Chapter 32 Shut Up
Just as he finished speaking, he heard Jian Xing's voice outside: "Your Highness, Steward He is here."
Xie Chengyan was also shocked when he heard this. With the new emperor on the throne, he was busy with harem affairs, so how could he have the time to come to the palace?
Jian Xing continued, "Your Highness, Chief Steward He said he came in a hurry and left after reporting his business. He had to go back to the palace to work on the list for His Majesty's selection."
After all, He Qiumao was from the palace's internal affairs department, and he had met Ye Lanzhou. If he knew that Ye Lanzhou was taken into the palace by him, and the news got to the ears of the people in the palace, who knows what kind of rumors would spread.
Ye Lanzhou obviously didn't think so much about it. Ever since He Qiumao helped her during the sacrifice and later often appeared around Xie Chengyan, she tacitly assumed that he was Xie Chengyan's man.
Seeing him coming to discuss matters, she knew it was inconvenient for her to stay here, so she applied the last bit of medicine, closed the medicine jar, stood up, and whispered, "Your Highness has something important to do, so I'll be leaving first."
She turned around and was about to walk to the door when Xie Chengyan grabbed her wrist, his wet fingers clasped around her forearm, and pulled her into the bathtub with force.
She opened her mouth and almost screamed, but Xie Chengyan's other hand covered it tightly. A muffled voice came from behind her ear: "Shut up!"
Ye Lanzhou had her back to Xie Chengyan, her whole body pressed into the bathtub, with only her head exposed to breathe. Xie Chengyan was tall, and her entire body was covered in the shadow of his chest.
She vaguely heard someone coming in from outside the door. Xie Chengyan seemed worried and covered her mouth with his hands. He was so strong that she couldn't speak.
It was just that the force was a bit too strong, and it also covered her nose, making it difficult for her to breathe. However, Xie Chengyan didn't seem to realize that he had covered her mouth and nose with one hand. He only said to the person who walked in behind him: "What's wrong?"
He Qiumao walked in slowly, closed the door, and said, "Your Highness, everything has been arranged at the royal mausoleum. Liang Hong has already sent someone to fill the position of Grand Noble Lady. Unless someone from the palace goes to the royal mausoleum in person, they won't be discovered."
Xie Chengyan was a scheming man. He possessed considerable talent and strategy, and commanded numerous men, but few of them knew his full plans. For example, regarding Ye Lanzhou's whereabouts, he simply instructed He Qiumao to send someone to take care of the royal mausoleum. He kept Ye Lanzhou's specific whereabouts secret, and none of his men dared to inquire.
He nodded. "Well done."
"Also, the prince previously asked me to investigate the Ye family, and I have found some information."
"In the Ye family's eldest house, there are two concubines, Madam Ye and Deng and Qin. According to my investigation, Qin did get lost from the Ye family in Nanyang. What the noble lady said about her being fostered by Madam Ye and her subsequent marriage is all true."
Xie Chengyan listened, then lowered his eyes to glance at the person before him. A layer of mist on the water obscured his view, but he could vaguely see the woman's wet clothes sticking to her skin. He chuckled softly, as if answering He Qiumao's words, but also as if speaking to Ye Lanzhou: "It seems she didn't lie to me."
Ye Lanzhou felt that she could not breathe, and stretched out her hand to break free from his shackles, but found that he was incredibly strong and she could not get rid of him at all. In desperation, she reached out and pinched his chest. She didn't know where exactly she pinched, but she made him groan, and the strength in his hand also weakened a little.
This gave Ye Lanzhou a chance to catch her breath. She tilted her head, freeing herself from Xie Chengyan's grip, and then submerged herself in the water. This small movement was almost silent. He Qiumao hung his head, apparently unaware of the movement in the tub. He continued, "From what I've found, it's exactly the same as what the noble lady said, except for one thing..."
He hesitated for a moment and didn't say anything else, which made Ye Lanzhou in the water nervous as well.
When she confessed to Xie Chengyan, she had already thought about it. There would definitely be a risk of being exposed if she told a lie, so what she said was true, but she just didn't tell it all. But she couldn't figure out what He Qiumao could find that was different from what she said, so she held her breath and listened carefully.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
