Chapter 201: Being too clever

The queen looked up in astonishment and looked at the emperor in disbelief.

The emperor's eyes were cold as ice: "Why? You still don't want to thank me?"

The queen's heart was pounding and she clenched her hands in her sleeves. She never expected that the emperor would make such a decision.

Why?

Because of that family of three? But there was no solid evidence. Although those two people fell into Fu Qingyin's hands, one of them was doomed to die, and the other... as long as he hadn't spoken yet, there was room for maneuver.

Imperial Concubine Shu took the opportunity to say, "Your Majesty, I am still worried about framing the Crown Prince, I am afraid..."

The emperor looked at her, his mood still unamused. Imperial Concubine Shu took it as a good idea and knelt down to pay her respects according to the rules.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will definitely help you share your worries."

"That palace lady, give her a proper burial."

"Yes," replied Concubine Shu.

The emperor glanced at Yu Shengsheng and said, "You are very good. Since you like calligraphy and painting, I will give you two famous paintings and one hundred taels of gold."

Yu Shengsheng quickly bowed to express his gratitude.

"Qing Yin," the emperor rubbed his brows, "interrogate him carefully. If he died in Zhenqiao Tower, there is no need to report to me."

Fu Qingyin's eyes flickered: "Yes, I understand."

The emperor stared at the prince for a long while, and cold sweat broke out on the prince's forehead.

After a long while, the emperor said in a deep voice: "The prince has lost his manners. Go to the prince's mansion to cultivate your character and copy Buddhist scriptures. You don't have to attend court these days!"

The prince's eyes narrowed, and his heart seemed to be grasped by a big hand.

Cultivating one's character means that his character is not good enough, and copying Buddhist scriptures means that he is considered a suspect of murder.

No need to go to court...what will the officials think?

He is the crown prince, the heir to a country. If he doesn't attend court and doesn't take care of affairs, how can he stand in front of the officials?

The queen's face turned pale: "Your Majesty..."

The emperor waved his hand, interrupting her and asking them all to leave.

Yu Shengsheng looked at the mother and son, and the anger that had been pent up in her heart finally came out by half.

Walking out of the study and feeling the sunshine, it feels like living a new life.

The queen tilted her head to look at her: "Shengsheng, you are really capable."

Yu Shengsheng bowed straight and said, "The Queen taught you well."

The queen snorted coldly, flicked her sleeves and left. Losing the power to manage the six palaces was undoubtedly the heaviest slap in the face for her as the queen.

The prince looked at Yu Shengsheng with a vicious look, but Fu Qingyin's red robe blocked his view.

"Your Highness, do you need me to send someone to escort you?"

He wanted to return to the Prince's Mansion outside the palace, not the East Palace.

He couldn't help but feel panic in his heart. Could it be that the emperor wanted to change the owner of the East Palace?

What exactly happened this time?

He had no recollection of the murder of Concubine Yu.

How did it turn out like this?

"Commander, you better investigate the case. It has not been closed yet. I did not kill Concubine Yu. I hope you can find the murderer as soon as possible."

The prince said this, then he flicked his sleeves and left.

Yu Shengsheng looked at him and he didn't look like he was acting. Didn't he know that?

Could it be that...

Concubine Shu sighed and said, "My Lady, why don't you go to me and add some color to the unfinished painting?"

"……yes."

Yu Shengsheng didn't want to think about it, but she vaguely felt that Concubine Shu should have the answer.

Fu Qingyin turned his finger ring lightly: "My queen, is one hour enough? The princess is temporarily staying in Zhenqiao Tower, and I have to wait for her to leave the palace together."

"Commander, are you afraid that I will detain her? Don't worry, if it's too late, someone will send her back."

Concubine Shu smiled gently, but did not say whether one hour was enough.

When they arrived at Concubine Shu's palace, she took off her plain robe, put on gorgeous clothes, leaned on the beauty couch, and closed her eyes.

Yu Shengsheng stood at the drawing table, coloring the last painting.

"Has Xingyao ever seen you?"

Yu Shengsheng kept writing: "Your Majesty, I have seen him once."

"What do you mean?"

"The eldest master was looking for the fifth young lady at the time and was in a hurry, so he really didn't say anything."

Concubine Shu replied calmly: "Remember to wear the sachet, it is a good thing that can help you succeed."

"yes."

Yu Shengsheng agreed, but she was thinking in her heart, it seemed... she hasn't seen Lu Xingyao since that day when she took off the sachet.

"Do you think the prince is the murderer of Concubine Yu?" Concubine Shu suddenly asked.

Yu Shengsheng was silent for a moment: "I dare not speak nonsense."

Imperial Concubine Shu curled her lips slightly: "He is not, but even if he is not, he will have to swallow his anger this time."

Yu Shengsheng raised her eyes and looked at her: "He is not, but... the queen?"

Concubine Shu chuckled and said, "Our queen is very clever and scheming. Unfortunately, she forgot that being too clever can backfire."

Yu Shengsheng's heart was pounding and a drop of ink almost fell from the tip of the pen. She quickly caught it with her palm.

The palms of my hands are icy cold.

The half-dead Xianglan, the Xing'er who jumped into the well...

No way!

She looked up at Concubine Shu. The golden light outside the window shone through the branches of the trees under the corridor and gently enveloped her.

The gorgeous clothes glowed with a faint light, which contrasted with the shadows of the branches and leaves, some deep and some light.

Yu Shengsheng felt a chill on her back and her fingers trembled slightly.

Imperial Concubine Shu seemed nonchalant: "Are you used to living in Zhenqiao Tower?"

Yu Shengsheng swallowed lightly and said in a deep voice: "Zhenqiao Tower is where criminals are kept. I am terrified and dare not get used to it."

Concubine Shu opened her eyes slightly, but a cold light flashed in her beautiful eyes.

"I have never seen Fu Qingyin defend someone like this before."

Yu Shengsheng lowered her eyes and said self-deprecatingly, "Your Highness, you are joking. How can this minister be so worthy of such honor? It's just that when I was in the countryside earlier, I met an injured commander and gave him some medicine."

"really?"

"I dare not lie."

Imperial Concubine Shu waved her hand and said, "Look at Luo Yunzhi, clear my name and remove the suspicion. I will give you some fabric to make clothes."

"Thank you, Madam."

Concubine Shu said no more, closed her eyes and rested, as if she had fallen asleep.

Yu Shengsheng was standing at the table coloring, and her legs and feet were numb from standing so long.

It was not until more than an hour later, when the color was applied, that Concubine Shu ordered someone to escort her out of the palace.

Fu Qingyin's carriage was still there. Hao Mengye was outside the window, saying something. When he saw her come out, he stopped quickly.

"Princess, get in the car."

Yu Shengsheng glanced at Concubine Shu’s palace maid who had not yet left and sighed secretly. A small figure like her would be affected by the power struggle in the upper echelons.

I got on the bus reluctantly and finally sat down. My legs were sore and numb.

Fu Qingyin took a look at the pieces of fabric and asked, "Did she give it to you as a reward?"

"Yes," Yu Shengsheng said concisely.

"What else did you say?"

Yu Shengsheng thought about it and hesitated: "Commander, do you think the prince is the murderer?"

Fu Qingyin said without hesitation: "No."

Yu Shengsheng was surprised: "Why?"

When he was investigating the case and looking for clues, didn't he have any doubts at all?

"It is true that the Crown Prince's character is not very good and he has killed people, but it is not a trivial crime for him to be in charge of the East Palace. Caution is the first rule."

"As the crown prince, he grew up in the palace. The queen would have warned him repeatedly not to have any thoughts about the women in the palace."

"That's the basics. Just imagine, how could such a prince rape and kill Concubine Yu on a day like Mid-Autumn Festival?"