The masked man didn't answer, but gently patted her shoulder, signaling her to be quiet. Then, he turned and left, disappearing into the night.
Xu Yuehuai stood there, a strange sense of gratitude welling up inside her. She knew she owed this masked man her life.
However, she did not forget her mission. She decided to work even harder to investigate the cause of Li Xiunü's death and uncover the truth behind this palace struggle.
In the days that followed, Xu Yuehuai became even more cautious and vigilant. She not only increased patrols and surveillance within the palace, but also secretly gathered information about the powerful imperial concubine.
She discovered that this imperial concubine wielded considerable power in the palace, possessing not only a group of loyal maids and eunuchs but also close ties with some court officials!
Xu Yuehuai knew that to uncover the truth, she needed to find solid evidence. So, she decided to risk sneaking into the Empress Dowager's palace to look for possible clues.
One night, Xu Yuehuai changed into the clothes of a palace maid and quietly came to the Empress Dowager's palace. She carefully avoided the patrolling maids and eunuchs and sneaked into the palace.
The palace was lavishly furnished, and a rich fragrance filled the air. Xu Yuehuai looked around, trying to find useful clues. Suddenly, her gaze fell on an exquisite table. On the table sat a beautiful jade box, engraved with intricate patterns.
Xu Yuehuai walked over and opened the jade box. Inside was a string of crystal-clear pearls, with sparkling gemstones set into it.
A thought struck her: Li Xiunü had mentioned this necklace before. It turned out that this necklace was the very treasure Li Xiunü possessed before her murder.
Xu Yuehuai knew that this necklace held the key to uncovering the truth. She had to carefully smuggle it out of the palace before conducting a thorough investigation.
"Da da da..."
However, just as she was about to leave the palace, she heard a series of hurried footsteps.
Xu Yuehuai's heart tightened; she knew she had been discovered. She quickly hid the necklace and slipped into a secluded corner.
A short while later, several maids and eunuchs burst into the bedchamber. They carried torches, illuminating the bedchamber as if it were daytime.
Xu Yuehuai held her breath, trying her best not to make any sound.
"Search quickly! The assassin must be hiding here!" a eunuch shouted.
The maids and eunuchs began searching the palace.
Xu Yuehuai's heart pounded like thunder. She pressed herself tightly against the wall, feeling the footsteps of the searchers drawing ever closer. Various strategies flashed through her mind, but at this critical moment, she found her limbs suddenly going weak.
She knew that if she were discovered, the consequences would be unimaginable. But she also knew that she couldn't give up so easily. She had to find the truth and get justice for Li Xiunü.
Just as the searchers were about to reach her hiding place, Xu Yuehuai suddenly heard a scream, and this anomaly drew the searchers away.
Overjoyed, she seized the opportunity to sneak out of the palace and escape along a secluded path back to the courtyard where the ladies-in-waiting lived.
Back in the courtyard, Xu Yuehuai dared not relax her vigilance for a moment. She quickly hid the pearl necklace, then went into her room and tightly closed the doors and windows. She knew she might have been exposed and needed to be even more careful.
However, just when she thought she was safe for the time being, a series of hurried footsteps came again.
Xu Yuehuai's heart sank; she knew something was wrong. Sure enough, a moment later, several maids and eunuchs burst into her room.
"You're finally back! It's you! You're the killer who killed the imperial concubine!" a eunuch shouted, pointing at Xu Yuehuai.
Xu Yuehuai was startled, but she quickly calmed down. She knew she couldn't be convicted like this; she had to find a way to prove her innocence.
"Assassin? What makes you think I'm an assassin?" Xu Yuehuai retorted loudly, "I'm a respectable concubine!"
"Hmph! You still dare to argue!" the eunuch sneered. "We've already found the assassin's night clothes and dagger in your room!"
Xu Yuehuai's heart sank; she knew this was a deliberate frame-up. But she didn't panic; instead, she quickly considered how to respond.
“Those night clothes and daggers must have been deliberately placed in my room!” Xu Yuehuai shouted. “You can’t convict me based on these alone!”
"Then what evidence do you have to prove your innocence?" the eunuch asked provocatively.
Xu Yuehuai took a deep breath, knowing she had to produce compelling evidence to prove herself. She thought for a moment, then resolutely declared, "I have it! I can tell you the truth about Li Xiunü's death!"
The eunuchs exchanged bewildered glances, clearly not expecting Xu Yuehuai to say such a thing. However, they didn't immediately believe her; instead, they exchanged a knowing look.
“Good! If you can tell us the truth about Li Xiunü’s death, we will believe you!” said one of the eunuchs.
Xu Yuehuai nodded, then began to recount everything she knew about Li Xiunü's cause of death. She described in detail the plum blossoms and porcelain vase in Li Xiunü's room, as well as the strange noises she had mentioned. She also mentioned that Li Xiunü had offended the Empress Dowager, and the information provided by the palace maids.
As the eunuchs listened to Xu Yuehuai's account, their expressions gradually grew solemn. They clearly hadn't expected things to be so complicated, much less that Xu Yuehuai possessed so much information about Li Xiunü's cause of death.
“Alright! We can trust you!” one of the eunuchs finally said. “But you must come with us to see the Emperor and report all this to him in person!”
Xu Yuehua nodded, knowing this was her only chance to clear her name. So, she followed the eunuchs out of the courtyard and headed towards the main hall of the palace.
In the main hall, Xu Yuehuai faced the majestic emperor without the slightest fear. She clearly stated the truth behind Li Xiunü's death and presented the pearl necklace she had found as evidence.
As Bai Yu listened to Xu Yuehuai's account, his expression gradually turned serious. He clearly hadn't expected such a murder to occur in the palace, let alone that one of his concubines would be involved.
Ultimately, Bai Yu ordered a thorough investigation into the case and instructed people not to report it for the time being. He also sent people to secretly observe the Empress Dowager and others involved in the case.
“But your suspicions have not been cleared either. Before the case is thoroughly investigated, I will also send people to keep an eye on you. Do you have any objections?” Bai Yu stared at Xu Yuehuai and said.
"Your Majesty's arrangements will be obeyed!" Xu Yuehuai immediately curtsied.
However, she didn't notice that Bai Yu was looking at her strangely...
In the days that followed, some guards secretly followed Xu Yuehuai, which troubled her somewhat.
I never expected that I would get into this mess and get myself involved. Now I won't be able to properly investigate other clues, and I don't know when this matter will end.
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