The Favorite of the Sick and Weak Lady - Chapter 50

Song Luoning’s breath caught in her throat. Her gaze fell upon the other woman’s fair, slender fingers. A faint warmth radiated from the fingertips, searing her skin and spreading throughout her body. It was almost unbearable. Song Luoning felt her body weaken, and she leaned against the couch to maintain her composure.

Seeing her delay in answering, Xiao Yu grew bolder and moved closer, her body pressing against Song Luoning’s through several layers of cloth. “He comes to see you often, doesn’t he?”

Warm breath caressed her neck, causing her fair skin to instantly flush a light pink. Song Luoning lowered her eyes and raised a hand to push her away, her voice trembling, “No…”

“No what?” Xiao Yu became even more presumptuous, leaning in closer. Her lips brushed against Song Luoning’s ear, and her voice was a seductive whisper. The warm air sent a shiver down her spine. Song Luoning’s hands, weak, rested against Xiao Yu’s chest and slowly tightened.

This scoundrel!

Song Luoning closed her eyes, her voice soft and powerless. “How can a lady in her chambers meet with an outside man in private?”

“So you haven’t seen him?” Xiao Yu pressed on.

Song Luoning couldn’t take it anymore and quietly hummed in affirmation.

Only then was Xiao Yu satisfied. She lifted her chin slightly, and with a surprising boldness, her lips enclosed Song Luoning’s delicate, dripping earlobe. A subtle fragrance spread through her mouth, soft and sweet.

The damp, warm sensation from her ear attacked her heart. Song Luoning’s body stiffened. When she came to her senses, she shoved Xiao Yu away with a sudden force, scolding her in a mix of shame and anger, “Sit properly!”

Xiao Yu was taken aback, pushed away before she could react. She stared at Song Luoning in a daze. When she recovered, she didn’t dare make any more moves and just watched her blankly.

Song Luoning’s entire body was burning. She took a deep breath, picked up the book that had fallen to the side, and, trying to calm her emotions, began to flip through the pages. But she couldn’t comprehend a single word.

“My lady, I…” Xiao Yu hesitated, choosing her words.

“Miss, lunch is ready. Shall I bring it in now?” Cui Zhu’s voice sounded from outside, interrupting Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu frowned, glanced at Song Luoning, and, seeing her face was still flushed, didn’t dare speak and obediently closed her mouth.

After a moment.

“Bring it in,” Song Luoning instructed.

The door opened, and Cui Zhu was followed by six maids who placed the dishes one by one on the table. They then stood to the side, waiting for their masters to take their seats. Cui Zhu stood behind Song Luoning, serving the food.

“Has Mother-in-law had her meal served?” Song Luoning asked calmly, her usual composure restored.

Cui Zhu replied, “The meals were served at the same time. Madam Xiao should be eating by now as well.”

Song Luoning nodded and said nothing more.

Since she wasn’t speaking, Xiao Yu didn’t dare to act out. The two of them ate in silence.

As soon as lunch was finished, the maids came forward to clear the table. Soon after, hot water was brought in. Xiao Yu stood to the side, and after the maids had left, she offered, quite consciously, “My lady, I’ll help you with your bath.”

Song Luoning’s breath hitched. She closed her eyes. The heat that had just subsided flared up again. She curled her fingers in shame and anger. “No need.”

“…”

Xiao Yu rubbed her nose. Remembering Song Luoning’s words about the evening being acceptable, she didn’t dare to provoke her now and stood quietly, waiting.

“My husband, if you have something to do, you can go ahead. Cui Zhu is enough here.”

“Huh? Oh, alright.”

A young maid standing nearby covered her mouth to stifle a giggle.

Xiao Yu shot a glance at Cui Zhu, then reluctantly left the room.

As soon as she walked out of the courtyard, she ran into Liang Chengqiu. “Head Constable Liang, are you…?”

Liang Chengqiu was expressionless. “The Dali Temple just sent a message for us to go there and assist with the case.”

Assist with the case?

Xiao Yu was momentarily stunned. With her father-in-law and brother-in-law having already spoken with them, she wasn’t worried. She nodded to Liang Chengqiu. “Okay, Head Constable Liang, please wait for me. I’ll just let my lady know, and then I’ll go with you.”

With that, she turned and hurried back into the room. Cui Zhu was surprised to see her return and curtsied.

“My lady, the Dali Temple wants me to go and assist with the case. But don’t worry, Head Constable Liang is coming with me,” Xiao Yu said.

Behind the screen, Song Luoning curled her fingers and softly hummed. “Yes, my husband, you should go.”

“Okay, good.” Xiao Yu turned and caught a glimpse of the silk fan on the low table.

This treasure was waiting to be sold for a profit, how could it be left lying around? She picked it up and placed it in the cabinet before leaving the room. She and Liang Chengqiu went to the Dali Temple together. Two stone lions stood on either side of the entrance, and the three large characters for “Dali Temple” on the plaque above were bold and powerful.

As soon as they stepped inside, Xiao Yu was grabbed by two bailiffs and taken to a prison cell. It was dark and damp, and the air carried a foul, rotting smell. Torches were mounted on the walls on both sides.

The two bailiffs took her to a man in official robes and whispered a few words before stepping back.

This man was Wu Yuanhou, the Deputy Minister of the Dali Temple, known for his ruthless methods. Criminals who passed through his hands either died or were severely injured.

Wu Yuanhou turned and sized up Xiao Yu. He used a hot branding iron to repeatedly stir the charcoal. Only then did Xiao Yu see that a man was tied to a set of torture instruments in front of the charcoal basin. The man was on his last breath, his hair disheveled and covering his face.

Wu Yuanhou’s sinister expression appeared distorted in the firelight. He said, “Confess honestly and suffer less. Otherwise, these torture instruments are no joke. After they’ve all been used, whether you live is a question. I advise you to be clear: it doesn’t matter if you die, but what about your family?”

The man, who had been motionless, suddenly flew into a rage at these words, making muffled, indistinct sounds.

Xiao Yu instinctively took a step back. For a moment, she wondered if the man’s throat had been silenced by these very people. Torture and threats—was this how the Dali Temple conducted its trials? She thought this so-called highest court of ancient times was just like this.

Xiao Yu’s heart sank. She hadn’t expected this place to be even more apathetic to human life than that corrupt official in Lin Yang County.

If her suspicions were true, then the murder charge against her might never be cleared. Even if they didn’t use torture on her out of respect for her father-in-law, what about later? Would she be convicted? Or would she have to bribe them with money?

Wu Yuanhou laughed heartily, casually tossing the branding iron back into the charcoal basin, causing sparks to fly. He gestured to the bailiffs, and the man was untied and led away.

Wu Yuanhou pulled a handkerchief from his sleeve to wipe his hands, then carelessly threw it on the table. He glanced at Xiao Yu with disdain. “You’re Xiao Yu?”

Although she had the title of a member of the imperial family, she was still, at the end of the day, a commoner.

Xiao Yu replied, “That’s right.”

Wu Yuanhou asked, “You’ve seen what happens. Will you confess honestly, or will we have to help you?”

Confessing honestly meant admitting guilt. Them helping would be just like what happened to that man earlier, right? Was she really going to confess here?

“Tell us about your murder process.”

“I didn’t kill anyone.”

“Oh?” Wu Yuanhou waved a hand to the bailiffs behind him. Two of them came forward and grabbed Xiao Yu’s arms, preventing her from moving.

“Minister Wu, are you going to use torture?” Liang Chengqiu drew his long sword and blocked the way. “Xiao Yu is a member of the imperial family. How can you torture her without reason?”

Wu Yuanhou’s face darkened, and he exploded in anger. “How dare you, a lowly constable, question how I handle cases? Should a vicious criminal like her not be tortured just because she’s a member of the imperial family?”

“The case has not been concluded yet. Shouldn’t you first gather evidence and investigate?” Liang Chengqiu stood his ground.

Wu Yuanhou scoffed. “If I recall correctly, Head Constable Liang, this case was personally handled by you. Are you now questioning your own case?”

“You…”

“Head Constable Liang, since this case involves the imperial family, I advise you to be more careful with your actions.”

Liang Chengqiu hesitated for a moment, and the aura around him grew cold. “Minister Wu, although I handled the case, according to the laws of Baisheng, if a case involves a member of the imperial family, it must be handed over to the Dali Temple for re-investigation and evidence gathering. I’m afraid your current actions are improper.”

“Hmph, a lowly constable dares to question my judgment? How many cases in this Dali Temple have passed through my hands? Who dares to question a single word? Head Constable Liang, you are truly young and foolish.” Wu Yuanhou’s voice was loud, as if he intended to overwhelm her with his authority if she didn’t agree with him.

“Maybe they were all forced confessions. That man was almost beaten to death, and he still wouldn’t confess. What did you do? You threatened his family to make him confess. Who knows if all the cases you’ve handled were like this?” Xiao Yu couldn’t stand it anymore and struggled. Since she was a member of the imperial family, the two bailiffs didn’t dare to use too much force, and she actually managed to break free.

Seeing this, Wu Yuanhou roared in anger. “How dare you! Do you know what kind of place this is? With a single word from me, I can ruin your life forever. So what if you’re a member of the imperial family? At the end of the day, you’re still a commoner.”

As soon as his words fell, a majestic voice rang out. “You are the one who is being presumptuous.” Then a middle-aged man wearing a peacock-patterned robe walked in, followed by an official whose robe was identical to Wu Yuanhou’s.

Xiao Yu guessed that the man was Wu Yuanhou’s superior, the Minister of the Dali Temple, and the official with the same robe as Wu Yuanhou was the other Deputy Minister of the Dali Temple.

The man’s face was grim. He glanced at Wu Yuanhou, and a look of disappointment flashed in his eyes. Finally, his gaze fell on Xiao Yu. “You are Xiao Yu?”

Xiao Yu was stunned for a moment, then nodded and replied, “Yes.”

“Not bad, you have a lot of guts. As for your case, don’t worry. I have already sent people to Lin Yang County to investigate. News should arrive soon. If you didn’t kill the person, your innocence will be restored,” said the Minister of the Dali Temple.

Finally, someone reliable had come. After two scares, Xiao Yu didn’t dare to trust anyone until the case was closed.

The Minister of the Dali Temple waved a hand, and the official behind him immediately spread out a brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on the table. “Tell me the entire story in detail.”

Xiao Yu paused and then recounted the entire sequence of events. The Minister of the Dali Temple nodded. “As you’ve said, the evidence is indeed insufficient. The magistrate of Lin Yang County is truly a muddle-headed fool.”

“My lord, how can you make such a conclusion just by listening to her one-sided story?” Wu Yuanhou said, unconvinced, glaring at Xiao Yu with resentment.

The Minister of the Dali Temple raised his eyes and deliberately drew out his words. “Oh? Are you questioning me? Why don’t you tell me where the evidence is?”

“This…” Wu Yuanhou was choked. Facing his superior’s questions, he couldn’t produce any evidence. He gritted his teeth and shut his mouth.

The Minister of the Dali Temple glanced at him indifferently and then ignored him. He smiled at Xiao Yu. “The current evidence is insufficient. You two can go back for now. However, until it’s completely proven that you are not involved in this case, you cannot leave the capital. Your cooperation may still be needed later.”

Xiao Yu nodded. She understood this much—cooperating with the authorities.

Even if he hadn’t said it, she wouldn’t have left the capital for now. Her lady had just reunited with her family. How could she bear to separate them so soon?

Besides, the rice hulling business was no longer an option. She still needed to find a new way to make a living. There were more opportunities in the prosperous capital than in Lin Yang County. Perhaps she could find another chance.

The Minister of the Dali Temple had someone escort Xiao Yu and Liang Chengqiu out of the Dali Temple.

Xiao Yu looked up. The sunlight was blinding, and she closed her eyes.

Steward Zhang, along with two guards from the manor, was waiting outside. When he saw them come out, he hurried forward anxiously. “Did they give you any trouble, my lord? The master was very worried and sent me to fetch you.”

Xiao Yu shook her head. The moment she saw Steward Zhang, she understood that her father-in-law had likely sought out the Minister of the Dali Temple.

Steward Zhang bowed and led her to the carriage. After Xiao Yu sat down, Liang Chengqiu followed her in. The two of them sat facing each other. “Thank you for what you did earlier.”

Liang Chengqiu looked at her.

Xiao Yu continued, “I didn’t expect you to stand up for me. After all, you’re also an official, and that Wu Yuanhou’s rank is much higher than yours. There’s no benefit for you in offending him to help me.”

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