Chapter 33: Concubine Ning
After Luo Qinghan left Qingge Palace, he immediately called Zhao Xian.
Following Xiao Xixi's instructions, they found a well about a hundred feet to the southwest.
There was a female corpse hidden in the well. Judging from her clothes, it should be the missing palace maid Tanhua.
The location of this well is very remote and has been abandoned for many years. Normally, no one comes to this place, and the well mouth is pressed down by a heavy stone slab. If the stone slab is not removed, the situation in the well cannot be seen at all.
If it weren't for Xiao Xixi's help, they would never have thought that Epiphyllum would be here.
The body had been soaked in well water and was swollen so badly that its face was unrecognizable.
The Yulin guards checked the body from head to toe and found a silk handkerchief on her body. The name of Epiphyllum was embroidered on the lower right corner of the handkerchief, which was enough to prove that this person was Epiphyllum.
In addition to the silk handkerchief, they also found a round jade pendant on the neck of the corpse.
Zhao Xian wrapped the jade pendant in a silk handkerchief and held it before the prince.
"Your Highness, this jade pendant looks like something from the palace."
Luo Qinghan glanced at the jade pendant and said, "Go to the Shaofu and find out which palace this jade pendant belongs to."
"Yes."
Shaofu was the place in charge of the royal treasury and the supply of supplies to the palaces. As long as it was something in the palace, Shaofu would keep a record.
Zhao Xian took the jade pendant to the Shaofu, dug the Shaofu Jian out of his bed, and interrogated him about the origin of the jade pendant.
The Shaofujian wiped the mucus from his eyes, looked at the jade pendant carefully under the light, and looked at it for a long time before speaking.
"This seems to be something from Changle Palace."
Zhao Xian narrowed his eyes: "Are you sure?"
The Supervisor of the Imperial Household said hurriedly, "This is indeed something from Changle Palace, but it was given to Concubine Ning by the Empress Dowager last year."
After saying this, he specifically pulled out the relevant files and pointed to one of the records.
"Look, it's clearly written here that the Empress Dowager gave Concubine Ning a pair of red jade bracelets, a string of agate beads, a pair of pearl earrings, and a round jade pendant..."
Zhao Xian snatched the file directly, returned to the East Palace, and reported the matter to the prince.
Luo Qinghan's expression did not show any change, he said calmly: "That's all I need to do. You've worked hard all night, go back to sleep."
"These are all my duties. I dare not say that I am tired. I will take my leave. Your Highness, please go to bed early."
After Zhao Xian left, Luo Qinghan stared at the round jade pendant for a while before going to sleep.
The next day, just after dawn, Luo Qinghan went to the Pepper Room.
Queen Qin got up earlier than him.
At this time, she had finished her breakfast and was taking a walk in the garden.
Luo Qinghan bowed and said, "I, your son, greet you, mother."
Queen Qin asked, "I heard that you led the Yulin Army to run around the palace in the middle of the night last night, but did you find anything?"
"My queen is wise. I have found the person who poisoned her. She is a palace maid named Tanhua. Last night, the Yulin Guards found Tanhua's body in the well. After inspection, they found that she was knocked unconscious and thrown into the well and drowned. The Yulin Guards found a round jade pendant on her body."
Luo Qinghan opened the silk handkerchief, revealing a round jade pendant inside.
Queen Qin just glanced at it and had no intention of touching it.
She asked calmly, "Whose is this?"
"It belongs to Concubine Ning."
Queen Qin raised her eyebrows: "It turned out to be Concubine Ning."
Concubine Ning is the biological mother of the fourth prince Luo Xinran.
I heard that when Concubine Ning first entered the palace, she was very favored because of her charming dancing.
Fortunately, she soon became pregnant and was unable to serve the emperor in bed. The emperor's attention turned to other women. Later, many new people entered the palace, and Concubine Ning's favor gradually faded.
But even without the emperor's favor, she still has the Fourth Prince, which is by no means comparable to those ordinary concubines.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
