Chapter 52 - Long Yang’s Strangeness
No one had noticed that Long Yang’s knuckles were white around his cup. His forehead, which was clear and bright as jade, was also covered with tiny beads of sweat.
He glanced at the young girl standing in the middle of the hall, and said in a low, dignified voice, “If that is so, you may come forward and present your gift to me.”
Long Yang’s strangeness was noticed not only by Zhao Qian but also by Lu Liangwei.
According to the original novel, the Emperor’s secret illness would manifest at his birthday banquet. He would faint during the event, causing no small amount of disturbance.
It would even go to the extent of news being spread within and outside the imperial court about the Emperor being on his deathbed due to his illness.
As a result of this, many of the court officials who were still on the fence and in no hurry to take sides took their stand en masse and supported Long Chi.
Long Yang’s illness took a serious turn when he found out about this, and not long after that, he passed away…
When she reached this point in her thoughts, Lu Liangwei said quickly, “I beg Your Majesty to give me fifteen minutes, as your humble servant must make preparations.”
Long Yang’s inscrutable eyes fixed on her for a moment, a touch of impatience in their expression. “Very well. You may go.”
Lu Liangwei breathed a sigh of relief. As she withdrew from the Jade Dew Hall, she noticed the doubt in Madam Zheng’s eyes that was unable to be masked in time.
Lu Liangwei ignored her. Instead, when she saw the worried looks cast at her by Lu Hetian and Lu Tingchen, she nodded at them in an attempt to comfort them.
Once outside the Jade Dew Hall, she found a palace maid to lead the way and quickly headed for the imperial kitchen.
Lu Liangwei returned fifteen minutes later with a porcelain soup bowl in her hands.
When everyone spotted this, they could not help glancing sidelong at her.
Had this Second Miss Lu seriously made a bowl of soup as a gift for the Emperor?
At the thought of this possibility, everyone present smiled in secret. Every single person knew that the Second Miss Lu was not an intelligent person.
The Emperor’s daily meals were all delicacies, every dish. Would he even value her bowl of soup?
Everyone present was contemptuous; at the same time, they were also looking forward to witnessing the drama.
Long Chi turned his gaze from Liu Liangwei blandly, while in his heart, he could not help thinking how lucky he was to have discarded this idiotic girl. If he had married her, he would also have ended up being a universal laughing stock.
Lu Yunshuang’s lips curved upwards slightly, her gaze full of disdain and contempt.
Only an utter imbecile like Lu Liangwei would think about presenting the Emperor with food as a birthday gift!
When Madam Zheng noticed what Lu Liangwei was holding in her hands, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
When she saw the way Lu Liangwei spoke to the Emperor, her confident tone made Madam Zheng think that this idiot of a girl had really prepared something wonderful for the Emperor’s birthday.
In the end, she had overestimated her. How could this little tramp, Lu Liangwei, think up any good plans?
The people in the hall were either waiting for the drama to unfold or were thinking about taking pleasure in Lu Liangwei’s misfortune. Only Lu Hetian and Lu Tingchen were extremely worried about her.
Father and son looked at each other. In their hearts, they had decided that if Weiwei angered the Emperor afterward, they would immediately beg him for forgiveness. The Emperor might not give Weiwei too hard a time if he took into consideration the reputation of the Duke Mansion.
Lu Liangwei, on the other hand, did not care what anyone else thought of her. Her pace was steady, and she only stopped once she was a short distance from the Emperor’s throne.
She lifted her head and said respectfully, “Your Majesty, this is a dish of longevity noodles your humble servant has personally made for you. This gift is much too coarse and crude, but I hope that Your Majesty will not reject it.”
When Zhao Qian heard her words, his gaze alighted upon her hands, then quietly shook his head. What was this Second Miss Lu thinking? How could she dare present this to the Emperor when she was aware that it was coarse and crude?
Long Yang glanced blandly at Lu Liangwei and was about to say something when Lu Liangwei suddenly uncovered the soup bowl and walked two steps forward.
Instantly, an aroma infused with herbal scent wafted its way to his nostrils.
Long Yang was stunned. In a mere moment, the pain in his body was miraculously soothed.
His initial words of rejection were immediately amended to, “Bring it to me.”