The gold hairpin was picked up by Yu Zan. Yu Zan said that the Concubine Xian had come to her palace to look for the Emperor. Maybe she got up too hastily after kneeling, and a hairpin slipped from her coiled hair onto the carpet without her noticing.
After learning this, Du Gu Luanyue remembered that Huo Wei had risked his life to save her. So she knew she couldn't cause any trouble for him. Therefore, she decided to take advantage of the situation and set up a scheme to vent her anger.
"The Concubine Xian is good at scheming, but don't forget, there are other intelligent people in the harem.
That day at Biqing Pond was really lively. But so what? Your Ladyship, the Concubine Xian, still ended up with nothing, didn't you?"
Du Gu Luanyue sneered. Leaning her head on her elbow, she looked lazy and elegant, just like a red fox squinting in the snow, dangerous yet charming.
Wei Enxian was so angry that her body trembled slightly. "This hairpin can't possibly be mine. I've bestowed so many things. A single hairpin can't prove it's mine."
Du Gu Luanyue said, "I didn't say this hairpin was yours. I'm thinking about you, Concubine Xian. I said it was your maid's. Isn't that helping you?"
She knew clearly that it was impossible to bring down Wei Enxian just with a single hairpin.
After all, behind Wei Enxian was the Taiwei Mansion of the Northern Yan, which held the power over the military forces of the whole country. Taking action against her would cause a great stir.
It was better to give her a little warning.
After returning from Biqing Pond that day, Du Gu Luanyue didn't completely let down her guard. She knew someone would secretly go back to Biqing Pond to look for clues.
So she ordered Mei Jiang to secretly go to Huo Wei's palace and ask him how the body had been disposed of.
Huo Wei said it was under the cliff, and he even sent people to retrieve it.
Aunt Mei Jiang was experienced in such matters. She found a wild dog and let it tear the body to pieces.
She told Meng Tan beside Huo Wei that there were traces of heavy blows on the body, so they had to let the wild dog tear it up, or they would be exposed.
Du Gu Luanyue took the initiative. She put the gold hairpin on the guard's chest, pointing the finger at Wei Enxian. So she sent people to interrogate Yunxiu in advance to lure Wei Enxian to come.
Wei Enxian would surely not admit her guilt. But if the coroner continued to examine the body, they would find the crazy drug.
If things continued to develop like this and it was traced back to her, it would be a great loss. At this moment, Wei Enxian was obviously feeling guilty.
Du Gu Luanyue had calculated all her thoughts. So she gave her a way out. She slightly raised her eyebrows and said:
"Concubine Xian, why aren't you saying anything? This is a murder case. Should I close the case now or continue the investigation? I'd like to hear your opinion."
Wei Enxian looked at Yunxiu. There was still a bit of reluctance in her heart. Yunxiu looked at her mistress with tears streaming down her face. "Your Ladyship, save me!"
But Wei Enxian had no choice. She didn't want this matter to be made public either. If it was exposed and traced back to her, it wouldn't be worth it.
Fortunately, the person Du Gu Luanyue caught was just her maid, and she didn't say that she had had an affair with the guard.
She pursed her lips. Finally, she knelt down in front of a woman who was not much older than her son. She lowered her head and said, "I failed to discipline my maid properly. Please punish me lightly, Your Majesty the Empress."
Yunxiu opened her mouth. "Your Ladyship..."
Wei Enxian looked up at Yunxiu and silenced her. The maid finally closed her mouth with teary eyes.
At this moment, the mistresses naturally wanted to avoid trouble and make a big thing into a small one.
Du Gu Luanyue squinted her fox - like eyes, emitting a cold light.
"A guard died in the harem. I won't bother the Emperor about this.
I just want to kindly advise you, Concubine Xian. In winter, just keep your hands in your sleeves. Don't always try to reach out. Who knows if it's snow or a knife outside?"
After saying this, she glanced at Aunt Mei Jiang.
Aunt Mei Jiang said coldly, "The maid Yunxiu had an affair with a guard in the palace. According to the palace rules, she should be dragged out and beaten with fifty big boards!"
Yunxiu fell to the ground and kowtowed. "Your Ladyship, please spare my life! Fifty big boards will kill me!"
Aunt Mei Jiang remained unmoved. It seemed that when the Wei family and her maid had framed their own mistress, they didn't make a big thing into a small one like this.
If they were not currently limited in strength, they would never let this matter go so easily.
Du Gu Luanyue was annoyed by the noise. She said lazily, "Aunt, find a quicker way."
Aunt Mei Jiang grabbed Yunxiu's hand. With a swift movement of the knife, she cut off three of Yunxiu's fingers. With a scream, blood flowed all over the ground.
Wei Enxian was good at scheming, but as a woman in the harem, she had never seen such a bloody scene. The blood splashed onto her face all of a sudden.
Wei Enxian was so shocked that her face turned deathly pale, and her lips trembled slightly.
She slowly looked up at Du Gu Luanyue and found that when the three fingers rolled on the ground and the blood was flying everywhere, Du Gu Luanyue was still elegantly eating pastries and looking at her with a smile on her face.
Wei Enxian couldn't help but feel a chill down her back. How could this young Empress Du Gu, who had been raised as a delicate princess since childhood, be so calm in the face of such a bloody scene?
That smile was as strange and cold as that of a demon. She couldn't help but shiver.
Du Gu Luanyue was indeed a bit ruthless and difficult to deal with.
Wei Enxian was about to leave with the bleeding Yunxiu when Du Gu Luanyue said from behind,
"Who said you could leave? By my order, send Yunxiu to the Yeting to be reformed properly."
The Yeting was a place in the palace where the errant servants were imprisoned to correct and punish their mistakes. They could be released if they were reformed, but whether they could leave alive was uncertain.
Aunt Mei Jiang grabbed the maid. "Come on, take her away!"
Du Gu Luanyue would never let Yunxiu go so easily. One less of Wei Enxian's minions was one less.
Wei Enxian left the Empress's bedroom with red eyes, like a stray dog. This time, she had suffered a double loss.
After the palace became quiet, Aunt Mei Jiang said again, "Your Majesty, what should we do about the Prince of Yuzhang?"
Du Gu Luanyue said, "He deliberately distanced himself from me last time. There must be a reason. I must find out.
Secondly, since Huo Wei helped me this time, I should return the favor. Otherwise, I won't have any reason to visit him."
Her eyes slowly moved to the ledger on the table. This was the detailed expenditure of renovating the entire hot - spring palace.
She curled her lips. Since Huo Wei had refused, she would just send the things to him.
Aunt Mei Jiang thought for a while and said, "I think your idea is right, Your Majesty. At least we should find out what the doubts in the Prince of Yuzhang's mind are.
Last time, Your Majesty almost lost your life at Biqing Pond. The Prince of Yuzhang killing the guard was a minor matter, but he was willing to stay underwater for Your Majesty. I think the Prince is not completely cold - hearted towards you. There must be a reason.
Your Majesty should spend some time on this. Whether it's the person, the heart, or the power that men value most, Your Majesty can do your best to give it to the Prince.
I don't believe that the Prince of Yuzhang's heart is made of stone."
Du Gu Luanyue nodded silently. "The Lantern Festival is coming. Go and prepare a set of men's clothes for me."
Aunt Mei Jiang looked at her in confusion. "What do you need men's clothes for, Your Majesty?"