Louis Wu was also a trusted chief eunuch serving Emperor Henry Tuoba.
According to him, before leaving, Emperor Henry Tuoba instructed that if Princess Gia's condition worsened, she should summon Grace.
"Louis Wu?" Consort Penelope frowned. "With so many doctors in the Imperial Medical Bureau, why go to all this trouble to bring you here? What does he mean by that?"
Grace looked at her. "Maybe His Majesty trusts my medical skills!"
"That doesn't make sense! You're the Imperial Alchemist's apprentice. If His Majesty trusts your skills, he'd trust the Imperial Alchemist even more. Why call you instead of the Imperial Alchemist?"
Grace said, "Princess Gia is out of danger now. If you'll excuse me, I'll take my leave."
"Hold on!" Consort Penelope called out.
Grace: "Is there anything else, Your Ladyship?"
"Dr. Warren," Consort Penelope called, "Go check on Princess Gia!"
"Yes, ma'am!" Dr. Warren from the Imperial Medical Bureau bowed his head and went inside.
Grace, worried he might pull something, followed him inside.
Consort Penelope shot a look, and instantly, a crowd of palace maids and eunuchs swarmed in after them.
Princess Gia looked as if she were simply asleep.
Dr. Warren went over and took her pulse.
After a moment, his face changed dramatically. He dropped to his knees and cried, "Your Ladyship, something terrible has happened! Princess Gia is... gone!"
"What!" Grace shoved Dr. Warren aside and rushed to check on Gia.
Just moments ago, the child was perfectly fine—and now, she was truly... gone.
A sharp pain stabbed Grace's heart. She glanced at the nursemaids, nannies, and several palace maids attending Princess Gia.
They were all kneeling on the ground, every face painted with despair.
Princess Gia was dead. Not one of them would survive this!
But among them, there must be someone who killed Princess Gia!
"Guards!" Consort Penelope's voice rang out.
Grace spun around, her gaze icy as she stared at Penelope Wu.
A cold smile flickered in Penelope Wu's eyes. With regal authority, she commanded, "Grace Zhu has murdered Princess Gia. Arrest her!"
At that moment, the entire Moonlight Palace was sealed off.
Several Palace Guards closed in on her.
Every one of them was stronger than Grace.
Even the chief eunuch, people from the Emperor's and Empress Dowager's palaces, all rushed over when they heard the news.
Grace glared at Penelope Wu, her words sharp: "She's just a child—how could you do this?"
"Seize her, now!" Consort Penelope ordered.
Several Palace Guards pointed their swords at Grace.
One of them even pressed his sword right against her neck.
Grace didn't resist at all. She simply looked up at them.
These were Emperor Henry Tuoba's most trusted men.
When Emperor Henry left, he entrusted the entire palace to their care.
"Come with us!" the lead guard said.
Grace said nothing, just slowly raised her right hand.
In her hand was a token.
The lead guard's expression changed instantly when he saw it.
The Vermilion Order!
She was actually holding the Vermilion Order!
To see the Vermilion Order is to see the Emperor himself!
Grace looked at the lead guard and held the Vermilion Order up to his face.
He hesitated for a few seconds, then withdrew his sword and knelt down.
The other Palace Guards saw their leader kneel, and they all followed suit.
Then, the chief eunuch knelt down too.
The palace maids and eunuchs saw this and knelt as well.
With the Vermilion Order revealed, every maid, eunuch, and guard inside and outside the Moonlight Palace dropped to their knees before Grace.
"The Vermilion Order?" Penelope Wu's face turned pale. "How do you have the Vermilion Order in your hands?"