Chapter 157: Dont spook the Villian 3 (2/2)
He only remembered that his play was cut short and he was led to the Empress's palace by his mother. This wasn't his first visit to the Empress palace, he went there three times a week to greet the Empress. The Empress was always warm to him during the visits, after asking about his studies. She usually gave him gifts, this is it wasn't any different.
The only difference was that he was visiting the Empress with his mother, after saluting the Empress. He was sent out to wait by his mother, the Empress face him with a small ball before he left. For some time he was busy but the ball suddenly rolled towards the wedged door leading into the main room.
He ran after the ball, as he bent to pick up the ball. He caught a glimpse of his mother Kneeling with the Empress warning by the window with her back turned away. He was curious what caused quite a scene, however as he raised his hand to push the door open and walk-in. A maid caught sight of him and let him out.
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Now years later, as he read at the old browning pieces of paper that contained the alleged conversation between his adopted mother the Empress, her brother, the deceased Duke of Wu and Minister Zhu that pointed out to his mother being poisoned. The event of that day kept coming up especially since that was the day his mother handed him to the Empress to raise.
Four days later, his mother slept and never woke up again. The more he thought of these two events, the more he doubted the innocence of his imperial mother. Zhongshan Ling picked up the pieces of paper and put them back into the envelope.
He pulled out a small compartment in the table and put the letter in. He intended to carry out a thorough investigation, before making any moves. Meanwhile, he would try to handle the more pressing issues of stopping the spread of malicious rumours about his marriage before his Imperial father got involved.
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The Empress's palace
Su Liya accepted that there was a little truth in Lu Yaozhu's words before they left the mansion when the Empress called in a popular fertility doctor in the Imperial academy to check on her. She was still getting over that check-up when the Empress called in another ”fertility expert”. This time the Expert was female took it to new heights.
Su Liya's face heated up and turned nearly cheery red when the Female fertility expert Madam Cai asked
”How often do you two have sexual relations?”
Su Liya's mouth fell, she turned to Lu Yaozhu with a rather scandalized expression. Lu Yaozhu didn't seem bothered by the madam's words and just smiled. He quickly supplied her with the answer, he continued to answer each question. Finally, Madam Cai just focused on him and abandoned the suddenly mute Su Liya.
Su Liya sat there completely still, without saying a thing. While Lu Yaozhu became her spokesman, not that she minded. It was better he supplied the answers than she did but it didn't stop the second-hand embarrassment from overtaking her. Luckily the arrival of a messenger from the Emperor's palace put her out of her misery.
That was until she heard the message he delivered.
The messenger a thin young eunuch bowed, ”Your Highness, there has been an incident at his highness at the sixth Prince's mansion. The Sixth Princess consort surnamed Zhu has been arrested for the murder of the Imperial grandson”.
The smile on Empress Zhu's face fell, ” What! when did this happen?”
”Answering your Highness, it happened two a day ago”.
Empress Lu pressed her lips into a thin line and sighed. She glanced at her nephew and daughter, ”it seems like I cannot accompany you anymore”.
Lu Yaozhu and Su Liya both stood, ”these citizens understand, we won't keep your highness waiting”.
”Alright, I won't see you off. Please take care of yourselves” Empress Lu said.
”Yes”, they saluted Empress Lu and retreated.