“You’re here! Eunuch Li is looking for you!” Cui Ling noticed a black mole next to one of the people’s noses and tried to get the other person away.
"Oh, Eunuch Li, where are you?" Upon hearing this, the eunuch panicked.
Eunuch Li was the head of the washroom, and they dared not keep their leader waiting outside for too long.
"It's right at the door!" As soon as Cui Ling finished speaking, Zhao Neng stood up, dusted off his clothes, and prepared to go out.
Li Er was about to leave when Cui Ling grabbed the eunuch's arm, preventing him from going.
"Brother, lend me a hand, help me lift this chamber pot onto the cart!" Cui Ling pleaded pitifully with Li Er.
Looking at the pretty Cui Ling, Li Er's heart softened.
This girl is really pretty. Since she took the initiative to seduce me, maybe I can have some fun tonight.
Although he no longer possessed the means to display his masculinity, touching a soft, fragrant body could still bring them immense pleasure.
Li Er nodded, looking at her intently, and touched Cui Ling's hand as they lifted the chamber pot together.
"Then I'll go first!" Zhao Neng said and left.
Empress Zhaoyuan stood in the corner watching. After seeing that only Cuiling and the suspicious eunuch remained at the washing pool, the Empress stuck her head out and gave a signal to Eunuch Wang, who was waiting in the side hall.
The Grand Eunuch Wang nodded to indicate that he understood, and then waved his hand, and several strong-looking eunuchs immediately came forward.
The eunuchs quickly entered the washroom, swarmed forward, and before Li Er could react, they swiftly covered his mouth and bound his hands and feet.
"Take him away!" Eunuch Wang whispered, and several eunuchs carried Li Er to a side room.
"Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!" Li Er's face was full of terror, his eyes wide open, his eyeballs almost popping out of their sockets.
What happened? Why are they arresting him?
Seeing that Li Er was not behaving himself, Eunuch Wang punched him hard and said in a low voice, "Shut up for us!"
The Empress had told them to keep a low profile, so the arrest operation went unnoticed and did not attract the attention of others.
The clean room was already stinking, and there were very few people inside and hardly anyone loitering around.
The eunuchs dragged Li Er to a side room. When Li Er was released, he was in so much pain that cold sweat beaded on his forehead. He had struggled fiercely at first, but now he had no strength left.
Li Er then saw the person who had come to him clearly; it was Wang Xingde, the head eunuch.
Upon seeing that it was Eunuch Wang who had come to arrest him, he was immediately at a loss. What could have happened that would require Eunuch Wang's intervention?
Could it be that his past actions have been discovered?
But what things were discovered? He pondered in his mind and began to sort them out.
Was it a secret rendezvous with a palace maid? Stealing palace property? Or was it related to the matter involving the eldest prince?
However, he was always very careful in his actions and believed that he had not left any evidence against him.
"You dog slave, kneel down properly!" Eunuch Wang shrieked, kicking Li Er in the leg.
Li Er winced in pain, straightened his body, and knelt properly.
"The Empress is standing before you!"
"Stop rolling your eyes! Put away all those wicked ideas of yours!"
"You shifty-eyed bastard, full of evil schemes!" After cursing, Eunuch Wang glared at Li Er on the ground.
People like you are ruining the reputation of eunuchs!
Li Er looked at the woman sitting in front of him, who had a beautiful face, dignified demeanor, and a somewhat angry expression.
Is this the Empress?
However, he was dressed in such a rustic and shabby way, without even a decent piece of jewelry on his body.
She is beautiful, but she doesn't look like the wealthy and elegant Empress Zhaoyuan at all.
Li Er had never met the Empress, only heard of her deeds, so he looked at the person in front of him with some suspicion.
Looking again at the woman standing next to the Empress, it was the palace maid who had just asked him for help. This woman was someone close to the Empress.
"Pah!" Cui Ling spat and vigorously wiped her hands with a handkerchief.
"Tell me, who instructed you to lead the First Prince to the Buddhist hall?" Empress Zhaoyuan went straight to the point.
Li Er blinked. Ah, so that's what it is.
Li Er quickly compared and weighed the options in his mind. The one in the Jade Palace was Consort Chen, a woman of very high status in the palace.
The empress before him was the head of the women in the harem; he couldn't afford to offend either of them. Offending either one would mean certain death.
The Empress's low-key arrival today is likely due to a lack of evidence, and she may be afraid of alerting the enemy.
Since that's the case, it's better to stick to the fact that he didn't say anything, since no one else noticed what he and the eldest prince were talking about at the time.
Li Er knelt respectfully on the ground and kowtowed, his face full of sincerity, "Your Majesty, this servant does not know what Your Majesty means?"
"This servant has never seen the First Prince before!"
"Your Highness is so esteemed, how could I possibly have seen you before?" Li Er said with a wronged expression.
"Damn it, are you trying to act like a grandson to me?!" Empress Zhaoyuan slapped Li Er across the face in anger, making Li Er's head buzz.
How can this woman have such strength?!
Upon hearing the Empress scolding, Eunuch Wang was stunned. He didn't know how to react for a moment. He blinked, bent down, and was about to ask the Empress for her next instructions when the Empress sprayed spittle onto his face.
"You brat! Guards, beat him up!"
"Look at yourself! How dare you scheme against my son! You shameless bastard!"
"Your Majesty, please have mercy! This servant is thick-skinned and tough, please don't dirty Your Majesty's hands. This servant is a loyal servant, if you beat him to death, we will lose a good servant who cleans the chamber pots!" Li Er pleaded with the Empress not to lay a hand on him.
"Glib talker, give him a beating!" Empress Zhaoyuan trembled with anger, never expecting this dog servant to be so tight-lipped.
"Your Majesty, you can't force a confession out of me!" Li Er pleaded, lying on the ground.
"Oh ho, threatening me here?" Empress Zhaoyuan glanced at him disdainfully.
Having spent so long in the harem, what kind of people hasn't she seen?
This servant is so tight-lipped; he must have received a lot of bribes. This eunuch doesn't seem afraid of her; he probably either thinks she has no evidence or that the Empress doesn't have much authority in the palace and can't do anything to him.
"It's all because I'm too kind in my daily life and have never taken a life."
"I don't mind if you have the surgery. It's just the death of an insignificant eunuch, and His Majesty won't even care."
Li Er's expression changed.
Empress Zhaoyuan immediately raised her voice, "This dog of a servant has violated palace rules and shown contempt for imperial authority. He shall be given twenty strokes of the cane!"
"That scoundrel must have received a lot of bribes. Old Wang, search the place for me. Confiscate all the silver notes you find!"
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