Chapter 451: Chapter 449: Will Zhaozhao Follow You Nameless and Unrecognized for the Rest of Her Life?
Huo Mingyan choked back her words.
She raised her eyes in embarrassment, unable to believe Lu Ying would humiliate her so publicly for Shen Yinning.
The pride ingrained in her bones prevented her from bending her back. Tears welled up in her eyes but stubbornly refused to fall.
Her nails dug into her palms, and her voice was hoarse as she said, "I come from outside the border. I admit I do not understand the twists and turns of women’s intrigues. This is my nature—what fault lies in that? Is being straightforward, like a man, also a mistake?"
Lu Ying slowly toyed with the Moyu ring.
Though he was a man, he did not believe that men were inherently better than women.
Many men were disgusting in their actions and cruel in their hearts. Huo Mingyan had no need to place herself on the same level as them.
Yet Huo Mingyan misunderstood his intentions and resented him instead.
"Your Majesty!" Guan Songyuan suddenly stepped forward. "There were misunderstandings earlier. Her Highness is straightforward and lovable, pure in nature, while Princess Zhaoning is reserved and proud, reluctant to engage in verbal disputes. This caused the misunderstanding between the two. I plead with Your Majesty to grant mercy and let this matter rest!"
Lu Ying cast him a glance.
Xue Mianmian’s husband—the spring’s top scholar...
The man was far too meddlesome, even daring to interfere in his private affairs.
The Moyu ring turned slowly on his finger as his gaze returned to Huo Mingyan: "Let today’s matter end here."
His tone carried a warning.
Only after the crowd dispersed did Huo Mingyan’s legs give way, barely managing to stay upright by clutching Han Sang’s arm.
Her eyes were rimmed with red as she stared intently at Lu Ying’s retreating figure. "Cousin, for Shen Yinning, he humiliated me like this... But Han Sang, am I not his wife?"
Han Sang joined in her resentment: "It’s all because of that wretched Shen Yinning, deceiving His Majesty! Your Highness comes from outside the border, pure as ice and jade, proud in temperament—how could you ever stoop to serve others like her? Who knows what kind of upbringing Duke Shen and his wife gave her to raise such a harlot!"
Her words were harsh.
Although Huo Mingyan shared the sentiment, she reprimanded, "Do not speak nonsense!"
"This servant merely feels wronged for you!"
Suddenly, a soft cough came from nearby.
Huo Mingyan looked over cautiously—it was Guan Songyuan.
Strained displeasure crossed her face for a moment. "Guan Gongzi?"
Guan Songyuan rested one hand behind his back and spoke soothingly, "Your Highness need not worry. Princess Zhaoning is infamous in the Capital for her fickleness and wanton behavior; Han Sang did not exaggerate."
Huo Mingyan arched a brow.
Guan Songyuan chuckled sheepishly, "This humble servant knows that my wife is a close confidant of Princess Zhaoning, which makes Your Highness doubt me. However, I have always sided with reason over relationships—Your Highness need not concern yourself with this."
Truthfully, he had sought favors from Shen Yinning numerous times.
But alas, he couldn’t even secure a meeting with her.
He sent lavish gifts by proxy, but Shen Yinning refused to accept them all, returning them as they came.
Seeing those items rejected, he knew that Shen Yinning looked down on him entirely.
Later, he tried persuading Xue Mianmian to approach Shen Yinning and speak well of him to the Emperor, yet Xue Mianmian adamantly refused.
Unable to accomplish even this small task, he couldn’t help but question why he’d married such a worthless woman as Xue Mianmian.
In the end, he still had to seek his own connections!
With this thought, he smiled again and said, "Compared to an enchanting fox spirit, I much admire Your Highness’s uprightness, candor, resilience, and bravery. I believe that one day, His Majesty will surely see these qualities in Your Highness! By then, it will be the moment he turns his heart back to you!"
Huo Mingyan narrowed her eyes. "Although you are somewhat ingratiating and calculating, what you said is true."
"How am I ingratiating or calculating? I merely speak from the heart!" Guan Songyuan’s smile became even more bright and seemingly sincere. "I have heard that Your Highness excels in equestrian archery—could I have the honor of competing with you in these skills?"
Huo Mingyan held no regard for him, but she did not dislike competing in archery with men.
While outside the border, she grew up surrounded by men who admired and praised her endlessly.
Only with Guan Songyuan did she find the feeling of being the center of adoration once again.
She agreed cheerfully, "Come, then."
Elsewhere.
The young eunuchs had already reported Huo Mingyan and Guan Songyuan’s activities to Lu Ying.
Lu Ying was indifferent.
Their marriage was a political arrangement to begin with—he had never been faithful to her, so she naturally had every right to seek her own happiness.
Walking down a path shaded by lush flora, he arrived at the end where there stood an elegant annex.
De Sun pushed open the flower-carved door.
Inside the annex sat a woman, her hair styled in a falling horse-tail bun favored by young matrons. She wore a narrow-sleeved gown of soft, rain-bathed sky blue, and a pale yellow pearl shawl added a touch of grace and dignity to her appearance.
Lu Ying looked at her and spoke in a low voice, "Elder Cousin."
Lu Minmin set down her tea cup and rose to salute him. "This humble servant pays respects to Your Majesty."
Lu Ying motioned her to rise, though his gaze did not leave her.
It had been several years since he last saw Lu Minmin.
She now appeared thin and tranquil, her former radiance from the time spent with Shen Xingye gone.
He took a seat and began directly, "I invited you here today, Cousin, to ask whether Shen Xingye ever entrusted something to your care."
"All say Your Majesty is wise and astute—today I see that it is true," Lu Minmin met his gaze. "Indeed, Xingye did leave something with me. However, he had repeatedly instructed me to personally deliver it to Zhaozhao. If Your Majesty hopes to obtain it from me, I am afraid I cannot comply."
The annex was secluded and tranquil; faintly, distant melodies of musical instruments could be heard.
Lu Ying remained impassive. "If that is so, then why have you hesitated all this time since entering the palace, Cousin, to seek out Zhaozhao and give her the item? What have you been worrying about?"
Her hesitation exposed, Lu Minmin pressed her lips tightly together.
After the new Emperor ascended the throne, the government disclosed numerous long-closed cases, including the Shen family’s rebellion.
She had intended to deliver the item to Zhaozhao promptly, but the details of the case made her hesitate.
"Hasn’t Cousin already guessed these days?" Lu Ying skimmed the foam on his tea. "Why did Shen Xingye suddenly charge the city gates with the Commander’s Seal that night? What exactly did he leave for Zhaozhao? Was it truly something good? Or might it lead Zhaozhao to commit the same, if not worse, defiant acts he did? Zhaozhao is even more headstrong—if she learns of certain secrets, she might take an even more extreme path, one she cannot turn back from."
The annex fell into a silence that seemed to echo.
After an indeterminate period, Lu Minmin finally replied softly amidst the diffuse scent of tea, "Your Majesty is indeed meticulous. It’s no surprise that both Lu Shiyan and Lu Zhengliu lost to you."
"Zhaozhao is now alone and unsupported in the Capital." Lu Ying leisurely sipped his tea. "You should understand, Cousin, I am the only one who can protect her."
Lu Minmin looked at him. "All the people of the Capital say that His Majesty is upright and virtuous, not only forgiving Zhaozhao’s past misdeeds but also treating her with restraint and propriety, providing for her as though she were his younger sister-in-law. Now it seems not a word of those claims is to be trusted."
Lu Ying gave no defense.
Lu Minmin continued, "From what I see, Your Majesty seems to want to take responsibility for Zhaozhao. So, I ask Your Majesty—will Zhaozhao remain by your side her entire life, without title or status?"
Shen Xingye was gone.
Though she hadn’t been able to marry him, she still regarded Shen Yinning as her dear younger sister.
Thus, she could not restrain herself from raising this bold question.