CHAPTER 245: CHAPTER 245: YOU FOOL!

"Curiosity!" Li Qingmu took a sip of tea, skillfully hiding his inner unease, and said calmly, "Nowadays, the Emperor always wants to maintain the balance of the court, perhaps for him, whoever becomes the emperor doesn’t matter.

In fact, all he wants is to become the supreme ruler, letting you all fight amongst yourselves, while he remains unmoved! Some of the ministers probably have also seen through his plans, hence the fierce battles among the princes."

Shi Qin nodded lightly: "Mr. Li certainly sees things clearly! Actually, we have always been investigating this Princess Consort Yun and her Seventeenth Prince."

"Hmm."

Li Qingmu responded flatly, still drinking tea with his head lowered.

"The current state of the court is shrouded in fog, yet clearly visible. Besides the supreme Emperor, perhaps it’s the Seventeenth Prince who truly decides the throne.

The skill lies outside the poem; as long as one can gain the support of the Seventeenth Prince, everything becomes clear! However, the Seventeenth Prince is always missing. Mr. Li, I remember you’re nineteen this year, correct?"

"Hmm?"

Li Qingmu was taken aback, what did Shi Qin mean by this?

He was startled, but still acted calm.

"Actually, the Old Princess Consort always had an idea, Mr. Li, you are smart and wise, calm and composed, and just the right age. If you were to act as this Seventeenth Prince, perhaps it would be twice the result with half the effort..."

"Pfft—"

Before Shi Qin could finish, Li Qingmu spewed tea everywhere, followed by a fit of violent coughing.

Long Yue, with a conflicted expression, patted Li Qingmu’s back to help, only to forget he had an injury there, resulting in a pained groan from the man.

"A Mu, are you... are you okay? I didn’t mean to..."

Long Yue, seeing his furrowed brows from the pain, was flustered and at a loss, wanting to reach out to rub but afraid of hurting him again.

Shi Qin was bewildered, not knowing why Li Qingmu reacted so strongly?

"Mr. Li, what’s with you..."

"What are you up to, this is treason!"

"I know, but this is a last resort. Mr. Li, we’ve revealed such a confidential matter to you, doesn’t that show our sincerity?"

Li Qingmu caught his breath, coughed twice, and gave her an annoyed glance: "This is sincerity? Are you sure you’re not setting me up? In short, I’ll help with other matters, but this, forget it!"

Shi Qin slowly stood up: "Mr. Li, this matter needs to be carefully deliberated, and cannot be rushed. Mr. Li, the conversation is over, please provide us with two rooms."

What?

Long Yue and Li Qingmu were both taken aback and spoke in unison: "You intend to stay?"

Shi Qin showed a very proper smile, "Indeed, since we have no place to settle down in the Capital City, where else should we stay?"

The couple: "..."

...

After settling Qi Jingyu and his servant, Long Yue returned to their room to find Li Qingmu sitting by the window, staring blankly at the wooden hairpin before him, so she gently walked over.

"Thinking about something? Are you suspecting your own identity now?"

Li Qingmu shook his head and said, "No, I’m even more certain. Yue’er, you know, I have an intuition that can seek profit and avoid harm. The day I stepped into the Golden Hall, I was completely sure."

"Then, what are you thinking about?"

"I’m thinking... do you still remember the two assassination attempts we encountered on our way to Xinan? The people behind them were Northern Nomads, if not Beirong, then Daliang!

You just heard it too, Princess Consort Yun might have entered Daliang’s territory, so could those assassination attempts have been orchestrated by Daliang?"

"If it was indeed the Daliang people, then your identity is beyond doubt!"

"Hmm!"

"So, what will you do next?"

"What else can I do?" Li Qingmu suddenly cheered up, he put away the wooden hairpin and rolled into the bed, "Eat, drink, sleep; since the Emperor wants me to go home and recuperate, then I’ll do just that!"

...

Imperial Palace, Kunyuan Palace.

This is the most magnificent palace in the harem, housing the esteemed Empress.

At this moment, in Kunyuan Palace, continued sobbing was heard.

"Empress, please stand up for me!"

In the palace, a woman whose face was wrapped tightly, leaving only two eyes and a mouth visible, knelt before a middle-aged woman in luxurious attire, sobbing.

"That wretched Pang Longyue, she deliberately ruined my face under the pretext of slapping, this hatred is irreconcilable, I... I must kill her and make her life unbearable!"

This person was the disfigured Pang Shuangyue, who, after entering Kunyuan Palace, knelt before Empress Qiao and kept crying and cursing Long Yue for a full hour without tiring.

Empress Qiao herself just sat opposite her, not bothered at all, trimming her nails and applying the finest rouge.

Once the rouge dried, she then put on silver protective nail sets, and this whole nail protection process just happened to take an hour.

Finally, with everything in order, Empress Qiao, satisfied with her nails, fixed her hair and slowly approached Pang Shuangyue, leaning forward slightly.

"Finished talking?"

"Empress, please stand up for me!"

Pang Shuangyue’s voice was hoarse, seeing the Empress come over, she hurriedly pleaded.

Empress Qiao smiled, straightened up, and said flatly: "If it weren’t for the fact that you’ve already been so injured, I might have slapped you twice myself!"

"Empress..."

Pang Shuangyue’s body trembled, looking at her in disbelief.

"What? Unconvinced? Haha, in front of so many people, you dared to falsely pass off an imperial decree from me, do you not want to live? Hitting you is lenient, if it were me, you’d be half-dead!"

Empress Qiao’s words were ruthless, Pang Shuangyue was completely shattered: "Empress, last night, wasn’t it you who said..."

"What did I say?" Empress Qiao didn’t let her finish, cutting her off, "I said that Li Qingmu insulted the Emperor and deserved death, was that wrong, hmm?

Who told you to overthink and misinterpret the message, committing such a mistake? You almost implicated me, do you know that? You fool!"

While speaking, Empress Qiao wore a smile, but hidden in her eyes was a deep desire to kill!

"You, who at least spent two years in the palace accompanying me, should know which words can be said and which cannot, how could you be so stupid? Li Qingmu was struck thirty times, and that should have been the end of it, making us victorious! But you? You went and tried to cut off their escape route, wasn’t that just asking for trouble? Now, look at what it’s come to, serves you right!"

"But Empress, I was doing it for our cause, that Li Qingmu is definitely a threat!"

"Shut up!"

Empress Qiao spoke casually, yet her words carried weight, Pang Shuangyue promptly shut her mouth.

"Don’t say you’re doing it for me, I... never engage in any disputes, as long as my position remains unshaken, I fear nothing!"