Wang Chenghai was no longer surprised that Song Chengze would ask this question. "Your Highness, no, Your Majesty, the princess is already well. She twisted her ankle when she fell. It wasn't serious originally, but because the situation was urgent and she walked so fast, it swelled up badly."
"Get up and tell us everything that happened that day in detail. Don't leave anything out, and don't add anything."
Wang Chenghai stood up in response. He knew his reply was extremely important. He vaguely guessed why the Emperor had summoned him, and he was even more aware of the weight of his reply. He thought about the Princess's unusual behavior over the past few days, and the Prince's wife's pointed words yesterday.
Yesterday, when he was seeing the Crown Prince's wife off to her carriage, she looked him up and down and said softly, "You're loyal, and that's good. But sometimes blind loyalty is inappropriate. You need to think about what your master wants and what she wants. Helping your master get what she wants is your true loyalty."
Wang Chenghai recounted the events of that day in detail, from the moment Meng Qi was abducted by a female official from the Eastern Palace, to how he had followed her closely. He went on to describe how Meng Qi had taken advantage of the situation by pushing the female official aside and setting the debris outside on fire with a torch, leaving no detail unseen. He went on to describe how they had fallen into a tunnel, reached the West Corner Gate, and escaped the palace on a water delivery cart, taking shelter at an inn, and then hired a carriage to leave the city early the next day.
Song Chengze frowned, "So, she did it on impulse? That tunnel was just an accident?"
Wang Chenghai nodded, thinking about the final outcome of this matter. If, if it really was a happy ending, then the princess must not reveal the fact that she had known about the existence of the tunnel.
There is a big difference between accidentally falling in and wanting to escape, and knowing about the tunnel and deliberately hiding in it before escaping.
So, you can’t say it, at least you can’t say it out loud.
"Yes, I ran outside with the princess. It was extremely cold and dry those days, with no snow at all and strong winds. I felt like the fire was chasing us from behind. Suddenly, the princess fell, and I went to help her. We both exerted force, but she slipped and fell. I wanted to go back, but I could see the flames through the cracks, and smoke was pouring in. I had no choice but to run outside with the princess."
At this point, Wang Chenghai looked up at Song Chengze, but saw that Song Chengze wasn't looking at him. Instead, he was staring blankly at a certain spot on the dragon table. He continued, "After we came out of that courtyard, we saw many people pushing water carts to fill water to put out the fire. I didn't know what was going on over there, and I was afraid it might be the Crown Prince... So, I didn't dare to say a word and just blended in with them. I didn't realize that those people were going to the canal to fill water, and the west corner gate was open. In that instant, the princess grabbed me and ran out."
Song Chengze gently tapped the dragon table with one hand, "So, the princess suddenly came up with this idea after reaching the West Corner Gate."
Wang Chenghai bent even lower, "Yes, that's what I think. Everything happened too quickly and too suddenly. Ever since Concubine Lian was kidnapped, the princess has been thinking about how to rescue her. The emperor also knows what happened later. The princess probably didn't plan it in advance. As for why the princess did that later, I don't know."
"Do you know the princess's house?"
Wang Chenghai shuddered and was about to say no, but changed his mind and said, "I know that house. When Liu Mama and Yuanyue went there, it was given to them by me. But at that time, I didn't know it was set up by the princess. I thought it was her dowry."
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Zhang Decheng handed the handkerchief to Wang Chenghai. "Why are you so scared? I've already told you, as long as you tell the truth, I guarantee you'll be right."
"Brother, how can I not be afraid? That's the emperor."
"It's the emperor and also Prince Rui." Zhang Decheng said with a smile.
Wang Chenghai was about to return the handkerchief to Zhang Decheng, but after thinking for a moment, he put it back into his sleeve and said, "That's different, brother. What do you think the emperor means?"
"Don't be so stubborn with me, just go back."
Wang Chenghai bowed and said, "If the princess asks, I will tell her everything."
"Did the Emperor tell you not to say anything?"
Wang Chenghai chuckled and bowed to leave.
"Chenghai." Zhang Decheng said.
"Yes, brother, you said."
"From now on, we two brothers, one in the front court and one in the harem, must cooperate well and get along well with each other."
Wang Chenghai was stunned at first, then his eyes flashed, "I hope what you said will come true."
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