Su Mingyu wheeled Gu Ruobai to the imperial garden. Lowering her eyes, Su Mingyu instructed the maids behind her, "The Prince of Ruixian and I would like to take a stroll in the palace. You may leave first."
If it were other officials or maids, they definitely wouldn't dare to leave. According to the palace rules, no matter how high - ranking an official was, once they submitted a visiting card stating the time of their departure from the palace, they had to abide by it.
Otherwise, if anything went wrong in the palace, they would surely be held accountable. However, the person in front of them was a prince, so the maids didn't dare to ask any more questions. They just nodded and walked away.
After seeing the people leave, Su Mingyu wheeled Gu Ruobai deeper into the imperial garden.
Passing by a rockery, in the pavilion on the lake, Su Mingyu saw the person she was looking for.
She wheeled Gu Ruobai up and raised an eyebrow at the woman. "Concubine Chen, long time no see."
Yan Shiqi gave her a cold look. "Miss Su, you specifically asked someone to invite me here. What on earth do you want to say?"
Su Mingyu slowly poured a cup of tea for Gu Ruobai. "Concubine Chen, don't be in such a hurry. This matter is rather long - winded."
"Just say what you want. Don't beat around the bush." Yan Shiqi's eyes were extremely cold, looking as if she was very angry.
Su Mingyu raised her eyebrows. "Concubine Chen, do you really not remember Leng Ziyue?"
Concubine Chen frowned tightly. "Why should I remember him?"
Seeing that she was so reluctant to admit anything, Su Mingyu took out a portrait from her bosom.
The woman in the portrait was of elegant appearance. Her peach - blossom eyes were especially eye - catching. Even without wearing silk and satin, she still looked beautiful and charming.
When Concubine Chen saw this portrait, she trembled all over. "What do you mean?"
Su Mingyu waved it. "Concubine Chen really has a good memory and a short one too. Have you forgotten? This is the portrait that Yan Liping had painted for you when you entered the palace for the imperial consort selection."
As she spoke, Su Mingyu placed the portrait in front of Concubine Chen. "I was fortunate enough to visit Pingshi Town some time ago. There I met Prefect Yan. Knowing that I was there to deliver silver to him, Prefect Yan directly invited me to stay at his mansion. Coincidentally, I stayed in the room where Concubine Chen used to live."
"What exactly do you want to say?" Concubine Chen's face became even more gloomy. "Do you think you can threaten me with my portrait? Every girl who enters the palace for the consort selection has such a portrait. This thing means nothing."
Listening to Concubine Chen's analysis, Su Mingyu clapped her hands in praise. "Yes, these things really mean nothing."
As she spoke, Su Mingyu squinted her eyes. "However, I have a doubt. Concubine Chen is now a legitimate first - rank imperial consort, personally conferred by the emperor. This is such a glorious thing in a small place like Pingshi County. Why didn't I hear much about Concubine Chen when I was in Pingshi County?"
"And," Su Mingyu didn't give Concubine Chen a chance to speak at all and continued, "Concubine Chen didn't seem to be favored at all in the Yan Mansion. Even her living quarters were just like a guest room."
"Not only was the decoration simple, but even a stranger like me could stay there. And I didn't see any personal belongings of Concubine Chen in it. You were just going for the consort selection. Did you really need to clean the room so thoroughly?"
Before Concubine Chen could explain, Su Mingyu continued, "Or did you know for sure that you would be selected, so you took all your personal belongings away?"
Concubine Chen seemed to have not expected Su Mingyu to say so much in one breath.
She opened her mouth and it took her a while to speak. "Miss Su... I don't understand why you investigated me, but I think what you said is very boring. I was adopted by the Yan Mansion back then, so of course I didn't have many things to take away. What's so strange about that?"
Su Mingyu raised her eyebrows. "This is not a boring thing."
As she spoke, Su Mingyu took out another thing from her bosom. When Concubine Chen saw it, her face changed. "How did you get this?"
Su Mingyu waved the sachet in her hand. "Judging from Concubine Chen's reaction, you recognize it?"
Hearing Su Mingyu's question, Concubine Chen knew that she had slipped up.
Her face instantly turned gloomy. "What on earth do you want to do!"
Concubine Chen glared angrily at Su Mingyu. "I've already said that I don't know who Leng Ziyue is. Don't come and cause me trouble anymore!"
After saying that, Concubine Chen got up and was about to leave, but was stopped by Su Mingyu. "Concubine Chen, I came to you today to lay all my cards on the table."
As she spoke, Su Mingyu took out a copy of a transfer order from Gu Ruobai's bosom and slapped it on the table in front of Concubine Chen. "Concubine Chen, I came to you with sincerity. I hope you can listen to me for a while."
"I've been to Pingshi Town, so I know what kind of person Yan Liping is. Although I can't say I know him 100%, I roughly know his personality. He is greedy for wealth and lustful, and has no learning. You used the emperor's favor on you to transfer him to your side. Isn't it just to get rid of him?"
"How do you know?" Concubine Chen blurted out in surprise, but just as the words were on her lips, she realized that she had been tricked by the woman in front of her again.
"I've said," Su Mingyu frowned, "Your amnesia is fake. Back then, if you didn't enter the palace for the consort selection, you would have been defiled by that brute Yan Liping. So you had no choice but to participate in the selection, right?"
Concubine Chen nodded. "Yes. Since you know everything, I won't hide it from you. I did fake my amnesia, and participating in the consort selection was indeed a last - resort move. That old guy Yan Liping even had the nerve to ask me to find him a job in the capital. Since he wants to come, let him come."
When Concubine Chen said this, her teeth were grinding. "I admit everything I've done, but I really don't know Leng Ziyue."
After saying that, Concubine Chen slapped the table and was about to leave again. Su Mingyu stepped forward and blocked her. "Concubine Chen, I haven't finished speaking yet."
As she spoke, Su Mingyu gave Gu Ruobai a look.
At this time, Gu Ruobai, who had been watching the show, finally spoke. "Since we know about your business with Yan Liping, how can we not know about your business with Leng Ziyue?"
Gu Ruobai's tone was very slow. It clearly had no aggressiveness, but it made Concubine Chen's face suddenly sink. "You... What do you mean?"
"Concubine Chen should know that every time a royal physician enters the palace to feel the pulse or for other matters, they need to fill in a form for records. And the fact that Leng Ziyue, under the alias of Leng Muqi, came to the palace to feel the pulse every day can be found out with just a simple investigation."