Dugu Jingyao is reborn as Li Chu's beloved

Chapter 562 Prisoner Exchange

After Consort Lan regained her composure, she said to her personal maid, Yu'er, "Yu'er, go find that person and tell him that I want to see Prince Zhao tomorrow."

Yu'er said, "But Your Highness, you already... If we keep meeting, won't we be discovered?"

Consort Lan said, "What are you afraid of? That place is deserted and no different from the Cold Palace. What's with all the fuss? I'm sending you, so go. Just be careful."

Yu'er could only reply, "Yes, this servant obeys."

The next day, around the time Li Xi finished his court session, Consort Lan was already waiting at Xiaoxiang Pavilion. However, after waiting for half an hour, Li Xi still hadn't arrived.

Yu'er asked worriedly, "Your Highness, what if Prince Zhao doesn't come?"

Consort Lan, however, remained calm and composed, asking, "Have you delivered the message?"

Yu'er said, "This servant has delivered the message."

Consort Lan took a sip of tea and said, "Then there's nothing to be afraid of; he will definitely come."

Yu'er asked, "This servant is a little puzzled. Why is Your Highness so certain that the Prince of Zhao will come?"

Consort Lan sneered and whispered, "These men are all shameless. If I remember correctly, both of Prince Zhao's concubines are pregnant and cannot serve him in bed, right?"

Yu'er still didn't understand, and simply nodded. Consort Lan continued, "You're still young, you don't know the saying, 'A wife is not as good as a concubine, and a concubine is not as good as a stolen woman.' What's more, he stole the emperor's woman." After saying that, she took a sip of tea.

Yu'er exclaimed in surprise, "So, Your Highness, you still want..."

Consort Lan smiled and said, "How about it? As long as he can rescue my brother and sister-in-law, that's fine. Besides, there is no crown prince yet, and the Prince of Chu is still unconscious. The most likely candidate to become the crown prince is the Prince of Zhao. If I help him ascend to that position in the future, and I become pregnant with his child, then my child may be able to reach that position in the future."

Yu'er thought that Consort Lan was really too crazy, and that she had actually thought of this. How could a teenage girl do such a thing?

Just as Yu'er was about to say something, the palace door was slowly pushed open, and the person who came in was Li Xi.

When Consort Lan saw Li Xi arrive, she said to Yu'er, "Go and guard the entrance." Yu'er obeyed and left the main hall to guard outside.

In fact, Li Xi had already guessed why Consort Lan wanted to see him, but he pretended not to know and asked, "I wonder what Consort Lan wants to see me about?"

Consort Lan was not in a hurry. She poured Li Xi a cup of tea and said, "Your Highness, aren't you asking a question you already know the answer to? You sent me a message saying that my brother and sister-in-law will be executed in three days. I have come to you to seek a solution."

Li Xi had learned his lesson this time, so he drank the tea that Consort Lan offered him. Although he had been drugged with aphrodisiac incense last time, he felt he could perform again and felt extremely satisfied.

He took a sip of tea and said, "My father issued the decree himself, what can I do?"

Consort Lan walked to Li Xi's side, squatted down and whispered in his ear, "If Your Highness could exchange them for other death row inmates, that would be great."

Although Li Xi didn't receive any traditional Chinese medicine this time, the fragrance emanating from Consort Lan, combined with her warm breath brushing against his ear, made him feel a little itchy, and his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

Consort Lan noticed this action, but instead of immediately granting Li Xi's request, she stood up and asked, "Your Highness, do you think this method is feasible?"

Li Xi came to his senses and said, "Consort Lan is thinking too simply. Execution and public display require verification of identity. Wouldn't it be obvious whether it's her or not just by looking at her face?"

Consort Lan whispered in Li Xi's ear, "What's so difficult about that? Just find someone who knows how to disguise themselves and swap the death row inmates into the likeness of my brother and sister-in-law, wouldn't that be enough?"

Li Xi, unable to resist Lan Shufei's teasing any longer, pulled her onto his lap and said, "I can find a death row inmate to help you get someone released, but the person who uses the art of disguise needs you to figure it out. Don't think that just because you've had physical intimacy with me and given me money, I'll let you do whatever you want."

Consort Lan didn't mince words and touched Li Xi's Adam's apple with her finger, saying, "Then it's settled."

After saying that, Li Xi picked up Consort Lan and placed her on the couch, and the two began to make love.

The next day, Consort Lan went to see Emperor Suzong and told him that she had heard that her brother and sister-in-law had been beheaded and their heads displayed to the public, so she wanted to see them off on their final journey.

Emperor Suzong, seeing that she did not cry or make a fuss, agreed and still had Li Fuguo accompany her.

Consort Lan and Du Bin continued to threaten him, telling him to stay put and that someone would take him out eventually. Meanwhile, Madam Du spent some time in her cell before being released.

Li Xi specifically applied to King Sukjong to be the executioner of Lady Du and her husband, which gave him the opportunity to enter the prison. He had the prisoners dressed in guard uniforms, and when they arrived at Lady Du's cell, he had the two prisoners wear the "faces" that Consort Lan had prepared. The two prisoners then exchanged their clothes with Lady Du and received two more "faces." After that, he escorted the two prisoners out, thus completing the prisoner exchange.

After the execution was over, Li Xi took two guards to another residence under his name. He said, "You two should rest well here. I will send someone to inform Consort Lan that I have rescued you."

Lady Du remained calm, even somewhat indifferent, and said, "Then thank you very much, Prince Zhao."

Du Bin, on the other hand, was not worried about the woman in the palace; he was more worried about his other family members, especially his mother.

After expressing his gratitude, he asked, "May I ask, Your Highness, how are my family members?"

Li Xi was somewhat speechless, but still said, "Consort Lan only asked me to save the two of you. As for your family, they are too far away for me to help."

After saying that, Du Bin knew that his other family members were likely doomed. Once Li Xi left, he plopped down on the ground.

On the way back to the manor, Li Xi said to Li Yuan, "When I go to court tomorrow, send a message to Consort Lan Shu, saying that I have rescued the person she wanted." Li Yuan agreed, and the carriage continued on its way towards the Zhao Prince's manor.

However, what Li Xi didn't know was that everything he did was actually under the control of Li Chu and Dugu Jingyao.