Chapter 768: How Could Feng Yi Tolerate Him?

“I am merely suspicious,” Princess Consort Zhuang said, her expression tinged with anger. “After all, the plans for the palace banquet were already set. For the perpetrator to strike tonight, it’s clear they want to prevent the banquet from taking place tomorrow. Empress Dowager, An Pin was fortunate enough to survive and is still hanging on by a thread. But if she had really… do you think the banquet tomorrow could possibly go on?”

Of course, it couldn’t.

The Empress Dowager couldn’t be bothered to be angry with Song Yunzhao right now, temporarily forgetting her desire to put her in her place. Staring at Princess Consort Zhuang, she asked, “You mean the person who attacked Shutong just wanted to stop tomorrow’s banquet? But why? What’s wrong with holding a palace banquet?”

“I don’t know either.” Princess Consort Zhuang also couldn’t understand why anyone would go so far as to harm An Shutong just to stop the palace banquet.

Consort Shu frowned. “Wild speculation is useless right now. We should first investigate what happened—who’s behind this, and where that cat came from.”

Song Yunzhao spoke up then, her voice unhurried. “I had sent people to investigate earlier, but the Empress Dowager issued a decree forbidding me from getting involved. I’ve already recalled my men. As for whether the culprit has taken this opportunity to escape, that has nothing to do with me.”

The Empress Dowager’s face instantly darkened again. ‘Song Yunzhao is doing this on purpose just to spite me!’

“If the Empress Dowager has no other business for me, I shall take my leave.” Song Yunzhao gave a perfunctory curtsy and turned on her heel to leave.

The Empress Dowager was speechless.

‘This anger is going to make my heart ailment flare up!’

Consort Shu and Princess Consort Zhuang exchanged a look. Consort Shu couldn’t contain her anger.

‘I thought *I* was the thoughtless one, but the Empress Dowager is even worse!’

‘This is about the truth behind An Pin’s attack. Is this really the time to be having a fit of pique?’

Holding her nose, Consort Shu cleaned up the Empress Dowager’s mess and immediately sent people to continue the investigation. Fortunately, Zhang Maoquan knew the Imperial Concubine was just trying to provoke the Empress Dowager and hadn’t actually withdrawn his men.

Consort Shu left in a huff, while Princess Consort Zhuang stayed behind.

“Empress Dowager, I will watch over things here. You should go back and rest. If An Pin knew you were tiring yourself out by watching over her, she would feel uneasy,” Princess Consort Zhuang said gently.

The Empress Dowager was old, and at this point, she really was struggling to stay awake.

But she was still worried for An Shutong’s safety, so she left her Chief Palace Maid, Yourong, to keep watch before finally leaving with her own people.

As soon as the Empress Dowager left, Princess Consort Zhuang called An Shutong’s attendants over for questioning.

Mu Qing was dead. Yingxue had cried until her eyes were swollen, but she knew nothing.

“Today, Mu Qing was attending to Her Highness. I was packing Her Highness’s trunks, preparing her clothes and jewelry for tomorrow’s banquet, so I don’t know why she suddenly went out. She spent the whole afternoon cooling off by the flower wall, and nothing happened. I really don’t know why she would have gone out,” Yingxue said between sobs, on the verge of dissolving into tears.

‘Mu Qing was dead and her mistress was unconscious. It felt like her world was collapsing.’

Princess Consort Zhuang had learned nothing useful, and her brow furrowed. ‘There was nothing out of the ordinary. Could An Shutong’s evening stroll by the lake really have been a spontaneous decision?’

It wasn’t impossible.

‘But if it was a spontaneous decision, why was she targeted?’

‘Unless… the attacker had been watching her the whole time.’

“Does your mistress usually have any enemies?” Princess Consort Zhuang looked at Yingxue and asked again.

Yingxue thought for a moment and shook her head. “My mistress was ill on and off for nearly half a year and has only just recovered. She rarely goes out, so how could she have made any enemies?”

As she said this, her expression faltered slightly.

Princess Consort Zhuang looked at her. “Tell the truth.”

“What I said is the truth, it’s just…”

“Just what?”

Yingxue steeled herself and said, “When Lady Zhao first entered the palace, she was greatly favored by the Empress Dowager, who would often summon her to Shouci Palace. Every time Lady Zhao returned, she would flaunt it, intentionally or not, in front of my mistress. Later, even when the Empress Dowager didn’t summon her, Lady Zhao would go to Shouci Palace on her own, completely overshadowing my mistress.”

Princess Consort Zhuang was a little surprised. She hadn’t expected there to be such a grudge between An Shutong and Zhao Ling’e. “And then?”

“Later, Lady Zhao made a mistake. My mistress had been holding in her resentment for a long time, so she caused some trouble for Lady Zhao. But it was all minor trouble, nothing that truly harmed her,” Yingxue said in a low voice.

Princess Consort Zhuang listened as Yingxue described the trivial matters—minor issues with clothing, food, and lodging, things being slightly more or less, a bit faster or slower. ‘How could this be considered causing trouble?’ she thought. ‘She didn’t dock Lady Zhao’s provisions, just delayed them slightly and was a bit stricter about etiquette.’

Princess Consort Zhuang didn’t think it was a big deal at all. ‘I thought An Shutong would use some shady means to make Zhao Ling’e truly suffer, but this is it?’

“Is there anything else?”

“No, that’s all.”

Princess Consort Zhuang nodded slightly, then looked at Yingxue. “You may go for now. Watch over your mistress’s medicinal broth; it will be time to give her the medicine soon.”

“I will watch it myself, Your Highness can rest assured.” Yingxue rose, bowed, and then backed out of the room.

Princess Consort Zhuang watched Yingxue leave. ‘An Shutong’s servants are quite loyal to her. She’s not entirely without merits.’

‘I recall that when An Shutong first entered the palace, she was much like Zhao Ling’e—just as ambitious. But after a few years, she had learned to be more discreet. Who would have thought she’d meet with such a disaster.’

‘Back when Qin Xiyue fell, An Shutong had even helped out.’ Princess Consort Zhuang looked at the unconscious woman, hoping she would be fortunate enough to survive this ordeal.

‘As for the Empress Dowager…’ Princess Consort Zhuang didn’t even want to think about it. ‘I just don’t understand. Why can’t the Empress Dowager think like a normal person?’

‘When *I* hit a wall, I know to turn back. But the Empress Dowager just keeps ramming into it, over and over, without ever changing course.’

‘She’s only alive because she’s the Empress Dowager. Anyone else would have been long dead by now.’

「Meanwhile」

After Feng Yi received the news, he was unable to get away immediately. By the time he finished his work and left the Dragon Palace, he asked around and learned that Yun Zhao had already gone back to Hua E Building.

His footsteps paused. He didn’t head for Baihua Pavilion, instead going straight to Hua E Building.

Yun Zhao had changed into casual clothes, and her hair was let down from its chignon. Although she was holding a book, her eyes were unfocused, lost in thought.

“Zhaozhao.”

Hearing the voice, Song Yunzhao subconsciously looked up. She gathered her wits and then stood up. “You’re back?”

“What’s wrong?” Feng Yi saw her dispirited expression; she was clearly unhappy.

Yun Zhao had been bottling up her anger. The moment she saw Feng Yi, she told him everything from beginning to end, and only then did her heart feel a little lighter.

Feng Yi was speechless.

“You did the right thing,” Feng Yi said, a hint of displeasure in his voice. “Since the Empress Dowager said as much, then let whoever she favors conduct the investigation.” ‘He just couldn’t understand why his mother insisted on targeting Zhaozhao.’

Yun Zhao’s mood instantly went from cloudy to clear when she heard his words. Then, she sighed. “But I can’t just wash my hands of it completely. I told Zhang Maoquan to go help Consort Shu. A life is on the line, after all. When An Pin wakes up, she’ll be heartbroken to learn that Mu Qing is dead.”

Feng Yi pinched her nose. “Now you feel sorry for her. I’ve already sent Meng Jiuchang to investigate. No matter what, we will find the person responsible.”

Feng Yi would not tolerate someone daring to commit murder in the traveling palace.

‘Today it was An Pin. Who will it be tomorrow?’