I just want to be a princess, no, you want to be a queen

Chapter 244: Retort

Tian Qing and Tian's mother looked up in shock.

Tian's mother said anxiously, "Your Majesty, I am telling the truth, the truth."

But she didn't know that it was because she said what she thought was the truth that she was closer to death.

Tian Qing couldn't believe it: "Xi'er, how could you become like this? Do you really want to kill me?"

Four eunuchs came in, gagged the two men with cloth, and dragged them out. Qin Zhang saluted the Queen Mother and Prince Ningyuan, then left.

Lu Mingyang wanted to save people, but was held tightly by Chu Mingzheng.

The door closes again.

The Queen Mother sighed, "Zheng'er, how could you be so foolish? Grandmother sent someone to interrogate the eunuch who once served at the Green Water Pond. She didn't have her period at all when you were drunk."

No? Lu Mingyang couldn't remember clearly. She was so nervous that day that she forgot whether she had forgotten to fake her period.

Chu Mingzheng suddenly realized and said with a smile, "Grandmother, that thing fell on her clothes, and she still has them. If you're worried, I'll bring it over to you to have a look."

Lu Mingyang followed suit and nodded mechanically.

"Zheng'er, why are you so stupid? It's all Grandma's fault. She shouldn't have chosen a princess for you so hastily, causing you to suffer this humiliation."

The Queen Mother felt more and more regretful as she pointed angrily at Lu Mingyang: "Not only has she been married before, she has also served the Xiongnu Tartars. Those Xiongnu guards that Jin Yiluo brought to the Sifang Pavilion were all her lovers."

This is why she sent people to investigate secretly after Qin Zhang brought the news. She found out that the shameless woman in front of her had long been given to the Huns by the emperor for fun.

The Queen Mother grew increasingly angry as she spoke: "I loved you so much, thinking you were a well-behaved and sensible child, and I took great care of you. I never thought you would dare to deceive me and shamelessly attempt to marry the prince."

"Your Majesty, you are too kind."

Jin Yiluo had already left, leaving no way to obtain evidence. No matter how she explained, the Queen Mother wouldn't believe her. Now, it was a dead end.

Lu Mingyang looked back at the door that she could no longer exit, then walked out from behind Chu Mingzheng and asked with a smile, "Your Majesty has decreed that this servant must not reveal anything. How can I begin?"

The Queen Mother snorted coldly: "After something like that happened, you should commit suicide to apologize."

"Sin, what sin have I committed?"

Lu Mingyang said coldly, "When I first arrived in the capital, I saw my father and brother tragically killed, and my home in ruins. I didn't even have time to put on mourning clothes before I was summoned to the palace. With just a few words, I was ordered to marry off to the Xiongnu."

"Why didn't anyone ask me if I was married at that time?"

"Royal family, royal family, prince, is that what I want to marry?"

"You used my chastity to appease the brutal Huns. Now that they're gone, you're blaming me for bringing shame to the royal family. Who is so shameless?"

"How outrageous!" The Queen Mother was so angry that she knocked over the teacup beside her and refused to say another word to the unreasonable whore in front of her.

Xu Pei picked up the long-cooled poisoned wine from the stone table above the Buddha statue, poured a full cup, and handed it to Lu Mingyang. Those words brought a pang of heartache to her heart. But she was powerless.

Xu Pei looked away, unable to bear it, and said, "Respectfully send Princess Ningyuan on her way!"

Lu Mingyang looked at Chu Mingzheng beside him, but did not dare to look into his eyes. He only saw his moving Adam's apple.

"Your Highness, take care."

She smiled softly and lifted the poisoned wine cup. With a thud, a large hand swung down, sending the cup crashing to the ground, shattering into pieces. White foam soaked the ground.

Chu Mingzheng took Lu Mingyang's hand and said, "Grandmother, my wife's words are from the heart. If you blame her for bringing shame to the royal family, please go to my father and don't embarrass my wife."

"Zheng'er, how could you be so foolish?" The Queen Mother stood up, her face filled with disbelief. "Everything the Imperial Grandmother did was for you."

Chu Mingzheng said, "Before Yangyang married me, whether she married or did anything else, it was her freedom, and I had no right to interfere. After Yangyang married me, I must protect her. This is my responsibility. I will not allow anyone to hurt her."

As he spoke, he leaned over, picked up a piece of broken porcelain, and cut his palm.

"Zheng'er, what are you doing?" the Queen Mother asked anxiously.

Chu Mingzheng threw away the broken porcelain pieces and raised his hand to swear: "Today, I swear before the Buddha that if my wife dies an untimely death, I will not live alone. I hope that the Empress Dowager will stop here."

After saying that, he pulled Lu Mingyang and turned away, leaving the empress dowager standing alone in shock.

In the back hills, Lu Mingyang stumbled into a man who had suddenly stopped. Chu Mingzheng turned around and angrily demanded, "Why didn't you look me in the eye?"

"I was wrong!" Lu Mingyang threw himself into the warm embrace and burst into tears.

She knew he would save her, but she really didn't know that he would still save her after knowing that the emperor had handed her over to the Huns.

"Your Highness, on the day when the Emperor gave me to Jin Yiluo, was it you who asked the little Xiongnu princess to go there?" In fact, she had always had doubts in her heart, but only dared to ask now.

"Yangyang!" Chu Mingzheng held Lu Mingyang's face in his hands. "I didn't save you because I knew the truth. Like you said, it wasn't your fault. Whether it's true or not, you don't have to feel ashamed of it. If I'm angry at you for this, it's because I'm unworthy of loving you, not because you're unworthy of love."

Lu Mingyang curled her lips and punched someone in grievance: "Are you mute? Can't you speak earlier?" If she had known this earlier, she would not have spoken to the empress dowager like that. Now, what should she do next?

"The Queen Mother, should I go and apologize to her?" He finally had a relative in the capital who treated him sincerely. If the Queen Mother disliked him because of him, how could he live with it?

Chu Mingzheng took the regretful girl into his arms and said softly, "Yangyang, you don't have to please anyone for me."

The wind was a little cold, and Lu Mingyang hugged the person in front of him tightly, and hugged him even tighter.

Qin Zhang, who had just returned from the execution, looked puzzled at Lu Mingyang, who had escaped unscathed, and stepped forward to salute: "Cousin, cousin...sister-in-law."

Chu Mingzheng hugged the girl who was about to leave, looked at Qin Zhang, and asked, "Is it done?"

The voice was a little cold. Qin Zhang didn't dare to speak and nodded slightly.

Chu Mingzheng smiled and said, "Cousin, if I remember correctly, Tian Qing has never returned to Chishui Town since he joined the army."

"Cousin, father is just concerned about you and wants to..."

Chu Mingzheng raised his hand to stop Qin Zhang's words, and said murderously: "If it weren't for this, cousin, do you think you can still stand in front of me and talk?"

"Your Highness, please forgive me!" Qin Zhang hurriedly knelt on one knee.

Chu Mingzheng coldly reminded: "When you go back to your uncle, I will treat Miao'er well and respect you for the rest of your life, but please don't dream of anything else."

"Yes!" Qin Zhang looked up nervously.

Originally, his father had asked him to bring Tian Qing and her son to the capital, hoping to leave a good impression in front of Prince Ningyuan and then ask for an official position. But now, he dared not say anything and hurriedly left.

Lu Mingyang looked up, angrily glaring at the man before him. He had actually been investigating Tian Qing behind her back.

"What's wrong?" Chu Mingzheng felt guilty.

Lu Mingyang felt guilty and didn't want to dwell on the question. He asked, "Where's Brother Qing?"

"Who?" Chu Mingzheng frowned.

"Tian Qing!" Lu Mingyang raised his hand and touched his chest to calm the angry man.

Chu Mingzheng took up the little hand in front of his chest and went to the secluded and uninhabited area in the back mountain. This was the cemetery where the deceased monks were buried. There were many graves and it was extremely eerie.

Lu Mingyang followed Chu Mingzheng closely and walked to a flat area with newly turned soil. The ground was slightly raised due to the new soil. It was obvious that Tian Qing and her son were buried underneath.

Zhu Cong came out from behind the tree and reported, "Your Highness, before I could save him, he was taken away by the Marquis of Chengyang."

"Eldest sister?"

Lu Mingyang looked off into the distance, but could no longer see anyone. Perhaps after Nian'er told her elder sister last night, she realized something had changed and quietly followed him.

However, Lu Mingyang looked at the overturned grave and asked curiously, "How can we save this?"

She clearly remembered that there was nothing unusual when Qin Zhang returned.

Zhu Cong said: "After a person's fatal point is pressed, burying him for half an hour will not be a problem."

Chu Mingzheng waved Zhu Cong off and pulled Lu Mingyang down the mountain. The mountain road was rugged, but the girl beside him walked faster and faster, which made someone unhappy.

"Who are you in such a hurry to meet?" Chu Mingzheng said sourly.

Lu Mingyang looked at the man beside him with a smile and asked in confusion, "Your Highness, how did you know?"

Chu Mingzheng glared in dissatisfaction.

Lu Mingyang explained awkwardly: "Your Highness, I just don't want to trouble you."

"Trouble?" Chu Mingzheng frowned.

"I said the wrong thing." Lu Mingyang scratched his palm and admitted her mistake. She just didn't want him to think she was a vain woman.

Chu Mingzheng held her hand and asked, "Yangyang, you care about him so much. Do you feel sorry for him or are you unable to let him go?"