Chapter 461 Consort Li Returns to the Palace

Chapter 461: Consort Li Returns to the Palace

"This is utterly preposterous!" The Empress Dowager was furious.

"So, over these years, as you've been in charge of the Imperial Household Department and the Inner Court Bureau, is this how you've been mistreating the palace maids and servants?" Nanny Qin widened her eyes and said, "Two years ago, two young girls entered the palace, quite pretty, and within three months, they were gone, both died suddenly. That was your doing, wasn't it?"

"No, no, Your Majesty, those two girls truly died suddenly; they were ill, so..." Eunuch Zhu turned to Imperial Doctor Wen and said, "If you don't believe me, you can ask Imperial Doctor Wen. At that time, it was the Imperial Hospital that concluded the cause of death. Imperial Doctor Wen, isn't that right?"

"Your Majesty, I don't quite remember these incidents; it's been a long time, and there are many matters in the Imperial Hospital. So, if Eunuch Zhu's case needs to be re-examined..." Imperial Doctor Wen looked up at the Empress Dowager, his expectations clear to her.

If a re-examination is needed, it will take time. Naturally, most people wouldn't want to bother with something that happened long ago and is already understood.

"Then let's investigate thoroughly. Someone, take him away first, and we'll decide after the investigation is complete!" The Empress Dowager said coldly.

Imperial Doctor Wen was stunned, looked at the Empress Dowager in disbelief, and then immediately lowered his head and fell silent.

Eunuch Zhu, on the other hand, panicked immediately. He kept looking at Imperial Doctor Wen, hoping he would speak up for him.

However, when he received no response, he immediately understood that at this moment, he was likely to be discarded as a pawn.

"No, no, Your Majesty, have mercy, have mercy! This matter truly has nothing to do with me!" Eunuch Zhu shouted in panic.

"If it has nothing to do with you, then you have nothing to fear. It's just that these two maids have spoken, and I must make them convinced, right?" The Empress Dowager said, then waved her hand, signaling for Eunuch Zhu to be taken away.

Originally, the Empress Dowager had intended to handle this matter personally. After examining the injuries on the maids Cui Guo and Guihua, she was truly shocked.

Over the years, Eunuch Gao had seen that this man was capable and understood some things, so he had entrusted him with the management of the Inner Court Bureau in the harem.

It could be said that for many years, there had been no major incidents, so Eunuch Gao had not paid much attention.

Moreover, in the vast palace, along with the previous dynasty, there were still many troublesome masters in the harem, those people were even more outrageous, killing palace maids and eunuchs at will. If a few palace maids or eunuchs suddenly disappeared from the Inner Court, and it was recorded as illness or accident, as long as no one pursued it, naturally he wouldn't interfere.

Now, with Eunuch Gao absent, Eunuch Zhu had become unrestrained.

However, the very next day, as the Empress Dowager was rubbing her head, thinking about how to handle this matter, Consort Li returned with Xiao Yuze.

The return of the third prince naturally made the Empress Dowager even happier.

Consort Li, with her lively personality, had been liked by the Empress Dowager ever since she came to the palace with the emperor.

She was free-spirited and very close to the Empress Dowager, though not so much with the Empress.

Consort Li had once bluntly stated that if she didn't love Xiao Yin so much, she would never share her husband with other women.

However, it was also good that Consort Li got along well with Lü Yuanyuan, especially since both were skilled in martial arts, they had much in common.

But in recent years, Consort Li often returned to Ten Thousand Flowers City on the western border, rarely staying in the Imperial City.

The Empress Dowager also thought it was good for Consort Li to return. Ten Thousand Flowers City was the gateway from Western Yue to Great Wei, and because of its presence, Western Yue had never had the opportunity to launch a large-scale attack on Great Wei.

Especially after Xiao Yin ascended the throne, the defense on the Western Yue border became even more secure.

"Imperial Grandmother!" A clear voice rang out just as the Empress Dowager was helping Xiao Ruilin tidy his clothes. She looked up, her face full of smiles.

"Zer is back? That's wonderful. Imperial Grandmother is in need of help right now, and Zer's return is a great help!" The Empress Dowager said with a smile.

"Imperial Grandmother, what do you need Zer to help with?" Xiao Yuze walked to the Empress Dowager's side, looked at Xiao Ruilin, and said, "Little brother is so handsome, he looks a lot like Xier. Are you Lin'er, little brother?"

"Yes, I am Lin'er. Are you Zer, big brother?" Xiao Ruilin, now grown up and well-mannered, immediately nodded in response upon hearing Xiao Yuze's words.

"Yes, I brought you a gift!" Xiao Yuze naturally liked this bright and lovely younger brother very much, so he immediately responded, took Xiao Ruilin's hand, and said to the Empress Dowager, "Grandmother, Yuze is taking his little brother to see the gift!"

"Yuze, why are you so impolite? Shouldn't your gift be given to Grandmother first?" A clear voice rang out, followed by a flash of bright red.

The Empress Dowager always loved such vibrant colors. She looked up and smiled at Consort Li.

"Your son pays respects to the Empress Dowager!" Consort Li stepped forward and curtsied.

"Enough, you were never one to follow etiquette, so there's no need for these formalities. Your arrival is just perfect. I was just worrying about the lack of management in the rear palace, which was giving me a headache!" the Empress Dowager said.

Consort Li immediately stepped forward and said, "Since your son has returned, Empress Dowager can rest assured. As for the headache, let Yuze massage it for you!"

"That's right, Grandmother, Yuze has learned some good techniques. He can definitely help you with your headache!" Xiao Yuze immediately went over, climbed onto the soft couch, and began massaging the Empress Dowager's head.

"Good, good, with Yuze's massage, it really doesn't hurt anymore!" The Empress Dowager coaxed the child, smiling.

Consort Li handed over a box: "Empress Dowager, this is a sachet I made. It can detoxify and calm the mind. If you wear it every day, you will surely rest well and your head won't hurt!"

The Empress Dowager looked at the sachet in her hand and nodded: "You are always so thoughtful!"

"By the way, Empress Dowager, I heard that something has happened in the palace recently, and Consort Xian is not in the palace. What is it? Let me handle it!" Consort Li said.

"It's rare for you to return. This matter really should be handled by you!" The Empress Dowager said, instructing Nanny Gui to explain everything to Consort Li.

After listening, Consort Li nodded: "Actually, Empress Dowager, when I was in the palace years ago, I heard some things about this Eunuch Zhu, but at that time..."

At that time, it was during the reign of the previous emperor, and the rear palace was controlled by the Grand Consort, who particularly liked to target Xiao Yin and his siblings, so she was very unfriendly to the Empress Dowager, who was just a concubine at the time.