usatvline Chapter 161 Serving the Emperor
Chapter 161 Serving the Emperor
Chapter 161 Serving the Emperor
This year's provincial examination was held in five locations: the capital, Xuanzhou, Suzhou, Yuezhou, and Shuzhou. After the examination, all the exam papers from these five locations were sent to the Ministry of Rites by express courier. The Ministry of Rites worked day and night to grade and organize them, which took a full fifteen days before the results of the provincial examination were announced to the public at the appointed time.
Chunyu Jing had been staying at the Ministry of Rites every day these days, extremely busy. Only after everything came to an end did he realize that he had been away from the Prince's Palace for almost seven days.
After several days, Chunyu Jing returned to the Prince's Mansion. With his hands behind his back, he walked slowly from the main gate to the front hall. As soon as he stepped inside, a beautiful figure came to greet him.
"Your Highness, you've finally returned." A woman's soft, sweet voice rang in his ears. She was beautiful and charming, and her appearance was so lovely that it made one feel tenderness at first sight.
That was his concubine, An Rong, the legitimate daughter of An Liang, the Vice Minister of Revenue, who had been married to him for a year. During that year, Chunyu Jing had shown her great favor, but because of her weak health, she was always bedridden, so there had been no good news.
"Why are you up? Are you feeling better?" Chunyu Jing never hesitated to be gentle with his woman. He smiled and took An Rong's hand, raising an eyebrow as he said, "Your hands are so cold. You must be wearing too little clothing again." With that, he took off his outer robe and draped it over her shoulders.
Chunyu Jing: "It's windy outside. If there's nothing else, you should go back to your room and rest as soon as possible."
"No~" An Rong had finally waited for Chunyu Jing, how could she let him go so easily? She mustered her courage, grabbed his sleeve, and said to him in a coquettish tone, "Rong'er hasn't seen Your Highness for a long time, so let Rong'er stay with Your Highness a little longer?"
Chunyu Jing smiled and let her hold him, but his steps led him toward her courtyard without any room for doubt.
"Listen to me, take good care of yourself. When I'm not busy, I'll spend all my time with you, day and night, until you no longer want to see me."
An Rong had no other choice but to grit her teeth and force a smile, saying, "Your Highness is too kind. How could Rong'er not want to see Your Highness? I'd be overjoyed if Your Highness could spend some time with me."
After personally escorting An Rong back to her room, Chunyu Jing turned and left, showing no intention of staying. After he left, An Rong removed Chunyu Jing's outer robe and said resentfully:
"Even when the prince was busy, he would always make time for me. Now he won't even sit in my room for a while! Is he in such a hurry to go back and see that little bitch?!"
The "little slut" she was referring to was naturally Ye Yingrou, who had suddenly entered the Prince's mansion with Chunyu Jing.
"That's right, I don't know what kind of bewitching potion she gave the prince. He takes her everywhere he goes, and even when he's handling state affairs in the study, he still needs her to serve him!" An Rong's maid, Jin'er, also complained. "Your Highness, if this continues, I'm afraid she'll try to climb into the prince's bed!"
An Rong clenched her fists tightly and said hatefully, "I won't let her have her way!" She had been married to Chunyu Jing for almost a year, and her belly had not conceived. She knew very well that Chunyu Jing still favored her now because her father was still working for Chunyu Jing. But if she could not give birth to an heir, in time, not only would she lose favor, but her father would also be implicated.
She would absolutely not allow anyone in the Prince's mansion to climb into Chunyu Jing's bed, and she would not allow anyone to give birth to Chunyu Jing's child before her!
"Jin'er, come closer, I have something to tell you."
Jin'er leaned closer, and An Rong whispered a few words in her ear, coldly saying, "You must do this for me, understand?"
"Your Majesty, rest assured, Jin'er will certainly live up to Your Majesty's expectations!"
***
As An Rong had expected, after Chunyu Jing returned to his study, he had someone summon Ye Yingrou.
"Ye Yingrou greets Your Highness, may Your Highness enjoy boundless blessings." Ye Yingrou bowed gracefully, presenting a respectful greeting to Chunyu Jing without being humble or overbearing.
She had long guessed that Chunyu Jing would return, so today she specially styled her hair in a unique bun, drew her eyebrows with blue ink, and wore a lotus-root-colored long dress with a sash embroidered with gold thread around her waist, making her look as charming as a lotus emerging from the water.
Chunyu Jing hadn't seen her for many days either. Seeing her now felt like reliving that first, breathtaking glimpse in front of the Jishi Medical Clinic. His eyes narrowed slightly as he said:
"Get up. Have you been enjoying your time at the palace while I was away?"
[Target's favorability +5, affection +5, good/evil value +5, target's current favorability: 71, affection: 21, host's current good/evil value: 287]
Hearing the system notification in her ear, Ye Yingrou lowered her head to hide the smugness in her eyes and replied, "I've gotten used to serving Your Highness these days. It's indeed a bit strange without Your Highness here."
"Is that so? You certainly know how to talk." Chunyu Jing raised an eyebrow. "Are you truly so loyal to me? Haven't you ever thought of taking this opportunity to leave the palace and attend to your own business?"
Ye Yingrou, who had been smug just moments before, broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing these words. While Chunyu Jing was busy at the Ministry of Rites, she had indeed considered returning to the Xu residence, but ultimately decided to be cautious and wait for his return at the Prince's mansion. Sure enough, given Chunyu Jing's suspicious nature, her unauthorized departure was impossible to conceal, and his affection and admiration for her would undoubtedly suffer another setback.
"Rou'er is following the Prince willingly. I will never act on my own initiative if the Prince has not given me permission to do something." Ye Yingrou said with utmost sincerity in order to dispel Chunyu Jing's doubts.
Hearing the system notification that her favorability rating had increased, Ye Yingrou knew that she had finally managed to keep him calm.
Chunyu Jing said, "I have brought back some good news and some bad news from outside. Rou'er, which one would you like to hear first?"
Good news and bad news? What exactly is Chunyu Jing up to?
Ye Yingrou said, "Whichever Your Highness wants me to listen to first, I will listen to."
"Oh? Then let me tell you some good news first." Chunyu Jing stood up, put his hands behind his back, and slowly walked to her. He said, "The results of this year's provincial examination are out. Your elder brother, Ye Yanxun, has won the top score in the provincial examination."
Top scholar!
Ye Yingrou was startled, but then the surprise on her face was completely replaced by joy.
"That's wonderful! I knew Ye Yanxun would win first place in the provincial examination! Father and brother must be very happy too!" Ye Yingrou was very excited. The smile on her face was genuine, but it also contained a hint of selfishness.
If Ye Yanxun can pass the imperial examination, he will have a chance to become the top scholar, and Xu Pingyue will have the opportunity to live in the Marquis's mansion as a concubine! She will then be able to take another step towards her main quest!
"Yes, Your Majesty is indeed very happy and has decided to hold a banquet at your residence to invite your colleagues in the court to celebrate with you, brother," Chunyu Jing said casually.
"A banquet?" Ye Yingrou was taken aback.
"This is the bad news I have to tell you." Chunyu Jing lifted her chin, carefully observing her expression. "As the daughter of Marquis Anshi, you are unable to return to the Marquis's mansion and share this glory with your family. You can only silently endure it with your mother in a corner where no one knows you. You must be very unwilling, right?"