mtl008 Chapter 58 Her Earrings
Chapter 58 Her Earrings
Chu Qingyin's heart tightened suddenly.
What did he mean by that?
Did he discover something?
No, that's impossible. The two of them have never crossed paths before, and given her current situation, even those close to her are unsure if she is Chu Qingyin, let alone an outsider like Lu Zhiheng.
Chu Qingyin looked at Lu Zhiheng, her gaze sweeping over his handsome face before she said in a cold tone, "I have no relation to the Imperial Concubine, and I could never be her."
"You really don't recognize me?"
Although Lu Zhiheng's question was tinged with disbelief, his tone was full of disbelief.
He looked at Chu Qingyin with intense gaze, as if he were looking at someone else through her, so earnest and so certain.
Chu Qingyin's long fingers clenched involuntarily beneath her sleeves. She raised her eyes again, her gaze clear and bright: "Lord Lu, have you also heard those rumors about me being possessed by the Imperial Concubine?"
"The matter of ghosts and gods is inherently illusory. I thought Lord Lu was a rare intelligent person in this world, and would certainly not be like those ignorant and dull people who listen to one side and believe it. I didn't expect that you are also such an ignorant fool who listens to one side and believes it."
Her tone was calm and unhurried, and her expression showed no sign of panic, which made Lu Zhiheng appreciate her even more.
"That may be true, but since entering the palace, you've risen through the ranks thanks to the possession of Consort Chu. Can you really be considered innocent?" Lu Zhiheng countered.
Chu Qingyin didn't speak, but simply stared at him quietly.
The artificial hill was dimly lit, but the man's gaze was sharp, filled with scrutiny under the cold, white moonlight.
It seems that if she can't give him a reasonable explanation today, he doesn't intend to let her off easily.
After calming herself down, Chu Qingyin lowered her long eyelashes and sighed softly: "Alright, since Lord Lu has asked, I might as well tell you the truth."
“I was given a dream by Consort Chu, which is how I learned about the past events concerning Consort Chu, and thus I gained His Majesty’s favor.”
"But I have never had any disloyalty to His Majesty, nor any other intentions. I simply admire His Majesty and envy the Consort."
Chu Qingyin spoke with heartfelt sincerity, her dark, bright eyes filled with the sorrow and helplessness of a woman who loved but could not have the one she desired.
"Just a dream?" Lu Zhiheng clearly didn't believe this explanation.
Chu Qingyin gradually lost patience due to his continuous questioning: "What is Lord Lu doing? Are you interrogating a prisoner? I am a fourth-rank Noble Consort personally appointed by His Majesty. If Lord Lu wants to interrogate a prisoner, why don't you go to His Majesty first and have me arrested and taken to the Dali Temple?"
Her tone was blunt and she was clearly angry. However, her beautiful face seemed to have gained a natural charm because of her anger, making her much more pleasing to the eye than when she used to pretend to be dignified in front of him.
Lu Zhiheng looked at her and said, "If Miss Qiao has nothing to hide, why would she be afraid of my questions?"
"you--"
Chu Qingyin was speechless at his words, and her anger intensified: "Of course I can't compare to Lord Lu's deep scheming, maturity and composure, who can openly and brazenly plant spies in the palace without batting an eye."
"That's because your identity is unclear. I'm keeping an eye on you for His Majesty's safety," Lu Zhiheng said without changing his expression.
Bah! Who knows if you're harboring malicious intentions and want to seize control of the entire imperial city!
Chu Qingyin inwardly scoffed, but dared not expose him in public. After all, Lu Zhiheng was a cunning and calculating man. If he didn't have such thoughts, that would be fine. But if he did, it was uncertain whether she could leave this place alive today.
Lu Zhiheng is too dangerous; she'd better find a way to get out of here as soon as possible.
As I pondered this, I suddenly heard two hushed voices talking nearby—
"Qiuzhu, if you succeed in this matter for Consort Shu, you will surely receive many benefits in the future."
"Sister Zijuan, please convey my gratitude to Consort Shu for her high regard, but I truly cannot do this." Qiu Zhu recalled the calm and wise eyes of her mistress when she interrogated Kang Luhai. After a moment of hesitation, she politely declined.
A hint of impatience flashed in Zijuan's eyes, but remembering Consort Shu's instructions, she had no choice but to suppress her temper and continue to persuade her, "You're worried that if something happens, it will implicate you, right?"
"Don't worry, you just need to take any of Consort Qiao's personal clothing, and leave the rest to Consort Shu. I guarantee you'll get out of here unscathed."
As Zijuan spoke, her tone turned colder, carrying a threat: "Qiuzhu, don't blame me for not warning you. Even if you didn't do it today, someone else would. But do you think Consort Shu would let you get away unscathed after knowing her plan?"
"This……"
"Stop with the 'this and that' nonsense. I advise you to be more sensible. After all, Consort Shu is a first-rank consort, while your husband is just a mere fourth-rank noble consort..."
This combination of kindness and severity left Qiu Zhu with no power to resist. After a long silence, she finally nodded and said, "Alright."
Hearing this, Chu Qingyin, who was hiding behind the artificial hill, couldn't help but sneer. These people really were trying to kill her no matter what!
This was the first time Lu Zhiheng had seen her like this. Her cold expression was like that of a demon from hell, but she was not repulsive. Instead, she was like a poppy growing in hell, beautiful and stunning, yet poisonous.
What are you planning to do?
Lu Zhiheng was genuinely curious about how she would retaliate against those who wanted to harm and betray her.
Knowing that the man only wanted to watch the show, Chu Qingyin glanced at him indifferently, her voice cold and indifferent: "How I do it is none of your concern, Lord Lu."
"The palace banquet is not over yet. I'm afraid His Majesty will become suspicious if he waits too long. Please step aside."
She said she would move aside, but her actions were anything but polite. She elbowed Lu Zhiheng's hand away, grabbed her skirt, and walked out.
This time, Lu Zhiheng did not stop him.
Gazing at that solitary and resolute figure under the moonlight, his gaze became somewhat complicated.
After a long while, he looked away and was about to leave when he suddenly noticed something under his feet reflecting a faint glimmer of light.
He stepped forward, bent down by the moonlight, and picked it up. In his palm lay a jade earring inlaid with gold.
The deep, translucent emerald green color perfectly complemented the red mark on the palm where the hand had been bitten.
Unconsciously, he recalled that Chu Qingyin's two small, snow-white ears seemed to be wearing these earrings.
It seems she left in such a hurry that she fell behind.
That's really careless.
Thinking this to himself, he unconsciously straightened up and tucked the earring into his sleeve.