Chapter 497 The Drunkard's Intention Is Not to Drink
After returning to the palace, Chu Liuzheng found that he had missed a big event.
At the flower-viewing banquet hosted by Concubine Shu, Concubine Dou and Shao Liyi both fell into the water and accused each other of pushing them.
Because there was no evidence, Concubine Shu was unable to make a decision, so she sent someone to ask the emperor for a ruling.
Chu Liuzheng followed the emperor to Zhaoyang Palace to watch the excitement.
The two people who fell into the water are now in the main hall of Zhaoyang Palace. They have changed their wet clothes, drank ginger soup, and cleaned up their messy appearance. They are eagerly waiting for the emperor's decision.
After listening to Concubine Shu's account of what happened, Xiao Jingfan looked at Shao Liyi, "How can you be sure that it was Concubine Dou who pushed you?"
Seeing that the emperor asked Shao Liyi first, Concubine Dou pouted in dissatisfaction and glared at Shao Liyi.
Shao Liyi said, "In reply to your Majesty, it was Concubine Dou who said she had something important to discuss with me and asked me to go for a walk by the lake with her. She also asked me to dismiss the attendants. When I fell into the water, Concubine Dou was the only one by her side."
Under such circumstances, Concubine Dou is indeed the most suspicious.
"Your Majesty, please don't believe her one-sided story." Concubine Dou interrupted excitedly, "I didn't push her, she was the one who pulled me into the water, you see!"
She pulled up her sleeve to show the emperor the scratches on her arm.
At first glance, the blood marks left by the fingernails have already solidified and are particularly conspicuous on the fair skin.
Everyone looked at Shao Liyi, and she explained with a pale face, "It was Concubine Dou who pushed me, so I pulled her."
"When did I ever push you?" Concubine Dou snorted coldly. "The wind was strong by the lake, and I saw you were unsteady, so I tried to help you up. But you dragged me into the lake, and now you're trying to blame me."
"I didn't." Shao Liyi's eyes turned red with excitement, and mist gradually accumulated in her eyes. "You pushed me."
"You're slandering me!" Noble Lady Dou was furious. "It's obvious that you're pulling me with bad intentions!"
"I don't."
"You have!"
[They're both victims, what are you arguing about? Please direct your fire towards Concubine Shu, okay?]
Chu Liuzheng fiddled with the system.
[By the way, why did Concubine Shu arrange this for no reason? What's the benefit?]
Hearing this, Xiao Jingfan glanced at Concubine Shu who was sitting below.
The lake water was cold, but it wasn't strong enough to freeze bones in the dead of winter. They were quickly rescued, and at most, they caught a cold. In the past, this could have been done to remove the green card from the bedchamber, but now the tyrant won't even turn over the cards, so what's the point?
Chu Liuzheng was a little confused and glanced at Concubine Shu secretly, but she saw that her eyes were fixed on the opposite side. She followed Concubine Shu's line of sight and her eyes lit up.
[Wow! When did a new member enter the tyrant's harem? So pretty...eh? Wait, this beauty looks like Lady Zhu. So, does she look better in more subtle colors? With her outfit and makeup changed, I almost didn't recognize her.]
In the palace, Shao Liyi and Dou Guiren were arguing with each other.
Xiao Jingfan, who was getting a headache from the noise, only felt a flock of geese cawing in his ears. He shouted coldly, "Shut up!"
The hall suddenly became quiet. Not only did Shao Liyi and Dou Guiren stop talking, but even the concubines who were winking at each other and gossiping about each other stopped talking.
At this moment, a timid voice sounded, "Your Majesty, I saw how Empress Liyi and Concubine Dou fell into the water."
When everyone heard the sound and looked, they saw a slim figure slowly standing up and bowing to the emperor.
"So it was Sister Zhu." Concubine Shu smiled and said angrily, "If you saw it, why didn't you say it just now?"
"I didn't say that just now because I was worried I might have made a mistake." Lady Zhu lowered her head slightly, revealing a section of her fair neck, and explained softly, "I just saw the scars on Concubine Dou's arm, and only then did I confirm that I was not mistaken. That's why I dared to speak out. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
"You have always been a careful person." Concubine Shu looked at the emperor and asked, "Your Majesty, since Concubine Zhu has seen it, let's listen to her."
Xiao Jingfan nodded and looked at Lady Zhu, "Tell me what you saw."
"Yes." Zhu Meiren knelt down again and bowed, her posture was elegant and standard. Her aqua blue dress outlined her curvy figure, and her tone was so soft that water could drip out of it.
Oh~~~
Chu Liuzheng let out a long "Oh" in his heart.
She understood.
Today, Concubine Shu set up a scheme called "The Drunken Old Man's Purpose is Not the Wine." She used the incident of Shao Liyi and Concubine Dou both falling into the water to lure the tyrant into the harem, and then took the opportunity to push Concubine Zhu in front of the tyrant.
[This is to use Concubine Zhu to test whether the tyrant is still devoted to me. If the tyrant is interested in Concubine Zhu and summons someone to sleep with him, then Concubine Shu can sleep with her herself in the future. The Duke of Ying is still hoping that she will give birth to a prince so that they can take a step forward.]
Thinking of this, she looked at the emperor, wanting to see his expression, but found that the emperor was looking at her.
Chu Liuzheng:? ?
[What are you looking at me for, Tyrant? Is there tea leaves on my face again?]
She raised her hand to touch her face, but felt nothing.
Xiao Jingfan: "..."
His Majesty the Emperor withdrew his gaze in disappointment and listened to Concubine Zhu.
It turned out that when Shao Liyi and Dou Guiren fell into the water, Zhu Meiren was taking a nap in the pavilion and happened to see the two of them fall into the water.
She speculated that the stone slab under Concubine Dou's feet was a little loose, but Concubine Dou didn't notice it and reached out to help Shao Liyi.
The stones on the edge fell and the slab tilted suddenly, causing Concubine Dou to lose her balance and fall on Shao Liyi. The two were holding each other's hands, and it looked like they were pushing each other.
Shao Liyi, whose body was unstable, subconsciously grabbed Dou Guiren, but Dou Guiren herself was unstable, so how could she hold her back? This led to the two of them falling into the water.
After hearing what she said, Xiao Jingfan ordered people to go to the lake and check the shore where the two fell into the water.
After a while, Zhou Yuande came back with his men and said that some of the stone slabs were indeed crooked and loose.
"You've wrongly accused a good person." Concubine Dou glared at Shao Liyi, her pair of charming fox eyes filled with anger and rage, hiding the grievance of being wronged.
Shao Liyi wiped her tears with a handkerchief and said softly, "It was because you didn't stand firmly that I fell into the water. It's not unfair."
Concubine Dou was furious and wanted to argue, but she heard the emperor say, "Well, now that the matter has been thoroughly investigated and it was an accident, both of you should return to the palace and summon the imperial physician to take a look."
"Your Majesty!" Concubine Dou called out unwillingly. Her arm was injured, so how could she just let this matter go?
Seeing that she seemed to be trying to cling to her, Concubine Shu ordered, "Come here, send Concubine Dou back."
[Tsk tsk, Concubine Rong used to give Concubine Shu a lot of cold shoulder. Now that the positions are reversed, how could Concubine Shu not take this opportunity to exact some revenge?]
Yan Hui brought his men forward and politely asked Concubine Dou to leave.
Shao Liyi stood up and said, "I'll take my leave."
She bowed to the emperor and left with dewdrops on her face.
After the matter was settled, the emperor took Chu Liuzheng away without even glancing at the carefully dressed Concubine Zhu.
Lady Zhu lowered her eyes in disappointment, and the handkerchief in her hand was crumpled into a mess.
Looking at the backs of the emperor and Chu Liuzheng leaving together, Concubine Shu silently said a few times, "Don't be anxious." She had no intention of keeping the concubines to talk, so she asked them to leave.
(End of this chapter)
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