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

Shuyi came in with quick steps from outside and whispered in Shen Sangwan's ear, "Your Highness, Consort Yu has committed suicide by poisoning herself."

On the day of her investiture as a concubine, the concubine's personal maid attempted to assassinate the Empress Dowager, and the daughter of the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review committed suicide. If this were to spread, it would surely invite controversy.

Regardless of the maid's crime of treason, before the matter is fully investigated, if word gets out that the Empress Dowager forced the Yu family's daughter to her death, it would be enough to give the young emperor a hard time.

Even if the Yu family harbored rebellious intentions, the Ministry of Justice should investigate the relationship between them and the maid before arresting and convicting them.

"You stay here and take good care of the Empress, and don't let outside affairs disturb her."

"This servant will obey Your Highness's instructions."

When Shen Sangwan came out, the Empress Dowager was ordering people to carry away Yu Qinxue's body.

"and many more!"

"Imperial Physician Li, did Consort Yu really commit suicide by poison?"

Shen Sangwan could accept suicide by hitting her head against a pillar, slitting her throat, or even biting her tongue, but she was very suspicious of suicide by poison.

How could a woman who entered the palace as a concubine carry poison with her?

"Your Highness, after extensive investigation, I have confirmed that he committed suicide by poisoning himself."

"Xiaotong, take a look."

[He did indeed ingest poison, but it was a drug to feign death; he is truly dead.]

A drug to fake death? Then why did he actually die?

I suspect it might be some kind of curse, but I'm not sure, and the system can't detect it either.

Yeah! The old man in the main system took away his permissions, and there's nothing he can do about it.

My lord, may you have good fortune.

The Northern Witches are skilled in witchcraft; have spies become this rampant now?

Although the people of Nanjing had carefully studied the Gu poison techniques of the Northern Witches, they were not proficient in any of them. Xiao Tong could not find out the cause, nor could Physician Li. They could only conclude that Xiao Tong had to take poison.

Shen Sangwan waved her hand, and the palace maids understood and carried the body away.

The other concubines had already been dismissed by the Empress Dowager and sent back to their respective palaces when Shen Sangwan went in to see the Empress.

Now, only the Empress Dowager and Shen Sangwan are in the main hall.

"Mother, the death of the Yu family's daughter is suspicious. I suspect that today's events are a conspiracy against A-Chen."

The Empress Dowager's headache flared up again, and Granny Gu gently massaged her.

"I see that Consort Yu is determined to die, which is quite puzzling to me. Her father, Yu Anhua, holds the position of Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. Unless he has ulterior motives, he would not allow his daughter to do something so self-destructive."

Shen Sangwan couldn't understand why Yu Qinxue would fake her death. Could it be that she didn't want to be a concubine and wanted to escape through this?

Could it be that the fake death drug was prepared in advance, just waiting for the right moment to take it and then stage a substitution?

Who will take care of the rest?

"Mother, something terrible has happened—!"

Shen Sangwan got up and went outside, thinking to herself that she shouldn't have taken the body away. "Where was Consort Yu taken?"

The palace maid waiting outside bowed her head and said, "Your Highness, the body has been taken to the Taiji Hall. We are just waiting to inform the Yu family to come to the palace, send Consort Zhao off on her final journey, and then bury her in the Consort Garden."

Ignoring what the palace maid said behind her, Shen Sangwan strode towards the Taiji Hall.

But they arrived too late; the body was already gone.

Who is it?!

Shen Sangwan was extremely agitated and clenched her fist, slamming it hard against the vermilion door beside her.

"I ask you, where is Consort Yu's body?"

"Your Highness, this servant...this servant did not know."

The Taiji Hall is located in the most remote corner of the imperial city, and almost no one sets foot there.

There was only one eunuch, who must have offended his leader to be sent here to work.

He lay prostrate on the ground, his voice trembling.

"After the body was brought in, was there any other movement?"

"Your Highness, this servant has been guarding outside the palace and has not heard any sounds coming from inside."

Shen Sangwan turned back, her mind heavy with worries, the atmosphere around her extremely tense.

As they were about to turn the corner, the voices of palace maids could be heard coming from a distant alley.

Suspicion arose in his heart, so he took small, slow steps and quietly approached.

"Did you know that Consort Yu was forced to her death by the Empress Dowager?"

"Really? How did you know?"

“I have a close friend who works at Chonghua Palace, and she told me this herself.”

"If Consort Yu's personal maidservant were to assassinate the Empress Dowager, anyone would suspect the Yu family. But why is the Empress Dowager in such a hurry to force Consort Yu to her death? Could there be some hidden reason?"

"Who knows? Maybe the Yu family offended the Empress Dowager, and she's using this as an excuse to punish them."

"Let me tell you, I even suspect that the assassination might have been orchestrated by the Empress Dowager herself."

"You're getting more and more absurd. Putting aside the fact that the maid was saved by Consort Yu, if it was arranged by the Empress Dowager, did she already plant a pawn two years ago?"

"Oh dear, I was just rambling on with you, sister. It's just something we were talking about in private. Please don't tell anyone, sister. If His Majesty and the Empress Dowager find out, I'll lose my head."

"You really won't have the chance to see tomorrow's sun."

Shen Sangwan emerged from the shadows, startling two palace maids dressed in light blue dresses, who dropped the clothes and basins they were carrying.

"Your Highness, spare me! Your Highness, spare me!"

"Which palace do you two belong to?"

"Your Highness, we servants work at the Phoenix Palace."

In Wen Yue Ning Palace?

How could there be such gossipy palace servants who secretly discuss the affairs of the royal family?

"Who was the palace maid who delivered your message? What was her name? What was her job at Chonghua Palace?"

"Your Highness, it is Zhiwu, a second-class palace maid."

The two kneeling on the ground felt that their days were numbered.

"Shuyun, send these two to the confiscation department."

Shuyun, who had been following from the shadows, suddenly jumped out from nowhere.

They grabbed the two by the back of their collars and dragged them away.

"Your Highness, spare me! Your Highness, spare me! This servant knows her mistake and begs Your Highness to spare me!"

The sound gradually faded away, and Shuyun, annoyed by the noise, knocked the person unconscious.

Upon returning to Chonghua Palace, Shen Sangwan immediately sent someone to summon Zhiwu's maid, only to be told that Zhiwu had already drowned herself in a well.

"Xiaotong, what exactly is the main system trying to do?"

What a mess this is!

[Master, um...did you forget that the main system selected Hell Mode for you?]

Xiao Tong spoke up weakly, afraid that disbelief would anger the other party and cause them to make fun of him again.

You think this is a game?

As soon as Shen Sangwan roared out, she felt that it was indeed a bit like playing a game, except that she was not the one in control, but was being controlled by an invisible hand.

"Your Majesty, were there any other people present when Consort Yu committed suicide?"

The Empress Dowager shook her head.

For the first time, Shen Yuchen experienced the practicality of being busy with government affairs as an emperor due to his involvement in disaster relief efforts.

He arrived late after taking care of everything.

"Mother, I heard that a maid from the Yu family attempted to assassinate you. Are you alright?"

Looking at the belated arrival of the young emperor, Shen Sangwan felt a mix of emotions.

"I am fine. It was the Empress who took the blow in a moment of panic. Go in and see her."

"Your subject will go immediately."

"Mother, the person behind this is trying to set a trap to depose you. I'm afraid today's matter cannot be resolved peacefully."

After much thought, this was the only explanation Shen Sangwan could come up with.

The Empress Dowager forced the concubines to their deaths before the truth was clear, and then destroyed the bodies to cover up the crime, which shows her folly.

The person who orchestrated this must have a backup plan; today's events are not enough to make the emperor depose his own mother.

What's the next move?

What was the purpose of deposing the Empress Dowager?

To sow discord between the mother and son?

However, the Empress Dowager had no maternal family and no power, so she did not help the young emperor.

It seems there's no benefit in sowing discord between the two, so why bother with this unnecessary fuss?

Shen Sangwan felt that she had never put so much thought into her college entrance exam.

I'm really stressed now.