Free Web NovelChapter 17: The Records
The royal archive was deep within the palace complex. It housed imperial decrees, financial accounts, servant registries and punishment logs.
Rows of scrolls stretched from floor to ceiling.
Each one was tied, labeled, and placed with careful precision. The air was heavy with the smell of ink and aged paper.
The entrance was heavily guarded. It was impossible to go in without permission from the emperor himself.
Ru Yi hid by the wall as she watched the guards patrol the place.
She should turn back and tell Princess Lin Yuexin that she was unable to get in. But that determined gaze in the princess’s eyes—Ru Yi didn’t want to disappoint her.
Above all, she really needed to leave the palace.
With a deep breath she turned back to the guards.
If her calculations were right then they were about to switch. She watched anticipation as the guards stationed at the entrance matched off.
It would take a full minute before the new guards would take their place. That was the perfect time for her to sneak in.
Ru Yi waited until the guards rounded the corner before she stepped out of her hiding place. She immediately ran to the huge wooden door and pushed it open, wincing when it made a screeching sound.
She slipped in just as she heard the footsteps of the new guards coming.
A sigh of relief slipped past her lips when she made it inside. She took a second to calm down her racing heart before turning to the shelves.
These were over a hundred years worth of records.
Luckily they were all labeled, she’d only have to go through the years the Empress ascended into power. It would make the search less stressful. freёwebnovel.com
She started flipping through financial records, immediately noting the disparity in them.
The Empress had indeed been siphoning royal funds into an unnamed account. Was the emperor aware of this? Probably not.
This would be undeniable evidence of the Empress’s corruption in court.
Ru Yi immediately hid them in the sleeves of her robe. She’d head straight to Princess Lin Yuexin’s residence. After that she’d be granted permission to leave the gates.
She almost squealed out of excitement. She’d be long gone before the crown prince and his triplet sisters would come after her.
After making sure she’d taken all the records needed, she turned to leave only to stop when she heard voices outside the door seconds before it creaked open.
Her eyes widened when the footsteps got closer.
Ru Yi immediately ducked behind a shelf. She’d be dead if she was discovered. And even then the triplets would dig her up and execute her a second time.
She pressed her back against the shelf, hoping her heavy breathing couldn’t be heard from where she was hiding.
"Do you think they can hear us?" It was Shen Yexue’s whiny voice. "What’s so urgent you had to drag us here anyway? I was just getting ready for dinner."
There was silence before Shen Qingyue spoke. "The emperor’s condition is worsening."
Shen Yexue sighed. "Of course it’s worsening. He’s an old twat—"
The sound of Shen Lieyin’s palm slamming down on Shen Yexue’s mouth echoed in the room. "Keep it shut! Be careful how you speak, there are guards outside."
Shen Yexue pushed her tongue out, licking the inside of Shen Lieyin’s palm.
Shen Lieyin immediately withdrew her palm, cleaning it on her robe. "What was that for? Stop acting like you’re five!"
"Stop it, the two of you!" Shen Qingyue pinched the bridge of her nose. "He might be old but his strength is well above his years. The royal physician suspects it might be poison."
The two drew a sharp intake of breath. "Poison?"
"His symptoms suggest it." Shen Qingyue walked away from the group. "It has to be someone in the inner court who has access to the kitchen."
Shen Lieyin’s voice was grave. "The Empress. She’s the only one with power that has direct access to the Emperor and his meals."
"We can’t just walk into court and accuse her of treason. We need proof that she’s the one behind it." Shen Qingyue walked back to her sisters. "We need to look into the matter before he ends up..."
"He’s going to die soon anyway," Shen Lieyin muttered in annoyance. "Why can’t she just be patient?"
"She’s a greedy twat that’s why," Shen Yexue replied.
"We can’t let the Emperor die now," Shen Qingyue continued.
Shen Lieyin nodded in agreement. "If he does then that bastard Zhao Chen will ascend the throne. It’ll be too much trouble then for us to take over—"
Shen Qingyue glared at her.
Shen Lieyin cleared her throat before rephrasing her sentence. "If our beloved father dies then our sweet brother will have no choice but to take over the throne. And as his lovely sisters we can’t let that happen."
Shen Yexue burst into laughter.
"We need to stop the Empress." Shen Qingyue paced the space around them. "If we can find proof that she’s indeed plotting treason, then we can get her dragged out of court."
"And Zhao Chen?" Shen Yexue asked after she got her laughter under control. "How do we deal with him?"
There was a short pause. "I’ve got it handled."
"Don’t tell me you plan on striking him in his sleep?" Shen Yexue asked. "We need to keep the blood shed down to a minimum."
Shen Qingyue shook her head. "He’s going to leave the palace all on his own."
"What do you have up your sleeve?" Shen Yexue narrowed her eyes on her sister. "You plan to use that maid he’s in love with, don’t you?"
"It was his plan all along. I have no idea why he favors that lowly maid to the princess, but it works to our advantage."
"So he’s really leaving with the maid?" The joy in Shen Yexue’s voice was unmistakable. "That means his engagement to the princess will be broken. The Lin clan will not let it slide, she must marry a royal—"
"And that’s where you come in?" Shen Lieyin’s voice was filled with mockery. "Pinning after the Crown prince’s intended bride is grounds for execution."
Shen Yexue snorted. "That bastard never deserved her."
"We need something else besides the poison," Shen Qingyue said, tired of her sister’s bickering. "What if we can find evidence that she was behind the late Empress’s—"
A squeal interrupted her.
Ru Yi, who was still in hiding, saw a cockroach on the shelf. She’d ignored the insect until it suddenly flew towards her.
Her palm was currently over her mouth but it was useless. She’d already alerted the triplets that they were not alone.
She held her breath as she heard Shen Qingyue’s voice. "Show yourself."
