Chapter 23: The Princess Tests, Hidden Murder
In the main courtyard's warm room, the charcoal fire in the gilded copper stove burned brightly, but it couldn't dispel the coldness in Lin Wanru's eyes. In her hand, she held a broken jade bracelet, which she had crushed this morning when she overheard the maids discussing "The Prince spent half the night in the side room."
"She's just a slave substitute. Why should His Majesty look at her any differently?" Lin Wanru slammed the broken jade bracelet to the ground, sending shards of celadon scattering everywhere. Her voice was filled with suppressed anger. "A few days ago, you were beating and scolding her, and now you're personally watching over her until her fever goes down, and you're even sending her osmanthus porridge! If you keep this up, sooner or later, you'll get me!"
Chun Tao, the personal maid, hurried forward and carefully picked up the debris on the ground: "Your Majesty, please calm down. Perhaps the prince just thinks that Concubine Yun is still useful. After all, she looks like Miss Shen..."
"So what if she looks like her?" Lin Wanru sneered, her eyes filled with sinister intent. "A fake, is she worthy of being compared to Qingyue? The prince has been deceived by her now. Once I make her disappear completely, the prince will naturally return to me."
At this moment, a maid's announcement came from outside the door: "Your Majesty, the Concubine is here."
Lin Wanru's eyes flashed with calculation. She quickly straightened her robe and put on a gentle expression: "Let her in."
Su Yurou was wearing a water-green dress and holding a food box. Her face was filled with just the right amount of worry. "Sister, I heard you were in a bad mood today, so I specially made some white fungus soup to help you calm down."
She placed the lunch box on the table and opened the lid. The Tremella Soup inside was still steaming, with a faint sweet scent of osmanthus. Chuntao took the lunch box and stepped aside.
Lin Wanru looked at Su Yurou, her tone tentative, "Sister, you are indeed thoughtful. But I wonder if you have heard that the prince has been particularly 'caring' for that concubine Yun recently?"
A flicker of jealousy flashed across Su Yurou's eyes, but she quickly concealed it and sighed, "Sister is right, I've heard that too. A few days ago, the prince had Concubine Yun locked up in the side room, and now, after just a few days, he's personally watching over her until her fever subsided, and even had someone send her good porridge and medicine. If this continues, it won't be long before Concubine Yun surpasses you and me and establishes a firm foothold in the palace."
"Over us?" Lin Wanru sneered, "Does she deserve it? A daughter of a traitor, a slut who doesn't observe chastity for her husband, wants to win favor in the palace? I will never let her succeed!"
Su Yurou moved closer and lowered her voice, "Sister is right. But the prince is protecting her now. If we attack her openly, it might make the prince unhappy. How about... we come up with a foolproof plan to make her disappear without anyone noticing?"
Lin Wanru's eyes lit up and she looked at Su Yurou: "Sister, do you have any good ideas?"
"Look, sister," Su Yurou pulled out a small paper bag from her sleeve, which contained some white powder. "This is the 'Crane's Beak Red' that I asked someone to buy from outside the palace. Just a little bit, mixed with food or medicine, can make people die silently, and it won't be traced afterward. Concubine Yun is weak now and needs to drink medicine every day. We just need to find an opportunity to mix this stuff in..."
Lin Wanru looked at the paper bag, a hint of hesitation flashing in her eyes, which was then replaced by jealousy: "Okay! Let's do it! But who will deliver it? Concubine Yun is being watched by the prince's men now. If they are discovered..."
"Don't worry, sister," Su Yurou said with a smile, "I've bribed the maid who's in charge of delivering the medicine to Concubine Yun. She's accepted my offer and will definitely help us succeed. When she delivers the medicine tonight, she'll mix this stuff in. Once Concubine Yun dies, even if the prince suspects anything, he won't be able to trace it back to us."
Lin Wanru nodded, picked up the paper bag, and held it tightly in her hand: "Okay! After this is done, whatever your sister wants, your sister will satisfy you!"
"You're too polite, sister." Su Yurou smiled gently, but there was a hint of calculation in her eyes. "We are all doing this for the prince and for the peace of the palace."
The two of them whispered a few more words before Su Yurou picked up the food box and left the main courtyard with a smile.
Unbeknownst to them, a dark figure was silently standing behind the pillars outside the warm room, listening clearly to their conversation. The dark figure was a secret guard Xiao Jin had planted in the main courtyard, specifically responsible for monitoring Lin Wanru's every move.
The secret guard waited until Su Yurou left before quietly retreating and quickly heading to the study to report to Xiao Jin.
In the study, Xiao Jin was sitting behind his desk, looking over the files on Shen Qingyue's old case. A secret guard walked in and knelt on one knee, "Your Highness, I have an important matter to report."
"Speak." Xiao Jin said in a flat tone without even raising his head.
"Your Highness," the secret guard said in a deep voice, "Just now, the Princess and the Concubine were having a secret conversation in the main courtyard. The Concubine took out a packet of 'Crane's Beak Red' and intended to have a bribed maid mix it into Concubine Yun's medicine tonight, in order to kill her."
Xiao Jin's hand, flipping through the files, suddenly paused, a cold murderous intent flashing in his eyes. He hadn't been wrong. Lin Wanru and Su Yurou would never let Yun Zhi go! They were responsible for the mad horse and the cold arrows in the paddock, and now they were actually poisoning the palace!
"Which maid did they bribe?" Xiao Jin's voice was as cold as ice, and the air pressure around him was so low that water could drip out.
"Your Highness, it was the maidservant 'Xiao Cui' who was responsible for delivering medicine to Madam Yun." The secret guard replied.
Xiao Jin was silent for a moment, tapping his fingers lightly on the desk, his eyes filled with sinister intent. "Got it. Go and deal with it immediately and replace Xiao Cui. Tonight, Madam Yun's medicine must go through your hands to ensure it's foolproof. Also, pass down the order: from today onwards, all food, drink, and medicine in the palace must be strictly inspected, especially Madam Yun's. No one is allowed to approach unless I give the order."
"Yes!" The secret guard responded, stood up and left quickly.
Xiao Jin was the only one left in the study. He looked out the window at the sky with a complicated expression. He had thought that locking Yun Zhi in the side room would allow her to avoid the schemes of Lin Wanru and Su Yurou, but he had never expected these two women to be so cruel and vicious that they would even do something like poisoning her!
He remembered Yun Zhi's appearance when she blocked the arrow for him, her painful mutterings when she was unconscious with a high fever, and her fear and despair towards him... A trace of anger inexplicably rose in his heart, not only towards Lin Wanru and Su Yurou, but also towards himself - he failed to protect her and let her fall into danger again and again.
"I just don't want her to die too soon. After all, she's still useful." He whispered to himself, trying to use these words to cover up his concern. "If she dies, no one will investigate Shen Qingyue's old case, and there will be no clues to the unjust case in the Taifu Mansion."
But he knew in his heart that this was just an excuse. His concern for Yun Zhi had long gone beyond the realm of "usefulness." He wouldn't even allow anyone to hurt her now, not even Lin Wanru and Su Yurou, whom he had once indulged.
He stood up and walked to the window, looking towards the side room, his eyes filled with coldness. Since Lin Wanru and Su Yurou dared to attack Yun Zhi, they must pay the price! But now is not the time yet. He needs to first investigate Shen Qingyue's old case and the unjust case in the Taifu Mansion. When the truth comes out, he will settle the account!
…
In the side room, Yun Zhi sat by the window, an old book in hand, but she couldn't read a single word. Ever since her fever broke yesterday, Xiao Jin hadn't visited her again, only sending her meals and herbal medicine. She could sense that the food and medicine she'd received recently seemed more refined than before, with more nourishing herbs in the soup, making it less bitter.
"Miss Yun, it's time to take your medicine." A strange maid's voice came from outside the door. It was not the Xiao Cui who always had a cold face.
Yun Zhi raised her head and saw an unfamiliar maid walking in with a medicine bowl. She was wearing a clean blue cloth maid's uniform and there was a hint of caution in her eyes.
"You are..." Yun Zhi asked doubtfully.
"My name is Qingzhu, and I was just transferred here to serve you today." Qingzhu placed the medicine bowl on the table and said gently, "Drink it while it's hot. This medicine was specially brewed for you by the imperial physician. It can replenish your qi and blood and is good for your health."
Yun Zhi looked at the medicine in the bowl, which was steaming and emitting a faint medicinal fragrance. She picked up the bowl and hesitated for a moment. Xiao Cui had always been sarcastic and mocking towards her before, but today she suddenly changed her attitude and sent such a good medicine. She felt something was wrong.
She took a tentative sip. The medicine was warm and slightly sweet, and indeed better than before. She put the bowl down and looked at Qingzhu. "Where's Xiao Cui from before? Why did you suddenly come here?"
Qingzhu's eyes flickered, and she quickly said, "My lady, Sister Xiaocui had something to do at home, so she asked for leave to go back, so the prince asked me to come and serve you. Don't worry, I will take good care of you."
Yun Zhi nodded and didn't ask any further questions. She could sense that Qing Zhu's eyes held no malice, but rather a hint of cautious protection. She picked up the medicine bowl and drank it in one gulp. Whatever the reason behind this, at least it was good for her health. She needed to recover quickly so that she could clear up her father's injustice.
Qingzhu watched Yunzhi finish the medicine, put away the medicine bowl, and brought a bowl of warm water, handing it to Yunzhi: "Young lady, rinse your mouth. The prince has instructed that you should rest well and not let your mind wander. If you need anything, just let me know."
Yun Zhi took the warm water and rinsed her mouth, a trace of doubt rising in her heart. Why was Xiao Jin suddenly so kind to her? Not only did he change the maids who served her, but he also asked the imperial physician to make her a nourishing decoction? Could it be because he felt a little guilty about her on that rainy night?
She didn't dare to think about it any further, fearing it was just another illusion. She had experienced too much disappointment and no longer dared to hold any expectations for Xiao Jin.
After Qingzhu left the side room, he immediately headed towards the study and reported to the secret guard, "My Lord, Miss Yun has taken the medicine and everything is fine."
The secret guard nodded and said, "Well done. Keep watching. Report any developments immediately."
"Yes." Qingzhu responded, turned around and went back to the side room, guarding the door.
As the night deepened, the palace was completely silent. Lin Wanru and Su Yurou were still waiting for news about Xiao Cui, unaware that Xiao Cui had already been controlled by Xiao Jin's men. Their plot had already been thwarted by Xiao Jin without a murmur.
In the study, Xiao Jin sat behind his desk, his eyes filled with coldness as he read the report delivered by the secret guards. Lin Wanru and Su Yurou's schemes had made him even more certain that Shen Qingyue's death and the unjust case at the Imperial Tutor's Mansion were far more complex than they appeared. Perhaps there was a larger conspiracy behind these two women.
He picked up a pen and wrote the names "Lin Wanru," "Su Yurou," and "Tie Ren Fang" on a piece of paper, connecting them with an ink line. The clues became clearer and clearer, and the truth was getting closer and closer. He knew that the road ahead would be more dangerous, but he had to go on, not only for Shen Qingyue, but also for the woman who made him care more and more - Yun Zhi.
He would never let her be in danger again, would never let her be hurt again. Even if he himself was unwilling to admit it, his care for her had long been beyond his control.
Meanwhile, Yun Zhi, in the side room, was unaware she had just escaped a fatal crisis. Lying on her bed, gazing at the moonlight outside the window, her heart filled with both confusion and determination about the future. Little did she know that Xiao Jin had unknowingly taken her under his wing, or that the conspiracy and struggle surrounding her had only just begun.
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