The harem is too complicated; the empress, a lazy bum, wins by doing nothing.

Chapter 17 Self-Preservation
"Let's go find the Emperor."

Shen Qingwan stumbled and climbed off the bed.

"Your Majesty, His Majesty drank with Prince Rui tonight and has already gone to sleep in Jingyang Palace. It is not appropriate for you to go there now," Su Tianhe kindly advised.

Jingyang Palace?
Consort Xian!

Shen Qingwan dared not wait; she did not know what Zhen'er would experience that night.

I'm afraid that by the time dawn breaks, Zhen'er will be dead.

"Even if it's not suitable, we have to go." At this moment, Shen Qingwan seemed to have forgotten the pain in her abdomen: "Nothing is more important than Zhen'er's life."

"Your Majesty the Empress," Su Tianhe knelt at the door, blocking Shen Qingwan's path, "It is truly inappropriate for Your Majesty to go to Jingyang Palace at this hour!"

Shen Qingwan knew that Su Tianhe was doing this for her own good, so she patiently waited.

"I know it's wrong to break into Jingyang Palace at night, but I dare not wait," Shen Qingwan said helplessly.

Even if she doesn't fight or compete, she can't let others bully her.

This time it was Zhen'er, but I'm afraid next time it will be Su Tianhe!

Next, anyone in Kunning Palace will become their prey.

"This servant knows that Your Majesty loves Aunt Zhen'er. Before the matter is investigated, Your Majesty's sneaking into Jingyang Palace at night may lead to the Emperor's wrath. I'm afraid that not only will you not be able to save Zhen'er, but Your Majesty will also have a hard time protecting yourself."

"Do you think I would abandon Zhen'er to save myself?" Shen Qingwan trembled, whether from pain or anger. "Get out of my way."

"Miss."

Su Tianhe looked determined to refuse.

"Your Majesty, you have been at odds with Consort Xian for some time now, and today you even beat up Consort Xian's cousin. If you go to Jingyang Palace now, you will definitely suffer a loss."

"Are you now defying me?" Shen Qingwan's face turned deathly pale.

“Your Majesty, even if you were to kill me, I would not allow you to go to Jingyang Palace at this time. Besides, it is raining heavily outside, and Your Majesty is not feeling well. Your Majesty, please rest assured, no matter who has captured Aunt Zhen’er, she will not betray you.”

"Su Tianhe, do you think I went out to find Zhen'er because I was afraid of being implicated? What do you take me for? What I'm most worried about right now is who will kidnap Zhen'er and harm her."

"Your Majesty, the Emperor came today, and you said so many disrespectful things to him. Although the Emperor did not blame you, no one dares to guess what the Emperor was thinking about what you said today. Your Majesty, please calm down and make a decision tomorrow morning!"

"By tomorrow morning, Zhen'er might be dead!"

"Your Majesty, please reconsider. This servant will go and search again with others. Aunt Zhen'er will definitely be alright..."

The original owner had made too many enemies in the palace.

Shen Qingwan was at a loss for words, wondering which palace personnel had taken Zhen'er away from.

The only thing that can be confirmed is that Zhen'er's disappearance was not an accident, but a premeditated event.

Su Tianhe, accompanied by his men, had just arrived at the entrance of Kunning Palace.

Zhen'er stumbled in from outside.

"Your Majesty, Aunt Zhen'er is back, Your Majesty..."

came back?
Shen Qingwan was startled and took two steps toward the palace gate.

Seeing Zhen'er soaked to the bone by the rain and covered in mud.

Shen Qingwan supported her with both hands, anxiously checking her all over for injuries: "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back. What happened? What went wrong?"

Zhen'er had been holding back her tears the whole way, but seeing Shen Qingwan's anxious expression, she could no longer contain herself and burst into tears: "Your Majesty, it's all my fault for making you worry. What's wrong? Did you send someone else to fetch the imperial physician again? Are you feeling better?"

"I'm fine, what happened to you?" Shen Qingwan asked anxiously, but she remained calm and pulled Zhen'er to sit down, taking a handkerchief to wipe the rain off her face.

While someone was preparing the bathwater,

Shen Qingwan asked in confusion, "What exactly happened?" "Your Majesty, this servant doesn't know what happened either. I had just stepped out of Kunning Palace when two eunuchs covered my mouth and dragged me behind the rockery in the Imperial Garden?"

Eunuch?

It's unlikely that being kidnapped right after stepping out the door was a coincidence.

There's a high probability that the two eunuchs were waiting at the door the whole time.

So her stomachache tonight must be related to the masters of those two eunuchs.

They even found out that the person staying at night tonight was Zhen'er.

"Did they hurt you?" Shen Qingwan asked with concern.

Zhen'er slowly shook her head.

“They didn’t say anything, they just dragged me behind the rockery, and then Prince Rui came over.” Zhen’er’s tears fell. “I thought I was going to die tonight.”

"Prince Rui?"

Shen Qingwan repeated, puzzled.

“Yes.” Zhen’er nodded firmly: “It was Prince Rui. He was the one who saved me. When he heard that I was a maid from Kunning Palace, he personally escorted me back to the gate of Kunning Palace before leaving.”

"Then..." Shen Qingwan paused, "Have those two eunuchs who wanted to harm you been caught?"

“No.” Zhen’er shook her head: “They heard someone and ran away, but as they were leaving, I think I heard them say…”

"say what?"

"How could I be so unlucky? How am I going to go back and report to Consort Rou?"

Consort Rou?
Shen Qingwan's eyes darkened.

"Your Highness, this servant truly does not know why Consort Rou, who has never had any grudge against you, would have captured this servant in the middle of the night. What exactly do they want to do?"

Shen Qingwan didn't speak, but looked out the window at the lightning that ripped through the sky, the thunder that shook the heavens and the earth, and the gale that whipped up raindrops the size of beans like countless whips that lashed the palace walls.

The more they mentioned Consort Rou, the more...

This means that this matter has nothing to do with Consort Rou.

If this was truly done by Consort Rou, why would she mention it while fleeing, thus arousing suspicion?

Shen Qingwan was certain that as long as she could find those two eunuchs, she would be able to follow the clues and find the mastermind behind it all.

Zhen'er was no ordinary palace maid; she was the Empress's personal maid.

The eunuch who dared to abduct Zhen'er in the dead of night was no ordinary palace eunuch; he must have been someone's confidant.

"By the way, Your Majesty, when those two eunuchs dragged me to the Imperial Garden, in my haste, I bit one of their wrists."

bite?

Shen Qingwan: ...

This is unpalatable.

"Su Tianhe, take your men and go check the side rooms first, see if there are any suspicious people."

Su Tianhe replied, "Yes, Your Majesty!"

"Remember, don't make a sound. If there isn't one, take some people and wait quietly at the palace gate. I estimate the gate will open in about an hour. Bring back any eunuchs who come out with brand-new clothes, muddy shoes, or scars on their hands," Shen Qingwan carefully instructed.

Su Tianhe: "Yes, Your Majesty, please rest assured."

(End of this chapter)