kvmb Chapter 399 Yue Fei, you swear
Chapter 399 Yue Fei, you swear
Then, Concubine Yue took the food basket from the maid Linglong who was following behind her.
She told the emperor gently and thoughtfully, "This is the fish maw and dendrobium soup I made in my palace. It's soothing and nourishing, and perfect for autumn and winter. Your Majesty has been overwhelmed by state affairs lately. Drink a bowl of this soup to replenish your energy."
There was tonic soup simmering on the stove in her palace every day, and she would bring a portion with her when she came to see the emperor. No matter what the emperor wanted to see her for, it was always right to show her courtesy.
"Ah."
The emperor didn't even look at the food box, just responded casually and ordered someone to call Ruo Chu.
"I have something to ask you. Let Ruochu ask it for me. You must swear to tell the truth without a trace of falsehood. If you break your promise, the entire Zhenguogong Mansion will be destroyed along with you."
Concubine Yue was startled.
He stared at the emperor in astonishment.
I have no idea what's going on that requires such a guarantee from her.
Tears welled up in his eyes instantly.
But it was not an act, he was really shocked and angry.
She had been accompanying the emperor for several years. Could it be that she had done anything wrong to him that he wanted her to swear on the lives of her entire family?
"Your Majesty, I am my concubine..."
Just as he was about to ask, the senior palace maid Ruochu had already entered the hall.
The emperor ordered Concubine Yue: "Swear an oath."
Concubine Yue bit her lip.
Dare not disobey.
His heart was in turmoil. He suppressed his anger and knelt down with three fingers pointing to the sky.
"I, Yan Zhirou, swear to heaven that I will answer the questions later with absolute sincerity, otherwise the Zhenguogong Mansion and I will be destroyed together!"
Every word was spoken very clearly.
He had always disdained the emperor, and now he was extremely angry with him.
He just remembered Fei Wan's reminder clearly, but tried hard not to show it on his face.
"Well, let's go."
The emperor gave an order and continued to read the memorial with his head down.
Ruo Chu respectfully invited Concubine Yue into the inner hall and signaled Linglong not to follow.
Concubine Yue returned the food box to Linglong. Seeing that the emperor did not even raise his head from the desk, she gritted her teeth and turned to go into the inner hall.
The two of them entered the house and the curtain fell, blocking out the view from outside.
"Your Majesty, I've offended you."
If Chu Fu bowed deeply and said in a low voice that he was asking questions on orders, he would ask Concubine Yue to forgive him for any offense.
Concubine Yue suppressed her anger and smiled: "Just ask, I will tell you everything I know and I will keep my word."
Ruochu asked the first question.
"When the Qu soldiers entered Fengyi Palace, someone dragged Your Majesty to a side hall and attempted to behave disrespectfully. May I ask Your Majesty, before Concubine Qing came to your rescue, were your clothes damaged?"
Concubine Yue's face flushed red.
It was burned by the anger burning in my heart.
He lowered his voice and asked through gritted teeth, "Is this what His Majesty asked you to ask?"
Ruo Chu lowered her eyes and said, "Yes. This servant dare not speak nonsense. Please answer truthfully, Your Majesty."
Concubine Yue took a deep breath and almost bit out the words: "My clothes are not damaged!"
Ruo Chu was businesslike, his expression and tone emotionless: "According to several people who witnessed the incident, your Majesty's shirt and skirt were torn. Please tell me the truth."
"Since you already know, why are you asking so many questions?"
Concubine Yue lowered her brows and suppressed her rising anger again.
Ruo Chu said, "I was ordered to question you and to interrogate the witnesses. I do not ask for your understanding or forgiveness, Your Majesty. I only ask that you answer truthfully and allow me to complete my mission."
She repeated the question.
Concubine Yue was silent for a long time.
She closed her eyes and whispered, "Yes, my clothes were torn, so what!"
Ruo Chu didn't answer, "So what?" Instead, he pressed on with his second question: "Where on your body did Qu Bing touch you? Your hands, face, neck, chest, waist, legs, feet, anywhere. Please recall carefully where exactly you were touched?"
Concubine Yue almost fainted from anger.
"Is this something His Majesty asked you to ask, or do you have bad intentions?!"
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. This is not my intention to offend you."
Concubine Yue sneered: "Since it is your majesty's wish, I will go and tell your majesty!"
She turned around and wanted to go to the outer hall.
But Ruochu grabbed his sleeve.
"Your Majesty, calm down," she whispered. "How can His Majesty ask you these questions in person? The king has authority, so I am doing it for you. If His Majesty gets angry if you go like this, it will be disadvantageous to you."
Concubine Yue paused, hesitated again and again, but finally suppressed her anger.
"Okay, keep asking. If I find out you acted on your own, you'll be dead!"
"The slaves dare not."
Ruochu bowed again and asked Concubine Yue to answer the question just now.
Concubine Yue said, "I don't remember! This is the truth!"
The situation was so critical at the time that she focused all her energy on resisting the invasion of the Tartar soldiers. How could she remember which part of her body was touched?
"Then... Madam, just remember whether your chest has been touched or your lips have been touched."
Concubine Yue clenched her hands tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms.
It was only a quarter of an hour later. When she walked out of the inner hall and saw the emperor again, she wanted to smile to save face, but she failed.
When the emperor saw her unhappy expression, his own expression also darkened.
"You go back first." He ordered, then looked at Ruo Chu.
Ruo Chu stood behind Concubine Yue, with his head lowered and his breath held, obviously waiting for a report.
Concubine Yue said, "I will not go back. I will stay here and listen to Ruochu's reply."
The emperor had not originally intended to let Concubine Yue sit in on the trial.
Whatever the answers to those questions are, be respectful to each other.
But Concubine Yue was so stubborn that the emperor frowned.
"Do you really want to listen?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, I want to hear it." Concubine Yue looked at the Emperor and said stiffly, "I want to know if you really let Ruochu question me like that!"
The emperor's frown deepened.
He casually waved away the palace maids standing in the hall.
"Okay, Ruochu, you tell me."
Ruochu knelt gently on the ground.
Even though the palace maids had left and there were only three of them left in the hall, she still took care of Concubine Yue's face and tried to keep her voice as low as possible.
"Your Majesty, I have questioned Concubine Yue, and she has personally admitted that Qu Bing tore her clothes that day and touched her hands, face, and lips. Other parts of her body were covered by her clothes, and Concubine Yue cannot remember the specific areas of her body being touched. However, Concubine Yue firmly denies losing her virginity, which is consistent with the results of my interrogation of the witnesses. Concubine Yue is still innocent."
The emperor's dark and tense expression relaxed a lot after hearing all this.
Even a little happy.
He turned to look at Concubine Yue: "I knew you could do it."
"Can what?"
Concubine Yue's expression was still grim and her tone was still harsh.
The emperor dismissed Ruo Chu.
He stood up, walked around the dragon desk, came to Concubine Yue, and personally took her hand.
She smiled softly and said, "You can be my queen."
Concubine Yue looked at the man in front of her, her husband, the emperor, with suspicion.
The two words she had always dreamed of were: Queen.
Now that he said it, she didn't feel happy at all.