Chapter 96 Weird (1/2)

Standing before the door of Concubine Lan's chamber and hearing the cries from inside, Tang Xia's face turned gloomy. Her face was a little pale, and doubts arose in her mind.

”What? Concubine Lan is dead?”

Tang Xia stood still, aghast, murmuring to herself. It was herself that was meant to be poisoned. How come Concubine Lan was dead? She felt it was very weird and decided to go inside to check Concubine Lan's corpse.

At right that moment, several concubines walked outside of the chamber. They were close to Concubine Lan before she was dead. After seeing Tang Xia standing outside the door, their faces turned dark at the thought of Concubine Lan's innocent death.

They were thinking about themselves ending up with the same fate.

After seeing that Tang Xia was about to enter the chamber, they spoke one after another to stop Tang Xia at the door.

”Well! Isn't it the empress? What're you doing here?” said one of the concubines as she looked at Tang Xia, and the other concubines looked at Tang Xia, too, with some contempt.

”I heard Concubine Lan died abruptly, so I come here to see what the matter is,” said Tang Xia composedly.

”To see what the matter is? We didn't know you cared about Concubine Lan so much! We are really abashed!”

”If you ask me, I would say the empress came here to check if the poison she put worked or not! As you wish, Concubine Lan is dead as a doornail!”

”Your Grace, you're really cruel. Concubine Lan just had a minor row with you, and you killed her right away!”

”It's not polite to gossip about the dead. Your Grace, you'd better not go inside to see her! Otherwise, Concubine Lan's spirit will never rest in peace!”

”Watch your tongue! She is the exalted empress! People as abject as us are just dust in her eyes! Let's just keep quiet!”

Those concubines all spoke out, dripping sarcasm at Tang Xia.

Tang Xia was speechless for a while at their words. What could she say? If she should say she didn't kill Concubine Lan, would those people believe her?

”No, that's not true,” said Tang Xia as she made up her mind to make herself clear, no matter how they would react, ”I didn't kill Concubine Lan. It was she who sent poisoned soup to me! And that's why I came here!”

After hearing Tang Xia's explanation, those concubines looked at each other, their eyes overflowing with mistrust.

”Your Grace, Concubine Lan is dead. Whatever you say will be the only version of the story. You don't need to explain to us.”

”Yeah! I fear I will be dropped in some 'accident' if I know too much!”

Tang Xia looked at them and felt much aggrieved. So what? What she didn't do, she didn't do. She would never let others blame her unjustly!

However, those concubines were dead set on condemning Tang Xia as the murderer, and she found it hard to vindicate herself.

They looked at Tang Xia with contempt, and she was dropped in a dilemma, not knowing what to do. Those concubines who were close to Concubine Lan were all taunting and rubbishing her.

Just at that moment, someone let out a shriek from behind their backs, ”His Majesty arrives!”

Those concubines all curtsied and said, ”Blessings to you, Your Majesty!”

It turned out that Chu Tiankuo also heard about it and found it weird. He hurried here in fear of Tang Xia getting bullied.

”You hold back your words. I believe my empress would never do something like that!” Chu Tiankuo expressed his attitude clearly as soon as he arrived. It made those concubines turn pale, but they dared not say another word.

Tang Xia was filled with joy at Chu Tiankuo's immediate support. Looking at him with burning eyes, she said, ”Your Majesty, you believe me, don't you? It wasn't me!”

Chu Tiankuo stretched out his hand to touch Tang Xia's cheek and said, ”Of course I believe my empress. Whatever the others say, I don't care!”

Those concubines' faces turned even paler at Chu Tiankuo's words. After a while, just as they came to the view that Chu Tiankuo was going to cover up this whole matter to protect Tang Xia, Chu Tiankuo added.

”Concubine Lan's death was quite weird. To completely vindicate my empress, I made up my mind!” ”I will have this matter thoroughly investigated!”

Seeing that Chu Tiankuo was willing to go to such lengths for her, Tang Xia was deeply moved and gazed at Chu Tiankuo closely.

Those concubines felt extremely unhappy with their lovey-dovey conversation, but none of them dared to say anything.

However, one concubine among them finally stepped out. It was Concubine Orchid.

She looked obedient and resigned, but a sneer crept up the hidden part of her face.

She curtsied to Chu Tiankuo, raised her head, and said in a tender voice, ”Your Majesty, our big sister Concubine Lan died all of a sudden, and you won't hold justice for her... Isn't it unreasonable?”

Chu Tiankuo humphed coldly and said, ”I said I would have this matter thoroughly investigated. Isn't it for the truth of the matter and also the justice for her?”

Concubine Orchid was behaving in a tender and obedient manner, but her words were harsh.