Chapter 192

It's All Fake

The middle-aged man had a gentle face, and there was a hint of kindness in it. But Nie Jinxuan couldn't think of who this middle-aged man was, so after a brief moment of being stunned, Nie Jinxuan also smiled gently.

"Uh... yes, it is Jinxuan."

At this time, Nie Jinxuan was very curious, but she couldn't ask. Perhaps seeing her thoughts, the middle-aged man smiled again and said.

"These days, my daughter has been taken care of by Third Miss."

The middle-aged man only said one sentence. Hearing this, Nie Jinxuan was stunned for a moment, but then suddenly realized, and quickly bowed to salute.

"Jinxuan greets the Duke."

Nie Jinxuan didn't have many friends. Since coming here, she had only made one friend of similar age, and that was Qiu Pin'ting. So the middle-aged man before her was none other than Duke Qi, Qiu Mubai!

At this time, seeing Nie Jinxuan react immediately after he only said one sentence, and was so polite, Duke Qi's favor for Nie Jinxuan rose a few points.

"Hehe~, I often heard that girl Pin'ting say how good 'Sister Xuan' is. I thought that girl was exaggerating, but I didn't expect that Third Miss is even more clever than what that girl said. It's just that my daughter is too naughty, and I think she must have caused Third Miss a lot of trouble these days!"

"Not at all, Duke, you are too polite. Pin'ting has a lively personality and is naturally kind; she is a rare good girl. Jinxuan likes her too much, and never felt she caused any trouble~!"

"Hahaha~, I guess only Third Miss would say that about her. If she heard that, I'm sure her tail would be up in the sky... However, it's early in the morning, why is Third Miss here?"

"Uh... actually, Jinxuan has some urgent business to enter the palace, but..."

Actually, meeting for the first time, Nie Jinxuan really felt embarrassed to trouble Duke Qi. But at this time, hearing Nie Jinxuan was entering the palace, Duke Qi understood. He didn't wait for Nie Jinxuan to say anything else and said directly.

"I see. In that case, Third Miss, come with me. I also happen to have business to see the Emperor!"

"Uh... then... then I'll trouble Duke Qi."

"Third Miss, you are too polite, let's go!"

Duke Qi was a straightforward person. He didn't say anything else and took Nie Jinxuan into the palace. Afterward, once they reached the Imperial Study, Emperor Shuncheng saw them both together and was stunned. He immediately shifted his gaze to Nie Jinxuan.

"Nie girl, why are you here again? Is there something the matter?"

Emperor Shuncheng knew that Nie Jinxuan was by no means an ordinary person who liked to cling to power or flatter. Noble Consort Zhang's matter had just subsided yesterday, and she came today with a solemn expression. Clearly, something had happened.

Hearing this, Nie Jinxuan couldn't help but look up at Emperor Shuncheng, but then she fell to her knees with a 'thud'.

"Your Majesty, this minister's daughter is guilty!"

"... What happened?"

Emperor Shuncheng was confused by Nie Jinxuan. You know, Nie Jinxuan was not someone who knelt down easily. At this time, Nie Jinxuan kept her head down and explained directly.

"Your Majesty, this minister's daughter Jinxuan, trusting in Your Majesty's trust, helped investigate the matter of Noble Consort Zhang being wronged yesterday. But last night, Nie Jinxuan suddenly thought of a very serious problem: the testimony of the palace maid named Chun'e in the Laundry Bureau is false!"

Nie Jinxuan's words were solemn. Hearing this, Emperor Shuncheng narrowed his eyes, but after looking at Nie Jinxuan for a long time, he said in a low voice.

"Alright, you get up first."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Responding respectfully, Nie Jinxuan didn't act coy and stood up directly. At this time, she heard Emperor Shuncheng say again.

"Then what are your plans now?"

"Jinxuan wants to find Chun'e immediately."

"Hmm, that's good! Since you've discovered a problem, you naturally need to ask clearly. However, that palace maid named Chun'e actually dared to lie in front of me; it seems she really has great courage!"

"Yes, Jinxuan also believes that Chun'e is by no means an ordinary palace maid, otherwise she couldn't have deceived all of us yesterday."

"Hmm, you go."

Nodding in agreement with Nie Jinxuan's request, Emperor Shuncheng turned to look at Gao Caiyong beside him. Gao Caiyong nodded in understanding and stepped forward to Nie Jinxuan.

"Alright, Third Miss, follow this old servant."

"Then I'll trouble Eunuch Gao."

Nie Jinxuan knew Emperor Shuncheng's meaning, but didn't feel anything about it, and followed Eunuch Gao out of the Imperial Study.

Nie Jinxuan followed Gao Caiyong to the Laundry Bureau. Along the way, Nie Jinxuan's expression was solemn. Gao Caiyong wanted to say something to her, but seeing her like this, he couldn't open his mouth.

Afterward, after walking for a long distance, the two finally arrived at the Laundry Bureau, but then heard news that neither Nie Jinxuan nor Gao Caiyong expected—Chun'e was gone!

Suddenly, hearing this, Gao Caiyong was startled, but then immediately widened his eyes.

"What? Gone?! A living person, how could she just disappear like that?!"

Gao Caiyong rarely got angry, but Chun'e was a key figure, so he was naturally anxious. Hearing this, the eunuch in charge of the Laundry Bureau was scared soft and fell to his knees immediately.

"Superintendent, spare my life, spare my life! Your servant really doesn't know where that girl ran off to. She was fine yesterday during the day, and someone was talking to her at night, but this morning, she was gone. Afterward, your servant heard the news and had people search and search, but still... Superintendent, what your servant said is all true, your servant really doesn't know what happened..."

In the palace, killing someone is simpler than stepping on an ant. And he, a manager of the Laundry Bureau, although he acted arrogantly in the Laundry Bureau, in front of Gao Caiyong, the Chief Eunuch, one word from him could take his life. So the manager eunuch was naturally scared to death.

At this time, listening to his explanation and seeing him trembling with fear, Gao Caiyong couldn't help but furrow his brows and turn to look at Nie Jinxuan.

"Third Miss, what do you think..."

Gao Caiyong was in a difficult position. At this time, Nie Jinxuan, after meeting Gao Caiyong's eyes, looked at the manager eunuch and said slowly.

"May I ask the manager, when did Chun'e enter the palace?"

"Uh... yes, it was a year ago..."

"Was it really a year ago?"

"Uh... yes, yes..."

This question, Gao Caiyong had mentioned yesterday, but at this time Nie Jinxuan asked it again. While speaking, Nie Jinxuan's eyes were fixed on the manager before her, and her eyes flashed slightly.

Gao Caiyong was a shrewd man. Seeing Nie Jinxuan like this, he understood in his heart. Immediately, without waiting for Nie Jinxuan to speak, he sank his face.

"Hmph, a good servant you are. I trusted you so much, but I didn't expect to be deceived by you! Someone, drag this deceitful servant down and beat him to death!"

Gao Caiyong gave the order, and immediately two eunuchs walked out and dragged the manager eunuch away. Seeing his life was in danger, the manager eunuch was scared and cried out immediately.

"Superintendent, spare my life, spare my life, your servant will tell the truth, your servant will tell the truth... spare your servant's life..."

"Speak!"

Without ordering to let him go, Gao Caiyong gave him one last chance. Seeing this, the manager eunuch didn't dare to lie anymore and explained with a trembling voice.

"Yes, yes, your servant will tell, your servant will tell... Actually, that Chun'e just came in two days ago. No, but she gave your servant silver, saying to take care of her, and if anyone asked, to say she had been here for a year... At that time, your servant didn't understand why, and felt it was nothing, so..."

The manager eunuch said in a low voice. Hearing this, Gao Caiyong widened his eyes in anger.

"Fool! You take care of her just because she tells you to? Every palace servant entering the palace has detailed records. How can you say one year and it becomes one year?"

"Superintendent, spare my life, spare my life! Your servant naturally knows this, but at that time, Chun'e said this matter didn't need your servant to worry, she had already taken care of everything, so..."

"You..."

Gao Caiyong was furious. At this time, Nie Jinxuan pursed her lips slightly and said to Gao Caiyong.

"Eunuch Gao, don't be angry. The other party came prepared, so they naturally found a loophole. Eunuch Gao doesn't need to take it to heart."

"But... sigh, forget it, doing the right thing is urgent."

Listening to Nie Jinxuan, Gao Caiyong's anger subsided a bit. Afterward, looking at Nie Jinxuan's face, although he spared the manager eunuch's life, he still suffered physical punishment. He was dragged down and beaten thirty boards, then directly stripped of his position as manager and sent to do hard labor below.

After a lot of tossing, although they didn't find Chun'e, the matter became increasingly obvious. Afterward, Nie Jinxuan suggested finding the Hong'er that Chun'e mentioned, but after searching for a whole morning, they found that there was not a single palace maid named Hong'er in the entire palace!

Everything Chun'e said was fake. And her identity was questionable from the beginning. Afterward, Nie Jinxuan reported this news to Emperor Shuncheng. Hearing this, Emperor Shuncheng also fell into contemplation, but for a moment, he couldn't think of an answer.

So, after much thought without result, Nie Jinxuan couldn't stay in the palace for long, so she went back first. But what Nie Jinxuan never expected was that just as she left the Imperial Study and was walking toward the palace gate, she ran into Crown Prince Yin Fenghan!

At this time, Yin Fenghan was alone. Seeing this, Nie Jinxuan originally wanted to avoid speaking and walk past directly. But clearly, Yin Fenghan didn't think so. He stepped forward and blocked Nie Jinxuan, saying loudly.

"Hehe~, what a coincidence, didn't expect to meet Third Miss~! But I don't know, what is Third Miss doing in the palace today?"

First update uploaded, second update in the afternoon~! (Damn, why does the plot feel a bit slow recently~! Improve, improve, I'll bring the fourth one out for a stroll tomorrow~)