Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 108 Helping You Be Invincible (Part )
"You know, this princess's mansion was built by the Ministry of Works and is owned by the royal family. Before I moved in, the palace eunuchs explained the rules to me. They said that if the princess died without an heir, I would have to move out within a few months, and the mansion would be taken over by the Imperial Household Department... After I moved in, I couldn't even share a room with the princess. My daily residence was in the east wing, and I could only enter the bedroom when summoned. Relatives were not allowed to stay overnight in the mansion..."

Xie Zhao was obviously holding it in for too long, and after just a few words, he actually started to pour out his feelings.

As Hai Yue listened, she felt something was amiss: "The ownership of the princess's residence is one thing, but what etiquette stipulates that the princess and her husband can't live in the same room on a daily basis?"

Xie Zhao shook his head and said sadly, "I don't know, but that's how it's restricted. They say the princess wakes up easily at night and has a sleepwalking problem. They're afraid that sleeping with me would hurt her body, so they always force me to leave. It's extremely humiliating!"

Haiyue was not polite: "Is it because the princess doesn't like you?"

There are rumors in the market that this prince consort is bald at a young age, and Xie Zhao also wrapped his hair with a soft towel to cover it tightly. Is it because of this that there is a rift between the couple, causing them to live separately in the same house?
"No! Of course not! The princess is my wife. Isn't there a close bond between husband and wife?"

Xie Zhao became excited: "The princess tried to get close to me several times, but was always stopped by those hateful female eunuchs!"

Hai Yue asked, "If that's the case, why don't you go to the palace and file a complaint?"

Xie Zhao gritted his teeth and said, "Where do these servants come from? Would they be useful in the palace? The affairs of the royal family have always been taboo for all officials!"

This is true.

Ever since the Tang Dynasty was plagued by the rebellion of the imperial relatives, starting from the Song Dynasty, officials of the previous dynasty would keep an eye on the affairs of the harem and set rules. If anyone violated the etiquette, there would be a large number of memorials of impeachment immediately.

Specifically in the current dynasty, even the officials in charge of the grand ceremony would not side with the emperor in such matters.

Zhang Cong, Gui E, and Huo Tao were all standard Confucian scholar-officials. They agreed with Zhu Houcong's recognition of his biological parents because the circumstances of his succession were special and they should not refer to the old rules of the previous dynasty, but should put filial piety and human relations first.

But they would not blindly agree with Zhu Houcong. Once the royal family members and clan nobles did something against the rules, they would write letters to impeach them and implement the Confucian etiquette in their hearts.

This is also the reason why many servants in the princess's mansion dared to act arrogantly. Logically, if they directly complained, wouldn't those servants be executed by the furious emperor and empress dowager? But in reality, the emperor and empress dowager in the palace were kept in the dark, while officials outside the court heard about it, but believed that it was more important for the princess and her husband to behave themselves, so they turned a blind eye.

Hai Yue asked, "Is it true, as Captain Xie said, that the Duke's unconsciousness is also related to your current predicament?"

Xie Zhao was stunned when he heard this, and suddenly became alert: "How do you know so clearly?"

Hai Yue said, "Princess Li has been implicated, and that is why I came here."

"Your Excellency is quite courageous, but unfortunately, this is not something a student of the Imperial Academy like you can participate in... Wait a moment!"

Xie Zhao was startled, his tone rising suddenly: "But the Sea God Detective who was not afraid of the nobles' tyranny and exposed the scandal of Marquis Wu Ding in person?"

During the past month or so, Guo Xun's scandal spread everywhere, and even the leader of the Imperial College became famous. It may be an exaggeration to say that he was famous throughout the capital, but many people were very curious about what kind of person was able to make Guo Xun suffer such a big loss and yet he was still able to study safely in the Imperial College?

Xie Zhao had never expected that the person chatting with him outside the wall was actually this person. He immediately became excited: "Poseidon Detective, you must save the princess! She must have been unconscious this time because of the servants in the mansion!"

Hai Yue's tone was calm and soothing. "I came here naturally hoping that Her Highness the Princess is safe and sound. Do you have any basis for believing that the servants in the mansion harmed the Princess?"

Xie Zhao gritted his teeth and said, "Your Highness has long wanted to live with me, free from the constraints of the servants in the palace. That's why he sought out that magic troupe, hoping to stir up trouble in the palace on his birthday so he could air his grievances to the Empress Dowager and His Majesty. Who could have known this would happen? If it wasn't those evil servants, who else could it be?"

Hai Yue asked, "Your Excellency, what you are saying is that the princess and you originally agreed to make arrangements for the birthday celebration, but complications arose, leading to her current coma?"

"Yes!"

Xie Zhao's voice was already filled with sobs. "The evil servants in the palace have been blaming me and my wife harshly, leaving me and my wife with no way to express my suffering. They are most afraid that this matter will be exposed, so they dare to harm the princess!"

Haiyue did not comment on whether this motive was tenable, but instead traced the source of this motive: "Why are the servants in the mansion so harsh in their criticism? What is their intention?"

Xie Zhao was stunned: "They are just making things difficult!"

Haiyue asked directly: "Did they blackmail you for money?"

"No……"

"Using the name of the Princess's Mansion, you are bullying others?"

"Nothing..."

"What on earth is that for?"

Xie Zhao fell silent and said slowly, "Poseidon, there are some things I cannot say directly, but please believe me, these evil servants are truly despicable!"

"Oh?"

Hai Yue's eyes flashed, and just as she was about to change her approach, she saw a group of guards appear not far away and look over here: "The Prince Consort is over there!"

Xie Zhao turned around and saw something, his face pale. "Oh no! I have to go! These people are the Jinyiwei, and Detective Poseidon must not be seen by them!" Hai Yue nodded slightly and said no more: "Goodbye!"

Seeing the other person turn around and disappear around the corner with big strides, Xie Zhao breathed a sigh of relief. He turned around to meet the guards in the mansion and scolded them with a stern face, "What are you yelling for?"

The guard was not intimidated and poked his head in: "Captain Xie, were you talking to someone just now?"

"Just talking to myself... Let's go! Back to the East Courtyard!"

"Heh! Thank you, Captain, as long as you figure it out~"

Hearing the sound of conversation behind her, Haiyue stopped to listen for a moment and then walked away.

He did not completely believe what his son-in-law Xie Zhao said, but after the conversation just now, he had a much clearer understanding of the situation in the princess's mansion.

After walking half a circle around the mansion, we arrived at the garden.

The backyard of the princess's mansion was elegantly decorated, covered with crabapple blossoms all along the way. The pink and white petals fell on the bluestone slabs, like a thin layer of snow.

But at this moment, the servants were hiding in their own rooms and did not dare to come out. The people around the princess gathered in the main hall, so this place seemed empty.

As a result, Li Yuying, who was looking forward to it, stood out very much. When she saw Haiyue appear outside the wall, she ran over.

"You came!"

"coming!"

The two hadn't seen each other for several months since arriving in Beijing. They were naturally excited to see each other again, but they also knew now wasn't the right time to reminisce. After exchanging a brilliant smile, Haiyue immediately began to inquire: "Based on what you've seen and heard since entering the palace, what is the relationship between the prince consort and the princess like?"

Li Yuying recalled, "During the banquet last night, the princess did look at the prince consort frequently, but there was very little communication. On the other hand, the servants were indeed very disrespectful to the prince consort..."

Hai Yue seemed to be lost in thought, then asked, "When you entered the palace, did you meet Empress Dowager Jiang? What was she like?"

The previous letters seemed to be private communications, but Li Yuying had a special status and might have been read by others first, so they were full of praise. Empress Dowager Jiang was like the sun in Li Yuying's heart.

What Haiyue wants to hear now is the truth.

Li Yuying understood. Seeing Hong Qi standing obediently in the distance, not interrupting their conversation, she whispered, "On the surface, he appears to be a gentle elder, but in reality, he is ruthless. When I entered the palace, Empress Dowager Zhang wanted to send someone to take me away. There was a confrontation between the two sides, and the female official sent by Empress Dowager Zhang was punished. Since then, no one has been sent to Cishou Palace again..."

Hai Yue said, "The discord between the two Empress Dowagers is truly undisguised. This kind of conflict and friction cannot be confined to the harem; it will inevitably affect those outside the palace as well."

Li Yuying blinked and immediately realized, "Could it be that the servants in the princess's mansion are acting on Empress Dowager Zhang's orders to embarrass the princess and her husband?"

Hai Yue nodded slightly. "Although the status of a consort in our dynasty is not high, it is not so miserable. If what Consort Xie said just now is not a deliberate disguise, then this is most likely the reason. This method is insidious and difficult to guard against."

Empress Dowager Jiang had only one son and one daughter. Her son Zhu Houcong was now the emperor, and their relationship could no longer be considered that of an ordinary mother and son. In comparison, she naturally loved her youngest daughter, Princess Yongchun, more.

But there is more than one person in the harem now, there is also Empress Dowager Zhang.

She served as empress for nineteen years and empress dowager for sixteen years. During this period, Emperor Xiaozong had no other concubines, and she was the only one who held power in the harem. Such an experience was unprecedented in all dynasties.

Although Empress Dowager Zhang is now suppressed by Zhu Houcong and his mother, it is obviously impossible to say that she has no team at all. It is entirely possible to do it with some tricks.

'stupid!'

Haiyue has only one word to describe this behavior.

These methods used by Empress Dowager Zhang are considered low-level in the harem. They are purely harmful to others and not beneficial to herself. Haiyue sometimes finds it difficult to understand this kind of thinking. What are you trying to achieve?

But when you think about this empress dowager, who was favored by Emperor Xiaozong and avoided by Emperor Wuzong, and who acted domineeringly for most of her life, it is not difficult to imagine that such a person does not act out of rational thinking, but often does things out of a self-indulgent desire.

In this case, Haiyue's advice is: "Next, you will investigate the truth of the case in the princess's mansion. Remember, anyone who treats the princess harshly can directly turn against her without any restraint!"

Li Yuying was a little stunned: "Huh?"

Hai Yue smiled faintly: "Capturing the evil-minded maid Huixiang can, to a certain extent, help clear you of the suspicion of poisoning. And staying away from certain political forces is also a form of standing in line. When it is time to stand, you must stand in line. Once successful, it will help you become invincible!"

Li Yuying felt that after not seeing him for a few months, some changes had taken place in him. While he was more wise and decisive, he was still her only support. Her heart warmed and she nodded heavily: "Okay! I understand!"

(End of this chapter)