Chu Liuchen smiled and answered,
Well, don’t be nervous. I just want some people from you. If you agree, then I will pretend that nothing has happened today.
Who?
asked Chu Liuyue. With heart-rate quickening suddenly, he got a bad feeling.
Staring at Chu Liuyue, Chu Liuchen said slowly,
Shao Yanru, the young lady of Duke Xing Mansion!
Qin Wanru held the paper in her hand and closed her eyes tightly. Some fuzzy pictures flashed upon her mind, in which there was an elegant figure which belonged to a female, always being with Qin Wanru.
A hint of chill rose from the bottom of her heart.
Shao Yanru, the young lady of Duke Xing Mansion, the Zhaoyi Shao who plotted against the king with Chu Liuyue and the vicious woman who strangled sixth Prince in previous life, had long since aligned with Chu Liuyue.
However, the concealment of their alignment was nearly perfect. She could not figure out their relationship and the reason why they aligned together to frame herself until she died in her last life. She even had no chance to defend and then was killed by Chu Liuyue, who claimed that the reason why he did this was to revenge for sixth Prince.
She narrowed her eyes with a red light flashing. She could not explain her strange death in the last life and why Zhaoyi Shao had treated her with extreme hatred.
Or not only her, but also Madam of Duke Xing.
If they were really malicious, they should nurse a grudge against Qin Yuru in that old Madam of Duke Xing liked her very much and even let her stay in Duke Xing Mansion for a long time. However, Qin Wanru felt that Zhaoyi Ning also favored Qin Yuru. There was a close relationship between Madam of Duke Xing and Madam Di. Qin Wanru thought,
So they framed me just because Madam Di and Qin Yuru did not like me?
If it was true, then everything could be explained. When she was in the palace, Zhaoyi Ning framed her over and over and finally framed sixth Prince’s death against her.
A sweet voice appeared in her mind,
Is she the new painter to portray the emperor’s new harem? She looks very evasive and I don’t like this. It seems that she has a skeleton in the closet.
The woman was the emperor’s sweetheart besides him but Qin Wanru was only an ordinary woman who had to kneel down by the road when seeing the emperor’s carriage at that time.
You stole my hair clasp, didn’t you? Btch, don’t forget you are only a pariah. Soldier! Slap her in the face!
the woman said very slowly with proud.
Another cold voice came out,
Soldier! Push her into the river! How dare she pick my favorite lotus!
The red light in her eyes gradually turned into blood red. She took a deep breath, gathered the scattered hostility in her body and pressed them in the bottom of her heart.
Suddenly, she expected to see what would happen in Duke Xing Mansion.
The noble family led to her tragedy in her last life. When hearing its name again today, her deep wounds were torn open exuding endless hostility.
Qin Yuru made a start of Qin Wanru’s tragedy, and then Shao Yanru ended her life. Nobody would know the so-called Young Lady Shao who was considered to be the most elegant woman in the capital city actually was an extremely malicious woman!
I must figure out why she hates me!
Outside the room, Chu Liuyue’s voice came out,
Why?
It sounded much calmer than before. Even so, Qin Wanru recognized the hostility from his pretended voice.
Chu Liuchen answered unconcernedly,
Nothing. I think Lady Shao is very nice. I once saw you two talking happily so I suppose whether you like her. If so, well coincidentally, I also like her!
He stretched out his fingers and knocked the chair.
His manner was so casual that it seemed that he was not talking about a lady but an ordinary woman in town.
Chu Liuyue’s face turned livid again but he had to suppress his anger. He said,
Watch your mouth, third brother. Lady Shao’s personality is extremely respectable. If father knew what you just said, you would be punished heavily.
He used the emperor as a shield.
Are you mad at me? You don’t need to take it too seriously. She dares to do that and I dare to comment. If she feels wronged and claims that she never talks to you in private, then just let her find me. I always have respect for evidence!
said Chu Liuchen. He was not afraid of Chu Liuyue’s words, but glanced at him and laughed.
I was to meet Duke Xing that day but he was not there. So I told Lady Shao to take a message for me!
explained Chu Liuyue impatiently.
Brother, I actually don’t care about your relationship with her. However, please tell her to mind her manners and don’t go to Consort Lan’s palace from time to time.
Chu Liuchen’s face suddenly turned gloomy and said,
Not everyone can go to Consort Lan’s palace. Why does she try to get along with people in that place?
Qin Wanru frowned behind the screen. She once heard of the Consort Lan but she never saw her. When she moved into the emperor’s palace, she did not meet her in her previous life. She only knew that the emperor had favored Consort Lan for a time but she fell into disfavor later and was not allowed to walk out her palace.
Not only that, the emperor even sent soldiers to guard the entrance of the palace for fear that somebody got into the palace. However, Consort Lan’s servants had free access. Only Consort Lan was grounded after being out of favor.
So before she died, Qin Wanru never saw this Consort Lan and never heard of the relationship between Chu Liuchen and Consort Lan. Consort Lan was still locked in the palace even when Chu Liuchen was promoted to be the crown prince.
Chu Liuyue struck back and said,
Does Consort Lan concern you?
I actually don’t like Shao Yanru. Is she going to marry uncle or you? But no matter who she will marry, she is still a Lady of Duke Xing Mansion now. Although others don’t know her, she still tries to play up to the former favored consort to know how to make uncle like her. How ambitious she is!
Chu Liuchen said scornfully and shot a glance at Chu Liuyue’s pale face. Suddenly, he seemed enlightened and he clapped his hand and said,
Oh elder brother! Please don’t tell me it is you that let her do these things!
What? No! Of course no!
shouted Chu Liuyue. He looked off color as his blue vein stood out on her neck.
Chu Liuyue got flustered,
If father knows these outrageous words, he will believe that I really did these!
If you did not do that, it is okay. I just want you to remind her that don’t visit Consort Lan. We all know that there are spies around that place. If someone thinks that she visits Consort Lan with an ulterior motive, the emperor’s harem will not pardon her even though she comes from Duke Xing Mansion.
Chu Liuchen said very slowly,
Originally, I have nothing to do with it but someone just came and let me warn Lady Shao!
Chu Liuyue asked in a low voice,
Who?
His hands in his sleeves trembled. He was always self-restraint so he forced himself to calm down.
You don’t need to know that. You know Duke Xing very well and I suppose you will not mind taking a message for me. But if Lady Shao does not agree, I will ask uncle to grant a marriage between Lady Shao and me. You know, I have not married any woman,
said Chu Liuchen unconcernedly.
You want to marry her?
asked Chu Liuyue. He suddenly understood what Chu Liuchen meant. Glaring at Chu Liuchen, he finally knew that what Chu Liuchen said before was only an excuse and Chu Liuchen just wanted to marry her.
Shao Yanru was a well-known lady endowed with both beauty and talent in the capital city. No wonder Chu Liuchen the invalid could not resist.
No, marrying me is not equal to be a princess!
answered Chu Liuchen. His eyes were so enchanting. He carefully adjusted his coat and continued to say impatiently,
I just told you in a humorous way. However, if she still does not agree, then I will not mind telling uncle…
Then he leaned against the chair and even closed his eyes for a rest. Although his manner was very irritating, because of his position in the palace, nobody could scold him or even dare touch him in that he was so weak that he might get hurt. If so, nobody could take responsibility.
Chu Liuyue felt angry and wronged but he had no idea. He could not tell his father that Chu Liuchen killed his men and even had to warn Shao Yanru not to visit Consort Lan for fear that his father would suspect.
Although he was the eldest son, the queen was not his natural mother so he was not the heir. It would be quite difficult for him to contend for the throne which meant that he should be very careful in the palace.
With a livid face, Chu Liuyue stood up and said impatiently,
Third brother, take a good rest. I shall leave now.
When Chu Liuyue left, Qin Wanru finally felt relieved. It was very quiet outside and she did not know what Chu Liuchen was doing. Then she held her breath and got closer to the screen trying to find out what happened outside. The silence was so weird. That was not like Chu Liuchen.
She could hear nothing, even breath sounds. Qin Wanru suddenly got flustered and thought nervously,
Is the prince still okay?
People would not have an accident in such a silent way except him. Qin Wanru was panic as she thought about the old woman who just had a recurrence of an old illness when she came here.
Is he still well after talking to Chu Liuyue?
Although she knew it was Chu Liuchen that kept provoking Chu Liuyue, it was hard to say whether Chu Liuchen still got well because of his poor health. He might go for wool and come home shorn.
Thinking this, she stood up quickly and went outside. If he really had a recurrence of illness, she could cure him. However, she feared that she might irritate him so she finally decided to figure out what happened outside near the screen.
She stopped beside the screen and put her hand on it. A sudden groan came into her ears and then she recognized that something just fell down. When she stretched out her head to see what happened, her face turned pale…
