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On the last attempt, Cao De personally set up an inescapable trap, and just when he thought it was foolproof, the suspect took poison and died instantly. Thus, the Internal Guard Bureau could only bring back a corpse.

On the way back, every time Cao De thought of this person, he seethed with anger. He was so close to capturing him, yet a bungling young subordinate spoiled the whole operation.

That young fool clung to a slender hope, not bothering to change his worn-out official boots, and was thus identified, leading to a complete failure and a return with empty hands!

After this youngster returned, Cao De had him severely whipped, and now he is bedridden, recuperating. Once he is healed, he will be punished by cleaning chamber pots until he wises up and can return to duty.

Ever since Cao De had taken charge of the Internal Guard Bureau, whenever he personally intervened, there would usually be results; it was rare for him to return empty-handed. Having worked in vain this time, how could he not be infuriated?

Yet the man was indeed as cunning as a fox, and overly suspicious and sensitive. Such old, dirty boots, negligible even to a beggar, were spotted by this man, showing acute observation and meticulous thinking.

Most crucially, this man was ruthless to himself, harboring not even a sliver of hope for escape, choosing instead to end his life with poison. With such an outcome, he could hardly be considered wronged.

If they had not been on opposite sides, Cao De thought, if this man could be turned to the Internal Guard Bureau, he would surely be an exceptional officer.

Cao De grew increasingly curious—who could be behind the scenes, making such a capable individual willingly embrace death?

Upon hearing his report, the Emperor responded with chilling indifference, "So you’re saying that the lead has been lost?"

Cao De’s emotions became somewhat calmer, and he replied, "Not yet.

Even with just a corpse, I must find something conclusive.

I sent men with his portrait and discovered that this person had frequented Baoxiang Pavilion and was recognized by the owner, even though he was in disguise.

He generously purchased an expensive box of specially formulated jade face paste.

This scented cream is well-known, and the proprietor keeps clear records of whom each box is sold to. "

At this point, Cao De sneered coldly. The man’s thinking might have been meticulous, but every careful plan has a flaw.

Baoxiang Pavilion is the largest cosmetics shop in the Capital, catering exclusively to the nobility. To be the owner of Baoxiang Pavilion, one must have some abilities.

And the first talent of the owner of Baoxiang Pavilion is the discernment of people’s true natures, helping to see beyond facades to the bones beneath—a secret known only within the cosmetics trade of the Capital.

No matter what, the suspect would never have imagined that his supposed flawless disguise had been seen through by the owner of Baoxiang Pavilion.

It was precisely because he had altered his appearance that the owner of Baoxiang Pavilion paid even more attention to him. When the Internal Guard Bureau’s agents arrived with his portrait, the owner felt a familiarity and was then led to examine the corpse, eventually confirming the identity.

Cao De paused, then continued, "I investigated where the specially formulated jade face paste has appeared recently, and also looked into the whereabouts of the paste sold in the past few months. After comparing both, there were only two boxes with unknown destinations: one entered the Xue Residence but it wasn’t clear who was using it, the other was the box bought by this man.

And precisely on the day when a serpent appeared in Canglan Court, Little Beauty just happened to receive a box of specially formulated jade face paste. What a coincidence."

As he spoke, he took out a box of scented cream from his chest and tossed it lightly into the air.

This man’s every move in the Capital had a purpose. Since he bought the scented cream, he would certainly use it at a crucial moment, so Cao De also conducted a secret search within the palace. Indeed, right under his watchful eyes, a box appeared.

The Emperor, seeing the cream, was startled and quickly sensed there was a problem, "What’s the significance of this box of cream?"

Cao De’s mouth twisted into a cold smirk as he chillingly replied, "This box of cream is harmless in itself, but what most people don’t know is that if used excessively by pregnant women, it can induce miscarriage." He heavily emphasized the words "induce miscarriage."

He had checked; this box of cream had not been tampered with and was sealed as originally intended. Even if there were suspicions raised, just this box of cream was not enough to convict anyone or hold them accountable—truly a clever scheme.

Anxiety breeds chaos, and the Emperor, upon hearing the news, didn’t take the time to ponder, but raised his foot to walk toward the Side Hall to see if his Little Concubine was unharmed.

Cao De hurriedly stopped him and said, "Rest assured, this box of scented cream has not yet reached the hands of Little Beauty. Such venomous and devious plots will not succeed with Nanny Qi around."

The Emperor sighed in relief, breaking out into a cold sweat, thankful for Nanny Qi’s presence; otherwise, his unsuspecting subordinates might have used it on Nannan, with inconceivable consequences.

The Emperor composed himself, his voice filled with lethal intent, "Who gifted this scented cream? Is this box the one that entered the Xue Residence or the one bought by that person?"

Realizing his people were the targets of treacherous schemes, he grew increasingly impatient.

"It was a congratulatory gift from Talented Lady Sun. In fear of imitation, Baoxiang Pavilion secretly marked their exclusive jade face paste, which I was planning to authenticate with the Pavilion’s manager tonight."

The Emperor, caressing his jade pendant at his waist and squinting thoughtfully, said after a moment, "Take Talented Lady Sun into custody for thorough interrogation."

Cao De, raising an eyebrow in surprise, said, "Why be so heartless? She’s your concubine after all. To interrogate her without verifying her guilt? What if it’s a coincidence?"

With just a cold glance from the Emperor, Cao De felt a chill run down his spine and quickly corrected himself, "Your Majesty is wise; there are no such coincidences in this world. Regardless of whether the secret jade face paste from Talented Lady Sun was her own idea or someone else’s directive, she cannot be dissociated from this critical matter.

She must be apprehended, indeed she must."

"Even if it were coincidence, what of it?" the Emperor said dismissively, striding away; his Nannan was waiting for him.

Cao De touched his nose, thinking that since returning, he believed the Emperor had softened a bit due to Little Beauty’s warmth, but he was still just as ruthless. To be his concubine was truly miserable.

Oh, no, that’s not right, being any concubine other than Little Beauty was truly miserable!

He wasn’t sure whether to call the Emperor heartless or affectionate. Perhaps in the entire Harem, the Emperor’s tenderness was only given to one person, which was already rare enough, better than never having been given to anyone before.

Cao De shook his head and ceased his criticism. He had yet to bathe that day, having rushed to the palace after finding a clue, and had waited for the Emperor for ages. Now feeling sticky all over, he decided it was time to go home for a bath.

According to his intuition, the appearance of the scented cream at Canglan Court was likely a deliberate design, not a coincidence.

It takes a villain to know one; were he the mastermind, he would stage it so, one step leading to the next. Even if the Serpent didn’t succeed, there would be the scented cream as a backup, employing multiple strategies for greater effectiveness.

Secrets and defenses within the palace are hard to guard against; it’s easy to fall into traps, as he’d seen often enough.

The next day, word spread throughout the palace that Talented Lady Sun had contracted a serious illness and was temporarily moved out of the palace.

Lian Hua knew nothing of these events or that two palace maids and one eunuch were transferred from Star Palace to do menial tasks, under the supervision of Nanny Qi, ostensibly her subordinates, without her knowledge.

She was even more oblivious to the undercurrents stirring within the Harem, where whispers of her pregnancy quietly emerged and gained increasing momentum.

All her attention was focused on preparing for her visit to Huaying Hall to see Xu Zhaoyi; even without these distractions, the Emperor would not let her learn of such messy affairs.