The Crown Prince looked slightly angry.
Qin Ziqi was really pushing his luck!
The Emperor was curious. "Who is Qiluo?"
His original intention was to pick two good maids from the palace and give them to Qin Ziqi as compensation to calm things down.
"Your Majesty, she is the top - ranked maid beside the Crown Princess," the Crown Prince replied.
Qiluo's identity had to be clearly stated.
Hearing "Crown Princess", the Emperor's eyes flickered slightly.
Coveting a maid beside the Crown Princess was a bit of an ambiguous intention.
Qin Ziqi quickly argued, "Qiluo was originally a maid in my Rongxiang Duke's Mansion. I took a fancy to her a long time ago. If my mother hadn't been so muddle - headed and sold her, she would have been my concubine long ago!"
"Rascal, shut up!" Qin Feng's temples throbbed.
How could he, with his lifetime of fame, have such a stupid son?
The Emperor bestowed something, and one should just accept it. Mentioning Qiluo at this moment was like digging out the past immoral deeds of the Rongxiang Duke's Mansion and inviting public criticism.
Qin Feng felt more embarrassed than being flogged after death.
"Your Majesty, you must not bestow Qiluo to Qin Ziqi. Qin Ziqi tried to force himself on Qiluo before and was stabbed by her. Lady Yang sold Qiluo to the Hongsu Tower. Qiluo asked for help from Mama Lin and finally ended up beside the Crown Princess. She is a victim and must not be pushed into the tiger's mouth again!"
Qin Feng didn't dare to refute the Crown Prince. Sweating profusely, he glared at Qin Ziqi even more fiercely.
Even though the Emperor had an imposing presence without getting angry, there was a hint of mockery in his eyes at this moment.
It turned out that the elegant and noble scholar was just a habitual offender who bullied the weak.
But the most important thing now was to calm things down.
"Let me inquire about Qiluo's character first and then make a decision. If I give something, it will naturally be the best for you."
He neither agreed nor denied, leaving it ambiguous.
Qin Ziqi, relying on his injury, thought he was in the right.
Even when he heard the news of his mother's death by flogging, he didn't have time to grieve.
He was completely immersed in the ecstasy of about to get Qiluo.
The grand wedding of Princess Lingyang passed miserably in chaos and bloodshed.
The Queen took Princess Lingyang to the Yukun Palace to take care of her.
Qin Ziqi was moved back to the Rongxiang Duke's Mansion.
Qin Feng thought Lady Yang was inauspicious and had someone bury her in a random burial ground.
Then he went to see the Second Prince, unable to suppress his anger.
"Your Highness, I've always respected you and helped you many times. Why did you instigate my son to humiliate Princess Lingyang? Fortunately, he was injured, so the Emperor couldn't punish him. Otherwise, even if the entire Rongxiang Duke's Mansion was sacrificed, it wouldn't be able to calm the Emperor's and the Queen's anger!"
Lu Siming was enjoying the snow scene outside the window with great interest.
"Lord Qin, since you knew I instigated Young Master Qin, why didn't you stop and warn him before his wedding with Princess Lingyang? Instead, you come here to blame me afterwards. Is it because you didn't take good advantage of this incident to gain what you wanted and feel that you've suffered a loss, so you want to shift your anger onto others?"
Exposed, Qin Feng's face turned red and then pale.
He and the Second Prince had long known each other's conduct and character. It was meaningless to put on an act of being noble at this time.
"What good did you get from all this trouble? Aren't you afraid that the Crown Prince will find out about you?"
Lu Siming's smile was sinister. "What's there to be afraid of? Gossip is the most difficult thing to prove. It can be said to exist or not to exist.
Lu Sihong has always been cautious about such things. It's just baseless speculation, and he won't bring it up in front of the Emperor. Otherwise, if he gets a reputation of suspecting his brother, even the Emperor will be dissatisfied with him. He disdains to do things that are labor - intensive but ungrateful."
He just grasped this point and was sure of the Crown Prince's character, so he kept causing trouble.
"Although this incident seems to have subsided, there will surely be discussions in the court. How can we end this then?"
Qin Feng was extremely annoyed.
Now he vaguely regretted getting involved with Lu Siming.
This man was too vicious, and his methods were not on the table. He played the same tricks as women in the inner courtyard.
Even if he got the world, could he really be a good emperor?
How could he compare with the open - minded Crown Prince?
But he was already on the edge of a cliff. If he didn't hold on to the Second Prince's hand, he would be doomed.
Lu Siming slowly stirred the charcoal in the brazier. The charcoal fire was warm, but there was a coldness in his eyes.
"Lord Qin, just act like a victim who can't express his grievances. I'll play the role of a good brother to Lingyang and strongly persuade the Emperor to annul this marriage."
There was a glint in Qin Feng's eyes.
If so, wouldn't he be able to keep his position as the Chief Secretary?
The royal family valued their dignity. After such a shocking incident, in order to appease him, the Emperor would surely keep his power in his hands.
Moreover, with the Second Prince taking the lead, he just needed to stand behind him.
...
Cheng Simian came back from the Yukun Palace after spending half a day with Princess Lingyang.
After all, she was still a child who was too dependent on the Queen and now especially on her.
Even though the Princess Mansion was so magnificent and comfortable, she didn't want to go back.
When she sat down in the Eastern Palace, a strong sense of exhaustion hit her.
Shuyi brought her tea. "Madam heard that you've been busy every moment since you became the Crown Princess and felt so sorry for you."
Some maids came up to massage her legs and shoulders.
"Why isn't Qiluo here?"
"Your Highness forgot. Qiluo asked for leave today, saying that she was going to visit her mother. It's still early, so she hasn't come back yet."
Cheng Simian really forgot because of her busyness.
Just as she finished speaking, Qiluo walked in.
"Your Highness, I have something to say."
Cheng Simian asked all the serving maids to go out and only left Shuyi.
Qiluo knelt down and kowtowed, which surprised both Cheng Simian and Shuyi.
"What are you doing?"
"I beg Your Highness to bestow me to Qin Ziqi."
Shuyi was even more shocked and stunned than Cheng Simian. "Sister, are you crazy? You've finally jumped out of the fire pit. How could you go back?"
She and Qiluo got along day and night, serving the Crown Princess together. Qiluo was smart and cute, so Shuyi had already regarded her as her own younger sister.
Saying that, she was about to pull Qiluo up, but Qiluo shook her head and looked at Cheng Simian firmly.
"Please grant my request, Your Highness."
"Qiluo, you are my person now. It's absurd for Qin Ziqi to ask the Emperor for you. The Emperor didn't answer him immediately because he wanted to handle this coldly. This matter will be forgotten in a few days. Qin Ziqi is stupid, but Qin Feng isn't. He won't let Qin Ziqi mention this again. You don't have to make such a sacrifice for the Eastern Palace and the Princess."
Every girl beside her was a precious gem, and they shouldn't become victims of power games!
Qiluo was touched but also more sober.
"Your Highness and His Highness the Crown Prince know that this incident was instigated by the Second Prince, but you can't punish him. He can instigate once, and there will be countless times in the future. Are we just going to let Qin Ziqi offend and humiliate the Princess? He deserves to die long ago. You and His Highness can't do it, but I can."
"You must not get involved in a life - taking matter."
Cheng Simian remained unmoved.
The essential difference between her and the Crown Prince and people like Lu Siming and Lady Yang was that they wouldn't let their subordinates act as executioners.
Then sit back and reap the benefits with a clear conscience.
Life was far more important than intrigue.
"Your Highness, don't worry. I'm not stupid. Gossip can easily lead to trouble. The Second Prince knows this, and so do I. If he can instigate, why can't I?"
She stood up by herself and whispered something in Cheng Simian's ear.
"Your Highness, do you still remember that Qin Feng forged a fake imperial edict?"