Chapter 69 069 Do you still think of me as the Qing Li I used to be!
Jiang Yue beside her visibly trembled. Qing Li felt a chill run down her spine, as if she had fallen into an ice cellar under the scorching sun. Her hands and feet were cold, and she turned around stiffly.
Duan Heng looked weary, his hair disheveled, and his eyes gleamed strangely on his thin face as he arrogantly scrutinized her from head to toe. He chuckled wickedly, "I've just arrived in the capital and haven't yet visited any old acquaintances."
The Prince of Dingxi is like a ferocious beast, his ruthless methods making people hesitate to approach. Duan Heng is like a venomous snake in the shadows, always biting viciously without warning, making people always on guard. Qing Li had to go through many setbacks before she could figure out his temperament. He was extremely ruthless and cunning. In other words, he had already found out where she lived.
Duan Heng stared at her with longing. Under the bright light, her skin was as white and soft as pearls, and her eyebrows and eyes were as clear as green mountains in the thick fog. Over the years, there have been many people who look similar to her, but none of them are her. Now that the college entrance examination is over, he has plenty of time and energy to deal with her.
"Young Master Duan, such words leave much to the imagination. If we were to investigate the reasons between us, it would be detrimental to both of us!"
Duan Heng hadn't expected her to be so bold. After a moment's thought, he realized she was just relying on his brother's name. However, there were plenty of people in the capital who were higher than the commander of the Imperial Guards. He snorted coldly, his face icy, "Heh, if this gets out, it'll lead to a lose-lose situation. You don't want to see that, do you?"
"In that case, Young Master Duan, please still consider me the Qing Li of the past!"
Duan Heng paused, feeling a surge of anger at being so scorned. He realized he had been manipulated and instinctively moved forward.
Qingli's ears were ringing incessantly. The noisy voices in the distance seemed to be shrouded in a veil, lingering around her, yet also appearing elusive. Memories she thought she had forgotten surged like a tidal wave, choking her mouth and nose, making her breathing increasingly difficult.
With a flicker of light, Meng Qingshan stood before her, still clad in armor. Despite the intense heat, he exuded a chilling aura, and the broadsword in his hand trembled, emitting a low hum. Qingli saw Duan Heng's expression change drastically and involuntarily took two steps back.
Duan Heng had already found out her background, so he nodded slightly and said, "So it's Brother Meng."
Meng Qingshan stood there tall and imposing, his expression unwavering, and threatened, "Behave yourself."
The words of reprimand had already made Duan Heng lose all face. However, after three days of torment in the examination hall, he was exhausted and his momentum had long since weakened. He was even swaying slightly. He forced himself to stand up straight and watched helplessly as the two left together.
A moment later, a guard stepped forward and said, "Young Master Duan, the Second Prince requests your presence."
Meng Qingshan strode forward with his head held high and his imposing manner caused the crowd rushing forward to scatter. The two quickly walked to the carriage, and before she could speak, Meng Qingshan bent down, picked her up, and carried her into the carriage. The carriage sank, and when she looked again, the curtain had fallen, and he was already sitting inside.
His brows and eyes held a gloomy look, which made Qingli shrink back. If this matter were to be discussed again, it would lead to old grudges, and Qingli felt bored and fell silent.
Meng Qingshan was furious, not at others, but at himself.
Even after she stepped off the carriage, Meng Qingshan's expression remained cold and stern. "You can rest assured. I'll handle the rest."
After saying that, the carriage turned around. Jiang Yue's voice was still trembling. Back then, half of the servants who entered the Duan family lost their lives, and the other half bullied each other. The instigators of it all were the Duan family father and son. They took pleasure in this and their methods were perverse. Jiang Yue and Jiang Zhao were lucky to be protected by their young lady, but they were still so frightened that they lost their composure. "Miss, will he come looking for us?"
Qingli reassured her, "This is Kyoto."
Jiang Zhao took a while to calm down, then lowered his head and muttered softly, "If General Meng said he would handle it, then there's nothing to worry about."
Qingli's feet suddenly went awry. A thought flashed through her mind, and she realized that his tone towards Duan Heng was harsh but not unfamiliar, and he showed no curiosity towards her. There was only one possibility: he knew Duan Heng. Recalling her first encounter with the Duan family's carriage in the outskirts of the capital and Meng Qingshan's meaningful words, a guess arose in her mind.
"Unfathomable and treacherous!"
Jiang Yue was taken aback. She watched as her mistress finished her tirade and strode into the inner courtyard. She hurriedly followed, thinking to herself that General Meng was upright and brave, and treated her mistress so well. They had no need to fear such a villain. Her mistress was right to scold him.
In Qichun Palace, only Consort Liu and the Second Prince remained in the hall. Consort Liu was startled upon hearing this. She had always felt that Consort Liu was cunning, but she never expected that she had hidden it so deeply. She was already mostly convinced, but she still cautiously asked, "Is it true?"
"Mother, rest assured, I have inquired carefully and have already sent people to Taiyuan Prefecture to investigate in order to prevent any falsification."
The Duan family was determined to submit to him. During the day, he saw the three of them at each other's throats and asked out of curiosity. Duan Heng told him everything. At that moment, a flash of inspiration struck him. He remembered that the strategist of the Prince of Dingxi seemed to have something to say, but was silenced by Meng Qingshan. Thinking about it now, he realized that it was because he had a guilty conscience. He immediately believed that Duan Heng's words were true.
This was a golden opportunity for him. Qingli had such a relationship with the traitor, and Meng Qingshan had deceived the emperor. If he could use this to control Meng Qingshan, if he went along with him, nothing would happen; if he went against him, his head would roll in the sand!
"I trust you to handle things. Heaven is helping you so much, everything will fall into place naturally from now on."
Consort Liu was smug, inwardly mocking the Empress for being a cowardly old dove. She thought that if they had the help of the Imperial Guards, they would be like tigers with wings. Even if the Empress was trusted by Emperor Mingkang, what difference would it make?
The second prince appeared humble, yet his face was still beaming with joy. The mother and son were making careful plans, waiting for news to arrive from Taiyuan Prefecture.
Recently, Emperor Mingkang has been showing great favor to Consort Cheng, spending his days in Fuchun Pavilion and even taking the Sixth Prince with him to the council hall. The civil and military officials are puzzled, but this doesn't stop them from flattering the Sixth Prince.
The Second Prince secretly taught the Sixth Prince etiquette, and Emperor Mingkang praised their brotherly affection. The Second Prince's humility and magnanimity were widely circulated. Due to the imperial examination, Emperor Mingkang bestowed upon the Second Prince the title of Prince Rongxian, granted him ten thousand taels of gold, and allowed him to appoint officials and a twenty-man guard within his palace. The decree caused an uproar in the court, and the officials were deeply shaken. Allowing a prince to have his own advisors and guards, though few in number, represented his right to his own affairs—a blatant signal.
Consort Liu was completely satisfied. The sweltering summer heat did not hinder her from organizing various banquets. Officials and their families gave her a lot of face. People came and went, and there was laughter and joy. Emperor Mingkang personally showed concern for Consort Liu. Many officials' families, who were very shrewd, rushed up to flatter her.
Phoenix Palace was very quiet and deserted. After Emperor Mingkang came forward, the Empress sent someone to present a red coral as tall as a person from the East Sea, adorned with eight fist-sized pearls. Sunlight shone on it, and the pearls' halos accentuated the lush and vibrant branches. This extraordinary sight caused gasps of amazement to erupt on the spot.
Consort Liu looked smug, nodded arrogantly, and said lightly, "Qichun Palace is too small to hold it all. Send it to the storeroom first."
The crowd exchanged bewildered glances. It wasn't that Qichun Palace was small; it meant that Fengqi Palace was deserted and the Cold Palace was desolate and spacious. But the crowd seemed not to understand and just chuckled in agreement.
The maid of Fengqi Palace almost gritted her teeth to keep quiet, and when she returned to the hall, she lowered her head and reported back.
The Empress put down the Buddhist book she was holding and instructed, "Raise your head."
The maid hesitated for a long time before looking up, her eyes clearly red. She was so angry that she started to sob before she could speak, and she told the story in a choked voice.
The Phoenix Palace was already quiet, but when the maid finished speaking, the emptiness was startling. Seeing the Empress's stern face, the maids and nannies knelt down in panic, begging for mercy.
The Empress's face darkened, and with a cold snort, she said, "Get up."
The Empress thought that ignorance drives people mad, but she never expected that Consort Liu would become so foolish. She was not about to confront a idiot who was courting death. Consort Liu was arrogant and shallow, and the Second Prince was two-faced. The mother and son had revealed their true colors after a moment of triumph. She had plenty of ways to deal with them. Her current forbearance was only to let Emperor Mingkang see the grievances she and her son had suffered.
After thinking it over, she waved her hand to dismiss the maid. Her scalp throbbed from the tension on both sides of her head. The Empress let out a heavy sigh, closed her eyes, and pretended to sleep. She had still angered Consort Liu, and hadn't eaten dinner that evening.
In a corner of the hall, a floor lantern crackled and burned, its flames leaping upwards. A large patch of reddish-white flames stretched from the center, and as it snaked to the top, an orange halo surged like a knife tip, breaking through the darkness. The heavy palace doors slowly opened, letting in some night air that flickered and swayed the flames. A maidservant bowed deeply and stepped forward humbly, saying, "Your Highness, news has arrived from Taiyuan Prefecture."
Her throbbing nerves froze, and the Empress slowly opened her eyes. Her dark pupils were as cold as ice as she asked, "What is it?"
The maid glanced up casually and saw a flash of light before her eyes. The imposing presence made her immediately lower her head. "The people in Taiyuan Prefecture have discovered that someone is inquiring about the Meng family."
The door wasn't closed properly. The Empress looked out at the dark night sky, which was sparsely populated and rather dull. However, she found some interest in the matter and asked, "Do you know who it is?"
It's astonishing that they could see that so clearly.
She knew everything about the Meng family. In order to keep this trump card firmly in her hands, she sent people to guard it early on. She didn't expect that someone could be so clever.
The maid hesitated for a moment, then said, "He's one of the Second Prince's men."
The Empress sat up from the chaise longue, stared intently at the maid below, and quickly asked, "Do you know what you're inquiring about? Why has the Second Prince harbored such thoughts?"
"Inquiring about Miss Qingli's whereabouts over the years, all those involved in the Taiyuan Prefecture back then were silenced by Meng Qingshan. Those who knew even a little bit kept quiet about it, but they used gold and silver, and some people revealed some things."
A moment later, a low laugh echoed through the vast palace. The Empress leaned back on the chaise longue, leisurely adjusting her cuffs, on which a phoenix embroidered with gold thread spread its wings, reflecting a dazzling light. "Let them be," she said.
The Empress felt a surge of satisfaction as she thought of Consort Liu's years of fear and trembling. She was just a lowly sparrow who actually thought she could fly to the sky after flapping her wings a couple of times. Her cleverness backfired.
The Empress beckoned her maidservant to her side and said, "Go and tell the Crown Prince to prepare. It will be in the next couple of days."
"Tell the people of Taiyuan Prefecture what they want to know." The Empress couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of how interesting Consort Liu's face would be when the incident happened, and sighed, "Things are getting more and more interesting."
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