TL NOTE: Thank you Senny for the coffee this week <3 here’s a bonus chapter as my thank-you! I’ll be uploading the two chapters tomorrow! ~o~ <3 Enjoy!
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Translated by: Tinker
The banquet in the palace was very important. It was not only Zhao Nanyu who went in Zhao’s family, but also everyone who had official positions in the palace had to go. No one knew who sent out the news that the emperor wanted to take advantage of this birthday to point out marriage for several unmarried princes.
Several princes who were most likely to win the throne of the East Palace were among them.
As soon as the news came out, many high-ranking women who had not yet been married in the capital were moved by the news. The status of a prince was noble. If their family could marry the royal family, of course, it would be a great good thing.
There was only one girl in the second room of the Zhao family. She was not very healthy and often gets sick. So she spent most of these years outside the villa cultivating. In the past two years, she gradually recovered and returned to the capital. The younger sister just arrived this year. The second wife finally persuaded the second master to take her with her.
The two carriages of the Zhao family were parked in front of the door. Song Luan saw this little sister who almost never showed up before she got on the carriage. Zhao Min had a beautiful appearance, and a quiet temperament.
Zhao Min also saw her. She paid her respects and did a greeting ceremony. The tone was distance and alienated, “Second sister-in-law.”
Zhao Min was wearing a very festive dress today. She was pretty and nimble with her red skirt, delicate skin, and beautiful features. She had an excellent jade pendant on her wrist.
Song Luan gave her a friendly smile, “Fifth Younger Sister”
Zhao Nanyu didn’t seem to care much about this sister. After glancing and nodding, and then said his greetings. He gently clasped Song Luan’s five fingers, “It’s late. Let’s go. ”
Song Luan followed him to the carriage. Zhao’s house was not far from the palace gate. There were so many officials and family members entering the palace today, so for a while, the gate of the palace was blocked. The carriages parked outside looked like a long dragon.
Song Luan couldn’t hold back her curiosity. She opened the window, stretched out her head and looked out. She found that the line was extremely long. She estimated that they had to wait long for their turn. She drew back her face and sat in her position in a proper manner.
In fact, the carriage was actually not big, it was only enough to accommodate the two of them. Song Luan was so bored that she had no choice but to talk to Zhao Nanyu. She asked, “How can Erbo1Erbo is the second uncle. 二 (2nd) 伯 (Uncle) bring Min Hui’s2Min Hui is the Erbo’s son, and Min Hui’s sister is Zhao Min. sister into the palace today? Does he also want Min Hui’s sister to show her face in the emperor to get married with the prince?”
Zhao Nanyu grasped her cool hand, and casually said, “Several princes haven’t had any imperial concubine yet. It’s not surprising that the second uncle wants to fight for opportunities for this fifth younger sister.”
He took a deep look at Song Luan and held her palm harder. There were many people in the world who were obsessed with power, even Song Luan was included. He remembered that she liked the power status of gold, silver, jewelry, and the feeling of being held high.
Song Luan didn’t know that the man thought of her past again. She nodded, “I understand, people would climb up high if they had the chance.”
Zhao Nanyu sighed, “Yes.”
Now that she liked those, he would give them all to her, so that she would not have a chance to escape.
Absolute power means no one can’t resist.
Most of the information about the emperor’s selection of imperial concubines for his sons came from the palace. It was certain that the emperor deliberately let the information spread among the people. Since ancient times, the princes’ marriage had never been a matter of mutual love, but a game between all forces. Today’s agenda was suspicious. The candidates must have already been decided to balance the strength of all parties.
After waiting for about half an hour, the carriage finally entered the palace. After getting off the carriage and walking to the front of the main hall, Zhao Nanyu met some acquaintances.
The person who came was a handsome man. He had on a shallow smile on his lips that look like the spring breeze in the rain. The man was dressed in a dark robe and wore a delicate white jade crown on his head. He even looked good from a distance.
“Ah Yu, it’s a coincidence that we met before entering the hall.”
Zhao Nanyu arched his hand and said, “Sixth Royal Highness.”
Song Luan suddenly realized that her intuition was right. Just now, seeing the smile on his face, she felt it was fake. It turned out that he was the second biggest winner of the book, the sixth prince, who later became the new emperor.
It’s not unreasonable that the sixth prince and Zhao Nanyu had a good relationship. The ruthless style of these two men were too similar. Zhao Nanyu’s means were above the sixth prince, and the ruthlessness of the sixth prince was beyond anyone’s reach.
The girl who had saved his life treated him wholeheartedly, but in the end, she also said to be destroyed.
Before the sixth prince ascended the throne, he seemed to be a very easy-going young man, smiling like a spring breeze. But after he became king, he changed his face very quickly. He made a drastic change and killed many people.
The eyes of the sixth prince seemed to linger on Song Luan’s face for a moment as he smiled, “Ah Yu, is this your wife? This is the first time I’ve seen you together.”
“Well.” Song Luan’s white face was soon turned red by the wind, and Zhao Nanyu stood in front of her to block most of the wind.
After a pause, he said, “Your Highness, let’s go in and talk.”
Sixth prince raised his eyebrow. He did not expect that his best friend would be so distressed and concerned for his wife. She had made a great noise last year. Who in this place not know that the Song family’s third lady had a family affair? She did not lack troubles these past few years.
He thought that Ah Yu was disgusted with this capable lady, so he never mentioned this wife in front of him. Now it seems that those rumors were false.
Ah Yu clearly liked this third lady of the Song family.
“Alright, let’s go in and talk.”
Once in the palace, Song Luan was frightened by the battle inside. Even if it was a happy event, the atmosphere was solemn.
The emperor’s birthday was not meant to play.
The only person she knew in the whole palace was Zhao Nanyu, who she had to rely on. Zhao Nanyu seemed to realize her tension and uneasiness, so he held her hand tightly and never let go. He said, “Don’t worry, just follow me.”
Song Luan, of course, followed him.
First, she didn’t want to drink the wine that had been drugged. Second, she couldn’t let Zhao Nanyu see the picture of He Run holding her.
In fact, at the beginning, Song Luan was worried about whether she would suffer retribution if she changed the plot of the original book without permission?
Gradually, she found that the fate of others had been changed, and she had not been punished, so she gradually let go of this thought.
When everyone was seated, the emperor came.
Song Luan listened to the eunuch’s high pitched voice and felt her ears hurt. Although the emperor was not young, and his body was weak. The majesty of the emperor made others dared not look straight.
The emperor sat in a high position and rarely smiled. “You don’t have to be restrained tonight.”
Although he had said this, his ministers did not dare to take it seriously.
The emperor seemed to be in a good mood today. His face was plain, and the smile on his face didn’t go down tonight.
Song Luan only looked at the emperor carefully at the beginning, and for the rest of the time, she only lowered her head and ate the food in her bowl. She and Zhao Nanyu sat in the back position. The food at each table was just enough.
The food in the imperial palace was better than the food outside. It looked more appetizing. Song Luan put some pieces of pineapple crisps on her plate.
She tasted them. They were not sweet and not greasy. They tasted very good.
She couldn’t help eating them one by one. She ate all of them in a short time. Unfortunately, there was only a small plate for each person, so there was nothing left.
Song Luan’s mouth dried after eating too much, but she didn’t dare to drink water at all.
Tonight, she decided not to drink anything.
She was already hungry. What she had just eaten was not enough for her stomach. She licked her lips, and wanted to eat more.
Zhao Nanyu silently pushed the pineapple cake in front of him to her, “Eat it.”
Song Luan was afraid that the more she ate, the more thirsty she would be, but she couldn’t resist her greediness, so she ate two more pieces. Zhao Nanyu observed carefully and was afraid that she was thirsty so he poured a glass of water for her and pushed it to her, “Drink water.”
Song Luan was like a frightened bird. She quickly refused, “No, I’m not thirsty.”
After swallowing, her thirstiness was relieved.
The emperor in the throne did not know how to laugh. He looked down softly at the people sitting down. The emperor suddenly raised his glass and said slowly, “Let’s drink together, everyone.”
All the people stood up, and Song Luan hurriedly got up. She had to take up her glass and watched all the people drink the wine. She bit the glass, and her lips only lingered at the mouth of the glass. She didn’t drink a drop of wine.
In such a big occasion, no one should pay attention whether she had drunk this glass of wine except those who want to harm her with medicine.
Sure enough, no one looked at her. Song Luan took a sigh of relief and sat down slowly. At this time, she found her sister, Song Yu, sitting opposite her.
Song Yu also noticed her eyes and smiled at her.
Song Luan gave her a fake smile. Song Yu sat beside Song Heqing.
There were many girls in the Song family. This sister was very skilled, making her brother bring her to the palace instead of the other sisters. She must be one of the many women who wanted to be a princess.
It was difficult for Song Yu to marry the prince. The Song family was also a high gate, but it’s far different from the royal family.
When Zhao Nanyu saw that the wine in front of her did not move, he said with a smile, “This is the fruit wine provided by Gongli special. It’s very delicious. I remember that you like to drink fruit wine very much. Why don’t you drink it?”
She made a random excuse, “I’m afraid to make a fool of myself.”
Zhao Nanyu knew that Song Luan likes to drink, but the amount of wine was not good. If she drank a little, she would be drunk.
“Don’t drink in the palace. I’ll ask someone to take some back to the palace later.”
“Okay.”
The emperor was talking with his sons. They looked very harmonious.
At the end of the dinner party, the people accompanied the emperor to the imperial garden to see the fireworks.
Finally, the emperor announced several edicts in succession.
It’s all about marriage. There were also six of the princes.
Most people didn’t expect that the emperor had already selected people in advance and seemed to be waiting for today’s announcement.
The birth mother of the sixth prince was poor and died early. His influence among these princes seemed to be the weakest at present, but the Emperor gave him the legitimate daughter of the prominent Xuanguo family.
Xuanguofu had been honored for many years and held military power. Xuan Zhengqing was the most beloved daughter in the family. The old lady and her parents love her the most.
When the imperial edict came down, even if Xuan Zhengqing had no intention to marry sixth prince, she had to kneel down to thank him.
Looking at the smile in the eyes of sixth prince, Song Luan could not see whether he was satisfied with the marriage at all. It stands to reason that the Xuanguo family could increase his power, and this was not unreasonable.
But Song Luan thought of the plot in the original book. It was written that after the new emperor ascended the throne, a luxurious palace was built in the rear area. It was said that a woman was imprisoned in the palace3Sixth prince and Zhao Nanyu are so alike. They both imprisoned their ‘lovers’… *sighs*. For many years, no one had seen how the woman looked like, but everyone guessed that it must be her beautiful face that made the emperor built a palace for her.
She didn’t think Xuan Zhengqing was that woman.
The emperor seemed tired. He told everyone to go to the imperial garden to see the fireworks when the time came, and then he left the main hall after giving orders.
The invisible pressure on Song Luan’s head suddenly disappeared, and she felt more comfortable.
Song Yu suddenly got up and walked towards her. She had a pleasant smile on her face. “Sister, the palace is too stuffy. Can you accompany me out to cool in the wind?”
Song Luan refused without thinking. She never left Zhao Nanyu for a step. “I’m fine.”
Song Yu’s face was thin, and her face turned red after she refused. She felt so pitiful after being seen by others. She thought that her unreasonable elder sister was bullying her. “Elder sister, I’m really scared to go by myself. Can’t you go with me?”
Song Luan shook her head and didn’t give her any face. She suddenly took Zhao Nanyu’s hand, “Ah Yu also drank too much. I have to accompany him. ”
After being rejected twice, Song Yu didn’t have the courage to speak for the third time. She bit her teeth and went back to her place.
As soon as she left, Song Luan let go of the man’s arms.
Many people in the main hall have gone out, either to blow air or to the imperial garden to wait in advance.
Zhao Nanyu asked her, “Are you full?”
“I’m full. ”
Her biggest problem now was thirst, but she still had to keep holding until she leaves the palace before she could touch any water.
Zhao Nanyu nodded. “Let’s go. I’ll show you around the palace. ”
“Okay.”
Song Luan also wanted to see what the ancient imperial palace was like, and whether it was really as gorgeous as described in historical books.
The palace was surrounded with red lanterns. It was lofty and exquisitely carved.
After passing two paths, they arrived at the back hall. Zhao Nanyu met sixth prince by the lake.
This time, he was accompanied by a little eunuch. After a careful look, the little eunuch looked very beautiful. He was not like a boy.
Song Luan could see that the little eunuch was a girl almost at a glance, mostly pretending to be the eunuch to follow sixth prince.
There were many people beside the pavilion by the lake. It seems that the sixth prince was not prepared for her. In front of her and Zhao Nanyu, he squeezed the little eunuch’s face and made her laugh.
Song Luan did not dare or want to see it. The more she knew, the faster she would die. Zhao Nanyu was his best friend, but she was nothing.
Sixth prince and Zhao Nanyu had something to talk about. Sixth prince bent a pair of peach blossom eyes, and looked at her deeply, “Miss Song, are you free?”
“Ah?”
“A Yun is timid. It’s her first time around the palace, can you take her around?” The sixth prince gave the little eunuch’s hand directly to her, and said to the little girl gently, “Follow this sister.”
“Okay.”
Song Luan was so depressed. It was also her first time to enter the palace. But these two men want to talk alone, she couldn’t help it.
She took the little girl’s hand and led her not far away. Song Luan did not dare to stay too far away from them. She could still see their position when she looked up.
The little girl beside her also stayed in peace. Song Luan said, “Shall we sit and watch the fish?”
“Okay.”
The two women stared at the carp in the lake, and soon after they were busy. It was Song Yu and her friends who also came.
“Sister, you are here.”
Song Luan leaned against the railing and looked at the man in the pavilion who was still talking with the sixth prince. Her uneasy heart fell down a little. She said, “I am watching the fish.”
“Does the fish look good?”
It’s much better than you.
Song Luan was born to hate Song Yu, and her disgust was overwhelming. She turned around impatiently and said, “It’s not good, so I’m leaving. Take your time if you like.”
Fortunately, the original owner never had a good face for Song Yu, so it’s not surprising that she said these words to Song Yu.
Song Luan was about to leave when a sharp stabbing pain came from her lower abdomen. Her legs immediately softened and she almost fell to the ground in pain. Fortunately, A Yun on her side helped her.
The little girl’s voice was sweet, and was worried, “What’s the matter with you?”
The pain this time was different from that of the last time. The feeling in the abdomen was the same as being beaten with heavy boxing. The flesh and blood were stirred in the belly. Her forehead was cold and sweaty. She opened her mouth, but she couldn’t say anything. “My stomach hurts so much.”
This kind of pain did not give her any chance to breathe. Every minute was torture. The original ruddy lips was now extremely pale. Song Luan pinched A Yun’s wrist and tightened her teeth to prevent her from calling out.
A Yun was obviously scared. She wanted to call people, but she couldn’t let her go. She was about to cry.
Song Luan’s face was white and her consciousness was still clear. She gasped heavily, and her lower lip that she bitten had already bled.
At this time, a man suddenly appeared in the crowd. He Run looked worried. He pushed away A Yun and picked up Song Luan. “What’s wrong with you?! What’s going on?”
Song Luan wished that her eyes would pass out in the dark, and break away from He Run. However, she did not have the strength to push him.
All of a sudden, a gust of wind swept through her ears.
Zhao Nanyu finally appeared and ran from the pavilion in a hurry. He stared at He Run coldly. His eyes seemed to be poison. He wished He Run’s hands on her were chopped.
Zhao Nanyu decisively grabbed Song Luan. The woman in his arms looked as if she had already lose all the blood. Her hair was soaked by cold sweat.
But knowing Zhao Nanyu was with him, Song Luan relaxed. She placed her arms around his waist, and buried her face in his chest. She was quite aggrieved, “It hurts.”
It really hurts. She still felt the pain in her body clearly.
It was more than a hundred times more painful than her monthly period.
She obviously didn’t touch a drop of water, so why was she stuck in this scene!? Why did He Run still appeared?!
