After Fu Erkang, Xia Ziwei and their party arrived at the Summer Palace, there was still no movement inside the palace.
"Yongqi, do you think they might have discovered us?"
Yongqi shook his head. "That won't work. We've both disguised ourselves, and we're both dressed as eunuchs. We're so inconspicuous in this palace, how could we be discovered?"
"I guess they're planning to wait until Er Kang and the others are settled before taking action. However, I still can't figure out what their next plan will be."
Little Swallow sighed, "So, we can only take it one step at a time?"
Yongqi patted her head, "For now, this is the only way!"
"Yongqi, what do you think? Should we go and see Consort Ling?"
"I don't think this is a good idea. What if that person is there when we get there? We shouldn't expose ourselves so soon..."
The two of them were currently holed up inside Yonghe Palace. Outside they were servants, but inside they had no such scruples.
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While the Summer Palace was celebrating Xia Ziwei's birthday, new developments were brewing in the palace.
"What do you want from me before you'll let me go?"
"You'll be free the moment your Fifth Prince becomes a cripple..."
Upon hearing this, Consort Ling's eyes were filled with shock and despair. "If the Fifth Prince really falls, I'm afraid it will be my death day too!"
"You're smart, but so what? If you don't listen to me, you'll die right now, and you probably won't be able to save your child either. But if you listen to me, maybe I'll be in a good mood and spare your life!"
Consort Ling looked at him coldly, "If you want to kill me, then you'll have to let me see who I've fallen for first."
He sneered, "Once you see my true face, you're either already dead or you'll become my woman. Which do you want?"
"There's no need to ask. After all, if you don't want to die, then you want to be my woman..."
He reached out and hooked her chin. "With such beauty, no wonder your emperor is so fond of you, spending every other night at your place. If I were to truly possess you, I would die without regrets, wouldn't I?"
"Let me go!" She struggled desperately, but she was no match for the man.
He pounced on her, pinning her hands to her sides, and looked down at her. "If I remember correctly, you're not even 35 yet, are you? You gave birth to the Fifteenth Prince last year, so you should still have some strength. Tonight, you'll give in to me..."
"How dare you! If the Emperor finds out..."
"Even if your emperor finds out, so what? When I die, you'll die a horrible death too. With you by my side on the road to the underworld, I won't be alone!"
Consort Ling was pinned down by him, her eyes filled with rage and her heart filled with fear. "You... shameless!"
"I'm shameless? Then I'll have to do something truly shameless!"
He pressed her pressure points, then took out something and blew it in front of her. She smelled a strange odor and then disappeared from sight.
He released her pressure points and put her back on the bed. A moment later, the person lying on the bed opened her eyes again, but her movements were no longer under her control.
"Listen to me, take off your clothes one by one, don't leave a single piece on..."
Consort Ling was very resistant, but her hands wouldn't obey her commands. "You bastard, what have you done to me?"
"Since you say I'm shameless, then I'll show you how shameless I can be..."
"The scent I let you smell has no antidote, so you have no choice but to obey me!"
"If you insist on resisting, I'll add more of the drug. Then you might become an obedient puppet, and you'll attack wherever I point..."
As the two were talking, Consort Ling was left only with her undergarments and bodice. If her undergarments were to be unbuttoned, she would truly have nothing left to cover her...
"Kill me!" If she were to let him see her body and defile her, how could she ever face Emperor Qianlong again?
"Kill you? I'd like to kill you, but I haven't had you yet, how can I kill you?" He grabbed her hand, forcefully unbuttoned her clothes, and threw her undergarment on the ground. "Come on..."
She was thrown onto the bed, and just as he was about to tear off the last layer of restraint, someone appeared.
One person quickly picked up the clothes from the ground and put them back on her, while another person fought against the other.
When Consort Ling saw the people dressed as eunuchs appear, she was startled, but she never expected that the two people would be Yongqi and Xiaoyanzi.
"How dare you do such a thing to the Empress! Today, you'll leave your life here!"
The man sneered, "Who will leave their life here is still uncertain!"
After Consort Ling finished tidying up her clothes, Xiao Yanzi had the guards outside protect her while she went upstairs to help Yongqi.
Little Swallow frowned and asked, "Who exactly are you?"
"If you can beat me, I'll tell you!"
"I don't have time to listen to your nonsense!" Little Swallow threw some medicine powder at the man, who instantly fell to the ground!
"You...you're despicable!"
Little Swallow sneered, "To deal with a despicable person like you, ordinary methods are naturally not an option!"
"I'll ask you one more time, who sent you here?"
"If you don't tell me, I'll show you what it means to be unable to live or die!"
While keeping an eye on him, Xiao Yanzi also instructed Yongqi to be vigilant about their surroundings, lest someone try to kill them to silence them!
After that person told the truth, he was "executed on the spot" by Little Swallow!
Afterwards, she explained their arrangements to Consort Ling, putting her mind at ease.
"Little Swallow, thank goodness you're here, otherwise..."
"Your Majesty, if you wish to tell Father Emperor about what happened tonight, then tell him. We are here to help you. If you do not wish to tell him, I will find a way to silence everyone else!"
Consort Ling shook her head. "The commotion you're making in the palace is so great that it won't be long before the news spreads throughout the palace. Instead of doing that, why don't you take the initiative to tell the Emperor!"
"Little Swallow, can you take me to see the Emperor?"
She was filled with grievance and fear, and looked at Xiao Yanzi with pleading eyes.
Yongqi said, "Since Your Majesty wishes to go, I will take you there!"
Little Swallow comforted her, "Your Majesty, please rest early tonight. We'll set off first thing tomorrow morning!"
"But before that, I need to detoxify you!"
Fortunately, the poison in Consort Ling's body was not particularly difficult to cure. Xiao Yanzi happened to have the antidote on hand, so she immediately gave it to Consort Ling. "Alright, the poison has been neutralized now, you are fine!"
"Little Swallow, thank you so much!"
"We're family, no need for such formalities, Your Majesty, please get some rest!"
Afterwards, they went to the Queen and told her the truth.
The Empress was also shaken upon hearing this. Little Swallow said, "Empress Mother, now that the matter has been resolved, let's go to the Summer Palace together!"
"I'll listen to you."
After Yongqi and Xiaoyanzi returned to Yonghe Palace, they wrote a letter overnight and had it sent to the Summer Palace!
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Overnight, all the suspects were arrested and imprisoned!
When Emperor Qianlong woke up, he saw the letter from Yongqi and Xiaoyanzi and was greatly shocked!
Yongqi and Xiaoyanzi rode horses in front, followed by three carriages. The first carriage was for Consort Ling and the Empress, while the second carriage was for luggage.
“Yongqi and Xiaoyanzi both told me about what happened last night, and His Majesty…”
"No matter what the Emperor does, I am willing to bear the consequences..."
Upon hearing Consort Ling's words, the Empress felt a surge of anger. "What did you do wrong to deserve the consequences? You framed me, you weren't the one who tried to harm me, and you were almost... but that wasn't your fault either. What do you need to bear?"
"If His Majesty were still a man, he would know who the real culprit is, instead of venting his anger on you!"
"Don't worry, if His Majesty is angry with you because of this, I will definitely stand up for you and seek justice!"
Consort Ling was also surprised to see the Empress standing up for her. "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
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