Scent Of Time

Chapter 28

When I saw Hua Shen again, it was at Mu Yao’s banquet. He looked thin. It looked like that this time, Hua Xiang was determined to clean him up, but so what? That innocent maid had already died.

I did not want to pay more attention to him, but he, on the contrary, remembered to stick over me. Because of this, I warned him: “All attendees today are of noble status. Control yourself, don’t give me any trouble.”

Hua Shen obediently replied, “Sister, don’t worry. I can distinguish between priorities.”

Does this mean that he won’t mess around today, but in the future, on ordinary occasions, he won’t be able to change his foul temperament?

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes and stop looking at him. I really didn’t want to bother with him.

Zhong Xiwu also came today. Other people had puzzled faces. They thought, ‘It’s only a side consort, so why the Emperor came?’ Only I know in my heart. That today’s marriage was his sweetheart’s. How can he not come?

I busied in and out to greet the guests. It was not easy to get the people settled down. I took a breath. This Princess Consort was exhausted. Not only did I have to memorize the names of so many women and young ladies, but I also had to accept their sympathetic stares at me. After all, Mu Yao was only a side consort, and organizing such a fanfare banquet was like a slap on my face, but I couldn’t care less.

I turned around and saw Zhong Xiwu in a moon-white brocade coat standing under a tree, gazing at me from afar. When I thought he should be in a bad mood, I blossomed into my brightest smile and rushed over to him. He looked at my smiling face and couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. Afraid he would think I was bragging, I hurriedly spoke, “The Emperor, all the guests have already come, so you should also hurry to follow me into the banquet. The wedding will start soon.”

Zhong Xiwu tugged the jade pendant on his waist and spoke. “How could you smile so happily?”

I responded solemnly, “The Emperor, today is a joyful day. So it’s better to welcome people with a smile.”

So don’t look so sad. What if others see you?

I side-stepped and made a please’ gesture, and Zhong Xiwu finally took a step. When he walked to my side, he asked: “Did you no longer love Royal Brother?”

My heart thumped. Squeezing out a smile, I replied, “How could I? The Emperor is overthinking.”

After looking at my weak expression, Zhong Xiwu seemed to hook the corners of his mouth, not waiting for me, and straight stride away.

The side consort position was different from the main wife. It didn’t require worshiping heaven and earth and holding a wedding banquet. It was my effort to preside over the current feast. The others laughed privately at my fake righteousness, pretending to be virtuous to Zhong Yelan. The wedding ceremony was minimized to only a tea offering. I originally wanted to skip this matter, but unexpectedly, Mu Yao refused. Zhong Yelan was also worried about Mu Yao becoming a target due to the unusual ceremony, so he agreed.

Hence, I could only accept the tea handed over by Mu Yao with mixed feelings. It was tasteless. The next thing I did was to entertain all the ladies with a fake smile. I was tired but could only endure it. However, in the middle of the banquet, Yin Xing suddenly ran over in a panic and said in my ear, “Princess Consort, Young Master Hua …… had an accident.”

My heart jumped. Meeting the probing gazes of the other ladies, I tried to excuse myself calmly. After leaving the banquet, I asked Yin Xing, “What happened to elder brother again?”

“Young Master Hua is now …… in the Side Consort’s room.” Yin Xing had a troubled expression.

I stumbled and turned my head to snort, “What does that mean?”

“I’m not clear. I only heard the servant come to report that — said that Young Master Hua broke into the Side Consort’s room.” Yin Xing looked like she was about to cry.

I tried to suppress the apprehension in my heart and walked briskly.

Upon arriving at Mu Yao’s new courtyard, I entered the room. I saw a floor of broken porcelain while Mu Yao shrank in the corner with messy hair. Right in the middle lay the unconscious Hua Shen, with unconsolidated blood on his forehead.

My eyes went black, bracing myself to walk over to Hua Shen. Resisting my urge to slap him, I squatted and shook him, “Elder brother, wake up.”

He opened his eyes in a daze and saw confusion in my eyes, “Sister? This ……”

“What’s going on?” Zhong Yelan’s voice came over, causing my hand to shake. I turned back to look.

I saw Zhong Yelan’s face become distorted when he saw the scene in the room. He took a few steps to Mu Yao, held her shoulder, and spoke, “Ah Yao, are you alright?”

Mu Yao’s face was pale, squeezing out a strong smile, “I’m fine. Fortunately, the maid knocked — him out in time.” Although smiling and signaling that she was okay, her eyes contained tears.

Zhong Yelan has always been intelligent, but his face suddenly revealed a monstrous anger. He reached out and drew out Nan Feng’s sword. His eyes were like burning flames as he walked towards Hua Shen step by step.

Seeing this, I hurriedly got up and stepped forward, pulling his arm, forcefully suppressing the panic in my heart to maintain composure, and spoke, “King, calm down and listen to me ……”

Zhong Yelan forcefully withdrew his arm. I was affected by the wave of his force and fell heavily to the ground, causing my palm to press on the broken porcelain.

Seeing Zhong Yelan walking toward Hua Shen, holding his sword up and lifting it, my body reacted faster than my brain and directly blocked in front of Hua Shen. Only God knows why I did this!

‘Clang-‘ the sound of the sword rang out.

The sword didn’t fall on me. Hua Rongzhou, with his sword raised, blocked in front of me and caught Zhong Yelan’s strike.

It was just that Zhong Yelan’s force as the male lead was naturally unrivaled, and when I saw Hua Rongzhou’s veins rippling, I knew how much he was struggling.

“Not measuring yourself.'” Zhong Yelan sneered coldly. He raised his empty hand and struck Hua Rongzhou a distance away with his palm.

Hua Rongzhou’s body flew up and smashed heavily into the chair, which became shattered. My heart twitched when I saw him crouched on the ground palely, but I steeled myself.

No, even if Hua Shen had done a bad thing today, I couldn’t just let Zhong Yelan kill Hua Shen like this. If that happened, once the bridge crossed, there would be no room for maneuvering.

“King, listen to me ……”

“Get out of the way.” Zhong Yelan’s cold face was like a Shura. The coldness in his eyes seems to freeze my blood.

“King, you can’t kill him. Let’s talk about it, okay?” I softened my tone, pleading.

But Zhong Yelan did not have pity in his eyes. He looked at me as if he was seeing me for the first time and said, “I knew it. Why are you kindly asking for a decree for Ah Yao? Is this something you two have long planned together?”

Is it my turn to become a sadistic heroine? He won’t believe anything I say. The previous Hua Qian had lied to him many times. No wonder he has no trust in me anymore now, right?

“King ……” I aggravated my tone. My voice carried a tremor I couldn’t control.

“I can not kill him. But I will cripple his arms so that he remembers what people he shouldn’t touch.” Zhong Yelan spoke again.

I should have gotten out of the way. I also wanted to cripple Hua Shen’s arms so that he would cause me less trouble in the future, but for some reason, my body was unable to move.

Zhong Yelan’s eyes became colder. He said: ”You won’t let go, right? Fine, I’ll fulfill your brother and sister’s love.” He raised his sword again, and I closed my eyes tightly and clenched my hands.

After waiting a long time for the sword to fall, a familiar voice rang in my ears. “It’s better for Royal Brother to be calm.”

Opening my eyes, I saw Zhong Xiwu standing at Zhong Yelan’s side, one hand tightly gripping Zhong Yelan’s sword-wielding arm.

Zhong Yelan frowned. His eyes did not improve a bit.

Against Zhong Yelan’s bloodshot eyes, Zhong Xiwu didn’t care. Instead, he smiled and spoke, “Is it possible that Royal Brother wants to clash with me?”