Chapter 50 I Don’t Like to Eat
Chapter 56: First Meeting with Concubine Mei
"You... have been watching?" Ye Qingyu asked in disbelief.
"Ah, no, I didn't see it! I was afraid of polluting my beautiful eyes, so I just listened for a while. Fortunately, I found the person who changed the key, otherwise I wouldn't go. You let Qingfeng go!" Qingyi quickly denied.
"Qingfeng treats you well, doesn't he? If you don't want to go, why order him around?" Ye Qingyu defended his guards.
"I don't want to go. If he doesn't go, will he let you go?" Qing Yi asked back.
"Then let Qingfeng go." Ye Qingyu thought for a moment and felt that it would be better for Qingyi to have less contact with such an unsightly scene.
"Hahahaha..." Qing Yi laughed loudly.
After Qing Yi and Ye Qingyu finished talking about the incident with Eunuch Wang, they turned the topic to the matter of Hong Yue stealing the key.
"Which palace does this Red Moon belong to?"
"Isn't her master the concubine of the emperor who stayed overnight? Let's ask Eunuch Chang later and we'll know the truth." As he spoke, Ye Qingyu stood up.
"Xiaoye, you pack up. I'm leaving first!" Qing Yi also stood up. This time, he didn't insist on serving the little prince himself. After all, facts have proven that he really doesn't have the ability to serve others.
"..." Ye Qingyu looked at the boy's back as he left in a leisurely manner and couldn't help but complain in his heart, he ran so fast.
Qingfeng returned late, and only saw him after Ye Qingyu and Qingyi had finished breakfast. Qingfeng went to spy on the Imperial Household Department this time, and encountered the same situation as Qingyi: a beautiful palace maid went to seduce the Imperial Household Department's staff, and then secretly changed the key back.
"The Chief of the Imperial Household Department and the Supervisor of Ceremonies were both bewitched by beauty, which is why they had the key stolen. What about the Commander of the Imperial Guards, Chen Yan? Could he also be bewitched by women?" Qing Yi asked.
"Reporting to the young prince, Lord Chen Yan requests an audience." A young eunuch from Luohua Palace came to report.
"Please come in." Ye Qingyu ordered.
Chen Yan walked into the hall and bowed respectfully to the Little Prince of the Northwest: "Little Prince."
"Master Shen, please don't be so polite." Ye Qingyu waved his hand, dismissed the servants of Luohua Palace, and then gave Chen Yan a seat.
"It was indeed Zhao Quan's doing. He put drugs in my food. Fortunately, I have been vigilant these days and didn't fall for his trick." Chen Yan sighed with lingering fear.
"Well, what are you laughing at?" Chen Yan noticed the young man named Qing Yi. Could it be that he was laughing at him?
"Ah, nothing, nothing!"
"Young Prince, why is he laughing?" Chen Yan looked at Ye Qingyu.
Ye Qingyu glanced at Qing Yi, who understood instantly. After all, Shen Yan was their ally now, and they couldn't harbor any resentment. So he told the truth, "I thought that Eunuch Wang and the Imperial Household Department sent beauties to seduce us, but when it came to you, it became drugging. Aren't you at a disadvantage?"
"Hey, you kid!" Chen Yan almost couldn't hold it in, his face slightly flushed.
"Qing Yi, stop talking nonsense. Who is Lord Shen? How could he be deceived by a little palace maid?" Ye Qingyu scolded Qing Yi, but his tone was quite indifferent. In Shen Yan's opinion, this scolding was a bit perfunctory.
"Alas, it's also my fault for not being on guard. Zhao Quan is good at martial arts, and because of his relationship with Concubine Mei, he has always been conscientious in his duties and low-key. I also admire his talent, so I really treated him as a brother at first. It wasn't until the night of the Lantern Festival this year that I accidentally saw him behaving intimately with Concubine Mei, and then I realized something was wrong." Chen Yan was annoyed.
He had been holding this matter in his heart for nearly half a year, never daring to speak openly to the Emperor. After all, the Emperor's fondness for Concubine Mei was known to everyone in the court. Even if Concubine Mei and Zhao Quan were truly having an affair, if the Emperor killed them both, he would probably resent anyone who spoke of it in the future, and not only would he not achieve any merit, he would also get into trouble.
"Lord Shen, don't worry too much. The truth will eventually come out. No matter who it is, I will investigate and punish them." Ye Qingyu comforted him. He naturally understood Shen Yan's concerns. The Emperor of Chu would be happy to investigate the jade theft case, but revealing that his beloved concubine had an affair with someone else would undoubtedly be a slap in the face of the Emperor of Chu. The Emperor would feel ashamed, and no one who did this would be liked.
"Everything is decided by the young prince." Chen Yan was very smart. With the support of the young prince of the Northwest, he could also give an explanation to the emperor.
"Don't alert the enemy. I have already arranged people to follow him in Xihua Prefecture. Lord Shen, please keep a close eye on Zhao Quan to prevent him from doing something that endangers the emperor after his deeds are exposed. After the queen's birthday celebration, they should replace the real key again and arrest the person then. I have already ordered people to investigate Concubine Mei, so don't alert her for now." Ye Qingyu gave the orders in an orderly manner.
"Yes." Several people responded in unison.
After the discussion was complete, Chen Yan said goodbye and left.
"Let's go back to the palace today," Ye Qingyu said. Qing Yi was overjoyed after hearing this. Finally, he didn't have to stay in the palace anymore. It was too boring. Although the palace was large, it was not a place where you could enter and exit as you pleased. It was not interesting at all. At least there was no one to supervise him in the palace.
After the three of them packed up, Ye Qingyu went to bid farewell to the Emperor of Chu. Coincidentally, the Emperor of Chu and Concubine Mei were admiring the flowers in the back garden. Ye Qingyu asked Qingyi and Qingfeng to wait outside while she went to see the Emperor alone.
"Uncle Emperor, Empress Mei." Ye Qingyu knelt down and saluted.
"Get up, get up! There is no outsider here, so there is no need to perform such a grand ceremony." The Emperor of Chu looked particularly happy.
"Young prince is polite." Concubine Mei stood up, smiled slightly, and greeted softly.
This was Ye Qingyu's first time meeting Concubine Mei. In the past, he had only heard that the Emperor of Chu had taken in a new favorite concubine, but Concubine Mei had always been low-key and never used her favor to become arrogant. She always found excuses to decline various royal family banquets and rarely attended.
Ye Qingyu couldn't help but look up, taking in the appearance of this woman who was the most favored among the six imperial concubines. Concubine Mei was incredibly beautiful, and her every move exuded gentleness and courtesy. No wonder the emperor was so obsessed with her!
"Qingyu, what's the important matter that you want to talk to me about?" Emperor Chu put down his wine glass, looked at Ye Qingyu in front of him, and asked.
"Uncle Emperor, I plan to stay in the palace for a while."
"You've only been here for a few days, and you're already leaving the palace?" Emperor Chu picked up the wine glass, took another sip, and looked at Ye Qingyu.
Chapter 57 Their Preferences
"Uncle Emperor, seeing that the Queen's birthday is approaching, my father specially sent someone from Northwest City to deliver a gift. I am worried about it and want to go back and take a closer look." Ye Qingyu replied calmly.
Upon hearing this, the Emperor of Chu smiled amiably and said, "Well, if you have anything to do, you can go back. Whenever you want to stay in the palace for a while, you can come back at any time. There are few people in your palace, so if you need anything, just tell me." The Emperor of Chu's tone was full of concern.
Mei Fei, who was standing beside the Emperor Chu, also truly felt the Emperor Chu's favor for the young prince from the northwest. It was just as the rumors said, he even favored him more than the other princes.
"Uncle Emperor, I do have a favor to ask of you. I want to ask you for something."
"Oh? What do you want? Just tell me." The Emperor of Chu smiled with interest. It was rare for the usually indifferent little prince of the northwest to speak.
"My nephew wants to ask for a few jars of agarwood."
"That's it!" Emperor Chu smiled bitterly. He had been trying his best to satisfy his nephew, but the child seemed indifferent to everything in the world. After finally opening his mouth, he only asked for a few jars of wine.
"Yeah." Ye Qingyu responded softly.
"Duofu, send one hundred jars of agarwood to the palace." The King of Chu waved his hand and gave the order immediately.
"Uncle Emperor, one hundred jars are too many. Ten jars are enough." Ye Qingyu said hurriedly, thinking to himself that one hundred jars of agarwood would probably turn Qingyi into a complete drunkard.
"Qingyu, it's rare that you ask me for money. It's okay to give as much as you want. This is not too much." The Emperor of Chu said generously.
Ye Qingyu refused many times, and finally the King of Chu ordered Eunuch Duofu to send thirty jars of agarwood to the Northwest Palace.
After Ye Qingyu left, Mei Fei asked softly, "Your Majesty, why do you favor the Little Prince of the Northwest so much?"
The King of Chu picked up the wine glass, took a sip, and said, "It's just a few jars of wine, nothing!" He was in a particularly good mood today. The fact that Qing Yu took the initiative to ask him for agarwood meant that the child was willing to get close to him.
"It's more than just a few jars of wine!" Mei Fei said with a smile, a subtle hint of meaning flashing in her eyes.
The King of Chu seemed lost in reminiscence, and said with some emotion: "This child has experienced many hardships since childhood, and his path to growth has been quite difficult. Why shouldn't I love him more?"
Mei Fei gently stroked her belly and said in a tender voice, "If my child is born, Your Majesty, will you love him as much as you love the little prince?"
The Emperor of Chu reached out and gently stroked Mei Fei's belly, his eyes filled with love as he said, "Don't worry, my dear. Since he is our prince, I will naturally love him as I do my other princes." However, he never mentioned that this unborn child would receive the same special treatment as the Little Prince of the Northwest. Although Mei Fei did not receive the answer she hoped for, she did not show any emotion, simply snuggling quietly beside the Emperor of Chu.
Ye Qingyu bid farewell to the King of Chu and returned to the palace with Qingyi and Qingfeng. As they reached the gate, they saw Chief Steward Lin leading a group of family members to greet them. Everyone knelt on the ground in unison, and the scene was truly spectacular. Qingyi couldn't help but grin, thinking to himself: Wow, this is quite a grand occasion.
"Young Prince, this is the list of gifts sent by the Prince." After everyone finished paying their respects, Manager Lin hurried forward and reported everything about the Prince's Mansion to Ye Qingyu.
"Yes." Ye Qingyu reached out to take the gift list and examined it carefully.
Qing Yi sat for a while, feeling extremely bored. He said hello to Ye Qingyu and planned to go out for a walk. As he walked to the front yard, he saw Qingqing coming towards him with a large package in her hands.
"What is this?"
"Mr. Qingyi, where are you going? It just so happens that this is a new dress I made for you. Try it on and see if it fits you." He said with a gentle smile.
"Ah, made for me? I already have clothes to wear!" Qing Yi was a little surprised.
"The master specifically ordered this. This is new material from the palace. It's very comfortable to wear." He explained softly.
"Oh, then put it in my room first, and I'll try it again at night." Qing Yi didn't expect Ye Qingyu to be so thoughtful, and couldn't help feeling a little emotional.
"Yes." He replied softly and was about to leave.
"Um, wait, give me the clothes, I'll try them on right away." Qing Yi changed his mind again. He couldn't hide Xiao Ye's feelings!
Qing Yi took the clothes and tried them on in the inner room. They were indeed made of high-quality material, soft to the touch, and very comfortable to wear. He carefully selected a set and put it on, then walked out of the room and asked Qing Qing, "Qing Qing, do I look handsome in this?"
He smiled lightly and nodded pretentiously: "Handsome, the second most handsome man in the world!"
"Hey, Qing girl, is there anyone who praises others like you? Second in the world? Then who is number one in the world? Your master?" Qing Yi found it funny and couldn't help asking.
"Of course! The master is the most handsome wherever he goes!" Qingqing said it as a matter of course. She was not afraid that Qingyi would be jealous.
"Well, okay, although I don't quite agree with it, I can still accept it if it is ranked below him." Qing Yi said with pretended magnanimity.
"Mr. Qingyi's mind is becoming more and more broad." He praised gently.
"Look at what you said, it seems as if I was not generous before!" Qing Yi shook his head, looking helpless.
"You don't know whether you're being generous or not!" He muttered softly, and with Qing Yi's hearing, he could hear it clearly. The two of them often bickered like this, which actually added a lot of fun to life in the palace.
"Master Qingyi, is the palace fun?" Feng asked curiously. She had never been to the palace yet. Every time the master entered the palace, he only brought Qingfeng with him.
"It's fun. The palace maids in Xiaoye's Luohua Palace are so beautiful." Qing Yi said with a smile.
"Ah! Well..." Qingqing wanted to say something, but didn't know how to start.
"However, Xiaoye didn't even look at them." Qing Yi saw the girl's disappointed face and said with a smile.
"Oh, is that so? The master only has you in his heart and eyes, how could he look at anyone else!" he said softly.
"Well, little Qing, you understand your master. We will take you with us wherever we go in the future! Don't worry, we will love you like a younger sister." Qing Yi was born with a pair of smiling eyes, which made people feel close to her.
"..." Qingqing didn't expect Qingyi to say such words. She was just a maid in the palace, an orphan without parents. No one had ever said such words to her: love her like a sister!
Even her beloved master had never said such a thing! Qingqing felt her eyes burning with tears welling up inside. How could this brat say such cheesy words so easily?
Chapter 58: Love the House and the Dog
"What? You don't want to follow your master anymore? Well, after all, you will get married in the future, and then you won't have room for anyone else in your heart..." Qing Yi teased.
"Bah! You little rascal, stop talking nonsense here! Wherever the master is, there I will be! You...you are only the same age as me, why do you call yourself my brother!" Qingqing blushed as if to dispel the inexplicable emotion in her heart and started arguing with Qingyi.
"Ah? We are the same age? How is that possible! You must be younger than me!" Qing Yi's face was full of suspicion, and his brows were furrowed.
"That's right! Your birthday is in October, but mine is in July. So, by this calculation, I am three months older than you!" She said Qingqing confidently.
"This...you girl, how do you know my birthday?" Qing Yi was speechless for a moment, not knowing how to refute.
"Hmph!" He snorted softly, feeling slightly pleased with himself.
"Hey, Qing girl, you can't just look at it like that. Our relationship has to start from your master, right? He is older than you and treats you as his sister. You also know the relationship between him and me, so naturally I treat you as my sister." Qing Yi was not willing to admit defeat easily, and hurriedly racked his brains to defend himself.
"...How is this possible?" Her gentle voice suddenly dropped, and a hint of unconcealable loneliness flashed in her eyes. She knew in her heart that she was just one of many maids, so how could she dare to expect her master to treat her as a sister? Only someone like Qing Yi, who had never lived under royal power and did not understand the rules, would say such words without paying attention to social status.
"Hey, don't worry, I'm here! As long as you recognize me as your brother, I guarantee that your master will also recognize you as his sister!" Qing Yi saw Qingwei's slight disappointment and made a promise.
"Don't try to trick me here! I don't believe you!" Qingqing said this, but the worry on her face had dissipated and she smiled. She understood more and more that this boy was indeed different from others. No wonder his master, such a favored child, fell in love with him.
"I am a hero who always keeps my word. Just wait and see, Qing girl, you have to be nicer to me in the future!" Qing Yi said jokingly with a smile on his face.
"When have I been mean to you? If it weren't for me, would you have gotten to know my master?" Qingqing felt particularly happy and retorted with a smile.
"Here you go again! How many times have you said this? You're so talkative at such a young age. But don't worry, I, Qing Yi, will remember your great kindness, Miss Qing, for the rest of my life." Qing Yi never spoke in a serious manner. Perhaps it was because they were of similar age and both had lively and active personalities. Compared to other people, they were always talking and laughing, and there were endless topics to talk about.
The two were walking and chatting animatedly when they suddenly saw Butler Lin directing the servants to move things.
"Uncle Lin, what are you busy with?" Qing Yi asked. He had always had a keen nose and had already smelled the rich aroma of wine. He was wondering who had sent so much good wine.
"Young Master Qingyi, this is the agarwood wine bestowed by the emperor. The young prince ordered it to be moved into the wine cellar." When Manager Lin saw that it was Qingyi, he hurriedly responded politely.
"Are they all agarwood wine?" Qing Yi was overjoyed when he heard it. He had been thinking about this wine for a long time.
"Thirty jars in total." Manager Lin reported truthfully.
"Why do we have to put it in a wine cellar? Send these ten jars to my room so I can try them first." Qing Yi said bluntly.
"This..." Steward Lin was a bit embarrassed. If it was the palace's own wine, he would definitely give it to the young prince's benefactor without hesitation. But this was, after all, a gift from the Emperor of Chu, not the palace's property. He didn't dare to make a decision on his own.
"Why, you're reluctant to give it to me?" Qing Yi guessed that it must be the agarwood wine that Xiao Ye asked for for him. Why is Manager Lin so stingy?
"Master Qingyi, this is the wine bestowed by the Emperor of Chu. I dare not make the decision on my own. I have to ask the young prince for instructions." Steward Lin explained respectfully.
"Uncle Lin, do you think the young prince would be reluctant to give me even a few jars of wine?" Qing Yi asked, looking at Steward Lin with a half-smile.
"This... Young Master Qingyi, it's not that the young prince is reluctant to let go, it's just that the royal rules are very strict. The items bestowed by the emperor to the palace can only be used after the master gives the order. This old servant dare not make the decision on his own." Steward Lin felt that this young man named Qingyi was really arrogant. Even though he had saved the young prince, he should pay attention to his identity and not take himself too seriously.
"Don't worry, no matter how many jars I want, the young prince will definitely give them to me." Qing Yi said confidently.
"Then please ask Master Qingyi and the young prince for instructions. I will be waiting here." Manager Lin is a smart man. He doesn't want to offend Qingyi, but he also can't break the rules of the palace.
"Oh, what a trouble! Qingqing, go and tell the young prince that I want ten jars of agarwood wine delivered to my room." Qing Yi said carelessly. With so many people watching around, he planned to show off the young prince's preference for him.
"Yes." He replied softly and turned to report. Qing Yi was chatting with Manager Lin in a random manner, making Manager Lin smile.
After a while, Qingqing and Ruyi came back together.
"Qingqing, what did the young prince say?" Qing Yi asked loudly, deliberately raising his voice.
"Um, Master Qingyi, the young prince said that he would give you a jar of agarwood wine today." He spoke softly in a low voice.
"What? Just one jar?" Qing Yi's eyes widened. He had never expected Xiao Ye to only give him one jar. Hadn't they begged for all this wine just for him? He suddenly felt embarrassed.
"Then I will follow the young prince's instructions and deliver this jar of agarwood wine to your room," said Chief Steward Lin, still smiling, his face showing no surprise at all. Qing Yi secretly glanced at Ruyi, who had come with Qingqing, and the other servants of the palace, feeling that they seemed to be mocking him for overestimating his own abilities.
"..." Qing Yi wanted to be stubborn and refuse, but when he thought about the rich taste of the agarwood wine, he thought, "One jar is enough. Even if it's sent to the palace wine cellar, what's the harm?" He really didn't believe he couldn't drink it. But Xiao Ye was really too mean this time, actually being so stingy.
Chapter 59: Qing Yi is attacked
Qingyi glanced at Ruyi who was standing next to Qingqing, and thought to himself: This girl must be here to laugh at me!
"Since the young prince has said so, then let's do as he says! Thank you, Uncle Lin." Qing Yi politely bowed to Steward Lin. Steward Lin looked at the young man now and didn't think he was as arrogant as before. Thinking back to the few days he'd been staying at the palace, he'd been drinking all day long. He was indeed a wine lover. Perhaps it was just his youthful, straightforward, and outspoken personality. The young man was witty and humorous, and he was quite an interesting person.
After Qing Yi finished speaking, he started walking away, and Qing Qing hurriedly followed.
"Master Qingyi, where are we going?" he asked softly.
"We? When did I say I wanted to go out with you?" Qing Yi turned his head to look at Qingqing who was following closely behind him.
"Ah? You want to leave the house by yourself?" Qingqing asked in surprise.
"Well, is that not possible? Why do you always follow me instead of following your master? If someone doesn't know, they would think you have some improper thoughts about me!" Qing Yi gave a wicked smile.
"You! So annoying!" Qingqing was originally a little touched by Qingyi's performance just now, but after a while, this kid said such words and said that he had feelings for her. It was simply nonsense!
"If you hate me, don't follow me!" Qing Yi continued to walk towards the gate of the palace in a casual manner.
"Hey! Wait a minute, my master asked me to follow you!" Qingqing said helplessly.
"Go tell your master that I want to go out for a walk by myself and don't need anyone to follow me." Qing Yi waved his hand, and his steps became lighter and lighter.
"Are you angry with the master because of Chenxiang? Then go find him, don't take it out on me, okay?" She muttered softly, intending to go find the master to complain. However, as soon as she looked up, a blue figure suddenly jumped in front of her, frightening her so much that she screamed, "Ah!"
"Hey! What are you yelling about?" Qing Yi was also startled by Qing Qing's sudden scream. He looked around and saw that the servants of the palace had heard the commotion and cast curious glances at him.
"You, why are you back?" he asked softly, thinking to himself that this brat must be afraid of being scolded by his master, so he turned back.
"Well, I don't have any silver. Go get me some!"
"......!" Qingqing was choked by Qingyi's words and was speechless for a moment. She didn't know what to say.
"I have money. I can just pay for whatever you want to buy!" It turned out that the boy came back because he had no money.
"Do you have enough silver? Don't want to have to come back to get it later? It's so troublesome! Why don't you go and get me some silver?"
"What do you want to buy? I have a lot here, not enough for you to spend?" Qingqing was afraid that Qingyi would not believe her, so she took off her purse from her waist and shook it in front of Qingyi.
"Let me see if it's enough?" Qing Yi snatched the purse before Qing Qing could react, then laughed heartily: "Hahahahahaha, lend me this money first, and I'll let Xiao Ye pay you back later!"
As soon as Qing Yi finished speaking, he used his Qing Gong skills and disappeared in the blink of an eye. He was so angry that he stamped his feet lightly: "This brat! How shameless! He actually stole my wallet!"
Let’s not talk about Qingqing going to Ye Qingyu to complain angrily. Let’s just talk about Qingyi, who walked out of the house alone with the stolen money bag in his arms, humming a little tune.
Ever since arriving in the capital, Qing Yi had felt constrained. While at the palace, he had to constantly be mindful of Xiao Ye, the young prince's noble status, and his words and actions had to be cautious. Once in the imperial palace, the rules were even more numerous, making even casual wandering a luxury. During their initial arrival in the capital, Qing Qing and I took a stroll through the streets, but unfortunately, we ran into Uncle Xue's youngest son, Xue An, which completely ruined our fun.
Qing Yi strolled onto a busy street and spotted a crowd of people gathered in the distance, their cheers and applause unceasing. He loved to join in the fun, so he quickened his pace and moved closer.
As he approached, Qing Yi struggled to squeeze through the crowd. He saw a man and a monkey performing a juggling act. The monkey was clever and playful, its movements comical, drawing bursts of laughter from the crowd. Qing Yi also found it very amusing and watched with great interest.
As he was engrossed in the scene, Qing Yi suddenly felt someone touch him. In such a crowded place, bumping into each other was common, but Qing Yi was no ordinary person. He reacted extremely quickly, instantly reaching out a hand and accurately grasping the claw that was reaching for his waist.
"Hey! Damn it! Is this thief blind? He actually stole from me!" Qing Yi laughed secretly. He looked up at the person he caught. It was actually a child of about ten years old. The child was ragged, his hair was messy like a thatched nest, and his face was dirty, like a little beggar. Looking at the wrist that was caught, Qing Yi quickly let go of it, shook it in disgust, and cursed: "This is too dirty!"
Seeing he was released, the child scurried out of the crowd and ran away. Qing Yi refused to give up, so he tapped his toes and flew after him.
Although the child ran fast, he was still a little too young in front of Qing Yi. He didn't run far before Qing Yi caught up with him. Qing Yi didn't try to catch him, but simply blocked his way with his sword. When the child ran to the left, Qing Yi's sword blocked it to the left. When the child ran to the right, Qing Yi's sword blocked it to the right. After a few rounds, the child knew that he had encountered a master, so he stopped struggling and stopped obediently.
"Uncle, please forgive me, I was wrong!" the child begged for mercy in a crying voice.
"Heh! You only know how to admit your mistake now. What were you doing before? You made me chase you around in circles!" Qing Yi snorted coldly, pretending to be fierce.
"I was blind and didn't know I had met a master. I won't dare to do it again. Please forgive me this time, sir." Although the child looked dirty, he spoke clearly and concisely.
"I was wrong. I won't do it again. Please spare my life, sir!" As he said that, the child knelt down with a plop.
Seeing this, Qing Yi was too lazy to care about it anymore. Since his wallet hadn't been stolen anyway, he said, "I'm kind-hearted, so I'll let you go this time. But if I see you stealing again, I'll chop off your hands and claws!"
"Yes, yes, I won't dare to do it again!" The child's attitude of admitting his mistake was very sincere.
Seeing him like this, Qing Yi didn't want to pay any more attention and turned to leave. But the moment he turned around, he suddenly felt the wind whistling behind him. He thought to himself, "Oh no! It seems like a hidden weapon is coming!" He reacted quickly and dodged to the side, but the distance was too close. Even with his excellent skills, he couldn't completely avoid it. He only felt a sharp pain on the left side of his cheek. A flying knife flew past his cheek, leaving a bloody mark.
Chapter 60: Unlucky Qing Yi
Qing Yi instinctively reached back to grab the child, but what he saw was the child's face ashen, blood gushing from all seven orifices, lying straight on the ground. He quickly leaned over to check on him, but there was no sign of life.
Before Qing Yi withdrew his hand from the child's nose, a shrill scream tore through the air: "Murder! Murder!" Someone in the crowd started shouting, and in an instant, countless strange looks were directed at Qing Yi, accompanied by whispers and pointing.
Qing Yi was angry and annoyed. Even though he was right next to the child, he couldn't be sure that he was the one who killed him!
After all, we are at the emperor's feet, and the government detectives will arrive quickly.
"Captain Wang, it was the man in blue who killed him. I saw it with my own eyes!" A ragged little girl's clear voice rang out. Qing Yi looked up and saw her pointing at him.
"What a daring villain! How dare he commit a crime in such an important place in the capital! Come, capture him!" Captain Wang shouted angrily, and more than ten constables surrounded Qing Yi in an instant.
"Hey, you can't just listen to this little girl's one-sided story! I didn't kill anyone at all!" Qing Yi argued loudly.
"The evidence is irrefutable, yet you still dare to deny it! If you know what's good for you, just surrender and don't force us to take action!" Captain Wang shouted.
"What witnesses or evidence? I don't even know them!" Qing Yi shook his head helplessly, complaining in his heart. His luck today was extremely bad!
"When I was watching the circus just now, I saw with my own eyes the man in the blue shirt chasing after the little beggar!" An old man squeezed out from the crowd, his expression as if he had witnessed with his own eyes the irreconcilable hatred between Qing Yi and the little beggar.
"..." Qing Yi fell silent. He knew in his heart that this was clearly a deliberate plot to frame him! He narrowed his eyes slightly, his sharp gaze slowly sweeping over the crowd of onlookers. Who was plotting against him? He had just arrived in the capital, and he was unfamiliar with the place. He didn't know many people at all!
"Come here, arrest this madman for me!" Captain Wang called out.
How could Qing Yi easily submit to these police chiefs? He just dodged the police's capture in an instant.
After all, this was the capital's bustling downtown area, and the commotion had already attracted countless people to stop and watch. While these detectives' martial arts skills were mediocre, their professionalism remained undiminished, and they tightly clung to Qing Yi.
Qing Yi didn't want to hurt these officials and cause unnecessary trouble, so he dodged left and right, never unsheathing his sword. Seeing an opening, he used his Qing Gong to escape the encirclement.
"Hey, wait a minute! Can you let me say a few words?" Qing Yi shouted loudly.
"What are you talking about? Surrender immediately and we'll discuss everything at the government office!"
Qing Yi cursed these idiots inwardly. They were so unreasonable, they didn't even bother asking questions and just wanted to arrest people. Never mind, why not just run? He didn't know anyone in the capital anyway, so they couldn't cause any big trouble.
He was just about to use his Qinggong to shake off the group of constables who were harassing him when he suddenly heard a voice from above his head: "Hey, isn't this the subordinate of the Little Prince of the Northwest?"
Qing Yi looked up and saw a three-story restaurant across from him. On each floor, a group of people were leaning over the railings, craning their necks to watch the action unfold. The speaker, a young man dressed in purple, with drooping brows and peach-colored eyes, was watching from the second floor. Qing Yi recognized him immediately; he was the Sixth Prince.
As luck would have it, the Sixth Prince was out for a stroll today. He heard someone shouting "murder" downstairs, so he and a group of diners stopped upstairs to watch. Seeing the young man in a blue shirt surrounded by the detectives, the Sixth Prince felt that he looked familiar. Upon closer inspection, he realized that he seemed to be a subordinate of the Northwest Prince Chu Qingyu.
Seeing Qing Yi trying to escape, the Sixth Prince shouted loudly from upstairs. His shouting put Qing Yi in great distress, and he couldn't even leave. After all, Qing Yi's name was unknown in the capital, but who in the capital didn't know the name of the Little Prince of the Northwest?
"Damn it!" Qing Yi couldn't help but curse. The Sixth Prince definitely did it on purpose!
"Sixth Prince!" Captain Wang patrolled the capital city all year round, so he naturally recognized the princes. Seeing the Sixth Prince, he quickly knelt and saluted.
"Captain Wang, are you in such a hurry to arrest someone without even investigating the situation clearly? This young man is no ordinary person. He belongs to the young prince of the Northwest. Don't arrest the wrong person!" The Sixth Prince seemed to be reminding Captain Wang to be careful, but his eyes revealed that he was looking forward to the show.
"Sixth Prince, we have both witnesses and evidence. Regardless of whether he killed the little beggar, he is a major suspect. We must take him to the yamen for interrogation." Captain Wang has a straightforward character and will not let the murder suspect go easily just because he is involved with the little prince of the Northwest.
"Well, just act according to the law." The Sixth Prince nodded with an expression of appreciation on his face, and then looked at Qing Yi with a smile.
At this point, Qing Yi no longer wanted to flee. Even if he wanted to, it wouldn't be that easy. After all, the Northwest Prince was a man who could escape, but the temple couldn't. If he just left, and they went to the palace to demand him, and word got out, tarnishing the Prince's reputation, what would he do?
"Forget it, what's wrong with going with them? I want to see who is behind this!" Qing Yi pondered for a while, and then said, "Captain Wang, right? I'll go with you, hoping you can clear my name! I didn't kill anyone!" Qing Yi said it quite easily.
"Whether you've committed murder or not, we'll naturally get to the bottom of it. But you're the only one here who's had contact with the little beggar, and there's a witness. Please come with us!" Captain Wang said righteously. Perhaps he'd heard that this man was a member of the Little Prince of the Northwest, so his tone was a little more polite.
With that, Captain Wang escorted Qing Yi to the government office in the capital. The Sixth Prince stood in the restaurant, watching Qing Yi's departing figure, smug and triumphant. Unbeknownst to him, on the third floor, another person was watching the entire scene with a wide smile on their face, muttering to themselves, "Hmph! You dare mess with me? You'll be in trouble!"
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