Chapter 373: Filthy Harem 02

Chapter 373

At night.

Xiao Jingheng was reviewing memorials in Chaoyang Palace when Jiang Deshun untimely barged in, interrupting him,

"Your Majesty, Tianji Office has sent back news. As Your Majesty guessed, those two palace maids from Mechanical Wonders Workshop were indeed killed to keep their mouths shut not long after leaving the palace. It was the medical officer who deliberately sprinkled substances on their wounds while treating them, causing their wounds to fester and leading to their deaths. And this medical officer... had dealings with the attendants of Prince Qi's Mansion before."

"Prince Qi?" Xiao Jingheng's brows furrowed, somewhat puzzled, "What does he have to do with Chengjing's death? Why would he go and silence the palace maids from Mechanical Wonders Workshop?"

Having served in the imperial court for a long time, Jiang Deshun had the sharpest eyes for affairs. Since he learned of the letter submitted by Tianji Office, he had already made guesses, suspecting that there were likely some unspeakable secrets between Prince Qi and Concubine Hui.

But he absolutely could not speak of this secret from his mouth, otherwise it would be a slap in the emperor's face.

So he could only pretend he knew nothing and let Xiao Jingheng figure it out himself.

"Your servant does not know about this matter. People from the Secret Agency are also waiting outside to report this to Your Majesty."

The Secret Agency was Xiao Jingheng's secret organization, similar in nature to Tianji Office, except the former were the emperor's henchmen, while the latter was supposed to belong to the Empress Dowager.

Xiao Jingheng harbored suspicions towards Prince Qi this time, not only having Tianji Office secretly keep an eye on Prince Qi's Mansion, but the Secret Agency was also doing the same thing as Tianji Office.

When the people from the Secret Agency came and reported the same thing as Tianji Office,

it confirmed Prince Qi's silencing of people.

As people came in to report, Xiao Jingheng kept fiddling with the ring on his thumb, finding it increasingly strange the more he thought about it.

The palace maids being silenced meant Chengjing's death was no accident.

But the person who silenced them was Prince Qi, who had always been outside the palace. What could Chengjing's being alive interfere with him?

Could it be...

Xiao Jingheng's eyes suddenly fixed as he grimly ordered Jiang Deshun,

"Go and bring me the records of princes entering and leaving the Inner Palace."

Xiao Jingheng said: "You know I can never keep things bottled up. If I don't finish something today, I won't even be able to sleep well. Just do your Imperial Brother a favor."

Xiao Jingheng knew Xiao Jingyan did not have much expertise in this area. On the contrary, Prince Qi was quite knowledgeable, given that he had Prince Qi's Mansion renovated every three years, extravagantly furnished.

And just as Xiao Jingheng expected, Xiao Jingyan shifted the topic to Prince Qi.

"Imperial Brother should not be asking me about this, but should ask Second Brother instead. After Imperial Brother ascended the throne, Imperial Brother had people manage the renovations of my mansion, and I have always been unrestrained, as long as there is a bed to sleep on I'm fine, I never paid attention to these things."

Following his words, Xiao Jingheng casually asked:

"Oh? Then were you and your Second Brother comfortable staying at Penglai Island?"

"Comfortable, of course comfortable." Xiao Jingyan joked, "Every time we brothers stayed overnight in the palace, wasn't it because we all got drunk? Imperial Brother knows me, I can't hold my liquor. Once I got to Penglai Island I'd fall straight asleep, sometimes even sleeping on the ground. As for comfortable or not, Imperial Brother should ask Second Brother."

"Then after you fell asleep, what about your Second Brother?"

"Second Brother is elegant and can hold his liquor. Every time after drinking with Imperial Brother, Second Brother was still in high spirits. He would often take a lone boat on the lake, appreciating the moon's reflection to form a party of three. Sometimes when I woke up thirsty late into the night, I saw Second Brother's room was still empty, and I truly admire Second Brother's capacity for liquor."

Hearing Xiao Jingyan say this,

Xiao Jingheng only felt like he had been slapped hard across the face, his cheeks burning painfully.

His hands under the desk were clenched tightly into fists, and the veins on the back of his hands were frighteningly taut.

Prince Qi stayed with Xiao Jingyan on Penglai Island. In the dead of night he did not sleep, but insisted on boating alone on the lake.

So in such an unaccompanied moment, what exactly was he doing?

"Your Majesty! This is terrible, Your Majesty!"

Just as Xiao Jingheng was secretly furious, Xiao Yinzi came crashing in a daze,

stumbling to his knees before Xiao Jingheng.

He was so out of breath that he didn't even pause to catch it before reporting:

"Concubine Hui... she is bleeding profusely!"