Chapter 48 The Investigation is Underway
"Within half a month, only Consort Guan was recorded as having taken it."
The Emperor turned his head in surprise and met Zhen Huan's astonished eyes. She stood up and nervously clasped her hands together in front of her, tightly clutching the handkerchief in her hands.
Their eyes met for only a moment before Yinzhen turned away—"Consort Wan has been confined to her quarters all this time, how could she have taken peach kernels? But the records are wrong."
The head chef of the imperial kitchen bowed and said tremblingly, "Your Majesty, this servant is absolutely certain that I have not made a mistake. It was a girl named Huanbi from Consort Wan's side who came to collect it. Since peach kernels can also be used as medicine, the people in the imperial kitchen assumed that it was for Consort Wan's health."
Seeing everyone's gaze turn to her, and Liu Zhu's grip on her arm tightening behind her, Zhen Huan lowered her head uneasily and explained softly, "Your Majesty, thanks to Your Majesty's grace and the care of Imperial Physician Zhang Mi, Huan Bi did indeed go with Imperial Physician Zhang Mi to fetch medicine twice and bring it back. Peach kernels... I suppose it was the Imperial Physician who said to use them in the medicine."
"Then..." Consort Hua feigned surprise, covering her mouth as she said, "Since Huanbi was able to come out, she could have gone to the Imperial Kitchen to get the peach kernels, and then secretly replaced Consort Hui's sweet almonds..."
Consort Hua: "Noble Lady Wan, how cruel you are! You and Consort Hui used to call each other sisters, yet you are so vicious!"
"The matter hasn't been clarified yet, Consort Hua, you're being too hasty," Yi Xiu interrupted her with a calm expression.
Consort Wan had just been released from confinement, and her pale face was filled with helplessness and panic. Yinzhen was already trying to comfort her, and seeing her again after a short separation made him even more moved. Hearing this, he shrugged and said, "This doesn't prove that Consort Wan did it. There's a limit to the amount of peach kernels that can be used in medicine. How many do you have left in your palace?"
Zhen Huan's lips trembled slightly. She tugged at her stiff cheeks and hesitated before saying, "It should...it should be unused."
Consort Hua gritted her teeth. Things had already come to this point, and there was no turning back. She glanced discreetly behind her. A moment later, two palace maids dressed as cleaners from the Yuanmingyuan Garden stepped forward.
Leading the way was Xia Zi, who, accompanied by two palace maids, stepped forward and knelt respectfully in front of the open space. "Your Majesty, these two say they have seen something and wish to report it to Your Majesty."
The palace maid behind him did not raise her head, but instead bowed even deeper—"This servant saw that Miss Huanbi, who was by Consort Wan's side, came out of the Imperial Hospital and went to the Imperial Kitchen under the cover of night. She did not come out for a long time."
Another person chimed in, their voice barely audible – “I saw that when Consort Wan was confined to her quarters, she kept the window open all night, as if she were talking to someone outside.”
Upon hearing this, Zhen Huan's heart skipped a beat, her breath hitched, and her lowered eyes betrayed her panic, her eyelashes trembling slightly.
The Emperor unconsciously stroked the armrest with his hand. The more he thought about it, the more confused he became. He was also troubled by the recent loss of his child. "Let's put aside Huanbi's matter for now. Was what that servant girl said true? Consort Wan, who did you see with your window open all night? Is there any witness?"
Zhen Huan bit her lip, forcing herself to be cautious as she replied, "At that time, I was feeling distressed and my illness was weighing me down. When I saw the 'Longing for You' zither bestowed upon me by the Emperor, I felt an urge to play it, so I strummed it a few times by the window. As for my words... Your Majesty knows that the music was accompanied by poetry, and I simply expressed my feelings."
"Hmm." The Emperor nodded, agreeing with Zhen Huan's statement.
However, even though he had acknowledged it, Consort Hua was unwilling to let it go easily—"Since there are no witnesses, who knows whether Consort Wan is telling the truth or not? Consort Hui suffered such a great injustice just a few days ago, and now she has lost her child. She is truly pitiful."
Zhen Huan was truly in a bind at this moment. She gritted her teeth, turned around, and bowed to the Emperor. "Your Majesty, I am just as distressed as Sister Mei is because she lost her child. I would not do such a thing, nor do I have any reason to do so."
She lowered her chin, raised her eyes—full of grievance yet resolute, brimming with tears—and met Yinzhen's gaze. The beads on her headdress swayed gently, the rustling sound seeming to seep into his heart.
These are such similar eyes.
"Get up first." Yinzhen did not say whether he believed her or not, but simply raised his hand and told Liuzhu to help her up. His attitude was quite obvious.
"That's not necessarily true." Consort Hua was not giving up. She gritted her teeth and continued, unwilling to accept it. "Both of you are suspected of faking your pregnancy. Consort Wan, you deceived the Emperor, but Consort Hui is really pregnant. It's hard to guarantee that you won't harbor resentment."
Zhen Huan replied very quickly, "Even if I were to hold a grudge, it would be against the mastermind behind it all, not against Consort Hui, who was also framed. What do you think, Your Majesty?"
"Consort Wan is truly sharp-tongued." Consort Hua was taken aback and said sarcastically, "Your servant took it upon herself to secretly go to the Imperial Kitchen. Wasn't that at your behest? Did Consort Wan really recite poetry all night through the window? Can you explain any of these things clearly?"
Zhen Huan knew she couldn't be stumped at this moment, so she straightened up and was about to speak when the Emperor raised his hand to interrupt her—"Alright, I also think that Consort Wan is unaware of this matter. Take that Huanbi away and interrogate her first. Consort Hua, you've said so much, you should have a drink of water and rest."
Zhen Huan was concerned for Huan Bi and wanted to speak up to stop her, but then she thought about it. If she were to stop even the Emperor from interrogating her now, it would seem like she was acting guilty. So she forced herself to hold back and tightly gripped Liu Zhu's hand.
Looking at the now quiet palace outside, and then at Nian Shilan who was reluctantly shutting up, Lü Yingfeng calmly said, "I don't think this was done by Consort Wan."
"Hmm, Consort Xin is right." After listening for so long, someone finally said something he wanted to hear, and Yinzhen looked at Lü Yingfeng with satisfaction. Indeed, Ying'er was the most comforting person in the harem.
Zhen Huan looked at Lü Yingfeng gratefully as she listened, but Lü Yingfeng shook her head indifferently, "I'm just telling the truth. Consort Wan has been confined to her quarters for many days and is also ill. She can barely take care of herself. She's been framing people and poisoning them. How can she have the energy to care about other people's affairs?"
Lu Yingfeng didn't consider herself a busybody, and she only genuinely wanted to help Zhen Huan about one or two out of ten times.
She said these words because she saw through the Emperor's opinion. The Emperor favored Consort Wan, but Consort Hua was relentlessly pursuing her, while the Empress remained neutral and silent.
What's most important in the power struggles of the imperial harem? While cunning and scheming are certainly important, the most crucial thing is to align oneself with the emperor's wishes.
Now that Lü Yingfeng had discovered such an opportunity, she naturally wouldn't let it slip by.
"Consort Xin is straightforward; she says what she thinks, and I like your frankness." The Emperor nodded approvingly at her from afar.
"Your Majesty..." Consort Hua called out with resentment in her eyes, "So, is Consort Wan's matter just going to be left like this? Consort Hui has lost her child."
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