Chapter 92: This Prince Wants to Know the Truth
Yao Suluan instinctively took a step back when Yao Mowan looked towards her with that dark whirlpool-like gaze. Her heart started pounding apprehensively.
"You weren't the one that spread those rumors? Then who could it be…" Yao Suluan's voice lowered as she looked towards Yao Mowan with her eyes wide.
"Is it that hard to guess?" Yao Mowan retrieved the coldness in her eyes and when she looked over again, her eyes only contained faint amusement.
"It's… Ye Hongyi?" Yao Suluan was completely lost. She had always believed that only three people knew the truth behind that incident.
"Second Older Sister is truly adorably foolish. If Ye Hongyi was the one who spread these rumors, then he must have gotten his head kicked in by a donkey!" Yao Mowan smiled without bothering to conceal the mockery in her voice at all.
"Then who could it be? There's no way another person knows the truth behind that incident!" Yao Suluan was starting to shout in a complete panic.
"If His Majesty hadn't given an imperial decree, would Wang Qinruo be able to move back into the palace? Has Second Older Sister never wondered why His Majesty would have a woman whose entire body emits such a foul odor come back to the imperial palace?" Yao Mowan put things plainly.
"Wang Qinruo? That's not possible! She should be targeting Guan Osprey Palace!" said Yao Suluan in disbelief.
"Think about it carefully." Yao Mowan shook her head and walked to the table to pour a cup of tea for Yao Suluan.
"She's targeting this consort? But she was definitely the one that poisoned Chu Moxin, and had Chu Moxin died, the one who'd be in trouble would be you!" Yao Suluan's brows were furrowed in confusion.
"She had done that out of personal interests, it wasn't His Majesty's intent. It's fine if she envies this consort and if she dislikes the esteemed prince. None of these things would prevent her from carrying out His Majesty's instructions." Yao Mowan sighed hard. Had Yao Suluan gone stupid? Her intelligence was nowhere as high as it used to be.
"If she's doing this for His Majesty, there's no way she would spread these rumors!" refuted Yao Suluan.
"If she didn't spread these kinds of rumors, you'd never be spurred to action and you wouldn't take the initiative to get in touch with your secret contact, isn't it so? Mowan is seriously finding it more and more of a pain to talk to Second Older Sister. Second Older Sister, next time you come, please make sure to bring your brain!" Yao Mowan shook her head in disappointment. If Yao Suluan's intelligence has fallen this much, she probably won't be able to play with her for much longer.
Right at this time, the door was suddenly pushed open and Ye Junqing stormed in imposingly.
"What exactly is the truth behind Moxin's…" Ye Junqing immediately stopped himself when he saw Yao Suluan, but he couldn't conceal the impatience and confusion in his eyes.
"If this consort may offer a bit of advice, don't take the same path as Yao Moxin, you already know how that ended for her." Yao Suluan gave a cold humph, then turned and left. As she passed by Ye Junqing, a trace of darkness flashed through her eyes.
The instant the palace doors closed, Ye Junqing rushed to Yao Mowan.
"Why are the people outside spreading rumors that Moxin had died in the cold palace? Didn't she die due to difficult childbirth? What's being hidden?" Ye Junqing's brows were tightly furrowed. The impatience and unease in those eyes made Yao Mowan's heart ache with pain.
"Prince is being too sensitive. You shouldn't take rumors seriously. The imperial palace has always loved to gossip, so it's no surprise for rumors like this to start." Yao Mowan quickly sorted out her own emotions as she said this mildly.
"This prince wishes to know the truth!" demanded Ye Junqing coldly.
"The truth is that Eldest Sister died of difficult childbirth," replied Yao Mowan calmly.
"This prince also hopes that's the truth… Even after encountering that maid in the cold palace, after seeing the three corpses hung outside Changle Palace, even after hearing these rumors that abruptly spread! However, this prince understands that this whole time, this prince has been lying to himself! Difficult childbirth? If Moxin had died due to difficult childbirth, all the imperial physicians in the imperial hospital should've been executed!"
"The reason why this prince accepted these lies was because this prince was afraid of finding out the truth. This prince was afraid to find out how tragic Moxin's death truly was!" Yao Mowan didn't know how to refute these words when she saw the tears glimmering in Ye Junqing's eyes. She was completely flustered.
"Prince…" However, no matter what she had to say something.
"You don't need to say anything. This prince doesn't wish to listen to you this time. This prince will find out about the truth himself! This prince only asks that you don't get involved." Ye Junqing's eyes contained deep sorrow as he turned and left the palace. This time, he was determined to get to the bottom of all of this.
Yao Mowan watched as Ye Junqing's desolate and solitary figure gradually faded from her line of sight, then her lips hooked in a bitter smile. Was the truth really that important? Important enough for him to forget his own situation?
In Splendid Veneer Palace, Qinruo was currently looking at down at the bowl of dark green liquid in her hand with a frown.
"Your Highness… You don't have to drink it." Huo Feng's heart ached with pain when she saw her master's distressed expression.
"Perhaps if this consort drinks this, this consort won't stink anymore." Wang Qinruo lifted the porcelain bowl with an expression of hope, but before she could drink it, she heard An Bingshan's voice.
"Your Majesty…" Wang Qinruo was just about to stand up when Ye Hongyi strode forward and snatched the bowl from her hand to hurl it to the ground. The large bowl of green liquid shattered and the liquid splattered all over the ground. The medicine she had spent so many nights concocting was gone!
"Your Majesty, what do you mean by this? Qinruo doesn't understand." Wang Qinruo held back her tears and unlike usual, did not get up and just looked towards Ye Hongyi coldly.
"Were you the one that spread the rumors? Why did you do it? We didn't have you come back to create more trouble! If you can't deal with Yao Suluan, then scram back to the hunting park!" Every single one of Ye Hongyi's words stabbed ruthlessly into Wang Qinruo's heart.
"Qinruo was the one that spread the rumors, but if Qinruo didn't do so, Yao Suluan wouldn't feel endangered and wouldn't go visit the person she had entrusted with this information. The reason why Your Majesty is apprehensive of Yao Suluan is precisely because Your Majesty doesn't know what cards she still has up her sleeve, right? In addition, the rumors only say that Yao Moxin had died in the cold palace. It only mentions that she was in the cold palace and not how she died, so what need is there for Your Majesty to panic so much?" Wang Qinruo swiped a finger across the green liquid that was left on the table and tasted it. It was very bitter, so bitter that the bitterness made its way to her heart.
"You've been in the inner palace long enough to know how frightening rumors can be! Although you didn't mention the details, nor did you mention us, the people that hear the rumors will only exaggerate them. At that time, the stories they come up with will be distorted beyond recognition and spread uncontrollably! How do you plan to control that mess?" shouted Ye Hongyi.
"As long as we deal with Yao Suluan, we can push the blame for the empress's death completely onto her, then the rumors will naturally fade. All sisters in the palace must contend for favor so there's plenty of past precedents of sisters becoming enemies. No one will suspect a thing." Wang Qinruo used a handkerchief to wipe the green liquid off her finger as she explained her plan.
"That's right… Why didn't we think of that? My beloved consort, you truly are wise! What is this?" Ye Hongyi's rage immediately transformed into joy and it was only now that he noticed that puddle of dark green liquid on the ground.
"This is…" Huo Feng wanted to speak, but Wang Qinruo stopped her.
"The green bean dessert the imperial kitchen made was a little hard to swallow. It's much better in more water," replied Wang Qinruo mildly.
"Is that so? An Bingshan, instruct the imperial kitchen to make some jelly cakes and bring them to Splendid Veneer Palace!" instructed Ye Hongyi.
"Qinruo thanks Your Majesty."
"Is there any need for you to be so polite toward us? Once you finish dealing with Yao Suluan, we will definitely host a banquet for you and invite Imperial Tutor Wang over as well!" Ye Hongyi's brows had unfurrowed and he no longer looked as sinister as he did when he had first arrived.
It was only after Ye Hongyi left that Huo Feng's tears overflowed.
"His Majesty is too much! Your Highness spent an entire night simmering this medicine, but His Majesty had knocked it over the moment he came in without even saying anything! Your Highness, why didn't you allow this servant to tell him!?" cried Huo Feng.
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Credits: Translated by Chiyomira
