PFC Chapter 354
Chapter 354
Ye Yunzhou nodded slightly, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes: "You performed very well in the palace today."
Luo Shuiyao looked tired. When she heard his praise, she pursed her lips and forced out a faint fake smile, and responded perfunctorily: "Thank you for the compliment."
Ye Yunzhou didn't take it personally. He reached out and opened the box embedded in the carriage wall. He took out an oil-paper bag and placed it on the small table in the middle of the carriage. He asked, "Are you hungry? Eat something."
Luo Shuiyao looked at the soft pastry in the paper package and glanced at Ye Yunzhou unexpectedly. Then, without hesitation, she picked up a piece of pastry and chewed it carefully. Noticing that Ye Yunzhou was staring at her, Luo Shuiyao thought he wanted to eat too, so she handed him a piece.
Ye Yunzhou looked at the pastry offered to him and subconsciously wanted to refuse. But the candlelight in the car was dim, and the pale green pastry made her skin look even whiter. His eyes darkened, and he swallowed his words of refusal. As if possessed, he took the pastry and took a light bite. Although the pastry was soft, it was too sweet for him.
It seems I have to tell those guys not to pick such sweet snacks next time when we go to buy snacks. The little girl will easily get a toothache if she eats too much. Ye Yunzhou thought to himself, his thoughts drifting away.
Acupuncture is intensely stressful and physically demanding, so Luo Shuiyao found the snacks just right. Seeing Ye Yunzhou finish one piece and wipe his hands with a handkerchief, Luo Shuiyao realized he probably didn't like it, so she didn't offer him any more and finished her small portion. Afterward, she drank some tea from the carriage to soothe the greasy feeling, and breathed a long, comfortable sigh, feeling her fatigue disappear.
"Are you full?" Ye Yunzhou asked when he saw Luo Shuiyao finished her snack.
Luo Shuiyao nodded and responded: "I'm full, thank you for the snack, big brother."
However, she began to wonder in her heart, Ye Yunzhou didn't look like someone who liked this kind of snacks, so why did he suddenly prepare snacks in the carriage today, and they were new ones from Qingyu Tower?
Luo Shuiyao opened her mouth, but ultimately swallowed her words. It seemed inappropriate to directly ask Ye Yunzhou why he had suddenly prepared snacks. The moment she said that, it was as if she assumed Ye Yunzhou had prepared them specifically for her. Even if she was narcissistic, she couldn't bring herself to ask such a straightforward question.
Ye Yunzhou was a keen observer and immediately noticed the expression on Luo Shuiyao's face. He explained in a deep voice, "I noticed you looked hungry last night, so I asked someone to prepare some. If you like it, you can ask them to always keep some on hand in the future."
He looked as calm as ever, but his words seemed to hint at something, which made Luo Shuiyao feel uncomfortable. She retorted, "In the future, I will not ride in the same carriage with you, and you don't have to prepare snacks specially."
As soon as the words came out, Luo Shuiyao felt that the rejection was too abrupt, so she added: "But thank you for your trouble, brother."
Ye Yunzhou didn't respond to Luo Shuiyao, but just stared at her deeply, without saying a word for a long time. The strong sense of oppression emanating from his body made Luo Shuiyao feel uneasy.
Just when Luo Shuiyao was in agony, the carriage stopped steadily and the coachman announced loudly: "We're here." Luo Shuiyao didn't think twice, hurriedly said hello, and jumped off the carriage.
Since Ye Yunzhou did not give any instructions, the driver did not dare to drive away without permission.
Inside the carriage, Ye Yunzhou lowered his eyes to look at the item in his hand. It was something Eunuch Su had thrust into his hand the moment they passed each other on their way out of the palace. After reading the contents, Ye Yunzhou rubbed his forehead wearily, a surge of uncontrollable violence coursing through his heart, yet he had no outlet. He sat in the carriage for a long, dejected moment before ordering the driver to return. Lately, matters had been piling up, and there were still many pressing matters to be attended to at the Hidden Dragon Division.
.........
Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the eunuch's shrill voice echoed, and instantly, the hall, which had been filled with whispers, fell silent. Emperor Yuanzhen, clad in a magnificent dragon robe and surrounded by a throng of palace attendants, sat upon the Dragon Throne, a symbol of supreme power.
"I respectfully send you your holy greetings."
"Everyone, please stand up."
After the ministers finished their greetings, they all fell silent, their eyes lowered, not daring to look directly into the emperor's face. Therefore, no one noticed the slightly pale face of Emperor Yuanzhen, but they could hear that his voice was noticeably more energetic than it had been a few days ago.
The eunuch who carried the message dragged out a long note as he made his routine announcement: "If you have a petition, proceed. If you don't, dismiss the court!"
As soon as the eunuch's drawn-out announcement faded, General Liu of Dingyuan was the first to step out, holding the memorial in both hands: "Your Majesty, I have a memorial to submit!"
The eunuch who was delivering the message nodded slightly and flicked his whisk. The eunuch who was summoning the petition beside him immediately trotted forward, respectfully took the memorial with both hands, and handed it to the eunuch who was delivering the message.
The eunuch who delivered the message took the memorial and walked steadily to the imperial desk, then presented it to Emperor Yuanzhen.
Emperor Yuanzhen unfolded the memorial, his brows furrowed tighter and tighter, but he did not utter a word.
General Dingyuan glanced up furtively, only to see Emperor Yuanzhen's expression grim. Believing his report had displeased the Emperor, he lowered his gaze, passing over General Zuo Wei, the Third Prince, and the others before settling on Ye Yunzhou's back. He smirked inwardly: "He's just a young boy. How could he possibly have reached such heights that I'd struggle to reach in my lifetime?" He was so much higher in rank than himself, yet he still didn't know how to be humble. Now, finally, he could see his fall from grace.
Human nature is like this. Some people are mediocre themselves, but they are full of jealousy towards those who are better than them, even if the people they envy have never noticed their existence.
"Snapped!"
Emperor Yuanzhen frowned as he read the memorial's contents. He casually tossed it onto the table, its hardness clattering against the wooden table with a resounding crunch. His eyes narrowed slightly, and he gazed at the courtiers with an ambiguous expression. Because of his high position, the ministers were unsure who he was looking at, as they dared not look directly at him. But the imperial pressure instilled a chill in them all.
Seeing everyone looking down, no one dared to speak, Emperor Yuanzhen slowly spoke: "Lord Liu, in your opinion, how should I resolve this matter?"
Upon hearing this, General Liu of Dingyuan suppressed his slightly trembling hands, hurriedly stepped out, saluted respectfully, and spoke in a raised voice, "Your Majesty, I believe that for a court minister to commit such a shameful act is a true insult to your majesty's dignity. I believe that this must be investigated thoroughly and must not be tolerated."
Normally, Lord Liu, as the lowest-ranking official in the court, could only stand at the end of the line and rarely had a chance to speak. This time, his words captured everyone's attention. Even with all the mental preparation beforehand, a faint tremor could still be heard in his voice as he finished speaking.
"Oh? You always think of me." Emperor Yuanzhen spoke again.
"As an official of the Great Zhou, I am paid by the emperor and should always put Your Majesty first." Lord Liu answered loudly, secretly admiring himself for his flawless performance today.
"Hmph!" Emperor Yuanzhen snorted with an ambiguous meaning, ignored Lord Liu, and then waved his hand.
Seeing this, the eunuch beside him immediately stepped forward, bowed his head, and respectfully held up the memorial with both hands.
Emperor Yuanzhen's eyes were stern as he ordered, "Give it to Lord Ye and let him see what he has done."