Male Lead Is Always That Heartless

Chapter 28

In the Xunxie Pavilion, Gu Yi naturally heard that the Emperor had summoned Zhao Wan to go to Xuanyu Pavilion tonight.

Is the plot catching on?

Tao Jia saw her staring blankly and shouted: “Noble Lady, don’t be anxious! A mere Talent Lady is different compared to you! It’s just a novelty!”

Zhao Wan received favor at the Wu Shan Palace, and although the location changed from the hot spring pool to the Xuanyu Pavilion, the plot point was indeed catching up!

Gu Yi gasped but couldn’t make a sound as she shook her head. The plot was undoubtedly the most important! The plot was a matter of life and death!

She secretly breathed a sigh of relief, “I know, you …… go to the bookshelf and fetch a book for me ……”

Tao Jia immediately nodded, “Noble Lady is right! Reading a book relieves boredom ……” Her eyes turned, and she thought of something else, “Why don’t I find another rare object for you? I heard several rabbits raised behind the bamboo forest in Wu Shan Palace. Let me give you a small rabbit to play with?”

Rabbits?

Gu Yi sighed, “You’re too adaptable. Have you figured out the inside and outside of the Wu Shan Palace in the past few days?”

Tao Jia stiffened momentarily before laughing, “Noble Lady, don’t tease me!”

Gu Yi said, “Then let’s go take a look!”

As the sky darkened, Tao Jia draped a green cloak over Gu Yi and led the way with a palace lantern in front of her.

Gu Yi passed through the palace and saw a house hidden behind the bamboo forest. Wisps of smoke rose to the sky as the stove inside burned.

Tao Jia guided her around the bamboo forest, “Noble Lady, follow me. The rabbit hutch is behind the house.”

Turning through a few walls, Gu Yi saw a patch of grass separated by a four-sided fence, in which squatted a dozen snow-white rabbits, each only the size of a palm. When they jumped up, their fluffy tails were fluttering. Hearing footsteps, the bunnies did not go far but jumped to the front of the fence and perked up their ears.

It was too cute!

Gu Yi immediately squatted down to look at the bunnies.

Seeing her face brimming again, Tao Jia stretched her fingers to touch the bunnies through the fence. She laughed, “Noble Lady, be careful with your hands. There are radishes on the side of the fence, so you can try to feed them.”

Gu Yi turned her head to look. Indeed, a stack of red radishes was on the side of the fence. She took a radish to feed the rabbits.

*

At three-quarters past Youshi (*), Zhao Wan entered the Xuanyu Pavilion’s side pavilion and sat in the flower hall.

T/N: 5-7 pm

She sat there until quarter past Xushi (*) before a palace maid guided her to the chamber in the pavilion.

T/N: 7-9 pm

After the palace maid served her bath, they took her to the hall to sit on the bed. The water dripped in the hall, and Zhao Wan didn’t know how long she had been sitting there. When she turned to look, it was already Haishi (*).

T/N: 9-11 pm

Her heartbeat then grew faster, ba-thump ba-thump, one after another. Her fingers slightly stiffened, and Zhao Wan gently touched the fine sweat on her palm.

A voice came from outside the hall.

“His Majesty has arrived.”

Zhao Wan scrambled to her feet and knelt to pay her respects, “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

Xiao Yan walked into the middle of the brightly lit chamber and glanced at Talent Lady Zhao kneeling on the ground before him. She was wearing a plain dress, and her hair had loosened.

“Get up.”

Zhao Wan raised her head, crashing into Xiao Yan’s dark brown eyes. His face showed no joy, only an icy gaze scrutinizing her.

Zhao Wan’s heart jumped as she saw him lift his robe and sit on the square stool before the table. She held her breath and took two steps forward, asking, “Your Majesty, would you like some tea?”

Xiao Yan nodded.

Zhao Wan lifted the teapot and used all her strength to restrain it so that her hand did not tremble.

Xiao Yan cupped the teacup but glanced outside the carved window. The attendants outside the window stood under the hexagonal palace lanterns, their shadows casting light on the lattices, with dark shadows floating. A few silhouettes swiftly swayed, only to see a figure suddenly scurry in.

Zhao Wan saw Xiao Yan’s eyes light up slightly, and a vague smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

Xiao Yan sat down.

She finally couldn’t hold it back? The same old trick again, headache?

He waited for the palace staff to tap on the door, but there was no sound afterward. The shadow outside the window suddenly turned back.

Xiao Yan frowned. He got up and walked straight to the front of the hall. Pulled open the door, but outside was Eunuch Gao’s surprised looks. “Your Majesty, what are your orders?”

“Who came just now?”

Eunuch Gao, momentarily confused, “No one. Ah, the servant from the horse department came to find me to report about tomorrow’s departure matters. I have sent him away –”

Xiao Yan silently stood in front of the door. After enduring for a moment, he snatched the cloak held in Eunuch Gao’s hands and walked out of the Xuanyu Pavilion’s side hall.

Eunuch Gao became more and more confused, “Your Majesty ……”

He probed back to look at Talent Lady Zhao in the chamber and saw that she was standing in the room with a pale face, staring helplessly at the Emperor’s departing back.

Was it because she couldn’t serve? Did she annoy His Majesty?

Gao Gui couldn’t think much about it and could only walk quickly to follow the Emperor’s footsteps.

The Emperor went back to his chamber in Xuanyu Pavilion.

Eunuch Gao Gui encountered this situation for the first time, and he could not understand whether the Emperor was angry or not. If this was a tantrum, he couldn’t understand what the tantrum was about. But Eunuch Gao was not an ordinary person. With a smile, he said, “We’ll leave tomorrow morning, so the emperor should rest early.”

Xiao Yan hummed.

Eunuch Gao turned back, and with a glance of his eyes, the palace staff, who were in charge of serving in the bath, entered the chamber with trays.

When Xiao Yan lay down, Eunuch Gao retreated. The palace staff in charge of the side hall waited anxiously outside, “Grandpa Gao, what about Talent Lady Zhao in this side hall?”

Eunuch Gao looked up to see the moon in the sky; it was getting late.

“What can I do? Just serve her to bed. Tomorrow morning, we have to leave on time. If we delay the return trip, several heads are insufficient to cut.”

Palace staff said yes and hurriedly rushed back to the side hall. Eunuch Gao stood in place and glanced in the direction of Xunxie Pavilion.

It was pitch black.

*

At dusk, the sky was still pitch black, but the palace staff began to move boxes out one after another, setting them up on the carts and horses.

Tao Jia called Gu Yi. “Noble Lady, it’s time to get up. We’re going back to the capital today. We can’t be delayed.”

Gu Yi rolled over and got up. Fortunately, she had slept early last night and was not particularly sleepy when she got up.

She yawned softly. Tao Jia lifted the bed curtain and served her to freshen up.

“I especially went to the kitchen to ask for a jar of sour plums. Later on, if Noble Lady has difficulty riding in the carriage, you can take a piece.”

Gu Yi said bitterly at the thought of a carriage ride, “In the morning, I won’t take a meal. Just pack some snacks to pad my stomach when I’m hungry.”

Tao Jia answered and went.

There was still a quarter before Chenshi (*).
T/N: 7-9 am

The sky finally dawned. Gu Yi walked outside the Xunxie Pavilion and sneezed as the chilly mountain wind blew her.

Tao Jia tied the ribbon of her cloak.

“Noble Lady, endure it. You won’t be cold when you get to the carriage.”

Gu Yi traveled toward the carriage, and from afar, she saw Xiao Yan standing tall, clad in a raven-green cloak, in front of the carriage.

She quickly walked closer, bowing and saying, “Greetings to His Majesty.”

Xiao Yan glanced at her and retrieved his gaze.

Gu Yi acutely felt that she was being ignored. Her inquiring gaze looked toward Eunuch Gao, who stood to the side, while Eunuch Noble buried his head low and refused to glance at her.

Gu Yi stood at a loss for words for a moment before turning her head to see a courtier leading Zhao Wan to march this way.

She bowed again, “Then I …… will take my leave first ……”

She frowned slightly, and just after taking a few steps, she couldn’t help but turn back to look at Xiao Yan again, and her gaze just happened to meet his. The girl’s fake smiling expression was not even close to hanging onto her face before Xiao Yan indifferently turned away his gaze.

Gu Yi: ……

Zhao Wan, who was also wearing a raven green cloak, walked over to Xiao Yan.

Gu Yi turned away her eyes and lifted the curtain to get into the carriage.

Tao Jia hesitantly said, “Doesn’t Noble Lady think that His Majesty is angry with you?”

I feel the same way. Gu Yi nodded, revealing a bitter smile, “But I have no idea what it’s about.”

Tao Jia boldly speculated, “Could it be because of Talent Lady Zhao? Is it because Ms. Zhao spoke ill of you with His Majesty last night?”

No way! Why would a young couple in love say bad things about her? She asked herself and realized the female lead had nothing to say about her!

Tao Jia saw her expression of disbelief and guessed again, “Could it be that His Majesty is dissatisfied with Talent Lady Zhao, and that’s why he’s venting on you?”

This one seemed reliable.

Clearly, the heartless Emperor’s relationship line wasn’t smooth sailing from the start. The female lead also had to act a few times according to the plot. But she had already smiled and blessed them, trying to minimize her existence, so why force her to be a tool person?

As soon as she thought of this, Gu Yi said gloomily, “Forget it. Maybe it’s just for a while. After a while, Your Majesty will be fine.”