Chapter 371: Seen Before

The Empress smiled coldly. “You are a stage-two warrior, but who in the Imperial City doesn’t know that you can win against a stage-four warrior? Perhaps you didn’t even exhibit your full potential during the Qing Jiao Competition. Other than yourself, who else would know about this? Besides, you have a weird fiend.”

She was referring to Tuan Zi. When Tuan Zi directly swallowed Heng Jingchuo’s force, it left a deep impression on many people.

The Empress had always felt that Chu Liuyue was mysterious and that her limits were unknown. Previously, Rong Zhen mentioned that Chu Liuyue had met with some fortune, which caused her to transform into the current enviable talent from her previous good-for-nothing status.

Perhaps Si Meng was really killed by her or the person behind her.

“Also, you’ve previously gone up to Jiuyou Tower’s sixth floor! How do you explain that?” The more the Empress said, the more certain she sounded.

The expression of Emperor Jiawen and the rest gradually had a strange change. Just listening to whatever the Empress said sounded ridiculous, but upon deeper thought, there was such a possibility.

There had been too many strange things happening to Chu Liuyue within these few months. Things that seemed impossible to other people somehow made sense when it came to her.

Si Meng’s death might really perhaps be…

Chu Liuyue was caught between laughter and tears. “Thank you for your high praise, Her Majesty. But if I really killed Si Meng like you said, why don’t I directly kill the Fourth Princess as well? Wouldn’t everything end easier this way?”

The Empress was stumped.

Rong Jin angrily hollered, “It’s naturally because you’re afraid that you’d be exposed! As the princess, Rong Zhen has a device that allows her to call for help. Once you push her to a dead end, she’ll definitely expose your identity and your location.”

Chu Liuyue looked at Rong Jin as if she were looking at a fool. “Your Highness, allow me to say something. Previously, the Empress said that I could kill a stage-five warrior in a moment. Do you think that the Fourth Princess’s abilities and reaction speed would be stronger and faster than a stage-five warrior?”

Rong Jin was stumped, and his face flashed white and red.

Si Meng definitely accompanied Rong Zhen by her side. If Chu Liuyue could kill Si Meng, it would be easier to kill Rong Zhen.

Before Rong Zhen could send out the help signal, Chu Liuyue would definitely kill her to settle all the problems.

The Empress looked even worse. This was because only she knew that Rong Zhen’s signal device wasn’t with her but with Si Meng.

Ever since Rong Zhen’s pearl of essence broke, Si Meng had always been by her side; he never left.

For safety reasons, they had long prepared this.

But to say this now, other than proving that the person who killed Si Meng was even stronger than they thought, it posed no advantage whatsoever. It might even upset His Majesty further.

Rong Jin looked at Situ Xingchen with much difficulty and whispered, “Xingchen, what should we do now?”

Situ Xingchen sneered in her heart and hated Rong Jin even more. Rong Jin is even more stupid than I had thought. I wonder how he stayed as the Crown Prince for so long.

Situ Xingchen looked down. Her lashes trembled, and she innocently and genuinely said, “Your Highness, I only saw those things that day, and I’ve said everything there is to be said. However, I can’t do anything more.”

Rong Jin was a bit anxious. “According to you, Chu Liuyue must’ve hidden Rong Zhen. However, she doesn’t want to admit it now. This—”

“Your Highness, I did not say that, but you previously said that the Fourth Princess met with trouble. Hence, I unintentionally told you about this. Is this… elder’s status rather troublesome?” Situ Xingchen silently extracted herself from the situation.

However, Rong Jin didn’t notice this at all. On the contrary, Situ Xingchen’s words reminded him of something.

“Chu Liuyue, you said so much, but you still haven’t proven your innocence! On the other hand, Xingchen had never come to Country Yao Chen before, and she didn’t know about Si Meng’s presence. If she’s lying, how would she know Si Meng? Besides, she has no grudge against anyone involved in this incident. Why would she set you up? However, you… Rong Zhen had previously offended you, so you’re trying to use this opportunity to take revenge, right?”

Chu Liuyue’s gaze landed on Situ Xingchen, and she smiled with deep meaning. “The Crown Prince is right, and I really don’t understand. Eldest Princess Situ and I have never interacted, and we don’t have grudges at all. Thus, I really don’t know why Eldest Princess Situ wants to set me up.”

Situ Xingchen looked at Chu Liuyue calmly, and she appeared as gracious and kind as usual. “Ms. Chu, I didn’t set you up. From start to end, I was just saying what I saw and heard.”

Chu Liuyue’s eyes turned, and her gaze landed on Situ Xingchen’s sleeves.

When she saw Situ Xingchen again in Tai Yan Academy, she realized that Situ Xingchen had changed clothes and that her sleeves didn’t have that embroidery any longer.

Looking at her again, it was still the same.

Chu Liuyue didn’t believe Situ Xingchen when she said that she didn’t know about Rong Xiu burning more than half of his clothes. She wouldn’t be like this if she didn’t suffer great humiliation. Obviously, this Eldest Princess Situ has shifted all her anger to me.

The Empress took the opportunity to say, “Your Majesty, Xingchen’s words are more credible. On the other hand, from start to end, Chu Liuyue hasn’t produced any evidence regarding where she was that day. I think we won’t be able to get anything out of her if this continues. Why don’t we lock her up and get someone to properly interrogate her… Perhaps we’ll get a different conclusion.”

The entire palace fell into dead silence.

The Empress meant that she was going to severely torture and interrogate Chu Liuyue.

Chu Ning first stood up. “Impossible!”

It was impossible for him to watch Yue’er get locked up without doing anything.

What kind of place is jail? How can Yue’er go to such a place? Besides, there might be the Empress’s people inside! Once Yue’er goes in, god knows what she will suffer!

“Lieutenant Mu is still in the Imperial City, and he might bring Yue’er to the Tianling Dynasty at any time. If we lock Yue’er up now, may I know how you will explain to Lieutenant Mu, Her Majesty?”

Bringing up Mu Qinghe had indeed made the Empress falter. “T-then, what should we do? Are we just going to let it pass?”

At this point, Rong Jiu—who hadn’t said anything at all for a long time—suddenly said, “Actually, it’s very simple. As long as we find Rong Zhen, the truth will prevail.”

The Empress sneered. “That’s easy to say! We still need to ask Chu Liuyue if she’s willing to hand Zhen Zhen over!”

Rong Jiu’s gaze turned strange. He then stood up and solemnly bowed to Emperor Jiawen. “I’m guilty. Father, please punish me.”

Emperor Jiawen knitted his brows. “Rong Jiu, what are you playing at?”

Rong Jin pronounced every word clearly as he said, “I’ve seen the Fourth Princess the day before.”