A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace-Chapter 281: The Death of Lady Xi 3

Alas, she screamed until her throat was raw, but no one paid her any attention.

Finally, a drunken Little Eunuch came.

He leered at her like a ravenous wolf.

"Lady Xi, if you make this servant happy, this servant will move you to another cell so you can spend your last moments comfortably. How about that?"

Lady Xi turned pale with fright.

"Ah!"

"Get lost! Don’t disgust me! Get out!"

The Little Eunuch gave a sinister smile.

"Lady Xi, that’s not very nice of you. This servant is human too, so how can I be disgusting?"

Lady Xi stepped back and picked up a brick.

"Are you going or not? If you don’t leave, I’ll scream for help!"

The Little Eunuch smirked lewdly, feigning fear.

"Oh dear!"

"My beautiful little thing, scream all you want! No one will come even if you shatter the heavens!"

He added,

"I’ve seen plenty of people on their deathbeds!"

"You are the first such fiery one! Since you won’t live long, why not make your last moments comfortable?"

Lady Xi was burning with rage.

She threw the brick at the Little Eunuch.

The Little Eunuch dodged it with ease.

"Haha, so amusing..."

Unable to contain her anger, Lady Xi wanted to say something else.

Suddenly, the Little Eunuch said,

"Lady Xi, I kindly remind you, it’s not just rats here, but also cockroaches, bedbugs, dung beetles..."

"Oh right... and there seem to be a few snakes too!"

"Ah!"

Lady Xi screamed.

"Stop talking, stop!"

"Just get out of here!"

The Little Eunuch sneered contemptuously.

"Someone should know what’s good for them..."

After speaking, the Little Eunuch patted his bottom and left.

Lady Xi looked around; there was no one.

She looked all around again.

Her heart grew colder and colder.

Suddenly!

She knelt in one direction and kowtowed several times with loud thuds.

"I’m sorry!"

"I failed to fulfill my mission. I didn’t create chaos in his harem as you wished and failed to live up to your high expectations, my Master!"

"Master, I’m going ahead!"

After speaking, she turned around.

"BANG!" She slammed her head into the wall!

Instantly, blood flowed from her head.

Her body collapsed limply to the ground!

When the eunuch from the Punishment Department found her the next day, Lady Xi’s body was already cold.

The news reached the Harem.

Xia Ruqing gave a faint smile.

"She’s lucky, dying without suffering much!"

Zi Yue was helpless.

"My Lady, please don’t trouble yourself with such matters!"

Zi Su, on the other hand, was filled with indignant anger.

"I think it’s too easy for her to die like that!"

Xia Ruqing smiled.

"Alright, let’s consider this matter settled!"

"As for... Honored Lady Lan!"

"No need to send anything over. When it’s time for the funeral, I’ll go see her!"

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t upset.

But, trapped as she was within the palace walls, what could she do?

We are all pitiful people.

If anyone was to blame, it was Honored Lady Lan herself for her poor judgment of character.

Deep inside, Xia Ruqing didn’t feel much guilt.

She didn’t need to feel guilty!

She hadn’t harmed anyone, so her conscience was clear!

...

In the end, Lady Xi was dragged to the Mass Burial Mound.

Honored Lady Lan was buried with the rites of a Fifth Rank Shunyi.

The Emperor even specially conferred the posthumous title, "Warm."

With the Empress Dowager, the Imperial Noble Consorts, the Emperor and the Empress all present, it wasn’t appropriate to make a grand affair.

The funeral rites were kept simple.

Molli cried as if her life depended on it.

Seeing her loyalty, the Empress assigned her to guard the tomb.

"After you reach the age of twenty-five, you can still leave the palace to marry if you wish. You needn’t serve in the palace anymore!"

Molli thanked her through tears and kowtows.

"Thank you, Empress!"

The Empress nodded, awarded her some gifts, and ordered someone to take Molli away.

A major catastrophe in the palace had finally come to an end.

「Jiaofang Hall」

When the Empress lay down again, she didn’t even have the strength to drink water.

Sister Ji’s face was filled with sympathy.

"Your Highness, you must take care of yourself!"

There was the selection of Fine Ladies, and then there was this matter to attend to.

It was apparent she had lost a great deal of weight already.

"How can this go on?"

The Empress rubbed her temples.

"It will be better after this period!"

"Once the new Fine Ladies enter the palace, I won’t be so busy!"

Sister Ji thought, This is the only way for now!

She covered the Empress with a quilt, her face etched with worry, and then she left.

As soon as she opened the door, she saw Lady Yu Lan standing outside, her face full of indecision.

"What’s the matter?" Sister Ji asked.

Lady Yu Lan didn’t beat around the bush and quickly said,

"The Little Eunuch called Xiao Xuzi from Lady Xi’s side is missing!"

Sister Ji’s eyes widened instantly.

"What?!"

"How can he be missing? This is a major issue!"

Lady Yu Lan was anxious as well, but she was helpless.

...

The Palace Attendant from Honored Lady Lan’s side, Molli, went to guard the mausoleum, and Xiao Qingzi was reassigned by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

As for Lady Xi... Dong Cha hanged herself, and as for Xiao Xuzi...

He was supposed to be expelled from the palace!

But, he had vanished!

Sister Ji made a decisive decision.

"We have to inform Eunuch Li about this, quickly!"

A missing Little Eunuch might seem trivial, but it’s a big problem if someone else has sneaked into the palace.

Lady Yu Lan’s expression grew grave as well.

She didn’t call for anyone else and went to report it herself.

「Zhaochen Palace」

Li Shengan frowned when he heard about the incident.

"Lady Yu Lan, you may return first. I will go and report to the Emperor immediately!"

Having said that, he turned to enter.

Zhao Junyao was in the Imperial Study Room, discussing matters with the Ministers.

It took a while before he was available.

Li Shengan hurried in and reported the situation.

Zhao Junyao’s expression instantly turned grave.

"A eunuch has disappeared?"

Li Shengan nodded.

"He’s nowhere to be found in the palace. If he’s dead, that’s a minor issue, but if someone has sneaked into the palace..."

If one could sneak in, they could sneak out.

Then...

What has become of the Imperial Palace?

Zhao Junyao clenched his fist fiercely, his voice ice cold, 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"You lead people to search the palace, and also, have Xia Tingfeng check the defenses at all the palace gates!!"

Li Shengan nodded eagerly.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

With that, he turned to leave in a hurry.

Zhao Junyao suddenly called him back.

"Wait!"

Li Shengan turned again.

"Your Majesty?"

"Investigate Lady Xi’s background!"

"Yes!"

Li Shengan left swiftly.

Zhao Junyao stood before the window, hands clasped behind his back, his gaze cold and sharp.

The more he thought about Lady Xi’s case, the more suspicious it seemed.

How could she have possessed the means to bring those poisons into the palace?

She must have had accomplices!

Possibly quite a few. In that case... the only explanation was another plot afoot.

His Imperial Palace was tainted!

Zhao Junyao’s gaze was sharp as he let out a cold, humorless laugh.

Tainted? No matter. It will be clean soon enough!

...

After a day and night of investigation, Xia Tingfeng was at the Capital City gate. He caught the Little Eunuch, who was disguised as an old woman trying to leave the city, and threw him before Zhao Junyao.

"Your Majesty, he indeed tried to escape the palace!"

Zhao Junyao was stunned.

"You little rascal, not bad at all!"

Xia Tingfeng’s face was expressionless as he simply said,

"It is my duty!"

Zhao Junyao shot him a glance, slightly annoyed.

"How are the Imperial Forest Army performing their duties, letting a Little Eunuch run out!"

"This case is yours to handle. If you don’t solve it, you’ll answer with your head!"

Xia Tingfeng was rendered speechless. Protecting the Emperor’s safety was one thing, but now he had to solve cases too?