Yuan Dong watched Wang Chenghai walk out and whispered, "Does the princess suspect something about Concubine Li?"
Meng Qi shook her head. "I don't know. I'm not confident in any of the women in the palace. Li is unlikely to be the one. She's alone and has no ties. Even if she's being used, she doesn't pose any threat. I'm more suspicious of the people around her, especially Luo Lan."
"Princess, Ms. Li went to look for Madam Liu. She said she accidentally lost her waist badge and wants to get a new one."
"She just said that?"
"Yes, I just told you. Madam Liu asked her where she lost it. After all, the waist badge needs to be carried with her when she leaves the house."
"How did she respond?"
"She said it was hanging on her body when she came out of the palace with you last time. But when she got off the carriage and returned to the inner courtyard, it disappeared. She figured it must have been scraped off when she got in and out of the carriage."
Meng Qi narrowed her eyes. "She's not a man, so she needs to wear the purse around her waist. It seems my suspicion is correct. There must be something wrong with this Ms. Li."
After saying that, he walked around the room twice. Who was she? Should he set up a trap to find out? But how? Where should he go?
Meng Qi thought about the upcoming Wanshou Festival. Since Ms. Li had made some small moves in the palace last time, she had to start from the palace.
"Tell Ms. Li that I will take her to the palace for the Wanshou Festival in a few days and ask her to prepare early."
"Ah? You're taking her with you? If she really has second thoughts, aren't you afraid that she..."
"It doesn't matter. I now know who in the palace is affiliated with Concubine Lian, and I'll have someone keep an eye on her. I have to know who's behind her so I can figure out whether to use her or make her disappear."
Yuan Dong watched Meng Qi calmly say such heartless words and couldn't help but sigh. Even the most innocent and romantic person would lose control of themselves in such an environment. Sometimes it really is a matter of life and death.
"Do you think I'm too cruel?" Meng Qi said softly.
Yuan Dong was stunned for a moment, then whispered, "How could that be? If you weren't in that kind of environment, who wouldn't want to be a Bodhisattva who benefits everyone? You're also forced into a corner. If you don't take action, will you let others frame you?"
Yuan Dong said as she spread the quilt on the kang. "I don't understand what these people are thinking. Our prince is a kind-hearted man. As long as they don't make mistakes in this palace, they will have a good life. But look at these two people, few of them are quiet. Moreover, all kinds of people have come out at once, including maids, concubines, maids, eunuchs, oh, it's really complete. I don't know how the prince has been safe and sound under the noses of these calculating people for so many years."
Meng Qi chuckled when she heard that. After laughing for a while, she suddenly seemed to think of something and her face became a little ugly.
Yuan Dong turned around and was about to say something, but seeing Meng Qi's expression, he asked cautiously, "Princess, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Or have you thought of something?"
Meng Qi waved her hand. "It's okay. I just suddenly thought of a possibility, but I don't think it's likely."
"Oh? Who is it about? The prince?"
"No, it's not him. What you just said reminded me. You said you didn't know how the prince had been safe and sound for so many years despite their schemes. I was thinking, maybe the target of their schemes was never the prince."
"Who is that?" Yuan Dong picked up the charcoal kettle and put it into the quilt, warming it gently.
"Perhaps, perhaps the princess?"
"Ah? You mean the first two princesses?" Yuan Dong put down the charcoal kettle and turned around, his face full of shock.
Meng Qi nodded. "That's just my guess. Lin and Gong were both in good health before they married into the family, but they both died while giving birth. It's such a coincidence. And the fact that there's no mistress in the mansion makes it easy for them to do what they want."
Seeing Meng Qi's slightly furrowed brow, Yuan Dong nodded. "Princess, I think what you said makes a lot of sense. As long as there's no mistress in the inner chambers of the palace, they can do their work freely. The more chaotic it is, the better it is for them to gather information. It also helps them to divert more of the prince's attention, especially since there are two young masters here who don't have their own mothers."
Meng Qi nodded. That's right, she would not be wrong. Lin and Gong were probably not there because of difficult labor and poor postpartum care. There must be some man-made reasons.
But who was this person who extended the dark hand? At the moment, it didn't seem like she had discovered these people.
Meng Qi felt a headache. The seemingly simple Prince Rui's Mansion was actually full of hidden talents.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
