In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 982 Search of the Crown Prince's Residence!

The next morning, sunlight streamed down, dispelling the darkness of the previous night.

Yingtian City returned to its usual bustling state, everything went back to normal, as if the martial law and grim atmosphere of yesterday had never existed.

But even within the imperial city, the atmosphere of impending doom remained intense.

The number of Imperial Guards did not decrease; on the contrary, it increased and they were deployed closer to the palace.

The morning court session ended hastily, and the topics discussed were still trivial matters.

Truly important matters are never discussed publicly in the imperial court, making them known to everyone.

Instead, the decision would be made in private meetings among high-ranking officials such as the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers.

As the court officials filed out, the imperial city regained some of its vitality.

Du Pingping walked very slowly, gradually falling behind the civil and military officials, and finally stopped altogether.

After the figures of the officials disappeared at the end of the ceremonial road
He turned around and walked straight toward the Fengtian Hall.

Normally, His Majesty would walk to the Wuying Hall after the morning court session to handle memorials and begin his busy day.

But today is different. The Crown Prince is still recuperating in the Eastern Palace, and His Majesty has not gone to the Wuying Hall.

Arriving at the entrance of Fengtian Hall,
Du Pingping spotted the departing imperial procession at a glance and quickly chased after it:

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"

Zhu Yuanzhang stopped and looked back.

Du Pingping, dragging her slightly plump body, rushed over and knelt down on the bluestone road with a thud.

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned: "What is it?"

Du Pingping glanced around and said in a deep voice:

"Your Majesty, I have something to report. Please dismiss your attendants."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked him up and down and then waved his hand lightly.

The surrounding palace maids and eunuchs immediately scattered and retreated, leaving only the head eunuch standing respectfully to the side.
"Go ahead."

Du Pingping paused for a moment, took a deep breath, and a resolute glint flashed in her eyes:
"Your Majesty, regarding the Crown Prince's fainting yesterday..."

After returning home, I tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep, and could not find peace of mind.

Your Majesty, I humbly request permission for the Embroidered Uniform Guard to thoroughly investigate His Highness the Crown Prince's food and supplies for the entire day.
And thoroughly investigate all items that have come into contact with the material to identify potential hazards!

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes narrowed slightly, and an invisible killing intent quietly emerged.
He stared at Du Pingping, who was kneeling on the ground, for a long time before saying indifferently:

"Yes, since we're going to investigate, we must investigate thoroughly."

"Thank you, Your Majesty! I will do my utmost to eliminate any potential threats to His Highness the Crown Prince!"

Zhu Yuanzhang turned to the chief eunuch beside him and instructed:

"Order Wen Cheng to lead men to follow and investigate together."

Having said that, he flicked his sleeves and strode towards the East Palace.

Behind her, Du Pingping kowtowed again:

"Your Majesty, act immediately!"

As she stood up, Du Pingping's expression was subtle.
Judging from His Majesty's quick agreement,

His Majesty clearly also had doubts about the Crown Prince's health and did not entirely believe the claim that he was perfectly healthy.

He shook his head, his face solemn, and turned to head towards the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) headquarters.

This task requires absolute trust and confidant.

He must go back and carefully select the personnel.

Near noon, outside the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) headquarters,
Lu Yunyi, the head of the Market and Commerce Bureau, arrived at the door in a menacing manner with more than a dozen personal guards.

Upon seeing this scene, the clerks of the Six Ministries, who were not far away,
First his expression changed slightly, then he was filled with curiosity. What happened?

After Lu Yunyi led his men into the Embroidered Uniform Guard headquarters,
The officials returned one after another and hurriedly reported to their superiors.

Before long, the news that "Lu Yunyi and Du Pingping left the Embroidered Uniform Guard together" spread throughout the Six Ministries and even reached the Governor's Office.

Everyone was shocked and even found it absurd.

Throughout the entire imperial court,

There were very few people who openly severed ties with the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The Market and Commerce Bureau was one of them, because the two heads of the bureau had always been at odds.

It's really unusual that these two arch-enemies are now getting together.

Lu Yunyi and Du Pingping paid no attention to the outside discussions and went straight to the Crown Prince's residence after leaving the capital.

At noon, when the sun was blazing, the gates of the Crown Prince's residence were wide open.

Crown Princess Lü stood at the door, looking at the nearly twenty people in front of her with a puzzled expression.

Half of them were Imperial Guards dressed in flying fish robes.
The other half was dressed in the uniform of the Market and Exchange Bureau.
The two groups of people standing together looked rather comical.

"Lord Lu, Lord Du, what's going on here?"

Lady Lü frowned slightly and asked in a soft voice.

Beside her stood the handsome Zhu Yunwen, equally filled with doubt.

His gaze swept over everyone present with a scrutinizing look.

Their gaze lingered on Lu Yunyi for a long time.
This person just survived an assassination attempt, yet he's already back to full of energy so quickly?

Lu Yunyi ignored these gazes.

He stepped forward, holding up an imperial edict with a bright yellow cover:
"Your Highness, we have come to the Crown Prince's residence on official business, by order of His Majesty and the Crown Prince."

"Please, Crown Princess, take all the servants and attendants of the household to the other residence for the time being."

Lady Lü's eyes showed even greater doubt, and she waved for the older eunuch beside her to take the imperial edict.

She unfolded the imperial edict, her eyes quickly scanning its contents.
Finally, his doubts deepened as he looked at the emperor's and crown prince's seals in the corner.
What kind of logic is it to send court officials to the Crown Prince's residence on official business?

At this moment, Du Pingping also stepped forward, her expression exceptionally humble, her tone gentle:
"The matter was urgent and I was unable to notify you in advance. I hope the Crown Princess will forgive me."

But this matter concerns His Highness the Crown Prince's health.
The Crown Princess is requested to immediately lead her entourage to the other residence, and no one is allowed to leave during this time.

Later, we will need to send messages and inquire about the people in the manor.

"What do you want to do?"

Lady Lü's eyebrows furrowed, and her tone suddenly turned stern.

Du Pingping remained expressionless and bowed deeply.
"We are acting under imperial decree, and we request the cooperation of the Crown Princess."

Lady Lü wanted to argue further, but Zhu Yunwen, who was beside her, tugged at her sleeve and softly advised her:
"Mother, let's go to the other courtyard first, so as not to delay their business."

Lady Lü's expression softened slightly, and she nodded gently, her tone carrying a warning:

"I don't care what you're going to do."
But this is the Crown Prince's residence, so you must follow the rules and not be indecent.

If anything in the manor is damaged in any way, I will not let it go unpunished!

"Yes, please rest assured, Your Highness."

Du Pingping and Lu Yunyi bowed in response.
The voice was calm, but carried unquestionable authority.

Lady Lü looked at the eunuch beside her and instructed him:
"Have everyone in the manor stop what they are doing and come with me to the other courtyard. Guards, should I leave you behind?"

Du Pingping's eyes darted around, she looked at Lu Yunyi, and then answered:

"Reporting to the Crown Princess, the guards must also go to the villa; not one can be missing."

Later, I will send someone to the other residence to inquire about the matter.

"you!"

Lady Lü's face paled slightly with anger, but she suppressed her rage and turned to leave.
"Let's go! Let's see what kind of trouble these two gentlemen can come up with!"

After the Crown Princess and her entourage left,

Du Pingping's stern face instantly fell, revealing a worried expression:

"Lord Lu, this time I have really offended the Crown Princess."

Lu Yunyi ignored his complaints.
Instead, he waved towards the corners of the street.

Just as Du Pingping looked puzzled, the sound of orderly footsteps suddenly rang out.
At the ends of the two streets, one hundred armored imperial guards appeared on each side.

The leader was Xu Zengshou, the commander of Yingtian Guard.

As the Imperial Guards slowly approached, a chilling aura emanated from them, and Du Pingping's heart tightened.
Could this person be trying to kill me to cover it up?

Only when Xu Zengshou stopped in front of the two men, his eyes revealing a sharpness unique to young people, did he breathe a sigh of relief.

If they wanted to silence them, they wouldn't have chosen this time.

"grown ups!"

Xu Zengshou bowed respectfully.

Lu Yunyi nodded and said in a deep voice:
"All servants, nannies, and eunuchs in the Crown Prince's residence were moved to another courtyard and placed under strict guard. No one was allowed to leave the courtyard."

"Yes!"

Xu Zengshou waved his hand, and a group of more than a hundred soldiers immediately scattered and rushed towards the Crown Prince's villa.

Upon seeing this, Du Pingping's expression turned serious, but she didn't perceive anything amiss.

In previous dynasties, the appearance of armored soldiers in the Crown Prince's residence would have been a catastrophe.

But given the current special circumstances, it seems quite reasonable.

"Lord Du, let's begin," Lu Yunyi said. "You will be in charge of the front yard, and I will be in charge of the back yard."

After a thorough search, suspicious items and food were selected.
Then we'll switch areas and check again.
In this way, all the hidden dangers in the mansion should be able to be found.

Finally, let's examine those suspicious items together.

Du Pingping thought this method was sound and nodded, not forgetting to tease him:
"Then this humble official will have to compete with Lord Lu to see who can find the problem first."

Lu Yunyi didn't reply, only giving him a faint glance.
He then strode into the Crown Prince's residence, seemingly disdainful of being compared to him.

Du Pingping's face stiffened for a moment, but she quickly composed herself and waved her hand, saying:
"Everyone follow me!"

More than twenty elite Imperial Guards immediately responded and escorted him into the Crown Prince's residence.

Inside the Crown Prince's residence, the sun hung high overhead.
Golden sunlight shone on the bluestone slabs, reflecting a dazzling light.

The incessant chirping of cicadas only served to accentuate the stillness of the mansion.
Apart from the footsteps of the search team, there was no other sound.

Du Pingping led the elite Imperial Guards straight to the front courtyard kitchen.

Inside the kitchen, unwashed tableware still lay on the counter; earthenware bowls and porcelain plates were neatly arranged.
The bamboo basket next to them contained fresh vegetables and meat.
The rice and flour jars in the corner were covered with wooden lids, and a faint aroma of sauce wafted in the air.

"Be careful, everyone! Take out the silver hairpin, and taste every ingredient and every seasoning!"

Du Pingping stood at the entrance of the kitchen.
With his hands behind his back, his sharp eyes swept across the room.

"Especially oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and all those dried goods and medicinal herbs—not a single bit can be missed!"

The Imperial Guards responded with a resounding roar, each pulling out silver hairpins and poison-detecting instruments from their waists.
I carefully poked the silver hairpin into the rice container. The rice grains were white and plump, and the hairpin remained shiny even after I pulled it out.
When poked into the flour jar, the flour was fine and free of impurities, and the silver hairpin did not change color at all.

At this moment, a member of the Imperial Guard picked up a small packet of angelica root from the table, his brows furrowing suddenly:
"Sir, look at this!"

Du Pingping walked over quickly and took the packet of angelica root.

Common angelica root is brownish-brown in color and has a soft, pliable texture.
However, this packet of angelica root had a faint bluish-black tinge, and the edges were somewhat brittle.

He pinched off a small piece with his fingernail, held it to his nose, and sniffed it gently.

In addition to the medicinal taste of angelica root itself, it also has a very faint astringent taste.

"Test for poison!"

Du Pingping said in a deep voice.

The Imperial Guard immediately pierced the angelica root with the silver hairpin.

After a moment, it was pulled out, and the tip of the silver hairpin was slightly blackened!
"poisonous?"

The guard next to him exclaimed in surprise, his hand unconsciously resting on the hilt of his sword.

Du Pingping's face darkened, and she quickly waved her hand:

"Don't panic! Put it away first, and mark it."
"We'll examine these along with the suspicious items from Lord Lu's side later, and also check the other medicinal herbs!"

He knew that using a silver hairpin to test for poison was not foolproof.
Many non-toxic substances can also cause silver hairpins to turn black, so it's premature to draw conclusions.

The group continued their search, turning over every inch of the kitchen's medicine cabinets.

Apart from the angelica root, the other ginseng, astragalus, and goji berries showed no abnormalities.
Judging from the records of the medicinal materials, the last time the medicinal materials were changed was three days ago.

Du Pingping frowned, her fingers unconsciously rubbing together.

If you really wanted to poison someone, why only touch this packet of angelica root?
Although His Highness the Crown Prince often uses angelica root to make soup,
But it wasn't used every day; the poisoning was too deliberate.

Next, they went to the study in the front yard.

The study was spacious and bright, with bookshelves filled with classics and historical texts, and writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones on the desk.

Beside it was an open brocade box containing several scrolls of unread memorials.

A member of the Imperial Guard squatted beside the bookshelf, his fingers tracing the mortise and tenon joints, then suddenly stopped:
"Sir, there's something wrong here!"

Du Pingping walked over and looked in the direction the other person was pointing.
The tenon joint on the bottommost wooden board of the bookshelf is much looser than in other places.

He reached out and pulled, and a crack appeared in the wooden board, revealing a folded piece of paper hidden inside.

"take it out!"

Du Pingping was somewhat suspicious, but she still immediately gave the order.

The Imperial Guards carefully used tweezers to pick out the slip of paper.
Upon unfolding it, one finds several lines of crooked, illegible handwriting:

"Mother, how is the harvest at home?"

Everything is fine with me working at the Crown Prince's residence.
Don't worry about it, I'll have someone send the money back next month.

Du Pingping leaned closer to take a look, and her face instantly fell. It turned out to be a letter written by a young eunuch to his family!

He was both annoyed and amused, but couldn't hide his disappointment, and waved his hand dismissively.
"Put it away, mark it, find this little eunuch, and find out about his family background!"

On the other side, Lu Yunyi was leading his personal guards to search the bedroom and storeroom in the backyard.

He stood in the bedchamber, slowly pacing and surveying the scene.
The bright yellow curtains hung low, and the bed was made meticulously.
On the dressing table next to her was the Crown Princess's jewelry box, and on the table was a cup of unfinished tea.

Lu Yunyi didn't rush to make a move, but instead walked around the bedchamber.
My gaze finally settled on the corner of the curtain.
There was a light brown spot about the size of a fingernail, which was almost invisible unless you looked closely.

"Take down the curtains and see what this spot is," Lu Yunyi said in a deep voice.

The guards immediately stepped forward and carefully removed the curtains, laying them flat on the ground.

Lu Yunyi squatted down and gently rubbed the spots with his fingers; his fingertips felt a little sticky.

I took a closer sniff, and there was no strange smell.

"Get some water and wipe it with a cotton cloth."

His subordinates quickly brought water, and after wetting a cotton cloth, they gently wiped the spots.
The spots gradually faded, eventually leaving only a faint mark.

"Sir, it looks like water stains, or it could be traces left by insects, not poison powder."

Lu Yunyi nodded and gave the instructions:
"Hold the markings safe. Everyone should search carefully, especially the Crown Prince's personal belongings."
Pillows, blankets, clothes—no detail can be overlooked!

Soon, the guards found a robe made of a special material.

And two oddly shaped, hollow teacups.

Lu Yunyi looked at the two items with a solemn expression.

Using these items to poison someone is far too risky and doesn't seem like a carefully planned scheme.

While searching through an old wooden box, Basong suddenly shouted:

"Sir, this box has a hidden compartment!"

Lu Yunyi quickly went over; it was a sandalwood box.

The surface is carved with lotus patterns, and it looks quite old.

The men opened the wooden box, inside were several old jade pendants.
Lu Yunyi tapped the bottom of the box with his finger; the sound was hollow, indicating that there was indeed a hidden compartment.

Prying open the bottom of the box, the inner compartment was empty, except for a yellowed piece of paper with a few lines of writing on it.
"In the autumn of the twentieth year of Hongwu, the Crown Prince bestowed upon me a sandalwood box containing a piece of Hetian jade. I am deeply grateful for His Majesty's grace and respectfully record this here."

The inscription was signed by an official of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, who had long since retired and returned to his hometown.

"It was a false alarm," Basong muttered to himself.

Lu Yunyi, however, did not relax. He stared at the empty mezzanine, his brows furrowing even more deeply.

"Where did the Hetian jade go? Keep searching!"

Before long, the storeroom had been thoroughly searched. Basong returned to report, shaking his head slightly:

"Sir, we haven't found any Hetian jade."

Lu Yunyi nodded:
"Continue searching the next location!"

Time passed slowly, and the sun gradually began to set in the west.

At the beginning of Shenshi (3-5 PM), Du Pingping was already waiting in the front courtyard.
Several wooden trays covered with white cloths were laid out on the ground, containing the suspicious items they had found.
Dark green angelica root, a letter from a young eunuch, a teacup with brown marks on the bottom, and three round saucers.
There were also some strange documents and decorations that filled almost half of the courtyard.

"Lord Lu, how are things on your end?"

Seeing Lu Yunyi approaching, Du Pingping quickly went to greet him, her tone tinged with suspicion.

Lu Yunyi waved his hand, and more than twenty guards laid out the suspicious items they had found on a white cloth, occupying another half of the courtyard:
"There are quite a few suspicious items, but that's not enough to poison someone. What about yours?"

Du Pingping sighed and pointed to the objects on the ground:
"They found it all here, but the brothers found it suspicious. After careful examination, they found no evidence."

The most suspicious thing is this packet of angelica root.

However, Zhang Wu said that angelica root can turn silver hairpins black when it spoils, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's poisonous.

Lu Yunyi put his hands on his hips and nodded:

"Swap the regions and check again."

"Lord Lu, is it really appropriate to conduct such a high-profile search of the Crown Prince's residence?"

Du Pingping had some concerns. If word got out that these foreign officials had turned the Crown Prince's residence upside down, it would be considered a treasonous act.

Lu Yunyi's expression was firm:
"His Highness the Crown Prince is the ruler, and his family affairs are also state affairs, which cannot be neglected in the slightest."

Others may stand idly by, but we, as loyal subjects of the Ming Dynasty, cannot remain indifferent.

Du Pingping's expression turned somewhat strange upon hearing this, but she did not refute it.

Although this young man was full of bad intentions and ruthless in his actions,

But even the former commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Mao Xiang,

He never claimed to have acted disloyally; all his actions were in loyalty to the emperor and love for the people.

"Then, Lord Lu, let's continue the investigation."

Du Pingping waved her hand, and the group of Imperial Guards immediately dispersed and headed towards the backyard.

(End of this chapter)