Yan Ruoxu returned to the palace, and the guard who had been ordered to watch over the warehouse came forward to report.
"I have seen the princess. A short while ago, Zhao sent away the guards of the warehouse and sneaked in herself. We followed the princess's orders and, thinking of the safety of the warehouse, detained Zhao and found this on her person."
With the sky already dark, the room was lit by a lamp, and the young guard lowered his head and presented a piece of jade with both hands.
The item was a vivid shade of green and made from a rare and fine jade material. It had been crafted into the shape of a jade rabbit bowing to the moon, with the auspicious meaning of promising prospects.
Yan Ruoxu expected Zhao to return the item, but she didn't expect it to happen so quickly.
"Where is Zhao now?"
Zuibin had just brewed tea, holding the pot handle, but after hearing the guard's report, she forgot about pouring the tea.
She was straightforward, and detested those who were greedy and sneaky behind the scenes.
"In response to Miss, we have detained Zhao in the warehouse. This matter is waiting for the princess's decision."
This guard had been personally chosen by Zuibin, but he was not informed of the specific details. He was only told to diligently guard the warehouse these past few days and to discreetly keep watch. If anyone violated the rules or acted surreptitiously, they were to be detained and then reported to the princess. It was made clear that there would be a hefty reward for handling such matters. The latter half of Zuibin's remarks was left unsaid, but the guard understood. If he mishandled the situation, he would leave a bad impression on the princess, making it difficult for him to advance in the future.
After being caught, Zhao put on an air of importance, asserting her authority as a woman in charge. She was well-regarded in front of the princess, from the sleeping quarters to the guards and even the servants, who all sought to curry favor with her.
"I came to find something on behalf of the princess. You ungrateful servants! What is this? Delaying the princess's matters. Who can bear the consequences? All of you, as guards, want a good future, but with your actions, are you preparing to ruin your own prospects?"
The leading young guard, surnamed Zheng, who was just in his early twenties, had already been seasoned in the palace for several years. He immediately grasped the hidden meaning in Zhao's words. He wanted to tell them not to meddle too much, but he was acting on orders. If she wanted to argue, fine, she could take it up with the princess.
Yan Ruoxu and Zuibin immediately went to the warehouse, but before they arrived, they heard Zhao's wailing.
"I have suffered so much, enduring half my life in the palace. Now I am being bullied by you youngsters. Wait for the princess, I will request her to adjudicate for me!"
Zhao's voice rang loud and clear. She was lying and unashamed, sitting on the ground and crying. Except for the leader, Zheng, the other guards had no idea about the situation. Seeing this scene, they were all filled with doubts. Could it be that they had wronged someone? If they had offended Zhao and with her significant position with the princess, it would surely affect their prospects.
"The princess is here!" Someone with keen eyesight called out. Everyone heard and immediately paid their respects.
Zhao was momentarily stunned when the princess arrived. Then she wailed even louder. "Finally, the princess is here. Please arbitrate for me. These guards are conspiring against me!“
Anyone of status in the palace esteems their dignity. When Zhao was younger and beautiful, she had aspirations of rising to a higher rank. If the emperor and empress's relationship was not good and the emperor did not favor concubines, she might have succeeded. Although her ambitions ultimately went unfulfilled, she still managed to become a palace official through her perceptiveness and boldness. She always conducted herself with dignity and would never wail and cry if she was wronged.
Being wronged could be explained, but the loss of dignity could never be regained.
When things take a strange turn, there must be some hidden reason, Yan Ruoxu smiled.
"Zhao, let's hear your side. Is it true the guards wronged you in any way? The princess is here, speak clearly. Don't speak nonsense!"
Zuibin brought a chair for Yan Ruoxu and helped her to sit down. With her arms crossed, she glared at Zhao.
If Zhao were more sensible at this moment and admitted her mistake, Yan Ruoxu might have been lenient due to their old relationship. But Zhao was unwilling; she insisted on being stubborn. Perhaps she didn't realize that her good days were over, as she now faced a princess who was different from before.
"A few days ago, the princess ordered her servants to find this jade rabbit, right? Due to some delays, I only remembered today, so I went to the warehouse to search. Who knew that as soon as I found it, I was seized by these guards. They accused me without any evidence. Your Highness, please judge whether they have wronged me."
While Zhao spoke, she wiped away her tears.
As soon as she finished, someone stepped forward to argue. If she was wronged, why were the guards detaining her? Falsely accusing an innocent person and law enforcement misconduct?
"Zheng, ask Zhao one thing. If she had nothing to hide or was acting with scruples, why did she dismiss the door guard before entering the warehouse? By law, at least two people should supervise the opening of the warehouse door. Also, just now, she only managed to open the door, and the statue of the jade rabbit was already in her hands? Zheng thinks this is strange."
Zheng made a logical argument. Even the crafty and cunning Zhao was left at a loss.
"We might have wronged you, but did we also wrong this jade rabbit?" A few of the guards started to chuckle. One of them added a sneer.
At this point, Zhao had no room left for sophistry. She stared at the jade rabbit, belatedly realizing that tonight was a big pit for her. How could this be? After so many years in the deep palace where hearts are unfathomable, she was ruined so easily?
Unwilling to accept this, Zhao knew that the princess had a kind heart. She was well aware of Yan Ruoxu's temperament and character. Crying, she clung to Yan Ruoxu's legs, tears streaming down her face.
"Princess, show mercy. I know my mistake. I shouldn't have coveted this jade rabbit!"
Yan Ruoxu sighed. Zhao was greedy and now her distress added to her unsightly appearance. In a previous life, when Yan Ruoxu discovered that the warehouse had been ransacked, she went to implore Zhao. There was an instance when Yan Ruoxu was estranged from the royal family and had no means to offer silver, yet she still went to Zhao to ask for help in repairing her brother's grave. Zhao refused to acknowledge that she had taken money. She had denied it then and would deny it now.
Yan Ruoxu gestured to the guards to pull Zhao, who was clutching at her legs and crying, away. She then took the tea that Zuibin offered and sipped it before speaking slowly and thoughtfully.
"Besides coveting this jade rabbit, did you take anything else?"
This was Zhao's last chance. Yan Ruoxu still had some lingering affection for their old relationship.
Caught off-guard by the question, Zhao continued to sob. She shed tears, pondering how distressing it would be to have to part with her ill-gotten gains.
"No, Your Highness, I regret taking this item in a moment of greed. When I heard that you were seeking it, I wanted to return it immediately and didn't touch anything else."
Listening to Zhao's excuse, it was clear that she was determined not to confess.
Yan Ruoxu leant back in her chair, looking away from Zhao's deceptive face. She couldn't help but smile.
Many people had gathered outside the warehouse, as Zuibin had sent word to drop everything and come watch, to witness the outcome of this scene-stealer.
At this moment, countless eyes were fixed on Yan Ruoxu, waiting for her to resolve the matter with Zhao.
A bright and beautiful young woman in a plain-colored dress, with clear and serene eyes and a faint smile on her lips, stood with one hand behind her head, calmly surveying everyone present.
Those who were attentive had already sensed that Zhao was in trouble. The princess was forthright and did not beat around the bush. If she had immediately reprimanded Zhao, it would have been better, but now she remained silent, which was likely not a good sign.
Yan Ruoxu observed the nervous, expectant, and uneasy emotions of the crowd, and with a smile, she said, "Everyone heard Zhao Gu Gu's words. Whether they are true or false, no one can distinguish. In order to find out the truth, let's first invite Zhao Gu Gu to the Ministry of the Interior. Today, whether Gu Gu is innocent or wronged, apart from stealing the jade rabbit, everything else will be clear."
Zui'er felt unsatisfied and thought that they should first give Zhao Gu Gu twenty strokes of the paddle to vent her anger.
She glanced at Zhao Gu Gu, who was stunned, pursed her lips, and then turned and went back to the sleeping palace.
What Yan Ruoxu did today was not just to get rid of the burden of having Zhao Gu Gu around, but also to set an example for everyone else. She used to ignore these things, resulting in disunity among the people in the palace. Things were fine when nothing happened, but during critical moments, she found that no one was reliable and there was a risk of internal and external collusion.
"Zui'er, what is the background of the guard Zheng who was here just now?"
The high red walls on both sides, the hazy night, and the seemingly endless corridor.
As Yan Ruoxu was sitting in the sedan chair returning to the palace, she suddenly asked.
"I'm not sure about his specific background, but I know he is the nephew of Lord Lin from the Hanlin Academy, and he has been in the palace for almost four years." Zui'er took a while to give this piece of information.
For Yan Ruoxu, this was enough. Lord Lin was a clean and upright official without much actual power, and since the guard Zheng was his nephew, he was also not involved in the struggles of the noble families. Otherwise, after four years in the palace, he would not still be just an ordinary guard without any rank.
Having such a clean background person by her side made Yan Ruoxu feel at ease, knowing that she could use him in the future.
"Zui'er, have someone go and reward the guard who was apprehended today, especially Zheng the guard." Zui'er was a bit puzzled, as the handling of this matter could only be considered as standard. She wondered why the princess wanted to personally oversee the rewards.
However, without asking further, she nodded in agreement.
Yet Yan Ruoxu was thinking far ahead. There were still many things she needed to do, and apart from Zui'er, whom she could rely on at present, she did not have anyone else she trusted. The road ahead was difficult and long, so she had to be well prepared.
This incident in the princess's palace within the imperial city was like a pebble thrown into a lake, quickly sending ripples in all directions.
The author has something to say:
Yan Ruoxi: Don't think that I am easy to bully.
Everyone: We dare not, we dare not.
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(￣▽￣)～*