Chapter 10 - The Imperial Concubine is having an affair with the Prime Minister
Zhuang He Ming disliked the rowdiness at the banquet. Using his inability to hold his alcohol as an excuse, he asked to be excused from the Emperor.
The Emperor laughed, “Jing Mu still can’t drink more than a few cups, just like before.”
He was referring to the time before he ascended the throne, when he was still a prince and Zhuang He Ming was his study companion.
Immediately, an official who knew about this flattered, “It was the previous Emperor’s wisdom in recognizing talent…”
Zhuang He Ming bowed and took his leave. He had intended to go straight back to his residence, but his footsteps turned in the opposite direction and brought him here.
It was a place he often visited when he was a prince’s study companion in his youth.
This cool pavilion was located in a secluded spot, one of the few tranquil places in the palace. It should have been devoid of human traces. It should have been like this.
Through layers of thin gauze curtains, he recognized her at a glance.
The wind blew on and off, the thin gauze rising and falling. The fragrance carried by the fluctuations intoxicated him, and he actually kept staring at her so rudely.
Jiang Xin Ren thought he would say something, explain and apologize, but to her surprise, he seemed to be in a daze, standing still like a wooden stake.
It seems like he’s looking at me, she thought.
Supporting her soft body, she slowly stood up. The man’s gaze also moved with her, staring intently at her, as if he couldn’t take his eyes off her, as if he was enchanted.
“Why is my lord here?”
Jiang Xin Ren asked him, her delicate voice becoming slurred and drawn out due to her drunkenness.
“I, this humble official…”
Zhuang He Ming took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind, but he heard the voice that was just in the pavilion already close in front of him, calling out, “My lord.”
He opened his eyes in a daze, and the beautiful face was right in front of him. He only saw her red lips parting, softly calling him:
“My lord…”
Soft and gentle words, her slender hands hooked his belt as she retreated.
He was also muddled, grasping her hand and being pulled by her into the warm and fragrant pavilion. The warm fragrance hit his face, and the thin gauze closed behind him. Following her lead, he lay on the soft carpet, held in her embrace.
Jiang Xin Ren hugged him and chuckled softly, her warm and moist breath blowing into his ear as she whispered, “My lord is drunk.”
His body stiffened inch by inch. At this moment, he was not the Prime Minister who held power over the court, but her puppet on strings, allowing her to tease him. His clear voice became hoarse: “I am drunk.”
Acting with enough enthusiasm to make a cloud rain, they were perfectly matched as a fish is to water.
The thin gauze continued to sway, layer upon layer, as slender jade fingers tapped and pressed against fragrant sandalwood.
Zhuang He Ming looked at the beauty beneath him, the slightly reddened corners of her eyes, the flushed cheeks, the swollen red lips. He lowered his head to meet her open arms.
086: …
086: !!!
086 hated that it didn’t have a physical body to rush out and pull Zhuang He Ming away, stomping its feet in anger.
Zhuang He Ming! Aren’t you supposed to be a character who stays away from women?! What are you doing now?! Stay away from my host! You lust-starved demon!
Just being called a few times and you shamelessly go up to her. If that’s not a lust-starved demon, then what is?!
The plot! Can the plot still be saved?!
On this side, Qiu Ye heard the movement and hurried over. Seeing the two people entangled in the pavilion, her face changed drastically.
Thinking that someone was forcing herself on her drunken mistress, she was about to step forward, but she saw her mistress’ hand hanging on the man’s broad shoulders move, making a “withdraw” gesture.
Qiu Ye hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth and ran back to her original position to keep watch for her mistress.
As for the personal guard of Zhuang He Ming standing on the other side of the bamboo grove, his face was as pale as a vegetable, and his heart was extremely distraught.
My lord! My lord! Please be quieter! This is the palace, the Emperor’s territory. This isn’t a case of being unable to resist your feelings, this is just being impatient with lust!
Hurry up and finish!
The people guarding in two different directions silently pleaded at the same time.
You have lost your mind. This was the third time Zhuang He Ming said this to himself tonight.
When the cloud and rain first subsided, Jiang Xin Ren was weak and powerless, lying in the man’s arms. Seeing his expression becoming increasingly cold, she was a bit displeased and pinched him.
“You haven’t even gotten off me yet, and you’re already planning to turn your face and not acknowledge it?”
Zhuang He Ming took a deep breath, breaking free from the warm and fragrant arms. He picked up his scattered official robes and put them on, his movements swift and sharp as if avoiding her like a flood and fierce beasts.
By the time he was fully dressed, he had returned to his impeccable appearance. He glanced at the beauty lying on the ground, her eyes peeking at him, and said through gritted teeth, word by word:
“From now on, the Prime Minister’s residence will be at your disposal. This humble official only asks that today’s matter does not happen again.”
With that said, he lifted the curtain and quickly left.
[He, he, he dared to do it but not take responsibility?!] 086 stomped its feet in anger.
“I think he can’t believe it,” Jiang Xin Ren slowly put on her undergarments and draped the vermilion silver-patterned overcoat over herself.
“After all, he is a gentleman praised by the world. He probably didn’t expect himself to be capable of doing such a thing.”
He must be very distraught right now, she laughed.
Just as Jiang Xin Ren thought, rather than fearing that this matter would be discovered and lead to disaster, what Zhuang He Ming found more difficult to accept at this moment was:
He was actually such an irrational person, indulging in love and beauty?!
Disregarding that person’s identity, disregarding his own identity, disregarding the consequences, no different from those rutting beasts.
In the future, when he heard others praise his immortal-like bearing and gentlemanly jade-like demeanor, he would probably hate himself so much that he would want to end his own life.
He was extremely out of sorts, his footsteps hurried as he avoided the patrolling guards in the palace and left the imperial palace, only to encounter Minister Li at the palace gate.
Minister Li was a bit surprised to see the Prime Minister. He couldn’t figure out why the Prime Minister, who had left early due to his inability to hold his alcohol, appeared here. But upon second thought, he smiled and walked to his side.
“Prime Minister, why have you not returned to your residence so late at night? Could it be…”
His words were halfway stuck in his throat, his eyes wide open, staring intently at the trace of red at the corner of the Prime Minister’s mouth.
Zhuang He Ming noticed his unusual expression and wiped the corner of his mouth with his hand. When he removed his clean fingers, they were already stained with a trace of fragrant scarlet.
“Prime Minister Zhuang, this, this…”
Vice Minister Li had experienced many romantic encounters. How could he not know what that was?! It was clearly a woman’s lipstick!
Looking at the Prime Minister’s slightly disheveled hair ornament, everything became clear.
But the women in the palace, whether they were female officials or palace maids, were all the Emperor’s women!
Zhuang He Ming clenched his fingers tightly, suppressing his anger as he said word by word, “Do I need to explain to you what I do?!”
“No, I wouldn’t dare!” Vice Minister Li hurriedly apologized.
Zhuang He Ming gave him a cold glance, boarded the carriage, and tapped on the carriage wall. A black figure leaped into the carriage and knelt on one knee before him.
“Be quick and shut him up.” It went without saying who this “him” was.
The secret guard acknowledged the order and was about to leave when he heard his master say, “Wait.”
That powdery and tender touch seemed to still linger in his palm. He finally relented, “Give her all the contacts I have in the palace. Don’t let her get hurt.”
She might have made a big mistake with him out of a moment’s pleasure. She could pretend not to know anything and act as if it never happened, but he couldn’t remain indifferent.
In the end, this matter would have a greater impact on her.