CH 83

Liuchun Pavilion was overcast with clouds. The servants all looked gloomy and the few personal maids were sobbing in a low voice.

Now that such a thing happened, no matter how the master died, the servants could not escape responsibility. The least serious charge would be the guilt of improper service. Yet in this case, Side Consort Hu’s death was so strange that people couldn’t help but think more.

After being scolded by the consort, Side Consort Xu looked a bit aggrieved, “Sister, you have misunderstood. Younger sister was only curious. Sister Hu was a side consort who gave birth to a little princess, and I couldn’t help my bluntness. Anyways, when I went to talk to her before, I didn’t notice anything wrong.”

“Besides -” her voice took a turn. “I remember hearing some of my servants say that after she came back from Rongxi Courtyard, she made a trip to Siyi Courtyard. Did sister not notice anything wrong?”

Yaoniang, who was sitting at the side, was a bit surprised. She hadn’t heard this before. It seemed that someone had already asked the servants about what happened before her arrival.

“Side Consort Hu came to this concubine’s residence. But since this concubine had just returned and hadn’t settled in yet, there was no time to invite her inside to sit. After settling in, this concubine planned to visit the consort to pay respects, then go to Liuchun Pavilion to make amends. Unfortunately, this suddenly happened,” said Yaoniang in a soft voice. This could be seen as Yaoniang withdrawing herself from the situation.

Side Consort Xu glanced at her with a smile. “Sister Su, even if you didn’t say this, we already know. You and His Highness just returned from outside, so this couldn’t have been done by you.”

The ‘this’ was a bit vague. What was ‘this’? With her words, it seemed like Side Consort Hu was a victim of a murderous scheme. After Side Consort Hu was blocked from entering Rongxi Courtyard, she turned to Siyi Courtyard. Although the consort did not see her, Side Consort Hu was offered a cup of tea at Siyi Courtyard.

Yaoniang also didn’t know how Side Consort Xu knew everything so clearly, but the consort didn’t deny her words. They were all true. At this point, she finally understood why the consort’s face was so ugly.

Side Consort Hu had been to Siyi Courtyard before her death. Siyi Courtyard was filled with the consort’s people, including those who made and served tea. After Side Consort Hu left, the tea would have been poured and the teacup washed. There would be no evidence of anything anymore.

There were too many things that could be used. She could clear her name but others could also make infinite associations.

In particular, the consort was someone who played her cards well and didn’t like Side Consort Hu. The entire residence knew this.

Yaoniang, who understood all this, was again grateful that she didn’t invite Side Consort Hu in. If she had invited her inside, there would be no escaping from serving tea. Once this happened, there was nothing she could do to clear her name.

Look, wasn’t the consort such an example?

Anyway, this was the first time that Yaoniang saw the consort in such a predicament. This Side Consort Xu was certainly capable. The consort had clearly just reprimanded her, yet she could still pretend to be so aggrieved. She fought back using a needle in wool and didn’t forget to corner her even more.

At the same time, Yaoniang couldn’t help but think of her experience in her past life.

Before she had died, the only thing she ate were the dishes that the consort bestowed her. The reason why she hadn’t considered the consort as the culprit was because she felt that the consort was a very smart person. Why would someone smart poison the dishes she rewarded? But now she was a bit uncertain.

Could it be that it was indeed the consort—

Doctor Liu arrived. Although wasn’t here yet, he called Doctor Liu to come.

Once Doctor Liu arrived, he was invited in. With Side Consort Xu taking the lead, everyone else followed inside.

Seeing this, the consort also followed in with an ugly expression.

Since everyone went in, Yaoniang couldn’t ignore propriety so she followed inside as well. She deliberately found a place farther away to stand, while Doctor Liu inspected Side Consort Hu’s corpse.

“What a lethal poison. As for what kind of poison it is, I can’t tell yet. Many deadly poisons kill by causing bleeding from the seven orifices.” Doctor Liu first looked at the eyes, ears, nose and mouth of Side Consort Hu. Then he inspected her hands and face. He said to the consort, “I need some help to check if there are other wounds on her body.”

Needless to say, this was naturally ordered by Jin Wang. It seemed that Jin Wang also had doubts in his heart and feared that someone had acted from the shadows. Otherwise, Doctor Liu, a good doctor and a man, would never make such a request inappropriately.

Hearing these words, Side Consort Xu showed a look of pity. “I have a good relationship with Sister Liu, and we can’t let her die like this. Ru Yue, you help Doctor Liu. To avoid further any accusations the consort should also provide a person. With more people, they can all supervise each other, to prevent any unnecessary trouble.”

Actually, Side Consort Xu was afraid that the consort would use this opportunity to do something and she also didn’t forget to corner her once again.

Side Consort Liu, Lady Tao and Lady Li didn’t want to get involved with any part of this. Side Consort Hu’s sudden death and the way she died was simply too frightening. Even though they knew that Side Consort Xu was inciting conflict, they also understood that her instigation was not completely without reason.

This was probably a case of the fox mourning for the rabbit’s death. The result was that everyone sent one of their personal maids. Yaoniang was implicated and had no choice but to send Yuchan out.

Servants brought over a screen to separate them. Yuchan and the other maids were inside, while the people outside, led by Doctor Liu and Consort Jin, awaited with bated breaths

Jin Wang arrived.

After he came in, he immediately looked towards Yaoniang. He saw that she was standing there perfectly fine, except for her pale face. Seeing nothing else abnormal, he set his gaze on the screen.

He approached the armchair and sat down, then someone immediately offered him some tea.

Side Consort Xu approached his side and recounted the entire story, not forgetting to pour dirty water on the consort.

Consort Jin’s face had already turned cold and pale. She straightened her back, held her chin up, and said with neither arrogance nor humbleness, “Asking Your Highness to execute clear judgement. Don’t be instigated by any vile characters. I don’t need to, nor would I, resort to such a vile method.”

To be honest, there was no need for Side Consort Xu to explain everything. Jin Wang already knew what happened. But after Consort Jin’s explanation, he only nodded slightly and didn’t say anything.

Consort Jin couldn’t help but look ugly again.

The room was frighteningly quiet. Only the sound of rustling clothes could be heard from the other side of the screen.

Yaoniang was timid. She couldn’t help being a bit scared and creeped out. A scene flashed in her mind of Yuchan and the others taking off Side Consort Hu’s clothes and inspecting the corpse.

Her face turned paler as she wondered whether she was also inspected after her death in her previous life.

Yaoniang had already died once, but that time, she died so fast that she didn’t feel anything at all. Only now did she truly feel the breath of death. She even couldn’t help wondering whether Side Consort Hu was watching them right now. The theory of ghosts and spirits had no basis in reality whatsoever but after experiencing a rebirth, Yaoniang more or less believed it.

She felt a burst of coldness piercing her bones and her vision went dark. Then she fainted.

Jin Wang’s face was blank. His left hand fidgeted with the sapphire ring on his right hand. From the corner of his eye, she saw that her complexion wasn’t quite right. She swayed twice and he rushed over without any further thought.

Everyone felt something flash by in front of them. Then they saw Jin Wang holding the fainted Lady Su.

“Why are you just standing there? Do something! Come and take a look!” The voice was cold as ice, but no one could ignore the concern in his tone.

This was the difference!

There was clearly someone there who was dead and it was even a side consort who gave birth to the little princess. Yet after Jin Wang arrived, he was completely calm. Now this one only fainted, but he was already like this.

Jin Wang’s wives and concubines all had different thoughts swirling through their minds, but none of them could bury that awful flavour.

Since there was no place to lie down, Jin Wang took Yaoniang to the adjoining room and placed her on the couch.

Doctor Liu hurried over to take her pulse.

Sitting on a low stool, he stroked his beard with one hand, while the other was placed on Yaoniang’s wrist.

This was his usual pulse-taking posture. But today, he didn’t stroke his beard leisurely while taking the pulse as he did in the past. His face showed suspicion, then joy, then suspicion again. His beard was already sparse but he managed to pull off some more hairs.

In the past, Doctor Liu would’ve been distressed by this, but today he couldn’t be bothered to care. The entire person was unwell and his words were incoherent. “Your Highness has it. You have it! You have it!”

Jin Wang was annoyed by the mumble-jumble. “Have what?”

Doctor Liu took a deep breath and his thin face showed an almost comical smile. “A child! Lady Su is pregnant!”

Everyone’s chins dropped in shock.

With a crack, Jin Wang clenched the armrest of the armchair so hard that it snapped.