Chapter 126: Melancholy

Chapter 126: Melancholy

"Mother!"

"Mother!" The once tranquil hall was suddenly pierced by a frightened cry. While "Mother" is usually the warmest word in the world, this call was laden with deep pain and confusion.

The night-duty palace servants didn't dare delay, quickly lighting candles and drawing back the curtains to attend to the need.

Xiachan hurried to the bedside and held Princess Huaiqing in her arms, gently patting her back and humming a tender folk tune, "Apricot blooms in February, don't pick them, dear sister; Peach blossoms come in March, as the brother brings them near..."

The seven-year-old girl gradually awakened from her nightmare, staying in Xiachan's embrace for a long time before speaking with a hoarse voice, "I'm fine now."

Xiachan took a warm, damp cloth handed by a junior maid and gently wiped Princess Huaiqing’s face, softly saying, "Consort De made you a calming soup before going to bed. It's still warm. Have a bowl first."

Princess Huaiqing nodded obediently, finishing the soup spoon by spoon as Xiachan fed her, then rinsed her mouth with a porcelain cup of saline water, and was tucked back into bed.

After arranging the brocade quilt for her, Xiachan was about to lower the curtain when her hand was suddenly grabbed.

"Sister Xiachan, can we leave the light on?"

Xiachan paused, then smiled at Princess Huaiqing, "Of course. I'll move the candlestick behind the screen on the ivory table. Sleep well now."

"Okay," whispered Princess Huaiqing, closing her eyes, no longer speaking.

Xiachan gently let down the bed curtain, moved the hanging sachet of restful incense, and then signaled the junior maids to go behind the screen. She placed the candlestick on the ivory table, dimmed the candlelight a little more, covered it with a gauze shade, and finally lay down by the bed's footrest, still in her clothes.

She glanced at the still curtain, knowing Princess Huaiqing hadn't fallen asleep yet, and silently sighed in her heart.

Had she made a mistake?

As a family servant born in the Wang household, she grew up alongside Chunyan, serving Lady Wang, accompanying her through marriage into the Chengwang Manor, and her rise and fall in the harem. Xiachan never doubted her loyalty, until Lady Wang revealed her intention to commit regicide.

Unlike Chunyan, who, although frightened, was devoted to their mistress, Xiachan wavered in her loyalty.

The Emperor was a shrewd ruler; could they really succeed with just their efforts?

Xiachan was willing to sacrifice everything for her mistress and the young mistress, even her life. But when it came to risking the lives of her entire family, she hesitated.

"Did I cause my mistress's tragic fate? Did I cause the young mistress to have nightmares every night?"

"If I had been more resolute, would my mistress not have failed?"

She touched the damp patch on her chest, knowing that things had reached a point of no return.

After several days of rest, the wound on Jiang Hui's neck had almost healed.

On the sixteenth day of June, although Nian'er, like Huayang, eventually fell unconscious, he had witnessed some events. In the following days, he often clung to Jiang Hui like a little shadow.

One day, as Jiang Hui was making flower paper with Nian'er, Hongyu came in to report that Luo Yunlai, the chief eunuch of the Ministry of Justice, requested an audience.

"Luo Yunlai?" Jiang Hui slightly furrowed her brow, put down the paper-cutting knife in her hand, and softly instructed, "Ask him to wait in the flower hall."

Nian'er, knowing his mother had things to attend to, took his hands out of the porcelain jar soaked with hibiscus and mica, looking up at Jiang Hui, "Nian'er will wait here for mother."

"Good," Jiang Hui patted Nian'er's head, instructing, "If sister wakes up from her nap, help mother look after her."

"Okay! Nian'er will take care of sister!" Nian'er nodded vigorously, watching Jiang Hui leave the warm pavilion.

Upon Jiang Hui's arrival, Luo Yunlai stood up from the stool, respectfully bowing, and said, "Noble Consort Jiang, there's progress regarding Shi Cairén’s case for your review."

He then took out a sheet of paper from his sleeve and handed it to Qiukui.

Jiang Hui received it but didn’t open it, instead saying, "Eunuch Luo, the matter of Shi Cairén should not be handled by me."

Luo Yunlai lowered his head, speaking respectfully, "Noble Consort Jiang, this is as per the Emperor’s instruction. He said you can handle it as you see fit."

Jiang Hui raised an eyebrow slightly and opened the document.

The words on the paper were concise, detailing the cause and effect in just a few sentences. Jiang Hui closed the paper, placing it on the black lacquered and gold-painted table beside her, and asked, "Is Shi Cairén still at the Ministry of Justice?"

"Yes," replied Luo Yunlai immediately.

Jiang Hui nodded slightly and instructed, "Take me to see her."

"The Ministry of Justice is not far from the Imperial Stables. Separated by a small grove of green bamboo, just beyond an interconnecting corridor, lies a three-sectioned courtyard that doesn't resemble the foreboding Ministry of Justice of the palace but rather an ordinary civilian courtyard."

"Noble Consort Jiang, the prison cells in the Ministry of Justice are filthy and disordered. Would you prefer to meet Shi Cairén outside, or..."

Luo Yunlai invited Jiang Hui to sit in the main hall of the second courtyard, then asked.

"Eunuch Luo, there's no need to trouble yourself. Take me to the dungeon," Jiang Hui replied.

Luo Yunlai naturally complied, leading her to one of the rooms in the third courtyard. He unlocked the door and stopped outside without entering further.

Jiang Hui glanced at him, then withdrew her gaze and, accompanied by Qiukui, stepped into the room.

Shi Cairén still retained her rank as a talent and thus was not subjected to excessive harshness in the Ministry of Justice. The room was clean and well-lit, not the dark, torture-filled space one might expect.

Shi Cairén, hands bound, was sitting on the only stool in the room. Seeing Jiang Hui enter, she stood up with difficulty to offer a bow, saying, "Please take a seat, Noble Consort Jiang."

Qiukui stepped forward, took a handkerchief from her sleeve to carefully wipe the worn wooden stool, then helped Jiang Hui to sit down.

Jiang Hui looked at Shi Cairén, no longer expressionless, and spoke softly, "The Emperor is always cautious. Why did you think you could succeed?"

"I had to try. If not this time, I feared there would never be another chance," Shi Cairén replied calmly, having seemingly accepted her fate from the moment she acted.

"Did you leak the news of Lady Liu's pregnancy to Lady Wang?" Jiang Hui abruptly asked.

Lady Liu was one of the two palace maids gifted to Prince Cheng by the Empress Dowager. Jiang Hui knew about her attempt to give birth to an illegitimate son and her subsequent death.

"Yes," Shi Cairén wasn't surprised that Jiang Hui guessed it. She elaborated, "The Empress Dowager originally favored me and Asu because we were attentive and of average looks, unlikely to distract the Emperor's heart."

"In the end, you and Lady Liu were sent to Prince Cheng's mansion, and Asu disappeared?" Jiang Hui’s tone was questioning, but her expression indicated she already knew.

"Yes," Shi Cairén nodded, her voice still calm. "Lady Liu wanted to climb higher. She wasn’t like Asu or me."