Sleeping with the emperor is indeed a top priority.
Which of the women in the harem is not eager to get the emperor's favor?
The next day.
Chu Li packed a box of exquisite snacks from the imperial study and went to the eldest prince's palace outside the palace.
The eldest prince and his wife were trapped by bandits for two days and one night. Telling this to others would be a shame for the royal family. Except for the generals and royal family members who rescued them, the common people outside were unaware of the situation.
She went to visit her eldest sister-in-law and little nephew.
When I entered the backyard, I heard several concubines whispering:
"The princess did not return home the night before yesterday, and Your Highness brought people to rescue her yesterday. Doesn't that mean the princess spent the night alone with the bandits?"
"The bandits are barbaric by nature, all rough wild men. The princess is beautiful and gentle, I'm afraid..."
"This is an ironclad fact. The princess is acting like nothing happened. She even took the young master to the main hall for dinner this morning. Her family is full of scholars. They say scholars are proud. I never thought she was so shameless. If I were her, I would have committed suicide long ago."
"You don't know this, right? She gave birth to your Highness's eldest son, and his status and future are very bright."
The eldest prince's wife's maternal family, the Liu family, has been engaged in literary careers for generations. Her father is an imperial censor who often hangs around the emperor and has a say. Her mother is the daughter of the Minister of Rites and comes from a prominent family. Therefore, she has been gentle since childhood, like a fine ink cup, with a subtle and peaceful fragrance.
However, such a gentle and kind nature could not control the concubines and servants.
The eldest prince was the emperor's eldest son. Although he was born out of wedlock, he was highly regarded by the emperor and many old ministers. He was rewarded with nine wives and concubines in the harem.
Three people make a tiger.
Nine people and three tigers.
The rumors spread among the people in the palace, and everyone in the palace agreed that:
The eldest prince's wife was captured by bandits for an entire night.
She must have lost her virginity!
How can a woman who has lost her virginity be worthy of becoming the crown prince's consort?
When Chu Li heard these words, he intentionally made his footsteps louder.
The concubines and maids were startled and turned around quickly:
"Nine...Greetings to the Ninth Prince!"
Chu Li had no white beard, his eyebrows and eyes were soft, and he smiled very gently: "My dear sisters-in-law, I have been walking over here for a while, why are you still startled? Did someone gossip about you behind your back and you are feeling uneasy?"
A few people choked slightly.
The Ninth Prince was clearly implying that they were gossips.
But the Ninth Prince is the youngest son that the Emperor loves the most. Her biological mother, Concubine Wen, and the Wen family were the heroes who quelled the rebellion of the previous dynasty. Her uncles are all military generals, her aunts are not useless, and her grandmother is the daughter of a well-known wealthy businessman.
"It is clear from this that if you are telling the truth, why would you be afraid of being overheard? Unless you are deliberately smearing right and wrong and turning innocence upside down, you will be afraid. Do you agree?"
How could they dare to talk back when the Ninth Prince was giving them a lecture?
Their faces turned pale and they forced a smile:
"That's what the Ninth Prince said."
Chu Li glanced at them, didn't dare to say anything more, and went straight into the backyard.
Before coming, the housekeeper had already informed everyone that, although outsiders were not allowed to enter the inner house without permission, the Ninth Prince was a family member, and because she had just passed the age of marriage and was still young, she was informed in advance and the courtesies were complete.
Lanting Pavilion.
"Ninth Uncle!"
When three-year-old Chu Hongyan saw Chu Li, he rushed over excitedly. His hair was hanging down on his shoulders, but it was just above his shoulders and pricked Chu Li's face.
He hugged Chu Li and kissed and rubbed her, leaving her face covered with saliva.
Liu Shuang carried him back, "Yan'er, don't be rude!"
Chu Hongyan's face was round and smooth, like a cute porcelain doll. "Ninth Prince's body is as fragrant and soft as my mother's, unlike my father. My father's face is full of Hu Luo's residue, which hurts Yan'er's face."
Liu Shuang said hurriedly:
"Ninth brother, Yan'er is still young, and children should not be afraid to speak."
Using "fragrant" and "soft" to describe a man is feminine and seems like an insult.
The Ninth Prince is still young. When he grows up in a few years, he will be as tall and brave as the other princes, and will be a pillar of the Chu State.
Chu Li chuckled, rubbed his nephew's face, and gave the snacks he brought from the palace to the maid beside him.
"Your favorite sweet-scented osmanthus cake, go ahead and eat it."
Cui Yu smiled and took the young master to the low table over there to have snacks.
Liu Shuang invited Chu Li to sit with her, served her tea, and entertained her attentively. However, she saw a faint dark circle under her eyes, and her mental state was not very good. She was probably troubled by the rumors.
When the bandits learned of the eldest prince's wife's identity and realized that they had committed a capital crime, they did not dare to do anything out of the ordinary.
They were just some people who were forced into a desperate situation by the local county magistrate, suffered injustice and were forced to go to the mountains to become bandits. They had parents, wives and daughters, and were not desperadoes.
But rumors are disturbing, and the eldest prince's wife must feel hurt after listening to them every day.
Chu Li said, "Brother, you care about your sister-in-law so much that you want to save her even at the risk of your own life. I don't know how many people envy your love for her. I've heard a lot of sour words along the way, but it's hot and stuffy in autumn, sour words are quite appetizing."
Shuang Liu burst out laughing.
Firstly, it was clear that the eldest prince and his wife were of one mind, and if rumors were spread, the eldest prince would certainly not let it go easily.
Secondly, those wives and concubines were jealous of the eldest prince's love for the eldest prince's wife, so they deliberately played tricks on him.
"I'm sorry to make you laugh at me, my ninth brother."
Chu Li shook his head: "I just don't know, weren't you with Wen Zhixi on the way back to the capital that day? How did you suddenly get captured by bandits?"
Liu Shuang's face turned pale as she recalled what happened that day:
"That evening, it was raining heavily. The wheels of the car hit a rock and threw us out. Suddenly, a group of men wearing straw raincoats appeared."
"Miss Wen was knocked unconscious, and I was taken away. I don't know what happened after that. The servants reported that the Dali Temple was investigating the matter, but the bandits only said that it was due to heavy rain and they were blinded. They only saw me and not Miss Wen."
If they wanted to rob her of her money and her body, it would be impossible for them to capture only the eldest prince's wife and let Wen Zhixi go.
The bandits were specifically targeting the eldest prince's wife.
If the eldest prince's wife is humiliated, it will bring disgrace to the eldest prince. With this shame, the eldest prince will lose the support of his subjects and the people, and he will have no hope of becoming the crown prince.
No matter who did it, the remaining princes will benefit from the elimination of a competitor to the throne.
The other party didn't dare to touch Wen Zhixi. There was only one possibility: he didn't want to offend the Wen family.
Most of the members of the Wen family were military generals, and the women were businessmen. They were rich and powerful, and they also had a ninth prince.
According to the Regent's temperament, if he wanted to target someone, he could just do it directly. Why would he have to go around in circles like this?
If it wasn't the Regent who did it, who could it be?
-
In the main hall.
"Brother, how's the investigation going?" the Sixth Prince asked the First Prince with concern.
Chu Yuanchi pursed his lips and shook his head: "The Dali Temple is still investigating."
The Sixth Prince was angry:
"In my opinion, it was clearly the regent who did it! He was also at Tianling Temple that day, and caused my ninth brother to fall off his horse. His ambition is obvious. He wants to eliminate us one by one so that he can become the emperor himself!"
"Brother, you must not let him go easily!"
The Sixth Prince and the First Prince were born of the same mother. He was only nineteen years old, spoke directly and in an aggressive tone.
There was no emotion in Chu Yuanchi's eyes:
"Xiao Liu, don't say such things outside anymore. There is no evidence to support your claim. Be careful that there are ears."
The Sixth Prince was dissatisfied:
"Why should I be afraid of him? In my opinion, this is all my father's fault. Why did he allow the Regent to develop to such a mature level? If he had solved the problem of the Regent as soon as possible, he wouldn't have to..."
"Six!"
Chu Yuanchi suddenly said sternly:
"My father and the regent are brothers. If I am lucky enough to ascend the throne in the future, will I have to eliminate you?"
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