Not Your Typical Villianess - Chapter 205

Lu Yaozhu’s room, the Duke’s mansion.

Su Liya took a sip of the peach flavoured alcoholic and smiled, “l guess our minds are in sync”.

“Among other things,” he said eye locked on her plump pink lips, there was a drop of wine on her lips. Lu Yaozhu stretched out his hand, rubbed the drop of wine away and brought his hand into his mouth. He licked the peach flavoured taste off his thumb while grinning down at her.

He broke their gaze and glanced at the tray of cake, he picked up a piece at brought it up to his lips. He took a bite. The smile previously on his face had disappeared, Su Liya could feel the air around them get meaner. Lu Yaozhu waited until he was done with the cake before pouring himself a fresh cup of wine.

“You must have been informed of my bad mood, not that I am surprised. I didn’t exactly try to hind it”, he picked up the cup, brought it to his lips and tipped it over, finishing the wine in one go.

Su Liya smiled, “the servants were scared, according to them your killing intent was too high.” She picked up the jug of wine and filled up their empty cups. “What happened at the palace that got you so mad that you wanted to chop the wooden training dummies to pieces?”

He picked up his cup and took a sip, “nothing good”. He downed the remaining quantity of wine in the cup and poured out a fresh set. “His Majesty doesn’t wish for me to retire and decided to make his stance known”.

Her lips pursed, eyes narrowed as she set down her half-filled cup of wine. “What did he do?”

He poured a fresh cup of wine for himself and after tipping the cup over his mouth, poured himself a fresh cup. He was drinking alcohol like water, which spoke volumes. As he stretched out his hands to pour himself a fresh cup of wine, Su Liya placed her hands on his hand. “No! Do drink alone. If you are feeling down, tell me. Don’t just hit the alcohol hard”, she took the jug of wine from him and poured herself a fresh cup.

Lu Yaozhu watched her silently as she drank two cups of wine, he knew that she had come here to cheer him up. Usually, he went out with his brother when he felt frustrated but with his brother still on his way back to the capital. He didn’t have a drinking partner, the fact that she thought of helping him out even with his temper. Made him fall in love with her more than before, she was like a ray of sunlight in this pitch-black room he often felt stuck inside.

He took the jug away from her and placed it at the centre of the table. Lu Yaozhu sat back and leaned backwards, “don’t drink so much, it is bad for your health”, he muttered as he took the jug of wine away from her hand. Su Liya looked at him with wrinkled brows and giggled, she was getting a little lightheaded and her cheek getting all rosy.

She leaned forward, resting both elbows on the table and placed her head in her hands. “We are supposed to share a drink, I cannot let you drink alone. That defeats the purpose”, she murmured smiling with a saccharine-sweet smile on her face.

“That is okay, I am done drinking for now. I doubt any amount of alcohol could permanently dull the pain”, he glanced up at her and sighed. Lu Yaozhu leaned backwards, “his majesty is very serious about keeping me here, Yaya. He threatened me with A’Yong’s upcoming examination, he already had an imperial decree drafted out”.

“Huh! Why is his Majesty threatening you not to leave? I thought it would be the other way around, I guess I was wrong. His Majesty is quite an unlikeable person, what has Lu Yong got to do with you leaving. I would be pissed off if someone did that to me, so I guess we are staying?”

“Yes, for now. Once I get an opportunity, I am getting us away from here. There is no real future in politics in the capital, I prefer to become a country gentry. At least I won’t have to always be on edge, I can relax and spend time with my family”, he shook his head and looked away. ” let us wait for A’Yong to get settled, then we will get out of here”.

“Okay, you know, I am happy wherever you are.”.

“Me too! As long as we are together, who cares about what others say”.

***************

Many streets away, at the lower rings of the capital. At a small compound at the centre of the street, A Crested carriage stopped at the small odd gates. The guards at the gates all stood at attention as the carriage appeared, it wasn’t every day they received such an honoured guest. The stewards, Uncle Yi rushed up to the gate as soon as he was informed, he pulled at his clothes trying to look as arranged as he could.

He had run straight to the old master’s study to inform him of their guest before heading out to greet the guest. He stood by the gates while the well-dressed servants that had accompanied the guest brought down a wooden half step and a wheeled seat. The Royal crest of the Zhongshan family was known to even the rural farmers, everyone understood the carrying styles of that crest.

It was easy to identify who the special guest was based on the number of guards following the carriage and the royal crest. Since apart from the Emperor, the Empress, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess consort no one was allowed to use their crest in gold. The gold coated metal royal crest on the carriage glittered in the sun, apart from members of the royal family no other persons dared put this crest on their carriages.

Everyone knew that things belonging to members of the royal family were grander than that of normal people. Uncle Yi waited for old master Tong and the eldest master to arrive before walking forward. He stood two steps behind them at the side while old Master Tong interacted with the Crown Prince.

Old master Tong stepped forward with his two sons following him behind, he bowed at the Crown Prince as soon as he was helped down the carriage by his guard.

“Good day, your Highness”, he said cautiously.

“Please get up, Secretary Tong. Please don’t stand ceremony, you are my senior kneeling this way….. That doesn’t seem right” Zhongshan Ling said.

“That is okay, you are the Crown Prince. It is right to give you the proper amount of respect you deserve. Please come this way”, he stepped aside and gestured inside the house.

“Not just yet, I came with someone important” Zhongshan Ling said glancing at the carriage behind him. Old master Tong and everyone glanced up, they watched as a maid in pigtails helped a hooded woman down the carriage.

Old master Tong gazed back at The Crown Prince, “Your Highness, this is_”

“Let us go in and talk, it is a little chill out here”, Zhongshan Ling said glancing around.

“Oh that is right, how could I be so insensitive. Please this way” Old master Tong said featuring inside.

He directed Zhongshan Ling and Chen Yao to his study. He dismissed the servants as soon as the tea and snacks were delivered. Although everyone was curious about the identity of the hooded female guest, they all pretended otherwise. Old master Tong on the other hand put on a serene expression and kept his eyes focused on the Crown Prince, he was smart enough to know not to be overly attentive. Since the Crown Prince brought her here, he must have his reasons.

Zhongshan Ling smirked as he observed the older man’s actions, he could already guess what was going through the old man’s mind even without him saying anything. He had decided to come here after some thoughts, his men had already investigated Chen Yao’s claims of being kidnapped and found there was proof of that happening.

Bringing her here was the best option for both of them, He couldn’t leave her in the inn for a long time. The fact that her godmother kept it under the wraps was to their advantage since it would help them avoid any unnecessarily scandals for as long as they could.

A woman’s reputation was the most important for her in their society, the quicker he created a suitable narrative the better for Chen Yao. Which is where the Tong family came in, Zhongshan Ling glanced at the quiet Chen Yao and smiled.

“I am sorry for the sudden intrusion, my lord”, Zhongshan Ling said.

“That is okay, your highness is family. I can never take that to heart”. He glanced at the hooded female, “this is_”

“There is no need for an introduction between you two. It is Chen Yao, she came upon misfortune a few days ago and was kidnapped by scoundrels. Luckily I ran into her as she escaped, Chen Yao is a young unmarried woman. It is not proper for her to stay long with me without a scandal breaking out”.

“No need to explain, we are family. This is nothing however, I don’t think we can avoid a scandal this time. There has been talk of her going missing among some circles. Her godmother didn’t do a good job a job as you think in keeping it under wraps. Her servants told a few of their friends working at other mansions, although things have not blown out since we have tried to keep it contained I fear that it is only a matter of time before it does”

“I didn’t know that talk had spread already?”

“It has, your Highness. These past few days, I have been trying to keep it contained as best I could. I think that we should have her married before it spread wide. I can look into it and find someone suitable for her”.

“Then, I will have to trouble you”, Zhongshan King replied frowning slightly.