Transmigrating into a book, seducing him to rise to power

Yude Hall.

"Your Highness, the results of Aokiji's interrogation are in."

Anshun entered the hall, his face showing signs of exhaustion.

These past few days, he's been incredibly busy finding evidence and interrogating people.

"Speak."

Jun Zechen sat at the desk, holding a scroll of documents in his hand. He didn't raise his head, and his voice was calm but authoritative.

"This servant used some methods to interrogate Qingzhi, and Qingzhi confessed to the Crown Princess."

Anshun lowered his head and said softly.

Jun Zechen did not react otherwise, which matched his guess.

An Shun continued, "However, the token that Qingzhi used to accuse the Crown Princess did not belong to the Crown Princess."

According to Aokiji, she worked for the Crown Princess and received silver notes from her, but in order to protect herself, she asked the Crown Princess for a gold hairpin as a token.

Anshun swallowed hard and continued.

"Silver notes cannot be used as evidence to identify the Crown Princess, so this servant could only start with the hairpin. After searching through the Eastern Palace archives for a long time, there was no record of this hairpin. Later, I had to inquire with the Imperial Household Department to find out that this token actually belonged to Consort Shu!"

As Anshun spoke, his voice unconsciously rose a few decibels.

When Anshun investigated the matter with Consort Shu, he felt that it involved far too many people and was not a trivial matter of vying for favor in the Eastern Palace.

Jun Zechen's face instantly turned cold, his expression seemingly capable of freezing the surrounding air.

Previously, it was thought that there were only Ling Yue and Su Jingyao in the backyard. However, Su Jingyao was taking birth control pills, and Ling Yue was hostile towards Su Jingyao, so Ling Yue was naturally Jun Zechen's biggest suspect.

But now it involves Consort Shu...

Consort Shu's motives seem to be greater. In his previous life, when he was still the crown prince, he had no children. He was able to ascend the throne because of his father's support and the support of the military power he held.

Consort Shu was unaware of the perilous struggle for the throne among the princes of the Jun Kingdom throughout history, nor did she know that her father had already designated him as the next emperor of the Jun Kingdom. Therefore, she always believed that as long as he, the crown prince, had no heir, Prince Duan would have a chance to ascend the throne.

After marrying Su Jingyao, Ling Yue gradually took charge of the affairs of the Eastern Palace, but most of her affairs were still under Jun Zechen's close surveillance.

He initially guessed that Ling Yue might have obtained contraceptive drugs behind his back because she had memories of her past life.

However, if Consort Shu was involved, the truth might not be so...

Was it Consort Shu who actually drugged Su Jingyao?

Jun Zechen frowned.

"What is Aokiji's identity outside the palace?"

Jun Zechen narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze scrutinizing, and his tone serious.

"Aokiji entered the palace at a very young age. It seems that he went through several transfers while he was outside the palace. Later, he was sent into the palace by a merchant and did many jobs in the palace."

"Qingzhi has saved a lot of money over the past ten years. From what she said, she wants to make a fortune before leaving the palace at the age of twenty-five so that she can find a good husband."

Anshun quickly bowed and answered.

Aokiji was practically a palace maid with no emotional ties whatsoever.

"Did Qingzhi confess that the Crown Princess gave the concubine contraceptive drugs, or did she confess that she was instructed by the Crown Princess to go to Huamei Residence to ask me to leave?"

Jun Zechen tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his brows furrowed.

"Qingzhi admitted that it was the Crown Princess's arrangement for Huamei Residence to send His Highness away, but she firmly denied that she had given the concubine contraceptive drugs, and said that it was the concubine who framed her."

Anshun spoke cautiously, occasionally glancing up to steal a look at His Highness's expression.

"However, this servant did find contraceptive pills in the Qingzhi House. These pills are extremely complicated to make, and it is certainly not something a lowly palace maid could have."

"This servant also took the pill to Physician Li for examination, but the ingredients in the pill are all those used to make contraceptives and have no special characteristics. Physician Li could not determine the origin of the pill."

Jun Zechen listened in silence and pondered.

Qingzhi appears to have an extremely clean background, with no relatives outside the palace. Ling Yue might be able to use money to get her to do things, but Qingzhi may have a real master behind her, which is why her background is so clean.

"Go and invite the Crown Princess here."

Jun Zechen's expression remained unchanged.

"Yes."

When Ling Yue received Jun Zechen's summons, she showed no sign of panic, as if she had been fully prepared for it.

"My lord, His Highness has already imprisoned Aokiji. Aokiji has probably implicated you, otherwise His Highness would not have summoned you."

Meixiang's face showed worry.

"I have no relation to Aokiji."

Ling Yue smiled confidently and calmly, her eyes revealing a sense of certainty.

Qingzhi didn't have any of her tokens; instead, it belonged to Consort Shu. This was the source of Ling Yue's confidence to act so boldly.

She remembered that in her previous life, Consort Shu seemed to have been involved in a plot to murder Su Jingyao, and Consort Shu was the perfect scapegoat for her.

But what exactly did Su Jingyao do to make Jun Zechen believe her so easily? I heard that Su Jingyao even invited the imperial physician that night. Could it be another case of her feigning injury?

That woman only knows these low-class schemes.

Ling Yue snorted inwardly, a look of disdain flashing across her face.

When Ling Yue arrived at Yude Hall, her expression was calm and composed as she slowly and deliberately greeted him.

"What brings Your Highness here to summon me?"

Ling Yue slightly raised her head, looking calmly at Jun Zechen with just the right amount of confusion on her face.

"Do you know the palace maid Aokiji?"

Jun Zechen asked calmly.

"I don't know her, but I manage the affairs of the Eastern Palace and know that the palace maid Qingzhi is from the Consort Shui Ning Palace."

Ling Yue answered with composure and confidence, her eyes clear and open.

"Are you aware that when I summoned Consort Lin that day, Qingzhi falsely conveyed the orders of a concubine, requesting that I go to the Shui Ning Palace?"

"I knew that the Consort sent someone to Huamei Residence to ask you to leave, but I didn't know that someone was acting on the Consort's orders."

"Your Highness, I am your Crown Princess, and I have recently been studying management methods in the Empress's palace, where I have received much guidance from her."

"Your Highness's decision to abandon Consort Lin and go to Shui Ning Palace was indeed inappropriate. As the Crown Princess, I should have advised Your Highness. However, after hearing that the Consort was indeed suffering from a severe headache and even had to call the imperial physician, I thought it was understandable and that Consort Lin could accept it. Therefore, I did not question the Consort."

"Why does Your Highness believe that the palace maid falsely conveyed the concubine's orders?"

Ling Yue spoke gently and tactfully, raising her questions in a reasonable manner.

"People in the concubine's palace all say that the concubine never sent anyone to Huamei Residence, and that not only was the calming soup poisoned, but also that the imperial physician Li diagnosed her with contraceptive drugs."

"Guli Ke sent Qingzhi to the Shenxing Division. Under severe torture, Qingzhi confessed that everything was instigated by the Crown Princess."

"And I also found contraceptives in the Blue Phoenix House. Does the Crown Princess have any explanation for this?"

Jun Zechen's gaze grew increasingly sharp, shooting straight at Ling Yue like a sword.

Ling Yue's brows furrowed sharply, her face turned deathly pale, and she knelt down.

She didn't give Su Jingyao any contraceptive pills, yet Qingzhi dared to frame her?!

"Your Highness, Qingzhi is from the concubine's palace. I have never had any dealings with her. Her accusations are completely unfounded."

Ling Yue's voice trembled, her eyes filled with grievance.

Seeing Ling Yue's shocked and even terrified expression, Jun Zechen observed her carefully and concluded that it didn't seem fake.

If Ling Yue hadn't had Qing Zhi administer contraceptives to Su Jingyao, then it could only be Consort Shu.

"Your Highness, I know you favor your concubine, but she has a grudge against me. She even boasted in front of me that Qingzhi was a maid in her palace. This must be a frame-up. Please investigate thoroughly, Your Highness."

Ling Yue said urgently.

Jun Zechen sat in the chair, silent, only turning the ring on his finger, his eyes deep, as if he were thinking about something.

If the contraceptive drug wasn't administered by Ling Yue, then all Ling Yue did was send Qing Zhi to Hua Mei Ju to ask him to leave?

However, Aokiji couldn't produce any evidence of his deal with Ling Yue.

"From what you're saying, you think the concubine framed you? Could it be that she used contraceptive drugs on herself? If you were in her shoes, wouldn't you want to bear my child?!"

Jun Zechen's voice was slightly heavier, with a strong sense of pressure in his tone.

Ling Yue was startled by the sudden sound, and her body trembled even more violently. Which of Jun Zechen's women didn't want to give birth to his child? Su Jingyao even gave birth to Jun Zechen's eldest son.

But unexpectedly, Su Jingyao was tricked and kept using contraception, no wonder she hasn't gotten pregnant.

Also deserve it.

In truth, she knew in her heart that it was Consort Shu who did it; it was Consort Shu who did it in her past life.

"Your Highness, perhaps someone else is plotting against the concubine. Why doesn't Your Highness thoroughly investigate Qingzhi?"

Ling Yue looked up at Jun Zechen.

If we can find Consort Shu's keepsake at Qingzhi's place, then she will naturally no longer be suspected.

Jun Zechen had already suspected that Consort Shu might be the one who plotted to kill Su Jingyao to prevent pregnancy. His question was just a test to see if Ling Yue was related to Qingzhi.

When Ling Yue came in, Jun Zechen had already said that Qingzhi's testimony pointed to Ling Yue, but Ling Yue still asked him to investigate thoroughly, as if she was very sure that she could find something else to prove her innocence.

Jun Zechen is now almost certain that Ling Yue may not have been the one to administer contraceptives, but she definitely deliberately invited him away under the guise of being a concubine.

Ling Yue knew that Qing Zhi had Consort Shu's keepsake, so she wanted Jun Zechen to find out about the keepsake and clear her name.

That same night, it was Ling Yue who persuaded him to go to Huameiju, but he didn't believe in so many coincidences.

"Aokiji, I will investigate thoroughly," Jun Zechen said coldly.

"but."

Jun Zechen paused for a moment, then continued, "Your Highness, I do not like anyone plotting against me under my nose, and I especially do not like anyone plotting against me. Until everything Qingzhi has confessed is cleared up, Your Highness should not manage the affairs of the Eastern Palace. I will send several female officials to take over."

Jun Zechen coldly stated his final decision.

Ling Yue's face was full of disbelief.

"Your Highness, there is currently no evidence pointing to me. Are you going to punish me based solely on the one-sided testimony of a palace maid?"

Ling Yue's voice was sharp and trembling, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"This is not punishment. If it is found that you have nothing to do with Aokiji, I will naturally return the power to you."

"If you gain power during the investigation, who can guarantee that you won't use that power to interfere with the investigation? I'm only doing this to find out the truth as soon as possible and clear your name."

Jun Zechen remained unmoved, offering only a grand and dignified explanation.

Ling Yue bit her lip, suppressing the overwhelming hatred in her heart.

It was clearly Jun Zechen who believed in his heart that she had murdered Su Jingyao and was trying to find ways to avenge Su Jingyao.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I accept."

Ling Yue's voice sounded as if it were being squeezed out from between her teeth, filled with resentment.

"Yes, you may leave."

Jun Zechen waved his hand and stopped looking at her.

Ling Yue slowly got up, turned around and left Yude Hall. As she stepped out of the gate, she looked up at the high-hanging sun. The intense light stung her eyes and was truly blinding.

Is it possible that no matter how many lifetimes she lives, she will never be able to deal with Su Jingyao?

Once Jun Zechen falls in love with Su Jingyao, what other way can she win against her?

Despite Su Jingyao's arrogance, jealousy, and disregard for palace rules, Jun Zechen remained unconcerned.

Why did he hate her so much when she was jealous of him in her past life?

Ling Yue felt that even though she was bathed in the blazing sun, her whole body was ice cold, as if she were in an ice cellar.

Is it because Jun Zechen never loved her...?

Therefore, if she didn't meet his expectations in the slightest, she would be immediately condemned to hell. Ling Yue laughed self-deprecatingly, her smile more painful than tears.

But since Su Jingyao already has Jun Zechen's favor, why does she still want to take away her power?

Since Su Jingyao has been so ruthless towards her, she won't let her off the hook either.

Ling Yue clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms, yet she felt no pain.

"Master, what should we do now?" Meixiang asked cautiously.

"Go to Kunning Palace," Ling Yue said coldly.