SEC Chapter 76 Fishing in Troubled Waters
Chapter 76 Fishing in Troubled Waters
Sure enough, he found out.
Chu Qingyin had long known that she couldn't hide this from Pei Yuanling, but now that he had asked her, she had to be careful.
"Your Majesty, I did indeed go there."
"What are you doing there?" Pei Yuanling's gaze fell on Chu Qingyin, scrutinizing her.
Chu Qingyin did not avoid his gaze, letting him look at her, but lowered her eyes, looking aggrieved: "I dare not deceive Your Majesty, I went there for Consort Chu."
"For Consort Chu?" Pei Yuanling frowned.
Chu Qingyin nodded, adopting an indignant expression: "In her dream, Consort Chu told me that she didn't die of illness in the palace, but was poisoned. She wants me to help her find the real culprit and avenge her..."
Before she could finish speaking, Pei Yuanling's expression changed drastically.
Yinyin was indeed poisoned to death!
Everyone said she committed suicide, but he always had doubts. How could someone as beautiful and proud as Yinyin choose such an undignified way to die?
Sure enough, someone poisoned his Yin Yin.
Thinking of this, Pei Yuanling put down his chopsticks, unconsciously pressing his hands on Chu Qingyin's shoulders, turning her to face him. His hands sank down, his fingertips clenched, and his voice trembled slightly: "Do you know the details of the Consort's poisoning? Who killed her?"
Chu Qingyin clearly sensed the emperor's anger and also keenly noticed that he was not shocked that she had been poisoned.
Did he already know she had been poisoned?
But why announce to the world that she died of illness?
Many questions and doubts made Chu Qingyin's gaze towards Pei Yuanling unconsciously carry a hint of inquiry.
Fortunately, Pei Yuanling was completely absorbed in the matter of Chu Qingyin being poisoned and did not notice.
Seeing that she remained motionless for a long time, he unconsciously tightened his grip, pressing harder: "Yinyin, answer me."
A sharp pain shot through her shoulder, instantly bringing Chu Qingyin to her senses. She looked at Pei Yuanling, her eyes reddening, and said, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine said... said she was forced to drink poison by a eunuch and died."
Forced poisoning?
Pei Yuanling's face instantly turned sinister: "Which dog of a servant dares to assassinate the Imperial Concubine?"
"The Imperial Concubine said she didn't know either. She originally thought that the little eunuch was ordered by His Majesty to kill her. But later, when she saw His Majesty's worried look, she realized that someone might have poisoned her in the chaos."
As Chu Qingyin spoke, she observed the young emperor's expression.
Seeing his shock turn into anger, it seems he truly knew nothing about this matter...
After a long while, Pei Yuanling reached out and pulled Chu Qingyin into his arms, his deep voice filled with guilt and heartache: "Yinyin, I'm sorry."
"Your Majesty has done nothing wrong to your concubines, but Consort Chu is too pitiful. You must do justice for her..."
Chu Qingyin's tone was full of resentment and indignation, and her eyes reddened, but her heart remained calm and undisturbed.
"Don't worry, I will definitely find the real culprit and cut that person into a thousand pieces to appease your anger."
The man's icy words came from above Chu Qingyin's head, carrying a chilling aura.
Chu Qingyin had no expectations for this. She leaned quietly against the man's chest, her eyes dark and brooding.
Pei Yuanling, rest assured, even without you, I will personally kill the real culprit and will not let myself die in vain.
***
In the blink of an eye, it's midsummer in May. The bamboo sways its shadow, and the crabapple blossoms have all faded.
Recently, for some unknown reason, rumors have started to spread again in the palace, and for a time, the entire palace was shrouded in a cloud of doubt.
"You don't know, the reason this rumor started is because several palace maids encountered the ghost of the former imperial concubine while on night watch. The concubine cried to them, saying that she had died unjustly and that she was determined to find the person who harmed her and avenge herself!"
Inside Mingyue Pavilion, Wutong whispered something in Lu Mingzhu's ear.
Wutong was promoted after the incident with Yuxiu.
Lu Mingzhu disliked Qinglan's personality, so she specially selected a clever maid from among the maids serving in the outer palace to serve her personally.
Lu Mingzhu is currently under house arrest and cannot leave her home. She relies entirely on Wutong to go out and inquire, then return and tell her what happened.
"Wasn't it said that that little bitch Qiao Qingyin was the reincarnation of a concubine? How come there's now a concubine ghost seeking revenge?"
Lu Mingzhu was completely confused.
"This servant does not know either. But now it is certain that Consort Chu did not die of illness, but was poisoned."
As Wutong spoke, fear showed in her eyes: "Several senior nannies in the palace who helped with the funeral arrangements for Consort Chu all said that she died tragically with blood flowing from all seven orifices, and it was definitely not a sign of dying from illness."
Looking at her timid appearance, Lu Mingzhu sneered, "Only ignorant people like you would believe such things. I think it's just someone deliberately creating a smokescreen."
"Your Highness, it's not that I'm afraid, but this matter is truly perilous. You don't know, but a palace maid on night watch saw Consort Chu's ghost. Her eyes were covered in blood, and she walked with a light, floating gait."
As Wutong spoke, her voice trembled. Afraid that Lu Mingzhu wouldn't believe her, she forced herself to continue, "Many old nannies in the palace say they saw the Imperial Concubine singing in the Imperial Garden at midnight. That singing voice is definitely hers."
Lu Mingzhu was only a sixteen-year-old girl after all. Hearing these details, her scalp tingled, and she said angrily, "Alright, stop talking. This is really bad luck. Go down!"
Wutong didn't know why she was angry, but she didn't dare to say anything and quickly bowed and retreated.
Lu Mingzhu sat alone for a long time, thinking it over and over, but still felt that the matter was strange. So she called Qinglan in again and handed her the letter she had written: "Find a way to send it to my mother."
"Yes," Qinglan replied calmly, without asking any further questions. She took the letter and turned to leave.
As Lu Mingzhu watched her departing figure, a question arose in her mind.
This Qinglan may seem cold and aloof, but she's quite efficient when it comes to getting things done. No wonder her mother arranged for her to enter the palace to serve her.
Meanwhile, inside the Phoenix Palace.
The chief eunuch, Lin Qingjing, stood beside Empress Wang, reporting on the recent developments in the palace.
"Your Majesty, rumors have been circulating lately about the ghost of the Imperial Concubine returning to claim lives, causing unrest in the palace. Do you think I should go and investigate this matter thoroughly?"
While observing Empress Wang's expression, Lin Qing tentatively asked.
"Need not."
Empress Wang slowly picked up the blue-and-white porcelain teacup beside her. The white bud tea that Consort Wei had presented the day before was fragrant and rich, with a perfect flavor.
She took a small sip and sighed, "This tea is truly excellent. I adore its delicate fragrance. Just like people and things, the more composed one is, the more one can withstand the storms, and the more fragrant the fruit one bears."
"Your Majesty, what do you mean?" Lin Qing was a little confused about her thoughts.
Empress Wang smiled at him and said, "You've been with me for so long, don't you understand my thoughts? If the water is too clear, there will be no fish. So you have to stir it up to catch the fish hiding in the water."
"Besides, whether she's a living person pretending to be a ghost or a real ghost seeking revenge, what does it have to do with us? We'll just watch the show."
"Your Majesty is wise; it was this servant who was foolish."
Unlike the tranquility within Fengyi Palace, Shuhua Palace was currently shrouded in dark clouds.
"That bitch is a ghost now, how dare she come back to cause trouble?"
Wei Yiqiu cursed angrily, still not feeling relieved, and grabbed the jade cup next to her, smashing it hard on the ground.
Looking at the broken treasures on the ground, Zhou Baojin, the chief eunuch of Shuhua Palace, took a deep breath to calm his emotions before saying, "Your Majesty, rumors may not be true, so why are you angry?"
"You also think it's fake?" Wei Yiqiu looked up at Zhou Baojin, her eyes full of inquiry.
Zhou Baojin bowed his head and respectfully replied, "This servant does not believe in ghosts and gods. Even if it were the Imperial Concubine seeking revenge, so what? She was powerless while alive and died unjustly. What ability would she have to seek revenge after she's dead?"
Hearing this, Wei Yiqiu's previously uneasy heart immediately calmed down a lot: "You're right, he's just an incompetent fool, why should I panic?"
After saying that, as if she had thought of something, she coldly ordered, "Now I am under house arrest by His Majesty and cannot leave the palace. You must find a way to help me find out where this rumor came from. Whether it is a person or a ghost, we must find out the truth before I can have peace of mind."
"Your Majesty, rest assured, this servant will take care of it immediately."