Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Inside the Embellishment Pavilion, Princess Fuhui dismissed the unrelated female attendants to other rooms, leaving only the three musicians connected to the case. Jiang Ruonan held the princess’s arm and did not leave, her eyes burning as she stared at Lin Qing.

Jing Yue nodded at the words of Chu Zhiyi and said, “At that moment, Miss Yinyue suddenly ran over to say that the adults in the front courtyard were all poisoned. Everyone was terrified. I’m timid and almost rushed out from behind the silk curtain, but it was Xiangxue’s reminder that stopped me from disturbing the noble guests.”

Liu Ye furrowed his brows tightly. “You mean Yinyue came over to tell you that something had happened in the front courtyard? What time did she arrive?”

Chu Zhiyi replied, “Around the end of the si hour, I think.”

Lin Qing exchanged a glance with Liu Ye. Although it was spring and the plants were budding green, there was still a chill in the air. The banquet was arranged around noon, and most guests arrived between the chen and si hours. The poisoning occurred roughly around the end of the si hour, meaning Yinyue came to report the incident immediately after it happened, even faster than the servants of the households.

Moreover, Xiangxue had previously said she had never seen Yinyue before.

Kneeling on the ground, Liu Xiangxue lowered her gaze, hiding a flicker of panic. “I was so frightened at the time that I didn’t notice the messenger was Miss Yinyue. I misspoke—please forgive me, my lord.”

Lin Qing glanced again at the pale pink silk curtain, faintly scented with flowers. Looking through it, only vague shadows could be seen.

She asked, “When did you come out from behind the curtain?”

Chu Zhiyi answered, “I don’t remember exactly. After Yinyue reported the news, the noble guests inside the pavilion hurried to the front courtyard. I was terrified and followed behind them. But halfway there, all of us were intercepted by the Tianlu Guards. Princess Fuhui comforted all the ladies and girls, then asked the three of us to play some calming music. However, Xiangxue’s strings broke, and when she was changing them, she injured her hand, so we had to stop.”

Hearing this, Lin Qing lowered her eyes to the seven-string zither on the table. One string was indeed broken. She picked up the broken string and ran her fingertip over the neat cut, thoughtful. “First your clothes were soaked, now your hand wounded by the string. Miss Liu, you seem to be cursed with bad luck today.”

Liu Xiangxue lowered her brows obediently. “My status is lowly. To have the honor of entering the prince’s mansion to play the zither and entertain the noble guests is my blessing. Under such pressure, mistakes are inevitable.”

Lin Qing smiled softly, gently plucking the strings. Though out of tune, the sound was still clear—this was a fine instrument. “Your injury?”

Liu Xiangxue extended both hands.

The hands of a zither player were indeed beautiful—fair skin, slender long fingers, nails painted bright red with flecks of gold.

Two long blood streaks ran across the left hand’s pinky and ring finger.

Lin Qing looked at these hands, as if carved by the heavens, with regret. “Such a pity for these hands.”

Liu Xiangxue said, “It was just a carelessness while changing strings. Qing’er will apply ointment later, and after a few days of rest, it will heal.”

“Qing’er?” Lin Qing’s gaze shifted to the maid standing beside Liu Xiangxue.

Compared to Liu Xiangxue, the maid was strikingly ordinary—thin, dark, silent, easy to overlook.

Lin Qing’s eyes dropped to Qing’er’s right hand, where a faint scar lay between her thumb and forefinger. It was shallow, only a minor wound with no blood.

“How did you get this injury?”

Qing’er lowered her head, her voice low and hoarse. “I hurt it accidentally while working.”

Liu Xiangxue added, “Qing’er injured her throat in childhood.”

Lin Qing’s eyes swept over Qing’er’s neck but said nothing.

Liu Ye and Lin Qing stepped aside. Liu Ye pondered, “It seems Liu Xiangxue had no time to commit the crime. Could Ge Yi have lied?”

Lin Qing said nothing, but another voice cut in.

“Yi’er wouldn’t lie. Miss Xiangxue was only allowed into the mansion with my consent, and Yinyue is my personal maid. Perhaps Lord Lin and Lord Liu can’t find the real culprit and are looking for someone to blame.”

At these words, Li Chenxuan appeared, his face dark as he was pushed in a wheelchair, followed closely by Lin Junrou.

Lin Qing could only marvel at the female lead’s stupidity and recklessness—like a patch of leeks, cut again and again, yet somehow always rescued and never dead.

If she had such ability, Lin Qing would have crushed Prince Rui long ago, helped her good master become a wise ruler, and risen in rank, wealth, and happiness, rather than struggling repeatedly on the brink of life and death.

Liu Ye refused to submit. “Your Highness, this seems biased. To determine a homicide, motive and evidence must both be present. As officials of the Court of Justice, we only seek ‘justice.’”

“Oh?” Li Chenxuan was surprised that a mere official from the Court dared contradict him, his face darkening further. “Lord Liu, do you mean I’m deliberately making things difficult and protecting the real murderer?”

Liu Ye straightened his back, unyielding. “I mean no such thing, Your Highness.”

Li Chenxuan stared intently at Liu Ye, as if imprinting his face on his memory.

Lin Qing sighed lightly and pulled Liu Ye back. “Your Highness is mistaken. As the saying goes, you can know a person’s face but not their heart. The culprit would never announce ‘I am the murderer’ openly. Furthermore, Lord Liu and I are here under His Majesty’s orders to find the culprit. Your Highness’s words imply dissatisfaction with the Emperor’s decree.”

Li Chenxuan’s eyes darkened as he glared at Lin Qing. “Lord Lin, as sharp-tongued as ever.”

Lin Qing didn’t respond. “I dare not. His Majesty is a wise ruler and a blessing to our dynasty. To serve him is also my honor.”

With this, Lin Qing deftly shifted the conversation, and Li Chenxuan could no longer cling to his previous point. Grudgingly, he changed the subject with a cold snort. “Enough of this. What of other matters?”

Lin Qing was unafraid. “That depends on what Your Highness wishes to discuss.”

Li Chenxuan said, “Miss Lin, you are graceful and talented. Why trouble yourself clinging to mere rumors?”

“Your Highness’s words I cannot agree with,” Lin Qing replied calmly. “From the start, I was only carrying out the order to investigate the Wang family. Lady Wang herself admitted Lin Junrou’s background—it’s well-founded and documented.”

She fixed Lin Junrou with a mocking gaze. “I submitted the case to the Court of Justice for examination—it was reasonable and proper. I have not meddled beyond that. I am curious why such a heavy accusation bypassed the Wang family and was pinned on me. Perhaps Your Highness can say who is truly clinging to whom.”

Tears streamed down Lin Junrou’s face, evoking pity. “Your Highness merely spoke a few words of fairness for me. Lord Lin, why be so aggressive? If you can’t stand me, then confront me directly—but why insult my parents and family? My mother gave birth to and raised me with great hardship. If I drag her down because of this, I’d rather die!”

Lin Qing almost laughed out of anger. The Wang family patriarch and his wife were already dead. Lin Junrou needed a scapegoat to restore her reputation, and if Lin Qing refused to be that villain, she was the biggest villain?

What, must the whole world revolve around her, with men fawning at her feet for the world to be beautiful?

Dream on.

Jiang Ruonan, who had been with Princess Fuhui behind the silk curtain, had had enough. She suddenly rushed out, “Lin Junrou, Lord Lin speaks reason. If you have any shame left, don’t shamelessly linger here!”

Lin Junrou, tearful and pitiful, said, “I’m only speaking up for myself. Sister Jiang, why do you slander me so?”

Jiang Ruonan was furious and stamped her feet. “Tch, who’s your sister? Looking at your face makes me feel unlucky. Only the blind couple, the Marquis of Yongning, abandoned their own daughter and instead treasure you, a false legitimate daughter.”

Lin Junrou swayed weakly, as if about to faint. “If I admit guilt, everything can be settled... I... I’ll admit it!” She staggered toward a nearby pillar.

Li Chenxuan was beside her and quickly grabbed her wrist, feeling her delicate and slender hand. Knowing how much his Junrou had suffered recently and seeing how much weight she had lost, his heart ached, and anger surged.

Perhaps due to the poisoning, his emotional control was weaker than usual, and he blurted out, “Junrou, just stand here. If anyone dares to bully you, they bully me. If anyone dares to threaten your life, I will take theirs!”

At these words, all eyes turned to Li Chenxuan.

“Whoever dares to harm my trusted subject, I will take their life!”

His declaration was like thunder. Everyone looked toward the door where Li Mingxiao, dressed in bright yellow, had been standing for some time without anyone noticing.