Free Web NovelChapter 28: A woman scorned
"Do you understand just what you’re accusing the Empress of?" Shen Qingyue asked slowly, voice hard like steel. "You’re trying to tell me she’s plotting treason?"
Ru Yi nodded. "I overheard her giving instructions to a maid to put it in his tea. Considering the state of his health when I saw him during my trial, I’d say the poison is already taking effect."
"Do we really have to stay here and listen to her rubbish?" Shen Lieyin asked. "She might be making it up just so we don’t kill her."
"This is not the time," Shen Qingyue said to her, then looked at Ru Yi. "I’ve had my suspicions in the past, but the power she holds...it would be suicide to lay an accusation on her."
In a more serious tone Shen Qingyue asked, "can you prove this?"
Ru Yi shook her head. "The Empress is too smart to leave evidence lying around. I’d never have suspected poison if I didn’t see it myself."
Qingyue thought long and hard, "Can you at least remember the maid that carried out the order?"
Ru Yi closed her eyes and tried to search for the memory of that day in her head. All she remembered was dark hair and dull brown eyes.
"I’m afraid not, I didn’t get to look at her properly," she replied, regret dripping from her words. "But I think I can recognize her if I see her."
Shen Qingyue looked at Yexue who threw her hands in the air. "You better not ask me to go mingle with the maids."
"You know how to get people to let their guards down and make them talk—"
"I think what you mean is she knows how to charm ladies out of their robes," Shen Lieyin interrupted with a snicker.
"Hey!" Shen Yexue pretended to be offended as she put a hand on her chest.
"Come on," Shen Qingyue continued, "if we can find the maid and get to testify, it’ll be a huge progress in our plan."
"Why does she want the old man dead anyway?" Lieyin mused.
The three sisters shared a look Ru Yi didn’t catch. Deep down they understood why the Empress was doing this, and knew they had to move just as fast before she beat them at the game.
Ru Yi thought back to the original plot of the book. The triplets had wanted the throne all along, and had killed Zhao Chen for it. The only problem was how nothing has been following the original storyline. freewebnovёl.ƈom
Still—if she can help them take down the Empress, then her freedom wasn’t as far off as she’d thought.
"How about we strike a proper deal?" Ru Yi asked, pulling all their attention back to her. "I helped Princess Lin Yuexin gather documents that would expose the Empress’s corruption."
"Go on," Qingyue urged.
"If I help you locate the documents then I want you to help me leave the palace in return. I promise you’ll never see my face again."
"If that’s what you want," Shen Qingyue assured her but there was something else on her mind. Taking care of the Empress wouldn’t be the end of her troubles.
Zhao Chen was still in the picture, and she couldn’t deal with him without using Ru Yi. For now, she’d go along with the plan.
There was also the fact that Zhao Chen still thought Ru Yi was pregnant. Surely, he’d do anything to keep her safe. It’ll give them an edge.
"You have no intention of running away, right?" Lieyin asked, still about her suspicions. "This place is heavily guarded and you’re wanted."
"Wanted?" Ru Yi’s ears perked up at that. "I didn’t try to escape or anything like that."
"As long as everyone is concerned you broke out of the cell to avoid being executed." Shen Lieyin seemed pleased by that fact. "You can’t go anywhere without us."
It felt like she was peering deep into Ru Yi’s soul. "I know you’re not smart so I’ll advise you to be careful. We’re the ones protecting you right now..." her expression darkened but the smile at the tip of her mouth didn’t dip, "but I’m sure you know how fast a protector can turn to a predator."
Shen Yexue snickered from where she stood. She tried to hold in her laughter but failed miserably. "How...theatrical of you. Are you trying to amuse us?"
Lieyin rolled her eyes. "Worry about how you’re going to charm that maid into giving you information. I mean it’s the only thing you’re very good at."
"Are you calling me vulgar?"
Lieyin didn’t hesitate to answer, "I mean nothing is beneath you..."
Shen Yexue threw the balm in her hand and Lieyin who was quick to move out of the way.
Shen Qingyue rubbed the bridge of her nose, "Can you two focus?"
Yexue ignored her. "Don’t think I didn’t see you give that serving boy a bouquet of peonies the other day. Didn’t think you had it in you."
Peonies...
Ru Yi had seen it over and over again, but she couldn’t remember—
"The documents had a seal that looked like a peony on them," she blurted out. "I didn’t go through the documents but I recall thinking the seal was cute."
All the amusement was wiped out of their faces.
"It’s the same seal on the Empress’s old records," Qingyue mused. "We need to find a way into Lin Yuexin’s chamber unnoticed."
"I’m better at sneaking around," Shen Lieyin said, "I’ll go with her..." she pointed at Ru Yi, "at least she knows the layout of the room. It’ll be easier than searching blindly."
Ru Yi gulped hard, she didn’t want to be stuck with the fiercest wolf who was ready to strike her down at the slightest inconvenience.
"That sounds like a solid plan." Shen Qingyue stood up. "We have to leave, we’re been away from the training grounds too long. We can’t bring any suspicions to ourselves."
"What about leaving the palace..." Ru Yi trailed off, "I just need your assurance that you’ll help me."
"When this is over, we’ll help you leave the palace like you asked." Shen Qingyue’s words were final even though her sisters were not completely in support. "For now we’ll need you to get those documents."
"Don’t forget to apply the balm for her," she reminded Yexue, then motioned to Lieyin, "lets go."
A sudden emptiness engulfed Ru Yi when the door shut after them. She was left alone with Shen Yexue, which somehow made her feel worse.
Yexue picked the balm from the floor and turned to Ru Yi with a smirk. "Strip."
Ru Yi clutched her robe tighter around her body. "I’m not going naked in front of you. I’ll just apply it by myself."
Shen Yexue clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth in a gesture of amusement. "I’m afraid I can’t let you do that."
She bent towards Ru Yi, hot breath brushing against her face.
"Besides...I already saw everything when I changed you out of your bloody robes." She nudged the tip of her nose against Ru Yi’s. "There really wasn’t much to see anyway, I was utterly disappointed."
