The Legend of the Concubine in the Harem

As the Queen had said to Xie Yuzhen during the last flashback, even though the Emperor was extremely conflicted and embarrassed, he still told her the truth of that year in the simplest and clearest language possible.

Just as Xie Yu was truly acting out the surprised expression of hearing such a horrifying thing for the first time, the chief eunuch Feng Xiang walked in with a sad face, knelt on the ground, and said in a mournful voice: "Your Majesty, news just came from Kunning Palace that His Royal Highness the Fifth Prince is in danger..."

"Ah?!" Xie Yuzhen covered his heart and stood up with the emperor.

The emperor turned his head and glanced at Xie Yuzhen: "I will be there immediately, you..."

"I will go with Your Majesty." Xie Yuzhen answered decisively.

Even though the "bad review" panel has been destroyed, can the fifth prince still escape death?

Xie Yuzhen knew that although the Queen tried her best to appear calm and relieved when facing the death of the Fifth Prince, her only child was so sick from birth and she only survived for two years despite all means. Now that he was finally gone, for the Queen as his biological mother, it was a relief, but also a new round of heartache, wasn't it?

Not to mention that the queen herself had some suicidal intentions. She had been worrying about this since she was a teenager, and now she was exhausted both physically and mentally and was seriously ill...

What she said was actually true. No matter how miraculous the medicine was, it could cure her illness, but it could not cure her desire to die.

On the way to Kunning Palace, Xie Yuzhen stared intently at the scars on her body that were invisible to others, and gradually formed a plan in her mind - she had not yet figured out whether the Queen had noticed or seen anything during the last flashback, but if she could really see it, these scars all over her body would undoubtedly become a powerful bargaining chip to force the Queen to stay in her mind.

Xie Wei really hoped that the queen could see it, even for just a moment.

The Queen wanted to use her exhausted life to save the innocent Concubine Ning. She was also willing to trust Xie Yuzhen as a character and did not have to worry that Concubine Ning would be harassed or mistreated after she left. But what if the Queen could realize that as long as she continued to seek death, Xie Yuzhen, whom she favored as her successor, would also die?

Several people rushed to Kunning Palace, but Xie Yuzhen stood in their way. He took away the memorials in advance in the Lizheng Hall and scolded those who submitted them. This time, the emperor and the empress did not quarrel, but sent their children away in silence.

Xie Yuzhen followed the emperor and the empress obediently and quietly, praying to the world in his heart, muttering to himself, and glancing at the sky from time to time, until the emperor and the empress began to calmly discuss how to confer a posthumous title on the fifth prince. The comet that was the culprit of all the disasters still did not appear.

After confirming that the comet rising from the east was indeed an anomaly caused by the "bad review" panel, Xie Yuzhen breathed a sigh of relief even though the queen's complexion was still not very good.

As long as these troublesome things don't come at once, you will have enough time to sort them out one by one and then get rid of them all.

While the emperor and empress were sadly comforting each other, Xie Yuzhen found Yunrong and asked her to quietly look for a treasurer named Wang Yue who was in charge of the warehouses around Shouning Palace, especially the Baosi Pavilion. He also said that this Aunt Wang Yue might have another name called "Yuewang".

"What does your Majesty want to do with her?" Yun Rong was the Queen's lady-in-waiting, not Xie Yuzhen. Even though the Queen and Xie Yuzhen had a close relationship, according to common sense, Xie Yuzhen could not order Yun Rong to do things at will.

But Xie Yuzhen had his own thoughts: "I looked at the transfer book of the palace servants in the Shanggong Bureau earlier and found that the background of this Wang Siku was a little unclear. I was thinking of dealing with her tomorrow, but when I and His Majesty came here just now, I seemed to see her holding a lantern and going in the direction of Changrui Palace..."

Concubine Deng had committed a crime, but outsiders were not aware of it. However, as the Queen's most trusted female attendant, Yun Rong knew it clearly. In order to prevent Concubine Deng from passing any information to the Duke of Ying's Mansion again, the palace maids in Changrui Palace were secretly replaced, and under the pretext that Concubine Deng needed to recuperate, they were forbidden to enter and leave at will.

The palace maids serving in the main hall had not stepped out since the incident with Concubine Deng. Although the several low-ranking concubines living in Changrui Palace were not restricted in their entry and exit, the palace maids around them were carefully questioned when they entered and exited. Not to mention the palace maids from outside who wanted to go in. Not only would they be carefully questioned and asked what their errands were, but after nightfall, no palace maids from outside were allowed to enter.

Moreover, because Concubine Deng had done many things in the palace and had laid secret lines among the palace servants like a spider web, when the emperor replaced the palace servants guarding Changrui Palace this time, he deliberately avoided those palace servants that Concubine Deng had more contact with. Also, because there were suspicious shadows everywhere, there were not enough palace servants who could be used, so he had to add the female officials who were not originally required to do night duty.

Ever since he learned that it was the treasurer named "Wang Yue" who secretly went to Changrui Palace and passed the news to Wang Xuanshi, Xie Yuzhen guessed that Wang Yue either bribed the palace guards, or... she herself was one of the palace guards on duty today!

The position of treasurer was not high to begin with, being the lowest among the female officials. There were not enough palace maids on duty at Changrui Palace, so they were the first to be called in to help.

Moreover, if her identity was indeed as Xie Yuzhen guessed, that she was sent to the palace by the Yuyang Marquis's Mansion, then there would be a reason why she acted this way.

Xie Yuzhen said that he seemed to see Aunt Wang Yue sneaking to Changrui Palace, but it was just an excuse he made up to ask Yunrong to go and arrest someone.

"The news in the palace has been very tense these days, especially now... Although the news of the fifth prince's death has spread, all the concubines in the palace have come to express their condolences, but this has nothing to do with her, a treasurer who has no master to serve. It's so late at night, and she is still running around outside. It's very suspicious."

Yun Rong thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, what you said makes sense. Even if it is her turn to be on duty at Changrui Palace tonight, it is not normal for her to go there at this time."

After that, she knelt down and bowed, and was about to ask the Queen for her opinion on this matter. Xie Yuzhen quickly stopped her and said, "I will go to the Queen to ask her opinion. It is better to arrest someone sooner rather than later, and faster rather than slower. Go quietly and don't let anyone find out."

After hearing this, Yun Rong felt even more uncertain: "Your Majesty, please give me a definite answer. Why do you have to arrest that person?"

And it seemed as if he was unwilling to let the Queen know.

Xie Yuzhen waved his hand: "The fifth prince has just passed away, and the queen has been busy and looks not very energetic. I just want to investigate it myself first, and then inform the queen when the result comes out, so as not to stimulate her again. It seems that Wang Xianshi has colluded with the previous dynasty through the treasurer. I just saw the memorial criticizing the Queen Consort Ning and our queen in the Lizheng Hall..."

Yun Rong was startled. She subconsciously turned her head to take a look inside, then quickly turned back: "Are you serious, Madam?"

"Why would I lie to you?"

After taking a steady look at Xie Yuzhen, Yun Rong bowed and said, "Then I'll trouble the Queen to look after our Queen here. I'll go get her now. If the Queen asks where I've been..."

"I will make it up for you."