The Legend of Zhen Huan: Rebirth of An Lingrong: Counterattack to Become the Queen Mother

Chapter 245: The Fog Locks the Phoenix Road

Zhen Huan frowned slightly and said to Concubine Hua, "Sister, this 'master' is so cunning and treacherous that he can set up traps right under our noses."

Concubine Hua's eyes were filled with murder. "Hmph! Imperial Concubine Xi, those clues we were looking for seem to have been deliberately intercepted. It must have been that 'Mr.''''s doing."

Zhen Huan nodded. "That's right, sister. The eunuch we sent to follow a suspicious person disappeared a few days ago. I'm afraid something bad has happened to him. The mastermind behind this doesn't want us to know anything."

Hua Fei angrily said, "How can this be! In this harem, you and I are now the Imperial Noble Consorts. How can we allow others to tease us like this?"

Zhen Huan thought for a moment and said, "Sister, let's not panic. Perhaps we can start from the places where the incidents happened and investigate carefully. Maybe we can find something we missed."

Hua Fei replied, "That's the only way. I don't believe this 'sir' can be flawless."

So, Zhen Huan and Concubine Hua went to the place where the palace maid was assassinated and the spices were replaced.

Zhen Huan squatted down and examined the marks on the ground: "Sister, look here, there are some strange footprints, they don't look like the shoes that people in the palace usually wear."

Concubine Hua took a closer look and said, "Indeed! The footprints are wide and the patterns are very strange. Could it be someone from outside the palace?"

Zhen Huan stood up. "It's very possible. This 'sir' might be colluding with forces outside the palace to act so freely."

At this moment, An Lingrong arrived.

An Lingrong asked with concern, "Huan'er, Sister Hua Fei, have you discovered anything new?"

Zhen Huan shook her head: "Lingrong, we only found some strange footprints, and it's hard to confirm their identity."

An Lingrong looked at the footprints and said, "I've seen some foreign merchants' shoes in the spice shop. They bear some resemblance. Could this 'Mr.' be related to a foreigner?"

Concubine Hua was shocked: "If they are really colluding with foreign nations, then this matter is serious. This concerns the stability of our harem and the country."

Zhen Huan said in a deep voice, "Don't jump to conclusions. We need to find more evidence."

As the three were talking, the emperor came forward.

The emperor asked, "My beloved concubines, what are you doing here?"

Zhen Huan bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I am investigating the person who is secretly disturbing the harem and have discovered some suspicious footprints that may be related to foreigners."

The Emperor's face darkened. "I've long suspected there must be something hidden behind the unrest in the harem. If foreigners are truly involved, they must be severely punished. Huanhuan, you are extremely intelligent. I will leave this matter to you, Concubine Hua, and Imperial Noble Concubine An to investigate. You must give me an explanation."

Zhen Huan and the other three responded in unison: "Your Highness obeys your command."

Back in the palace, Zhen Huan continued to discuss with An Lingrong and Concubine Hua.

Hua Fei said: "If we want to investigate foreigners, we must start with the foreign delegations that enter and leave the palace. However, these delegations are all protected by diplomatic protocol, so we can't act rashly."

An Lingrong's eyes lit up: "Sister, we can hold a palace banquet and invite the foreign envoys. Perhaps we can find some clues at the banquet."

Zhen Huan thought for a moment and said, "Although this plan is brilliant, we must be cautious. That 'master' might also make some moves at the banquet, so we must arrange defenses in advance."

At the palace banquet, the sound of stringed instruments filled the air, and the members of the foreign delegation took their seats one by one.

Zhen Huan's eyes wandered around, observing everyone, while Concubine Hua exchanged pleasantries with the foreign envoys, trying to gather information.

Suddenly, an accessory of a foreign dancer fell off during the performance, and Zhen Huan discovered that there was a mark on the accessory that was similar to the one she had seen in the ancient temple before.

Zhen Huan's heart moved, and she looked at Hua Fei and An Lingrong, and the three of them understood what she meant.

Zhen Huan smiled and said to the foreign dancer, "Young lady, this accessory is very exquisite. I have never seen it before. Could you please bring it over so I can take a closer look?"

The foreign dancer's expression changed, and she stammered, "Your Majesty, this... this is just an ordinary accessory from my hometown. I'm afraid it might offend your Majesty."

Concubine Hua shouted, "How dare you! The Queen wants to see it, and you dare to refuse!"

Seeing this, the leader of the foreign delegation hurried forward to explain, "Your Majesty, please calm down. I don't understand the palace rules, and I hope you will forgive me. This accessory is a sacred object of our tribe and cannot be separated from me."

An Lingrong whispered, "If it's a sacred object, why does it have markings related to ominous events in our imperial harem?"

The foreign leader's face changed drastically, but he still pretended to be calm: "My queen, please don't misunderstand me. This is just a coincidence."

Zhen Huan knew he was lying, but she didn't want to force him to answer.

After the palace banquet, Zhen Huan gathered with Concubine Hua and An Lingrong.

Zhen Huan said, "There must be something wrong with that foreign leader. We must find a way to expose his true colors."

Hua Fei said: "I have a plan to search the residence of the foreign envoys, but I need the emperor's consent."

An Lingrong said worriedly, "Will the Emperor agree? After all, this involves foreigners."

Zhen Huan said, "For the sake of the peace of the harem and the country, the emperor will certainly consider this matter carefully. Let's draft a memorial and present it to the emperor."

Although the three of them encountered many obstacles in this thick fog, they were still moving closer to the truth step by step. However, who that "Mr." was and what kind of conspiracy he had remained a huge mystery before them. They had no choice but to muster up their courage, and in this dangerous harem struggle and complicated situation, continue to explore the truth hidden in the depths of the darkness and protect everything they cherished.