The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 676 - 676 321 Midnight

Chapter 676: 321 Midnight Chapter 676: 321 Midnight The little eunuch hastily headed to the Shanggong Bureau, and soon returned with Zhang Zhangshi.

Xiao Liulang waited for her outside the Renshou Palace.

Zhang Zhangshi is an old maid in the palace. In the imperial palace of the Zhan Country, palace maidens who have reached twenty-five can choose to leave the palace, and those who wish to stay can have their hair combed up in a bun, signifying their status as elderly, unmarried women.

Zhang Zhangshi chose the latter.

From palace maiden to elderly unmarried woman, then to elder maid, she had spent more than half her life in the imperial palace.

The little eunuch who brought the message did not explain the matter in detail. Zhang Zhangshi thought the Empress Dowager had summoned her. When she arrived at the entrance to the Renshou Palace and saw Xiao Liulang, she stood in shock for a moment, then retreated several steps in fright!

Her face apparently caused more than one person to mistake her for a ghost. Zhang Zhangshi, being of advanced years, was understandably even more afraid.

Xiao Liulang didn’t seem to mind. He said, “My family name is Xiao, and my first name is Liulang. I am a Hanlin academician.”

“Xiao… Xiao Liulang? Not Xiao…” Zhang Zhangshi was about to say the name, but suddenly remembered her lowly status and that she wasn’t worthy of uttering the name of the young master of the Zhaodu City.

She calmed herself down, wiped the cold sweat from her forehead, and said, “My apologies, I mistook you for someone else.”

Xiao Liulang didn’t mind, he took out the token given to him by the old Jijiu – a missing piece from a piece of old ink stone.

Zhang Zhangshi’s face changed again when she saw the ink stone: “You…” She hesitated, then asked after a moment, “Did Huo Jijiu send you to find me?”

Xiao Liulang nodded and handed her the ink stone.

Zhang Zhangshi took the ink stone, her eyes reflecting complex emotions as if recalling something: “I never thought he would seek me out at this point. Is he well? I heard he returned to Capital City and resumed his position as Guozijian Jijiu… ”

Xiao Liulang reassured her, “He’s doing well, please don’t worry, Zhang Zhangshi.”

Zhang Zhangshi gave a bitter smile:, “What do I have to worry about? That man would never die away from home, even if he were exiled to the bitter cold. He would always take good care of himself…”

Xiao Liulang had the feeling that their relationship was not simple, but it wasn’t polite to inquire about personal matters.

Looking at the ink stone in her hand, Zhang Zhangshi seemed both amused and exasperated: “After all these years, he still keeps this old thing. I thought he would’ve thrown it away by now. It’s not even worth much, why bother keeping it? Since he trusts you enough to let you bring this to find me, what does he… No, what do you need from me? He would never seek me out again in this lifetime.”

Xiao Liulang sighed at her roller-coaster of emotions, but he was not good at comforting people.

A hint of tears shimmered in Zhang Zhangshi’s eyes, she gave a light laugh, and brushed it off, saying: “I’ve made a fool of myself in front of you. What did you want to discuss?”

Xiao Liulang did not beat around the bush, stating bluntly: “I came to ask Zhang Zhangshi about a certain person.”

“Who?” Zhang Zhangshi asked.

Xiao Liulang replied honestly: “A person who has a mole on her left wrist, and was already in the palace over a decade ago. I don’t know if she is a palace maid or a concubine.” It couldn’t be the Empress Xiao since she was his biological aunt and wouldn’t harm him, moreover, Xiao Liulang was often held by her, so he knew what her wrist looked like.

Zhang Zhangshi frowned, deep in thought: “I don’t have any recollection… But I can help you find her. As long as she hasn’t left the palace in all these years, I’ll find her for you. But.”

Xiao Liulang understood. After all, it had been over a decade, and palace maids were released every year. If she was one of them, then it would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

But very soon, Xiao Liulang shook his head: “No, she should not have left the palace.”

Poisoning the legitimate heir of Xuanping was a grave crime, punishable by death if discovered. If she was a lady of the court, such women weren’t allowed to leave the palace; if she was a palace maid, she most likely acted under orders.

After doing such an important job for her master, how could the master let her leave the palace? The master would either kill her to prevent her from talking, or keep her by his side to continue serving him.

However, he did not hear about any palace maids dying wrongfully after he was poisoned.

That person was still alive.

Living in the palace.

Zhang Zhangshi asked: “Exactly how many years ago was it?”

Xiao Liulang replied: “Fourteen years ago.”

“Ah…” Zhang Zhangshi seemed to realize something, she looked deeply at Xiao Liulang, nodded and said, “So you’re looking for someone who entered the palace fourteen years ago. Alright, I’ll handle this for you.”

Zhang Zhangshi left with the ink stone in hand.

Xiao Liulang watched her gradually disappearing into the darkness, and for some reason he couldn’t quite pinpoint, her retreating figure seemed staggeringly lonely.

The night was setting in, and the imperial palace was about to close.

Little Jingkong bid farewell to Empress Dowager Zhuang.

Little Jingkong sternly said: “Auntie, you can sneak sweets, but you can’t drink sweet water, and you can’t sneak fried doughnuts. I will tell Jiaojiao.”

Empress Dowager Zhuang looked annoyed: “Alright, alright, you talk too much! Now hurry up and leave!”

With his small hands behind his back and his head tilted, Jingkong raised his eyebrows: “Don’t miss me too much then.”

Empress Dowager Zhuang: “I’ll only think about you when I’ve overeaten!”

What an annoying and noisy kid!

Xiao Liulang walked over unhurriedly, took Xiao Jingkong’s hand, and bade farewell to Empress Dowager Zhuang.

He didn’t speak much with the Empress Dowager Zhuang, their silent interchange of glances swiftly ended without exchanging many words.

So few words, it seemed even a mere glance was deemed superfluous.

“Take your things,” said Empress Dowager Zhuang emotionlessly.

“Oh, almost forgot!” Xiao Jingkong broke free from his brother-in-law’s grip and trotted over to the table and grabbed a brocade box. He rushed back, shouting, “Let’s go!”

Xiao Liulang looked at the brocade box in Xiao Jingkong’s hands and then at his own empty hands, feeling as if he’d been shot by a thousand arrows!

He glanced at Empress Dowager Zhuang.

Empress Dowager Zhuang averted her gaze.

He looked back at the table where the brocade box had been, noticed that there was a plethora of boxes but not a single one for him.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the discomfort in his chest and exited with a somber expression.

Watching the retreating figures of the duo, the Empress Dowager gave a cold humph.

On the return journey, Xiao Jingkong fell asleep in Xiao Liulang’s arms. The hand clutching the brocade box also relaxed, with Xiao Liulang holding him in one arm and the brocade box in the other.

He felt an urge to open the brocade box to check its contents, curious about what exactly Empress Dowager Zhuang had given to the young fellow.

Why did he have something and yet he himself did not?

“What am I thinking?”

Xiao Liulang felt embarrassed by his childish thoughts. He shook his head, suppressing his curiosity about the box.

He had forgotten that he was only eighteen, after all, just a young man not yet considered an adult.

He didn’t have to act so mature, nor did he need to be so composed.

By the time they returned to Bishui Alley, night had fallen.

The Yao Family and Gu Yan had already retired for the night, Mammy Fang and Yu Yaya had returned to their own rooms, and Gu Jiao was in the hall tinkering with gunpowder.

She had almost finalized the proportions for the powder, but the powder alone wasn’t enough; it needed to be made into a weapon or hidden weapon that could show its power.

Hearing the noise at the door, she put down her work and went out, asking, “Back already?”

“Mhm.” Xiao Liulang nodded.

Gu Jiao went over, taking the sleeping Xiao Jingkong from him and placing him in the western bedchamber.

“What is this?” asked Xiao Liulang, pointing at a pile of dark objects on the table.

Gu Jiao thought for a moment before responding, “I’m not quite sure what to call it… Black firecrackers?”

Xiao Liulang: “…”

What kind of name was that?

Gu Jiao had formed the gunpowder into pellet-sized pieces, packed them into modified bamboo tubes, and added phosphorus to the devices. Phosphorus would ignite upon friction or heat, igniting the gunpowder inside the bamboo tubes to create a small explosion.

The power of the explosion wasn’t too great; its main purpose was deterrence.

However, there was still one problem: if the weather was too hot, the phosphorus might self-ignite even without friction. So further adjustments were needed.

Gu Jiao said: “I’ve already boiled the water, go wash up and rest first. I’ll be done in a short while.”

Xiao Liulang assumed she was making medicine and said nothing.

Gu Jiao continued with her work, noticing that Xiao Liulang seemed to have something more to say, she asked, “Is there anything else?”

Xiao Liulang opened his mouth to say something: “…No.”

Forget it, he would continue his investigation first.

The next day was Xiao Liulang’s appointed day to lecture the crown prince in the palace. As he entered the study, he heard that a significant incident had happened in the Imperial Harem – a stewardess of the Shanggong Bureau had died in her own room. The Emperor, greatly angered, went to the Imperial Harem immediately after the morning court.

“Which stewardess?” Xiao Liulang asked one of the old eunuchs in the study.

The old eunuch whispered: “Stewardess Zhang, she was the one who sewed His Majesty’s clothes. His Majesty had just spoken fondly of her a few days ago…”

Xiao Liulang wasn’t aware that Stewardess Zhang had been so favored by the Emperor. Huo Jijiu hadn’t mentioned it, but it was possible Huo Jijiu himself didn’t know. After all, this was a matter of the Imperial Harem, and it would not be unusual for a former minister like him to be unaware.

But the peculiarity was that he had just sought out Zhang the previous night, and she had met with an accident the very next day. This was most strange indeed.