Chapter 106 There really was someone

Song Zhimian could only tell Xiao Huaijin about the strange things Lian Qiao had discovered in Consort Ruan's Xiushui Pavilion.

Xiao Huaijin was stunned for a long time.

Consort Ruan's Xiushui Pavilion...

Aside from giving birth to Prince Ngo and being Consort Ngo's follower, Consort Nguyen seemed to have no other presence in the palace.

Everyone says that Consort Ruan is gentle and compliant, with the best temperament and personality. Many palace servants who make mistakes are punished by Consort Wu, but as long as Consort Ruan is present, she will definitely plead for them.

"The palace servants and eunuchs of Xiushui Pavilion..."

That's almost impossible!

Since Aunt Cui became the Palace Attendant, the whereabouts and disappearances of palace servants and eunuchs can be traced.

Simply put, we need to see the person alive or dead.

The people in the palace... couldn't just disappear or be buried for no reason.

If a palace servant or eunuch dies, the head of that palace will be implicated.

I've never heard of anything like that at Xiushui Pavilion.

So you guessed that the person buried there wasn't from inside the palace, but from outside! Xiao Huaijin understood what Song Zhimin meant.

Song Zhimian nodded.

That's right, that makes sense.

“We all know that the King of Wu is restless, but I don’t believe that his mother, Consort Ruan, is unaware of these things.”

Furthermore, even though it was in Xiushui Pavilion, Consort Ruan was able to kill someone silently.

They were able to bury the body so quickly that no one knew anything about it.

This demonstrates the extent of her control over Xiushui Pavilion.

Even if we can't do anything to her now, we've got something in our hands, just in case we need it later!

"I always felt that Consort Ruan wasn't as kind as she seemed," Song Zhimian said softly.

Xiao Huaijin nodded.

"Hmm, you're right. Having someone else's secret in your hands might come in handy at a crucial moment!"

However, according to what you said, those buried there shouldn't be people from the palace.

But those who can enter the palace are definitely not ordinary people, could it be that...?

"That person is Consort Ruan's...that one?" Song Zhimian quickly covered her mouth.

Could it be that Consort Ruan cheated on the man on the throne?

Or perhaps the King of Wu is not even His Majesty's son?

Song Zhimian was very surprised. Could it be that what was written in the novel was true?

A woman in the deep palace laments her unrequited love; childhood sweethearts enter the palace for love...

Then, the childhood sweetheart discovers that his childhood sweetheart has changed. Not wanting things to be exposed, the childhood sweetheart cruelly kills him, buries his body in the garden, and stays by his side every day...

"Song Zhimin, what are you thinking about!" Xiao Huaijin tapped Song Zhimin's head with his folding fan.

Just by looking at Song Zhimin's startled expressions, her eyes widening and narrowing into slits, he knew that Song Zhimin was definitely not thinking anything good.

It'll probably still be something similar to having a really big bed...

"I...I wasn't thinking anything!" Song Zhimian quickly shook her head.

"Hehe! Speak!" Xiao Huaijin immediately put on a serious face.

Having no other choice, Song Zhimian had to think it over carefully.

She couldn't very well say, "I suspect Consort Ruan cheated on your father and, incidentally, gave birth to a child who isn't related to you by blood..."

“It’s just… my brother isn’t my brother!” Song Zhimian said softly.

Xiao Huaijin...

He knew that Song Zhimian had definitely misunderstood.

"Alright, don't you have any work to do here at the East Palace every day? What are you thinking about all day long!"

I'll just tell you one thing: royal blood is not so easily confused.

"Only those of royal blood sent out are actually royal blood; no one who isn't of royal blood can fool everyone," Xiao Huaijin said irritably.

Song Zhimian responded with an "oh".

That's hard to say!

The story of "The Prince Replaced by a Civet Cat" is such a famous tale. Since it has spread so widely, it must have some basis in reality. It can't just be a baseless rumor!

Seeing Song Zhimian's expression, Xiao Huaijin knew that although she said she understood, who knew what she was really thinking!

He was a little confused. Song Zhimian was now a fifth-rank female master of ceremonies, and was the most law-abiding.

These are things I would never say, even if you killed me.

There's a reason I say that.

You've been in the inner palace for a long time; how could you not know the rules of the palace?

Not just anyone can enter the harem. Apart from a few families that have been granted a travel permit by His Majesty, other families who want to enter the palace must first present a token.

Then the Imperial Household Department needs to register it.

When entering the palace, someone from the Imperial Household Department would greet them at the palace gate.

Do you think just anyone can enter the palace at any time?

"When a man enters the harem... he's watched almost every step he takes..." Xiao Huaijin said, then suddenly stopped.

Song Zhimian was listening intently when she saw that Xiao Huaijin had stopped talking, and she immediately realized something.

"That means... even if there is such a person, it won't be a man, it must be a woman, right?" Song Zhimian also thought of this question.

Xiao Huaijin glanced at Song Zhimian.

That's right. If someone really was buried in the garden of Xiushui Pavilion, it could only be a woman.

Those who could enter Xiushui Pavilion must be people that Consort Ruan knew...

“Three years ago, no, it should be less than three years, it seems that someone went missing in the capital,” Xiao Huaijin said slowly.

"Is this really embarrassing?" Song Zhimian asked subconsciously.

Xiao Huaijin...

"The shame I'm talking about isn't the kind of shame people usually talk about; it means that someone has actually lost face!"

"Um... do you know who the person who lost their ID card is?" Song Zhimian asked quickly.

"That person is Miss Ruan Er, the niece of Consort Ruan!"

Although Miss Ruan was born out of wedlock, she was exceptionally talented and beautiful.

By chance, she caught the eye of the Prince of Zhao and was originally intended to be brought into his residence as a concubine.

Who knew that during a visit to Bao'en Temple to offer incense, Miss Ruan was suddenly kidnapped by bandits who appeared out of nowhere.

There has been no news since.

At that time, the people of the Jingli Patrol Battalion searched for almost half a month but still couldn't find it.

"Because of this incident, the patrol battalion was even reprimanded by the Emperor." Xiao Huaijin recalled the events of that time.

Song Zhimian became more and more confused as she listened.

"They were robbed while offering incense."

Could it be that after the robbers kidnapped and killed the person, they went into the palace and buried the person in the garden of Xiushui Pavilion?

"This... doesn't make sense!" Song Zhimian shook her head.

Xiao Huaijin glanced at Song Zhimian.

"Before going to offer incense, Miss Ruan had been to the palace. She first went to Ronghua Palace and then to Xiushui Pavilion."

It was only after receiving instructions from Consort Ruan that she went to Bao'en Temple to offer incense.

Do you think this is a coincidence?

Song Zhimian understood what was going on after just a moment's thought.

"Actually, the situation is very likely like this."

Miss Ruan died in Xiushui Pavilion. Later, Consort Ruan, fearing that the truth would be exposed, devised a plan to find someone to impersonate Miss Ruan.

The occasion of offering incense provided a pretext for Miss Ruan's death.

In fact, the trip to Bao'en Temple to offer incense and the subsequent kidnapping by bandits were all schemes devised by Consort Ruan to cover up the death of Miss Ruan the Second.

But why did Consort Ruan want to kill Miss Ruan the Second? Song Zhimian was a little confused.