Chapter 38

Lin Nanjie hurried back to the palace before the palace gates were closed and went to the Zichen Hall to report.

Just as he arrived in front of the Purple Palace, the sky was already completely dark, with a bright moon hanging in the sky. Lin Nanjie saw from afar a figure pacing on the vast stone floor in front of the Purple Palace.

The moon was high in the sky, casting a shadow on a solitary figure.

Lin Nanqi walked closer and saw the figure's tall stature and gloomy demeanor. He looked up at the moon, wondering what he was thinking about.

At this hour, he can still stroll leisurely outside the Purple Palace. You can guess who it is just by guessing with your toes.

Lin Nanqi stopped a foot behind Li Chengqian and called softly, "Your Majesty, I am back."

Li Chengqian pretended not to hear anything. He put his hands behind his back, looked up at the crescent moon, and said without thinking, "I want to ride the wind and go home, but I am afraid that it is too cold up there."

Lin Nanjie stared at Li Chenghuan's back, feeling confused.

【Return with the wind? 】

[Dog Emperor wants to go to heaven? ]

[But there are no tall buildings up there, and the moon is full of meteorite craters. Without oxygen, people will suffocate to death.]

Lin Nanqi looked at Li Chengqian's back in confusion.

He is the emperor, why must he ride on the wind and return home?

Emperors are always like this, sometimes they would chant a few lines of poetry to the moon. Lin Nanjie looked up at the crescent moon, and felt that it was ordinary and unremarkable.

[I think I'm crazy again.]

Li Chenghuan's hands behind his back moved slightly, but he was not annoyed. He suddenly turned around and walked towards Lin Nanjie. He stopped in front of Lin Nanjie, stared at Lin Nanjie, and said something without thinking:

"Today, Concubine Gui, Concubine Duan, and Concubine Rong are here to see me."

Lin Nanjie didn't dare to move and listened quietly to what Li Chenghuan said.

"The imperial concubine said that she had been worshipping Buddha and reciting sutras in the cold palace for the past few months, and she was inspired by Buddhism, so she asked to go to the Jokhang Temple to practice Buddhism."

"Concubine Duan said that she had committed many sins and was weak and cold, so she asked to go to the Jokhang Temple to practice Buddhism and chant sutras for me and the Empress Dowager."

"Concubine Rong said that the Jokhang Temple was cold and lonely, and she was worried that Concubine Gui and Concubine Duan would not be able to get used to it, so she wanted to go and accompany them."

Lin Nanjie slowly narrowed his eyes, and Li Chengzhen's calm expression was reflected in his pupils.

[This... actually saw through the world together? 】

[This kind of thing has never been heard of in history. I'm afraid the dog emperor won't allow it, right?]

He watched Li Chenghuan's expression cautiously, but he always felt it was too calm, like the calm before a storm.

Lin Nanqi couldn't help shrinking his neck: "Maybe the ladies are grateful to the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, so they went to pray together..."

The more Lin Nanjie spoke, the more guilty he felt, but he was interrupted by Li Chengqian's words.

"I agree."

Lin Nanjie widened his eyes and stared at Li Chengqian blankly.

Li Chenghuan's handsome face was calm and composed. The silvery moonlight shone on his smooth and sharp profile. His long eyelashes cast a heavy shadow, and his deep eyes were unable to discern his emotions.

Lin Nanqi opened his mouth and said, "Your Majesty is tolerant and generous, which is a blessing for the people of Daqi."

[What should I do? The dog emperor looks very sad.]

[Within one day, all the ladies in the palace left. I was alone on my pillow, unable to sleep. The night was long, long, and the night covers were cold...]

[Fortunately, he doesn’t know that Miss Shen is currently obsessed with the third son of the King of Beichang…]

"Lin Nanjie." Li Chengqian suddenly called him coldly.

Lin Nanqi raised his head quickly and saw that the emperor's face had become even uglier.

The night wind blows, bringing the fragrance of the evening breeze.

The fragrance of rouge and powder filled his nose, gentle and soft, with a seductive sweet scent, as if rolling in a pile of rouge and powder, abruptly interrupting Li Chengqian's thoughts.

Li Chengqi looked at Lin Nanqi suspiciously and sniffed hard.

Lin Nan was stunned. "I have been in the imperial prison for a long time today. I am covered in blood. I dare not offend the emperor. I will go back and change into clean clothes before reporting the case to the emperor."

After Lin Nanjie finished speaking, he turned around and tried to slip away.

Just as he took half a step, Li Chenghuan grabbed his collar from behind and lifted him up.

Lin Nanjie's heels left the ground, his face full of fear, his hands flapping, and then he was turned 180 degrees, facing Li Chenghuan's enlarged handsome face at a very close distance.

Lin Nanqi's pupils suddenly dilated: "Your Majesty!"

Li Chenghuan's enlarged face suddenly appeared in his eyes. The two of them were too close, their noses were about to fight. Li Chenghuan's eyes, which seemed to see through everything, were staring straight at him.

Lin Nanjie swallowed nervously.

[Do it, do it...what are you doing! 】

[Too close...too close! ]

Li Chengqi frowned and moved closer to Lin Nanjie's face and sniffed. His breath fell on his face and neck. Lin Nanjie felt itchy and retracted his neck hard.

Lin Nanjie felt like a prey being held down by a beast, being held down and waiting for the moment of sentencing.

Lin Nanjie felt like half a century had passed before Li Chengqian finally stopped and said coldly:

"Drinking."

"Drinking flower wine."

Lin Nanjie was suspended in mid-air, and hurriedly said: "It was because of the matter of Prince Beichang that I went to Chunfeng Mingyue Tower with Jinyiwei Si Nanhao to inquire about the news... Yes, it was for official business!"

"Spring Breeze and Bright Moon Tower?"

"Where did you drink all the wine?"

Li Chenghuan snorted coldly: "You and my Jinyiwei are getting closer and closer. You even visited brothels together."

Lin Nanjie smiled awkwardly, rolling his eyes inwardly.

[Not only did I go shopping, I also saw your ministers one after another, going to brothels to look for lovers like thieves! ]

Looking at the difficult dog emperor in front of him, Lin Nan racked his brains: "It's all for the sake of loyalty to the emperor. The Jinyiwei is handling the case of Prince Beichang for the emperor. I also went to check the situation according to the emperor's instructions. Apart from this, I dare not act rashly."

"After finishing the work, I will rush back to the palace to report to the emperor. I dare not stay outside the palace for a moment longer!"

"I am always thinking about returning to serve the emperor, and I dare not have any second thoughts."

Lin Nanqi carefully examined Li Chenghuan's expression.

[I have explained it to you with emotion and reason, so this should be OK, right?]

Who knew, the next second, Li Chenghuan smiled sinisterly, raised his other hand and wiped the corner of Lin Nanjie's mouth fiercely.

“Is Dongpo pork delicious?”

Lin Nanjie was stunned when he saw a drop of thick red sauce on Li Chenghuan's thumb, and his whole body was instantly burned from head to toe.

【Ahhhhhhhhhh! 】

【What a social death!!!】

He hastily wiped his mouth with his sleeve: "Your Majesty, I was wrong! I shouldn't have gone to Chunfeng Mingyue Tower to eat that useless meal. It polluted Your Majesty's eyes! It's not delicious, not delicious at all!"

Li Chenghuan put him down, pulled his other sleeve and slowly wiped his fingers, snorting coldly: "I see you are eating very happily."

Lin Nanqi's eyes moved rapidly as he flattered her: "This time, I have gained something unexpected."

Li Chenghuan put his hands behind his back again: "Oh? Tell me about it."

Lin Nanjie then told Li Chenghuan about the internal traitor and the Beichang Palace, and sighed, "From what I saw, the prince seemed to have been taken to Chunfeng Mingyue Tower, and there was a dispute on the spot. I'm afraid many ministers heard it."

Li Chenghuan did not speak immediately. He thought about it in his mind and nodded: "I understand."

Lin Nanqi added: "I have visited the Prince of Beichang and reported to Miss Shen at the Prince of Beichang's mansion. I think Miss Shen should be relieved and will be fine for the time being."

Li Chengqian nodded: "Got it."

Lin Nanjie stood firmly on his feet, touched the back of his neck with lingering fear, and straightened his collar.

[I'm scared to death! ! Dog Emperor! ]

Lin Nanqi lowered his head and did not notice that the corners of Li Chenghuan's lips curved slightly.

Li Chengqian's mood suddenly improved, and the gloom in his heart was swept away. He looked down at Lin Nanqi's puzzled expression, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

Lin Nanjie didn't even notice that his face was red, extending all the way to his earlobes.

Sure enough, it is still fun to tease Lin Nan.

Li Chengqian felt that he had unknowingly developed a bad taste. Whenever he saw Lin Nanqi, he couldn't help teasing him until he made Lin Nanqi curse loudly in his heart but beg for mercy on the surface. Then he felt relaxed all over.

Thinking of Lin Nanjie, he always scolded himself for being crazy in his heart.

Li Chengqian touched his nose guiltily.

Could it be that he was right?

After Lin Nan recovered his life, he returned to the outer room as if a ghost was chasing him. He did not forget to change all his clothes and washed them from head to toe.

***

The next day, court meeting.

As expected, the ministers submitted a series of reports regarding the incident that took place last night at Chunfeng Mingyue Tower by Yao Zhenan, the Prince of Beichang.

"As soon as Prince Beichang was imprisoned, Crown Prince Yao Zhen'an went to Chunfeng Mingyue Tower to have fun and even beat someone up in public. Prince Beichang really has no way of educating his children!"

"If the top beam is not straight, the bottom beam will be crooked. Yao Zhenan behaves like this without following the rules at all. From this point of view, there are indeed many strange things in the three years that the King of Beichang has been at the border!"

"There are many doubts in the case of Prince Beichang. I earnestly request that the emperor hand Prince Beichang over to the Ministry of Justice for trial!"

Li Chenghuan looked at the ministers who kept coming out to report, his eyes rolling: "I heard from the Jinyiwei that there is a traitor among the border guards. In my opinion, there may be someone in the court who is colluding with the outside, otherwise how could the military funds disappear for no reason and appear on the black market again."

Hearing this, the ministers fell silent and looked at each other.

Lin Nan, who was dozing off in the corridor, opened one eyelid.

[The dog emperor's strategy of attacking the east while attacking the west is brilliant! ]

[If this matter only involves the lineage of the King of Beichang, it would be fine to replace a general to guard the border. After all, it is not three years ago now, the situation has stabilized, and although the second prince of Tatar is willing to start a rebellion, it will not happen overnight.]

[But if it involves the officials in Beijing, there is no telling whether it will lead to a bloody storm.]

[Shouldn't these old folks protect themselves? 】

At this moment, a figure walked out, and the ministers' nerves tensed up again.

Liao Baifan walked out of the line without looking around and stood in front of Li Chengqian: "I have something important to report."

Li Chengqian raised his chin slightly: "Speak."

Liao Baifan said: "After investigation, I found that the prince of Beichang, Yao Zhenan, was instigated by a group of young men to go to Chunfeng Mingyue Tower. There are many witnesses to the beating, and Yao Zhenan cannot deny it, but someone provoked him with words."

"Not only that," Liao Baifan paused, "the young gentlemen present are all either rich or noble, and some are the sons of ministers in the court."

Lin Nanjie's eyes lit up.

【Wuhu~I feel like someone is going to be in trouble! 】

The ministers looked at each other in bewilderment. Who could be so bad at educating his children to raise such a prodigal son who enjoys the hustle and bustle and never minds making trouble?

Several ministers looked away, but Liao Baifan did not give them a chance.