Chapter 24: The Confrontation between the Two Concubines
In Fanghua Garden, the imperial concubine was still lying sick on the couch.
"The virtuous concubine went to the imperial palace, and the queen didn't say anything?"
Nanny Zhou shook her head: "No, the Queen is very cooperative."
The imperial concubine heard this and said, "If that's the case, then we can just cooperate."
"Yes."
After a while, the imperial concubine continued, "When I first entered the palace, the virtuous concubine was the most important person in the harem, and I have seen her several times.
She is beautiful, has a good temperament, and especially her eyes, which seem to be able to see through people's souls."
Nanny Zhou laughed and said, "It is said that the late emperor once praised her as having the talent of the top scholar."
"Yes, so this virtuous concubine is not an easy person to deal with. When you see her later, you must be alert and not let anyone see any clues."
"Yes." The senior palace maid Miaoqing replied.
Before long, Concubine Xian brought her people to Fanghua Garden.
Seeing the imperial concubine lying on the couch, she simply bowed and said, "I have been ordered to inspect the harem. I hope the imperial concubine will cooperate."
Miao Qing was a little angry when she saw that Concubine Xian only bowed to Concubine Gui, so she said, "How dare you not bow respectfully when you see Concubine Gui."
After hearing this, the virtuous concubine straightened her back and sneered, "Soon you will no longer be a noble concubine. It won't matter whether you perform the ceremony or not."
After saying that, he waved towards Qian Lou, and Qian Lou led his men to search around.
After hearing this, the Imperial Concubine looked at the Virtuous Concubine with a bad face and said, "Why, the Virtuous Concubine is not here to inspect, but seems to be here to convict me?"
The virtuous concubine was too lazy to talk nonsense with the imperial concubine. She just found a place to sit down, and then looked at the imperial concubine sarcastically and said:
"Noble Consort, let's not mince words. The Queen's brain isn't working very well. Just because she hasn't found any evidence against you over the years doesn't mean I can't.
Why did you kill Nanny Qin? Why have you been ill these past few days? Others don't know, so do you think I don't know either?"
After hearing this, the imperial concubine slowly sat up from the couch and said with a cold look, "Xianfei, I don't understand what you are saying.
You were disrespectful to me today, and I will report this to His Majesty. What do you think will happen?"
The virtuous concubine smiled playfully and said, "That depends on you being able to see His Majesty."
The imperial concubine smiled and said, "Don't worry, His Majesty will definitely not refuse to see me."
The virtuous concubine said calmly, "His Majesty is in the main hall of Taiji Palace. You can go there now. As long as he is willing to see you, you can see him at any time."
The imperial concubine raised her eyebrows when she heard this: "Xianfei, you have been confined to the palace for so many years, this harem is no longer yours.
This harem belongs to me. Even if you know something, you won't be able to find evidence.
Without evidence, His Majesty will not believe you."
"Evidence..." Xian Fei smiled confidently after hearing this: "The evidence is on the way. Just wait for two days. In just two days, you will see it."
The imperial concubine was shocked and confused when she heard this, but she remained calm on the surface.
While the two were in a stalemate, Qian Lou walked in with a box covered in mud in his hand.
"My Lady, I dug it out from under a peony in the backyard of Fanghua Garden."
Xian Fei said, "Open it and take a look."
Qian Lou opened the box in his hand, and sure enough, inside was the same white powder as the one in Concubine Shu's palace.
The virtuous concubine said calmly, "Have you searched all other places?"
"yes."
"Then check this palace. If you find nothing, then don't bother the concubine."
"Yes."
Qian Lou searched the hall with the thin dog, and the thin dog scared Miao Qing and Madam Zhou so much that they kept dodging.
Finally, Qian Lou brought the dog to the imperial concubine's bed.
"Your Highness is offended."
After saying this, he drove the small dog forward and sniffed carefully.
The imperial concubine was not afraid of dogs, but at this moment she felt insulted and stared at the virtuous concubine with gritted teeth.
The virtuous concubine was not at all nervous and looked back at the noble concubine with a smile.
After searching for a while, Qian Lou found nothing, so he returned to Concubine Xian with the dog.
"Your Majesty, there is nothing found."
Upon hearing this, the virtuous concubine stood up, not even politely, and looked at the noble concubine provocatively and said, "In that case, I will take my leave, Your Majesty."
After saying that, he started walking away, and Qian Lou and others followed him directly from behind.
After the virtuous concubine and others left, the imperial concubine was so angry that she threw her pillow away.
"Su Weiyang, just wait for me, I will make you suffer."
After saying this, the imperial concubine turned to look at Nanny Zhou and asked, "Has the message for the young master been delivered?"
"Not yet. I will pass on the news when it gets dark today."
"That's good. Please tell the young master to come to the palace." said the imperial concubine.
Upon hearing this, Nanny Zhou quickly said, "No, Master."
"Just now, Concubine Xian said that she already knows a lot of things and is just waiting to find something to hold against you, Your Majesty.
At this moment, the virtuous concubine must have laid a net, waiting for you and the young master to enter."
After listening to Nanny Zhou's analysis, the imperial concubine regained her senses and nodded, saying, "Then just pass the message on."
"Yes."
…
As the sun sets, the sky gradually darkens.
A young palace maid was passing by the Longguang Gate, the north gate of the imperial city. She accidentally stepped on a stone, sprained her ankle, and fell to the side of the road.
A guard nearby saw this and stepped forward to help him up.
The little palace maid thanked him and continued to limp forward.
It didn't take long before the guards at the palace gate took over from day to night. After leaving the court, the palace guards discussed going out for a drink.
But the guard who had helped the little palace maid just now said, "I have something to do at home today, so I can't go over for now."
"Well, Guan Quan, what can happen to you? Why don't you go?"
Guan Quan laughed and said, "Well, I'm fine now. My mother hasn't been feeling well lately, so I have to go back early today to get her some medicine."
"Okay then, we must go together next time."
"Of course, of course."
As Guan Quan spoke, he changed his clothes, walked out of the palace gate, and headed south to Yuqian Hutong.
He went into a pharmacy called Hu Ji and came out after a while, holding two packets of medicine in his hands, and returned to his home not far away.
A small courtyard, tidy and neat.
"Mom, I'm back." Guan Quan shouted as soon as he entered the yard.
"Quan'er is back."
The old lady's voice came from the room.
After Guan Quan entered the house, he looked at his mother and said, "Mom, this is the medicine I bought today. I'll make it for you."
The people following Guan Quan took advantage of the night and quietly climbed onto the roof of the courtyard.
Inside Yong'an Palace.
Concubine Shu and Concubine Xian are playing chess.
Chunyun came in and said, "Your Majesty, at three quarters past the hour of You, a palace maid sweeping the Fanghua Garden passed by the Xuanwu Gate and fell. She was then helped up by Guan Quan, the Xuanwu Gate guard.
At 1:15 pm, Guan Quan entered a Huji Pharmacy in Yuqian Hutong and came out a quarter of an hour later to go home.
After that, I stayed at home and did not go out.”
The virtuous concubine placed a piece on the chessboard and then asked, "What about Hu's Pharmacy?"
"After Guan Quan left, the owner of Hu Ji Pharmacy also left the shop and went into Wenroufang and Wanhualou."
Concubine Shu gave birth to a child and said with a smile, "You are quite good at choosing a place."
"There are many people in Wanhua Tower and they have many eyes. Have our people caught up?" asked the virtuous concubine.
"Following." Chunyun replied.
"After entering the shop, the owner of the drugstore first interacted with the madam of Wanhualou, and then took a girl into a room and never came out.
When our people followed, they heard that everything inside the house was normal.
The other person followed the madam all the way to the room of the courtesan Bi Yue. It was a long while before the madam came out.
Then the madam sent a pot of wine to the owner of the drugstore, and our people took the opportunity to exchange the pot.
Sure enough, the pot was a yin-yang pot, and there was a note hidden in the pot.
Our people followed the Empress's instructions, only looking at the contents and then sending the items back intact."
As he said this, he presented the note in his hand with both hands.
"This is what the note says."
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