The princess regretted it.

Chapter 298 Exploring Concubine Cen's Palace

"Hmm..." Xing'er tilted her head back slightly, blinking lightly, as if trying to search her memory. After a moment, she replied while thinking, "I have seen Aunt Mingyue from Concubine Cen's palace a few times, but she never wore a green palace dress. Every time I saw her, she seemed to be wandering in the nearby corridors. Once, I saw her glance in the direction of our courtyard a few times, but I was busy with my work at the time and didn't pay much attention. Now that I think about it, it seems a little strange."

Xing'er paused, as if she suddenly realized something, and her expression was slightly flustered. "Princess, I am not saying that Aunt Mingyue is a suspect. I am just reporting what I saw truthfully. I hope Your Majesty will understand." As she spoke, she knelt down in panic and saluted to show her loyalty.

When Jin'an heard Xing'er's words, it was as if a thunderclap exploded in her heart. Concubine Cen's previous instructions to her, saying that she had sent Mingyue to keep an eye on the movements around the courtyard, instantly shocked her.

Mingyue?! The name echoed in her mind, and a terrifying thought grew like wild weeds. Perhaps Mingyue's sudden misfortune had come because she had run into that mysterious woman in green palace attire. Concubine Cen had mentioned anxiously that Mingyue had disappeared. Was it possible that Mingyue had already been discovered by the other party and then...

Jin An's face darkened as she thought of this, like the prelude to a storm, a gloomy haze thickening in the air. She knew she couldn't lose a second; she had to go to Concubine Cen's palace immediately to confirm Mingyue's safe return.

With this thought, Jin'an suddenly rose from his chair, his movements swift and abrupt. This startled everyone in the room. Xing'er, always sensitive, was frightened by Jin'an's sudden action. Her legs gave way, and she fell to her knees with a thud, trembling like a frightened little rabbit. As she knelt, Concubine Chun and Nanny Su's faces instantly changed color. They all assumed that Xing'er's words had angered Jin'an and that the princess was about to fly into a rage.

Jin An was also jolted out of her reverie by Xing'er's kneeling. She looked at the terrified faces of the crowd, her lips curled up slightly, and she managed a reassuring smile, saying softly, "Get up. I don't blame you."

Then, she turned to Concubine Chun with a serious expression and said slowly: "Concubine Chun, please have a good rest. I just thought of a crucial piece of information and I need to report it to my father urgently. Concubine Chun, please ask Xing'er and other people in the palace to think about it carefully and see if they can recall any useful clues. We must race against time to find out the mastermind behind this." After that, she took Hanshuang and Ziyun and left Lanxin Palace quickly with her steps as fast as the wind.

After Jin'an and the others left Lanxin Palace, they went directly to Concubine Cen's palace. When they arrived at Concubine Cen's palace, the door was closed.

Seeing this, Ziyun hurried forward and knocked on the doorknob. After a long moment, she heard the sound of hurried footsteps approaching from afar. Then, the door creaked open, and someone slowly opened a narrow crack, revealing a head. The person peered out warily, but upon seeing that it was Princess Jin'an and her companions, a flicker of panic crossed their eyes. Without waiting for Ziyun to ask, they hurriedly flung the door open, curtsied, and said in a trembling voice, "Your servant greets Princess Jin'an. I beg your pardon for not welcoming you." Their panic, as if fearing blame, aroused suspicion.

Jin An frowned slightly, glanced at the man, and walked straight into the palace. He asked as he walked, "Where is your queen? I have something important to discuss with her." There was unquestionable majesty in his words.

The man hurriedly stood up and trotted ahead to lead the way, saying, "Princess, the queen is resting in the inner hall. I will take you there right away."

Jin'an quickly followed the man toward the inner hall. Along the way, she keenly sensed a strange atmosphere within the palace. Normally, at this time, the servants in Concubine Cen's palace would be busy with their duties, sweeping the grounds or pruning the flowers, creating a scene of orderly order. But today, the surroundings felt deserted. The servants were few in number, and each one looked flustered, like frightened birds, hurriedly moving through the corridors, not daring to linger. All this made Jin'an feel even more suspicious, and her uneasiness intensified. Her pace became even more hurried, and she wanted nothing more than to see Concubine Cen quickly and inquire about Qing Mingyue's whereabouts.

Concubine Cen was troubled by the note she had received the previous night, and she hadn't slept well the previous night. She woke up early and drank a large bowl of dark medicine. She had been reclining on the couch, resting with her eyes closed, when she suddenly heard a commotion outside. Like a frightened bird, she quickly stood up and walked out. Seeing Jin An and his group, she forced a smile, but it was a tired and forced one.

She was wearing a plain palace dress, and her figure looked even thinner. Her face, which was already unhealthy and pale due to years of illness, was now even paler. She walked towards Jin An with a slightly unsteady step and said softly, "Princess, you are here. Why didn't you send someone to inform me in advance?" Although it was just an ordinary greeting, her voice was slightly hoarse, as if she was hiding endless worries.

Jin An frowned slightly upon seeing this, her doubts growing even stronger. However, she suppressed her emotions, bowed politely, and replied, "Madam Concubine Cen, this happened suddenly. I have something urgent to discuss with you, so I hurried here." She then raised her eyes and looked directly at Concubine Cen, "Madam, do you have any news on Mingyue?"

When Concubine Cen heard the word "Ming Yue," her body stiffened noticeably, a flash of panic in her eyes. Though she tried to conceal it, gently stroking her temples in an effort to appear calm, Jin An still keenly detected the subtle tremor. She lowered her eyes slightly, avoiding Jin An's gaze, and her voice dropped a few notches. "We haven't found her yet... I'm getting worried. Ming Yue, usually so reliable, has suddenly vanished."

Jin An's heart sank, and she became increasingly certain that there must be something hidden. She looked around at the deserted palace, then recalled the various clues she had found. Her tone grew more serious. "Your Majesty, someone has noticed that she's been around Concubine Chun's courtyard lately, and they suspect she's involved in the fire. Remembering that Your Majesty had mentioned this to me before, I suspect Mingyue may have discovered something, and her disappearance may be related to the suspicious person who appeared outside Concubine Chun's courtyard."

Having said that, she looked at Concubine Cen with a burning gaze: "If your Majesty has any discoveries, please let me know. If this matter is known to my father, I am afraid it will be a very serious matter. Your Majesty knows it." Her voice was neither hurried nor slow, but the meaning of her words was like a heavy hammer hitting Concubine Cen's heart again and again.

Concubine Cen's face became paler and paler, and her hands unconsciously clenched the corners of her clothes. After a moment's silence, she slowly spoke: "Princess, to be honest, I have asked people to look for him, but there is no news at all." She paused here, looking very conflicted.