Chapter 224 The Emperor Stumbles In, Whose Dagger Is It?
Li Yuzong exclaimed in a shrill voice, "The Emperor has arrived!"
The people in the front hall stopped toasting and rose to respectfully welcome the emperor.
Emperor Wusu wore a blue silk robe embroidered with gold dragons, waves, clouds, and cliffs. He did not bring any imperial regalia with him, but was followed closely by Duan Mingfeng.
The emperor, dressed incognito, attended the princess's wedding banquet. Upon entering, he casually said, "Rise, I'm just here to join in the fun, so don't be shy."
With Emperor Wusu present, the atmosphere in the front hall immediately quieted down.
The timid kept their heads down and dared not make a sound, while the bold communicated with their eyes or spoke quietly to the people around them.
Someone asked Lu Juan, "Lord Lu, do you know what the Emperor has come here for?"
Lu Juan's gaze fell on the table of women opposite him. Seeing that Ji Qingrong had only taken a few bites before stopping, he said something to the servant behind him.
Then he replied, "The Emperor wishes to share in the joy of the Princess's wedding."
"But the wedding ceremony is over, and we've already eaten half the meal, so...?"
The man didn't dare continue speaking, wondering if there was anything more to say.
Lu Juan pushed the roasted venison in front of him to him and said, "My lord, please try this dish. Perhaps the Emperor is bored in the palace and would like to have some fun."
What's so exciting about this? The officials at this banquet are people we meet every day when we go to court.
The man slapped his forehead. At the women's banquet, there were quite a few young ladies from noble families who couldn't help but glance shyly at the emperor.
Today, you can naturally see scenery that you cannot see from the palace.
backyard.
Apart from the initial shout from Eunuch Li, Ji Qingwu couldn't hear what was happening in the front hall.
All that was known was that Emperor Wusu was present, but it was neither too early nor too late, and the wedding ceremony had already ended.
Even if Princess Qingyun and her husband were naked in their bridal chamber, they would still have to put their clothes back on and come out to greet her.
Looking up, I saw Mo Lingling still standing there dumbfounded on the only way from the backyard to the front hall.
Ji Qingwu strode out, trying to pull her aside.
She whispered, "Miss Mo, this is not a place to stay any longer. Come with me."
Mo Lingling looked up at Ji Qingwu, who had suddenly appeared before her. Her lips parted and closed again, and she was at a loss for words.
She was clearly still processing what Li Chengxun had said to her before he left.
In that treacherous den of bandits, the person who risked his life to save her was not him, nor was the one who told her he would help her father overturn his case.
That dagger wasn't his at all.
Oh, right, the dagger...
Mo Lingling hurriedly looked around frantically, muttering, "Where did the dagger go?"
At this critical moment, who cares about daggers? Ji Qingwu walked up to her and reached out to grab Mo Lingling.
But the other person seemed to have been provoked by something; dressed in a suit of thorns, she suddenly jumped into the artificial lake behind the bushes.
With a thud, she sank to the bottom.
Fortunately, the lake wasn't deep, and Mo Lingling quickly floated to the surface; the water barely reached her waist.
She bent over and carefully felt around at the bottom of the lake with her hands.
Ji Qingwu knew how important the dagger was to Mo Lingling, but he couldn't stop her from doing something foolish, so he could only keep watch for her.
She kept an eye on the commotion in the new house and planned her escape route in advance to avoid being caught by Princess Qingyun, who came out to greet the emperor.
It was already dark by now.
The dagger was thrown in and sank into the mud. Mo Lingling was covered in mud from the bottom of the pool, but she still couldn't find it.
Ji Qingwu, who was in the corridor, also became anxious and stomped her foot, taking a small step back.
But the sensation on her back was strange. She was leaning against a solid wall. The corridor was full of pillars and open to the wind. There was no wall in the way.
Ji Qingwu lowered his head slightly and could see that the wall behind him was blue and decorated with woven dragon patterns.
For a moment, all you could hear was the other person's breathing and the sound of water as Mo Lingling rummaged through things in the lake.
How did Emperor Wusu end up in the backyard of the princess's residence?
She thought to herself, but turned around with a smile, bowed again, and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
Emperor Wusu looked her up and down.
Feeling his gaze linger on her waist, Ji Qingwu glanced at it as well. The wide-edged blue satin sash was embroidered with auspicious clouds and fungus, nothing special.
It does have something special about it, because the auspicious clouds and herbs on it were embroidered by her herself.
Ji Qingwu then noticed that Duan Mingfeng was also following behind Emperor Wusu, standing a few feet away.
Whenever the emperor traveled incognito, this Imperial City Envoy was always present.
Mo Lingling, who was in the lake, only had eyes for the dagger and didn't notice that there were two more people on the shore.
Ji Qingwu said, "Your Majesty, this is the backyard of the Princess's residence."
Perhaps it would be better to stay somewhere else.
Emperor Wusu's gaze shifted to her face, settling on her lips adorned with rose lipstick.
"I know this is the backyard, what are you doing here?"
Ji Qingwu gazed at the dragon tattoo on his broad shoulders.
He explained, "I was originally in the bridal chamber to watch the ceremony. After it was over, the princess asked me to stay and talk for a while. I was just about to leave for the front hall."
Emperor Wusu slightly raised his chin towards the lake.
"And what is that?"
Duan Mingfeng felt a chill run down his spine. As he entered the backyard, he saw the figure in the water and immediately recognized who it was.
Anyone with eyes can tell what this person is here for just by looking at them.
Emperor Wusu only glanced at it before turning his gaze back to the graceful figure in dark blue in the corridor.
Just like now.
Ji Qingwu blinked slightly: "That's Miss Mo, whom His Majesty has met."
Emperor Wusu then asked, "What are the ladies of Liangxiang Pavilion doing dressed in black in the lake in the backyard of the Princess's residence?"
“She came with me. My things fell into the lake, and she was helping me find them.”
As Ji Qingwu watched Mo Lingling thrashing about in the lake, his mind raced faster than his words.
"This black outfit was specially changed into so that it would be easier to find things and work in the water. This girl is simple and honest, and she loves to do all the dirty and hard work."
As soon as she finished speaking, Mo Lingling straightened up from the water.
"Found it!"
She wore a simple, joyful smile, but it would have been even better if she hadn't been holding a black iron dagger that had been washed clean by water.
Why did it have to happen now of all times?
Ji Qingwu had a premonition that the emperor was about to ask another question, so she smiled even more broadly and gazed at him with deep affection.
Emperor Wusu raised an eyebrow and said, "You dropped a dagger?"
Duan Mingfeng's mission was to protect the emperor. Upon hearing the word "dagger," he finally dared to turn his head and look at Mo Lingling in the lake.
Mo Lingling's face was splattered with mud from the lake bottom, and her face and body were incredibly dirty, except for her eyes, which shone brightly.
As Duan Mingfeng looked at the dagger in her hand, his brows furrowed deeply.
Ji Qingwu said, "This dagger is actually used to cut the bark of Eucommia ulmoides, very quickly."
Hearing her explain the purpose of the short blade, Duan Mingfeng's expression became even more unpleasant.
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