Chapter 62: Hidden Secrets

Chapter 62: Hidden Secrets

"Consort Lian's warm jade pillow, a prized possession said to bring comfort and vitality."

Upon hearing this, Su Jiaojiao's hands hidden beneath her cloak instinctively tightened, her fingertips turning pale from the pressure.

She struggled to maintain her composure, looking at the guard's panicked and remorseful expression, unsurprised, feeling only a chill in her heart.

Qian Xia's death was just as she had anticipated. She was only slightly surprised that it had happened so soon, even before reaching the training facility.

With the only lead broken, Shen Huai's heart filled with rage, and he sternly rebuked, "Useless!"

"Take them away and give them fifteen lashes!"

Faced with the Emperor's wrath, the Empress remained far calmer.

She glanced at the sky and gently advised, "Your Majesty, I have something to say."

Shen Huai, in his rage, glanced at the Empress, suppressing his anger, and said in a deep voice, "Speak."

She bowed slightly, her voice gentle and understanding, "Today was Consort Zhen's birthday, yet she was framed and wrongfully terrified. My heart aches as well. However, the mastermind behind the poisoning of the Crown Prince has not yet been identified. It is already late, and Your Majesty should look after your well-being."

"Under these conditions, the only option is to have the Palace Command intensify their investigation to find the culprit. Your Majesty is occupied with state matters, and there is an early court session tomorrow. You should rest early."

The night was already deep, and with Qian Xia dead, the incident at Pixiang Palace had become a case with no leads. Su Jiaojiao, though certain the Empress was behind it, had no evidence.

She could only watch helplessly as the Empress stayed calm.

The only bright spot was that the Empress's plan to frame Su Jiaojiao had been thwarted, and the immediate crisis had been temporarily averted.

But today's incident with the Crown Prince was just the beginning; the path forward would grow even harder.

While Shen Huai remained silent, Cai Shan added, glancing at the sky, "Your Majesty, the Empress speaks wisely. It is already late, and perhaps by tomorrow morning, we will have answers."

Su Jiaojiao lowered her eyelashes and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, please look after yourself. I have Yu Ying with me, I will be fine."

With everyone now in agreement, Shen Huai's anger eased somewhat.

The mastermind behind the Crown Prince's poisoning had not been found, and Consort Zhen had been deliberately framed. Each event was a source of frustration.

After a while, Shen Huai said, "Add more guards at Yutang Palace and search the palace three times, leaving no stone unturned."

Upon hearing this, Cai Shan added, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince's daily necessities have already been seized for examination. Only the Imperial Academy is deeply implicated. Should we search it or just investigate the Crown Prince's seat?"

The Imperial Academy was where the royal family and children of high-ranking officials studied. Besides princes and princesses, there were also county princesses, county lords, and heirs. The daily traffic was not insignificant.

With the Crown Prince's case still unresolved, a public and extensive search of the Imperial Academy could cause unrest and widespread speculation in the court.

Shen Huai pondered for a moment and said, "Send people to remove all items the Crown Prince usually comes into contact with, leaving nothing out, and hand them over to the Palace Command for processing."

Hearing the name of the Imperial Academy, the Empress unconsciously lowered her gaze.

In a place where no one could see, her eyes flickered with a moment of tension before quickly returning to normal.

After giving his orders, Shen Huai stood up.

Cai Shan quickly stepped forward to help him with his cloak. He then turned to Su Jiaojiao and said, "You have been frightened today. Rest well tonight."

With that, Shen Huai looked at the Empress and said indifferently, "With the year-end approaching, there is already much to do. Now, such a disaster has occurred in the palace. The morning greetings to the Empress will be suspended until the Crown Prince's poisoning case is resolved. You must take good care of the harem affairs. I do not wish for similar incidents to happen again."

The Empress curtsied and said, "Your humble servant obeys, respectfully bidding farewell to Your Majesty."

The Emperor's procession swiftly departed from Pixiang Palace, leaving only Su Jiaojiao and the Empress's attendants inside the hall.

A brief silence ensued.

After a moment, the Empress, with keen eyes, noticed the jade pillow that Su Jiaojiao had taken out and placed inconspicuously on a small round stool, realizing that Su Jiaojiao also had suspicions about the jade pillow. She smiled faintly, her expression ambiguous: "How are you finding the warm jade pillow I gifted you?"

Su Jiaojiao lifted her gaze to look at the Empress, her expression terrifyingly calm. "What the Empress bestows must have been meticulously chosen, not something useless for your servant. Moreover, warm jade is precious; your servant dare not say it is anything but good."

Looking down at Su Jiaojiao seated on the couch, the Empress suddenly chuckled softly.

Having been in the palace for three years, including one year of great favor.

The Empress was used to Su Jiaojiao's gentle and compliant demeanor, but it was the first time she saw such a cold and calm look in her eyes.

She had indeed not misjudged her.

From the moment Su Jiaojiao plotted to kill Luo Luo and frame Min Jieyu, and the Empress realized that Su Jiaojiao wanted her to cooperate with her plan, the Empress had grown wary of Su Jiaojiao, who seemed weak and easy to bully but was in fact intelligent and cunning.

Since then, she had observed Su Jiaojiao numerous times, both overtly and covertly, and confirmed her suspicions.

She had once commissioned an investigation into Su Jiaojiao, and only then did she comprehend why Su Jiaojiao had entered the palace at the age of twelve.

Su Jiaojiao, the daughter of Su Chang, held a prestigious status even in Chang'an. Su Chang was the Minister of Revenue, deeply trusted by the Emperor. If it weren't for Su Jiaojiao losing her mother at a young age and Su Chang remarrying, such a high-born daughter would not have been sent into the palace around the age of twelve.

Presumably, her life in the Su residence had been quite challenging.

Such a woman, from a young age, was most skilled at enduring humiliation and ingratiating herself, which is why she had maintained a low profile when she first entered the palace, before coming of age, allowing the foolish Jiang Shuren to mistreat her.

If it weren't for her meticulous planning, how could she have suddenly gained the favor of the then Consort Mi shortly after coming of age and risen to prominence?

Without Noble Consort Wang and Noble Consort Mi, a woman like Su Jiaojiao would be her most formidable adversary.

High family status, youth, and an exceptionally striking appearance. Most rare was her indomitable spirit, deep cunning, and understanding of how to please the Emperor and gain favor.

Just like now, she believed her arrangements were flawless, yet Su Jiaojiao could still detect and thwart her scheme.

It's easy to take the initiative, but devising a defense requires a more intelligent mind and keen insight.

It's just a pity she still couldn't find her weakness.

But the Empress never doubted that, given time, Su Jiaojiao could rise higher than anyone.

In just over half a year, she had been promoted step by step from the selected rank to the position of Consort Zhen, a speed that she had to be wary of.

Especially now, Su Jiaojiao was also aligned with Noble Consort Mi.

Once the matter of the Crown Prince was resolved, her heart disease would be cured, and there would be no princes in the palace to threaten her position.

At that time, she would have plenty of time to give birth to her own legitimate son, and then slowly deal with these concubines who dared to step over her head.

As long as she remained the Empress, even if dozens more women came, they would still have to bow their heads and serve as concubines under her watchful eyes.

The Empress, with a confident smile, glanced meaningfully at the position beneath Su Jiaojiao, her gentle tone carrying a chill: "Consort Zhen has always been sensible, I have always been at ease."

"Just one thing—do not covet a position that does not belong to you."

As soon as she finished speaking, as if she had forgotten something, she leisurely added, "I forgot to tell Consort Zhen, do not 'accidentally' break this warm jade pillow."

"It was once used by Consort Lian, if it were to break, His Majesty would likely be furious. At that time, even I would not be able to help you."