Chapter 441: Chapter 435_1 Chapter 441: Chapter 435_1 Huangfu Jing furrowed his brows even more upon hearing that this matter was also related to the Fourth Princess. These past few days, King An had been restless, carrying out numerous covert actions behind the scenes, probably thinking that no one knew about them. Now, it appeared neither this brother-sister duo was content with keeping a low profile. Both inside and outside the palace, they were stirring up trouble and would need to be dealt with sooner or later to prevent any future problems.
“That may not be the case. Those people did take action, but Yueyue cleverly seized the opportunity to escape. She was later discovered by me, and hence I’ve brought her to you,” Huangfu Jing explained, summarizing the events to Princess Yongle, who, upon hearing this, cursed angrily in front of him.
“This is utterly outrageous, those people are far too bold! Yueyue is a distinguished guest I invited to the palace, and they dared to scheme so brazenly, even using the excuse of the Empress Dowager’s health to deceive me away. It’s despicable! Emperor, you must stand up for me. You have to find and punish the villains behind this. If they dare to do something like this today, who knows what even more heinous acts they might commit in the future. We can’t rest easy until these people are rooted out.”
Huangfu Jing had already suspected that Princess Yongle was lured away by someone, and although he was not surprised by her words, he was angered that people dared to use the Empress Dowager’s health as a trap. Once the culprits were identified, they would not be let off lightly. Moreover, based on his observations, Huangfu Jing already had a good idea who was behind this, but he was waiting for the right moment to reveal all. He wouldn’t share this with Princess Yongle though, fearing she wasn’t cunning enough and might let something slip in front of others, which could jeopardize his plans.
Seeing Huangfu Jing not responding, Princess Yongle thought he might not be willing to take action for a mere peasant woman, so she stubbornly tugged at his sleeve, shaking it. “Emperor, you must speak. Yueyue is a VIP I invited into the palace. I don’t care; you must stand up for me and Yueyue this time and not let those behind-the-scenes villains get away with it.”
“Alright, don’t worry. I will certainly stand up for you and Yueyue. However, the identity of the person behind this has not been fully uncovered yet. You need to be careful yourself. If you had used your brain a little more today, or if the preparations had been more thorough, then no one could have exploited the situation. Since Yueyue is a guest you invited to the palace, you should also be more attentive and take good care of her, making sure no one bullies her,” he advised.
“You’re right in your reprimand, Emperor. Yongle will remember this,” said Princess Yongle, cheerfully agreeing without giving much thought to Huangfu Jing’s demeanor. On the other hand, Bilian watched Lin Yue thoughtfully, sensing that the Emperor cared about Lin Yue a little too much. The Emperor hadn’t been so easy to speak with in the past; he was particularly different with Madam Lin today.
Lin Yue also noticed Bilian’s subtle glance and thought to herself about how sensitive this girl was.
“By the way, Yongle, didn’t you say you’ve learned a new game that’s quite fun? I happen to be free today. Why don’t you teach me how to play it?”
“Of course. I didn’t expect that you, always preoccupied with government affairs, would be willing to play. I’ll be pleased to accompany you. Actually, the game was Yueyue’s idea; let her teach you.”
Huangfu Jing was in Yongle Palace for most of the morning and even stayed there for lunch before leaving to attend to state affairs. Lin Yue, with her mind preoccupied and having spent the morning entertaining Huangfu Jing, as well as enduring the shock and exertion from earlier, felt utterly exhausted. Still, even in her tired state, she couldn’t sleep, her thoughts in disarray about the Emperor’s abnormal behavior. Longing to return home to see Zhao Erhu and be comforted by her husband, she immediately got out of bed and headed to the main hall of Princess Yongle’s palace.
“What? You are leaving the palace to go back home?” Lin Yue, didn’t you promise me you’d stay for a few more days? Why are you going back? Is it because the people in my palace aren’t serving you well, or is it because of what happened this morning? Lin Yue, I know that was my oversight, and it allowed someone to seize the opportunity, but you also heard that my brother, the Emperor, has already agreed to me. He will definitely investigate thoroughly and find the person behind the trouble to avenge you,” Princess Yongle exclaimed upon hearing that Lin Yue was departing. Her first reaction was to assume that Lin Yue had been slighted, and recalling the morning’s incident, she worried Lin Yue might be angry with her.
“Princess, you misunderstand. Everyone has been very kind to me, and nothing was neglected. It’s for my own reasons that I wish to leave. I have started to miss home after spending these last few days in the palace. Besides, I recently moved into a new home, and there are many matters to attend to. I have been somewhat worried about my household during my absence. Rather than staying here feeling uneasy, it is better for me to return early. Once I have settled the affairs at home, I can come back to the palace to accompany you, Princess,” Lin Yue said.
“If that’s the case, then all right. Although I am reluctant to see you go, I can’t let you stay in the palace feeling uneasy. After you have sorted out your household matters, you must come back to visit me, for I truly enjoyed your company these past few days,” Princess Yongle conceded.
With Princess Yongle’s permission, Lin Yue promptly packed up, bid farewell, and left the palace. On her way home, she urged the eunuch driving the carriage to hasten, eager to return to the comforting presence of that elder man.
Huangfu Jing was planning to take Princess Yongle and Lin Yue out for an excursion the following day. It wasn’t until he specially visited Yongle Palace for supper in the evening that he learned Lin Yue had already left the palace. Although Huangfu Jing did not show it, Abao still sensed his master’s displeasure.
When Lin Yue arrived home, Zhao Erhu had not yet returned from his busy errands outside. So Lin Yue took it upon herself to cook, preparing a table full of food and drink, waiting for Zhao Erhu to return as dusk was approaching.
“Wife, how come you’re back? Wasn’t the eunuch who came with the message yesterday saying you’d stay a few more days in the palace? Why have you come back now?” Zhao Erhu was first surprised, then delighted to see his wife return. He immediately embraced her, thoroughly checking her from head to toe, showering her with kisses and caresses, delighting in her scent. He felt she had lost weight and seemed somewhat worn.
Since Lin Yue married Zhao Erhu, they had been inseparable except for the one time they went hunting in the mountains. Barely two days into her palace visit, Zhao Erhu missed her dearly, constantly hoping for her return. Now holding her in his arms, he refused to let go.
“What? Don’t you want me to come back?” Lin Yue asked knowingly, pretending to misinterpret his intent.
“How could that be! Wife, these past days without you at home, I missed you to death. I couldn’t wait for you to come back. But what can I do about the palace? I have no way of getting news, so I could only hope in my heart. That said, wife, how come you look so much thinner after only two days in the palace? Didn’t you eat well there?”