In the gentle breeze, two carriages stopped in front of the Fifth Prince's mansion. The two carriages were of the same specifications, even the curtains on top were the same style, only the colors were different. A middle-aged couple stepped out of the first carriage one after the other. They were dressed in fine silk, but not the official silk; their style and appearance were that of merchants.
The middle-aged couple whispered for a while. At this moment, a delicate, exquisitely carved hand emerged from the second carriage, followed by a light blue silk dress, and then a beautiful face amidst the romantic scenery.
The passersby were amazed, as a fairy stepped out of this ordinary car!
The middle-aged couple saw the beautiful woman with graceful bearing get out of the carriage, and they went up to her, bowing slightly, and said sincerely, "Young lady, please do us this favor. We must see the Fifth Prince today, no matter what."
The beautiful woman sighed softly and instructed her maid to deliver the visiting card to the gatekeeper.
During the wait, the middle-aged couple performed several more grand bows to the woman, so that when the beautiful woman entered the Prince Wu's residence, her face was solemn and she could not find the slightest hint of slackness.
When the name card was handed to Hongzhou, he had just returned from court and was thinking of reading a few books. However, after reading for a short while, he heard a servant say that two carriages had arrived outside. Soon after, the gatekeeper brought up Qingluo's name card.
"Miss Qingluo, it's been a long time." These are extraordinary times, and Hongzhou originally planned not to see any guests for a while. However, when he saw the name card of Qingluo, a famous courtesan in the capital, he changed his mind and invited her in.
Qingluo bowed to Hongzhou, then accepted the tea from the servants, sipping it slowly.
"Miss Qingluo, what brings you here?" Hongzhou knew that no one would come to the palace without a reason. He understood that for Qingluo, the Prince Wu's mansion was the palace, and she must have something to ask for from him.
"I have been entrusted by someone to plead with the Fifth Prince on behalf of someone."
"Oh?" Hongzhou put down his teacup and looked at Qingluo. "Who asked you to do this, and for whom are you pleading?"
Faced with Hong Zhou's sudden and powerful aura, she remained calm and said, "I have been entrusted by the wealthy He family patriarch and madam to plead for the eldest son of the He family."
"Fine!" Hongzhou stared at her for a long time before uttering this single word, but its meaning was far more complex than its literal interpretation. He wasn't agreeing with Qingluo's words, but rather astonished by her audacity. A famous courtesan from the capital was actually pleading with him for the sake of a high-ranking criminal.
Who gave Qingluo such audacity? Hongzhou was puzzled, but then he realized that it was he who gave Qingluo the courage. Suddenly, he felt a tightness in his chest.
“You’ve come to plead for Young Master He, so let me ask you, do you know what crime Young Master He has committed?” Hongzhou asked.
Qingluo replied, "The eldest son of the He family was arrested and imprisoned in the Dali Temple because he was involved in Fucha Argon's price gouging of grain."
The words "price gouging" made Hongzhou's breathing become heavier. He asked again, "Do you know how serious a crime price gouging is?"
"I know."
"Then you still dare to plead for Young Master He! Qingluo, you think too highly of yourself." Hongzhou stood up and turned his back to Qingluo. He snorted coldly and said, "Young Master He dared to go against the imperial court. His current predicament is his own fault."
"What, you're going to go against the imperial court for his sake?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
