The maid's road to success

Princess Li was sitting in the sedan chair and looking at the painful expression of the Empress Dowager. She felt a little worried. The prince had locked herself in the study for the past few days. When she asked what was wrong, he just said that he would attend the Mid-Autumn family dinner in a few days and something would happen. He had something important to discuss with the Empress Dowager and hoped that she could help cover it up.

I have rarely seen the prince like that, and I don't know what he wants to discuss with the Empress Dowager, but the couple are of one mind, and as his wife, all I can do is support him in whatever he wants to do.

When they arrived at Shou'en Palace, Eunuch Cheng immediately replaced the people serving him with people he trusted. As for the close associates who had followed the Empress Dowager, they were all exhausted after experiencing so many things, and they immediately dragged themselves back to their rooms to rest.

Eunuch Cheng looked at the young eunuch standing in the corner and walked up to him to ask.

"Have everything been arranged?"

The young eunuch nodded and whispered in Eunuch Cheng's ear.

"Everything has been washed. I washed it myself. Xiao Liangzi and Xiao Chunzi from the imperial kitchen have left the palace now. We can't find them."

Eunuch Cheng nodded and waved his hand to let the young eunuch go. Their conversation was not hidden from Prince Li. Prince Li did not expect that Eunuch Cheng of Shou'en Palace actually did so many things at this banquet. The young eunuch in the imperial kitchen was sent out of the palace. There was only one reason. The Sixth Prince and the Sixth Princess came into contact with the food and had poison powder on their sleeves. It was very likely planned by Eunuch Cheng.

But it makes sense. After all, he is the chief eunuch who has followed the Empress Dowager for many years. He has an extraordinary status in the palace and can indeed do many things. But he is very curious, someone who has followed the Empress Dowager for so many years, whose camp is he standing on now?

"Your Highness, the Master said that he would give this to you, as you may need it."

Prince Li took the stack of papers, took a quick look at them, and immediately looked at Eunuch Cheng in shock. It seemed that An Zizhong was really a powerful figure. Even Eunuch Cheng in the palace was his man. At that time, An Zizhong told him that someone would help him get an opportunity to meet and negotiate with the Grand Empress Dowager. Things in the palace broke out one after another. He even doubted that he would not have the opportunity to meet with the Grand Empress Dowager alone today. He did not expect that Eunuch Cheng would actually gesture to him to bring the Grand Empress Dowager back first.

The contents of the letter also listed the evil deeds that the Empress Dowager had done. With this thing, he would be much more confident in forcing the Empress Dowager to tell him the truth of that year.

But he had not expected that Fu'an and the Empress Dowager were not biological mother and daughter. No wonder the two of them got along so strangely that even their birthdays were just for show.

"Your Highness, Princess, the Empress Dowager's poison is quite rare. I'm afraid I need to study it with my colleagues. For the time being, I'm using silver needles to suppress it. Please keep an eye on it and call me immediately if anything happens."

Many tested drugs are still in the Imperial Hospital, so it is not convenient for him to be here. However, too many things happened today. The Empress is worried that the palace cannot do without imperial physicians. The Empress Dowager is not in good condition now, so there are only two imperial physicians on the side of the Grand Empress Dowager. In addition to himself, the remaining young imperial physician stays here. If the Grand Empress Dowager suddenly becomes ill, it can delay the situation for a while.

As soon as the imperial physician left, the young imperial physician glanced at Eunuch Cheng, took out the silver needles from his sleeves, and inserted a few needles into several acupuncture points on the Empress Dowager's body. The Empress Dowager's eyes became much clearer, and even her painful symptoms were alleviated a lot.

The Empress Dowager opened her eyes and looked around. There were not many servants in Shou'en Palace, only Eunuch Cheng and two other young eunuchs. The palace maids were not inside. Just as she was about to call for help, she saw Prince Li and his wife, and a young imperial physician whom she did not recognize, standing aside.

"Why are you here? Where is Eunuch Cheng? Where is the Sixth Prince?"

When Eunuch Cheng saw that the Empress Dowager had regained consciousness, he remembered what An Zizhong had said, that Prince Li would have important questions for the Empress Dowager and asked him to provide a safe place for Prince Li to ask questions. He then took the young eunuch and the imperial physician out to guard the place.

Prince Li didn't care about what the Empress Dowager was thinking at the moment. He glanced at the Princess of Li and motioned for her to help the Empress Dowager sit up. He then sat on a stool about one or two meters away from her and spoke directly.

"Right now, the Sixth Prince is more concerned about the Fourth Prince, the Queen Mother, and Duke Cheng'en. No one cares about your situation."

The Grand Empress Dowager was originally wondering why Prince Li was allowed to come to her palace, but when she saw that he just glanced around and Eunuch Cheng took everyone away, there was not even anyone to serve her tea. What else did she not know? Eunuch Cheng was betraying her and she was afraid that he had been plotting against her for others a long time ago. However, the Grand Empress Dowager did not expect that Eunuch Cheng was actually Prince Li's man.

If Eunuch Cheng knew what the Empress Dowager was thinking, he would definitely explain that he was not Prince Li's man and that his master was someone else.

But none of this mattered. What mattered now was what Prince Li wanted to do? Why did he go to the trouble of sending himself to Shou'en Palace? Why was he poisoned? The Sixth Prince would not be so stupid as to poison himself. The Sixth Princess might not be so stupid, but she would not be poisoned now either. So there was something strange about her being poisoned.

Who is it? Why did so many things happen today? It is definitely not a coincidence. Who is arranging it?

"Well, I don't have time to chat with you so much. I came here today specifically to see you."

The Empress Dowager looked at the couple with difficulty, tilting her head sideways, and a bad premonition arose in her heart.

"Looking for me? What for?"

Prince Li held the book in his hand and spoke calmly.

"A secret about me, about why my brother came to power and I suddenly lost support."

The Empress Dowager's face immediately changed. How did he know about this? Did someone tell him? How could it be possible? Almost all the people who knew about this were dead. Who else could tell him?

The Empress Dowager suddenly thought of someone, someone who was still alive and very likely knew the secret.

"Did the woman in the mansion of the guilty minister Huaiyuan tell you?"

Prince Li was still wondering whether the Empress Dowager really knew the secret of his life experience. After all, when An Zizhong came to him, it was because he wanted him to help the Huaiyuan Marquisate to redress their grievances in the future, so it was very likely that he said it on purpose in order to ease the relationship between him and the Huaiyuan Marquisate, so that he could recall the friendship they had when they were young and help them.

However, the Empress Dowager immediately thought of the ancestor of Huaiyuan Marquis' Mansion when she mentioned the secret of her identity, so An Zizhong was not lying to her, the incident really happened, and the Empress Dowager knew about it.

"So you are the one who knew about it? What exactly is it? Why did you make the old Marquis of Huaiyuan Mansion break up with me and help you take the throne?"

The Empress Dowager immediately felt relieved. If it was because of this incident, then today's poisoning might not have much to do with Prince Li. After all, that incident happened many years ago, and even if it was really exposed, it would not make up for anything. He was just seeking the truth, but she did not want to satisfy his curiosity.

"Why should I tell you? Prince Li, you were defeated by us in the beginning. After so many years, what does it matter if you know? Are you still obsessed with the throne? Forget it. From me and Brother Li, we are already the third generation. The throne has nothing to do with you."

Prince Li then understood why An Zizhong had arranged for the eunuch to give him the book with the evidence of the Empress Dowager's crimes. He was sure that the Empress Dowager would not reveal it easily.

"Don't be so conceited. I don't care about that position. All I want is the truth. Someone told me that I suddenly lost my competitiveness for the throne because of a secret, and you knew that secret. You even played a very important role in it. But today you have no say. That person also gave me this booklet. So you believe in Buddhism because you are afraid of retribution. You have harmed so many people and done so many bad things. I am very curious, have you ever dreamed of those people you harmed at midnight?"

The Empress Dowager opened her eyes and looked at the book. She was terrified when she saw some of the contents. Why were all her actions recorded? Who could it be? Eunuch Cheng? He betrayed her, so he might have written down everything he knew to be loyal to his new master. No, Eunuch Cheng came to her later, and he didn't know the earliest things. The one who most likely knew was killed by her. Zi Gu, Zi Gu was dead. Could it be her ghost?

No, when people die, they are really dead. There are no ghosts. If ghosts really exist, he would have killed so many concubines and they would have been eaten alive by ghosts long ago.

Zi Gu did not die. Yes, Zi Gu was taken away by Eunuch Cheng for disposal. If Eunuch Cheng was already someone else's spy at that time, then it is very likely that Zi Gu was also kept by him just to write down this evidence that could prove that he had done so many evil things.

"What do you want to do? Prince Li, don't forget that I am the Grand Empress Dowager, the most noble woman in the world. The royal family will not let you leak my evidence. Even if you really expose it to the public, you can't do anything to me. Who else can convict me?"

Prince Li had to admire An Zizhong's intelligence. He guessed that the Empress Dowager would act rogue and even thought of a back-up plan.

"I know you can't be convicted, but you can affect the Sixth Prince. You have done so many evil things, some of which were to pave the way for the Sixth Prince. If I am determined to let the world know about this book, I am afraid that the emperor can't stop me. It's a pity that you can continue to be your Grand Empress Dowager. The Sixth Prince will have nothing to do with that position from now on. I am afraid that he will be driven back to his fiefdom this time and will never have the chance to come back. Not to mention, he may not even be able to keep his position as a county prince."

The Empress Dowager did not expect that Prince Li would use the Sixth Prince to threaten her. She was so anxious that she wanted to rush over and insult Prince Li. However, the poisoned person was old and had no strength left. She fell on the bed, and Prince Li's wife had to go up and help her up.

"I advise you not to struggle. If I don't have this booklet, I may not be able to do anything to the Sixth Prince. But with this thing, I can pull him into the cliff and make him unable to turn over. Unless you tell me the truth of the past, I promise not to touch the Sixth Prince. Maybe I will even help him? After all, I hate the Fourth Prince and the Emperor more."

The Empress Dowager closed her eyes and remained silent for so long that Prince Li thought she was determined to hide what happened that year. Then she spoke softly.