Quick Transmigration: Leisure

Chapter 656 The Mad Daily Life of a Deposed Concubine in the Cold Palace (Part 28)

The next day,

Before Xia Youmi could investigate, the details of Shao Bo's death were obtained from a conversation in the Xuan Shi Hall.

The Ninth Prince was bewildered and numb at this moment. He was just waiting in the prison to confirm that the body had been examined and confirmed to be dead before he could proceed with the burial arrangements.

Simultaneously,

Feng Chengnian was surrounded by many fully armed guards, in case he suddenly attacked and caused some major trouble.

The investigation was remarkably efficient. Before the Ninth Prince had even left, Feng Chengyuan received a report this morning. Sure enough, there was something fishy about this matter, and some things were unexpected.

Shao Bo committed suicide.

But it wasn't after meeting the Ninth Prince, but rather an inconspicuous old neighbor from the countryside who had visited a few times as usual. Because of his clean and honest background, Feng Chengyuan didn't stop him from visiting, hoping that Shao Bo would, out of consideration for his old friend, have the idea of ​​confessing everything and continuing to live.

In the past, their conversations were brief and unremarkable.

Yesterday was also a very brief encounter, but no one expected that not long after, Shao Bo would desperately bang his head against the wall and commit suicide.

The prison officer reacted quickly, immediately sending men out to search for the whereabouts of the old neighbor from the countryside, determined to bring him back. He had investigated him in the past and knew very well the route the man had taken.

Thanks to the large number and meticulousness of the personnel they dispatched, they managed to catch the initial sign, and this turned out to be quite serious.

That honest countryman was actually in contact with people from a neighboring country.

People from foreign lands have very distinctive features and appearances. Moreover, they only caught a glimpse of the person and ultimately failed to capture them, further confirming that this matter was not simple. They immediately reported it to the authorities.

That neighboring country is located in the northeast and is called "Da Zhao Guo". It is not large in area, but it is very evenly distributed. It used to learn a lot from the land of "Feng Chao". The relationship between the neighbors hovers on the edge of friendship and hostility.

But one thing is certain: they never recognized "Fengchao" as the suzerain territory.

Apart from the fierce tiger in the northwest, almost all the large and small kingdoms bordering Fengchao showed a submissive attitude. Because of the friendly cooperation between all parties in every war, Dazhao Kingdom was never specifically sanctioned by Fengchao.

Both sides valued the exchange of benefits and did their best to maintain the trade routes, so they lived in peace.

But something seems unusual right now.

Two years ago, a new monarch ascended to the throne in the Great Zhao Kingdom. He was a few years older than Feng Chengyuan and had an irritable temper. He had already launched an attack on their southeastern border and won a considerable amount of resources.

Although it is still some distance from the establishment of a dynasty, the powerful forces beside it and their apparent intention to annex it represent a threat.

Even if they are not currently targeting Feng Chao, there is no reason not to take precautions. Feng Chengyuan has already tightened his arrangements, and the closer the people of Dazhao are to the politics of the capital, the more suspicious and vigilant they become.

At this critical juncture, the death of the person most valued by the renowned general Feng Chengnian could easily trigger conflict between the emperor and his ministers, leading to a simultaneous imbalance in the Northwest and a predicament of being caught in a pincer movement.

Although the Ninth Prince is unaware of the situation yet, the Emperor is always thinking ahead. The loyal Fourth Prince is already sitting in the Xuan Shi Hall, his brow furrowed, unsure how to break the deadlock.

They could foresee that Shao Bo's tragic death would surely cause the Ninth Prince to harbor resentment, and they would have to provide reasonable appeasement in order to stabilize the internal situation of the Feng Dynasty.

This is a difficult problem, and we don't even know who it's aimed at.

......

On the day of Shao Bo's funeral, Xia Youmi quietly changed into plain clothes, did not eat any meat or fish, placed three plates of fruits and snacks on the table without allowing anyone to touch them, and bowed in the direction of the ground.

It seems that this is the best we can do for now.

He stayed by her side year after year, not rushing to seek the tragic truth with her, but both of them felt sad that they should have been enjoying their old age, but instead they could only end it in such a tragic and painful way.

Even more unimaginable is that Shao Bo was already weak, but the Ninth Prince did not want him to give up and let his body become thin. Instead, he tried his best to take care of him and make him stronger. However, this effort was ultimately used to smash his head against the wall.

perhaps,

If he couldn't deliver a fatal blow, Shao Bo might choose to continue and torture him repeatedly.

The complex emotions were not easy to resolve. The Ninth Prince was visibly depressed. Even when the Fourth Prince laid out the news of the investigation into the Great Zhao Kingdom and the various conspiracies involved in the matter, the Ninth Prince ignored it. He made no demands or made a fuss, and silently dealt with the affairs after Shao Bo's death.

resignedly,

Feng Chengyuan and the others could only do their best to investigate on their own, and were prepared for the Ninth Prince to either watch the show or make things worse.

Both the setup and the transmission of messages take time.

In comparison, the talent show was far from exciting. Many meaningless pre-selection battles were taking place, causing Empress Gongsun and Consort Gui, who were dealing with this for the first time, a lot of trouble. But none of this caught Feng Chengyuan's attention. He sent the faction list to the four princes and left the selection process to them. Whoever let in a spy would be held responsible.

The officials and eunuchs in charge of the selection process all kept their eyes peeled and dared not easily let any suspicious points slip by.

If you earn less in the short term, so be it; you need to be alive to spend it.

One month,

two months.

Xia Youmi counted the construction progress of the palace next door, and then all the young ladies entered the palace. This time, they were treated equally. There were no new young ladies of the rank of concubine or lower. They were ranked according to age, appearance, family background and contributions. The highest rank they could achieve was that of a Noble Lady.

After several rounds of selection, reprimands, and internal struggles, those who were still able to meet the Empress were all extremely obedient. Even at their tender age, they dared not be too presumptuous, and they could only choose low-key and elegant colors for their clothes.

They thought it was because their master was being harsh, but they didn't realize that there were too many moles in this talent show, and all the organizers dared not miss any dangerous people, which led to the misunderstanding.

During the first audience, seeing all the former concubines and consorts looking radiant and showing no interest in a simple style, it was only then that some of the more astute individuals realized what was going on.

As a result, the rookie quickly went from being bold to timid, regaining his youthful appearance.

Even though they were dazzling, they couldn't seem to capture the Emperor who should have been admiring them.

but,

Feng Chengyuan was very fair. In recent times, apart from visiting the concubines who had children, he did not visit any of the new or old favorites.

This is also a way to investigate. People with ulterior motives are bound to make mistakes in their haste. When everyone is treated equally and clearly, it is not easy to be confused by good people from all walks of life.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Xia Youmi's place was unusually quiet. No newcomers came to investigate, and no one spread rumors or inquired about information.

Judging from the content of the late-night conversation, those from prominent families had long been instructed not to provoke the one in the Cold Palace, as they would not get anything good out of her, so why bother arguing with someone who was half-buried and would lose face?

Furthermore, those from humble backgrounds naturally lacked the connections and informants to so quickly discover a former member of the royal household in a remote palace, someone rarely mentioned by the palace servants.

Xia Youmi was naturally happy to be free and at peace.

But the joy didn't last long.

Another grand court assembly, which is highly valued by all the ministers, is about to be held, and this time its significance is completely different.

The Grand Assembly is a special event for exchanges with friendly nations and vassal states. It is usually held once every three years. The last time was when various countries sent envoys to congratulate Feng Chengyuan on his ascension to the throne, but it was not a very formal court ceremony.

To avoid causing turmoil during the transition of power, Feng Chengyuan stipulated that each country could only send one envoy to the capital, and the number of servants they could bring was also limited. Any extra officials were kept outside the border.

Those who have no rebellious intentions generally understand this, because everyone needs to be vigilant during a change of regime.

If the other side lets you come and go freely, why would you suspect a trap? Even true royalty wouldn't dare to go.

But the first grand event after things have settled down is different. It's not only about loyalty, but also a great opportunity to renegotiate agreements. At the same time, there's an opportunity to ship and hand over large quantities of goods, which can generate substantial profits.

To show their sincerity, each country, recognizing its subordinate status, would send its most outstanding children who could represent the monarch.

If they find each other agreeable or there is already a deal, they will usually leave the princes and princesses behind. Sometimes it is for a marriage alliance, and sometimes it is equivalent to sending a hostage to you to achieve certain cooperative goals.

Most of them will still leave on their own, but the custom has been preserved.

If the person you sent is not of royal lineage, it indicates either a cooperative relationship or that you no longer intend to submit to the vassal state.

thus,

This was the best opportunity for Feng Chengyuan to test the waters.

He has been busy arranging matters for the Grand Court Assembly for the past few months, so much so that he has lost some weight and looks more frail, which is quite deceptive.

The plan was quite simple: he sent letters to each vassal state, inviting the royal family members who were already preparing to come to share in the grand event and asking them to stay a few more days to exchange new technologies of the vassal state.

This is a rare temptation. Those who consider themselves his underlings will definitely be happy to come. Let them stay here since they're already being "held hostage." It's not like they can't afford to pay a hostage.

However, this letter was also sent to the Great Zhao Kingdom.

It's like an invitation, but also like a trap.

To put it bluntly, do you consider yourself subordinate? Or do you maintain an attitude that is no longer simply "cooperative"? They must define the relationship, write it down clearly, and leave no room for Da Zhaoguo to waver.

This also allows us to probe their intentions.

Xia Youmi had no idea how the people of Da Zhao Kingdom discussed things or what their specific thoughts were.

But in early June,

The day the other party's honor guard entered Beijing truly surprised her and Niannian.