Chapter 96

Chapter 96

Concubine Lu was pulled out of the water and ran a high fever all night, only for the fever to break during the day.

While drinking her medicine, attended by Cuiniao, she heard voices faintly through the window.

Concubine Lu froze, staring blankly at Cuiniao. "Who are they saying died?"

Cuiniao's hand, holding the medicine bowl, trembled.

Concubine Lu threatened, "If you dare lie to me, don't blame me for ignoring our bond as sisters and sending you away!"

Cuiniao lowered her head, her lips trembling. "It's Juzi."

Concubine Lu froze in place, and it took her a moment to find her voice.

She asked in disbelief, "How could Juzi die?"

"They say Concubine Han bribed her, deliberately sabotaged the kite string, and planned to frame Concubine An."

"They discovered she took money from Concubine Han to pay for her parents' medical treatment. Unable to explain, she slammed her head against a wall."

Concubine Lu slapped the bed in fury. "She was so foolish!"

After burning with fever all night, she barely had strength to raise her voice.

Her weak voice held a tone of sorrow and helplessness.

"I told her I'd find a way to get her assigned to me!"

"I could also afford the money for her parents' medical treatment!"

"Why did she have to be tempted by Concubine Han to do such a thing?"

Cuiniao was equally baffled. "You warned her several times, ma'am. I don't know what got into her?"

"Since Juzi was involved, Concubine An's people suspect we orchestrated it."

"Some also suspect that Princess Ruyi's fall into the water was connected to you, and that you deliberately jumped in to save her just to win favor."

Cuiniao gritted her teeth. "Damn fools! Do they think everyone's like Concubine Han, with connections in the inner court?"

If their mistress truly had such means, would she have resorted to stealing charcoal to survive?

Concubine Lu grabbed the medicine bowl from Cuiniao and drank it in one gulp.

She forced herself to stand. "Help me change. I want to see Concubine An."

"Something else must have happened during this time for Juzi to risk her life."

She insisted, "There has to be something we don't know!"

Cuiniao patted her arm. "Are you crazy?"

"It's still snowing hard outside. You just fell into the pond last night. Do you want to ruin your health?"

Concubine Lu urged, "Juzi is already dead. If I don't go now, her body and things will be cleared out, and there'll be no trace left!"

Ying'er also came in, and the two tried to dissuade her, but Concubine Lu wouldn't budge.

Cuiniao sighed. "Stubborn as a mule!"

"Fine, we'll go with you even if it kills us, just so you'll be satisfied!"

The two serving maids accompanied Concubine Lu to Concubine An's courtyard.

Just then, they saw two old serving women cleaning Juzi's room.

Concubine Lu, not caring about anything else, pushed them aside and rushed in.

With one look, Juzi's room was already empty.

Concubine Lu shouted furiously, "Where is Juzi? Where are her things?"

One of the old serving women said defiantly, "She's dead already! Her body was sent to her mother, of course!"

"Her things need to be cleared out. We don't keep dead people's stuff here—bad luck!"

"Twice a treacherous little bitch! She should never have been kept in the house!"

Unable to bear it any longer, Concubine Lu slapped the old woman.

"Shut your mouth!"

The old woman, though not daring to hit back, glared at Concubine Lu. "Concubine Lu sure has gotten cocky now that she's moved up!"

"You may be a mistress now, but you're not the mistress of this courtyard. You have no right to scold a servant!"

With that, she shook out her sleeves and turned to leave.

Before leaving, she spat in the snow. "Bad luck!"

All the memories of living in this courtyard came flooding back, and Concubine Lu's eyes turned cold.

She said to the servant who led her, "Take me to see your mistress."

When she reached the main room, she was received by Ping'an.

Ping'an calmly bowed to her. "Greetings, Lady Lu."

"My mistress was agitated yesterday and is ordered by the physician to rest in bed. I'm afraid she cannot receive guests."

"Originally, my mistress planned to close her doors and rest peacefully, but since Lady Lu has come despite being ill, we couldn't refuse entry."

"Now, may I ask what business Lady Lu has here?"

Concubine Lu stared at her with dark, heavy eyes and said bluntly, "Why was Juzi bribed by Concubine Han?"

"What did your good mistress do?"

Ping'an remained silent.

Concubine Lu sneered, "You won't speak? Are you waiting for me to barge in and make your mistress say it herself?"

Her tone and posture carried an air of recklessness.

Having known Concubine Lu for over a decade, Ping'an also feared she might lose control.

Ping'an pressed her lips together. "Are you so sure it has something to do with my mistress?"

"The whole household is saying that you were bribed by Concubine Han and that you incited Juzi to betray her mistress."

"The same thing happens once, it'll happen again."

"Bullshit!" Concubine Lu couldn't help but curse.

"I already promised Juzi I'd pay for her mother's medical treatment. I planned to bring her to work for me as soon as I found an opportunity, but for now I just let her stay here a while longer."

"Who would give up a good life and seek death for no reason?"

Concubine Lu stepped closer, grabbing Ping'an by the collar. "It must be that you and your mistress bullied Juzi and made her suffer, so she fell into Concubine Han's trap!"

Ping'an tried to push her away. "That's not true!"

Concubine Lu laughed in anger. "Fine, if you won't talk, then I'll find someone who will!"

With that, she gave a meaningful glance to Cuiniao.

Cuiniao immediately stepped forward and pinned Ping'an down.

Concubine Lu barged straight into the inner chamber with Ying'er.

Two maids were already guarding Concubine An, and upon hearing the commotion, they shouted, "Concubine Lu, what do you think you're doing?!"

Concubine Lu charged fiercely; she forcibly pushed the two maids aside and rushed up to Concubine An.

Pointing at Concubine An's face, Concubine Lu demanded, "I'm asking you, what exactly did you do to Juzi?!"

Concubine An, cradling her belly, looked bewildered. "I, I did nothing at all!"

"Juzi was fine. Why would she let herself be bribed by Concubine Han? And why would she try to kill herself?!"

Concubine An, with tears blurring her eyes, said, "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, and said shakily, "I only vaguely saw her once, quietly wiping away tears. As for the rest, I truly don't know."