Chapter 550 - Whose Bellyband Is It in His Arms (2/2)

The Empress’ expression changed, and a trace of anger flashed in her eyes. The man had just claimed that he would marry her. She, the n.o.ble Empress, was humiliated by this man and even was mocked by Consort Su. How could she not be angry? However, no matter what, the matter still had to be investigated.

If she ordered people to kill this man, it would be hard to explain.

Ma Er was still struggling. He tried hard to look up and see if the person above was the one he had been looking for, but his head was pressed down. He was so anxious that he tried to break free. The person sent by the n.o.ble had told him clearly that he should speak before he saw clearly the people. But in such a condition, he couldn’t see the persons around.

Just then, a madam with sharp eyes, who was standing by the side, suddenly saw a piece of red cloth in his arms while he was struggling. She asked, “Gee, he has something in his arms. Did he come into the palace and steal something?”

Stealing things in the palace? Any one of the items in the palace would be considered a precious treasure. It was no small charge.

In fact, the madam had seen clearly that it was a woman’s bellyband, but it was hard to say that. What kind of place was the imperial palace? All the Emperor’s women lived here. The origin of the bellyband was really disgraceful. In addition, the man had said that he had been invited here. According to all of this, people had to think a lot.

The Empress’ face darkened and she tipped a eunuch a wink. The eunuch went over and pulled the cloth out of Ma Er’s clothes.

Sure enough, it was a woman’s bellyband with beautiful peony patterns. Everyone present had sharp eyes. Given that the material, the craft, and the peony pattern, ordinary women could not afford to wear it. Did it really belong to the consorts in the palace?

Everyone had a strange look on their faces and couldn’t help but land their eyes on the consorts seated high.

Ling Rui’er did not realize anything at all. She only glanced sideways at the consorts and scolded in a low voice, “So cheap!” Then, she watched the show by the side. Anyway, shows today came one after another. She wanted to see how Aunt Empress, who had always thought of herself as virtuous and gracious, would deal with it.

“You sneaked into the palace and stole women’s item. Somebody, take this man away and put him in the jail of the Ministry of Justice,” the Empress remarked coldly.

Ma Er only paid attention to the last few words, “put him in the jail of the Ministry of Justice.” He had just come out of that place. At the thought of returning to jail, he immediately grew anxious. He was a death row inmate, and thus for whatever reason he was sent back, he was doomed.

It wasn’t easy for him to escape that place, so he certainly wasn’t willing to return.

Immediately, he shouted loudly, “I didn’t steal it. The master of this bellyband took it off and gave it to me. It’s a token of love. Please believe me. I’m telling the truth.”

Watching by the side, Ling Rui’er vaguely sensed that something was amiss. She shot a look at her maid who was standing by her side and the maid came close to her.

“Where are my changed clothes?” Ling Rui’er asked, lowering her body. When she heard somebody crying out loud that a person was dead earlier, her clothes did not seem to be put away. She was afraid that someone would plot against her!

“I put them all in a bag, and I will clean them when we return to the manor,” the maid answered with fear. At this point, she couldn’t remember whether she had taken the bellyband or not. Anyway, she had taken all the clothes at that time, and there should be no clothes left. “But d.a.m.n it! Why is the bellyband so familiar?”

Hearing the maid’s firm tone, Ling Rui’er waved her hand and motioned for her to leave. However, she still felt a little uneasy in her heart.

There was also another person who was uneasy, and it was Yan Miao, who was behind the Empress. She lowered her head and bit her lips, trying her best to stop her teeth from chattering. Similarly, she had a bad feeling too. However, Consort Su and Consort Yu were by the Empress’ side, and she could not even remind the Empress.

The Empress laughed out of extreme anger and snapped coldly, “Nonsense. All the women in the palace are n.o.ble and self-restraint. How could they do such an immoral thing!”

Noticing that no one believed him, Ma Er grew anxious and shouted, “I really didn’t steal it. If you don’t believe me, look at the embroidery on it. There is a word on it.” He had gone to private schools before, so he could read. When he played with the bellyband earlier, he had already seen the word on it.

There seemed to be a heavy grievance in his shouting, as if he had been wronged. The eunuch opened the bellyband and saw that at the bottom, inside the bellyband was embroidered with an extremely bright red character “Ling”.

“Turn it over, turn it over to show us,” someone shouted.

The eunuch turned it over and the other side of the bellyband had a small character “Rui” on it.

“Ling Rui’er?” someone murmured.

Ling Rui’er, who was sitting by the side, stood up suddenly. Her expression turned extremely ugly and her heart was filled with shook and panic. When she saw the looks of disdain from the crowd, she felt as if she were about to go mad.

Her handkerchief was missing before, and now her bellyband fell in the hands of such an obscene man. What… what the h.e.l.l was going on?

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