April 25th is the day when the Empress Dowager worships Buddha.
Concubine Zhuang, who had been playing mahjong with Qin Yanning for more than ten days, felt a little exhausted and found an excuse not to come to Ganning Palace.
Qin Yanning, who had lost her mahjong partner, had no choice but to watch Helian Jue review the memorials. Helian Jue looked at Qin Yanning with a pout and stuffed a sour plum on the table into her mouth.
Qin Yanning held a sour plum in his mouth and started reading a strange novel.
In order to entertain her, Helian Jue ordered Eunuch Wang to select many novels and stories from the folk. However, Qin Yanning did not like to watch the clichéd drama of a rich lady falling in love with a poor scholar.
After all, just letting Qin Yanning think about it, if this precious little princess in her belly would one day turn against her for a poor boy after she was born, and finally have to dig wild vegetables for love, it would be enough to make Qin Yanning's heart palpitate.
Therefore, compared to those stories about infatuated men and resentful women, she prefers strange stories.
Qin Yanning ate while watching, and soon the sour plum in her mouth was left with only the core.
Although Helian Jue didn't look up at her, he skillfully picked up the tray on the table, put it under Qin Yanning's mouth, and caught the plum pit she spit out.
Then, Helian Jue took the silver fork and fed Qin Yanning a piece of fruit.
Eunuch Wang, who was standing by, was no longer surprised by this scene. Having been with His Majesty and Concubine Ning for a long time, his heart had long been numbed by the abuse.
Isn't it just bullying because he is a eunuch and can't find a caring partner?
What's so great about that?
Eunuch Wang was just complaining in his heart when he heard a message from outside the door.
The person who came to ask for an audience was Zhou Bo, the Dali Temple Secretary.
Eunuch Wang looked at Helian Jue, waiting for his answer whether he wanted to meet him or not.
Since Helian Jue moved the place for approving memorials to the inner hall of Ganning Palace, whenever a minister asked to see him, Helian Jue would meet him in the side hall.
However, Zhou Bo was the minister in charge of the Tingyuxuan fire case. His Majesty met him in this room every time he came to report the case.
Helian Jue put down the pen in his hand and said, "Announce."
Eunuch Wang immediately opened the door and let Zhou Bo in.
Unlike previous times when he came alone to ask for a meeting, Zhou Bo brought a girl in palace dress with him today. The girl was not very old, probably about sixteen or seventeen years old.
During this period, Qin Yanning had met Zhou Bo several times. Because the clue was cut off in the imperial kitchen, Zhou Bo had interrogated the case for several days without any further results, and Helian Jue was very angry with him.
I wonder if Zhou Bo asked for a meeting today because there is any new discovery in the case.
As soon as Zhou Bo entered the room, he pulled the girl in palace dress beside him to kneel down and said, "Your Majesty, there has been progress in the Tingyuxuan case."
"I have carefully examined everyone in the imperial kitchen and finally uncovered a suspicious point."
"According to the young eunuch who was in charge of the case that day, the person who went to collect the Qingtuan from Concubine Li's palace that day was her personal maid Xiaorou."
"Her Majesty Concubine Li has many servants in her palace, and she usually doesn't let her personal maids do such odd jobs."
"Yesterday, I deliberately asked my daughter Zhou Xue to pretend to be a new palace maid to go to Xiaorou to extort information. As a result, today Xiaorou and Concubine Li have already, already..."
"Already what?" Helian Jue asked when he saw Zhou Bo stop.
"Your Majesty, Concubine Li and Xiaorou are dead." Zhou Xue said.
"Dead?" Upon hearing this, Helian Jue quickly held Qin Yanning's hand, signaling her not to be afraid.
Qin Yanning was not at the crime scene and had never seen Concubine Li. She was not very scared at this time, but she felt that the matter was becoming more and more confusing.
Zhou Bo continued, "Perhaps my daughter made Xiaorou wary yesterday, so both Concubine Li and Xiaorou took poison today."
"However, two young eunuchs in Concubine Li's palace have already admitted that it was Concubine Li who ordered them to set the fire at Tingyu Pavilion on the night of April 9th."
"The news from Concubine Li's palace has been blocked by me, and I await the decision of Your Majesty."
Helian Jue couldn't help but frown. Concubine Li had been in the palace for eight years, and her father was the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.
Although Concubine Li was beautiful, she never had the intention of competing for favor. Instead, she always liked to hide in her own palace and do some embroidery.
In previous years, Concubine Li would claim to be ill and not attend any celebrations.
It was really hard for Helian Jue to believe that such a concubine who was almost invisible in the harem was the mastermind behind harming Qin Yanning.
Helian Jue tapped the table with two fingers. "Lord Zhou, do you think that Concubine Li is the mastermind behind the fire?"
Zhou Bo wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "I also think this matter is strange, but Concubine Li and Xiao Rou are already dead. This case is indeed..."
"I think that perhaps Concubine Li was jealous of the Majesty's favor and had a sudden impulse. Such things are not uncommon in the harem."
Helian Jue sighed and said, "Forget it. Let's announce to the public that the case is closed. Concubine Li and the palace maid Xiaorou committed suicide out of fear of punishment."
"Concubine Li has committed a grave offense. She is deposed and cannot be buried in the imperial mausoleum. When she dies, her father should send someone to collect her body."
"Let's interrogate those two young eunuchs again to see what else they know. As for the rest, Lord Zhou will make the final decision."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Bo quickly leaned forward to receive the order and retreated with Zhou Xue.
After Zhou Bo left, Helian Jue instructed Eunuch Wang: "Tell the guards of Ganning Palace to be more attentive. I have a feeling there is something else going on."
Although Helian Jue had doubts in his heart, he also knew that it was indeed difficult to investigate this matter further.
For a moment, he suspected that King Liang was involved in this matter, but Ning'er had not been found to be pregnant that day, so why would King Liang take action against Ning'er?
Besides that, he also suspected Concubine Shu, but Concubine Shu and Concubine Li were not close friends and even had conflicts. How could Concubine Li sacrifice her life for her?
Helian Jue couldn't figure it out for a moment, but Zhou Bo's words woke him up. He still had to do the task of disbanding the harem.
There is no such thing as being able to guard against thieves for a thousand days. Now that Ning'er is pregnant, he is no longer the young emperor with limited power.
If he could find a place for all the concubines to go, he would just want to spend the rest of his life with Ning'er and their two children.
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