Harem Daily Life

Shu Cairen suddenly felt a sense of frustration that nothing was going her way, which made her feel deeply powerless.

Xiao Tang consoled her, "Talented Lady, I think it's a good thing that the Ding Palace has fallen before you've even developed a close relationship with it. Think about it, if they were too close, wouldn't the raid on the Ding Palace indirectly implicate you? They were able to pull off such a drastic change in a single day; they must have been targeted long ago. Furthermore, their crimes must have been extremely serious, so serious that Your Majesty wouldn't even consider the ties between brothers!"

Xiao Tang's words made Shu Cairen wake up instantly, and she felt grateful for having survived the disaster.

"You're right. Prince Ding's Mansion is so powerful, yet it was confiscated. The crimes behind this must be punishable by death. It's a blessing not to get involved with them. But... hey, what should I do in the future?" Shu Cairen frowned.

Xiao Tang bit her lip and said, "Talented lady, the palace is peaceful and orderly now, but that also means it's like a pool of still water, and there's no way to profit from it. I think the only way to muddy the waters is to fish in troubled waters and get the benefits I want."

"Muddy waters?" Shu Cairen narrowed her eyes. "You have a point. However, these people in the palace are all cowards, without any fighting spirit. How can they muddy the waters?"

Xiao Tang thought for a moment and said, "The palace is in good order thanks to Concubine Xian's help. Why not start with Concubine Xian and mess up Yongtai Palace so that she can't take care of herself?"

Shu Cairen pondered for a moment and said with a smile, "Then go find out what Concubine Xian has been doing recently. By the way, let's see if there is any loophole we can exploit with the Third Princess."

It is not easy to find out anything in the palace, and it takes time, but what Shu Cairen has the most now is time.

After a few days, Xiao Tang and the others finally found out that before winter was about to come, Empress Tao asked the Clothing Bureau to make new cotton-padded jackets for several young ladies, including the third and fourth princesses. These would be made in the next few days and sent to the young ladies for them to try on.

Shu Cairen thought about it and asked Xiao Tang to find some itching powder.

While Xiao Tang was at the clothing bureau getting new clothes for Shu Cairen, he managed to sprinkle itching powder into the interlayer of the Third Princess's cotton-padded jacket while no one was paying attention. This itching powder was colorless and odorless, and it was not noticeable unless the person was wearing it.

That afternoon, the new cotton-padded jackets were sent to various palaces for trial wearing. Soon after the third princess He Min put on the jacket, she felt unbearable itching all over her body and cried incessantly.

"What's going on? What happened today?" Concubine Xian was looking at the palace's daily expense accounts when she heard a maid come in and report that the Third Princess was crying violently. She hurried over to check and found that the Third Princess's arms were densely covered with tiny red dots.

"Quick, call the imperial physician. What did Min'er eat at noon? Has she been poisoned?" The virtuous concubine was so anxious that she asked someone to go to the Imperial Hospital immediately.

Imperial Physician Liu was on duty today. Upon hearing the news, he did not dare to delay for a moment and immediately rushed to Yongtai Palace.

After an examination, Doctor Liu turned his attention to the cotton-padded jacket that had just been delivered by the Clothing Bureau.

"May I ask, Your Majesty, is it because the Third Princess is wearing this cotton-padded jacket that she's itchy all over?"

The Third Princess's nanny nodded immediately: "Yes, yes, that's why she cried after wearing this new cotton-padded jacket."

Doctor Liu carefully examined it and finally found a little trace of itching powder in the interlayer.

"This... this cotton-padded jacket was newly made by the Shangyi Bureau, and several princesses and princes have one. Come, go to Changle Palace quickly to see if the other children have the same problem." Concubine Xian said anxiously.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. There is an antidote for this itching powder. Take a bath first, then apply the ointment, and you will be fine tomorrow. However, I see that the powder is hidden in the interlayer. If the cloth was not accidentally stained with itching powder, then someone must have done it on purpose." Doctor Liu's eyes darkened. He had not seen such underhanded tactics in the palace for many years. He thought that the harem was clean and peaceful, no longer the harem of infighting as before.

The maids who had gone to Changle Palace returned to Yongtai Palace with Empress Tao. Upon hearing that itching powder had been found in the Third Princess's new cotton-padded jacket, causing a rash all over her body, Tao Yanyan hurriedly checked on the other children. Fortunately, He Xuan and the others were all fine, and after a thorough inspection of their clothing, no tampering was found, she was relieved.

She simply went directly to Yongtai Palace to see how He Min was doing.

He Min had finished her bath and the nanny was applying ointment to her, but the itchiness on her body had not gone away. The little girl was crying and looked very adorable.

As soon as Tao Yanyan arrived, she visited He Min first, and asked a few questions to Doctor Liu. After learning that he would be well tomorrow, she asked about the whole story.

"Your Majesty, if the other princesses and princes appear to be normal, then someone must be deliberately targeting the Third Princess," Xianfei said angrily. "I've already sent someone to the Clothing Bureau to inquire about who made the new clothes and who handled these clothes."

Tao Yanyan still approved of the way Concubine Xian used to investigate the matter. She completely agreed with Concubine Xian's approach and waited for the result in Yongtai Palace.

The people in the Clothing Bureau were frightened. Manager Zhao personally interrogated them one by one and questioned several embroiderers who made clothes over and over again, but he could not find any clues for a while.

Manager Zhao had no choice but to take the embroiderer to Yongtai Palace to apologize in person.

"This humble servant deserves death. I was negligent in my management. I don't know when and where someone put itching powder in the Third Princess's clothes. I beg the Empress and Consort Xian to forgive me!"

The virtuous concubine was furious, so her attitude was inevitably a bit harsh. Tao Yanyan thought for a moment and said, "Manager Zhao, you have been managing the Imperial Clothing Bureau for several years, and you have never made any mistakes. I believe you are innocent of what happened today. However, you should also be punished for secretly mixing itching powder into the princess's clothes."

Tao Yanyan looked at Concubine Xian and said, "Then I'll fine Manager Zhao one month's salary, and the embroiderer who made the Third Princess's clothes half a month's salary. Do you two agree?"

The two of them nodded quickly to express their gratitude.

Concubine Xian also knew that this matter was probably someone else deliberately targeting her and the Third Princess, and had nothing to do with the Clothing Bureau, so after the Queen Mother punished her, she didn't say anything else.

"I will continue to order people to investigate this matter. Manager Zhao, you should think carefully about it after you go back. You must remember everyone who has been to the Clothing Bureau recently. I think the person who drugged you is one of them." Manager Zhao and the others respectfully took their leave.

The virtuous concubine sighed and said, "I think it's because I was too strict with my children and offended someone, so I was retaliated against. But don't take revenge on the child. Although Min'er is not my biological daughter, I really love her." As the virtuous concubine spoke, her eyes turned red.

Tao Yanyan took Concubine Xian's hand and said, "Don't be impatient. For so many years, everything has been peaceful in the palace. The fact that this incident happened now is inherently suspicious. Take your time. If it's done, there will be traces. I believe we can get to the bottom of it."