Ping'er was so frightened that her face turned as white as paper. She quickly knelt down in front of Hong Shi and said in a trembling voice: "Second brother, please spare my life. I already know my mistake. I beg you to have mercy."
Hongshi sneered and said, "Just by acknowledging your mistake, can you treat it as nothing happened? Ping'er, nothing in the world is that cheap."
Ping'er said in a panic: "The Queen has promised to spare this slave's life. I... I am willing to redeem my sins. No matter what the second elder brother wants me to do, I am willing to do it."
Hongshi put the comb aside casually and said, "Then if I ask you to testify against Concubine Qin and say that she instigated you to wrongfully accuse the Queen, are you willing?"
Upon hearing this, Ping'er shrank and whispered: "Second Brother, are you talking about testifying in front of the Emperor?" When Hongshi nodded, she lowered her head and said nothing, obviously struggling in her heart.
Hongshi stared at her coldly and said, "What's wrong, you don't want to? Didn't you just categorically say that you would do anything? You regretted it so quickly."
Ping'er quickly shook her head and said, "No, I am not. It's just that I said that, will the emperor believe it?"
"You don't need to worry about this. I just ask you whether you are willing or not." Seeing Ping'er hesitate to speak, Hongshi said: "Ping'er, don't forget that you can live to this day and have no worries about food and clothing.
The days you live like a boudoir lady are all given to you by my empress. Since I can give you, I can also take it back. As I said just now, no one will know if I kill you."
"The Queen is kind-hearted, and she is very kind to me. If I can help you, I will naturally do it." Even so, Ping'er's body couldn't help trembling. It was obvious that she was not willing, but was forced by Hongshi.
It's just a threat.
Hongshi calmly saw her reaction in his eyes, smiled indifferently and said: "You don't have to worry, as long as you do what I say, I will definitely protect your life, and even let you continue to live like this."
Upon hearing this, Ping'er suddenly raised her head in surprise and said, "Isn't the second elder brother coaxing you?"
Hongshi showed a gentle smile for the first time, "I am a dignified elder brother, and I am also the betrothed prince of the current dynasty. What I am deceiving a little girl like you is, of course it is true."
This time Ping'er felt relieved and kowtowed repeatedly: "I am willing to obey the second elder brother's instructions."
"Very good, just stay here and I will come to you again when the time is right. But Ping'er, if I find you playing tricks and being dishonest, don't blame me for being rude."
Hong Shi's cold tone made Ping'er tremble with fright, and she quickly said: "Second brother, don't worry, such a thing will never happen."
"Okay!" With this word, Hongshi showed a silent smile. Ping'er thought that she had obtained a life-saving charm. Little did she know that when Hongshi saw her, he had already sentenced her to death in his heart.
In his opinion, a mistake is a mistake, and there is no such thing as atonement. Ping'er already died when she was ordered to frame Huang's mother. Now she is still alive, but because she can still use it.
Value, when all the value is squeezed out, is the day of her death.
The delicate balance of the former harem was broken by Hongshi's return. Both sides are scheming against each other, but in the end, which side will prevail is still unknown.
A few days later, Yinzhen ordered Hongshi to serve as an errand in the Ministry of Punishment and take charge of the unjust prisons in the world. This job was not light. In the past, Yinzhen had been an errand of the Ministry of Punishment for a long time. This also reflected Yinzhen's love for Hongshi from the side.
of attention.
Hongli saw all this in his eyes, and did not do anything or say anything. He just went about his errands in the Ministry of Personnel, secretly maintained correspondence with Hong Zhou, and secretly sent people to Henan to investigate the matter carefully.
The real cause of death of several wealthy people, he believed
This incident must have something to do with Hongshi, or perhaps it was Hongshi who killed him. As for the original murder case in Yixiangyuan, although nearly a year has passed and the hope of finding any more clues is almost slim, Hongli refused to do so.
He gave up and sent people to investigate secretly.
On this day, he returned home after finishing his official affairs. Before he could sit down, Xiao Zhengzi came in with an invitation and said: "Fourth elder brother, someone from the prince's palace sent an invitation to invite fourth elder brother to come in the evening."
Attend a banquet.”
"Dating to the prince's palace?" Hongli said as he took the invitation. It was indeed sent by Hongshi's order, but he didn't understand what Hongshi was doing by throwing a banquet for no reason?
While Hongli was still thinking, Xiao Zhengzi said: "Fourth Brother, I have something I don't know whether to say or not."
Regarding this little eunuch who had been with him for many years, Hongli did not act like an elder brother and said, "You can just say what you want."
"Yes." Xiao Zhengzi considered his words and said: "Second elder brother and you have always been at odds with each other. It has been so long since you have established a family, and second elder brother has never invited you to a banquet. Now that you are here suddenly, it's just that
I’m afraid it won’t be a good thing.”
Hongli stared at him and said, "Are you worried that it will be a Hongmen Banquet?"
Xiao Zhengzi lowered his head and said: "Yes, I am indeed worried about this, so I told you that it would be better for you, Fourth Brother, not to attend this banquet."
Hongli played with the invitation in his hand and said calmly: "It's rare for him to have a banquet. If I don't go, wouldn't I be disrespectful? Besides, even if it's really a Hongmen Banquet, can he still kill me?" Little Zhengzi didn't wait to say anything.
, Hongli is already a general
Throwing away the invitation, he stood up and said: "Don't worry, although he regards me as a thorn in his side, he will not harm me so blatantly, because he cannot afford the consequences. After all, this capital is not Fuzhou.
There is no way he can cover up the sky with one hand."
"Then this servant will go and tell the guards in the mansion to protect Brother Si." Xiao Zhengzi's words made Hongli laugh, "Didn't I already say that Hongshi didn't have the courage?
What are you going to do with so many people? You can just go with me when the time comes."
Seeing that Hongli had made up his mind, Xiao Zhengzi had no choice but to agree. At night, Hongli came to Prince Ding's Mansion. As soon as he arrived at the door, a steward came up to him. He greeted Hongli with a smile and greeted him, and then welcomed Hongli into the flower hall.
In the middle, Hongshi was already sitting there. When he saw Hongli coming in, he waved and said: "Come, sit down quickly, the food will be served soon."
After Hongli sat down as he was told, he said with a half-smile: "Why is my second brother so interested in inviting me to the mansion for a banquet today? This is the first time in my memory!"
Hongshi smiled and said, "It sounds like you are blaming me, the second brother, for being so stingy on weekdays?"
Hongli looked at his servants placing plates of delicacies on the table and said, "How dare you, I'm just a little curious."