Chapter 44: Breaking the Courtyard
As the night deepened, the turmoil in front of the wonton stall seemed to have subsided temporarily, but the malice and calculation in the air were spreading quietly like a maggot on the heel.
Chen He returned to the Shen Mansion and remained silent all night.
The next day, it was just dawn.
Chen He got up, packed lightly, and came to the palace.
She was wearing a simple and elegant dress that fitted her body without any burden. The gloom from last night between her brows seemed to have been washed away by the morning dew, leaving only the light of clarity and determination shining brightly.
She slowly pulled out from her sleeve the imperial edict that carried the empress dowager's supreme authority, with the vermilion seal clearly visible.
She took out the document approved by the Empress Dowager, allowing her to thoroughly investigate the jade bracelet case.
Chu Yue had been waiting quietly by the side. She was always taciturn and had a frail figure, but her eyes seemed to hide deeper emotions than yesterday, calm yet with undercurrents surging.
Chen He whispered softly, "Let's go to the Imperial Household Department." Her voice was calm as water, without joy or sadness, but it had an unquestionable power.
Chu Yue nodded slightly, and without saying anything, she followed behind her silently, with firm and steady steps.
The two walked side by side, yet kept a subtle distance between them, crossing the streets that had not yet woken up in the morning light, and headed straight for the Imperial Household Department office near the imperial palace.
In the Imperial Household Department, the chief eunuch, Eunuch He, was a shrewd and capable man. His eyes moved as flexibly as abacus beads, flashing with calculations.
As soon as he saw Chen He step into the threshold, a flattering smile immediately appeared on his face. That smile contained both flattery and a bit of subtle caution.
"Oh, isn't this Miss Shen?" Eunuch He's words were a little warm.
The Imperial Household Department is the place in the palace that is best at adapting to changing circumstances, and this steward is obviously well versed in this.
"Come in, come in!"
He took the document handed over by Shen He, his eyes quickly swept over it, and the smile on his face became more and more "sincere". Although his words were full of praise, they could not hide his hypocrisy: "Oh, so you are here to investigate the case under the imperial order! Miss Shen is really no less than a man!"
Chen He had no intention of playing along with him, and impatience was revealed between his brows.
"Sir, I have come here on the orders of the Empress Dowager. We need a secluded courtyard to house the case files and interrogate the relevant personnel. I hope you can make this convenient."
The chief steward of the Imperial Household Department rolled his eyes, as if he had planned this in advance.
"Of course, of course! It's our honor to be able to share the Queen Mother's worries!"
He paused slightly, a look of deep thought appearing on his face. "Alas, since the palace has been busy with renovations lately, finding a suitable courtyard won't be easy..."
This is just a common excuse! It seems awkward, but it is actually full of trickery!
Chen He stared at him quietly without saying a word.
Her gaze was as cold as a pond in autumn, as if exerting invisible pressure.
She was waiting, waiting for him to reveal his true "intentions".
The chief eunuch felt uncomfortable under her gaze and laughed dryly.
"But... I have thought of a place not far from the palace gate, which is quite spacious."
His tone became subtle.
"It's just that the place is a bit remote and no one has lived there for a long time. Miss Shen might need to take the trouble to clean it up."
Chen He's expression was as calm as before, and she opened her red lips slightly: "Thank you for leading the way, eunuch." Seeing that she agreed so readily, Manager He's eyes flashed with surprise, and then he immediately restored his signature fake smile.
"Okay! Miss Shen, please come this way!"
The group left the Imperial Household Department and walked around the palace walls until they came to a quiet place.
In front of me is a dilapidated courtyard.
The courtyard wall was mottled and covered with dead vines, and the gate was crooked and ajar, as if it could be blown down by a gust of wind.
When I pushed open the gate, a rotten and damp smell hit me in the face.
The situation inside the hospital was even more horrific.
The weeds were so overgrown that there was almost no place to step.
The window frames of several houses were broken and half of the roofs collapsed.
The most shocking thing was that in the middle of the yard, there were several pieces of charred wood scattered all over the place!
Like the remains of something burned by a fire!
How could this place be considered "uninhabited for a long time"? This was clearly an abandoned place where a tragedy had occurred! The charred wood lay scattered across the place, exuding an ominous aura!
The head steward of the Ministry of Internal Affairs had a barely perceptible gloating look on his face, and said with a forced smile: "Miss Shen, don't despise me, this place is quiet."
This so-called "peace" is clearly "unlucky" and "forgotten"! Is this "negligence" by the Imperial Household Department? No, it's more like a silent warning and humiliation from a higher place - I think it was arranged by the Queen and Xiao Jingren!
Chu Yue's brows furrowed slightly, almost imperceptibly.
Such an environment is indeed not an ideal place to handle cases, and even finding a place to stay seems quite difficult.
She turned her gaze to Chen He, hoping to catch a glimpse of anger or dissatisfaction on his face.
However, Chen He just looked around calmly, his expression as calm as water.
She slowly walked to the pile of burnt charcoal, squatted lightly, stretched out her slender fingers, and carefully touched the black charcoal ash scattered on the ground.
Then she slowly moved her fingertips under her nose and sniffed gently and carefully.
What on earth was she doing? Could she really sniff out a subtle clue from these old ashes?
Then she stood up, brushed off the non-existent dust on her hands, looked at the chief eunuch, and a faint, cold smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.
“It is pure.”
She paused, and her voice reached everyone's ears clearly.
"Even the wronged souls were burned clean."
The smile on the face of the Chief Steward of the Imperial Household Department froze instantly!
He didn't expect that this seemingly weak lady could be so sharp in her words!
Chu Yue stood aside, looking at Chen He's cold and straight back, and her heart was in turmoil again.
Chu Yue's heart was already like a stagnant pool of water. It was only with the appearance of Chen He that a slight ripple appeared in that stagnant pool.
She originally thought that she would have to struggle at the bottom of society all her life, doing odd jobs like copying and transcribing, and would never be able to make a breakthrough.
After all, the court of Dayin has always been dominated by aristocratic families.
For those poor students with no background, it is already a blessing to get such an official position. It is simply a pipe dream to want to take the next step and be valued or even achieve something.
The class structure is solidified and it is difficult for people from poor families to make a living; this is the harsh reality.
But Chen He, a noble lady from a prominent family, chose her and Zhou Yan'an, two unknown people from humble backgrounds, to investigate the jade bracelet case that involved the harem and might even affect the previous dynasty.
This is so unusual!
Something must be wrong when things are out of the ordinary! Chen He's choice broke the norm and naturally attracted countless suspicious eyes!
Now, she has almost become the new "topic" in Beijing.
Countless people are wondering who they belong to.
Which force placed this pawn next to Shen He?
Once the seeds of doubt were planted, they would grow wildly. Chu Yue and Zhou Yan'an had been pushed to the forefront, becoming the targets of scrutiny and probing by various forces.
The little gratitude Chu Yue felt towards Shen He was now intertwined with her growing fear and suspicion.
Why did she choose them?
What is her real purpose?
This woman who looks weak but is actually terrifyingly strong inside, makes them curious and also... wary.
Chu Yue took a deep breath, suppressed her chaotic thoughts, and returned her gaze to Shen He.
Regardless, she's already on board.
Once the arrow is shot, there is no turning back.
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