Nanny Qiao could no longer control the expression on her face and looked at Song Xibai in fear.
"You still won't tell me?"
Song Xibai looked at her coldly.
“If you speak now, you won’t suffer as much. But if you’re sent to the disciplinary office, you’ll be subjected to all sorts of tortures, and by then it will be too late to speak.”
At this point, Song Xibai paused, then added casually.
"Anyway, my men have already caught the spy who was in contact with you, so it doesn't really matter whether you talk or not."
After saying that, Song Xibai suddenly stood up, dusted off the hem of her clothes, and walked out.
While struggling internally, Nanny Qiao became anxious when she saw everyone following Song Xibai out and blurted out a cry.
"etc!"
Song Xibai turned around.
Nanny Qiao gritted her teeth: "My mistress is not Princess Lu."
Song Xibai raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms.
Who is that?
Nanny Qiao opened her mouth, wanting to speak but not daring to, clearly terrified.
Song Xibai had a sudden thought and gave the others a look, signaling them to leave first.
"Everyone else has left, and it's just you and me left. Now we can talk!"
Nanny Qiao clenched the blanket tightly in her fists and spoke in a low voice.
"Yes... Consort De."
Upon hearing this name, Song Xibai felt as if a shoe had finally dropped to the ground.
Consort De, no, she should now be called Consort Dowager De.
It was her... it was her...
Song Xibai's eyes flickered, and she walked back to the bedside.
"Consort De is the mother of Prince Lu. I believe you if you say you are acting on her orders. But why do you say your mistress is not Princess Lu? Does that mean Princess Lu is unaware of Consort De's affairs?"
Nanny Qiao nodded.
Since she had already started, she decided to stop worrying and poured it all out.
“Princess Lu is jealous, and Consort De… no, Consort De dislikes her temperament and is worried that trouble will break out in the Prince’s residence, so she sent me to Princess Lu to keep a close eye on her movements.”
Song Xibai was extremely surprised.
This Consort De doesn't even trust her own daughter-in-law! She actually sent a spy to Princess Lu's side!
It should be noted that Princess Cao of Lu was the daughter of a sister of Consort De.
The Cao family was a distinguished family. Although Cao's father was only a vice minister of the Ministry of Works, his uncle was a reader in the Hanlin Academy, his grandfather was a minister of the second rank, and his great-uncle was one of the Grand Tutors of the late emperor.
Such a background is unique among the princesses.
Although Princess Wu came from a Duke's family, the Qi family's ancestors were military generals, which was completely different from the Cao family.
Song Xibai couldn't understand why Consort De was doing this.
So she asked it.
"Did Consort De send you there to keep a close eye on Princess Lu's movements?"
Nanny Qiao nodded.
Actually, she didn't have any tasks after entering the Prince's mansion. Since giving birth, Princess Lu had devoted all her attention to her child and no longer kept an eye on Prince Lu's concubines like before.
Qiao, the wet nurse, thought the task would be easy, but unexpectedly, she received a new task before the New Year: to enter the palace and become the wet nurse of the young prince!
At the time, Nanny Qiao thought it was impossible! She was already branded with the mark of the Prince Lu's mansion, how could the palace possibly accept her?
Unexpectedly, right after the New Year, Princess Lu took the initiative to approach him.
Naturally, Nanny Qiao dared not refuse, nor did she dare tell Princess Lu that she had already received the news and entered the palace that very day.
After pondering for a moment, Song Xibai asked again.
"After you entered the palace, how many orders did Consort De give you?"
Nanny Qiao held up two fingers.
"Only twice. The first time was when I first entered the palace. The nanny who received my message at the palace gate only told me to find a way to gain your trust. The second time was three days ago. An old woman who cleans up filth gave me a packet of medicine powder."
Qiao, the wet nurse, had only two choices: either use the poison to frame Wen Niang, Jin, or someone else to gain Song Xibai's trust, or simply commit suicide by poisoning herself and instigate internal strife within Changqing Palace.
Song Xibai remained silent for a long time after hearing this.
Therefore, the matter of Consort Qiao's wet nurse was just one of Consort De's schemes. She must have other methods as well.
But what exactly is her purpose?
This was something Song Xibai simply couldn't understand.
Was it to allow the Prince of Lu to ascend to the throne?
If Yuan Shen were still just the Crown Prince, then her actions might actually have helped Prince Lu.
But now that Yuan Shen is already the emperor, no matter what she does, the chances of Prince Lu ascending the throne are very slim.
To put it bluntly, even if Yuan Shen and Zhao Yan were both gone, he wouldn't be chosen as the new emperor from the royal family!
In terms of seniority, there was the King of Qin. Although he was disabled, he had a son!
In terms of strength, isn't the King of Wu stronger than the King of Lu?
Although the King of Wu himself was not very reliable, the Queen of Wu's family was very powerful!
After a long while, Song Xibai finally came to her senses.
She glanced at Nanny Qiao one last time, then walked out of the room without saying a word.
The crowd waiting outside quickly gathered around.
"Your Majesty, how is it?"
Song Xibai waved his hand: "Tell Jin Xiang to bring his men over and take her to the Disciplinary Department. Tell Jin Xiang to protect her life at all costs; she is an important witness."
As he spoke, Song Xibai walked step by step toward the main hall.
Granny Fangqi hurried after her, her face still showing anxiety.
"Your Highness, where are His Highness the Crown Prince and the Princess?"
Granny Fangqi didn't understand. The child had been missing for so long, so why wasn't the Empress worried?
Song Xibai did not answer her immediately, but returned to the main hall first.
Upon entering the house, she did not go to the west wing, but instead went to the east wing—her own bedroom.
"Come out! It's safe now."
She clapped her hands and called inside.
The next moment, a clattering sound came from inside the canopy bed against the wall.
Immediately afterwards, a section of the wall bulged out, and it seemed as if someone was moving inside. After a while, the wall, which looked like a door, was moved aside, and a person crawled out from inside.
"You are... Pan Chun?"
Granny Fangqi exclaimed in surprise, looking at Panchun in disbelief.
The person in front of her was very similar to Pan Chun in height, figure, and temperament, but her face was different from the Pan Chun she knew.
Pan Chun jumped off the bed and gave Song Xibai a one-knee salute.
"I have successfully completed my mission; both young masters are safe and sound."
"That sound..."
Fangqi suddenly felt that the voice sounded very familiar.
She stared at "Pan Chun's" face for a long time before finally remembering.
"Yurihime!!!"
Granny Fangqi was greatly alarmed.
"Pan Chun" raised her head and shook it.
“Granny, you’ve mistaken me for someone else. I’m not Lady Rouliang, I’m Ding Yi.”
She was once a secret guard. In order to attract the attention of outsiders, she pretended to be pregnant and entered the Eastern Palace. Later, she was framed and has been in a coma with serious injuries ever since.
Later, when news broke that Song Xibai was pregnant, no one paid any attention to Consort Rou in the West Palace anymore.
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