"If I'm not mistaken, Old Master Han must have at least seven or eight wives and concubines in his harem, right? My harem is just as full of concubines, so how come no one has ever spoken ill of you, nor has anyone spoken ill of me?"
"My elder sister has never robbed the people, nor has she done anything immoral. So who has she offended? Hmm?" At this point, the emperor's expression turned serious again, and his eyes swept sharply over the ministers below, causing them to lower their heads even further.
Lord Han's face flushed even more deeply at Zhang Yu's words. Having his private affairs commented on in front of so many people, he instinctively wanted to retort, but perhaps somewhat startled by the Emperor's words, he stammered slightly, managing to defend himself with, "But...but, Her Highness the Princess is, after all, a woman!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Yu's mocking laugh reached his ears, making his face burn even more. He had lived most of his life, but had never felt so ashamed as he did today.
Zhang Yu was too lazy to say anything more to him, but he stood up with a sneer and said, "So you people all just popped out of a rock." Then he turned and left.
The ministers left in the hall looked at each other, dumbfounded.
·
As usual, Ahao personally cooked lunch for Xu Shi. After they ate together, she coaxed Xu Shi to sleep, and then prepared to return to the palace after a while. Because she had promised to bring some things for Xue Liangyue, she first went to Zhuque Street.
As Zhang Yu rode his carriage along Zhuque Street, he idly lifted the curtain and glanced out, just in time to notice Song Shuhao entering a shop. He immediately stopped the carriage, then, after a moment's thought, decided to wait.
As Fang finished his business and came out of the shop, Ah Hao's gaze was immediately drawn to someone.
He was tall and slender, possessing an extraordinary air about him; even standing casually on the street, he was impossible to ignore. Yet, his indifferent expression added a touch of aloofness to his handsome face, and his sharp eyes made it difficult to look directly at him.
At first glance, Song Shuhao thought she was seeing things when she saw Zhang Yu dressed in an ordinary brocade robe. But she quickly realized that wasn't the case, not to mention that Zhang Yu soon looked at her, making her recognize him even more clearly.
At this time, it was strange that His Majesty the Emperor appeared here. Ah Hao couldn't help but feel surprised. But even though she had some strange feelings, she couldn't care less and hurriedly went to greet him.
Because they were on a crowded street, it wasn't appropriate to bow directly. Ah Hao hesitated for a moment, and Zhang Yu asked first, "Are you done?" What should have been a familiar question became somewhat stiff because of the cold tone.
Ah Hao nodded, and then heard the other person say calmly, "Let's go back together." The simple words left no room for refusal, displaying the usual domineering attitude, without any intimacy or closeness.
After uttering a few dry words, Zhang Yu boarded the carriage first. Ahao was left standing there, stunned, completely bewildered. She patted her forehead, looked at Lü Chuan beside her, but he remained silent. She took a deep breath and then followed him into the carriage.
"sit."
As soon as she climbed into the carriage, Zhang Yu's voice reached her, and he excused her from the formalities. Bowing and paying respects in a carriage wasn't much more convenient than on the street, so Ah Hao could only thank him for his kindness and reluctantly sit down in a corner.
No matter how much she had interacted with Zhang Yu in the past, she had never been alone with him like this. Unable to fathom Zhang Yu's thoughts, Song Shuhao found it difficult to feel at ease at this moment. She was tense, sitting upright, head bowed, quiet and submissive.
As she lowered her head, a section of her fair and delicate neck, partially hidden by her dark hair, was exposed to Zhang Yu's eyes. When Zhang Yu looked at her, his gaze couldn't help but linger on that half-hidden area. He wanted to reach out and brush that strand of hair away, yet he also felt a strange, unsettling feeling in his heart. He pursed his lips, decided to stop looking at Song Shuhao, and leaned against the car wall with his eyes closed.
The carriage quickly resumed its journey and traveled smoothly. Zhang Yu remained silent, and Song Shuhao had no right to speak either; the two remained silent, each lost in their own thoughts.
It was precisely because Zhang Yu didn't say anything that Song Shuhao found it even stranger. She could have remained calm, but later, when she felt him glancing at her every now and then, that chilling feeling returned.
In the past, when she had to face His Majesty the Emperor, she was always on tenterhooks. If she had something to say, she should have said it frankly; why was she so silent… Could it be that she was truly in deep trouble without realizing it?
How is your mother?
A strange thought had just crossed Song Shuhao's mind, and before she could dismiss it, she heard Zhang Yu's question. She quickly regained her focus and replied earnestly and respectfully, "Your Majesty, my mother is fine. Thank you for your concern." As she spoke, she rose from her seat and gave a slight bow in gratitude.
Before I could sit back down in the corner, the carriage, which had been moving smoothly, suddenly jolted.
The car was only so big, and the sudden noise caused Ah Hao to lose her balance and fall uncontrollably toward Zhang Yu.
She was terrified, her head buzzing with a sense of impending doom... but there was no time to steady herself. The person opposite her made no move, offering no help, and in the end, Ah Hao inevitably collapsed onto Zhang Yu.
At that moment, everything, even time itself, seemed to stand still. Ah Hao's face was buried directly between Zhang Yu's thighs through her clothes.
Soon, Lü Chuan's voice of apology rang out from outside. Startled, Song Shuhao abruptly raised her head, her expression unable to remain calm, her face burning hot. She dared not look up at Zhang Yu, and could only take two steps back and kneel down to beg for forgiveness, her heart pounding wildly with extreme anxiety.
Zhang Yu stared intently at Song Shuhao, who was lying in front of him, his lower body reacting clearly to her presence. Even though he maintained a composed expression, he couldn't hide the strange look that flashed in his eyes.
"Lu Chuan, accept the punishment."
Zhang Yu didn't say anything to Song Shuhao, but he uttered this indifferent remark. Lü Chuan immediately responded, while Ahao, deeply embarrassed, felt utterly helpless, on the verge of tears. This was the only time in nearly twenty years she'd felt so humiliated!
Chapter 5 Clues
Seeing Song Shuhao blush from head to toe, her undisguised shyness and embarrassment strangely alluring, Zhang Yu frowned at the thoughts that had surfaced in his mind. Song Shuhao was certainly beautiful, but there were far more beautiful women in the harem; he was never short of women, and he had never thought her particularly special before…
Zhang Yu thought of how the person before him had protected him time and time again in his past life, and then of how he had instinctively protected her a few days ago. He also thought of what had happened at the Princess's residence just now, and unconsciously pressed down the corners of his lips. Song Shuhao was indeed exceptionally loyal; he would always repay this kindness.
But speaking of which, he was quite curious about the fact that Prosecutor Zhao seemed to really like Song Shuhao. Since Prosecutor Zhao cared about her so much, both loving and hating her, there must be something special about her. Although he had never realized it before, her several times protecting Song Shuhao later seemed to offer some clues.
At that time, I thought Song Shuhao was rather stubborn and inflexible. Although both were ladies-in-waiting serving their mothers, she didn't know how to assess the situation and secure a better position for herself like Xue Liangyue. Instead, she sacrificed herself for the sake of loyalty.
She's both stupid and clumsy, probably causing a lot of trouble. Like last time when she ran out to protect that little palace maid, even though it had little to do with her. Besides, how many people in this harem have lost their lives for making mistakes? How many people can she really protect?
After a brief shift in thought, the strange feeling that had arisen in Zhang Yu's heart earlier vanished completely. However, seeing that he remained silent for a long time, Song Shuhao became noticeably more nervous. Zhang Yu tried to soften his tone and said, "Get up."
Having offended His Majesty the Emperor, yet receiving no punishment or reprimand, but instead being pardoned and unpunished, A-Hao grew even more uneasy. She still dared not steal a glance at Zhang Yu, silently thinking, "This is the second time. Third time's the charm. Once or twice might be a coincidence, but if there's a third time…"
Sitting back down in the corner of the carriage, the heat on her face wouldn't subside, so Ahao could only bury her head. The embarrassing scene flashed through her mind, she felt guilty that the emperor hadn't held a grudge for some reason, and she was puzzled by the emperor's sudden inquiry about her mother's condition. She couldn't find peace.
Both of them were lost in thought, but Zhang Yu had nothing to say. He wasn't quite used to having much interaction with someone like Song Shuhao, and they couldn't find any common topics to discuss.
It would take some time to get back to the palace, so Zhang Yu took out two books, flipped through them casually, and handed one to Song Shuhao. He didn't have any particular intentions; he just wanted her to pass the time and avoid sitting around bored.
·
A book suddenly appeared in her line of sight. Startled, Ahao glanced up and saw Zhang Yu's half-hidden palm and outstretched arm. She paused for a moment, then understood. Ahao took the book, offering her thanks as before, but dared not leave her seat, fearing another awkward situation.
She thought that perhaps she wasn't just imagining things; the Emperor's actions were indeed a bit off. She tried hard to think it over, and nothing particularly unusual had ever happened between them… So why was he suddenly being so kind to her? It couldn't be without reason; what could it be?
Zhang Yu's unintentional action stirred up another wave of emotions in Ahao's heart. At this moment, the thing she was holding seemed to be burning hot, making her want to throw it away immediately, but she dared not move. She just felt that something was wrong. If there had been any warning signs beforehand, she would have been more at ease, but there were none at all.
Ah Hao felt foolish again. She hadn't shown any joy at the Emperor's actions, yet she still harbored these thoughts. If others knew, what would they think of her? But ultimately, she couldn't feel happy.
It was obvious that Song Shuhao was restless, and her emotions seemed to be getting worse, making it impossible for Zhang Yu to ignore her any longer. So, he turned his gaze away from her again.