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“Han Yu? Does she have a problem?” Granny Yan’s eyes widened in surprise, then shook her head repeatedly. “No, it can’t be true. How is that possible?”

“I’m not saying she has a problem. I just think she is an extremely important person by the Dowager Consort’s side. If there’s any suspicion, she would be involved as well.” Qu Moying explained softly with a faint smile.

Seeing her reaction, Granny Yan relaxed and nodded, revealing the matter concerning Han Yu.

Initially, Han Yu didn’t serve under Dowager Consort Qu. When she made a small mistake and was almost beaten to death by another consort, Dowager Consort Qu happened to pass by and saved her. Since then, she had been following Dowager Consort Qu faithfully. Han Yu was clever and intelligent, and gradually became Dowager Consort Qu’s trusted aide.

She remained loyal to Dowager Consort Qu, and due to her lack of relatives, she chose to stay by Dowager Consort Qu’s side even when a group of palace maids were being released from the palace as they grew older. Dowager Consort Qu couldn’t bear to let Han Yu go, as she had no one else. So, Han Yu stayed with her. Their bond was extraordinary.

In this palace, Dowager Consort Qu maintained a low profile and rarely interacted with others. She only had a few close confidantes within the palace, with whom she occasionally conversed and shared moments of joy. Their relationship was much stronger than the relationships between the other consorts and their attendants.

“So, it’s impossible for Han Yu to harm the Dowager Consort Qu?” Qu Moying pondered for a moment after hearing Granny Yan’s account, and then asked thoughtfully.

“Indeed, it’s highly unlikely. Han Yu doesn’t have any other family, and she wouldn’t harm Her Highness for the sake of others. The Dowager Consort Qu is her only mistress, and if anything happens to her, Han Yu wouldn’t be well either.” Granny Yan sighed and replied. She had also served faithfully by her side, and her relationship with Dowager Consort Qu was also exceptional.

However, even though the Dowager Consort Qu was discreet, the attendants were even more low-profile. Granny Yan used to serve the Empress Dowager, and later, although she followed Dowager Consort Qu, it was in a semi-hidden state. She rarely left Dowager Consort Qu’s palace, and many people even thought she had left the harem.

“Granny Yan, were you also asked by the Dowager Consort Qu?” Qu Moying suddenly asked with a curious smile.

“No, I wasn’t. I was ordered by the emperor to go there. The Empress Dowager was no longer there, and several others were also ordered by the emperor. Some went to the Empress, while others, like Eunuch De Fu, went directly to keep vigil beside the coffin. Of course, some were sent elsewhere.”

Granny Yan explained.

The Empress Dowager’s health wasn’t good. She fell ill from time to time, and sometimes her condition was critical. People in the palace had their own thoughts and sought suitable patrons. When the Empress Dowager’s health deteriorated, they already had their connections and plans in place. They were just waiting for the Empress Dowager’s passing to swiftly change their patrons. At that time, who would care about a few palace attendants’ whereabouts!

Only a few loyal individuals had no ulterior motives.

“I heard that the Empress Dowager and the Dowager Consort Qu had an extremely close relationship during her lifetime?” Qu Moying’s eyes shimmered with curiosity, and her long eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings, displaying a hint of girlish inquisitiveness.

“That’s what they say, but in reality… the two had different personalities, so their relationship wasn’t as good as rumored. The relationship between them wasn’t as strong as that of several other consorts. However, when these consorts left the palace to be with their children, or went to the Xinning Monastery when they had no children, only Dowager Consort Qu remained. If the Empress Dowager wanted to talk to someone, she only had Dowager Consort Qu.”

Granny Yan sighed.

So, the relationship between Dowager Consort Qu and the Empress Dowager wasn’t as favorable as people claimed. It couldn’t be that the Empress Dowager had interceded for Dowager Consort Qu to stay.

An old consort without children but able to remain in the palace was indeed an extraordinary circumstance.

“I heard that Dowager Consort Qu stayed in the palace because of… Paramount Empress?” Now that the topic had reached this point, the words naturally flowed out.

Paramount Empress was a taboo in the palace, and no one could casually mention her name. But this was Qu Moying’s residence, and some things could still be discussed.

“Paramount Empress…” Granny Yan’s expression changed drastically, and she appeared frightened and panicked.

“Granny Yan, is it forbidden to mention Paramount Empress?” Qu Moying raised her small face, her jade-like features filled with surprise. She was just a young girl who had recently returned from the countryside. Even though she was aware of certain taboos, she didn’t have extensive knowledge. The innocent expression on her face was evident.

“My lady, in the future, while in the palace, remember never to casually mention her… The emperor dislikes it the most when people mention the Paramount Empress.” Granny Yan’s face turned serious as she spoke. After a moment of thought, she emphasized to Qu Moying, “Once, when the Empress Dowager was still alive, she mentioned the Paramount Empress, and the emperor became angry. He smashed things and left, leaving the Empress Dowager in tears for a whole day. But afterwards, the emperor didn’t come for several days.”

If even the Empress Dowager couldn’t mention it, how much more did the emperor care about this woman? Qu Moying was astonished. She had considered that the emperor valued Paramount Empress, but she never expected it to be to this extent.

“The emperor truly cares so much about the Paramount Empress. Then why is it said that the Paramount Empress… died in the cold palace, and even until her death, the charges against her were not cleared?” There were no outsiders present, so Qu Moying, with her innocent eyes, asked.

Seeing her like this, Granny Yan sighed. Although the young lady was intelligent, she didn’t know what was going on in the palace. Her question was too naive.

“Sometimes, even the emperor is powerless. Even if the Emperor cares deeply about the Paramount Empress… there are times when circumstances are beyond his control. Just like… just like the Crown Prince, he is also powerless now! Human effort has its limits, and some things are beyond our control!”

This revelation first shocked Qu Moying, but then she found it somewhat ridiculous. Isn’t that the exact situation with Pei Luo’an now? In front of others, he appeared deeply in love, as if Ji Hanyue’s death took his heart away. He has been sick for some time, pale and weak. But in reality?

It truly was laughable. This illusion was indeed passed down through generations.

Looking at the behavior of the Crown Prince, one can imagine that many years later, if he were to ascend the throne, he might even honor Ji Hanyue as the Empress and express wholehearted devotion to her. Even if Ji Hanyue were to die, he would still hold her in his heart, showing the utmost care for her.

After all, she was a deceased person, posing no danger. Expressing deep concern for her would make people believe in his love and devotion, thinking that he was a faithful person.

But in reality, Paramount Empress died in the cold palace. If the emperor truly had the power to protect her or had the wholehearted intention to do so, how could she have passed away so early? Not to mention the favored Noble Consort He, who gave birth to Lord Jing and seems to have a closer connection to Ji Youran.

Indeed, like father, like son!

Who could have imagined that Ji Hanyue died at the hands of Pei Luo’an? So, can’t it be presumed that the death of the Paramount Empress is also related to the emperor? Even if there was no direct connection, it was because the emperor didn’t make an effort to protect the Paramount Empress that she died prematurely, while he showed concern for her but favored Noble Consort He.

It seems like he transferred his guilt for the Paramount Empress to Noble Consort He because she was Paramount Empress’s sister.

But in reality, her true bloodline was long gone. The members of the He family now were all Noble Consort He’s own siblings, and besides sharing the same surname with Paramount Empress, they had no relation at all.

The so-called deep love and devotion appeared more like a joke. A hint of coldness and sadness flashed in Qu Moying’s eyes. She forcefully bit her lip, the taste of blood strong on her lips.

She empathized deeply.

“Did Paramount Empress leave behind heirs?” It took Qu Moying a while to calm down before her voice turned cold.

Although there were rumors in secret that Paramount Empress had no heirs, Qu Moying still asked the question. She had heard that during the period Paramount Empress was in the palace, other concubines gave birth to children, but she remained childless until the end.

It was said that even when she was the Empress, she had no children, which was quite unexpected.

“I… I cannot say for sure,” Granny Yan hesitated for a moment, her voice unintentionally lowering.

“What do you mean?” Qu Moying looked at Granny Yan in surprise.

“I heard that Paramount Empress was pregnant, but… later had a miscarriage, and then got involved in such matters, and eventually ended up in the cold palace. During that time, it seemed… it seemed that the empress was also pregnant.” Granny Yan couldn’t continue, she swallowed a mouthful of saliva, and then lowered her voice even more, “It seems that at that time, Paramount Empress might have been pregnant.”

“Paramount Empress was pregnant in the cold palace?” Qu Moying was stunned for a moment, raising her head in astonishment. She hadn’t considered that possibility before.

“I don’t know if it’s true or not. At that time, the relationship between the emperor and the empress dowager was very bad, they often argued. Once, when I was waiting outside, I overheard them mentioning Paramount Empress and talking about her being pregnant. I don’t know if they were referring to Paramount Empress, and I couldn’t hear clearly from such a distance. I didn’t dare to move closer.”

These were secrets of the palace, and Granny Yan had originally intended to keep them to herself. She didn’t want to speak about them to anyone, as it could bring trouble. But considering Qu Moying’s identity and her future interactions with the noble ladies in the palace, it was better to address these matters early on, even though they were taboo.

It was also to prevent her from falling into someone else’s trap!

Qu Moying was silent for a moment, gently pursing her lips. Her cherry lips were pale white, her long eyelashes cast uneven shadows under her eyes, making her skin look even more like jade, almost like transparent jade. Her exquisite facial features met this jade-like skin, making her look even more beautiful.

Granny Yan sighed once again, realizing how far her young lady’s appearance differed from those rumors.

She did not dare to interrupt Qu Moying’s thoughts. She stood quietly at the side and waited for Qu Moying to speak.

Finally, Qu Moying raised his head, the corners of her lips curved into a clear smile as she nodded, “Granny Yan, don’t worry, I won’t casually talk about her.”

Granny Yan’s words were meant to warn Qu Moying. Qu Moying naturally understood. She couldn’t help but smile. Compared to those young ladies from prestigious families, Granny Yan genuinely believed that her young lady was the one who had been carefully cultivated.

She was perceptive and could draw inferences from what was said. Granny Yan had been subtly giving her these hints during their conversation, but she hadn’t been very explicit.

Qu Moying raised her gaze again and suddenly spoke resolutely, “Granny Yan, I want to find out about the Crown Princess’s affairs!”