Speaking frankly

In that instant, Xu Qi'an could not hide the astonishment and surprise on his face.

The results detected by the Qi-Watching Technique made him suddenly wary, and various thoughts collided and sparked.

He quickly thought of two possibilities: First, Lang'er didn't actually like mung bean cakes, but pretended to like them to please Consort Chen.

Second, she is lying. The Qi-Watching Technique failed to detect it, which means she possesses a magical Law Artifact that shields her from the Qi-Watching Technique.

The first possibility cannot be determined at this time.

The second possibility is the reason why Xu Qi'an's scalp tingled and his adrenaline surged.

How could the palace maids of Jingxiu Palace possess Qi-Watching Technique Law Artifact could block the ability to observe qi?

Why is she wearing a magical Law Artifact that blocks Qi-Watching Technique?

Unless, of course, she needs to use this Law Artifact to deceive everyone in the next few days. Unless, of course, she knows she will be questioned soon.

What has she been doing these past few days?

She's been to the Imperial Pharmacy!

As for whether it was a case of substitution, and that the person standing before him, Lang'er, was actually an "outsider" in disguise, Xu Qi'an thought it was unlikely. A human skin mask wouldn't fool his observation.

If it were the "transformation" technique of a high-level expert, it would be even more impossible. This is the imperial palace; high-level experts simply cannot infiltrate here.

"Lord Xu?"

Lang'er frowned, squinting as she scrutinized Xu Qi'an, who had completely lost control of his expression.

"We can't jump to conclusions. Maybe she just doesn't like mung bean cakes and unintentionally revealed her true feelings."

Thinking to himself, Xu Qi'an didn't panic and try to calm himself down. Instead, he kept a certain "bad" expression on his face, stared at Lang'er, and said in a slightly resentful tone:

"Although Miss Lang'er is a servant of Consort Chen, her temper is far too great. I have shed blood for the court and rendered great service. Miss Lang'er's attitude is so disrespectful. Does she have a problem with me?"

Lang'er glanced at him and said calmly, "Lord Xu, you're overthinking it. I wasn't being disrespectful, and I have no complaints against you."

She paused, bowed, and said, "This servant is in a hurry to return and serve Her Highness the Noble Consort."

After saying that, he stepped across the threshold and left.

Watching the palace maid's departing figure, Xu Qi'an's heart sank to the bottom.

Just now, the feedback from the Qi-Watching Technique showed that Lang'er was still not lying.

The final question is both Xu Qi'an's attempt to cover up his loss of composure and a trap he's setting for Lang'er to fall into.

First of all, Xu Qi'an could confirm that Lang'er was very impatient with the questioning and disliked him, and wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible.

When faced with questions like "Do you hate me?", normal people will subconsciously give a perfunctory answer out of politeness and deny it, which constitutes lying.

However, according to the feedback from the Qi-Watching Technique, Lang'er's emotions were unusually stable, and no lie was detected.

Therefore, it can be almost confirmed that this palace maid possessed a magical Law Artifact that could shield her from the Qi-Watching Technique, which also indirectly confirms that she was guilty and deliberately used such methods to avoid interrogation.

Here, a chilling truth is revealed.

She's the one behind it all!

Consort Chen?!

At this moment, countless details and clues surfaced in Xu Qi'an's mind, and his pheromones surged like boiling lake water.

I truly didn't expect this. I must leave here immediately and report my discovery to Duke Wei and Huaiqing. Xu Qi'an didn't want to stay in Jingxiu Palace for another second.

The feeling was like entering a deserted mountain inn in the dead of night, only to find it was a haunted house. The host was a monstrous ghost with eyeballs hanging off his face, his face covered in rotting flesh and crawling with maggots.

The dishes on the table were maggots, excrement, rotting flesh, and human heads.

Xu Qi'an, on the other hand, was the living person who inadvertently stumbled upon the secret of the haunted house. His scalp tingled, and he could only pretend that he knew nothing, and then quickly leave before the evil spirits could react.

"I've finished asking my questions, young master. Let's go back now."

Xu Qi'an took a deep breath and calmly announced his departure.

"Yes!"

The young eunuch, unsuspecting, readily agreed and followed Xu Qi'an across the threshold of the side hall.

Etc!

Xu Qi'an's steps suddenly froze. If Consort Chen was the person behind it all, then everything the Empress had suffered was the price Consort Chen was about to pay: stripped of her rank and banished to the Cold Palace.

Whether the Crown Prince will be deposed is uncertain. Xu Qi'an doesn't care about the Crown Prince's fate; what he cares about is: what will happen to Lin'an?

She was very happy today because the case was about to be solved, and the Crown Prince's acquittal was only a matter of time.

But next, I might personally push her mother into an abyss.

She'll probably hate me when she finds out about this.

Compared to Huaiqing, girls like Lin'an have a weaker mental fortitude. It's possible that their mothers would be banished to the cold palace, or even given white silk and poison.

Leaving aside the emperor's favor, in terms of rank alone, the Imperial Concubine was far inferior to the Empress.

The empress, as the emperor's principal wife, might not be sentenced to death for causing the death of a concubine, but what about a noble consort? Did a noble consort receive such treatment?

"Lord Xu, Lord Xu?"

Seeing Xu Qi'an standing there in a daze, the young eunuch couldn't help but call out to him a few times.

Xu Qi'an suddenly came to his senses, still unable to come up with a perfect solution. At the same time, some confusion flashed through his mind. Even after learning that the person behind the scenes was Consort Chen, he still hadn't resolved all his questions.

Let's go back first. I won't tell Wei Yuan about this yet. For the sake of Lin'an, I... I'll think about it some more.

Upon reaching the courtyard gate, the eunuch guarding the gate gave Xu Qi'an a resentful look.

But as Xu Qi'an approached, he immediately composed himself and became obedient and respectful.

"By the way, after you took my money and went inside, did you help announce my arrival?" Xu Qi'an stopped in front of the gatekeeper eunuch.

"Certainly!"

The gatekeeper eunuch said helplessly, "I've already informed her, but Sister Lang'er said she wouldn't see her. I'm greedy and don't want to return the silver notes, and I don't know how to explain it to you, sir."

So she was prepared. Xu Qi'an nodded and was about to leave when Lang'er's voice suddenly came from behind him.

"Please take care, Lord Xu!"

"Miss Lang'er."

Xu Qi'an's back muscles subtly tensed, but he turned around nonchalantly. "What is it?"

The pretty head palace maid stopped, her smile faint, "Her Majesty wishes to thank Lord Xu for solving the case of Consort Fu, thus clearing His Highness the Crown Prince's name. She requests that you come over so she can express her gratitude in person."

Xu Qi'an's muscles, which had just relaxed, tensed up again. Perhaps it was because of his guilty conscience, but he felt a chill run down his spine.

"I have important matters to attend to and cannot linger. The case of Consort Fu is an official matter, carried out under imperial decree, and is my duty. Your Highness need not thank me." He did not wish to see Consort Chen at this moment.

"Lord Xu, you are too kind."

Lang'er covered her mouth and chuckled, saying as if in jest, "Her Majesty said that if Lord Xu doesn't go to see her, she won't let him step out of Jingxiu Palace."

Fuck your mother!!

Xu Qi'an's heart sank suddenly. He quietly dispersed his Primordial Spirit to sense his surroundings. Only after confirming that he had not received any feedback of "danger signals" did he breathe a sigh of relief.

I didn't tell anyone about my discovery, not even Lang'er. She didn't notice anything amiss. Consort Chen couldn't possibly know that I saw through her scheme. She probably just wanted to thank me, to put on a show. Besides, this is the palace. There are imperial guards outside, Lin'an inside, and the spy sent by Emperor Yuanjing to monitor me. Consort Chen couldn't and wouldn't dare to do anything to me here.

Besides, I'm not someone to be trifled with; I can kill two Li Yuchun with a single strike.

"Alright, please lead the way, Miss Lang'er."

Xu Qi'an then turned to the young eunuch and said, "You follow too."

The two followed Lang'er, who was dressed in a lotus-colored palace gown, through the front courtyard's corridor and into the back courtyard.

The main building of Jingxiu Palace is an exquisitely constructed two-story pavilion with layers of black tiles, flying eaves, and twelve mythical beasts perched on the four roof ridges.

The second floor has an observation deck, perfect for enjoying drinks and scenery in the warm spring or crisp autumn.

Upon entering the inner courtyard, the young eunuch coughed forcefully, offering a warning.

Xu Qi'an understood immediately and stopped in the courtyard.

Lang'er continued walking into the inner room alone. Then, Xu Qi'an caught her soft voice. "Your Highness, Lord Xu has arrived."

Consort Chen hummed in agreement and said softly, "I have something to say to Lord Xu. You may all leave and go to the outer courtyard."

Then came Lin'an's voice, sweetly saying, "Ah? Is Lin'an leaving too? I'm not leaving, I'm not leaving."

"Lin'an, please obey."

". snort."

What does Consort Chen mean by this? Why did she dismiss everyone else? Is there something that can't be said in the sunlight? Xu Qi'an frowned deeply.

Immediately afterward, Lin'an and the two head palace maids stepped out of the door and brushed past Xu Qi'an. Biao Biao secretly stuck out her tongue and whispered:

"Remember to report to me later."

The young eunuch was caught in a dilemma, unsure of what to do, when Lang'er said, "Her Majesty said, everyone else, step back. Are you deaf?"

"Yes." The young eunuch nodded in response and turned to follow.

"Wait," Xu Qi'an called out to him, scolding, "His Majesty sent you to supervise me. You need to act like an imperial envoy and stand up straight."

Immediately, he said loudly, "I am ultimately an official outside the capital, and it is inconvenient for me to meet with the Imperial Concubine in private. This young eunuch is responsible for supervising me, and he is acting on His Majesty's orders."

He said this ostensibly to Lang'er, but actually to Consort Chen inside.

After a few seconds of silence, Consort Chen's voice came from inside the room. "Then wait outside."

"Stand back," Xu Qi'an waved.

The young eunuch obediently retreated to a distance.

Standing in the courtyard, Xu Qi'an pretended to tidy his appearance, but in reality, he used this brief moment to weigh the pros and cons and guess what would happen next.

"If it was just to thank me, there was no need to dismiss everyone else. In other words, what Consort Chen said to me could not be heard by outsiders."

"My decision to have the eunuch stand further away was a compromise with Consort Chen. The advantage of standing further away was that he couldn't hear my conversation with Consort Chen, but he could still clearly see our every move inside the room."

"This prevents Consort Chen from using the guise of an eagle catching a chick to frame me for bullying the concubines. Although this tactic is a bit crude, I can't afford to be careless."

After finishing his thoughts, he entered the room and saw Consort Chen, dressed in magnificent palace attire, sitting gracefully on a soft couch.

This was the second time Xu Qi'an had seen Consort Chen. The last time was at the ancestral worship ceremony at the end of last year, when he roared and collapsed the Yongzhen Mountain and River Temple, then pretended to show his loyalty and got to see the emperor's women up close.

Consort Chen and Lin'an had the same face shape, a standard oval face, with very beautiful eyebrows, eyes, lips, and nose.

In terms of looks alone, Consort Chen was slightly inferior to the Empress, but her temperament was dignified and gentle, and she was more approachable than the Empress.

However, her elaborately embroidered dress and the numerous and expensive jewelry on her head undermined her approachability.

Of all the women Xu Qi'an had ever seen, only Lin'an could carry off luxurious jewelry and clothing; the more extravagant the attire, the stronger her charm.

Just like many girls who are beautiful when they don't dress up, but look vulgar once they put on heavy makeup, Lin'an is the kind of woman who looks better the more flamboyant her attire.

In this respect, the mother and daughter are unlike each other.

"His Majesty proposed deposing the Empress this morning in court; Lord Xu must have heard about it."

Consort Chen's voice had lost the crispness of a young girl, but gained the gentle grace of a mature woman, making one feel as if bathed in a spring breeze.

"This subordinate understands." Xu Qi'an nodded succinctly.

"What brings Lord Xu to my Jingxiu Palace?"

There are still some doubts surrounding this case.

Consort Chen gave an "Oh," her expression a half-smile, "What's the point of doubt?"

"This humble servant is ignorant and has no clue what to do."

A brief silence fell over the room. Consort Chen stared at Xu Qi'an for a long time, her smile gradually fading until it was as cold as frost. She spoke, word by word:

You're lying!

These three words struck Xu Qi'an like a heavy hammer blow, and resounded like thunder in his ears.

How did she know I was lying? A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, his breathing quickened, but he quickly composed himself, asking blankly:

What does Your Majesty mean by this?

"You can use the Qi-Watching Technique to see others, and others can also use the Qi-Watching Technique to see you."

Consort Chen picked up her teacup, took a slow sip, and sighed, "I invited you here merely to test you, but your lie just now has left me with no room for wishful thinking. Lord Xu is astute; even the most ingenious cases are mere child's play to you."

Consort Chen was Warlock?! That's impossible.

Why did she confess to me? Wasn't she afraid I would tell Emperor Yuanjing?

What was her purpose in inviting me here?

A series of thoughts flashed through her mind, culminating in a sigh, "Your Majesty, why bother? I can pretend I don't know."

Then, turning back to find Duke Wei and Huai Qing to deal with you, Xu Qi'an added in his mind.

At this point, the two were essentially completely open and honest with each other.

Consort Chen's frankness surprised Xu Qi'an, who knew it was definitely not a good thing.

"When did you find out? Just now?" Consort Chen took another sip of tea, her tone as calm as if she were having a casual chat.

"Yes, I could tell that Lang'er was pretending."

"But you had some doubts before, didn't you? Tell me about them." Consort Chen smiled.

Xu Qi'an pondered for a moment and said, "After reviewing the events surrounding Consort Fu's case, I do have many questions. Why would Your Highness place the Hundred Days Spring wine sent by the Empress on the table for no reason? This is, after all, the inner palace. Wouldn't you be afraid that the Crown Prince might do something wrong by getting him slightly drunk with this nourishing and aphrodisiac wine? This is not in line with your cautious style."

That day, Huaiqing told him about the Empress's experience of being banished to the Cold Palace, and mentioned Consort Chen's emphasis on the Crown Prince's position, as well as her narrow-minded and cautious style. Xu Qi'an then had this doubt.

He continued, "Although the Empress could bribe Huang Xiaorou to set a trap for the Crown Prince, how could she guarantee that the Crown Prince would actually go to Qingfeng Palace? As the Crown Prince's birth mother, no one knows a son better than his mother. She knew that he still harbored feelings for Consort Fu, so she sent Huang Xiaorou to wait for him halfway. Thinking about it this way, it makes even more sense."

"After that, from the discovery of Huang Xiaorou's body to the clues I found pointing to the Empress, the signs of deliberate manipulation were too obvious. But if Huang Xiaorou had simply disappeared, it wouldn't have achieved your goal of framing the Empress."

"Of course, at that time I hadn't realized what was going on, and I still thought the Empress was the most suspicious. What I couldn't understand was why you sent someone to tear up the Imperial Pharmacy's income and expenditure records; that should have been the most conclusive evidence to identify the Empress. Not only was it unnecessary, but it also exposed yourself."

Consort Chen shook her head. "It wasn't superfluous. That was evidence I deliberately left behind. If you weren't the one in charge of the investigation, it would have been one of the most useful pieces of evidence to attack the Empress."

"But your resurrection was completely unexpected. If Huang Xiaorou's body and the Imperial Pharmacy's book were discovered at the same time, the clues would be too obvious. I was afraid you would see something and report it directly to His Majesty, so I sent someone to tear up the book."

"So you had doubts at the time, but didn't immediately assert that the Empress was wronged. Ha, if His Majesty had known this beforehand, my tearful plea yesterday would have been far less effective."

"Then, I'll gather information about the case's progress from Lin'an. While putting pressure on His Majesty, I'll also send someone to assassinate you. Once you're dead, the Empress can confess, and everything will be perfectly covered up."

Xu Qi'an nodded slowly. This morning, he still thought the Empress was the prime suspect in his assassination attempt and was determined to divorce Huaiqing. It was only after Wei Yuan told him that the Empress had confessed that he realized there was more to the case than met the eye.

So it turns out the person who wanted me dead was Consort Chen. Fine, there's nothing more to say. I'm divorcing Lin'an.

"This humble servant has two more questions, and I wonder if Your Majesty could answer them?"

"Tell me about it," Consort Chen said calmly.

"The Crown Prince is already the Crown Prince, why does Your Majesty still act this way?"

Consort Chen laughed, a complex laugh that seemed to mock Xu Qi'an, yet also as if she were mocking herself.

"The Crown Prince is still just the Crown Prince; as long as he doesn't ascend the throne, he could be replaced. The Empress will always be the Empress, and the Fourth Prince will always be the legitimate heir. What if I told you that His Majesty originally favored the Fourth Prince? If His Majesty hadn't known back then that the Empress didn't love him at all, the Fourth Prince would already be the Crown Prince."

Xu Qi'an keenly noticed that when Consort Chen said those words, her eyes held both pleasure and resentment.

"Even so, after so many years, the position of Crown Prince has remained unchanged. Isn't Your Majesty worrying too much?"

"What do you know about matters of the imperial court?"

Consort Chen sneered, "With Wei Yuan around, the Fourth Prince's chances of winning will always be greater than my son's. Wei Yuan always wants to take control of the court and sweep away the deep-seated problems. If he wants to realize his ambitions, he will definitely push the Fourth Prince to the throne."

"I, a woman, cannot defeat Wei Yuan alone, so I can only try to win over the Empress. The Empress is the head of the harem, the mother of the nation, and the highest honor for a woman. I am also a woman, and I also covet the Empress's position."

Xu Qi'an was aware of Wei Yuan's ambitions and knew that Consort Chen was telling the truth.

"One last question, who is the person behind Your Majesty?" Xu Qi'an asked.

Consort Chen was clearly taken aback. She remained silent for a long time before shaking her head and laughing, "I appreciate you more and more. It seems that you have unearthed a treasure in Lin'an by chance."

How can you be so sure that I have someone backing me?

Xu Qi'an lowered his gaze, looking at his toes, and pondered, "If Her Majesty knew about what the Imperial Uncle was doing all along, then why did she endure it for so long, only taking action now?"

"If Your Majesty only recently learned about the affair between the Imperial Uncle and Huang Xiaorou, then who told Your Majesty? It certainly wasn't Huang Xiaorou. She has endured this for so many years, and she wouldn't suddenly change her mind and insist on telling you for no reason. There must be someone who acted as a go-between."

"Furthermore, Your Majesty knows I lied. The Bureau of Astronomy's Qi-Watching Technique is not something an ordinary person can perform. I just guessed another possibility."

Xu Qi'an raised his head, gazing at Consort Chen's beautiful face. "Your target is the Empress, but the person or force behind you targets Duke Wei."

Consort Chen's smile vanished. She narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Xu Qi'an for a long time before suddenly asking, "What does Lord Xu think of Lin'an?"

"Very nice." Xu Qi'an's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't answer.

"The Crown Prince told me that Lin'an had reached marriageable age, and I kept a watchful eye on it. Later, I discovered that ever since she met you, whenever she came to Jingxiu Palace, the person she talked about the most was you."

Consort Chen gently persuaded, "I too have experienced the age of a young girl's first love. I heard that Lord Xu will soon be granted a title. Although the title of viscount is not high, it means that you have entered the noble class."

"I can promise you that within three years, you will be promoted to a higher rank, and at that time, I will marry Lin'an to you."

This was a blatant attempt to win him over, which is why Consort Chen was so open and honest with him.

Xu Qi'an hesitated.

Consort Chen pressed her advantage. "Even if you know the secret, it's impossible for you to identify me. Lang'er has been unwell recently, suddenly fell ill, and the imperial physicians couldn't save her. What does Lord Xu think of this outcome?"

"How could the innocent and adorable Lin'an have a mother like you, trying to fool me with empty promises?" Xu Qi'an pondered, "Three years is too long. Who knows if the Imperial Concubine is just trying to deceive this humble servant?"

Consort Chen frowned. "It will take at least two years. The matter of bestowing a title is no small matter. You should understand that."

"That's not what I meant."

Xu Qi'an waved his hand, revealing a shy smile, "What I meant was, the marriage must last three years, but could we consummate the marriage first?"

P. S.: Would you believe me if I said I took the college entrance exam?

Fine, forget everything else, I'll just slap myself, slap slap slap slap slap.