Chapter 444 Stabbing the Heart

Chapter 444: Hitting a Raw Nerve

"Whether it's matters of the heart or matters of money, I never helped him before. He needs me most right now, and this time I must stand by him and get through this together."

Jianlan: "..."

She knew that Consort Li was truly throwing caution to the wind this time, so she didn't try to talk her out of it.

At dawn the next day, Luo Jingshen and Consort Li rose at the same time—neither of them had slept a wink.

The difference was that one wanted to go to the palace to file a complaint, while the other wanted to stay by his side through the hardship.

Consort Li hurried out of the palace by carriage, while Luo Jingshen, dressed neatly, was heading into the palace.

The two happened to bump into each other at the Eastern Palace gate.

Seeing the carriage parked at the gate, Luo Jingshen became wary. Today was a day off, so why would someone come to the Eastern Palace to see him this early?

The carriage curtain lifted, and Consort Li stepped down gracefully. When she looked up and saw Luo Jingshen standing right before her, she was more than a little surprised and delighted.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, why are you here?"

Luo Jingshen: "..."

He gave Consort Li a look like she was an idiot. This was his own front door—wasn't it perfectly normal for him to be here?

As for Consort Li, coming to see him this early in the morning—could it be that she already knew he was about to report her and had come running over to stop him?

Luo Jingshen narrowed his eyes, deciding to test the waters.

"I have some business to take care of at the palace. Might I ask what brings Consort Li here at such an early hour?"

Consort Li looked at him and said with a gentle smile, "Yesterday, Your Highness mentioned being short on silver, so I managed to scrape together another fifty thousand taels for you. I was worried you might be in a hurry to use it, so I rushed it over to you first thing this morning!"

"If Your Highness has other important matters to attend to, please go ahead. I'll wait here for your return."

Upon learning that Consort Li had come to bring him silver, Luo Jingshen's interest was immediately piqued, and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"My business isn't important. It can wait until later."

"Consort Li thinks of me so fondly, and I am deeply touched. Why don't you come on in with me and sit for a bit?"

His proposal was exactly what Consort Li had been hoping for, and she agreed without a second thought.

"Very well, then I'll gladly take you up on that!"

Deep down, she figured that if the Crown Prince was heading out this early, he must have something really important to do.

Yet when he ran into her, he put his own matters aside.

So in his heart, did she matter more than his business?

Consort Li thought to herself, feeling all warm and fuzzy, as she followed Luo Jingshen into the Eastern Palace.

The two made their way to the front hall, where a maid brought in piping hot tea. Consort Li casually took the teapot and poured a cup for Luo Jingshen.

Seeing the ice cakes and cold cheese on the table, she said, "It's cold out now. Your Highness shouldn't eat cold things in the morning—it's hard on the stomach."

"You don't have a princess consort by your side to take care of your day-to-day needs. Though Your Highness is still young, you really need to take care of yourself."

After Consort Li finished her little ramble, she noticed that the person across from her hadn't responded.

She looked up and saw Luo Jingshen staring at her without blinking, his gaze full of complexity.

Consort Li thought she must have something on her face, so she quickly felt her face.

"Your Highness, why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my face?"

Luo Jingshen let out a soft chuckle, his gaze loaded with meaning.

"Consort Li is so young and beautiful—you don't look like a woman who's had two kids at all."

Consort Li felt a little thrill of joy, thinking Luo Jingshen was complimenting her on how well she'd preserved her looks.

She was about to speak when Luo Jingshen continued, "It just occurred to me that Consort Li doesn't look the least bit like Prince Ye. He wouldn't happen to be someone's bastard, would he?"

Consort Li: "..."

Consort Li: "!!!"

Upon hearing those words, the smile on her face instantly froze on her lips. Her eyes went wide as she asked, "Your Highness, why would you say such a thing?"

Consort Li awaited Luo Jingshen's reply, but she also dreaded his answer.

God knows, at this very moment, her heart was about to leap out of her chest!

She thought Luo Jingshen had figured something out, and on top of her nerves, she was even more afraid of the unknown.

Luo Jingshen took in Consort Li's reaction, and the smile in his eyes deepened.

"I recently heard something, and I'm not sure if it's true or not. Consort Li, please don't be angry after hearing it."

Consort Li felt a sense of foreboding in her heart as Luo Jingshen said slowly:

"I heard that before Consort Li entered the palace, you had already pledged yourself to another man. You were originally meant to marry, but by a twist of fate, you were chosen by my father to enter the palace."

"Though you enjoyed wealth and honor, you were not happy in the palace. You longed to see that man again, so you deliberately kept your distance from my father, cultivating the appearance of someone who didn't compete or seek favor."

"You agreed to meet at Huayang Temple outside the city on the first and fifteenth of every month, staying for a day or a few hours, maintaining this secret relationship for twenty-three years."

"I wonder—is what I heard true?"

Consort Li: "..."

Consort Li: "!!!"

The impact of these words on her was immense.

Her expression changed drastically, and the tea before her spilled onto the table without her even noticing.

Her excessive nervousness exposed the fear in her heart, and Luo Jingshen let out a mocking laugh.

"It seems the rumors I heard weren't false after all."

Luo Jingshen's original intention was merely to test whether Consort Li had truly been involved with that man.

Judging by her reaction, it was all but confirmed!

Now he was even more certain that Luo Junhe was not Emperor Jingyang's son!

Luo Jingshen looked at Consort Li with a hint of mockery and contempt in his eyes.

Consort Li only then snapped back to reality. Although she didn't know where Luo Jingshen had heard this, what he said was actually pretty much on the mark!

Especially the way he looked at her, like she was something dirty—that gaze deeply stung Consort Li's heart.

Her eyes reddening, she demanded, "Your Highness, do you actually believe such baseless accusations against me without any evidence?"

Luo Jingshen let out a scornful laugh and said casually, "What I believe isn't the point. The question is whether you, Consort Li, have betrayed His Majesty."

"Now I have reason to suspect that Luo Junhe isn't His Majesty's son at all. Verifying this wouldn't be difficult—all we need is a blood test between Luo Junhe and His Majesty!"

"If he isn't, then His Majesty has grounds to punish him, and I can rid myself of this pest. Why wouldn't I do it?"

Consort Li's face turned pale, and she took a step back, staring at Luo Jingshen in disbelief.

"So, the reason you rushed out this morning was to go to the palace and tell His Majesty about this?"

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