Facing the Noble Consort’s repeated interrogations, Cai Xia was completely flustered.

While kowtowing, she said, "Consort, this servant, this servant indeed hinted something to Zhang Sancai. He only mentioned that Canglan Court housed lower-ranked concubines; if anyone dared to disturb the monarch at Star Palace, he would not let them off lightly, but he didn’t say much else.

However, this servant saw his face filled with anger when he spoke of Canglan Court, deducing that he must have had a grudge against someone there, which led me to believe. .."

How could she know that the Little Daying from Canglan Court was so difficult to deal with? In her eyes, that Little Daying was naive, and there was no need for the Consort to intervene—a single Beauty Li could crush her.

With a flick of her hand, the Noble Consort shattered a teacup near Cai Xia as she declared, "Enough, you are all useless!"

One link fails, and then another; in the end, a complete loss. How could this not enrage her?

Cai Xia dared not speak further, her head knocking on the floor resoundingly.

After repeated scoldings, the Noble Consort felt waves of dizziness and her head started to ache again; she stumbled and quickly grasped a nearby table and chair to prevent herself from falling.

Hearing the commotion, several rushed to support the Noble Consort and helped her to sit down and smooth her back, finally allowing her to recover somewhat.

The Noble Consort sat at the table, supporting her head with her right hand, her gaze mysterious.

Yesterday in the hall, delayed half a day by that barbarian Xu Rongying, just as she was about to deal with the Little Daying, the Emperor had arrived unexpectedly. Otherwise, she would have dragged that Little Daying out and killed her long ago, not waiting until today when she turned the tables.

The words the Emperor left before departing still echoed in her ears. She was very uneasy, fearing the Emperor had noticed something.

Earlier this morning, she had sent Cai Xia to Zhang Sancai to feel out the situation under the pretense of delivering soup to the Emperor before he left the morning court. Unexpectedly, Cai Xia stumbled upon the Little Daying leaving the Star Palace with someone!

Cai Xia proved clever by not delivering the soup at all, rushing back to report to her. She listened, uncertain and decided swiftly, instructing Cai Xia to hint to Beauty Li to check the situation while she observed from a distance.

If there was no movement from the Emperor, it would have been fine. She had other methods ready.

But she never expected that, no sooner had that fool returned than the person she had sent to secretly follow reported back that the Emperor had also gone to Canglan Court!

Before she could react, not long after, the Emperor issued a decree that the three servants from Driftfrost Hall who framed their master were all to be beaten to death.

The Emperor’s actions greatly unsettled her. Usually, the Emperor would not overly interfere with the harem, leaving it in her hands; he seldom circumvented her to issue decrees to the harem.

What did this imply now? It implied that the Emperor was displeased with her!

Furthermore, the Emperor was very concerned about the Little Daying. Although the Emperor had personally sent her to the Imperial Prison yesterday, in less than a night, he released her and went straight to Canglan Court after the morning court!

She had always thought of the Emperor as a cold-hearted man. The thought that the Emperor would actually dote on a Little Daying pained her like a knife.

With so many concubines in the harem, who else could make the Emperor act like this?!

She knew the Little Daying was not simple, but it was too late to realize it now; she was filled with regret!

What she couldn’t understand was, when did the Little Daying start her affair with the Emperor?

At the birthday feast, she had some impressions of this Little Daying. At that time, wasn’t the Emperor very dissatisfied with the Little Daying? It was she who had smoothed things over.

Could it be that playing the fool at that time was actually to catch the Emperor’s attention?

This Little Daying’s tactics were so sophisticated that she managed to deceive under her watch!

Ultimately, she was one step too late, one move short.

Thinking of this, a reluctant fury flickered in the eyes of the Noble Consort.

She took several deep breaths. The game had only just begun; the Emperor’s interest was merely temporary, no need to panic. There were still long days ahead.

She was the Noble Consort, the one and only Noble Consort of his profound affections, just one step away from the empress’s position, whereas the one from Canglan Court was merely a Daying now.

At this thought, the Noble Consort felt somewhat calmed.

Once her thoughts settled, her eyes filled with cold malice, and she said to Nanny Chen, "What about the matter I asked you to handle last time?"

Nanny Chen shuddered, swallowed a mouthful of saliva, and carefully began, "Lian Bingcai’s mouth had been pried open, but... just..."

The Noble Consort’s face turned cold and she fiercely hit the table, "Speak!" What more bad news is there?

"Yes, yes." Nanny Chen no longer hesitated, and she recited everything she had found in full detail.

The plan involving Lian Bingcai went smoothly, and prying open his mouth was successful. However, what Nanny Chen had never anticipated was that Lian Bingcai himself was unaware of the situation!

According to Lian Bingcai, in the years before Lian Hua entered the palace, he was not in Yanqing Mansion but was conducting business outside and had squandered all his silver.

At that time, he disliked his brother for being inept and adamantly demanded a division of the family property.

After splitting, with his share of the silver, he ventured outside to do business and, having squandered the silver, he was too ashamed to return to Yanqing and stayed outside for a while longer before returning.

The timing was just right, as it was six months after Lian Hua entered the palace that he returned, and his brother had never mentioned this man. When a niece suddenly appeared, he had no knowledge of it whatsoever.

So, Nanny Chen had not been able to discover Lian Hua’s origins at all, unable to ascertain her true identity and background.

Knowing this, she was always uneasy and dared not report immediately, hoping to find more information from other sources, to report once she figured something out.

Now that the Consort was asking, she was compelled to speak.

After reporting everything, Nanny Chen shrank back, not daring to even breathe heavily.

The Noble Consort, feeling an immense headache, closed her eyes, and asked expressionlessly, "What about Lian Bingcheng’s family registry?"

Nanny Chen quickly knelt down and said, "Consort, I had someone retrieve his family registry, and it clearly states that Daying Lian is his daughter..."

As she spoke, she began to kowtow, constantly begging for mercy, "This servant deserves to die, this servant deserves to die, for not unveiling the person’s details. But this servant dares to assure that the little Daying is certainly not Lian Bingcheng’s daughter, please discern, Consort."

"Oh, you say she isn’t, so she isn’t, huh?" The Noble Consort opened her eyes, her chest heaving with suppressed laughter, "Baseless claims, don’t you even understand this simple principle?"

This last clue was also severed. With what to charge that Daying, a bunch of useless fools!

No longer indulging in idle talk with Nanny Chen, the Noble Consort turned her head and instructed, "Cai Qin, from today onwards, you will take charge of this matter."

"Consort..." Nanny Chen cried out in shock. Was the Consort giving up on her?

The Noble Consort shot her a sharp glare, this fool had wasted too much of her time. Does she still want to babble on?

Cai Qin stepped forward, her voice utterly flat, "Yes, Consort."

Regarding Cai Qin, the Noble Consort’s expression softened slightly as she said, "Now it seems all paths have been severed, but I recall this little Daying once offered Dew Tea to me, claiming it was a homemade, secret family recipe. Yet this tea is something I had never heard of before, suggesting not just anyone could produce it. You should start your investigation with the Dew Tea, and there should be results. If there’s anything unclear, you can ask my cousin, he knows much. "

Her cousin was an Imperial Merchant who supplied tea exclusively to the palace, owning the largest tea business in the land, widely knowledgeable, surely he would have some insights.

Cai Qin bowed her head, her voice still without a ripple, "Yes, Consort."

On the side, Cai Xia lowered her eyelids, her eyes flashing with jealousy.

She had thought that by leveraging the matter involving Beauty Li, she could overshadow Cai Qin, gaining more significance in the Consort’s heart.

But to her dismay, despite the setbacks, Cai Qin remained the Consort’s most trusted aide.

The Noble Consort’s headache grew worse. After her furious outburst earlier, she now felt somewhat drained and listlessly waved her hand to dismiss everyone.

...

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