Li Qiong returned to her residence and found that Mr. Zhu was standing on the porch, apparently waiting for him.
he couldn't help asking.
"It's so late, sir, why haven't you slept yet?"
Mr. Zhu arched his hands at him: "Your Highness must have just returned from Yufu Palace? What did the imperial concubine say?"
Li Qiong pursed her lower lip: "The concubine mother denied Gu's conjecture, she said that people cannot be resurrected after death, and let Gu have a good rest and stop thinking about it."
Mr. Zhu: "Does your Highness believe what the imperial concubine said?"
Li Qiong said without hesitation.
"The imperial concubine is Gu's mother concubine, so Gu will naturally believe what she says."
Mr. Zhu smiled slightly: "Since that's the case, nothing has happened to your Highness, please rest early, Your Highness, and I will take my leave."
Seeing that he was about to turn around and leave without any intention of arguing, Li Qiong couldn't help calling out to stop him.
"Wait a minute."
Mr. Zhu said respectfully and authentically: "Is there any other order from Your Highness?"
Emotionally, Li Qiong is willing to trust the concubine mother.
But reason told him that he couldn't believe everything the concubine mother said.
For so many years, the concubine mother has been guilty of the death of the princess regent. If the concubine regent really comes back to life, the concubine mother will definitely do her best to protect her.
Li Qiong: "Tomorrow, you take Gu to see that woman."
Seeing is believing.
He had to see the woman himself before making a decision.
Mr. Zhu was not surprised by this result and responded calmly.
"Here."
The next morning, accompanied by Mr. Zhu, Li Qiong went to the Punishment Department in person.
Through the small window above the cell, the two saw Hua Manman who was locked inside.
At this time, she was sitting on the cold ground with her back against the wall, her head hanging down, motionless, and she seemed to be asleep.
The food served at the door was completely cold.
From the looks of it, he probably didn't move.
Mr. Zhu looked at the jailer standing beside him and asked.
"Why isn't she eating?"
The jailer didn't dare to hide anything, and replied truthfully: "This girl hasn't eaten or drunk since she came in. You told me that you can't torture her, so we don't dare to use force, so we can only let her go."
Mr. Zhu frowned.
Counting the days, it has been three days since Hua Manman was locked in.
She has not eaten for three whole days.
No wonder she sat still, probably passed out from starvation.
Mr. Zhu immediately ordered someone to open the cell door to see how Hua Manman was doing
The jailer walked up to her, first called her twice, and seeing that she didn't respond, he stretched out his hand and pushed her again.
As a result, she slipped and fell to the ground.
The jailer hurriedly said to Mr. Zhu and the prince.
"She passed out!"
It is of great use for Mr. Zhu to keep Hua Manman, so naturally he can't just watch her starve to death, so he immediately said to the prince.
"Hurry up and ask the imperial physician to come over and show her. If she dies, no one can stop Li Ji."
Li Qiong looked at the woman on the ground.
His mother and concubine once told him that his aunt had hugged him when he was very young.
But at that time, he was still in his infancy, his memory had long been blurred, and he had no memory of his aunt's appearance at all.
Therefore, he couldn't tell whether the woman in front of him was the regent princess or not.
Seeing Mr. Zhu's solemn expression, he didn't look like he was joking, so he finally chose to trust Mr. Zhu and ordered someone to invite the imperial physician.
When Hua Manman woke up, she found that she was no longer in the cell.
She was lying on the bed, and the surrounding scene was very strange.
"woke up?"
Hua Manman followed the prestige and saw Mr. Zhu sitting next to the table.
She tensed her body subconsciously and entered a state of alert.
"who are you?"
Mr. Zhu held a cup of hot tea in his hand, with a gentle smile on his face, and looked at Hua Manman with tolerance and kindness.
It looked like an elder looking at his younger generation.
Seeing Hua Manman feels uncomfortable.
Mr. Zhu: "My surname is Zhu, you can call me Mr. Zhu."
Hua Manman: "Where is this place? What are you arresting me for?"
As she asked, she reached into the quilt and quietly touched her calf.
When she touched the familiar hard object, until the dagger was still there, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Mr. Zhu: "You can ask me if you have any questions, as long as I know, I will tell you, but before that, you have to drink this bowl of porridge first."
His fingers tapped the tabletop.
A bowl of millet porridge was quietly placed on the table.
Hua Manman said vigilantly: "How do I know that you didn't put medicine in the food?"
Mr. Zhu: "You are very important to us, it is impossible for us to hurt you."
Hua Manman's face is full of doubts.
Mr. Zhu was very helpless: "If I wanted to harm you, you would have already died, so why should I make such a big circle?"
Hua Manman curled her lips: "I heard that some people are born perverted. They think it's too boring to kill people directly. They deliberately set up traps to play with others, so as to enjoy the pleasure of playing with others in applause. Who knows you are Not that pervert?"
Mr. Zhu: "..."
Since words didn't make sense, he had to prove it with actions.
He picked up the rice porridge that night and took a sip.
"Now I also drink this porridge. If the porridge is poisonous, I must be caught before you. Then you should believe me, right?"
Hua Manman: "What if you take the antidote in advance?"
Mr. Zhu put down the bowl: "How do you want to eat?"
Hua Manman: "It's very simple, let me be free."
Mr. Zhu replied three words slowly.
"impossible."
Hua Manman lay back again, with his hands folded on his chest, like a corpse.
"Then just watch me starve to death."
Mr. Zhu: "If you die, you will never see your husband and son again. Are you willing to leave them behind?"
Hua Manman closed her eyes, pretending she didn't hear anything.
I wish Mr. to continue to be persuasive.
"Based on how much Li Ji cares about you, if he knows that you are dead, he will definitely go crazy. Do you have the heart to watch him fall into pain for you?"
Hua Manman's eyelashes trembled slightly, but he still didn't respond.
Mr. Zhu: "There is also Li Xun. He has no mother since he was a child, and he has always longed for your love. Now that you have come back with great difficulty, but you have to leave him again, have you ever thought about how uncomfortable he will be?" ?”
Even though Hua Manman knew that he was deliberately inducing her, she still couldn't help feeling uncomfortable.
She remembered the pained appearance of Li Ji and Li Xun when she disappeared.
She didn't want them to go through that pain again.
Mr. Zhu is like a senior teaching the back, his tone is full of concern.
"No matter what you want to do, you must first ensure that you are alive. Only if you are alive, your husband and son will not have to face the pain of life and death again."
Hua Manman opened his eyes, turned to look at Mr. Zhu, and replied blankly.
"I don't know Li Ji and Li Xun. I don't know what you're talking about."
Mr. Zhu said calmly: "You don't have to pretend to be stupid anymore, Concubine Zhen has already told us everything, you are Hua Manman, Concubine Zhen's biological sister."
Hua Manman's heart sank.
(end of this chapter)