novelaction Chapter 322 Entering the Palace at Night
Chapter 322 Entering the Palace at Night
Chapter 322 Entering the Palace at Night
Chapter 322
"No wonder." Someone murmured in a low voice.
"No wonder?" someone else asked curiously.
"No wonder this gentleman, as the son of a powerful noble and favored by His Majesty, should have had many wives and concubines long ago, but he has never married. It turns out he has such a habit."
"Oh." Hearing him say this, everyone responded softly, and instantly understood what he meant by "hobby".
Commander Pang silently listened to the crowd's discussion, his gaze casting towards the direction where Ye Yunzhou and the others had disappeared. He thought to himself: This Lord Ye usually looks aloof and abstinent, but I didn't expect him to be such a romantic. Well, these children of the powerful and wealthy often lead extravagant lives, and it's not uncommon for them to develop some peculiar fetishes after getting tired of playing with women.
When everyone had finished their discussion, Commander Pang interrupted, "That's enough! No noise is allowed at the palace gate. What a disgrace!"
Everyone looked at each other, and immediately stood up straight with their heads held high and chests puffed out, as if the discussion just now had never occurred.
Luo Shuiyao followed Ye Yunzhou silently for a long time. After passing another group of imperial guards, she approached Ye Yunzhou and whispered, "You were at the palace gate just now. What did that mean?"
They could have just gone straight into the palace, but Ye Yunzhou suddenly stopped at the palace gate and gave him such a warning. This was too unusual for a servant like him, and it would arouse suspicion for no reason.
Luo Shuiyao didn't understand why Ye Yunzhou did this, but by letting her enter the palace disguised as a servant, it was obvious that he didn't want others to know certain things. However, at this moment, he took the initiative to act, which aroused others' suspicion. No matter how you look at it, this matter is full of inexplicable strangeness.
Ye Yunzhou lowered his eyes and immediately caught Luo Shuiyao's wary and suspicious gaze. He found her incredibly adorable. He slowed his pace, walking side by side with Luo Shuiyao, and lowered his voice, saying, "If I were to bring someone into the palace late at night, it would surely arouse suspicion. If someone were to investigate thoroughly, they'd probably suspect you. I did it on purpose, to make others think I was blinded by beauty, not only doting on a servant, but even reluctant to part with him even when entering the palace. This way, I could provide you with some extra cover."
After hearing his explanation, Luo Shuiyao's expression changed slightly. She then stopped and asked, "Do you think I'm a pedophile?"
Seeing her stop, Ye Yunzhou also stopped. Fearing that she would be angry, he quickly coaxed her softly, "Don't be angry. This is just a temporary expedient. Even if those people have some guesses, they wouldn't dare spread them."
Luo Shuiyao looked at him, not angry, but filled with surprise. This man was so casual today, which was beyond her expectations.
But Ye Yunzhou didn't know what she was thinking. Seeing that she was just staring at him with an inexplicable expression and not saying a word, he thought she was really angry. He was about to explain to her again, but before he could say anything, he noticed that another group of guards were approaching. Ye Yunzhou paused slightly, then stretched out his arms to block Luo Shuiyao's side. From the direction of the guards, it looked like the two were hugging each other.
"Be good, stop making trouble. I came to the palace today to report something, not to avoid you on purpose. I'll spend more time with you when I get back later." Ye Yunzhou said such a string of corny words that Luo Shuiyao couldn't help but stare wide-eyed, thinking to herself: Is this man possessed? Perhaps her expression was too straightforward. Even though she didn't say anything, Ye Yunzhou could still see what she was thinking from her eyes.
Ye Yunzhou didn't say anything to explain, but instead moved closer to her, leaning his head close to her ear in an almost intimate manner. Seeing this, Luo Shuiyao turned her head and wanted to push him away, but Ye Yunzhou put his arm around her shoulders and whispered in her ear, "Cooperate with me, there's someone behind you."
Luo Shuiyao's movements in pushing the person were slightly stiff. Although she was curious about who the person he was talking about was, she was also afraid of alerting the enemy and causing trouble for him, so she had to let him get closer stiffly.
Someone from the Imperial Guards watched this scene from a distance, stopped to observe carefully. After seeing who it was, he quietly averted his gaze and whispered to the leader, "Let's go ahead and take a look. Don't disturb Governor Ye's good deeds." Although the voice was low, it could not hide the teasing in his words.
Upon hearing this, the guards, though they didn't agree out loud, all smiled. However, one of them, walking at the end of the group, kept casting inquiring glances as he passed by. When he saw the two men standing in front of him, neck to neck, he curled his lips, his eyes revealing disdain, but he also lowered his guard.
Luo Shuiyao just stood there stiffly, waiting for a long time. Finally, she couldn't help but lean close to Ye Yunzhou's ear and whispered, "Aren't you leaving yet?"
The warm breath on his neck made Ye Yunzhou's ears itch and turn red. He took a deep breath, turned his body sideways to cover up, and said, "Just left."
In reality, those people had already left, but he naturally wouldn't tell Luo Shuiyao. After saying that, he stood up and looked behind him. Under the cover of the night, his red ears didn't catch Luo Shuiyao's attention.
Seeing him staring at her, Luo Shuiyao hummed uncomfortably and said, "Then let's go."
"Okay." Then, the two of them walked silently through the deep palace walls and came to the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
.........
Outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Eunuch Su had been watching since early morning, having already dismissed all the idlers within. At this point, aside from the secret guards and other trustworthy individuals, no one else was present. Upon seeing Ye Yunzhou, Eunuch Su immediately greeted him with a beaming smile.
"Sir Ye, I have finally seen you! Your Majesty has been waiting for a long time. Please follow me in."
Eunuch Su, beaming, bowed respectfully and stepped aside after greeting Ye Yunzhou. His eyes seemingly casually glanced at the thin man behind Ye Yunzhou, and he instantly understood something. However, he didn't linger on Luo Shuiyao for long, but hurriedly ushered the two into the hall. After closing the hall door, he lowered his voice and said, "Your Majesty is resting in the bedroom."
Upon hearing this, Ye Yunzhou hummed softly as a response, and then led Luo Shuiyao straight to the bedroom where Emperor Yuan Cheng was resting.
At this moment, Emperor Yuanzhen reclined on the dragon couch, the accumulated poison within him increasingly weighing on his chest over the past few days. After hurriedly reviewing the memorials today, he had taken to resting here due to feeling unwell. He had even refused to see the concubines who requested an audience. Hearing the approaching footsteps, he slowly lifted his eyelids and looked towards the newcomer. His eyes, red from lack of rest for so many days, stood out against the palatial yet eerie atmosphere of the palace. He reclined lazily on the bed, like a lion entering his twilight years. Yet, the aura of sternness and murderous intent emanating from him seemed to silently warn the visitor that even though the years had passed and his glory had faded, the power of life and death remained firmly in his hands.