Chapter 67 Can this be solved by myself?
Li Pan returned to his seat, and after a while, Emperor Jinghui, the Crown Prince, and others also took their seats, and the banquet officially began.
The banquet was filled with singing, dancing, and music, creating a joyful atmosphere. Li Pan deliberately touched the wine cup beside him a few times, but was immediately stopped by Lord Wei: "My lord, are you craving some wine? You mustn't. If you drink some wine and your wife smells it when you get back, all of us will probably be blamed."
Several officials around Li Pan burst into laughter.
Li Pan then withdrew his hand and said, "Alright, alright, I won't drink then!"
Lord Wei: "That's right. It's a small matter to indulge in food and drink, but it's a big deal to offend the lady."
Li Pan: "Lord Wei, are you making fun of me?"
Lord Wei: "How could I dare? My wife is merely advising the Marquis; she is a virtuous wife!"
On his throne, Emperor Jinghui summoned Eunuch Zheng: "Why has Marquis Wu'an not touched his chopsticks for so long?"
Eunuch Zheng awkwardly recounted what had happened before the banquet, thinking to himself, "The Lady of the Marquis is really afraid that His Majesty will poison the Marquis, but this time His Majesty has been wronged. He did nothing."
Emperor Jinghui twitched the corner of his mouth and waved for Eunuch Zheng to leave. However, out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the Crown Prince sitting at the lower end of the table. The Crown Prince was calmly enjoying the song and dance performance, occasionally eating something, as if he did not care what others were doing.
Emperor Jinghui raised his cup and slowly sipped the wine.
There's still plenty of time, no rush.
Half an hour passed, and the noise of people drinking and chatting around him grew louder and louder. Just as Li Pan was considering whether he should leave, a palace maid came to his side and whispered, "My lord, the lady is not a good drinker and asked me to convey a message asking if you should go back."
Li Pan frowned immediately: "Can't hold his liquor?"
The palace maid lowered her head and said, "That's what the lady said."
Li Pan: "Where is she?"
"Wait outside for the Marquis."
Could it be that the hangover cure wasn't effective enough? Or did she drink those few glasses of wine too quickly, making her feel unwell?
Li Pan couldn't help but glance towards the women's section, but he was too far away to see the figures clearly.
Lord Wei approached and asked, "My lord, is there something you need?"
Li Pan forced a smile: "Madam has something to discuss with me."
"Oh, I knew it," Lord Wei laughed. "My lord, please go quickly, lest you keep your wife waiting."
Li Pan then cupped his hands to the left and right, saying, "I'll take my leave now, please forgive me."
The others didn't stop him; they just watched him leave with amusement, then whispered among themselves about the rumors and anecdotes surrounding Marquis Wu'an and his wife.
As Li Pan walked out, he couldn't help but look back once more.
Emperor Jinghui, seated on his throne, was having his meal, not sparing him a single glance, seemingly unconcerned about where he had gone.
Li Pan couldn't help but wonder, could this banquet really just be a simple banquet?
Just as he was about to look away, he unexpectedly met the gaze of the Crown Prince on the other side.
The Crown Prince did not react. After a brief eye contact, he looked away and continued to watch the song and dance. He probably only glanced at him subconsciously because he saw that the Crown Prince was the only one who had left his seat so early.
Li Pan pursed his lips and quickly left the banquet.
But when they went outside, they didn't see Lou Xueying anywhere.
Li Pan: "Didn't you say my wife was waiting for me? Where is she?"
The palace servant who delivered the message seemed quite surprised as well, and asked another palace servant standing at the door, "Have you seen the Lady of Wu'an Marquis?"
The palace maid said, "Lady Wu'an said she felt dizzy and couldn't stand steadily. There was nowhere to sit here, so she went to sit and rest elsewhere."
"Where is 'elsewhere'?"
The palace maid then pointed in a direction.
"My lord." The palace maid who delivered the message turned around and bowed her head, saying, "This servant will lead you over there to take a look. There is a waterside pavilion over there, and the lady should be resting there temporarily."
Li Pan stared at her, frowning and remaining silent.
Receiving no answer, the palace servant asked again nervously, "Lord Marquis?"
Li Pan said, "Lead the way."
"Yes." The palace servant respectfully stepped forward and began to lead the way.
A gentle evening breeze caressed my face, carrying a faint, lingering fragrance of flowers.
The road wasn't long; after turning a corner, Li Pan saw a waterside pavilion perched on the edge of a pond.
The waterside pavilion is some distance from the main road and not illuminated by many palace lanterns. The upturned eaves appear hazy and indistinct under the thin moonlight, and even the light emanating from the pavilion becomes dim and lukewarm, making it difficult to distinguish whether it is the light from inside the building or the light reflected from the pond.
Li Pan walked closer and stopped at the entrance of the waterside pavilion.
"Go in and see if my wife is inside."
The palace maid had no choice but to knock on the door. There was no response from inside, so she softly called out, "Madam? May I come in?"
She waited a while, then tried pushing the door open, and surprisingly, she was able to open it, so she went inside.
Soon, a palace maid came out with a smile: "My lord, the lady is here, but she is asleep."
Li Pan stood with his hands behind his back, paused at the threshold, and then stepped inside.
The waterside pavilion has a simple structure: an outer room and an inner room. The door to the inner room is ajar, and you can vaguely see a figure curled up on the chaise longue inside, covered with a thin blanket.
Li Pan went inside.
The increasingly rich fragrance of flowers wafted towards him, and Li Pan suddenly turned around, only to see the palace servant who had led the way close the door with lightning speed and lock it with a click.
Li Pan kicked the door, which shook several times but remained firmly locked.
Li Pan sneered and shouted, "Who sent you? What's your purpose?"
There was no response from outside the door.
Li Pan covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve, turned around, and looked at the woman on the chaise lounge.
In the dim light, she appeared to be asleep, with a thin blanket covering half of her body, revealing her partially concealed clothing.
Li Pan remained expressionless and grabbed her up.
The woman instinctively opened her eyes, but before she could utter a soft cry, she felt a sharp pain in her knees as her hands were tied behind her back, forcing her to kneel on the ground.
Li Pan stared at her coldly and said, "I'll count to three. Confess honestly, or I'll kill you."
The woman stammered, "Explain what...My lord, you...you can't do this...I may have made a mistake by shirking my duties here, but how can you take advantage of me like this..."
Li Pan interrupted her directly: "You, a mere spy from the Quanrong, have used sweet words to frame me. I will kill you right now and report to His Majesty!"
"What Quanrong! My lord, don't talk nonsense!" Upon hearing that she had become a Quanrong spy, the woman's face turned pale.
Li Pan narrowed his eyes and grabbed her throat: "If I say you are, then you are."
The woman was being choked and struggling to breathe. She tried to hit Li Pan with both hands, but to no avail.
Li Pan began to count: "Three, two..."
He suddenly paused.
This was bad. Although he had tried his best to cover his mouth and nose, he still inhaled some of the floral scent while speaking. The effect was very fast, and he gradually became agitated.
Li Pan changed his tune and said coldly, "Hand over the antidote."
He loosened his grip slightly, and the woman, her eyes red-rimmed, trembled as she said, "This servant doesn't understand what Your Highness is saying..."
Li Pan: "I know you have it, otherwise you wouldn't be waiting here so clearly."
"This servant...this servant doesn't know what antidote is..."
Seeing that she wouldn't listen to reason, Li Panfu sneered again, threw her aside, took a breath, and kicked the door hard again.
With a crisp crack, a crack appeared in the wooden door.
The woman, caught off guard by this turn of events, panicked and immediately changed her attitude, prostrating herself on the ground and pleading, "My lord! You have always been kind and generous, please have mercy on me this once. If you leave like this, I will surely be punished... I dare not ask you to favor me, I only beg you to stay here for a moment..."
"A moment?" Li Pan sneered. "I'm afraid that after this moment, the accusation that I, Marquis, have raped a palace maid will be confirmed, won't it?"
The woman was speechless for a moment.
Li Pan: "Hand over the antidote."
"This servant...this servant did not have the antidote on me. This servant came here after taking the antidote..."
"Who sent you?" Li Pan asked. "Just tell me their name, and I'll guarantee your safety."
The woman shook her head and pleaded, "My lord..."
"You won't talk, is that it? You won't talk because you think that compared to that person's power, I can't protect you, is that it?" Li Pan said coldly. "Then you need to remember clearly that it was not me who forced you to this point, but your master. If you want to seek revenge in the future, find the right person first."
After saying that, he knocked her unconscious with a chop to the neck.
He took a deep breath, disregarding everything else, and, suppressing his anger, kicked the door shut again.
With a loud crash, the old wooden door finally cracked completely, and the unbroken brass lock fell to the ground.
Li Pan squinted, brushed away the dust in front of him, but froze on the spot just as he took a step.
Opposite him stood Lou Xueying, who had just entered the waterside pavilion.
She stared at him in disbelief, then looked at the woman lying on the ground behind him.
"Swoosh!" He suddenly realized what was happening and immediately said, "Let me explain—"
Lou Xueying gasped, rushed to him, grabbed his wrist, and said, "Run!"
She pulled him along as they ran out of the waterside pavilion. Turning his head, he saw several palace servants running towards them from a distance.
He pursed his lips and stopped speaking. The two of them ran wildly all the way from the inner courtyard where the banquet was held to the outer courtyard where they were staying.
As soon as she got back to her room, Lou Xueying collapsed to the ground. It felt like a large block of ice had been stuffed into her throat; it was stiff, cold, and burning, and she couldn't utter a single word.
"Shushu!" Li Pan quickly came to help her up. "Are you alright?"
Lou Xueying shook her head, breathing heavily.
She had never run such a long distance in one go before. At first, she was pulling Li Pan along, but later it became Li Pan pulling her along. Towards the end, she could hardly feel her legs anymore and was only able to keep going with sheer willpower.
"I don't know that person!" Finally having a chance to explain, Li Pan immediately spoke up, "Her dressing like that has nothing to do with me! They lied to me and said it was because you couldn't hold your liquor and were inside, but as soon as I went in, I was locked up!"
Seeing that Lou Xueying was still panting, Li Pan quickly poured her a glass of water.
Lou Xueying gulped down the drink, which calmed her down a bit. She grabbed Li Pan's arm and said, "I know... I believe you."
Li Pan gritted his teeth: "I asked her to reveal who was in charge, but she refused to say!" He paused, then continued, "How did you know I was in there?"
Lou Xueying swallowed hard: "I heard your voice..."
Halfway through the banquet, she still hadn't received a message from Li Pan. Finally, unable to contain herself any longer, she left her seat and went to the outer edge of the men's section, asking a palace servant at the door to go in and find Li Pan.
The palace servant went in but did not come out for a long time. Lou Xueying was puzzled and stood on tiptoe at the door to look again and again, but she could not see the figure inside.
Fortunately, the palace servant who was supposed to deliver the message was nowhere to be seen, but a Lord Wei left his seat to find a latrine to relieve himself.
She quickly stopped him and asked if Li Pan was still at the table.
Lord Wei was quite surprised: "Eh, why is Madam still here? Didn't the Marquis just say that Madam had something to discuss with him and had already left?"
Lou Xueying's heart skipped a beat.
Lord Wei, having drunk too much, was still a bit slow on the uptake and chuckled, "Your Excellency, could it be that you're hiding something from your wife and have secretly slipped away? If your wife and Your Excellency quarrel, please don't expose me!"
Lou Xueying forced a smile: "Just now... just now I was indeed looking for the Marquis, but I left for a while and couldn't find him now. I thought he had returned."
Lord Wei: "Oh, then he never came back."
Lou Xueying: "Then, then I'll go look again. Please go ahead, Lord Wei."
After Lord Wei left, Lou Xueying became increasingly anxious and had no choice but to search on her own. She found her way to the waterside pavilion and suddenly heard some movement inside. Upon closer listening, she realized that there was a man and a woman inside. The man's voice was louder and sounded somewhat like Li Pan's.
The door outside the waterside pavilion was unlocked. She pushed it open and went inside, only to find that the inner door was locked with a brass lock. Before she could think about it, she heard a crash and the door collapsed, revealing Li Pan and a woman who had fainted in front of her.
“It seems we were all wrong,” Li Pan said in a deep voice. “His Majesty doesn’t want to kill me, but rather to drive a wedge between us. He deliberately used you as bait to lure me there, locking me up with a palace maid. That way, when you or someone else ‘comes looking for me,’ I won’t be able to explain myself to her.”
Lou Xueying: "But I saw that the door was locked, and it's obvious that you were forced to stay together..."
“So what?” Li Pan said, “I’m locked inside, unable to get out, and I still need to breathe. With each breath, I have to smell that aphrodisiac… I think he probably wants me to be under the influence of the drug and entangled with that woman. When the time is right, he’ll send someone to unlock the door, and then you or someone else can naturally come in and see all of this…”
Li Pan became increasingly angry as he spoke. He found it hard to imagine how a grown man could do such a despicable thing—it would have been better to just poison him!
"He even put an aphrodisiac in your incense?" Lou Xueying exclaimed in shock. "He...he..."
“He even gave the palace maid the antidote first, making preparations for both scenarios,” Li Pan said bitterly. “If I had no intention of resisting the effects of the drug, then there would be no problem; but if I did have the intention of resisting, then the conscious palace maid could forcibly fabricate the scene, at which point I would have no way to defend myself.”
He rubbed his temples hard: "But don't worry, I didn't smell much and I'm still conscious. Besides, he probably didn't expect me to be able to kick the door open, nor did he expect you to arrive so early."
Lou Xueying's face flushed red, both angry and frightened.
What angered her was that she couldn't believe Emperor Jinghui could come up with such a vicious scheme to slander Li Pan, mislead her, and thus separate the couple; what she feared was that if she arrived any later, other "witnesses" would get there first, or if the door were any more secure, Li Pan wouldn't be able to get out, and what would become of his reputation?
"So, how are you feeling now?" Lou Xueying asked worriedly. "Are you in pain?"
Li Pan shook his head, but his breathing was a little heavy: "It's nothing, it's alright—but you brought so many medicines, do you have any that can cure this?"
Lou Xueying: "...No."
Li Pan: "Then forget it."
Lou Xueying nervously picked at her fingers.
She wanted to say that it was okay to feel bad, since there was no one else around now, and if he needed her... she could.
But Li Pan is perfectly lucid now, and she's too embarrassed to say it directly.
Finally, she bit her lip and asked cautiously, "Is the medicine still working?"
"There's one more thing," Li Pan said irritably, "Stay away from me for now."
Lou Xueying was taken aback: "Are you just going to endure this like this? But I can help you..."
“This medicine works too fast, it’s like a strong drug. I’m afraid that if it gets aroused later, it might hurt you,” Li Pan said. “I’ll go to the bathroom to take care of it myself later.”
Lou Xueying exclaimed in surprise, "This... this can be solved by myself?"
"What else? Once the effects are relieved, the drug's effects will wear off, right? Who cares how they're relieved? Do you really think you need to find a woman? You'll die of boredom without a woman?" He looked at her. "Did you read some random romance novels before and get fooled? Don't believe those things. They're just for fooling young girls to get you to willingly give yourself to them. In reality, it's no big deal if you don't give yourself to them."
Lou Xueying: "..."
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