She was sure that there must be something going on in the palace that outsiders must not know, and Concubine Yi was furious because the guard said that she was eavesdropping outside the door.
Zi'an had no time to think about what was in the palace, and it was impossible for him to leave now.
The guards arrived, and several of them twisted her down, pushed her into the side hall, and closed the door.
Zi'an looked out through the crack in the door. The palace guards were standing guard outside, and a figure left quickly. This person didn't even bring a servant with him.
Zi'an recognized the figure; it was Prince Murong Qiao.
Zi'an's heart sank. Could it be that there was something unspeakable between Concubine Yi and the Crown Prince
If that was the case, Concubine Yi would never let her step out of this door.
After a moment, the palace door opened.
Zi'an's expression changed, he stepped aside and stood with his hands hanging down.
A young woman in luxurious clothes walked in. Her hair was casually tied up into a simple yet lazy bun. Her hairpin was tilted and her hair was a little loose.
Her skin was whiter than snow, and her face was flushed. It was unknown whether it was because of anger or something else. She strode in, sat on the chair, and looked at Zi'an with unscrupulous eyes. Then she asked sternly, "Which palace are you from? Who asked you to come to Yilan Palace?"
When she walked past Zi'an, he could clearly smell a fragrance, the same fragrance he had smelled on Crown Prince Murong Qiao when he entered the palace that day.
Moreover, from Concubine Yi's expression, face, and eyes, one can see the signs of lovemaking.
Zi'an is a doctor, and these physiological reactions cannot fool her.
Zi'an felt even more depressed after his guess was confirmed.
Hearing the question, Zi'an bowed respectfully and said, "To answer the question from Concubine Yi, it was Concubine Mei who asked me to come here."
"Mei Fei?" Concubine Yi was startled. "She asked you to come over?"
Zi'an replied, "That's right, Your Majesty." Concubine Mei had no enemies in the palace and was able to bribe people in Concubine Yi's palace. She also knew about Concubine Yi's affair with someone, so she concluded that the relationship between Concubine Yi and Concubine Mei must be very good.
"Since it was Concubine Mei who asked you to come here, why were you eavesdropping outside the palace?" Concubine Yi stared at her with sharp eyes, as if studying how much she knew.
Zi'an was a little confused. "I didn't eavesdrop. When I came here, there was no one guarding outside the palace, so I walked over. As soon as I stepped onto the stone steps, this guard brother came."
"In other words, you just climbed the stone steps?" Concubine Yi asked in disbelief.
Zi'an said, "Yes, that guard brother saw it with his own eyes. If your majesty doesn't believe it, you can ask him."
Concubine Yi's face relaxed and she hummed, but then she remembered something and asked vigilantly, "Your Highness? You just said your Highness, aren't you a palace maid? Who are you?"
Zi'an replied, "My name is Xia Zi'an, and I am the cousin of Concubine Mei. It just so happens that I have to go to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager, so Concubine Mei asked me to come in and pass on a message to Concubine Yi."
Concubine Yi thought for a moment, and looked slightly surprised, "Xia Zian? Are you the Xia Zian who broke off the engagement with Prince Liang?"
"It is you, my lady." Zi'an replied.
Concubine Yi looked at her and said contemptuously, "I heard that you regretted the engagement because you fell in love with the crown prince?"
Zi'an pretended to be in a panic and took a few steps forward. He turned the Soul-Snatching Ring, releasing electricity to interfere with Concubine Yi's brain waves, making her follow her own thoughts. This interference was not hypnosis, but the effect was similar to hypnosis. At such a close distance, Zi'an should have hypnotized her, but there were other people in the palace. Once Concubine Yi was hypnotized, it would be easy for others to see it, so he could only control her by interfering with her brain waves.
However, the interference with brain waves can only last for fifteen minutes at most, and after fifteen minutes, the effect will disappear.
Therefore, she must leave Yilan Palace before Concubine Yi wakes up.
Before Concubine Yi could scold her, she stopped and sighed quietly, "I didn't expect that even Her Majesty knew about these scandals. What's the point of me liking him? He doesn't like me at all. His Highness said that he already has someone he likes in his heart and he will never look at me."
When Concubine Yi heard this, her pupils suddenly shrank, her nostrils slightly opened, and the corners of her mouth curled up, "Your Highness, do you have a favorite woman? Who is it? I am very curious."
Zi'an shook his head with a sad look on his face, "I don't know. He looks like he has something to hide."
"An unspeakable secret? What unspeakable secret? What are you hiding?" Concubine Yi said coldly.
Zi'an led Concubine Yi step by step into the thoughts she created, but Concubine Yi's resistance could be seen, which showed that Concubine Yi was still very vigilant.
If there was no interference, it would not be easy for her to leave Yilan Palace today.
Zi'an shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes. "Since Your Majesty knows that I broke off the engagement for Your Highness, what else is there to hide? I really didn't know. Well, a man as outstanding as Your Highness must be matched with an outstanding woman. How could it be someone like me? I have given up. Let's see if my sister can win Your Highness' heart."
Concubine Yi suddenly raised her head and stared at her, "Your sister?"
Zi'an nodded, "Yes, my sister Xia Wan'er also likes Your Highness, and she has been asking Your Highness out lately. I heard that Your Highness has also given her a lot of gifts. I hope she can succeed."
Concubine Yi's expression turned grim, "What did Your Highness send your sister?"
Zi'an thought for a moment, "Earrings, bracelets, and a red coral necklace. Oh, and my sister also gave His Highness a painting."
Concubine Yi's face suddenly became ugly.
Zi'an was calculating the time. Fifteen minutes were about to pass, and she couldn't help but get anxious.
If Concubine Yi woke up fifteen minutes later, she would definitely find something wrong with their conversation, and would suspect that she was deliberately leading the topic and then infer that she must have seen something just now.
Thinking of this, Zi'an suddenly said, "Oh, madam, I almost forgot something important. Madam Mei asked me to come and pay my respects to you. She also asked me to tell you that she wants to hold a banquet in Yilan Palace and has invited actors to perform in the palace. Please come and watch."
"Holding a banquet? Inviting actors to the palace? What is she planning to do?" Concubine Yi was very unhappy. "The emperor is seriously ill now, and she is playing some lascivious music in the palace. If the empress dowager finds out, what will happen?"
"The Empress said that the palace has been particularly dull recently. Everyone is in a bad mood due to the Emperor's illness, so she wanted to organize some festive programs to entertain people. In addition, she also invited some ministers' families to the palace for a banquet." Zi'an made up a story.
"Why do we have to do it in Yilan Palace? Can't we do it in her Yueqing Palace?" asked Concubine Yi, her thoughts already completely drawn by Zi'an. Everyone knew the current situation. Concubine Mei was her good sister, but they both had princes. Once she, the mother of the Seventh Prince, was slandered by the ministers, the Seventh Prince would lose power as well.
Zi'an was stunned. "Your Majesty didn't say why. I will go back and ask Concubine Mei right away."
"Go immediately and tell her that the banquet will be held in her palace, and not in my Yilan Palace. I don't like crowds." Concubine Yi said coldly.
"Yes, I'll go right away!" Zi'an said.
Concubine Yi stared at her, then called someone over, "Da Quan, you go with her."
The guard just now came over and said, "Yes!"
(End of this chapter)