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Qi Kang, following Cui Shenzhi's instructions, went to investigate the palace servants who had entered the palace before the eighth year of Hongjia. While investigating, he came across a familiar name.
He quickly pulled out the papers where the guards had recorded the words of the deposed concubines, and sure enough, he found that name mixed in.
"Your Highness! We've found them!" Qi Kang rushed into the study, unable to contain his excitement. "This servant has found the person who served Her Majesty the Empress! The person who accompanied Her Majesty the Empress all the way from the Fu family to the palace!"
Upon hearing this, Cui Shenzhi jumped to his feet, ignoring the teacup he had knocked over on the table, and hurriedly asked, "Who was it?!"
“It’s that Qingya aunt you took Ping’an to see in the Cold Palace last time.” Qi Kang spread out the paper recording the words of the deposed concubines on the table: “Look, here, here, and here, several of those deposed concubines mentioned that there was a palace maid named Qingya by the Empress’s side, and that aunt’s age matches!”
Upon hearing this, Cui Shenzhi lifted his foot and was about to head towards the Cold Palace, but as soon as he stepped out of the East Palace gate, he saw Rouge coming towards him.
Rouge seemed oblivious to the strange expression on Cui Shenzhi's face, and smiled as she curtsied.
"Your Highness, the Imperial Concubine requests your presence."
Cui Shenzhi didn't want to go, but he knew it wasn't the right time to break ties with Shen Meiwu. He could only whisper to Qi Kang to send someone to protect Qingya before leading Siwei and Yanzhi toward Chengqian Palace.
*****
Upon seeing Cui Shenzhi's arrival, Shen Meiwu once again put on that gentle and loving mask, showing concern and care for Cui Shenzhi.
"Shenzhi, why do you look so pale? Are you feeling unwell? Have you called the imperial physician? Isn't your friend Lu Fengping, who is a very skilled doctor, on duty at the Imperial Hospital? What did he say?"
Cui Shenzhi cupped his hands in greeting and tried to reply in a calm tone, "Your Highness, I am not feeling unwell, but I have been having nightmares lately and have not been sleeping well."
"Nightmare?"
“Yes,” Cui Shenzhi sighed, “The Imperial Concubine did not go to Nanzhou, so she does not know how bad the situation there is. There are ruins and unrecognizable corpses everywhere. The roads are full of people who are in unbearable pain because they have lost their families and live like walking corpses.”
“When I was in Nanzhou, I was busy with disaster relief and was so tired that I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow every day, so I never dreamed. I didn’t know that my trip to Nanzhou would leave such a deep shadow on me.”
“Since returning to the Eastern Palace, I haven’t had a good night’s sleep. Every day I dream of the scenes I saw in the Southern Continent, of my husband holding his wife and children and weeping uncontrollably, of women beating their chests and stamping their feet in front of their husband’s corpse, and of children looking helplessly at their parents buried under the rubble. That’s why I’m feeling so weak.”
"I see... Rouge."
"This servant is here."
"Have the Imperial Hospital prepare a calming soup," Shen Meiwu said, looking at Cui Shenzhi. "Shenzhi, although it's not good for a prince like you to have nightmares over such a trivial matter, and it's understandable that you keep it a secret, you shouldn't force yourself to endure it. After drinking the calming soup, go back and get a good night's sleep. If you still have nightmares, tell me, and I'll have the Imperial Physicians examine you properly. I'll also instruct them not to say anything more, so don't worry."
"Yes, thank you for your concern, Your Highness."
After a moment of deep brows and a fleeting glance, Chen Meiwu raised her hand and gently patted Cui Shenzhi.
“You are the child I watched grow up, so of course I care about you. Lingxian is the same. She often talks about you these days, but for some reason, you don’t come. I asked her to go to the East Palace to find you, but she won’t go. Did you two have some kind of conflict? I know your personality; you are the gentlest. Is she being unreasonable again?”
Choi Shin-ji lowered his eyes.
"What are you saying, Your Highness? Lingxian is innocent and kind; she would never do anything unreasonable. It's my fault."
"My father has always relied on me quite a bit. As soon as I returned, he gave me a lot of political affairs. I didn't want to disappoint my father's expectations, and I was too embarrassed to tell him that I hadn't been able to sleep well because of my trip to Nanzhou, so I could only force myself to stay awake. When Lingxian came last time, she happened to see how tired I was and advised me to put down my political affairs and rest. She said she would talk to my father for me. How could I agree to that? So I argued with her for a bit."
"At the time, I was too tired and my mind was a bit muddled, so I don't remember what I said. But I vaguely remember that Ling Xian was angered by me and left. I must have said something offensive. Unfortunately, I've been too busy lately to come to Chengqian Palace to pay my respects, and I haven't had time to explain to Ling Xian. I suppose that's why Ling Xian didn't want to come to the East Palace."
The reason was somewhat plausible, but Shen Meiwu still felt that something was off. While considering it, she casually asked, "By the way, how is that little palace maid who asked you for help doing? I heard from Yan Zhi that there has been no progress on the shop she bought."
“She’s dead.” Cui Shenzhi’s expression darkened as he thought of Ping An. “She was bleeding profusely when she was talking to me at the palace gate. By the time I called Feng Ping over, it was too late, so I had Qi Kang find a good place to bury her. We didn’t give away that shop.”
As soon as Cui Shenzhi finished speaking, Yanzhi brought in a bowl of steaming calming soup. Cui Shenzhi took it and drank it all in one gulp without the slightest hesitation.
Seeing this scene, Shen Meiwu felt much more at ease.
Cui Shenzhi was so unguarded with her, drinking whatever she was offered. How could he possibly deceive her? And she was the same. Cui Shenzhi wasn't that hypocritical man, Cui Sugong. He was a child she had watched grow up, named Fu Yunjin, and who was full of affection for her. How could she look at Cui Shenzhi with the same eyes she used to look at Cui Sugong?
*****
After leaving Chengqian Palace, Cui Shenzhi hurried to a deserted palace where few people visited, and vomited up the calming soup that Shen Meiwu had made him drink.
Qi Kang was puzzled by Cui Shenzhi's behavior.
“Your Highness, the Imperial Concubine has deceived you for many years, but she has no reason to harm you. You don’t need to do this.”
“I’m not afraid she’ll harm me,” Cui Shenzhi said in a low voice, “I just feel disgusted. She harmed my mother, yet she puts on a show in front of me, trying to take her place. Such thoughts disgust me, and the actions she takes are even more disgusting.”
Qi Kang sighed and didn't say anything more.
After calming down, Cui Shenzhi stood up and walked towards the Cold Palace.
*****
When Qingya saw Cui Shenzhi arrive, she thought Ping An had gotten into trouble again, and hurriedly went over.
"Your Highness, Ping An...is she still not better? Or has she encountered some danger again?"
"No, I'm fine. I've come to see you, Aunt." Cui Shenzhi stared at Qingya without blinking. "Aunt, I heard that you've always been by my mother's side. I'd like to ask you about my mother's life."
Upon hearing this, Qingya was momentarily at a loss for how to react.
She thought Cui Shenzhi knew Ping An was Fu Yunjin's daughter, which was why he harmed her so badly. But Cui Shenzhi's words clearly showed he didn't know, so Ping An wasn't harmed by Cui Shenzhi as she suspected? Then who harmed Ping An? Who had a reason to harm Ping An?
Qingya's mind was in complete turmoil, and a complicated expression inevitably appeared on her face.
Cui Shenzhi thought Qingya was worried that he would clash with Shen Meiwu, so he quickly comforted her, "Aunt, you don't need to worry about me. Although I am not favored by the Emperor, I am still the Crown Prince, and a famous one at that. As long as I find the evidence, I will definitely seek justice for my mother!"
Qingya nodded, then shook her head, unsure of what to say or do. She could only take a few steps back and say somewhat flusteredly, "Your Highness, I... I have some things I need to think about. Could you please leave first and come back to see me tomorrow... no, in a few days?"
Choi Shin-ji, however, felt that this wouldn't work.
“Aunt, I know your worries, but I dare not and cannot leave you in the Cold Palace. I am worried about you, worried that Shen Meiwu will send people to harm you. Of course you can think it over before you talk to me, but I hope you can come to the East Palace with me. Although the harem is Shen Meiwu’s domain, the East Palace is my territory after all. I am confident that I can protect you.”
Qingya couldn't find a reason to refuse, and she was worried about Ping An, so she could only agree. She simply took a few useful items and left with Cui Shenzhi.
After learning about this, Shen Meiwu summoned the eunuch in charge of the Cold Palace to inquire about it.
The new steward of the Cold Palace knew nothing about Qingya's affairs, only saying that Cui Shenzhi had taken away a rather old palace maid from the Cold Palace.
Shen Meiwu had just confirmed that Cui Shenzhi was still the same child who adored her. Knowing that Cui Shenzhi had only transferred an older palace maid to the East Palace, she naturally didn't think much of it. However, Cui Shenzhi's actions reminded her that there were still quite a few mad concubines in the Cold Palace, and she needed to deal with them quickly to prevent them from saying anything inappropriate that Cui Shenzhi might overhear.
*****
Qingya followed behind Cui Shenzhi, looking at his back with a complicated expression.
Cui Shenzhi seems to genuinely regard Fu Yunjin as his own mother; otherwise, he wouldn't have risked going against Shen Meiwu to bring her to the East Palace to take care of her and even wanted to seek justice for Fu Yunjin. But the problem is, he is not Fu Yunjin's child; Ping An is.
If Cui Shenzhi really makes a big fuss as he says and gets justice for Fu Yunjin, what will he do then? In that situation, given Cui Sugong and Shen Meiwu's character, they will definitely reveal his identity. What will he do then?
Discovering that his biological father harmed his biological mother is already painful enough. Then, after fighting tooth and nail for justice, he finds that this justice doesn't belong to him. Can he bear it? Not to mention that his life is in danger.
Qingya couldn't predict the outcome and was very worried, but she couldn't resist the temptation of Cui Shenzhi's offer to seek justice for Fu Yunjin. She could only turn her head away guiltily and then freeze on the spot.
She seemed to see Ping An, not the wounded, zombie-like Ping An, but a Ping An with burgeoning desires, who looked more like Shen Meiwu than Fu Yunjin.
What's going on?
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