919 Going Down the Mountain (6)
“I don’t believe you.” Ji Yushu said firmly, “Sister-inw, you’re too strange just now. Yesterday, when I went to look for Gao Yang, he was also very strange. They’re like this every time something happens. Once we returned to Long Ye, they never told me anything important.”
Shen Miao looked at Ji Yushu’s flustered and exasperated expression and sighed in her heart. Xie Jingxing was used to keeping the people around him out of danger and taking everything upon himself. Sometimes, it was indeed better and safer to not know.
She said, “I’m sorry, I can’t answer you that, because I don’t know what he wants to do either.”
“Only the royal family can enter the inner venue. Could it be that it’s dangerous over there?” Ji Yushu said, “Third Brother and the emperor are always strange. Sister-inw, do you really not know?”
“Know what?” Before Shen Miao could answer, a female voice came from behind. It was Madam Ji. She looked at Ji Yushu and then at Shen Miao, her expression bing strange. She said, “What happened to Jingxing? What did you mean just now?”
Madam Ji originally wanted to ask Shen Miao to go back to the city with her, but she happened to see Shen Miao taking Ji Yushu to an inconspicuous corner. Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang were busy wacthing Lu Zhengchun and Ye Maocai and didn’t pay attention to Madam Ji. Madam Ji heard Shen Miao and Ji Yushu’s conversation.
Ji Yushu said, “Mother, it’s nothing. I was just messing around with Sister-inw.”
“Do you think you can fool me?” Madam Ji looked at Ji Yushu and said angrily, “Back then, I asked you to go to Ming Qi to find Jingxing, but you never came back. I don’t know what you were doing in Ming Qi and I don’t care what you did. You’re the young master of the Ji family after all. Let me ask you again, what exactly do you know? Why did you say that? Are Jingxing and his brother… in danger?”
Ji Yushu looked at Shen Miao for help. Shen Miao quickly said, “Auntie, you’ve misunderstood. Yushu and I were just joking. It’s just that His Highness isn’t back at this time, so I was a little anxious. I asked Yushu if he knew anything. I was thinking too much. Auntie, don’t me him.”
Madam Ji looked at Shen Miao again and said sternly, “Jiaojiao, this is not a small matter. I…”
As they spoke, Ba Jiao suddenly ran over. Without caring that Madam Ji was present, she said, “Madam, they’re back! The emperor has left the mountain!”
Ji Yushu felt relieved. He quickly said to Madam Ji, “See! I told you that nothing would happen to Third Brother. Mother, don’t let your imagination run wild. Let’s go and see the lion Third Brother and the emperor hunted!” With that, he ran away.
When Shen Miao heard that Emperor Yong Le and the others had returned, she heaved a sigh of relief and smiled at Madam Ji. “Let’s go too.”
Madam Ji wanted to say something, but when she saw Shen Miao’s calm expression, she swallowed her words and sighed, then followed behind Shen Miao.
A group of imperial guards walked out of the inner venue. The person in the lead was Emperor Yong Le. However, what was very strange was that Emperor Yong Le did not ride a horse but walked. Those with sharper eyes could see that the sword at Emperor Yong Le’s waist seemed to be blood-red.
Emperor Yong Le’s expression was as usual, and no one could tell if he was happy or angry. Consort Jing immediately went up to him lovingly. She said sweetly, “Your Majesty, you’re finally out. I’ve been waiting here for the entire night.”
Emperor Yong Le only nced at her indifferently and did not speak. Shen Miao noticed clearly that Ye Maocai’s expression was normal, but Lu Zhengchun was a little gloomy.
The guards behind Emperor Yong Le pulled the thing from the horse, immediately causing the surrounding women to cry out in surprise. It was the corpse of a huge lion. There was blood on it, and there were countless arrow holes on its back. It must have struggled hard.
Immediately, the bootlicking officials went forward to congratte Emperor Yong Le. “Your Majesty is wise and mighty. It’s the blessing of the Daliang Dynasty to have you.” Everyone followed suit and knelt down to praise.
Shen Miao also knelt down. Emperor Yong Le gestured for everyone to rise.
However, Shen Miao did not see Xie Jingxing.
After everyone stood up, Lu Zhengchun suddenly said, “Your Majesty, why is His Highness Prince Rui nowhere to be seen?”
Only then did everyone realize that Prince Rui was not around.
Emperor Yong Le stared at Lu Zhengchun with a gaze as cold as ice and said, “Prince Rui is injured and has already returned to the city for treatment.”
Everyone was in an uproar.