The two spoke as they arrived at Wanhua Palace. Princess Lianchun sat under the eaves, with Ji Youzhi standing by her side. Two Inner Guards held down the old woman, who did not struggle at all. She looked at Princess Lianchun with a very gentle gaze, tears glistening in her eyes!
"I never expected it to be you!"
Everyone was shocked and couldnât help but look toward Princess Lianchun.
Ji Youzhi asked; "Does Princess Lianchun know her?"
"She used to be my motherâs maid, Ah Sheng! After my mother died suddenly, she disappeared. I didnât expect her to still be in Wanhua Palace!"
"Concubine Xianâs maid!"
This dates back over ten years!
No! Concubine Xian passed away when the princess was very young, supposedly around ten years old!
And now...
"I never anticipated youâd hide in the palace for over ten years, only to act against the Emperor now. You have an incredible amount of patience!"
The old womanâs ability to hide was indeed extraordinary.
"Thatâs right, Iâve hidden in Wanhua Palace for decades, just waiting for the opportunity to kill Long Zhan and Empress Dowager Xiao, mother and son!"
The old woman raised her head, meeting Ji Youzhiâs gaze with a look of hatred on her face, as if a beast was roaring within her chest, ready to leap out at any moment.
"Why?" Princess Lianchun sat in her chair, her voice calm but her eyes filled with anger!
Zhanzhan was her only family left in this world. She remembered when he was little and chubby, just a small bundle, blowing bubbles and grinning at her.
Later, as he grew older, he followed her around like a little shadow, happily calling out "Sister! Sister!"
As he got even older, he no longer called her sister, but referred to her as royal sister, pouting that he didnât want to recite passages, saying it was too difficult to memorize.
He also complained that practicing calligraphy was tiring, that his hands were sore; yet he had to write so much every day!
She coaxed him, saying he was the future ruler of the world, and if he didnât study or practice calligraphy diligently, he wouldnât be able to govern the empire effectively and would be ridiculed by the small barbarian states!
She knew Zhanzhan loved saving face, so she made a bet with him. If he studied diligently every day, she would play with him for half an hour daily.
If he couldnât study well, she would make Zhanzhan imitate a puppy for her!
This trick worked for a while, but later, it stopped working. Just as she was thinking of finding another way to encourage his diligence, she was abducted.
Princess Lianchunâs thoughts drifted far away, and when she was brought back to the present, Ji Youzhi had almost finished interrogating.
"What makes you believe that Concubine Xianâs death was the doing of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor?"
"Isnât it obvious?
Concubine Xian was favored, about to give birth to a little prince for the Emperor. That vile Xiao Empress Dowager feared that if Concubine Xian bore a son, it would hinder her path, so she murdered Concubine Xian!"
"What are you saying?"
Princess Lianchun was utterly stunned. What did Ah Sheng say?
Her mother was going to give birth to a prince for the late Emperor?
This was earth-shattering news!
No!
That wasnât the most important part; the crucial detail was that her mother was pregnant when she died, and the Imperial Physicians never mentioned it!
Ji Youzhi then turned his gaze to Princess Lianchun.
"This case spans too long. We canât just listen to her one-sided story!"
Princess Lianchun understood that they couldnât solely rely on Ah Shengâs account, yet her motherâs sudden death had always seemed suspicious to her, even after many years.
At one time, she had also suspected the Xiao Empress Dowager.
But the Empress Dowager did nothing else to her over the years.
And she found not a shred of evidence.
"Continue the investigation. I want to know the truth of who killed my mother!"
Yet, Ji Youzhi dared not comply, for the matter involved the Empress Dowager, and without the Emperorâs order, he couldnât investigate!
"Princess! This matter involves too many layers!"
"Divine Hunter, do you too fear offending the Empress Dowager?"
Ji Youzhi shook his head, "After so many years, evidence will be hard to find!"
Princess Lianchun fixed her gaze on Ji Youzhi, "In the end, youâre still afraid!"
Ji Youzhi did not respond but turned to look at Ah Sheng kneeling on the ground, "Have you considered if this might be her scheme to sow discord?"