The group reached the outside of Jianjia Palace without any trouble.
The reason was simple. One day, Hunyuan suddenly discovered another use for Lianyi's ability to perceive the aura color of people.
From afar, as long as a person was not completely blocked by objects and there was even a tiny gap, Lianyi could spot the aura color of that person long before they got close and promptly alert their group to avoid them.
This ability was truly a game - changer!
Yun Xi silently cheered inside. No wonder Hunyuan insisted on bringing Lianyi along.
Unable to resist, she stroked Lianyi's now fairer and plumper cheeks and praised,
"Good Lianyi. You're truly my lucky star."
Lianyi's eyes curved into a smile. She pointed at the high palace wall and gestured,
"Sister Xi, Lingyan and I will go in first to check. You guys can come in after we're sure there's no one around."
"Okay."
Yun Xi replied with a beaming smile and nodded at Lingyan.
The next moment, the two girls leaped onto the wall. After a quick look around, they silently jumped down.
To prevent someone from suddenly coming to call them, Jiang Ning stayed in Chaogan Hall to act as a cover.
Yun Xi and Hunyuan huddled behind the thick bushes in the corner, completely hidden. It wasn't long before Lingyan jumped out again and helped Yun Xi and Hunyuan climb over the wall.
The group disappeared in an instant. Meanwhile, a eunuch who had been holding his breath and listening to the sounds behind the outer wall of Jianjia Palace quietly left to report to Yi Zhen.
"Fourth Princess, they've gone in."
The eunuch's face was beaming with joy, his eyes full of obsequiousness.
"Shall we lead people there now?"
Yi Zhen's hand, which had been copying books, paused. The previous sickly pallor on her face had been replaced by a rosy glow. Her half - lowered eyes flitted slightly as she glanced at the kneeling eunuch on the ground and said,
"No need. Isn't Father going there soon?"
"Just send people to guard outside. If they come out, shout loudly. Make sure Father hears it."
"Yes. Your servant has already made the arrangements. Your Highness, please rest assured."
The eunuch replied and then flattered,
"Your Highness is truly brilliant. You accurately predicted that Yun Xi would surely be tempted to investigate when she noticed something strange about Jianjia Palace. You also correctly guessed that the time when they went would coincide with His Majesty's visit."
The eunuch let out a venomous laugh and said,
"Poor Yun Xi. She actually thought that Your Highness just wanted to frame her for damaging the hairpin! Hmph - "
"If His Majesty finds out, not even the Jade Emperor could save them. This time, they're surely doomed!"
"Enough,"
The eunuch's words hit exactly what Yi Zhen was thinking, causing a smile to involuntarily appear on her face. She looked even more charming as she said,
"I know all your contributions."
After a pause, she glanced at Mu Yuan standing quietly beside her. Yi Zhen put down the jade writing brush in her hand and continued,
"Naturally, Mu Yuan has also made great contributions this time."
"After all, it was thanks to you two that we found such a foolproof way that wouldn't implicate this princess at all."
"If you hadn't been so dedicated in Chaogan Hall and discovered that Hunyuan and the others were investigating the matter of the late Concubine Qing, and if Mu Yuan hadn't accidentally found out that Father always went to Jianjia Palace alone on certain days of each month, how could this princess have thought of using the dead to drag them into trouble!"
"Your Highness flatters us."
The two replied in unison.
The eunuch was overjoyed and flattered even more enthusiastically,
"Your servant is just doing his duty. If Your Highness hadn't advised His Majesty to put Master Hunyuan under house arrest and if you hadn't been so prescient as to guess that Yun Xi would enter the palace in the name of Manping, then all the clues your servant collected would have been useless."
"Heheh - "
Yi Zhen laughed heartily. The jewels on her head sparkled, but she said,
"Don't flatter me anymore. You two can rest assured. As long as this plan succeeds, this princess will surely not forget your loyalty."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
The two exchanged a glance and bowed to express their gratitude.
Compared to the eunuch's beaming face, Mu Yuan was more composed. She asked,
"Your Highness, are we really not going to investigate the secrets in Jianjia Palace?"
"Are you crazy?"
Yi Zhen's eyes turned cold,
"What's the use of the secrets of a dead concubine of the previous emperor?"
"Moreover, even if we want to investigate, it's not the right time. I've just returned to the palace. Petty tricks are okay, but if I really touch Father's sore spot, I might even lose my princess title!"
"Please forgive this servant, Your Highness,"
Mu Yuan was so frightened that she knelt down with a thud and kowtowed,
"This servant didn't think it through. Please punish me."
Yi Zhen's cold eyes swept over Mu Yuan. She idly picked at her nails and said,
"Forget it. Considering your great contributions this time, I'll spare you for now."
"All of you, go down. Report to me as soon as there's news from Jianjia Palace."
They bowed again and replied, "Yes." Then they left, covered in cold sweat.
Inside Jianjia Palace on the other side, Yun Xi and the others looked around at the palaces and couldn't help but sigh,
Jianjia Palace was really well - preserved.
Although it had been uninhabited for a long time, every brick, tile, flower, grass, and corridor inside was clean and tidy.
If one didn't know the truth, no one would be able to tell that it was uninhabited.
Hunyuan had some memories of Jianjia Palace as he had entered and exited it many times with Master Qingyi when he was young. He roughly told Yun Xi which rooms were more important.
Then the four of them split into two groups. As usual, Yun Xi went with Lingyan, and Hunyuan went with Lianyi. They carefully started their exploration.
Yun Xi's group first went to Concubine Qing's bedroom.
In the spacious and empty hall, the gauze curtains fluttered, the candlesticks were bright, and there was even incense.
It was as if Concubine Qing was still there, just having gone out and no one knew when she would return.
Yun Xi and Lingyan took a quick look around and then started to search carefully, trying not to leave any traces.
The bedding, dressing table, floor, beams...
Just as they were searching intently, Lingyan suddenly heard footsteps not far from the door.
"Miss,"
Lingyan instantly rushed to Yun Xi's side and whispered,
"Someone's coming."
"Ah?"
Yun Xi was startled and immediately looked around for a place to hide.
"Hurry, hurry. Hide quickly."
The entire hall was almost in full view. Yun Xi was so anxious that sweat broke out on her forehead. In an instant, the footsteps in the distance were already close.
"Miss, here!"
Lingyan stood in front of the big bed and waved at Yun Xi.
Yun Xi immediately ran over and got under the bed without hesitation. When she wanted to call Lingyan in, Lingyan had already slipped behind the bookcase next to the window.
In this way, even if Yun Xi was discovered and exposed, Lingyan could immediately draw the attention of the intruder and cover for Yun Xi to leave.
Yun Xi naturally understood Lingyan's intention. She anxiously leaned out and was about to call her.
Just then, the footsteps reached the door of the hall. With a "creak - " sound, the door was pushed open. Yun Xi was so scared that she quickly shrank back.
The person who came was Emperor Zhaohuan.
As was his usual habit, he walked to the candlestick and was about to light the lamp.
But he suddenly froze in place.
He was extremely familiar with everything in Jianjia Palace, but this room had definitely been tampered with!