Chapter 56: First Meeting with Concubine Mei
"You... have been watching?" Ye Qingyu widened his eyes and asked in disbelief.
"Ah, no, I didn't look! 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 waved his hands quickly.
"Qingfeng treats you well, doesn't he? If you don't want to go, why order him around?" Ye Qingyu defended his guards fairly, with a hint of dissatisfaction in his tone.
"I don't want to go. If he doesn't go, will he let you go?" Qing Yi shook his head and 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 with satisfaction.
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 Hongyue belong to?" Qing Yi asked curiously.
Ye Qingyu thought for a moment, then said, "Isn't her master the concubine of the emperor who stayed overnight? I'll ask Eunuch Chang later, and I'll know the truth." As he spoke, Ye Qingyu stood up.
"Alright, Xiaoye, go get ready. I'll be leaving first!" Qing Yi also stood up. This time, he didn't insist on taking care of 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 back of the boy who left in a hurry and unrestrainedly. He was speechless and couldn't help but complain in his heart: He runs 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 curiously.
"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.
After a while, Chen Yan walked into the hall and saluted respectfully towards 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 that young man named Qing Yi, and there seemed to be a hint of smile in his eyes. Could it be that he was laughing at him?
"Ah, nothing, nothing!" Qing Yi quickly shook his head.
"Young Prince, why is he laughing?" Chen Yan looked at Ye Qingyu, his heart full of confusion.
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 said truthfully, "I thought that Eunuch Wang and the Imperial Household Department sent beauties to seduce them, but when it comes to you, it's like drugging them. 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 of everything will come to light. No matter who it is, I will investigate and punish him." Ye Qingyu comforted him.
He naturally understood Chen Yan's concerns. The Emperor of Chu would certainly be happy to investigate the jade theft case, but exposing his beloved concubine's affair with someone else would undoubtedly be a slap in the face of the Emperor of Chu. The Emperor would definitely 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 instructions 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 the first time Ye Qingyu had met 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 lift her eyes slightly, 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 was filled with 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." Ye Qingyu responded respectfully.
"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 with a searching look.
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