Exile. Exile Ch 93

As early as when Jiang Mao dispatched the people to return to the capital city, he soon set out to return in a hurry. But he was not like the people who were on horseback all year round and therefore, he could not catch up with them.

Anyway, this was all right, too. When he arrived, it was time for the capital city to be the most bustling.

Looking at the direction of the capital from afar, Jiang Mao led his subordinates to drive towards the capital city.

……

Covering the birdie, Su Caicai walked for a while. He didn't know the way being in the flower bed, so he stopped and extended his head to look out.

“It's only a short time since Seventh Prince left. The child certainly can't go far.” A woman's voice with a little uncertain, said.

Ladys.h.i.+p Lou's people saw Jiang Jun coming to the palace with a child, but just when they came, they happened to see the fifth prince leaving with the seventh prince, and they did not see the figure of the child, so they guessed that maybe the subordinate of Seventh Prince had escaped with the child.

Another female voice made a light humph.

Yes, Su Caicai had been walking for a long time, but it's really inconvenient for him to drill among flowers and plants in the flower bed. In addition, he hadn't worn pants yet. In fact, he hadn't gone far.

Su Caicai was almost four years old, but Jiang Mao didn't teach him to be too naive. Now, he was once perceived the danger was coming.

Su Caicai was still young, so he couldn't help shrinking. Then he accidentally b.u.mped into a small tree which made a rustling sound.

The sound was so obvious that the two women were surprised and looked over.

Su Caicai was so scared that his b.u.t.t fell on a piece of dirt with lump of clods on it. It hurt a lot, but he didn't cry out. His tears rolled in his eyes as he was afraid to make a noise.

As the woman's pink dress drifted closer and closer, Su Caicai covered his mouth for fear that he could not help but scream out.

Suddenly…

“Jia, jia…” A burst of driving carriage sound came through.

――This road was the one that everyone who went to the north would pa.s.s by.

“Those two palace maids, come here.” The people in the carriage didn't get off, but the accompanying servant called them over.

The two palace maids stiffened. What they did could not be brought to the surface. In front of this Daren, they had no courage to do it.

When they heard that person call them, they looked at each other, but they didn't dare to resist the order of that Daren.

“Have you met Seventh Prince here?” The man in the carriage showed his face. It was Li Jing. His finger was pointed to Jiang Jun's sedan chair.

One of the two was stunned. She was a little indescribable about this question. She shook her head and then pulled out a smile. “At this time, of course, Seventh Prince went to court.” She did not mention the things about Jiang Jun was taken away by the fifth prince when she came here. She'd better not involved in those things. Her goal was only that child.

Li Jing frowned after hearing that. Today's a little special. He could not help but to think more. If Seventh Prince really went to the court as usual, then why was the sedan chair of Seventh Prince here, but his entourage was nowhere to be found… it's impossible for them to follow him into the palace, right?

Li Jing didn't say what he was thinking and didn't ask more from the two women's mouths. He pinched the bridge of his nose and waved to the two women. “Fine, it's fine. You can go.”

Yes.

Hearing this, the two women unwillingly looked at Su Caicai's hiding place and had to leave. In fact, they were hiding in the dark, waiting for Li Jing to leave before they picked up the little guy.

Who would expect, after waiting for a while, Li Jing didn't leave, but some cabinet ministers came one after another. They all were going to attend the court.

Those people invited Li Jing to go to the court together, but Li Jing refused them one by one.

Looking at the back of those people leaving, Li Jing looked at another road leading to the old emperor's palace.

He didn't come to attend the court. Li Jing was a little annoyed when he thought of the recent court meeting. Clearly, it was the place where the state affairs were being decided, but those people always debating about the affairs of the backyard with flushed face from anger (or excitement). Yet, they didn't run the outline of the major political event.

However, he didn't expect those people to come up with solutions. Looking at the account book in his hand, Li Jing calmly picked up his clothes and got off the carriage.

Su Caicai knew Li Jing. He and Li Jing had met on several occasions.

After a little hesitation, Su Caicai came out of the flower bed.

Looking at the naked b.u.t.t in front of his eyes, Li Jing was shocked to jump.

The first person to be solved by the fifth prince today was Consort Lou, so he told people to look after Jiang Jun properly and went to the court.

Looking at the man in front of him, Jiang Jun couldn't help admiring his fourth elder brother. He didn't expect that the force of fourth elder brother had reached such a level in the palace. No more than a quarter of an hour, he solved the people a.s.signed by the fifth prince to guard him.

Needless to say, the man untied the rope on Jiang Jun's body, and after the man took him outside, he left without consulting anyone.

Consort Lou and her niece came to the main hall earlier, and when the fifth prince saw them, he hooked his lips, which looked a little disdainful. He walked up to them and said, “Lou Jingyu? Miss Lou?” Seeing Lou Jingyu respectfully answered, the fifth prince continued: “This prince did not understand your nonsense. You said that the child in your belly belongs to my fourth elder brother. What evidence do you have?”

Lou Jingyu looked scared and couldn't speak for a long time. Consort Lou on the other side said, “this consort can testify for her. The affair between Jingyu and Mao'er was facilitated by this consort. Who ever thought that before long, Mao'er had such a mishap.” Finished saying that, she even wiped her tears with a handkerchief.

But the fifth Prince still refused to let go. “Ladys.h.i.+p Lou, it's not that this prince doesn't believe you, in fact, it's because you and Miss Lou are Aunt and niece, we ought to avoid arousing suspicion.” After that, he looked around, “Do you have any other evidence?”

Consort Lou was furious, “What do you mean by this, Fifth Prince? Although Jingyu is this consort's relative, but she still can marry this consort's blood-related son?” She said it with a false touch of tears.

The fifth prince was well aware of the woman's nature; greedy, love money and fame. He didn't buy Consort Lou's act, and looked at her disgustedly. “But how can Ladys.h.i.+p Lou explain it? If the fourth elder brother and Miss Lou had gotten married, he should have proposed a marriage to Lou family beforehand, rather than let Miss Lou got pregnant before marriage?”

Not only the fifth prince, but also the ministers of the Imperial Court changed their impressions of the graceful married woman on this day. Yue w.a.n.g had a mishap, and everyone was immersed in regret and sorrow. Even though many people were greedy for the wealth of Yue w.a.n.g Residence, no one came out to fight for it at this time. After all, Yue w.a.n.g had died for the country. Who knows, Consort Lou, as the birth mother of Yue w.a.n.g, was the first to emerge for the wealth left by Yue w.a.n.g, and it was even on the day when the news of the death came. Now, everyone could not help but to size up this Consort Lou woman again.

After listening to the words of the fifth prince, Consort Lou pinched the handkerchief, tears filled her eyes, “This consort's son is gone. As a mother, if the child in Jingyu's belly is not Mao er's, this consort can't accept this child more than anyone else.”

As Consort Lou said, the tears in her eyes rolled down her cheeks. It's really touching, if one ignored her fighting capability had not been affected after her son died.

But… the fifth prince took a look at Consort Lou. Consort Lou also took him too seriously. She cried for a while with the deep feeling of mother and son for Yue w.a.n.g, just to delude that she could seize the wealth of Yue w.a.n.g Residence.

“What Ladys.h.i.+p Lou said, this prince also understands. However, it's not a small matter and carelessness is not allowed. Still has to ask Her Ladys.h.i.+p to provide evidence.” No matter how miserable Consort Lou was, he would never let go. He must see the evidence.

Consort Lou looked at him with her teeth clenched, and her eyes looked eager to scratch him.

Things had come to a standstill like this. On the one hand, there was a deep love between mother and son, which could not be ignored. On the other hand, there was a son of a va.s.sal king (w.a.n.g), who was very important and could not be ignored.

“Then, dripping blood to identify relatives.” There was a suggestion on the side.

As soon as Consort Lou heard that, she turned white and denied the suggestion without even thinking about it. “No, the child is not yet born, how can it dripping blood to identify relatives?” 

(Note: The test was based upon blood groups. If the blood types are compatible the two drops will mix easily. If the blood types were incompatible, then small clots would appear, and the blood would not appear to mix.)