Chapter 22
Everything about this banquet went according to Li Yin's plan.
Just when the banquet was over, the eyes of the dancer on the stage accidentally appeared in Li Yin's mind, and a wave of doubt flashed through his heart.
Li Yin wanted to know where this familiar feeling came from, so he followed the path he thought the dancer had taken.
Luo Sanrong had never worn women's clothes, let alone complicated dance costumes, so Luo Sanrong could only be as careful as possible to avoid tripping. The venue of the banquet had to pass through the East Palace to get to where she lived.
Luo Sanrong didn't expect to meet Li Yin. Fortunately, the veil on her face was still there, so she took advantage of Li Yin's lack of reaction, turned around and ran, and Li Yin chased her from behind.
At the corner of the pavilion, Luo Sanrong was dragged into the bushes by a hand. Just as Luo Sanrong was about to scream for help, risking being discovered as a girl, a familiar voice came over, "Shh, don't make a sound."
Looking at Ji Zeming, Luo Sanrong had a lot of questions he wanted to ask, but now was not the right time.
Seeing Li Yin getting closer and closer to the bushes where they were hiding, Luo Sanrong's heart almost jumped into his throat, and his eyes unconsciously looked at Ji Zeming.
Ji Zeming gave her a reassuring look.
At this time, Li Yin saw a woman with a similar figure to Luo Sanying and wearing the same dance costume walking by. Li Yin ran over and grabbed the woman's arm, but found that it was someone he didn't know. He felt an inexplicable sense of loss in his heart, so he let the woman go.
At this time, Eunuch Ma came running behind Li Yin and asked in confusion, "Your Highness, who are you looking for?"
Weidao also came over and whispered in Li Yin's ear, "Qing'er's body was found outside the city. She was killed with a single blow."
Li Yin muttered to himself: "Who was the woman dancing just now..."
Weidao also shook his head, indicating that the identity of the woman had not been clarified yet.
"This person must be familiar with both dance moves and the procedures of the banquet..." An impossible person popped up in Li Yin's mind, and he suddenly asked, "Where is Luo Sanrong?"
Eunuch Ma was caught off guard by the question and guessed, "Maybe he's resting in the Eunuch Hall. Come to think of it, I haven't seen him for a long time..."
Li Yin left here and went to the Eunuch Hall to verify his absurd guess.
After seeing them walk away, Ji Zeming and Luo Sanrong came out from the bushes.
Luo Sanrong held up the hem of her skirt, not daring to look at Ji Zeming. "I've been out for too long. I need to go back."
Ji Zeming lowered his head to hide his disappointment, grabbed Luo Sanrong's arm, and looked at Luo Sanrong's feet.
Only then did Luo Sanrong realize that one of his shoes had fallen off because he ran too fast to avoid Li Yin. Blood was already oozing from his left foot. It was only now that Luo Sanrong felt the pain in his foot easing, which made him take a deep breath.
Ji Zeming tore off a piece of cloth, half-knelt down, and placed Luo Sanrong's feet on his knees.
Luo Sanrong had to hold Ji Zeming's shoulders out of inertia, watching Ji Zeming bandage her wound, and muttered, "Thank you."
"Are you dressed like this for the prince?" Ji Zeming asked in a low voice.
"Of course it's for him, after all, he is my master! But it's embarrassing for a grown man like me to dress like this." Luo Sanrong told an obvious lie.
But Ji Zeming did not expose him.
"So, did you enter the palace as a eunuch for the sake of the Crown Prince?"
"What?" Luo Sanrong didn't understand what Ji Zeming said. What did she mean by becoming a eunuch for Li Yin? It was obvious that she was forced to do so.
Looking at Luo Sanrong's confused and even a little angry expression, Ji Zeming smiled. Her expression had answered everything.
Ji Zeming changed the subject, "You'll stand out in the palace dressed like this. How about this, you wait here and I'll get you a set of eunuch clothes."
Luo Sanrong looked down at the hem of her skirt and found that it was indeed very conspicuous, so she agreed to Ji Zeming's suggestion.
When Ji Zeming brought back the eunuch's clothes, he found that Li Yin had returned here again and seemed to be searching for something.
"Your Highness, what are you looking for?"
Li Yin didn't want to talk when he saw Ji Zeming, so Eunuch Ma came over to answer for Li Yin, "I wonder if Master Ji has seen Eunuch Luo?"
"Eunuch Luo?" Ji Zeming pretended to think for a moment, "I think I saw him go to the East Palace."
Eunuch Ma glanced at Li Yin, and Li Yin left without saying a word. Eunuch Ma nodded behind him to express his apology.
After seeing Li Yin walk away, Ji Zeming took a few steps forward and whispered, "You've gone too far, come out!"
After Luo Sanrong came out, he took the clothes handed to him by Ji Zeming and said "thank you" again.
"I told His Highness that you went to the East Palace. Don't let it slip."
"good."
Li Yin returned to the hall and immediately saw Luo Sanrong busy in front of the clerk. He approached and asked, "When did you get here?"
Luo Sanzhen thought for a moment and replied, "After the banquet, I couldn't find you, Your Highness, so I returned to the East Palace."
Li Yin asked again: "What are you busy with?"
"Your Highness, didn't you tell me to sort out these documents?"
Luo Sanrong was just about to show Li Yin the partially sorted catalog of documents when she looked down and found that her dancing hairpin was partially exposed because of her panic.
Luo Sanrong lowered his head and hid quickly, but Li Yin, who had been staring at Luo Sanrong, still noticed something.
Li Yin looked down and found that there was only a catalog of documents compiled by Luo Sanrong on the table, and the ink had not yet dried. Seeing that there was still ink on Luo Sanrong's hands, Li Yin dispelled his doubts.
"Your Highness, do you have any other instructions?" Luo Sanying asked tentatively.
"No, keep busy!"
Looking at the person who was trying to please him, Li Yin couldn't help but wonder, "Could it be that I'm really wrong?"
Seeing Li Yin leave, Luo Sanying slumped in his seat, recalling that he had returned to the East Palace at a very fast speed, which was why Li Yin did not notice him. Luo Sanying patted his chest with relief.
In the corridor leading back to the inner hall, Li Yin asked Eunuch Ma, "Have you found out who killed Qing'er?"
"Reporting to Your Highness, we haven't found anything yet, but someone did see the Queen's maidservant see Qing'er..."
"Humph, I thought they were just targeting me, but I didn't expect them to completely ignore Xia Anguo and actually do such a small trick in such a big occasion. Damn it."
"Then what does Your Highness want to do?"
"Don't worry about this matter for now. I will settle the matter with them myself."
After hesitating for a moment, Li Yin said, "Who is the dancer on stage today?"
Eunuch Ma said flatteringly: "Your Highness is blessed by heaven, and there are noble people helping you secretly."
After hearing this, Li Yin looked thoughtful and muttered to himself, "My dear?"
*
The next day, the banquet to welcome the envoys ended perfectly. Everyone in the East Palace breathed a sigh of relief. Luo Sanrong began to complete the paperwork assigned to her by Li Yin.
This job required frequent reference to materials, and running back and forth between the Eastern Palace and the library. Luo Sanrong was actually very happy about it, because this way, she had a legitimate reason to avoid Li Yin's inquiring gaze.
"Aqiu——" Luo Sanying sneezed again.
Ever since the last banquet, Luo Sanrong began to feel that he had the symptoms of catching a cold.
She didn't expect Li Yin to come in suddenly. Li Yin gave her an inquiring look, which made Luo Sanyin feel very confused.
Luo Sanrong asked cautiously, "Your Highness, what are your instructions?"
Li Yin made an "unreasonable" request with a blank expression, "Sneezing again."
"ah?"
"hurry up."
Then, Luo Sanrong pretended to sneeze again, "Aqiu——"
Li Yin covered the lower half of her face with his hands and shook his head, "Not like that."
Luo Sanrong rolled his eyes slightly, "I helped him after all, but now he's holding on to me like a criminal."
Changing the subject, he asked, "Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon..."
"how?"
Luo Sanrong asked flatteringly, "Can the eunuch leave the palace?"
Li Yin glanced at her with a look of disdain, "Leaving the palace? I think you're here for the Lantern Festival."
"Your Highness, how do you know?" Luo Sanrong flattered, and continued to ask, "Then can eunuchs leave the palace?"
"Come closer."
Luo Sanrong was confused, but still obeyed obediently.
Suddenly, Li Yin placed his hand on Luo Sanrong's forehead. Luo Sanrong's heart skipped a beat when she heard Li Yin say, "You have a fever, and you still want to go out and play?"
Luo Sanrong rubbed his nose and said, "It's just a slight cold, nothing serious."
Li Yin refused coldly, "You are not allowed to leave the palace."
"Why?"
"Because if you leave the palace, your cold will become more serious and then be transmitted to me, so - you are not allowed to go." After saying this, he turned and left.
Luo Sanrong jumped up and sneezed again at Li Yin's back...
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