The Beloved Imperial Consort Chapter 129

Mo Lan stood beside Mu Xi Yao, pretending to be earnestly identifying the person as per her mistress’s order. Yet, she felt inwardly very uncertain. Her mistress’s trick was too vicious. She actually told her how to deceive others! She has never done this work before. She wondered if she could meet her mistress’s requirement – putting on a vivid and realistic act while showing a pleasantly surprised expression of “I finally found you”. 

She cast several secret glances at cefei. That look in her mistress’s eyes, she could immediately tell that her mind has again wandered elsewhere. Every time mistress talked with this expression, it simply meant that she was not paying attention to you. 

His Highness has handed over the important task of investigating the rebel faction to the mistress. Why is it that when it came to the mistress, it became her being an absent-minded spectator and even asking a servant girl to act as a charlatan to deceive people?  

Mo Lan secretly muttered to herself while staring solemnly at the people passing by with extremely penetrating eyes.  

Mistress has said, from the look in one’s eyes to the expression, she had to act in such a way that outsiders couldn’t catch the slightest flaw. Right now, she was extremely gifted. Since she was particularly good at this, she needed to show extra arrogance and put on airs so that her words would seem to carry authority.  

After each of the eight people was done walking, Mo Lan took a step forward and used a voice not too loud nor too quiet, enough to make everyone in the room hear, to report to Mu Xi Yao. 

“Mistress, this servant only caught a vague silhouette of that servant girl that night. Although this servant cannot say that her footsteps were committed to memory without any error, this servant is fairly confident. Among these few maidservants, three of them quite resembled that person.” Mo Lan’s eyes stayed on the three people below for a while. She stretched out her right hand and pointed out the suspicious people one by one. 

Everyone in the main hall looked in the direction of her fingers, and discovered that every time she pointed at a person, that servant girl was bound to tremble and her face would turn pale in fright. All three seemed to be frightened, and their reactions were almost identical. 

Mu Xi Yao had people report their identities. Upon hearing the identities, she learnt that they were servant girls from lady Kong, lady Wu, and Lady Qi’s courtyards. The three of them looked at each other, and then quickly shifted away their gazes. 

“What?!” Lady Kong was deeply shocked. She stared intently at the servant girl and repeatedly looked her up and down. 

“Cefei, this maid was assigned to this servant’s courtyard by the chief steward. How can she be a spy? Besides, after she finished her duties that day, she immediately went back to her room to sleep. This servant fears that from the perspective of the time, she doesn’t match.” 

She has used this servant girl for a long time. She was quite satisfied with her. Up till now, she didn’t make any mistakes. She shouldn’t be the spy. If she was being wronged by others, she as her mistress will inevitably attract trouble. When it was needed for one to emphasise her innocence, one had to exert as much effort as possible to make herself understood clearly so as not to be the subject of others’ gossip. 

Mu Xi Yao slightly raised her eyebrow when she saw her eagerly arguing, “Who said that the servant girl was a spy? Is a little servant girl capable enough to serve as the rebel faction’s spy? She is merely another person’s lackey who can be discarded at any time. The real culprit is the person behind that servant girl!” 

Once Mu Xi Yao’s words came out, not only lady Kong was so frightened her complexion changed on the spot, even lady Wu and lady Qi turned pale with horror. 

What she meant was that the servant girl’s mistress was the real spy? It was terrible! 

This time, lady Wu who was always taciturn was unable to stay calm anymore. She was so scared by Mu Xi Yao she spoke, “Cefei, this servant has been in the residence for four years. This servant is always courteous and rarely steps out of the courtyard. How can this servant be a rebel faction’s spy? Moreover, this servant is very timid. It is impossible that this servant would help outsiders to assassinate his Highness!” 

Just a little time has passed and the way how things were developing inside the room began to change. The suspicion started to be drawn from little servants to their respective mistresses. Lady Kong who previously hurried to speak on behalf of her servant girl was now genuinely panic-stricken. Her face turned gloomy and she got angry with her maid. 

“Confess honestly. Who are you working for? Also, who gave you benefits to make you frame your own mistress?!” Her eyes swept over lady Wu and lady Qi, expressing clearly that the one behind had to be among the two of them. 

When Mu Xi Yao heard her words, she suddenly wondered if her IQ declined due to the sixth Highness’s pampering. 

Her target has always been the seniors in this residence. Right now, one of these three was shaking with fear, unable to speak. The other one was hot-headed. Even before the conclusion was reached, she already pushed her servant girl out and betrayed her. The last one even now only knew to glamor that she was wronged, insisting firmly that there’s someone to testify for her. Her words came out disorderly. It was evident that her mind wasn’t clear enough. 

Did they truly have the qualities of a spy? Mu Xi Yao was puzzled. In this situation, either she guessed the wrong person from the beginning or this spy was too awesome. Her acting has already reached the peak of perfection, all the falsehood was dressed up as truth. 

Once again, Mu Xi Yao mused about the whole thing all over. She narrowed her eyes. 

It cannot be wrong. It must be one of these three. The spy was truly impressive. Up to now, her acting has been perfect. Apparently, she had to tell them some cracking stories for a bit of reminder. 

“Quiet.” Mu Xi Yao reprimanded the three of them who were accusing each other and whose bickering was becoming increasingly outrageous. “What is there to quarrel? It’s only a suspicion. It’s not too late to settle accounts slowly after more things have been found out. Of the four of you, there are three servant girls that need further investigation. Since only one of them is guilty, the rest are naturally innocent.” 

Apart from Mu Xi Yao, there was only lady An in this room who could sit and watch the show. The remaining concubines were all restless. The reason for it varied from one another. 

Those who didn’t do bad things were afraid that someone would deliberately frame and hurl mud at them. The spy was agitated, not expecting that Mu Xi Yao could truly catch her person and put her under investigation. 

“Stay calm. Qie happens to have an item that can be used to identify the person who guided the people.” Mu Xi Yao ordered Mo Lan to take out the shredded paper. One by one, she put them together and arranged them on the long narrow table so that people could have a clear view of it. 

“The spy should be an accomplice with Yin Ji from the fifth Highness’s residence. Yin Ji once sent a letter to her, telling her to scheme against qie’s shu sister. It just so happened that qie’s little sister was somewhat thoughtful and knew to leave evidence. The note you see right now was given to the spy in the residence by Yin Ji. The spy then ordered her servant to shove it into the hand of qie’s shu sister.” 

Mu Xi Yao picked up the circular fan on the table and shook it leisurely a few times, observing the three people’s expressions while speaking. 

She took out the note the two people communicated with each other and then pointed out the name of Yin Ji. Maybe this time she will receive some reaction? 

As expected. As soon as two words “Yin Ji” were spoken, the gaze of one of them immediately had a slight change, but it instantly recovered. A gleam flickered through Mu Xi Yao’s eyes. She finally caught the trace of this person! If the subsequent probe corresponds to this reaction, then there will be no doubt about this person’s identity.  

“It’s getting late so these three people will be taken into custody for the time being. Tomorrow afternoon, the questioning will continue in the Chanruo Courtyard. Qie will be frank here. If anyone dares to play a trick and “murder the person to prevent divulgence of secrets” since the dead cannot testify, the servant girl’s mistress will be punished. The rest of the people can forget about getting away. Even if the authorities couldn’t handle the case, the penal code of the prince’s residence doesn’t recognise that women cannot stand torment.

Don’t blame qie for being cruel. It’s a matter related to his Highness’s safety. Isn’t there a saying, ‘one’d rather kill wrong than to get one missed’? It refers to this, doesn’t it?”

Mu Xi Yao spoke cold. Once these ruthless words were out, everyone’s expression changed. 

Lady Mu was going to set about the task and she won’t give up until she finds something, will she? She had even considered the possibility of the murder to prevent the divulgence of secrets. It was obvious that she was determined this time. All the details were thoroughly taken into account by her. She was bent on getting to the bottom go this.

Previous Chapter | Table of contents | Next Chapter