Chapter 140: A start of something beautiful 2

En route to the Dukes mansion 

It had gotten late at night and most of the guests were too tired to stay back, Su Liya included. Since the Emperor and Empress had retired, the guests began to leave one after the other. Su Liya glanced around the room and noticed the gradually increasing empty seats. Most of the guests present comprised of young masters all of who were students at the Imperial College.

She had made that inference, when she saw how friendly they were with Lu Yong, with the imperial right around the corner. It is no surprise that they would leave as early as possible. The Lu family couldn't leave early, even if they wanted because of the crowd formed around their tables. Her eyes felt heavy as she stifled a yawn, she looked around and sat back. 

Her foot felt numb from seating at one position for hours, she needed to walk around and stretch her leg a little to get rid of the numbness. However, she couldn't. Walking around the palace this late could be disastrous. It was like asking for trouble, with the amount of hate she received from various members of the Imperial family. Su Liya would gave to be highly stupid to move around the palace alone or even with a servant.

She could only bear with her present conditions, she gazed around the room. Since she was stuck here until the Lu family could leave, she decided to discretely observe each guest. Starting with the members of the Imperial Family, she observed that they were as surrounded by guests as the Duke of Wu and Lu Yaozhu. 

Except for the sixth Prince Zhongshan Cheng, who spoke with the same three men from earlier. She turned away and looked towards her left-hand side when she felt a heated gaze from that direction. Zhu Faye rose his wine glass up to her in mocking toast as her gaze fell on him since he was the only one looking this way. 

She bit her lips silently, eyes narrowed when he did that. She had avoided him since her marriage, careful not to cause any scandal. She had heard the rumours spread by the staff of the Zhu family mansion. Those rumours went around the capital non-stop, ruining her reputation in the long run. Her breathing increased and her nose feared, as she gazed at his smug expression.

She felt like flying to him and drowning him in his saliva but that was impossible, instead, she looked away. Her gaze unknowingly fall on the sixth Prince's table, Zhu Feifei looked slimmer and more retained. It was like life was gradually getting soaked out of her. 

She didn't feel a pinch of remorse or pain for Zhu Feifei, to her Zhu Feifei deserved all the pain she was currently receiving from the sixth Prince's hands. This was the result of her enormous greed for power and wealth. Zhu Feifei didn't deserve to complain since she was getting exactly what she hope to receive.

She had the power and wealth, too bad while she and her mother made their plans. They failed to factor in her happiness, there was no peace of mind or security gotten from marriage into the royal family. This was a lesson that Zhu Feifei and Zhu Fenfang were now learning.

According to the rumours, two of the sixth prince's concubines were now pregnant. While the sixth prince's favourite concubine gave birth to a baby boy, a mere four months after she had given birth to her daughter.

Zhu Feifei had gotten humbled by these major setbacks, but the most painful event had to be when her lady's maid was found to be pregnant for the Sixth Prince, two months after she had her daughter. It was a slap in the face that made her fall sick in anger. Nothing is more painful than finding out that you were betrayed by someone you trusted.

Lu Yaozhu noticed the slight change in Su Liya's temperament, he followed her gaze to Zhu Faye's smug expression and frowned. He was kissed off by the sheer audacity of this young master to gaze at his wife that way and in his presence at that. He had heard the rumours of the two but after investigating them, he found that it was malicious rumours spread by Zhu Faye.

He hurriedly dismissed the guests surrounding him when he saw Su Liya stifle another yawn, he had noticed her yawn repeatedly for the last one hour. He initially planned to leave as soon as the Emperor and Empress left but he was besieged by officials. The death of the former prime minister coupled with the upcoming imperial exams led to a large influx of people into the capital. 

The new arrivals were mainly of high rank and were now trying to assimilate into the nobles in the capital and get a good footing. Among the families that returned to the capital was the Crown Prince's maternal family the Tong family. The three branches of the family had returned to the capital together.

The Tong family were once a literary family of great talents but had fallen in decline these last two generations. To maintain their position in court they sent their eldest daughter Tong Yang into the palace as an imperial concubine. Although she wasn't well favoured by the Emperor, She still got pregnant a year after she entered the haram and gave birth to a baby boy.

For a short time, the Tong family were successful and occupied a few good political positions but that changed when the Shi family came into play. They began to gradually decline until only one member of the family held a high ranking position in the capital. They were all forced to move back to their hometown after Noble consort Tong died.

The Shi family had stepped on quite a few families to get to the height they had attained before they fell. Their fall for grace was the opening those families they stepped on needed to make a comeback.

The men standing around his table didn't make things difficult for him, they gradually withdrew. Since they were here to curry favours from him, they didn't want to get on his ad side. Lu Yaozhu touched Su Liya lightly on her arm and whispered,

"it is time to go Liya but first let's greet his Highness the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess consort before leaving. We missed their wedding, although we send over our gifts. It is proper that we greet them". 

Su Liya eye looked a little drowsy, so he held her hand in his walking her hand continued, "you must be tired, don't worry. We won't stay long, just hold on until we get into the carriage. okay?"

Su Liya noted and blinked a few times to clear her eye, it didn't seem to help get the sleep off her eyes. She said in a soft tone, "my legs are a little weak, Yaozhu".

He smiled and squeezed her hands, "don't worry, lean on me. I will never let go".

Su Liya glanced at him, cheeks red. "Aren't you scared that others will look down on you because of me? It is not proper for me to be that intimate in public".

"Who cares what they think, that is their opinion. As long as I am okay with anything, don't listen to them. People will always talk, it is better to give them something to talk about" he hugged her closer and helped her up. 

Su Liya blushed when she heard the conversation still for a moment before it resumed. She tried to hide her face in his clothes but that wasn't an easy fit to achieve. Lu Yaozhu ignored the dark looks and blatant stare they received from people and continue forward. He tightened his hold when he felt Su Liya stir a little at his side and try to shift out of his hands.

With a straight face, he whispered in a very low voice, "Stay still my dear or I will carry you up in my hands. We will see if you will agree to show your face in society again, once I do that".

Su Liya stopped trying to push herself away and stood still. The one thing she was sure of was that Lu Yaozhu was going to make good on his promise. She walked slowly to the crown Prince's table, her face bright red.

Zhongshan Ling smiled when she saw the exchange between the couple. He had looked up when he noticed the sudden change in the atmosphere of the room. He found nothing strange in Lu Yaozhu's behaviour, Lu Yaozhu wasn't the cold unresponsive general like the rumours said. Lu Yaozhu unlike the rumours was very affectionate. 

Xia Ying who was seated next to him saw the couple's interaction balled up her fists at her sides. Her eyes locked on Lu Yaozhu's hands wrapped around Su Liya's arms. She sudden felt years gather at the side of her eyes.