Chapter 59

“Your Highness, these are the memorials from the southern border, already reviewed. Please make your decision,” an elderly official, nearing seventy, slowly walked in, holding a stack of memorials. His expression was somewhat stiff and tense, and even the hands that held the documents trembled slightly.

Seeing him, Murong Qiufeng worried that he might drop the memorials. He quickly stood up, walked over to take the documents, and placed them on Shangguan Ye’s desk.

The old man let out a secret sigh of relief, gazing gratefully at Murong Qiufeng’s back.

Shangguan Ye coldly acknowledged him with a grunt and waved him off, signaling he could leave.

The old man looked as if he had received a great pardon, retreating with a pace that was faster and more relaxed than when he entered.

Murong Qiufeng watched him flee, both amused and helpless.

No wonder they were so frightened; the atmosphere in the Taiqing Courtyard was tense all afternoon. Shangguan Ye’s expression was always serious and intimidating, and combined with his years on the battlefield, he carried an air of ruthless authority. Now, with his face clouded, who wouldn’t be afraid?

Seeing that Shangguan Ye remained silent, staring at the memorials with a grim face, Murong Qiufeng sighed and finally spoke, “What are you angry about? Is it because of that Seventh Princess? She’s just a child.”

Ever since meeting Zhao Xiru, Shangguan Ye had been sullen and silent, leading Murong Qiufeng to think it was because of her.

But as soon as he mentioned it, Shangguan Ye’s expression darkened further. He narrowed his eyes at Murong Qiufeng, displeasure evident in his gaze. “Are you speaking up for her?”

Realizing this was indeed about Zhao Xiru, Murong Qiufeng helplessly shook his head. “I just think there’s no need to be angry over a child.”

Shangguan Ye’s expression softened a bit, but he still said coldly, “She’s not a child anymore at fourteen. Keep your distance from that woman.”

Murong Qiufeng was taken aback and couldn’t help but laugh. “It seems she’s the one trying to get close to you. Why should I stay away from her?” He shook his head and returned to his seat.

Shangguan Ye watched his back, pursing his lips. He narrowed his eyes slightly, recalling how Murong Qiufeng had comforted Zhao Xiru at noon. He felt an urge to get rid of her altogether.

His anger stemmed from this very point: Murong Qiufeng’s gentleness toward Zhao Xiru reminded him of a fact he preferred to ignore: Murong Qiufeng liked women.

Though their relationship was still ambiguous, this realization made him feel anxious about what might happen. He had witnessed Murong Qiufeng’s stubborn nature and knew that once he set his mind to something, it would be hard to change.

If Murong Qiufeng fell in love with another woman before they solidified their relationship, Shangguan Ye could still forcibly keep him close, but he didn’t want a tragic ending that would lead to mutual suffering.

“What’s wrong?” Murong Qiufeng sat down, picked up a brush, and looked up to find Shangguan Ye staring at him with narrowed eyes, a complex expression in his gaze.

Shangguan Ye put down his brush, stood up, and said calmly, “It’s about time. Let’s head back to the estate.”

Murong Qiufeng was taken aback and glanced at the water clock; there was still plenty of time left. Was this an early dismissal?

He felt both amused and confused. “But it’s still early.”

“It’s not early.” Shangguan Ye directly walked over, took the brush from his hand, tossed it aside, and gazed intently at him.

Murong Qiufeng raised a hand to his forehead. So Shangguan Ye had this stubborn side to him too. He stood up reluctantly.

Just as he did, a voice announcing an arrival echoed from outside.

Both of them were startled. The Emperor? What was he doing here at this hour?

Shangguan Ye’s eyes turned icy without him realizing it.

The Emperor strode in with his hands behind his back, chuckling. “Ah, the atmosphere here is quite nice.”

“Your Majesty,” Murong Qiufeng said, pulling down his sleeves and dropping to one knee.

Shangguan Ye frowned instinctively.

The Emperor quickly gestured to indicate Murong Qiufeng should remain standing. “Oh, Murong Aiqing, no need for formalities.” If it weren’t for the distance, he might have actually helped him up, as his eager gaze suggested.

Shangguan Ye stepped forward, subtly blocking the Emperor’s view, and coldly asked, “Brother, what brings you here?”

The Emperor didn’t notice anything unusual, as Shangguan Ye had always been so domineering.

He looked longingly at Murong Qiufeng for a moment, then shook his head helplessly and took a seat nearby. “Sigh, I couldn’t stand that girl Xiru anymore, so I thought I’d come here to see how you’re doing. Murong Aiqing, how are you adjusting on your first day in office?”

“Your Majesty, Qiufeng… will adapt quickly,” he replied, a bit unaccustomed to the official tone.

“Haha, no need to rush. Take your time. That girl Xiru is making a fuss over at the Empress’s place. Your aunt misses you too. If you have no other matters, come with me to Fengyi Palace to visit her,” the Emperor said with a smile, looking at Murong Qiufeng with obvious admiration, as if he were looking at a delicious meal.

“Yes…”

“He’s accompanying me to handle some matters, so he can’t go today,” Shangguan Ye said flatly, glancing coldly at the Emperor.

The Emperor’s hand holding the teacup paused slightly, and for a moment, a flicker of coldness crossed his eyes. He casually took a sip of tea, then spoke with feigned regret, “If that’s the case, we’ll have to postpone for another day.”

“By the way, Xiru has been asking to go to the Wangfu. What do you think? She is the princess of an allied nation, and after so many years of peace, I’d prefer to avoid any potential conflicts.”

Shangguan Ye gave a cold smile. “If you don’t want trouble, you should keep her away from the Wangfu. It’s best to send her back quickly; otherwise, I can’t guarantee nothing will happen.”

The warning in his words was clear.

Even Murong Qiufeng could pick it up, glancing at the Emperor’s now slightly colder expression with worry. He frowned, confused at Shangguan Ye’s boldness. After all, that was the Emperor, the ruler of a nation; how could one dare offend his authority so casually?

But the Emperor merely sighed, his expression changing for just a moment. “You bring these troubles upon yourself; now I must help you clean them up. Never mind, never mind.” He stood up. “Since you have matters to attend to, go ahead. I’ll stay here for a bit.”

Murong Qiufeng glanced at the Emperor and then at Shangguan Ye, whose expression was far from pleasant. He quickly bowed his head, saying, “Qiufeng takes his leave.” He gently tugged on Shangguan Ye’s sleeve.

Shangguan Ye let out a cold snort and grabbed Murong Qiufeng’s wrist, leading him out.

“By the way, Qiufeng, if you have time, go visit your aunt. She used to enjoy having Jun’er come to the palace to keep her company, and she was always delighted. Now that you’re back, make sure to spend more time talking to her.” As they were about to step outside, the Emperor smiled faintly, but his eyes were somewhat gloomy.

Murong Qiufeng only had time to nod in acknowledgment.

Once they were out, the Emperor’s expression darkened completely. He smashed the teacup in his hand to the ground, gritting his teeth as he muttered Shangguan Ye’s name.

Then he walked to the table where Murong Qiufeng had been standing, looked down at the memorials that had yet to be tidied up, and picked one up. Glancing at the brief comments and elegant handwriting, a smirk appeared on his lips. Indeed, the person was just as his writing suggested.

 

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