C23 Part3

....

There were thousands of lights in Luoyang City, and the palace was brightly lit.

The night wind blowed, and the swaying shadows of the tree branches left a chaotic shadow on the vermilion Palace wall.

Qin Ruo came back from the outside.

She lowered her head, as if she was worried.

Ruyi asked casually:

"What's wrong with you?

Didn't you go to take His Royal Highness' robe?"

"It's nothing."

Qin Ruo walked into the bedroom and carefully put His Royal Highness' robe into the red sandalwood suitcase.

Murong Ci sat in front of the case, holding a book and reading,

"Qin Ruo, why were you so late to come back?"

Qin Ruo had always been clear and straightforward, and was smart with her own opinions.

Qin Ruo came over, and said

"Your Royal Highness, when this servant went to the Liushang Palace to pick up her clothes, I heard something that was a bit unusual."

The robes of the master of the Imperial Palace were not washed directly by the maids of the Imperial Palace, but by the Shangfu Bureau, which was under the Liushang Bureau administration.

At the same way, the robes of the Prince of the East Palace were also taken care of by the Shangfu Bureau.

The Liushang Bureau was located in the inner courtyard of the harem, far away from the East Palace.

Qin Ruo would personally go to the Liushang Bureau to take His Royal Highness' robe every day.

"What's the matter?"

Murong Ci's interest was aroused, feeing something unusual must have happened to concern Qin Ruo that much.

"I listened to the court ladies of the Shangfu Bureau talking behind the wall.

They said that two people had died in the Spring Wuyuan Courtyard."

Qin Ruo replied.

"Oh? Who?"

"This servant doesn't know.

I took the clothes and rushed to the Spring Wuyuan Courtyard, just to see the four servants dragging two sacks out, trying to drag the corpse out of the Palace and throw it into the mass grave."

Located in the northwest of the Imperial Palace, Spring Wuyuan Courtyard was the most remote, dirtiest, and darkest part of the Palace Courtyard.

The concubines who had committed a crime, were all relegated and locked there.

As long as they stepped into the threshold of the Spring Wuyuan Courtyard, it meant that their lives were over and there was no more hope left.

Murong Ci thought it wasn't something weird, and her eyes returned to the booklet,

"Isn't it normal that people will die every day in Spring Wuyuan Courtyard?"

Qin Ruo said:

"This servant heard the maids say that the two of them had been dead for three or four days, and their bodies were pale, different from ordinary dead people."

Murong Ci seemed to think of something, and immediately stood up.

Her eyes condensed slightly, and she said after a moment:

"Ruyi, help me change clothes."

"It's so late at night...

Your Royal Highness, are you really going to go out?"

Ruyi came in, hearing His Highness' words, and immediately objected,

"Your Royal Highness, your fever and cold are not yet fully recovered!

And it's night again..."

"Qin Ruo."

Murong Ci unbuttoned her robe on her own, winking at Qin Ruo.

Qin Ruo stepped forward in silence to help changing His Royal Highness' clothes.

Ruyi angrily said to Qin Ruo:

"How can you let Your Highness go out for danger?

These few days are not peaceful, and so many things have happened. On top of that Her cold isn't recovered yet!

Can't Your Highness stay in the East Palace in peace?"

Qin Ruo chuckled,

"No matter what, you and I can't stop Your Highness' decisions.

You stay here to deal with it, and be smart."

While speaking, Murong Ci had finished changing her clothes.

She patted her bulging face, raised her eyebrows and smiled at Ruyi

"Don't worry for me.

I leave the rest up to you here."

Ruyi watched them leave and sighed long.

....

It was already too late to go out from the gate of the East Palace.

So the safest way was to leave the Palace from the secret path.

Riding on two horses, Murong Ci and Qin Ruo went straight to Shen Zhiyan's Mansion.

The lantern at the gate of his house was hung up, Murong Ci waited by the side, and Qin Ruo knocked on the door.

Not long after, someone opened the door, poked his head and asked:

"Who are you looking for?"

"Is Vice-Minister Shen Zhiyan in the mansion?

I am from the Dali Temple, and I am in a hurry to find Vice-Minister Shen Zhiyan."

Qin Ruo politely said that.

Only by using the name of Dali Temple could they see Shen Zhiyan the fastest.

When the person heard the words "Dali Temple", he immediately went to report.

Because the eldest master said that 'anyone from Dali Temple should be reported to him immediately, without delay'.

After a while, Shen Zhiyan hurried over, and when he saw Qin Ruo, he knew that His Royal Highness was outside.

He dismissed his servant first, then walked over to salute Murong Ci, and said in a low voice,

"Why is Your Royal Highness leaving the Palace so late?

Is there something urgent?"

....

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END of CHAPTER 23 PART 3

.....................to be continued