Chapter 556 Being Monitored by Him
At first, Consort Li didn't understand why the Emperor wanted to take her along on the search, but she understood once they returned to the palace.
She could deceive Zhou Ruiyuan and Du Wanchun.
Consort Li panicked. After much deliberation, she decided to use a hairpin to assassinate herself, so that she could use her injury as an excuse not to go to Xuzhou and thus arouse Zhou Ruiyuan's suspicion of the emperor.
But she underestimated the emperor's methods.
She was being watched closely; not only was she not allowed to harm herself, but she was even force-fed food.
The emperor wouldn't let anything happen to her before she set off.
Thus, when Consort Li was taken to the carriage the next day, she still had no chance to send a message to Zhou Ruiyuan.
The emperor, dressed in plain clothes, boarded the carriage with the help of a group of imperial physicians.
He took Consort Li to Linzhou under the pretext of recuperating from illness, and entrusted the affairs of the court to Zhou Ruiyuan and the Seventh Prince to manage together.
They wanted to lower Zhou Ruiyuan's guard.
Consort Li sat in the carriage, trying to figure out how to get the message out. Her hands were tied, her mouth was gagged, and she couldn't move.
As the carriage slowly began to move, she had no chance at all.
The emperor's carriage was about to leave the imperial city.
Consort Li then broke a string of beads she was wearing, causing the beads to roll off the carriage.
Zhou Ruiyuan and Du Wanchun only escorted them to the gate of the imperial city and did not notice the fallen beads.
As the two were returning, Du Wanchun turned back and said, "It's a bit strange that His Majesty suddenly wants to go to Linzhou this time."
Zhou Ruiyuan stopped. "It is indeed a bit strange, but you don't need to worry too much. I have sent people to follow us all the way. If anything happens, they will definitely come and inform us in time."
Du Wanchun was finally relieved.
The emperor's departure granted the family absolute freedom; they were no longer confined to the palace, and everything seemed to have become clear.
Under Zhou Ruiyuan's surveillance, the emperor and Consort Li's carriage traveled all the way to Linzhou. After arriving in Linzhou, the emperor and Consort Li secretly turned back and headed to Xuzhou, without informing any of Zhou Ruiyuan's spies.
On the way to Xuzhou, the emperor took several doses of strong medicine, which made him look much more energetic.
Consort Li sat in the same carriage as him, a helpless smile on her face. "Why did you go to all this trouble to bring me along as well?"
The emperor held her hand, his voice gentle, as if they had been husband and wife for many years, "I have said that in my harem, you are my most beloved concubine. I cannot bear to part with you, so of course I must take you with me."
Consort Li vaguely sensed that something was amiss with his words.
He wanted to ask, but the emperor silenced him, saying, "Once we arrive in Xuzhou, you should stay obediently in the inn."
Consort Li nodded.
The emperor was overjoyed at the thought of seeing the empress, and his face was beaming with happiness.
Consort Li was quite helpless and didn't know why he was doing this.
The carriage soon arrived in Xuzhou.
The emperor and his entourage secretly arrived at the inn.
He stayed there for three days and finally found the Queen in a small house.
The Empress and the Third Prince lived happily with their children in the small house, just like ordinary people.
A few days ago, they were staying at the General's Mansion, but later, in order not to cause trouble for Lu Yan and Zhou Zhao, they specially found a small house to stay in.
Consort Li also saw them and was quite startled by the baby girl in the Empress's arms. No wonder the Emperor lost control of his emotions.
If it were anyone else seeing their loved one with someone else, they would probably feel the same way.
Aunt Zhou carried Xiao Zhouzhou and went out with the Third Prince. Xiao Zhouzhou had recently started teething, and they were going to buy some teething toys.
The Third Prince originally intended to do it himself.
However, sitting up would take too long, and Xiao Zhouzhou couldn't wait, so the two of them took her out to buy it together.
It would also be good for Aunt Zhou to get out and relax.
“Zhou’er, look, there’s an incense shop over there.” The Third Prince pointed to an incense shop.
Aunt Zhou looked up and saw that the incense shop was full of customers.
Upon closer inspection, the two realized that this was Zhou's Incense Shop.
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