Chapter 8
It was late at night. In the beauty's room in Prince Huai's mansion, a woman had her head hung in a white silk hanging from a long beam. She hardened her heart and kicked over the stool under her feet. A burning pain came from her throat and her face turned red due to difficulty in breathing, but she held on to the white silk tightly, trying hard to restrain her desire to struggle and call for help.
Suddenly, the door was pushed open with a creaky sound. "Good evening, Luyi."
Wen Weili walked into the room leisurely, as if what she saw was not a suicide scene. She picked up the 'suicide note' on the table, unfolded it and read: "...I have no face to face you... I must prove my innocence."
From the moment Wen Weili walked into the room, Lu Yi couldn't help but reveal a look of fear. She tried frantically to break free from the white silk, but the quality of the white silk was very good and no matter how she tore it, it couldn't be damaged. She kicked desperately with her feet, and everything in front of her eyes gradually lost its color and became illusory.
"．．．．．．I．．．Ah ah, help...．．．" The suffocation when facing death is extremely terrifying. The huge pressure makes Luyi's chest feel like burning pain. She is terrified, terrified of the pain of death.
"You want me to save you? But it's you who clearly want to kill Xinxin and me?" Wen Weili stared at Lu Yi coldly and questioned, "Don't you want to spread the news of Prince Kaihuai's forced death in the imperial city by committing suicide? Didn't the master behind you also agree to your death?"
"Uh..." Lu Yi didn't have time to think about why Madam Li knew about their plan. She had originally wanted to use this plan to help her master deal with Prince Huai's Mansion, but when she actually committed suicide, she regretted it! The strength in her body continued to drain away, her hands and feet were about to lose consciousness, and a coldness spread through her body from the cracks in her bones.
In just a moment, Lu Yi's body began to twitch, her hands were grabbing in vain in the air, and her feet didn't even have the strength to kick.
Seeing that someone would die if they didn't save her, Wen Weili used her dagger to cut the white silk. Lu Yi's dying body fell from the air. Wen Weili supported her and she lay powerless on the ground, breathing rapidly, as if she had been reborn.
"Green Barley Beauty, this is a life-saving grace."
Lu Yi closed her eyes and nodded, tears of relief rolling down her cheeks.
"A young and lovely girl like you, our Prince Huai's Palace has not done anything bad, why should you risk your life for that man?" Wen Weili poured some water from the teapot beside her and slowly fed it to Lu Yi.
A terrifying purple bruise appeared on Luyi's neck. She gave a bitter laugh, "...I am...ahem...the Third Prince has trained a dog. I have to do whatever he wants me to do."
"How many people like you are sent into the palace by the Third Prince?" Wen Weili asked casually.
After a moment's silence, Lu Yi seemed to be struggling in her heart. She stared at Wen Weili again and again with her round rabbit-like eyes, and finally made up her mind.
"Only me." Lu Yi replied.
Wen Weili nodded, and it was unclear whether she believed it or not. She signaled the guards behind her to take Lu Yi away, "Beautiful Lu Yi, I can only ask you to go somewhere to rest for a while."
"It's okay. I'm satisfied that I could save my life." Lu Yi knelt down to express her gratitude earnestly and left with the guards.
Wen Weili took the fake suicide note from the table and ordered the servants to lock the door and not let anyone in.
A man in black appeared silently in front of Wen Weili. He bent down slightly and reported the news to Wen Weili, "Madam, Madam Shu and some beauties are causing trouble in front of your courtyard, and there are people outside the mansion spying on them."
"It's really lively tonight," Wen Weili said as she walked towards the courtyard. "One thing after another, you know. Tell me, can you believe what Lu Yi said?"
The man in black understood Madam Li's temper. She always encouraged her subordinates to express their opinions, so he replied, "I don't think it's credible. Lv Yi mobilized many people that day, and someone secretly assisted her. The same is true for her suicide today. Someone must have been spreading rumors afterwards."
"Xinxin has indeed taught you well," Wen Weili said as she walked down a corridor, past the artificial stone forest in the courtyard, and gazed at the large expanse of azaleas planted in the flowerbed. She sighed, "Prince Huai's Mansion may appear to be a riot of flowers, but in reality, it's rife with corruption. I don't know when it will collapse."
"Madam, you are joking. Your Highness is intelligent and wise. Once the obstacles are removed, he can realize his ambitions." The man in black said, his eyes filled with fanatical admiration for Duanmu Huaixin.
"What you said does make some sense." Wen Weili smiled, "I was just worrying too much."
As they were about to reach the courtyard, the man in black dodged again, as if hidden in the boundless night, and disappeared.
"How come you all have the leisure to play around here?" Wen Weili walked out from the shadows with a smile. Zhiyun hurriedly walked up to her master and whispered a few words.
Concubine Wan took the lead and threw herself at Wen Weili's feet, crying, "Madam Li, you are trying to kill me!"
Wen Weili took a step back, avoiding Wanqie's attack. She raised an eyebrow, lowered her eyes to look at Wanqie, and asked in a questioning voice, "Oh?"
"My family is poor. I was chosen by the prince at the Crown Prince's residence. I came to the Huaiwang Palace willingly to serve the prince. You said you want to drive me out of the palace. I'm afraid my family doesn't want to see me again... Woo... Then I will be left without anyone to rely on..."
"This lady naturally understands that you will have nowhere else to go once you leave the palace," Wen Weili continued, seeing Wanqi's expectant gaze. "So this lady has arranged a farm for you where you will have plenty of food and drink, a beautiful view, and your sisters will be there to play with you. Isn't that wonderful?"
Wanqi was stunned. "This... Madam Li... How is this possible?" she thought resentfully. How could this compare to the opulence of Prince Huai's residence?! Perhaps Madam Li had sent them to the manor and secretly killed them, claiming they had caught a cold. Who would know? No, we absolutely couldn't go to the manor!
Concubine Wan looked at Madam Shu for help, hoping that she could say something.
Madam Shu cursed Concubine Wan inwardly for being useless. She could only let out a soft cry and pretended to fall towards Wen Weili.
Wen Weili nimbly avoided Madam Shu who seemed to be about to fall, with a smile on her face, "What happened to Madam Shu again?"
Madam Shu looked at Wen Weili's smile, which seemed to see through her. Her heart skipped a beat, but she still insisted on continuing to act. Her beautiful eyes were filled with tears, and her body was frail. She held her heart and cried, "Sister Li, I am not in the mansion for a high position, nor do I ask for the prince's favor. I only ask that you let me have food to eat in the mansion."
"As the saying goes, a woman's marriage is like spilled water. Although I didn't marry into a prince's palace, in my heart, Prince Huai's palace is my home. I used to have so much fun playing in the garden with my sisters, laughing and playing. Now when I think about it, those days were like a dream. I don't know how it turned out like this..." Madam Shu was so moved that a tear rolled down her eye.
"If Sister Li finds me annoying, why not just leave me in that remote corner and think of me? I will never bother to offend the prince and sister. I just want to spend the rest of my life in the palace..."
After Mrs. Shu's words, everyone was reminded of the past and burst into tears.
"Your sincerity and reason are truly heartbreaking," Wen Weili seemed moved. A sparkling tear lingered in the corner of her eyes, which she wiped away with her sleeve. "Are you sure you must stay in the palace? Even if I arrange it for you, you won't regret it?"
When they heard that they could stay in the palace, everyone's eyes lit up and they quickly said they wanted to stay.
But Madam Shu felt something was amiss. What did she mean by "follow Madam Li's arrangements"? Was Madam Li really going to push them into a corner? That was acceptable. As long as they could continue to stay in the palace and use more tricks, they would eventually get closer to the prince.
As the saying goes, a wife is not as good as a concubine, and a concubine is not as good as a secret lover. Prince Huai is also a man. I believe that under Madam Li's strict supervision, the prince will pay more attention to her. Thinking of this, Madam Shu also said that she wanted to stay in the palace. She thanked Madam Li for her magnanimity, but in her heart she laughed at Madam Li's stupidity.
In the end, only a few people wanted to leave the palace. They had tried to win the favor of Prince Huai, but they had no support behind them and no means of their own. It was better for them to go to the manor arranged by Madam Li than to be manipulated by the high-ranking officials in the palace.
"Miss, aren't you planning to send them to that farm?" Zhiyun asked in confusion why the farm originally prepared by her young lady was replaced with a more secluded place.
Wen Weili checked the list and told Zhiyun, "These women were just a cover-up. They were sent to the palace with the spies. They are miserable people themselves. We can only send them to a remote place and give them more money. They can leave or stay as they wish."
"So that's how it is," Zhiyun suddenly realized. She remembered the maid from the daytime and said, "Miss, you are really very smart. Someone really came here today to bribe me with money."
"Oh? What does she want you to do and how much money does she want you to give her?" Wen Weili was very interested.
"She asked me to note down the days when the prince came to your courtyard and what he did on weekdays. As for the bribe, it was a full one hundred taels." Zhiyun said with a smile.
"One hundred taels isn't too little," Wen Weili also laughed. "You eat almost the same as me, and I make the same clothes as you. I only give you three taels of silver every month. This one hundred taels is really a lot that's tempting."
"I'm not short-sighted. Miss is frugal in sewing clothes, but it still costs more than ten taels of silver. How could I be so foolish as to follow Yueyue and take advantage of her?" Zhiyun shook her head and said, "It's not good to only focus on the present."
"Please accept this silver. They want to know Xinxin's whereabouts and might even attack her," Wen Weili said coldly, her tone tinged with murderous intent. "This release is our final warning. If they insist on harming Xinxin, don't blame me for being ruthless."
Zhiyun was initially startled by the young lady's unusual aura, but after hearing Wen Weili's words, she nodded and said, "Don't worry, young lady. I will also be more careful. However, you must be careful. Prince Huai truly respects and loves you, and he certainly doesn't want to see you get hurt."
"Don't worry, Zhiyun. Go get the senior servants in the mansion and I'll take care of these women who don't want to leave Prince Huai's mansion."
Zhiyun took the order and brought a few old women and servants recommended by the housekeeper to Wen Weili. "Miss, the housekeeper said these people are suitable."
"Well," Wen Weili carefully examined the people, "from now on, this lady will be in charge of Prince Huai's residence. You should clean up the courtyard in the southwest corner and make it a place for the princess and concubines to live."
"What's your name?" Wen Weili pointed to a woman who was about forty years old and had her hair tied in a bun and a headband.
"My name is Huanying, and I have a child born in your family. I will obey your orders, my master." The old woman said respectfully.
"Huanying, from now on, you will lead the remaining concubines in the mansion and arrange them like this..."
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