I am born a beauty, and I am supreme

Chapter 38

"My Lord Military Advisor..." He bowed again.

The man merely glanced at her, then ignored her and turned back to drink.

Tang Leyan was not angry, nor did she need anyone to persuade her. She drank cup after cup, enjoying herself immensely.

She wasn't unaware that people around her had been visiting her frequently.

I just don't want to be disturbed for the time being.

If she could find peace in wine, even if it was only temporary, she would be happy to accept it.

But that's easier said than done.

As she raised her glass again, a hand steadily reached out from the side and grasped her hand.

"My lord?" Tang Leyan's eyes were blurry with drunkenness as she turned her head and looked at the flawless face before her.

This piece of jade is so cold that it intimidates those who look at it.

But she wasn't afraid.

Looking at his face, I couldn't help but smile.

"Why are you holding my hand, sir?" She leaned forward and squinted at Chu Zhen.

When it comes to teasing people, she has plenty of tricks up her sleeve and enjoys having fun with them.

Chu Zhen's heart skipped a beat. His palm covered hers, and he suddenly felt something strange. The touch was so warm, so delicate, so thrilling.

While the two were locked in a stalemate, the accompanying eunuch stepped forward and whispered something in the emperor's ear.

The emperor was taken aback, then slowly suppressed his smile, looked up, and stared directly at Tang Leyan.

Chapter Forty-Nine: The Inner Palace

He drank too much!

Chu Zhen watched coldly; this person clearly wanted to get himself drunk.

I didn't want to get involved, but I thought that if he got drunk and then acted out his unpleasant sleeping habits, punching the civil official on the left and kicking the military officer on the right, or... hurting that high and mighty dragon.

Ha, does this mean the entire palace is going to be thrown into chaos because of him?

So she reached out and firmly grasped his hand.

The sensation of touching it was quite peculiar.

Chu Zhen frowned, but did not let go.

She was also stunned for a moment, somewhat bewildered.

As the two sides were facing off, they heard the emperor say, "Joyful countenance."

The person beside him turned his head blankly, without getting up, and said in a daze, "Your subject is here."

How rude!

"You will accompany the eunuch to the Empress Dowager's Palace of Glory," the Emperor commanded calmly, his face devoid of any joy or worry.

Tang Leyan was taken aback.

Chu Zhen, who was standing next to him, was also startled.

The Empress Dowager never interfered in politics, and Tang Leyan was just a newcomer who had just entered the court. He probably hadn’t even seen the Empress Dowager’s face. Why did the Empress Dowager specifically ask to see him?

What could be so important?

Chu Zhen pondered to himself.

But then he saw a fleeting look of surprise on the face of the person beside him, who then turned to him and smiled: "My lord, can you let go now? You held me so tightly... it hurts..." A hint of ambiguity appeared on his face, and his tone gradually lowered as if whispering. His face was slightly flushed from the effects of the alcohol, which, against his red clothes, made him look quite eye-catching.

Chu Zhen then realized that she was still holding the other person's hand.

The military officer's heart pounded twice more than ever before.

He immediately released his hand as if he had been branded with a hot iron.

The man smiled casually, glanced at him sideways, and swayed to his feet, the hem of his red robe flashing past his eyes.

It was so dazzling, it was like a ball of fire.

Without hesitation or fear, he followed the eunuch away.

Chu Zhen watched the figure disappear beyond the flowers and trees, unconsciously placing her right hand, which had just held his hand, into her left hand.

※※※※※

Tang Leyan followed the eunuch through a maze of winding paths, and after an unknown amount of time, she finally arrived at the entrance of Ronghua Palace.

A strange feeling arose in my heart as I glanced at the towering palace.

Along the way, she casually inquired about the eunuch's tone.

Although those guys were polite to her on the surface, she could tell.

Nothing good happened on this trip.

Moreover, when she got up and left her seat, she clearly saw a look of relief on the face of the accompanying eunuch.

Ha... Is she really that annoying?

As I was standing at the entrance of Ronghua Palace, I suddenly heard a sound beside my ear.

"Your Majesty..." The young eunuch in front stopped, turned around and bowed.

She looked back as well.

Before her stood a graceful beauty with a full moon-like face, dressed in a jade-green brocade robe, her hair as black as clouds, and a touch of crimson on her lips. Her hands were crossed at her waist. Upon seeing Tang Leyan, she suddenly stopped, her gaze shifting before finally revealing an expression of displeasure.

Tang Leyan smiled unconsciously.

"Hmph." The beauty said unhappily, "You're Leyan?"

"It is indeed your subject, Your Majesty."

“Good, very good.” Xu Meiren nodded. “It was dark that night and I couldn’t see clearly, but seeing him up close today, Guard Le is indeed a handsome man. I heard that he has recently made great contributions, which is really impressive. He is probably the fastest rising among the previous martial arts champions.”

Although she was praising him, her tone was very harsh, full of sarcasm and insults.

Tang Leyan smiled, not annoyed at all: "I will keep Your Majesty's teachings in mind."

"Oh? What did I teach you?" Xu Meiren glanced at her sideways.

"Didn't Your Majesty remind Leyan of the principle that 'the tallest tree in the forest is the first to be felled by the wind'? The higher you climb, the harder you fall. How could Leyan not understand this principle? Leyan will certainly be careful and cautious," she said respectfully.

A hint of surprise flashed across Xu Meiren's face.

He focused his gaze again, carefully examining Tang Leyan's face.

Just then, a voice announced from inside Ronghua Palace: "The Empress Dowager has decreed that Guard Leyan be summoned to an audience."

※※※※※

She stepped inside.

I walked slowly forward across the gleaming, glass-like floor.

Looking around, in the spacious Ronghua Hall, a magnificent and dignified woman in full regalia sat on the main seat.

Her hair was styled in a high bun, and she wore a black satin dress embroidered with phoenixes dancing among flowers, using brown silk threads and gold threads.

Although she is quite old, she is very well-maintained.

His eyes, in particular, are very bright and expressive; when he looks at someone, it's as if he can see right into their heart.

Consort Xu entered the hall first, bowed, and said, "Xu Yan greets Your Majesty the Empress Dowager and Princess Yinyue."

The Empress Dowager gave a soft "Please take a seat."

Xu Meiren stood up, sat down on the right, and turned to look at Tang Leyan.

Her gaze shifted, and she noticed a woman sitting to the left of the Empress Dowager. Presumably, this was Princess Yinyue, whom Consort Xu had mentioned. She was also dressed in brocade robes and adorned with a golden hairpin. She was in the prime of her youth and very beautiful, but her face carried a slightly arrogant air that somewhat detracted from her beauty.

"Leyan greets Your Majesty the Empress Dowager and Your Highness the Princess." Leyan stepped forward, clasped her hands together, and bowed slightly in greeting.

The Empress Dowager frowned slightly, looking at the people coming down below, seemingly taken aback.

It wasn't until Leyan looked up that she saw it.

She noticed that the Empress Dowager's sharp gaze seemed somewhat unfocused.

"You... are you the newly appointed martial arts champion?" the Empress Dowager asked slowly.

"It is indeed Leyan," Tang Leyan replied with a smile.

Princess Yinyue spoke up from the side: "You are Leyan, who has repeatedly thwarted my brother the Emperor's plans, haha, Leyan, I ask you—do you know your crime?"

Le Yan frowned slightly, while Xu Meiren's smile grew even colder.

Chapter Fifty Coincidence

In the history of Shundu, there has never been a precedent of any guards preventing the emperor from visiting the inner palace.

Even ministers don't have this privilege.

So when the Empress Dowager heard this shocking news, her first reaction was to eliminate the foolish guard who had blocked Shun's plan to pass on the throne.

Then Tang Leyan was summoned to Ronghua Palace.

However, upon first meeting this person, his initial intent to interrogate him suddenly changed.

The Empress Dowager had never seen such a person before, such a newly appointed martial arts champion, such a bodyguard with a sword in front of her.

But he just happened to stand right in front of her.

She was dressed in red, holding a folding fan, with her jet-black hair tied up on top of her head and black ribbons hanging down her temples.

His eyebrows slanted upwards, his eyes were bright and piercing, his demeanor was gentle, he was spirited but not domineering, free but not arrogant, and what was even more surprising was that he had an inexplicable quality that made people feel close to him.

It feels so familiar.

Princess Yinyue said, "You are Leyan, who has repeatedly thwarted my brother the Emperor's plans. Ha, I ask you, do you know your crime?"

The man smiled, showing no sign of unease, and asked, "What crime has Leyan committed?"

This smile was inappropriate, yet it didn't seem offensive. Even the usually short-tempered Yin Yue wasn't angry; she merely laughed and scolded, "What a bold fellow, Your Majesty..."

The Empress Dowager was taken aback before shifting her gaze from the man to Yin Yue, saying, "Yin Yue, you must not say more."