"Your Highness, this wretched girl is speaking nonsense! How could I be capable of such a thing? I almost really..."
Zhen Rou directly threw herself in front of the Third Prince and cried.
Changsun Hang looked at Zhen Rou’s tearful face, and his heart softened instantly.
But, thinking of the items Yun Xiang presented, he frowned again: "How do you explain the jewelry I rewarded you with being in Yun Xiang’s hands?"
Zhen Rou was startled.
She didn’t have much Silver, so she used those pieces of jewelry.
Changsun Hang gave her plenty, and she figured he wouldn’t notice, choosing a few inconspicuous pieces.
Moreover, given her past experiences, Changsun Hang never thoroughly investigated.
Yet, she didn’t expect to be caught this time...
Zhen Rou’s mind quickly spun around and soon a plan formed.
"I was wondering where my things went missing... turns out you stole them!"
Yun Xiang’s eyes widened: "Miss Rou, those were clearly given to me by you!!"
"When did I give them to you? Those are items his Highness rewarded me with, why would I give them to you!"
The two women exchanged heated words, making quite a commotion.
Chuzheng propped her chin up, watching their argument.
Finally, feeling annoyed by the noise, she raised her hand to speak: "I still have a witness here, does the Third Prince wish to see?"
Every time Changsun Hang heard Chuzheng speak now, his brow throbbed.
Glancing at Ying Xiang standing at the doorway, Changsun Hang had to swallow his anger.
Yann Qin!
He, a prince, actually had to fear a minister!
Changsun Hang gritted his teeth: "Bring them in!"
Zhen Rou’s delicate face turned ashen, where did she get a witness? How could she have a witness?
-
Brought in was a frail man, who shivered and knelt on the ground upon entering.
Zhen Rou did not recognize him, thinking he might be someone Chuzheng randomly found, when Chuzheng spoke slow and measuredly.
"I’ve investigated the poison on Zhen Rou; it could only be bought from his place in the entire city. Take a look, who among the people here purchased the medicine from you?"
Zhen Rou: "!!"
Among those present, Zhen Rou’s close maid Huanhuan visibly stepped back two paces, her eyes filled with fear.
She recognized this man...
The man raised his head, his gaze quickly meeting Huanhuan’s: "It... it was her!!"
Huanhuan shook her head: "No... I didn’t, he’s lying."
Man: "This humble citizen wouldn’t dare; it was indeed this young lady who purchased it from me, I remember clearly."
Huanhuan: "I didn’t! Your Highness, this servant truly didn’t do such a thing!"
Huanhuan was already kneeling, firmly denying it.
The man’s voice was not as loud as Huanhuan’s and the environment scared him, so he dared not say more.
But he was sure it was Huanhuan who bought the poison from him.
Changsun Hang didn’t know whether he believed it, but his face was grim, his eyes brewing a storm.
Chuzheng suggested again: "Why doesn’t the Third Prince search here, maybe we’ll find evidence."
Changsun Hang: "..."
Even though Changsun Hang was reluctant, the situation had reached this point and a search was inevitable.
At this moment, Zhen Rou instead calmed down.
But soon, Zhen Rou was shocked by the items put in front of her.
She instinctively looked at Huanhuan.
Huanhuan also had a pale face, and when her gaze met her mistress’s, she shook her head.
She had already dealt with it...
Changsun Hang ordered someone to verify if what was found matched the poison Zhen Rou suffered from.
"It’s indeed the same poison..."
Changsun Hang’s gaze narrowed, his eyes directed a fierce look at Zhen Rou.
"No... your Highness, I really didn’t do it." Zhen Rou quickly grabbed Changsun Hang’s clothes: "I truly don’t know what happened, it must be someone framing me! Why would I gamble with my own life!!"
The poison was indeed quite deadly...
A careless mistake could truly be fatal.
Would Zhen Rou dare gamble with her life?
The overlooked man spoke weakly: "Actually, if the antidote is taken in advance, the symptoms after poisoning remain the same, but are not life-threatening."
Zhen Rou: "..."
-
Ying Xiang followed Chuzheng out of Shuixin Pavilion, cautiously stepping forward: "Zhen Rou is too vile! Miss, you actually only asked to have her beaten thirty times!"
"What else?"
"Her crime is enough..." Ying Xiang made a gesture, drawing her hand across her neck with a fierce little expression.
"I wish I could."
"Then why..."
"You don’t understand."
Even if she wanted to, Changsun Hang wouldn’t agree.
Changsun Hang was clearly still leaning towards Zhen Rou, and right now, nothing could be done about her!
Chuzheng patted Ying Xiang’s shoulder: "You were beaten ten times last time because of her. Make her pay double this time as interest; we’ll wait until next time."
Ying Xiang blinked, and in the next second her eyes suddenly reddened.
"Miss..."
Chuzheng: "!!!"
What’s happening?
Ying Xiang choked up: "Miss, you are truly good."
I know I’m good.
Seeing Ying Xiang’s tears about to fall, Chuzheng quickly said: "Let’s go back, let me see my card."
Ying Xiang sent Chuzheng a Thank-You Card, making her feel not wasted on spoiling her, and promptly rewarded her with a silver note.
Ying Xiang: "?"
-
"Shi Yi."
Shi Yi appeared silently, lowering his head slightly, awaiting Chuzheng’s commands.
"Do you think I’m excessive?" Chuzheng asked casually, lying in the rocking chair.
"Whatever Miss does is right." Shi Yi’s textbook standard answer.
Chuzheng asked with interest: "What do you think?"
"My thoughts are not important."
"They are important to me."
Shi Yi slightly lifted his eyes, the girl’s image popped into view; she wasn’t looking this way, but at the swaying bead curtain.
Shi Yi lowered his eyes: "The matter itself is not Miss’s fault; everything Miss does is just to clear her name, it’s not about right or wrong."
If one doesn’t act for oneself, heaven and earth shall extirpate them.
Chuzheng turned her head slightly, her gaze circling around Shi Yi: "Why did you come to protect me?"
Shi Yi: "Lord Yann saved my life."
"A life-saving favor should be repaid with one’s life." That cool voice paused slightly: "My brother is a man, so you can also repay me with your life."
Shi Yi’s brow twitched, holding back the urge to look at her.
He gripped his sword tighter, suppressing his voice: "Miss is joking, if there’s nothing else, Shi Yi won’t disturb Miss anymore."
Without giving Chuzheng a chance to speak, Shi Yi disappeared into the room.
Chuzheng: "..."
Oh well.
-
Zhen Rou was punished, while Huanhuan and Yun Xiang met even harsher fates, disappearing from the Prince’s Mansion.
After the incident, Zhen Rou stayed quietly in her courtyard, not daring to act up anymore.
Changsun Hang rarely visited Shuixin Pavilion either.
For a few days, he even went to Chuzheng’s place.
Sadly, he was coldly turned away by Chuzheng, prompting Changsun Hang never to come again.
In the evening, the sky was gloomy.
Ying Xiang directed people to bring in a fire basin, the weather was getting colder, her Miss feared the cold, and needed careful tending.
"Miss, in a few days, it’s the palace banquet, are you prepared?"
"Palace banquet? What palace banquet?"
Ying Xiang was caught off guard: "This servant mentioned it the other day, the Imperial Noble Consort’s birthday feast..."
Wasn’t Miss supposed to have agreed at the time?