TICIEC Chapter 36.1

In a short while, the palace servants of Changchun Palace stood in the courtyard.

The Pin rank has one head maid, four second-class maids, and four third-class maids.

There is one chief eunuch, four second-class eunuchs, and four third-class eunuchs.

Except for Chun Ni, the third-class palace maid who poisoned Shun Pin and was already dead in the Department of Criminal Justice, the remaining seventeen people were all present.

Ning Wanyin sat quietly on the rattan chair on the courtyard steps, looked at Lian Rui, and instructed, “Let’s begin.”

Lian Rui, familiar with the process, held a booklet in one hand and a brush dipped in ink in the other, walking to Chun Que.

“May I ask your age, Sister? When did you enter the palace? Do you still have any relatives? When did you begin serving Shun Pin? Who did you serve before Shun Pin? Do you have any close friends in the palace?”

“What are you interrogating me for? I am utterly loyal to Her Majesty!” Chun Que said angrily.

Lian Rui calmly replied, “Since you are so loyal, why can’t I ask?”

“You…” Chun Que was speechless for a moment.

“My Master has said that any palace servant who disobeys orders will be expelled from Changchun Palace. But you are Shun Pin’s confidante, and Shun Pin is pregnant and needs your care. If you leave the palace, wouldn’t you be betraying the kindness Shun Pin has shown you? So please tell me the truth, and don’t just leave like that, becoming an unfaithful and disloyal person.” Lian Rui said with a smile that concealed her sharp tongue.

Chun Que was both angry and anxious.

Even if she was expelled, would she still be called unfaithful?

Like a master, like a maid. And this maid has a particularly peculiar mouth!

Chun Que had no rebuttal and could only answer truthfully.

Xiao Guizi, who had come along, was dumbfounded. His master hadn’t even said a word, and the head maid of Changchun Palace was already completely submissive.

Lian Rui truly lived up to her mistress’s reputation as her personal maid.

This was the first time his master had ever been assigned to take care of a concubine.

Shun Pin, being of high rank and pregnant, guessed that his master might have difficulty getting things done, but she would never expect that his master was able to handle it so easily.

Unable to get a word in edgewise, he could only diligently grind the ink to show that he was of some use.

Starting with Chun Que, all the palace maids answered questions and registered their answers.

Lian Rui returned with the booklet to report, “Master, the investigation is complete. Next, we only need to investigate those related to them and verify their identities one by one.”

“Very good. Xiao Guizi, make a copy of the records of their family members outside the palace and have the eunuchs of the Imperial Household Department’s Foreign Affairs Office check it to ensure that they have a record of their family members’ whereabouts. In the future, if anyone commits a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of their family, it will also prevent some people from sending their family members away in advance.” Ning Wanyin said calmly.

As soon as she finished speaking, many of the palace servants present paled.

Chun Que cursed inwardly, “Vicious woman! Threatening the lives of her family—such tactics, truly a wicked villain.”

“Yes!” Xiao Guizi quickly accepted the order.

Ning Wanyin then instructed, “From now on, thoroughly clean Changchun Palace. Not just Shun Pin’s quarters, but also the servants’ quarters—not a single place should be missed.”

This was clearly a palace search to check if anything suspicious was hidden within Changchun Palace.

This was considered a standard method.

The palace servants accepted the order.

Soon, every room in Changchun Palace was thoroughly searched, inside and out.

Ning Wanyin didn’t find anything in the servants’ quarters.

Anyone with a brain wouldn’t dare hide directly under the covers, which was to be expected.

“Your Majesty, everything is normal for now.” Lian Rui reported.

Ning Wanyin nodded slightly and pointed to the flowerbed in front of her, saying, “Continue, dig up this flowerbed.”

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