CH 83.2

Chapter 83.2 – So Magnanimous

That night, the princess’s mansion welcomed a guest; Nanping.

Although King Chu and Nanping were not born from the same mother, but just like Qi Yang and the Crown Prince, they were in the same group in the palace. Especially for those who had no blood siblings, they would make an alliance early so they can advance and retreat together, making their lives easier.

Now that King Chu was in trouble, Nanping certainly could not stay out of it. She didn’t come here for Qi Yang, but for her prince consort. However, she was also a princess, so how could she meet alone with her sister’s prince consort?

So at the end of the day, they could not avoid Qi Yang. The three of them arrived at the Flower Hall and sat together.

Qi Yang casually made tea, quietly enjoying the ugly look on Nanping’s face in front of her. Finally, the tea was ready, and after pouring a cup for each of them, she asked calmly, “Royal Sister came to my house at night, I wonder for what purpose?”

Now, Nanping no longer had that smug look in front of Qi Yang. She tightly pursed her lips and looked at Lu Qipei, but the latter was drinking tea leisurely. Lu Qipei’s eyes occasionally looked at Qi Yang with a gaze full of affection, as if they were in their own world.

The two of them could wait patiently, but Nanping couldn’t. She didn’t touch the tea that Qi Yang poured, and went straight to the point, “On today’s court meeting, Royal Brother Chu was set up by someone. His case has now been handed over to the Court of Judicial Review for trial. I hope Vice Minister Lu will investigate it clearly.

Nanping stressed the word “investigate clearly”, obviously implying something.

However, Lu Qipei seemed like she did not understand. She nodded calmly and said, “Don’t worry, Princess. I will handle it fairly.”

Nanping looked at her. Under the flickering lights, her youthful and handsome face were completely calm. That sentence saying “handling it fairly” was obviously not a lie. Nanping suddenly felt more anxious. She couldn’t help clenching her hand hidden beneath her sleeves, but she still managed to maintain the composure on her face.

“King Chu is innocent, he was framed by others. I believe that Vice Minister Lu will be able to bring him justice, right?”

Lu Qipei’s lips turned into a smile that was as bright as the moon, one that only few people would not be attracted by. “If His Highness King Chu is innocent, the Court of Judicial Review will definitely bring him justice. Princess can rest assured.”

Nanping was also dazzled by her expression, but she immediately realized that in the two times Lu Qipei spoke today, both of them had evaded her question. It wasn’t like King Chu said – that she was under control because they had her weakness. Instead, she was kicking them while they’re down!

Looking at Lu Qipei, then at Qi Yang who had always been calm, Nanping’s heart suddenly felt a chill.

Compared to King Chu, Nanping was obviously more impatient. Facing Lu Qipei’s indifferent look, she finally blurted out, “Lu Qipei, if something happens to Royal Brother Chu, do you think you can sit back and relax?”

Lu Qipei chuckled slightly when she heard that, but remained unmoved. “If this Lu sat back and relax as always, what does that have anything to do with His Highness King Chu?”

Qi Yang listened to the two’s conversation without interrupting, as if she didn’t care about the sharp edges in their words. Seeing that Lu Qipei had drunk most of her tea, she lifted up the pot to refill her cup for her. The husband and wife looked in harmony, a sight that would make people’s teeth feel itchy.

Nanping finally stood up and no longer hid anything. “Lu Qipei, since you’re not afraid of others speaking about your ‘good deeds’, then I will have a good talk with my Royal Sister.” As she said that, she looked at Qi Yang with a mocking smile. “My good Royal Sister, do you now know? Your good prince consort brought his illegitimate child back to the princess’s mansion. Are you feeling happy raising her for him?”

Without the panic or rage that Nanping expected, Qi Yang just picked up her teacup and took a sip quietly, replying, “Lu Sheng is very cute. I’m very happy to raise her.”

Nanping was stunned when she heard those words, then she immediately narrowed her eyes. “You don’t believe me?”

Qi Yang drank her tea without saying anything, looking at Nanping as if she were looking at a clown.

Nanping was so angry that she said ‘good’ three times in a row, but she was full of confidence, so she said again, “If you don’t believe me, then will you believe these evidence?” She took out a stack of papers from her sleeves and said, “If you still don’t believe me, I also have witnesses.”

Qi Yang took the paper that Nanping threw in anger, and Lu Qipei curiously came to look at it together. The stack of papers mostly contained testimonials, including from the doctor who treated Lu Qicheng back then, as well as the midwife who later helped deliver Lu Sheng.

There were testimonies from a lot of people; they investigated almost everything before and after Lu Sheng’s birth.

Unfortunately, there was no testimony from a servant of the Lu family. Otherwise, King Chu and Nanping would at least know that Lu Sheng’s biological mother used to serve in Lu Qicheng’s courtyard, and didn’t have anything to do with Lu Qipei.

After reading it, Lu Qipei sighed emotionally, “Qi Bo governs the family very strictly.”

Qi Yang nodded and agreed. Looking at this stack of so-called testimonial evidence, she didn’t even raise her eyebrows.

The two’s response was totally beyond Nanping’s expectation. She especially paid a lot of attention to Qi Yang, and looking at her expression, she knew that the latter was not just trying to save face in front of her.

She just really didn’t care about it.

But why? Did she not believe her? But her evidence was very clear, and her prince consort didn’t even say anything in defense. Did Qi Yang trust her so much?

Nanping didn’t believe it. No one from the royal palace would be so unsuspecting!

In the end, Qi Yang calmly said, “So what even if this is all true? Back then, my prince consort and I wasn’t married yet.”

Author notes:

Nanping (vomiting blood): I never knew that Qi Yang was so magnanimous!

Qi Yang (rolling her eyes): It’s all fake, so of course I’m magnanimous.

Lu Qipei (being cute and well-behaved): Actually, I prefer Your Highness’s not magnanimous look…