Chapter 9
After entering the small courtyard, Jiu Que didn’t immediately ask questions. Her eyes roamed over the arrangement of the courtyard.
Although the courtyard was small, it was tidy and cleverly arranged. In the open space near the phoenix tree, there was a spotless bluestone table, on which a set of white porcelain tea utensils was placed. The two delicate teacups on it still emitted a faint aroma of tea.
Jiu Que narrowed her eyes slightly and sat down without hesitation.
“Miss Yun, what is your relationship with Yu Lang, the top scholar? I heard that although he didn’t marry, he was extremely fond of one of his concubines. Are you that concubine?”
Chun Yu Shuang raised an eyebrow and, obediently, sat down. Xie Mingchen, however, looked uneasy and didn’t dare sit beside the women, awkwardly standing to the side pretending to examine a few blades of grass under the tall phoenix tree.
But it was obvious that Miss Yun was no simple character. After a brief moment of shock, she quickly regained her composure and quietly sat in her chair, rubbing her fingers together.
“I do not know if I am the concubine that the young master favors, for Yu Lang had many whom he favored. I am merely the least conspicuous among them. Whatever information the three of you wish to obtain from me, I will speak everything I know without reservation.”
Judging by her words, it was clear she was educated. Jiu Que didn’t waste time and succinctly recounted the events of today.
When Miss Yun heard that Yu Lang had died, her pupils contracted sharply. She looked utterly shocked.
“Dead? How could he be dead? He was perfectly fine when he left this morning. He was even so happy, saying he had finally brought honor to his family. This can’t be…”
Once she managed to process the news, she noticed the three of them watching her thoughtfully, and she immediately became nervous.
“I do not understand why, if Yu Lang died in the palace, you would come to see me. I have no knowledge of this.”
For such investigative matters, Jiu Que was less professional than Chun Yu Shuang. She gave her a look. The remarkable thing was, although this was their first meeting, the two of them worked with uncanny coordination. Without Jiu Que saying a word, Chun Yu Shuang began methodically questioning her.
“Yu Lang stayed here last night, didn’t he? Can you recall if anything was unusual when he left this morning? Please remember carefully—starting from when he woke up—what he did, what he said, and whom he met.”
“…He was very nervous last night. He got up at the hour of the Tiger, ate a bowl of wontons and a sesame flatbread, then got dressed and waited to go to the palace. I didn’t dare speak at that time for fear of disturbing him. After about half an hour, he set off. I originally intended to see him off, but…”
Here, Miss Yun’s expression grew somewhat downcast.
“He said my presence was inappropriate at that time, so I didn’t go out. By the time I heard anything about him again, it was when you arrived.”
Wait. That doesn’t add up. Yu Lang left around the hour of the Tiger, but the Emperor’s birthday banquet began at the hour of the Snake, and the palace gates opened only at the end of the hour of the Snake. Even if Yu Lang walked with his own two feet, he shouldn’t have left so early.
Unless…
Unless he didn’t go directly to the palace! He went somewhere else first!
Ah, now things were getting interesting.
Jiu Que rubbed her chin and exchanged a meaningful glance with Chun Yu Shuang. Thinking of the only male present, she turned back to find Xie Mingchen staring seriously at a few weeds.
…It seemed he was of no help.
“Miss Yun, from what you’ve just said, you may know that Yu Lang had someone outside? Or perhaps you can guess where he went before attending the banquet?”
Miss Yun was silent for a moment, then raised a condition.
“I want to know why that scholar of third place knows me. I have never met him.”
“Because that scholar of third place, Xin, was born to a girl Yu Lang deceived. That girl waited for him nearly twenty years, thinking he had died along the way. But he lived well and even became the top scholar. But what people do is seen by heaven. Xin encountered him while taking the exam and finally could not hold back; today, he stabbed him sharply. But unfortunately, the knife was too short and didn’t hit a vital spot. Some even suspect Xin killed Yu Lang, but the imperial doctor confirmed that Yu Lang didn’t die from external injuries—he was poisoned.”
“Poisoned…”
Miss Yun fell silent, then spoke with difficulty.
“I… I didn’t expect it. I didn’t know he had a son, nor that he had a sister he had deceived. Back then, I only became his concubine to earn my meals…”
Everyone remained silent. If it weren’t for deeply rooted hatred, Xin wouldn’t have killed him. Everyone knew how difficult the imperial exams were. Xin had painstakingly reached the top official before the nation, only to destroy his own future with his own hands. Even outsiders like Jiu Que felt it was a pity.
But sighs of regret were brief. Miss Yun soon provided a clue. Yu Lang indeed had multiple concubines; one even lived not far from here. They would sometimes see each other when they went out.
Jiu Que was speechless.
“Even this little expense, Yu Lang had to save?”
It was embarrassing. One could only imagine how awkward it must have been when Miss Yun met that other concubine. But even if Yu Lang were foolish, he wouldn’t make such a low-level mistake.
“Since he didn’t want me to know, I just pretended not to. After all, I was merely one of his concubines, not his legally wedded wife. What right do I have to interfere? As long as I fulfill my duties, the rest, I will act blind to it.”
So that was it.
Jiu Que sighed. After getting the exact location, she prepared to leave, but before stepping out, she suddenly said something that made Miss Yun’s face change dramatically.
“Did you really go willingly?”
Creak—
The wooden door shook slightly, finally blocking the outside gaze. Miss Yun raised her teacup and drank the remaining cold tea in one gulp.
“Whether willingly or not, what meaning does it have now to pursue it? No one cares about people like us…”
Jiu Que moved swiftly ahead, her pale face slightly flushed from exertion, giving her a faint touch of liveliness.
At this moment, time was everything. If the other concubine truly had something to do with this matter, she needed to be intercepted quickly. Of course, Miss Yun’s side was also quietly monitored by the Golden Armored Guards.
But perhaps they were unlucky. Just as they reached the door, before they could knock, someone yanked it open. Immediately, a half-human-height dog jumped out, ferociously lunging at the three of them!
The large black dog was fat and strong. Its sharp fangs looked terrifying, and it didn’t bark—just leapt forward!
For a brief moment, Jiu Que didn’t even react and was knocked to the ground by the dog!
