The Crazy Emperor's Pampered Cousin

Outside the Lanchi Palace, Consort An held Xie Jiaran's hand and stood outside the courtyard, watching the figures moving about inside the palace.

The palace servants were carefully examining the inside, their movements light and swift.

The entire palace is now undergoing such inspections.

Xie Yanzhao initially sent people to investigate Shen Tinghe's route and diet, but found nothing. So he expanded the investigation to this palace.

Xie Jiaran leaned closer to her mother: "Mother, has something serious happened? What's wrong with the Crown Princess that she's making such a fuss..."

Their palace was remote and poorly circulated, so they only vaguely heard that something had happened to the Crown Princess.

Seeing this scene before her, Xie Jiaran couldn't help but feel a hint of almost malicious anticipation rising in her heart.

Could it be that Shen Tinghe, who was once so favored, is... gone?

An Cairen gently patted the back of her daughter's hand without saying a word.

Her gaze fell on the figures moving inside the palace gate, her calm surface masking a multitude of thoughts swirling within her.

Her poor daughter doesn't even understand that people in this world are born different from one another.

The Crown Princess will not be in mortal danger; at most, she will experience minor symptoms such as nausea and abdominal pain.

Even so, it was enough to shock the Crown Prince so violently.

The scene before her was not much different from what she had expected, but seeing it with her own eyes still made her feel as if something had crushed her heart.

That girl from the Shen family truly has the destiny of a phoenix reincarnated, destined for wealth and honor. The slightest breeze or movement can stir up the nerves of the entire palace.

She raised her hand and gently stroked Xie Jiaran's slightly frizzy hair, feeling an overwhelming sense of pity and sorrow.

Even if her Ran'er were to disappear silently within the high walls of this palace one day, how many ripples would she cause? She would probably be like a stone sinking into the heart of a lake, disappearing without a trace after a while.

A hint of jealousy flashed across An Cai Ren's eyes.

If she doesn't fight, doesn't scheme and plot, and doesn't sharpen the claws beneath her docile exterior, she and her daughter probably wouldn't even be able to protect this remote little place they have.

The same situation was observed inside the Yuxiu Hall.

Consort Xian sat upright on the chair in the main hall, with Xie Jiayu standing beside her, his eyes filled with barely suppressed anxiety and dissatisfaction.

His gaze followed the palace servants as they searched through the items, and he finally couldn't help but lean in and whisper through gritted teeth in Consort Xian's ear.

"Why is Shen Tinghe searching our palace when she herself is unlucky and got into trouble? Could it be that I'm the one who ruined her..."

"Silence!" Consort Xian gripped her daughter's wrist tightly, her warning gaze sharp as needles.

Saying even one more word now could give others ammunition to criticize us.

Suddenly, a palace servant called out softly from the direction of the bed in the bedroom, "What is this?"

Everyone's attention was drawn to it.

Consort Xian's heart sank involuntarily.

Yuan Chi strode over and saw a palace servant pull out a black wooden box about the size of a palm from under the heavy, carved bed.

It has a simple and unadorned design, but is secured with a small brass lock.

Hidden so secretly, it is definitely not a lucky item.

Yuan Chi's eyes turned cold. Without saying a word, the sword at his waist flashed with a cold light, and with a soft "clang," the copper lock snapped.

The moment the box lid was opened, Yuan Chi's pupils contracted.

He closed the box; if this item were presented to His Highness…

Consort Xian and Xie Jiayu only saw Yuan Chi's back stiffen, though they didn't know exactly what it was.

Consort Xian forced herself to remain calm and rose urgently, saying, "Guard Yuan Chi, what is this? How could such an unknown object be in our palace? There must be some misunderstanding!"

Xie Jiayu panicked and shook her head repeatedly, "Mother, that's not mine! I've never put anything under the bed!"

Yuan Chi turned around, bowed to Consort Xian with proper etiquette but without any warmth.

"Your Highness, we are merely acting under orders; everything must be decided by His Highness the Crown Prince."

Having said that, he didn't linger any longer, gripping the wooden box, and strode out.

Consort Xian's face turned deathly pale, and she slumped back into her chair. Xie Jiayu frantically clutched her sleeve: "Mother, what was that? We...we won't..."

Consort Xian closed her eyes. Having navigated the treacherous waters of the palace for many years, she was no naive person.

It's clear that someone is trying to shift this terrible disaster onto them, mother and daughter!

Inside the Cuiyao Palace, the curtains hung low.

After struggling for half a day, Shen Tinghe finally managed to eat a few mouthfuls of the light bird's nest porridge under Xie Yanzhao's gentle coaxing and persuasion.

She was curled up in his arms, fast asleep, her breathing shallow.

Xie Yanzhao remained motionless, his gaze lingering on her cheek.

Yuan Chi's voice came from outside the door: "Your Highness, I have important matters to report."

Xie Yanzhao slowly withdrew his arm, then bent down and kissed her forehead before standing up.

After tucking her in, he turned and walked out of the inner room. All the tenderness on his face had vanished, leaving only a cold, deep pool.

Outside, Yuan Chi handed over the black wooden box with both hands.

Xie Yanzhao took it, and upon seeing what was inside, his face darkened and became extremely gloomy.

Inside the box was a dark red silk cloth, on which lay a small figure roughly sewn from plain silk, with the three characters "Shen Tinghe" and his birth date written in cinnabar on his chest.

Several slender silver needles were driven into the heart, abdomen and back of the villain.

Sorcery and witchcraft!

It is the most insidious taboo in the palace, the one most hated by emperors, and one that means certain death if touched.

Xie Yanzhao stared at the cursed doll, his eyes no longer surging with anger, but with a black storm that was almost tangible and capable of destroying everything.

"Who?"

Yuan Chi: "Your Highness, it was found under Princess Rou'an's bed in Yuxiu Palace."

Xie Yanzhao's eyes remained cold, but a deep hint of mockery flashed across them.

The fact that this matter points so directly to Xie Jiayu is rather suspicious.

Given the usual courage and cunning of Consort Xian and her daughter, they might not have dared to do something so treasonous and easily exposed.

More likely, someone is using their place to carry out this treacherous scheme of killing two birds with one stone.

Just then, an announcement came from outside the palace: Consort Xian, accompanied by Princess Rou'an, requested an audience.

"Let them in." Xie Yanzhao's voice was unreadable.

Consort Xian and Xie Jiayu stepped into the palace.

Xie Jiayu bowed respectfully, his voice trembling slightly: "Greetings, Your Majesty."

She lowered her head, not daring to look directly at him.

This crown prince, her elder brother, had always been a distant and fearsome figure to her.

That awe-inspiring presence, which could captivate hearts without needing to speak, always filled her with trepidation.

She couldn't even imagine how Shen Tinghe could be so at ease by his side.

Consort Xian forced herself to remain calm and stepped forward: "Your Highness, the items taken from Yuxiu Palace just now are definitely not ours. There must be something among them..."

Her words stopped abruptly.

Because Xie Yanzhao slowly took out the plain silk doll from the box.

Although he had already removed the slip of paper with the child's name and birth date written on it, the child's rough appearance and the several conspicuous silver needles were enough to explain everything.

This is a curse that everyone in the palace fears.

Xie Jiayu's face drained of color, her knees buckled, and she collapsed to her knees.

Consort Xian also felt a sudden darkness before her eyes, and her body swayed.

"Brother! It wasn't me! It really wasn't me!"

Xie Jiayu knelt on the ground, her pale face tilted up.

"Even if I had a hundred lives, I wouldn't dare to commit such a treasonous act, Your Majesty!"