Free Web NovelChapter 29: Breaking in
It was well past midnight when Shen Lieyin slipped into the cover of night with Ru Yi. They were both wearing black plain robes and half their faces covered with a black cloth.
Ru Yi followed Shen Lieyin’s lead, making sure her steps were light as they kept to the walls of Lin Yuexin’s residence.
Most of her maids had joined the workers at the Easter palace, while the rest were now under the head maid, Bai He.
But there were still guards stationed at the entrance, and the pair had to find a way in without alerting them.
"We’ll climb through the east wall," Shen Lieyin was saying when Ru Yi cut her off.
"Or we can distract them," there was a sheepish smile on her face. "The wall is too high for me."
Shen Lieyin looked at her like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. "The wall is not that high. What are you on about?"
"Not all of us are strong and capable like you," Ru Yi replied, making sure to leave the smile plastered on her face even though her cheeks were aching. She didn’t want to deal with an angry Lieyin.
Shen Lieyin sighed, she should’ve gone on this mission alone. "I’ll give you a hand. Come on." fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
They made it to the east wall, Lieyin tapping her shoulders so Ru Yi could get on.
"I’m not climbing on your shoulders," Ru Yi blurted out.
"We don’t have time for this! It’ll be easier for you to reach the top then jump down." It was getting hard for Shen Lieyin to keep her voice down to a whisper with the anger growing inside of her. "I don’t know why Qingyue insisted I go with such a moron."
Ru Yi heard her, loud and clear. "There’s no need to trouble yourself, this moron can help herself get over the wall," she mumbled.
The wall was a couple heads taller than Ru Yi, but she had the determination of a stray dog determined to steal food.
Gathering the bottom of the robe, she put her fingers into the cracked spaces of the wall. Shen Lieyin stifled her laughter as she watched Ru Yi hoist herself up. She wasn’t impressed.
"If you go any slower, we’ll sleep on the wall," Shen Lieyin said, standing directly under her.
Ru Yi huffed. "As long as I get to the top, I’ll show you—" her hands slipped, and soon enough she was falling to the ground.
Shen Lieyin was quick to stretch her hands to catch her, but on second thoughts she stepped away and watched Ru Yi crash to the ground with a satisfied smile.
"Are you going to get on my shoulders, or will you keep trying to climb on your own?"
Ru Yi couldn’t look her in the eyes, her cheeks heated with embarrassment. She stood up, wincing when pain shot up her back, and climbed onto Lieyin’s shoulders.
It was slender but firm, the lean muscles contracting as Shen Lieyin stood up with Ru Yi balanced on top of her.
"Reach for the edge, I’ll give you a lift so you can swing your legs over." Lieyin gave her instructions as if she helped people climb walls for a living.
Ru Yi obeyed, and soon enough she was on the other side of the wall. Lieyin landed smoothly beside her with the elegance of a cat.
She checked the perimeter to make sure there was no one lurking before they made their way to the late princess’s inner chamber.
Ru Yi sucked in a deep breath when Lieyin pushed the door open and they went inside. There was an unlit candle on the table she usually sat with Lin Yuexin, the air still holding on to its scent.
The last time she was in here was the night the princess had given her the gown and told her to save a dance for her.
That memory felt like she’d live it thousands of years in the past. She bit back a sniff.
"Where do you think she kept the documents?" Shen Lieyin asked her, eyes already scanning the entire space.
"It should be—"
There was the sound of footsteps which made two of them freeze. Voices could be heard outside, the Empress was among them.
Ru Yi’s eyes widened in panic, "What should we do? No one is supposed to be here?"
Shen Lieyin was already scrambling for answers. Her eyes immediately caught on the changing screen that had been pushed into a corner.
She grabbed Ru Yi and pushed their bodies behind the screen at the same time the doors to the inner chamber opened and the Empress walked in.
"Has anyone else been here?" The Empress asked one of the guards.
"No, your highness," he answered, eyes missing the two women hiding even though they were directly in his line of sight.
"I want you to search the entire place and bring me anything that might help in the investigation of the princess’s death." The Empress turned to one of Lin Yuexin’s former personal maids. "I heard was visiting the princess frequently."
The maid bowed, "Yes, your highness."
"What was she here for? Did you ever hear them have an argument over the crown prince?" She leaned into the maid, still maintaining a respectable distance. "Was it about the wedding?"
The maid didn’t dare look into the Empress’s face. "There were never raised voices. The princess seemed to be more relaxed whenever Ru Yi was around."
"I want you to think carefully," her voice took a grave tone, "maybe you’re remembering wrong. I’m sure they had their misunderstandings because of the feelings her betrothed harbored towards the maid."
The guard put his hand on the hilt of his sword, the movement so clear for the maid to see.
She gulped. "I remember now." Her voice grew shaky with every word she spoke, "They fought about the wedding. The maid thought she was wrong and wanted the princess to call off the wedding."
Ru Yi’s hand folded into fists but she didn’t give away what she felt.
The Empress was really trying hard to frame her for the murder. Which meant only one thing—the Empress was trying to protect someone.
Perhaps...the real killer.
The Empress tapped the lace fan in her hand on the maid’s cheek. "Good girl. Now search the entire room and get me every document you see. It’s in your best interest that you do."
They all got to work, pulling out drawers and pouring out the contents in boxes. Ru Yi watched everything from where she stood.
If her intuition was correct then the Empress must’ve found out the princess was digging into her past records and was here to make sure whatever she found never saw the light of day.
Ru Yi flinched when the guard knocked down the flower vase by her bed side, Princess Lin Yuexin had treasured it grateful.
For them to disrespect the dead like this...They truly had no shame.
Ru Yi watched them pull out the records she had gotten for the princess. Even the ones that showed the Empress’s embezzlement, down to stolen goods.
The Empress snatched all of them up. "I will personally review this and hand it over to the court."
She was going to do no such thing.
"Yes, your highness."
"Wait..." The Empress was almost out of the door when her eyes fell on something. "What’s behind the screen?"
