The Second World in Ancient Times

After successfully rescuing Concubine Zhen last time, I knew that the struggle with the Empress wasn't over yet. If I didn't thoroughly expose her evil deeds, there would be more trouble in the future. So, I decided to take the initiative and thoroughly investigate the Empress's secret collusion with foreign ministers.

In modern society, I've been involved in numerous business investigations and competitive analysis cases, and I'm well aware of the importance of information gathering and logical reasoning. Now, in the palace, this experience has become a powerful tool in my quest to uncover the Empress's schemes. I secretly summoned my trusted confidant from outside the palace, a clever woman who had previously worked as an intelligence gatherer in modern society. She arrived quietly, bowed respectfully, and said, "Your Majesty, I've been secretly observing your instructions. Recently, I've noticed that the Empress's maid has been meeting with a court official's staff outside the palace walls, delivering letters and packages. Each time she leaves the palace, the maid appears extremely flustered, glancing left and right like a frightened hare. Her ordinary attire doesn't conceal her cautious demeanor, her steps hurried yet deliberately slow, fearing to attract attention. Meanwhile, the staff waits in hidden corners, cloaked in the shadows, revealing only a pair of cunning eyes. Once the handover is complete, they vanish into the streets, like a ghost."

I frowned slightly. With modern anti-reconnaissance awareness, I knew they were being so cautious; they must be planning something extremely secretive and important. I asked, "Can you clearly see the contents of the letter and package?"

She shook her head. "Your Majesty, they are extremely cautious, and every handover is done quickly and secretly. However, I've noticed that the minister's recent decisions on court affairs seem to have significantly benefited the Empress's family's business. There's definitely something fishy going on. According to my inquiries, the court had previously planned to renovate several palaces, and this minister was in charge of this project. The Empress's family's timber business stood out among many bidders, offering timber at a price far exceeding other vendors, yet the quality wasn't top-notch. Yet, they ultimately secured this significant contract. This clearly defies common sense, and there must be some ulterior motive. Take the timber, for example. It's clearly rough-grained and loose, yet they touted it as a rare, premium material. During the inspection, they even bribed some of the inspectors, causing them to turn a blind eye and sloppily handle the matter. This reminds me of the unfair competition tactics used in modern business, where projects are secured through bribery and false advertising. The Empress's collusion with foreign ministers is undoubtedly a palace version of this."

I pondered for a moment, remembering modern investigative methods, and said, "Keep watching. Also, try to find a way to get close to the maid or the staff and see if you can steal a letter. Even just one letter might be crucial evidence. Learn from modern surveillance and intelligence-stealing techniques. Make sure nothing goes wrong."

My trusted aides left, but I was busy in the palace, frequently discussing countermeasures with my allies. Concubine Li said with some concern, "Concubine Yu, the Queen has enormous influence. What if she discovers our actions?"

I calmly replied, "Don't worry, sister. We're no longer as defenseless as we were back then. As long as we act cautiously and plan thoroughly, we'll succeed. Just like in modern business competition, before attacking an opponent, we must conduct sufficient market research and strategic planning. Every step we take now is like constructing a sophisticated business plan, considering all possible risks and countermeasures from every angle."

A few days later, the confidant hurried over, a look of joy on her face. "Your Majesty, I have successfully stolen a letter. The maid was on her way to deliver a message to the Queen when she passed by a bush and was distracted by the noise I made. I took the opportunity to disguise myself as a young eunuch, pretending to help her pick up her dropped handkerchief, and stole the letter while she was not paying attention."

I hurriedly took it, unfolded it, and was overjoyed. The letter detailed the empress's collusion with the foreign minister, who had manipulated palace procurement. For example, during the preparations for the previous palace banquet, the empress conspired with the minister to deliberately inflate the prices of silk, porcelain, and other items. They falsely reported silk that should have cost only five thousand taels of silver as ten thousand, and secretly divided the extra five thousand taels among them. Although the silk was sourced from a renowned silk merchant in Jiangnan, it was actually inferior, with ordinary silk mixed in to pass off as superior. As for the porcelain, exquisite wares supposedly fired in the imperial kilns were replaced with imitations from private kilns, with only minor cosmetic modifications intended to pass them off as genuine. This echoes the commercial fraud of modern society, where counterfeiting and price gouging are employed to profit from exorbitant profits.

The letter also outlined plans to suppress dissidents at court and further benefit the empress's family. They planned to falsely accuse an upright minister of corruption and bribery, ousting him from the court and allowing members of the empress's family to further seize power. They meticulously orchestrated the scheme, fabricating evidence and bribing witnesses to fabricate a trumped-up charge against the minister. First, they secretly instructed their subordinates to "seize" the allegedly illicit funds in the minister's residence. Then, they coerced a minor official with a history of nepotism into testifying, claiming to have witnessed the minister accepting bribes. This resonated with me as the process of wrongful convictions in modern judicial cases, where false evidence and manipulation of witnesses are often employed to achieve ulterior motives.

I immediately gathered my allies to discuss the matter. "Sisters, now that we have the evidence, we need to discuss how to present it to the King so that the Queen cannot refute it."

After a moment's thought, Concubine Hui said, "Concubine Yu, the king has been troubled by border issues lately. We can present this letter to him when he has finished handling state affairs and is feeling a bit calmer. We must also relate the contents of this letter to the current situation at court, so that he understands that the queen's actions are not just a matter of the harem, but also a matter of the stability of the court."

I nodded in approval. "Sister Huifei is absolutely right. Just like in the modern workplace, when reporting to a leader, we must choose the right time and the right approach to gain their attention. We must present this evidence to the King in a clear and organized manner, just like we would a business project report, highlighting the key points. This way, he can immediately see the seriousness and harm of the Queen's conspiracy."

That day, I learned that the king's mood seemed to have improved slightly after he had summoned his ministers to the imperial study to discuss border affairs. I straightened my clothes, took the letter, and slowly walked towards the imperial study.

Arriving outside the imperial study, after the eunuch announced, I walked into the study and knelt in greeting: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you."

The king raised his head, saw me, and nodded slightly: "Concubine Yu, what brings you here at this time?"

I respectfully presented the letter: "Your Majesty, I recently came across a letter that is of great importance. I dare not conceal it, so I am presenting it to Your Majesty."

The king took the letter and began to read. At first, his expression was relatively calm, but as he read more, his face gradually became gloomy. Finally, he slammed the table in anger and said, "How unreasonable!"

Seeing this, I whispered, "Your Majesty, the Queen's actions not only disrupt the peace of the harem, but also form cliques within the court for personal gain, undermining state order. They arbitrarily inflate prices for palace purchases, enriching themselves, resulting in an unnecessary increase in palace expenses and impacting the national finances. The inflated silk and porcelain costs could have been used to supply military fodder or build water conservancy projects, but now they are appropriated for their own benefit. Furthermore, they are attempting to exclude dissidents from the court and support the Queen's family. If this continues, the court will inevitably fall into chaos, endangering the foundation of the nation. This is like the corruption and power struggles within a modern company. If they are not curbed, the entire enterprise will decline. If they are not severely punished, I am afraid that they will find it difficult to gain public support in the future."

The king stood up and paced back and forth in the study: "I have always trusted the queen, but I never thought she would do such a thing."

Afterwards, the king summoned all his ministers to the magnificent court. The atmosphere was so solemn that it seemed as if water could drip from it. The ministers stood on either side, heads bowed and hands lowered, not daring to speak. The king sat high on the dragon throne, his face gloomy and terrifying. He threw the letter to the steps and shouted angrily, "Empress Xuan!"

Soon, the queen was brought to the court. She was still clad in her magnificent phoenix robe and resplendent phoenix crown, but her usual pride was now tinged with a hint of panic. Upon entering the court, she plopped down on her knees, feigning composure and saying, "Your Majesty, I do not know what has caused such wrath. Someone must have deliberately framed me."

The king snorted coldly, "Queen, you still dare to quibble! This letter contains irrefutable evidence that you colluded with foreign ministers, falsified palace purchases, inflated prices, and enriched yourself. You also attempted to frame loyal officials in the court to gain power for your family. How do you explain this?"

Beads of sweat formed on the Queen's forehead, her eyes flickering, yet she remained steadfast, saying, "Your Majesty, this letter must be a forgery. I have devoted my life to Your Majesty and the harem, how could I possibly commit such a heinous act? There must be a treacherous person intent on destroying the bond between Your Majesty and me, and disturbing the peace of the harem and the court."

I stood up, bowed to the king, and said, "Your Majesty, I vouch for the authenticity of this letter. I know the gravity of this matter, and I dare not disturb Your Majesty with a single forged letter. Your Majesty, please send for a thorough investigation of the palace purchases, as well as the business dealings between the ministers mentioned in the letter and the Queen's family. The truth will surely be revealed."

The king nodded and immediately ordered a thorough investigation. Soon, the results were presented one by one, and they were exactly as described in the letter. The evidence was overwhelming, and the queen turned pale as paper and collapsed to the ground.

The king was furious. "Queen, your crime is unforgivable. Considering our long-standing marriage, I will not depose you. However, I will sentence you to be confined to your own palace for three months to reflect on your mistakes. All the foreign ministers who colluded with you and their followers will be imprisoned and await their fate."

Upon hearing this, the Queen wept in despair, but she was powerless to change the situation. The ministers knelt and cried out, "Your Majesty is wise!" The court turmoil finally came to a temporary end with the Queen's punishment. My exposure of this matter further solidified my position within the palace. However, I knew in my heart that the vortex of this palace struggle would never cease to swirl.