ebookland Chapter 685 Helping Zhen Huan regain her favor (4)
Chapter 685 Helping Zhen Huan regain her favor (4)
When these words were spoken, the emperor was so frightened that he almost dropped the teacup in his hand. He looked at Xunmei excitedly and asked in a trembling voice.
"You...what did you say? Substituting a cat for the crown prince? Mixing up the royal bloodline? Tell me the details!"
Cui Jinxi was even more frightened. What on earth did this bitch Xunmei know?
No! She absolutely cannot sit still and wait for death!
Cui Jinxi retorted in panic.
"Your Majesty, confusing the royal bloodline is a grave crime punishable by the death of nine generations of your clan. I have been in the palace for many years, how could I not understand this truth?"
"I am loyal to Concubine Zhen, how could I do such a treasonous thing?"
"Your Majesty, Xunmei has been behaving strangely before. I suspect she may be suffering from hysteria."
An Lingrong interjected quietly from the side, her voice soft but every word clear.
"Your Majesty, when you first ordered me to take charge of the affairs of the six palaces, I took a quick look at the records of the aunts in charge of each palace. Cui Jinxi is an orphan, and her family records are unknown."
Judging from the information available, she alone represents nine clans.
What is the best thing for such a carefree person to do?
The emperor, who has countless secret guards and spies under his command, understands this better than anyone else.
He coughed lightly, and the guards came forward, tied up Cui Jinxi and blocked her mouth.
"Xunmei, you said Cui Jinxi mixed up the royal bloodline. Do you have any evidence?"
"Your Majesty, normally, when a concubine living alone in a palace gives birth, the delivery room is usually arranged in the front courtyard, but Concubine Zhen's delivery room was arranged in the west side hall in the back courtyard."
Xunmei looked directly at Cui Jinxi and continued speaking while she was horrified.
"I once asked Miss Baizhi, and she said that it was Cui Jinxi who suggested to Concubine Zhen that the west side hall in the backyard had good feng shui, which would be conducive to childbirth and increase the number of offspring."
"Ms. Baizhi left the palace on the seventeenth day of the winter month to visit Concubine Zhen's sister, but she has not been seen since. Aunt Cui Jinxi has reported that she was attacked by a wild wolf and died on Lingyun Peak."
"I heard that Miss Bai Zhi and Cui Jinxi were from the same group of people who came to serve Concubine Zhen."
"Ms. Baizhi was a close confidant of Concubine Zhen, and she spent every day and night with Cui Jinxi. She must have discovered something unusual, which is why she was silenced by Cui Jinxi's people."
A trace of sadness flashed in Xunmei's eyes, and she continued.
"By the way, I also heard that there was a maid named Yu'er in Zhongcui Palace who often ran errands for Cui Jinxi, but she later disappeared."
The emperor saw that Xunmei had said a lot but didn't get to the point. He was about to urge her to stop when he saw the person kneeling on the ground laughing.
Xunmei's laughter was filled with endless bitterness and hatred.
"Cui Jinxi keeps saying that I had thoughts that I shouldn't have, but in fact, it was she who brought me to Zhongcui Palace. She recommended me to Concubine Zhen to win her favor."
"She is a vicious person. To make me do what she wants, she sends people to spy on my family and my good friends...neighbors."
"I planted a persimmon tree at home and named it 'Shi'er.' Cui Jinxi said my name had a bad meaning, so I became 'Xunmei' (Plum Blossom Searcher) in Zhongcui Palace. I spent all day reciting poems about plum blossoms, using plum blossom hair oil, and eating plum blossom cakes..."
"After Concubine Zhen fell into the water, I was afraid that she would take advantage of her illness to push me out, so I found Aunt Cui Jinxi and asked her to explain to the master that I had no intention of climbing up the social ladder and only wanted to stay peacefully until I could leave the palace."
"She agreed verbally, but secretly sent someone to burn down my house. None of my family members or neighbors survived."
Xunmei's eyes were bloodshot and she spoke through gritted teeth.
"This is what I heard from my servants reporting to Cui Jinxi. They were talking in the west side hall in the backyard."
"Empress Zhen is bedridden and mute. Only Cui Jinxi can issue this order."
"I couldn't bear to see my family suffer such a tragedy, so I kept an eye on Cui Jinxi. As expected, my efforts paid off. I discovered a secret passage in the west side hall that led to the rockery near the cold pond."
"It was also when I was watching Cui Jinxi that I discovered she had drugged Concubine Zhen."
"Your Majesty, I have followed Cui Jinxi several times. Once, I heard her arguing with someone in the West Wing Hall. She said, 'The emperor of the royal family is a sentimental man. If Concubine Zhen, whom Your Majesty once cherished, were to die... Your Majesty would surely pity the young master.'"
"The following words are too outrageous, I cannot say them."
When the emperor heard this, his face turned pale.
"I forgive you, so feel free to speak boldly!"
Xun Meisser shrank back and stammered.
"Cui Jinxi said... Sixth Prince was lucky enough to survive the fire last time. If he gets into another accident, the young master will have a chance..."
She didn't dare to continue, but the people in the room already understood what Xunmei meant.
Cui Jinxi wanted the eleventh prince to sit on the supreme throne.
When the garden caught fire earlier, An Lingrong thought that Prince Guo had failed in his first plan and was resorting to another vicious scheme. She didn't expect to hear the truth from Xunmei today.
An Lingrong's body swayed, she turned her head to look at the equally angry emperor, and her words were incoherent with fear.
"I don't know where Xunmei got the information, but I implore Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly."
"Our Hongzhan was in danger twice in the garden. Once he fell into the water, and once he was set on fire. I don't need to elaborate on the dangers. Your Majesty has seen it with your own eyes. If... if the people in the dark..."
An Lingrong was so frightened that her whole body was shaking and she couldn't utter a word because of her sobs.
The emperor was extremely anxious when Hongzhan was in danger twice, especially when the residence in the garden caught fire. He wanted to punish the ten clans of the mastermind behind the fire.
"Xiao Xiazi, go call Su Peisheng over and ask him to bring people to investigate!"
"Your Excellency..."
Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by a sharp female voice.
"Your Majesty, Eunuch Su is from the same hometown as Cui Jinxi. I personally saw him accept Cui Jinxi's purse. It is extremely inappropriate to let Su Peisheng handle this matter."
"Your servant Yu'er pays respects to the Emperor and the Imperial Concubine."
As the words fell, a thin woman dressed in palace maid's clothes walked in. She lifted the hair that covered her eyes, revealing a centipede-like scar on her forehead.
"My father loved gambling and had nothing left in the house. Unable to squeeze money out of my mother, he dragged me to a brothel. Cui Jinxi suddenly appeared and used two taels of silver to buy my father's temporary relenting."
"A few days later, Father, with the guidance of an expert, allowed me to participate in the small selection. I have my mother and younger brother at home, so I can only let Father ask for it."
There was a flicker of pain in her eyes.
"I entered the palace two years ago, penniless and suffering every kind of torture from the head maid and the eunuchs. Finally, one winter day, I fell ill. The maid in the same room immediately reported me to the head maid, and I was thrown into the laundry department after being scalded unconscious."
"That's right! It was Cui Jinxi, the 'great benefactor', who saved this servant again."
"I have nothing to offer in return. All I can do is serve her."
"Since then, my father-in-law has been quiet at home. It is said that my mother is no longer beaten, and my younger brother is an apprentice in a medicine shop."
"Until one summer, my eunuch, who was my good friend, went to visit my family on my behalf. He learned from other neighbors in the alley that my house had been burned down seven years ago..."