After Shi Yi came, Chuzheng barely saw him.
If it weren’t for the fact that he suddenly appeared whenever she called him, Chuzheng would have suspected him of dereliction of duty.
Shi Yi’s ability to hide was exceptional.
"Miss, if there isn’t anything urgent, please don’t summon me randomly." Shi Yi stood respectfully about seven or eight meters from Chuzheng, his eyes lowered, his attitude rather submissive.
But this was a Good Person Card that had turned dark.
Could it be submissive?
Chuzheng didn’t believe it.
"Hand me the book," Chuzheng assertively pointed at the book on the table.
Shi Yi: "..."
Shi Yi tightened his grip on his sword and walked to the table, his peripheral vision catching the book title "Historical Records."
Shi Yi handed the book to Chuzheng and took a few steps back to keep his distance from her.
"Is there anything else, Miss?" Shi Yi wanted to leave.
"No," Chuzheng casually flipped through the book.
"Then I..."
"Stand there."
"???" Shi Yi frowned, "Miss, this isn’t appropriate."
"No one in the Jinxiu Pavilion will gossip," Chuzheng spoke casually, conveying a sense of confidence, "Nor will anyone dare to trespass into Jinxiu Pavilion."
Bang!
"Yann Chuzheng!" A scolding voice came from outside. That ’bang’ was obviously the sound of someone kicking the door in.
Shi Yi: "..."
Chuzheng: "..."
A slap in the face as swift as a tornado.
Would you believe me if I said it was an accident?
Shi Yi clearly didn’t believe it. He leapt out the window, disappearing into the daylight.
In broad daylight, daring to intrude into Jinxiu Pavilion and call her name directly, besides that dog Changsun Hang, there wouldn’t be anyone else.
Changsun Hang strode in from outside, his gaze cold as a knife blade, falling upon Chuzheng as if intending to slice her to pieces.
Chuzheng merely glanced at him indifferently, "Third Prince, I haven’t provoked you lately."
Now she was quietly staying in the Jinxiu Pavilion and hadn’t gone anywhere, yet he suddenly ran over.
Changsun Hang gritted his teeth, "Was it you who ordered someone to poison Rourou?"
"Poison?"
Chuzheng felt utterly bewildered.
When did she do such a thing?
"How can you be so malicious!" Changsun Hang’s face turned livid, "Rourou always defers to you, yet you’re so wicked. Do you have any humanity left?"
"Malicious?"
No.
Brother, you haven’t seen me being malicious yet. How can you say I’m malicious!
And when did your Rourou ever defer to me?
Isn’t she always showing off and snubbing me?
Chuzheng didn’t know what had happened and was utterly confused.
Ying Xiang, under pressure, snuck in from the side and whispered a few words into Chuzheng’s ear.
Zhen Rou was poisoned.
And now the suspected culprit was her, the Prince’s Consort.
"..."
I’m not, I haven’t, don’t make random claims!
Because the incident happened suddenly, and since there weren’t many people in their courtyard, Chuzheng wasn’t interested in outside affairs, so the news didn’t come in on time—of course, whether someone deliberately stopped the news to prevent Chuzheng from knowing in advance and coming up with a plan, that wasn’t known.
Changsun Hang was now here to seek justice for Zhen Rou.
Chuzheng looked steadily at Changsun Hang, "Third Prince, what makes you say this has anything to do with me?"
Changsun Hang sneered, "Don’t shed tears until you see the coffin. Bring Yun Xiang in, huh!"
Yun Xiang with a deathly pale face came in, plopping onto the ground with a thud, trembling like a sieve.
Chuzheng looked coldly at Yun Xiang without much surprise.
Changsun Hang bellowed coldly, "Tell me, who instructed you to poison?"
Yun Xiang’s head hit the stone floor heavily, trembling and pleading for mercy, "Spare me, Your Highness, I know nothing, I’m innocent!"
Changsun Hang: "Innocent? Didn’t you just say those things?"
Apparently, she had already been questioned, so Changsun Hang was certain Chuzheng was the culprit.
Yun Xiang now changed her tone, in Changsun Hang’s view, probably to protect her master.
Yun Xiang glanced up at Chuzheng, then quickly lowered her head, as if frightened.
This action, in Changsun Hang’s eyes, was undoubtedly more proof.
Chuzheng: "..."
When had Yun Xiang become such a good actress?
If it weren’t for the storyline and character being off, Chuzheng really wanted to applaud her.
"Yun Xiang, if you speak now, your confession can count for atonement, but if you cover it up, you won’t keep your life."
"..." Yun Xiang bit her lip, appearing determined to cover it up.
"Guards!" Changsun Hang shouted, "Drag her out and beat her to death!!"
Those Changsun Hang brought surged in, held Yun Xiang, and dragged her out.
Yun Xiang seemed startled, broke free, and dropped at Chuzheng’s feet, clutching her skirt, "Prince’s Consort, Prince’s Consort, save me..."
Chuzheng lowered her eyes to her with no reaction.
Yun Xiang unwittingly entered the woman’s indifferent gaze, the depths of her eyes tranquil as a cold spring deep within the woods, exuding strands of cold air.
Yun Xiang’s hair stood on end, feeling inexplicably seen through.
"Prince’s Consort, save your maid," Yun Xiang averted Chuzheng’s gaze, trembling as she spoke, "Save your maid... I’m doing it for you; you can’t just let me die."
"Oh, I can."
In Yun Xiang’s cries, Chuzheng nodded solemnly.
"..."
The room fell into an eerie silence.
"So, you’re admitting you harmed Rourou?" Changsun Hang first broke the silence.
"Did I say that?" Chuzheng’s small face tightened, "Third Prince, which word did I use to admit I had anything to do with this event?"
Changsun Hang: "Hadn’t your words I just heard implied confession?"
Chuzheng: "Third Prince, she said I couldn’t just let her die, I said I could because there’s nothing between us, so I can indeed not save her. Which word has to do with poisoning?"
Changsun Hang: "..."
Recalling Chuzheng’s previous actions, it seemed to be true...
No way!
"Aren’t you just feeling guilty of being a thief?"
"I haven’t committed theft, why should I feel guilty?" Acting justly and sitting upright, I didn’t do it, I’m not guilty of anything!
"..." Changsun Hang’s chest heaved in anger, "Yann Chuzheng, stop your unreasonable arguments."
Yun Xiang at this moment regained her senses, "Prince’s Consort... how can you not show any compassion?! I’m... I’m doing it for you... you..."
Yun Xiang spoke haltingly, but the general meaning was clear.
Chuzheng summarized for her, "You’re saying I instructed you to poison Zhen Rou?"
Yun Xiang: "Prince’s Consort, it was you who told me..."
Chuzheng asked curiously, "How much silver did I give you?"
Yun Xiang: "???"
This reaction wasn’t what she expected.
Panic? Anger?
She had none, yet she asked how much silver was given.
Yun Xiang’s palms began to sweat, "I didn’t ask for silver, you’re my master; I’m doing it for you."
"Oh," Chuzheng responded calmly, "you’re so noble? Risking your life to help me remove a woman who isn’t a threat to me; am I foolish or are you too loyal?"
Yun Xiang was shocked, "What... what?"