dognovel Chapter 1350 Eyes and ears
Chapter 1350 Eyes and ears
He just didn't expect that, after so many years, she would actually come looking for him.
He thought he had been forgotten.
He squeezed his eyes shut, concealing the complex emotions swirling within them.
He pondered for a moment, then instructed the man beside him, "Go, prepare a fast horse, and deliver this jade pendant to the palace. Hand it over to Young Master Zhan Mu personally. Remember, be sure to avoid being seen by others, especially the people from the Marquis's residence."
The man accepted the order and left. Wei Kun then looked at Ah San, took out a silver ingot from his pocket and handed it to him: "Take this silver. Go back and tell Miss Rong to rest assured. Young Master Mu will definitely know about her situation."
Ah San took the silver, thanked him profusely, and left.
Wei Kun stood in the study, gazing out the window with a furrowed brow.
Although he was not in the court, he knew that Zhan Mu was now in the palace library and had no choice in his own destiny.
Lady Hou, Lin Yiwan, is a shrewd woman. She probably anticipated that Miss Rong would send a message and must have planted spies outside the palace gates. Getting the message to Zhan Mu's ears won't be so easy.
Meanwhile, inside the imperial library, Zhan Mu was engrossed in reading a military treatise.
He was dressed in a blue long robe, his black hair tied up on top of his head, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, exuding a heroic aura.
However, a hint of impatience flickered between his brows. He hadn't seen Rong Zhiyu for several days and didn't know how her health was now.
Just then, a trusted servant quietly entered and whispered to Zhan Mu, "Young Master, Wei Kun sent someone to deliver something."
Zhan Mu raised his head, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes. He took the jade pendant from the servant, and when he saw the character "Zhan" engraved on it, his pupils contracted sharply, and he stood up abruptly: "How did this jade pendant end up in Wei Kun's hands?"
The servant quickly relayed Wei Kun's words, and Zhan Mu's face instantly turned ashen.
How could Rong Zhiyu have fallen so low as to have a beggar deliver a message? Wasn't she living in the Marquis's mansion? What exactly happened?
Could it be that his mother forced her to leave while he was away?
The thought of this possibility ignited a surge of anger within him, and he gripped the jade pendant tightly until his knuckles turned white.
Regardless, Rong Zhiyu saved his life, how could she be left to wander the streets?
He had to go and settle her in!
He turned to leave, but the servant quickly stopped him: "Young master, the Emperor is still waiting in the Imperial Study to test your knowledge!"
Zhan Mu paused, his reason returning.
This is not the time for him to act impulsively. He cannot leave without permission after being summoned by the Emperor.
But the thought of Rong Zhiyu suffering so much pain made his heart ache as if it were being cut by a knife.
He took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and said to the servant in a deep voice, "Prepare the carriage first! Once I have seen the Emperor, I will leave the palace immediately! Also, send someone to find out where Rong Zhiyu is now, and make sure she is safe!"
The servant obeyed and left. Zhan Mu looked at the jade pendant in his hand, his eyes filled with heartache and guilt.
He murmured softly, "Zhiyu, wait for me a little longer. I will definitely come to pick you up and I will never let you suffer any more injustice!"
He hurried to the imperial study and knelt down with a thud when he saw Emperor Xiao Li.
Xiao Li's expression changed drastically, and he immediately said, "Mu'er, what are you doing? Let's talk this out. Get up!"
Zhan Mu kowtowed heavily and said, "Grandfather, please grant me a request. If you don't agree, I will stay kneeling on the ground and never get up!"
Xiao Li immediately frowned. He knew Zhan Mu well. He had been calm and composed since childhood and was the most intelligent of the three children.
His current anxious appearance must mean he's encountered a difficult situation.
After a moment's thought, he spoke calmly, "Mu'er, you've always known how to be sensible. Your grandfather can grant you any request, provided that it doesn't harm your mother!"
Zhan Mu felt a sharp pain in his chest; he knew that his maternal grandfather's heart was filled with thoughts of his mother.
But what's wrong with him liking Rong Zhiyu?
What's wrong with him wanting to repay her for saving his life?
Would they be satisfied if he were seen as an ungrateful wretch and condemned by the world?
Perhaps seeing through his thoughts, Xiao Li quickly stood up and walked to him: "Mu'er, stand up first. You haven't said what you want, how can your grandfather agree?"
Zhan Mu said in a hoarse voice, "Grandfather, I would like to ask you to grant me this marriage!"
Xiao Li was stunned at first, then a look of joy appeared on his face: "Mu'er, tell me, which noble lady have you taken a fancy to? Has your maternal grandfather met her?"
Zhan Mu shook his head with a hint of ambiguity: "She, she is not a noble lady from the capital. Her name is Rong Zhiyu. She was originally my classmate. It wasn't until she took an arrow for me that I found out she was a woman!"
A hint of doubt flashed in Xiao Li's eyes, but his expression remained kind.
He said gently, "So, there's such a hidden story between you two. Mu'er, tell your grandfather the truth: did you marry her because you love her, or to repay her for saving your life?"
Zhan Mu clenched his fists tightly at his sides. He looked up at Xiao Li, his eyes filled with a youthful stubbornness and seriousness.
He said in a hoarse voice, "Grandfather, it was a life-saving grace. She was my classmate at the academy, and I only ever thought of her as a handsome and insightful junior. I never had any thoughts of overstepping my bounds. Until that day when I was assassinated at Mingzhu Tower, and an arrow came flying through the air, she rushed over and took the arrow for me."
His face was filled with grief, and his heart tightened as he recalled the day Rong Zhiyu lay in a pool of blood.
He murmured in a trembling voice, "The arrowhead was quenched with cold iron and penetrated three inches into my flesh. My grandfather, she was just a woman, and she almost lost her life to save me. If I, Zhan Mu, were to ignore her, wouldn't I become an ungrateful person? There is no such logic in this world. I must take responsibility for her."
Upon hearing his words, Xiao Li's previously solemn expression relaxed.
He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and as the warm tea went down his throat, he said gently, "Rong Zhiyu shielded you from an arrow; we should naturally repay this kindness. Gold, silver, jewels, fertile fields, mansions—whatever she wants, we can give her. My maternal grandfather can even issue an imperial decree to grant her the status of a princess, ensuring her a peaceful and worry-free life."
Zhan Mu frowned and interrupted him urgently: "Grandfather! She saved my life. How can gold and silver treasures repay her? She is an unmarried girl who suffered such serious injuries for me. If word gets out, it will inevitably cause gossip. If I don't marry her, who will dare to marry her in the future? How can I let her fall into such a situation because of me?"
Xiao Li put down his teacup, the celadon bottom striking the table with a crisp sound. "Then suppress it. My maternal grandfather has plenty of methods to ensure no one in the capital dares to gossip. As for the marriage..."
He changed the subject, his tone turning serious, "You are the heir of the Marquis of Zhanyi's mansion, the future head of the mansion. Your marriage has never been your private matter alone. Her background is unknown, how can she be the future mistress of the mansion?"
Zhan Mu stared blankly at Xiao Li, feeling as if a wad of cotton was stuck in his throat, making it hard for him to breathe.
He originally thought that his maternal grandfather would understand his predicament and his determination, but he did not expect that what his maternal grandfather valued was still family background and social standing.