“This is the only thing I can do for the child.” After a pause, Zhangsun Shi said, “Are you no longer angry with me?”

Xiuzhu’s movements stiffened, and she replied sullenly, “Whether this servant is angry or not, would Miss care?”

“You and I are as close as sisters – how could I not care?” Saying this, Zhangsun Shi continued, “I know you feel for me, but I don’t want to act rashly. In any case, I promise you that if I find Yang Consort is truly the murderer who killed the child, I will certainly not spare her. Is that acceptable?”

Xiuzhu, after all, still cared for Zhangsun Shi. Hearing these words, her heart softened, and she said, “This servant only wishes for the Little Prince to rest in peace and for Miss to be safe. As for Yang Consort, yes, this servant does have prejudices against her. She killed Prince Wei Huai and deceived His Highness. How could such a person harbor good intentions?”

Zhangsun Shi nodded, saying, “I understand. After we return, I will investigate thoroughly. Now accompany me to Daxing Shan Temple. I want to establish a rebirth memorial tablet for the child, so that in his next life he may have peace, happiness, and longevity!”

Xiuzhu nodded and accompanied Zhangsun Shi to Daxing Shan Temple. As they emerged after establishing the rebirth memorial tablet, an elderly man blocked her path, saying, “Madam, buy a prayer slip! It will guarantee your wishes come true and dreams fulfilled – only five wen coins.”

Xiuzhu looked him over and said, “I recognize you. It was you who persuaded my Miss to buy a prayer slip last year, but her wishes didn’t come true. You’re nothing but a fraud.”

The old man was extremely embarrassed. Just as he was scratching his nose with a dry laugh, a delicate, pale hand placed five wen coins on the table. “I want one.”

Seeing this, Xiuzhu quickly tried to stop her, “Miss, this wishing tree isn’t effective at all. Why buy one?”

Zhangsun Shi said indifferently, “During the Luoyang expedition, though my husband didn’t defeat the enemy, he returned safely. That can’t be called ineffective.”

Hearing this, the old man quickly flattered her, “This lady speaks correctly! Our wishing tree was personally planted by Buddha Shakyamuni himself and has always been exceptionally efficacious!”

Though Xiuzhu scoffed at his words, since Zhangsun Shi insisted, she couldn’t say more. After writing down her prayer for the child’s early reincarnation and rebirth as a human, Zhangsun Shi came to the back of the temple. Like last time, many pious men and women were throwing prayer slips onto the tree, and the slips hanging on the tree appeared more numerous than before, weighing down the branches.

After silently reciting her wish, Zhangsun Shi tied the stone and threw it up. This time it went very smoothly, hitting the target in one throw. As she turned to leave, a “crack” sound came from overhead, followed by people’s alarmed cries of “Watch out!”

Before Zhangsun Shi could react, a dark shadow was already falling toward her head. Then came a “bang” sound as a tree branch wrapped with many prayer slips fell heavily in front of her and Xiuzhu’s feet. The latter was so frightened her face turned pale. How dangerous! If they had stepped forward just then, the branch would have fallen on their heads, and they would have been severely injured if not killed!

After recovering from the shock, she looked at the break with lingering fear, “It must be that there were too many prayer slips, making the branch unable to bear the weight, causing it to break.” Then she said, “Miss, let’s leave quickly.”

Zhangsun Shi nodded. As she walked around the branch lying before them, she inadvertently saw a prayer slip that had fallen with the branch. The yellow paper was spread open, and though the characters had faded from age, they were still legible: “Believer Yang Shi sincerely prays that Madam Zhangsun Shi may soon conceive an heir and bear branches and leaves for her husband.”

She recognized this handwriting and tone… This was the prayer slip Yunyi had thrown onto the wishing tree half a year ago. That day she had asked Yunyi what she had wished for, but the latter had refused to say. Only now did she learn that her wish had actually been made for herself.

Come to think of it, it was shortly after making this wish here that she discovered her pregnancy.

Xiuzhu also saw this prayer slip. Though she didn’t recognize the handwriting, from the words alone she could guess its origin. Seeing Zhangsun Shi bend down to pick it up, she quickly said, “This Yang Consort is truly full of schemes, having prepared this backup plan so early. Miss, you absolutely must not believe her.”

Zhangsun Shi ignored Xiuzhu and only gripped the prayer slip tightly. The next moment, she strode quickly outside, with Xiuzhu hurrying to follow.

After returning to the Prince of Qin’s mansion, what Xiuzhu most feared finally happened. Zhangsun Shi summoned Duan Zhihong and ordered him to immediately lift the confinement on Qiluo Pavilion.

“Wait!” Xiuzhu called out to Duan Zhihong who was about to leave, saying, “Miss, if you release Yang Consort now, you’ll be playing right into her hands.”

“Hands?” Zhangsun Shi stared at her and shook her head, “No. From last night until now, Yang Consort and her people have been confined in Qiluo Pavilion without being able to enter or leave. It would be impossible for her to set up any scheme.”

Xiuzhu pondered, “Perhaps Yang Consort anticipated that after harming the Little Prince, she would arouse Miss’s suspicion, so she laid this trap beforehand.”

“Going to Daxing Shan Temple was my sudden decision. How could Yang Consort have anticipated it? And how could she have calculated that the branch would break and the prayer slip would fall before us? Could she have prophetic abilities?”

“This…” Xiuzhu was rendered speechless by her questions but still insisted on her view, “Just because we can’t think of how doesn’t mean Yang Consort couldn’t do it. In any case, this person absolutely cannot be trusted, much less released!”

“Your prejudice against Yang Consort runs too deep.” Zhangsun Shi caressed the prayer slip she had been holding, saying gently but firmly, “Since she could pray to heaven for me to soon bear a son, this shows her kind heart. Such a person would never harm my child!”

Though Xiuzhu strongly opposed this, Zhangsun Shi’s mind was made up. She said to Duan Zhihong, who was still standing in the hall, “After lifting the confinement on Qiluo Pavilion, please invite Yang Consort to come.”

Seeing Zhangsun Shi acting so willfully, the anger that Xiuzhu had barely suppressed flared up again. She said resentfully, “If it wasn’t Yang Consort, and it wasn’t the kitchen staff, then Miss implies that this servant harmed you?”

“How could you say such a thing? How could I suspect you?” Saying this, Zhangsun Shi sighed lightly, “Though those responsible for meals show no signs of suspicion, the kitchen has many people and is chaotic. There’s no guarantee someone couldn’t have secretly added medicine to the food when they weren’t paying attention!”

Though Zhangsun Shi had no intention of suspecting her, Xiuzhu was still unable to contain her anger. She said coldly, “Fine. If Miss wishes to believe Yang Consort, then go ahead and believe her. Consider that this servant never said anything. This servant has other matters to attend to and requests leave to withdraw.” With that, she huffily curtsied to Zhangsun Shi and turned to leave.

Watching her departing figure, Wenlan said worriedly, “Princess Consort, should this servant go and try to persuade Sister Xiuzhu?”

Zhangsun Shi sighed and waved her hand, “She’s at the height of her anger now. Whatever you say, she probably won’t listen. Go to her later. I don’t know why this girl is so stubborn about this matter.”