Chapter 382
Chapter 382
382 A Sharp Woman
Zhu Liling asked Jingfei to leave, as she was not supposed to say such things. Hei Chengxi glanced at the Queen and understood the entire situation. The Queen had called him to ask for his son’s hand for her daughter.
Jingfei fiddled with her fingers as she told her mother why she didn’t want to marry Huang Xi anymore. “I do not want to marry a man, who has told everyone around him how much he hates me. I have made some mistakes. I agree. But why does he have to do that? If I marry Huang Xi, I know it will be a disaster only,” Jingfei gave reasons to her mother.
Zhu Liling could feel how much her daughter was hurt because of all that.
“Princess Jingfei, I apologize to you for my son’s mistake. I am still unaware of the fact that what exactly has happened. However, after Huang Xi returns, I will definitely ask him and make him apologize to the Princess,” Hei Chengxi assured her. Huang Xi had told him that he would not want to agree to marry Jingfei, but Hei Chengxi didn’t know that he hated her.
“It’s fine, General Hei. I do not want Commander Huang Xi to know that we talked over this. It will hurt me more,” Jingfei said, and looked at her mother. “Forgive me for troubling my mother.” She kept her head low, unable to meet her gaze. She knew Zhu Liling would be angry at her, but this was the best for her future.
“Princess Jingfei, go back to your chamber. I won’t talk about the Princess’ marriage with Huang Xi anymore,” Zhu Liling said in a humble tone. Jingfei thanked her mother and left for her chamber.
Hei Chengxi apologized to the Queen for his son’s behavior.
“I will let it go this time because General Hei has served this royal family well. However, I do not want his son to get married to any of the princesses in the royal family,” Zhu Liling affirmed.
Hei Chengxi knitted his brows for a brief moment before agreeing to it.
.....
“I understand, Your Majesty,” Hei Chengxi said.
“General Hei may leave,” Zhu Liling ordered. He bowed before her and left.
“Mi Yao, did you deliver the message to Li Hua through Qiu Mu? Did you make sure that no one was suspicious of that message?” Zhu Liling asked her personal attendant and loyalist.
“Yes, Your Majesty. Everything was done carefully without leaving any evidence behind,” Mi Yao stated.
“That’s great. Did you get any message from my brother?” Zhu Liling asked her.
Mi Yao shook her head and lowered it. “Forgive me, Your Majesty, but till now there has been no message from General Ye,” she informed Zhu Liling.
At that moment, a maidservant asked permission to get in after she said that she had the message from General Ye.
“Come inside,” Mi Yao said in a loud and clear voice. The maidservant walked in and handed the scroll to Mi Yao. She bowed and stepped back slowly before stepping out.
“Your Majesty,” Mi Yao said, handing the scroll to the Queen.
Zhu Liling opened the knot around the scroll and then read the message from Ye Yujin. A smile formed on her lips as her elder brother had returned.
Zhu Liling had placed the scroll on the side table when Mi Yao asked her if she could ask something.
“You may ask,” Zhu Liling said.
“Why didn’t the Queen poison Li Hua? That would be an easy and quick death, then, using such a plan, Your Majesty,” Mi Yao said.
“Because I do not want suspicion to fall on the royal family. If she dies within the four walls of this palace, then Lóng Wei will come after me. I want to divert his attention to the enemy who massacred Li Hua’s family,” Zhu Liling stated with a victorious smile on her lips.
“Your Majesty, but there has been no reaction from Li Hua till now. What if she doesn’t go to the city center?” Mi Yao raised doubt.
“Of course, we will not get a response this soon,” Zhu Liling stated. “Li Hua is a sharp woman. As a tea server, I have observed those qualities in her. She might be na?ve before her marriage, but after she lost her family, she became sharper. She will not fall in this trap easily, but she will not ignore it either. She will definitely react to this and go out.” Zhu Liling was confident regarding Li Hua’s reaction to the fake message that she had sent to her.
“Prince Lóng Wei has appointed Feng Lao to Li Hua’s protection. Her Majesty has to find a way so that he will not be there to save her,” Mi Yao advised Zhu Liling.
“It is not tough to handle Feng Lao. Don’t worry about it. Lóng Wei killed Eunuch Lishi cleverly, I will make sure to kill two people close to him. Both Li Hua and Xu Zifan will die on the same day. Poor him! I saw him happy after a long time. Soon, that happiness will turn into sadness,” Zhu Liling said with a smirk and continued to smile.
‘Tomorrow I will ask my brother to send the best assassin in his eye. I need to shut Lóng Wei’s mouth for eternity. Once he is out of my sight, then I will throw Jin Yu out of my son’s life.’ Zhu Liling pondered in her mind.She didn’t want to remain in the clutches of Lóng Wei.
“Keep an eye on Jin Yu,” Zhu Liling ordered Mi Yao. She obeyed the order of the Queen and left to see Jin Yu.
Zhu Liling went to the inner chamber, taking the scroll with her. She put that into a drawer and then, closed it.
Her eyes fell on the tiny compartment inside the drawer and she again opened it. She picked up the tiny key and looked at it with a grim expression on her face.
She put it back and closed the drawer again before walking out of the inner chamber.