Chapter 172

Chapter 172 - Your Aptitude Is too Poor!

Yin Xu was awakened by a high-pitched scream. Normally, he wouldn't be alarmed enough to wake up when someone came to wake him, but probably because he knew Teng Yu was beside him, his whole body and mind were relaxed.

“Shut up!” Upon opening his eyes, he heard Teng Yu berating someone in a low voice.

He turned around and saw a gorgeous woman standing outside the pavilion. Behind her were a few court ladies, and in front of her stood a woman with her hands on her hips.

Yin Xu had never seen this woman before, but noticing her protruding belly, he could guess her identity.

There was only one woman in the entire harem who was currently pregnant, and that was Consort Rong, whom Teng Yu disliked the most.

“You... Who are you? How can you be here? This is the harem!” the palace maid asked in a high-pitched voice.

Seeing that Yin Xu had woken up, Teng Yu brushed his temples, “Are you still sleepy?”

Yin Xu sat up straight, glaring at the passersby, “Even if you are tired, you can't sleep in front of a group of women.”

“Hey, who are you? Don't you know that men can't enter here? What if we collide with the Imperial Consort?”

“Ignore them. Let's go.” Teng Yu supported Yin Xu, and the two of them walked toward the exit of the pavilion.

However, the path from the pavilion to the shore was very narrow and already filled with people from Consort Rong. It wasn't that Teng Yu and his group couldn't cross, it was just that there was no reason for them to yield.

“Move aside!” Teng Yu said with a gloomy face.

Only then did the palace maid see the faces of Teng Yu and Yin Xu, and naturally, she noticed their clothing. Since they had been indoors earlier, they were wearing ordinary clothes.

The palace maid had been in the palace for a few years, but since she had followed Consort Rong for a long time, she didn't recognize them.

Ever since Consort Rong became pregnant, the servants in her palace felt their future was bright and were full of confidence.

Among all the men in the Great Council, who else did they need to fear other than the Emperor and a few princes? Naturally, they were much more arrogant in the palace than before.

“How dare you be so rude? Seeing Consort Rong without even bowing, can you bear the consequences if you bump into the Empress and the child?”

Teng Yu coldly snorted, waved his hand, and directly threw the palace maid into the lake. Then he asked Consort Rong, “Do you think this prince can take responsibility?”

Consort Rong did not speak; she glanced at him a few times, then took the initiative to move aside. When she moved, the servants naturally followed, making way for Teng Yu and Yin Xu.

As Teng Yu walked past her, he glanced at her stomach. That one glance made Consort Rong feel cold all over, her limbs freezing.

She didn't know what that glance meant, but she felt danger was very close to her. She no longer had the mood to walk around, so she grabbed the palace maid's arm and said, “Go back to the palace! Hurry and return to the palace!”

“Empress, that... There's someone in the water.”

Consort Rong didn't remember this; she hurriedly dragged her belly and left, but a kind-hearted young eunuch stayed behind to save the palace maid.

“Could the concubine have a grudge against the Emperor, and Lai Jiquan is staying close to the Emperor to seek revenge?” Yin Xu speculated, considering various conspiracy theories.

“I suspected the same, so I had someone investigate the concubine overnight. However, she was the concubine of the late emperor and was thrown into the Cold Palace long ago. It doesn't seem related to the current emperor at all.”

“That's strange. If Lai Jiquan is truly so loyal, it would be impossible for him to do something he doesn't understand!”

“It's still a lead, so I'll have my people continue investigating. You've been in the palace for quite some time, how about leaving?”

Yin Xu glanced at him, “Do you think I like it here? Your father, the emperor, would never let you go!”

Teng Yu hugged him for a while, “Don't think I don't know, you have all sorts of ways to get out of here.”

“But it's not easy to leave openly.”

“Then I'll help you?”

“Get lost. I don't want to arouse the Emperor's hatred. Let's delay the matter of the marriage decree for now.”

When he mentioned this, Teng Yu's face darkened. He thought the emperor had impulsively given them a marriage edict, but after it was issued, the emperor even sent people to deliver the marriage edict to his residence.

The imperial edict arranged this marriage with the Li family in his name. Although the Li family did not formally respond, rumors said they were already preparing the dowry.

Fortunately, Yin Xu was unaware of these palace matters. Otherwise, there might have been trouble.

He spread the word that he had agreed to the marriage, and the Li Clan went to the Duke of Qin's estate to discuss it.

The emperor's decree was given without consulting anyone beforehand. Once issued, Teng Yu wanted to test the reactions of the Li Family and the Duke of Qin. If there really was a problem with the Duke of Qin, this matter wouldn't be easily accomplished.

The Li family was a large and influential family. Although there weren't many high-ranking officials in the imperial court, they had deep roots and significant influence in civil society.

If the Duke of Qin had ulterior motives, how could he allow the Li Family and Teng Yu to succeed in their marriage? It would be like giving his helper to Teng Yu for free.

However, the Duke of Qin's reaction was unexpectedly calm. He neither agreed nor declined, showing an attitude of letting things take their course.

Teng Yu knew the Duke wanted to see how far he would go for Yin Xu. If he was sincere enough towards Yin Xu, this marriage wouldn't happen even without his intervention.

The old fox had seen through everything.

“Next time, before Lai Jiquan goes to the Cold Palace, have someone notify me. I'll go take a look,” Yin Xu instructed Teng Yu.

Teng Yu hesitated. Despite Lai Jiquan's disabled body and the fact that he couldn't be considered a man, he was the top expert in the imperial household. Only now did Teng Yu have the ability to compete with him.

“You're not allowed to fight him. If you're discovered, remember to hide well.”

“I know, even if I can't beat him, I know I have to run. In terms of escaping techniques, no one compares to me.”

That was a thousand years of accumulated experience.