bookcurios Chapter 162 Trick Him a Little
Chapter 162 Trick Him a Little
He didn't let Xie Xing get up, and just looked at Xie Xing coldly.
Xie Xing squatted for a while, then felt his legs getting sore, so he stood up.
She had just stood up when Luo Cheng'an's cold voice came from above: "Did I tell you to get up?"
"Is this the rule taught by your Xie family?"
Xie Xing looked up at Luo Cheng'an with a puzzled expression: "I have already performed the rites with His Highness the Crown Prince and the Third Prince, but the Crown Prince will not tell me to get up. Is he trying to punish me in this way?"
"I don't know what Xie Xing did wrong that the Crown Prince wants to punish me in this way?"
The usual minor punishment of not being allowed to stand up after bowing is a way for superiors to control subordinates; everything is unspoken, and no one has ever said it so openly before.
However, Luo Cheng'an did not expect that Xie Xing would ask such a sweet and innocent question.
"How dare you!" His princely authority was on full display.
Before she could speak, Xie Xing suddenly knelt down on both knees. "If this humble woman has angered His Highness the Crown Prince, I beg His Highness to give me some guidance."
"This humble woman is timid. Even a single insolent remark from His Highness the Crown Prince can leave her trembling with fear for a long time."
Luo Cheng'an's words caught in his throat.
His eyes widened, his gaze shifting downwards to the person who had suddenly shrunk by half a head. Just as he was about to speak, a slightly authoritative voice came from the other side of the pavilion: "What crime has been committed to warrant such a scene?"
Upon hearing this voice, Luo Mengfei and Luo Qingyun, who had been leisurely sitting in the pavilion, immediately stood up and looked towards the source of the sound: "Father?"
The visitor was none other than the Emperor of Chu.
The Chu Emperor was dressed in a bright yellow python robe, with Jun Lanjin, who wore a crimson cloak and a jade crown, by his side.
He walked over with the Chu Emperor. As he passed Xie Xing, the hem of his robe brushed against Xie Xing, and the faint medicinal fragrance emanating from him wafted to Xie Xing's nose, refreshing and pleasant.
Xie Xing raised her eyes and secretly glanced at him.
His face was expressionless today. When he passed Xie Xing, his long eyelashes drooped, and his gaze swept over her lightly before he looked away and remained silent beside Emperor Chu.
Xie Xing found this reaction somewhat strange.
What's wrong with him?
"Greetings, Father Emperor." Luo Cheng'an, recovering from his daze, immediately bowed respectfully to the Emperor of Chu.
The Chu Emperor waved his hand, his gaze falling on Xie Xing kneeling on the ground, and asked, "What's wrong now?"
Luo Cheng'an: "..."
He had no idea how to answer that.
He originally just wanted to vent his anger for Xie Mingzhu, but he didn't expect Xie Xing to pull this stunt. Just then, when his father arrived, he admitted defeat and knelt down.
This damn girl!
Luo Cheng'an gritted his teeth, instinctively feeling like he'd been tricked.
"It's nothing, Father, it's just a misunderstanding."
What could Luo Cheng'an say at this moment?
He just wanted to gloss over the matter.
"How could it be a misunderstanding?" Xie Xing was like an innocent and naive little girl. Her dark pupils were clear and bright. She raised her voice and said, "Please forgive me, Your Majesty. It's all my fault for not being able to hold on while I was bowing to His Highness the Crown Prince and getting up on my own first."
"It's all my fault. If I hadn't broken my leg when I fell off the cliff during the autumn hunt, I would have been able to hold on."
"The fault lies entirely with me, Your Majesty. Please do not blame me, nor my family upbringing."
As she spoke, Xie Xing lowered her head, her shoulders trembling, looking utterly pitiful.
Luo Mengfei watched in stunned silence.
This person is indeed a tattletale.
It hadn't been long before they filed a complaint, and they even complained to the Emperor.
Although the emperor has been wary of the Xie family lately, Xie Xing has indeed made quite a bit of his presence in the emperor's eyes recently.
He understood the reason behind it, and his face darkened as he looked at Luo Cheng'an: "I didn't know you were such a petty person. Is it really necessary for you to use your Crown Prince authority to intimidate people over such a small matter?"
The Chu Emperor's words turned Luo Cheng'an's face deathly pale.
He quickly explained, "Father, that's not how it is."
Xie Xing wiped her tears with her sleeve: "I know that Your Highness dislikes me because of my sister's matter. From now on, I will stay away from Your Highness."
These words were like adding fuel to the fire.
The Chu Emperor's expression grew even colder.
"I've noticed you've been quite idle these past few days and haven't accomplished anything. How about this, I'll have you negotiate with those envoys from the Southern Kingdom these next few days. It just so happens that Zhiheng is also quite tired."
"You should accompany that princess from the South and have a good tour of the Chu Kingdom."
The Chu emperor clearly no longer wanted to hear any explanations.
Luo Cheng'an could only reply sullenly, "Yes, Father."
Although he verbally agreed, he clenched his fists tightly at his sides.
He was so angry that he gritted his teeth, wishing he could settle the score with Xie Xing right now.
After reprimanding Luo Cheng'an, the Chu Emperor turned around and said, "Let's go. I haven't seen the Empress Dowager in a long time. Let's go see her."
Upon hearing this, Xie Xing immediately raised her head, stood up, and followed behind the emperor, saying, "Your Majesty, it just so happens that I also need to go to the Empress Dowager's place. May I travel with you?"
The Chu emperor naturally agreed.
Xie Xing felt a great weight lifted off his shoulders and pulled Xie Jiaojiao to catch up with the emperor's procession.
The fifth princess was stunned for a moment, then immediately lifted her skirt and followed, saying, "Father, wait for me, I want to go too."
Everyone in the pavilion left quickly.
After everyone left, the prince's expression instantly darkened, and he kicked a stone bench in the pavilion.
However, because he happened to kick her toe, her facial expression twisted for a moment, making her look even uglier.
"Big brother." Luo Qingyun stood up, looking at Luo Cheng'an with a worried expression.
Luo Cheng'an took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the pain, and after a long while said, "Father has become increasingly dissatisfied with me these past few days."
"What kind of bewitching potion did Jun Lanjin give Father Emperor to make him favor him so much?!"
Luo Qingyun frowned: "Now that the Sixth Prince has returned to the capital, and Consort Lin is at the height of her power, if he really intends to compete for the position of Crown Prince, it will be disadvantageous for you."
"Moreover, Prince Jin is on the side of the Sixth Prince."
The more he spoke, the uglier Luo Cheng'an's expression became.
"The Xie family is currently enjoying great success, and now they have two daughters who will be the Fifth Princess's study companions. Elder brother, if you cannot marry Mingzhu, you will be severely overshadowed by the Sixth Prince."
Marrying Xie Mingzhu is no easy task.
Xie Mingzhu's engagement with Luo Mian has just been called off. If he were to get engaged to Mingzhu, it might arouse the emperor's suspicion and give others a handle to use against him.
"The one next to Xie Xing, doesn't he also seem to be a cousin of the Xie family?" Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, Luo Cheng'an turned his head to look at Luo Qingyun.
Luo Qingyun was puzzled.
He nodded: "They are cousins."
Luo Cheng'an smiled and said, "It seems that I haven't chosen a concubine yet."
Upon hearing this, Luo Qingyun raised her eyes to look at Luo Cheng'an, a thoughtful look flashing across her face.
That's a good idea.