“Jinsu had been poison with a rare toxin which incapacitated her ability to speak. In addition, Yun Ruo had picked the right time to act, which was when Jinsu’s voice was disabled. Not to mention pleading innocence for herself, Jinsu couldn’t even make a sound from her throat.”
These people were too bold to have employed the use of poison in Lin Mengya’s presence, given that she was an expert in toxicology.
“Are you not able to neutralize the poison in her? Master, as long as you are able to do that, she could tell us the truth, then…”
Lin Mengya interrupted Baiji by shaking her head.
“So what if we find out the truth? Don’t forget that Concubine De is Prince Yu’s mother. If we delve deeper, Prince Yu would be put in a very difficult position.”
Lin Mengya understood from earlier that Long Tianyu had done her a great favor today and rightfully, she should not continue to pursue this matter.
Moreover, she, as Princess Yu, was not able to shake up Concubine De’s status. Moreover, she would put the prince in a difficult position by doing so.
Therefore she had chosen to endure for now.
“In addition, even if I manage to neutralize the poison, she wouldn’t be able to speak. Her voice box would have been destroyed. I’m afraid she wouldn’t be able to make any sound from it anyways.”
Although pitiful, Jinsu had ended up in this state because she had first tried to entrap the people around her.
Lin Mengya walked out from the house to look at the two women kneeling in the courtyard.
Baiji and Baisu trailed behind her, seeming wanting to take revenge for their good sisters.
“Do you admit to your mistakes now?” asked Lin Mengya.
Given what had happened, these two people ought to be banished.
However, there was a saying which went that even the heavens did not wish any to die. At first, Lin Mengya had wanted to take their life once and for all, however she thought if they were able to provide her with any useful information, she would spare their lives.
“You servant here have realized my mistake! Please spare my life, Master!” said Maid Xu.
Jinsu, who was unable to speak, was weeping silently, while Maid Xu, who had completely lost her nerves was wailing bitterly and repenting for her sins.
“I can spare your life. However, you’d have to decide what you will do to exchange for your one more chance at living.”
As Lin Mengya looked down at the two women from where she was standing, Maid Xu averted eyes and started to push all the blame on Jinsu.
“It’s her! She was the one who incited me! If not for her instigating everything, why would I do such silly things? Please make a thorough investigation, Princess Yu. I’ve been framed but I’m innocent!”
Jinsu merely turned to look at Maid Xu with indifference as a cold smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.
This was an classic example of an opportunist who abandoned an unfavorable cause and trying to hit a person who was down!
Earlier when everything was still working according to plan, Maid Xu had fawned over Jinsu with sweet words.
At this moment, when both these women were in hot water, Maid Xu had took the first step to exploit Jinsu. This took everyone by surprise.
“In that case, you can leave. Baiji, give Maid Xu five taels of silver to provide for her journey home.” To Maid Xu, Lin Mengya said, “Don’t you step into the prince’s mansion ever again.”
Even Maid Xu did not expect to have her life preserved so easily and the princess even gave her some money.
Thanking Lin Mengya repeatedly, she took the pieces of silver and walked out of the Liuxin Courtyard. Lin Mengya turned to Jinsu, who was the real showpiece.
“You can see for yourself that I’m a woman of my word. I know you can’t speak, but I suppose you can still write. If you be good and explain the mystery behind this clearly, you’ll be able to leave with the reward and go anywhere you like.”
Before Lin Mengya finished speaking, Baiji had brought some paper and brush pen and placed them in front of Jinsu.
“Now write, so you may live.”
However, Jinsu simply looked at Lin Mengya with indifference and quickly scribbled a line of characters on the paper.
“Bring the paper to me. I want to see what she wrote.”
Lin Mengya had thought that Jinsu was writing a confession, turned out it was something unexpected.
“You may have fooled Maid Xu, but not me. Regardless of what I write, I know my life will not be spared. I’m certain that before Maid Xu reaches her home, she will die by the sword. I’m not a fool. Just kill me now.”
Lin Mengya was not provoked to anger after reading what Jinsu wrote.
She simply broke out into a smile at the corners of her mouth.
“You’re very sharp indeed. What you said was right. I’ve got Maid Xu go firstly because she did not know the details and mystery in this. Secondly, I wanted to attract the attention of perpetrators. Rest assured that I will keep you safe if you tell the truth. After there’re no outsiders here other than my loyal servants.”
In reality, Lin Mengya did not hold high hopes for Jinsu. To Lin Mengya’s enemy, Jinsu was merely a chess piece which they forsook easily. Either she was not much use to them, or that they had some kind of hold over her.
Lin Mengya suspected that Jinsu was either merely a scapegoat, or that her family, friends or other loved ones were at the mercy of the mastermind behind this scheme.
Whatever the case, Jinsu was not going to be of much use here.
Then, Jinsu continued scribing a few more lines which brought a cold smile to Lin Mengya when she read what she wrote.
It said, “You, being the princess, was even unable to protect your own maidservants, so I, Jinsu would not dare to trouble you. Please just kill me.”
Lin Mengya suddenly came to the realization that she had been toyed with.
From the beginning until this moment, Jinsu had always been a chess piece meant to be sacrificed.
Otherwise, why would the lass use such practiced words to provoke Lin Mengya? She was obviously trying to effect a rapid death.
The only possible explanation was that she had been instructed on how she should respond to Lin Mengya in order to provoke her and be killed in Lin Mengya’s rage.
Lin Mengya thought, well and good, it seemed that they did know her temperament well. Unfortunately, she did not like to be duped.
“Do you wish to die? I’m afraid I won’t fulfill your wishes for you. Baisu, send her to Teacher to be the subject of his medical experiments. Oh, before that, break all the tendons in her limbs since she was going to a guinea pig. She would have to be totally submissive. I heard that Teacher was nurturing this blood-thirsty herb and was looking for a life specimen to be the host. Bring her to Teacher as a token of appreciation from me, his student.”
Such a shocking instruction made Jinsu opened her eyes wide with horror.
She had anticipated and imagined every scenario possible to die in Lin Mengya’s hands. However, never had she imagined the princess to be so evil.
She turned to look at Lin Mengya, whose bright and watery eyes revealed no other emotions than indifference.
Jinsu’s face was totally drained of its colors. Just a moment ago, she was looking so dignified as if she did not care about life and death anymore, but she quickly kowtowed to ask for mercy.
“Isn’t it a bit too late to plead for mercy? I won’t kill you. The blood-thirsty herb will only grow on your body and make you miserable, but by then, all your tendons will be cut off. Moreover, the herb will be feeding you, its host, with nutrients and tonic. You will still be well and living for another thirty to fifty years.” .
Every words that proceeded from Lin Mengya’s mouth made Jinsu shake with fear.
By merely listening to Lin Mengya describe the kind of misery she would be in without dying, she would much rather be dead a million times over.
“Go on, Baisu.”
Jinsu’s body shuttered as she looked to Lin Mengya in horror. Then it seemed that she had made up her mind about something when she abruptly dashed towards the rockeries in the courtyard and smashed herself against the rockeries.
“Sigh, little beauty. What are you doing? Tsk tsk, what a waste it would be to disfigure such a pretty face.”
The mocking voice of Qinghu sounded. Jinsu, who had set her mind on killing herself, was not staring at this man while her heart pounded hard and fast.
A good-looking face with long narrow eyes and exuberating an strange air of attraction, came into Jinsu’s sight. This handsome face was both enchanting and frightening at the same time.
“Aiya, Your Highness, you really don’t know how to take pity on women.”
Qinghu’s long slender fingers tapped on Jinsu’s throat as her eyes opened wider into a stare. She realized she could not even bite her tongue to commit suicide now.
Her heart dropped as she looked at this man, smiling brilliantly in front of her.
“Ha, I don’t want to ask the King of Hell for the approval to pass when you die. You’d better accept your fate. Baisu, send her to the Teacher right now. In a few days when Teacher is more free, we’ll study into the method of cultivating that blood-thirsty herb.”
Lin Mengya stood up casually as a cheeky evil smile appeared on her face. Her chilling and creepy expression completely destroyed Jinsu’s last line of defense.
“Yes, Master.”
She followed after Qinghu to seal Jinsu’s other acupuncture points. Thereafter, Baisu, expressionless, brought Jinsu out of Lin Mengya’s courtyard.
“Lass, what’s that blood-thirsty herb you were talking about? It sounded so disgusting. Why have I not heard of it before? Can I have a look at it if such a herb ever exists?”
Finally, there were no more outsiders in the courtyard.
Qinghu put on a bashful expression and leaned on Lin Mengya’s shoulder, looking all curious.
“There’s no such things! I was just trying to scare her. Do you remember Madame Wang? Teacher said that she has been recuperating well these days. For this reason, he will be doing some insane treatment on her. I have Baisu to bring Jinsu to Teacher so that she can see for herself how Teacher treats his patients. I believe with planting an impression in Jinsu will make her believe that Teacher is a psychotic physician. Once she has been scared for a few days, she would submit to us.” .
Immediately, Qinghu cast an admiring look at Lin Mengya with his long, narrow eyes.
Good heavens! How could this lass be so evil? Nevertheless, she suited his taste.
“Oh yes, how is it going with the task I entrusted you?”
Finally they were down to something serious. Qinghu’s expression turned solemn. From here, one could see that he was a really good actor, perhaps even an award-winning actor.
“In the last few days, it had been all peace and quiet back in your father’s house. However, the number of spies outside the house kept increasing. I had investigated thorough and found that it was impossible for these spies to achieve any breakthrough anytime soon. You can rest assured.”
Lin Mengya nodded, but she could not put away the feeling of sadness which filled her heart.
