"You want to enter the palace?"
After hearing Lu Qiqi's plan, Xuan Wenying didn't know how to react.
Yesterday, Lu Qiqi tossed and turned, and could only think of this one solution.
"That's right, I need to go to the palace to ask the Empress Dowager for help."
She explained, "Even though Steward Jia and the coroner and his son are imprisoned in the dark jail."
Based solely on the testimonies of the three individuals, it is entirely impossible to convict Madam Jia.
If Madam Jia remained secluded at home, given her official title, the officials of the Dali Temple would have no way to arrest her.
Xuan Wenying felt that her words made perfect sense, but the Empress Dowager was not someone who could be seen whenever she wanted.
“I’ll go find your maternal grandmother right now and see if she can send you to the palace.”
As she spoke, Xuan Wenying got up.
Lu Qiqi quickly grabbed her sleeve, "Aunt, you don't need to worry about this. I have my own way of getting into the palace."
After saying that, she turned her gaze to Song Binyu, who was playing in the yard.
With Song Binyu by her side, Lu Qiqi entered the palace smoothly and went into the Empress Dowager's bedroom.
The Empress Dowager sat in the highest seat and, after Lu Qiqi sat down, said, "You have the jade pendant that Yan Qing gave you, so there's no need to use Binyu as a shield to enter the palace."
Lu Qiqi's little scheme was exposed, so she didn't choose to say anything nice.
Instead, he stated frankly, "I was afraid the Empress Dowager would refuse to see me, so I resorted to this desperate measure to ensure everything went smoothly."
I have already told the Crown Prince the truth about this matter, so it cannot be considered deception.”
Upon hearing this, the displeasure in the Empress Dowager's eyes gradually faded. "You are quite clever."
"I promised Yanqing that if you encounter any difficulties, I would help you as appropriate."
"Speak! You went to great lengths to enter the palace, what do you want from me?"
Lu Qiqi was stunned for a moment when she didn't expect Song Yanqing to actually ask the Empress Dowager for an imperial decree.
After realizing what had happened, she stood up and knelt directly before the Empress Dowager, pleading, "I beg the Empress Dowager to do justice for my mother, Chen Wenjun!"
After saying that, she kowtowed deeply.
Seeing her like this, the Empress Dowager frowned slightly and said, "Get up and speak."
Lu Qiqi stood up, and the red mark on her forehead was very obvious.
She informed the Empress Dowager in detail about the Shadow Guards' investigation into Chen Wenjun's interception of her husband's marriage and General Xuan's sudden death.
Even the Empress Dowager, who was used to the affairs of the imperial court, was shocked by the behavior of Madam Jia.
To be able to plan both poisoning and marriage so perfectly—that takes incredible intelligence!
Before the late emperor died, he was still thinking about how the Marquis of Lin'an had followed him in battle for many years, and how his only daughter was kidnapped on his way to her wedding.
His regret before his death was that he had not been able to give the Marquis of Lin'an an explanation.
She is still alive today, and there is absolutely no reason for us to stand idly by.
The Empress Dowager extended her hand, and Lu Qiqi quickly offered hers, immediately feeling the warmth of her palm and the back of her hand.
The Empress Dowager said, "Child, what do you want me to do?"
Upon hearing that the Empress Dowager had agreed, Lu Qiqi was overjoyed and wept, saying, "I would be grateful if Your Majesty would summon the murderer to the palace."
The Empress Dowager patted the back of her hand and said, "Good!"
...
The Marquis of Anyang's residence.
Eunuch Zhang conveyed the Empress Dowager's decree, inviting Madam Jia to the palace.
Upon hearing this news, Madam Jia's expression changed.
Jia Zhenxian, who helped her up, was unaware of what had happened, only knowing that the imperial decree to enter the palace was too suspicious.
Madam Jia coughed twice, covering her mouth, and said in a hoarse voice, "Eunuch Zhang, I have been unwell recently and am afraid that entering the palace will contaminate the Empress Dowager's health."
Eunuch Lao reported to the Empress Dowager that he would personally go to the palace to apologize once he had recovered.
With a kind smile, Eunuch Zhang said in a high-pitched voice, "Madam is joking."
"Recently, the Empress Dowager heard that Physician Luo had come to the capital, so she specially ordered someone to invite Physician Luo to the palace for a consultation."
"Such a perfect opportunity! The old lady has been unwell lately; isn't this perfect timing?"
Having said that, Madam Jia understood that this trip was unavoidable.
She said, "Please wait a moment, Eunuch Zhang. I will change my clothes and then enter the palace."
Eunuch Zhang didn't make things difficult for him. He held the whisk in both hands and stood aside waiting.
Back in the room, Jia Zhenxian couldn't contain her curiosity. "Mother, why did the Empress Dowager suddenly summon you to the palace?"
With Jia Zhenxian's help, Old Madam Jia changed into her imperial robes and said in a low voice, "Steward Jia's sudden disappearance, and all the things that happened are related to the Marquis of Anyang's residence."
"Now that the Empress Dowager has suddenly summoned me to the palace, it can't be anything good."
Hearing this, Jia Zhenxian's heart tightened. "Mother, what should we do now?"
Unable to fathom the Empress Dowager's thoughts, Madam Jia could only say, "Tell Zhenxing that I am going to the palace and let him observe the situation."
The Empress is in the palace; she is my own niece, and I imagine she already knows the news.
With her there, nothing should go wrong.
She didn't know whether she was saying this to Jia Zhenxian or to comfort herself.
After changing into her ceremonial robes, Madam Jia boarded the carriage and headed towards the palace.
...
Madam Jia was warmly invited by the Empress Dowager to rest in the palace.
Although she sensed something was amiss, she was trapped in the palace and had no choice but to wait until tomorrow to leave.
As night fell, Madam Jia felt the side hall arranged by the Empress Dowager to be extremely cold and eerie.
She entered the palace alone, without any servants by her side.
But given the current situation, she couldn't care less about anything else and could only shout for the palace maids to come in and serve her.
To her surprise, even after she shouted until her voice was hoarse, no palace servants came into the room.
Before she knew it, she felt sleepy and fell into a deep sleep.
The sound of a rooster crowing reached her ears, and Old Madam Jia slowly opened her eyes. When she sat up, she found herself on a wooden bed.
She looked around and saw firewood piled up next to the bed.
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