novelaction Chapter 241 Selfishness
Chapter 241 Selfishness
Chapter 241
Seeing this, Lu Zhaozhao secretly rejoiced: "So what if I've received a reward from His Majesty? Ultimately, I'm just a lowly, unpresentable child. Even if I had this opportunity now, the Marquis and his wife would never agree to let me become the Marquis's young lady."
The Marquis' wife, however, felt somewhat disappointed. She had thought their mansion would have a secure backing within the palace, but now it seemed that this was no longer the case. While her eldest son and her husband enjoyed considerable favor and respect in the presence of the Emperor, a woman like her, ensconced in the inner chambers, had been raised in a traditional and conservative manner. She believed that the prosperity of a family depended on marriage, with men striving for success outside the palace while women were expected to manage domestic affairs within. She had always believed that while the Emperor's favor could be easily shattered, only solid ties of in-laws could forge a lasting foundation for the family.
But she had no idea that all this was just a false hope. But such things couldn't be forced, and since His Majesty had no such intentions, she couldn't reveal a single word. If word got out, her reputation would be ruined.
The Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery had never expected his wife to be so imaginative and to have thought of this. Now that the matter had been discussed, he felt relieved and said, "In that case, quickly call the servants to deliver the gift from His Majesty to Yao Yatou's courtyard. Instruct them to be extremely careful and not to damage it."
The Marquis's wife nodded and said, "Master, please rest assured. I will handle this matter."
Then, she glanced at Luo Shuiyao and the others in the courtyard and said, "You guys go back quickly. I'll arrange for someone to deliver these things in the courtyard to you later."
Luo Shuiyao leaned forward and replied, "Yes."
She naturally saw that the Marquis's wife wanted to speak to the Loyal and Brave Marquis alone, so she bowed and took her leave. "Since that's the case, I'll trouble you, aunt."
Lu Zhaozhao and Ye Yunzhou also took their leave, and they left the yard almost together.
After leaving the courtyard, Lu Zhaozhao glanced at Luo Shuiyao beside her, then at Ye Yunzhou, who was striding ahead. With a quick glance, she quickly followed him, approaching Luo Shuiyao's side. Her voice was filled with intimacy, as if the two of them were very close. "Sister Yao, congratulations! You've got this rare opportunity. Your future marriage will be settled. Unlike me, I've been in the capital for so long, trapped in the backyard all day, rarely seeing outsiders. I don't know if I can still find a suitable husband."
Luo Shuiyao curled the corners of her lips slightly, not surprised that Lu Zhaozhao came up to talk to her.
Judging from her tone, her congratulations seemed genuine, but there was a hidden needle in her words. She seemed to be complaining about herself, but in reality, she was accusing Luo Shuiyao of being restless, of going out and seeking marriage, unlike herself, who stayed at home. If this were to get out, others would undoubtedly doubt Luo Shuiyao's character.
If it were before, Luo Shuiyao might have caused trouble for the sake of the young man and pretended not to understand Lu Zhaozhao's hidden meaning. But now, she was bullied time and time again, and she was definitely not a soft persimmon that could be manipulated by others.
She turned to look at Lu Zhaozhao and was about to open her mouth to fight back when she suddenly heard Ye Yunzhou's cold voice: "She was able to find a good marriage because she is outstanding enough, not just by luck. If you envy her, go out and walk around more tomorrow, maybe you will be noticed by a noble person."
Luo Shuiyao turned her head and saw that Ye Yunzhou had stopped walking at some point and was standing not far from them, looking at Lu Zhaozhao coldly. Feeling Luo Shuiyao's gaze, Ye Yunzhou turned to look at her, and the coldness in his eyes instantly turned into tenderness.
Luo Shuiyao pursed her lips, suppressing the ripples of emotion in her heart. She thought to herself, "So, having someone to protect me is so wonderful." No need to charge into battle alone, no need to shield herself from the wind and rain alone. Someone spread their wings, holding her securely. This warmth was something Luo Shuiyao had never felt before. At that moment, a warm current flowed through her heart, dispelling the loneliness and exhaustion of the past.
Lu Zhaozhao's face flushed red. Her cryptic words were the product of a girl's subtle thoughts. Normally, men wouldn't pay much attention to these details. She had intended to tell Ye Yunzhou about them to show how sensible and well-behaved she was, but she hadn't expected Ye Yunzhou to understand and even give her no respect at all.
Her face flushed, and Lu Zhaozhao bowed and said, "Zhaozhao is not blessed, perhaps not as lucky as Sister Yao. I just remembered that when I came out, the nanny in the courtyard had something to discuss with me, so I'll take my leave now and won't disturb you two anymore."
After saying this, without waiting for Ye Yunzhou and Luo Shuiyao to respond, she turned and hurried away. Although she had been insulted and lost the verbal battle, as a daughter of the Lu family, her inherent pride would not allow her to cry and show weakness in front of this person she had always looked down upon. She could only turn around and flee the scene in embarrassment.
Watching her slightly staggering figure disappear, Luo Shuiyao turned to look at Ye Yunzhou and said softly, "Thank you very much."
Ye Yunzhou looked at her gently and asked, "Do you think I'm too aggressive?"
Luo Shuiyao shook her head and responded, "Of course not. Although it is indeed inappropriate for you, as a grown man, to say such harsh words to a little woman, I am the one who benefits from this matter. Even if your actions are slightly inappropriate, I will not express any disapproval. After all, Lu Zhaozhao has come after me time and time again. How can I show mercy to my enemy?"
"Haha." Ye Yunzhou chuckled, "You are quite honest."
Luo Shuiyao blinked, nodded and said, "There's nothing I can do. I've always been an honest person."
This also caused Ye Yunzhou to laugh again.
After the two of them laughed and joked, they walked towards the courtyard together. During this time, Luo Shuiyao did not walk side by side with him as before, but staggered and kept a distance from him.
Ye Yunzhou looked at her in confusion, and thought she was tired, so he slowed down his pace and walked slowly with her.
Arriving at the gate of Chunhua Courtyard, Luo Shuiyao looked up and saw that the courtyard was bustling with activity, with servants carrying the imperial gifts coming and going in an endless stream. Luo Shuiyao watched for a moment, wondering why there were so many of them.
Thinking of this, she turned to look at Ye Yunzhou, her eyes full of doubt. Seeing this, Ye Yunzhou nodded and said, "I've also sent my share to you. If you like it, you can use it. If you don't like it, just put it in the warehouse."
Luo Shuiyao quickly refused: "How can this be? It's yours..."
Before he could finish his words, Ye Yunzhou interrupted him: "Why do we have to be so clear about the distinction between you and me?"
Luo Shuiyao fell silent, just looking at him silently without saying a word.
Seeing the disapproval in her eyes, Ye Yunzhou sighed lightly and changed the subject, saying, "They are busy right now. If you go in now, you will disturb them. Why don't you go sit in my yard for a while and come back later."
Luo Shuiyao glanced at the courtyard again and saw that it was bustling with people coming and going. She replied, "Okay."