Chapter 17: 017 A Tiny Conspiracy

“Father, Mother, look who’s back!” Liu Hongwen shouted loudly the moment he stepped into the Prime Minister's manor.

Liu Mengyun and Xia Feng rushed out from the main hall in a hurry. Xia Feng met Liu Qian'er and said with a smile, “Qian'er, you're back.”

Liu Qian'er smiled faintly and called out softly, “Father, Mother!” Now that all the conflicts had passed, there was no need for her to pursue anything further. After all, in the Yuehan Dynasty, they were her closest, dearest kin.

Liu Mengyun felt a bit uneasy at Liu Qian'er's call; he could no longer remember how long it had been since he had heard the word "Father." After a pause, he spoke, “Qian'er, come, hurry inside!”

***

Inside the Imperial Palace.

“Your Highness!” Inside Qinxin Palace, Ying'er looked at Li Xi, who was leisurely sipping tea, with a slight curl to her lips. “Ying'er has uncovered some good news!”

“Oh?” Li Xi set down her tea and said with a half-smile, “I wonder what good news Ying'er has uncovered?”

“Consort Liu has left the palace!” Ying'er walked straight up to Li Xi and continued, “Ying'er learned from the guards at the palace gates that recently, two men have been leaving the palace quite often while carrying the Empress Dowager's token! In this servant's opinion, it must be Consort Liu and that little maid of hers!”

“Really?” Li Xi stood up excitedly, her face beaming, but a moment later, her expression dimmed again. She said with a long face, “Didn't you say they were carrying the Empress Dowager's token? What can this Palace Master do to her then?”

“Your Highness may not know, but according to the information I gathered, the Empress Dowager granted the token to Consort Liu so she could return to the Prime Minister's manor to visit the Prime Minister and his wife, not to wander aimlessly outside the palace!” Ying'er gave a cunning smile.

“Then how do you know she isn't returning to the manor, but is instead wandering aimlessly outside?” Li Xi sat back down slowly, asking with some doubt.

Ying'er gave a cold laugh and said, “Because this servant knows that Consort Liu has always been at odds with the people in the Prime Minister's manor; she rarely spoke a single word to the Prime Minister or his wife in the past. Furthermore, when the Prime Minister's wife entered the palace to visit Consort Liu that day, it is said she was actually chased away by her!”

“Then what should this Palace Master do now?” Li Xi trusted Ying'er deeply; after all, they had grown up together, and she was her dowry maid. In this place that devoured people without leaving a bone, she would trust no one but Ying'er.

Ying'er thought for a moment and said, “Currently, the Emperor is not in the palace. Therefore, Your Highness should go to He'an Palace to find the Empress Dowager!”

“Fine, then this Palace Master shall go to He'an Palace immediately!” Li Xi gave an insidious smile, thinking to herself: *Liu Qian'er, didn't you steal all the limelight yesterday? This Palace Master wants to see just how long you can remain in the spotlight!*

At this time, Xiao Dezi was on his way to Yilan Palace. Early this morning, the Empress Dowager had instructed him to invite Consort Liu to He'an Palace for breakfast, which had left him feeling puzzled. Hadn't the Empress Dowager been quite disgusted with Consort Liu lately? She had even lectured Consort Liu's personal maid, Hanyu, the other day. Yet, how could her attitude have made a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn after just one meeting yesterday? After passing through several small paths, he arrived outside Yilan Palace, only to find upon entering that Liu Qian'er was nowhere to be found.

After searching the palace several times without seeing a trace of her, he began to grow anxious. If Consort Liu wasn't in the palace at all and had left Yilan Palace privately, it could be a capital offense! But how was he supposed to explain this to the Empress Dowager?

After pacing around the spot for a long time, he suddenly stopped.

He remembered that the Empress Dowager had once granted a palace-exit token to Liu Qian'er; at the very least, she had a token to leave the palace, so perhaps the Empress Dowager wouldn't blame her. Only then did he feel relieved, and he hurriedly rushed back toward He'an Palace...