Ming Dynasty: I am truly not the Emperor of Longevity

What you said does seem to make some sense.

After a moment of silence, a resolute look finally appeared on Granny Wei's face.

"Since we've come this far, I won't hide anything from you anymore."

That's right, Her Majesty the Empress ordered me to investigate your situation and see if you have any other tricks up your sleeve!

You went to the Imperial Stables under her name to ask for help, so if we pin a crime on you, even the Empress herself will find it difficult to clear herself of any involvement.

They definitely won't kill you openly.

If I report to the Empress that you haven't left any way to threaten her after your death, she will secretly order someone to take your life.

Now, of course I won't report to Her Majesty the Empress in this way.

However, to save your life, you'll need to come up with a genuine reason that will make the Empress hesitate to act.

I'm not doing this in collusion with you to betray the Empress; it's simply to protect myself.

"Granny Wei, I've already thought of a reason for you."

A smile appeared on Chen Furong's face.

"You might as well tell Her Majesty the Empress that the helpers who transferred the sixteen palace maids and Consort Wang's family outside the palace were all using her name from the very beginning."

Furthermore, I showed the tokens of passage bestowed by the Empress to their families.

If I die under mysterious circumstances, my helpers outside the palace will inform the Imperial Guards of the location of their family members!

The transfer of these people occurred before the regicide case. With so many witnesses, it's impossible for Her Majesty the Empress to absolve herself of responsibility!

Granny Wei, tell Her Majesty the Empress that I, Chen Furong, also value my life and do not wish to perish with her. I left these contingency plans only to protect myself.

As long as I'm alive and well, those people will never appear!

"Sixteen palace maids and Consort Wang's family members, that's nearly a hundred people in total!"

Granny Wei looked at Chen Furong, a hint of doubt in her eyes.

"It's not an easy task to relocate so many people. When you entered the palace, you told me about your family's situation. They were just an ordinary commoner family, not even considered wealthy."

When exactly did you meet your helpers outside the palace? How did you manage to secretly move so many people?

Or perhaps your background was fabricated from the very beginning?!

Forget it, it doesn't matter anymore now.

However, I don't believe that when you transferred Consort Wang Ning and those palace maids and their families, you dared to use the Empress's name, or even your own.

Although these people have been moved away in advance, no one can guarantee that they will not fall into the hands of the Imperial Guard in the future!

"You value your life so much, I don't believe you'd leave behind such a huge hidden danger!"

"These matters need not be of concern to Granny Wei."

Chen Furong chuckled lightly,

Whether it's true or false, it doesn't matter.

That's enough to make the Empress hesitate and not risk her life.

You're absolutely right. We're not trying to destroy the Empress; we're just trying to protect ourselves.

"As long as Her Majesty the Empress can protect me, all three of us will be safe."

"That's true. Sometimes, whether it's true or false isn't that important."

Granny Wei nodded.

"I will go back and report to Her Majesty the Empress that you had a backup plan and had your helpers outside the palace move the families of Consort Wang and the sixteen palace maids in advance."

They were still using the Empress's name and had presented the tokens bestowed by the Empress.

If you die, your helpers outside the palace will sell their entire families to the imperial guards.

Whether the Empress believes it or not, she wouldn't dare take the risk, so naturally she wouldn't touch you.

You're alive and well, so the Empress won't touch me.

To appease you, she must also fulfill her original promise.

I'll bring you the five hundred taels of silver tomorrow.

By the way, what are your plans for the future?

"Do you want to stay in the palace as a lady-in-waiting, or would you rather have the Empress arrange for you to leave the palace and stay away from the intrigues?"

Chen Furong turned her head to the side and looked into the distance, in the direction of the Marquis of Wuding's residence.

At that moment, Wang Ziyan's face came to mind.

I've been in the West Garden all day and have no idea what happened at the Marquis of Wuding's residence last night, nor do I have any way to find out.

Duan Chaoyong and his disciple Wang Ziyan were both at the Wuding Marquis's residence last night, but now there is no news of them.

Of course, no news is good news in itself!

The assassination attempt took place at the Marquis of Wuding's residence. The Left Protector himself oversaw the entire operation and would not personally take action. Even if the operation failed, there would be virtually no danger.

The six elders who directly participated in the operation were highly skilled in martial arts. Although the operation failed, escaping from the Marquis of Wuding's mansion should not be difficult.

The real danger lies with Duan Chaoyong and Wang Ziyan.

Ideally, of course, no one would know about their relationship with the assassins.

If that were the case, they should have returned to Xiyuan long ago, since the place where Duan Chaoyong refined elixirs for the emperor was Leitan, not far from Renshou Palace.

If the emperor had been assassinated, Duan Chaoyong would have had a reason to come to Renshou Palace. Since he didn't come, it couldn't be due to this situation.

In other words, they have been exposed!

Given their abilities, it would be almost impossible for them to escape from the Marquis of Wuding's residence; they would either be captured alive or already dead.

If the suspect is captured alive in a major case involving the assassination of the Prince Regent, he will surely be subjected to severe torture!

The imperial guards had plenty of methods for interrogating such high-ranking criminals!

Because of their close relationship, Wang Ziyan might still be able to cover it up for him, but Duan Chaoyong would definitely have confessed long ago.

So far, no one has come to arrest them, so they should not have been captured alive.

It can be basically concluded that both of them are dead!

With the situation so tense right now, the leader and the left protector probably won't send anyone to contact me for quite some time.

To protect yourself, you can only rely on yourself!

She had no idea where the palace maids and Consort Wang's family members had been placed.

They were just saying that to intimidate Granny Wei and Empress Fang.

Empress Fang might indeed be fooled by him and dare not secretly harm him.

But the fact that Empress Fang didn't harm him doesn't mean he's truly safe!

Those palace maids who murdered the emperor were all his subordinates, and according to the law, he should have been implicated and punished as a result.

He took Empress Fang's token to the Imperial Stables to summon someone, thus making a great contribution to saving the emperor. This act balanced out his crimes and cleared him of suspicion of being an accomplice, which was enough to exonerate him.

However, this is only based on the level of imperial laws.

Before the imperial power, she, the head palace maid, was nothing!

Once the emperor wakes up, he can punish him without any pretext, simply because he suspects him.

If you choose to leave the palace, you're doomed!

There were many suspicious points in what happened last night, and I have long been noticed by many people with ulterior motives.

With Empress Fang's protection in the palace, at least no one dared to openly harm him.

Once outside the palace, these people were much less restrained in their actions.

If I really want to protect myself, I can only stay in the palace, but my current status as the head palace maid is far from enough!

"Granny Wei, please convey my message to Her Majesty the Empress."

Chen Furong said in a calm tone,

"I don't want to leave the palace, and I don't want to be a palace maid anymore. I want to be a concubine!"