无翼乌工口里番无色无摭挡

This kind of thing was very common among the common people.

The young ladies of those landlord families were also pampered since childhood and were unwilling to be sent into the palace to serve others as slaves. So, the family would buy poor girls to replace them.

This practice was against the rules.

However, since the landlord’s daughters needed someone to replace them and the poor girls could also enter the palace and have enough to eat, it was a mutually beneficial arrangement. With no reports from the people and no investigation from the officials, a little bribery would help cover things up.

It was an open secret.

Denghua was just one of countless unfortunate girls.

Jiang Ning asked, “Have you found anything about Denghua’s uncle and aunt?”

“No. Denghua entered the palace when she was twelve years old, and after that, she has been serving in Splendid Palace. Now she is twenty years old, and her uncle and aunt died in floods three or four years ago, leaving their children homeless and untraceable.”

“So, Denghua is an orphan, with no social connections.”

“What do you mean by ‘social connections’?”

“I mean relatives and friends outside the palace.”

“Friends, well, she has been in the palace for so many years that she certainly wouldn’t recognize the people from her hometown anymore.” Jiang Yi said, “Father searched up to this point and got stuck. We can’t investigate further.”

“Since we can’t continue investigating Denghua, why don’t we look into the source of the poison? This rare Nine Breaths, even the Imperial Physician might not know about it. Where did a common palace maid with no relatives or friends obtain it?” Jiang Ning analyzed carefully, “Since no one from the outside gave it to her, the source must be within the palace.”

Jiang Yi laughed, “My sister, you have the same idea as our father. He also investigated the people Denghua interacted with in the palace, but they were all just ordinary palace maids, nothing special.”

After investigating everything, there was still no anomaly found.

That Nine Breaths could not have just appeared in Denghua’s hands.

Jiang Ning bit her finger, thought for a moment, and said, “Let’s investigate the motive.”

“Hmm?”

“A person always has a reason for doing something. Especially for a big deal like murder. Denghua has been serving Concubine Jin for eight years, and Concubine Jin wouldn’t be harsh to the people around her. Without a special reason, Denghua wouldn’t harm her own master. Besides, she committed suicide with her too.”

“Yes, what could have driven a little palace maid to not only harm her master but also herself?”

Jiang Ning said, “The reasons for harming someone are mostly money and lust.”

She stood up, contemplated for a moment, looked at her brother, and said, “Third Brother, go back and tell father to check if Denghua had any lovers.”

“I don’t think so. Denghua only interacted with a few palace maids, and she never left the palace in all these years. If she liked men, I’m afraid it could only be the Emperor and the princes.” Jiang Yi paused, “Could Denghua be infatuated with the Crown Prince? But that’s not right. Why would she harm Concubine Jin if she was infatuated with the Crown Prince? Then it must be the Emperor, but she killed herself too. Even after harming Concubine Jin, she didn’t get to please the Emperor. As for the other princes, then… ”

Seeing his troubled look, Jiang Ning laughed, “Third Brother, can’t you think more broadly?”

“How?”

“Who says there are only emperors and princes among the men in the palace?”

“Sister, are you talking about those eunuchs? Can eunuchs be considered men?”