Her guards

Chapter 157 The Princess's Obstruction

"Not wanting others to be nervous? I think it's just that they don't want you to be alone with the chief priest."

Night fell over the palace, which was brightly lit, resembling a fairyland, with faint sounds of singing and dancing echoing in the darkness.

That was where the emperor was holding a night banquet.

However, not many people were able to attend.

The emperor only specially invited a few important officials and scholars, because it was already a rare opportunity for the princesses to present their writings at the banquet.

The female tutors, despite their fatigue, were writing furiously in their rooms.

Mo Zheng and Liu Chan shared a room in the palace. They each sat at a table, and Liu Chan couldn't help but complain as she wrote her essay.

Previously, "Yang Luo" was summoned by Ling Yu, but returned instead, which made her very regretful and angry.

"Although I don't attend the gathering, I've heard a lot of rumors. You came in first place and became the disciple of the chief priest. The princess is not satisfied with that. Otherwise, why would Chai Wan'er make things difficult for you at Dengyun Tower?"

Mo Zheng, resting her chin on one hand and writing with the other, said, "The princess wasn't concerned about that; it's probably just..."

He paused here, glancing at Yang Luo who was standing at the table grinding ink.

"...They don't want me to go."

Yang Luo understood what she meant.

The two already knew that this martial arts banquet was held to prevent "Yang Luo" from appearing in front of the emperor and empress, but Wei Jiao encouraged the chief priest to get involved and she still came.

Therefore, Princess Heisei was not jealous of her and prevented her from appearing before the emperor. Instead, she was instructed to keep her confined to a designated place.

Liu Chan stopped writing, examined her own article, and shook her head: "A Luo, you're just too nice. A scholar should have some temper. It's fine for other things, but when it comes to studying and learning, one should be arrogant... My writing is terrible."

After saying that, he crumpled the paper into a ball.

Mo Zheng smiled: "Don't rush, there's still time."

Liu Chan nodded, tore off a piece of paper and started writing again, then solemnly instructed Mo Zheng: "You must write well and win the championship again, so that those who say you cheated will shut up."

Mo Zheng raised her hand and clasped her hands in a fist salute: "This humble daughter will certainly live up to Miss's expectations!"

Liu Chan chuckled, and Yang Luo and Liu Chan's maid Biyun also laughed.

"Sister Biyun," Yang Luo said with a smile, "I'd like to trouble you to look after my young lady. I'll go check on the hot water for washing up."

Although they lived in the Princess Garden and were served by palace maids and eunuchs, they were not royalty and had to do many things themselves.

Biyun smiled and replied, "Yes."

Mo Zheng added, "Don't wander around or talk too much."

Although most attention was drawn to "Miss Yang," as a maid, she was not immune to being targeted or framed.

Although Zhang Shengyou, disguised as Liu Chan's coachman, followed them into the palace, the other coaches were left at a specific location outside the palace.

The emperor's residence was heavily guarded, and Zhang Shengyou could not approach it at will.

"I know." Yang Luo smiled and nodded at Mo Zheng. "I won't wander around."

……

……

Although she doesn't wander around, she can't stop others from doing so.

Yang Luo stood outside the palace garden where the women were responsible for getting hot water for washing, rubbing his hands to ward off the cold while waiting for the eunuchs to bring out the water. Suddenly, a man's voice came from behind him.

"Miss Asheng."

Yang Luo froze, turned around, and saw Zhu Yunxiao smiling slightly as he looked at her in the swaying night.

What a coincidence! How did I run into him? Yang Luo forced a smile: "Young Master Zhu, what a coincidence."

Zhu Yunxiao said, "I've come to wait for Fuqin." He then explained, "She is Jiang Rui's maid."

Yang Luo smiled and said, "Miss Jiang is so lucky to have the young master always thinking of her."

“Her mother was worried that her cough had flared up,” Zhu Yunxiao said, “so she asked me to bring her medicine.”

Yang Luo thought to himself, "Oh, so this means it wasn't him who wanted to come?"
She had no interest in saying anything more: "Please wait patiently, Your Highness, I'll go now..."

"Miss Asheng, please tell your young lady, 'Be careful in everything tomorrow.'" Zhu Yunxiao said in a low voice.

Yang Luo frowned: "What do you mean by that, Your Highness?"

Zhu Yunxiao took a step closer and looked at her: "Miss Yang's attendance at the martial arts banquet this time must have been deliberately arranged by someone. Moreover, she had a conflict with the Chai family before. The Chai family's daughters all know martial arts. Miss Yang should be careful when riding horses and shooting arrows tomorrow."

Yang Luo responded with an "Oh," and said, "Thank you for reminding me, Your Highness."

He didn't seem very surprised, and his thanks were perfunctory, Zhu Yunxiao thought.

“I will be participating in the martial arts competition tomorrow,” he continued. “Miss Yang, please feel free to call me if you need anything.”

"I wish you the best of luck, Your Highness." Yang Luo smiled, but didn't respond to his words. He took another step forward, "I have to go now. My young lady is waiting."

She turned around, and Zhu Yunxiao stepped forward and stood in front of her.

"Here," he said, "you can take it."

After saying that, he handed her something, and turned and walked away without waiting for Yang Luo to say anything more.

Yang Luo felt a warmth to her touch and looked down to find it was a hand warmer.

She turned around quickly and saw that Zhu Yunxiao had already disappeared into the bright lights.

She looked down at the hand warmer again. Was he showing concern for her?

She sneered inwardly.

I wonder if she received any love or care from Zhu Yunxiao in her previous life as a maid.

……

……

Zhu Yunxiao knew that his reminder was unnecessary.

Since Miss Yang has come, she must know the danger she is about to face, and she has something to rely on and is not afraid.

This is because the chief priest, Wang Zaitian, is in charge.

He had just seen Ling Yu, Wang Zaitian's disciple, come here.

I already said that she couldn't have become the Grand Master's disciple without a reason; the Grand Master must have known that her identity was extraordinary.

However, he still had to give the reminder, and the purpose of the reminder was not necessarily to help the other party, but to make the other party remember him.

Zhu Yunxiao smiled, a smile playing on his lips. If something is done, it's necessary.

However, his smile faltered slightly as he walked out of the bustling palace gardens, where the mountain night wind was biting cold.

He looked at his empty hands; the hand warmer he had originally used had been given away.

Giving away hand warmers was not in the plan; it was unnecessary.

And she was just a maid...

Perhaps it was because seeing her standing in the palace garden, hunched over, stamping her feet and rubbing her hands to keep warm, made her look rather pitiful.

She was originally a princess's maid; whatever she wanted, she only needed to speak, and others would immediately bring it to her personally.

But now he stands outside the door, ignored by the palace maids and servants.

It's okay. This two-faced man will care for her. He might ignore her once, be dismissive twice, but by the third time, he'll eventually be moved.

If even a maid cannot move her, how can she expect the young lady to take notice?

Zhu Yunxiao smiled again, tightened his sleeves, and strode away.

……

……

"Let me check out the hand warmer."

Mo Zheng suppressed a laugh as she listened to Yang Luo's account after he returned.

Yang Luo's hands were empty. He snorted coldly, "I gave it to the eunuch who was distributing hot water. The eunuch was very happy and gave me an extra bucket of water. It can be said that the water was put to good use."

Mo Zheng laughed heartily.

"A-Luo, don't wash up yet!" Liu Chan came out after washing up and instructed, "His Majesty might summon you later."

When Yang Luo returned, the young ladies who accompanied her had already finished writing the essays and handed them to Princess Heisei. The princess then left with the essays.

Mo Zheng smiled at Liu Chan: "I know, you should go and rest."

Liu Chan said no more and led her maid into the inner room next door. Mo Zheng yawned and told Yang Luo, "Go wash up and go to bed."

Yang Luo hesitated for a moment: "What if His Majesty really summons me..."

She already had great confidence in Mo Zheng's talent.

Moreover, there is also the chief priest present.

Although the princess rejected Lingyu's invitation, the emperor couldn't refuse the chief priest's offer.

“I have confidence in my writing, and I have confidence in my teacher, the chief instructor,” Mo Zheng said, smiling again. “But the princess is a meticulous person and won’t let this happen.”

……

……

The palace was brightly lit at night. When people saw the magnificent palace lanterns and Princess Heisei surrounded by a dozen eunuchs and maids, they all bowed and paid their respects.

Princess Heisei walked slowly and gracefully.

As they walked, the view opened up ahead, and a palace resembling the Hall of Diligent Governance appeared before them. It was where the emperor held his night banquets, and music and chanting could be heard coming from inside, indicating that the banquet was at its most lively.

At the same time, the palace maid walking in front suddenly heard the princess's voice from behind.

"Go to the Empress's Palace."

The palace maids in front were stunned. Weren't they supposed to be going to see His Majesty?
However, as palace maids, they had no right to question the princess's decision, so they responded and headed in the opposite direction from the main hall.

……

……

Mo Zheng opened her eyes in bed and saw that the night light in the room was off, and Yang Luo was not moving on the small bed.

A figure was standing by the bed.

"You're still asleep?" Wei Jiao lowered his voice, heartbroken. "Your writings have been burned by the Empress!"

(End of this chapter)