Chapter 42

Chapter 42 As soon as the doors of Linxuan Pavilion closed, Yueya'er knelt before Xie Run and confessed on her own initiative: "Mistress, actually, the bucket without a mark was mine." After speaking, she cautiously raised her head to steal a glance at Xie Run. She was afraid that if her mistress grew angry upon hearing this, she would be sent to the Princess Consort for punishment. Not only was Xie Run not angry, she actually smiled. "You responded with great wit today, which is why the Princess Consort and I protected you." "As for Granny Ma's poisoning, I suspect there are many hidden details, and I imagine you still have more to say." Having gained her mistress's trust, Yueya'er's eyes instantly reddened, feeling that her sincere devotion had not been betrayed. She immediately said: "When the buckets were first distributed, I deliberately pretended to be happy and announced I would carve a mark on the bottom, but I didn't actually do it then." "Mistress, you had me keep watch on Granny Ma. By chance, I discovered she was secretly eating croton powder, which is why I followed her to the latrine five times that night." Xie Run lowered her gaze. "The fifth time—did you really see a figure?" Yueya'er answered honestly: "Actually, I didn't see clearly." "That shadow only moved once. It could have been a tree shadow or a stray cat's shadow. I was afraid I had misseen it, so I didn't dare tell you, mistress. I only secretly kept watch on Granny Ma, waiting for her to slip up again." Yueya'er's face crumpled with distress. "Who would have thought I'd still be careless. Granny Ma was secretly poisoning you, mistress, and I didn't notice a thing!" If only she had seen the figure clearly, she could have helped her mistress avoid this disaster. "When did you carve the mark on the bottom of Granny Ma's bucket?" "Half a month ago. For three consecutive days, she reminded me to bring my own bucket for watering. I thought it was suspicious, so while she was away, I carved a mark on her bucket and covered it with mud." Yueya'er was indeed quite perceptive. When Granny Ma had cheerfully teased about the marked bucket for three days straight, Yueya'er grew wary. That very day, she marked Granny Ma's bucket. "When Nanny Li brought people to search out the poison from my trunk, I immediately thought of that bucket and already guessed how she would frame me." Since Granny Ma intended to frame Yueya'er, she wouldn't just plant poison powder in Yueya'er's trunk. A bucket bearing Yueya'er's mark was the perfect tool for framing. If Yueya'er's bucket were found to contain poison, combined with the poison powder discovered in her belongings, Yueya'er would be stuck with the blame for certain. When Granny Ma heard Yueya'er mention the bucket, that confidence of hers came from exactly this. Dantao and Xiaoshu both felt a wave of lingering fear upon hearing this. "Thank goodness you're such a sharp girl, or we would have been framed today." Yueya'er was also full of anxiety. "I was scared to death today too." After Xie Run understood the full sequence of events, her voice softened. "You are not at fault this time—in fact, you have rendered meritorious service. I intend to promote you to second-class maid. Are you willing?" Yueya'er hesitated for a moment. "Mistress, might I beg a favor?" "Speak." Xie Run's brows carried a gentle smile, very warm. Yueya'er gathered her courage and said: "I have a younger sister who works as a menial servant in the flower house. If I don't take the position of second-class maid, would you allow her to come to Linxuan Pavilion as a menial maid instead?" Having asked this, Yueya'er was extremely nervous, afraid her mistress would think her too bold. "That's simple." Xie Run said softly: "You have rendered meritorious service, so you should be promoted all the same. Tomorrow I'll have Dantao ask the Princess Consort for the person." "Dantao, also reward Yueya'er ten taels of silver." The sudden generous reward left Yueya'er dizzy. "Mistress, I can't accept—" "Since I'm rewarding you, you deserve it." Dantao smiled and went to help Yueya'er up, coaxing her: "You've rendered meritorious service. When the mistress rewards you generously, it also shows others how they should conduct themselves in the future." Xie Run nodded. "Exactly so." Merit should be rewarded, and faults should be punished. Only this way could those who followed Xie Run see the benefits and be willing to help her. After comforting Yueya'er, Dantao asked: "Mistress, have you thought about who might be trying to harm you this time?" Xie Run glanced at her. "Who do you think it could be?" Dantao's expression turned serious. "You have always been kind to others, mistress, but now that you've become a Concubine Consort and are carrying the Imperial Heir in your womb—Consort Fang, Concubine Li, Concubine Han... any of them could be responsible." Xie Run currently posed the greatest threat to Fang Yuan'er, so Fang Yuan'er was the prime suspect. Next were Concubine Li and Concubine Han. A single word from Prince Jing had put the two of them in opposition, fighting over the position of Concubine Consort. But thinking about it from another angle— If they could pull down one more Concubine Consort, both of them could be promoted. Wouldn't that be even better? Xie Run shook her head and said with amusement: "Why did you skip straight past Consort Yun?" She added: "Concubine Li and Concubine Han haven't been in the residence long. Their foundations are unstable, and they don't have the ability to reach this far." For someone to act with such secrecy yet such cruelty, it must be an old hand in the residence. Dantao pondered for a moment, as if deep in thought. "Consort Yun... that seems unlikely, doesn't it?" Xiaoshu also nodded in agreement. "Consort Yun has already secured her position as Concubine Consort, and she only has one Commandery Princess. What benefit would she gain from harming you, mistress?" Whether Xie Run gives birth to a son or a daughter, it would not affect Consort Yun's status or interests. Xie Run nodded along as well. "That's true." Dantao frowned. "There's also Concubine An who's pregnant. Maybe she wants to become a Concubine Consort too?" Xiaoshu said, "Concubine An is known to be an honest and simple person. If she had any real cunning, she wouldn't have ended up in the state she's in today." The group discussed for a long while but came to no conclusion. Within the Green Pine Courtyard, there was dead silence, and the atmosphere was especially grave. Nanny Li frowned deeply, leaning close to the Princess Consort. "Princess Consort, thankfully we didn't continue the interrogation at the Forest Pavilion." The Princess Consort maintained her elegant posture as she lifted a cup of tea and took a sip. Her voice was slightly cool, like fine jade, landing on one's heart with a trace of chill. "What did you find out?" Nanny Li held back for a moment before speaking. "That damned Granny Ma actually said that both her croton beans and poison came from Manager Chen of the flower house." The Princess Consort's narrow, elongated eyes sharpened, and she cast a cold, sidelong glare at Nanny Li. Nanny Li felt a chill pierce through her entire body and immediately knelt at the Princess Consort's feet. "Spare me, Princess Consort. This servant never expected the trail to lead to Manager Chen..." Manager Chen of the flower house was none other than Nanny Li's distant relative. When Xie Run first entered the prince's household, it was this Manager Chen who took the silver but didn't do the job, even mocking her with cold sarcasm. Because Nanny Li had followed the Princess Consort from the Xia Dynasty, and had finally encountered a distant relative in the Great Yu Dynasty, she felt especially close to him and had promoted him all the way to manager of the flower house. Precisely because of this, once Manager Chen was implicated, the Princess Consort could never clear her name. Nanny Li said in lingering fear, "Thankfully we didn't interrogate at the Forest Pavilion at the time." If word got out, the Princess Consort's authority would be utterly destroyed, and Prince Jing would not let it go lightly either. The Princess Consort set down her tea. "So it's dragged me into it again?" Porcelain struck the wooden table, producing a crisp sound, each clink seeming to strike against one's heart.