lcionline Chapter 696 The People Behind the Xia Family
Chapter 696 The People Behind the Xia Family
Fuqiu lowered her head and said, "Yes!"
Soon, Zhang Changzai came in.
She knelt on the ground and bowed respectfully to Shen Zhinian: "I pay my respects to the Royal Concubine Chen. May the Royal Concubine be blessed with good health!"
Shen Zhinian put down the teacup slowly, then said slowly: "Get up."
"Thank you, Imperial Concubine Chen!"
After Zhang Changzai stood up, she bent over and handed over the thing in her hand: "I just feel that in terms of position, identity, reputation, and favor, no one in the harem can compare with Concubine Chen!"
"Your Highness is the undisputed leader of the harem, so I made that suggestion yesterday."
"I never thought that I was so stupid that I ended up making things worse..."
"Although the Imperial Concubine Chen was kind and did not blame me, I was restless all night after returning home, so I came here today to apologize to the Imperial Concubine Chen."
"It's just a small gift. I hope Her Majesty the Imperial Concubine Chen won't despise it!"
Zhang Changzai was just a Changzai, and the favor she received was average, so of course she couldn't produce anything good.
But the piece of material she brought was already the most precious gift in her warehouse.
Shen Zhinian raised his eyes and looked at the sincere and frightened expression on Zhang Changzai's face, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly.
After everyone left yesterday, she asked Xiao Mingzi to investigate Zhang Changzai's background.
But there was no problem with Zhang Changzai's identity or her mother's family, and there was no sign that she had taken refuge with others.
It would be nice if I could follow Zhang Changzai and catch the big fish behind her.
Since Zhang Changzai wanted to "surrender" to her so much, why didn't she go with the flow?
Shen Zhinian motioned for Fuqiu to take the gift that Zhang Changzai handed over, and said calmly, "I understand that Zhang Changzai was just being kind yesterday. Why did you make it so serious?"
Zhang Changzai seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and said gratefully, "I hope that the Imperial Concubine Chen will not blame me."
"I sincerely feel that only you are worthy of leading the harem."
"If the Imperial Concubine Chen needs me for anything, I will do my best for you, until my death!"
Zhang Changzai knew that few people would believe her if she said this for no reason.
So her eyes were filled with undisguised desire and ambition, making people feel that she joined Shen Zhinian just to win favor and follow in the footsteps of Concubine Sun.
This is the only way to gain people's trust.
Shen Zhinian smiled and did not expose Zhang Changzai. He spoke to her for a few more words and then sent her away.
After Zhang Changzai left, Fuqiu asked curiously, "My queen, if there is someone behind Zhang Changzai, who would it be?"
Shen Zhinian's lips curled up slightly: "Who knows?"
"Since the bait has been placed here, the big fish will surely take the bait sooner or later. Just wait patiently."
Fuqiu smiled and said, "Your Highness is right."
Shen Zhinian said again: "Xiao Mingzi, continue to send people to keep an eye on Zhang Changzai."
Xiao Mingzi stepped forward, lowered his hands and said, "I understand!"
In the afternoon, Fuqiu walked in quickly from outside and said in surprise, "Madam, there is some progress on the matter you asked the master to investigate last time!"
On the day of the third prince's first birthday, one of the items for his birthdate was smeared with poison, and it was later discovered that it was done by Lao Tian, a craftsman from the manufacturing department.
The Manufacturing Department is under the jurisdiction of Shen Zhinian, so this matter involves Shen Zhinian.
Although the truth came out in the end, it was because Xia from the cold palace held a grudge against Shen Zhinian that she asked the Xia family to use Lao Tian's daughter to threaten him to do this.
The Xia family had been exterminated a long time ago.
At that time, Shen Zhinian suspected that the real mastermind might not be the Xia family.
However, all clues were lost and she was unable to determine the truth for a while, so she asked Shen Maoxue to start the investigation from Lao Tian's daughter.
After all, she had been a concubine of the Xia family, so perhaps she knew something.
Shen Zhinian had just finished checking an account book. He put it down, rubbed his brows, looked at Fuqiu and said, "Go ahead."
"Yes."
Fuqiu said slowly, "At first, Old Tian's daughter refused to explain anything. She only said that her father risked his life to save her life, and that she wanted to live well to be worthy of her father, and she didn't want to be involved in all the right and wrong again."
"The master remembered your instructions and did not use harsh means to treat Lao Tian's daughter. He just sent someone to secretly keep an eye on her to prevent her from being suddenly killed."
"The person behind the scenes was very cautious. Perhaps they knew that the incident had just happened, and maybe someone was secretly paying attention to the matter, so they didn't send anyone to do anything to Lao Tian's daughter."
"When the storm had passed and even the people sent out by the master thought that nothing would happen again, someone finally couldn't hold back and took action against Lao Tian's daughter!"
“Fortunately, the people sent by the master stayed near Lao Tian’s daughter and rescued her.”
"It's just that...the other party's kung fu is too powerful. Although the Shen family's guards rescued Lao Tian's daughter, they failed to catch them..."
"After this incident, Old Tian's daughter also understood that it was not because she wanted to protect herself that the people behind the scenes would let her go. If the Shen family does not continue to send people to protect her, she will definitely die!"
"So, Lao Tian's daughter told everything she knew."
"Unfortunately... although she lived in the Xia family for a period of time, she did not have any power. She was just a concubine who was not favored."
"The Xia family forced her to marry in to force Old Tian to submit, and it was impossible for them to give her too much freedom. Old Tian's daughter also knows a limited amount of things."
"Only once did she overhear the conversation of the Xia family, and they vaguely mentioned the word 'Bingzhou'."
"The daughter of God was afraid of being discovered, so she didn't dare to listen any more. She didn't know much else..."
Shen Zhinian narrowed his eyes slightly: "Bingzhou..."
Ah!
She knew whose hand was stirring up trouble in secret!
Handan couldn't wait to ask, "My Lady, do you understand something?"
Shen Zhinian sneered: "Bingzhou is the fief of King Jin!"
Handan's eyes widened in surprise: "You mean, the person behind all these things is most likely the King of Jin?!"
"I blame you for saying before that the King of Jin is ambitious and not as kind as he appears."
Fuqiu's heart sank: "If the person behind the Xia family is really His Royal Highness Prince Jin, then he is indeed very cunning!"
"In the history of the Great Zhou Dynasty, there were emperors who had no children, and in the end, the younger brother succeeded the elder brother."
"Your Majesty has few children to begin with. If something happens to the Third Prince and the blame is placed on you, the Fourth Prince will also be implicated..."
"Prince Jin muddies the waters, so he can fish in troubled waters!"
"So, not only the Third Prince, but the Fourth Prince is also very likely to be in danger!"
Shen Zhinian's eyes suddenly turned cold!