Imperial Husband Chapter 118

Chapter 118

Zhou Yunting knelt on one knee, cupped his hands, and reported, "Reporting to your highness, this subordinate has just detected unusual movements from Second Master's side. Furthermore, the people Lady Zhou had planted in your highness's courtyard are also beginning to stir restlessly."

Li Jin inquired with profound meaning, "Did you see what he did?"

"He secretly placed this object in your highness's chamber." Having said this, Zhou Yunting produced a cloth bundle the size of a palm and slowly opened it.

Behold.

The item inside the cloth bundle was actually identical to the medicinal herb dianqie (belladonna) that Li Jin had previously instructed him to find near Li Yanshen.

"It seems... she is preparing to make her move." Li Jin gave a light chuckle, then calmly issued instructions, "Yunting, later you will divide this into two portions. Hide one portion at..."

"As you command, your highness."

Zhou Yunting accepted the command and immediately departed without a sound.

Knock, knock.

A sudden knocking came from outside the door.

Not long after, Ping'an's voice rang out from outside, "Your highness, the Seventh Prince has sent someone to deliver a pot of soup. Would you care to try it?"

"Mhm, come in."

Upon hearing that Ying Yuan had sent something over, Li Jin responded almost reflexively.

Creak

Upon hearing Jin's words, Ping'an quickly pushed the door open and carefully carried the soup in. "Your Highness, the Seventh Prince told the servant to remind you to drink it while it's hot. It'll be no good if it gets cold."

"It's... bitter melon."

As soon as the lid was opened, Li Jin recognized at a glance that what Li Jin had prepared was bitter melon soup.

An indescribable feeling, carried by the aroma of the bitter melon soup, quietly spread to the depths of Li Jin's heart.

If one were to ask what Li Jin loved to eat most, it would be bitter melon.

Li Jin enjoyed the bitterness of the melon; it gave him a sense that he was still truly alive.

However, in this present life, Li Jin had only eaten it once in front of Ying Yuan. He never expected Ying Yuan to not only remember this detail but also know to make soup with bitter melon.

"So this thing is called bitter melon."

Ping'an seemed unfamiliar with bitter melon and was thus quite intrigued by the name Li Jin uttered.

"Mhm."

Li Jin sat down and slowly began to drink the bitter melon soup.

The bitter melon soup wasn't anything particularly precious. It simply contained some bitter melon, minced pork, diced winter mushrooms, and was flavored with a bit of coriander root and garlic.

But Li Jin found it exceptionally delicious.

For some reason.

Looking at the irregularly diced winter mushrooms and the sliced bitter melon in the pot—some slices thick, others thin—an idea surfaced in Li Jin's mind: this pot of bitter melon soup was very likely made by Ying Yuan himself.

Otherwise, with the skills of a palace chef, it would never have been cut in such a manner.

Li Jin did not know.

Ying Yuan had originally intended to deliver the bitter melon soup himself. However, given his status as a prince, he could not leave the palace at will. It was only after much internal struggle that Ying Yuan had no choice but to have someone else deliver it on his behalf.

Ping'an, standing to the side, pondered for a long while before finally being unable to hold back his question. "Your highness, you punished the Eldest Master and the others immediately upon your return. Isn't that somewhat inappropriate? I fear people outside might gossip about you behind your back."

To put it plainly.

Ping'an asked this question out of concern that people outside might spread unfavorable talk to tarnish Li Jin's reputation.

"Ping'an, do you think I still have a reputation to speak of?"

Li Jin countered with a question instead of an answer.

"Uh..."

Ping'an was at a loss for words.

Li Jin's words hit the mark. Despite being away from the capital for three years, Wei Shiwan was still there, and she wouldn't miss a chance to slander him.

Seeing Ping'an was convinced, Li Jin smiled. "You're still young, Ping'an. You'll understand when you grow up."

"Your Highness..." Ping'an felt a bit put out that Li Jin called him young.

But he swallowed it. It was Li Jin, after all - the one he respected most. Anyone else would've gotten a piece of his mind.

"Ping'an, when the Seventh Prince's messenger comes, tell them the soup was delicious."

"..."

...

The Hour of Yin [3:00-5:00 AM].

The news of Li Yanshen's inexplicable death spread throughout the Prince of Dingbei's Mansion at a shocking speed.

Wei Shiwan hurriedly rushed over. The moment she saw Li Yanshen, who had already stopped breathing, she completely broke down. "Shen'er... Shen'er, wake up quickly... don't sleep anymore... Shen'er..."

Among the three children Wei Shiwan bore, Li Yanshen was undoubtedly the one on whom she had expended the most effort and who was also her favorite. Therefore, upon learning of his death, how could Wei Shiwan possibly remain calm?

"Investigate. For this old one, investigate clearly just who is responsible for this?"

Wei Rong struck her cane heavily against the ground, refusing to believe Li Yanshen could have died just like that.

Wei Rong was, after all, the senior-most person in the mansion in terms of generation, and someone needed to oversee Li Yanshen's affairs. Li Jin thus ordered the guards stationed near Wei Rong to withdraw.

Wei Shiwan, tears welling in her eyes, looked at Wei Rong. "Old Madam, Shen'er's health was not good, true, but he had no major issues. How could he just... be gone, just like that? Surely someone has secretly harmed Shen'er."

"Shiwan, don't cry. This old one will certainly see justice done for you in this matter."

"Thank you, Old Madam."

Having received Wei Rong's assuring words, Wei Shiwan immediately curtseyed.

Due to the example Li Jin had made that very day to warn others, Wei Shiwan had also changed her form of address, not daring to call her 'mother' as she used to.

Not long after.

A maidservant hurried in, carrying a medicine pot. "Old Madam, Secondary Consort, this servant found this. Perhaps Second Master's misfortune is related to it."

Wei Shiwan's pupils instantly contracted. "Are you suggesting there was something wrong with the medicine decocted for Shen'er? That can't be. You are merely a maidservant; how would you know how to examine herbs? Could it be that you are in league with the one who harmed Shen'er?"

Frightened by Wei Shiwan's fierce gaze, the maidservant immediately knelt down. "Secondary Consort, this servant is wronged! This servant knows these things because this servant's grandfather was a physician. He once told this servant about some crucial medicinal herbs, which is how this servant recognized it."

Cailian spoke up at the right moment, "Secondary Consort, judging by her appearance, she should be telling the truth."

Wei Shiwan, hearing this, pondered for a moment before saying, "Then tell me, what crucial herb is inside?"

"It's this one." The maidservant took out a herb from the medicine pot. "This herb is called dianqie. The entire plant is poisonous, but because it is not commonly seen, not many people know of it."

"Dianqie (belladonna)..."

Wei Shiwan snatched the belladonna from the maidservant's hand and squeezed it forcefully, as if wanting to crush it to dust.

"Secondary Consort, generally, adding just five belladonna berries is enough to kill a poisoned person. And here, there are four whole plants, including the most poisonous roots. It seems the person who poisoned Second Master clearly intended to take his life."

"Good, very good, very good..." Wei Rong gritted her teeth and uttered several 'good's in succession. "If I find out who committed such a vicious deed within the Prince's Mansion, I will make sure they have no place to be buried."

Suddenly, a servant unexpectedly exclaimed, "Old Madam, this servant seems to have seen this thing in the Heir's chamber."

What?

Upon hearing that Li Jin might be involved, Wei Rong's anger towards Li Jin also reached its peak.

Wei Shiwan, regardless of anything else, knelt down. "Old Madam, I beg you, you must seek justice for Shen'er."

"Shiwan, rest assured. If that vile creature is truly responsible for this, this old one will be the first not to spare him." Wei Rong clenched her fist, enunciating each word clearly. "Bring Li Jin here. Also, search the courtyard where Li Jin resides thoroughly. You must find that harmful thing."

"Yes, Old Madam."

The guards from Wei Rong's courtyard, having received the order, immediately strode quickly towards the direction of Li Jin's courtyard.

Wei Rong had, after all, managed affairs in the Prince of Dingbei's Mansion for many years; naturally, she would not lack manpower. Moreover, this matter involved harm to a descendant of the Prince's Mansion. Those guards who usually assisted Li Jin certainly would not dare act rashly now.

Just as the party sent to apprehend Li Jin had left, Li Yanchen arrived right after. "Grandmother, how is Second Brother?"

After hearing the news of Li Yanshen's death, Li Yanchen disregarded everything else and came wearing only his inner garments.

Wei Rong frowned deeply. "Chen'er, the medicine on your wounds was just applied. Why have you come? What if your injuries worsen?"

Wei Shiwan also forcibly suppressed her nearly失控 emotions and said gently, "The Old Madam is right. Chen'er, this matter has nothing to do with you. You should go back and rest first."

Li Yanchen shook his head. "Second Brother and I are both Father's sons. How could this matter have nothing to do with me? Grandmother, Secondary Consort, please allow me to stay here as well."

"Very well. It's good for you to stay too, lest that vile creature Li Jin turns against us if his plot fails." Wei Rong agreed to let Li Yanchen stay. "You there! How are you attending to your duties? Can't you see the Eldest Master is thinly clad?"

"Yes, Old Madam."

The maidservants, hearing this, hurriedly and fearfully fetched a cloak to drape over Li Yanchen.

As for Li Ruoyan, she had already been terrified out of her wits by Li Jin's punishment. After being released from the Buddhist hall, she scrambled back to the Prince An's Mansion in a panic, so she was still unaware of Li Yanshen's poisoning.

After putting on the cloak, Li Yanchen immediately bowed to Wei Rong. "Your grandson thanks Grandmother."

"Mhm."

Wei Rong was quite pleased with Li Yanchen's respectful conduct.

...

Ping'an glanced at Li Jin, who was calmly sipping tea, and couldn't help asking, "Your Highness, something's happened to Second Young Master... aren't we going to check on him?"

"There's no need." Li Jin shook his head calmly. "It likely won't be long before someone comes for us."

Ping'an was even more confused. "Uh... your highness, I don't understand."

No sooner said than done.

The moment Ping'an finished speaking, the people sent by Wei Rong arrived. They divided into two groups: one came to 'invite' Li Jin, while the other began to search Li Jin's courtyard extensively.

Bang.

The arrivals seemed to treat Li Jin as a criminal; they didn't even knock before directly pushing the door open. "Your highness, the Old Madam requests your presence."

"This is the Heir's quarters. How dare you barge in like this?" Ping'an was angered by the intruder, but what made him even angrier came next. "And what are you all doing? Why are you searching the Heir's courtyard?"

"Someone has accused the Heir of being the one who murdered Second Master. We are here to conduct a search under the Old Madam's orders."