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Chapter 510 Wang Hu's whereabouts remain a mystery

Zhao Yunci strode into Chaofeng Palace and immediately noticed that Su Wan and Chu Ruohan both had solemn expressions. She couldn't help but ask:

"What's wrong with you all? Why do you look so serious?"

He walked to Su Wan's side, his gaze softening slightly: "Are you troubled by the matter of that official who spoke out at the morning court?"

Su Wan nodded, then shook her head, looking at Chu Ruohan with a hint of pleading in her eyes.

Chu Ruohan nodded slightly, indicating that she could speak freely.

Seeing this, Zhao Yunci frowned slightly: "That official has a death wish, daring to criticize the Empress in court!"

"I believe someone is behind this! I have already ordered an investigation."

He paused, then looked at Su Wan: "Wan'er, do you have something to say to me?"

Su Wan took a deep breath and mustered her courage to say, "Your Majesty, there is something I would like to tell you, but... I just don't know if I should say it."

"Speak freely." Zhao Yunci held her hand, giving her strength.

"It's about Consort Shu," Su Wan said softly. "Consort Liu visited Consort Shu, and there seemed to be something strange about her words. My concubine and Sister Ruohan both feel that this matter may not be simple."

She temporarily concealed the fact that Consort Shu's child was not of the emperor's, and only brought up the suspicious point of Consort Liu's visit.

Upon hearing this, a sharp glint flashed in Zhao Yunci's eyes: "Consort Liu? What is she doing going to see Consort Shu?"

He then snorted coldly: "Speaking of Consort Shu, I have already investigated the fire in the Cold Palace and confirmed that it was indeed caused by someone!"

"Moreover, the ignition source used was not ordinary tung oil, but a more secretive Western Region spice that ignites upon contact with fire and produces little smoke, making it difficult to detect under normal circumstances."

"If it weren't for last night's thunderstorm, the fire would have been even more difficult to control. This is clearly a ploy to frame the Empress!"

Chu Ruohan interjected, "Your Majesty, I believe that the timing of Consort Liu's visit to Consort Shu, and the words she spoke to Consort Shu, were too coincidental."

"First, there was the fire in the Cold Palace, then the censors launched an attack, and now Consort Liu has gone to see Consort Shu. Could all of these things... be related to this whole affair?"

Zhao Yunci stood with his hands behind his back, his brows furrowed.

Consort Liu had been in the palace for many years and had always been gentle, virtuous, and unassuming, thus earning a decent reputation in the harem.

He pondered for a moment and said, "Consort Liu is usually quiet and well-behaved. If it really is her, then her scheming is too terrifying."

He turned abruptly and shouted at the chief eunuch waiting outside the hall, "Guards! Convey my decree to secretly investigate all recent interactions within Consort Liu's palace, as well as any unusual behavior by the palace servants. No word is to be leaked!"

"This servant obeys the decree!" The chief eunuch hurriedly responded and withdrew.

Seeing that Zhao Yunci had become suspicious, Chu Ruohan took the opportunity to suggest, "Your Majesty, I have an idea."

"Since Consort Shu is one of the key figures in this matter, perhaps we can start with her and see if we can lure the snake out of its hole and make some people reveal their true colors."

Zhao Yunci's gaze darkened slightly, and after a moment of thought, she nodded: "This plan is excellent. You will assist the Empress in carrying it out secretly."

"Don't alarm Consort Shu for now. Let's see what tricks the people behind her will play."

He then looked at Su Wan, his tone gentle yet firm: "Wan'er, don't worry, I will send more people to protect your safety and will never let you suffer any more grievances."

Su Wan felt a warmth in her heart and nodded, saying, "Your Majesty, I understand."

Meanwhile, inside Yonghe Palace.

Consort Liu was sitting upright in front of her dressing table, with her personal maidservant helping her remove her headdress.

"Your Majesty," the palace maid reported softly, "I just learned that the Duchess of Zhenguo had a long private conversation with Her Majesty the Empress in the Chaofeng Hall. Afterwards, His Majesty also went there and stayed in the hall for quite some time, seemingly discussing some important matter."

Consort Liu paused slightly in her hand holding the ivory comb. Her face in the mirror remained calm and expressionless, with only a barely perceptible glint in her eyes.

"Oh? Is that so?" she replied casually, as if she didn't care.

Su Wan is a new empress, and her foundation is not yet stable. Even with Chu Ruohan's help, how much trouble can she cause?

Although Chu Ruohan had the support of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, she was, after all, the wife of an official from outside the capital. The waters of the harem run deep.

She put down the ivory comb and said to the palace maid, "Go over there and 'remind' Consort Shu what she should and shouldn't say."

"If she were smart, she would understand her situation and not let her ruin my important plans."

Consort Liu's tone was gentle, yet carried a chilling undertone: "Tell her to behave herself, and I will find a way to protect her and the 'dragon seed' in her womb. If she doesn't know what's good for her and speaks nonsense..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but the threat in her unfinished words was already clear.

"Yes, Your Highness, I understand." The palace maid replied respectfully and quietly withdrew.

Consort Liu looked at her beautiful face in the mirror, and a mysterious smile slowly appeared on her lips.

As night deepened, the Chaofeng Palace was brightly lit with candles.

Zhao Yunci had just come from the Imperial Study when he brought the latest news. His face was even more somber than the night outside the palace.

"My men have reported that the guard named Wang Hu has indeed been transferred away from the capital," Zhao Yunci said, his voice tinged with coldness.

"But their whereabouts are a mystery, and all clues have been deliberately erased, making the investigation extremely difficult."

This result was expected; Consort Shu was not lying!

Su Wan's heart sank: "To have such means to silently erase a person's whereabouts, the power behind them should not be underestimated."

“This only further confirms Consort Liu’s suspicions,” Chu Ruohan interjected, calmly analyzing, “If she had nothing to hide, why would she go to such lengths to send Wang Hu away, and do it so cleanly?”

Zhao Yunci clenched his fist silently in his sleeve, a hint of murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

"She's quite the schemer! I will never let anyone who dares to plot against the Empress get away with it!"

"Your Majesty, please calm down." Chu Ruohan stepped forward and bowed slightly. "We do not have conclusive evidence right now. If we act rashly, we may alert them and cause controversy in the court."

"Then what do you think we should do?" Zhao Yunci looked at Chu Ruohan, already quite convinced of her wisdom.

Chu Ruohan pondered for a moment, then leaned close to Su Wan's ear, lowered her voice, and whispered a few words of her plan.

Su Wan listened attentively, her eyes gradually brightening. She nodded emphatically, "Let's do as you say, sister."

Zhao Yunci looked at the two of them. Although he hadn't heard the specifics, he guessed what they meant. He said in a deep voice, "Alright, I will fully cooperate with you."

Just past midnight, the night was as dark as ink.

Outside the side hall where Consort Shu was imprisoned, the guards were even more heavily armed than during the day.

Chu Ruohan carried a small palace lantern and came here again under the pretext of visiting on the orders of the Empress.