"Since you cared so much, why did you abandon her in the first place?" Han Yunxi said mildly as she bent down to pick up the needles one by one.
Her indifference only made Grand Concubine Yi more fearful and angry.
"Han Yunxi, don't think you can do anything just because you know this secret. I'll tell you now, you're part of the Duke of Qin's estate too. You're on the same boat. Once this gets out, it won't do you any good! No matter how many wrongs Wanru has committed, don't even think about touching a hair on her head! "
She was the one who'd been framed and schemed against, but Grand Concubine Yi was warning her before she even got angry.
Han Yunxi's lips rose into a mocking smile. "Mufei, you know Wanru was in the wrong too?"
Such mockery was an eyesore to Grand Concubine Yi. "Han Yunxi, it's all because of you! It's all because of you! If you hadn't married into the family, none of this would've happened! You couldn't tolerate Wanru and wanted to marry her off. You were the cause of the Plum Blossom Meet! You harmed Wanru! It was you who made Wanru become like this! It's all because of you! "
Grand Concubine Yi clearly knew that Murong Wanru had done many shady things in the past year! How could she still say such things?
No matter how big a mistake a daughter made, there was always a reason for it and could be forgiven. But someone else's daughter would always be the main culprit?
Han Yunxi, who'd treated her mother-in-law well, felt even more bitterly disappointed than before.
She wasn't a saint. Saving Grand Concubine Yi's life was only a matter of principle, but there were many crueler things in this world than death.
Han Yunxi stopped hesitating and smiled coldly. "Mufei, I left these three needles with Princess Changping back then."
Grand Concubine Yi fell silent at these words as she looked at her in disbelief.
Han Yunxi stuffed the needles into Grand Concubine Yi's hands again. "Mufei, take a good look. These are my personal medical needles. I can guarantee that I'm the only one in this world who has them. I've never given them to anyone else, except for three left in the palace."
In other words, it could only be the empress dowager who gave it to Murong Wanru. Murong Wanru had thrown in her lot with the empress dowager, so killing Grand Concubine Yi had been ordered by the empress dowager!
Grand Concubine Yi's face turned purple, as if she'd aged a few years in an instant. Her hand trembled as the needles fell to the ground again. She couldn't even take the betrayal of her foster daughter, much less her own daughter. She'd actually colluded with her sworn enemy to take her life.
No, she couldn't accept such a blow!
Suddenly, she pressed her chest and spat out a mouthful of blood. She muttered to herself as if she had lost her mind, "I don't believe it, I don't believe it!"
Han Yunxi didn't need to say more. She knew best whether she believed it or not.
A hateful person must have a pitiful side, and a pitiful person must have a hateful side.
Han Yunxi didn't speak, but watched with cold eyes. She rose to stand to one side, but as soon as she left, Grand Concubine Yi saw Murong Wanru lying on the bed across from her.
Murong Wanru was unconscious, as quiet as if she had fallen asleep.
Grand Concubine Yi hastily rose to her feet. Han Yunxi didn't stop her, but allowed her to stagger away.
"What's wrong with her? Han Yunxi, what did you do to her? "
"After the first wave of assassins retreated, another wave of real assassins came. She was hit by a poison needle …"
Before Han Yunxi could finish, Grand Concubine Yi cut her off. "Poison needle? You must have been the one who did it! "
Alright, Han Yunxi was too lazy to explain, but admitted it openly. "Yes. Moreover, the time to treat the poison was delayed, so it'll never be cured."
Grand Concubine Yi immediately narrowed her eyes and threw herself at Han Yunxi like a madwoman. "You venomous slut, you did it on purpose! You must have done it on purpose!"
Han Yunxi avoided her and said calmly, "Esteemed Imperial Concubine, His Highness Duke of Qin … still doesn't know about this."
Grand Concubine Yi froze in place at these words. Aside from His Highness Duke of Qin, what else could calm her down?
"After His Highness brought people to rescue us, he went to chase after the assassins. Only … you, me, and Murong Wanru know about what happened in the carriage. "
Han Yunxi made up a lie. The other three families had all seen Long Fei Ye drive the carriage back after defeating the assassins. As for the truth, who would know?
Grand Concubine Yi had to keep her cool even if she didn't want to. "Han Yunxi, what do you mean by this? Just what do you want? Speak! "
What she feared the most wasn't Wanru finding out, but Feiye. Feiye was everything to the Duke of Qin's estate and her lifelong bet!
Anyone could know, but not Feiye. She wanted to be His Highness Duke of Qin's mufei for the rest of her life! She was the most powerful imperial concubine in the history of the Tianning Dynasty!
Han Yunxi had been waiting for these exact words. "Esteemed Imperial Concubine, I'll give you two conditions in exchange for two conditions. How about it?"
Would Grand Concubine Yi vomit to death if she knew the truth? In any case, she had no room to refuse now.
"Speak!" she said through gritted teeth.
"First, although I can't treat the poison, I can give you some medicine every month to keep Murong Wanru alive. I can guarantee that she won't die and will be a quiet sleeping beauty. Second, from now on, I won't tell His Highness Duke of Qin about this. "
Han Yunxi spoke very simply, but both conditions were lies.
Grand Concubine Yi hesitated. In truth, she couldn't refuse either of the conditions. Cold as she looked at Han Yunxi, she was both unwilling and helpless. In the end, she had to agree. "Han Yunxi, what two conditions do you want from me?"
"First, tell me why the mama who delivered the baby was still alive. Who and where she is …"
Grand Concubine Yi couldn't help but interrupt. "So you heard everything!"
Actually, Han Yunxi wasn't sure whether the mama was still alive. She was only probing, and as expected, she found out.
"What, esteemed Imperial Concubine doesn't want to say?"
Grand Concubine Yi didn't reply, but asked Cold, "And the second condition?"
Han Yunxi wasn't in a rush for an answer, but smiled. "The second condition is simple enough for mufei. Mufei suffered a fright this time, so you can rest at ease in the ancestral hall. Leave the affairs of the Duke of Qin's estate to chenqie in the future."
This … if this wasn't power in the Duke of Qin's estate, then what was it?
The true power lay in the Duke of Qin's hands, but he lived alone in the Hibiscus Courtyard and rarely took care of affairs. Grand Concubine Yi had always been in charge of personnel and finances. Although she couldn't control the Duke of Qin, she was still the mistress of the Duke of Qin's estate.
Han Yunxi wanted to take her place. How ambitious!
As soon as she spoke, Grand Concubine Yi slapped the table and rose to her feet in rage. "Han Yunxi, you're impudent!"
Han Yunxi really did want to wield power, but she didn't want the status or prestige of a mistress. She only wanted a free and unfettered life and a relaxed environment.
Originally, she lived in a corner of the Leisurely Cloud Pavilion with many inconveniences. Now that her relationship with Grand Concubine Yi had deteriorated to this point, how could she have good days ahead of her? All she wanted was a home where she could come and go as she pleased and speak freely.
"It's almost dark, so His Highness should be back soon. If mufei can't accept it, then there's nothing left for us to talk about," Han Yunxi said as she prepared to leave.
"Stop right there!" Grand Concubine Yi said sternly.
Han Yunxi was happy to stop and turned back to look at her. "Mufei, have you thought it over?"
Grand Concubine Yi couldn't take it anymore, but she had to. For Wanru and herself, she had no other choice. Once Han Yunxi told Feiye, with his personality, her and Wanru's fate would only be …
Thinking up to here, she didn't dare to think any further. In a cold voice, she said, "Han Yunxi, I promise you. But no matter what, I won't leave the Duke of Qin's estate!"
"Mufei's courtyard has a Buddhist hall. It's a place of tranquility and cultivation. Why leave?" Han Yunxi said simply. She'd be worried even if Grand Concubine Yi left.
"Wanru has to stay, too!" Grand Concubine Yi demanded.
"Mufei, Wanru's a member of Marquis Pingbei's estate now. Of course she'll be sent back to be raised …"
Before Han Yunxi could finish, Grand Concubine Yi cut her off angrily. "You can't. Wanru can stay, or else …"
But Han Yunxi ignored her and allowed her to interrupt. She calmly continued, "Mufei, don't worry. Even if Wanru never wakes up, Marquis Pingbei's estate will take good care of her …"
"I won't agree. Wanru has to stay by my side, or else I won't agree to anything!"
"With chenqie here, mufei can set your heart at ease. Aside from that, there's no need to talk about anything else!"
One spoke in agitation, while the other was as calm as still water. Their voices fell at the same time, causing the room to fall silent.
It wasn't clear whether Han Yunxi had heard Grand Concubine Yi's words, but she did hear Han Yunxi's last words. She gave a start and didn't express her opinion.
After a long silence, Han Yunxi turned to look with a faint smile. "Mufei, tell me what happened with the mama who delivered the baby."
Grand Concubine Yi's fists clenched as her heart heaved. Han Yunxi waited patiently.
In the end, Grand Concubine Yi compromised. She lowered her proud head and said, "She's called Mama Su, one of the midwives. As soon as the baby was born, she slipped and fell into a well the next day. The emperor was pleased with the birth of a prince, so the news was suppressed and the corpse was disposed of. I only found out later. She was afraid that I'd silence her, so she faked her death and escaped."
"What's the background of this person? Where is she now?" Han Yunxi asked anxiously. She never expected this person to be the one who'd brought Long Fei Ye here.
"She's from the Su Family Village in the northern suburbs of the city. I've searched for her for years, but there's still no news. Most likely, she has the guts to live on, but doesn't have the guts to bring this up."
If not for Wanru's distrust, Grand Concubine Yi wouldn't have mentioned this person in the first place.
A complicated look flitted past Han Yunxi's eyes. She could tell that Grand Concubine Yi wasn't lying. After some hesitation, she opened her mouth. "Then His Highness's background …"
At the same time, Long Fei Ye was sitting on the roof, looking at Han Yunxi with interest. His lips quirked into a smile. Didn't this woman say she didn't want to know?
"She was brought from a village in the outskirts of the city. The villagers who knew about this have long been silenced."
If Long Fei Ye's mufei was a daughter of the Tang Clan, how could he have been born in a village in the outskirts of the city? And how could he have been brought to the palace?
Han Yunxi was filled with doubts. She thought that Grand Concubine Yi's knowledge was too far from the truth.
At this moment, Grand Concubine Yi suddenly interrupted her train of thought. "Han Yunxi, Feiye is the late emperor's son. I won't allow you to ask such questions again!"
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