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Chapter 63: The Duke of Nanping
On that same day, Qianhe Liyou did not go to Luo Weiqing’s Fengqing Palace after all. This was because she crossed paths with Luo Yu on the way and next to him was a woman suffused with an elegant air. The two seemed to be talking about something and Luo Yu’s expression was quite soft and there was a touch of warmth in his gaze. However, for Qianhe Liyou, for her to see this side of Luo Yu, she felt extremely uncomfortable.
“Announce it.” Qianhe Liyou ordered Fengying, who had been following behind her. She rarely announced her presence wherever she went, but it seemed that it was more than necessary this time.
“The Empress has arrived!”
Fengying’s announcement had been extremely effective. Everyone’s gazes landed on Qianhe Liyou as they kneeled and saluted according to proper decorum. This included the woman who she felt was unpleasant to the eye, but Qianhe Liyou was focused on Luo Yu. Luo Yu’s expression did not change, but there was a hint of cheer in his eyes.
“This small official, the Duke of Nanping, Xiao Yuwei, greets the Empress, long live the Empress!”
Xiao Yuwei, the Duke of Nanping, ruled over three southern cities. Fangmo City, Yuanyi City and Xigu City were all within the scope of her territory. With 300,000 soldiers in her hand, a figure above tens of thousands of people, she was indeed a character with great authority. However, this character seldom made public appearances, nor was there a need to report back to the capital every year. It had already been several years since she last made an appearance in the Imperial city, but to suddenly appear in the inner palaces of the Imperial palace and she, as the Empress, did not receive any such news….
Qianhe Liyou’s eyes became as gloomy as a deep valley in the night and she had already put up a guard against such a person in her mind.
“You’er, you’re here now.” Luo Yu took a few steps forward, softly opening his mouth to speak.
“I passed by the area and noticed you were here and came to take a look. I did not expect to see the Duke of Nanping would also be here, this type of rare visitor.” Qianhe Liyou brought the focus of the discussion to the Duke of Nanping. She wanted to learn as to why the Duke of Nanping had come to the Imperial city, and that it was the King Dowager she came to greet first and not the Empress!
The King Dowager’s birthday banquet is soon to be held, so this minister and others have come to celebrate the King Dowager’s birthday.” Even while facing the Empress’s ridicule, Xiao Yuwei replied in a calm manner without so much as a ripple in her expression. She naturally heard the sarcasm laced in the Empress’ tone, but what could be done, she had already given too much for being ‘loyal’. She had never done anything to be sorry for in front of the Imperial household. All she wanted was to fulfill a small wish of hers, was there really still a need to care about it?
Luo Yu’s birthday was still half a month away and the Ministry of Rites had long started making the preparations. Under Qianhe Liyou’s  suggestions, this birthday banquet was to be extremely grand.
“If it weren’t for You’er’s insistence, bengong would not have celebrated at all, but seeing as you have returned, bengong is extremely overjoyed.” Luo Yu’s remarks were obviously addressed to the Duke of Nanping. As Qianhe Liyou listened on the side, while she was satisfied with Luo Yu’s use of bengong, she was rather unhappy with the word ‘overjoyed’ that followed after. Just what was the relationship between the Duke of Nanping and Luo Yu, why had she never heard of anything?
“To be able to make the King Dowager happy, it is this minister’s honor. If the King Dowager ever wants to see this minister, one can send a message over, this minister awaits the King Dowager’s summons.” Towards the King Dowager Luo Yu’s remarks, the Duke of Nanping was obviously happy. It could be observed from the expression on her face, even her tone was lighter.
Qianhe Liyou suddenly felt a certain kind of dissatisfaction in her heart. Why did this high-ranking official who usually stayed near the border region just entered the capital at will, without waiting for a command first? Just what were the previous Empresses thinking? If these types of people wanted to rebel, just how easy would it be?!
“Yu, it is chilly, you are wearing too little!” Not wanting to let the other irritate her mood, Qianhe Liyou strided over to Luo Yu, took off her cloak and put it on Luo Yu. Although her actions were intimate, but it was slightly unnatural. After all, she had never done such a caring thing before and she still needed to get used to it.
Naturally, Luo Yu was surprised but accepted the cloak happily, “You’er, you have learned to dote on others, how nice.”
“It is you who does not know how to take care of yourself, look, your hands are ice cold.” Qianhe Liyou grasped Luo Yu’s hands very naturally. Although she said these words of concern, her gaze flitted over to the Duke of Nanping. Whether it was intentionally or unintentionally, her eyes were gloomy and fierce, carrying along a dense implication of warning, completely lacking concealment!
Obviously, the Duke of Nanping also noticed that the Empress’ gaze had slightly changed and she was secretly startled, but more so suspicious. She believed that she had not let down the Empress in any way, so why had she attracted such a look? Was it because she had entered the capital privately without notifying the Empress, or is it because she did not warn the Empress of her appearance here?
The Duke of Nanping looked at the overly intimate Empress and King Dowager with some doubt. Her gut feeling told her the reason was of the latter…But if that was the case, then it was a bit unreasonable. She had only ever kept her feelings for Luo Yu to herself and had never acted inappropriately outside proper decorum. Or had the Empress noticed something?
“You’er, don’t….” Luo Yu suddenly seemed a bit embarrassed by Liyou’s sudden intimacy. He wanted to withdraw his hands, but it was stubbornly held onto by Liyou and he could only softly voice his refusals. Although, it should be common for a father and daughter to hold hands, he always felt a bit bashful….
“Yu, are you rejecting me?” Regarding Luo Yu’s rejection, Qianhe Liyou’s low spirits had been wholly revealed in her suppressed manner of speaking. The anger she had been enduring silently was boiling to a surface, resulting in her tightening her hands around Luo Yu even further.
She was originally not good at hiding her emotions. Her normally gloomy, yet sophisticated facade was merely because of her indifference, but when it came to Luo Yu, her own possessiveness scared her. Her feelings were so strong that it was a sharp contrast to her past self.
As a zombie, even if she were to have feelings, it shouldn’t be like this! But she just could not suppress it. A zombie’s emotions were uncontrolled because the more you suppressed, the stronger the backlash. And too overly fluctuating emotions were not a good thing for zombies, because sometimes overly strong emotions could only be tranquilized by feeding. It was so much so that sometimes, one needed to go on a slaughter in order to stifle down one’s wriggling emotions.
“I….no, You’er, don’t be like this, just what is the matter with you?” Luo Yu finally noticed Liyou’s change in demeanor for the first time. He even caught sight of a strange red glint in the other’s eyes, and that gaze made him feel a bit frightened.
“Do not reject me, no matter the situation, no matter the time.” Qianhe Liyou knew that something was amiss, but she did not want to control it.
“I…..” Just as Luo Yu wanted to say something, he was interrupted by Qianhe Liyou, “The Duke of Nanping, the King Dowager is unwell and is no longer fit to be entertaining visitors. You can withdraw.”
Qianhe Liyou’s ice-cold tone could freeze people to death. However, the Duke of Nanping was not resigned, but she was acute enough to see that this moment was not the time to let her emotions affect one’s decisions. She gave Luo Yu a worried glance, but retreated away neatly. As she left, she thought, she should investigate some things carefully.
“You’er, just what is wrong with you? Are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere, or do you have something to tell me?” Seeing the Duke of Nanping leave, Luo Yu heaved a sigh of relief, but when he saw Liyou’s strangeness, his tone became even more worried.
“What is your relationship with her?” Instead of sending the Anbu Black Ops to investigate, it was better to ask now. Qianhe Liyou could not wait any longer.