NCCnovel Chapter 272 Gradually Uncovering the Secret Behind Concubine Shu
Chapter 272 Gradually Uncovering the Secret Behind Concubine Shu
Concubine Shu was so frightened that her face paled instantly. Her beautiful face turned pale as paper. The brocade box in her hand fell to the ground with a crisp sound, and the golden hairpin rolled out. In the dim candlelight, it reflected a faint light, flickering like a ghost fire, adding a bit of eerie atmosphere.
She trembled all over, as if in an icy cellar. Her lips quivered, but no sound emanated. Fear gripped her. She tried to ask, but found her throat as if gripped by an invisible hand, unable to breathe or speak. She could only stare at Shai Zhen with wide eyes in horror.
After the fear subsided, a strange calm enveloped Concubine Shu's bedroom.
In the days that followed, rewards poured in like a tide. Initially, they consisted of delicate pastries and rolls of fine silk. Concubine Shu, still apprehensive, hesitated to accept any of them. She tentatively asked the maids around her, "Your Majesty, what is this...meaning?" The maids were also baffled, and could only speculate, "Perhaps Your Majesty feels that the Empress has been frightened, and is offering this as compensation."
Over the next few days, the rewards grew increasingly generous. Boxes of jewelry, silks, and satins filled the chambers, leaving barely enough space for anything to rest. Even Concubine Shu's personal maid, Luluo, couldn't help but exclaim, "So many rare treasures! I've never seen such a thing in my life!" As Concubine Shu gazed at these glittering treasures, her fear gradually gave way to greed. She began to believe that His Majesty truly favored her.
Within the golden nanmu box lay a pair of jade bracelets, emerald green and flawless. Concubine Shu put them on with relish, gazing in the mirror, a radiant smile playing on her lips. A palace maid brought in a white jade statue of Guanyin, its benevolent features remarkably lifelike. Concubine Shu bowed devoutly, thinking to herself: "My luck has been incredibly good lately!"
As her rewards grew, Concubine Shu became bolder. She began to resell the palace's precious medicinal herbs, such as century-old ginseng and thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum, secretly replacing them with common herbs, profiting hugely. She even ordered people to smuggle valuable herbs like deer antlers and musk from the warehouse, passing them off as high-quality ones, pocketing the difference and profiting from the sale price.
Recalling her previous dealings with merchants outside the palace, she colluded with them even more brazenly, deliberately inflating the cost of palace purchases. For example, when purchasing silk, a piece of fine brocade would cost only seven taels of silver, but she quoted thirty, profiting by several dozen taels. She manipulated the prices of porcelain, tea, spices, and other goods without exception, and the money flowed into her pocket like water.
Concubine Shu's bedroom was now lavishly luxurious. Famous paintings and calligraphy hung on the walls, thick Persian carpets covered the floor, and even the incense was specially crafted, emitting a rich fragrance. The bedroom was filled with all sorts of treasures, glittering with gold and dazzling the eyes.
She reclined on a soft couch inlaid with gold and jade, playing with a priceless bracelet of oriental pearls. Each pearl was round and plump, emitting a warm luster. A greedy smile hung on her face, and a cunning glint shone in her eyes.
"That little bitch Cen Jiexiao still wants to fight me?" She said with contempt, full of disdain, "Your Majesty only has eyes for me now, who the hell is she!"
The maidservant Luluo quickly agreed, "Your Majesty is right. No matter how clever that girl surnamed Cen is, she cannot compare to Your Majesty's beauty and His Majesty's favor."
Another maidservant, Hongxiu, also quickly said, "Your Majesty is now in great favor. That Cen Jiexiao is just a small female official in the Imperial Pharmacy. How can she compare to Your Majesty?"
Concubine Shu was flattered by the flattery of the palace maids and burst into laughter. Her laughter was sharp and piercing, like the cry of a night owl, which made people feel creepy.
However, her every move was closely monitored by the spies planted by Cen Jiexiao, and all the evidence of her crimes was recorded in detail in the spy record of the Qiming Group. Every stroke clearly recorded Shufei's evil deeds.
Cen Jiexiao compiled the evidence she had collected, including the account books of Concubine Shu's embezzlement of treasury silver, the letters of her secret communications with court officials, and even the testimony that she ordered palace servants to poison other concubines, into a book, sealed it with special sealing wax, and secretly submitted it to Chai Zhen.
Shai Zhen took the weight of evidence, his fingers trembling slightly as he flipped open the booklet, carefully examining each page. Every crime recorded there was shocking. He took a deep breath, trying to suppress the rage boiling within him. He knew that impulsive action at this moment would only alert the enemy.
He raised his head, his eyes deep and firm: "This matter is of great importance. I need to think carefully and must not act hastily." He put the evidence away properly and decided to hold back and wait for the best opportunity to capture Concubine Shu and at the same time give the Queen Mother a resounding blow.
Meanwhile, Cen Jiexiao discovered that Concubine Shu's relationship with Empress Dowager Li was growing increasingly close. They exchanged frequent, cryptic letters, like the whispers of an owl, quietly passing through the inner sanctum of the palace, their words concealing unspeakable secrets. Their meetings became increasingly secretive, sometimes in the tranquility of a Buddhist temple, sometimes in the secluded corners of the imperial gardens. Each encounter felt like a carefully orchestrated conspiracy. To gather more direct evidence, Cen Jiexiao decided to investigate Empress Dowager Li further. She summoned Yu Lan and Xiao Zhi, and the atmosphere was heavy, like the calm before a storm.
"Yu Lan, you are responsible for investigating Empress Dowager Li's daily activities, including who she meets every day and what she says. Everything must be recorded, no matter how big or small. What kind of tea she drinks, what kind of incense she uses, even the slightest change in her eyes, cannot be missed." Cen Jiexiao's voice was low and firm.
At the same time, Cen Jiexiao handed Yu Lan a portrait. The portrait showed an old woman with a kind face. The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes seemed to hide the traces of time, but also revealed a sinister aura.
"This is a personal maidservant of Empress Dowager Li, named Nanny Lan. It is said that she is deeply trusted by Empress Dowager Li. Please pay special attention to her and see who she interacts with and whether she has passed on any information."
"Xiaozhi, you are responsible for investigating Empress Dowager Li's interpersonal relationships, especially her dealings with ministers in the court, to see if there is anything suspicious. Remember, act cautiously and don't alert the enemy." Cen Jiexiao turned to Xiaozhi, her tone still calm.
"Dean, Empress Dowager Li is very cunning and it is not easy for us to find any evidence against her. Your idea is correct. If it were me, we would have to start investigating the people around her." Yu Lan was worried. She held the portrait given to her by Cen Jiexiao tightly in her hand. The Nanny Lan in the portrait seemed to be alive, staring at her with a sinister look, which made her shudder.