"But Your Majesty, Concubine Jing..." Mu Xingrou stopped halfway through her words and just timidly looked at Concubine Jing, as if she were a fearsome monster.
"Concubine Jing, in the future, if you're ill, just consult the imperial physicians in the palace. Don't send anyone out anymore, so as not to arouse suspicion." Yuan Yuchuan immediately threw Concubine Jing's illness, which he had just thought of, out of his mind. All he could see was Mu Xingrou.
"Yes, Your Majesty. I understand." Concubine Jing curtsied to Yuan Yuchuan and then left with the maid.
Yuan Yuchuan and Mu Xingrou were left alone in the main hall, all lovey - dovey. Mu Xingrou watched Concubine Jing's retreating back and showed a victorious smile. How dare that bitch still try to compete with her? She didn't even know her own place.
Although the emperor didn't punish Concubine Jing this time, she believed that the emperor had started to suspect Concubine Jing and her family. As long as she found another chance to bring down Concubine Jing's family, she would have one less rival in the harem.
Things did turn out as Mu Xingrou had expected. Yuan Yuchuan did start to suspect Concubine Jing's family. Once the seed of suspicion was sown, it would quickly take root and grow.
"Your Ladyship, it's my fault that I failed in my task." The maid knelt down as soon as they returned to Concubine Jing's palace.
She never expected that she would be caught by Mu Changzai's people as soon as she left the palace. Fortunately, her ladyship only asked her to deliver a message. If it had been something else, wouldn't their ladyship have been framed to death by that Mu Changzai?
"Get up. This is not your fault. It's my own overconfidence." Concubine Jing sat on the soft couch, rubbing her temples. She never thought that Mu Xingrou had become so powerful that she could even monitor her.
"Xiaocui, go and investigate..."
Xiaocui's eyes darkened. She nodded and quickly left. If what her ladyship said was true, wasn't their palace in great danger?
Concubine Jing lay tiredly on the soft couch, thinking about how to inform Feng Qie.
"Your Ladyship, Princess Tianlin is here." Hearing this, Concubine Jing immediately sat up from the soft couch. Speak of the devil! She came just in time.
"Feng Qie, why did you come?" Concubine Jing pulled Mu Fengqie quickly into the room and sent all the people in the room out. It was better for her to be more careful now.
"What's wrong, Your Ladyship?" Mu Fengqie frowned as she watched the vigilant Concubine Jing. Usually, Concubine Jing wouldn't be like this when she came. What had happened?
"Feng Qie, it's a long story. Let me first tell you about Mu Changzai." Concubine Jing deliberately lowered her voice so that only she and Mu Fengqie could hear.
"Now there's someone behind Mu Changzai. There are informants in my palace."
Mu Fengqie frowned immediately after hearing this. She didn't expect that Mu Xingrou had found a backer so quickly.
"Does Your Ladyship know who it is?"
"I don't know yet. But I heard that there has been a strange thing happening recently. It may be related to Mu Changzai." Concubine Jing told Mu Fengqie about the deaths of many eunuchs and maids in the palace recently.
"I suspect that this matter is related to Mu Changzai. Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence?" Not only Concubine Jing, but Mu Fengqie also suspected it.
"I understand. Your Ladyship just said that you wanted to send someone out to find me. I wonder what's the matter?"
Speaking of this, Concubine Jing immediately took out four hundred taels of silver notes from the jewelry box and handed them to Mu Fengqie. "This is the money Mu Changzai borrowed. Now the emperor has helped her pay it off."
"Paid it off so soon?" Mu Fengqie was a little surprised. She didn't expect Yuan Yuchuan to help Mu Xingrou pay back the money.
"Not only that. The emperor also helped Mu Changzai pay the interest." Concubine Jing told Mu Fengqie happily.
"Oh, right. Your Ladyship, do you know whose family in the harem is the richest?" This was the main reason why Mu Fengqie came to find Concubine Jing. Originally, she could have asked Jing Xunce to investigate, but it would be too time - consuming, so she came directly to the palace to ask Concubine Jing.
"The richest..." Concubine Jing thought for a while. There were really a few such people. But why did Feng Qie ask this?
"Preferably your rivals. I need these people for something." Mu Fengqie saw Concubine Jing's hesitation and immediately gave her a reassurance.
"There are so many, both inside and outside the palace." Hearing Mu Fengqie say this, Concubine Jing was happy.
Concubine Jing listed a large number of people for Mu Fengqie. Some were her father's rivals, some were business rivals, and some were just people she didn't get along with. In short, there were quite a few people. Concubine Jing even listed the whole family of some people.
Mu Fengqie twitched the corner of her mouth helplessly as she watched the suddenly excited Concubine Jing. It wasn't necessary, right? She hadn't even told Concubine Jing what she was going to do.
"Your Ladyship... Aren't you afraid that I'll deceive you?"
"No, I trust Feng Qie."
Mu Fengqie sighed as she looked into Concubine Jing's sincere eyes. This Concubine Jing was really too honest. "I recently opened a clothing store. I'm a bit short of funds, so I want to ask some people for some money."
Of course, this method was proposed by Jing Xunce. Originally, she wanted to use the funds from the express delivery station to make up for it, but Jing Xunce said that there must be corrupt officials in the court.
But if they investigated one by one, it would be very time - consuming. It would be better to start from Concubine Jing.
"I understand. Feng Qie, you can investigate with confidence. There aren't many clean people among these people." Concubine Jing immediately understood what Mu Fengqie meant. Coincidentally, there weren't any good people in the list of names she gave to Feng Qie.
"Then thank you, Your Ladyship." Mu Fengqie put away the things and was about to leave. But before leaving, she went to Mu Xingrou's palace. She wanted to see if there were any secrets in Mu Xingrou's palace.
"Stop. Who are you?" Mu Fengqie was stopped before she even reached the gate of Mu Xingrou's palace.
"I'm Princess Tianlin. Where is your mistress?" Mu Fengqie calmly glanced at the little maid and immediately noticed the calluses on her hands.
Only people who practiced martial arts all year round would have calluses in that position. Who was the person behind Mu Xingrou? How could they blatantly arrange martial - arts practitioners to stay by Mu Xingrou's side in the palace?
"My mistress is resting. If the princess wants to go in, please wait a moment. I'll go and announce your arrival."
"Go ahead." Mu Fengqie watched the maid go in. Her eyes were full of mystery.
Soon, the maid came out. "Please come in, Princess. Our mistress is waiting for you inside."
After Mu Fengqie followed her in, she quickly found that there was something strange about Mu Xingrou's place. Almost everyone in the yard knew martial arts. This was really interesting.