Chapter 8 Suspicion Arises: How Could Jiang Yunjin Know?

Someone fell into the water?

Everyone's expression changed, and they immediately walked towards the stern of the ship from which the sound came.

Jiang Zhaoyue asked anxiously, "Is it Xi Yun?"

Yang Jingling shook her head, indicating she didn't know: "Second Miss Xie is here today too."

Xie Xiyun did not pick lotus flowers with them, saying that she was going with her half-sister. The Miss Xie who fell into the water may also be Xie Xiyun's half-sister.

Stepping out of the inner room and reaching the stern, all one could see were vast expanses of red lotus leaves and green foliage, with ripples spreading across the water's surface. Through the clusters of lotus blossoms came the cries of a woman struggling for help, sending chills down one's spine.

The once lush lotus pond had now become a surreal, swallowing cave. Cui Yiluo could only see the lotus flowers trembling; she couldn't make out the figure of the person who had fallen into the water.

Several noble ladies stood at the bow of the boat, also panicking and exclaiming. One of the noble ladies, who was closest to the lake, was forcibly pulled away by the palace servants, and tears streamed down her face.

"Don't stop me! Sister! Someone, come quick!"

Jiang Zhaoyue was shocked: "It's Xiyun! Your Highness! Can you please send someone to rescue her from the water immediately?"

Xiao Ying immediately asked the palace servants and eunuchs on the ship, only to be told that none of them could swim. She couldn't help but panic: "Eunuch Xu, quickly go and call someone."

"Your Highness! We don't have any small boats on our ship, how can this old servant go and call for help?"

Xie Xiyun's cries for help were growing weaker and weaker.

Qingyue Lake is quite large, and the only place around it is Xiao Ying's painted boat. For miles around, there are lotus flowers and leaves, but not a single person in sight.

If no one else goes into the water, Xie Xiyun is likely to drown in the lake.

Cui Yiluo's expression was grave, and the others realized this as well, their expressions panicking. Xiao Ying stamped her foot anxiously, "Do you have any ropes? Why don't you tie some ropes and go into the water?"

"Yes, yes, Your Highness, it was originally used to tie up lotus flowers. You all, hurry up and get it. You, prepare to go into the water."

At Eunuch Xu's command, the palace servants hurriedly responded and ran to the bow of the boat, immediately plunging the boat into chaos.

Xie Xiyun's cries for help were completely swallowed up by Qing Le Lake in an instant. All that could be heard was the ethereal bird call, which sounded like a death knell in their ears and sent chills down their spines.

The boat rocked precariously as the palace servants and eunuchs hurriedly prepared to launch, swaying precariously on the lake like standing on a rickety rope on a mountain path, the group clinging to each other for support. Cui Yiluo stood on the outermost edge, watching the lotus blossoms disappear into the distance, biting her lip slightly, and took a thoughtful step forward.

Before Cui Yiluo could look back, she fell into a sea of ​​lotus leaves.

Xiao Ying watched as the person fell into the lake right before her eyes, trembling with anxiety: "Miss Cui! Miss Cui has also fallen into the water! Someone! Quickly tie the rope and go down!"

Even in summer, suddenly plunging into the lake is as painful as an ice pick piercing one's bones.

Consort Qiong loved lotus flowers, and Qing Le Lake had always been well maintained, with a fairly clear view in the water. Cui Yiluo easily spotted Xie Xiyun sinking not far away.

She steadied herself by gripping a few lotus stems, the thorns on the stems piercing her tender palms. Cui Yiluo frowned slightly, then swam towards Xie Xiyun after regaining her balance.

Xie Xiyun was already in a daze. Cui Yiluo helped her out of the water and she met the faces of the crowd, which were filled with both astonishment and joy.

Cui Yiluo, still as nimble as a fish, darted among the lotus flowers, and helped the person onto Xie Xiyun's small boat.

The noblewoman who had just been forcibly held back by the palace servants immediately rushed over, almost pushing Cui Yiluo back into the water.

She threw herself in front of the unconscious Xie Xiyun, tears streaming down her face: "Sister! Sister, are you alright? What will I do if something happens to you?"

Xie Xiyun's younger sister looked like she was about to burst into tears, and several noble ladies couldn't help but step forward to comfort her.

Xiao Ying reacted quickly, ordering someone to row a boat over and bring Cui Yiluo and the other person back to the pleasure boat for their return journey.

Xie Xiyun's younger sister cried and refused to let go: "Sister..."

Yang Jingling swept her gaze over with a stern face: "Second Miss Xie, if your sister's condition is delayed, can you bear the responsibility?"

Xie Xiyun's sister stood there, her lips trembling, tears welling up in her eyes, but after a few moments she finally let go.

The two were led into the inner room.

Jiang Zhaoyue asked worriedly, "Cousin, are you feeling unwell?"

Cui Yilu shook her head and looked at Yang Jingling, who was taking Xie Xiyun's pulse while she was unconscious.

Yang Jingling looked embarrassed and withdrew her hand, instead pressing on Xie Xiyun's chest and abdomen.

Xie Xiyun was pale, her hair disheveled and plastered to her face. She was barely breathing. Yang Jingling exerted force, and she immediately vomited a lot of water, but she still didn't wake up.

"We need to find a place to administer acupuncture to Xiyun as soon as possible."

Xiao Ying immediately shouted, "Hurry up!"

Knowing the seriousness of the situation, the men below dared not delay and gritted their teeth, rowing swiftly. Before long, they reached the shore.

As soon as they reached the shore, several palace maids went to report to Consort Qiong, while the rest of the people busied themselves finding clothes and calling for the physician. Those on the shore who had not gone to pick lotus flowers immediately gathered around them, instantly surrounding them in three or four circles.

"What happened? Who fell into the water?"

The situation was chaotic, and those who outwardly showed concern were all harboring their own agendas. "Quickly take off your outer robes and drape them over the two young ladies, lest they catch a cold!"

The people of Daqi are open-minded, and offering clothes to someone who has fallen into the water is a matter of urgency and will not cause any controversy. Several young men immediately began to take off their outer robes, but they had other intentions and were vying to give them to Cui and Xie.

In the chaos, Cui Yiluo spotted Jiang Yunjin walking quickly through the gaps in the crowd. She had a bad feeling and was about to take a closer look at his expression when suddenly everything went dark.

A dark robe with gold trim completely obscured her vision, concealing her slender figure.

She subconsciously pulled off her robe, only to meet Fang Yuanling's eyes directly.

He gave her a deep look, then turned and left. If it weren't for his outer robe still being on, it would have been as if he had never been there at all.

Cui Yiluo frowned.

"The Imperial Concubine has arrived!"

A path immediately parted in the crowd, and a noblewoman was seen walking briskly, surrounded by others. Her appearance was beautiful and charming but not vulgar, like a peony in full bloom.

Cui Yiluo had never met Consort Qiong before, but she knew her identity at a glance; only Consort Qiong would be so elegant and flamboyant. Cui Yiluo remembered Jiang Zhaoyue saying that she and Consort Qiong looked somewhat alike, and then turned to look at Consort Qiong's appearance.

Before she could even glance at it twice, she suddenly heard Lan Hui call out loudly, "Yi Luo!"

Lan Hui followed behind Consort Qiong, her eyes red with worry, and hurriedly pulled Cui Yiluo aside to ask her what was wrong.

While answering her aunt, Cui Yiluo couldn't help but glance at Consort Qiong and Xiao Ying. She saw Consort Qiong hurriedly pull Xiao Ying over, carefully checking her over, and only after confirming that she was unharmed did she relax and gently comfort her daughter.

Consort Qiong was flamboyant and sharp, but when facing her daughter, she was no different from an ordinary mother and daughter.

Cui Yiluo had never spent time with her mother, but she had seen her. Her stepmother's sister often brought her daughter to visit. This nominal aunt was sharp-tongued, but she was a completely different person when she was with her daughter, speaking softly and never using a harsh word.

Cui Yiluo snapped out of her reverie and realized that staring at the Consort and her daughter was inappropriate, so she quickly and discreetly looked away.

After comforting her daughter, Consort Qiong glanced coldly at everyone, her gaze lingering on Cui Yiluo for a moment, seemingly casually.

This unexpected incident at the lotus banquet was tantamount to a slap in the face! Consort Qiong's upturned eyes revealed a sharp anger: "Quickly take Miss Xie and Miss Cui to the side hall to settle them, and then summon the physician. Whether this was an accident or intentional, I will investigate it thoroughly."

-

Xie Xiyun's condition was more serious than Cui Yiluo's, and she was taken good care of. The palace maids first brought a cloak for Cui Yiluo, and then went to find suitable clothes for her. Yuan Ling's outer robe was neatly folded and placed on a low mahogany table to the side.

Lan Hui and Jiang Zhaoyue stayed with her. It was inconvenient with so many people around earlier, but now that it was just the three of them, Lan Hui said, "Yi Luo, why were you so impulsive? Your aunt knows you have a kind heart, but saving a drowning person is extremely dangerous. What if something happened to you? Do you want your aunt to feel guilty for the rest of her life?"

When Lan Hui heard that Cui Yiluo had suddenly jumped into the water to save people, she was so frightened that she almost fainted on the spot. The shock was still lingering, her heart was still pounding, and she covered her chest as she spoke, her eyes reddening again.

Jiang Zhaoyue comforted her, "Mother, my cousin is perfectly fine. Why are you saying such unlucky things? My cousin looks delicate, but she is actually very capable."

As expected, Lan Hui glared at him as soon as he finished speaking.

At this moment, the palace maids led the physician into the room.

"Madam Jiang, Miss Jiang, Her Highness the Imperial Concubine has summoned everyone to the main hall."

Clearly, Consort Qiong did not believe that Xie Xiyun's fall into the water was an accident and was determined to thoroughly investigate today's events.

Lan Hui hesitated, worried about Cui Yiluo, and intended to refuse.

Seeing this, the leading palace maid said anxiously, "Her Majesty ordered that not a single person should be missing."

Cui Yiluo suddenly spoke up: "Aunt, you and my cousin should go quickly. There are physicians here, so you don't need to worry about me."

Lan Hui hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded, her face full of apology as she reassured Cui Yiluo: "Yiluo, your aunt and cousin will be right back. You should have the physician examine you first."

After saying that, he hurriedly left with Jiang Zhaoyue.

The side hall was suddenly left with only the physician and a palace maid. After the physician took Cui Yiluo's pulse, he said that she had caught a slight chill and was fine. Then the palace maid took her away to write a prescription.

The room was empty. Cui Yiluo sat on the couch, her slender fingers casually playing with the two ties of her cloak.

Apart from her and Xie Xiyun, everyone else was summoned to the main hall by the Imperial Concubine, and Jiang Yunjin was certainly among them.

She had intended to use the excuse of a relapse of her foot injury to summon Jiang Yunjin, but the Imperial Concubine had ordered that no one should be missing, so it seemed that this plan would not work.

Recalling Jiang Yunjin's hurried figure just now, Cui Yiluo turned her eyes while hooking the ribbon. Although she couldn't see his expression because Yuan Ling's outer robe blocked her view, she could see the urgency in his posture.

Too much has happened today, offering a glimpse into the power struggles and intrigues among the elite families of Shengjing. Beneath the calm surface, turbulent waves surged. Xie Xiyun, who had fallen into the water, the panicked noble ladies and palace servants on the boat, and the person who wanted to kill her—all these events, amidst the chaos, facilitated her attack.

Cui Yiluo's eyes were deep and unfathomable.

Footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door, steady and powerful; it was a man, not the palace maid from before.

Cui Yiluo's expression immediately turned sharp and cold as she quickly gripped the dagger at her waist.

She turned and got off the bed, pressing her body against the lattice door in a defensive posture.

Xie Xiyun was nearby, and there must be many people watching over her. She just needed to buy time to hold off the people before the palace maids arrived. Maybe she could even catch the mastermind behind the attempt to kill her.

An uncontrollable tremor surged within her chest, a feeling that unraveling the mystery of the person behind her repeated attacks would bring something buried deep in darkness to light.

Why did that person want to kill her? What was it about her that they wanted?

The footsteps grew closer and closer, and they were only a few steps away from the room.

The dagger was slightly drawn, its cold gleam reflecting on Cui Yiluo's face.

The person walked in, and Cui Yiluo saw him clearly through the gap in the lattice door.

With lightning speed, she tucked the dagger behind her waist, concealing it with her cloak. With fluid movements, she turned and emerged from behind the lattice door, her eyes brimming with autumn water, as if the sunlight had just shimmered in her beautiful eyes.

"cousin."

Jiang Yunjin took a few steps closer, his gaze lingering on her cloak.

Then, with a calm expression, he said, "I have something to ask you."

Cui Yiluo voiced her suspicions: "Cousin, did the Imperial Concubine order you to investigate today's events at this time?"

He remained noncommittal, his expression darkening and sharpening: "Why did you fall into the water today?"

Cui Yilu blinked: "Cousin, haven't you heard? I saved Miss Xie."

Jiang Yunjin stared at her: "Did you voluntarily go into the water to save people?"

Cui Yiluo's expression hardened.

How could he know?

Everyone on both boats assumed that she had jumped into the water to save Xie Xiyun. Even Xiao Ying, who was closest to her and thought she had fallen into the lake, also assumed that she had jumped into the water to save Xie Xiyun after seeing her pull her ashore.

Jiang Yunjin wasn't even there, so why would anyone suspect that she was pushed?

And how did he leave the main hall?

Cui Yiluo's eyes, reflecting the dappled sunlight, revealed a sharp edge.

A note from the author:

Aro: [Question mark]

These two chapters set the stage quite a bit, mainly to prepare for later developments. The cousin will appear much more often in the following chapters. [shrug]

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