Duoduo was stunned for a moment.
How did her great-grandmother know she had gone out?
No one had seen her when she left yesterday.
Could it be that her great-grandmother was only testing her?
When the Empress Dowager saw that Duoduo remained silent, she gave her a hint. “I heard that intruders entered the Cold Palace last night.”
Duoduo blinked her big eyes and tilted her head, pretending to be innocent.
“Great-Grandmother, what are you talking about? I don’t understand.”
The Empress Dowager glanced at Qingliu. Qingliu hurried out and stood guard at the door.
In an instant, only the Empress Dowager and Duoduo were left inside.
The Empress Dowager reached out and poked Duoduo’s forehead.
“I was wondering why you suddenly became so interested in the consorts in the Cold Palace.”
“Tell me. What information are you trying to find out?”
Duoduo shook her head firmly.
“Great-Grandmother, I was sleeping in my room last night!”
The Empress Dowager stared at Duoduo for a long while without saying a word.
Duoduo’s heart began to pound.
“The old woman guarding the back gate said you came back from outside this morning.”
Seeing that Duoduo was determined not to admit anything, the Empress Dowager simply laid everything out in the open.
Duoduo puffed out her cheeks.
She knew it. Trusting Xiao Che was going to get her into trouble.
Seeing Duoduo’s expression, the Empress Dowager could not resist poking her cheek.
“You still refuse to tell me?”
“Shall I have the old woman come in and confront you?”
Duoduo put on an obedient smile.
“Great-Grandmother, I couldn’t sleep last night, so I went out for a little stroll.”
The Empress Dowager clearly did not believe her.
“The gates of the Palace of Benevolent Tranquility are locked at night. How did you get out?”
Duoduo rubbed the palm of her hand.
“Great-Grandmother, you just asked why I’m interested in the consorts in the Cold Palace, didn’t you?”
“I can only tell you that it has something to do with Grandfather!”
The Empress Dowager’s attention was immediately drawn to that.
“It has something to do with the Emperor?”
Duoduo covered her mouth. “I promised Grandfather I wouldn’t tell!”
Seeing Duoduo’s expression, the Empress Dowager was half-convinced.
If the Emperor wanted to investigate the Cold Palace, he could simply have his secret guards look into it. Why would he need Changle to do it?
However, when it came to the Emperor, things could never be judged by common sense.
If the Emperor had gone to Changle instead of his secret guards, that could only mean he even suspected the guards around him.
Worry filled the Empress Dowager’s eyes.
At that moment, a palace maid entered from outside.
“Your Majesty, Eunuch Li, who serves at the Emperor’s side, has come to pay his respects.”
The Empress Dowager found this strange and glanced at Duoduo.
Duoduo lowered her hands, her face filled with curiosity as well.
What had Eunuch Li come for?
The Empress Dowager gestured for Duoduo to sit in a nearby chair, then straightened her clothes.
“Let him in.”
“Yes.”
The palace maid went out. A short while later, Eunuch Li entered with quick, mincing steps.
As soon as he reached the middle of the room, he knelt to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager.
“This servant pays his respects to the Empress Dowager and Princess Changle. May Your Majesty live for a thousand years, a thousand years, and ten thousand years!”
“Rise.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
Eunuch Li kowtowed and stood up.
“How is the Emperor? Has he regained consciousness today?” the Empress Dowager asked with concern.
“Your Majesty, the Emperor is still unconscious,” Eunuch Li replied, keeping his head lowered.
Duoduo’s big eyes flickered.
She remembered what her father had once told her: everyone in the imperial palace wore a mask.
You could never know whether the other person’s words were true or false.
You could never know who was friend and who was foe.
Perhaps two people would be allies one moment, only for one of them to stab the other in the back the next.
Just like the Empress Dowager and Eunuch Li now.
Their words sounded like riddles.
If she had not known that Grandfather was outside the palace, she would have been fooled by them both.
“This servant heard that Your Majesty was unwell, so I came to check on you.”
“Are you feeling any better? Shall I find a physician to enter the palace and examine you?”
Every word Eunuch Li spoke was filled with concern.
The Empress Dowager shook her head.
“When people grow old, all sorts of ailments are bound to appear.”
“Just take good care of the Emperor. I have Changle here, so there is nothing to worry about.”
“Yes.”
“Your Majesty, may I ask whether you still wish to look at the register of the Cold Palace’s consorts?”
Eunuch Li had visited the Cold Palace and already investigated the consorts who served the current Emperor. Apart from the Eighth Prince’s mother, none of them had come from Southern Xinjiang.
That left the consorts who had been kept by the late Emperor.
Eunuch Li did not know much about them, so he could only begin by examining the registers.
When the Empress Dowager heard Eunuch Li’s question, she could not help glancing at Duoduo.
Duoduo gave her an obedient smile.
The Empress Dowager turned back. “Someone!”
A palace maid entered and bowed.
“Go and bring the two registers to Xiao Lizi.”
The palace maid bowed and left.
The Empress Dowager pondered for a moment. “What do you need the register of the harem consorts for?”
Eunuch Li glanced at Duoduo, hesitation appearing on his face.
“Your Majesty, it was the Emperor’s command.”
Eunuch Li’s words matched Duoduo’s.
A flicker passed through Duoduo’s eyes.
So Grandfather had also begun investigating the consorts in the Cold Palace!
Eunuch Li was one of Grandfather’s men, so he could enter and leave the Cold Palace freely.
Could she wait until Eunuch Li finished investigating and then ask Grandfather about it?
The moment the thought occurred to Duoduo, she immediately rejected it.
She remembered what her father had taught her:
When it came to anything, she should only believe what she had personally verified.
Before long, the palace maid brought over the registers.
Eunuch Li accepted them, bowed, and took his leave.
Duoduo felt a little disappointed.
She had not finished reading the register yet!
The Empress Dowager lowered her head and thought for a long while before standing up.
“Come, Changle. Accompany your great-grandmother for a walk in the imperial gardens.”
Duoduo obediently rose and supported the Empress Dowager by the arm.
“Great-Grandmother, the weather is pretty good today. It’s perfect for strolling through the gardens.”
Today was a rare overcast day.
Although there was no wind and the air was still muggy, it was cooler than standing beneath the blazing sun.
The Empress Dowager nodded.
“Changle is right.”
“The weather this year seems to be especially hot.”
“Autumn has already arrived, yet it still hasn’t rained!”
Duoduo looked up at the sky. “It will rain eventually!”
The Empress Dowager shook her head.
“The common people will certainly have a difficult time this year.”
“Only favorable weather can ensure a good harvest.”
“With the weather like this, the autumn harvest will probably be poor.”
At this, the Empress Dowager let out a deep sigh.
Duoduo tilted her little head.
“Great-Grandmother, are you worried that there won’t be enough food?”
The Empress Dowager leaned on her cane and walked forward slowly.
“How much can one old woman eat?”
“But if the harvest is poor, the common people throughout the realm will have a hard winter.”
“I wonder how many people will die this year.”
The Empress Dowager’s mood was heavy.
Duoduo fell silent as well.
She had discussed this problem with her father before.
After discussing it with her father, Duoduo had also raised the matter with Xu Jinxin.
The three of them had reached the same conclusion.
Stockpile grain!
