzhan abruptly stood up and stared at the slender figure that had just appeared on the field. After all, no matter what kind of clothes she wore or what she disguised herself as, he could still recognize her at a nce.

    <i>How dare she go down there and join the game?! What will I do if she got hurt?!</i>

    ¡°Your Majesty, who is the man ying for Ah Yi down there? He looks familiar.¡± Empress Dowager asked Mo Rongzhan as she could not see who it was clearly.

    ¡°Imperial Mother.¡± At this time, Mo Rongyi, supported by someone, came before Empress Dowager and greeted her.

    Empress Dowager¡¯s attention was immediately drawn to her little son. She then hurriedly asked him to sit next to her before she inquired about his injury.

    Meanwhile, Mo Rongzhan dared not divert his eyes from the field even for a single moment.

    Ye Zhen was a contrast to Mo Rongyi¡¯s conservative ying style. Instead of being defensive, she immediatelyunched an attack as soon as she got onto the polo field. She gently nudged the stirrup with her left foot and held her staff in the air with her right hand and swung, as fast as a dragon, catching the ball.

    The <i>Qibao </i>ball was then thrown up as high as a person¡¯s height, followed by a stroke with her left hand then a hard swing with her right. Not afraid that her move would hurt the Prince Shun nearby, she directly hit the polo, sending the ball flying into the goal with power so immense that it went straight into the goal.

    Without waiting for Prince Shun to recover, she immediately sent two people charging forward and grabbed back the ball.

    Within less than a quarter of an hour, they had managed to tie the score.

    It was 3-3 now!

    It was finally time for a break. While taking the time to rest, Prince Shun cast a gloomy gaze at Ye Zhen. He had never seen this boy before. Furthermore, he also looked as weak as a girl. So, how could this kind of kid manage to y polo that boldly?

    ¡°Who is that kid leading them?¡± Prince Shun asked the person next to him in a low voice.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I have never seen him before, Eighth Brother. However, he seems to be better than the little prince who is as weak as a chicken.¡± The person who spoke was a child of the Imperial n Mo as well as a follower of Prince Shun. His name was Mo Huaide.

    As Prince Shun looked at Ye Zhen coldly, he asked, ¡°Do you know how much pay-out ratio the gambling house is setting for this game now?¡±

    ¡°Our odds to win is 1:2, while Mo Rongyi¡¯s 1:10. Eighth Brother, if that kid wins, I¡¯m afraid that our gambling house will...¡±

    Thergest gambling house in the capital was a business secretly set up by Prince Shun. And this time, in order to earn more silver, he had encouraged Mo Rongyi topete with him in polo.

    Honestly, if it had been two hours ago, he wouldn¡¯t have cared whether he won or lost this game. In fact, he had even nned to lose to Mo Rongyi on purpose. However, not long ago, someone suddenly bet one hundred thousand taels of silver on Mo Rongyi¡¯s win. Moreover, many people knew about this particr bet, so they thought the person had received some inside info, leading them to raise their bets on Mo Rongyi as well.

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 Chapter 369 - Crazy Horse On The Field (2)

    <h4>Chapter 369 - Crazy Horse On The Field (2) </h4>

    <strong>Chapter 369 ¨C Crazy Horse on the Field (2)</strong>

    Due to this, that old <i>wangye </i>asked him to hurt Mo Rongyi, and heplied. In any event, they could not let Mo Rongyi win the game, so hurting him was fine in Prince Shun¡¯s opinion.

    ¡°Make the kid leading that team drop dead!¡± Prince Shun ordered Mo Huaide in a low tone.

    ¡°Leave it to me, Eighth Brother!¡± Mo Huaide let out a burst of maliciousughter and said, ¡°I¡¯m sure I can make his horse go out of control without his notice.¡±

    At this time, the game had resumed, and they quickly reconvened. However, this time, Ye Zhen had changed her strategy. Instead of grabbing the ball and attacking directly, she had chosen to assist others by grabbing the ball and hitting it towards her team members.

    She turned her body, moving her arms ant the horse¡¯s stomach. Handling the ball in hand, she shot it towards the goal as if it was a deity¡¯s pearl descending onto the earth at lightning speed!

    All the while, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes remained fixed on Ye Zhen¡¯s figure on the field. He was absolutely unable to shift his gaze elsewhere, and his mind came up with a few verses to praise her. <i>How did she always manage to surprise him?</i> Thest time, he had thought he had seen everything about her superb horsemanship, but today he found out that the real her was more dazzling than what he had known.

    She was so beautiful that he felt... A rush of excitementing over him. All of a sudden, he had an impulse to hide her away lest other men discover her beauty and exquisiteness.

    At the same time, standing by the side, Tang Zhen was also staring at Ye Zhen nkly in awe. Like Mo Rongzhan, he had also managed to recognize Ye Zhen at a nce. And right then, his handsome face had reddened in excitement, wishing that he could just go to the field right then and there to fight shoulder to shoulder with her.

    Ye Zhen snatched the <i>Qibao</i> ball and immediately threw it toward the striker. At that moment, Prince Shun suddenly jumped out, his moon staff ready to strike. He was striving and fighting for the ball fiercely. Soon, the two, who had just locked in a fierce fight, parted ways.

    Soon, Prince Shun was pushed away by Ye Zhen, who hade forward to assist the striker. Immediately after that, the striker sent the <i>Qibao</i> ball out and hit the goal smoothly.

    <i>Very good, we manage to turn the tide!</i>

    ¡°Everybody, defend!¡± Ye Zhen shouted, voice louder than necessary.

    At that moment, Prince Shun threw a meaningful nce at Mo Huaide. Receiving the signal, Mo Huaide nodded his head gently, and slowly approached Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Protect the ball!¡± Prince Shun ordered as he held the staff and rushed towards Ye Zhen and her team.

    Ye Zhen was so absorbed with her defense that she failed to notice all those near her. However, all of a sudden, her steed hissed like a runaway wild horse. It was jumping wildly, trying to throw her off its back.

    ¡°AH!¡± Ye Zhen eximed, tightly grasping the reins in her hands as she tried to control the crazy horse. Despite the frenzy, she still managed to spot Mo Huaide¡¯s figure nearby, so she immediately knew that someone had tampered with her horse.

    ¡°Yaoyao!¡± As soon as Mo Rongzhan saw her horse was out of control, his heart instantly leapt to his throat. Before anyone else could react, he had already exerted his <i>qinggong </i>to the fullest extent and arrived at the field within a few breaths. And shortly before Ye Zhen was to get thrown off by the horse, he had already hugged her to him, firmly seating both of them on top of the horse again.

    At this time, Ye Zhen did not bother to push Mo Rongzhan away. After all, her feet were mping the horse tightly in order to try to calm the animal, so she couldn¡¯t get dismount at all. ¡°Someone tampered with the horse, startling it until it acts like this.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan put his arms around her and tried to control the crazy horse for her, but even he could not calm the mad horse down.

    By this point, the game had been terminated, and everyone had run over. However, they didn¡¯t know how to help Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Yaoyao, sit tight.¡± Mo Rongzhan whispered in her ear.

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t have the time to say anything before he sped her waist with one hand, and used a heavy force to chop the horse¡¯s head with the other, directly rendering it unconscious.

    The horse fell first on its front knees, freeing Ye Zhen¡¯s legs in the process. Despite that though, she was still carried off the horse by Mo Rongzhan.

    Everybody was relieved.

    Oh, make no mistake, some people DID feel sorry that the crazy horse did not manage to hurt Mo Rongzhan and was controlled in the end. How could they not? After all, in their mind, if it could cause Mo Rongzhan a serious injury, then... that would be good.

 Chapter 370 - We Won (1)

    <h4>Chapter 370 - We Won (1) </h4>

    <strong>Chapter 370 ¨C We Won (1)</strong>

    Ye Zhen, who was still frightened out of her wits, was being held tightly in Mo Rongzhan¡¯s arms. Slightly pale and ghastly, she stared at theatose horse she had only just been riding, uncertain if it was dead or alive.

    ¡°Yaoyao, are you all right?¡± Mo Rongzhan looked down at her, still scared a while after. If he had had the slightest moment of hesitation, she would have been bucked off of the crazed horse, or even crushed by its hooves. Thinking of the danger she could have experienced, the panic in his heart increased.

    Ye Zhen felt a sliver of warmth in his sturdy and strong embrace. She looked up at him and fell into a pair of eyes; deep with panic and fear. Her heart jumped, and slowly calmed again. ¡°Your Majesty, put me down first. I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Her tone was still t, her pink lips pursed tightly. Her hands gripped the ckets over his chest. He could tell she was frightened, his heart ached. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that there were court ministers and the empress dowager present, he would most definitely kiss her with all his might, to ease the panic he had felt at almost losing her.

    ¡°Go and rest first,¡± Mo Rongzhan said softly.

    Ye Zhen shook her head,ing down from his embrace. She said to the people waiting aside, ¡°Prepare another horse for me.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao!¡± Mo Rongzhan stopped her with a low warning. ¡°Are you still thinking about riding?¡±

    ¡°Of course. That d***** piece of s*** dared to meddle with my horse. How will I be able to bear it if I do not avenge myself?¡± She was going to ride and openly beat the s*** out of him.

    ¡°I will naturally resolve this for you,¡± Mo Rongzhan stated.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to!¡± Ye Zhen resolutely refused him. How would him resolving this for her be as satisfying as her personally teaching that piece of s*** a lesson? ¡°You can resolve this for me after I¡¯ve won them on the field.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao, listen to me.¡± Mo Rongzhan grabbed her arm.

    Ye Zhen red at him. ¡°I won¡¯t let them get another chance to touch my horse.¡±

    Seeing that she had already made up her mind, and wouldn¡¯t heed him, he could only let go of her arm, and stand to the side, closely watching her, in fear lest something else happen to her.

    The horse that had been knocked out had already been carried off the field. Mo Rongzhan ordered a thorough investigation into the reason it had been spooked.

    Prince Shun and Mo Huaide stood not far away. They looked towards Ye Zhen and Mo Rongzhan, their eyes shining. She didn¡¯t know what they were thinking about.

    ¡°Eighth Brother, why would the emperor save that brat?¡± Mo Huaide quietly asked. If Mo Rongzhan had just died under the hooves of the horse, then none of the people here today would have hopes of seeing tomorrow.

    ¡°Send someone to investigate the background of that brat.¡± Barking the order, Prince Shun turned to the people waiting behind him.

    Thepetition began again, and Ye Zhen had switched to a new horse. Mo Rongzhan had ordered a detailed checkup of the horse before he had allowed her to mount it.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s cold nce fell on Mo Huaide, who had neared her not long ago. She didn¡¯t know who he was, but seeing that he was closely following Prince Shun, she could guess that he was the one who had bullied A¡¯Yi.

    ¡°Go after the balls!¡± Ye Zhen called out domineeringly. With a firm grip on the reins, her horse shot like an arrow into the field.

    Mo Huaide was stunned by her imposing manner. When he came to it, he hurriedly grabbed his reins, wanting to steal over Ye Zhen¡¯s colored polo ball.

    The galloping girl¡¯s polo stick turned, first sending the flying ball towards the offensive yers in front of her, then heavily swaying outwards,nding a blow on Mo Huaide.

    The pain almost made Mo Huaide jump out of his seat and wail.

    Prince Shun pointed at Ye Zhen and angrily asked, ¡°Why are you hitting him?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see himing, and identally hit him.¡± Ye Zhen didn¡¯t show the slightest bit of shame, tossing back the same words the eighth prince had not long ago uttered to the little prince.

    ¡°You¡ª¡± Prince Shun¡¯s was as ck as the bottom of a wok with anger, but he couldn¡¯t do anything to her.

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t mind him, saying to the other, ¡°There isn¡¯t much time, keep going after the balls!¡±

    She had only nned on winning one, but it seemed to her that, if she didn¡¯t win a couple more, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to make this eighth prince respect her win.

    Prince Shun frustratedly shouted, ¡°What are the rest of you standing around for? Stop them!¡±

    The rest of the people grimaced internally. It wasn¡¯t like they didn¡¯t want to move, but the emperor was standing on the side, his entirety exuding a terrifying aura. Even if they didn¡¯t want to care, fear was still conjured into their hearts by just the look in his eyes.

    In thest fifteen minutes, Ye Zhen struck twice in a row, winning Prince Shun by a score of 6-3.

    ¡°Eighth Prince, thank you for your grace,¡± said Ye Zhen perched atop the horse with a courteous facade.

    It was now that Prince Shun remembered the bets, his expression incredibly soured.

    Mo Rongzhan silently let out a breath of relief. If Prince Shun¡¯sckeys continued to try to harm Yaoyao, he couldn¡¯t guarantee that he wouldn¡¯t kill them on the spot.

    ¡°Little Prince has won!¡± the referee loudly proimed.

    Prince Shun had already gleaned Ye Zhen¡¯s identity from someone else, and pointed at her saying, ¡°Your Majesty, I do not concede. She isn¡¯t a substitute yer. How could they let a princess y as a substituting yer?¡±

    Ye Zhen mockingly looked at him. ¡°Prince Shun, I advise that you stop bbering, and let the people know that you cannot best even a woman in polo. That would be truly shameful. Moreover, whoever dictated that females could not y polo? If it were such, you should have said so earlier. If you don¡¯t allow women on the field because you were scared of losing to them, you should have told me. I wouldn¡¯t have gotten on the field!¡±

 Chapter 371 - We Won (2)

    <h4>Chapter 371 - We Won (2) </h4>

    <strong>Chapter 371 ¨C We Won (2)</strong>

    Ye Zhen¡¯s words were full of ridicule and scorn, Prince Shun¡¯s face turned greener the more she continued.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s lips slightly curved. ¡°Yaoyao is correct. You didn¡¯t dictate that women could not y. Prince Shun, you are a man. You must learn to ept defeat.¡±

    <i>Motherfuck*r!</i><i>When was he ever unable to ept defeat! </i>Prince Shun felt the fires in his heart steadily rising. Every time he thought of his casino, his heart would burn with a ming pain.

    ¡°We won! We won!¡± Mo Rongyi ran over with an injured shoulder, happily hugging Ye Zhen¡¯s arm.

    Ye Zhen smiled, saying, ¡°That¡¯s right, we won. A¡¯Yi, in the future, if there is ever anyone else that cannot stay in their ce, you must fiercely serve them a blow.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan took a deep look at the little girl before turning to ask Tang Zhen, ¡°Have you found out the reason the princess¡¯s horse got spooked?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, there was a thin needle in the behind of Her Imperial Highness¡¯s horse. It was probably because of that needle that the horse spooked.¡± Tang Zhen quietly stated. At this time, he was still filled with unease. When Yaoyao had almost been thrown off by the horse, he had already thought of immediately saving her. But who would have thought that the emperor would be even faster than him?

    He was also a man. Naturally, he would understand the look in the emperor¡¯s eyes as he held Yaoyao.

    Mo Rongzhan cast a heavy nce on Mo Huaide. ¡°Round up everyone who had just gotten near the Princess, and send them in for an interrogation. Find out what truly happened. The penalty for endangering the life of the princess is death.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, how could you round up everyone? No one wanted the ident today,¡± Prince Shun immediately said.

    ¡°Prince Shun thinks this was an ident?¡± Mo Rongzhan looked at him tly, his eyes as cold as frost.

    The eighth prince felt a cold shiver run through his back. ¡°This... Could it not be an ident?¡±

    ¡°An ident or not, everything will be clear after an investigation. What are you afraid of?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked with a coldugh.

    The empress dowager didn¡¯t look too happy either. Just a polo match and her youngest son had been injured, while the princess had almost been severely hurt. How could this issue just simply be resolved?

    There had been two people next to Ye Zhen right then. One was Mo Huaide and the other one of their teammates. The subject of their interrogation was obvious, but, for the purpose of justice, both were taken away.

    Mo Huaide¡¯s face was startled pale, he continually shot backward nces at Prince Shun, hoping he would beg for mercy on his behalf. Unfortunately, the eighth prince had been subdued by Mo Rongzhan¡¯s imposing aura, unable to open his mouth, fearing he might get entangled in the matter as well.

    ¡°Your Majesty, Your Majesty, have mercy. My son would never harm the princess.¡± Mo Huaide¡¯s father, the Marquis Xinyang, fell to the ground, begging for mercy.

    ¡°Marquis Xinyang, if your son is innocent, I will naturally let him go. If he is really guilty of harming the princess, letting the rest of your family free is already mercy I have bestowed upon your age,¡± Mo Rongzhan said coldly.

    Marquis Xinyang shook like a sifter. He was well aware of the fact that the spooked horse had something to do with his son, but to give up the entirety of his family for the sake of his son would be...

    Ye Zhen had already quietly gone back to change back into female clothing, returning to the empress dowager¡¯s side.

    The empress dowager lightly held her hand, patting it. ¡°You are so naughty. If it hadn¡¯t been for your imperial brother, your injuries might have been even worse than A¡¯Yi¡¯s today.¡±

    Because she was a little far from where they were, and the empress dowager didn¡¯t have Tang Zhen¡¯s eyesight, she was unable to see the panic and worry on Mo Rongzhan¡¯s face. She only thought that the emperor had saved her because she was his imperial sister.

    ¡°I just wanted to stand up for A¡¯Yi.¡± Ye Zhen said, ¡°They are bullies.¡±

    ¡°They cannot be arrogant for long.¡± The empress dowager quietly remarked. She was well aware of the fact that the branches of the imperial family looked down on her birth, and felt that the emperor was not of righteous blood, so they always made problems behind the scenes. She believed her son would resolve such things eventually.

    Mo Rongyi¡¯s victory was a direct promation towards the imperial family that the traditional Mo Family they represented had already been reced. The emperor of the present was Mo Rongzhan, whether they would like to ept it or not.

    Everything else had nothing to do with Ye Zhen. She held the empress dowager¡¯s hand and went back to the Cining Pce.

    Not long after, Mo Rongyi came back as well. Because of his win in the polo match, he looked to be pretty excited, holding Ye Zhen¡¯s arm and incessantly saying, ¡°Yaoyao, I didn¡¯t know that you were so good at polo before. Did you y polo a lot before?¡±

    ¡°When we were in the border town, we yed polo quite often,¡± Ye Zhen giggled as she spoke.

    No matter if it was Lu Yaoyao or Ye Zhen, both hade into contact with polo from an early age. Her father had frequently taken her topete with her brothers.

    Mo Rongyi looked at her reverently. ¡°Yaoyao, how nice would it be if you were a boy.¡±

    Ye Zhen knocked his head. ¡°What, are you looking down on girls?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. If you were a boy, you could stay with me every day,¡± Mo Rongyi said.

 Chapter 372 - A Hundred Thousand Taels Of Gold

    <h4>Chapter 372 - A Hundred Thousand Taels Of Gold </h4>

    <strong>Chapter 372 ¨C A Hundred Thousand Taels of Gold</strong>

    The empress dowagerughed and shook her head. ¡°Your imperial brother only let you do what you wanted for a couple of days because he knew that you had apetition. Now that the match is over, it is time for you to go back to your studies.¡±

    Mo Rongyi seemed scared. ¡°I despise going to the study the most.¡±

    ¡°Seeing that you dislike the study, you can go to the imperial study from now on. I will personally watch over your studies.¡± Mo Rongzhan walked in from the outside, his countenance stern, tone cold, and removed.

    Mo Rongyi shrank back his neck. ¡°Imperial Brother, I¡¯ll keep going to the study.¡±

    ¡°Emperor, those branching members didn¡¯t make a fuss with you, did they?¡± The empress dowager looked with concern towards Mo Rongzhan.

    ¡°How would they still dare to make a fuss?¡± Mo Rongzhan coldly hummed. ¡°They wanted to utilize Sixth Brother, but he has already left the capital to travel. As of today, there only remain Fifth and Eighth who still remain naive, and allow themselves to be used.

    Those old members of the branches of the imperial family were old but not benevolent. None of them had the slightest concern for the people. They only cared about tradition. There was never tradition or the right to rule in the imperial family. Whichever prince sat on the throne would be the one with the ¡°right to rule¡±.

    ¡°Prince Shun also injured A¡¯Yi today.¡± As soon as the empress dowager thought of this, anger rose in her heart.

    Mo Rongzhan looked at his brother then at Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhen lowered her head to talk to the empress dowager, ¡°Imperial Mother, A¡¯Yi¡¯s shoulder was only temporarily taken care of. I¡¯ll go and reapply some medicine for him.¡±

    The empress dowager lightly lowered her head in acknowledgment. ¡°Then you can go first. You have been scared and tired today. Go back and rest well.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan, who was sitting next to his mother, chilled his nce. He was well aware of the fact that Ye Zhen was making an excuse to leave because of him.

    Mo Rongyi was ecstatic, but out of fear of his imperial brother, he left with Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhen took the medicine she had made herself and applied it on him, ordering him to not y polo for the next couple of days, and return to the Prince¡¯s Quarters to rest.

    She also wanted to rest. The polo match was really tiring today. She went to take her leave from the empress dowager to exit the pce, but thetter wanted to keep her in the pce for a couple more days.

    ¡°Imperial Mother, I will be an imperial physician after a couple more days. Then, won¡¯t I be able to keep youpany constantly?¡± Ye Zhen smiled and said, persistent on her will to leave the pce.

    The empress dowager couldn¡¯t do anything else, ordering Lady Cheng to take her out of the pce.

    As soon as Ye Zhen returned to the Lu Family, she was immediately met by Lu Lingzhi¡¯s servants, who called her over. When he saw her, he immediately took her hand, scanning her from head to toe. ¡°I heard that you were almost injured on the polo field. How are you, are you all right?¡±

    Facing Lu Lingzhi¡¯s concern, Ye Zhen only felt disgust and a desire to resist. She pushed away his hand, smiling as she said, ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m not hurt in the slightest.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi coldly said, ¡°As soon as I recover, I won¡¯t let them off easily.¡±

    ¡°How did you find out about what happened in the polo field?¡± Ye Zhen questioned him.

    ¡°Naturally, there were people who came to tell me. Everyone in the capital knows about the bet Prince Shun and Little Prince had. He could only win in this situation. But seeing that he has lost today, his entire worth has been lost,¡± Lu Lingzhi said tly.

    It seemed that, though Lu Lingzhi was staying in the house recuperating from his injuries, he was still entirely aware of everything that happened outside of the house. ¡°Bet? How was I unaware of this?¡±

    Lu Lingzhiughed. ¡°You were at school these past couple of days. How would you know of such things? Moreover, this was done in secret. Prince Shun and Little Prince¡¯spetition was opened by the Changping Casino. Whoever bet on the eighth prince, should he win, he would earn twice his wager. Whoever bet on the eleventh prince, if he won, he would earn ten times his wager. In the beginning, most people were cing their bets on Prince Shun. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that a couple of hours prior, someone had ced a million tael bet on Little Prince¡¯s victory, the eighth prince probably wouldn¡¯t have been so persistent.¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at Lu Xiangzhi in shock.¡°One million taels? Who ced the bet? Changping Casino is thergest gambling house in the entirety of the capital. Could it have something to do with Prince Shun?¡±

    ¡°The gambling house belongs to Prince Shun.¡± Lu Xiangzhi simply exined.

    ¡°A million taels is worth him injuring the Little Prince?¡± Ye Zhen lightly snorted. She didn¡¯t believe that such arge gambling house wouldn¡¯t even have a million taels.

    Lu Xiangzhi seriously stated, ¡°One hundred thousand taels of gold.¡±

    ¡°.....¡± Ye Zhen was taken aback. Even for the Ye Family, who had had an uncountable amount of riches, she had never heard of anyone with the confidence to ce such a wager.

    A hundred thousand taels of gold... It would probably be improbable for the Changping Casino to present a hundred thousand taels of gold, even if they gave up everything they had.

    ¡°Who ced the wager?¡± Ye Zhen asked.

    Lu Xiangzhi looked at her meaningfully. ¡°How many people on this earth can ce a wager like this?¡±

    <i>Mo Rongzhan?!</i> His figure shed across Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 373 - I Am Her Sister (1)

    <h4>Chapter 373 - I Am Her Sister (1) </h4>

    <strong>Chapter 373 ¨C I Am Her Sister (1)</strong>

    The greatest victor of today wasn¡¯t her or Mo Rongyi, but Mo Rongzhan!

    Prince Shun had the best rtionship with the deposed emperor. He was a thorn on the side too, except he never meddled with the matters of the court. When Mo Rongzhan had ascended to the throne, he hadn¡¯tid hands on his brothers, wanting to leave them to alleviate rtions with the branching parties of the imperial family. In the half-year since, apart from the Sixth Prince, both Fifth Prince and Eighth Prince had grown increasingly closer to the old members of the branching family and had silently created countless problems for Mo Rongzhan who had long wanted to deal with them.

    It was just apetition, but unlikely that Prince Shun would be able to avoid bankruptcy.

    As Ye Zheny on the bed, she uneasily thought that Mo Rongzhan was a thousand-year-old fox, sly and shameless!

    As she entered her dreams, the thousand-year-old fox Mo Rongzhan appeared silently in her room.

    He sat by her bed, his eyes looking deeply at her. He had never had such a difficult day. He couldn¡¯t bear but to want to see her, want to embrace her. Thinking of the fact that she had almost been bucked off by the crazed horse today, the feelings in his heart were still unable to dissipate.

    ¡°in such a hurry to leave the pce, do you not want to see me?¡± Mo Rongzhan lightly caressed her face, his voice hoarsely asking.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes moved, seeming to notice in her dreams that someone was disturbing her.

    Mo Rongzhan hadn¡¯t sealed her acupuncture points this time. Instead, he stared at her sincerely. He had never been so afraid of losing someone. It was only today that he had felt such a sensation.

    ¡°Yaoyao...¡± He lowered his head to kiss her pink lips. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hold back anymore.¡±

    Ye Zhen was dreaming. In her dreams, she had be a little white rabbit. While she was eating grass by the river, a huge wolf walked over. Before she could run, his tworge ws had already pressed down her little body, stretching out his tongue to lick her. Just as the fox was about to eat her whole, Ye Zhen was scared awake.

    As she just opened her eyes, she saw a shadow fall upon her. Her lips were sealed, and a scent with a hint of Dragonbirth Incense covered her senses, and she immediately knew who was on her.

    Ye Zhen wanted to open her mouth and cry for help, but her lips were sealed by him, and unable to be moved. She struggled, her hands heavily pounding against his shoulder.

    Her punches were like scratches to him. His tongue opened her clenched teeth, greedily sucking at her sweetness. His hands held her tightly in his embrace like it was the only way his fear could be soothed.

    Only when she ran out of energy to hit him, her hands resting on his chest did the emperor stop his domineering stance, and began kissing her gently.

    ¡°Yaoyao, I don¡¯t want to hold myself back anymore. I want you. I will never wrong you, all right?¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s thin lips sealed against the corners of her lips, his voice hoarsely uttering the words.

    Ye Zhen held back her tears. She didn¡¯t shout nor aggressively resist. She just coldly looked at him. ¡°You are only doing this to me because I am afraid of waking others, correct?¡±

    As soon as she woke someone else up, and he was found in her room, even if nothing happened, she would lose her reputation. At that time, the only choices she would have would be to marry him or die. What other path could she take?

    ¡°Yaoyao, why don¡¯t you want to be with me?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked her quietly. ¡°Am I not good to you? If you don¡¯t want me to be next to other women, then I won¡¯t go see them again.¡±

    Ye Zhen coldlyughed. ¡°When I¡¯m dead, we can be together.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan was startled by her resolute tone, anger rising in his heart. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°From the moment you killed Ye Zhen, from the moment you ordered the execution of the entire Ye Family, the two of us had already be enemies!¡± Ye Zhenposed her voice, proiming the grudge and hatred in her heart.

    ¡°Your surname is Lu. What do you have to do with the Ye Family?¡± Mo Rongzhan was even more shocked. <i>Why would there be a Ye Family between himself and Yaoyao?</i>

    Ye Zhenughed, tears streaming down from her eyes. ¡°Why do you think Ye Zhen and I look so simr? Why do you think I hate you so much? How could there ever be a reasonless hatred, how could there ever be so many coincidences...?¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Mo Rongzhan was startled.<i> Impossible!</i> He had sent people out to investigate before. Lu Yaoyao was clearly raised on the frontier from the time of her birth and didn¡¯t have the slightest connection with the Ye Family. <i>What rtionship did she then have with Ye Zhen?</i>

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you almighty and powerful? Then you investigate and find out for yourself. Didn¡¯t you harbor a blood feud against the Ye Family? Then you might as well take the chance and kill me as well. Oh, why don¡¯t you give me the same treatment as Ye Zhen... hand me a cup of poisoned wine?¡± Ye Zhen smiled, asking.

    <i>When had he ever given Ye Zhen poisoned wine?</i> Mo Rongzhan wondered. But today, that was not the question he was concerned about. He only wanted to know what her rtionship with the Ye Family was.

 Chapter 374 - I Am Her Sister (2)

    <h4>Chapter 374 - I Am Her Sister (2) </h4>

    <strong>Chapter 374 ¨C I Am Her Sister (2)</strong>

    ¡°Yaoyao, you are not Lu Shiming¡¯s daughter... Whose daughter are you?¡± Mo Rongzhanposed himself, quietly asking her.

    Ye Zhen closed her eyes and remained silent.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, I will make Lu Shiming tell me.¡± Mo Rongzhan turned to leave, seeming to be preparing to go after Lu Shiming.

    ¡°No one knows about my birth.¡± Ye Zhen opened her mouth. ¡°No matter Lu Shiming or Lu Lingzhi... neither of them knows.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan stopped in his tracks, looking back at her. ¡°You were raised by Lu Shiming.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I lived on the frontier from the time I was young. But that doesn¡¯t mean that I don¡¯t know about the details of my birth.¡± Ye Zhen coldly looked at him. ¡°Your Majesty, I am the daughter of the person you hate, the twin of the Ye Zhen you despise. Do you still want me? Do you still want to give up your harem for me?¡±

    <i>She was Ye Zhen¡¯s sister!</i>

    Mo Rongzhan looked at her with shock, ¡°Yaoyao...¡±

    ¡°I am just a weak girl who cannot do anything. I am already guilty that I cannot avenge my family. How could I then ever be in a rtionship with you? Your Majesty, are you not afraid of the fact that I would kill you in the middle of the night?¡± Ye Zhen coldly asked.

    ¡°Will you kill me?¡± Mo Rongzhan looked down at her, persistent and sincere.

    Ye Zhen looked at his cold, sculpted face. She had never thought about killing him because she was aware of the fact that she did not have the ability to do so.

    ¡°Yaoyao, I won¡¯t force you to do anything,¡± Mo Rongzhan said softly in her silence.

    Ye Zhen turned away. She had revealed her origins today because she had no choice. You could even say that she was cing a wager because if she said nothing, Mo Rongzhan would never let her loose again.

    As of today, she could only hope that Mo Rongzhan wouldn¡¯t kill her because of her identity.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to kill me?¡± Ye Zhen looked at him with suspicion.

    ¡°Why would I kill you?¡± Mo Rongzhan softlyughed. ¡°Yaoyao, the people I kill are those who deserve to die.¡±

    Ye Zhenughed coldly inside. <i>Those that deserved to die? What had she done wrong then, that he would think she deserved to die?</i>

    But, she didn¡¯t ask, smiling slightly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll thank Your Majesty¡¯s merciful grace.¡±

    ¡°There is no one in the Lu Family who knows of the details of your birth. How did you be Lu Shiming¡¯s daughter in the first ce?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked.

    ?

    Ye Zhen sat in the corner, hugging the nket, her still alert eyes still staring at Mo Rongzhan. If she hadn¡¯t found it inevitable, she wouldn¡¯t have been willing to tell him about the details of her birth.

    ¡°Ye Zhen and I are twins. Just after we were born, a Taoist priest proimed that we sisters were born to counter each other. Unless one were to die, both of us were to die an untimely death,¡± Ye Zhen said deceptively.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s gazended heavily on her. ¡°Then how did you find out about your identity?¡±

    ¡°My father left people to take care of me secretly, and never told me about my birth. It waster when the Ye Family ran into trouble that I finally found out,¡± Ye Zhen said quietly, ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone else to know about my identity.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao¡ª¡± Mo Rongzhan looked at her with aplicated look. ¡°There is too much evidence for the Ye Family¡¯s guilt. I was unable to spare them the slightest bit of mercy at the time, do you understand?¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s gaze was cold and clear. She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. There are so many people in the Ye Family. Were all of them guilty? My father was just a simple schr. What wrong did he do?¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao¡ª¡± He wanted to exin but stopped himself. There were some things that were best if they stayed secret forever. Moreover, although he hadn¡¯t killed Ye Yiqing and his son, he didn¡¯t know where they were now. Even if he were to reveal it now, she still wouldn¡¯t believe him.

    ¡°That¡¯s all I want to say. What else do you want to ask?¡± Ye Zhen interrupted him, in fear that he would say something again about keeping her next to him. She really just wanted to stuff his face with something to make him shut up.

    He reached out, wanting to touch her face. She hurriedly avoided him, the vignce in her eyes multiplying a hundred times over. Heughed bitterly. ¡°Is the reason you hate me so much the Ye Family?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± She immediately nodded. ¡°I¡¯d think that you wouldn¡¯t want the person sleeping next to you to be your enemy¡¯s daughter.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll understand me eventually,¡± he said quietly. He wouldn¡¯t give up on her so easily. It was just that he didn¡¯t want to force her into a rtionship with him while she still despised him.

    Ye Zhen raised an eyebrow and looked at him. ¡°Did you sneak into my room at midnight before?¡±

    The curves of Mo Rongzhan¡¯s lips rose into a light smile. ¡°If I wanted to have you, why would I wait until now? Yaoyao, I want to have your consent.¡±

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 Chapter 375 - Iâ€™ll Give You Time

    <strong>Chapter 375 ¨C I¡¯ll Give You Time</strong>

    ¡°That won¡¯t be possible in this life,¡± Ye Zhen said coldly. <i>How did he get in without the maids outside noticing? If he really wanted to do something, wouldn¡¯t that really go unnoticed?</i>

    ¡°I have patience.¡± Mo Rongzhanughed softly, reaching out to grab her arm and pulling her into an embrace. When Ye Zhen struggled, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t move, or else I won¡¯t be so polite.¡±

    Ye Zhen stiffened, sitting on hisp, ring at him with unveiled hatred.

    Mo Rongzhan lightly sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t care whose daughter you are. Today, when you were riding the horse, I was really scared... Scared of losing you. In all my years of living, I¡¯ve never felt like this before.¡±

    <i>What difference did that make?</i> Ye Zhen inwardly scoffed.

    ¡°Yaoyao, I¡¯ll give you time. Go and understand the Ye Family. You¡¯ll realize that I did no wrong.¡± Mo Rongzhan tightly embraced her.

    ¡°Even if my father were a viinous thief, even if he had sinned thousands, tens of thousands times, he is still my father. Anyone that kills him, even if they are a benevolent savior of the world, will still be an enemy to me,¡± Ye Zhen said expressionlessly.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s handsome face broke into a bitter smile. He lowered his head to kiss her, biting her lips as he hoarsely said, ¡°So, if Ye Yiqing isn¡¯t dead, you¡¯ll be able to forgive me?¡±

    ¡°Let go of me!¡± Ye Zhen quietly shouted.

    ¡°Let me hold you for a little while more.¡± Mo Rongzhan lightly kissed her lips, reluctant to let go of her.

    Ye Zhen red daggers at him. ¡°Treating your imperial sister like this... Are you not afraid of other people finding out and calling you an incestuous monster?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan hummed out a chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯re my blood-rted sister. Who would dare say that I am an incestuous monster?¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡± Ye Zhen was silenced by her fury. <i>This person wasn¡¯t just sly, he was also shameless!</i>

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave after I hold you for a little while more. In the future, I won¡¯te looking for you again,¡± Mo Rongzhan said. Having discovered the knot in her heart, he first needed to find a way to untie it.

    At those words, Ye Zhen stopped struggling. ¡°Was the person who went to Chang Ping Casino and ced a bet for one hundred thousand taels of gold you?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan was slightly taken aback. ¡°Who told you about this?¡±

    <i>So it was him!</i> Ye Zhen coldly snorted. ¡°Were you so sure that A¡¯Yi would win? If we hadn¡¯t won today, what would you have done?¡±

    ¡°For me to ce a bet, naturally, there would be no chance of loss. But you, upon entering thepetition without my permission and almost getting hurt, do you think you should be punished or not?¡± he said sternly.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I was hurt, and I won!¡± She retorted

    Mo Rongzhan squished her chin. ¡°Don¡¯t do something like this again.¡±

    ¡°Hurry and leave!¡± Feeling increasingly flustered at his doting tone, she pointed outwards wanting to chase him out.

    ¡°All right, all right, I¡¯m leaving.¡± Mo Rongzhan could only let go of her.

    Ye Zhen struggled free of his embrace, immediately standing in the area furthest from him, eyeing him coldly.

    He felt helpless. He had decided to stop suppressing his desires tonight, but who would have known that she would have such an identity. But, now he had gleaned the reason behind the lingering animosity she harboured towards him.

    It seemed that he needed to Ye Yiqing before Yaoyao could ept him.

    After Mo Rongzhan left, Ye Zhen immediately went left to have a check on what was happening outside. Today, Dai Mei was the one on the night watch. She was still sleeping and hadn¡¯t heard anything. There was a slight sweetness in the air.

    When she caught the whiff, Ye Zhen knew that Daimei had most definitely ingested this Soul-Entrancing Essence.

    <i>That douche Mo Rongzhan!</i> He must have knocked her out the two times before as well, otherwise, how could she have not noticed a single thing? She still didn¡¯t know what he might have done to her!

    The more she thought, the angrier she was... wanting to mince him up.

    She returned to her room, examining each and every opening carefully... the windows and the doors. <i>How did that Mo Rongzhane and go without a trace? What were the Lu Family guards doing?</i>

    Unfortunately, no matter how much she grumbled, she couldn¡¯t let anyone know that Mo Rongzhan hade into her boudoir before. Otherwise, when that time came, even if she didn¡¯t want to, she would be forced to enter the harem as one of his consorts.

    The second day, after bidding Old Madame Lu well, Ye Zhen returned to the academy. She felt that the Lu Mansion wasn¡¯t safe at all and that she would fare better in the school dormitories. Mo Rongzhan would definitely be unable to get in!

    Not long after she left, Tang Zhen went to the Lu Family to see Lu Lingzhi.

    ¡°Lingzhi, I wish for Yaoyao¡¯s hand in marriage.¡± Tang Zhen looked at his friend, sitting across from him, andid his intentions bare.

    The smile on Lu Lingzhi¡¯s face gradually dimmed. ¡°A¡¯Zhen, now Yaoyao¡¯s marriage can only be directed by the empress dowager and the emperor.¡±

    ¡°Can Third Master Lu not make the decision?¡± Tang Zhen anxiously asked.

    As of today, he was already certain that the emperor would never wed Yaoyao to anyone. He couldn¡¯t say this out loud, as once others knew, it would definitely bode ill to Yaoyao.

    ¡°Well, I still have to ask my Third Uncle,¡± Lu Lingzhi said, though he had an inexplicable reluctance in his heart. He didn¡¯t want to marry Yaoyao off this quickly!

 Chapter 376 - I Seek Your Hand In Marriage (1)

    <strong>Chapter 376 ¨C I Seek Your Hand in Marriage (1)</strong>

    Tang Zhen was here today just to test the waters. He knew that it would be impossible to seed if he begged the emperor, so he could only try through the Lu Family angle. If Third Master Lu was willing to marry his daughter to him, then it would be easy to deal with the emperor. After all, he was Yaoyao¡¯s imperial brother now, no matter how unwilling he was, it would be unreasonable to refuse.

    Lu Lingzhi hadn¡¯t expected Tang Zhen to bring up Lu Yaoyao. He had never thought of giving away Yaoyao¡¯s hand in marriage. There was a voice in his heart screaming, he was unwilling to marry her off to anyone. He was willing to keep her forever in the Lu Family.

    ¡°Lingzhi, help a brother out. Help me test Master Lu¡¯s intentions,¡± Tang Zhen said. In the whole world, the only person that could help him in the matter was Lu Lingzhi.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t the first person to ask this. Old Madam and Third Uncle have both stated that they¡¯re going to wait until Yaoyao graduates to begin discussions,¡± Lu Lingzhi said.

    Tang Zhen smiled and said, ¡°Then isn¡¯t now the perfect time? Yaoyao has already sessfully tested to be an imperial physician. Those that are able to test to such a point are already considered graduates. Lingzhi, my lifetime happiness is in your hands.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi frowned. ¡°Are you sure that Yaoyao wants to marry you? Don¡¯t make this one-sided.¡±

    ¡°¡ª¡ª¡±

    This was one-sided! Tang Zhen wasn¡¯t sure whether Yaoyao would be willing to marry him. Right now, what he was most afraid of was that Yaoyao might have feelings for the emperor.

    ¡°It looks like my guess is correct. Yaoyao is a little girl that is quite unique. She is very independent. If she is unwilling to marry you, even Third Uncle will be unable to do anything,¡± Lu Lingzhi said, smiling.

    Tang Zhen sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll go ask her first. If she is unwilling, I won¡¯t force her into anything.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi smiled, suddenly that stone in his heart had melted away and he was carefree again. He didn¡¯t think that Yaoyao would agree.

    Ye Zhen, who was already at school, didn¡¯t know that Tang Zhen had gone to the Lu Family. She was immersed in her preparations to enter the pce as an imperial physician. Although she had passed the test, she still needed to be examined to confirm that she had no illnesses, was of blemish-free family repute, and had an eptable appearance before she could enter the pce.

    This year, the pce had sent many women physicians around the country to prison camps as doctors. Although those women physicians couldn¡¯t be physicians at the pce, with this type of experience, they could open their own hospitals in the future. If it were in the earlier times of Qi Yanling, these female physicians would definitely earn titles and positions, but today... it was possible that this would never be possible.

    Seeing as Ye Zhen wanted to be an imperial physician, naturally, she wouldn¡¯t be living in the Cining Pce when she entered the pce. Her only wish now was that she would be able to avoid Mo Rongzhan after entering the court, preferably that she would never see him again.

    ¡°Yaoyao.¡± Chen Jinru and Sun Wen walked over together, their expressions solemn.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ye Zhen closed her book, looking at them with confusion.

    Sun Wen said frustratedly, ¡°Imperial Physician Huang epted Gao Xueping as her student, and directly took her into the pce as an imperial physician.¡±

    Ye Zhen slightly frowned. ¡°Gao Xueping is now Imperial Physician Huang¡¯s student?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Everyone was talking about it today. Gao Xueping didn¡¯t evene to school today. They say that she¡¯s already been taken by Imperial Physician Huang into the pce,¡± Chen Jinru said.

    They had grievances with Gao Xueping. In the future, when they would go to the pce, she would certainly stir up problems for them at every turn. They were just ordinary pce girls, while Gao Xueping had Imperial Physician Huang as a teacher. They would definitely be unable to defeat her.

    ¡°It is her own skill, to be Imperial Physician Huang¡¯s student. However, we have be eligible due to our own strengths and skill in the examination. We don¡¯t need to be afraid of her,¡± Ye Zhen said. She had never feared Imperial Physician Huang, and naturally wouldn¡¯t blink an eye at Gao Xueping.

    Sun Wen gasped as she had an epiphany. ¡°We forgot. Yaoyao is a princess! How would it make sense to be afraid of a physician?!¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°I am entering the pce as an imperial physician. Naturally, I am an imperial physician.¡±

    ¡°Though that is true, there is still a difference.¡± Sun Wen insisted.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too worried. After entering the pce, we¡¯ll mind our own business. No one wille and stir up trouble for us.¡± Ye Zhen reassured smilingly.

    ?

    It was only three dayster that Tang Zhen came looking for Ye Zhen. The girl was in the medicinal field when he came. Seeing him, she thought there were matters again from the pce.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver your bow and arrow.¡± On Tang Zhen¡¯s face was a handsome smile, as he handed her a brocade covered box.

    The box wasn¡¯t really big, about half a chi long. Ye Zhen was a little surprised. No sooner had she opened and peeped in than her face broke out into astonishment and pleasure. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, this is... a crossbow?¡±

    The sight of the beaming girl, warmed Tang Zhen¡¯s heart. ¡°I made some alterations, then had it made. Didn¡¯t you say you wanted something light and easy? There¡¯s a mechanism here that can fire three arrows in a row. These arrows must be custom-made. I made some for you. When you¡¯re done with them, you can ask me for more.¡±

    <i>This is so convenient! </i>The bow wasn¡¯t even half a chi long, and she could hold and fire wit a one hand. If she ran into danger like she hadst time, this crossbow woulde handy.

    ¡°Brother Tang, thank you,¡± Ye Zhen said sincerely, ¡°I really like it!¡±

 Chapter 377 - I Seek Your Hand In Marriage (2)

    <strong>Chapter 377 ¨C I Seek Your Hand in Marriage (2)</strong>

    The young marquis¡¯s handsome face turned crimson. ¡°As long as you like it. That¡¯s right, when are you and Little Prince going hunting?¡±

    ¡°A¡¯Yi¡¯s shoulder is hurt. We need to wait at least half a month,¡± she said.

    ¡°Yaoyao, I¡¯ll go with you guys, then. Though there are no dangerous beasts in the hunting grounds, you¡¯ll at least need someone to protect you guys,¡± he said. He really wanted to ask her immediately whether she was willing to marry him but knew not how to start.

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°Then you can go and ask A¡¯Yi. I¡¯m only going to apany him.¡±

    Tang Zhen immediately felt that there were no more problems. As long as he went to see the little prince, he would definitely agree.

    ¡°Yaoyao¡ª¡± Tang Zhen awkwardly coughed.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ye Zhen saw that he seemed to be stuttering and hesitating, and put the crossbow back into the brocade box, confusedly looking at him.

    Tang Zhen took a look at her, and the image of when he had first seen her appeared in his head. She was riding a horse, freely flying, her clean and stunning face unparalled in the world. He had fallen in love at first sight and had been unable to forget her.

    ¡°Yaoyao, I have something to ask you.¡±

    ¡°Ask,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile.

    ¡°I want to propose our marriage to your father!¡± Tang Zhen hurriedly said, his handsome face dyed beet red. ¡°I seek your hand in marriage, Yaoyao!¡±

    Ye Zhen was taken aback. She had dimly detected Tang Zhen¡¯s feelings for her, but hadn¡¯t guessed that he would directly say something like this...

    Tang Zhen looked at the girl with a red face, waiting for her answer. Eventually, the two were cast into silence.

    ¡°Tang Zhen, you want my hand in marriage... Then are you willing to give up the glory and prosperity of the capital for me? Are you willing to give up your titles and future career, and leave with me from here, to live a simple and steady life? If you want my hand in marriage, you need to give up a lot of things. Are you willing?¡± Ye Zhen spoke unabashedly, not even feeling anything. She just calmly asked him these questions unlike the girls her age who would shy away just at the mention of marriage.

    ¡°I...,¡± Tang Zhen wanted to blurt out that he was willing.

    Ye Zhen cut him off. ¡°Don¡¯t answer me so hurriedly. Go back and think about it. Tell me your answer in a month.¡±

    Tang Zhen didn¡¯t speak again, but he was happy. At least she hadn¡¯t rejected him at once.

    ?

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t think that she would ever meet another man that she could love unconditionally. So, to her, if she were to marry in the future, it would be enough if he were on the same boat as her and be willing to take her away from the capital after she had had her revenge. She didn¡¯t have any other wishes.

    If Tang Zhen were willing to give up his glory and riches for her and go with her to Jinkou City, the frontier, or anywhere else where she could avoid Mo Rongzhan, and live a steady, calm life, she would be willing to marry him.

    She gave Tang Zhen a month to think it over. She didn¡¯t want him to answer her recklessly now only to me her in the future.

    Not long after, it was the day for them to enter the pce. Their backgrounds had already been checked. Today, they were to enter the pce and have a physical examination. The pce needed to ensure that they did not have any hidden illnesses before they would be permitted to live there.

    The medical supervisors in charge of examining them were two courtdies. They were also once imperial physicians and were promoted to medical supervisors. Apart from Ye Zhen and Chen Jinru, there were three other girls, about two years older than them. On the way to the pce, the five of them had already grown acquainted with one another. However, they were still a bit wary due to Ye Zhen¡¯s title.

    When it was time for Ye Zhen to be examined, the supervisors knew that she was the princess, as they had gotten news that there was a princess among this year¡¯s imperial physicians, and seeing that the other girls had not had the surname ¡°Lu¡±, the princess could only be the one standing before them.

    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary for us to examine Your Imperial Highness,¡± one of the supervisors said quietly.

    Ye Zhen flicked an eyebrow and took a look at her. ¡°Why is that so?¡±

    ¡°If there are hidden illnesses on Your Imperial Highness¡¯s body, then wouldn¡¯t that be the fault of the entire Imperial Physicans¡¯ Courtyard? Your Imperial Highness is a case different from the others,¡± The medical supervisor said with a smile.

    ¡°Although that is true, however, just examine me like you did the others, to prevent any gossip.¡± Ye Zhen insisted. She knew there were people waiting in the Imperial Physicans¡¯ Courtyard to work against her. She didn¡¯t want to make any mistakes that people couldtch onto.

    The two medical supervisors exchanged a nce. Seeing as the princess had already spoken, naturally, it wouldn¡¯t be good for them to argue, and they did as they were bid.

    As they were about to start, Imperial Physician Huang came over to inspect. Her eyes looked sharply at Ye Zhen, then at the two medical supervisors. ¡°Are you done with the examinations?¡±

    The two medical supervisors bowed. ¡°Imperial Physician Huang, we are preparing to inspect the princess.¡±

 Chapter 378 - Medical Examination

    <strong>Chapter 378 ¨C Medical Examination</strong>

    Imperial Physician Huang coldly snorted before saying, ¡°There is no Princess amongst the imperial physicians of the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard. If she wants to be a princess, she can go to the Imperial Pce. Inside the Imperial Physicans¡¯ Courtyard, there are only physicians and imperial physicians.¡±

    Ye Zhen knew that she had offended Imperial Physician Huang when she had had Huang Fuxiang expelled from school before. As she was an imperial physician now, the other would definitely not let her go so easily.

    She slightly bowed. ¡°Imperial Physician Huang is right, there is no Princess here.¡±

    Imperial Physician Huang hadn¡¯t thought that Ye Zhen would be able to put down her pride before her, and leave her with no faults to pick at. She coldly snorted, then turned and left.

    After the medical supervisors examined her body, Ye Zhen and the rest of the girls were taken to the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard. In theing days, they would still need to study with the physicians and doctors. If there were titled women outside the pce who were sick and wouldn¡¯t be able to be examined by male imperial physicians, the female physicians would go to diagnose the disease, and the imperial doctors would prescribe the medicine.

    The chief of the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard was a middle-aged man sporting a beard, seemingly benevolent and kind and surnamed Gong. There was also a Head Physician, Qi Jin, and two imperial physicians. Apart from Imperial Physician Huang, there was also a male imperial physician. In the pce, only physicians ranked imperial physician or higher could treat the empress dowager and the emperor. The rest of the ten some imperial physicians were there to treat and diagnose the members of the inner pce, or any titled individuals that would require them leave the pce for an examination.

    Apart from the newly arrived quintet (including Ye Zhen), there were also ten female physicians, picked from the past two years. This year, two would be selected to supervise the medical programs in various prisons.

    As soon as Ye Zhen returned to the dormitories for the female physicians, Mo Rongyi came looking for her.

    ¡°Yaoyao, when are we going hunting?¡± Mo Rongyi¡¯s shoulder had already healed well. After studying for a couple days in the study, he was about to cry from boredom.

    ¡°How did you know I was here?¡± Ye Zhen looked at Mo Rongyi with a face full of smiles. None of the female physicians lived in a room alone. She was rooming with Chen Jinru. The dormitories for the female physicians were located not far from the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard.

    Mo Rongyi looked around her room with disgust. ¡°Why are you living in a ce like this? Such a grand Cining Pce, and you do not reside there. Why must youe and cram yourself into a ce like this?¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°A female physician should act and carry herself like a female physician.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, I think that you¡¯re just asking for trouble!¡± Mo Rongyi said haughtily, perhaps even unhappily.

    ¡°Aye, aye, all right, I¡¯m asking for trouble, but I like it. Has Imperial Mother agreed to let you go hunting?¡± Ye Zhen smiled and asked him. It was already March, and the best time for hunting. Moreover, if it were just in the Imperial Hunting Fields, two days would be enough.

    Mo Rongyi said, ¡°Of course she¡¯ll agree. Imperial Mother already agreed to this before. When are you going to go with me?¡±

    Ye Zhen poked his shoulder. ¡°Does it not hurt anymore?¡±

    ¡°Just a little, but it¡¯s fine now,¡± Mo Rongyi said.

    ¡°Then wait until it doesn¡¯t hurt to go back.¡± Ye Zhen furrowed her brow as she examined his shoulder. There were still some bruises. She coldly snorted. ¡°This blow from the eighth prince was not a light one. He had iting, his gambling house being taken away.¡±

    Mo Rongyi looked at Ye Zhen with shock. ¡°You know about the eighth prince having a gambling house?¡±

    ¡°I only found out a couple of days ago. What¡¯s going to happen to Prince Shun now?¡± Ye Zhen asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Changping Casino has already closed its doors. Prince Shun has shut himself up in his estate and refuses toe out. Oh, andst time, when Mo Huaide yed dirty with your horse... Imperial Brother wanted to execute him, but Marquis Xingyang entered the pce to beg on his son¡¯s behalf. In the end, he was beaten eighty times, and stripped of his titles as Marquis Xingyang,¡± Mo Rongyi said excitedly.

    Ye Zhen pursed her lips. She had guessed that Mo Huaide was the culprit from the very start. But, Mo Rongzhan stripping the title of Marquis Xingyang was something beyond her expectation. By doing this, he was directly working against the branching imperial family.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to go see Imperial Brother, and ask him when he¡¯ll let me go hunting,¡± Mo Rongyi said enthusiastically.

    Ye Zhen out away her smile and shook her head. ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait at least two days.¡±

    ¡°I know, I know, so chattery.¡± Mo Rongyi hummed impatiently. He then asked with disgust, ¡°You¡¯re really going to live here?¡±

    ¡°Hurry and leave.¡± Ye Zhen waved her hand to bid him away. ¡°Remember to use the medicine I gave you.¡±

    Mo Rongyi hummed in acknowledgment then ran outside.

    Chen Jinru walked in, curiously asking, ¡°Yaoyao, who was the person that just came?¡±

    ¡°Little Prince.¡± Ye Zhen smiled, saying. ¡°Where did you go?¡±

    ¡°I went to the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard to have a look. We¡¯ll have to go there tomorrow to help dry and boil the medicine.¡± Chen Jinru nced back but didn¡¯t see a trace of the little prince¡¯s figure.

    Ye Zhen went to make her bed. From today on, she was a female physician. With this identity, she could be near Mo Rongyi more uprightly and would have more opportunities to deal with Lu Lingzhi and his sister.

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    <h4>Browse the Table of Contents or Be a Patron now</h4>

 Chapter 379 - To See Her (1)

    <strong>Chapter 379 ¨C To See Her (1)</strong>

    Mo Rongyi went to the imperial study to find Mo Rongzhan and told him he wanted to go hunting.

    ¡°Who will go with you?¡± Mo Rongzhan neither agreed nor objected and asked lightly. He didn¡¯t oppose his brother¡¯s n of going out if he could socialize more but was only worried that this naive child would be taken advantage of by others.

    ¡°Yaoyao,¡± Mo Rongyi said. Who else was apanying him in these matters recently but her? ¡°Yaoyao has good equestrian and archery skills. She said she would teach me archery.¡±

    Now, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes shone with interest. At the thought of the stubborn girl, he felt a burst of heat in his chest. ¡°Yaoyao will apany you?¡±

    ¡°How could she not go with me? I just asked her,¡± Mo Rongyi said.

    ¡°Yaoyao is in the pce?¡± Mo Rongzhan was surprised. She entered the pce and he didn¡¯t even know about it!

    Mo Rongyi said with a smile, ¡°Yaoyao has passed the imperial physicians¡¯ examination. Today, they entered the pce and are residing in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard. She was being convinced to stay in Cining Pce but she refused.¡±

    <i>She¡¯s in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard?</i> He thought she should often dwell in the pce. It¡¯d be easier for him to see her than before. Mo Rongzhan was happy in his heart. However, he soon remembered that she was Ye Zhen¡¯s sister. He did not mind, but he didn¡¯t know how to disentangle the knot in her heart.

    <i>She must not want to see him...</i>

    Mo Rongzhan felt gloomy and said to Mo Rongyi, ¡°Don¡¯t pester Yaoyao too much. She will apany you when she is free.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Imperial Brother.¡± Mo Rongyi inly agreed. He just can¡¯t wait to tell her the news.

    As soon as he came out of the imperial study, he saw Tang Zhen waiting outside to see the emperor.

    ¡°Marquis Jing Ning.¡± Mo Rongyi cried aloud with a smile.

    Tang Zhen cupped his hands in obeisance. ¡°Little Prince.¡±

    ¡°Imperial Brother allowed me to go hunting with Yaoyao. The bow and arrow you gave mest time came in handy.¡± Mo Rongyi shared his joy with Tang Zhen.

    ¡°When Little Prince hunts, allow me to apany His Highness and see him hunting,¡± Tang Zhen said with a smile.

    Mo Rongyi generously agreed. ¡°No problem, you wait for news from this little prince.¡±

    Tang Zhen nodded with a smile and watched Mo Rongyi leave before he went to see Mo Rongzhan.

    About thest bet, Prince Shun had weakened, losing the gambling house which also involved several princes of the imperial n. Mo Rongzhan had asked Tang Zhen to deal with this matter secretly, to return the originally borrowed hundred thousand taels of gold, and put the one million taels ushered in from Changping Casino into the Imperial Treasury. As a result, the Imperial Treasury, which was originally a little nervous because of his ession to the throne, became full.

    Having been entrusted with the responsibility to transfer the money from Changping Casino to the Imperial Treasury, it took Tang Zhen several days to finish.

    ¡°Prince Shun lost Changping Casino. He won¡¯t have the money to bribe the officials in the imperial court, and those scampering in the imperial court would stop.¡± Mo Rongzhan smiled as he listened to Tang Zhen¡¯s report, pleased and satisfied.

    ¡°Your Majesty, Prince Kang went to see the former emperor yesterday,¡± Tang Zhen whispered.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes sank ever so slightly. However, he didn¡¯t stop the members of imperial ns from going to see the deposed emperor. In other words, the former Crown Prince, who had been on the throne for less than three months a year ago; his eldest brother whose incapability was exactly the same as the previous emperor, their father.

    As such, he allowed the people from imperial ns to see him since he was sure that the ousted emperor wouldn¡¯t have the chance toe out anyway.

    Obviously, however, some people in the imperial n didn¡¯t think so.

    ¡°Let them meet.¡± Mo Rongzhan was able to shrug off saying that he wouldn¡¯t interfere now, so let those people continue to dream of regaining the throne.

    Tang Zhen looked up at Mo Rongzhan. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡±

    He actually wanted to express his desire for the princess, but he still refrained from saying it. Yaoyao had asked him to think about it carefully, whether he would give up everything he had now, and if he was willing to go back to her with his answer.

    In fact, he had his answer now, but he didn¡¯t want to be in such a hurry. Only in this way could it appear that he had given it careful thought.

    After dismissing Tang Zhen, Mo Rongzhan couldn¡¯t sit in the imperial study anymore. He wanted to see Lu Yaoyao, but if he went to the Imperial Physician¡¯s Courtyard at this time, he would surely attract others¡¯ attention.

    ¡°Your Majesty, Empress Dowager ordered Aunt Cheng to ask Her Imperial Highness to go to the Cining Pce.¡± Eunuch Fu knew what the master wanted to do as soon as he saw the emperor absentmindedly looking at the pce memorials.

    Ever since the emperor went to see the princess that day, his mood had been far from good. However, Eunuch Fu knew nothing about the emperor being driven out of Ye Zhen¡¯s room.

    ¡°Zhen hasn¡¯t paid respects to Imperial Mother these days. Let¡¯s go to Cining Pce,¡± Mo Rongzhan said.

    ¡°¡ª¡ª¡± <i>Didn¡¯t he just pay his respects yesterday?</i>

 Chapter 380 - To See Her (2)

    <strong>Chapter 380 ¨C To See Her (2)</strong>

    The empress dowager had asked Ye Zhen over to Cining Pce to persuade her not to live in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard.

    ¡°Aijia has heard that the room where a physician resides is not much better than a pce maid¡¯s. How can you get used to that? Listen to the Aijia and move to Cining Pce,¡± The empress dowager said softly. She was very happy knowing that Yaoyao was residing in the pce, just not in the Imperial Physician¡¯s Courtyard.

    Ye Zhen said with a smile, ¡°Imperial Mother, I can¡¯t be pampered this much. Since I grew up in the border town, I am already used to these situations. Besides, I insist on being a physician. How can I be treated differently from others? Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll learn to take care of you, so I can apany you every day.¡±

    Generally speaking, the empress dowager¡¯s pce was equipped with physicians, and now there is a female physician in the Cining Pce, looking after the empress dowager daily.

    The empress dowager nodded and said helplessly, ¡°What can I say...¡±

    Ye Zhen acted coquettishly towards the empress dowager, rubbing the other¡¯s arm a few times. ¡°I have also dreamed of bing like Princess Zhenyue, not only a princess but also a renowned physician for generations.¡±

    Princess Zhenyue, the granddaughter of Qi Yanling, not only possessed a noble status but also inherited her grandmother¡¯s medical skills. She opened a private infirmary, which was different from the Imperial Infirmary, which was especially for noble families. This infirmary catered specifically to the poor people.

    Speaking of the princess, one would naturally think of the Huangfu Dynasty.

    The Huangfu Dynasty reached its peak in Huangfu Xiu¡¯s hands. However, in less than twenty years of his reign, he abdicated and let his son Huangfu Sheng seed the throne after him. Huangfu Sheng learned from his father. He abdicated at a young age and passed on the throne to his sixteen-year-old son. Contrary to the pair of predecessors, his son did not learn from them. He ruled for forty years until he died and was seeded by the next crown prince. The prince had no interest in government affairs and only wanted to have fun all day long, raising a number of corrupt officials during his time.

    With the rise of the Mo Family, the Huangfu Dynasty officially ended.

    At that time, Princess Zhenyue, who was still managing the infirmary she started, left the capital together with her grandnephew, Huangfu Chen. It¡¯s said that Princess Zhenyue was still alive, but her whereabouts were unknown.

    Apart from the changes of these dynasties, Princess Zhenyue was very famous among the folk, and people loved and respected her very much. Even after she disappeared, a golden monument was built tomemorate her.

    When Empress Dowager heard that Ye Zhen wanted to learn from Princess Zhenyue, she didn¡¯t get angry. Instead, she felt that she had ambition. ¡°Aijia shall wait for Princess Fu Rong to be a famous doctor.¡±

    Ye Zhenughed bashfully.

    ?

    When Mo Rongzhan arrived at Cining pce, he happened to witness the scene of a mother¡¯s kindness and daughter¡¯s filial piety. He hadn¡¯t seen Ye Zhen for several days. His gaze touched her as bright as the autumn moon face. His heart throbbed, he almost couldn¡¯t turn his gaze on anything else.

    Ye Zhen saw hime in, bowed her head, and stood aside obediently.

    <i>It seems that it¡¯s not easy to untie this knot!</i> Mo Rongzhan smiled, bitter in his heart, and went to greet the empress dowager. ¡°Imperial Mother, I heard that your appetite is not very good these days. Are you feeling ill?¡±

    The empress dowager jokingly said, ¡°You just asked Aijia yesterday. Aijia is just sick of eating food prepared by the pce. Whenever I feel difort, Imperial Physician Huanges and checks on me. It¡¯s nothing serious.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan nodded. Of course, he knew, he had asked the same thing just yesterday. All he wanted was an excuse to see Yaoyao.

    ¡°Yaoyao said that she would make some medicated dishes for Aijia, so His Imperial Majesty need not worry.¡± The empress dowager lightlyughed.

    Without further ado, Ye Zhen said, ¡°Imperial Mother, I¡¯ll make you medicated dishes now.¡±

    The empress dowager nodded with a smile while Ye Zhen curtsied and withdrew herself from the empress dowager¡¯s chambers, happy to avoid Mo Rongzhan. On the other hand, the man thought he had no time to say things to her.

    ¡°Your Majesty, stay with Aijia for dinnerter. You have lost some weight these days,¡± the empress dowager said, affectionately.

    ¡°Yes, Imperial Mother.¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s smile rose from the corner of his mouth, and his mood suddenly improved a lot.

    When Ye Zhen came back with the medicated dishes, she saw that Mo Rongzhan was still in Cining Pce, and her pretty little face suddenly became gloomy.

    ¡°Today, the imperial kitchen has made a lot of delicious food. I had someone ask the little prince over. Just in time, we could have our family dinner,¡± The empress dowager happily said. Ever since Mo Rongzhan became the emperor, it was very difficult for him to apany her to dinner.

    Ye Zhen thought they should have their family dinner, so she¡¯d withdraw herself and go to the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard. Before she could say anything, the empress dowager had already taken her hand and asked her to sit down. ¡°Yaoyao, you sit next to Aijia.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Yaoyao. It¡¯s seldom that Imperial Mother is this happy. Sit down and join us for dinner,¡± Mo Rongzhan said in a low voice.

    What choice did Ye Zhen have but to smile and sit down beside the empress dowager? Not long after, Mo Rongyi arrived.

    ¡°Oh, these are made by Yaoyao herself!¡± Mo Rongyi couldn¡¯t wait to take a bite of the steamed tofu before his eyes. ¡°Hmmm, it¡¯s delicious!¡±

    The empress dowager gave him an angry look. ¡°What a greedy ghost*!¡±

    [* A greedy ghost is like a glutton]

    ¡°Imperial Mother, you should also try it.¡± Ye Zhen lightlyughed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try, too,¡± Mo Rongzhan said while looking at Ye Zhen. However, this young miss didn¡¯t even spare him a nce.

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    <h4>Browse the Table of Contents or Be a Patron now</h4>

 Chapter 381 - Do You Think You Can Hide From Me?

    <strong>Chapter 381 ¨C Do You Think You Can Hide From Me?</strong>

    The empress dowager was so happy tonight that she didn¡¯t notice the peculiarity between the two.

    In fact, Ye Zhen felt very ufortable. They ate happily, but she had no appetite at all now that Mo Rongzhan already knew that she was Ye Zhen¡¯s sister. Although the biggest secret had yet to be revealed, she still didn¡¯t want to face him.

    <i>Seeing him makes me think of what he said ...</i>

    <i><strong>¡°Is Zhen not good enough for you? If you don¡¯t want me to be together with other women, then I won¡¯t go.¡±</strong></i>

    If he had said this before, she would have been moved to tears, but now she can only feel very sad. <i>How could he treat Lu Yaoyao like this when he wouldn¡¯t do the same for Ye Zhen?</i>

    She wallowed in self-pity. <i>How blind she was before, that she fell in love with him!</i> She thought to herself that she wouldn¡¯t ever love him again.

    The empress dowager¡¯s appetite was excellent tonight. She ate all the medicated meals Ye Zhen made for her. The girl herself apanied her for a while before the empress dowager asked her to return to the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard.

    ¡°Aijia wille find you tomorrow,¡± the empress dowager said.

    Ye Zhen felt distressed for having the empress dowager say she woulde to her. ¡°Imperial Mother, there are many things to do in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard tomorrow. If you are free, I shalle to talk with you.¡±

    The empress dowager smiled and waved. ¡°Well then, go on, our future renowned physician for generations.¡±

    ¡°This prince will go with you.¡± Mo Rongyi immediately cried.

    Mo Rongzhan held him back by the hand and said, ¡°Apany Imperial Mother.¡±

    As soon as Ye Zhen left the Cining pce, she quickened her steps to return to the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard. At this time, the sky was dim, and it would be dark if she didn¡¯t get back immediately.

    Passing by the imperial garden, she walked faster. Unfortunately, no matter how fast she walked, her pace couldn¡¯t be as fast as the others. She had just walked into the cobblestone path in the garden, and someone behind her caught her by the arm and pulled her into the rockery nearby.

    ¡°Let me go!¡± Cried Ye Zhen, knowing too well who had caught her without actually looking who¡¯s behind her.

    ¡°Do you think you can hide from me for a lifetime?¡± Mo Rongzhan sped her in her arms, his dark eyes stared at her intently.

    Ye Zhen angrily said, ¡°You are always like this. Can I not avoid you?¡±

    ¡°If you are only willing to talk to me properly, how can I use this method?¡± Mo Rongzhan smiled in a low voice, staring down her cheeks panting with rage. ¡°Yaoyao, don¡¯t run away like a child.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not running away.¡± Ye Zhen said coldly, ¡°Your Majesty, what exactly do you want?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan said, firmly and decisively, ¡°I want you.¡±

    ¡°Even if I am... <i><strong>Her</strong></i> sister?¡± she asked in a low voice.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me who you are,¡± he said.

    Ye Zhen smiled faintly. ¡°But it is important to me. Why did my sister have to die? She had been married to you for two years, and you have no pity for her at all. You don¡¯t even know what she looks like. Mo Rongzhan, you are so cold and fickle, and you expect me to fall in love with you? No. My fate will not be the same as that of Ye Zhen, so please, let me go.

    Mo Rongzhan said with a deep voice, ¡°Ye Zhen was only thirteen years old when she married me. I was going to the front line at that time, but I saw once ... Yaoyao, I have too many old grievances with the Ye Family, which have nothing to do with you. You are surnamed Lu.¡±

    Ye Zhen felt that no matter what she said to Mo Rongzhan at this time, he would not give up. ¡°Your Majesty, we can¡¯t be happy with each other. Why do you insist?¡±

    ¡°You have Zhen in your heart.¡± Mo Rongzhan gently touched Ye Zhen¡¯s chest with his fingers. ¡°Yaoyao, don¡¯t lie to yourself.¡±

    Ye Zhen sneered and replied, obvious in her voice that she¡¯s feeling weaker and weaker. ¡°You promised to give me time.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan chuckled. ¡°Then don¡¯t avoid me. You are always like this. Aren¡¯t you afraid of the empress dowager¡¯s suspicion?¡±

    If this went on, not only the empress dowager but the others would doubt as well.

    ¡°All right.¡± Ye Zhen nodded. He was the emperor and she couldn¡¯t always avoid him.

    ¡°Do you prefer to reside in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked softly, throwing his hands around her waist.

    Ye Zhen pushed him. ¡°Your Majesty, are you not afraid of the empress dowager¡¯s suspicion? Is there a brother holding one¡¯s own sister like this? ¡±

    Even though he didn¡¯t want to, Mo Rongzhan had to let go of her. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have let the empress dowager make you a princess.¡±

    ¡°Imperial Brother, I will only be a princess in my life,¡± Ye Zhen said, smiling.

    ¡°You have no blood rtionship with me. It was only an imperial edict that made you a princess.¡±

    Ye Zhen stared at him, turned around, and went out of the rockery. ¡°Imperial Brother, you don¡¯t need to see me off. I know the way to the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard.¡±

    With that, she ran away quickly.

 Chapter 382 - Aiming At Her

    <strong>Chapter 382 ¨C Aiming At Her</strong>

    Upon returning to the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard, Ye Zhen found all the women physicians standing outside the yard with Imperial Physician Huang sitting there, looking gloomy.

    ¡°Yaoyao!¡± Chen Jinru hastened to call and waved at Ye Zhen, bringing her to stand still just like the others right now.

    ¡°Imperial Physician Huang.¡± Ye Zhen put her palms together in greeting.

    Imperial Physician Huang nced at her coldly. ¡°Where have you been?¡±

    ¡°Cining Pce.¡± Ye Zhen thought for a moment and answered.

    ¡°Your Highness, it seems that you are not ustomed to the life of a physician. It¡¯s better to leave early and be a princess. You can go to Cining Pce whenever you want, and you can live a life of great honor. Why bothering here?¡± Imperial Physician Huang sneered.

    Ye Zhen pursed her lips, her beautiful face showed a touch of helplessness. ¡°Imperial Physician Huang, Empress Dowager asked me to go. How can I not go?¡±

    Imperial Physician Huang naturally knew Aunt Cheng hade down to ask Ye Zhen over, otherwise, she would not have summoned these physicians at this time here.

    ¡°The empress dowager summoned, naturally, one must go,¡± Imperial Physician Huang said, looking faintly at the other physicians. ¡°However, there is one thing that everyone should be reminded of: There is no princess in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard. Your status can¡¯t help you here. I advise everyone to study hard and make positive results with their own effort.¡±

    <i>This sarcastic remark is clearly aimed at her!</i> Ye Zhen chuckled in her heart. These were times when the identity of women physicians couldn¡¯t bepared with that of before, but it¡¯s notparable to that of pce maids. In fact, the identity of women physicians was like the Xiunu, but thetter belonged to the harem of the emperor, while the former could freely marry.

    During the Huangfu Dynasty, countless girls from noble families wanted to enter the pce to be physicians, because as long as they got recognition from Qi Yanling, they would be given an official rank. Although there were still women physicians today, getting recognition for an official rank was not easy. That said, it did not mean there was no one. There were still many people who sent their daughters to the pce, and some hoped to get close to the emperor by means of medical treatment.

    She was a little curious as to what Imperial Physician Huang meant by a positive result. When she looked up to the front, she saw Gao Xueping looking at her with a disdainful smile as ifughing at her.

    Imperial Physician Huang continued her remarks with a serious tone, ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s division ofbor has been exined to you, Lu Yaoyao, you are thest one toe here. You will be in charge of drying the medicine tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± <i>Isn¡¯t Imperial Physician Huang waiting for her here for this?</i> With such an audience, she had no room to say no.

    ¡°Everyone, go back inside,¡± Imperial Physician Huang said. Originally, she had wanted to take some sarcastic jabs at Ye Zhen. But now, seeing that the girl had abided by her arrangement, she was afraid of carrying out her intentions to the end lest people think she¡¯s intentionally targeting her.

    But at the sight of Lu Yaoyao, she was reminded of her niece. She had nned to let her enroll in the academy and take her ce in the pce in the future. Unexpectedly, she was destroyed by this girl before her. Huang Fuxiang never had a chance to enter the pce and be a physician.

    <i>How could she bear this tone so easily?</i>

    After Imperial Physician Huang left, Chen Jinru immediately took Ye Zhen¡¯s hand. ¡°Yaoyao, how could you just say yes? How could you bask the herbs alone? There are so many of them, and it¡¯s not like you left on your own¡ª¡±

    Gao Xueping interrupted Chen Jinru¡¯s words. ¡°So, do you think Imperial Physician Huang has done something wrong?¡±

    Chen Jinru hid behind Ye Zhen not daring to offend Gao Xueping who had be an apprentice of Imperial Physician Huang.

    ¡°Whether Imperial Physician Huang is wrong or right, none of us can judge.¡± Ye Zhen nced at Gao Xueping lightly. She didn¡¯t care what this apprentice would say before her mentor. Anyway, Imperial Physician Huang had taken her as a thorn on her side.

    Gao Xueping snorted disdainfully. ¡°Your Highness knows oneself.¡±

    ¡°It seems that you didn¡¯t take your master¡¯s words seriously. A moment ago, Imperial Physician Huang said that there is no princess here. Since you want to treat me as your princess, you should kneel down and speak first,¡± Ye Zhen said lightly.

    There was a change in Gao Xueping¡¯s countenance. ¡°Lu Yaoyao, you ...¡±

    ¡°What, now you call me Lu Yaoyao again. Didn¡¯t you just call me Your Highness?¡± Ye Zhen looked at her and asked lightly.

    ¡°I shall see for how long you can hold on.¡± Gao Xueping coldly snorted, turned, and walked back inside.

    Other pce maids looked at Ye Zhen and left silently with their heads down.

    ¡°Yaoyao, let¡¯s finish our work early tomorrow so we can help you dry the medicine. You don¡¯t know, Imperial Physician Huang wants all the medicines in the entire storehouse to be dried. It will take you a few days to dry them all on your own,¡± a fellow physician whispered to her.

    Ye Zhen remembered her name, Xia Yaohua. She was a very bright girl. ¡°Sister Xia, it¡¯s okay. If you help me, Imperial Physician Huang might create more mistakes out of that.¡±

    Chen Jinru whispered, ¡°I think she is deliberately targeting you. Let¡¯s talk to Imperial Physician Qi.¡±

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi is not in the pce these days. It¡¯s no use looking for her,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    Qi Jin has been finding ways to give Lu Lingzhi an antidote these past few days, although she thought it was impossible to purge the residual poison. The longer the seven-day pain dragged on, the worse it would be.

    Chen Jinru was somewhat worried about Ye Zhen, Imperial Physician Huang made it clear that she was targeting her. ¡°What should we do?¡±

    ¡°To counter their move, well, let¡¯s all go back and rest for now,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile. Upon entering the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard, she was ready to face the difficulties Imperial Physician Huang may throw at her.

    The next day, the other female physicians were arranged to do other things by Imperial Physician Huang. Ye Zhen went to the medicine storehouse alone. Looking at the herbs in the storehouse, she frowned and asked the storehouse keeper who was in charge, ¡°How can the medicine in this medicine storehouse be in such a mess? Doesn¡¯t anyone clean them up at ordinary times?¡±

    ¡°It is cleaned up once every six months. This is a big medicine storehouse. Generally, precious medicinal materials are put into the Imperial Household Department. The medicinal materials here are changed every year, so the medicines here are not tidied up frequently,¡± said the eunuch.

    <i>Have to change a batch every year? Just how much money will be wasted? No! What is wasted is Mo Rongzhan¡¯s silver. What does it have to do with me? Let his treasury be empty.</i>

    ¡°So this young miss is here to clean up the storehouse today? Why are you alone?¡± the eunuch, the keeper of the storehouse, asked suspiciously.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to dry the medicine.¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the same. When you¡¯re done drying the medicine, you have to ssify and put them in order. You can tidy them up slowly.¡±

    <i>One who doesn¡¯t behave ordingly has always been assigned to such a hard toil.</i>

    Ye Zhen nodded and walked into the medicine storehouse. A strong smell of medicine prated into her nose. In addition to the smell of medicine, there was a light moldy stench as well. It seemed that some medicines had been overstocked for a long time and could no longer be used.

    ¡°There¡¯s a small square outside. I¡¯ll take them out for you. You¡¯re a little girl. How can you carry them alone?¡± said the eunuch.

    Ye Zhen smiled in gratitude. ¡°Then, I shall trouble you.¡±

 Chapter 383 - I Wish To Marry Her (1)

    <strong>Chapter 383 ¨C I Wish to Marry Her (1)</strong>

    At early dawn, Mo Rongzhan sent someone to invite Huangfu Chen into the pce. So, after the morning court, he immediately went back to the imperial study and waited for his guest to arrive.

    When he arrived, Huangfu Chen looked at his friend who was a few years younger than him, and said helplessly, ¡°Ah Zhan, you have just be the emperor, you can¡¯t be too willful. I still have to take sses in the academy, so what on earth prompted you to call me to the pce today?¡±

    ¡°I have something to ask you,¡± Mo Rongzhan said with a clear and meaningful tone. And somehow, his face did not look embarrassed in the slightest as he invited Huangfu Chen to sit beside the small side table, prepared exclusively for guests.

    ¡°What do you wish to ask me?¡± Huangfu Chen raised his eyebrow as he continued. ¡°Do you not believe in divination?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s deep eyes were fixed heavily on the other and said, ¡°You also know Ye Yiqing. Then, you must have known how many daughters he has.¡±

    Slightly stunned by the sudden topic, Huangfu Chen questioned, ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°I heard that when Ye Yiqing¡¯s daughters were born, he had someone calcte their fortunes. However, he found out that his daughters were born to mutually reinforce and neutralize each other. Are you the one who made that divination?¡±

    For the past few days, Mo Rongzhan had incessantly been wondering about this. How could someone like Ye Yiqing believe in such baseless talk? He thought long and hard, and came to the conclusion that only Huangfu Chen could have convinced him. In that case, Huangfu Chen must know how many daughters Ye Yiqing had.

    Huangfu Chen shook his head with a smile and began to exin. ¡°To begin with, it was Old Madam Ye who found a Taoist priest to divine Ye Zhen and her sister¡¯s fortune. However, Ye Yiqing didn¡¯t believe it. I had only met him by chance since he was the one to trante a book that my great grandfather left me. When he learned that I could do divination, he asked me to calcte his daughters¡¯ fate. At that time, Ye Zhen was very ill, and because her age had yet to reach a full moon, the imperial physician at that time did not dare to prescribe her medicine. Anyway, the result of my divination was that the two sisters could not live together, otherwise, they would fight each other. And although Ye Zhen had great luck in her life, she wouldn¡¯t live long. Therefore, Ye Yiqing left the seriously ill Ye Zhen be and sent Lu Yaoyao away. As for where he sent Lu Yaoyao to at the time, I didn¡¯t know. It¡¯s only recently that I came to know that Lu Yaoyao is Ye Zhen¡¯s sister.¡±

    ¡°You know full well that she is Ye Zhen¡¯s sister, and you still persuaded Empress Dowager to confer her as a princess?¡± Mo Rongzhan snorted with a cold and gloomyplexion.

    ¡°I was afraid that you¡¯ll kill her when you know her identity. If she has the identity of a princess, then it might just be the only thing that can protect her. This can also be considered as myst regard for Ye Yiqing,¡± Huangfu Chen said with a smile, not taking in Mo Rongzhan¡¯s anger to his eyes at all.

    Mo Rongzhan said with a cold voice, ¡°Zhen is not a tyrannical monarch. Why would zhen kill an innocent little girl?¡±

    ¡°Sounds like you have got a lot more pity to spare for Yaoyao than I had initially anticipated.¡± Huangfu Chen picked up the teacup and took a sip. He was initially worried that Mo Rongzhan would be wary when he discovered Yaoyao¡¯s identity, but now it seemed that he had worried in vain.

    ¡°Zhen wants to marry her,¡± Mo Rongzhan said earnestly, firm in his words.

    ¡°<i>Cough, cough</i>¡ª¡± Huangfu Chen coughed, nearly making a mistake of spurting out the tea in his mouth, looking up at Mo Rongzhan in shock and surprise. ¡°What did you just say?!¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s handsome face flushed as he spoke, his tone full of displeasure. ¡°Zhen wants to marry Yaoyao.¡±

    Huangfu Chen looked at him with a solemn expression. ¡°Ah Zhan, you know that this matter shouldn¡¯t be casually spoken like this. You already know Yaoyao¡¯s identity, she also knows her own identity. Between you two... Aish, although she was separated from Ye Zhen and Ye Family for so long... even if she grew up in the Lu Family and did not have a deep rtionship with Ye Yiqing... still, blood is blood. Have you ever thought that she might not want to marry you?¡±

    ¡°She will,¡± Mo Rongzhan said, his thin lips tightly pursed together. However, in his heart, he was unsure of his im. In the end, Ye Zhen and Ye Family¡¯s fall was the biggest knot in Yaoyao¡¯s heart, and he didn¡¯t know how to untie that tangled mess.

 Chapter 384 - I Wish To Marry Her (2)

    <strong>Chapter 384 ¨C I Wish to Marry Her (2)</strong>

    ¡°Don¡¯t force her,¡± Huangfu Chen said, frowning. ¡°How did you find out about her story? Does anyone in the Lu Family know?¡±

    For a while, Mo Rongzhan fell silent before he whispered, ¡°She told me.¡±

    Huangfu Chen immediately looked at him, sympathy lining his face. ¡°It seems that Yaoyao really doesn¡¯t want to marry you.¡±

    ¡°¡ª¡ª¡± Mo Rongzhan nearly flew into a rage out of humiliation, but he held it in and retorted, ¡°Who says she doesn¡¯t want to?! It¡¯s just that her heart is still tangled over this.¡±

    ¡°Did you tell her that Ye Yiqing isn¡¯t dead?¡± Huangfu Chen asked.

    Mo Rongzhan was somewhat helpless. ¡°Zhen also doesn¡¯t know where Ye Yiqing is, if I just told her without having evidence, will she believe it? If it turns out Ye Yiqing is no longer in this world, then won¡¯t it add to her resentment against zhen?¡±

    Huangfu Chenughed out loud, somewhat taking a bit of joy in the disaster the other was in. ¡°You can¡¯t force Yaoyao to do what she doesn¡¯t want.¡±

    ¡°How well do you know her to say that?¡± Mo Rongzhan snorted coldly.

    ¡°She is my student now,¡± Huangfu Chen said, smiling faintly. And as he looked at Mo Rongzhan¡¯s thoroughly darkplexion, his mood turned even happier than before. ¡°Yaoyao is learning divination from me.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan gnashed his teeth in anger before he asked, ¡°For what purpose is she learning divination?¡±

    ¡°How would I know that? Since she wanted to learn, I simply taught her.¡± At this moment, Huangfu Chen looked across the table at Mo Rongzhan, and asked. ¡°Since you are so ruthless to Ye Zhen, how could you be moved by Yaoyao?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not something zhen can control either!¡± In the beginning, he firmly believed that he would no longer allow the youngdies from the Lu Family into the pce; that he only felt hatred towards Lu Yaoyao. Afterwards, how had his heart moved for her? He couldn¡¯t tell, except that now he became more and more reluctant to let her go. There was even a trace of fear in him. He was afraid of losing her. Moreover, in his mind, Ye Zhen couldn¡¯tpare with his Yaoyao at all!

    Huangfu Chen shook his head and smiled. ¡°I can¡¯t help you. I¡¯ve told you everything you asked.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan whispered, ¡°Since you¡¯re her master, please try to persuade her more¡ª¡±

    ¡°What if she doesn¡¯t even recognize me as her master?¡± Huangfu Chen asked. He honestly did not want Lu Yaoyao to marry Mo Rongzhan in the future. He didn¡¯t want the little girl, who was as brilliant as magnificent spring, to get buried under the struggle for favor in the harem. She ought to have a better life than that.

    ¡°Get out!¡± Mo Rongzhan snorted angrily, chasing the other away.

    Huangfu Chen simplyughed and bowed before he left the imperial study. However, instead of leaving the pce immediately, he went in the direction of the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard. Although he was not very familiar with the area, he had still lived in this pce for at least a few years so could still recognize the way.

    Passing through the small square in front of the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard, he stopped to look at the small figure drying out the herbs there under the sun in surprise.

    ¡°Yaoyao?¡± Huangfu Chen asked in surprise. <i>Who dares to make her dry the herbs here?</i>

    At first, when Ye Zhen heard someone calling her, she thought she was having a hallucination. However, when she looked up towards the direction of the voice, she found Huangfu Chen standing there. Sheughed and asked, ¡°Teacher, what are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Why are you the only one drying medicine here?¡± Huangfu Chen asked quietly, ¡°Is there no one to help you?¡±

    ¡°Everyone else has something to do,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile as she wiped the sweat off her forehead. ¡°Teacher, let¡¯s talk to the side, it¡¯s too sunny here.¡±

    Although it was still spring, the sun was nevertheless a bit scorching during the day. Hence, the two went under the eaves to the side to talk. Looking at the way her small face stained red under the scorching sun, Huangfu Chen was slightly angry. As such, he coldly asked her the truth, ¡°It¡¯s not your job to dry the medicine under the sun. Who told you to do it?¡±

    However, Ye Zhen onlyughed without answering. In her opinion, she could not be said to be targeted, therefore she simply asked, ¡°Teacher, why are you in the pce?¡±

    ¡°The emperor had asked me to go into the pce to say something to me.¡± Huangfu Chen said faintly, ¡°And I stopped by to see you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, truly. Anyway, as an imperial physician, I have to first get used to life here. This is the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard after all,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile, tone cheerful without even a hint ofint in it.

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 Chapter 385 - Doing a Favor for Teacher (1)

    <h4>Chapter 385 ¨C Doing a Favor for Teacher (1)</h4>

    Ye Zhen felt that there was nothing for her toin about. It was she herself who had chosen to enter the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard. Therefore, she had also expected the difficulties she was going to face on her path as an imperial physician. Anyway, she could endure it for the time being. Besides, when the time arrived, when she really couldn¡¯t bear with it anymore, then she could still reconsider it.

    Huangfu Chen looked down at her and frowned. Initially, he had thought that he would hear herin and see her unwilling expression. However, he found that her peach blossom eyes and jade face only had a bright smile without the slightest bit of resentment at all, which made her look even more attractive and radiant in his eyes.

    ¡°Even if you get used to the life of an imperial physician, it shouldn¡¯t be like this.¡± Huangfu Chen stated. ¡°Does Imperial Physician Qi know you¡¯re drying medicine here?¡±

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi is detoxifying my eldest brother back at home.¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile, ¡°Anyhow, I haven¡¯t had the time to learn divination from you recently, Teacher. But I have been practicing what you have taught mest time.¡±

    Huangfu Chen smiled and said, ¡°If you want to learn, then naturally I am willing to teach. In any case, I have nothing to do at the moment, so I¡¯ll tell you about the difference between each divination symbol while you¡¯re drying the medicine.¡±

    However, as expected, Ye Zhen felt somewhat embarrassed. ¡°But Teacher, the sun is very strong here¡­ How can I let you teach me here?¡±

    ¡°You, as a little girl, are able to dry the medicines here. Am I not even as good as you?¡± Huangfu Chen asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean, Teacher.¡± Ye Zhen wore a helpless smile.

    No longer arguing with her, Huangfu Chen looked at the herbs piled outside the medicine storehouse and asked, ¡°Are these all moved out by you?¡±

    ¡°No, there is a eunuch who helped me carry it out just now, but he left.¡± The eunuch was called Xiao Baozi, and though he looked very plump, he was very warm-hearted. He had helped her a lot by bringing many of the herbs out for her. But when he was about to help her dry the medicine, he was called away by Gao Xueping.

    Huangfu Chen came over and lifted a bag of herbs and said, ¡°In the end, who is it that arranged you to do these things? How can you, a mere little girl, carry all these herbs?¡±

    Ye Zhen just smiled and said, ¡°It can be done just by moving it little by little. Not tiring at all.¡±

    ¡°Very well. In that case, let me tell you something about the eight divinatory trigrams to the 64 hexagrams from the Book of Changes. If you can learn to read the divinatory diagram from the Book of Changes, then you can learn the divination skills on your own,¡± he said. He had indeed taught her how to divine, however, it was useless to know how to do it without being able to read the divinatory diagram from the Book of Changes. Hence, now, he was taking the chance to teach her how to read it.

    She nodded her head in understanding as she spread the herbs on the ground to bask under the sun. She had a very good memory, so even if Huangfu Chen only said it once, she could still remember it clearly. ¡°I tried to use yarrow stalks divination, but there is still some deviation in the calction. Why is this so, Teacher?¡±

    Huangfu Chen smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s because you can¡¯t read the divinatory diagram.¡± Then, he began to talk about the divinatory diagram and how to look at it. ¡°At first, there were only eight trigrams, namely, the Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dou. Each of these eight trigrams is made of three parallel lines, either whole lines or broken, with the whole lines representing solid Yang lines and the broken lines, Yin lines. Among them, except for the Qian trigram that is formed by three whole lines and Kun Trigram that is formed by three broken lines, the other six trigrams are arranged in abination of broken Yin lines and solid Yang lines thatbine together¡­ For example, the divinatory diagrams include those that form three connected lines at Qian (?), sixth cut at Kun (?), facing upward basin at Zhen (?), overflowed cup at Gen (?), empty center at Li (?), full center at Kan (?), cut lines on top at Dou (?), cut lines below Xun (?). As for the 64 Trigrams in the Book of Changes, they were deduced by Ji Chang, the Marquis of Xibo. The Eight Trigrams ovepped with each other, thus giving rise to today¡¯s 64 Trigrams. The Eight Trigrams that originally only had three strokes to it ovepped with another Eight Trigrams, creating 64 Trigrams and caused the initial three parallel lines to transform into six parallel lines.¡±

    Huangfu Chen stopped exining for a while and looked at Ye Zhen who was seriously listening to him. He then asked, ¡°Can you understand my exnation so far?¡±

    Ye Zhen nodded. ¡°I can understand your exnation, Teacher. You can continue.¡±

    Like he had thought before, this little girl was indeed very talented. In fact, learning divination was actually quite a dry and dull task. In other words, it was a boring and bleak subject. And most people had to read books for a long time to understand it. However, this little girl was able to understand the subject after simply listening to it. If she was not talented, then what was she?

 Chapter 386 - Doing A Favor For Teacher (2)

    Chapter 386 ¨C Doing a Favor for Teacher (2)

    ¡°After getting aplete form of the divinatory diagram, the next step that you have to do is predict whether it is good fortune or bad fortune. At this point, we have to look at the question of change and immutability in the trigrams. After confirming the three changed parallel lines in a trigram, the direction of a matter is essentially already confirmed at that point. As for the judgement standard of the three changed paralleled lines, Yang is numbered with 9 and 7, while Yin is numbered with 8 and 6. Among them, 9 means ¡®Old¡¯ Yang and 7 ¡®Young¡¯ Yang; 6 means ¡®Old¡¯ Yin and 8 ¡®Young¡¯ Yin¡ª¡± Huangfu Chen continued to exin, putting the herbs on the ground to illustrate the trigrams to Ye Zhen and taught her how to read the trigrams to predict good or bad fortunes.

    Time passed, and as Ye Zhen listened to the lecture, she had unknowingly filled half of the small square with herbs. Thus, she wanted to go to the medicine storehouse to clean up those moldy herbs that could no longer be used.

    At that time, Huangfu Chen¡¯s lecture was also at the tail end, and he had also finished teaching her the method of predicting good and bad fortune. Thus, he ended the lesson, ¡°That¡¯s all for today.¡±

    Ye Zhen silently recalled the knowledge he imparted today and felt that her understanding of divination had deepened. ¡°Teacher, tonight, I will go back and do a divination to predict good or bad fortune.¡±

    Huangfu Chen couldn¡¯t help but smile as he said, ¡°Divination is actually a very exhausting task. So, don¡¯t tire yourself out.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡± Ye Zhen smiled and nodded her head in agreement.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you to clean up the medicine storehouse,¡± he said, unable to bear watching a little girl like her do these things.

    Looking at her teacher¡¯s resolute eyes, Ye Zhen knew that it would be useless even if she refused. So, she simply went along with the flow and let him help. Thus, the two people went to the medicine storehouse together. There, she saw many moldy herbs, some of which had even had worms feasting on them. Taking in this sight, she shook her head andmented, ¡°This medicine storehouse is really a ce that wastes a lot of herbs.¡±

    Huangfu Chen said, ¡°The air in springtime is rtively more humid than summer, furthermore, the grounds do not use ayer of moisture-proof board on top of it. Under such conditions, it is normal that the herbs be damp and moldy.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s clean these up first,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    Huangfu Chen calmly said, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be the one to do this. Go and tell the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard to ask someone to make some moisture-proof boards for the medicine storehouse. Otherwise, the herbs will need to be taken out again in a few days to dry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m now a young physician. I can¡¯t possibly go to the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard to ask for those things, can I?¡± Ye Zhen said as she frowned, looking at the worm-infested herbs with distress. Regardless of whether she was in the Ye Family or the Lu Family, she was in truth quite spoiled. Therefore, this was the first time she had ever done this kind of cleaning.

    ¡°You wait here. I¡¯ll go to Gong Tang.¡± Huangfu Chen¡¯s voice was cold.

    ¡°Teacher, do you know Chief Gong?¡± Ye Zhen asked, a little surprised.

    How could he not know that guy? He used to be the medicine boy of his paternal aunt¡¯s mother-inw. ¡°He can be considered an acquaintance of sorts. Anyway, just wait here and don¡¯t touch those herbs.¡±

    Before Ye Zhen could say anything, the other had already turned around and left.

    If we can get ChiefGong to order people to affix some moisture-proof boards on the ground, then that will be great. We can prevent the herbs from molding due to the damp environment. Ye Zhen thought that if that should truly happen, it would be very good. This way the herbs would not be wasted.

    Although the medicine field was veryrge and there was no shortage of herbs¡­ if some could be saved, it was also a good thing, especially for the people whocked herbs outside.

    After finding a cool location to sit down, Ye Zhen took out the yarrow stalks divination she brought with her and considered. She didn¡¯t know what matter she should predict, so she decided that she might as well calcte the matter of her future trip.

    The form of this divinatory diagram was the Kun that was formed by three broken parallel lines. And when she carefully recalled her teacher¡¯s teaching in her mind, this divinatory diagram represented ¡®a dragon fighting in the open field, spilling the blood of heaven and earth¡¯.

    What does this mean? Inauspicious divination?

    Ye Zhen pondered over the meaning of the divination she received from the diagram, but no matter how she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t understand it. She was obviously trying to divine the oue of her travel ns, so how did the result of her divination ¨C a dragon fighting in the open field ¨C be rted to her nned trips?

    It seems that I haven¡¯t studied well¡­ perhaps I have made a mistake when calcting?

    She put away the yarrow stalks disapprovingly and turned around to go outside to take a look. At that time, a shadow suddenly appeared behind her, scaring her so much that she almost cried out and fell.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. It¡¯s zhen,¡± the man said in a low voice as he hastily supported her shoulder, preventing her from identally falling.

 Chapter 387 - Frightened To Tears (1)

    Chapter 387 ¨C Frightened to Tears (1)

    After Huangfu Chen left the imperial study, Mo Rongzhan began to read through the memorials sent to the study. If it weren¡¯t for Eunuch Fu¡¯s report that Huangfu Chen was helping Ye Zhen with drying the herbs in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard, he would not have rushed here.

    It was just that when he arrived at the medicine storehouse, he did not see Huangfu Chen¡¯s figure there. However, he did see the little girl sitting in the corner oblivious to her surroundings. Looking at her expressive face, frowning and smiling from time to time, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s heart felt as if it was doused by warm water, he was reluctant to disturb her.

    He wanted to go to her and see what she was doing. However, he didn¡¯t expect that she would suddenly stand up and get frightened by his arrival.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± As soon as Ye Zhen saw Mo Rongzhan, her delicate face sank.

    Mo Rongzhan released her shoulder and coughed lightly before he said, ¡°I stopped by to have a look. Were you drying all these herbs outside?¡±

    What is the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard doing?! Don¡¯t they know she¡¯s a princess?! Even if she wanted to be treated like any other physician and female physician, she still shouldn¡¯t be allowed to suffer like this!

    ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s ¡®on-the-way¡¯ is rather too far, don¡¯t you think so?¡± Ye Zhen was disinclined to pay attention to him. ¡°Anyway, will you please go once you¡¯ve seen the whole thing?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t respond. He simply looked inside the medicine storehouse but didn¡¯t see Huangfu Chen there. The only thing he saw was a room filled with moldy herbs, and he frowned. ¡°The medicine storehouse is so dirty? What¡¯s wrong with those herbs? Do the imperial physicians dare to use these moldy herbs to concoct the medicine the pce uses?!¡±

    Ye Zhen said, ¡°They certainly do not dare do that. These moldy herbs are going to be disposed of, but honestly, it¡¯s somewhat a pity that good herbs became moldy like this because ofck of proper storehouse.¡±

    ¡°Howe you¡¯re doing such a task?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked with a calm and collected expression. However, underneath the calm, a storm was raging. He himself couldn¡¯t wait to hold her on top of his palm and treasure her dearly, never letting her be hurt, yet someone dared to treat her like this.

    ¡°If you had not dyed me in the imperial gardenst night, I wouldn¡¯t have had to dry the herbs today,¡± Ye Zhen stated, ring at him angrily.

    With a countenance as cold as ice, Mo Rongzhan angrily ordered Eunuch Fu, ¡°Go and get Gong Tang for zhen.¡±

    Ye Zhen immediately stomped her foot and snapped at Eunuch Fu. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± She then turned to stare at Mo Rongzhan and asked, ¡°What exactly do you want to do? What you¡¯re doing will just make people think that my identity is different from my colleagues! Can¡¯t my superiorsmand me to work?¡±

    ¡°It still depends on what kind of jobs they have you do. And you shouldn¡¯t do these kinds of jobs that even eunuchs and maids don¡¯t do,¡± Mo Rongzhan said coldly.

    ¡°Will you mind your own business?¡± She had endured the difficulties Imperial Physician Huang deliberately set on her path because she didn¡¯t want people to think that she was special on the first day she entered the imperial hospital. However, that didn¡¯t mean that she was a soft steamed stuffed bun that could be eaten as one pleased. Would she obedientlyply with what Imperial Physician Huang wanted the next time she targeted her?

    Anyway, there were others who did not like Imperial Physician Huang, so there was no need for her to deal with her on her own as there were those who would be willing to do it for her. However, that person could not be Mo Rongzhan.

    Feeling spurned, Mo Rongzhan looked at her with deep eyes that seemed to overflow with silent sorrow, it numbed Ye Zhen¡¯s scalp.

    ¡°If you go to find Chief Gong, other people will only think that I¡¯m someone who takes advantage of my position as a princess to bully people. They will think that I run andin to you about every small thing. If that happens, then how am I supposed to survive in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard in the future?¡± Ye Zhen whispered, unconsciously trying to exin her point of view to cajole him.

    ¡°You are a magnificent princess. Although you¡¯re now also an imperial physician, that doesn¡¯t change your status as a princess. You can definitely live as you want in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard. Who dares to do anything to you?¡± Mo Rongzhan coldly said.

    Unable to make him understand her point, Ye Zhen bit her lower lip in frustration. And in the end, she forcefully said, ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re not allowed to do that.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan raised his eyebrow and looked at her as if she was acting like a spoiled little girl. So, when he next spoke, he couldn¡¯t help the amusement that slipped past his guard. ¡°What if zhen absolutely insists on summoning Gong Tang to us?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s naturally your business.¡± Ye Zhen snorted coldly and turned around, walking into the medicine storehouse to dispose of those moldy herbs.

    ¡°Angry?¡± Mo Rongzhan hurriedly followed after her. At the sight of her strained delicate face, he couldn¡¯t helpughing. ¡°Zhen is not going to do it. Don¡¯t be angry.¡±

 Chapter 388 - Frightened To Tears (2)

    Chapter 388 ¨C Frightened to Tears (2)

    Ye Zhen continued to ignore him, focusing on picking up the moldy herbs.

    Looking from outside the door, Eunuch Fu was speechless before he immediately pretended to be an inanimate statue, gaze focused towards the horizon. He had never seen the emperor trying to coax a woman like that, and he couldn¡¯t help but let his thoughts wander.

    If Princess isn¡¯t the princess but is the empress of the harem¡­ I don¡¯t know how pampered she would be.

    Mo Rongzhan, oblivious to his trusted eunuch¡¯s thoughts, was currently helping Ye Zhen pick up the herbs. ¡°These herbs have worms on them. Don¡¯t touch them. Let me.¡±

    Thus, Ye Zhen stood at the side and watched him sweep those worms from the herbs, feeling somewhat surprised at how familiar he was with the job¡­ as if he was used to rough work before. So she couldn¡¯t stop herself from blurting out, ¡°Have you done this kind of work before?¡±

    She¡¯s not angry anymore and is willing to talk to me again? The corners of Mo Rongzhan¡¯s mouth curled up with joy. ¡°What kind of life do you think zhen was living back in the military camp? When zhen entered, zhen started from being a small soldier and had to do all kinds of work. At that time, zhen didn¡¯t even have any rations and fodder, so naturally, zhen had to go to the mountains to dig for wild vegetables. Back then, zhen was so hungry that zhen even ate the tree roots.¡±

    Ye Zhen was stupefied, unable to even imagine that he had experienced such a day. ¡°Weren¡¯t you a prince?¡±

    No matter how unfavored he was, he was still an imperial son. Did he really have to bear hardships in the barracks?

    ¡°In the past, our imperial father did not like me, so zhen was sent out of the pce when zhen was only seven or eight years old. Then, zhen followed General Li from the West Camp and killed the enemies on the battlefield at the age of thirteen. But when zhen came back after achieving great victory and got our imperial father to ce high hopes for me, the result was zhen became blind.¡±

    Although he was bestowed as Qin Wang, having lost all his qualifications, he could no longer go to the battlefield and kill the enemies. Throughout his life, many of the things he had were something he obtained on his own. Back in the military camp, not only did he have to practice martial arts but also his calligraphy and read books on his own. He had to work a hundred times harder than other people just to have today¡¯s stability.

    Ye Zhen nced at him and asked, ¡°Was¡­ was it Ye Yisong¡¯s doing?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s shoulders stiffened for a moment. He didn¡¯t want to mention this man at all, but¡­ he looked at her. And in the end, he opened his mouth, and said, ¡°Ye Yisong is not a good man, but your father is a good one.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Ye Zhen said faintly as she bowed her head and no longer spoke.

    ¡°Yaoyao¡ª¡± Mo Rongzhan called her softly.

    Before he could speak, he was interrupted by a scream from outside the door.

    ¡°Your Majesty! What are you doing here? You¡­ What are you doing?¡± Gong Tang, having been reprimanded by Huangfu Chen, was very embarrassed. Therefore, he hade to check the condition of the medicine storehouse alongside Huangfu Chen. However, when he came, he saw that the emperor himself was unexpectedly disposing of the moldy herbs inside. The sight frightened him so much that he almost sat down on the ground.

    Meanwhile, Huangfu Chen only smiled faintly as he looked at Mo Rongzhan who was picking up the spoiled herbs, finding the sight before him very interesting.

    Mo Rongzhan nced at Gong Tang and spoke to him coldly, ¡°Zhen is helping you clean up the medicine storehouse.¡±

    Gong Tang was almost in tears. ¡°Your Majesty, you¡­ you are making a fool of this small official. How can your noble self do this kind of rough work? I¡¯ll do it, I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    ¡°Zhen can¡¯t do it, but the princess can?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked with a bone-chilling voice, still holding the broom in his hand.

    It was only then that Gong Tang knew that the person drying the herbs today was Her Highness, the Princess, herself. Knowing this, he sullenly stated, ¡°Your Majesty, this¡­ The person who arranges for the female physician¡¯s work is not this small official. If this small official knew, how could this small official let the princess do such a thing?¡±

    ¡°Zhen thinks you have been living your life sofortably that you can¡¯t even manage the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard,¡± Mo Rongzhan said as he threw the broom to the ground, voice growing colder and harsher.

    Gong Tang sweated like a pig as he stammered, ¡°Ye-yes¡­ this official must be strict with his supervision, and will not let Her Highness the Princess be bullied by others.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan took a look at Ye Zhen, coldly saying, ¡°As the princess wants to stay in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard, naturally, she will no longer be a princess. But, how could a female physician be ordered to do a task that is strenuous even for a man?¡±

    What does he mean? Gong Tang was at a loss. What was it that the emperor wanted him to do?

    Before he arrived at the medicine storeroom, he had already been scolded by Huangfu Chen, and was already feeling a bit wronged. He was a chief of the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard. How could he evere in charge of the matters like how the medicinal herbs in the storage were kept? Moreover, how could he have known that the personing to dry the medicinal herbs today would be Her Royal Highness the Princess?

    When he came here, before he had the time to call anyone over to help, he had suddenly realized that the person cleaning up the storage was the emperor.

    He was about to cry for his mother, okay?

    He had thought that the emperor was angry at him for not respecting the princess and that he shouldn¡¯t have viewed the princess as an ordinary female physician. But the emperor¡¯s words seemed to say that that was not what he meant.

    Huangfu Chen smiled and exined from aside, ¡°What His Imperial Majesty means, is that you shouldn¡¯t leave such rough work for the female physicians in the future. Look at the medicinal herbs outside. By the time a little girl is done drying them, she¡¯ll have fainted already.¡±

    Gong Tang hurriedly agreed. ¡°Yes, your humble servant will remember.¡±

 Chapter 389 - The Person You Cannot Let Go

    Chapter 389 ¨C The Person You Cannot Let Go

    Mo Rongzhan eyed him coldly. He wanted to scold Gong Tang for not respecting the princess. However, remembering that the little girl next to him wouldn¡¯t like it if he did so, he could only change his method of approach. ¡°I think you are too idle. A chief of the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard can¡¯t even properly manage a medicine storeroom! Look for yourself! How many molding or bug-infested herbs are there? You are wasting the money in my Imperial Treasury!¡±

    Gong Tang buried his head further down. ¡°Your servant will absolutely manage the medicine storeroom aptly from now on. Such a thing will never happen again.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan coldly snorted. He wanted to continue shaking Gong Tang a little more with his imperial might but caught a glimpse of Ye Zhen ring at him unhappily from the corner of his eye. This little girl definitely disliked his meddling with the matters of the female physicians. He didn¡¯t want to garner any outside suspicion before he got her to open her heart up to him.

    ¡°See for yourself!¡± Mo Rongzhan coldly threw down thisst statement, turning to leave. As he passed by Huangfu Chen, he took a look at him. ¡°You¡¯ve stayed for pretty long in the pce today. Do you not n on leaving yet?¡±

    Huangfu Chen smiled and nodded. ¡°It seems I am a little unwilling to leave now.¡±

    The corners of Mo Rongzhan¡¯s lips slightly lifted. ¡°How about you settle in the pce?¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. I was thinking about leaving now,¡± Huangfu Chen said with a smile, slightly nodding at Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhen returned a bow. ¡°Goodbye, Teacher.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan looked at the respectful and close demeanor the little girl had towards Huangfu Chen, and felt an ufortable sourness in his heart, turning to leave the medicine storeroom.

    Huangfu Chen followed him with a smile.

    ¡°What did you talk about with Yaoyao today?¡± Mo Rongzhan tly asked him.

    ¡°Are you jealous?¡± Huangfu Chen asked happily.

    Mo Rongzhan snorted disdainfully. ¡°Do I need to be jealous?¡±

    Huangfu Chen lightlyughed aloud. If he hadn¡¯t been jealous, why make the trip down here? ¡°It looks like you can¡¯t let go of Yaoyao now.¡±

    ¡°Just like you couldn¡¯t let go of Mu Jiejie*.¡± Mo Rongzhan said tly, ¡°I remember that Mu Jiejie wasn¡¯t that willing when she married you either.¡±

    [*Jiejie = Older sister]

    The casual smile on Huangfu Chen¡¯s face gradually froze. Tenderness and sorrow silently coursed across his eyes.

    Seeing this, Mo Rongzhan was taken aback. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you still hadn¡¯t let it go. It¡¯s been so many years, you¡­.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you haven¡¯t experienced what it feels like to have something, then lose it,¡± Huangfu Chen said tly.

    ¡°Those that have died are gone.¡± Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t know how tofort him.

    Huangfu Chen lightly smiled. ¡°She is not dead.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan sighed to himself. If she hadn¡¯t died, why hadn¡¯t shee to look for Huangfu Chen? After so many years, Huangfu Chen had almost walked across the entirety of the kingdom for her. If she was still alive, why wouldn¡¯t shee and see him?

    ¡°Are you up for a drink?¡± Mo Rongzahn said softly.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Huangfu Chen smiled. He really did want a drink right now.

    ?

    After Mo Rongzhan and Huangfu Chen left, Ye Zhen wanted to continue organizing the medicinal herbs. Gong Tang hurriedly said, ¡°Your Imperial Highness, how could I allow you to do such rough work?¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°Chief Gong, you don¡¯t need to do this. I am no longer a princess when in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard.¡±

    Though this was true, he still couldn¡¯t let her do this rough work. The emperor¡¯s re had almost put him to death just then. ¡°This work isn¡¯t for a female physician either. Who was it that arranged for you to do this?¡±

    ¡°If this isn¡¯t the work of the female physicians, then whose work is it?¡± Ye Zhen asked curiously.

    Gong Tang was choked by her words, and could only say, ¡°Even if it is the work of female physicians, you shouldn¡¯t be doing it yourself. Head back first. I¡¯ll arrange for someone toe and organize the medicine storeroom.¡±

    Ye Zhen wasn¡¯t the type that liked to find hardships for herself. She didn¡¯t insist any longer on staying behind. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back now Chief Gong.¡±

    ¡°Please, Princess.¡± Gong Tang was about to bow but then hurriedly stopped himself. ¡°Return to your post then.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ye Zhen smiled and nodded, thinking to herself that this Chief Gong was pretty quick to catch onto new things.

    Right as she walked out of the medicine storeroom, she ran into Imperial Physician Huang and Gao Xueping. She looked at the medicinal herbs on the field before coldly looking towards Ye Zhen, ¡°Lu Yaoyao, is the medicine storeroom organized yet?¡±

    A sly look shed across Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes. ¡°Not long, Imperial Physician Huang.¡±

    Imperial Physician Huang looked at her sternly. ¡°Seeing as you have notpleted your task, where is it that you want to go now?¡±

    ¡°It is still early, and I haven¡¯t eaten lunch yet. I want to eat lunch now,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t yet finished the task assigned to you, yet have the audacity to go eat lunch?¡± Gao Xueping mockinglyughed from the side. ¡°Or perhaps you¡¯re running off toin to someone of your troubles.¡±

    Ye Zhen exined, ¡°It is impossible for me to finish organizing all of the medicinal herbs in the medicinal storage on my own.¡±

    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that you cannot do what others can?¡± Imperial Physician Huang demanded coldly.

    Right then Gong Tang walked out of the medicine storeroom,pletely void of the fear that had just been on his face when facing Mo Rongzhan. His face was set into a stern expression, piercingly looking at Imperial Physician Huang. ¡°Imperial Physician Huang, what female physician do you think canplete such a task on their own? Is it that apprentice of yours? Then let¡¯s have your apprentice do it.¡±

    The expression on Imperial Physician Huang¡¯s face soured. She hadn¡¯t expected Chief Gong to be here. ¡°Chief, this is Lu Yaoyao¡¯s task. She has not yetpleted it, so naturally, it should be she who finishes it.¡±

    ¡°If I remember correctly, organizing the medicine storeroom is not a task for a single female physician, but one divided amongst all of the female physicians, each drying and organizing the medicinal herbs. In this half-year, it has always been you who has been in charge of dividing the responsibilities and tasks amongst the female physicians, and look at what the medicine storeroom has be as a result? Seeing as you think the medicinal storage can be organized by a single person, then let your student do it. I heard that she wasn¡¯t chosen as a result of being disqualified from the female physician entrance examination. It is the perfect opportunity to sharpen her skills,¡± Gong Tang said tly.

    Gao Xueping¡¯s face was almost green, looking at Imperial Physician Huang with desperation.

    ¡°Chief, is it because she is a princess, so she does not have to do anything?¡± Imperial Physician Huang asked unresigned.

 Chapter 390 - Suit Yourself

    Chapter 390 ¨C Suit Yourself

    ¡°Who said that Lu Yaoyao doesn¡¯t need to do anything? She is skilled at differentiating and recognizing medicinal herbs, so she will stay in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard to pick and cook medicine. Imperial Physician Huang, do you think there is a problem with this arrangement?¡± Gong Tang asked.

    Imperial Physician Huang sneered. ¡°If the chief wants to be partial to Lu Yaoyao, then there is nothing I can say otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Since you think that I am partial, then I won¡¯t care too much about targeting you again. Let your student dry the medicine and tidy up the medicinal storage. If she can¡¯t finish today, then she doesn¡¯t need to eat or sleep today. If she is unwilling, she is free to leave the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard,¡± Gong Tang said.

    ¡°Chief Gong, how can you be so unfair?¡± Imperial Physician Huang¡¯s eyes were filled with anger. Gong Tang used to have a different attitude towards her. But now, because Lu Yaoyao was a princess, he was going to work against her like this?

    Gong Tang turned to speak to Ye Zhen. ¡°Lu Yaoyao, return first to go rest. Arrive early tomorrow morning at the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard.¡±

    Ye Zhen bowed. ¡°Yes, Chief Gong.¡±

    After Ye Zhen left, Gong Tang ordered Gao Xueping to organize the medicinal storage, ¡°Imperial Physician Huang,e with me.¡±

    Seeing that Imperial Physician Huang couldn¡¯t help her either, Gao Xueping was angered. But she didn¡¯t dare defy the orders of Chief Gong. If she was somehow actually banished from the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard, then she would never be able to enter the imperial pce again.

    This is all Lu Yaoyao¡¯s fault! She had definitely said something to Chief Gong. She must have used her status as a princess to force Chief Gong into this decision. Otherwise, how would he have disyed such a tant disregard of Imperial Physician Huang? In the future, when she had the opportunity to be near the emperor, she definitely wouldn¡¯t let Lu Yaoyao off easily!

    Gao Xueping entered the medicinal storage, and upon seeing the state around her, her expression soured even more, endlessly cursing Ye Zhen in her heart.

    Imperial Physician Huang, who was walking with Gong Tang to the side, didn¡¯t look so happy either. ¡°Chief Gong, has Lu Yaoyao used her status as a princess to pressure you? What reason do you have to be afraid of her? Seeing as she has entered the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard, then all she is is a female physician. Even if she brings this before the empress dowager or the emperor, I will not be afraid to argue over this matter with her.¡±

    ¡°You think that you are not wrong? That you haven¡¯t worked against Lu Yaoyao because of your niece?¡± Gong Tang retorted, looking at Imperial Physician Huang. Inwardly, he wondered why she had turned so shrewd and cruel after so many years when she had clearly been a talented and kind girl when she had first entered the pce.

    Imperial Physician Huang¡¯s expression soured. ¡°Chief Gong, you think that I¡¯m bullying Lu Yaoyao on purpose?¡±

    ¡°Whether or not it is on purpose, I¡¯m sure you know yourself. Don¡¯t think that my decision is based on her status as a princess. Just then, when I came over, both the emperor and Huangfu Chen were here. Even if Lu Yaoyao were viewed as a regr female physician, there is no right in making a female physician do work like that!¡± Gong Tang stated sternly.

    ¡°The emperor and Huangfu Chen¡­.¡± Only now did Imperial Physician Huang feel scared. She was bullying Lu Yaoyao, but she only did that out of the confidence that someone like Lu Yaoyao wouldn¡¯t goining to the empress dowager and the emperor. But she hadn¡¯t expected that the emperor woulde to the medicinal storage alone.

    ¡°See for yourself!¡± Leaving those words for Imperial Physician Huang, Gong Tong turned and slowly walked away.

    Imperial Physician Huang froze in ce, her face greening, and paling. It seemed like she couldn¡¯t deal with Lu Yaoyao for the time being. She could only find another opportunity. The next time, she definitely wouldn¡¯t give Lu Yaoyao the chance to make aeback.

    Not long after Ye Zhen returned to the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard, the rest of the people came back one by one. Chen Jinru and Xia Yaohua looked at her, and asked her with shock, ¡°Yaoyao, how are you back? Did you finish drying the herbs so quickly?¡±

    ¡°I ran into Chief Gong, and he let me back.¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile, ¡°There were a lot of molding medicinal herbs in the medicinal storage. I couldn¡¯t finish on my own.¡±

    ¡°When I came over, I thought that I saw Gao Xueping cleaning the medicinal storage.¡± A female physician walked past, and hearing Ye Zhen¡¯s words added this.

    Chen Jinru couldn¡¯t help but burst out inughter. ¡°Chief Gong made Gao Xueping clean out the medicinal storage?¡±

    Ye Zhen had thought that Chief Gong was only saying that to scare her. ¡°It seems that it¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°Sucker!¡± Chen Jinruughed happily. ¡°That¡¯s karma!¡±

    ¡°Does Imperial Physician Huang know?¡± Xia Yaohua was a bit more mature. She was just afraid that Imperial Physician Huang would bully Ye Zhen even more.

    Ye Zhen said, ¡°She should be aware.¡±

    ¡°We should go see what¡¯s happening with that Gao Xueping,¡± Chen Jinru said with excitement.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go. What if Imperial Physician Huang sees.¡± Xia Yaohua stopped her. ¡°With Chief Gong here, Imperial Physician Huang probably won¡¯t work against Yaoyao again.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled slightly, but she didn¡¯t know how to think. All that came to her mind was Mo Rongzhan¡¯s figure as he helped her organize the medicinal storage. That sturdy and strong figure seemed like it could hold everything for her. She clearly could¡¯ve refused him¡­

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to our dorms,¡± Ye Zhen said, trying to expel the image of Mo Rongzhan from her mind.

 Chapter 391 - Help Me Out (1)

    Chapter 391 ¨C Help Me Out (1)

    By the time Gao Xueping returned, it was already dark. All of the female physicians in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard had eaten dinner and were sitting in the courtyard talking. When they saw Gao Xueping, dusty and bedraggled, everyone went silent, and some couldn¡¯t help butugh quietly.

    ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Gao Xueping was already angry and embarrassed, and hearing the othersughing at her, almost hopped up with frustration.

    ¡°Who¡¯sughing at you? Are we not allowed tough now?¡± A slightly older physician snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t think that the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard belongs to your teacher. Those that are prideful usually do not lead to a pretty oue.¡±

    Gao Xueping¡¯s eyes were red with anger. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Exactly what I said,¡± the older physician said with a smile.

    Ye Zhen sat silently on the side. People like Gao Xueping were prideful and arrogant, but also selfish and petty. She had been humiliated to such an extent today, and would definitely harbor anger and hatred in her heart. She didn¡¯t know how she would repay her in the future.

    Gao Xueping looked at Ye Zhen with hatred, coldly speaking to the rest of the people, ¡°Don¡¯t celebrate so early. Lu Yaoyao is a princess. How would Chief Gong dare make her do the rough work? In the future, any benefits will automatically be hers. What then will the rest of you have?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have nothing, but you¡¯ll have even less than we do,¡± Chen Jinru remarked.

    ¡°Just wait to be used.¡± Gao Xueping snorted coldly, turned to enter her own room, and mmed the door.

    ¡°Well, her top just blew off,¡± Chen Jinru whispered to Ye Zhen.

    Two of the female physicians were chosen by Imperial Physician Huang, and took a look at Ye Zhen¡¯s group, before silently going to see Gao Xueping.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, if I get the chance, I won¡¯t let you off easily!¡± Gao Xueping looked at her own bedraggled self, angrily shouting.

    ¡°Sister Gao, you need not be angry. As long as Lu Yaoyao remains in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard, you will have the chance to serve her justice.¡± One female physician advised her.

    ¡°Sister Yang, she is a princess. How easy would it be to serve her justice?¡± Another stated.

    Gao Xuepingughed coldly. ¡°What kind of a princess is she? She doesn¡¯t even have a Princess¡¯s residence. It is unknown whether she will be able to retain her status as a princess in the future.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. She is probably worried about this as well. Otherwise, why would she choose to be an imperial physician?¡± Yang Qianrou said.

    ?

    With the protection of Gong Tang, Imperial Physician Huang didn¡¯te looking for trouble with Ye Zhen for a couple of days in a row. She spent her time helping out in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard. She had a lot of time, and could even go with the imperial physicians out to make diagnoses or learn with them how to preserve medical records. Of course, she could only read those ofmoners and not the nobles in the pce.

    But this was already pretty good for Ye Zhen.

    She studied in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard during the day and the divination at night in her room. Huangfu Chen had given her a book on divination and told her to study when she had the time. She had been studying these past few days, but what was strange was that every time she divinated on the time they would go out, the results would always be unfavorable.

    Had she miscalcted? It seemed like she wasn¡¯t yet familiar with the art.

    The female physicians would have two days of break every month. Ye Zhen had nned to use these two days to go home and visit Old Madam Lu, but as she was preparing to leave the pce, Lu Wushuang sent someone to bring her to the Pce of Earthly Tranquility.

    ¡°Gui Fei, is there something you need from me?¡± Ye Zhen wasn¡¯t too willing toe to this pce. Seeing that Lu Wushuang was still pretending to be sick, she was a little annoyed.

    ¡°Yaoyao, help me out.¡± Lu Wushuang held Ye Zhen¡¯s hands, stating sincerely. ¡°Two days ago, I berated Xu Xianfei in the Cining Pce. Empress Dowager has already refused to see me for two days. Yesterday, Eldest Brother wrote to me and told me how severe this was. I know that I have been arrogant and domineering for long enough in the pce, and have conjured the dislike of both the empress dowager and the emperor. I want to go see Xu Huiru, but she has made the excuse of being sick and refuses to see me. Yaoyao, can you go on behalf of me and apologize to her?¡±

    Ye Zhen almost shook her off. How could Lu Wushuang be so shameless? What did she being disliked by Xu Huiru, the empress dowager, and Mo Rongzhan have to do with her?She herself was unwilling to lower her head and apologize but wanted her to go apologize on her behalf?

    Where did she get her confidence from, the assurance that she would definitely help her do something as stupid as this?

    ¡°Even if I go, Xu Xianfei is unlikely to see me,¡± Ye Zhen said tly.

    ¡°She will definitely see you. You are a princess, and the empress dowager loves you. Yaoyao, help me out,¡± Lu Wushuang said humbly.

    Ye Zhen pulled her hand from her grasp. ¡°Seeing as you know that you have done something wrong, then you should go on your own to see Xu Xianfei to show your sincerity. Nothing will change in the eyes of the empress dowager if you make someone else take the burden for you.¡±

 Chapter 392 - Help Me Out (2)

    Chapter 392 ¨C Help Me Out (2)

    Why would she help Lu Wushuang? This woman was greedy and selfish, and pathologically envious. Furthermore, she was by nature evil. If she hadn¡¯t wanted to see her slowly destroy herself, she would have dealt with her earlier on.

    Lu Wushuang saw that Ye Zhen wouldn¡¯t agree to her request, and burst into anger, ¡°Yaoyao, you and I are sisters. Would you not even help me with such a little thing?¡±

    ¡°I cannot help you,¡± Ye Zhen said coldly, ¡°If you have nothing else, I will be leaving.¡±

    ¡°Stop there!¡± Lu Wushuang shouted. ¡°If Eldest Brother hadn¡¯t told me to go to you for help, I wouldn¡¯t have even looked at you. Yaoyao, don¡¯t forget. You still have a brother who will need to take part in the civil examination in a few days. If you won¡¯t even help me, who will you expect to help your brother in the future?¡±

    Ye Zhen red at Lu Wushuang with fury. ¡°My brother is also your cousin!¡±

    ¡°But not my brother.¡± Lu Wushuang snorted coldly.

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Eldest Brother, where would you be today? You best pray that your brother lives to a ripe age, and finds imperial favor for the rest of his life, so he can preserve you with his aplishments forever.¡± Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes were cold, her hatred towards Lu Shaunger at its height.

    Lu Wushuangughed at her mockingly. ¡°Then you can rest assured. Eldest Brother will definitely support me forever.¡±

    Ye Zhen shook her head andughed coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about having me apologize on your behalf. The most I¡¯ll do is go with you to see Xu Xianfei.

    She didn¡¯t believe that Lu Wushuang wanted to sincerely apologize to Xu Huiru. This woman was definitely plotting something else. She wanted to have a look and see what she wanted to do next.

    Lu Wushuang hesitated, before shooting a look at her maid Qiu, and saying to Ye Zhen, ¡°All right, go with me.¡±

    Ye Zhen immediately turned on her heels. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t go empty-handed. The emperor gifted me with some prized blood bird¡¯s nest. Wasn¡¯t Xu Xianfei feeling unwell? We can gift her this to help her recover.¡±

    ¡°Would Xu Xianfei be without such things?¡± Ye Zhen said with a frown.

    Lu Wushuang smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s the heart that matters.¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyebrows locked in a frown. She was still very suspicious of what Lu Wushuang was saying.

    When they arrived at Xinghe Pce, Lu Wushuang ordered the maids to go in and state that they wished to see Xu Huiru. The maid looked at her, then at Ye Zhen, before lowering her head and entering the pce to report.

    Xu Huiru had grown annoyed with Lu Wushuang from early on and was aware of the fact that hering was no good thing. However, she hade forth with Lu Yaoyao this time, so it wouldn¡¯t be right for her to refuse to see them.

    ¡°Let the Gui Fei and Her Highness the Princess enter,¡± Xu Huiru said, wanting to see what else Lu Wushuang had nned.

    Lu Wushuang slightly raised her chin, delicately and haughtily walking in. Seeing Xu Huiru, who was sitting on the heated bed casually dressed, sheughed. ¡°I heard that you were unwell these past couple of days, and was extremely worried. So I came to see you.¡±

    Xu Huiru got up to bow, tly looking at Lu Wushuang. ¡°Gui Fei, you shouldn¡¯t have.¡±

    Ye Zhen took a good look at Xu Huiru and found that she was truly unwell. This was unusual. If she was ufortable, why hadn¡¯t she had her maids report to the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard?

    ¡°We are all sisters, and I am ranked highest in the pce. It is customary that I pay attention to the state of your body. Yaoyao also brought some bird¡¯s nests for me. This is quality blood bird¡¯s nest, and very good for the body,¡± Lu Wushuang said with a smile, ordering her maid Qiu to give the bird¡¯s nest to Xu Huiru.

    Qian Lan stepped forth to ept the blood bird¡¯s nest and ced it on the table.

    Xu Huiru softly thanked her. ¡°Thank you, Gui Fei.¡± She turned to look at Ye Zhen, a kind smile emerging on her face. ¡°I heard that Her Highness is in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard right now. Is everything well?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Ye Zhen nodded lightly, but she was infuriated internally. How had the blood bird¡¯s nest suddenly be her gift? What was Lu Wushuang ying at?

    Lu Wushuang had sessfully given the blood bird¡¯s nest to Xu Huiru and was immediately happier. But turning to see that the decorations here at Xu Huiru¡¯s ce didn¡¯t dim in the slightestpared to her Pce of Earthly Tranquility, she was infuriated again. She only concluded that the empress dowager and the emperor were biased, and had definitely gifted Xu Huiru with many precious things recently.

    The more she looked, the angrier she was. She coldly snorted. ¡°Seeing as Xu Xianfei does not feel well, I won¡¯t disturb you any longer.¡±

    Xu Huiru didn¡¯t want Lu Wushuang staying here as an annoyance any longer either, and rose to send her off, keeping Ye Zhen behind. ¡°I am still feeling a little unwell, and want to implore you to make a diagnosis for me. Gui Fei, I will need to borrow the princess for a while.¡±

    Lu Wushuang had never liked this cousin of hers because of her cold and aloof attitude. Seeing as Xu Huiru wanted to keep her behind, naturally, she wouldn¡¯t say anything against it.

    ¡°Yaoyao, then you stay with Xianfei a little longer.¡± Lu Wushuang coldly snorted, then left with her maids.

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 Chapter 393 - Poisoning Of Xianfei Xu

    Chapter 393 ¨C Poisoning of Xianfei Xu

    Seeing off Lu Wushuang, Xu Huiru let out a sigh of relief and looked at Ye Zhen with a smile. ¡°Princess, I presume Gui Fei insisted that youe to this pce.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled lightly, looked at Xu Huiru¡¯splexion, and said, ¡°Where does Xianfei feel uneasy? Why did you not invite an imperial physician toe and check her pulse?¡±

    There was a touch of anxiousness in Xu Huiru¡¯s eyes. How could she say that it¡¯s because Mo Rongzhan refused to sleep with her? She had concealed this all along but now fell ill. If she found a physician to check on her, would not the fact that she is still a virgin be exposed?

    ¡°I am just a little tired, it is nothing serious,¡± Xu Huiru said.

    ¡°Still, I¡¯ll check your pulse, if it¡¯s okay¡± Ye Zhen felt that Xu Huiru¡¯s face didn¡¯t look tired, but she must be ill somewhere.

    Thinking that Lu Yaoyao was merely a student who had just joined as a physician, Xu Huiru felt she wouldck the ability to detect from her pulse that she is still a virgin. She could check her pulse and block those mouths for good. She held out her hand and said, ¡°Thank you, then.¡±

    Ye Zhen ced her hand on Xu Huiru¡¯s wrist and felt her pulse sinkte, and ¡­ She was inwardly surprised. Why is Xianfei Xu still a virgin?

    ¡°Yaoyao, how is my health?¡± Xu Huiru asked with a smile on her face.

    ¡°Oh, it will be Xianfei¡¯s menstruation soon, it will cause weariness and abdominal pain. If you do not wish to send for a doctor, drink some brown sugar solution.¡± Ye Zhen calmly withdrew her hand; she could tell why Xu Huiru didn¡¯t ask an imperial physician to check on her.

    Does she not want people to know that she is still a virgin? But, why? Isn¡¯t Mo Rongzhan doting on her?

    Ye Zhen suddenly thought of Mo Rongzhan.

    Xu Huiru smiled and nodded. ¡°I will have people prepare some brown sugar tea in a moment.¡±

    ¡°Xianfei should pay more attention to rest.¡± Ye Zhen smiled in a trice, suppressing the confusion in her heart. She looked around and caught sight of the blood bird¡¯s nest beside her. She frowned and said, ¡°This blood bird¡¯s nest¡­ I was not the one who gave this to Gui Fei. If Xianfei wants to eat them, one should be more careful.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Yaoyao. Although blood bird¡¯s nests are precious, this pce is not without it.¡± Harboring suspicions over Gui Fei¡¯s intentions, Xu Huiru was not a fool to simply eat the blood bird¡¯s nest that Lu Wushuang brought.

    With those words, Ye Zhen was able to confirm the other was on guard against Lu Wushuang¡¯s schemes. ¡°Then I shall not disturb Xianfei¡¯s rest. I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±

    Xu Huiru personally sent her off at the door and watched Ye Zhen leave Xinhe Pce. She turned and took out the blood bird¡¯s nest and snorted coldly. ¡°Qian, check if this blood bird¡¯s nest is poisoned.¡±

    Qian nodded gently. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Ye Zhen left Xinhe Pce and went back to the Lu Mansion as she did not want to see Lu Wushuang once more.

    In the evening, there was news from the pce that Xianfei Xu had been poisoned and was unconscious. Her maid-in-waiting pointed out that she was poisoned with the blood bird¡¯s nest brought by Lu Wushuang. Because of this, Gui Fei was summoned by the empress dowager for interrogation.

    But Lu Wushuang kept insisting on seeing Mo Rongzhan. When the man arrived, she persisted that the blood bird¡¯s nests were not hers, that Lu Yaoyao had given it to her and she had only gifted it to Xu Huiru.

    The news soon made its way to the Lu Mansion.

    Old Madam Lu immediately had people call Ye Zhen to the upper room.

    In addition to the old madam, both Lu Shiming and Lu Lingzhi were present. When Ye Zhen saw this situation, she already guessed what happened.

    Old Madam Lu apprised her of the goings-on in the pce and asked with some worry, ¡°Grandmother believes you won¡¯t ever poison Gui Fei but what¡¯s with those blood bird¡¯s nests?¡±

    As expected, Lu Wushuang indeed poisoned those blood bird¡¯s nests! As Ye Zhen thought to herself, she said, ¡°Grandmother, I have been in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard these days. When would I have the time to get blood bird¡¯s nests for Gui Fei? When I was about to leave the pce today, Gui Fei sent for me and said that she was going to visit Xianfei Xu and asked me to apany her.¡±

    ¡°Those blood bird¡¯s nests have nothing to do with you?¡± Lu Lingzhi frowned at Ye Zhen. Should anything happen to Xianfei Xu, it will surely bring trouble to Yaoyao.

    Ye Zhen put on a smile yet not a smile and said, ¡°Eldest Brother, do you think I am a fool? Where in the pce can one take things in as one pleases? Before seeing Gui Fei, the blood bird¡¯s nest would be found by the aunt in the pce. ¡±

    ¡°What did GuiFei say?¡± Lu Shiming asked. Conspiring to murder an imperial concubine in the pce was a capital crime, and he didn¡¯t believe his daughter would do such a thing.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? Lu Wushuang wanted me to be the scapegoat. She was afraid of being found out that she conspired to murder Xu Huiru, so she called me over. Unfortunately, the idea was good, but she was too stupid,¡± Ye Zhen said coldly.

    Lu Lingzhi looked at her, saying, ¡°Yaoyao, there may be a misunderstanding in this matter.¡±

 Chapter 394 - Take The Blame (1)

    Chapter 394 ¨C Take the me (1)

    ¡°Misunderstanding?!¡± Ye Zhen indifferently asked, ¡°Lu Wushuang must have thought that if the Lu Family were to choose, everyone would take her side instead of themselves.¡±

    ¡°Lingzhi, go to the pce.¡± Old Madam Lu said wearily, ¡°Even if it¡¯s not what Shuang¡¯er said, where would Yaoyao get the blood bird¡¯s nests if she hasn¡¯t left the pce for a few days? To find out if those blood bird¡¯s nest are Shuanger¡¯s, the Imperial Household Department will take over this matter and it shall be found out.¡±

    They had indeed pampered Lu Wushuang to the point that she did whatever she wanted in extremes regardless of thews and morality. Not only did she conspire murder against a fellow concubine but also sought to cause trouble to her younger sister.

    Old Madam Lu felt exhausted physically and mentally and was extremely disappointed with Lu Wushuang.

    Lu Lingzhi was also in aplicated mood at this time. He knew very well that this matter had nothing to do with Yaoyao, but if Yaoyao was innocent, then Lu Wushuang would definitely not be innocent. Moreover, she had had a difficult time gaining favor as Gui Fei¡­

    ¡°Yaoyao, you go to the pce together and exin clearly to the empress dowager and the emperor,¡± Pei Shi said, her heart was rubbing against fire. What¡¯s the matter with Lu Wushuang? Does she not know that using Yaoyao might cost her her life?

    How hateful! They must think that the Third Household can easily be trampled upon, don¡¯t they?

    ¡°Third Aunt, I¡¯ll go to the pce. It¡¯s alreadyte, Yaoyao should stay at home.¡± Lu Lingzhi persuaded her.

    ¡°Since this matter has something to do with Yaoyao, it¡¯s only natural that she exins it in person. She can¡¯t be wrongly used by others,¡± Lu Shiming said in a deep voice.

    Ye Zhen looked at them gratefully. When such a thing happened, they were not thinking of keeping the honor of the gui fei but of proving her innocence. They would rather not be rich and prosperous than embrace wrongdoings. Who would not be moved by such care and sincerity?

    Old Madam Lu said, ¡°Let Yaoyao go with you.¡±

    Even if the Lu Family wanted to protect Lu Wushuang, it was hopeless. There was no cure for her stupidity. This time, Yaoyao had topromise to save Lu Wushuang. The next time, who knows the entire Lu Family would be buried with her. Although she was old, she knew who should be saved and who shouldn¡¯t.

    Lu Lingzhi looked at Ye Zhen but saw that the little girl¡¯s eyes were cold and seemed to be hostile to him. He forced a smile, and said, ¡°All right,e with me to the pce.¡±

    They had just walked out from the upper hall when they saw Madam Lu, with disheveled hair, rushing towards them.

    Seeing Liu Shi, Ye Zhen¡¯s gaze turned colder and colder. She stood still and watched her frantically grasp Lu Lingzhi¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Lingzhi, are you going into the pce to help Shuang¡¯er? I¡¯ve heard about it. I¡¯ve heard about it all. Lu Yaoyao brought Shuang¡¯er trouble. You have to do something for your sister!¡±

    Lu Lingzhi pulled her hand away. ¡°Mother, who did you listen to? When did Yaoyao hurt Shuang¡¯er?¡±

    ¡°She did! Lingzhi, you must help Gui Fei. She¡¯s your sister, after all!¡± she shrieked.

    Listening to Liu Shi from inside the room, Pei Shi became angrier and angrier. She suddenly stood up and rushed to the outside. ¡°Liu Shi, you have to speak with your conscience. Yaoyao has been in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard for days; she and Xianfei Xu have no grievances. Why would she want to harm Xianfei? Clearly, your daughter wants Yaoyao to take the me!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal if she wants her to take the me? Shuang¡¯er is Gui Fei. If she falls out of favor, will you have a good life? Isn¡¯t your daughter a mere medical woman? What¡¯s the value of her life?¡± cried Liu Shi.

    Pei Shi was even angrier now. How could there be such a shameless person?!It seems that other people¡¯s daughters are not valuable, only her daughter¡¯s life is! ¡°Although my daughter is not a gui fei, she is my life! You say she¡¯s a mere medical woman, yet she¡¯s still Princess Fu Rong. If you want her dead, it depends on whether Empress Dowager and His Imperial Majesty would allow it or not! ¡±

    Ye Zhen was bbergasted. Life? She thinks so highly of her non-biological daughter?!

    Old Madam Lu slowly came near them and looked at Liu Shi coldly. ¡°Liu Shi, ording to your statement, should everyone in the family lose their lives?¡±

    ¡°Mother, are you going to be partial again? It¡¯s clear that Lu Yaoyao has done something wrong¡­.¡± Liu Shi rushed over and grabbed the matriarch¡¯s hand.

    When Madam Lu came over, she had already raised her hand and hit her hard. ¡°Silence! Shuang¡¯er has bewless in her behavior because she has been so pampered by you!¡±

    Liu Shi looked at the old madam in disbelief. ¡°Does Mother also want to jump on the bandwagon with them? For the sake of a medical woman, would you rather watch Gui Fei fall out of favor?¡±

 Chapter 395 - Take The Blame (2)

    Chapter 395 ¨C Take the me (2)

    ¡°Shuang¡¯er should learn some lessons, otherwise the Lu Family will be dragged in sooner orter.¡± Old Madam Lu didn¡¯t want topromise the entire Lu Family for the sake of one Lu Wushuang.

    ¡°You old deathless¡­!¡± Liu Shi cried aloud.

    Lu Lingzhi lowered his head and yelled at Liu Shi, ¡°Mother! You shouldn¡¯t havee here, go back!¡±

    ¡°Today, if you dare not help Shuang¡¯er for Lu Yaoyao¡¯s sake, I will die tomorrow!¡± Liu Shi cried out as she wailed, and her whole person slumped to the ground.¡±

    ¡°Then you can die!¡± Old Madam Lu said with a heavy voice, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, then I¡¯ll give you a letter of divorce. You can go wherever you want. You won¡¯t have to see me here, an old deathless person!¡±

    Lu Shiming held the matriarch¡¯s hand. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t get angry.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi had someonee over and bring the stupefied Liu Shi back inside and said to Ye Zhen, ¡°Yaoyao, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Ye Zhen nced back at him. She didn¡¯t care about Liu Shi¡¯s escapades, but the importance Lu Shiming and his wife attached to her made her mood ¡­ somewhatplicated. She knew that they cared about her, but it turned out that they really treated her as their own child. Between Lu Wushuang and her, they chose her without the slightest hesitation.

    Outside the door, the carriage was ready. Lu Lingzhi had Ye Zhen get in the carriage first and then followed. Looking at the young miss sitting in the corner, he whispered, ¡°Are you afraid?¡±

    ¡°Afraid of what?¡± Ye Zhen looked at him coldly. For Liu Lingzhi, she could never let go of her disgust and vignce.

    ¡°Shuang¡¯er took advantage of you, aren¡¯t you afraid the emperor ¡­ would punish you?¡± Lu Lingzhi asked. He was very curious. From the moment she came to the upper hall, he didn¡¯t see any tension or fear in her eyes. She seemed to firmly believe that she would be safe.

    A sneer bloomed at the corners of Ye Zhen¡¯s mouth. ¡°Since I haven¡¯t done any wrong, why should I be afraid?¡±

    ¡°Sometimes even if one hasn¡¯t done anything wrong, it still may not be okay.¡± Lu Lingzhi said. He felt that the emperor thought that Lu Wushuang had saved his life, so he would not do anything to her and perhaps would let Yaoyao take the me.

    Deep down in his heart, Lu Lingzhi felt a little distressed, knowing how this whole thing would end¡­ that Yaoyao would be a scapegoat. He couldn¡¯t say this in front of his third uncle and could only observe the situation upon entering the pce.

    In any case, he would make it up to herter.

    Ye Zhen revealed a slightly taunting look at Lu Lingzhi. If Lu Shuang¡¯er had done such a stupid thing and could escape, then, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s brain must be full of water*.

    [*Basically he is stupid]

    ¡°Yaoyao, no matter what punishment the emperor gives you, Eldest Brother will make it up to youter,¡± Lu Lingzhi said softly.

    ¡°If I take the me for Gui Fei, what will youpensate me with? Your life?¡± Ye Zhen coldly asked.

    ¡°Yaoyao ¡­,¡± Lu Lingzhi looked at her in consternation.

    Ye Zhen faintly smiled and said, ¡°Are you not confident in the judgment of His Imperial Majesty? Or are you too confident in Lu Wushuang¡¯s stupidity?¡±

    Lu Lingzhi pursed his lips. He was not confident in them, rather, he felt that Mo Rongzhan now thought that Lu Wushuang was the girl he loved as a teenager, which was enough.

    The carriage broke through the night, and they arrived at the gates of the imperial pce. Lu Lingzhi took out the token* requested from him. Not long after, they were allowed to enter the pce. The two of them were taken directly to the imperial study.

    [*Apparently every person in the pce has this identification mark depending on their ranks]

    Mo Rongzhan, dressed in jet-ck, in clothes, was looking idly through the pce memorials. When Ye Zhen and Lu Lingzhi came in, his gaze first fell on the little girl walking behind, whom he had not seen for several days.

    ¡°Your Majesty, this official is here to confess.¡± Lu Lingzhi knelt down.

    Ye Zhen stood still and looked at him with a straight face.

    ¡°What are you guilty of?¡± There was a faint smile that emerged on the corners of Mo Rongzhan¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°This official has heard that Xianfei Xu was poisoned after eating the blood bird¡¯s nest that Yaoyao gave her. Your Majesty, there must be some misunderstanding,¡± Lu Lingzhi said.

    Mo Rongzhan nodded. ¡°There is indeed a misunderstanding in this matter. The blood bird¡¯s nest given to Xianfei Xu is not from Yaoyao, but from Zhen.¡±

    What?! Lu Lingzhi raised his head, a little confused.

    ¡°That blood bird¡¯s nest was what Zhen gave to Lu Wushuang. Also, there are only golden bird¡¯s nests in the harem. Lu Yaoyao has not left the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard for days. Where could she get a blood bird¡¯s nest for Lu Wushuang? If Zhen has no such judgment, will I still be the emperor?¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s voice was as cold as ice, his eyes looking at Lu Lingzhi fiercely.

    Do they want to use Lu Yaoyao to take the me for Lu Wushuang? That¡¯s ridiculous!

    Lu Lingzhi was surprised since he didn¡¯t expect Lu Wushuang would take the bird¡¯s nest given to her by the emperor to Xu Huiru. Now, even if he wanted to protect her, he couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°Your Majesty, that Shuang¡¯er¡­ she¡ª¡± Lu Lingzhi¡¯s voice tightened.

    <i> </i>

 Chapter 396 - Abandoned As Taoist Nun

    Chapter 396 ¨C Abandoned As Taoist Nun

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s handsome mien was cold as ice. He looked at Lu Lingzhi indifferently, and then at Ye Zhen standing behind him. He said straight ahead, ¡°I will abandon Lu Wushuang as a Taoist nun, and tomorrow I will send her to Nianci Temple, to be keptpany by Qingdeng.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s face at the moment was not only of shock. He looked at Mo Rongzhan in disbelief. Abandon Shuang¡¯er ¡­ as Taoist nun? It¡¯s already cruel enough for Shuang¡¯er to lose favor. How could the emperor have the heart to do such a thing to Shuang¡¯er?

    ¡°Lingzhi, it¡¯s I who Lu Wushuang almost killed!¡± Mo Rongzhan said. If Xu Huiru had not consumed the blood bird¡¯s nest first, it would have been him who would be poisoned at this time.

    At the emperor¡¯s words, Lu Lingzhi could no longer utter his words of pleading.

    Mo Rongzhan looked at Lu Lingzhi inquisitively. If he dares to plead for Lu Wushuang, he must know the whereabouts of the Little Yaoyao. This matter would have something to do with Lu Lingzhi.

    ¡°Your Majesty, this official was not able to teach one¡¯s younger sister.¡± Lu Lingzhi lowered his head. Now that the emperor had decided, it was useless for him to plead for mercy. What shocked him the most was¡­ How did the emperor know that Shuang¡¯er was not his savior? If the emperor didn¡¯t know the truth, he wouldn¡¯t treat Shuang¡¯er like this¡­

    ¡°You have nothing to do with this matter. You¡¯re still hurt. Rise and speak,¡± Mo Rongzhan said.

    Lu Lingzhi kowtowed, and then slowly stood up. ¡°Your Majesty, this humble servant has a favor to ask.¡±

    ¡°If you wish to see Shuang¡¯er, you can¡¯t do it today. Zhen shall only allow anyone to see her once she repents,¡± Mo Rongzhan said lightly.

    Lu Lingzhi forced a smile, bitter in his heart. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan rubbed his fingertips* and ordered, ¡°Go back and rest.¡±

    [*Basically it¡¯s the index finger rubbing the thumb in a clenched fist when one is thinking hard. Yup, trante that!!!]

    ¡°Your Majesty, this official shall excuse oneself.¡± Lu Lingzhi¡¯s heart was filled with disappointment. He knew very well that Lu Wushuang was unlikely to return to this pce in this life.

    Ye Zhen, who was silent all along, lowered her head, wanting to withdraw from the imperial study with Lu Lingzhi. However, before she could take two steps, she heard Mo Rongzhan saying, ¡°Yaoyao, Imperial Mother was shocked by the recent news this evening. Go to the Cining Pce and apany her.¡±

    Ye Zhen halted her footsteps and looked to see him with a frown.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s countenance did not change the slightest, still cold and indifferent. ¡°Fude, see Marquis Anyang out of the pce.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Eunuch Fu bowed his head and answered.

    Lu Lingzhi looked at Ye Zhen for a moment. Atst, he said softly, ¡°Yaoyao, go to Cining Pce to apany Her Highness the Empress Dowager. By the way¡­¡± Ask for a favor on behalf of Shuang¡¯er. Unfortunately, Lu Lingzhi couldn¡¯t utter those words anymore.

    Seeing Lu Lingzhi leave, Ye Zhen could only say to Mo Rongzhan, ¡°Your Majesty, then I¡¯ll take my leave to Cining Pce.¡±

    ¡°Do you not worry that Zhen may be poisoned?¡± Mo Rongzhan let out a sigh and smiled. He walked towards her to hold her hand. ¡°How could you follow ande to the pcete at night?¡±

    Ye Zhen sprang his big palm and said in a low voice, ¡°Didn¡¯t Lu Wushuang say that I sent those blood bird¡¯s nests to Xianfei Xu? Grandmother was worried that I was involved. She asked me toe into the pce to exin.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan snorted coldly. ¡°Do you think I will allow Lu Wushuang to just make use of you in taking the me? She thought of such a stupid way.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ really mean to abandon her?¡± Ye Zhen was somewhat hesitant to believe. In her two years of wandering in the pce, Lu Wushuang was the only one favored in the inner pce. Now that it¡¯s just the beginning of her ns, Mo Rongzhan meant to abandon Lu Wushuang.

    ¡°If you care about someone who wants to harm you, you better care about me.¡± Mo Rongzhan stood beside her, looking down at her face.

    Ye Zhen raised her head, looked at him, and said grumpily, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say Xianfei Xu ate the blood bird¡¯s nest for you? What could be wrong with you?¡±

    He has the leisure to go to Xu Huiru to eat those blood bird¡¯s nest, what else could be wrong with him?

    ¡°You really don¡¯t care about Zhen at all,¡± he said helplessly.

    Ye Zhen snorted. ¡°I shall now go to Cining Pce to apany Empress Dowager. His Imperial Majesty should go to Xianfei, which is only right.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan immediately grabbed her by the wrist and held her in his arms. ¡°Zhen just went to see Xianfei. Are you so unhappy about that?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, where do you see that I¡¯m unhappy?¡± She said grumpily, ¡°Let me go!¡±

    ¡°Imperial Mother has fallen asleep. You will wake her up if you go.¡± He whispered in her ear, ¡°Zhen wants you to apany me, not Empress Dowager.¡±

    Ye Zhen red at him angrily. ¡°Mo Rongzhan! How can you be so mean!¡±

    His thin lips floated a little smile. ¡°If not, when will Zhen be able to see you?¡±

    ¡°You¡­!¡± Ye Zhen stared at him, huffing with rage.

    ¡°Zhen won¡¯t do anything to you. Just talk with me,¡± he said in a low voice, but his eyes were fixed on her pink lips.

    ¡°There are so many women in your harem. Anyone can talk with you.¡± Ye Zhen¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red, she recalled how Xu Huiru was still a virgin.

    Did he not let those concubines sleep with him since he expanded the harem? All this time, has he been¡­ Enduring?

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes became gloomy. He lowered his head and said hoarsely, ¡°I want to hear you speak.

    Ye Zhen wanted to ask him about Xu Huiru, but it¡¯s not appropriate. ¡°Then, let¡¯s y Go!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything else to ask me?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked, with a frown on his face.

    ¡°Ask what?¡± Ye Zhen frowned and thought for a moment. ¡°Was Xianfei Xu really poisoned?¡±

 Chapter 397 - What Is Misconduct?

    Chapter 397 ¨C What is Misconduct?

    Xu Huiru was well aware that there was something wrong with those blood bird¡¯s nests. How could she still eat them? Even so, about Lu Wushuang¡¯s abandonment, evidently, she had to take some responsibility for it.

    ¡°Zhen heard that she wasn¡¯t feeling well, so I went to Xinhe Pce. Xu Xianfei was just about to eat a blood bird¡¯s nest, saying it was from Lu Wushuang. She also had someone bring me a bowl. She had a taste first and soon passed out¡­,¡± Mo Rongzhan simply exined the course of her poisoning.

    Ye Zhen wiped away the smile on her face, saying, ¡°Why did you go to her pce tonight? Did Empress Dowager ask you to?¡±

    He thought she was jealous. and was happy in his heart. ¡°I went and paid respects to Imperial Mother. She mentioned Xu Huiru, so¡­ Yaoyao, do you not like it?¡±

    ¡°What don¡¯t I like?¡± Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°It just feels strange. Someone as smart as Xu Xianfei and Lu Wushuang have never been very harmonious, yet she dares to eat the bird¡¯s nest the other sent her.¡±

    ¡°Do you think every woman in the harem is good? Whatever trick Xu Huiru is ying, how can Zhen not see it?¡± Mo Rongzhan flicked Ye Zhen¡¯s forehead. ¡°Anyway, by means of her effort, Zhen is able to do something I wanted to do.¡±

    So he acquiesced to Xu Huiru doing this? Ye Zhen sneered in her heart. As expected, a cunning fox!

    ?

    ¡°Seeing as the Empress Dowager has already rested, then I will return to the Female Physicians¡¯ Dorm.¡± There were only the two of them in the study, and she didn¡¯t feel safe in the slightest.

    Mo Rongzhan really wanted her to stay, but he had only just gotten her to loosen up, and uneasily at that. If he pushed her further away again it would be more than he could afford.

    ¡°What are you going to the Female Physicians¡¯ Dorm for at this time? Go back and rest in the Cining Pce.¡± Mo Rongzhan said, ¡°I¡¯ll send you there.¡±

    ¡°I can go myself,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s gazended heavily on her. She could only give up. It would be worse if she made him angry.

    The two walked out of the imperial study. A eunuch walked over carrying a peony pcentern. Mo Rongzhan took thentern from his hands and tly stated, ¡°No need to follow us. I have something to say to the princess.¡±

    The eunuchs assigned to the imperial study were naturally the product of detailed selection. They all understood when to show and dismiss themselves. At the emperor¡¯smand, they all lowered their heads and made themselves scarce.

    Ye Zhen wanted someone to follow them, but Mo Rongzhan had already walked forward with thentern. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°Do you really not need to go see Xianfei Xu?¡± she quietly asked, walking behind him.

    ¡°If you really want me to go see her, then I¡¯ll go to Xinhe Pce tonight,¡± he tly stated.

    ¡°Liar!¡± Ye Zhen grumbled softly. ¡°You and Xianfei Xu have clearly never¡­..¡±

    Consummated!

    He stopped, quirking his eyebrow at her. ¡°What did you say?¡±

    She immediately shook her head, blushing and saying, ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Fortunately, the night was dark, and Mo Rongzhan, who was standing across from her, couldn¡¯t see the color of her face.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Mo Rongzhan held her hand and walked into a darker, cordierite path.

    ¡°I can walk by myself.¡± Ye Zhen struggled, not wanting to hold his hand. They didn¡¯t have any mutual feelings that would allow for them to hold hands yet.

    ¡°If you won¡¯t let me hold your hand, then I¡¯ll carry you,¡± he dered.

    ¡°¡ª¡ª¡± Ye Zhen was immediately speechless, and could only allow him to continue holding her hand.

    The breeze blew gently, and the imperial pce was enveloped in absolute silence. There wasn¡¯t the liveliness that had once been; those nights apanied with song and music. Ye Zhen slowed down, and could just see his broad and straight figure. She had once insisted on marrying him, but she hadn¡¯t known how many hardships he had gone through at that time, and how hard he¡¯d had to work to stay alive.

    She now understood a bit more as to why he had been so cold to her for two years. She had, at that time, been backed by the Ye Family¡­ the very family he hated. Even if he knew that it was she who had saved him, it probably wouldn¡¯t have changed anything.

    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± He looked back to see her staring off in a daze. She wasn¡¯t even looking ahead of herself, allowing herself to be pulled wherever by him, and he couldn¡¯t help but amusedly ask her so.

    Ye Zhen hurriedly shook herself out of the daze, almost crashing into his embrace. ¡°Why did you suddenly stop?¡±

    ¡°Cining Pce is just in front of us,¡± Mo Rongzhan said softly, lightly wrapping his arm around her waist, ¡°I won¡¯t send you all the way. Weren¡¯t you afraid of being seen?¡±

    ¡°If you conduct yourself ordingly around me, would I be afraid of people seeing us?¡± Ye Zhen said to him, embarrassed. She had just realized that they had made it to the imperial garden. They were now standing next to the rock garden.

    Mo Rongzhan softlyughed. ¡°How have I been misconducting before you? Like this?¡±

    He kissed her pink lips. Under the weakntern light, he watched her grow flustered with embarrassment, and a peal of deepughter sounded again.

    ¡°Mo Rongzhan!¡± Ye Zhen clenched her teeth and called him by name.

    ¡°Hm.¡± He answered in a low voice, his lips gently dancing with hers as he patiently pecked one by one.

    She pushed him with anger. ¡°Let go of me!¡±

    He tightened the grip of his arms. ¡°Yaoyao, don¡¯t move.¡±

    She was caught in his embrace, their bodies tightly pressed against each other. She could feel the heat and stiffness radiating from hisher region. He was a hot-blooded male and naturally had his needs and recklessness. Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes were red from anger.

    ¡°Let go of me.¡± She was both afraid and angry and spoke with a lump in her voice.

    She didn¡¯t want to cross paths with him ever again in this life, let alone be his woman. She couldn¡¯t bear the consequences of him calling her inconsequential again and didn¡¯t want to be given another cup of poisoned wine. This man¡­ was a poison. She needed to avoid him.

    Mo Rongzhan lightly sighed, reluctantly letting go of her arm. ¡°Take thentern.¡±

    Ye Zhen snatched thentern and darted off to the Cining Pce in a single breath.

 Chapter 398 - Where Is She? (1)

    Chapter 398 ¨C Where Is She? (1)

    The maids guarding the pce doors saw her and hurriedly opened the door. ¡°Princess, why have you entered the pce at this time?¡±

    Aunt Cheng walked out from inside the room. ¡°Princess, has something happened?¡±

    ¡°I heard about Gui Fei Lu. The matter involved me, so I entered the pce with Eldest Brother.¡± Ye Zhen said softly, ¡°Has Imperial Mother gone to bed?¡±

    ¡°She just did. You can see Her Highness tomorrow. I¡¯ll send you back to your room so you can have your rest.¡± Aunt Cheng said with a smile, ¡°This matter has nothing to do with you. If someone wants to harm you, they must see if Empress Dowager and Emperor are convinced.¡±

    Ye Zhen sighed. ¡°Gui Fei Lu¡­ Where is she now?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s confined in the Pce of Earthly Tranquility. His Imperial Majesty won¡¯t allow anyone to see her,¡± Aunt Cheng said in a low voice.

    It seemed like Lu Wushuang would really be unable to recover from this.

    A glimmer of mockery shed across Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes. Lu Wushuang had been the person she had hated the most those two years. But who would have thought she would be overthrown so easily now. Dealing with her was easy but not so much with Lu Lingzhi. That man was smarter than his sister.

    Lying on the bed, Ye Zhen thought back to what had happened today. She knew Xu Huiru would use the bird¡¯s nest against Lu Wushuang. It was because of her reminder that Xianfei Xu would not let Ye Zhen be involved in this matter, and thus dared to frame Gui Fei Lu.

    Poisoned? With Xu Huiru¡¯s intelligence, she would definitely not allow herself into danger. The poison was probably not serious. If she was just unconscious, she should be better in a couple of days.

    Mo Rongzhan¡­ The image of his figure suddenly appeared in Ye Zhen¡¯s mind. She didn¡¯t know if he would really be going to visit Xu Huiru.

    Humph, what does that have to do with me! Ye Zhen immediately shook her head and expelled him from her mind.

    Mo Rongzhan hadn¡¯t returned to the Pce of Heavenly Purity at the time being, nor had he gone to Xinhe Pce. Instead, he went to the Pce of Earthly Tranquility, and here, Lu Wushuang was kneeling before him.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I am really innocent. You must be the judge for me.¡± Lu Wushuang was still unaware of the fact that she had been dismissed to be a nun. She kneeled before Mo Rongzhan, begging pitifully.

    Mo Rongzhan looked down at her, his eyes brimming with nonchnce. ¡°You¡¯re innocent? Was it not you who gave Xianfei Xu the blood bird¡¯s nest?¡±

    ¡°It¡­ it was Yaoyao who told me to go.¡± Without hesitation, Lu Wushuang brought out Ye Zhen as a scapegoat.

    ¡°At this time, you still want to frame Yaoyao? Lu Wushuang, do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡± Mo Rongzhanughed out of anger. He was angry at himself for thinking that Lu Wushuang had been his savior back then, and for treating her well for a period of time.

    When Lu Wushuang had been nning to poison Xu Huiru, she had already thought about using Lu Yaoyao. She thought this was killing two birds with a stone, but the way things turned out¡­ seemed to be different from what she had expected.

    ¡°Why is it impossible that Yaoyao would have framed me?¡± she asked unrelentingly.

    ?

    Lu Wushuang looked at Mo Rongzhan¡¯s cold eyes, and her heart slowly froze. The only reason she had dared poison Xu Huiru was that she thought he wouldn¡¯t do anything to her. Even if he was good to other women, she was still different to him.

    ¡°Your Majesty, do you not believe me?¡± Lu Wushuang looked at Mo Rongzhan with a teary gaze.

    ¡°I trust Yaoyao,¡± Mo Rongzhan said tly. Lu Wushuang should never have used Yaoyao. Lu Yaoyao had no reason to poison or harm his consorts. She would rather stay as far away from him as possible, why would she be jealous of Xu Huiru? Let alone frame Lu Wushuang?

    Lu Wushuang looked at him with shock. ¡°Why? Your Majesty, to you, is Lu Yaoyao more important than me?¡±

    ¡°Do you really think you canpare to her?¡± Mo Rongzhan said curtly.

    ¡°Why can I notpare to her?¡± She looked at the man in a daze. She was his beloved consort. What was Lu Yaoyao?

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s lips curled in a cold smile. ¡°Lu Wushuang, it was you who poisoned Xu Huiru. On the matter of you framing Lu Yaoyao, it is already on behalf of Lu Lingzhi¡¯s contributions that I didn¡¯t have you killed. I¡¯ll have someone send you to Nianci Temple tomorrow. You can stay there for the rest of your life.¡±

    Lu Wushuang bolted up, her face ghastly white. ¡°Your Majesty, what did you say? Send me to Nianci Temple? I won¡¯t go!¡±

    ¡°I have already dismissed your position as Gui Fei. From tomorrow on, you will be a nun at Nianci Temple. Carefully wash yourself of your sins before Boddhisattva,¡± Mo Rongzhan said coldly.

    ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me!¡± Lu Wushuang shouted, pitifully begging again. ¡°Your Majesty, I know I was wrong now. Just forgive me this one time. If it hadn¡¯t been Xu Huiru provoking me again and again, how would I have¡­ harmed her.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan looked at Lu Wushuang, who had not a sliver of regret, and his gaze grew colder. ¡°You harm others when you experience the slightest bit of inconvenience. You have poisoned Xu Huiru this time. Are you going toe after Empress Dowager and me the next time?¡±

 Chapter 399 - Where Is She? (2)

    Chapter 399 ¨C Where Is She? (2)

    Lu Wushuang shook her head. ¡°Why would I ever harm you, Your Majesty. I love you.¡±

    ¡°Then what about Yaoyao? She is your cousin. Do you not feel the slightest bit of guilt when using her?¡± Mo Rongzhan demanded. How could a selfish woman like Lu Wushuang have saved him back then? He found it funny that he only saw her for what she was now.

    ¡°I never hurt her. It was her¡­ She was the one who told me to go to Xinhe Pce.¡± Lu Wushuang¡¯s gaze was jumpy. She didn¡¯t like Lu Yaoyao. She had known this from the first time she had seen her. Even if she was a princess now, she still felt threatened. If she could eliminate her two biggest worries at the same time, why shouldn¡¯t she do it?

    A sliver of disgust rose in Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯re still thinking about harming her at this time?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, I am really innocent.¡± Lu Wushuang shouted, crying. ¡°Why will you believe in Yaoyao but not me?!¡±

    ¡°In my heart, you can¡¯t evenpare to the tip of one of Yaoyao¡¯s fingers.¡± His voice was as cold as ice.

    Lu Wushuang was taken aback, she stared at him. A suspicion she had deeply concealed in her heart gradually resurfaced. She looked at Mo Rongzhan¡¯s cold, handsome face. You and Yaoyao¡­ She seduced you? That little b****! I knew I couldn¡¯t keep her around.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan felt that dismissing Lu Wushuang¡¯s position as Gui Fei was undoubtedly correct. If he continued to keep her, she would harm Yaoyao sooner orter.

    ¡°It looks like I shouldn¡¯t have dismissed you. I should have killed you,¡± he said frostily.

    Lu Wushuang cried aloud, ¡°You can¡¯t kill me, Your Majesty. Have you forgotten? I saved you¡­ You said that you would be good to me for the rest of our lives!¡±

    His thin lips curled into a shallow smile, his voice growing deep and maic like there was a hint of coaxing in it. ¡°Lu Wushuang, I have something to ask you. If you answer me honestly, I assure you that you will live infort for the rest of your life.¡±

    She thought this was Mo Rongzhan agreeing to forgive her. ¡°Your Majesty, just ask. As long as I know the answer, I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan looked down at her coldly. ¡°Lu Wushuang, where is the girl that once saved me?¡±

    ¡°¡ª¡ª¡± Lu Wushuang didn¡¯t react in time. Her eyes grew round with fear. She wondered if she had heard him wrong.

    ¡°You have her jade pendant, and know what had happened between me and her. Lu Wushuang, you definitely know where she is,¡± Mo Rongzhan said quietly.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ª¡± Lu Wushuang blurted out. No! She aggressively shook her head. ¡°I saved you! It was I who saved you in the well.¡±

    ¡°Then what is your nickname? Have you forgotten that you told me your nickname in the well?¡± he asked sternly.

    Lu Wushuang¡¯s expression soured. Ye Zhen¡¯s nickname? She couldn¡¯t find it. Even her Eldest Brother couldn¡¯t find it. How was she going to answer Mo Rongzhan?

    ¡°I¡­ I had a nickname when I was young. But it has been too long since anyone has used it. I forgot it,¡± said she.

    His smile deepened but it sent a chill down her back. ¡°You can even forget your old name. Well, then you must remember that I once told you a secret.¡±

    Lu Wushuang¡¯s jaw dropped. Eldest Brother had never told her about this. What else did that b**** Ye Zhen know?

    ¡°You don¡¯t know anything.¡± Mo Rongzhan said coldly, ¡°Lu Wushuang, I¡¯ll ask you one more time. Where is she?¡±

    Lu Wushuang let out a smile even uglier than a grimace. He knew! He had long known she wasn¡¯t the person that had saved him. No wonder he had been so cold to her these days! ¡°She¡¯s dead!¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes were cold. ¡°Who is she?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±

    Although Lu Wushuang wasn¡¯t smart enough she was still well aware of the consequences of telling the truth on this matter. She couldn¡¯t let Mo Rongzhan know it had been Ye Zhen who had saved him, or it would definitely implicate Eldest Brother. Perhaps even the entirety of the Lu Family would be in danger. She couldn¡¯t drag Eldest Brother and the Lu Family into anything now. Otherwise, who woulde to save her in the future?

    Mo Rongzhan asked another question, ¡°Who was it who gave you her jade pendant. Lu Wushuang, you can refuse to answer. However, I will make the rest of your life a living hell.¡±

    ¡°It was my father!¡± In fear, he brought out her already deceased father. ¡°I don¡¯t know where my father hid her, and don¡¯t know who she was. This was given to me by my father. He taught me to do this!¡±

    ¡°Does Lu Lingzhi know about this?¡± He narrowed his eyes and asked. No one could tell if he actually believed what she said.

    Lu Wushuang hurriedly shook her head. ¡°My Eldest Brother knows nothing. If he knew, he wouldn¡¯t have let us do this.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s gaze fell heavily on her for a while. ¡°Lu Wushuang, if she is really dead, you can go keep herpany.¡±

    Ye Zhen has already been dead as could be for a long time! Lu Wushuang screamed in her heart. But she didn¡¯t dare beg for forgiveness before Mo Rongzhan again.

    He didn¡¯t have the slightest bit of pity for her now.

    ¡°Your Majesty, is it that because I am not her¡­ you haven¡¯t the slightest bit of regard for me?¡± she lowered her head and asked quietly.

    Mo Rongzhan just coldly looked at her, turning to leave the Pce of Earthly Tranquility.

 Chapter 400 - Not Comparable To Yaoyao

    Chapter 400 ¨C Not Comparable to Yaoyao

    Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t believe what Lu Wushuang said, but he hoped that Lu Lingzhi didn¡¯t know about this. Otherwise, he might be losing one of his most trusted generals.

    Lu Shide¡­ Was he the one to hide Little Yaoyao?

    Upon returning to the imperial study, Mo Rongzhan summoned Cai Jinggao of the Supervisory House. Like Shen Yi, Cai Jinggao was one of Mo Rongzhan¡¯s most trusted confidants. The Supervisory House was the branch he used to keep an eye on all of the court officials. Shen Yi was not in the capital, so it was most fitting that he had Cai Jinggao investigate Lu Shide.

    If Lu Shide had really captured Little Yaoyao, he might let the Lu Family off. But, from now on, they wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with imperial favor.

    Tonight, there were many people in the pce who weren¡¯t able to sleep. And likewise, there were many with the same problem in the Lu Family.

    Although the imperial edict dismissing Lu Wushuang had not yet been issued, the news Lu Lingzhi brought back had rendered everyone speechless.

    As soon as the gui fei was dismissed, the Lu Family would probably be theughingstock of the capital.

    Half a year ago. Lu Wushuang had still been the emperor¡¯s beloved consort. There was no one in the capital who didn¡¯t envy this. How many people had hoped she would lose favor then? Who would have thought that¡­ it woulde so quickly.

    ¡°Shuang¡¯er has only made one mistake, and the emperor is going to dismiss her?¡± Old Madam Lu asked Lu Lingzhi in a whisper. She couldn¡¯t believe that, in a single night, the glorious Gui Fei had be a nun.

    Lu Lingzhi was silent before saying, ¡°His Majesty was almost poisoned as well.¡±

    Old Madam Lu¡¯s expression slightly changed. She grimaced and said, ¡°Whatever, at least she¡¯s still alive. I had never expected her to do anything for the Lu Family anyway. Now that she can no longer be Gui Fei, she will have time to reflect on herself.¡±

    ¡°Grandmother, don¡¯t worry too much. When Shuang¡¯er goes to Nianci Temple, I will have people take care of her,¡± Lu Lingzhi whispered.

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have let her enter the inner pce in the first ce. She is not fit¡ª¡± Old Madam Lu shook her head and sighed. ¡°She isn¡¯tparable to Yaoyao.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi was shocked at those words. ¡°Grandmother, you say this because¡­.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. I am just saying that Shuang¡¯er is not as mature as Yaoyao.¡± Old Madam Lu sighed. ¡°You are tired tonight as well. Go back and rest. Keep this matter from your mother.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Grandmother.¡± Lu Lingzhi lightly nodded.

    He wasn¡¯t worried about whether his mother would be triggered by this or not. He was most worried if the emperor was aware that Lu Wushuang wasn¡¯t his savior. He would definitely have someone investigate what had truly happened.

    What if the emperor knew that it had actually been Ye Zhen who had saved him?

    Lu Lingzhi didn¡¯t dare imagine the consequences. It was nothing for him, but he couldn¡¯t implicate the entirety of the Lu Family. The only thing he could do now was to let the emperor expel his worries. But, how could he exin Shuang¡¯er¡¯s jade pendant?

    He had thought that, with Ye Zhen¡¯s death, the emperor would never know about this. But now it looked like¡­ nothing was entirely safe, and he had still found out.

    ?

    Ye Zhen woke up early in the morning. When she went to greet the empress dowager, Mo Rongzhan and Mo Rongyi were already in the pce.

    The empress dowager called her to her side. ¡°I heard you entered the pcest night. Silly child, did you think the emperor and I wouldn¡¯t believe you?¡±

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t know what to say, pressing her lips in a smile, and lowering her head in silence.

    ¡°Someone who will not even spare their own sister, will I actually listen to what she says?¡± the empress dowager said.

    ¡°Empress Dowager, I was wrong too. I shouldn¡¯t have gone with Gui Fei Lu to Xianfei Xu¡¯s, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to harm her,¡± Ye Zhen said quietly with guilt.

    Mo Rongzhan quirked an eyebrow, looking at Ye Zhen. She had never quietly tried to please him before. Yesterday, she hadn¡¯t said she was wrong either. It looked like this little girl was still highly suspicious of him. She wouldn¡¯t try to please or act cute before him.

    ¡°How could I me you? If it hadn¡¯t been that Lu Wushuang wanted to use you, could you have agreed?¡± The Empress Dowager hummed. ¡°We will not bring this matter up again. Emperor, when are you sending her to Nianci Temple?¡±

    ¡°Imperial Mother, I have already had people send her out of the pce.¡±

    The empress dowager nodded and did not bring up Lu Wushuang again.

    After breakfast, Ye Zhen took her leave to return to the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard. Only then did the empress dowager remember she had heard of her getting bullied while there.

    ¡°I heard there are people bullying you at the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard?¡± the empress dowager frowned and asked Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhenughed and said, ¡°Imperial Mother, who would dare bully me?¡±

    ¡°You cannot use your position as Princess in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard, I understand this. But if others think they can bully you because of this, or purposefully pick at you, then I will have to have a word on this matter.¡± The empress dowager coldly snorted.

    ¡°Imperial Mother, with me here, no one will dare bully Yaoyao.¡± Mo Rongyi immediately wiggled up to his mother¡¯s side pleasingly. ¡°I¡¯ll take a walk over to the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard in a while, and let those people bullying Yaoyao know who¡¯s boss.¡±

 Chapter 401 - Who Are You? (1)

    Chapter 401 ¨C Who are You? (1)

    The empress dowager looked sideways at him. ¡°Do tell, what are you up to now?¡±

    Mo Rongyi immediately patted himself on the shoulder. ¡°Imperial Mother, I want to go hunting. Imperial Brother has already agreed to thisst time. How about you do the same?¡±

    Ye Zhenughed aloud. ¡°Your shoulder doesn¡¯t hurt anymore?¡±

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t hurt in a long time.¡± Mo Rongyi immediately said, ¡°Let¡¯s go hunting tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°All you ever think about is hunting.¡± The empress dowager shook her head. ¡°Bring your guards. Although it¡¯s in the hunting grounds, you can never be too careful.¡±

    This meant she had agreed.

    Mo Rongyi almost jumped up with joy. ¡°Yes, Imperial Mother. I¡¯ll prepare now to go hunting tomorrow.¡±

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t have the chance to say anything as Mo Rongyi had already run far off.

    Mo Rongzhan had sat to the side silently with a smile on his face. His gaze seemed to unconsciously roam across Ye Zhen¡¯s face.

    ¡°Imperial Mother, then I will go to the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard,¡± Ye Zhen quietly said to the empress dowager. If they were going hunting tomorrow, she still had to have someone retrieve her bow, crossbow, and arrows from the Lu Family.

    She returned to the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard to help boil medicine. A long time had passed since she began working. Just as she was about to rest, Imperial Physician Huang rushed in angrily.

    Looking at the female physicians boiling medicine, she angrily demanded, ¡°Who boiled Noble Lady Hu¡¯s medicine?¡±

    Ye Zhen was taken aback, raising her head to look at Imperial Physician Huang. ¡°It was me.¡±

    ¡°You?¡± Imperial Physician Huang coldly looked at her, taking a porcin bowl from Gao Xueping¡¯s hand, who was standing behind her, and heavily ced it before Ye Zhen. ¡°Was this the form I prescribed? Noble Lady Hu only has amon cold. What medicine is this? Smell it for yourself.¡±

    ¡°Imperial Physician Huang, I picked the medicine ording to the form,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    ¡°What you mean to say is that I purposefully prescribed for you the wrong form?¡± Imperial Physician Huang asked with a coldugh.

    Ye Zhen furrowed her brows at the other. ¡°Imperial Physician Huang, how would I know if you did it on purpose or not? Take the form out and we¡¯ll know who is wrong.¡±

    A cold smile hung at the corner of Imperial Physician Huang¡¯s lips. ¡°Where is the medicinal form?¡±

    Gao Xueing immediately said, ¡°Teacher, it has already been sealed and stored.¡±

    By the confident looks of this student-teacher pair, Ye Zhen knew they hade prepared.

    ?

    On the matter of picking and boiling medicine, the female physicians and medicine boys of the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard acted ording to the medicinal forms provided by the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard and its imperial physicians. They were forbidden from changing the forms on their own. If Ye Zhen were to be unaware of this fact, then she would have no reason to remain in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard.

    An evil and pleased light shed past Gao Xueping¡¯s eyes. She couldn¡¯t think of a reason Chief Gong could continue helping Lu Yaoyao today.

    ¡°What is everyone hiding?¡± Chief Gong walked over, and seeing Imperial Physician Huang and Ye Zhen facing each other, felt his head starting to ache again.

    He really didn¡¯t understand how to deal with this Imperial Physician Huang. How could she be so stubborn? Could she really gain anything by working against the princess?

    ¡°Chief Gong, there¡¯s someone here that picked the wrong medicine on purpose, and almost killed Noble Lady Hu as a result,¡± Gao Xueping said immediately.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t pick the wrong medicine.¡± Ye Zhen tly denied

    ¡°Imperial Physician Huang, seeing as Yaoyao said that she didn¡¯t pick the wrong medicine, then something must be wrong here,¡± Gong Tang said. He had been observing this princess these days. She treated all tasks seriously and was very open to learning. Her medical knowledge was her strongest suit. He believed that she definitely had not picked the wrong medicine.

    Imperial Physician Huang stated expressionlessly, ¡°Then was it I who prescribed the wrong form? After so many years, never have I made one mistake. Why is it that when I meet Lu Yaoyao, I suddenly run into trouble?¡±

    Gong Tang hesitated, then picked up the medicine and took a whiff of it, looking at Ye Zhen with surprise. ¡°Did you boil this medicine?¡±

    Ye Zhen took a whiff of it. This was a medicine that cured typhoid. Though there were some herbs that were simr, the measurements were different. If someone with a cold took this typhoid medicine, not only would there be consequences but their life would be in immediate danger.

    ¡°This is not the medicine I boiled,¡± Ye Zhen said. She knew from a single whiff what this medicine was aimed to cure. If it had been typhoid medicine, she would have noticed immediately.

    Gao Xueping coldlyughed. ¡°If this hasn¡¯t been boiled by you, then was it boiled by someone else? You just said that this was the medicine you boiled for Noble Lady Hu.¡±

    ¡°I boiled cold medicine for Noble Lady Hu,¡± Ye Zhen emphatically said. She had thought that Imperial Physician Huang and her students would stop working against her after that day, but it seemed like they still hadn¡¯t given up.

    Imperial Physician Huang said to Gong Tang, ¡°Chief Gong, it looks like we still need to see the medicinal form.¡±

    Gong Tang ordered someone to get the medicinal form. But in all of the forms of the day, there was no trace of Imperial Physician Huang¡¯s.

    ¡°Looks like someone has gotten rid of the form,¡± Gao Xueping eximed aloud.

    Ye Zhen looked at them with a forced smile. It was clear that this student-teacher pair hade prepared.

 Chapter 402 - Who Are You? (2)

    Chapter 402 ¨C Who Are You? (2)

    ¡°Chief Gong, no matter what, you must give me an exnation for today¡¯s matter.¡± Imperial Physician Huang looked at Gong Tang. She was definitely going to force Lu Yaoyao out of the Imperial Physicians Courtyard today.

    ¡°What are those people gathered around doing?¡± A youth¡¯s voice sounded from behind the crowd. Mo Rongyi walked into the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard with a stern expression, and to Ye Zhen¡¯s side.

    Gao Xueping observed the age of the person entering and the clothes he wore, pretty much guessing his identity, and immediately went up to say, ¡°Answering Your Highness, Lu Yaoyao picked the wrong medical form on purpose, then destroyed the form, almost dragging Imperial Physician Huang into disaster with her.¡±

    Mo Rongyi red at Gao Xueping, who was half-squatting before him and suddenly kicked her. ¡°Who are you? Is the name of the princess something you can invoke?¡±

    Gao Xueping was struck right in the chest. Although Mo Rongyi hadn¡¯t struck with much force, it still left her in pain. She frustratedly looked at the little prince in indignation and did not understand why she had been kicked.

    Imperial Physician Huang saw her student being beaten up, and immediately took a stand. ¡°Little Prince, no matter the status, all who enter the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard are equal. That is the rule of this ce! Those who make mistakes must be subjected to punishment, even if they are a princess.¡±

    ¡°Are you stupid? Even if the princess erred, it is not up to you to punish her. Who are you to do this?¡± Mo Rongyi shouted. ¡°The princessing to be a physician is the honor of the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard, not an opportunity for you to casually wrong and bully!¡±

    Imperial Physician Huang said, unconvinced, ¡°Little Prince, I have never wronged Lu Yaoyao. If she can prove her innocence, then please present the evidence.¡±

    Ye Zhen slightly smiled. ¡°Evidence? We don¡¯t need to do that much. I didn¡¯t boil this bowl of medicine. Why would I need evidence?¡±

    ¡°How was this bowl of medicine not boiled by you? It clearly was!¡± Gao Xueping retorted.

    ¡°There is no licorice in this medicine. I added licorice as an aiding herb to the medicine today¡­,¡± Ye Zhen calmly replied.

    Before Ye Zhen could finish, Imperial Physician Huang had already begun furiously shouting. ¡°Who let you add licorice to the medicine? And you dare say that you did not change the form?¡±

    ¡°Adding licorice was something Noble Lady Hu requested. The medicine was too bitter, and hard to swallow. I sought Chief Gong on the matter, and he agreed on adding a little licorice,¡± Ye Zhen said tly.

    Gong Tang nodded. ¡°That is true.¡±

    He took a look at Ye Zhen, lowered his head to test the medicine, and confirmed that there was no licorice in it.

    ¡°Chief Gong, it seems that someone is trying to harm the Princess.¡± Mo Rongyi coldly snorted, sternly looking at Gong Tang.

    ¡°Rest assured, Little Prince. I will take care of this situation,¡± Gong Tang immediately said. From the corner of his eye, he saw Imperial Physician Huang¡¯s face go pale and sighed inwardly. It seemed that he could not allow this teacher-student pair to remain in the pce.

    Mo Rongyi wanted to continue backing Ye Zhen, but before he could begin, she poked his face, smiled, and looked at him. ¡°Why are you here to see me?¡±

    ¡°Naturally I came to see if you were being bullied or not,¡± Mo Rongyi said with a snort.

    ¡°Who can bully me? Hurry back. Don¡¯t stay here being a bother.¡± Ye Zhen rushed him away.

    Gong Tang thought, in the entirety of the imperial pce, apart from the empress dowager and the emperor, this princess was probably the only one who would dare call the little prince a bother.

    Gao Xueping¡¯s face was white as a sheet. She didn¡¯t understand why she would fail every time she tried to deal with Lu Yaoyao. Was that girl¡¯s luck really that good?

    Mo Rongyi was rushed twice by Ye Zhen, and could only reluctantly leave the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard. Just as he was about to leave, he pointed at Gao Xueping and said, ¡°Chief Gong, does a person like this deserve to stay in the pce?¡±

    Gao Xueping looked at Gong Tang with even more dread. She didn¡¯t want to be banished from the pce!

    ¡°Little Prince, I will definitely resolve this justly. I won¡¯t allow any person to wrongfully convict any female physician,¡± Gong Tang said quietly.

    Mo Rongyi nodded with a smile, not forgetting to wink at Ye Zhen for credit.

    Ye Zhen shook her head with amusement. Fortunately, there weren¡¯t a lot of people in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard right now, otherwise, she didn¡¯t know what the rumors about her would be like tomorrow.

    Although she was really just a physician while in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard, she still had the status of Princess. She was just confused as to whence Imperial Physician Huang and Gao Xueping got their confidence to try working against her constantly.

    Even if she allowed herself to be wronged, the empress dowager wouldn¡¯t!

    She could only say that this teacher-student pair really couldn¡¯t read through the situation, viewing themselves in such high regards. As powerful as an imperial physician was, could one really dictate the life of a princess?

 Chapter 403 - Demotion

    Chapter 403 ¨C Demotion

    The news of Lu Wushuang¡¯s dismissal spread almost to the entirety of the capital. None who had once been mocked by her refrained from apuding their hands in approval. There were even some who stated that they had seen thising; that Lu Wushuang did not look to be a person of good fortune.

    There was no one who liked this eldest girl from the Lu family in the capital. When she had been favored by the emperor, she had looked down upon the women of nobility and been arrogant and rude. Oftentimes, she would humiliate them verbally. So, with the news of her dismissal, there were some who almost lit firecrackers in celebration.

    The Lu Family didn¡¯t close themselves off, but still, their interactions with the public decreased drastically. Even their servants didn¡¯t appear in public that often anymore.

    However, no one assumed that the Lu Family would lose any status due to this. After all, they still had a princess and Marquis Anyang who had just been promoted to General.

    Ye Zhen wasn¡¯t interested in how the world viewed Lu Wushuang¡¯s incident. She had long lost the initial hatred she had had towards her. There was nothing to care about someone who wasn¡¯t worthy of being her opponent.

    Why should she care? Just like Imperial Physician Huang and Gao Xueping.

    Imperial Physician Huang and Gao Xueping were assigned to Changzhou¡¯s prison camps as doctors. Initially, Gong Tang had wanted to banish Gao Xueping from the pce, and assign Imperial Physician Huang to the school as a teacher. However, after the empress dowager became aware of the situation, she directly demoted Imperial Physician Huang, not because she was disrespectful to the princess, but because she dictated incidents unfairly, didn¡¯t have the benevolence of a medical practitioner, and needed to learn how to be a doctor first.

    She was originally a Fifth-rank Imperial Physician but was now a doctor without even a rank. Imperial Physician Huang¡­ no, Huang Rou was naturally discontent. But there was little she could do. If it hadn¡¯t been for the fact that the women of the Huang Family had always been imperial physicians, she might not even have been able to preserve her own life.

    She and Gao Xueping left the pce that day.

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t gloat or feel overly happy with the news of their punishment. Imperial Physician Huang was too malicious. If she had remained in the pce, disaster was bound to strike. It was better for her to leave the pce and be a doctor.

    Because of this, the female physicians of the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard all respected Ye Zhen a bit more, and didn¡¯t dare to y around with her as they used to. Only Chen Jinru and Xia Yaohua still treated her as they once did.

    The next morning, Ye Zhen and Mo Rongyi left the pce together, nning to hunt in the hunting grounds outside the city. She sent someone to fetch her crossbow from the Lu Mansion and rode on horseback alongside Mo Rongyi out of the city.

    With them were some of Mo Rongyi¡¯s study mates, some of the noble children they had yed polo with thest time. Ye Zhen had technically fought alongside them in battle, so they were all ustomed to each other. She also brought Hong Ying with her.

    Tang Zhen was already outside the hunting grounds, waiting for them.

    Within the capital, Tang Zhen was considered a new nobility. Compared to the Lu Family¡¯s former status as merchants, the Tang Family had a history of schrs and was thus more openly epted by the other noble families. Furthermore, he didn¡¯t have an arrogant little sister that was an imperial consort in the pce.

    ¡°Yaoyao.¡± Tang Zhen rode over on his horse, his eyes looking at Ye Zhen with a smile.

    ¡°Marquis Jing Ning, you¡¯re already here.¡± Mo Rongyi was also extremely happy upon seeing him and immediately waved.

    The other people seemed to have known that Tang Zhen would be here and weren¡¯t surprised. On the contrary, they seemed to be looking forward to seeing him.

    Ye Zhen furrowed her brows. ¡°Brother Tang, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Little Prince invited me to hunt,¡± Tang Zhen answered naturally, his gazending a bit greedily on Ye Zhen¡¯s face.

    ¡°Brother Tang agreed to teach me archery,¡± Mo Rongyi said excitedly.

    Ye Zhen tly looked at him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to teach you?¡±

    Mo Rongyi said awkwardly, ¡°You can¡¯t teach so many of us at once. Besides, if news gets out that my archery skills were taught by a little girl, wouldn¡¯t that be a little embarrassing?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to be embarrassed? Then let¡¯s talk after you beat me,¡± Ye Zhen said with a snort. She felt that Marquis Jing Ning must have a motive in being here, otherwise, Mo Rongyi wouldn¡¯t have invited him here with them.

    Tang Zhen didn¡¯t want to make Ye Zhen unhappy, and smiled, saying, ¡°Little Prince, Yaoyao, let¡¯s enter the forest first.¡±

    Ye Zhen took a look at him, riding into the forest of the hunting grounds.

    Tang Zhen followed up to her side. ¡°Yaoyao, Little Prince was the one who invited me.¡±

    ¡°I heard you gifted him a set of bow and arrows. You are truly good to him.¡± Ye Zhen slightly smiled. Who didn¡¯t know what he was nning?

    Tang Zhen coughed lightly. ¡°That is just a favor of my heart for the little prince. It had nothing to do with mying to see you.¡±

    Ye Zhenughed aloud. ¡°Why did youe to see me?¡±

    ¡°About what you said to mest time¡­.¡± Tang Zhen looked at her. ¡°Yaoyao, I¡¯ve thought it through.¡±

 Chapter 404 - In Danger (1)

    Chapter 404 ¨C In Danger (1)

    ¡°Brother Tang, Yaoyao, what are you guys talking about?¡± Mo Rongyi suddenly rode over his horse, cutting Tang Zhen off.

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t really care about Tang Zhen¡¯s answer. In her eyes, he probably wouldn¡¯t be willing to let go of everything for her. He was the only one left of the Tang Family. He needed to preserve their legacy.

    ¡°We were talking about who would be able to catch more prey in a while,¡± Ye Zhen answered Mo Rongyi with a smile. ¡°Haven¡¯t you practiced your archery skills for a few days already? Be sure to do wellter.¡±

    Mo Rongyi blushed and said, ¡°I have practiced¡­ but it¡¯s different. I didn¡¯t hunt often back then.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled, turning to speak to Tang Zhen. ¡°Brother Tang, why don¡¯t you teach him. Otherwise, he mighte back empty-handed.¡±

    ¡°Are you looking down on me?¡± Mo Rongyi said in embarrassment, ¡°Just wait and see. I¡¯ll definitely get more than you!¡±

    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll wait and see.¡± Ye Zhen smiled and nodded.

    Tang Zhen saw that he couldn¡¯t continue his conversation with Ye Zhen, and set aside all of his thoughts, meticulously teaching Mo Rongyi and the others to hunt. Such was a skill that was started by the teacher but made by the student. He could only teach them a couple of tricks. After all, these children practiced archery daily, they just didn¡¯t go hunting that often.

    ¡°The animals in the hunting grounds are all rather gentle and young. There are no beasts, so no ones needs to worry. Just concentrate and focus on your target,¡± Tang Zhen told them with a smile.

    Mo Rongyi was fidgety, wanting to go try immediately. This was still his first time hunting. Thest time he had snuck out to try, he had fallen into a hunter¡¯s trap because he had no experience.

    ¡°Let¡¯s split into two groups topete, all right?¡± Tang Zhen smiled and suggested.

    ¡°What happens if we win, and what happens if we lose?¡± Ye Zhen asked. With so many people hunting, apetition was the only way to have fun.

    A child at Mo Rongyi¡¯s side shouted, ¡°The losers will treat everyone to a meal at Fengyue Tower.¡°

    Fengyue Tower? Ye Zhen quirked her brow. This was a dining tower famed throughout the capital for being the most extravagant and luxurious. Not only did it have dishes and wine famous nationwide, but there were also the most beautiful courtesans. However, the courtesans of Fengyue Tower only sold their talents, not their bodies. Ye Zhen had once gone there with Ye Yiqing.

    Tang Zhen was about to disagree, thinking Ye Zhen wouldn¡¯t want to go somece like this.

    ¡°All right.¡± Ye Zhen generously answered.

    Revisiting a ce of her past. Nothing bad.

    ?

    Mo Rongzhan felt a constant sense of unease today. It had been a long time since he had felt like so. Thest time he¡¯d been this uneasy had been the time Ye Zhen had burned down the Duke Qin¡¯s Estate. He didn¡¯t know what would happen today.

    ¡°Fude, is there something happening in the pce today?¡± Mo Rongzhan put down his court documents, turning to ask his trusted aide.

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, what type of happenings are you referring to?¡± Eunuch Fu didn¡¯t quite understand what Mo Rongzhan meant. What could be happening today? The Imperial Consort has just been dismissed. The other concubines are both scared and excited, probably all nning and preparing to be near the emperor.

    Apart from this, he didn¡¯t think anything else would be happening in the pce. However, he didn¡¯t think that the emperor would care about what the concubines were doing.

    Mo Rongzhan slightly furrowed his brows, seeming a little dissatisfied with Fude¡¯s answer.

    Noticing his liege¡¯s expression, a lightbulb suddenly went off in Eunuch Fu¡¯s head. ¡°Little Prince has gone hunting today with the princess.¡±

    ¡°When did they leave?¡± Mo Rongzhan remembered that A¡¯Yi had said he was going to the hunting grounds yesterday. Did his unease have something to do with this?

    ¡°They left while you were in the morning session with the court,¡± Eunuch Fu said. He had guessed correctly. The emperor would be extremely concerned with anything concerning the princess.

    There were people overseeing the hunting grounds, and there were no dangerous beasts within. He wasn¡¯t particrly worried about their safety¡­ ¡°Did they bring guards?¡±

    Eunuch Fu looked at Mo Rongzhan, quietly saying, ¡°Little Princes brought twelve pce guards. Don¡¯t worry, Your Imperial Majesty, Little Prince and the princess will not encounter any sort of danger. Marquis Jing Ning is also at the hunting grounds.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s expression immediately soured. ¡°Tang Zhen went to the hunting grounds as well?¡±

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, Marquis Jing Ning seems to have taken a leave of absence. He went to the hunting grounds immediately after the court¡¯s morning session.¡± Eunuch Fu lowered his head as he answered.

    ¡°Get someone to ready my horse!¡± Mo Rongzhan said immediately, already calling the maids outside to help him change.

    If he had known that Tang Zhen would go to the hunting grounds as well today, he definitely would have gone with him. What a guy, Tang Zhen! To dare go and see Yaoyao in secret!

    Mo Rongzhan thought back to the time the marquis had told him he wanted to have Yaoyao¡¯s hand in marriage, and suddenly understood why he had felt so uneasy today.

 Chapter 405 - In Danger (2)

    Chapter 405 ¨C In Danger (2)

    Eunuch Fu had already told someone to ready his horse a long time ago. At the time he had heard that Tang Zhen was going to the hunting grounds as well, he had known the emperor would not be able to sit unbothered.

    As expected, he really was the emperor¡¯s right-hand eunuch.

    Mo Rongzhan changed into a fitted, deep purple silk robe. There were a couple of clouds embroidered on the sleeves and on the body, making him seem evermore tall and sculpted. His entire body radiated a domineering aura, and his gaze was, as always, cold and aloof. When he walked out of the Pce of Heavenly Purity, a white stallion was already standing ready for him.

    He cleanly mounted the horse, galloping out of the pce quickly as Eunuch Fu and the rest of the servants hurriedly rushed to follow him.

    At this time, Ye Zhen and the others had already begun forming teams forpetition in the forest of the hunting grounds. She led Mo Rongyi and two other noble children, while Tang Zhen led the other two. The guards, including Hong Ying, each hunted on their own. Whoever had the most catches would be rewarded by the little prince.

    Everyone was immediately excited, preparing to show off their skills.

    Tang Zhen turned with a smile to look at Ye Zhen. ¡°Yaoyao, I lost to youst time. This time, I won¡¯t let you off so easily.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so haughty. Marquis Jing Ning, please, try your best,¡± Ye Zhen said tly.

    ¡°All right!¡± Tang Zhen smiled, looking at her tenderly.

    The sunlight fell on her figure, making her skin seem evermore pure jade-like, emphasizing her prettiness as bright as the height of spring. He would never be able to forget the amazement he had felt the first time he had seen her. She had been flying on horseback then, like a startled swallow, a flying dragon. His heart had stirred at first nce, and in a moment, he had fallen forever.

    She asked him if he was willing to give up the wealth and prosperity in the capital and leave with her. Tang Zhen had once thought that this was a hard question. But he found that he didn¡¯t have a sliver of hesitation within himself. He wanted to be with her. Just being with her was better than any of that.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Ye Zhen could feel Tang Zhen¡¯s brilliant gaze. She blushed and looked away, speaking to Mo Rongyi.

    ¡°Giddyup!¡± Mo Rongyi shouted, ¡°I want to hunt a deer today, and give its hide to Imperial Mother to make a set of sleeves.¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at him with a smile. ¡°Then aim and shoot. Don¡¯t ruin the hide. It¡¯s best if you can kill it with a single arrow.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me!¡± Mo Rongyi coldly snorted, the two teams grew further and further apart.

    Ye Zhen was here to apany Mo Rongyi today. She didn¡¯t really want to shoot that much prey. However, seeing as they werepeting, naturally, she couldn¡¯t lose.

    ¡°Yaoyao, there are no deer here. Let¡¯s go further in the forest to see.¡± Mo Rongyi had shot two rabbits but still didn¡¯t find the sika deer he wanted and was a little disappointed.

    ¡°The deeper we go, the harder it¡¯ll be to trek. Are you sure you want to go?¡± The hunting grounds surrounded the forest. Although they had already been closed off to prevent the entry of any beasts, the deep forest was still seldom entered by any other than true master hunters.

    ¡°Seeing as we are out to hunt, we must enjoy ourselves. Do you want to lose to Marquis Jing Ning?¡± Mo Rongyi said.

    ¡°Then, you stay here, and I¡¯ll help you check if there are sika deer?¡± Ye Zhen said.

    ¡°The Little Prince is brave and strong. You will definitely be able to hunt a sika deer.¡± The guards at the side smiled, rooting for Mo Rongyi.

    Mo Rongyi puffed up his chest, saying to Ye Zhen, ¡°Does a big man like me still need your protection? I have so many guards by me. How could something happen?¡±

    A big man? Ye Zhen almostughed. ¡°All right then, we¡¯ll go over there for a look.¡±

    After all, though the hunting grounds wererge, they were still very safe. However, she was a little confused. Thest time she hade here to hunt, she had seen many herds of deer. Why hadn¡¯t she seen a single one today?

    Had they all gone to where Tang Zhen was?

    They were trotting on a little road shielded on both sides with towering trees. The path only allowed two people at a time. Mo Rongyi was with a guard, and Ye Zhen with Hong Ying.

    It was quiet on both sides of the road, and they didn¡¯t even see a rabbit or a mountain chicken. Ye Zhen slightly squinted, looking at the sides. The suspicion in her heart grew greater by the moment.

    ¡°A¡¯Yi¡ª¡± She wanted Mo Rongyi take the road back. Something was off with the hunting fields today.

    Mo Rongyi looked back, wanting to ask Ye Zhen what was wrong. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw two shadows move from along the side of the road. He shouted out loud, ¡°Yaoyao, look out!¡±

    Numerous men d in ck rushed out from the forests, raising their des to kill Mo Rongyi and Ye Zhen.

    Hong Ying and the other guards immediately drew their swords, forming a circle around Ye Zhen and Mo Rongyi.

    ¡°Whoes? How audacious of you to dare attempt to harm the little prince here?¡± Ye Zhen sternly asked the masked figures.

    Their answer was an increasingly fierce disy of swordwork.

    These people were highly skilled in martial arts, perhaps even more than these guards. Ye Zhen took a hold of Mo Rongyi¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter 406 - Fierce Tiger (1)

    Chapter 406 ¨C Fierce Tiger (1)

    Ye Zhen and Mo Rongyi galloped into deeper parts of the forest. They needed to first avoid the assassins, then find another path to leave. The path they had just taken had already been blocked by the assassins.

    ¡°Yaoyao, those assassins haven¡¯t followed us.¡± Mo Rongyi¡¯s little face was a little pale. He was truly terrified. He had never once experienced anything so dangerous in his life.

    ¡°Those guards might have stopped them. We should find another road to leave, and find Tang Zhen and the others as soon as possible,¡± Ye Zhen said quietly, trying to guess the origin of the assassins.

    How could there be assassins in the hunting grounds? This ce was guarded by the imperial family¡¯s guards. It wasn¡¯t like anyone coulde here. When had those assassins hidden in the woods?

    The more she thought, the stranger this matter seemed. Even more oddly, none of those assassins had continued chasing them. Even someone with no knowledge of martial arts like her could tell those guards were no match for the assassins. It was impossible that they would be able topletely stop them.

    ¡°Yaoyao, it¡¯s really quiet here.¡± Mo Rongyi anxiously leaned against Ye Zhen. They had already made it down the mountain. Apart from the road up the mountain, they hadn¡¯t found another path. It was so eerily quiet all around that it was a little scary.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes closely examined the broken fence before them. That was the fence to the hunting grounds. It had originally separated them from the wilderness behind, but now the fence was broken. The other paths seemed to have been purposefully hidden. They couldn¡¯t find another road, and their surroundings were eerily quiet, without even the sound of insects. Everything seemed strange.

    ¡°Sit here and don¡¯t move. I¡¯ll go see if there are other paths.¡± Ye Zhen quietly ordered, holding her crossbow in her hands, her arrows slung to her waist.

    Mo Rongyi immediately followed her down the horse. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    Seeing as he had already dismounted, Ye Zhen didn¡¯t say anything else. ¡°Bring your sword with you.¡±

    They were surrounded by mountains and forest here. There was a littleke before them, and not a single animal around. Ye Zhen reached out to tightly grasp Mo Rongyi¡¯s hand. ¡°A¡¯Yi, it¡¯s odd here. Follow me closely. Don¡¯t worry, if Tang Zhen can¡¯t find us, he¡¯ll certainlye look for us.¡±

    Mo Rongyi stiffened his body and remained still. His face was already ghastly pale from fright, his eyes staring unmovingly before him.

    Ye Zhen noticed something amiss, and looked back at him, scared by his expression, ¡°A¡¯Yi, are you all right?¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao, run¡­.¡± Mo Rongyi¡¯s voice was shaky. He let go of Ye Zhen¡¯s hand and pushed her.

    Ye Zhen traced his gaze and was shocked by what she saw.

    A strong, beautifully colored tiger walked in from outside the fence. Its steps were slow and graceful, but even so, the two steeds still felt the threat, neighing with fright, and freeing themselves of their ties to the tree, sprinting away.

    Suddenly, the tiger roared, and began running, pouncing up to take down a steed, using its sharp teeth to bite at the horse¡¯s neck. Fresh blood spewed out.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s breath stopped from fear. She grasped Mo Rongyi¡¯s hand, and while the tiger had yet to discover them, took the chance to grab the reigns of the escaped steed. ¡°A¡¯Yi, hurry and run!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go together!¡± he said in tears.

    ¡°No, if we go together, it will be more dangerous. Go back on the road we came, and maybe you¡¯ll run into Tang Zhen.¡± There were threats on both sides, but the only thing Ye Zhen could gamble on was that there were already no assassins on their only way out.

    ¡°Yaoyao.¡± He fought back his tears. ¡°If you don¡¯t leave, I won¡¯t either.¡±

    She was about to call him a dummy, before seeing that the tiger had already noticed them, and was walking their way.

    ¡°I¡¯ll lead it away. Leave!¡± The little path was behind the tiger. If she didn¡¯t lead it away, none of them would be able to escape. ¡°Go find Tang Zhen for help. I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll try to keep it at bay.¡±

    Mo Rongyi looked at her. ¡°Yaoyao, then you¡­ have to wait for me toe save you.¡±

    ¡°All right!¡± Ye Zhen shed a brilliant smile.

    The tiger had already reached them, the horse by Mo Rongyi grew evermore unsteady. Ye Zhen helped Mo Rongyi up the horse and hit the horse¡¯s back with force.

    The steed galloped away. The tiger growled, even more domineering. It opened its bloody mouth, a pair of terrifying eyes looking greedily at Mo Rongyi.

    Ye Zhen shot an arrow with the crossbow in her hands. The tiger dodged to the side, avoiding it. She quickly attracted its attention. Its sounds of enraged roars shook the area around them.

    Mo Rongyi had already escaped onto the little path. She tightly gripped her crossbow as she backed up. Behind her was the forest. She could stall for longer there.

    But¡­ Could she wait until her backup arrived?

    Mo Rongyi rode, crying uncontrobly. If something happened to Yaoyao, he wouldn¡¯t be able to forgive himself.

    ¡°A¡¯Yi!¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s voice sounded from ahead. He wielded his sword in one hand, racing over on his horse with a cold expression. ¡°Where is Yaoyao?¡±

 Chapter 407 - Fierce Tiger (2)

    Chapter 407 ¨C Fierce Tiger (2)

    ¡°Imperial Brother, hurry and save Yaoyao. She¡¯s¡­ she¡¯s about to be eaten by a tiger!¡± Mo Rongyi said while crying. His entire body was already weak from fright.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s heart was pinched fiercely. His expression soured even more as he shouted anxiously, ¡°Where is Yaoyao?¡±

    ¡°There, in the forest!¡± Mo Rongyi shouted as he pointed to the end of the road.

    ¡°Tang Zhen, first escort the little prince back to the pce.¡± Mo Rongzhan ordered coldly. The horse beneath him galloped forth like an arrow departed from a bow.

    Tang Zhen was in a daze. He was more worried than anyone else for Yaoyao. But there were still assassins in the hunting grounds. He took a look at Mo Rongyi, gritted his teeth, and ordered the others, ¡°The rest of you, escort Little Prince back. I need to help the emperor.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan had never been this afraid of losing someone. His heart seemed to be clenched in the grasp of arge hand. As soon as he was told of the fact that that little girl would be hurt in the slightest, it hurt to the point where even breathing was hard. A raging me of anger burned within the depths of his heart. No matter who, whoever nned this assassination, he would cut them into a thousand pieces.

    ¡°Yaoyao!¡± Mo Rongzhan could already see the horse that had been bitten to death. The fresh blood spilled all over the ground, seeming evermore disturbing.

    But he didn¡¯t see the tiger nor Yaoyao.

    Roar¡­

    The roar of a tiger sounded from within the forest. It sounded like it was currently angered.

    Mo Rongzhan immediately leaped off his horse and ran into the forest. Yaoyao, you can¡¯t get into trouble! You have to be all right!

    His feet moved like a breeze, leaping quickly with the sounds of the roar.

    ¡°Yaoyao¡­.¡± When he saw what was before him, Mo Rongzhan felt that his heart was about to stop from fright.

    Ye Zhen was perched atop a tree, the crossbow in her hand continually shooting at the tiger. It had been shot twice and was currently head ramming the puny tree in rage.

    Cracks had already formed on the tree¡¯s trunks, and it was tipping to the side. Ye Zhen was about to lose her bnce.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s heart was suspended in midair. He saw as the tree was taken down by the tiger, and watched as it leapt towards the little girl that had fallen on the ground.

    He bellowed, and leapt up, heavily kicking the tiger away. ¡°Yaoyao, are you all right?¡±

    Ye Zhen hadn¡¯t expected the person toe save her to be Mo Rongzhan. She was still shaken, and could only stare at him dazedly.

    Mo Rongzhan looked her over. ¡°Are you hurt somewhere? Yaoyao?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­,¡± Ye Zhen said quietly, her eyes still staring straight at him.

    ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡± Mo Rongzhan let out a breath of relief. ¡°I¡¯ll take you away from here.¡±

    The tiger that had been kicked in the head had already gotten back up. A growl sounded from deep down its throat. From the looks of it, it was angrier than it had been.

    Ye Zhen tightly gripped Mo Rongzhan¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s too aggressive. Nothing happened even after I shot a couple arrows at it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± Mo Rongzhan said to her quietly, shielding her behind himself.

    The tiger was enraged by these two dumb humans. The one he could have eaten in one bite had dared to climb atop a tree to avoid him and had also shot him with two arrows. The one that hadeter had kicked his head into an aching pain. If he didn¡¯t eat these two people, he would be unworthy of being a tiger.

    Mo Rongzhan had already struck out with his sword when the tiger hade pouncing over. Unfortunately, it dodged his attack and quickly struck again.

    ¡°Yaoyao, leave first!¡± Mo Rongzhan said to the person behind him. If she stayed here, he would be distracted trying to protect her. He couldn¡¯t put his all into killing this tiger.

    Ye Zhen looked at his broad figure. She hadn¡¯t expected that he would one day so unboundedlye protect. She stared at him with aplicated gaze.

    ¡°Hurry and leave, did you hear me?¡± He used his sword to block the tiger¡¯s ws, turning back to yell at her.

    Ye Zhen knew her presence would only make him distracted. She quietly said, ¡°Be careful. You have toe back¡­¡±

    Mo Rongzhan quietly answered her, escorting her out of the forest.

    By now, Tang Zhen arrived as well, ¡°Your Majesty, Yaoyao!¡±

    Seeing Tang Zhen, Ye Zhen knew that Mo Rongzhan would safe. If they worked together, they would be able to defeat the tiger.

    ¡°Brother Tang, go help the Emperor¡­¡± Ye Zhen ran towards Tang Zhen.

    When Mo Rongzhan heard her call Tang Zhen, he was slightly distracted. The tiger had wanted to kill Ye Zhen with a single bite, but seeing that she had escaped, and this man wielding a sword was difficult to deal with, he hurriedly turned, and pounced towards Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Yaoyao!¡±

 Chapter 408 - Why Did You Save Me?

    Chapter 408 ¨C Why Did You Save Me?

    ¡°Yaoyao, duck down!¡± Tang Zhen and Mo Rongzhan shouted at the same time.

    Ye Zhen turned to see a bloody mouth leaping at her. She was already exhausted. Now, facing this tiger, she forgot to react.

    Mo Rongzhan had already run over, throwing himself at her and pulling her to the ground.

    Rip¡ª¡ª

    She could hear the sound of flesh and bone being ripped apart. She saw Mo Rongzhan¡¯s sword hand inside the tiger¡¯s throat. Then, it fell heavily on the ground beside them.

    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Tang Zhen shouted.

    Ye Zhen hugged Mo Rongzhan¡¯s shoulder, her hand full of mangled flesh. Raising them, she found that her hands were covered with fresh blood.

    His blood!

    ¡°Mo Rongzhan¡­!¡± Ye Zhen was shocked stupid. ¡°Mo Rongzhan, are you all right? Talk to me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Mo Rongzhan raised his head with difficulty, his voice weak as heughed. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Ye Zhen pushed him away. Seeing the wounds on his back, her tears unceasingly streamed down. How could he be fine? His back had been wed several times by the tiger¡¯s ws. It was already just a patch of mangled flesh. Even more, the wounds on his shoulder were deep to the bone.

    He was already in this condition¡­ How could he be fine?

    Tang Zhen hurriedly said, ¡°Yaoyao, hurry and send His Majesty back to the pce to find Imperial Physician Qi.¡±

    Ye Zhen wiped away her tears. This wasn¡¯t the time to cry. She said to Tang Zhen, ¡°We can¡¯t take him back like this. Go get some more people, and some wooden nks. We have to carry him back.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan grasped Ye Zhen¡¯s hand, and said to Tang Zhen, ¡°The news about my injury has to be kept secret!¡±

    ¡°Hurry and go!¡± Ye Zhen shouted at Tang Zhen, who was still standing still.

    Tang Zhen looked at her with a profound gaze. ¡°Take care of His Majesty.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan was already limply lying against the ground because of blood loss.

    ¡°I have some medicine on me. I¡¯ll apply it first,¡± she said hoarsely, ripping apart the clothes on his back.

    ¡°Hm!¡± He groaned. His wounds were tugged by the clothes, putting him in even more pain.

    ¡°Your clothes aren¡¯t stuck to the wounds yet. If we rip them after the blood dries, it¡¯ll hurt even more. Can you bear it?¡± Ye Zhen bit her lip and asked.

    Mo Rongzhan gasped to breathe, his face a ghastly white. ¡°Yes. Do it.¡±

    She ripped apart the clothes on his back little by little. What she couldn¡¯t tear, she cut with a dagger. Seeing the wounds on his back, her eyes welled up with tears again. ¡°Does it hurt?¡±

    ¡°No!¡¯ he firmly said.

    She sniffled. ¡°I¡¯ll apply the medicine.¡±

    She looked at her own palms and concentrated, and linquan appeared in her hands. She put all the drops on his wounds. This was the only way she could save him.

    Mo Rongzhan only felt the burning pain on his back being reced by a coolness. It seemed to not hurt as much as it had. ¡°What medicine did you bring? It already doesn¡¯t hurt that much.¡±

    She didn¡¯t know how many drops of lingquan she had dripped on his wounds. Initially, she could only get a single drop with every use. Now, she could already get three at a time. She ceaselessly made the spirit fountain appear, then dropped the liquid on his wounds.

    The wounds that had been doused in the spirit fountain already stopped bleeding. But the blood that had already flowed out still wet most of his clothes.

    ¡°Yaoyao¡­..¡± he hoarsely called her.

    She didn¡¯t pay attention to him.

    ¡°Talk to me, or I¡¯ll faint,¡± he said.

    ¡°Can you sit up?¡± She only stopped using the elixir after she confirmed that his wounds had stopped bleeding.

    ¡°Help me up.¡± He didn¡¯t think his back hurt as much as it had, but he was still a little weak.

    She grasped his hand, and carefully helped him sit. Looking at his pale, handsome face, and then ncing at the dead tiger on the side, she quietly said, ¡°You almost died!¡±

    If it hadn¡¯t been for her lingquan, with the state of his injuries, he would have undoubtedly died. Why¡­ had he protected her, without any regard for his own life?

    Mo Rongzhan raised his arm with difficulty, lightly brushing her face. ¡°I¡¯m fine, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    She held in her tears, lowering her head. She didn¡¯t want him to save her like this¡­ She didn¡¯t want to owe him anything.

    ¡°Yaoyao, don¡¯t cry,¡± he said hoarsely, his fingers lightly raising her chin. He lowered his head to kiss her tightly clenched lips. ¡°I¡¯m very happy that you¡¯re all right.¡±

    ¡°You¡­.¡±

    Ye Zhen just began to speak, but he had already kissed her lips close. His tongue danced with hers as hepletely disregarded the mangled wounds on his back.

    Her hands pressed against his chest. This was the first time she didn¡¯t push him away, but she also didn¡¯t respond.

    Ye Zhen felt like she had walked into a dead-end.

 Chapter 409 - Heartache

    Chapter 409 ¨C Heartache

    Tang Zhen left and returned, he was the first to rush back. But what greeted him made him unable to take another step ahead.

    The emperor is¡­kissing Yaoyao?!

    That day at the polo game, he could already see the emperor¡¯s feelings for Yaoyao. At that time, he had wanted to first arrange for their marriage while Yaoyao was still a princess. But now, he felt that¡­ he would never be able to have her.

    Today, when the emperor, with disregard for his own safety and life, leaped over to protect her, he had already lost Yaoyao. He would never be able to obtain her heart.

    ¡°Ehem!¡± Tang Zhen bore the ache in his heart and coughed to break them up. If the people behind him saw this, there would probably be unfavorable gossip about Yaoyao.

    Only when Mo Rongzhan heard Tang Zhen did he reluctantly relinquish her lips. He lowered his gaze to see those pink lips, a little swollen from his kiss. His course fingers lightly rubbed them. ¡°Yaoyao, I think I¡¯m about to faint.¡±

    Ye Zhen hurriedly grasped him. ¡°Mo Rongzhan, you¡­ What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a little tired,¡± Mo Rongzhan said quietly, resting his head on her shoulder.

    Sensing something amiss, Tang Zhen immediately ran over. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with His Majesty?¡±

    Ye Zhen checked Mo Rongzhan¡¯s pulse, quietly saying, ¡°He might have fainted from blood loss. Brother Tang, did you find wooden nks to carry His Majesty back?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a soft sedan, just sent over. I¡¯ve also ordered someone to prepare a carriage. We can¡¯t have anyone knowing about His Majesty getting hurt. We¡¯ll send him directly into the Pce of Heavenly Purity in the carriage.¡± Tang Zhen didn¡¯t dare look at Ye Zhen. He was afraid his heart would ache with every nce.

    Ye Zhen lightly nodded, her eyes never straying from Mo Rongzhan. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the Pce of Heavenly Purity as well. Have sent for Imperial Physician Qi?¡±

    Tang Zhen looked at her. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve sent for her already. Yaoyao, do you want to go to the Lu Mansion first?¡±

    ¡°No, I need to go to the pce,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    The guards arrived in order as well. They were all the most trusted of Mo Rongzhan¡¯s Yu-Lin Guards. They carried him onto the soft sedan, and looked back at Ye Zhen, quietly saying, ¡°Princess, the carriage is on the road outside.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Ye Zhen looked at the unconscious Mo Rongzhan and felt her heart ache. She was suddenly a little afraid. What if lingquan couldn¡¯t cure his wounds?

    The carriage was veryrge, about as big as Mo Rongzhan¡¯s personal one. Ye Zhen followed them in and had themy Mo Rongzhan on his stomach against the soft cushioning. She found a cup in the carriage, and fed water infused with her lingquan drop by drop into his mouth.

    Unfortunately, because Mo Rongzhan was lying on his chest and unconscious, he was unable to swallow any of the water she fed.

    Ye Zhen was as anxious as an ant atop a hot pan. She rubbed her ear, then called Tang Zhen, who was sitting outside the carriage box, in. ¡°Hold His Majesty, I¡¯ll feed him some water.¡±

    Tang Zhen nodded, helping hold Mo Rongzhan up, allowing Ye Zhen to feed him water.

    Mo Rongzhan, for some reason, perhaps the pain, clenched his thin lips into a tight line. Ye Zhen was unable to feed the water into his mouth.

    She considered for a moment, before clenching her teeth and taking a sip of the water. Then, pressing her lips against his, tried to kiss him. The unconscious man seemed to detect this, and because of the familiarity of her scent, finally unclenched his lips.

    Ye Zhen fed the water into his mouth, allowing him to sessfully drink the lingquan-infused water.

    Tang Zhen closed his eyes, hiding the sorrow and pain deep in his eyes. A scene like this was like dragging a dagger across his heart.

    Quickly, they returned to the pce. Eunuch Fu had already made preparations, expelling everyone unnecessary from the Pce of Heavenly Purity. Tang Zhen carried Mo Rongzhan on his back, quickly entering his resting quarters.

    Qi Jin had long been inside waiting for them, when she saw Mo Rongzhan covered with blood, she was rendered silent with shock.

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, His Majesty was wounded by the ws of a wild beast. I have already stopped the bleeding of his wounds. Can you take a look¡­.¡± While Ye Zhen spoke, her face was as white as snow. She was both exhausted and scared today. It was already difficult for her to stay alert up until this moment.

    ¡°We might need to help stitch His Majesty¡¯s wounds,¡± Qi Jin said quietly, ¡°My needlework is not as good as A¡¯Chen¡¯s. I¡¯ll first help clean His Majesty¡¯s wounds. Have someone send for Huangfu Chen.¡±

    Tang Zhen immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ll escort Mister Chen into the pce. I know where he is.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao, if you still can, help me clean the emperor¡¯s wounds,¡± Qi Jin said to Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhen immediately nodded. ¡°I can.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s start then!¡± Qi Jin nodded. She didn¡¯t know what kind of danger Ye Zhen had just faced, nor was she aware of the shock she had just experienced. She just knew that Ye Zhen¡¯s medical skills andposure were the most suitable for helping her.

    Apart from cleaning the wounds, they also needed to help Mo Rongzhan change his clothes. This was impossible with just the two of them. Eunuch Fu and the rest of the people helped on the said. After ardously cleaning all of the blood on his body, they found that, fortunately, though the wounds on his back looked grisly and frightening, they had already stopped bleeding.

 Chapter 410 - Has Something Gone Wrong? (1)

    Chapter 410 ¨C Has Something Gone Wrong? (1)

    Together, Eunuch Fu and two eunuchs helped the emperor change his pants as well while Ye Zhen and Qi Jin both looked away.

    By the time everything was ready, Tang Zhen had also brought Huangfu Chen over.

    Huangfu Chen looked at the wounds on Mo Rongzhan¡¯s back, then at Qi Jin with astonishment. ¡°Aunt, you have stopped A¡¯Zhan¡¯s bleeding so quickly?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me. Yaoyao had stopped the bleeding even before I saw him. I just helped clean the wounds,¡± Qi Jin said. Honestly speaking, the reaction of surprise she had had inwardly had been the same as Huangfu Chen¡¯s. With the state of the emperor¡¯s wounds, it was extremely difficult to stop the bleeding. If the bleeding hadn¡¯t been stopped already, even if Qi Yanling were here, he wouldn¡¯t be able to live.

    Huangfu Chen looked at Ye Zhen with astonishment, didn¡¯t ask any more questions, and lowered his head to treat the wounds on Mo Rongzhan¡¯s back.

    Ye Zhen was already exhausted. But she still didn¡¯t dare leave, in fear that something else would happen to Mo Rongzhan.

    ¡°Yaoyao, you¡¯ve been through a lot today. Go back and rest first,¡± Tang Zhen said to Ye Zhen quietly.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    The empress dowager and Mo Rongyi walked in at this time. She had already gotten news of everything from her younger son. Seeing Yaoyao standing near the bed, she immediately walked over to hug her. ¡°Good child, it is enough that you all coulde back.¡±

    ¡°Imperial Mother, His Majesty got hurt¡­ to save me¡­..¡± Ye Zhen leaned into the empress dowager¡¯s warm embrace, speaking with a lump in her throat.

    ¡°I know. This isn¡¯t your fault. I will have people investigate as to who was trying to harm you all. I won¡¯t let him off easily!¡± The empress dowager said in a chilly voice, a will to kill appearing in her eyes for the first time.

    Mo Rongyi held back his tears. If it hadn¡¯t been for Yaoyao, he probably would have died by the tiger¡¯s mouth today. If it hadn¡¯t been for his Imperial Brother arriving in time, he probably would have been killed by the assassins as well. It was only today that he understood how useless he was, still needing others to risk their lives to protect him.

    ¡°Imperial Mother¡­.¡± Ye Zhen wanted to keep on speaking.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say anything else. Aunt Cheng, first take the princess to wash up and rest. Clean the blood from your body, and have a good night¡¯s rest,¡± The empress dowager said, patting Ye Zhen¡¯s head.

    ???

    Huangfu Chen had helped treat Mo Rongzhan¡¯s wounds, but despite it all, the monarch still remained unconscious.

    Under the express orders of Empress Dowager, Ye Zhen had been forcibly taken away to rest. She had wanted to head back to the Pce of Heavenly Purity as soon as she washed clean of the bloodstains and changed into a fresh set of clothes but right then Lady Cheng walked in with a bowl of nerve-calming soup. Not long after she had downed the contents, she was hard-pressed to keep her eyes open. And before she knew it, she had swiftly drifted to dreand on the couch she was sitting on.

    Lady Cheng pitifully gazed at the slumbering girl before turning to report to the empress dowager.

    The empress dowager was still presiding over matters in the Pce of Heavenly Purity. Mo Rongyi had been sent back to the prince¡¯s residence. The news of the emperor being injured by the tiger had already been contained. As such, not a word had leaked to the outside. But the monarch still had to attend the morning court meeting the next day. They had to find an excuse for the public.

    ¡°First invite Mister Xu and Mister Liu into the pce,¡± the empress dowager quietly instructed. The news of the emperor¡¯s injury could not be concealed from the Inner Court. Of those officials, only Prime Minister Xu and Liu Zongyuan were most trusted by the emperor. So news must be first announced to them.

    Eunuch Fu immediately left after receiving the order. As of the present, many things needed to be attended to personally by him. This was a critical time and they couldn¡¯t afford to trust anyone else.

    Right at this moment, Lady Cheng walked in and bowed to the empress dowager. ¡°Your Imperial Highness, the princess drank the nerve-calming soup and fell asleep. She wanted toe over as she was worried for the emperor.¡±

    Tang Zhen, who was standing to the side, lowered his head at the words, his eyes filled with gloom.

    ¡°That poor child¡­ She was quite frightened and feels that the emperor has only been injured because of her. She is probably very hurt inside. Let her rest well now. If it hadn¡¯t been for the emperor today¡­ she might already be killed by the tiger¡¯s jaws,¡± the empress dowager said with a sigh.

    ¡°Yes, it is fortunate that the emperor got there in time, saving the little prince and the princess,¡± Lady Cheng said.

    Mo Rongzhan had only wanted to look for Ye Zhen initially. How would he have allowed for Ye Zhen to hunt with Tang Zhen? Not long after he entered the hunting grounds, he ran into the man himself.

    Marquis Jing Ning had already discovered peculiarities in the forest and knew that something was different from the usual, so he joined the emperor in looking for Ye Zhen and the others.

    Halfway there, they ran into Hong Ying. She was wreathed with injuries courtesy of the assassins and on her way to spread the news of the attack. Mo Rongzhan and the others wasted no time rushing over, subduing the assants swiftly. They had only just wrapped up the battle when a sobbing Mo Rongyi rode over on his horse. This was how everything else came about.

    ¡°Marquis Jing Ning, you must clearly investigate the matter of today. No matter who the directing party is, I will have him pay the price.¡± The empress dowager had almost lost two sons today, how could she not hate the mastermind behind this?

    Tang Zhen bowed and received his orders. ¡°Yes, Your Imperial Highness.¡±

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 Chapter 411 â€“ Has Something Gone Wrong? (2)

    ¡°You can leave now. I¡¯ll be here at the Pce of Heavenly Purity. No one should dare to be presumptuous,¡± the empress dowager said to Tang Zhen.

    ¡°Your Imperial Highness, should we invite Marquis Anyang into the pce to protect the emperor?¡± Tang Zhen asked quietly. Given that Lu Wushuang had just been dismissed, he was unsure if the empress dowager would still trust in Lu Lingzhi.

    The empress dowager was silent for a moment, before sighing and saying, ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for the fact that Marquis Anyang is still nursing his wounds, I would¡¯ve invited him into the pce. But as of the present, he has not yet recovered. Let him rest at ease.¡±

    Tang Zhen quickly discerned the underlying meaning- the empress dowager did not wish for Lu Lingzhi to know too much. ¡°I understand.¡±

    ¡°Invite Wei You into the pce to protect the emperor.¡± The empress dowager considered for a moment beforending on this name.

    ¡°Wei You?¡± Tang Zhen was taken aback. Why would the empress dowager want Wei You to enter the pce?

    Wei You was a loyal servant of the erstwhile Huangfu Dynasty. If he were to learn of the emperor¡¯s injuries, the marquis feared he would try to take advantage of the situation. So, the very mention of this name astonished him.

    The empress dowager lightlyughed, she wasn¡¯t blind to the marquis¡¯s worries. She said, ¡°Seeing as the emperor allowed him to be the Admiral of the Nine Gates, it is apparent that he trusts him. The safety of the imperial pce should be left to him.¡±

    Tang Zhen had conquered the dynasty with Mo Rongzhan from his time as a humble soldier. Naturally, he understood this Emperor more than anyone. If he wasn¡¯t someone he trusted very much, it would be impossible for Wei You to obtain the position of the Admiral of the Nine Gates.

    ¡°Your Imperial Highness, I¡¯ll have someone invite General Wei,¡± he said.

    Wei You had long been guarding outside of the pce. Upon receiving the orders, he immediately entered the Pce of Heavenly Purity to see the empress dowager, and quickly ced the nine doors of the imperial pce under secure guard. He also secretly contacted General Meng of the Western Barrack, telling him to remain alert to ept orders at any time.

    Tang Zhen left the imperial pce intending to head to the hunting grounds again. He still had to investigate as to what had really happened. This incident was definitely not as simple as an ident.

    The empress dowager met with Prime Minister Xu and Liu Zongyuan in the imperial study and apprised them of the emperor¡¯s injuries. However, she didn¡¯t go too much into detail, only stating that it had been the result of a plot, and told them to do all they could to calm the court officials these next few days in court.

    When Prime Minister Xu expressed his desire to see the emperor, he was stopped by the empress dowager. ¡°The emperor has just woken. He needs to rest in peace now. You can see him tomorrow.¡±

    Since the empress dowager had said so, even if Prime Minister Xu and Liu Zongyuan really wanted to know about the emperor¡¯s condition, there was no way they could. Right now their only option was to leave.

    As of now, the consort with the highest position in the harem was Prime Minister Xu¡¯s daughter, Xu Huiru. Gui Fei¡¯s loss of favor and recent dismissal was a great opportunity for Xianfei. Prime Minister Xu had already had someone secretly bring his daughter news, telling her to earn the favor of the emperor. It would be even better if he could make her Empress.

    At this time, the harem was still calm and peaceful. The news of Mo Rongzhan¡¯s injury had already been contained. Not a single bit had leaked to the harem. However, although nothing had leaked, it didn¡¯t mean no one noticed peculiarities.

    ¡°Xianfei, the pce was a bit odd today. I heard that the princess went early in the morning with Little Prince for hunting. But I just saw her in the imperial garden, being led by Lady Cheng to the Cining Pce. Then the empress dowager went to the Pce of Heavenly Purity. I don¡¯t know what might have happened.¡±

    Xu Huiru¡¯s eyes shed. She didn¡¯t know that Ye Zhen had returned to the pce. She was also unaware of the reason the empress dowager had gone to the Pce of Heavenly Purity. ¡°Concubine An, the empress dowager¡¯s whereabouts are not something you can track.

    An Xiuzhen¡¯s face soured as she awkwardlyughed, saying, ¡°I only knew by chance. I didn¡¯t listen in on the empress dowager¡¯s whereabouts on purpose.¡±

    Hu Yue, who was sitting on the other side, only smiled silently. She was just a humble nobledy. No matter what happened in the pce, she didn¡¯t have the qualifications to ask or investigate. Sometimes, silence was golden.

    Xu Huiru took a look at An Xiuzhen. ¡°You said something happened. Have you heard anything?¡±

    ¡°Where would I go to investigate? I have only heard whispers of gossip¡­.¡± An Xiuzhen smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t know nothing else.¡±

    Xu Huiru didn¡¯t ask further. After she dealt with An Xiuzhen and Hu Yue, she summoned her maid Qian Lan. ¡°Go take a look at whether or not the princess has actually returned to the pce. As for the emperor¡­ Nevermind, you are not to listen in on the matters of the emperor.¡±

    Qian Lan left and returned a little more than an hourter to the Xinghe Pce.

    ¡°Her Highness is indeed already in the Cining Pce. However, the empress dowager went to the Pce of Heavenly Purity,¡± Qian Lan quietly reported.

    Xu Huiru was shocked and instinctively knew that something had happened to the emperor.

    ¡°Where is the Little Prince?¡± she hurriedly asked.

    ¡°He has already returned to the prince¡¯s residence,¡± Qian Lan said.

    ¡°Take my waist si, and send this news to my father. Perhaps he¡¯ll know what happened.¡± Xu Huiru¡¯s eyes were cold and serious as she spoke quietly.

 Chapter 412 - He Still Hasnâ€™t Woken Up (1)

    Chapter 412 ¨C He Still Hasn¡¯t Woken Up (1)

    By the time Ye Zhen woke up, it was already dusk. After simply tidying herself up a bit, she immediately went to the Pce of Heavenly Purity.

    In the resting chambers, the empress dowager, sat next to the bed with a heavy expression, watching the slumbering Mo Rongzhan. The pair of aunt and nephew, Qi Jin and Huangfu Chen stood aside, with equally obscure expressions.

    ¡°Imperial Mother, is the emperor awake?¡± Ye Zhen walked over and looked at Mo Rongzhan after bowing.

    He seemed a little better, but was still pale, with ayer of white cloth wrapped around his body. The emperor, who had always been tall and domineering, could now only lie still like this. Anyone would feel gloomy at the sight.

    Hearing Ye Zhen¡¯s voice, the empress dowager shook her head tiredly. ¡°He still hasn¡¯t woken up.¡±

    Ye Zhen opened her mouth, her heart swelling a bit with pain. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because¡­ he lost too much blood, so he¡¯ll sleep a bit longer. Imperial Mother, you have been here all day. I¡¯ll take care of Imperial Brother. You can go back and rest first.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not tired.¡± Her voice sounded a bit hoarse.

    ¡°Your Imperial Highness, the court still needs you to oversee the overall situation. What will happen if you are to fall ill? Yaoyao already understands medicine. Just let her stay and take care of the Emperor.¡± Qi Jin quietly persuaded her from the side.

    Ye Zhen nodded. ¡°Yes, Imperial Mother. Go back and rest. If Imperial Brother wakes up, I¡¯ll have someone tell you immediately.¡±

    The empress dowager considered this for a bit, before nodding in agreement. ¡°Fine then. If the emperor wakes up, immediately have someonee and tell me.¡±

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, you are also tired. I can handle it here. You should go back and rest too,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    Qi Jin looked at Huangfu Chen. Huangfu Chen lightly smiled and said, ¡°I won¡¯t leave the pce tonight. I¡¯m staying in the Pce of Heavenly Purity. You don¡¯t need to worry about the emperor¡¯s wounds.¡±

    With Huangfu Chen here, both the empress dowager and Qi Jin were able topletely be at ease to return and rest. They were both older women, especially Qi Jin. These days, because of Lu Lingzhi¡¯s Seven Day Pains, she had not been able to get a single night¡¯s rest.

    There were only Ye Zhen and Huangfu Chen left in the resting chambers. Eunuch Fu was resting against the door, about to fall asleep.

    ¡°Teacher, the emperor¡­ Will he wake up?¡± Ye Zhen, a little afraid, asked Huangfu Chen. She had fed Mo Rongzhan lingquan, and used it to stop his bleeding. Why was he still not awake?

    She hated him, but¡­ She didn¡¯t want him to die from saving her in the slightest! She didn¡¯t want him to weigh on her heart forever!

    Huangfu Chen took Mo Rongzhan¡¯s pulse, gently saying, ¡°His pulse is a lot better than it was this morning. Usually, he should have woken up by now. But it seems he is still in deep unconsciousness now.¡±

    Unconsciousness? Ye Zhen paused. She had been so preupied she had forgotten to check his pulse. Testing Mo Rongzhan¡¯s pulse, she found that Huangfu Chen was right. ¡°Why is it like this?¡± she asked with confusion.

    ¡°How did you stop his bleeding today?¡± Huangfu Chen asked. With Mo Rongzhan¡¯s wounds, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to stop the bleeding. But when he got to the pce, his wounds were no longer bleeding. That was the only reason he was still alive.

    ¡°I¡­ kept pressure on his pressure points. I saw this in the library. If there are no medical herbs to stop the bleeding, you must press on the pressure points and the blood vessels. This can slow the speed of the bleeding,¡± she quietly replied.

    Huangfu Chen nodded with astonishment. ¡°So it is. I have learned much today.¡±

    ¡°You are too humble, Teacher. I read it from a book,¡± Ye Zhen said with embarrassment. She had read many methods of stopping bleeding, but none wereparable to the effects of her lingquan.

    ¡°What¡­ exactly happened today?¡± Huangfu Chen looked down at Ye Zhen, who was still a bit pale. He had always felt that though this little girl looked petite and fragile, there had always been an inexhaustible power within her. She was no less tough nor decisive than any man.

    Ye Zhen slowly started to recount the happenings of the day. ¡°¡ª Those assassins didn¡¯t follow us. I felt that it was strange, but we didn¡¯t have another path to take. It seemed like they wanted to use this method to force us into the tiger¡¯s mouth, then kill the guards, making it seem like we had met harm through an ident.¡±

    ¡°Did they want to kill Little Prince or you?¡± Huangfu Chen asked with a furrowed brow.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either¡­.¡± Ye Zhenughed bitterly. ¡°If they could n all of this without a trace, they cannot be someone ordinary. I have arrived at the capital for not even a year, what type of person could I¡¯ve offended?¡±

    Huangfu Chen lightly smiled. ¡°There are some people whose motivation for killing you wouldn¡¯t solely be based on whether or not you have offended them. Perhaps you are in their way.¡±

 Chapter 413 - He Still Hasnâ€™t Woken Up (2)

    Chapter 413 ¨C He Still Hasn¡¯t Woken Up (2)

    Ye Zhen was even more confused as to who would want to kill her. She looked back at Mo Rongzhan, and an ache suddenly appeared in her heart. She hurriedly turned away, not taking another look at him.

    ¡°Right, Teacher, I divinated for this trip before. The result was a fighting dragon in the wilderness, whose blood was a ck-yellow. I had always thought that I had done it wrong. Could it have something to do with this matter?¡± She thought back to the divination she had done two days ago. The more she thought of the image of Mo Rongzhan fighting with the tiger, the more she thought it had something to do with this divination.

    ¡°A fighting dragon in the wilderness, whose blood was a ck-yellow?¡± Huangfu Chen was taken aback, divinating himself, before shaking his head and sighing. ¡°That is indeed his divination sign.¡±

    ¡°¡ª¡± Ye Zhen didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Teacher, when I was divinating, I wasn¡¯t divinating for the emperor.¡±

    Huangfu Chen said, ¡°The trip you divinated for was not one you took alone. So, even if you did not divinate for A¡¯Zhan, as you traveled together, the result you divinated would be the same.¡±

    ¡°This is an ominous hexagram.¡± Ye Zhen said quietly, ¡°Would it be bad for him?¡±

    ¡°Hasn¡¯t everything already been resolved? After great dangerse great fortunes.¡± Huangfu Chen said with a smile.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s heart felt bitter, helplessly looking towards the unconscious Mo Rongzhan. Today, when he selflessly saved her, she was really surprised. Why would he protect her, even with no regard for his own life? How was she supposed to take revenge now?

    She had already made her mind when deciding to ruin his reign. How could he¡­ move her?

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be too worried for him nor do you need to me yourself. These injuries are iparable to his earlier ones,¡± Huangfu Chen said with a light smile.

    Ye Zhen asked with confusion, ¡°Did he used to get hurt a lot?¡±

    Huangfu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you see that his body was covered with scars today? Injuries set up by others, idents from training, poisoned arrows from the enemy in battle¡­ The fact that he¡¯s still alive today can be owed to his fate.¡±

    Ye Zhen stared at the slumbering carved, handsome face. An indescribable feeling emerged in her heart once again. She had never known¡­ he had made his way here like this¡­

    ¡°¡ª So, don¡¯t take such wounds to heart. If he is still alive today, he is fine.¡± Huangfu Chenforted Ye Zhen whose face seemed to be wreathed with guilt.

    ¡°He was a duke. Why was his life so hard?¡± Ye Zhen said quietly.

    ¡°Not every duke is able to gain the love of the emperor,¡± Huangfu Chen said, refraining from revealing the true reason Mo Rongzhan had earned the disgust of the former emperor.

    ?

    Before, Ye Zhen had only known that Mo Rongzhan wasn¡¯t favored. But little did she know of the hardships he had endured. When she helped him wipe away his sweat, she found that the areas of his body not wrapped by white bandages were covered with scars, colored in different shades, an obvious indication that there once had been wounds here at various times.

    If Mo Rongzhan hadn¡¯t rebelled and be Emperor¡­ What would have been waiting for him?

    At that time, he had already obtained military power by the border. The first thing the emperor did after assuming the throne was to seize his military authority, despite the fact that they were currently at war and Mo Rongzhan needed the power to continue fighting the invaders. The new emperor¡­ His Majesty was a very spoilt and corrupted man.

    Thinking of that new emperor, who was now under house arrest, Ye Zhen lightly shook her head. When she was little, she had seen him. At that time, one of her Shu-born* cousins had been his concubine. Back then, the crown prince had seemed a very kind and gentle person to her.

    [*Shu-born are concubine born while the offsprings of the main wife are Di. So, the person her is her cousin, but she is born of her uncle¡¯s concubine and not the main wife.]

    How had he turned out the way he did?

    Hm? Ye Zhen looked with confusion at the handkerchief in her hand. The white fabric was somehow dirty, turning a shade of ck. This was¡­ Mo Rongzhan¡¯s sweat?

    She quickly recollected. The first time she had drunk the lingquan, she had also sweated ayer of ck sweat. After that, she seemed to have changedpletely. Could it be that the reason Mo Rongzhan had yet to awake was that she had used too much of the lingquan on him this morning?

    Ye Zhen hurriedly cleaned his body of the sweat, before someone else could see and question.

    ¡°Is he still not awake?¡± Huangfu Chen asked, seeing Ye Zhen wiping Mo Rongzhan¡¯s sweat as he walked in, holding a bowl of medicine.

    ¡°Not yet.¡± Ye Zhen shook her head, taking the bowl of ckened water out.

    Huangfu Chen fed the medicine into Mo Rongzhan¡¯s mouth. Only when he confirmed that all of the medicine had been swallowed did he lightlyy him down again. He looked at Ye Zhen, who seemed prepared to continue watching over him. ¡°I¡¯ll be here. You can go back now.¡±

    Ye Zhen resolutely shook her head. ¡°I need to see him wake before I can be assured.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re very concerned for A¡¯Zhan.¡± Huangfu Chen smiled. He had thought that she hadn¡¯t the slightest feeling for that man. But now it seemed that was not the case.

    ¡°He was injured because of me. If anything happens to him, I can¡¯t be at ease,¡± Ye Zhen said quietly. She just didn¡¯t want to owe him anything, so, she would take care of him until he woke up.

    Huangfu Chen was taken aback. ¡°You are only doing this out of guilt?¡±

    It seemed like Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t hide anything from Huangfu Chen. He knew whatever she was thinking about. She lightly sighed. ¡°I can owe anyone, but not him.¡±

 Chapter 414 - A Dream To The Past

    Chapter 414 ¨C A Dream to the Past

    Huangfu Chen looked at her with aplicated gaze. He knew she was already aware of her own background. But now, it seemed she knew even more. ¡°Then you look over A¡¯Zhan. I¡¯ll go to the library, and see if there are any records of simr incidents,¡± he said quietly.

    ¡°Without the emperor¡¯s orders, can you enter the library?¡± Ye Zhen asked with confusion. She had tried entering the library without Mo Rongzhan¡¯s orders before. They wouldn¡¯t allow her in.

    Huangfu Chen lightly smiled. ¡°The library¡¯s books belong to the Huangfu Family.¡±

    Oh, right, Huangfu Chen¡¯s surname was Huangfu. The guard Old Mister Jiang was loyal to the Huangfu Family. How could he stop him?

    After Huangfu Chen left, Ye Zhen was the only one left at guard in the resting chambers. She sat next to the imperial bed, her eyes gazing at Mo Rongzhan, who was still deep in sleep. She was worried. What if¡­..the lingquan is too powerful, and he is unable to wake?

    ¡°Why did youe to save me? How am I supposed toplete my goals now¡­.¡± Ye Zhen quietly murmured. In the end, she still softly sighed. ¡°Hurry and wake up.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t listen, continuing his deep unconsciousness without the slightest hint at an intent to wake. He was dreaming. A very real dream.

    In his dream, he seemed to have returned to the time when he had just been coronated. However, something different seemed to be here in his dream. Whether he was going to the morning court sessions or reviewing court memorials in the imperial study, he felt that there was someone next to him, constantly observing him silently. At first, he felt that this was very strange, however, he gradually felt that this provided him a greater feeling of ease.

    Something else that was different was that, in his dream, he didn¡¯t dismiss Lu Wushuang. Instead, he doted and trusted in her very much. But¡­ he didn¡¯t meet Yaoyao. The Third Miss of the Lu Family never appeared in his dreams.

    His dream was very long, and two years¡¯ time seemed to pass. One day, his heart suddenly seemed to shake with pain as if something had been carved from his heart. He didn¡¯t know what this feeling was. He only felt that there was something lost in his life¡­

    This dream was very blurry. Mo Rongzhan wanted to know what exactly was happening, but many things were hazy and unclear. Only the feeling of being quietly watched by someone was most clear to him.

    But, after an aching feeling in his heart, this feeling disappeared as well.

    He started to feel strange and unustomed to it all. In his dream, when he faced Lu Wushuang, the disgust in his heart grew increasingly clear, and he started to miss someone even more¡­ But who was that someone?

    He felt that he seemed to have overlooked something, or missed something, but he couldn¡¯t remember. Then, he went to the Duke of Qin¡¯s residence, then¡­

    He was startled awake.

    Mo Rongzhan opened his eyes. His body was covered with sweat, but this sweat was no longer ck. He wasn¡¯t quite sure where he was. When he opened his eyes, he saw his familiar resting chambers. It took him a while to snap back, and realize that he had just had a dream.

    He turned and wanted to call Fude over, but saw Ye Zhen, who was sleeping against the side of his bed.

    She was resting her head on her hands, looking a bit pale. She didn¡¯t seem to be sleeping well, as her eyshes were constantly trembling. Her tiny shoulders were thin and fragile.

    The very sight of them would make one want to lock her into an embrace and dote over her.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s heart melted, reaching to want to touch her face, but as soon as he moved, the injuries on his back erupted into a slicing pain, reminding him of the fact that he had been hurt by the tiger.

    At the noise, Ye Zhen immediately bolted awake. She raised her head to see Mo Rongzhan with a furrowed brow. She was taken aback, then happily eximed, ¡°You¡¯re awake?!¡±

    ¡°How long have I been asleep?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked quietly.

    ¡°Two days,¡± she replied. The worry-wreathed empress dowager had not been able to sleep or eat. If it hadn¡¯t been for the fact that his pulse seemed fine, everyone would have thought that he was about to die.

    Huangfu Chen had been perusing in the imperial library these two days, wanting to find the reason for his unconsciousness. Fortunately, he was already awake.

    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked hoarsely, his gaze never once leaving her the entire time.

    Ye Zhen shook her head. ¡°No.¡± She paused before saying, ¡°How do you feel? Does your back hurt?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s lips curved into a light smile. ¡°Come over here, and let me have a look at you.¡±

    ¡°I need to tell the Empress Dowager. She is very worried about you.¡± Ye Zhen slightly lowered her head, afraid to meet his eyes.

    Then, she turned and ran out.

 Chapter 415 - Come Here, Yaoyao

    Chapter 415 ¨C Come Here, Yaoyao

    Just after running out of the Pce of Heavenly Purity, she saw Lady Cheng walking over at the side of Empress Dowager.

    ¡°Imperial Mother, the emperor is awake,¡± Ye Zhen walked over, quietly and said to the empress dowager.

    A look of delight appeared on the empress dowager¡¯s face. ¡°Really?!¡±

    Ye Zhen firmly nodded her head, ¡°Really, Imperial Mother. Go have a look.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan waking up was good news for everyone. He had already skipped two sessions of morning court, and there were already officials specting if he had contracted some sudden illness. Every day, there were officials entering the pce asking to see him, and though they were stopped by the empress dowager, it was impossible to stop them from specting.

    The most aggravating of them all was the fifth and eighth princes. On the pretext of wanting to see the emperor, they had barged into the Pce of Heavenly Purity several times. Fortunately, General Wei You was present and had stopped them in their tracks.

    Although everything looked calm and collected, there were still people spreading rumors in the capital that the emperor was about to pass, making the city anxious.

    However, now that Mo Rongzhan was awake, everything would probably change.

    When Ye Zhen followed the empress dowager into the Pce of Heavenly Purity, Mo Rongzhan had already been helped up by Eunuch Fu. There were maids at his side helping him wash his face and rinse his mouth.

    ¡°A¡¯Zhan!¡± Seeing her son finally awake, the empress dowager rushed over in a flurry, looking at him with teary eyes. ¡°Everything¡¯s fine now that you¡¯re awake. Everything¡¯s fine now.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan lightly smiled. ¡°Imperial Mother, I¡¯ve made you worry.¡±

    By now, Mo Rongyi had arrived as well. Everyone circled Mo Rongzhan. Huangfu Chen and Qi Jin examined his wounds again, changing the bandages.

    After a while, Tang Zhen walked in.

    Ye Zhen reckoned she was no longer needed. Mo Rongzhan had woken up, and she could rest assured now, no longer needing to harbor regret for the rest of her life.

    Just as she prepared to leave quietly, Huangfu Chen broke his silence.

    ¡°The Emperor has just awakened and needs to rest. Let¡¯s put everything on hold.¡±

    The empress dowager immediately said, ¡°That¡¯s right. Let the emperor rest. Don¡¯t speak to him about the trivial matters from outside.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan frowned, his handsome face cold. ¡°What happened outside?¡±

    ¡°No matter what, it¡¯ll need to wait until you¡¯re well to be addressed,¡± Empress Dowager said, raising her eyes to look at Tang Zhen and the others.

    Marquis Jing Ning had wanted to report the results of the investigation at the hunting forest, but there were too many people here, and it wasn¡¯t the time for this. He could only wait until ater time toe see the emperor.

    ¡°Imperial Brother, I¡¯m sorry. It was all me¡­ If I hadn¡¯t wanted to go hunting, nothing would have happened to you,¡± eyes red, a heart full of guilt, Mo Rongyi said to Mo Rongzhan.

    <i></i>

    ¡°How could this be your fault? Don¡¯t think too much,¡± Mo Rongzhan said lightly with a smile, rubbing his forehead a bit tiredly.

    The empress dowager noticed that hisplexion had yet to recover, and felt sorry for him who was in a weak condition from just waking up. She said to the others, ¡°Let the emperor rest.¡±

    Seeing Mo Rongzhan¡¯s apparent exhaustion, and his unwillingness to speak, everyone withdrew. Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t ask Tang Zhen about the results of the investigation, nor did he ask about what had happened these past two days. After all, whatever he wanted to know, he could know at any time.

    Ye Zhen wanted to leave with them, but before she could get to the door, Mo Rongzhan had already tly spoken, ¡°Yaoyao, stay here.¡±

    Huangfu Chen lightly smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right. The emperor needs an imperial physician (female) here to monitor his condition. Yaoyao, if you feel tired, I¡¯ll have someone elsee.¡±

    Just as Ye Zhen was about to ask for another physician (female) toe in to take care of the emperor, she heard Mo Rongzhan coldly state, ¡°I can¡¯t trust anyone else.¡±

    The meaning was very clear. He wanted Ye Zhen to stay.

    Huangfu Chen looked at Ye Zhen gently. He knew what Mo Rongzhan wanted, but he wouldn¡¯t force it upon this little girl.

    ¡°Mister Chen, then I¡¯ll take care of the emperor,¡± Ye Zhen said quietly. She¡¯ll treat this as an opportunity to pay back this favor.

    The empress dowager smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll invite Court Minister Xu and Liu Zongyuan into the pce, and tell them about this news. No matter what, we must stabilize the matters of the inner court.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan lightly nodded. He was very aware of the fact that, during the time of his unconsciousness, there must have been many things that happened in the pce. He had been crowned for not even a year. No matter if it was the imperial branches or the noble families, he had yet to gain their fealty. If news really spread that something had happened to him, a great shock would most definitely arise.

    Naturally, he believed that the empress dowager would have everyone conceal the news of his injury. However, he had nevertheless skipped two sessions of the morning court. Those harboring such intents would naturally use this matter to spread rumors against him.

    ¡°How are you?¡± Ye Zhen saw that he had closed his eyes and remained silent, seemingly thinking about something. She thought that he was ufortable.

    Mo Rongzhan opened a pair of bright and serene eyes, fixating on her. ¡°Who hase to see me these past days?¡±

    Ye Zhen said, ¡°There were many people who have wanted toe see you. The court officials of the inner court, the fifth prince and the eighth prince¡­ and the other court officials who heard about your injury, and the consorts of your harem.¡±

    ¡°Have you been watching over me the whole time these two days?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked again.

 Chapter 416 - Be My Empress (1)

    Chapter 416 ¨C Be My Empress (1)

    ¡°There was also Mister Chen, apart from me.¡± Ye Zhen lowered her head, feeling this was odd. Shouldn¡¯t the first thing Mo Rongzhan do when he awoke was deal with the matters of the nation? Whatever it may be, he should at least see the officials of the inner court. If not, shouldn¡¯t he keep Tang Zhen behind and ask about the investigations in the hunting forests?

    Mo Rongzhan saw that she kept her head down looking away from him, and sighed inwardly. He had thought that, through this matter, she would open up the knot in her heart and ept him. It looked now that¡­ she still had not. She was still harboring the grievance that he had once hurt Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Yaoyao,e over here,¡± Mo Rongzhan said quietly.

    ¡°Your Majesty, do you have any orders for me?¡± Ye Zhen didn¡¯t move, unwilling to go near him.

    Mo Rongzhan looked up to tly look at her. ¡°I saved you, but not for you to distance yourself from me even more. Are you afraid that I might do something to you? Come here!¡±

    Ye Zhen looked up at him. Seeing that he showed signs of anger, she could only slowly move over. ¡°Your injuries are not well yet. Don¡¯t get angry.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan held her hand, pulling her to sit at his side. ¡°Talk to me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been unconscious for two days. Should I get you something to eat?¡± Ye Zhen said quietly. She was more scared of facing him now than she had been before.

    ¡°Make it for me,¡± Mo Rongzhan said to her with a smile. She had never made a meal for him herself before.

    Ye Zhen pursed her lips and thought before saying, ¡°All right. Wait a moment.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao.¡± Mo Rongzhan grasped her hand tightly, but when he wanted to pull her into his embrace, he identally moved the injuries on his back, and the pain made him groan audibly.

    ¡°Can you not move so much?¡± Ye Zhen hurriedly sat down, inspecting to see if the injuries on his back had opened again.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s lips curved into a smile, taking the opportunity to kiss her pink lips.

    Ye Zhen pushed him away with a blush, ring at him with frustration. ¡°Mo Rongzhan, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°That was the first thing I wanted to do when I woke up.¡± Mo Rongzhan locked the back of her head, pushing her towards himself, blocking her lips with a deep kiss again.

    When he was dreaming, the thing he thought of most had been the taste of her. Only she couldfort that terror he had felt in his dreams like he had been falling into a deep abyss.

    ?

    Ye Zhen pushed at his chest. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she was afraid of his wounds ripping open, she would have already pushed him away heavily. Finally getting the opportunity of freedom now that he let go of her from the pain in his shoulder, she immediately stood up to back up a couple of steps.

    ¡°Mo Rongzhan, I am your imperial sister,¡± Ye Zhen said angrily. He was really treating her with evermore unscrupulousness.

    ¡°Yaoyao, I want you to be my empress,¡± Mo Rongzhan said softly. Because of his words, his eyes were burning bright. When he had faced the tiger in the hunting forests, he had had this intent. She was probably the only one on this earth that could be his Empress.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s expression changed. She didn¡¯t feel happy. Instead, there was cold grief that rising from deep inside her heart. How could he so casually speak about wanting to make her Empress¡­

    ¡°I¡¯ll go make some medicated food for you,¡± Ye Zhen said quietly. She suddenly didn¡¯t want to see him.

    In the two years of her memory, he had never married any woman as Empress. But he had changed now. He would say that he wanted to make her Empress? In the future, if he knew who she was, wouldn¡¯t he think that it was really ridiculous?

    As he watched her fleeing back, Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t say anything, only smiling lightly, and feeling ever more determined about his idea.

    ¡°Come in,¡± he said lowly.

    A man immediately appeared outside the door. Dressed in athletic wear, his clothes were the same as Shen Yi¡¯s. And like Shen Yi, this person was also one of Mo Rongzhan¡¯s secret guards.

    ¡°What happened in these past two days?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked quietly.

    Normally, Mo Rongzhan would always have his secret guards guarding him at all times. However, when he was headed to the hunting grounds since it was in the imperial grounds, he had only brought pce guards along while the secret guards had not followed. But who would have known that an ident would ur?

    ¡°Your Majesty, the eighth prince has spread rumors across the capital that something has happened to you. There have already been people from the imperial branches in these past two days that have gone to see the deposed emperor, but¡­ He hasn¡¯t seen them,¡± Wu Chong said quietly.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes slightly darkened, a coldness shing across their depths. ¡°What has happened in the court?¡±

    ¡°There are many that havemunicated with the eighth prince.¡± Wu Chong stated every single one of their names.

    ¡°It seems that there are some that can¡¯t wait for me to die in their hands.¡± Mo Rongzhan smiled coldly. ¡°Spread the word that I am already on my deathbed, and the position of the heir is unupied¡­ perhaps there is a necessity to choose from within the princes for the next sessor.¡±

    Wu Chong looked at Mo Rongzhan with surprise. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

 Chapter 417 - Be My Empress (2)

    Chapter 417 ¨C Be My Empress (2)

    Mo Rongzhan moved his fingers, dismissing Wu Chong. He lowered his eyes deep in thought. This injury could have been an ident because the person they wanted to kill was A¡¯Yi or Yaoyao. However, he believed that he could utilize this injury to solve some problems he hadn¡¯t been able to before.

    Weren¡¯t there many people in the capital looking forward to his downfall? Today, he would give them the chance to revolt; give them a chance to force him off his throne.

    No matter the person behind the hunting grounds incident, or the imperial branches, who had continually been moving in favor of revolting with the deposed emperor, he would be able to use this opporunity to quench their hopes.

    Not long after Wu Chong retreated, Tang Zhen came.

    ¡°¡­Half a month ago, the eighth prince had someone capture a tiger deep in the mountains, and starved it for many days. Just a day before Little Prince went to the hunting grounds, he released the tiger into the forest and broke the fence in the hunting grounds. I have investigated those assassins. They are no ordinary soldiers; they are the former guards of the house of the Marquis Xinyang. Marquis Xinyang harbored resentment for the revokement of his title, so he plotted with the eighth prince, and bribed a guard of Little Prince. It was that guard that gave him the information about Little Prince¡¯s whereabouts,¡± Tang Zhen told Mo Rongzhan about the details of the investigation.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s face was like frost. ¡°So, Prince Shun bore a grudge from losing in that polo match to A¡¯Yi, and wanted to kill him?¡±

    ¡°The person he ordered to kill was the princess.¡± Tang Zhen tightened his fist. It didn¡¯t matter if the emperor decided to kill Prince Shun or not, he wouldn¡¯t let this person off.

    ¡°Take your evidence and arrest the people. Go to the empress dowager for her imperial edict.¡± Mo Rongzhan said coldly, ¡°Keep the news that I have woken up from the public for now.¡±

    Having received the order, Tang Zhen left. He needed tomunicate with the empress dowager, in case she would spread the news of the emperor regaining consciousness.

    Ye Zhen had already been waiting outside the door and knew Tang Zhen was inside. She didn¡¯t go in. Seeing hime and go, she knew that it was by Mo Rongzhan¡¯s orders. They probably had something important to talk about.

    ¡°Yaoyao¡ª¡± Tang Zhen saw Ye Zhen as soon as he came out and immediately felt an ache in his heart, looking at her grievously.

    ¡°Brother Tang.¡± Ye Zhen smiled at him.

    Tang Zhen opened his mouth. He had many things he wanted to say to her; things he should have said in the hunting grounds. But now, he didn¡¯t know how to start.

    ¡°Yaoyao, I¡ª¡± Tang Zhen looked at her constrainedly, clenching his teeth. He wanted to say that he was willing to leave the capital for her.

    Ye Zhen seemed to know what he wanted to say. She lightly smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll first give this to the emperor. If there¡¯s anything you need to say, you can do it the next time.¡±

    Tang Zhen nodded stiffly. ¡°All right.¡±

    Ye Zhen walked past him with the medicated dishes.

    He looked back at her, lowering his gaze to walk down the steps of the Pce of Heavenly Purity. Outside, the sun shone brilliantly, but couldn¡¯t seem to reach his heart. A cold fog had already covered his heart.

    ¡°When were you and Tang Zhen¡­ so close?¡± Mo Rongzhan watched Ye Zhen as she walked in. He heard her call Tang Zhen ¡°Brother Tang¡±. This made him feel an unexinable¡­ displeasure.

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t even look at him, lightly saying, ¡°We have always been very close.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan felt his chest was even more stuffy. ¡°Call me Brother Zhan once?¡±

    ¡°¡ª¡ª¡± Ye Zhen looked up at him speechlessly. ¡°Your Majesty, is your wound on your back or your head?¡±

    Why was it that after two days of unconsciousness, he hadpletely changed?

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s handsome face looked unpleasant, and he coldly hummed, ¡°As soon as I deal with all of those bothers, I will speak with the empress dowager to rid you of your title as princess. I want to have your hand as Empress.¡±

    Ye Zhen froze for a second, walking over with a bowl of meat congee, lightly cing it on the table beside the bed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be Empress.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Mo Rongzhan looked at her with a frown. Did she still have doubts about his feelings for her?

    ¡°Mo Rongzhan¡ª¡± She revealed a sorrowful smile. ¡°In my heart, your Empress should be Ye Zhen.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s already dead!¡± He hadn¡¯t expected that she would still care so much about this matter.

    ¡°You killed her!¡± Ye Zhen angrily shouted.

    ¡°I have never wanted for her to die. Though I didn¡¯t want to make her Empress, I wouldn¡¯t kill her. That day, I had ordered Lu Lingzhi to the Duke Qin¡¯s Estate with the intent to send her to the traveling pce (vacation home for imperial family). She killed herself out of vexation,¡± Mo Rongzhan said.

    ¡°You liar! You clearly sent poisoned wine¡­.¡± Ye Zhen shook her head. Impossible! She remembered it had been he who had ordered the poisoned wine. Lu Lingzhi had said so.

    Mo Rongzhan frowned and said, ¡°When did I order poisoned wine? Where did you hear this from?¡±

 Chapter 418 - She Belonged To The Crown Prince

    Chapter 418 ¨C She Belonged to the Crown Prince

    Ye Zhen looked at him in a daze.

    Had she gotten something wrong?

    She had always thought that he had been the one to give her the poisoned wine¡­ She tried to recollect what had happened then. When her soul had grievously floated into the pce, she had just happened to see Lu Lingzhi talking with him.

    At that time, she hadn¡¯t heard anything, just the words ¡°nothing important¡±¡­

    ¡°Yaoyao, I would never have allowed Ye Zhen into my harem. She isn¡¯t like you. I cannot allow someone that might betray me to appear in my harem.¡± Mo Rongzhan led her to sit by his side, lowering his eyes to see her dazed face.

    Ye Zhen raised her head. If he had never wanted to kill her, then the person who had¡­would be Lu Lingzhi? Lu Lingzhi hadn¡¯t only schemed her of her trust and making her reveal to him everything about herself and Mo Rongzhan back then. In the end, in fear that Mo Rongzhan might discover the truth, had directly gotten rid of her.

    Ye Zhen found that she had underestimated his sinister nature. She had always seen him as a gentle and generous older brother. She had almost been tricked. Cruel and ruthless, were words that best described Marquis Anyang¡¯s nature. It was impossible for him to be as kind as he appeared to be.

    ¡°Yaoyao?¡± Seeing that she was silent, he gently pinched her face.

    Ye Zhen turned to look at him, the past and the present filling her mind. Mo Rongzhan¡¯s words just then had left her even more confused. ¡°How could you think that Ye Zhen would betray you? If she wanted to betray you, why would she marry you? Is it that married couples do not share the same heart?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan looked at the little girl deeply, before quietly saying, ¡°She belonged to the deposed emperor. I saw her seek him at the Crown Prince Residence with my own eyes. She was involved with the crown prince. How could she treat me wholeheartedly?¡±

    Ye Zhen suddenly wanted to smash that bowl of meat congee on his head. She belonged to the Crown Prince? He dared to say that she¡­ ¡°Mo Rongzhan, maybe it¡¯s better that Ye Zhen is dead. She doesn¡¯t need to be humiliated by you like this.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao?¡± Mo Rongzhan was taken aback. He couldn¡¯t understand why this little girl would care so much about the matters with Ye Zhen. Even if they were sisters, since she was young, she had lived in the Lu Family and had never ever seen anyone from the Ye Family. How could she care so much about Ye Zhen?

    So much so that she (LYY) would defend her (YZ) against injustice in every matter!

    At this time, Ye Zhen was so angry that she felt her heart was trembling. She didn¡¯t want to speak, in fear that she would say something she might regretter.

    She had never known that¡­ Mo Rongzhan had thought about her like this¡­

    Involved with the crown prince? She didn¡¯t know what to say. Yes, she had gone to the Crown Prince Residence before. At that time, she had insisted on marrying Mo Rongzhan, and the crown prince had been infuriated, saying that he wanted her hand as the consort of the crown prince.

    She had always viewed the crown prince as an older brother. She had gone to the Crown Prince Residence to find the Crown Prince herself to set matters straight. Just this once, and Mo Rongzhan would think she belonged to the crown prince?

    ¡°Your Majesty, drink the congee first.¡± Ye Zhen suppressed all of her anger, her tone indescribably cold.

    Mo Rongzhan had been closely watching her, his brow knotted tighter. He felt that he had pushed her further away.

    ¡°Yaoyao, I am unable to clearly exin everything between myself and Ye Zhen. She is already dead. Everything has passed. Can you not harbor anything against me because of her?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked quietly.

    Ye Zhen lowered her gaze to tly nce at him. ¡°I have nothing against you.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao!¡± Mo Rongzhan heard the distance in her voice and uncontrobly harshened his tone.

    ¡°Your Majesty, eat something first,¡± Ye Zhen said tly. There were some things that couldn¡¯t be clearly said now. She didn¡¯t want to speak anymore. Seeing as he had already made up his mind that Ye Zhen wasn¡¯t someone worthy of trust, then she would let it be.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s dark and serene eyes were as inky as the night and ignited fear in whoever meet them. Ye Zhen lowered her head away from him, picking up the bowl of meat congee, ¡°Please take it.¡±

    At this time, no matter what he said, she would be unable to listen. As long as it had to do with Ye Zhen or the Ye Family, she would be stubborn, and unwilling to hear him exin. She wasn¡¯t willing to believe what he said.

    Mo Rongzhan was infuriated as well. He had already stepped back so obviously for her. Why does she always ignore it? Is it that he had to always abide by her will, that she would unbridled move onward, and think that it was alright to casually trample over his feelings?

    ¡°Put down the congee. You can leave!¡± He coldly stated, not taking another look at her.

    Ye Zhen put down the congee, bowed, and turned to leave without a second nce.

    Mo Rongzhan felt a wave of anger in his heart, he wanted to pull her back and ask what she really wanted. But his pride didn¡¯t allow him to do that.

    He had already given Lu Yaoyao the greatest patience a monarch could give. In fact, she could do anything, but he didn¡¯t want to continue without reciprocation. He wanted her heart. If she was unwilling to give it, then he wouldn¡¯t continue asking.

    ¡°Your Majesty¡ª¡± Eunuch Fu came inside and seeing Mo Rongzhan with a cold expression, he felt a shiver in his heart.

    ¡°Give me the congee,¡± Mo Rongzhan said coldly.

    Eunuch Fuined silently. Hadn¡¯t he been fine with the princess? How long has he been up for, and they are arguing already? Seeing Her Highness¡¯s expression, things seem pretty nasty.

 Chapter 419 - The Willful Emperor (1)

    Chapter 419 ¨C The Willful Emperor (1)

    Though Mo Rongzhan had just woken up, he was full of energy. Ye Zhen had mixed innumerable drops of lingquan over his wounds. Those drops directly entered his bloodflow, and washed his entire body anew. Afterwards, she had also fed him some water infused with it. Now, the only thing ufortable was his open wounds. Everything else was fine.

    ¡°Bring me all of the court memorials from the past two days.¡± Mo Rongzhan ordered Eunuch Fu.

    Eunuch Fu was taken aback. ¡°Your Majesty, you are going to read the court memorials?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan was already angry. He looked at the other coldly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do that right away.¡± Seeing the emperor filled with fury, he didn¡¯t dare to ask any more questions, immediately running to the front hall to gather the court memorials piled up from the past two days.

    Mo Rongzhan wanted to leave the bed but was caught by Huangfu Chen, who was just walking in. Upon seeing him so, he eximed, ¡°Are you not afraid of your wounds reopening?¡±

    ¡°I already feel much better,¡± Mo Rongzhan said tly.

    Huangfu Chen flicked his eyebrow. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re not in a good mood. Where¡¯s Yaoyao?¡±

    He was answered with a sour expression on Mo Rongzhan¡¯s face.

    ¡°It looks like you aren¡¯t getting along too well with Yaoyao.¡± Huangfu Chen shook his head and smiled. ¡°You were willing to give up your own life to save her. How is it that you don¡¯t even know how to please her?¡±

    ¡°Do you think that I saved her so she would repay me with her hand?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked coldly.

    Huangfu Chen smiled and shook his head, saying, ¡°I know you didn¡¯t.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan had saved Yaoyao without any thoughts of her repaying him. At that time, he himself had not expected that he would leap over with no regard for his own life.

    ¡°What do you n on doing next?¡± Huangfu Chen asked. Feelings were hard to understand for those not involved. But he didn¡¯t hold any hopes for those between Mo Rongzhan and Lu Yaoyao.

    There was a knot in Yaoyao¡¯s heart, and no one could undo it. If she was unable to put it down, she would never give her heart to any other person.

    He had experience and could see very clearly.

    Mo Rongzhan tly said, ¡°Drive the snake out of the hole. sh the grass and remove the roots*.¡±

    [*Lure your enemy out of hiding. Exterminate all possible threats.]

    ?

    Huangfu Chen was not overly concerned about Mo Rongzhan¡¯s solution to the situation that was currently brewing in the capital. He believed that those who opposed him would not get a good result. After all, the overall situation of the empire had already been decided and themoners were very supportive of him as the new emperor. This was the stablest the empire had been for the longest time in recent decades.

    It was only those delusional imperial n members and noble families, who looked down upon Mo Rongzhan as well as feared that their interests would be affected, that supported the orthodoxy and wanted to restore the deposed emperor. And that was why they were in a hurry to support the rise of an emperor ¨C one who would benefit them.

    Unfortunately, it was not very useful.

    ¡°Your wound is healing much better than I expected.¡± Huangfu Chen looked at Mo Rongzhan and said, ¡°Yaoyao did a good job with your treatment in the hunting grounds at that time. If she hadn¡¯t stopped the bleeding for you, you would have been hopeless.¡±

    At the mention of Ye Zhen, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes darkened and his thin lips pursed into one straight line.

    ¡°She kept a watch over you for two whole days and no one advised her not to leave.¡± Huangfu Chen sighed. ¡°Did you say something to frighten her?¡±

    At once Mo Rongzhan¡¯s initially suppressed anger erupted out of him like a volcano. ¡°What could zhen say to frighten her? Zhen wants to take her as Empress, yet she remains unmoved, and for Ye Zhen¡¯s sake¡­ she has distanced herself from zhen in all respects. Since she is so ruthless, there is no need for zhen to seek her again.¡±

    ¡°¡ª¡ª¡± Huangfu Chen did not know how to console this willful emperor. Although Mo Rongzhan was born a prince, he had not been favored by the former emperor from a young age. In fact, he had even lived a life that was worse than the pce servants. He fought for everything he had, bing well-versed in strategies to get what he wanted by carefully orchestrating every step. The only thing he didn¡¯t learn was love.

    An emperor who didn¡¯t know how to love had his heart moved. Yet, he didn¡¯t know how to make his beloved respond to his feelings. He thought that this matter was the same as everything else in the past, as long as he wanted it, he would be able to get it.

    The rarest thing in the world is one¡¯s sincere heart.

    ¡°Ah Zhan, in the event that Yaoyao bes your empress, how will you face her if Ye Yiqinges back in the future?¡± Huangfu Chen asked in a low voice.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯splexion turned cold and he stared at the other,.¡°It¡¯s impossible for Ye Yiqing toe back.¡±

    ¡°If I were Ye Yiqing¡­,¡± Huangfu Chen raised his eyes and looked at Mo Rongzhan and said, ¡°so long as I live, I will most certainlye back to avenge my daughter.¡±

    ¡°You mean¡­ for Ye Zhen?¡± Mo Rongzhan knitted his brows in confusion. Ye Yiqing¡¯s identity was still that of a death-row criminal. Since that was the case, what kind of identity is he going to use toe back?

    Huangfu Chen said, ¡°The person might be worthless in your eyes, but they are the rarest treasure in the world in Ye Yiqing¡¯s heart.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan went silent for a long time before he said in a deep voice, ¡°Ye Zhen is dead. She killed herself¡ª¡±

 Chapter 420 - The Willful Emperor (2)

    Chapter 420 ¨C The Willful Emperor (2)

    Wait, that¡¯s not correct! Yaoyao said Ye Zhen had been given poisoned wine, but¡­ I did not give her such a thing, so who was it? As he mused, Mo Rongzhan thought of Lu Wushuang. With her temper, she was the one most likely to give Ye Zhen poisonous wine at the time. Lu Lingzhi¡­ did he cover up the truth for Lu Wushuang¡¯s sake?

    Although Ye Zhen¡¯s death did not leave a mark on him, Mo Rongzhan still felt unhappy. Lu Lingzhi shouldn¡¯t have hidden this matter from him, not even for his sister¡¯s sake.

    Huangfu Chen sighed and said, ¡°You should give Yaoyao some time.¡±

    ¡°Zhen has already given her a lot of time, but in her mind, zhen can still notpare to Ye Zhen who she has never seen before.¡± He snorted, holding back his anger.

    Could it be that every emperor who found love for the first time is all so na?ve? I can¡¯t believe he¡¯speting with a dead person. Huangfu Chen inwardly shook his head, deciding to let Mo Rongzhan suffer some hardships first. That way, he would learn how to love someone instead of forcibly getting someone to be with him with his identity.

    ¡°Since this is the case, do you want me to change the female physician serving you?¡± Huangfu Chen asked.

    Mo Rongzhan gave him a cold look and said tly, ¡°You don¡¯t need to meddle in this matter.¡±

    Look, his mouth said he no longer has any thought, but he still doesn¡¯t want to see her reced. Huangfu Chen smiled. ¡°It¡¯s almost time to take the medicine. I¡¯ll have someone bring it over.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t take medicine.¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s tone could not hide his disgust over the matter. Thest thing he liked was taking medicine.

    Huangfu Chenughed and said, ¡°Today, I have to go outside the pce, so don¡¯t be willful and take your medicine when you should. The condition of your injury is still bad. What memorials? You really think you are made of iron?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that my injury is recovering well?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked faintly.

    ¡°You still have to take medicine before you fully recover.¡± Huangfu Chen said, ¡°Lu Lingzhi¡¯s poison broke out again, and Qijie Grass is useless this time. My paternal aunt asked me to go to the Lu Family.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan thought of the remnant poison in Marquis Anyang and nodded silently. ¡°You go then.¡±

    Huangfu Chen withdrew from the Pce of Heavenly Purity. After he left, Mo Rongzhan nced at the door a few times, causing Eunuch Fu to hurry in, thinking that he had some instruction for him.

    ¡°Your Majesty, what can this ve do for you*?¡± Eunuch Fu came in and asked.

    Mo Rongzhan looked at him coldly. ¡°You¡¯re the only one outside?¡±

    From the beginning, he was the only one outside, why was the emperor asking this? Could it be¡­ he wished a certain someone was out there? Eunuch Fu was very intelligent, thus he immediately thought of Ye Zhen, s said. ¡°Princess has gone down to the Cining Pce. Your Majesty, are you looking for Princess?¡±

    ¡°Withdraw.¡± Mo Rongzhan snorted coldly. Why would I want to see her? She disregards my intention for her time and again, so why should I put down my pride just to coax her?

    Eunuch Fu hurried out.

    Mo Rongzhanid down in the pce hall and began looking through the memorials. Not long after that, Tang Zhen and Wei You requested an audience with him.

    The eighth prince had been arrested, but he tly denied he was involved in the matter of sending assassins and releasing the fierce tiger to murder Mo Rongyi. Still, despite his denial, Tang Zhen directly locked him up in the dungeon.

    With the eighth prince¡¯s arrest by Tang Zhen, the fifth prince and the other members of the imperial n immediately went to the pce to seek an audience with the emperor. However, Mo Rongzhan refused to see them, so they demanded to meet Empress Dowager.

    After Empress Dowager came to know that the eighth prince was going to kill Mo Rongyi, she was furious. So much so that she wanted to execute him immediately. So, how would she be willing toe out and listen to these people¡¯s sophistry for Eighth Prince?

    Therefore, Fifth Prince and Old Prince Kang went back to the Pce of Heavenly Purity and knelt outside, howling loudly.

    ¡°Your Majesty, you have to give Old Eighth justice. There¡¯s not many of us brothers to begin with; how can Your Highness allow Old Eighth to be wrongfully used by the treacherous officials¡­ Your Majesty, please show mercy.¡± Fifth Prince cried loudly.

    ¡°Xiandi*, ah! Please show your spirit and redress Old Eighth¡¯s grievances.¡± Old Prince Kang also shouted.

    [*Ote emperor]

    Behind them, the other members of imperial ns knelt, loudly begging Mo Rongzhan to give the eighth prince justice.

    Mo Rongzhan just turned a deaf ear to all these and perused the memorials in the pce hall. However, he didn¡¯t use the cinnabar brush and evaluate them. Anyway, in the eyes of the officials, he was still seriously ill.

    ¡°Your Majesty, this official will go and drive them away,¡± Wei You said angrily.

    ¡°Let them beg themselves hoarse and ignore it,¡± Mo Rongzhan said lightly before turning to Tang Zhen and continuing, ¡°Zhen will hand over Prince Shun¡¯s matter to you. You¡¯re allowed to use as much torture as you should.¡±

    Tang Zhenplied, tone firm. He did not intend to be soft on Prince Shun at all.

    Mo Rongzhan picked up thest memorial and frowned when he saw its content. ¡°How long has it been since the dam in the lower reaches of Huaijiang River was built?¡±

    Tang Zhen and Wei You looked at each other in dismay. How could they know about this matter?

    ¡°Your Majesty, you may have to ask Prime Minister Xu about that.¡± Tang Zhen whispered.

    Mo Rongzhan nodded his head in agreement. It was time for him to summon and question Prime Minister Xu about this matter. ¡°You all withdraw.¡±

 Chapter 421 - She Is A Vixen (1)

    Chapter 421 ¨C She is a Vixen (1)

    Ye Zhen initially wanted to go to Cining Pce to ask Empress Dowager to find a new female physician to take care of the emperor. However, in the end, she decided against it. Empress Dowager had said that she felt that others were not as trustworthy as her, so she couldn¡¯t very well say that she didn¡¯t want to see Mo Rongzhan. After all, he was injured because he saved her. Besides, in Empress Dowager¡¯s heart, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s existence was more important. So, in the case she went to her and revealed that she didn¡¯t even want to take care of him, she was afraid she would make Empress Dowager unhappy.

    As such, she went to the imperial hospital to brew medicine for him. As she boiled his medicine, she thought back to Mo Rongzhan¡¯s words before and felt angry as well as ufortable. She had thought that he didn¡¯t like her only because her surname was Ye, but it seemed that it was more than that.

    She had even almost softened her heart back then. When he was desperate to save her, when she saw the myriad scars wreathing his body, and when she heard the numerous suffering he experienced in the past¡­ At that time, she really thought she could put down her resentment against him.

    That was until he said he would marry her as his empress. If she was just Lu Yaoyao, she would be happy to hear that. However, she was Ye Zhen, the woman who had loved him for eight years, but whose final fate was to be killed ¨C for the sake of emptying the boudoir ¨C without even seeing him for the two years they were married.

    So, how could she feel joyous at such a proposal? The only thing she felt was that her life as Ye Zhen was incredibly sorrowful. She had lived so humbly for him, practically living just like the dust on the earth, but to him, what was she?

    In the future, if he knew that she is Ye Zhen, would he still do this to her? She didn¡¯t dare to gamble, much less want to live like that again.

    Estimating the time, she figured that the medicine was almost done cooking. So, she slowly walked back to the Pce of Heavenly Purity. But before she even approached the building, she heard the sound of people howling.

    After carefully listening to what the howls were saying, Ye Zhen¡¯s face cooled down. These people areing to plead leniency on behalf of Eighth Prince! It seems Tang Zhen has already discovered the person behind the conspiracy on the hunting ground. After all, without solid evidence, it¡¯s impossible for him to arrest the eighth prince.

    Realizing this, head down, Ye Zhen passed by those people ignoring their howling and screaming. These people are just like Prince Shun, who knows if they were involved in the plot or not.

    When Fifth Prince saw Ye Zhen passing by them, he immediately stood up and pointed at her, shouting angrily. ¡°This is the vixen! It not only deceived Empress Dowager but also left the emperor in aa. Tang Zhen arrested Eighth Brother for no reason, it must be because he has been confused by this vixen. Imperial Uncle, we should address this injustice and avenge the emperor and kill this vixen!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, kill her!¡± All the members of imperial ns kneeling behind followed and shouted. If this woman had not won against Eighth Prince for Mo Rongyi that day, Changping Casino would not have been closed and they would still be able to get a lot of dividends now.

    Ye Zhen cast them a cold look. They actually dared to use her of all these crimes. Howughable! Did they think that by killing her, they could erase the evidence of Prince Shun¡¯s assassination attempt on the young prince?

    ¡°Fifth Prince, this is the imperial pce, the abode of Empress Dowager and Emperor. It¡¯s not your turn to fight and kill as you please here,¡± Ye Zhen said in a light voice. She had never liked Fifth Prince and Eighth Prince. They were all people who forgot righteousness in the face of profit. She especially disliked Fifth Prince. He thought that Mo Rongzhan was still unconscious, so he took advantage of the opportunity to make trouble.

    Does he really think that without Mo Rongzhan around, he can soar to the sky?

    Fifth Prince pointed at Ye Zhen and shouted, ¡°Empress Dowager is bewitched by you. The emperor simply does not realize the danger now, but they will understand that this prince only wishes to save the empire, so you will not bring disaster to the empire and its people in the future.¡±

    Ye Zhen covered her mouth and chuckled. She was born with extremely beautiful features, so when she was being deliberately charming and coquettish, naturally she would appear even more beautiful. She did have an appearance that could ruin a city and overturn the state to the point that other people¡¯s eyes were glued straight on her. ¡°Many thanks, Fifth Prince, for your high praise to this princess. If in the future, this princess is capable of bringing disaster to the empire and causing suffering to the people, she will certainly hail you as a prophet.¡±

    Fifth Prince looked at Ye Zhen¡¯s beautiful face and thought that if he had the opportunity to pull the bane of their existence, Mo Rongzhan, down from the throne, he would definitely capture this woman in his pce when he ascended in the future. He would ravage her day and night, and watch her moan underneath him.

    ¡°Shameless vixen, this prince will not let you go today,¡± Fifth Prince shouted,ing forward to catch her, a certain gleam in his eyes.

    Ye Zhen only stared at him coldly and said, ¡°If you dare to touch me, I will render your hands useless.¡±

    Seeing her cold and fierce eyes, Fifth Prince was startled. But then, realizing that he was frightened by a weak woman, flew into a rage out of humiliation. ¡°This prince wants to try. One will see what you can do!¡±

    Before his hand managed to touch Ye Zhen, a dark shadow suddenly appeared around him. Then, unable to react, Fifth Prince could only scream with a sound that was more mournful than before as he flew back.

    ¡°Your Highness, are you all right?¡± Tang Zhen asked as he looked down at Ye Zhen, his eyes full of worry and fury.

 Chapter 422 - She Is A Vixen (2)

    Chapter 422 ¨C She is a Vixen (2)

    Ye Zhen smiled at him. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Fifth Prince was kicked a few meters away. When he lifted his head, a big bump appeared on his forehead. However, he was so shocked he disregarded his wound as he pointed at Tang Zhen with his finger and howled. ¡°Impudence! You¡­ how dare you beat this prince!¡±

    Marquis Jing Ning didn¡¯t even look at the man, directly treating him as a bothersome buzzing fly. Instead of paying attention to him, he whispered to Ye Zhen, ¡°Princess, you go first, let this official handle the matter here.¡±

    ¡°Tang Zhen! You are being impudent!¡± Old Prince Kang reprimanded angrily. ¡°In your eyes, is there now?! You dare beat the prince, do you want to rebel?!¡±

    ¡°Old Prince Kang, how is it a rebellion in the first ce when I was just beating a prince?¡± Tang Zhen asked with a sneer painted on his face. Do all these opinionated and stupid old codgers still believe that the current imperial n can still control the emperor at will?

    ¡°You¡­!¡± The Fifth Prince, who was helped up to his feet, pointed at Tang Zhen with trembling finger, so angry he could not speak

    ¡°We want to see the emperor!¡± Old Prince Kang shouted.

    Tang Zhen¡¯s voice was cold as he said, ¡°The emperor does not want to see you all.¡±

    ¡°Does the emperor not want to see us or is he unable to see us? Tang Zhen, what is your purpose in concealing the emperor¡¯s illness? No matter whether the emperor lives or dies, he should inform us, the imperial n.¡±

    ¡°Old Prince Kang, you take yourself too seriously,¡± Tang Zhen said with augh.

    ¡°Tang Zhen, if you prevent us from seeing the emperor again, don¡¯t me us for entering the Pce of Heavenly Purity through other means!¡± Old Prince Kang said.

    Tang Zhen eyed him coldly. ¡°How does Old Prince Kang want to enter the Pce of Heavenly Purity, force his way in?¡±

    Simrly cold, Old Prince Kang snorted. ¡°We have to do this in order to protect the emperor¡¯sfort.¡±

    What a good excuse! If they are allowed to break into the Pce of Heavenly Purity, they might kill Mo Rongzhan and enthrone another.

    ¡°If you want to go into the Pce of Heavenly Purity, go and get an order from Empress Dowager. Otherwise, you will not enter unless you kill this marquis,¡± Tang Zhen said sternly.

    ¡°Tang Zhen, don¡¯t refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit, or else,¡± Fifth Prince warned coldly.

    ¡°I, your father, don¡¯t like any wine.¡± Tang Zhen hummed.

    Old Prince Kang and Fifth Prince looked at each other. Tang Zhen¡¯s unwillingness to let them enter the Pce of Heavenly Purity must be because he was worried that they would find out about Mo Rongzhan¡¯s situation, right?

    It seems that Mo Rongzhan¡­ is really hurt and it could be life-threatening.

    ?

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t go into the pce hall immediately. She knew that someone was talking to Mo Rongzhan. She went to prepare dinner. Now she did not dare to add any lingquan to his medicine and meals, afraid that he would sleep for a few days more if she did.

    There were two courtdies nearby to help her. Ye Zhen took the medicine that had been made first and went to give it to Mo Rongzhan. As for the meal, she had already prepared everything, so she could just let the courtdies watch the dishes on the stove.

    ¡°Princess, His Majesty is still discussing some matters inside with someone.¡± Eunuch Fu immediately guarded the door and did not directly invite Ye Zhen into the room.

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t say anything, turned her head around, and looked outside as if she hadn¡¯t heard the yells of the fifth prince.

    Eunuch Fu said in a low voice, ¡°Marquis Jing Ning and the fifth prince are done.¡±

    It looked like they were also all bark and no bite. Tang Zhen refused to budge, so no matter how much ruckus they made, Mo Rongzhan was nowhere in sight.

    ¡°Princess, please wait a moment, this servant will go in and let you know if you can enter,¡± Eunuch Fu said.

    Mo Rongzhan was talking to Tang Zhen in a low voice so Eunuch Fu went in and waited on the side for a while. The emperor, who saw him entering, frowned.

    ¡°Your Majesty, the princess has brought you medicine,¡± Eunuch Fu said hurriedly.

    Tang Zhen lowered his head and said nothing.

    Mo Rongzhan raised his head and said to him, ¡°That¡¯s all, you can withdraw first.¡±

    ¡°This official will retire first.¡± Tang Zhen whispered.

    Upon turning to leave the bedroom, he saw Ye Zhen outside the door and smiled softly. ¡°Yaoyao, did you get scared about what happened just earlier?¡±

    Ye Zhen blinked back yfully and replied, ¡°If I had been the type to get scared so easily, then I should hide in the house and dare note out.¡±

    Encountering a tiger at the hunting grounds that day was the biggest fright she had experienced till now. Having lived through the horror, what happened with the fifth prince just then was nothing.

    Tang Zhen¡¯s expression hardened when he heard those words. ¡°Yaoyao, I shouldn¡¯t have separated from you that day. If I had been there, I wouldn¡¯t have let you¡ª¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s all over now. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    She believed that if she had been with Tang Zhen, he would have definitely saved her at all costs.

    Yes, it¡¯s all over.

    The dream he had of them growing old together till their hairs became white was also over. She, in the end, no matter what was said and done, wouldn¡¯t belong to him.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Tang Zhen¡¯s voice, as he took onest deep look at her, was a little hoarse.

    He bowed his head and went past her.

 Chapter 423 - Xianfei Xu Seeks An Audience

    Chapter 423 ¨C Xianfei Xu Seeks an Audience

    Ye Zhen looked at his fading back for a while before entering the pce hall. Mo Rongzhan was not lying on his bed and was, instead,zily reclining on a low cushioned chair whose front was covered with engraved memorials. Seeing here in, he didn¡¯t even lift his eyelids.

    He is the imperial majesty who got injured in order to save her from being injured. Even if she was very reluctant¡­ she will serve him for the next few days! Ye Zhen said to herself.

    ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s time to drink your medicine.¡± Ye Zhenfu wished herself luck and put the medicine in his hand on the bench in front of him.

    ¡°Take it away!¡± Mo Rongzhan said coldly while keeping his eyes on the memorial in his hand.

    Ye Zhen was a little embarrassed as she stood there holding the tray. She whispered, ¡°Your wound has not healed yet, the imperial physician said that you still need to take medicine.¡±

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao, if zhen said zhen won¡¯t drink then zhen won¡¯t drink.¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s tone turned a little angrier.

    ¡°Then I ask Your Majesty to please tell the imperial physician in advance, so I won¡¯t make medicine for you in the future.¡± Ye Zhen forced herself to hold back her temper. Even if he didn¡¯t like to drink, she wouldn¡¯t have brewed the medicine for him if not for the doctor¡¯s instructions.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s lips turned into a sneer and he looked at her with eyes full of indifference. Although he was sitting, he still had a condescending majestic air about him. ¡°Are you talking now as a physician or a princess?¡±

    Ye Zhen clenched her fists, lowered her head, and said, ¡°Right now, of course, this servant girl is naturally just a physician.¡±

    ¡°Take the medicine and leave. Don¡¯te until zhen summons you,¡± Mo Rongzhan again, stated coldly.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ye Zhen responded in a low voice. It didn¡¯t matter to her if his wounds healed or not.

    Who cares whether he drinks his medicine or not!

    Eunuch Fu walked in from the outside and soon sensed that the atmosphere in the hall seemed a bit off. ¡°Your Majesty, Xianfei Xu seeks an audience.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan quickly raised his head and nced at Ye Zhen. Seeing her expression was indifferent and unmoved, he said in a cold voice, ¡°Let Xianfei Xue in.¡±

    Ye Zhen lowered her head. It seemed that he ced his trust in Xu Huiru more than anyone else for the others had been told he hadn¡¯t woken up yet. Now that she came to visit him, he immediately let her in.

    ¡°Your Majesty, this one will withdraw first,¡± Ye Zhen said in a low voice and left with the medicine.

    Mo Rongzhan looked at her back coldly but the anger in his chest just grew stronger and stronger.

    Xu Huiru originally did not expect Mo Rongzhan would see her nor did she know that he had woken up. She had been thinking of him in her heart and wanted to take a look. However, she did not expect him to not only be awake but also allow her to enter his bedchamber.

    ¡°Yaoyao?¡± She had just walked a few steps when she saw Ye Zhening out of the chamber. She looked at her in surprise. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled faintly. ¡°I was bringing medicine to His Majesty. Xianfei Xu, yourplexion looks good.¡±

    Only a few days ago, she was poisoned and unconscious. Today, she looked ruddy. It seemed that her poisoning was not particrly serious, but the most useful thing was that Lu Wushuang had been directly driven out of the pce.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring the medicine to the emperor.¡± Ye Zhen said quietly, ¡°Pleasee in, Niang Niang*.¡±

    [*TL: Title used to refer to concubines but just not in court because concubines are not recorded in historical records, just something as a reminder that they¡¯re there as the side wives and not the legitimate wife.]

    Xu Huiru didn¡¯t know what Mo Rongzhan was sick with, but she felt that it should have something to do with Lu Yaoyao. That day, Lu Yaoyao and Mo Rongyi had gone to hunt at the hunting grounds. Later, the emperor had also left the pce. When they came back, the entire pce had been ced under martialw.

    If it was Lu Yaoyao who had caused the emperor¡¯s injuries, the empress dowager would be very angry. It would be impossible to let Lu Yaoyao be the one to take care of the emperor at this moment.

    ¡°This concubine hase to see the emperor.¡± Xu Huiru entered the chamber and saw Mo Rongzhan¡¯s still handsome butzy posture. Her heart stirred and she bowed softly. She didn¡¯t know why, she had always had an¡­ unspeakable worry about Lu Yaoyao being by the emperor¡¯s side.

    ¡°Beloved Concubine, you are excused from the courtesies.¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s voice was as cold as ever. ¡°You have just recovered, so why are you here?¡±

    Xu Huiru looked at Mo Rongzhan gently, and said softly, ¡°This concubine hasn¡¯t seen you for several days, and was inexplicably worried. So regardless of the emperor¡¯s previous orders, she secretly came over to inquire and sees that the emperor is doing good. This concubine is relieved.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan said lightly, ¡°I did suffer a small injury, and it is no longer a serious problem, but for the time being, I don¡¯t want it to be known by outsiders.¡±

    Xu Huiru was overjoyed. The emperor doesn¡¯t want anyone to know that he has woken up, but he is willing to let her know, so it seems that the emperor trusts her very much.

    ¡°Your Majesty, let this concubine stay and take care of you.¡± Xu Huiru looked at Mo Rongzhan affectionately.

    Mo Rongzhan originally wanted to refuse, but somehow inexplicably, Lu Yaoyao¡¯s ever indifferent little face appeared in his mind. He wished to see her reaction, as such he nodded and allowed Xu Huiru to stay.

    Xu Huiru¡¯s behaviour right now should be the normal reaction of any concubine in the harem. Not like that little girl¡¯s, who, even after he said he wanted to crown her his empress, did not look or even feel happy, even refusing without hesitation!

 Chapter 424 - In Perfect Harmony

    Chapter 424 ¨C In Perfect Harmony*

    [* ÇÙÉªºÍÃù q¨ªn s¨¨ h¨¦ m¨ªng: in perfect harmony; in sync; lit. qin and se sing in harmony]

    Ye Zhen was preparing the medicated meal. She watched it cook in silence for a while and asked the maid to send for Eunuch Fu. She didn¡¯t want to go into the bedchamber. Anyway, Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t want to see her. He should be enjoying Xu Huiru¡¯s service at this time. She won¡¯t make him feel bad.

    ¡°Eunuch Fu, I will trouble you to take this to the emperor.¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile, ¡°I want to go to the Cining Pce.¡±

    Eunuch Fu recalled the weird atmosphere from just then and knew that the emperor and the princess were still at loggerheads, so he agreed. ¡°Princess, this servant will take it in for you.¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled and nodded. ¡°Thank you for the trouble, Eunuch Fu.¡±

    Watching Eunuch Fu take the medicinal meal away, Ye Zhen left with peace of mind.

    When Mo Rongzhan saw the one bringing the dinner in was Eunuch Fu, his expression turned gloomier. ¡°Where is Lu Yaoyao? Why did you bring it?¡±

    Eunuch Fu thought, weren¡¯t you just earlier making such a bad face as if you didn¡¯t want to see Her Imperial Highness? Did I do something wrong?¡¯

    ¡°Your Majesty, the princess said she was going to the Cining Pce.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan snorted coldly. ¡°Put down the meal and get out!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Eunuch Fu¡¯s expression changed because of his liege¡¯s sudden outburst. After putting down the meal box, he scurried out.

    Xu Huiru looked at Mo Rongzhan in confusion, not understanding why he became angry all at once.

    Could it be¡­ because Lu Yaoyao didn¡¯t deliver the meal in person? With such a guess in her heart, Xu Huiru suddenly felt inexplicably flustered.

    ¡°Beloved Concubine,e have a meal with me,¡± Mo Rongzhan said with a suffocated breath. He just wanted to prove to Lu Yaoyao that even if she disdained him, the women in his harem were still begging for his favor.

    Xu Huiru suppressed her anxiety and served Mo Rongzhan even more gently.

    Ye Zhen was also dining with the empress dowager in the Cining Pce

    ¡°Are you going out of the pce?¡± The empress dowager looked at Ye Zhen suspiciously.

    ¡°Imperial Mother, I heard that my eldest brother had a poison attack today. The Qijie grass can no longer help him hold his pain back. I¡­ I want to go home and have a look.¡± This was the only excuse she coulde up with, although she couldn¡¯t wait for Lu Lingzhi to die.

    The empress dowager hesitated for a moment but felt it was reasonable. She should let Yaoyao go home. After all, she had stayed in the pce for so long because of the ident. The Lu family must be very worried about her.

    ¡°On the emperor¡¯s side¡­ There is Xianfei Xu looking after him. He probably doesn¡¯t need me tonight.¡± Ye Zhen whispered.

    ¡°The emperor let Xianfei Xu into the Pce of Heavenly Purity?¡± the empress dowager asked with some surprise in her voice.

    Ye Zhen nodded. ¡°When I came here just now, Xianfei Xu was still with the emperor in the bedchamber.¡±

    The empress dowagerughed and said, ¡°It seems that the emperor is finally starting to get it. Xianfei Xu has good character. It will be good if she can get along with the emperor.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ye Zhen smiled perfunctorily, inexplicably feeling a bit bitter in her heart.

    ¡°Then you go home, Mister Chen said he will enter the pce at night. With him here, there is nothing to worry about,¡± the empress dowager said.

    Ye Zhen breathed a sigh of relief. She really wanted to leave the pce. If she had stayed for even a bit more she would have suffocated.

    The empress dowager asked pce Madam Cheng to arrange the pce carriage to send Ye Zhen back to the Lu Mansion.

    Ye Zhen couldn¡¯t help herself earlier so she went back to her courtyard to freshen up and then went to see Old Madam Lu.

    ¡°Yaoyao?¡± Old Madam Lu was very surprised when she saw her, her eyes reddened instantly. ¡°Come here, my dear, I can rest assured now that I see you¡¯re doing well.¡±

    Although what happened in the hunting grounds was still hidden for the time being, it could not be kept from the Lu family. Ye Zhen had almost died. Old Madam Lu and the others had found out on the next day. The family had been in fear for two days, if it weren¡¯t for Lu Lingzhi¡¯s poison rpsing, turning her attention away, and the matriarch wanted to go into the pce and take a look at Ye Zhen.

    Pei Shi looked at Ye Zhen excitedly by the side and almost snatched her daughter from the arms of the olddy. ¡°How did you return? We were all worried.¡±

    Ye Zhen said, ¡°I also wanted to go home early, but there were some dys in the pce.¡±

    Old Madam Lu touched her cheek. ¡°You have lost a lot of weight. Pitiful child, it¡¯s fine if you are all right. It¡¯s all fine if you are all right.¡±

    ¡°Grandmother, is everything ok in the manor?¡± Ye Zhen asked in a low voice. She wanted to know about Lu Lingzhi¡¯s fate. If he couldn¡¯t die this time, she would be able to torture him anyway. So now she felt that it would be cheap for him to die so easily.

    Old Madam Lu¡¯s face turned glum. ¡°Your eldest brother was almost on the brink of death today. Fortunately, Imperial Physician Qi called Mister Chen for us, which finally relieved your elder brother¡¯s pain.¡±

    Mister Chen? Ye Zhen¡¯s face changed slightly. She was well aware of Huangfu Chen¡¯s medical skills. Would Huangfu Chen be able to detoxify the poison in Lu Lingzhi¡¯s body?

 Chapter 425 - Nobody Owes Each Other Anything (1)

    <h4>Chapter 425 - Nobody Owes Each Other Anything (1)</h4>

    ¡°Yaoyao, your eldest brother was very worried about you. Go see himter,¡± Pei Shi said.

    Ye Zhen was a thousand times unwilling, but she also really wanted to know if Lu Lingzhi had been cured by Huangfu Chen now. ¡°Okay, I want to see him too.¡±

    ¡°Ai, what is with the luck of our Lu family recently? Why is it so bad?¡± Old madam Lu sighed mournfully.

    First, Lu Lingzhi was conspired against and poisoned on the way back. Then Lu Wushuang was dismissed as Gui Fei, and now Yaoyao almost died. These things made people shudder at the thought.

    ¡°Grandmother, how is Eldest Sister doing now?¡± Ye Zhen asked, feigning concern over Lu Wushuang¡¯s situation. She should be very unwilling to stay in the Nian Tzu temple. Originally, she should be enjoying a life of splendor and luxury, apanied by her beloved. But now, she has to live in a temple with nothing but a candle by her side, surrounded by the deep, dark night. Who could be reconciled with such a fate let alone a gui fei?!

    Old madam Lu said, ¡°The empress dowager let me see your eldest sister once. Now she is not as willful as before. She cut her hair obediently and didn¡¯t cry or fuss. She just wants your big brother to visit her a few dayster¡­¡±

    This is not Lu Wushuang¡¯s usual temperament! Ye Zhen immediately became vignt. ording to her temperament in the past, she should be wailing and crying for the Lu family to help her leave the Nian Tzu Temple. It could not be this peaceful!

    If something is abnormal, then it certainly means she is possessed by a demon! What does Lu Wushuang want to do? Why does she want to see Lu Lingzhi?

    Pei Shi didn¡¯t care very much about Lu Wushuang because thetter had wanted to frame her daughter. It didn¡¯t matter to her whether that girl was living in a prosperous manor with wealth or abandoned.

    ¡°Grandmother, let me go and see Eldest Brother first,¡± Ye Zhen said. Right now, she hated Lu Lingzhi more than ever before, but she also knew that it was definitely harder to deal with him than dealing with his sister.

    Old Madam Lu nodded with a smile. ¡°Go.¡±

    Pei Shi stood up and said to Ye Zhen, ¡°I¡¯m going with you. It¡¯s just about time for Lingzhi to drink his medicine.¡±

    ¡°You go.¡± Old Madam Lu said wearily, ¡°Tomorrow I will go to Huguo Temple to pray for blessings. The Lu family should have a different fortune.¡±

    Lu Shiming next to her smiled. ¡°Mother, these are all illusory¡ª¡±

    Old Madam Lu red at him. ¡°How will you know if you haven¡¯t asked for a blessing?¡±

    ¡°Grandmother, I will apany you,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile. She had no animosity towards this old matriarch and was willing to obey her instead of her sister. The only people she wanted revenge on were Lu Wushuang and Lu Lingzhi.

    ?

    Ye Zhen and Pei Shi walked to the front yard together. Lu Shiming was held back by the olddy to receive further instruction as she told him about all the things she had asked for at the Huguo Temple.

    ¡°Mother, has Eldest Brother¡¯s poison been cured?¡± Ye Zhen held Pei Shi¡¯s hand. Being frightened at the hunting ground and getting tired in the pce, it seemed that she could feel what she had never felt before by relying on the warmth of Pei Shi¡¯s hand.

    She had never been close to her own mother. Sometimes her mother would cry silently when she looked at her. And whenever she was ill, no matter what happened, her mother never cared. The people who were actually there for her while growing up had always been her father and grandmother.

    How does it feel to be in the arms of a mother? Ye Zhen hadn¡¯t felt it before, but now relying on Pei Shi, she knew that this was the warmth of a mother.

    Pei Shi held the little girl¡¯s hand and thought to herself that a daughter was indeed like a caring little cotton-padded jacket. Although Ye Zhen was not her biological child, she had been raised by her little by little and was no less than her own daughter. Fortunately, she came back safe and sound. An emotional Pei Shi thought.

    ¡°Your Eldest Brother¡¯s remnant poison has not yet been cleared out of his body, but today Mr. Chen said that if we can find the fire lotus again, we canpletely heal your elder brother. It is a pity though, that the emperor is not in court yet. Otherwise, we could go into the pce and ask him for another fire lotus flower. ¡±

    Ye Zhen was shocked in her heart but hid it. Yes, Imperial Physician Qi hadn¡¯t been able to use the fire lotus flower properly but Huangfu Chen would never be mistaken. If they could still find another fire lotus flower, perhaps Mr. Chen could really cure Lu Lingzhi.

    ¡°Fire lotus flower is not easy to get. Even the imperial pce doesn¡¯t have it now,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    Pei Shi sighed. ¡°I hope we can find it elsewhere then.¡± She looked at Ye Zhen¡¯s white and jade-like face. ¡°What have you been doing in the pce these days? How did you encounter a tiger that day?¡±

    ¡°Someone wanted to harm us. We met an assassin on the road. When we fled to the woods, we saw a tiger. It came from a mountain. The fence had been broken. Fortunately, there were¡­ Brother Tang and His Majesty¡­,¡± Ye Zhen whispered.

    ¡°His Majesty was injured because he saved you?¡± Pei Shi asked in a low voice.

 Chapter 426 - Nobody Owes Each Other Anything (2)

    <h4>Chapter 426 - Nobody Owes Each Other Anything (2)</h4>

    Ye Zhen nodded gently. ¡°I was hiding upon a tree, it got knocked down and was broken by that tiger.¡±

    Imagining the situation at the time, Pei Shi was so scared that she broke into a cold sweat all over. ¡°In the future, you¡¯re not allowed to go to the hunting grounds anymore.¡±

    ¡°I know, Mother.¡± Ye Zhen smiled and nodded. ¡°By the way, what about my elder brother? I haven¡¯t congratted him yet now that he will follow father as a fellow official.¡±

    Not long ago, Lu Xiangzhi had participated in the imperial examination and passed with ster results, snatching the third position and bing the tanghua. s, at that time, Ye Zhen had been busy at the academy. Therefore, she had only heard about the news but had not been able to personally congratte him

    Fortunately for the Lu family, it was Lu Xiangzhi who passed the exam and became the tanghu, curbing the cynical remarks of the people in the capital to an extent.

    [TL/N: Tanghua basically means third position or the winner with the best look]

    ¡°Your brother went to Master Xu¡¯s today and will probably spend the night at the Xu family¡¯s house.¡± The corners of Pei Shi¡¯s mouth curved up. Her greatest pride was Lu Xiangzhi. With her son bing a flower snatcher, he would be able to support his sister. Then she¡¯d see who would dare to bully her daughter at will.

    Ye Zhen was really happy for Lu Xiangzhi. Lu Shiming should also be promoted soon. In the future, the pair of father and son would be at the Hanlin Academy together so they could both be regarded as prominent people.

    ¡°I heard your father say, Master Xu doesn¡¯t seem to want your brother to stay at Hanlin Academy,¡± Pei Shi whispered again.

    ¡°Why?¡± Ye Zhen asked skeptically.

    Pei Shi shook her head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about what goes on in officialdom, and I don¡¯t understand either. When your brotheres back, you can ask him yourself.¡±

    Before they knew it, they had already arrived at the outer courtyard, but Lu Lingzhi¡¯s servant said that he had fallen asleep. Apparently, he had been tossing about for most of the day and became tired as evening approached thus fell asleep early.

    ¡°Then I will visit Eldest Brother again tomorrow,¡± Ye Zhen said lightly.

    After returning to the Lu Mansion, Ye Zhen let go of her exhausted muscles. Since being rescued by Mo Rongzhan, she had felt very confused. Before that, she had always been determined to take revenge and wanted to pull him off the throne. But now¡­ she actually didn¡¯t know what to do.

    He saved my life, promised me the position of the empress, and never gave me poisonous wine¡­

    No! I must not be soft-hearted! His previous grievances with me can be wiped out, but what about his feud against Father and Elder Brother?

    What if her father had really been killed? She understood that the Ye family was embroiled in a lot of evil, but her father and brother had been innocent. He even killed them.

    For this, I shouldn¡¯t forgive him for the rest of my life!

    I saved his life in the past, but now he has saved mine, all our life-saving graces to each other are cleared!

    Ye Zhen felt that she had been at a loss for a few days, and the road ahead suddenly became brighter, and she smiled slightly and finally fell asleep at ease. She hadn¡¯t been able to sleep in the pce for two days.

    The next day, she woke up full of energy. She didn¡¯t n to enter the pce so early. Besides, Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t want to see her anyway. There were Xu Huiru and Huangfu Chen beside him, so nothing could happen.

    She didn¡¯t visit Lu Lingzhi either but went to the upper hall to find Old Madam Lu, preparing to apany her to Huguo Temple to pray for blessings. But when she was about to go out, she saw his carriage parked outside. He was already inside waiting for them, saying that they wanted to go along too.

    Ye Zhen felt unhappy right now.

    However, Lu Lingzhi looked at her through the window with a gentle smile. ¡°Yaoyao,e and be with Eldest Brother, I have something to ask you.¡±

    ¡°Go.¡± Knowing that grandson must have something important to say, Old Madam Lu immediately let Ye Zhen pass by.

    ¡°Grandmother, it¡¯s not so good.¡± Ye Zhen cursed in her heart. Now she couldn¡¯t wait to kill Lu Lingzhi, how could she be in the same carriage with him.

    Old Madam Lu gave her a look. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, you are brothers and sisters, go ahead.¡±

    Ye Zhen reluctantly got into Lu Lingzhi¡¯s carriage, chose a ce farthest from him to sit down, turned her head to look outside and ignored him.

    Lu Lingzhi smiled bitterly. ¡°Yaoyao, are you still angry with Eldest Brother?¡±

    ¡°Eldest Brother jokes, why would I be angry with you?¡± Ye Zhen said lightly.

    ¡°I was in the pce that day¡­ Eldest Brother didn¡¯t want you tomit the crime, but¡­.¡± Lu Lingzhi looked at her indifferent profile and didn¡¯t know what to say.

    She wouldn¡¯t have remembered it, had he not mentioned it. That day, in front of Mo Rongzhan,

    he had vaguely said that Lu Wushuang wouldn¡¯t poison him. So then, was it her that poisoned him? He took her into the pce, seemingly not trying to me her, but to shoulder the me for Lu Wushuang.

    ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect the empress dowager and the emperor to trust me so much and not believe what Lu Wushuang said?¡± Ye Zhen snorted coldly. ¡°Unfortunately, you couldn¡¯t protect your good sister.¡±

    ¡°Shuang¡¯er deserves a lesson,¡± Lu Lingzhi whispered.

    He was speaking as if Lu Wushuang would have a chance toe out in the future. Ye Zhen curled her lips and said impatiently, ¡°Is that what you wanted to tell me?¡±

    Lu Lingzhi gently shook his head and asked in a low voice. ¡°Yaoyao, how are the emperor¡¯s injuries?¡±

 Chapter 427 - Why Should I Help You? (1)

    <h4>Chapter 427 - Why Should I Help You? (1)</h4>

    Ye Zhen looked back at Lu Lingzhi. So, this was what he wanted to ask today. Although he had been recuperating from his injuries at home, he was not ignorant of the recent events in the capital. So, today he ignored his body and went out to apany the old madam. Obviously, his real purposey in something else.

    ¡°How do you know that the emperor is injured?¡± Ye Zhen asked with a smile. She naturally hoped that Mo Rongzhan would no longer trust Lu Lingzhi, but the man before her was too smart as such she couldn¡¯t make it too obvious lest her provocation be detected.

    Lu Lingzhi smiled faintly. ¡°You and the little prince went to the hunting grounds and the emperor went to look for you. In the end, I can only see you all safe and sound whereas the emperor hasn¡¯t been to court for two days. Tang Zhen arrested the eighth prince; the fifth prince and Old Prince Kang went to the pce again and begged to see the emperor but weren¡¯t able to¡­ It was easy to guess.¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at him with cold eyes. ¡°Guess about what?¡±

    ¡°I want to know, how are the emperor¡¯s injuries?¡± Lu Lingzhi asked. He had never thought that Ye Zhen would refuse to tell him. In his opinion, since this little girl was surnamed Lu, even if she was dissatisfied with Shuang¡¯er¡¯s actions, she would definitely help the Lu family.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ye Zhen shook her head without thinking. ¡°I didn¡¯t have to go to the Pce of Heavenly Purity today. Xianfei Xu was inside.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi misinterpreted it as Xu Huiru not letting Yaoyao in, his face sank. ¡°Didn¡¯t the Empress Dowager let you take care of the emperor? Why would Xu Huiru not let you in?¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t need to enter the court right now. The emperor asked you to rest up and let your injuries heal. Why do you want to know how his injuries are?¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao, Shuang¡¯er is no longer a noble consort, our Lu family¡¯s status in the capital is already at stake. For the sake of the family, I naturally have to care more about the emperor,¡± he said in a low voice.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you anything since I am also not clear about it. However¡­ Old Prince Kang and Fifth Prince¡¯s words and actions today were truly too presumptuous. I don¡¯t know what they¡¯ll do,¡± she said. She wanted to subtly direct Lu Lingzhi to turn to the fifth prince¡¯s side. If he did, then when Mo Rongzhan recovers, he would certainly not let him off.

    Lu Lingzhi snorted coldly. ¡°No matter how much the fifth prince and Old Prince Kang jump up and down, what¡¯s the point? With his good luck the emperor will naturally be fine, even if¡­ there is the little prince (to consider).¡±

    Her face turned cold. Could it be that Lu Lingzhi was actually ying along Mo Rongzhan¡¯s n? No, it shouldn¡¯t be. He looks like he is looking for some opportunity.

    ¡°If Lu Wushuang can¡¯t go back to the pce in this life, what will you do?¡± Ye Zhen asked with cold eyes.

    She couldn¡¯t wait to kill him but death was the greatest relief. She wanted to make him live in the pain of not being able to get what he wanted. He wanted the Lu family to have a stable foundation and break away from the title of merchants, then she wanted the Lu family topletely decay and for them to never be a noble.

    ¡°The emperor is only punishing Shuang¡¯er, as long as she changes, he will let her go back to the pce,¡± he said. He didn¡¯t know that Mo Rongzhan already knew everything.

    Ye Zhen chuckled. ¡°I hope so.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao¡­,¡± he nced at her deeply and said, ¡°if I need your help in the future will you help your eldest brother?¡±

    ¡°Why should I help you?¡± Sheughed out loud and looked at him mockingly. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my good fortune, the person in Nianci Temple might have been me right now. Why should I help someone who almost crowned me with the crime?¡±

    Lu Lingzhi smiled bitterly, and bowed with his hands held together in front of him saying, ¡°Young Miss Yaoyao, don¡¯t tangle about this with your eldest brother anymore. Eldest Brother really didn¡¯t want you to take the me at the time.¡±

    Was she deaf and blind? At that time in the pce, when facing Mo Rongzhan, he had been very vague. Had it not been for the fact that Lu Wushuang had long been disposed of, she could guarantee Lu Lingzhi would certainly make her take the me. To him, his beloved sister was perhaps more valuable.

    ¡°What do you want me to do for you?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯m telling you right now, I won¡¯t do any bad things for you.¡±

    Heughed. ¡°Is your eldest brother a bad person?¡±

    Then could he still be considered a good person?

    ¡°Have you killed anyone?¡± Ye Zhen looked at him with clear eyes.

    ¡°Eldest Brother goes into battle and kills more than a thousand people.¡± Lu Lingzhi said with a smile, ¡°Could it be that killing immediately makes one a bad person?¡±

    Ye Zhen said lightly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t count if it¡¯s killing an enemy in battle. Have you killed an innocent person?¡±

    The smile at the corner of his mouth faded a little. He had killed too many people in his life. He didn¡¯t remember what those people looked like, but there was only one person¡­ who was still deeply engraved in his mind.

    ¡°It seems that you are not what you said you are.¡± His reaction incited a sneer from the little girl.

    ¡°Yaoyao¡­,¡± he said bitterly, raising his eyes to look at a face that seemed to resemble Ye Zhen¡¯s. He could see Ye Zhen¡¯s resentful eyes looking at him desperately and sadly. At that time, he had sworn¡­

    ¡­ That he would definitely pay her back in the next life. That, at that moment, he couldn¡¯t do anything.

    She said impatiently, ¡°What the hell do you want me to do?¡±

    He looked at her foolishly. ¡°Yaoyao, howe you look¡­ so much like her?¡±

 Chapter 428 - Why Should I Help You? (2)

    <h4>Chapter 428 - Why Should I Help You? (2)</h4>

    ¡°Who? Ye Zhen?¡± She smiled. ¡°Maybe we are the same person, Eldest Brother, you keep being so obsessed with Ye Zhen, did you perhaps do something to her?¡±

    ¡°Are you really her?¡± Lu Lingzhi¡¯s eyes darkened, and he suddenly stretched out his hand to grab Ye Zhen¡¯s. ¡°Yaoyao, are you really her?¡±

    Ye Zhen tried to shake off his hand, ¡°Let go of me!¡±

    He tugged hard and hugged her tightly in his arms. ¡°If you are her¡­ if you are her¡­ I will be good to you and won¡¯t hurt you again.¡±

    ¡°Who wants you to be nice to me?! You let me go!¡± Ye Zhen mmed back his shoulder hard. It was annoying to be in the carriage with him as she couldn¡¯t escape anywhere else. And now that she was being held by him, she felt even more disgusted.

    ¡°Zhen Zhen¡­,¡± Lu Lingzhi called out in a low voice, the look in his eyes made him seem somewhat disoriented as if he was in a trance. He was already regarding the person in front of him as the Qin Wangfei who he had been poisoned to death.

    Ye Zhen punched and kicked. ¡°Help, Marquis¡¯s poison is acting!¡±

    When the people outside heard Ye Zhen¡¯s screams, they immediately stopped the carriage and some guards hurried in.

    ¡°Eldest Brother is going to kill me! Save me!¡± Ye Zhen shouted, letting people pull Lu Lingzhi away.

    ¡°Marquis!¡± The two guards quickly reached out and grabbed Lu Lingzhi¡¯s arm. ¡°Third Young Miss, we¡¯ll pull the marquis out, you get out of the carriage first.¡±

    With the help of two guards, Ye Zhen was finally able to escape Lu Lingzhi¡¯s restraints. She raised her hand and pped him hard. ¡°Eldest brother, wake up, you can¡¯t be controlled by the poison.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi was so dumbfounded by the p that he didn¡¯t know where he was, he looked at her dazedly.

    ?

    When Old Madam Lu in the front carriage heard the noise, she immediately asked someone to stop the carriage and enquire. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Old Madam, it¡¯s the marquis. The poison in his body suddenly red again and he wanted to kill the third young miss,¡± the little boy pulling the cart said after he turned around and took a look.

    ¡°Come, help me out of the carriage.¡± Shocked by the exnation given to her, Old Madam Lu hurriedly had the maid to help her out of the carriage.

    At this time, Ye Zhen had already taken advantage of Lu Lingzhi¡¯s dazed state to run out of the carriage. The moment she did, she saw Old Madam Lu, so she immediately choked up and cried, ¡°Grandmother!¡±

    Old Madam Lu hugged her and asked anxiously, ¡°Yaoyao, what happened? Where¡¯s your eldest brother?¡±

    ¡°Eldest Brother initially was speaking nicely to me, but suddenly he grabbed my hand and said he was going to kill me.¡± Ye Zhen cried, ¡° Grandmother, I¡¯m scared.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, don¡¯t be afraid! Grandmother is here.¡± Old Madam Luforted before she asked, ¡°How is the marquis?¡±

    The two guards supported Lu Lingzhi down from the carriage. He looked tired, yet ¨C unnoticed by anyone else ¨C when his gaze fell on Ye Zhen, a dark light shed across his eyes.

    ¡°Lingzhi, are you alright?¡± Old Madam Lu asked hurriedly.

    Lu Lingzhi nodded softly. ¡°I am fine, Grandmother, but¡­ I¡¯ve frightened Yaoyao.¡±

    Ye Zhen had her head bowed at this time, concealing it in Old Madam Lu¡¯s arm. She didn¡¯t even look at Lu Lingzhi. Naturally, in everyone¡¯s eyes, she seemed to be frightened by him.

    ¡°Lingzhi, Grandmother thinks it¡¯s better if you go home and rest for a bit. It¡¯s enough that Yaoyao alone apanies me to go to Huguo Temple,¡± Old Madam Lu said after much deliberation. After all, what could they do if the poison in his body acted up again while they were in Huguo Temple?

    Seeing that Ye Zhen looked like she didn¡¯t want to talk to him at all, Lu Lingzhi knew that he had really frightened her today. Furthermore, even if he wanted to exin clearly, it was likely that the other would not listen. As such, he could only say, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll go home first, Grandmother.¡±

    ¡°All of you escort the marquis back carefully.¡± Old Madam Lu immediately instructed, still, her heart felt very ufortable. She didn¡¯t know when they would be able to detoxify the lingering poison in his body, and seeing the way her eldest grandson was always being tortured by it, it was impossible for people who saw it to not be concerned.

    ¡°Yaoyao, your eldest brother scared you today, but it won¡¯t happen again,¡± he said softly to Ye Zhen.

    However, the little girl simply hid behind Old Madam Lu.

    ¡°Yaoyao¡­.¡± He called her name, wanting toe over and see her. But¡­

    ¡°Don¡¯te over!¡± Ye Zhen shouted as she clutched Old Madam Lu¡¯s clothes with both hands.

    Seeing this, the old matriarch was distressed. Whether it was Lingzhi or Yaoyao, both were her beloved grandchildren, how was it possible for her to not feel heartache? ¡°Lingzhi, Yaoyao has not calmed down yet, so you better go home and rest first. When we get home, you can try to talk to her again.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡± Lu Lingzhi nodded his head gently before he got back into the carriage. Once inside, he sighed lowly as he wearily leaned against the wall. He couldn¡¯t understand why he suddenly mistook his Yaoyao for Ye Zhen. He was further unable to figure out why he was so obsessed with Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhen¡­ When on earth did her existence take root in his heart so deeply that he was unable to get rid of her even when he dearly wanted to erase it?

    For the sake of the Lu Family and Shuang¡¯er, he was sorry for Ye Zhen, but he didn¡¯t know¡­ He had thought what he felt was just a little pity for Ye Zhen, but now¡­ it seemed to be more than that.

 Chapter 429 - Come To Propose Marriage

    <strong>Chapter 429 ¨C Come to Propose Marriage</strong>

    ¡°Marquis, are you alright?¡± Lu Lingzhi¡¯s young manservant asked in a low voice.

    ¡°Go to Marquis Jing Ning¡¯s mansion.¡± Lu Lingzhi ordered quietly, mind still entrenched. <i>Perhaps, it was because Lu Yaoyao looked a little too much like Ye Zhen that he couldn¡¯t help but have her image constantly in his mind¡­</i>

    <i>If Lu Yaoyao is not with the Lu Family, perhaps everything will be alright.</i>

    Lu Lingzhi mused on his way to find Tang Zhen. When he arrived, he happened to meet him as he was about to go out.

    ¡°Lingzhi, why are you here?¡± Tang Zhen asked, surprised to find Lu Lingzhi at his doorstep. ¡°What a coincidence. I was on my way to see you. I heard that your poison broke out again. Does Mr. Chen have a way to treat you?¡±

    At his friend¡¯s concern, Lu Lingzhi faintly smiled and said. ¡°Let¡¯s go in and talk.¡±

    Not having reason to refuse, Tang Zhen led the other back to his study. Then, after having tea, he asked in a low voice, ¡°What matter is there that prompts you toe to see me today?¡±

    ¡°Recently, isn¡¯t the situation back in the pce not very stable?¡± Lu Lingzhi inquired as he touched the rim of the tea cup and looked at the other with a smile.

    ¡°Lingzhi, you do know that without the emperor¡¯s order beforehand, I cannot tell you too much.¡± Tang Zhen felt somewhat in a bind. He and Lu Lingzhi were once friends who were willing to risk life and limb for each other, but in the face of the imperial power, he now had no choice but to keep his mouth shut.

    Lu Lingzhi nodded. ¡°I understand. I¡¯m just asking casually. Now that I¡¯m not in court, I shouldn¡¯t ask so many questions. It¡¯s just the weather in the capital is unpredictable, so you should also be careful.¡±

    Seeing that his friend did not me him, Tang Zhen felt relieved and spoke with a smile. ¡°There is the emperor here, how can the capital be unstable? The rumors outside cannot be believed.¡±

    <i>So, the emperor¡¯s injury isn¡¯t serious at all?</i> There was a glimmer of light in Lu Lingzhi¡¯s eyes as his mind began to turn. <i>The emperor obviously did not trust the Lu family as much as before. Shuang¡¯er now has be a Daoist nun¡­ </i>Before he left, Lu Lingzhi¡¯s second uncle had talked to him and told him that he wished to send Lu Jing to the pce to help Shuang¡¯er. And though he did not promise at that time, offte, he wavered a little.

    If there were girls from the Lu family in the harem, then they would be able to help Lu Wushuang when they were favored. They only needed to mention her (LWS) in front of the emperor, and she might still have a chance to return to the pce in the future.

    <i>When I get back, I¡¯ll discuss this matter with Grandmother. Today, I came to see Tang Zhen for another matter.</i> Lu Lingzhi put the thought away for the time being and opened his mouth. ¡°I have sounded out Third Aunt¡¯s mind about what you told mest time.¡±

    Tang Zhen was stunned when he heard his words. <i>What had I said to Lu Lingzhist time? Wasn¡¯t it about his wish to marry Yaoyao?</i>

    Lu Lingzhi looked at him and smiled as he said, ¡°Third Aunt has a very good impression of you and is very happy to hear your intention. If you really have a heart for Yaoyao, then you can directly ask the Third Aunt for her hand.¡±

    ¡°Lingzhi¡­¡± Tang Zhen¡¯s heart felt sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy at the same time.

    ¡°What¡¯s with the look on your face? Don¡¯t tell me that you regret your words?¡± Lu Lingzhi¡¯s expression changed.

    Tang Zhen immediately refuted. ¡°How can I change my mind about Yaoyao? It¡¯s just, Yaoyao is now a princess. Even if Third Madam Lu agrees, will¡­ will the emperor agree?¡±

    He did not dare to say what the emperor did to Lu Yaoyao. After all, they were brother and sister, as such he did not have the heart to reveal and hurt him.

    ¡°As long as you propose, Grandmother will naturally enter the pce and ask the empress dowager to confer marriage for you two. And you can tell the emperor yourself.¡± Lu Lingzhi said, ¡°I will talk to Third Uncle.¡±

    <i>Can I really marry Yaoyao? Between her and the emperor¡­ </i>Thinking back to the scene in the hunting grounds, his heart suddenly felt a deep heartache. ¡°Lingzhi, I really want to marry Yaoyao, but will she be willing to marry me?¡±

    ¡°Why won¡¯t she be willing? Don¡¯t worry. Just go ahead and propose.¡± <i>If I want to get rid of the demons in my heart, then it¡¯s imperative that I marry Yaoyao off. Otherwise, I¡¯ll think of her day and night, and inevitably hurt her sooner orter.</i>

    Tang Zhen¡¯s heart immediately beat harder. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll ask for the Third Young Miss¡¯s hand from Third Madam Lu.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi smiled and said, ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll wait for your good news.¡±

    ¡°Lingzhi, I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be easy to settle the marriage¡­ She¡¯s a princess.¡± Although that was what he said, what Tang Zhen was more worried about was that she had the emperor in her heart, so she would refuse to marry him.

    ¡°Yaoyao is a princess, but she is also a daughter of the Lu family,¡± Lu Lingzhi said with a smile.

 Chapter 430 - Before The Storm

    <strong>Chapter 430 ¨C Before the Storm</strong>

    Today, Mo Rongzhan still did not go to the morning court. The ministers gathered to look at one another, each of them guessing the emperor¡¯s condition in their hearts. Even so, none uttered a word. Prime Minister Xu and Liu Zongyuan were also present, yet their state of mind was very calm. Yesterday, they had met with Empress Dowager t and knew that the emperor was in good health. As for the reason he did not attend the morning court¡­ Well, naturally the emperor had his own considerations.

    However, there were some twinkling eyes that gazed at the empty dragon throne high above in silence, a touch of calctive light shing at the bottom.

    ¡°Prime Minister Xu, in the end, what is the emperor¡¯s illness? It has been several days. Why hasn¡¯t there been any news?¡± a minister asked anxiously.

    ¡°Yes, Prime Minister Xu, Lord Liu, didn¡¯t you see Empress Dowager yesterday? What did Her Highness say?¡± someone asked.

    Prime Minister Xu sighed and replied, ¡°We haven¡¯t seen the emperor either. Just like everyone here, we don¡¯t know much.¡±

    ¡°What exactly does Empress Dowager want to do?! Why is she deliberately concealing the emperor¡¯s illness?¡± the minister, who had just been staring at the empty dragon chair, asked angrily.

    Liu Zongyuan raised his eyebrow and looked at the man. ¡°Zhou Zhicheng, what do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°I did not mean anything, merely wondering why Empress Dowager did not let the two lords see the emperor. Even if the emperor was ill, couldn¡¯t she let the minister see him? The empress dowager is deliberately concealing the reason the emperor is not attending the morning court¡­ What is her purpose? I believe she is the only one who knows best,¡± Zhou Zhicheng said in a cold and upright manner.

    Prime Minister Xu frowned and stared at him. ¡°Lord Zhou, you seem to know the most about the situation.¡±

    Zhou Zhicheng snorted. ¡°If we can¡¯t see the emperor tomorrow, we¡¯ll kneel outside the pce. Please exin it to Empress Dowager.¡±

    A few people followed him while the others looked at each other before turning to look at Prime Minister Xu and Liu Zongyuan.

    Soon, someone delivered the news to Mo Rongzhan who was still recovering from his injuries at the Pce of Heavenly Purity. The person narrated the happening in the court verbatim. The emperor still imed that he remained unconscious, with only a small number of people knowing that his injury had recovered extremely well.

    After listening to his trusted pce servant¡¯s report, Mo Rongzhan waved him away and ordered him to withdraw.

    ¡°Is this what you want?¡± Huangfu Chen, standing behind Mo Rongzhan, asked as he removed the stitches from his wound. Normally, it would take several days before the sutures could be removed, but the wound had unexpectedly healed really well, to the point that he could have the sutures removed ahead of time.

    ¡°What does <i>zhen</i> want? <i>Zhen</i> is just giving them a chance to act.¡± Mo Rongzhan snorted coldly. ¡°If <i>zhen</i> doesn¡¯t give them a chance, <i>zhen</i> is afraid that they won¡¯t achieve anything in their lifetime. Then, wouldn¡¯t they be suffocated at that time?¡±

    Huangfu Chen said nothing, simply pulling out the suture without a change in expression.

    Mo Rongzhan snorted stiffly as he let out an annoyed cry. ¡°Are you taking revenge against <i>zhen</i>?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t owe me anything, why should I take revenge on you?¡± Huangfu Chen said with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t take it out on me if you¡¯re in a bad mood.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s Lu Lingzhi?¡± Mo Rongzhan was indeed in a bad mood. Yesterday, in order to make Yaoyao jealous, he had let Xu Huiru into the Pce of Heavenly Purity and only let her return to her pce today. However, that little girl simply went out of the pce without saying a word. She didn¡¯t care that he favored another woman. In her heart, the most important thing had always been the people of the Ye family.

    Huangfu Chen said, ¡°We¡¯re still missing one fire lotus, are there any more in the pce?¡±

    ¡°There should be more. I¡¯ll send someone to look for it,¡± Mo Rongzhan said. No matter what he had done to Lu Shuanger, it had nothing to do with the Lu family. Therefore, he wouldn¡¯t refuse to help Lu Lingzhi.

    ¡°Do you remember how Yaoyao stopped your bleeding at that time?¡± Huangfu Chen asked in a low voice. He had been a physician for so long, yet he had never seen such a serious injury heal in a matter of days. His treatment method was no different from what he would do for simr injuries before. However, the only difference was¡­ Mo Rongzhan¡¯s injury had stopped bleeding soon, which waspletely to Lu Yaoyao¡¯s credit.

    At the mention of Lu Yaoyao, Mo Rongzhan felt depressed for a while as he recalled her weeping over his injury in the hunting grounds. Still, he did not show his gloom and spoke in a low voice, ¡°I do not know what medicine she used on my back at that time, but it was cool and did not feel as painful.¡±

    ¡°Medicine?¡± Huangfu Chen was stunned. He remembered that when he treated Mo Rongzhan¡¯s wound, there was no trace of medicine on his back.

    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked, an eyebrow raised.

    Huangfu Chen put snow lotus cream on his healed wounds, wrapped them with white cloth again before saying, ¡°You should thank Yaoyao. If she hadn¡¯t handled it well, it wouldn¡¯t have been this easy for me to save your life.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s face froze. <i>Even if he wants to thank Lu Yaoyao, she doesn¡¯t necessarily want his gratitude.</i>

    ¡°Now that your injury has healed, I don¡¯t need to be in the pce every day. You send someone to find and deliver the fire lotus to me, and I¡¯ll detoxify Lu Lingzhi,¡± Huangfu Chen said.

    ¡°En.¡± <i>Something should happen in the pce within the next few days, Huangfu Chen is not safe here, so it was best that he left.</i>

    Huangfu Chen packed up his belongings and left. However, when he arrived at the door, he looked back at Mo Rongzhan whose countenance was still suffused with gloominess and said, ¡°I¡¯ll remind you of one thing. Yaoyao has reached the age of marriage.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s face became uglier. ¡°Fude!¡± He summoned Eunuch Fu who was standing guard outside.

 Chapter 431 - Your Majesty, What Is Your Command? (1)

    <strong>Chapter 431 ¨C Your Majesty, What is Your Command? (1)</strong>

    ¡°Your Majesty, this ve is here,¡± Eunuch Fu said as he bent his back low. For the past two days, he was unable to fathom his master¡¯s temper, not knowing when his mood would turn bad.

    Mo Rongzhan asked, face calm without revealing in the slightest the storm brewing in his heart, ¡°Where is Lu Yaoyao? Howe today no one has seen the person?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, Her Highness has not yet entered the pce,¡± Eunuch Fu replied.

    <i>She¡¯s not in the pce yet? Does she have no worry about his injury at all? Or is it that she doesn¡¯t want to take care of him at all?</i>

    ¡°Have someone summon her into the pce!¡±

    Eunuch Fu dared not to say another superfluous word. He immediately darted out to carry on his master¡¯s bidding. In his haste, he almost ran into Xu Huiru outside. He hurriedly saluted, ¡°Xianfei Niangniang.¡±

    Seeing that the emperor¡¯s most trusted aide was in a hurry, Xu Huiru looked at him and asked with a smile, ¡°Eunuch Fu, where are you going?¡±

    Eunuch Fu smiled awkwardly. ¡°The emperor wants to see the princess, so this ve is going to invite her into the pce.¡±

    <i>Why does the emperor want to see Lu Yaoyao?</i> Xu Huiru thought even as she reluctantly kept her smile on her face before she went in to see Mo Rongzhan with her head down.

    ¡°This concubine greets the emperor.¡± Xu Huiru looked at Mo Rongzhan with a shy smile on her face.

    When she saw Mo Rongzhan, her mood immediately became happy. How could it not be? She had spent the night in the Pce of Heavenly Purity and between them, she felt like they were no longer like before. All the favors previously looked fake.

    Mo Rongzhan nced at her lightly. ¡°What can <i>zhen</i> do for Xianfei?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, this concubine has personally made some pastries. Try it.¡± Xu Huiru had a small food box in her hand. Prior to entering the pce, she had diligently practiced her culinary skills. Thus, she believed that so long as the emperor tried her craftsmanship, he wouldn¡¯t be able to think of Lu Yaoyao.

    ¡°Take it away. <i>Zhen</i> does not like sweet food. Don¡¯te to the Pce of Heavenly Purity these days,¡± Mo Rongzhan lowered his eyes and said in a cold voice.

    Xu Huiru¡¯s face changed. ¡°Your Majesty?¡±

    ?

    Xu Huiru came out of the Pce of Heavenly Purity with a pale face. She couldn¡¯t understand. ?<i>Wasn¡¯t he all right with me yesterday?</i>

    She felt that yesterday¡¯s emperor was the most gentle and moving ever since she had entered the pce. Today, she was prepared. As long as she stayed in the Pce of Heavenly Purity, she must wait on the bed. Not to mention, she was the one who most wanted to give birth to an heir for the emperor. A little prince...

    <i>So, why did the emperor kick me out? Was it because of Lu Yaoyao?</i>

    She clenched her hands tightly. She still remembered the look in his eyes when he saw Lu Yaoyao yesterday. They were filled with a desire to aggressively possess her. It was not the look that an emperor should have when seeing his sister...

    <i>Did Lu Yaoyao do anything shameful with the emperor?</i>

    The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became, and suddenly she had the urge to impulsively dispose of her to avoid future idents.

    ?

    At this moment, Ye Zhen and Old Madam Lu were at the Huguo Temple. In her past life, she hadn¡¯t believed that worshipping Buddha was useful, but ever since her magical experience, she felt that perhaps Buddha really existed.<i> Otherwise, who could have known about her unwillingness and allow her to be reborn in her younger sister¡¯s body?</i>

    <i>Buddha, if you really exist, please bless me so that I can find my father and brother as soon as possible... and let those viins get their just retribution.</i> Ye Zhen kowtowed reverently.

    The old matriarch next to her was praying for the Lu family. They each had their own thoughts but none knew whose prayer Buddha would answer.

    ¡°Ai~ Now I don¡¯t dare to ask the Buddha to bless our Lu family with wealth and prosperity. As long as all my children and grandchildren are safe, that¡¯s enough.¡± Old Madam Lu sighed and took Ye Zhen to the apse.

    Ye Zhen nced at her. What she expected was definitely different from the elder. She wanted Lu Lingzhi and Lu Wushuang to get retribution. <i>So how could she hope that they would be safe?</i>

    ¡°Yaoyao, look!¡± Old Madam Lu pointed to an isted temple on the opposite mountain. ¡°That is the Nianci Temple. Your eldest sister is there.¡±

    Nianci Temple was not called so before for it was merely a nunnery for Buddhist nuns. Later, because the nun inside saved the first emperor once, the first emperor gave the temple its name, and after which it became a ce where erring concubines reflected on their behaviours behind closed doors. It was not an easy ce for ordinary people to enter.

    ¡°She will reflect and know that the people who treat her best are the people of the Lu family,¡± Ye Zhen said in a low voice. From Lu Wushuang¡¯s point of view, it seemed as though others taking good care of her was an obvious matter and so she never knew how to be grateful.

    Old Madam Lu sighed. ¡°I hope so.¡±

    They didn¡¯t stay in the temple for too long. Old Madam Lu was still worried about Lu Lingzhi¡¯s body, so she donated five hundred taels of incense money and took Ye Zhen back to the Lu Mansion.

 Chapter 432 - Your Majesty, What Is Your Command? (1)

    <strong>Chapter 432 ¨C Your Majesty, What is Your Command? (1)</strong>

    Unable to find Ye Zhen in the Lu family, Eunuch Fu returned to the pce with a tearful face. Under Mo Rongzhan¡¯s cold eyes, he answered vaguely, ¡°The servants of the Lu family said that Princess Fu Rong went to Huguo Temple quite some time ago. I heard that it was to apany Old Madam Lu to pray for blessings. Your Majesty, perhaps the princess went there for you?¡±

    At those words, the frost in Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes inexplicably warmed up, and he raised his eyebrows pretending to be indifferent. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°The princess is worried about Your Majesty¡¯s body more than anyone else. It must exactly be like so,¡± Eunuch Fu said with great certainty.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s lips rose into a slight smile. ¡°You can withdraw. If Lu Yaoyaoes, have here in directly.¡±

    Looking at the emperor who was in a visibly better mood, Eunuch Fu almost cried himself blind in his heart. <i>In case the reason the princess went to Huguo Temple was not to pray for him, then...</i>

    ?

    When Ye Zhen returned to the Lu Mansion with Old Madam Lu, someone told her that a eunuch from the pce had juste to see her and asked her to go to the emperor¡¯s pce immediately.

    ¡°Yaoyao, since the imperial pce¡¯s eunuch is looking for you, then you should hurry up. It may be that something is wrong,¡± Old Madam Lu said.

    ¡°Which pce servant came looking for me?¡± Ye Zhen didn¡¯t really want to enter the pce, but she didn¡¯t know if it was the empress dowager who was looking for her in a hurry.

    The steward said, ¡°It¡¯s Eunuch Fu.¡±

    Ye Zhen frowned subconsciously, feeling some resistance in her heart. <i>If it was Eunuch Fu, then it should be Mo Rongzhan who is looking for her.</i> To be honest, she didn¡¯t want to see the man at all.

    <i>Isn¡¯t he being lovey-dovey with Xu Huiru right now? And he refused to take his medicine, so what should she still stay in the pce for?</i>

    ¡°Could it be that the emperor¡¯s condition has changed?¡± Old madam Lu asked Ye Zhen in a low voice.

    Ye Zhen sighed. ¡°Grandmother, then I¡¯ll go to the pce and have a look.¡±

    She had thought that Mo Rongzhan would not want to see her again. <i>Could it be that something really happened?</i> Judging by hisplexion yesterday, he should have improved a lot, and there shouldn¡¯t have been anything wrong.

    Ye Zhen wondered. Originally, she was thinking of going to Qianjin again today to see if there was any news about her father. It seems that she could only go again next time.

    Upon entering the pce, she went to the Pce of Heavenly Purity.

    As soon as Eunuch Fu saw her arriving, he was moved to tears. ¡°Princess, you are finally here.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ye Zhen looked at his expression amusedly. ¡°Nothing has happened to the emperor, right?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with the emperor. Mister Chen visited this morning, but the emperor just wanted to see you. He doesn¡¯t seem to be in a good mood. This ve told His Majesty that you had gone to the Huguo Temple to pray for him.¡± Eunuch Fu looked at Ye Zhen eagerly. It was obvious that he was hoping she would not expose his white lies.

    ¡°¡ª¡ª¡± <i>She went to the temple to pray for Mo Rongzhan?! Unless she was out of her mind it would never happen!</i>

    Eunuch Fu smiled respectfully. ¡°Princess, please go in!¡±

    Ye Zhen shook her head helplessly. After entering the bedchamber, she couldn¡¯t see Mo Rongzhan¡¯s figure. She took a look around and found that he was asleep on the soft couch by the window.

    She frowned and looked at hisplexion carefully. It looked better than yesterday. She quietly walked over, took his pulse, and confirmed that there was no problem. Done with what she wanted to check, she turned around, wanting to leave.

    Mo Rongzhan had already woken up when Ye Zhen had walked into the chamber. He wanted to know what she would do. When she came to get his pulse, his mood became very excited, thinking that she was actually not being honest and in fact, really did have him in her heart. <i>But why did she put his hand down so quickly?</i>

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao!¡± Mo Rong looked coldly at the person who had walked to the door and nned on leaving.

    Ye Zhen turned her head in amazement, her body was being bestowed with the stare of a pair of dark and furious eyes. ¡°Your Majesty, what are your orders?¡±

    ¡°Where have you been today? Were it not for the people I sent to find you, you did not n on entering the pce again?¡± When Mo Rongzhan looked at her indifferent face, the joy in his heart was reced by anger.

    Ye Zhen replied lightly, ¡°Answering Your Majesty, this servant was apanying her grandmother to the Huguo Temple today, thinking that you wouldn¡¯t need this servant to serve you medicine, so I didn¡¯t enter the pce.¡±

    <i>Servant?</i> Mo Rongzhan¡¯s expression became even colder as if there was an iceberg in his eyes sending a chill over all those they met. ¡°Lu Yaoyao, you have to force me to be angry with you, right?¡±

    Ye Zhen sighed in her heart. <i>Why is this person so hard to serve?</i> ¡°Your Majesty, if you have any instructions, this servant will abide.¡±

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 Chapter 433 - Zhen Wants You (1)

    <strong>Chapter 433 ¨C </strong><strong>Zhen</strong><strong> Wants You (1)</strong>

    As he looked at her docile demeanour, void of all arrogance and mboyance she had worn up until now before him, Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯t feel happy in the slightest. Instead, a dull feeling rose in his heart that kindled an evil fire in his mind. He wanted to grab her and chastise her fiercely, yet at the same time, he also wanted to press her under his body and ravage her to his heart¡¯s content. He wanted to make her thoroughly submit to him.

    Not knowing what the man was thinking, Ye Zhen still hung her head submissively, waiting for his order.

    ¡°It seems that you are very good at being a servant,¡± Mo Rongzhan said coldly.

    ¡°Thanking the emperor for his praise,¡± Ye Zhen lightly said. He wanted her to recognize her identity, yet now that she followed the rules as the imperial physician attending him, he was not satisfied.

    Mo Rongzhan was not appeased by her response. Instead, he became very furious, so much so that his breathing got heavier and he barked, ¡°Get out! Go boil the medicine for zhen!¡±

    Ye Zhen bowed, wished him good fortune and happiness before going out at once. Still, inside her heart, she fumed. Yesterday, he said that he didn¡¯t want to drink his medicine, but today he deliberately summoned her into the pce to cook his medicine. Isn¡¯t this obviously him trying to torment her?

    ¡°Your Majesty, Marquis Jing Ning requests an audience.¡± Eunuch Fu was very cautious and solemn as he reported to his master. He was really unable to make sense of his liege¡¯s rapid change in mood. He obviously wanted to see Her Highness the Princess, yet now that she hade, why did he look even worse than before?!

    ¡°Your Majesty, Eighth Prince has confessed that he was the one who sent the assassin. However, he imed that the tiger was sent by Marquis Xinyang¡­ This official has sent people to arrest the former Marquis Xinyang. They wanted to kill the princess and the little prince to take their revenge over the polo match they lost. And¡­ Fifth Prince and Old Prince Kang went to the deposed emperor after they left the pce yesterday ....¡± Tang Zhen reported in a low voice.

    Mo Rongzhan sneered. ¡°Did the crown prince see them?¡±

    ¡°They still have not seen him, but Old Prince Kang has already surreptitiously contacted the other imperial ns and Deputy General Yang from Xidaying*¡­¡±, Tang Zhen said and looked up at Mo Rongzhan.

    [* Big West Camp]

    The younger sister of Deputy General Yang used to be the crown princess of the deposed emperor. Later on, because the crown prince spoiled his concubine and neglected his wife, she died an unnatural death. Due to that, Deputy General Yang had a great hatred for the crown prince, which was why he was able to continue being the deputy general in the West Camp even after Mo Rongzhan ascended the throne.

    Mo Rongzhan let a cold smile graze his lips as hemented, ¡°Yang Jing¡¯an? That would be interesting.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, do you want to arrest Fifth Prince and Old Prince Kang?¡± Tang Zhen asked in a low voice.

    Some people in the imperial ns just couldn¡¯t understand that now the world had settled, and Mo Rongzhan was the most suitable candidate to be the emperor in the eyes of both the masses and the soldiers. Who else could bring real stability to the Jin Empire apart from him?

    Which people did not want to live in peace and which soldiers liked to fight with their own people every day? It was only because Mo Rongzhan was the emperor that the Jin Empire did not have a rebellion and did not need their own people to fight their own brethren.

    ¡°Zhen won¡¯t go to the morning court tomorrow. Zhen wants to see what they want to do,¡± Mo Rongzhan said, smiling. It was truly too easy to draw the snake out of its hole, making him feel no sense of achievement at all.

    The snake dide out, s, it¡¯s a pity that the little snake is too useless.

    ¡°Understood, Your Majesty.¡± Tang Zhen responded respectfully. Then, he looked at Mo Rongzhan¡¯s side profile and remembered the conversation he had just had with Lu Lingzhi. If he had directly told the emperor that he wanted to marry Yaoyao, it would be absolutely impossible.

    He gritted his teeth. Seems it¡¯s still better to have Old Madam Lu directly ask Empress Dowager to let Yaoyao marry him. At that time, whether the emperor agrees or not, he still has to consent to it.

    ¡°As for the fifth prince¡­ put this matter away for the time being... We will talk about it again when Zhen wakes up,¡± Mo Rongzhan said.

    Tang Zhen then left the Pce of Heavenly Purity. Nevertheless, despite what the emperor said, he still went to the fifth prince and watched him attentively. Although this man was no threat, it was still better to be careful.

    Ye Zhen boiled the medicine and brought it over. However, she was unwilling to look at Mo Rongzhan¡¯s cold face, so she wanted to ask Eunuch Fu to send it in for her.

    ¡°Princess, it¡¯s better if you send it in personally.¡± Eunuch Fu had learned his lesson, so how could he dare to send in the medicine for Ye Zhen?

    ¡°Eunuch Fu¡­,¡± she called softly.

    He had a bitter expression as he exined. ¡°Princess, if you send it in, the emperor will surely be in a good mood. However, if this ve is to be the one who sends it in, then he is sure to be kicked out.¡±

    Ye Zhen pursed her lips. She simply did not want to go in and see his smelly face, but¡­ ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll send it in personally.¡±

    Back inside the chamber, Mo Rongzhan¡¯s expression frosted over as he listened to the conversation of the two people outside. However, he simply watched on coldly as Ye Zhen came in before he sarcastically snorted, ¡°Why? Aren¡¯t you unwilling toe in and serve zhen?¡±

    ¡°This servant does not dare,¡± Ye Zhen said in a low voice, putting the medicine on the small table. She then hung her head low and wanted to withdraw.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao!¡± Mo Rongzhan gripped her wrist and pulled her hard, dragging her to sit on hisp. ¡°Do you want to face Zhen like this all your life?¡±

 Chapter 434 - Zhen Wants You (2)

    <strong>Chapter 434 ¨C </strong><strong>Zhen</strong><strong> Wants You (2)</strong>

    Ye Zhen wrinkled her eyebrows and pushed his arms away. ¡°What does the emperor want this servant to do? Is this not humble enough?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan ignored her attempt, hugged her soft body instead, and felt that the anger at the bottom of his heart had transformed into an evil fire in his body. He pressed her under his body and looked at her with deep and unfathomable eyes. ¡°Zhen does not need your groveling. You know what zhen wants.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t think that!¡± Ye Zhen cried with gritted teeth.

    s, her protest went unheeded as Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes became deeper and deeper. Without letting her go, he held her hands tightly within his big palm. Then, suddenly, the sound of clothes being torn reverberated in the air.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s face immediately paled as her clothes were ripped by him using one hand, revealing the white satin underclothes. She red at him. ¡°Mo Rongzhan, what are you going to do?!¡±

    ¡°Zhen has always done what zhen wants. In all respects, zhen has only ever given in to you, wants you to be willing, and also wants your heart,¡± he whispered, hands busy untying her skirt, leaving only her dudou and a pair of obscene underpants.

    Seeing the determination to **** in his eyes, she knew that he was different from thest time. He would not let her go!

    He dipped his head and kissed her lips hard, forcefully stealing her air away, leaving her breathless. He grasped her hands with one hand and pinned her legs with his knee. She endured his rough kiss and the big hand kneading her chest that was like a fire torch, burning her everywhere it touched.

    In the end, she gave up struggling. Her struggle would only make him want her more.

    ¡°Yaoyao, zhen wants you!¡± he said in her ears with a voice that sounded like he was repressing immeasurable pain.

    Ye Zhen closed her eyes, appearing like she had resigned herself to fate and allowing him to do what he wanted to her.

    Mo Rongzhan looked at her with burning eyes. He did not want this kind of her. Rather than this, what he wanted was her gentle voice coquettishly letting out low and lingering sounds under him, begging him to be gentle. But this¡­ this wasn¡¯t the Yaoyao he wanted.

    ¡°Are you really so unmoved by zhen?¡± he asked, untying her dudou and sucking on the pink bud with his thin lips.

    Ye Zhen took a sharp and deep breath at his action, feeling something she had never felt before climbing up from her back. She gritted her teeth and held back the noise that wanted to escape from her mouth.

    ¡°Zhen has never wanted a woman so much in zhen¡¯s life before, so zhen won¡¯t let you go.¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s voice was very low and hoarse as he pulled her long and slender legs apart, to make her feel his longing for her more clearly.

    ¡°Even if I don¡¯t want to?¡± Ye Zhen looked at him with a gaze that was as cold as frozen tundra.

    s, the only answer she received was in the form of him tearing open her underwear.

    ?

    Ye Zhen gritted her teeth and endured the humiliation. She did not want to beg for mercy. In any case, he was determined to do it, so even if she begged him, he wouldn¡¯t let her go.

    Mo Rongzhan kissed her thoroughly. He had never been so stirred up and excited as he was now. This was the first time he was so fascinated by a woman that he wanted to merge her into his flesh and blood, so she would be with him forever.

    ¡°Yaoyao, look at me.¡± He spread her legs wider, all his blood moring for her.

    At this moment, her hands gained freedom. And without knowing when, she had already pulled out the jade hairpin on her head. Then, not even bothering to answer him, she put the sharp point of the jade hairpin on her throat, ready to stab.

    Seeing her action, Mo Rongzhan was in a daze, feeling like his heart was pierced by ten thousand arrows. Despite the pain he felt, he reacted swiftly enough and managed to grab her hand before she could stab herself. Snatching the jade hairpin from her hand, he tossed it to the ground, shattering it into several pieces.

    ¡°Why?¡± he asked, voice still without waves.

    Ye Zhen closed her eyes and opened her mouth, voice hoarse as she said, ¡°I am Ye Zhen~¡±

    He interrupted her, ¡°Because you are Ye Zhen¡¯s younger sister? Zhen didn¡¯t kill Ye Zhen. You¡­ Your father is also¡­ He¡¯s not dead.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± She suddenly opened her eyes and looked at the man in shock. She had guessed that her father was not dead, but how would he know that?

    ¡°Zhen cannot release your father and your elder brother openly. Zhen could only arrange for some people to rescue them from the prison. However,ter on, they disappeared,¡± he whispered. ¡°However Yaoyao, zhen cannot let the whole Ye family go. You should understand zhen.¡±

    Any newly ascended emperor, as long as they were not personally assisted by Ye Yisong, would not allow for such a powerful family to exist. Moreover, Ye Yisong himself was a treacherous minister who everyone hated to the bones, so Mo Rongzhan could not let him go.

    ¡°You let them go?¡± She had only suspected that her father and brother were not dead, but today Mo Rongzhan actually confirmed it with his own words that he really did not kill them. Thus, she could not help her mood, bing excited all of a sudden.

    He lowered his body. ¡°Are you very happy that they are not dead?¡±

    She pursed her lips. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°What if they¡¯re dead?¡± he asked, sneering. Even when he was incredibly angry, he still couldn¡¯t control his desire. He still wanted her. This little girl¡­ When did she prate my heart and soul to the point that even when I want to put her down, I am unable to do so?

    Ye Zhen¡¯s expression immediately changed and she snapped. ¡°Are you ying me?¡±

    ¡°Whether they are dead or not, you won¡¯t ever stay on zhen¡¯s side, right?¡± Mo Rongzhan murmured, kissing her earlobe while his slender fingers were gently roving atop her t belly.

    ¡°Stop it!¡± She reacted, reaching out to push him away, cheeks flushed as begonia as an even stranger feeling spread across her bones and limbs.

 Chapter 435 - For A Period Of One Year

    <strong>Chapter 435 ¨C For a Period of One Year</strong>

    His fingers came to the heart of her legs and stopped there. ¡°Yaoyao, if there¡¯s no Ye family between us, would you stay with me?¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes blurred with tears. If a lot of things had not happened, then wouldn¡¯t she still love him wholeheartedly? ¡°What if I¡¯m not Lu Yaoyao but Ye Zhen? Would you still want me to stay with you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, no matter who you are, zhen is still determined to be with you and be a pair of mandarin ducks with you,¡± Mo Rongzhan said firmly and decisively.

    ¡°No, you won¡¯t.¡± She shook her head. ¡°You will treat me like you treated Ye Zhen~¡±

    He lowered his head and blocked her lips with his own, the fingers that were ced on the heart of her legs moved and parted the soft petals, preparing it for his entry.

    Her eyes teared up again in pain, and she desperately struggled trying to get away. However, he was as strong as iron, and she was unable to shake him off her.

    ¡°Yaoyao, it turns out you are not indifferent to zhen,¡± he said, happily nibbling, sucking, and kissing her pink lips. In his joy, he unconsciously sped up his fingers .

    The strange feelings almost caused her to lose her mind... Ye Zhen cried even more.

    ¡°Mo Rongzhan¡­,¡± she sobbed out his name but could not voice out anything to ask him about.

    She knew that the words he had just told her were not a lie. He really did let her father and elder brother go. Since this was the case, naturally the hatred between them could be resolved, but she¡­ didn¡¯t want to be one of the concubines in his harem. She still remembered the sad times of guarding the empty boudoir alone for two years¡­ She truly did not want to live like that again.

    ¡°You are still unwilling.¡± His voice was slightly cold. He withdrew his fingers from inside her and aligned his rod closer to her core. As long as he pushed it in with some strength, she wouldpletely belong to him.

    But¡­ What about her heart?

    At this moment, Mo Rongzhan was finally clear about what he wanted. What he wanted most was her heart. However, he was unable to hold back his desire to plunder, and he did not want to find another woman at this time.

    Thus, he took her hand and ced it on his ¡®heat¡¯, forcing her to feel it clearly. ¡°Yaoyao, zhen said he would give you a year¡¯s time. After that, whether you like it or not, zhen will make you his empress.¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at him in a daze. Momentster, she realized what she was holding onto, and her little face reddened in shame. She wanted to take her hand back, but he was still holding it tightly. Furthermore, he even moved it while it was still enclosed in his¡­ Due to what he did, she did not even dare to look at it for a second time.

    How shameful!

    Her hands are so soft and small¡­ Mo Rongzhan thought, hardly able to restrain his high spirit from overflowing, feelingfortable all over his body. He then kissed her jade-like skin softly, reluctant to let her go.

    On Ye Zhen¡¯s side, she only felt her hands were sore and ufortable. She felt that her hands were no longer hers¡­. she could not feel any strength, not even to lift her limbs.

    ¡°Yaoyao, zhen still wants it,¡± he said into her ears, voice hoarse with hints of seductive allure

    ¡°¡ª¡ª¡± She red at him, ashamed and resentful.

    He touched her thigh that was stained with his desire moments ago, and felt satisfied. Meanwhile, feeling the sweat and stickiness of her body, she dearly wished she could take a bath immediately.

    However, seeing that the man was mping her legs, looking like he was about to move again, she couldn¡¯t say anything.

    So¡­ this kind of her and him¡­ what kind of innocence could they speak of? Even if her body was still that of a pure maiden, but with this kind of man, could the reputation of her boudoir still be regarded as pure?

    It was not until he had enjoyed himself one more time that Mo Rongzhan let her rest. By the end, her hands and legs were so weak that she had no more strength to do anything.

    ¡°Zhen will have someone fetch some water to let you freshen up,¡± he murmured tenderly before he kissed her for a long time on her lips.

    rmed, Ye Zhen cried angrily, ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone see me in this state!¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t let anyone see.¡± Mo Rongzhan uttered lightly, taking her to the bed and gathering all her clothes over. ¡°These clothes can no longer be used. Let Eunuch Fu discreetly bring you a new set of clothes.¡±

    Eunuch Fu was right outside the chambers. Therefore, it was impossible for him to not know what was going on inside.

    She knew this too, so her face simultaneously paled and reddened, feeling as if she no longer had any face to meet people at all.

    ¡°Yaoyao¡­.¡± He found that he really liked the look of shame and anger on her face, thus he couldn¡¯t help but kiss her on the cheek.

    ¡°You said you will give me time, so you can¡¯t do such a thing to me again,¡± she said coldly as she looked at him.

    He was somewhat hesitant. He thought it felt good.

    ¡°If you do this to me again, I¡¯ll go to a ce so far away that you will never see me again,¡± Ye Zhen stated resolutely, a hint of threatcing her voice.

    ¡°Zhen promises you,¡± Mo Rongzhan said softly, in the end, resigning to her wish.

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 Chapter 436 - She Cannot Afford To Love Him

    <strong>Chapter 436 ¨C She Cannot Afford to Love Him</strong>

    Outside the chambers, Eunuch Fu had already heard the little movements within and was feeling a little uneasy.

    I don¡¯t know if the princess will provoke the emperor again this time.

    In the past two days, he had been really frightened while serving his master, fearing that if he made one careless mistake, he would have to pay with his head..

    There was no princess within but his astute nose caught a whiff of love in the air. His eyes lit up.

    Hey, hey, the emperor will definitely not be angry if he has enough food and drink.

    Eunuch Fu saw that the ce where the emperor read the memorials on weekdays was a bit messy, and there seemed to be unidentifiable things on the nket. Looking at the dragon bed, although the emperor had pulled down all the curtains, with his rxed appearance it wasn¡¯t hard to imagine what had happened not too long ago.

    ¡°Fude, fetch some water, I want to take a shower.¡± Mo Rongzhan faintly ordered.

    Eunuch Fu hurriedly lowered his head and didn¡¯t dare to look anymore. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Go find a new set of clothes for... the princess,¡± the emperor said softly again, looking at his aide with a little chill in his eyes.

    ¡°This ve will prepare it himself.¡± Eunuch Fu knew too well that since the emperor had mentioned that it was the princess, he must not want to let others know what had transpired, so he naturally didn¡¯t dare to assign the task to others.

    In fact, wouldn¡¯t it have been all right if Miss Lu had not been conferred the title of princess in the first ce? The emperor is looking for hardships himself. Who knows what the empress dowager would think, when she hears about this?

    Eunuch Fu muttered all that in his heart, but he knew, no matter what, it would never be his turn to speak up about these things. He just had to serve his masters adequately in silence.

    Soon, he had prepared hot water and clothes, and loyally guarded the entrance to the chambers outside.

    At this moment, Ye Zhen, who was lying on the dragon seat, was already too ashamed to see anyone. Thus, she red at Mo Rongzhan fiercely, only to see a pleasant smile on the other¡¯s thin lips as he picked her up.

    ¡°Zhen will take you to freshen up.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go by myself!¡± she said angrily.

    However, Mo Rongzhan turned a deaf ear. Not only did he carry her into a clean room but also personally scrubbed her clean. Without a choice, Ye Zhen could only lean on his arms stiffly. Their skin was sticking so closely together that she could feel the heat that was pressed against her back, and her face stiffened. She was afraid that he would treat her like that once more.

    ¡°Yaoyao, what is that smell on your body? It is so fragrant¡­,¡± he asked as he grasped her plump chest, feeling as if it were two balls of cotton in his hands. He fondled admiringly while kissing her delicate shoulder that shone like pearls.

    Her shoulders shrank away, and she tried to push his unruly hands away from her. ¡°Mo Rongzhan, you promised me.¡±

    However, the man just murmured hoarsely as he turned her around and lowered his head, kissing her pink lips while increasing the strength of his caresses.

    ¡°No¡­.¡± Her whole body softened and she felt even dizzier as she soaked in the warm water.

    His arms tightened, and he hugged her even closer as he deepened his kiss, reluctant to part from her. After today, she would most definitely be far away from him, and it was very difficult for him to imagine he would be as close as he was right now to her. Thus, he could only do this.

    Ye Zhen was breathless after his deep and lingering kisses, subconsciously stretching her hands and putting them around his neck. Unfortunately, her fingers identally touched the wound on his shoulder, causing him to hiss in pain and finally letting her go.

    ¡°Yaoyao, zhen will keep you at his side every day, all right?¡± he said as he gasped out, looking at her red and swollen pink lips with scorching eyes.

    ¡°Mo Rongzhan!¡± Ye Zhen red in anger. Could it be that he wants to go back on his own words?

    His husky voice broke intoughter in spite of himself as he lightly caressed her cheeks. His voice was gentle as well as alluring. ¡°Yaoyao, you are already my person, and you can only marry me in this lifetime. Even if someone wants to, you can¡¯t agree and betroth yourself to them. Do you understand?¡±

    Ye Zhen kept her head down and did not speak. Her innocence was no more. If she remarries another person, it will naturally be unfair to her future husband. She did not need to marry again. As long as she was able to find her father and brother, she would leave this ce immediately and go to where no one knows her and live the life she wants again.

    ¡°Yaoyao¡­.¡± Mo Rongzhan called out to her anxiously.

    ¡°You let me get up first. If you are like such... I can¡¯t talk to you properly,¡± she said in a low voice.

    Heughed, biting her earlobe. ¡°Do you hate me doing this to you?¡±

    If she said she hated him, he would definitely not let her go. She remained silent, but he took it as she was shy and did not dare to speak. His happyughter could be heard beside her ear. ¡°Within one year, zhen will confer the title of Empress on you. Yaoyao you are not allowed to refuse me anymore.¡±

    ¡°Why did you save my father?¡± She looked up at him. Didn¡¯t he hate the Ye family deeply? Why would he send people to assist my father and brother?

    ¡°Ye Yiqing has helped me before. He is different from Ye Yisong.¡± Mo Rongzhan said lightly, ¡°Even though everything he did before was for his daughter.¡±

 Chapter 437 - As Expected, Sheâ€™s Jealous (1)

    <strong>Chapter 437 ¨C As Expected, She¡¯s Jealous (1)</strong>

    Ye Zhen lightly leaned on his chest. To tell the truth, it wasn¡¯t that she was not excited or grateful to him when she knew that she had let them go. However, these gratitudes were not enough to make her forget the pain of her tragic death, let alone forget how she had fallen out of favor and had to bear the loneliness of being left out by him in the Qin Wang Mansion. Never in this life of hers, did she want to live like that again.

    ¡°You being so... Does this mean you have forgiven zhen?¡± he asked her expectantly.

    She was silent. She didn¡¯t know how to describe the sadness in her heart. When she was Ye Zhen, she loved him so much, for him she disregarded the opposition of her family, but he had ended up ignoring her. Now she was Lu Yaoyao, he was willing to tolerate her in this way.

    Should she be happy? But she couldn¡¯t be happy. The more Mo Rongzhan wanted to get Lu Yaoyao, the more he wanted to make her empress, the more she couldn¡¯t ept it.

    When she, as Ye Zhen, who had loved him the most, hid in the house mourning and crying every night, did he know how much she had missed him at that time? Now, she was in Lu Yaoyao¡¯s body. She was Ye Zhen, who was once lonely and all alone with nowhere to express her grievances. She already... could not afford to love him anymore.

    ¡°I remember,¡± she said. She didn¡¯t want to answer his question.

    Although a little disappointed in his heart, Mo Rongzhan believed that the future was long. Since she already knew the truth, she would ept him one way or another. The time right now was vain.

    He took her out of the tub, wiped her dry, and clothed her.

    ¡°Your back injury... Have the stitches already been removed?¡± Ye Zhen realized that he had taken the white cloth apart. She turned around to look at his wounds. The hideous scars revealed how badly he had been injured that day. Her heart sank.

    He smiled and said, ¡°A¡¯Chen said that it is recovering well.¡±

    ¡°The shoulder is bleeding,¡± she said in a low voice, she should have just caught him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine with some medicine in a while.¡± Putting on his robe, he hugged her and walked out.

    Ye Zhen blushed and said, ¡°You put me down, I can walk by myself!.¡±

    Eunuch Fu, somehow, already had someone tidy up the outside. No one would be able to see what had just happened.

    Ye Zhen felt even more embarrassed,as if she had done something bad and had been discovered.

    ¡°Sit down and I will apply the medicine again,¡± she pushed him and said.

    ???

    Mo Rongzhan looked at her face that showed how she was still somewhat resistant to his advances and knew in his heart that he could not act too impatiently. So he put her down with a smile, stretched his legs out, sat down on the carpet, and asked her to give him medicine.

    Ye Zhen held the snow lotus ointment and looked up at his generous and strong back and thought to herself... What should I do next? One year?

    She had never thought that she would marry him again, or that he would be so determined in winning her over. She was already a princess after all.

    ¡°Now I am a princess¡­,¡± she lowered her head and said, ¡°how can I marry you? The empress dowager would not agree.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan said lightly, ¡°Zhen agreed to confer the title of a princess on you, then naturally, this is surely not a big problem for zhen. Zhen can stop you from being a princess at any time.¡±

    ¡°What reason will you use to revoke my title?¡± Ye Zhen said grimly. ¡°You, don¡¯t think that you can just randomly use me of any crime.¡±

    ¡°That is how you think of zhen?¡± He chuckled in a low voice. ¡°Zhen settled you for a crime, but that didn¡¯t ruin your reputation, so how can you be an empress?¡±

    Ye Zhen snorted. ¡°There are too many people who want to be your empress, why must it ... have to be me?¡±

    ¡°I just think you are the most suitable,¡± he said.

    She thought back to the tenderness and affection he had shown Xu Huiru yesterday and couldn¡¯t control the force of her fingertips. ¡°I think there is someone more suitable.¡±

    He turned around and held her hand. ¡°Your tone sounds sour. Are you perhaps jealous?¡±

    ¡°For what reason would I be eating vinegar?¡± She shook his hand away. How could she be jealous because of his actions? He can dote on whoever he loves. What does it have to do with her?

    [TL/N: Eating vinegar is another way to say ¡®so and so is jealous/ you ate vinegar, you are jealous¡¯ in Chinese.]

    ¡°Obviously you are jealous.¡± He hugged her waist. ¡°Tell zhen, what is there to be jealous about? Who can everpare with you?¡±

    She yelled in embarrassment. ¡°Mo Rongzhan, let go of me! You are not allowed to use your hands.¡±

    ¡°Zhen only said one year. Zhen didn¡¯t say that he can¡¯t kiss you or hug you during this period.¡± He lightly pecked her puffed-up little cheek and his mood immediately became happy.

    ¡°You! ...I won¡¯t enter the pce anymore if you do this.¡± She eximed in a huff.

    At longst, Mo Rongzhan had finally coaxed her back. He didn¡¯t want to make her angry with him again, so he let go of her first.

    ¡°Well, zhen won¡¯t hold you anymore.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s talk.¡± She was sitting in a dangerous position so moved and sat at the furthest distance possible from him. ¡°Do you know where my father is?¡±

 Chapter 438 - As Expected, Sheâ€™s Jealous (2)

    <strong>Chapter 438 ¨C As Expected, She¡¯s Jealous (2)</strong>

    ¡°Zhen doesn¡¯t know. With your father¡¯s remarkable abilities, zhen can¡¯t say for sure where, but it is possible that he is alive and living well,¡± he said.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyebrows furrowed and she said nothing. She had her own ideas about her father¡¯s whereabouts, and as such had asked Man Qin to find him. However, there had been no news thus far.

    ¡°Yaoyao, have you met Ye Yiqing?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No,¡± she replied decisively, Lu Yaoyao had never seen anyone in the Ye family except a few.

    Mo Rongzhan nced at her and was about to ask whether Ye Yiqing or the Lu family were important to her when Eunuch Fu¡¯s voice drifted from outside.

    ¡°Empress Dowager, Xianfei.¡± Fude knelt and bowed loudly, trying to alert the two masters in the chamber unsure if they were still being intimate right now or not.

    The empress dowager frowned and looked at Eunuch Fu. ¡°What are you doing? Why are you standing here and not attending to the emperor inside?¡±

    Xu Huiru smiled and asked, ¡°Is there someone else in there?¡±

    Without waiting for Eunuch Fu to answer, the empress dowager had already entered the chamber hall.

    ¡°Imperial Mother?¡± Ye Zhen, who was sitting next to the small side table, raised her head and looked at the empress dowager in surprise. ¡°Are you here to check on His Majesty?¡±

    The empress dowager was very surprised. ¡°Yaoyao, it turns out that you were in the pce today, ?while ajia thought you were at home. What are you doing here?¡±

    Ye Zhen nced at Mo Rongzhan who was pretending to be asleep on the bed and answered with a smile. ¡°Mister Chen removed the stitches from the emperor¡¯s wound today. ¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± The empress dowager walked towards the bed in incredulity. ¡°What kind of medicine did Mister Chen use so that the emperor¡¯s injuries healed so quickly?¡±

    ¡°Mister Chen is very powerful.¡± Ye Zhen smiled, noticing Xu Huiru¡¯s inquisitive eyes, and turned her head to look at the other. ¡°Xianfei, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Xu Huiru said with a smile, ¡°The emperor was able to heal so quickly, it was all thanks to Yaoyao¡¯s careful care.¡±

    ¡°How can that be? Wasn¡¯t it Xianfei who was taking care of the emperor yesterday? I think this is due to Xianfei¡¯s meritorious service,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile.

    Mo Rongzhan, who was lying on the bed, secretly felt amused. This little girl had dared to say that she was not jealous, but it is obvious that she really was jealous because Xu Huiru stayed behind.

    ¡°Yaoyao, when did the emperor fall asleep?¡± The empress dowager hadn¡¯t noticed Xu Huiru¡¯s attempt to probe at Lu Yaoyao. She was more worried about when Mo Rongzhan would wake up.

    ¡°The emperor has already been asleep for a while. He should be waking up soon.¡± Ye Zhen said, ¡°Imperial Mother, I will go and boil the medicine for His Majesty first. He should drink it as soon as he wakes up.¡±

    Anyway, Xu Huiru is here, he shouldn¡¯t need her to look after him.

    Hearing that Ye Zhen was about to leave, Mo Rongzhan immediately opened his eyes. ¡°Imperial Mother?¡±

    The empress dowager was happy. ¡°Your Majesty, are you awake? How do you feel now?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s dark eyes looked at Ye Zhen¡¯s face, the look in them spoke of many warnings. ¡°Imperial Mother, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m already fine.¡±

    Xu Huiru took two steps forward, blocking Lu Yaoyao behind her. ¡°Your Majesty, I am very happy to see that you are in better spirits today.¡±

    ¡°Imperial Mother, Brother Emperor, I will go and boil the medicine first,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile, and before the emperor could object, she had already walked out of the chamber hall briskly.

    The expression on Mo Rongzhan¡¯s face was a little heavy.

    Xu Huiru had been observing him all this time, not letting go of any subtle changes on his face. The closer she looked, the more her heart sank.

    As expected, she was right. The emperor¡¯s rtionship with Lu Yaoyao was not just that of a brother and sister. The manner in which he looked at her... was that of a man looking at another woman.

    What about Lu Yaoyao? What did she think about the emperor?

    If Lu Yaoyao ceased to be a princess, and with her standing in the eyes of the empress dowager, and attracting the emperor in this way, might it be possible for her to be the empress?

    No! No! ?Xu Huiru shook her head vigorously in her heart, she would never let Lu Yaoyao have the chance to enter the Eastern Pce.

    ¡°Xianfei Xu? Why do you look distracted?¡± The empress dowager called out to Xu Huiru several times. What is this child doing? She is usually quite quick-witted but today, she has be dumbfounded in front of the emperor.

    Xu Huiru smiled reluctantly. ¡°Empress Dowager, this concubine forgot her manners. It was just that the more this concubine looked at the princess, the more this concubine seemed to recall a certain person, who used to look somewhat simr to the princess. That¡¯s why this concubine was lost in thought.¡±

    The empress dowager knew who Lu Yaoyao looked like. Hearing Xu Huiru¡¯s words, she wondered if she was thinking of Ye Zhen. ¡°People are often simr. It¡¯s normal.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan knew that Xu Huiru had raised the matter deliberately and asked indifferently, ¡°Who do you think Yaoyao looks like?¡±

 Chapter 439 - Forcing The Emperor To Abdicate

    <strong>Chapter 439 ¨C Forcing the Emperor to Abdicate</strong>

    Xu Huiru¡¯s heart was pounding. For some reason, she regretted what she had just said on impulse. The empress dowager seemed to love Lu Yaoyao very much. Even if she found out that she looked like Ye Zhen, her opinions wouldn¡¯t have changed now. The only thing she could bet on was the emperor¡¯s disgust for the Ye family and his repugnance for Ye Zhen.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes were dark, no one was able to discern his thoughts.

    The empress dowager frowned slightly and felt a little dislike rising towards Xu Huiru who brought up this topic.

    ¡°Your Majesty, this concubine was afraid that it would upset you, so she would rather not state it. In fact, this concubine also merely felt so for a short moment, but unexpectedly didn¡¯t pay much attention to it before,¡± Xu Huiru said awkwardly while also showing she was embarrassed.

    ¡°Since it makes one unhappy, then forget it,¡± the empress dowager said lightly.

    What is going on with Xu Huiru? Why is she deliberately targeting Yaoyao today?

    Mo Rongzhan understood what Xu Huiru really wanted to say better than the empress dowager. He had always thought that this girl was a knowledgeable, gentle, and dignified woman, different from Lu Wushuang, which was why he had never mistreated her even though he wasn¡¯t interested in her. It seems that women are all the same. If you are too generous with them, they change into a totally different person.

    ¡°Beloved concubine, who do you think Yaoyao looks like?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked lightly.

    Seeing Mo Rongzhan inquire, Xu Huiru felt a little nervous yet happy. ¡°This concubine feels that... Yaoyao looks a bit like Ye Zhen.¡±

    The empress dowager rose in anger. ¡°What are you talking about? Have you met Ye Zhen before? Why would Yaoyao look simr to her?¡±

    ¡°Empress Dowager, don¡¯t be angry. This concubine hasn¡¯t seen Ye Zhen for a few years. Although she was a fellow schoolmate before, this one doesn¡¯t remember her very much. It was just a few short moments of impressions. Perhaps it was this concubine who remembered her wrong,¡± Xu Huiru hurriedly said.

    Mo Rongzhan nced at her with a faint smile. ¡°You are right. Yaoyao does look very simr to Ye Zhen.¡±

    The faces of Xu Huiru and the empress dowager changed slightly.

    The emperor has known about it all along?

    ¡°But what does this have to do with Yaoyao?¡± Mo Rongzhan looked at Xu Huiru coldly,

    ¡°Also, is this worth so much for Xu Xianfei to make a fuss about?¡±

    ¡°This concubine... this concubine thought¡­.¡± Xu Huiru didn¡¯t expect that the emperor would know that Ye Zhen and Lu Yaoyao were simr.

    Now that he knows, why is still being so good to Lu Yaoyao?

    Mo Rongzhan said coldly, ¡°One thinks Yaoyao looks like Ye Zhen, so should zhen hate her?¡±

    Xu Huiru hurriedly knelt down. ¡°Your Majesty, this concubine did not mean that.¡±

    The empress dowager was also surprised. She also thought that the emperor hated Ye Zhen. If she knew that Yaoyao looked like Ye Zhen then she would have certainly not be fond of her, but she didn¡¯t expect her son would have known about this for long now.

    ¡°Ye Zhen is zhen¡¯s former wang fei, do you think I don¡¯t know what she looks like? She is her, Yaoyao is Yaoyao, two different people, can I still be confused enough to treat them as one and the same person?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked Xu Huiru in a cold voice.

    The empress dowager smiled with satisfaction as if things ought to be as such.

    In her heart, Xu Huiru regretted her actions greatly. She felt she really shouldn¡¯t have been obsessed with her, let alone try to squeeze Lu Yaoyao in front of the empress dowager and the emperor. Now she hadn¡¯t even seeded in forcing aside that but had upset the empress dowager whose favour she had earned with great difficulty.

    ¡°This concubine was ignorant.¡± Xu Huiru knelt down.

    ¡°Get up,¡± Mo Rongzhan said lightly, ?his perception of Xu Huiru had changed.

    If a woman wants to pretend, she can pretend very well.

    [TL: You talk as if you never did anything, Mo Rongzhan -_- ]

    The empress dowager no longer paid attention to Xu Huiru but looked at Mo Rongzhan with a smile. ¡°Your Majesty, I see that you appear to be much better today. It seems that Mister Chen and Yaoyao took good care of you.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan nodded. ¡°Yaoyao gave me medicine today, saying that everything will be fine in two days.¡±

    ¡°If it is truly as such then that is great.¡± The empress dowager¡¯s heart that had been hanging since a few days finally rxed. ¡°Your Majesty, will you appear in the imperial court tomorrow morning?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s see tomorrow.¡± Mo Rongzhan smiled faintly.

    Xu Huiru just stood by and said nothing. She wanted to quickly figure out how to convince the empress dowager and the emperor that she was not deliberately targeting Lu Yaoyao.

    ¡°Your Majesty, Your Majesty...!¡± Eunuch Fu suddenly dashed in in a trice. ¡°It¡¯s not good, the fifth prince had surrounded the pce with his troops.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan immediately stood up from his bed. ¡°Is there hope of holding them back?¡±

    The empress dowager worriedly grabbed Mo Rongzhan¡¯s hand. ¡°Your Majesty, what should be done?¡±

    ¡°Fude, have the Yulin Army send the empress dowager back to Cining Pce first,¡± Mo Rongzhan instructed, since that little snake¡¯s patience was gone, he didn¡¯t need to pretend to be sick anymore.

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Seeing that the emperor was still calm, Eunuch Fu knew that today would be the death of the fifth prince and the Old Prince Kang. There was no fear in his heart, and he immediately went out and ryed the emperor¡¯s instructions to General Wei and had the letter send someone to escort the empress dowager and Xu Xianfei.

    Mo Rongzhan took off the clothes on the screen and quickly put them on. When Xu Huiru wanted toe forward and help him, he pushed her away. ¡°Go back to the inner pce.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, the princess... She... she went to the Imperial Physician¡¯s Courtyard.¡± Eunuch Fu remembered that the courtyard was not far from the pce gate and suddenly became a little worried.

    ¡°What?¡± Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes were cold. ¡°Why did she go to the Imperial Physician¡¯s Courtyard?¡±

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 Chapter 440 - Brother And Sister (1)

    <strong>Chapter 440 ¨C Brother And Sister (1)</strong>

    ¡°The princess said that the emperor¡¯s medicine needs to be changed, and she went to see Imperial Physician Qi Yizheng*¡­,¡± Fude said in a panic. ¡°Your Majesty, this servant will go and get the princess back.¡±

    [*same fellow who treated Lu Lingzhi first during his assassination attempt]

    When Xu Huiru saw the unconcealed worry in Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes, she was finally able to confirm that the emperor¡¯s heart was really different when it came to Lu Yaoyao. It was not the love that exists between brothers and sisters but that between a man and a woman.

    ¡°Imperial Mother, you go back first,¡± Mo Rongzhan said in a deep voice, already striding out of the Pce of Heavenly Purity.

    When Ye Zhen came out of the Imperial Physician¡¯s Courtyard, she heard some shouting from outside the pce gate that was not far away. The fifth prince was saying something loudly.

    ¡°We want to protect the emperor. Now the emperor is unconscious and the traitorous officials are taking advantage of this. The empress dowager favors the little prince and is concealing the emperor¡¯s illness. We must go into the pce to remove the traitorous officials and protect the emperor¡ª¡±

    ¡°Kill the treacherous ministers, protect the emperor!¡±

    Ye Zhen almostughed when she heard what was being yelled outside. It really was the idiot of a fifth prince who could think of such a reason, finding an excuse to force the emperor to abdicate.

    ¡°Knock the doors down!¡± the fifth prince shouted loudly.

    Strange, why did themander guarding the ninth gate let them run all the way to the pce gate?

    [TL/N: ¾ÅÃÅÌá¶½ ¨C An official position, has military power and control/ guards the nine gates of a city¡­]

    Ye Zhen looked at the pce gate that was being banged into and suddenly became a little worried.

    What if the fifth prince really takes hold of the pce and was able to force the emperor to abdicate?

    ¡°Kill!¡±

    Ye Zhen ran in the direction of the Pce of Heavenly Purity and before she could get far, she heard loud and lofty shouts that could shake the heavens calling to kill from outside.

    Was the fifth prince really able to find someone to assist him in his ns?

    ¡°Yaoyao!¡± Mo Rongzhan had already walked over with someone in stride and was relieved to see her well.

    ¡°Mo Rongzhan¡­,¡± her face was joyful as she said, ¡°outside¡­ something seems to have happened outside.¡±

    He squeezed her palm and handed her to Eunuch Fu. ¡°Send the princess to Cining Pce. No matter what happens, don¡¯te here.¡±

    Ye Zhen grabbed his hand abruptly at those words.

    ¡°I will be fine,¡± Mo Rongzhan said to her with a smile.

    ???

    Fifth Prince and the Old Prince Kang¡¯s ns to force the emperor to abdicate could be seen right away as a farce. Before General Meng could send any troops to rescue him, Tang Zhen and Wei You had already taken them down, and it didn¡¯t take them much effort at all.

    These two princes thought that Mo Rongzhan was seriously ill before they came to court today and who knows where they heard it from that the empress dowager was secretly trying to rope in the cab ministers and wanted to support Mo Rongyi as the new emperor when the current emperor dies. This was something they absolutely wouldn¡¯t allow.

    They¡¯d waited for very long for Mo Rongzhan to have an ident. This was a golden opportunity. The old man created a chance for them. Originally, they wanted to assassinate Mo Rongyi and Lu Yaoyao. But they hadn¡¯t expected to hurt Mo Rongzhan by mistake. What an easy opportunity this was, if one didn¡¯t seize such chances well, then there wouldn¡¯t be any good things for them.

    However, their dream of being an emperor had yet to begin before inexplicably ending.

    ¡°Tang Zhen, do you dare to catch this prince? This prince will not let you off,¡± the fifth prince yelled.

    We haven¡¯t entered the pce yet, why were all the people I brought along already surrendering?

    No, they aren¡¯t surrendering. Those people are instead turning back?

    ¡°Yang Jing¡¯an, you traitor!¡± Old prince Kang shouted angrily and finally understood what was going on.

    Tang Zhen snorted coldly, ¡°Yang Jingan was originally loyal to the emperor. He is now eradicating the rebellious party for the emperor. Why would he be a traitor?¡±

    The fifth prince was stunned for a moment and shouted, ¡°Yang Jing¡¯an, you bastard, you dared to y this prince!¡±

    ¡°If you are stupid, just confess it quietly. Don¡¯t yell and invite others to make jokes about you.¡± Wei You snorted. How could there be such a stupid person thinking that Yang Jingan would help them force the emperor to abdicate?

    ¡°We want to see the empress dowager, the emperor is seriously ill¡­ Does she, a woman, still want to control the court?¡± Old Prince Kang barked.

    Mo Rongzhan slowly walked over wearing a deep purple brocade robe. The five-wed golden dragon on the robe was very life-like. His appearance left the fifth prince and the Old Prince Kang stunned.

    ¡°Your¡­ Your Majesty?¡± The fifth prince paled in fright. He couldn¡¯t believe how Mo Rongzhan was here hale and hearty. He has been here for several days, hasn¡¯t he?

    ¡°Fifth Brother, who told you that I am dying of illness?¡± Mo Rongzhan looked at the fifth prince with a smile.

    The fifth prince shook his head. ¡°No, this is not possible!¡±

 Chapter 441 - Brother And Sister (2)

    <strong>Chapter 441 ¨C Brother And Sister (2)</strong>

    ¡°I was already magnanimous to you. No matter what you did, I turned a blind eye. Why then, did you think that if I was sick, you could bully the lonely and widowed empress dowager?¡± Mo Rongzhan stared at the fifth prince with cold eyes. He was the angriest that they used the empress dowager as an excuse. Had something happened to him, they would not have spared her.

    The fifth prince suddenly knelt and said, ¡°Your Majesty, it was this minister who became possessed after being instigated by him. Please let me go. I will never dare tomit such things again. You, after all, know this minister. I have nothing to do but eat and drink every day. I have never thought about it¡­ Forcing the emperor to abdicate the throne and force entering the pce were all because this subject was instigated. ¡±

    A furious Old Prince Kang kicked him heavily. ¡°You¡¯re embarrassing, absolutely useless! Today, this prince lost, if you want to finish me off, you can do whatever you want. This prince will never beg for mercy. ¡±

    Mo Rongzhan nodded. ¡°Uncle Prince, you are so bold.¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Old Prince Kang knew too well that even if he begged for mercy, it would be useless. In fact, they should have known. When the deposed emperor in the pce refused to see them, he knew that they would not seed. Otherwise, how could the deposed emperor not be moved?

    Although the deposed emperor was defeated by Mo Rongzhan, if it weren¡¯t for Ye Yisong causing him damage, his throne might not have been usurped.

    ¡°I have nothing to ask you. Go to prison and apany the eighth one,¡± Mo Rong Zhan said lightly.

    Tang Zhen ordered to detain both of them. He walked behind Mo Rongzhan and asked in a low voice, ¡°Your Majesty, are the ministers who spread rumors outside the court to be arrested as well?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll talk about it tomorrow morning,¡± Mo Rongzhan said indifferently. He knew that some people in the court were still in two minds. He might as well just take advantage of this incident to clean them out.

    ¡°Your Majesty, this official will first arrange for the soldiers brought by the fifth prince to serve in the border areas,¡± Tang Zhen said.

    Mo Rongzhan nodded, seeing that everything up front had been handled. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go.¡±

    ?

    In the Cining Pce, the empress dowager was fidgeting. When she came out of the Pce of the Heavenly Purity she had already heard the shouts saying ¡®kill¡¯. Now that it had been this long, and the sky had also darkened, there was still no news from the emperor at all. How could she not be anxious when she didn¡¯t know what in the world was going on?

    ¡°Imperial Mother, don¡¯t worry, the emperor will be alright.¡± Ye Zhen held the empress dowager¡¯s hand and let her sit down. ¡°With Marquis Jingning and General Wei, and Grand General Meng in the Western Camp, just Fifth Prince and the others will never be able to defeat the emperor.¡±

    The empress dowager sighed. ¡°I¡¯m just afraid that some ministers in the court will take advantage of the opportunity to cause trouble.¡±

    Without waiting for Ye Zhen to speak, Xu Huiru hurriedly said, ¡°You can rest assured, Empress Dowager. This concubine¡¯s father is in the court, nothing would go wrong.¡±

    ¡°I hope so.¡± The empress dowager nodded gravely, still unable to stop worrying.

    It was not until night fellpletely that Eunuch Fu came to ensure everything was safe and sound, did they find out that the fifth prince and others had been captured. The emperor was safe and sound as well, discussing state affairs with the cab ministers in the imperial study.

    It all subsided this soon? Ye Zhen was a little surprised, but she also felt that it was normal. If even dealing with the fifth prince required such a great experience, then Mo Rongzhan wouldn¡¯t grace that throne for too long.

    ¡°Yaoyao, you go and see to the emperor, aijia is worried about his wounds,¡± the empress dowager said hurriedly.

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°Imperial Mother, you sit down and rest first. I will go to the Pce of Heavenly Purity to have a look.¡±

    Xu Huiru stood up and said, ¡°I want to go too.¡±

    The empress dowager frowned and nced at her. But upon thinking that she was also worried about the emperor, she resisted speaking up.

    ¡°Xu Xianfei, why don¡¯t you go then? I¡¯ll be with the empress dowager here,¡± Ye Zhen said. She didn¡¯t want topete with Xu Huiru for any limelight.

    ¡°Yaoyao, Xu Xianfei doesn¡¯t understand medicine, you go ahead,¡± said empress dowager.

    With that, Ye Zhen had to follow Xu Huiru to the Pce of Heavenly Purity.

    It was bright as day tonight all over the pce, Ye Zhen and Xu Huiru walked side by side yet neither of them spoke. They were quite different in ways, so naturally there was nothing to talk about.

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao.¡± Xu Huiru slowed down and motioned for Qian and the others to withdraw. She turned to look at Ye Zhen with a smile. ¡°What is the rtionship between you and His Majesty¡­?¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s heart jumped, what did Xu Huiru find? ¡°Xu Xianfei, what do you mean? I don¡¯t quite understand.¡±

    ¡°Do you really not understand?¡± Xu Huiru sneered, her face cold. ¡°The emperor heard that you went to the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard and hurried over to find you in desperation. In the emperor¡¯s mind, I am afraid that your status is not as simple as that of a sister¡¯s.¡±

    Ye Zhen narrowed her eyes at her slightly. It seemed that Xu Huiru could really see it. ¡°Xu Xianfei, do you know what you are saying?¡±

 Chapter 442 - Remember Your Identity (1)

    <strong>Chapter 442 ¨C Remember Your Identity (1)</strong>

    Xu Huiru was very clear about what she was talking about. She already knew the emperor¡¯s thoughts about Lu Yaoyao. Therefore, she now wanted to test the girl herself, whether she wanted to enter the pce to fight for favor or not¡­

    ¡°Yaoyao, bengong knows you want to be a physician just like Qi Yizheng, but do not forget that you are now a princess. Could you possibly stay in the pce forever?¡± Xu Huiru said with a smile.

    Ye Zhen looked at her nkly and ndly replied, ¡°Whether I stay in the pce or not¡­ How does it matter to Xu Xianfei?¡±

    ¡°Bengong just wants you to remember your identity. You are a princess and the emperor¡¯s sister. Surely, Empress Dowager must not want such a thing to happen in the pce,¡± Xu Huiru said, voice low while keeping a decent expression on her face.

    ****? Ye Zhen was furious and outraged. Where on earth did Xu Huirue to know about this?

    ¡°Xu Xianfei, if your esteemed self is so worried about such a taboo happening between the emperor and me, you should go and tell the emperor,¡± Ye Zhen said, tone deceptively light despite the anger in her heart. ¡°It¡¯s useless for you to threaten me.¡±

    Xu Huiru snorted coldly. ¡°Bengong isn¡¯t threatening you. Bengong is just reminding you that you must remember your identity and refrain from doing something that will end up taking your life one day. Once there is a scandal in the pce, who do you think Empress Dowager will shield? You? Or the emperor?¡±

    Ye Zheng lightly nced at Xu Huiru and said, ¡°Thank you Xu Xianfei for worrying.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ You dare to say that there is no wishful thinking?¡± Xu Huiru eximed with a low voice, angry and confused. Why does Lu Yaoyao look so calm? Is she not nervous and afraid at all? Once Empress Dowager knows that she has seduced the emperor, it will be a dead-end for her! So, why?

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about those things. ****? Truly, Xu Xianfei has such a rich imagination!¡± Ye Zhen snorted coldly. What Mo Rongzhan did to her in the Pce of Heavenly Purity was indeed something Empress Dowager would not tolerate at all. However, she did not need to be worried as she would definitely not let the same thing happen to her again.

    Anyway, he had given her a year¡¯s time, right? She could take advantage of this one-year period of time to find her father. Then, once she found him, she would drop everything and go to him.

    Xu Huiru, on the other hand, was still full of doubt. True, listening to Lu Yaoyao¡¯s words, she did not seem to have such a mind for the emperor. So, is it the emperor¡¯s own wishful thinking?

    s, Ye Zhen no longer wished to talk to Xu Huiru. Because the more she spoke, the more she was unable to know how to deal with herself. To the point that now she was unable to understand how she should face Mo Rongzhan.

    At first, she hated him for bestowing her a poisoned wine; hated him for his indifference to her; hated her own mistaken infatuation; and hated even more for killing her father and brother. However, now she knew the truth. He didn¡¯t want her dead nor did he kill her father and brother¡­ So, what else did she hate about him?

    Hated that he had mistaken her for someone else? Hated that he had mistaken Lu Wushuang for her? Hated the fact that he still misunderstood Ye Zhen?

    At this point, Ye Zhen¡¯s heart was tired, and didn¡¯t feel like hating him anymore; because the more she hated, the more she couldn¡¯t let the past go. However, her heart unexpectedly did not want to let the past go. She had once loved Mo Rongzhan¡­ But she also did not dare nor want to love him again.

    Before she knew it, she had already arrived at the Pce of Heavenly Purity.

    Xu Huiru came behind her, having lost her aggressiveness on the road and looking as docile and kind as she usually did, and said, ¡°Princess, let¡¯s go in and see the emperor.¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at Eunuch Fu and asked, ¡°Eunuch Fu, is His Majesty currently in the imperial study?¡±

    Eunuch Fu bowed and said, ¡°Princess, His Majesty has just returned to the pce hall to rest.¡±

    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll have to trouble Eunuch Fu to pass on the message of our arrival to the emperor,¡± Ye Zhen said in a low voice.

    If it was only the princess, Eunuch Fu would not hesitate to say ¡®There is no need for me to pass it on to His Majesty, you can simply go in.¡¯. However, there was also Xu Xianfei next to her, so he could not do that. Thus, he had to answer as appropriate and turned around to go in to report to Mo Rongzhan.

    When Mo Rongzhan heard that Yaoyao hade with Xu Huiru, he frowned and said, ¡°Let them all go back. Zhen is going to go to Cining Pce in a moment.¡±

    Outside the Pce of Heavenly Purity, Ye Zhen could not help but let the corner of her mouth raise slightly into a light smile when she heard the message Eunuch Fu brought before she spoke. ¡°In that case, Eunuch Fu, we shall go back first.¡±

    Xu Huiru was inevitably disappointed that she was unable to see Mo Rongzhan, yet seeing that Lu Yaoyao was also dismissed made her feel better, so she did not make a fuss and quietly retreated.

    Ye Zhen did not go back to Cining Pce. Instead, after asking someone to go back and inform Empress Dowager, she went to the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard.

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 Chapter 443 - The Most Suitable (1)

    <strong>Chapter 443 ¨C The Most Suitable (1)</strong>

    ¡°Yaoyao, you¡¯re back!¡± As soon as Chen Jinru saw her, she immediately ran over and asked, ¡°Are you okay? Just now, we heard a terrible noise outside and thought¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, everything is alright,¡± Ye Zhen said, smiling. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Chen Jinru hugged Ye Zhen¡¯s arm and fussed. ¡°You just ran out like that without a word¡­ That scared us all¡­ Scaring us into thinking that you¡¯re in danger.¡±

    Immediately after her, Xia Yaohua also spoke. ¡°Right! Then, Chief Gong also refused to let us go out. And I heard¡­ It¡¯s Fifth Prince who is trying to force the emperor to abdicate?¡±

    ¡°Regardless of who was trying to force the emperor to abdicate, the inner pce is not a ce that people can get in easily,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile.

    ¡°Is the emperor conscious?¡± Chen Jinru asked with a low voice, afraid of being heard.

    ¡°Conscious.¡± Ye Zhen stated inly. She figured that, since Mo Rongzhan had already met the cab ministers, he no longer nned to hide the truth about his recovery.

    Chen Jinru and Xia Yaohua both breathed a sigh of relief. Then, both of them began to murmur to Ye Zhen, sharing with her the recent happenings and news surrounding the imperial hospital.

    At this time, the number of guards surrounding the whole pce was several times more than usual, but outside the pce, everything was proceeding as normal without being affected by today¡¯s farce. It was as if there was no such thing as forcing the emperor to abdicate.

    ?

    At Lu Mansion- Lu Shiming¡¯s study.

    ¡° The emperor should be attending the morning court tomorrow. It¡¯s estimated that those people, who keep making petty maneuvers in the court these days, will note to a good end.¡± Lu Shimingmented out loud, informing Lu Lingzhi of what had happened in the pce earlier in the day.

    ¡°His Majesty is a wise and farsighted monarch. How could he let a man like Fifth Prince¡­ seed in forcing him to abdicate,¡± Lu Lingzhi said as he shook his head with a smile. He had never believed that Mo Rongzhan would be defeated.

    The one who could defeat Mo Rongzhan¡­ would be one with such a simple means like Fifth Prince.

    Lu Shiming nodded and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re right. That aside, it¡¯s good that it¡¯s safe now. Yaoyao is still in the pce after all.¡±

    Speaking of Yaoyao, the guilt in Lu Lingzhi¡¯s heart spilled out as he said, ¡°Third Uncle, since I scared Yaoyao¡ª¡±

    He didn¡¯t know what came over him today, but when he saw Lu Yaoyao¡¯s resemnce to Ye Zhen, he unexpectedly became confused and really considered her as Ye Zhen. He didn¡¯t know from when, but today he finally realized that in the depth of his heart, hidden from sight, Ye Zhen¡¯s existence still lived on and had be his heart demon.

    However, Lu Shiming did not react and simply said, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. When Yaoyaoes back, I¡¯ll talk to her. She¡¯ll understand.¡±

    ¡°Third Uncle, what do you think of Tang Zhen?¡± Lu Lingzhi asked with a low voice, ignoring the inexplicable pain at the bottom of his heart.

    ¡°Tang Zhen? He¡¯s pretty good,¡± Lu Shiming said as he nodded with a smile. However, he then frowned as he looked at Lu Lingzhi, realizing something from his words. ¡°Though I think, Lingzhi, you have another meaning behind this question.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi smiled as he poured another cup of tea to his uncle. ¡°I would like to ask Third Uncle¡¯s opinion. Do you think Tang Zhen is worthy of Yaoyao?¡±

    In Lu Shiming¡¯s mind, no man deserved to be his son-inw. ¡°Did that boy ask you to enquire?¡±

    ¡°It seems that Third Uncle has long seen Tang Zhen¡¯s mind.¡± Lu Lingzhiughed. Indeed, Tang Zhen¡¯s intention and care for Lu Yaoyao was really obvious for all to see.

    ???

    s, no matter how reluctant Lu Shiming was to betroth his daughter, she would eventually marry when she grew up. And when he scoured throughout the capital, apart from his nephews, only a few young men were able to enter his eyes. Moreover, contrary to what he said, Tang Zhen ¨C this young man ¨C was actually not a bad choice. After all, the Tang Family was small, and for his free-spirited daughter who was raised unrestrained, it was a more suitable choice than arge family.

    ¡°Haa, I didn¡¯t expect that in the blink of an eye, she has grown so big¡­ I really don¡¯t want to part with her, ah!¡± Lu Shiming said, sighing lightly. ¡°Your Third Aunt means for her to stay for another two more years.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi lowered his eyes and said, ¡°She can get engaged first. Tang Zhen is also a reasonable man. He should be willing to wait a little longer.¡±

    ¡°I have to discuss this matter with your Third Aunt first,¡± Lu Shiming said.

    ¡°Third Uncle, there¡¯s still Grandmother. After all, Yaoyao is her most beloved granddaughter,¡± Lu Lingzhi said, smiling. However, ording to his understanding of the Old Madam, he was mostly assured that she should be very much in favor of this marriage.

    Lu Shiming sighed. ¡°This is also Mother and Yaoyao¡¯s fate.¡±

    Who would have thought that the Old Madam who was very indifferent towards her own granddaughters would be so close to Yaoyao? Still, in Lu Shiming¡¯s mind, Yaoyao was already his own daughter, so he would of course not tell anyone about her life experience. After all, not everyone in the Lu Family regarded Yaoyao as their flesh and blood like him and his wife.

    Actually, before he formally adopted Yaoyao, when she was around three or four years old, he joked with Pei Shi that he wanted to raise Yaoyao as a child bride. However,ter on, the affection between the children as brother and sister deepened day by day, and they ¨C husband and wife ¨C also regarded Yaoyao as their daughter. So, this idea never came up again and it was even more impossible to be brought up now.

    After Lu Shiming returned, he discussed the matter with Pei Shi, who was very happy to hear it. ¡°Tang Zhen? Marquis Jing Ning? I have always thought that he is worthy of our Yaoyao. I just didn¡¯t expect you to think the same way.¡±

    ¡°When did you begin to think this way?¡± Lu Shiming asked in surprise. ¡°Did that boy send you some hints before?¡±

    Pei Shi shot him a look of displeasure and annoyance. ¡°What nonsense are you saying?! Our Yaoyao has already reached a marriageable age(has already had her hairpin ceremony), Girls from other families have long been engaged, but ours hasn¡¯t. Naturally, I have to choose carefully, ah. So, I have been quietly inquiring about the single young men in the capital. s, the result was unpromising. Either they have tongfang (a maid who doubles as a bed partner, and is of the lowest status in terms of concubines) in their backroom or their elders are not reasonable enough or they are people with bad character. Therefore, I think Tang Zhen is the one most suitable for our Yaoyao.¡±

 Chapter 444 - The Most Suitable (2)

    <strong>Chapter 444 ¨C The Most Suitable (2)</strong>

    Lu Shiming was still a little unhappy in his heart but was a little moved now. ¡°I¡¯ve seen that kid, Tang Zhen, is not bad despite being several years older than our Yaoyao.¡±

    ¡°Why did you bring that up? He¡¯s only twenty-four. Besides, if it were not for the fact that he was fighting with the emperor on his campaigns, he would have already been married and had children by now,¡± Pei Shi said, looking at Tang Zhen just like how a mother-inw would her future son-inw, bing more and more satisfied the longer she looked.

    Lu Shiming¡¯s mouth twitched in consternation as he nced elsewhere. He just felt no one was worthy of his daughter. ¡°You go find Mother tomorrow then. After all, Yaoyao still has the identity of a princess. So, if you really want to get her engaged, you certainly have to get Empress Dowager¡¯s consent first.¡±

    Pei Shi smiled and said, ¡°Empress Dowager will certainly agree. After all, the more I think about it, the more I feel that Tang Zhen and Yaoyao are a match made in heaven.¡±

    Lu Shiming snorted. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we ask for Yaoyao¡¯s opinion first?¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao is a young girl from the boudoir. When the elders agree, I¡¯ll then talk to Yaoyao,¡± Pei Shi said. She was certain her daughter would like Tang Zhen.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go to bed early,¡± Lu Shiming said, hugging Pei Shi¡¯s shoulder and drawing her closer as they went to bed.

    Abashed, Pei Shi pinched him on the waist and said, ¡°That one over there came here just now and seems to be ill.¡±

    Lu Shiming¡¯s expression was calm as he said, ¡°What is she doing,ing over when she¡¯s ill? Really, she iscking in rules. Let someone move her out tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Are you really willing to part with your childhood sweetheart?¡± Pei Shi nced at him questioningly even as she smiled at his deration.

    Lu Shimingzily hugged her waist as he said, ¡°Where do you see I¡¯m unwilling (to part)?¡±

    ?

    The next day, Pei Shi¡¯splexion was rosy when she went to visit Old Madam Lu to consult her over Yaoyao¡¯s marriage.

    ¡°Marquis Jing Ning?¡± Old Madam Lu smiled. ¡°Did Tang Zhen take the initiative to marry Yaoyao?¡±

    ¡°He spoke to Lingzhi. Last night, Lingzhi mentioned it to his Third Uncle. Still, Xiang Gong (Master/Husband) wanted Mother to have a look first before deciding,¡± Pei Shi said, smilingly, ¡°Mother, what do you think of Tang Zhen?¡±

    [*Xiang Gong = Lu Shiming]

    ¡°Marquis Jing Ning is naturally good.¡± From her words, it was obvious that Old Madam Lu liked Tang Zhen very much. ¡°Although Tang Family is a small family, if Yaoyao marries in, she can be the master of the household. There are advantages and disadvantages to this. What do you think?¡±

    Pei Shi said, ¡°Mother, Yaoyao has been with me since a baby. Except for learning some medical skills, she was used to being unruly since she was a child, so I am notfortable with letting her marry into a big family with many rules.¡±

    ¡°That is my idea as well. Only¡­ Yaoyao now also holds the title of a princess¡­ Therefore, even if we hope she marries Tang Zhen, we still must not let him call her ¡®Princess¡¯ anymore,¡± Old Madam Lu said.

    ¡°Mother, this is for the best.¡± Otherwise, if Yaoyao still acted like a princess in front of Tang Zhen, could they still be a pair of husband and wife who are in conjugal love with each other?

    Old Madam Lu smiled and nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not been peaceful in the pce thesest two days. I¡¯ll wait for a few days before I visit personally and ask Empress Dowager to bestow marriage edict.¡±

    Pei Shi hurriedly said, ¡°Mother, do you want to ask Yaoyao¡¯s opinion first?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s only natural. Yaoyao wille back tomorrow, so you ask then.¡± The matriarch smiled.

    ¡°Aish.¡± Pei Shi nodded briskly before the pair of mother-inw and daughter-inw began to whisper about Tang Zhen again.

    Outside, Lu Jing bit her lower lip tightly, a touch of unwillingness in the corner of her eyes for those who cared to look. And when she heard theughter inside, she turned her head and ran away.

    Why do all benefits go to Lu Yaoyao? It¡¯s obvious that I am the one who liked Tang Zhen first, so why?! Why can Lu Yaoyao marry him? Where on earth am I inferior to Lu Yaoyao?!

    ¡°Fourth Sister?! What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Lu Fang, who was about toe to the room, hurried forward to ask when she saw a sobbing Lu Jing running away.

    WIping the tears away, Lu Jing replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Is there something that can¡¯t be said between us sisters? Now, in this family, if we don¡¯t support each other, who else can help us? So, tell your sister what¡¯s going on?¡± Lu Fang asked as she took Lu Jing to sit down beside her.

    ¡°Third Aunt is going to ask Empress Dowager to bestow a marriage to Lu Yaoyao when Grandmother goes to her,¡± Lu Jinger said while gnashing her teeth in hatred and envy.

    Lu Fang was stupefied and subconsciously asked, ¡°Bestow marriage? Who?¡±

    ¡°Marquis Jing Ning,¡± Lu Jing said as her voice choked up again.

    A sh of jealousy crossed Lu Fang¡¯s eyes before she hid it and sighed. ¡°Old Madam is really partial to Yaoyao.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not reconciled to it!¡± Lu Jing¡¯s voice was thick with hatred.

    ¡°Unfortunately, Second Uncle and Second Aunt are not here. Otherwise, you could go ask the Eldest Madam,¡± Lu Fang said, advising her in a low voice. ¡°There must always be an elder to make decisions for you.¡± She then added: ¡°How can I not help you? Anyhow, you always have to try.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to find Eldest Aunt now.¡± Lu Jing decided as she stood up. ¡°Second Eldest Sister, you go with me.¡±

    ¡°OK,¡± Lu Fanger said, nodding her head and the two sisters went to Liu Shi¡¯s courtyard.

 Chapter 445 - Calling The Shots

    <strong>Chapter 445 ¨C Calling the Shots</strong>

    Liu Shi thought the revocation of Lu Wushuang¡¯s title was the result of Old Madam Lu¡¯s favoritism and Lu Lingzhi¡¯sck of action. So in her heart, she resented Lu Shiming¡¯s family to the bone. If it weren¡¯t for Lu Yaoyao, her Shuang¡¯er would not have been banished to be a Taoist nun.

    Liu Shi pretended to be ill for a few days, but no one ever cared about her. Old Madam Lu still regarded her as nothing and even her son ignored her.

    They are all bewitched by the third household!

    ¡°Madam, the second eldest miss and the fourth miss havee to see you.¡± The maid came in and whispered in her ear.

    Liu Shi said angrily, ¡°I won¡¯t meet them! Have theye to see me bing a joke one by one? Just because Shuang¡¯er is in trouble now, don¡¯t think that she won¡¯t be able to gain the emperor¡¯s favor sooner orter.¡±

    Lu Fang walked in with a smile. ¡°Mother, of course we all know that the eldest sister will definitely regain her title of Gui Fei. We just wanted to greet you today.¡±¡±

    Liu Shi cast them a cold look and waved her hand to tell the maid to withdraw. ¡°You came to greet me? That¡¯s really rare.¡±

    ¡°Eldest Aunt, no one at home cares about you, but we still think about you,¡± Lu Jing said with a smile.

    ¡°Did something happen at home?¡± Although Liu Shi was not shrewd enough, seeing that these two little girls suddenly visited her meant that they definitely didn¡¯t really care about her, but that something had happened. They really thought she wouldn¡¯t be able to tell.

    Lu Jing was a little embarrassed, bit her lip and remained silent.

    ¡°Mother, Fourth Younger Sister has been wronged. You must help her.¡± Lu Fang spoke for her.

    Liu Shi raised her eyebrows but didn¡¯t say anything.

    A daughter of the second household needs toe to me crying of grievances? Why not go to the old madam but me?

    Seeing that she was silent, Lu Fang said in a low voice, ¡°Fourth Younger Sister has been in love with Marquis Jing Ning since long, and Yaoyao knows about this. Now, Third Aunt wants Grandmother to ask the empress dowager to bestow her marriage to him. She is stubbornly breaking up Forth Sister¡¯s and Marquis Jing Ning¡¯s path. Mother, you have to make a decision for Jing¡¯er. ¡±

    ¡°Hmph, the third household relies on Old Madam¡¯s favouritism, what else can¡¯t they do?¡± Liu Shi snorted coldly and hated Lu Shiming¡¯s family more and more. ¡°You can talk to your eldest brother about this, but it¡¯s useless to find the old madam.¡±

    Lu Fang was a little timid.¡±Mother, we have approached Eldest Brother, but I¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t listen to us.¡±

    Liu smiled faintly. ¡°You came to me because you want me to talk to your eldest brother about this?¡±

    The entire Lu family knew that it was impossible for Old Madam Lu to listen to her, but the marquis was different. He was her son. Who else would he listen to if not her?

    Lu Jing said in a low voice, ¡°If Aunt helps Jing¡¯er, Jing¡¯er would be grateful to you for the rest of her life.¡±

    Liu Shi looked up at her. Although Lu Jing was not as beautiful as Lu Yaoyao, she was also a pretty daughter of a humble family, at least a lot better than Lu Fang.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± Liu Shi said. If she could really help Lu Jing, she would be the wife of a marquis in the future, and it would always be good for her and Shuang¡¯er.

    Lu Jing was delighted. ¡°Thank you, Eldest Aunt.¡±

    ¡°Tao¡¯er, go and invite the marquis over, just say I have something to tell him.¡± Liu instructed the maid in front of Lu Jing.

    ¡°Mother, Fourth Younger Sister and I will go back first and wait for good news from you.¡± Lu Fang said with a smile and took the other¡¯s hand.

    Liu Shi wavedzily and watched the two of them exit the room. She snorted. Now her daughter was still suffering in the Nianci Temple.

    Lu Yaoyao wants to enjoy happiness now? Dream on!

    She had waited for half an hour when Lu Lingzhi came to look for her.

    ¡°Now I have to wait so long to see my son?¡± Liu couldn¡¯t help but feel resentful when she saw him.

    If this son of mine was willing to help his sister, how could Shuang¡¯er be Taoist nun?

    Lu Lingzhi ignored the cold words. ¡°Mother, you are looking for me for something?¡±

    ¡°Is it only when I have something that I can talk to you? Do you still think of me as your mother in your heart?¡± Liu Shi asked angrily. ¡°I don¡¯t know what benefits the third household has given you to make you help them at every turn.¡±

    ¡°Mother, what do you want to say?¡± Lu Lingzhi frowned. He was really annoyed that Liu Shi was always talking about the third household. It was clear that she was the one who owed them, but in her opinion, it was the other way around.

    Liu Shi cried, ¡°Do you even want to know what life Shuang¡¯er is living now?¡± If it weren¡¯t for the third household, how could she be like this? You, like your father, are only helping the third household, regardless of your sister. ¡±

    Lu Lingzhi frowned helplessly. ¡°Mother, how many times do you want me to tell you, no one can help Shuang¡¯er. When we entered the pce, the emperor had already ordered her to be abolished as a gui fei. It¡¯s not about Yaoyao. The matter, originally Shuang¡¯er framed her.¡±

    ¡°So what if she hurt her?! Can she still bepared with Shuang¡¯er?¡± Liu Shi cried out angrily. Lu Yaoyao still can¡¯t match Shuang¡¯er¡¯s finger. She should die for Shuang¡¯er¡­ To save her face!

    ¡°Your daughter is precious, that doesn¡¯t mean those (daughters) of others are grass,¡± Lu Lingzhi said coldly.

    Liu Shi snorted. ¡°Then don¡¯t be so biased. I heard that Pei Shi asked the old madam to go and ask the empress dowager for a decree to bestow Lu Yaoyao a marriage. Lingzhi, Jing¡¯er is also your sister. You should do it for her. Call the shots.¡±

    ¡°Mother, what exactly are you talking about?¡± It was his intention to have the old madam ask the empress dowager to give her marriage, what did this have to do with Lu Jing?

 Chapter 446 - Undressing (1)

    <strong>Chapter 446 ¨C Undressing (1)</strong>

    Liu Shi said, ¡°The old madam wants to separate Marquis Jing Ning and Jing¡¯er. This is too wicked. You have to stop her at all costs. If the empress dowager grants marriage, who dares to refuse then ¡­.¡±

    ¡°Ridiculous!¡± Lu Lingzhi snapped. ¡°Mother, do you know what kind of misunderstanding you will give birth to with these words? Tang Zhen and Jing¡¯er have never even spoken a word, what do you mean by breaking them up? And where did you hear that from?¡±

    ¡°I¡­,¡± Liu Shi wanted to exin.

    Lu Lingzhi said impatiently, ¡°Mother, can you not just make trouble for me? Tang Zhen told me he wanted to marry Yaoyao himself. It has nothing to do with other people. He doesn¡¯t even know what Jing¡¯er looks like. I don¡¯t know where you got this notion of breaking up paths?¡±

    Only then did Liu Shi realize that she was tricked by that little b*tch Lu Jing into believing that she and Tang Zhen were really happy together. ¡°But¡­ Jing¡¯er likes Tang Zhen¡ª¡±

    ¡°So what?¡± Lu Lingzhi asked coldly. ¡°Can I still force Tang Zhen to marry her? I don¡¯t know what to say!¡±

    Liu Shi¡¯s face was dyed blue and white. ¡°Well, let¡¯s not talk about Jing¡¯er, I want to ask you¡­ How do you n to help Shuang¡¯er? I can¡¯t let her spend her life in Nianci Temple.¡±

    ¡°I have my own measures on this matter, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± Lu Lingzhi said indifferently, ¡°Mother, I have other business, I¡¯ll leave first.¡±

    Liu Shi was furious. ¡°How do you want to help Shuang¡¯er, you have to exin it to me clearly.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi had walked to the door and stopped. He turned around and looked at Liu nonchntly. ¡°Mother, if you¡¯re well, why don¡¯t you go carry out your (filial) duties to Grandmother, don¡¯t spend the whole day just letting your thoughts run wild.¡±

    ¡°I am letting my thoughts run wild?¡± A fuming Liu Shi could only stare at the retreating figure by the door, she pped the table indignantly. ¡°I really don¡¯t know whose biological son this is!¡±

    ???

    Liu Shi lost face in front of Lu Lingzhi and her heart was filled with unbearable anger, so she called Lu Fang over, scolded her in front of a courtyard of servants then threw her out.

    Lu Fang had been chastised for no reason, but she could not give vent to her grievances and resentment. She was set to marry next month and must not offend the eldest madam at this time.

    ¡°Second Eldest Sister.¡± Lu Jing was already waiting for Lu Fang in the room. Seeing her return, she immediately stepped up to look at her nervously. ¡°Auntie was looking for you?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say a word.¡± Lu Fang¡¯s face was a little ugly. ¡°Eldest Brother said Marquis Jing Ning doesn¡¯t even know what you look like, so how could he marry you? Don¡¯t mention this matter anymore.¡±

    Lu Jing¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Eldest Brother really said that?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know, Eldest Brother has always been partial to Lu Yaoyao, how could he¡­ Ai, just ept your fate.¡± Lu Fang sighed.

    ¡°Acknowledge your fate?¡± Lu Jing backed down a few steps. ¡°But I¡¯m not reconciled.¡±

    ¡°If not, what can you even do? How can you fight her now? She is a princess and has the favor of the old madam. If I were Tang Zhen, I would definitely marry her.¡± Lu Fang snorted.

    Lu Jing lowered her head and said nothing, no one knew what she was thinking.

    Ye Zhen, who was still in the pce, didn¡¯t know that everyone in the Lu family was secretly calcting against her. However, she was still thinking about how to avoid Mo Rongzhan. She didn¡¯t want to face him at all.

    ¡°Yaoyao, Eunuch Fu from the Pce of Heavenly Purity is here,¡± Chen Jinru walked to Ye Zhen who was perusing a medical record and whispered to her.

    Ye Zhen frowned, walked out of the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard, and saw the emperor¡¯s most trusted confidant standing outside. ¡°Eunuch Fu, what can I do for you?¡±

    ¡°Your Royal Highness, it¡¯s time to change the emperor¡¯s dressing.¡± He smiled and bowed.

    ¡°Eunuch Fu, the emperor¡¯s injuries have been healed, just ask a courtdy to apply the snow lotus ointment on him.¡±

    She had already said it once in the morning, so why did hee to see her?

    Eunuch Fu said with a bitter expression, ¡°The emperor drove out the maids who gave him medicine. He didn¡¯t have his medicine for a whole day. Princess, this ve looked at the emperor and saw that he seemed ufortable, so this ve came to you as ast resort.¡±

    ¡°Of course he would feel ufortable if he does not apply medicine.¡± Ye Zhen curled her mouth angrily. It must have been itchy and painful.

    ¡°Princess, at once, please go and apply medicine for the emperor.¡± He knelt and begged.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go, I¡¯ll go!¡± Ye Zhen said helplessly. She was still a doctor in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard, so she couldn¡¯t really not go.

    Mo Rongzhan must have done it deliberately!

    Eunuch Fu almost shed tears out of gratitude. He, who had looked at the dark face of the emperor all day, said, ¡°Princess, please.¡±

    Ye Zhen had to follow him to the Pce of Heavenly Purity. Mo Rongzhan was still looking at the memorials in the main hall. Hearing that she wasing, he put them down and walked into the bedchamber with a calm face.

    ¡°This servant¡ª¡±

    Mo Rongzhan coldly roared when she was about to curtsy. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about ves and maidservants in front of me!¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s shoulders stiffened, and she didn¡¯t say anything. She just frowned and looked at him.¡±Your Majesty, why don¡¯t you get the medicine administered?¡±

    ¡°My imperial physician won¡¯te to give me medicine, who can zhen ask to give zhen medicine?¡± Mo Rongzhan said coldly. Today he had just lost his temper in court and demoted the ministers who deliberately spread rumors. When he returned to the Pce of Heavenly Purity, he thought he would be able to see her, but she turned out to be so good that she dared note to see him.

    ¡°¡ª¡ª¡± Ye Zhen didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°It¡¯s just applying the snow lotus ointment, and Eunuch Fu can do it for you.¡±

 Chapter 447 - Undressing (2)

    <strong>Chapter 447 ¨C Undressing (2)</strong>

    Mo Rongzhan snorted coldly. ¡°Zhen doesn¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, let me change the dressing for you,¡± Ye Zhen said woodenly, and walked over to take the snow lotus ointment.

    ¡°Do the undressing for me.¡± Mo Rongzhan opened his arms, looking indifferent and proud.

    Ye Zhen paused, took a deep breath, and walked to him, stretched out her hand to untie the ck jade belt for him. When she wanted to unbutton, she could only stand on her toes. This was the first time she had undressed a man. She was nervous and a little unfamiliar and did not unbutton for a long time.

    Her hands were sour and tired. She bit her lip and said, ¡°You are too high, I can¡¯t untie it.¡±

    Mo Rongzhan lowered his eyes to look at her embarrassed appearance and a small smile formed at the corners of his mouth while his long arms obediently wrapped around her waist and lifted her up. ¡°Isn¡¯t this just right?¡±

    ¡°Let me down!¡± Ye Zhen cried with a blushing face.

    ¡°Hurry up and undress me.¡± Mo Rongzhan gently patted her supple behind, with a deep smile hidden in his eyes.

    She couldn¡¯t push him away, so she had to use the fastest speed to unbutton him, but the more she wanted to speed up, the more she couldn¡¯t do it.

    He stifled augh. ¡°Zhen will do it himself.¡±

    She pushed his hand away and got out of his embrace. ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t do this to me.¡±

    ¡°Have I ever said that?¡± Mo Rongzhan took off his brocade robe, leaving only a single bright yellow coat. ¡°I only said that I will give you one year.¡±

    ¡°If you treat me like this again, I¡­ I won¡¯t enter the pce anymore,¡± she red at him and said.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s eyes darkened slightly. ¡°Come here and apply the medicine.¡±

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t know if he had agreed or disagreed. Seeing his gloomy face, she had to go over and put medicine on his back. His wound had turned pink. At this time, if he didn¡¯t put on some snow lotus cream every day, it would be itchy and ufortable. The weather was getting hot, if he sweats, it could turn worse.

    ¡°I also have other things to do every day, so I can¡¯te and apply medicine on you for such a little thing,¡± she muttered quietly as her deft hands applied the medicine.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s lips curved into a smile, her soft andining voice actually delighted him. ¡°I don¡¯t like being touched by others.¡±

    She pursed her lips and touched the wound on his waist with her fingertips. Seeing that there were many deep and shallow scars, she asked in a low voice, ¡°Have you often been injured before?¡±

    ¡°Small injuries,¡± he said nonchntly, backhandedly holding her hand, he turned a little and looked down at her, ¡°does your heart ache for me?¡±

    Mister Chen said that his previous injuries had been more serious than this time. How could it be a minor injury?

    She withdrew her hand. ¡°You are doing such things again, what if people see?¡±

    ¡°So what if they see it?¡± he asked, raising his eyebrows.

    Ye Zhen said seriously, ¡°I am now your imperial sister. If others find out¡­ wouldn¡¯t it turn into a scandal? When that momentes, the empress dowager will definitely dislike me.¡±

    His expression turned cold and he nodded gently. ¡°You reminded me that zhen should let you stop being a princess.¡±

    ¡°Did you even understand what I was saying?¡± She red at him angrily.

    ¡°Understood.¡± He was pleased with her sullen look. He couldn¡¯t help dipping his head and kissing her lips, gently sliding the tip of his tongue into her mouth, absorbing the sweetness that belonged to her regardless of her objection.

    Ye Zhen remembered Xu Huiru¡¯s words from yesterday, and thumped Mo Rongzhan¡¯s chest with anger. ¡°Ah¡­ let go¡­!¡±

    Mo Rongzhan held her hand, reluctantly left her pink lips, buried his face in her chest, and panting said, ¡°Yaoyao, what if I can¡¯t wait for a year?¡±

    ???

    Ye Zhen¡¯s immediately tuned stiff all over. In that instant, she understood what he meant. He could not wait for a year. Truly, if she¡¯d had enough strength, she would have kicked him out right then and there.

    Anger and fury engulfed her heart, but there was nothing she could do about him. Atst, unable to endure, she opened her mouth and bit his injured shoulder hard.

    ¡°Are you trying to murder your own husband?¡± Mo Rongzhan eximed in pain as he finally relinquished his hold.

    Immediately taking her chance, she dashed out of his arms and chastised him, ¡°Mo Rongzhan, you are a viin!¡±

    ¡°The matter of murdering your own husband aside, you also dare to scold zhen?¡± He raised his eyebrow and said, ¡°Watch how zhen will clean you up.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯te here!¡± Seeing him drawing neared with the intention to catch her once again, she ran out in horror.

    s, after running for a few steps, yet again, she was tugged into an embrace from behind. ¡°Where do you want to run to?¡±

    ¡°Mo Rongzhan!¡± She eximed, feeling so angry that she did not know what to say anymore. This man¡¯s words cannot be counted on! He said he wouldn¡¯t force me, but what is he doing right now?! Is this what he considers ¡®willing¡¯?!

    Seeing that she was red with rage, he smiled. Unable to hold himself back, he pecked her lips a few times and said, ¡°Zhen won¡¯t bother you. That¡¯s why you should go to the Pce of Heavenly Purity from time to time in the future. You must not look for all sorts of excuses just to avoid zhen. After all, though zhen has promised to give you a year, that doesn¡¯t mean that zhen can simply not see you for an entire year.¡±

    Ye Zhen still resisted his embrace, she just lowered her head and kept her lips sealed. She never wanted to promise him anything and neither would she marry him a yearter. In fact, as long as she had a chance, she would definitely avoid him and keep her distance far far away.

    ¡°I¡¯m going back to the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard,¡± she said, tone low.

    He wanted to keep her with him, but he knew that he couldn¡¯t force her too hard. Otherwise, she would only avoid him more.

    ¡°En.¡± He loosened his hold on her waist. ¡°What you said just now¡­ Was that what someone said to you before?¡±

    Ye Zhen froze in ce. ¡°What words are you talking about?¡±

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 Chapter 448: Murdering Your Own Husband

    <h4>Chapter 448: Murdering Your Own Husband</h4>

    ¡°Did Xu Huiru say something to you?¡± Mo Rongzhan asked, recalling her(XH) strange behaviour from the day before, a stern light shing through his eyes.

    ¡°Does it matter to you what others said?¡± she said, a faint mocking lilt in her words.

    He pinched her chin and said, ¡°If it makes you unhappy, then it¡¯s naturally important to <i>zhen</i>.¡±

    Ye Zhen pped his hands away, inciting his anger, and said, ¡°Have Eunuch Fu rub the medicine for you after you take your bath in the evening.¡±

    ¡°<i>Zhen</i> will wait for you,¡± Mo Rongzhan said decisively.

    ¡°Then, take your time and wait.¡± She smiled a little as she turned around and walked out.

    When Ye Zhen went back to the Female Physicians¡¯ Wing, there was no one around. Instead, they were gathered in the courtyard chatting idly. When one of them saw hering in, she waved to her.

    ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± Ye Zhen asked with a smile as she sat down next to Chen Jinru and joined in.

    Xia Yaohua said, ¡°Just now, Chief Gong told us to choose two female physicians to go to Huaijiang with Qi Yizheng. So, right now we¡¯re discussing who will be chosen.¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes brightened and she asked, ¡°What¡¯s the purpose of going to Huaijiang?¡±

    ¡°In the previous years, there had frequent floods in Huaijiang. And soon after, a gue would ensue. So, this year, Imperial Physician Qi is nning to go there early to prepare for the gue, lest it kills a lot of people.¡± Xia Yaohua exined to Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Which one of you wants to go?¡± Ye Zhen asked, looking at everyone in curiosity only to find that all of them looked embarrassed and seemed to be reluctant to go. So, sheughed and frankly said, ¡°In that case, I want to go with Qi Yizheng. Don¡¯t argue with me.¡±

    Chen Jinru was shocked. ¡°Yaoyao, are you serious?¡±

    Ye Zhen only smiled and said, ¡°How could I be otherwise?¡±

    ¡°You¡­ Youe with me!¡± Chen Jinru grabbed her hand and pulled Ye Zhen back to the office.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ye Zhen asked. She remembered that there would be a flood in Huaijiang this year as well and the gue that followed was very serious too. Furthermore, if she remembered it right, it seemed that there was a massacre of a vige as well. At that time her soul was imprisoned in the imperial study, so she was able to see with her own eyes that Mo Rongzhan was so furious because of this matter that he continuously beheaded many officials.

    Thus, she wanted to go to Huaijiang. There, not only could she avoid Mo Rongzhan temporarily but also hone her medical skills. After all, right now, she had already read enough medical books, but there were few opportunities to really treat patients. Therefore, she wanted to leave the pce and practice, so as to make her medical skills more exquisite.

    ¡°Yaoyao, you don¡¯t have to go to Huaijiang. No one here wants to go there. It¡¯s said that the female physicians who go there every year can¡¯te back alive. That ce has always contracted a gue every year without fail. It¡¯s like that ce is cursed. Yaoyao, listen to me, you¡¯re a princess. No one would dare to force you if you don¡¯t want to go, so don¡¯t¡­ Besides, once you go there, you won¡¯t be able toe back for half a year,¡± Chen Jinru whispered to Ye Zhen, trying to persuade her to drop the idea.

    However, what she considered a problem was not a problem for Ye Zhen at all. Anyway, what she wanted the most was to leave the capital for a while. She needed to think about what she should do next because she found out that she had no strong hatred for Mo Rongzhan. Therefore, she needed to consider what she should do in addition to letting Lu Lingzhi get his just retribution?

    ¡°I understand,¡± Ye Zhen said with a smile adorning her face. ¡°I¡¯ll go and change my clothes first.¡±

    Chen Jinru looked at her helplessly as she made onest-ditch effort. ¡°Do you really want to go?¡±

    Ye Zhen smiled but said nothing. She simply went to the cleanroom to freshen up before she left the Female Physicians'' Wing and went to the Imperial Physicians'' Courtyard to find Qi Jin.

    Qi Jin had been treating the remnant poison in Lu Lingzhi for the past half month, but these days, she had handed Lu Lingzhi over to Huangfu Chen and returned to the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard.

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi.¡± Ye Zhen knocked on the door and greeted Qi Jin, who was sitting behind the bookcase.

    ¡°Yaoyao, what are you doing here?¡± Qi Jin asked with a smile, motioning her toe in and sit down.

    ¡°Ie here to see you for something,¡± Ye Zhen said as her eyes swept past the open books before and saw that she was looking at the medical records of the disaster and gue that hit Huaijiang over the years.

    Not suspecting anything, Qi Jin smiled and asked, ¡°Do you want to ask about your brother¡¯s illness? Don¡¯t worry, the emperor has given your eldest brother the only fire lotus left in the pce, and currently, Ah Chen is developing an antidote for your eldest brother. I believe he will soon be able to detoxify your eldest brother.¡±

    The smile at the corner of Ye Zhen¡¯s lips froze uncontrobly. <i>What?! Mo Rongzhan gave the fire lotus to Lu Lingzhi?</i>

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, didn¡¯t my eldest brother take the fire lotusst time?¡± she asked, reluctantly forcing herself to smile when she did so.

    ¡°Yes, ah. This time, I hope Ah Chen can find out the real method of detoxification for your brother¡¯s poison,¡± Qi Jin sighed.

    However, this was contrary to what Ye Zhen wished for. Therefore, at this time, Ye Zhen only thought of finding a way to make Huangfu Chen unable to detoxify Lu Lingzhi. Because all she wanted right now was to see Lu Lingzhi living in pain all his life.

    ¡°Yaoyao, Yaoyao?¡± Qi Jin looked up when she didn¡¯t respond despite her repeated calls only to find her in a daze

    ¡°Oh, Imperial Physician Qi!¡± Ye Zhen, shaken out of her thoughts, looked at Qi Jin who was calling out to her with a stiff expression.

    Qi Jin did not mind her absent-mindedness from before. She only teasingly smiled and asked, ¡°You¡¯re thinking about how to help your brother?¡±

    ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, I came looking for you. I want you to help me with one thing,¡± she said with a low voice, ¡°I want to go to Huaijiang with you.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao, what did you just say?¡± Qi Jin asked, wondering if she had heard it wrong.

    Ye Zhen repeated her words solemnly, ¡°I want to go to Huaijiang with you.¡±

    Qi Jin immediately shook her head and rejected. ¡°No! Neither Empress Dowager nor Emperor will agree to this.¡±

    ???

 Chapter 449: Keep It a Secret for Me (1)

    <h4>Chapter 449: Keep It a Secret for Me (1)</h4>

    Ye Zhen did not argue with Qi Jin because she also knew Empress Dowager and Mo Rongzhan would certainly not agree with her and permit her to go to Huaijiang. However, this did not mean anything to her as she always had a way to get there on her own.

    The next day, it was a rest day for Ye Zhen. She decided to leave the pce at an earlier time instead of her usual one. The reason was simple when she learned that Huangfu Chen was trying to find a method to detoxify Lu Lingzhist night, everything froze over and the pit of her stomach seemed as if it wasden by bad <i>Qi</i>. Even now that the day had changed, she still felt ufortable about the news, hence her decision to get out of the pce.

    She¡¯s going to find Huangfu Chen¡­

    Therefore, after she left the pce, Ye Zhen directly asked the carriage to take her to the Ten Li long Wu¡¯s Bamboo Forest. As expected, Huangfu Chen was in the medicine field behind the bamboo forest. He looked surprised when he saw hering.

    ¡°Mister Chen, I heard you¡¯re going to detoxify Lu Lingzhi?¡± Ye Zhen, having run over after getting out from the carriage, asked with a little wheeze.

    Huangfu Chen put the few herbs in his hands aside and smiled as he said, ¡°I haven¡¯t found the most effective method to detoxify him. Furthermore, because I have already used fire lotus before, the poison in his body has changed somewhat, so I need to be careful.¡±

    ¡°Why should Mister Chen help him?¡± Her glittering jet-ck eyes looked straight at the man questioningly. She knew that she should not say these words to him, but she just couldn¡¯t help herself. The only person in this world who could help Lu Lingzhi was Huangfu Chen. And beforest night, she had always thought that this man would not do so. But now¡­

    Huangfu Chen squinted his eyes and looked at the little girl. ¡°Yaoyao, you don¡¯t want me to detoxify your eldest brother?¡±

    Ye Zhen pursed her lips tightly and did not speak. She was Lu Yaoyao now and Lu Lingzhi her cousin. She should act like the rest of the Lu Family, eagerly hoping that he could get rid of the remnant poison as soon as possible. However, she wanted to ask Huangfu Chen to not save him¡­ Yet she couldn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°Yaoyao¡ª¡± Huangfu Chen lowered his eyes and looked at her. Her stubborn little face was taut as if she had hidden some unspeakable secret at the bottom of her heart that she dared not say even if she wanted to say it.

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t know what to do. She couldn¡¯t get out of the predicament she was mired in these days. And now that Lu Lingzhi had a chance to cure his residual poison, she became even more confused about what she should do next.

    ¡°Is it because of your sister, Ye Zhen, or is it for other reasons?¡± Huangfu Chen asked in a low voice.

    ¡°Mister Chen?¡± Ye Zhen raised her head in surprise. <i>Does Huangfu Chen already know her life experience?</i>

    Huangfu Chen sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside and talk.¡±

    Ye Zhen was surprised. She didn¡¯t know that Huangfu Chen already knew of her rtionship with the Ye Family and he never mentioned it either.

    Inside the house, Huangfu Chen motioned for Ye Zhen to take a seat before him at the opposite tea table. He saw the disbelief in her expression and just smiled as he said, ¡°You¡¯re surprised and confused about how I know the rtionship between you and Ye Zhen?¡±

    ¡°There are probably not many people in this world who know it now except for me,¡± Ye Zhen whispered. For a moment there, she thought that Huangfu Chen knew that she was Ye Zhen.

    Huangfu Chen smiled and said, ¡°I met your father more than ten years ago and made divination for you two sisters because your father once helped me a lot. However, you had to be sent out of the Ye Family because of my divination. Therefore, I secretly inquired about your news.¡±

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She didn¡¯t know what to say. And she suddenly remembered what Teacher Shan once said to her. ¡°That¡­ Teacher Shan is also you¡­ You¡¯re the one who asked her toe and help me?¡±

    ¡°Did she mention it to you?¡± Huangfu Chen frowned. Unexpectedly, Lu Yaoyao had managed to guess it.

    ¡°Teacher Shan only said that someone was helping me behind my back, but I didn¡¯t know it was you,¡± she said softly. She looked up and asked, ¡°Since Mister Chen is an old friend of my father, do you know how my father lives now?¡±

    Huangfu Chen shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ By the time I learned that the Ye Family was cut off, it was already toote. I didn¡¯t have time to save your family. It¡¯s just¡­ Yaoyao, forgive me for being rude and speaking out of turn, but since you already know your own history, why didn¡¯t you tell the Lu Family? Or¡­ you have something difficult to speak of?¡±

    ¡°If Lu Lingzhi knew that I am Ye Zhen¡¯s sister, he would not let me go.¡± Ye Zhen shook her head with a bitter smile and continued. ¡°Mister Chen perhaps does not know this, but Ye Zhen was killed by Lu Lingzhi¡¯s poisoned wine.¡±

    Huangfu Chen froze. ¡°What did you say?¡±

    Ye Zhen hesitated for a while. In the end, she decided not to reveal the truth that she was the one who saved Mo Rongzhan all those years ago. Anyway, he and she were even now, they did not owe anything to the other anymore. Furthermore, Lu Wushuang had been abandoned already, so there was no need to mention that again.

    ¡°I met Ye Zhen¡¯s maid. Lu Lingzhi¡¯s betrayed Ye Zhen¡¯s trust and in the end, for Lu Wushuang, he pretended that he was ordered to bestow her wine. Then, after her death, he set fire to Qin <i>Wangfu</i>. Mister Chen, although I did not live together with Ye Zhen, we are still sisters born to the same parents. That¡¯s why I am unable to forgive Lu Lingzhi for being despicable and shameless.¡± Ye Zhen spoke simply. However, she knew not if Huangfu Chen would believe her or not.

    With how thoughtful and sharp Huangfu Chen¡¯s mind was, how could he not hear the meaning hidden in Ye Zhen¡¯s words? Thus, he was certain that Lu Lingzhi must have done more than this to Ye Zhen¡­ otherwise, she would not have hated him this much.

 Chapter 450: Keep It a Secret for Me (2)

    <h4>Chapter 450: Keep It a Secret for Me (2)</h4>

    <i>Just what on earth did Lu Lingzhi do to make Yaoyao hate him so much? I did hear Lu Lingzhi often went to Qin Wangfu at that time, so he must be familiar with Ye Zhen. And Ye Zhen¡­ was it possible that, because Mo Rongzhan didn¡¯te back for two years, she became attracted to Lu Lingzhi?</i>

    This is the most likely thing, because when you give your heart to another only to be betrayed¡­ any woman would be sad and bitter.

    ¡°Yaoyao, do youe today to ask me to not save Lu Lingzhi?¡± Huangfu Chen asked in a low voice.

    Ye Zhen said, ¡°Mister Chen is naturally kind and righteous whose heart yearns to save people. Of course, I dare not obstruct. It¡¯s just¡­ If I don¡¯t avenge Ye Zhen, I will not be able to feel at ease in my lifetime. However, the Lu Family is kind to me and I have to repay their grace. That¡¯s why¡­ I just ask Mister Chen to put off the detoxification for some time and let him learn more lessons. This way, it can be considered a breath of relief for Ye Zhen.

    She did not dare to outright ask Huangfu Chen to not detoxify Lu Lingzhi. Besides, in any case, the toxicity of <i>Qitiantong</i> would spread, and the longer it dragged on, the worse it would be for Lu Lingzhi. But¡­ She didn¡¯t know Huangfu Chen well, so she did not dare to believe him with all her heart and soul.

    Even if Huangfu Chen had asked Teacher Shan to help her, she did not dare to trust others easily after the numerous betrayals she had experienced.

    Huangfu Chen took a deep look at Ye Zhen. This little girl had so many secrets that he did not see before. ¡°Yaoyao, does Lu Shiming know that you already know where youe from?¡±

    ¡°He does not know. Please keep it a secret for me. If Lu Lingzhi came to know that I am not my father¡¯s own blood, he would definitely not let me go.¡± She looked at Huangfu Chen pleadingly, wearing a nervous and pitiful look.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Huangfu Chen nodded his head gently. He now knew that Ye Zhen was killed by Lu Lingzhi¡¯s hand. He was also angry. If Ye Yiqing knew, he would not let Lu Lingzhi go.

    ¡°Thank you, Mister Chen¡­,¡± Ye Zhen said, hesitation coloring her face as she looked at him while biting her lower lip in indecision.

    Huangfu Chen faintly smiled. ¡°Today, I did not hear anything you said to me.¡±

    It was only then that Ye Zhen truly smiled. ¡°Mister Chen, thank you.¡±

    ???

    Huangfu Chen looked at the pure, clear and beautiful smile on Ye Zhen¡¯s face and could not help smiling as well. Although he was very curious about what secrets she was hiding, he knew that people often had wounds that others could not easily touch. He believed that the truth would emerge one day.

    Although Ye Zhen had achieved her goal, she did not say goodbye. She still had many questions she hadn''t yet figured out, such as why did Huangfu Chen help her? If Teacher Shan had been arranged by him, then he would have been secretly watching the two sisters for many years.

    <i>What is his reason for doing this?</i>

    "Is there anything else you want to ask?" He looked at her with a smile, guessing that her heart was still filled with resolved doubts.

    She said in a low voice, "Mister Chen, you said¡­ Teacher Shan came to me¡­ Us pair of sisters. Why did you want to help us?"

    "If it weren''t for me, perhaps you two sisters wouldn''t have been separated. I always felt guilty and wanted to make up to you," said he. "Later, I was isted from the world for a period of time, and I didn''t know that Ye Zhen had married A¡¯Zhan. Had I known, I would have persuaded her not to marry him."

    "Why?" She felt a sourness that came from the bottom of her heart. At that time, she was so determined on marrying Mo Rongzhan that maybe it would have been useless for anyone to try and persuade her otherwise.

    Huangfu Chen sighed and said, "A¡¯Zhan still doesn''t know how to cherish the people around him. He has be ustomed to using his methods to take whatever he wants. Since childhood, he has learned everything but not how to love. "

    She looked down slightly. "Why did Mister Chen help meter?"

    He actually wanted to say something good about Mo Rongzhan on his behalf. But seeing that the little girl was deliberately avoiding the topic, he knew that she was still resisting him in her heart. He sighed helplessly inwardly. He could only let the guy (MRZ) seek more blessings for himself, and it would probably take him a long time to be able to get a beauty.

    "At that time, I already knew about the Ye Family, but didn''t know your father was still alive. I thought you were¡­ I couldn''t bear to see you being bullied when you arrived in the capital, so I asked Teacher Shan to help you." He said, "Yaoyao, you are full of surprises. I never expected that you would be so smart."

    <i>That''s because she is Ye Zhen!</i>

    She stood up and respectfully gave a big bow. "Thank you for your help over the years."

    He helped her up. "You don''t have to be like this. Your father was kind to me, and it''s only right that I take care of you for him.¡±

    "Mister Chen, may I take you as my master?" Ye Zhen asked suddenly.

 Chapter 451: Apprenticeship

    <h4>Chapter 451: Apprenticeship</h4>

    Huangfu Chen was stunned, "Yaoyao, I have taught you the divination you want to learn. Even if you are not my apprentice, I have not concealed it."

    She shook her head slightly. "I want to learn not only divination but also your medical skills, Teacher. To be honest with you, I¡¯m actually looking for someone who can protect my identity even more. If I can be your apprentice¡­ in the future even if my identity is exposed, I will have some protection."

    "Yaoyao, you are already a princess," he said.

    "Mister Chen thinks this identity can protect me till the end?" she asked rhetorically. Not to mention Mo Rongzhan would not let her be a princess for too long.

    Huangfu Chen looked at her silently. He had never epted an apprentice nor had he ever thought of epting an apprentice. Apprentices were different from students. He would be a teacher and father for life. If he epted Yaoyao as an apprentice, many things would happen in the future. Later, many affairs would be different.

    He had deliberately said before to Mo Rongzhan that Lu Yaoyao was his disciple¡­ <i>Was that a foreshadowing of the future?</i>

    Having received nothing but silence, she looked up and asked, "Mister Chen, do you think I am threatening you to ept me as your disciple with my previous help to you?¡±

    "I know you are not." Huangfu Chen chuckled softly.

    "Actually, when I asked you to teach me the divination, I wanted to ask you to ept me as a disciple, but¡­." She was too embarrassed to continue.

    He said, "Yaoyao, if I ept you as a disciple, you will not be able to go back to the academy. From then on, you would have entered the doors of our Qi Family. If you go out to practice medicine, you can only focus on Qi family medicine¡­."

    Most of what Ye Zhen was learning now came from the ¡¶Qi Medical ssics¡· of the Qi Family, and the books in the library pagoda were all left by the Huangfu Family. <i>Didn''t that also belong to Qi Yanling?</i> Moreover, based on her understanding of Huangfu Chen, he shouldn''t be the kind of person who only cared about fame.

    "Mister Chen, the world of medicine is one family, and those who be great doctors cannot rigidly adhere to their own interests. Whenever a doctor treats a disease, he must be calm and determined, free of desires, first show great kindness andpassion and vow to alleviate the suffering of the patient. Regardless of whether they are rich-poor, young-old, rtives-good friends, wise-foolish¡­ their race, etc., you need to treat them with the same kindness. And when doing so, you mustn¡¯t care about your own gain and loss, danger and safety. You must see their sufferings as if your own. You shouldn''t avoid hardships- No matter if it is day or night, cold or hot; whether you are hungry, thirsty or fatigued, you should heal and serve with all your heart, so you can be the great doctor of themon people¡­."

    "You remember the medical principles of my great-great-grandmother so clearly, why should I not ept you as a disciple?" Huangfu Chen said with a smile.

    These words formed the preface of the¡¶Qi Medical ssics¡· and were written by Qi Yanling herself to encourage the future generations. However, it was unexpected that Lu Yaoyao would have also learned it by heart.

    Ye Zhen looked at Huangfu Chen in surprise. <i>Is he promising to ept me as a disciple?</i>

    "Master¡­."

    "Since I want to ept you as an apprentice, I naturally have to drink a cup of tea by the hands of my apprentice." Huangfu Chen sat down and motioned to Ye Zhen to bring him the teacup on the tabletop.

    "Yes, Master!" An ted Ye Zhen took the teacup with both hands and lowered herself to his knees to bow.

    Huangfu Chen held her hand, coughed softly, and said, "I have never been someone else''s master, but with different identities, the rtionship between you and me is still the same as usual, so you don''t need to do such a big courtesy."

    Ye Zhen knelt down resolutely. "Etiquette cannot be abandoned. Master here, please ept Yaoyao¡¯s bow."

    Huangfu Chen had to take the teacup in her hand and sipped a mouthful¡­<i> If Mo Rongzhan knew that Yaoyao really entered my doors, I wonder how angry he would be.</i>

    "Rise." Huangfu Chen looked at her with a smile. Although he had never wanted to ept an apprentice, this little girl was extremely talented and intelligent. In the future, she might really be able to inherit the mantle of his great-great-grandmother.

    Ye Zhen smiled sweetly. "Thank you, Master."

    "Then what do you n to do next? Do you want to continue to be a physician in the imperial pce, or study medical divination with me?" he asked.

    "Master, I want to go to Huaijiang first, and when I return, I will no longer go to the imperial pce to be a physician," she said.

    "Huaijiang?" Huangfu Chen frowned slightly. "If you are going to Huaijiang, it will make you more aware of the meaning of being a healer, but I''m afraid it will be a little dangerous."

    "If one dares not go to heal people because of danger, then is there anyone in this world who wants to be a doctor?" Ye Zhen asked rhetorically.

    Huangfu Chen nodded slightly. "I will go with you when the timees."

 Chapter 452: I Am Not Afraid (1)

    <h4>Chapter 452: I Am Not Afraid (1)</h4>

    After Ten Li long Wu¡¯s Bamboo Forest, Ye Zhen¡¯s next stop was Qianjin. She wanted to look for Hong Ling to ask about Tian Jiu, but this time she didn''t see her. So she went to Jinkou City.

    When she returned to the Lu Mansion, she was stopped by Lu Jing outside her courtyard..

    "Lu Yaoyao, I have something to tell you." Lu Jing looked at the other coldly. In her heart, this girl was the viin who was robbing her of happiness.

    "What''s the matter?" Ye Zhen raised an eyebrow.

    The pair of cousins hadn''t spoken to each other in a long time. Even if they met, they would only say hello. Ever since she was given the title of a princess, Lu Jing had never worn a neutral let alone a friendly face whenever she saw her.

    Lu Jing sneered and said, "What''s the matter, Your Royal Highness? Does one even have to ask for permission before they can even say a few words to you?"

    Ye Zhen got a little impatient with her peculiar tone, so she turned and walked into the courtyard. "Juste in and talk if you have something to say."

    "Princess, you are back." Seeing her return, Dai Mei came over to curtsy happily.

    "How is Hong Ying?" Ye Zhen asked Yu Ping.

    Last time Hong Ying had gone to the hunting grounds with her. In order to allow her and the little prince to escape, she had also joined the guards in resisting the assassins and suffered serious injuries, and since then had been recovering in the Lu Mansion.

    "Today she has been able to walk around. Her medicine was made by the princess herself after all, so she is recovering very well and keeps saying that she will kowtow to you," Yu Ping said.

    Ye Zhen said with a smile, "Why would she need to kowtow? Just tell her to get better as soon as possible."

    "Princess, this servant will serve you in cleaning up first." Seeing that there was some dirt on Ye Zhen''s clothes, Yu Ping asked the other maids to fetch water.

    Lu Jing coughed impatiently behind her.

    Ye Zhen smiled at Yu Ping. "You go down first, my fourth sister and I have something to say."

    She brought the other to the study in the West Wing. "Fourth Sister, just tell me what you have to say."

    As soon as she entered the study, Lu Jing saw the silver whip hanging on the wall. She, who wanted the original owner of the silver whip, felt even more resentful. It turned out that Lu Yaoyao had already approached Tang Zhen with a goal since the beginning. <i>Otherwise how could she have won his silver whip?</i>

    "As a princess, don¡¯t you have whatever you want?" Lu Jing wore a mocking smile as she nced at the other with some disdain.

    "Do you think I have what I want now?" Ye Zhen asked back, wondering why the other was ufortable and wanted to trouble her.

    Lu Jing nced at the silver whip on the wall. "You didn''t even need to speak, and the other party already sent it over to you. Lu Yaoyao, you already have a superior status, why do you want to grab Tang Zhen from me?"

    Ye Zhen frowned. "Lu Jing, what do you want to say?"

    "You are well aware of my feelings for Tang Zhen, why do you want the empress dowager to bestow a marriage for you two?" Lu Jing asked aloud.

    "It turns out that you are looking for me today because of Tang Zhen." Ye Zhen smiled faintly. "Not to mention that I don''t know what has happened, and whether the Empress Dowager has bestowed a marriage for me¡­ But should I give you everything just because I am a princess?"(just because she has a higher title and Lu Jing doesn¡¯t)

    Lu Jing did not believe that Lu Yuyao didn''t know anything. "I''m not asking you to give way. I just hope you don''t always rob other people''s things."

    "What is yours?" Ye Zhen looked at her coldly, "Is Tang Zhen yours? Did I take something from you? Lu Jing, you are weak. It doesn''t mean that you are justified in wanting to have everything. I have no reason to leave him for you, not to say that Tang Zhen doesn¡¯t even like you. If I really wanted to marry him, you think that if you came and talked to me unreasonably, I would give him to you? Fortunately, you are still studying. After reading books for the past few years, do you not even know what propriety, justice and shame are?" Ye Zhen asked curtly.

    "What do you mean by this?" Lu Jing''s expression changed as she red.

    "Fourth Sister, what are you doing now as a girl who hasn''t left the pavilion and hasn¡¯t even gotten her marriage settled yet? Are you using me of stealing your sweetheart? This is the etiquette you have learned over the years? If your words today are spread around, you''ll never get a marriage offer," Ye Zhen said nonchntly.

    Lu Jing sneered and said, "Who can''t say sarcastic words? You rely on your identity as a princess, so you can have whatever you want. What about me? The old madam is partial to you and ignores me, and my parents are not around. Who cares about me? If I were a princess, would I be so?"

    "So you want me to pity you and ask me to ask the empress dowager not to bestow upon me a marriage?" Ye Zhen¡¯s cold eyes rested on the other as she asked. She didn''t like people like Lu Jing, just because she wasn''t as good as she wanted to be, so everyone else had to give in to her and care for her, otherwise it would be someone else''s fault. Such an ideology was both selfish and shameless.

    "You have a distinguished status. Can¡¯t you marry anyone you want to in the future? Why do you have to choose Tang Zhen?" Lu Jing asked reluctantly.

    Ye Zhen shook her head and chuckled. She still didn''t know what exactly had happened for her to be thought to be tied together in marriage with Tang Zhen. If it weren''t for Lu Jinging to look for her, she wouldn''t have known about it. "So, you are in love with Tang Zhen?"

 Chapter 453: I Am Not Afraid (2)

    <h4>Chapter 453: I Am Not Afraid (2)</h4>

    Lu Jing just pursed her lips and said nothing.

    "It seems not. Fourth Sister, please go back." Ye Zhen looked at her lightly. If it was something else, she could help Lu Jing, but she (LJ) questioned her with such a rightful stance, making her very unhappy. Although she would not marry Tang Zhen, it was not because of her (LJ) that she wouldn¡¯t choose to do so.

    Lu Jing stared at her(YZ) resentfully. "You¡¯re treating your sister like this, you won''t have a good life in the future."

    Ye Zhen looked at her silently, indifferent to her curses.

    "You have nothing to say?" Lu Jing asked angrily.

    "I don''t know if I will have a good life in the future, but, Lu Jing, I can let you live a not good life now," she said indifferently.

    Lu Jing''s face turned pale. "Do you think the eldest brother and the old madam will let you hurt me?"

    "Then you think¡­ If they find out about what you said to me today, what will they do to you?" Ye Zhen looked at Lu Jing contemptuously. Ever since she came to the Lu Family, this Lu Jing had always looked at her unfavorably. In the past, she only felt that the other wasn¡¯t worth it for her to make even a small fuss. She too was unwilling to argue with a little girl but did not think that her concessions would give an impression that she was cowardly.

    "You¡­!" Lu Jing pointed at her angrily. "Are you threatening me?"

    Ye Zhen resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Lu Jing, you are not worth it for me to do this. If this is what you wanted to say when you came to me, please go back. I will not promise you nor can I promise you."

    Lu Jing''s eyes flushed slightly. "Since I am inferior to you now, it does not mean that I will be inferior to you in the future too. Lu Yaoyao, I will definitely remember this humiliation today."

    ???

    Ye Zhen watched the retreating Lu Jing as she ran away and shook her head. Lu Jing¡¯s temper was really one that came from the Lu Family''s education. After all, she was not only a merchant-born but a concubine-born as well, so though on the surface she appeared to be the same as any other youngdies from the marquis mansion, in some ways, she stillcked a certain elegance that noble youngdies exuded.

    Then, after she made herself presentable, she called Yu Ping and Dai Mei in for questioning. She wanted to know what had happened at home recently.

    ording to them, apart from the fact that the eldest madam was still crying in her yard, nothing else had happened. They had never even heard of news about her and Tang Zhen.

    Thus, Ye Zhen decided to go to Pei <i>Shi</i> first.

    ¡°Mother, today I went to see Mister Chen and paid my respects to him as my master. In the future, he will teach me medical skills!¡± Ye Zhen did not ask about Tang Zhen when she saw Pei <i>Shi</i>. Instead, she first told her about today¡¯s matter of her formally bing an apprentice to a master.

    A delighted Pei <i>Shi</i> said. ¡°Did Mister Chen ept you as an apprentice?¡±

    Ye Zhen knew that Pei <i>Shi</i> would like the news as she nodded. ¡°En. I¡¯ll go out to practice medicine with him in a few days, and when Ie back, I will go to the pce and resign from my physician status. Mother, what do you say?¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s good.¡± She nodded at once. In fact, from the moment Yaoyao was titled Princess, she had long wanted to stop her daughter from going to the pce and work as a physician. But now that Huangfu Chen was her master, her identity had be even more extraordinary, so whether she could be a physician in the future or not didn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°Today, Master said he was studying how to detoxify Eldest Brother. Mother, how is Eldest Brother¡¯s health?¡± she asked, pretending to be worried.

    Pei <i>Shi</i> sighed. ¡°In the past, <i>Qijie</i> Grass could inhibit the toxin in his body, but none of us expected that the <i>Qitiantong</i> would be this strong¡­ Now¡­ Now it¡¯s almost useless and your eldest brother can¡¯t sleep at night, feeling like every bone in his body is hurting fiercely.¡±

    <i>Oh.</i> Knowing that Lu Lingzhi was not doing well, Ye Zhen felt that she could feel at ease.

    ¡°Everything will be fine when Master develops an antidote.¡± Ye Zhen whispered, outwardlyforting while inwardly hoping that no matter what antidote was developed, it would be of no use to her nemesis.

    Pei Shi felt sorry for her nephew, but she also didn¡¯t want to say too many unhappy matters before her daughter, so she smiled and diverted the topic. ¡°By the way, there¡¯s one more thing I want to tell you.¡±

    Ye Zhen tilted her head and looked at her mother with bright and clear eyes. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about Marquis Jing Ning.¡± Pei <i>Shi</i> couldn¡¯t help but beam at the mention of Tang Zhen. ¡°He wants to propose marriage. Your father and I both think it¡¯s quite good. Old Madam also likes him very much. What do you think of him Yaoyao?¡±

    ¡°Tang Zhen¡­ came to propose marriage?¡± Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

 Chapter 454: Will You Marry Me?

    <h4>Chapter 454: Will You Marry Me?</h4>

    How is that possible? How could hee to propose when he has not had the answer to her question? She thought he had decided to not give up everything he had in the Capital, so she never mentioned anything that happened that day. <i>Why did he suddenly propose marriage?</i>

    Pei <i>Shi </i>smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s not considered a marriage proposal just yet. Lingzhiing to probe your father¡­ Isn¡¯t that because Tang Zhen entrusted him with the matter?¡±

    Ye Zhen frowned lightly. She felt Tang Zhen was not the kind of person who woulde to propose marriage without even asking her first. <i>So, does that mean this has something to do with Lu Lingzhi? Is he in a hurry to marry me off?</i>

    ¡°Grandmother knows you¡¯re back today and she has been asking for your presence since early in the morning. You go and greet her now,¡± she said with a smile, not noticing the look on her daughter¡¯s face as she led her to the upper hall.

    ¡°Mother, have you all agreed?¡± Ye Zhen asked in a whisper as she took her hand into her own.

    Pei <i>Shi</i> nodded. ¡°Mother has inquired about all the eligible young men in the capital, and no one is more suitable than Tang Zhen. Could it be that you don¡¯t like him?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see Tang Zhen first,¡± Ye Zhen said.

    ¡°Very well!¡± Pei <i>Shi</i> smiled and nodded in agreement. However, in her heart, she believed that her daughter must also like him and only needed to talk to him because she wanted to be more sure of the marquis¡¯s mind.

    The pair of mother and daughter then fell silent as they went to Old Madam Lu¡¯s courtyard to greet her. There was a spell of intimacy between grandparents and grandchildren, however, owing to the fact that there were others in the room, the matriarch did not mention anything about Tang Zhen. In any case, she only needed to see the barest hint of Pei <i>Shi</i> nodding her head to her to know the oue.

    The next day, Ye Zhen did not go to the pce, instead, she was going to see Tang Zhen. Just before she left the door of the Lu Family, Old Madam Lu also received an order from the empress dowager to enter the pce to pay respect to her.

    Meanwhile, learning that Ye Zhen wanted to see him, Tang Zhen did not go to the pce. And as soon as the time came, he immediately went to the appointed location to wait for her. Not long after, he saw a carriage bearing Lu Family¡¯s crest slowly approach ande to a stop nearby.

    ¡°Yaoyao.¡± Seeing his sweetheart standing in front of him, Tang Zhen felt a burst of joy and smiled.

    ¡°Brother Tang.¡± Her sleeves moved as she curtsied. ¡°Please forgive me for inviting you over so abruptly.¡±

    Tang Zhen hurriedly waved his hand and said, ¡°Yaoyao, what does this little thing matter? Is there anything I can do for you?¡±

    ¡°I hear you¡¯re going to the Lu Family to propose?¡± She was not shy and nervous. Instead, she looked straight at Tang Zhen, eyes calm.

    ¡°Yaoyao¡­.¡± He didn¡¯t expect that she would ask about this matter. He nced at her cautiously and saw that her eyes were bright and clear, as calm as water. There was no joy nor shyness in them. Although there was a trace of doubt on her beautiful, elegant, and pure face, it was not the kind of bashfulness he had expected. ¡°Do you not like it?¡±

    She spoke, voice low, ¡°It¡¯s not a question whether I like it or not, Brother Tang. You know what the problem is.¡±

    ¡°The matter between you and the emperor?¡± he asked with a bitter smile as he gazed down at her.

    ¡°Brother Tang¡­.¡± Her face changed slightly. <i>What did he know?</i>

    Tang Zhen smiled self-deprecatingly and said, ¡°That day in the hunting grounds, the emperor did not even care about his life when he jumped in to save you. I have already been able toe to my own conclusion.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible between His Majesty and me,¡± she said, shaking her head gently. ¡°If I were to say that if I get married, I want to leave this ce in the future¡­.¡±

    ¡°As long as I am willing to give up everything and leave the capital with you, you will marry me?¡± he asked, taking her hand into his, looking straight at her.

    She looked back into his eyes seriously and said, ¡°Brother Tang, what exactly do you like about me? If, in the future, you find that I¡¯m not the girl you want, will you and I still be husband and wife at that time?¡±

    He looked at her in shock. ¡°Yaoyao, what are you talking about? My heart and eyes are full of you now. How can you not be the girl I want?¡±

    ¡°There are many things in this world that cannot be exined,¡± she said, smiling. ¡°Brother Tang, you are a good man, so before you marry me, you better think clearly if¡­ you are really willing to give up everything for me.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao, do you want to leave the capital because of His Majesty?¡± he asked in a low voice. He knew that she didn¡¯t have him in her heart, but he still¡­he couldn¡¯t give up.

    ¡°Yes and also no,¡± she said faintly. ¡°Since you know that His Majesty and I¡­ then, why do you still want to take me as your wife?¡±

    Tang Zhen looked at her determinedly. ¡°I always have to give it a try. I don¡¯t want to live in regret all my life.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Ye Zhen snorted coldly. ¡°It was my eldest brother who asked you to propose, didn¡¯t he?¡±

 Chapter 455: Persuasion

    <h4>Chapter 455: Persuasion</h4>

    Tang Zhen had never wanted to keep anything from Ye Zhen, so he told her about Lu Lingzhiing over to look for him the other day. He told her that, initially, he had already retreated because he knew what the emperor had in mind for her, but then with her eldest brother¡¯s persuasion, his confidence was renewed to continue his pursuit.

    She listened to his exnation and nodded gently. ¡°I understand, then I¡¯ll go back first.¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao¡­.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but call out to her. ¡°Are you¡­ unwilling?¡±

    ¡°Brother Tang¡­ I wish to study medicine with my master in a few days. Wait for me toe back, at that time if you still want to marry me¡­ you can mention this matter then,¡± she said. Anyway, right now, whether she agreed or not, Mo Rongzhan would not allow her to marry anyone. Besides, she also didn¡¯t want to involve Tang Zhen when she was uncertain.

    He nodded gently, the corner of his lips forming a smile involuntarily. At least she didn¡¯t refuse him outright now, which proved that he still had a chance.

    Ye Zhen, who intended to go back to the Lu Family and question Lu Lingzhi, was clueless that at this time Old Madam Lu was talking to Empress Dowager about her marriage.

    ¡°¡­ Did you say Marquis Jing Ning and Yaoyao?¡± Hearing that Tang Zhen was nning to propose marriage to Yaoyao, Empress Dowager hastily put down the cup of tea in her hand, and asked, ¡°Is this true?¡±

    ¡°Merely at the stage of probing the idea at the moment. Right now, it should be a case of young people looking at each other, but fearing that the elders do not approve. This old subject originally nned toe and ask you in two days, but there happened to be an opportunity today, so this old subject took it,¡± Old Madam said with a smile.

    Empress Dowager said, ¡°<i>Aijia</i> knows Tang Zhen, who has been following the emperor for several years now, is a very nice young man.¡±

    Old Madam Lu smiled and said, ¡°Yes, ah. He and my Lingzhi are also good friends. Thus, somewhat, we already know a little about him. What do you think of the match, Empress Dowager?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good, ah. Still, tomorrow <i>aijia</i> will summon him to the pce and take a closer look. If he really knows how to cherish her, then <i>aijia</i> will grant them a marriage,¡± she said, covering her smile. She truly loved Yaoyao, thus she naturally wished that she would have a good marriage.

    ¡°Empress Dowager, there is one more thing¡ª¡± Old Madam Lu nced over in embarrassment.

    Empress Dowager smiled, ¡°Old Madam Lu, is there anything that you can¡¯t say to <i>aijia</i>?¡±

    ¡°Although Yaoyao already has the identity of a princess, we¡­ We all hope that she will marry down to Tang Zhen¡­ We don¡¯t wish for her to¡­.¡± Old Madam Lu trailed off, afraid that saying it out loud would make Empress Dowager unhappy. Thus, she was unable toplete her words.

    ¡°<i>Aijia</i> understands what you mean. The emperor has put Tang Zhen in an important position, and to let him marry to the princess is indeed unsuitable. If he really knows how to cherish and love Yaoyao, <i>aijia</i> will definitely let Yaoyao marry down to him,¡± she said, smiling.

    The old matriarch was very grateful. ¡°Many thanks, Empress Dowager.¡±

    The two talked about Tang Zhen¡¯s family background, and the more they conversed, the more they felt he was suitable for Yaoyao. And the more they spoke of it, the happier they became. Still, out of certain consideration, they did not immediately set down the marriage.

    However, the moment Old Madam Lu left the pce, Empress Dowager could not wait to find out more. So, she immediately ordered Aunt Cheng to inquire about Tang Zhen and his household. After all, she would certainly not agree to the marriage if there were any <i>tongfang</i> and concubines in his back courtyard.

    Although Aunt Cheng knew what the emperor had in mind for Ye Zhen, she now did not think too much about it. After all, one was the emperor and the other a princess. Granted, even if she had such thoughts in the past, now she didn¡¯t think it was possible between them. So, she simply followed Empress Dowager¡¯s order and found out everything she could about Tang Zhen¡¯s family, which took her only half a day.

    ¡°Let alone a concubine, there is not even a single <i>tongfang</i> in his backyard. Furthermore, his personal attendants are all young manservants. From this, this servant can be presumptuous and say that Marquis Jing Ning is a clean-living and honest man, Empress Dowager,¡± Aunt Cheng said with a smile.

    Empress Dowager became more and more satisfied when she heard the result of Aunt Cheng¡¯s investigation. ¡°You go and pass on <i>aijia¡¯s </i>order. Have Marquis Jing Ninge and see <i>aijia</i> tomorrow.¡±

    Aunt Chengplied with the order, smiling.

    ?

    Lu Lingzhi was in the outer courtyard¡¯s study, reading a book when he suddenly heard a light sound of approaching footsteps. He looked up and went out to check, just in time to see Ye Zhen slowly making her way over.

    For a moment, he fell into a trance, feeling the pain he had buried in the bottom of his heart spread little by little. Before him, it was as if there were two figures alternating with one another walking towards him. One was the beautiful Lu Yaoyao and the other was the equally beautiful Ye Zhen. In his mind, the two ovepped, seemingly having the same expression, and sometimes they even spoke with the same tone. He could hardly tell who was who.

    Ye Zhen came to a stop at a certain distance from Lu Lingzhi and looked at him coldly.

    ¡°Yaoyao?¡± he asked, somewhat uncertain of who was standing in front of him.

    ¡°It seems that Eldest Brother¡¯s poisoning is getting more and more severe. Can you not even tell who I am?¡± she asked with a cold smile.

 Chapter 456: I Do Owe Her

    <h4>Chapter 456: I Do Owe Her</h4>

    Lu Lingzhi forced a bitter smile out and said, ¡°Yaoyao, Eldest Brother here is somewhat confused. What can he do for you?¡±

    ¡°I am unclear of the reason why you treat me like I am Ye Zhen¡­ One thing I¡¯m sure of is that you¡¯re obsessed with her. You haven¡¯t done anything wrong to her, have you?¡± she asked, looking at the other with a smile that was not a smile. She absolutely did not believe the excuse he gave that he mistook her for Ye Zhen because he missed her. In fact, she was certain his reaction was because he had killed her, so he felt guilty whenever he saw her who had the same face as the deceased Wang Fei. This poisoning must have made him unable to control himself and made him mistake her for her twin several times.

    ¡°Indeed, I do owe her.¡± He sighed before he looked at the little girl gently. ¡°Yaoyao, what can I do for you?¡±

    Her voice was very cold as she asked, ¡°Why did you ask Tang Zhen to propose marriage after you forgot yourself and mistook me for Ye Zhen? Do I make you uneasy living in the Lu Family?¡±

    He chuckled and said, ¡°Yaoyao, you misunderstand. Tang Zhen has long been interested in you. I¡¯m just mentioning it for him to Third Uncle. In fact, he had told me a few months ago, just¡­ at that time, you had yet to attend school and start your study, so it was hard to act as your matchmaker.¡±

    ¡°Whether it is due to this reason or not, you know it clearly in your mind.¡± She lightly said, ¡°I won¡¯t let you control my life as you please nor am I a puppet you can marry off to whoever at your will. Why are you in a hurry to marry me off anyway? Do you feel ufortable when you look at Yaoyao everyday?¡±

    ¡°Yaoyao, what on earth are you talking about?¡± His gentle and smiling face gradually grew colder with each word that came out of her mouth. He reached out and put his hand on her shoulder. ¡°How could I do this kind of thing to you? Don¡¯t let your imagination run wild.¡±

    Ye Zhen pushed his hand away in disgust. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi was a little embarrassed and at a loss. He didn¡¯t know how to make this little girl believe him, make her believe that he only wanted to betroth her to Tang Zhen for her own good.

    ¡°Eldest Brother!¡± Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s voice came from outside the study and Ye Zhen put away the indifferent expression she donned as she looked back, only to see Lu Xiangzhiing through the door. He also saw her and his eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Eh, Yaoyao, why are you here too?¡±

    ¡°Brother.¡± Ye Zhen smiled sweetly at the other. Although she hadn''t met Lu Xiangzhi only for several days, she already missed him a little.

    Lu Xiangzhi deftly rubbed Ye Zhen¡¯s head before looking at Lu Lingzhi. ¡°Eldest Brother, Teacher has promised to see you tomorrow. Let¡¯s go to the Xu Family together then?¡±

    Ye Zhen nced at Lu Lingzhi and wondered why he was looking for Old Xu at this time.

    ¡°Alright, then Fourth Brother, I will trouble you.¡± Lu Lingzhi nodded with a smile.

    Lu Xiangzhi waved his hand, unbothered. ¡°This is simply a matter of lifting one¡¯s hand, Eldest Brother, no trouble at all. Now then, I¡¯ll talk to youter. I want to talk to Yaoyao first.¡±

    ¡°Go on ah!¡± Lu Lingzhi smiled and nodded his head.

    ?

    "Brother, what is Eldest Brother looking for?" Ye Zhen followed Lu Xiangzhi, and still couldn''t help but ask him curiously.

    Lu Xiangzhi smiled and said, "I don''t know either. Eldest Brother asked to see Master Xu several times before, but he had already closed his doors, not epting any visitors. I don''t know why he is looking for him either."

    Ye Zhen red at him irritably. "You don''t even know what he''s seeing Master Xu about, how could you ask for an appointment on his behalf? What if there¡¯s a chance you upset him?"

    "Yaoyao, why do you still have this attitude towards Eldest Brother? He is our elder brother. No matter what it is, you should help him." Lu Xiangzhi smiled and patted her head. "You, just a little girl, are so stingy."

    "How is this me being petty? Brother, you don''t know,st time Eldest Brother said he wanted to kill me in the carriage." Sheined aggrievedly. She knew that Lu Xiangzhi had brotherly love for Lu Lingzhi, but she didn''t.

    <i>How could she hope that everything goes well for Lu Lingzhi like everyone else in the Lu family? Only when his life gets worse, would her heart feel better.</i>

    Lu Xiangzhi hadn''t heard about this, so he looked at his sister in surprise. "Why? What did Eldest Brother do to you?"

    "I don''t know." She was very aggrieved. She pulled his hand and said softly, "He suddenly called me Zhen Zhen and said he owed me something. Anyway, it was something I didn''t understand, and then he said he was going to kill me. Brother, I was very scared that day."

    "Yaoyao, Eldest Brother certainly didn''t mean it." Heforted her. "He was poisoned, perhaps at times, his consciousness would not be clear. Otherwise, he would certainly hate to do something that would hurt you."

    Ye Zhen pouted. "Brother, you always speak for him."

    "He is our eldest brother. In order for everyone in the Lu family to live a better life, he was willing to risk life and limb, went to Western border, and got poisoned as a result. Yaoyao, he works harder than all of us. We should be considerate of him," he said softly.

    Yes, as a member of the Lu family, she must be grateful to Lu Lingzhi. It was he who was willing to risk life and limb for them, that they were able to have glory today. But who in the Lu family knew that Lu Lingzhi had stepped on her corpse, betrayed her in the past to have this today?

 Chapter 457: Drive Away

    <h4>Chapter 457: Drive Away</h4>

    <i>How could she be considerate of Lu Lingzhi like the Lu family? She wished he could go to hell/drop dead!</i>

    "Brother, all right, I won''t me Eldest Brother." She didn''t want him(LXZ) to see that she hated that man.

    "This is good," he said with a smile, "By the way, I may be transferred out to other ces¡­"

    Ye Zhen was taken aback for a moment. "Transferred out? Was this Master Xu¡¯s idea?"

    Lu Xiangzhi smiled and nodded. "You are unexpectedly quite clever. Master thinks that the best ce for me in the capital is the Hanlin Academy, but Father is already in Hanlin. What Master meant¡­ was that he hopes I can go to the military."

    "I agree." Ye Zhen nodded. "Brother, your martial arts are also good, you don''t necessarily have to stay at the Hanlin Academy. If Father has the opportunity to join the cab in the future, then you will not be able to join the cab. Anyway, your future will be blocked. It is better to go to the army. Where does Master Xu want for you to go?"

    "I''m not sure, I just came back today to discuss this with Father," he said.

    Now that the rebellion of the Western border had subsided, the Jin Country had no wars going on for the time being. The only thing to guard against was the border. To the south was the Qi state. The two countries had always been on friendly terms. There would be no war for the time being. The one with rtively poor rtions with Jin was Dongqing. If one wanted to do meritorious service, naturally they¡¯d have to go to Bian city.

    "Brother, don''t you want to go to Bian city?" Ye Zhen asked quietly.

    Lu Xiangzhi''s eyes widened. "How did you know?"

    The little girl smiled triumphantly. "Seeing you like this, can I still not guess?"

    "It seems that our Yaoyao is getting smarter and smarter." He patted her head. "I heard that Big Brother Tang came to propose a marriage?"

    "Brother!" Ye Zhen red at him. "You, what are you saying out of nowhere?¡±

    Lu Xiangzhiughed. "Oh, feeling bashful? What''s there to be shy about? It''s not easy for you to get married after all."

    She angrily waved her hand and punched him on the shoulder. "What do you mean it''s not easy for me to get married, do I look like I can''t get married? Lu Xiangzhi, stop for me, why are you running?! Come back!"

    "I''m telling the truth, look at you, little girl, so fierce. Who¡¯d dare to marry you?" Lu Xiangzhiughed as he ran.

    "I''m going to beat you to death!" Ye Zhen angrily shouted, and broke into a run chasing after him. The two arrived at Pei Shi''s courtyard one after the other, and only when they reached the door did Lu Xiangzhi immediately stop. His entire face was grim as he looked at the scene within.

    Ye Zhen caught up to him and wanted to beat him up, but she found a woman in in clothes kneeling in her mother¡¯s courtyard. That woman''s face was pale and she looked pitiful as she begged Pei Shi to give her a way out.

    The woman was Xue Liu, the very one who had served Lu Shiming before. When Lu Shiming went to the border town, she stayed, thinking that she would be able to have a ce when he returned, but it turned out contrary to her wish. Lu Shiming and Pei Shi had a deep affection. He simply did not want to have anything to do with his former maid. Xue Liu''s love fell short and she long since med Pei Shi.

    Pei Shi, in her room, was so angry that her chest hurt. If it weren''t for her concern for her reputation, she would have already called for people to have Xue Liu thrown out

    "What''s the matter with you all? This kind of shameless trash should have long been thrown out, so why has she still been left here to anger Mother?" Ye Zhen walked in with a calm face and shouted angrily at the women next to her.

    "Third Young Miss, Sister Xue Liu has been ill for several days, we just want to ask Third Madam to get her a doctor," the little servant girl next to Xue Liu timidly said.

    Ye Zhen sneered. "You really think of me as something, a servant who is very sick and dares to approach Third Madam, who will take the me if she bes sick? Hai Tang, have someone pack up her things and send them to the back room. It''s really bad luck!"

    Xue Liu''s face changed and there were tears on her cheeks. ¡°Third Miss is really impressive. She even dares to teach her father''s servants a lesson."

    <i><strong>Pa!</strong></i>

    Hai Tang¡¯s palm shed past. "Presumptuous, even daring to question the princess. Xue Liu, who gives you such courage?!"

    Ye Zhen smiled faintly. ¡°Hai Tang, there is no need to say more to such a person, just throw her out. If the old madam asks, just say it was my idea. Her illness seems to be not light and she is afraid that it will infect others, for the sake of the family''s health, it is better for her to not stay in the Lu family."

    "Yes, Third Miss." Hai Tang couldn''t hide the smile on her face. "This ve will go and report to the old madam."

    Like this, Ye Zhen settled Xue Liu who had been blocking people''s hearts for a long time. She then turned around and went into Pei Shi''s room.

    Lu Xiangzhi, who was standing on the sidelines for a long time, had already been left dumbstruck.

    <i>The imposing little girl just now¡­ was it really my sister? Dang! I simply can''t dare to believe it!</i>

 Chapter 458: Intimate Little Cotton-padded Jacket

    <h4>Chapter 458: Intimate Little Cotton-padded Jacket</h4>

    Seeing Xue Liu being dragged out, Lu Xiangzhi walked into the room dumbfounded. Ye Zhen, the little daughter was acting coquettishly with Pei Shi. She waspletely different from the fierce and powerful person outside just now.

    "Your Royal Highness, this lowly one just now acted discourteously, I beg the princess for forgiveness, please don''t expel me." Lu Xiangzhi bowed with trepidation.

    Ye Zhen snorted. "Mother, this person just said that I can''t get married, what do you think should be done with him?"

    Pei Shi said with a smile, "Throw him out."

    Lu Xiangzhi immediately jumped up. "Mother, are you still my mother?"

    "You deserve it!" Ye Zhen smiled happily. "Who let you bully me?"

    Pei Shi turned her head to look at her daughter. "Yaoyao, you just chased her out like this, how will you exin to your grandmotherter?"

    "Mother, is it necessary for a sick servant to stay and pass her illness onto others if she is not allowed to go out to recuperate?" Ye Zhen hid the coldness in her eyes. She knew that Lu Shiming had no intentions towards her, yet she(XL) insisted on using her status as a concubine(servant)* to make others feel disgusted. If she did not take the opportunity to chase this kind of person away, how long would she have to wait?

    [*<i>Previously, Xue Liu was said to be a servant but whether or not she is a tongfang- lowest-ranked concubine, isn¡¯t certain cos the author hasn¡¯t made it clear. Tongfangs are usually servants who get upgraded to concubines.</i>]

    "She has served* your father before, and also in front of the olddy for many years¡­" Most of the time Pei Shi still endured Xue Liu so far because she didn''t want the olddy to think she couldn''t tolerate people. Although the old madam didn''t say anything, she still restrained herself. Fortunately, her husband never cared about this woman(XL).

    [*<i>We aren¡¯t certain if the ¡®serve¡¯ here also means serving in ¡°bed¡±, and again, the author hasn¡¯t rified.</i>]

    Ye Zhen sneered. "So what? Isn''t she a servant after serving Father?"

    Pei Shi frowned. She felt that her daughter''s words made sense because she cared too much about the matriarch''s opinion of her, she had been hesitant to do many things and didn''t dare to let go of it. <i>No matter what, Xue Liu is just a ve, can''t she still decide on whether she should leave or stay next?</i>

    "Yaoyao, you''ve grown up!" Pei Shi looked at Ye Zhen, deeply moved. She thought her daughter still needed her protection, but she didn''t know that she had grown up quietly. And today, she revealed herself as a beautifuldy for the first time. Majestic and imposing, she just heard her daughter''s words sitting inside the room just now, and she wondered if she had heard her wrong.

    Ye Zhen smiled and leaned on Pei Shi¡¯s shoulder. "I will always be my mother''s intimate little cotton-padded jacket*."

    [*<i>TL/N: intimate little cotton-padded jacket ¨C It¡¯s a saying in Chinese that girls are like their mothers'' intimate little cotton-padded jacket meaning they care for their mothers and are gentle and sweet. Obviously, this is absurd as daughter or son doesn¡¯t matter as long as they¡¯re brought up in a kind, loving and understanding environment each will take care of their parents. Thanks foring to my TED talk. ??</i>

    <i>If you¡¯re interested please check out this article and read it till the end:</i>https://daydaynews/en/baby/212228.html ]

    Lu Xiangzhi said, "Mother, look, where do we need to worry about Yaoyao being bullied in the future? It would be nice if she doesn''t bully others."

    Pei Shiughed and hit him. "You just know how to y up your sister!"

    "Serves you right!" Ye Zhen pped her hands and eximed. "Mother, my brother has been spoiled, we need to marry him to a sister-inw who is like a tigress in the future."

    "There are already two tigresses in the family, must I marry another one?!" Lu Xiangzhi cried out.

    Ye Zhen snorted coldly. "You need to be beaten again."

    "<i>Sigh</i>, it''s hard to support women. I''ll go find my eldest brother." Lu Xiangzhi pretended to sigh helplessly, shook his head, and bowed to Pei Shi. "Mother, I will take my leave."

    Peiughed and scolded, "Go, go, go."

    "It seems that I am not a mother''s intimate little cotton-padded jacket but a piece of rag." Lu Xiangzhi sobbed aggrievedly and ran out when the two tigresses were about to beat him.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s mood improved greatly after Lu Xiangzhi¡¯s antics. "Mother, I''m going to see Grandmother."

    "Your grandmother has entered the pce. Today, the empress dowager summoned her into the pce to apany her."

    Although Lu Wushuang was no longer the Gui Fei, the empress dowager had not changed her attitude towards the Lu family. She would always reward the old madam with good things. For the Lu family, this is also a good thing.

    "What did Grandmother go into the pce for?" Ye Zhen was taken aback. <i>Howe she suddenly entered the pce?</i>

    Pei Shi smiled and said, "How would I know that? She probably went for a chat with Empress Dowager."

    Ye Zhen was a little worried. <i>The old madam wouldn''t tell Empress Dowager about her marriage today, right? Even if she was willing to marry Tang Zhen, she could not bring up the wedding at this time. Mo Rongzhan would never agree! If he knew about this¡­ </i>She did not dare to imagine how angry he would be.

    She only hoped that even if the empress dowager knew, she would not tell him. After a few more days, she would tell the old madam that she should not mention her marriage for now. Otherwise, she would not know what Mo Rongzhan would do.

 Chapter 459: Zhen Does Not Approve (1)

    <h4>Chapter 459: Zhen Does Not Approve (1)</h4>

    <i><strong>Zhen</strong></i><strong> Does Not Approve (1)</strong>

    Returning to her room with a nervous heart, Ye Zhen asked Dai Mei to go to the upper hall to inquire. The matriarch had not returned yet, so without having other things to do, she went to the study to read books. Huang Fu Chen had given her many books on divination and medicine, although she had an eidetic memory, it would still take quite a long time to read those books.

    It was easy for her to get fascinated by what she was reading. Time slowly passed, and it was dark in a blink of an eye. Yu Ping came in with amp to persuade her mistress to have dinner. Ye Zhen held a book in one hand and a steamed stuffed bun* in the other and simply ate like this. She was simply stuffed!

    [*b¨¡o zi]

    When she put down the book and remembered that she had to greet the old madam, thetter was already asleep.

    The next day, Ye Zhen went to apany Old Madam Lu for breakfast early and heard that she had told the empress dowager yesterday about her marriage, and when she heard that Empress Dowager was about to summon Tang Zhen today, she silently decided not to enter the pce today.

    She had heard that Qi Yizheng was going to Huaijiang tomorrow, so she went to ask her master for help and have Qi Yizheng take her to Huaijiang with him.

    ?

    Ci Ning Pce

    The empress dowager had already met Tang Zhen and was extremely satisfied with him. She was currently considering how to grant the marriage.

    "You have to choose a good day. Yaoyao is only fifteen years old, and Aijia is reluctant to let her get married so quickly.

    Aunt Cheng covered her mouth and smiled. "You want the princess to apany you more."

    While they were talking, Mo Rongyi came over to pay his respects to his mother, just to hear the words of marriage. "Imperial Mother, what are you talking about? Who is getting married?"

    When the empress dowager saw her youngest son arrive, her lips lifted into a joyous smile. "We¡¯re talking about Yaoyao. Today, Aijia has seen Tang Zhen. He and Yaoyao are truly a pair of talented man and beautiful woman*."

    [*<i>ÀÉ²ÅÅ®Ã²: l¨¢ng c¨¢i n¨· m¨¤o</i>¨C <i>talented man and beautiful woman; ideal couple]</i>

    Mo Rongyi''s eyes lit up. "Imperial Mother, you mean, Yaoyao and Brother Tang¡­?"

    "Yes, Tang Zhen went to Lu''s family to propose marriage, and Old Madam Lu begged Aijia to confer marriage. Aijia took a look at Marquis Jing Ning and found him to be quite good," she said with a smile.

    "Big Brother Tang is very good." Mo Rongyi felt that the two of them matched each other. "Imperial Mother, can you let me have the wedding wine when the timees?"

    The empress dowager smiled and said, "Of course you''re going, you''re even going to send Yaoyao away."

    Mo Rongyi immediately became happy. "Then I also have to prepare some dowry for Yaoyao. If anyone dares to bully her in the future, I will stand up for her."

    Since Ye Zhen had saved Mo Rongyi in the hunting grounds without regard for her own life, he now treated her as his own sister.

    The empress dowager smiled. "You are considered a brother-inw, so naturally you have to take a stand for Yaoyao."

    Mo Rongyi thought to himself that he had to mention to the brother emperor so that the emperor would give Yaoyao more good things to show that he valued Yaoyao in order that no one would dare to bully her in the future.

    ?

    Mo Rongzhan, who was in the imperial study at the moment, felt a little restless today. <i>Is it because that little girl has yet to return to the pce?</i>

    ¡°Fude, go and see if the princess is in the pce.¡± Mo Rongzhan ordered with a light tone, feeling rueful about his state. He had never known that the saying ¡®one day apart seems like three years¡¯ was true, however, he now had to admit its authenticity. He had not seen the little girl for just a day, yet he was already feeling ufortable all over his body.

    From this, it was clear that regardless of what kind of emotions one had, it all depended on who the recipient was. If you met the right one, then no matter how cold a person you were, you would still inadvertently change.

    ¡°Your Majesty, this ve had just gone to check. The princess has yet to enter the pce.¡± Eunuch Fu whispered, afraid to look up and see his master¡¯s expression since there was another piece of information he had just found out. One that he didn¡¯t know how the emperor would react to if he knew.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s heart was somewhat gloomy. <i>Howe she has not entered the pce yet? Could it be¡­ something happened?</i> He wondered, idly picked up the teacup and drank a mouthful of tea. He lightly nced at Eunuch Fu and noticed that his personal retainer seemed to be somewhat strange today. ¡°Has Marquis Jing Ning entered the pce today?¡±

    Eunuch Fu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Your¡­ Your Majesty, Empress Dowager summoned Marquis Jing Ning today. However, he has left Cining Pce and just returned to Jinwu Wei for the morning roll call.¡±

    Tang Zhen was the left general of Jinwu Wei whose sole duty was to guard the pce and the capital day and night. He was responsible for enforcingpliance to the emperor¡¯s rule as well as opening the path and guarding the emperor¡¯s back, patrolling the surroundings round the clock and standing guard at night when he travelled.

    <i>Why did Empress Dowager want to see Tang Zhen?</i> Mo Rongzhan wondered, still unbothered with the news. ¡°What order did Empress Dowager have for Tang Zhen?¡±

    ¡°To¡ª¡± A fine sheen of sweat glistened on Eunuch Fu¡¯s forehead and he nced at Mo Rongzhan before he whispered the answer. ¡°Yesterday, when Old Madam Lu entered the pce, Empress Dowager sent word to Marquis Jing Ning, asking the marquis to go to the pce today.¡±

    <i>Old Madam Lu?</i> Mo Rongzhan¡¯splexion sank slightly. <i>Imperial Mother met Tang Zhen, how did it have anything to do with Old Madam Lu?</i>

    Just when he was contemting this new information, Mo Rongyi had already requested an audience outside.

 Chapter 460: Zhen Does Not Approve (2)

    <h4>Chapter 460: Zhen Does Not Approve (2)</h4>

    <i><strong>Zhen</strong></i><strong> Does Not Approve (2)</strong>

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Mo Rongzhan frowned and looked at his younger brother. ¡°Where were you nning to go if you¡¯re not in the study at this time?¡±

    ¡°Brother Emperor, today I do not need to go to the study. Just now, I came from the Imperial Mother¡¯s pce.¡± Mo Rongyi bowed before he smiled at his brother and began speaking. ¡°Brother Emperor, Imperial Mother is going to bestow marriage between Yaoyao and Marquis Jing Ning. I also want to buy something to add to Yaoyao¡¯s dowry, but I don¡¯t know what to buy. Brother Emperor, can you lend me a few people? I want to buy¡ª¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s heart suddenly sank and when he spoke, his voice was low and cold. ¡°What did you just say? Marriage bestowment?¡±

    ¡°Imperial Mother is going to bestow marriage between Yaoyao and Brother Tang, Brother Emperor¡ª¡± Before Mo Rongyi could finish his words, he saw Mo Rongzhan standing up fiercely.

    <i><strong>BANG!</strong></i>

    The teacup in Mo Rongzhan¡¯s hand shattered to pieces as he stood up with a sullen expression. Then, he strode out of the imperial study.

    Extremely frightened, Eunuch Fu knelt on the ground and kept his eyes there, not daring to raise his head at all, let alone take a look at the emperor. He knew better than anyone that his master had feelings for Lu Yaoyao. If the empress dowager really bestowed her a marriage¡­ he couldn¡¯t imagine what the emperor would do.

    Therefore, out of everyone gathered there, only Mo Rongyi was confused. ¡°Eunuch Fu, what did this prince say wrong? Why does Brother Emperor look so angry?¡±

    ¡°Little Prince, it¡¯s not that you¡¯re wrong, it¡¯s¡­ Marquis Jing Ning can¡¯t marry the princess,¡± Eunuch Fu said, almost in tears.

    [*<i>g¨­ng zh¨³ ju¨¦ w¨¨i¡­ g¨­ng zh¨³- princess, ju¨¦ w¨¨i- order of feudal nobility, namely: Duke ¹«[gong1], Marquis ºî[hou2], Count ²®[bo2], Viscount ×Ó[zi3], Baron ÄÐ[nan2]]</i>

    Empress Dowager¡¯s face froze. ¡°Your Majesty, did Yaoyao do something wrong?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan answered indifferently, ¡°No.¡±

    <i>Since she has done nothing wrong, then why should she be demoted to a county princess (Junzhu)?</i> Empress Dowager thought, looking puzzled. However, when she looked at Mo Rongzhan¡¯s cold expression, a sh of lightbusted in her mind and she suddenly understood everything!

    ¡°Your Majesty, you¡­ Yaoyao is already an imperial princess, and your status is already that of brother and sister. Have you not given up on her yet?¡± Empress Dowager hurriedly asked.

 Chapter 461: Reckless Son

    <h4>Chapter 461: Reckless Son</h4>

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s clear and handsome face showed a faint smile, silently telling her that he had never let go nor said anything remotely resembling giving up. ¡°Imperial Mother, Zhen wants Yaoyao. She can¡¯t marry anyone else for the rest of her life.¡± His voice was deep and mellow, sounding very cold and resolute.

    ¡°Ajia does not approve!¡± Empress Dowager said angrily, ¡°How can you make your younger sister an imperial concubine? Heaven and earth will not tolerate this!¡±

    He said, ¡°Zhen has never regarded Yaoyao as my younger sister. She is also not Zhen¡¯s younger sister.¡±

    Empress Dowager was furious. ¡°You¡­ What did you do to Yaoyao? She¡­ don¡¯t tell me she is¡­.¡±

    ¡°Imperial Mother, you know Yaoyao. Even if she is unwilling to agree at first, she willpromise in the end.¡± The corners of Mo Rongzhan¡¯s mouth curled up, suddenly missing the little girl¡¯s exasperated appearance.

    ¡°You are forcing Yaoyao! Ajia will not agree!¡± she whispered, voice as still as death. It was one thing if they were in love with each other. However, if Yaoyao did not have that sort of intention for the emperor, could he still force her to enter the pce?

    He said in a low voice, ¡°Imperial Mother, Zhen will make Yaoyao agree. So, before she agrees, please do not bestow a marriage to her. Zhen will not permit her to marry anyone else.¡±

    The mother looked deeply at her son and said, ¡°You know that she looks the same as Ye Zhen, yet you are still attracted to her? Then why were you so indifferent to Ye Zhen in the first ce?¡±

    ¡°How can Ye Zhen bepared with Yaoyao!¡± he eximed, anger seeping into his tone.

    ¡°Your Majesty, in the end, what do you actually want to do?¡± she asked as she took a deep breath, feeling helpless. ¡°If this is only a momentary desire of yours~¡±

    ¡°How did Ajia never know that her son is such a thoughtless man!¡± Empress Dowager unhappily swatted Mo Rongzhan¡¯s arm. ¡°Ajia can¡¯t believe that you kept it from her for so long. If Ajia had known earlier that you are unwilling to give up, at that time, she would certainly not confer Yaoyao as the imperial princess. But now that decision has hurt her instead!¡±

    ¡°Zhen had tried to prevent you at that time,¡± he said with a smile.

    ¡°You quickly get out of here. Ajia doesn¡¯t want to see you for the next few days,¡± she said angrily.

    How could she exin this to Old Madam Lu and the Lu Family? There needed to be a justification behind her sudden refusal to bestow a marriage between Yaoyao and Tang Zhen. She couldn¡¯t, after all, tell them that the emperor disagrees with this match because he was thinking of marrying Yaoyao into the pce in the future, could she? It would definitely frighten the Lu Family if she were to be given this reason. What was more, it was very likely that Yaoyao didn''t want to marry the emperor. And she certainly couldn¡¯t force Yaoyao by the same means as her thoughtless son, could she?

    <i>Ah, what a headache!</i>

 Chapter 462: Drunk and Wailing (1)

    <h4>Chapter 462: Drunk and Wailing (1)</h4>

    ¡°Thank you, Imperial Mother.¡± The corners of Mo Rongzhan¡¯s lips rose high in tion. He had known for a long time that as long as he wanted it, Empress Dowager would not stop him.

    Empress Dowager did not reply, unwilling to even look at him at the moment as she put away all the jewelry on the table.

    Not minding it, Mo Rongzhan left Cining Pce happily.

    When he came across Mo Rongyi in the imperial garden, he frowned and stopped to call his younger brother, who was trying to avoid him. ¡°Ah Yi, where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Brother Emperor, I¡­ I am thinking of going back to the prince¡¯s quarters,¡± Mo Rongyi said with a forced smile on his face.

    ¡°Is this the way back to the prince¡¯s quarters?¡± Mo Rongzhan snorted coldly. ¡°Do you need a sign that says this is the way to your Imperial Mother¡¯s pce?¡±

    Mo Rongyi¡¯s eyes were widened into a circle as he stared at his elder brother in shock. <i>How does Brother Emperor know what he is going to do?</i> ¡°Brother Emperor, I¡­ I need to get out of the pce right away. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    ¡°Want to find Yaoyao?¡± Mo Rongzhan looked at the little boy faintly. He still couldn¡¯t see what his younger brother was thinking, but he knew what to do as soon as his tails turned up. ¡°Don¡¯t say a word to her about the marriage that Imperial Mother is nning to bestow to her.¡±

    ¡°Brother Emperor, why?¡± Mo Rongyi looked at his elder brother standing in front of him. <i>Could it be that what Eunuch Fu said is true? Brother Emperor really and truly¡­ likes Yaoyao?</i>

    Mo Rongzhan snorted coldly and asked, ¡°Do you rather prefer Yaoyao bes someone else¡¯s wife, or would you rather she bes your sister-inw?¡±

    "In the future, she will only be Empress, not Marquis''s wife."

    Those were the emperor¡¯s words. There was no unnecessary reprimand, and there was no other threat. Just one sentence was enough to make him lose all his ability to speak.

    Tang Zhen left the pce in a daze. Although he had known the oue, he still felt he should fight lest he regrets in the future. But now, he finally had his answer¡­ The reason the emperor had rushed to save Yaoyao, disregarding his own life, was not because he lusted over her beauty¡­ nor was it an act of impulse¡­ It was because Yaoyao dwelled in a deep ce in his heart, deeper than his own.

    Even if he were to lose, he was still willing.

    However, a slight pain still lingered in his heart. As such, he found a tavern and doused himself in the strongest alcohol. Thinking that he would be fine if he was drunk for a while and would be able to rx once he woke up.

 Chapter 463: Drunk and Wailing (2)

    <h4>Chapter 463: Drunk and Wailing (2)</h4>

    Lu Lingzhi had been to see Master Xu today. On his way back to the Lu Mansion, he spotted Tang Zhen''s carriage outside the tavern. He told the servant to stop and went in to look for the marquis.

    Inside a room, sat a Tang Zhen, face crimson and eyes blurry. He looked sloshed.

    "Ah Zhen, what are you doing?" Lu Lingzhi frowned at the sight of his good friend. He had known Tang Zhen for many years now and this was the first time seeing him this drunk.

    Tang Zhen opened his eyes and saw the other. ¡°Ah, it''s you. Come and drink with me."

    Lu Lingzhi took the gon from his hand. ¡°Did something happen to you?"

    "I just want to drink." Tang Zhen chuckled and finished the remaining wine in one gulp.

    "Even in your younger days you never drank to get drunk. How much did you drink?" The more Lu Lingzhi thought about it, the more confused he became. <i>Tang Zhen looks very distressed. Did something really happen?</i>

    Tang Zhen chuckled. ¡°Stop talking nonsense and drink with me!"

    Lu Lingzhi quickly thought of something about what could¡¯ve upset this guy. Tang Zhen had always been optimistic and would never drink to this degree. <i>It¡¯s definitely not a small matter. What has happened recently?</i>

    "Ah Zhen, is it¡­It''s rted to Yaoyao?"

    "Yes, Miss." She smiled and agreed.

    "It''s gettingte. Have the little maid to fetch water." After tidying up, ayer of sweat covered her body. The moon was already up in the middle of the sky, and the entire Lu Mansion was silent. They must all be asleep.

    Soon, Mei Lanfang brought the water in, filled the tub with water, and prepared the clothes for changing. Then she left.

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 Chapter 460: Zhen Does Not Approve (2)

    <h4>Chapter 460: Zhen Does Not Approve (2)</h4>

    <i><strong>Zhen</strong></i><strong> Does Not Approve (2)</strong>

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Mo Rongzhan frowned and looked at his younger brother. ¡°Where were you nning to go if you¡¯re not in the study at this time?¡±

    ¡°Brother Emperor, today I do not need to go to the study. Just now, I came from the Imperial Mother¡¯s pce.¡± Mo Rongyi bowed before he smiled at his brother and began speaking. ¡°Brother Emperor, Imperial Mother is going to bestow marriage between Yaoyao and Marquis Jing Ning. I also want to buy something to add to Yaoyao¡¯s dowry, but I don¡¯t know what to buy. Brother Emperor, can you lend me a few people? I want to buy¡ª¡±

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s heart suddenly sank and when he spoke, his voice was low and cold. ¡°What did you just say? Marriage bestowment?¡±

    ¡°Imperial Mother is going to bestow marriage between Yaoyao and Brother Tang, Brother Emperor¡ª¡± Before Mo Rongyi could finish his words, he saw Mo Rongzhan standing up fiercely.

    <i><strong>BANG!</strong></i>

    The teacup in Mo Rongzhan¡¯s hand shattered to pieces as he stood up with a sullen expression. Then, he strode out of the imperial study.

    Extremely frightened, Eunuch Fu knelt on the ground and kept his eyes there, not daring to raise his head at all, let alone take a look at the emperor. He knew better than anyone that his master had feelings for Lu Yaoyao. If the empress dowager really bestowed her a marriage¡­ he couldn¡¯t imagine what the emperor would do.

    Therefore, out of everyone gathered there, only Mo Rongyi was confused. ¡°Eunuch Fu, what did this prince say wrong? Why does Brother Emperor look so angry?¡±

    ¡°Little Prince, it¡¯s not that you¡¯re wrong, it¡¯s¡­ Marquis Jing Ning can¡¯t marry the princess,¡± Eunuch Fu said, almost in tears.

    [*<i>g¨­ng zh¨³ ju¨¦ w¨¨i¡­ g¨­ng zh¨³- princess, ju¨¦ w¨¨i- order of feudal nobility, namely: Duke ¹«[gong1], Marquis ºî[hou2], Count ²®[bo2], Viscount ×Ó[zi3], Baron ÄÐ[nan2]]</i>

    Empress Dowager¡¯s face froze. ¡°Your Majesty, did Yaoyao do something wrong?¡±

    Mo Rongzhan answered indifferently, ¡°No.¡±

    <i>Since she has done nothing wrong, then why should she be demoted to a county princess (Junzhu)?</i> Empress Dowager thought, looking puzzled. However, when she looked at Mo Rongzhan¡¯s cold expression, a sh of lightbusted in her mind and she suddenly understood everything!

    ¡°Your Majesty, you¡­ Yaoyao is already an imperial princess, and your status is already that of brother and sister. Have you not given up on her yet?¡± Empress Dowager hurriedly asked.

 Chapter 461: Reckless Son

    <h4>Chapter 461: Reckless Son</h4>

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s clear and handsome face showed a faint smile, silently telling her that he had never let go nor said anything remotely resembling giving up. ¡°Imperial Mother, Zhen wants Yaoyao. She can¡¯t marry anyone else for the rest of her life.¡± His voice was deep and mellow, sounding very cold and resolute.

    ¡°Ajia does not approve!¡± Empress Dowager said angrily, ¡°How can you make your younger sister an imperial concubine? Heaven and earth will not tolerate this!¡±

    He said, ¡°Zhen has never regarded Yaoyao as my younger sister. She is also not Zhen¡¯s younger sister.¡±

    Empress Dowager was furious. ¡°You¡­ What did you do to Yaoyao? She¡­ don¡¯t tell me she is¡­.¡±

    ¡°Imperial Mother, you know Yaoyao. Even if she is unwilling to agree at first, she willpromise in the end.¡± The corners of Mo Rongzhan¡¯s mouth curled up, suddenly missing the little girl¡¯s exasperated appearance.

    ¡°You are forcing Yaoyao! Ajia will not agree!¡± she whispered, voice as still as death. It was one thing if they were in love with each other. However, if Yaoyao did not have that sort of intention for the emperor, could he still force her to enter the pce?

    He said in a low voice, ¡°Imperial Mother, Zhen will make Yaoyao agree. So, before she agrees, please do not bestow a marriage to her. Zhen will not permit her to marry anyone else.¡±

    The mother looked deeply at her son and said, ¡°You know that she looks the same as Ye Zhen, yet you are still attracted to her? Then why were you so indifferent to Ye Zhen in the first ce?¡±

    ¡°How can Ye Zhen bepared with Yaoyao!¡± he eximed, anger seeping into his tone.

    ¡°Your Majesty, in the end, what do you actually want to do?¡± she asked as she took a deep breath, feeling helpless. ¡°If this is only a momentary desire of yours~¡±

    ¡°How did Ajia never know that her son is such a thoughtless man!¡± Empress Dowager unhappily swatted Mo Rongzhan¡¯s arm. ¡°Ajia can¡¯t believe that you kept it from her for so long. If Ajia had known earlier that you are unwilling to give up, at that time, she would certainly not confer Yaoyao as the imperial princess. But now that decision has hurt her instead!¡±

    ¡°Zhen had tried to prevent you at that time,¡± he said with a smile.

    ¡°You quickly get out of here. Ajia doesn¡¯t want to see you for the next few days,¡± she said angrily.

    How could she exin this to Old Madam Lu and the Lu Family? There needed to be a justification behind her sudden refusal to bestow a marriage between Yaoyao and Tang Zhen. She couldn¡¯t, after all, tell them that the emperor disagrees with this match because he was thinking of marrying Yaoyao into the pce in the future, could she? It would definitely frighten the Lu Family if she were to be given this reason. What was more, it was very likely that Yaoyao didn''t want to marry the emperor. And she certainly couldn¡¯t force Yaoyao by the same means as her thoughtless son, could she?

    <i>Ah, what a headache!</i>

 Chapter 462: Drunk and Wailing (1)

    <h4>Chapter 462: Drunk and Wailing (1)</h4>

    ¡°Thank you, Imperial Mother.¡± The corners of Mo Rongzhan¡¯s lips rose high in tion. He had known for a long time that as long as he wanted it, Empress Dowager would not stop him.

    Empress Dowager did not reply, unwilling to even look at him at the moment as she put away all the jewelry on the table.

    Not minding it, Mo Rongzhan left Cining Pce happily.

    When he came across Mo Rongyi in the imperial garden, he frowned and stopped to call his younger brother, who was trying to avoid him. ¡°Ah Yi, where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Brother Emperor, I¡­ I am thinking of going back to the prince¡¯s quarters,¡± Mo Rongyi said with a forced smile on his face.

    ¡°Is this the way back to the prince¡¯s quarters?¡± Mo Rongzhan snorted coldly. ¡°Do you need a sign that says this is the way to your Imperial Mother¡¯s pce?¡±

    Mo Rongyi¡¯s eyes were widened into a circle as he stared at his elder brother in shock. <i>How does Brother Emperor know what he is going to do?</i> ¡°Brother Emperor, I¡­ I need to get out of the pce right away. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    ¡°Want to find Yaoyao?¡± Mo Rongzhan looked at the little boy faintly. He still couldn¡¯t see what his younger brother was thinking, but he knew what to do as soon as his tails turned up. ¡°Don¡¯t say a word to her about the marriage that Imperial Mother is nning to bestow to her.¡±

    ¡°Brother Emperor, why?¡± Mo Rongyi looked at his elder brother standing in front of him. <i>Could it be that what Eunuch Fu said is true? Brother Emperor really and truly¡­ likes Yaoyao?</i>

    Mo Rongzhan snorted coldly and asked, ¡°Do you rather prefer Yaoyao bes someone else¡¯s wife, or would you rather she bes your sister-inw?¡±

    "In the future, she will only be Empress, not Marquis''s wife."

    Those were the emperor¡¯s words. There was no unnecessary reprimand, and there was no other threat. Just one sentence was enough to make him lose all his ability to speak.

    Tang Zhen left the pce in a daze. Although he had known the oue, he still felt he should fight lest he regrets in the future. But now, he finally had his answer¡­ The reason the emperor had rushed to save Yaoyao, disregarding his own life, was not because he lusted over her beauty¡­ nor was it an act of impulse¡­ It was because Yaoyao dwelled in a deep ce in his heart, deeper than his own.

    Even if he were to lose, he was still willing.

    However, a slight pain still lingered in his heart. As such, he found a tavern and doused himself in the strongest alcohol. Thinking that he would be fine if he was drunk for a while and would be able to rx once he woke up.

 Chapter 467: Stop at the Point

    <h4>Chapter 467: Stop at the Point</h4>

    Ye Zhen woke up and found that her eyes were swollen. Last night, she cried a few times because of Mo Rongzhan. She cursed him in her heart countless times. She dabbed cold water and a bit of <i>lingquan</i>, it was a while before the swelling finally subsided.

    After breakfast, she went to bid farewell to Old Madam Lu and Pei Shi. She said she was going out to practice medicine with Huangfu Chen but did not tell them that she would be away for a few days. If they knew that she was going to Huaijiang and that she would not return for half a year, they would definitely not let her go.

    Taking advantage of the fact that it was still early, Ye Zhen already left the city gate with Huangfu Chen''s carriage. She was very afraid that Mo Rongzhan would find out and stop her halfway.

    Old Madam Lu had someone see Ye Zhen out, and she immediately missed her. With this granddaughter acting like a spoiled child in front of her from time to time, she found the days interesting, but now she didn''t know when the little girl woulde back.

    "Old Madam, Xue Liu in Third Master''s courtyard was chased home by Third Miss yesterday," a maidservant who was massaging old Madam Lu''s leg nced at her and whispered.

    "Huh?" Madam Lu raised her eyebrows. ¡°She was chased away by Yaoyao?"

    The maid told the old madam that Xue Liu was sick and wanted to ask for a doctor. ¡°¡­Coincidentally, Third Miss went to find Third Madam. When she saw Xue Liu kneeling outside the courtyard, she had someone send her home."

    Chen Hao walked in from outside and happened to hear the maid''s words. She red at her and said, ¡°What things are you saying to the old madam?¡±

    Old Madam Lu smiled and said, ¡°It doesn''t hurt for me to hear it. I didn¡¯t expect Yaoyao to have such courage."

    "Third Madam is a little worried." Chen Hao smiled. In fact, the old madam had sent Xue Liu over to make it clear that she would let the third madam deal with her. Unfortunately, Pei Shi was worried that the matriarch would not be happy and had never made a move on Xue Liu, which added to her worries.

    "Yaoyao, that''s good. I won¡¯t worry about her getting married in the future." Madam Lu smiled.

    The maid didn''t expect the old madam to think that the Third Miss was good at everything. She immediately shut her mouth and didn''t dare to speak for Xue Liu anymore.

    Chen Xi sent her off and rubbed the matriarch''s shoulders. ¡°Old Madam, I don¡¯t know when the empress dowager will grant our Third Miss a marriage. Once this marriage is confirmed, you will have to get busy and find some good wood to make furniture for Third Miss."

    Old Madam Lu beamed. ¡°You must prepare well."

    Chen Hao secretly sighed in her heart. Second Miss''s marriage was also approaching, but the old madam no longer cared much about it.

    The master and servant were happily talking about how to prepare a dowry for Lu Yaoyao when Aunt Cheng came.

    Old Madam Lu was overjoyed. She thought that there was some news, so she immediately told Chen Ying to bring Aunt Cheng in.

    Aunt Cheng smiled and bowed. ¡°Old Madam."

    "Aunt Cheng, please have a seat," Old Madam Lu said with a smile, but her heart was a little curious. Seeing Aunt Cheng like this didn''t seem like she was here for the sake of her granddaughter¡¯s marriage.

    "Old Madam, the empress dowager ordered this servant to send you a few words," Aunt Cheng sat down and whispered to Madam Lu.

    Old Madam Lu''s heart skipped a beat and everyone in the room retreated. She asked Aunt Cheng in a low voice, ¡°What orders does Empress Dowager have?"

    "Old Madam, Third Miss and Marquis Jing Ning''s marriage¡­ Don''t mention it again," Aunt Cheng leaned over and whispered.

    "This is¡­" Old Madam Lu was shocked. <i>Could it be that there was some obstacle?</i>

    Auntie Cheng felt that if she didn''t mention it more clearly, the Lu family would probably misunderstand. "Old Madam, Third Miss has a better future. Just you wait, this marriage¡­ It isn''t only Empress Dowager, the emperor has to give a nod too*."

    [*approve]

    Old Madam Lu became even more confused. <i>Could it be that Empress Dowager agreed, but the emperor did not? Isn¡¯t Yaoyao''s future good now? What''s better than a marquis''s wife? The only princess of the dynasty marrying the Marquis of Jing Ning, what better future is there than being a marquis¡¯s wife?</i>

    "Aunt Cheng, your words make me more and more confused. Did she make the emperor unhappy?" Old Madam Lu asked cautiously.

    Aunt Chengughed lightly. ¡°The emperor treats Third Miss as a treasure, how could he not be happy?"

    Old Madam Lu''s expression changed. If she didn''t understand what she meant, she would have lived for so many years in vain.

    <i>The emperor treats Yaoyao¡­as a treasure?!</i>

 Chapter 468: Empty Room (1)

    <h4>Chapter 468: Empty Room (1)</h4>

    Aunt Cheng said, ¡°Old Madam, this servant still has to go back to report the matter, so I will go back to the pce now."

    The matriarch was stunned for a long time before she came back to her senses. She stood up and asked Chen Ying to send Aunt Cheng out.

    <i>A better future¡­</i> She sat back down and savored Aunt Cheng''s words. <i>If she didn''t guess wrong, would that be what she thought? Just now, Aunt Cheng had called her Third Miss and did not even mention the word princess.</i>

    <i>Was the emperor really interested in Yaoyao? Then what kind of concubine position did he want to give her?</i>

    Old Madam Lu was a little shocked. She felt that if the emperor really liked Yaoyao, the imperial concubine position he gave to Yaoyao would not be lower than Shuang''er¡¯s*.

    <i>Perhaps¡­ perhaps it would be the empress¡­</i>

    [*Lu Wushuang was a Gui Fei and the highest for the imperial concubine, only below the empress.]

    Thinking of this, she sat up straight and did not dare to continue thinking.

    "Go, quickly invite Third Madam.over, Madam Lu shouted loudly.

    "Grandmother, why are you so anxious to find Third Aunt?" Lu Lingzhi walked in from outside and said to Old Madam Lu with a smile.

    When Old Madam Lu saw him, she finally found someone who she could discuss with. ¡°Aunt Cheng just left, the marriage between Yaoyao and Marquis Jing Ning¡­ I''m afraid it won''t work."

    "Grandmother, I know.¡± Lu Lingzhi smiled and nodded.

    "How much do you know?" Old Madam Lu was shocked. <i>Does he know everything?</i>

    Lu Lingzhi sighed and told her about Tang Zhen''s drunkenness yesterday, including the words of the empress, not the marquis''s wife.

    "Never thought¡­ I didn''t expect Yaoyao to have such good fortune." Old Madam Lu''s heart skipped a beat. She had never dreamt that the Lu family would have an empress. She had thought that having an imperial concubine was already amazing, but she was banished.

    "Let''s not talk about this matter for now. It¡¯s not certain yet. If we misunderstand, I¡¯m afraid that the emperor will suddenly change his mind," Lu Lingzhi whispered.

    Old Madam Lu nodded. ¡°You''re right. There''s no telling if there''s anything that hasn''t been dered yet. Don''t tell anyone about this for now."

    "Grandmother, if it is true¡­ Only she can let Shuang''er return to the pce," Lu Lingzhi whispered.

    "This matter should be taken slowly. The sisters still have a knot in their hearts," Old Madam Lu said.

    Lu Lingzhi nodded gently and did not say that he had arranged to see Lu Wushuang. He could not meet her openly without the emperor''s order. Nian Tzu Temple was not a ce that just anyone could enter, so he could only sneak in at night.

    Therefore, he needed time.

    ?

    Mo Rongzhan was in the morning court. As he was perusing the memorial in the imperial study, he was itching to reenact the beautiful scene fromst night. He longed to see that little person more than ever.

    <i>If she were toe to the imperial study now¡­ the little girl would certainly not agree to it. I had better wait and have her help(me) apply the medicine. </i>Although the reason was not really justified, he was the emperor, so who would dare to say anything.

    Mo Rongzhan was done reading the memorials and the ministers hade to discuss how to execute Prince Shun and the others.

    "Exempt them from the death penalty. They can''t escape from the consequences. Let''s imprison them," Mo Rongzhan said indifferently.

    "The emperor is merciful." Several ministers got down to their knees and bowed. The emperor was right not to kill these princes. The people in the world would only think that the emperor was merciful and showed mercy to their brothers. They would not think that he was weak.

    Unknowingly, most of the day passed by, Mo RongZhan had lunch and asked Eunuch Fu to go to the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard to invite Lu Yaoyao over.

    Eunuch Fu suppressed his smile and agreed, but unfortunately, did not invite anyone over.

    "Princess hasn''t entered the pce yet?" Mo Rongzhan raised an eyebrow. <i>Is she still angry? Last night, she was¡­ She seemed to be crying a little too much. Would she feel ufortable?</i>

    "Your Majesty, do you want this ve to go to the Anyang Marquis''s Mansion?" Eunuch Fu asked in a low voice.

    Mo Rongzhan reckoned the little girl might not dare toe to see him; because ofst night''s incident, she wouldn''t want to enter the pce. Suddenly, he was inexplicably in a somewhat cheery mood. "No need."

    He wanted to see her again tonight, so he had to coax her back.

    Eunuch Fu looked at the emperor and knew there would be another visit tonight.

    Thinking about how he would still be able to get a kiss at night, Mo Rongzhan went about things with renewed motivation. When night descended, he left the pce with his retainer.

    He entered Ye Zhen''s boudoir but found not a single person within.

    <i>Where is she?</i> Mo Rongzhan''s eyes darkened as he looked at the empty room. <i>Is she hiding somewhere?</i>

    Unable to find the little figure, his mood, which had been expectant the entire day, plummeted to the bottom. With a dark face, he came out of the Lu Mansion, shocking Eunuch Fu who was hiding in the corner.

    <i>Why did the emperore out so soon?</i>

 Chapter 469: Empty Room (2)

    <h4>Chapter 469: Empty Room (2)</h4>

    "Return to the pce!" Mo Rongzhan''s face was gloomy. He concluded that Ye Zhen might be at Old Madam Lu''s or Pei Shi''s courtyard tonight. She must be deliberately avoiding him.

    <i>Hmph, this little girl, would be punished the next time I see her.</i>

    At this moment, Ye Zhen, who had already left the capital, was sleeping soundly at an inn. Having left the city, she felt her entire body rx. She no longer had to worry about confronting Mo Rongzhan nor did she have to pay attention to any marriage. In any case, she only wanted to do what she liked to do.

    Of course, what made her most happy was that her master had left the capital with her. As a result, Lu Lingzhi''s remnant poison, which could not be cured by anyone, would torment him for quite some time.

    Ye Zhen slept beautifully and woke up in high spirits. She now looked like a thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy. Her skin was dark, facial features ordinary*. There was only a pair of bright eyes. Looking at the person in the mirror, she couldn''t help but sigh. Master''s disguise skills were indeed better than hers. When she met him yesterday, he gave her a new disguise that couldst for several days.

    She and her master had met with Imperial Physician Qi*. However, he did not recognize her(YZ). He only thought that she and Dai Mei were apprentices beside their master, so he tacitly agreed to follow them.

    [*Qi Yizheng who went out of town to cure Lu Lingzhi.]

    However, they only followed him for a day before they discontinued. Imperial Physician Qi and the others were walking too fast for them to follow. Huangfu Chen hoped that Ye Zhen could learn more on the road. Sometimes, she had to learn medical skills, so bing a bell doctor* was also an option.

    [*ÁåÒ½- l¨ªng y¨©- is basically a wandering doctor that wanders around with a bell and a medicine box, ringing their bell to solicit patients, treating patients as they go.]

    Ye Zhen had two reasons for going to Huaijiang. One was to avoid Mo Rongzhan, and the other to broaden her horizons. She had lived in the capital her entire life. When she died, she realized that all her life had been spent living for someone else.

    Her father had once said that whether a person''s life was poor or rich, the most important thing is to live a splendid life.

    "Master, is this our way to Huaijiang?" Ye Zhen asked curiously. <i>This didn''t seem like an official road to Huaijiang.</i>

    Huangfu Chen said with a smile, ¡°If we walk the official road, I'' m afraid you will be brought back to the capital soon."

    Ye Zhen immediately thought of Mo Rongzhan. If he discovered that she had left the capital, he might really have sent someone to bring her back.

    "Master, where are we going now?" Ye Zhen''s eyes lit up. She felt that as long as the Master wanted to take her away, she would definitely not let anyone bring her back.

    Huangfu Chen saw her expression and said with a smile, ¡°I have a¡­ a friend''s daughter is suffering from a strange illness. We happen to be passing by. If she has not been cured, we can go over and treat her."

    These words sounded strange. ¡°Master, when did your friend''s daughter get sick?"

    "A month ago." Huangfu Chen rubbed his eyebrows and said, "I think so."

    Ye Zhen didn''t know what to say. ¡°Then why¡­ Only now did you think of treating her?"

    Huangfu Chen sighed helplessly. ¡°Every day, I receive letters from people all over the world who know me. They all have patients at home, so how can I treat them one by one?"

    Not to mention that he didn''t know all those people and did not have the energy to save the world. It wasn''t that he had not traveled all over the world to treat illnesses before, but he discovered that most of them were just to prove that they could invite people from the Huangfu family to tend to them. They weren''t really beyond cure, so he decided to hide his whereabouts and had received much fewer letters.

    "Why would they write to you?" Ye Zhen asked out of curiosity. Who was Huangfu Chen? Even though she, who had been cooped up in the Duke of Qin''s residence for two years in the past without bothering about the world outside*, had heard of him, so how could people write to him this easily?

    [*¹ÂÂª¹ÑÎÅ g¨± l¨°u gu¨£ w¨¦n: ignorant and inexperienced; ill-informed and narrow-minded]

    Huangfu Chen said helplessly, "Grandaunt likes to help others. Before she went into seclusion, she asked people to look for me, so¡­."

    Ye Zhen''s eyes lit up. ¡°Your grandaunt¡­ Is it Princess Zhen Yue?"

    "I didn''t expect you to know my grandaunt." Huangfu Chen smiled.

    "Who doesn''t know the famous doctor, Princess Zhen Yue?" She was somewhat proud, as she was very familiar with the story between Qi Yanling and Princess Zhen Yue.

    Huangfu Chen smiled faintly, ¡°On the way, we would only treat those who really need to be healed, and those who are greedy for fame we would ignore.¡±

    Ye Zhen didn¡¯t know how Huangfu Chen knew who really needed medical treatment and who didn¡¯t. Anyway, she just needed to listen to him. "Okay, Master."

    "We will spend some time on the road, and we may arrive at Huaijiangter than my aunt." Huang Fuchen saw that the glimmer in the eyes of his disciple was brighter than the smile in his eyes.

    "Master, do you think there will be a disaster in Huaijiang this year?" Ye Zhen asked in a low voice, wondering if Bu Yan could be counted.

    "Have you figured it out?" Huangfu Chen asked in a low voice.

 Chapter 470: A Strange Inn

    <h4>Chapter 470: A Strange Inn</h4>

    Ye Zhen didn''t need divination to know that there would be a disaster in Huaijiang this year, but it hadn''t happened yet. Qi Jin had already gone there(HJ) early, but she didn''t know if Qi Jin was also ahead of schedule in her previous life, but it would be useless. In the rainy season two monthster, there would still be a gue there(HJ), she could only know so much. As to why the gue would happen, and what would happen in Huaijiang, she really didn''t know anything. Even if she wanted to do something in advance, she didn''t know where to start.

    "I had a divinationst night." Ye Zhen whispered, "It is a natural disaster¡±

    Huangfu Chen was slightly startled, could she tell that it was a natural disaster or a man-made disaster? He had also made a prediction yesterday, but there was no such distinction. Although it was fierce, it was somewhat vague and immutable, and from the perspective of the prediction, Huaijiang was full of variables.

    ¡°Natural disaster?¡± Huangfu Chen asked again.

    Ye Zhen nodded slightly. "Master, maybe I was wrong."

    Huangfu Chen frowned, shook his head, and whispered, "Last time, didn¡¯t you say it was an ominous divination? Although we can''t change this kind of divination, we always have to find a way to reduce casualties, so let''s rush to Huaijiang as soon as possible. ¡±

    "Okay, Master,¡± said Ye Zhen. There were still two months to go, and Qi Jin had already rushed to Huaijiang. "Master, it is better that we first ask people to bring a letter to Imperial Physician Qi so that she can be on guard." ¡±

    "You write a letter, and I''ll arrange for someone to send it to my aunt," Huangfu Chen said.

    Ye Zhen responded with a smile, she didn''t dare to expect to be able to change the natural and man-made disasters in Huaijiang with that little impression of the previous life, but if there was a little help, it was also to be fought for.

    She went back to the carriage to write a letter to Qi Jin. She said that it was Huangfu Chen''s divination and that he had foreseen a possible disaster in Huaijiang. She didn¡¯t borate for that was all she knew anyway. Also, she suggested seeking the prefectural magistrate, Huaiyang¡¯s assistance.

    Their carriage had been on the mountain road for a day when it finally reached a vige before the sun went down.

    Huangfu Chen said, ¡°This vige is not big. It''s not easy to find a decent inn. Let''s find a ce to stay for the night."

    Late was the hour with no pedestrians on the road; only an oilmp was lit in a shabby-looking inn next to the entrance of the vige. Ye Zhen and Huangfu Chen looked at each other. Other than spending the night here, there seemed to be no other recourse.

    They parked the carriage outside the inn. The young manservant driving the carriage stepped down and went to find food for the horse while the pair of master and disciple entered the inn together.

    There was only an innkeeper, not even a waiter. He was dozing behind the table, oblivious to the arrival of guests. Huangfu Chen coughed lightly before he woke up.

    "Sirs, are you making a pitstop*?" The innkeeper hurriedly stood up, rubbed his eyes, and looked at Huangfu Chen.

    [*brief stop for rest and snacks]

    "We need amodation. Do you have any rooms?" Huangfu Chen asked indifferently and looked around the inn. Although it looked very small, it was still clean.

    The man seemed a little surprised. ¡°You want to stay?¡±

    "Is there no room?" Huangfu Chen asked.

    "Oh, yes! Yes!" he hastily nodded his head and quickly said with a smile, ¡°Does this guest prefer <i>Tian</i> or <i>Di</i>*?"

    [*Tian = heaven, Di= earth, technically a VIP room and average room]

    Ye Zhen was inwardly amused. Such a small inn was even divided into heaven and earth.

    Huangfu Chen smiled lightly. "Two <i>tian</i> rooms.¡±

    "Sir, this way please." The innkeeper held the oilmp and led them upstairs.

    Ye Zhen followed behind Huangfu Chen. She looked around suspiciously. Strangely, although it was dpidated, regardless of theyout, it could be seen that it was very exquisite. For this vige to have such an inn, the vige should be very prosperous.

    "We don''t have many guests here anymore. Sir, you must be hungry from all the traveling. I''ll have my wife make you some food," he said with a smile.

    "Then I''ll have to trouble Mr. Innkeeper," Huangfu Chen said.

    There were only two rooms under <i>tian</i>, and it could be seen that it was originally the same room, which waster separated into two. However, it was still clean, and the newly taken out mattress did not smell damp.

    After the innkeeper left, Ye Zhen went to look for Huangfu Chen.

    ¡°Master, don''t you think this inn is strange?¡± she asked in a low voice, "When you look at these pieces of furniture, which one is not a fine product, isn''t this a small vige? How can there be such an inn?¡±

    Huangfu Chen said, "I also noticed it, I''ll go out to have a look in a moment, and you can go back to the room and rest."

    Since her master had said so, she could only go back to her room first. Not long after, the innkeeper brought them dinner. It was just some coarse food, but it seemed to be done very carefully.

    Ye Zhen used a silver needle to try it out. There was no problem so she allowed Mei to eat with her.

    After a day of traveling, she was also a little tired. However, she was still wary about the inn so did not dare to sleep until Huangfu Chen told her that there was nothing wrong. Only then did she finally rx and sleep.

 Chapter 471: He Goes Berserk (1)

    <h4>Chapter 471: He Goes Berserk (1)</h4>

    The next day, Ye Zhen got up early. Smoke slowly rose from the kitchens in the vige, but the entire hamlet seemed very quiet, with very few people.

    "Innkeeper, what vige is this?" Ye Zhen sat by the window, holding the stuffed steam bun served by the innkeeper as she queried curiously.

    "This is Gujia Vige," the innkeeper replied in a low voice, "where are you gentlemen headed?"

    Ye Zhen did not answer him, only continued to ask, ¡°Do the people from your vige work in the field this early?¡±

    The innkeeperughed dryly and said, ¡°That''s right, they¡¯ve all gone to work."

    "Master, drink tea." Ye Zhen poured a cup of tea she had personally brewed for Huangfu Chen.

    Huangfu Chen put down the stuffed steamed bun that he hadn''t even taken a bite of while Ye Zhen took a sip of tea and nodded with a smile. ¡°Mmm, good tea."

    Of course, it was good tea. It was made with <i>lingquan </i>after all. Originally, she didn''t want her master to drink <i>lingquan, </i>however, the innkeeper¡¯s behaviour kept fueling the weariness. There was no problem with the food that was servedst night, but the steamed buns that were brought over this morning, one wouldn¡¯t dare take a bite.

    Seeing that they had had tea, the innkeeper quietly let out a sigh of relief and winked at the woman hiding at the side.

    "Master, let''s go." Ye Zhen felt the whole vige was somewhat strange, and urged Huangfu Chen to leave quickly.

    Huangfu Chen was about to get up but found Dai Mei and the coach-man Quan Fu sprawled on the table.

    " Dai Mei, Quan-fu?!" Ye Zhen startled, she had clearly asked them to drink the tea, did they not?

    "Yaoyao!" Huangfu Chen called to her in a low voice. ¡°Go check if the carriage is still there?"

    Ye Zhen dashed out, and sure enough, didn¡¯t see their carriage.

    She was about to report back to Huangfu Chen when a few burly men appeared in the inn holding a knife to her master¡¯s neck.

    ?

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s nightly visit to the little girl¡¯s boudoir ended in vain. He couldn¡¯t find her. However, it wasn''t until the next afternoon that he found out that the person he thought was taking shelter in Pei Shi¡¯s or the matriarch¡¯s courtyard in a bid to avoid him, had actually long left the capital with Huangfu Chen.

    The discovery turned a certain someone''s mood into an indescribable storm.

    "Lu Yaoyao and Huangfu Chen left the capital early yesterday?" Mo Rongzhan asked Eunuch Fu who was kneeling before him again with uncertainty.

    "Replying to the emperor, the Lu family¡­ That''s what Lord Lu said." Eunuch Fu was crying in his heart.<i> No wonder the emperor came out of the princess''s room so quicklyst night. The princess had already left.</i>

    "Where are they headed to?" asked Mo Rongzhan.

    Eunuch Fu buried his head even lower. "Your Majesty, the Lu family¡­ No one knows where the princess went, but I heard that she went to practice medicine with Mister Chen."

    "How did she leave the capital with Huangfu Chen?" <i>That damn little girl!</i> Mo Rongzhan''s chest ached from anger. She hadn''t said a word to him that night. She seemed to want to leave the capital long ago¡­ <i>Was it to avoid him?</i>

    "I heard that the princess is already Mr. Huangfu''s apprentice¡­." Eunuch Fu didn''t know if he should sympathize with the princess. <i>She quietly followed another man out of the capital. Even if it was Mister Chen, the emperor must be furious. When the princess returns, wonder what punishment would be awarded.</i>

    Mo Rongzhan was indeed so angry that he was about to go berserk. He thought that they had already reached this point, even though she still had a knot in her heart, he had exined everything clearly. As long as she was given time, she would always let it go. He had not expected that she would quietly leave the capital to avoid him.

    Did she ever consider his feelings? Didn''t she know that he would be worried about her, that he would miss her? She walked away easily and cared not about his feelings at all. It was the first time in twenty-four years that Mo Rongzhan realized what destion and disappointment meant.

    Even the little girl who had once saved him had never prated his soul like she had. He had even held his heart in front of her yet she didn''t care.

    Never had Eunuch Fu seen his master as such¡­ quiet and full of despair. He felt a chill in his heart. ¡°Your Majesty, should we send someone to find and bring back the princess?"

    "No need. She can go wherever she wants," Mo Rongzhan said coldly and waved Eunuch Fu to leave.

    He would just let her think that she could hide from him. She would always return to the capital. And once she did, he would spare her no time to agree to be his empress. In this lifetime, no matter if she was willing or not, she had to be his woman.

    Eunuch Fu cautiously stole a peek at his master, bowed his head, and withdrew.

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 Chapter 472: He Goes Berserk (2)

    <h4>Chapter 472: He Goes Berserk (2)</h4>

    At the Cining Pce, the empress dowager had also just found out that Ye Zhen had left the capital. She sighed andined to Aunt Cheng. ¡°The emperor must have scared her. Otherwise, why would she not even dare to enter the pce, and instead choose to run away? She said she didn¡¯t want to marry the emperor, yet he insisted on taking a fancy to the little girl.¡±

    Aunt Cheng covered her mouth and smiled. ¡°Princess is a beauty beyondpare and adorable. Aren¡¯t you also fond of her? His Majesty is valiant and in the prime of his life, how could he not be tempted upon seeing the princess?"

    The empress dowager snorted. "Didn''t Ye Zhen look good in the first ce?"

    "Empress Dowager, back then Qin Wangfei¡­ She was too repressed and hid everything in her heart. If she was like the princess, how could the emperor be cold to her for two years?" Auntie Cheng said softly. In the end, it was just that her fate was different.

    "If she wasn''t from the Ye Family, perhaps it would¡¯ve been different." The empress dowager sighed. ¡°Let''s not talk about her anymore. Ajia is still worried about Yaoyao. I don''t know where Mister Chen will take her, it''s better if she doesn''t encounter danger," she said.

    "Princess is a blessed person. No matter what happens, she cane back safely." Aunt Chengforted her.

    ?

    Ye Zhen and the others were indeed in danger.

    It was unknown where their carriage had been hidden. Inside the inn, several burly men had inexplicably appeared. That sharp broadsword was ced on Huangfu Chen''s neck. Dai Mei and Quan Fu were tied up. Ye Zhen wanted to save him but saw her master winking at her.

    "Innkeeper Liu, this has been a good month of business, unexpectedly, there are so many people." The ringleader guffawed and pped the innkeeper¡¯s shoulder.

    The innkeeper surnamed Liu only smiled dryly, looking at Ye Zhen and the others with guilt in his eyes.

    "Take them away. We¡¯ve been in need of manpower recently," the leader barked loudly.

    Someone pulled Ye Zhen''s carriage over. Dai Mei and Quan Fu had already been tossed into the carriage.

    "Who are you?" Ye Zhen asked in a deep voice. To actually capture someone in broad daylight, <i>is there still an imperialw?</i>

    "When you get to where you should go, you will naturally know who I am." The leader chuckled and said, ¡°Look at how well you look, slender and tender. Maybe you don''t have to go down to work."

    Ye Zhen was shocked. <i>Could it be that they had met a kidnapper? No, no, it didn''t look like it. Who are these people?</i>

    "You guys¡­ You rob the good people, do you still have imperialw in your eyes?¡± Ye Zhen demanded angrily. <i>Even if this ce was remote, it shouldn¡¯t be without official patrols ah!</i>

    The leader burst into loudughter that only got savage with time. ¡°Stinky brat, what the hell is imperialw?"

    Ye Zhen was so infuriated by their insolence that she was rendered speechless.

    Huangfu Chen gently nudged her with his shoulder, indicating that she did not need to continue. These people must not be as simple.

    "Let''s go. Throw them into the carriage and take them away," the leader ordered as he took out a silver ingot from his chest and gave it to Innkeeper Liu. Then, he strode out, mounted his horse, and left with his men.

    Inside the carriage, Ye Zhen nervously looked at Huangfu Chen. ¡°Master, what should we do? Who are they?"

    "Looks like someone from the army." Huangfu Chen whispered into Ye Zhen''s ear. ¡°I didn''t find anything peculiarst night. Today, I woke up to find that this vige doesn''t have any able-bodied men, only some women, children, and the elderly are farming. I think the disappearance of those strong in years has something to do with these people."

    <i>A member of the army?</i> Ye Zhen was shocked. <i>How could this be! How could anyone in the army dare to capture someone so openly?</i>

    "Calm down. Let''s go with them and see what''s going on," said the master to his disciple.

    Ye Zhen had never thought that she would encounter such danger on this trip. If these people really weren''t ordinary people, who could they be? From what the ringleader had said to Innkeeper Liu, it seemed that he had not only captured them but also captured quite a few others.

    Simplywless!

    "No matter what happens, don''t be afraid. Master is here," Huangfu Chen softly said to the little girl.

    Ye Zhen nodded lightly in response. For some reason, she felt at ease.

    ?

    Not long after the carriage was driven, someone came in and covered their eyes. He grumbled, ¡°You were drinking tea, but you still didn''t faint. Don¡¯t tell me the knockout drops were useless?"

    Ye Zhen blinked. She and her master had long discovered that there was something wrong with the things the innkeeper had sent over, so she added <i>lingquan</i> to the tea. It was the two idiots, Dai Mei and Quan Fu, who actually ate the steamed bun before drinking the tea. She had clearly hinted that they should not eat the steamed bun, but they had actually fainted from the poison.

    They didn''t know which way the carriage took, but they felt that the road was getting bumpier. Ye Zhen had bumped into Huangfu Chen several times. He was afraid that she would hit the carriage wall, so reached out to protect her and said in a low voice, ¡°Be careful."

    "Aren''t your hands tied?" Ye Zhen asked in surprise.

    Huangfu Chen smiled and said, ¡°I untied them. I''ll tie it upter."

    "¡ª¡ª" Ye Zhen was rendered speechless. <i>It turned out that he could still tie it up when he wanted. Then why did he submit to these people?</i> ¡°Master, do you know martial arts?"

    "Hmm." He nodded with a smile.

 Chapter 473: Private Mining

    <h4>Chapter 473: Private Mining</h4>

    Ye Zhen paused and asked in a low voice, ¡°Can¡¯t you beat them?"

    "These are just rabble," he replied.

    <i>So it¡¯s easy for him to deal with these rabble-rousers? Then why were they still in captivity?</i> ¡°Master, do you know where they are taking us?"

    "I''ll know when I get there," he said.

    ¡°You don''t seem to be worried at all," she mumbled.

    Huangfu Chen chuckled. ¡°Even if I''m worried, there is no way to escape. Although I could¡¯ve dealt with these people, I was afraid that more woulde to capture us before we could leave the vige. So instead of resisting, it¡¯s better to follow them and find out who dares to tantly arrest people?"

    "They don''t look like kidnappers." If it were a kidnapper, he would definitely be lurking around. How could he dare to enter an inn and capture a guest?

    "I''m afraid it''s much harder to deal with than a kidnapper," he said in a low voice. He had lived in Gujia Vige for a few days before disappearing from the world (went into hiding). The innkeeper was still the original owner, but because of his disguise, the other party did not recognize him. However, this vige was not the original one.

    Ye Zhen''s heart trembled. She did not know what kind of situation she was about to face.

    After an unknown amount of time, the carriage gradually slowed down. Huangfu Chen covered his eyes again and the rope was tied right as it was. Several voices sounded in his ears. It seemed that there were quite a lot of people around.

    <i>Where exactly are we?</i> Ye Zhen was shocked.

    Someone came over and took the ck cloth off their faces. The leader was smiling as he followed and fawned over a middle-aged man in a straight-jacketed brocade robe. ¡°Mr. Qiu, what do you think of these people? They are all young and strong, and can work."

    Ye Zhen stood behind Huangfu Chen. She looked around and was left dumbfounded

    This was¡­ There were a lot of men wearing the same color and coarse cloth around. They were working- knocking, moving, and lifting. The ck objects in the frames looked like iron pieces. There was a big hole in the distant mountain and people wereing in and going out.

    "These two look like they can work, take them to the mine first." The straight-jacketed man seemed to be cultured, but his eyes were exceptionally sharp. He stared at Ye Zhen and Dai Mei before pointing at thetter and saying, ¡°Bring her to the female workers¡¯ side."

    ¡°Mr. Qiu, aren''t women workers not supposed to be next to(together) with the men workers?" someone next to him said.

    "Who told you she was a man?" Mr. Qiu snorted coldly.

    The leader of the group widened his eyes. <i>She is a woman?! If only they knew, they would¡¯ve yed first!</i>

    "Master came over yesterday to inspect. Hecks a servant. Send this one to serve him." Mr. Qiu pointed at Ye Zhen.

    ¡°She must be by my side," Huangfu Chen promptly interjected.

    Mr. Qiu looked up at Huangfu Chen and smiled. ¡°You don''t have the right to make decisions here."

    "Master, it''s fine," Ye Zhen softly said. Even if she didn''t have much experience, she could tell that this ce was unusual. This was an iron mine! Moreover, it was not an iron mine of the imperial court. To have such arge private mine in Jing Country and capture so many people, the person behind it was certainly not simple.

    Who had such great ability to evade the imperial court and hide from the eyes of the imperial officials?

    Mo Rongzhan probably didn''t know that such a person existed in Jing Country under his rule, right? What could iron ore be used for? Private weaponry? Ye Zhen''s heart was a little flustered. She felt that they had unintentionally stumbled upon a shocking secret.

    Huangfu Chen looked at Ye Zhen worriedly. If he had known about the situation here, he wouldn''t have allowed her to follow him here.

    Ye Zhen smiled at him faintly. She also wanted to know who was behind all this and what was this person''s goal?

    "Take them away," Mr. Qiu coldly ordered.

    "Wait, I have my things in the carriage. I want to take them with me," Ye Zhen said in a deep voice. She had brought along many medicinal herbs, and she didn''t want to lose them just like that.

    ¡°Do you think you are here for sightseeing? Anything and everything can be brought?!" a burly man cursed.

    Mr. Qiu signaled him to shut up but looked coldly at Ye Zhen. ¡°What do you want to bring?"

    "My medicines," Ye Zhen replied.

    "Go get it,¡± Mr. Qiu instructed.

    Huangfu Chen''s gaze had never once left Ye Zhen. He was also contemting whether he could escape at this time or not. As he assessed the surroundings, given the security, he concluded that he would be able to escape but might not be able to take Ye Zhen along.

    <i>This ce¡­I am afraid is not as simple as mining!</i>

    When Ye Zhen brought over her things, Mr. Qiu nced at her. ¡°You''re a doctor?¡±

    "Yes." She nodded impassively.

    Mr. Qiu suddenly looked at Huangfu Chen. ¡°She called you Master. Are you also a doctor?"

    "That''s right," he said nonchntly.

    "How''s your medical skills?" Mr. Qiu asked seriously.

    Huangfu Chen raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°It''s okay."

    "Send the two of them to Master," Mr. Qiu instructed coldly before turning to Huangfu Chen, ¡°If you can cure our master''s illness, I can let you go."

    ¡°If you want us to treat your master, then you have to allow them to go with us," Ye Zhen pointed to Dai Mei and Quan Fu and said.

    Mr. Qiu¡¯s lips curved into an unsightly smile. "If the disease is cured, you can live; if it is not, all four of you will die."

    Huangfu Chen smiled faintly. ¡°Okay."

    "Come with me." Mr. Qiu had an indescribable feeling towards this man with ordinary features; he seemed to be very calm and fearless.

    Ye Zhen and Huangfu Chen nced at each other and at the same time, looked at the deep mountains.

    The iron mined from these mines¡­ What do they do(with it)?

 Chapter 474: Mysterious Villa

    <h4>Chapter 474: Mysterious Vi</h4>

    Ye Zhen and the others were brought back into the carriage, but this wasn''t their carriage, but Mr. Qiu''s. Dai Mei and Quan Fu were taken to another carriage.

    "Cover their eyes." Mr. Qiu didn''t say anything else and immediately instructed the people around him.

    Unlike those burly men, the guard around Mr. Qiu looked even more powerful. He first tapped Huangfu Chen and Ye Zhen''s acupoints before covering their eyes.

    Ye Zhen''s heart thumped. She didn''t know where they would be taken and who they would meet. What made her even more at a loss was that no one knew that they had been captured. Even if Huangfu Chen knew martial arts, when faced with so many people, she felt that no matter how strong his martial arts were, it was useless.

    These people¡­ Who are they?

    "Why did you go to Gujia Vige?" Mr. Qiu suddenly asked.

    Ye Zhen pursed her lips and heard Huangfu Chen''s cold and indifferent reply, ¡°I happened to pass by."

    Mr. Qiu snorted. "If you''re skilled in medicine, you might be able to leave alive."

    "Safe and sound?" Ye Zhen asked in a low voice. Although this person called Mr. Qiu looked very ordinary, his eyes were firm and cold. Even if they cured his master, they might not be able to leavepletely.

    "That depends on you," Mr. Qiu said coldly.

    Ye Zhen did not ask any further. She hoped that there would still be a chance to escape. These people weren''t good. If they could leave, they must tell Mo Rongzhan and have him investigate.

    Thinking of Mo Rongzhan, Ye Zhen''s heart sank slightly. Her mind recalled the situation the night beforest. Her cheeks unconsciously turned red. He should already know that she was not in Jing Capital. He must be very angry, but he shouldn''t have sent people to look for her¡­

    He was so tall and arrogant, how could he allow her to refuse and escape again and again?

    "We''re here. Let theme down." Mr. Qiu''s voice rang out from outside.

    Ye Zhen subconsciously leaned towards Huangfu Chen.

    "Don''t worry." Huangfu Chen whispered in her ear.

    "Yes." Ye Zhen nodded lightly. She was not afraid, just had a bad premonition for all of this.

    They walked blindfolded for a while before Mr. Qiu had someone take the ck cloth off their eyes.

    Ye Zhen rubbed her eyes and adapted to the brightness. Only then did she see what was in front of her.

    <i>This was¡­ a vi?</i>

    From their point of view, it looked like rows of resting-mountain roofs. Theyout was exquisite, upying an extremelyrge area. It looked like a pce. The vi was built on the back of Shuangwang (Twin Kings) Peak, nked by high mountain forests on either side. If one were to enter the mountain to look for it, one would not be able to find the location of the vi.

    In front of the vi was argeke with turquoise waters, and if one wanted to go to the vi, one would have to take a boat to cross theke.

    Ye Zhen''s eyes were filled with surprise. She exchanged nces with Huangfu Chen. She had grown up in the Ye family and lived a life of luxury. But this was the first time she had seen such arge vi. Only after crossing theke did she realize that the roof they had just seen was only a corner of the vi in the jungle. It was decorated with halls and pces.

    As she entered the vi, Ye Zhen could not hide the surprise in her eyes. It was surrounded by undting mountains, peaks, and ravines. The walls and roofs here were made of green bricks and gray tiles. The wooden pirs on the floor were also the natural color of logs. They looked elegant, solemn, and simple.

    The person who built this vi must havee from a very high background. Otherwise, how could he have such foresight?

    "Get in." Mr. Qiu stopped again and let Ye Zhen and Huangfu Chen get into the carriage beside him.

    After about half an hour, they finally stopped outside a courtyard. This courtyard was more like a southern garden. Dai Mei and Quan Fu were stopped outside. Only Ye Zhen and Huangfu Chen were taken in.

    Ye Zhen raised her head to take a look. This garden had a que with the words Peach Blossom Spring written on it.

    <i>This is the Peach Blossom Spring? Truly*!</i>

    [*ÕæÊÇ zh¨¥n shi: indeed; truly; (coll.) (used to express disapproval, annoyance, etc about sth)

    ·í´Ì f¨§ng c¨¬: to satirize; to mock; irony; satire; sarcasm ¡­ this truly here means is filled with sarcasm]

    As Mr. Qiu entered the Peach Blossom Spring, his aura changed. He became respectful and cautious. He bowed to the wheelchair-bound man in the pavilion in the courtyard. "Master, this subordinate has brought you two doctors. I heard the medical skills are excellent."

    At his words, the corners of Ye Zhen¡¯s mouth twitched. <i>When did we say our medical skills were excellent?</i>

    The man sitting in the wheelchair was dressed in a silver-white normal uniform. A few stalks of bamboo were embroidered on his sleeves and robes. A golden jade crown wrapped his ink-colored hair. His thin lips were slightly pursed, and his feminine and handsome face carried a faint smile. His gaze fell on Ye Zhen and the others.

    Ye Zhen was really shocked to see Mr. Qiu''s master. <i>He is actually so young?</i> He seemed to be under thirty.

    "Since he''s a doctor, he''s a guest. Let''s have the two guests wash off their disguises from their faces first." The man''s voice was low and gentle, but it made people feel a trace of bone-deep coldness.

    Ye Zhen was shocked. <i>He could actually see Master''s disguise technique? Could this person be proficient in disguise?</i> She looked at Huangfu Chen and found that his eyes were a little strange. <i>Master knows this man?</i>

    "You guys are disguised?" Mr. Qiu pointed angrily at Ye Zhen. "Who are you?"

 Chapter 475: Have Eyes But Cannot See

    <h4>Chapter 475: Have Eyes But Cannot See</h4>

    Ye Zhen felt that since he had seen through the disguise, there was no need to control her voice anymore. "For the convenience of the road, I had no choice but to disguise myself. Who knew that I would meet you."

    "Qiu Yuan, take them to the guest room and have them wash their faces beforeing back," the man in white said calmly.

    "Yes, Master." Qiu Yuan red coldly at the two and personally led them to the guest room. He even had his underlings keep an eye on them as they removed the disguise from their faces.

    When Ye Zhen and Huangfu Chen reappeared in front of him, Qiu Yuan was stunned for a moment. Especially when he saw Ye Zhen''s peerlessly beautiful face, he finally understood what this woman meant when she said it was for the convenience of traveling.

    With such looks, she would be sure to get snatched if seen in public.

    Huangfu Chen looked at Qiu Yuan coldly. "Still not leading the way?"

    Qiu Yuan snorted coldly. He was wary of Huangfu Chen''s tall and noble temperament.<i> I¡¯m afraid this master and apprentice pair probably has some history.</i>

    The man in white had already returned to his room. Qiu Yuan led Huangfu Chen and the others into the hall.

    When the man in white who was sitting in the middle saw them, his eyes shed with surprise. Finally, he slowly looked at Huangfu Chen''s face and suddenly revealed a smile. "Huangfu Chen, it''s you."

    Huangfu Chen held Ye Zhen''s hand and sat down. He looked like he was taking the initiative*. "Zhao Tianji, I didn''t expect you to still be alive."

    [·´¿ÍÎªÖ÷ f¨£n k¨¨ w¨¦i zh¨³ ¨C lit. the guest acts as host (idiom); fig. to turn from passive to active behavior]

    Zhao Tianji smiled. ¡°Where have you been these years?"

    "Healing in seclusion.¡± Huangfu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Then what do you n to do now?"

    Ye Zhen really didn''t expect Huangfu Chen to know this white-clothed man who had poor legs. However, it seemed that their rtionship wasn''t very good.

    Zhao Tianji smiled faintly. ¡°What do you think I''m doing? Isn''t it just a private mine? There are quite a few people in the world who have private mines. Don''t tell me you want to take care of this?"

    "It''s just a private mine, so why take others by force?" Huang Fuchen asked in a cold voice, sounding like he was reprimanding Zhao Tianji.

    "Force?" Zhao Tianji looked at Qiu Yuan beside him. He was under the impression that the people who went to the iron mine were from the nearby viges. In order not to let the secret leak out, he ordered the people who went to the iron mine not to leave. In the future, when they finish, they would naturally be allowed to leave along with wealth tost them a lifetime. ¡°You were captured?"

    Qiu Yuan had already stilled after Zhao Tianji called out Huangfu Chen''s name. How could there be such a coincidence in this world? They actually caught Huangfu Chen? If he knew that he was Huangfu Chen, he wouldn''t have dared to take him to the iron mine. <i>What should I do now? Could Huangfu Chen keep it a secret for us or should I kill him first?</i>

    Huangfu Chen nced at Zhao Tianji. "What do you think?"

    Zhao Tianji said with a smile, "It seems that some people have eyes but cannot see*, dared to capture Mr.Huangfu. It''s useless to live."

    [T/N*means someone is super incapable of perceiving something; usually in rtion to other people. Here it is: not recognizing that the person they just offended is super important/powerful]

    "Master?" Qiu Yuan''s expression changed slightly.

    "Whoever caught them, gouge their eyes out." Zhao Tianji ordered with a smile on his face.

    Qiu Yuan''s voice trembled as he answered in affirmative, and at his master''s gesture, he retreated with his head bowed.

    Huangfu Chen looked at Zhao Tianji, unmoved as if he knew how cruel he was. ¡°The people from Gujia Vige were all captured by your people?"

    "Ah Chen, you''re mistaken. I never catch people, nor would I force others toe to the iron mine to help. The people who work there are from several nearby viges. I pay them generously, ten times what they used to fetch in the fields working like cattle and horses* for others," Zhao Tianji said.

    [* meaning working very hard]

    <i>So, was this the reason neither the imperial court nor the government discovered the existence of this private mine? Those who worked there could be hiding its existence.</i> As Ye Zhen mused, she couldn''t help but shake her head inwardly. <i>How will he exin the matter of the innkeeper?</i>

    "The innkeeper of Gujia Vige¡­ Is he your people?" Huangfu Chen and Ye Zhen both thought of the Innkeeper Liu. ording to his methods, it was clearly not the first time. It was possible that in other ces, they would also use the same method to capture people to work in the iron mines and not let them leave.

    Zhao Tianji''s slender fingers gently tapped the handle of the wheelchair. ¡°I haven''t been back for half a year."

    "Aren¡¯t you aware your people are out there trying to catch people to go to the iron mine? Even if you knew, you wouldn''t stop it," Huangfu Chen said lightly.

    "It''s probably because the iron mine iscking manpower. I didn''t expect to catch you." Zhao Tianji seemed to find it funny, but he was not surprised at all. He did not seem to want to stop it.

    Ye Zhen frowned as she looked at him. She always felt that this person''s smile looked very feminine and terrifying. Although he was smiling as he spoke to Huangfu Chen, it still made people feel that he was inadvertently showing hostility and indifference. Presumably, a person who could easily gouge out other people''s eyeballs, couldn¡¯t care about the life and death of others?

    "What happened to your legs?" Huangfu Chen asked. It was probably impossible for Zhao Tianji to let those people go. After many years of not meeting someone, there were bound to be changes in them.

    Zhao Tianji smiled and said, "I''m not a doctor, how can I know what''s going on?"

    Huangfu Chen looked up at him and said, "Let them go. I''ll stay."

    "Huangfu Chen, you think I''m stupid?" Zhao Tianji smiled gently and coldly. He looked at Ye Zhen and asked with a smile, "This is your apprentice?"

    "What do you want to do?" Huangfu Chen frowned.

    Zhao Tianji said indifferently, "I didn''t expect, I haven''t heard from you for so many years and you¡¯re more romantic than before and you have such a beautiful apprentice beside you. I''m afraid you''ve forgotten what Mu Qing looks like, right?"

    Huangfu Chen''s eyes turned cold.

 Chapter 476: Whoâ€™s That Man? (1)

    <h4>Chapter 476: Who¡¯s That Man? (1)</h4>

    "Since you''vee to Tianshui* Vi as a guest, you should stay for a few more days. Your medical skills are so good that your apprentice should be good. Let your apprentice cure my legs. If she fails, I''ll kill her," Zhao Tianji looked at Ye Zhen and said slowly.

    [*Sky water]

    Ye Zhen looked at him expressionlessly. <i>Just now, Qiu Yuan had said that as long as he cured his master, he would let them go. They¡¯re simply deceiving them. This person called Zhao Tianji had no intention of letting them go. Furthermore, he definitely felt that his legs could not be cured. Otherwise, why didn''t he let Master treat him?</i>

    It seemed that they were doomed to stay in this Tianshui Vi. If Zhao Tianji and his master had not known each other, they might have already been silenced.

    "If you kill her, I will turn your ce into ruins," Huangfu Chen said calmly.

    Zhao Tianji was stunned for a moment, but then he chuckled. "It seems that she is not just your apprentice. Besides Mu Qing, there is another woman who can make Huangfu Chen pay so much attention to her."

    Huangfu Chen looked at Zhao Tianji coldly. "You don''t have to infuriate me. Let them go and I''ll treat you."

    "If you can cure my illness, I don''t need to sit in this stupid wheelchair." Zhao Tianji sneered.

    "If I cure you, will you let us go?" Ye Zhen''s bright eyes looked at him fearlessly.

    Zhao Tianji raised his eyebrows. ¡°No."

    Ye Zhenughed angrily. ¡°Then why do you think we will treat you?"

    "Because¡­," Zhao Tianji looked at Ye Zhen with a faint smile and said, ¡°If you can''t cure my illness, I will kill you all."

    "Rather than being locked up here by you, it''s better to die." Ye Zhen snorted. ¡±However, I''m afraid that your illness is more than your inability to move your legs. After a period of time, if you don¡¯t recover, your hands won''t be able to move. When there''s no cure, the only thing you¡¯ll be able to do is move your mouth."

    "Are you looking for death?" Zhao Tianji looked coldly at Ye Zhen.

    Huangfu Chen said in a low voice, "She''s telling the truth."

    Zhao Tianji snorted coldly. "If she can''t cure me, you will all die."

    "I''ll cure your illness. You have to let us go." Ye Zhen said, ¡°Anyway, we were caught by your people and were blindfolded, you don''t have to worry about us revealing your secrets."

    "Huangfu Chen, your apprentice has a sharp tongue." Zhao Tianji smiled faintly.

    Huangfu Chen said, "Perhaps, she can really cure you. You can weigh it yourself."

    ?

    Zhao Tianji had agreed to Ye Zhen''s request. If she could cure him, he would let them go. However, he still ced Huangfu Chen under house arrest, allowing the master and disciple to meet once a day. As for Dai Mei and Quan Fu, they remained in the manor as servants.

    Huangfu Chen was under house arrest in a garden-like courtyard, simr to the bamboo forest in Shiliwu*. There was a purple bamboo forest in the courtyard, and the environment was elegant. If it weren¡¯t for house arrest, it would be veryfortable to live here.

    [*his ce in the capital]

    "Master, who is that man?" Ye Zhen asked in a low voice. She could only see Huangfu Chen once a day. She had to stay by Zhao Tianji''s side for the rest of the time. Towards that overly feminine and cruel man, she still had many doubts in her heart.

    "When I met him a few years ago, he was still an ind owner, and he managed to survive on sea trade." Huangfu Chen said in a low voice, ¡°He is temperamental. You must be very careful when you are by his side. Don''t anger him."

    "Ind Lord? Then why would he open a private mine here? And¡­ This vi doesn''t look like it was built in recent years." They couldn''t build such arge mountain vi in five years, and there were also iron mines in the mountains. It seemed like they had been here for a very long time.

    Huangfu Chen gently ced his finger on his lips, indicating for her to stop asking. ¡°Zhao Tianji isn''t just an Ind Lord, he''s also a pirate. The iron mine isn''t necessarily his."

    "Master, it''s only two days from here to the capital. Has the imperial court not discovered this iron mine at all?" Ye Zhen asked in a hushed voice.

    "Before Ah Zhan ascended to the throne, the people of Jin Country could hardly get by. How could the imperial court notice the iron mines in the mountains? Perhaps even if someone knew, Zhao Tianji would silence them." Huangfu Chen was also surprised. He remembered that Zhao Tianji used to have an iron mine on the ind. If he only wanted to do private mining, he did not have to risking to Jin Country. Moreover, this ce was not far from the capital.

    Ye Zhen was reminded of her uncle.<i> Perhaps Ye Yisong had been bribed?</i> "Master, what should we do now?"

    "We can''t leave just by relying on ourselves. Let''s stay here first and think of a way," Huangfu Chen whispered.

    "What''s wrong with Zhao Tianji?" Although Ye Zhen really wanted to know the secret of the iron mine and the vi, she knew all too well that it was impossible to find out in one day. It was better to take it slow before finding a way to leave.

 Chapter 477: Whoâ€™s That Man? (2)

    <h4>Chapter 477: Who¡¯s That Man? (2)</h4>

    Huangfu Chen gently shook his head. ¡°When I met him in the past, he only felt dizzy asionally. I treated him for half a year. Although his condition improved, it was not cured. I didn''t expect to see him again in a few years. He can''t walk anymore."

    Ye Zhen looked at him. Actually, she wanted to ask who Mu Qing, the one Zhao Tianji mentioned, was. However, when her master heard this name, he did not seem to be in a good mood.

    "The owner of the iron mine and the vi may not only be Zhao Tianji. Be careful when you are by his side." Huangfu Chen touched Ye Zhen''s head. He now regretted bringing her. If she had not left the capital, she would not have encountered such danger.

    "Master, don''t worry about me, I will be careful," Ye Zhen said softly.

    Huangfu Chen looked at the man in ck outside. ¡°Go, Zhao Tianji isn''t a patient person. If there''s anything you don''t understand about his illness,e to me again."

    "He seems to be afraid of you," Ye Zhen said. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have put Huangfu Chen under house arrest and only let her treat him.

    "Because Zhao Tianji cannot kill me and since he¡¯s afraid that I would leave, he could only house arrest me," Huangfu Chen said.

    Ye Zhen was startled. Just as she was about to ask Zhao Tianji why he didn''t dare to kill him, a young man came from outside. ¡°Miss Lu, our master, invites you over."

    Huangfu Chen looked down at Ye Zhen. ¡°Go on, be careful, yourself."

    "Yes. Master, you must also be careful," Ye Zhen said in a low voice. She could guess what Zhao Tianji''s illness was. She had seen it in the Qi Family Medical ssics before. His illness was incurable. Even if she had <i>lingquan</i>, her chances were not very high. Her master didn''t notice the disease a few years ago because it wasn''t obvious at that time. However, she still had to see him(ZT) to know the details.

    Ye Zhen was brought back to the Peach Blossom Spring by that young man.

    "You will live here in the future, next to Master''s main room," the young man said indifferently.

    She was assigned the side room* beside his. It seemed Zhao Tianji wasn¡¯t treating her as a doctor but as a servant. ¡°When will your master let me treat him?"

    [*side rooms usually house the maids etc.]

    "When Master sees you, you will naturally know." The man didn''t even look at Ye Zhen. He didn''t seem to care about her peerless beauty.

    "Alright, thank you," she said with a smile. Since she was here, she would be at ease. At the very least, she was still valuable to Zhao Tianji. For now, she should not be in any danger.

    Just like that, Ye Zhen lived in the Peach Blossom Spring, but she didn''t see Zhao Tianji. For three days in a row, other than going to Huangfu Chen every day to talk for an hour, she spent the rest of her time reading in the house. Apart from that young man, she didn''t even see a maid.

    Since the situation was such, Huangfu Chen only told her not to worry. Zhao Tianji woulde out sooner orter.

    In these three days, Ye Zhen still knew very little about Zhao Tianji''s background. Even when she asked Huangfu Chen, he did not tell her much.

    On the fourth day, the young man, Liang Yin, took her to his master.

    Zhao Tianji''splexion was worse than from a few days ago. He leaned against the bed, his gaze malicious as he looked at Ye Zhen who walked in.

    Qiu Yuan stood at the side. Seeing Ye Zhene in, he immediately said coldly, ¡°If you can''t cure our master''s illness, you will die today without a burial ground."

    Ye Zhen raised her eyebrows and looked at him. In her eyes, Qiu Yuan was a rtively calm person, yet he was so impulsive today. It seemed Zhao Tianji''s illness had taken a turn for the worse. She smiled faintly and walked to the man(ZT), pulling his hand over.

    "What do you want to do?" Qiu Yuan and Liang Yin looked at Ye Zhen vigntly.

    "Looks like you don''t have much strength in your hands today. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have thought of me." Ye Zhen tilted her head, smiling as she looked at the cold-faced Zhao Tianji.

    Zhao Tianji looked at her frostily. ¡°What do you want to say?"

    "I think your illness¡­ No one in the world can cure you." She gently ced his hand back. ¡°You have to be careful with your illness. Otherwise, you might not be able to move your entire body."

    "If I don¡¯t get better, you will have to die." Zhao Tianji cast her a malicious gaze.

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡±I can''t guarantee that I''ll be able to cure you, however, you have to guarantee that we''ll leave safely and unharmed in a month¡¯s time."

 Chapter 478: Keep Your Word

    <h4>Chapter 478: Keep Your Word</h4>

    For the first time in his life, Zhao Tianji had met a woman who dared to bargain with him, and she was a little girl. She was only Huangfu Chen''s apprentice, and even the man himself couldn''t cure him when he wasn¡¯t seriously ill. A young girl like her dared to let him promise.

    Did she know who he was? She was probably the only one in the world who dared to speak to him like this.

    "No one can negotiate with me," Zhao Tianji looked at her and said indifferently.

    Ye Zhen nodded seriously. It could be seen that he was a person who would not heed the opinions of others. This kind of person was used to being solipsistic. "That''s because no one can cure your illness. I''m at least certain, right?"

    Zhao Tianji had looked for countless doctors over the years but none could cure him. For the first time, here was someone who told him his condition before even taking his pulse. She also imed that she could cure him. This was very tempting for him. ¡°If you can''t cure me, all of you will die. I''ve killed many doctors, I don''t mind a few more."

    "You even want to kill my master?" She raised her eyebrows. <i>Didn''t he know Huangfu Chen? Could it be that he would not let her off?</i>

    "Why should I let Huangfu Chen go?" he asked with a smile.

    She felt he was truly an unpredictable person. She asked indifferently, ¡°Will you agree to let us go?"

    "After you''ve cured me,e and talk to me about the conditions," he said coldly.

    "In a month, as long as you look well, you will let us go. We have more important things to do." Ye Zhen took a few steps back and looked at Zhao Tianji seriously. She still had to go to Huaijiang.

    Qiu Yuan cursed angrily. ¡°Do you really think we wouldn''t dare to kill you?"

    ¡°I think you will definitely kill me. If that''s the case, why should I cure you? At worst, we''ll die together," she retorted.

    "Why is it a month?" he eyed her gloomily.

    ¡°After a month we have something else to do. If we don''t show up at that time, people will definitely suspect that something happened to us. When that timees, if theyunch arge-scale search, will you be able to escape the officers and soldiers of the imperial court here?¡± she said.

    Zhao Tianji looked at her deeply. ¡°Okay, I promise."

    "Then keep your word, don''t renege," Ye Zhen said.

    Anger shed through Zhao Tianji''s eyes. ¡±I, Zhao Tianji, have always kept my word."

    Ye Zhen walked back and sat down on the low stool next to the couch. She stretched out her hand to take his pulse. Zhao Tianji''s illness was somewhat different from the frozen illness mentioned in the ¡¶Qi Medical ssics¡·, but the symptoms were the same. The frozen illness usually didn''tst three years, but Zhao Tianji had this symptom from the beginning. It seemed that it had been more than three years.

    "When did you stop walking?" she asked, checking his feet, while her mind rapidly sifted through the medical canon.

    Huangfu Chen must have read the ¡¶Qi Medical ssics¡·. If he¡¯d used the same method to treat, Zhao Tianji''s illness was different from that mentioned in the canon.

    <i>What was the problem?</i>

    Liang Yin answered on Zhao Tianji''s behalf, ¡±Master has not been able to walk since a year ago."

    Ye Zhen nodded and checked his legs. As expected, she didn''t feel anything. "Are there any fractures?"

    "No," Liang Yin said.

    "What was it like when he got sick?" Ye Zhen poked the muscles on his leg. She felt that Zhao Tianji''s illness was a little troublesome.

    Liang Yin nced at her. ¡°It hurt all over."

    Ye Zhen''s hand paused. ¡°Even if you don''t touch him, the entire body hurts?"

    "Yes," Liang Yin nodded coldly and looked at Ye Zhen viciously.

    "I haven''t encountered this disease of yours before, so I''m not quite sure if I can cure you." Ye Zhen looked at the man''s white and sturdy arms. "Do you feel your handsck strength and are numb?"

    Zhao Tianji opened his eyes, and his long and narrow orbs swept towards Ye Zhen like a sharp sword. ¡°You just said that it could be cured."

    ¡°I can only try. If my judgment is correct, then your illness can be cured. If you can''t trust me, you can invite my master to treat you," she said.

    "If he had treated it well, he would have already cured it," Zhao Tianji said indifferently.

    <i>So he had always thought that Huangfu Chen was deliberately not treating him?</i>

    "You seem to have misunderstood my master. His medical skills are better than mine. He will definitely be able to cure you."

    "With your life in my hands, he will naturally cure me," Zhao Tianji said coldly.

    <i>He thought that she could cure him because Huangfu Chen taught her? This man is indeed arrogant!</i>

    "Then I''ll give you acupuncture first," Ye Zhen said, not wanting to argue with him. In any case, he could think as he liked.

    "Are you sure you can give me acupuncture?" he asked.

    She smiled and said, ¡°If you can''t believe it, then don''t go through with acupuncture. Of course, you can find my master, but aren''t you afraid that my master will harm you?"

    Zhao Tianji looked at the little girl calmly. ¡°Aren''t you afraid of me at all?"

    "I''m afraid." Ye Zhen took out a silver needle and turned to Liang Yin. ¡°Take off your master''s clothes."

    Liang Yin didn''t budge. He just looked at his master, with his consent, he went over to help him up. Qiu Yuan immediately came over to lend a hand.

    Ye Zhen quietly sized up Zhao Tian Ji. In fact, she was not confident that she would be able to cure him. But now that she was riding a tiger, she did not dare to show any hesitation. Otherwise, as long as she showed fear, she believed this Ind Lord would not hesitate to kill her.

    "Miss Lu, please." Liang Yin looked politely at Ye Zhen. Although his tone was polite, his eyes did not look so gentle.

    "The areas I want to acupuncture are the legs and hands, so tell me if you feel any pain," Ye Zhen said to Zhao Tianji.

    Zhao Tianji did not even answer her. He just looked at her coldly.

    Ye Zhen had to start acupuncture, she would stab all twenty-four needles into the acupoints on both of his legs. The skin on his calves was white, probably because he hadn''t walked around; he looked a little thin. <i>Is this the muscle atrophy mentioned in</i>¡¶Qi Medical ssics¡·<i>?</i>

    "Do you feel anything?" she asked as she stabbed thest needle into the acupoint in his calf and looked up at him.

    Zhao Tianji''s forehead broke out in a fine sweat. "Sore and numb."

    "Oh." She nodded and continued administering the needles to his arms.

    "Master, do you feel your legs?" Qiu Yuan asked with some surprise.

    Zhao Tianji obviously had not reacted, until Qiu Yuan reminded him. He was shocked, his legs had not felt anything for a year, this was the first time he felt something, even if the feeling was a little unbearable.

    "Who did you learn your acupuncture from?" Zhao Tianji asked, it wasn''t that he hadn''t had people do acupuncture before, but it didn''t feel like this.

    "Naturally, I learned Qi''s acupuncture method." No one taught her the acupuncture method, she learned it through reading ¡¶Qi Medical ssics¡·, and today was the first time she had administered it on someone.

 Chapter 479: You Are Not Sick

    <h4>Chapter 479: You Are Not Sick</h4>

    Zhao Tianji thought that Ye Zhen''s acupuncture technique was taught by Huangfu Chen. <i>Didn''t Huangfu Chen''s medical skillse from his great-great-grandmother, Qi Yanling? Therefore, the Qi needle technique Ye Zhen mentioned was naturally by her master.</i>

    After about half an hour, Ye Hao gathered all the silver needles. Looking at his pale and bloodless calves with more red dots, she overturned her previous judgment. Zhao Tianji did not contract the frozen disease; if it was cryophilia, acupuncture would not give such a sour and numb feeling.

    He couldn''t move. It wasn''t about his bones but his meridians.

    "What is Master''s illness?" Liang Yin anxiously asked.

    Ye Zhen immersed the silver needles in a strong liquor while thinking about the cause of Zhao Tianji''s illness.

    "Hey, did you hear me?" Liang Yin frowned and shouted when he saw her ignoring him.

    "Did you practice internal strength?" Ye Zhen ignored Liang Yin and looked back at Zhao Tianji curiously.

    Zhao Tianji was waving his hands when he heard the question. His eyes narrowed. ¡°Why are you asking?"

    "Because¡­I think you''re not sick," Ye Zhen said seriously. ¡°It''s because you injured yourself that you''ve be like this. Back when my master treated you, you¡¯d just learned that kind of internal strength. Later, when you got better, you continued to practice. Am I right?"

    "Why would I not be able to move my feet?" Zhao Tianji was surprised. He had never told anyone what kind of internal strength he was practicing. <i>How could this little girl tell?</i>

    Ye Zhen furrowed her brows and thought for a moment. ¡°I learned from your pulse. If an evil wind enters a person, thebination of blood and <i>qi</i> will be filled between the muscles and blood, affecting the pulse. There are two kinds of evil winds- cold and dampness. It invades the human body, causing the skin to constrict, the muscles to stiffen, the camp blood to freeze, and the protective <i>qi</i> to dissipate. If I''m not wrong, when your legs could still walk, there was a period of time when you were very moody, right?"

    Zhao Tianji looked at her silently before saying, ¡°Keep talking."

    <i>Looks like I''m right!</i>

    Ye Zhen continued. "Evil <i>qi </i>entering a person''s body is divided into two different clinical manifestations of deficiency and actual symptoms. It acts on the five internal organs*. The five meridians of these five viscera are in turn connected to the twelve main meridians in one''s body. When you started practicing the martial arts, you were ignorant of this evil <i>qi</i>. However, it didn''t invade your body in the beginning, just staying on the surface like your skin and hair. Master treated you for a period of time. However, had you stopped practicing right then, perhaps this whole ordeal would have been averted today. It''s a pity, you didn''t. Since it was just the onset of the illness, Master wasn''t able to see through to the real reason for your illness. Nor was there anyone who helped clear itter, letting it seep deeper into your branch meridians. By then, you''d already started to feel ufortable yet still didn''t treat it and continued practicing until your meridians, <i>qi</i>, and blood were all blocked. Consequently, your legs took the brunt and were rendered immobile. If this evil <i>qi</i> isn''t purged, the harder it will be for the blood to circte through your meridians, and sooner orter your entire body will be immobilized.¡±

    [*Five organs of TCM, namely: heart ÐÄ[xin1], liver ¸Î[gan1], spleen Æ¢[pi2], lungs ·Î[fei4] and kidneys ÄI|Éö[shen4]]

    Zhao Tianji kept silent.

    Liang Yin and Qiu Yuan exchanged nces. They couldn''t find anything to refute, because what this little girl said¡­ Everything seemed to match.

    "That¡­Can my illness be treated?" Only now did Zhao Tianji take Ye Zhen into consideration. It seems that Huangfu Chen''s apprentice was indeed different.

    Ye Zhen looked at him. ¡°I don''t know. I''ve never treated such an illness before. I can only¡­give it a try."

    "How long will it take?" Zhao Tianji asked.

    "How would I know? Don''t practice your internal strength or I won¡¯t be able to save you,¡± she said. Some internal skills could strengthen one''s body but some weren''t right. They could harm one''s life at any time.

    Zhao Tianji nodded indifferently. ¡°Tell Liang Yin what you need."

    "I need some medicine to remove the evil <i>qi</i> in your body. You need to have a medicinal soak every day," she said.

    "Write down the herbs you need and I''ll prepare them," Liang Yin said immediately.

    Ye Zhen continued, ¡°I can''t do so many things alone. Can you call my maid over and have her help me?"

    Zhao Tianji did not refuse this time. He just nced at Liang Yin who immediately said, ¡°Miss Lu, I''ll send your maid back in a moment."

    "Then I''ll go prepare the herbs. You should rest first. It''s best to rx your hands and feet," Ye Zhen told Zhao Tianji.

    Liang Yin left with Ye Zhen to prepare the herbs. Zhao Tianji sat on the bed looking at his hands.

    "Ind Lord, do you think¡­ Can you believe Lu Yaoyao?" Qiu Yuan asked in a low voice.

    "Besides her, who else can tell me why I can''t walk?" Zhao Tianji asked back.

    Qiu Yuan considered it carefully and felt that it made sense. "Ind Lord, I have warned them over there in the iron mine, I will not capture people toe in in the future. The inns in Gujia Vige have also been instructed clearly."

    "Yeah, you can go now." Zhao Tianji nodded lightly and let Qiu Yuan leave.

    "She''s Huangfu Chen''s apprentice. Can you really believe her?" when only Zhao Tianji was left in the room, a woman in ck walked out from the corner and asked in a low voice.

    "Why can''t I?" Zhao Tianji nced at her. ¡°Why are you here?"

    ¡°Eldest Young Master asked me to protect you," the woman whispered.

    "Mu Xue, go back and tell Big Brother that I don''t need his protection," he said coldly.

    "Second Young Master, Huangfu Chen is not reliable, and his people cannot be trusted." Mu Xue frowned.

    Zhao Tianji sneered. ¡°Why isn''t Huangfu Chen reliable? Because you''ve caused Mu Qing''s death, do you think he''ll exact revenge on me?"

    "My sister is not dead," Mu Xue said in a low voice.

    "To Huangfu Chen, Mu Qing is dead." Zhao Tianji said coldly, ¡°Since his apprentice can cure me, even if it''s not reliable, I have to try."

    She said, ¡°That woman''s name is Lu Yaoyao, and she''s the princess of Jin Country. If she escapes in the future, everything here will be discovered. Eldest Young Master¡¯s and your efforts will be wasted."

    He said with a smile, ¡°You don''t have to scare me. This iron mine and vi only coaxed me to stay out of his business. Even if this ce is discovered, it won''t affect him."

    "Eldest Young Master is concerned about you." She sighed. ¡°Besides, that''s the princess of Jin Country. She might not be able to treat you wholeheartedly."

    ¡°If she can''t cure me, I will naturally kill her." Zhao Tianji''s voice was ice cold. "If you dare to make a move on her before I agree, I will definitely make Mu Fei beg for his life."

    Mu Fei was Mu Xue''s brother.

    Mu Xue''s expression changed. ¡°Second Young Master, this subordinate does not dare, but this subordinate will stay to protect you."

 Chapter 480: Killing Intent

    <h4>Chapter 480: Killing Intent</h4>

    "Miss!" Dai Mei was brought over. When she saw that her mistress was actually brewing medicinal soup alone, her heart ached and she almost cried.

    Ye Zhen looked up and saw that it was her maid, a smile appeared on her face. ¡°Dai Mei, they''ve finally sent you here."

    "Miss, how can you do this?" Dai Mei hurriedly went to take over the work in her mistress''s hands. ¡°This servant will help you."

    "Can one still be a pampered youngdy here?" She smiled. ¡°Help me watch the fire."

    "Miss, what should we do now?" she whispered. ¡°Is it¡­ that we won''t be able to escape in the future?"

    Ye Zhen held the herbs in her hand. She paused for a moment before smiling. ¡°How could that be? As long as they don''t kill us, we''ll have a chance to leave."

    ¡°This servant is not afraid to die, I¡¯m just worried about you, Young Miss¡­." Her eyes reddened. If something were to happen to her mistress, what should she do?

    "Don''t think too much. Let''s get on with things first." She patted the emotional maid on the shoulder. Now, no matter how much she feared, it was useless. Could it be that they could escape if they were afraid? It was better to let Zhao Tianji believe her and not kill her. As long as they did not die, they would have a chance to leave.

    Dai Mei nodded gently, raised her eyes to look at Liang Yin standing outside, lowered her head to work, and said nothing more.

    Ye Zhen brewed the medicinal soup and had Liang Yin send it to Zhao Tianji''s room.

    When the water temperature was just right, Zhao Tianji immersed himself in the medicinal bath. Less than a quarter of an hour into it, all his meridians started to throb with pain. Even though he tried to endure as best as he could, it felt like his bones, tendons, and veins were being ripped apart. He bellowed.

    "Ind Lord!" Liang Yin eximed, wanting to bring Zhao Tianji out of the bathtub.

    "Scram!" Zhao Tianji screamed, ¡°Get out!"

    Liang Yin knew that his master had been proud since young and would never show weakness in front of others. He definitely did not want others to see him like this. ¡°Ind Lord, I''ll wait for you outside."

    Zhao Tianji panted heavily. He had never felt pain in his life. How could someone as proud as him allow others to see him in such a sorry state?

    "What exactly are you soaking our Ind Lord?" Liang Yin walked out of the room and went outside to question Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhen stood on the stone steps in the courtyard. Zhao Tianji¡¯s screeching roar had made it to her ears, offering some relief to her pent-up resentment for the man. <i>Would that he died of the pain!</i>

    She had already heard Zhao Tianji''s roar. Such a pained voice sounded like a relief to him. It was enough to kill him!

    "If he doesn''t feel any pain, then you have to worry, his hands and feet won¡¯tst for the rest of his life." She curled her lips. It was this pain that proved his feet were not really dead.

    Liang Yin coldly nced at the little girl. His killing intent was cial. Should their Ind Lord have a mishap, he would definitely kill this woman first.

    About an hourter, Liang Yin heard Zhao Tianji''s voice, ¡°Come in!"

    "Yes, Ind Lord." Liang Yin responded anxiously and immediately ran in.

    "Call that woman in." Zhao Tianji felt that all his strength had disappeared, but his heavy legs seemed to have rxed a little.

    Ye Zhen came in. ¡°Ind Lord Zhao, how do you feel?"

    "Why does the decoction make my whole body hurt?" Zhao Tianji was half lying down, staring coldly at the little girl before him.

    "This decoction has the effect of dredging the meridians. The meridians in your body are blocked by the evil <i>qi</i>. You will naturally feel pain," she said nonchntly, ¡°Besides, you still have acupuncture today. It will certainly add to the pain."

    He raised his hand and touched his legs. ¡°How long do I have to soak to¡­ open up all the meridians in my body again?"

    ¡°I don''t know, it''s not like I''ve ever treated a disease like yours before," she said.

    "How are you certain that you can cure Ind Lord?" Liang Yin asked in a deep voice.

    "Who knows, perhaps he can really be cured?" She waved her hand. A doctor would always encounter an illness they¡¯ve never seen before. If she could cure Zhao Tianji this time, it would definitely add to her repertoire of medical cases.

    Any illness would happen for the first time. If she could cure Zhao Tianji this time, her medical case would definitely increase by one.

    Zhao Tianji cast a deep look on Ye Zhen. If he continued to ask, he would receive the same answer. At the very least, his numb legs could now feel pain. This could be considered a good sign. ¡°You can go down."

    ¡°I''ve written a prescription. You¡¯ll drink the concoction once every day after soaking in the medicinal bath," she said.

    "Liang Yin, go get the medicine," Zhao Tianji said indifferently.

    "Second Young Master, you can''t drink her medicine!" Mu Xue walked in from outside the door and red fiercely at Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhen did not know who this woman in ck was, but she could feel the killing intent and hostility she was emanating. It seemed to be¡­ Against her?

    Zhao Tianji''s eyes were icy, and a cold smile crept on his handsome face. ¡°Mu Xue, when was it your turn to care about my business?"

    "Second Young Master, this subordinate is only worried about you." Her expression changed slightly, and a trace of sadness shed through her eyes. ¡°This woman is Huangfu Chen''s apprentice and harbors ulterior motives. This subordinate is worried that she will harm you."

    "You don''t have to worry about my business!" Zhao Tianji said coldly, ¡°Leave!"

    Mu Xue bit her lip and looked at Second Young Master awkwardly.

    The said man did not even spare her a nce, he just turned towards Ye Zhen. ¡°You leave,e back tomorrow."

    "Okay!" Ye Zhen couldn''t wait to leave. She felt that Mu Xue would kill her any moment.

    After exiting the room, she had Dai Mei return to the room to rest while she went to look for her master.

    Huangfu Chen had heard about Zhao Tianji''s illness and looked at Ye Zhen in surprise. This little girl''s medical talent was even better than he had imagined. She could peruse many medical books at once, and she seemed to have a very good memory. She could remember almost every medical case clearly.

    "A few years ago, I met him. I didn''t think that there was a problem with his meridians.¡± Huangfu Chen sighed softly.

    "At that time, perhaps he had just started practicing his internal energy, that''s why you didn''t diagnose it." What Ye Zhen meant was if it was the Zhao Tian Ji from a few years ago, she too would definitely not be able to detect the cause of his illness.

    Huangfu Chen nodded gently. ¡°Yaoyao, can you cure Zhao Tianji?"

    "I don''t know." She looked outside, wondering if their conversation was being monitored. "Master, I have never given acupuncture to someone with such a disease before let alone treat, so I can only hope it works."

    "Since he felt something in his legs after the acupuncture, it shouldn''t be wrong." Huangfu Chen smiled and said, ¡°He didn¡¯t get angry with you, right?"

    Ye Zhen also felt that since there were sensations, the treatment should be correct. ¡°He did not do anything to me. Master, you know a woman called Mu Xue?"

    "Mu Xue?" Huangfu Chen froze. ¡°Is she here?"

    "Yes, Master, do you know her?" She eyed him suspiciously. She had heard Zhao Tianji call that woman Mu Xue, she didn¡¯t know if it had anything to do with Mu Qing.

 Chapter 481: She Is My Wife

    <h4>Chapter 481: She Is My Wife</h4>

    Huangfu Chen looked a little dazed. He lowered his eyes, and a trace of sadness shed across his handsome face.

    "Master?" Ye Zhen turned her head to look at him. Seeing that he was just silent, her curiosity piqued.

    ¡°Mu Xue is the younger sister of an old friend,¡± Huangfu Chen said lightly. "If she is by Zhao Tianji''s side, you must remember to be more careful." "

    ¡°Master, what''s the rtionship between Mu Xue and Mu Qing?" she asked in a low voice.

    At the mention of the name that had crossed his mind for many years, Huangfu Chen''s eyes darkened. He looked at the little girl for a while before saying in a low voice, ¡°Mu Qing is my former wife, and Mu Xue is her younger sister."

    <i>Wife?</i> All along she had known Mu Qing held a special ce in her Master¡¯s life. She reckoned she was his childhood sweetheart or perhaps beloved, but never had she thought she would be his wife.

    "Where did she go?"

    He smiled faintly. ¡°I don''t know either."

    Ye Zhen didn''t know what to say. She had heard people mention Mu Qing and seen her Master''s expression change. She had already surmised that she was very important to him but didn''t expect¡­ it would be like this. ¡°Master, why did Madam¡­ leave you?"

    Huangfu Chen, such a fine man, a blessing to whoever marries him. Why would Mu Qing be willing to leave him?

    He looked at the sky outside and said, ¡°It''s not early, you¡¯ve been tired today. Go back and rest early."

    "Master, I''ll leave now." Ye Zhen too had fallen in love with someone before. She knew that sometimes it wasn''t easy to talk about the wound in one¡¯s heart.

    Ye Zhen returned to the Peach Blossom Garden. Right as she walked to the door, she saw Mu Xue who had just been in Zhao Tianji''s room.

    "Gone to report the Second Young Master''s condition to Huangfu Chen?" Mu Xue''s lips curled into a cold smile. Her eyes were filled with killing intent as she looked at Ye Zhen.

    ¡°Miss Mu, did youe looking for me?¡± she asked lightly.

    Mu Xue snorted coldly. ¡°Did Huangfu Chen let you approach the Second Young Master?"

    "You want to know so much, why don''t you ask my master?" Ye Zhen took a few steps forward and indifferently looked at Mu Xue, who was blocking the door. ¡°Can you stop blocking?"

    "Don''t think that you''re amazing just because you have some medical skills. Go back and tell Huangfu Chen, what if he tried his best? Mu Qing is already married to Eldest Young Master, so it''s impossible for her to return to his side. If he dares to harm Second Young Master, I won''t let him off," she said coldly.

    Ye Zhen wanted to ignore her and was about to walk into the room when the other¡¯s words fell. ¡°What did you just say? Mu Qing married your eldest young master?"

    Mu Xue nodded and smiled proudly. ¡°Huangfu Chen still doesn''t know about my sister''s marriage to Eldest Young Master. You can go back and tell your master that he should stop dreaming that my sister will return to his side. Originally, my sister came to him to have him cure Eldest Young Master''s illness. Now that he is free from worries, she will naturally return to his side."

    Ye Zhen''s eyes shed with anger. She didn''t know what had happened between Huangfu Chen and Mu Qing, but from what Mu Xue said, she(MQ) had already married someone else. It wasn''t that she had gone missing without reason. <i>If Master were to know this, he would definitely be very sad.</i>

    "Since your sister was to marry someone else, why didn¡¯t she tell my master?" Ye Zhen asked indifferently.

    Mu Xue chuckled. ¡°That''s funny. Since she used Huangfu Chen, why would she tell him? However, he didn¡¯t die despite being injured by Eldest Young Master and disappearing for many years. If he dares to take revenge on Second Young Master, I won''t let him off."

    "You don''t need to judge a gentleman''s belly with the heart of a viin. My master is different from you," she suppressed the anger in her heart. Then, she walked into the room and mmed the door shut.

    "You¡­!" Mu Xue was furious. Lu Yaoyao actually dared to call her a viin.

    Liang Yin walked out from the side and stopped Mu Xue before she could break into Ye Zheng¡¯s room. ¡°Have you forgotten the kind of temper Second Young Master has?"

    "Could it be that Second Young Master will protect her?" she humphed coldly. She would not kill this woman, but just keep her alive at most*.

    [*aka she will torment her in other ways]

    "If you dare to touch her, Ind Lord will not let you and your brother go," Liang Yin warned her in a low voice.

    Mu Xue''s expression changed and her tone became even more furious. ¡°Why? Could it be that Second Young Master is interested* in her?"

    [*as in has a crush/fancies]

    Lu Yaoyao''s appearance was devastating, but so what? Second Young Master was never someone to indulge in beauty. She did not believe that he would be tempted by her(LYY)!

    "Because she is Huangfu Chen''s apprentice!" Liang Yin said coldly.

    "Doesn''t Second Young Master hate Huangfu Chen?" Mu Xue asked reluctantly.

    Liang Yin said, ¡°Ind Lord and Huangfu Chen were originally friends. If he(IL) hated him, he would have been killed long ago. Mu Xue, have you forgotten Huangfu Chen''s identity? Even Eldest Young Master wouldn''t dare to kill him. It''s all thanks to the great kindness of the Huangfu n''s ancestors that the people on our ind can live up to this day. If you dare to go back on your word and kill him, you should try!"

    Mu Xue thought back to their oath and Huangfu Chen''s identity on the ind and snorted. ¡°I won''t kill Huangfu Chen. I''ll kill his apprentice."

    "Even if you kill Lu Yaoyao, Ind Lord wouldn''t like you." He pushed her away. ¡°If you still want to stay in the vi, you''d better behave yourself."

    "Liang Yin, you dare stop me!" Mu Xue was even more furious when she was exposed.

    Liang Yin just stood expressionlessly below the steps. Otherwise, Mu Xue would havee closer to Ye Zhen''s room.

    She snorted coldly. She did not believe that she would not have the chance to kill Lu Yaoyao in the future.

    Ye Zhen, who was inside, listened to the conversation between the two(outside). Now, she was even more curious about Huangfu Chen and Mu Qing''s past.

    <i>If Master knew Mu Qing had married another person, he would definitely be very sad, right? Was Mu Qing really only using Master and hence got close to him?</i>

    She was full of doubts, but no one could help her solve them.

    The next day, she went to take Zhao Tianji''s pulse early in the morning. It was the same as yesterday, but his stiff hands were much better.

    "Don''t sit around when you have nothing to do. It''s better if you go out and move. Otherwise, you can bask in the sun. You don''t need acupuncture today. Find a stronger person. I''ll teach him to massage the meridians throughout your body. In the future, you''ll have to massage it every day before you go to sleep," she told Zhao Tianji.

    Zhao Tianji nced at her. ¡°Your medical skills are taught by Huangfu Chen?"

    "Not all of them." She replied, ¡°My mother is also a doctor."

    "How much do you know about your master?" he asked.

    She retracted her hand that was used to take his pulse and looked up at him. ¡°Ind Lord Zhao, do you want to tell me about the grudge between you and my master?"

    Zhao Tianji snorted coldly. ¡°If your master didn''t even tell you, why should I tell you?"

    "Then why are you asking me?" Ye Zhen snorted angrily. ¡°You should have someonee in and open your meridians."

 Chapter 482: Nian Tzu Temple

    <h4>Chapter 482: Nian Tzu Temple</h4>

    Although Mo Rongzhan had said that he would let Lu Yaoyao untie the knot in her heart, he still couldn''tpletely rx. He still asked the hidden guards to protect her. Two dayster, he received news from them that they had not found the princess.

    ¡°¡­Your Majesty, we caught up with Imperial Physician Qi Yizheng who said that Mister Huangfu had parted ways with them in Sanpo Town, and never met them on the official road to Huaijiang. We chased them to the Gujia Vige from where they disappeared without a trace¡­"

    Mo Rongzhan listened to the secret guard''s report and his dark eyes were filled with rage. ¡°You mean Huangfu Chen and Lu Yaoyao are gone?"

    The hidden guard kneeling in front of Mo Rongzhan lowered his head. ¡°Your Majesty, this subordinate¡­ It is true that they couldn''t be found. However, seeing the suspicious appearance of the inn, they arrested and interrogated them only to find out¡­ only to find out that they captured a few people not long ago. ording to what they said, it should be the princess and the others."

    "Got caught?" Mo Rongzhan asked softly, but he heard Eunuch Fu trembling.

    This was because the emperor was really angry. <i>Which bastard didn''t have eyes? Even dared to capture Huangfu Chen and the princess!</i>

    "The innkeeper said¡­ Someone kidnapped them." The voice of the hidden guard trembled.

    Mo Rongzhan curled his lips into a smile. ¡°My Jin country still has such an arrogant kidnapper, even dares to capture my princess."

    "Your Majesty, this subordinate will definitely find the princess," the hidden guard hurriedly said.

    "Yes, Your Majesty." Eunuch Fu quickly agreed.

    "Fude, call Marquis Jingning over," Mo Rongzhan ordered in a low voice.

    Mo Rongzhan also dismissed the guards who had been kneeling, not daring to get up. When he heard that Yaoyao had disappeared, he felt a sense of panic in his heart. He was well-aware of Huangfu Chen''s ability. It was impossible for ordinary people to capture him. This proved that those who could capture them were more powerful than him.

    <i>If something happened to Yaoyao¡­</i>

    Mo Rongzhan suddenly stood up. He must not let anything happen to Yaoyao.

    ?

    Lu Lingzhi scouted around Nian Tzu Temple for three days before finally finding a chance to meet Lu Wushuang.

    Since the poisoning, although Imperial Physician Qi and her nephew Huangfu Chen had treated him, Lu Lingzhi still felt that his health was getting worse and worse. He knew very well that even if Huangfu Chen found a way to detoxify him in the future, he was afraid he would not be able to lead troops in battle anymore. The Lu family wanted topletely get rid of the identity of the merchant (Shangjia) and be a member of the nobility in the capital. They could no longer rely on him to make military merits in exchange.

    If Lu Wushuang hadn''t been deposed, perhaps her position as an imperial concubine would have paved the way for the Lu family. But now, she could no longer be counted on.

    What was beyond Lu Lingzhi¡¯s expectation was that the emperor wanted to make Lu Yaoyao his empress. This was great news for the Lu family. However, it was quite the contrary for Lu Wushuang.

    Lu Lingzhi had deliberated for a long time before he finally came to see his sister. He had watched Shuang''er grow, and now he had to choose between the future of the Lu family and her. Indeed, it was still a little difficult.

    "Eldest Brother." Lu Wushuang had already received the news that Lu Lingzhi wasing to see her today. She had already prepared for it. Seeing her brother walk in, her tears began to flow. It seemed that she had finally found an outlet for her grievances these days.

    He looked at his sister with a gentle and magnanimous gaze. He walked in and closed the door behind him. ¡°Shuang''er, Eldest Brother iste."

    "Eldest Brother, why did youe only now? Take me away. I don''t want to stay here. Go plead with the emperor and let him¡­ Beg him to let me return to the pce. I won''t be capricious anymore, okay?" She held brother''s hand and cried. She was about to go crazy in Nian Tzu Temple. The days here were too bitter for her.

    He wiped away her tears and made her sit down. ¡°Shuang''er, Eldest Brother will definitely get you out of this ce. Don''t worry."

    "Eldest Brother, those nuns aren''t good people. How dare they make me work? They even dare to make me sweep the floor and wash clothes." She grumbled angrily, ¡°Even if I were in the Lu family, I wouldn''t have such a hard life. How could they dare to make me work?"

    Lu Lingzhi sighed in his heart. Even though she was deposed, her personality had not changed. ¡°Shuang''er, the emperor sent you here to change your personality. If you can¡¯t even endure this little pain, how can you make the emperor believe that you have changed?"

    "Eldest Brother, Emperor¡­The emperor will not let me go back." She thought back to herst conversation with Mo Rongzhan and could no longerin. Instead, she cried even louder.

    He smiled warmly. ¡°Don''t think too much. Shuang''er, have you forgotten? You are the emperor''s savior. Even if you did something wrong and infuriated him, when his anger subsides, he will let you go back to the pce."

    "Won''t! No way!" She started crying yet again. ¡°Eldest Brother, His Majesty knows¡­ The emperor knows it wasn''t me, so he won''t forgive me. He won''t let me go back to the pce."

    His expression changed. ¡°How did His Majesty know? You told him?"

    "Why would I? I¡­ ¡­ I don''t know how he knew, he was the one who asked me that day, he thought¡­thought I was hiding Ye Zhen. Eldest Brother, if the emperor knew that the person who saved him was Ye Zhen, he would certainly not let go of the Lu family." She grabbed his hand and cried even harder.

    "Shuang''er, tell Eldest Brother clearly¡­ What exactly did the emperor say that day?" Lu Lingzhi''s was shocked, <i>did the emperor suspect even him?</i>

    Lu Wushuang sobbed. ¡°He said¡­ there¡¯s a little name. Eldest Brother, what was Ye Zhen''s little name* actually? There was also a secret she told him, I didn''t even know about it¡­However, he must have already suspected me when he asked me about the secret code."

    [*little name = nickname]

    <i>Little name?</i> Lu Lingzhi took a deep breath. The Ye family was already dead. He wouldn''t be able to find out what kind of little name Ye Zhen had.

    "What did you tell the emperor?" He rubbed his eyebrows. He didn''t expect the emperor to know that Shuang''er wasn''t the one who saved his life.

    It seemed that the emperor had long wanted to banish Shuang''er, not only because she framed Yaoyao.

    Lu Wushuang wiped away the tears on her face. "It is only natural that I can''t let the emperor suspect you. If you had an ident, then who will be able to save me in the future? That''s why I told the emperor that it''s¡­ that it''s my father who ordered me to assume that girl''s identity. I myself do not know where the youngdy who saved the emperor back then was¡­"

    Lu Lingzhi asked in a low voice, ¡°Does the emperor believe it?"

    "If he didn''t, why didn¡¯t he summon you into the pce to ask about it until now?" Lu Wushuang asked. "Eldest Brother, the emperor still trusts you."

    ¡°No, the emperor has begun to distrust me." Lu Lingzhi shook his head and sighed. Never had he thought that after all his efforts, in the end, he would still get nothing and make Mo Rongzhan¡¯s suspicion instead.

 Chapter 483: She Is Not His Cousin

    <h4>Chapter 483: She Is Not His Cousin</h4>

    Lu Lingzhi had been by Mo Rongzhan''s side for a long time, so he already knew him very well. If he(MRZ) really believed that he had nothing to do with this matter, he would have summoned him toe to the pce and asked him about it. Now that he had not, but investigated on the sly, it was obvious that the emperor was suspecting him.

    "Eldest Brother, what should we do? If the emperor doesn''t even believe you, who can get me out of here?" Lu Wushuang first asked softly before her expression and demeanor changed as she abruptly stood up. "I don''t want to stay in Nian Tzu Temple for even a quarter of an hour. Eldest Brother, please, even if I have to go far away and never return to the capital for the rest of my life, I am willing, just please¡­ Please save me¡­ get me out of here."

    Lu Lingzhi pressed Lu Wushuang''s shoulder and said, ¡°Don''t get agitated. Sit down and listen to me."

    "Eldest Brother, you don''t know how hard it is here, I really can''t take it anymore." She choked with emotion.

    "It''s not impossible to get you out," Lu Lingzhi said in a low voice,¡±I had thought I could get you back to the pce, but now I''m afraid I can''t. The emperor is such a person¡­ He detests being deceived.¡±

    Lu Wushuang was overjoyed. ¡°Even if you don''t want me to go back to the pce, all you have to do is get me out."

    "Then we have to count on Yaoyao."He looked at his sister and said,¡°I know you don''t like her, but besides her, Eldest Brother has no other way to help you."

    As soon as she heard Yaoyao''s name, Lu Shuanger''s face immediately changed. "Lu Yaoyao? Brother, how could she help me out? She wants to kill me. No, I can''t count on her. She''s just a princess with a different surname. One day when Empress Dowager is unhappy with her, she will be nothing."

    "The emperor wants to make her the empress." Lu Lingzhi said in a low voice,¡±As long as she bes the empress, she will be able to decree that you leave."

    Lu Wushuang felt that her ears were ying tricks on her. <i>What did she hear from Lu Lingzhi? The emperor wanted to make Lu Yaoyao Empress?</i>

    ¡°Eldest Brother, are you joking? Lu Yaoyao is now a princess, how can she be the empress?" The jealousy in Lu Wushuang''s heart swelled like a venomous snake gnawing at her heart.

    "You also know that Yaoyao is not a real princess. Bing an empress is but a word from the emperor." He whispered, raising his eyes to look at his sister''s face. "I know you feel ufortable, but Yaoyao is your sister, and if she bes an empress, it will always bode well for you and the Lu family."

    "No, she won''t let me off." Lu Wushuang looked fierce. ¡°I knew it¡­I knew she had already seduced the emperor behind my back. I really didn''t wrong her, Eldest Brother, kill Lu Yaoyao, kill her!"

    "Shuang''er, I have told you that the remaining poison in my body has yet to be purged, I can no longer make military contributions for the Lu family. The emperor knows that you were not the one who saved him back then, so now only Yaoyao¡ª"

    "You and Grandmother are biased towards her!" Lu Wushuang shrieked. ¡°I just knew it. You''re all biased towards Lu Yaoyao. Eldest Brother, am I not your favorite sister anymore? In the past, no matter what happened to me, you would always help me. Do you want to help Lu Yaoyao now?"

    Lu Lingzhi smiled bitterly. ¡°Yaoyao doesn''t need my help at all. She''s not in the capital."

    ¡°Eldest Brother, why can she be the empress? Why did¡­the emperor only make me Gui Fei but is willing to make her Empress?" She was unreconciled. She didn''t think she¡¯d lose to* Lu Yaoyao

    [*she didn¡¯t think she was inferior to LYY]

    "I don''t know either." Lu Lingzhi shook his head. Mo Rongzhan might already know that Lu Yaoyao looked like Ye Zhen. <i>If he knew that Ye Zhen was the one who saved him¡­</i>

    He did not dare to imagine what would happen to the Lu family then.

    Lu Wushuang looked at him."Eldest Brother, are you¡­ not going to help me anymore."

    "Shuang''er, Eldest Brother will save you." He persuaded her in a low voice. ¡°Once Yaoyao bes the empress, you can leave."

    "You have all been deceived by Lu Yaoyao. She is not as kind and innocent as you think. If she really did not seduce the emperor, would the emperor abandon me for her?" Lu Wushuang screamed.

    Lu Lingzhi sighed. ¡°Shuang''er, Yaoyao is also our sister. She will help you for the sake of our Lu family."

    "I don''t think Lu Yaoyao is Third Uncle''s daughter!" Lu Wushuang snorted and said coldly.

    "Shuang''er, what are you saying!" Lu Lingzhi frowned and looked at her. How could she say such words?

    Lu Wushuang harrumphed. ¡°When I was young, I clearly heard Third Aunt tell Third Uncle that she was injured when she gave birth to Xiang. It''s very difficult for her to be pregnant again. How could she have given birth to Lu Yaoyao in the border town?"

    "What?"Lu Lingzhi looked at Lu Wushuang in shock. ¡°Are you sure?"

    Lu Wushuang bit her lip. Actually, she wasn''t sure, but when she thought of Lu Yaoyao bing the empress, her hatred surged such that she wanted her to die. "Yes, if you don''t believe me, go ask Third Uncle!"

    "I will naturally ask about this matter. You can just stay here in Nian Tzu Temple without fear. However, even if I save you, you might not be able to return to the pce. You know the emperor best. He doesn''t like people lying to him," he said gently.

    Lu Wushuang had already considered the consequences in the event that Mo Rongzhan questioned her. However, even if she was in love with him, she did not want to spend her entire life alone here. No matter where she went, she did not want to stay in Nian Tzu Temple.

    "As long as I can leave this damned ce, I''m willing to go anywhere," she said.

    "Then I''ll leave first. You''ll have to endure for a while longer. I''ve already spoken to the Nian Tzu Temple''s nuns and asked them to treat you kindly and not force you to do such rough work," Lu Lingzhi whispered.

    Lu Wushuang nodded with an aggrieved expression."Eldest Brother,e back quickly and save me."

    "Good." Lu Lingzhi patted his sister¡¯s head before turning to leave Nian Tzu Temple.

    When they reached the foot of the mountain, Lu Lingzhi held his chest and panted heavily. No one could understand how excited he was. When he heard that Yaoyao might not be Third Uncle''s daughter, he¡­He was actually filled with an unprecedented surprise and anticipation.

    If Yaoyao was not Third Uncle''s daughter, then she would not be his cousin!

    Lu Lingzhi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. <i>Could he stop suppressing his feelings for her? </i>Did he not need to think about marrying her out as soon as possible to prevent falling deeper and deeper?

    She looked too much like Ye Zhen. Now, he couldn''t even tell if he couldn''t forget Ye Zhen or if it was because he liked her so much that he thought of her as Ye Zhen.

    He wanted to go back and ask Third Uncle if Yaoyao was really not his cousin¡­

    No matter what, he would never marry Yaoyao to someone else, even if she were to be an empress.

    He had only ever erred once, lost (her) once; he didn''t want to miss (her) again.

    Lu Lingzhi suppressed his excitement and strode towards the carriage at the foot of the mountain. "Return!"

    ???

 Chapter 484: Getting Better

    <h4>Chapter 484: Getting Better</h4>

    Having gone through the acupuncture sessions a few times now, Zhao Tianji no longer found it as painful as the first time. His hands weren¡¯t as stiff as oranges, and his previously numb legs could move slightly. This was an unprecedented phenomenon for him.

    "Your legs and meridians have already opened. Normally, you should go out and walk by yourself. Whether it''s by holding a stick or someone¡¯s hand, no matter what, you have to move," Ye Zhen said as she tidied up the needles.

    "Since I have opened my meridians, why can''t I walk?" Zhao Tianji frowned at her even as he had Liang Yin help him sit up.

    ¡°How long has it been since your legs moved? Even if your meridians have opened, your muscles are already atrophied. You definitely need to move more to recover," she said without turning her head.

    "Miss Lu, our ind lord¡­ still need to soak in the medicinal bath?" Liang Yin asked politely.

    As Zhao Tianji''s legs got better and better, Liang Yin''s attitude towards Ye Zhen became more and more respectful, and he was no longer as vignt as he had been at the beginning, treating her as an enemy.

    "Soak every three days. There''s no need to soak every day," Ye Zhen replied.

    Zhao Tianji nced at her and said to Liang Yin, "Come out with me."

    Liang Yin immediately agreed. He helped his master to his wheelchair and was about to push him out when Zhao Tianji said indifferently, ¡°Come out too."

    Ye Zhen was going to look for Huangfu Chen. At his words, she frowned and looked at the man.

    Zhao Tianji had already had Liang Yin push him out.

    It had been over half a month, and Huangfu Chen was still under house arrest in that courtyard. Zhao Tianji had not seen him except on the first day.

    "Ind Lord Zhao, your legs have improved. Can you let us go?" Ye Zhen stood at the side, watching Zhao Tianji holding Liang Yin''s hand as he walked with difficulty. Although he was only gently moving his feet, it was already much better than sitting in a wheelchair.

    Zhao Tianji was already sweating profusely within a few steps. Hezily nced at Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhen watched him walk back and forth a few times until his entire body was drenched in sweat. He didn''t want to stop, so she could only say, ¡°It''s enough to practice for two hours every day. You can''t walk for too long at the start. It''s not good for your body."

    Zhao Tianji finally stopped walking at her words. Instead, he asked Liang Yin to bring him in and change his clothes.

    <i>This person really¡­</i>

    Ye Zhen grimaced behind him. If she didn''t want to leave this ce, she wouldn''t have wanted to cure his legs. However, this time, she didn''t use <i>lingquan</i>. She relied solely on her true medical skills to heal his legs. She felt a little proud.

    After a while, Zhao Tianji came out again, no longer sweating like just then, looking fresh. He had Liang Yin push him to the pavilion in the courtyard.

    "I heard that your chess skills are pretty good. Come y with me." Zhao Tianji''s refined and handsome face carried a faint smile, indicating for Ye Zhen toe over to the pavilion.

    "Whence did you hear that my chess skills are good?" She raised an eyebrow. <i>I was only ying chess with Master here. Could it be that someone is really monitoring Master?</i>

    Zhao Tianji smiled faintly. ¡°Your Highness, are you in a hurry to leave? Do you want to go back to the capital or elsewhere?"

    Ye Zhen sat down. ¡°Huaijiang."

    "So, can you guarantee that my legs will heal in half a month?" Zhao Tianji asked.

    "I''m not an immortal. Even if your legs are connected with the meridians, you still need to practice walking by yourself. It''s good fortune if you can walk normally after half a year." Ye Zhen said, "If you don''t believe me, you can ask my master."

    At the mention of Huangfu Chen, Zhao Tianji''s face turned ugly. ¡°Don''t mention him in front of me."

    Ye Zhen pursed her lips. ¡°Then you¡­."

    "Why did you take Huangfu Chen as your master?" He interrupted her, but his eyes were on the chessboard as he yed with her.

    "If you want to take him as your master, then take him as your master. Master is not only proficient in divination, but his medical skills are also brilliant. It''s my honor to have him as my master," she said.

    "Divination?" Zhao Tianji sneered. ¡°If he knows divination, how could he not know what would happen to him?"

    "Perhaps he did calcte, but there is nothing he can change even if he wants to?¡± She eyed him faintly. ¡°Not all destinies can be easily changed, being able to divinate doesn¡¯t mean he is immortal.¡±

    Zhao Tianji froze for a moment. ¡°You''re right, your master is useless."

    "You''re saying it as if you''re very useful. If you''re really that strong, how could you practice your internal strength to such an extent?" Although she did not know what had happened between her master and this Ind Lord, she was just such a person who would shield her rtives and friends such that no one could utter an ill word.

    "You really are quite bold." He looked at her coldly.

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°What''s there to be afraid of now? At worst, I''ll die."

    She had just finished speaking when she suddenly felt a wave of killing intent assault her face. She raised her eyebrows and looked at Zhao Tianji.

    Zhao Tianji held a chess piece and gently ced it on the chessboard. ¡°Mu Xue, I remember that I said you''d better not appear before my sight."

    Mu Xue walked out from the corner and looked at Ye Zhen viciously. ¡°Second Young Master, this woman is disrespectful to you. This subordinate will teach her a lesson on your behalf."

    "Scram!" Zhao Tianji bellowed in a deep voice.

    "Second Young Master?" Mu Xue turned her head in disbelief. In the past, anyone who dared to act impudently before Second Young Master would have already been killed. <i>Why did he spare this woman?</i>

    Ye Zhen looked at the chessboard that had already been decided. She picked up the ck piece with a smile and put it down casually. ¡°It looks like Ind Lord Zhao can''t even suppress a servant."

    Zhao Tianji snorted coldly. ¡°Lu Yaoyao, don''t sow discord in front of me."

    His words had only just fallen when his eyes were drawn to the game on the board, and actually ¡­ a defeat into a victory by just one piece?

    Mu Xue stood behind Zhao Tianji, staring coldly at Ye Zhen.

    "How did you do it?" Zhao Tianji looked up at her in surprise.

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°Didn''t you hear that I''m good at chess? This is me telling you that my chess skills are indeed good."

    "You¡­!"

    "Master!" Outside the pavilion, Qiu Yuan rushed over and interrupted their conversation.

    Zhao Tianji nced at him. ¡°What is it?"

    Seeing that Ye Zhen was also present, Qiu Yuan walked up to Zhao Tianji and whispered into his ear, ¡°Master, there''s someone making trouble in the mine. They said they want to leave¡­."

    "You still want to tell me such a trivial matter? Whoever wants to leave, kill them," Zhao Tianji said coldly.

    Qiu Yuan said, ¡°There¡­ are a hundred people causing trouble."

    Should we kill all those hundred people? Then at least half of the work in the iron mine would not be done.

    Zhao Tianji frowned and pondered for a while. He raised his eyes to look at Ye Zhen. ¡°You go with me to take a look."

    ???

 Chapter 485: Discovering A Trail

    <h4>Chapter 485: Discovering A Trail</h4>

    A few days ago

    Mo Rongzhan led Tang Zhen and the others from the capital to the Gujia vige. They still stayed at the inn at the entrance of the vige, but it no longer had the original innkeeper. Innkeeper Liu had been secretly reced by one of the emperor¡¯s men.

    ¡°Your Majesty, is this where the princess¡­ disappeared?" Tang Zhen asked anxiously. After he had gotten piss drunk that day, for three days in a row Marquis Jing Ning did not attend the morning court. The emperor too did not let people rush him and instead left him at home in a drunken stupor. When he sobered up, he calmed down.

    In fact, he had long known that it was impossible to marry Lu Yaoyao. From that day in the hunting grounds, he knew too well in his heart but was still a little unwilling to give up; so when Lu Lingzhi had spoken, he was moved.

    Perhaps¡­ Even without the emperor, Yaoyao would not marry him.

    When she was facing him, when she was facing his feelings, she had never blushed or been nervous. If she had been slightly tempted by him, how could she have behaved like this?

    Tang Zhen came to this realization and woke up from his pain, but he forgot what he had said when he was drunk. In his heart he couldn¡¯t still forget Yaoyao, but it was clear that the girl he loved would be the empress.

    "That''s right. It turns out the innkeeper doesn''t know where they were taken to." Mo Rongzhan sized up the inn. ¡°There are so few people in this vige?"

    The shadow guard dressed as the innkeeper replied in a low voice, ¡°Your Majesty, there were a lot of people here. Since two years ago, the younger people in the vige went out to work. Only the elderly, young women and children were left. It''s not just the Gujia vige. The other viges are also like this."

    Mo Rongzhan asked in a low voice, ¡°They haven''t returned in two years?"

    "None ever returned," the shadow guard replied.

    "Didn''t the people in the vige suspect?" Tang Zhen shook his head, such a strange phenomenon. It felt suspicious now, one vige might be understandable, but several viges around were like this. "Even the authorities have not investigated?"

    In came a few men dressed as merchants, they saluted Mo Rongzhan and spoke in a low voice. ¡°Your Majesty, we¡¯ve inquired about all the surrounding viges. We only got the approximate direction they went towards but do not know what their destination is. It seems they went in the direction of the mountain."

    "It''s not early. Let''s rest the night first. We''ll look for them tomorrow morning." Mo Rongzhan suppressed his impulsive urge to find her.

    Since he was already here, he could not act rashly. No matter what, he had to calm down first. If the other party could capture Huangfu Chen, then he must not be an ordinary person.

    Mo Rongzhan and the others scouted around the Gujia vige for several days before finally finding a path leading to the deep mountains.

    "Your Majesty, look." They were sprawled on the top of the mountain when they spotted a group of people wearing coarse clothing, under another high mountain, knocking and tapping.

    Mo Rongzhan frowned at them and said coldly, ¡°They''re mining a private mine."

    "Back in the previous dynasty, iron ore was ssified as the official mine of the court, but there are still people who dare to dig private mines," Tang Zhen said in surprise, who on earth could dig such a big private mine in this ce without being discovered by the imperial court?

    "There are too many people, don''t be discovered. Liu Ying, go back to the capital, find General Meng and tell him to bring troops." Mo Rongzhan quietly instructed the shadow guard behind him.

    "Yes, Your Majesty," Liu Ying answered in a low voice.

    "Your Majesty, what do we do now?" Tang Zhen asked.

    Mo Rongzhan¡¯s hawk eyes were fixed on the crowd below and then at the private mine that was bigger than any iron mine of the imperial court. ¡°Find a way to blend in with the crowd, I want to know who is behind this private mine."

    "Your Majesty, let''s disguise ourselves and sneak in," Tang Zhen whispered. He had been by Mo Rongzhan''s side for many years and had learned disguise skills when they were traversing the world.

    Mo Rongzhan turned his head to look at the shadow guards behind him. ¡°Don''t follow me. Just investigate around, besides this private mine, exactly what else feels suspicious."

    "Your Majesty, this¡­" They were afraid that Mo Rongzhan would be in danger.

    "Go now!" Mo Rongzhan coldly ordered. Looking at the people who were carrying and moving, he thought to himself that if he were to see the little girl doing such menial work, he didn''t know if he would be able to restrain himself from killing those who were tormenting her.

    The little girl he couldn¡¯t wait to hold in his palm, even he could not bear to let her suffer, how could others make her suffer?

    "Your Majesty, there are guards everywhere. I''m afraid it won''t be easy to sneak in," Tang Zhen said.

    "Wait a moment. We''ll sneak in tonight." At the foot of the mountain, there were one or two hundred people in coarse clothing working. There were also dozens of people wearing the same dark blue guards¡¯ livery. It was unknown how many were in ces they could not see, so they could not act rashly.

    ?

    Originally, Ye Zhen didn''t want to go to the iron mine with Zhao Tianji, but thinking back to the circumstances surrounding it that day, she wanted to take a closer look, after all, this mine shouldn''t be as simple as making money in business.

    Liang Yin pushed the wheelchair, and Ye Zhen slowly followed. Mu Xue, who had been following Zhao Tianji, deliberately slowed down a few steps and walked beside her.

    "Even if you cure Second Young Master, you can''t change anything." Mu Xue lowered her voice and spoke to Ye Zhen with a threatening tone.

    Ye Zhen said indifferently, ¡°What do you think I want to change?"

    "If you want to help your master, I advise you not to waste your time." Mu Xue harrumphed.

    "Miss Mu, I don''t know what you''re trying to say. My master is very powerful, would he need me to do anything for him? You don''t have to be so nervous about me, I really don''t know anything." Ye Zhen smiled, her voice was neither too loud nor too low.

    Zhao Tianji raised his eyebrows, the corners of his mouth lifted into a faint smile.

    When they reached the iron mine, Qiu Yuan had someone bring arge sedan chair. After Zhao Tianji got into it, he called Ye Zhen over and asked her to sit in with him.

    Mu Xue bit her lip and red resentfully at Ye Zhen.

    On the other side, in the mine, there were hundreds of people shouting that they wanted to go home. They didn''t want the money anymore, they just wanted to go home and visit their family.

    Ye Zhen looked through the window at the scene outside. Those who were making a fuss were all workers dressed in coarse clothing. They seemed to be a little emotional, there were some with injured heads, the blood had dried up but it did not affect their determination to leave the mine.

    Zhao Tianji asked Qiu Yuan coldly, ¡°Who took the lead to leave? Kill that person in public."

    Qiu Yuan looked troubled. ¡°My Lord, no¡­ there is no leader."

    Even if he wanted to make an example out of the chicken*, he did not know how to find the leader.

    [É±¼¦ÙÓºïsh¨¡ j¨© j¨«ng h¨®u: lit. killing the chicken to warn the monkey (idiom); to punish an individual as an example to others; pour encourager les autres]

    ???

 Chapter 486: Riot

    <h4>Chapter 486: Riot</h4>

    Presumably, someone noticed that the people in the sedan chair were unusual, and their voices started getting louder and louder. They rushed towards it. There were too many to tell whether there was someone secretly instigating it.

    Ye Zhen turned her head to look at the man. "Did you capture these people and keep them from going back like this?"

    Zhao Tianji said with a cold face, "When this iron ore work is done, I would naturally let them leave."

    "In ten or eight years, can this iron ore bepletely dug up?" Ye Zhen asked, "Do you want to deprive these people of seeing their rtives for ten or eight years? You are really cold-blooded.¡±

    "I would give them a great reward, these eight or ten years would allow them to be carefree for the rest of their lives," Zhao Tianji said in a cold voice.

    Ye Zhen pointed to those outside with injured heads and bleeding and insisted on going home. "Did you hear what they were saying? They have wives whom they¡¯ve just married, old parents, and some children in the family who are waiting to be fed, and you do not want them to see them for eight or ten years. Who knows what the situation will be like in eight or ten years. Perhaps they will not see them in their lifetime? You can''t me them for being homesick, there is no one who wants that. ¡±

    "Even if I don''t go home for ten years, I don''t think I''ll miss it," Zhao Tianji said.

    Ye Zhen looked at him with pitiful eyes. "Then I really sympathize with you, you are actually a person without a home, even if you have a home, it is certainly not like home, there is no warmth at all."

    Zhao Tianji finally looked directly at Ye Zhen. "Lu Yaoyao, don''t think that I really won''t kill you."

    "Looks like I''m right," Ye Zhen said with a smile.

    "You¡­!" Zhao Tianji had an urge to strangle her, if it weren''t for his legs and her treatment, he would have killed her!

    His home on the ind was nothing to be nostalgic about, except for a big brother who only thought about inheriting the legacy of his ancestors all day long, an elder who did not treat him as a person, only wanting him to keep doing things, and those inders who did not know why they regarded them as gods, he knew not what there was to miss. If he could, he wouldn''t want to go back to that ind for the rest of his life.

    The people outside were getting noisier, and Qiu Yuan had already led people to suppress them.

    A middle-aged man who was at the front cried that he wanted to go home to see his dying mother. "Please, I''ll go back to see my mother for thest time, and I''lle back when I''m done¡­!" he cried out.

    Qiu Yuan said loudly, "Back then, you signed a contract with Master. You can''t go back without finishing the iron ore work, do you want to vite the contract?¡±

    "We don''t want silver anymore, we''re going back." Someone shouted.

    "Yes, we''re going back!"

    ¡°¡ª¡ª¡±

    Ye Zhen frowned and looked at the scene outside feeling that if he couldn''t calm down these people something would definitely happen. "If you don''t promise them, I''m afraid it won''t work," she looked at him and said.

    Zhao Tianji said coldly, "Then let them all die."

    <i>This person wants others to die at every turn, and it seems that many people have been killed before him.</i>

    "For you, is there no other way to solve things than killing people?"

    "It''s the fastest way," Zhao Tianji justified.

    "Ahhh, murder!" Suddenly, there was a scream outside.

    Those who hadn''t been moring to go back followed suit, and it turned chaotic outside.

    "Someone is injured!" Ye Zhen said, "If you really kill people, then you must kill everyone here!"

    Zhao Tianji snorted, "Kill them all."

    Ye Zhen looked at him and said seriously, "Ind Lord Zhao, now that the weather has gradually be hot, and you intend to kill so many people at once¡­ Who is going to bury their corpses? If you just throw them here, in a few days, it will definitely stink, and then cause gue¡­ You certainly can¡¯t mine here, maybe even your own people would die of the gue.¡±

    "Do you want me to let them go so they reveal this location?" Zhao Tianji asked with a sneer.

    "They must havee in blindfolded, too," Ye Zhen retorted, and then got up to try to get off the sedan chair.

    Zhao Tianji grabbed her hand. "Where do you want to go?"

    "Ind Lord Zhao, I am a doctor, when I see someone injured in front of me, I can''t turn a blind eye. I am different from you, not a cruel person,¡± Ye Zhen said coldly.

    "How many can you save?" Zhao Tianji snorted coldly and tossed away her hand.

    Ye Zhen didn''t know how many people she could save, but she felt that she could save a few.

    Qiu Yuan was still trying to stop the riot, several people were seriously injured and had fallen to the ground groaning in pain.

    "If you dare to make a squeek, you will join your family(in the grave)!" Zhao Tianji''s voice sounded deeply, he didn''t say it loudly, but everyone heard it clearly.

    Ye Zhen was stopping the bleeding for a man with a head injury, when she heard his words, she only frowned and sighed softly in her heart.

    Probably because of Zhao Tianji''s threat, gradually, the noisy people quieted, helplessly and desperately looking at the sedan chair.

    Ye Zhen didn''t bring much medicine, she hadn''t expected to encounter such a scene, so she could only do simple bandaging. She didn''t know that, as she moved, a pair of eyes hidden behind the crowd, were seethingly watching her.

    She hadn¡¯t changed her guise, was just dressed very inly, and her face was deliberately smeared with medicinal juice, it didn''t look as stunning, nheless, she was still beautiful. Many people''s attention was on the people inside the sedan chair, and they didn''t notice Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhen bandaged the injured people one by one, thest one only had an arm injury. She looked at the man and shook slightly, the man''s gaze seemed to be somewhat familiar.

    However, seeing his ordinary facial features and rough skin, she was very sure that she had never seen him before. His eyes were too sharp, and he was very aggressive, which made her very unhappy.

    "Is there any injury besides the arm?" Ye Zhen asked expressionlessly.

    "Nothing," he whispered back, his eyes glistening as he looked at her..

    Ye Zhen suddenly looked up at him. <i>This voice¡­ Mo Rongzhan?</i>

    "Miss, are you a doctor?" The man''s voice suddenly became thick, as if the low, mellow voice just now was not from him.

    "I am." Ye Zhen took a deep breath and lowered her head to bandage his arm, and the shock in her heart was already rolling up like a raging wave.

    <i>It is actually him! How could it be him?</i>

    "Well, try not to hurt your arm again these days." Ye Zhen whispered, and when he withdrew his arm, his fingers gently scratched her palm.

    Ye Zhen''s cheeks were slightly red, she had a lot of things she wanted to ask him, but she couldn''t say a word at the moment. Qiu Yuan had alreadye behind her.

    ???

 Chapter 487: What Did He Say to You?

    <h4>Chapter 487: What Did He Say to You?</h4>

    Ye Zhen resisted the urge to ask for rification, she nced at the man and turned back to Qiu Yuan. "I''ve bandaged the wounds of the injured people, but I don''t have enough medicine, so you can send them some trauma medicer."

    Qui Yuan nced at the man. "Master is waiting for you."

    "I know." Ye Zhen nodded and looked down at the man again.

    The man had lowered his head when Qiu Yuan came over, and it was only when they(YZ & QY) left together that he raised his head, his eyes seething at their departing backs.

    ¡°Your Majesty." A man with the same in and rough features came to his side, his lowered voice could not hide his excitement. "It''s Yaoyao."

    ¡°Hmm." Mo Rongzhan''s fists were clenched. It was her! He had just fought with all his might to control himself from holding her in his arms.

    <i>How could she be here? Who is the master? Where is Huangfu Chen?</i>

    Mo Rongzhan had so many questions in his heart, he couldn¡¯t wait to go after her and ask her a good question. But now that the iron mine riot was headed in the direction he wanted, he couldn''t let anyone discover his identity. At least, he knew she was safe and that''s enough!

    Due to Zhao Tianji''s threat, everyone¡¯s indignation was suppressed. No one dared to resist anymore, Qiu Yuan let everyone return to their positions to continue working.

    Mo Rongzhan and Tang Zhen, with their heads lowered and a dejected look on their face, lifted therge rock.

    Ye Zhen had already walked next to the big sedan chair, she couldn''t help but nce back, but her gaze didn''t dare to linger on the man just now.

    ¡°Are you afraid that I will kill them?" Zhao Tianji asked coldly from the sedan chair.

    ¡°Killing them won''t do you any good, would you do such a stupid thing?" Ye Zhen looked back at him, her face not daring to show any excitement.

    Zhao Tianji snorted coldly. "Come up and let¡¯s go back."

    Ye Zhen could only lower her head and follow him up to the sedan chair.

    "What did that man say to you just now?" Zhao Tianji sat calmly and steadily, seemingly asking in a very casual manner.

    ¡°Which person?" Ye Zhen asked with a frown.

    Zhao Tianji said indifferently, "What did he say to you when you bandaged his wounds?"

    ¡°There were eleven people injured in total, and each of them said a few words to me, which one do you want to hear?" Ye Zhen pouted her lips and red at him impatiently.

    "Hmph!" Zhao Tianji felt as if he was a bit paranoid. He thought that the man with the injured arm knew her, perhaps he just found her good looking so took a few extra nces. "I can still suppress them even if I don''t have to kill them."

    Ye Zhen smiled lightly. "Fortunately, you are not the ruler of a country, otherwise you would definitely be a tyrant."

    Zhao Tianji''s eyes flickered slightly. "Why can''t I be the ruler of a country?"

    ¡°If you were the emperor, you would kill any minister who defies your will. And the people not to your liking, you¡¯d threaten their lives and the lives of their rtives? Aren''t you a tyrant?" Ye Zhen asked rhetorically.

    "I can also be a benevolent ruler," Zhao Tianji said.

    Ye Zhen raised an eyebrow. "Do you really want to be an emperor?"

    Zhao Tianji didn''t answer her, the sedan chair kept going towards theke, and after getting into the boat, Zhao Tianji told everyone else to follow behind in the small boat.

    "Did Huangfu Chen really not tell you about his previous affairs?" Zhao Tianji sat behind the tea table on the boat, someone had already made tea and he was slowly sipping a cup.

    Ye Zhen was full of thoughts about the man who might be Mo Rongzhan. When she heard Zhao Tianji mention Huangfu Chen''s past, her eyes lit up slightly and she sat down across him. "Not everyone has the courage to bring up the sad things from the past, do you know what happened to my master in the past?"

    Zhao Tianji lowered his head and drank his tea. He had overheard her conversation with Mu Xue before and believed she didn''t know anything. <i>Why didn''t Huangfu Chen say anything?</i><i>He was under house arrest, and Lu Yaoyao went to see him every day. Did he really not say anything?</i>

    "Have you wronged my master before?" Ye Zhen suddenly asked.

    "Why am I the one who has wronged him and not he who has wronged me?" Zhao Tianji retorted coldly.

    Ye Zhenughed. "Because my master just seems to be affectionate and righteous, and you just seem to be heartless and unrighteous. So if I were to say who owes whom, it would be you who owes my master"

    Zhao Tianji''s originally carefree mood was sparked. He coldly looked at Ye Zhen. ¡°I want to throw you into theke."

    "If I drown you''ll be an invalid for the rest of your life," Ye Zhen replied nonchntly.

    If Huangfu Chen didn''t feel indebted to me, how could he be willing to be put under house arrest by me?" Zhao Tianji''s heart was itching with hatred, and when his legs were healed, he would definitely make her suffer.

    Ye Zhen said dismissively, "Even if it were me, I would not resist till I''mpletely sure. Even if my master is unwilling, can he still take us away from here? As I have already said, my Master is a man of great affection and righteousness, and will not leave us behind.¡±

    Zhao Tianji was blocked again, his anger rose. "If it weren''t for him, how could I have be what I am now? He was willing to be put under house arrest by me because of guilt."

    "Liar! Didn''t my master treat you in the first ce? You have been practicing this internal skill for a long time, so what does it have to do with him?¡± Ye Zhen immediately yelled back.

    Ind Lord looked at the little girl coldly. "Back then, in order to help him and Mu Qing, I had to practice this internal skill. I almost broke off my brotherly rtionship with my eldest brother because of him, and he has not returned to the ind for several years. He is good, he has disappeared for several years, but now he is bringing along an exquisite* apprentice everywhere, should he not die?"

    [*Èç»¨ËÆÓñ r¨² hu¨¡ s¨¬ y¨´: delicate as a flower, refined as a precious jade (idiom); (of a woman) exquisite]

    Ye Zhen pped the table hard. "Nonsense! My master does not know the whereabouts of Mu Qing, all these years he has been looking for her. He still does not know that Mu Qing married your eldest brother. If he did, who know how sad he would be. If you want to me my master, you should first find out what wrong my master did.¡±

    Zhao Tianji''s face finally changed. "What are you talking about?"

    "In order to find Mu Qing, my master did not stay in the capital at all these past few years, and it was onlyter when he was seriously injured that he had to hide and heal his wounds," Ye Zhen said.

    "No, it''s impossible!" Zhao Tianji shook his head. "Your master can''t be unaware, how could he not know that Mu Qing married my eldest brother? It was clearly he¡­ It was clearly he who failed Mu Qing and she had to marry my eldest brother! ¡±

    Ye Zhen looked at Zhao Tianji with clear eyes. "It seems that your misunderstanding is not small. ¡±

    "Huangfu Chen really doesn''t know¡­ Mu Qing has be my sister-inw? Didn''t he let Mu Qing forget him, or did he let her marry my eldest brother?¡± Zhao Tianji murmured in a low voice.

    "No," Ye Zhen replied with certainty. "If my master knew, why would he have been looking for her all these years?"

    ???

 Chapter 488: Huangfu Chen and Mu Qing

    <h4>Chapter 488: Huangfu Chen and Mu Qing</h4>

    Huangfu Chen was sessful in his studies. Because of Hu* lineage, he had always been one that attracted the attention of others. Coupled with his superb medical and urate divination skills, he quickly became famous throughout the world. He was greatly disturbed in the capital and hence began to traverse the world.

    [*non-Han people, esp. from central Asia]

    He had saved Mu Qing at sea. Because something had happened to the merchant ship Mu Qing was on, she was the only one who survived.

    Mu Qing had been floating in the sea for a few days. And when she met Huangfu Chen, she was already on the verge of death. If it weren''t for his excellent medical skills, he probably wouldn''t have been able to save her. Subsequently, she apanied him and sailed around the sea.

    In the beginning, she didn''t reveal to Huangfu Chen her true identity. She only said that she was the head maid of a big merchant family, the family head had died and she didn''t know how to return to her hometown, so she could only follow Huangfu Chen.

    Huangfu Chen fell in love with her over time. At the same time, he helped her find her hometown which was an ind.

    it was only then that Huang Fu Chen learnt that Mu Qing had not been honest with him. He found out that her master was Zhao Mingxiao, and that this ind had once been destroyed by his great grandmother, who hadter even imprisoned Zhao Zhao, the first master of this ind, here.

    However, even though Zhao Zhao was imprisoned, he was still able to revive the ind and have his own descendants.

    Huangfu Chen was well aware of Zhao Zhao''s story, so when Mu Qing wanted him to treat Zhao Mingxiao, he didn''t agree. However, he still stayed on the ind and became friends with Zhao Tianji.

    Because Zhao Mingxiao''s body was weak, it was Zhao Tianji who became the ind lord. At that time, Zhao Tianji had already started to practice their unique internal skills. Huangfu Chen couldn''t diagnose him at first. Although his body improved, he still couldn''t find the reason.

    Mu Qing was Zhao Mingxiao''s subordinate and his childhood sweetheart. If Huangfu Chen wanted to marry her, he had to get thettter''s consent. As such, he agreed to treat Zhao Mingxiao.

    After he cured Zhao Mingxiao, he realized that Mu Qing was still his(ZMX) fianc¨¦e. Huangfu Chen wanted to take Mu Qing away, but not only did Zhao Mingxiao refuse to marry Mu Qing to someone else he also wanted the people on the ind to kill Huangfu Chen.

    It was Zhao Tianji who called up the oath that people on the ind had made previously that they would not kill anyone in the Huangfu family.

    "Why is there such a strange oath on your ind?" Ye Zhen asked Zhao Tianji curiously.

    "Our great grandmother was also surnamed Zhao and had some connections with the Huangfu family," Zhao Tianji said indifferently.

    "What happened after?" Ye Zhen asked again.

    Zhao Tianji took a sip of tea and continued. ¡°Mu Qing didn¡¯t want to marry my brother, and I¡­ I felt that Huangfu Chen was a good person so wanted to help them. Huangfu Chen nned to leave our ind with Mu Qing."

    Ye Zhen asked, ¡°Why didn''t you seed in the end?"

    "By the time I went to look for Huangfu Chen with Mu Qing, he had already left. He had even left a letter saying that he already knew the secret of our ind. In order toply with the instructions of their Huangfu family, he could not have anything to do with anyone on our ind¡­ Not long after he left, our ind was attacked. My big brother almost died to protect Mu Qing!" he whispered.

    "You think my master sent those people who attacked your ind?" Ye Zhen raised her eyebrows and looked at him.

    The ind lord just sulked and did not answer.

    "It looks like you don''t believe whatever letter my master left behind. Otherwise, why haven''t you returned to the ind for several years?" Ye Zhen smiled coldly. It seemed that both her master and Mu Qing had been schemed against.

    As for why her master had suddenly left the ind with only a message, it seemed that Zhao Mingxiao knew better than anyone else.

    Zhao Tianji whispered, ¡°If it wasn''t for him, why didn''t he go back to find Mu Qing and why¡­."

    Why didn''t he go back and exin it to him? Why did he disappear for so many years? Back then, even though his brother had been injured to save Mu Qing, she was still waiting for Huangfu Chen. She waited for two years and three years ago she gave up and married his brother.

    ¡°Since you have so many whys, why didn''t you ask my master?" Ye Zhen said unhappily.

    Zhao Tianji knew that Huangfu Chen was not the one who ambushed the ind. He was angry that he was ready to betray his brother to help them but Huangfu Chen left by himself. He had not heard from him for years.

    However, he had to bear the silent condemnation of the people on the ind. Although he knew that it was not Huangfu Chen, this matter was caused by him(HFC)¡­

    What he hated was Huangfu Chen''s betrayal.

    "If he wanted to exin it to me, he would have told me long ago," Zhao Tianji said coldly. He had kept Huangfu Chen under house arrest for so long, but the man had not said a word.

    Ye Zhen shook her head. ¡°I think my master must have misunderstood something. Shouldn''t you ask him?"

    Zhao Tianji did not speak for a long time before saying, ¡°Let''s go back!"

    "I forgot to tell you something."Ye Zhen looked at the man. ¡°You''ve said so much, but you don''t seem to know that Mu Qing has already married my master. Do you think my master will let his wife marry someone else?"

    "What did you say?" Zhao Tianji''s expression changed. ¡°When did Mu Qing marry him?"

    "That you¡¯ll have to ask my master yourself," Ye Zhen said.

    It seemed that there were too many misunderstandings between Huangfu Chen and Mu Qing. If he didn''t make it clear, he probably wouldn''t be able to solve this misunderstanding for the rest of his life.

    Back in the Peach Blossom Spring, Zhao Tianji locked himself in his room. He didn''t know what he was angry about, but he even chased Liang Yin out.

    Ye Zhen knew that he was definitely hesitating if he should go and look for Huangfu Chen, but he still couldn''t save face, so he was angry with himself.

    "What did you say to the Second Young Master on the boat?" Mu Xue blocked Ye Zhen, who was about to leave. She stared at her warily.

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°If you want to know, go and ask your Second Young Master. Why ask me?"

    Mu Xue looked at her with a gloomy expression.

    "Miss Mu, if there''s nothing else, please move aside," Ye Zhen said indifferently.

    "So what if you curry favor with Second Young Master? You are Huangfu Chen''s apprentice, no matter what, you cannot go to our ind!" Mu Xue said coldly.

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°Miss Mu, have you misunderstood something? I''m not interested in your ind at all. Your feelings for your Second Young Master have nothing to do with me. You don''t have to look at me with bitterness and hatred as if I''ve robbed you of your beloved."

    Mu Xue''s face turned red. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I''ll kill you!"

    "Just like Zhao Tianji, he would kill at any time. You are a natural match." Ye Zhenughed mockingly.

    "Lu Yaoyao!" Mu Xue drew her sword and said to Ye Zhen, ¡°Try saying another word."

    Ye Zhen looked at her with a faint smile and gently moved her sword away. ¡°Don''t block my path. If you wanted to kill me, you would have killed me long ago."

 Chapter 489: Whats The Use?

    <h4>Chapter 489: What''s The Use?</h4>

    Ye Zhen walked past Mu Xue and left the Peach Blossom Spring. She wanted to find Huangfu Chen. She wanted to ask him about the misunderstanding between him and Mu Qing. She felt that she should also tell him about what happened at the iron mine today.

    Mo Rongzhan was able to find the iron mine. She had an inkling¡­ <i>Perhaps Huangfu Chen also knew about it.</i>

    She came to Huangfu Chen''s courtyard. When the guards outside saw her quickly took the initiative to open the door (for her).

    She didn''t know whether tough or cry when she saw the man standing in the courtyard with his back to the setting sun and pruning the flowers. ¡°Master, you seem to treat this ce like Shiliwu. You still have such leisure."

    "There''s nothing to do. It''s not bad to cultivate your body and mind." Huangfu Chen smiled faintly. ¡°Did you go out today?"

    Ye Zhen smiled in surprise. ¡°Can you even calcte this?"

    "You usuallye before sunset, it''s muchter today." Huangfu Chen smiled.

    "Master, let''s talk inside the house." Ye Zhen pointed to the people outside. Today, she had a lot to say to Huangfu Chen.

    It had been almost half a month and Huangfu Chen still was not allowed to leave the courtyard. She was certain no one was watching him, and the conversation between them would not be overheard.

    Huangfu Chen nodded lightly and put the shears aside. He washed his hands before entering the tea room.

    Ye Zhen followed him in. She looked at his elegant face and said, ¡°Master, today¡­ Zhao Tianji told me about your past."

    "He''s the same as before. He still can''t hold back his tongue." Huangfu Chen smiled faintly.

    "Do you know that Mu Qing has married his eldest brother?" Ye Zhen''s eyes looked straight at Huangfu Chen. When she said this, she saw the gentle smile on his face turn stiff, and his eyes revealed deep sorrow. It seemed he really didn''t know.

    After a long time, Huangfu Chen asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°She¡­they''ve already returned to Zhao Jia Ind?"

    Ye Zhen''s heart ached for her master. She whispered, ¡°She never left. Master, when you left Zhao Ind, why didn''t you take her along? Didn''t you say that she was already your wife?"

    Huangfu Chen said bitterly, ¡°Before I took her back to Zhao Jia Ind, she married me¡­ After I went to Zhao Jia Ind, I found out that it was the ind that my great-grandmother had ordered people to destroy. I just don''t know what method the people on the ind used to repopte the ind again. Zhao Tianji asked me to take her away, he stopped his brother for me. When I went to get Mu Qing, her brother told me that she had left Zhao Jia Ind to go to Spirit Snake Ind to ept punishment because she had vited their rules. I left Zhao Jia Ind to find her but was ambushed in Spirit Snake Ind and couldn''t find her. So I returned to Zhao Jia Ind. However, Zhao Mingxiao said that she wasn''t on the ind, so I went everywhere to find her for a year. When I met Mo Rongzhan, he saw that I was injured and so stopped me from looking for her. Later, my aunt brought me back¡­ to Niu Jia Vige."

    "Master, Zhao Tianji said he went to look for you. He saw that you left a letter in which you said that you would abide by the mandate of the Huangfu family and not marry someone from Zhao Jia Ind. When you left, their ind was attacked. Zhao Mingxiao was seriously injured trying to save Mu Qing. She waited for you for three years, you didn''t return to look for her before she married¡­ Zhao Mingxiao," Ye Zhen said in a low voice.

    "She knows that I couldn''t have written that letter." Huangfu Chen shook his head and smiled. "But she didn''t wait for me to find her, so she thought¡­."

    Ye Zhen immediately said, ¡°Master, then go and exin it to her. Are you willing?"

    Huangfu Chen''s eyes were filled with sorrow. ¡°So what if I go and find her? Can she leave Zhao Mingxiao for me?"

    He knew all too well that when she married Zhao Mingxiao, she must have already put him down.

    <i>That''s right, Mu Qing was already married to someone else. How could she still be with Master? </i>Ye Zhen really did not know how tofort him.

    Huangfu Chen picked up the kettle and poured two cups of tea, the tea spilled out of the cup. He smiled faintly and said, ¡°Have some tea."

    <i>Master is not as calm as he seems on the surface.</i> Ye Zhen sighed in her heart. ¡°Master, don''t you want to know who caused you to have such a misunderstanding in the first ce?"

    "So what if I know?" Huangfu Chen lowered his eyes and sounded disheartened.

    Ye Zhen snorted. ¡°If it were me, I would definitely find this person and make him lose the most important person as well. I''ll make him live his entire life alone."

    Huangfu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Judging from your tone, do you have the same experience as me?"

    "More or less." Ye Zhen''s eyes shed with a dark glint. Wasn''t it considered a misunderstanding between her and Mo Rongzhan? But this misunderstanding was deeper than between Huangfu Chen and Mu Qing.

    Now, she wouldn''t let go of any of the knots to ept Mo Rongzhan even if she knew how he feels in his heart. However, his feelings were for Lu Yaoyao, not Ye Zhen.

    He still felt that Ye Zhen was not worthy of him. In the future¡­ If Lu Lingzhi were to find another person to rece her, would he immediately abandon her? Was she going to experience the pain of indifference again?

    She didn''t dare or want to try, so she just wanted to run away from Mo Rongzhan.

    "Yaoyao, who have you misunderstood?" Huangfu Chen looked at her bitter expression and asked in a low voice.

    She shook her head. ¡°Now any misunderstanding is not important."

    He understood her mood so he asked no more.

    "Master, there is one more thing¡­," she said softly as she thought back to the riot today in the iron mine. She then dipped her finger in the tea and wrote on the table. ¡°There was an ident in the iron mine today, I think I saw Mo."

    "He''s finally here."Huangfu Chen smiled faintly, seemingly not surprised.

    Ye Zhen smiled helplessly. ¡°Sure enough, you knew about it. You do know that it concerns you."

    ¡°Although there were signs on the road, it''s not obvious. There''s no one else but Ah Zhan who can get here," he smiled and whispered.

    "The security here is very strict, I''m afraid it''s not going to be easy¡­." She bit her lip, unable to fathom how he got those people to riot. If Qiu Yuan saw him, he would definitely not let him go.

    Huangfu Chen noticed her troubled face and smiled. ¡°Don''t worry, he will be fine."

    ¡±I am not worried about him," she murmured

    "Well, since Zhao Tianji''s illness has improved, you don''t have to take it too seriously." He suddenly changed the topic.

    "He¡­." Ye Zhen was startled but immediately understood that he must have noticed something unusual outside.

    Sure enough, Zhao Tianji''s displeased voice came from outside. ¡°Huangfu Chen, what do you mean?"

    ???

 Chapter 490: Clearing Up the Misunderstanding

    <h4>Chapter 490: Clearing Up the Misunderstanding</h4>

    Zhao Tianji, having deliberated for a long time in his room, felt that he should talk it out with Huangfu Chen. If what happened back then was a misunderstanding, then who had attacked Zhao Ind? As the Ind Lord, even if he hadn''t returned for many years, he couldn''t ignore this matter. Therefore, he came to look for Huangfu Chen and heard his heartless words outside the door.

    Before Huangfu Chen could say anything, he saw Zhao Tianji push the door and enter. He was sitting in the wheelchair and ring at him angrily.

    After spending half a month with Zhao Tianji, Ye Zhen roughly knew the true character of this seemingly cruel and heartless man. At first, she thought he was a feminine and terrifying person, butter on, she found out that although he had a bad temper and a malicious mouth, it wasn''t hard to get along with him. It was just that his way of doing things was a little brutal.

    "Master, I''ll go back now. I have to change the prescription for Ind Lord Zhao tomorrow." Ye Zhen smiled at Huangfu Chen.

    "Yeah, don''t tire yourself out." Huangfu Chen nodded lightly.

    Zhao Tianji pushed the wheelchair to Huangfu Chen. ¡°She can''t be tired, so you mean I can continue to sit in the wheelchair?"

    Huangfu Chen looked at him helplessly. ¡°What are you trying to say?"

    "Why didn''t you leave Zhao Ind with Mu Qing?" Zhao Tianji demanded coldly.

    "Mu Fei said that she went to Spirit Snake Ind," Huangfu Chen said indifferently, ¡°I went to find her."

    Zhao Tianji pursed his lips. He didn''t expect his brother to let Mu Fei do such a thing. ¡°What about the letter?"

    "Mu Qing had already married me before she returned to the ind. How could I not marry her because of some kind of legacy? Besides, my grandmother has never had such a legacy. Why would she care about a small ind?" Huangfu Chen said.

    "Then why didn''t youe back to find her?" Zhao Tianji asked again.

    Huangfu Chen said in a low voice, ¡°Looked¡­ but couldn''t find it. Then¡­ I went to recuperate."

    Zhao Tianji frowned at him. ¡°How did you get hurt? Who could¡¯ve hurt you?"

    "Injured on Spirit Snake Ind¡­." Huangfu Chen looked at him indifferently. "Is there an end to this? You were the one who made a fool of yourself by misunderstanding me, yet you me it on me now?"

    "If you weren''t stupid, how would you¡¯ve believed Mu Fei''s words?" Zhao Tianji red at him and retorted. ¡°Why would anyone sneak attack our Zhao Ind after you left? My brother almost died to save Mu Qing¡­."

    Huangfu Chen clenched his fists and said coldly, ¡°How would I know? Do you think I could have sent people to attack your ind? If I had such leisure, why didn''t I restore the country to the Huangfu family? What''s the point in bothering with your ind?"

    Zhao Tianji rubbed his nose. ¡°Then who could it be?"

    "Ah Ji, did your brother make youe here to watch the iron mine?" Huangfu Chen asked indifferently.

    "So what?" Zhao Tianji snorted.

    Huangfu Chen looked at him gently. ¡°If you didn''t suspect your big brother about what happened back then, why didn¡¯t you return to Zhao Ind for so many years? Do you want people to work at your private mine just to do business? Is it you who has ambitions, or is it your brother?"

    "What do you want to say?" Zhao Tianji asked impatiently. He hated Huangfu Chen the most. He could see through everything clearly and it was impossible for people to have even a little secret.

    "I should be asking you, Ah Ji, what do you guys want to do? If I''m not wrong, this is definitely not the only private mine you own. Why do you need so much iron?" Huangfu Chen looked at him and asked in a low voice, ¡°Do you want to forge weapons?"

    If Zhao Tianji could stand up on his own, he would have already pped the table. ¡°Huangfu Chen, did you divinate this?"

    Huangfu Chen sighed. ¡°I know what kind of personality you have. Earlier, I was only suspicious. But when I heard what happened back then, I became certain."

    "My eldest brother¡­ I also hope that the inders won¡¯t get hurt again," Zhao Tianji whispered.

    "You sound guilty." Huangfu Chen smiled faintly.

    Zhao Tianji red at him and said, ¡°Anyway, the matter of the iron mine has nothing to do with you. You better not meddle in other people''s business."

    "I do mind my own business," Huangfu Chen said indifferently, ¡°However, if Zhao Mingxiao does any harm to the country, I will not let him off."

    Zhao Tianji nced at him. ¡°Then you and Mu Qing¡­"

    "I''ll find her in the future and exin it to her. If she wants to go with me, I''ll bring her. If not, I won''t force her," he said.

    "Why do you have an apprentice like Lu Yaoyao?" Zhao Tianji asked.

    Huangfu Chen smiled. ¡°What about her? What''s wrong with me taking her as my apprentice?"

    Ind Lord snorted coldly. ¡°She has a sharp tongue. She¡¯s not gentle at all."

    "She''s not your mother. What''s the point in being gentle with you?" Huangfu Chen rebutted indifferently. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, we were captured by your people."

    ¡°It''s time for me to take the medicine. I''m leaving. You¡­ Keep drinking tea." Zhao Tianji coughed lightly and pushed the wheelchair out.

    With Zhao Tianji''s departure, the guards who had been stationed at the door also followed. There was no need for Huangfu Chen to be put under house arrest inside this courtyard. Except that he couldn''t leave the vi, he was no longer restricted from moving around.

    Ye Zhen knew this and also that their misunderstanding had been resolved, however, she was now the most worried for Mo Rongzhan in the iron mine.

    <i>I wonder¡­ How he is now.</i>

    Two days had passed, but there was still no news from the iron mine. She thought he woulde looking for her, but he hadn''t.

    "Why are you lost?" Zhao Tianji frowned as he looked at the little girl sitting in front of him. She was in a daze even while ying chess. It showed how much she didn''t want to y chess with him.

    Ye Zhen returned to her senses and looked at him indifferently. ¡°I''m thinking about something."

    "Thinking about how to leave this ce?" he raised his eyebrows and asked.

    "That''s right. I''ll be leaving for Huaijiang in ten days at most." She said seriously, "You can stand up by yourself now. If you practice for a few more days, you''ll be able to walk."

    He snorted. ¡°What if I don''t let you go?"

    Ye Zhen''s pink lips curled into a sweet smile. ¡°Do you believe that I can make you incapable of walking for the rest of your life?"

    "Why did Huangfu Chen take in such a vicious apprentice like you?" Zhao Tianji frowned and red at her. ¡°You¡¯re a princess, why do you want to learn medicine?"

    "I like it." she replied. ¡°You''re a lord of an ind. Why did you open a private mine in the central ins? Are you that short of silver?"

    "¡ª¡ª" He took a few moments before saying, ¡°I like it."

    She ced the chess pieces in her hands on the chessboard. ¡°I''m going to the mountain tomorrow morning. I''m stillcking a few herbs. There aren''t any in the vi. There should be some on the mountain."

    "Draw out the shape of the herbs and have others pick them," he said.

    "I did draw, none of the herbs they picked were right," Ye Zhen said unhappily.

    ???

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 Chapter 491: Soldiers

    <h4>Chapter 491: Soldiers</h4>

    Zhao Tianji agreed to let Ye Zhen pick the herbs herself but told Liang Yin to follow her.

    The next day, the sky was slightly bright and the mountain breeze cool. Ye Zhen carried a little bamboo basket* on her back up the mountain. Liang Yin expressionlessly followed beside her albeit with some reluctance.

    Ye Zhen couldn''t be bothered with his unwillingness. In any case, her main purpose of this trip wasn¡¯t to pick herbs. She just wanted to go up the mountain to take a look. Perhaps she could see the iron mine from the mountain. ¡°The mountain over there is higher. Let''s go over there."

    "There are mountains everywhere. What kind of herbs do you need to go so far away to get?" Liang Yin frowned.

    "Didn''t you look here yesterday? Did you find it?" Ye Zhen asked without turning her head. The herbs she wanted were actually very ordinary, but there were too many simr ones. That was why Liang Yin had picked the wrong ones every time.

    Liang Yin had nothing to say and could only follow Ye Zhen to the highest mountain.

    When she went to the high mountain, the sun had already risen. Ye Zhen stood on the mountain and looked down. Sure enough, she saw a mining crowd not far away.

    "Your master is indeed bold. Just one sentence and those people do not dare to cause trouble again." She pretended to look for herbs, but her eyes kept looking down the mountain. She wanted to find that familiar figure, but the distance was too far. Other than seeing people moving around, she couldn''t tell which one was him.

    Liang Yin seemed to be very satisfied when he heard Ye Zhenpliment his master. A smile appeared on his face. ¡°Our ind lord is naturally formidable."

    "Why is your master Zhao Tianji and not his eldest brother?" Ye Zhen asked curiously.

    ¡°Eldest Young Master had been weak since he was young and had no way to deal with the misceneous matters on the ind. Moreover, our second young master is the legitimate descendant of the Zhao family, Eldest Young Master¡­ Not really," Liang Yin said.

    Ye Zhen nodded. ¡°The rtionship between brothers should be pretty good."

    Liang Yin said, ¡°Of course. Eldest Young Master loves Second Young Master very much."

    "If he really loves your second young master, why did he let Zhao Tianji open a private mine in the Central ins? Don''t you know that this is very dangerous? He''s been hiding behind his back," she said with a faint smile.

    <i>Why did she feel that Zhao Mingxiao didn''t treat Zhao Tianji very well? </i>She felt that Zhao Tianji was being used.

    As the two of them were talking, they suddenly heard a series of screams from the foot of the mountain.

    Liang Yin turned around and his face turned ashen. ¡°Howe there are officers and soldiers?"

    Ye Zhen''s eyes opened wide as she looked at the hundreds of soldiers that had appeared at the foot of the mountain. She looked at the clothes of those people¡­They didn''t seem like ordinary soldiers. ¡°Those are soldiers from the military camp, not the government."

    "Who brought these people here?"Liang Yin looked fiercely at Ye Zhen.

    "Why are you looking at me? I was brought here with my eyes covered. Other than a few days ago, I haven''t even left the vi," Ye Zhen retorted unhappily.

    Liang Yin saw that the soldiers had surrounded the entire iron mine, and their men had been caught and killed. One of them, dressed as a general, was standing with two men dressed in coarse clothing. Judging from the general''s attitude, he seemed to be very respectful.

    "I''ll go back and inform Ind Lord!" Liang Yin felt that the man standing with his hands behind his back was not thatmon. Although he couldn''t see his face clearly, he could already feel his imposing aura just by looking at his back.

    Ye Zhen stood at the top of the mountain without moving. Now, she could recognize him, but he had his back to her and did not see her standing there.

    "Let''s go,e with me!" Liang Yin was afraid that Ye Zhen would run away, so he grabbed her hand to walk back.

    "You can''t walk fast enough with me, can I still escape? My master and two servants are still in the vi. Go back and tell Zhao Tianji that if those people find the vi, he will be in danger." Ye Zhen almost fell as she was pulled down the mountain.

    Liang Yin looked back at her deeply and felt that what she said made sense. ¡°Alright, but even if you run away, our ind lord can still capture you."

    "Let¡¯s talk about him escaping these pursuing soldiers first," Ye Zhen said, thinking that Mo Rongzhan was exactly as Huangfu Chen had said. Not only did he find the iron mine, but he even brought the soldiers here. This private mine would probably be an imperial mine after today.

    Liang Yin was burning with anxiety. He was really worried about Zhao Tianji''s safety, so he ignored Ye Zhen and used qinggong* to quickly descend the mountain.

    [*Qinggong is a training technique for jumping off vertical surfaces from the Chinese martial art Baguazhang]

    Ye Zhen heaved a sigh of relief and looked down the mountain.

    The man who had just been talking to General Meng had already raised his head and looked over. His gaze should be looking at her. Although Ye Zhen could not see clearly, she could feel that at almost the same time he looked over, he was already flying towards her.

    This was the first time she had seen Mo Rongzhan''s martial arts. His qinggong was actually so powerful¡­ In less than the time for half a cup of tea (twinkle of an eye), he had already arrived at the top of the mountain. His aura was not disturbed at all, but his eyes were so hot that it was frightening. Ye Zhen almost did not dare to look him in the eye.

    The disguise on Mo Rongzhan''s face had already been washed clean. His peerlessly handsome face did not have a trace of expression. If it weren¡¯t for his pair of deep, pitch-ck seething eyes, Ye Zhen would have suspected that he didn''t want to see her at all.

    "Your Majesty¡­." Ye Zhen felt that his appearance was a little scary and could not help but take a few steps back.

    "Where''s Huangfu Chen?" Mo Rongzhan stopped, the heat in his eyes gradually subsiding. His voice was low and hoarse as if he was very tired.

    Hearing his indifferent tone, Ye Zhen''s heart inexplicably choked. ¡°In the vi over there. There are also two servants."

    "I will take you down the mountain first," Mo Rongzhan said coldly, a stark contrast to the scoundrel who would always cuddle her.

    "OK." Ye Zhen really wanted to ask him how he had found this ce and when those soldiers hade, but seeing his cold and indifferent profile, she couldn''t say a single word.

    Mo Rongzhan strode down the mountain. Although he had deliberately slowed down and waited for her, he quickly outpaced her by arge distance. Then he stopped and waited for her without looking back. When she stumbled to his side, he continued to walk forward.

    Ye Zhen looked at his upright and magnanimous back and felt a surge of angry grievance spring in her heart from who knows where. <i>What does he mean? Is he angry with her? Or does he want her to ask him for something?</i>

    She pursed her lips. It was not like she wanted to be caught here. <i>Why is he angry with her?</i>

    "I will have someone send you back to the capital," he coldly said from the front.

    "I''m not going back to the capital. I still have to go to Huaijiang with Master," she replied in a low voice.

    Mo Rongzhan stopped and looked back at her coldly, his chest rising and falling. ¡°Why do you still want to go to Huaijiang?"

    "I originally wanted to go to Huaijiang¡­," Ye Zhen said. ¡°Anyway, I''m not going back to the capital."

    ???

 Chapter 492: Let Go

    <h4>Chapter 492: Let Go</h4>

    Mo Rongzhan was indeed angry, but the moment he saw her, he just wanted to hold her in his arms and kiss her fiercely to let her know that he was on the verge of going crazy these days suppressing the urge to go to her. But the moment he saw her backing away, it was as if a cold wind had blown through his heart, instantly dousing his burning heat.

    She was still resisting him, unwilling to ept his closeness. In order to avoid him, she would rather secretly leave the capital with Huangfu Chen. If he had not gone to look for her that night, he knew not how long it would¡¯ve taken him to find out that she was gone. If he had not been worried enough to send people to look for her, he would not have known that something had happened to her.

    As long as he thought of the grievances she had suffered in this private mine, his heart was sore and constricted. He wished he could dismember the body of the person who had stolen the mine. However, these feelings were not as bad as the heartache and despair he felt when he saw her retreat in fear.

    He turned his head, looked at her coldly, and asked her in a low voice, "In order to avoid <i>zhen</i>, would you rather go to Huaijiang than to go back to the capital?"

    Indeed, she went to Huaijiang to avoid him, wanting to think carefully about what to do next. But she just did not expect to be¡­ caught here by Zhao Tianji''s people, not to mention that he woulde to their rescue.

    "If I go to Huaijiang, I will naturally return to the capital," she quietly said. Originally, she thought he was cold and ruthless*but suddenly realized that he wasn''t so. Everything was just a result of being misled and kept in the dark. The hatred that supported her soul while she wandered in the pce for two years and didn''t even disappear after being reborn in her sister''s body, had suddenly lost its way. She now was very confused and didn''t know what to do next. <i>Reject him?</i> He still refused to let go of her even though she had tried to threaten him with suicide. However, she was unwilling to leave just like that, because she had not let Lu Lingzhi get his retribution.

    [*ÎÞÇéÎÞÒå w¨² q¨ªng w¨² y¨¬-pletelycking any feeling or sense of justice (idiom); cold and ruthless]

    Staying in the capital meant she must face Mo Rongzhan''s feelings. She even needed him to deal with Lu Lingzhi. Therefore, she was in a dilemma and did not know what to do.

    Mo Rongzhan took a deep breath. "Lu Yaoyao, in this life, <i>zhen</i> has never put a woman in my heart in this lifetime. How much exactly do you want to trample <i>zhen''s</i> heart?"

    "I''m not¡­" Ye Zhen wanted to exin but didn''t know where to start, she lowered her head, not daring to look at his livid face.

    "You are not what? Aren''t you trying to avoid <i>zhen</i>, aren''t you afraid that <i>zhen</i> will pester you so you left the capital?" Mo Rongzhan fiercely grabbed her shoulders and pulled her in front of him, asking her in an angry voice.

    Ye Zhen put her hands against his chest. "I¡­ I want to avoid you, but I also want to go to Huaijiang, because~"

    "Don''t worry, <i>zhen</i> will certainly not pester you again in the future. You don''t have to avoid <i>zhen</i>. <i>Zhen</i> truly will not me you if you trample zhen¡¯s heart." He gripped her shoulders, his eyes burning with anger. Since she would rather run away in order to avoid him, what''s the point of forcing her to ept him?

    "Are you serious?" she asked in a daze.

    His thin lips formed a sneer. "Isn''t this what you wanted?"

    <i>Did she want this?</i> Ye Zhen herself didn''t know what she was looking forward to.

    Mo Rongzhan interpreted her silence as acquiescence, he turned around to go down the mountain.

    Ye Zhen frowned and looked at his back, her heart sank little by little. She knew not where the impulse stemmed from, she suddenly ran up and reached out to grab his sleeve.

    Mo Rongzhan wanted to shake her hand away, but he didn''t have enough strength, so he simply looked back at her indifferently.

    "I just want to go to Huaijiang to help Imperial Physician Qi Yizheng¡­." Ye Zhen clutched his sleeves tightly with both hands but didn''t dare to look up at him.

    "Let go," Mo Rongzhan said in a deep voice.

    Ye Zhen had originally impulsively grabbed his sleeve. Now that he had shouted at her, her heart was filled with shame and anger. Her fingers immediately loosened. She red at him, then turned to leave.

    Mo Rongzhan let out a deep sigh in his heart, wrapped his long arms around her slender waist, taking her into his arms domineeringly. He dipped his head and kissed her pink lips, sucking and licking her little tongue; lingering, affectionate, and unrelentin. He wanted her to know how much he had missed and worried about her.

    Ye Zhen was kissed to the point that her legs were soft and her hands clutched his robe. It was only when she was almost out of breath that he finally let her go.

    He buried his face in her neck, sighed in a hoarse voice, and said, "Yaoyao, who asked you to torment me like this?"

    "Who¡¯s tormenting you!" she whispered.

    "Go back first, Tang Zhen and the others are still under the mountain." Although there was still a lot to say to her, it wasn¡¯t the time now. They had yet to find the person who was in the sedan chair that day.

    Before Ye Zhen could say anything, she was picked up by Mo Rongzhan and carried down the mountain at a fast speed.

    "Who was the person who spoke from inside the sedan chair that day?" He looked down at her, very wary of the person in the sedan chair that day.

    "Zhao Tianji, who lives in the vi over there, the private mine here belongs to him," she said, "How did you find this ce?"

    He frowned. He didn''t seem to have heard of this person''s name before. He hugged her tighter. "Did he hurt you?"

    "No, in fact, Zhao Tianji is not difficult to get along with¡­." Although he seemed cruel in some things, she felt that he was actually a good person, and since he had helped Huangfu Chen before, he was definitely not a really cruel person. .

    Seeing that the little girl in his arms seemed to have a good impression of Zhao Tianji, Mo Rongzhan felt sour. ¡°Have you been getting along with him for the past half month or so?"

    She said, "His legs are not good, I treat him¡­ He and Master are old acquaintances, but Master has been put under house arrest by him for more than half a month."

    He paused. "He put Huangfu Chen under house arrest but asked you to treat him?

    "There was a misunderstanding between them because of Mu Qing, so he refused to let Master treat him." She exined. "Did you see the marks my master left behind to know we were here?"

    "We sent people to look for you. When we arrived at Gujia Vige, we lost our clues and found it after searching for a few days." He asked in a low voice, ¡°Did you get hurt?"

    Ye Zhen shook her head gently. "No, just worried that¡­ can''t get out of here."

    "<i>Zhen</i> has said that no matter where you go, even if one needs to dig three feet in the ground, you will be found." Mo Rongzhan kissed her forehead, whispering with thin lips against her skin.

    "I''m still going to Huaijiang," she said.

    <i>He really ought to be more ruthless with her, rather than immediately softening¡­ holding her in his embrace whenever she shows a slight willingness to get close to him.</i>

    "Can you not go?" he whispered.

    She shook her head resolutely. "I just want to go to Huaijiang."

    "Yaoyao, you would rather leave the capital to avoid <i>zhen</i>, don''t you¡­ you really don''t want to be with <i>zhen</i>?" Mo Rongzhan gently put her down, looking down at her clear eyes.

    "When Ie back from Huaijiang, I will tell you something. If you still feel like making me the empress at that time, then¡­ let''s talk about it then," Ye Zhen said.

    "Good!" Mo Rongzhan nodded.

    ???

 Chapter 493: Kill Them One by One

    <h4>Chapter 493: Kill Them One by One</h4>

    Ye Zhen knew too well where the knot in her heart was, she regretted saving Mo Rongzhan in the grove countless times. If she had not saved him, she would not have met him. Without meeting him, she would not have been obsessed with him for so many years, and would not have insisted on marrying him. So her life that could have been bright and wonderful, turned dim and lonely. She could only be lonely, helpless, and desperate in anticipation in the courtyard of the Qin Wangfu. This man she loved deeply would never look back at her, he did not care to know her feelings for him.

    When they¡¯d met in the small forest, he¡¯d promised to remember her but in the end, he regarded someone else as her. She was just an insignificant person in his eyes. She hated him so much before because she had been betrayed for eight years, and even hated him more for showing no mercy to her father and elder brother. However, only now did she know that he had not bestowed the poisoned wine but rather secretly saved her father and brother. He was not really ruthless and unjust¡­

    But the person he liked was Lu Yaoyao, not Ye Zhen.

    This¡­ Even if she didn''t hate him anymore, she couldn''t let go of the knot in her heart to ept him. So, she wanted him to know that the person who saved him was Ye Zhen, and if he could ept it, then she¡­ may be able to untie the knot.

    Mo Rongzhan looked down at the quiet person in his embrace. Although he didn¡¯t know what her present thoughts were, he knew that if he didn''t let her go to Huaijiang, she might never untie the knot let alone tell him the secret in her heart. He could only let her do as she wishes and await her return to reveal the secret.

    "Yaoyao, are you alright?" Tang Zhen was already waiting at the foot of the mountain. When he saw Mo Rongzhan carrying Ye Zhen, he immediately ran over.

    Ye Zhen hurriedly pushed Mo Rongzhan, got out of his embrace, and looked into Tang Zhen''s concerned eyes. She smiled and said, ¡°Big Brother Tang, I''m fine."

    Tang Zhen heaved a sigh of relief and restrained his emotions. ¡°It''s good that you''re fine. Why were you on the mountain? Where''s Mister Chen?"

    "He is still at the vi over there, how did you all¡­ How did you find this ce? When did these soldierse?" Ye Zhen had too many questions. Although she had been brought to the iron mine blindfolded, she felt that the mountain roads were rugged and turned left and right. It was obvious how remote the ce was.

    "We already found this ce ten days ago. His Majesty told instructed to look for General Meng. We disguised ourselves to blend in. Thest riot was also nned by the emperor to draw out the real owner of the iron mine. I didn''t expect to see you. Yaoyao, it''s good that you''re fine.¡± Tang Zhen almost cried out when he saw her.

    Mo Rongzhan looked at their harmonious conversation and felt jealous. ¡°Marquis Jing Ning,e with me to capture Zhao Tianji and Xue Lin take the princess back to the carriage, and protect her."

    Tang Zhen immediately recalled what Mo Rongzhan had said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty."

    "Wait for me in the carriage." Mo Rongzhan said as he looked down at Ye Zhen.

    "Your Majesty, be careful," Ye Zhen whispered.

    Mo Rongzhan smiled faintly, gesturing to Wu Chong to escort Ye Zhen to the carriage to rest.

    At this moment, those people who were forced to work here were all pushed to the side. There were more than ten soldiers asking them questions. They should be sent off soon.

    The private mine had already been taken over by the military. Qiu Yuan was riddled with wounds all over his body and was on his knees, suppressed by General Meng. Seeing Ye Zhen passing by, he shouted angrily, ¡°How dare you betray the Ind Lord!"

    Ye Zhen looked at him indifferently. ¡°I was captured by your people. I''m neither Zhao Tianji''s servant nor his subordinate. What kind of betrayal are you talking about? Besides, I was brought in with my eyes covered. How could I leave a clue for them to find me here?"

    Qiu Yuan actually knew that this matter had nothing to do with her. It was just that he was unreconciled with the fact that a private mine that had been so well hidden had actually been found, and that the location of the mountain vi had been discovered.<i> If anything were to happen to Ind Lord, Eldest Master would certainly not let me off.</i>

    "You¡­ If you don''t say it, how would they know where the vi was?" Qiu Yuan said angrily.

    Ye Zhen looked at him coldly. ¡°My master is still in the vi. Shouldn''t I save him? Just because you are loyal to Zhao Tianji, should I be heartless and abandon my master?"

    Qiu Yuan was speechless. He had indeed forgotten that Huangfu Chen was still in the vi and he was Lu Yaoyao''s master.

    "Your Highness Princess, there''s no need to bother with him," Xue Lin said from the side.

    "Yes." Ye Zhen nodded lightly and walked to the carriage beside her.

    Qiu Yuan looked coldly at the little departing figure. He had forgotten one thing. This woman was a princess. He shouldn''t have allowed his subordinates to capture a princess. Now that Ind Lord''s legs hadn''t been truly healed, this private mine had been discovered¡­ He only hoped that Ind Lord in the vi would have heard the news and left. Otherwise¡­

    No matter what, he could not reveal the location of other private mines. This was the most important thing.

    ?

    By now, Liang Yin had arrived at the vi. He was panting as he went to the Peach Blossom Spring to find Zhao Tianji.

    Zhao Tianji was walking slowly in the courtyard. Huangfu Chen looked at him with a smile on his face. The two of them had returned to their old ways of getting along.

    "Ind Lord, this is bad!" Liang Yin dashed in. Seeing that Zhao Tianji could walk on his own, he couldn''t care less about his surprise. ¡°The soldiers of Jin Country found our private mine, Qiu Yuan and the others are all caught."

    "What?" Zhao Tianji''s expression changed. ¡°Where''s Lu Yaoyao?"

    Liang Yin didn''t expect his master''s first concern would be Lu Yaoyao. "She is still on the mountain, I thought nothing would happen to her, so I rushed over to tell you about it¡±

    Although Zhao Tianji was angry, he knew that anger was useless. He slowly turned to Huangfu Chen and asked, ¡°Do you know who took my mine?"

    "I didn''t see it with my own eyes, how could I know who it was?" Huangfu Chen said helplessly. ¡°Don''t forget that Yaoyao is a princess, and she is deeply liked by the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. If she went missing, the court cannot remain indifferent."

    "Humph, no matter whoes to save her, I will kill them one by one." Zhao Tianji snorted.

    Liang Yin hurriedly said, "Ind Lord, they are not ordinary yamen guards (police), but¡­ they are soldiers from the military camp. I saw a man dressed as a general showing great respect to another mystery man."

    "Who exactly is the person who came?" Zhao Tianji was surprised and frowned at Huangfu Chen.

    Huang Fu Chen sighed. "If I were you, I would leave here first. The nearest military camp is the West Camp. The general of the West Camp is General Meng. Who is able to make General Meng respectful, how many people do you think there are in this world?"

    "The person who came is Mo Rongzhan!" Zhao Tianji''s voice suddenly went cold. "He, an emperor of the Jin Country, is actually lurking here for Lu Yaoyao."

    Liang Yin looked at Zhao Tianji anxiously. "Ind Lord, what should we do now?"

    ???

 Chapter 494: Leave

    <h4>Chapter 494: Leave</h4>

    What could he do now? If he were up against an ordinary soldier, Zhao Tianji was confident that he would be able to fight and even regain the iron mine. However, the opponent was Mo Rongzhan, so he felt that his chances of winning were slim.

    Although this private mine was not thergest of all the iron mines, he had invested a lot of effort into it. Now that he had to give it up, he was truly unwilling!

    "Leave through the secret passage," Zhao Tianji said coldly. He was not someone who could not afford to lose. He had lost to Mo Rongzhan this time, he would definitely win back next time. He looked at Huangfu Chen. "Are youing with me?"

    "I want to find Yaoyao first." Huangfu Chen said in a low voice, ¡°Your legs are fine. You just need to practice harder. Do not forget the prescription she gave you to soak your body."

    Zhao Tianji snorted coldly. ¡°Did you have anything to do with Mo Rongzhan finding this ce?"

    "What do you think? Before I came here, I didn''t even know that this private mine had anything to do with you."

    "Ind Lord, I will go down and capture Lu Yaoyao," Liang Yin said. With the little girl around, she could cure Ind Lord''s legs.

    "You''re just courting death," Zhao Tianji said lightly. Since Lu Yaoyao didn''t follow him, she was naturally taken away by Mo Rongzhan.

    Huangfu Chen looked at them. ¡°Let''s go!"

    As he spoke, Mu Xue hurriedly walked over from outside. ¡°Second Young Master, something happened at the private mine!"

    She had just entered the Peach Blossom Spring when she saw Huangfu Chen standing on the side like a tree. Her face changed. ¡°Heartless man, you dare toe out?"

    Zhao Tianji was toozy to exin to Mu Xue. ¡°Let''s go!" He looked back at Huangfu Chen and said, ¡°I will return to Zhaojia Ind. What happened back then¡­ I''ll find out."

    Huangfu Chen knew that he was talking about Mu Qing and him as well as the truth about the sneak attack on Zhaojia Ind.

    Mu Xue turned around and looked at Huangfu Chen coldly. She was still very hostile towards him.

    "Be careful," Huangfu Chen said to Zhao Tianji.

    Liang Yin pushed his master into the secret path of the Peach Blossom Spring. After a while, Huangfu Chen went to hide the entrance of the secret path.

    Not long after, Mo Rongzhan and the others found this ce.

    "Ah Zhan, you really did find him." Huangfu Chen looked at Mo Rongzhan with a smile. From the moment he was caught here, he had already predicted that if they could be saved, there would be no one else but Mo Rongzhan who could do it.

    Mo Rongzhan walked up to him and looked at Huangfu Chen with his deep eyes. ¡°Are you hurt?"

    "No." Huangfu Chen nodded lightly.

    "Marquis Jing Ning, take someone to search the rest of the vi." Mo Rongzhan turned to Tang Zhen.

    Tang Zhen left with this instruction.

    Huangfu Chen said, ¡°The servants in this vi don¡¯t know anything. Zhao Tianji and the others have already left."

    "Who is Zhao Tianji?" Mo Rongzhan frowned at Huangfu Chen. ¡°What''s the rtionship with Mu Jiejie?"

    "The master of Zhaojia Ind, Mu Qing¡­ Now she''s his eldest sister-inw," Huangfu Chen lowered his eyes and replied indifferently.

    Mo Rongzhan was stunned. ¡°Mu Qing is on Zhaojia Ind? You''ve been looking for her for so many years but haven¡¯t found her. Did she actually go to Zhaojia Ind?"

    "I didn''t tell you the truth about what happened back then. I went to Zhaojia Ind with her." Huangfu Chen said in a low voice, ¡°I thought she had left, so I went to look for her and was hurt by someone. She waited for me. If not, she would have to marry Zhao Mingxiao."

    "Then why are you still here?" Mo Rongzhan raised his eyebrows and asked, ¡°Are you not going to Zhaojia Ind to bring her back? Are you just going to watch her marry someone else?"

    Huangfu Chen shook his head and smiled bitterly. ¡°What''s the point of going to Zhaojia Ind? She''s already his wife."

    "So what?" Mo Rongzhan asked coldly. "Even if your fate with her is over, you should go to her and exin the misunderstanding. Is it not possible that she may me you for this misunderstanding for the rest of your life?"

    "Let''s leave here first," Huangfu Chen said softly. He really wanted to find Mu Qing, but he was afraid of seeing her.

    "Yaoyao still wants to go to Huaijiang. Did you indulge her?" Mo Rongzhan asked, stifling his anger. He was still unwilling to let her go to Huaijiang.

    A faint smile appeared on Huangfu Chen''s face. ¡°Even if I don''t agree, she would still want to go, but¡­ Ah Zhan, you really care about Yaoyao."

    Mo Rongzhan snorted coldly, however, a suspicious blush lingered on his handsome face. ¡°So what if I care about her?"

    "I just think it''s not easy for you to hold a beautiful woman." Huangfu Chen patted his shoulder and slowly walked out of the Peach Blossom Spring.

    Tang Zhen led his men tob the entire vi. Other than the terrified servants who didn''t know what had happened, Zhao Tianji and the others were nowhere to be seen. It was alreadyte and no longer appropriate to leave the mountains. Mo Rongzhan sent someone to bring Ye Zhen to the vi, intending to stay here for a night before leaving.

    "Your Majesty, what about that private mine?" Tang Zhen whispered..

    "Hand it over to General Meng," said Mo Rongzhan. ¡°The iron from the mine¡­They should be used to forge weapons. If I''m not wrong, there should be a ce nearby to forge weapons. You can lead people to search."

    Other than the imperial court, no one could build weapons without permission. If Zhao Tianji really forged weapons, what did he intend to do?

    Huangfu Chen stood beside him. He thought of Zhao Tianji''s personality and frowned. He wasn¡¯t sure if he was worried about him or remembered something else.

    On the originally quiet, deep mountains, there were torches everywhere tonight. Tang Zhen and his men continued to search the surroundings. Ye Zhen had also returned to the vi.

    Unlike other ces, the Peach Blossom Spring was still quiet. Huangfu Chen wasn¡¯t around, apparently gone off to somewhere, Mo Rongzhan was the only one waiting for her.

    "Tang Zhen seems to have gone to the mountains. What have you tasked him to find? Zhao Tianji could not have left from there." When Ye Zhen came to the vi, she happened to see Tang Zhen on the opposite mountain. She thought that he was looking for Zhao Tianji.

    Mo Rongzhan held her hand and asked her to sit next to him. ¡°I suspect that Zhao Tianji opened a private mine to forge weapons, and I asked Tang Zhen to take people to find a ce where weapons were being forged."

    Ye Zhen asked in surprise, ¡°Why is Zhao Tianji forging weapons?"

    "This, I''m going to ask him," Mo Rongzhan calmly said.

    "Then what about my master?" Ye Zhen didn''t know if Huangfu Chen had left with Zhao Tianji. She wanted him to go to Zhaojia Ind to find Mu Qing, but she was also afraid that it would only add to his grief.

    Mo Rongzhan gently pinched the tip of her nose. ¡°You would care about everyone but me?"

    Ye Zhen patted his hand and whispered, ¡°Aren''t you well here?"

    "How could I be fine? I''m almost mad at you." Mo Rongzhan gently pressed her pink lips, sucking her small tongue and kissing her. He held her waist with one hand and brought her into his embrace, preventing her from struggling away.

    Ye Zhen pounded on his shoulder. In the end, she still leaned softly in his arms, allowing him to kiss her.

    ???

 Chapter 495: Burned to Death

    <h4>Chapter 495: Burned to Death</h4>

    Mo Rongzhan held Ye Zhen in his arms, caressing her ears and temples, asking her to tell him what had happened in the vi these days. Looking at her bright eyes, he couldn''t help lowering his head and kissing her. Every time Ye Zhen was interrupted by him in this way, she wouldin in a huff, but in return, he¡¯d chuckle softly before nibbling her pink lips yet again.

    "You still won¡¯t let people talk properly?" Ye Zhen demanded angrily. She reached out to cover his mouth and red at him a fiercely.

    A smile flitted through his eyes. He grabbed her hand and kissed it a few times. ¡°Tell me, I''ll listen."

    ¡°There is really nothing to say. The long and short of it is that I was just treating Zhao Tianji. You¡­ When will you return to the capital?" She pulled back her hand and pushed him away before choosing the ce farthest to him to sit.

    "You don''t want to see me?" he asked with a smile, not immediately grabbing her back to his side.

    Ye Zhen curled her lips. ¡°You are also the monarch of a country, is it really okay to leave the capital for so long?"

    ¡°Go back with me, okay?" he whispered.

    "Why are you still talking about this? I''ve already said it. When I'' get back from Huaijiang, I''ll tell you something. However, I don''t think you¡¯d want to hear it." She was somewhat self-deprecating as she stood up and said, ¡°I''m going to bed. Your Majesty, please carry on!"

    "I want to hear whatever you say," he said.

    She smiled. ¡°That might not be the case. When I figure out what to tell you, I''lle back to find you."

    Looking at her departing back, Mo Rongzhan restrained the urge to capture her. She no longer chose to escape but to face him. Although she still needed some time, it was a good start.

    They stayed in the vi for two more days. As expected, Tang Zhen found the cave where the weapons were forged. He even found a batch of weapons that hadn''t been sent off yet. Mo Rongzhan entrusted him(TZ) and General Meng with the matters here. Then, he left the vi with Ye Zhen and the others.

    Because Ye Zhen was still determined to go to Huaijiang, Huangfu Chen naturally wouldn''t return to the capital himself. Moreover, he still had some things that he had yet to figure out, so he wanted to go to Huaijiang with Ye Zhen.

    Inside the carriage, Ye Zhen''s entire body was wrapped in Mo Rongzhan''s embrace. Her hands were powerless to stop his movements. She could only bite her lower lip tightly and restrain from making any sound,if not those outside would definitely hear her. After all, Huangfu Chen and the emperor¡¯s shadow guards were outside the carriage.

    "Yaoyao, you smell so sweet." Mo Rongzhan held her earlobe and kissed her. He reached his hand into herpel and gently rubbed her nephrite jade.

    "You¡­ Quick, stop!" She cried out in a low voice, staring at him with misty eyes.

    He pressed her down and untied her clothes. ¡°How long will it take me to see you again when you go to Huaijiang? Don''t you need topensate me?"

    Alhough he had been living with her in the vi for the past two days, he did not have much time to be alone with her. Other than the first day when he was close to her for a while, he had many other things to do. He was leaving the vi now, but she would head to Huaijiang. He had left the capital for too long, so he had to return to the pce today.

    "Your Majesty, wait¡­ No!" She was afraid that he would treat her like that night. She was so scared that she grabbed his shoulder.

    "You are so young, I won''t be able to hold on for too long¡­" He pulled her hand and reached down. ¡°Do you want me to favor other women?"

    Ye Zhen''s face flushed red. She closed her eyes and did not dare to look into his burning eyes. After a while, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I don''t like it."

    The corners of Mo Rongzhan''s mouth rose high, his thin lips sticking to her ears. ¡°Don¡¯t like what? You don¡¯t like me touching other women?"

    "Dirty!" Ye Zhen snorted.

    "Why are you so jealous?" Mo Rongzhanughed hoarsely. ¡°Yaoyao, I only want you now¡­."

    She pushed him. ¡°No, you can''t do that¡­ This is a carriage."

    "I am not like that. I want to kiss you. When you be my empress, I will¡­," he smiled and said "¡­ let you grow up again."

    During the two hours journey, Ye Zhen had been kissed by Mo Rongzhan a few times. Other than where she could see it, there were kiss marks on her chest and between her legs. She was so angry that she wanted to bite him, but he kissed her even harder.

    With great difficulty, they arrived at the Gujia Vige. Mo Rongzhan carried her out of the carriage. Other than Huangfu Chen who looked at him with a smile, the others simply lowered their heads and did not dare to speak.

    Ye Zhen slept in the side room of the inn. When she got up, she saw Mo Rongzhan talking to Huangfu Chen.

    "Yaoyao, I will return to the capital first. Your two servants are worried. I will have Xue Lin follow to protect you," Mo Rongzhan whispered. After this incident, he was worried that she would be outside alone. Of all his shadow guards, Xue Lin was one of the best in martial arts. With him by her side, he could know her situation at any time.

    "Isn''t there a master?" she mumbled.

    Mo Rongzhan raised an eyebrow.. ¡°Either let Xue Lin be by your side or follow me back to the capital."

    How could she still have a choice? She naturally wanted to go to Huaijiang.

    They parted ways at Gujia Vige. Mo Rongzhan watched Ye Zhen and the others set off. He had hoped that a certain little girl would be reluctant to part with him. At least, she woulde out to take a look at him. In the end, the carriage had disappeared into the flying dust and that little girl had no intention of being reluctant at all.

    Mo Rongzhan smiled wryly. She really couldn''t wait to get away from him. <i>Am I that scary?</i>

    "Return to the capital!" Mo Rongzhan gave the order and led the others on their way through the night. They reached the following night.

    "Your Majesty, you are finally back!" When the empress dowager heard that Mo Rongzhan had returned to the pce, she immediately came to Pce of Heavenly Purity to look for him. ¡°Aijia had sent someone to look for you, why is there no news?"

    Mo Rongzhan took the handkerchief from Eunuch Fu and washed his face as he smiled at his mother. ¡°<i>Zhen</i> was in the mountains and found a private mine. The road is not easy to walk. Imperial Mother, why were you looking for this one?"

    "Three days ago, when the Nian Tzu Temple was in mes, Lu Wushuang¡­ She burned to death!" she said, looking at her son''s face.

    "Burned to death?" Mo Rongzhan''s expression remained unchanged as he asked indifferently, ¡°Imperial Mother, why did Nian Tzu Temple catch fire? Did someone investigate?"

    "It was a little nun who identally caused a fire when she was cooking. At that time, Lu Wushuang was helping in the kitchen and both of them were burned to death. Your Majesty, what should we do?" the empress dowager asked in a low voice, ¡°She is the younger sister of the Marquis Anyang."

    Mo Rongzhan hated Lu Wushuang to the extreme because she got close to him under a fake identity. Now that she had turned to ashes, he naturally did not feel a thing. ¡°Although she has already been stripped of her ranking, she is still considered a concubine. Just let her¡­ be buried with the identity of a Gui Ren.*"

    [*gui ren means a nobledy]

    Once a Gui Fei* had now been reduced to a Gui Ren. The difference was at least a few ranks, she¡¯s not even a Jie Yu.

    [*Gui Fei is right below the empress, and top most concubine. Jie Yu means Lady of Handsome Fairness. We¡¯re assuming this is the ranking derived from the Song Dynasty where if Empress is No.1, Guifei is No.2, Jieyu is No.25 and Guiren is No.28 and the veryst.]

    The empress dowager had originally thought that since she was dead, she could be given a position of concubine. But when she saw her son''s face wreathed with indifference, she dropped the idea.

    Then so be it.

    ???

 Chapter 496: Strange Weather

    <h4>Chapter 496: Strange Weather</h4>

    <i>Lu Wushuang is dead?</i>

    This news reached Ye Zhen when she was about to reach Huaijiang. She found it hard to believe. Although Lu Wushuang was stupid, from her(YZ) point of view, she shouldn''t have died this easily. Moreover, she had been burned to death at Nian Tzu Temple apparently by a little nun''s carelessness.

    This was the person she had always wanted to take revenge on. Now, there was no need for her to do anything. Lu Wushuang was stupid till death. Even though Mo Rongzhan gave her the title of Gui Ren in the end, it was a humiliating reward for someone who was once Gui Fei.

    <i>Wonder how Lu Lingzhi would take this? </i>Ye Zhen was a little curious. <i>What would Lu Lingzhi do next?</i>

    "What are you thinking?" Huangfu Chen, sitting across her, asked in a low voice.

    "It''s nothing. I was surprised to hear that Lu Wushuang died." Ye Zhen smiled faintly. ¡°Doesn¡¯t feel real."

    Huangfu Chen already knew the reason the little girl did not like her cousin. ¡°Then consider it as the past already."

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°Master, do you not know how to detoxify Lu Lingzhi?"

    "It''s not like I don''t know." He was silent for a while before saying, ¡°It''s just that I can¡¯t hold it. The fire lotus is not easy to obtain. If I waste it this time, I''m afraid the poison in his body cannot be purged."

    "Master, take your time. There''s no rush." Ye Zhen smiled.

    Huangfu Chen was aware of what she was thinking. He sighed helplessly. ¡°Yaoyao, I will have to treat your eldest brother in the future."

    Ye Zhen nodded and said solemnly, I know. Master, you are a doctor. There is no reason doctors don''t save one from death. I don''t want Lu Lingzhi to die. I just want him to suffer more, so just treat it as¡­ as an atonement!"

    "We still two days before we reach Huaijiang. This is clearly the south, why is the weather so hot?¡± Looking at his little disciple¡¯s attitude, the master deftly changed the topic with a smile.

    "I think the weather is a little strange. Look at the clouds over there, it looks like it''s going to be raining heavily." Ye Zhen still remembered that Huaijiang''s natural disaster was caused by heavy rain. However, she did not remember exactly where in Huaijiang it was.

    ¡°It''s almost June now. There will be more showers in the south. Don''t worry," he said.

    She whispered, ¡°I don''t think it''s as simple as a shower. Master, can you tell when the rain will stop?"

    "There''s an inn ahead. Let''s stay there first, then I''ll read the divination,¡± Huangfu Chen said.

    They rode for another period of time. In no time, the sky had changed drastically. It was still afternoon but looked like night. Huangfu Chen ordered Quan Fu to hurry up and rush to the inn before the rainstorm.

    Just as they stopped at the inn, it started raining cats and dogs.

    Ye Zhen stood under the eaves, looking at the ck sky, feeling uneasy.

    "I''m afraid there will be a disaster." Huangfu Chen hade to Ye Zhen''s side at some point. He was still holding a yarrow in his hand. It was obvious that he had been divinating.

    "Master." Ye Zhen looked at the yarrow in his hand. ¡°What disaster do you think will happen?"

    Huangfu Chen whispered, ¡°Natural and man-made."

    Ye Zhen was slightly startled. She knew what natural disasters it would be, but where did man-made disasterse from?

    "If the rain stops tomorrow, we''ll go and find my aunt first. She''s in the Huaijiang Medical Bureau, so she should know more about the situation here than we do," Huangfu Chen said.

    "Yes." Ye Zhen nodded.

    It rained all night. The next morning, Ye Zhen opened the window and found that the sky still hadn''t cleared up. Although the shower was lesser than yesterday, if it continued like this, the road would probably be flooded.

    "Miss, it''s raining, do we still have to hurry?" Dai Mei asked.

    Ye Zhen said, ¡°We still have to find Imperial Physician Qi. We can''t stay here forever to avoid the rain. It''s not worth waiting for it to stop."

    "Mister Chen has already left early in the morning, I don''t know why." She¡¯d woken up before dawn just in time to see the man going out.

    "Master left?" Ye Zhen was taken aback. ¡°In which direction?"

    She pointed to the south. ¡°This servant saw him go over there."

    Ye Zhen turned around and went into the room to grab the oil umbre. She reminded Dai Mei, ¡°Wait here, I''ll go and take a look."

    "Miss¡­." Dai Mei hastily called out. She wanted to turn around to look for an umbre but saw Xue Lin walk out from the corner instead. He wore a conical hat and a straw cape. He had already silently followed Ye Zhen out.

    <i>With Xue Lin following her, Miss should be fine.</i>

    Ye Zhen found Huangfu Chen near the inn. He was standing inside a bamboo pavilion by the roadside, facing the south.

    "Master." Ye Zhen walked over. ¡°It looks like it''s raining harder over there than here. Are we¡­ Should we hurry?"

    Huangfu Chen nodded solemnly. ¡°It''s in the middle and lower reaches of Huaijiang River. I have been in seclusion for several years and I don''t know the situation, but a few years ago¡­ It''s the ce that''s most prone to flooding. I just hope that this year, the dams are all built and reinforced to avoid this disaster."

    Xue Lin, who had been silent, suddenly said, ¡°Last year there was no flood in the Huaijiang River. There was a drought and many people died."

    ¡°Drought?" Ye Zhen was astonished. Not long after the deposed emperor ascended the throne about this timest year, the entire country was controlled by the imperial uncle*, and Mo Rongzhan was also preparing to usurp the position at the border at that time. She had not paid attention to the things going on in Huaijiang.

    [*MRZ¡¯s father¡¯s eldest brother]

    However, in Xue Lin¡¯s opinion, it was ast-year thing, but in Ye Zhen''s memory, it was three years ago.

    "In the end, there was a gue, and many died¡­," said Xue Lin in a low voice. ¡°The riots began at that time.¡±

    Huangfu Chen and Ye Zhen looked at each other. ¡°Let''s go to the Medical Bureau to find my aunt."

    They returned to the inn and hurried back to find Qi Jin. As they headed to Huaijiang City, it continued to rain. The rice fields on both sides of the road had already been filled with water. If the rain did not stop, there could be a real flood.

    "If it just rains, it would have been fine. But I''m afraid it would burst the embankment¡­,." Ye Zhen frowned as she looked ahead. Because of the rain, their speed was much slower. It would take them over two days to finish the journey. Up ahead was Huaijiang City. At this moment, there was not a single person outside the city gate. It seemed that everyone was home taking refuge from the rain.

    Their carriage stopped outside the city gate. Xue Lin went forward to show them the road pass, only then did the guards let them enter the city.

    "Your Highness, His Majesty has already ordered people to prepare a residence. This subordinate will lead the way for you," Xue Lin whispered outside the carriage.

    Ye Zhen did not expect Mo Rongzhan to even arrange a residence for her. She looked at Huangfu Chen wondering what his opinion would be.

    "Then let''s rest here for a while before we go and find my aunt," Huangfu Chen said.

    Mo Rongzhan had arranged for Ye Zhen a grand residence spanning three courtyards*. Although there were not many servants, they seemed to have been carefully selected. Not long after she arrived with the others, she noticed that everything had been prepared well.

    After lunch, the master and disciple went to the Medical Bureau to find Qi Jin.

    ???

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 Chapter 497: Doubts

    <h4>Chapter 497: Doubts</h4>

    The Huaijiang Medical Bureau was located right next to the civil affairs bureau. When Ye Zhen and Co arrived, the doors had yet to open.

    It was only when Xue Lin decisively knocked on the door that an impatient woman garbed in physician robes opened it. However, upon studying the token Xue Lin produced, her expression immediately changed. "This Young Master, may I know what instructions you may have?"

    Xue Lin coldly nced over her renewed attitude and invited Ye Zhen through the door.

    "Excuse me, is Imperial Physician Qi here?" Ye Zhen gave a once over to the physician standing in front of her and fell into contemtion. This must have been the physician assigned by the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard for this region. And by extension, must be quite familiar with Huajiang.

    The physician wasn''t aware of Ye Zhen''s background, but seeing the man being so respectful to her despite holding the token of authority, it seemed the person''s status wasn''t all that simple. " Imperial Physician Qi has momentarily stepped out to treat some people. Please stay for a cup of tea, I''ll have a servant fetch her back."

    Ye Zhen frowned. "Where has Imperial Physician Qi gone to treat patients?"

    "We got word of a fever outbreak in a vige at the outskirts of the city. Imperial Physician Qi immediately left with a couple of physicians in tow," the physician replied.

    "Are you a physician here?" Ye Zhen enquired.

    "This lowly one''s surname is Chen, and I was appointed a physician here ten years ago," Physician Chen replied.

    Just as Ye Zhen was about to suggest to Huangfu Chen to look outside, a knock sounded outside the bureau. It was Qi Jin who had returned.

    She walked in while in conversation with the two physicians behind her. ¡°¡­ This isn¡¯t just one person in the vige who has a fever. It seems that it''s rted to the recent weather. Bring some medicine tomorrow and have everyone in the vige drink a bowl."

    "Yes." The two physicians nodded.

    "Imperial Physician Qi!" Ye Zhen''s eyes lit up as she stood up and walked towards Qi Jin.

    Qi Jin was stunned for a moment. When she saw Huangfu Chen, she shook her head helplessly. ¡°The little apprentice you brought with youst time was her, wasn¡¯t it? What nonsense. How could you bring her here?"

    "Imperial Physician Qi, since I''m here now, don''t chase me away." Ye Zhen smiled and went forward to hug the other''s arm. ¡°I can also help you here, so I won''t cause you any trouble."

    "Right now, I''m not afraid that you would give me troubles, but¡­." Qi Jin frowned and looked at the weather outside. ¡°The rain has agitated me. Don¡¯t run around. Just help me here at the bureau."

    Ye Zhen immediately agreed. ¡°All right."

    Qi Jin then said to Huangfu Chen, ¡°Ah Chen, you will take a trip with me outside the city tomorrow. Today, I went on a medical visit. There''s a vige that has a fever outbreak. I suspect it''s contagious. The weather most likely caused the disease. We need to find the source quickly."

    "Imperial Physician Qi, why is Huaijiang always prone to contagious diseases at this time of the year?" Ye Zhen asked curiously.

    "It''s usually humid in the south. In addition, the summer is hot, so it''s not surprising that the disease tends to spread," Physician Chen supplied from the side.

    Ye Zhen did notment. She felt that this situation was really strange year after year.

    Qi Jin said, ¡° You''ve only arrived at Huaijiang City today. Rest for a while. I''ll brief you about the situation here tomorrow."

    Just as she finished speaking, someone started shouting outside.

    "Imperial Physician Qi, this is bad!" A man in a straight jacket shouted in panic. ¡°Dam¡­ Something is about to happen to the dam."

    "What?!" Everybody cried out in rm. If something happened to the dam at this moment, then it would be no small matter.

    The man was at his wits¡¯ end. ¡°I just came back from the river. The rain is too heavy. The dam that was repaired only this year cannot hold on."

    "Did you inform Lord Zheng?" Imperial Physician Qi immediately asked.

    "Lord Zheng has already sent people to block the dam with sandbags, but¡­ This won''t hold long."

    Huangfu Chen said, ¡°Have someone go upstream to close the gate and block the gap first. If the rain eases, we can keep the dam from copsing."

    "Have the vigers near the dam been told to leave?" Qi Jin hurriedly asked.

    "I went to inform them, but they refused to leave!" The man said anxiously, ¡°They refuse to believe that a disaster is imminent!"

    Qi Jin said, ¡°I''ll go with you. Ah Chen, bring someone to clean up the medical Office. You might have to take in many patients."

    "Imperial Physician Qi, I''ll go with you." Ye Zhen blurted out. Her doubts ran deeper and deeper. <i>How could those vigers not be willing to flee?</i>

    "You stay and help your master!" Imperial Physician Qi red at her and led the others out.

    Ye Zhen turned to Huangfu Chen and said, ¡°Master, it''s too strange."

    "We''ve only just arrived, so we naturally don''t know anything. Let''s observe first, we might be able to glean the truth," Huangfu Chen whispered.

    It seemed that her master had also noticed something wasn''t quite right with the current situation. They had always heard that the Huajiang River disaster struck periodically. Every year, the Imperial Court would sendrge amounts of disaster relief funds to the region. To prevent gue outbreaks. several carriages of medicinal herbs were transported but none seemed to be of any use.

    "Yaoyao?"

    Two young women walked over from outside. One of them was Ye Zhen''s Senior Sister Xia Yaohua from the Medical School.

    "Sister Xia, you are also in Huaijiang?" Ye Zhen looked at her in surprise.

    Xia Yaohua smiled and said, ¡°We drew lots to decide who would go to Huaijiang. Liu Yun and I both won."

    "You came back just in time. Imperial Physician Qi just issued the order¡­" Ye Zhen exined Qi Jin''s words to them.

    Xia Yaohua and Liu Yun shot each other one quick nce and hastily went in to prepare.

    They had been busy for a long time and yet hadn''t heard from Imperial Physician Qi. Huangfu Chen was worried, so he asked Ye Zhen to stay spit at the medical bureau while he personally went to the riverside.

    Ye Zhen stood outside the door of the medical bureau. She looked at the still heavy rain and fell into deep thought.

    "Yaoyao, why are you here?" Xia Yaohua walked out and stood beside Ye Zhen.

    "Master wanted toe out to find medicine, so I followed him out. We happened to pass by Huaijiang and came over to take a look. Sister Xia, do you know that there has always been a gue here?" Ye Zhen simply exined.

    Xia Yaohua looked back and whispered into Ye Zhen''s ear, ¡°In the past, I was the same as you. I thought that there would be a gue here as long as it was summer. However, I''ve followed Imperial Physician Qi to several viges. Those viges are ces where the gue had happened before. I heard from the vigers that every year, a few people would die of an unknown disease, but it was not a gue¡­ No one can be sure what it is. It''s now all up to the Imperial Court and the physicians."

    Ye Zhen frowned slightly. ¡°Where is the medicine storeroom here? If we are really taking in the victims here, I''m afraid we''ll need a lot of medicine."

    ¡°I just went to check today. There are not many medicines in the store." Xia Yaohua led Ye Zhen inside.

    ¡°How could that be? Didn''t most of the herbs from our medicinal fielde to Huaijiang? How can the store not have medicine?" Ye Zhen asked in surprise.

    Xia Yaohua and Liu Yun looked at each other. ¡°Come in with me and have a look then we''ll know for sure."

    ???

 Chapter 498: Breached

    <h4>Chapter 498: Breached</h4>

    Ye Zhen followed Xia Yaohua and the others to the medicine storehouse. She wondered if she was mistaken. Not counting the medicinal herbs sent from the medicinal field this year, based on the number of medicinal herbs sent in the past, the store of the Huaijiang Medical Bureau could not possibly only have such a small amount of herbs left, right?

    "This is¡­ Is this all the medicinal materials in the bureau?" Ye Zhen looked at the empty store, then at the mostmon medicinal herbs. These were the most worthless ordinary medicinal herbs. Most of them were antipyretics and detoxifiers. The medicinal herbs that had been sent from the medicinal field before were not even a shadow of what was avable. These bags of medicinal herbs,pared to those sent by the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard, were not even worth a fraction.

    Xia Yaohua said in a low voice, ¡°This is still good. When we first came here, there wasn''t even a de of grass inside."

    Ye Zhen took a deep breath. ¡°Where are the medicinal herbs from the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard?"

    When she was in the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard, she liked to visit the medicinal field, so she knew how many herbs the courtyard sent to the Huaijiang Medical Bureau every year. Looking at this store now, she was at a loss for words.

    "The people here said that the Imperial Court never delivered the medicines. The store has always been like this," Liu Yun whispered.

    "Doesn''t Imperial Physician Qi find nothing amiss?" Ye Zhen frowned. It seemed that there was something wrong with the Huaijiang Medical Bureau. She refused to believe that Imperial Physician Qi could not tell.

    Xia Yaohua said, "How could Imperial Physician Qi not know? It''s just¡­ So what if she could tell? A letter was sent to the capital, but we are yet to receive a response. I just hope that nothing really happens. Otherwise, I don''t know how to use this small amount of medicinal ingredients."

    Ye Zhen walked into the store to take a look at the medicinal ingredients. It was fine if she hadn''t looked at them, because once she did, she felt angry. ¡°Where did thise from? How was this sent by the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard? Did they send someone to the mountain to pick it up?"

    "These are pretty good now. We''ve already carefully selected them, and have been drying them for a few days. When they first arrived, there were weeds inside," Liu Yun said.

    "It seems that Huaijiang has someone who can cover the sky* ( fraudster)." Ye Zhen sneered. Even the medicinal ingredients sent by the Imperial Court they dared to embezzle, let alone the Disaster Silver.

    [*To hide the truth from the masses]

    "The dam broke! The dam is breaking!"

    A sharp cry suddenly sounded from outside the medical bureau. A bolt of lightning in the sky seemed to split open the heaven and earth. The rumbling thunder was louder than ever.

    A startled Ye Zhen was hastily walked out.

    The official residence next door had soldiers going in and out. The civilians who had been hiding in their homes from the rain had alle out to take a look.

    "The dam has broken. Everyone, quickly go to a higher ce."

    "The dam has broken! The dam has broken!"

    Huaijiang City, which was originally quiet, seemed to wake up. The people started to move things to the attic.

    Perhaps it was because the buildings in Huaijiang City were different from those in the capital, most of their houses were built with lofts. Now, most of the people were moving their precious things up high.

    "Damn! Imperial Physician Qi and the others are still at the embankment." Ye Zhen was anxious thinking of Huangfu Chen and Imperial Physician Qi. She wondered if they would be able toe back unscathed.

    "Xue Lin, I''m going to find Master and Imperial Physician Qi," Ye Zhen said to Xue Lin, who had been guarding her all this time.

    "Your Highness, absolutely not! At the moment, there must be chaos outside the city. The dam copsed, and this is no small matter. You cannot leave the city." Xue Lin immediately stopped her. How could he let the princess take the risk?

    Ye Zhen was aware of the danger outside the city. The Huaijiang Medical Bureau couldn''t afford tock personnel, but she was still worried about Huangfu Chen and the others.

    Xue Lin immediately said, ¡°Your Highness, why not let this subordinate look for them first? If there''s any news, this subordinate will report back immediately. Please, Your Highness."

    By evening, the water on the streets outside had reached knee level. More and more people were taking refuge in the city. These people were from the viges outside the city. In the beginning, the authorities would send people to settle them. However, with the increasing number of people, there was no ce left to settle them in the city, so they simply ignored them.

    Standing under the eaves of the medical bureau, Ye Zhen frowned as she looked took in the scene outside. The city was already full of water. One could imagine what the viges around the dam had be. She was still very worried about her master and Imperial Physician Qi, hoping that they would return safely.

    "Help, help!"

    At this moment, Ye Zhen suddenly heard someone shouting for help.

    It was a mother and son who had entered the city to seek refuge. The child looked to be seven or eight years old, but for some reason, he had fainted in his mother''s arms and did not move.

    "Quan Fu, go and bring that child over," Ye Zhen hastily ordered.

    Xia Yaohua and Liu Yun were bandaging the people''s wounds. The medical bureau had already taken in many people who had been injured in the process of escaping. Dai Mei and Quan Fu had alsoe to the medical bureau to help.

    Quan Fu carried the child over. The mother cried as she shouted, ¡°Save my child. Can someone save my son?"

    "Put him on the bed," Ye Zhen said to Quan Fu, immediately taking the child''s pulse. She was a little shocked at the result. She reached out and ced her hand on his forehead. It was so hot! ¡°Madam, when did your child get sick?"

    "I don''t know¡­ I don''t know¡­!" The woman shook her head while crying. "I''ve been taking care of my husband for the past few days. I just found out that my child is sick."

    Ye Zhen checked the other parts of the child''s body and had a bad premonition. ¡°What''s wrong with the child''s father? Where is he?"

    The woman cried and said, ¡°I don''t know either. A lot of people around the house are sick. I don''t know when he got it. Imperial Physician Qi wasing to see him. This morning¡­ In the morning, he didn''t have any breath (died). I wanted to hold a funeral for him, but I didn''t expect there would be a flood. I had no choice but to leave with my child."

    <i>Could it be that Imperial Physician Qi went to their vige for a medical visit? This illness didn''t seem easy to treat.</i>

    "Sister Xia, does the medical bureau have a separate room?" Ye Zhen whispered to Xia Yaohua.

    "Only the store is empty now. Some of the other rooms have been filled with water, and some others have already been upied," Xia Yaohua said.

    Ye Zhen nodded slightly and said to Dai Mei, ¡°Go and clean up and have this child stay in the store first. All of you put on your masks*."

    [*Oh boy! This is where this author disys her uncanny prediction abilities. This book waspleted before 2019, but the treatment method is exactly like the pandemic in 2020]

    Xia Yaohua was also a doctor. At Ye Zhen''s words, she immediately understood that this little boy''s illness was different from the others. It might be contagious.

    "I''ll prescribe the medicine first. All of you should be more vignt," Ye Zhen warned. In her heart, she was worried that there were still many among those taken refuge in the city sick like the little boy. If they had the same illness, the infection would probably spread even faster.

    And the vige that the woman mentioned, if¡­ If her husband had died and they¡¯d been toote in burying, now that he had been washed away by the flood, who knew where the corpse would be.

    It wasn''t until nightfall that Xue Lin returned with Huangfu Chen and Qi Jin. Huangfu Chen''s clothes were drenched while Qi Jin was unconscious. Her forehead was wrapped in white cloth stained with blood.

    "Master, what happened to Imperial Physician Qi?" Ye Zhen hurriedly asked.

    "When the embankment broke, she was knocked over and hit a corner. She was almost washed away by the water," Huangfu Chen whispered.

    ???

 Chapter 499: Barging into the Prefectural Magistrateâ€™s Residence

    <h4>Chapter 499: Barging into the Prefectural Magistrate¡¯s Residence</h4>

    Qi Jin was not just injured. In the second half of the night, her whole body became hot. When Ye Zhen took her pulse, she was really shocked. This pulse was too simr to that of the little boy. Could it be that Imperial Physician Qi got infected when she went on a medical visit to their vige?

    "Master, Imperial Physician Qi''s illness is exactly the same as the flu mentioned in

    ¡¶Qi Medical ssics¡·," Ye Zhen said in a low voice.

    There was a record in the ¡¶Qi Medical ssics¡·about influenza, which was the gue disease Qi Yanling encountered in the past. ording to the records, this was an epidemic typhoid fever, which was not only highly contagious but also spread very quickly. Contact with people or with contaminated items would help spread the virus to other people. The symptoms ¡ª a sudden onset of high fever, body pain, fatigue, and difficulty in breathing.

    Huangfu Chen nodded solemnly. "The symptoms are the same."

    "I went to check the medicines in stock, but there is no medicine that can cure this type of typhoid fever. All the herbs sent by the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard are gone," Ye Zhen said in a trice. "If we don''t think of a way to control the infection of this disease, I''m afraid¡­ I''m afraid something more terrible will happen."

    The most terrifying thing at this time was not the dam burst, but the gue!

    Huangfu Chen said in a deep voice, "Be careful, I will go to the Prefectural Magistrate."

    The prefectural magistrate of Huaijiang was surnamed Zheng. When he went to the dam to find his aunt, he did not see him. Later, he heard that Lord Zheng, fearing that the dam would burst and endanger him, had already hidden in the city.

    The medical bureau was near the prefectural magistrate¡¯s official residence, and Huangfu Chen was at the gates in no time. However, a couple of officials and soldiers outside the gates stopped him. Hearing that he was going to see Lord Zheng, they were quick to say their master was not there.

    "Your Lord Zheng is not here, where did he go?" Huangfu Chen asked coldly, "Now that Huaijiang City is suffering a disaster, shouldn''t hee out to preside over the overall situation instead of hiding from everyone?"

    "Hey, who are you? How dare you talk about the prefectural magistrate?" The pair of officials and soldiers pointed at Huangfu Chen and reprimanded him. "Get out, get out, this is not a ce you can enter at will."

    On his way back from rescuing his aunt, all Huangfu Chen had seen chaos and more chaos. The soldiers only cared about themselves and even chastised those who had entered the city for refuge. This whole scenario had already infuriated him. Now that he couldn''t see the man who was at the helm of the affairs, he couldn''t hold back the rage in his heart.

    "Move away!" Huangfu Chen said coldly when a couple of officials and soldiers came over to push him away. In a blink of the eye, they had been thoroughly beaten up.

    He kicked open the gate, and the sound it made rmed all those inside.

    "Who! Who dares to break into the official residence of¡­" A steward in a straight robe walked out.

    Huangfu Chen looked at him coldly and demanded, "Where is Zheng Yuhua?"

    "You¡­ Who are you?" The steward wasn''t blind like the pair of officials and soldiers earlier. Seeing Huangfu Chen, and hearing him call out the prefectural magistrate''s name, he¡¯d guessed that he wasn''t somebody one would want to offend.

    "Call Zheng Yuhua out." Huangfu Chen said coldly.

    <i>This master is itching for a fight and it''s the prefectural magistrate who he wants to scold? </i>But he stood his ground. "Why do you want to see his lordship?"

    "What do you think is important now?" Huangfu Chen asked indifferently, "The Huaijiang River dam has copsed and there is a flood in Huaijiang City¡­ What is Zheng Yuhua doing?"

    "Then do you think this official should listen to you?" Zheng Yuhua, who was hiding behind, finally couldn''t help but walk out and red at Huangfu Chen angrily.

    Huangfu Chen wasn¡¯t here to teach Zheng Yuhua how to do things. "It doesn''t matter whether you listen to me or not, but now that the Huaijiang River is flooding, if someone deceives and refuses to report it to the Imperial Court, it will be someone else''s business that will cause disaster in the future. Zheng Yuhua, let me ask you, where did the medicinal supplies from the Huaijiang Medical Bureau go? Every year, the Imperial Court sends at least several hundred kilograms of medicinal herbs, so why hasn''t the medical bureau¡¯s medicine store seen it?¡±

    Zheng Yuhua''s face took a drastic turn. "Who are you?" he demanded.

    "Several viges outside the city are flooded, and two of them are suspected of being gued by typhoid fever. If you want to see all the people in the city die of the gue, then you should continue to conceal the whereabouts of the medicinal supplies. Even if you are not infected by the gue, then just wait for the emperor to chop your head off and do the same to your entire n!" Huangfu Chen said lightly.

    Zheng Yuhua sucked in a breath. "You¡­ What did you say? gue? Where did the guee from in the city?"

    Huangfu Chen was toozy to talk nonsense with him. "I''ll ask you again, where are those herbs?"

    "The matter of the medicinal supplies has nothing to do with this official. There was not much left of those medicines when they were delivered to Huaijiang¡­," Zheng Yuhua said in a panic. He remembered that Imperial Physician Qi had told him a few days ago that someone outside the city was feverish, and about the possibility of contagion. He didn''t take it to heart at the time, but now it seemed that it was all true.

    "Who is responsible for transporting the medicinal supplies to Huaijiang?" Huangfu Chen sighed. There were people who were no better than animals and even dared to embezzle medicinal supplies that would save people.

    Zheng Yuhua said, "It used to be Qiao Zebai. He was Ye Xiang''s student and was implicated by him(YX)¡­ but he''s already dead. Now, this official is not sure, who is delivering the medicinal supplies, but it should have been with Ye Xiang before. It''s the only possibility, otherwise who¡¯d dare ¡­ do this."

    It''s not that he didn''t want to fight against these people. In the past, the other party had Ye Xiang''s support. No matter how many memorials(reports) he¡¯d made toin, in the end, it was like a stone sinking into the sea. Over time, he was naturally disheartened. He just didn''t expect that Qiao Zebai''s people would be this bold. The new emperor ascended the throne and the entire Ye family was wiped out. Yet, they dared to continue to embezzle the medicinal supplies of the Imperial Court. Perhaps even the disaster silver would not be delivered to Huaijiang.

    ¡°Huaijiang reports the gue to the imperial court every year. Since there were no medicinal supplies to cure it, how was the gue stopped?¡± Huangfu Chen asked, he didn''t expect this matter to be rted to Ye Yisong. It seems that before Mo Rongzhan usurped the throne, the country of Jin was reallypletely controlled by Ye Yisong, and the corruption of court officials must run really deep..

    The steward next to him said immediately, "There has never been a gue in Huaijiang, but some people deliberately killed a few people and then forced our elders to go to the court."

    Huangfu Chen suppressed the anger swirling in his heart. "Is it rted to Ye Yisong again?"

    Zheng Yuhua flushed. "Let''s not talk about it now, I don''t know your name, is the gue thing true?"

    "Huangfu Chen," Huangfu Chen said his name softly.

    "¡ª¡ª" Zheng Yuhua and his subordinate (steward) were taken aback, Huangfu? Huangfu Chen?

    Huangfu Chen frowned and asked, "There are not enough medicinal supplies in the storehouse of the medical bureau, can you arrange medicines from other ces?"

    Zheng Yuhua said, "I have sent an expedited letter to the imperial court. Water from afar quenches not fire*. I just hope that the medicine in the city''s pharmacy will not be soaked by water."

    [*Ô¶Ë®¾È²»ÁË½ü»ð yu¨£n shu¨« ji¨´ bu li¨£o j¨¬n hu¨¯ ¨C lit. water from afar quenches not fire; fig. urgent need; a slow remedy does not address the current emergency.

    "Then borrow medicine from them in the name of the Imperial Court!" Huangfu Chen instructed immediately.

    "This official would listen to Mr. Huangfu," Zheng Yuhua replied. He did not doubt that Huangfu Chen could represent the court, but he felt that it would be right to listen to him.

    Huangfu Chen gave out a few more instructions, then left the prefectural magistrate¡¯s residence and returned to the medical bureau.

    ???

 Chapter 500: The Epidemic Intensifies

    <h4>Chapter 500: The Epidemic Intensifies</h4>

    When Ye Zhen learned the whereabouts of the medical supplies from Huangfu Chen, she was at a loss for words. She knew that Qiao Zebai was a student of her eldest uncle, and he often came to Ye Residence. She had met him once, a gentle and talented young man. She had a hard time believing that he actually did such a thing.

    "Master, what should I do now?" Ye Zhen asked, she was only worried that if the disease was not brought under control, there would really be a gue.

    Huangfu Chen said in a low voice, "Zheng Yuhua has already sent people to look for medicinal herbs and has also reported it to the Imperial Court. Now the dams are out of control. We can only hope that the rain will stop, otherwise, the corpses of those who died of illness in the vige will be more problematic."

    Ye Zhen frowned. "It''s been raining for several days now, why doesn''t it stop."

    "Yaoyao, we must control the situation in Huaijiang City no matter what, otherwise¡­." Huangfu Chen was solemn.

    "Otherwise¡­ what?" Ye Zhen asked hurriedly.

    Huangfu Chen cast her a deep look "Ah Zhan has been enthroned less than a year ago. If such a disaster urs in the first year of the reign of the new emperor, it will inevitably shake people''s hearts, and I''m even more worried that someone will take the opportunity to use this as an excuse¡­."

    Ye Zhen immediately understood what he meant ¡ª he was afraid that someone would say that Mo Rongzhan is ipetent, create chaos and seize the throne.

    "Master, I understand what you mean." Ye Zhen said in a low voice, "As long as there are medical supplies, and if the disease can be controlled, there will be no problem. It would be impossible for others to nder the emperor''s inability to govern the country with regard to the matter of breaking of the embankment, which has nothing to do with him at all."

    "Yaoyao, natural disasters are the biggest excuse." Huangfu Chen reminded her.

    Ye Zhen smiled coldly. "Then it depends on who the natural disaster is punishing. Doesn''t Qiao Zebai''s associates need to be punished for what they have been doing for so many years?"

    "You have a solution?" Huangfu Chen asked in surprise.

    The best recourse now was to take the lead and push the cause of the natural disaster onto those greedy for medical supplies and disaster silvers. This would thwart others from gaining an opportunity to harm Mo Rongzhan with this matter, but why was she doing it now? Right now, all the little girl, who had once wanted to pull the man from his throne, was thinking of was ways to protect him.

    Ye Zhen shook her head inwardly, no one was more suitable to be the emperor than him now ¡ª even for the people of Jin Country, she had to protect his reputation.

    ?

    It appeared that God had heard all the prayers. The next second day, a long-lost blue appeared in the dark sky, and the downpour gradually turned into light drizzle.

    "The rain has stopped!" Ye Zhen said happily to Huangfu Chen nearby.

    Huangfu Chen smiled and noddeds "Heaven¡¯s helped us."

    Zheng Yuhua sent over several carts of medicinal herbs that were all borrowed from the pharmacies across the city. Ye Zhen took a look and concluded that many medicinal herbs could be used. With these drugs they could at least solve the urgent needs.

    Huangfu Chen took some people from the medical bureau to the city to search for people with fever. Zheng Yuhua also ordered that the city gate be closed and a temporary shelter set up outside to stop people from entering the city.

    Ye Zhen took Xia Yaohua along to brew the medicine together. The top priority waas to cure Imperial Physican Qi.

    She recalled the prescriptions mentioned in ¡¶Qi Medical ssics¡·, and changed the proportions slightly ording to Imperial Physican Qi''s symptoms. When cooking the medicine, she discreetly added some <i>lingquan</i>. She didn''t want to use it, but if she didn''t, it would only prolong the disease.. The longer the illness drags on, the more contagious it will be.

    "This pot is for patients with fever, and also for others ¡­ no matter who it is, people in the city should drink a bowl," Ye Zhen said. This medicine would prevent typhoid fever and she had also infused <i>lingquan</i>. With the elixir, she didn¡¯t need to worry about anything else. She was just afraid that people who are not sick could get infected.

    "Yaoyao, there are so many people in the city, how can we reach them all?" Xia Yaohua said.

    Ye Zhen pondered over the matter for a few moments. "Let¡¯s ask Lord Zheng to issue a notice when he goes to the city, and have those peoplee to the medical bureau to drink medicine."

    A long timeter, Huangfu Chen found twenty patients infected with typhoid fever in the city. When he wanted to take them to the hospital for istion, their family members did not agree. They had to send the medicine to their homes and told them not to go out so as not to pass it on to others.

    In the evening, the flood water in the city gradually receded. It used to be at the thigh level but now had dropped to the knees. Hopefully, by the next morning, there should be no water in the city.

    Ye Zhen had not slept the entire night. She felt tired today. Under Huangfu Chen''s persuasion, she went back to rest but was fraught with worries. So, instead, she went to cook arge pot of medicine herself, so that the people in the medical bureau would not forget to give medicine to those suffering from typhoid fever.

    Daimei also brought a can back from home, so that the other servants in the mansion could drink a bowl.

    The next day, Ye Zhen was woken up early in the morning.

    "Yaoyao, it''s not good, there are more and more people in the city contracting typhoid fever¡­," Xia Yaohua said to her panting. "There were only twenty people yesterday, but three of them died today. Mr. Huangfu instructed that the bodies be dragged and burned, but their families are making a fuss. Lord Zheng had someone conduct a thorough search, and it was found that more than 30 people have fever. What should we do?"

    Ye Zhen gasped.<i> Dead?</i>

    "Where are Imperial Physican Qi and Xi¨£o Ni¨²*?" Ye Zhen asked hurriedly. Xi¨£o Ni¨² was the little boy she brought to the hospital yesterday.

    [*Ð¡Å£ xi¨£o ni¨²- calf]

    "They have no fever today. Your medicine is very effective, but they still haven''t woken up. Mr. Huangfu has asked people to continue feeding them medicine," Xia Yaohua said.

    "Did the three who died take medicine yesterday?" Ye Zhen asked with a frown.

    Xia Yaohua said, "They felt that our medical bureau''s medicine was not as good as other doctors, so although they took the medicine, they didn''t drink it. Everybody else drank the medicine¡­ Lord Zheng has sent people to forcibly arrest those who have typhoid fever and iste them."

    "If It''s already like this in the city, I don''t know what may be happening outside." Ye Zhen was a little scared. "What about the people outside the city?"

    "After the rain stopped yesterday, those people all went back. Now there is no one outside the city gate, but the city gate is still closed," Xia Yaohua said.

    <i>Oh no!</i> The patients with typhoid fever came in from the outside. They¡¯d heard that many people in their viges were sick. If¡­ if those corpses were still in the vige, then the people who just went back would most likely get infected.

    "Quick, go to Lord Zheng!" Ye Zhen said. Those people could not be allowed to stay in the vige. Before those bodies were found and burned, no one was to be allowed to inside the vige.

    Xia Yaohua didn''t understand what was going on, so she could only hurriedly catch up with Ye Zhen.

    "Where did Lord. Zheng iste those typhoid fever patients?" The medical bureau would not be able to take in so many people. <i>Where can I iste dozens of people?</i>

    "He sent all those patients who did not have typhoid fever to the yamen*, and now the medical bureau is full of people with typhoid fever," Xia Yaohua said.

    [*government office]

    ???

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 Chapter 501: Lu Lingzhis Decision

    <h4>Chapter 501: Lu Lingzhi''s Decision</h4>

    The three people who died were all well known in Huaijiang City. They didn¡¯t have faith in the efficacy of the medicines from the medical bureau and had refused to consume it. As a result, they couldn''tst the night.

    After a thorough investigation, Huangfu Chen discovered that all those infected with typhoid fever had once left the city. It seemed that they had all been infected outside the city.

    "There is not enough medicine," Ye Zhen whispered to Huangfu Chen. ¡°Our only option is to send people outside the city to look for medicine."

    Zheng Yuhua said, ¡°I''ve already sent someone to report the ongoing epidemic. There should be assistance tomorrow at the earliest."

    "The two viges to the west and north of the city should be our top priority. They are adjacent to each other. Many have been infected with typhoid fever before, and it is most contagious in this weather. It is toote now to ask those vigers not to return to their viges, so they can only be banned from stepping out," Huang Fuchen said to Zheng Yuhua.

    "I have already sent people to guard the entrance of the two viges. They can only enter but not leave," Zheng Yuhua said.

    Huangfu Chen nodded solemnly. He was only doing this to prevent the condition from worsening, but most importantly, he still needed more medicinal herbs.

    "My lord, there are dozens of people outside the city. They said that they are the special envoys sent by the Imperial Court for disaster relief." While they were discussing the next course of action, a soldier rushed over to Zheng Yuhua.

    Zheng Yuhua''s face lit up. ¡°They are definitely here because of this outbreak. Mister Chen, pleasee with me to the city gate."

    To facilitate her work in the medical bureau, Ye Zhen always dressed up as an apprentice (junior doctor). Zheng Yuhua didn''t know that she was Princess Furong. He only heard her call Huangfu Chen Master, so he only treated her as an ordinary doctor.

    Huangfu Chen said to Ye Zhen, "The medicine brewed yesterday was very effective. Today, it''s better to concoct a pot and have those people take it first."

    "The herbs we have is just enough for two more times*," Ye Zhen whispered.

    (*to be cooked twice)

    "I hope that the special envoy outside the city has brought along some medicinal herbs too." Huangfu Chen''s face darkened. If there was no medicine and the epidemic couldn''t be controlled, then theiring all the way here would be futile.

    Ye Zhen watched Huangfu Chen leave and whispered to Xue Lin, ¡°Xue Lin, I have something I want you to do."

    "Your Highness, please instruct me," Xue Lin immediately replied.

    "The whereabouts of the medicinal supplies in Huaijiang City is unknown, and the disaster funds* haven''t really been sent here. There must be someone operating in the shadows. Now we can''t find out who he really is, but I''m worried that he will use this situation to spread unfavorable rumors against the emperor. We have to strike first to gain the upper hand. His Majesty tasked you to be my side, I believe you can handle this matter well," Ye Zhen looked at him and whispered.

    (*silver)

    Xue Lin was shocked. ¡°Your Highness, what do you want this subordinate to do?"

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°It shouldn''t be a problem for you to find a few more people. Spread rumors about the embezzlement of Huaijiang''s medicinal supplies and disaster funds. And that this dam ident happened so as to warn the people behind it ¡­"

    Xue Lin was in rapt attention. The more he listened, the more he felt that this little princess looked delicate and squeamish but was fearless in her actions. The emperor had ascended the throne just a year ago. And if the rumors of a natural disaster were to spread now, attributing it to divine retribution, it would certainly be greatly disadvantageous. Now with the n the princess was proposing, even if word of divine retribution by way of a natural disaster were to spread in the future, the influence would definitely be reduced by half.

    "Your Highness, don''t worry, this subordinate will definitely handle this matter properly," Xue Lin said.

    Ye Zhen nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Go ahead, spread it as you please. No matter who is behind this, you have to think of a way to uncover him. Such arge batch of medicinal supplies cannot disappear into thin air. There will definitely be a buyer. If you find out who the buyer is, you will naturally find out who stole the medicinal supplies."

    "Yes!" Xue Lin bowed (cupped his hands in greeting).

    ?

    Unlike the dire straits in Huaijiang, the weather in the capital was still clear. People came and went, every street and alley was bustling and lively.

    Lu Lingzhi got down from the carriage and stood in front of arge mansion that had been destroyed by a fire. He had set the fire himself and now the people who died here had be his inner demons. Some people would always ignore the most important things until they lost them.

    However, what he didn¡¯t know now was whether he was in love with Ye Zhen or Lu Yaoyao, who made his heart skip a beat.

    Upon his return from the Nian Tzu Temple that day, he had gone straight to Third Uncle. Although the man didn¡¯t explicitly say Yaoyao was not his own daughter, the meaning behind his words was that Yaoyao was not the flesh and blood of the Lu family. He hadn''t put it inly. <i>Was it because he was afraid that he would no longer regard Yaoyao as his sister after he finds out?</i>

    He really didn''t want Yaoyao to be his sister!

    Now that Lu Wushuang had disappeared from the world, he had originally intended to make Lu Yaoyao the empress. But now¡­ He didn''t want to.

    <i>How to make the emperor lose interest in Yaoyao?</i> He had mulled over it for days together now. If there was anyone who could affect the emperor in this world, it was the little girl who had saved his life that year ¡­ Only she had the power to influence his mind, move him away from Yaoyao and towards herself instead. This was the only way to stop him from making Yaoyao the empress.

    Ye Zhen was dead. Where should he go to find a girl who could rece her? At no cost could the emperor know that Ye Zhen was the little girl who had saved him. He could only use his father* to send another woman to the emperor.

    (*as a pretext cos he is no more ¡­ the dead don¡¯t talk)

    Lu Lingzhi took one final look at the ruins. The hesitation in his eyes finally turned into resolve. He now knew what to do.

    ?

    The imperial pce, the imperial study.

    Mo Rongzhan was holding the secret missive expedited from Huaijiang. His handsome face was gloomy and his thin lips were tightly pursed. A momentter, they announced the arrival of Marquis Jing Ning into the pce.

    "Ah Zhen, I have something I want you to do." Mo Rongzhan looked at the man standing in front of him. He could only leave this matter to Tang Zhen. It might not be possible for others to do it. Although he really wanted to go to Huaijiang himself, the war between Biancheng and Dongqing was on the verge of breaking out. As the emperor, he could not leave the capital at such a time.

    Tang Zhen immediately replied respectfully, ¡°Your Majesty, please decree."

    "Go to Huaijiang City and bring Yaoyao back," Mo Rongzhan whispered, looking sharply at him. ¡°I believe you will figure it out."

    "Yes¡­." Tang Zhen smiled wryly in his heart. He did not dare to misinterpret anymore.

    Mo Rongzhan said in a satisfied voice, ¡°Huaijiang City has both flood and epidemic. I am worried that she will continue to stay there. Although I''ve sent Xu Ji ahead to deliver the medicinal supplies and disaster fund, she is in danger there."

    Only now did Tang Zhen know that Yaoyao had gone to Huaijiang. He couldn''t help feeling anxious. ¡°Your Majesty, this minister will definitely bring the princess back."

    "She might not be willing toe back. You might have to think of a way," Mo Rongzhan said softly.

    "Your Majesty, please rest assured, this minister will not let you down," Tang Zhen said. Although he had given up, it did not mean that he could immediately forget Yaoyao. If she was in danger, he would be more nervous and distressed than anyone else.

    Not to mention the current situation of Huaijiang, she must not be allowed to remain there.

    Mo Rongzhan nodded nonchntly. ¡°Go now and find a way to bring her back."

    "Yes, Your Majesty."

    ???

    <strong></strong>

 Chapter 502: The Golden Phoenix

    <h4>Chapter 502: The Golden Phoenix</h4>

    The epidemic situation in the city was finally brought under control with the medicine the special envoy for disaster relief, Xu Ji, brought along. Every night, Ye Zhen stored the <i>lingquan</i> in a porcin bottle, and the next morning added it to therge pot of boiling medicinal soup that would be given to the patients. It was probably because of the <i>lingquan</i>, that the fever quickly subsided. Imperial Physician Qi also recovered and was able to help treat other patients in the medical bureau.

    As more and more people recovered, Ye Zhen discovered something.

    There seemed to be more and more <i>lingquan</i> in her palm, and now when her thoughts were surging, a picture would appear in her mind. As if she was there (on the scene), she would see a golden chick pecking at something. <i>What, that chick looks like¡­ a phoenix? </i>Beside it was a bowl-like thing with golden intricate lines, it was impossible to see what the painting on this bowl of a red liquid was.

    <i>Could that be the lingquan in my palm? There is not much liquid in it now, what is going on?</i>

    Ye Zhen thought it was very strange. When she didn''t want to see it, the image would disappear from her mind. If she thought about it again, she would see the phoenix-like chick again. It seemed that it could also see her.

    <i>This¡­</i>

    She was frightened and had no idea how this came about. She opened her palm and found that the red mark on it was gone.

    <i>Could it be that the golden chick in my mind was the mark on my palm?</i>

    She had never thought that there would be so many supernatural events after she took over her younger sister''s body (reborn). She did not know why that chick appeared in her mind (mental sea), nor did she the chick itself.

    She couldn''t figure out this conundrum, but she had to put it aside temporarily because it was important to solve the immediate problem first.

    "Your Highness, this subordinate is back," Xue Lin said from the door.

    "Come in." Ye Zhen''s eyes lit up, and she pushed the thoughts of the little phoenix to the back of her mind. What she had tasked Xue Lin with previously should havee to fruition.

    Xue Lin walked in with his head lowered, and said to Ye Zhen, "Your Highness, this subordinate haspleted the task, and now there are rumors outside Huaijiang City. The subordinate also found out that Qiao Zebai delivered the medicinal supplies before and sold them to a merchant surnamed Qiu. That merchant is not from Jin, and the medicinal supplies were transported to Jinkou City and sent directly onto a ship."

    "Jinkou City?" Ye Zhen frowned in thought. "Where''s the disaster fund?"

    Xue Lin said, "In the past, most of the disaster funds went into Ye Yisong''s hands. Qiao Zebai didn''t get much. This year, the court did not allocate disaster funds. The medicinal supplies were only intercepted when they arrived in Huaijiang."

    "Those who were able to intercept this batch of medicinal supplies must have been in contact with Qiao Zebai before. They must be people capable of hiding the truth from the people in the Huaijiang area. Otherwise, how could they dare to kill a few people indiscriminately and report it as a gue?" Ye Zhen snorted. Her first uncle had indeed raised a bunch of corrupt officials. Now that he was dead, these people did not know how to restrain themselves.

    Xue Lin said, ¡°Your Highness, this subordinate will investigate this matter thoroughly."

    Ye Zhen nodded lightly. ¡°Do you know who the special envoy who delivered the medicinal supplies this time is?"

    <i>Hopefully, it wouldn''t be another guy like Qiao Zebai.</i>

    "Your Highness, are you talking about Xu Ji?" Xue Lin asked.

    "That''s right, it''s him." Ye Zhen nodded. She had never seen Xu Ji before, but she felt that the name was a little familiar. She seemed to have heard of it somewhere.

    Xue Lin exined, ¡°Xu Ji is Xianfei Xu¡¯s elder brother."

    <i>Xu Huiru''s elder brother?</i> No wonder she felt the name was familiar. It turned out she had met him once before. A faint smile appeared on the corners of Ye Zhen''s lips. Not only had she met Xu Ji before but had also even picked a feud.

    However, he probably wouldn''t remember what she looked like. After all, she was only seven or eight years old at the time and had quarreled over a poem with Xu Huiru. At first, Xi Ji wanted to teach her (Ye Zhen) a lesson on behalf of his sister but in the end, she was beaten by her brother(YZ¡¯s) instead.

    Unexpectedly, he came to Huaijiang City.

    "Let''s go outside the city and have a look. Now the epidemic situation in the city is under control, but the two viges are under lockdown, no one is allowed to leave or enter." As Ye Zhen spoke, she had already walked out of the house.

    The city gate was no longer tightly closed, but still, people outside were not allowed in, and people in the city were not allowed to go out for the time being. Ye Zhen had Xue Lin''s token, so it was not difficult to leave the city.

    She went up the city wall and met Huangfu Chen and Xu Ji.

    "Master." Ye Zhen smiled and bowed to Huangfu Chen.

    Standing next to Huangfu Chen, Xu Ji looked at Ye Zhen sharply. <i>Is this the Princess Fu Rong Younger Sister mentioned? She seems somewhat familiar, but this princess is indeed pretty. No wonder Younger Sister is so vignt. If she is allowed to stay with the emperor, how can he notice Younger Sister?</i>

    "Didn''t I tell you to rest today?" Huangfu Chen frowned, tone a little displeased.

    Ye Zhen said with a smile, "I''ve already rested, I don''t feel tired and so came here to have a look. Master, do you know how many people in those two viges have typhoid fever?"

    Huangfu Chen stared at the soldiers not far away guarding the intersection. There were more than a dozen guarding the ce several miles away. "People from the two viges¡­ There are very few people who are still hale and hearty. "

    "Then what are we waiting for? Let¡¯s hurry in and treat them," Ye Zhen hastily said.

    Xu Ji sneered and said, ¡°It¡¯s so easy for thisdy to say. There are at least two hundred people in the two viges. How many have to go in to treat them? And before they are cured our people will get sick."

    Ye Zhen coldly stared back at him. ¡°Should they be allowed to die inside?"

    "This is a matter of choice. How will you choose between one person dying and thousands dying?" Xu Ji asked.

    "Master?" Ye Zhen didn''t believe that Huangfu Chen would allow them to die without trying to save them. Now that the typhoid fever in the city had subsided, it proved that she was right to treat them ording to the prescriptions of the ¡¶Qi Medical ssics¡·, not to mention that she still had <i>lingquan</i>.

    Huangfu Chen said in a low voice, ¡°Tomorrow, I''ll take people into the vige to treat them. You don''t have to go in. You can just brew the medicine outside the vige entrance."

    Ye Zhen frowned. ¡°Master¡ª"

    "If you don''t obey then don''t leave the city." Huangfu Chen''s voice became stern.

    <i>How could that do! She still needed to add lingquan to the medicine, otherwise, how could the typhoid fever heal faster?</i> "Master, I''ll listen to you."

    Xu Ji looked at Huangfu Chen unhappily. ¡°Mr. Huangfu, I thought you agreed not to enter the vige just now."

    "I didn¡¯t promise you anything. There''s no choice when ites to human life. To a doctor, to save a life is life," Huangfu Chen said lightly.

    "Even if you go in, you might not be able to save them," Xu Ji retorted.

    Huangfu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Then I''ll do my best."

    Ye Zhen immediately smiled and said, ¡°Master, then I''ll head back and get someone to prepare the herbs."

    ???

    <strong></strong>

 Chapter 503: Get Rid of Her

    <h4>Chapter 503: Get Rid of Her</h4>

    Seeing how this pair of master and apprentice did not heed to his words and tantly ignored him, Xu Ji was displeased. He was about to open his mouth in protest when he recalled his sister¡¯s request, he swallowed back his words.

    After receiving his sister''s letter, he had nned to return to the capital to help her. As an importantmander of the Huainan Governor-general (a military office), he had a promising future, and it was not wise to leave Huainan at this time. He did not like to study since he was a child so was thrown into the military camp by his father. He rose through the ranks, from a small soldier to themander of the three battalions (500 soldiers in a battalion), and had earned the deep trust of Governor-general Zhang. He may soon be able to be a general (only subordinate to the governor). But now, he need not think about those matters anymore.

    He hadn''t expected to meet Lu Yaoyao in Huaijiang, nor the floods at this time, so when Zheng Yulong''s urgent report arrived, he offered to send the medical supplies.

    As she whispered to Huangfu Chen and turned around to stroll down the city wall, Ye Zhen didn''t even notice Xu Ji''s peculiar nce.

    Xu Ji nced at Huangfu Chen. He wanted to get rid of Lu Yaoyao but didn''t want to offend this man, so he had to be discreet about it. "Mr. Huangfu, it''s very irrational of you to do this."

    Huangfu Chen smiled faintly. "Brigade Commander Xu tell me, how can I treat patients rationally?"

    <i>How would I know? I am not a doctor!</i> Xu Ji smiled. "I came here this time to lend a hand to Lord Zheng in surviving the flood. I believe that aid from the capital will arrive soon. The embankment copsed leading to floods¡­. When the timees¡­ Who knows how many will be implicated."

    "If my memory serves me well, Prime Minister Xu was in charge of the construction of the dam. There has never been such heavy rains in the Huaijiang River before, and the matter of dyke copsing had nothing to do with man-made factors. You might want to look into it," Huangfu Chen said lightly.

    Having been enlightened about the situation, Xu Ji didn''t dare to say another word. "What exactly do you mean, Mr. Huangfu?"

    Huangfu Chen smiled and shook his head. ¡°It''s not interesting."

    Xu Ji frowned and nced at him. With Huangfu Chen here, it seems it would not be easy for him to deal with Lu Yaoyao.

    Once Ye Zhen returned to the medical bureau, she directly went to look for Qi Jin and told her that she wanted to go into the viges to treat the vigers.

    Qi Jin frowned and took a moment before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll go in with Ah Chen. I''ve recovered from typhoid fever and won''t be infected with this disease again. You can brew the medicine at the entrance of the vige instead of entering the vige."

    "Imperial Physician Qi, you and Master are really the same. He told me not to enter the vige too." Ye Zhenughed.

    "That''s for your own good," Qi Jin said. If something were to happen to this little girl, how would one face the wrath of the empress dowager and the emperor!

    Ye Zhen felt that the best way she could help was through brewing the medicine, and it didn''t need her to enter the vige. ¡°Then I''ll go get the herbs and prepare them first. It can save me some time tomorrow."

    The herbs sent by Xu Ji had been temporarily transferred from across Huainan, and several carts were now parked in the medicine warehouse. She had been so busy earlier that she hadn''t had time to take stock of medicinal supplies since it was her first time seeing them.

    "These medicines are much better than the ones we had before." Ye Zhen smiled and asked Xue Lin to open the sack.

    Xia Yaohua picked up the prescription and said, ¡°Of course, Governor-general Zhang personally ordered these things. Who would dare to substitute them with shoddy goods?"

    Ye Zhen frowned as she looked at these herbs. She was blessed with a photographic memory and a very sensitive intuition towards herbs. For some reason, she felt that these herbs¡­ It was very simr to what was produced in the medicine field of the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard. Unlike other ces, the herbs in the medicine field were all produced by the best farmers. Other than Langshan*, there was probably no other ce that could produce such good herbs.

    [*Wolf Mountain]

    However, this was based on her intuition and she wasn¡¯t certain. Perhaps it was because her heart was filled with some doubts that she was thinking too much.

    "Your Highness, look." Xue Lin pointed at one of the sacks and gestured for Ye Zhen to take a look.

    There was a red seal at the bottom of the sack. This seal was exclusive to medicine field of the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard. Because the sack had worn away, the red seal didn''t look obvious. If one didn''t look carefully, one would think that it was just something that was smeared on it.

    Ye Zhen was able to see it at a nce because she had personally seen the seal when she was in the medicine field.

    "Go and investigate!" Ye Zhen said to Xue Lin in a low voice. She believed that this sack had not appeared by chance. Someone must have deliberately mixed these medicinal herbs to attract attention. Those who coveted the medicinal herbs would not be so stupid as to bring the medicine in the sack from the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard.

    "Yes!" Xue Lin replied in a low voice.

    "Yaoyao, is this enough?" Xia Yaohua walked over and asked.

    Ye Zhen winked at Xue Lin who then quietly left.

    "That''s not enough. There are at least 200 people in the vige. We don''t know how many of them are infected with typhoid fever," Ye Zhen said.

    "Then I''ll call a few more people to help," Xia Yaohua said.

    Ye Zhen looked at the medicinal herbs in the sack and suppressed her anger. If it weren''t for someone embezzling the medicinal herbs, would the Huaijiang epidemic be this dire? <i>Truly heartless!</i> However, when she realized that it was her eldest uncle that had brought this about, her rage turned to gloom. Unsurprisingly, the entire country believed that Ye Yisong deserved to die. Even she, his niece¡­ felt that Eldest Uncle was truly evil to the bone and it was worthless defending him.

    She didn''t know how to justify this.

    The next day, Ye Zhen and Huangfu Chen left the city together. Many people from the medical bureau were unwilling to follow them into the vige. It was Zheng Yulong who had ordered, so they reluctantly went in wearing masks.

    Ye Zhen had everyone entering the vige drink a bowl of medicine to prevent typhoid fever.

    "Are you sure we won''t be infected if we take the medicine?" someone whispered.

    "If that''s the case, then why didn''t Mr. Huangfu''s apprentice go in and instead insist that the rest of us go in and die?" someone shouted unwillingly.

    Qi Jin coldly said, ¡°She''s a doctor. Moreover, it was thanks to her meticulous care, that many people have been able to recover. Which one of you has the ability like her? Who knows how to cure typhoid fever?"

    "Since she is so capable, send her in alone. Perhaps, they¡¯ll all be instantly cured."

    "Exactly!"

    Ye Zhen looked coldly at all the women and men (doctors) of the medical bureau. When faced with a life-or-death decision, people are indeed selfish.

    Huangfu Chen said indifferently, ¡°You don¡¯t have to go in if you don¡¯t want to. But take care not to fall ill, for how you treat your patients today will be how the other doctors will treat you tomorrow.¡±

    "Get lost!" Zheng Yulong yelled at them angrily.

    Nobody wanted to offend Huangfu Chen or lose their position in the medical bureau. They had no choice but to enter the vige against their will.

    ???

    <strong></strong>

 Chapter 504: Looks Like an Old Friend

    <h4>Chapter 504: Looks Like an Old Friend</h4>

    The situation in the vige was worse than Huangfu Chen and Co had imagined. There were a few hundred people in the two viges, to begin with. Other than those taking refuge in the city, there were about a couple of hundred left, and at least 80% of them were infected with typhoid fever.

    Huangfu Chen began by selecting the healthy ones, then he asked them to take the medicine to prevent typhoid fever. Originally, he wanted these people to leave, but Xu Ji felt otherwise. He argued that since these people had lived with the infected patients for a few days, they could not leave the vige so as to prevent them from getting sick and infecting others.

    Ye Zhen had no opinion about Xu Ji''s reasoning. She continued to brew medicine in the pavilion at the entrance of the vige. She had filled enough <i>lingquan</i> in the porcin bottle tost for the day.

    "What is this?" Xu Ji who has been observing Ye Zhen, upon seeing that she deliberately added water from the porcin bottle when she was brewing the medicine, asked doubtfully.

    "Refined medicinal soup," Ye Zhen replied indifferently.

    Xu Ji looked at her two pots of medicine soup, and his eyes shed with a touch of disdain. ¡°Do you think you can save those people inside with these?"

    Ye Zhen did not even raise her head to ask, ¡°If not, does Commander Xu have other methods?"

    "When youe to your wit''s end, you will use my method naturally," Xu Ji said cocksure.

    <i>Is there any better way to cure those patients? </i>Ye Zhen smiled faintly and ignored him.

    On the first day, Huangfu Chen and Qi Jin brought their people in to give the medicine to the vigers. Those who were not sick were told to find another ce of shelter to avoid being infected. At night, Huangfu Chen and the others didn''t leave the vige. They had alreadye into contact with typhoid fever patients. If they were to head back to the city, they could infect others. Therefore, they decided to rest in the vige.

    "Miss, you should go back and rest," Dai Mei advised Ye Zhen who still refused to leave.

    Ye Zhen nodded lightly. For some reason, she suddenly felt a little uneasy. ¡°I wonder how Master is doing. He''s been running around non-stop thesest few days, he must be very tired."

    "Mr. Huangfu is a divine doctor. He will take care of himself," Dai Mei said.

    She had brewed tea with <i>lingquan</i> and packed it in a water bag for him to carry. She was worried if Master would remember to drink it.

    "Let''se back tomorrow!" Ye Zhen said. Now that Huangfu Chen and Qi Jin were both in the vige, it was useless for them to linger here.

    When she returned to the city, Ye Zhen looked at the quiet road. The moonlight gently sprinkled on the ground. The roads were still covered by the silt the flood left behind. The rain had stopped, and the people of Huaijiang City had already begun to clean their houses though some had yet to react. Although there had always been flooding at this time in the past, it had never been on the scale as this year. Not only had the city been closed for a few days, but people also panicked because of the typhoid epidemic.

    "Has the construction on the begun?" Ye Zhen asked in a low voice

    Dai Mei said, "This servant heard today that the dam is already being built, and Lord Zheng personally brought someone to build it."

    Ye Zhen didn''t quite understand how the imperial court would punish those officials responsible for this disaster. Now, all she wanted was to find out who had embezzled the medicinal supplies, and where they went.<i> If it was Eldest Uncle scheming behind the scenes, who else would dare to do so now that he was gone?</i>

    "Miss, we are here." The carriage had stopped at some point, and the steward stood outside the door to greet her.

    The servants here had been all arranged by Mo Rongzhan, and they took good care of Ye Zhen. If it wasn''t for her insistence, these people would not let her go to the medical bureau.

    "Your Highness, someone sent you a letter today." the steward said while holding the letter.

    Ye Zhen was surprised. "What letter?"

    The steward handed over the letter in his hands. "Your Highness, here it is."

    <i>I didn¡¯t tell the Lu family I am in Huaijiang City, could it be Mo Rongzhan? Impossible, there was no need for him to send a letter through the steward.</i> Ye Zhen opened the envelope in confusion. There was only one sentence in the letter ¡ª

    <i>This is an old friend, see you tomorrow morning at the Jianglou*.</i>

    [*a house by the river.]

    <i>What does this mean? Who else knows about my presence here in Huaijiang City?</i>

    "Where is the Jianglou?" Ye Zhen asked the steward curiously.

    "It''s near the gate. The river tower is two floors higher than the city wall. You can look at the river. It''s actually called Wangjiang*," he replied.

    [*the river tower]

    Ye Zhen nodded gently. "Who was the messenger that delivered the letter?"

    "It¡¯s a maid of about fifteen or sixteen years old," the steward replied.

    She had no idea who it would be. The more Ye Zhen listened, the more confused she became. Since it was supposedly an old friend and knew that she was in Huaijiang, she should go to see the person.

    Ye Zhen got up early the next morning. She didn''t know what time the so-called old friend wanted to meet her, but she had to go out of the city to brew the medicine. She didn''t have even have time for breakfast. The sun had yet to appear when she arrived at Wangjiang.

    Wangjiang had three rooms on each floor and was five floors high. There were no guests in the lobby. Probably because of the flood, the tables and chairs in the lobby seemed to have been cleaned recently, some water stains had yet to dry.

    <i>Where is am I going to find the old friend?</i>

    "Are you Miss Lu?" The innkeeper came out and looked at Ye Zhen with a smile.

    "How do you know myst name is Lu?" Ye Zhen asked, eyebrows raised.

    The innkeeper smiled and said, ¡°ording to the guest upstairs, if a beautifuldy were toe this morning, it would definitely be Miss Lu."

    Ye Zhen frowned. ¡°Innkeeper, take me to that guest first."

    "Miss Lu will be able to see him once she goes to the top floor." He bowed and invited Ye Zhen to go upstairs.

    It seemed that the other party knew that she woulde at this time. Puzzled, she walked towards the top floor. The top floor was different from the other floors. It was just for the purpose of looking at the river. The scenery was beautiful, and ordinary people could not go up easily.

    Ye Zhen walked out of the stairs and saw a figure sitting outside the corridor, she immediately recognized him.

    "Zhao Tianji? How could it be you!" She had been with Zhao Tianji for half a month, so naturally, she could recognize him.

    "Why can''t it be me?" Zhao Tianji turned around and smiled at her. ¡°Do you think that I would run away like a stray dog without an iron mine?" He snorted unhappily. He was very unhappy that Ye Zhen had underestimated him.

    Ye Zhen said, ¡°That''s not what I meant, but your iron mine is gone, as is your vi. Aren¡¯t you afraid that the imperial court will capture you?"

    "There''s no notice on the street to arrest me, not even an image, what am I afraid of?" Zhao Tianji asked. ¡°If I hadn''t heard that you were here to save people, I wouldn''t havee to this damned ce."

    "Then what are you doing here?" Ye Zhen asked helplessly, ¡°It can''t be that you want to catch up with us, right? We don''t have the time."

    Zhao Tianji curled his lips. ¡°I just happened to be passing by and felt I could see you."

    "I have other things to do. Let''s talk after I''m done." Knowing that the so-called old friend was Zhao Tianji, Ye Zhen left the city at ease.

    ???

    <i>Thank you for supporting HDD till this day. ?? -Lunarise</i>

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    <strong></strong>

 Chapter 505: Lu Ling Pleads Guilty

    <h4>Chapter 505: Lu Ling Pleads Guilty</h4>

    Capital, Imperial Study.

    Lu Lingzhi was kneeling on the ground, sweat dripping from his forehead. He was here to confess his guilt and beg the emperor for forgiveness.

    "Marquis Anyang, I don''t understand what you just said.¡± Mo Rongzhan looked at Lu Lingzhi coldly, his eyes filled with anger.

    "Your Majesty, it was when Gui Ren passed away. I arranged for the things in her room to be buried with her, in the process, I discovered the letter her father had her, so¡­ Only then did I know that she was pretending to be the emperor''s savior. Your Majesty, please consider that Shuang''er was infatuated with you and forgive her for deceiving you." Lu Lingzi kowtowed..

    Mo Rongzhan fixed his gaze on Lu Lingzhi. He wanted to know if this man¡¯s words were true. As he contemted, he realized he had already discovered Lu Wushuang¡¯s duplicity beforehand, and as a punishment, she packed her off to the Nian Tzu Temple. Once there her movements were restricted to say nothing of the people visiting her. So, Lu Lingzhi would not have had the chance to meet her. This meant he (LLZ) did not know that he (MRZ) already knew.

    "What did your father write?" Mo Rongzhan asked in a low voice.

    Lu Lingzhi''s face was filled with grief. He struggled and hesitated for a long time before he took out a stack of letters. ¡°Your Majesty, I beg you to forgive myte father for the wrongs hemitted out of his love for his daughter.¡±

    Eunuch Fu took the letter from Lu Lingzhi and brought it over to his master. Mo Rongzhan looked at them one by one. His thin lips were tightly pursed, but the anger in his eyes grew more and more intense. ¡°Your father hid the real girl?"

    "Replying to Your Majesty, that''s what the letter says. This minister has yet to find the person," Lu Lingzhi said softly.

    ¡°Lingzhi, do you know the consequences of handing these letters to me?" Mo Rongzhan''s eyes were frosty. He had been obsessed with the little girl who saved him all those years ago. Thinking that Lu Wushuang was the one, he had spoilt her so much that he couldn''t control himself. When he discovered that he was mistaken, he wanted to find the real Xiao Yao but couldn¡¯t. He had thought she was dead, but now, Lu Lingzhi was holding these letters and telling him that Xiao Yao was still alive and under house arrest by Lu Shifeng somewhere.

    A trace of pain shed across Lu Lingzhi''s eyes. ¡°I did want to hide it from Your Majesty, but I was afraid that the truth would be revealed in the future and affect the entire Lu family¡ª"

    Mo Rongzhan asked coldly, ¡°Are you not afraid that I will make your Lu family pay the price?"

    "This minister only wants the emperor to spare my Lu family''s lives." Lu Lingzhi kowtowed.

    "Have you sent people to look for her?" Mo Rongzhan asked in a low voice. He didn''t really believe what the letters said. <i>What if this was another fake?</i>

    Lu Lingzhi said, ¡°I only found these letters yesterday and haven''t confirmed them. I don''t know¡­ that youngdy still¡ª"

    Mo Rongzhan pped the table. ¡°I shouldn''t have let Lu Wushuang off so easily!"

    "Your Majesty please have mercy!" Lu Lingzhi kowtowed in fear. He started sweating profusely, grimacing in agony. His hands that were supporting the ground were trembling slightly.

    "Marquis Anyang, if the person your father imprisoned is really the one who saved me back then, I will definitely make your Lu family pay the price," Mo Rongzhan said coldly.

    Lu Lingzhi gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty."

    Mo Rongzhan frowned slightly. Why did he feel that something was wrong with Lu Lingzhi? This was a man who he did not so much as change his expression when facing thousands of enemy troops. <i>Could it be that he is afraid of me today?</i>

    Eunuch Fu¡¯s sharp eyes noticed the peculiarity and hurriedly said, ¡°Your Majesty, there seems to be something wrong with the Marquis Anyang."

    "Lu Lingzhi?" Mo Rongzhan called him sternly.

    Lu Lingzhi wanted to speak, but the pain in his body rendered him speechless. He opened his mouth and could not help but twitch uncontrobly. ¡°Your servant ¡­ means no disrespect ¡­."

    "Quickly summon the Imperial Physician!" Mo Rongzhan''s expression changed, he understood that Lu Lingzhi¡¯s poison had red up.

    Soon, Gong Yuanzhi rushed over. Since Qi Jin and Huangfu Chen were not in the capital, he had to start treating Lu Lingzhi immediately. Unfortunately, the effect was not very good. The residual poison could not be cured, and the pain was worsening. For now, he could only somewhat alleviate Lu Lingzhi''s pain. There was nothing else he could do.

    After half an hour, Lu Lingzhi gradually stopped twitching.

    Most of Mo Rongzhan''s anger had dissipated because of Lu Lingzhi''s poison re-up. He recalled that he (LLZ) had been poisoned on his way back from the great victory. Although Lu Shifeng and Lu Wushuang deserved to die, the Lu family had made a lot of contributions in the past, and Lu Lingzhi even more so. He had many military exploits to his credit.

    Forget it, he would spare the Lu family if the girl was found safe and sound. But should a single hair be out of ce, he would ensure the Lu family suffers hell. This could be counted as them reaping what they''d sown.

    "Have someone escort the Marquis Anyang back and let him recuperate at home," Mo Rongzhan lightly ordered.

    Eunuch Fu responded as he pondered over the changes that would ur in the pce if the emperor found and brought the girl back.

    Mo Rongzhan looked at the letters on the table. ording to what was written, and from his understanding, the ce where Lu Shifeng had imprisoned Xiao Yao was in the outskirts of the outskirts. This time, he would personally go and find her.

    ?

    Huaijiang City, the vige gates.

    As soon as Ye Zhen came out of the Wangjiang, she got word that something had happened here. She hurried over and saw Xu Ji''s people pointing knives and swords at the vigers. It turned out that the vigers wanted to leave the vige but were stopped by Xu Ji''s people. They were not allowed to take half a step across the fence.

    "Brigade Commander Xu, what''s going on?" Ye Zhen asked as she walked over.

    Xu Ji snorted coldly. ¡°If these people attempt to leave the vige, they will naturally be stopped."

    "Even if you want to stop them, your soldiers should not threaten them with swords," Ye Zhen said unhappily. ¡°They didn''t get typhoid fever, so why treat them so harshly?"

    "When they leave the vige and infect others, you will realize that such harsh treatment is nothing," Xu Ji sneered.

    Ye Zhen wanted to say more, but Xu Ji had already walked over and ordered the soldiers, ¡°Whoever dares to break through the fence again ¡ª Kill!"

    The word'' kill'' immediately stunned the vigers. They looked at each other helplessly. They were between the devil and deep sea after all. One side was the soldiers with swords waiting to sh them should they move an inch and the other was a vige infected with typhoid fever. Either way, death was a certainty.

    "We have to leave!"

    "Right, we have to leave this ce. Let us out!"

    "We don''t want to stay here and wait for death. Let us out!"

    The vigers all cried out. They felt that their vige had be deadly. If they didn''t leave, they would also die.

    "This was retributive punishment! We know our wrongs. In the future, we would never say that there was a gue in the vige¡­."

    "Heavens, we were wrong. We were wrong!"

    A few vigers shot back at those who continued to cry out loud, "It''s precisely you guys, spewing nonsense year after year- Saying that there''s a gue every year at our vige though there isn''t one!"

    ???

 Chapter 506: Someone Died

    <h4>Chapter 506: Someone Died</h4>

    The vigers who had been chastised remained silent. They only stood there with pale faces as they were being criticized by those around.

    Hearing this, the expressions of the people outside the vige changed, especially Zheng Yulong. He red at those people and shouted angrily, ¡°Don''t talk nonsense!"

    "We''re not talking nonsense¡ª" The vigers wanted to defend themselves, but when they saw Xu Ji''s expression, their mouths twitched a few times, and they resentfully shut up, not daring to say anything more.

    Ye Zhen frowned as she looked at Xu Ji. ¡°Master Xu, don''t you think you need to ask clearly what they said?"

    "Nonsense, do you believe them too?" Xu Ji snorted coldly and shouted at the soldiers guarding the fence. "Guard them all, don''t let a single fly in."

    "Master Zheng, once this matter is over, I hope you can investigate the fake gues of the past years," Ye Zhen looked at Zheng Yulong and said. Xu Ji had deliberately stopped them. Perhaps he knew the inside story and his doubts had something to do with this matter, so it was imperative for Zheng Yulong to investigate this matter.

    Zheng Yulong nodded in response. In the past, he had had his conjectures, but now that someone had actually said it in front of him, he couldn''t sit idly by.

    Xu Ji only snorted coldly and ignored him.

    Ye Zhen nced at the vigers and went back to the pavilion to continue brewing the medicine. No one knew what was going on in the vige, but with Huangfu Chen and Qi Jin treating them, there shouldn''t be any problems.

    The patients in the vige didn''t have any problems now. Other than taking medicine every day, they were just hoping that they wouldn''t die from the illness.

    "Mr. Huangfu, it¡¯s 24 hours already. Those patients don''t seem to be improving." A doctor looked at Huangfu Chen worriedly. Although they were well protected, they still feared being infected. Typhoid fever was not an ordinary cold that a few doses of medicine could cure. Too many people died of typhoid fever every year.

    Huangfu Chen had not rested for a few days. He looked a little tired. When he heard that even the doctor was not confident in the treatment, he turned around and looked at them. ¡°If the patients in the city can be cured, so can the vigers."

    "But there aren''t that many people in the city¡­," someone remarked shakily. ¡°Almost everyone in the vige is sick. Look, there''s death everywhere. It¡¯s scary."

    "Let''s not talk about this anymore. Let''s continue with the medical treatment. We have given them the medicine yesterday. If they still have high fever today, we need to iste them," Huangfu Chen instructed.

    Now, even if they wanted to leave, they couldn''t. They could only brace themselves to continue.

    "Not good, somebody is dead!" Suddenly, someone shouted loudly.

    Huangfu Chen''s expression changed. <i>How could she die?</i> Huangfu Chen immediately rushed over. The person who died was an old woman. Yesterday, he personally fed her medicine.

    "Did she vomit all the medicine she drank yesterday?" Someone pointed at the water stains beside him and asked in horror.

    "Take her out first and burn her body immediately," Huangfu Chen said in a deep voice. After the rain stopped, the weather had be increasingly hot. If the corpse was not burnt in time, it would lead to even terrible consequences.

    Then, a few more people rpsed because they did not have the medicine yesterday. When Huangfu Chen gave them the medicine, they did not drink it.

    "Didn''t I tell you to give medicine to every patient yesterday? Why did you miss them?" Huangfu Chen red angrily at the doctors standing in front of him.

    "There were so many people, it was impossible for us to take care of everyone¡­"

    "We gave them the medicine but they refused to drink it."

    "¡ª¡ª" As Huangfu Cheng listened, his expression turned gloomy. He sighed in his heart. ¡°Continue to give them the medicine. Let them drink as much as they can!"

    He still had to continue to check, he couldn''t count on these people anymore. Now, he went room by room, patient by patient. It was only when he made sure that everyone had taken the medicine that he was relieved.

    "Mr. Huangfu, we were barely able to give them half a bowl of medicine. Do you want us to continue?" a doctor asked.

    "Give them another dose in two hours," he said hoarsely.

    "All right."

    The doctor standing beside Huangfu Chen nced at him. ¡°Mr. Huangfu, you don''t look well. Do you want to take a rest?"

    Huangfu Chen nodded gently. ¡°I''ll go to the house and rest a little. You guys better watch out."

    "Sure."

    When Huangfu Chen left, the others looked at each other in dismay. They all saw worry on each other''s faces.

    "Are we really going to stay with these dying people?" someone whispered.

    "Well¡­ In the end, even if these people are saved, the credit would not belong to us. What if¡­ the ones who died was us?"

    "Then what should we do?"

    "Let''s leave the vige," someone suggested.

    Everyone fell silent. There was none that did not want to leave, but if they left without permission, they could face severe punishment from the imperial court in the future.

    "If we all leave, wouldn''t Mr. Huangfu be all alone? We all are doctors, are we going let him die without doing anything?" the young doctor asked.

    ¡°If you want to stay, then stay. If you want to leave¡­ let''s go!" a middle-aged doctor dered.

    There were originally only ten or so people, but after hearing his words, more than sixty percent of them walked to the vige gates without any hesitation. Two of the remaining four were hesitant, in the end, one finally followed.

    The vige gate was still heavily guarded. When Xu Ji saw that these doctors really wanted to leave together he slightly narrowed his eyes. ¡°The people in the vige, no matter who dares to take a step out of the vige, I will definitely kill them!"

    "Xu Ji, what right do you have to kill people?" the middle-aged doctor demanded angrily.

    Xu Ji snorted coldly. ¡°I just rely on my knife!"

    Ye Zhen looked at the retreating doctors and felt a chill run down her spine. ¡°Doctors, what''s the current situation in the vige? If you leave like this, what will those patients do?"

    "There''s no cure for typhoid fever. One of them has already died today, and there are still a few that can¡¯t drink enough of the medicine. We''re just waiting to die if we stay inside. Why should we stay here to die? Why don''t youe in?" someone shouted.

    Those vigers who had been moring toe out heard this and rushed forward. "We don''t want to die, let us out, let us out!"

    The situation at the vige gate instantly went out of control, and those who were blocked behind the fence began to bang against it trying toe out.

    Ye Zhen was very worried. <i>Master was still in the vige. Doesn''t he know that these people have left? Why did he not stop them?</i>

    "Commander Xu, what should we do?" Zheng Yulong anxiously asked.

    Xu Ji sneered and walked over with the broadsword in his hand. He shed at the two people standing at the very front. ¡°Whoever tries to incite chaos again will end up like this!"

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 Chapter 507: Huangfu Chen Falls

    <h4>Chapter 507: Huangfu Chen Falls</h4>

    Everybody was shellshocked. They didn''t expect Xu Ji to really carry a knife to kill people. The doctors and vigers inside the fence and the crowd standing outside, couldn''t believe that themander had actually killed people.

    Ye Zhen frowned and looked at Xu Ji. She knew that this was the norm in the military. She didn''t feel threatened because she was used to solving problems with a knife. But now, in the case of the spread of the gue, not all problems could not be resolved through violence.

    "Who dares toe out?" Xu Ji coldly demanded.

    "Commander Xu, enough is enough," Ye Zhen warned in a low voice.

    Xu Ji looked at Ye Zhen disdainfully, seemingly despising her feminine benevolence.

    No one dared to mor abouting out again. Neither the doctors nor the vigers. They all stood there nkly, not knowing what to do next.

    "If I catch the gue¡­" a viger looked at Xu Ji fiercely and said, ¡°I must get out of here and let more people catch typhoid fever. If I die, I die; but I want someone else to bury me."

    "Yes, that''s right!" The others nodded too.

    They had given up, and if they weren¡¯t given a way out, they were going to kill more people.

    Ye Zhen was horrified in her heart. She said to Zheng Yulong, "Lord Zheng, they are not infected with typhoid fever. In fact, you can let theme out, ce them in the medical bureau, and we will determine individually whether they have an infection or not. They can get back to normalcy after a few days of istion¡­"

    Before she could finish, Xu Ji coldly interrupted, ¡°What if they catch typhoid fever after theye out? It wasn''t easy for the city to cure the sick of typhoid fever. If the gue were to be introduced into the city again, who could afford it? You? Lord Zheng?"

    Zheng Yulong looked grave as he stared in the direction of the vige. He didn''t know what to do. Just as he was in a dilemma, a loud shout came from the vige.

    "Not good, not good!" A young doctor ran over. ¡°Huangfu¡­Huangfu Chen is infected with typhoid fever!"

    These words were like a stone thrown into the calm water, immediately stirring up a thousand waves.

    "Even Huangfu Chen has been infected. We definitely can''t avoid it," someone eximed.

    "Let us out!"

    ¡°¡ª¡ª¡±

    Ye Zhen could no longer take care of these people. Anxious over her master''s condition, she quickly walked over and pulled the young doctor back. ¡°What did you just say? How did my master get infected with typhoid?"

    "Mr. Huangfu hasn''t rested. He was the one who fed the patient the medicine. Today, I saw that hisplexion was not good, so I advised him to go back and rest. Two of them died just now. I went to check on him only to discover that his entire body was burning¡­" The young doctor''s voice was trembling.

    If even Huangfu Chen could not avoid being infected, would they still be able to save their lives?

    "I want to go in and find my master!" Ye Zhen turned around and said coldly to Xu Ji.

    Xu Ji said, ¡°Anyone who goes in can¡¯te out unless there is no one infected."

    When Dai Mei heard that her youngdy wanted to enter the vige, her face turned pale in fright. ¡°Young Miss, you can not enter!"

    Ye Zhen said, "Imperial Physician Qi is still in another vige. I can''t leave Master alone. I''ll go in and treat Master first."

    "Miss Lu is indeed kind." Xu Ji originally wanted to stop her, but when he recalled his purpose ining here, a meaningful smile appeared on his face.

    "Miss, this servant is begging you, you cannot enter." Dai Mei was at the verge of tears. ¡°Brew the medicine, and this servant will deliver it to Mr. Huangfu."

    Ye Zhen grabbed her hand and brought her to the side. ¡°Right now, I can only trust you. Dai Mei, you should stay here and brew the medicine for me. There are two porcin bottles here. You need to pour at least half a bottle of medicine into a pot. Remember, this is an important medicine that must not be forgotten."

    Dai Mei choked and hugged Ye Zhen''s arm. ¡°Miss, if there''s anything you need, what should this servant do? You can''t go in."

    "Don''t worry, I¡¯lle back safely." Ye Zhen touched her forehead. ¡°Trust your miss."

    "Miss¡ª" Dai Mei sobbed.

    Ye Zhen reminded her to put the spiritual spring from the porcin bottle into the medicine. Only after she received an affirmation from Dai Mei did she walk towards Xu Ji. ¡°Commnader Xu, please let me in."

    Xu Ji smiled coldly. ¡°Miss Lu, are you sure?"

    "That''s right. You can let those who didn''t fall sick out first. You can also put them in istion. However, they probably won''t want to be trapped in the vige anymore," Ye Zhen said indifferently.

    "Alright, let her in." A fierce sneer shed across Xu Ji''s eyes.

    Zheng Yulong said, ¡°Commander Xu, it''s not good if this continues. Let those peoplee out. We''ll quarantine them in the medical bureau."

    Xu Ji thought about it and nodded. ¡°Alright, let those who don''t have typhoid out first."

    With his words, everyone became excited. Even those who had decided to stay in the vige were moved. They had originally put all their hopes on Huangfu Chen. Now that he was sick, who could they count on?

    Could this little girl be able to cure dozens of typhoid fever patients? They didn''t believe it. If they didn¡¯t leave at this point, they would be infected sooner orter.

    The doctors in the vige all left. Other than Huangfu Chen, who had a high fever, there was only Ye Zhen who had just entered.

    Ye Zhen stood at the entrance of the vige and watched as those people ran out like they were running for their lives. She sighed in her heart.

    Xu Ji looked at Ye Zhen and said, "Miss Lu, if you are regretting it, you can stille out. You can ignore whether Huangfu Chen is dead or alive¡±

    "I will definitely bring my master out safely," Ye Zhen said indifferently.

    "Go to the other vige. If thee is anyone who isn¡¯t infected, let theme out too," Xu Ji ordered.

    Ye Zhen said angrily, ¡°How many people are willing to treat those patients?"

    "If we don''t do this, more and more people will catch the gue!" Xu Ji said.

    Ye Zhen looked at him and turned to walk into the vige. She wanted to find Master first. No matter what, she couldn''t let anything happen to Master.

    The two viges were not far from each other. When the people over there heard that Huangfu Chen was also sick, they were all panicking and moring to leave. Xu Ji allowed all the people who were not sick toe out, and only Qi Jin and Xia Yaohua remained inside.

    "Lord Xu, what should we do next?" someone whispered to Xu Ji.

    Xu Ji sneered and said, ¡°Wait another two days. If no one gets better¡­."

    Then he wouldn''t wait any longer.

    Zheng Yulong had already instructed the soldiers to send the people from the vige to the medical bureau. He failed to notice Xu Ji''s unusual behavior.

    ???

 Chapter 508: An Immaculate Beauty

    <h4>Chapter 508: An Immacte Beauty</h4>

    As the night gradually darkened, Mo Rongzhan left the capital with two shadow guards. He went to find the vi that Lu Shifeng had mentioned. If Xiao Yao was real, she should be there under house arrest there.

    Mo Rongzhan rode his horse and left the city gate like a shooting star. The two shadow guards struggled to keep up with him.

    Soon, they found the house. There weren''t many servants in the vi. When two big men saw someoneing, they immediately came forward to enquire. They were easily brought down by a secret guard behind Mo Rongzhan. He then strode into the vi.

    The vi was not big, and there were only a few rooms in total. In thest room, Mo Rongzhan found the person he was seeking for.

    The little girl in the room looked like she to be about fourteen or fifteen. She was hugging her knees and hiding in a corner. She looked at him like a frightened kitten, her jet-ck hair veiling her face. Mo Rongzhan narrowed his eyes and looked at her coldly.

    "Your Majesty, the other rooms are empty," the pair of shadow guards walked behind and whispered.

    Therefore, the woman in front of him was the person he was looking for.

    "What''s your name?" Mo Rongzhan looked at the girl and asked.

    The girl''s shoulders stiffened and she slowly raised her head. Her ck hair slid down from her face, revealing an exquisite and beautiful face. She was wearing in clothes, but it couldn''t hide her beauty that was as beautiful as flowers. Her ck eyes were even more like ck grapes soaked in water.

    "Who are you?" she whispered, her voice sweet and soft ¡ª one couldn¡¯t help but be moved.

    Mo Rongzhan took a step closer to her. ¡°What''s your name?"

    She took a few steps back and looked at Mo Rongzhan. ¡°You guys go out. Don''te over!"

    "Why are you here? What''s your name?" Mo Rongzhan''s cold eyes softened slightly. He crouched down and looked at her, trying to match her with the girl in his memory, but he found that other than her voice, he had no other impression.

    He had always remembered that little girl, but now all he thought about was Yaoyao. It was not Xiao Yaoyao, but Lu Yaoyao who had attracted his soul.

    "Me¡­ I don''t know why I''m here." She shook her head. ¡°I don''t remember. Who are you?"

    Mo Rongzhan stared intently at her. ¡°I''ll ask you again. What''s your name?"

    "I remember¡­ In the past, someone called me Yaoyao¡­" She began to cry. ¡°I forgot everything, don''t ask me."

    "Is your name Yaoyao?" Mo Rongzhan''s expression darkened. ¡°Do you remember saving someone in the forest? What secret code do you have?"

    The girl screamed and pushed Mo Rongzhan away in fear. ¡°I don''t remember. My head hurts so much. I don''t remember anything!"

    Mo Rongzhan coldly ordered the guards behind him, ¡°Go and find out, what''s going on?"

    One of the shadow guards quickly grabbed a woman. This woman was dressed like a momo*. She must have been taking care of the girl.

    (*elderly servant)

    "This lord, this servant also doesn''t know where Yaoyao came from. Our master has locked her up here for several years. In the beginning, he fed her medicine every day until she couldn''t remember anything else. She only remembers her name. This matter has nothing to do with this servant. This master, please spare this servant''s life." She cried and begged.

    "What was her surname? Which Yao is it?" Mo Rongzhan asked coldly.

    "This servant only remembers that Master had said that her surname was Ye and that she was¡­It seems to be Yao from Yaotai," she replied with a trembling voice.

    Mo Rongzhan looked back at Ye Yaoyao. As far as he knew, this Ye Yaoyao was the person he was looking for. Could it be that she also had the nickname Yaoyao?

    "Bring them back to the pce first!" Mo Rongzhan said in a low voice. She couldn''t remember anything now, even if he wanted to ask her about the past, it was of no use.

    "Yes."

    ?

    When Ye Zhen found Huangfu Chen, his face was pale as he leaned against a wooden bed. He looked very weak and was not even aware of her arrival.

    "Master." Seeing him so, her heart ached. ¡®Didn''t you drink the tea I gave you?"

    Huangfu Chen tried his best to open his eyes to look at her. His dry lips moved, but he could not muster a word.

    Ye Zhen hurriedly took out a water bag and poured out the medicinal soup that she had brought along. She poured in the entire bottle of <i>lingquan</i>. ¡°Master, drink the medicine first. You will be fine once you drink the medicine, you will be able to leave here very soon."

    She helped Huangfu Chen sit up and fed him the medicine bit by bit. He was unable to drink quickly, but he had it all nheless.

    Ye Zhen was relieved. When Huangfu Chen went to sleep, she went outside to check how many had yet to recover. She was satisfied to see that although they had not healedpletely, at least the illness hadn¡¯t rpsed.

    After two days, Huangfu Chen finally got better. He looked at Ye Zhen who was busy, and a light shed in his eyes ¡°Yaoyao, you shouldn''t havee in."

    Ye Zhen was brewing medicine. Hearing his words, she turned around and smiled. ¡°If I hadn''t, who would have taken care of you and given you the medicine?"

    Huangfu Chen shook his head and smiled. ¡°What about the others?"

    "They''ve all gotten better but are yet to recover fully, so they can''t leave the vige.¡± Ye Zhen smiled and said, "But they can all get up and walk. Today, I even asked a few people to help sterilize the bowls and chopsticks."

    "The doctors have all left?" Huangfu Chen frowned. He was not satisfied with the doctors who had fled from the vige.

    Ye Zhen sneered, ¡°They''re afraid of death."

    "Then who cooks food for the vigers?" Huangfu Chen asked coldly.

    "Lord Zheng has tasked someone to prepare it and ce it at the vige gate. It''s almost time. I''ll go and get the food. Please wait," Ye Zhen said.

    Huangfu Chen stood up. ¡°I''ll go with you."

    Ye Zhen said, ¡°You''ve just gotten better, so don''t go out. I''ve boiled water and even brought a set of clean clothes. Please take a bath first."

    "Yaoyao, thank you for your hard work," Huangfu Chen said softly, looking at her gently.

    At night, while everyone was deep asleep, a group of people wearing masks walked through the vige. And soon after, several dozens of unconscious people appeared on the streets of the west vige.

    When Ye Zhen got up the next day, she was a little perplexed when she saw the extra patients on the street.

    "What''s wrong?" Huangfu Chen''s spirit was much better today. Seeing Ye Zhen standing outside in a daze, he followed her out.

    "These people havee from nowhere," Ye Zhen whispered and went to take their pulses. "They were drugged."

    Huangfu Chen''s eyes turned cold as he looked at the vige gate. ¡°Something happened!"

    Ye Zhen immediately stood up. ¡°I''ll go take a look."

    ???

 Chapter 509: A Beauty in the Palace

    <h4>Chapter 509: A Beauty in the Pce</h4>

    There was a gorgeous beauty in the pce. She lived in the Pce of Earthly Tranquility where Lu Wushuang once lived. Although the emperor hadn''t given her a title, he would visit her once a day since she was brought back to the pce. In fact, one couldn¡¯t perceive whether the emperor liked her, but¡­ Since they were all brought into the pce, they eventually want to be concubines.

    [*women brought into the pce eventually became concubines ¡ª is a general notion]

    Eunuch Fu silently cursed in his heart, thinking that not long ago, the emperor had just entered the princess''s boudoir at night. But now, he had brought a beautiful woman. If the princess found out¡­

    It was said that the emperor was heartless, but he found the emperor was too sentimental.

    The empress dowager was also confused by Mo Rongzhan''s actions. When she found out that Ye Zhen had gone to Huaijiang, she became extremely worried. She prayed in the temple every day. Originally, she did not know that there was beauty in the pce. Aunt Cheng was afraid that she would get angry, so she had specifically instructed everybody to hold their tongues about the matter. It was only when she went to the imperial garden today that she heard the pce maids whispering.

    The empress dowager immediately called Mo Rongzhan over.

    "Your Majesty, what do you mean? You said you want to make Yaoyao the Empress. Now that you have brought some beauty into the pce, will she marry you?" The empress dowager was also a woman, and she knew what kind of person the little girl was. She did not have any confidence or feelings for the emperor, so with such a thing happening again, she would probably be even more unwilling.

    Mo Rongzhan frowned. ¡°What does Ye Yaoyao have to do with me wanting to marry Yaoyao?"

    "Everybody in the pce is saying that you like Ye Yaoyao. If you don''t like her, why did you bring her back to the pce and let her live in the Pce of Earthly Tranquility?" She snorted angrily.

    ¡°Imperial Mother, that is because¡­Ye Yaoyao was probably the one who saved me before. Now that she has lost her memory, and doesn¡¯t know where shees from, I brought her to the pce." Mo Rongzhan helplessly exined why he was still going to establish a concubine. In the future, he would definitely not let other women give birth to children before Yaoyao.

    The empress dowager was stunned. ¡°What savior?"

    Mo Rongzhan had no choice but to tell her about the forest and also about Lu Wushuang impersonating Ye Yaoyao."¡­ Now she has forgotten everything. That day, I gave her the jade pendant, and she snatched it away as if she recognized it ¡­I don''t want her to be used by others, so I brought her back to the pce. I don''t know if she''s the person who saved me before. Let the imperial physician treat her first."

    "Lu Shifeng and his daughter deserved to die! Why did they lock up such a pitiful girl for so many years? Even if Ye Yaoyao wasn''t the girl who saved you in the past, he shouldn''t have locked her up for so many years," she said angrily.

    "Imperial Mother, in the end, she is a youngdy. In the future, I cannot go there often. I need you to keep an eye for me," Mo Rongzhan said.

    The empress dowager nodded, ¡°Leave this matter to ajia, but her staying in the Pce of Earthly Tranquility will always cause misunderstandings. If you don''t want to make her your concubine in the future, you should not let her stay in there."

    If he hadn''t met Lu Yaoyao, he would probably have made Ye Yaoyao an imperial concubine. But now, he was a little hesitant. That''s right, Ye Yaoyao''s appearance was very stunning. Although she had a bit less spiritual energy than Lu Yaoyao, and she was a beauty that could bring down cities and countries, he didn''t have the urge to want her.

    "If she really was the woman who saved me, I would naturally treat her well." Mo Rongzhan whispered. ¡°Once I confirm her identity, make her Princess."

    The empress dowager sighed in her heart. In the end, the emperor was a man. She had heard the pce maids describe Ye Yaoyao as a beauty that was not inferior to Yaoyao ¡­ Her son would be tempted again. She only hoped that Yaoyao would not be sad.

    Because of Ye Yaoyao''s matter, Xu Huiru was also restless. When she had found out that Lu Yaoyao wasn''t in the capital, she had thought that her chance hade. But little did expect the emperor would bring a woman from outside the pce who wasn''t inferior to Lu Yaoyao. He even ced that woman in the Pce of Earthly Tranquility and visited her almost every day. In fact, back when Lu Yaoyao was in the pce, the emperor hadn¡¯t been this concerned. She was ovee by an unprecedented fear. She felt that if this continued, she wouldn''t even have a bit of status.

    "Your Highness, this servant just went to inquire about it. I don''t know what kind of background the person at Pce of Earthly Tranquility has, but it seems that only the emperor knows," Qian Lan walked in from outside and whispered to Xu Huiru.

    Xu Huiru frowned. ¡°No one knows¡­ Have you seen that woman?"

    Qian Lan hesitated. ¡°I just saw her outside Pce of Earthly Tranquility."

    "How does shepare to Lu Yaoyao?" Xu Huiru asked in a low voice.

    "The emperor seems to value her very much. She''s wearing all the cloud and mist silk and satin that was used to pay tribute this year¡­" Qian Lan was a bit indignant. None of the other imperial concubines had such good silk. ¡°Compared to the princess, she''s not inferior at all. Your Highness, this girl doesn''t seem to be from the capital. If she were, howe I haven''t heard of her before."

    Xu Huiru''s heart ached. ¡°What the emperor likes, of course, is good in every way."

    "Your Highness ¡­" Qian Lan looked at her distressedly.

    "I think Lu Yaoyao still doesn''t know that the emperor has moved on*. If she knew, with her personality, she wouldn''t enter the pce no matter what." Xu Huiru smiled. Even if she didn''t like Ye Yaoyao, she had to use this woman to get rid of Lu Yaoyao for good.

    [*ÒÆÇé±ðÁµ- <i>y¨ª q¨ªng bi¨¦ li¨¤n</i> ¨C change of affection, a shift of love (idiom); to change one''s feelings to another love; to fall in love with sb else]

    Qian Lan smiled. ¡°Your Highness, do you know where Lu Yaoyao went?"

    "Big Brother has already met her. Have him pass the news to her." Xu Huiru smiled faintly. This way, her big brother wouldn''t have to take risks to deal with her.

    "Your Highness, this servant will quickly send the news out of the pce," Qian Lan hurriedly said.

    Xu Huiru nodded gently. ¡°Go!"

    In contrast to the reactions of various personages in the pce, Lu Lingzhi was probably the only one who was pleased with Mo Rongzhan''s actions. He was pleased as a punch to see the emperor turn his back on love and abandoned the idea of making Yaoyao the empress.

    "Third Uncle, Yaoyao has gone to Huaijiang. I want to bring her back," Lu Lingzhi came to Lu Shiming''s study and whispered his decision.

    Lu Shiming was stunned for a moment. ¡°But I¡¯ve already sent someone to find her. Now, how can you go out in this condition?"

    "Mr. Huangfu and Yaoyao are together. I¡¯m going to look for Yaoyao and at the same time ask Mr. Huangfu to detoxify me. I think¡­he has already found a way to detoxify the poison." Lu Lingzhi smiled.

    "Then you must be extremely careful. If the poison is not purged, it will be troublesome," Lu Shiming instructed him.

    A glint shed through Lu Lingzhi''s eyes. He would not let Yaoyao be snatched away by others after he got to Huaijiang.

    She was his and he would cherish her this time.

    ???

 Chapter 510: Moved On

    <h4>Chapter 510: Moved On</h4>

    [*ÒÆÇé±ðÁµ- <i>y¨ª q¨ªng bi¨¦ li¨¤n ¨C</i> change of affection, a shift of love (idiom); to change one''s feelings to another love; to fall in love with sb else]

    Ye Zhen and Huangfu Chen came to the gates of the vige. The shock in their eyes turned into anger. The fence at the entrance of the vige had been removed and reced with dried firewood. Not only the gate but also the surrounding area was filled with dried firewood. Also when they walked over earlier, the smell of oil assailed their senses.

    "What are you guys trying to do?" Ye Zhen looked at Xu Ji who was outside. It was hard to believe that he would actually use such a method to treat the people in the vige who had the gue.

    Xu Ji smiled and looked at Ye Zhen and Huangfu Chen and said, ¡°Governor-general Zhang has ordered that since the gue would never get better, in order to prevent it from spreading to other ces, we have to burn the people in the vige who were infected with the gue."

    Ye Zhen was furious. ¡°Are you going to burn them alive? What you''re doing ispletely inhuman!"

    "If I allow these people to continue to live, the gue will never end. If more and more people get infected, who is to be med?" Xu Ji sneered.

    "How do you know they can''t be cured? They''ve clearly improved. In a few days, they''ll definitely recover." Ye Zhen looked angrily at Xu Ji. In the past, she only felt that this guy was reckless and stupid. It was only today that she knew that he was actually very vicious.

    Xu Ji snorted coldly. ¡°Yesterday, two people in the city had typhoid fever. If I hadn''t killed them, they would have infected even more people today."

    Huangfu Chen''s calm eyes were also filled with anger. ¡°You didn''t even give them a chance to heal, and you killed them?"

    "You also had typhoid fever. Who else could cure them?" Xu Ji asked.

    "Xu Ji, what you did today will be repaid to you in the future." Ye Zhen clenched her fists. Ever since she has started studying medicine, she had never truly faced such a thing. Originally, she had learned medicine for the sake of getting revenge on Mo Rongzhan. Later, she was gradually influenced by the spirit of the divine doctor, Empress Qi Yanling through the ¡¶Qi Medical ssics¡·. It was only then that she truly understood the meaning of being a doctor.

    Xu Ji cupped his hands to the sky. ¡°I, Xu Ji, am capable of doing the right things worthy of heaven and earth. Today''s ughter is for the sake of themoners. If there is retribution for this, then, I, Xu Ji, am willing to bear it."

    He had turned ck and white upside down and treated his selfishness and cruelty as salvation!

    "Our princess is inside and you dare not burn the vige. The empress dowager and the emperor will not let you off!" Dai Mei stood outside the vige and shouted loudly.

    "Princess? What princess?" Zheng Yulong, who was clueless about the goings-on, looked at Ye Zhen in surprise.

    Dai Mei said, ¡°Our Miss is Princess Furong, the title the empress dowager conferred upon her. If the princess is in the vige, who would dare burn the vige?"

    Zheng Yulong looked at Ye Zhen in horror. ¡°You¡­ Are you a princess?"

    Huangfu Chen nodded gently. ¡°She is the only princess in Jin Country today."

    "Commander Xu, don''t burn the vige!" Zheng Yulong hurriedly shouted. ¡°Quick, hurry up and remove the firewood."

    Xu Ji immediately shouted, ¡°If those vigerse out, the city will be filled with gues. Lord Zheng, can you handle it?"

    If those vigers came out to infect others, he, the prefectural magistrate, would also lose his head! Zheng Yulong looked at Huangfu Chen in panic.

    "Xu Ji, wait and see if the vigers inside will die." A sneer appeared on the corner of Ye Zhen''s mouth. ¡°If you dare to set fire, that means you have determined to bury the Xu family with you ¡ª go ahead and light it. I''ll wait for you inside. If you don''t dare to set fire, then wait. When the people inside heal, this princess will definitely settle things with you."

    This was the first time Ye Zhen had called herself a princess. In the past, she had never been willing to use this identity to suppress others.

    Xu Ji smiled, walked in front of Ye Zhen, and said in a low voice, ¡°Do you think the empress dowager and emperor still care about you, Princess?"

    Ye Zhen lifted her eyes and looked coldly at Xu Ji. ¡°If not, do they care about you then?"

    "It seems that the princess is still not clear about anything." Xu Ji smiled and gloated, ¡°You don¡¯t know that the emperor has recently doted on a stunning beauty, right? That was the person who saved the emperor''s life when he was young. Now she lives in Pce of Earthly Tranquility. Not only does His Majesty dote on her, but Her Highness the Empress Dowager also dotes on the girl. Do you think they would still remember you?"

    <i>The savior? What?</i> Ye Zhen thought back to what had happened in the small forest back then. Mo Rongzhan''s so-called savior was her when she was young, right? Her face turned deathly pale. ¡°What did you say?"

    Xu Ji seemed to think about it seriously. ¡°By the way, I heard that Miss Ye had been under house arrest for a few years. It wasn''t easy for the emperor to find her. Isn¡¯t she the beloved he hasn''t seen for many years? Why wouldn¡¯t he be fond of her?

    "Impossible!" Ye Zhen shook her head. Lu Wushuang was already dead. Mo Rongzhan knew that someone was pretending to be Xiao Yao from back then, so why would he easily treat others as her?

    Xu Ji looked at Ye Zhen''s panic-stricken face with satisfaction, thinking that she was afraid of losing her favor.

    "Yaoyao, are you alright?" Huangfu Chen looked at Ye Zhen worriedly.

    Ye Zhen shook her head lightly. She could roughly guess what had happened.

    The so-called savior must have been created by Lu Lingzhi. How did he do it? Other than him, Ye Zhen couldn''t think of anyone else who would create a false savior.

    What she was worried about was that, no matter how good Mo Rongzhan''s words were to her, as long as someone else brought out a little girl that he had never forgotten, no matter genuine or fake, he would immediately ignore and forget her.

    "Master, let''s go back inside," Ye Zhen said to Huangfu Chen. ¡°If he dares to set fire, then let him."

    Huangfu Chen didn''t even bother to look at Xu Ji. He walked back to the vige side by side with Ye Zhen.

    "Ah Zhan is not someone who can easily fall in love with others. Don''t listen to his nonsense." Huangfu Chen didn''t know how tofort her, so he could only say this softly.

    Ye Zhen smiled faintly. Mo Rongzhan wasn''t someone who could easily fall in love with others, but as long as he believed he had met the savior from the forest, he would immediately forget the person beside him.

    Perhaps in the future, when he knew that the person who saved him was Ye Zhen, he wouldpletely let go of this person in his heart.

    As for Ye Zhen, she was very grateful that Mo Rongzhan''s memories from when he was young still lingered on. But she also felt sad, because he wasn''t really willing to look for the person who had actually saved him. He had subconsciously excluded Ye Zhen.

    She felt very ufortable right now. It was as if something was blocking her way and she didn¡¯t know what it was.

    "Master, let''s give them medicine first," she said. She did not want to think about Mo Rongzhan anymore, nor did she want to know how he doted upon the so-called savior. In the end, he and she were never destined to be together.

    Seeing how she was reluctant to say anything, Huangfu Chen also kept quiet. ¡°I''ll go and get the brewed medicine first."

    "I might need to make some more medicine today. Xu Ji brought all the patients from the neighboring vige over. Imperial Physician Qi might have been tricked into going to the city to treat patients," Ye Zhen pointed out.

    If not how could the extra patients surface? And how could he have snuck them out from under Qi Jin¡¯s nose? The only usibility was if she was sent away and what better bait than fresh infections to lure her?

    "Xu Ji''s intentions aren''t pure. I won''t let him off this time," Huangfu Chen said softly.

    ???

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 Chapter 511: Burning the Village

    <h4>Chapter 511: Burning the Vige</h4>

    The number of patients in the vige suddenly doubled. Dai Mei, Quan Fu, and the others ignored Xu Ji''s obstruction and ran in to help. Xu Ji threatened to burn the vige outside, but Ye Zhen did not even bother with him. She only wanted to cure all those infected.

    "Commander Xu, burning the vige is no small matter. You''d better think twice," Zheng Yulong said.

    Xu Ji looked at the firewood gloomily. He naturally wanted to burn the entire vige, but¡­ Although he could take the risk to burn Lu Yaoyao to death, there was also Huangfu Chen inside. He did not dare to make a move against Huangfu Chen. Who knew how strong the Huangfu Dynasty was? In the past, the Huangfu family had voluntarily abdicated their position, not through coercion or defeat. Now, even the Mo family''s royal family was respectful to Huangfu Chen. If he really burned the man to death, he was afraid¡­The entire Xu family would be buried with him.

    "In two days¡¯ time, if those sick don''t show signs of recovery, don''t me me for being ruthless," Xu Ji said coldly.

    "How ruthless do you want to be?"

    Xu Ji had only just finished speaking when a clear and mellow voice sounded from behind him.

    This unfamiliar voice irritated him(XJ), he was very displeased at being questioned. He turned around and red at the young man. He had never seen him before and his eyes were filled with contempt. ¡°Who are you? How dare you question thismander?"

    "You don''t even know me, yet you dare to murder the princess?" Tang Zhen eyed Xu Ji coldly. He had just left Huaijiang City where Imperial Physician Qi had already apprised him about the situation including how Xu Ji wanted to burn Yaoyao to death. She didn¡¯t forget to add how he (XJ) did not care about Yaoyao''s status as a princess. There wasn¡¯t a soul around who wasn¡¯t privy to themander¡¯s sinister intentions.

    "Marquis Jing Ning, I will go into the vige to find the princess." Xue Lin had followed Tang Zhen. What he was most worried about now was whether the princess was injured. The emperor had asked him to stay by her side to protect her. If she were to encounter any mishap, he wouldn''t be able topensate even with his death.

    Tang Zhen also wanted to go in to find Yaoyao, but he still had to teach Xu Ji a lesson, so he let Xue Lin enter the vige first.

    "Who exactly are you? How dare you look down upon everyone." Xu Ji wasn¡¯t paying attention when Xue Lin was talking so he didn¡¯t hear him mention Marquis Jing Ning. He saw that Xue Lin had already walked into the vige, the rage at being ignored and despised surged within. He immediately went to catch Xue Lin.

    Xue Lin turned around and kicked him hard. ¡°If you weren''t the son of Prime Minister Xu, I would have killed you today. You don''t even care about Mr. Huangfu or Her Highness, yet you dare to say that others are arrogant? Even if you don''t know the princess, you should have heard about Marquis Jing Ning, right? I really don''t know what to say."

    <i>Marquis Jing Ning, Tang Zhen?</i> A trace of panic shed across Xu Ji''s face. He looked back at Tang Zhen in surprise. ¡°You¡­You''re Tang Zhen?"

    <i>How is that possible! Wasn''t Tang Zhen in the capital? Why would he appear in Huaijiang?</i>

    Xue Lin snorted coldly and turned to rush into the vige.

    Xu Ji was no longer able to stop the swift shadow guard. He could threaten Lu Yaoyao because he knew she was not a real princess. The empress dowager and the emperor might not take her seriously now, but Tang Zhen was different. This man was the emperor''s close confidante who was the direct representation of the dragon* himself. It was widely known that the most trusted person in the Sage Realm**, was Tang Zhen.

    [* dragon = emperor, ** imperial ministerial cab = sage realm]

    "Xu Ji, I heard you''re going to burn the princess to death?" Tang Zhen''s smile was cold and terrifying.

    "The gue is spreading like wildfire. The people in the vige were all infected and died. I did this to prevent it from spreading further." Xu Ji was nervous, but he forced himself to remain calm.

    Tang Zhen stared at him coldly. ¡°So it''s because of the people that Commander Xu wants to burn everyone inside?" Without waiting for Xu Ji to nod, he shouted sternly, ¡°Who gave you the authority? Who allowed you to burn the vige? Who allowed you to trap the princess in the vige? The princess¡¯ title was personally conferred by the empress dowager. Although she doesn''t belong to the imperial bloodline, she still has the title of princess. You''re just a meremander, yet you dare tomit a crime. Is this what Prime Minister Xu has taught his good son?"

    Xu Ji''s forehead wasyered with sweat. He hadn''t received his sister''s message before he nned to burn the vige. When he received the message, he had already given the order. He hadn''t removed the firewood because he wanted to scare Lu Yaoyao. He had never expected Tang Zhen to appear here.

    "Even if you want to stop the gue, it must be based on the opinion of the doctors. Imperial Physician Qi told you clearly that the gue had improved. Why are you still bent on burning the vige?" Tang Zhen did not give Xu Ji a chance to speak and continued to rebuke him in a deep voice.

    The people around did not dare to squeak, just watched Xu Ji being reprimanded by Tang Zhen.

    Xu Ji''s face rippled with anger. As the son of the prime minister, he was orded a measure of respect no matter where he went. Nobody had ever dared insult him publicly like this.

    "Marquis Jing Ning, I have already said that it was¡­In order to prevent the gue from infecting more people, and before the princess entered the vige, I had already warned her¡­," Xu Ji exined.

    "Warned?" Tang Zhen sneered. "Xu Ji, it''s really surprising that you actually said these words. You can make any excuse you want. Today''s matter will be decided by Imperial Judgment in the future. You can exin your excuse to the emperor."

    Xu Ji''s expression turned even uglier.

    Tang Zhen turned to look at Zheng Yulong. ¡°Lord Zheng, what do you think we should do with the firewood?"

    Zheng Yulong hurriedly said," I''ll get people to take away all the firewood immediately."

    "Marquis Jing Ning, if the gue in the vige spreads outside, who would be responsible?" Xu Ji asked loudly, refusing to yield.

    Tang Zhen looked at him with a smile. ¡°You just have to be careful not to get infected."

    Xu Ji was enraged. <i>Isn''t he clearly cursing me? </i>But he didn''t dare to say a word. The men in ck behind the marquis didn''t look like ordinary guards. He had to restrain himself lest the emperor thinks he was challenging the marquis¡¯ authority.

    "Go back and tell Governor-general Zhang that I am waiting for him. Scram!" Tang Zhen snorted and chased Xu Ji away.

    "You¡­!" Xu Ji was so angry that he almost coughed up a mouthful of blood. It was simply humiliating. No one had ever treated him like this.

    Tang Zhen ignored him and strode into the vige.

    Zheng Yulong didn''t look at Xu Ji. Instead, he ordered the soldiers around, ¡°Remove the firewood and oil. Hurry up."

    Xu Ji''s face turned pale as he looked at Tang Zhen''s back. In the future, if he had the chance, he would return all the insults today.

    Although he didn''t achieve the goal he wanted, at least his sister''s task had beenpleted. Lu Yaoyao already knew that she had fallen out of favor, so she shouldn''t be too arrogant when she returned to the capital. His sister''s position in the pce should be more stable. As for Ye Yaoyao, a woman of unknown origin, how could she be a match for his sister even if she became a concubine in the future?

    ???

 Chapter 512: The Epidemic Improves

    <h4>Chapter 512: The Epidemic Improves</h4>

    "Your Highness, forgive me I''mte." Xue Lin rushed into the vige. Seeing Ye Zhen brewing the medicine, he felt guilty. If only he had rushed back earlier, who would have dared to wrong the princess? ¡°Your Highness, you''ve been wronged."

    Ye Zhen was very happy to see Xue Lin. ¡°You''re back? How''s the investigation?"

    She had discovered that there was something wrong with the medicinal herbs that Xu Ji had sent to the store, so she asked Xue Lin to investigate where this batch of herbs came from. If she could find the source, she believed that the whereabouts of the missing herbs would be revealed.

    Xue Lin couldn''t help butugh. ¡°Your Highness, you''re still concerned about the medicinal herbs."

    Ye Zhen raised her eyebrows. ¡°Other than treating these patients, I''m really most concerned about the medicinal herbs."

    "Your Highness, those medicinal herbs were delivered directly from the governor-general''s mansion.¡± Xue Lin lowered his voice and said, ¡°I went down to investigate. There are still many medicinal herbs in his mansion''s treasury. Someone must have deliberately included that sack in the medical bureau store to call our attention to it."

    "Governor-general''s mansion?" Ye Zhen revealed a meaningful smile. ¡°This Governor-general Zhang seems quite interesting."

    ¡°Your Highness, as long as we continue to investigate Governor-general Zhang, we might be able to find who bought those medicinal herbs," Xue Lin asked.

    Ye Zhen wanted to ask Xue Lin to investigate but then thought of something. The light in her eyes dimmed. ¡°Since it''s rted to Governor-general Zhang, it would not be suitable for us to continue the investigation. Ry your findings to the emperor and have him send someone to investigate the truth."

    "Yes, Your Highness." Xue Lin looked at Ye Zhen skeptically. <i>Why do I feel that the princess now seems to care about this matter a little differently?</i>

    "Since you''ve already entered the vige, then help us feed the patients," Ye Zhen said taking a bowl of medicinal soup from the side. ¡°Drink this first, then put on the mask."

    Xue Lin immediately followed suit. ¡°Yes, Your Highness."

    Huangfu Chen¡¯s fever had just calmed down, so Ye Zhen didn''t want him to overwork. With Xue Lin''s help things would be just fine, so she went over to take the bowl of soup in Huangfu Chen''s hand. ¡°Master, get some rest!"

    "Okay." Huangfu Chen looked at her with a gentle smile. ¡°Most of the fever has subsided. I should be fine after drinking the medicine for another couple of days."

    The recuperating vigers looked at them with tears in their eyes. ¡°You are the reincarnated parents of everyone in our vige. If it weren''t for you, we would have died long ago¡­"

    "That''s right, you''re really saving the world¡­"

    Ye Zhen saw that they were about to struggle and kowtow, so she hurriedly stopped them. ¡°We know how grateful you are. We are doctors, and doctors only exist for the sake of treating illnesses. Don''t say anything. Rest well and drink the medicine."

    "We will never forget your kindness," an old man proimed loudly.

    Huangfu Chen stood on the side, smiling at his little apprentice who was feeding the medicine. In the past, he did not think Yaoyaao liked to be a doctor. Being a real doctor was different from being a doctor in the pce. Now as he looked at her, he knew that he had been wrong. She understood the spirit of being a doctor better than the other doctors.

    After making sure that everyone had had the medicine, Ye Zhen put away the bowl of medicine and had Dai Mei sterilize it with boiling water.

    "Master, why are you still outside? Quickly go to the room and rest," When she turned around and found Huangfu Chen still standing outside, she grumbled helplessly.

    Huangfu Chen smiled and said, ¡°You really think that I''m someone who can be blown away."

    "Haven''t you just recovered? It''s always good to be careful." Ye Zhen smiled yfully.

    Huangfu Chen looked at her bright smile. The sadness that had settled in her eyes not too long ago, seemed to have disappeared. For some reason, he felt that this little apprentice of his was even more heartbreaking. She hid her thoughts so deeply that people thought she couldn''t care less.

    "Yaoyao!" Tang Zhen had been looking around the vige for a while before he finally saw the person he was looking for. He hurriedly ran over and also found Huangfu Chen there. He cupped his hands and bowed. ¡°Mr. Huangfu."

    Ye Zhen looked at him in surprise. ¡°Big Brother Tang, why are you here?"

    Tang Zhen looked at her helplessly and angrily. ¡°You secretly ran to Huaijiang. Old Madam Lu and Lord Lu are worried sick."

    "Aren¡¯t I fine?" Ye Zhen recalled that she hade to Huaijiang without the knowledge of the Lu family. She would be scolded upon return.

    "The emperor asked me to bring you back to the capital," Tang Zhen whispered.

    The smile on Ye Zhen''s face faded. ¡°When it''s time for me to return, I will naturally go back."

    Huangfu Chen looked at Ye Zhen with pity. ¡°You talk to the Marquis of Jing Ning. I''ll go and rest first."

    Ye Zhen nodded lightly. She nced at Tang Zhen and walked to the side. Tang Zhen followed her. ¡°Yaoyao, you''ve been away from the capital for a long time. If you don''t go back, Old Madam Lu will be very worried about you."

    "I still don''t want to go back to the capital," Ye Zhen said calmly. ¡°I''ll get someone to send a letter back to tell Grandmother that she doesn''t have to worry about me."

    "The emperor is also very worried about you." Tang Zhen''s eyes shed with sadness.

    Ye Zhen said coldly, ¡°I don''t need to worry about him. Big Brother Tang, go back. I have Master here. Hasn''t the emperor kept Xue Lin by my side?"

    Tang Zhen walked two steps faster and blocked her way. He frowned at the little girl¡¯s cold face. ¡°Yaoyao, did something happen?"

    He remembered what she and the emperor looked like in the vi¡­ they seemed to have mutual feelings for each other and so in harmony. <i>But why does it seem like she seems to have some misunderstanding with the emperor today?</i>

    "No." Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°It''s just that it''s hard for the emperor to remember me at this time. With a beauty by his side, he would not have time to think of his younger sister.¡±

    Tang Zhen was stunned. ¡°You know¡­ about Ye Yaoyao?"

    "Ye Yaoyao?" Ye Zhen almost burst outughing when she heard this name. Now, she was even more certain that this woman had something to do with Lu Lingzhi. ¡°Big Brother Tang, was this Ye Yaoyao found by my eldest brother?"

    "How did you know that the emperor brought Ye Yaoyao to the pce?" Tang Zhen asked in surprise. He had gone to look for Lu Lingzhi when he left the capital. He had known about the existence of this woman beforehand, so he was not that surprised to hear about this on the way.

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°If someone wants me to know, someone will naturally tell me."

    Tang Zhen said, ¡°When I left the capital, Ye Yaoyao wasn''t in the pce. I heard from your eldest brother¡­" Tang Zhen told Ye Zhen about that day he went to look for Lu Lingzhi. Lu Lingzhi had told him that Eldest Master Lu had ced the emperor''s savior under house arrest. ¡°This is how it was. The emperor is only just grateful that he was saved by Ye Yaoyao. I heard that she lost her memory and can''t remember anything."

    "Saviour!" Ye Zhen chuckled softly, a trace of ridicule in her eyes. "No matter how many saviors the emperor has, it doesn''t have anything to do with me. Brother Tang, thanks foring to look for me. I''m really fine."

    "Yaoyao¡ª"

    Ye Zhen waved her hand. ¡°I don''t want to talk about this anymore."

    She didn''t want to hear anything about Mo Rongzhan.

    ???

    <strong>Hi, thanks for reading this chapter. Please consider supporting this novel by leaving a review on Novelupdates! </strong><strong>If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! </strong>

    <i>Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much.</i>

 Chapter 513: Despicable and Shameless Lu Lingzhi

    <h4>Chapter 513: Despicable and Shameless Lu Lingzhi</h4>

    Since the time she learned Mo Rongzhan had saved her father and elder brother, she had let go of her resentment towards him. Faced with his persistent and domineering attitude, she had even be powerless to refuse. She had intended to return to the capital this time to tell him the truth.

    She wanted to tell him that the person who saved him was Ye Zhen, as well the secret code and the words she had said to him back then. She would let him know that the reason she(YZ) married him was that she loved him, not for anything else, and especially not as Ye Yisong''s chess piece. If he was willing to ept her(YZ) as his original Little Yaoyao, then she might tell him the truth that she was Ye Zhen. If he could not, then everything would be meaningless. She would not say anything more.

    However, she probably didn''t need to say anything now. He already had a favorite and desired savior. Ye Yaoyao in the pce¡­ She was probably the Lu Wushuang that she had seen in her previous life. She would be Mo Rongzhan¡¯s most favored in the inner pce.

    Ye Zhen''s eyes were a little sore. She raised her head to look at the blue sky, not letting the tears gush out. She felt sad. But what was there to be sad about? Wasn''t this something she already knew? This was just things getting back on track.

    Lu Wushuang was dead. All she had to do was make sure Lu Lingzhi got his just rewards, then everything would be over, and she could leave.

    "Yaoyao, since you don''t want to go back, I''ll stay and help you." Tang Zhen walked over and looked at her jade-like face.

    Ye Zhen blinked and smiled at him. ¡°All right." After a pause, she asked in a low voice, ¡°Howe my eldest brother told you about this? He was not afraid¡­ Will it implicate the Lu family?"

    "When thete Gui Ren Lu lied to the emperor, His Majesty already knew about the matter. He only found outter that Eldest Master Lu and Gui Ren Lu conspired to deceive him. Your eldest brother didn''t know what to do, so I suggested that he enter the pce to beg for forgiveness. After I left the capital, he probably heeded my advice. Don''t worry, the rest of your family doesn''t know about this. The emperor will not do anything to the Lu family because they have contributed a lot." Tang Zhenforted her.

    <i>Eldest Master Lu imprisoned the emperor''s savior? Lu Lingzhi went to beg for forgiveness? </i>Ye Zhen felt that there was nothing more amusing than this. Lu Lingzhi knew better than anyone who saved Mo Rongzhan. He had poisoned her in the Duke of Qin''s estate because of Lu Wushuang. Now that she(LWS) had died, for the sake of the Lu family, not only did he me her for all the crimes but also dragged histe father into the water. There was no one more despicable and heartless than Marquis Anyang.

    "Not only will His Majesty not punish Lu Lingzhi but might even use him more because of his honesty and loyalty," she remarked.

    It had to be said that Lu Lingzhi really knew Mo Rongzhan thoroughly ¡ª his principles and values.

    Tang Zhen thought her tone was a little odd, so he nced at her and said in a low voice, "Only Lu Wushuang knew about this, Lingzhi only recently learned about it."

    "How long have you known him for?" she smiled and asked.

    "Your eldest brother? It''s been many years¡­," he said. They could be regarded as brothers who could live and die together on the battlefield.

    Ye Zhen said indifferently, ¡°I''ve known him for so many years, but I don''t even know what kind of person he is. It seems like he really knows how to pretend."

    Tang Zhen furrowed his brows and looked at her. He had noticed from the beginning that Yaoyao did not like her eldest brother very much. He was clearly her big cousin, so why did she always mention him with sarcasm and hostility? ¡°Yaoyao, do you have any misunderstanding about Lingzhi?"

    "I do have a huge misunderstanding with him." She chuckled. ¡°Big Brother Tang, you should leave this vige first."

    "If you don''t return to the capital, I naturally won''t leave," he said firmly.

    Ye Zhen thought for a moment and said in a low voice, ¡°I don''t want you to get typhoid fever, and Xu Ji is still eyeing you like a tiger watching its prey. If you want to stay, why don''t you investigate Governor-general Zhang? Huaijiang City was under Ye Yisong''s control. They not only embezzled the disaster funds but also lied about the epidemic every year. The medicinal herbs sent by the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard never entered Huaijiang City. Thest time I saw the medicinal herbs, they were brought by Xu Ji in the special sack of the Imperial Physicians¡¯ Courtyard. This matter is too strange. Xue Lin found out that this batch was sent directly from the Governor-general''s Mansion, you are the only one who can investigate this matter, Big Brother Tang.¡±

    "What? They''re coveting disaster funds and medicinal herbs. Those people have the guts to do such a heartless thing?" Tang Zhen was furious. ¡°That Ye Yisong was evil, and his people are scums too."

    Ye Zhen didn''t want to judge Ye Yisong. Although she knew that he wasn''t a good person, he was still an elder after all. ¡°He(YY) long dead. Now that there are still people doing such things, I think we should investigate."

    "Xu Ji wouldn¡¯t dare to set fire, don''t worry. I''m leaving¡­ Do you want to stay here?" He was worried about her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t I have my master and Xue Lin? Besides, Xu Ji knows you''ve been here before, so how would he dare to do anything to me? Go ahead." She smiled faintly.

    He knew that even if he tried to persuade her, the little girl would not return to the capital with him at this time. He would not be able to help her if he stayed in the vige. It would be better to investigate the matter of embezzlement first, and then go back to the capital with her. ¡°Then I''ll go to Huainan first. If this matter has something to do with Governor-general Zhang, I would need to report it to the emperor."

    Ye Zhen nodded. ¡°Go ahead."

    "Be careful." He reminded.

    Because of the Marquis of Jing Ning¡¯s arrival, Xu Ji didn''t dare to threaten Ye Zhen anymore. Even if he knew that Tang Zhen had temporarily left, he could only lead troops to guard the vige gate. Zheng Yulong couldn¡¯t afford to neglect her now either, and even personally came into the vige to deliver medicine.

    After two days, the vigers finally recovered from their fever. On the fourth day, Zheng Yulong ordered the removal of the fence and allowed the vigers in the city to return home. The doctors who had escaped from the vige had also made their way back. They were more active in giving the vigers follow-up visits than ever.

    Ye Zhen and Huangfu Chen only smiled at their diligence. After leaving behind the medicines, they all returned to the city.

    "By the way, Master, I forgot to tell you something." It was only now that she recalled the matter with Zhao Tianji. She was so worried about Huangfu Chen¡¯s illness that she had forgotten all about this. ¡°I met Zhao Tianji in the city the other day. I don''t know if he has left or not."

    Huangfu Chen was slightly startled. ¡°Was he in Huaijiang City?"

    "That''s right, he said that he was passing by this ce and decided to take a look. If he knew that you were sick, he wouldn''t have left yet," she said.

    "Where did you see him?"Huangfu Chen asked.

    Ye Zhen gestured to the Wangjiang in front of her. ¡°Right there."

    ???

 Chapter 514: Going to Zhao Jia Island

    <h4>Chapter 514: Going to Zhao Jia Ind</h4>

    Huangfu Chen looked at the tallest building in the city and shook his head helplessly. ¡°He should still be in there. I''ll go and see him first, you can go find my aunt."

    "Master, I think he came looking for you." Ye Zhen tugged at his sleeve. ¡°If you want to go to Zhao Jia Ind, go ahead."

    "I know." Huangfu Chen gently smiled. ¡°Go back."

    Ye Zhen stared at her master''s back. It wasn''t until he entered the Wangjiang that she and Quan Fu left for the medical bureau.

    Once there, she went looking for Qi Jin, told her about the situation of the vigers so that her mind could bepletely relieved.

    Qi Jin sighed with emotion. ¡°If it wasn''t for you, the consequences of this gue would have been unimaginable."

    Ye Zhen also studied the ¡¶Qi Medical ssics¡·, but she felt that it was her <i>lingquan</i> that made the difference. ¡°Imperial Physician Qi, don''t say that. I did it with my master."

    "You''ve been taking care of your master for a few days. Go back and rest. Don''t worry about the medical bureau and the vige. I''ve reported the treatment of the gue to the imperial court. You''re the one who contributed the most. There''s no need to refuse," Qi Jin said with a smile. She didn''t mind Ye Zhen stealing her credit at all. Her life was saved by this little girl. If it wasn''t for her, she wouldn''t have been able to escape death.

    "Imperial Physician Qi, I''ll go back first." Ye Zhen smiled. She cared naught about credit.

    Qi Jin smiled and nodded. ¡°Go back quickly."

    Ye Zhen got into the carriage, but she was suddenly unwilling to return to the house that Mo Rongzhan had arranged for her. Now, anything rted to him made her feel very ufortable. She didn''t want to remember how considerate and gentle he was to her. That made her feel even more¡­ vexed.

    "Go to Wangjiang," she instructed in a low voice.

    Quan Fu, who was driving the carriage, was stunned. ¡°Miss, aren''t you going back?"

    "It''s still early. Wangjiang Restaurant is so famous. Let''s try their signature dishes today." She casually found an excuse. Beforeing to Huaijiang, she had never heard the name of Wangjiang Restaurant.

    <i>The epidemic in Huaijiang City had been resolved, should I return to the capital with Master? But if I don''t go back, how will I deal with Lu Lingzhi?</i>

    The more Ye Zhen thought about it, the more irked she was. In the end, she decided to simply not think about all this.

    When she arrived at Wangjiang Restaurant, she told Quan Fu to head back. She wanted to find a quiet corner to sit down in but didn''t expect to meet an acquaintance.

    "Why are you here?" Mu Xue came down the stairs and happened to notice the woman walking in. She eyed Ye Zhen gloomily, certain that she was here to look for Zhao Tianji. ¡°You think that Second Young Master is someone you can see whenever you want? Even if you''re here, he won''t see you."

    "Who told you that I came to see Zhao Tianji?" Ye Zhen resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She did not want to pay any attention to the other woman''s inexplicable hostility.

    Mu Xue snorted coldly, convinced that the other''s words were mere excuses.

    Ye Zhen didn''t want to argue with her. Just as she turned to leave, the corner of her eyes swept over the thing in Mu Xue''s hand. She suddenly stopped and pointed at the dagger* in her hand which was about a foot long. ¡°Where did you get this dagger from?"

    [*It can be a short sword as well as a dagger, they aren¡¯t all that different ¡­ we will be using the terms interchangeably here.]

    "What does this have to do with you?" Mu Xue sneered and put away the de.

    "Miss Mu, can I borrow your dagger to take a look?" Ye Zhen took a deep breath. She hoped that she had seen it wrongly and did not want it to be something that she was once familiar with.

    "Why should I show you my things?" Mu Xue snickered coldly and dashed upstairs.

    If it was anything else, Ye Zhen wouldn''t have cared at all, but¡­ Her uncle never left the dagger. Unless he entered the pce, he would always carry it. <i>Why does Mu Xue have Uncle''s dagger?</i>

    Ye Zhen followed suit. ¡°Miss Mu, I don''t have anything else in mind. I just want to take a look ¡ª"

    "Yaoyao, what''s wrong?" Huangfu Chen and Zhao Tianji were sitting opposite each other. When they saw the little apprentice chasing after Mu Xue, they couldn''t help feeling a bit confused.

    Mu Xue ran behind Zhao Tianji andined, ¡°Second Young Master, I don''t know why she insists that I give her the dagger Uncle Ye gave me."

    Ye Zhen did not have time to exin to Huangfu Chen. She said to Zhao Tianji, ¡°Ind Lord Zhao, the dagger looks familiar, so I want to take a look. Please ask Miss Mu, to let me have a look."

    "Is this the way to react over a trivial matter?" Zhao Tianji said unhappily, ¡°Mu Xue, give the dagger to Miss Lu."

    "Second Young Master!" Mu Xue stomped her feet in protest.

    Zhao Tianji frowned and said, ¡°Isn''t it just a dagger? Let Miss Lu have a look."

    Mu Xue shot Ye Zhen a malicious look, handed over the dagger to her reluctantly, then warned, "Uncle Ye gifted it to me, it''s already my best concession to let you take a look."

    "Who is Uncle Ye?" Ye Zhen asked, pretending to be casual. She remembered that Uncle''s style name* was Ye Shi.

    [*When a child is born in ancient China, he or she is given an official name. This name symbolises his/her parents'' expectations for him/her. When the child reaches the age of 20, he adopts a second official name (style name).]

    "He''s the number one strategist by our Eldest Young Master''s side. He''s the smartest and most powerful person on our ind," Mu Xue said, ncing at Huangfu Chen.

    Ye Zhen took the dagger and examined theplicated patterns on the scabbard. <i>This is indeed Eldest Uncle''s Cang Ying*!</i> Shocked, she pulled out the dagger and saw two words on the sharp hilt: Ye Shi!

    [*name of the short sword/dagger. ²Ø c¨¢ng= to conceal; to hide away; to harbor; to store; to collect. Ó° y¨«ng = picture; image; film; movie; photograph; reflection; shadow; trace.]

    <i>It is Eldest Uncle''s handwriting!</i>

    "Uncle Ye on your ind¡­ Where did you get this short sword?" Ye Zhen''s voice was a little hoarse. Her heart was hinting at a terrifying possibility, but she didn''t want to believe it.

    Mu Xue took <i>Cang Ying</i> back. ¡°This is something Uncle Ye always wears. Do you think you can get such a good de casually?"

    Ye Zhen''s expression turned ugly as she whispered, ¡°Uncle Ye¡­ What''s his name?"

    Zhao Tianji narrowed his eyes and looked at her. "Could it be that you and Ye Shi are acquaintances?"

    <i>He was indeed called Ye Shi! No, impossible! Eldest Uncle is clearly dead, how could it be him?</i> She forced a smile and said, ¡°I just like this short sword very much, that''s why I asked."

    "If you like such a short sword, I can give it to you," Zhao Tianji said with a smile.

    Ye Zhen lowered her head and walked away to stand behind Huangfu Chen. Her heart was already in a mess. She could not believe that the Ye Shi that Zhao Tianji had mentioned was the Ye Shi she had guessed.

    <i>Why would a dead person appear again? Did someone fake Ye Yisong''s identity?</i>

    Zhao Tianji brushed aside the matter and looked at Huangfu Chen. ¡°Have you considered it clearly? Are youing to Zhao Jia Ind with me or not?"

    Huangfu Chen sighed. ¡°I''m afraid the people on your ind won''t wee me."

    "You saved a lot of people in the past. Just exin it to them," Zhao Tianji said.

    "Let me think about it¡­." After all, going to Zhao Jia Ind was different from going to other ces. He(HFC) needed to consider it carefully.

    ???

 Chapter 515: Ye Yisongs Short Sword*

    <h4>Chapter 515: Ye Yisong''s Short Sword*</h4>

    [*It can be a short sword as well as a dagger, they aren¡¯t all that different ¡­ we will be using the terms interchangeably here.]

    Huangfu Chen led Ye Zhen away from Wangjiang. He promised Zhao Tianji that he would consider going to Zhao Jia Ind together.

    "Master, Zhao Tianji came to Huaijiang City to ask you toe back to Zhao Jia Ind with him?" Ye Zhen whispered to Huangfu Chen as they walked side by side.

    "Yes, the Zhao Jia Ind people have misunderstood me. He hopes to clear it, Huangfu Chen said. In fact, Zhao Tianji hoped that he and Mu Qing could exin it clearly.

    Ye Zhen looked at Xue Lin who was several steps away from them and said in a low voice, ¡°Master, do you want to go?"

    Huangfu Chen did not answer her. He just pursed his lips and walked on silently.

    "Some misunderstandings aren''t suited tost a lifetime without an exnation," Ye Zhen looked at him and said.

    "Do you want to go to Zhao Jia Ind too?" Huangfu Chen turned around and nced at her indifferently.

    Ye Zhen turned to look at Xue Lin. After confirming that he was far enough away and out of earshot, she whispered, ¡°Yes, Master, I want to go."

    "Because of the master of that dagger?" Huangfu Chen asked softly. He knew that Ye Zhen did not want others to hear their conversation, so he kept his voice really low.

    She knew she couldn''t hide it from her master. She was too shocked at the inn and couldn''t control her emotions. She whispered, ¡°Ye Shi is the style name of Ye Yisong."

    Huangfu Chen''s expression changed. ¡°What?"

    "That''s why I want to go to Zhao Jia Ind to check if that person is Ye Yisong," she said.

    "Yaoyao¡­," Huangfu Chen looked down at her and said, ¡°have you ever met Ye Yisong? How do you know that the dagger belonged to him?"

    Ye Zhen turned her face away in a fluster. As Lu Yaoyao, she had indeed never seen Ye Yisong before, but she was Ye Zhen. No one would believe if she said that, but how was she to exin how she recognized her uncle''s writing and dagger?

    Huangfu Chen recalled the divination he had done for this little girl. It had been a nk trigram. Given her behavior today, the mysteries around her seemed to have only deepened.

    "Master, I cannot exin right now¡­ If there is ever a chance in the future, I will certainly tell you," she said softly.

    "Good." He didn''t suspect anything else. He believed in her character. If it wasn''t really difficult for her to talk about, she wouldn''t hide anything from him.

    She continued, ¡°Master, can we keep our ns from Xue Lin¡­ Can we not take him along?"

    "If I hide it from him, it means I have to hide it from Ah Zhan," Huangfu Chen remarked.

    "I''m not sure if it''s Ye Yisong, but if¡­ What if he''s not the only one on Zhao Jia Ind?" For some inexplicable reason, Ye Zhen believed that this journey would lead her to her father and brother, and that she would meet them there.

    Huangfu Chen''s eyes gleamed as the meaning behind her words dawned over him. "Then let''s go, but we have to be quick. If not, I''m afraid we won''t be able to leave when Tang Zhen returns.¡±

    Ye Zhen''s face lit up instantly.. ¡°Master, let''s set off tomorrow. I''ll think of a way and send Xue Lin over to Tang Zhen."

    Huangfu Chen nodded lightly. ¡°I will tell Zhao Tianji tonight to make preparations. We will set off tomorrow."

    "Hmm." She smiled sweetly.

    When she returned to the mansion, Ye Zhen had Dai Mei tidy up. She only stated that she would be leaving tomorrow but did not specify where she would be going. The events of today had been particrly astounding. She had gone to the restaurant to find some peace of mind but was instead presented with a conundrum. Never had she expected to see her eldest uncle¡¯s Cang Ying. Shocked as she was, she was still astute to perceive an oddity.

    <i>If Ye Shi from Zhao Ind is really Eldest Uncle, why would he give his dagger to Mu Xue? If Eldest Uncle is still alive, who was the one who died in the capital? Why did he go to Zhao Jia Ind?</i>

    No matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t solve this puzzle. For now, she could only hope to find her father and brother as soon as possible.

    The next day, Ye Zhen called Xue Lin over. ¡°I''ll be helping Imperial Physician Qi in the medical bureau for the next few days. Marquis Jingning has gone to look into Governor-general Zhang''s matter. I''m really worried. You''ve already investigated half of this matter, go report your findings to him."

    "But Your Highness, by your side¡ª" Xue Lin had learned his lesson fromst time, he was absolutely reluctant to repeat it.

    Ye Zhen said, "Didn''t Marquis Jingning leave a few guards in the medical bureau? Besides, Master is still in the city, are you still worried about what Xu Ji would do to me? Well, now even Zheng Yulong is aware of my identity, it''s a little toote to fawn over me."

    Thest time Xu Ji had dared to act brazen, it was only because her master was ill and indisposed to be by her side. Besides, he had cashed in on the fact that those around were unaware of her identity as a princess. But now, could he afford to go on a rampage yet again?

    Xue Lin said, ¡°Your Highness, in that case, I''ll go find Marquis Jingning. I''ll definitely be back tonight."

    One day was enough time for them to leave Huaijiang City.

    "Okay." Ye Zhen smiled and nodded. ¡°Go!"

    After confirming that Xue Lin had left Huaijiang City, Ye Zhen brought Dai Mei and Huangfu Chen out of the house. No one knew about their n; she had even left Quan Fu behind and asked him to return to the capital.

    Zhao Tianji was waiting for them outside the city gate.

    "The nearest ferry has been washed away by the water. We have to go to the next ferry. We''ll be there before dark," Zhao Tianji said to Huangfu Chen with a smile on his face. He seemed to be in a good mood.

    Huangfu Chen nced at him. ¡°Your merchant ship?"

    "My boat!" Zhao Tianji emphasized. ¡°However, I haven''t been to sea in a long time."

    Ye Zhen looked at him and said, ¡°Can you walk on your own?"

    "Followed your prescription a few times. Although I can''t walk as fast as I used to, I can still walk," he dered proudly.

    "Humph, shouldn¡¯t you pay my fees?" Ye Zhen cast him a sidelong nce. ¡°You''re still the Ind Lord; there''s no reason you shouldn''t pay me a consulting fee."

    Zhao Tianji sneered, ¡°You¡¯re lucky I didn''t kill you in the vi."

    "If you had killed her, you would have been in a wheelchair for the rest of your life." Huangfu Chen swiftly leapt to the rescue of his little apprentice.

    "Hasn''t she learnt her medical skills from you? If she could cure my legs, couldn''t you?" Zhao Tianji retorted. He believed that everything this little girl knew was because of Huangfu Chen, and that''s why she knew how to treat his legs.

    Huangfu Chen looked at him and said, "If it were me, you might not be able to walk this fast. I might not even be able to cure you. To be honest, I didn''t teach Yaoyao''s medical skills. I only epted her as my apprentice two months ago."

    Zhao Tianji''s eyes popped wide open. <i>Aren''t I d I didn''t kill Lu Yaoyao?</i>

    Ye Zhen looked at him with a smile that didn''t quite reach her eyes. ¡°Ind Master Zhao, do you suddenly feel that you should give me arge amount of consultation fee?"

    "I assure you that I always settle my debts," Zhao Tianji harrumphed haughtily.

    Huangfu Chen cracked a wry smile. The Ind Master was a domineering man in many ways, but that probably had to do with his environment and upbringing. Considering his sovereign birthright, it was quite likely that no one had bothered to teach him how to treat others as his equals.

    ???

 Chapter 516: Zhao Jia Island

    <h4>Chapter 516: Zhao Jia Ind</h4>

    After leaving the Huaijiang River, they would join the sea, stretched as far as the eyes could see. Zhao Tianji''s merchant ship was quite efficient, not only was it fast but also easily sailed into the sea.

    Ye Zhen stood on the deck, gazing at the horizon. As she got closer and closer to Zhao Jia Ind, she felt more and more nervous. She was afraid of seeing her eldest uncle on the ind, but she also hoped to know the whereabouts of her father from him.

    <i>If the Ye Shi on Zhao Jia Ind is Eldest Uncle, how did he escape death? Who saved him?</i>

    "Why are you going to Zhao Jia Ind?"

    Suddenly, someone appeared on the deck, stood behind Ye Zhen, and demanded coldly.

    Ye Zhen turned back to see it was Mu Xue. ¡°Naturally, it''s to apany my master."

    Mu Xue sneered, ¡°Do you think I can''t see it? You are not going to Zhao Jia Ind for your master. What is your purpose?"

    "What is my purpose for going to Zhao Jia Ind?" Ye Zhen asked back in amusement.

    "No matter what your goal is, I won''t let you seed," Mu Xue dered coldly.

    Ye Zhen chuckled and nced at the Cang Ying* resting on the other¡¯s waist. "You already know the events that took ce in Zhao Jia Ind that year had nothing to do with my master. There is no need to bear your fangs(always)."

    [*short sword/dagger]

    Mu Xue had never veiled her hostility for her and Huangfu Chen. She acted as if they were out to destroy Zhao Jia Ind(if they were allowed to set foot).

    Mu Xue scoffed. "Those are just Huangfu Chen¡¯s words. Who can verify them? But it''s true that my Zhao Jia Ind was ambushed. It''s also true that he abandoned my sister. You are his apprentice, so you would naturally share the same hatred with him. In a nutshell, I''ll be watching you."

    Ye Zhen eyed her as if she were a rambunctious child. ¡°Then watch."

    Mu Xue red daggers at her. She was getting more and more confused as to why the Second Young Master had allowed Huangfu Chen and his apprentice toe to Zhao Jia Ind. Had he not learnt his lesson back then? Huangfu Chen was vile to the bones. If it weren''t for him, their private mines would never have been discovered by the imperial court. Although losing an iron mine wouldn''t mean suffering heavy losses, it was still a big loss for Zhao Jia Ind.

    In order to avoid shing with Mu Xue again, Ye Zhen did her best to avoid running into her on the ship. On the other hand, Zhao Tianji had Huangfu Chen supervising him every day as he practiced walking. His recovery speed was better than before.

    Seeing that he was already able to walk like a normal person, albeit slowly, Ye Zhen said with a faint smile, ¡°Looks like eighty percent of your body''s meridians have been cleared.."

    Zhao Tianji snorted. ¡°In a few days, I will be able to fly. What¡¯s more, I might even be able to use Qinggong*."

    [*Qinggong is a training technique for jumping off vertical surfaces from the Chinese martial art Baguazhang.]

    "You still dare to cultivate your inner strength?" Ye Zhen raised her eyebrows. Wasn''t qinggong all about inner strength?

    "I don''t practice that set of internal techniques anymore. I don''t only know one set of internal techniques." Zhao Tianji felt that this little girl was looking down on him, so he coldly red at her.

    Ye Zhen smiled disapprovingly. ¡°Since you know how to use other internal skills, why did you learn a set that would seal all your meridians?"

    Zhao Tianji was stunned for a moment, then frowned and said, ¡°This is a technique unique to our Zhao family, it is passed down from generation to generation. And as the Ind Lord, one must learn it.¡±

    "¡ª¡ª"

    Ye Zhen and Huangfu Chen exchanged nces. <i>What kind of internal strength would seal one''s meridians?</i>

    "I really don''t understand what your ancestors were thinking."

    "Initially, the opportunity to practice this cultivation method belonged to my eldest brother. Perhaps, it''s because I snatched his position as the ind master that I became unfit to cultivate it(method)." Zhao Tianji said indifferently, "But it''s already my fortune to be able to stand up again."

    Ye Zhen shook her head and did not say anything. It could be seen that Zhao Tianji respected his big brother a lot. From a devil who killed without blinking an eye to a filial brother, this contrast was hard to ept.

    "After this uninhabited ind, the next ind will be the Zhao Jia Ind." Zhao Tianji pointed to a small ind not far away.

    "Your ind is quite far away." They had been at sea for almost ten days.

    "If not, we wouldn¡¯t have survived until now." Zhao Tianji sneered. ¡°If there was no one from the ind apanying you, none of you would have been able to set foot on the ind, except for him." He pointed at Huangfu Chen. ¡°He just visited once but is able toe and go as he pleases."

    Huangfu Chen smiled faintly and didn''t tell Zhao Tianji the fact that the map of Zhao Jia Ind was in the study room of Niu Jia Vige. It was drawn by his great-great-grandmother at the time and included counters to break through the array making it an easy passage.

    Ye Zhen smiled and remarked that her master was naturally omnipotent.

    Zhao Tianji snorted. ¡°If he was omnipotent, he wouldn''t have been fooled, even his own wife¡ª" Perhaps it was because he knew he had said the wrong thing that he(ZT) shut up abruptly.

    Huangfu Chen didn''t seem to mind, he continued to gaze coldly into the distance.

    After another two days, they finally arrived at Zhao Jia Ind. Ye Zhen finally understood what Zhao Tianji meant when he said that ordinary people wouldn''t be able to enter the ind. Not only were there many traps but also bewildering arrays everywhere. If they weren''t careful, they would go the wrong way. The ces they passed were dotted with the remains of ships. Liang Yin said those were pirate ships that wanted to enter the ind but were caught in these arrays before they could.

    No wonder Zhao Tianji was so indignant that her master coulde and go freely.

    Ye Zhen had no idea how the ships managed to avoid those rock formations. When she tried to take a better look, a huge ind suddenly appeared in front of her.

    "This is the Zhao Jia Ind?" Ye Zhen''s eyes were round in surprise. She had thought it would be a private ind, sealed off from outsiders, and expected to see a lot of natives around. To her astonishment¡­

    <i>This is not an ind but a small country!</i>

    Their ship docked amid a fleet of other merchant ships. The wine shop next door was packed. People wereing and going here, just like the port she had seen in the Jin Kingdom.

    No one seemed to recognize Zhao Tianji, they seemed to think they were just ordinary merchants.

    "This¡ª" Ye Zhen was so surprised that she was unable to express her feelings. ¡°Is this really Zhao Jia Ind?"

    Huangfu Chen retracted his gaze and whispered to Ye Zhen, ¡°It''s much more prosperous than when I left."

    When they reached the shore, several carriages hade to wee Zhao Tianji.

    "Wee back, Ind Lord.¡° The middle-aged man in the lead bowed respectfully.

    Zhao Tianji nodded indifferently. ¡°Don''t alert the others. Let''s go back first."

    The middle-aged man looked up and saw Huangfu Chen behind Zhao Tianji. ¡°You¡­ You still dare to appear here?"

    "Yuan Cheng, he is this Ind Lord''s guest." Zhao Tianji said coldly.

    "Ind Lord, what happened back then¡ª" Yuan Cheng was about to bring up the matter of the ambush*.

    [*the ind had been ambushed and they all think HFC is to be med.]

    Zhao Tianji said coldly, ¡°This is not a ce to talk."

    Despite his reluctance, Yuan Cheng still invited Huangfu Chen into the carriage and drove to the deepest part of the ind.

    Ye Zhen turned to Huangfu Chen and whispered, ¡°Master, looks like we are not very wee here."

    Huangfu Chen smiled faintly. ¡°It''s a little tricky."

    ???

 Chapter 517: A Small Country

    <h4>Chapter 517: A Small Country</h4>

    Along the way, although Ye Zhen sat in the carriage, she was stunned by the bustling scene outside. How did this Zhao Jia Ind do it? To be able to turn a small ind into a prosperous city like the capital of Jin Country waspletely different from what she had imagined.

    "It''s been a few years since I came back to Zhao Jia Ind. It''s different.¡± Zhao Tianji sighed.

    "Then¡­ Who did all this?" she asked in surprise.

    Zhao Tianji said, ¡°Although there were market ces in the past, merchants from other ces weren¡¯t allowed to enter. Now, there are all kinds of foreigners. Well, Eldest Brother is more suitable to be the master of the ind. Under his leadership, Zhao Jia Ind has turned into a small country."

    <i>Is this because of Zhao Mingxiao?</i> Ye Zhen was even more shocked. It seemed that this person really wasn''t simple.

    Huangfu Chen frowned, one couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking.

    After a while, the carriage gradually stopped. Liang Yin''s voice sounded outside. ¡°Ind Lord, we''re here."

    If the previous bustling scene had surprised Ye Zhen, then the pce-like buildings that she saw now hadpletely rendered her speechless.

    "Did Eldest Brother turn the old residence into a pce?" Zhao Tianji turned around and asked Yuan Cheng.

    Yuan Cheng replied in a low voice, ¡°It was only built half a year ago. Eldest Young Master said that it would be suitable for you to live here as the Ind Lord."

    <i>An ind lord needed to live in a ptial building befitting his identity? </i>Ye Zhen turned to look at Huangfu Chen.

    Zhao Tianjiughed and looked at the pce in front of him. Although it could not bepared to a real pce, it was still more imposing than the old mansion. ¡°Where is Eldest Brother?"

    "Eldest Young Master is very happy to know that you are back. He is waiting for you inside," Yuan Cheng said respectfully.

    "Let''s go in!" Zhao Tianji said.

    It seemed that although his brother was weak, he was still stronger than him in some aspects. Had he been in charge of this ind, it would not be as prosperous as it is today.

    Yuan Cheng looked at Huangfu Chen warily and asked, ¡°Ind Lord, are you bringing outsiders into the pce? It''s not good."

    Zhao Tianji said indifferently, ¡°There are no outsiders here."

    <i>Isn''t Huangfu Chen an outsider?</i> Yuan Cheng thought to himself. He didn''t understand why his master had brought Huangfu Chen back. <i>Was the lesson from a few years ago not enough?</i>

    Liang Yin pushed the wheelchair through the door. This character called Zhao Tianji was lost on Ye Zhen. While on the boat, he had not used the wheelchair once. <i>So why was he being pushed around in one when he returned to Zhao Jia Ind?</i>

    Huangfu Chen walked by Yuan Cheng indifferently, gesturing for Ye Zhen to follow. Yuan Cheng frowned and motioned for the guards to close the door as he looked at <i>the outsider''s</i> departing figure.

    Yellow tiles and red walls. The specifications of this mansion were exactly the same as the imperial pce. Ye Zhen even felt that she was walking in the pce and not in Zhao Jia Ind.

    Ye Zhen saw the main hall in front of her after passing through the long red wall alley. Several figures stood on the stone steps of the main hall. A handsome and elegant young man stood in the foreground. He gave a friendly smile to Zhao Tianji who was being wheeled in. Then he took a slow look around at the others. When his gaze was drawn to Huangfu Chen, the smile on his face faded.

    <i>Huangfu Chen? Why is he here?</i>

    "Eldest Brother." Zhao Tianji had already arrived at the bottom of the stone steps. He looked at the handsome young man with a smile. ¡°It''s only been a few years since I came back and I almost couldn''t recognize that this was our old house."

    This young man was Zhao Tianji''s big brother, Zhao Mingxiao!

    Zhao Mingxiao slowly walked down the stone steps. A smile appeared on the corners of his mouth once again. ¡°Every year, I ask for you toe back to take a look, but youalways refuse. How dare you say such words?"

    "Eldest Brother, you look good. Looks like your illness has healed." Seeing that Zhao Mingxiao''s face was no longer pale, Zhao Tianji was happy for him. ¡°Fortunately, A-Chen cured you back then."

    Upon hearing Huangfu Chen¡¯s name, a chill shed across Zhao Mingxiao''s eyes. ¡°Tianji, why did you bring our enemies to Zhao Jia Ind? Are you trying to capture him to make amends for the inders who died back then?"

    Zhao Tianji said, ¡°Eldest Brother, what happened back then had nothing to do with A-Chen. Someone deliberately framed him."

    "We''ve lost so many inders. Could we wipe out his crime simply by saying nothing?" Zhao Mingxiao''s face darkened as if he was unhappy that his brother was protecting his foe.

    "Eldest Brother, if A-Chen really wanted to destroy our Zhao Jia Ind, we wouldn¡¯t be standing here right now." Zhao Tianji whispered, ¡°You know that a long time ago the Huangfu family suppressed our ind¡ª"

    Zhao Mingxiao obviously didn''t like hearing this. He said with a sullen face, ¡°Could it be that because he belongs to the Huangfu family, he can sneak attack our Zhao Jia Ind?"

    "It looks like you don''t know my master very well. If my master wants tounch a sneak attack¡­," Ye Zhen raised her eyebrows and indifferently swept a nce at Zhao Mingxiao and sai, ¡°your Zhao Jia Ind would already be as it was a hundred years ago. Not a single de of grass would grow, and human beings would disappear. Do you still want to frame my master here?"

    "Who are you?" Zhao Mingxiao looked at this beautiful woman and became more and more unhappy with the people Zhao Tianji had brought back.

    Huangfu Chen said indifferently, ¡°She is my apprentice, Young Master Zhao. I haven''t seen you in a long time. It seems¡­ There are many misunderstandings between us."

    "There''s no misunderstanding between us. Huangfu Chen, Zhao Jia Ind doesn''t wee you. Please leave immediately," Zhao Mingxiao said coldly.

    "Eldest Brother, there''s no evidence to point to Huangfu Chen when we were ambushed. He left to find Mu Qing and waster seriously injured on Spirit Snake Ind. I''ve already investigated this matter," Zhao Tianji said in a low voice.

    Zhao Mingxiao gave him a disapproving look. He didn''t like his brother mentioning Mu Qing. ¡°Tianji, haven¡¯t you been deceived by him enough?"

    "I know in my heart if he will lie to me or not." Zhao Tianji said lightly, ¡°Eldest Brother, I just returned today. Let''s not talk about this for now. We''ll find out who framed Huangfu Chen in the future."

    "You''re the master of the ind. You have the final say." Zhao Mingxiao said coldly, ¡°Yuan Cheng, send the Ind Lord back to his pce."

    Yuan Cheng replied in a low voice, ¡°Ind Lord, please."

    Zhao Mingxiao looked at Huangfu Chen and said coldly, ¡°Tianji, after all, the others are not people from our ind and cannot live in the pce. I will have someone arrange another residence for them."

    "Brother, since they want to treat my legs, they can stay in my courtyard," Zhao Tianji said.

    "Heal your legs?" Zhao Mingxiao raised his eyebrows and looked down at his brother¡¯s legs. ¡°Can they heal your legs?"

    Mu Xue was standing beside Zhao Tianji all along. She wanted to say that the Second Young Master was able to walk, however, before she could open her mouth, Zhao Tianji had already said with a smile, ¡°Although I can''t walk yet, I have improved."

    Zhao Mingxiao''s expression softened slightly. ¡°Then I''ll do as you say. However, even if they can cure your legs, I won''t let that matter go."

    ???

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 Chapter 518: Not That Letter

    <h4>Chapter 518: Not That Letter</h4>

    At first, Ye Zhen thought that she would be able to see Mu Qing. Unfortunately, she did not only not see her, but she also did not see any sign of Ye Shi. She had gathered that Ye Shi was Zhao Mingxiao''s military advisor, but she had not seen even a shadow of the man ever since she set foot on the ind with Zhao Tianji.

    Zhao Mingxiao was visibly hostile toward Huangfu Chen, but Ye Zhen suspected that this was not due to a misunderstanding of the sneak attack at the time. It should still have something to do with Mu Qing.

    Yuan Cheng led Zhao Tianji to thergest courtyard. Ye Zhen recognized that this pce was modeled after Pce of Heavenly Purity. Apart from the main discussion hall, there was also a special study room. Behind the sleeping hall was a three-way courtyard. Ye Zhen and Huangfu Chen were kept in a side courtyard, a courtyard away from Zhao Tianji''s main courtyard. Moreover, there were many guards in this courtyard. When they saw Huangfu Chen, their eyes almost lit up.

    "Master, it seems that you are not very safe on this ind," Ye Zhen whispered to Huangfu Chen. ¡°They¡¯ve misunderstood you too deeply."

    Back then, the sneak attack had happened too coincidentally, and when Huangfu Chen was injured, he didn''t even have the chance toe back and exin. As for who forged the letter written in her master''s handwriting back then, Ye Zhen believed, would be the one to definitely knew who framed him(HFC).

    "Master, then you¡­ When are you going to find Mu Qing?" Ye Zhen asked in a low voice.

    Huangfu Chen wanted to clear up the misunderstanding bying to Zhao Jia Ind. He wanted to exin things to Mu Qing too. ¡°If she doesn''t want to see me, how can I see her?"

    Ye Zhen did not know how tofort him. ¡°Master, you will see her."

    "What do you n to do? If that Ye Shi doesn''t appear, you won''t be able to find him. How would you know that he is your uncle? Huangfu Chen whispered.

    "If he was Zhao Mingxiao''s military advisor, I will definitely see him," Ye Zhen said with certainty.

    The master and apprentice were deep in conversation when someone suddenly shouted, ¡°Huangfu Chen,e out!"

    Huangfu Chen¡¯s face darkened slightly upon hearing the voice.

    "Master, is this someone you know?" When Ye Zhen noticed the change in his countenance, she immediately understood that the person outside should be someone her master was acquainted with.

    "Mu Qing''s younger brother," Huangfu Chen whispered.

    Ye Zhen slightly narrowed her eyes and said, ¡°Is it Mu Fei who sent you the letter back then and tricked you into leaving?"

    Huangfu Chen nodded lightly and said with a bitter smile, ¡°I''ll go and see him."

    "Master, it''s better if I go. He''s Mu Qing''s brother. Even if you know that he lied to you, you wouldn''t be able to tell him, so let me do it." She then pushed open the door and walked out without waiting for Huangfu Chen consent.

    The young man standing outside the door, shouting and making a scene, had beautiful brows and his face was still young and tender. His eyes were filled with anger as if he was filled with hatred towards Huangfu Chen. Ye Zhen could also see nervousness and guilt on his face in addition to resentment.

    "Who are you? You don''t even have the slightest bit of upbringing to treat my master like this. Don''t you know that my master is your ind lord''s honored guest?" Ye Zhen looked askance at Mu Fei. Her aura was so dignified and majestic that it puffed off Mu Fei''s arrogance immediately.

    Mu Fei stared at the proud and gorgeous woman in front of him, thinking that what Second Sister said was utterly unreliable. <i>How could this woman with Huangfu Chen be ugly? She actually called her an ugly monster.</i> "You¡­ How dare you talk to me like this?"

    Ye Zhen smiled disdainfully. ¡°Then who do you think you are? How dare you shout here? I remember that this is your ind lord''s territory. Looks like he doesn¡¯t give a whit about you. It seems that you have a very high status on Zhao Jia Ind. Let me guess who you are. Oh, you won''t be the little emperor here now, would you? Else, you wouldn''t have dared to ignore Zhao Tianji''s warnings ande here run here screaming and cursing."

    "You¡­ Nonsense! When did I not respect the Ind Lord? You, woman, are just talking nonsense!" Mu Fei shouted angrily. ¡°I called Huangfu Chen out. Back then, someone sneak attacked our Zhao Jia Ind, but today, he still has the face to set foot here. Let him scram!"

    "Who sent a letter to my master to trick him into leaving Spirit Snake Ind?" Ye Zhen looked at him coldly and demanded. ¡°You sent him a fake letter without Mu Qing''s knowledge, making him sustain serious injuries in Spirit Snake Ind, allowing the bad guys to frame him. Now you are trying to browbeat, do you think my master is easy to bully?"

    Mu Fei''s face turned red as he pointed at Ye Zhen. He was so angry that he couldn''t speak. ¡°You¡­ You''re talking nonsense. The letter I sent to Huangfu Chen didn''t mention Spirit Snake Ind at all. My sister only asked him to meet her on the beach, and when did she ask him to go to Spirit Snake Ind? <i>Humph</i>, he''s really a person who''s turned the tables on right and wrong. I thought he was a hero back then. Pah!"

    Ye Zhen''s expression froze. The door behind her creaked open. Huangfu Chen held a letter in his hand. ¡°Did you give me this letter back then?"

    "Huangfu Chen, so you finally dare toe out and meet someone? You coward!" Mu Fei immediately cursed when he saw him.

    "Shut up!" Ye Zhen stopped him and pointed at the letter in Huangfu Chen''s hand. ¡°Have you seen it clearly? Is this the letter you gave my master back then?"

    Mu Fei waited for Ye Zhen to take a look before looking at the letter in Huangfu Chen''s hand. He hesitated for a moment and recognized that the handwriting on the envelope was indeed from his eldest sister. He nodded and said, ¡°It''s the letter."

    Ye Zhen sneered, ¡°Then let''s take a good look at the contents of this letter."

    Huangfu Chen''s expression was extremely ugly. He had already guessed that not only had he been framed, but everything had fallen into the trappings of others since Mu Fei had sent him this letter. Perhaps Mu Qing had asked Mu Fei to bring him a letter, but it was another letter that had been hijacked by unknown people.

    Mu Fei snatched the letter and red at Huangfu Chen. ¡°No one wants you toe back. What can you change now that you''re back?"

    "We''re not here to find you,¡± Ye Zhen retorted coldly.

    "My sister won''t see you either." Mu Fei ran away after saying that.

    Ye Zhen looked back at Huangfu Chen. ¡°Master¡ª"

    Huangfu Chen looked up at the courtyard not far away. Zhao Tianji was sitting in a wheelchair, silently looking at them. The branches blocked half of his body, and his expression was not very clear in the mottled sunlight. He slowly wheeled over. ¡°I believe you now. It was not your fault that you left that year. Someone deliberately led you away."

    He had just heard Mu Fei''s words. The letter he had sent Huangfu Chen was not the real one, it had been exchanged.

    Ye Zhen turned to look at him. ¡°Don''t tell me you still suspect my master?"

    Zhao Tianji snorted. ¡°It''s hard not to suspect."

    "Let me see Mu Qing," Huangfu Chen whispered to Zhao Tianji. ¡°I can only leave after meeting her."

    As for the other misunderstandings, he was not in the mood to exin.

 Chapter 519: He Cares More About Her

    <h4>Chapter 519: He Cares More About Her</h4>

    Tang Zhen had yet to investigate the matter concerning the embezzlement of medicinal herbs when news of Ye Zhen¡¯s disappearance reached him. He quickly handed over the investigation to his subordinates and personally returned to the capital to report this matter to the emperor.

    Mo Rongzhan had already asked the Ministry of Internal Affairs to prepare for the sealing of the empress. He had wanted Yaoyao toe back, hear her secret, and then untie the knot in her heart. Only then would she be willing to marry him. However, little did he expect to hear the news of her disappearance while waiting for all these.

    "You said that she has gone missing because she wanted to leave, and not because she was captured?" Mo Rongzhan suppressed the panic in his heart and felt that there was more than met the eye in Yaoyao''s sudden departure this time.

    Tang Zhen presented a letter. ¡°Your Majesty, this was left behind by the princess. She even asked her servant to return to the capital"

    Mo Rongzhan took a deep breath, somewhat unwilling to open the letter. ¡°Where did she go?"

    "I¡­ This Minister¡­ I don''t know." Tang Zhen guessed that the reason Ye Zhen had secretly left Huaijiang City was probably rted to Ye Yaoyao being in the pce, but how could he tell this to the emperor? If the emperor truly intended to make Ye Yaoyao his concubine, would he think her too childish and naive because of it?

    "What happened in Huaijiang City? Tell me in detail, do not hide anything." Mo Rongzhan opened the note Ye Zhen left behind. There was only one sentence on it.

    <i>The world is big, and I yearn for it.</i>

    <i>What the hell is this? The world is big, and I yearn for it? Does she want to travel all over the world, and note back at all?</i>

    Tang Zhen sighed in his heart and told Mo Rongzhan everything that had happened after he arrived in Huaijiang City. ¡°Xu Ji wanted to burn the vige on the pretext of preventing the spread of gue. The princess and Mister Huangfu were in the vige. When this minister came to look for the princess, the princess asked the minister something. Yes¡­ It was about¡ª"

    When Mo Rongzhan heard that the little girl could cure all the patients in Huaijiang City, he was so excited that he felt that she was indeed a powerful girl. When he heard that she had actually entered the vige of the gue, his heart stirred. When he found out that Xu Ji was trying to burn the vige without regard for her life, he almost became furious. As he took in the range of emotions the emperor disyed, Tang Zhen became hesitant.

    "Yaoyao asked you about what?" Mo Rongzhan frowned.

    "Her Highness asked me about Miss Ye." Tang Zhen lowered his head. ¡°She seemed a little unhappy."

    Mo Rongzhan''s face was as gloomy as the darkest cloud and his voice was like ice. ¡°How did Yaoyao know about Ye Yaoyao?"

    "Before this minister arrived, Her Highness already knew about this matter. I''m not sure who specifically informed her of this matter," Tang Zhen whispered. He felt that Yaoyao''s departure from Huaijiang must have something to do with this.

    "So what if she knew about this? Why did she leave Huaijiang silently? She even refused toe back to the capital?" Mo Rongzhan didn''t understand what the little girl was feeling awkward about. He had looked for Ye Yaoyao and thought that if she was the little girl of the past, she couldn''t continue to be used by others. He had told Shen Yi to investigate all the women who had been to Baihua Garden in the past. There was indeed a family surnamed Ye who went to those parts. Later on, their entire family died inexplicably in the shipwreck, leaving only a lone girl, Ye Yaoyao.

    However, after Lu Wushuang''s example, he did not believe that Ye Yaoyao was that little girl. He wanted to know if Lu Lingzhi really had nothing to do with this. If he pretended to believe that Ye Yaoyao was the person he was looking for, what would the Lu family do next?

    Tang Zhen raised his head and looked at Mo Rongzhan in surprise. <i>How could the emperor not understand the girl''s thoughts?</i> "Your Majesty, perhaps¡­The princess thought that you were going to make Miss Ye a concubine since she is living in the pce¡ª"

    <i>So Yaoyao is jealous? </i>Mo Rongzhan''s heart went from cold to hot, and then from hot to scorching. Just by cing Ye Yaoyao in the pce, that little girl had already disappeared without regard for danger. Would she not allow him to keep a concubine in the future?

    Mo Rongzhan felt that he should be enraged by Yaoyao''s little temper tantrum, but his heart only ached slightly. He didn''t know where she would go or if she would be imprisoned in the mountains likest time. If he couldn''t find her this time, would he lose her forever?

    "Did Yaoyao tell you she has objections to me keeping Ye Yaoyao in the pce?" Mo Rongzhan asked in a hoarse voice. If he knew that Yaoyao would care so much, he would not have brought Ye Yaoyao into the pce.

    Tang Zhen hesitated. ¡°Her Highness, she¡­ She didn''t say that. She didn''t want to talk about it. It''s my guess that her departure is rted to this matter."

    Mo Rongzhan imagined Yaoyao''s mood as she left Huaijiang City. She must have been very decisive and did not want to meet him again! He shook his head with a bitter smile. Before he found Ye Yaoyao, he had always felt that if he found her someday, he would definitely not care about Yaoyao as much as before. He had always felt that he was treating Yaoyao as a substitute for that young girl back then. Only now did he realize thatpared to Ye Yaoyao, he cared more about Yaoyao.

    Even if Ye Yaoyao was the little girl from back then, he didn''t think that he would be tempted by her.

    ¡°When Yaoyao left, didn''t anyone notice her departure? In which direction did she go? Who did she go with?" Mo Rongzhan was now clear about his feelings and could not wait to see the girl.

    Tang Zhen shook his head and said, ¡°I was in Huainan investigating the matter of the embezzlement of the disaster funds and the medicinal herbs. It was toote to return after hearing the news. No one knows where the princess went."

    Mo Rongzhan took a deep breath. ¡°Go to Huainan and continue to investigate Zhang Qian''s embezzlement charges. I will send someone to find Yaoyao."

    "Your Majesty, because I was worried that the princess'' disappearance is rted to Xu Ji, I captured and brought him back to the capital." Tang Zhen lowered his head. ¡°Your Majesty, please forgive me, I was reckless."

    "<i>Humph</i>, you did well to catch him! Even if you hadn''t captured him, I would have gotten someone to punish him! Regardless of whether he really did it for the epidemic or with the intention to kill Yaoyao, he would not be let off.

    ¡°Your Majesty, Xu Ji is Xu Xianfei¡¯s brother," Tang Zhen reminded in a low voice.

    Mo Rongzhan narrowed his eyes with a dangerous light. ¡°How did Xu Ji know that Ye Yaoyao lives in the pce?"

    "This minister¡­ Yes, someone sent him a message from the capital," Tang Zhen said. Xu Ji''s news was even more sensitive than his. Other than the people in the pce, who else could have known so quickly that Ye Yaoyao lived in Kunning Pce?

    "Looks like it¡¯s time to interrogate him properly." Mo Rongzhan sneered. ¡°You can go now."

    Mo Rongzhan sat alone in the imperial study for a long time after Tang Zhen left, before asking Eunuch Fu to summon Cai Jing Gao of the Court of Supervision into the pce and hand over the matter of interrogating Xu Ji to him. He was the only one who was unafraid of Prime Minister Xu''s power and influence.

    He then summoned Wu Chong and asked him to take twenty secret guards to look for the princess.

    It was time for him to deal with the matter of Ye Yaoyao, since Yaoyao did not like it, naturally, he could not allow Ye Yaoyao to live in the pce any longer. He would wait to find out her identity and then take another decision.

    <i>If Yaoyao learned that I have sent Ye Yaoyao out of the pce, would she understand my heart?</i>

    <i>Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much.</i>

 Chapter 520 â€“ Mu Qing

    Chapter 520 ¨C Mu Qing

    In Huaijiang City, on the Wangjiang, a lone figure stood in the wind.

    Lu Lingzhi had arrived in Huaijiang City two days before but had not seen Yaoyao. He hade this time determined to make her ept himpletely and not treat him with hostility. He would agree to anything, but he had not seen her or any of herpanions.

    The medical bureau said that she had left Huaijiang City, but no one knew where she had gone. Tang Zhen had hinted that Yaoyao was angry that the emperor had found Ye Yaoyao.

    She is angry¡­ Does it mean that she is already enticed by the emperor?

    Lu Lingzhi¡¯s mood was very bitter. Back then, Ye Zhen had been like this, wholeheartedly thinking of Mo Rongzhan. Even though he did not care about her, she still wanted to know more about Mo Rongzhan.

    Although Yaoyao was different from Ye Zhen, Mo Rongzhan liked Yaoyao now, but the emperor was heartless. What if Mo Rongzhan soon doted on Ye Yaoyao? Would Yaoyao be very sad? Instead of being depressed like Ye Zhen would be in the future, why not¡­ He didn¡¯t want her to enter the pce. It was better to suffer a short pain than a long one.

    But Yaoyao, where did you go?

    Lu Lingzhi smiled bitterly, not knowing where to find her.

    ¡°Marquis.¡± Someone whispered behind him, ¡°You¡¯re tired. Why don¡¯t you go back and rest?¡±

    ¡°Did you find out where Yaoyao went?¡± Lu Lingzhi asked in a low voice.

    Standing behind Lu Lingzhi was a woman dressed in ck. She was delicate and pretty, and her eyes were filled with killing intent. Only when she looked at Lu Lingzhi would her eyes change emotions. She was Lu Lingzhi¡¯s secretly trained subordinate, Leng Mei. She looked at Lu Lingzhi and said, ¡°Marquis, this subordinate has investigated. No one knows where Third Miss went. She sent the Lu family¡¯s servant and carriage back. However, it seems she left a letter which was taken back to the capital by the Marquis of Jingning.¡±

    Lu Lingzhi frowned slightly. Without knowing her whereabouts, where was he going to find her?

    ¡°Marquis, you have to think of a way to cure the poison in your body.¡± Leng Mei reminded her master in a low voice, afraid that he would neglect his body in the bid to find Third Miss.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the western frontier first.¡±

    It was rumoured that the poison masters over at the western frontier could solve his bane (seven days of pain). He had obtained this information with great difficultly. Not only for the Lu family, but also for Yaoyao, he had to purge the poison in his body.

    Leng Mei looked around, then lowered her voice, ¡°Marquis, should ¡­ (she) walk together with you?¡±

    ¡°She can¡¯t stay in the Jin country! Since she wants to go to the East Qing country, then send her there,¡± Lu Lingzhi said in a low voice.

    ¡°Yes, Marquis.¡± Leng Mei answered.

    ?

    Zhao Jia Ind, Zhao Jia Pce.

    ¡°Sister, look, is this the letter you asked me to send to Huangfu Chen?¡± Mu Fei ran into the pce and handed the letter to a woman who was sitting in a pavilion in the courtyard.

    The woman was about twenty years old. She looked beautiful. She wore a light purple dress and sat in the pavilion like a blooming begonia. When she heard Mu Fei mention that name, a trace of sadness shed across her eyes. She rebuked softly, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡±

    Mu Fei shoved the letter in his hand to Mu Qing. ¡°Sister, you still don¡¯t know. Huangfu Chen has arrived at our Zhao Jia Ind. I just saw him with my own eyes. He still has the letter I gave him back then.¡±

    ¡°What does this have to do with me?¡± Mu Qing threw aside the letter in her hand and her face darkened. ¡°You are not allowed to look for him again.¡±

    What was the point of himing to Zhao Jia Ind now? It was not for her, but for Tianji¡¯s legs.

    Mu Fei said, ¡°I just wanted to teach him a lesson. It¡¯s fine if he left in bad faith, but he even had someone sneak attack our Zhao Jia Ind. Sister, do you know what he said? He actually said that I sent him to Spirit Snake Ind. When did I send him to Spirit Snake Ind¡ª¡±

    ¡°Why would he say that about you?¡± Mu Qing asked angrily, thinking that Huangfu Chen was deliberately trying to find an excuse to hide his ruthlessness.

    ¡°He said that it was in the letter¡ª¡± Mu Fei curled his lips. ¡°He must have written a letter to deceive me.¡±

    Mu Qing¡¯s face paled and she picked up the letter that she had thrown on the ground. Her fingers trembled slightly. She was very familiar with every word in the letter. It was her handwriting, but the content was unfamiliar. She had never written such a letter before.

    ¡°Is this letter really from Huangfu Chen?¡± Mu Qing asked in a trembling voice.

    Mu Fei nodded. ¡°Yeah, Sister, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Back then¡­ Did you personally give this letter to him?¡± Mu Qing didn¡¯t want to believe that this was the letter that Huangfu Chen had received. However, this letter did seem to have been written for some time. It didn¡¯t look like it had just been written. Moreover, there was a special seal on the letter that belonged to Zhao Jia Ind. Most importantly, the handwriting was too simr.

    Even she almost thought this was what she wrote.

    ¡°Yes, yes, Sister, are you alright?¡± Mu Fei asked in confusion.

    Mu Qing¡¯s face lost all color as she shook her head and put away the letter in her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone you gave me this letter.¡±

    ¡°Sister¡ª¡± Mu Fei looked at her worriedly.

    ¡°Mu Fei, why are you here again to cause trouble for your sister?¡± Mu Xue entered from the outside and immediately chastised Mu Fei when she noticed Mu Qing¡¯s unhappy expression.

    ¡°Second Sister!¡± Mu Fei shrunk his shoulders and quickly hid behind Mu Qing. ¡°You went out for a while. Why did you be even fiercer now that you have returned?¡±

    Mu Qing put the letter into her sleeve and looked at Mu Xue with a smile. ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you to take care of Tianji? Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Second Young Master doesn¡¯t want me to take care of him.¡± Mu Xue said aggrievedly, ¡°Sister, I originally wanted to stop that person froming. I couldn¡¯t do that¡ª¡±

    ¡°Is he here to heal Tianji¡¯s legs?¡± Mu Qing asked with a smile.

    Mu Xue wanted to say that the Second Young Master could walk, but when she thought of Zhao Tianji¡¯s warning, she had to say, ¡°It¡¯s Lu Yaoyao who is treating the Second Young Master. That¡¯s right¡­ That person¡¯s apprentice.¡±

    ¡°Big Sis, Lu Yaoyao looks even better than the Ind Lord¡¯s mother in our ancestral hall,¡± Mu Fei whispered.

    ¡°How can shepare with the Ind Lord¡¯s mother?¡± Mu Xue yelled, her face glum. ¡°Back then, our Ind Lord¡¯s mother was the most beautiful woman in the whole world.¡±

    Mu Qing¡¯s expression was a little stiff as she forced a smile. ¡°Is that girl really that good-looking?¡±

    ¡°No, she¡¯s not as good as my sister,¡± Mu Xue said.

    Mu Fei rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Sister, do you want¡­ Lu Yaoyao to treat you? It¡¯s been so many years, but the doctors on our ind haven¡¯t cured you.¡± Mu Xue didn¡¯t like Lu Yaoyao, but she reckoned that since the girl could cure the Second Young Master¡¯s legs, she should be able to cure her sister¡¯s illness, right?

    Mu Qing originally wanted to refuse, but for some reason, she suddenly was curious about this apprentice and wanted to take a look at her. ¡°What if she refuses?¡±

    ¡°Since they¡¯vee to our Zhao Jia Ind, is there still room for her to refuse?¡± Mu Xue snorted coldly.

 Chapter 521 â€“ Injured by An Arrow

    Chapter 521 ¨C Injured by An Arrow

    Ye Zhen did not expect that Mu Qing would want to see her instead of Huangfu Chen.

    ¡°Did you hear what I said? Come with me to see my sister now.¡± Mu Xue looked coldly at Ye Zhen, her tone was arrogant as if she was ordering her retainer.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Ye Zhen replied indifferently and leisurely sat on the soft chair, without any intention of moving.

    Mu Xue was enraged by her attitude. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Miss Mu, I heard that you are only a servant of the Zhao Family. Do the servants of Zhao Jia Ind treat their guests in such a condescending manner?¡± Ye Zhen asked with a faint smile.

    ¡°You¡­!¡± Mu Xue was furious.

    In Zhao Jia Ind, although she was not a young miss (not a nobledy by birth), because her sister was the Eldest Young Mistress and the Eldest Young Master doted on her, no one dared to treat her as a servant. Although she called Zhao Tianji young master, she did not think of herself as a maid anymore. Now Lu Yaoyao dared to call her that.

    Ye Zhen raised a curious eyebrow. ¡°Was I mistaken? Are you not, in fact, a maid? Perhaps you fancy yourself to be a young miss here on Zhao Jia Ind?¡±

    Mu Xue¡¯s expression became extremely ugly. Other than the Zhao family¡¯s two young masters, she had never lowered her head in front of others. However, Lu Yaoyao did not put her in his eyes. ¡°Even if I¡¯m just a maid, I¡¯m still better than you!¡±

    ¡°Miss Mu, are you joking? Saying that you¡¯re better than a princess, aren¡¯t you taking yourself a little too seriously? Even your Ind Lord doesn¡¯t dare to say that his maid is better than a princess!¡± Ye Zhenughed mockingly.

    Mu Xue¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Do you think you can be a princess here?¡±

    Ye Zhenzily nced at her. If she didn¡¯t really want to meet Mu Qing, she wouldn¡¯t want to waste her breath on Mu Xue. ¡°Alright, I don¡¯t want to waste my breath on you. Tell Eldest Young Mistress that I wille and see her.¡±

    ¡°Come with me now,¡± Mu Xue yelled incessantly.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s face darkened slightly. ¡°Mu Xue, I¡¯ve already tolerated you for a long time because of my master, don¡¯t push your luck.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to be patient. Do you really think you¡¯re a guest of Zhao Jia Ind? Do you really think you¡¯re a princess?¡± Mu Xue red daggers at Ye Zhen and suddenly pulled out Cang Ying*. ¡°I need to teach you a lesson, so you would know what you are.¡±

    (*short sword)

    Before Ye Zhen could stop her, Mu Xue had already attacked her.

    Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes turned frosty. She stood up quickly and took a few steps back. A cold glint flew from her sleeve towards Mu Xue¡¯s wrist, and the Cang Ying in her hand fell off.

    Mu Xue looked at Ye Zhen in shock. She could not believe that she had actually been injured by her.

    Ye Zhen picked up the short sword from the ground and said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ll keep this for you. When I see your sister, I¡¯ll return it to her.¡±

    ¡°Lu Yaoyao!¡± Mu Xue screamed. She could now clearly see what was it that had hurt her and hated Lu Yaoyao even more.

    Isn¡¯t she a princess? Why did she have such a sharp arrow on her? How could she hurt my wrist with such dexterity? Could it be that Lu Yaoyao knows archery?

    Ye Zhen looked at her and smiled faintly. ¡°Scram!¡±

    Mu Xue shouted, ¡°Just you wait. I won¡¯t let you off so easily!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you,¡± Ye Zhen smiled and said.

    Mu Xue covered the wound on her wrist and red at Ye Zhen resentfully before turning around and leaving.

    As she held Cang Ying, Ye Zhen¡¯s eyes turned a littleplicated. If the original owner of knew that this short sword was with her, would hee and ask for it?

    Since she could not see Ye Shi, she had to think of a way to force him toe out and find her!

    Right then, Huangfu Chen walked in from the outside. He had been ying chess with Zhao Tianji, but when he heard themotion, he immediately came over to take a look. Just as he walked out of the courtyard, Mu Xue ran out in a huff, it looked like her hand was injured.

    ¡°What happened to Mu Xue?¡± Huangfu Chen looked at Ye Zhen and asked.

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°She wanted me to go and see Mu Qing. I don¡¯t know where this girl¡¯s hostility towards me stems from, but after saying a few words, she was about to hurt me with the sword but was instead hurt on her wrist by my arrow.¡±

    Huangfu Chen was stunned for a moment and looked at her helplessly. ¡°You injured her and stole her Cang Ying?¡±

    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t, the owner of Cang Ying would most likely note to see me.¡± Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°Master, tomorrow I¡¯ll go and see Mu Qing. Since she wants to see me, she must know that there¡¯s a problem with that letter.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps¡­ I just want you to treat her,¡± Huangfu Chen said in a low voice, his beautiful peach blossom eyes filled with sadness.

    Ye Zhen was stunned. ¡°What disease is Mu Qing looking for me for?¡±

    Huangfu Chen sighed, ¡°I just heard Tianji mention that Mu Qing has never conceived, and¡­ her body is getting worse every day.¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to treat Mu Qing and have her give birth for Zhao Mingxiao?¡± Ye Zhen asked. She suspected that the misunderstanding back then had been caused by Zhao Mingxiao. How could she cure Mu Qing and have her give birth to his child? The woman was delusional!

    Huangfu Chen shook his head and said, ¡°I only came to Zhao Jia Ind to exin what happened back then. I didn¡¯t n to save anything. After all, I¡­ Things are different now. It¡¯s not good for her to be sick. Go and take a look.¡±

    Ye Zhen raised her eyes to look at Huangfu Chen¡¯s elegant and beautiful face and suddenly felt a little envious of Mu Qing. ¡°Master, you¡¯re so kind to Mu Qing.¡±

    ¡°You really don¡¯t n to return Cang Ying to Mu Xue?¡± Huangfu Chen asked helplessly.

    ¡°This short sword looks pretty good. I¡¯ll y with it for two days first,..¡± Ye Zhen smirked.

    Huangfu Chen walked to her side and motioned for her to sit down. ¡°Yaoyao, you followed me to Zhao Jia Ind this time to find¡­ Cang Yang¡¯s master, or was it to avoid Ah Zhan?¡±

    At the mention of Mo Rongzhan, the smile on Ye Zhen¡¯s face faded. ¡°Master, what does this have to do with him?¡±

    ¡°Does it matter if you hide on Zhao Jia Ind?¡± Huangfu Chen said softly, ¡°You just listened to Xu Ji¡¯s words and didn¡¯t believe Ah Zhan. No matter what he did, don¡¯t believe what you heard if you didn¡¯t see it with your own eyes, lest you let him go and others take advantage of him.¡±

    A bitter smile appeared on Ye Zhen¡¯s lips. The problem between her and Mo Rongzhan was not only because she didn¡¯t trust him, but also because she couldn¡¯t exin the secret.

    ¡°Master, let¡¯s go back after the matter with Zhao Jia Ind is over.¡±

    It was indeed time for her to settle everything. No matter what method she used, she wanted Lu Lingzhi to get retribution. Only after that man had beenpletely dealt with could she leave the capital.

    Huangfu Chen smiled and nodded. ¡°Okay!¡±

    Ye Zhen lowered her eyes to look at the short sword in her hand. It seemed that her expectations from before had fallen through. She still hoped that her father and brother would be on Zhao Jia Ind. Thinking about it¡­ It could be assumed that he passed away over here.

    ¡°Master, can we go out for a walk?¡± Ye Zhen asked.

    ¡°Talk to Tianji tomorrow, it should be possible,¡± Huangfu Chen whispered.

    Ye Zhen smiled. She was quite curious about Zhao Jia Ind. This ind was too much like a country. To be able to turn an ind into this, it was obvious that it had taken a lot of thought and effort.

 Chapter 522 â€“ Little Sister

    Chapter 522 ¨C Little Sister

    Mu Xue covered the wound on the wrist and was on her way to report to her sister Mu Qing when she met Zhao Mingxiao.

    ¡°Who hurt you?¡± Zhao Mingxiao frowned as he looked at her wrist. Everybody on the ind knew that she was his wife¡¯s sister. Who would dare to hurt her?

    Seeing her handsome and elegant brother-inw, Mu Xue¡¯s grievance exploded. ¡°Brother-inw, oooh, you have to help me out in this matter. Lu Yaoyao is too much of a bully. She even snatched away the Cang Ying that Ye Shi gave me!¡±

    A masked man standing behind Zhao Mingxiao asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Why would she want to steal your Cang Ying?¡±

    ¡°How would I know? Uncle Ye, can you help me get my Cang Ying back?¡± Mu Xue cried out.

    Zhao Mingxiao¡¯s tone turned cold. ¡°She stole your dagger, you should go and get it yourself.¡±

    ¡°Second Young Master alwayses to her aid,¡± Mu Xue said aggrievedly.

    ¡°Why would Tianji help her?¡± Zhao Mingxiao snorted coldly. ¡°Why were you looking for Lu Yaoyao?¡±

    Mu Xue looked at him hesitantly. She couldn¡¯t say that her sister wanted to see her else Eldest Young Master would definitely be furious. ¡°I wanted her to treat my sister.¡±

    Zhao Ming Xiao¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Why would you look for her to treat Mu Qing?¡±

    ¡°Brother-inw, I¡¯ve seen her medical skills. She was the one who cured the gue in Huaijiang City, and she is even more powerful than Huangfu Chen, so¡­ So I think she should be able to cure my sister,¡± Mu Xue said.

    Hearing the name that he didn¡¯t want to hear the most in his life, Zhao Mingxiao¡¯s eyes frosted over. ¡°I will naturally find a doctor to cure your sister¡¯s illness, I don¡¯t need outsiders to treat her.¡±

    Mu Xue wanted to say that Lu Yaoyao could even cure Second Young Master¡¯s legs, so how could she not cure her sister¡¯s illness, but because he had explicitly instructed her not to tell anyone that he could walk, she could only endure it. ¡°Brother-inw, my sister wants to be cured as soon as possible. She wants to have a baby for you.¡±

    Zhao Mingxiao¡¯s expression softened slightly. ¡°Lu Yaoyao isn¡¯t willing to treat your sister?¡±

    ¡°Hmph, she acts like she¡¯s a princess. She doesn¡¯t want to condescend to see my sister,¡± Mu Xue sneered.

    ¡°Did she really think she is an honored guest on Zhao Jia Ind?¡± Zhao Mingxiao roared. ¡°Go and tell Second Young Master and have him handle it.¡±

    Ye Shi, who was standing behind Zhao Mingxiao, said in a low voice, ¡°Let me go and seek her out briefly. I¡¯ll also help Mu Xue bring back Cang Ying.¡±

    Zhao Mingxiao considered for a while and looked back at him. ¡°Then go.¡±

    A glint of joy shed through Mu Xue¡¯s eyes. Ye Shi¡¯s martial arts skills were high and he was extremely good to her. She was certain he would teach Lu Yaoyao a lesson.

    ¡°Mu Xue, let me bandage your wound.¡± Ye Shi looked at her hand. He had heard that Lu Yaoyao was Lu Lingzhi¡¯s sister. And since the empress dowager was fond of her, she was bestowed the title of Princess. He wanted to see this woman. What kind of person could make Mo Rongzhan crown her Princess?

    ¡°Good.¡± Mu Xue smiled and nodded.

    Ye Shi sent someone to fetch medicine and a white cloth to bandage Mu Xue¡¯s wound. Zhao Mingxiao had already left. He had more important things to do. The person who he had thought would never appear again in this life had reappeared. He had to take care of some things.

    ?

    Mu Xue touched her bandaged hand and looked at the retreating figure of Ye Shi. She smiled proudly and turned to look for Mu Qing.

    Ye Shi had already gone to find Ye Zhen. Apart from taking revenge for Mu Xue, he also had to take back Cang Ying. Although Lu Yaoyao might not know who Ye Shi was, nor could she recognize the original owner of Cang Ying, he was still worried because her identity was extraordinary. If she took the dagger back to Jin Country, his identity would be exposed.

    Ye Zhen knew that Mu Xue would definitelye back to look for her to retrieve the dagger. After Huangfu Chen left, she toyed with the de in her hands. When she was young, she had yed with Cang Ying like this. This was the Ye family¡¯s short sword*, so she could tell with certainty whether it was real or fake.

    [*the word can mean dagger and short sword, so we¡¯re using it interchangeably]

    Was the Ye Shi on the ind really Ye Yisong?

    If the Ye Family had not been executed¡­ She didn¡¯t know what the situation was, but she had never liked her eldest uncle. He had done too many bad things.

    At this point, she suddenly thought of Mo Rongzhan. Her mind also wandered off to Ye Yaoyao, on whom he wasvishing attention. She felt her heart constrict, but she could not exactly say what she was feeling.

    How could he trust Lu Lingzhi so easily? Even if it¡¯s Ye Yaoyao¡­ But it isn¡¯t Yaoyao.

    Her identity and pseudonym could both be found in the lines of a famous poem.

    The peach tree is young and elegant; luxuriant are its leaves.

    Young girls were associated with peaches, ¡®Yaoyao¡¯ meant ¡®young and elegant¡¯, ¡®Ye¡¯ was the leaf, and ¡®Zhen¡¯ the luxuriance. Everything was there in the open. And yet he was so unwilling to ept¡­

    Why wouldn¡¯t he ept that it was Ye Zhen who had saved him?

    While she was immersed deep in thoughts, Ye Shi had arrived behind her. The first thing he noticed was the Cang Yang in her hands. Seeing how she was staring at it so intently, he felt that she could actually discern its origin. He narrowed his eyes and immediately took to the air, reaching out he snatched the dagger.

    Ye Zhen had recollected herself just as Ye Shi soared into the air. Even so, she was a beat too slow and only had time to shoot an arrow. The silver arrow simply grazed over his shoulder.

    By now, Ye Shi had already snatched Cang Yang away. He had originally nned to use it to hurt Lu Yaoyao to vent out for Mu Xue, but when he saw the little girl¡¯s face before him, he was stunned.

    ¡°Yaoyao?¡± Ye Shi eximed in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re not dead, why are you here?¡±

    Ye Zhen was equally shocked. She looked at this masked man and though she couldn¡¯t see his face, she could recognize his voice.

    Ye Chunming!

    He was not Ye Shi, he was her eldest cousin, Ye Yisong¡¯s son Ye Chunming.

    ¡°You¡­ Who are you? Why do you know me?¡±

    The words Eldest Brother* were at the tip of her tongue when she suddenly remembered that she was Lu Yaoyao, not Ye Zhen.

    [*Since it¡¯s a joint family, though YZ and YC are technically cousins, like Lu Lingzhi, he holds the title of the ¡°eldest son¡± of the family and as such is addressed as eldest brother and not eldest cousin. Just a heads up, YZ will be his little sister.]

    Ye Chunming took a few steps closer to her. ¡°Yaoyao, I¡¯m your eldest brother. How did you be Lu Yaoyao?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Yaoyao, I¡¯ve never seen you before. You¡¯re not my eldest brother. My eldest brother is Lu Lingzhi,¡± Ye Zhen said seriously.

    How is Ye Chunming still alive? How could he be on Zhao Jia Ind? She had too many questions in her heart, but now she could not ask them.

    Ye Chunming finally realized the difference in the woman in front of him. It was impossible for his little sister to still be alive. When he had escaped from the capital, he had personally witnessed the Qin Manor¡¯s fire. His little cousin was already dead.

    ¡°You¡¯re Lu Yaoyao?¡± The surprise in Ye Chunming¡¯s eyes gradually disappeared. If she is from the Lu family, why does she look exactly like Ye Zhen?

    Ye Zhen nodded lightly. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Did you live in the capital when you were young?¡± Ye Chunming asked again.

    Two people could look alike in this world, but they couldn¡¯t be so simr that they were practically the same.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve always lived in the border town. Who are you? How did you know I am called Yaoyao?¡± Ye Zhen pretended to be puzzled and asked.

    Ye Chunming dropped his voice to a whisper and asked, ¡°Are you really Lu Shiming¡¯s biological daughter?¡±

 Chapter 523: You Are From the Ye Family

    <h4>Chapter 523: You Are From the Ye Family</h4>

    Her eldest cousin had always been shrewd, just one look and he immediately suspected that she was not Lu Shiming''s blood.

    Ye Zhen frowned at him. "Who exactly are you? Why are you asking me such things?"

    "Answer me, are you Lu Shiming''s real daughter or not?" Ye Chunming asked in a stern voice, ring at Ye Zhen as he took another step closer.

    "What if I am, what if I am not? What does this have to do with you?" Ye Zhen retorted coldly. She wanted to know more than anything else why Ye Chunming was still alive, if he wasn''t dead, what about the other family members? Did he know the whereabouts of her father and brother?

    At first, Ye Chunming was still a bit uncertain, but the more he looked at this little girl, the more she resembled his little sister ¡ª whether it was the shape of her eyebrows, eyes, or other facial features, they were a spitting image of Ye Zhen.

    If Ye Zhen was dead, then Lu Yaoyao could only be the girl from the Ye family who had died in infancy, as his father had once mentioned. Because that girl died very young, almost no one knew that Ye Zhen had a younger sister, only, he did not expect her to be a member of the Lu family.

    "You don''t know about your birth, but I do. Because you look like my little sister, I am sure that you and Ye Zhen are twins. And you didn''t die prematurely back then, however, you disappeared," Ye Chunming said sharply, he nced back, not wanting anyone to know that he recognized Lu Yoyao.

    Ye Zhen looked at him and quirked her eyebrows. "You''re from the Ye family, hasn''t the Ye family been decimated? Howe you are still alive?"

    "I''ll talk to you about thister." Ye Chunming said in a low voice, "This is not the ce to talk, I''ll find youter."

    Ye Zhen was going to ask more questions, but Ye Chunming had already left with his head down.

    Eldest Brother actually didn''t die! This fat brought her not an iota of joy! After all, Ye Chunming was trained by her eldest uncle, she knew better than anyone what kind of person he was, and most importantly, he had not mentioned a word about her father just then.

    If he wants to gain my trust, if he knows the whereabouts of Father, he would definitely not conceal it. As such, this can only prove that Father and Second Brother are not on this ind. Then where exactly were they?

    Ye Zhen had expected to meet the people she yearned to see on Zhao Jia Ind, but instead, she had met Ye Chunming. She had a bad feeling about this.

    "Yaoyao, why are you standing there in a daze?" Huangfu Chen walked over and asked softly as he approached Ye Zhen who was standing motionless in the courtyard.

    Ye Zhen returned to her senses and looked up at Huangfu Chen who always carried himself with grace. She smiled faintly. ¡°Master, Ye Shi came looking for me just now."

    Huangfu Chen''s expression turned solemn. ¡°Who is he?"

    "It doesn''t sound like Ye Yisong, but more like a young man." Ye Zhen did not directly say that he was Ye Chunming. She had Lu Yaoyao''s identity now and was supposed not to have seen Ye Chunming in her life.

    "Did he hurt you?" Huangfu Chen asked.

    Ye Zhen shook her head lightly and looked at the torn sleeve. When Ye Chunming saw what she looked like, he had already quickly hidden the shadow. He didn''t really hurt her. ¡°No, I''m alright. I''m just wondering if he''s from the Ye family¡­ How could he possess Ye Yisong''s Cang Ying?"

    ¡°We''ll find out about this.¡± Huangfu Chenforted her softly.

    "Master, I want to ask Zhao Tianji what he knows about Ye Shi," Ye Zhen whispered.

    "Yeah, okay." Huangfu Chen nodded.

    Ye Zhen returned to the house and changed her clothes. Just as she was about to go out, she saw that there were two other women in the courtyard. One of them was Mu Xue, who had been injured by her not long ago. The other, who was about two years older, looked delicate and pretty. Her entire person exuded gentleness. She grabbed Mu Xue, who seemed reluctant, with one hand and whispered something.

    This woman must be Mu Qing! Ye Zhen walked out of the room and carefully examined Mu Qing. It turned out that she was Huangfu Chen''s beloved. As expected, she was verypatible with her master.

    "Sister, I said it had nothing to do with me¡­" Mu Xue called out unwillingly. Had she known earlier, she wouldn''t have told her sister that Ye Shi was looking for Lu Yaoyao. She(MQ) actually wanted to find her and apologize.

    Mu Qing lectured her in a low voice, ¡°If you weren''t lying to Ye Shi, would he have been deceived by you?"

    "Sister!" Mu Xue stomped her foot and turned her head only to see Ye Zhen. When she saw that her body was as intact as before, without any injuries, her face immediately sank. ¡°B*tch, give me back my Cang Ying!"

    Ye Zhen looked at her with a ghost of a smile. ¡°Who is the b*tch scolding?"

    "Of course, I''m scolding you." Mu Xue shouted. She only realized btedly that something was not right. After thinking about it carefully, her face turned red from anger.

    "Oh, I can tell you like to scold yourself," Ye Zhen smiled and taunted.

    "You¡­!" Mu Xue was furious, itching to rush up and kill Ye Zhen.

    Mu Qing had been secretly sizing up Ye Zhen. When she saw this little girl for the first time, she waspletely stunned. Although she had heard her younger brother say that his apprentice was a very beautiful little girl, she did not expect Lu Yaoyao to look at her like this. This was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. She was truly a beauty that could topple cities and countries.

    Huangfu Chen probably didn''t remember what she looked like with such a beauty by his side now, did he?

    "Mu Xue, don''t be rude. Miss Lu is a guest of our Zhao Jia Ind," Mu Qing quietly rebuked.

    Ye Zhen smiled at Mu Qing. ¡°Sister Mu, are you looking for me?"

    "My sister is the eldest madam of Zhao Jia Ind, who the hell are you calling sister?" Mu Xue shouted.

    "Ah Xue!" Mu Qing shouted at her.

    Mu Xue pouted and unwillingly stood behind Mu Qing.

    "Miss Lu, I''m sorry. Ah Xue has been spoiled by me." Mu Qing looked apologetically at Ye Zhen.

    Ye Zhen smiled faintly. ¡°It''s fine. I won''t argue with a little girl."

    Mu Xue rolled her eyes at Ye Zhen. I am a little girl? Like I am Lu Yaoyao, harumph.

    Mu Qing smiled and looked at Ye Zhen hesitantly. ¡°Miss Lu, did someonee looking for you just now?"

    "Is Sister Mu talking about a man wearing a mask?" Ye Zhen asked.

    "He came to find you? Did he hurt you?" Mu Qing hurriedly asked.

    It seemed that Ye Shi hade to look for her because of Mu Xue. If she didn''t look like Ye Zhen, Ye Shi would definitely not let her off. ¡°He stole the Cang Ying and said a bunch of strange words. He didn''t hurt me."

    Mu Qing sighed with relief. Thank goodness that no one had gotten hurt! "My apologies, Miss Lu. Ah Xue is a bit spoiled. She likes Cang Ying too much for her to let it go so easily ¨C that''s why she went to look for Ye Shi."

    Ye Zhen smiled. ¡°Sister Mu, I already said I won''t argue with her. I heard you wanted to see me?"

    "I guess so¡­" Mu Qing looked a little embarrassed. She nced at the tightly shut door behind Ye Zhen. "I''ll have someonee back tomorrow for Miss Lu, then."

    It seemed like she didn''t want anyone to see her here.

    ???

 Chapter 524: Finally Met

    <h4>Chapter 524: Finally Met</h4>

    Ye Zhen knew that Mu Qing wasn''t unwilling to see Huangfu Chen, but it was just that she didn''t know how to face him. They had separated because of a misunderstanding. Now that she was married to Zhao Mingxiao, she hadn''t found out what had happened back then. When she sees Huangfu Chen, she wouldn¡¯t know what to say.

    She (YZ) wondered why Huangfu Chen didn''t move at all. He was clearly in the house, so it was impossible for him not to have heard Mu Qing''s voice.

    Just as they were contemting, the door creaked open and Huangfu Chen¡¯s graceful figure appeared in their sight.

    Mu Qing was slightly startled and looked up. The elegant and handsome man from her memory did not seem to have changed much. It was just that there was an extra calmness around his eyes. He was silently looking at her, bringing back the past to life.

    Ye Zhen''s eyes lit up. "Master, so you''re inside."

    "Eldest Sister, let''s go back." When Mu Xue saw Huangfu Chen, she immediately pulled Mu Qing to leave.

    Mu Qing nced at her sister, torn between leaving and staying.

    "Wait a little longer," Mu Qing whispered to her sister. She had brought Mu Xue to apologize to Lu Yaoyao this time because she was hoping to see Huangfu Chen.

    Coincidentally, she also wanted to know what had happened back then.

    Ye Zhen went over and grabbed Mu Xue''s hand. ¡°Don''t you need to see your Second Young Master right now? I''m going to find him,e with me."

    ¡°I''m not going!" Mu Xue shouted.

    "Maybe your Second Young Master is looking for you." Ye Zhen dragged Mu Xue away.

    Huangfu Chen and Mu Qing were now the only ones left in the courtyard. For a while, no one broke the silence. They were speechless, for neither knew what to say.

    "Let¡¯s sit down in the pavilion and talk," Huangfu Chen whispered in the end.

    Mu Qing nodded and followed Huangfu Chen to the pavilion. She lowered her head slightly. After so many years, she thought that she would never see him again. She did not expect him to be in front of her now.

    "The letter that year¡­"

    The two of them had just sat down in the pavilion when they spoke in unison.

    Huangfu Chen looked at Mu Qing and smiled warmly. ¡°Go ahead."

    The awkwardness between the two of them instantly disappeared because of the tacit understanding.

    Mu Qing smiled faintly. ¡°Xiao Fei has already given me the letter. It''s my handwriting, but I didn''t write it."

    "I know." Huangfu Chen looked at her gently. ¡°I went to Spirit Snake Ind and then knew that you didn''t write that letter."

    Mu Qing looked up in surprise. ¡°Did you go to Spirit Snake Ind?"

    Huangfu Chen nodded his head gently and told her that he had been seriously injured when he went to Spirit Snake Ind and then came back to look for her. However, he couldn''t find her. He thought that she had left Zhao Jia Ind, so he went to look for her everywhere. And because he was badly injured and hidden in Niujia Vige, he didn''t know that she had married Zhao Mingxiao for many years.

    ¡°¡­I went to look for you." Mu Qing murmured, ¡°I didn''t believe that you would let someone sneak attack Zhao Jia Ind. That''s why I left the ind to find you. I couldn''t find you, so I returned here."

    So, they had missed each other.

    Huangfu Chen didn''t know what to say, but he couldn''t help but look at her with grief. ¡°Have you been well these past few years?"

    "I''m fine," Mu Qing said. Aside from not growing old with her beloved, there was nothing wrong with her.

    ¡°¡­That''s good." Huangfu Chen whispered. Although she was already someone else¡¯s wife, as long as she lived well, he had no regrets.

    Hearing the bitterness in Huangfu Chen''s words, Mu Qing''s eyes suddenly turned sour. If it hadn''t been for that letter, they wouldn''t have separated.

    "That letter¡­" Mu Qing spoke with a choked voice. She quickly stopped and calmed down before continuing, ¡°I don''t know who wrote it. It can''t be Xiao Fei. It''s impossible for him to copy my handwriting."

    "I know." Huangfu Chen nodded.

    He probably knew who wrote it, but there was no evidence. Even if he proved that <i>that</i> person wrote it, it would probably be useless.

    Mu Qing smiled at Huangfu Chen and stopped talking about the past. ¡°You didn¡¯t ept apprentices in the past? Why is there a little apprentice this time? That little girl looks like a beautiful flower."

    "People always change." Huangfu Chen said, ¡°Besides, Yaoyao is a very talented person. If you were with her, you would like her too."

    <i>Does that mean that he also likes Lu Yaoyao?</i> Mu Qing smiled bitterly in her heart. "I should head back."

    Huangfu Chen stood up and looked at her. ¡°Mu Qing, I heard Mu Xue say that you''re not well¡­"

    Mu Qing interrupted Huangfu Chen expressionlessly, ¡°I''m fine, don''t worry."

    "Yaoyao''s medical skills are superb. Let her treat you." Huangfu Chen sighed.

    "I know." Mu Qing probably knew that her tone wasn''t good, so she took a moment before answering in a low voice. She didn''t want Huangfu Chen to know that she couldn''t have children, and she didn''t want him to know that she wanted to be treated because of Zhao Mingxiao.

    Huangfu Chen could not say anything else, so he could only allow her to go. They looked at each other, not knowing what else to say.

    "Farewell." Mu Qing lowered her head and walked out.

    On the other side of the courtyard, after Ye Zhen had dragged Mu Xue over to Zhao Tianji, she no longer cared about her. Zhao Tianji knew that Mu Qing was talking to Huangfu Chen, so he signaled Liang Yin to keep an eye on Mu Xue.

    Mu Xue stomped her feet in anger. ¡°Second Young Master, how could you do this?"

    Zhao Tianji nced at her indifferently. ¡°Is there anything I can''t do?"

    Ye Zhen smiled from the side and looked at Zhao Tianji who was walking slowly. ¡°You''re walking better and better."

    In fact, Zhao Tianji could already walk faster. However, he had been in a wheelchair for too long that he felt it was very precious to take a step by himself, so he would rather walk slowly.

    "Do you want to ask me for medical fees again?" He looked at Ye Zhen and assumed that she wanted to ask him for medical fees.

    Ye Zhen walked to his side and said with a smile, ¡°I don''t miss that bit of consultation money. Ind Lord Zhao, I have something I want to ask you about."

    Zhao Tianji squinted at her with suspicion and said, ¡°I''ll rather give you a consultation fee. It''s probably not a good thing to see you like this."

    "Oh, forget it. You continue with your walking." Ye Zhen raised her eyebrows and turned to leave.

    "Wait, I have something to ask you too." Zhao Tianji stopped her. ¡°Now that I can walk freely, when can I use my internal strength again?"

    He was a martial artist, so not using his internal strength was like a drunkard who couldn''t drink. He felt very unhappy.

    Zhao Tianji was not allowed to use his internal strength because his meridians had been blocked. Now that they had been cleared by acupuncture and moxibustion, as long as he did not cultivate the internal strength of the Zhao Jia family, there would be no problem.

    "Other than your family¡¯s internal strength, anything else is all right¡­," Ye Zhen said. ¡°Have you seen Ye Shi before?"

    ???

 Chapter 525: Asking Around

    <h4>Chapter 525: Asking Around</h4>

    When Ye Shi was mentioned, Mu Xue looked up. Her eyes were alert as she looked at Ye Zhen.

    Zhao Tianji frowned and asked, ¡°I didn''t meet Ye Shi before I left Zhao Jia Ind. I only heard of him recently, but I am yet to meet him. What''s wrong? Do you know him too?"

    "I don''t know him. I''m just curious," Ye Zhen said. It seemed that Ye Chunming had arrived at Zhao Jia Ind after the Ye family had met with an ident. However, how could Zhao Mingxiao have taken him in? If he hadn''t known him before, he wouldn''t have saved him.

    What she was most curious about was how Ye Chunming had managed to escape from the capital. Mo Rongzhan had sent someone to save her father and brother, but there was no way he would have allowed Ye Chunming to go scot-free. Did Ye Chunming escape by himself, or did someone save him?

    Ye Zhen had too many things she wanted to know, but she couldn''t let Ye Chunming know that she was aware of her origins. Even more importantly, she couldn''t let him find out that she was Ye Zhen, so there was no way she could directly ask Ye Chunming these questions.

    Mu Xue red daggers at Ye Zhen. ¡°What are you ying at again? That''s right. Ye Shi came to you today because of me. Don''t you dare say anything wrong about him to the Ind Lord!"

    "I haven''t said a word yet." Ye Zhen nced indifferently at Mu Xue.

    Zhao Tianji looked at Mu Xue unhappily and turned to Ye Zhen. ¡°Why was Ye Shi looking for you?"

    "To take back the dagger." Ye Zhen said calmly, ¡°I just think he looks a little strange. Why does he wear a mask?"

    "A mask?" Zhao Tianji looked at Mu Xue in confusion. Although he had heard of Ye Shi, he was not familiar with him. He only knew that he was his elder brother''s advisor. He knew nothing about his background and other aspects.

    Mu Xue pursed her lips as if she was unwilling to talk about Ye Shi with Zhao Tianji in front of Ye Zhen.

    Zhao Tianji''s face darkened slightly. As the master of the ind, his pride was in full view.

    Mu Xue''s face unconsciously sank. ¡°Second Young Master, I don''t know anything. First Young Master brought him back a year ago. At that time, his entire body was injured and his face disfigured¡ª"

    Ye Zhen was stunned. ¡°How did his face get hurt?"

    "How would I know?" Mu Xue red at Ye Zhen. ¡°In any case, his face is covered in scars. That''s all I know."

    "Do you know his original name?" Ye Zhen probed. <i>Why did Zhao Mingxiao save Ye Chunming? Do they know each other from before?</i> In the past, when she was with the Ye family, she had never heard that her eldest brother knew such a person.

    Mu Xue said unhappily, ¡°Ye Shi is Ye Shi. What other name is there?"

    It seemed that Mu Xue did not know anything. Ye Zhen felt that she had hit upon an impasse, she could ask no further.

    Zhao Tianji raised his eyebrows and nced at Ye Zhen. ¡°You seem to be particrly interested in Ye Shi."

    "If you were attacked by someone wearing a mask, I think you would be very interested too.¡± Ye Zhen said indifferently, ¡°By the way, Ind Lord Zhao, can I take a look at the other ces on the ind?"

    "Where do you want to go?" Zhao Tianji asked.

    Ye Zhen smiled and said, ¡°Let''s go outside for a walk. We can''te to your Zhao Jia Ind and stay indoors."

    "Liang Yin will take you out in two days'' time.¡± Zhao Tianji considered the matter and agreed to let Ye Zhen leave the Zhao Jia mansion and go outside.

    "Second Young Master, Eldest Young Master told me not to let her and Huangfu Chen leave this ce." Mu Xue red hatefully at Ye Zhen. She did not understand why Second Young Master was so good to this woman. Could it be because she was good-looking?

    ¡°Miss Lu is a guest of Zhao Jia Ind," Zhao Tianji said nonchntly.

    Mu Xue stomped her feet. ¡°Second Young Master, Huangfu Chen once ambushed our Zhao Jia Ind. Lu Yaoyao is his apprentice. If the people on the ind find out, they will definitely not let her go."

    "You just reminded me that I need to meet all the elders tomorrow," Zhao Tianji said coldly.

    ?

    Huangfu Chen and Mu Qing had just walked out of the courtyard when they saw Zhao Mingxiao walking over from afar. He probably didn''t expect to see Mu Qing here. His face suddenly turned cold and his eyes were filled with intense anger.

    "Xiaoxiao?" Mu Qing was stunned for a moment. She quickly turned to look at Huangfu Chen and said to Zhao Mingxiao, ¡°Why are you here?"

    "I came to look for you." Zhao Mingxiao''s voice turned cold. ¡°I have something to say to him."

    Mu Qing walked to Zhao Mingxiao''s side and exined in a low voice, ¡°I brought Mu Xue over to apologize for offending Miss Lu."

    Zhao Ming Xiao lowered his eyes and looked at her. ¡°Mu Xue didn''t do anything wrong. There''s no need to apologize. Your health isn''t good, to begin with, go back and rest first. I''ll see youter."

    "Then I''ll go back," Mu Qing whispered, not daring to look back at Huangfu Chen.

    Huangfu Chen watched her retreating back silently, all the way till she disappeared. Then, the warmth in his eyes was reced by coldness. He shifted his focus to Zhao Mingxiao, eyeing him indifferently. ¡°Why is Young Master Zhao looking for me?"

    "You should know that no one on Zhao Jia Ind likes you," Zhao Mingxiao looked at Huangfu Chen and said coldly.

    "I think Young Master Zhao knows very well why they have misunderstood me." Huangfu Chen nced at Zhao Mingxiao. There are many things that don''t need to be looked into to figure out why they are the way they are. He had seen Zhao Mingxiao when he came back from Spirit Snake Ind, but Zhao Mingxiao had only said that Mu Qing had left at that time and did not mention the letter appearing in his room. Whereafter, add to it the fact that Zhao Jia Ind was ambushed, everything was too coincidental and strange.

    Zhao Mingxiao sneered, ¡°I don''t understand what you mean. Back then, I said that Mu Qing had already left Zhao Jia Ind, but you still tried to sneak attack us with hatred in your heart. Huangfu Chen, do you think there is anyone who would believe you?"

    "You think my Huangfu family really wants to ambush Zhao Jia Ind, can you still stand here and speak? Zhao Ming Xiao, aren''t you underestimating the Huangfu family?" Huangfu Chen said in a low voice. ¡°If you don''t believe me, you can give it a try. Back then, the entire Zhao Jia Ind had been imprisoned by the Huangfu family, and I''m sure you won''t want to see that happen again."

    "Do you think you can threaten me like this?" Zhao Ming Xiao''s eyes darkened.

    Huangfu Chen said calmly, ¡°I''m not threatening you. I''m warning you not to do the same thing again. You can''t seed every time."

    A faint smile appeared on Zhao Ming Xiao''s handsome face. ¡°There''s no need for me to say anything more. You still can''t stay on Zhao Jia Ind."

    "Looks like you still don''t understand." Huangfu Chen smiled faintly and looked quite elegant. ¡°Anyone from my Huangfu family can enter and leave this ind freely."

    The first owner of Zhao Jia ind was called Zhao Zhao. Going by the genealogical tree, Zhao Zhao was his great-grandmother.

    Zhao Mingxiao looked at Huangfu Chen coldly. ¡°What''s your goal behinding to Zhao Jia Ind?"

    ???

    <strong>FreeWebNovel</strong>

    <i>Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much.</i>

 Chapter 526: Venting Anger

    <h4>Chapter 526: Venting Anger</h4>

    Huangfu Chen looked at Zhao Mingxiao coldly. He had a hundred reasons to kill this man in front of him, but there was only one reason why he would not do anything. This man was already Mu Qing''s husband. If he killed Zhao Mingxiao, Mu Qing would probably be very sad.

    "There''s no purpose," Huangfu Chen said and as Zhao Mingxiao was about to say more, he had already turned around. "A person''s mask cannotst forever. I hope you don''t have a day of betrayal," he concluded.

    Zhao Mingxiao narrowed his eyes and looked at Huangfu Chen''s tall figure. Killing intent shed through his eyes, but he quickly suppressed his emotions.

    He returned to his room and saw Mu Qing standing by the window, looking at him anxiously.

    "Why are you standing by the window? Come and sit down?" Zhao Ming Xiao concealed the coldness in his eyes and looked at her with a gentle smile.

    Mu Qing walked up to him and poured him a cup of tea from the teapot on the table. ¡°I was waiting for you."

    "I''ve been a little busy these few days. You don''t have to wait up for me at night," Zhao Mingxiao whispered and took the teacup from Mu Qing''s hand. ¡°I''ve asked Ye Shi to find a doctor for you. You don''t have to worry about having a baby."

    "Xiaoxiao, why don''t you¡­" Mu Qing bit her lip and hesitated for a moment before continuing, ¡°Why don''t you take a few more concubines? I''m afraid I can''t pass on the lineage for you."

    A gloomy expression shed across Zhao Mingxiao''s face. "Do you want me to take a concubine?"

    "I haven''t given birth to a son or a daughter for you in all these years. Even if you don''t mind, the old ind master would not be happy. He definitely hoped that by now you should have children." Mu Qing said and lowered her head.

    "Father left Zhao Jia Ind long ago. No one knows where he went. If he cared about me having children earlier, he wouldn''t have left ten years ago." Zhao Mingxiao''s tone indicated he was disappointed and dissatisfied with his father.

    Mu Qing knew that Zhao Mingxiao didn''t like the old ind master because he thought that the old ind master was biased towards Zhao Tianji. He didn''t pass the title of ind master to him, but to his younger brother. She sighed in her heart. ¡°But what if I never have children?"

    Zhao Mingxiao waved his hand away. ¡°You never cared about this before. Is it because of Huangfu Chen?"

    "What does this have to do with Huangfu Chen?" Mu Qing looked up at Zhao Mingxiao in surprise, not understanding why he suddenly mentioned Huangfu Chen.

    "You don''t need to persuade me to take a concubine. Even if you don''t have anything to do, I won''t divorce you. In this lifetime, you can only be my wife," Zhao Mingxiao said coldly.

    Mu Qing''s face turned pale. She opened her mouth and said after a while, ¡°I''ve never thought about this¡­ Since I''m already married to you, why would I think about other men?"

    "Then don''t go to see Huangfu Chen. I don''t like you going to see him," Zhao Ming Xiao said in a low voice.

    "I understand." Mu Qing forced a smile.

    She had never thought that she would see Huangfu Chen again. The moment she married Zhao Mingxiao, she didn''t think about anything else. Now that the misunderstanding between her and Huangfu Chen had been exined clearly, the knot in her heart had been untied. She only wanted to be together with her husband in the future, but she didn''t expect him to misunderstand.

    Zhao Mingxiao looked at her depressed expression and thought that she was still thinking about Huangfu Chen. Thinking of what Huangfu Chen had just threatened him with, he felt a surge of anger in his heart. He reached out to hug Mu Qing and forcefully kissed her. Ignoring her wishes, he pressed her against the soft couch by the window and took her forcefully, venting all his anger on Mu Qing.

    Mu Qing struggled to resist and could only endure the difort and humiliation. She did not even dare to cry.

    ?

    Ever since Zhao Tianji couldn''t walk, Zhao Mingxiao had been in charge of all the affairs on Zhao Jia Ind. Zhao Jia Ind was divided into eight areas, each with an elder in charge. Every month, these eight elders had to meet with the Ind Lord once.

    Zhao Tianji hadn''t seen those eight elders for many years. He had thought that the Ind Lord''s words would still get everyone on the ind toply, but it seemed that some things were different.

    "Liang Yin, are you sure you told all the elders that you wanted them toe and see me today?" Zhao Tianji calmly asked Liang Yin, looking at the empty hall with an indescribably cold tone.

    "Ind Lord, this subordinate has already passed your orders to all the elders," Liang Yin spoke in a low voice, but he felt angry in his heart. <i>What was going on with those elders? They actually didn''te to see the Ind Lord. They simply</i><i>didn''t take the Ind Lord seriously.</i>

    Zhao Tianji sneered, ¡°It seems that in just a few years, Zhao Jia Ind has really grown a lot."

    "Ind Lord, this subordinate will look for them." Liang Yin said.

    "There''s no need. They won''te," Zhao Tianji said indifferently. "This ind is no longer the former Zhao Jia ind. They won''t listen to me."

    Liang Yin said in surprise, ¡°You''re the Ind Lord, how dare they not listen to you?"

    Zhao Tianji looked indifferently at the direction outside the hall. ¡°In their hearts, I''m probably no longer the Ind Lord."

    "Ind Lord¡­" Liang Yin''s heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly turned to look. A handsome and tall figure was slowly walking over. It was Zhao Mingxiao. ¡°It''s the eldest young master."

    "Yes," Zhao Tianji replied indifferently and looked at Zhao Mingxiao coldly.

    Zhao Mingxiao slowly walked into the hall and looked at Zhao Tianji with a smile. ¡°Ah Ji, I heard that you want to meet a few elders. It just so happens that there''s something very important today. None of them are on the ind."

    "Brother, is there anything of great importance that I shouldn''t know?" Zhao Tianji looked coldly at Zhao Mingxiao. The eight elders had other important matters to attend to. Could it be that his return as the Ind Lord was not an important affair?

    "Ah Ji, the current Zhao Jia Ind is no longer the same as before. Do you see, we are like a country here¡­" Zhao Mingxiao said with a smile.

    But he was interrupted before he could finish his sentence.

    "Could it be that Eldest Brother wants to turn the Zhao Jia Ind into the State of Zhao?" Zhao Tianji smiled coldly and interrupted. "The weapon you created earlier is not what you said it is. It''s to give Zhao Jia Ind weapons that can withstand foreign enemies."

    Zhao Mingxiao said in a low voice, ¡°Every country has its own weapons and armies. For the sake of Zhao Jia Ind, for the sake of our ancestors'' teachings, we will turn Zhao Jia Ind into the State of Zhao."

    "And then?" Zhao Tianji asked indifferently, ¡°Eldest brother, who would be the emperor between us after bing the State of Zhao?"

    "Ah Ji, you''ve been away from Zhao Jia Ind all these years. You like to be free and unrestrained, you''re not suitable to be the ruler of a country," Zhao Mingxiao said.

    Zhao Tianji smiled faintly. "That''s why my eldest brother''s status on the ind is more important than mine."

    "If I hadn''t been weak since I was a child, I wouldn''t have allowed you to rece me as Ind Lord. Now that your legs are inconvenient, I''ll handle everything on this ind in the future." Zhao Mingxiao patted Zhao Tianji''s shoulder. Despite his mild tone, there was an undeniable domineering undertone.

    Zhao Tianji shook his head and chuckled. ¡°Eldest Brother, are the Eight Elders still the original people?"

    Zhao Mingxiao''s face darkened."Ah Ji, what are you trying to say?"

    "Let me see the Eight Elders first. If they are willing to listen to you and think that you are the Ind Lord, then I would not interfere in the matters of this ind in the future." Zhao Tianji smiled faintly.

    ???

 Chapter 527: Still Couldnt Find Her

    <h4>Chapter 527: Still Couldn''t Find Her</h4>

    He could not find Yaoyao!

    Mo Rongzhan was holding the secret report that Shen Yi had sent back. His mood was even heavier than before. He had never ever regretted like this. He should not have agreed to let the little girl go to Huaijiang City that day in Gujia Vige. Instead, he should have brought her directly to the capital and immediately married her into the pce. Regardless of whether she was willing or not, he would have still been able to see her every day.

    <i>Where exactly did she go?</i>

    "Your Majesty, Consort Xu Xian is outside asking for an audience," Eunuch Fu walked in, bowed, and whispered to Mo Rongzhan.

    "Tell her to go back," Mo Rongzhan said coldly. Even if he didn''t see Xu Huiru, he knew exactly why she hade. "I haven''t abolished her concubine position yet, and she is this desperate."

    He had sent Tang Zhen to investigate the Governor-general of Huainan for the embezzlement of disaster funds and medicinal materials. The Governor-general of Huainan had turned out to be Ye Yisong''s man. Not only did he lie about the disaster every year but also hoarded all the money and medicinal herbs that the Imperial Courtyard sent to Huaijiang City for himself. The money had been found, but the medicinal herbs were nowhere to be found. Over the years, the medicinal herbs that the Imperial Courtyard sent to Huainan were worth a lot of money, but who could transport these herbs without anyone knowing?

    It was believed that no medicinal merchant in Jin Country would dare to do such a thing.

    Now, many officials in Huainan had been arrested, and even Xu Ji had been imprisoned. Unlike the Governor-general of Huainan, Xu Ji was impolite to the Princess and was imprisoned for plotting to murder her. Prime Minister Xu had not dared to plead for mercy.

    Eunuch Fu quietly agreed and bowed his head to leave. He had been very careful in front of the emperor these past few days, afraid that he would make him unhappy if he said anything wrong. Ever since the news of the princess'' disappearance arrived, he had never seen the emperor smile. Even Ye Yaoyao, who thought she would rece the princess as the emperor''s new favorite, had already been sent out of the pce.

    s, it was really an eventful time. <i>Princess, where exactly are you? Please return quickly.</i>

    Xu Huiru was standing outside the imperial study, she heard the emperor¡¯s curt refusal to see her first-hand. She immediately got down to her knees and dered that if the emperor refused to see her, she would not get up.

    Tang Zhen had just walked right behind her when he heard Xu Huiru''s words, he slowed down.

    "It''s you!" Xu Huiru immediately stood up when she saw Tang Zhen. ¡°Tang Zhen, you caught my brother and used him of hurting Lu Yaoyao, right?"

    "Xu Xianfei, this marquis doesn''t have the ability to casually nder a person. On the other hand, Xu Xianfei''s older brother is more capable. He can easily order the princess to be burned to death," Tang Zhen said coldly.

    If it wasn''t for Prime Minister Xu protecting him, he would have killed Xu Ji long ago. The emperor had spared Xu Ji''s life because of him. Xu Huiru thought she could plead for him. If it weren''t for her, how would Xu Ji even know about Ye Yaoyao?

    Xu Huiru now hated Ye Zhen to the bone. <i>(This bitch) Not only did she survive, but even implicated my eldest brother (in this problem). It¡¯d be best if she (this bitch) died outside, otherwise, my Xu family would definitely settle all of the ounts with this bitch when she returns to the capital.</i>

    She wouldn¡¯t let the matter slide, she looked squarely at the man before her, and boldly said, "My older brother is not such a person. Tang Zhen, the reason why you ndered Xu Ji was obviously because you have a secret crush on the princess¡ª"

    Seeing how Xu Huiru had deliberately amplified her voice, Tang Zhen only smiled disdainfully. He didn''t want to say anything more to her, someone who was already unable to protect herself. He simply turned around and entered the imperial study.

    Eunuch Fu looked at Xu Huiru and shook his head. ¡°Your Highness, you should go back."

    Xu Huiru red hatefully at the retreating figure. As long as she was able to win the Emperor''s favor again in the future, Tang Zhen would pay the price.

    Although Mo Rongzhan had heard the conversation outside, he did not take it to heart. Xu Huiru''s words were not worth his attention. He nced at Tang Zhen and said, ¡°Did you find out where the medicinal herbs went?"

    "Replying to the emperor, Her Highness the Princess had mentioned Jinkou City before, so this minister began to investigate in Jinkou City. The medicinal herbs sent by the Imperial Courtyard to Huaijiang City are probably being transported overseas since a few years ago," Tang Zhen said.

    "Overseas?" Mo Rongzhan''s eyes darkened. ¡°Is it rted to Zhao Tianji?"

    A few days ago, Mo Rongzhan had asked about Zhao Tianji''s identity from the people brought back from the private mine. He was just the master of a small ind. Why did he have to build so many weapons? If the herbs were sold to Zhao Jia Ind, he would have to question Zhao Tianji''s real purpose.

    Tang Zhen whispered, ¡°I''m not sure, but¡­Some people discovered that Zhao Tianji appeared in Huaijiang City."

    Mo Rongzhan suddenly raised his head. ¡°Zhao Tianji went to Huaijiang City?"

    "Yes." Tang Zhen said, ¡°Your Majesty, could Zhao Tianji have taken the princess to Zhao Jia Ind?"

    "I will have someone look for him," Mo Rongzhan said coldly. <i>If Zhao Tianji really took Yaoyao to Zhao Ind, then I will raze that ind to the ground and make him pay the price.</i>

    Tang Zhen wanted to personally go to Zhao Jia Ind, but the emperor had not given his orders, so he dared not ask.

    "Lu Lingzhi isn''t back yet?" Mo Rongzhan suddenly asked.

    More than a month ago, Lu Lingzhi had left the capital to treat his illness. There had been no news so far. He had heard that he had been to Huaijiang City, but he had disappeared after that. He did not know if he was able to find the antidote to his remnant poison.

    Tang Zhen frowned slightly. ¡°Your Majesty, I only went to the Lu family yesterday to inquire. The Lu family has no news of the Marquis of Anyang."

    Mo Rongzhan nodded slightly. ¡°The new emperor of East Qing has ascended the throne and will not be able to fight Jin in two years. What do you think of Biancheng''s current situation?"

    A few months ago, the war between the Jin Empire and the East Qing Kingdom was on the verge of breaking out. But then, no one expected that the Crown Prince of East Qing Kingdom, who had been suppressed for many years, would suddenly rise. Not only did he regain the trust of the Emperor of East Qing, but also pulled down Imperial Concubine Wan, who had been favored by the emperor for many years. Whereafter, Wan struck back with herst force and incited her son to usurp the throne. However, instead of sess, they were caught by the Crown Prince. In the end, the Imperial Concubine Wan and her son died from the crime of treason, and the crippled Crown Prince who had been almost dethroned, ascended to the throne.

    This matter shocked the entire world. No matter who it was, none could remember any remarkable ability that the stupid Crown Prince possessed. It was said that he had a strategist who was smarter than Zhuge Liang*. Otherwise, he would not have defeated Imperial Concubine Wan and her son so quickly.

    [* Zhuge Liang is a renowned strategist in historical China. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuge_Liang]

    "I believe that it is the best for us to be on good terms with the East Qing Kingdom," Tang Zhen nced at Mo Rongzhan and said.

    Now that the East Qing Kingdom did not have the strength to start a war with the Jin Empire, could the Jin Empire take down them (EQ) in one fell swoop? They might as well develop a good rtionship with each other and allow their troops to recuperate, so as not to give the other two* a chance to take advantage of it.

    [ *we don¡¯t know what the author means by two, is it MRZ¡¯s kingdom and East Qing or some other two countries entirely.]

    Mo Rongzhan nodded slightly. ¡°The Emperor of East Qing has sent a letter of peace. If I agree that the two countries won''t fight for ten years, they will send envoys."

    "What does the emperor mean¡­" Tang Zhen looked up at Mo Rongzhan.

    "I agree," Mo Rongzhan said calmly. He did have the ambition to conquer the world, but he knew better than anyone this was not the time.

    ???

 Chapter 528: Claiming Country And Throne

    <h4>Chapter 528: iming Country And Throne</h4>

    Zhao Tianji finally saw the eight elders on Zhao Jia Ind.

    Apart from two familiar faces, the other six werepletely unfamiliar. He had never seen them before. However, although he didn¡¯t know them, they were more knowledgeable when it came to matters on the ind than he was! From their words and actions, it seemed that they only heeded Zhao Mingxiao''s instructions and were rather distant from him(ZT).

    ¡°Eldest Brother, when did the elders change? I actually had no idea at all." Zhao Tianji looked at the other nonchntly. He knew very well that the six unfamiliar elders should be Zhao Mingxiao''s people. His big brother had probably nurtured his trusted aides on the ind a long time ago.

    "The original elders are too old to do some things, so they have been allowed to retire on the ind," Zhao Mingxiao said with a smile.

    Zhao Tianji smiled faintly. ¡°What exactly can''t they do?"

    "Ah Ji, I''ve already made it clear to you that our Zhao Jia Ind can''t always remain the old Zhao Jia Ind." Zhao Mingxiao''s tone was already rather tough.

    Elder Wei, who was sitting on an old-fashioned wooden armchair on his left, was the most prestigious old man. He looked at Zhao Tianji and said, ¡°Ind Lord, our Zhao Jia Ind is no longer the same. You haven''t returned to Zhao Jia Ind for many years, you are not aware of the changes on the ind, and the grand master''s body is much better than before. He has been taking care of everything on the ind all these years. Your legs are inconvenient, so why not¡ª"

    Zhao Tianji looked at the elder he respected the most. ¡°Why didn''t you lend a hand in the matters on Zhao Jia Ind?"

    "Ind Lord, we only hope that you can recuperate properly." The elders sitting on both sides whispered.

    "Do you think Zhao Jia Ind will seed in bing a nation?" Zhao Tianji asked indifferently. He raised his head and nced at Liang Yin, who had an indignant expression on his face. He knew what Liang Yin was angry about. These elders no longer cared about him as the Ind Lord. They probably thought that he would never stand up again.

    Today, he had originally nned to let them know that he was now able to walk. But now, he felt it was better to watch, take stock of the whole situation and tread cautiously.

    "Why can''t we seed?¡± Zhao Mingxiao said coldly, ¡°Everything is ready now, we only need to wait for the suitable opportunity¡ª"

    "Which suitable opportunity are you waiting for?" Zhao Tianji asked with a smile. ¡°The opportunity to enthrone Eldest Brother the Emperor of the State of Zhao Jia? It seems that all of you have forgotten one thing¡ª"

    ¡°What?" Zhao Mingxiao did not hide his ambition to be emperor. As early as when he started understanding things as a child, he knew too well what he wanted. And now that everything was ready, he did not think that there was anything missing.

    Zhao Tianji knew that Zhao Jia Ind would definitely proim and be a founded state in the future, but it couldn''t do so at this time unless Huangfu Chen agreed. Or else, Zhao Jia Ind would only be an ind forever. ¡°Eldest brother, have you forgotten the warning from our ancestral teachings? Unless the Huangfu family agrees, our Zhao Jia Ind can''t be set up as a country."

    "Huangfu family?" Zhao Mingxiao sneered disdainfully. ¡°Do you think that the world still belongs to the Huangfu family? In the past, they ruled the world, but now? The world has been divided into four parts, how could there be a shadow of the Huangfu family? What can they do anything to our Zhao Jia Ind with just Huangfu Chen?" Zhao Mingxiao said with disgust. He didn''t take the Huangfu family seriously at all.

    Zhao Tianji shook his head with a smile. ¡°It seems that Eldest Brother doesn''t know anything about the Huangfu family."

    "So what if the Huangfu Family doesn''t agree? Could it be that our Zhao Jia Ind will live under their shadow forever?" Elder Duan snorted coldly.

    "That''s right! We want to be a country!"

    "Our Zhao Jia Ind is now like a small country, what''s there to be afraid of?" The others echoed.

    ¡°¡ª¡ª¡±

    Looking at their excitement, Zhao Tianji finally understood what he had missed all these years. No wonder his brother never asked him toe back to Zhao Jia Ind. No wonder his brother kept mining private mines¡­ It was all for his ambition.

    He was really stupid. He thought that everything his big brother did was for him. So, in reality, he was just a pawn that was used.

    "Ind Lord, Huangfu Chen is the enemy of our Zhao Jia Ind. We can not let him stay on the ind. We hope that the Ind Lord can send him away," Elder Duan spoke again.

    Zhao Tianji swept a cold gaze across all the people and said, ¡°I will definitely find the truth about the sneak attack back then. Do you think Huangfu Chen would have people sneak attack us? <i>Haha</i>, do you really think Huangfu Chen is a weak imperial grandson? Don''t forget, the Huangfu n abdicated of their own volition. Do you really think that the family which once ruled thisnd would fall into destitution so quickly? Do you believe that if Huangfu Chen gives the order, our Zhao Jia Ind would instantly return to our ostracized state a century ago?¡±

    That''s right, they had all overlooked one thing. The Huangfu family wasn''t forced to abdicate. They had taken the initiative to abdicate!

    "Let''s not talk about Huangfu Chen''s sneak attack on our Zhao Ind for now. Now that he lives on our ind, we have to be on guard. We''re not afraid of anything," Zhao Mingxiao said.

    "What you said makes sense." Elder Duan nodded.

    Zhao Tianji looked at the lot, it seemed that no matter what he said, it was useless. These people were now Zhao Mingxiao''s trusted aides. ¡°Elder Duan, you can all go now."

    Initially, he had wanted to hear what the elders thought about Zhao Jia Ind bing a country. He believed that they would definitely object to it. Now, it seemed that he shouldn''t have asked anything. However, the ethical Eight Elders had already been sent away by Zhao Mingxiao. The ones that were now gathered in this small pce were all Zhao Mingxiao''s trusted aides. No, perhaps the entire Zhao Jia Ind was under his control.

    There were some things that Zhao Tianji did not want to think too much about, but even if he did not want to think much about them, he could not help but do so.

    Elder Duan and the others looked at Zhao Mingxiao, and once they received his nod they bowed and left the hall.

    Zhao Mingxiao turned and looked at his younger brother and said, ¡°Ah Ji, I''ll send you back now."

    "Big Brother, is the internal strength secret manual you gave me five years ago really an heirloom of the Zhao family?" Zhao Tianji asked casually.

    "What''s wrong?" Zhao Mingxiao raised his eyebrow and said.

    Zhao Tianji smiled. ¡°Our Zhao family''s ancestors didn''t know martial arts at all, so it''s impossible for us to have any secret manual. Besides, half of that secret manual of internal strength is missing. After I cultivated, all my meridians were blocked, rendering my legs immobile. If I continued to cultivate, my entire body would be paralysed, right?"

    "Are you doubting me?" Zhao Mingxiao narrowed his eyes and gazed down at Zhao Tianji.

    "Shouldn''t I suspect you, Eldest Brother?" Zhao Tianji asked in a low voice, ¡°You want to chase Huangfu Chen away because you are worried that the attack on Zhao Jia Ind would be traced to you. That letter¡­ You wrote it, didn''t you?"

    Zhao Mingxiao''s eyes turned frosty. ¡°Do you know what you''re talking about?"

    "I never believed that Huangfu Chen would let someone sneak attack Zhao Jia Ind. If he wants to destroy our ind, he doesn''t need to sneak attack it at all," Zhao Tianji said softly.

    Angry killing intent rose from the depths of Zhao Mingxiao''s eyes.

    ???

    <strong>FreeWebNovel</strong>

    <i>Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much.</i>

 Chapter 529: She Was Not The One Sick

    <h4>Chapter 529: She Was Not The One Sick</h4>

    When Ye Zhen saw Mu Qing again, she was shocked by her haggard and paleplexion. It had only been a day since, why did she look so different?

    "Sister Mu, are you all right?" Ye Zhen asked worriedly. Mu Qing didn''t really look good.

    "I''m fine, just a little tired." Mu Qing forced a smile and motioned for Ye Zhen to sit down. ¡°I have already sent someone to call for a doctor, but I didn''t expect Ah Ji to still invite you over."

    Today, Zhao Tianji had specially invited Ye Zhen to treat Mu Qing''s illness.

    ¡°I don''t think you look fine at all. Sister Mu, let me take your pulse," Ye Zhen said.

    Mu Qing hesitated for a moment. Yesterday, she had been tossed about by Zhao Ming Xiao a few times. Now, she was really tired. If it weren''t for the fact that she was here to receive Ye Zhen, she would definitely be lying on the bed, not moving at all. ¡°I really don''t want to move. Seriously."

    <i>How could a person who was not seriously injured be married for many years without being pregnant?</i>

    Ye Zhen promptly ced her hand on Mu Qing''s wrist. She felt that Mu Qing was good at everything but felt that her personality was too frail. She had heard that this was not the case in the past. It seemed that she had changed after marrying Zhao Mingxiao.

    When she listened carefully to her pulse, Ye Zhen frowned. "Sister Mu, I heard¡­ You haven''t been pregnant for many years. Have you seen a doctor before?" she cautiously probed.

    "I''ve always consulted with a doctor before. He only said that I had a defect in my body, so I can''t have a baby. Perhaps I was soaked in the sea for too long and hurt my body," Mu Qing said softly.

    Ye Zhen''s lips curled into an unfathomable smile. ¡°Is it the doctor Zhao Mingxiao hired for you?"

    "Yes, what''s wrong?" Mu Qing asked curiously.

    "Sister Mu, your body is fine. Just take a few pills to recuperate, but¡­" Ye Zhen''s cheeks turned slightly red. Although she had been married to someone once, there were certain aspects she had never experienced. If it weren''t for Mo Rongzhan rushing into her boudoir at night, she wouldn''t know that there could be such a close rtionship between men and women. ¡°It''s just that your body is a little weak. It''s better not to be too tired."

    Mu Qing immediately understood the implied meaning. Her face instantly turned red, and a sense of embarrassment surged into her heart. The little girl in front of her was Huangfu Chen''s apprentice, yet she could tell what had happened to her yesterday with just her pulse. This feeling made her feel very ufortable.

    Ye Zhen saw through her awkwardness and did not want to say anything. As for the matter of Mu Qing not having a child, she felt that she needed to go back and tell Zhao Tianji first.

    "Sister Mu, I won''t bother you anymore." Ye Zhen did not stay for long, she could see that Mu Qing was very tired.

    Coming out of Mu Qing''s courtyard, Ye Zhen was about to go to look for Huangfu Chen, but she didn''t expect to see Zhao Mingxiao not too far away. When he saw her, his entire being turned very hostile, and he stared at her coldly.

    Ye Zhen felt as if she had been stared at by a venomous snake, and her back felt a chill. The handsome young man in front of her, Zhao Mingxiao, waspletely different from the one she had met the first time. He seemed to have an even more terrifying temperament.

    "Why are you here?" Zhao Mingxiao eyed her coldly, presuming that she was here to pass on something to Mu Qing on behalf of Huangfu Chen.

    "I came to chat with Sister Mu. Perhaps Young Master Zhao is so strict that no one is allowed to see Sister Mu?" Ye Zhen knew that Zhao Mingxiao wouldn''t like her treating Mu Qing, so she didn''t mention anything about the treatment.

    Zhao Mingxiao knew that the girl in front of him was the princess of the Jin Kingdom, and the reason he lost the iron mine this time was connected with her. If Zhao Jia Ind really wanted to be a country, it was best that he held Lu Yaoyao hostage. Although Zhao Jia Ind was far away from the maind, it had been listed as part of the Jin Kingdom during the era when Huangfu Xiu* reigned. If he wanted to set up the country, he would have to fight a war at sea with Mo Rongzhan.

    [*We do not know who exactly this is, we are assuming it¡¯s Huangfu Chen¡¯s grandfather or some ancestor of his.]

    He was not afraid of being defeated. After all, the people on their ind were living on the sea. They were as familiar with battle at sea as they were with food. As for the Jin Kingdom''s army, could they turn the sea intond? Besides, with the princess in his hands, what could Mo Rongzhan do?

    As he contemted, Zhao Mingxiao restrained the killing intent in his eyes and concluded that it would be best to keep Lu Yaoyao around. ¡°Although you are Ah Ji''s guest, you are not allowed toe here!"

    Ye Zhen didn''t quite understand the reason Zhao Mingxiao had suddenly changed his attitude. Now, she was more vignt towards this man than before. She didn''t want to say too much to him. ¡°All right, I''ll go back first."

    When she returned to her courtyard, Ye Zhen immediately went to look for Huangfu Chen.

    Huangfu Chen was not in his room and had gone to Zhao Tianji''s ce. Zhao Tianji had just returned and had fallen out with Zhao Mingxiao. He was not in a very good condition on Zhao Jia Ind, so he invited Huangfu Chen over as soon as he got back.

    Ye Zhen passed through the courtyard to find them but was stopped by Liang Yin because Zhao Tianji and Huangfu Chen were talking in the study. ording to Zhao Tianji''s rules, whenever he was in the study, he would definitely be talking about very important matters and would not allow anyone to approach him.

    "I need to find my master," Ye Zhen said to Liang Yin.

    "Miss Lu, Mr. Huangfu and Ind Lord are talking in the study." Liang Yin had just returned with Zhao Tianji. He knew very well what kind of blow his master had suffered in the hall. His elder brother, who had respected him for so many years, was the one who had framed him. His master must be very sad at this moment.

    Ye Zhen could only wait outside. After an unknown length of time, she saw Zhao Tianji and Huangfu Chen walk out.

    "Master!" Ye Zhen saw Huangfu Chen and hurriedly ran to him. ¡°I have something to tell you."

    Huangfu Chen and Zhao Tianji looked at each other, ¡°What is it?"

    Zhao Tianji looked at Ye Zhen and frowned. ¡°Didn''t you go to see Mu Qing? Why are you here?"

    "I came back from Sister Mu. Other than being a little weak and not having a good rest yesterday, I don''t see anything wrong with her body, much less a hidden illness," Ye Zhen whispered to Huangfu Chen.

    "Mu Qing isn''t sick?" Huangfu Chen''s eyes shed.

    Zhao Tianji said, ¡°Have you made a clear diagnosis? If Mu Qing isn''t sick, why has she¡­ been taking treatment and seeing a doctor for the past few years?"

    Ye Zhen looked disdainfully at Zhao Tianji. ¡°Sister Mu has been seeing a doctor and undergoing treatment because she thinks she can''t give birth to a child. Giving birth to a child isn''t one-sided. The person with physical problems isn''t necessarily Sister Mu."

    "You mean¡­" Zhao Tianji¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Is something wrong with my brother?"

    "Sister Mu isn''t sick anyway." Ye Zhen curled her lips.

    ???

 Chapter 530: Under House Arrest

    <h4>Chapter 530: Under House Arrest</h4>

    Since Mu Qing wasn''t sick, there was naturally no need for treatment. Ye Zhen had only given her a few decoctions to recuperate her body and make herplexion look better.

    On the fifth day on Zhao Jia Ind, everything seemed different. Ye Zhen discovered that there were many guards outside their courtyard. They didn''t look like they were here to protect Zhao Tianji. Even the Ind Lord was stopped from going out.

    They had been ced under house arrest in disguise. It was only now that Ye Zhen realized that the person with ambition was not Zhao Tianji but Zhao Mingxiao.

    "Zhao Jia Ind has be a country? Could it be that Zhao Mingxiao wants to be the emperor? He''s crazy!" When Ye Zhen came to know the real reason Zhao Mingxiao put them under house arrest, she felt that this person was too crazy. Now, she wasn''t worried about being imprisoned on Zhao Jia Ind. If Zhao Mingxiao dared to im the title of emperor, she believed that it wouldn''t be long before Mo Rongzhan would send troops here.

    "He''s not crazy. He''s been preparing for many years," Zhao Tianji said indifferently.

    Ye Zhen suddenly looked at Zhao Tianj''s legs. ¡°So, you couldn''t walk before because your own big brother hurt you?"

    Zhao Tianji pursed his lips, reluctant to admit it in front of outsiders, nheless, it was the truth.

    "You are the Ind Lord. You won''t be put under house arrest just like that, right?" Seeing Zhao Tianji mum, Ye Zhen could not help but ask. She did not believe that a person who could be the Ind Lord really could not do anything.

    "I''ll contact the old elders and find a way to send you off first," Zhao Tianji said nonchntly. He raised his eyes to look at the girl before him. ¡°Especially you. You are the Princess of Jin Kingdom. If Zhao Mingxiao were to be the emperor, he would definitely use you as a hostage to threaten Mo Rongzhan."

    Ye Zhen was stunned for a moment before shaking her head andughing. ¡°Isn''t Zhao Mingxiao thinking too highly of me?"

    Mo Rongzhan had probably forgotten about her long ago. With his beloved by his side, how could he care about her life and death, let alonepromise with Zhao Mingxiao because of her?

    "Yaoyao, listen to Ah Ji. No matter what, you must leave Zhao Jia Ind first anyway,¡± Huangfu Chen said softly. He was a bystander and knew about Mo Rongzhan''s feelings for his little apprentice better than anyone else.

    "Master¡ª" Ye Zhen frowned. ¡°Now that everyone is Zhao Mingxiao''s people, how can I go out?"

    Zhao Tianji stood up from his wheelchair. "Didn''t you just say? In any case, I''m still the Lord of the Ind"

    "Even so, you haven''t been on the ind for many years. People are unpredictable. How many people you can trust?" Huang Fuchen asked.

    "Since I can be the Ind Lord, there is naturally a reason for it too. Besides, the elders on the ind are not all that easy to deal with. Although Zhao Mingxiao has reced half a dozen elders, each elder represents a family. And unless he has killed all the people of the original six families, the six elders he reced can still help us," Zhao Tianji said.

    ¡°You''ve been back for so long, but those elders haven''t looked for you. Are you sure they''ll still help you?" Ye Zhen asked.

    "There should be very few people who know that Ah Ji has returned. The six elders may not know." Huangfu Chen said in a low voice, ¡°Zhao Mingxiao deliberately hid the news of your return."

    Zhao Tianji smiled faintly. ¡°No matter how much he hides it, I''m still the Ind Lord. I still have the ability to let the entire Zhao Jia Ind know that I''m back and that I can stand up again."

    "The two of you are truly different.¡± Ye Zhen looked at Zhao Tianji and said, ¡°Are you really biological brothers?"

    If Zhao Mingxiao really treated Zhao Tianji as his younger brother, how could he have done something so heartless? If he hadn''t met her, Zhao Tianji probably wouldn''t have been able to move his entire body today. He would only have been able to speak.

    Zhao Tianji''s entire body would have been destroyed. If it weren''t for his deep-seated hatred, would he have done such a thing?

    Zhao Tianji probably knew the tragic consequences that he might encounter. He had long suspected that there was a problem with the internal strength secret manual that Zhao Mingxiao had given him. This time, he came back to Zhao Jia Ind with thest bit of affection for his brother. Unfortunately, he was still disappointed.

    "Do you think we look like blood brothers?" Zhao Tianji said.

    If he was a blood brother, why would his father give him the Ind Lord position? Unfortunately, he had kept this matter a secret from Zhao Mingxiao. He was afraid that it would create a rift between them. However, he did not expect that the moment he became the Ind Lord, an irreparable barrier would appear between them.

    "Liang Yin, ring the ind bell tonight. I want to light the holy fire of the Ind Tower personally.¡±

    Only by bing the Ind Lord could one enter the Ind Tower. The Ind Lord would ignite the fire on the tower whenever he left and returned. The entire ind would be able to see it. At the same time, they would know that their most respected Ind Lord had returned.

    Zhao Jia Ind had a history of over 100 years. The master of Zhao Jia Ind held a sacred and noble existence in everyone''s heart. It could not be reced by someone bent on recing it.

    "Yes, Ind Lord!" Liang Yin shouted excitedly.

    ?

    At this moment, in the imperial pce on the other side of the vast ocean, Mo Rongzhan was starting to be more and more restless.

    "You haven''t found the princess yet?" His dark and cold eyes stared at the secret guards kneeling before him. He had already sent all the secret guards to look for his little girl, but there was still no sign of her. <i>Could it be that Zhao Tianji had really taken her to Zhao Jia Ind?</i>

    "Replying to the emperor, we parted ways with Shen Daren* to look for the princess. We didn''t find any trace of her," one of the secret guards kneeling on the ground replied.

    [*<i>Shen Yi, MRZ¡¯s shadow guard. Daren is a title of respect toward superiors.</i>]

    Mo Rongzhan let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Keep looking!"

    He had almost dug up the ground in the Jin Kingdom, but he still could not find her. It seemed that she had really gone to Zhao Jia Ind¡­

    <i>His Yaoyao¡­ Nothing must happen to her!</i>

    Mo Rongzhan panicked. He had never been afraid of losing her, but now he was scared witless by just the thought of losing her.

    <i>Afraid? </i>He didn''t expect that one day he would feel such emotions. He had never been afraid of anything before.

    "Your Majesty, there is a letter from Shen Daren." Xue Lin panted as he came in from outside. He held a secret message, knelt on the ground, and offered the letter with both hands.

    Eunuch Fu hastily took the letter and handed it to Mo Rongzhan.

    It was a secret report from Shen Yi. They had already found the location of Zhao Jia Ind, but there were maze formations outside the ind. They needed to think of a way to enter. As for the whereabouts of the princess, they would need to enter the ind before they could know.

    Mo Rongzhan stared at the letter in his hand and did not speak for a long time. In the end, he only waved his hand and signaled Xue Lin to leave.

    Eunuch Fu looked at his master worriedly. ¡°Your Majesty?"

    As Mo Rongzhan''s personal eunuch, he had clearly witnessed first-hand his master''s worry and loss of appetite these past few days. He had never seen the emperor eat and sleep this badly for any girl before. <i>For the princess, how long had the emperor not visited the inner pce?</i>

    <i>Even Xu Xianfei¡­ Oh, no, she should be called Concubine Xu*, she had the title Consort abolished a long time ago. Now, she wouldn¡¯t dare to be as arrogant as before.</i>

    [*She is Xu Pin now, a lower-ranked concubine¡­ for ease of conversation, we will stick to Concubine Xu for now.]

    ???

 Chapter 531: Her Great Luck

    <h4>Chapter 531: Her Great Luck</h4>

    Mo Rongzhan went to the secret Library Pagoda. He could not think of anyone else in the world who was an expert in arrays like Old Master Jiang. In fact, Huangfu Chen''s array skills were taught by him.

    He had looked into the history of Zhao Jia Ind before this. The ind''s first owner was Zhao Zhao, who was rumored to be Emperor Jingwu¡¯s mother. She faked her death for twenty years, only to reappear after Emperor Jingwu ascended the throne. She waster involved in many court intrigues and was eventually ced under house arrest by Emperor Jingwu on Zhao Jia Ind. All the pirates on the ind were killed and it was reduced to a state of destion. Then, somehow, it came to life gradually.

    <i>Zhao Tianji ¡­. is Zhao Zhao''s descendant?</i>

    Aftering to the Library Pagoda, Mo Rongzhan directly went into the hut next to it. Old Master Jiang was dozing and did not notice his presence.

    "Old Master, I have a matter to ask you." Mo Rongzhan sat down in front of Old Master Jiang, not caring if the old man opposite could hear him talking."The stone formation on Zhao Jia Ind wasid by the Jiang family. I want to go to Zhao Jia Ind to find someone. Can you help me enter it?"

    Old Master Jiang opened his eyes slightly, his old voice sounded hoarse as he said, "Zhao Jia Ind?"

    Mo Rongzhan said, "The private mine I foundst time near Gujia Vige was owned by Zhao Tianji, the Ind Lord of Zhao Jia Ind, and they have taken the princess away."

    <i>Zhao Tianji?</i> Old Master Jiang eyes shed with a cold glint. "Zhao Jia ind actually still has people ¡­ Zhao Zhao¡¯s skills are impressive."

    "Old Master, I want to personally go to Zhao Jia Ind," Mo Rongzhan said softly. Although he was the emperor, for Old Master Jiang, his heart held nothing but respect. No one in the pce knew how old Old Master Jiang was this year, nor did they know who he really was. When the Mo family began to rule the Jin Kingdom, he had already been living in a small house next to the Library Pagoda.

    No one knew where Old Master Jiang really came from, nor how old he was, but Mo Rongzhan knew that only Old Master Jiang could decipher the stone array of Zhao Jia Ind for them.

    "The stone array of the Zhao family ind wasid by this old man," Old Master Jiang said in a low voice. "It appears that someone unlocked that formation long ago."

    Mo Rongzhan was astonished, <i>the array on Zhao Jia Ind¡­ should be many years old, when did Old Master Jiangy it?</i>

    "Old Master Jiang, then you can unlock that stone array for me?" Mo Rong Zhan asked.

    Old Master Jiang frowned and considered for a moment, before saying in a deep voice, "If Your Majesty intends to go on a personal expedition to Zhao Jia Ind, then please take this old man with you."

    "Good!" The corners of Mo Rongzhan''s lips finally showed a light smile.

    After leaving the Library Pagoda, he went to Cining Pce. If he was going to leave the capital, he had to tell his mother.

    The Cining Pce was as quiet and elegant as ever. Mo Rongzhan just appeared at the pce gate, and immediately a group of pce maids knelt in front of him.

    Mo Rongzhan waved his hand and entered Cining Pce without saying a word.

    Ever since he dismissed Xu Huiru as the Xianfei, many in the imperial pce had be possessed [by delusions of ascension]. Whenever he went to Cining Pce, the maids would always show up out of nowhere to preen themselves before him while his other pin feis''* constant prying was also a significant source of annoyance.

    [*imperial concubines]

    "Your Majesty, you are finally free to visit Ajia today." The empress dowager heard the sound of the emperor''s arrival outside and came out of her chambers.

    Mo Rongzhan was about to speak when he saw the figure following the empress dowager. His brow unconsciously furrowed,<i> why is Ye Yaoyao here?</i>

    "This subject pays respect to Your Majesty." Ye Yaoyao bowed and timidly stood beside the empress dowager.

    "Imperial Mother, I have something to tell you," Mo Rongzhan said indifferently.

    The empress dowager gently nodded her head and signaled Aunt Cheng to take Ye Yaoyao out.

    Today, Ye Yaoyao wore an apricot-yellow dress, with a plum bamboo orchid embroidered skirt

    . Her beauty shone as brightly as the autumn moon, even more than when Mo Rongzhan had first found her. She snuck a demure nce at him upon hearing his voice, then quickly lowered her head to hide her reddening face as she left with Aunt Chen.

    "Your Majesty, have you found Yaoyao?" After Ye Yaoyao went out, the empress dowager asked Mo Rongzhan worriedly.

    "Not yet." Mo Rongzhan did not want the empress dowager to worry, so no news is good news was the best policy here. If she were to know that the little girl was on Zhao Jia Ind, she would be worried sick. "Imperial Mother, Huangfu Chen is with Yaoyao, she will be fine."

    The empress dowager red at Mo Rongzhan and said with some displeasure, "Your Majesty, why do I feel that you do not care about Yaoyao at all?"

    Mo Rongzhan was stunned, he had been thinking about that little girl every single day recently. How can he not care about her?

    "I can tell you, although Ye Yaoyao saved your life and is good-looking, you cannot have a new person and forget the old. When I wanted to marry Yaoyao to Tang Zhen, do you remember what you said?" the empress dowager said sternly.

    Mo Rong Zhan nodded helplessly. "Imperial Mother, I remember, how can I forget, I will definitely find Yaoyao personally."

    "Personally, find her yourself? You''re leaving the capital again?" the empress dowager asked with a frown.

    "There are some things that I need to personally deal with, so I will leave for a while, but not for a long time," Mo Rongzhan said in a low voice.

    The empress dowager nodded gently, she never asked Mo Rongzhan about matters outside the pce, just like when he was nning to usurp the throne, she would not ask him a single thing. "Then you have to arrange matters in the capital before you go."

    Mo Rongzhan said with a smile, "Imperial Mother, I will make the proper arrangements."

    "Then¡ª" the empress dowager pointed outside and said, "How exactly do you n to ce her? Just find a ce for her outside the pce. The people who know will understand what you mean, but those who don''t will misunderstand. Your Majesty, this matter cannot be dyed any longer."

    "Imperial Mother, there are some things I still want to investigate clearly." Mo Rongzhan said in a light voice, "If she is really the person who saved me back then, I will naturally have a reward."

    The empress dowager froze for a moment.<i> So does he n to bring Ye Yaoyao into the pce?</i>

    Mo Rongzhan, however, did not really want to talk further about Ye Yaoyao. He stood up and said, "Imperial Mother, I still have to summon the cab ministers, so I will take my leave now."

    "Okay, you should get going." The empress dowager secretly sighed in her heart.

    Mo Rongzhan bid farewell and had just walked out of Cining Pce when he saw Ye Yaoyao returning from the Imperial Garden.

    "This subject pays respects Your Majesty." Ye Yaoyao hurriedly bowed, not even daring to lift her head to look at Mo Rongzhan.

    "Rise." Mo Rongzhan lightly nodded. "Did the Empress Dowager ask you to enter the pce today?"

    Ye Yaoyao shrank her shoulders timidly, she was a little afraid of this man in front of her, but she didn''t know why, she was very eager to see him. If it weren''t for him, she would still be locked up in that house, and wouldn''t live such a life of freedom and elegance. She didn''t know why he wanted to save her, and she had forgotten all the things from the past. Someone said she was going to have great luck, but she didn''t understand what her great luck was.

    <i>Would her big luck be this man in front of her?</i> Ye Yaoyao raised her eyes to look at Mo Rongzhan and said in a small voice, "Yes¡­ it was the empress dowager who wanted this subject to enter the pce."

    ???

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 Chapter 531: Her Great Luck

    <h4>Chapter 531: Her Great Luck</h4>

    Mo Rongzhan went to the secret Library Pagoda. He could not think of anyone else in the world who was an expert in arrays like Old Master Jiang. In fact, Huangfu Chen''s array skills were taught by him.

    He had looked into the history of Zhao Jia Ind before this. The ind''s first owner was Zhao Zhao, who was rumored to be Emperor Jingwu¡¯s mother. She faked her death for twenty years, only to reappear after Emperor Jingwu ascended the throne. She waster involved in many court intrigues and was eventually ced under house arrest by Emperor Jingwu on Zhao Jia Ind. All the pirates on the ind were killed and it was reduced to a state of destion. Then, somehow, it came to life gradually.

    <em>Zhao Tianji ¡­. is Zhao Zhao''s descendant?</em>

    Aftering to the Library Pagoda, Mo Rongzhan directly went into the hut next to it. Old Master Jiang was dozing and did not notice his presence.

    "Old Master, I have a matter to ask you." Mo Rongzhan sat down in front of Old Master Jiang, not caring if the old man opposite could hear him talking."The stone formation on Zhao Jia Ind wasid by the Jiang family. I want to go to Zhao Jia Ind to find someone. Can you help me enter it?"

    Old Master Jiang opened his eyes slightly, his old voice sounded hoarse as he said, "Zhao Jia Ind?"

    Mo Rongzhan said, "The private mine I foundst time near Gujia Vige was owned by Zhao Tianji, the Ind Lord of Zhao Jia Ind, and they have taken the princess away."

    <em>Zhao Tianji?</em>Old Master Jiang eyes shed with a cold glint. "Zhao Jia ind actually still has people ¡­ Zhao Zhao¡¯s skills are impressive."

    "Old Master, I want to personally go to Zhao Jia Ind," Mo Rongzhan said softly. Although he was the emperor, for Old Master Jiang, his heart held nothing but respect. No one in the pce knew how old Old Master Jiang was this year, nor did they know who he really was. When the Mo family began to rule the Jin Kingdom, he had already been living in a small house next to the Library Pagoda.

    No one knew where Old Master Jiang really came from, nor how old he was, but Mo Rongzhan knew that only Old Master Jiang could decipher the stone array of Zhao Jia Ind for them.

    "The stone array of the Zhao family ind wasid by this old man," Old Master Jiang said in a low voice. "It appears that someone unlocked that formation long ago."

    Mo Rongzhan was astonished,<em>the array on Zhao Jia Ind¡­ should be many years old, when did Old Master Jiangy it?</em>

    "Old Master Jiang, then you can unlock that stone array for me?" Mo Rong Zhan asked.

    Old Master Jiang frowned and considered for a moment, before saying in a deep voice, "If Your Majesty intends to go on a personal expedition to Zhao Jia Ind, then please take this old man with you."

    "Good!" The corners of Mo Rongzhan''s lips finally showed a light smile.

    After leaving the Library Pagoda, he went to Cining Pce. If he was going to leave the capital, he had to tell his mother.

    The Cining Pce was as quiet and elegant as ever. Mo Rongzhan just appeared at the pce gate, and immediately a group of pce maids knelt in front of him.

    Mo Rongzhan waved his hand and entered Cining Pce without saying a word.

    Ever since he dismissed Xu Huiru as the Xianfei, many in the imperial pce had be possessed [by delusions of ascension]. Whenever he went to Cining Pce, the maids would always show up out of nowhere to preen themselves before him while his other pin feis''* constant prying was also a significant source of annoyance.

    [*imperial concubines]

    "Your Majesty, you are finally free to visit Ajia today." The empress dowager heard the sound of the emperor''s arrival outside and came out of her chambers.

    Mo Rongzhan was about to speak when he saw the figure following the empress dowager. His brow unconsciously furrowed,<em>why is Ye Yaoyao here?</em>

    "This subject pays respect to Your Majesty." Ye Yaoyao bowed and timidly stood beside the empress dowager.

    "Imperial Mother, I have something to tell you," Mo Rongzhan said indifferently.

    The empress dowager gently nodded her head and signaled Aunt Cheng to take Ye Yaoyao out.

    Today, Ye Yaoyao wore an apricot-yellow dress, with a plum bamboo orchid embroidered skirt

    . Her beauty shone as brightly as the autumn moon, even more than when Mo Rongzhan had first found her. She snuck a demure nce at him upon hearing his voice, then quickly lowered her head to hide her reddening face as she left with Aunt Chen.

    "Your Majesty, have you found Yaoyao?" After Ye Yaoyao went out, the empress dowager asked Mo Rongzhan worriedly.

    "Not yet." Mo Rongzhan did not want the empress dowager to worry, so no news is good news was the best policy here. If she were to know that the little girl was on Zhao Jia Ind, she would be worried sick. "Imperial Mother, Huangfu Chen is with Yaoyao, she will be fine."

    The empress dowager red at Mo Rongzhan and said with some displeasure, "Your Majesty, why do I feel that you do not care about Yaoyao at all?"

    Mo Rongzhan was stunned, he had been thinking about that little girl every single day recently. How can he not care about her?

    "I can tell you, although Ye Yaoyao saved your life and is good-looking, you cannot have a new person and forget the old. When I wanted to marry Yaoyao to Tang Zhen, do you remember what you said?" the empress dowager said sternly.

    Mo Rong Zhan nodded helplessly. "Imperial Mother, I remember, how can I forget, I will definitely find Yaoyao personally."

    "Personally, find her yourself? You''re leaving the capital again?" the empress dowager asked with a frown.

    "There are some things that I need to personally deal with, so I will leave for a while, but not for a long time," Mo Rongzhan said in a low voice.

    The empress dowager nodded gently, she never asked Mo Rongzhan about matters outside the pce, just like when he was nning to usurp the throne, she would not ask him a single thing. "Then you have to arrange matters in the capital before you go."

    Mo Rongzhan said with a smile, "Imperial Mother, I will make the proper arrangements."

    "Then¡ª" the empress dowager pointed outside and said, "How exactly do you n to ce her? Just find a ce for her outside the pce. The people who know will understand what you mean, but those who don''t will misunderstand. Your Majesty, this matter cannot be dyed any longer."

    "Imperial Mother, there are some things I still want to investigate clearly." Mo Rongzhan said in a light voice, "If she is really the person who saved me back then, I will naturally have a reward."

    The empress dowager froze for a moment.<em>So does he n to bring Ye Yaoyao into the pce?</em>

    Mo Rongzhan, however, did not really want to talk further about Ye Yaoyao. He stood up and said, "Imperial Mother, I still have to summon the cab ministers, so I will take my leave now."

    "Okay, you should get going." The empress dowager secretly sighed in her heart.

    Mo Rongzhan bid farewell and had just walked out of Cining Pce when he saw Ye Yaoyao returning from the Imperial Garden.

    "This subject pays respects Your Majesty." Ye Yaoyao hurriedly bowed, not even daring to lift her head to look at Mo Rongzhan.

    "Rise." Mo Rongzhan lightly nodded. "Did the Empress Dowager ask you to enter the pce today?"

    Ye Yaoyao shrank her shoulders timidly, she was a little afraid of this man in front of her, but she didn''t know why, she was very eager to see him. If it weren''t for him, she would still be locked up in that house, and wouldn''t live such a life of freedom and elegance. She didn''t know why he wanted to save her, and she had forgotten all the things from the past. Someone said she was going to have great luck, but she didn''t understand what her great luck was.

    <em>Would her big luck be this man in front of her?</em>Ye Yaoyao raised her eyes to look at Mo Rongzhan and said in a small voice, "Yes¡­ it was the empress dowager who wanted this subject to enter the pce."

    ???

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