The thoughts were pulled back by the sound of the evening bell. Lou Xi put down the glass of wine in her hand, supported her chin with one hand, and lazily said, "May I know the reason for your visit?"
"Back to your Majesty, Uncle Pi came to the Imperial Courthouse to accuse you on behalf of Mrs. Xiao," Loxia replied.
Lousi's lips curled up into a cold smile: "She must be desperate and seeking help in a hurry, running all the way to the Imperial Courthouse to sue me."
Loxia hesitated for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, this Pu Daren is different from others."
"What's the difference?" Lousi raised her eyebrow and asked.
Loxia listened attentively and said, "What's different about this Pu Daren?"
"Apparently there are still people who hate power." Lousi suddenly became interested and sat up straight, smiling with relish: "Let's invite him in."
"Yes."
Lousi had originally forgotten Pu Yan, whom she had met once. Now, after listening to Loxia's words, she suddenly became interested again.
She couldn't believe that there was such a person in the world who was fair, clean, and despised power.
If he were truly such a person, how could he have embarked on the path of the palace?
"Another world's Song Bingchang?"
It's a joke.
After a moment, Loxia led Pu Yan and several others into the room.
"Your servant greets the Princess."
His voice was like the warm breeze of March, giving people a comfortable and pleasant taste. With his gentle eyes and soft words, he really wanted to peel off his skin.
"Please, Minister Pu," Lousi endured her impulse, smiling warmly, "How did Minister Pu come to think of visiting my princess' mansion?"
Pu Yan looked at Lousi with an attitude of neither being too submissive nor too arrogant and said, "The Imperial Courthouse received a complaint from Mrs. Xiao today, accusing Your Highness of using private punishment on the Xiao Generals and Mrs. Xiao. I have come to ask Your Highness to return and cooperate with the investigation."
"An investigation?" Lousi stood up and moved two steps away from him, smiling: "Mr. Pu, are you saying that you haven't investigated yet and already assume it was done by me?"
Pu Yan's demeanor remained gentle, but his voice was distant and unapproachable: "Your servant did not say that. It is a request for Your Highness to return and cooperate with the investigation. Please don't make it difficult for Your servant."
"If Your Highness deliberately wants to make things difficult for Your servant, what will Your Highness do?" Lousi asked with a half-smile and half-mocking tone.
Meeting her gaze, Pu Yan said calmly, "In that case, I would have no choice but to forcibly take Princess Lousi away."
Upon hearing this, Lousi's lips curved into a deeper smile, "Don't you worry that the Emperor will blame you?"
Pu Yan's face showed no change, and his voice remained calm and clear, "No need for Your Highness to worry. If the investigation proves that Your Highness has nothing to do with it, I will go to the palace to admit my mistake."
"A ha," Lousi couldn't help but laugh out loud, and she stared at Pu Yan with a gaze that seemed to be sizing him up as prey.
"Since things have come to this point, Your Highness will accompany the minister on this trip," Pu Yan said.
As she spoke, she took two small steps forward towards Pu Yan and raised a corner of her lips in a quizzical smile.
"Is it that Minister Pu has never heard the saying 'It's easy to invite a god but hard to send one away'?"
Pu Yan stepped back two steps and kept a distance from her, making a gesture of inviting her: "Please, Your Highness."
Lousi's eyes narrowed slightly, it was the first time she saw Pu Yan's personality, he really was interesting.
I really want to see if he's still this solemn and upright when he gets involved in passionate affairs.
"Please, Your Highness," Pu Yan interrupted her fantasy once again.
Lousi drew back her thoughts and smiled as she walked past him, saying softly, "What's the rush, Mr. Pu? Are you thinking of being alone with Your Highness?"
Pu Yan's handsome brows furrowed, and he spoke solemnly, "Princess Lousi, please be respectful."
"Zhé," Lousi returned her gaze and said, "Such a boring person like Mr. Pu is unlikely to marry a wife."
"No need for Your Highness to worry," Pu Yan said, and his face returned to its usual gentle expression.
Although Lousi has been a princess in marriage to Lingjiang for ten years and is one of the great heroes who conquered Xiliang, in Pu Yan's eyes, that is not a reason for her to abuse private punishment.
"The king breaks the law and is held accountable by the people, he will not show mercy to his subordinates."
Seeing that he was like a block of wood, Lousi also lost interest in continuing to tease him. After leaving a few words to Chu Wei, she took Loxia on the carriage and went to the Imperial Courthouse with him.
She wanted to see how Minister Pu would interrogate her.
-
The news of Lousi being brought back to the Imperial Courthouse by Pu Yan spread quickly, reaching both the palace and the Jing Wang Mansion.
Xu Jingxuan didn't hesitate and ordered someone to bring the horse. He climbed onto the horse and galloped towards the Imperial Courthouse at full speed.
This time, he would definitely protect Lousi.
Lousi's brother, Lousi Zheng, had also wanted to go out of the palace to the Imperial Courthouse, but was stopped by Zhao Xian.
Looking at the trembling Zhao Xian on the ground, Lousi Zheng's eyes were cold and frightening: "If you can't explain the reason, your head will be cut off today."
Zhao Xian trembled even more, "Your Majesty, I know you are worried about Princess Lousi. However, the right of the Imperial Courthouse to execute first and then report is given by Your Majesty. If you now appear at the Imperial Courthouse with Princess Lousi, isn't that your own slap in the face?"
After saying this, he paused for a moment and cautiously looked up at Lousi Zheng. Seeing that no one had come to cut off his head, he continued:
"Moreover, the current officials in the court have been dissatisfied with Princess Lousi for a long time. If Your Majesty appears at this time, it will not only fail to help Princess Lousi but also put her in danger."
Lousi Zheng thought of the day when Pu Yan and several ministers presented memorials concerning Lousi, and his expression darkened.
He indeed cannot appear at the Imperial Courthouse at this time, otherwise he would only harm Lousi.
Seeing that he didn't continue to say that he would go out of the palace, Zhao Xian breathed a sigh of relief while his heart also began to beat rapidly.
After observing these incidents, he had discovered the unknown emotions of his own emperor, as well as his pathological possessiveness.
He dared not even imagine how a scandal would arise if this matter were to be exposed.
Lousi Zheng had already thought of a strategy at this point. He took a step outside and said as he walked, "Summon Pu Yan to the palace immediately."
Zhao Xian hurriedly got up and followed, "Your Majesty, where are you going?"
"The Chenyining Palace," Lousi Zheng coldly said three words and disappeared out of his sight.
Zhao Xian sighed and ordered someone to call Pu Yan into the palace from the Imperial Courthouse, then quickly followed.
-
The Imperial Courthouse.
In addition to Mrs. Xiao's claims, Pu Yan did not have direct evidence that Princess Lousi used private punishment on Liu Yao and Xiao Rin. Therefore, he decided to directly put them in a confrontational situation.
Mrs. Xiao's eyes were like poisoned darts when she saw Princess Lousi, filled with a desire to cut her into a thousand pieces.
In contrast, Lousi smiled and greeted her when she saw her, as if the person who cut off Liu's hand and injured Xiao Rin was not her.
"Madam's complexion looks so unpleasant. Is she unwell? Would it be necessary to call a doctor?"
Hearing the mocking in her eyes, Mrs. Xiao was so angry that her face turned green. She looked at Pu Yan and said, "The Xiao family has been loyal for generations. Now that our Xiao family is facing such a great disaster, I implore Minister Pu to give me justice."
"Madam, don't worry. If it really is Your Highness who did this, I will definitely give the Xiao family a fair explanation," Pu Yan said, looking at Lousi and asking, "What do you have to say, Your Highness?"
Lousi stared at her for a long time. When she finally opened her lips, she slowly uttered a word that turned the color of everyone present.
She said...
