Detective Ghost Empress

356 A crippled man

Ji Yu did not speak nor did she contradict what Zhai Tianyu was telling her, she had been dormant all these years staying next to Zhai Tianyu because she knew that she will be able to get him in the end. She played the role of the kind friend and cousin because she wanted Zhai Tianyu to think that she was different from the rest but who would have thought that after so many years she would be sitting in front of him answering a question that she did not want to answer?

” I did not hear your response, consort,” said Zhai Tianyu with a raise of his brow as he looked at the woman who was sitting in front of him in silence.

” What do you want me to say?” Ji Yu raised her head and glared at the man with a narrowed pair of eyes, her hands were clenched in her lap as she breathed harshly while trying to keep her composure intact. ” I know that you think I have been lying to you, your majesty but not once did I hide anything when it came to you … I have been loyal to you just as much as Brother Heng and Brother Lingyun!”

” That is the only reason why you are sitting in front of me and not in the dungeons, consort,” replied Zhai Tianyu as the carriage came to a halt and then he turned his body such that he could lift the curtain that was drawn to hide them behind it. ” As long as you stay loyal to me, I promise you that nothing between us will change and I will always forgive you for actions that step on my bottom line unless you do something grave and go over it.”

With that he pushed the curtain and stepped outside leaving Ji Yu behind as she bit her bottom lip, she knew that this was Zhai Tianyu’s warning to her. He was telling her subtly not to go against the queen but —— she looked down at the velvety red pouch that she had been carrying with her since the beginning and bit her lip even harder but if she does not do it then her majesty, the Grand Dowager Empress will definitely replace her with her cousin.

And if she did as her grandaunt asked her to do, then she was certain that Zhai Tianyu will hate her even more.

” Why? Why is my life so difficult?” Ji Yu clenched the pouch in her fingers that held one of the most potent poisons that could kill anyone with one single drop. ” I just want to be loved, so why is it so hard? What do they want me to do? ”

….

” You seriously want me to do this jumbo stunt!?” Liu Hui Ying looked at the cliff where the hunting grounds were located and then at the bridge that was connected to the mainland. She tugged her heavy robe and tried to balance her crown on top of her while she looked at the palanquin bearers and then at the fragile-looking bridge that seemed like it could not even hold the weight of one person at one time.

.....

” Everything will be fine your majesty,” said Nanny Gong as she looked at the moving bridge on which people were used to riding horses and then turned to look at Liu Hui Ying. ” It is stronger than it looks——-”

The words were not even out of the mouth of Nanny Gong when a plank of the bridge broke and the foot of the palanquin bearer who was carrying the palanquin of the seventh Concubine sunk past the bridge causing the palanquin to tilt and the seventh concubine to scream in agony and fear.

If not for the other palanquin bearers who worked hard to keep the palanquin stable, the seventh concubine would have fallen into the water after taking a tumble.

The three women looked at the sight in front of them as the people around them helped the seventh concubine while Liu Hui Ying took a step back and then said in a determined voice, ” No.”

” I got in this stupid dress, wore this stupid crown and got myself roasted like I was turkey in the oven while sitting in the carriage but I am not getting in that rock a by baby bridge that looks weaker than the stamina of all the men who tried to pursue me,” said Liu Hui Ying while pointing at the bridge that was moving while making a lot of sounds. ” Do you hear that Kerr, Kurr, Kirr? That’s not the sound of its planks moving, it’s the cries of the poor soul of the bridge pleading with you guys to give him, his retirement fund so it can have its last of the days in peace and then go off the underworld, after enjoying his remaining time.”

” You are overreacting, your Majesty,” Nanny Gong stated as she tried to make Liu Hui Ying sit in the palanquin. ” This bridge is one that even saw the late, late, late Emperor hunting a rare black deer!”

” Oh ho, then it’s past its retirement age, even more, the reason for me to not get onto that thing,” Liu Hui Ying muttered as she tried to dig her feet into the ground only to be pushed and pulled by Little Ai and Nanny Gong.

” It will be fine your majesty——-” Little Ai spoke but then Liu Hui Ying paused and then turned to look at the trees behind them causing the two women to take a tumble as she looked at the place with a frown and then without caring about the two women who were on the ground, she turned to walk towards the place from where she felt the grudge coming from.

” Your majesty, where are you going?” Nanny Gong scrambled to her feet as she chased after Liu Hui Ying followed by Little Ai who was only a second late. The two of them thought that Liu Hui Ying was trying to get away from climbing on the bridge when suddenly they felt the pressure around them dip and something came flying towards them.

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