"Please forgive this official, Your Majesty. I'm shallow in knowledge and can't see anything abnormal about the Third Prince."
"Hmm? What do you mean? You'd better tell the truth, or I'll execute all your nine generations of kin."
"Your Majesty, I dare not lie. I and several other imperial physicians examined the Third Prince one after another. No matter how we checked, his pulse was just the same as an ordinary person's. There was not the slightest sign of poisoning."
"You're lying! You didn't say so to me just now."
"Your Highness, I'm wronged."
He wasn't lying. Indeed, they couldn't find any sign of poisoning. The Third Prince seemed just fine. Humph, even if he was poisoned, I'd make it seem like he wasn't. Who asked you to provoke the young master of our Pharmacist Valley? You deserve it!
I didn't even add some poison to you. Do you still expect me to help you? Bah!
"Empress, what else do you have to say?"
"No, Your Majesty. I didn't lie. Everything I said is true. It's those two who joined hands to deceive me, Your Majesty..."
"Guards! The Empress has behaved immorally. Confine her to her palace for one year. No one is allowed to visit her. In addition, hand over the Phoenix Seal in the Empress's hand to Concubine Zhang for management."
Hearing this, the Empress panicked. The Emperor was going to deprive her of her power. Without the Phoenix Seal, what dignity would she, the Empress, have in the harem?
"Your Majesty, show mercy! Your Majesty, show mercy! I know my mistake. I know my mistake." No matter right or wrong, admit it first. As long as she could get through this, she would never let Yuan Yuhan go, nor that little bitch, Princess Tianlin.
It was a pity that the Emperor didn't soften his heart because of her plea.
After Yuan Yuhan left the palace, he wasn't appeased. Although the Empress was confined, she would surely find a way to get out. By then, she would surely bring greater trouble.
"Zhanzhi, what do you think of this matter?"
"Since the Empress has been confined, let's add fuel to the fire."
"What do you have in mind?"
"My men have already contacted Lou Ming." As he said, he glanced at Yuan Yuhan, as if saying that his efficiency was too low.
Yuan Yuhan touched his nose. "Well, sorry. The Empress caused a ruckus and delayed things. What did Lou Ming say?"
"He said he wanted to meet us for a detailed discussion."
"I'm still a bit worried. Is this Lou Ming trustworthy? What if he betrays us?"
"No. The people from the Dark Pavilion found out that Lou Ming's family was massacred when he was a child. He was the only child left in his family."
"What does this family massacre have to do with us? Just tell me why Lou Ming hates Lou Mingkou."
"Didn't I just say that? Lou Ming's family was massacred when he was a child." What a thick - headed person. He couldn't even think a bit.
"Ah, I see... No way. Do you mean..." Was Lou Mingkou the one who massacred Lou Ming's family?
"That's right. It's Lou Mingkou. Back then, Lou Ming was just a two - or three - year - old child. Lou Mingkou thought he was too young to remember anything, so he took him back and had him trained to be his right - hand man."
"However, Lou Mingkou didn't expect that Lou Ming could already remember things at that time, especially since the man who killed his parents right in front of him was his enemy."
"So that's why Lou Ming hates him so much. But... Lou Ming is fully capable of killing Lou Mingkou now. Why doesn't he do it?"
"I think Lou Ming must have some weakness in Lou Mingkou's hands, which makes him have to work for Lou Mingkou."
"When did you arrange to meet him?"
"Tomorrow night. He'll come to me. You can come too."
"By the way, I've already asked the Emperor for permission. I'll go to Tianlin to marry Aru in half a month. Do you want to come with me?" Maybe he could see Mu Fengqie. After all, Aru was her younger sister.
Surely the younger sister's wedding wouldn't allow her to be absent?
Yuan Yuhan's intention was clear to Jing Xunce, but...
"I won't go. Qie'er might still be angry with me when she sees me. She'll be unhappy. I'll go find her after I've settled my own matters."
"Why do you have to do this?"
"Come on. Stop talking about me. Hurry up and prepare for your wedding with Aru."
Yuan Yuhan looked at Jing Xunce and sighed. Alas, what a pity that such two good people had to end up like this.
The next night, when Lou Ming came, Jing Xunce was already in the study. There was a cup of tea on the table. Presumably, it was prepared for him.
"Mr. Jing."
"I think you should already know my identity. When Lou Mingkou asked you to investigate me back then, it was you who erased my tracks. I should really thank you. Otherwise, I would have been wanted all over the city again."
Lou Ming didn't object and readily admitted it.
"Since you're still alive, why did you come back?" And with such a face...
Speaking of this face, it was the human - skin mask that Mu Fengqie had made for him. He had been wearing this mask ever since he came back from Nanqing.
"Of course, I'm here to take revenge. Our Jing family was full of loyal people, but we were framed by Lou Mingkou and all died in battle. Even if I'm still alive, I can't show my true face in front of people."
"I, Jing Xunce, disdain this kind of life hiding in the dark."
Lou Ming looked at Jing Xunce for a long time, then picked up the tea on the table and took a sip.
"So what's your purpose for summoning me?"
"I've already found out your background and know why you hate Lou Mingkou. I just don't understand why you don't kill him but still stay by his side."
"What does this have to do with you? If you have nothing else to say, Mr. Jing, I'll take my leave."
"Are you poisoned or bewitched by a gu worm? I can help you, but the condition is that you have to help me bring down Lou Mingkou and find evidence of his colluding with the enemy and betraying the country."
"Help me? How? If the gu worm in my body could be solved, do you think I would have waited until now? If it weren't for this gu worm, do you think I'd want to work for Lou Mingkou?"
"Back then, I watched him kill my parents with my own eyes. When I was young, he fed me a gu worm. If I don't take the medicine to suppress it every month, I'll be in extreme pain. The gu worm will slowly start to gnaw at my body until it has eaten all the flesh on me!"
"I once thought about killing him and then committing suicide. But just as I was about to do it, that brute! He let me see my younger sister, my dear younger sister, the only relative I have left in this world."
"Back then, Lou Mingkou brought her back and gave her to the steward of the Lou Mansion to raise. By letting me see my younger sister, he was clearly telling me that if I betrayed him, my younger sister would also lose her life."
Lou Ming looked at Jing Xunce excitedly. He also wanted to kill Lou Mingkou, but Lian'er's life was still in his hands, so he had no choice but to obey.