Chapter 92: A New Scheme Emerges in the Inner Palace, and the Heroine’s Shrewd Insight Sees Through Every Detail

Lin Shiya hurried after the palace maid toward Consort Li’s quarters, her mind roiling like a storm-tossed sea.

Morning sunlight spilled across the palace walls, yet it could not dispel the gloom in her heart.

A faint scent of blood hung in the air, sharp and nauseating.

She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails bit deep into her palms, forcing herself to stay calm.

Inside Consort Li’s chambers, chaos reigned. Luxurious silk quilts lay strewn across the floor, drenched in bright red stains.

Consort Li lay deathly pale upon the bed, a shocking blood mark slashing across her throat.

Several maids knelt nearby, trembling all over, their broken sobs lending the room an even greater air of desolation.

Lin Shiya’s gaze was keen as a blade, sweeping every corner of the room without missing a single suspicious trace.

She bent down to examine the wound carefully. When her fingertips brushed the cold skin, her heart grew heavier still.

She left the chamber, drew a deep breath, and suppressed the fury churning within her.

Something told her that Consort Li’s death was far from as simple as it appeared.

She would need to investigate far more thoroughly to uncover the truth behind it.

Over the next few days, Lin Shiya began secretly monitoring the movements within the inner palace.

She discovered that the Empress had lately been meeting a group of mysterious people with unusual frequency, always in secluded corners of the rear garden.

They were always cloaked in black, their faces hidden, their whereabouts elusive, coming and going in haste.

Lin Shiya’s heart tightened, and an ominous premonition rose within her.

Within the harem, it seemed, a great danger was hidden—and she herself was stepping, inch by inch, into a vast whirlpool.

One day, while reviewing documents, Lin Shiya unexpectedly received an exquisite gilded invitation.

It said that the Empress invited her to the imperial flower garden the next day to enjoy the blossoms.

Lin Shiya’s brows drew slightly together, and alarm bells rang in her mind.

She faintly sensed that this was no ordinary viewing of flowers. It was likely a deadly trap.

The next day, Lin Shiya arrived at the imperial flower garden at the appointed time. From afar, she saw the Empress standing among the flowers, supported by Consort Li, both of them smiling broadly in welcome.

Today, Consort Li wore a pale pink palace robe, her makeup immaculate. When she smiled, there was a coquettish charm at the corners of her eyes and brows.

The garden was filled with a faint fragrance. Flowers of every color vied in splendor, breathtakingly beautiful. Yet Lin Shiya felt none of it. Instead, all she sensed was an air of artificial harmony, chill and unsettling.

“Lord Lin, you finally came. I was beginning to think you were too busy with official duties to grant us this honor,” said the Empress gently, though her voice carried an almost imperceptible coldness.

Consort Li covered her mouth and laughed softly, pretending to pout. “Indeed, Lord Lin, you are such a busy man. Your coming truly flatters us sisters.”

Lin Shiya’s gaze flicked between them, her guard fully raised. With the corner of her mouth lifting into a polite smile, she replied, “Your Majesty is too kind. It is my honor to enjoy the flowers with Your Majesty and Consort Li.”

“In that case, Lord Lin, come walk with me,” said the Empress. She touched the ornamental hairpin in her hair, smiling as she took the lead.

As they walked, she said, “These flowers in the imperial garden were all carefully cultivated. Lord Lin should savor them closely.”

Lin Shiya gave a slight nod and followed behind the Empress and Consort Li into the depths of the blossoms.

Out of the corner of her eye, however, she noticed Eunuch Chen wearing a somewhat uneasy expression nearby, which only made her more certain that a greater scheme was hidden in this garden.

“Lord Lin, look at this flower. Isn’t it simply dazzling?” Consort Li turned around and looked at Lin Shiya with a brilliant smile, her words carrying an edge of hidden meaning.

Lin Shiya’s eyes sharpened.

She did not refuse the Empress’s invitation, but instead brought Guard Xue with her.

Guard Xue was clad in armor, a sword at his waist, following closely behind Lin Shiya like a guardian deity.

When the other maids and eunuchs in the imperial garden saw this, they all showed astonishment and began whispering among themselves.

The smiles on the Empress’s and Consort Li’s faces stiffened slightly as well, clearly taken aback by Lin Shiya’s move.

Sunlight filtered through the branches, scattering mottled patches of light over Lin Shiya.

Today she wore a light blue official robe, which made her look all the more gallant and striking.

A breeze passed by, carrying waves of floral fragrance, yet it could not conceal the tension lingering in the air.

Consort Li was the first to break the silence. Pointing to a blooming peony by the path, she laughed sweetly, “Lord Lin, look at this peony. Isn’t it exquisite? Just like you.” Her words carried a trace of provocation.

Lin Shiya followed her gaze and saw that the peony petals were layered upon layer, their color a vivid red indeed, making it a truly splendid bloom.

She smiled faintly and replied with quiet composure, “Consort Li flatters me. How could I compare with the peony’s unrivaled beauty? It is rather Your Ladyship, dressed as you are today, who looks like a fairy descended from the peony blossoms.”

The smile on Consort Li’s face froze for an instant before she recovered her composure.

“Lord Lin certainly knows how to speak,” she said. “But though peonies are beautiful, they also wither easily—just like some people’s wealth and glory, which last only for a time.”

Lin Shiya’s eyes turned sharp as she caught the implication beneath Consort Li’s words.

She observed Consort Li’s expression without betraying a thing, and in her heart, she had already formed several guesses.

As though casually, she reached out to touch the peony petals. Her fingertips brushed the tiny dew beads on them, and a cool sensation spread through her body.

“Consort Li is right,” Lin Shiya said with a淡淡 smile. “But flowers bloom and fall in their own season. Human interference will only have the opposite of the desired effect.” She turned her gaze to Consort Li, her tone carrying a faint warning.

At last, the smile vanished from Consort Li’s face. She shot Lin Shiya a vicious glare, and the surrounding maids and eunuchs all fell silent, too frightened to make a sound.

Guard Xue stood behind Lin Shiya.

Seeing Consort Li’s provocation fail, the Empress’s expression also darkened.

She gave a light cough to break the deadlock. “Enough. It’s getting late. Let us sit in the pavilion for a while.”

Everyone went to the pavilion and sat down. The palace maids served tea and refreshments.

Lin Shiya picked up her cup and took a small sip, yet her eyes never left the Empress and Consort Li. Her vigilance remained unchanged.

Seeing how guarded Lin Shiya was, the Empress grew privately annoyed.

She exchanged a glance with Eunuch Chen. Understanding immediately, he quietly withdrew.

“Lord Lin,” the Empress said again, her tone carrying a hint of probing, “I hear you have recently been investigating the matter of the theft in Consort Li’s chambers. Have you made any progress?”

Lin Shiya set down her teacup and met the Empress’s gaze directly. “In answer to Your Majesty, I am still investigating. I believe the result will come soon.”

The Empress smiled faintly. “Good. I too hope this matter can be brought to light as quickly as possible.”

At that moment, Eunuch Chen returned, carrying a brocade box. He stepped before the Empress and bowed. “Your Majesty, this servant has found it.”

The Empress took the box and opened it. Inside lay a translucent jade pendant.

A glint flashed in her eyes as she slowly said, “Lord Lin, take a look. Is this not your jade pendant?”

In the sunlight, the brocade box in the Empress’s hands reflected a blinding brilliance.

The jade pendant lay quietly inside, white and lustrous throughout, with exquisite carving. One glance was enough to tell it was valuable.

Lin Shiya’s gaze fell upon it, and her pupils contracted slightly.

The style of this pendant was indeed extremely similar to the one she usually wore.

“This…” Lin Shiya feigned surprise and reached out as though to take it for a closer look.

Seeing this, Eunuch Chen immediately stepped forward and barked, “Lord Lin, this pendant was found in Consort Li’s chamber. What more do you have to say?” His sharp voice echoed through the imperial garden, laced with smugness and threat.

The surrounding maids and eunuchs began whispering among themselves, their eyes upon Lin Shiya filled with suspicion and contempt.

A cold smile curved the Empress’s lips, victory gleaming in her eyes.

“Lord Lin, as an imperial official, to commit such petty thievery is truly disappointing.” Her tone was icy, with a trace of mockery.

Lin Shiya was not cowed by the Empress’s pressure. She drew a deep breath and said slowly, “Your Majesty, this pendant is indeed similar to mine, but it is not my property.” Her voice was calm, yet carried an unyielding firmness.

“Oh? Then explain what this means,” the Empress said, raising a brow.

Lin Shiya smiled faintly and took another jade pendant from her sleeve.

This one was almost identical to the one in the Empress’s hand, except that on the back of the pendant, the small character for her surname was carved.

“I have always worn my pendant close to my body and never parted with it. This is the one that belongs to me.” Lin Shiya handed the pendant to Guard Xue and asked him to present it to the Empress for inspection.

Guard Xue took the pendant, examined it carefully, and only after confirming everything did he present it to the Empress.

The Empress took the pendant, and her face instantly turned livid.

She had never imagined that Lin Shiya had prepared in advance.

Lin Shiya continued, “My room is cleaned every day. If I truly had stolen Consort Li’s pendant, why was it not discovered earlier? Why was it only found today, on Your Majesty’s birthday banquet of all days? I dare to guess that this pendant was deliberately planted in my room.”

Eunuch Chen’s expression changed drastically, and fine beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. Panicked, he looked toward the Empress.

Lin Shiya’s gaze swept over Eunuch Chen and finally settled on the Empress. Her voice turned icy. “Your Majesty, tell me, who placed this pendant there?”

The Empress turned pale, her lips trembling slightly, yet she could not utter a single word.

She had never imagined that the scheme she had so carefully devised would be seen through by Lin Shiya so easily.

The atmosphere in the imperial garden instantly grew tense. The surrounding maids and eunuchs held their breath, not daring to make the slightest sound.

Lin Shiya looked at the Empress and let a cold smile form at the corners of her mouth.

“Your Majesty, the human heart in this inner palace is difficult to fathom. You would do well to be careful.”

“You…” The Empress pointed at Lin Shiya, trembling with rage.

Lin Shiya no longer paid her any mind. Turning around, she said to Guard Xue, “Guard Xue, let us go.”

Guard Xue looked at Lin Shiya’s departing figure, his eyes full of concern.

He hurried after her and walked beside her.

In the imperial garden, the fragrance of the flowers remained strong, yet it could not conceal the tension saturating the air.

“Lord Lin, are you all right?” Guard Xue asked softly, concern evident in his tone.

Lin Shiya turned to look at him. Seeing worry in his brows, she felt a warmth in her heart.

“I am fine. Thank you for your concern, Guard Xue.” She smiled slightly, her tone tinged with gratitude.

Seeing that Lin Shiya seemed unchanged, Guard Xue finally relaxed a little.

“Lord Lin, the Empress is cunning and full of schemes. You must be extra careful in the future.”

Lin Shiya nodded. “I know. Thank you for the warning.”

The two walked side by side along the garden path. The sun was sinking in the west, stretching their shadows long behind them.

The evening breeze brought waves of floral fragrance and gradually dispersed the gloom in Lin Shiya’s heart.

Guard Xue’s concern gave her a trace of warmth, and it also gave her a new understanding of this seemingly cold guard.

Night fell, and the inner palace was shrouded in tranquility.

Moonlight seeped through the window lattice into Lin Shiya’s room, casting mottled patterns across the floor.

Standing by the window, Lin Shiya gazed at the dark sky in the distance, her thoughts in turmoil.

She recalled everything that had happened in the imperial garden that day, and faintly felt that the Empress’s and Consort Li’s actions had not been simple framing.

Their goal seemed to be not merely to strip her of office and rank, but to bring about her death.

Lin Shiya’s gaze fell upon a slip of paper on the table.

She had picked it up by accident in the imperial garden that day. On it were several scrawled characters, seeming to be some kind of code.

She studied the writing carefully, and suddenly a thought flashed through her mind.

“Could it be…” she murmured. She remembered that when investigating the Empress earlier, she had discovered her frequent contact with certain mysterious individuals. Those people always wore black cloaks, their faces hidden, their movements secretive.

Lin Shiya’s heart tightened, and an ominous premonition surged up once more.

She had a feeling that those mysterious people were somehow linked to the Empress’s actions today.

Walking to the table, she picked up the note and examined the writing closely.

Moonlight fell upon the paper, reflecting a strange, eerie sheen.

Lin Shiya’s brows knit tightly, her unease growing by the moment.

Suddenly, a cold wind swept through and snuffed out the candle on the table.

The room was instantly plunged into darkness, and only the pale moonlight outside the window illuminated Lin Shiya’s face.

“Who is it?!” Lin Shiya shouted sharply, drawing the dagger from her waist at once.

In the darkness, a shadow flashed past and vanished into the night.