Xiahou Rui stood up from behind, his coldly handsome face bringing a type of braveness that didnât warrant rejection.
He stood in front of Lou Qingwu, lifting up his face to look towards consort Ning, âThis prince, will drink it for her.â
Consort Ning gripped her handkerchief, âSecond prince, are you joking?â
Xiahou Rui: âRui never jokes. I just want to ask, what is consort Ning doing, making this bustling rose hibiscus into an anxious and hostile environment?â
If those three cups were all poisonous, then if after Miss Lou drank them, would she really be able to slip free of any trouble?
Yes, his father-empreror doted on her, but he wouldnât let her so clearly take a life like that!
The laughter on consort Ningâs face disappeared as she looked at Xiahou Rui solemnly, âIs second prince accusing me?â
Xiahou Ruiâs tall figure pressed down on the shadow in front of him, coldly speaking, âI wouldnât dare.â
But he wouldnât let her get away with it!
Lou Qingwu turned her face away, her eyes falling on Xiahou Ruiâs thin pursed lips.
A light flashed in her eyes and just as things were getting heated, spoke, âThis subject-girl knows which cup of wine doesnât have poison.â
XIahou Rui suddenly turned around, âThen good, point out which one it is and Iâll drink it for you.â
Lou Qingwu shook her head, âSecond prince, this is a test by consort Ning for me, so I can do it.â
Lou Qingwu didnât reply, she just looked at Xiahou Rui deeply, you donât believe in me?
Xiahou Rui pursed his lips, itâs not that he didnât believe in her, he was just worried about what happen, in case anything happened to her.
How could he let anything happen to her?
Lou Qingwu, instead, laughed, her mouth gently curving up, her eyes clear, âSecond prince doesnât have to worry. I believe that consort Ning isnât the type of hateful person, so she obviously wouldnât let Qingwu die, isnât that right, consort Ning?â
Consort Ningâs original smile froze, furrowing her brows at Lou Qingwu, â... Of course, Iâve always been benevolent.â
Did she find out?
How could that be?
Lou Qingwu continued to be gentle and obedient, âThen this subject-girl will be at ease.â
She lifted up a cup in front of her and was about to drink from it, but was stopped by Xiahou Rui.
âMiss Lou?â
Lou Qingwu pushed away his hand, lowering her voice, âBelieve in me.â
Xiahou Ruiâs hand didnât loosen, his dark eyes looking into Lou Qinguwus eyes.
When he saw no hint of fear in her face, he decided to believe in her.
He slowly loosened his hand.
Lou Qingwu lifted up the cup and drank it in a single swallow.
Consort Ningâs facial expression worsened.
âIt seems like, thereâs no problem.â The empress saw that nothing happened to Lou Qingwu, and then let out a relieved breath.
At the same time, she thought her second son was a bit too brash.
If his sudden appearance as well as public resistance to consort Ning travelled to the emperorâs ears, she was afraid that the emperorâs impression of him would get worse.
Just as everyone thought it was nearly about to end, Lou Qingwu suddenly lifted up the other two cups of wine.
She drank them both.
Everyone froze.
Even Xiahou Rui didnât think that sheâd do that, they were all shocked.
Only consort Ningâs expression, when Lou Qingwu drank it all down, became indescribably.
But to everyoneâs shock, nothing happened after Lou Qingwu drank down all the wine.
They all couldnât help but turn to look at consort Ning and seeing her bad expression, all lowered their heads.
Only Xiahou Rui and the empress had furrowed brows, âConsort Ning, what is the meaning of this?â
Consort Ningâs brows furrowed deeply, that d.a.m.n Lou Qingwu, to actually ruin her plans like that.
Today, her aim hadnât been to kill off Lou Qingwu at all.
But after her test, she found that second prince, Xiahou Rui, truly had intentions towards that eldest Miss Lou.
So as long as she made things difficult for Lou Qingwu, then he definitely wouldnât let anything happpen to her.
As long as he did something, she could take the chance to anger him and at that time, sheâd be able to complain to the emperor that he was publicly going against her.
At that time, the emperor would dislike the second prince even more.
Then his chances of becoming the crown prince would become a mere dream.
Even if Xiahou Rui didnât plan on sticking up for Lou Qingwu, to a normal person, hearing that there was poisonous wine, who would dare to drink it?
As long as this Lou familyâs eldest miss had even the smallest show of cowardice, she could add her own spice and make things even harder for her.
Then her impression in the emperorâs heart would get even worse.
Her originally well thought out plan was completely destroyed because she didnât think that this Lou familyâs eldest miss would actually dare to drink the wine.
Those three cups had no poison of course, how could she dare to put poison in them?
Even if she was just an officialâs daughter, she still couldnât let the emperor think that she was a poisonous woman.
Lou Qingwu watched as consort Ningâs facial expression rapidly changed.
*
TL note:
HAÂ @consort Ning, bye~
Leave a comment and for debate about who's most suitable as Xiahou Rui's consort (me) xx