Chapter 72

Chapter 72 – A Graceful Dance (1)

The forest on this side of the mountain was entirely different from the one in the Baihua Garden. As an imperial hunting grounds, the men were not only heavily guarded, but also felt more voracious about catching their first prey.

In the heart of the wilderness, Lu Lingzhi ordered his fourth younger brother to follow him closely in fear that he might get lost accidentally.

Leading the men was none other than the emperor, who although looked aloof and indifferent, was undoubtedly keen towards the start of the hunt.

Right behind him, Lu Lingzhi couldn’t help but look up at the tall and imposing figure of Mo Rongzhan, and his heart became somewhat doubtful and uneasy.

Last night, the emperor’s nose was looking unusual, reddish specifically. He looked at it this morning and found that it was actually swollen!

What happened to the emperor last night?

Lu Lingzhi had discreetly asked his right-hand man, Eunuch Fu but the latter’s mouth was tightly shut, and he refused to divulge any information.

What happened to the emperor that he chose to keep it to himself?

Lu Lingzhi sighed in his heart. He wasn’t worried about anything, except for Lu Yaoyao. He was afraid the emperor would see her.

Too bad he didn’t come home for the past two days; he would have forbidden her from going to Zhuangzi Hot Springs!

It was too risky!

But at the back of his mind, he surmised that he just might be overthinking. Visiting his young wife whose face was partly hidden by a red veil, in their dimly lit bridal chambers only to say that he abhorred her family, chances were, Mo Rongzhan would not know what Ye Zhen even looked like! He hated the Ye Family to the highest extent. Even if others would say that Lu Yaoyao looked exactly like Ye Zhen, he would probably not care.

He was put out of his thoughts by a sheepish voice coming from beside him.

“Eldest Brother, is that… the emperor?” While walking, Lu Xianghi noticed the guards around following them like dogs. He suspected whether there was an important man here.

Looking at the respectful attitude of Marquis Tang and his eldest brother towards the man in front of them, he made head and tails of the situation and guessed the identity of the other party.

Lu Lingzhi nodded faintly and whispered to him. “Since the emperor does not want to reveal his identity, you should be quiet about it.”

“Oh!” Lu Xiangzhi said in a hushed tone. He looked at the man with awe in wonder, he did not think that he would have a chance to be in the company of the emperor himself!

Along the way, Mo Rongzhan appeared silent. Lu Lingzhi obviously felt that the master’s mood was not very good. This was indeed odd, for the emperor’s tenor was remarkably lighter before he went out last night.

Mo Rongzhan was a bit gloomy. Upon reaching the hunting grounds, he let everyone go hunting while he silently went deeper into the woods all by himself.

With the men dispersing in different directions, Lu Lingzhi put on an expression of excitement while he pressed Lu Xiangzhi into hunting with him. This was Lu Xiangzhi’s first hunt in these woods, after all.

“Let’s go and test our luck today!” He exuberantly invited Lu Xiangzhi, but it appeared the lad didn’t reflect the same enthusiasm. Instead, he looked elsewhere while his mind drifted off somewhere else.

“If my third sister came, she would certainly like it here.” Lu Xiangzhi remembered his sister.

“It is better for her not to come.” Lu Lingzhi murmured before putting a heavy hand on Lu Xiangzhi’s shoulders. “Let’s go!”

The beauty of the sunset was ineffable while the hunters went back to their camps with delighted hearts. Mo Rongzhan hit a black bear, and all the attendants cheered loudly.

Mo Rongzhan’s handsome indifferent face finally showed a smile.

“Make a fire and let’s have some roasted meat tonight!” He told the crowd that gave boisterous cheers of approval!

Although Lu Xiangzhi wanted to stay and have fun with the men, after all, it was not every day that he got to have roasted meat jamboree with the emperor, he remembered that he ought to give his third sister a rabbit.

Ye Zhen did say that she’d wait for his return. But would it not be rude to leave the jamboree early?

“Fourth Brother, what are you thinking?” Upon seeing the conflicted expression on the young man’s face, Tang Zhen decided to join him. Playfully, he slapped his shoulders hard, Lu Xiangzhi could only rub the sore area of his skin.

“Brother Tang.” In private conversations such as this, Lu Xiangzhi got used to calling the marquis ‘brother’. In fact, Tang Zhen could be a little presumptive sometimes, he even called Lu Xiangzhi as his fourth brother and Ye Zhen, his third sister!

Lu Xiangzhi laughed. “I promised my sister that I would give her a rabbit but found a fawn in the woods. She should like this!” he said excitedly.

Tang Zhen’s eyes brightened. “Well, I’ll go with you and bring this gift to the third sister!”

Lu Xiangzhi nodded pleasantly surprised. “Is that all right?”

“Wait, I must ask permission from the emperor first,” Tang Zhen said. He then turned and went to Mo Rongzhan’s keep.

Mo Rongzhan was changing clothes– his once clean hunting clothes now had blood stains from killing the black bear. Hearing Tang Zhen’s request, he was silent for a moment but gave a slight nod shortly after.

“Go ahead, you should come back without further delay.”

Tang Zhen knew that the emperor meant not to delay drinking with the men. He laughed and said that he would just take Lu Xiangzhi to a villa at the foot of the mountain quickly.

By the time Lu Lingzhi found out that they were missing, it was too late. The two were already halfway through their journey.

*

The Zhuangzi Hot Springs was not far from the hunting grounds, only a half an hour horse ride away. Lu Xiangzhi dismounted outside the second gate; two young doormen led their horses.

Hearing a sound of playing music vaguely, Lu Xiangzhi asked a servant, “Where are the lord and the madam?”

“Replying to the fourth young lord, the third lord and the third madam are roasting meat in the garden,” a servant said.

Roasted meat? Lu Xiangzhi glanced curiously at Tang Zhen nearby. “Marquis Tang, why don’t you come with me?”

Tang Zhen softly declined, remembering that he needed to come back as soon as possible. He merely wanted to have a glimpse of Ye Zhen.

“Just go, I just came to give Lu Yaoyao gifts.”

Lu Xiangzhi fell silent in his heart. Tang Zhen was a marquis, and his father an imperial secretary. He thought that it was only proper to invite the marquis into the villa, even for just a little while.

And so, it was agreed upon. Lu Xiangzhi accompanied Tang Zhen towards the villa’s garden.

Before they reached the garden, the sound of drums and guqin was already reverberant in the air.

Lu Xiangzhi thought that no one in the family knew how to play guqin. Well, his father did, but not once had he listened to him play. He wasn’t this good either.

Reflexively, their steps quickened, and when they were at the gate of the garden, they could not help but slow down…