Chapter 79 Bluffing
"Is this really true?" The Emperor of Southern Qi turned around and was about to order someone to investigate thoroughly.
The second prince quickly stopped him: "Father, why don't you let me check it out?"
Noble Concubine Wan felt sorry for her son's running around, so she stepped out to hold him back at the right time: "My son, you've been tired after a day. You'd better ask your father to send someone to investigate. Anyone who dared to cheat during the winter hunt must be severely punished if he is found out." She had heard from the palace maids that the second prince had a good harvest, and she was eager for her son to be the only one to get the top spot and show off in front of the Emperor of Southern Qi and the princes, so as to create the image of a "virtuous king" who is both civil and military. Anyone who dared to drag other people's prey to make up the number is simply her son's potential rival, and of course she must find out as soon as possible.
Tang Ying suppressed the laughter in her stomach and nodded solemnly, "Your Majesty is right! Although I have never participated in winter hunting, I dare to cheat under your Majesty's nose. I also think this person's character is worrying!"
Yuan Lang was afraid that if he kept silent, he might be fooled by Tang Ying and convicted in a few words, so he immediately said with a face full of shame: "Father, there is something I haven't had time to tell you. My third brother was so brave today that he led people to hunt seven wild boars. Miss Tang just mentioned it, and I am afraid... Why don't you send someone to investigate first, and call my third brother over to ask?"
He was smart and cleared himself of all charges as soon as he opened his mouth.
The Emperor of Southern Qi never expected that it might be his own son. Fortunately, Tang Ying mentioned it casually during a casual chat. If it was revealed during the dinner, wouldn't it be a great disgrace to him?
His tiger eyes were filled with thunderous anger: "Go and call the third brother over."
Yuan Ying had picked up a ready-made great bargain today, and also put on a good show in front of the Second Prince. After washing up, she went to pay her respects to Concubine Hui in her palace. She was talking excitedly while drinking hot tea and eating snacks, when the eunuch who delivered the imperial decree came to invite her.
He put down his snacks and asked, "Does the eunuch know why my father summoned me ?"
Eunuch Liu San found a seat for Lord Fu in the corridor outside the palace of Concubine Wan. He came personally to greet people: "This... I was outside the palace at that time, and I didn't know why Your Majesty summoned you." Seeing that the Second Prince had cleared himself, why should he be stupid?
Yuan Ying came over happily, but as soon as she stepped into the hall, she felt that the atmosphere was not right.
The Emperor of Southern Qi was eying him covetously, Noble Consort Wan had a sneer in her eyes, the Second Prince looked concerned, but Tang Ying, seeing him for the first time, couldn't help but look at him several times. She could only sigh in her heart that the royal family's genetic inheritance only selected beauties, and the princes born were all good-looking.
Yuan Ying bowed and greeted him, and at this moment he finally felt a little nervous: "I wonder if the emperor summoned me here for something?"
Emperor of Southern Qi: "I heard that you led people to hunt and kill seven wild boars today?"
Yuan Ying felt relieved, and a hint of uncontrollable pride appeared on her face: "Father knows about this, too?"
That's an admission.
The Emperor of Southern Qi suddenly discovered that when Tang Yao's daughter was placed together with his own son, he actually preferred Tang Ying to his own son - it was actually because Tang Ying was too calm, and Yuan Ying's unconcealed pride was a bit eye-catching.
"But I also heard that someone hunted and killed seven wild boars, but they were dragged away by others to make up the number. I would like to ask the emperor if he has heard about this?"
Yuan Ying remembered that the arrow feathers on the wild boar were of the standard type used by the troops stationed in the capital, so he made up his mind to deny it and pretended to be surprised: "Is there such a thing? Is there a mistake? Father, who would be so stupid as to hunt seven wild boars and not have them brought back? Could it be that he made up this nonsense because he was jealous of other people's prey?"
The Southern Qi Emperor asked kindly, "Tang Ying, what do you say?"
Tang Ying chuckled: "What the Third Prince said is not impossible."
Everyone in the hall was shocked and went to see her.
Imperial Concubine Wan was furious that the person implicated in this matter was actually the Second Prince's little follower Yuan Ying. It was conceivable that this matter was also related to her son. She was even more disgusted with Tang Ying and finally couldn't help but sneered: "It's ok for you to be jealous in private, but you actually dared to report it to Your Majesty. How audacious!"
Tang Ying was not panicked at all, and smiled and said, "Your Majesty, even if it is a trial, we have to listen to the testimonies of both parties and find evidence before we can make a final decision. Moreover, we cannot just listen to the one-sided words of this minister."
"So it was you who reported it?" Yuan Ying was furious. "Who are you? With your small body, you can actually hunt wild boars. Isn't this a joke?"
"I just mentioned this when chatting with Your Majesty. But since Your Majesty wants to interrogate you, I will ask Your Majesty the Fourth Prince and five come and testify. They are all participants. In addition, one of the wild boars had its eyes pierced by arrow feathers. I used a chain arrow, two arrows were shot at the same time, and a total of three wild boars were hit by the chain arrows. May I ask Your Majesty, is there anyone around you who can shoot two arrows at the same time?"
Yuan Ying: "Continuous... continuous arrows?"
The Emperor of Southern Qi was shocked and asked, "Have you learned your father's archery skills?" Even the way he addressed him changed.
Tang Yao was a master archer and could shoot three arrows at the same time without missing a target.
Tang Ying said: "My archery skills are far inferior to my father's. So far, I can only shoot two arrows at the same time."
Yuan Ying thought of the ordinary arrow feathers on the wild boar, and she was even more determined to cry. She struggled for a while: "I don't have any archery experts around me, but it is more than enough to hunt a few wild boars. Miss, you have to show evidence and don't accuse people casually." By the way, she secretly cast a look for help to the second prince.
The Second Prince really hated Yuan Ying for not living up to his expectations, and also blamed him for not thinking of this. He thought Yuan Ying was lucky and the guards around him were good, so he returned with a full load. However, he couldn't just watch Yuan Ying being accused of "stealing other people's prey to make up the number" by Tang Ying, and the seven wild boars were piled up in his prey pile, and he wouldn't be able to explain it clearly when the time came.
“Father, since you have objections, it is better to make them clear. Maybe… maybe the wild boars killed by Miss Tang are still in the hunting ground…” Facing the majestic gaze of the Emperor of Southern Qi, the Second Prince felt that what he said was a little bit against his will.
Tang Ying even mentioned the archery technique he used, so he must have seen the prey with his own eyes.
He suddenly felt a little flustered, as if he had made a great decision. He turned around and asked Yuan Ying, "Third brother, tell me, did you drag those seven prey here or did you lead your own people to hunt them?"
Yuan Ying seemed to be greatly insulted. He didn't expect that Yuan Lang, whom he was trying to curry favor with, would actually turn around and ask him.
"Second brother, how can you question me just because you heard one side of the story? I have always been respectful to you and always thought of you. Don't you believe me?"
Yuan Lang felt bitter in his mouth - Brother, I want to believe you, but you have to provide strong evidence!
Yuan Ying was not a quick-witted person to begin with, and he was sure that Tang Ying could not produce any stronger evidence other than a few words, so he bluffed and said, "If your father does not believe me, why not go to the square and take a look yourself? The arrows that hit the wild boars were all shot by the guards around me. I don't know where this wild girl came from, but she dared to frame me!"
The name "Tang Ying" sounded familiar to him, but because the identity of the Second Prince and the fake Miss Tang was kept secret very well, even he was kept in the dark and did not associate her with Tang Yao's daughter for a while. He tried hard to recall the origins of the girl in front of him, but found that his memory was blank and he really could not remember it.
The Southern Qi Emperor looked at the sky and realized that it was almost time for the banquet. If the problem could not be solved in time and spread to the princes of various places, it would be another joke. He stood up and said, "Then let's go and take a look." When he saw Fu Chen waiting outside, he said, "Mr. Fu, come over as well."
Fu Chen bowed and glanced at Tang Ying. She seemed a little surprised by his appearance. He couldn't say anything in front of the Emperor of Southern Qi, so he followed the emperor, concubine and prince in silence to the square in front of the hunting palace.
On the square, some people were nervously stacking firewood. The dinner in the Hunting Palace was different from the palace banquet in the imperial city. A huge bonfire would be lit outside, and patrolling soldiers would walk back and forth beside dozens of piles of prey to prevent anyone from stealing other people's prey. After the banquet started, the Emperor of Southern Qi gave an order and someone would come to count the prey personally and give out prizes on the spot.
When they saw the Emperor of Southern Qi coming with two princes, they immediately knelt down.
