Report to the Empress and the Eldest Princess: They're using the system to poach your men.

"Your Majesty, I have found a man who fits the description of the Princess."

"Bring the people up."

Cen Qingyu hesitated for a moment, "When the person was found, he was already dead. When I arrived, I happened to find Lord Yuan from the Military Command there."

Today, the palace is guarded by the Military Commanders outside the palace gates and the Imperial Guards inside the palace.

As the commander of the military affairs department, Yuan Qi was qualified to attend today's palace banquet, so his presence in the palace was not surprising. However, the fact that someone died beside him was still somewhat suspicious.

"Summon Yuan Qi to the palace to report."

"Return to your majesty, Master Yuan -"

"Ok?"

“On the way to Xuyang Palace, he was suspected of being poisoned and died shortly afterward.”

As soon as Cen Qingyu said this, the court officials all looked at Cen Zhouyuan, and even their gazes toward Cen Qingyu became somewhat strange.

Anyone with a discerning eye can tell there's something fishy going on.

Yuan Qi has always been close to Cen Zhouyuan, and the two have a very close relationship.

It's not impossible that he instructed Yuan Qi to set fire to the place and then assassinate the princess.

After the matter was exposed, Cen Zhouyuan ordered his son, who was the commander of the Imperial Guard, to silence him, which was quite reasonable.

This was the first thought that popped into Shen Sangwan's mind, but upon closer examination, Cen Qingyu was not the kind of person who would do something against her principles for her father, yet she couldn't seem to find any flaws in it.

Then, Shuyun, who was kneeling, was holding something in her hand. Shen Sangwan asked her to hand it over.

"This was found on the assassin's body after a thorough search of the warm pavilion on His Highness's orders."

Shuyun presented a wooden token, which had been burned to half its original size, with both hands.

Although the token had been burned and the remaining half was blackened by smoke, the words "Bingma" (兵马) of Bingma Si (兵马司) could still be faintly seen.

After examining it carefully, Shen Yuchen handed it to Shen Sangwan.

After taking it, he examined it repeatedly in his hand, becoming increasingly certain that someone was trying to frame Cen Zhouyuan.

This move could not only eliminate the commander of the military command, but also smear Cen Zhouyuan. If it could be used as an opportunity to bring him down, that would be even better.

If confirmed, then assassinating the reigning princess is no small crime.

"Your Majesty...Your Majesty, the captain of the Imperial Guards reports...that they discovered Consort Cen with...with..."

A eunuch, trembling, lay prostrate on the ground, trying to utter a coherent explanation for a long time without coming up with anything.

Enraged, Shen Yucheng shouted, "What are you talking about? Why are you so hesitant?"

"Your Majesty, Consort Cen and the eldest son of the Song family had some kind of argument in the back garden. They were pulling and tugging at each other..."

Cen Zhouyuan finally lost his temper and angrily said, "What nonsense are you spouting?"

When Cen Luoyan went to watch the fireworks, she left the Golden Palace halfway through, citing feeling unwell. She should be in her own palace now, so why is she in the back garden?

"This servant...this servant wouldn't dare. It was the Imperial Guard captain who discovered it during the inspection..."

Tonight's palace banquet is truly lively.

Someone wants to beat Cen Zhouyuan to death and completely bring down the Cen family.

Shen Sangwan took a breath, trying to look a little more energetic. "Where are they now?"

"Young Master Song has been detained by the Imperial Guards and is waiting outside the palace with Consort Cen."

"Let them in."

“Yes…yes.”

The eunuch hurriedly got up and went out of the hall. A moment later, the imperial guards forced Song Qingwan into the hall, followed by Cen Luoyan. Her clothes had many wrinkles, which showed signs of being pulled or tugged.

"See Your Majesty."

"What's going on?"

Shen Yuchen felt like his head was several sizes too big, with a whole bunch of troubling things on his mind.

"Your Majesty, just now when I was leading my subordinates to investigate, we heard the sound of a man and woman arguing behind the rockery in the back garden. We went to check and found that the Imperial Concubine and Young Master Song were entangled together. I felt that this was a serious matter, so I brought them here."

"Does the Imperial Concubine have anything to say?"

Cen Luoyan's expression was calm, her tone indifferent, and her eyes were fixed on Song Qingwan in front of her, as if she were looking at a stranger.

"Your Majesty, Young Master Song stopped me while drunk and overstepped his bounds several times, uttering incoherent nonsense. I am weak and frail, and if the Imperial Guards had not arrived, Young Master Song would probably have continued to pester me."

"Ayan, you were the one who sent me a message, inviting me to meet you. Now... now how could you..."

"How dare you! Who do you think you are, trying to frame the Imperial Concubine? The Imperial Concubine is deep within the inner palace; why would she send someone to deliver a gift from a stranger to you? What are your true intentions?"

Cen Zhouyuan angrily stepped forward and kicked Song Qingwan, glaring at the ground with gritted teeth.

"Prime Minister Cen, why are you in such a hurry? I remember that before the Imperial Concubine entered the palace, she and Young Master Song had known each other for several years, and it was rumored that they had even reached the point of marriage. Now that she has entered the palace, if the two of them secretly continue their relationship..."

"Qi Su, this is slander and defamation, Your Majesty. Your humble servant has never had any marriage proposal with the Song family, and the Imperial Concubine is not very familiar with the eldest son of the Song family."

"Does Young Master Song intend to smear me with mere words?"

Cen Luoyan truly regretted her blindness; how could she have fallen for such a shameless person?

When she saw the other person pull out a silk handkerchief, her face instantly turned pale, and she roared, "Song Qingwan, you shameless—!"

"Your Majesty, this is a letter sent by the Imperial Concubine."

Seeing his daughter lose control of her emotions, Cen Zhouyuan knew something was wrong.

He wanted to step forward and destroy the handkerchief, but Qi Su stopped him, "Prime Minister Cen, are you in such a hurry that you want to destroy the evidence?"

Fu'an took the item and handed it over. Shen Yuchen only glanced at it briefly, as if he didn't care even if his concubine cheated on him. The important thing was to find out who had assassinated his sister.

"What explanation does the Imperial Concubine have for this letter?"

Cen Luoyan just scoffed and slumped to the ground, not responding to Shen Yuchen's words.

"I noticed that the edges of this handkerchief are slightly faded, and the ink on the writing is also quite old. Young Master Song, are you sure this was sent to you by the Imperial Concubine today?"

Ever since she overheard Cen Luoyan and Song Qingwan gossiping behind the artificial hill while drunk, she specifically asked Shuyun to investigate the two's past.

After learning the details, I wish I could tear that bastard to pieces. What he did was worse than that of a pig or a dog.

"Your Highness, it is...it is today..."

"You're lying, Young Master Song!"

"I...I didn't..."

Two days ago, a man in black entered the mansion looking for him, asking him to take advantage of the Empress's birthday banquet to lure Cen Luoyan to the back garden.

That way, His Majesty could grant him and Cen Luoyan their wish.

He believed it to be true, thinking that as long as he insisted that the letter was from the other party, he could succeed.

But now it feels like something's not quite right.

“Song Qingwan harassed the Imperial Concubine while drunk, and then tried to shirk responsibility. He is truly despicable. He shall be given one hundred strokes of the cane and exiled to Quzhou.”