A Good Country Wife
Chapter 440 - 434_1

Chapter 440: Chapter 434_1

"Emperor, the affair has unfolded just as I’ve related, and I dare not withhold any detail," Lin Yue, wholly unacquainted with the Emperor and unable to fathom his thoughts at that moment, was unsure of what had displeased him. Was it outrage at the palace folks’ wrongdoings, or was it because she had caused such a stir upon her first entry to the palace?

Huangfu Jing, of course, did not blame Lin Yue, but was angry about the ceaseless indiscretions within the palace. It was Lin Yue’s misfortune to encounter such incidents upon her arrival, which must have given her a dreadful impression of the place. Seeing Lin Yue’s genuine fear and trepidation softened his heart. After all, though wed, she was still a young girl at heart, and her composure under the circumstances was impressive. He feared he had frightened her.

"Yueyue, do not be afraid. I am merely outraged that someone dared to commit such reckless acts. It seems the harem needs to be put in order. There will not be a repeat of such events in the future, rest assured," Huangfu Jing spoke, wanting to say more to Lin Yue, but Princess Yongle’s attendants had already come to find her. They were relieved to see Lin Yue unharmed, though unsure of what had transpired. Why was Lin Yue with the Emperor, and why did the Emperor seem in good spirits, displaying a kindness they rarely saw?

"Servant pays respect to the Emperor, may the Emperor be forever blessed," seeing the Emperor, the Yongle Palace maids promptly greeted and bowed.

"Are you here for Yueyue?" gazing at the Yongle Palace’s maids, Huangfu Jing asked without exempting them from the formalities. His cold voice betrayed no emotion. Only Eunuch Abao, who served him closely, could tell his master was not pleased. Abao never expected that the woman his master had been searching for so long would be found within the Imperial Palace itself. Although she was already married to someone else, Abao couldn’t surmise the depth of his master’s feelings – whether his endeavors concerning her could ever come to fruition remained uncertain.

After all, royal affairs are never straightforward in terms of right or wrong, let alone when your master is the highest in all the land. If he sets his mind on something, even plucking stars from the sky, you’d have to do it, let alone a fancy for a peasant woman. It all depends on what she means to him – what lengths he would go for her. This stroke of fate could be good or bad for her. Sighing inwardly, Abao relinquished speculating further; such matters were not for a mere servant like himself to guess. It was best he dutifully minded his own tasks.

"Emperor, I have been missing for quite some time. Princess Yongle must be worried. Since she has sent for me, I shall accompany them back to see the Princess. Unless Your Majesty has further commands, I shall take my leave," said Lin Yue, carefully watching Huangfu Jing’s expression.

Facing Huangfu Jing always made Lin Yue somewhat ill at ease. Although he had always been affable and his treatment of her surprisingly favorable, causing her to feel overwhelmed, her heart wasn’t filled with joy but rather with worry and fear. She found the Emperor’s intentions unfathomable and his attitude towards her exceedingly strange. With Princess Yongle’s people coming for her, it provided her with a reason to leave, for she could hardly stand it any longer.

Huangfu Jing did not immediately let Lin Yue go. "There are no specific orders, but I happen to be free at the moment and was thinking of visiting Yongle. Since that is the case, you might as well accompany me on the way to the Yongle Palace. I will feel more at ease once I have personally escorted you there. That way, should anyone in the palace harbor untoward intentions towards you in the future, they would think twice, knowing I have personally taken you there."

Upon hearing that the Emperor intended to escort her personally, a silent complaint rose in Lin Yue’s heart. She wondered what could be so special to him about her. Surely, the halo of a crossover heroine couldn’t have made the Emperor take interest in her, right? Oh dear, she hoped this cliché plot wouldn’t unfold. She was absolutely loyal to her own husband and had no thoughts of infidelity.

No matter what flurried through her mind, Lin Yue remained outwardly apprehensive and declined the Emperor’s kind offer, "Emperor, I lack the virtues to trouble Your Majesty with such a matter. Besides, having been through this ordeal, I will be extra cautious. I won’t leave the Yongle Palace rashly. Those with malicious intentions will stop if they find no opportunity. Furthermore, with the Princess’s people guiding me, I won’t lose my way. I should return to the Yongle Palace on my own, and mustn’t inconvenience Your Majesty with such a task."

The determination in Lin Yue’s words was clear, leaving Huangfu Jing pondering silently, his face expressionless, bereft of his earlier warmth, prompting Lin Yue to sweat profusely, internally cursing the fickle nature of emperors. What had been implausible thoughts were now faintly comprehensible – perhaps the Emperor did fancy her. Yet how could that be, when they had just met for the first time?

Huangfu Jing watched Lin Yue for a moment before breaking into a light chuckle, regaining his affable demeanor, with a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth. "It is not an imposition. I was planning to visit Yongle anyways, and escorting you is simply on the way. You’ve made quite a speech out of it, though. Let’s not dwell on the pointless. Let us proceed to the Yongle Palace before Yongle truly becomes anxious. She values your friendship greatly. I also wish to visit, having heard you’ve come up with a new game called Mahjong. I would like to see for myself if it’s as entertaining as they say."

While Lin Yue couldn’t fathom this man’s thoughts, she breathed a sigh of relief that Huangfu Jing bore her no ill will. Having witnessed firsthand the capricious nature of an emperor, she dared not show any defiance towards Huangfu Jing again. As the saying goes, "serving the emperor is like being with a tiger". Angering the Emperor would not only be her downfall but could bring disaster upon her family as well. Having felt the weight of imperial power before, she now followed Huangfu Jing obediently.

Huangfu Jing didn’t summon his royal carriage, opting to stroll to Yongle Palace with Lin Yue instead. Along the way, he remained quiet; the two walked one after the other, with Lin Yue finding a sense of ease between them.

The news of Huangfu Jing’s visit had already been relayed to the palace attendants. Princess Yongle, accompanied by her entourage, greeted them at the palace gates. After paying her respects, she promptly pulled Lin Yue aside for a head-to-toe inspection. Seeing that Lin Yue was safe and sound, she finally relaxed. Perhaps she had overthought the situation; maybe it really had nothing to do with the Fourth Princess. But where had Lin Yue been all this time, and how did she end up arriving with the Emperor? Yongle didn’t dwell on it, though she found it odd.

"Yueyue, how come you are here with the Emperor? Didn’t I ask you to wait in the Royal Garden? Where have you been all this time? I even thought someone had lured you away, looking for you everywhere. I went as far as to make a fuss at the Fourth Princess’s place. Turns out I worried for nothing, it seems I have wronged the Fourth Princess."

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