Sheng Lengshuang and Mo Lingxi immediately understood that the matter was not trivial. Concubine Ning, as a princess sent for a political marriage from the Xiyue Dynasty, was acutely aware of her position and circumstances after a series of events.
Therefore, aside from her daily greetings and necessary outings, Concubine Ning remained in her palace, doing nothing, as quiet as if she did not exist.
If such a person were to invite Sheng Lengshuang for tea, she would surely send her head palace maid, not a eunuch with a mere glance.
As for how this waist token came about, it was difficult to say.
"You go and report this to His Majesty. Matters within the palace are for His Majesty to handle," Sheng Lengshuang said.
The eunuch accepted the order and retreated.
Sheng Lengshuang closed the ledger and said to Mo Lingxi with a smile that didn't reach her eyes, "It seems I've become an eyesore to some. They want to kill two birds with one stone and have resorted to this method."
Mo Lingxi's eyes flashed with a cold light. "I'll go find His Majesty. I'll be back later."
Sheng Lengshuang knew what he was going to do and reminded him, "This is His Majesty's imperial palace, don't get too involved, understand?"
Mo Lingxi understood this even better than she did. "Rest assured, I won't act recklessly. I want to make His Majesty clear about our stance, so it will be easier to act in the future."
Sheng Lengshuang gave him a thumbs-up. "Go quickly, I'll wait for you to return so we can dine together."
Mo Lingxi, still worried, gave her a few more instructions and asked the palace servants to serve her well, then went to find Zicheng.
Sheng Lengshuang, while looking at the ledger, pondered how to escape these unnecessary troubles. Perhaps her residing in the palace had made her a target for someone's schemes?
She curved her lips into a cold smile. Since someone dared to scheme against her, they would have to bear the consequences.
...
Outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Zicheng and Mo Lingxi sat in chairs, uncle and nephew chatting occasionally, neither paying attention to the imperial concubines and their attendants kneeling below, exposed to the sun.
Normally, these imperial concubines lived in pampered luxury and had never endured such hardship.
In just a short while, some concubines were already pale-faced and swaying unsteadily. Others had sweat pouring down their foreheads, completely lacking their usual composure.
Only Concubine Ning and two or three other concubines knelt as steadily as mountains, without even a hint of an inappropriate expression.
Concubine Ning knew very well that as a princess married for political alliance, she could only kneel obediently and have no thoughts, not even the slightest ones.
Only then could she remain peacefully in the imperial palace.
After an unknown amount of time, a concubine could no longer bear it and fainted.
"Already fainted?" Zicheng said coolly.
Immediately, imperial guards splashed a bucket of cold water on the fainting concubine, forcibly waking her up.
Now, no concubine dared to faint. Even if they were on the verge of fainting, they would pinch themselves hard to stay awake.
Being woken up with water in public would not only cause them to completely lose favor but also ruin their reputation.
Zicheng, as if not seeing the trembling imperial concubines, said in a faint voice, "I heard someone used a waist token from Concubine Ning's palace to invite my little aunt for tea?"
Concubine Ning's eyes widened, and she kowtowed. "Please, Your Majesty, investigate. I have never done such a thing. Why would I, without reason, invite Miss Sheng for tea?"
Clearly, someone wanted to kill two birds with one stone.
Zicheng glanced at her. "Whether it was you or not will be known after questioning the eunuch. However, due to your poor management, you are fined half a year's stipend."
Concubine Ning secretly breathed a sigh of relief and performed a deep bow. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!"
Zicheng propped his head with one hand, his gaze fiercely sweeping over the assembled concubines. "The previous incidents with Consort Ru and the deposed concubine apparently did not teach you a lesson, and you still dare to scheme against my little aunt."
The concubines trembled like sieves. "Please, Your Majesty, calm your anger. We dare not."
"You dare not? I think you dare a great deal!" Zicheng smashed the teacup to the ground. "If you don't have the guts, how can you scheme against my little aunt? Inviting for tea, I want to see what kind of tea you invited her for!"
The concubines who had no such intentions, or had long since abandoned them, were truly grinding their teeth in hatred. They wondered which lowly person, knowing His Majesty favored Miss Sheng, dared to do such a thing.
This lowly person who wanted to die should not drag them down with her.
"Your Majesty." At this moment, the chief eunuch led a physician, bowed, and reported, "Reporting to Your Majesty, it has been investigated. Several plants in Concubine Ning's palace produce subtle toxins."
"If taken for a long time, when emotionally agitated, it is easy to have an accident."
Upon hearing this, Zicheng understood the entire scheme. He looked at the physician.
The physician bowed. "Replying to Your Majesty, no abnormalities were found in Miss Sheng's place. Only Concubine Ning's palace had abnormalities."
The chief eunuch continued, "Your Majesty, those plants were sent to Concubine Ning's palace by the Department of Palace Affairs a few days ago and were usually placed in the hall. The physician said it was fortunate the duration was short, otherwise, it would have been a major incident."
"I have investigated. It was a eunuch on duty in the Department of Palace Affairs who delivered them. I have already requested imperial guards to assist in the interrogation, and the results should be available soon. The other eunuch has already confessed."
Zicheng raised his hand, and two imperial guards dragged out a eunuch who had been subjected to torture.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, it was Noble Lady Zhang who ordered me to do this," the eunuch confessed frantically as soon as he was thrown to the ground.
Noble Lady Zhang, panicked and uneasy, cried, "You, what nonsense are you spouting? When did I ever order you to do such a thing!"
Saying this, she performed a deep bow to Zicheng. "Please, Your Majesty, investigate. I have never done such a thing."
"Master, just admit it," her head palace maid said tremblingly. "You resent that His Majesty hasn't visited your palace for a long time, and you constantly slander Miss Sheng, saying she seduced both Prince Mingrui and His Majesty, and is utterly shameless..."
She rattled off all the details.
*Crack!*
Noble Lady Zhang slapped the head palace maid to the ground and roared with a bloodless face, "You are not allowed to talk nonsense! I never said such a thing! Who instructed you, who?"
"Your Majesty, I will not stay any longer." Mo Lingxi, seeing the situation, knew the interrogation would take a long time.
Zicheng nodded. "Little Uncle, I will handle this matter clearly. It is my fault for not managing the harem properly."
He also admired these people, so thoughtless, scheming against his little aunt again and again, did they think their lives were long?
Mo Lingxi grunted, bowed, and returned to Sheng Lengshuang's side.
Sheng Lengshuang saw him return and handed him a teacup. "Finished?"
Mo Lingxi took a sip of tea. "Not yet. This matter cannot be concluded quickly. The other party wants to implicate many imperial concubines."
"His Majesty is temperate in his indulgence of women, and there are not many concubines in the harem. If many are implicated, it will be much easier for them to come forward."
Hearing this, Sheng Lengshuang understood the other party's entire scheme. "No wonder they wanted to use and scheme against me. If I, a significant figure, were to 'harm' a certain imperial concubine, His Majesty, out of respect for you, would handle it lightly."