chapter 8:the investigation unfolds

As the first light of dawn cast long golden rays through the palace corridors, Crown Princess Xu Nuan and Crown Prince Li Feng set their plan into motion. With Susu's condition stabilized, Xu Nuan wasted no time in launching a discreet investigation into the source of the poison.

She first visited the palace apothecary, reviewing records of the medicinal herbs and ingredients used in the past weeks. Nothing unusual stood out—there was no record of any substances capable of creating the Umbral Toxin. This only confirmed her suspicion: the poison had been smuggled in, undetected.

Next, she questioned the servants who had been in contact with Susu the day before. The palace was vast, with numerous attendants managing various tasks, but Xu Nuan was patient and meticulous. One by one, she interviewed the kitchen maids, the tea servants, and even the laundry women, searching for the smallest inconsistency in their stories.

It was a young eunuch named Xiao Dong who finally gave her the first clue. "Your Highness," he whispered nervously, his voice barely above a murmur, "I saw a maid from Yuan Chamber lingering near your residence yesterday evening. She claimed she was delivering tea, but… I did not recognize her as one of your usual attendants."

Xu Nuan's eyes darkened. Yuan Chamber. Empress Quin's courtyard.

The realization sent a chill down her spine, though her expression remained unreadable. If the poison had come from Empress Quin's chambers, it could only mean one thing—this was no random act, but a calculated move orchestrated by the Empress herself or someone acting under her orders.

Without hesitation, she and Li Feng ordered the imperial guards to gather the servants of Yuan Chamber for questioning. The maids and eunuchs lined up nervously, their heads bowed as the Crown Prince's cold gaze swept over them like a blade.

Xu Nuan stepped forward, her voice steady but laced with authority. "One of you attempted to murder my maid with the Umbral Toxin, a rare and highly lethal poison. Confess now, and you may be spared a worse fate."

The silence was heavy, oppressive. Some of the maids trembled, but no one spoke.

Then, a senior attendant whispered something into Li Feng's ear, and he turned sharply toward a particular young maid—her hands were clasped tightly, her face pale with fear.

"Lian'er," the attendant said gravely. "You were seen delivering tea near the Crown Princess's residence last night. Speak."

Lian'er fell to her knees instantly, her body shaking. "Your Highness! I—I did not mean to! I was only following orders! I was told to deliver the tea, nothing more! I swear I did not know it was poisoned!"

Xu Nuan's sharp gaze did not waver. "Who ordered you to do it"

The cold wind howled through the open courtyard as the imperial guards restrained the trembling maid, Lian'er. Kneeling before Crown Prince Li Feng and Crown Princess Xu Nuan, her body shook violently—not from the cold, but from the weight of the inevitable. The truth was already on her lips, yet fear gripped her heart like a vice.

Xu Nuan's sharp gaze locked onto the young maid, studying the subtle twitch of her fingers, the nervous darting of her eyes. "You've admitted to delivering the poisoned tea, but who gave you the order?" she demanded, her voice steady, laced with authority.

Lian'er clenched her fists, her nails digging into her skin. "I…" Her lips trembled, but she did not finish.

Li Feng stepped forward, his cold, piercing stare making the air feel suffocating. "You already know your fate," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. "If you die here, you die as a criminal. If you speak, perhaps mercy may be granted."

The words sent a visible shudder through Lian'er, but still, she remained silent.

Inside her mind, the memory of that night in Yuan Chamber played like a cruel whisper. Madam Zhou, the Empress's most trusted aide, had cornered her in the empty hall, her voice low yet sharp as a dagger.

"Do you love your family, Lian'er?" Madam Zhou had asked, smiling as she held up a single, thin wooden tablet—a census record with her family's names neatly written in ink. Her mother, her father, her little brother, barely ten years old.

"Of course, I do!" she had answered, fear creeping into her voice.

"Then listen carefully," Madam Zhou had continued, her voice eerily calm. "This is an order from Empress Quin. Deliver this tea to the Crown Princess's residence. You do not need to know more."

Lian'er had hesitated, only for Madam Zhou's smile to fade. "If you fail or betray us, your family will not live to see another day. But if you succeed, and if you are caught—take the blame. Swallow your words. The Empress has promised that your family will not only live but will be given a large sum of silver to start a new life far from the capital."

"But… what if I—"

"Then you should pray you never have to ask that question."

Lian'er's heart pounded as she sat in the freezing courtyard, reality crashing over her like a tidal wave. Her family. They were still in danger. Even now, the Empress had eyes everywhere. If she spoke, they would be slaughtered before dawn.

Xu Nuan watched the silent battle unfolding in the girl's mind. "Who gave you the order?" she repeated, her voice slightly softer this time.

Lian'er's breath hitched. Then, as if deciding all at once, she exhaled shakily and met Xu Nuan's gaze.

"I… I was sent."

Silence.

She had confessed, yet she had not truly answered.

Xu Nuan narrowed her eyes. "Who sent you, Lian'er?"

The young maid's lips parted—her body trembling violently—before she suddenly clenched her jaw shut. A single tear slipped down her cheek, and a small, resigned smile ghosted her lips.

"…That, I cannot say."

Li Feng's face darkened. His patience, already thin, was wearing away. "You would rather die in silence?"

Lian'er swallowed hard. "Yes," she whispered. Because my death is the only way to protect them.

A heavy pause filled the air, suffocating and cold. Then, in one swift motion, before anyone could react, Lian'er surged forward.

With every ounce of her strength, she threw herself toward the thick wooden pillar at the center of the courtyard.

Crack!

The sickening sound of skull meeting wood echoed through the silent palace grounds. Blood splattered across the stone tiles as Lian'er's body crumpled to the ground, lifeless, her face frozen in a mixture of pain and relief.

Gasps erupted from the gathered servants, but neither Xu Nuan nor Li Feng flinched. They merely stared at the girl's unmoving form, the red pooling beneath her head a stark contrast to the pristine white snowflakes beginning to fall.

Xu Nuan's fingers curled into fists. She chose death over betraying her master… or perhaps, over betraying her family.

Li Feng's expression remained unreadable. Then, with a sharp breath, he turned to the guards. "Take her body to the imperial coroner. I want to know everything—how long she has been under the Empress's control, and if she had any known connections."

The guards quickly moved to obey.

Xu Nuan exhaled slowly, the chill in the air suddenly sharper against her skin. She had suspected Empress Quin's involvement, but Lian'er's unwavering silence had only confirmed it.

Li Feng's cold voice broke through the tense air. "The Empress will assume that with Lian'er's death, this matter will be buried." He turned to Xu Nuan, his dark eyes flashing with something dangerous. "She is mistaken."

Xu Nuan met his gaze, her own filled with quiet determination.

"We are far from done."