BLHO Chapter 42
by VolareThe whistling wind shook the heavens and the earth, fine snow filled the sky, and someone held an oil-paper umbrella, standing against the snow.
He Yuncheng would never tell anyone that on his wedding night, he abandoned his newlywed wife and secretly met with Lin Shuangxu in another part of the General’s Manor.
If it weren’t for that, he wouldn’t have been negligent, leading to the poisoning of the princess and causing such a disaster.
The north wind was like a knife, scraping across Lin Shuangxu’s thin cheeks, his frozen red fingers clutching the umbrella handle, his moon-white robe blending into the icy world.
He didn’t go to the Three Law Courts today, staying in the General’s Manor to wait for news from He Yuncheng.
He wanted to avoid the possibility of meeting the Empress Dowager.
Because of this, he agreed not to wade into the muddy waters of this lawsuit.
However, He Yuncheng repeatedly told him to rest assured, so how could he truly be at ease?
“Young Master, the snow is getting heavier, let’s go back inside and wait,” the housekeeper said with concern.
Lin Shuangxu’s body was so frozen that it was numb, and he couldn’t feel the cold anymore.
He stood outside the gate of the General’s Manor, looking at the vast white road, his eyes stinging from the glare.
The housekeeper wiped the corner of his eyes with his sleeve, suppressing his sadness and comforting him: “The General will definitely return unharmed, Young Master, don’t worry too much.”
“Mm,” Lin Shuangxu responded calmly.
He didn’t ask for anything else now, only that his teacher’s spirit in heaven could hear his prayer—
If the descendants of the He family were destined to suffer this calamity, then let it be to repay the kindness of being raised, he was willing to bear the misfortune and disaster, so that He Yuncheng would be safe.
–
Inside the court, the interrogation continued.
He Yuncheng still hadn’t answered directly where he was when the princess had the incident.
Li Yuliang was as patient as if he was playing a cat-and-mouse game. When He Yuncheng didn’t speak, he quietly waited and didn’t urge him.
Gu Huan felt that this stalemate was inappropriate and said, “Although my imperial sister died in the General’s Manor, it is indeed hearsay whether it was done by General He or not. My lords, has any evidence been found?”
Shen Tan, who had not said a word, stepped forward and reported: “Your Majesty, there is a witness.”
Gu Huan listened and said, “Bring him/her up quickly.”
“Yes.”
She waved her arm and solemnly said to her subordinates: “Bring the witness.”
He Yuncheng still couldn’t figure out her position, followed her voice and turned around, cautiously observing the situation.
At the side entrance, he saw that the Embroidered Uniform Guard brought up a woman.
Familiar.
He recalled carefully and quickly matched her identity.
She was Princess Meng Ning’s dowry maid.
After the incident that night, he and Lin Shuangxu had questioned this maid.
She insisted that she didn’t know when the princess went out.
She knew nothing no matter what they asked, so why would she suddenly appear in court today as a witness?
Who brought her here?
Why didn’t they inform the General’s Manor?
“This servant kowtows to Your Majesty.”
The maid stepped forward, knelt down, and kowtowed to Gu Huan.
Gu Huan leaned forward, looked at her carefully, and recognized her, “It’s you?”
Having confirmed her identity, he pointed at her and said, “What exactly happened the night my imperial sister had the incident?”
“Reporting to Your Majesty…” The maid bowed and knelt on the ground, appearing nervous, but the words she spoke were logically clear and omitted no important points: “That night, when the banquet hadn’t ended, the princess was waiting for General He to return to the new room. In the evening, General He sent a bowl of chicken soup, saying that the princess hadn’t eaten anything, and asked the princess to drink it to fill her stomach. Presumably, that vile poison… was in that bowl of soup.”
As expected, he was being waited for here.
Although He Yuncheng had expected it, he still felt disgusted by such a low means.
Without further ado, he calmly argued: “Your Majesty, she is lying! That night, I never sent any chicken soup to the princess.”
The maid shrank her shoulders, her voice filled with frightened sobs, “What this servant said is absolutely true! I dare not deceive Your Majesty!”
Gu Huan looked at He Yuncheng, then at the maid. Both of them were confident and didn’t seem to be lying.
He didn’t know how to distinguish them for a moment, so he had to ask Li Yuliang for help again.
After pondering, Li Yuliang stepped forward and spoke, first asking the maid: “Did you personally see General He bring the chicken soup into the princess’s room?”
The maid replied: “Reporting to Palace Attendant, it wasn’t General He who delivered it personally, it was the housekeeper of the General’s Manor who brought the chicken soup to the door and asked this servant to bring it in to the princess.”
Li Yuliang looked at He Yuncheng again: “General He, did you instruct the housekeeper to do this?”
“Never!” He Yuncheng’s attitude was firm.
The maid didn’t give an inch, appearing as if she was determined to seek justice for her mistress, “Your Majesty, please investigate clearly, Palace Attendant, please investigate clearly! Before the princess died, she didn’t eat anything except that bowl of chicken soup. The poison must be in the soup. Please, Your Majesty, give the princess justice!”
She kowtowed heavily, her forehead marked red, making anyone who saw it sigh at her loyalty.
He Yuncheng was about to retort when Li Yuliang spoke again: “That’s easy to handle. Since you are so sure, then call the housekeeper of the General’s Manor to confront you. We’ll know after one questioning.”
After speaking, he didn’t give the maid a chance to speak again, and loudly shouted at Shen Tan: “Commander Shen!”
“Your subordinate is here!”
“Go to the General’s Manor and bring the person here.”
“As you command!”
He used the word “invite,” but for He Yuncheng, this order was a direct declaration of war.
Their eyes met for a moment. Li Yuliang was calm and composed, seemingly confident.
It seemed that there was no point in reasoning in this court today.
–
Horseshoes crushed ice and snow, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard passed through the commoners in the streets, causing pedestrians to retreat and avoid them.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard acted quickly and arrived at the General’s Manor in less than half an hour.
The dark crowd surrounded the General’s Manor, and the servants trembled in fear.
Lin Shuangxu had been guarding outside the gate of the General’s Manor, not waiting for He Yuncheng but waiting for Shen Tan. Although he had a bad feeling, he could only remain calm on the surface.
“Commander Shen, why are you here?”
After several private meetings, they should have had some friendship, but at this moment, Commander Shen was an impartial iron face, coldly saying to him: “Palace Attendant has ordered that all the servants of the General’s Manor be brought to the Three Law Courts to await questioning!”
At her command, the Embroidered Uniform Guard stepped forward and forcibly stuffed all the servants into the carriages.
Once each carriage was filled, the doors were locked, as if they were escorting prisoners.
Lin Shuangxu stood quietly in the snow, looking at the situation in front of him, unable to judge what was happening in the court.
After all the servants were taken onto the carriages, Shen Tan finally came to Lin Shuangxu.
He said to him with an unkind attitude: “Please, Young Master, come with us as well.”