Chapter 11 (Chapter Eleven) - Slaughtering the Entire Field
At the time of the incident, Qi Chengming was engrossed in his studies in the palace.
"When setting up camp... two sentries, A and B, need to be assigned. When changing shifts, only sentry A leaves, while sentry B stays in place and automatically becomes sentry A. The new person takes over as the new sentry B..."
"When traveling, scouts should be deployed in groups of three, divided into concealed areas, open areas, narrow and dangerous areas, and various complex terrains... to arrange the advance formation."
"The segmented management of logistics funds..."
"Disease prevention, on-site waste disposal..."
He read these books with great eagerness, absorbing knowledge. He used a brush to mark key points on the paper, outlining the things he needed to pay attention to when he set off, and gradually a concept took shape in his mind.
"Grandpa was truly prescient..." he murmured, watching a drop of ink drip from the brush.
Leading such a large force to Liuzhou requires a scout team to go ahead and thoroughly explore the route and potential pitfalls. Old Weiyong, a veteran of many years, is adept at this. The veterans he sent out should be of great help.
There was a commotion outside.
"What's wrong?" Qi Chengming's thoughts were interrupted, so he simply threw down his pen and asked loudly.
During this time, he had gradually set new rules for the much more aloof Second Prince. When he was studying diligently in his study, no one was allowed to serve him, and he was not allowed to be disturbed unless it was something important, or to make noise outside.
Xiao Dezi did a good job; something must have happened now.
A group of palace servants rushed in, led by Xiao Chengzi, who had an unpleasant smile and was half-blocking the way. He hurriedly bowed and explained, "This eunuch was sent by the Emperor. He said he was here to seal off the gate and search the palace."
Qi Chengming's smile faded. He saw the unfamiliar grand eunuch put on a polite, businesslike smile and stand with his hands clasped: "Second Prince, please. Don't make things difficult for me—the other palaces should also be searched."
Qi Chengming's mind raced, and he tacitly agreed: "You can search, but my palace servants must also supervise."
"Of course," the unfamiliar eunuch said with a beaming smile.
He waved his hand, and the other palace servants scattered, creating a chaotic scene.
Qi Chengming walked to the open space where the Second Prince was staying, glanced around, and asked curiously, "Where did Xiao Dezi go?"
"He went to discuss some trivial matters with Steward Song, I wonder how things are now." Xiao Chengzi glanced worriedly outside the door. With this sudden palace lockdown, who knows where they'll be confined and unable to move...
Just then, two familiar figures appeared at the door. Several imperial guards escorted them there—
It was Xiao Dezi, with a fascinating expression, and the composed Steward Song. Xiao Dezi seemed to have something to say, but hesitated and concealed it.
"Found it!" The unfamiliar head eunuch suddenly heard one of his subordinates shout. Startled, he led the palace servants to the back hall, finally emerging carrying some kind of object.
"...What did you find?" Qi Chengming's heart sank, a sense of foreboding washing over him.
He knew nothing about what was happening, and now the palace was inexplicably sealed off and searched, and they inexplicably found something they needed in the Second Prince's quarters. Qi Chengming's first reaction—
Framed!
What kind of conspiracy is going to fall on him this time?
He slowly tightened his grip at his side, his gaze fixed on the approaching palace servants: "Wait! Can't I at least take a look at things in my own palace?"
“Your Highness may see if you wish, but you must not reveal it until this matter is over.” The unfamiliar head eunuch was easy to talk to; with a single glance, the other palace servants began to clear the area. Once only Qi Chengming, Xiao Dezi, Xiao Chengzi, and Chief Eunuch Song remained in the open space, the palace servants no longer bothered to conceal it and presented it to him.
—It was actually half a piece of blood-stained fabric. The fabric looked expensive and thin, but it was badly faded, indicating that it had been stored for many years.
"It was found inside a crack in the wall of the back hall," Xiao Chengzi whispered as he leaned closer.
"Alright, let's go!" The fabric was only shaken briefly before the head eunuch took it away. He readily led the palace servants out.
Qi Chengming's expression was grave. He wanted to call out to someone and say something, but he was powerless and didn't know what to say. The lack of information was too severe; he knew nothing, and he couldn't even defend himself. A dark cloud hung over his heart.
...In ancient imperial courts, the struggle for succession was incredibly dangerous.
He was eager to leave the capital and head to Liuzhou as soon as possible.
After a few seconds of silence, Qi Chengming looked outside the door: "Is the person still guarding that place?"
The head steward, who was standing very close to the door, glanced at the item and reported, "Yes, it's still there."
Then we can't stand in the open and talk. He gestured for everyone to follow him back to the main hall. Bishu was now considered a favored senior palace maid. Hearing the commotion outside subside, she cautiously peeked in, then quietly moved into the main hall and whispered her report:
"This servant never noticed anything in that crack in the wall before..."
Qi Chengming rubbed his temples, remembering that Bishu had been taking care of the beans in the back hall since they started growing them. He began to ask in detail, "Who has been coming in and out of the back hall during this time? That thing... could it have been hidden here for a long time?"
Although that's what he asked, he leaned towards the latter, as the fabric looked like an old item.
But Bishu said, "Actually, besides the few palace maids and eunuchs in our department who help the servants plant beans every day, there was another person who came to the back palace yesterday..." Bishu couldn't help but look in one direction.
Qi Chengming followed her gaze and saw the composed and unassuming Chief Steward Song.
"I put it there, Your Highness."
In a very sincere and gentle tone, Steward Song confessed, "Eunuch De came with me just now. We encountered people from the Feng Palace. Accompanying the palace servants was Hua Mian, who served the Third Prince."
"It must be that Hua Mian stumbled upon a pair of palace maids and eunuchs having an affair in the Empress's palace. The two lovers then discovered the bloodstained witch doll in the place where they were hiding... Hua Mian may have somehow leaked the information, and later the Emperor ordered the palace to be sealed off and searched."
He paused here: "...I know all of this, because it was my doing."
Manager Song raised his eyes and, sure enough, saw several shocked faces.
Qi Chengming's mind was almost completely blank.
Just one day ago, Manager Song confidently declared he would "get revenge for him," and one day later he's caused such a huge incident. That's incredibly efficient!
but……
"What did they find when they searched the palace?" Qi Chengming had a lot of questions in his mind.
“They were the targets of the witchcraft cult.” Chief Steward Song gave a mocking sneer. “I didn’t prepare the cloth, but I made the blood… This involves an old story from over ten years ago, something my godfather told me when I was still a young eunuch.”
He lowered his eyes respectfully and apologized, even finding an excuse for himself: "What happened today was... Since I want to pledge my allegiance to Your Highness, I should offer a token of my loyalty to show my sincerity, so... However, it was my fault that I failed to arrive in time to inform Your Highness, and Your Highness was frightened."
That idiot Xiao Dezi, why did he have to pick today of all times to confront him about the accounts?
The palace was sealed off on the way, and the incident happened faster than he expected.
"But Your Highness, rest assured, you can just wait for things to end. The Emperor will issue an edict to appease you, the innocent victim," Chief Steward Song said patiently.
The method used today is very simple.
He clearly remembered that Xia Jin, a favored eunuch in the Empress's palace, had an affair with a young palace maid. The two were only discovered and executed several years later. The area where they often met in secret was considered unlucky by the empresses, so the flowers, plants, and buildings were demolished and rebuilt, becoming the small garden that later became.
The Third Prince's head maid, Hua Mian, was a very suspicious and protective person with a curious nature.
The eldest prince and the sixth prince were both thorns in the side of the third prince.
As long as Chief Steward Song instructed a few unfamiliar palace maids to whisper a few words as they passed by, Hua Mian would never miss the opportunity to dampen the Sixth Prince's arrogance. She naturally stumbled upon the scandal in the Empress's palace—and then came the next step: they encountered the witchcraft dolls that had been deliberately placed there.
The witchcraft effigies weren't made by Chief Eunuch Song; they were actually created by a concubine blinded by resentment and anger. She was venting her anger by cursing the current Empress Dowager, and the effigies bore the Empress Dowager's birth date and time. This incident occurred later, enraging the Emperor, who secretly purged the concubines, leading to another bloody upheaval.
This time, Steward Song simply borrowed the servant for his own use:
He destroyed the eight characters on it and completely soaked the effigy of a witch in blood. How do these seemingly non-targeting effigies of witches curse people? Usually, another related cursed object is placed next to the person being cursed.
Therefore, the emperor began to seal off the palace and search it.
The victim will be the unknown Second Prince.
The piece of cloth used as evidence was quite special. When the Second Prince was born, the Emperor was overjoyed and bestowed upon him a piece of rare Yuechu Nissang satin from the palace as swaddling clothes. That kind of satin was soft and breathable, perfect for a baby's delicate skin.
The quality of the old, decade-old fabric cannot be faked. Even the old, decaying effigies reeking of decay are incredibly lifelike. The Emperor will find it hard to believe that the Second Prince's destiny may have been suppressed for over a decade… This is a long-standing conspiracy that has led the Emperor to deliberately ignore the Second Prince.
Song Gu lowered his head, but a burning, obscure fire was burning in his eyes.
Years later, the new emperor instructed him to investigate these past events, to uncover the truth behind the prince's childhood mistreatment and his birth mother. By the time he learned everything, it was too late. The prince had grown up. What could the stunned retired emperor do? He could feign a few tears, wallow in his emotions, and that would be the end of it. He couldn't do anything to make amends, could he?
Anyway, all of these things are real.
It would be better if he used it now to manipulate things and detonate everything in advance.
Firstly, it serves to retaliate against the princes and avenge His Highness; secondly, it incites suspicion and conflict among the other princes, preventing them from troubling His Highness with unnecessary trouble; and thirdly, it allows the current emperor to discover the conspiracy early and secure the appropriate compensation for His Highness…
Song Gu, whose mind was as cunning as a lotus seedpod, pondered quietly.
A note from the author:
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Qi Chengming (throughout): Huh? Huh?
After listening silently to the confession of the crime, he slowly realized that he seemed to have taken in an extraordinary eunuch.
Is someone who has spent many years in the palace, with both shrewdness and cunning, really that capable?
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