CHAPTER 239: CHAPTER 239: ARE YOU TRYING TO EXTORT ME?

"Why are you crying?" Li Qingmu loosened the cork, opened his mouth, and laughed softly, "This pain is nothing compared to when the bone was crushed back then. It really is nothing."

Long Yue was silent, helping him apply the medicine bit by bit. He just frowned slightly, but didn’t utter a sound.

"If it hurts, just call out. I’m your wife, there’s no need to play the hero in front of me!"

Long Yue was very nervous and scared when she saw Li Qingmu being beaten just now, to the point where her mind was in a fog, unable to think.

But now, she gradually understood his intentions.

Li Qingmu realized he was set up by Qi Junlian and the others. Angry, he naturally did not want to serve them anymore. Using this radical method to first remove himself from the chaotic court scene, waiting for a cool-off period before making further plans.

"I always feel your father has other schemes, not just for the crown prince’s struggle."

Li Qingmu lay on the bed, paused slightly when talking about Pang Wenzheng.

Long Yue nodded, "He approached my mother not because he truly loved her, but because of my grandfather. My grandfather only cherished my mother as his legitimate daughter and treated her like a precious pearl. He assumed he had won my mother’s heart, thus he could influence my grandfather, but this move of his was miscalculated, resulting in my mother..."

Speaking of her mother, Long Yue was filled with sorrow again.

"When we are weak, the enemy will show their sharp fangs, and once the fangs are exposed, it’s not far from them revealing flaws!"

Yue’er, I have a bold speculation that the Emperor deliberately facilitated the crown struggle among the three princes, but he actually decided long ago whom he wanted as emperor. These years, he did this just to make himself appear more exalted!"

Long Yue nodded, "Mm."

"Therefore, no matter how they fight among themselves, as long as it does not shake the foundation of the country, the Emperor will not break this balance. All we’ve done before was wasted effort. Of course, it doesn’t matter now..."

Li Qingmu laughed suddenly as he said this.

Previously, he promised to help Qi Junlian, assisting him to eradicate enemy’s forces during the revenge. He had even investigated some important ministers for private matters, waiting for a chance after the spring hunt. But now, it seems all these efforts were in vain.

"Yue’er, why do I feel like I’ve been foolishly devoted too?"

Li Qingmu laughed again.

Long Yue looked at him with disdain, unable to resist applying pressure with her hand, "Laugh, you’re in this state and can still laugh?"

"Ah, it hurts—"

"Hurts? Why didn’t you yell in pain when you were beaten earlier?"

"It’s natural for an emperor to strike a minister, the Emperor spared my life, which is already a favor. How can I shout out, where would the Emperor’s dignity go?"

"Mm, it’s good you understand!"

After speaking, the two exchanged smiles.

There stood a person outside the tent, after hearing something, walked away quickly, that shadow just fell into Long Yue’s view.

"The person left! Whose spy could it be just now?"

"Speaking of spies, they’re all the Emperor’s eyes and ears, but to whom they appear to belong on the surface, that’s unknown."

"Alright, the medicine is applied, quickly get some rest!"

"Mm!"

With a breath, the candle flame was extinguished, and the tent fell into darkness.

The next day, just at dawn, the Emperor returned to the palace, accompanied by the Empress, Consort Xue, and Princess Consort Zhen.

Ministers followed afterward, but quite a few left one after another.

After Long Yue got up, she casually dressed and helped Li Qingmu get dressed, ready to find a carriage.

In his current state, walking, let alone riding a horse, is impossible.

Actually, there are quite a few carriages accompanying, but due to the wolf attack causing too many wounded, carriages are in short supply, many people are squeezing together in one carriage.

Long Yue ran outside to see if there’s a carriage with fewer people that she could use.

But after asking several carriages, they were either full inside or unwilling to let Long Yue get in.

A minister punished by the Emperor, with a bleak future, is no different from a street rat, who would want to be tied up with them now?

Yang Zhuoya was willing to share a carriage with her, but her carriage had other women who refused, and one woman even threatened Yang Zhuoya, saying her entanglement with a felon’s wife might harm her husband’s career!

Long Yue didn’t want to trouble her, so she refused.

Thus, after circling around, they couldn’t borrow a single carriage!

"Oh dear, Lady Jiao, need a carriage? I have one!"

At this moment, a shrill voice suddenly sounded from behind, Long Yue slowly turned back.

The person was Liu Yi’s wife, Mrs. Liu Wang.

With some grievances with Liu Yi and Li Qingmu, and believing that Liu Yi’s death is related to Li Qingmu, she revels in seeing their downfall, intending to kick them while they’re down.

Her eyes were full of malice as she approached with her dignified steps, arriving in front of Long Yue: "I have a carriage with only me in it, just right for you!"

"No need!"

Long Yue put on a cold face. Last night, she saw Mrs. Liu Wang’s hateful gaze intent on devouring Li Qingmu, only a fool would believe in her goodwill?

"What, can your husband walk? Ride a horse? Hahaha, don’t fear returning home only to... breathe his last, oh haha..."

Mrs. Liu Wang laughed madness enveloped with deep resentment, seemingly wanting to devour them!

At this critical juncture, Long Yue didn’t want to cause trouble, but she wasn’t afraid either. Liu Wang’s vicious curse to Li Qingmu was unbearable, coldly she said: "Mrs. Liu, your carriage still needs to carry Imperial Censor Liu’s corpse. If we get in, it’d be an offense, so thank you for your kind offer!"

In an instant, Mrs. Liu Wang’s laughing, shaking figure froze.

She glared at Long Yue angrily, "Wretch, what audacity! A felon’s wife dares to speak to me like this?"

"Heh, why wouldn’t I dare? Firstly, my husband was merely punished by the Emperor, not imprisoned nor dismissed, how did he become a felon? Secondly, even if he was dismissed, I’m still a Sixth-rank Imperial Decree Lady, can’t I speak with you?"

Long Yue chuckled, imitating Mrs. Liu Wang, and circled around her while shaking her head, "Tut-tut, it’s you who is now a commoner, isn’t it an honor for me, a Sixth-rank Imperial Decree Lady, to speak with you?"

"I... you... Li Pangshi, you wretch, I’m... I’m going to strangle you, ahhh—"

Long Yue’s words were like knives, cutting Mrs. Liu Wang deeply, she screamed and lunged at Long Yue, trying to hit her, but with just a shove, she fell to the ground.

Mrs. Liu Wang, after falling, sat there and began to wail and cry.

"Oh heavens, how can one live like this? You two wretched couple, first killed my husband, now intend to harm me, truly heaven lacks justice, how can you two scourges remain in the world, sob sob sob, ahh ahh ahh—"

"The Imperial Physician proved we’re innocent, it has nothing to do with us, as for you... everyone saw, you attacked first, I just gave a push, why bother accusing falsely?"