Sun Fang'er is missing.
When the news reached the palace, the emperor spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes went dark, and he almost fainted. He suppressed his surging anger and ordered in a stern voice, "Investigate, investigate thoroughly!"
It's impossible for a person to disappear right under your nose.
The body of the girl was carried back. The girl was a maid who used to clean the Xiwei Palace.
This palace maid had been in the palace for two years. She first served in Concubine Yi's palace and was later sent out. She also served in Concubine Mei's palace and Concubine Liang's palace. Finally, she was assigned to work as a cleaning maid in Xiwei Palace for half a year.
There was hardly anything suspicious.
Moreover, a palace maid who was just sweeping the floor must have someone behind the scenes directing her. She was willing to sacrifice her life for the person behind the scenes. Either she was truly loyal, or she had something on her that someone could use against her.
However, a young palace maid searched her bed and found nothing. According to the records of the inner court, this palace maid's parents were both dead and she had only one brother, who disappeared after she was sent to the palace. How could anyone hold such a person with no background or origin against her
Liang Shulin blocked the city gates and searched the entire city, even the West Garden was not spared.
The emperor had always known that Zi'an was in the West Garden, so it was not surprising for Liang Shulin to see her here.
However, Zi'an saw how big a fuss he made and asked what happened. Liang Shulin didn't say anything, but just said that they were searching for a murderer.
Everyone tried to whitewash the situation and Liang Shulin left.
The emperor was so angry that he wanted to rip off the roof of the Xiwei Palace. Liang Shulin came back to report that there was no news. The emperor threw a cup at Liang Shulin, hitting him on the forehead. Blood immediately gushed out. He didn't dare to wipe it off, so he just knelt on the ground and apologized.
Right under his nose, Sun Fang'er disappeared.
It's not that he hadn't thought about Murong Jie and Xia Zian, but he had always ordered people to keep an eye on the Regent's Palace and the West Garden. Moreover, if he wanted to plan such a big scheme to replace the original with the fake, it would be impossible if there was no one in the palace to support him. Even if there was someone in the palace to support him, they would definitely come out and take action. However, neither Murong Jie nor Xiao Tuo and Su Qing took any action, and Xia Zian had been hiding in the West Garden and dared not come out.
The vixen drama he created actually cleared them of suspicion.
Since it’s not Murong Jie, then who could it be
After his rage, he began to think calmly.
He stayed in Mei Fei's palace last night, which shows that someone lured him away.
The person who led him away was Concubine Mei? He stayed in Yueqing Palace all night, so it couldn't be her. Concubine Mei ate the unclean food, which was sent by Concubine Yi.
And Concubine Yi also knelt outside the Yueqing Palace all night last night and she did not leave.
If it weren't for these two people, there would be almost no clues.
None of the other concubines, including the queen, could do such a thing.
Could it be that Mei Fei's abdominal pain just gave the person who did it an opportunity? When did the person change? The appearance is so similar, it must be a disguise.
Xia Zian is good at the art of disguise, but, Xia Zian doesn't dare to act rashly now. Even if she is the mastermind behind the scenes, there are people working for her.
Moreover, if she really had the ability to do so before, Xia Lin would not have to fake his death and could have been smuggled out of the palace directly. After all, he did not keep a close eye on Xia Lin as closely as he did on Sun Fang'er.
Since Xia Lin needed to fake his death at the beginning, there was nothing else he could do.
For three consecutive days, the capital was under martial law and the city gates were closed.
He hoped that as long as the person was still in the city, there would still be hope of finding him.
Liang Shulin had been to the palace, and Murong Jie was indeed there. Moreover, he searched the palace thoroughly but could not find Sun Fang'er.
In just three days, the imperial guards searched almost every piece of land in the capital, and Sun Fang'er seemed to have evaporated without leaving any trace.
After searching for five days, the emperor finally gave up hope. He knew that after five days, it would be impossible for him to find Sun Fang'er.
He was ill, and the doors of the Xiwei Palace were closed. For the first time since the emperor recovered from his illness, he did not hold a morning court.
The atmosphere in the palace was so tense that it could explode at any moment. Not to mention the concubines, even the palace servants were cautious, for fear of detonating this shocking thunder.
However, after Concubine Mei recovered, she went to Yilan Palace in person.
The autumn wind was howling. Today she was wearing a palace skirt made of dark cloud brocade and embroidered with rich and prosperous patterns of gold and silver threads. She had her hair in a fallen horse bun and a gold and jade hairpin with a ruyi pattern. She had no makeup on, but her face had a rosy complexion due to the care she had taken during pregnancy.
She brought Ju'er here with her, looking very proud and not at all as cautious as the people in the harem.
"Why did Concubine Mei come here without any other reason today?" Concubine Yi was still half-lying on the chaise longue by the window. She glanced at her casually and said lightly.
"Yes, I came to see you and see what you looked like before you died." Mei Fei said this very softly, but she was gritting her teeth.
Concubine Yi turned her head to look at her and uttered a sound of surprise, but then sneered, "Concubine Mei is really different after she got pregnant."
Mei Fei smiled complacently, sat down, and said to Ju Er, "Go outside the palace. I want to talk to the Imperial Concubine."
Ju'er looked a little pale and glanced at Concubine Mei, but still went out as she was told.
Concubine Yi said calmly, "I want to ask if the Japanese palace poisoned you? The imperial physician said that you were not poisoned, so we have nothing to say."
“But there are indeed problems with those cakes.” Concubine Mei lifted her hair. She had become confident from being timid in the past.
"So what? Do you have any evidence?" Concubine Yi sneered, still with a look of contempt on her face.
Mei Fei also laughed, "Yes, I have no evidence. How could I have evidence for what you did? You had an affair with the crown prince, but I have no evidence, even though I saw it with my own eyes. You murdered Zi'an, but I have no evidence. Even though I knew everything, you murdered me, but I have no evidence, even though I was murdered. You smuggled Sun Fang'er out of the palace, but I have no evidence, even though I know everything clearly."
Concubine Yi's eyes suddenly turned fierce, "What do you want to say?"
"I want to ask," Mei Fei sat down next to her and chuckled, "You have done so many bad things, why didn't your son get the retribution?"
Concubine Yi grabbed her neck with one hand, pinching her hard and fiercely, with her eyes bulging, and asked fiercely: "Are you looking for death?"
Concubine Mei could hardly breathe and her face turned purple. She pulled hard and Concubine Yi's nails scraped the skin of her neck, leaving two bloody marks, and a piece of Concubine Yi's nail was also broken.
Mei Fei ignored him completely, with a fierce look on her face, "Tell me, if I go and tell the emperor that the dead maid was yours, will the emperor believe it? And if you smuggled Sun Fang'er out of the palace, will the emperor believe it?"
Concubine Yi stared at her and suddenly laughed out loud, "Go ahead and tell her. Just tell her. See if the emperor will believe you."
Concubine Mei looked at her arrogant face. It had always been like this. Whatever Concubine Yi did, she was passionate and arrogant, without any scruples, because she had calculated every retreat plan for herself.
Outside the door, there seemed to be the sound of Juer coughing.
Concubine Mei stared at her, suddenly reached out her hand, gently combed her hair, but suddenly pulled off the hairpin on Concubine Yi's head, quickly took a step back, and pointed it at her chest.
The smile on Mei Fei's face deepened. "You have been bullying me all these years. Do you remember?"
(End of this chapter)