Harem Daily Life

Xianglan replied, "Chang Tai has privately investigated and found no useful witnesses or evidence. However, the path through the Plum Garden has been repaired a while ago and is very smooth. Even if it were slippery, the Queen Mother would not have fallen."

"That's right. There were people supporting the Queen Mother, so how could she fall like that? All her bones were broken."

Tao Yanyan frowned. "If it was truly an accident, why did the Queen Mother refuse to see Shu Siyi for so many times afterwards? What secrets do this aunt and niece have to hide?"

Xianglan saw her deep in thought and whispered, "Could it be that the Queen Mother doesn't want us to know? If we want to keep secrets in the palace and prevent Chang Tai from finding out, no one can hide them better than the Queen Mother."

Tao Yanyan bit her lip and said, "If that's what you said, then I won't investigate anymore?"

Xianglan was also at a loss. She was not as good as Mingyue in analyzing the pros and cons, nor as eloquent as Qingfeng. She was very conventional and could not come up with any good ideas.

"Then let's not investigate it yet. Tell Chang Tai to put it aside for now."

In Changchun Palace, Eunuch Qin brought a few plates of porridge and side dishes to the Queen Mother.

"Empress Dowager, get up and have some porridge." The imperial physician instructed her to eat a light diet, so the Empress Dowager had been eating bland food recently.

The Queen Mother took one look and said with disdain: "There is not even a bit of oil or water. I think you want to starve me to death."

Eunuch Qin twitched his lips. "Your bones are cracked. You should eat less tonic food recently. It's not too late to eat more after you recover quickly with the help of the imperial physician."

The Queen Mother snorted coldly, "It's all Shu Siyi's fault. She stole someone into the palace, couldn't stand the loneliness, and hugged a guard. She caused me to fall like this. She came into the palace to jinx me!"

Eunuch Qin quickly stopped her, saying, "Queen Dowager, please don't be so loud. The Empress has sent people to investigate."

The Queen Mother rolled her eyes at him. "What's the big deal about saying it in my own palace? Besides, after all this time investigating, what have her people found? Didn't they find nothing?"

Eunuch Qin chuckled and said, "I have already transferred the guard away. I have also warned Shu Siyi, so naturally they won't be able to find out anything. By the way, Chang Tai has stopped his actions and is no longer investigating."

The Queen Mother sighed, "This Queen is very vigilant. It's not that I don't want her to know, but it's too embarrassing. The Shu family has lost all face, so it's not good for her to know."

Eunuch Qin nodded and handed the porridge forward: "Then this porridge..."

The Queen Mother reluctantly took the bowl and gulped it down. "It's agreed that we'll eat for another three days. After three days, you must stew some meat, preferably big bones, to nourish me."

Eunuch Qin nodded in agreement, but in fact the imperial physician had said that this light diet would have to be continued for at least another seven days.

"Oh, Queen Mother, there's something I have to report." Eunuch Qin glanced at the Queen Mother and said, "Shu Siyi has been to Qingyun Palace four times in three days. I have a feeling she has ulterior motives. But don't worry, Queen Mother. The Second Prince's attendants have stopped her and prevented her from seeing the Second Prince."

The Queen Mother's expression was extremely grim. "She's truly rebellious. Given her seniority, how can she still have any shame? Humph, I've been thinking about the Shu family in every possible way, and yet she's doing nothing but destroying their reputation."

Eunuch Qin didn't dare to say anything more. He lowered his eyes silently, looking at his nose with his eyes and his heart with his nose.

"Find someone to keep an eye on her and don't let her bring harm to Jin'an. It will be bad for her reputation if it gets out." After the Queen Mother gave the order, Eunuch Qin quickly agreed.

Shu Yunyun had dressed up carefully to meet the Second Prince, but she didn't meet him even after going several times. She suspected that the Second Prince was avoiding her.

"Hmph, he was so easy to talk to before leaving the capital, how come he is a different person after coming back? No, it must be that the servants below are using chicken feathers as a token of authority and not letting me see him. As long as the Second Prince sees me, he will definitely speak to me gently. I can't give up, I have to continue to see him!" Shu Yunyun regrouped, took out the newly made clothes, sat in front of the mirror to dress up, and found an excuse to leave the clothing bureau.

He Jinan had been away from the capital for over a year and was currently reading when Xiao Quanzi came in, muttering, "That Shu Siyi is lingering outside the door again, trying to get in in various ways. The Empress has repeatedly warned us not to let her harm the Second Prince, but she never leaves, and the servants can't keep chasing her away. She's really annoying."

He Jinan raised his eyebrows: "Why does she want to see me? I have nothing to say to her."

Xiao Quanzi nodded frantically: "That's right, a prince, a female official, a nephew, and an aunt, what topics can they talk about!"

He Jinan stood up and stretched. "Instead of her coming over again and again, why don't I go out and make things clear? She can't think she can get close to me just because I said a few more words to her before leaving Beijing."

He took his men out and saw Shu Siyi holding some snacks in her hand and talking to the palace servants at the gate.

As soon as she saw He Jinan coming out, Shu Yunyun was overjoyed and hurried to greet him: "Greetings, Second Prince. I haven't seen you for a year or two. I hope you are well." After saying that, she put on a shy smile and looked at He Jinan happily.

He Jinan frowned. "What's the matter with Shu Siyi lingering in front of my palace gate? The clothes that your Shangyi Bureau wants to send should be given to the eunuch at the gate. What are you waiting here for?"

Shu Yunyun choked, looked at the palace maids around her, and said, "I...I haven't seen the Second Prince for a long time, so I wanted to come and see if he's doing well and if he's changed in the past year."

He Jinan sneered, "Don't worry about me, Shu Siyi. I'm fine. Since you've finished reading, please go back. You don't have to come here in the future."

Hearing He Jinan's distant tone, Shu Yunyun felt very uncomfortable. She bit her lip and said, "Second Prince, does he have to speak to me like this? Back in the Imperial Garden, the Second Prince was so gentle and kind."

He Jinan frowned even deeper. He had lost a lot of memories at that time, did not trust the people around him, and had a bad temper. On the contrary, he had no impression of the unfamiliar Shu Yunyun, so he spoke much kinder.

Could it be that this is how people misunderstood?

He Jinan said in a deep voice, "That was a different time. At that time, I was poisoned and my mind was affected. If I made you misunderstand, I apologize. From now on, please do not come to my Qingyun Palace again. I am a solitary prince, and you are a young female official. If people see us, they will gossip and damage our reputation."

He Jinan wanted to leave after he finished speaking, but how could Shu Yunyun let him leave so easily? She suddenly took a step forward, stumbled, and fell directly into He Jinan's arms.

"What are you doing?!" Tao Yanyan was so angry that she almost died. She had been pestered by He Linzhang for three days. Today she finally found some time to come and see He Jinan, but she saw the two of them hugging each other outside the palace gate!

He took a few steps forward and pulled Shu Yunyun away. Tao Yanyan stopped He Jinan behind him and said angrily, "Shu Siyi, you have behaved inappropriately several times. What exactly do you want to do?"

Shu Yunyun glanced at He Jinan behind her and said aggrievedly, "Just like what the Queen saw, I... couldn't help myself from falling in love with the Second Prince."

"you shut up!"

"you shut up!"

Tao Yanyan and He Jinan said in unison.

He Jinan was so aggrieved that his voice almost broke as he spoke: "Mother, she plotted against me!"