Her guards

Chapter 176 Zhu Shizi's Questioning
"At that time, the startled horse galloped straight towards the emperor."

"The Embroidered-Clad Guardsman swiftly threw Miss Yang off her horse."

“Just in time to throw it in front of the emperor.”

"Miss Yang cried in terror, and the Emperor stepped forward to comfort her, and so..."

"Outrageous! What are you saying?!"

"Your Honor is innocent! We were talking about His Majesty almost encountering a runaway horse!"

"They're saying His Majesty is kind and benevolent—"

In a restaurant or teahouse, several people sat around a table, chatting and laughing in hushed tones, exchanging glances and making faces. They had barely exchanged a few words when a constable rushed in and subdued the group.

Chai Yuan stood in front of the railing on the third floor, coldly watching a group of people being dragged out by the constables. But the restaurant did not become quiet; the other guests gathered together and whispered among themselves.

Chai Yuan slapped the railing, turned around, and went into the private room.

"Third Master, it's a rumor that's suddenly started circulating in the city these past two days," a retainer said with a grim expression, then gave Chai Yuan a strange look...

It's probably a rumor.

Chai Yuan understood the look in the retainer's eyes. Not all the servants of the Marquis of Yichun's mansion knew about the past between the emperor and Miss Yang. Clearly, this retainer also believed the rumor.

"Investigate who is spreading these rumors and causing trouble behind the scenes," Chai Yuan shouted.

If it's a rumor, then it's truly malicious. The retainers all nodded in agreement. Apart from his first wife from the Chai family, the daughter from the Li family who helped the weak, and three beauties presented by aristocratic families, the emperor had never extensively recruited concubines or selected beauties since ascending the throne. In the eyes of the people, he was a frugal, kind, and enlightened ruler who was not obsessed with women.

Of course, it's not unreasonable for an emperor to take a fancy to a beautiful woman, but for this woman to be a princess's tutor and also a disciple of the chief priest, it's simply...

That's unbearable to hear.

It not only ruined the emperor's reputation, but also that of the princesses. The young ladies whom the emperor had specially chosen to win over noble families became a joke, and the students of the Imperial Academy also harbored resentment towards the emperor.

"How poisonous his heart is!"

"This is utterly rebellious!"

"This is rebellion!"

"I never imagined that so many traitors were hiding in the capital."

"Didn't the remnants of the Sun family commit murders in the capital at night before?"

Listening to the discussions among his retainers, Chai Yuan's face grew irritated: "In short, go and investigate for me. Tell the Jingzhao Prefecture to arrest all those who are spreading rumors."

The retainers responded and withdrew.

Once the room quieted down, Chai Yuan's expression became less irritated.

This isn't about someone rebelling; it's about forcing the emperor to acknowledge his daughter.

If the only way to show the world that it wasn't lust after beauty, then it was through a father-daughter reunion.

What a shameless tactic!
Chai Yuan grabbed the teacup and smashed it on the ground, letting out a cold laugh.

This must have been done by the emperor himself!

Is this an attempt to force the Chai family into submission? Ridiculous, don't even think about it.

Chai Yuan stepped on the shattered porcelain shards, opened the door and strode out. Just as he was about to turn into the corridor, someone came upstairs to meet him, and he almost bumped into them.

"You blind fool!"

Chai Yuan's servant kicked him.

But the person opposite wasn't kicked down the stairs. Instead, with a thud, Chai Yuan's servant fell backward and landed in the corridor.

"Insolence." The male voice was calm.

Seeing that the servant was kicking someone as if he hadn't seen it, Chai Yuan was furious and shouted, "What are you doing!"

His gaze fell upon the people coming upstairs, and then his expression darkened further.

The tall, handsome young man standing at the top of the stairs frowned as he looked at him.

"Young Master Zhu," Chai Yuan said coldly, "is he really quite imposing? He beat my daughter earlier, and now he's going to beat me?"

Zhu Yunxiao did not answer him, but calmly raised his hand in a salute: "Third Master Chai".

There was no time to deal with him now, so Chai Yuan flicked his sleeves and cursed at his servant: "You dog, get up now!"

Although he was scolding the servant, his gaze was fixed on Zhu Yunxiao. Zhu Yunxiao remained unmoved and did not move aside: "Third Master Chai, I have something I want to ask you."

Chai Yuan chuckled twice: "Zhu Yunxiao, you didn't come when we invited you before, so what do we have to say to each other now?"

When my daughter saw Zhu Yunxiao playing polo during a spring outing, she took a liking to him. Since my daughter liked him, I naturally wanted to get him. As a result, when someone expressed their willingness to marry him, that ungrateful bastard Zhu Yunxiao actually refused.

What? You're coming to talk to him again now? You regret it? Too late!
Zhu Yunxiao stepped forward and asked, "Third Master Chai, did you spread the rumors about Miss Yang? I know Miss Yang and Miss Chai have a history, but this is going too far. I was present during both of their conflicts, including when the horse was startled. I can testify that Miss Yang did not intentionally clash with Miss Chai..."

Chai Yuan's expression shifted from a sneer to arrogance, then to astonishment, and finally to fury.

"Zhu Yunxiao, who do you think you are, meddling in other people's business!"

He raised his foot and kicked it.

Zhu Yunxiao could easily kick over the servants of the Chai family, but as a junior and of lower rank, he could not retaliate against Chai Yuan.

With a loud thud, Zhu Yunxiao fell down the stairs.

People who had been quietly gathering upstairs and downstairs to watch the spectacle gasped in surprise.

……

.......
"As Wan'er said before, Zhu Yunxiao hit Miss Yang for her sake at the restaurant!"

Still not satisfied after kicking Zhu Yunxiao away in the restaurant, Chai Yuan paced angrily in the study of the Marquis of Yichun.

"How ridiculous! Isn't he still hopelessly in love with the Jiang family girl?"

"What? You've taken a fancy to this Miss Yang now? You're actually going crazy over her?"

Marquis Yichun remained calm and said, "Now, aren't there rumors circulating again that the Emperor has taken a liking to Miss Yang? That Miss Chai is angry that the Emperor hasn't punished Miss Yang, so she's deliberately spreading these rumors. And then they'll say, 'How could Prince Zhu have acted so rashly for a beauty...'"

He smiled at Chai Yuan as he spoke.

"Young Master Zhu's anger is not a rash act for the sake of a beautiful woman; he is relieving His Majesty's troubles."

When the emperor takes a fancy to a beautiful woman, it turns into a dispute between young men and women, which is not a big deal.

After a moment's thought, Chai Yuan spat out, "That bastard Zhu Yunxiao is just like his father, always trying to take shortcuts."

They came to relieve the emperor's worries, yet they dared to trample on the Chai family; they still deserve to die.

“Zhu Yunxiao.” Marquis Yichun murmured the name to himself and nodded. “His arrival was indeed timely. Since that’s the case, I will give him another great opportunity.”

Chai Yuan was puzzled. Why?
Zhu Yunxiao, who doesn't take the Yichun Marquis's Mansion seriously, is actually given a chance by his father?
And what other opportunity presented itself?
“He doesn’t disregard me; he disregards the marriage with Wan’er.”

When Zhu Yunxiao refused, he said, "My lord, a marriage alliance would not benefit either of us."

The image of Zhu Yunxiao's undisguised scheming face seemed to echo before his eyes. Marquis Yichun smiled and said, "Now I will propose a marriage to him that would benefit both of us."

……

……

"Sir, the rumors on the street have changed again."

Inside the pawnshop, the shopkeeper walked in and spoke to the old man sitting and drinking tea.

"Miss Chai takes revenge on Miss Yang, and Zhu Yunxiao steps in to protect her."

The old man laughed heartily, taking a sip of tea with a satisfied expression: "Who made a move this time? The emperor?"

When the old man heard the news that the emperor had taken a liking to Miss Yang and had been staying at the imperial palace, with all her movements being conducted according to royal protocol, he was both astonished and amused. "What a brilliant move!" he thought. "This is forcing the emperor to reveal Miss Yang's true identity."

It must have been Prince Mo who did it.

However, just as the story was circulating, Zhu Yunxiao stole the spotlight again today.

"The heir of the Marquis of Yongwu has had several interactions with this Miss Yang," the shopkeeper said. "I don't know if it was arranged by the Emperor or if the heir of the Zhu family did so voluntarily..."

Voluntary? Has Prince Zhu taken a liking to Miss Yang? The old man put down his teacup: "Have you noticed any young men appearing around Miss Yang lately?"

It is speculated that the former prince will use his marriage to Miss Yang to regain power and return to the royal family. However, such a marriage naturally requires mutual affection and frequent companionship...

The shopkeeper's expression was somewhat strange: "These days, the only young man by Miss Yang's side is Young Master Ajiao."

Speaking of which, isn't Young Master A-Jiao being a little too kind to this Miss Yang? He secretly guarded her in the street before, and this time he took an arrow for her...

This kind of selfless assistance and unwavering loyalty—isn't that the kind of thing that the young prince, who is determined to marry Miss Yang, should do?
Why are you getting involved, young master?
(End of this chapter)