Chapter 96

Chapter 96 Concubine Lu had been pulled from the water, and after a night of high fever, the fever finally broke during the day. She was drinking her medicine under Cuiniao's care when she heard faint voices coming from outside the window. Concubine Lu's body stiffened. She turned her head and stared blankly at Cuiniao. "Who are they saying died?!" Cuiniao's hands, holding the medicine bowl, trembled. Concubine Lu threatened, "If you dare lie to me, don't blame me for casting aside our sisterly bond and sending you away!" Cuiniao lowered her head, her lips quivering. "It was Ju Zi." Concubine Lu's body froze in place. It took her a long moment to find her voice. She said in disbelief, "How could Ju Zi die?!" "They say she was bribed by Concubine Han, deliberately tampering with the kite string, and then tried to frame Concubine An." "They found out she'd taken Concubine Han's money to treat her parents' illness. She couldn't explain it, so she slammed her head against the wall." Concubine Lu slapped the bed, enraged. "She was foolish!" After burning with fever all night, she barely had the strength to shout. Her weak voice carried a note of grief and helplessness. "I told her I would find a way to bring her to my side!" "I could have paid for her parents' medical treatment!" "Why, why did she let herself be bewitched by Concubine Han and do such a thing?!" Cuiniao was equally baffled. "You warned her time and again, mistress. Who knows what came over her?" "Because of Ju Zi's involvement, Concubine An's side suspects we were the ones who did it." "Some people are even suspecting that Princess Ruyi's fall into the water had something to do with you—that you deliberately jumped in to save her and curry favor." Cuiniao gritted her teeth. "Those damned fools! Do they think everyone is like Concubine Han, with heaven-reaching schemes in the rear courtyard?" If their mistress truly had such means, why would she have ended up stealing charcoal to survive back then? Concubine Lu snatched the medicine bowl from Cuiniao's hands and drank it all in one gulp. She forced herself to get up. "Help me change my clothes. I need to go see Concubine An." "Something else must have happened during this time for Ju Zi to risk her life like that." She said with certainty, "There must be something we don't know about!" Cuiniao patted her. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" "It's still snowing heavily outside, and you just soaked in the pond yesterday. Do you not care about your health?" Concubine Lu said urgently, "Ju Zi is already dead. If I don't go soon, her body and belongings will be cleared away, and there won't be a trace left!" Ying'er also came in, and the two of them tried to persuade her together, but no matter what they said, they couldn't move Concubine Lu. Cuiniao sighed. "Stubborn as a mule!" "Fine, we'll have to go with you no matter what, or you'll never give up!" The two maidservants accompanied Concubine Lu to Concubine An's courtyard. Just as they arrived, they saw two old maidservants cleaning out Ju Zi's room. Without a second thought, Concubine Lu pushed past them and rushed inside. At a glance, Ju Zi's room was already completely empty. Concubine Lu demanded angrily, "Where is Ju Zi? Where are her things?!" One of the old maidservants said with a defiant air, "She's long dead! Her body was naturally sent to her mother!" "Her things need to be cleared out. We don't keep dead people's belongings in this courtyard—too unlucky!" "That little wretch who betrayed her master twice—we never should have kept her in the manor in the first place!" Concubine Lu could no longer contain herself. She raised her hand and slapped the old maidservant across the face. "You shut your mouth!" The old maidservant took the slap. Though she dared not strike back, she glared at Concubine Lu with wide eyes. "Concubine Lu certainly knows how to act high and mighty now that she's risen in status!" "You may be a mistress now, but you're not the mistress of this courtyard. If you want to scold servants, you don't have that right!" With that, she flicked her sleeves and turned to leave. Before she went, she spat at the snow. "Bad luck!" All the memories of her time in this courtyard surged to the surface, and Concubine Lu's eyes grew colder and darker. She said to the servant guiding her, "Take me to see your mistress." When they reached the main hall, it was Ping'an who received her. Ping'an calmly performed a bow. "Greetings, Mistress Lu." "My mistress was affected by the pregnancy yesterday. The household physician said she must rest in bed, so I'm afraid she cannot receive guests." "Originally, my mistress had planned to close the doors to visitors and focus on nurturing the pregnancy. But since Mistress Lu has come knocking despite your illness, we could hardly turn you away." "Now, if I may ask—what business does Mistress Lu have here?" Concubine Lu stared at her with dark, heavy eyes and cut straight to the point. "Why was Ju Zi bribed by Concubine Han?" "And what exactly did your precious mistress do?" Ping'an remained silent. Concubine Lu let out a cold laugh. "You won't speak? Are you waiting for me to fight my way in and make your mistress tell me herself?" The way she spoke and carried herself had a reckless, desperate air about her. Ping'an had known Concubine Lu for over a decade and feared she might truly lose her mind. Ping'an pressed her lips together. "Are you so certain this has something to do with my mistress?" "The whole manor is saying that you were the one bribed by Concubine Han, and that you incited Ju Zi to betray her master." "The same kind of thing—once it happens the first time, it can happen again." "Bullshit!" Concubine Lu couldn't hold back and cursed. "I already promised Ju Zi that I would pay for her mother's treatment. I told her to wait a little while, that I'd find an opportunity to transfer her to my side. I only asked her to stay there for now." "Who would choose to seek death when they're living a good life?" Concubine Lu approached and yanked Ping'an by the collar. "It must be that you and your mistress bullied Ju Zi and made her suffer, which is why she fell prey to Concubine Han's schemes!" Ping'an tried to push her away. "That's not true!" Concubine Lu laughed in anger. "Fine, you won't talk! Then I'll ask someone who will!" With that, she shot a look at Cuiniao. Cuiniao immediately stepped forward and pinned Ping'an down. Concubine Lu barged straight into the inner chamber with Ying'er. Two maidservants were already guarding Concubine An. Hearing the commotion, they called out, "Concubine Lu, what do you think you're doing?!" Concubine Lu was equally fierce in a fight. She shoved the two women aside and charged right up to Concubine An. Pointing at Concubine An's nose, she demanded, "I'm asking you—what exactly did you do to Ju Zi?!" Concubine An cradled her belly, looking utterly bewildered. "I... I didn't do anything!" "Ju Zi was perfectly fine—why would she be bought off by Concubine Han?! And why would she try to kill herself?!" Concubine An wept, her eyes blurred with tears. "I truly don't know." Concubine Lu shouted, "How could you not know? Or are you pretending not to know again, letting others bully her?!" Concubine An paused, as if recalling something. She stammered, "I only vaguely noticed her secretly wiping away tears once. Other than that, I truly know nothing."