Chapter 1194: Chapter 1191: Prepared in Advance
“Oh, it appears that I was deceived by the other party. However, I do remember them and request His Majesty grant me the opportunity to draw a portrait of the person.”
Noble Consort Qi had initially wanted to make a sarcastic remark but, upon hearing this, her expression subtly changed and her fingers tightened around her handkerchief, not expecting Chu Heng to possess such a skill.
Emperor Xuanming instructed a palace attendant to provide Chu Heng with ink and brush.
Chu Heng painted from a distance while Emperor Xuanming ordered He Dequan to take all the palace attendants from Kunning Palace down for questioning.
Soon, Chu Heng pleted the painting and presented it to Emperor Xuanming.
Emperor Xuanming handed He Dequan the investigation.
Fifteen minutes later.
After pleting the investigation, He Dequan came back, knelt down, and reported to Emperor Xuanming, “Emperor, the servant has found that eunuch, Shuan Yun, who had drowned in a well near the Cold Palace an hour ago.”
Emperor Xuanming tapped his fingers on the table, his face wearing a smile that was not quite a smile. In fact, his mood had turned very unpleasant. These palace intrigues involved former officials and disrupted all his plans.
Was he too gentle now, which was why these people had reemerged?
“Continue the investigation!”
Chu Heng asked aloud, “Emperor, I would like to see the belt.”
“Send it to Minister Chu.” Emperor Xuanming was very agreeable, although his face was devoid of any smile and even his voice carried a hint of impatience.
Noble Consort Qi squinted at Chu Heng’s reaction, actually looking down on him in her heart, but to prevent any mishaps in her plans, she couldn’t help but expend more effort.
Chu Heng took the belt into his hands, looked at it for a while, and then said, “Emperor, I have something to report.”
“Speak.” Emperor Xuanming was waiting, waiting for He Dequan to send back news.
Hearing Chu Heng speak, he became slightly interested.
Chu Heng said, “To respond to the Emperor, this belt was lost by me half a month ago and is not the one I brought into the palace today.”
“Oh? Is that so?” Emperor Xuanming looked intently at Chu Heng, his mood suddenly relaxing, his gaze shifting around the faces of others present.
Empress Lin couldn’t help but look towards Chu Heng as well.
Upon hearing this, Noble Consort Qi’s heart skipped a beat, and she sneered, “Lord Chu, one must provide evidence when making a statement. Surely you are not lying to shirk your responsibilities, are you?”
“I wouldn’t dare.” Chu Heng seemed unaware of her difficulty, “I reported to the Emperor, after losing the belt, to alleviate my wife’s concerns, I drew a picture of the belt and sent it to the Imperial Wardrobe Department to order a new one. However, they were out of the dark gold thread at the time, so they changed the design slightly and added a pattern which they sent back to me for confirmation before remaking it.”
“Today, I wore the new belt into the palace, but this one is the old and worn belt.”
“Emperor may summon several of my subordinates as well as the Shopkeeper and embroiderers from the Imperial Wardrobe Department for an audience,” reasoned Chu Heng logically with a look of distress, “I do not know how this old belt appeared in the palace.”
Noble Consort Qi’s expression drastically changed, she gritted her teeth in realization, too late understanding that from the moment the Qi family’s men took Chu Heng’s belt, they had fallen into his trap.
This man was too clever.
“Minister Chu, is what you say true?” asked Emperor Xuanming, his face stern and devoid of a smile, his demeanor intimidating enough to make the kneeling palace attendants tremble.
Chu Heng: “I dare not fabricate.”
Given this, Emperor Xuanming naturally wanted to investigate thoroughly and immediately dispatched someone for the interrogation.
The atmosphere in the room grew tense.
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