CHAPTER 68 — THE MASK ACCUSER
Ye Lan Chen stood frozen, eyes wide with disbelief. Even Tang Ke Xin felt her heart jolt violently, a cold tremor running through her chest.
This matter was far from simple.
Judging from the Empress's earlier reaction, she had indeed visited Wan Yi before her death. Something unpleasant must have occurred—yet why had the Empress sought her out in the first place?
And now, mere hours later, Wan Yi lay dead.
A dagger lodged in her chest.
Not just any dagger—the Golden Phoenix Dagger, bestowed by the Emperor himself. A unique blade, one of a kind in the entire Great Yuan Dynasty.
The Empress treasured such items. They were kept locked away, inaccessible to anyone but her. No ordinary person could have touched them, let alone used one to kill.
"What… what is going on?" Ye Lan Chen murmured, his face paling. Only now did he grasp the gravity of the situation. "Imperial Mother, do you know anything of this?"
"Her Majesty clearly knows nothing," Tang Ke Xin said quietly, stepping forward. "If she did, she would not be so shocked."
The Empress's panic was unmistakable. She was trying—desperately—to regain control of herself.
"This must be a false accusation," Tang Ke Xin continued, her voice calm but her eyes sharp. "And if it is false, then there will be flaws. We can uncover the true culprit. Do not worry."
She paused, her tone softening. "We will find the truth."
The Empress turned abruptly to Tang Ke Xin, her expression composed once more. "Xin'er, why have you come to the palace?"
Tang Ke Xin blinked, momentarily startled by the sudden shift. "Mother's health is delicate. I needed a medicinal ingredient for her meals—one that cannot be purchased outside. I remembered that Your Majesty had some here, so I came to fetch it."
"Aunt Xi," the Empress said sharply, cutting her off, "fetch the item for Xin'er and escort her out of the palace."
The command was firm—too firm.
Someone had framed her.
Someone bold enough to steal the Empress's personal dagger.
Someone who dared to kill the Emperor's wet nurse.
This was no trivial plot.
This was a strike aimed directly at the Empress's life.
She could not allow Tang Ke Xin to be caught in the crossfire.
Tang Ke Xin understood immediately. The Empress was trying to protect her—shield her from danger.
The Empress truly cared. She feared for her safety.
But that only strengthened Tang Ke Xin's resolve. She could not simply walk away.
She had studied medicine—both Eastern and Western. She understood wounds, blood patterns, the signs of struggle. She had already noticed something amiss.
"Your Majesty, your servant can—"
"Aunt Xi," the Empress snapped, her voice suddenly cold, "why have you not left yet?"
Ye Lan Chen's eyes widened. "Imperial Mother—"
"Chen'er," the Empress interrupted gently, "a mother cannot rest easy unless you are safely away. Send Xin'er back."
Her tone was soft, but her meaning was iron.
She wanted both of them gone. She would face this alone.
Tang Ke Xin's chest tightened painfully. The Empress—head of the harem, a woman surrounded by treachery—still possessed the purest heart in the palace. She would shoulder every danger herself to protect her children.
"Imperial Mother, your son will accompany you," Ye Lan Chen said firmly. He was reckless at times, but not foolish. He understood her intention. He would not abandon her now.
"Aunt Xi," Tang Ke Xin said quietly, "please fetch the item."
Aunt Xi nodded and hurried away.
Once they stepped outside, Tang Ke Xin stopped abruptly. "Aunt Xi, when did Her Majesty go to see Wan Yi?"
Aunt Xi lowered her head. "This servant does not know. Her Majesty did not permit this servant to follow."
"Did you know she intended to visit Wan He Garden?"
"This servant did not."
Tang Ke Xin frowned slightly. Something was wrong.
"Do not delay," the Empress called from inside. "Send Xin'er back at once."
Aunt Xi rushed to fetch the item. Tang Ke Xin accepted it, then turned to Ye Lan Chen.
"Fourth Prince, escort me out of the palace," she said calmly. "Given the circumstances, it is best I leave."
Ye Lan Chen stared at her. She was fearless—almost recklessly so. For her to suggest leaving meant she had a plan.
He nodded. "Very well. This king will escort you."
The Empress exhaled in relief.
But the moment Tang Ke Xin and Ye Lan Chen left the hall, she summoned a maid and whispered urgently, "Follow them. Ensure they leave the palace. Then order the Fourth Prince's guards to escort him back to his residence."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
But such a maid was no match for Tang Ke Xin. She slipped away easily, circling back to Ye Lan Chen.
Not to return to Kunning Palace—
but to go straight to Wan He Garden.
---
Wan He Garden was already surrounded by guards. The Emperor himself had arrived. The Crown Prince and the Third Prince stood nearby. Imperial Physician Liu was present as well.
This was a palace murder.
It implicated the Empress directly.
The Ministry of Justice had not yet been summoned—this was too sensitive.
The Empress had been brought here too, likely by imperial order.
Other concubines had gathered as well, their eyes gleaming with barely concealed anticipation.
"Has the investigation concluded?" Ye Lan Chen demanded as soon as he stepped forward.
"Is there even a need to investigate?" Imperial Concubine Ming sneered. "The truth is laid bare before us. Imperial Physician Liu has examined the body. Lord Qin has inspected the scene. What more is there to say?"
Her voice was no longer sweet or delicate. It was sharp, triumphant.
The Empress's eyes darkened when she saw Tang Ke Xin and Ye Lan Chen return, but she said nothing. Speaking now would only deepen suspicion.
The Third Prince's gaze flicked to Tang Ke Xin, unreadable.
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Ye Lan Chen snapped, fury rising.
"I speak only the truth," Imperial Concubine Ming replied coolly. "Unless the Empress can prove her innocence."
Tang Ke Xin said nothing. Her eyes were fixed on the corpse, narrowing slightly.
"Enough!" the Emperor roared.
"Imperial Father, you must believe Imperial Mother!" Ye Lan Chen cried. "She would never kill. She has no reason to!"
"Chun'er said the Empress came to Wan He Garden before noon," the Emperor said coldly. "She asked Wan Yi a question—one Wan Yi could not answer. What did you ask her?"
The Empress stiffened.
She inhaled slowly. "This concubine asked nothing. I merely came to check on Wan Yi."
Tang Ke Xin watched her closely.
The Empress was lying.
She had asked something.
Something important.
Something dangerous.
"Elder Sister," Imperial Concubine Ming drawled, "why did you suddenly think to visit Wan Yi? And at such an hour? Are you not afraid of the heat?"
Her smile was mocking.
"And if you asked nothing improper, why was Wan Yi so frightened? Chun'er said she begged for forgiveness repeatedly. She even broke a vase—its shards cut Wan Yi's knee."
She paused, then continued with relish.
"Not long after Elder Sister left, Chun'er heard a noise. She entered and found Wan Yi dead—your dagger still in her chest. The killer fled before she could pull it out."
Tang Ke Xin finally spoke.
"Chun'er," she said calmly, "you said you saw the killer. Did you see their face clearly?"
Chun'er trembled. "The person wore a mask. This servant could not see clearly. This servant opened the door and saw the dagger… and was so frightened she tried to scream. But the killer struck her unconscious. When she awoke, the person was gone."
"Who?"
Several voices demanded at once.
Cui'er's gaze drifted uncertainly toward Aunt Xi. Her lips trembled, and for a moment she seemed torn between fear and duty. But at last, she drew a shaky breath and forced the words out.
"I… I feel that the person looked very much like Aunt Xi."
The hall fell into a stunned, suffocating silence.
Every pair of eyes turned sharply toward Aunt Xi. Even the Emperor's expression flickered. The Crown Prince stiffened. The Third Prince's gaze sharpened like a blade.
Aunt Xi herself froze, her face draining of colour.
Tang Ke Xin, however, did not look shocked.
Instead, the corners of her lips lifted—slowly, deliberately—into a faint, cold curve. A smile that was not a smile. A sneer hidden beneath polite composure.
As though she had been expecting this.
As though she had been waiting for someone to say it aloud.