The fourth prince's palace was calm and quiet. The Xiang Wang was in the emperor's court and his concubine Duan was in her study checking the expense book.
Everyone was busy with their respective duty when a silent figure entered the courtyard. A shadow guard in the fourth prince's palace brought them to meet Duan Jiali.
"Master, he's here."
Duan Jiali casually looks up from the account book and finds two people standing in front of her. A shadow guard under her command and He Lian.
"He Xianshang."
He bows to the concubine.
"Liu Changsheng wants to go find lady Du."
Her expression didn't change at all. She only nods. And immediately the other shadow guard made plans to go to the sect.
The sect where Du Niang was held confined. The Yinghu Sect hidden in the forest.
And thus He Lian took Liu Changsheng to the Yinghu Sect to find Du Niang.
They made it look like they were trespassing. But when in front of a locked room He Lian showed a metal tiger emblem to a shadow guard, Liu Changsheng knew it wasn't what it looked like.
The black clad person, opened the door of the room to reveal a haggered thin woman sitting on a bare bed. Her clothes were dishelved. Her hair looked unkempt, as if it hasn't been combed for ages. When she looked up, her eyes looked dull and unfocused. She looked like the epitome of a rogue.
But the moment she recognised Liu Changsheng a fierceness surprisingly appeared in her face and whole body. She jumps up from the bed and rushes towards Liu Changsheng and with all the strength she could master held his neck choking him out of breath.
"Xiang Wangfei? Liu Changsheng? You're back, are you? You are the reason for all of this. You are the reason for me to fall out of favour. You are the reason that everything happened in Dachen. You are the reason. You are the reason I'm here. I'll kill you Liu Changsheng."
But before she could do any harm she was held down by a shadow guard. The woman's eyes were bloodshot. It could be said that she has gone mad.
But Liu Changsheng has no way to think about that at a time like this. He was busy catching his breath while He Lian helped him out of the room.
After getting used to the sudden rush of air into his body, Liu Changsheng started thinking about what concubine Du has said.
"What did she mean by I was the reason for everything that happened to Dachen?"
"Liu Xianshang. Don't pay heed to her words. She's but a maniac now."
Then they took concubine Du to the imperial court. To prove his innocence was Liu Changsheng's only goal.
The imperial court is the place where you all can see an assortment of followers of the emperor trying to gain their interests. No matter how good they knew about the emperor, they would not stop at anything to protect their own interests.
And this is a place where Liu Changsheng had to appear. In front of the person who was directly or indirectly the reason of his sufferings.
When Liu Changsheng stood in front of the emperor, his only thought was to just prove his innocence and never bow to this man.
"Xiao Long?"
"Liu Changsheng."
The court instantly filled with low humming of the court officials. The fourth prince sat in his place wondering why would Liu Changsheng suddenly reveal his identity in front of the court.
The emperor did not say anything to this.
"I am here today to appeal my own innocence in front of the imperial court."
Nobleman Sun who sat on his father's place objected to his appeal. "And how do you think you can do it?"
Liu Changsheng looks at the position the man was sitting in. That used to be his father's position. That was assigned to this Nobleman Sun who always wanted a position in the imperial court. And immediately took the opportunity to recommend himself after his father was assassinated.
But he didn't say anything. He just looks away from the older man and focuses his attention to the emperor.
"You highness. I would like to start by presenting concubine Du of his highness the second prince's harem. She took her jealousy towards me on the empress grandmother. By poisoning her tea on her birthday. And then framing me for it. She used a maid from the Xiang Wang's palace to frame me of assassination."
"But concubine Du is missing for nearly six years now." The emperor said.
"No, your highness." A shadow figure came out to the front from in the crowd. "Concubine Du Niang was confined in the Yinghu Sect on the Sect master's order."
It was the same shadow guard who prevented concubine Du from hurting Liu Changsheng.
"If your highness permits I will bring Concubine Du to the court."
The emperor nods. And on his permission a thin dishelved lady in greyed hanfu was brought into the court in chains by two black clad shadow guards.
"San Niang Zi?"
The second prince Yao Wang was surprised to see the woman held dear in his heart in this condition. He never believed the words of Liu Changsheng from the start. But today after everything that happened and what his brother has gone through he was not sure anymore.
"San Niang Du. If Liu Changsheng's claims are correct, confess your crimes."
The tired looking woman was finally tired of her life. So she just nods.
"It was me. I wanted to poison Liu Changsheng. But he presented the tea to empress grandmother."
"San Niang Zi. Only out of jealousy?"
"Wangye. Dui bu qi. But I don't regret it."
"San Niang Du. Zhen pronounce you as an assassin. You would be executed the day after tomorrow." The emperor showed a furious side which he rarely shows.
But surprisingly Concubine Du just laughs. She has completely turned into a maniac.
"Does your highness think his goal will be fulfilled? Never!"
But before she could say anything else she was taken away to be thrown into the dungeon.
The fourth prince was just looking at his Wangfei. Who he could have a great life with. But fate played a big game with them.
"Your highness. I want to appeal for Liu Changsheng as the sect master of Yinghu." Concubine Duan came into the court.
"Liu Changsheng was not the one to poison the empress grandmother. It is proven. But there is another charge against him. He was charged as an assassin who conspired to assassinate the emperor. Concubine Li, who was a prime witness of the emperor's assassination, was killed. I appeal that Liu Changsheng is innocent of removing witness. He did not kill Concubine Li Xiang."
Hello my dearies!! How you guys doing?? Here's a new chapter!
And hope you guys like this chapter! I won't drag this further!
Enjoy
All the love
C 💕
Also please don't forget to vote!! ⭐⭐
YOU ARE READING
EMPRESS LIU
Historical FictionWhen Liu Changsheng came into the Emperor's household marrying the fourth Prince he had no ambition at all. He was just a fool in love. He was assaulted, betrayed, taken advantage of and then thrown to the side after used up. And died like a nobody...
