Ah Xiang? Empress Zhaoyuan's slender eyebrows furrowed slightly as she pondered the name, finding it somewhat familiar.

"Did you say what it is?" Empress Zhaoyuan waved her hand to interrupt Cuiling, stood up and asked the maid who had delivered the message, her face serious and earnest.

"They say it's related to the little princess," the palace maid replied.

"They said they wanted you and her to go to the northern backyard of the palace," the palace maid continued, her reply halting and broken.

"Next time you pass on a message, make sure you say it all. What is this nonsense? Why are you taking such long breaths? You don't finish what you're saying, and I have to ask you before you speak?" Empress Zhaoyuan was somewhat displeased. If she hadn't asked, wouldn't she have missed important information?

"Yes, yes, this servant deserves to die." The palace maid knelt down with a thud, bowing her head and admitting her mistake.

"Why do you want me to go to that desolate place?" Empress Zhaoyuan continued to ask, her tone full of dissatisfaction, as well as some doubt and confusion.

"This servant...this servant doesn't know either, she didn't say." The palace maid, seeing that the Empress was angry, was somewhat frightened and lowered her head timidly as she spoke.

"Quickly, let her in and let her explain in detail."

"Yes." The palace maid stood up shakily and hurriedly went out to call Ah Xiang in.

Empress Zhaoyuan sorted out her thoughts. Since it was related to the little princess, this matter must be more than simple. She turned to look at Cuiling.

"Cui Ling, bring me a cloak. You should wear more clothes too. We have to go out for a bit."

"Your Highness, are you going out so late? You'll easily catch a cold!" Cui Ling was a little worried. It's the change of seasons recently, and it's the time when colds are most prevalent.

Every year, many noble ladies in the palace would fall ill with colds and never recover, and the imperial physicians had no quick cure.

If Her Majesty the Empress falls seriously ill, those concubines in the harem will start causing trouble again. They'll probably tear the roof off!

And her master's already precarious position will become even more precarious.

"What nonsense are you spouting? Didn't you hear it's related to the little princess?!" Empress Zhaoyuan's tone was somewhat harsh.

"Yes, yes, this servant will go prepare it right away!"

Seeing Empress Zhaoyuan's expression, Cuiling realized that this was no small matter. Without further hesitation, she quickly went to get the cloak and hand warmer.

Empress Zhaoyuan did not wait for the palace maids to serve her. She quickly tied her hair into a bun herself, casually picked up a hairpin and inserted it into the bun. After securing her hair, she put on thick boots and prepared to go out.

In the adjacent side hall, Yun Yibo was squatting on the ground, playing with crickets, a blade of grass between his teeth. Hearing some noise from his mother's side, which seemed to be related to his younger sister, he became curious. He put down his cricket and quietly went to the main hall, hiding behind a corner to eavesdrop.

A palace maid walked in.

"This sinful servant, A Xiang, greets Your Majesty the Empress!" A Xiang entered the bedchamber, bowed, and knelt on the ground to pay her respects.

"Stop with all that fluff and get down to business..."

Empress Zhaoyuan interrupted Ah Xiang, waving her hand to tell her to get up quickly. It was already dark outside, and she needed to go to sleep early because she had important matters to attend to early the next morning.

She was stunned the moment she saw her face.

[How did this palace maid's face become such a horrifying sight?]

She remembered seeing Ah Xiang in the palace before. Although she wasn't particularly beautiful, she had a pretty and delicate appearance back then.

But now, Ah Xiang's face is sallow, and half of her left cheek is covered with burn scars. There is also a long suture line running from her chin to her cheekbone, making her look like a centipede from a distance.

It's a sight that leaves one with lingering fear.

Empress Zhaoyuan looked her over carefully and noticed that her hands were also covered with scars and wrinkles, and she was extremely thin.

"You, how did you become like this?" Empress Zhaoyuan blurted out, then immediately regretted asking such a question. Of course, she had been seriously injured while saving the little princess during the fire in the Buddhist hall, and it was a miracle that she survived.

"Have you consulted the imperial physician?" Empress Zhaoyuan's throat was dry, and she didn't know what to say.

Having spent so many years in the harem, she had seen all sorts of people, but someone so loyal to their master and willing to sacrifice themselves to save him was truly rare.

"Your Majesty, it is thanks to the Imperial Physician that this lowly servant's life was saved."

"Your Majesty, I am truly guilty of disturbing you like this, but today I found a dead eunuch in a dry well in the deserted courtyard of the inner palace!"

The Empress froze, her breath catching in her throat. Had something happened in the palace again?!

"This servant thought that the biggest thing that happened in the palace was the fire in the Buddhist hall. It is possible that it was a murder to cover up the crime, so I came to ask Your Majesty the Empress to take a look."

"This matter is of utmost importance, Your Highness! I have no choice but to beg you! Your Highness, please come with me to take a look!"

Ah Xiang's eyes were earnest; she was afraid that the Empress would not believe her and would throw her out.

After all, the Empress is of noble status and will not be manipulated by others, especially since she was going out with her on such a cold night. She hoped that the Empress would go and take a look for the sake of the little princess and find out who harmed the little princess as soon as possible.

"What?!" the Empress exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Is there a dead person in the dry well?" she asked in a low voice, moving closer to Ah Xiang and staring into her eyes.

"Your Majesty, I saw it clearly. The person in the well had their eyes wide open, staring straight at the well opening." Ah Xiang recalled, her face showing fear and a pang of heart palpitation. She clutched her chest and gasped for breath.

Empress Zhaoyuan clenched her fists. Who on earth dared to be so audacious?!

Instead of enjoying a perfectly good life, they choose to do these harmful things!

These strange things have been happening one after another in the harem under her jurisdiction. She must hurry up and find out who the perpetrator is.

"Quickly, go and summon people, summon the palace maids and eunuchs to go to the North Courtyard with me!"

“Leave a few clever ones to guard Zhaoyang Palace.”

"Don't shout, do it in secret."

"You, go quickly to the Zichen Palace and find Eunuch Zhao. Tell him that something big has happened in the North Courtyard. There is a well inside. Have Eunuch Zhao take a few strong and capable eunuchs there."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"If Eunuch Zhao is not in the Zichen Palace, go to the Imperial Household Department to find him. If he is still not in the Imperial Household Department, go to the Yongxiang Palace. Make sure Zhao Zhongquan goes to the North Courtyard. Do you understand?!"

Empress Zhaoyuan frowned, her face contorted with worry. She knew that she needed someone from His Majesty's side to be present during her trip to the Northern Court to get things done.

Otherwise, once it's discovered which concubine did it, without a middleman to witness it, she could turn around and frame them, which would be disastrous.

"I've got it, I've got it, I'll go right away."

Empress Zhaoyuan instructed the palace servants around her, pacing back and forth, pondering what needed to be done next.

"Your Majesty, the cloak has arrived, please put it on quickly!" Cui Ling draped the long black fur cloak behind the Empress.

"Take this hand warmer." Cui Ling handed the Empress a hand warmer filled with hot charcoal.

"Walk!"?