nycdaug Chapter 201 Whose Hands Are Clean?
Chapter 201 Whose Hands Are Clean?
Upon hearing the emperor's question, the imperial physician hurriedly stepped forward and respectfully said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, Consort Liang only has superficial injuries and will recover after some time of recuperation."
Upon hearing this, Pei Yuanling finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The same applies to Empress Wang.
No matter what, nothing can happen to anyone in her palace.
Upon learning that Chu Qingyin was alright, Pei Yuanling turned to look at Empress Wang, his deep eyes as cold as frost: "Empress, I think you're delirious from your illness, unable to distinguish between dreams and reality. In my opinion, we should invite that sorceress into the palace to examine you properly again."
Empress Wang felt wronged, but dared not utter a word of rebuttal.
She bit her lower lip and bowed her head, replying, "Your Majesty, I know I was wrong. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."
Pei Yuanling ignored her, carefully picked up Chu Qingyin, and strode out of Fengyi Palace, followed by a large group of people.
Upon returning to Feixue Palace, he personally stayed by Chu Qingyin's bedside and fed her medicine.
Seeing her pale face, he said solemnly, "It was my oversight."
"Your Majesty, please do not blame yourself. This was just an accident."
Chu Qingyin shook her head weakly, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips: "I suppose Her Majesty the Empress didn't mean it..."
"Not necessarily."
Pei Yuanling's eyes darkened.
Lady Wang may appear dignified and virtuous, but among the women of the inner palace, whose hands are truly clean?
However, Lady Wang shouldn't be so foolish as to harm someone in her own palace.
After a few moments of reflection, Pei Yuanling reassured Chu Qingyin, "You don't need to attend to her anymore. Just stay here in the palace and rest."
"Yes……"
Chu Qingyin nodded and coughed at the right moment, "Cough cough."
Because of the tearing motion, traces of blood seeped from his forehead, which was heartbreaking to see.
That night, Pei Yuanling stayed by her bedside until she fell asleep before leaving.
***
After Pei Yuanling and Chu Qingyin left, the palace was instantly empty.
She could no longer contain her suppressed emotions and suddenly overturned the tea set on the table.
In an instant, the sound of porcelain shattering echoed in the hall.
The stench of blood that filled the palace had not yet dissipated when the maids inside immediately knelt down, pleading, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger!"
Empress Wang was breathing heavily, her anger evident in her voice. She gritted her teeth and said, "That Qiao Qingyin, she really has some tricks up her sleeve!"
"Your Majesty, please calm down. Don't let a stranger upset you and ruin your health!"
Lin Qing knelt at the front, feeling a chill run through his body. After a moment of thought, he spoke, "A few days ago, Consort Qin and Consort De were able to attend to the sick without incident. Why is it that this has happened to Consort Liang..."
Empress Wang, having just vented her anger, finally regained some composure and said coldly, "Her face looks so much like the late Consort. Knowing full well that I was having a nightmare, she still pretended to be innocent and came forward to pull the blanket!"
"If she hadn't done it on purpose, why would I have mistaken her for the person in my dreams!"
Unfortunately, she was so frightened that she grabbed a porcelain pillow and smashed it, which led to the current situation.
Lin Qing pondered for a moment, then said awkwardly, "This Consort Liang probably planned this all along, using her face, which is extremely similar to the late Consort, to provoke Her Majesty, so that Her Majesty would take action against her and make His Majesty despise Her Majesty."
It just so happens that her mistress has been having nightmares lately and is not paying attention, so she fell right into her trap.
"Lin Qing, do you have a way to break this deadlock?"
Empress Wang rubbed her weak temples, feeling utterly exhausted.
After tonight's commotion, she actually became much more sober.
Thinking back on the events of the past few days, I always felt that something was amiss, but she just hadn't caught me red-handed yet.
Even with His Majesty's favor, Chu Qingyin couldn't defeat her when she was alive.
Now that they're dead and have become ghosts, how can they possibly fight back?
"Your Majesty, since His Majesty has said he wants to invite that sorceress back to perform the ritual, why not turn the tables and see what kind of trouble the person behind it all is up to?" Lin Qing suggested cautiously.
Upon hearing this, a sharp glint flashed in Empress Wang's eyes.
After a moment of contemplation, she slowly nodded: "Alright, then so be it. Since that sorceress was able to say those things, she must have some skill. I'd like to see what else she can figure out."
"only……"
Lin Qing looked worried. "What if that sorceress has already been bribed and is deliberately pointing fingers at you in front of His Majesty?"
"If she really dares to do this, I will definitely not let her off."
Empress Wang sneered: "Go and investigate that sorceress's background in secret, and see if she is colluding with Consort Liang. If there is a problem, I will find a way to make her change her mind."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will take care of it immediately."
After receiving the order, Lin Qing hurriedly withdrew.
Empress Wang sat on the couch, her eyes cold, secretly plotting in her heart.
Tonight, Consort Liang's behavior was unusual, as if she knew he would make a move against her.
If my nightmares are truly related to her...
Thinking of this, Empress Wang felt a chill run down her spine.
Qiao Qingyin was the daughter of Qiao Gongquan of the Ministry of War. She had never met him before he entered the palace, let alone had any grudges against him. After he entered the palace, she never personally confronted him.
Why does she harbor such malice towards me?
Unless she is truly possessed by Chu Qingyin's soul...
But this is just too absurd!
When a person dies, they are dead. How can their soul possess another person?
It must be that person playing tricks to shake her mind.
***
The news of Chu Qingyin's injury at Fengyi Palace quickly spread throughout the harem.
Before long, the news also reached Lu Zhiheng's ears through the secret guards.
When he learned that Empress Wang had become suspicious and had ordered an investigation into the sorceress, a dark glint flashed in his eyes.
Ling Xiao knelt on the ground and recounted how Consort Liang was injured by the porcelain pillow.
Lu Zhiheng then put down his brush, stood up, and walked to the window.
Looking up at the bright moon hanging high in the tree, he murmured, "Is she really that impatient, insisting on making trouble for herself at this time?"
Now that Empress Wang has become suspicious, it will be even more difficult to get information out of her.
However, this didn't pose a problem for him; he simply needed to increase the dosage.
After a long silence, Lu Zhiheng spoke again: "Go and keep an eye on that sorceress. Don't let the Wang family find out even the slightest clue!"
"Yes, sir!"
Ling Xiao clasped his hands in a fist salute, accepted the order, and left.
The room returned to calm.
Lu Zhiheng looked out the window. The shadows of the tree branches blocked the moonlight, casting only a few dappled spots of light.
Although Chu Qingyin's injury was unexpected and disrupted some of his plans, it was not a wasted effort.
At least in Pei Yuanling's heart, his resentment towards the Wang family would be even deeper.
As for the rest...
Recalling that day in the palace, the light kiss that person left on his chin, the sweet fragrance of the woman seemed to still linger in his nostrils...