Chapter 17 — I heard that I had a loving husband and wife, and had many children and grandchildren. He crushed the white jade bowl in his hand.

Co Van Thu couldn't sit still anymore. In just three days, she did two things. First story. She used the name of the Queen to hold a banquet for the wives of several important officials in the capital, asking for love on behalf of Lord Phuong. Second story. She sent Thanh Uyen to Tieu Phong Palace. The palace maid next to Thanh Uyen tried to find a way to pass on the news.

"The Queen said, if the Han family refuses to withdraw the letter of partnership from the six towns, then Princess Dung should not expect to live in peace in the palace."

When Han Chinh saw this news, he was cleaning his knife. The movements in his hand slowed down a bit.

“She threatened Thanh Uyen?”

“Using your sister to force us to back down?”

He placed the sword on the table. I looked at his face. That expression wasn't exactly anger, more like a kind of heaviness and helplessness.

“Thanh Hoa, the matter of Luc Town's joint venture letter... I cannot take it back.”

“That is the justice that the six old generals want to reclaim for my father.”

“Even if I nod, they won't agree.”

“I never told you to withdraw.”

“So what should Thanh Uyen do?”

I sat down opposite him.

"Co Van Thu can use Thanh Uyen to threaten us, which proves that she is afraid."

"She is afraid that if this matter continues to be investigated, it will eventually get to the head of the Co family."

“So this move of hers was an urgent move.”

“The more urgent the move... the easier it is to make mistakes.”

He looked at me. After a while, the corners of his lips curled up slightly.

“You were in the palace before, right?”

I paused slightly.

“What did you say?”

"Nothing."

“It's just that I feel... you're too familiar with the tricks in the harem.”

“More familiar than people like me who roll around on the battlefield.”

I don't answer. There are some things... that can't be said yet.

“Han Chinh, just be your general.”

“The matters in the palace… leave it to me.”

He did not hesitate. That night, I did something extremely secretive. I sent my mother to contact someone. An old palace maid served me in my previous life, surnamed Tran. She had been in the palace since the time of the first emperor for thirty years, then left the palace and lived in a nunnery outside the city. In my previous life, when I first entered the palace, she was extremely loyal to me, but at that time I did not know how to appreciate her. It wasn't until after she left the palace that I heard that she had gathered all her personal money she had accumulated all her life, and asked someone to bring it to me as a dowry to keep at the bottom of the box. I have never looked for her in this life. But this time… I need her help. Because Aunt Chen lived in the palace for thirty years, she knew more about every corner of Tieu Phong Palace than anyone else. Including the Queen's pharmacy room. Two days later, my mother brought back Miss Tran's response letter. This life is similar to the previous one, aunt Tran has indeed been out of the palace for nearly two years, living in a nun's hermitage outside the city.

"The pharmacy is located in the atrium on the east side of Tieu Phong hall. In Gia Huu's seventh year, it was renovated once, and a underground tunnel was also dug underneath."

"Because of this renovation, a few veteran palace maids in charge of cleaning and arranging knew about it."

"When Co Van Thu became queen, she became the owner of Tieu Phong Palace, so she automatically accepted to use it."

“The Queen's close maids will come in once every three days, and when they leave they will have many in hand add a white porcelain vase with a lid.”

White ceramic vase with lid. The same type as the bowl containing "nutritious soup" that Thanh Uyen once mentioned. Let's put the letter away. Clues to the evidence… already there. What is missing now is just a suitable opportunity to flip it into the light. Opportunity comes faster than we imagine. The third day of the third month, Thuong Ty period. In the palace, according to the custom, there was a spring break banquet, the queen concubine and the mother-in-law enjoyed the party together. The Queen personally sent invitations to each lady's palace. The Han family is of course also on the invitation list. Han Chinh looked at the card.

“Is she going?”

“I'll go with you.”

"My grandmother's banquet, how are you going?"

“I'm waiting outside the palace gate.”

This person... has indeed become a permanent resident at the palace gate. On that day, I wore a very simple dark blue outfit. No jewelry. No makeup. Sitting in the middle of a crowd of precious ladies, I was like a drop of ink falling onto an oil painting.