Chapter 354 Handle
Mingzhu's face fell instantly, and the heroic spirit of "catching the thief" she had just displayed vanished without a trace, leaving only the guilt of having caused trouble.
She instinctively shrank back, wishing she could find a sack to cover herself up.
Huo Lin watched her transform from a "little hero" into a "little quail" in an instant, and the smile in his eyes deepened, but his face remained serious.
"Although you acted out of caution, you were too reckless, attacking an official of the court without asking questions. This trend should not be allowed to continue."
Just thinking about Shen Yi's embarrassed look made Huo Lin want to laugh with every word he said.
God knows how much effort he put into controlling his facial muscles!
Mingzhu lowered her head even further, her voice barely audible: "Uncle, I was wrong..."
"It's good that you know you were wrong." A mischievous glint flashed in Huo Lin's eyes. "Since you were the one who knocked him unconscious, you should take responsibility both morally and logically. I have already summoned the imperial physician. You will personally go to the side hall in a little while to watch the imperial physician treat and bandage Shen Yi, and take good care of him until he wakes up."
"Huh?" Mingzhu looked up, her little face scrunched up, her eyes full of resistance.
When Shen Yi wakes up and sees that it was she who did the dirty work, won't he settle all the old scores and tear her apart?
"Me, go take care of him? What if he hits me when he wakes up?"
Huo Lin raised an eyebrow: "What? You have the guts to knock someone over, but not the guts to take responsibility?"
This is a good opportunity to put these two enemies together, so that those who have grievances can complain and those who have grudges can get revenge, saving them from having to complain to each other in the future.
He killed two birds with one stone; he was truly brilliant.
Mingzhu wanted to cry but had no tears. She wanted to struggle a little more, but Huo Lin glared at her and she could only reluctantly agree.
"Oh... I see..."
Mingzhu accepted this arduous task, and followed the guards and imperial physicians carrying Chenyi to the side hall, looking back every few steps. Her back view was as desolate as a trembling fallen leaf.
The Imperial Study was temporarily quiet again.
Not long after, Jiang Huan strolled in slowly, carrying a bowl of freshly stewed bird's nest with rock sugar.
She could hear the commotion from Weiyang Palace. Pregnancy is boring enough, so why not join in the fun?
"What happened? I think I heard Mingzhu shouting outside, saying something like... arresting a traitor?"
She placed the stew pot on the table, her gaze sweeping over the scattered ropes and the empty burlap sack on the ground, and raised an eyebrow.
Am I too late?
As soon as Huo Lin saw her coming, he immediately waved to her, signaling her to come to his side.
He dismissed those around him and couldn't wait to share the amusing story from earlier.
"You didn't see what happened just now." His tone was filled with barely suppressed schadenfreude. "That girl Mingzhu, she stormed in with her head held high, pointed at that big sack on the ground, and said that it contained a traitor who had betrayed the country. I thought she had really caught some big fish, but guess who it was?"
Jiang Huan winked in agreement, a mischievous grin on her face: "Who is it? The Empress Dowager?"
Huo Lin poked her head and chuckled as he continued, "Once the sack is untied, Shen Yi is inside."
"Mingzhu mistook him for a spy, knocked him unconscious with a stick, and carried him in tied up like a dumpling. Hahaha, that guy is usually so shrewd, yet he was caught off guard. I had a hard time holding back my laughter."
[I got knocked out by a little girl; nobody would believe it if I told them.]
[I must write this down carefully, so I can bring it up and make fun of him whenever I have free time.]
Jiang Huan chuckled upon hearing this and couldn't help but punch him lightly.
"You're still laughing? Look how happy you are. Shen Yi is unlucky to have a friend like you who loves to watch the show. But speaking of which, is he alright? Did he hit him hard?"
"It's nothing, the imperial physician has examined him. It's just a swelling on the back of his neck. He'll be fine after a while. He's been through a lot since he was a child, so this little injury is nothing to him." Huo Lin waved his hand, his tone relaxed. "As for Mingzhu, I've sent her to the side hall to take care of Shenyi. This is to make amends for her mistakes and to stop her from being so impulsive all the time. It's time to teach her a lesson."
Jiang Huan chuckled: "You want Mingzhu to take care of Shen Yi? Aren't you afraid they'll fight? Shen Yi will be furious when he wakes up."
"It would be better if he were angry to death, so he could show off in front of me all day long." Huo Lin snorted, picked up the bowl of bird's nest, scooped out a spoonful, blew on it carefully, and held it to Jiang Huan's lips. "Here, have a taste. The temperature should be just right."
As the two were chatting and laughing, two restrained but clear knocks suddenly came from outside the hall.
"Knock knock—"
Huo Lin paused, and exchanged a glance with Jiang Huan.
Why does that knocking sound a little mournful?
I suddenly have a bad feeling.
"Go in," Huo Lin responded loudly.
The palace doors were pushed open, and Shen Yi stood expressionless at the entrance.
He had changed into clean clothes, his dark hair was neatly combed, but his complexion was not good, and a small trace of plaster could be faintly seen on the back of his neck.
He walked in, looked at the two of them, his eyes slightly cold, conveying a chilling feeling.
Both of them felt guilty for a moment, as if they had been caught red-handed talking badly about someone behind their back.
Huo Lin coughed lightly, almost laughing again: "Ahem, you're awake? Are you alright?"
[His face is so dark; he must be really angry.]
Where did Mingzhu go? Wasn't she supposed to be watching over her?
Shen Yi straightened up, looking at Huo Lin with a forced smile: "Thanks to His Majesty's good fortune, I am temporarily unharmed, but..."
He paused, then said softly, "I just heard some cheerful laughter coming from inside the palace. I wonder what joyous occasion has made Your Majesty and the Empress so happy? Could you tell me about it so that I may share in the joy?"
Huo Lin remained calm and composed, spouting nonsense with a straight face: "You misheard. We were just discussing some everyday anecdotes."
Shen Yi raised an eyebrow and drawled, "Really? But why do I seem to vaguely hear words like 'sack' and 'capsizing in a ditch'?"
Huo Lin: ...
[I can't keep up the act anymore.]
Jiang Huan's shoulders trembled as she tried to suppress her laughter, and she quickly tried to smooth things over: "Lord Shen, please don't be offended. His Majesty was just confused because he was worried."
Shen Yi looked at Jiang Huan, his expression softening slightly, and his tone became more gentle.
"Your Majesty is too kind. I dare not accept such praise. The princess is young, how could I possibly hold it against her?" He said, then changed the subject, his gaze falling back on Huo Lin. "However, I have suffered this undeserved calamity, both physically and mentally. Shouldn't Your Majesty offer some words of support?"
Huo Lin raised an eyebrow: "What kind of gesture do you want?"
Shen Yi stepped forward: "Your Majesty, I ask for nothing more than to come and have a drink with me as a gesture of comfort and to calm my nerves."
Huo Lin refused without even thinking: "I'm busy!"
[With so many beautiful women around, why bother with me? You could just find anyone to keep you company while you drink.]
[I am a married man, you know.]
"Oh, Your Majesty must be busy trying to please the Empress. That's fine then. I'll go drink by myself. But if I get drunk, I'm afraid my words won't be reliable."
Shen Yi seemed to have anticipated his refusal, and calmly took two steps forward, moving closer to the imperial desk.
"But drinking alone is boring, so I need to find some snacks to go with it. Hey, what was the name of that comic book you told me about last time? Let me go take a look."
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