Chapter 178 Prince Rui's Despicable Methods
"What about the rest?" Xie Yunyu asked.
“Some of them look familiar, but I don’t really recognize them. You know, I’ve spent little time in Beijing since I was a child, so there are many things I’m not familiar with.”
After speaking, he looked up at the Imperial Guards beside him and said:
"Come on, you can identify them."
Upon hearing this, the Imperial Guards lined up to look at the portrait.
"This looks like Wei Jiu's mother."
"Wei Jiu? The Duke of Dai's family?" Xiao Ling asked.
"Um."
"This looks like it belongs to General Wuwei's family."
"This one looks like the daughter of the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies."
...
Xiao Ling and Xie Yunyu's eyes went black and black as they listened.
Finally, Xiao Ling waved his hand weakly, instructing the Imperial Guards to pack up the portraits and prepare to take them back to the palace.
Xie Yunyu then turned to look at the items on the bookshelf, and as she looked, Xiao Ling suddenly said:
"My wife, come and see."
Upon hearing this, Xie Yunyu walked over and saw Xiao Ling open a carved box made of golden nanmu wood, inside which was a stack of white handkerchiefs.
Xiao Ling held a piece in his hand, which was covered in black stuff.
Xie Yunyu also took a white handkerchief from the box.
The silk, of superior quality, is pure white, delicate, and densely structured. Even after more than a decade, it still looks brand new.
"What are those black things on top?" Xiao Ling asked.
Xie Yunyu suddenly remembered the strange bridal chamber, and quickly snatched the handkerchief from Xiao Ling's hand and put it inside.
Then he hurriedly closed the lid and locked it.
"Qingfeng, put this box away and take it back to the palace."
Xiao Ling was puzzled by Xie Yunyu's series of actions.
"My wife, what's wrong?"
Xie Yunyu looked embarrassed and said in a low voice, "You'll see when I take you to see the bedroom later."
The two then began looking through the items on the bookshelf.
Xie Yunyu was already somewhat distracted at this moment.
Xiao Ling found a few related items and packed them up to take with him.
The rest were packed into boxes and taken away by the Imperial Guards.
After leaving the dark room, Xie Yunyu led Xiao Ling to the bridal chamber.
After taking a look around inside, Xiao Ling belatedly remarked:
"Could all those handkerchiefs be made of raw silk?"
Xie Yunyu nodded.
"If my guess is correct, Prince Rui always leaves very quickly whenever he goes to Fenghe Garden."
We must have come to Chengming Garden through the passageway in the rockery in the backyard of Fenghe Garden.
This Chengming Garden must be where he and those women had their secret rendezvous.
This room, resembling a bridal chamber, was likely prepared specifically for the women.
Xiao Ling was stunned speechless by Xie Yunyu's conjecture, and it took him a long time to find his voice:
"This...this..."
"That's why those women obeyed him," Xie Yunyu concluded.
Xiao Ling remained in a daze for a long time.
"That's so despicable..."
Xie Yunyu shook her head: "This plan is clearly the kind of thing women in the inner quarters would come up with; it's not something a man could come up with."
"Could it be Consort Ye?" Xiao Ling asked.
"No, it should be Ye Zhen."
Ye Zhen spearheaded the Flourishing Flowers Poetry Society; her code name is Peony. She is now the principal wife of Prince Rui.
Xiao Ling nodded.
The two strolled around the house for a while longer before heading back to the palace.
The two had a very fruitful trip, and soon Princess Jinyang and the Empress received the news and came to see the paintings.
The two men looked at the figures in the painting and sneered repeatedly.
Because they knew all of these people.
The Empress's face was extremely grim: "So they were all connected to Prince Rui..."
The eldest princess said indignantly, "I knew that the northern border has been well aware of the court's movements over the years."
With them around, stealing court secrets would be a piece of cake.
Then he turned to Xiao Ling and asked, "Is there any other information?"
Xiao Ling replied awkwardly, "I also discovered a bridal chamber..."
"The bridal chamber?"
The Empress and the Eldest Princess both looked over and exclaimed in surprise.
"This... let Yu'er say it..."
Xiao Ling touched his nose, feeling extremely embarrassed.
Xie Yunyu waved to Qingfeng, signaling him to bring up the box containing the handkerchief.
"Your Majesty, Princess, we have found this box in a hidden room in Chengming Garden."
The contents inside have already been shown to the palace maids; they are all handkerchiefs.
Therefore, I deduce that these should all belong to the woman in the painting..."
Upon hearing this, the Empress and the Eldest Princess frowned deeply.
Xie Yunyu continued, "Therefore, I speculate that Ye Zhen organized the Flourishing Flowers Poetry Society in order to select people for Prince Rui."
If they could tell who was interested in Prince Rui, they would lead them through the underground passage to meet Prince Rui in secret at Chengming Garden.
Finally, they consummated their marriage in that bedroom.
Later, whether those women were truly devoted to Prince Rui or not, if they were feigning affection or wavering, then these things would become their leverage.
Upon hearing this, the eldest princess cursed, "What a despicable person! How could he resort to such underhanded methods?"
The Empress sighed and said, "Alas... Don't you know how cunning they are, my sister?"
then……
Sigh... never mind, the kids are here, I won't say anything more.
In short, that's how they were from the beginning; it's not like they haven't seen it before.
The eldest princess, still furious, turned to look at the empress and said:
"So what do we do now? Order their arrest?"
Xie Yunyu asked, "Mother, are the people in the portrait the Twelve Flower Fairies that Aunt Huayang mentioned?"
"Some are, some aren't."
Of these fifteen portraits, only five depict the twelve flower fairies; the rest are of varying statuses.
Now they are all wives or concubines of high-ranking officials in the court, or imperial concubines.
Xie Yunyu then said, "That Chengming Garden was Wan's dowry residence. Doesn't she know about this?"
According to the old steward who looked after the house, he only came to the house ten years ago.
From then on, the Wan family would visit Chengming Garden every two months. Each time, they would just go and look around, do nothing, and leave after a while.
Therefore, in my humble opinion, Lady Wan should be re-examined immediately.
The eldest princess nodded and said, "Granted."
Xiao Ling looked at Qingfeng and said, "Go to the Dali Temple and convey today's investigation results to Du Shaoqing."
Then, don't return from the Dali Temple yet; wait for Du Shaoqing's interrogation results.
"Here you go."
Qingfeng turned and left.
Du Zhengming was reporting the progress of the investigation to the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices when he suddenly heard someone say that someone from the palace was looking for him.
He then rose and bid farewell to the temple minister.
The temple minister waved his hand and said, "Go quickly."
Qingfeng met Du Zhengming and told him everything he had investigated that day.
After hearing this, Du Zhengming said, "That's right, we need to interrogate this Wan family member properly."
He then told his subordinates, "Prepare yourselves, we're going to interrogate Wan Shi immediately."
"Here you go."
When Qingfeng and Du Zhengming met Wan Shi, her head was wrapped in white gauze, her hair was gray, and she looked much older than before.
His gaze was vacant, his eyes lifeless, like a walking corpse.
“Mrs. Wan, I heard from the doctor that your injury is getting better, so I came to see you.”
Wan remained unmoved, maintaining the status quo, as if she hadn't heard anything.
“We have already sent your brother home, but your two children are still staying at our Dali Temple.”
"Do you want to cooperate with me properly?"
Wan looked up after hearing this and glanced at Du Zhengming:
"Is Du Shaoqing planning to go back on his word?"
Wan's aged and hoarse voice rang out.
Du Zhengming's voice was icy cold, devoid of any emotion as he said:
“I intended to keep my word, but Madam Wan did not tell me the truth.”
"I've said everything I need to say. If Du Shaoqing wants to know anything else, feel free to ask."
I will speak frankly and without reservation.
As Wan spoke, she coughed twice, seemingly unwell.
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