Chapter 32 The Imperial Concubine's Combination of Kindness and Strictness
Chapter Thirty-Two: The Imperial Concubine's Combination of Kindness and Strictness
Inside the imperial study, the flickering candlelight cast a dim light on Li Qianche's cold, aloof face. He clutched a military report, delivered with urgent dispatches, his knuckles white from the pressure. The letter was written by Pei Xuan himself, the handwriting hasty and illegible, clearly hastily penned under extremely urgent circumstances.
The letter states that when he led his squad deep behind enemy lines to investigate, he was betrayed by a traitor and surrounded. Although he fought his way out, he was seriously wounded. However, the letter mentions the most crucial point—the person who betrayed his whereabouts was not from the Southwest Kingdom, but a high-ranking official in the capital, and this person had close ties with the enemy country in the Southwest!
“High position in the capital…Southwest…” Li Qianche murmured these words, his eyes flashing with a cold light, like a frozen pool in the dead of winter.
He has not been on the throne for long. Although he has vigorously purged a group of corrupt officials left over from the previous dynasty, it is clear that there are still deeper and more venomous snakes lurking in the shadows. They not only covet his country, but also dare to conspire with foreign enemies to murder his most trusted generals!
“Nightshade.” His voice was low, filled with suppressed anger.
A dark figure appeared silently before the imperial desk and knelt on one knee: "Your Majesty."
"You already know what Pei Xuanxin said." Li Qianche slammed the letter heavily on the table. "Investigate for me! Which officials of the third rank or above in the capital have had any secret contact with the southwestern state recently? Where could there have been a mistake in the transmission of military intelligence at the border? I need conclusive evidence!"
"Your subordinate obeys," Night Shadow replied in a deep voice. After a slight hesitation, he continued, "Your Majesty, regarding that 'Dream Order'... I've always found it suspicious. Although the Zhuang family is powerful, such a secret medicine from the southwest is rare even in its place of origin. How could Lady Zhuang, a mere woman confined to the inner quarters, have obtained it 'by chance'? I secretly interrogated her before her death, and she insisted that she had purchased it by chance from a traveling merchant, with no other clues. However, I believe that the source of this medicine may be related to some hidden channels in the capital that have connections with the southwest."
Li Qianche's gaze sharpened; Ye Ying's guess was not without merit. The poison used by Consort Zhuang and her daughter, and the conspiracy of the enemy state in the southwest to harm Pei Xuan, seemed to be two separate matters, but they pointed to the same source hidden deep within the capital region, a source of collusion between insiders and outsiders.
If that's the case, is Chuang Shih-chieh just a pawn? Or is he the mastermind behind this elaborate scheme?
"I understand your guess. Investigate this lead as well, and don't let any clue slip by!" Li Qian issued the order, his tone chilling. "I want to see who has the audacity to weave such a net right under my nose!"
"Yes!" Nightshade accepted the order, and with a flicker, disappeared into the shadows like a ghost.
Silence returned to the imperial study, broken only by the crackling of the candlelight. Li Qianche leaned back in the wide dragon throne, rubbing his throbbing temples.
The treacherous political landscape of the court and the dire military situation on the border weighed heavily on his heart like two enormous stones. Yet, as he closed his eyes, the scene from Yongshou Palace incongruously surfaced in his mind—Su Su's wide, teary eyes, her smooth, warm skin, the alluring curves barely concealed beneath her slightly disheveled clothes from her struggle, and the soft yet defiant touch of her lips when he had seized them…
A surge of heat rose from his lower abdomen once again. He clearly remembered the beauty of every inch of her body, how charming and submissive she had been beneath him, her eyes filled with dependence and infatuation.
But now, she's like a hedgehog with its quills raised, pushing him away with the coldest indifference.
“As long as I can make her remember this feeling again…” Li Qianche murmured to himself, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the cold dragon patterns on the armrest of the dragon throne, his eyes dark and deep, “she will soften, she will return to what she was before…”
He stubbornly believed that her current change was only due to the shock and grievance of being demoted after the incident with the Prince of Ning. He thought that as long as he restored his favor and let her feel the intimacy and joy of the past, the Su Su who had his heart and eyes full of him would come back.
He never thought deeply about it, or rather, he was unwilling to admit it, that some wounds, once inflicted, are difficult to heal; and some hearts, once cold, are difficult to warm again.
The following day, Yongshou Palace.
When Su Su woke up, it was already bright outside, and sunlight streamed through the gauze window lattice, casting soft dappled light into the room.
She moved her body, feeling sore and weak all over as if she had been run over by a wheel, especially her wrists, which seemed to still have the heat and force of being tightly gripped by Li Qianche last night.
"Your Majesty, you're awake." Chunlan heard the noise and tiptoed into the inner room, her face showing obvious worry.
As she helped Su Su to her feet, she noticed the faint red marks on her mistress's neck and the undisguised weariness and melancholy in her eyes, and her heart tightened.
Su Su let Chunlan and Qiuju serve her as she washed and dressed, her expression remaining somewhat listless. It wasn't until she sat down at the dressing table and looked at her pale face and listless eyes in the mirror that she took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the unbearable memories of the previous night.
After washing up and having breakfast, she rinsed her mouth, took the warm handkerchief Qiuju handed her, wiped her hands, and her voice regained its usual calmness, "Chunlan, how is the matter of investigating the background of all the palace servants in Yongshou Palace yesterday?"
Chunlan straightened her expression, stepped forward, and whispered, "Your Majesty, Qiuju and I, along with Eunuchs Zhang Anlu and Li Dequan, worked through the night to check and organize the roster, and also made some inquiries privately. We have now made a preliminary understanding of it."
She took out a list and presented it to Su Su: "Yongshou Palace currently has thirty-six palace servants. Among them, eleven were transferred from various palaces, with relatively clear backgrounds, and most are law-abiding citizens; another thirteen were newly selected by the Imperial Household Department, with clean families and no complicated entanglements; of the remaining twelve, four had previously served in the palaces under Consort Zhuang's jurisdiction, and although not her trusted confidants, they had inevitably received some favors or influences. There are also two... who are veterans released from the Empress Dowager's palace in her early years, with considerable seniority. The backgrounds of the other six are somewhat unclear and require further investigation."
Su Su carefully examined the list of names, listening calmly to Chunlan's report.
Sure enough, despite the seemingly glamorous Yongshou Palace, undercurrents were swirling within. The lingering influence of Consort Zhuang, the Empress Dowager's possible spies, and those of unknown origin... Now that she had been promoted to the rank of Noble Consort and was also assisting in the management of the six palaces, countless eyes were watching her in the shadows, and she could not afford to make even the slightest mistake.
She had already written to her father, reminding him to investigate and rectify the Su family outside the palace, and not to allow any internal chaos to occur. As for the Yongshou Palace inside the palace, it was the foundation of her existence, and it could not be allowed to be in disarray in the slightest. It had to be firmly under her control.
Su Su glanced at the list. Yongshou Palace seemed prestigious, but inside, various forces were intertwined.
"Pass down the message," she rose, her tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority, "All palace servants, proceed to the main hall immediately."
A quarter of an hour later, the Changchun Palace was completely dark. The palace servants stood with their heads bowed, not daring to breathe.
Some of the old acquaintances exchanged glances, all sensing that this imperial concubine, who had experienced many ups and downs, possessed a demeanor far beyond what she had once had, exuding a calm yet awe-inspiring majesty.
Su Su sat upright in her seat, her gaze slowly sweeping over everyone. She remained silent for a long time until the hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop before she spoke in a cold voice: "I have been granted the throne by imperial grace and am here to assist in managing the six palaces. Now that you are serving in Yongshou Palace, we will share both honor and disgrace from now on."
She paused slightly, noticing the tense expressions on everyone's faces, before continuing, "The Yongshou Palace is very favored, and this is an opportunity for you all. Those who are loyal and diligent will be rewarded by me, and promotions will be made in accordance with palace rules. If there are any exceptionally outstanding individuals, I will bestow extra favors upon them."
As soon as she finished speaking, her tone turned icy, her gaze sharp as a knife: "But! If anyone harbors any illusions, outwardly complies but inwardly defies, or even betrays us, passing on messages and framing our master—"
She spoke each word slowly and deliberately, her voice as cold as ice: "No matter who is behind you, once verified, the lightest punishment will be a hundred strokes of the cane, banishment to the Imperial Household Department, and eternal servitude; the heaviest punishment will be immediate death by the cane, and the consequences will extend to your families! I always keep my word!"
With a few thuds, several timid palace servants collapsed to the ground in fright. Everyone in the hall was terrified and completely abandoned any thoughts of deception.
"I will not delve into the past for now." Su Su picked up her teacup, her tone softening slightly but becoming more profound. "But from this moment on, when you step into Yongshou Palace, you can only have me as your master in your eyes and heart! Put away any inappropriate thoughts, do your job well, and I will be able to see through it."
She took a sip of tea and set down the cup: "If you feel you cannot do it, you can step forward now. I will immediately request the Imperial Household Department to send someone. I will not make things difficult for you. If you choose to stay, but later harbor ulterior motives..."
The unspoken words were more terrifying than a direct threat. The hall was deathly silent; no one dared to move.
The head eunuch, Zhang Anlu, took a deep breath, stepped forward first, and kowtowed heavily: "This servant, Zhang Anlu, swears to serve Her Highness the Imperial Concubine to the death! If I harbor any disloyalty, may I be struck down by heaven and earth!"
"This servant swears to serve Your Majesty to the death!"
"This servant swears to serve Your Majesty to the death!"
As if waking from a dream, everyone knelt down in unison, vying to express their loyalty.
Su Su observed for a moment before saying calmly, "Get up, all of you. Remember what you said today. From now on, the affairs of Yongshou Palace will be overseen by Chunlan and Qiuju, with Zhang Anlu and Li Dequan assisting. For urgent matters, you may report directly to Chunlan. Each of you, perform your duties. You may leave."
"We respectfully obey Your Majesty's decree!" The crowd responded respectfully, carefully retreating from the hall. They all felt their backs were soaked with cold sweat, and a sense of awe for their new master arose spontaneously.
The initial stability within the palace is only the first step. Internal family troubles have not yet been eliminated, the aftershocks in the harem are far from over, and the emperor's favor hides unpredictable intentions… The road ahead is long, and she must proceed cautiously at every step to protect everything she cherishes within these nine layers of palace walls.
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