Chapter 93

Chapter 93 Xie Run asked curiously, "So what did you find out?" Chunjuan nodded and said, "Mistress, it's Cailan." "Cailan?!" Xie Run's delicate brows moved slightly, but she wasn't particularly surprised. Cailan was a second-class maid in the Spring Mountain Courtyard. After moving to the Spring Mountain Courtyard, Xie Run had gained several second-class maids. Since Xie Run's close attendants all had names related to colors—except for Yueya'er, who had been promoted beyond the usual standards—the other three were named after colors: Cailan, Fangcheng, and Qingya. However, these three had been assigned by the household, and Xie Run only gave them tasks within the courtyard, not allowing them to serve her personally. When Chunjuan brought up Cailan now, Xie Run recalled, "I remember that the area around the low hill has always been Cailan's responsibility." "If someone wanted to tamper with things, she would indeed be the most convenient." Chunjuan snorted lightly, "That's exactly what she's relying on to dare harm you, Mistress." "Cailan has a bit of cleverness about her, and she managed to confuse me, which is why I didn't discover her betrayal right away." "Last time she failed to harm you, Mistress, she probably already formed other plans," Chunjuan analyzed carefully. "The person behind this set a trap on one side while taking away a few stones, keeping them for today's frame-up." Xie Run thought more deeply. "Did you find out who is behind Cailan?" Chunjuan's words were startling. "Cailan used to serve by Concubine Ning's side." Xie Run said, "Could it be Concubine Han again?" "Isn't her reach stretching a bit too far?" When Concubine Ning had been Side Consort, she had four senior maids and eight second-class maids, not counting the junior maids and matrons she had promoted beyond regulations. Once she fell, those maids and matrons were scattered to various courtyards. Nowadays, there were very few old servants in the courtyards who had served alongside Concubine Ning, so naturally no one paid much attention to these people's origins. This gave Concubine Han a convenient opportunity to exploit. Chunjuan said with a grave expression, "When these incidents happened at the Autumn Maple Courtyard this time, I initially thought Cailan was Concubine Han's person." "But to be thorough, I carefully investigated Cailan's time serving by Concubine Ning's side." A hint of curiosity appeared in Xie Run's eyes. "There's something else?" Chunjuan nodded repeatedly and lowered her voice considerably. "When Cailan was by Concubine Ning's side, she wasn't conspicuous at all—she couldn't even earn the position of second-class maid." "I was curious at the time—how could she be so loyal to Concubine Ning, still working for Concubine Han even after Concubine Ning died?" "It wasn't until I found the people who had served alongside her back then!" Xie Run listened attentively. Chunjuan continued, "It turns out Cailan didn't have much loyalty to Concubine Ning at all—rather, there was an old grudge between them." Chunjuan recalled as she spoke, "Concubine Ning was notoriously harsh in mistreating her servants." "When the Eldest Young Master was young and learning to walk, he once fell and cried bitterly. Concubine Ning punished all the servants responsible for that area of the courtyard." "Cailan was on duty in the courtyard and was unfairly docked three months' wages and given a beating." Xie Run began to understand. "It seems someone showed her kindness and won Cailan's loyalty." Xie Run said with a faint smile, "Let me guess—it's Consort Yun, isn't it?" Chunjuan's eyes widened in astonishment. "As expected, you're clever, Mistress." Xie Run suddenly choked, and the phrase "boiled scallion stew" popped unbidden into her mind. She suppressed her amusement and said, "Don't praise me like that anymore. I can't take it." Chunjuan looked somewhat bewildered. Xie Run took a sip of tea to suppress the laughter in her heart before saying, "Actually, this isn't hard to guess." "The only old servants in the household who were around at the same time as Concubine Ning are Consort Yun and Concubine An. Concubine An has always been timid—the more trouble there is, the less she dares to show her face." That left only Consort Yun. She was someone with schemes and calculations—how could she let a good opportunity go to waste? Chunjuan said, "What you said is correct, Mistress. I found out that Cailan once received a favor from Consort Yun, and even her placement in the Spring Mountain Courtyard was arranged by Consort Yun working behind the scenes." "This time, it could be Consort Yun using Concubine Han's name to harm you, or the two of them conspiring together." Xie Run thought back to the end of the banquet, when Consort Yun had deliberately urged everyone to stay and watch the kite display that Prince Jing had prepared for the Commandery Princess. At the time, she had felt Consort Yun was overly eager, as if she knew something exciting was about to happen and didn't want a single person to miss it. She made a bold guess. "It's probably a joint conspiracy." Dantao also whispered, "Consort Yun is always cautious in her actions. This time, if they conspired, she likely played a supporting role—passing information to Concubine Han and such." "Now that Concubine Han has fallen, she'll probably push all the blame onto Concubine Han and keep herself completely clean." Xie Run lowered her gaze, studying the exquisite patterns on the teacup, and sighed. "They're all clever people." "But can anyone really pretend forever?" Not everyone else was a fool. Xie Run thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "I think I'll just continue being a fool." Clearly, her superior, Prince Jing, was no fool. Naturally, he wouldn't accept being deceived by others. Dantao and Chunjuan were both puzzled. Xie Run, however, was still in good enough spirits to comfort the two of them. "Don't worry, the Prince will surely clear my name." Dantao and Chunjuan, seeing that she remained composed, set aside their worries. Prince Jing's investigation moved quickly, and naturally, it led to Cailan. By mid-afternoon, around three quarters past three, the results were already out. In the end, Concubine Li's fall was pinned entirely on Concubine Han, who bore all the responsibility alone. Cailan was taken away, and no word of her was heard again—at least Xie Run was not implicated. Xie Run mused that given how fast Prince Jing's investigation had proceeded, it was impossible that he hadn't discovered Cailan's past service in Concubine Ning's household. Since he could find that out, how could he not harbor even a shred of suspicion toward Consort Yun? To heap all the blame onto Concubine Han and close the case so swiftly—was that not Prince Jing shielding Consort Yun? Yet this very protection tacitly confirmed the guilt onto Consort Yun, leaving her no chance even to defend herself. As for the matter of the cut kite string, the trail led from Ju Zi back to Concubine Han as well. It turned out that ever since the earlier incident with the stolen charcoal had blown up, Concubine Han, learning that Ju Zi's mother was on the verge of death from illness, had quietly bribed Ju Zi with money. She used that money to buy Ju Zi's loyalty, and had Ju Zi insist to the death that Concubine An had ordered her to do it. Unfortunately, Ju Zi's mother suddenly coming into a sum of money for treatment was something no one could hide. One inquiry led straight back to Concubine Han. Concubine An, at least, was cleared of suspicion. But the woman had such a timid nature—frightened once in the morning and again in the afternoon—that she ended up disturbing her pregnancy and had to summon the imperial physician again. The household staff rather looked down on Concubine An for this. That evening, Prince Jing came to Chunshan Court. Xie Run had already removed her jewelry and was about to have a simple meal before turning in for the night. Hearing that Prince Jing had arrived, she was momentarily quite surprised. Prince Jing stood tall and graceful, his bearing exceedingly steady, his dark, heavy brows and eyes carrying a hint of cold detachment. Even the maids waiting at the door were somewhat afraid of him. Seeing Xie Run in her casual house clothes, hair loose, her peach-blossom eyes slightly wide with a hint of surprise— "Why has the Prince come?" Prince Jing's cold, sharp aura softened considerably. "Did I startle you?" Xie Run sensed that Prince Jing was not in a good mood. If she had asked why he'd come, Prince Jing would normally have tossed some teasing question back at her, but this time his words were tender as water while his demeanor remained hard and cold. Xie Run still spoke in her gentle, soft tone. "Startled, no—just a little surprised."