The moon was bright but stars scarce, and although it was already deep autumn, tonight’s moonlight was so bright that one could see clearly.

After seeing Your Majesty, Song Zhao, accompanied by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, carefully examined the area around Fish Dragon Pool.

More than a dozen Embroidered Uniform Guards stood nearby, holding torches, making the place as bright as day.

Zheng Yi sat under the pavilion, having his shoulders gently massaged by a palace maid, closely watching Song Zhao’s actions.

The surrounding eunuchs and palace maids did the same, and from a distance, many others were looking over.

Upon learning that the Empress accidentally fell into Fish Dragon Pool, Zheng Yi had the area completely surrounded, even placing the eunuchs and palace maids managing the Imperial Garden under surveillance, waiting to find clues and any mischief.

If it was an accident, it would be easier to say, blaming Lu Lin’er for having bad luck and slipping.

But if someone had ill intentions, Zheng Yi would not let it go!

In just half a day, Zheng Yi was confident that if the perpetrator really took action, they must have left some trace.

What he needed to do now was to seize that trace.

Song Zhao first walked around Fish Dragon Pool, then carefully examined the three roads leading in other directions, and soon was sweating heavily.

Although he excelled at investigation, he needed at least some witness or physical evidence.

Now, being made to investigate by the pool in the middle of the night was indeed difficult.

Moreover, the issue was undoubtedly linked to the struggle within the Royal Family.

Whether he found something or not, it was not favorable for him.

But feeling Your Majesty’s intermittent gaze on his back, Song Zhao couldn’t help feeling more anxious.

He swallowed, and after seeing so much, he even began to feel dizzy.

Eventually, he even disregarded his appearance, lying directly on the ground, using all fours to investigate around.

Finally, he lay down on the spot where Lu Lin’er slipped, carefully examining and searching.

Soon, his eyes lit up suddenly as he picked up two pebbles.

“Your Majesty! I’ve found something!”

“Oh? Come closer and report.”

“Yes!”

Song Zhao quickly approached, respectfully presenting the two pebbles before Zheng Yi.

“Your Majesty, look, there’s a thin layer of grease on the side of these two pebbles, which caused the Empress to slip accidentally.”

“Grease?”

Zheng Yi took a look, pinched it, and indeed felt a sticky sensation on his hand.

Song Zhao said, “Your Majesty, according to my guess, this is the evidence left by the perpetrator.”

“The perpetrator had already investigated the Empress’s movements and secretly smeared a layer of grease on these two pebbles.”

“After the Empress slipped, the person took advantage of the chaos in the Harem to wipe off this layer of grease.”

“However, the person did not expect that although it was deep autumn, today’s bright sunshine raised the park’s temperature, causing the grease to melt slightly, flowing into the gap between the pebbles and leaving a trace.”

“Your Majesty’s foresight in promptly sealing the crime scene allowed this grease to remain and be discovered by me.”

Zheng Yi said, “No need for flattery, if it’s your credit, it’s yours; I won’t forget.”

Song Zhao, a bit embarrassed, said, “Everything at Your Majesty’s command.”

“According to your hypothesis, how should one proceed?”

“It’s simple, control all the eunuchs and palace maids managing the Imperial Garden, interrogate them in batches, and see who worked at Fish Dragon Pool today and stayed around it the whole time.”

Song Zhao said, “This grease should be pork lard; according to the time, there’s a high probability the perpetrator acted between midnight and around 7:00 AM. Focus on investigating who came and went during this time.”

“Liu Cheng’en!”

“Yes!”

Liu Cheng’en waved his hand, and a group of Imperial Guards immediately escorted a group of eunuchs and palace maids over.

“Your Majesty, the Director of the Imperial Garden and others have been brought.”

“Injustice, Your Majesty!”

“This servant knows nothing, Your Majesty.”

“Your Majesty…”

“Silence!”

Liu Cheng’en sternly shouted, then respectfully said to Zheng Yi, “Your Majesty, all servants from the Imperial Garden Director have been brought, totaling thirty-two people.”

“Among them are twenty-four eunuchs and eight palace maids.”

“Who is the Director of the Imperial Garden?”

“This servant is Bao Dahai, paying respects to Your Majesty, wishing you eternal life!”

A large, portly man knelt forward two steps, continuously kowtowing.

“Is everyone from the Imperial Garden present today?”

“Your Majesty, they are all here.”

“No need for concern. I only need to ascertain each person’s work time, location, and tasks today, and everyone must be verified by two people.”

“If it cannot be verified, then rigorous interrogation will follow, understood?”

“Yes!”

“Take them all away for strict interrogation.”

“Yes!”

A team of Embroidered Uniform Guards immediately emerged, taking all the people from the Imperial Garden Director to a secluded place to begin batch interrogation.

At this moment, Song Zhao suddenly said, “Your Majesty, the eunuchs and palace maids of the Imperial Garden have no substantial wealth. If the perpetrator wanted to bribe someone, they’d need a large amount of gold or jewels.”

“Your Majesty can command a search of the residences of various eunuchs and palace maids from the Imperial Garden Director; perhaps unexpected gains will be found.”

“Tang Cheng.”

“At your command, Your Majesty.”

“Personally lead the search, ensuring no corner is overlooked.”

“Yes!”

Tang Cheng waved his hand, and more than ten Embroidered Uniform Guards, as fierce as wolves, surged into the residences of the eunuchs and palace maids from the Imperial Garden Director, starting the search.

At this time, there was no talk of fairness, justice, or personal privacy.

As long as the mastermind could be found, some privacy of the eunuchs and palace maids was inconsequential.

Many eunuchs, palace maids, and guards were waiting here, and Zheng Yi was also closing his eyes in contemplation, thinking in his mind who would do such a thing.

Consort Duann, Xu Qingluan?

Plausible.

Currently, only she and the Empress are pregnant in the entire Imperial Palace.

If something happens to the Empress, resulting in the loss of two lives, she would undoubtedly gain the most.

But Xu Mujun had just resolved the rebellion of Xu Xuanwu, and he should be keeping a low profile; how could he easily provoke the Empress?

Consort De, Li Changle?

She is, indeed, close to Xu Qingluan, but her character tends to be content with her lot all these years, having behaved without any excessive actions or words.

Then… Noble Consort Cui?

Also unlikely…

She, Zheng Yi, Yue Chan, and Yuheng Zhenren are all cultivators, with the hope of immortality, so how could she get involved in the harem’s consort struggles?

Is that… Princess Consort Wan, Zhuu Wanwan?

Concubine Qing?

Consort Miao?

Or perhaps… Consort Bi?

Consort Bi was Zheng Yi’s first woman, but she was originally from the White Lotus Sect.

She has kept to her duties all these years, but her identity is after all a blemish.

Now that the White Lotus Sect is rebelling again, it’s inevitable that Consort Bi might do something, trying to harm the imperial heirs?

Or maybe… it’s those daughters from noble families?!

Quickly, Tang City returned with people in haste, respectfully saying, “Your Majesty, we’ve found it!”

He held up both hands and in it was a cloth bag, which he tipped over. Amazingly, out fell more than a dozen pieces of gold and two luscious green hairpins.

Zheng Yi picked them up and frowned.

Very ordinary gold, a product from the Imperial Household, with the imprint of the Imperial Household on it.

It’s given out on regular days by various consorts to reward servants who have done great deeds.

Even Zheng Yi himself had often rewarded quite a bit.

But these two hairpins, clearly they are precious items, far beyond the qualifications of these eunuchs and maids.

“Whose items are these?”

“Slot No. 3 in Storehouse A. I asked people from the Directorate of the Imperial Garden, this bed belongs to a palace maid named Du Juan.”

“Bring Du Juan!”

“Yes!”

Very soon a short, ordinary-looking palace maid in her twenties was brought forward.

At this moment, her face was full of panic, and seeing the gold and hairpins at Zheng Yi’s feet, she immediately trembled all over.

“Your, Your Majesty… it wasn’t me, it wasn’t me who did it!”

Zheng Yi said coldly, “Your rank is merely that of an ordinary palace maid, and you hold a post in the clearwater department of the Imperial Garden, how did you acquire so much gold and jade hairpins?”

“Speak the truth, perhaps I can spare your life, otherwise…”

“Wuwuwu…”

Du Juan suddenly burst into tears, dropping to the ground with a hoarse voice, “Your Majesty, it’s not related to this servant, someone gave me so much gold and asked me to pour pork lard there.”

“This servant knows nothing, didn’t even know the Empress would appear there…”

“Audacious! Dare to deceive His Majesty!”

Liu Cheng’en suddenly scolded, “Ever since the Empress got pregnant, she has been going to the Fish Dragon Pool for relaxation every few days, it’s been more than half a year now.”

“As a palace maid responsible for cleaning the Imperial Garden, how could you not know of the Empress’ whereabouts?

“This family thinks you are trying to deliberately harm the Empress and her offspring, aren’t you afraid of extermination of your nine clans?!”

“Spare me, eunuch, spare me, Your Majesty!”

Du Juan was so frightened that she kept kowtowing, her forehead covered in blood.

“It was, it was Aunt Silin who told me to do this, wuwuwu, she gave me lots of gold and also said she captured my younger brother, saying if I didn’t listen to her, she’d make my brother a eunuch and send him to the palace.”

“Wuwuwu, my family needs to save my brother, he’s a boy, he can’t be harmed, and my father and mother are also under her control…”

“Aunt Silin? Who is that?”

Zheng Yi asked with a puzzled tone, as if he had no memory of this name.

At this, Liu Cheng’en had a thought and suddenly said, “Your Majesty, this old servant recalls.”

“Aunt Silin seems to be the Chief Palace Maid of Jingxiu Palace, also the personal maid that Beauty Wang brought with her when entering the palace.”

“Jingxiu Palace? Beauty Wang?” Zheng Yi asked peculiarly, “Which Beauty Wang?”

“Your Majesty, Wang Chan of the Wang Clan, previously on account of her family’s plea, Your Majesty exterminated her three clans, thus demoting her status to Beauty.”

“Wang Family… Wang Chan… So it was you!”

“To Jingxiu Palace!”

“Yes!”

A group of people headed towards Jingxiu Palace, along the way, the eunuchs and maids were utterly silent, no one dared to speak.

And the eunuchs and palace maids managing the Imperial Garden were not released either, still under strict interrogation, checking whether there were accomplices hidden among them.

Soon, Zheng Yi brought people to Jingxiu Palace.

“His Majesty has arrived~!”

Before the palace attendants of Jingxiu Palace could come forward, Zheng Yi strode in.

“Greetings to Your Majesty!”

“Greetings to Your Majesty!”

Every eunuch and palace maid knelt nervously to greet him.

Zheng Yi glanced at the eunuchs kneeling beside him but didn’t pay them any attention, instead he headed towards the main hall.

At this moment, Wang Chan hurriedly ran out, not even wearing any hair ornaments, but it made Wang Chan appear youthful and beautiful.

“This concubine greets Your Majesty.”

Wang Chan hastened to bow, “Your Majesty, why didn’t you send someone in advance, this concubine didn’t even have time to freshen up.”

“No need.”

Zheng Yi didn’t even enter the main hall, solemnly said, “Beloved Concubine, where is the Chief Palace Maid Silin of Jingxiu Palace?”

“Looking for Aunt Silin?”

Wang Chan asked strangely, “It’s strange to say, Aunt Silin doesn’t seem to have come to serve today, Juan’er, go find Aunt Silin.”

“Yes, Beauty.”

A little palace maid quickly got up and headed towards the side hall.

With a look, Liu Cheng’en had Tang City follow her.

Wang Chan added, “Your Majesty, the night is cool, let’s go inside.”

“No need, let’s wait here.”

Soon, the palace maid named Juan’er suddenly ran over in a panic.

“Beauty! Not, not good, Aunt Silin hanged herself!”

“Ah? Aunt?”

Wang Chan’s face changed drastically and she rushed towards the side hall, “Aunt~!”

Tang City came over and spoke in a low voice, “Your Majesty, Aunt Silin is indeed dead.”

“This humble servant investigated, it was indeed suicide without coercion.”

“Killed herself out of guilt?”

Zheng Yi furrowed his brow and said, “Song Zhao.”

“This minister is here.”

“Go over there and see if you can find any clues.”

“Yes!”

The group headed towards the side hall, and as they passed by the two eunuchs still kneeling on the ground, the Blood Moon Gu in Zheng Yi’s bosom suddenly moved, triggering warning bells in Zheng Yi’s heart. He suddenly turned to look back.

Among the two kneeling eunuchs, one suddenly pulled out a soft sword, striking towards Zheng Yi’s throat!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep