Chapter 209 The real culprit behind the scenes is gradually emerging^^……
The Tongyuan Mao clan is a branch of the family that moved to the capital after their ancestors became wealthy. This name was used to distinguish them from the main branch of the Mao clan.
In this generation, the Mao family had no suitable children to send to the palace, so they used all their efforts to help. Finally, the eldest son of the Tongyuan Mao family was fortunate enough to be selected as the companion of the sixth prince, and he was the hope of the whole family.
All of this information was obtained by Qi Chengming from Lao Hua.
Upon arriving in the capital, the veterans from the Marquis of Weiyong's residence returned to their home turf, proving themselves adept at gathering intelligence in secret. Due to the confidentiality of the matter, Qi Chengming left after instructing someone to investigate the earrings. This time, he took no one with him, only having Lao Hua, who had helped him gather intelligence, personally drive the carriage. The two discreetly headed to Mao's residence on East Street.
This is a standard Hui-style building, with blue tiles, white walls, and lush greenery.
Qi Chengming almost thought he had arrived in Jiangnan for a moment. When he looked around at the buildings, they were all tall and imposing in the style of Luoyang, with carved beams and painted rafters.
Qi Chengming pointed to the style and asked, somewhat puzzled, "...Are they being so... high-profile?"
Old Hua gently pulled on the reins, stopped the carriage, looked up at the large plaque above the Mao residence, and answered matter-of-factly, "They are, after all, the Mao family."
"Elderly families..." Qi Chengming swallowed the rest of his sentence. Before he had some means to deal with them, he couldn't possibly consider the danger these powerful clans posed.
"Let's go."
After Lao Hua knocked on the door, the doorman quickly inquired about their names and the reason for their visit, then swiftly opened the side door and respectfully invited them inside. The movements were quick and discreet, clearly indicating that they had been instructed beforehand.
"Please wait here for a moment, Your Highness. Someone has gone to fetch the eldest young master." The steward smiled just right, and the maid who served tea was also very attentive. Throughout the entire process, the servants were completely silent and very well-behaved, which made Qi Chengming take a few more glances.
He hasn't visited any aristocratic families yet, nor any that have fallen into decline.
"Um."
Young Master Mao rushed over quickly. He personally carried a jar of wine, examining the fresh mud on the jar, which had just been dug out. As soon as he entered, he hurriedly ordered, "All of you, go down! Tell the kitchen to prepare; I want to host a grand banquet for the Prince."
"Yes." The servants bowed respectfully and left without closing the door behind them. Two young servants stood guard at the door and window, one on each side.
Young Master Mao finally let out a slight sigh of relief and unsealed the clay seal. He was slightly overweight, and his face was flushed and slightly sweaty from rushing over, but he didn't bother to wipe it off. Instead, he showed the wine jar to Qi Chengming: "Your Highness, the Sixth Prince ordered me to get this... This is it."
That's hardly some fine wine.
Inside the mouth of the wine jar in Kaifeng, there was a thick stack of papers and scattered items.
Qi Chengming leaned closer to examine it, his brows furrowing.
There are many testimonies from palace maids who were successively sent out of the palace back then, as well as old eunuchs who were carried out of the palace due to illness and were squeezed out of their positions and did not return.
They successively testified that someone had given them money or expensive rewards, or spread rumors on the route that Consort Hua took when she was pregnant—about the front-line battle situation of the Weiyong Army's repeated defeats, which disturbed Consort Hua's worries and prayers day and night.
Or perhaps she happened to see the former head of the Imperial Observatory exchanging money with someone when she was a palace maid, and not long after that, rumors circulated that the son born to Consort Hua was a jinx who would bring misfortune to his mother, and that he was a jinx with an extremely strong birth chart.
Oh, in these detailed testimonies, the palace maid who confessed to the Imperial Observatory incident wasn't the person involved. She and the palace maid named Yu Ji were originally close friends, but after Yu Ji secretly told her about this with concern, she soon fell into the water and drowned. Only Yun Fei was left, terrified and pretending to know nothing. She fell seriously ill and was on the verge of death, so she was carried out of the palace, but unexpectedly, she miraculously pulled through.
Among these clues, there are only very trivial details pointing to the fact that the person who secretly ordered them to do things back then went in the direction of Consort Rong's palace, but several people in a row said the same thing.
Qi Chengming felt a heavy weight in his heart as he read this: "..."
So that's why the Sixth Prince suspected that Consort Rong was behind all of this? Is it really that simple? This could actually be a smokescreen.
Qi Chengming rummaged around at the bottom of the wine jar and pulled out several indentures, as well as old-fashioned gold ingots, jade bracelets, and jade hairpins.
Seeing Prince Rui fall silent, Young Master Mao, unable to hide his nervousness, cleared his throat and spoke up for his master: "His Highness went to great lengths to find these things, and those people have all been settled. If Your Highness wishes to see..."
Qi Chengming remained silent for a while, then picked out a name without refusing: "Okay, I want to meet that Aunt Anxiang."
The fact that the Sixth Prince was able to secretly find these things already impressed Qi Chengming; it was something that could only be accomplished with great effort. However, all the clues now vaguely point to Consort Rong, without any real evidence. The testimonies of these people only vaguely mention the Empress's role in instigating the situation.
Qi Chengming found it difficult to fully believe these testimonies. However, he noticed that one person on the intelligence list had a very special identity—
That was the original owner's mother, a third-class palace maid who had served in Consort Hua's courtyard. Ever since the Second Prince was born and neglected, everyone in Consort Hua's palace was gradually dismissed. Those who remained to take care of the original owner were also gradually sent away over the next few years, until finally only a group of palace servants, Xiao Dezi and Xiao Chengzi, who were completely unaware of the past, were left to maintain appearances.
Years have passed, and the people who served in Consort Hua's palace have gradually disappeared. A line has been drawn in bright red cinnabar here. Most of the palace maids who left the palace at the appropriate age died in accidents. The results of the investigation are shocking.
Only this third-class palace maid remained, and she was originally from the same clan as a beauty in the palace. She had become a head lady-in-waiting in that palace, which was why she had survived to this day. Regardless of whether she knew about what happened back then, Qi Chengming wanted to meet and talk with her.
“She’s still working in the palace.” Young Master Mao’s eyes lit up with an idea. He said with great experience, “When Your Highness enters the palace, wait a moment. Have the palace servants who go to the imperial kitchen to fetch the food keep an eye out. They’re bound to run into someone from her palace.”
Qi Chengming understood.
Understood. He'll be staying in the palace for the next few days… The reason is easy to find: the imperial examinations are approaching. Scholars have been arriving in the capital one after another, and the inns are bustling with activity. Discussions are also taking place in the court about who will be appointed to preside over the examinations.
In the past, the imperial examinations were handled by the Ministry of Rites, but now... haven't the princes all grown up? There are rumors circulating that His Majesty might entrust this important task to one of his sons. The Sixth and Seventh Princes have been receiving frequent praise lately, while only the Second Prince has gradually become more low-key.
It's perfectly normal for him to want to stay in the palace, keep a low profile, and try to please his father, the emperor.
Qi Chengming slipped back to the palace that very day.
Chief Steward Song received the letter unexpectedly and hurriedly took Gan Tang to the palace to send some woolen clothes. The Second Prince did have some, but they were worried that His Highness wouldn't be used to them.
Three days have passed.
Qi Chengming maintained a stable life every day, returning to his residence to study in the morning and taking a stroll in the suburbs in the afternoon before returning to the palace.
The taciturn yet meticulous Gan Tang has been taking the initiative to fetch meals these past few days, figuring out the routines in that beauty's palace. As the head lady-in-waiting, Aunt Anxiang has never personally fetched meals, but the needlework distributed in winter and the new clothes distributed before spring are things that require Gan Tang's care and attention.
Gan Tang then had a better idea of what to do. After consulting with Qi Chengming, she made an excuse that the prince's cloak had a tear and went to the needlework shop, where she "coincidentally" met Aunt Anxiang.
"Greetings, Auntie." Gan Tang keenly sensed that before she could even think of a way to start a conversation, Auntie Anxiang's expression changed slightly when she saw her, and she looked away while trying to appear calm.
Having figured things out, Gan Tang wasn't in a hurry and left after a few casual pleasantries.
That beauty had not borne any children for many years, and having aged and lost her beauty, she was no longer favored by His Majesty. The Empress Dowager, on the other hand, did not usually concern herself with the details. The beauty's life in the palace was low-key yet somewhat difficult. It was clear that Aunt Anxiang knew her but was wary of her, so it was not appropriate for her to come up and reminisce.
Gan Tang only needs a clever scheme to gradually build rapport with people, and that beauty's life in the palace will improve significantly. This will inevitably lead to Aunt Anxiang softening her stance.
“Your Highness, there is only one thing to worry about, which is…” Gan Tang waited until His Highness returned to the palace before cautiously reporting the progress, and then worriedly reminded him, “What if someone is really watching us in secret recently? What about Aunt Anxiang’s safety…”
Qi Chengming replied somewhat absentmindedly, "Chief Eunuch Song said that several eunuchs he knows in the palace can help keep an eye out, and Sixth Brother's men are also secretly involved."
Why is he trying to do two things at once?
Because Consort Rong's suspicion hadn't been cleared, it was Uncle Huang, who was investigating the whereabouts of the earring, who made progress. His handwritten secret letter was hidden in a secret compartment in the study. Qi Chengming noticed something amiss as soon as he returned, and upon opening it…
It is clearly written above:
The family that took the earring was cunning; they had made considerable preparations in secret, and he almost lost track of them. He only managed to confirm, after repeated attempts, that the buyer was a vice-minister in the Ministry of Rites, which is why it took him these past few days.
This man came from an extraordinary family and held a high position at a young age, which was certainly not the result of his own efforts. He had another special identity—the second-place finisher in the imperial examination that year, which was overseen by the former Minister of Rites. Naturally, they became close afterward; in other words, this Vice Minister of Rites and the former Minister of Rites were genuine protégés.
In other words...
Behind this incident, it is likely either the former Minister of Rites who instigated it, or the Third Prince who has now been demoted to a commoner, or the Third Prince's mother who has been demoted to 'Consort Rong' in the palace!
Qi Chengming: "..."
Although there is no substantial evidence whatsoever, it seems...it really was someone from the Third Prince's lineage who did it back then?!
Then he had to start thinking deeply about why the mastermind behind the scenes so desperately would do something like this for an earring, or for the wet nurse Liu who had left the palace a few years earlier.
While Qi Chengming was engrossed in investigating the details of the conspiracy, time passed unnoticed, and March arrived.
The cold is gradually fading, but the air is still chilly. This year has been exceptionally harsh, delaying the blooming of the osmanthus trees. But this does nothing to dampen the vibrant atmosphere in the capital.
More and more students are arriving in the capital to take the imperial examinations, and the atmosphere is gradually becoming tense, just before the spring examinations.
It seemed as if all the busy activities had come to a halt, all giving way to this spring imperial examination. Qi Chengming also received several letters from afar—
One letter was from Qin Liusong, who was going to participate in this year's spring imperial examination. The other was from Zhang Ting of Yulin Prefecture. That's right, he passed the autumn imperial examination last August and is now participating in the spring one after another. His potential and speed are more amazing than a rocket.
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