Chapter 222: Three Questions

Three Questions

Actually, in Nie Jinxuan's heart, she had intuitively believed from the very beginning that Yin Fengzhan must be Emperor Shuncheng's son!

It was just that Nie Jinxuan never imagined that the truth would be like this...

For a moment, Nie Jinxuan was somewhat confused. Because she found it hard to imagine that if Yin Fengzhan really was not Emperor Shuncheng's son, then for Yin Fengzhan... Instantly, thinking of this, Nie Jinxuan turned her head abruptly to look at Yin Fengzhan.

But at this moment, Yin Fengzhan still had a calm face. Yet Nie Jinxuan still subtly detected a flash of strangeness in the depths of his eyes.

Seeing this, Nie Jinxuan only felt somewhat uncomfortable in her heart. But at this time, just as Nie Jinxuan and Yin Fengzhan both fell into silence, Gao Caiyong looked at Yin Fengzhan again, and his expression softened.

"Actually, although this matter is true, this old servant feels that the truth is not like that."

"... Eunuch Gao, what do you mean by that?"

Not expecting Gao Caiyong to say this suddenly, Nie Jinxuan and Yin Fengzhan were both stunned, and then Nie Jinxuan could not help but ask. At this time, she heard Gao Caiyong say slowly:

"Noble Consort Ning had a straightforward and bold personality, but the Princess Consort should understand life in the palace; sometimes it is not just black and white. So ever since she entered the palace, Noble Consort Ning did not live a happy life. And at that time, the Emperor had just ascended the throne and was busy with government affairs all day, even resting in the Imperial Study, so one can imagine that the situation at that time was indeed not very good..."

"And after the Emperor and Noble Consort Ning had a dispute, he sent Noble Consort Ning out of the palace in a fit of anger. On the surface, it was a decision made in the Emperor's rage, but in reality, the Emperor also knew that Noble Consort Ning was depressed in the palace, and furthermore, the inner palace was not peaceful at the time. So, rather than saying the Emperor sent Noble Consort Ning away because he was angry, it would be better to say he took this opportunity to let Noble Consort Ning go outside the palace to avoid disaster."

"But Noble Consort Ning might not have understood such things. So ever since she returned from outside the palace, the relationship between Noble Consort Ning and the Emperor did not ease much. So one night, the Emperor had another dispute with Noble Consort Ning, and then Noble Consort Ning said that the child in her belly was not the Emperor's..."

Gao Caiyong spoke quietly about the events of that year, and speaking to this point, he could not help but sigh.

"So, although this matter was said like that, this old servant has always felt that it was angry words spoken by Noble Consort Ning. It's just that this old servant feels it is useless whether these words were true or false; the key is that the Emperor had to believe it... Besides, afterward, Noble Consort Ning gave birth a month early, so the Emperor became even more suspicious..."

Recalling the past, Gao Caiyong felt a lot of emotion. At this time, hearing this, Nie Jinxuan finally realized and nodded in understanding, but at the same time, the suppressed mood in her heart instantly eased quite a bit!

It was just that, in this way, the truth fell into the fog again. After all, even if Noble Consort Ning had spoken angry words in a fit of anger back then, giving birth a month early was indeed somewhat suspicious... Could it be that there was some secret in this?! But that was unknown...

The first question ended, and Nie Jinxuan gained nothing. Afterward, Nie Jinxuan did not hesitate, and after contemplating in secret, she asked the second question directly.

"Alright, then please allow Anguo to ask the second question... How did Noble Consort Ning die?"

Nie Jinxuan's questions were sharper one after another. At this time, hearing this, Gao Caiyong's eyebrows clearly moved, but afterward, he lowered his eyes and sighed.

"The courtyard on the east side of the inner palace, the Princess Consort knows it, right?"

Gao Caiyong was talking about the courtyard that Yin Fengzhan had broken into several times, which was also the place where Noble Consort Ning's body was kept. Nie Jinxuan naturally knew it. She nodded.

"Yes, Anguo knows."

"En, that place is now a forbidden area of the Imperial Palace. The Emperor does not allow anyone to go there, even this old servant cannot... It's just that many people don't know that it was not a courtyard back then, but a lotus pond, and the surroundings were planted with night-blooming jasmine; it was the place Noble Consort Ning liked the most. It was just that more than twenty years ago, the Emperor had it completely filled in, because Noble Consort Ning died in that lotus pond back then..."

Gao Caiyong's voice was low and slow, and then he fell into memories of the past again.

"It was the morning of early winter, and the Emperor had just finished the morning court. Originally, he had intended to discuss state affairs with several ministers, but he suddenly remembered Noble Consort Ning, so the Emperor went directly to the courtyard with the lotus pond that Noble Consort Ning loved alone... It was just unexpected that just as he reached the door, he heard screams coming from the courtyard. The Emperor was also startled at the time, and then hurriedly ran in to see, only to see a small palace maid standing in terror by the lotus pond in the courtyard, while Noble Consort Ning, dressed in white, was floating quietly on the surface of the lotus pond..."

"At that time, this old servant was also present and was also scared out of my wits. But before this old servant could have someone save Noble Consort Ning, the Emperor went into the pond himself and carried Noble Consort Ning out. But Noble Consort Ning was already dead... The Emperor could not take the shock and fainted on the spot. And after the Emperor woke up, he began to investigate this matter personally, and then he heard the palace maids who usually served Noble Consort Ning say that Noble Consort Ning had been depressed recently, saying she did not want to stay in the palace..."

"The situation at that time, this old servant still remembers it to this day. The Emperor was like he had gone crazy, not listening to anyone's words, not believing anyone's words... And not just the Emperor, even this old servant did not believe it, after all, Noble Consort Ning indeed did not like life in the palace. But ever since she had Prince Chen, she had settled down. But just at this time, a suicide note was found in Noble Consort Ning's room!"

"A suicide note?"

Hearing Gao Caiyong talk about Noble Consort Ning leaving a suicide note, Nie Jinxuan's expression instantly turned stern, and Yin Fengzhan, who was to the side, although he did not say anything on the surface, his deep eyes clearly moved slightly.

At this time, Gao Caiyong nodded and sighed helplessly again.

"Yes, it was a suicide note! It's just that no one knows what was written in that suicide note, because as soon as the Emperor saw that suicide note, he didn't even look at it, and tore the suicide note to shreds! Then the Emperor acted even more like he was going mad, killing everyone who had been by Noble Consort Ning's side during her lifetime. Even the courtyard where Noble Consort Ning lived was subsequently ordered by the Emperor to be filled in! At the same time, he ordered that from that day on, no one was allowed to speak of Noble Consort Ning again, otherwise, their family would be wiped out!"

The Emperor truly loved Noble Consort Ning, deep into his marrow. Even if he went mad from suspecting Noble Consort Ning's betrayal, he ultimately still loved her in his heart. Otherwise, how could he have rebuilt that forbidden area after filling in the courtyard, and even preserved Noble Consort Ning's body so completely?!

Nie Jinxuan could not help but think of Emperor Shuncheng's lonely back view again, the sorrow hidden behind his cold and solemn appearance, and she felt sympathy in her heart.

But just at this moment, Nie Jinxuan's eyes flashed, she could not help but frown, and she raised her head abruptly to look at Gao Caiyong.

"By the way, Eunuch Gao, just now Eunuch Gao said that the Emperor killed everyone by Noble Consort Ning's side in a fit of rage, and even wiped out their families, so how is Auntie Wu still alive?! Wasn't Auntie Wu a maid by Noble Consort Ning's side before? Later, she served Prince Chen after Noble Consort Ning died, and then until she left the palace... Then why did she escape the disaster?"

Yes, there was also Auntie Wu! Furthermore, back at Prince Chen's mansion, she and Yin Fengzhan had heard with their own ears that Auntie Wu was in private contact with some master in the palace, and on the night she went to the palace to see Noble Consort Zhang, Lady Lan was burned to death, and the blame was shifted to Noble Consort Zhang... But looking at the Imperial Palace, who had the ability and the guts to frame Noble Consort Zhang like this? Clearly, besides Empress Duan, there was no second person! So the master Auntie Wu was in contact with before should be Empress Duan!

Auntie Wu was Empress Duan's person, so did Noble Consort Ning's death have anything to do with Empress Duan?! Or was it that Auntie Wu was only favored by Empress Duan after she luckily escaped, and then she was bought to monitor Yin Fengzhan?!

At this time, hearing Nie Jinxuan mention Auntie Wu, Gao Caiyong was clearly stunned, and after thinking for a long while, his eyes lit up.

"Oh, the Princess Consort is talking about Ping'er! That is indeed true. Back then, everyone by Noble Consort Ning's side was executed by the Emperor. Indeed, only Ping'er survived... Because, although Ping'er was by Noble Consort Ning's side, Ping'er was later arranged to take care of Prince Chen, who was still young at the time, so the Emperor spared her life!"

"Then does the Eunuch know if Auntie Wu was arranged by Prince Chen's side early on, or was she arranged to go there shortly before the incident?"

"Uh... this old servant is not very clear about this. But based on my impression, it seems it was shortly after the incident! Because this old servant remembers that Ping'er was always by Noble Consort Ning's side before, and every time this old servant followed the Emperor to Noble Consort Ning's place, I could see her. It was just that about a month after the incident, I couldn't see her anymore... So it should be shortly after the incident..."

Frowning, Gao Caiyong thought while speaking. Gao Caiyong was also a shrewd person, and hearing Nie Jinxuan ask this, his expression suddenly froze, and he looked at Nie Jinxuan.

"Princess Consort, could it be that you suspect that Ping'er..."

Gao Caiyong did not finish the rest of his words. But Nie Jinxuan nodded in understanding, and her eyes sank.

"It's not suspicion, it's certainty!"

That's right, Nie Jinxuan could be certain now. Auntie Wu must have known the inside story early on, which was why she had made preparations in advance. In this way, Noble Consort Ning's death must definitely have had hidden reasons behind it.

So, thinking of this, Nie Jinxuan's eyes instantly turned cold, and she stood up directly.

"Eunuch Gao, thank you for telling Anguo so many things today. Of the three questions, Anguo has only asked two, and as for the last one, I will ask it later. And now Anguo needs to go out of the palace!"

Auntie Wu definitely had a problem, so she had to find her now and ask about the events of that year. So, after speaking, Nie Jinxuan did not wait for Gao Caiyong to speak and walked out directly.

Because Yin Fengzhan could not leave the palace, afterward, Nie Jinxuan went to Prince Chen's mansion alone. Yin Fengzhan was worried about her, so he had Shui Yun come to the palace to pick her up in advance. Immediately, under Shui Yun's protection, Nie Jinxuan left the Imperial Palace all the way and headed straight for Prince Chen's mansion.

First update uploaded, second update continues! (Continue shouting for monthly tickets~! Cast monthly tickets~!) ===== CHAPTER 223 =====