roccoschili Chapter 274 The Queen Mother's Treachery
Chapter 274 The Queen Mother's Treachery
"If the Emperor continues to take this chronic poison, his body will gradually weaken, his spirit will become listless, and he will become confused and unable to handle state affairs. Then, under the pretext of caring for the Emperor, Empress Dowager Li will be able to take advantage of the situation, seize control of the government, and rule from behind the scenes, fulfilling her long-cherished ambition. Concubine Shu can use this opportunity to consolidate her position, or even... replace her!"
The more Cen Jiexiao spoke, the more she felt her speculation made sense, and a chill welled up in her heart. She seemed to see the scene after Empress Dowager Li's conspiracy succeeded: the emperor would be sick and weak, power would fall into the hands of others, treacherous ministers would be in power, and the people would suffer...
"What a vicious mind!" Xiaozhi took a breath of cold air and shuddered, as if he felt the cold chill in person, his heart filled with fear and anxiety.
Yu Lan's brows furrowed, her worry evident in her expression. "Dean, this situation is urgent. How should we respond? Should we report this to the Emperor immediately?"
Cen Jiexiao shook her head slightly, rejecting Yu Lan's suggestion. "Now is not the best time. We currently only have speculations, lacking solid evidence. If we rashly report this to the Emperor, not only will it alert Empress Dowager Li and Consort Shu, but we might even be threatened by them, putting us in an even more vulnerable position."
Xiaozhi paced back and forth anxiously, asking anxiously, "So what should we do now? We can't just sit there and wait for death!"
Cen Jiexiao pondered for a moment, then said with a firm gaze, "Yu Lan, you will continue to stay in the palace and closely monitor the actions of Empress Dowager Li and Consort Shu. Pay special attention to the whereabouts of the replaced medicinal herbs and make sure you find out their final destination."
She turned to Xiaozhi and said solemnly, "Xiaozhi, you are responsible for investigating the man who contacted Nanny Lan. Find out his identity and background, as well as his relationship with Empress Dowager Li and Consort Shu."
Cen Jiexiao paused and added, "Remember, you must be careful and cautious, and don't alert the enemy."
She took a deep breath and said firmly, "I will secretly collect evidence against Empress Dowager Li and Consort Shu, and look for proof of their crimes."
Yu Lan and Xiao Zhi responded in unison: "Yes, Dean."
After returning to her residence, Cen Jiexiao maintained her usual composure, but secretly began investigating Empress Dowager Li and Concubine Shu. She pored over numerous files and intelligence documents, hoping to uncover any clues. However, Empress Dowager Li and Concubine Shu were so secretive, she found no useful leads.
For the past few days, Sister Cen Xiao had been unable to sleep or eat. The files on her case piled up like a mountain, yet she couldn't find a breakthrough. The drizzle of rain outside the window only added to her annoyance. She rubbed her aching temples and sighed, "Is there really no way out?"
Just then, a rapid knock on the door broke the silence. "Dean, it's me!" It was Xiaozhi's voice, with a hint of unconcealed excitement. Cen Jiexiao quickly stood up and opened the door, only to see Xiaozhi panting, her face brimming with joy.
"Dean, I found the man who contacted Nanny Lan!" Xiaozhi said excitedly, with a hint of pride in his tone.
Cen Jiexiao was overjoyed. The haze that had troubled her for many days seemed to dissipate instantly. She hurriedly asked, "Who is it? Tell me quickly!"
Xiaozhi paused, as if organizing his words.
"His name is Zhao De. He is the distant cousin of Consort Shu. He currently works in the Ministry of Revenue, but he is just a small official."
"Zhao De? How could a small official in the Ministry of Revenue be involved in the affairs of Empress Dowager Li and Concubine Shu? There must be something fishy about this." Cen Jiexiao repeated the name in a low voice, frowning slightly.
Xiaozhi nodded and continued, "Dean, I've sent people to investigate carefully. Zhao De is addicted to gambling and has accumulated a large amount of gambling debts. His creditors come to his house every day to collect the debts, and it's almost driving him crazy."
"Oh? So he is short of money?" A gleam of light flashed in Cen Jiexiao's eyes.
"That's right! I suspect that he was bribed by Empress Dowager Li and Concubine Shu and was willing to work for them." Xiaozhi answered affirmatively.
Cen Jiexiao pondered for a moment, her fingers tapping lightly on the table as she slowly spoke, "A gambler would do anything for money. Empress Dowager Li and Consort Shu took advantage of his weakness and turned him into their pawn."
"Dean, you're right! I heard that Zhao De has suddenly become very generous recently. Not only did he pay off all his gambling debts, he also bought a lot of new clothes and jewelry. The source of this money must be complicated." Xiaozhi agreed.
Xiaozhi's report was like a ray of light, clearing up the clouds and making Cen Jiexiao's mind suddenly clear up: "So that's how it is!"
She couldn't help but sigh, with a hint of sudden realization in her tone.
"It seems that Empress Dowager Li and Concubine Shu have really put a lot of effort into achieving their goal. They have been planning every step carefully and have laid a tight net long ago and made all the necessary preparations." She paused, a cold light flashing in her eyes, as if a sharp sword was unsheathed, chilling her.
"I can't sit idly by and watch their conspiracies and tricks!" Cen Jiexiao secretly made up her mind to expose the conspiracy of Empress Dowager Li and Concubine Shu to the world, protect the safety of the emperor, and maintain the stability of the court.
At this moment, Yu Lan hurried into the room and reported to Cen Jiexiao with a slightly anxious look: "Dean, I found that the replaced medicinal herbs were not sent directly to the emperor's bedroom."
She paused, observing Cen Jiexiao's reaction, and continued, "Instead, he was first sent to a remote warehouse in the Imperial Hospital."
"The warehouse of the Imperial Hospital?" Sister Cen Xiao frowned slightly and repeated Yu Lan's words, feeling confused.
"Could it be that they want to..." A terrible thought flashed through her mind, making her shudder. She stood up suddenly and paced back and forth, thinking about the possibility.
"Could it be that they want to do something to the medicinal materials in the warehouse?" Cen Jiexiao murmured to herself. The more she thought about it, the more strange it seemed.
"Yu Lan, sneak into the warehouse immediately and make sure to find out the ingredients of those medicinal herbs! Remember to be careful and don't alert the enemy." Cen Jiexiao stopped, looked at Yu Lan firmly, and gave the order in a decisive tone.
"Yes, Dean!" Yu Lan took the order and left, her figure quickly disappearing into the night.
Cen Jiexiao was waiting anxiously in the room. As time passed, her heart became heavier and heavier.
The next day, Yu Lan returned with a tired body and face, bringing shocking news.
"Dean, I checked and found that those herbs were mixed with a chronic poison!" Yu Lan's voice trembled slightly, as if she couldn't believe what she had discovered.