On New Year's Eve, a palace concubine suffered a miscarriage.
By any measure, this was an extremely inauspicious event.
Especially since it involved two palace concubines.
The palace maid Chen Fei identified was a senior maid from Huayang Palace, named Hui Tao. While not exactly a confidante of Noble Consort Wei, she was certainly a useful one.
Hui Tao had already been apprehended by the Ministry of Punishments and subjected to severe torture. She insisted she had acted unintentionally and without any orders.
In other words, she admitted to pushing Chen Fei, but claimed it was accidental.
This statement was inherently contradictory. Why would she push Noble Consort Chen without reason?
She offered an explanation: she tripped and accidentally pushed Noble Consort Chen, not realizing the noble consort would fall.
In fact, other palace attendants were present at the time, and hundreds of officials were paying their respects below. Under the watchful eyes of many, quite a few people did see her stumble and inadvertently push Noble Consort Chen.
But how could it be so coincidental, so seamless?
One must understand that even if it were truly unintentional, her actions had caused Noble Consort Chen to miscarry, and her own life would be forfeit.
Those who had survived in the palace for so long were all cunning. No one believed her story, and no one believed there wasn't someone behind the scenes.
The Emperor did not believe it either.
Noble Consort Wei was deeply wronged. She swore to the heavens that she had nothing to do with it. She cried and she pleaded, but the Emperor's gaze remained cold. The Crown Prince tried to defend her, but it was utterly useless. To say more might even make the Emperor suspect him.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, as usual, there were palace visits to pay respects. Despite the incident in the palace, these ceremonies could not be altered.
The Emperor's face was grim, the Empress Dowager's was stern, and neither was pleased. The court officials and their wives dared not be happy, and there was no festive atmosphere of the New Year.
After receiving the banquet, Wang Qingyao went to Ruhuai Palace to see Chen Fei.
However, Chen Fei claimed to be unwell and refused to see her.
Wang Qingyao was once again perplexed.
Returning to complain to Xiao Yun, Xiao Yun said, "She just lost her child and is grieving. It's normal for her not to want to see anyone."
Noble Consort Chen had no maternal family. Otherwise, according to custom, her family could have visited her in the palace after her miscarriage.
Wang Qingyao felt a pang of sadness. She thought they usually got along well and wanted to offer comfort, only to find that the other party did not wish to see her!
On the third day of the Lunar New Year, an envoy from Dongling Kingdom arrived at the palace by express horse, reporting that Prince Yue and his entourage had been ambushed on the road, Prince Yue was missing, and his whereabouts were unknown. The message implied suspicion that the incident was caused by internal strife within the Great Sheng imperial family.
The Emperor was both furious and anxious. He did not dare let Chen Fei know and secretly summoned Xiao Yun and Fang Zheng into the palace, instructing them to send people to search.
First, Chen Fei's unborn child was lost, and then the Seventh Prince was attacked. Each incident, though lacking definitive proof, pointed towards Noble Consort Wei and the Crown Prince.
Hui Tao, imprisoned in the Ministry of Punishments, took advantage of a moment of inattention and dashed her head against the wall, killing herself.
It was said that before she died, she cried out, "Noble Consort, in my next life, I shall repay your great kindness!"
Noble Consort Wei was even more unable to clear her name.
In his rage, the Emperor revoked Noble Consort Wei's authority to manage the six palaces. As there was no concrete evidence to demote her without cause, he did not reduce her rank, but from then on, he treated her coldly.
Someone, it is unknown who, leaked the news to Grand Tutor Wei. The matter of Wei Yu's miscarriage and subsequent suicide was also not concealed. Grand Tutor Wei coughed up another mouthful of blood and fainted.
The imperial physicians who examined him stated that Grand Tutor Wei had only a breath left and that preparations for his funeral could be made.
Xiao Yun and Fang Zheng received the Emperor's oral decree and returned to their princely mansion. Instead of immediately sending people out, they closed their doors and quietly told Wang Qingyao, "Shun Feng seems to have poisoned me."
Wang Qingyao was startled and frantically searched Xiao Yun's body. "Where? Where was it administered?"
Xiao Yun, tickled by her searching, caught her fingers and said, "It was in the tea. But this is my deduction, as he transformed again today, the person in the painting you drew."
Xiao Yun knew Shun Feng intended to kill him.
The Emperor also knew that Xiao Yun knew Shun Feng intended to kill him.
However, Shun Feng did not know that Xiao Yun already knew.
Before summoning Xiao Yun to the palace, the Emperor had already sent Shun Feng away.
After the New Year, Xiao Yun was twenty-four years old, the longest-living member of the Xiao family since the prophecy of the curse.
Shun Feng, unsure how much longer his body could endure, took advantage of his transformation today to take a risk. He disguised himself as a eunuch serving tea and brought tea to Xiao Yun.
He had originally intended to create some sort of accident, but fearing complications, he only administered poison.
The Green Demon was indeed colorless and odorless. A drop in the tea left no visible trace.
Watching Xiao Yun drink the tea, his heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled back into his chest.
He had finally completed his mission. From now on, the Xiao family would have to fend for themselves.
Wang Qingyao, seeing that Xiao Yun was unharmed, blinked. "Are you supposed to die now?"
"The medicine's effect should be kicking in soon."
He rolled his eyes, tilted his head, and slowly walked to the bedside to lie down, feigning "death."
Wang Qingyao suppressed a smile. "I'll go to the palace now and cry to the Emperor."
Xiao Yun, with his eyes closed, instructed, "Act it out convincingly."
"I will, I will."