The Choice Queen's

TCQ 53: Suspicion

In the morning, Nangong Zirui regained consciousness. He felt his right hand very heavy as if it had been pierced by something. Nangong Zirui turned his head, he saw someone's head make his hand as a pillow, while his body leaned against the edge of the bed in a half-body position on the floor.

“Xiao Feng?” muttered.

Head's dizzy. The series of events last night revolved around his brain, as if he wanted to laugh and remind him that he had been brash with the woman. The memory of him grabbing her, kissing her and hugging her became very clear as if it had just happened a few minutes ago.

“What I have done,” Nangong Zirui told himself.

He was so sorry because last night, his self-control was so low. He clearly remembered that he had told her to leave, but still could not control himself. But the coolness that was transmitted from Li Fengran's body, was really unbearable and very comfortable.

Was the body of the Sword Stakeholder always that cool? Or, was it because he was overheating and needed someone to help him vent? For some reason, those dirty thoughts instead came mocking him when he himself was already very conscious.

The buzzing sound that escaped from Li Fengran's mouth managed to make him come to a realization. Li Fengran rubbed his two eyes, wriggled lightly and raised his head.

He saw that Nangong Zirui was awake, holding his forehead like he was remembering something.

“Your Majesty, you are aware?”

“Oh, yes. Xiao Feng, have you taken care of me all night?”

Li Fengran then rushed to sit on the edge of the bed. Half his life had not been collected, while part of his body was achy from sleeping in a sitting position on the floor.

“Your Majesty fainted and had a fever. I ask for Kasim Wang's permission to take care of you here. Your Majesty, you don't cut my salary anymore because I spent the night here without your permission.”

Although he had just woken up, but Li Fengran's mind remained forward and did not fall asleep. In his heart, Nangong Zirui mumbled. There was no way he would cut his salary again.

Instead, he seemed to have to raise Li Fengran's salary as a form of compensation. After all, she had kissed and hugged him last night without permission.

Nangong Zirui positioned himself into half-sitting. The dizziness in his head began to decrease.

This woman, after being treated disrespectfully still took care of her without paying attention to herself. Li Fengran was supposed to run away and leave when he told her to, but instead the woman chose to stay.

He then saw that the woman's lips had a slightly larger size than yesterday. The lips swelled up, and the culprit who made it swell was him. Once again Nangong Zirui condemned his uncontrolled actions.

“It.... Does it hurt?” nangong Zirui asked as she pointed at Li Fengran's lips and then she placed her index finger on her own lips.

Li Fengran almost gasped. If it was another woman, it might have been a misdeed.

“Ah, it's okay. It will improve in two days,” Li Fengran replied, he tried to calm down. In fact, his heart was racing.

“Sorry,” light Nangong Zirui. “I've been disrespectful to you.”

“It's okay, Your Majesty. It is normal for a man under the influence of drugs to behave as such. I did not expect His Majesty to still be in control and not act any further.”

“I'm not a perverted dapper guy. I will not touch a woman without her permission,” Nangong Zirui said, as if Li Fengran's words indirectly equated him with another man.

Li Fengran held his smile inwardly.

“Alright, alright, My Highness is a good person. I hope Your Majesty won't send me to the Bureau of Discipline for biting your lips.”

Nangong Zirui was actually embarrassed, but he did not want Li Fengran to see him. So, he averted his gaze and looked away, avoiding the gaze of Li Fengran who was like he was interrogating her. Damn, early in the morning he's been screwed by this woman.

“You searched for me last night, is there anything?”

Li Fengran instantly remembered his goal of coming to Qihua Palace last night. Being too shocked and panicked, he forgot about it. It was fortunate that Nangong Zirui asked him.

“Oh, right, I forgot about it. Your Majesty, there is indeed something I would like to talk to you about.”

“About what?”

“Dupa.”

“True, incense.”

“What's with incense?”

“While at the Xiaoqin Brothel House, I smelled a familiar smell of incense in the comfort girls' rooms. After remembering it, I concluded that the aroma was exactly the same as the aroma of incense that I often smell in the palace of the late Queen Ling.” residence

Nangong Zirui frowned, the pain in his head instantly disappeared. Incense, these days there are indeed quite a lot of problems associated with incense. Li Fengran suddenly told him this, it made him seem sober.

“Dupa palace is a special incense produced by the Bureau of Palace Equipment. Each incense in the palace has a special aroma and is not produced in the market. Why is there suddenly the same aroma as the incense of Xiaoqin's Brothel House?” asked Nangong Zirui.

Strange, he thought. Each incense used in the palace was a special incense that was not produced outside. The dupes are very specialized and the manufacturing technique is very difficult.

Palace incense is a typical incense that is impossible to find anywhere else. If Li Fengran was right, then there was definitely something strange.

“That's why I want to discuss it with His Majesty. In my opinion, if indeed palace incense is a special incense, then there cannot be the same incense aroma elsewhere.”

“Ling Sui always likes sandalwood and cloves. The incense sent to his palace was an incense with an aroma that was to his liking. It can't be anywhere else.”

“Does the late Queen Ling often struggle with incense?”

“No. Always the same every year since long ago.”

“Then, there are only two possibilities. The late Queen Ling got it from the outside, or someone stole it and sold it to the Xiaoqin Embroidery House. But based on the term of use, it looks like the first possibility is more convincing,” Li Fengran explained his analysis.

He did not inform Nangong Zirui as they had previously been very busy with the management of disaster victims and the examination of account books. His gut says something is wrong.

Somehow his heart kept pushing him to one less plausible conclusion: that incense seemed to be closely related to Ling Sui's death.

“You suspect the incense has something to do with Ling Sui's disease?” asked Nangong Zirui. Li Fengran nodded involuntarily.

“I didn't dare to guess either. But, Your Majesty once said that Jinchuan is the ancestral ground of the Ling Family and you have been there several times. After smelling the scent of the incense and remembering it well, I doubtfully drew the conclusion that the Xiaoqin Embroidery House might have once connected with the late Queen Ling.”

It makes sense, Nangong Zirui thought. That's just possible. But, he could not draw conclusions without evidence. Connecting something impossible can cause disaster and cause more problems.

Moreover, this matter was related to the late queen, who became one of the shackles in her heart. If it was not properly investigated, then Nangong Zirui's sleep would never be sound.

Since when did he sleep well? It seemed like for a long time he could not feel a good and comfortable sleep. Is it after becoming King Donghao? Or far since he was appointed Crown Prince? Or could it be that ever since he realized his reality as one of the princes of Donghao Kingdom?

But he seemed very good last night. Li Fengran's presence seemed to have given him a comfortable feeling that spread throughout his body and was able to rest his body. That kind of feeling, it felt like it had been a long time since he had felt it.

“Don't tell this matter to anyone but me. I will have Mo Wei investigate the Xiaoqin,” Brothel House, Nangong Zirui said moments later.

“What is he reliable?”

“You doubt it?”

“Actually no, but I feel he will definitely be looking for a calculation soon with you because His Majesty gave him a very much job lately.”

“No problem. He can bear it.”

The corner of Li Fengran's mouth was raised. What a pity for the fate of Mo Wei, he thought. The bodyguard since he was raised to be the Sword Stakeholder, his duties have only increased.

Mo Wei was already not like a bodyguard, but a secret agent as well as Nangong Zirui's assistant.  If she knew she was assigned again after returning from Jinchuan later, Mo Wei would definitely go berserk and her annoying face and unfiltered mouth would definitely make a fuss.

“Your Majesty, is Your Majesty awake? It's time to attend the palace meeting,” Wang Bi shouted from the direction of the door. At that time, the door of the King's room was still half open and the other half closed.

“No need. Today is off!”