Chapter 49 Where the river flows to

Another half a month pa.s.sed slowly. Spring began to warm, light tunics replacing layers of heavy clothing. Early summer crept up on everyone.

Pa.s.sing time was easy to give up, indeed.

Lying on a long bench, Chu Yu rested beneath vines that crept up a scaffold. The greenery kept the sunlight out. The true heat of summer wasn't even here yet, but she was already beginning to prepare for it.

Within reach was the low table set up near the bench. On it were arranged decorated treats and sweet soup that had just been cooked. It still held a subtle hint of heat, the kind that wouldn't be too hot or too cold in the moment she drank it.

Chu Yu ma.s.saged her brows with her hands and sighed lightly. Although this environment was leisurely, her heart remained tense.

For this half month, she had been going into the palace every two days. On the one hand she was trying to figure out the relations.h.i.+p between the little emperor and Princess Shanyin, and on the other hand she had discovered a new use for her concubine palace. Since Chen Shenzhi, there had been another official who had been cleaned, tied up, and delivered to her carriage.

She had to admit that although he wasn't much of an emperor, he was quite efficient at sending her new concubines, with all the requisite services included.

Chen Shenzhi had become much more well-behaved, and no longer needed to be tied up to stay within the small area of a single dwelling. He even went up and comforted the new official who had been brought home of his own accord.

On the other hand, Chu Yu had also figured out how much Liu Ziye trusted and loved Princess Shanyin. He didn't even mind showing official communications to the throne to her. Whatever she told him to do with them, he'd go with what she said.

Unintentionally Chu Yu also discovered to her shock that Princess Shanyin's beautiful handwriting was almost identical to that of Liu Ziye's!

If originally Chu Yu thought that she held the key to a small gold vault, now she knew that within that vault was contained a wealth far more than what she had imagined. This only made her even more fl.u.s.tered.

She sighed, reflecting on the fact that she'd barely had any kind of down time since getting to this world. The scheming of only a month or two were more complicated than all the tests she had taken in her previous life combined.

By her side there was a leisurely laugh. "Princess, why do you sigh? In the midst of this beautiful scenery, why not relax your heart and rest some?" Perhaps a meter away from Chu Yu was another bench where a youth with delicate, gentle features rested. His brow seemed to carry a gentle glow, white clothes spilling around him like clouds. But if you looked closely, you would see the interminable depths of his eyes.

That youth was Rong Zhi.

His wounds had recovered over time, but he never asked Huan Yuan to give his power back. To the contrary, he started giving Huan Yuan even more work, and stopped asking after it. It was as if he couldn't wait to get rid of the burden. Huan Yuan, on the other hand, was feeling crushed by all the responsibilities piling up on top of him. In all his busyness, he realized suddenly that Rong Zhi had been dealing with so many minute yet irritating issues. To look so leisurely even under those circ.u.mstances meant that he had astonis.h.i.+ng and somewhat frightening capabilities.

Rong Zhi's actions confused Chu Yu. She felt like he was doing this to express something to her, but she couldn't quite figure it out. So far Huan Yuan wasn't doing her any harm by taking over these duties, so she was happy to not say anything for the moment and see how things unfolded.

Hearing Rong Zhi speak up beside her, Chu Yu glanced at him, reaching down to touch her sleeve. Beneath her sleeve, there was a miniature arrow strapped to her arm. She had asked You Lan to consult with craftsmen in secret. After some discussion, they chose the weapon of self-defense that she should carry. Although it was crafted in the traditional way, there were some modern elements too. The design of several springs was suggested by Chu Yu, and it was made according to her specifications with quite a great deal of care. It had only been finished and delivered to her yesterday.

This was also one of the reasons that Chu Yu could lie side by side with Rong Zhi so peacefully.

Of course this miniature arrow wasn't just for use against Rong Zhi, but for any kind of danger she encountered in the future. The fact that she now had just a little more capability for self-defense meant that she had the element of surprise against some enemies.