A Mistaken Marriage Match: Mysteries in the Imperial Harem - chapter-98

Mysteries in the Imperial Harem: Chapter 98
Chapter 98: Mourning

Haishi (modern timing: 9 – 11 pm) had passed and the Lan Yue Building was
still brightly lit with candles. Zhuo Qing sat in the study, with a look
of contemplation as she look at the handkerchief that was cut to several
pieces and placed neatly on the table.

In these days, Fu Ling no longer come looking for her. From what Lou Xi
Yan said, Qing Feng woke up the next day after fainting, after which she
had been kneeling at Chu Xui Palace to accompany the child. Her current
situation was unknown and Zhuo Qing also dare not hastily enter the
Palace. The past few days she was thinking of ways to differentiate what
the child’s saliva consist of, but there was no chemical agents or
equipment which made the difficulty even higher. Currently she was only
able to determine that there was some composition of nitrite but the
amount was not large. If there were some nitrite in the child’s mouth, it
meant that the possibility of death by poison would be significantly
higher but this amount should not lead to death and she was unable to
quantify the other chemicals.

That bowl of medicine was perhaps the key. If the dregs can be found…

Zhuo Qing was deep in thoughts when suddenly her shoulders got heavier
before she recovered herself. When Zhuo Qing look over, Lou Xi Yan was
smiling at her with some blame in his eyes. Zhuo Qing shrugged, the
people here sleep around eight at night and for her it was too difficult
to sleep this early.

Zhuo Qing got up and held onto the cooling hand that was placed on her
shoulders and said with some grief, “I really cannot sleep…”

Lou Xi Yan shook his head reluctantly and did not speak as he took a dark
coloured token from his robes and handed it over to her.

“This is?” This token was larger than the token that Qing Feng gave it to
her and the carvings on it was beautifully detailed.

“The Emperor gave this token and allowed you to enter the Palace once
every three days to accompany Qing Feng.”

That’s good. At least she was able to see Qing Feng’s situation and if
possible, also take a trip to the Medical Court.

Thinking about the Medical Court, Zhuo Qing pulled Lou Xi Yan to the
table and pointed to the handkerchief that had turned colour due to some
experiments and said, “Xi Yan, look at this. There are poison on the
handkerchief. The child’s death is definitely suspicious. Is it
possible…”

Lou Xi Yan gently shook his head and sighed, “The Prince’s body is
already placed in the coffin and was buried in the Imperial Tombs
yesterday.”

What? Already buried? Zhuo Qing got a little angry, “How could Yan Hong
Tian do that? Unless it was true that…” Feeling Lou Xi Yan’s hand
around her waist tightened as he said in a muffled voice, “The matter is
now ended. Observe and wait.”

Lou Xi Yan’s tired voice made Zhuo Qing swallowed what she wanted to say
and she place the token at the side of the study desk. Zhuo Qing pulled
his hand over and asked as she take his pulse, “Very tired?”

For the past few months she had been studying up on Traditional Medicine
and it was fortunate that she had the basic knowledge of medicine and
could often have opportunities to communicate with famous physicians in
the capital. After a few months, she was able to take some simple pulse.

Seeing Zhuo Qing focusing on taking his pulse, there was a smile on Lou
Xi Yan’s lips and answered lowly, “En.”

Reading that his pulse was fairly stable, Zhuo Qing then released her
hand. “Your body cannot withstand too much tiredness.” Asthma can be
considered a rich man’s sickness and it would soon be spring, thus she
was worried that he would have an asthma attack again.

“Yes Furen.” Lou Xi Yan once again let her into his arms and whispered,
“Didn’t Furen just said that she cannot sleep? It is just as well as I am
not too sleepy. It would be better to…”

“En?”

“Let’s go back to the room and be romantic.”

Ah?

Zhuo Qing’s face redden and at the same time had some feelings of unable
to cry or laugh. That year she did not explain the meaning of romantic.
It was truly… A tragedy…

*****

The snow had fallen eloquently for five to six days, even though it was
not considered heavy, but the entire capital seemed to be covered by a
silver white coat.

Zhuo Qing left the house with Lou Xi Yan early in the morning. He went to
court and she rushed over to see Qing Feng. With Yan Hong Tian’s token,
there was nothing preventing her when she entered the Palace. As she
walked on the quiet palace road, there were some palace maids and eunuchs
that passed by her. Every one of them lowered their heads and when they
were near her, formed a neat line to bow before leaving in a hurry.
Seeing all those puppet like people, Zhuo Qing felt stuffy and her pace
to Qing Feng Hall also increased.

Daybreak had just passed and the reason why Zhuo Qing came so early was
to chat with Fu Ling first to ask about Qing Feng’s condition but she did
not think that when she reached the main doors of Qing Feng Hall, the
main doors were already half opened. Peering into the half-opened door,
Zhuo Qing could see a slender figure standing in the middle of the
courtyard, as if that person was part of the snowing scene.

Before Zhuo Qing could enter Qing Feng Hall, she could feel a fierce look
landing onto her. She looked over and saw that it was from a male cladded
in a guard uniform. After seeing her clearly, that male withdraw his line
of sight. That fairly handsome face showed no expression and he did not
stop her or give way when Zhuo Qing walked nearer.

Zhuo Qing felt that this person was quite interesting and took a few more
looks at him. He just stood there silently as if Zhuo Qing did not exist.
Zhuo Qing raised her eyebrows slightly but did not look more of him and
push open another door to enter.

Hearing the sound of the door, Fu Ling looked back and saw Zhuo Qing
opening. Her heart was delighted as she hastened to welcome her, “Lou
Furen.”

Zhuo Qing nodded her head but Qing Feng who was in the garden seemed not
to see or speak and just look in front woodenly. Her face was greyish and
her eyes were bleak.

Zhuo Qing frowned, “How long has she been like this?”

The rims of Fu Ling’s eyes were somewhat red, “Mistress accompany the
Little Prince until yesterday’s burial. After that, she had been standing
like this in the snow. No matter how this servant persuade was also
useless.”

“She stood for the entire night?” Zhuo Qing was apprehensive.

Fu Ling gently nodded her head, “En.”

This person was indeed stubborn enough. Zhuo Qing felt angry at this kind
of behaviour that did not cherish their own body but she knew that this
was not a time to be angry. Zhuo Qing walked to Qing Feng but that pair
of gloomy eyes did not even move. Zhuo Qing was not anxious and just
softly called out, “Qing Feng.”

Qing Feng did not bothered about her but Zhuo Qing continued calling,
“Qing Feng, I am here to see you.” Finishing, Zhuo Qing lightly held Qing
Feng’s hands. When she just held on to them, Zhuo Qing immediately
shivered it seemed that she was holding a block of ice. Zhuo Qing looked
down and found that both hands were wrapped up in cloth.

She was injured? Zhuo Qing looked at Fu Ling. Fu Ling opened her mouth
but she did not say a single word. Zhuo Qing did not continue to look at
her and just called out gently Qing Feng’s name continuously.

After calling out for more than ten times, that person who was like an
ice sculpture finally moved a little. The bloodshot eyes look intently at
Zhuo Qing for a while before calmly replying, “You have come.”

Zhuo Qing was secretly relieved, “The weather is cold, let’s go in and
talk.” Finishing, Zhuo Qing held Qing Feng’s hand and slowly walked back
to the house. This time Qing Feng did not resist and followed Zhuo Qing
back into the house. Fu Ling wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes
and hurriedly followed. She had stood frozenly for the entire night and
since she walked too quickly, she almost fell.

Ming Ze saw that figure stumbling and a trace of irritation flash across
his eyes but it soon restored the usual calmness.

Zhuo Qing supporting Qing Feng into the inner chamber and helped her to
changed out of her external coat and gave her a warmer for her hands and
knees. When it was all done, Ru Yi brought in breakfast. Fu Ling wanted
to come forward to take over but Zhuo Qing lightly pat on her shoulders
and said, “Let me do it. You should go and change and warm up your knees.”

“This servant…” Fu Ling shook her head but before she could finish,
Zhuo Qing interrupted, “Quickly go. Come back after tidying up. She still
need you to take care and if you are unable to take care of yourself, how
would you be able to take care of her.”

Fu Ling hesitated a while and looked at the expressionless Qing Feng
again before finally nodding her head, “Yes.”

Qing Feng’s hands were wrapped up tightly so Zhuo Qing took the bowl of
porridge over and filled a spoonful to bring it to her mouth, “Drink some
porridge.”

“I have something to ask.” Qing Feng disregard the warm porridge by her
lips and her voice was as cold as the snow outside the window.

Zhuo Qing’s spoon went forward a little as she replied, “Drink some
porridge first.”

Qing Feng was silent for a moment before she opened her mouth to drink
the porridge. Neither one of them talked and Qing Feng went through the
motion to drink the entire bowl of porridge down. During that period of
time, her eyes kept staring unblinkingly at Zhuo Qing. Zhuo Qing’s heart
sighed as she handed the empty bowl to Ru Yi and said, “You can withdraw.”

The atmosphere between both of them did not consist of any warmth between
sisters but there were some feelings of confrontation. Ru Yi saw that
Qing Feng did not speak and dare not wait any more. She quickly bowed and
immediately backed out of there.

Placing a wooden chair in front of Qing Feng to sit down, Zhuo Qing said,
“You can ask.”

“How did the child die?”

Zhuo Qing had earlier guessed that Qing Feng would ask her that question
but she had not decide on how she would answer. She was unable to perform
an autopsy and thus was unable to confirm the cause of the child’s death.
Just taking into Qing Feng’s current condition, it would be best that she
was not to be provoked in any way.

Zhuo Qing kept her silence and Qing Feng’s pale face got darker by a bit.
Her teeth was clenched before it was slowly released, “Don’t lie to me.
If even you lie to me, I do not know what else to trust.” The hoarse
voice was filled with self-ridicule and sorrow, making Zhuo Qing look up
at her. Meeting Qing Feng’s lonely eyes, Zhuo Qing felt even more
powerless as she said, “I am not trying to lie to you. It’s just that I
do not have enough evidence to draw any conclusion.”

“Then speak of what you are sure of. That day you checked through the
child’s… Corpse and took back a handkerchief. Don’t tell me that you
cannot determine anything from it.”

Zhuo Qing was secretly surprised. That day Qing Feng was obviously near
to collapse but she was able to notice what she had done? Zhuo Qing look
at her carefully and seriously. Qing Feng’s eyes were red but was
unusually sober. Perhaps… Qing Feng was not as fragile as she thought
she was. Her logic was understandable and thoughts were meticulous, since
she had asked today, if she was not willing to respond, Zhuo Qing was
afraid that she would lose her confidence and in future exchanges would
definitely be difficult.

After weighing the consequences, Zhuo Qing at the end spoke the truth,
“The child’s death is indeed suspicious. I found some traces of poison in
his mouth but was unable to determine what was it or if it cause the
child’s death. Since there are poison in the child’s mouth, it means that
this was something he ate, thus the bowl of medication was the most
suspicious but that day Fu Ling went to search for it and found the dregs
missing.”

That means that the child did not die due to illness!

Didn’t she guessed it earlier on? She blamed Yan Hong Tian for not
protecting the child but what about her? The child was by her side every
day and she was the same, unable to protect her own child. That bowl of
medicine… It was her who feed him… Every single mouthful of it…

Why?

Zhi-er was just a child… Why was he not spared!

Qing Feng did not speak any more and her eyes were closed so one would
not be able to see her current mood but Zhuo Qing was able to feel her
pain from the trembling body. As a forensic professional, most of the
deceased were all crying out a grievance as they died and she never knew
how to comfort the families of the victims, so she would prefer to face
the dead bodies than living peopled. Like today, she also did not know
how to comfort Qing Feng until she saw the plain white cotton cloth that
Qing Feng was tightly clasping her hands with started to be stained with
tiny dots of blood.

Zhuo Qing quickly step forward and grabbed her wrist and urgently said,
“Qing Feng, calm down a little. I have already sent someone to inform…
Youngest Sister. When she return, we will think of ways to investigate.
You mustn’t be impulsive and hurt yourself again, else you will lose your
own life even before the matter is cleared up.”

Ultimately Qing Feng loosen her grip but it only made Zhuo Qing more
worried as she saw the drowning hatred in her eyes when she opened them.

*****

The child had left for almost a month. Xi Yan was busy with don’t know
what that he left early in the morning and returned late at night. Every
time when he returned, he had an exhausted look on and often looked
pensive that the normally indifferent him was recently always frowning.
Ever since Qing Feng asked about the cause of the child’s death, she did
not ask any more. When she went over to see her, there was no more
sharpness or soberness in her eyes as they were immersed in grief. She
even took the child’s cradle and placed it in the courtyard and stared
dazedly at it all day. Zhuo Qing had prescribed some anti-depressant
medication for her but Qing Feng refused to drink. When she talk to her,
she also hardly reply. If this continues, her psychological situation can
only worsen.

The weather in the early spring was still cold. Zhuo Qing sat at the
stone stool by the side of the lakeside of Lan Yue Building and looked
into the distant horizon as she ponder about how to treat Qing Feng’s
psychological trauma.

“What exactly went on?” A cold female voice suddenly sounded from behind
and gave Zhuo Qing a shock. She turned back and saw Gu Yun coolly stood
behind her. Yun’s expression was terrible as her face showed exhaustion.
Rushing the entire journey back was indeed very tiring. Zhuo Qing pat on
the stone stool beside her to indicate her to sit down. She felt relieved
as she was finally back.