Pei Luoan finally reached Chengqu Mansion. As soon as he came out of the Queen's Pepper Room, he saw Pei Yuanjun coming towards him, and Pei Luoan stopped.
"Uncle Wang!"
Pei Yuanjun chuckled leisurely: "What a coincidence, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is actually in the palace at this time, so I have to make fewer trips."
This road leads to the Pepper House. How could one get here if one didn't come here on purpose
Pei Luoan's face was a little stiff, but he still showed a gentle smile: "Uncle Wang, you are joking. What does Uncle Wang want to see me for?"
"I heard that something happened at Miss Qu's coming-of-age ceremony today. Was it because of Lady Jingyu?" Pei Yuanjun asked with a slight smile.
Pei Luoan's eyes were shocked. "Uncle Wang said it was about the appearance of Fengying before? On Huasheng and the clothes?"
He deliberately avoided the issue of the phoenix robe and brought up the matter of Huasheng in order to reduce Liu Jingyu's responsibility.
"It's about the dark-patterned phoenix robe. I heard it was related to a maid in the Qu Mansion. It is said that the county lady changed into the dark-patterned phoenix robe because she was bumped by the maid." Pei Yuanjun said slowly.
Pei Luoan was at a loss for words. No matter what this maid did, or what factors triggered it, to be honest, it was not about changing clothes, but why Liu Jingyu wanted to wear a phoenix robe.
The most important question is where Liu Jingyu's phoenix robe came from.
"This... maybe he was framed. Maybe someone is targeting the Prince's Mansion." Pei Luoan said vaguely. He made a new decision in his mind. Why go to Qu Mansion? The place he had to go most now was his father's. He had to explain to him.
"I have been wondering if they are trying to deal with me. The fourth young lady of the Qu family is my princess consort, but she couldn't even have a peaceful coming-of-age ceremony."
Pei Yuanjun is as lazy as ever. It seems that he cares, but it also seems that he doesn't care.
"Uncle Wang came from the imperial study on father's side?" Pei Luo calmed down and calmed the panic in his heart.
"When something like this happens, I have to tell the emperor about it, otherwise there will be rumors. If there is any trouble, I have to let the emperor know first, so that the emperor will not think that I am deliberately hiding something."
Pei Yuanjun smiled slightly and saw Pei Luoan's face change drastically.
"Since the Crown Prince is here, I will not go over. Please ask the Crown Prince to question Jingyu County Lord. I was going to ask personally, but it is more convenient for the Crown Prince to ask." Pei Yuanjun's smile faded, and a sinister look flashed in his eyes. "This matter is not a small matter. The Emperor is very angry."
After saying that, he no longer looked at him, turned around and went back with his men, leaving Pei Luoan standing stiffly there, with cold sweat on his back.
He suddenly realized that he was wrong.
Previously, when the matter of Liu Jingyu was brought to the attention of the Queen, and Pei Luoan was hurriedly called in, the Queen told him that the matter had been reported to the Emperor, and asked him to wait for news here.
Afterwards, the emperor sent a eunuch over and said that the matter would be presided over by Concubine He the next day.
Pei Luoan discussed it with the Queen, and for fear of making mistakes, they went to investigate first.
This process seemed to be correct, but from Pei Yuanjun's words just now, Pei Luoan knew that he was wrong, and extremely wrong.
Now is not the time to "calmly" investigate things. First, I have to go see my father and plead my innocence. As long as my father believes in me, other things are not a big deal. It is very clear in Liu Jingyu's matter.
Obviously there are huge loopholes, and it seems impossible if we don't check it.
Liu Jingyu must be crazy to wear such clothes in front of everyone.
If Liu Jingyu really had such a phoenix robe, he would have hidden it early and would never have accidentally worn it out.
Am I putting the cart before the horse
"Go to the imperial study." After figuring it out, Pei Luoan was sweating profusely. He had no time to go to Qu Mansion. He turned around and went to the imperial study. He had to explain everything clearly to his father.
Outside the imperial study, Li Quan came out and politely said to Pei Luoan: "Prince, please wait a moment. The emperor is meeting with several important ministers to discuss important matters."
This means I don't want to see him anymore.
"I'm not in a hurry. I'll wait here for my father." Even in the cold weather, Pei Luoan felt his heart pounding and his palms were sweating.
The emperor was indeed angry.
"Prince, you'd better go back first. This is a serious matter. We don't know when the Emperor can see you." Li Quan advised after a moment of hesitation.
"I'll wait for my father here." Pei Luoan said with a smile, then turned his head to the side and coughed softly twice.
"It's well ventilated here. Your Highness the Crown Prince is not in good health. If you must wait, just sit aside and rest. When the Emperor summons you, I will come to invite you." Li Quan saw that he couldn't persuade him to leave, so he could only speak in a roundabout way, pointing to a side hall, "There is a heater there, your Highness, please warm yourself up there!"
"Father-in-law, just go and do your work. I'm standing here, and I can't sit down for a while." Pei Luoan smiled bitterly, very helpless, "It's good to get some fresh air here and wake up."
"Your Highness..." Li Quan wanted to persuade him, but was interrupted by Pei Luoan with a smile: "Eunuch, go and do your work. Father still needs you to serve. If you keep talking to me here and delay the important matter of father, I will be even more uneasy."
These words were spoken truthfully. Li Quan looked behind him, but he didn't dare to say anything else. He could only once again instruct the eunuch standing at the door to ask the prince to sit in the side hall and not to be blown by the cold wind here, which would hurt his body. Then he shook his head and went into the imperial study.
Seeing him go in, the eunuch at the door looked at Pei Luoan timidly and had to speak: "Your Highness, please follow me!"
"No need, let's stay here!" Pei Luoan shook his head. He didn't dare to leave at this time. The fact that his father didn't see him showed that he was angry with him. If he didn't leave wisely, he would not just be punished by standing.
Sure enough, this wait lasted for a long time.
Pei Luoan and the others were almost standing on their feet when they finally saw two prime ministers and the Minister of Rites coming out.
When they saw him standing at the door, they were stunned for a moment, and then they came forward one by one to greet him.
It was as if they didn't hear the noise outside.
Pei Luoan also did a great job, smiling at the ministers. Standing here, it was cold and windy, but even so, he still maintained his demeanor very well, but from the sound of him coughing with his head tilted from time to time, it was known that the prince might be unwell.
"Your Highness, the emperor summons you to come in." Li Quan appeared behind several important ministers with a smile.
"All the hard work is done by eunuch." Pei Luoan moved his almost stiff feet and said with a smile.
After standing for such a long time, he moved suddenly and his feet felt numb all over. He almost fell down. After moving twice, he recovered a little and followed Li Quan into the imperial study.
There is a stick of incense burning in the incense burner, and clear smoke is rising.
The Emperor sits
Sitting on the large dragon throne, he looked at Pei Luoan coldly.
"Greetings, father. I'm here to apologize." Pei Luoan walked in, lifted his robe, and knelt down.
"What crime have you committed?" the emperor asked coldly.
"Father, I came to the palace because of what happened in Qu Mansion today. After entering the palace, I heard from my mother that Father already knew about this matter, but I wanted to find out more before reporting to you. I am late, I hope Father will forgive me."
"Have you found out clearly?" the emperor said coldly.
"I think Liu Jingyu must have been framed..." Pei Luoan was silent for a moment and then said, "Someone wanted to harm Liu Jingyu, and deliberately targeted me and my uncle at Miss Qu's coming-of-age ceremony. I don't understand who it is, and who hates me and my uncle so much."
Pei Luoan had to explain for Qu Moying and had to pull Pei Yuanjun in.
If he were to talk about himself alone and only about Liu Jingyu's affairs, it would obviously be of no use in front of his father.
At this moment, Pei Luoan felt aggrieved and depressed, with a trace of hatred flashing in his eyes. As long as he thought about how Pei Yuanjun had been stepping on his head for so many years, and now he had to explain for Pei Yuanjun, he couldn't calm down.
How could he be at peace with this
But he had to redress the injustice in front of the emperor. Pei Luoan knew very well what the fate of those who went against Pei Yuanjun or framed Pei Yuanjun would be.
Even if he was the crown prince, so what? Was Pei Yuanjun also responsible for the time when he was almost deposed
When he looked up at the emperor again, Pei Luoan's face was heavy and sincere, as if he really felt that Pei Yuanjun was also framed.
"Someone wants to harm you?" The emperor's eyes swept across Pei Luoan's face, examining his expression.
Pei Luoan's face was a little pale, and he looked not in good spirits. He had been exposed to the wind for such a long time that even if he was healthy, he would have gotten sick from the cold. What's more, he was indeed feeling a little unwell before.
"Your Majesty, please give justice to me and my uncle." Pei Luoan lowered his head again and kowtowed heavily on the ground. After he finished speaking, he still knelt there with his head down.
"Phoenix robe?" After a long while, the emperor sneered.
"Father, even if Liu Jingyu is crazy, he can't make such a dress." Pei Luoan explained hurriedly.
"Isn't it because you are too ambitious? Are you in such a hurry to take the throne?" The emperor's voice was not loud, but it made Pei Luoan feel very upset. He kowtowed three times before he dared to speak: "Father... Your son... Your son really doesn't know."
"Since you don't know, how dare you protect her?" the emperor sneered.
"Your son... Your son just thinks she can't be that crazy..." Pei Luoan gritted his teeth, this was all he could say now.
This time the emperor did not speak for a long time again. The atmosphere was very depressing. It took a long while before he said, "Since Concubine He is in charge of this matter now, let's wait until tomorrow. You are not feeling well, so go back and rest first and wait for the results tomorrow!"
This means that he should not interfere in this matter!
"Yes, I understand." Pei Luoan knew that he had done the right thing. Fortunately, he did not go to Qu Mansion. Fortunately, he did not listen to his mother and intervene immediately.
Feeling like he had just survived a catastrophe, his back was already soaked with sweat. Pei Luoan stood up with the help of the eunuch's hand. He stood up too hastily, and suddenly everything went black before his eyes...