"Then... oh right, there were two eunuchs playing with the young prince. I questioned them one by one. The young prince was having so much fun that he hid in the side hall of Yongshou Palace. Later, he played and frolicked there, which made a bit of a mess." Su Peisheng answered what he had found out.
Qian Shengyan, however, felt something was amiss: "I asked about this today as well. The side hall is usually locked except when people go in to clean. How could Hongshan have gone in to play?"
"This..." Su Peisheng was speechless for a moment. He quickly knelt down and said, "It was this servant who failed to investigate properly. I beg Your Highness the Imperial Noble Consort to punish me."
“This isn’t your fault. I suspect… someone deliberately lured Hongshan there.” Qian Shengyan looked at the jade pendant with two fish on the table, but didn’t tell Su Peisheng. She only asked, “When did Hongshan go in?”
“The afternoon before yesterday,” Su Peisheng said.
Qian Shengyan understood: "At that time, the bi-weekly cleaning should have just ended, and perhaps they hadn't had time to lock it yet."
"Yes, this servant also inquired. At the time, a palace maid was sweeping the courtyard and saw the young prince run inside," Su Peisheng said, bowing his head.
Hongli also remembered: "I went out of the palace the day before yesterday afternoon, and Fuerguochun was not there either. I guess that's when Hongshan was left alone..."
Qian Shengyan and he exchanged a glance and both understood.
The matter should have ended here. Nothing was missing from the side hall. The reason it was in such a mess was because Hongshan went into the game.
If we investigate further, it would be making a mountain out of a molehill and creating trouble out of nothing. But if we don't investigate, this jade pendant with two fish that belonged to the late Crown Prince will eventually be discovered.
A brilliant strategy, achieving great results with minimal investment, excellent!
By now, it would be impossible to find out who led Hongshan to play in that side hall. Hongshan was just a little kid; how could he remember who told him anything? It's likely that someone deliberately coaxed him, and the child was aroused, genuinely believing that he wanted to go and play.
Qian Shengyan tapped her fingers on the armrest a few times. After thinking it over, she decided that she could only remain unchanged in the face of all changes.
As for Yinzhen… the facts are clear, and even if he believes it, this jade pendant is not something that can be easily explained… it is the late Crown Prince's heirloom, so who could possibly have it? Would Yinzhen really believe them, mother and son, without any reservations?
"Does Your Excellency have any further instructions?" Su Peisheng asked softly.
Qian Shengyan then remembered that he was still there, and said with a smile, "It's alright, it's all because Hongshan is naughty, thank you for troubling Eunuch Su."
As she spoke, she glanced at Qingxue, who immediately offered her a purse.
Su Peisheng did not refuse and happily accepted it: "Then this servant will go and report to His Majesty. His Majesty is also very concerned about the matter of Yongshou Palace."
"Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch Su."
After seeing Su Peisheng off politely, Qian Shengyan and Hongli exchanged a glance. Without saying a word, Hongli reached out and put away the jade pendant with two fish on it: "It was given to me by my grandfather, but that brat Hongshan secretly took it."
Qian Shengyan smiled and said, "Then you should keep it safe."
At this point, Qian Shengyan remembered something else: "What did Folgochun do the day before yesterday?"
"I don't know either. I wanted to ask her to come with me to see how the Princess's residence is being built, but she's not in the courtyard," Hongli said.
Qian Shengyan frowned slightly. Although Foerguochun would come to pay his respects every morning and evening, why did he often seem to be absent during the day?
Remembering Zhang Tingyu's words, she couldn't help but ask again, "Did she... go out of the palace to play by herself?"
"She probably hasn't left the palace. My sister doesn't have a pass that allows her to leave the palace freely. She always has to tag along with my son or report to Father Emperor first," Hongli said, frowning.
Qian Shengyan glanced at the sky outside: "It's time to pay my respects..."
Before he finished speaking, Foerguochun carried Hongshan in.
She was unaware of what good fortune had just befallen her, her eyes were full of smiles, and she seemed quite pleased with herself. Upon seeing Qian Shengyan, she happily called out "Mother" and then called Hongli "Brother".
Hongshan sat in her lap, smiling like a little Maitreya Buddha, holding a few glass beads in his hand, and also imitating his older sister by calling her "Mother" and "Brother".
"Where did these beads come from?" Qian Shengyan took the child and, seeing that he was having fun, and worried that he might eat the glass beads, reached out and took them and put them aside.
She teased Hongshan with a few jokes, but out of the corner of her eye she saw that Foerguchun kept looking at the glass beads she had placed on the small table next to her, as if afraid that they would fall and break, or that she would not give them to him.
Qian Shengyan narrowed her eyes slightly, coaxing Hongshan to go find Hongli, and then had Hongli take Hongshan out to play.
She glanced at Qingxue, who understood that her mistress had something to say to the princess in private, so she took her people out and personally stood guard at the door.
"Mother?" Foerguochun was taken aback.
Qian Shengyan flicked a glass bead, and seeing that Folgochun's eyes were practically glued to it, she asked with a smile, "Did you give this to Hongshan?"
"Ah...yes." Folgochun glanced to the left, clearly feeling guilty.
Qian Shengyan then asked her, "Where did you get this thing from?"
“Well…” Folgo Chun stammered, “It was bought when I left the palace last time…”
"Oh? Mother thinks the craftsmanship of these beads is quite remarkable and likes them very much. Which shop did you buy them from? I'll have someone buy some more." Qian Shengyan casually pinched the glass beads and turned her head to look at Folgochun.
Foerguchun was stunned, and after a moment she whispered, "Mother... I was wrong."
"What's wrong with it?"
"I...I lied to Mother, someone gave this to me today..." Folgochun's voice trailed off, "I only let Hongshan play with it because I saw he liked it, Mother...Mother, don't forget to give it back to me..."
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