Translator – Xiao He Lian
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Chapter 63
Lu Yan used a lot of strength and Shen Zhen was firmly restrained by him. She couldn’t escape at all and was surrounded by the scent of sandalwood on his body.
Even with the doors and windows closed, the noise, hawking, firecrackers, and the sound of gongs and drums outside could still be heard.
Lu Yan’s adams apple rolled and he tried his best to control his strength. After a while, he let go of her hand and put his arms around her waist.
At this moment, Shen Zhen was like a taut string. and the slightest tweak would cause a “mmm” sound of struggle.
But soon, this aggressive kiss turned into a gentle peck.
Lu Yan pressed his lips against Shen Zhen’s and said in a hoarse voice, “Zhen Zhen, close your eyes.”
How could Shen Zhen dare to close her eyes? If she closed her eyes, wouldn’t that mean she agreed to let him take advantage of her? She subconsciously clamped her legs together and pressed her fist against Lu Yan’s chest, “My Lord, I can’t do this, this is East Market, I really can’t.”
The last syllable of the little girl’s voice was even more trembling than the echo in the mountains.
Lu Yan looked down at the fist on his chest and curled the corners of his mouth in a very forced manner.
Shen Zhen. Do you really want to see him?
Su Heng just arrived in Beijing, and she can’t sit still?
Lu Yan used two fingers to hold Shen Zhen’s chin, raised it slightly, and looked at her slightly swollen, crystal clear lips and his fingers trembling slightly.
So, no matter how mature and capable a man is, there will be times when he encounters a wall, just like now.
He suddenly realized that the warrior outside was most likely the one who planted a green grassland1(LOL another way of saying green hat) for him in his previous life.
Even though he tried his best to convince himself that the past life was the past life and this life was this life, he still can’t forget the way Shen Zhen snuggled in that person’s arms in his dream…
There is no man in this world who can face a scene like that calmly.
Lu Yan took a deep breath, lowered his gaze and suddenly loosened his grip for fear of hurting her.
“Come, I’ll take you back.”
At this moment, the man’s eyes could no longer discern joy or anger.
Shen Zhen felt that he was a little strange. Even if she rejected him, his expression was more than being annoyed…
When they went downstairs, the carriages and horses of Marquis Changping had become a dot at the end of the East Market.
Lu Yan helped her into the carriage.
The direction back to Chengyuan was completely opposite to the direction of Changping Marquis Mansion. After a while, Shen Zhen finally couldn’t help it, she raised her hand to lift the curtain of the carriage and looked back.
Lu Yan snorted imperceptibly, then simply closed his eyes without even frowning.
It’s just that the movement of twisting the white jade ring in his hand became a bit rough.
After sending Shen Zhen back to Chengyuan, Lu Yan thought for a moment and said, “There will be an early court meeting tomorrow, so I will return to the Duke’s Mansion tonight.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Yan coughed twice.
Shen Zhen knew that he was busy with official duties, so she didn’t dare to waste his time. She replied softly, “I just heard you coughing… Could it be that you caught a cold?”
“I’m fine.” Lu Yan said calmly.
Shen Zhen grabbed his sleeve and said, “Your body is not made of iron, My Lord… remember to take your medicine.”
Lu Yan paused, turned around and kissed her forehead, “I understand.”
Walking out of Chengyuan and getting on the carriage, he couldn’t help but sneer.
Yes, he should take medicine.
——
After the morning court session the next day, there was an uproar throughout the city of Chang’an and even in the harem.
The emperor was naturally delighted with the victory of Marquis Changping. He not only rewarded him with countless gold, silver and jewelry, but also conferred the title of First-Class Lady for Su Heng’s mother, the wife of the Duke of Protectorate.
Anhua Hall.
The Sixth Prince held the folding fan in his hand and gritted his teeth and said, “Mother, that Su Heng is really ridiculous! Just now, when father asked him what reward he wanted, he dared to ask father to find the whereabouts of Shen Zhen and Shen Hong for him in front of all the civil and military officials! What does he mean by this? Does he want to stand on the side of the crown prince just after returning?”
“Why are you panicking?” Empress Xu drank a mouthful of red-blood swallow nest2A kind of soup
and said slowly, “The Su family and the Shen family have always had a lifelong friendship. From the moment he won the battle, you should have known that the Shen family’s life-saving straw has returned.”
The Xu family has been a family of civil servants for generations, and most of the people the Sixth Prince has made friends with over the years are descendants of civil officials. This is why Empress Xu set her sights on the Duke of Zhenguo’s Mansion.
On the other hand, the Crown Prince already has the support of the Ministry of War. If the Marquis of Changping now stands in the East Palace, it will be like adding wings to a tiger.
The Sixth Prince could no longer sit still. He growled in a low voice, “Aren’t you afraid that the Shen family will rise again one day? What they didn’t understand back then, I’m afraid they have figured it out now.”
The Sixth Prince pressed his wrist against his brows and said regretfully, “When Yunyang Marquis was imprisoned, this son should have taken Shen Zhen and Shen Hong away.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Empress Xu immediately knocked the spoon on the edge of the bowl and said, “Ye’er, calm down. What is yours will not run away.”
The Sixth Prince wanted to say something more, but when he saw that Empress Xu’s face looked bad, he shut his mouth.
After the Sixth Prince left, Empress Xu narrowed her eyes.
Su Heng wants to use his military achievements to protect the Shen family, but it depends on whether he can do so or not.
Chang’an today is no longer the same as it was back then, there was no way she could let the Shen family survive.
In fact, Empress Xu knew many years ago that keeping Shen Wenqi by the Crown Prince’s side would definitely lead to endless troubles.
Not to mention that Shen Wenqi is a man of great talent and a practical man but his three good daughters were not fuel efficient lamps.
The marriages of the Xu family’s daughters were all approved by Empress Xu. She knew very well how much benefit a good marriage could bring…
That year, Empress Xu was arranging a marriage for the second daughter of the Xu family.
At the same time, the marriage of Shen Shu and the son of the Minister of War, and the marriage of Shen Yao and the son of Marquis Xuanping, were also progressing secretly. And the third daughter of the Shen family, who had not yet reached the age of marriage, would, if nothing unexpected happened, marry either into the Su family or into the Lu family in the future.
The Ministry of War, Marquis Xuanping, Marquis Changping…if such a marriage was accomplished, the Eastern Palace would be like having an unbreakable wall.
She was the Empress, but she cannot choose such a marriage for the daughter of the Xu family so how could the Shen family choose such a marriage?
So at that time, she could only think of a way to mess it all up.
Empress Xu pinched her eyebrows and recalled a night in the twelfth year of Qingyuan.
Wang Guang, the Sixth Prince’s aide, took the household registration of several people and placed them in front of Empress Xu.
Empress Xu screened them one by one, shaking her head continuously. She was not satisfied with any of them. After a while, she picked up the one for Li Di.
A son of a poor family with a strong wolfish nature is much better than those sons of petty officials. What’s more, she has a huge handle on him.
He bribed officials and tampered with household registration, and was so bold as to hide the fact that he had a wife.
Empress Xu curled her lips and said to Wang Guang: “Bring him to see me.”
The next night, Li Di disguised himself as a young eunuch and entered the Anhua Palace.
Empress Xu smiled and gave Li Di a multiple-choice question, either get out of the capital or be used by her.
Li Di clenched his fists and whispered, “What does the Empress want me to do?”
Empress Xu smiled and said, “I want you to marry the eldest daughter of Marquis Yunyang as your principal wife.”
So many years have passed, but Empress Xu still remembers Li Di’s calm look.
“I will always remember the Empress’s grace in promoting me.”
After Shen Yu, it was Shen Yao. The second Uighur prince wanted to marry into the royal family, and Empress Xu had heard the news from rumors early on.
The Shen family’s daughter was beautiful, which is both a blessing and a curse.
She just mentioned it briefly, and the prince took it to heart, then everything else happened naturally.
So what if Shen Yao was crowned a princess? It was just a superficial honor. Once a woman took the path of marriage, she might never be able to enter the Great Jin Dynasty until the day she died…
The relationship between her and the Shen family was one of life and death.
Thinking of this, Empress Xu’s right eyelid twitched several times.
The only thing she miscalculated was that Su Heng would come back alive.
——
After the court session, Lu Yan was kept by Emperor Cheng Yuan.
He followed the eunuch through the corridor and arrived at the entrance of the Tingzheng Hall.
The eunuch bowed and whispered, “Lord Lu, His Majesty is currently discussing matters with the Marquis of Changping. Please wait a moment.”
Lu Yan’s eyebrows twitched, and then he replied calmly: “Thankyou, for informing me.”
After a while, the palace door opened and Su Heng walked out slowly.
After taking off his armor and putting on an official uniform, he regained some of his former gentlemanly appearance.
The faint sunlight slowly spread through the gaps in the dark clouds and settled at the corner of his eyes.
The young man who once had a handsome face now had too much hostility in his eyes.
He walked down the stone steps, slowly raised his eyes and met someone’s eyes…
Although Su Heng had little contact with the eldest son of the Lu family, they studied together for a year at the Bailu Academy many years ago.
Since they were officials in the same court, it was natural for them to meet each other. Su Heng paused and bowed to Lu Yan and Lu Yan returned the greeting.
As they passed each other, a breeze gradually arose, the grass and trees moved faintly and Su Heng suddenly smelled a special, long-lost and familiar scent from him.
He suddenly stopped and looked at Lu Yan again; the coldness in his eyes seemed to have formed a layer of ice.
T/N – My heart aches for the three sisters 😭😭😭
