The Empress of Zhen Huan Reborn

After everyone had finished their meal, Nian Shilan ordered the servants to clear away the remaining food on the table. Nian Shilan noticed that during the entire meal, Cao Qinmo had been keeping his eyes on the plate of butterfly sugar cakes, intentionally or unintentionally. She always felt that it was a bit strange, so Nian Shilan did not let the Fifth Prince eat it.

Cao Qinmo was a little restless at this time. Seeing this, Nian Shilan didn't want to keep her any longer and let her take Wen Yi back.

After returning to her palace, Cao Qinmo felt more and more that something was wrong. If someone really wanted to murder the royal heir, the target should not be her own Wen Yi and Nian Shilan's fifth prince.

Everyone in the harem, from concubines to eunuchs and palace maids, now knows that the Fifth Prince has six fingers and will never be able to become the emperor. Her own Wen Yi is just a princess and is not very favored by the emperor. Cao Qinmo cannot understand their purpose in targeting the two heirs of the Yikun Palace.

But if Cao Qinmo told Nian Shilan now, she was worried that Nian Shilan might not believe her. After all, all this was just her guess after hearing some rumors.

After thinking it over, Cao Qinmo decided to send her maid to find out what meals the ladies with royal heirs in the palace would have today.

On the other hand, Nian Shilan also felt that Cao Qinmo was very abnormal today. When she thought of the plate of butterfly sugar cakes, she suddenly had a doubt in her heart. Could it be that Cao Qinmo had changed her mind? So Nian Shilan asked Songzhi to arrange someone with better skills to closely monitor the actions of Cao Qinmo and the people around her.

When Yinxiu went to get the news, she had no idea that she had been followed. Yinxiu went to the imperial kitchen and looked at the busy servants inside and said, "Princess Wen Yi really liked the butterfly sugar cakes prepared for dinner today. I wonder if there are any left in the imperial kitchen? I want to prepare some more for the princess."

A young eunuch in the imperial kitchen heard Yinxiu's words and recognized her as the maidservant beside Concubine Cao. He stepped forward and said with a flattering smile, "Today's butterfly sugar cakes have been sent to all the young masters in the palace. There are no more left in the imperial kitchen. If the princess likes them, can we prepare some more and send them to Yikun Palace tomorrow?"

Yinxiu heard the eunuch's words and looked at him with some doubt: "When did you come to the imperial kitchen? Why haven't I seen you before?"

The young eunuch bowed his head and said, "I am not a servant in the imperial kitchen. It's just that the imperial kitchen is short-staffed today and can't handle it. The eunuch saw that I am diligent and called me to take over for a while."

Yinxiu took a look at the little house and thought that there might be something wrong with this person, so she memorized his appearance and turned around and said, "Since there are no butterfly sugar cakes, let's talk about it another day when Princess Wen Yi wants to eat them."

The little girl nodded respectfully and sent Yinxiu out of the imperial kitchen.

The person sent by Nian Shilan told Nian Shilan everything that Yinxiu said to the little house after she entered the imperial kitchen. After hearing it, Nian Shilan's doubts became even greater.

"It seems that this matter needs a thorough investigation by me." Nian Shilan's eyes were sharp. "Not only should we investigate the butterfly sugar cake, but we should also investigate who is causing trouble in the harem!"

After Nian Shilan made up her mind, she immediately started to make arrangements. She ordered people to continue to keep a close eye on Cao Qinmo's every move in secret, and also strengthened the protection of other concubines with royal heirs.

At the same time, Cao Qinmo was anxiously waiting for news in her own palace. She knew very well the cruelty of the harem struggles, and if she was not careful, she might be killed.

Not long after, Cao Qinmo's maid Yinxiu brought back news: all the concubines in the harem who had royal heirs had these butterfly sugar cakes.

After hearing this, Cao Qinmo was even more frightened. After hesitating for a long time, she decided to tell Nian Shilan about this matter. Cao Qinmo had a premonition that this matter might be directed at her classmate Nian Shilan.

When Nian Shilan was in her bedroom preparing to have Songzhi help her wash up, she heard Lingzhi report back, "Your Majesty, Concubine Cao wants to see you."

Nian Shilan stared at the night outside the window, which was as dark as ink. She couldn't help but wonder: Why did Cao Qinmo come to her place at this moment when she was not sleeping in her own palace? She thought about her unusual behavior today and said after thinking for a long time, "Tell her that I'm asleep and ask her to come back tomorrow if she has anything to do."

When Cao Qinmo heard Lingzhi say that Nian Shilan was asleep, she felt anxious, but she could do nothing about it. She also thought that her actions today might have caused Nian Shilan to be suspicious of her, so she sighed and said, "Okay, I'll come again tomorrow."

After hearing Lingzhi say that Cao Qinmo had left, Nian Shilan washed up and lay down on the couch ready to go to sleep, but she never expected that the harem would be in turmoil again that night.

Nian Shilan was in a dream, and suddenly she heard Songzhi's anxious cry: "My queen, wake up quickly, the emperor wants you to go to Chengqian Palace!"

Nian Shilan groggily opened her eyes, her tone mixed with a hint of displeasure: "What is so urgent? You disturbed my sweet dreams in the middle of the night and summoned me to Chengqian Palace. What is the matter?"

Songzhi said anxiously, "I really don't know that Eunuch Su is waiting for the queen outside the palace right now."

Nian Shilan was a little unhappy. She stood up and dressed neatly, thinking secretly. When she stepped out of her bedroom, she saw Su Peisheng standing respectfully at the door. When Su Peisheng saw Nian Shilan, he bowed and said in a low voice: "The servant Su Peisheng greets the Concubine Hua."

Seeing Su Peisheng like this, Nian Shilan did not deliberately make things difficult for him. She just asked with a puzzled look on her face: "Eunuch Su, please get up quickly. It's late at night. The emperor has sent me to Chengqian Palace. I wonder if you can help me solve my doubts?"

Su Peisheng looked around, moved closer to Nian Shilan, and lowered his voice, "Sixth Prince ate the butterfly sugar cake during dinner, and started vomiting milk in the middle of the night, and had a high fever. The emperor happened to be staying in Chengqian Palace. After hearing about this, he sent someone to the imperial kitchen to check. A palace servant said that all this was arranged by you, the queen."

Upon hearing this, Nian Shilan was immediately furious, "How dare you! When did I ever intend to harm the Sixth Prince?"

Su Peisheng glanced at Nian Shilan and said slowly, "It is useless for me to believe you. The important thing is to make the emperor believe you, Madam."

After hearing this, Nian Shilan calmed down a little and said, "Thank you for your advice, Eunuch Su. I understand."

After that, Nian Shilan took Songzhi and Su Peisheng to Chengqian Palace. Along the way, Nian Shilan was thinking about how to deal with it. She knew that this matter must be handled well, otherwise the consequences would be disastrous.

When they arrived at Chengqian Palace, the emperor was sitting there with an angry look on his face. Nian Shilan knelt down hurriedly to greet him, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you."