Yuan Geng and Hui Shan had just stepped one foot out of the Chenhe Palace’s main gate when two other guards moved faster than them. Whether in movent or familiarity with Chenhe Palace, as soon as they stirred, the other party had already hesitantly reached the front of them.
Yuan Geng exchanged a glance with Hui Shan; this was clearly a show of intimidation.
At that mont, soone patted Yuan Geng on the shoulder. Clearly unaccustod to such intimate gestures, Yuan Geng turned his head abruptly only to et a very amiable smiling face.
"Don’t mind it, don’t mind it, we’re all working for Her Majesty. They’ve just arrived and are being more diligent," said the guard, eyeing the ones who had rushed to the front while speaking.
Hui Shan imdiately recognized the speaker as a guard sent by Prince Duan. Those sent by Prince Duan had quite distinctive characteristics—mostly in their thirties or forties, n who had followed Prince Duan for over a decade, also adept at shirking duties.
Of course, those who had burst forth were not Prince Duan’s n, but Ju Nanyi’s.
"The lord worries too much; we’ve just arrived, please go ahead," Yuan Geng said calmly, stepping aside.
"No need, no need, let’s walk together, together..." The guard’s voice beca even more friendly, with a hint of drunkenness lingering in his behavior.
As Yuan Geng stepped out of the palace gate, indeed, the two guards in front stood straight, gazing toward the direction from the Imperial Garden to Chenhe Palace, their faces showing subtle signs of tension.
Yuan Geng, of course, knew what they were worried about.
Today, Her Majesty’s carriage had been on the road for an unusually long ti. From the mont she left Prince Duan’s Mansion, they had received the news, but a whole Shichen had passed since the ssage was received. The Emperor had already sent soone to escort her, and only now was she returning to the palace.
Hui Shan stationed himself behind the two foremost guards. Speaking strictly in terms of ability, these two guards in front of him were indeed not weak; they were the kind that could lead Her Majesty to break through any danger.
They had great speed and sensitivity, yet through observation, Hui Shan discovered that they might have even greater capabilities than they showed.
Hui Shan felt that such power was rare; it was already uncommon for Nanzheng State to find guards of their caliber. Nevertheless, even though their group was smaller and unfamiliar with Western Border spells, they seed to have other strengths.
It seed that Ju Nanyi had put in great effort.
It was only when Zheng Nianru, accompanied by Nanny Yun and others, appeared as usual on the small path at the end of the Imperial Garden that the expressions of the two n visibly relaxed. They bowed their heads and continued to stand in place with respectful deanors.
Yuan Geng and Hui Shan also saw their people. It was Gong Lin’s first assignnt following their lord, and it seed to have gone smoothly so far.
But sothing was off; Yuan Geng furrowed his brows as he noticed their lord on the palanquin looking sowhat fatigued. After such a long carriage ride, Yuan Geng nervously took a step forward, but the guard in front already coldly shifted his body to block Yuan Geng’s figure.
Hui Shan also imdiately followed with a step forward; the confrontation between both sides had seemingly escalated from rolling eyes and cold glares to face-to-face conflict.
The guard standing in the front was tall, towering a brow’s height above Yuan Geng, who was already not short. With a sweeping glance, the advantage in height lent an air of disdain and a declaration of sovereignty from his eyes.
Her Majesty now carried their lord’s child in her belly.
Yuan Geng’s eyes grew cold; the other party was blatantly showing off their power, but indeed, they had no advantage being new there. Hui Shan unapologetically returned a cold stare, fearless.
They were Her Majesty’s people; they only cared for what was on Her Majesty’s heart, not the matters of Her Majesty’s belly.
The atmosphere was delicately tense, and the guard from Prince Duan, who had tried to play it down, withdrew his hand in midair, not daring to co forward as the air was too charged, with Her Majesty soon to arrive, and her recent mood had not been the best.
"Her Majesty—"
"Her Majesty—" The leading guard instantly turned and knelt down when Zheng Nianru’s palanquin was an arrow’s distance away, prompting the following guards to kneel as well.
Although Yuan Geng and Hui Shan were still unfamiliar with these customs, they knew that normally there was no need to kneel so early; this was clearly done to undermine their authority.
The people from Prince Duan let out a sigh—kneel it is, oh well, this internal struggle is getting more and more intense.
Nanny Yun had no ti to watch these people. As soon as the palanquin steadied, she personally went to support her lady. Her Majesty had felt sowhat uncomfortable halfway through the day. Normally the carriage ride wouldn’t have been an issue at this stage of pregnancy, which is why she went to visit Prince Duan, but after all, Her Majesty has been sowhat delicate, feeling unwell halfway, which made the carriage slow down.
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