PaiPai-Romane

Kapitel 18

But...

Just then, before Chu Zhen could think any further, the sedan curtain was suddenly lifted, and a person poked his head in, looking shifty, and called out, "Your Excellency..."

Her voice was so sweet it was almost terrifying, and her laughter was a bit... suggestive. If she were to also hold a string of candied hawthorns and keep shaking them, she would probably be killed on the spot by the Nine Gates Admiral for "offending public morals" or "harassing a high-ranking official."

Chapter Twenty-One: The Madman

The Grand Secretary Chu, inside the sedan chair, didn't have time to suppress the smile on his face; it only made him stiffen slightly before it faded away on its own.

Her jade-like face, slightly bewildered from the surprise attack, made her look like an innocent child, which only served to highlight the man's lewdness.

"What...what do you want to do?" he asked reflexively.

The characters were confused for a moment.

Over there, Tang Leyan hadn't finished speaking when she looked at Chu Zhen's face and paused slightly. Then she continued with a smile, "Your sedan chair is indeed quite nice, it's spacious enough. My lord, this place is so big, surely you can give me a ride? After all, we are all officials in the same court, we should look out for each other."

Before Chu Zhen could even speak, the person bent down, stepped in, and entered, saying, "Come on, move aside."

This is a very overly familiar behavior.

Seeing him wriggling around him like a puppy finding its den, the Grand Secretary flew into a rage: "You give me..."

The words "Get out of here!" haven't been spoken yet.

The person had already sat down next to him without any hesitation, looking around as he patted him on the shoulder and said with satisfaction, "This place is not bad, not too crowded for two people. Shh, don't be too irritable, it's not good for your health."

Chu Zhen, feeling suffocated, said in a deep voice with an icy expression, "Nonsense! Do you know what you're doing? Before I get angry..."

Tang Leyan yawned without any hesitation, closed her eyes and murmured, "Home is still the best."

"What home? Do you think this is..." Chu Zhen was so angry she couldn't speak, her fair face flushed red.

"Be good, don't make a fuss, or... I'll hit you..." The answer he received was a voice that sounded like he was talking in his sleep, and then the person tilted their head and leaned against his shoulder.

"What? Hit me? You dare!" Chu Zhen was furious. "Wait..."

Suddenly, his whole body stiffened and he remained motionless.

The weight of another person was now on my shoulders.

Damn it, what is he doing?

For over a decade, no one has dared to offend the might of this dignified First-Class Duke. Ever since that man rode in this sedan chair, no one has dared to ride with him. Damn it, he deserves to be torn to pieces. Fine, tomorrow at court I'll impeach him: disrespectful to his superiors, drunken indiscretions, disregard for moral order, and all sorts of other nonsense. Then I'll have the emperor drag him out of the Meridian Gate and dismember him into eight pieces.

But now...

Chu Zhen felt the person on his shoulder getting heavier and heavier, and he thought angrily: Before pushing him out of the Meridian Gate, should I kick him out first?

Feeling deeply insulted, the Grand Master was about to kick a certain scoundrel who had come forward on his own out of the sedan chair.

The person whispered something in their ear.

The sound was like thunder, and Chu Zhen was stunned.

※※※※※

“Ah Zhen.”

The newly crowned champion whispered a name in his ear, the voice so low it was impossible to tell if it was male or female, but the allure of the voice was unmistakable.

"What did you call me?" After a moment of silence, Chu Zhen asked in a low voice.

For more than ten years, apart from Xue Xin occasionally mentioning this ancient title in his letters, no one dared to call him that anymore, nor did anyone call him that affectionately.

Chu Zhen felt both relieved and cold.

People always move forward, and now that he has steadily reached his current position, he should be considered successful.

He went to great lengths to protect the place, the things, and... the person that person left behind; he could be considered successful.

But……

He turned to look at the face resting on his shoulder: "Who are you?"

He opened his mouth and asked.

His response was a series of snoring sounds as he slept soundly.

The newly crowned champion slept soundly with his eyes closed, as if his shoulders were a very bouncy pillow.

"Hey, wake up!" The flames that had just been extinguished in his heart reignited, and Chu Zhen reached out and grabbed her chest.

※※※※※

"Bang!" Just as his fingers were about to touch the man's chest, the man, who was asleep with his eyes closed, suddenly struck out with lightning speed.

Chu Zhen didn't even have a chance to resist before he was struck in the right eye. He screamed in agony, his vision went black, and he swayed backward, writhing in excruciating pain. He was trembling with rage. What a madman! What a scoundrel! What a lecher!

How dare they assault a high-ranking officer!

Now there's no need for beheading at the Meridian Gate; I, the Grand Secretary, will chop you into mincemeat right now!

Chu Zhen made his move, but his opponent didn't give him the chance. His hands moved swiftly and unpredictably inside the dark sedan chair. Chu Zhen's martial arts skills were quite good, but in front of him, he was like a child.

Tang Leyan easily captured Chu Zhen's arms in a few swift movements, chuckled with her eyes closed as if she had caught a good toy, and without a word, pressed him down, lying on top of him, whispering softly, "So soft..."

Throughout this series of actions, he never opened his eyes.

"Damn it!" Chu Zhen gritted his teeth: Is this kid deliberately making fun of me?

“My lord…” someone outside the sedan chair called out hesitantly.

Chu Zhen's heart skipped a beat, and she bit her lip, saying, "It's nothing, you may leave."

Silence fell again outside the sedan chair.

"Let me go!" she said through gritted teeth.

The only response he received was soft breathing. The man's face rested against his chest, occasionally rubbing against him like a cat, leaving him unsure whether to be annoyed, ashamed, cry, or laugh.

This is so embarrassing.

He was easily subdued by this kid, and he even used him as a pillow.

Chu Zhen felt that he had completely lost face as a Grand Councilor of the Military Affairs Department for more than ten years. If someone saw him in such an inappropriate and ambiguous situation with this newly appointed top scholar, he would never be able to recover.

That's why I refused the ninja's question.

Given the ninja's alertness, he should have appeared when Tang Leyan made her move, but he hesitated to speak until he was subdued. Did he think that something happened inside the sedan chair that they couldn't interfere with?

They're all bastards!

Chu Zhen wanted to cry but had no tears.

※※※※※

The sedan chair was carried straight into the former Zhenyuan Marquis's residence.

Originally, Chu Zhen's official rank was rising higher and higher, and he should have changed his residence. Emperor Shun was very generous, but Chu Zhen refused all the residences bestowed upon him.

He only wanted to keep the Zhenyuan Marquis's mansion.

There are so many memories of the past here.

Whenever he wanders through it, he has a hazy illusion, as if that person is still there, moving among the crowd, smiling like a flower.

But tonight, all those wonderful feelings have been shattered.

"Stop the sedan chair directly in front of my room. Everyone else, step back."

Lord Chu, the Grand Secretary, gave the order.

Chapter Twenty-Two: Rumors

This is how rumors are born: one percent of appearances mixed with ninety-nine percent gossip, stirred together, and transformed into vivid "rumors".

"Did you know? It is said that His Excellency the Grand Secretary and the newly appointed martial arts champion were having a romantic chat under the moon and taking a walk hand in hand."

"It's said that the two got into the sedan chair together, and then the chair started shaking violently!"

"It is said that the sedan chair went all the way back to the mansion, but the Grand Secretary insisted on not getting out of the sedan chair. The sedan chair stopped right in front of the Grand Secretary's bedroom, and all bystanders automatically got out of the way."

"It is said that...the sounds of moaning could be heard all night long in the room of the Grand Chamberlain...Hey, what are you drooling for? Wipe it clean."

"What I meant was that I heard the Grand Secretary had dark circles under his eyes when he went to court the next day! My husband saw it with his own eyes!"

The sound of someone bravely pounding their chest.

"Oh..." Countless people exclaimed in admiration and praise.

This thing called "it is said" is incredibly powerful. As the ancients said, "Many mouths can melt metal, and accumulated slander can destroy bones."

Fortunately, both the Grand Secretary and the newly appointed martial arts champion possessed a character more steadfast than gold and jade.

In the words of the later historian Fang Kedao: "The Grand Secretary Chu and the top scholar of the imperial examination were both extraordinary people."

The sedan bearers had personally heard the Grand Secretary's unusual instructions: "Stop the sedan chair directly in front of my room. Everyone else, disperse."

It's practically an admission of guilt.

Everyone saw the newly appointed top scholar enter the emperor's sedan chair. What unpleasant thing had happened that made the emperor resort to such a desperate measure to cover it up?

Recalling the sounds that resembled an adult's groans that had come from inside the sedan chair, even the ninja couldn't bear to think about it any longer.

The sedan chair stopped in front of the Grand Master's bedroom, and all bystanders were asked to step aside.

What exactly happened afterward remains unknown, which makes it all the more thought-provoking.

But whatever the truth may be.

The relationship between the Grand Secretary and the newly appointed top scholar progressed rapidly.

※※※※※

The next morning at court, the martial arts champion was finally on time.

Tang Leyan stretched and was surprised to find herself sleeping on a huge bed. The sturdy bed, the brocade quilt, and the curtains were all so pleasing to the eye and warm. Although it was comfortable, there was no doubt that it was not hers.

There was no surprise on her face, because this kind of thing was nothing new to Sleeping Pig. She remembered one night she accidentally wandered too late in the countryside, and when she woke up the next day, she found herself sleeping among a group of wild boars. It was amazing that she could even find a boar's den to rest in. The unlucky ones were the boars. Perhaps they didn't have any ill intentions, and were just curious about this sudden intruder, but for some reason they triggered someone's automatic defense system, and were beaten and groaned, almost completely wiped out.

Later, when Tang Letian heard about this, the compassionate Second Young Master Tang was heartbroken and said, "This scourge, harming innocent little animals like this."

Of course, Tang Leyan overheard this, which resulted in a beating from the female devil. From then on, everyone knew that the sleeping pig had harmed more than just small animals.

Tang Leyan thought happily: How wonderful! I actually slept in such a comfortable place last night. I thought I would fall into a ditch and smell bad. How could I go to court? It would ruin my image.

Now it feels clean and refreshing. I sniff the room and can still smell the sandalwood, a faint and lingering fragrance.