Chapter 713 Commandery Prince Qing Is in Power

“What’s the matter?” asked the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, I’ve found some clues about the case of Prince Zhou’s falling at the palace gate caused by a startled horse. Your Majesty, please have a look!” Chu Qing said, took out a memorial from his sleeve and presented it respectfully.

A eunuch came over to fetch it and then unfolded it on the desk in front of the Emperor after getting back to the Emperor.

The Emperor lowered his head and began to read it. As he read it, he became increasingly sullen. When he finished, his face had been livid with anger. He struck the desk heavily with his hand and said harshly, “Continue looking into it. We must find out the truth. How dare an uncivilized small country interfere in our internal affairs!”

It was so close to his speculation. How could the Emperor not be angry?

“But, I’m afraid… I’m afraid there are some obstacles in my way!” Chu Qing said cautiously.

“There’s nothing able to prevent you from looking into it. Since you are sent by me to look into it, you don’t have to take account of anyone’s interest. If you find anyone who dares to collude with this uncivilized small country, report it to me immediately!” The Emperor said angrily.

The Changxing Grass. The Changxing Grass was found again as he expected. It was said that a doctor working in Chu Liuzhou’s mansion found a small piece of the Changxing Grass in a sleeve of the clothes Chu Liuzhou wore that day. It was a very small piece stuck in a pleat of the sleeve, so it was not found although the clothes had been checked over before.

After Chu Liuzhou was undressed at that time, instead of being sent to be laundered, his clothes were put aside after being simply checked. Unexpectedly, the Changxing Grass was found in them later.

The Changxing Grass from the Xu State seemed to have something to do with the case of Chu Liuzhou’s falling caused by a startled horse in their country. However, now he couldn’t find out why a few of the Changxing Grass in the national treasury was missing.

Chu Qing even pointed out that the Changxing Grass found in Chu Liuzhou’s clothes might be from somewhere else rather than from the national treasury, because the Changxing Grass stored in the national treasury for so many years must not be very fresh, but the small piece of the Changxing Grass he found didn’t seem to have been stored for so long.

It made the Emperor even angrier. After instructing Chu Qing to investigate it thoroughly, he scolded all the civilian and military officers at court again for ignoring their proper duties and spending most of their time making groundless accusations outside rather than performing their duties properly.

Of course, the Emperor vented most of his anger on Duke Xing, while he was very appreciative of Chu Qing and even invited him to the imperial study for a talk after the court session.

This was a privilege, which represented that he gradually won the Emperor’s favor and got close to the center of power.

Chu Qing suppressed the excitement in his heart and followed the imperial carriage to the imperial study. After they arrived at the imperial study, the Emperor encouraged him again and then asked with a smile, “How are you going to handle what happened that day? Anyway, she’s a Miss of Duke Xing’s Mansion. Your delay in handling it will be a bad influence on both of you.”

“Your Majesty, you are right…” Chu Qing thought of this matter after freezing for a moment, and then knelt down in a hurry and said, “But the Miss of Duke Xing’s Mansion fell into the water…”

He did not directly mention which Miss of Duke Xing’s Mansion fell into the water, because he did not believe that the Emperor really knew nothing about what had happened in the imperial palace.

“It’s true. Although the Second Miss of the Shao’s Mansion is the daughter of a concubine, she is qualified to marry into your mansion!” The Emperor said with a smile and a gentle look, as if he were just having a small talk with him.

When Chu Qing heard that, there was a trace of disappointment across his eyes. The Emperor meant that he had to marry Shao Jie’er even if he was reluctant to and it was absolutely impossible for him to marry Shao Yanru.

It was obviously the First Miss of Duke Xing’s Mansion whom he had saved at that time, but no one in the imperial palace wanted to see him marry Shao Yanru, so they talked black into white and claimed that it was Shao Jie’er whom he had saved.

He lowered her head and said respectfully, “I’m at your command, Your Majesty!”

He had to obey the Emperor’s orders. It took him a lot of effort to get the Emperor’s attention, so he could not displease the Emperor by rejecting marrying Shao Jie’er. Although he looked down on Shao Jie’er, he had to agree to marry her.

“Speaking of this, you saved her out of kindness. I can’t let you suffer a loss because of your kindness. How about taking the non-lineal daughter of Duke Xing’s Mansion as your concubine?” The Emperor asked with a smile in a gentle voice, acting a way completely different from the way he discussed official business in the hall just now.

But even so, Chu Qing did not dare to let down his guard, and said, “Okay. My mother happens to have arranged a marriage for me!”

Hearing that Shao Jie’er was just going to be his concubine, Chu Qing breathed a sigh of relief. Despite his reluctance, he could only accept her as his concubine.

“Your mother has arranged a marriage for you?” The Emperor froze for a moment and asked. He really didn’t know about it.

“Yes, she is the daughter of a family who has saved my mother’s life. It was just a verbal promise before, and I didn’t think I would meet her again, so I didn’t take it seriously. Unexpectedly, my mother met her a few days ago. I was going to report this to Your Majesty, but I have been busy with Prince Zhou’s case and forgot it!”

Chu Qing spoke.

“What a coincidence! That’s great. I have been thinking of choosing a young lady from a noble family to be your Princess. Unexpectedly, you got the right person!” The Emperor said and nodded repeatedly.

He didn’t really care about his nephew’s marriage and said that just in order to project himself as a good uncle. He thought that picking a few more young ladies for Chu Qing during the consort selection wouldn’t affect the whole situation. Of course, he wouldn’t choose a young lady from a noble family like Shao Yanru to be Chu Qing’s Princess, in case Chu Qing coveted the throne.

It was impossible for a family Chu Qing’s mother promised to unite by marriage when she was in a difficult situation, to be a decent family. The Emperor was glad to give his consent to the marriage and hoped that Chu Qing’s future Princess came from a powerless family. He had thought that he should lower the standards for the consort selection so that he could choose a suitable Commandery Princess Qing. Now Chu Qing solved this problem for him.

Chu Qing was indeed a capable person. He needed such a capable person, but he didn’t want him to be ambitious. His sons had been fighting fiercely for the throne, so he didn’t want to see an outsider interfere in it.

The two of them chatted happily. When Chu Qing went out, he showed a bright smile. It was a bonus that he solved three problems at a time.

He had wondered how to handle the thing happening between him and Shao Jie’er. Now it was settled. His mother would be pleased with his taking Shao Jie’er as his concubine. Regarding the candidate for his Princess, although he was not very satisfied with it, his mother was very satisfied with it, and his future Princess could help them later.

If Duke Xing’s Mansion agreed to marry Shao Yanru to him, he would never humiliate Duke Xing’s Mansion by doing this. But now it was Shao Jie’er who was going to marry him, and she took Shao Yanru’s place to marry him. Considering this, Duke Xing’s Mansion could not challenge it.

They would not reject it even if he took Shao Jie’er as an inferior concubine. It was the Emperor who allowed him to take Shao Jie’er as a concubine, and they could not disobey the Emperor’s order.

As a non-lineal daughter, Shao Jie’er was a little inferior and not valued by Duke Xing. Nevertheless, she was Duke Xing’s daughter after all, so Duke Xing more or less cared for her. Under some special circumstances, his care for her might be infinitely magnified.

When he thought of what his mother had told him before, he involuntarily felt a little relieved. He could wait patiently, since he had been waiting for so many years.

“Your Highness, be careful.”

“Your Highness, this way, please.”

“Your Highness…” Hearing several servants flattering someone warmly not far away, Chu Qing stopped and looked at a crossing not far away.

Chu Liuchen was turning at the crossing. He was dressed in a flying gorgeous snow fox cloak and a gorgeous brocade robe. Despite his light-colored lips, he still gave the impression that he was extraordinarily distinguished.

A few eunuchs led the way around him and kept currying favor with him, for fear that he would slip accidentally.

Seeming to sense that Chu Qing was looking at him, Chu Liuchen stopped, turned his head, and squinted at him. After that, he continued moving forward, just ignoring Chu Qing, who was about to greet him with a flattering smile.

“Your Highness!” Noticing Chu Qing’s gloomy face, the little eunuch attending upon Chu Qing said in a low voice.

“Let’s go!” Chu Qing pulled himself together, restrained the jealousy and hatred in his heart, and said slowly.

Chu Liuchen was just a dying invalid unqualified to compete with him. Anyway, this invalid could get nothing in the fight over power. It was impossible for Chu Liuchen to inherit the throne!

“What a useless fool!”

After cursing in his heart, Chu Qing moved his feet and continued walking out, while asking casually, “Has Prince Chen recovered?”

“I really don’t know. I heard that Prince Chen insisted on going back to his mansion. Neither the Empress Dowager nor the Emperor allowed it, but Prince Chen insisted it. The Emperor and the Empress Dowager couldn’t do anything about it!”

The little eunuch leading the way said with a smile.

Everyone in the imperial palace knew that the Empress Dowager and the Emperor doted on Prince Chen so much that they treated him as the apple of their eye. Although Prince Chen was in poor health, no one dared to look down on him, especially on the surface.

“Do Imperial Grandmother and Imperial Uncle dote on Prince Chen so much?” Chu Qing asked with a surprised look, showing his close relationship with the Emperor and the Empress Dowager without being noticed by addressing them as Imperial Uncle and Imperial Grandmother.

“Exactly. The Empress Dowager and the Emperor love Prince Chen so dearly that they send all the good things they got to Prince Chen. Sometimes even the other princes don’t get any.” The little eunuch said with a smile, and then he watched Chu Liuchen disappear in his view and said, “Prince Chen is the Empress Dowager’s and the Emperor’s favorite. I heard that the Empress Dowager chose a Miss to be Princess Chen before the Emperor chooses consorts for the other princes!”

“Is this a convention?” Chu Qing felt his heart skipped a beat and asked.

“Not exactly. The Empress Dowager is just concerned about Prince Chen and hopes to choose the best wife for Prince Chen!” The little eunuch replied.

The best wife? Shao Yanru?

Chu Qing somehow thought of Shao Yanru, and there was a trace of complacence across his eyes. When he got into the water, he deliberately held Shao Yanru tightly, so Shao Yanru’s reputation was ruined and she was no longer a pure lady. Although Chu Liuchen was the Empress Dowager’s and the Emperor’s favorite, Chu Liuchen had to marry the woman whose reputation had been ruined by him.

“The First Miss of Duke Xing’s Mansion?” He asked calmly.

“It can’t be the First Miss of Duke Xing’s Mansion. I heard that the First Miss is going to marry either this prince or that prince. It can’t be Prince Chen anyway!” The little eunuch shook his head, lifted a finger cleverly and then another finger, and spoke.

The first finger represented Chu Liuyue, and the second finger represented Chu Liuzhou!

“The First Miss Shao is the phoenix among women and won’t be betrothed to someone easily!” After finishing speaking, the little eunuch added with an envious look.

The phoenix among women? The Empress was known as the phoenix. The First Miss of Duke Xing’s Mansion seemed to have a great ambition. But it was better. He thought that he should prepare for dealing with Shao Jie’er as early as possible…

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