Concubine Yu sobbed softly as she looked at the wounds all over Chu Jingan's body. She felt a little guilty when she heard what he said, but she was more angry at Princess Linjiang's scheme.
It was indeed a benefit. After coming back from the temple, the dog that used to bark turned into a dog that would not even bark when biting people. This bite almost wiped out the results of their business that had lasted for so long.
She closed her eyes, and after enduring for a long time, she opened her eyes and wrapped up Chu Jingan's clothes, crying and explaining: "I know that it was An'er herself who couldn't withstand the temptation, but Your Majesty, think about it carefully. How could An'er be such a womanizer? There must be some conspiracy..."
She calmly tapped Chu Jingan on the waist, asking him to speak up and defend himself.
Chu Jingan's eyes were deep and his soul was wandering, and he seemed not to feel the pain at all.
It was a long time before he came back to his senses from the angry rebuke of King Linjiang.
In his opinion, Cui Yu was certainly not the kind of person who plotted against him and seduced him as his mother said, but he also knew that what his mother said made sense.
It is difficult to end this matter now. If he is not careful, everything he has gained now may be lost.
He had tried so hard for so long, just to escape the fate of being born out of wedlock. He didn't want his children to be like him, enduring humiliation and living in fear.
If all this was ruined because of this incident, wouldn't everything he had done before become a joke
It's just that he understands his father much better than his mother.
During the days when they depended on each other in the mountains, he and his father formed a deep friendship and also gained a very deep understanding of each other.
His father has always been brooding over the issue of the throne. In his heart, nothing can stop his ambition, and nothing can stop him from moving forward.
Therefore, King Cheng and King Jin both ended up in their current fate.
He has never been a kind-hearted person. As for the number of people he has let down, he has let down too many to count.
So he was not angry because of his bad character and because he settled a woman outside before getting married. He was just angry because he was not considerate and thoughtful, and caused trouble that affected the palace.
After figuring this out, he endured the pain and got up, kowtowed three times to his father respectfully, first admitted his mistake, and then changed the subject to take over what Concubine Yu had said before: "Father, I think this matter is indeed strange..." He said: "The daughters of ordinary families are precious, and they are not allowed to have private contact with men, let alone the daughter of an official? I can't say that I didn't do anything wrong at the time, but in fact, she did take the initiative to give the handkerchief and sachet..."
The King of Linjiang was still furious, and he heard Chu Jingan say again: "It would have been fine if they had just given me these gifts. On the day I recovered from my injuries and left, that girl ran away to the post station with her personal nanny and maid..."
Prince Linjiang widened his eyes in thought.
The rules in the inner house are strict. If a daughter of an official ran away and the daughter of a local official disappeared, if they were really nervous and worried, would they really run away so quietly
And she ran too easily.
Chu Jingan was not in a hurry. Seeing that Princess Linjiang seemed to want to interrupt, he quickly continued, "She said that she ran away without telling her parents, saying that her mother was a stepmother and wanted to marry her to an old man in exchange for gold and silver to help her father get a better position. She also said that if I didn't take her in, her life would be ruined, and going back would be a dead end. She would rather hit her head against a pillar and die on the spot..."
This makes the matter even more suspicious, and it sounds like someone really planned this.
Otherwise, things wouldn't be so coincidental.
"I can't bear it." Chu Jingan sighed, frowning despite the pain: "At first I didn't take it too seriously, I just thought of it as a favor to her, and wanted to get her out, so I tried to find a family for her, and then wrote a letter to the prefect of Fuzhou... But later..." He lowered his head with some guilt: "Later, it was indeed me who couldn't keep calm. But father, her death was indeed too strange... It was said that she was killed by some ruffians..." He seemed to forcefully suppress some words, and then looked up at King Linjiang: "This is obviously meant to make a big fuss. I dare not say that I am right, but I am afraid that my son has really been plotted against."
King Linjiang glanced at him, his anger having subsided a lot. He frowned and thought for a moment before shouting outside. When Zhou Shu, whom he always trusted, came in, he ordered him: "Go check the prefect of Fuzhou, and then go find the magistrate of Xiushui County..."
Zhou Shu looked at his nose and his heart, without even looking at the master in the room. He bowed his head respectfully and turned around to go out to do his work.
King Linjiang flicked his sleeves and frowned at his son: "Even if you were plotted against, you are also responsible. Before this matter is settled, you should not go out again. Stay at home and recuperate until you return to Beijing."
Concubine Yu wanted to say more, but Chu Jingan had already kowtowed before her: "Yes, I have failed my father's trust and caused trouble for him..."
Princess Linjiang couldn't help but frown.
She originally thought that among Concubine Yu and her son, Concubine Yu was the more difficult to deal with, but now it seems that the truly difficult one is Chu Jingan, who can change Prince Linjiang's attitude without making a single move.
After all, he grew up in the front yard and had been out of her sight for too long, so long that she had no idea what this young man, who was one year younger than Chu Jingwu, was thinking.
But it doesn’t matter, he was tricked this time after all.
Concubine Yu was about to cry as she hugged Chu Jing'an. When Prince Linjiang and Princess Linjiang left, she couldn't help but put her hands on her son's face and cried softly: "I'm sorry, An'er... It's your mother who is sorry for you..."
Chu Jingan's expression became complicated, but he finally shook his head: "Mother, please don't say that. We have been schemed against. It's useless to say that."
"It must be Qin!" Concubine Yu lowered her voice even lower, but her tone was full of hatred: "She just came back, and she took advantage of our carelessness to stab us hard!"
Chu Jingan didn't comment. He looked in the direction where Princess Linjiang had just gone and raised his eyebrows. After hearing Concubine Yu's low curse, he said, "It doesn't matter now. Whether it turns out that I was plotted against or not, in my father's heart, I am also a son who made a mistake. Their goal has been achieved."
Concubine Yu had a gloomy face and cold eyes: "What a good plan, she forced us to this point without making any noise. This time, our princess really... played a big game!"
Chu Jingan did not speak. (To be continued)