Though there was no evidence, keeping a suspect around wasn’t good either, was it? Noble Consort Hua was about to speak again to persuade her, but Shen Guiyan raised her hand and said, “It’s decided. No need to say more.”

She naturally had a use for keeping this person.

Qingzhu also looked up at Shen Guiyan in surprise. Baoshan had already come over to lift her up. This little girl looked only eight or nine years old, like a small chick.

“Since Her Highness has given such instructions, you’d better come with me.” Baoshan led Qingzhu away.

Shen Guiyan looked toward the inner hall. The Imperial Physician had already come out and cupped his hands, saying, “Consort Shen Your Highness has taken the antidote. Her life is not in danger, but her body will need recuperation.”

“Thank you for your efforts, Imperial Physician.” Shen Guiyan nodded. The Imperial Physician bowed and withdrew.

Xiuping went to help Shen Hanlu out. Her entire person was unsteady on her feet, her complexion greenish-purple. If this was playing the sympathy card, the price was too high. Moreover, Shen Guiyan didn’t feel much sympathy for her.

“Sister Consort Shen should go back first and wait for His Majesty’s reward.” Consort Xi glanced at her. “It truly was arduous.”

Shen Hanlu forced a smile and, dizzy and disoriented, performed a courtesy before going out and boarding a sedan chair back to her palace.

Noble Consort Hua watched her departing figure and turned her head to say in a low voice, “Your Highness, one must always be on guard against others. Mountains and rivers may change, but nature is hard to alter.”

“This palace understands everything.” Shen Guiyan nodded, looking at the doorway. “But this time, it truly wasn’t her.”

Noble Consort Hua was startled and frowned as she glanced at Consort Xi. “Your Highness means?”

If it wasn’t Shen Hanlu, and Noble Consort Yan had kept Qingzhu behind, could she be suspecting Consort Xi?

Consort Xi looked blank and innocent, immediately asking, “Why are you looking at me? Do I have flowers on my face?”

Noble Consort Hua helplessly turned her face away. In her heart, she truly didn’t want to stand alongside Consort Xi. After all, she was someone who had rolled around in the world of pleasure houses, yet Narcissus truly didn’t know how to read people’s expressions at all. Originally, Mama Ying had used her “innocent, candid, and outspoken” nature as a selling point, but now that she’d entered the palace, this selling point had become precisely her fatal flaw.

“Going back and forth, you’re all tired too.” Shen Guiyan said, “Why don’t you go back and rest first, then later go to the Northern Palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager.”

“Yes.”

When everyone had dispersed and Baoshan brought in Qingzhu, who had changed clothes, Shen Guiyan was standing beside that koi bowl in a daze.

“Your Highness.”

Called back to her senses by Baoshan, Shen Guiyan turned and saw Qingzhu. She smiled and beckoned to her, “Come here.”

Qingzhu’s body trembled. She looked at Shen Guiyan several times before carefully walking to her side. “Noble Consort Your Highness.”

“How long have you been in the palace?” Shen Guiyan asked with a smile.

Qingzhu swallowed and said softly, “Half a month. This servant entered the palace together with Lady Fu. I’m a personal palace maid sent in by the Fu family.”

Shen Guiyan nodded. “But this palace sees that you’re still quite young. When did you start serving by Lady Fu’s side?”

Qingzhu’s eyes showed some panic. She didn’t understand why she was asking these things. After thinking it over and feeling there were no flaws, she answered quietly, “A year ago, this servant’s family fell into decline, so I was sold to the Fu residence. I was selected by the young miss and later followed her into the palace.”

Not long then—that’s overthinking it. Shen Guiyan pulled her over to compare heights. This girl was a full head taller than the koi bowl placed on the shelf. If one wanted to put something inside it, one would probably have to reach out and tilt the bowl to the side.

“You also saw today that following by Lady Fu’s side is unstable. His Majesty doesn’t trust her. Even without evidence, he can confine her to the Imperial Clan Court. Your little life is even less secure.”

Shen Guiyan walked to sit on the couch, saying with a smile, “This palace finds you pitiable, so I want to keep you. Put on Yonghe Palace’s clothes and temporarily serve in the front hall. Once Lady Fu’s case is investigated clearly, we’ll decide your retention or dismissal. How about that?”

Qingzhu was like someone who had survived a disaster, kneeling down to kowtow in overwhelming gratitude, her body still trembling.

“Alright, you may withdraw as well.” Shen Guiyan said, “His Majesty said he would send someone to investigate the case. Don’t touch anything in the inner hall—wait for people to come collect evidence later.”

“Yes.” Qingzhu lowered her eyes and hurriedly withdrew.

“What is Master thinking?” Baoshan came over, asking in confusion, “Are you suspecting Consort Xi Your Highness?”

Shen Guiyan shook her head. “The person he trusts, I naturally won’t suspect. I’m just curious—His Majesty only came to look once, so how could he be so certain it was Lady Fu? Just now, after keeping this girl to look at her twice, I seem to understand.”

“Understand what?” Baoshan looked completely bewildered. Shen Guiyan helplessly tapped her forehead. “Silly girl, have you seen that snake?”

Baoshan thought about it. “No, ordinary snakes aren’t that attractive looking. One glance and you could tell it was sinister and venomous.”

“Then if I asked you to release such a snake, would you dare?” Shen Guiyan asked with a smile.

Baoshan wrinkled her nose in difficulty. “Master, don’t ask such questions. This servant is very afraid of death. Releasing an ordinary snake, this servant would dare, but knowing it’s something that could cost a life, this servant would be afraid no matter what.”

That cockscomb snake had brilliant colors. She was truly curious who had such great audacity to dare release it. Weren’t they afraid the snake would turn around and bite them?

“Ordinary maids are all thirteen or fourteen years old before they can serve by a young miss’s side. But this Qingzhu is only nine years old. Don’t you find that strange?”

Baoshan thought about it and said, “Strange is strange, but that’s Lady Fu’s business. It doesn’t matter if a palace maid is young, as long as she knows how to serve people.”

“Mm, best if it’s the kind who knows how to serve people but is young and ignorant, doesn’t recognize anything—that kind of little girl.” Shen Guiyan sighed. “I’ve said this much. If you still can’t figure it out, there’s nothing I can do.”

Baoshan painfully hugged her head and squatted to the side to think. What about being young? Being young… wait, if she’s young, she probably wouldn’t fear venomous creatures she didn’t recognize in the first place, right? The ignorant are fearless—is that what Master means?

Could that venomous snake truly have been released by Qingzhu? Then why would Master want to keep her at Yonghe Palace instead of sending her to be confined together with Lady Fu?

Moreover, why would Lady Fu want to harm the Noble Consort right from the start? She’s only a Lady—shouldn’t she proceed step by step?

Her head hurt from thinking. Baoshan let out a wail, shook her head, and gave up. She’d just wait for people to come investigate. Being a fool who understood nothing was actually quite nice, truly.

People from the Ministry of Justice arrived and searched through Yonghe Palace’s inner hall but found nothing. Qingzhu stood outside trembling, with Baoshan standing right beside her.

“Are you cold?” Baoshan asked softly.

Qingzhu shook her head and said quietly, “This servant feels afraid. That venomous snake was too terrifying…”

Baoshan laughed. “What’s there to fear? The snake is already gone. Just now I went and heard the people from the Ministry of Justice say that snake is very rare and uncommon. This case will probably be solved quickly.”

Qingzhu froze, then nodded. “Indeed, I’ve never seen such a snake.”

“What kind?” Baoshan asked casually.

Qingzhu gestured. “Wasn’t it that bright, bright red one, with its head topped by something like a cockscomb?”

“When did you see it?” Baoshan said with a smile. “I remember when the venomous snake bit someone, you weren’t at Yonghe Palace, were you?”

Qingzhu’s face went white. Her small body shook even more violently. She slapped her own mouth and said with a crying tone, “This servant was talking nonsense, Sister Baoshan.”

“Oh, is that so? No need to be too nervous. Since Noble Consort Your Highness kept you here, I won’t suspect you either.” Baoshan said softly. “Let me go in and check the situation, so I can clear your name sooner.”

Qingzhu nodded dumbly.

The people from the Ministry of Justice came out shortly after. Qingzhu was so frightened she ran to stand on one side. Only after they had all left did she breathe a sigh of relief.

“Qingzhu, come quickly.” Baoshan stood at the main hall entrance beckoning to her.

Qingzhu hurried over and asked, “How did it go?”

Baoshan said with a serious expression, “The lords from the Ministry of Justice said the culprit left handprints on that koi bowl. You guard this place while I go find the finest powder. Sprinkled on top, it can lift the handprints, and then we can compare them to determine who the murderer is.”

Qingzhu’s eyes widened. “It… it can be done like that?”

“Mm, guard it well. Her Highness is already taking her afternoon nap—just don’t wake her.” Baoshan walked away without looking back.

Qingzhu stood at Yonghe Palace’s main hall entrance. Her small hands gripped her clothes, clenching tighter and tighter. Finally, unable to resist, she turned and went inside, grabbed a cloth, pulled the koi bowl down a little, and scrubbed it hard.

“She was lying to you.” A voice sounded behind her.

Qingzhu jumped in fright. Her hand shook, and the koi bowl crashed down and shattered into pieces.

With a loud “bang,” Baoshan immediately came in with several eunuchs.

Shen Guiyan leaned against the bed, looking at the trembling Qingzhu. She didn’t speak harshly, only gently beckoned. “Qingzhu, come here.”

Qingzhu was about to cry. With Lady Fu absent, no one told her what to do. Meeting Noble Consort Yan’s gaze, she only felt that everything she did seemed wrong.

Shuffling over, Qingzhu didn’t dare raise her head. Her voice also trembled. “This servant… this servant was only trying to clean…”

“This palace said today that you’re a palace maid serving in the front hall. Coming to the inner hall is already wrong. Do you understand?” Shen Guiyan said gently.

Qingzhu opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say.

“This bowl is an imperially bestowed item. You’ve shattered it. This palace cannot protect you. Do you understand?”

Qingzhu was startled, and tears fell. “This servant doesn’t want to die yet.”

No one wanted to die. She didn’t know what to do. The people in the palace all seemed cold and icy. Everything she did was wrong. Only when Lady Fu was by her side did she know what to do and what to say. Yet Noble Consort Yan had kept her behind.

“Children who tell the truth are good children. Do you understand?” Shen Guiyan spoke in a completely coaxing tone. “You’ve already committed a capital offense now. If you tell this palace the truth about that snake, this palace can find a way to release you from the palace. But if you still lie, then this palace can only have them drag you away.”

Qingzhu panicked. Looking up to meet Shen Guiyan’s gentle eyes, she grasped at them like a lifeline. “Your Highness, save this servant’s life! When this servant entered the palace, it was agreed that I must listen to Lady Fu’s words. If I speak wrongly, this servant’s younger brother and mother will both die.”