Ne vous appuyez pas contre la rambarde ouest pour profiter pleinement de l'automne clair

Chapitre 8

"Wife, are you finished? Really! Let me see, let me see... Wow, wife, you're so amazing! It really looks like him! Wife, it...it really looks like him..." Dongfang Yao held the drawing paper in amazement, staring intently at the portrait on the paper that was so similar to him, clicking his tongue in admiration. His admiration for Rong Yue had reached a new level. His wife was truly amazing. Not only could she make that toy called...called egg...oh right, called 'egg centipede', and help him hunt down several little birds, but he never expected his wife could also paint! He dared to say that even the painters in his brother's palace couldn't match his wife's paintings! He had to find an opportunity to show off to his brother!

"Wife, will you teach me to draw? I want to learn too, please teach me, please teach me..." Dongfang Yao shook Rongyue's arm coquettishly, looking at her expectantly.

It's that pitiful puppy look again! Whenever Dongfang Yao shows that expression, Rong Yue is destined to be completely defenseless! She really wonders if Dongfang Yao ever asked her to jump into the sea with that look, would she eagerly jump right in? Frustrated, she picked up her pen again, pulled out another sheet of drawing paper, and although she knew it was like talking to a brick wall, she still explained it to the earnest Dongfang Yao, over and over again…

"Your Highness, Your Highness." Liu Fu stood respectfully at the door, calling out softly to the two people inside who were having a great time.

"Isn't this just a game?" At first, Rongyue was incredibly dedicated, patiently teaching him again and again, even though the other person always blinked his big, dumb eyes, clearly not understanding anything. But in the end, what infuriated Rongyue was that this person who claimed to want to learn to paint actually fell asleep and snored during her lesson! This was intolerable! A paintbrush laden with thick ink, its owner deftly drawing a perfect arc in the air before landing on Dongfang Yao's handsome face. In no time, a lively and adorable little rabbit was gloriously born on his face!

His anger vanished, replaced by uncontrollable laughter. The laughter startled Dongfang Yao from his sleep. After Dongfang Yao understood what was happening, he also picked up a paintbrush and chased after Rong Yue, painting her face. This was the scene Liu Fugang witnessed at the door.

"What's up?"

"A message has been sent from the palace that Prince Xuan and his wife are coming to the palace."

Entering the palace?! Rongyue was somewhat surprised. Why would they be allowed to enter the palace for no reason?

"Ah, I almost forgot!" Dongfang Yao jumped up and grabbed Rongyue, running outside. "The Hundred Flowers Festival! The Hundred Flowers Festival! Wife, come and see the fun..."

"Ah, let me change my clothes before I go—"

Volume One, Pear Blossom Courtyard, Melting Moon, Chapter Twelve: A Destined Encounter

"Xuyao, in my opinion, let it go! We are men, true men! Why should we argue with a young woman? Taking a step back will open up a whole new world. We are magnanimous and can forgive and forget!" Seeing Chu Xuyao looking dejected and drinking alone, Dongfang Lie couldn't help but speak up to persuade him.

"Go play with your woman! Don't worry about me!" Muttering irritably, Chu Xuyao brought another glass of strong liquor to his lips. Unable to find that woman, even he couldn't understand why he was so frustrated. Was he, Chu Xuyao, really such a petty person, unwilling to let go until he avenged that insult? Thinking of this, his mood became even more depressed.

"Sigh, I'm telling you... never mind, I'm not going to bother with you anymore." Turning his head away dejectedly, Dongfang Lie's gaze once again swept over the numerous beauties. What on earth has gotten into Chu Xuyao?!

Meanwhile, Liu Ruxu, nestled in Dongfang Lie's arms, blushed and glared resentfully at Chu Xuyao: This Master Chu really has no restraint when it comes to speaking...

"Your Highness, Your Highness's Consort has arrived—"

A high-pitched eunuch's voice instantly silenced the entire Imperial Garden. All the women craned their necks, curiously looking at the legendary foolish prince and the 'tragic' woman who married a fool as a concubine—Rongyue.

"Honey, look over there! Let me tell you, there are so many birds over there! How about we take that 'egg centipede' you made and hunt birds another day? Okay, honey—"

Oh God, Dongfang Yao, please, have mercy on her! All those stares made her feel like she was being led around like a monkey to pay New Year's greetings. It was awful…!

"Wife—please say yes, please say yes! If you don't, I'll cry!" Seeing that Rongyue didn't respond, he suddenly jumped onto her, clinging to her like a koala, catching her off guard and causing her to stumble a few steps in a disheveled state. *Wife, if you don't say yes, I'll cry! My wife is most afraid of me crying; as long as I cry, she'll agree to anything!* Dongfang Yao thought to himself, smugly pleased with himself.

Suppressed laughter rippled through the crowd. While laughing, the women also felt a deep pity for the unfortunate Rongyue. What a miserable life! To have married such a fool! If it were them, they would probably have already committed suicide out of shame!

Even with Rongyue's thick skin, she couldn't withstand this kind of torment! Her face flushed red, Rongyue gritted her teeth at Dongfang Yao, who was clinging to her, and said, "Be good, get down, I promise you..."

"Alright—my wife agreed!" Dongfang Yao jumped up and down excitedly from Rongyue's lap, "Then, wife, let's come tomorrow! Let me tell you, wife, there are so many bird nests in that grove! When we get there tomorrow, you can climb the trees barefoot like last time and take the nests down..."

A flurry of gazes swept in unison towards Rongyue! Everyone gaped in astonishment, their faces filled with disbelief. Who would have thought she was that kind of woman! So ill-mannered! The women looked at Rongyue with disdain, pointing and whispering amongst themselves.

Holy Mary, come and take her away! She's disgraced the entire solar system today! If there were a crack in the ground right now, she'd cut off her head and squeeze into it!

"Yao'er, you're being naughty again! You're married now, why are you still so naughty?" Dongfang Lie's cheerful voice came from not far ahead, successfully diverting Dongfang Yao's attention to Dongfang Lie.

"Brother Emperor—" Dongfang Yao grabbed Rongyue's hand and ran excitedly toward Dongfang Lie's location. When they arrived at Dongfang Lie's side, she pulled Liu Ruxu out of his arms with great displeasure, then took her place in Dongfang Lie's arms, hugging his neck and swaying back and forth.

"Alright, alright, if you keep shaking me, my neck will break—" Dongfang Lie pulled away Dongfang Yao's hand and rolled his eyes helplessly.

Dongfang Yao's actions were truly gratifying, and all the women watched Liu Ruxu's misfortune with glee. Liu Ruxu was furious and embarrassed, but she couldn't retaliate, so she could only stand aside with a livid face.

Upon seeing Rongyue beside her, Liu Ruxu immediately vented her resentment on her: "Sister, what are you still standing there like an idiot for! Not only do you not bow to me, but you've even skipped the Emperor's greeting! Hurry up and bow! Don't let people laugh at the Liu family for not knowing etiquette!" Liu Rongyue, I, Liu Ruxu, am no longer the same! I am now the Empress of the Eastern Dynasty, with a prestigious status, above all others! And you, you are just a foolish princess! What do you have to compare with me! Liu Rongyue, I, Liu Ruxu, will settle every score of the past!

What a noisy bird! Liu Rongyue remained standing to the side, completely unresponsive, showing no intention of bowing.

It wasn't that she didn't want to bow, nor that she wanted to be treated specially; it was simply that she really didn't know how to bow!

"Liu Rongyue! Who do you think you are, daring to disrespect me!" Liu Ruxu was furious at Rongyue's disregard, and her voice rose higher and higher, sharp enough to pierce a person's left eardrum and then continue to penetrate the person's right eardrum!

It seems that Liu Ruxu hates her to death. As soon as she sees her, she forgets everything, even the important fact that her beloved Emperor is still present! It seems that Rongyue is quite capable, able to make her 'sister' hate her to an almost transcendent level!

"Liu Rongyue, why don't you bow to me?" He didn't want to interfere, as it was quite amusing to watch the two sisters argue! However, the occasion was inappropriate. Liu Ruxu was his empress, and she was on the verge of losing her temper. If this continued, it would be a disgrace to him, Dongfang Lie.

"Why didn't he bow?" Rongyue pointed with her slender hand, and everyone's gaze fell on the spot where her fingertip pointed—Dongfang Yao in Dongfang Lie's arms.

"How dare you! He is my imperial brother; I have granted him permission not to perform the rites!"

"Oh, so I don't need to go then!"

"How so?"

"A woman follows her husband after marriage!" Rongyue habitually curled the corners of her lips. Her eyes casually swept across the room, but unexpectedly met a pair of probing, intense, and cold eyes that gleamed with a dark light!

After quickly searching her memory, Rongyue's knees went weak and she was almost scared out of her wits when she matched the name with someone in her mind!

God, are you kidding me?!

Woman, where do you think you're going to run this time! It's like searching high and low without finding it; fate has decreed that he'll find her today, and she can't escape! Woman, accept your fate!

As Rong Yue silently questioned the heavens, and as everyone was astonished by Rong Yue's outrageous act, Chu Xuyao, with a sinister smile, strode towards Rong Yue, grabbed her slender wrist, and stared intently into the depths of Rong Yue's still shocked dark eyes. Without even raising his head, he uttered, "I want this woman," and then, in front of the utterly bewildered crowd, picked up Rong Yue and flew away!

The first to react was the foolish prince in Dongfang Lie's arms. Dongfang Yao, enraged, leaped out of Dongfang Lie's embrace and roared furiously at Chu Xuyao's retreating figure, "Give me back my wife! You bastard! Come back—give me back my wife! I want my wife! Give me back my wife—"

That damned Chu Xuyao, he's really causing me trouble! I must have owed him something in my past life!

With a warm smile, Dongfang Lie addressed the Imperial Garden with an explanation that even he himself didn't believe: "Chu Xuyao really loves to joke..."

A joke? Probably not. The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes reflecting only disbelief. However, since the Emperor said it was a joke, then it was a joke! The Emperor's words were law; who dared question them?

Volume One, Pear Blossom Courtyard, Melting Moon, Chapter Thirteen: Provoking the Wolf