Reborn as Powerful Minister's Beloved
Chapter 19 Performance

Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Performance

Zheng Nianru, along with Nanny Yun, Fu Dong, and four other young maids, left. The nanny leading the way walked very quickly, passing through the gates of the Qishun Building and headed straight for the dried-up well located to the northwest of the Qishun Building.

The crowd was growing larger, and the palace maids sneakily glanced at Zheng Nianru and her group as they passed.

Who is this person? Also from Xingqing Hall? What is her status?

Yet upon the next glance, they were stunned by the young girl’s appearance, which was even more exquisite than any palace maid’s attire. They couldn’t understand how they had not known of such a beautiful woman within Xingqing Hall. Even in plain clothing, she seemed like a pearl in the dust, eliciting an involuntary sense of pity from onlookers.

Noble Consort Wen carefully supported Empress Dowager Yan Ping as she descended from the sedan chair and stood in front of the dried well.

"Empress Dowager, please look, this is the dried well the disciple of Chang Zhen spoke of."

Empress Dowager Yan Ping nodded and turned to ask Nanny Du at her side,

"Have the people arrived?"

"Replying to Empress Dowager, the people have been brought here," Nanny Du said as Zheng Nianru was led to the front.

"Nianru pays her respects to Empress Dowager. Wishing Empress Dowager great peace," murmured Zheng Nianru weakly. From the moment she appeared before them, her previously calm composure was gone. What stood before the crowd was a timid, nervous girl who appeared unworldly and overwhelmed.

Empress Dowager Yan Ping frowned slightly; seeing that face made her uncomfortable. It closely resembled someone and always reminded her of the painful past when her two sons became sworn enemies.

Noble Consort Wen’s gaze had not left Zheng Nianru since she approached. The likeness of the Princess of Nanmen State had been exaggerated to the point of legend, with some officials even declaring they would willingly die after just one glimpse of her.

Now, it was merely this unripe young girl whose unrefined clothes could barely hide her natural charm. Even with her brows and eyes hinting at a captivating grace, Noble Consort Wen, despite having seen many beauties in the palace, was taken aback. At this moment, she suddenly found some merit in those rumors.

And the fact that her own son was crazily frequenting this place, fortunately, she had discovered it early, otherwise...

Noble Consort Wen broke out in a cold sweat thinking about it. Fu Xin, though talented, was inferior and had been injured during the conflict between the two princes. Although the Second Prince, he had lost the chance to make a play for the throne, whereas Fu Gong was all her hopes.

If this little wretch corrupted him...

"Has Commandery Princess Chao Ren ever left the building?" asked Empress Dowager Yan Ping. But her question was not directed at Zheng Nianru; instead, it was posed to Nanny Lin, who stood behind Zheng Nianru.

Reporting to Empress Dowager, I and four other nannies were in charge of guarding the gates of Qishun Building. Without summons, the Commandery Princess has never left the building," replied Nanny Lin promptly, stepping forward.

Zheng Nianru was not worried; these nannies were indeed servants of Empress Dowager and had been by her side for over twenty years. However, Zheng Congyuan had ways of making these people his own.

Perhaps these nannies were no longer the same as they had been when they first started. Zheng Nianru never liked to waste effort on such trivial matters.

Noble Consort Wen knew that these words were meant for her ears. With a wave of her hand, Eunuch Kang Ning gave a signal to several underlings. The eunuchs quickly tied ropes and descended into the well.

Nanny Yun’s heart immediately raced; she was privy to these events. Her own Commandery Princess could stand there unaffected simply because she knew nothing of the matter.

The body was one she had watched being thrown down, and Xing Yu had even brought a couple of rocks to throw after it, fearing the fall hadn’t killed the victim, they wanted to ensure death with another strike.

Nanny Yun thought about escaping; the harem was no place for humans, and it seemed not even as suitable as their Art House.

But how could she escape now? Empress Dowager was not an easy person to deal with, and it was doubtful that Xing Yu could outfight her.

Zheng Nianru waited, for several bodies to come forth. She could not recall clearly—the memories from her past life and this life intertwined. After all the calculations, there should be five or six, but what use was the discovery? It couldn’t be worse than when Nanyi discovered her affair and she was brazenly made to wear a green hat, could it?

She didn’t want it to be like this either. Her relationship with Ju Nanyi hadn’t started off so stiff. When their first child was born, she genuinely felt that Ju Nanyi liked her and the child, even though she had used him and personally ended the life of his childhood sweetheart, and driven away his legitimate mother. Ju Nanyi had never let her suffer the slightest grievance.

As for why they ended up where they did, even Zheng Nianru herself couldn’t pinpoint any specific reason. Perhaps she was just a capricious person, unable to resist temptation, lacking concentration power, with a shallow perspective, and then there was Ji Gu, whose saintly aura could make even the most disgraceful acts seem righteous.

"Your Majesty—" Eunuch Kang Ning broke out in a cold sweat. Several eunuchs had already come up from the well, but aside from some tattered cloth that was indistinguishable, they found nothing.

"Nothing?" Noble Consort Wen’s voice rose an octave, "The Disciple of Chang Zhen’s skill in searching for people is never wrong, have you mistaken the direction?"

"Your Majesty, there’s only a dry well in this location, the servant will go right now..."

Zheng Nianru, hearing this, was disbelieving. She glanced at Nanny Yun. They had changed locations? Logically, even if they changed locations, they wouldn’t have removed everything that was previously there.

Nanny Yun finally steadied herself, her back drenched in sweat. Besides the Crown Prince, no one would have done such a thorough job.

"Nothing?" Empress Dowager Yan Ping glanced at Noble Consort Wen. Still so sloppy in your tasks.

Noble Consort Wen had difficulty standing her ground.

"Empress Dowager, the Disciple of Chang Zhen personally confirmed the location, and there’s also the testimony of that little palace maid." Noble Consort Wen had people bring Hong Chou up, with Eunuch Kang Ning personally escorting her.

And they had personally confirmed the body, so how could it suddenly be missing?

"Hong Chou, look carefully, is it them who murdered Eunuch Yu?" Eunuch Kang Ning forcefully turned Hong Chou’s face, compelling her to look towards Zheng Nianru and the others.

Zheng Nianru looked on expressionlessly and glanced at Hong Chou, who was desperately shaking her head.

"Eunuch, it wasn’t them. Their attire is different," Hong Chou managed through the pain.

Empress Dowager Yan Ping sighed. She had come to understand some aspects of the situation, although she didn’t know why Noble Consort Wen had targeted Zheng Nianru. However, the incident involving Fu Gong running into Zheng Nianru in Xingqing Hall was something Empress Dowager Yan Ping was somewhat aware of.

"Enough, since it’s not them, take her away. Such a fuss over a trivial matter." That Fu Gong has become so senseless, just like her birth mother.

Noble Consort Wen wanted to argue but dared not say anything.

"You may step back for now," Empress Dowager Yan Ping waved her hand, and Noble Consort Wen, holding back her anger, took her people and retreated.

Yet Empress Dowager Yan Ping’s gaze turned towards Zheng Nianru.

Her reluctance to pursue the matter further didn’t mean she trusted Zheng Nianru. With such a mother, she feared that as her beauty grew, she would become another disaster.

"These are the people sent by Prince Duan?" Empress Dowager Yan Ping’s eyes fell upon Fu Dong and Nian Xia standing behind Zheng Nianru.

Fu Dong and Nian Xia had panicked looks in their eyes, which darted all about, looking even more nervous than their mistress.

Empress Dowager Yan Ping snorted coldly. She never realized her son was so sentimental, indulging in such a disaster, ready to give up everything for a few people. To force those few into Qishun Building, she didn’t know how many days they had cold wars. Empress Dowager Yan Ping had received so much that she could hardly remember—it was just a number to her. She didn’t want Zheng Nianru to live well, but at the same time, she didn’t have the heart to kill her. Yet seeing such a crowd standing before her, she felt a headache coming on.

"There’s no need for so many in Qishun Building. Leave one here, and you take the others and step back." It was because of these people that a rift had grown between her and her son, and they hadn’t spoken properly in over a decade.

Upon hearing this, Zheng Nianru looked up at Empress Dowager Yan Ping, her gaze calm yet no longer panicked. She wanted to avoid conflict with the Empress Dowager because she was Prince Duan’s birth mother, her grandmother.

But when it came to her people, whether in her past life or in the present, she would never agree to anyone harming them.

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