Chapter 113: A Game of Hands
Chu Liuzheng had no idea what a certain emperor was worried about. After all, she had already eaten the melon and her curiosity was satisfied, so why would she care about the life or death of someone who was trying to get a piece of the melon?
Xiao Jingfan waited for a long time but nothing happened. When Han Cunzhong looked up at him in confusion, he could only give a cold order: "Imprison him and investigate thoroughly."
Humph! If you don’t want to tell me, then don’t tell me. He will send someone to investigate himself!
Han Cunzhong: ? ?
No, he has already confessed his guilt, shouldn’t he be dragged out and beheaded directly?
If he had known that he would be investigated regardless of whether he pleaded guilty or not, why would he have confessed voluntarily?
Let him quibble! !
*
The case was concluded and today's plum blossom viewing banquet was almost coming to an end.
The eldest princess brought the Xixia princess back on time. Both of them had smiles on their faces and it was obvious that they were getting along very happily.
The eldest princess also invited Princess Xixia to go shopping the next day, and Princess Xixia happily agreed.
Wei Mingliang, who was watching from the sidelines, was quite satisfied.
Being able to take the opportunity to make friends with the eldest princess, this imperial sister who only has face but no brains is not that stupid. She can live a few more months after entering the harem of Sheng Kingdom.
Yin Taiyu winked at Princess Goryeo, wanting her to take the initiative to talk to Xiao Jingfan, or at least say a few words to the eldest princess.
But Princess Goryeo seemed to have grown root to the ground. Apart from saying a few words to Princess Gaochang at the next table, which was asked to her by others, she never spoke again.
After some greetings, the plum blossom viewing banquet came to an end and everyone left one after another.
Soon, apart from the palace servants, only Xiao Jingfan and the eldest princess were left in Jinxiu Pavilion.
Xiao Jingfan ordered people to set up the chessboard and play a game of chess with the eldest princess.
The eldest princess' maiden name is Jinshu. She is the empress dowager's biological daughter. She grew up playing with Xiao Jingfan since childhood, and the friendship between the two is no different from that of real siblings.
When they were young, the brother and sister often played chess together. Whoever lost would help the other copy books to complete the teacher's homework.
This game of chess is being played for the first time since Xiao Jingfan ascended the throne.
Xiao Jinshu played the black chess piece, and Xiao Jingfan played the white chess piece. The chess pieces made of warm jade made a crisp "click" sound when they landed on the chessboard. On the small table beside them, tea was bubbling in the small stove. The fragrance of tea slowly spread in the hot steam.
Xiao Jinshu put down his son and looked up at the person opposite him. "You asked me to hold this plum blossom viewing banquet and invite three princesses to the palace. What's the secret behind this?"
"My sister's vision in selecting a consort isn't quite right, but she's pretty good at other things." Xiao Jingfan made a move, eating up several of Xiao Jinshu's black pieces. "Why don't you tell me about it?"
Xiao Jinshu: “…”
Yes, yes, she had poor judgment in choosing a consort and nearly lost her life, but do I need to bring it up every time I talk to her? Are you afraid she'll forget her dark past or something?
Even if other people's brothers didn't comfort her, they should have avoided talking about it, right? What kind of brother was this guy who always pricked her heart?
She dropped a black piece with such force that she poured all her resentment towards her stinky brother into it and asked, "But is this related to Princess Meizhen?"
Xiao Jingfan was completely oblivious to his sister's resentment. He stared at the chessboard and spat out two words: "Tell me in detail."
"Princess Meizhen doesn't seem to live up to her reputation." Xiao Jinshu captured two white pieces with his black piece and looked across at the other side. "Do you suspect this princess isn't the one she's supposed to be?"
Her imagination was not so wild as to suspect that Goryeo had created a fake princess by passing off a fake one as a real one. She just thought that the one who came to celebrate her birthday was not Princess Mizhen, but another princess of Goryeo.
Xiao Jingfan shook his head.
"Guessed wrong?" Xiao Jinshu was a little surprised. "Why is that?"
Xiao Jingfan looked at her and smiled softly, "What Sister said is both right and wrong."
Xiao Jinshu:?
Xiao Jinshu:!!
She stared at the stinky brother opposite her with her beautiful eyes wide open. Was that what she thought?
Seeing that she understood, Xiao Jingfan nodded slowly, "As you think, sister."
"That's too much!" Xiao Jinshu slammed his hand, clutching the chess piece, on the table, his voice cold. "By doing such a wicked thing, does Gao Li want to go to war with Da Sheng?"
"It wasn't intentional." Xiao Jingfan made another move, thinking of a certain woman's thoughts and the things that Princess Mingxia had indirectly learned from the real Princess Meizhen. He felt that Gaoli did not have the courage to deliberately provoke Dasheng.
"Let's judge by deeds, not by heart." Xiao Jinshu suppressed his anger and immediately made a move. "What are you going to do?"
Xiao Jingfan held a white piece between his fingers, his eyes fixed on the chessboard, his tone quite meaningful: "Mingxia has been ill recently and is recuperating in the Marquis' Mansion without seeing outsiders. Sister, perhaps you can come and visit her."
Xiao Jinshu:? ?
We were talking about Princess Goryeo, but why did it end up involving Princess Mingxia?
Although they had played together as children, they were only casual acquaintances, not particularly close. If he was sick, she would probably just send him some gifts, but she never visited him in person.
But since Xiao Jingfan specifically mentioned it... Xiao Jinshu nodded: "I haven't seen her for a long time. She is actually sick. I will go to Chongde Marquis Mansion to see her tomorrow."
Xiao Jingfan had to remind her, "Sister, you have an appointment with Princess Yujin to go shopping tomorrow."
Xiao Jinshu: “…”
At the same time, outside the palace, Li Youcai and his entourage had begun parading through the streets for public display.
Five people were wearing heavy shackles and tied together with hemp ropes, following the Jinyiwei closely.
The Jinyiwei in front read out their crimes loudly.
The voice is so loud that it is comparable to that of a suona, and can be heard from three blocks away.
Xie Hui knew the intention of his Majesty, so he deliberately picked someone with a loud voice and even paid out of his own pocket to have the tea doctors in various teahouses write a storybook to make sure that all the people in the capital knew the cause and effect of the case.
It is human nature to watch the fun, and the people gathered around, listening and pointing at the five people in shackles.
"It was this inhuman beast who allowed his stupid son to beat someone up. He beat my niece so badly that she was covered in wounds. When her parents went to get her, she was already dead before she could even finish her "Mom."
"My uncle's cousin is very pretty. She was walking down the street when that fool accidentally saw her. He whipped her across the face, instantly disfiguring her. She's left with a long scar. She cries every day at home, and she's still unmarried. I brought her to the government, but they ignored me. Where can I seek justice?"
"A complaint to the Emperor! Didn't you hear the officer read it? This is all about a girl named Zhao Yue, seeking justice for her parents. She filed a complaint before the Emperor. After His Majesty learned of her parents' grievances, he sent someone to investigate. Finding the injustice to be true, he ruled in her favor and severely punished the evildoers!"
"Didn't they say that filing a complaint to the emperor would result in exile? And even rolling on a nail board. How could that girl be so lucky?"
"Hey! The police officer has read it over ten times, why don't you listen carefully? There is no rolling nail board and no exile, and Miss Zhao Yue is fine."
"Brother, what you said is nonsense, isn't it? I heard it clearly. Miss Zhao Yue was beaten with thirty boards and had to serve two years as an apprentice. Is this good?"
"You're the one talking nonsense. Did you hear everything? Miss Zhao Yue killed that idiot. Isn't murder punishable by death? His Majesty, considering her eagerness to avenge her parents, and the fact that that idiot had killed nearly ten people, and that Miss Zhao Yue was actually doing harm to the people, has shown mercy. She doesn't have to pay with her life. She'll just have to work in a quarry outside the capital for two years and then she can go back to her normal life."
"Come on, if a little girl goes to work in a quarry, won't she be bullied to death?"
"Hey, you don't know this, do you? The wife of the director is kind-hearted and has specifically instructed her subordinates to take good care of Miss Zhao and protect her from being bullied!"
Everyone was chatting animatedly when suddenly someone came running over, banging drums and gongs, shouting, "The Li Mansion has been ransacked! If you want to see what's happening, hurry up! If you miss this opportunity, you'll miss it forever!"
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