Favored concubine deposed empress? I'll seize your throne and marry you to a powerful minister.

"Caiyue still has family outside the palace. Send her back to her family home for burial, and give her an extra sum of money as compensation."

Palace servants who died under mysterious circumstances would receive a pension from the Imperial Household Department according to regulations, but it was only a small amount. The extra money Wei Rong mentioned must have been drawn from her private treasury.

Ling Xianru had no objections, but—"I've heard that the Phoenix Palace has recently lost the Emperor's favor. Shouldn't Your Highness be more frugal with your private funds?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he was unsurprisingly met with a glare.

However, she seemed to have recovered somewhat and had the strength to retort: ​​"Prime Minister, you are busy with countless affairs of state. My private treasury is none of your concern."

Ling Xianru thought to herself, "That little bit of money is too much trouble for me to even think about."

However, the Empress's emotions were already quite volatile today, so he didn't try to gain the upper hand with words: "Since it is Your Majesty's order, this humble official will fulfill it without fail."

That sounds nice.

Wei Rong walked out of Anle Hall: "I'll trouble the Prime Minister to report back to His Majesty on the remaining matters. I'm tired, so I'll return to Fengluan Palace first."

The bright yellow figure disappeared with the slight movement of the phoenix crown, and Ling Xianru did not look away for a long time.

Until his trusted confidant tumbled down from the eaves and landed beside him.

"Did you hear me?" Ling Xianru glanced at him. "Do as I say."

Mo Yu nodded: "Yes, Master."

The coroner changed out of his dirty clothes and dressed up before Ling Xianru, ready to go.

"When you report back to His Majesty, tell the truth. Only the Empress's clothes are missing. There's no need to mention what else is missing, understand?"

Xu Ning and Mo Yu exchanged a glance, then lowered their eyes and agreed.

She was a coroner, meticulous in every detail of the case, and knew exactly what was missing from the set of clothes Caiyue was wearing.

The Empress was fully aware of the situation, yet the official remained silent about it in front of her.

But—you listen to whomever you serve.

One who eats the food of others should be loyal to them.

Xu Ning said, "I understand."

After Xu Ning left with the guards, Ling Xianru played with her fan and said to Mo Yu, "She was frightened."

Mo Yu looked at his master, who was a secret guard and a master of martial arts. But even the best person has one weakness.

These four words were not an instruction; he did not understand what his master wanted him to do.

Their eyes met, and he looked at his master with a rather upright expression, waiting for his next instruction.

Ling Xianru raised her hand and tapped him on the head with her fan, somewhat speechless: "When is your brother coming back?"

"It will take five more days to reach this point from the east, even at a fast pace."

"When Mo Bai returns, you can go back to Donglin."

Mo Yu followed behind him with a rather aggrieved expression. He had been by Ling Xianru's side since childhood. Asking him to go back alone would be tantamount to abandoning him.

In a flash, he remembered his elder brother's words of advice before he went on his mission: "Be clever. If anything happens that involves the Empress, then take her as the lead."

"Your subordinate, please send someone to take your pulse."

Ling Xianru was surprised that the boy had actually realized what was happening. He raised his fan and threw it behind him.

Mo Yu caught it steadily and breathed a sigh of relief: "Master, I'm not going back?"

.......

As Xu Ning described in his petition, Caiyue's murder indeed provoked the emperor's wrath.

Upon hearing that Xiao Heng had smashed porcelain all over the ground, the commander of the Imperial Guards, the commander of the patrol battalion, and the head of the guards were all beaten and verbally abused.

"At the palace banquet, right under my nose! The Empress's maid was bound and thrown into the pond! And not a single person noticed! What use are you to me? Huh?!"

With a single stroke of his inkstone, he smashed a bloody hole into the commander of the Imperial Guards.

"I entrusted my safety to you, and you're all neglecting your duties? Have you thought life's been too easy these past two years? Have you thought your heads were on your shoulders too securely?!"

The hall was filled with kneeling people, except for Ling Xianru.

He knew that Xiao Heng didn't need to get so angry. It was just because of his words that she realized the loopholes in the palace patrols over the past two years and wanted to take the opportunity to rectify them.

As I said before, the death of a palace maid was something no one wanted to care about except for Wei Rong.

But that very fact became the perfect excuse.

"Investigate!" Xiao Heng slammed his fist on the table. "The Ministry of War, go and investigate! You lot, if you've shown any favoritism in your contributions over the past few years, in the personnel appointments of the patrol battalion and the Imperial Guards, I'll make you pay!"

Ministry of War.

Ling Xianru glanced at the trembling Minister of War, a faint smile spreading across her eyes.

"When court resumes on the seventh day, I demand a complete report. Those who need to be replaced, those who need to be reformed—not a single one will escape!"

The commanders emerged from the study in a panic, and when they looked up, the bright sunshine of the day was now obscured by a layer of dark clouds.

Xiao Heng took a sip of cold tea to moisten her throat and called out to Ling Xianru, who was about to take her leave.

With no one else around, he called out Ling Xianru's name: "Ah Xian, you're right. Over the past three years, I've been too lenient with the patrol system. It's time for a change."

"I was just mentioning it casually; Your Majesty should make the decision yourself."

Regardless, the fact that such a thing happened right under his nose still gave Xiao Heng a headache: "I just couldn't believe that someone would be so bold. In your opinion, who did it, and whose interests were involved with the Empress?"

"In this palace, all that matters is jealousy and rivalry. If Your Majesty wants peace and tranquility, you should treat everyone equally. Just look at how Wei Xing was awarded a title that night; perhaps it was just someone who was jealous and wanted to vent their anger."

Ling Xianru had no intention of targeting anyone; it would be inappropriate for him to speak for anyone based on his position.

But he knew what Xiao Heng wanted to hear. Over the past two years, Xiao Heng's suspicious nature had been on full display, and he might not be unaware of Shen Mingxiu's intentions.

However, Shen Mingxiu is currently enjoying the Emperor's favor, and he may not be willing to pursue the matter further.

Sure enough, after pondering for a while, Xiao Heng waved his hand and said, "Enough. The jealousy and rivalry stem from taking me too seriously. I will comfort the Empress myself since she has been wronged."

"." Ling Xianru just smiled.

Xiao Heng changed the subject: "The Imperial Guards and the Patrol Battalion need to be replaced. In your opinion, are there any capable people in the court?"

Even if Yun Sheng were to be recommended, it wouldn't come out of his mouth. Ling Xianru passed the buck back: "Your Majesty must have someone in mind. Perhaps you could wait until the court resumes and hear the opinions of the ministers. The new emperor has only recently ascended the throne, so it's still worth listening to the advice of old ministers."

This is why Xiao Heng likes Ling Xianru.

He doesn't seek credit, doesn't act for personal gain, always thinks of himself first, and prioritizes others in everything.

Xiao Heng said with relief, "You're still the best, A-Xian."

He rose and summoned Zhu Yi: "Prepare the carriage for the Phoenix Palace, I'm going to see the Empress."

Ling Xianru concealed the emotions in her eyes, bowed to him, and took her leave.

·

"Your Majesty, the Empress has fallen asleep."

Qiaoyu dared not raise her head, harboring resentment towards the emperor before her, thinking to herself, what use is it to offer such tenderness at a time like this?

"Asleep?" Xiao Heng didn't believe it; it was already past 7 PM, just past dinner time. "Could it be that she doesn't want to see me?"

Qiaoyu kowtowed to the ground: "Your Majesty is too kind. The Empress was in poor spirits when she returned in the evening. Imperial Physician Qian came to examine her and said that the Empress was frightened and her spirit was damaged. He prescribed a prescription, and the Empress fell asleep after drinking it."

She really slept, and slept soundly.

Qiaoyu was also surprised that Physician Qian was so quick to get information. She and her mistress had just returned when Physician Qian arrived, saying that he had heard about Caiyue's situation and came to check the mistress's pulse because he was worried.

Wei Rong didn't take any medicine at dinner; she swallowed the bowl of medicine whole and then locked herself in the palace.

Qiaoyu went to check on him just now, and he was already fast asleep.

Even though he was asleep, his brows were slightly furrowed and he couldn't relax them.

"Open the door, I'll go see."