novelhk Chapter 127 This Strange Relationship
Chapter 127 This Strange Relationship
Jiang Yuxiao slowly approached Xia Muning and reached out to remove the hairpin that Xia Muning was holding to her neck, but Xia Muning tensed up and took a step back.
In the chaos, the hairpin slashed straight across Xia Muning's neck, leaving a glaring bloodstain.
Jiang Yuxiao took a step back and sighed inwardly. Xia Muning avoided her like the plague.
Le Wentao frowned, said nothing, and directly ordered the servant beside her to step forward and remove the hairpin without allowing any refusal.
"Lord Xia, the palace is not a place for your insolence. If you really want to die, leave the palace and commit suicide. You are just polluting the palace grounds for no reason."
Xia Muning's actions threatened others, but not Le Wentao. He thought maliciously to himself that he hoped the hairpin would not cut his neck, but rather his face, which resembled his brother's.
After seeing that Xia Muning was unharmed, Jiang Yuxiao knelt on the ground and respectfully bowed to the Empress Dowager, saying, "Greetings to Father Empress Dowager."
The Empress Dowager looked at the child she had raised and said, "Your Majesty, please get up."
Jiang Yuxiao stood up and looked at the Empress Dowager. She was furious. As soon as she finished court, she heard that the Empress Dowager had summoned Xia Muning to the palace and said that she wanted to match Xia Muning with the adopted daughter of Prime Minister Jiang.
The adopted daughter of Prime Minister Jiang!?
She confronted the Empress Dowager, saying, "Xia Guijun is the husband of a merchant. His wife is still alive, yet Your Majesty is plotting to recruit other wives for him. This violates the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues, and goes against human ethics and morality. Can you silence the public's opinions by doing this?"
Everyone else tried to seduce Xia Muning in secret; although they knew it, they never did it openly.
His Majesty's imposing rebuke immediately soured the Empress Dowager's expression. She frowned slightly, her face clearly showing her hurt.
Jiang Yuxiao reflected on whether her words had been too harsh.
"Your Majesty, aren't you afraid of upsetting the Empress Dowager by speaking like that?" Prime Minister Jiang walked in from outside at some point, bowed to His Majesty, and asked.
His Majesty looked at Prime Minister Jiang.
They had just finished court, where Prime Minister Jiang had been clashing with His Majesty.
His Majesty wants to assign this year's imperial examination candidates, a group of commoner scholars led by Shen Qingyu, to powerful departments such as the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Revenue, so that they can gradually mature.
Unexpectedly, Prime Minister Jiang firmly disagreed, citing suspicions of cheating in the imperial examinations among this year's candidates, and insisted on assigning them to the Imperial Academy and the Ministry of Rites, departments that were considered idle and powerless.
The two sides argued and quarreled without reaching a conclusion by the time the court session ended.
After court, Jiang Yuxiao thought she could avoid her, but unexpectedly she saw Prime Minister Jiang again in the inner palace. She could no longer suppress her anger.
She pressed Prime Minister Jiang: "Prime Minister Jiang, why did you go to the inner palace after court instead of resting at your own residence? The inner palace is where the late king's palace attendants and my palace attendants reside. Are you here to meet someone in secret?"
Prime Minister Jiang remained calm and said frankly, "Your Majesty, please be careful with your words. Do not insult the innocence of those in the palace. Is Your Majesty trying to have those palace servants hanged in front of you by making such unfounded suspicions?"
Instead of being the guest, Jiang Cheng took the initiative and lectured His Majesty.
"I have heard that the Empress Dowager has been unwell recently. The imperial physicians in the palace are really useless. I have invited some doctors with good reputations from outside the palace to examine the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager is the founding father of our country, and Your Majesty is the Empress Dowager's daughter. Don't you even know that the Empress Dowager is ill?"
The Empress Dowager coughed for a while, covering her mouth, which made Jiang Yuxiao's face darken even more.
"Prime Minister Jiang, now that the doctor has been delivered, may you leave the palace?"
Prime Minister Jiang immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, I take my leave!"
His Majesty nodded with an air of dignity, but the Empress Dowager whispered a few words of advice: "Prime Minister Jiang, be careful on the road!"
Prime Minister Jiang's expression softened slightly, and he nodded to the Empress Dowager: "Very well, Your Majesty, I understand. I hope Your Majesty will take good care of yourself."
Xia Muning gently wiped the bloodstains from her neck with a handkerchief. It hurt a little, but it was within a tolerable range.
His eyes were fixed on the scene before him with great interest, watching the confrontation between His Majesty and Prime Minister Jiang, and observing the strange and ambiguous relationship between the three of them.
When His Majesty saw Prime Minister Jiang, it was as if he had seen a big tiger. Although the tiger did not bare its fangs at him, His Majesty was still extremely wary. After Prime Minister Jiang left, His Majesty became calm again!
She looked at the bloodstains on Xia Muning's neck and said gently, "There are imperial physicians in the palace. Lord Xia, please have him treated there. Don't let him be left with a scar!"
His Majesty's words were never requests, but orders, so Xia Muning had no choice but to obey. He wanted to find evidence of his brother's murder in the palace and also wanted to figure out the relationship between the three of them.
"Master Li, arrange for Lord Xia to stay in the Plum Blossom Courtyard." That is the palace where Lord Xia, Xia Muning's elder brother, resides.
Le Wentao was unwilling and stepped forward to take Xia Muning's hand, saying in a way that left no room for refusal, "Lord Xia, please stay at my Tianxiang Garden! I will take good care of him and also prevent people in the palace from gossiping."
Jiang Yuxiao nodded: "Okay."
Xia Muning was led into Tianxiang Garden. Le Wentao was never a warm or affectionate person. He brought Xia Muning back only to avoid the Emperor and Xia Muning being alone together in a room.
After instructing people to take good care of Xia Muning and not to neglect her, he left. Le Wentao didn't even bother to give Xia Muning, who was a potential threat to him, a smile.
At this moment, Nakata did not have a smile on her face, because she simply could not smile.
Because it hurt so much.
She was successfully rescued, but her right arm was also injured, and she had injuries of varying degrees on her legs and chest.
Le Xingxi was heartbroken and kept trying to bandage her. Le Xingxi had never done this kind of service before. She didn't care at all when applying the medicine and did it with all her might. She was also rough when bandaging her.
Nakata was in so much pain that he was grimacing and completely lacking in composure.
Most importantly, Le Xingxi was crying her heart out while holding Zhongtian, which was pressing on her wound, and she also had to endure the curious and inquiring gazes of the people around her.
They were so close that no one would believe Nakata even if he explained that they had no relationship!
Du Chen came in from outside, and the group sat together to discuss what to do. They were just escorting two prisoners to Daming Prefecture, but they never expected to encounter such a serious matter as someone secretly manufacturing weapons.
Guo Mao said, "Let's report this to the authorities!"