Chapter 37: The Lin Family's Bookish Son

  "Get up." A low voice came from above, Qing Xia was under the dragon bed, holding her breath carefully, and only heard Chu Li's cold words: "You knelt here for three days, saying that you wanted to see me, didn't you just want to kneel in front of me like this?"

  "The minister..." The man's voice trembled slightly, seemingly with a hint of fear, but he still summoned the courage to say loudly: "I think that Your Highness' rewards and punishments are unclear, good and evil are not distinguished, losing the style of a wise ruler!"

  A loud hissing sound almost simultaneously rose, even if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, Qing Xia could imagine the expressions of everyone present. The cold wind blew gently, and the loud noise fell into the night, like a stone sinking to the bottom of a lake, not seeing any ripples for a long time. The man couldn't help but feel some tension, his swallowing sound was very loud, in this dark night, it seemed even more obvious.

  It was as if a century had passed before Chu Li's low, even voice finally sounded out, without the slightest fluctuation or hint of emotion. "Oh? How is it that rewards and punishments are unclear, good and evil are not distinguished? Come, explain this to me."

  The bookworm's straightforward voice rang out with a full breath, and some things are like this. You think it's hard to speak up, but once you say it, the things that follow will be much simpler. Indeed, the man in front of him had already said something very disrespectful, and now he was embracing the idea of being frank about everything, his courage grew, and he spoke loudly: "I have repeatedly petitioned Your Highness to explain the details of the night of the 13th king's rebellion. On that day, I was able to successfully leave the palace and report to Your Highness, thanks to a palace maid wearing the uniform of the second-class attendant of the Lan Ting Palace. However, Your Highness attributed all the credit to me, granting me an official position and promotion, which is unfair. Moreover, I have followed the teachings of the saints for many years, compiling books in the Wen Shi Guan, loyalty to the king and love for the country are my duty, but a small palace maid has such awareness, it should be rewarded. Unfortunately, Your Highness not only did not reward her, but also arrested all the attendants of the Lan Ting Palace, which is good and evil not distinguished. I am the chief historian of the Wen Shi Guan, responsible for recording the history of the imperial court, advising Your Highness on his words and actions. Therefore, I dare to petition, please consider it carefully."

  The crisp tone echoed in the cold air, and there was a silence around, without any sound. Chu Li was also silent, and didn't know what he was thinking about.

  Lin Shiguan knelt on the ground, wearing a dark blue robe with golden trim and a pair of cyan boots. Qing Xia gazed at Lin Shucai, who was right in front of him, and couldn't help but feel a hint of amusement. He didn't expect that their brief encounter back then would make Lin Shucai so grateful to him. And for offending the emperor on his behalf, he really didn't know whether to call Lin Shucai straightforward or foolish.

  "I'll ask you one last time." Chu Li's voice suddenly rang out, with a hint of urgency and subtle hope in his tone, as he said somewhat tentatively, his voice slightly rising, as if reluctant to pierce through a lie.

  "Was the palace maid you mentioned really wearing a second-grade servant's uniform? Really, from Lanting Hall?"

  "Yes!" Lin Shiguan hastily bowed his head to the ground and said in a low voice: "I will absolutely not remember wrongly."

  "Really?" Chu Li's voice was faint, and a hint of melancholy flashed in the eyes of the dragon carriage. So, she had deceived herself again. On that day when they came out of the sea of fire, Qing Xia was indeed wearing Xiang Ju's clothes. At that time, he had some doubts, but why didn't she speak out? This wasn't a bad thing, she saved her own kingdom. Was it because she was afraid that due to her skillful hands, people would suspect the truth about Qi An's escape?

  "If Your Highness has trouble finding the palace maid in a short time, I have painted a portrait of her. If you post it, she will be found immediately."

  Lin Shiguan saw Chu Lixiang's mouth, and his eyebrows opened with a smile, saying very much like offering treasures. Qing Xia, who was lying under the dragon bed, listened but almost wanted to rush out and cut him down with one knife. All the flaws were on his body, if it weren't for him, Chu Li would not have suspected himself so quickly. Now, if he saw that so-called portrait, he might really think that Qi An was the one who let him go.

  Now all I can hope for is that Chuli doesn't want to see his portrait, but unfortunately, the heavens don't comply with human wishes. Chuli seems to have taken an interest and said in a low voice: "Where is the portrait? Bring it out."

  "In the painting room of the Wen Shi Guan, I will go get it."

  "Never mind, I'll go with you." Chu Li perhaps was bored out of his wits, the imperial guards upon hearing Chu Li's words, hastily drove the dragon carriage. Qing Xia had no choice but to cling to the bottom of the carriage like a sucker, steadily heading towards the Wen Shi Guan.

  In less than half a cup of tea's time, they arrived at the gate of the Wen Shi Guan. After a series of complicated unlocking procedures, Lin Shiguan hastily walked up.

  "Your Highness, this is the portrait of that palace maid I painted."

  The curtain of the dragon carriage was lifted by the guard, and Chu Lijin's golden boots stepped down, standing in front of Qing Xia. A short, small golden knife was inserted into the boot, looking like it had no attacking power, but rather like a decoration.

  Chu Li took the painting from Lin Shiguan's hand and let out a loud whoa. The surrounding attendants couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, only to see that the painting was not like the usual portrait paintings of the time, it was as tall as a person. Chu Li held his hands high up, just barely preventing the painting from dragging on the ground.

  The woman in the painting has willow eyebrows and starry eyes, cherry lips and a small face. Her eyebrows and eyes are sharp and bold, like ice and frost flashing by, yet also like the warmth of spring. With every glance, her spirit soars, her whole head of black hair is tied up in a bun on top of her head, wearing a palace dress, making her look as pure as snow. She holds a light yellow whip in one hand, sitting high on horseback, and with the other hand she holds a battle knife, pressed against the neck of a deliberately disfigured imperial guard, looking pleased with herself, with a cold smile at the corner of her mouth, looking like she might come to life and walk out of the painting.

  Everyone who was always by Chu's side immediately recognized the woman in the painting, it was none other than Lan Fei, the queen who had just been locked up in the cold palace of Qing Si. Everyone's eyes widened in shock and their faces were filled with incredulity.

  Chu Li, however, was as if she had expected it all along, quietly holding the painting and silently staring at it. After a long while, she seemed to be muttering to herself, saying, "This painting, you put your heart into it."

  Lin Shiguan seemed somewhat embarrassed, woodenly smiling, "For... for... Your Highness to share worries... I... should... should be so."

  "You don't have to look for this person anymore." Chu Li suddenly took back the painting, turned around and walked into the dragon carriage, saying in a low voice: "Actually, I had already found this palace maid. She was Xiang Ju, the second-class maid of Lan Ting Palace. After that night, she returned to Lan Ting Palace and was injured by a big fire. Recently, she died of her injuries. I have ordered people to give her a grand funeral and rewarded her family."

  "What?!" Lin Shiguan suddenly turned pale with shock, shouting loudly, his voice filled with astonishment and incredulity.

  Chu Li saw his appearance and couldn't help but narrow her eyes slightly, her voice also gradually turning cold: "Don't interfere with this matter anymore, go back."

  As he spoke, he stretched out his hand and waved it. The guard drove the white horse, and the dragon carriage slowly moved in the direction it came from, walking a long way, Qing Xia could still see Lin Shiguan's boots and official robes, dazed and kneeling on the ground, as if he had lost his life, without any vitality.

  "Your Highness, it's already the third watch of the night, are you still going out of the city?"

  Qing Xia's spirit was suddenly lifted, and after a long wait, he heard Chu Li's voice say faintly: "Return to the East Palace."

  Qing Xia's heart sank from heaven to the bottom of the valley, and he only heard the guard continue to say: "I'll go inform first, I don't know which palace you will be staying in tonight? The other day, Dan Fei Niangniang sent someone to report that her palace had just received new fresh fruits from the southern border country of Wan Si Da Gong, and she wanted to invite you to taste them. In addition, Chen Fei Niangniang...

  "Nowhere to go, return to the Donggong Hall." Cutting off the guard's words, Chu Li coldly said a sentence and stopped speaking. The dragon carriage slowly changed direction and headed towards the Donggong Hall.

  Chu Li now holds the military power of the entire country, and has become a monarch of a nation, only lacking in coronation. The guards at the East Palace are even more stringent, and Qing Xia knows that once she enters the East Palace gates, it will be even harder to escape. At this time, the dragon carriage happens to pass by a bend, where dense exotic flowers and grasses grow as tall as half a person's height. Qing Xia holds her breath, suddenly makes a sharp turn, and in a flash of lightning, rolls into the midst of the flowers and grasses, silently disappearing from the deadly dragon carriage.

  No one noticed, and in a short while, Chu Li's horse gradually walked away. In the darkness, a slender figure suddenly flashed out of the grass and ran rapidly in the opposite direction.