The Legend of Zhen Huan: Rebirth of An Lingrong: Counterattack to Become the Queen Mother

After discussing with everyone, Lingxi and Fuheng decided to continue following the clues of the shadow. They searched everywhere in the palace, leaving no corner unexplored.

That day, they arrived at a quiet forest behind the Imperial Garden. Fu Heng carefully surveyed his surroundings, while Lingxi jumped around, her eyes busy too.

Lingxi muttered, "What clues can there be in this place, you bastard? Are you looking in the wrong place?"

Fu Heng rolled his eyes at her and said, "Don't make trouble. Pay close attention."

Suddenly, Lingxi's feet felt empty, and she cried out in surprise, "Ah!" and fell into a cave hidden in the grass. Fu Heng was horrified and hurriedly shouted, "Lingxi, how are you?"

A voice from the cave echoed: "Damn you, I don't seem to be injured. Come down and take a look. There are a lot of things here!"

Fu Heng carefully slid down the edge of the cave. When he finally got a clear view of the cave, he was astonished. He saw a hundred boxes of gold neatly arranged inside, along with a variety of gold, silver, jewelry, and precious calligraphy and paintings. In the dim light, they shimmered with an alluring glow.

Lingxi ran around excitedly: "Wow, so many treasures, who hid them here?"

Fu Heng calmed down and began to carefully examine his surroundings: "Don't worry about these things for now, we have to look for any clues related to the jade pendant."

The two searched the cave for a long time and finally found a jade pendant with a special mark in a corner. The style of the jade pendant was very similar to the description of the palace maid who often stayed with them.

Lingxi picked up the jade pendant and said, "Look, stinky bastard, isn't this it?"

Fu Heng took the jade pendant and examined it carefully: "It's very likely. It seems we are one step closer to the truth."

They returned to the palace with the jade pendant and this important discovery and reported the matter to the Queen, Zhen Huan and An Lingrong.

The Queen was surprised and said, "There must be a huge conspiracy behind such a huge treasure. However, you have done a great service by finding the jade pendant."

Zhen Huan laughed and said, "Lingxi, your fall has led to a great discovery. Blessings and misfortunes are truly interdependent."

An Lingrong also nodded: "Yes, this jade pendant may be able to solve all the mysteries."

When the emperor learned of this, he was very pleased and immediately issued an edict to confer the title of princess on Lingxi, reward Fuheng with the title of first-class loyal and brave earl, and give each of them 5,000 taels of gold.

The Emperor said, "Lingxi is intelligent and brave, and Fuheng is loyal. This discovery is of great significance to the court and the harem, and they deserve a generous reward!"

Lingxi expressed her gratitude excitedly: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace. Long live the Emperor!"

Fu Heng also bowed respectfully: "I will continue to serve the emperor and live up to his grace."

However, this sudden wealth and glory also attracted jealousy and suspicion from some people. One concubine whispered behind her back, "Lingxi is just lucky. How could she be crowned a princess and receive so many rewards?"

Another person echoed, "Exactly. Who knows if she and Fu Heng knew about the treasure beforehand? Maybe there's some hidden secret."

These rumors gradually reached the Queen's ears, and she frowned, "I will never allow anyone to wantonly spread rumors and cause trouble in this harem. I must find out who is behind this gossip."

Zhen Huan said, "The Queen is absolutely right. We cannot allow these rumors to destroy the harmony of the harem, nor can we allow Lingxi and Fuheng to be wronged."

An Lingrong suggested, "We can secretly send someone to investigate, first find the person who spread the rumor, and then have him clarify it publicly to set the record straight."

Lingxi was so angry when she heard these rumors that her face turned red: "Stinky Egg and I worked so hard to find the clues, why do they say such nonsense!"

Fu Heng comforted her, "Lingxi, don't be angry. The innocent will be innocent, and we have a clear conscience. The Empress Dowager and the two Queen Mothers will handle this matter."

While tracking down the source of the rumor, Fu Heng took the jade pendant and continued his investigation. He discovered that the jade pendant seemed to be inextricably linked to a mysterious minister in the court. This minister usually lived in seclusion and rarely appeared in court, but he seemed to be secretly controlling certain forces.

Fu Heng informed everyone of this: "The owner of this jade pendant is most likely this minister. I suspect he wants to use the disputes in the harem to achieve his own political goals."

The Queen worriedly said, "If it's really the ministers in the court who are meddling in the affairs of the harem, then it will be troublesome. The relationship between the court and the harem will become even more complicated."

Zhen Huan pondered and said, "We have to find a way to expose his conspiracy without causing unrest in the court. After all, this involves too many parties."

An Lingrong's eyes lit up. "We can collect evidence of his guilt first, and then let the Emperor make the final decision. This is both safe and will convince him."

Everyone nodded in agreement, and a campaign to gather evidence, expose the conspiracy, and quell rumors quietly unfolded within the harem and at court. Amidst this turmoil, Lingxi and Fuheng enjoyed the conveniences of their glory while also facing unprecedented dangers and challenges. Whether they could successfully unravel the mysteries, restore peace to the harem, and avert turmoil at court remained uncertain. As conspiracy and truth collided, the story of the palace continued to unfold.