The group of imperial guards were scared silly upon seeing Pei Qianhao enter. These people were under the administration of the Imperial Guard Army Commander, Yuchi Mo, who had become Pei Qianhao’s subordinate a few years ago.
“Paying respects to Prince Hao.” All the imperial guards in the courtyard knelt on the ground.
Pei Qianhao waved his hand, signalling for them to get up. “Bring out the three imperial guards who were carried back this morning..”
An imperial guard promptly bowed and obeyed his order, immediately going to call the three who were still resting in the room.
In less than a minute, three imperial guards had already come out while trembling in fear. They stopped before Prince Hao and knelt down with a thud.
“Prince Hao, please forgive us. These subordinates didn’t guard after the Laundry Service Bureau properly, and allowed a thief to sneak in. We deserve death.” The three imperial guards put their heads to the ground and immediately pleaded guilty.
They had heard about the incident in the Laundry Service Bureau right after they woke up this morning. They knew that Prince Hao would call for them eventually; they just didn’t expect that he would come personally.
“Was the person who stole into the Laundry Service Bureau a man or a woman?” Pei Qianhao’s voice was ice-cold, his imposing manner sweeping over the guards.
All the imperial guards in the courtyard were scared yet bewildered. Those three imperial guards are strong and robust, and their skills were considered to be decent. A person who was able to knock out all three of them is definitely a formidable foe.
But why did Prince Hao ask such a question? Could it be that it was a woman? How can that be possible?!
The three imperial guards kneeling on the ground trembled. They weren’t able to provide an answer to Prince Hao’s question, but it wasn’t like they could ignore him either!
Hence, they one of them could only respond in a quivering voice, “Your subordinates deserve death. We don’t know whether the thief was a man or a woman, as we didn’t manage to see the person’s appearance clearly. We didn’t even see their figure.”
All the imperial guards sucked in a mouthful of cold air.
Exactly what kind of talented person had slipped into the imperial palace and gone to the Laundry Service Bureau? They were unable to understand. Why would such an exceptional person’s target be a bunch of lowly palace maids?
At the moment, nobody dared to look at Prince Hao’s expression.
Right at this moment, the Imperial Guard Army Commander, Yuchi Mo, rushed to the scene and knelt on the ground with a single knee. Cupping his fists in respect, he tried to appeal to Pei Qianhao. “This subordinate failed in my supervision. Please punish me, Prince Hao.”
The atmosphere in the courtyard became very solemn. Prince Hao will definitely mete out severe punishment for this incident. Even the Imperial Guard Army Commander won’t be able to escape his ire.
However, nobody expected that Prince Hao would instead speak in a decidedly even tone, lacking any sign of anger at all. “Elaborate specifically. How did you get knocked out?”
The three imperial guards hemmed and hawed timorously, causing Yuchi Mo to chide them, “Even if you didn’t see the figure and appearance of the assailant, you should at least know how you were knocked out, and from which position the opponent attacked.”
Finally, one of the imperial guards replied, “Before this subordinate could turn around, that person’s hand had already forcefully struck the dizzy acupuncture point on the back of my neck. The power used was strong, accurate, and fierce. Thus, this subordinate…”
Yuchi Mo felt that he had no reputation to speak of anymore. The three of them belong to the palace’s imperial guard army, yet their skills are so abominable. They’re simply making me lose face! He could no longer endure it and lambasted again, “I’ll just consider it as me teaching you all in vain. You will be transferred out of the imperial guard army and become ordinary imperial guards in the imperial palace!”
Pei Qianhao waved his hand. “No need, they can’t be completely blamed for this.” The corners of his lips were upturned as he spoke.
All the imperial guards noticed it, especially Yuchi Mo, who was the nearest to him.
What’s with Prince Hao…The corners of his mouth are upturned for no reason. It looks like he is…smiling? This is simply even more terrifying than Prince Hao flying into a rage.
Yuchi Mo was baffled. “Prince Hao, your meaning is?”
As Yuchi Mo gazed at Pei Qianhao’s departing figure, he felt increasingly perplexed by Prince Hao.
~~~
While the imperial guards in the courtyard were in extreme astonishment, the Imperial Physician Institute, on the other hand, was sunk in puzzlement.
Imperial Physician Zhao inspected the culms on the table meticulously, then looked at Hong Li and Su Xi-er who were standing to the side.
His gaze landed on Su Xi-er. “After getting into contact with this grass, no red spots appeared and your body, nor did you feel itchy?”
Su Xi-er nodded. “Yes.”
Imperial Physician Zhao pointed at her. “Your lie is going to be exposed very soon. Come forward and touch this culm right in front of me.”
For a split second, a trace of fear emerged in Hong Li’s eyes as she looked at Su Xi-er with worry.
Su Xi-er was absolutely fearless and took a step forward. Even if red spots appear, that would have to take a few hours. The skin quality of this body isn’t quite the same as others.
Imperial Physician Zhao’s face darkened as he watched Su Xi-er walk forward.
She touched the culm lightly, before finally using her strength to break and toss it on the table.
Suddenly, Imperial Physician Zhao’s pupils constricted. He raised his right hand and pointed at Su Xi-er. “You…”
“If I was lying, I wouldn’t have dared to do this. Imperial Physician Zhao, you can lock me up and check later on to see if red spots appear on my hands.”
Imperial Physician Zhao still hadn’t recovered from his shock. This palace maid is simply too audacious!
Standing at one side, Hong Li was terribly frightened. That’s an imperial physician from the palace!
Imperial Physician Zhao flung his sleeves fiercely. “Alright, I will listen to you and lock you up. I’ll lock you up for a few hours and directly expose your lies!”
Viciousness appeared in his eyes as he stared at Su Xi-er.
Su Xi-er didn’t think much of it and let him be.
Right at this moment, a deep and low voice could be heard. “She can indeed be imprisoned. Is it okay for this prince to guard her?”
The figure of a tall man emerged, the formidable aura emanating from his whole body instantly pervading the whole room.
Imperial Physician Zhao immediately bowed and paid his greetings, “Paying respects to Prince Hao.”
“Lock this audacious palace maid up, and this prince will help you watch her. At that time, we will know with one glance if she had lied.”
Imperial Physician Zhao hesitated. How can I let Prince Hao guard her?
“It’s just that this prince is curious. There’s a place to imprison people in the Imperial Physician Institute?” Pei Qianhao’s voice was calm but frightened Imperial Physician Zhao.
“There is no imprisonment facility in the Imperial Physician Institute. This lowly official was just scaring that palace maid.”
Pei Qianhao’s gaze swept over Su Xi-er, then landed on Imperial Physician Zhao. “That’s not good. This prince wants to see you lock her up today.”
“Prince Hao, this lowly official firmly believes that she is lying. Although there is no place of imprisonment, she can be locked up in the Imperial Physician Institute’s Medicinal Decoction House. Red spots will surely appear on her hands four hours later.”
“Lock her up in the Medicinal Decoction House then. This prince will watch over her on your behalf,” Prince Hao ordered slowly.
Imperial Physician Zhao wiped his sweat. Prince Hao is really going to keep watch? I heard that the Empress Dowager is heading to the Beauty Palace, and plans to send all the beauties there to the Laundry Service Bureau. Prince Hao doesn’t care about that matter, but has instead come here over the issue of locking a palace maid up.
Even if there were many questions in his mind, he didn’t dare to ask. He could only listen to his instructions and lock Su Xi-er in the Medicinal Decoction House.
All the suspicions were on Su Xi-er so Hong Li was no longer needed and was immediately sent back to the Palace Side Quarters.
In the Medicinal Decoction House, Pei Qianhao remained unruffled as he gazed at Su Xi-er.
Su Xi-er stood in the room quietly and didn’t care about how his gaze was…killing her with a thousand cuts.
After a long time, Pei Qianhao called out to her, “Come here. Sit beside this prince.”
“It’s better for this servant to stand.”
Pei Qianhao chuckled. “Only if you sit close to this prince would I be able to see the red spots on your arms immediately.”
