12dz Octopus #120 has taken the bait
Octopus #120 has taken the bait
If Lu He didn't get to hear this gossip today, he'd be devastated. But Li Cen kept stammering and wouldn't say anything.
“But apart from a few palace maids, there are hardly any women in the East Palace. The Crown Prince doesn’t go out much and just stays in the East Palace doing who-knows-what. The people he sees most often are Grand Tutor Gao and the commanders of the Imperial Guards and the Inner Guards. Surely it can’t be his favorite personal maids?” Lu He analyzed to himself.
"Uh, why are you so curious?" Li Cen continued to evade the question. To be honest, she had previously considered having the undercover agents find out Li Guangqi's weaknesses, but she hadn't expected...
"That's not right." Lu He recalled the Crown Prince's character in the comics—he was aloof from women and never had a Crown Princess throughout the entire series. Thinking back to her several visits to the Eastern Palace, she realized she hadn't seen him with any personal maids, only ordinary maids and palace women…
She suddenly gave Li Cen a meaningful look. The Empress and the Imperial Noble Consort… could it be…
"Li Guangqi, could it be that you have homosexual tendencies?" Lu He's question almost made Li Cen lose her composure. She quickly covered Li Cen's mouth: "Keep your voice down!"
"Did I really guess right?" Seeing Li Cen's strong reaction, but not denying it, Lu He knew she was probably right. "Then...who is it? Who is the man the Crown Prince likes?" Lu He immediately became excited. Goodness gracious, I should have guessed it sooner! This is hereditary. Li Cen didn't escape it, and the Crown Prince certainly can't be an exception!
“This is a royal scandal and cannot be spoken of,” Li Cen shook his head. “The Crown Prince’s fondness for men is a major event that would destabilize the court and would not benefit me.”
"Okay, I won't tell anyone. I just want to know who it is." Lu He was only interested in watching the drama unfold.
"Never mind that. You should focus on teaching Nie Qing how to marry the Crown Prince. He doesn't like women, so he doesn't care about feelings, only interests. As long as you can make Nie Qing beneficial to him, she has a good chance of becoming the mistress of the Eastern Palace." Li Cen changed the subject.
"But Your Highness, if the Crown Prince's fondness for men is discovered, wouldn't you lose a rival and only have the Third Prince, who lacks strategic acumen, left? Wouldn't that be better?" The Emperor originally only had two sons. If Li Guangqi were deposed, Li Yun would be no match for him at all. In the original comics, the only one who was cunning and difficult to deal with was the Crown Prince.
Li Cen shook her head and sighed, "You know Li Yun is mediocre, and how could those princes not know? Father's two brothers have tried to kill the Crown Prince countless times, both openly and secretly. It's only thanks to Li Guangqi's exceptional intelligence that he has managed to escape danger each time. Even his current power, although supported by Grand Tutor Gao, was entirely built by him." Li Cen's talent was not only no less than Li Guangqi's, but even surpassed his, which is why she understood her brother's difficulties so well. Essentially, they were the same kind of people.
If Li Cen were a prince, then she would have been the one who was appointed crown prince, and she would have been the one facing danger on all sides and being harmed at every turn.
The emperor actually doted on this eldest princess and often lamented how wonderful it would be if she were a boy. For this reason, Li Cen repeatedly petitioned the emperor to establish female officials, but the petitions were all rejected. The reason given was that there were very few intelligent women in the world, and very few women who could read.
"There are actually two princes?" Lu He was taken aback; this was yet another piece of additional information.
"The eldest son, who has already passed away, succeeded him as Prince Chang, while the one still alive is Prince Hu."
Lu He wondered if these two would become involved in the plot in the future. She figured that if she exposed the Crown Prince's homosexuality and deposed Li Guangqi, these two would probably be involved in the struggle for the throne.
"Okay, I understand. I'll keep my mouth shut." Since this approach wasn't working, Lu He had no choice but to give up.
The Crown Prince and Nie Qing chatted happily in the side courtyard, and Nie Qing was completely captivated by the Crown Prince's good looks.
The two only talked about romance and didn't discuss anything serious.
This is a sweet trap to lure its prey.
"I fell in love with Miss Nie at first sight. I wonder what Miss Nie thinks of me?" Li Guangqi asked gently.
"Your Highness is so noble and precious, how could I, your humble daughter, dare to presume to be worthy of you..." Nie Qing feigned indifference.
"You did not answer my question. If you do not treat me as the Crown Prince, will you still try to climb the social ladder?" Li Guangqi's words were seven parts provocation and three parts agitation.
"Your Highness! What are you saying, you lewd things!" Nie Qing blushed to the roots of her ears.
Seeing Nie Qing's shyness, Li Guangqi stepped forward and took her hand. Their eyes met, and sparks flew.
They both smiled shyly and turned their faces away, their thoughts swirling beneath their outward appearances.
Hooked!