Chapter 39

"Your Majesty... can this humble girl ask the palace maid a few questions?" Tang Kexin suddenly turned around. Her voice was very gentle, and her expression was light. It was hard to tell how she was feeling.

"Yes, of course. If you have any questions, just ask." The emperor was slightly puzzled. She could ask the person any question right away as she wanted, but why did she has to ask him for permission?

"When Xin'er was to ask questions, she hoped that no matter what, no one was to disturb, no one was to talk, no one was to make a noise nor was to make any influential actions." The smile on Tang Kexin's face had completely disappeared. She's wearing an extremely serious expression right now.

"Alright, Zhen promise you." The Emperor frowned slightly, his deep eyes becoming even more puzzled. What kind of question would require so much seriousness?

However, at this moment, the Emperor's curiosity was piqued. He really wanted to know what Tang Kexin would do, so he nonchalantly expressed his agreement.

Everyone had a face full of curiosity, and even Ye Lanjue's eyes had a strange look in them.

The court lady kneeling on the ground heard Tang Kexin's words and saw that Tang Kexin's face was solemn. Her body slowly stiffened as her hands hidden under her sleeves subconsciously tightened. Her palms were sweating profusely.

Tang Kexin's grave seriousness made her frightened and intimidated. Within her heart she felt the pressure that she could barely breath.

"Xin'er, what do you want to ask to be so serious?" The smile on Imperial Consort Ming's beautiful face wavered, and her gentle voice quavered.

Imperial Consort Ming, Li Mingzhu, was the Old General Li's beloved daughter. When Old General Li went to war with the late emperor, they fell into dangerous situation where he valiantly saved the late emperor's life. Since then, his prestige in the imperial court was extremely high, and his influence had become extremely great.

Old General Li had his daughter in his later years, thus he treated her like a pearl. As such, he named her Li Mingzhu. Li Mingzhu entered the palace eight years ago and was directly conferred the title of Imperial Consort.

Someone once guessed that if Li Mingzhu was born ten years earlier, the position of Empress would have definitely belonged to her.

Of course, there were those who didn't agree with this assumption. Empress Mu Wanqing was the daughter of Tutor Mu, and at that time, Tutor Mu had no military power and didn't have much influence in the court. And back then, although Old General Li didn't have a daughter yet, there were countless of important officials who had a daughter.

But the emperor insisted on marrying Mu Wanqing in an elaborate and grandeur manner. Moreover, the moment she married into the palace, she was immediately conferred the title of 'Empress'.

At that time, many people could not understand why the Emperor, who had just ascended to the throne and was still unstable in his position and power, made such reckless decision.

"Just now, the Emperor promised this commoner that no one would disturb her. Didn't the honourable Imperial Concubine Ming hear it?" Tang Kexin looked at her. Her eyes batted leisurely. Her expression was innocent and confused.

The corner of Ye Lanchen's mouth twitched. She really had trained her ability to play pig that would eat the tiger to her heart's content.

The corner of Ye Lanjue's eyebrows slightly rose.

The smile on Imperial Consort Ming's face froze, and her expression slightly changed. The corner of her lips moved, but she did not say another word.

In this situation, the others naturally wouldn't say anything.

The emperor didn't say anything either, only lightly smirked.

Tang Kexin looked at Imperial Consort Ming and smiled purely and sincerely.

In the eyes of Imperial Consort Ming, however, that smile was nothing but of a nine-tailed-fox. She 'harrumphed' as a tinge of redness flashed across her face.

Tang Kexin ignored her and directly face the palace maid that had just framed her, asking in an extremely casual tone. "What's your name?"

"This servant's name is Xiao Cui." The palace maid stared blankly, not expecting the solemn Tang Kexin to only ask her this question. She didn't stammer nor hesitated when she answered. But to those who knew her would be amazed, because the usual her usually stammered when being asked such a simple question.

"En, Xiao Cui, not bad." Tang Kexin nodded her head seriously.

Xiao Cui was stupefied, and looked at Tang Kexin with eyes full of confusion. She didn't understand what she meant.

Of course, the crowd was even more confused. What did Tang Ke mean by 'not bad'? They felt that although this fool had recovered from her illness, she was still messing around.

"Where did you see the body?" Tang Kexin's heart skipped a beat before he asked again. These words contained a hint of mysteriousness.

"…" Xiao Cui paused for a moment, but then said: "When this servant passed by the rock mountain she saw Miss Tang used a stone to smashed at Juhua."

Tang Kexin laughed inwardly. 'Not bad! Her mental fortitude is not bad. Her reaction is also quick. This is great!'

"Which palace are you from?" Tang Kexin's red lips parted slightly, but her question was even more casual.

"This servant is from Lian Yi Yuan." Xiao Cui's eyes flashed, she was obviously surprised by the question, but she replied fluently.

"Where are you going on such a hot day?" Tang Kexin continued to ask the second question.

"Noble Lian sent a servant to fetch some ice to relieve her from the heat." Xiao Cui replied repeatedly, but she was even more confused, she was so serious just now, and now she was just asking her these questions?

"Do you know the deceased?" The third question, Tang Kexin's words were even more light and casual.

"Yes, she is Juhua." Xiao Cui's answer became much easier, a question like that was obviously not a problem at all.

Tang Kexin had asked a total of three questions, all of which were extremely simple. Moreover, the last question was related to this matter, but it was just a trivial and insignificant one.

"Which palace are you from?" Then, Tang Kexin asked again the first question.

"This servant is from Lian Yi Yuan." Xiao Cui thought that she had forgotten, so she asked again, but she replied quickly.

"Where are you going on such a hot day?" Tang Kexin's second question was still repeated.

"Noble Lian sent this servant to fetch some ice to relieve her from the heat." Xiao Cui was startled, and continued to answer.

"Do you know the deceased?" Tang Kexin's third question was still the same.

"Yes, her name is Juhua." At the moment, Xiao Cui had already relaxed, her heart filled with contempt.

Although Xiao Cui's face didn't change, and her voice didn't, Tang Kexin could clearly hear the changes.

That was what she wanted.

Just now, she had asked the Emperor to promise her that he wouldn't allow anyone to disturb her when she asked her questions. This was very important. That process really couldn't be disturbed. Of course, at the same time, she was deliberately putting on a solemn air, a prerequisite ambiance for it to work perfectly.

At first, Xiao Cui was definitely very nervous, especially on guard, but after hearing her repeated questions, she lowered her guard and loosen up.

In a situation where a person was extremely nervous and vigilant, once they loosen up, they would become complacent. And the real emotion would eventually manifest. The more the person felt relaxed, the more that person's mood would rise and fall.

Xiao Cui was no longer taking her seriously, she probably already treated her like some fool.

Tang Kexin laughed inwardly, but her expression remained unchanged as she continued to ask her the same question. After asking her three questions twice, she repeated them a third time, but neither the questions nor how it was asked changed in the slightest.

But, her speed of questioning had unknowingly increased. Xiao Cui's reaction speed was indeed top notch, Tang Kexin asked quickly, and she answered very quickly.

Tang Kexin's question was the same, and Xiao Cui's answer was the same.

Everyone heard Tang Kexin's repeated questions and felt a little dizzy. However, they were even more confused. Just what was Tang Kexin trying to do?

Could it be that her illness had not completely recovered and she had become a fool again, so she kept asking these simple questions?

However, since the Emperor had already spoken, and since there was an example of Imperial Consort Ming from before, no one dared to disturb Tang Kexin at this moment.

Ye Lanjue's gaze at Tang Kexin had become more and more profound.

Tang Kexin asked the question a third time, then a fourth. It was still the same question, but the speed at which the question was being asked was unknowingly increasing.

Xiao Cui's reply speed also unconsciously sped up, synchronizing with her.

"Which palace are you from?"

"This servant is from Lian Yi Yuan."

"Where are you going on such a hot day?"

"Noble Lian sent a servant to fetch some ice to relieve the heat."

"Do you know the deceased?"

"Yes, she is Juhua."

"Who killed Juhua?" After the fourth time, Tang Kexin suddenly changed her question. However, her tone was still as casual and natural as before, completely unfazed.

"This servant doesn't know, this servant didn't see …" Xiao Cui had long since lost all her defenses, and at this moment, under such a speed of speech, Tang Kexin used the same natural and casual tone but suddenly changed the question. She had no time to react at all, and without even thinking about it, she could only instinctively blurt out the answer.

Of course, in a situation like this where she was completely unprepared and had no time to react, what she said was the absolute truth.

This was because Tang Kexin didn't give her time to compose a lie.

Everyone was shocked, and sounds of breathing could be heard. However, no one spoke. The entire world seemed to quiet down.