Chapter 186: Volume One, Chapter 186 Private Collusion

Volume One, Chapter 186 Private Collusion

Xu Shuyuan delivered the organized evidence to Yuzhao Gong; the Noble Consort was resting and hadn't seen anyone, but Zhao Mama was much more friendly toward her, which was a good sign.

On the way back, seeing a strange palace maid acting furtively, she couldn't help but frown and said to the person beside her, "Follow her and see which palace she's from."

These days many people have been dismissed from the palace, and those remaining each have their own assigned duties, rarely wandering around as before; with their primary work unfinished, they have no time to roam.

But the way she looked unfamiliar and swayed her head while walking didn't seem like a proper person.

Xu Shuyuan walked a few steps, then suddenly stopped; the palace lady with the unfamiliar face… after this round of selecting palace staff, she could at least recognize familiar faces, and if she had no impression at all, it could only be the one who had just been brought in.

Xu Shuyuan immediately looked at another person and said, "Go see from which direction that palace maid returned and check whom she met."

She sent the people beside her away, and Xu Shuyuan herself walked slowly toward Guanju Palace, feeling increasingly that something was amiss.

Su Ying, who should be accompanying the Empress Dowager at Funing Palace, ought to keep a low profile in such a situation; yet a court lady from her side appeared here, which is far from Funing Palace.

She turned back for another glance, and a chill rose in her heart; looking from here, the direction where that palace maid appeared should be Yunhua Palace, the residence of Lady Zhen Shen.

Su Ying and Lady Zhen Shen?

Xu Shuyuan, after thinking, immediately turned back toward Yuzhao Gong; regardless of whether her speculation was right or wrong, this matter needed to be reported to the Noble Consort.

Rong Luoge, just awakened, looked at the booklet that Zhao Mama had given her from Xu Shuyuan, and smiled, "Xu Shuyuan truly does her duty with dedication; I didn't pick the wrong person at first."

Being able, when she faces a crisis, not to just follow protocol but to go beyond it shows that she knows gratitude, repays kindness, and values loyalty.

With such a person, one can feel at ease, relieved, and secure.

Just as she was speaking, Rong Xin lifted the curtain and hurried in, smiling, "Consort, Xu Shuyuan requests an audience."

Rong Luoge was startled, "Didn't she just leave earlier?"

"Xu Shuyuan says she has an important matter to report to you," Rong Xin said.

"Please come in," Rong Luoge rose, went to the outer hall and just sat down, and Xu Shuyuan entered.

"Your servant pays respects to the Noble Consort," Xu Shuyuan said, approaching the Consort and kneeling.

"Rise, there are no outsiders here; you need not be so formal, Xu Shuyuan, sit and speak," Rong Luoge said with a smile.

Xu Shuyuan sat down, looked at Consort Rong and said, "Your servant dares to come unannounced; please forgive my intrusion."

"What are you saying? Have you encountered something? Whatever difficulty you have, just tell me," Rong Luoge thought Xu Shuyuan must have faced a problem, which is why she hurried back.

Xu Shuyuan shook her head quickly, "It's not that I encountered anything; on my way back I discovered something that made me uneasy, so I turned back to report to you and ask for your judgment."

Rong Luoge was startled, then became interested, looked at her and said, "Tell me what it is."

Xu Shuyuan said, "On my way back I saw a strange palace maid, looking very unfamiliar. I have your order to oversee the release of palace staff, and while I know most of the people left in the palace, I can generally recognize them, yet this court lady left me with no impression at all."

Rong Luoge's expression grew serious at this, "A completely unfamiliar face, continue."

Xu Shuyuan then laid out her speculation, and concluded, "Your servant is only guessing, not sure if it's correct, but I felt uneasy, so I came to ask you for a decision."

Rong Luoge nodded slowly, "You did the right thing, thank you for your effort. However, do you know what past connections Su Ying had with Lady Zhen Shen?"

Xu Shuyuan shook her head, "When Su Ying was outside the palace she rarely attended banquets; the Su family raised her carefully, only promoting her poetry to the outside to make her famous. She only attended banquets at families she was especially close to, so few have met her. I have little interaction with Lady Zhen Shen, let alone with Su Ying; there is almost no contact."

At this point, Xu Shuyuan paused then said, "Qin Zhaohua did meet her once; according to Qin Zhaohua, Su Ying is a rather wise person."

Those words 'rather wise' were quite subtle; Rong Luoge thought about it.

If Su Ying is indeed clever, could she have been involved in the impeachment incident last time?

After all, how could the Su family know such detailed information about palace affairs?

Someone must have leaked it; she always thought the Empress Dowager was responsible, but now she wonders perhaps the Empress Dowager was being made the scapegoat.

Rong Luoge let out a light laugh, looked at Xu Shuyuan and said, "What you reported this time is very important; you were thoughtful."

Xu Shuyuan replied, "It is my duty; it does not merit repaying your kindness, Consort."

"We need not exchange such polite words; what Xu Shuyuan has done for my palace I will remember," Rong Luoge said.

Xu Shuyuan hurried to stand, said she dared not speak further, and then took her leave.

When Xu Shuyuan left, Rong Luoge looked at Zhao Mama and said, "Go investigate what exactly is happening."

Zhao Mama, seeing Consort Rong's unexpected expression, felt a knot in her scalp, "Who could have imagined this? I will investigate at once, Consort, rest assured."

Rong Luoge nodded, "Be thorough, and do not stir up trouble."

"Understood," Zhao Mama hurried away.

Rong Luoge sat for a while, let out a light laugh, truly not expecting Su Ying to still dare to contact Lady Zhen Shen, and she wondered whether the Empress Dowager knew about this.

Thinking that way, she realized Su Ying's nerve was enormous; knowing the Emperor and Empress Dowager's relationship was strained, she still decisively acted to make the Empress Dowager take the blame, and surely the Empress Dowager's expression would be striking once she learned the truth, for Su Ying was the niece she had long intended to support.

Rong Luoge thought for a moment, then called Que Cai over and whispered a few instructions in her ear.

Que Cai's eyes lit up, she quickly nodded, "Consort, rest assured, I will see to it that the matter is handled well."

"Go then," Rong Luoge said with a smile.

Lady Zhen Shen... Su Ying...

No matter what these two plan, Rong Luoge has no patience to circle around them; daring to collude privately under her very nose shows they truly don't consider her.

Rong Luoge subconsciously touched her belly; she is now pregnant, so she cannot expend herself as before. Before her belly grows large, she must settle these vexing matters, lest she have to worry about her life when giving birth.