Plotting with You: The Forensic Scientist in Ancient Times!-Chapter 493 - 492: Obstinacy

When Zhu Yu was abruptly awakened from her sleep, she was still somewhat confused about the situation. Instinctively, she hurriedly got up, only to be held by Lu Qing, who was already sitting by the bed.

"Don’t panic. The sounds are distant and not around the side courtyard. It should have nothing to do with us," he softly comforted Zhu Yu.

After hearing his words, Zhu Yu felt slightly more at ease. However, to be cautious, she straightened her clothes, which she hadn’t changed out of, and re-tied her hair, ready for any unexpected situation.

Once she was fully awake, Zhu Yu realized that the noises seemed indeed far from their side courtyard, yet the commotion was significant. There were no sounds of shouting, but constant cries and screams could be heard.

"What’s happening? Could there be chaos within the Fanwang Mansion?" Zhu Yu asked worriedly.

Lu Qing listened carefully for a moment, then shook his head. "Look outside the window. It’s pitch black. If there were really chaos, even if it was far, we would still see faint firelight.

It sounds more like there’s no shouting, only crying and screaming. It probably isn’t internal chaos, but rather King Fan taking advantage of the night to have people in the mansion interrogated," Lu Qing speculated.

Zhu Yu furrowed her brow. "It seems he really trusts that High Priest Yishaen!

Yan Daoxin told him the problem was due to the elixir, leading to his worsening poisoning over time, yet he insists on looking for problems elsewhere, refusing to believe Yan Daoxin?

Even so, he keeps us here, letting Yan Daoxin continue to help recuperate his body?" 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"This King Fan must be headstrong, after being deceived by Yishaen for so long. Previously, he did indeed benefit from him and valued him highly. Now admitting Yan Daoxin’s words are all correct would be as if slapping his own face in front of all Fan Country, acknowledging he was blinded enough to elevate someone plotting against him to High Priest, granting them wealth and honors.

So he may not wholly disbelieve it in his heart, yet he’s unwilling to admit it openly, and he still hopes to prove he’s right and that Yan Daoxin is wrong," Lu Qing said with an even tone, seemingly unsurprised by such matters.

Zhu Yu couldn’t help but sigh. She understood Lu Qing’s reasoning, but she couldn’t help but think of the numerous servants and inner minions suffering in the Fanwang Mansion, innocent and undeserving. Unless the one who initially introduced Yishaen into the mansion is still there, and in that case, they might be the most deserving of blame. Otherwise, the greatest responsibility surely lies with King Fan himself, right?

He was the one who kept Yishaen back then.

He was the one who, after keeping Yishaen, entrusted him with important tasks.

He was the one who, enticed by promises of longevity and other ridiculous benefits, chose to accept Yishaen’s elixir.

Even when his body showed abnormalities after prolonged elixir use, he secretly sent sturdy guards to snatch innocent women, it was still him.

Now, be it due to blind faith in High Priest Yishaen or pushing all prior wrong decisions onto others to shoulder, this King Fan insists on portraying himself as merely a pitiable victim.

As for the blame, naturally, it’s for others to bear!

Hearing the continued cries and screams from outside, it’s clear that suffering isn’t limited to just one or two people in this mansion.

Zhu Yu instinctively reached out and held onto Lu Qing’s arm, resting her face against his back.

Even through several layers of clothing, she couldn’t feel Lu Qing’s scars, yet she was perfectly aware that they were there.

Since their marriage, she had personally witnessed once how Lu Qing, this "Golden-faced Imperial Censor," got outcast by Emperor Jin’s chaos of erroneous aids, owing to reporting the "dark deeds" of meritorious officials.

How many scars on his body, aside from those gifted by Consort Zhao in his childhood, are sustained for maintaining Emperor Jin’s reputation as a wise ruler?

She dared not imagine, even thinking about it made her unspeakably uncomfortable inside.

Lu Qing noticed Zhu Yu’s hand on his arm was slightly cold, and as he felt her leaning against him, she seemed to tremble a bit.

Initially, he thought she was afraid and was about to comfort her saying they have themselves and the Fu Lu for protection, and with Yan Daoxin too, though few in number, they could still timely escape if any situations arose.

But before he spoke, he realized, perhaps his assumption was wrong. Zhu Yu was never afraid even when she had to deal with the claws of the Pang Family during her time in the Prince Shuo Mansion, when locked up with family women, not even when facing off with Pang Yutang, facing the blade he thrust her way without a tinge of fear.

Mere distant cries and screams wouldn’t scare his exceptionally brave wife.

Thinking back on their earlier topic, the reason for Zhu Yu’s trembles wasn’t really any harder to guess.

Lu Qing stayed still, feeling the warmth of Zhu Yu’s cheeks inching through muscle and bone, reaching his heart.

The two sat quietly, listening to the distant wails and screams fading gradually, returning to silence.

Leaning on Lu Qing’s broad back, Zhu Yu relaxed, gradually falling asleep unknowingly. When she next opened her eyes, daylight had broken, finding herself comfortably under a thin blanket, with Lu Qing having already left.

Given the situation from the prior night, Lu Qing had Fu Lu rest during the day so they could be more alert at night, acknowledging no one can manage without rest and remain vigilant all the time.

During the day, with Yandaoxin making medicine for King Fan, Lu Qing and Zhu Yu would assist him where needed.

Lu Qing helped Yan Daoxin grind the herbs he needed, while Yan Daoxin and Zhu Yu watched the fire and mixed the medicine as required.

After preparing the medicine, Yan Daoxin would go with the eunuchs to the sleeping quarters, watching King Fan take it in person and giving him a pulse diagnosis.

As the peaceful day passed, at night, cries and screams again erupted from a distant part of the mansion.

This went on for three days, and when Zhu Yu accompanied Yan Daoxin to deliver medicine to the sleeping quarters, they passed places where faint bloodstains could still be seen on the ground. They didn’t know whose it was, but it was clearly tied to the screams at night.

Even servants and eunuchs in the inner court appeared increasingly cautious, some even seemed tremblingly nervous.