Xuan Ying was directing the palace servants to hurry up and get to work. Occasionally, she would glance up at Xiu Ning not far away and breathe a sigh of relief when she confirmed that her mistress was not paying attention to her.

Having stayed in the palace for three months, Xuan Ying not only relaxed her vigilance mentally, but also lost her resolve. She was extremely anxious when she thought about how she had been ordered to investigate Consort Wuya and Consort An in secret, and that she still hadn't reached a clear conclusion.

Sigh, we're still too lax.

"Xuan Ying, Xuan Ying?"

Huh? Xuan Ying was startled when she heard someone calling her name, and then turned around.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Before anyone knew it, Chunyu had walked up to Xuanying. She looked Xuanying up and down with a strange expression, then turned to look at Xiuning. "The master is calling you. Hurry up and come with me."

Huh? "Master called me?"

Xuan Ying was startled, then realized what was going on. "Sister Chunyu, what does the mistress want with me?" Could it be that she was asking about the investigation results regarding Consort An and Consort Wuya? She didn't know either.

Her heart was pounding faster than usual. Xuan Ying reminded the others to hurry up and get to work before following Chun Yu.

"You'll understand when Master asks," Chunyu muttered to herself, and the two fell silent.

"Master, Xuan Ying has arrived."

Xuan Ying lowered her head, and then she heard a clear, melodious female voice call her.

"This servant, Xuan Ying, greets Your Majesty."

"Don't be nervous. I've been away from the palace for a few months this time, and I was just wondering if anything else has happened during this period?"

Upon hearing this, Xuan Ying was somewhat confused by Xiu Ning's words. What else had happened? Apart from the sensational assassination attempt that An Pin and Wu Ya agreed to, it seemed that nothing else had left a more lasting impression.

Seeing this, Chunyu could only gently remind him, "The master means he wants to hear about the current situation in the palace."

Say whatever you find useful, just to amuse your master.

Oh, so you're talking about some gossip from the imperial harem during this period.

As soon as Chunyu finished speaking, Xuanying understood and immediately stopped being nervous, launching into a series of various rumors.

Xiu Ning sat on the chair that the palace servants had brought out, listening to Xuan Ying speak with a smile.

About 15 minutes later, the cleaning inside the main hall was completed, and Xiu Ning reached out to interrupt Xuan Ying.

"You have time this afternoon, continue telling me. Go back and rest first."

Xiuning got up, gave a few instructions, and then Chunyu helped her into the house.

"Master, may I inquire further about Consort Wuya?"

From what Xuan Ying just said, there was very little mention of Wu Ya's agreement.

"No need, she'll definitely be more well-behaved lately, after all, she's about to give birth."

Xiu Ning waved her hand and sat down on the tatami mat, with soft pillows behind her.

"After hearing what Xuan Ying just said, did you notice anything amiss?"

Xiu Ning asked Chun Yu a question in return, and then squinted her eyes comfortably.

Chunyu thought for a moment and said, "It seems that the palace is surprisingly calm about Wuya being assassinated."

Or rather, none of them showed the same excitement they displayed at the imperial palace.

"Calm down?"

With a light laugh, Xiu Ning offered no comment. She picked up her teacup and took a sip. "Instead, it was expected."

She had initially suspected that Consort An was responsible, but upon further reflection, she realized that was not the case.

No matter how capable Consort An is, she's still just one person. How much influence and connections does she have to cover this up? There must be other helpers.

The reason for having Xuan Ying tell her about the recent situation in the palace was to make it easier for Xiu Ning to find out the information she wanted.

It can only be said that there were still discoveries, such as Consort Jing (Wang Jia) and Consort Duan (Dong), who were left behind by Tong Jia Rongyue.

Historical records do not specify the year of death for Consort An (née Li) and Consort Jing (née Wang). There is only a mention that they were conferred the title of Consort in the sixteenth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign. After that, they disappeared without a trace in the entire Kangxi Emperor's harem, as if they had never existed.

Although there are clear records of Consort Duan, Dong, she did not have any highlights after being conferred the title of Consort. She was like a lonely shadow, left to fend for herself in a corner that no one cared about.

At first, Xiu Ning couldn't understand why these three people had ended up like this, but now, she suddenly realized.

The two of them were involved in Consort An's affair, and there may be a hidden bombshell behind that assassination attempt.

Xiu Ning's intuition was very accurate, which stemmed from her ability as a mission taker. She could easily complete numerous mission worlds, so she was not without skill.

"Our harem, while not exactly a place teeming with hidden talents, is certainly full of capable people."

Looking up at the sky outside the window, Xiu Ning felt that such a beautiful view was really out of place in this oppressive harem.

Chunyu could no longer understand her master's words, but she was perceptive enough not to speak if she didn't understand. She stood obediently in place and listened to instructions, never putting herself in an embarrassing situation by showing off too much.

Seeing that her master's teacup was empty, Chunyu immediately picked up the teapot and refilled it.

Xiu Ning smiled and said, "Recently, you should keep Yin Yi and Yin Lu in check."

These two children had a great time at the imperial palace, but they might have a hard time adjusting back to the palace.

And as for Yinyi, tell Granny Sun that any minor ailments should be corrected if possible. The Emperor has already stated that he will move to the Princes' Residence next spring, so he should be capable of taking care of himself.

Yinyi was of marriageable age, and going to the Prince's Residence not only meant leaving Xiuning's protection, but he also had to face the malice from other people in the harem. In addition, he had to go to the Imperial Study to receive his education with Yinti and Yinreng. His life was full of crises.

Xiuning couldn't protect Yinyi forever, so before releasing the child, she had to have someone give Yinyi a brief lesson to ensure that he wouldn't suffer losses indefinitely.

Chunyu naturally agreed with her mistress's instructions, saying, "Your Majesty, rest assured, this servant understands."

...

The return of the Emperor and his entourage immediately brought a lively atmosphere to the once quiet harem.

The harem regained its former liveliness, with concubines moving around in various palaces, giving people the illusion of a vibrant atmosphere.

In this atmosphere, news of a birth came from the Yonghe Palace, which had been quiet all along, at the end of September.

"She gave birth?"

Xiuning sat in front of the dressing table, letting Chunyu tidy her hair, which was a little messy after a night's sleep.

After Xuan Ying finished explaining Wu Ya Cheng Lin's delivery, she quickly added, "She hasn't given birth yet, there's just been some news about it."

Upon hearing this, Chunyu asked Xiuning, "Your Highness, shall we go over there?"

Xiuning thought for a moment and said, "Go ahead, it's a happy occasion for the harem after all."

However, Uya's promised due date was in October, so why did she give birth early?

Xuan Ying shook her head, "This servant does not know. I only heard from the palace servant who delivered the message that Wu Ya agreed to suddenly launch the attack in the early hours of this morning. However, it was too late, and the imperial physician was not in the palace. They insisted on waiting until morning before they were willing to invite the imperial physician over."

"Really? Uya really went all out to agree to that," she said, having endured it for several hours on her own, something most people couldn't do.