Chapter 212: Status, name matching reality (2/2)
An angry Li mama said in a low voice, “Mistress, this old servant also heard that it was Qin Wangfei who injured those fake assassins.”
“What? She knows martial arts?” the empress dowager found this very unexpected.
“It was told to me by eyewitnesses at the scene. They said she knew needle arts, and one needle was enough to kill a man,” Li mama said resentfully.
The empress dowager was floored. “This won’t do. We absolutely can’t leave that damned girl about, she’ll be a disaster sooner or later!”
“Mistress, as this old servant sees it, to face Han Yunxi we still have to start from…the Han family.” Li mama seized the chance to make suggestions. She was about to go into detail when the empress dowager raised a hand to stop her.
“No, I’ve truly underestimated that girl. This matter requires time and future thought, it can’t be rushed…can’t be rushed…”
The empress dowager didn’t show herself at the Spring Hunt. The next day, she returned back to the palace on the pretext of feeling unwell.
—
One month later, the justice courts found nothing from interrogating the assassins, and thus the matter of the assassination passed on like so. Meanwhile, Grand Concubine Yi suddenly turned pious after convalescing for a month. She handed over all matters at the Duke of Qin’s estate to Han Yunxi. From then on, Han Yunxi became the one in charge of managing household affairs. When the news spread, all of the capital was in an uproar. Streets and alleys alike gossiped about how Han Yunxi was favored, but no one expected her to wield power at the Duke of Qin’s estate so soon. From this day forth, the name of Qin Wangfei matched her status in reality! Still, the truth of the matter was limited to Han Yunxi and Long Feiye themselves. Even the empress dowager was stunned by the news.
“Truly?”
“Absolutely. I heard the Duke of Qin’s estate dismissed scores of servants yesterday. I’m afraid that Qin Wangfei is planning to bring in new blood.”
The empress dowager shook her head. From what she understood of Grand Concubine Yi, the latter would never give up her power. Had Han Yunxi gained some sort of handle on her? But what sort of handle could she have over Grand Concubine Yi?
“Mistress, could it be the Duke of Qin’s idea?” Li mama didn’t understand either. This was the only possibility she could think of.
“Even if that was the case, it wouldn’t be so easy, right?” the empress dowager was still lost in thought when a young eunuch ran over to report in a low voice.
“Esteemed Empress Dowager, Eunuch Gu’s returned.”
The empress dowager waved her hand impatiently. “Let him leave. That thing with no eyes, why is he bothering to investigate when the person’s already gone?”
When the empress dowager had bribed Murong Wanru over to her side, she’d left herself some leeway in case the other betrayed her. Eunuch Gu was specifically sent to investigate Murong Wanru’s past so her real family could be tracked down and used as collateral. Now that Murong Wanru was effectively a corpse, any more investigation was useless.
The young eunuch was about to leave when Li mama spoke up. “Mistress, since the investigation’s been done, it wouldn’t hurt to have a listen. Murong Wanru is still lying in Marquis Pingbei’s estate, after all. I heard that Grand Concubine Yi even went to see her two times.” When the empress dowager didn’t reply, Li mama ordered the eunuch to hurry and bring the other one over.
As it turned out, Eunuch Gu brought over news. “To report to esteemed empress dowager, this old servant investigated according to the records of that year. Murong Wanru’s family have all passed away, with no news regarding any of her other relatives. Nothing could be found.”
Back then, the empress had personally selected Murong Wanru along with other girls to be Princess Changping’s playmate. She was six years old, an orphan that was raised by her relatives, the Chen Clan village in the village outside the southern outskirts of the capital. Because she was chosen by the empress, nobody felt suspicious when Grand Concubine Yi took a fancy to her. And since Grand Concubine Yi couldn’t have any more children after bearing the Duke of Qin despite wanting a daughter, such an action was only logical. But Eunuch Gu’s words seemed to enlighten the empress dowager. She caught the familiar scent of something fishy about the whole thing!
“How could she not have a single relative left? Could it be that Murong Wanru’s never contacted her family all these years?” Li mama was curious, too.
“The couple who raised her both died in an accident not long after she entered the palace. Later on, some relatives moved away, while others died. This old servant asked the Chen Clan villagers, but none of them knew a Murong Wanru anymore,” Eunuch Gu replied honestly.
The empress dowager grew silent, a shadow falling across her eyes as they glimmered in the dark.
“Esteemed empress dowager, this old servant has already done his best, but it’s truly…” Before Eunuch Gu finished, the empress dowager cut him off with a command.
“Li mama, bring me the 《Daily Records of the Imperial Harem》, quick!”
The 《Daily Records of the Imperial Harem》 recorded details such as when the imperial concubines received the emperor, their various pregnancies, births, and other such matters. It was usually managed by the empress, so the one in the empress dowager’s hands concerned the years with the previous emperor.
Just what was she looking for?