Chapter 15 (Part 1/2)
Yan Xuecui forced himself not to think about it, driving those absurd and unbearable thoughts from his mind, shifting his attention to the pills in his palm.
Though he was blind, his sense of smell was sharper than ordinary people's. He indeed detected in these pills, beyond the sandalwood fragrance, a faint bitter medicinal scent that could almost be overlooked.
Intuition told him there was something wrong with these pills.
Chi Ying feared he might think they were medicine Consort Zhuang took internally and quickly explained: "They rolled out from beneath the bottom board of the wooden box where Mother Consort keeps her prayer beads, about seven or eight of them."
Aunt Qionglin emerged from behind the screen. Seeing the pills, she was also curious and hurried forward to pick up the sandalwood box. Lifting the Shu brocade lining at the box's bottom, she indeed saw the broken mortise and tenon joint beneath. However, the tenon head and mortise hole weren't crafted from sandalwood to fit seamlessly—rather, they were filled with eight pills that matched the mortise hole's size. When the treasure box cracked just now, these deeply hidden pills finally rolled out.
Qionglin thought of something, a chill running down her spine: "This string of prayer beads was bestowed by Her Majesty the Empress five years ago. She said they had been blessed by an eminent monk at Chongsheng Temple. They were delivered in this box that day. Her Ladyship chants sutras and prays almost constantly, never leaving them aside. Who would have thought they harbored such a secret..."
At these words, the room suddenly fell silent.
Chi Ying looked carefully toward Prince Zhao. His face showed an unprecedented coldness, his indifferent, gray-dead eyes chillingly intimidating.
Qionglin and Fangchun exchanged glances, both seeing a trace of unease in each other's eyes, as if some secret they'd never discovered was about to come to light.
Physician Lin arrived hurriedly through the night, clutching his medicine box. He only felt the atmosphere in Shouchun Hall today was even more oppressively cold than usual. Not daring to speak much, he went straight in to take Consort Zhuang's pulse, prescribed a calming and sedating formula, and administered acupuncture treatment at several points including Shenmen and Baihui.
After finishing everything, Yan Xuecui handed him the pills from the box. "Take a look—is there anything unusual?"
Physician Lin didn't dare be careless. He immediately reached out to accept them and examine them carefully. Using a sharp blade, he cut the pills open to inspect their interior. After repeated confirmation, his expression grew increasingly grave.
"May I ask Your Highness, where did these pills come from?"
Qionglin omitted mention of the Empress, only saying the medicine had been hidden in the prayer bead box for many years and was only discovered today.
Physician Lin's face was solemn, even showing a trace of fear: "These pills are made from the ground juice of Soul-Severing Grass. When ingested, they cause mental confusion, auditory and visual hallucinations, manic behavior, and ultimately death through frenzied self-harm."
As his words fell, those in the room looked at each other, all showing expressions of shock and lingering fear.
It was actually poison that drove people mad!
Qionglin's voice trembled: "You're saying our Ladyship's hysteria was most likely caused by these Soul-Severing Pills?"
Physician Lin: "Though the Soul-Severing Pills were hidden in the box, over the years, the beads in the box would also absorb the scent of the Soul-Severing Pills, causing the wearer to become restless and agitated, act abnormally, have confused memories, and suffer constant nightmares. These symptoms... seem nearly identical to Consort Zhuang's hysteria?"
Fangchun: "Her Ladyship indeed has all these symptoms..."
There had even been several occasions when Her Ladyship showed tendencies toward self-harm and suicide.
Qionglin's lips trembled, tears streaming down her face: "This box arrived five years ago. Every time Her Ladyship finished her sutra recitation or retired for the night, I would place the prayer beads back in the box, yet I never once noticed..."
Physician Lin sighed: "Soul-Severing Grass itself only has a faint bitter taste, which was masked by the sandalwood fragrance, naturally not easy to detect. Moreover, so many years have passed that the medicinal scent has long since mostly dissipated. If the wooden box hadn't cracked, no one would have discovered it."
Qionglin said hatefully: "Our Ladyship was harmed by a treacherous villain!"
The matter was grave—she didn't dare speak that name.
She also truly couldn't understand why. The Empress had always been benevolent and kind, had no grievances with Her Ladyship, and had no heirs herself, thus never involving herself in succession disputes. Why would she poison Her Ladyship?
Qionglin looked toward Yan Xuecui, trembling all over.
Yan Xuecui's face was ice-cold to the extreme. He closed his eyes, concealing the surging malice and madness beneath, and said in an extremely calm voice: "Don't spread word of this matter. I will investigate thoroughly."
Qionglin and Fangchun immediately nodded. Involving that person in Kunning Palace, no one dared speak carelessly and alert the enemy.
Seeing the cold, tense atmosphere in the room, Physician Lin still offered comfort: "Although five years have passed before discovery, if Her Ladyship stays away from this wooden box and prayer beads from today onward and undergoes daily treatment with medicinal decoctions and acupuncture, her mental condition will certainly improve. Perhaps she can even slowly recover what was lost before."
Everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief. Qionglin looked at Chi Ying gratefully: "This time we're truly indebted to the Princess Consort. Otherwise, this servant wouldn't know when we'd have discovered the existence of these Soul-Severing Pills."
Chi Ying didn't dare claim credit: "I only stumbled upon it by accident. Just now, if it weren't for me, Mother Consort wouldn't have become so angry..."
She secretly glanced at Prince Zhao. Though today was coincidental, she'd stumbled upon a crucial discovery. She hoped this would eliminate some of his suspicion toward her, and her future days would be somewhat easier.
# Chapter 15 (Part 2/2)
Yan Xuecui keenly sensed her gaze. The coldness on his face dissipated as he turned toward her. "Thank you for today, Princess Consort. Mother Consort's episodes are always like this, I'm afraid it frightened you."
Chi Ying shook her head. "No."
Yan Xuecui nodded, then instructed Qionglin: "Since Physician Lin is here today, have someone re-examine all the items Mother Consort regularly comes into contact with. Pay attention to whether there are any other suspicious details."
Qionglin immediately complied.
Yuán Dé remained behind to collect and take away the sandalwood box, prayer beads, and Soul-Severing Grass.
Chi Ying left with the Prince of Zhao, only then noticing that when he had entered, he hadn't brought his blind cane. As he stepped over the threshold, she instinctively reached out to support his arm. "Your Highness, be careful."
When a guard in the corridor handed him the bamboo cane, she immediately withdrew her fingers, carefully maintaining distance from him.
The soft warmth on his arm withdrew at a touch. Yan Xuecui imperceptibly pressed the black jade inlaid at the cane's head as he descended the steps.
Remembering something, he suddenly asked, "When Mother Consort had her episode just now, if you were afraid, why did you stay in the room?"
Chi Ying: "I wanted to help soothe Mother Consort's emotions. I didn't expect..."
Yan Xuecui asked, "Were you injured?"
Chi Ying shook her head. However, at this moment, the ankle that had been struck began to throb with delayed pain.
Yan Xuecui heard the slight irregularity in her footsteps and frowned. "You hurt your foot?"
Chi Ying quickly said, "I was only bumped by a tea lid—it's nothing. There's wound medicine at Shuyu Pavilion. I'll apply some when I return."
Yan Xuecui tapped his bamboo cane lightly, slowing his pace slightly to wait for her.
Chi Ying felt it was somewhat strange to have a blind man accommodate her walking pace. Moreover, following beside him, she kept thinking of last night.
He'd frightened her with that "rather die than marry" line, then inexplicably said she intended to assassinate him. But aside from those unpleasant episodes, they'd actually had physical intimacy.
As for those things he had said... Chi Ying thought about it and decided she should explain to him properly. She couldn't just let herself be wrongly accused.
"Your Highness..."
The young woman's voice was soft as cotton. Yan Xuecui only felt his ear itch. "Mm."
Chi Ying struggled for a long while before saying sullenly, "Your Highness has wronged me. I've never had any intention to harm Your Highness, nor am I a spy. Last night..."
But Yan Xuecui laughed. The gloom on his face dispersed, and his words carried a hint of teasing: "If you're not a spy, why so guilty?"
Chi Ying: "..."
She indeed couldn't hide her guilty conscience. She hoped to clarify the facts, yet feared he'd discover her identity. She had deceived him, done something wrong, she simply didn't have the confidence to sit upright with a clear conscience.
She could only weakly defend herself: "I'm not guilty. It's just... I don't like the feeling of being wrongly accused."
Her voice was like a dull, blocked string, gently plucking at his heart. A nameless emotion rose in Yan Xuecui's chest.
He could almost imagine her appearance—aggrieved, fragile, pale, as if he'd bullied her.
What a pity—in his entire life, he had never once wrongly accused a good person.
Whether based on solid evidence or intuitive judgment, he had never been wrong.
If all those assassins and traitors from before had knelt before him crying and claiming they were wronged, and he'd been credulous even once, he'd have long since died without a burial place.
Yan Xuecui's heart was indifferent, yet his face still held a smile, his tone as gently as ever: "Mm, it's my fault. I shouldn't have wrongly accused my own Princess Consort without evidence."
He apologized neither lightly nor heavily. Chi Ying still felt somewhat stifled.
The prince's manor at night was cool and clear. Night dew condensed with cold. Moonlight filtered through gaps in the leaves, scattering broken silver across the ground. Chi Ying walked on the moon-washed bluestone slabs, only feeling coldness creeping up from the soles of her feet, wrapping around her heart so heavily she could barely breathe.
Shuyu Pavilion and Yangui Tower were in different directions. With such a major incident today, he would surely return to Yangui Tower to thoroughly investigate the Soul-Severing Pills. Chi Ying simply took the initiative to bow and take her leave.
Day and night made no difference to him anyway. He could move freely, and guards were at his side—he didn't need her to curry favor.
On the other side, Yuán Dé finished collecting the wooden box. From a distance in the manor's garden, he saw this scene and hurried over with quick steps. Only after catching his breath did he ask, "Didn't the Princess Consort offer to escort you back?"
Though His Highness moved normally, he was blind after all. Did the Princess Consort not have even the slightest concern for His Highness?
Yan Xuecui's steps didn't pause. He laughed coolly. "Perhaps she's angry."
Yuán Dé stood stunned. The Princess Consort was... angry?
TRANSLATOR: Guys, i just realized this book is rated 18, and i cannot continue posting it on my website. i am still trying to figure out what to do when we get to those chapters.
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GLOSSARY
Characters
Chi Ying (池萤) - Female protagonist; concubine-born third daughter who substitutes for her legitimate elder sister in marriage to the Prince of Zhao
Yan Xuecui / Prince of Zhao (晏雪摧 / 昭王) - Male protagonist; blind prince with a dark reputation, suffers from touch-starvation condition
Chi Yingyue (池颖月) - Chi Ying's legitimate elder sister who was originally supposed to marry the Prince of Zhao
Countess Yin / Yin-shi (殷氏)- Chi Yingyue's mother; the legitimate wife who arranged the substitute marriage
Aunt Xue / Xue Yiniang (薛姨娘) - Chi Ying's mother; a concubine in poor health
Consort Zhuang (庄妃) - The Prince of Zhao's mother
Prince Ding (定王) - The deceased elder brother of Prince of Zhao
Emperor Yongcheng (永成帝) - The current emperor
Servants & Attendants
Xiangqin (香琴) - Chi Ying's maid, originally serving Lady Yin's interests
Baoshan (宝扇) - Chi Ying's maid
Aunt Fangchun (芳春姑姑) - Senior servant managing household affairs
Steward Yuan / Yuan-de (元德) - The Prince of Zhao's chief steward
Qingzhi (青芝) & Yintiao (银翘) - Maids at the manor
Qingze (青泽) - The Prince of Zhao's attendant
Physician Lin (林院判) - The physician treating the Prince of Zhao
Locations
Prince of Zhao's Manor (昭王府) - The prince's residence
Shuyu Pavilion (漱玉斋) - Chi Ying's residence, formerly the Prince of Zhao's chamber
Yangui Tower (雁归楼)- The Prince of Zhao's current residence with a dungeon beneath
Shouchun Hall (寿春堂)- Consort Zhuang's residence
Changyuan Earl Manor (昌远伯府)- Chi family's declining noble household
Titles & Terms
Wang/Prince (王)- Imperial prince title
Wangfei/Princess Consort (王妃) - Wife of a prince
Dianxia/Your Highness (殿下) - Formal address for a prince
Niangniang/Your Ladyship (娘娘) - Formal address for an imperial consort
Di (嫡) - Legitimate-born (from legal wife)
Shu (庶) - Concubine-born
Substitute marriage (替嫁)- Marrying in place of another
Consummation/Yuan fang (圆房) - Completing the marriage ceremony through intercourse
Returning home visit/Hui men (回门) - Traditional bride's first visit to natal home after marriage
Cultural Items
Bamboo cane/scrolls (竹杖/竹简) - The prince uses these for mobility and reading
Incense (熏香) - Various types used for ambiance
Dragon and phoenix candles (龙凤喜烛) - Wedding candles
Phoenix seal (鳳印)- Symbol of empress status
Hundred Sons and Thousand Grandsons pattern (百子千孙图) - Auspicious bedding embroidery symbolizing fertility
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