newbobooks Chapter 277 Reluctance
Chapter 277 Reluctance
"Huan'er, you don't need to panic, I'm here for you."
Prince Guo, who was leaning on the couch, tried to get up with his tired body, wanting to hold his beloved Zhen Huan in his arms to comfort her.
With tears in her eyes, Zhen Huan took a step back, causing his outstretched hand to fall in vain.
Zhen Huan, dressed in plain clothes, explained softly.
"Yunli, this doesn't make sense."
"Since someone is visiting, I will take my leave first."
As Zhen Huan said this, she wanted to go out, and A Jin quickly reminded her.
"Master, the Emperor and his entourage are riding in a carriage. I, Rao Xiaodao, have hurried back to report the news. I believe they are already outside the gate. If my lady goes out now, there is a high possibility that..."
He looked at Zhen Huan worriedly. She was once the emperor's favorite concubine, and even Concubine Hua, who had been favored for many years, had to avoid her.
If unfortunately the emperor's men discovered it, the prince would definitely be implicated.
As soon as A Jin finished speaking, there was a chorus of singing coming from the gate.
"The Emperor has arrived!"
Prince Guo immediately pulled the stunned person behind the screen and comforted him softly.
"Huan'er, this is the screen I sent someone to search for the other day. I wanted to send it to your room, but I didn't expect it to come in handy today."
"Please stay back here, I'll be back soon."
"Okay, go and entertain the guests."
Zhen Huan gazed deeply at the gentle man in front of her, as if she wanted to engrave him in her heart.
A small screen made Zhen Huan realize that she was a person who could not stand in the light.
The identities of the two men destined them to have no good outcome.
Prince Guo seemed to have noticed something, and he strode forward and hugged the person tightly in his arms.
"Huan'er, you must wait for me!"
Zhen Huan gently hugged him back and rested her head lightly on his chest.
"Yunli, go and entertain the guests!"
As she spoke, she pushed the person out without much force.
Only she herself knows the reluctance implied in it.
Hearing footsteps coming from outside, Zhen Huan quickly retreated behind the screen.
Not long after, greetings were heard from outside.
"With Old Seventeen gone, there's no one left to discuss poetry and painting with me."
"Since you are ill, you should be free from formalities."
The emperor raised his hand and asked Prince Guo to lie back down.
"My Royal Highness and Concubine Hui are in such a good mood today. Why did you suddenly think of coming to my place?"
Prince Guo, with a haggard face, asked with a smile.
"It's rare to see a little snow. It's boring to stay in the palace all day, so I'll go out for a walk."
"I heard you were ill, so I came to see you."
"He does look sick, but he seems fine."
Prince Guo was smiling when Shen Meizhuang, who was sitting next to him, took over the conversation.
"Yes! Longyue heard that the Seventeenth Uncle was ill, so she came to visit him specially."
Huanbi tactfully carried Princess Longyue to Prince Guo, wanting him to take a closer look at this niece who missed him so much.
Prince Guo greeted with a smile.
"Longyue is here too!"
The child was much whiter and fatter than the last time she visited the empress dowager. Huipin must have taken good care of him.
Upon hearing this, Zhen Huan, who was standing behind the screen, unconsciously took a few steps forward.
The day Longyue was born was the day she left the palace. She was truly an unqualified mother.
The sweet greeting in her ears made Zhen Huan feel heartbroken.
She couldn't go out yet, so Zhen Huan pricked up her ears to listen to the noise outside.
The emperor was afraid that Prince Guo would push his illness onto Longyue, so he spoke up quickly.
"Alright, alright, Longyue, stop bothering your Seventeenth Uncle. He's sick."
Huanbi glanced at the emperor, bowed, and then carried Princess Longyue away.
The emperor looked at Prince Guo lying on the couch and joked.
"This girl is very clever."
"She knew you were sick and wouldn't let you hold her."
"That cleverness is exactly the same as her mother's."
Hearing the praise that made her love and hate it, Zhen Huan's tears instantly fell like raindrops.
The Emperor and Prince Guo are good friends, but he wouldn't go so far as to brave the snow and wind to visit a patient. Could it be...
Zhen Huan felt a glimmer of hope in her heart. Could it be that Silang came to see her?
I just couldn't save face, so I made an excuse to come to Qingliangtai.
She gently wiped away her tears, trying to see the person behind the screen clearly.
After hearing the emperor's words, Prince Guo, who was sitting on the couch, glanced at the screen inconspicuously, coughed lightly, and then looked at the emperor sitting on the couch with a smile.
"Old Seventeen, you haven't been to the palace these days. Even I feel bored. There's no one to talk to me about poetry and songs."
Shen Meizhuang took a deep breath. The emperor had just mentioned Longyue's mother, and this time his words were all directed at Zhen Huan.
She didn't know what to say for a moment, so she simply shut her mouth and looked carefully at the patterns on the palace dress.
The golden palace dress for the concubine is still more beautiful. Success or failure depends on this time.
"If she were still here..."
The emperor spoke half of his words with deep emotion.
Prince Guo's eyes flashed, and he put his hand outside the blanket.
"When I was young, I often listened to my brother and sister-in-law discussing poetry and prose, and singing along with them."
"Later, only Zhen was able to speak to me."
"It's a pity that she is so unteachable."
Behind the screen, Zhen Huan covered her mouth tightly, tears falling like beads from a broken string. The emperor had always regarded her as a substitute for Queen Chun Yuan.
In poetry, songs, and stunning dances, they have so many similarities.
Now that he said it himself, it was still just as heartbreaking.
"Zhen! Zhen!"
Longyue's childish, parrot-like cries made Zhen Huan completely defeated.
How she wanted to rush out to see Longyue, but her remaining rationality told her that she must not step beyond the screen.
Otherwise, Yunli, who kindly took her to Qingliangtai to recuperate, and all the servants would not have survived.
The emperor, who was sitting on the couch, patted the cushion and asked with a smile.
"Do you know who it is? Just follow and learn."
Seeing Longyue's confused eyes, the emperor praised her again.
"I've always heard that your Qingliang Terrace is very good. After seeing it today, I can see that it is indeed a great place."
"If you like, please come and visit me often."
Prince Guo replied with a smile.
The emperor shook his head. "It's so difficult to leave the palace. There are so many censors watching me."
"Although your cool terrace is beautiful, it lacks a hostess."
After his younger brother grew up, he traveled around and even the empress dowager suggested that she get married.
It’s just that this person is used to being alone, which is really a headache.
Some censors have openly believed that it was because of what he did to his younger brother that the dashing Prince Guo never got married.
The emperor advised casually.
"You are not young anymore. It's time for you to marry a wife and take charge of the affairs."
"Let's talk about it later. If I meet the right person, I will definitely make her the owner of Qingliang Terrace and protect her for the rest of her life."
Prince Guo made a solemn promise.
"It's fine if you have your own ideas. If you like, I'll pick out a few good girls from noble families and keep them for you."
"I thank you for your grace, my brother, but I..."
The emperor patted him on the shoulder and stopped trying to persuade him.
The late emperor once said that Little Seventeen was a man of his own ideas.
It's fine that he doesn't want to marry a noble lady from an aristocratic family, but the emperor doesn't want this free-spirited younger brother to follow in the footsteps of his brothers.
It was snowing heavily outside, and A Jin had already ordered people to clean the palace.
Prince Guo looked at the sky and extended a warm invitation.
"Brother Emperor, the heavy snow has kept me company. Why don't you stay here for the night?"
Seeing the hesitation on the emperor's face, Shen Meizhuang quickly agreed.
"Your Majesty, Princess Longyue is still young, and it might not be suitable for her to travel overnight. How about we stay overnight..."
The emperor reluctantly agreed as he walked out.
"Then for Longyue's sake, I will bother my Seventeenth Brother for one night."