Chapter 51
The young woman’s sweet talk was indeed endearing, and few could dislike her. Unfortunately for her, Shangguan Ye was precisely the type who disliked clingy, dependent girls.
Just as he was about to find an excuse to leave, a person entered from outside.
Shangguan Ye’s eyes lit up—it was one of the guards he had stationed to watch for Murong Qiufeng’s arrival. It seemed Murong Qiufeng had indeed arrived.
“Wangye, the Wangfei has arrived at the palace and is currently resting in the Anle Palace,” the guard reported.
Shangguan Ye’s brow furrowed immediately. “Why is he at Anle Palace? Has something happened?”
Anle Palace was the residence of Concubine An. If it were Fengyi Palace, it would be understandable, but Concubine An and the Murong family had no close ties. Murong Qiufeng should not be acquainted with her.
“Reporting to Wangye, Wangfei’s carriage encountered an accident with the carriage of a relative of Lord An. It seems Wangfei was injured and was thus sent to Anle Palace…”
“What? Injured?” Shangguan Ye’s face darkened with worry. Without caring about the current situation, he strode out quickly.
The guard, understanding his destination, hurriedly followed.
The young woman, who had been abruptly pushed aside, was momentarily stunned but soon pouted and then restored her radiant smile, hastening after him.
In the grand hall, with the emperor absent, all eyes were on Shangguan Ye. They noticed his sudden and troubled departure but could only exchange confused glances, wondering if something serious had occurred. However, curiosity aside, they dared not follow and could only speculate anxiously.
In reality, Murong Qiufeng was not severely injured. Though he had been feeling weak these days, his martial skills meant he was not so fragile that a breeze could knock him over. The so-called injury was merely a minor bump from the collision with Lord An’s carriage when dismounting, which caused him to twist his ankle. He was not seriously hurt.
Concubine An, aware of Wangfei’s elevated status and the importance of appeasing Wangye, sought to atone for the mishap by offering Anle Palace for him to rest, rather than risk Wangye’s wrath.
“It’s not that serious,” Murong Qiufeng reassured as he allowed the imperial physician to tend to his wounds. He felt that such injuries were routine for a martial artist like him, and he didn’t consider them grave. However, the members of the An family were visibly anxious, their faces ashen with worry.
Concubine An was particularly worried. With strained relations in the palace and the lack of ties between her family and the Murong family, she feared that the incident could be exploited by those with malicious intent, jeopardizing both her position and her family’s safety.
Seeing their panic, Murong Qiufeng sighed, thinking how everyone was eager to be involved in court politics despite the inherent risks.
“There’s no need to worry,” he said to console them. “Wangye won’t make a fuss over such a small matter. Just treat this as a chance for us to get acquainted.”
The members of the An family visibly relaxed, understanding that the matter should stay private. They expressed their gratitude and were about to thank him when a cold voice interrupted.
“Make a fuss? What are you talking about?” Shangguan Ye’s face was grim as he entered, followed by two small eunuchs who had been thrown out. Clearly, he had overheard everything.
Behind him, the curious young woman followed closely.
Seeing Shangguan Ye’s sudden appearance, Murong Qiufeng was momentarily stunned. “Ye?”
He instinctively called out his name but then remembered their ongoing cold war and the silence that had persisted between them. He bit his lip and fell silent.
Shangguan Ye’s heart tightened at hearing his name. It had been days since Murong Qiufeng last spoke to him. Seeing him still bearing a stubborn expression, Shangguan Ye felt helpless and couldn’t stay stern. His gaze swept over Murong Qiufeng with concern. “I heard you were injured?”
It was the first time in days that they spoke, and Murong Qiufeng’s frustration seemed to lessen slightly. “It’s nothing.”
“It’s nothing?” Shangguan Ye narrowed his eyes and looked at Youxiang.
The rest of the people finally came to their senses. Concubine An and others hurriedly bowed. “We greet Wangye.”
Shangguan Ye ignored them, waiting for Youxiang’s explanation.
Youxiang sighed, then recounted everything in detail.
Seeing Shangguan Ye’s dark expression, Murong Qiufeng hurriedly stood up. “It’s fine. It really isn’t a big deal.”
Seeing Murong Qiufeng attempt to stand up, Shangguan Ye, ignoring any lingering frustration, instinctively moved to support him. He scolded gently, “If you’re injured, don’t move around.”
