Chapter 34 - 3#

“I’m only telling you this, don’t you dare tell anyone else.”

The others nodded, and only then did Shi’en say in a tone mixed with terror and a bit of excitement, “Actually, Consort Zhang… seems to have been cheating.”

Gusheng and Huiping’s eyes were wide with surprise.

Jingzhe too.

But he was surprised by Shi’en’s source of information.

…How did he find this out?

Shi’en: “I have a friend who is a patrol guard. It is said that he once saw a figure that looked like Consort Zhang in… cough, but it was in the middle of the night, he was scared and didn’t dare to investigate. He kept it in his heart until recently…”

After hearing this, the other two had very strange expressions on their faces, as if they were sympathetic but also scared.

Jingzhe: “Shi’en, you really have a big mouth.”

He sighed softly.

Since that friend could tell him this, how could he turn around and tell them.

He knew the reason for Consort Zhang’s accident.

But most people in the harem didn’t know, and no news was leaked.

This might have been blocked by the Empress Dowager, or it might have been because the Emperor cared about his face.

No matter who was suppressing the news, it was enough to show that the higher-ups did not want such rumors to spread. If this were to be spread carelessly and investigated, no one could escape.

Gusheng and Huiping were not like him, unable to suppress the desire to talk. Only Shi’en, he was really worried.

Shi’en covered his mouth and nodded repeatedly.

In fact, he dared to say it, but only dared to say it to them.

He didn’t dare to say anything to anyone else.

However… Jingzhe squinted his eyes. The fact that this news had not been leaked until now might not be because of Emperor Jingyuan, but because of the Empress Dowager.

If Rong Jiu was right, then Emperor Jingyuan didn’t actually care about being cuckolded. A person who could do such reckless things probably didn’t care about his reputation either.

If this rumor were to be exposed, although it would not sound good on the surface, Emperor Jingyuan’s actions would have a reason. Although it would also attract unpleasant rumors, it would be much better than now.

…If it was the Empress Dowager who was suppressing it, then the purpose was very obvious.

At least now, Emperor Jingyuan had indeed caused a lot of panic, for fear that he would kill people at will again.

But no matter how scared they were, he still sat firmly on the throne.

Sometimes, Jingzhe also admired this emperor.

In this situation full of crisis, he still had such a calm and unrestrained mentality. If he could learn a few points…

Forget it, he didn’t dare to get close to Emperor Jingyuan.

Having one Rong Jiu was already very difficult to handle.

To serve in front of the hall again, Jingzhe was afraid that he would have a short life.

However, speaking of Rong Jiu…

In fact, when he met Rong Jiu last time, Jingzhe had tried to find out if Rong Jiu and Emperor Jingyuan could talk.

Jingzhe still remembered the way Rong Jiu looked at him, so cold and chilling, like a draft.

“Are you planning to serve in front of the hall?”

“You’re overthinking it.” Jingzhe said immediately, “I don’t have such great courage as you.”

Rong Jiu lowered his eyes, casting a small shadow.

“Then why are you asking this?”

Jingzhe then told Rong Jiu what Mingyu had said to him before.

“I’m thinking, maybe there’s something wrong in Zhongcui Palace.” Jingzhe reminded him tactfully, “I remember for a while, didn’t Noble Consort often go in and out of Qianming Palace?”

Rong Jiu: “This friend of yours, is it Mingyu?”

When Jingzhe spoke just now, he didn’t mention it in detail, who said it, only that it was a friend from the Imperial Kitchen.

Jingzhe said “ah”: “Yes, it’s him.”

Is this the point!

Why was the first question about this?

Rong Jiu’s expression was inscrutable: “Your relationship is quite good.”

Alright. Jingzhe heard it now.

Such a strong smell of jealousy.

…No, why does Rong Jiu sometimes care about such strange things?

Jingzhe: “He and I are just friends.”

“Very good friends,” Rong Jiu said meaningfully, his cold voice carrying a hint of sharpness, “friends who can entrust their lives to each other.”

Jingzhe was ashamed and annoyed: “Don’t you have any?”

“No.” Rong Jiu said indifferently, “Never existed.”

Jingzhe subconsciously pursed his lips, looked up at Rong Jiu, and tentatively said, “…Then, those who are not so close, who can talk…”

“None either.” Rong Jiu looked at Jingzhe with a hint of malice, “Who would dare to be my friend?”

Jingzhe was embarrassed.

Ha, you know your temper is bad too?

No, the point of their conversation just now was clearly not Mingyu! And why was he so flustered? Although it was pitiful that Rong Jiu had no friends, it didn’t mean that there was a problem with him, Jingzhe, having friends!

So, Jingzhe raised his head again, holding it high, very righteously: “Don’t change the subject, I just think the people in Zhongcui Palace are not right. Anyway, when you are serving in front of the hall, you have to stay far away from them!”

Jingzhe wanted to complete the mission to prevent Emperor Jingyuan from being harmed by Huang Yijie, but he was more worried about Rong Jiu.

The pawns are always the first to have accidents.

Rong Jiu hummed lightly: “Don’t be afraid, the Emperor doesn’t like her.”

Jingzhe heard some hidden meaning in Rong Jiu’s words and said thoughtfully, “…His Majesty knows?”

Immediately, he frowned.

Then he walked back and forth in front of Rong Jiu with his hands behind his back.

Rong Jiu watched Jingzhe’s small steps with great interest.

Da da. Da da da. Da da.

Like a small beast fluttering around.

Jingzhe suddenly stood still: “What kind of master has what kind of follower.” He shot a sharp glance at Rong Jiu and said fiercely, “You are the type who won’t say anything even if you are about to die, and His Majesty is the type who likes to court death. No wonder you are master and servant.”

He only dared to complain about this in front of Rong Jiu. Outside, he wouldn’t dare to say a single bad word about the Emperor.

Rong Jiu raised his eyebrows, and then, he actually laughed.

It was as if an iceberg was melting, and that cold temperament also became gentle.

He usually smiled too.

A faint, cold smile.

He rarely laughed so heartily.

Jingzhe was a little mesmerized, until his chin was lifted by a finger, and that bewitching face was right in front of him: “Are you mesmerized?” His voice still carried a smile, making people’s ears tingle.

Rong Jiu was not only good-looking, but his voice was also pleasant.

Jingzhe thought so, carefully tiptoed, and clumsily touched the corner of Rong Jiu’s mouth.

Like a fluffy thing rubbing against something, without knowing the right way.

After teasing him, Jingzhe ran away with a pinkish-white face, running very fast.

Rong Jiu tried to catch him, but actually missed.

In terms of running away, Jingzhe was never inferior.

He was a little proud of this.

Rong Jiu’s emotions were few, but once they were provoked, they were very fierce and violent.

Jingzhe didn’t want to face the storm directly.

He hugged his knees and yawned lazily. The weather had been really good recently, warm and sunny for days, the sky as green as if it had been washed, but it was easy to make people sleepy.

When only Jingzhe and Huiping were left in the room, Huiping could be seen carefully looking outside.

That action was a bit cautious.

Jingzhe: “What?”

Huiping looked like he had something to say to him.

Huiping: “Jingzhe, I remember you have a very good friend…”

“Mingyu?” Jingzhe covered his mouth and yawned again, tears coming out.

Huiping quickly shook his head: “No, not Mingyu.”

After all, he had seen Mingyu.

Huiping gestured: “It’s a person who looks much taller than you. It should be your friend from New Year’s Eve.” It should also be the friend who often sent him things.

Rong Jiu.

Jingzhe sobered up a bit and hummed: “Yes, a friend who is taller than me, it should be him.”

He tilted his head, his clear black eyes looking at Huiping.

“What’s wrong with him?”

Huiping stammered, “It’s not what’s wrong with him… Actually, it was Huli who told me,” his voice became smaller and smaller, as if it was a little difficult to say, “He seems to have seen you and him walking very close.”

Huli had actually told Huiping about this a long time ago, but Huiping had never figured out how to bring it up with Jingzhe.

Huli’s words that day were more direct.

“Brother Huiping, I didn’t see that person’s face, but his and Brother Jingzhe’s actions were really intimate. If someone saw it, it would not be good.”

Huli was not a nosy person. He saw it by accident because he took a shortcut that day.

The two of them were actually well hidden.

If Huli didn’t know Jingzhe and was not very familiar with him, he might not have recognized him.

Jingzhe had saved Huiping, and Huli was naturally very grateful for this.

Especially after he later learned that Huiping was almost in trouble because Wufu used him to threaten Huiping, he was so angry that he gritted his teeth and sent many things to Jingzhe and the others.

After coming and going, they naturally became familiar.

So after noticing this matter, Huli did not make a sound and quietly returned to the Miscellaneous Affairs Office.

He had tested Zheng Hong, who often interacted with Jingzhe.

Zheng Hong didn’t know about this.

Although he always mocked the relationship between Jingzhe and that person as if they were raising a little lover, Zheng Hong was worried about Jingzhe’s unhealthy friendship, not really thinking they were lovers.

And the Zhidian Si…

Needless to say.

Never heard of such a rumor.

After Huli checked, he was relieved.

This meant that his encounter was just an accident.

But if an accident can happen once, it can happen a second time. No matter how well Jingzhe hid, it was possible to be exposed.

Huli didn’t have a deeper friendship with Jingzhe, and he also knew that Brother Huiping and Jingzhe had a good relationship, so he quietly told Huiping about this.

Huiping had been carrying this matter in his heart for some time.

He was not a very talkative person, and it was already very impressive that he could hold it in for so many days.

After Huiping finally managed to say this, his face was already red, and he looked as if he wanted to find a hole to crawl into.

Jingzhe was slightly surprised and then laughed: “It’s clearly my business, why are you so embarrassed?”

Huiping: “I won’t tell anyone else.”

He remembered Jingzhe’s instructions just now and quickly added.

“Huli definitely won’t either.”

Jingzhe: “I naturally believe you.”

After Huli knew about this, he didn’t rush to find Huiping, but checked it himself first, which was enough to show his meticulousness.

A person like him, especially when his caring brother Huiping was friends with him, Huli would not rashly do something he shouldn’t.