Chapter 61: Picking Up part 1
The summer sun was vicious.
After standing in the light for just a moment, the heat began to rise steadily.
Wu Mao was so hot that sweat beaded on his forehead. He lowered his head, staring at the ground where flower petals had long been crushed into the mud, the earth seemingly still retaining the specks of yellow dust kicked up by horse hooves.
The forest was strangely quiet, save for the noisy cicadas whose cries filled the ears.
It was terribly loud.
After a long silence, Wu Mao turned his head and carefully stole a glance at the Emperor out of the corner of his eye. “Bixia, the sun is scorching right now. If we are to wait for Niangniang to return from her ride, perhaps we should rest in the nearby cottage?”
Gu Zhen, however, did not feel hot.
He was cold from head to toe, his hands and feet icy, a chill spreading through his heart.
He was undoubtedly in pain. Enduring Yiyi’s coldness, watching her ignore him while chatting and laughing with others—how could it not hurt?
Yet, he had no solution.
That crimson figure seemed to still linger on the path before his eyes, turning back, eyes curved into a smile directed at him.
In a flash, that smile vanished, replaced by a sneer, her eyes filled with disgust. His heart throbbed with pain. Gu Zhen turned his head to glance at Wu Mao and said indifferently, “Permitted.”
He walked forward with a tense face.
Just as Lu Xianshan was hesitating whether to follow, the Emperor suddenly turned back and asked him, “When did you begin serving as the Registrar of Wannian?”
Those phoenix eyes held no fluctuation; his voice was light, his expression as composed as ever.
“This official was appointed as Registrar by the County Magistrate at the beginning of last year,” Lu Xianshan replied with a bowed salute, eyes lowered to stare at his boots.
The Emperor’s mind was the hardest to fathom. Although Lu Xianshan had been sharp since childhood, he was somewhat apprehensive at this moment. After all, the Emperor’s hostility toward him was undisguised.
Gu Zhen merely smiled and said in a deep voice, ” Zhen has seen your performance evaluation from last year. It was quite good.”
Lu Xianshan was stunned.
In last year’s evaluation, he had been rated ‘Upper-Middle.’
The Great Chu’s evaluations were always extremely cautious. To be rated ‘Upper’ was already to be a standout among officials; an ‘Upper-Upper’ was rarely seen once in decades. Generally speaking, ‘Upper-Middle’ was already the optimal rating.
All in all, his evaluation last year was indeed good.
Yet, Lu Xianshan’s heart instantly leaped to his throat.
“Many thanks, Bixia.” He maintained his previous posture, body slightly bowed, bracing himself for what the Emperor would say next.
Gu Zhen spoke again, “With such political achievements, there should be a reward. Boling Commandery is lacking an Administrative Aide (Biejia). How about Zhen transfers you there?”
From a County Registrar to a Commandery Administrative Aide was an unquestionable promotion, skipping several ranks at once.
Looking at the Emperor’s face, which concealed a smile, Lu Xianshan understood. The Emperor was dissatisfied with him and intended to use this bloodless method to drive him away directly.
“Many thanks for Bixia‘s deep love,” Lu Xianshan bowed all the way to the ground, speaking respectfully. “However, this official has already submitted a request to resign to the County Magistrate. I intend to participate in next year’s imperial examination. Bixia‘s favor is immense, and while this subject is endlessly grateful, I have no choice but to decline.”
Gu Zhen’s expression sank abruptly.
He said coolly, “The imperial examination is also for the purpose of entering officialdom. Since Zhen has already given you the opportunity for promotion and transfer, why go through such trouble?”
Lu Xianshan smiled, his voice warm. “Answering Bixia, this was my grandfather’s dying wish. Grandfather entered officialdom through the Mingjing (Scripture) examination, but in his youth, he was mocked by others who did not wish to sit with those from the Mingjing track. Grandfather brooded over this for decades and instructed this subject that I must pass the Jinshi examination.”
These words were impeccable. Even the Emperor could not easily order someone to violate their ancestral teachings without cause; his every move would become a precedent cited by later generations.
A single careless action could give future generations endless grounds for criticism.
Doing certain things would be of no benefit to him.
Gu Zhen suddenly laughed, looking at the man in green robes before him with a faint, inscrutable smile.
Childhood sweethearts—this was a thorn in his heart. Regardless of whether there was anything between this Lu Xianshan and Yiyi, he could not tolerate this person.
That thorn was stuck right in the tip of his heart. If not pulled out, it would fester; once pulled out, blood would drip profusely.
“You certainly have ambition,” Gu Zhen said nonchalantly. He added, “Some time ago, someone presented Zhen with a policy essay. Zhen hadn’t had the chance to ask who wrote it until yesterday when Zhen asked in passing. I didn’t expect it to be the work of Registrar Lu.”
Sunlight sifted through the gaps in the leaves, casting down bright beams of lines. Gu Zhen turned to leave, dropping a sentence behind him: “Follow Zhen.”
Staring at the Emperor’s retreating back, Lu Xianshan hooked the corner of his lips lightly, suddenly breaking into a smile.
Whoever takes a step back is the loser.
Zhao Yiyi rode in the forest for a while before feeling somewhat tired. She reined in her horse beneath an apricot tree, looking up at the branches laden with fruit, large and small. The horse’s hooves tapped lightly on the ground, and her body swayed with the movement.
The Prince of Yan chased up from behind. Stopping before her, he asked gently, “Does Imperial Sister-in-law wish to eat these fruits?”
Zhao Yiyi shook her head. “Apricots are strangely sour; they aren’t very tasty.”
“The apricots in this garden are actually not bad.” The Prince of Yan smiled, casually plucking one and weighing it in his hand. “In another month or two, they will be edible.”
A gust of wind rustled past, causing the branches and leaves in the forest to collide violently, emitting a series of rustling sounds.
The fruit swayed on the tree, looking as if it might fall to the ground at any moment.
Zhao Yiyi panted lightly for a moment until her breathing slowly calmed. She guided her horse, ‘Treading Snow,’ a few steps forward in the forest, her fingers unconsciously picking at the reins, her expression somewhat dazed.
The Prince of Yan turned sideways to look at her, his gaze calm as ever.
But as he watched, a bitterness grew in his heart.
The person he resented most in this life was undoubtedly the Grand Princess of Runan. He resented her for recommending her niece to the Imperial Father to be the Crown Princess for the sake of power and her own glory.
Sensing a gaze from her side, Zhao Yiyi snapped back to reality slightly. She turned her head to glance at the Prince of Yan and smiled absentmindedly. “What is it?”
The Prince of Yan shook his head and said it was nothing.
If it were anyone else, it would be fine.
But it just had to be his Imperial Sister-in-law.
His chest felt stifled, yet he dared not show even a hint of it, nor dared he say a single extra word, fearing she might detect something unusual.
He knew clearly in his heart that these sentiments of his should never be known by anyone. If they were carelessly discovered by others, he feared it would plunge her into a state of eternal damnation.
Years had passed, and he had always buried it in the deepest part of his heart.
The hand holding the reins tightened and loosened, loosened and tightened. After several cycles, the Prince of Yan finally sighed and relaxed his grip.
“The sun is getting stronger.” The Prince of Yan reined in his horse, intending to turn back. “Imperial Sister-in-law, it is getting late. Go back and rest first. If you want to ride, how about coming back at dusk?”
Zhao Yiyi knew his duties were numerous and complex. Taking time to teach her horsemanship these past days was also due to the Emperor’s orders. Thus, she dared not delay him further. She looked up and smiled, “Alright. If you aren’t free, then forget it; I can come over by myself. It’s close to Shangyang Palace anyway. I’ll ride for a bit and then return to the palace.”
On the way there, they rode one after the other.
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