The queen is sober in the world, and she is winning every step of the palace fight.

Chapter 513 Casting the Net

"Your Highness, this...this concubine seems to have smelled it too...Has this ink stick of yours been touched by He Shi?"

Concubine Chen came closer and smelled the scent, but she was not sure, let alone thinking about it too deeply.

Xiao Hui beside her said, "We collected this ink stick that day and put it in the box and never took it out again."

Concubine Chen probed: "Then, was it He who touched the box?"

"No, we put it in the back room of the study."

Concubine Chen couldn't hold it back, and a look of suspicion appeared on her face.

Fei Wan said: "You don't have to doubt the Queen. The Queen would never do such a thing. Now it's just that the rewards you and I have received have a strange taste. We don't know what the others have yet."

She sent gifts to the palaces, contaminated them with medicinal herbs, which affected the concubines' health and fertility. Empress Yan was not so sinister and dark, nor was she so stupid.

Concubine Chen volunteered: "Your Highness, please allow me to go to the sisters I know to inquire and see what the rewards others have received are like."

"can."

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will be very careful and will not let any of my sisters know the purpose of my inquiry."

"No, it would be better if you mobilized more troops."

"what?"

Concubine Chen was stunned. Was Concubine Zhao going to deal with the Empress? But Concubine Zhao had just said that the Empress would not do such a thing.

She was confused.

From her observation, Concubine Zhao is not the kind of person who says one thing and does another.

Fei Wan noticed the subtle change in Concubine Chen's expression and explained gently, "There are some things I haven't figured out yet, so I can't tell you in advance, lest you keep it in your heart and leave traces that others will notice. If you are willing, do as I say. Later, when the matter is clear, I will tell you everything, okay?"

"Of course, that's great. Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness!" Concubine Chen was very happy.

"I asked you to help me with something, so I should thank you. Why are you thanking me?"

Concubine Chen said sincerely, "It is my honor that Your Majesty can use me. Even if Your Majesty doesn't tell me anything, I have to obey your orders. This is my duty. But Your Majesty thinks highly of me, tells me about my difficulties, and is willing to treat me as a human being and discuss things with me. How can I not be grateful!"

In this strictly hierarchical palace, when Concubine Chen had no support, her status was low and she had been looked down upon many times. It was not like she had never tried to curry favor with someone in a high position, even if it was a concubine who was only one or half a rank higher than her. She was still arrogant.

This was the norm in the Daliang Palace. So, while her words were meant to be flattering, they came from the heart.

Concubine Zhao had status and favor, and was also willing to condescend to her. This feeling of being respected was very precious to her.

Fei Wan shook her head, then smiled and sighed, "No need to be grateful. You respect me, and I respect you, and that's the premise of our relationship. As for the difference between a noble concubine and a noble lady, we've already treated each other sincerely, so there's no need for those empty words. Status is something we use to protect ourselves, not to belittle ourselves."

Concubine Chen's eyes reddened, "Your Majesty is so kind."

She said goodbye and went out to do some business.

Nature is more dedicated than ever.

In the past, it was to curry favor with the imperial concubine, but now, it is for Fei Wan’s recognition.

Fei Wan made some more arrangements in Chunxi Palace.

Xiang Yi's eyes sparkled, "My Lady, the nets have been cast. When will they be drawn in?"

Fei Wan said: "Don't worry, they will trap themselves in the net."

Xiao Linzi secretly clenched his fists.

This time, let’s see how long you can keep jumping around!

After receiving the order, Concubine Chen quietly left Chunxi Palace and went to several familiar concubines, pretending to chat with them and coaxing them to take out the rewards they had received from Empress Yan to enjoy.

But he doesn't pretend to be very similar, and it seems a bit deliberate, which makes people suspicious.

In addition, she went to ask Liu Xuanshi again. Liu Xuanshi joined Fei Wan's army at the same time as her, but was not valued like her. She did not receive as many rewards and opportunities to sleep with the emperor as she did. She had some grudges against her, so she was more wary of her inquiries.

After she left, Consort Liu found a concubine she was familiar with and discussed the Empress's reward. Although she didn't directly say that Consort Chen was the one who was snooping around, she let more people know.

Word of this spread from one person to ten, and from ten to a hundred, and soon the news reached the ears of Queen Yan.

"What is Chen doing? Wasn't she close to Concubine Zhao before?" Queen Yan was displeased.

Linglong said, "She flattered Concubine Zhao for a while, but has been quiet lately. Privately, she seems to be dating He. When our people were keeping an eye on He, they saw her twice going to talk to her."

"Okay!"

Empress Yan ordered: "Investigate for me! Find out what these two are up to!"

Concubine Chen made inquiries in the palace and then returned to her own residence.

She was furious as soon as she entered the yard. A concubine in the same yard greeted her, but she ignored her and quickly walked back to her room and slammed the door.

The concubine's face darkened. Although she suspected that something had happened to Concubine Chen, she was not usually like this, but she was still upset.

So I kept it in mind.

Later, through the crack in the window, I saw a palace maid coming out of Chen Guiren's room, sneaking out and putting something under the holly bush under the cover of sweeping the yard.

That evening, just as it was getting dark and before the lights were turned on, the concubine asked the palace maids around her to sneak over and dig out the thing while Concubine Chen was not paying attention.

A string of red lacquer-carved beads, very cute and well-made.

I just don't know why Concubine Chen wanted to bury it in the ground.

Just as I was thinking about it, I heard Concubine Chen cursing in the yard.

"Who is so dishonest as to steal my things? Even if they were placed under a tree, they could be dug out. Is there a thief in our palace, or has there always been a thief?!"

The concubine was stunned and hurriedly took the bracelet and went out.

"Don't be upset, sister. My maid was in the garden breaking some branches for me to play with. She found this in the ground and asked me what it was. I was just wondering, and it turned out to be you who put it there. Why would you throw such beautiful beads in the dirt?"

Concubine Chen pointed at her and scolded her, "Stop your sweet talk! It's obvious that you took my things. You might have been secretly watching me for a long time. You've been jealous of my favor for a long time. You praised it for its beauty, but are you thinking of taking it for yourself? Let me tell you, this is not a good thing. If you want to steal it, go ahead. Don't blame me if anything goes wrong later!"

The concubine was so angry that her face turned pale.

She and Concubine Chen didn't get along well, but it wasn't to the point of a falling out; it was just some minor friction between women. Concubine Chen suddenly and openly accused her of being a thief, but how could she admit it?

The two started arguing.

Empress Yan's men had been keeping an eye on Concubine Chen, and when they discovered what had happened, they immediately reported it.

So not long after, someone came to Fengming Palace and conveyed Queen Yan's words, asking the two quarreling concubines to go over.