Chapter 148 I will never admit to something I didn't do.
"Your Highness says that my daughter pulled the princess into the water, but has she asked the princess? Are there any confirmed eyewitnesses?"
Although Li Mu was kneeling on the ground, his voice was completely different from his previous gentle tone; it was neither humble nor arrogant.
Empress Xue's face was covered with a layer of frost.
"How dare you, Li Mu! Are you accusing me of framing your daughter? Ha, the daughter of a mere nobleman's son, do I need to make such a fuss?"
Li Mu bowed slightly.
"Your Majesty, I dare not. I know that Your Majesty the Empress is so noble that she could crush my entire family with a flick of her finger, but I also know that Your Majesty the Empress is not that kind of person."
Her Majesty the Empress only wants to seek justice for the princess, and so does I.
Even though I do not hold any official position in the court, as a parent, I absolutely cannot allow others to arbitrarily accuse my child.
"you!"
Empress Xue was furious and glared fiercely at Li Mu.
Then, pulling Princess Zhaoning aside, he asked urgently, "Tell me, was it Li Nanke who dragged you into the water?"
Princess Zhaoning shrank back, looking bewildered, intimidated by Empress Xue's furious expression.
"I...I don't know."
Empress Xue frowned. "Who pulled you into the water? Didn't you see? How could you not know?"
Princess Zhaoning stared wide-eyed and thought about it carefully, but her mind was completely blank.
She couldn't remember anything about what happened before and after she fell into the water.
"Mother, I really can't remember. I just remember being very scared and choking on water. Waaah, Mother."
Empress Xue tenderly embraced her and gently patted her back.
"Don't be afraid, with your mother here, no matter who dragged you into the water, your mother will not let them get away with it."
Then he gave instructions to the nanny beside him.
"Bring in Lady Zhao Song and the two palace maids who serve the princess, and let them tell the story of what happened to the Marquis of Anping."
"To avoid accusations that I'm favoring my own daughter."
On the other side.
Li Nanke was carried back by Tao's mother.
"Your Highness, the young lady is back."
It was indeed two maids, Zisu and Zilan, who ran out.
Zisu's eyes were red and swollen from crying. When she saw Li Nanke, she wiped away her tears and said, "It's so good that you're back safe and sound, Miss."
Where is Mother?
Li Nanke immediately realized that something was wrong.
Her mother was so worried about her, she would definitely be the first to run out and hug her.
Zilan cried and said, "The Crown Prince and his wife were summoned away by the Empress. Damn it, they said that you dragged the princess into the water."
The Empress has thrown a huge tantrum; I'm afraid the Crown Prince and his wife...
Before she could speak, Li Nanke slid off Tao's mother's back and ran away.
Zisu and Zilan exchanged a glance and quickly followed after them.
"Hey, girl!"
Li Nanke ignored him and ran towards the largest tent.
Erfeng, supporting Shen Cong, arrived late and happened to see Li Nanke's staggering figure.
Shen Cong glanced at Er Feng without a second thought.
"Go and find out what happened."
Li Nanke rushed to the tent, only to be stopped at the door by the imperial guards.
She craned her neck and shouted loudly inside.
"Your Majesty, I, Li Nanke, request an audience. I wish to confront the princess."
There was a moment of silence inside the tent, then Empress Xue's voice could be heard.
"Let her in."
Only then did the Imperial Guards let Li Nanke in.
A bunch of people were kneeling inside the tent.
Li Mu and Song Yi, the couple, scrutinized Li Nanke closely. Although their daughter's face was a little pale, her hair was loose, and her clothes were much shorter, her eyes were bright and piercing.
My heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.
Song Yi covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face. She wished she could hold her daughter in her arms right now and kiss her a few times to feel that her daughter was safe and sound.
Her daughter was only eight years old, and she was involved in everything from falling into the water to rescuing people, starting a fire, and climbing trees.
I don't know how much suffering she has endured, and now she's being framed. How can people be so wicked!
Li Nanke met Song Yi's teary eyes and felt a warmth in his heart, so he smiled slightly at her.
Only then did he kneel down to pay his respects.
Empress Xue sneered, "Li Nanke, how dare you confront the princess?"
Li Nanke looked up, her voice crisp and clear.
"I have a clear conscience and will never admit to anything I did wrong!"
Empress Xue raised an eyebrow, her face darkening.
"Such arrogance! I'd like to see how you prove yourself."
at the same time.
On the banks of the Bian River, Lady Xin Guogong saw Xie Xuanxiao looking sullen.
He held a handful of pebbles in his hand and threw them into the Bian River one by one.
The lanterns hanging on the shore reflected on his youthful face, giving him a gloomy air.
Lady Xin Guo stood silently for a moment, then walked over and patted Xie Xuanxiao on the shoulder.
"What happened today? Why weren't Miss Li and Princess Zhaoning brought back together?"
Xie Xuanxiao didn't hide anything from his mother and recounted what had happened.
"...Blame Li Nanke for being so stubborn, insisting on arguing with the princess. If he had just apologized and softened his stance, wouldn't we have brought her back? Doesn't he understand the principle that when you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head?"
Lady Xin frowned and glanced at her son indifferently.
"So, if you ever encounter a situation on the battlefield where you are outnumbered, can you surrender first and then wait for an opportunity to turn the tables and fight back?"
Xie Xuanxiao, as if he had guessed right, suddenly jumped up.
"How can that be the same? A scholar can be killed but not humiliated. My Xie family will not produce cowards who surrender without a fight. My son would rather die standing than live on his knees!"
Lady Xinguo snorted softly.
"Isn't it said that when you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head?"
"How can they be the same?"
"How is it different? Is it because the Li family girl is born to be bossed around by a princess? Even an eight-year-old child knows how to fight for herself and will never admit to doing anything wrong."
And yet, you went and forced that young girl to admit her mistake.
Xie Xuanxiao said sullenly, "Wasn't I doing this for her own good? If she doesn't apologize, the princess will leave her in the wilderness."
Besides, Mother, you didn't witness the interaction between her and the princess yourself, so how can you be sure that Li Nanke didn't bully the princess?
Lady Xin rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"Because your mother has brains!"
Xie Xuanxiao...
"I'm asking you, where did you find them?"
"At the edge of a grove of trees not far from Wujiapo."
"From here to Wujiapo, it's nearly ten miles. The water is swift, and two little girls, about seven or eight years old, floated in the water for two hours without drowning."
Princess Zhaoning can't swim, but Miss Li can. So why are they both safe and sound?
Xie Xuanxiao was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized what he meant.
"Mother, are you saying that Li Nanke saved Princess Zhaoning? An eight-year-old child swam to save another child? This... how is this possible?"
Lady Xinguo snorted softly.
"Although I don't know how Miss Li did it, I can guess the general idea if I think about it for a moment."
Regardless of what she did afterward, the princess couldn't abandon her in the wilderness just because of the life-saving grace she received.
Xie Xuanxiao's face stiffened as he suddenly remembered the words Li Nanke had said when he was persuading her to apologize.
"I only regret that all my kindness today was wasted!"
His expression changed slightly, and he murmured, "No wonder she would say such a thing."
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