From the account provided by Chen Qing, the Emperor had grasped the general truth of the matter. Yet, it stood to reason that pinning the whole affair on a mere prostitute made little sense. One had to ask: what power did a low-born courtesan have to roil the waters of the entire Capital?
If it were the concubine of Commissioner Lu, Emperor Mingcheng might have believed it. After all, Lady He had the backing of the Dingguo Marquis Estate, and the Marquis was a capable official under his command. However, he had heard Lu Hanting claim that his concubine was frail, helpless, and of the purest character, absolutely incapable of such a scheme.
So, whom was he to believe?
Chapter 213