Chapter 928 Trouble Strikes Again

"What trouble have you caused? It's not certain who will be the crown prince in the future. Everyone says that the emperor dotes on the empress, so why hasn't the emperor named Empress Jiang's son the crown prince? Isn't that obvious? It's not certain who will win or lose in the future. Maybe my sister's son will be the one to have that fate, and we uncles will benefit from it too."

Upon hearing this, Madam Song thought it was possible. She hugged the bottles and jars in her hands tightly, overjoyed. If her grandson became the crown prince, the Song family would be different! The whole family would ascend to heaven and become rich and noble.

Dong'er glanced at the palace gates right in front of her and quickly stopped the carriage. She then urged them to get out of the carriage. "Madam and young master, please leave the palace quickly. Remember what Her Majesty told you. You can't spread rumors, or you'll be beheaded."

Upon hearing the word "beheading," the group quieted down.

The moment they stepped off the carriage, they were surrounded by a group of imperial guards: "Halt!"

The group immediately dared not utter a word and cowered behind Dong'er like mice. They were all talk and no action in private, but when it came to real trouble, they had no real skills other than to hide.

Dong'er was also startled. When she saw that it was the newly appointed commander of the Imperial Guard, Lord Shangguan, she quickly said, "This servant is Dong'er from Consort Shu's palace. Greetings, Commander Shangguan. These are Consort Shu's family members. They drank too much, and this servant was ordered to escort them out of the palace."

Shangguan Li said, "So you are a member of Consort Shu's family. I am ordered to capture the thief. Miss Dong'er, please make way."

After he finished speaking, he ordered his men to search the carriage. Dong'er didn't know what was going on with the Imperial Guards. Since the Empress was alright, it meant that nothing would happen tonight!

Madam Song was still tightly clutching the porcelain from the palace in her arms. Upon seeing this, the guards pulled it directly from her hands and handed it to Shangguan Li: "Reporting to Your Excellency, this is something from the palace."

Shangguan Li said, "Dare to steal from the palace? Take him away."

Madam Song was stunned for a moment and hurriedly explained, "Sir, you have misunderstood. I am the biological mother of Consort Song. This porcelain vase was a gift from Consort Song. I did not steal it!"

Shangguan Li ignored her explanation, saying, "A large amount of gold and silver treasures have been lost from the palace. The palace gates must be locked until the matter is investigated, and no one is allowed to enter or leave."

Commander Shangguan personally went to the palace gate to issue the order, so even if Dong'er wanted to bribe him, there was nothing she could do.

Madam Song was terrified that taking her daughter's things would be considered theft. She quickly explained, "Sir, we did not steal anything from the palace. It's a misunderstanding."

Shangguan Li wouldn't listen to their explanations. Madam Song then whispered to Dong'er, "Quickly, help me explain, I didn't..."

Dong'er didn't dare to act rashly and lowered her voice, saying, "Madam, please don't say anything more. The more you say, the more mistakes you will make. I will go and report to Her Highness and then think of a way to save you."

Dong'er was also fed up with the Song family. She told them not to take it, but they insisted. Now they've caught Consort Shu's mother leaving the palace and stealing a porcelain vase. It's shameful to talk about it.

These things also reached the emperor's ears as hoped.

When Shangguan Li brought Madam Song and the others before the Emperor, Madam Song was so frightened that her legs went weak. She kept crying out that she was innocent and said incoherently, "I did not steal anything. Your Majesty, please investigate thoroughly."

The two Song brothers had never expected this to happen. They had just been pardoned by the emperor and were now being brought before him again. They were trembling with fear. "We did not steal anything from the palace. It was all a misunderstanding. Your Majesty, please believe us. How could we dare to steal anything from the palace?"

Xie Shang asked, "What happened to Shangguan Li?"

Shangguan Li explained, “Your Majesty, I found many palace items in their carriage. This reminded me of something else. Some time ago, the Imperial Household Department was investigating items that had been stolen from the palace. Coincidentally, I found the same items in Madam Song’s carriage. I couldn’t help but think that the items that were stolen from the palace in the past were also related to Madam Song.”

Madam Song was dumbfounded and quickly said, "I didn't steal anything." She had indeed visited her daughter a few times and taken some things with her, but they were all from her daughter's palace.

A banquet was being held in the palace and had not yet ended when this incident suddenly occurred. Everyone was dumbfounded and pointed at Madam Song.

The crowd started chattering amongst themselves, and Madam Song, upon hearing this, said urgently, "What business is it of yours if I take my daughter's things? Why are you saying such hurtful things? We didn't steal anything."

"If it wasn't stolen, how did Commander Shangguan manage to find it in Madam Song's carriage?" Jiang Fenghua appeared at that moment.

She walked up to Xie Shang and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects."

Xie Shang seemed to have a headache after drinking the wine. He waved his hand and said, "The Empress is here."

Jiang Fenghua said, "These trivial matters in the harem have troubled Your Majesty; it is my dereliction of duty."

"Let the Empress handle it!" Xie Shang said.

Jiang Fenghua nodded and said, "Your Majesty, this matter is probably not so simple. On my way here, I encountered guards who captured a man of unknown origin. He confessed that he came to the palace to meet with Granny Yun, who serves Consort Shu."

These words sparked another round of discussion among the crowd.

Xie Shang frowned even more deeply after hearing this. "What exactly happened?"

"Bring Granny Yun here and ask her a few questions, and the truth will come out," Gao Qingtong added. She had been at the banquet the whole time and hadn't returned to the palace.

Soon, Granny Yun was also brought before the Emperor. She trembled with fear, saying, "This servant greets Your Majesty and Your Majesty the Empress."

Jiang Fenghua pointed to the contact and asked, "Does Granny Yun recognize this person?"

When Granny Yun saw the contact person, she almost didn't remember who he was. At this moment, she was already thinking about how to exonerate herself.

The contact was tied up and gagged, so even if he wanted to die, he couldn't.

Jiang Fenghua smiled and said, "Granny Yun, you really don't recognize him? He said he knows Granny Yun. Granny Yun, please think about it again."

Granny Yun's fingers were digging into the floor tiles. She wanted to make a fortune and then escape the palace to live a carefree life.

Granny Yun kowtowed repeatedly, "Your Majesty, please spare me! I was only following Consort Shu's orders to make contact with him. I really didn't do anything wrong. I just asked him to help sell some goods outside the palace to get some money."

"What Granny Yun means is that Consort Song is so short of money that she needs to steal and sell goods from the palace to exchange for silver," Jiang Fenghua said in a deep voice.

The crowd whispered among themselves, realizing that it was Consort Song who had instructed her mother to steal items from the palace!

Madam Song had never done such a thing with Granny Yun, nor had she summoned any contact person to the palace to meet with Granny Yun. Hearing everyone talking about Consort Shu, she quickly said, "She's lying. Consort Shu wouldn't let her do such a thing. Didn't you just say that items often go missing in the palace? Now we've finally found the thief. It was Granny Yun who stole it and gave it to him to exchange for silver outside the palace. I'm innocent, and Consort Shu is innocent too. I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly."

Xie Shang said coldly, "I will have someone find out who stole it."

Jiang Fenghua said, "The things that Commander Shangguan personally searched in Madam Song's carriage are still here. Madam Song said that Yun Mama did it on her own. The evidence is conclusive, but Madam Song still refuses to admit it. Does Madam Song think that I and the Emperor are fools?"

"Your Majesty, please investigate thoroughly! I really didn't steal anything from the palace! These items were taken from Consort Shu's palace. I admit it. I only took them home to keep as treasures, not to sell them." Madam Song cried, "We are innocent! Granny Yun, explain yourself! Who did you steal items from the palace with? Don't harm my daughter."

Granny Yun originally thought that selling a few palace items wouldn't be a capital offense, but plotting to harm the Empress was a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family. Besides, she hadn't succeeded, so she let the matter drop.

"Her Majesty the Empress ordered that the contact's mouth be removed first. The contact should be interrogated first, and the reason for his visit to the palace should be asked." It was a male voice that spoke.

He took the lead in pointing out the contact person, and naturally, others echoed his sentiments.

Jiang Fenghua didn't even look up and said coldly, "Take out what's in his mouth. I want to interrogate him myself."