Chapter 58: Self-made Play
"Your Majesty, the interrogation documents are here."
Zhu Zhanji immediately took the document and began to read it eagerly. He had been thinking about the recent discussion with the cabinet about giving up Jiaozhi, and now there was this incident of bandits, the spearhead of which was directly pointed at Concubine Sun. He was already upset and wanted to prove Concubine Sun's innocence as soon as possible.
He really didn't want to waste time on this, which would not only be of no benefit to the country, but also affect his reputation.
Since the White Lotus Sect was suppressed, the safety of Shuntian has always been a national priority. Now a bandit suddenly appears, he really doesn't know how to live or die.
However, the more he read the document, the more something seemed off. Zhu Zhanji frowned and asked, "Is the eunuch who spread the false news Huang Yan's disciple?"
Wang Jin replied, "Yes, this man confessed during the interrogation that he had escaped the Empress Dowager's order to arrest Huang Yan, and he had always held a grudge against the Princess, so he conspired with several other eunuchs to do this."
Zhu Zhanji sneered and said, "They all work for the concubines in the palace. How can they collude with those outside the palace? Do they think I'm a fool?"
Wang Jin said, "The rouge in the palace is not of good quality, and the concubines have secretly paid the palace servants to go out and buy it."
Zhu Zhanji was silent for a moment, then asked, "What's the result from the Palace Administration Office?"
"In reply to your Majesty, the Palace Administration has questioned the ladies-in-waiting in each palace, and they've found nothing unusual. It's just that recently, the Imperial Concubine's mother, Madam Sun, has been entering the palace daily. She and her daughter have been talking, and she's been sending the ladies-in-waiting away. After about an hour, Madam Sun leaves."
Zhu Zhanji said indifferently: "What's the big deal about mother and daughter talking? Isn't everyone like this?"
After he said that, he thought again that the concubines in the palace were not allowed to see their parents and relatives on weekdays, let alone enter the palace often. Even if Sun Mengqiu was pregnant, there was no need for Madam Sun to go in and out of the palace every day. If it really didn't work, she could just live in the palace. Going in and out seemed like she was conveying messages. Could it be that she was really hiding something from him?
But Sun Mengqiu is not the type of person who can hide things, otherwise she wouldn't always be thinking about the position of queen. If she really intended to target Zhu Yuhuan, it would be impossible for her to hide it from herself.
Wang Jin saw this and said, "I have carefully checked Huang Yan's files from back then. This person does have some relationship with Huang Yan, so what he said must be true."
Zhu Zhanji rubbed his brow with one hand and asked, "Do you think the imperial concubine did this?"
Wang Jin had followed Zhu Zhanji for many years and was always impartial, so he said, "The Imperial Concubine has been with Your Majesty for many years. Your Majesty naturally understands Your Majesty's thoughts better than anyone else."
Zhu Zhanji sneered and said, "You're quite good at talking." He sighed and looked at the dancing flame in the lampshade. A sudden guess came to his mind and he asked abruptly, "Could it be that Princess Shunde directed and acted out this incident herself?"
Although Zhu Yuhuan was playful and lively, he was also always calm. He hadn't done anything stupid like knocking on the palace gate at night when he entered the city, so why did he run to Renshou Palace crying and making a scene after entering the palace? If this hadn't happened, Zhu Zhanji wouldn't have had to worry so much.
Wang Jin was shocked. He hadn't expected Zhu Zhanji to suspect the victim, Princess Shunde. But he still said honestly, "This matter has nothing to gain for you. If it gets out, it will damage your reputation. Moreover, although you are talented, you are still young. How can you do it perfectly? Not to mention that these eunuchs have been promoted slowly and have never had any contact with you. You have been in the palace for a long time. How can you guarantee that the bandits won't reveal you in the imperial prison?"
Zhu Zhanji knew that Wang Jin's words made sense, and he couldn't help feeling a little guilty about his previous thoughts. He sighed and said, "I was so anxious that I lost my mind."
The princess is not, and the imperial concubine is not, but the imperial concubine is not completely unaware of it. Could it be that the Sun family acted on their own?
Zhu Zhanji had a pretty good impression of the Sun family. Whenever Sun Mengqiu mentioned the Sun family, she would always talk about interesting stories about the parents' harmony. After Sun Mengqiu became a noble concubine, the Sun family rarely did anything out of the ordinary. The only time was when Sun Mengqiu's younger brother accidentally mentioned the matter of deposing the queen outside, and he gave him a scolding afterwards and that was the end of the matter.
How could the Sun family be so bold?
Wang Jin didn't know what Zhu Zhanji was thinking. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Your Majesty, the princess submitted a petition to the Imperial Household Department yesterday. It just arrived here today. Could you please take a look...?"
Zhu Zhanji was slightly startled and said, "Bring it to me and let me see it."
Wang Jin responded and quickly found Zhu Yuhuan's memorial among the many memorials.
Zhu Yuhuan's writing has always been very good, neat and antithetical, pleasing to the eye, and his handwriting is somewhat similar to Zhu Zhanji's.
Zhu Zhanji quickly finished reading it and couldn't help but sighed. He said, "She has always been obedient and sensible. She would rather suffer injustice than let me delay state affairs."
Wang Jin had already heard from the Imperial Household Department about the contents of the document. It was simply that Zhu Yuhuan did not want to investigate further and would rather let it go.
Wang Jin was loyal to Zhu Zhanji and knew that if this matter was not thoroughly investigated, it would inevitably affect His Majesty's wisdom. Therefore, he spoke on behalf of Zhu Yuhuan: "The Palace Administration Office said that the imperial concubine went to Renshou Palace to visit the princess the day before yesterday."
Zhu Zhanji knew that Sun Mengqiu had been in the palace to take care of her pregnancy recently, so he said, "The Imperial Concubine must have just learned about this."
Wang Jin continued, "The two exchanged a few words in the corridor, and then the princess presented a petition..."
Zhu Zhanji was startled and asked doubtfully, "Are the palace maids not here?"
“No.”
Zhu Zhanji was now even more puzzled and asked, "Who took the initiative?"
"It was the princess who took the initiative to stop the imperial concubine. The palace maids didn't know what they talked about, but they saw that the imperial concubine looked sad, and the princess was neither humble nor arrogant."
Zhu Zhanji and Sun Mengqiu spent every day together, so he naturally knew that she was somewhat afraid of Zhu Yuhuan, and this fear grew as Zhu Yuhuan grew up.
But to him, his daughter was just his daughter. He really couldn't find anything in Zhu Yuhuan that was worth being afraid of, so he never took it to heart.
But after hearing what Wang Jin said, Zhu Zhanji couldn't help but wonder if Concubine Sun had already known something, and that this matter was really related to the Sun family or the concubine, so she went to Zhu Yuhuan to plead for mercy. However, Empress Dowager Zhang now disliked Sun Mengqiu anyway, and if she went there, she would probably only be ridiculed.
Considering what he had just seen Zhu Yuhuan submit, Zhu Zhanji secretly guessed that Zhu Yuhuan probably understood Sun Mengqiu's intention, so he came out to ask.
But Zhu Zhanji also knew very well that his daughter was not someone who would give up easily. Her studies and martial arts were enough to show this. Now she suddenly submitted a petition saying that she would not pursue the matter any further. Could it be that the imperial concubine said something that made Zhu Yuhuan change his mind?
While Zhu Zhanji was lost in thought, a report came from outside, saying, "Your Majesty, Shi Lin, a captain of the Imperial Guard, wishes to see you."
"Let him in."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
