Fang Zilan woke up very early the next morning, or she didn't get much rest at all.
The old story told by Vice General Cao kept lingering in her mind, making her feel unspeakable guilt for Zhuge Yu.
Coupled with Zhuge Yu's demeanor and posture at the camp on the outskirts of Beijing yesterday, Zhuge Shan's death was a big blow to him. After all, Zhuge Yu was only a teenager at the time.
She wanted to apologize to Zhuge Yu, so she got up early and went directly to the government office after packing.
The government office in the morning mist was quiet and deserted, and seemed a bit deserted.
The gatekeeper and the guard opened the door for Fang Zilan while half asleep. No one expected that she would come so early, but looking at her cold expression as if she was in a bad mood, they were respectful and did not dare to neglect.
The way they forced themselves to yawn made her raise the corners of her lips slightly, making her whole person look softer.
Shortly after Fang Zilan arrived, Zhuge Yu also came.
He was still dressed in cyan clothes, with a veiled white fox cloak on the outside. The plain white color made him more spotless, adding a bit of cold temperament.
Fang Zilan looked at him and said hello at a loss. She felt that the distance between them suddenly became much more distant.
Zhuge Yu was calm and indifferent as usual. He took off his cloak and walked to the charcoal fire to warm his hands. "Master Pei is going back to the household department today. Does Sister Lan know about the Southeast Affairs?"
"I..." Fang Zilan opened his mouth hesitantly.
Zhuge Yu turned his head and looked at her with a clear expression, "Sister Lan, do you have something to say to me?"
Although it was a question, he said it with great certainty.
"A Yu, what happened yesterday..." As soon as Fang Zilan started to speak, she was interrupted by Zhuge Yu, "It doesn't matter. Yesterday has passed and today has arrived. There is no need to mention the old things again."
"That's fine." Fang Zilan nodded thoughtfully and whispered: "People always have to look forward. But no matter what, Ayu, I'm sorry."
Zhuge Yu looked at the hesitant person in front of him, his eyes full of regret, and sighed softly: "Sister Lan, there are many affairs in the southeast, and there is no time for you to be sentimental. You have to cheer up."
"Ayu, don't you blame me for dragging you into this?" Fang Zilan asked without thinking, but after asking, even she couldn't help but find it funny.
"The games I enter are never dragged down by others." Zhuge Yu raised the corners of his lips, revealing a slight arc, "Sister Lan, do you think you dragged me into the game, or did I lead you into the game?"
Fang Zilan lowered her eyes and smiled lightly, saying no more words.
The small barrier between the two of them, like ice and snow, was evaporated and dissipated with the heat rising from the charcoal fire.
After Pei Xiaoze returned to the household department, Fang Zilan was immersed in official duties for several days. When she got busy, she couldn't take care of anything else. She pushed and pushed the rehearsal of the social drama, which made Li Qiyou visit the house several times in person. Seeing that she and Zhuge Yu were too busy to think about anything, they couldn't say anything more. They could only say that time was tight and asked them to take some time to go over and rehearse.
After seeing off Li Qiyou that day, Fang Zilan looked at Zhuge Yu who was sorting out the documents and said jokingly: "A Yu, you asked me for a position before, wasn't it to escape from the rehearsal of the social drama?"
Zhuge Yu put the documents on the desk and talked to her while sorting them into categories, "I think Sister Lan has read the script of the social opera, but there are only a few scenes that are not troublesome. Why should I run away?"
Fang Zilan came close to Zhuge Yu, "Then A Yu doesn't want me to go, so he's holding me back under the guise of many affairs?"
"Sister Lan, since His Majesty believes in you, then you must live up to this trust." Zhuge Yu stopped his movements and said seriously: "Things have their own priorities, and having many government affairs is not an excuse for me to hold you back."
"So Ayu wants me to get started as soon as possible so that you can go on business with His Majesty and find a better position?" Fang Zilan looked calm and took the top document.
Zhuge Yu clasped her restless wrist through his sleeves, "It's good that Sister Lan knows, don't cause trouble."
"Really?" Fang Zilan did not break away from his hand, but lightly tapped the document she was holding down with her fingers, "Ayu, this is last month's report, you put it in the wrong place."
Hearing this, Zhuge Yuwu loosened his hand and took out the document that was under Fang Zilan's hand. He held the document in his hand and composed himself, speechless for a long time.
Fang Zilan looked at the document he was holding tightly. The thin wrinkles spread from the place where his palm exerted force. The wrinkled texture concealed twists and turns of his mind. She said with determination, "A Yu, there is something on your mind."
Zhuge Yu remained silent and did not speak. Fang Zilan reached out and grabbed the other corner of the document, "If you don't want to tell, you might as well let me guess."
She looked as if nothing had happened and used her hands secretly, "Your Majesty doesn't want to see me participate in the New Year's social drama, right?"
Zhuge Yu's fingers loosened a little, and the document fell into her hand, with obvious finger marks on it.
"If this is the case, please tell your majesty, Ayu." Fang Zilan ran her fingers over the folds, stretched the paper with a little force, and the folds became lighter, "I will not leave anyone behind in the New Year's social drama. Even if I pretend to be a monster, I must be the only one in history."
Zhuge Yu's expression relaxed a little, "It's not that I don't believe you. But Sister Lan, you also need to know that this matter is not a child's play. The nine princes were awarded the title in front of everyone in the court, but you were awarded the title of Duke of Yue. Only His Majesty's decree is known to the world. Despite His Majesty's eloquent words, there are rumors in the capital that you have been criticized a lot, so why do you need to act as a minister in a social drama and make people laugh? Your Majesty intends to have you escort me during the spring hunting. As the Duke of Yue Kingdom His first public appearance shocked the world."
"The Empress Dowager intends to humiliate me. Even if I don't appear in the social drama, there are still other traps waiting for me. I can't avoid them." Fang Zilan shrugged indifferently, "Who is behind the scenes and no one is talking about it? How others talk about it, I I can’t control it. What’s more, it was the same when I was granted the title of Duke of the Northern Kingdom and went to the north. It was just a piece of edict. I’m used to it and I don’t care.”
"Sister Lan said this, but she still holds a grudge?" Zhuge Yu frowned slightly as if he was dissatisfied, and Fang Zilan chuckled, "Your Majesty, I can't thank you enough for your kindness, so how dare I hold a grudge? To me, these false gifts are nothing. It's not important, as long as you have real power." "Do you have real power?" Zhuge Yu repeated this sentence in a low voice without saying more.
Fang Zilan put her Chinese books in place, then looked at Zhuge Yu and said, "It's rare that I have free time today. It's still early, A Yu, would you like to accompany me to see how the social opera is being rehearsed? In case King Yucheng comes to visit every day and disturbs the peace."
Zhuge Yu hesitated for a moment, and finally nodded, "That's fine."
