Steal my marriage? Turn around and marry the tyrant to take the throne

Chapter 299 Shen Zhinian Finds the Hidden Nail

The ring was stolen was false, but he wanted to take the opportunity to search their room.

If there really is a traitor, there will always be some clues. Even if there is no clue, there is no harm in searching.

Madam Xiao's stern eyes swept over the palace servants again: "If anyone finds anyone else behaving suspiciously, you can report it to me. It doesn't matter if you are wrong. Once it is verified, the Queen will reward you handsomely!"

Money is a great attraction. Everyone knows that the Queen is generous, and when they hear the words "rich rewards", their minds become active!

But after all, they work in the same palace, and they see each other every day. No one is willing to be the first to report a colleague.

Nanny Xiao was not in a hurry either. She walked back and forth and stared at them.

She also climbed up from the bottom of the palace maiden class, and she understood the temperaments of these palace maids too well.

Sure enough, not long after, a palace maid pointed at another eunuch and said, "Mammy, I saw Xiao Yangzi sneaking out yesterday at noon. I don't know what he did!"

Xiao Yangzi was startled and quickly defended himself, "Don't slander me! I walked in and out openly through the main door. When did I do anything sneaky?!"

With this beginning, another eunuch soon looked at a palace maid and said, "Mammy, I got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and saw Bingqiao still wandering around in the yard. She looked suspicious!"

Bingqiao was timid and almost cried: "I was sorting my clothes at night when I found that a handkerchief was missing, so I went outside to look for it. Don't say anything nonsense!"

"Mammy, I'll see you during the day..."

How could someone who had served in the imperial court not have some skills? Even though they spoke in a chaotic manner, Yuan Bao still remembered exactly what each person said and when.

Xiao Mingzi and Xiao Zhouzi acted quickly and came back soon.

Nanny Xiao and Yuanbao both noticed something was going on, so they told Fuqiu to watch over the palace servants and went into the inner room with the two of them.

Although it is said that if you don't do anything wrong, you don't have to be afraid of ghosts knocking on your door, but are there not many people in the palace who frame each other for their own interests?

The unknown waiting is the most terrifying, and the palace servants are sweating. For the real inner ghost, this is also a psychological test...

Nanny Lin had just finished applying essential oil to Shen Zhinian and helped her put on her clothes and stand up. Then she put a soft pillow behind her so that she could lie more comfortably.

Shen Zhinian raised his eyes and glanced: "What did you find out?"

Xiao Mingzi pulled out a fifty-liang silver note from his sleeve: "Madam, I found this under Xiao Guzi's bed!"

Handan said angrily: "Sure enough, there is a traitor!"

The annual salary of an ordinary palace servant was only six taels of silver. Even if they did not eat or drink, they would have to save for more than eight years to earn fifty taels.

Even if the rewards from the masters on a daily basis were added, fifty taels was an inestimable sum of money, which was impossible for an ordinary eunuch to have!

Shen Zhinian knew the names and appearances of the servants in Zhongcui Palace, but he did not understand their personalities.

She did not jump to conclusions and looked at Madam Xiao and Yuanbao: "Do you think it was Xiao Guzi who threw Dongyan's earrings into Zhongcui Palace?"

Madam Xiao shook her head. "It's not easy to plant a hidden chess piece, especially when the defense of Zhongcui Palace is so tight. If the murderer who poisoned Liu Changzai is really Concubine Liang, she will not let the nail she buried with so much effort be destroyed so quickly."

"I guess that the murderer must have given benefits to the traitor a long time ago, and this banknote is just used to frame him."

Shen Zhinian narrowed his eyes slightly. "He used fifty taels of silver to frame someone right away. The person behind the scenes is quite generous. So who do you think the traitor could be?"

Madam Xiao and Yuanbao knew that this was a test from the Empress. If they couldn't even find a traitor, how could they be in charge of Zhongcui Palace?

Yuan Bao stepped forward and said, "My Lady, according to the report from Xiao Ruanzi, who lives in the same room with Xiao Guzi, Xiao Guzi went out for a long time a few days ago in the afternoon."

"Little Guzi's explanation was that his broom was broken, so he went to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to register for a new one. On the way, he met a familiar eunuch and chatted with him for a while, so he wasted some time."

"It is true that he received the broom, but it is too late to verify whether he met a familiar eunuch."

"And Xiao Guzi was one of the people who was in charge of sweeping the yard today. He is indeed a suspect and had the opportunity to commit the crime. Add to that the banknotes found under his bed, and anyone would think he was the traitor."

Shen Zhinian nodded: "Go on."

Yuan Bao was encouraged and became more confident: "It is precisely because the evidence pointing to him is too comprehensive that I feel something is wrong."

"My servant and Madam Xiao were just interrogating them outside. Whether for the generous reward or because they really wanted to find the thief for the queen, those palace maids and eunuchs racked their brains to think of other people's sneaky places. Even if it was a very ordinary thing, they could imagine a lot and make it a crime."

"Except for Xiao Ruanzi, everyone has been reported..."

Handan sensed something was wrong: "The more genuine the traitor is, the better he is at hiding his tracks. Little Ruanzi's behavior is too clean, which is abnormal. And he lives in the same room with Little Guzi, so it's easy to frame him!"

"He was the one who reported Xiao Guzi. If we really think Xiao Guzi is the traitor, not only can he clear his suspicion, but he can also gain the favor of the Empress with this contribution!"

Yuan Bao smiled and said, "Sister Handan is very smart!"

Although he was the eunuch in charge of Zhongcui Palace, Handan and Fuqiu were the empress's dowry, and Yuanbao never put on airs in front of them.

Madam Xiao said, "Madam, I, like Yuanbao, think that Xiao Ruanzi is the traitor!"

Although their speculation makes sense, it cannot be ruled out that Xiao Guzi is pretending to be a pig and eating the tiger, trying to mislead them in this way to clear himself of suspicion.

Just try it out and you’ll know.

Shen Zhinian said: "Call Xiao Ruanzi in first."

"Yes!"

After being in Zhongcui Palace for so long, this was the first time that Xiao Ruanzi entered the inner room. He did not dare to look up the whole time, kneeling on the ground and bowing respectfully: "Your servant greets the queen! I wonder if the queen wants you to come in, what instructions do you have?"

Shen Zhinian sneered and threw the fifty taels of silver at his feet.

A trace of panic flashed across Little Ruanzi's eyes, but he quickly concealed it and asked in panic, "My Lady, this... this is..."

Shen Zhinian's voice was slightly cold and her tone was nonchalant, but it carried a strong sense of oppression: "You put this banknote under Xiao Guzi's bed, trying to frame him as a traitor. But I didn't do anything to him, but called you in. Don't you understand?"

Yuan Bao scolded: "Tell me the truth, who is your real master?!"

Little Ruanzi was indeed startled.

But he suddenly remembered that on the day of the Queen's enthronement ceremony, someone put a needle in her shoe. She used the same method to deceive Xia Feng, Qiu Yue and Liu Xu.

Maybe this is also a test, he can't be fooled!