Queen Lu's eyes were dark: "Xie Tianyu won't tell."
Wind blew in from the window, and the lights in the room flickered. Surrounded by the water-red brocade quilt, the usually dignified and virtuous Queen Lu was hidden in the shadows, looking eerie and ghostly.
When Jinzhi was looked at by her eyes, her previous panic gradually dissipated. Even though her hands and feet were still a little cold, she had calmed down.
Thinking back to all the years when the Queen had never made a mistake, and that Prince Chen was also in the control of the Queen, and that the Queen had even schemed against him once, allowing the Lu family to help His Majesty suppress Prince Chen and regain the throne, he still thought that the Queen was "infatuated" and "deeply in love" with him, and had not had a second bloodline for many years.
Even though he knew that Xie Yin was not his biological son, he still kept him by his side. Even though he knew that his own blood could not recognize him, he was still willing to "guard" the Empress...
Jinzhi gradually calmed down: "Then, Madam, what should we do next?"
"Nothing."
Empress Lu reached out and smoothed her long hair, her fingertips were slender and white, like the tenderness of a young girl's hands: "The affairs of Prince Cheng's Mansion have nothing to do with the harem. I am the empress, and I don't need to do anything that I shouldn't do."
"If Xiao Yan wants to investigate Xie Yin's background, he must produce evidence. As long as Xie Tianyu doesn't speak up, no one will ever know about the past. Even if something is found out, Xie Yin will at most lose the bloodline of the Rong family, and no one will suspect that he is not of royal blood."
It is simply impossible to do anything under the noses of Xiao Yan and those servile dogs in the Privy Council. Xie Tianyu is branded as a treasonous person and everyone in the capital is looking at him.
At this moment, whether you contact him or want to do anything, it will be too easy for others to catch you. Any mistake will lead to you falling into the trap.
Do less and make fewer mistakes; do nothing and make fewer mistakes.
As for Xie Tianyu...
She had left herself a way out since she was young and had never married. When she was "forced" to marry Emperor An, the "deep affection" she had created over the years, which was full of madness and obsession that would not allow him to be affectionate with others, was enough to make him keep his mouth shut.
Even if it was just for his only bloodline, Xie Tianyu would not betray her.
Empress Lu said, "We don't need to do anything now. We just need to watch quietly. We can find a way to exonerate him from the Zongren Temple later."
Jinzhi whispered, "I understand."
Empress Lu frowned and asked, "Any news about the people who stayed with the Grand Empress Dowager?"
Jinzhi shook her head and said, "No, those who serve the Grand Empress Dowager are all appointed by His Majesty. Others cannot enter the inner palace. Even if they find a chance to sneak in, there are usually other people guarding them. There is no chance to avoid others searching the Grand Empress Dowager's palace. Your Majesty, do you think that thing is not with the Grand Empress Dowager?"
Empress Lu looked cold and said, "The people that Crown Prince Li trusted the most during his lifetime and who were most likely to have that thing were only the Grand Empress Dowager and the Rong family. When Crown Prince Li got into trouble, that thing was missing. If it wasn't in the Grand Empress Dowager's hands, it must have been in the Rong family's hands."
After Rong Qian'an's death, the Rong family's property was divided into two. If that thing was really given to Rong Qian'an, it would definitely fall into the hands of the Rong sisters later.
After Rong Yue married into Prince Cheng's Mansion, her share of the dowry had already been searched and confirmed, except for Rong Zhen's share which was still in Song Tangning's hands.
Queen Lu originally wanted to use the engagement between Lu Zhinian and Song Tangning to marry her into the Lu family legitimately. Not only would she be able to gain access to the Rong family's connections for her son, but she could also unnoticeably find the "dowry" that belonged to Rong Zhen in Song Tangning's hands. If she could find that thing, she could take it back without making a fuss. However, who knew that something went wrong in the Lu family.
It was obvious that they should get married in just half a year, but that fool Lu Zhinian wasted her years of planning.
"Song Tangning can't move for a while. Xiao Yan is protecting her. If we're not careful, it might arouse suspicion. Let's try to get the Empress Dowager to say something first."
The old guy is now very confused, talking all about the past, and he goes crazy from time to time.
Empress Lu showed a sinister look on her face, and said to Jinzhi, "After daybreak, you come with me to the Grand Empress Dowager's palace. Find a chance to hide from others and mention Xie Tianzhao's matter. See if you can get something useful out of her. If that doesn't work, find a way to drive her crazy."
The Empress Dowager suddenly fell ill, and her palace would be in chaos, with people coming and going, and naturally there would be an opportunity to search her back palace.
There have been frequent incidents in the capital recently, which made Queen Lu particularly uneasy. The imprisonment of Prince Cheng after the Lu family made her already uneasy heart vaguely aware of a hint of crisis.
That year, she accidentally learned that the thing left by Prince Li could actually control the army and even threaten the imperial power. Rong Zhen and his wife died because of it.
If she could get that thing, even if Emperor An disliked the Fourth Prince, even if the Lu family and the Prince Cheng's Mansion were gone, the throne would only belong to her son.
"Remind the Fourth Prince more these days, tell him not to do things he shouldn't do, and don't interfere in the Lu family's affairs. He doesn't have to cut off contact with the Lu family, but don't get too close to them. Let him attend court and do his job well, and don't worry about other things."
"yes."
The master and servant were shocked for a moment, and only after they explained everything did the hall become quiet.
After Jinzhi's panic dissipated, she looked at Empress Lu's tired face and whispered, "My queen, it's still early, do you want to sleep a little longer?"
Empress Lu had a severe headache: "I will take a short nap. Wake me up at dawn and go pay my respects to the Grand Empress Dowager."
Jinzhi carefully helped Queen Lu lie down. After she leaned against the pillow, she reached out and gently massaged her forehead and the area under her eyebrows. The warm hands relaxed the wrinkles between Queen Lu's brows.
She was silent as if she was asleep, even her breathing became smooth, but after a long while she closed her eyes and said faintly: "Jinzhi, do you feel that there are too many things happening in the capital recently, as if there is a hand playing tricks in the dark."
Starting from the Mansion of Duke Song, to Lu Zhinian, the Lu family, and then to the Mansion of Prince Cheng, it seemed as if someone was pushing things forward step by step.
Jinzhi paused: "Madam, are you talking about Miss Song?"
"Not her."
Queen Lu opened her eyes and said, "Song Tangning doesn't have the ability, nor does she have the means to stir up trouble in the capital to this extent."
But everything that happened during this period was indeed about her, and the source of everything was her return from Mount Qi. But if it wasn't Song Tangning, who else could it be?
Queen Lu narrowed her eyes and thought carefully about the people around Song Tangning. After a moment, a cold and stern face suddenly flashed in her mind.
She frowned slightly.
Could it be that eunuch?
But why did he do all this? Was it just to wipe out the noble families and please Emperor An?
"Empress?" Jinzhi lowered her head.
Queen Lu closed her eyes again: "Nothing."
Her breathing slowed down again, as if she had fallen asleep, but her mind was still thinking about Xiao Yan. Seeing this, Jinzhi slowed down her movements and continued to rub her head.
After dawn, the morning light spread across the palace walls. Empress Lu dressed up and led Jinzhi to the palace of the Grand Empress Dowager. All the way, she was thinking about how to get some information from the crazy old man. But when she arrived at the palace gate, she was told that the Grand Empress Dowager was no longer in the palace.
Empress Lu was shocked: "You said the Empress Dowager left the palace?"
The palace maid bowed her head and said, "Recently, the ladies of the various palaces have been visiting Shou'an Palace frequently. The Empress Dowager has been disturbed repeatedly and her condition has become increasingly serious. When His Majesty learned of this, he issued an order to move the Empress Dowager to the imperial estate outside the city to recuperate. She was sent out of the palace before daybreak."
He paused, looked up at Queen Lu:
"Your Majesty is grateful for the Empress' filial piety in personally tending to her sickness, and also feels that you are a role model for the palace, virtuous and gentle. Although the Empress Dowager has left the palace, your filial piety cannot be discontinued."
"Your Majesty has ordered me to place scriptures in the Buddhist hall of Shou'an Palace. Your Majesty can go in and copy the scriptures. Then I will ask someone to take them to the imperial farm and give them to the Grand Empress Dowager. This will surely make the people of the world appreciate your sincerity and filial piety."
"…"
Empress Lu, who had already come up empty-handed, looked unhappy: "Is this what your Majesty said?"
"I dare not speak nonsense."
The palace maid was not afraid of being exposed by Empress Lu at all. She was sure that Empress Lu would not be able to lose face and not be the virtuous, gentle, sincere and filial person. She did not dare to confront Emperor An.
Besides, what would happen even if they confronted each other? Emperor An was extremely fed up with the Lu family at this time.
He lowered his eyes to hide the sarcasm in his eyes, and leaned forward to Queen Lu, who had been bothering the Grand Empress Dowager recently, and said respectfully: "The paper and ink in the Buddhist hall are ready. Your Majesty, it's time to show your filial piety."
Queen Lu's face turned pale and blue, and she wished she could slap him in the face.
But she could only force a smile as she bowed respectfully to the man. She gritted her teeth for a long time and was supported by Jinzhi as she walked through the gate of Shou'an Palace.
That old immortal!!
Why didn't he just die of illness in the palace? !