The Daily Life of a Concubine

Chapter 57- The Unexpected Person in the Investigation

Shu Fei was never foolish. The moment she connected the incident at Lan Guifei's residence, she laughed, "As expected, my aunt cares for me. Since she has paved the way so thoroughly, I cannot disappoint her, can I?" A gentle smile spread across Shu Fei's face as if she had thought of something pleasant.

"Have Li Momo make a trip. I miss my mother," she ordered. As the mistress of her palace, she still had the right to see her family.

Moreover, since she wanted to meet with Madam Zhang, no one would dare stop her.

"Yes, I will have someone seek permission from the Empress." Huihua, though puzzled as to why the consort wanted to see her family, was happy to do whatever pleased her mistress.

"Good, go ahead. Remember, do not speak of the Empress Dowager's matters to anyone," Shu Fei reminded Huihua as she watched her leave.

Most of the people Shu Fei could use were provided by the Zhang family. The fact that Lan Guifei had been drugged was no secret. Naturally, Shu Fei knew about it, especially since the Zhang family might have had a hand in it.

This made her believe that it was the Empress Dowager who had drugged Gui Fei, which further reassured her that the Empress Dowager was paving the way for her.

Thinking of the medicine the Empress Dowager had given her, she summoned one of her personal maids. "Has today's medicine been prepared?"

"Yes, Your Highness, the medicine is ready. Would you like to take it now?" the maid answered, stepping forward.

"Mm, bring it over." She would not let any opportunity slip by. Once she bore a prince, that unsightly thing in her palace could be dealt with. By then, no one would be able to abandon her.

Indeed, in Shu Fei's eyes, the Third Prince was merely an eyesore, as were the two people living in the back hall of her palace's Buddhist chamber.

No matter how much Shu Fei schemed, the Empress Dowager was naturally aware of the incident with Lan Guifei being drugged, though she was curious about who had actually made the move.

After all, she hadn't ordered the drugging. What she had planned was much more discreet.

"Summon Dezong," the Empress Dowager instructed her attendants.

Before long, Dezong arrived at the Empress Dowager's chambers.

"You've arrived." Seeing him enter, the Empress Dowager immediately waved off the attendants. Once everyone had left, she couldn't help but ask, "Was it you who made a move on Guifei?" Her eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Dezong was taken aback. He had assumed the Empress Dowager had summoned him to discuss the Empress, not Lan Guifei.

"No, I haven't taken any action yet." He did have people stationed around Lan Guifei, but they were well hidden, and he hadn't planned to use them yet.

"Has something happened to Guifei?" Dezong had been preoccupied with matters concerning the Empress and hadn't received any reports about Guifei.

"Mm, Guifei has been drugged. The Emperor already knows, and I fear the blame will fall on me," the Empress Dowager sighed, troubled. Compared to Lan Guifei, she was more concerned about the Empress's pregnancy.

"Investigate. See if there are any other ghosts hiding in the harem." As someone who had won the power struggle in the imperial harem, she wasn't one to trust anyone easily.

Dezong's expression darkened as suspicion crept into his mind. "Could it have been the Emperor himself?" Dezong asked.

The Empress Dowager shook her head without hesitation. "Impossible. The Emperor needs the Tan family. Regardless of how this child was conceived, he would never act against it. His affection for Guifei isn't false. If there truly is a child, he will ensure she has support."

Indeed, in the Empress Dowager's view, the Emperor was both sentimental and ruthless.

No matter how deep his feelings for Wen Ke had been, they hadn't stopped him from favoring other women.

For years, Wen Ke had avoided him, and any lingering affection had likely waned. But Wen Ke could not die just yet.

Did the Empress Dowager hate Wen Ke for ruining her plans back then?

Of course, she did. If not for her own moment of weakness, who knew who might be sitting on the throne now?

"If it wasn't him, then who else could it be?" Dezong, naturally aware of the situation in Jiangnan, couldn't think of anyone else who might have a grudge against Lan Guifei.

"I'll investigate the women in the harem again," he finally said, suspecting one of them.

"Mm, I also believe it's someone from the harem. But who knows if the Emperor will find out." The person hiding so deeply, framing the Empress Dowager, must have considerable influence in the harem.

Everyone was speculating correctly — someone else was indeed behind Lan Guifei's misfortune. However, no one would ever guess who it was.

The Emperor suspected the Empress Dowager, Shu Fei believed it was the Empress Dowager, and the Empress didn't care.

While everyone circled around in confusion, the real culprit was celebrating in secret.

"Have the arrangements been made?" A gentle voice asked, though the words were cold and indifferent.

"Treat her family well. A life exchanged for glory shouldn't be wasted, right?"

"Rest assured, My Lady. We will take good care of their family," a palace servant replied softly.

"Good, now leave. I'd like to rest."

The incident concerning Lan Guifei's pregnancy complications soon reached the Tan family.

Fearing that they would worry, Tan Xiang requested to see his daughter, and the Emperor agreed. Not only that, but he also allowed Madam Tan to stay in the palace to accompany Lan Guifei for a few days, which Tan Xiang greatly appreciated.

However, what Madam Tan and Lan Guifei discussed in Yongze Palace remained unknown.

What was well known, though, was that Madam Tan brought two momos and two female physicians into the palace with her.

"Madam Tan has entered the palace?" Emperor Rui, finishing his work, asked De Fu, who was attending him.

His tone was calm, and without careful listening, one might have thought he was expressing concern for Lan Guifei.

But after years of serving him, De Fu could detect the Emperor's foul mood.

"Yes, Madam Tan entered the palace that same day and brought along two female physicians," De Fu replied truthfully. "I also heard that a lot of things were dealt with in Guifei's palace."

The Emperor smiled. "I didn't expect my harem to be full of such talented women." Each one pretended to be kind and virtuous.

"Who was behind this?"

Defu shook his head. "We couldn't trace it. But there was someone from Wen Jieyu's faction." Although they couldn't track down Madam Tan's people, De Fu's investigations revealed this.

"The palace maid responsible for Guifei's embroidery was a second-class maid from Yongze Palace."

With access to such personal items, it was indeed easy for someone to make a move.

"Wen Jieyu?" The Emperor was surprised. "If I'm not mistaken, Wen Shi's father was one of Tan Lao's disciples, wasn't he?" Wen Zhang, although somewhat old-fashioned and distant in court, had gained his position as Imperial Censor through his integrity. His daughter had entered the palace because of this connection, though unfortunately, she lacked intelligence.

Mistakenly believing herself to be close to the Tan family, she followed Lan Guifei upon entering the palace.

"You remember correctly, Your Majesty. Wen Daren was indeed one of Tan Lao's last disciples," Defu smiled, bowing slightly.

The Emperor chuckled. "It seems I didn't know Wen Jieyu as well as I thought." What a surprising turn of events. "Have someone keep an eye on things, and don't let Wen Jieyu suffer for this."