The Slender Waist-Chapter 350 - 246 The Night Encloses

Chunyu Yan finally showed up leisurely, cradling a birdcage he had picked up somewhere, indicating to his servants to present it to the Empress Dowager with a gentle, soft-spoken tone.

"I was late because I was waiting for this little thing. I haven’t missed anything important, have I?"

Everyone had taken their seats back in the parlor, where the food and drinks had gone cold, and no one was eating; the atmosphere was tense and oppressive. Even his cousin, the Empress Dowager, looked displeased; it was less like a banquet and more like a funeral procession.

"What’s going on here? A tribunal of the Three Judicial Offices?"

At this moment, Li Sangruo had no interest in squabbling with Chunyu Yan, and briefly lowered her eyes.

"Please be seated."

Chunyu Yan’s eyes and brow were filled with cheer as he watched the little bird fluttering around in the cage with its round, clueless eyes, shaking its beautiful feathers, blissfully unaware of the world’s perils. He seated himself with a laid-back smile, the very picture of elegance.

The room was silent as a tomb.

Chunyu Yan had not seen Feng Twelve.

Upon learning of the events that had just unfolded, he laughed lightly.

It was poison, yet again.

Chunyu Yan asked Shao Cheng, the Grand Herald standing beside him, "Who does the Empress Dowager suspect?"

Shao Cheng was somewhat embarrassed, "Replying to the Princely Heir, this servant does not know."

Chunyu Yan’s mouth twitched as he stroked the mask on his cheek, "Had I known it would be so lively, I should have come earlier."

Without raising his head, Shao Cheng thought, the fragrance of soap clung to the Princely Heir, who was draped in luxurious brocade robes. Claiming he was waiting to fetch a bird for the Empress Dowager, but who knows what he was truly doing?

-

The garden was bustling with people. Palace maids, soldiers, temple attendants, and guards were constantly streaming in and out, bringing news that occasionally triggered bursts of discussion, although most of the time everyone remained silent.

When Puyang Yi went to the side chambers to check on Feng Yun, she found her lying lazily on the brocaded bed, half-closing her eyes in apparent indolence, seemingly oblivious to the chaos unfolding outside on her behalf.

"My little ancestor, you seem to be able to sleep just fine."

Feng Yun lifted her eyes slightly, an effortless gesture that nonetheless exuded seduction.

"What else could I do if not sleep?"

"As a startled bird, shouldn’t you be scared to death?"

Feng Yun adjusted her robe to sit up and tried to greet Puyang Yi with a bow.

Her clothes were disheveled, her hair somewhat unkempt, and her cheeks flushed. The marks on her snow-white neck and collarbones were exposed, causing Puyang Yi’s eyes to burn.

"No, no, don’t get up. Just lie there," she said, seating herself, "It’s lucky I’m a woman. Had I been a man, upon seeing you I’d have been utterly disgraced, less than a beast..."

Feng Yun smoothed her hair that cascaded down from her shoulders, making her look even more graceful.

"I’ve made a fool of myself in front of the County Lord."

"Ah," sighed Puyang Yi, her words trailing off as she looked at Feng Yun, "When I was little in the palace, I often heard talk of these filthy affairs. My mother said that in this world, nothing is more intolerant of a woman than another woman. Particularly in the palace, they have learned the art of flattering men, with the sole purpose of pleasing them and stealing food from the mouths of their own kind..."

Feng Yun responded with a gentle smile.

She didn’t speak, only watched Puyang Yi.

The two exchanged glances for a moment, with Puyang Yi seeing her own reflection in Feng Yun’s eyes.

"I’ve spoken too much."

"The County Lord has a kind heart."

"Then will you entrust your elder brother to me later on?"

"..."

Night enveloped everything.

In the shadowy rooms, the low sobs of servant girls could be heard.

It sounded as if it was caught in their throats, extremely raspy to hear.

"Head Steward Fang, didn’t you say no one would come to investigate?"

Fang Fucai’s eyes were cold, "Learn to keep your mouth shut if you want to live."

The servant girl’s tears clung to her eyelashes, trembling with her voice.

"What should this servant say if questioned?"

Fang Fucai commanded, "Just as I’ve instructed you to."

The two servant girls hung their heads low, their entire bodies tense with nervousness.

Fang Fucai noticed their frightened state with a chilling gaze.

"Don’t be afraid. Even if something unfortunate happens, I will take good care of your families..."

The servant girl who was initially just scared was now terrified.

Talking about taking care of their families,

was actually a threat against their lives...

A warning not to speak out of turn.

The two servant girls’ faces turned ashen, "This servant understands."

All the servants, attendants, and guards in the garden had to be interrogated.

Watching them being led to the parlor, looking unsure of how to carry themselves, Fang Fucai silently followed with a heavy heart, his mind drumming with apprehension.

In a daze, he remembered what Feng Yun had said to him earlier in the day at the Chunmeng Hall when he was there to fetch someone.

She said, "Eunuch Fang is a clever and decisive man, which is why the Empress Dowager holds you in such high esteem. I’m sure your family and descendants will also share in your prosperity."

He, an eunuch, where could he have descendants from?

At the time, he thought Lady Feng was merely making polite conversation.

Not at all.

She meant the opposite.

Having calculated their scheme, she willingly entered the game, countering their strategy with her own.

If this matter implicated him, the entire Fang family would suffer disaster...

Both he and the Empress Dowager underestimated Feng Shi’er Niang.

They thought she relied on her looks, not knowing she also had schemes.

She was like a bamboo shoot.

Peel away one layer and there’s another beneath, and you wouldn’t know what’s inside until you peel to the core.

Regrettably, he realized this too late.

-

The two maidservants were brought into the hall and began to cry as they knelt down, proclaiming their innocence and claiming ignorance as instructed by Fang Fucai.

"The maidservants saw Madam Feng’s kind and gentle face, and thus warmed up to her a bit, leading her to the dressing room without knowing there was poison in the incense..."

"The same goes for this maidservant when she accidentally spilled tea on Magistrate Wei, how could she know there was poison in the wine..."

"Your Highness, the maidservants have no intention of harming the General’s lady..."

The two maidservants kept kowtowing without stop.

The hall was silent.

Li Sangruo swept a glance towards Pei Jue without changing her expression.

"Xiuyin and Meiyin have served me for some time now, exhibiting good conduct. I believe they couldn’t possibly engage in such filthy acts..."

Pei Jue remained silent, sitting alone, proud and indifferent.

Fang Fucai hesitated before stepping forward to bow.

"Your Highness, I have a thought."

Li Sangruo uttered an ’oh’ and calmed her restless spirit, "Let’s hear it."

Fang Fucai said, "The wine I presented to Madam Feng was a fine brew treasured by Your Highness, and the incense lit in the dressing room was Your Highness’s favorite Ganlu fragrance, all given with good intentions. I fear... someone intended to poison Your Highness, and due to an unfortunate mistake, Madam Feng and Magistrate Wei ended up taking the punishment instead..."

Li Sangruo’s eyelids twitched slightly.

It had to be Fang Fucai.

Suppressing her emotions, she looked at the shock and suspicion on the faces of the officials, and feigned confusion as she asked:

"Are you saying, someone wants to harm me?"

Fang Fucai lowered his eyes, "Indeed, that is the case."

"Nonsense," Li Sangruo’s face darkened, "Who would dare to be so bold in front of me?"

The surroundings fell silent.

Fang Fucai hesitated before saying, "Could it be... Song Shou’an?"

If it weren’t for the need to find someone to blame at this moment, Fang Fucai would never have mentioned Song Shou’an’s name.

But now, there was no better scapegoat than Song Shou’an.

Fang Fucai watched the Empress Dowager’s face change, and he sighed, "The gentlemen may not know, but Song Shou’an committed graft, murdered recklessly, abused his power, and under the guise of the Imperial Cavalry Division, he ran amok in Xinzhou. He even attempted to take liberties with Madam Feng. In a fit of rage, the Empress Dowager stripped him of his official cap and began an investigation."

He bowed again, speaking righteously to Li Sangruo:

"This scoundrel had amassed some power in the Inner Court and planted his own spies around the Empress Dowager. He took advantage of the chaos in the garden to seek revenge against the Empress Dowager, the Great General, Madam Feng, and Magistrate Wei..."

Indeed, the cover-up was seamless.

As long as the villain was Song Shou’an, everything seemed justified.

"If Song Shou’an, confined in the dungeon, could command such a meticulous poisoning plot, and Fang Fucai, who supervises the Inner Palace, is so incompetent, then he should be the first to be executed," she said.

Fang Fucai forced a smile, "It’s my incompetence. It’s just a theory... a reasonable conjecture."

Pei Jue’s eyelids rose slightly, "Why not bring Song Shou’an to court and confront him directly?"

Li Sangruo’s heart suddenly tightened, "There is no need to question him. A criminal slave like him can’t cause much trouble."

Pei Jue did not look at her, nor did he press her too hard.

His tall figure shifted slightly, his gaze on the two maidservants carrying an implicit threat.

"Tell the truth, and you might still have a sliver of a chance."

The reputation of the ’King of Hell General’ was enough to send shivers down the maidservants’ spines.

"The maidservant speaks only the truth, hoping the General will see through," they pleaded.

"Pang Gui." Pei Jue’s lips curled slightly, his voice cold and sharp.

"I hear that the Imperial Cavalry Division excels at interrogations and confessions, is that right?"

Pang Gui, quick-witted, bowed and replied, "Back to the Great General, common scoundrels confess in an hour. Those with tight lips, two hours. The burly, tough ones with sealed lips can’t last beyond three days, and will spill everything, even the bedroom affairs of their parents."

The crudely spoken words were not humorous.

Those in attendance were well aware of the doings of the Imperial Cavalry Division.

This was why Li Zongxun established the Imperial Cavalry Division to leash the officials, but Li Zongxun, far away in Central Capital, probably never imagined his daughter could do something so foolish.

Before the sound of Pang Gui’s voice faded, the two maidservants’ faces had already turned pale.

Having served in Jiafu Hall, they knew exactly what the Imperial Cavalry Division entailed.

They immediately broke down.

"General, spare our lives, we speak only the truth, the maidservants are wronged..." they wailed in the hall.

Pang Gui knew well what to do at this moment.

"Whether it’s true or not, a visit to the Imperial Cavalry Division will clarify," he said as he went over to take them. At the end, grinding his teeth, he whispered in a very low voice, "Trouble our chief, let’s see how itchy your skins are..."

The maidservants trembled with fear, their pleading eyes ultimately resting on Fang Fucai.

"Chief Steward Fang, save us, please help us..."