readytorunbook Chapter 422 Search
Chapter 422 Search
It didn't take long for the skinny monkey to come back. Not only that, he was also carrying a large food box in his hand. Behind him followed Manager Li and two maids, Xiqiao and others.
"Your Highness, this is the midnight snack that the princess asked the kitchen to prepare. She said that Your Highness has not rested all night and must be hungry." The skinny monkey took out the things in the food box and placed it next to Zhou Chang.
"The princess hasn't rested yet?" Zhou Chang was quite surprised.
"No..." The skinny monkey nodded as if shaking his head, his eyes fixed on the food, "The princess had been guarding Aunt Jing's west courtyard, and when I went there, she had just returned to the east courtyard bedroom."
Zhou Chang said to Li, "It's just a simple question, but you still have to make a trip."
Manager Li and two maids knelt down and saluted, and replied in a straightforward manner: "Your Highness, the princess' daily instructions, your Highness's affairs must not be neglected. Your Highness asked about Eunuch Jiang. This old servant and Guardian Zhou have already verified it. Some time ago, he was seen wandering around the main courtyard of the rear hall of the palace several times in the middle of the night."
"Hmm..." Zhou Chang paid attention to Xiao Jiangzi's reaction and asked, "Did you see what he did specifically?"
Manager Li glanced at Little Jiangzi, respectfully but cautiously, "Your Highness, it was about a month ago, around mid-May. At first, no one knew it was Eunuch Jiang. After someone recognized him, I kept an eye on him for a few nights. If you ask him what he did, he didn't do anything. He just hid in a corner by the wall and looked around, as if he was looking for something. A guard went up to ask him, but he replied that he wasn't looking for anything, so we don't know."
"You should admit that you peeped, right?" Zhou Chang glanced at Xiao Jiangzi again.
"I didn't, I didn't peek. I am innocent." Little Jiangzi's narrow eyes flickered and he just hugged Uncle Qiu's legs and cried out that he was innocent.
Zhou Chang felt that this way of asking questions was inappropriate, but he couldn't find a clue.
Manager Li's face darkened, and he pushed the two maids behind him forward again: "Not only did this old servant see it with my own eyes, but even Xiqiao and Zhuyu also saw it with their own eyes. They were quite frightened at the time because of the sudden appearance of a figure. Your Highness can ask them in detail."
"Tell me about it." Zhou Chang raised his eyes and looked at Xiqiao.
Xiqiao was still cautious, but another Zhuyu spoke up, "Your Highness, last month, we saw a figure sneaking around the main courtyard of the rear palace for two consecutive nights. One of the times we were sure it was Eunuch Jiang, and another time it looked very similar. He was at the corner of the back wall of the main courtyard and seemed to want to climb over the wall, but he ran away when he saw us. We were also scared at the time."
Xiao Jiangzi rushed over and said, "You are talking nonsense. That is not me. You are deliberately accusing me."
Xiqiao was so scared that she hid beside Manager Li.
Manager Li thought for a moment and said to Zhou Chang, "Your Highness, if necessary, I can find other witnesses."
"No need..." Zhou Chang raised his hand. Others might not believe it, but Manager Li and Xiqiao, she would naturally believe it 70%. "You have all worked hard tonight, go back and rest."
"Yes..." Manager Li and the other two were about to bow and leave.
Zhou Chang still had a glance at the cakes and soup at hand: "Master Li, go back and tell the princess to thank her for her hard work and let her rest early."
"Yes." Manager Li bowed again.
Zhou Chang felt a pain in his heart when he saw that Manager Li's speech and actions were very similar to Aunt Jing.
Manager Li's appearance is far inferior to that of Aunt Jing, but he also looks pretty good. What's more, Aunt Jing is so graceful and elegant.
Now Aunt Jing’s face is burned and her body is still in poor condition. I’m afraid even if she recovers, she will never be the same as before. How should she face the future?
"Your Highness, Your Highness..., those are all misunderstandings. I was new to the palace and was not familiar with the roads, so I always made mistakes." Little Jiangzi was still quibbling.
Zhou Chang suppressed his heartache and focused on Xiao Jiangzi: "You can walk around the huge palace, but how can you walk around this small palace like mine?"
Xiao Jiangzi argued desperately: "Your Highness, if you don't believe me, you can ask Uncle Qiu. Besides, I have been under Uncle Qiu's nose tonight. Oh, and I went to ask Mr. Zhong for medicine when I had a stomachache. I didn't have the time or opportunity to deal with the thieves."
"Since you are so ill, how do you know there is an outsider?" Zhou Chang didn't need to ask Zhong Yu. There must be something wrong when Xiao Jiangzi ran to the back hall in a sneaky manner.
"This, this is happening all over the mansion, and I heard a bit of it." Seeing that he could not gain the trust of Prince Yi, Xiao Jiangzi turned to Uncle Qiu for help: "Uncle Qiu, please say something."
Uncle Qiu followed up with a conversation: "Your Highness, although Xiao Jiangzi has only been in the palace for a short time, he has always been diligent and quick-witted. He runs around very quickly and doesn't seem like someone who would team up with outsiders to cheat our palace."
Zhou Chang knew that Xiao Jiangzi had always been keeping company with Uncle Qiu, and that Uncle Qiu probably treated him as half his son, so he couldn't say anything for the time being.
Uncle Qiu tried to vouch for him: "Besides, during those years in the palace, I watched him grow up with the skinny monkey, so I know him a little bit. Since he recovered from his injury, he has not left the palace except for fetching wine for me. He doesn't know anyone outside, so how can he collude with bandits?"
This sentence hit the point and suddenly woke Zhou Chang up: "You said that you were caught by Liu Dexia, beaten up and expelled from the palace?"
"Yes..." Little Jiangzi was nervous, not knowing what King Yi was asking.
Liu Dexia had already died in the hunting palace so there was nothing to worry about, but everything was connected.
Zhou Chang's eyes were sharp again: "You may not have been an insider tonight, but you had a stomachache by chance, it must be to have an alibi."
"No, it's not..." Xiao Jiangzi wanted to open his mouth to defend himself.
Zhou Chang's thoughts were clear, and he raised his hand to stop him: "Your purpose of entering the palace was not tonight, but to investigate the situation in my palace in advance, such as the layout of the palace and the distribution of personnel. In this case..., it is impossible that you don't have any evidence around you. Gao Yuan..."
Gao Yuan already understood: "Yes, Your Majesty, I will take people to search right away."
Zhou Chang nodded: "Well, go quickly, search carefully, don't miss any small items."
"Yes." Gao Yuan led the palace soldiers away.
Little Jiangzi still clings to Uncle Qiu.
"Pull him aside and search him." Zhou Chang ordered.
Two other palace soldiers stepped forward and pulled Xiao Jiangzi away from Uncle Qiu.
Uncle Qiu couldn't help but stand up and said, "Your Majesty, I'm afraid there is a misunderstanding..."
Zhou Chang also stood up, as if he had received a reminder: "Oh, Gao Yuan, this may not be his house, it is more likely Uncle Qiu's house, we can't let it go."
Gao Yuan had already walked to the door, so he realized what was happening and turned around to answer, "Yes."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jiangzi struggled even harder, desperately calling for help from Uncle Qiu: "Uncle Qiu, Uncle Qiu, save me, save me..."