Chapter 32

Marry Her as Empress Emeritus

Zhao Yuchen was well aware that the Prime Minister was comforting him, but he also understood that now it wasn't the time to act on a whim .

Before confirming that Bai Qingqing was beset with a crisis, he must remain calm and secretly send people to search for her .

This assassination targeted at him and Bai Qingqing was obviously carefully plotted beforehand to take his life once and for all .

But who could it be that so eagerly plotting for his death? Primary deduction would easily suggest who the initiator behind this was .

After Prime Minister Qin left, many high officials came in twos and threes to visit Zhao Yuchen .

Among them, the one most disgusting to Zhao Yuchen was Liu Xiangyi who lived in the Palace of Inlaid Harp .

In name, she was his concubine with whom he had held an official marriage . However, before she moved to the imperial palace, they had made an agreement that he would never give her love nor accompany .

The only thing he could afford to give her was the identity of imperial concubine, and the later status of the imperial concubine of the emperor emeritus . Except for these, there wouldn't be any conjugal love for her .

Unexpectedly, after so many years, this woman had forgotten the responsibility and stance she promised to take .

He meant to forgive her for her trapping Bai Qingqing into wearing Su Ruoqing's gown in order to irritate him .

But he didn't expect that through that warning, she learnt nothing, but she stepped up her scheme instead by making up the so-called cursed star epidemic .

Though he didn't have hard proof yet, the role she played in that incident must be huge .

Zhao Yuchen, in a bad mood, naturally didn't give her a slightest smile . With one simple sentence "I'm not in good mood to discuss anything", he had her sent away even without due courtesy .

Besides Zhao Yuchen and Prime Minister Qin, the one most concerned and sad because of Bai Qingqing's disappearance was the little Emperor, Zhao Rui .

He simply couldn't understand why just in a few days, Bai Jiejie, dead or alive remaining unknown, disappeared suddenly .

Just days ago, the gentle amiable sister Bai had been accompanying him in the imperial palace, chitchatting or coaxing him into taking medicine or sleeping .

The young emperor was really worried about her . Every day as soon as he finished the morning court, he would ask his father again and again whether there was any news about Bai Jiejie .

His constant concern was living proof for the saying that mother and son bonded the deepest . "Father, Bai Jiejie is really out of danger, right?"

"Of course!"

"So…when will she come back to me?"

"Very soon . "

"Father, can you marry Bai Jiejie when she comes back so she can be my mother?"

The questions shocked Zhao Yuchen .

He knew his son liked Bai Qingqing very much, but he didn't expect that his son had already treated Bai Qingqing as a mother figure in her heart .

He couldn't help lovingly stroking the young emperor's head and giving him a rare amiable smile, "My dear son, you want Bai Jiejie to be your mom?"

The young emperor nodded seriously, "Yes, Bai Jiejie is so kind and nice to me . Father you're still young, so I believe you'll marry someone in the future, why not just marry Bai Jiejie and let her be my mother?"

Zhao Yunchen nodded with a smile, "I promise you, once your Bai Jiejei is back, I'll marry her to the imperial palace and she'll be your mother . "

Getting his father's promise, the young emperor was less worried unconsciously .

Until seeing his son fall asleep did Zhao Yuchen step out of the Palace of Harmony and began to arrange the searching work . He ordered his finger men to conduct a secret investigation on who on earth had revealed their itinerary to the Putuo Temple, which led to the sudden assassination .

He wanted all those who framed him to know that setting up Zhao Yuchen would lead to only one consequence, and that was to die a tragic death .

Though Zhao Yuting promised to take Bai Qingqing to the capital and visit Prime Minister Qin in two days, the two days was extended to nine entire days under the pretext that "her heavy injury didn't allow her to go outside too soon" .

In these nine days, Bai Qingqing emphasized more than once that she herself was a doctor and was clear about her own condition, which was less serious then he claimed .

At least, she would be totally fine sitting in a carriage for hours to the capital .

However, Zhao Yuting found various excuses in order to veto her proposal .

Bai Qingqing was pissed off but had no choice . After all, she was now at his place and had to listen to him . Once he was irritated, she would face consequences that she even didn't dare to imagine .

She was no fool . Subconsciously, she knew that the reason why Zhao Yuting detained her in this big mansion was to pry for more information about her .

He utilized Prime Minister Qin as bait to cheat her into telling him her purpose of showing up in the capital, why she was assassinated and why she was heavily injured .

Fortunately, Bai Qingqing was smart enough to find proper excuses, in the face of Zhao Yuting's seemingly casual inquiry, to answer his questions without revealing the truth .

Therefore, she didn't have a good time staying at the Red-Crowne Crane Manor .

On the one hand, she had to be full alert to Zhao Yuting's inquiry and on the other hand, she must try her best to conceal her living habits .

Zhao Yuting was no less cunning than Zhao Yunchen . If Zhao Yuchen had been able to detect in a short time her resemblance to Su Ruoqing, then Zhao Yuting was most likely to discover something too .

Nine days later, Bai Qingqing made up her mind . No matter Zhao Yuting approved or not, she was determined to leave this place as soon as possible .

She thought Zhao Yuting would argue with her for some time, but to her surprise, when she seriously requested to go back to the capital, he didn't refuse, but instead he smiled and told her that the carriage was prepared, and they could start their journey at any time .

Of course Bai Qingqing knew that Zhao Yuting couldn't be this kind, but now she had no time to probe into his real intention .

As long as she returned to the capital and met with Prime Minister Qin, every of her questions would be naturally answered .

What depressed her was that Zhao Yuting only prepared one carriage . That meant she had to spend all time with him in the same narrow space all the way back to the capital .

What was more, the carriage was such a small one that could just accommodate two people, leaving no extra space at all .

Bai Qingqing really wished to go back on foot instead of sitting near him .

Yet, her leg wasn't fully recovered . The hundreds of miles journey would exhaust her to death if she really walked her way back .

Therefore, she forced herself into the carriage in Zhao Yuting's ridiculous smile, siting with him leg-to-leg and arm-to-arm .

On the way, Zhao Yuting could always find strange subjects to make her talk .

Bai Qingqing stuck to the principle of 'more said and more mistakes while nothing said and no mistakes', in order to minimize the words of her answers .

"Bai Guniang, may I ask did I do anything that makes you feel unforgivable?"

Bai Qingqing had planned to ignore him by taking a rest, eyes closed . Hearing what he said, she slowly opened her eyes, replying in a respectful but indifferent tone, "Why did young lord say this?"

"During the days you stayed in my place, I suppose I've treated you with courtesy, but you never opened your heart to me, and even aren't willing to talk with me . Therefore, I came to one conclusion that I might have offended you accidently . "

"No lord, you're my saver . I can't thank you enough . Why should I turn a cold shoulder to you?

As for your accusation that I don't open my heart to you or talk to you, that's because I'm just a village girl of humble origin . Barely do I have the chance to meet nobles like you .

So in front of you, I'm so nervous that I might say something inappropriate to upset you, so I try to remain humble and don't talk too much, so that you won't be irritated by me . "

While she was talking, the carriage suddenly bumped .

Bai Qingqing lost balance and fell right into Zhao Yuting's arms .

He at once held her and smiled, "I didn't want to believe your words, but now…"

He held her, not showing the slightest awkwardness, "Since you're proving yourself with behaviors, I guess I have to trust you . "

Bai Qing was so pissed off by his conclusion and hurriedly tried to get rid of his arms, frowning, "Don't take it wrong please . Just now, it was the carriage . Nothing to do with proving myself with actions . "

"You mean, my previous guess is actually correct?"

"What guess?"

"That you hate me!"

"Why would I hate you?"

"If you don't, why can't you wait to leave my arms?"