How can I bow my head and serve the powerful officials?

It turns out that the reason why the wet nurse in the original novel told the truth was because the second prince was not the real Second Prince?

She would not care about the feelings of an impostor, but she cared about the feelings of the real Second Prince.

Who can accept that the emperor whom you have acknowledged as your father for twenty years is not your biological father at all?

Can……

"Aren't you afraid of death if you fail to complete that person's mission?" Xie Chengze subconsciously used the word "you" and looked at the wet nurse with complicated eyes.

The nurse's eyes suddenly became moist. Perhaps it was only the young prince who had never distinguished between superiors and inferiors, and would use respectful titles to address an old servant like her...

"Don't be afraid, young prince. As long as that person wants to restrain your Highness, he will keep my life alive."

The nurse said gently, "There are evil spirits everywhere in the palace, so you should be more careful, little prince."

"What about your son?" Xie Chengze asked, "Are you going to ignore him?"

The nurse was shocked and suddenly stared at Xie Chengze, "Young Prince...you, how could you..."

"Huh? How would I know that your son is in debt from gambling?" Xie Chengze smiled slightly, "Nanny, there are many secrets in this world that cannot be hidden, just like the secret of your life experience that you mentioned, I already knew it from someone else."

The nurse was stunned for a moment, and then she suddenly became excited, "Did the young prince know, or did the person who usurped the magpie's nest know?!"

Xie Chengze's eyes flashed, "A person who has taken over the magpie's nest."

"So, Your Highness also has the other person's memory? Then, Your Highness, do you know who told Jiu's life story?" The nurse grabbed Xie Chengze's arm tightly, her expression becoming more and more excited. "If we find out who this person is, we may know why Jiu appeared!"

It was that man who killed the queen! If His Highness' soul had not been replaced, how could the queen have died of depression!

Xie Chengze opened his lips, and then a deep meaning flashed across his eyes.

Yeah, why didn't he think of it?

Who was the first person to secretly tell the second prince his life story?

After leaving the restaurant, Xie Chengze said to Hu Lai, "Go and pay back the money owed by the wet nurse's son, and find a way to make him never dare to gamble again."

Hu Lai was about to say something when Xie Chengze added, "Be more humane and don't cut off people's hands and feet."

mess:……

Your Highness! Am I so evil in your heart?

Although he did want to ask just now whether he could use some sinister methods.

But… "Your Highness, before this, has anyone else told you the mystery of your life?" Hu Lai asked in confusion, "Who was it?"

"Hmm..." Xie Chengze touched his chin and groaned, "Although there is no solid evidence, I can probably guess who it is."

An eternal truth: whoever benefits in the end is the murderer.

The second prince initially just wanted to live a low-key life, but was instigated to embark on the path of rebellion. He thought he could accomplish something, but ended up being suppressed by the crown prince everywhere in the court.

Who could be the beneficiary of this?

After returning to the palace, Xie Chengze had a rant in Chenghuan Palace, and when he was done, he turned around and went to Kunning Palace.

-

Upon learning that Xie Chengze wanted to see him, Cao Qingran subconsciously wanted to decline.

"Queen, this is a letter from the Second Prince, asking you to read it before making a decision." The maid handed over the letter.

Cao Qingran hesitated for a moment, but finally couldn't resist his curiosity and took the letter.

[Mother, I am planning to confiscate your property recently. I heard that the Imperial Guards Ma Junsi embezzled a lot of military funds. I wonder...]

Cao Qingran: ...

The Imperial Guard Ma Junsi is a member of the Cao family, and Xie Chengze is just short of carving the threat on his face.

Cao Qingran sighed.

It seems that he is back and has become smarter and more perceptive. If it were the impostor, how could he have discovered that the guard Ma Junsi was corrupt?

It's not easy to deal with.

Cao Qingran glanced at the golden Buddha statue, stood up and knelt on the cushion, slightly twisted the peach wood Buddhist beads and said, "Let him in."

As soon as Xie Chengze entered the west wing, he saw the eye-catching golden Buddha statue enshrined on the mahogany table.

For some reason, he felt uncomfortable all over when he looked at the Buddha statue.

There were four incense sticks inserted in front of the golden Buddha statue, three of which were burning, and the other one was half cut short, as if it was the incense stick that had broken and not been completely burned last time, and was still inserted in the incense burner.

"Mother." Walking to Cao Qingran's side, Xie Chengze bowed slightly, then his eyes fell on the incense table and took a look.

Then he caught a glimpse of something strange, his eyes dropped slightly, his fingertips stroked the lacquered mahogany table, and then raised his eyebrows.

Huh, interesting.

He spoke slowly, as if chatting, "Mother, why don't you light this incense? Are you planning to wait until the other three burn to the same level before lighting this one?"

Cao Qingran's body trembled slightly, and he looked up at Xie Chengze.

There was a hint of sharpness in her eyes, as if she was investigating something. After a moment, she suddenly retracted her gaze and looked at the Buddha statue.

"No, it's just that the incense won't light up no matter what."

The soul incense is gone, the old friend returns, if it is not burned, the soul has dispersed.

"Maybe it's damp. Why doesn't mother change it?" Xie Chengze asked.

"That's not necessary."

There is only one soul incense, and it is hard to find another one.

"Oh." Xie Chengze took another look at the broken incense and said casually, "It seems that the person who occupied the magpie's nest can't come back."

The peach wood Buddhist beads that Cao Qingran was twisting in his hand suddenly stopped.

But it was only for a moment, and she picked it up again, smiling faintly, "What are you talking about, Second Prince? What do you mean by someone who has taken over the magpie's nest?"

"Nothing." Xie Chengze retracted his gaze and fell on the peach wood Buddhist beads in Cao Qingran's hand. "My mother's birthday is coming soon, right? These Buddhist beads look like they are made of peach wood. Peach wood can only ward off evil spirits, and has no other function. Why don't I find the Bodhi tree and make a new string of Buddhist beads for my mother?"

Cao Qingran was startled and the Buddhist beads in his hand fell onto the cushion, silently stirring up a thousand waves in his heart.

What is he implying?

What did he know?

"Ah, come to think of it, it seems that my mother and the queen's birthdays are on the same day!" Seeing Cao Qingran's reaction, Xie Chengze already knew what was going on. He smiled and said, "It's a pity that my mother will never receive a birthday gift from me again."

Cao Qingran tightly grasped the Buddhist beads that had fallen from the futon, and said calmly, trying to suppress the trembling in his voice, "What exactly does the Second Prince want to say?"

"I was just chatting casually, ah! Did I kill the conversation?" Xie Chengze covered his lips and pretended to be annoyed, "I'm sorry, mother. You passed away early, and we didn't have a good relationship. I really don't know how to have a heart-to-heart talk with you... Mother, you won't blame me, right?"

His tone sounded so innocent that Cao Qingran closed his eyes tightly, feeling a surge of anger in his heart.

Why does Xie Chengze speak like a concubine who is deliberately vying for favor?

It’s really difficult!

"Well, it seems that I am not good at talking. I will go find other mothers to practice with and then come back to chat with you, mother." Xie Chengze knew when to stop. He saluted Cao Qingran again, turned around and strode away.

Every step you take adds another step forward.

She was practicing Buddhism but wearing a luxurious golden robe. This showed that she was in Cao's camp but her heart was with Han, and she could not let go of her position as the mistress of the harem.

When worshiping Buddha, three incense sticks are erected, representing precepts, concentration and wisdom, which correspond to greed, anger and ignorance. They are used to repent for one's own sins and restrain the evils of human nature. However, the fourth incense stick is really strange.

As for the string of peach wood Buddhist beads, he didn't think there was anything unusual about it. But after touching the mahogany table that was obviously faked with red lacquer, he became suspicious.

There are many mahogany tables in the palace, and this one is not a big deal. Why is this mahogany table fake?

What kind of wood is this mahogany table made of?

That night, Xie Chengze asked Wu Ji to sneak into Kunning Palace and got the answer.

It's peach wood.

Peach wood wards off evil spirits.

Haha, I wonder if Queen Cao is trying to exorcise the evil soul of the Second Prince, or... the soul of the original body that was squeezed out?