Chapter 292: Secret Medicine Shocks the Heart, Old Hatred and New Grudges
The air in the East Courtyard seemed to be frozen. Even the parrots under the corridor seemed to understand human nature. They were silent at this moment, just tilting their heads, and their black bean-like eyes moved restlessly.
Xiaoyanzi had just splashed cold water on her face, and the strands of hair at her temples, still damp, stuck to her smooth forehead. She faced the bronze mirror, trying to conceal the bloodshot under her eyes. Her fingertips unconsciously stroked the cool rim, unable to contain the surging emotions within her.
Yongqi's footsteps outside the door became quieter, as if he was afraid of disturbing something, yet he stubbornly refused to leave. The subtle sound was like a feather, scratching Xiaoyanzi's heart from time to time, making her both irritated and helpless.
"Princess," Mingyue took a step forward hesitantly, holding a plain cloak in her hand, "It's getting cold, put it on, be careful not to catch a cold." Her eyes were full of worry, and she seemed to be hesitant to speak.
Caixia stood aside, twisting a handkerchief in her hand, her lips moved, but she finally swallowed her words back. She just looked at Xiaoyanzi's back and sighed softly.
Xiaoyanzi glanced at them in the bronze mirror and said in a hoarse voice, "What's wrong with you two? You're so hesitant. Just say what you want to say."
She knew the temperaments of these two maids and knew they must have something on their minds. Especially today, the way they looked at her was filled with more pity and anxiety than usual.
Mingyue and Caixia exchanged a glance, each seeing a struggle in the other's eyes. They were due to return to Shufangzhai tomorrow, a decision they had long ago made, but the current situation in the East Courtyard left them feeling uneasy. More importantly, there were some things they might never have the chance to say again if they didn't say them now.
"Princess," Mingyue took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind. She stepped forward and gently placed her cloak on Xiaoyanzi's shoulders. Her voice was very low, "Your servants...you will return to the palace tomorrow."
Xiaoyanzi paused, without turning back, and said lightly: "I know." She had received news from the palace a long time ago that Shufangzhai was short of staff, and the Empress Dowager issued an imperial decree, asking Mingyue Caixia to go back to serve.
"There are some things," Caixia suddenly said, her voice trembling. She quickly glanced at the closed door, as if afraid of being overheard by the people outside. "I don't know whether I should say them or not..."
Xiaoyanzi turned around and looked at them with raised eyebrows: "What are you talking about? Why are you hesitating with me?" She and these two maids have been together in Shufangzhai for many years and have become as close as sisters. They have always been straightforward, and the way they are today must be because of something serious.
Mingyue bit her lip, took a step forward, and leaned close to Xiaoyanzi's ear, her voice so low that it was almost inaudible: "Princess, this servant... Yesterday, this servant went to the small kitchen near the west courtyard to get something, and accidentally heard the concubine's personal maid chatting with other servants..."
Xiaoyanzi's heart sank, her eyelids twitched, and she had a bad feeling. She clenched her fists, her fingertips turning white. "What did they say?"
Mingyue's voice lowered, a hint of panic in her voice, "They said...that on the day of the concubine's wedding, she put Hehuan powder in the wine that the prince was given."
"What?!"
Xiaoyanzi suddenly raised her voice and stood up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Her cloak slipped to the ground, but she was completely unaware. She just stared at Mingyue, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief, and a hint of ignited anger.
"What did you say?!" she demanded, her voice trembling slightly with excitement. "The wedding wine... was filled with Hehuan Powder?"
She had never imagined that Chen Zhihua could do such a thing! Yongqi drank the wine so swiftly that she had only thought he was forced to do so, but she had never imagined that there was such a dirty plan hidden in it!
No wonder... No wonder Yongqi lost his composure like that and mistook Chen Zhihua for himself... It turned out that he was not simply drunk, but had been drugged!
An indescribable feeling of nausea and anger instantly washed over Xiaoyanzi. Her stomach churned, and her chest felt like it was being pressed down by a huge rock, making it difficult to breathe. In her past life, she had witnessed many sinister plots in the palace, but she had never imagined that such a thing would happen to her, to Yongqi!
"Princess, calm down!" Mingyue and Caixia were startled by her reaction and quickly knelt on the ground. "We overheard this by accident and don't know whether it's true or not. We just feel that this matter is of great importance and dare not hide it from Your Highness..."
"Did you hear it by chance?" Xiaoyanzi's voice was cold, and her eyes were like ice. "The maidservant beside Zhihua is quite courageous. She even dares to chat about such things?" She didn't believe that this was a coincidence. It must be that Zhihua deliberately spread the rumor in order to control Yongqi or humiliate herself!
Yongqi was waiting anxiously outside the door when he suddenly heard Xiaoyanzi's angry shout, followed by the sound of something falling to the ground. His heart suddenly sank. He subconsciously pushed the door open, but just as his hand touched the door panel, he stopped abruptly.
He vaguely heard words like "wedding wine" and "medicine." Although he couldn't hear them clearly, he could guess a little. Could it be... Xiaoyanzi knew?
As soon as this thought came to mind, Yongqi's face flushed red, not out of shame, but out of anxiety and guilt. He knew there must be something fishy about his behavior that day, but he had never considered that he had been drugged! Chen Zhihua... how dare she!
He clenched his fists, his knuckles turned white, veins bulged on the back of his hands, and the anger in his chest and the guilt towards Xiaoyanzi intertwined, almost drowning him.
In the main room, Xiaoyanzi took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. She couldn't panic, and she couldn't let Chen Zhihua laugh at her.
She bent down and helped Mingyue and Caixia up. The shock and anger in her eyes gradually subsided, turning into a cold calm: "Get up, I know you mean well. This matter... I understand."
She picked up the cloak on the ground and casually draped it over her arm. Her eyes fell on the crabapple tree outside the window. The petals were still falling, as if silently mourning for the farce.
"You go back to the palace tomorrow," Xiaoyanzi's voice returned to calm, but with an unquestionable firmness, "give Ziwei a message for me, and tell her...that everything is fine in the East Courtyard, and tell her not to worry." There were some things she didn't want Ziwei to worry about, and she didn't want outsiders to see the joke of Prince Rong's Mansion.
Mingyue and Caixia looked at each other, and saw worry in each other's eyes, but they also knew that it was useless to say more at this moment, so they could only nod and said, "Yes, Princess."
Xiaoyanzi turned around and looked back at the bronze mirror. The woman in the mirror had darker red bloodshot eyes, but also a hint of determination.
Chen Zhihua, do you think you can succeed by using such despicable means?
You are wrong.
I, Xiaoyanzi, am not a soft persimmon that can be bullied by anyone.
She raised her hand and gently touched her cheek, her fingertips were cold.
Yongqi, I think it’s time to settle the accounts between us.
Yongqi, who was standing outside the door, heard no movement from inside, and his heart sank to the bottom. He knew that Xiaoyanzi must have heard something and must have become even angrier.
He opened his mouth and wanted to call her, but found that his throat seemed to be blocked and no sound came out.
Another layer of crabapple blossoms fell under the corridor, spreading on the bluestone slabs like a thin layer of snow, covering up some of the mess, but not the surging undercurrent and the storm that was about to break out.
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