This chapter was edited by Din2.

  Imperial Study Room

  On the long huge table, there were a high stack of reports, the celebration would arrive soon, each ministry submitted more and more reports to the Emperor. He made Su Ling to recover the stolen gold urgently like this, it was really an urgent need to get the silver taels for the state treasury. Even if there was no gold yet, Qiong Yue could also manage to do a prestige and large celebration, but if the treasury could retrieve the stolen gold, it would be better.

  Taking one of the reports with his hand to read through completely, Yan Hong Tian finally looked towards Lou Xi Yan who was sitting on the side and sipping tea leisurely, he, himself was busy to death, but he still had a carefree emotion. His complexion was dark, Yan Hong Tian coldly groaned and said: “How is the preparation for the celebration?”


  Putting down the tea, Lou Xi Yan, faintly smiled, he ignored Yan Hong Tian’s cold face, and unhurriedly answered: “Very smooth, the Ministry of Revenue and Ministry of Work has already assembled and prepared the necessary expenses for the celebration properly, this year’s celebration will surely be even more magnificent than the one from three years ago. But when each country diplomatic envoy gathers at that time, the various regions’ merchants from prominent families will also enter the capital city to make pilgrimage, the inside of the capital city will surely have a mixed of people. Chen and the Ministry of Justice will negotiate to deploy the armed forces quickly with the Ministry of War, in order to guarantee that there is nothing wrong during that time.”


  “Good, you will lead on this matter, ok! Make the preparation.”


  Lou Xi Yan’s matters were surely not sufficient enough, not enough chaos, looking at his methodically arranged and composed appearance, Yan Hong Tian was angry without any reason, even though he was always like this for so many years in the past, it was all like this!

  “Yes.” Lou Xi Yan flatly gave his consent, and he still had an appearance that he would be able to handle any matter.

  Yan Hong Tian lightly frowned, he could not be this rejuvenated like this in the past, could it be that one was in high spirits when one was involved in a happy situation? Watching attentively at Lou Xi Yan, Yan Hong Tian conscientiously asked: “You really want to marry Qing Ling as your official wife, and do not intent to take any concubine?”


  Lou Xi Yan clearly smiling, he nodded his head and answered: “En.”


  “She is worth it?” Actually, sometimes it was not the woman’s problem, but it was rather the problem of the balance in benefits (somebody’s interest), there were many women inside the harem, he did not even remember their appearances, but they represented their own clans, and powers. Political marriage, strictly speaking, it was not insignificant towards a man’s official career!

  For Qing Ling, Xi Yan was really willing to sacrifice this much?!

  Lou Xi Yan understood his meaning, but he still only smiled faintly, tranquilly said: “I think it is worth it, definitely worth it.”


  For the past few days, he was always busy taming Qing Feng, that young wildcat, inattentive, it appeared that he let Xi Yan in making the decisive opportunity related to Qing Ling, he also missed a lot of good shows. Looking out the window, the warm summer time, brightly colored decorations, Yan Hong Tian’s eyes flashed through one trace of craftiness, smilingly said: “In the Imperial garden today, there are the talented and good looking women from the capital city, the virtuous, skilled and fragrant of each family’s daughter, do you want to choose another one?”


  Lou Xi Yan was gentle as before and he answered: “Thanking the Emperor, Chen does not need to choose another one.”


  Walking down from the dragon throne, Yan Hong Tian walked to the side of Lou Xi Yan, he asked one more time: “Really not going?”


  Slightly bowing to salute, Lou Xi Yan immediately said: “Chen will send the Emperor off respectfully.”


  Yan Hong Tian deliberately gave a pity face and shook his head, going outside through the door, while he was clicking his tongue to sigh and say: “Very well, ok, I hear that Ling-er also comes, Zhen has not seen her for quite a while, and rather misses her.”


  Lou Xi Yan’s back was stiffed, he was so busy and had been leaving early and returning late these past few days, he simply did not know what she was doing, did she really come? If it was real…… Thinking a moment ago when Yan Hong Tian’s eyes flashed through that #, (again you have to interpret LXY’s thinking in this moment. He was prob swearing at YHT for teasing him), Lou Xi Yan resigned to his fate and lowly sighed, and followed Yan Hong Tian’s back, he said: “Chen will still accompany the Emperor to go along, ok.”


  Looking behind at Lou Xi Yan who was seldom following him obediently, Yan Hong Tian’s mood was good and he laughed heartily, maybe letting Qing Ling to have Lou Xi Yan was not a bad thing after all. He could tease and mock Xi Yan as a bargaining chip, who made Xi Yan to seem able to handle any matter entirely with ease, having this no worry appearance, a person really could not be that perfect! *****

  “Ah–.” Lou Xi Wu who was sitting on the wooden front stage playing instrument heard the sound of the wooden stage collapsed, she subconsciously shouted out, when she lifted her head, she happened to see Qing Ling fell in the lotus pond.

  “Qing Ling!!” Running several steps, Lou Xi Wu could not swim, also did not dare to walk on that unstable wooden stage, she could only stand and anxiously stare by the side of the lotus pond that was filled with the leaves, while she was shouting: “Help ah! Qing Ling, she fell into the lotus pond!”


  A group of women in the middle of the park also heard the sound of the collapse a moment ago, when they came over to react, they just saw Lou Xi Wu was standing at the front of the wooden stage, stretching her neck to stare at the lake front, her anxious mouth was shouting.

  Hearing her shouting, Qing Feng hurriedly looked towards the vicinity of the wooden stage, Qing Ling’s reflection was nowhere to be found.

  “Elder sister!” Her heart raised to her throat all of a sudden, Qing Feng pulled up her skirt to run towards the lake. But her arms were pulled tightly by some people, as it turned out, several palace maids who were standing by the side of the Empress Dowager were holding her up at the same time. They pulled her and not letting her to walk a step, her mouth was still nervously and with deeply concern, she said: “Imperial concubine Qing, you have a ten thousand gold body, you need to be careful with your health, you can not go ah!”


  “Let go off my hands!!” Qing Feng disregarded her life and struggled to get free, unable to deal with the tearing pain on her arms, she was flustered and worry, it made her who was always icily arrogant, but could not help to have tears in her eyes. There was no wise and virtuous woman’s bearing anymore, only madly struggling to get free and shouting: “Get out of my way! My elder sister can not swim, you all let go off my hands quickly! Let go off my hands!!”


  Yang Zhi Lan’s eyes flashed through a barely trace of sneer, it was best that she could not swim, even if she could swim, it would be useless also! Pretending to get angry and pointing at several palace eunuchs who were by her side, Yang Zhi Lan shouted: “What are you staring blankly for, quickly save the person ah!”


  “Yes.” Four palace eunuchs ran to the lakeside, immediately jumped into the pool.

  Lou Su Xin slightly got angry and knitted her brows, how could a good wooden stage collapse?! Looking that there were people who were already going down to save the person, she did not say anything either. She simply sat coldly on the master seat, looking at the flower pond in front of her.

  Actually, after Zhuo Qing fell into the water, it was not anything that they were imagining in fear, or being in danger, because she could swim. Moreover, when she was attended school before, she was nevertheless a member of the school swimming team, so besides the collapse of the wooden stage and the somewhat frenetic situation outside, she was entirely not bad.

  The worst part of the wooden stage collapsing was where her feet were standing at that time, after she fell down, she went straight into the water until she was below the wooden stage that was not falling down yet. The heavy skirt drenched heavier afterwards, the top of the wooden board was pushing her down all along, she was covered all over by the lotus leaves, it was very difficult for Zhuo Qing to swing her arms.

  She could hear Lou Xi Wu who was shouting for people to save her, she also wanted to response that she was actually good, but to no avail as the circumstance was very messy, the water would pour in to her mouth, Zhuo Qing could only think of a way to go out first.

  Using her feet to maintain her balance, Zhuo Qing rapidly undid her belt to take off the most outer layer of the skirt, she immediately felt a lot lighter. She kept moving forwards all the way, groping things around her, suddenly, she did not know what thing that her feet kicked, something stabbed her fiercely and she was in pain. She clenched her teeth, pulled out the lotus leaves and narrowed her eyes to look, she could faintly see the underwater stakes that were supporting the wooden stage.

  Zhuo Qing pondered for a moment, deeply breathing, then she dived down. The view from under the water was very poor, she could barely see the approximate size of the wooden stake and it was very thick, she could only feel with her hands for the other stakes. The fracture of the wooden stake was relatively smooth, while the fracture of the log looked like a normal wood pierce with some wood splinters.

  Holding for a long time, Zhuo Qing floated up and took one big breath, waiting until she breathed smoothly afterwards, her expression was no longer looking relaxed like before. These kind of wooden stakes were soaking inside the water all year round, so it was not strange if they collapsed, but when she felt the fracture a moment ago, she could say that when she felt it, it absolutely did not feel like the rotten and spongy wood, how could it possible that they collapsed? Or the matter this time was actually not an accident, it was rather a man made arrangement?!

  Zhuo Qing still wanted to continue to look for the other wooden stakes, but she heard a few voices not too far away, pulling out the lotus leaves to look out, there were several people who were dressed up as the palace eunuchs went in the pond.

  Zhuo Qing was thinking, she decided to drop the subject for the time being, her skirt and her hair were twisting her feet frequently, this outfit was really not suitable for diving. She should climb ashore first, ok, otherwise, Lou Xi Wu and Qing Feng must be anxious for her.

  Pushing aside the lotus leaves, Zhuo Qing slowly swam towards the outside, she could reach the underneath wooden stage with great difficult, several of the palace eunuchs also saw her.

  Two of them swam towards her immediately, looking at them moving rather quickly, their swimming abilities of these few people should not be to bad. Zhuo Qing barely wanted to say that she could swim, and she could advance on her own. Those two people already arrived by her side, one person supported her arms, but, they did not want to save her to climb ashore, rather—- they pressed down her head, inside the water.

  The sudden turn of event, made Zhuo Qing not expecting at the situation, her hair was pulled firmly, the slightly cold lake water was unrestrainedly on her eyes, ears, mouth and nose. Choking severely, Zhuo Qing’s brain was exceptionally cleared now, everything about today was a conspiracy, making her to perform was a conspiracy, the wooden stage collapsing was a conspiracy, these people who came to save her, they were actually the people who came to kill her and they were sent by the person behind the scene, nothing more. And who was that person behind the scene, no need to say and tell.

  Darn it!

  She did not want to die like this!

  Zhuo Qing was treading the water with great effort, but these two people’s ability to swim were excellent, their strengths were also big. Pressing her shoulder and head with their hands like two iron metal pincers, they simply did not give her any opportunity to come out of the water.

  This would not do! Continuing like this, she would surely drown and die, Zhuo Qing clenched her teeth, simply no longer treading in the water, lifting her feet up, one left and one right towards both of the men’s stomachs and ruthlessly kicked them. She did not care where she kicked, then she raised her hands to grab their heads and scratch them violently.

  When they were grabbing Zhuo Qing, the two people did not think that she would still resist, her fingernails were poking in their eyes for several times, noses, their waists were also kicked painfully. Both of them were forced to free their hands to capture Zhuo Qing’s waving hand, as a result, the strength to push down on Zhuo Qing was reduced. Zhuo Qing stepped on their waists, exerting her strength to go up, finally she could be out of the water surface, taking a few big breaths.

  She had not recuperated her strength yet, the two people wrapped her around again, Zhuo Qing wanted to call for help, but those two people stretched their hands towards her arm. Having no other alternative, Zhuo Qing was forced to submerged into the water, at this time, she could vaguely hear Xi Wu’s anxious voice that came through from a shore that was not too far away: “Did you find the person?!”


  The dense of the lotus leaves was natural barrier, and with the partition of the fracture wooden stage, the people on the ashore simply could not see what was happening in the water. The lotus leaves made Zhuo Qing unable to move easily under the water, in order to prevent being captured by the two people again, she could only go under the water. And at a place not too far away, the palace eunuch who was in charge to cover up went ashore and answered with a loud voice: “There are many lotus leaves under the water, we simply can not find the person!”


  The two palace eunuchs were pursuing her closely and not letting go, they could clearly see that Zhuo Qing could swim, they started to be more cautious and more fierce.

  Once again being pressed down by them, Zhuo Qing exhausted to struggle free with all her strength, she tried to call for help several times, but she was already pressed down into the water. Her physical strength just could not endure it anymore, if no one would discover it, then she would die unjustly inside the lotus pond today!

  Drowning from being suffocated and choking the water made her heart and lung feel like exploding and feeling unwell, she gradually felt that her body was more and more exhausted, more and more powerless.

  ***** Yan Hong Tian’s mood was very good, Lou Xi Yan also resumed his constant unhurried way, both of them walked over to the direction of the Imperial garden, looking from far away, this simply should be lively soft music, graceful dance, poem incantation, the elegant and unbounded style of the Imperial garden. However, there was a lot chaos at this moment, he could only see that a group of people were completely surrounded the side of the lotus pond, not knowing what was going on, Yan Hong Tian said to Gao Jin: “Go to take a look, why is there so much chaos over there?”


  “Yes.” Gao Jin accepted the order, and run towards the lotus pond.

  Yan Hong Tian and Lou Xi Yan looked one glance, even though they did not say anything, but the two people’s feet clearly walked a lot faster.

  Entering the Imperial garden, Gao Jin who made a discreet inquiry, also came back, Yan Hong Tian asked: “What is the matter?”


  Gao Jin was hesitated, seamlessly looked one glance at Lou Xi Yan, then cautiously and solemnly answered: “Answering the Emperor, the wooden stage in front of the lotus pond was collapsed suddenly, Miss Qing Ling was showing her painting skill at that time, incautiously fell into the water, they were…… saving the person now.”


  Gao Jin’s words had not finished yet, Lou Xi Yan already ran madly towards the lotus pond.

  “Xi Yan!” Yan Hong Tian was staring at Lou Xi Yan’s back, he was surprised and unable to describe his impression at the moment, Xi Yan did not even wait to hear until the words were completely spoken, he just ran madly regardless of his image. He knew him for over 20 years, when did he ever lose his cool like this?!

  Lou Xi Yan ran to the Imperial garden courtyard, many people heard the sound of his footsteps, so they turned around to see one by one, seeing Lou Xi Yan, a lot of the women made their salutations one by one. Lou Su Xin’s face was surprised, and she asked: “Xi Yan, why did you come?” This was the Imperial garden courtyard, the courtyard of the Emperor’s harem, he was a state official, he should not appear on his own here.

  Lowly panting, Lou Xi Yan did not answer her question yet, simply speaking irritably and he asked: “Where is she?”


  Lou Su Xin was startled, she rarely saw Xi Yan looking ugly like this, even more with the provoking manner like this. Recovering, her mind was not pleased, Lou Su Xin coldly answered: “Still in the water, already send people to go down to save her……”


  Her words had not finished yet, not caring how other people would look at him, Lou Xi Yan ran all the way to the side of the lotus pond. Lou Xi Wu who had been panicking for a long time, saw him, she immediately cried out: “Elder brother, what to do, Qing Ling fell down for almost half of an incense stick (about 15 min), they still have not found her!!”


  She had been in the water for half of an incense stick time and still had not come out, he was afraid that this would be a disaster for Qing-er, his heart was jumping hysterically and almost to his extreme stage. Lou Xi Yan’s expression was dark, pushing away Lou Xi Wu who was crying on his bosom, he went directly towards the lotus pond.

  Lou Xi Wu looked at Lou Xi Yan who was unexpectedly jumping on the almost falling wooden stage, hovering around the unstable wooden stage, and without hesitation, he jumped into the lotus pond, she was losing her head out of fear, and in panicked, she screamed: “Elder brother!”


  At this time, another dark silhouette also jumped closely along with Lou Xi Yan, that was—- Mo Bai.

  “Xi Yan!” Lou Su Xin who was always sitting steadily on the master seat, startled and stood up from the chair, confusingly pointing a finger at the Imperial guards on the side, and she roared with a loud voice: “Somebody comes, hurry, hurry, hurry, go down into the water to save the person! You must protect Prime Minister Lou properly!”


  Because of the struggling, her whole body was already purple, her tears had already ran dry for a long time, Qing Feng coldly looked at the chaos in the courtyard. Lou Su Xin was yelling, the Imperial bodyguards were flustered and every one was striving to be the first to jump into the lotus pond.

  Her hand was tightly pulled into a fist, she really hated!! She was wailing to request them to save her elder sister a moment ago, how cold and detached they were at that time, how they turned a blind eye!

  Could it be that Lou Xi Yan’s life was a life, her elder sister’s was not a life?!

  Could it be that the lives of a noble and lowly person would follow the definition of these powerful and influential people?!