The next day, everyone in the Rui Palace was shocked by an incident: Cheng Qian, the palace's ceremonial officer, had raped a maid from the eldest young master's courtyard in the outer courtyard's utility room.
Zhang Decheng told Meng Qi the whole story.
"The prince has entrusted this matter to me. I was afraid of dirtying the eldest young master's courtyard, so I had Baochun summoned to the utility room first. Hu Changsheng went to ask Cheng Dianyi, and when Cheng Dianyi heard that the prince was looking for him, he didn't suspect anything. The matter is very simple. The prince asked me to tell the princess that he would handle Cheng Dianyi's matter, and asked the princess to take care of Baochun's matter."
"Your Highness, have you found out anything else during the interrogation?" Meng Qi asked.
She only told Song Chengze about the matter between Cheng Qian and Aunt Bai. Although Song Chengze did not doubt it, she also did not hear him confirm it.
Zhang Decheng nodded, "Yes, Cheng Dianyi said a lot, don't worry, Princess, the prince knows everything he needs to know."
Meng Qi understood that Cheng Qian was a high-ranking official in the palace, and that this incident wasn't a serious matter, except for his reputation. However, Song Chengze knew of his collusion with Aunt Bai and would certainly not let it go. Of course, she didn't need to worry about it.
Just like Wang Chenghai said, some people don't need to bother calculating too much. She used to worry too much.
If Song Chengze could easily resolve the matter between Baochun and Cheng Qian, then there would be no value in Ms. Li's existence.
The next morning, Madam Liu took the card and asked Wang Chenghai to call a doctor. Everyone in the mansion knew that Ms. Li had caught a severe cold. After examining her, the doctor recommended that she be moved out.
For a while, Xiao Shunzi led the eunuchs to boil vinegar in each courtyard. In the afternoon, an ox cart arrived at the west corner gate and took away the tightly wrapped Ms. Li.
In the evening, Song Chengze entered Jing'an Garden.
"Didn't Cheng Qian recruit anyone else?" Meng Qi asked.
"What do you mean?" Song Chengze asked.
Meng Qi looked at Song Chengze's expression and knew that Cheng Qian would not reveal his past with Xiao Lin. After thinking for a moment, she shook her head and said, "I thought he would say something more."
Song Chengze said, "No, he just said that he was used by Bai Shi in the beginning to pass on information for her and help her with some things. Fortunately, the tasks that Bai Shi asked him to do were not big things."
"As long as it doesn't affect the affairs of the prince's outer courtyard, it's fine."
"No, after you mentioned it last time, I asked Zhang Decheng to keep an eye on him. And some of the plans against my second brother in the palace this time were spread through him."
Meng Qi chuckled. "I see. I was thinking back then that I told you that he might be involved with Aunt Bai. I wanted to warn you to be on guard against him, but you didn't do anything. It seems it's not that you don't trust me, but that you want to use him."
Song Chengze smiled slightly, "Why? You only need to keep Ms. Li for a few more days to use her, but you won't allow me to use Cheng Qian?"
Meng Qi pursed her lips and said, "No matter what, these people have played their roles. This can be regarded as the price they pay for betraying the palace."
Song Chengze smiled and said, "It's fine now. Is there anything else that needs to be cleaned up?"
Meng Qi shook her head. "Not at the moment. Let's just wait and see how things are going in the mansion. I also hope that from now on there will be no more traitors. What about you? Do you want to continue?"
Song Chengze hummed, "Father's health is getting worse and worse. Some things can't be delayed any longer. It's best to resolve them as soon as possible. And now that the weather is warmer, things have started again at Fifth Brother's mansion."
Meng Qi excitedly grabbed Song Chengze's sleeve and asked, "Start digging?"
Song Chengze smiled and said, "Well, I just received the news from Meng Zhi. It should be more than a month before Fifth Brother succeeds."
"It seems that Meng Zhi is fine. You don't know how worried I was when I didn't see her at Prince Cheng's residence on the fourteenth day of the first lunar month. I thought she had been exposed and was being placed under house arrest by Princess Cheng."
"How could it be? If she were exposed, the Cheng Palace wouldn't be so peaceful. Don't worry, she's someone as smart as you." Song Chengze stood up and patted his robe. "Oh, there's something I forgot to tell you."
Meng Qi stood up and reached for the cloak on the shelf.
"There's news about Zhuang Jing."
Meng Qi said, "Is that Madam Zhuang? Her name is Zhuang Jing?"
Song Chengze nodded and let Meng Qi help him put on his cloak. "I'll have Zhou Yu arrange for someone beside him named Wu Hen to handle this matter. He's very skilled, especially in Qinggong, which is almost unmatched in the capital."
Meng Qi nodded. "If we find this Zhuang Jing, wouldn't we be able to find out something about the affair between the late Empress Dowager and the late Empress?"
Song Chengze fastened the straps of his cloak and nodded, "Yes, this person is very important. It's a pity that we found out too late. If we had known about it earlier, when she came to the palace to prescribe medicine for Aihua last year, we could have captured her directly."
Meng Qi suddenly thought of something, leaned forward slightly and whispered, "The girl following Xiaoman might have some relationship with Zhuang Jing."
Song Chengze looked at Meng Qi in surprise. Meng Qi thought for a moment and said, "I can't explain it to you clearly right away. I think if Zhuang Jing is found, she will have to be sent to the palace. If she doesn't cooperate, bringing this girl in should help."
Meng Qi could only say this now. She couldn't explain to Song Chengze that the girl with a mole on her forehead was someone she knew in her previous life.
Song Chengze didn't ask any more questions. He just nodded, lifted the curtain and walked out.
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Xiao Lin sat there in disbelief. How could it be possible? Cheng Qian and Bao Chun were together?
Is he blinded by greed? Why would he go looking for the harem?
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