I was a conman in the Ming Dynasty.

Chapter 435 I'll Lie to You Without Question

Chapter 435 I'll Lie to You Without Question

Royal study room.

After Wang Wenzhou and Zhu Youjian bathed and changed clothes, Zhu Youjian took Wang Wenzhou to the imperial study for a detailed discussion. Zhu Youjian was somewhat puzzled as to why Wang Wenzhou refused to bathe with him. Did he feel that there was a difference in status between the emperor and his subject?

"Brother Zhu, you're so damn disloyal! Gao Yingxiang is dead, how am I supposed to go home and explain this to Bao Bao?" Wang Wenzhou said irritably.

"Boxin, I have my own difficulties. I promised you that I would spare Gao Yingxiang's life as long as he surrendered. But the officials used Gao Yingxiang's attack on Fengxiang and burning of the Taizu Mausoleum as an excuse to press me hard. Boxin! Your ancestral graves have been desecrated, are you willing to let your enemy go?" Zhu Youjian asked with a bitter smile.

"I almost forgot, don't carry out the execution yet. Go to the prison and find a death row inmate who looks similar to Gao Yingxiang, and have him impersonate Gao Yingxiang," Wang Wenzhou quickly said.

"It's too late!" Zhu Youjian said with a wry smile. "Besides, with officials from the Three Judicial Offices present, it's not easy to proceed."

"Boxin, isn't it enough that I apologize to you!" Zhu Youjian ordered, "Wang Chengen, prepare wine and dishes, and summon Miss Liu to come and keep you company."

"This old servant obeys the decree." Wang Chengen withdrew.

In a short while, the young eunuch brought out the wine and dishes. Liu Hanxue, led by Wang Chengen, entered the imperial study.

"Boxin, I toast you as an apology!" Zhu Youjian said, raising his wine cup with deep regret.

Liu Hanxue quickly sat down next to Wang Wenzhou, took a sip of wine, and fed it to him.

Wang Wenzhou reluctantly took a sip of wine and said aggrievedly, "Brother Zhu, you've really screwed me over this time! My little Lanlan stabbed her father, Gao Yingxiang, to save me. Now Gao Yingxiang has been executed by slow slicing. How am I supposed to face my little Lanlan now!"

"Boxin, don't worry. I secretly ordered Wang Chengen to give him a cup of poisoned wine before his execution. He will not suffer any pain!" Zhu Youjian said hurriedly.

"Yes! Lord Wang, Gao Yingxiang passed away peacefully, without suffering. I only returned to the palace after his death," Wang Chengen quickly explained.

"Brother Zhu, you're so kind!" Wang Wenzhou hugged Liu Hanxue and took a sip of wine, muttering to himself, "But how am I going to face Xiao Lanlan when I get home?"

"Boxin, you don't need to worry. With your silver tongue, you can make even black seem white. I believe you can definitely persuade your sister-in-law!" Zhu Youjian said with a smile.

"Brother Zhu, stop teasing me!" Wang Wenzhou said irritably, "Are you praising me or insulting me?"

"Boxin, don't be angry. I'll toast you again!" Zhu Youjian said with a smile.

Wang Wenzhou said irritably, "Brother Zhu, this is your mistake. You tricked me like this, how can you only offer one cup? Today, we brothers will drink until we're drunk!"

"Alright!" Zhu Youjian said with a smile, "Let's drink until we're drunk!"

Wang Chengen was dumbfounded. Since Zhu Youjian ascended the throne, he would only occasionally bestow wine upon important officials during the annual sacrificial ceremony to Heaven. He had never seen Zhu Youjian offer wine to anyone. Moreover, judging from today's situation, the emperor really wanted to drink with Wang Wenzhou to relieve his worries!

"Brother Zhu, the Donglin Party has done so much to me this time. You don't still want to stop me and prevent me from taking revenge on them, do you?" Wang Wenzhou asked with a smile.

Zhu Youjian frowned and advised, "Boxin, as an official in the court, you should get along well with your colleagues. The reason they are targeting you is because you are too arrogant."

"That's going too far!" Wang Wenzhou cursed. "You surnamed Zhu, don't push your luck! The reason I offended them was because I helped you push for peace talks! We were almost at the point of negotiating with the Tartars, but you were the first to oppose it!"

"Boxin, I'll toast you again. The past is the past, let's not talk about it! Let's look to the future!" Zhu Youjian said, then drank it all in one gulp.

Wang Wenzhou took a sip of wine with Liu Hanxue in his arms, when he suddenly noticed that Zhu Youjian's eyes were a little strange. Yes! Single people can't stand seeing others being affectionate.

Wang Wenzhou said with a smile, "Brother Zhu, why don't you call your wife over so she can drink with you? I'm afraid if you keep watching, you'll flip the table against me."

Zhu Youjian shook his head and said sarcastically, "Boxin, you are too improper. I am afraid that you will embarrass me in front of the Empress."

“Brother Zhu! One should not covet a friend’s wife! Am I that kind of person? Last time was really a misunderstanding!” Wang Wenzhou said seriously.

Zhu Youjian blushed. "Boxin, how can I say this to you! You really know how to bring up the most sensitive topics!"

“Brother Zhu, you don’t trust your brother, do you? Let your wife come over for a drink, what’s wrong with that?” Wang Wenzhou urged.

"Alright, alright, Wang Chengen, go and invite the Empress over," Zhu Youjian instructed.

A short while later, Empress Zhou Yufeng, wife of Zhu Youjian, arrived.

Wang Wenzhou stood up and said with a smile, "I, Wang Wenzhou, greet you, sister-in-law. You are truly as beautiful as a fairy. No wonder Brother Zhu is so devoted to you."

As Wang Wenzhou spoke, he tried to take Empress Zhou's hand.

Empress Zhou was shocked and her face changed. In all her years as empress, she had never seen such a bold and reckless minister.

Zhu Youjian quickly stood up, pressed Wang Wenzhou's shoulder, and forced Wang Wenzhou back into his seat.

"Bo Xin has always been outspoken, my dear consort, please don't be angry." Zhu Youjian put his arm around Empress Zhou and sat down.

Empress Zhou blushed. Although she and Zhu Youjian were husband and wife, she was the mother of the nation. In front of their subjects, she and Zhu Youjian always maintained proper etiquette and propriety, and would never be so intimate. Empress Zhou complained inwardly, "Your Majesty, you can't be with Wang Wenzhou anymore. He's corrupting you."

"Brother Zhu, sister-in-law, let me toast you both. I wish you a long and happy life together and many children!" Wang Wenzhou said with a smile.

"Haha!" Zhu Youjian laughed and scolded, "Boxin, you've had too much to drink. The Empress is already a mother. Didn't our Meichu get betrothed to your Liu Xiaohua?"

"Ah!" Wang Wenzhou said seriously, "No way! My sister-in-law looks like a young girl in her late teens, not a mother at all!"

Empress Zhou smiled slightly. No wonder the Emperor liked being with Wang Wenzhou; Wang Wenzhou was really sweet-talking.

"I'll drink first as a sign of respect!" Wang Wenzhou said, then patted Liu Hanxue on the shoulder.

Liu Hanxue quickly drank the wine in her glass and fed it to Wang Wenzhou.

Empress Zhou was stunned, her face turning red to her neck. Although she was not an innocent young girl, this was the first time she had ever seen a man drinking with prostitutes in public.

Wang Wenzhou urged with a smile, "Brother Zhu, sister-in-law, you two hurry up!"

"Good!" Zhu Youjian picked up his wine cup, and Empress Zhou quickly followed suit.

Wang Wenzhou said seriously, "Sister-in-law, this is your fault! When you weren't here, Brother Zhu drank by himself. Now that you're here, you have to feed Brother Zhu! It's a woman's duty!"

"Huh?" Empress Zhou was dumbfounded. Was there really such a thing?

Wang Wenzhou said in a serious tone, "Sister-in-law, you are a lady from a respectable family. After marrying Brother Zhu, you became a princess. So you don't know the common people's custom that wives and concubines should feed their husbands wine! There are no outsiders here today, so don't be shy, hurry up!"

Empress Zhou secretly nudged Zhu Youjian and asked softly, "Is there really such a custom among the common people?"

Zhu Youjian was about to say, "Don't listen to Wang Wenzhou's nonsense."

Wang Wenzhou said in a serious tone, "Sister-in-law, is that really the case? In the common folk, what loving couple doesn't let their wives drink wine? If a wife or concubine is so ignorant of the rules, she would definitely be divorced by her husband!"

Empress Zhou genuinely didn't know that Wang Wenzhou was a fraud and that his words couldn't be trusted. She believed that as the Empress, Wang Wenzhou, as a subject, would certainly not lie to her; if he did, it would be a crime of deceiving the Emperor. Empress Zhou actually took it seriously, quickly took a sip of wine, and fed it to Zhu Youjian.

Wang Chengen was dumbfounded. Wang Wenzhou was a madman. When he went crazy, he was reckless. He even dared to fool the Empress!