"Your Majesty, please drink some hangover soup. Otherwise, Your Majesty will have a headache when you wake up tomorrow." Shen Qianxue thoughtfully took the hangover soup handed by the palace maid and gently fed Ying Zhengjing.
Gu Rushuang, this time you should understand how much the Emperor dotes on me, right? Although Ziheng was confined to his residence a few days ago, the Emperor released him for the imperial longevity banquet and came to me right after the banquet. This is something you can never compare to. Why can't you be sensible and voluntarily request to step down, instead of stubbornly occupying this Empress position that rightfully belongs to me.
Thinking this, a look of pure malice flashed in Shen Qianxue's eyes.
Ever since Ying Ziheng became the Crown Prince, Shen Qianxue, ignoring Shen Chaoyan's advice, had used every means to pull Gu Rushuang down from the Empress's position. However, Gu Rushuang's methods were more skillful than hers. After several attempts, it was Shen Qianxue who ended up embarrassed. How could Shen Qianxue not resent Gu Rushuang?
"Hmm."
Ying Zhengjing obligingly took a sip and continued reading the memorials.
Shen Qianxue noticed that Ying Zhengjing was in a very good mood and seized the opportunity to say, "Your Majesty, it's been so long since the incident. This concubine thinks Ziheng knows he was wrong. Could you please release him?"
"Noble Consort Chun, the inner court may not interfere in governance."
Ying Zhengjing's face immediately turned cold, addressing Shen Qianxue directly by her title instead of her name.
Shen Qianxue was frightened and quickly put down the hangover soup, kneeling on the ground. "Your Majesty, please forgive this offense. This consort was only worried about Ziheng and absolutely did not mean to interfere in governance."
Interference in governance by the inner court could be a minor or major offense. If Ying Zhengjing truly decided to investigate, even she, as a Noble Consort, would face severe consequences.
Hearing Shen Qianxue's explanation, Ying Zhengjing's expression softened considerably. "Beloved Consort, your maternal affection is understandable. We will let it pass this time, but let it be the last instance."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Shen Qianxue promptly kowtowed in gratitude.
No sooner said than done.
Just as Shen Qianxue was about to say something to repair the situation, a palace maid rushed in anxiously. "Noble Consort Chun! Something terrible has happened... The Crown Prince... Your—Your Majesty! This maid pays respects to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand ten thousand years!"
Suddenly seeing Ying Zhengjing sitting in the host's seat, the palace maid knelt on the ground, her face ashen, not daring to say another word.
This palace maid was an old servant who attended Ying Ziheng. She was always the most aware of propriety. The maids outside had not informed her that the Emperor was inside, so the maid, unaware of Ying Zhengjing's presence, ended up saying things she shouldn't have.
It was no wonder the maid was so distraught.
Anyone would panic after searching for their master for an hour without finding him. Moreover, she served the Crown Prince. If something truly happened to the Crown Prince, the maids attending him would also struggle to escape death.
Ying Zhengjing narrowed his eyes and asked, word by word, "What did you just say about the Crown Prince?"
Dare you try to say it?
Realizing that what the maid was about to say was not good news, Shen Qianxue immediately shot the maid a warning glance, signaling her to weigh her words carefully, or face the consequences.
The maid, frightened by Shen Qianxue's look, trembled with fear and said, "Replying to Your Majesty, this maid... this maid said nothing... nothing at all..."
This maid is as stupid as a pig...
Shen Qianxue was angered by the maid's response.
Ying Zhengjing asked like that because he had clearly heard the maid's words. Yet, she immediately denied it. Who would believe that? Couldn't she have quickly thought of an excuse to cover it up?
Sure enough.
Bang.
Ying Zhengjing slammed the table heavily, his eyes filled with anger. "Audacious maid! One moment you say something is wrong with the Crown Prince, the next you turn around and say there's nothing. Do you take Us for a fool?"
The maid, sweating profusely, defended herself. "Your Majesty, please forgive this offense... Your Majesty, please forgive this offense... This maid absolutely did not mean that..."
Ying Zhengjing's expression grew even colder. "You refuse to speak? Guards, take this maid to the Court of Judicial Review for strict interrogation. We want to know exactly what is wrong with the Crown Prince."
Upon hearing that Ying Zhengjing was sending her to the Court of Judicial Review, the maid, disregarding Shen Qianxue's threat, immediately revealed the matter. "Your Majesty, it's... it's that the Crown Prince has suddenly gone missing. This maid panicked and lost composure. I beg Your Majesty to spare this maid, do not send this maid to the Court of Judicial Review."
"The Crown Prince is missing?"
Ying Zhengjing's expression immediately turned grave.
Shen Qianxue was also startled by the maid's words. "Ziheng was perfectly fine just now? How could he possibly be missing?"
"This... this maid doesn't know either..." The maid shook her head vigorously. "This maid has searched all the places His Highness the Crown Prince usually goes several times, but simply cannot find His Highness the Crown Prince."
Upon hearing this, Ying Zhengjing immediately called out, "Yang Shaochuan."
Yang Shaochuan promptly responded, "Your servant is here."
"Convey Our order: except for the guards on duty, all are to search for the Crown Prince."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Yang Shaochuan respectfully bowed to Ying Zhengjing and quickly withdrew to arrange for the guards to search.
___
"Have you heard? His Highness the Crown Prince seems to have gone missing in the palace."
"Yes, many guards are searching for him."
"Who knows what happened."
The news of Ying Ziheng's sudden disappearance quickly spread throughout the palace.
A noblewoman who had been chatting happily with Wei Shiwan suddenly asked coldly, "Princess Consort of Dingbei, now that you mention it, why is your daughter not here? Going outside for some air shouldn't take this long, right?"
"I find it strange too. Could something have happened to Yan'er?"
Wei Shiwan's face immediately changed. She promptly had the maid beside her inform Jin Pin, with whom she was usually on good terms, that Li Ruoyan had not yet returned, asking Jin Pin to send people to help search.
Finding someone wasn't a particularly difficult task, so Jin Pin quickly agreed.
Li Siyuan had long been overlooked. After all, when Li Siyuan was sitting with Wei Shiwan and the others, Wei Shiwan had not introduced him to the other ladies. Thus, those ladies regarded Li Siyuan as a mere shuang'er brought by Wei Shiwan to see the world, paying no attention to his presence or absence.
"Shiwan, Yan'er won't have any problems, will she?"
Wei Rong also couldn't help but start to worry about Li Ruoyan.
Wei Shiwan comforted her, saying, "Mother, Yan'er has probably just gotten lost, that's all. Don't worry too much."
"But His Highness the Crown Prince is also missing. I'm afraid Yan'er might be like the Crown Prince." Wei Rong, momentarily careless, spoke the thoughts in her heart aloud.
The Crown Prince and Li Ruoyan are both missing?
These words, heavy with suggestive implications, immediately surfaced in the minds of the ladies present, and their expressions instantly turned unpleasant.
"Mother, be careful with your words."
Wei Shiwan, seeing that the effect she desired had been achieved, immediately pretended to be alarmed and softly exclaimed, instantly making Wei Rong's back stiffen.
Oh no, how did I end up saying that out loud?
Wei Rong had only been thinking those words in her heart, with no intention of speaking them aloud. But upon hearing Wei Shiwan say that Li Ruoyan was missing, Wei Rong couldn't help but blurt it out.
Wei Shiwan patted Wei Rong's back and said softly, "Mother, don't worry. With the Prince here, even if you accidentally say the wrong thing, they wouldn't dare to spread it recklessly. Besides, the most important thing now is to find Yan'er."
"Right, right, Shiwan, you're right. We must find Yan'er first."
Wei Shiwan's words undoubtedly gave Wei Rong a reassurance. Wei Rong immediately stopped paying attention to the strange looks from the ladies around her and waited anxiously for news.
___
Ying Zhengjing said with a cold face, "Yang Shaochuan, have you found the Crown Prince or not?"
As the Crown Prince, Ying Ziheng's sudden disappearance caused a great uproar. The ministers did not even dare to leave the palace, fearing they might be accused of scheming against the Crown Prince.
At the same time.
This matter also alarmed Gu Rushuang. Seizing the opportunity, Gu Rushuang brought Li Jin and Ying Yuan along with him.
"Replying to Your Majesty, the guards have searched many places but still haven't found the Crown Prince." Yang Shaochuan clasped his hands and said, "However, a young eunuch reported earlier that the Crown Prince went in the direction of the Cold Palace."
Ying Zhengjing's expression grew even colder. "The Cold Palace? What would the Crown Prince have to do there for no reason? Yang Shaochuan, have you sent someone to check?"
"Replying to Your Majesty, this servant has already sent people to look. They should probably be back soon."
No sooner had Yang Shaochuan finished speaking than the eunuch he had sent to investigate returned.
"Is the Crown Prince inside or not?"
Before Yang Shaochuan could begin his inquiry, Ying Zhengjing's voice came through.
"His Majesty is asking you a question, have you gone mute? If you don't explain clearly immediately, This Palace will have your life." Because they had searched for so long without finding Ying Ziheng, Shen Qianxue's heart couldn't help but tighten, and her words became even more reckless.
"Noble Consort Chun."
Gu Rushuang warned, calling out Shen Qianxue's title.
Shen Qianxue shot Gu Rushuang a look full of resentment and said sarcastically, "Your Majesty the Empress, please forgive me. This consort's 'son' is missing. This consort is truly anxious and thus has lost her manners."
When Shen Qianxue said the word 'son', she intentionally emphasized it, just to tell Gu Rushuang that since he couldn't bear children, he shouldn't monopolize the position of Empress.
"Hmm."
Gu Rushuang was no pushover, a simple 'Hmm' deflected the sarcasm in Shen Qianxue's words.
"Your Majesty the Empress..."
"All of you, be silent!"
"Yes."
Gu Rushuang and Shen Qianxue simultaneously responded in agreement. However, unlike Gu Rushuang's composure, Shen Qianxue's eyes were filled with surging anger, even attributing Ying Zhengjing's reprimand to Gu Rushuang.
Ying Zhengjing looked at the eunuch and said, "You, continue."
"Replying to Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is indeed inside, but... but..." The eunuch swallowed hard and finally blurted out, "But there is another person inside with His Highness the Crown Prince."
Another person?
The eunuch's words were so straightforward that Ying Zhengjing immediately understood what had happened and commanded, "You lead the way. Prepare the imperial carriage to the Cold Palace."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The eunuch hurriedly nodded in agreement.
Yang Shaochuan also shouted, "Prepare the imperial carriage to the Cold Palace!"
After about a moment.
Ying Zhengjing and the others followed the eunuch to the place where Ying Ziheng was.
To avoid a public scandal, Ying Zhengjing did not bring many people, only Gu Rushuang, Shen Qianxue, and a few others. Li Jin and the rest were left behind in the palace where Ying Zhengjing had been earlier.
The plan is about to succeed.
On the surface, Wei Shiwan still appeared worried about Li Ruoyan, but in her heart, she was already laughing maniacally.
Li Jin noticed the subtle changes in Wei Shiwan's expression and curled his lips in a faint, knowing smile.
The good show is about to begin.
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