Don't Ask Where People Go After Time Travel

Chapter 1839 Learning
The palace maid on night duty couldn't help but whisper to her companion, "Her Majesty usually acts so calmly and evenly, but I never expected her to be like this when interrogating someone. At this rate, when will we ever get any results?"

"That's right, wasn't everyone saying that Her Majesty was a well-known young lady in the capital before she got married?" Her companion chimed in, "How come she's become so timid and submissive after entering the palace? If it weren't for the Empress Dowager moving to a temporary palace outside the capital, I'm afraid our Her Majesty would have a very different life..."

"Gossiping in Fengyi Palace, do you have a death wish?" Qiu Shui's sharp shout made the two palace maids tremble uncontrollably. "Miss Qiu Shui, we know we were wrong..."

Qiu Shui snorted coldly, "Shut your mouths tight and go down to receive your punishment."

As the two palace maids disappeared into the vast night, Qiu Shui turned around and walked back, only to unexpectedly see Fang Ziqin not far behind her.

"Your Majesty." Qiu Shui hurried over and pulled Fang Ziqin's cloak tighter around her. "The autumn night is chilly, why did you come out?"

Fang Ziqin said calmly, "Qiushui, do you also think I should find out anything?"

Qiu Shui paused for a moment. "Your Majesty has your reasons for acting. You should find out what you need to find out. Of course, there are also advantages to not finding out anything."

“Tomorrow, conduct the trial as you did today,” Fang Ziqin said noncommittally. “However, spread the word that nothing has been found out.”

"Your Majesty means..." Qiu Shui paused, and Fang Ziqin said quietly, "The news that nothing was found out today has not yet been informed to His Majesty. Qiu Shui, go and make a trip, and also remember to inform the Censorate."

"Yes." Qiu Shui accepted the order and left. All the way, she kept thinking that it would not be difficult to inform His Majesty about this matter, but as a person in the harem, how could she inform the Censorate?

However, after Qiu Shui told Li Shengxuan about this, he instructed Xiahou Zhang: "Go and tell the officials of the Censorate that there is no progress on the Empress's side, and order them to start from that secret letter of denunciation and continue to follow up."

After he finished speaking, he saw Qiu Shui standing there in a daze and couldn't help but ask, "Is there anything else?"

"It's nothing." Qiu Shui shook her head, bowed respectfully, and then withdrew.

The next morning, after Fang Ziqin had breakfast and fed Fang Zilan her medicine, she sat on the phoenix throne and asked Qiu Shui, "Has Mr. Wen been at the Yu Ning Prince's Mansion these past two days? Does he know about Miss Awan's treatment of Lan'er, and about the Censorate receiving the secret report?"

“Mr. Wen is still at the Prince of Yuning’s residence, but he should already know about this, since someone went to the Prince of Yuning’s residence to take him away last night.” Qiu Shui paused, looking troubled. “Your Highness, what about Miss A-Wan…”

"We went to get him last night, so why is Mr. Wen still in the Prince of Yuning's mansion?" Fang Ziqin casually picked up a teacup from the table beside her and took a small sip.

"Princess Wuqing, the Princess Consort of Yuning, said that His Highness Yuning's condition is serious and he cannot be separated from Mr. Wen." Qiushui said helplessly, "If Mr. Wen leaves the manor, I'm afraid his Highness will not survive. In that case, even if Mr. Wen uses some kind of sorcery, she doesn't care, she will bear the consequences alone."

Fang Ziqin chuckled, "If even the mere Princess Yu Ning dares to bear the consequences, what is there for me not to dare to do? Go ahead and invite Miss Awan over."

Li Qiyou pursed his lips, but before he could say anything, Zhuge Yu spread his hands and said, "Your young master asks about your whereabouts every day. He's so attentive that I'm too lazy to deal with him."

Fang Zilan's face turned cold. "If you don't deal with it, who will?"

"Of course it's Lord Fang Chongzheng." Zhuge Yu said matter-of-factly, while Fang Zilan gritted her teeth, "Ayu..."

"Stop arguing," Li Qiyou quickly interjected, "We're here under the guise of worship, we can't linger too long, otherwise the guards will become suspicious."

“Indeed, we cannot delay for too long,” Fang Zilan interjected. “Once this matter spreads, and people from the capital are sent here, Your Highness, you will be unable to do anything.” Zhuge Yu nodded and said, “Even if this matter does not spread, the fact that we have been delayed in the southeast for so many days is enough to arouse suspicion in the capital.”

“It’s not just people in the capital.” Fang Zilan’s expression was inscrutable. “Everyone involved will be keeping a close eye on us, and will take action at the slightest sign of trouble.”

She paused, then abruptly changed the subject, "So, Your Highness, have you decided who you want to have examined Prince Rong'an's body?"

Li Qiyou was stunned. "This...I..."

He stammered, unable to utter a complete sentence. Fang Zilan shook her head helplessly, "I knew it would be like this. Luckily, I was prepared."

Zhuge Yu was not surprised, but there was still a hint of inquiry in his eyes. "I wonder who Sister Lan invited?"

"Elder Yun," Fang Zilan said ramblingly, seemingly unwilling to say more.

Li Qiyou pondered for a moment, "To perform an autopsy on the body of the Imperial Uncle Rong'an is to defy the world's condemnation. The slightest mistake could lead to disgrace and ruin. Is this Elder Yun truly willing to take such a risk..."

"What does it matter if I'm disgraced? The old man owes me his life." Fang Zilan interrupted Li Qiyou quietly. "Besides, even if the old man is unwilling, I have a backup plan."

“In that case, thank you for your trouble, Miss Fang.” Li Qiyou bowed respectfully, but Fang Zilan seemed a little dazed when she heard the title “Miss Fang”.

It wasn't until Zhuge Yu called out "Sister Lan" again that Fang Zilan snapped out of her daze and asked, "What's wrong?"

"The coffin of Prince Rong'an is empty." Zhuge Yu said solemnly, and Fang Zilan frowned as well. "Prince Rong'an's body is not here?"

"Not here." Zhuge Yu looked at the empty coffin and shook his head again as if to confirm.

"How could this be?" Li Qiyou's face was full of disbelief, while Fang Zilan snorted coldly, "They really are ruthless in their actions."

After she finished speaking, she walked over, glanced at it, and then casually closed the coffin again, as if nothing had ever happened.

As if suddenly remembering something, Li Qiyou said, "The royal family always has people specifically recording their daily lives. As long as we can find the records of Grand Uncle Rong'an..."

"It's no use." Fang Zilan interrupted Li Qiyou's next words. Zhuge Yu said in a deep voice, "Since they can steal the sky and hide the body of Prince Rong'an, it would be even easier for them to tamper with a record or destroy it."

Li Qiyou clenched his fists. "Is there really no way out at all?"

“It’s not like there’s no other way.” Fang Zilan raised her hand and gently tapped the coffin. “Someone arrived before us.”

“You mean…” A glimmer of hope appeared in Li Qiyou’s eyes, but Fang Zilan shook her head. “He wasn’t the one who hid the body of Prince Rong’an.”

Before she could finish speaking, a figure landed in front of her. Hong Tai clicked his tongue and said, "How do you know I'm not the one who hid the body of Prince Rong'an?"