The princess regretted it.

Chapter 294 Zuo Quan’s Report

After a while, Jiaoyu seemed to have vented all her frustration. She slowly walked to the side and sat down heavily. The madness on her face gradually faded, replaced by a cold and sinister look. After a moment, she asked coldly, "Where's Yundou? Why hasn't he come back to report?"

Xiangcao raised her body slightly, glanced at Jiaoyu secretly, and whispered, "Princess, I haven't seen Yundou, and she hasn't returned to the Second Prince's place either."

"Has she been captured?" As soon as this thought crossed Jiaoyu's mind, it felt like a sharp electric current pierced her body. She jolted violently, and then, like a spring being triggered, she bolted upright in her chair. Her eyes widened like bells, filled with panic and anxiety, and she blurted out a hasty question. At the same time, her hands instinctively gripped the chair's armrests tightly, her knuckles turning white from the excessive force, revealing her inner panic without reservation.

After a brief panic, a sinister look suddenly flashed in her eyes, "Then Mingyue, are you watching carefully?" She seemed to have suddenly grasped the key from her chaotic thoughts, and the abducted Mingyue instantly appeared in her mind.

At this moment, a cunning and cruel idea grew in her heart. She realized that this bright moon might have another "value" and she must not let her die easily. Maybe it could have unexpected uses in the future.

Xiangcao trembled as she glanced at Jiaoyu. Her voice was as weak as the hum of a mosquito, and she whispered, "Mingyue is locked in a dark room now."

Jiaoyu didn't say anything after hearing this. Her lips were pressed together in a straight line, and her eyes were filled with determination. She swung her skirt and turned, striding towards the dark room with an unstoppable momentum.

Seeing this, Vanilla didn't dare to delay even a moment. She quickly stood up and trotted after her, afraid that if she lost her, she would anger Jiaoyu. Vanilla's heart was in her throat the whole way. She knew that Jiaoyu was in a bad mood at the moment. If she was not careful, she would be in trouble. She could only follow behind cautiously, not daring to breathe.

Tonight, the palaces of the harem endured a restless night. The Imperial Guards shuttled through the various palaces, their gleaming armor gleaming coldly in the moonlight, the clash of armor shattering the night's silence. Their steps were hurried, their faces grim, as they rushed back and forth between the palaces, carrying out the Emperor's secret orders for a rigorous investigation.

The Royal Guards' search lasted all night, until dawn broke, and the sky was turning pale. The turmoil of this night was like a huge rock dropped into a lake, causing ripples that lingered for a long time.

Everyone in the palace was on pins and needles, utterly apprehensive. Initially, they had only a vague understanding of the situation, completely unaware of the exact inhabitants of the burning courtyard. However, after Ye Yi had fought tooth and nail to rescue Concubine Chun from the flames, the eunuchs and palace maids who had come to the rescue witnessed the scene: a pregnant woman being escorted out of the blaze by the crowd. Anyone who witnessed it knew the gravity of the situation. Furthermore, Princess Jin'an and Concubine Cen arrived shortly afterward, their expressions of panic and concern for the woman, even frantically bringing along the imperial physician.

This news spread like wildfire back to the palaces, like a stone dropped into a calm lake, stirring up a turbulent wave. Before the ladies could dispatch their trusted aides to carefully arrange matters and discover the identity of the woman, the imperial guards descended upon them like wolves and tigers. Without a word, they began to investigate every maid and eunuch, plunging the entire harem into chaos and panic.

The Imperial Guards' swift and decisive actions naturally led these young ladies to shrewdly guess that the fire that night was no accident, but must have been deliberately set. At this thought, each of them was filled with fear, worried that disaster would strike, afraid that they would be innocently implicated in this treacherous harem struggle and become victims of the power struggle.

At the Yangshen Palace, Changsun Hongze arrived before the morning court session to listen to Zuo Quan, the Right Commander of the Imperial Guards, report on the night's investigation of the harem. He had checked the maids and eunuchs in the harem, but found no injuries.

After a thorough overnight search, the maids and eunuchs in the palaces of the concubines were carefully checked, but no injuries were found. Now, only the palaces of the two princesses and the prince remained unchecked. As for whether to investigate and how to investigate, Zuo Quan, the Right Commander of the Imperial Guard, had considered it. However, he was concerned that if the status of the princesses were implicated in the harem, which would affect the royal family's reputation and involve the complex palace intrigues, any misstep would be dangerous. Therefore, he needed the emperor's decision.

A night passed, and the emperor's rage hadn't subsided in the slightest. Instead, it burned even more fiercely, as if it had been poured with hot oil. He stayed by Concubine Chun's side all night, watching her wake up from her sleep from time to time, and the emperor's anger only grew stronger.

After listening to Zuo Quan's report, the emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, a cold light flashing in his eyes. His voice was low and majestic, as if squeezed out from between his teeth, and he asked in a deep voice: "Have all the palaces been investigated? Including Concubine Zhang?"

"Your Majesty, except for the palaces of the four princes, the palaces of all the concubines in the harem have been checked." Zuo Quan's voice was respectful and loud, like the ringing of a bell. "After Concubine Zhang was confined to her house, there were very few people in the palace, and the personnel were very easy to check. When I personally led people there last night, I didn't find anything unusual." His answer was straightforward and decisive, with a frank look in his eyes, and there was no intention of dodging or evading.

The Emperor gazed at Zuo Quan, his calm and forthright response stirring a wave of admiration. Everyone in the palace knew that the Right and Left Commanders of the Imperial Guards were rivals, like two tigers vying for attention, each eager to distinguish themselves before the Emperor and secure greater favor and power. If Zhang Concubine were linked to last night's horrific fire, it would undoubtedly deal a heavy blow to Zhang Hengrui, the Left Commander of the Imperial Guards, placing him on the defensive in this power game. Zuo Quan surely understood the stakes involved. Yet, he remained impartial, reporting truthfully and without any personal ulterior motives. This was truly commendable, earning the Emperor further recognition and trust in his character.

However, when Zuo Quan mentioned that the palaces of the two princes and two princesses had not yet been checked, a hint of displeasure quietly appeared between his brows and eyes. He stared at Zuo Quan, and after a moment of silence, he slowly said: "Do you mean that the person may be hiding in the palaces of my four children?" The emperor's voice was low and majestic.

"I dare not!" Zuo Quan's heart trembled upon hearing this. He bowed his head deeply until his forehead touched the cold ground, his gesture like the most devout believer confessing to the gods. His voice was steady and powerful, his tone firm and respectful: "After all, the four princes are still unmarried and of extremely noble status. Such obscure and private matters... It is difficult for me to make a decision on my own. I hope the emperor will clarify."