Chapter 74 Kang Ren's Eleven Years of Studying Virtue
Jiang Xue became alert reflexively and asked, "Why did the prince say that?"
Jing Ye didn't say a word, but walked straight into the inner room and closed the door with a bang.
Only Jiang Xue was left standing there, looking shocked.
After a moment, she reached out to close the veil, turned around and left Wanbao Tower.
She walked to the corner of the stairs and saw Ji Yan, who looked like he was watching a show.
Jiang Xue suddenly remembered something and said to Ji Yan, "Whatever stone my sister likes, make it according to her wishes. I will send someone to pay for it."
Ji Yan was about to respond when Jiang Xue immediately went downstairs.
Ji Yan stood not far behind her and watched her go down the stairs, shook his head and sighed.
"Why do these two people have to do this?"
After saying that, he turned and went into the inner room.
Jiang Xue left Wanbao Tower and walked towards the street corner, where Xu Chong and Gan Ning were already waiting.
Seeing her approaching, Xu Chong immediately got out of the carriage and put the stool in place. Jiang Xue walked onto the carriage with a blank expression and said, "Let's go back home."
In the carriage, Fu Dong looked at Jiang Xue's gloomy face and asked, "What's wrong with your highness?"
Jiang Xue shook her head and said, "Nothing."
Soon, she suddenly asked: "Do you still remember Congde?"
"What?" Fu Dong was confused for a moment, then his face was full of fear.
Li Congde was Jiang Xue's favorite eunuch in Changle Palace.
Since he suddenly disappeared three years ago, other palace servants might not know, but she and Fu Dong, who served Jiang Xue closely, could not have been unaware - Li Congde was related to the death of the eldest prince.
But the palace had already issued a ban, keeping silent about this person.
Fu Dong stammered, "Why did Your Highness suddenly think of this person..."
"When did he come to Changle Palace?" Jiang Xue asked.
"The eleventh year of Kangren, Your Highness."
"Eleven years... I was thirteen, wasn't I?"
Fudong nodded.
"Did he come to Changle Palace as soon as he entered the palace?" Jiang Xue asked.
Fu Dong tried hard to recall and said, "It shouldn't be. Li Congde used to serve His Majesty in front of the palace."
How could Prince Gan Guoan be so connected that he could place a eunuch who served the princess personally in the palace and knew her diet, preferences and habits so well?
She had checked that most of Xiao Qi's letters home were delivered by Li Congde.
It seems that Li Congde had already had contact with Xiao Qi before he came to serve in Changle Palace.
So why did this person come to Changle Palace?
Jiang Xue couldn't remember.
"Since you are serving the emperor, why did you come to Changle Palace?"
Fu Dong said, "That year, when your majesty was discussing matters with a minister, Li Congde accidentally spilled tea on the minister while serving him."
"That gentleman was a censor. He immediately urged Your Majesty to severely punish Li Congde and serve as a warning to others, based on the principle of governing the country by managing the family."
"At that time, His Highness was just about to go look for His Majesty, and asked His Majesty to go with you to the Imperial Garden to accompany the Empress and the Emperor's wife to appreciate the flowers."
"His Highness saw that Li Congde was still young and felt sorry for him, so he begged His Majesty to fine him only half a year's salary, remove him from the imperial court, and let him serve in Changle Palace."
Fu Dong finished his words carefully and asked, "Your Highness, have you forgotten? But that's true. Your Highness has been kind since childhood. There are many cats, dogs, eunuchs and maids who have been rescued in the palace. I'm sure Your Highness can't remember them all."
"What's the name of that censor?" Jiang Xue asked.
Fu Dong tried to recall for a long while, then smiled bitterly and said, "I grew up in the palace, so I don't know much about these people outside the palace, and I can't remember them. I know it was the censor because he talked about a lot of principles at that time, and almost violated the Zhu Mingjian. He insisted on punishing Li Congde, and Your Highness argued with him for a long time before saving him."
Jiang Xue said: "I understand."
Fu Dong asked: "Why did Your Highness suddenly think of this person?"
Jiang Xue shook her head, a tired look on her face, and said to her, "It just suddenly occurred to me when I was daydreaming just now. I'm tired, I'll close my eyes for a while. Call me when we get there."
Fu Dong nodded carefully and said, "Okay."
When they arrived at Gu's house, the carriage went directly into the backyard through the side door. Jiang Xue got off the carriage and asked Fu Dong to find someone to look for Xiaochun and question Qingxuan.
When Xiaochun entered the room, Fudong was just changing Jiang Xue's clothes and was about to take off her hair and comb it again. Jiang Xue saw Xiaochun coming in and said to Fudong, "Go to the kitchen and make me a bowl of ginseng soup, and personally take it to the study for the prince consort."
Then he said to Xiaochun, "Come and help me comb my hair."
Fu Dong bowed, walked to the door, handed the comb to Xiaochun, then went out to the kitchen.
Jiang Xue said: "Close the door."
Xiaochun nodded in understanding, leaned out to look outside the door, confirmed that there was no one around, then closed the door and bolted it.
"Your Highness, Ruan Yisui is back."
Jiang Xue raised her eyebrows, thought for a moment, and said, "Let him wait first, you come over and help me comb my hair."
Xiaochun nodded, walked behind Jiang Xue, and slowly combed her hair.
"Xiaochun, you were brought up by Aunt Dong since you were a child, and you are most familiar with palace affairs. I have something to ask you."
"Your Highness, please speak." Xiaochun did not stop what she was doing, but just lowered her brows and concentrated on combing her hair.
"Is there a palace official in charge of recording the entry of foreign officials and ladies into the palace?" Jiang Xue asked.
"Yes, it's the Record Office," Xiaochun replied. "Whether it's the palace maids who were purchased by the palace and left the palace, the guards who were sent, the ministers and ladies who came to the palace to meet the emperor, the number of people who went to and from the court, and their signatures, all were recorded and kept in a book."
"How long is the deposit period?" Jiang Xue asked.
"It was originally preserved, but the first emperor..." Xiaochun hesitated to speak.
"It's okay, we're just discussing it privately in the room, go ahead."
"Three months into his reign, the previous Li Emperor burned all the records in the previous palace. That's why our dynasty reorganized the records starting from the first year of Kangren, when the current emperor took the throne." Xiaochun said, "Your Highness, do you want to check these records? I wonder which year they are from? If they are from before Li Emperor, I'm afraid they can't be found."
Jiang Xue nodded and said, "It would be fine if all the people from when my father was in power are here."
She turned around and looked up at Xiaochun, and said firmly: "Xiaochun, I know that my mother asked you to watch me, but no matter what, you can't tell Aunt Dong or my mother about this. Can you do it?"
Xiaochun held the comb, bit her lip, and asked softly, "Will this matter harm His Highness?"
"I promise you, I won't." Jiang Xue held her hand.
"I can do it."
"Okay," Jiang Xue smiled and said, "Perhaps you remember Li Congde?"
Xiaochun opened her lips slightly, and asked in a panic, "Why would Your Highness think of this person?"
This is a taboo in Changle Palace, and everyone knows it.
"Don't be afraid. I need you to help me check the list of foreign ministers who entered the palace to discuss political affairs with my father one month before Li Congde was transferred to Changle Palace in the eleventh year of Kangren."
"It would be even better if you can remember the day he was assigned to Changle Palace. Just check and tell me the name of the minister."
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