NCCnovel Chapter 352: Eunuch Jiang, sincerity is the ultimate weapon
Chapter 352: Eunuch Jiang, sincerity is the ultimate weapon
A smile flashed across Qin Wan's eyes, but she pretended to sigh:
"Alas, the emperor is a good emperor, but I think the Empress Dowager doesn't like me very much."
Jiang Defu smiled and comforted:
"Don't worry, Miss Wanwan. The Empress Dowager always speaks her mind. Don't take it to heart."
Rolling his eyes, Jiang Defu casually said:
“It’s strange to say, but the Empress Dowager was in a very good mood some time ago and was very concerned about the Emperor. She would personally go to the Imperial Study every day to bring nourishing soup to the Emperor.
Since that day, for some reason, the Empress Dowager Cixi rarely came to the Imperial Study, and she even asked the palace maids around her to bring her tonic soup."
Out of curiosity, Qin Wan continued the topic and asked casually:
"That day? Which day? Did anything happen that day?"
Jiang Defu saw Qin Wan coming up and continued:
"I think about it, it seems to be the day when Prince Ding's battle report was delivered to the capital not long ago.
The emperor was delighted when he learned that Beixiang Dayue had ceased hostilities and signed a 100-year peace treaty.
It happened that the Empress Dowager Cixi came to the Imperial Study to bring tonic soup to the Emperor.
The Empress Dowager casually asked the Emperor why he was so happy, and the Emperor told her about the war report.
The servant remembers..."
Jiang Defu recounted in detail what had happened that day and the Empress Dowager Cixi's emotional expressions.
At the end, I still remember to sigh:
"For the sake of other countries' regime change, our Empress Dowager Cixi is really kind-hearted."
It sounded like he was praising the Empress Dowager Cixi, but Qin Wan always felt that there was deeper meaning in Jiang Defu's words.
Moreover, as the emperor's personal eunuch, it is a taboo for him to disclose the emperor's private affairs.
This is not a mistake that an old fox like Jiang Defu would make.
Unless he has ulterior motives.
Qin Wan raised her eyebrows and looked up at Jiang Defu:
"Eunuch Jiang, what are you doubting?"
Jiang Defu waved his hands repeatedly:
"Look at what I said. I am just expressing my admiration for the kindness of the Empress Dowager. I don't have any other thoughts."
It would be strange if Qin Wan believed him.
Seeing that they were almost reaching the main hall, Qin Wan stopped and cast a mental shield around the two of them.
“Eunuch Jiang, have you ever heard that sincerity is the ultimate weapon?
If my father-in-law feels that there is something wrong, just speak up directly.
That way I can investigate.
I know that my father-in-law made an exception and spoke about the emperor's private affairs for the emperor's own good.
We in Prince Ding’s Mansion are equally loyal to His Majesty.
For the same goal, let's just speak our mind.
If what you said just now really has no other meaning, then I really have no other meaning either."
A look of confusion flashed across Jiang Defu's old face, and he looked around.
There was no one else around except the young eunuch who followed him.
The little eunuch was his godson, confidant, and one of his own.
Things have come to this point. Jiang Defu feels that if he is not sincere, Miss Wanwan in front of him will never pay any attention to an old man like him again.
He gave the young eunuch a wink, and the young eunuch understood and spread the word around.
"Go ahead, sir. I promise that no one else will hear our conversation today except the two of us."
With this assurance, Jiang Defu gritted his teeth and whispered his guess:
“That day, when the Empress Dowager heard that Beixiang had been defeated, the wizard had fled, and the previous King of Beixiang had died, she was clearly upset.
I suspect, I suspect...I suspect that the Empress Dowager Cixi might be a member of the Changsheng Cult."
Jiang Defu's speculation is not without basis.
When the Seventh Prince and Concubine Yuan and her son were still alive, the Empress Dowager Cixi favored those two people.
Combined with the emotions he felt after hearing the battle report that day, Jiang Defu couldn't help but doubt.
Jiang Defu had served the late emperor and was very good at observing people's words and expressions.
In addition, since he did not have the same filter for the Empress Dowager Cixi as the emperor did for his own mother, he felt that his guess was very likely to be true.
Qin Wan nodded:
"I've taken note of what Eunuch Jiang said."
"If... I mean if, if the Empress Dowager Cixi is really a member of the Changsheng Cult, then our Emperor will be in danger, right?"
Jiang Defu still feels scared when he thinks about the last time the emperor was controlled by the Seventh Prince and Concubine Yuan.
"I dare not say anything too absolute without evidence. Eunuch Jiang serves the emperor all day long, so please pay more attention to the Empress Dowager Cixi's movements.
If there is anything unusual, you can send someone to Prince Ding’s Palace to inform me at any time.
I will investigate whether the Empress Dowager Cixi is related to the Changsheng Cult. "
Jiang Defu bowed to Qin Wan gratefully:
"Thank you, Miss Wanwan."
Today's palace banquet is not only to welcome Prince Ding, but also to welcome the envoys from Beixiang, the eldest prince's wife and Zhang Chuan.
The Beixiang envoy handed over the Beixiang Centennial Peace Treaty in front of the princes and ministers of Dayue.
To add to the joy, when the banquet ended, everyone left drunk.
Qin Wan was kept in the palace by the Queen.
At the banquet, Qin Wan recounted the interesting stories about her and Xu Linxi in Taohua Village, and the Queen was fascinated by the story.
He also liked Qin Wan more and more.
When the palace banquet was over, she asked Qin Wan to stay in the palace with her for a few days.
If it were in the past, Qin Wan would most likely refuse.
There are rules everywhere in the palace, and Qin Wan was afraid that she might offend some noble person by accident.
However, thinking of the information Jiang Defu revealed to her today, Qin Wan went with the flow and stayed in the Queen's Palace.
"Wanwan, have a good rest. If you need anything, just let me know. If the palace servants fail to serve you well, just let me know."
"Thank you, Madam. Please go to bed early."
Qin Wan said obediently while lying on the bed.
"Good boy, go to sleep. I'm leaving."
The Queen personally lowered the bed curtain for Qin Wan, and then led the palace maids away.
It was late at night and the palace was silent.
The chirping of cicadas and croaking of frogs seem particularly loud in the silent night.
A small figure quietly slipped out of the Queen's bedroom and went to the Empress Dowager Cixi's Shoukang Palace.
Qin Wan avoided the patrolling imperial guards all the way and successfully arrived at Shoukang Palace.
With his mental power covering the entire Shoukang Palace, Qin Wan carefully sensed the unusual aspects of this palace.
After using his mental power to scan the area, he didn't find anything suspicious in the outer courtyard, side halls or main hall.
It was the inner hall where the Empress Dowager Cixi slept... Qin Wan's eyes flickered slightly.
If her mental perception was correct, there seemed to be a secret room in the inner hall where the Empress Dowager Cixi slept.
The entrance to the secret room is the wall next to the Empress Dowager Cixi's bed.
Qin Wan closed his eyes, calmed himself, and used his mental power to probe into the secret room in the inner hall again.
After entering the entrance, you first walk down a dozen steps. At the end of the steps is a stone door.
Behind the stone door is the secret room.
Fist-sized luminous pearls were placed around the secret room, illuminating the room as bright as day.
In the middle of the secret room is a round bed.
The bed was surrounded by gauze curtains and covered with silk and satin bedding.
There is only one bed in the secret room? Is the Empress Dowager so free?
Qin Wan continued to probe deeper into the room with his mental power and discovered a screen behind the bed curtain.