Chapter 18 Kneel before me

Hehuan Palace.

Yueli arrived late.

Defei, Shen Zhaoyi and others have already arrived. The outer hall is full of people, and Li Jieyu's crying can be heard coming from behind the screen.

She sobbed and complained to Concubine De: "My Lady, someone added that purple bell wood to my meal for no reason. Someone must be trying to harm me!"

Concubine De comforted her: "I know. I have already sent people to investigate. His Majesty and the Empress are on their way back and will make the decision for you."

Even after applying the ointment on her face, Li Jieyu didn't dare cry too much, lest her tears wash away the ointment.

She sobbed and said, "Thank you, Empress Defei."

Yueli sat outside, trying to stick her head out to see Li Jieyu's miserable condition, but was blocked by the screen.

Not long after, Concubine De and Imperial Physician Liu came out.

"Li Jieyu accidentally ingested some purple bell wood. Fortunately, it wasn't a large amount. The rash on her face will heal after a few days of applying medicine."

Yueli curled her lips and looked away.

Concubine De swept her gaze over the crowd. "There aren't many purple bell trees planted in the palace. I've checked the records of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and besides the Imperial Garden, they're only found in the Jade Palace."

As the words fell, many eyes fell on Yueli.

Yue Li took a leisurely sip of tea and met Li Cairen's gaze, who was the most direct. "Why are you looking at me? Didn't Li Cairen hear Concubine De mention that there is also an Imperial Garden?"

Li Cairen smiled awkwardly and said, "Who would go to the Imperial Garden in such a cold day?"

Concubine Zheng also said seriously, "I heard that Concubine Li and Yu Ronghua had a conflict yesterday?"

"Conflict?" Yue Li frowned. "Isn't Concubine Zheng's brain a bit off? Concubine Li pushed me down. That's not a conflict, that's bullying."

The hall was silent for a moment because of her words.

Defei opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, she saw Li Jieyu coming out with a veil covering her face.

"It's because you hold a grudge against me that you put something so sinister in my food!"

"Li Jieyu, please don't slander me with empty words." Yue Li said, looking at her with a look that was hard to describe. "What's the point of me ruining Li Jieyu's appearance?"

Li Jieyu was stunned for a moment before she realized that this bitch was clearly mocking her for not being as pretty as her!

"you!"

"Alright!" Concubine De was getting a little impatient with the two people's quarreling and said in a deep voice, "Go and bring over everyone who handled Concubine Li's meals today."

Soon, the two young eunuchs involved in the matter were brought in.

Lian Qiao couldn't help but shudder when she saw one of them.

"Have you all been in charge of Li Jieyu's meals today?"

One person said, "Your Majesty, I am responsible for the dishes prepared for Hehuan Palace today. However, besides Concubine Li, Concubine Zheng who also lives in Hehuan Palace also uses the same dishes. I was really unaware of this."

Concubine Zheng said, "My meal today is no different from usual, and I am not unusual."

At this point, Concubine De looked sternly at the other young eunuch: "What about you?"

Xiao Xiazi's hands were shaking as she lay on the ground. "This servant... This servant will be responsible for delivering the meals to Concubine Li's palace..."

"But I don't know anything!"

At this time, Li Shuang came in with someone and said, "Madam, we found these in their room."

Defei looked over and saw a bag of silver, the amount of which was far beyond what a eunuch should have.

"Whose is this?"

Xiao Xiazi swallowed her saliva and said, "It's... it's the reward I got earlier..."

"I often go to various palaces to deliver gifts, and the masters sometimes give me some rewards."

"A reward?" Li Jieyu laughed sarcastically. "How long would it take a eunuch like you, a little eunuch serving food, to save up so much silver?"

The color drained completely from Xiao Xiazi's face. He trembled as he said, "This slave... This slave has been in the palace for over ten years. I just wanted to save some money to send back to my parents. This slave is truly wronged!"

"Whether it's unjust or not, we'll know after we investigate."

Li Jieyu glanced at Yue Li coldly and said, "Every piece of silver in the palace has a unique number underneath. The Imperial Household Department only needs to check and know which palace the silver came from."

Yueli's eyelashes trembled as she twisted the silk in her hands.

A little guilty, but not much.

Just find out, He Yanchen will be back soon anyway.

Concubine De ordered, "Li Shuang, go ask the Ministry of Internal Affairs to investigate."

The palace maid took the order and left. No one spoke in the hall for a while, except for the sound of Xiao Xia Zi's teeth chattering.

But after a while, a voice suddenly sounded outside:

"Your Majesty has arrived—"

"The Queen has arrived—"

Yueli's eyes suddenly lit up.

The curtain was lifted and a man strode in. He was still wearing a crown and robes, and it was obvious that he had just returned to the palace and came to Hehuan Palace.

He Yanchen glanced at Yue Li without leaving any trace, then walked past the crowd and sat at the head of the table: "Everyone, stand up."

Yue Li stood up and looked towards him, meeting the man's ambiguous gaze.

She immediately sat down obediently, placing both her hands on her knees.

He Yanchen was almost laughed out of anger by her.

With such a guilty conscience, it would be strange if there were no ghosts.

He had only been out of the palace for a few days when he caused trouble.

"How is the investigation going with Concubine De?" asked the Queen.

"Your Majesty, I have already asked the Imperial Household Department to check which palaces this young eunuch's money came from."

He Yanchen and the Queen had understood everything clearly on the way here. The man withdrew his gaze and said calmly:

"Chu Yi."

"I am here."

"Take someone to investigate."

Chu Yi accepted the order: "Yes."

The efficiency of the Imperial Guards was obviously much higher than that of the servants of the Imperial Household Department. Half an hour later, he returned to report:

"Your Majesty, this silver comes from Changle Palace, Yong'an Palace, Qiongyu Palace..." Almost all the palaces in the palace have it.

Li Jieyu's expression changed constantly, and she angrily asked, "How is that possible?"

"Your Majesty!" She knelt before the man, "Your Majesty, someone must be trying to harm me!"

He Yanchen said indifferently, "You have seen that this silver was indeed awarded by the various palaces."

"But..." Concubine Li turned her head to look at Yueli and said angrily, "But Zi Lingmu is in Zhuoyu Palace. Yu Ronghua is clearly taking revenge on me..."

He Yanchen interrupted her: "Why did Yu Ronghua want to harm you?"

"What did you do to make her want to take revenge on you?"

Li Jieyu was speechless for a moment: "I...I didn't do anything, it was just a quarrel..."

Her voice gradually faded. The Queen noticed the worry in He Yanchen's eyes and said, "Your Majesty has been exhausted from the journey. Leave the rest to me. Fortunately, Concubine Li's face is not seriously injured. I will ask the imperial physician to treat her well."

The man hummed, too lazy to stay here any longer.

He stood up and walked out, but stopped when he passed Yueli, glanced at her sideways, and said in a cold voice: "Follow me."

Yueli was stunned for a moment, and without caring about the looks from the others, she quickly picked up her skirt and trotted after him.

*

On the imperial carriage, the man had a cold face and said nothing, and Yueli was too timid to speak.

After returning to Zhuoyu Palace, He Yanchen threw his coat aside and sat on the couch by himself.

Yueli followed in slowly with small steps, twisting her sleeves with her fingers and standing in front of him with her head down.

"Give me..."

He Yanchen wanted to ask her to kneel down, but he caught a glimpse of the red marks on the back of her hand, which he thought were left when she fell yesterday.

He also thought of the day when he left. The woman's fair body was covered with marks left by him. Her skin was too delicate.

He changed the subject and said, "Come to the couch and kneel before me."