Chapter 184: Incense
After leaving Zhongcui Palace, seeing Liu Yuetang in deep thought, Wanqiu whispered, "Your Majesty, if Concubine Ruolan was really murdered, who do you think was behind it?"
Liu Yuetang frowned slightly, "It's hard to say."
"There are many people who have this motivation."
"But I have always felt that Aunt Lan's death was not part of the plan of the person behind the scenes."
Wan Qiu was puzzled and asked, "Your Majesty, what do you mean..."
Liu Yuetang gently waved the translucent crabapple fan in her hand, and the tassels hanging from the mutton-fat jade handle floated on the back of her hand like flowing clouds.
"That day, the situation suddenly changed. Madam Yun had just delivered a cloak to Sister Su. But how could the person behind this know that the situation would change? And how could she have predicted that the person who delivered the cloak would be Madam Lan? Even if she had foresight, she wouldn't have acted near Chunxi Palace."
After all, there are many eyes and ears around Chunxi Palace, and you will be discovered if you are not careful.
That was exactly the case at the time, which made it even less likely that people would suspect that Aunt Lan's death was a murder.
Because everything happened so suddenly, the people behind the scenes didn't have time to plan carefully.
"Then, there is only one possibility..." Wan Qiu's eyes flashed with inspiration, and he looked at Liu Yuetang.
Their eyes met, and Liu Yuetang smiled knowingly. In a voice only audible to each other, she whispered, "Yes, you think the same as I do."
"Auntie Lan, it's very likely that she saw something she shouldn't have seen, or heard something she shouldn't have heard, and so she was killed to silence her."
Wan Qiu pondered this with great fear: "There was no evidence left at the time, so it would be even more difficult to investigate now."
"Yes!" Liu Yuetang sighed slightly.
Suddenly, she remembered the palace maid who testified that Concubine Lan fell into the water that day, and hurriedly said, "Go and bring the palace maid who testified before the emperor back to Yaoyue Palace. I want to interrogate her carefully."
Wanqiu immediately understood: "Yes, I will go right away."
Looking at Wanqiu's back, Liu Yuetang's eyes gradually became dazed.
I hope this matter can be investigated thoroughly, justice can be done to Aunt Lan, and the guilt in my heart can be slightly alleviated.
She always takes the sisterhood in the harem lightly and puts herself first in everything.
So even though Sister Su had treated her sincerely since she entered the palace, when the Empress Dowager ordered a caesarean section to deliver the baby that day, she chose to remain silent for the sake of her own safety and reputation.
Even if it would be useless for her to say more at that time, she was still sorry to Sister Su.
So she could only try to make amends and trust her more in the future.
A cup of tea later, Wanqiu came back from the Imperial Household Department. Seeing her serious expression, Liu Yuetang had a bad feeling.
As expected, Wanqiu approached and said, "Your Majesty, the people from the Imperial Household Department said that the palace maid died of tuberculosis a few days ago."
Liu Yuetang put down the teacup in her hand, her eyes darkening: "The death of Aunt Lan is indeed not simple."
"Let Xiao Zhongzi check who the palace maid has been close to recently and see if there is anything suspicious."
"I asked a few questions, but didn't find out anything. I guess the person behind this is hiding very well. It depends on whether Xiao Zhongzi can find any clues."
Liu Yuetang rubbed her temples, her eyelids drooping heavily: "You go and give the orders. I'm a little sleepy and want to sleep for a while."
"Okay, I'll go right away." Wan Qiu bowed slightly.
*****
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the moon is as round as a plate.
The palace banquet was decorated with lights and colors, and everyone raised their glasses to celebrate and clinked glasses.
Liu Yuetang was dressed in an apricot-red palace gown of misty cloud gauze, which was gorgeous and shimmered with light as if inlaid with gold. Her bright eyes and white teeth were set off, and her beauty was beyond description.
Xiao Heng also noticed it.
This was the first time Liu Yuetang wore red. In the past, I only thought she looked cute in pink and charming in purple, but I didn’t know that she would be so dazzling in red.
And the hairpin she wore was the pigeon-blood red hairpin that he had given her before.
Now, she has the splendor of a queen in the palace.
The empress, wearing a phoenix crown and a red robe, glanced at the concubines dignifiedly and gracefully. Noticing that Su Nanqing was not there, she asked, "Why is Lady Rou not here?"
Upon hearing this, Liu Yuetang quickly stood up and said, "When I went to see Sister Su just now, she was feeling a little dizzy, so I took it upon myself to let Sister Su stay in the palace. The Empress was busy just now, so I didn't have time to tell you."
The corners of the queen's mouth raised in a perfect arc. In her gorgeous attire, she was like a peony blooming in spring, graceful and elegant, yet with the dignity of a mother of the country.
"It's alright, Miss Rou has been injured this time and has been depressed all day. Fortunately, you are here to counsel and comfort her. This also makes me feel much more at ease."
Liu Yuetang bowed and said, "I just did what I had to do."
Concubine Zhao, who was sitting on the lower left, listened to the two people's words and felt uncomfortable and nauseous.
The reason why she hated going to the Weiyang Palace to pay her respects was that she was fed up with these insincere greetings.
On the surface, everyone is smiling and saying caring words, but the calculations hidden in their hearts are sharper than the thorns under the palace walls.
She raised her eyebrows in disdain, picked up the wine glass, stood up and faced Xiao Heng: "I respectfully wish the emperor good health, and may our country be peaceful and prosperous, and the barbarians be submissive."
"Okay!" Xiao Heng raised his glass to Concubine Zhao and drank it all in one gulp.
Concubine Zhao raised her red lips slightly, like a slowly blooming peony.
Meipin looked at Concubine Zhao, who was smiling like a flower, and curled her lips slightly, with a hint of sarcasm in the corners of her eyes.
Laugh, laugh!
If you don't laugh now, you will never laugh again.
She leisurely raised her glass and congratulated Xiao Heng along with the other concubines.
After several rounds of celebratory wine, the faces of the concubines who were not good at drinking were slightly flushed.
Even Liu Yuetang, who usually has a good alcohol tolerance, felt a little dizzy and unwell.
Rong Yue, who was standing by, saw this and asked with concern, "What's wrong with you? Are you drunk after just a few drinks?"
Liu Yuetang covered her chest, feeling a little uncomfortable, and said, "Maybe it's too stuffy here. I'll go out and get some fresh air."
Rong Yue looked at the dancers in the hall, waving their sleeves slowly, and was indeed a little dazzled.
"Okay, then be careful not to get caught in the wind."
Liu Yuetang responded softly, and was helped out of Chunxi Palace by Liu Zheng.
Xiao Heng looked at her leaving figure and asked, "Why did Concubine Xi leave?"
Rong Yue nodded and replied, "Xipin just drank a few cups and felt a little dizzy, so she went out to get some fresh air."
Xiao Heng glanced outside with a worried look, then calmly picked up the wine glass and shook it twice.
As Liu Yuetang walked to the corridor outside the hall, a breeze blew. After she took a breath of cool air, not only did she not suppress the depression in her heart, but she felt a little nauseous.
"How strange..."
"Empress, what's wrong?" Liu Zheng supported her.
Liu Yuetang frowned and said, "I usually have a good alcohol tolerance, so why do I feel uncomfortable after just a few drinks today?"
Liu Zheng pondered for a moment: "Did you drink too much last time, Madam, and hurt your stomach?"
"Maybe..." Liu Yuetang rubbed his forehead.
She and Rong Yue drank from the same pot of wine, so there should be no problem.
Today's family dinner was arranged by the Queen herself, so it is impossible for her to do anything behind this.
"My Lady, it's windy here. You just drank some wine and the wind is blowing, so you have a headache. I'll help you to the warm room to rest for a while."
Liu Yuetang actually felt a little uncomfortable, so she nodded and slowly walked towards the warm room.
When they arrived at the warm room, Liu Zheng slowly pushed open the wooden door.
As soon as Liu Yuetang stepped in, she smelled a strong fragrance. She subconsciously covered her mouth and nose: "Why is there such a strong incense in the warm room?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she realized something was wrong and her pupils shrank suddenly: "Not good! Go!"
Just as Liu Yuetang was about to turn around, something suddenly hit the back of her head, and she fell down limply, falling into thick darkness.
Looking at the two people who had fainted in front of her, Ruan Yuxiao curled her lips in surprise: "Is this a buy one get one free deal?"
"Liu Yuetang, you brought this upon yourself, so don't blame me."
She dragged Liu Yuetang and Liu Zheng into the warm room, then closed the door and looked carefully at Liu Yuetang's beautiful face.
"I haven't seen you for a few months, and you've become even more beautiful. No wonder the emperor likes you so much."
Although she hid in a secret compartment, she often heard Meipin mention that since her "death", Liu Yuetang had become the most favored person in the six palaces, and even Zhao Fei had less frequent sleep with her than her.
Ruan Yuxiao raised her jade fingers and gently stroked her fair cheek, and suddenly a crazy and interesting idea flashed through her mind.
"Liu Yuetang, how about we play a game?"
"I'll tie you and Concubine Zhao together and let Xiao Heng choose only one person to survive. What do you say—"
She drawled, her eyes welling with sick anticipation.
"Who will Xiao Heng choose?"
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