Chapter 196 Yang Family Father and Son
In the Bixi Palace, Wen Li'er was leaning on the couch and drinking pregnancy-maintaining medicine.
When she saw Yan Shixu coming in, she remembered to greet him.
"Your Majesty..."
Yan Shixu strode forward and pushed the man back.
"No need for these empty formalities."
He sat down beside her, took the medicine bowl from Nanny Qin's hand, and wanted to feed her himself.
"How are you feeling today?"
Wen Li'er bit the medicine spoon he fed her and said in a muffled voice, "I am much better now."
Yan Shixu burst out laughing.
"Take your medicine well and don't try to get away with it."
Wen Li'er raised her eyes and blinked her innocent big eyes.
"Your Majesty, I wanted to swallow the medicine myself. Drinking it spoonful by spoonful like this would be so bitter... If I just drink it in one gulp, it would only be bitter for a moment."
Yan Shixu felt that what she said made sense, so he handed her the bowl of medicine.
Wen Li'er held it in both hands, tilted her head back and gulped, finishing it in one breath.
Her facial features were twisted together, as if dancing on her face, and Yan Shixu laughed out loud when he saw it.
At this moment, a palace maid came in and reported: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Master Zhang is here."
Yan Shixu nodded: "Let him wait in the main hall."
"yes."
Yan Shixu handed Wen Li'er a candied fruit and watched her finish eating before going to the main hall.
Zhang Sicheng knelt and saluted: "Your humble servant pays respect to the emperor."
"Any clues?"
Zhang Sicheng nodded and handed over a stack of confessions.
"Your Majesty, I have interrogated everyone in the Shanggong Bureau, asking them to explain any abnormalities that occurred with Palace Maid Qiulu during this period, as well as who she had come into contact with. Based on their confessions, I have discovered two anomalies."
Yan Shixu took the confession he handed over and looked through it.
The confessions of three palace maids all stated that during this month, when they were arranged to go to the outer court with Qiulu to collect the fabrics needed by the palace, Qiulu left their sight on the pretext of going to the toilet.
One of the palace maids said that after Qiulu went to the toilet, she didn't dare to leave first.
When palace maids from the inner court went to the outer court, they had to travel with two or more people and were not allowed to act alone.
The palace maid was worried that she would be discovered and punished when she was alone, so she followed Qiu Lu in the direction of the toilet.
But she saw Qiulu having a secret meeting with an official from the outer court behind a side hall.
There was no evidence to prove that they had a secret meeting, as they were far away and the palace maid did not hear what the two were talking about.
In addition, the man said a few words to Qiulu and left in a hurry. She did not see his appearance clearly. She could only provide that the official robe he wore was dark crimson.
If so, it means that the other party is a fourth-rank official.
The Shanggong Bureau was one of the six bureaus in the inner court. It was mainly responsible for the affairs of the female workers in the palace and the delivery of monthly wages to the concubines in the harem.
There are also businesses such as tailoring, gold, jade, precious goods, silk, weaving and dyeing.
The daily duties of the palace maids in the Shanggong Bureau included managing palace affairs such as clothing production, jewelry processing, and textile production.
If the palace maids of the Shanggong Bureau went to the outer court, they would usually contact the relevant departments of the outer court to receive or deliver the clothes, jewelry, fabrics and other supplies needed by the palace.
Or they may participate in ceremonial activities held by the outer court and be responsible for the preparation of related costumes or materials.
Or they could assist outer court officials in completing special tasks related to palace women, such as making costumes for royal ceremonies.
Qiulu went to the outer court three times, and each time she sent away the maidservants accompanying her and met the officials of the outer court.
That means she must be a spy planted in the palace by an official.
Or maybe he was bribed later and secretly worked for officials from the outer court.
Such as conveying news from the harem.
Yan Shixu asked, "Can we interrogate the palace maids and eunuchs serving in that side hall?"
Zhang Sicheng nodded and handed over another confession.
"Your Majesty, this is Yang Tongqin, the eldest son of Minister Yang."
Yang Zhihe, the Minister of Works, came from the Yang family, one of the four great families in the capital.
His eldest son, Yang Tongqin, served as the fourth-rank Shangshu Zuocheng, and was also the successor trained by Yang Zhihe.
His youngest daughter, Yang Xishan, was formerly the Crown Prince's attendant in the Eastern Palace.
At first, he was jealous of Wen Li'er's favor and pregnancy, so he sneaked into Wen Li'er's bedroom in the middle of the night wearing a devil mask, trying to scare her into having a miscarriage.
Later, Yan Shixu ordered him to be beaten with a stick fifty times, which resulted in his death.
Yan Shixu narrowed his eyes slightly and continued to read the confession at the back.
It wouldn't be surprising if the Yang family could extend their influence into the inner court.
The old man of the Yang family, Yang Linxiang, was appointed as the first-rank Taiwei, the head of the Three Dukes.
Although the functions of the Grand Marshal were weakened during the reign of my grandfather, it has now become an honorary title.
However, in terms of system, the original function of the Taiwei in charge of military affairs was still retained.
Therefore, the Yang family's foundation as a prominent family remains unbreakable.
Are the Yang family father and son trying to avenge their daughter?
Yan Shixu was lost in thought.
It's unlikely. Yang Zhihe is more cunning and ruthless than his father.
He had many wives and concubines in the backyard, and even several daughters.
Making such a big fuss for a daughter is not Yang Zhihe's style.
Yan Shixu then asked Zhang Sicheng, "You said there were two doubts. What is the second one?"
Zhang Sicheng replied, "When Your Majesty was still in the Eastern Palace, the maid Qiulu was transferred to the Yaohua Palace to serve Yang Fengyi. However, on her first day on duty, Yang Fengyi punished her by making her kneel in the snow for an entire night. The next day, she became unwell with a high fever and was thrown back to the Ye Ting Bureau. The maid in charge of the Ye Ting Bureau said she would not survive. But unexpectedly, after three days, she got better and recovered completely, and was transferred to the Shang Gong Bureau to serve."
After hearing this, Yan Shixu became even more certain that this matter was not the work of the Yang family father and son.
At least it's not as simple as it seems on the surface.
Given this grudge, how could this palace maid named Qiulu still put aside her past grudges and work for the Yang family? It seemed a little unlikely.
So what was her purpose in meeting the Yang family so frequently? To drag them down with her before she died?
This makes sense.
Was she contacting the Yang family to avenge that kneeling incident? Or was she being instructed by someone else?
Yan Shixu looked at Zhang Sicheng and asked, "Who saved her back then?"
It is unlikely that a person who is dying of high fever can miraculously recover on her own without doing anything.
Zhang Sicheng shook his head and said, "I haven't found out yet."
Yan Shixu waved his hand: "Then continue to investigate and don't miss any clues. Also, investigate the Yang family father and son thoroughly."
"Yes, I will take my leave."
"Wait." Yan Shixu called him.
Zhang Sicheng asked, "Your Majesty, do you have any further instructions?"
Yan Shixu propped up his chin and pondered, "Let's investigate further to see if this palace maid named Qiulu has any connection with Prince Yu or Concubine Dowager Duan."
"Yes, I will go right away."
After Zhang Sicheng left, Yan Shixu sat in the main hall for a while.
The one who is most likely to take action against the royal heirs in the harem is Concubine Dowager Duan.
If it really is her, then it means that there are people belonging to her in the Bixi Palace.
Or, someone in the harem discovered that Li'er was pregnant and leaked the news to others, letting many people know.
Concubine Duan and the father and son of the Yang family were among them.
All kinds of possibilities flashed through Yan Shixu's mind, and his brows furrowed.
Suddenly, a soft hand pressed on his brow, kneading it gently.
Wen Li'er giggled and said, "Your Majesty, your brows are furrowed like a river. Be careful or you'll turn into an old man soon."
Yan Shixu was stunned. He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't even notice her approaching.
He pulled the person to sit on his lap, gave him a lot of instructions, and had lunch in the Tourmaline Palace before leaving.
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