After the group had left, Old Madam could not sleep anymore. Draping a robe, she sat crossed legs on the soft couch and chanted the scriptures.
Lin Shi and Yu Miao Qi also stayed behind to wait for news. The flickering flames of the candles stretched and shortened by the gust of wind where the silhouettes projected on the wall turned denser/lighter every now and then, seemingly making the room filled with demons and spirit as it enshrouded with ominous gloominess.
Opening her eyes to look at the sky, many wrinkles appeared on Old Madam’s face.
Feeling extremely flustered, Lin Shi she opened her mouth stammeringly, “Mother, do tell why His Highness Crown Prince looks for them in the middle of the night? It’s fine to ask for Yan’er but why even Xiang’er was called away too? Is there a major event or is the Crown Princess not going to make it?”
Glaring at her fixedly, Old Madam snapped at her, “Shut up and wait for the children to come back.”
The tips of Yu Miao Qi’s eyebrows twitched slightly. Guessing something might most likely happened to the Crown Princess that also implicated Yu Xiang, otherwise she would not be called away in the middle of the night. Could it be poisoning again?
Thinking about this, she covered her mouth with a handkerchief and gradually smiled.
**********
Yu Pin Yan and Yu Xiang were led by the imperial guards directly to the entrance of the Crown Princess’ outer room, where many people stood waiting at the door – several side consorts (concubines) of the Crown Prince, the three sisters of the Min family, Ninth Princess and the Crown Prince, all of whom wore faces of either genuine or sham anxiety.
“Yi Feng, you are here.” The Crown Prince quickly greeted and patted the top of Yu Xiang’s hair as he spoke warmly, “Xiang’er, the Crown Princess has been saying she wants to see you during her illness, otherwise I wouldn’t have summoned you here in the middle of the night. You just go in and accompany the Crown Princess after the imperial physician comes out.”
Yu Xiang nodded in agreement. Yu Pin Yan placed his younger sister in the wheelchair and handed her over to the Ninth Princess who had just rushed over. As they walked to the side, he asked the Crown Prince, “Your Highness, what has happened?”
“The Crown Princess has been poisoned…”
Both of them avoided the ladies and found a secluded corner to talk, but merely this brief sentence was enough to shock Yu Xiang: The Crown Princess has been poisoned? What kind of poison? Where is it? And why was I brought here in the middle of the night? Is it really the order of the Crown Princess and not the suspicion of the Crown Prince?
Dense cold sweat broke out on Yu Xiang’s forehead when she thought of the exorcism potted plant that she gave to the Crown Princess today.
The Ninth Princess was blissfully ignorant of this matter while Consort Xu and others were silent but Min Lan rushed forward all of a sudden and ruthlessly threw her a slap, “You poisonous woman. My sister treated you so kindly yet you actually plotted to kill her! If anything happens to her, I want you to be buried alive with her!”
Yu Xiang would not have just sat there and taken the beating for nothing. She blocked it with her quick eyes and deft hands then lashed back with the horsewhip.
Instead of beating someone up, Min Lan’s neck was left with a bright red gash that looked like her throat had been slit from a distance. She was so furious that she stretched out her sharp nails wanting to scratch Yu Xiang’s beautiful bare face. Her hatred of Yu Xiang stemmed not only from her sharp words nor her overbearing arrogance but also from this unparalleled beautiful face. It’s said that there is contempt and despise amongst beautiful ladies but when it comes to jealousy, Min Lan topped them all.
Min Song and Min Zhi could not hold her back while the Ninth Princess tried to stand in front of her good friend but was brushed aside. Yu Xiang successively lashed out several whips and this time, she was not gracious anymore as every whip was greeted by Min Lan’s face.
How could Min Lan still have the intention to strangle anyone, she hastily covered her head and dodged.
The scene was somewhat out of control for a while. Consort Xu was about to step forward to stop them when Yu Xiang halted first and sneered, “The imperial physician is still diagnosing inside. What intention are you harboring by kicking up this ruckus? Are you trying to disturb the imperial physician? If you have something to say, say it properly and don’t get physical?”
In terms of getting physical, who could be more physical than her? Even with her legs broken, Yu Xiang is an existence that cannot be messed with. After Min Lan had calmed down, she rubbed her bruised arms and whispered accusingly, “Don’t pretend Yu Xiang. If it wasn’t for the poisonous potted plant that you sent over, how would my sister bleed non-stop?”
“Where was it bleeding?” Yu Xiang asked calmly. With her elder brother’s protection, she is not afraid at all.
“Nosebleed. She has been bleeding for several hours with rolling headaches while still holding to your potted plant and refusing to let it go.” The Ninth Princess was about to burst into tears as this was the first time she saw such a terrible sight.
Yu Xiang was silent for a moment before she spoke slowly again, “I have been growing that potted plant for more than three years. Although it has a peculiar smell, it is only to repel mosquitoes. If it is poisonous, hundreds of people in Yu manor would have died. Furthermore, why would I want to harm the Crown Princess? What gain is there for me?”
Min Lan snickered immediately, “No gain? Your gain is huge. You have long coveted the Crown Princess’ s position of my Elder Sister. Won’t you be able to take her place after getting rid of her?”
Contemptuousness revealed in Yu Xiang’s eyes, “I’m a disabled person. Not mentioning becoming the Crown Princess, no ordinary family would be willing to even marry me. The Capital is filled with noble ladies standing in rows for selection while the Emperor and the Crown Prince will absolutely not pick me, for which I myself acknowledge. So, don’t judge me with what you have in your own mind, my heart is not as lofty as yours!”
These words were too reasonable to refute and the last sentence was the most embarrassing as it simply hit the mark.