CHAPTER 261: CHAPTER 261: HE ESCAPED UNSCATHED AGAIN!

Li Qingmu looked at him trembling all over, knowing he was scared, and couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh. Such a coward, and he dares to falsely accuse me?

"What? Not speaking? Or... don’t you dare to speak?"

Li Qingmu stared directly into his eyes, his words were bloody.

Wang Dazhi was panicking inside, after all, Li Qingmu indeed only broke his leg, and the horrific injuries on his body were all done by that man in black.

"Woo... I..."

At this moment, Wang Dazhi was scared to death, he looked around blankly and found them all staring at him with indifferent expressions. He nervously shifted his gaze, finally resting on the Emperor above.

But just a glance, and he felt a chill rise from his back, quickly lowering his head.

"What I said... is true..."

"Bold! How dare you lie before the Emperor?" Li Qingmu glared at him, saying coldly, "If what you said is true, then why are you trembling all over? Huh, you are scared, guilty, aren’t you?"

"I... I..."

Wang Dazhi was already too scared to speak.

"Li Qingmu, you’re threatening him! The man was speaking properly, but you forced him into silence. I think you’re the one who’s guilty!"

Finally, Pang Wenzheng couldn’t bear it, speaking out.

Li Qingmu was slightly taken aback, very puzzled, "Since it’s a confrontation, if I don’t question, don’t speak, then what’s the point of a confrontation?"

Pang Wenzheng was suddenly at a loss for words.

"Emperor, if a person has been brutally beaten, with their whole body in extreme pain, how would they have the strength to climb from the foot of the mountain to the street and loudly call for help? His words clearly have loopholes everywhere, but Minister Pang insists that I’m coercing him. Could it be... Minister Pang is in cahoots with him? Just to frame me?"

"You insolent! Don’t talk nonsense!"

Pang Wenzheng’s face instantly turned ashen, this little brat can forcefully drag this matter onto him.

It was also his own impatience that gave the other party an opportunity to exploit.

Qi Yun’s face didn’t look good either.

He was an extremely smart Emperor, as long as you think carefully about Wang Dazhi’s words, you will find there are many huge loopholes, it’s just that people are easily deceived by appearances, seeing him so miserable, they will instinctively generate sympathy.

Now, this sympathy was broken by a few simple words from Li Qingmu.

Wang Dazhi looked at the Emperor’s cold eyes and suddenly burst into tears: "Spare me, spare me, I was coerced by someone! It was... it was a man in black who wanted me to burn the farmland, those injuries were inflicted by him, making me falsely accuse him, I, I was forced..."

As soon as these words came out, the hall became instantly silent, only the sound of breathing could be heard, some people’s breathing was slightly rapid, it was Cui Yuanhe.

His old face flushed slightly, bowing to Li Qingmu: "Imperial Censor Li, this old man is getting on in years, a bit slow to understand, previously I did wrongly accuse you!"

"Prime Minister Cui is too polite, it’s just that the onlookers see clearly what the person involved finds confusing."

Li Qingmu said humbly, Cui Yuanhe rarely looked at this young man.

He was proper in manner, graceful and poised, intelligent and wise, and crucially, very humble, a very good child.

"Alright, alright, today this old man was wrong, in the future if you have any difficulties, feel free to come to the Cui Mansion to find me!"

The atmosphere in the court immediately became harmonious, Qi Yun glanced at Wang Dazhi, waved his hand, and then a eunuch came forward to take him away.

As for what will happen after he leaves, that’s unknown.

But according to Li Qingmu’s understanding of Qi Yun, Wang Dazhi will likely be dealt with secretly.

This episode of beating drama ended there, Qi Yun looked at the solemn-looking Li Qingmu and suddenly said, "I heard you went to the brothel a few days ago?"

Li Qingmu was taken aback, quickly said, "Emperor, I did not go for debauchery, just accompanied my brother-in-law to listen to songs."

Li Qingmu shamelessly shifted blame onto Cao Xiao, at this moment Cao Xiao was sneezing furiously, if he knew it was a setup by Li Qingmu, he would probably wish to stab a voodoo doll in his heart.

"Is that so?"

Qi Yun clearly had an "I don’t believe you" expression.

"Emperor, truthfully, absolutely nothing false, I wouldn’t dare deceive Your Majesty!"

"Hehe!"

Qi Yun let out a dry laugh, the smile was a bit cold, Li Qingmu inexplicably felt a chill down his spine.

"Idle at home, go to Upper Court tomorrow, to avoid causing trouble all day long! Court is dismissed!"

Qi Yun didn’t bother giving the officials a chance to nag, after speaking, he announced the end of the court session, then went directly to the back.

The hall remained silent for quite some time before people gradually started talking.

Pang Wenzheng came over, looked at Li Qingmu once, then turned around and left.

"Imperial Censor Li, before I had many opinions about you, but it’s rare that you are a sensible child, remember to often come to my mansion in the future!"

"Alright, thank you, Prime Minister Cui!"

...

"Your Highness, the Emperor went to Consort Xue after court dismissed!"

Kunyuan Palace, Empress Qiao still sat at the dressing table, quietly gazing at her own reflection, a palace maid came in and reported respectfully.

"Let him go," a lazy voice responded, "what can it matter? Ever since Princess Consort Yun disappeared nineteen years ago, the Emperor lost his heart as well, it doesn’t matter where he goes, everyone, let rain and dew be evenly spread, ha ha ha..."

"But Your Highness... the Emperor has become increasingly aloof to you in recent years, this is not a good thing, many are coveting the position of Central Palace?"

"What does it matter whether they watch or not? I’ve endured the winds and rains for so many years, and still sit firmly in the Central Palace, don’t I?

This bit of imperial favor doesn’t count for much, what he wants is someone who can manage the harem well for him, and I am the best choice, because in his eyes, I don’t fight or struggle."

"But Your Highness..."

"Alright, I know you mean well, but... there’s no need, I’m tired, I want to rest, you may go!"

"Yes."

The trusted palace maid bowed gracefully and withdrew.

Empress Qiao looked at her reflection in the copper mirror, clearly almost forty years old, but well-maintained, her skin was still as smooth as a girl in her twenties, extraordinarily beautiful, if she were outside the palace, she could certainly remarry.

"Alas..."

She sighed lightly, murmuring softly, "What is there to compete for? Wouldn’t it be better to enjoy the riches and wealth right in front of you?"

"Of course it’s good, Empress, you are now the master of the harem, in the future, too, you will be the lofty Empress Dowager, maybe even the Grand Empress Dowager, all the wealth and grandeur a woman could have, you’ve got them all."

A shadow suddenly appeared in Empress Qiao’s copper mirror and slowly approached.

"But, the taste of living like a widow is still unpleasant."

Empress Qiao’s body stiffened slightly, a layer of frost covered her graceful face, "Pang Wenzheng, you better not challenge the limits of my patience, or you will live to regret it!"

"Empress, I was just joking, don’t take it to heart. Actually, we are the same kind of people, aren’t we?"

A shadow emerged from the darkness, upon a closer look, it was Pang Wenzheng indeed!

However, he was dressed in eunuch’s clothing, wearing a cap, without a closer look, one wouldn’t be able to tell.

"Speak, you came again, you wouldn’t want to talk about that useless daughter of yours, would you? Ha ha ha..."

Empress Qiao’s smile was schadenfreude.

Pang Wenzheng’s face was very unpleasant, as if a sore spot had been poked, he coldly said, "This time, he escaped me again!"