"You who have served in the Eastern Palace for so long know better than I what the Crown Prince's situation is! If we really make a scene before the Emperor, will the Crown Prince gain any respect? Will the Emperor value him even a little more?"
Her voice was soft, but every word struck their hearts.
"I will not punish you for now; you'd better watch yourself."
Before Bizhu and Biyun could even breathe a sigh of relief, footsteps were heard, and a moment later the ginger-yellow brocade curtain on the door was lifted, revealing a handsome face.
Rong Zhen, dressed in a bright yellow court robe, stood at the door with an icy expression.
******
Qingliang Hall.
After leaving the council hall, Rong Zhen was immediately led to a side hall of the Qingliang Palace.
Rong Hao and the others who were traveling with him were secretly gloating. They all had their own ways of finding out what Rong Duo wanted to ask Rong Zhen.
"Grandson greets His Majesty the Emperor!"
Rong Zhen knelt down and bowed swiftly, his expression calm and his voice clear. The bright yellow imperial robes embroidered with dragons did not make him appear imposing at all; instead, they made him look even more gentle and elegant.
However, Rong Duo, sitting high on the dragon throne, looked at his sixteen-year-old grandson with a complicated expression.
After a long silence, Rong Duo slowly spoke, "Do you know why I summoned you here today?"
Rong Zhen already knew what was going on. Rong Duo didn't tell him to get up, so he remained in the bowing posture and respectfully replied, "Grandson knows. It's because someone has been spreading rumors recently that the Crown Princess Ming is jealous."
"It's good that you know." Rong Duo's attitude was slightly cold, and he said with a hint of reproach in his tone, "Such rumors are really damaging to the reputation of the royal family."
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Chapter 135
An Ran was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then readily nodded and said, "Okay, I will be there on time."
Lu Mingxiu was slightly surprised by her quick agreement. He looked up at An Ran, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Aren't you going to ask why?"
"It's nothing more than me persuading you to resume relations with those two families and still have you acknowledge this kinship." Upon hearing the name of the Grand Princess of Lin'an, An Ran had already guessed her intentions, so she calmly replied, "Since these words have already reached your ears, I probably can't refuse. I'll go."
Lu Mingxiu pursed his lips and smiled.
"Don't worry, no matter what she says, I just won't agree." An Ran noticed that although Lu Mingxiu smiled, his expression revealed an undisguised gloom. He was clearly extremely impatient with this matter. "Anyway, I won't lose face by keeping quiet. I'm young, and you have a bad reputation, so it's normal for me to be afraid of you."
An Ran's unexpected remark left Lu Mingxiu speechless for a long time.
So his wife was teasing him?
His composed expression finally relaxed a bit, and he chuckled, "It seems that Madam already has a plan in mind."
An Ran nodded without hesitation, and thus answered quickly. "I remember Princess Yunyang telling me that even the Emperor has to tolerate the Grand Princess Lin'an, let alone me? When the time comes, I will remain calm and composed, what can she do to me?"
"Besides, I am the wife of the Marquis of Pingyuan. The Marquis of Pingyuan is an important official in the court and a favorite of the Emperor. They must give you some face, right?"
She said this without any sign of stage fright, seemingly disregarding even the dignified Grand Princess.
At most, she was just pretending to be stupid.
Seeing her radiant and fearless demeanor, Lu Mingxiu's mood improved considerably. He jokingly remarked, "So, Madam is going to use this as a shield to intimidate others?"
An Ran readily admitted it, her eyes sparkling. "Of course. I'm not stupid enough not to take advantage of this opportunity."
Then, she said happily, "I've never tasted the feeling of bullying others with my power before. I'll definitely try it if I have the chance."
At this point, An Ran suddenly became interested. She counted on her fingers and said enthusiastically, "Of course, it's not about bullying anyone, and I certainly won't be bullied either. I'm a very reasonable person. Don't you agree, Lord Marquis?"
Lu Mingxiu was initially displeased to learn that the Grand Princess of Lin'an was also interfering in his family affairs. However, once home, he chose not to show it. He clearly sensed that An Ran seemed unusually lively today—
He felt a warmth in his heart; she was deliberately teasing him to make him happy.
"Oh?" Lu Mingxiu's tense nerves relaxed, and his tone became light and teasing. "So, Madam is that little fox?"
An Ran didn't think much of it and nodded with great interest.
What's wrong with foxes? Aren't they clever?
"No wonder I've been feeling listless and dizzy lately." Lord Lu's expression remained unchanged as he said in a serious tone, "So it turns out that my soul has been bewitched by my wife."
An Ran then realized that Lord Lu had compared her to a bewitching fox spirit.
Hmph, who's afraid of who?
Seeing that Lu Mingxiu was in a bad mood, An Ran wanted to cheer him up, so she didn't hesitate. Smiling, she reached out and tapped Lu Mingxiu's chin with her finger. She even leaned closer and blew a breath, her eyes sparkling with captivating charm. "You're only just realizing it, Lord Marquis? Too late!"
Lu Mingxiu only wanted to tease An Ran, thinking that she would definitely blush and scold him a couple of times, but he never expected that An Ran would tease him back, and even make him almost lose control.
He took the opportunity to put his hand on her shoulder, bringing the two of them even closer together.
"It's not too late now." Lu Mingxiu moved closer and closer, their noses almost touching. He could clearly see the beads of sweat on her fair and delicate skin, caused by nervousness.
An Ran nervously closed her eyes.
But she didn't flinch; only her trembling long eyelashes betrayed her emotions.
Lu Mingxiu's kisses traveled down her forehead and nose, finally settling on her soft lips. He didn't rush to kiss her again, but instead gently caressed her lips with his fingers. Only when An Ran was almost opening her eyes did he reverently place a kiss on her lips.
An Ran's face was completely flushed, and her earlobes were as red as blood jade. The bold and charming little fox from a moment ago had instantly transformed into a quiet and shy young girl.