Forensic Imperial Concubine

Due to the imperial capital's high security, Howard and the rest could not enter. Naturally, they turned to Diana for help. She was
the princess of the South Kingdom, after all. She had grown up here, so Howard believed she must be aware of some secret
passage to get into the capital.
"Why are you looking at me? I don't know what to do now either." Diana shrugged. She had been busy in her time here,
spending every day here either practicing martial arts skills or fighting with Catherine. When she wasn't doing that, she would
hang out with the men. So she had no time to think about anything else.
"Don't tell me you are a mere figurehead and don't know anything about your kingdom's secret passages," Howard said. In his
opinion, there was no way this cunning woman wouldn't have a back-up plan ready.
Diana gave another shrug. "Of course, I am not a figurehead. It's not impossible to break into the city. And we can't just walk in
with everyone watching. We must find a way to go unnoticed, otherwise, we'll be found out."
"Do you want to go into the city on your own?" Howard asked in confusion.
Looking at the towering walls, Diana said, "I have to get into the Imperial Palace to confirm that my father is safe. If what my
master said is true, that Catherine will kill my father, then he must be in danger. I must check on him."
"What if he's already dead?" Howard asked.
"No! My father is still alive! Don't talk nonsense," Diana stated affirmatively. "Catherine wants to claim the throne. There are only
two ways that could happen. The first is for my father to issue an imperial edict claiming that she would succeed to the throne.
The second is for her to get the South Kingdom's imperial jade seal. However, the seal is in my hand now. Therefore, her only
option is to get an imperial edict out of my father. Until my father writes it, he's safe. But I suspect that she must have tortured
him."
Upon hearing that, Howard frowned and said, "I won't let you go in there alone. Harper asked me to keep an eye on you."
Diana glared at Howard impatiently, saying, "Well, do whatever pleases you. If you want to follow me, just follow."
The Imperial Palace was not that heavily guarded. That was probably due to Catherine believing that both Harper and Diana had
already died. Those who entered the Labyrinth Swamp didn't have the slightest chance of living.
After Diana successfully made her way into the palace, she was relieved to find the guards so lax. "The guards are slacking.
That's in our favor."

"Maybe it never occurred to Catherine that you could survive. She would have had the entire palace under lockdown if she had
suspected for a second that you were alive. It would have been so heavily guarded that even a fly would not have been able to
get in," Howard sneered, "So you should thank Harper for getting you out of the Labyrinth Swamp alive!"
Diana, however, merely glanced at him with contempt. "Shut up. Harper, Harper, Harper! Please, don't talk like you're close! She
is my master now. Oh, one more thing, you are not even her biological brother. Why are you acting so proud?"
"Don't you want to see your father?" Howard threatened as he narrowed his eyes with displeasure. He wasn't beyond pushing
her out of hiding if she continued her insolence.
Diana could only grit her teeth. She replied viciously, "Shame on you! How dare you bully me like this! After everything is over in
the South Kingdom, I will surely..."
"What will you surely do after everything is settled here?" Howard asked threateningly.
"I will surely pay you back for your help!" Diana said with a smile. She was the type to acknowledge the facts of the situation and
react accordingly. She learned this from Harper. Whenever she was in a critical situation, she would stand back and play nice.
Diana would square accounts with Howard once her stance improved.
Howard looked at her with suspicion. He knew she wasn't being honest, but it wouldn't serve him to fight her now. "I will stand
guard outside the room. You can go inside to see your father now. But be quick!"
"Okay."
Because Diana disguised herself as an Imperial Palace maid, no one recognized her. Catherine wouldn't come to torture Lance
during the day. So Diana thankfully didn't face any problem entering the palace.
There were two guards standing at the gate of the palace where Lance lived. With a slight move of her fingertips, they fell to the
ground and passed out. After she entered the room, she put the medicine bowl she was holding down on the table and rushed to
the bedside. "Father, Father, I am Diana. Father," she called in a low voice.
Hearing someone call him, Lance attempted to open his eyes. But he couldn't recognize the face in front of him. Yet, the voice
was very familiar. He asked with uncertainty, "Diana?"
"Yes, Father, it's me, Diana. I get out of the Labyrinth Swamp alive. In fact, it wasn't only me who made it out, but everyone that
had entered the Labyrinth Swamp is alive," Diana said elatedly. "Father, how are you doing? Is Catherine torturing you?"

Lance touched his daughter's face tentatively, unable to believe that someone had come out of the Labyrinth Swamp alive. "How
did you get out?" he asked.
"Harper led us out," Diana said excitedly. "She took us out by using the Holy Article of our kingdom. It was the only way to avoid
being attacked. Father, there shouldn't be any conflict between the South Kingdom and the Bright Dynasty anymore!"
Now Lance was certain that the girl in front of him was indeed his daughter. "Catherine wants to become the South Kingdom's
queen and marry Matthew, with the entire South Kingdom as her dowry."
"What? No way! That's absurd!" Diana refuted back immediately. "Matthew would never fall for any other woman as long as
Harper is still alive. That woman is terrible. Father, you know what? Harper never relies on Matthew. She is almost as powerful
as him!"