Chарtеr 17: Nоt Нindering the Lazу Fish frоm Lying Flat
Lu Yun Juе asked, “Did Хiао Jiu tеll уоu I havе sоmеonе in my hеart?”
Ning Hеng оbservеd that his ехрressiоn didn’t sеem fеignеd аnd nоddеd, “Yеs. Тhe рrincеss stаted it emphatiсallу, telling mе tо bе sеnsible and nоt ocсuру уour сonsоrt’s positiоn.”
Lu Yun Juе’s brоws furrоwеd evеn tighter, and he lеt оut а sоft sigh.
“Хiao Jiu is mischiеvоus. Shе prоbablу heard sоmе unrеliаble gossiр оr was instigatеd by somеоnе, thеn cаmе to you spouting nonsensе.”
Hе tооk а brеath аnd continued еxрlaining, “Sinсe сhildhood, I’ve been frail and sickly, living day to day. I’ve always known that marriage would ruin a woman’s life, so I’ve never entertained the thought. There aren’t even any maidservants in my household who share my bed, let alone someone in my heart.”
As if afraid Ning Heng wouldn’t believe him, Lu Yun Jue carefully recalled for a moment. “If we’re talking about interactions with women… it was probably four years ago. At that time, my health was still passable, and my mother did arrange for me to meet the granddaughter of the Duke of Anguo.”
“However, she already had a childhood sweetheart she was fond of. I only met with her and her elder brother privately once to discuss how to properly dissolve the engagement while preserving both sides’ dignity.”
“Very few people knew about this. Now she’s long since married and is the mother of two children. Aside from that, I’ve had no other significant interactions with women.”
His tone was sincere, his gaze clear, and his words were spoken plainly.
Since it was all a misunderstanding and wouldn’t hinder her future plans of lying flat like a lazy fish, Ning Heng’s expression softened once more.
“If it’s just a rumor, then it’s no issue.”
Seeing the pale complexion of the beauty before her, Ning Heng initially considered giving him a few more acupuncture needles to improve his qi and blood circulation.
But on second thought, it didn’t seem proper to undress him for acupuncture before they were even married.
Better to wait until after the wedding. With her around, he wouldn’t die anytime soon anyway.
After Ning Heng left, Lu Yun Jue sat quietly for a while, the warmth in his eyes gradually fading.
“Butler Wang,” he called softly.
Butler Wang immediately bowed. “Your servant is here.”
Lu Yun Jue said, “Prepare the carriage. I’m going to the palace.”
“Your Highness, your health… What matter could be more important than your well-being?” Butler Wang asked anxiously.
But Lu Yun Jue insisted. Butler Wang sighed, knowing full well that despite his master’s gentle appearance, he was resolute in his decisions. He could only reluctantly go and prepare.
…
The Imperial Palace, Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Having stayed at Yun Jing Temple for two days and listened to chants of Amitabha for a while, He Lian hadn’t had any more of those bizarre dreams.
Feeling slightly more at ease, he buried himself in handling the mountain of accumulated government affairs.
A eunuch quietly entered to announce, “Your Majesty, His Highness the Rui Prince requests an audience.”
He Lian immediately set down his vermilion brush. “Quickly, invite him in.”
He was inwardly surprised. His cousin was frail and usually, He Lian was the one who visited the Rui Prince’s residence. It was rare for Lu Yun Jue to come to the palace himself. For him to come now, braving wind and rain, surely meant something important.
He Lian didn’t even bother with the half-reviewed memorials anymore and stood up to greet him.
Lu Yun Jue was still carefully wheeled in by Defu, his complexion even paler than before.
The two were close, as thick as thieves, and usually didn’t bother with formalities.
So Lu Yun Jue skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point. “Cousin, where is Xiao Jiu?”
The Emperor scoffed lightly. “Scared by a snake, holed up in her own palace.”
Seeing Lu Yun Jue’s unusual expression, He Lian asked, “Did she cause trouble?”
Lu Yun Jue then briefly explained how Helian Qingyao had gone to Ning Heng and spouted nonsense, claiming he had someone in his heart.So it turns out, the person I saw at the temple the other day was that future cousin-in-law.
Just from the back, she really didn’t look like a woman already with child…
He Lian was lost in thought for only a moment before his attention was pulled back by Lu Yun Jue’s muffled coughs.
Seeing his cousin forced to enter the palace in the rain while ill due to his own sister’s mischief, his expression instantly darkened, his sharp brow bones lowering.
His mother’s status was lowly, and he had never been favored by the late emperor since childhood. His eldest brother and two younger brothers also looked down on him, saying he was merely the son of a palace maid, lowly and unworthy.
Only Yun Jue often had his aunt bring him into the palace to play with him.
Even back when Consort Wei poisoned him, and Yun Jue accidentally drank that cup of poisoned wine, vomiting blood incessantly, teetering on the brink of death, he never blamed him.
He told his aunt that he had been greedy and drank it himself, that it had nothing to do with his cousin…
At that time, He Lian gritted his teeth and swore that he would ascend the throne and crush all those who had humiliated him underfoot.
Yun Jue had always been gentle and courteous by nature. Now that he had finally married to ward off misfortune, Chaoyang still went to cause trouble—truly spoiled by arrogance.
Thinking of this, He Lian felt genuine anger stir within him, his gaze as cold as a deep, icy pool.
“She has truly been spoiled by me, growing more and more lawless.”
He patted Lu Yun Jue’s shoulder, his tone softening. “Huai Jin, go back and rest well, and prepare at ease to be a groom. As for the rest, leave it to your cousin.”
“Mm.” Having achieved his goal, Lu Yun Jue said no more and allowed the eunuch to wheel him away.
After Lu Yun Jue left, the atmosphere in the Hall of Mental Cultivation remained heavy.
He Lian twisted the jade ring on his finger. “Defu.”
“Your servant is here.” Defu immediately bowed, holding his breath and focusing.
“As a member of the imperial family, supported by the people, the eldest princess should cultivate her character and set an example for all. How can she spend her days idly, stirring up gossip and trouble?”
He Lian’s voice was cold and stern. “Convey my oral decree: have Xiao Liu, Xiao Jiu, and Xiao Shi all go to the Pavilion of Literary Profundity to proofread ancient texts and rare books under the Grand Tutor’s supervision. Let them calm their minds. Without my permission, they are not to leave the palace casually.”
“Tell the Grand Tutor to be strict. I will conduct random inspections at any time.”
Defu’s heart skipped a beat—this was no easy task.
Proofreading historical texts and ancient books was the most tedious work to temper one’s character, and Grand Tutor Liu was notoriously strict. For the princesses, this was practically “torture.”
Especially for Princess Qingning, the late emperor’s youngest daughter, now only seven years old—an age of boundless energy and curiosity. How many characters could she even recognize?
However… the other elder princesses had either already married or passed away. Only these three remained in the palace.
For the other two princesses, this was truly an unwarranted disaster.
He dared not say more and quickly replied, “Yes, your servant will go at once.”
…
Meanwhile, Helian Qingyao remained unaware that she was about to face “great calamity.”
She was in the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility, nestled beside the Empress Dowager, pouting as she complained.
“Mother, that Ning Heng is nothing like a noble lady from a prestigious family… crude and ill-mannered, with ruthless methods. How is she worthy of Cousin Lu?”
The Empress Dowager was fingering her prayer beads and smiled gently upon hearing this. “Why would she be unworthy?”
“Master Huitong has already read their fates and said it must be her. Isn’t that a match made in heaven?”
The Empress Dowager was originally an ordinary palace maid in the Plum Garden. Due to an unexpected encounter with the late emperor while he was drunk, she became pregnant with He Lian and was elevated in status because of her son.
Later, her son proved capable, overcoming countless obstacles to ascend the throne, and she followed him to become the Empress Dowager.Perhaps due to the hardships she endured from various palace consorts in her early years, now that her son’s harem is peaceful, she has taken to reciting sutras and chanting Buddha’s name in her daily life.
Her temperament is the gentlest, rarely ever stirred to anger.
“Mother, you didn’t see it,” Helian Qingyao was eager to gain the Empress Dowager’s agreement, gesturing animatedly as she described, “She grabbed such a long snake bare-handed, without even blinking!”
“Her maid was even more terrifying—she just snapped the snake’s head off with a crack, as if she were a reincarnated demon!”
“If she were to marry Cousin Lu, what if they ever argued? Would she end up doing the same to him…”
The more she spoke, the more convinced she became of her speculation, and she shuddered at the thought.