Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Jiang Mo had seen this man before; yesterday, when entering the palace, he led the escort, and today, on the return home visit, he was also present as a guard.

Prince Yu was the Commander-in-chief of the Flying Cavalry Camp, and this man must have followed Prince Yu through life-and-death battles for many years, a trusted and loyal confidant.

Having Qiao Yun ask questions was a routine inquiry after the incident.

Having He Ji interrogate, however, indicated suspicion about the matter.

The cook was an old hand who had weathered many storms, showing no panic. She stared at Jiang Mo and said, "Reporting to Prince Yu, it was all my fault. The kitchen was busy today, and I forgot to tell the new cook not to put cilantro in the young lady's fish soup."

These words were half true. The busy part was true, but forgetting was a lie. Since the maids serving the dishes were new, she had specifically instructed that the fish soup should first be ladled out for the young lady before adding cilantro. When the maids returned to the kitchen after serving, she casually asked, only to find that the serving maid didn't remember being told. Remembering how Wei Yalan had nearly died as a child from accidentally eating cilantro, she panicked and rushed in.

If only she had known, why would she have rushed in?

Looking at Jiang Mo, she laughed at her own foolishness, recalling how a month ago, the young lady was about to get married but was suddenly taken to a separate courtyard, claiming that the Duke had invited an old palace lady to teach her etiquette.

At the time, she didn't understand why palace etiquette couldn't be taught in the Duke's mansion. Why go to a separate courtyard? Now she understood.

And she understood even more that knowing this secret would likely cost her her life.

He Ji sternly demanded, "Speak! Did you truly forget, or did someone put you up to this?"

The stern face above the leveled sword rose, looking toward Duke Qingguo.

This unexpected incident caught him completely off guard. Wei Chun, with a dark face, said to the steward behind him, "Go, summon all the kitchen staff."

Clearly, Wei Chun was also forced into a corner. Weighing the pros and cons, he could only pretend to cooperate fully while secretly planning to kill the witnesses.

In the end, this was nothing more than an innocent mistake—the carelessness of a new maid in the kitchen, and the cook's concern for Wei Yalan, leading to this whole mess.

The cook steeled herself and said, "I lied! I didn't forget; I did it on purpose!"

The new maid in the kitchen who served the dish knew nothing and would tell the truth, and she would inevitably die. As for the old hands in the kitchen, they were all familiar with the young lady's voice. Unless this stand-in never spoke a word, after today, the entire kitchen staff would be silenced by Duke Qingguo. Among them were her close friends; how could she bear to let them die? Thankfully, she had no family; her death alone would suffice.

Determined to die, she shouted loudly, "Before the young lady married, she often scolded and beat me, and the madam also found fault with me. I have long harbored resentment, and today I finally found my chance!"

Suddenly, ignoring the sword at her shoulder, she rose and pointed at Jiang Mo, saying, "Madam Wei, you are vicious and heartless! I served you with trembling care, yet I was still ordered to be beaten. That left me with chronic pain, suffering day and night. Since I won’t live much longer anyway, I might as well take you with me!"

With these words, the cook threw herself onto the sword, committing suicide.

Liu Yingrong and Wei Chun were both stunned. They knew that the cook had been with their daughter since childhood and was very good to her, and their daughter adored her. There was no resentment at all. The beating she mentioned was once when she helped their daughter sneak out of the mansion to play, and Liu Yingrong ordered a whipping. But at their daughter's pleading, the beating was light and wouldn't cause any lasting injury.

Any intelligent person naturally understood why the cook did this.

With one servant dead, a crisis was averted. Wei Chun, hiding his panic, made a show of anger and sorrow, "Your Highness, she killed herself. Fortunately, Lan'er is unharmed. In my humble opinion, let's drop the matter."

Liu Yingrong helped Jiang Mo to her feet, "Your Highness, the red rashes on Lan'er's neck are spreading. I'll take her to apply some medicine."

Jiang Mo had not yet recovered from the shock of the cook's suicide. Having been coddled by her parents all her life, she had never even seen a chicken killed, let alone such a brutal scene.

Dazed, she rose and followed Liu Yingrong out. Glancing at the cook lying in a pool of blood, blood still oozing from her neck, eyes wide open, Jiang Mo felt a chill down her spine, her heart pounding. As she stared, it seemed as if that face had become her own. Her legs went weak, and she nearly collapsed behind Liu Yingrong, but Hui Qing caught her.

Liu Yingrong, however, was calm, obviously having seen many such scenes. She gripped Jiang Mo's wrist tightly and led her out of the main hall.

Just as they reached the door, they heard Prince Yu's voice from behind, "He Ji, you can leave now."

It seemed the matter was over. Her secret was safe, and her life was temporarily safe.

Pulled into the private chamber by Liu Yingrong, Jiang Mo immediately knelt before her, "Madam, it was my fault for not tasting the cilantro. Prince Yu suggested I stay in the Duke's mansion for a few days, and I failed to anticipate his meaning in time, causing you and the Duke to be unprepared for this."

Liu Yingrong sighed, "Enough, you can't be blamed for the cilantro." She turned to look at Jiang Mo, "Get up. I ask you, how does Prince Yu really treat you? Is he truly devoted to you, as he claims?"

Jiang Mo spoke honestly, "Prince Yu has no romantic feelings for me. His respect and kindness toward me are solely because I am the legitimate daughter of Duke Qingguo, and he has accepted me as his lawful wife in obedience to the imperial arrangement."

"And in private?"

"We have no private interactions." Jiang Mo recalled that their only conversation had been unpleasant, let alone anything else. "Even after intimacy, the prince never stays overnight."

This somewhat surprised Liu Yingrong. "Could it be that Prince Yu never had feelings for my Lan'er?"

Jiang Mo shook her head, "I don't know."

Liu Yingrong paced the room, then stopped to study Jiang Mo, seeming to mutter to herself or speak to Jiang Mo, "When the marriage was decreed, word from the palace was that Prince Yu was overjoyed. Although they had only met a few times at palace banquets without conversation, Lan'er's beauty alone should have been enough to captivate him at first sight. Could it be..."

Her gaze turned cold, fixing on Jiang Mo. "Is it that you are too quiet, too boring?"

Jiang Mo curtsied, "Madam is right. When facing Prince Yu, I am overly cautious, submissive in everything, afraid to say too much. I also fear that when Lady Wei returns, the prince might detect something, so I try to avoid being alone with him."

She looked at Liu Yingrong with clear, candid eyes, speaking sincerely, "If Madam thinks I am not doing well, please tell me what to do, and I will do my best."

Liu Yingrong sat down on the soft couch and sighed, "Your temperament is too different from Lan'er's. Forcing you to act lively, talkative, willful, and unrestrained would only seem more bizarre, and the more you talk, the more mistakes you make. Never mind. Your considerations are not wrong. It's just too bad for my Lan'er. When she returns to Prince Yu's mansion, she will have to imitate your temperament for a while before finding a chance to be herself again."

That chance would not be hard to find—hitting her head, drowning, or being frightened could all change a person's nature.

"Someone—"

Hearing the summons, Hui Qing entered.

"Fetch some raw yam peel."

The yam peel was quickly brought. Liu Yingrong had the maid apply the peel to Jiang Mo's neck and hands. Instantly, Jiang Mo felt the affected areas become red, itchy, and inflamed.

"Let's go. The prince and the duke are still waiting."

Liu Yingrong left the room first, and Jiang Mo followed, enduring the itch.

When they returned to the main hall, the place where the cook had died was cleaned, the room filled with the scent of storax incense, with no trace of blood. The dishes had also been replaced with new ones, as if nothing had happened.

Prince Yu and Duke Qingguo were conversing, their conversation sprinkled with terms like salt, iron, water transport, and the affairs of the Six Ministries.

Seeing the two approach, Wei Chun excused himself from Chen Yingchou and hurried over to Jiang Mo, asking solicitously, "Lan'er, are you feeling better?"

Jiang Mo understood at once that this was not concern for her, but a pretext to check the rashes on her neck.

Prince Yu could not see, but those around him were very observant.

"Much better, Father, don't worry."

Wei Chun took her hand and patted it, "Father knew that a little cilantro wouldn't harm you. It's all my fault." He pulled Jiang Mo to sit down, "Lan'er was frightened. Quick, this is freshly made crystal cake from the kitchen. Have a bite to calm your nerves."

Liu Yingrong realized that the Duke had not shown concern for Jiang Mo immediately after accidentally eating the cilantro. It seemed Prince Yu had mentioned it during their conversation, and she didn't know how the Duke had smoothed it over. But it must have passed, and now he was eager to make up for it.

Chen Yingchou turned his head toward them and said, "Since Lan'er is unwell, let her stay overnight at the Duke's mansion tonight. It will be convenient to see off the Duke and Madam tomorrow morning."

A moment of silence.

Wei Chun and Liu Yingrong exchanged glances. Liu Yingrong forced herself to say, "After Lan'er married, the heating in her room was removed. It will take time to warm up. Lan'er has a weak constitution and might catch a chill."

Wei Chun narrowed his eyes and thought of a good excuse. Pretending to hesitate, he said, "Your Highness, everyone in the capital knows how much I spoil Lan'er. I would love for Lan'er to stay a few more days, but... I have heard... on the wedding night, Your Highness and my daughter did not consummate the marriage, and it was only after the second night's audience with the emperor that he returned home and... If Lan'er stays tonight, I wonder how much gossip there will be tomorrow."

Chen Yingchou laughed, stood up, and said, "That was thoughtless of me. How about this: I will stay overnight with Lan'er."

…!

"With me there, Lan'er won't catch cold. Moreover, tomorrow I can accompany Lan'er to see the two elders off. Coincidentally, after that, I want to take Lan'er for a stroll on East Street."

…!!

Stay overnight, see the elders off, and stroll on East Street!

Forget staying overnight, forget the so-called prayer at Huangliang Temple, just the fact that he is on an official journey—wouldn't he have to notify his traveling companions that very night? Surely that would upset his colleagues. And wouldn't he have to prepare the relevant scrolls and luggage overnight? Even then, he might not be able to get everything ready.

Most importantly, East Street! Most of the shops on East Street belong to the Qingguo Estate. If some fool sees Prince Yu being generous and brings out something he shouldn't or does business he shouldn't, it wouldn't be as simple as the previous impeachment by colleagues.

He won't be able to sleep tonight.

Wei Chun's face alternated between green and white, and his whole body trembled with anxiety. Finally, he had to suppress his panic and force a smile. "Since Your Highness is willing to stay at my Duke's mansion on the day of the return visit, it will surely be a beautiful story." He looked helplessly at Liu Yingrong. "Madam, quickly prepare a room."

Author's note:

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