gnovel Chapter 456 - 450: Not Too Late—Yao Jun Side Story
Chapter 456 - 450: Not Too Late—Yao Jun Side Story
Fourth year of Zhengyuan, sixteenth day of the first month.Dusk, with elongated shadows.
At the foot of the steps of Liangyi Palace, after Li Yao finished speaking, the palace attendant did not turn inside to report but merely bowed and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty is inside the hall, the Princess should return!"
Li Yao was puzzled, "Just because His Majesty is inside, I can’t see the Empress?" She is the emperor’s cousin, so she doesn’t need to avoid them too much; can’t she see them together?
The palace attendant raised her eyes, giving a meaningful look, "His Majesty is resting with Her Majesty..."
Li Yao’s face flushed instantly, "Then I, I won’t disturb them!" She turned and walked quickly a few steps, suddenly stopping to look back, softly asking, "Will Her Majesty still come out to enjoy the lanterns tonight?"
She answered herself just as she finished asking, "Understood, understood..." waving her hand, she walked away.
After walking a distance, Li Yao still felt her face was red.
The sky wasn’t even dark yet; they’re so eager.
However, come to think of it, the current Empress and Emperor have been husband and wife for several years now, yet today, Li Yao feels they are truly a couple who do what married couples do, not just childhood friends being sweet on each other.
Perhaps it’s because she watched Her Majesty grow up?
In her mind, the Empress seems to still be that little girl.
His Majesty too, as if still like the impression—
Suddenly, she froze in her tracks.
The impression of the weak and sickly Crown Prince is not the face of His Majesty the Emperor now.
But—
"Greetings to the Princess." The young man’s voice held a smile, gentle and affectionate.
Li Yao suddenly looked up.
Not far ahead, the young man stood quietly, his visage like peony, his green robe like leaves, his smile carrying a touch of shyness, indeed more charming than any flower.
Li Yao looked at him but felt a chill on her back, a question burst out without thinking, "Why are you here?"
Yu Jun showed a hint of grievance on his face, "I have matters to seek an audience with His Majesty."
Li Yao turned away, not looking at his act, "His Majesty is too busy to see you!"
"I indeed have important matters to seek an audience with His Majesty." His tone also carried grievance.
Li Yao remained unmoved, speaking coldly, "Since His Majesty placed you in Central Secretariat, he’s hoping you’ll learn to do your job properly, and not tread crooked paths!"
Yu Jun shed his grievance expression and smiled lightly, "Which crooked path or door has the Princess seen me tread?"
Li Yao glanced at him, snorted coldly, raised her chin, and started walking.
As she passed by Yu Jun, he slightly tilted his head to look at her and suddenly asked, "I wonder if the gate of Pingyang Temple counts as a crooked path? Or the paths inside as deviant?"
Li Yao abruptly blushed and glared at him, "What do you mean!"
He smiled with utmost gentleness, "I heard yesterday a scholar from Shuzhou entered the gate of Pingyang Temple—"
Li Yao’s expression changed suddenly.
...
Li Yao still lived next door to Duke Yan Mansion, in the temple converted from the original Princess Mansion on Qinren Street, but she no longer had the paper-filled extravagant days of the past.
It’s not that the current emperor mistreats her, but since she had completed her mourning for the late emperor, Empress Tang brought her into the palace to work hard, helping manage palace affairs.
Because she is favored in front of the Empress, gradually even some scholars started to submit their works to Pingyang Temple, hoping to find a way into officialdom through her.
But Li Yao was too busy, too busy to pay attention.
Yu Jun mentioned that Shuzhou scholar Liu Sheng was an exception; last night she picked him up on her way home from enjoying the lanterns.
At that time, Liu Sheng was being beaten by a group of thugs, and because she passed by, the thugs ran away.
Liu Sheng thought she saved him and staggered up to bow and thank her, only to stumble and fall flat on his face before her.
Li Yao found it amusing and picked him up casually.
What happened in the middle of the night yesterday, yet it spread to Yu Jun’s ears so quickly?
Li Yao cursed "Scoundrel" under her breath, got off the carriage, and hurriedly entered Pingyang Temple.
"Where is Liu Sheng?" She asked.
The servant who greeted her had a changed expression, "Yu, Yu Sheren took him away..."
...
Li Yao arrived on horseback at Yu Mansion when the lanterns were just lit.
Coincidentally, or not, Yu Jun was at the gate.
But he was not alone.
Beside him stood a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, finely dressed, with her hair loosely tied, her brows gentle and elegant, smiling slightly as she spoke to Yu Jun.
Yu Jun was smiling too.
He always smiled, and people say Yu Sheren is good-tempered.
But Li Yao remembered his smile when he threatened her in the palace and had seen his smile when he walked out of Liluo Palace, all so innocent and harmless, chilling.
But at this moment, when she saw him smiling at this girl, it was particularly kind.
However, his gaze shifted to her face, the smile deepened, yet it held a few degrees of chill.
"Princess—" He greeted with a smile.
The girl also saw Li Yao, gently saluting, "Shun Ning greets Auntie."