The Legend of the Concubine in the Harem

"Eunuch Baoxi, please come and check whether this letter is real or fake. Tell me, what exactly does your master... mean?" Xie Yuzhen's voice was colder than ever before, which made the sense of oppression on her even heavier.

Bao Xi's back became more and more hunched. "Your Majesty, the virtuous concubine...has already explained the current situation, and...has also given us several handwritten letters in advance."

"Oh?" Xie Yuzhen's eyebrows moved suddenly, and his expression was a little fierce, "So, Concubine Xian gave this letter to more than just me?"

She smiled and said, "What a coincidence. What I love most is unique things. It seems that this letter is completely worthless."

As he said this, Xie Yuzhen casually threw the crumpled secret letter at Baoxi's feet. The young eunuch felt the air becoming increasingly heavy, as if a mountain was pressing down on him.

"Your Majesty, please allow me to report that I have taken out the handwritten letter from Concubine Xian from the secret letter delivery place last night. There is nothing unusual about the number and the wax seal. No one in the harem, not even Your Majesty, could know about the existence of Concubine Xian's handwritten letter. And... the palace maid who contacted me was Concubine Xian's dowry lady Tong Sheng. She is the only person who knows about this matter besides me. She has already committed suicide in the dry well of Luwuzhai."

Green House.

It was the former residence of the Third Princess's biological mother, Concubine Gong, which had been sealed for many years. It is located right next to Wen Baolin's Baosi Pavilion, and on the other side is Shouning Palace.

Luwuzhai occupies a small area and is sandwiched between the two, so it is very inconspicuous.

"Xia Zhi, call a few people to go and take a look." Xie Ruizhen said to Xia Zhi who was listening attentively at the door. The latter took the order and went out. Before leaving, he called Xiaoxi to take his place.

Not long after, Xia Zhi came back with a stern face. She walked to Xie Yuzhen's side without saying a word and said, "Your Majesty, there is indeed a female corpse in the dry well. I and others carefully pulled her out. It is indeed Tong Sheng, the female official beside the virtuous concubine. She went down the well first and then took poison and died."

Given the remoteness of Luwuzhai, if it weren't for what happened today, Kiryu's body would have to wait until it rotted and started to stink before being discovered.

"...Let's find a secluded place to put her for the time being. When this matter is over, we'll see if we can let her rest in peace." Xie Yuzhen said with a sigh, while carefully observing the subtle emotions revealed by Baoxi.

It was just the funeral of a palace maid. She didn't mind being kind, but she also cared about whether her "kindness" could bring her more benefits.

"Your Majesty is kind." Baoxi complimented with a trembling voice.

Xie Yuzhen walked around him and then sat back on the imperial concubine's couch: "Where is the letter from Concubine Xian?"

She originally had only three points of trust in what was said in the letter, but now it has slightly increased to five points. As for the remaining matters, Xie Yuzhen would have to read the handwriting of Concubine Xian with her own eyes before she could make a judgment.

Hear the words.

Bao Xi straightened up a little, then turned slightly to the side and put her hand into her collar: "This is the handwritten letter from the Concubine Xian. I will carry it with me after I get it. Please take a look at it, Your Majesty."

He held two small envelopes in his hands, took a step forward, knelt on his knees again, and raised his hands above his head respectfully.

Xie Yuzhen looked at it briefly and took the envelope from him.

There was no writing on the envelope, and the seal was very flat, with no signs of having been opened. Xie Yuzhen twisted the seal and determined that the two letters had not been opened and resealed. Then she weighed the letters and listened to the sound of paper friction. After confirming that there was nothing else inside except the letter paper, and no hidden objects such as medicine powder, she pulled out a small flower hairpin from her bun, picked a hole in the envelope, and took out the letter paper inside.

Xia Zhi had long been accustomed to her queen's series of cautious and somewhat abnormal actions. She simply took a tray to put the envelope in and held a cloth in her hand so that if someone came suddenly, she could hide the envelope immediately.

Xie Wei really looked at the letter.

The letter paper was extremely thin and light, yet very flexible, and its color was white but not translucent. Roughly speaking, this envelope could hold more than ten sheets, but it didn't look bloated.

The handwriting is neat. Although it is only the size of a fly's head, each word is clear and easy to read.

"I don't know who will get the letter in the end, but you who can open it must be the emperor's favorite heir, with all the power in the palace, and your wisdom is no less than mine..."

"......This letter is my last resort. If it is sent, it must be when my life is in danger. Whoever receives this letter, no matter who you are, do not worry that this is a trap set against you. If you have any doubts, you may wait until the news of my death spreads, the Duke of Ying sends another daughter to the palace, or the palace collapses before accepting the contents of the letter."

In Concubine Deng's handwriting.

It was mentioned without hesitation that the emperor had obtained a strange object that could speak several years ago. The object seemed to have come into this world with some purpose, and it could also give other people the same magical ability, but the use of it would cost them their own lifespan and health.

Moreover, not everyone can be successfully endowed with this ability. Only a very small number of people meet the requirements. The divine object seems to be damaged, and there are not many opportunities to grant the ability to other people. The emperor has tried it with death row prisoners and palace servants, but all failed. Moreover, the strange ability called "panel" will be destroyed at the same time of failure. Although the people chosen as the experiment subjects have no worries about their lives, it seems that their luck has been reduced in the dark, and they soon die from various accidents.

It was as if God was deliberately watching and wanting to take their lives.

The Duke of Yingguo's Mansion was the family of a meritorious official that the Emperor trusted and relied on the most. The old Duke was the only person in the court who knew about this matter. For the sake of the Emperor and his own loyalty, he suggested that the failure might be caused by the prisoners and palace maids not being of noble enough status. He then voluntarily contributed his family's heirs for the Emperor to study and use.

Concubine Deng claimed that she was one of them. She was lucky enough to be recognized by the divine object, but she didn't expect that her second and fourth sisters were the same.

All the officials in Kyoto know that the Duke of Yingguo's mansion has six daughters. The eldest daughter is a concubine, the second and third daughters are married into the royal family, and although the remaining three daughters are still young, they will definitely have a good future.

But who would have known that hidden in the backyard of the Duke of England's mansion, which is difficult for outsiders to explore, how many unknown descendants' souls are buried for the loyalty of their grandfather, the old duke?

"...Since I am the fourth wife and have a son, why can't I use this extraordinary ability to fight for the throne for myself and my son's future?"

In her letter, Concubine Deng did not deny that she had used the panel to harm others. Instead, she seemed to be asking a question to the person who read the letter, as she wrote the above words full of ambition and unwillingness.