Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Six
Facing Zhu Jingchen's probing gaze, Xu Heming coughed lightly in embarrassment.
How was he supposed to answer that?
He, the future son-in-law, had bought wine for his future father-in-law, only for it to be fake and end up making the man collapse?
Just thinking about it made Xu Heming extremely flustered.
Seeing his evasive eyes, Zhu Jingchen grew even more curious.
After all, yesterday he had only received the news that Xiao Guozhi went to the residence of Liu Bozheng, the Minister of Justice, was pulled aside by Liu Bozheng's concubine for... breeding purposes, and was even caught in the act.
In the end, Liu Bozheng even gifted that concubine to Xiao Guozhi.
Thinking of this, Zhu Jingchen couldn't help but marvel at some people's stupidity. However, while Xiao Guozhi was rather ordinary in matters of social etiquette, he did possess a scholarly mind; otherwise, he wouldn't have reached the position of Vice Minister of Revenue.
With this in mind, Zhu Jingchen sized up Xu Heming. "Could it be that my intelligence was mistaken, and Minister Liu also sent a serving maid to Official Li?"
Zhu Jingchen's tone, full of suspicion, made Xu Heming choke. That was not something to say lightly.
If it reached Li Tianyou's ears, he would have another charge added to his list.
"No, it was that I inadvertently bought fake wine..." As Xu Heming said this, he himself felt awkward. To think he, the esteemed Prince An, had been swindled by a merchant! Thinking of Huo Yunxuan, who had tricked him, Xu Heming had wanted to go beat him up last night.
Unfortunately, that man probably knew his actions would incur his wrath and had simply run away!
Thinking of this, Xu Heming felt even more furious inside.
However, thankfully Li Tianyou was mostly unharmed, otherwise, he truly wouldn't know how to explain things to Li Zhiwei.
"What?" Zhu Jingchen wondered if he had misheard.
What foolish son-in-law buys fake wine for his future father-in-law?
If it were anyone else, Zhu Jingchen might think the person was short on money. But this was Xu Heming. Even if others lacked silver, Xu Heming would not.
Looking at Xu Heming's face, which couldn't be any darker, Zhu Jingchen knew it was true.
"Haha... haha..." Zhu Jingchen's hearty laughter made Eunuch Liu outside the hall couldn't help but peek inside.
After all, with the recent corruption case involving Liu Zongcheng, the Emperor hadn't laughed so heartily in a long time.
Who knew what method Prince An had used to amuse the Emperor so.
"Your Majesty, could you perhaps not laugh so loudly?" Xu Heming sighed, forced to speak up and remind him.
After all, this matter wasn't exactly honorable.
"Let me laugh for a while. It's been a long time since I've heard something so amusing," Zhu Jingchen said without any reservation.
Xu Heming's face was full of displeasure, but this was the Emperor, so he couldn't very well say no.
"Oh my, I say, Old Xu, you gave your father-in-law fake wine, and he had no objection?" Zhu Jingchen asked, looking at Xu Heming with a gossipy expression, extremely curious.
"Your Majesty, Official Li was drunk all last night after drinking the wine!" Mentioning this, Xu Heming also felt guilty. Thankfully, the imperial guard was quick-witted and knew to first feed him the Hundred Antidote Pill and Jade Clarity Pill. Otherwise, he would have been filled with regret.
It was also fortunate that Li Tianyou had invited Zhou Tong to drink with him, so Zhou Tong bore the brunt of the poison.
"Haha, you planned this all along, didn't you? Otherwise, how did you know Official Li was poisoned?" Zhu Jingchen couldn't help but ask.
"Official Li's personal attendant drank the wine with him. That person's reaction was different from Official Li's, so he called for a physician," Xu Heming truthfully replied.
Since he'd already lost face, if the Emperor wanted to hear it, he might as well let him hear it all. After hearing it, though, he'd have to keep it secret for him.
"Oh my, you poisoned your own father-in-law and even had someone test the poison first? From what you're saying, it sounds like that attendant had it worse than Official Li," Zhu Jingchen said sympathetically.
"Your Majesty, you've had your laugh. My father-in-law doesn't know about this matter. Could you keep it secret for me?" Xu Heming looked at Zhu Jingchen, pleading.
It was rare to see Xu Heming show weakness to him. Zhu Jingchen was in a good mood, feeling that since being granted the marriage, Xu Heming had become much more... human, less like an untouchable force.
Unlike before, when no matter how difficult the task, he could handle it for him.
"Haha, this matter, I definitely won't speak of it to others. But, Official Xu, where exactly did you buy this wine from? That person must have a grudge against you, right?" Zhu Jingchen thought to himself, in Lanuo Kingdom, there was actually someone daring enough to sell fake wine to Xu Heming. That was quite a character.
"Shouldn't Your Majesty be able to guess who that person is?" Thinking of this, Xu Heming gritted his teeth in anger.
If Huo Yunxuan had run any later, he would have definitely caught him to vent his fury.
"I know him?" This made Zhu Jingchen even more curious. In the imperial court, there were few who dared to provoke Xu Heming, and they probably wouldn't be selling anything to Xu Heming either.
"Huo Yunxuan!" Xu Heming said through clenched teeth.
"It was actually him!" Now it was Zhu Jingchen's turn to be surprised.
After all, this Huo Yunxuan was someone recommended by Li Tianyou.
That he would sell fake wine to Xu Heming was truly somewhat unexpected.
"Did you meet him before and incur some enmity?" Zhu Jingchen asked, puzzled.
"No. The day before, I even dined with him at Deyue Lou. At that time, I spent three thousand taels to buy a jug of wine called 'Nectar' from him. He even brought it out for me to taste then, and I thought the wine was indeed good. He also said it was something my father-in-law liked, so I bought a jug." Thinking of this, Xu Heming felt he hadn't been very smart. It was bad enough to overpay for wine, but to be swindled on top of that, and nearly causing harm to Li Tianyou...
"Tsk tsk tsk, I never imagined Huo Yunxuan would be so bold." Upon hearing this, Zhu Jingchen was also somewhat taken aback.
Li'an County
Li Zhiwei glared darkly at Liu Mazi, who was being restrained by the imperial guard.
"Take him to the magistrate's office."
Li Zhiwei said without mercy.
"To the magistrate's office? I haven't done anything to you. Miss Li, don't think taking me to the magistrate will do any good." Upon hearing he was to be taken to the magistrate, Liu Mazi wasn't afraid; instead, he became even more smug.
Because the concubine of Magistrate Cao of Li'an County happened to be his cousin.
He believed his cousin would definitely not let anything happen to him.
Li Zhiwei merely glanced at him calmly.
"Cousin, surely the magistrate's office wouldn't want to bother with such a scoundrel. Since we're unharmed now, why not just give him a beating and let it go?" Yao Shuheng was also worried that if this man went to the magistrate, he might say something he shouldn't.
After all, regarding what Liu Mazi had just said, he could still claim Liu Mazi was deliberately framing him.
"I don't agree with that reasoning, Cousin. Since he dared to scheme against my Li family, he should pay the corresponding price." While Li Zhiwei's words seemed directed at Liu Mazi, they were also undoubtedly meant for Yao Shuheng.
"Cousin is right!" Yao Shuheng frowned, not expecting Liu Mazi to be so useless. Now Li Zhiwei even wanted to send him to the magistrate.
He could only hope that later, this Liu Mazi wouldn't dare to say, and wouldn't say, anything he shouldn't.
Thinking this, Yao Shuheng shot a warning glance at Liu Mazi.
