Chapter 221

Chapter 221 "The Sixth Young Master is allergic to lilies, which he inherited from Concubine Lian." "He was also a premature child, so someone must always be by his side to care for him carefully." Xie Run thought for a moment, then brought up: "Today the Princess Consort asked me about Concubine Wan's wish to raise the Sixth Young Master..." "Lady Wan's selfishness nearly cost my son his life—how could she be worthy of raising Little Six?!" When it came to Wan Linlang's matter, Prince Jing was clearly very displeased. Xie Run said softly: "I wouldn't dare imply such a thing. Please don't misunderstand, Your Highness." Prince Jing: "I know. The Princess Consort also brought this up today, and I refused." "Tomorrow I will personally go to the palace to request a wet nurse to look after Little Six exclusively." "As expected, Your Highness has more solutions than I. I never would have thought of that." Prince Jing suddenly said: "Regarding the poison incident at Spring Mountain Court last time, Jing Wu caught two people." Xie Run said decisively: "I will follow Your Highness's lead in everything. However you wish to handle it, so shall it be." Prince Jing: "I originally wanted to ask for your opinion. If you wished to plead for them, I wouldn't be opposed to showing mercy..." Xie Run affirmed: "I have no desire to play the saint." "Since they were involved in this matter, they are certainly not clean. They wanted both my life and Taotao's—how could I possibly plead for them?" "Am I afraid my life is too long, and I don't want to live anymore?" Prince Jing laughed: "I forgot—you've always been clear-headed." Xie Run smiled warmly, rose, and went to brew a cup of tea for Prince Jing. The maids cleared away the finished dishes. Ever since that night when Prince Jing whipped Prince An's horse with his riding crop in the middle of the night, the capital had been buzzing with rumors the next day, saying that Prince Jing and Prince An had fallen out. The specifics of the conflict were unknown; all that was known was that the brothers had clashed after leaving the palace. As news of Noble Consort Chen's death by poisoning and the Emperor's assassination attempt spread, speculation grew ever more rampant. Regarding Noble Consort Chen's death, both inside and outside the palace, it was said to be the Empress's doing. Prince An had been allied with Noble Consort Chen. Now that she was gone, he was eager to use this opportunity to topple the Empress and the Seventh Prince. Naturally, he had no interest in quelling these rumors. Because of the clash between Prince Jing and Prince An, gossip ran even wilder in the capital. It was said that the assassination attempt on the Emperor might have been orchestrated by either Prince Jing or Prince An, after all, these two princes were the youngest and most likely to inherit the throne. The night they left the palace, they had suspected each other, which led to the confrontation. Upon hearing the news, Prince An rushed into the palace that very night to clarify things with the Emperor, terrified that the Emperor might misunderstand him. After all, he had always maintained the image of a filial son before the Emperor. Prince Jing, on the other hand, paid no heed to the rumors whatsoever, focusing entirely on investigating the assassination. Though the Emperor was old and lustful, he was never muddle-headed when it came to power. After the incident at the palace banquet, one only needed to see how he unhesitatingly assigned Prince An to investigate Noble Consort Chen's poisoning and Prince Jing to investigate the assassination to know that the Emperor had a clear head. That was why Prince Jing was not the least bit flustered. Rather than playing the filial son before the Emperor, it was better to solve the case quickly and present it before him to demonstrate one's competence. The two chatted for a while and were about to retire to bed when suddenly Dantao delivered a message: "Your Highness, Mistress, Concubine Wan is outside requesting an audience with her maidservant." Prince Jing's brow furrowed involuntarily. "At this hour, why isn't she staying in her own courtyard? What is she doing coming to Spring Mountain Court?" Xie Run said nothing. Dantao said: "Concubine Wan says she has urgent matters to discuss with Your Highness, and only begs Your Highness to grant her an audience." Prince Jing lowered his gaze, his face expressionless. "Did she say what the urgent matter was?" Dantao: "I saw Concubine Wan holding a swaddling cloth—it seems to be about the Sixth Young Master." Prince Jing's aura grew increasingly heavy. He rose and said coldly, "Help me change." Xie Run started to get up, but he pressed her back down. "It's cold outside, and going back and forth is uncomfortable. Rest first—I'll be back shortly." Xie Run said softly: "The night is deep and the chill is heavy. Wear an extra layer, and please don't lose your temper easily." "I know." With those words, Prince Jing had already left the bedchamber. As soon as Prince Jing stepped out, he saw Wan Linlang kneeling on the ground, head bowed, clutching a swaddling cloth. One might have thought she had come carrying a child. Prince Jing sat down in a chair. "Coming to Spring Mountain Court in the dead of night—what important matter do you have to tell me?" Wan Linlang looked up, her clear eyes calm and rational. Without a word, she pulled a hairpin from her hair. Then she placed the swaddling cloth on the ground. Using the hairpin, she slit an opening in the cloth. The sound of silk tearing cut through the silence of the cold night. Wan Linlang slowly pulled out the cotton wadding bit by bit. Prince Jing's indifferent, casual gaze grew serious with her movements. Finally, Wan Linlang held up several withered lily petals in her hands, and with great restraint, said: "Your Highness, someone harmed Sister Lian and that wasn't enough—now they want the Sixth Young Master's life as well!" Prince Jing asked expressionlessly: "Speak in detail." Wan Linlang took a deep breath. "This swaddling cloth was sent from the embroidery workshop for the Sixth Young Master's use." "Today the Sixth Young Master suddenly had trouble breathing. The imperial physician was called and said it was an allergic reaction to the scent of lilies." "I originally thought that the lily pollen in Cloud Jade Pavilion had affected the Sixth Young Master." "But after hearing about how Concubine Lian was harmed, I thought of the swaddling clothes and socks sent over from the embroidery workshop." Wan Linlang took a deep breath, her face full of lingering fear as she said, "I deliberately called over a maidservant with a keen sense of smell, and she detected the scent of lilies in this swaddling cloth." Wan Linlang spoke with tears in her eyes, "Heaven have mercy." "Fortunately, Concubine Lian trusted me, and used the swaddling clothes I personally embroidered for the Sixth Young Master, and had not yet used the items sent from the embroidery workshop." "Otherwise, today we truly might not have waited for the imperial physician to arrive!" The Prince Jing's expression gradually darkened. Eunuch Shian stepped forward to examine it, then said, "Your Highness, this servant has inspected it. The dried lily petals in this swaddling cloth are the same as those found in Concubine Lian's quilt and pillow. They must have been placed there by the same hand." Wan Linlang said softly, "The one who secretly plotted this may not have known that the Sixth Young Master is allergic to lilies. They only intended to harm Concubine Lian, never expecting that the Sixth Young Master would inherit his mother's constitution." The lily petals in the swaddling cloth must have been placed there long in advance. Even if Concubine Lian had survived the ordeal of childbirth, holding a swaddling cloth concealing lily petals day after day would inevitably have caused her great discomfort. Upon hearing this, the Prince understood the matter clearly. "I am aware of this matter now." The Prince looked at Wan Linlang. "Is there anything else you wish to say?" Wan Linlang had come in the middle of the night—surely not just to report this matter. The Prince knew this well. Wan Linlang made no attempt to conceal her purpose either. She knelt upright and proper, her tearful eyes full of supplication. "I beg Your Highness to allow me to raise the Sixth Young Master." Upon hearing these words, a hint of mockery appeared in the Prince's narrow, dark eyes. Wan Linlang said softly, "Today, Consort Hua came to pay her respects to Concubine Lian, and mocked me to my face, saying that since I cannot bear a child of my own, I should not cling to the Sixth Young Master." "After all, I am not the Sixth Young Master's birth mother. Raising him would lack proper standing, and would only bring undue burden upon the Sixth Young Master..." Hearing that Hua Yu had meddled in this matter again, the Prince could not help but furrow his brow. Why must she stick her nose into everything?