met free Chapter 126 Shame
Chapter 126 Shame
He kept reminding himself in his heart that he came here just to find out why she gave tea to everyone else but not to him, and there was no other intention.
Comforting himself in this way, he walked towards the main house.
The layout of the courtyards in the Marquis' Mansion was roughly the same, so the master usually knew where he lived, so he wasn't afraid of making a mistake. When he arrived at the house, he found that the window was half open and there was a light inside, making the room unusually dim.
He raised his eyes and looked, and at one glance, he felt his blood rushing up.
He turned his head suddenly, jumped onto the roof, and quickly left the yard.
After he left, Luo Shuiyao seemed to hear some movement. She turned over, tucked her legs under the quilt, and fell asleep again. Because of her improper sleeping position, her nightgown lifted slightly, revealing her entire calf. Under the dim light, her fragrance was extremely erotic.
Ye Yunzhou's heartbeat lingered for a long time after his hasty escape. The scene he had accidentally seen was etched in his mind like a brand. He kept scolding himself in his heart, but he couldn't control his body's instinctive reaction.
He closed his eyes, but found that he was completely unable to calm the turmoil in his heart. He stood up, put on his outer clothes, and walked towards the lake beside the rockery. He just soaked in the water, trying to calm himself down.
The coolness of the lake water gradually seeped into his skin, but it still couldn't extinguish the inexplicable fire in his heart. It wasn't until dawn that he returned to his yard.
…………
The next morning, in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Emperor Yuanzhen had not yet entered. Ministers from the same faction gathered in twos and threes, whispering or chatting quietly, exchanging news and opinions.
Ye Yunzhou, as usual, stood alone to the side. He stood tall and straight, his expression calm. At first glance, he looked no different than usual, but a closer look revealed that he was pale, his eye sockets red, and his complexion clearly looked abnormal.
The Marquis of Zhongyong was discussing with the Minister of Rites what was about to happen in Nanyang this year. When he looked up, he saw his eldest son with his eyes drooping and his face extremely pale, looking like he was sick.
The Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery frowned slightly, a trace of worry welling up in his heart. His eldest son had always been in good health, rarely ill since childhood, so it was rare for him to be in such a state today.
He wanted to go forward and ask, but suddenly he heard the eunuch's sharp voice announcing: "The Emperor has arrived!"
Following this announcement, the ministers who were originally whispering to each other immediately fell silent, straightened their clothes, stood respectfully, and bowed their heads waiting for the emperor to arrive.
The Hall of Supreme Harmony instantly fell silent, its atmosphere solemn and dignified. A moment later, Emperor Yuanzhen, flanked by eunuchs, slowly entered the palace. He wore a dragon robe and a crown, his expression dignified. As he surveyed the courtiers, an invisible sense of oppression permeated the air.
"Long live the emperor." Marquis Zhongyong had to suppress his worries and followed the ministers in paying homage to the emperor.
The founding emperor of the Zhou Dynasty was extremely open-minded. He once stipulated that unless there was an important matter, the ministers only needed to perform the three bows when meeting the emperor, and there was no need to kowtow.
The ministers bowed three times according to etiquette and then bowed their heads, waiting for the emperor to speak.
Emperor Yuanzhen's brow furrowed. As ministers who had known him for years, they could tell at a glance that his majesty was in a bad mood today. Consequently, all the ministers remained silent, not daring to breathe, fearing they would anger his majesty and receive a scolding so early in the morning.
Emperor Yuanzhen sat upright, his hands resting on his knees. He swept his gaze majestically over the important officials below and said in a deep voice, "Do you have any memorials to submit today?"
The voice echoed in the hall, carrying an undeniable momentum. The ministers looked at each other, realizing that Emperor Yuanzhen was coming with great momentum today. For a moment, no one dared to speak first.
"I have a starting point."
The Minister of Revenue stepped forward despite the pressure. It wasn't that he needed to be in the spotlight, but the matter he was reporting was of grave importance. If he retreated and His Majesty learned of it, he would certainly not be forgiven. Emperor Yuanzhen nodded, signaling him to speak.
The Minister of Revenue took a deep breath, calmed himself, and then spoke respectfully, "Your Majesty, I have an important matter to report. The recent flooding in the south has affected many people, and the allocation and distribution of disaster relief grain is urgent. Currently, our stocks of relief grain are limited, and transportation is fraught with difficulties. We are working hard to find a solution, but we still need Your Majesty's judgment."
After saying this, the Minister of Revenue lowered his head, awaiting the Emperor's response. Emperor Yuanzhen frowned slightly, and after a moment's reflection, he said, "This matter is indeed a difficult one. What good advice do you have, my dear ministers?"
The court suddenly fell into silence, and the ministers were all thinking about how to deal with the situation.
"What? My dear ministers are all silent today? I find it hard to believe that in such a big Zhou Dynasty, there is no capable minister who can solve this difficult problem?" Emperor Yuanzhen waited for a long time, and seeing that no one responded in the court, his already irritable mood became even more irritable, and he could not help but speak loudly.
"Your Majesty, please calm down. We will do our best to help you solve your problems." Seeing that His Majesty was angry, the shrewd ministers could no longer stand it and responded in unison.
Emperor Yuanzhen didn't really want to upset everyone so early in the morning. He pinched his brows lightly, glanced at everyone, and called out, "Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, you speak."
Li Changgeng, the Minister of Revenue, sported a long mustache. Upon hearing this, he stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, I have a plan. We can dispatch capable officials to the disaster-stricken areas to verify the extent of the damage and organize the people to engage in self-rescue production. At the same time, we can mobilize grain from surrounding areas to meet any unexpected needs."
Emperor Yuanzhen put down his fingers that were rubbing his forehead, and slowly swept his eyes over the crowd. He said in a deep voice: "My dear ministers, tell me, who is the most suitable person to send?"
Right Prime Minister Du Jue stepped forward and said, "I believe the prince should be sent on this matter. If anyone else were to go, I'm afraid the powerful dragon would be unable to suppress the local snake, and things would be prone to error. Sending a prince alone would not only stabilize the rear, but also demonstrate the emperor's great grace."
Emperor Yuanzheng nodded, thinking the same thing in his mind. Then, he slowly turned his gaze to the several princes.
Compared to previous emperors, Emperor Yuanzhen had very few children. Currently, he had only four adult princes.
The eldest prince joined the army since he was young. As a military officer, he has a straightforward personality and a relatively simple mind.
The second prince is the son of the late queen. He is the most qualified to compete for that position, but he has a gentle personality since childhood. He likes calligraphy, paintings and books and does not like court affairs. Therefore, he never attends court and has no real power.
The most important thing is that the second prince was born with a disability, and the emperor felt sorry for his only legitimate son, so he let him die.
The third prince was born to Concubine Cheng. Because his mother held a high position, he developed a flamboyant personality and lived a luxurious life.
The fifth prince's mother was just a palace maid. She was born when Emperor Yuanzheng was drunk, and his mother died early, so the fifth prince was the weakest.