Harem Daily Life

"Your Excellency, Xiao Tang...she died inexplicably!" Xiao Lan hurried over to report, "Her roommate, Xiao Xin, was frightened and hasn't recovered yet."

Shu Cairen glanced at Xiaolan lazily and said, "Since she's completely dead, just have someone carry her out. Why are you yelling so loudly so early in the morning?"

Xiaolan sensed her master's displeasure and immediately retreated, not daring to disturb her again.

At this moment, Xiao Xin was sitting beside Xiao Tang's body in a daze, his eyes full of fear.

After she got up today, she saw Xiao Tang was still sleeping, so she called him twice as usual. Later, when she finished washing up, she saw that Xiao Tang had not gotten up yet, so she had to call him again. However, Xiao Tang's face had turned black, and he had been dead for a long time, and even his body was stiff.

A young palace maid sighed, "Sister Xiaoxin, don't be too sad. The Imperial Household Department will be here soon to remove the body. Let's quickly change her into new clothes and give her a proper send-off."

Xiao Xin opened his mouth: "You don't understand. When I came back with her last night, she was still fine. The talented person even rewarded her..." Xiao Xin suddenly stopped talking and just looked at Xiao Tang steadily.

The little palace maid was confused and said, "Sister Xiao Tang is also an unlucky person. She received the reward from the talented woman, but ended up dying like this." As she spoke, the little palace maid went to pack up Xiao Tang's belongings.

Shin-chan began to tremble all over and stumbled to the small kitchen.

The maid who delivered the bird's nest to Xiaoxin last night was caught by Xiaoxin in a secluded place: "Tell me, did you poison the bird's nest? Did you intend to poison the master with that bird's nest?"

The young palace maid slapped Xiao Xin's hand away and said, "I'm only following the orders of the talented lady to give you the stewed bird's nest. As for who eats it, I have no control over it. When you came to get it, I thought you were going to eat it, but I didn't expect to hear about Xiao Tang's story this morning. Sister Xiao Xin, I advise you to keep this matter to yourself. The talented lady has her reasons for doing things. As maids, we just follow orders. Only in this way can we live long in this palace."

The young palace maid straightened her clothes and prepared to leave. After thinking for a moment, she turned back to Xiao Xin and said, "You'd better keep your mouth shut. After all, you were the one who brought the bird's nest over."

The death of an insignificant maidservant didn't even cause a stir in this vast harem. The sweeping and serving of Liufang Pavilion continued as usual. Even after Xiao Tang was carried away, her bed was occupied by someone else shortly thereafter. After all, Xiao Tang's room was a prime two-person room, much more comfortable than a six-person room.

In Changle Palace, Eunuch Zhang reported Xiao Tang's case to Empress Tao. "The Imperial Household Department has already sent people to investigate, and they've also called in a female physician from the Medical Department to examine her. They say the young palace maid was too weak to be nourished, and she died suddenly after eating the bird's nest gifted by Concubine Shu."

Tao Yanyan sneered, "How could it be such a coincidence? Just after you spread the news, one of her personal maids died. Did she die of poisoning?"

Eunuch Zhang said, "Yes, it's too coincidental, so it must be human nature. However, I asked the imperial physician to examine her, and she didn't cause poisoning, nor was she strangled or suffocated. There really is no evidence of homicide."

"What about the people who live with her? Have you thoroughly questioned everyone in Liufang Pavilion?" Tao Yanyan didn't want to let go even if there was a shred of evidence.

Eunuch Zhang shook his head and said, "Xiao Xin, who lives with her, was so frightened that she couldn't get any information out of him. She just said that Xiao Tang gave her a great massage last night, and she was rewarded by Shu Cairen with a bowl of bird's nest. There was no trace of poisoning, so it's hard to blame Shu Cairen."

Tao Yanyan sneered, "So, you're killing people without them even noticing? What a brilliant and cruel method."

Eunuch Zhang didn't dare to say much. After all, as a servant, it was not convenient for him to accuse his master without any evidence - although Concubine Shu was not a noble master nowadays.

"Oh, we finally have some clues, but is she going to get away with it like this?" Tao Yanyan was really unwilling to accept this. This Shu Cairen had tried to murder her several times, and was always causing trouble for her directly or indirectly. She was tired of it a long time ago.

"Your Majesty, the Queen Mother invites you." Chang Tai hurried in from outside and asked for instructions.

Tao Yanyan didn't know why the empress dowager wanted her to go, so she had to let Eunuch Zhang go back first. She dressed up a little and took the empress's sedan chair to Changchun Palace.

The Queen Mother was teasing the talkative parrot and was amused by the bird. When she saw the Queen coming, she had the parrot taken away.

"I wonder if the Queen Mother has asked me to come here, but what instructions do you have?" Tao Yanyan asked respectfully.

The maid brought tea, and the Queen Mother dismissed everyone, leaving only Eunuch Qin to serve.

"I called you here today because of the frogs that entered Changle Palace," the Queen Mother said straight to the point. "I know about it. I also know about the Emperor and Empress' subsequent investigations. Queen, you are a clever woman. Your strategy of alerting the enemy was quite clever."

Tao Yanyan didn't know whether the Queen Mother also suspected Shu Cairen, but she didn't dare to say anything more. After all, she was a blood relative, and she was just a daughter-in-law of a different surname.

She pondered, "Your Majesty, I have no other choice. Seeing that I have not been able to get any information for such a long time, I have come up with a desperate plan. However, this morning, a maidservant died in Liufang Pavilion. I am deeply saddened."

The Queen Mother hummed, "I heard that no poison was found?"

Tao Yanyan nodded. "I asked Eunuch Zhang to investigate. There's no poison, and there's no sign of foul play."

The Queen Mother glanced at Eunuch Qin, who quickly said, "I have heard a story about a forbidden drug in the world. It is colorless and odorless. Even the best imperial physicians cannot detect its poison if it is added to food. However, there is not much of this forbidden drug, and it has been lost for decades."

Tao Yanyan frowned: "Banned drugs?"

The Queen Mother sighed and said, "I heard the legend of this forbidden drug when I was young. When I first entered the palace to become the Crown Princess, my brother gave me two pills and said that if anyone dared to embarrass me in the future, these two pills would send them on their way."

Seeing the empress dowager talking about murder so calmly, Tao Yanyan was still a little afraid and couldn't help shivering.

"I asked my brother how many such pills we have at home. He said there are four in total, and they were bought with a large sum of money back then." After saying that, she winked at Eunuch Qin, who immediately went to get a small box and handed it to Queen Tao.

"I'll give the two pills I got to the Queen. You can keep them or destroy them if you want. It's your decision. As for the other two... If I'm not mistaken, the maid in Liufang Pavilion must have used one, and Concubine Shu still has one."

Tao Yanyan put the box away and bit her lip. "Your Majesty, you gave me the pills and told me so much. I'm not very knowledgeable. Please explain clearly, Your Majesty. What do you want me to do next?"

The Queen Mother rolled her eyes at Tao Yanyan and said, "As a queen, you should be ruthless when necessary. How can you, with your kindness, control those evil spirits?"

Tao Yanyan was speechless and said, "But... after all, she is your niece, the Queen Mother, and your Majesty's cousin. Even though I hate her and despise her actions, if I were to take action, I'm worried that you... would be angry."

The Queen Mother glanced at the orchid not far away and said calmly, "I am old, and it is inevitable that I feel compassion, but some people cannot be kept alive. Keeping them will only bring disaster. Queen, you are in charge of the six palaces. You should know that decisiveness is something that the queens of the first palace should be accustomed to. Go, this matter will only be known to you and me. There is no need to explain to the Emperor, so as not to affect his impression of you. Go, child, I will wait for your news."