Chapter 70: The Situation Gradually Rises

The Situation Gradually Rises

After tossing all night, the matter finally came to light. And after Emperor Shuncheng left, the concubines in Rongxin Yuan also left one after another. Then Nie Jinxuan also returned to Yongxin Palace with Noble Consort Zhang. But Nie Jinxuan originally thought that Noble Consort Zhang would ask her many questions about today's events, but she didn't expect that Noble Consort Zhang didn't ask a single word about Nie Jinxuan performing the autopsy on-site.

Therefore, since Noble Consort Zhang didn't ask, Nie Jinxuan naturally wouldn't take the initiative to explain anything. At the same time, because something happened in the palace, Nie Jinxuan couldn't stay at Noble Consort Zhang's place for long, so she left the palace and returned to the mansion that afternoon.

Nie Jinxuan went back, and didn't wait for Yin Fengzhan to pick her up. And after Nie Jinxuan left, Noble Consort Zhang, who had always had a smile on her face, couldn't help but sink, and then leaned her body on the soft couch.

Seeing this, Yuzhu on the side hurriedly waved her hand to send away the palace attendants who were serving in the room, and then stepped forward to Noble Consort Zhang.

"Niangniang, what do you think about last night's matter, who could be the real murderer?"

In front of Noble Consort Zhang, Yuzhu also spoke directly. At the same time, whenever Yuzhu thought of everything last night, she couldn't help but be furious.

"Who... heh, heaven knows!"

But compared to Yuzhu's anger, Noble Consort Zhang was much calmer. She said a sentence with lowered eyes and didn't move, then sighed slightly.

"However, in fact, who the real murderer was last night is not important. What is important is that it could be pushed onto this concubine in the end, that is the right reason!"

"Uh... then Niangniang means... someone wants to make a move on you?"

Listening to Noble Consort Zhang's words, Yuzhu instantly frowned, but then her eyes flashed suddenly.

"Niangniang, could it be that the murderer this time is actually the Empress?"

"Perhaps..."

She responded to Yuzhu lightly, and then Noble Consort Zhang instantly gave a cold laugh.

"However, no matter who the real person who made the move is, it will never escape her Duan Yueshan's control. Otherwise, looking at the entire harem, who would have nothing to do and find trouble for this concubine?! In this brain of mine, besides her Duan Yueshan, I can't think of a second person!"

"Besides, even if there is someone in this palace who really has the guts, if there is no Duan Yueshan backing them up, heh... that is no different from talking on paper! It's just lively talk!"

Noble Consort Zhang said lightly, and when she reached this point, Noble Consort Zhang stopped suddenly, then slowly raised her eyes, and at the same time sat up from the soft couch.

"It's just that what I didn't expect this time is that the one who helped me dodge this disaster in the end was actually that girl Jinxuan! And I didn't expect that girl Jinxuan was hiding such a hand..."

Saying this, Noble Consort Zhang couldn't help but think of the situation when Nie Jinxuan performed the autopsy on-site earlier, and then frowned slightly.

"Yuzhu, what do you think is going on with that girl Jinxuan? Although I am grateful to her for helping me out this time. But now I don't know why, I suddenly find that I can't see through her..."

"Can't see through? That can't be... Didn't you say before that Princess Consort Chen was shrewd but not arrogant? How..."

"Sigh, no, that's not what I meant. I just feel..."

Speaking to this point, Noble Consort Zhang paused slightly, and then instantly raised her head to look at Yuzhu.

"Yuzhu, you said before that I asked you to find someone to investigate that girl Jinxuan, but what did the person who reported back say at that time? Arrogant and irritable, young lady's temper, no brain, doesn't know many characters... But since she entered the palace with Zhan'er and Xuan'er yesterday, which action of hers is close to these?!"

"Since you say so, Niangniang, it is indeed... But maybe the person who investigated before made a mistake."

"Made a mistake? Then the person who investigated in the past is a fool? How could they be so wrong? Not even touching the edge at all?!"

"Uh... then what is going on? Could it be that the person who investigated at that time got the wrong person, so they were so outrageous?"

Yuzhu couldn't help but make a bold assumption. But then before Noble Consort Zhang could refute, even she couldn't help but shake her head.

"No, no, the Princess Consort is the mistress of the Chen Wangfu, even if they got the wrong person, how could they get the Princess Consort wrong? But Niangniang, you said if this is not a mistake, how could it be..."

At this very moment, Yuzhu was also a bit confused. Hearing this, Noble Consort Zhang looked at Yuzhu for a long time, and then pursed her lips slightly, and then muttered thoughtfully:

"Yuzhu... do you think... could that girl Jinxuan be..."

After finishing, Noble Consort Zhang did not say. And upon hearing this, Yuzhu, who was secretly thinking about what was going on, was stunned.

"Uh... what does Niangniang want to say? What is Princess Consort Chen?"

"... No, nothing..."

In the end, Noble Consort Zhang did not say the boldest assumption in her mind. Then, after only a moment, even Noble Consort Zhang herself felt that her idea was a bit absurd, and couldn't help but shake her head.

Yes, how could it be?! Even if Zhan'er was bolder, he wouldn't do this!

Noble Consort Zhang thought secretly in her heart. And looking at Noble Consort Zhang, who was thoughtful at first, and then shook her head in self-mockery, Yuzhu was a bit confused. Then she couldn't help but suggest in a low voice:

"Uh... otherwise, if you really have some doubts about the Princess Consort, why don't this servant send someone to investigate?"

"No! No matter what, that girl Jinxuan is not my enemy, and since she is not an enemy, why should I specifically investigate? And, behind Jinxuan is Zhan'er, if I send someone to investigate Jinxuan now, and if Zhan'er finds out, that would not be good! Besides, what I should pay attention to now is not Jinxuan, but..."

Waving her hand, Noble Consort Zhang denied Yuzhu's suggestion, and then instantly narrowed her eyes.

"Duan Yueshan has always looked at me with displeasure, and it's not just one or two days. And, behind her is the Duan family, the Crown Prince, and her power is growing, if I don't plan early..."

Having stayed in this harem for over twenty years, Noble Consort Zhang had long learned how to plan ahead. And upon hearing this, Yuzhu's expression also became solemn.

"Yes, what Niangniang said is very true. The Empress has always regarded you as a thorn in her side, so you have to guard against it... However, this servant feels that instead of guarding against the Empress in everything, it is better to take the initiative. Otherwise, like today's matter, there will definitely be no shortage of them later. And this time with Princess Consort Chen helping to solve the siege, it can only be said to be a coincidence. So Niangniang, we must plan early!"

"Hmm, what you said is not bad!"

Glancing at Yuzhu, Noble Consort Zhang instantly turned her gaze to the window. Seeing this, Yuzhu then continued:

"Niangniang, why don't we take this opportunity to turn around and make the Empress..."

After finishing, Yuzhu did not say. But the meaning was already very clear. But upon hearing this, Noble Consort Zhang smiled and narrowed her eyes after thinking for a moment.

"No need to rush, a fox will always show its tail..."

Noble Consort Zhang said with a smile, but after finishing, the smile on her face instantly faded, and then she lowered her voice and ordered Yuzhu next to her without raising her head.

"Yuzhu, find a few shrewd and capable people to watch over."

"Yes! Niangniang, don't worry, we have our people at Deyang Palace, as long as there is any movement from the Empress, we will know immediately."

Yuzhu was full of confidence, but upon hearing this, Noble Consort Zhang shook her head.

"Wrong, I didn't ask you to send someone to watch Deyang Palace."

"Uh... then Niangniang means..."

"Talent Sun!"

Looking straight into Yuzhu's eyes, Noble Consort Zhang slowly said three words, and then instantly curled her lips into a smile.

"Remember, you must watch Talent Sun well, and at the same time pay attention to hiding your tracks! Do you understand?"

"Uh... Niangniang, do you mean that Talent Sun will be..."

Instantly widening her eyes, Yuzhu was a bit incredulous. But upon hearing this, Noble Consort Zhang turned her eyes to the window again.

"Life and death are determined by fate, and wealth is in heaven. Whether she, Talent Sun, lives or dies has nothing to do with me, but with her Duan Yueshan... Hehe, send someone to watch, if there is news, report back immediately!"

"Yes! This servant will go and arrange it!"

"And remember to clean up the people in the palace, I don't want to see a second Zhou Dexing! No matter what the reason is, do you understand?"

"Yes! This servant understands!"

Responding respectfully, Yuzhu then turned and walked out.

Yongxin Palace finally returned to calm. And at this time, Deyang Palace was extremely tense.

It turned out that ever since returning from Rongxin Yuan today, Empress Duan had been gloomy, scaring all the palace attendants in Deyang Palace into being in danger, not daring to say a word, fearing that if something went wrong, they would anger the master and bring about misfortune.

The entire Deyang Palace fell into an eerie state. And at this time in the room, watching a palace maid serving tea accidentally spill the tea outside, Empress Duan, who was sitting on the concubine chair, instantly looked sharp, and then threw the teacup to the ground.

'Clang—'

"Stupid thing, can't even serve tea well?"

Empress Duan's voice was stern, and her beautiful and graceful features were also stained with sinister ferocity at this moment. Instantly, the palace maid serving tea trembled reflexively, and then fell to her knees with a 'thump'.

"Empress Niangniang, spare my life, Empress Niangniang, spare my life, this servant knows I was wrong, this servant knows I was wrong, Empress Niangniang, spare my life... woo woo..."

The palace maid was so scared that she trembled all over, and while begging for mercy, she couldn't help but start kowtowing 'thump, thump, thump'. Then, in the blink of an eye, the palace maid was already covered in blood.

But at this time, Empress Duan lowered her eyes and glanced at the palace maid, and then scolded sharply:

"Spare your life? I spare your life, do you think I want to give you another chance to make a mistake? And a servant who can't even serve tea well, what use do I have for you?! Someone, drag this dog servant out and beat her to death with sticks!"

"Ah—don't, Empress Niangniang, Empress Niangniang, spare my life, spare my life..."

The palace maid screamed miserably. But no matter how she screamed, she couldn't save her fate.

And after the palace maid was dragged away, the room instantly became quiet, and the palace attendants serving on the side were even more frightened and trembling, lowering their heads and not even daring to look more.

Deathly silence, and then, in this deathly silence, suddenly the managing palace maid of Deyang Palace, Xiangyi, walked in.

Xiangyi had been serving by Empress Duan's side since she was a child, all the way from a young lady who had not yet married to becoming the mother of a country. Xiangyi had accompanied Empress Duan for almost the better part of her life. So it could be said that in this world, there was no one who understood Empress Duan better than Xiangyi.

Therefore, at this moment, seeing the nervous appearance of everyone in the room, and the broken teacup on the ground, Xiangyi understood a bit. Therefore, after entering the door, Xiangyi then raised her hand and waved.

"Everyone step down first."

"Yes."

With Xiangyi's order, everyone responded respectfully, and after finishing, they ran out as if fleeing for their lives. And after all the palace attendants left, Xiangyi then walked slowly to Empress Duan's side and said:

"Master, are you still angry about last night's matter? Actually, this servant feels that there is nothing to be angry about!"

Xiangyi spoke gently, and while speaking, she then reached out to pour a cup of tea for Empress Duan herself, and then handed it over with both hands.

"Besides, that one at Yongxin Palace looks gentle and kind, but she is also not a fuel-efficient lamp. Master, you don't have to be so angry for her, otherwise, if you get angry and ruin your body, it will make others watch a joke!"

Thinking about it, looking at the entire Dongling, besides Emperor Shuncheng, only Xiangyi dared to speak to Empress Duan like this. And upon hearing this, the originally gloomy Empress Duan instantly glared at Xiangyi, but then couldn't help but purse her lips, took the tea, and then took a sip.

"I'm not angry, I just feel a bit stifled!"

She said loudly, and after finishing, Empress Duan put the teacup in her hand on the square table on the side.

"However, you are right, that woman is not so easy to fight, otherwise, I wouldn't have been circling with her for so many years. And, from the very beginning, I didn't think that just by relying on a Talent who was not favored, I could topple that woman!"

Empress Duan finally returned to calm. Seeing her like this, Xiangyi then smiled.

"That's good, but what Master said is right, that one at Yongxin Palace is indeed a formidable one, last night you forced her to that point, and she didn't even show any expression. It seems she has already understood."

"Hmph, that woman is very shrewd, looking kind, but actually she is a smiling tiger. No, she is more sinister than a tiger, she likes to stab people in the back the most, she is the most sinister poisonous snake, she just likes to bite people unexpectedly... So, this time I came with a clear move, the simplest method, but still made her unable to speak."

Empress Duan's face was filled with pride, but when she reached this point, the conversation suddenly turned, and at the same time a sinister look flashed across her eyes again.

"It's just that I didn't expect that damn woman to actually go against me in front of everyone this time! Hmph! I won't spare her!"

The fierce tone made people feel cold in their hearts. But Xiangyi next to her just looked at Empress Duan quietly, and then said slowly:

"There is a long way to go, Master, don't be impatient. However, for tonight's matter, Master, your original plan didn't include her, right? So why care? But looking at the situation tonight, the Emperor..."

Xiangyi said half of the words. And hearing this, the originally sinister Empress Duan instantly froze her eyes.

"Hmph, the Emperor... as expected, it was just as I thought, otherwise, why would he protect that woman so much today?! Usually, I don't see the Emperor favoring her much, but every time at the critical moment, he will support that woman! Unthinkable, twenty years have passed, he still remembers, he still remembers..."

From the initial calm to the final anger, Empress Duan said sentence by sentence, and at the same time, a clear strangeness flashed in her beautiful eyes... and there was jealousy, pain, and unwillingness, but in the end, they were all drowned by anger. So after a while, Empress Duan raised her hand and slammed the table next to her hard.

The dusty history, the unwilling past, instantly appeared in Empress Duan's mind one by one, instantly making Empress Duan's beautiful face distorted.

And seeing Empress Duan like this, Xiangyi didn't know what to say, so she just stood quietly on the side to accompany her, and then after a long while, after Empress Duan calmed down slightly, Xiangyi then said slowly:

"Master, actually Master doesn't have to be angry with the Emperor. If this servant sees it, although the Emperor protected her today, he finally gave you face. Besides, that one at Yongxin Palace is not the one the Emperor cares about the most, and that person is already dead, why does Master have to care about a dead person?!"

"Hmph! What do you know! Just because she is a dead person, she is the most difficult to fight! Because she is already dead, but I am still alive!"

"But Master, you must know, what is more important and precious in this world than being alive? And, now instead of thinking about that dead person's matter here, Master, you might as well think about the living ones, because only living people will make things difficult for you!"

Xiangyi persuaded earnestly, and when she reached this point, she leaned closer to Empress Duan and whispered:

"Master, don't forget, that one at Yongxin Palace has always been guarding against you. And this time, according to that woman's brain, it is not difficult to see that all this was done by you behind the scenes, and once she notices it, if she continues to guard against you without saying a word like now, that would be fine, but if she turns around and takes the initiative to attack, then it will be unfavorable to you!"

Xiangyi had been by Empress Duan's side for so many years, and sometimes she saw things more clearly than Empress Duan herself. And after being reminded by Xiangyi, Empress Duan instantly flashed her eyes and turned to look at Xiangyi.

"Yes, you are right!"

Saying this, Empress Duan turned her head along the main gate of Deyang Palace, and then fixed her gaze on the courtyard outside.

"She, Zhang Jingya, is not a soft persimmon, I have always known. She cannot be unaware of this matter, so I have to think about it carefully..."

Narrowing her eyes slightly, but then Empress Duan instantly raised her eyes.

"However, before this matter, there is one thing that must be handled first... Xiangyi, secretly send someone to finish off Talent Sun. So that after Talent Sun comes back to her senses, she won't chase and bite me like a mad dog! Although I am not afraid of her, I don't want to mess with a mad dog!"

"Yes, this servant understands."

"Hmm, but be careful when doing it, don't make any more mistakes. In addition, besides that Talent Sun, send someone out to investigate that Princess Consort Chen! I just don't understand, how did a person who was like an idiot suddenly become like this?"

Empress Duan said, and at the same time, the scene of Nie Jinxuan openly performing an autopsy in front of everyone appeared in her mind. Then she snorted coldly.

"Hmph, if it weren't for her today, that dead woman Zhang Jingya wouldn't have gotten rid of the suspicion so easily! So, you must investigate it well for me,"

"Yes, this servant will notify it, we have people in Chen Wangfu, we will definitely investigate this matter clearly!"

"Good, that's good! Hmph, you make me unhappy, I can't let you all be comfortable either!"

Narrowing her eyes, Empress Duan looked coldly at the courtyard outside the room and said, while Xiangyi standing on the side looked at Empress Duan quietly, and then after a long while, couldn't help but sigh secretly.

Empress Duan and Noble Consort Zhang in the harem each had their own thoughts. And at the same time, in the Imperial Study, Emperor Shuncheng's face was also chillingly gloomy.

"You mean, someone... last night"

Narrowing his deep eyes, Emperor Shuncheng stared tightly at Gao Caiyong in front of him. His serious face was faintly showing a chilling iron-blue.

And at this time, Gao Caiyong, standing in front of Emperor Shuncheng, lowered his head and said slowly:

"Replying to the Emperor, yes."

"When did it happen? Why notify me only now?"

"This servant only just found out, but looking at the situation, it should have been broken into shortly after the Emperor left last night."

"Have you found out who did it?"

"Not yet..."

Speaking to this point, Gao Caiyong raised his head slightly and glanced at Emperor Shuncheng in front of him, and then continued:

"However, the person who broke in accidentally touched the mechanism and was shot by a short arrow in the mechanism, so this servant thinks they shouldn't have escaped very far!"

"Then why not go and find them quickly!"

"Yes."

Not daring to say half a word of nonsense, Gao Caiyong then turned and made a gesture to leave, but he had only walked two steps when he was stopped by Emperor Shuncheng.

"Wait."

"Yes, what else does the Emperor order?"

Turning back quickly, Gao Caiyong responded respectfully. And at this time, Emperor Shuncheng glanced at him and said in a low voice:

"Remember, even if you have to dig three feet into the ground, you must find the person who broke in! In addition, send someone to investigate Princess Consort Chen privately, and then report back to me, go!"

"Yes, this servant understands!"

Responding again, Gao Caiyong then turned and left immediately. And looking at Gao Caiyong's departing back, Emperor Shuncheng instantly flashed a gloomy look in his eyes...

The situation in the palace rose again. And Nie Jinxuan, who left the palace and returned to the mansion in the afternoon, felt much more relaxed. But originally thinking that she could have a good rest after returning to the mansion, what Nie Jinxuan didn't expect was that just as she got off the carriage, she saw the steward Gu Hong walk over quickly.

"Princess Consort, you are back. The Prince invites you?"

Facing Nie Jinxuan, Gu Hong had always been very respectful. But hearing this, Nie Jinxuan, who hadn't slept well all night and had been tossing and turning, couldn't help but raise her eyebrows.

"Looking for me? What is he looking for me for?"

"This old servant doesn't know. The Prince only said that when he saw you were back, you should go to the room to find him immediately." ===== CHAPTER 71 =====