Zhao Douan didn't want to die.
People say, "once bitten, twice shy," but having once experienced death, he treasured the hard-won life even more.
So, even though he knew that the extraordinarily beautiful woman before him, who possessed both the attributes of a fairy and an emperor, wouldn't really do anything, he still put on a frightened expression,
"Your servant has been presumptuous, please punish , Your Majesty."
Xu Zhenguan's lacquer-like bright eyes stared at him; she remained silent.
Just staring.
No way... It's not going to go too far, right? Strangely enough, why was he so bold tonight?
Thinking it over, was it perhaps the tenderness when the Empress was listening to him attentively earlier?
Or was it because she shed her dragon robe and normal attire today, like an ordinary woman beside him under the riverside in this night...?
The atmosphere was set.
"Your Majesty..." Just when Zhao Douan felt a bit nervous in his heart.
He heard the beautiful woman in front of him gently say,
"When outside, don't call Your Majesty."
What then? Miss Xu? That doesn't sound right...
Zhao Douan muttered to himself, suddenly feeling a void in his hand.
The "White Yaksha" mask that he had just taken back was snatched by the Empress, who then gently took off her face veil and put the mask on her face.
In the brief mont she removed her veil, the revealed fairy-like face... was stunningly beautiful.
In the night breeze, a corner of light veil fell from the bridge and drifted slowly across the water's surface.
"Not to be repeated."
Xu Zhenguan said.
"Ah! I... I rember it," Zhao Douan said blankly, then hurriedly promised.
As for how trustworthy this promise was, only the gods knew.
"Walk with ... walk with , tonight we shall enjoy the festivities with the people," the Empress stepped forward and walked away.
It was then that Zhao Douan hurriedly put on the "Black Yaksha" mask on his face.
To cover up his appearance and avoid being recognized.
The two masks were not ant to cover the entire face but only the upper half, extending two horns at the top, and stopping at the nose, leaving the mouth and chin exposed.
This design allowed young n and won to wear them while eating street food.
Thus, a black and a white, a male and a female pair of "Yakshas" descended from the bridge and gradually blended into the crowd.
...
Today, the Capital was extrely lively, with people coming and going on the streets and a bustling crowd at the stalls on both sides.
Many people wore all kinds of masks, and among them, the two didn't stand out at all.
So rchants also hired people to carry sedan chairs, with sedan chairs bearing paper-mâché figurines of the God of Wealth, figures of longevity...
Playing music and parading through the market, a large group of mask-wearing common folks followed behind—this was the "touring of the gods."
While walking the streets, it wasn't appropriate to talk, so they didn't say much aningful.
Just people bumping into each other, and sotis, to avoid carriages, they inevitably had to get close.
Since the Empress's accession, although the Capital's won dressed and behaved much more boldly, the strict separation of the sexes still remained; walking together was already the limit.
In the world that Zhao Douan was familiar with, it was absolutely impossible for young couples to nibble on each other publicly while strolling the streets.
But human wisdom is interconnected.
Therefore, so young n and won would deliberately crowd into busy areas, creating opportunistic monts of being caught off guard and bumping into each other's arms.
Whenever this happened, the Empress would turn back, and beneath the mask, her eyes would watch him warily.
Therefore, Zhao Douan could only retreat again and again, pitifully, using his tall and strong body to forcefully carve out space around him, innocently indicating that he was the Empress's loyal guard and would definitely not take advantage of the situation.
Xu Zhenguan seed quite satisfied.
Although with her cultivation, just a slight thought would prevent anyone from getting close to her, even in the midst of thousands of troops.
"Your Majesty, would you like sothing to eat?"
After much difficulty, the two squeezed out from a congested street, and the crowd around them suddenly thinned, revealing a row of food stalls ahead.
Xu Zhenguan looked around and went straight into a noodle shop that was small but clean and elegant.
The shop was busy, but they were in luck as a seat had just beco available.
After they sat down, the young owner ca over attentively:
"What would you like to order?"
The Empress of Great Yu, accustod to exotic delicacies, had her choice ready and ordered a bowl of fresh at wontons.
Then she glanced at him, "And you?"
"I'll have the sa," Zhao Douan said solemnly, adding, "With so coriander."
Coriander, that is, cilantro, in Great Yu, is requested separately, otherwise, it is not added by default.
After the owner left, Zhao Douan asked, "Is that all we're eating?"
He couldn't quite figure out how to address her, so he simply omitted the subject.
Xu Zhenguan spoke with a touch of nostalgia:
"I've eaten at this store before, but that was years ago. The place had not been renovated as it is now, the signboard was old, and the owner was an old man. Now it seems the son has taken over the family business. Things have changed, people are different."
Zhao Douan then realized that she hadn't aimlessly taken him around but ca here with purpose.
"Years ago... that must've been inconvenient for you at the ti," Zhao Douan said tentatively.
Unmarried Imperial Princesses lived within the Imperial Palace, and the climate under the Old Emperor wasn't as open as it is now. As an Imperial Princess, her movents would have been restricted, far from the "freedom" of married royal won.
"Yes," Xu Zhenguan sighed lightly,
"At that ti, I was following my brother, the Crown Prince, on an outing. This place, it was he who ntioned it to . Back then, the ones by my side were Mo Chou and Sun Lianying.
I used to long for casual outings, aspiring for what I couldn't have. Now... although no one controls , I no longer have the energy or mood to go out."
Zhao Douan felt that it wasn't easy to respond, so he simply listened quietly.
Fortunately, the Empress wasn't really talking to him, but seed more like reflecting, and laughed lightly:
"Let it be, it's all in the past."
At this mont, the owner approached with a tray, first placing a bowl of wontons in front of each of them—one with cilantro, one without.
Then, another small dish was brought out, containing a tea egg with a tiny flower on the side, and the server smiled as he said,
"This is a complintary gift from our shop to the gentleman and lady."
Gentleman and lady… it was a term of respect, not bound by age.
Clearly, the new owner who had inherited his father's noodle shop had so clever ideas, offering couples who dined in an extra little snack.
It was like a second blossoming of spring.
Xu Zhenguan: "..."
Zhao Douan: (*❦ω❦)
After the server left, Zhao Douan said in a low, innocent voice,
"It's not my fault this ti…"
Xu Zhenguan couldn't be bothered to quibble with him, nor would she take out her frustrations on the people beneath the Imperial City.
So, the couple quietly started to dig in. Zhao Douan took the opportunity to discreetly push the egg towards her, and the Empress did not stand on ceremony, picking it up with her chopsticks and nibbling on it.
These two "eccentrics" who wouldn't even take off their masks to eat in the shop soon drew the attention of so patrons.
Xu Zhenguan frowned and pinched a formula with the hand that was below the table; a wave of invisible telekinesis spread out, shielding their little table from view.
It blocked out all outside noise.
"Your Majesty?"
Zhao Douan sensed sothing was amiss and tentatively spoke.
The Empress continued leisurely spooning soup, portraying the image that there was no need for alarm, and said,
"Regarding today's events in the Purification Garden, what are your thoughts?"
They were suddenly discussing serious matters…
Zhao Douan thought for a mont and spoke his mind, "Clearly, this was a preditated attack; the masterminds should be the students and teacher from the Hanlin Academy Scholar Chen Zhengru…"
He shared his speculations and analysis.
Xu Zhenguan nodded and then shook her head:
"Your guess isn't bad, but the one orchestrating this is not Chen Zhengru."
Zhao Douan was surprised, "You an…"
"Li Yinglong," Xu Zhenguan calmly uttered the na:
"The son of Li Yanfu, a key figure in personnel appointnts within the 'Li Party.' Your repeated actions lately have finally drawn their attention. And after the Grandmaster cleared your na and sang your praises, Li Yanfu was bound to notice you as well."
Li Yinglong?
The capital's foremost debauchee, the so-called "Young Master"?
Zhao Douan was familiar with the na, but had no dealings with him.
"Had Li Yanfu not noticed before?"
Zhao Douan had no concept of the Young Master, but he had a profound impression of his father, having encountered him on the day he arrived.
Xu Zhenguan calmly said:
"Li Yanfu has had a tumultuous career at court for many years, with countless political enemies. How many capable officials has he seen? More than just you.
Besides, by the ti one reaches his position, there are already few who can be considered his adversaries. Of course, that was in the past; with the new reforms, it's a different story."
Should I feel honored… Zhao Douan wasn't particularly concerned and smiled,
"Well, since I've already offended them, owing a lot doesn't weigh one down."
Xu Zhenguan unexpectedly gazed at him, and seeing that his deanor was genuine, she asked curiously,
"In this court, is there really no one you fear?"
Zhao Douan paused in his eating, slightly raised his head, and said seriously,
"There is."
"Who?"
"Far away at the horizon, close at hand."
"...You sly dog." The Empress realized he was being slick with his words again.
She decided it was ti to teach him a lesson, keeping a straight face.
The chopsticks moved, and she flipped half of a tea egg across like a cannonball, thudding into Zhao Douan's bowl and splashing soup, which splattered all over his mask.
Zhao Douan was stunned for a mont, then confusedly said,
"Why does Your Majesty reward your servant?"
"..." Xu Zhenguan was at a loss whether to laugh or cry at his shaless act.
Setting down her chopsticks on the table, she said with a smile that was not quite a smile,
"Had I known half a tea egg would suffice, I wouldn't have arranged all that business."
Zhao Douan, confused, "Your Majesty ans..."
Xu Zhenguan slowly stood up.
At that mont, although in plain attire and wearing a sowhat comical mask of a ferocious demoness, she still exuded the dignified presence of royalty:
"For your successful strategies, how could I allow a ritorious official to be insulted without lifting a finger to help?"
"I rely wanted to vent a little on your behalf."
...
...
anwhile.
At the Imperial Court, inside the Governor Hall.
Lord Ma Yan, who was not invited today, sat upright in his chair, sliding a list filled with densely packed nas gently across the table.
He said to the Master officers on duty,
"Her Majesty is very unhappy with the rumors and gossip among the scholars in the Capital lately. Bring these people in and thoroughly investigate whether they've been instigated by the rebels to purposely slander and defa the courtiers?
If you can't uncover the truth, don't release them. Understood?"
The Jinyi officers at foot promptly acknowledged his commands, took the list, and rushed out of the Governor Hall.
They looked down at the list and exchanged glances with each other.
Not only had the scholars involved in today's denunciation of Zhao Douan at the Purification Garden been included, but also those who had not been present yet had been the most virulent in recent days were all on the list.
"Hiss…"
They all understood that tonight, the literary circles would be rocked once again.
Suddenly.
Outside the Imperial Court's doors, countless Jinyi officers and cavalry sward out, bristling with an ominous aura.
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