Chapter 235: Turning the Tide 1

On the way to Chaoyang Palace,

Song Zhao and Li Changzai walked in front, while Xiao Fuzi and Yunshan followed behind, holding Rong Yue captive.

During this time, Song Zhao whispered to Li Changzai:

"When you see the emperor later, don't say anything. Just say that I discovered this first and you just happened to see it."

"This...I understand."

Although Li Changzai agreed verbally, he felt in his heart that Song Zhao wanted to take all the benefits for himself.

This was clearly something she discovered first. If she kept silent and just let Song Zhao gain the upper hand in front of Xiao Jingheng, wouldn't she be making things difficult for others?

Just when Li Changzai was full of thoughts,

Xiao Fuzi, who was walking behind, deliberately lowered her head to glance at the white jade inlaid on Prince An's official boots, and then raised her eyebrows imperceptibly and winked at Prince An.

When the group reached the corner of the long street outside Chaoyang Palace, Song Zhao first ordered Xiao Fuzi to let Rong Yue go.

Then he came to the gate of Chaoyang Palace and said to Xiao Yinzi who was guarding the gate:

"Please, Eunuch Yin, go in and tell the emperor that I have something important to discuss with him."

Xiao Yinzi said, "The Emperor is drinking and chatting happily with several princes in there right now. It's very lively. Why don't I go in and tell the Emperor to invite the Empress to join us?"

Song Zhao said, "Eunuch, please whisper to the emperor and tell him that the situation here is urgent and ask him to move to the side hall."

Xiao Yinzi rarely saw Song Zhao so serious.

Seeing that Li Changzai and Tong Changzai were following her, she didn't say anything more and hurried inside to inform Xiao Jingheng of the matter.

Everyone waited in the side hall for about a quarter of an hour before Xiao Jingheng arrived.

When he arrived, he didn't understand what was going on.

Song Zhao and Li Changzai were seen sitting on the side seats, while Rong Yue was kneeling in the hall, with Xiao Jingyan, who was drunk, standing beside her.

Everyone bowed to him and before he could raise his hand to ask them to stop bowing, they saw Li Changzai stepping out of Song Zhao's position and said to him impatiently:

"It's good that the emperor is here. We are at a loss as to what to do when something like this happens. We still have to rely on the emperor to make the decision."

Jamel Xiao glanced at her calmly, "What?"

Li Changzai suddenly pointed at Rong Yue and said, "Tong Chang is not a womanizer. She is openly flirting with Prince An in the palace and behaving intimately. She is really dissolute!"

Rong Yue anxiously argued: "I don't have any!"

'Pop'

A crisp slap sound came from Li Changzai's left cheek.

Xiao Jingheng slapped her without saying anything, and said angrily:

"nonsense!"

Li Changzai was stunned by the blow and felt even more aggrieved. He choked up and said:

"Your Majesty! I saw it with my own eyes! If you don't believe me, ask Concubine Yi, she saw it too!"

Xiao Jingheng's eyes were gloomy. He first glanced at Rong Yue and Prince An.

Then he fixed his eyes on Song Zhao, "What did you see?"

Song Zhao bowed to him and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, tonight your Majesty and the princes are having a good time drinking, and I prepared some hangover soup and wanted to bring it to your Majesty and the princes.

But halfway along the way, I happened to see Li Changzai in a panic. I asked her what she was doing, and then I learned that she saw Tong Changzai and Prince An arguing, and she was anxious to find the guards to take Tong Changzai down.

I thought that the matter had not been concluded yet, and it would be bad to alarm the guards. So I stopped her and followed her to check the situation. Who knew that at an abandoned stage, I actually saw Prince An holding Tong Changzai's arm, as if he was arguing with her. I couldn't make up my mind, so I had to bring Tong Changzai here first and let the emperor ask questions in person. "

Song Zhao's words were detailed and true.

Li Changzai immediately echoed from the side: "That's it! Your Majesty, I have not wronged Tong Changzai!"

Xiao Jingheng ignored him and looked at Prince An and Rong Yue with suspicion.

However,

Before he could ask, the drunken Prince An staggered in front of him and asked abruptly,

"I want to ask my brother, have you ever treated Concubine Tong harshly?"

Jamel Xiao glared at him angrily, “What are you talking about?”

Prince An burped drunkenly and mumbled:

"If my royal brother had not treated Concubine Tong harshly, why would she, a concubine in the palace, steal my things?"

"I didn't!" Rong Yue refuted vigorously, "Why is your Highness slandering me?"

"No?" Prince An sneered and wandered in front of her, raised two fingers to her, and said drunkenly:

"Two months ago, on my brother's birthday, I went to my mother's palace to get my brother's birthday gift. Maybe I drank too much and was confused on the way. After I got the gift, I found that the jade xun that I always wore close to my body was missing."

After saying that, he turned around and looked at Xiao Jingheng, patted his empty waist, and said loudly: "Brother Emperor, do you still remember it? It is the jade xun that my father gave to me."

Xiao Jingheng had a serious expression and remained silent, watching him act crazy while drunk.

Prince An continued, "I think that he must have knocked the jade flute off when he was vomiting on the rockery on the way to my mother's palace, so I turned back to look for it.

But I saw that Tong Chang picked up the jade flute. I wanted to go forward and get it back, but it happened that Concubine Yi was giving birth prematurely, and outsiders could not stay in the palace, so I left the palace first..."

Prince An looked very drunk.

He staggered as he spoke, and nearly tripped himself several times.

He held onto the handle of a yellow pear wood chair beside him, squinting his eyes and staring at Rong Yue with a dazed look.

"Today, I haven't seen my second brother for a long time. The emperor summoned me to the palace. I was so happy that I drank two more cups. Just now, the emperor saw that I was out of control and asked me to go out for some fresh air. Who knew that I would meet Tong Changzai again.

The jade xun was the only thing my father had left me, so I had to ask her to give it back. But she lied and said she had never seen it. I was so angry that I held her back and argued with her.

Prince An is Xiao Jingheng's most beloved younger brother.

Xiao Jingheng also knew that he was a drunkard and it was common for him to lose control of himself after drinking too much.

In addition, the jade xun was originally worn by Prince An every day, but when Xiao Jingheng took a quick look, he found that the jade xun was not on his waist.

If you think about it carefully, it might be that I haven’t seen it for some time.

So he asked Rong Yue, "On my birthday, you did leave early. Did you pick up anything that belonged to Prince An?"

"This... my concubine..."

Rong Yue stammered and looked extremely flustered, and couldn't answer a single word for a long time.

Song Zhao frowned slightly, as if she suddenly thought of something.

"Jade Xun? Your Majesty, do you remember that during Cheng Yu's full moon banquet, Tong Changzai gave me a gift wrapped in black nanmu wood?"

Xiao Jingheng thought for a moment, nodded and said, "It seems to be the case."

"The brocade box contains a jade xun. However, I am not familiar with music, so I have never touched it since I received it. I have kept it in the storehouse. Could it be that..."

Song Zhao suddenly looked at Rong Yue and said in surprise: "The full moon gift you gave to Cheng Yu was actually stolen by you from Prince An?" [Directions: Chapter 117]