vrcanaries Chapter 606: Xiao Huazi confessed
Chapter 606: Xiao Huazi confessed
The Hall of Nourishing Heart.
Zhan Weiran finally found out the results of his investigation before the date set by the emperor.
He presented the confession, knelt on the ground and said respectfully: "...Your Majesty, after investigation, and the killers of Weiwu Hall identified the voice, it can be basically confirmed that the eunuch who bribed them before the Lantern Festival was Xiao Huazi."
"However, Xiao Huazi refused to admit this matter, claiming that he left the palace that day to buy cakes outside the palace for Concubine Shu."
Shufei's status is special, so whether to investigate further is naturally not up to Zhan Weiran to decide.
The emperor closed his eyes.
It's Concubine Shu...
At this moment, he couldn't tell whether he felt more disappointed or more disgusted.
"...interrogate Xiao Huazi strictly and make him confess at all costs!"
"Starting immediately, close the gates of Yongshou Palace. No one is allowed to enter or leave without my order!"
Zhan Weiran replied "yes" and immediately got up to do it.
Although Concubine Shu was not as favored as before, her family background was still there. She was one of the Four Concubines and was raising two imperial heirs.
Her status in the harem cannot be easily shaken.
Even Zhan Weiran felt somewhat restrained during the investigation.
After all, Concubine Shu is His Majesty's old love, and no one can tell what His Majesty feels for her...
Now that he knew His Majesty's attitude, he no longer needed to worry about anything.
During this period, the most concerning thing for everyone in the harem was the fact that Concubine Xian was injured by an assassin.
All the eunuchs who had left the palace during that period and were taken away by the imperial guards for investigation have returned, except Xiao Huazi who is still in prison.
Coupled with the order from His Majesty, everyone understood that the person who bribed the assassins of Weiwu Hall must be Concubine Shu...
Shufei has dominated the harem for so long, but since Xianfei entered the palace, her favor has begun to decline. This time, I'm afraid she will really be ruined...
But not necessarily.
After all, there is an empress dowager living in the Cining Palace.
Yongshou Palace.
It was not until this moment that Concubine Shu finally panicked!
The thing she was most worried about finally happened!
Chu Xiyan stood behind Concubine Shu with her head down, a barely visible curve at the corner of her lips.
Good and evil will be rewarded in the end, Concubine Shu, this day has come too!
Seeing so many mighty guards, who closed the gate of Yongshou Palace without any explanation and stood guard outside with swords in hand like door gods, the palace people were terrified!
This was also the first time that the eldest princess had seen such a scene.
Did the Emperor and the Empress quarrel again?
But when they quarreled before, my father only confined my mother to her house, and he didn't seal off the Yongshou Palace...
"Mother..."
The eldest princess tugged at Consort Shu's sleeve, her little face filled with fear and helplessness: "Father, do you... not want Consort Mother, nor Yun'er?"
Concubine Shu felt a pain in her heart, and she lowered her head and hugged the eldest princess into her arms: "Don't be afraid, Yun'er. How could your father not want us, mother and daughter?"
"He was just...playing games with us."
"Yun'er, go back and have a good rest. When the game is over, the gate of Yongshou Palace will be opened."
The eldest princess is a child, not a fool.
Moreover, she grew up in the palace, so how could she not know that whenever the imperial guards surrounded a palace, something bad was bound to happen.
But she didn't want to make her mother worry, so she lowered her head, said "hmm", and followed the nanny back to her own bedroom.
"My lady..."
Cuizhu said solemnly, "That Commander Zhan... is indeed quite capable. He actually found out about Xiao Huazi."
"Now that he is the only suspect, all the methods used in the prison will be used on him. Xiao Huazi may not be able to withstand it."
"In my opinion, Your Majesty can only do as I said before and put the blame on him for everything..."
Shu Fei would naturally not sacrifice herself to save a servant. Even if Cui Zhu didn't remind her, she would have done so.
In the past, no matter what mistakes she made, His Majesty would favor her as long as he could find an excuse to shut everyone up.
But this time, Concubine Shu really had no confidence...
Your Majesty, will you let Xiaohuazi take the blame?
It was precisely because she was unsure that Concubine Shu was looking forward to what her aunt in the Cining Palace could do for her...
It was wrong for her to lie to her aunt.
But she only wanted to kill Concubine Xian and eliminate the common enemy of Duke Dingguo's Mansion.
Aunt, you will definitely understand her.
As long as her aunt takes action, as mentioned before, she will be demoted from one of the four concubines to an ordinary concubine at most.
It's okay, it's okay...
Concubine Shu kept comforting herself in her heart.
……
Cining Palace.
Empress Dowager Liu also knew about this.
Not to mention her, even Nanny Yuan felt a sense of disappointment: "…Madam Shufei, you are so confused!"
She can get rid of Concubine Xian, but she has to make sure she hits the target with one strike!
Instead, the enemy is still there, but someone has caught you with something.
That would have been fine, but when the Empress Dowager asked her about it a few days ago, Concubine Shu refused to admit it.
At this moment, Nanny Yuan could empathize with Empress Dowager Liu very much.
No wonder the Empress Dowager once loved this niece the most, but now she treats her as an abandoned child.
To put it bluntly...Empress Shufei is really a hopeless case!
If this continues, I'm afraid the entire Dingguo Mansion will be implicated by her!
Empress Dowager Liu's eyes were gloomy. She did not mention Concubine Shu, but instructed: "Send more people to observe the concubines attached to Duke Dingguo's Mansion in the near future to see which ones are smart and obedient and worth training."
"Yes."
Nanny Yuan knew that no matter what the final outcome of this matter was, Concubine Shu had already been sentenced to death by the Empress Dowager.
She hesitated for a moment before asking, "Empress Dowager, does the Duke agree with your decision?"
The Duke's legitimate son had already been sent to the frontier. Now he was asked to abandon his only legitimate daughter, could he be so cruel?
Empress Dowager Liu said in a deep voice: "Even if my brother loves Concubine Shu, he will understand after this incident, which is more important, his daughter or his family!"
"It's all because... Duke Dingguo's Mansion didn't educate Concubine Shu well, so she only cared about love in her early years, and now she's impulsive and reckless!"
Besides, they just gave up supporting Concubine Shu, but they were not going to watch her die, right?
As long as the Duke Dingguo's Mansion doesn't fall, she can save her life no matter what.
Perhaps, this is the best thing to do for Concubine Shu.
If she were to be placed in a high position again, there was no telling what kind of trouble she would cause.
……
Two days later.
Zhan Weiran presented Xiao Huazi's confession to the emperor.
"…Your Majesty, Xiaohuazi has already explained that it was Consort Shu who could not tolerate Consort Xian."
"So when she learned that you were going to take the virtuous concubine out of the palace to celebrate the Lantern Festival, the Shu concubine asked Xiao Huazi to disguise himself and bribe the killer of the Weiwu Hall."
"Xiao Huazi said that what Lady Shufei wanted from the beginning to the end was only Lady Xianfei's life, and she repeatedly told the assassins of Weiwu Hall not to hurt you."