amaotonovel Chapter 123: Trying to cover up the obvious
Chapter 123: Trying to cover up the obvious
Behind the black gold screen, Lu Qingqing had already changed her clothes. She concentrated and held her breath, listening carefully to the movements outside the screen.
Li Xuansheng's footsteps were getting closer and closer.
So, she pretended to be adjusting the ribbons on her dress, but in fact she had already started to carefully decide in her mind how she should perform next.
The footsteps suddenly stopped.
Li Xuansheng did not go behind the screen to help Lu Qingqing change her clothes as he said, but stopped in front of the blood letter, staring at the neatly folded square piece of rice paper on the ground.
The rice paper is pure white with a slight yellow tint, but the bright red traces can be seen on the back of the paper, which is particularly eye-catching.
Li Xuansheng was about to bend over to pick up the folded paper, but Lu Qingqing got there first.
She gathered her skirt with one hand and quickly picked up the paper on the ground with the other hand, and said in a way that made things even more obvious:
"Oh, I dropped something by accident. How can I trouble Your Majesty to pick it up for me personally?"
Lu Qingqing quickly grasped the paper on the ground firmly in her palm and was about to hide it in the inner pocket of her wide sleeve.
Li Xuansheng looked down at the panicked expression of the beauty in front of him, and a trace of doubt flashed through his mind.
The more he looked at the paper, the more he felt that the red color that permeated the back of the paper was like writing. Lu Qingqing was so nervous that she wanted to hide it. Was there something going on?
Li Xuansheng calmly opened his palm, and a powerful big hand with distinct joints was placed in front of Lu Qingqing.
"Bring it here and show it to me."
Lu Qingqing said no and shook her head repeatedly, her amorous eyes showing innocence. She put her hands behind her back as if she was hiding.
"Your Majesty, this, this paper contains the flowers and birds that I drew sloppily. The drawing is too ugly. You, you'd better not look at it."
Lu Qingqing's words were stammering, and it was obvious that she was making them up on the spot. But the more she tried to hide it, the more curious Li Xuansheng became.
Without saying a word, he got very close to the beauty in front of him, put his big hands around her back, and easily took the paper from Lu Qingqing's hand.
"Oh! Your Majesty, don't look at it, don't look at it!"
Lu Qingqing pretended to stop him with words, but her hands had no intention of stopping him at all, and she let Li Xuansheng open the paper.
What caught my eye was a letter written in blood!
What was written in the blood letter was a clear account of how Concubine Shu forced the father of Xu Guannu to smuggle and escort for the Zhao family, and how she coerced Xu Yue'er into the palace and tortured her in every way.
Li Xuansheng's face became increasingly gloomy, his eyebrows furrowed into a "川" shape, and he asked sternly:
"Qingqing, who gave you this thing?"
Lu Qingqing deliberately lowered her head, mumbling something, and hesitated for a long time before whispering:
"This, this is what Lady Xu gave to me."
"She said that I am favored by the Emperor and have many opportunities to meet him, so she wanted me to present this blood letter to the Emperor during the day."
After thinking for a moment, Li Xuansheng decisively questioned:
"So, you did this on purpose for me to see it?"
Seeing that the matter was about to be exposed, Lu Qingqing had to quickly think of a way to cover up her story. If she said that she took the initiative to let Li Xuansheng see it, it would seem too deliberate and like she had planned it in advance.
"No, no." Lu Qingqing hurriedly shook her head to explain.
"I cannot tell whether what Miss Xu wrote is true or false, so I dare not rashly present it to the emperor."
"The blood letter fell out by accident."
Li Xuansheng looked at Lu Qingqing, who was bowing her head and admitting her mistake, and felt pity for her.
It seemed that his words were too harsh and frightened her again. So he quickly softened his tone and comforted her:
"Qingqing, I don't mean to blame you."
"You are kind to everyone in the palace, so the Xuguan girl trusted you and handed you this blood letter. Don't worry, I will investigate this matter."
Lu Qingqing breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, I had established an image of being kind and pure in the palace, so I was able to successfully cover up this lie.
It seems that she has to continue to maintain this character.
Lu Qingqing raised her little face, her eyes flickered, with an expression of great admiration for Li Xuansheng, and said obediently:
"Well, I believe in Your Majesty!"
Li Xuansheng kept the blood letter.
He knew that Concubine Shu was used to being arrogant in the palace, but for so many years, it was limited to minor fights and jealousies among concubines, and did not involve the politics of the previous dynasty.
However, this blood letter mentioned that Concubine Shu was involved in the Zhao family's smuggling. If this was true, then Concubine Shu's actions would have a different meaning.
This matter must be investigated thoroughly!
Li Xuansheng sat back at his desk and stopped reviewing memorials. Instead, he leaned over the desk and pondered.
Lu Qingqing watched him absorbed in his thoughts from the side, and there were no memorials or books on the desk, so she knew that the blood letter had touched Li Xuansheng's heart.
She was secretly certain in her heart that there was a chance to completely overthrow Concubine Shu!
Sure enough, about half an hour later, Li Xuansheng summoned Prince Zhaojing into the imperial carriage for an audience.
Lu Qingqing wanted to avoid it, but was stopped by Li Xuansheng, so she knew exactly what the next order was.
After Prince Jing entered the imperial carriage, he saluted respectfully.
"Your humble servant greets His Majesty. I wonder what Your Majesty wants me to do?"
Li Xuansheng motioned for him to stand up.
Before he could say anything, Prince Jing noticed that there was another person named Lu Qingqing in the carriage.
Ever since Prince Jing used Lu Qingqing's prisoner's dilemma method to successfully solve the murderer's case at night, he changed his impression of Lu Qingqing.
With such an intelligent woman accompanying his brother, let him get involved in politics. Even his brother didn't say anything, so it seems harmless.
Li Xuansheng noticed that Prince Jing seemed distracted, so he stepped forward and gently patted him on the shoulder.
"What are you thinking about? So absorbed."
Prince Jing suddenly came to his senses.
"No, I am just a little tired. Ignore it."
"As long as nothing happens."
Then, Li Xuansheng handed the blood letter to Prince Jing and ordered him to personally investigate the matter of the Zhao family coercing the Xu family.
Lu Qingqing watched this scene of brotherly love and respect from the side and began to complain in her heart.
This Li Xuansheng is such a workaholic. Didn’t he hear Prince Jing say that he was tired?
His younger brother has been so busy these days that he is in a trance, and he still has to arrange work for Prince Jing!
Ancient capitalists!
However, Lu Qingqing soon realized that Li Xuansheng did not intend to exploit Prince Jing. Perhaps he had no one else in the court who could be used, so he could only point fingers at Prince Jing for everything.
After Prince Jing left, Lu Qingqing continued to lean on the chaise longue leisurely, looking at the vast scenery outside the carriage in a good mood, and hummed a tune unconsciously.
Li Xuansheng was attracted by her voice.
"What are you humming? It seems that I am in a good mood."
Lu Qingqing turned around and smiled brightly.
"Your Majesty is right. I am in a good mood."
"I was thinking that if the matter of the Xu family's daughter was uncovered, then they would be comforted for the grievances they have suffered over the years. I would like to thank the emperor on behalf of the Xu sisters."
Lu Qingqing was about to salute when Li Xuansheng helped her up.
"Why are you thanking me on their behalf? If the blood letter is true, they should come and thank me in person."