Chapter 25 Poisoned Cat (2/2)

ard a terrified scream coming from the chamber.

”What's going on?” Qin Meng hurried into the hall, followed by several eunuchs and maids. She then saw Yun Shang and Qin Yi in the hall, looking as puzzled as she was. Yun Shang frowned, ”Let's go have a look. Qin Yi asked her to find a cushion for me. She just walked in there. What could have happened?”

Yun Shang stepped into her bedroom followed by the servants. They had hardly stepped in when they saw the maid was standing by the window, trying to push the window open with her shaky hands. When she heard the steps behind, she immediately turned around to look at them and hid something behind her back. She seemed nervous.

”What are you hiding? And why did you scream?” Qin Yi walked to the maid and questioned her sharply.

Terrified, the maid shook her head again and again hastily, ”No, it's nothing.” While speaking, she couldn't help glancing at Qin Meng, asking for her help silently and desperately.

”Then what are you hiding if it's nothing? Show us what it is behind your back.” Qin Yi cornered the maid and was about to grab her arm by force. The maid, however, raised her hand and threw something at Qin Yi.

”Watch out!” Yun Shang shouted. Hearing her warning, Qin Yi stepped aside and dodged the object the maid had just thrown at her. Yun Shang gazed at it as the thing fell on the ground. She recognized that it was the cat that had attacked her when she had first entered Qingxin Hall. Only that it was no longer alive. Instead, it lay on the ground limply. It seemed that the cat had died.

”It's a cat. Is it dead? Perhaps it fell from somewhere and died?” Qin Meng mumbled. Then she turned to the maid and snarled at her, ”Is it the cat that startled the Princess earlier? Did you bring it to the Palace? How dare you do such things? You should be flogged for 30 times for this. Now go get your punishment.” Qin Meng then ordered the maids behind her, ”The Princess is too vulnerable to see such filth. Get rid of it now!”

Qin Yi was frightened by the maid's sudden action. Having recovered, she raised her voice to stop them from touching the dead cat, ”The Princess is still here. Nobody moves a muscle until she gives the order.”

Everyone froze and stared at Yun Shang. Yun Shang went to her bed and seated herself. She noticed that the bowl on the bedside cabinet had been knocked to the ground and had shattered into pieces. The medicine ran over the floor, leaving a lingering smell around the room.

”Qin Yi, send for the Director of the Supervisory Office. Tell him that someone intended to poison and murder me.” Yun Shang gave the order in a low and calm voice.

”Poison?” Qin Meng hurried towards Yun Shang, seeming completely confused, ”What do you mean, Princess? There is no poison in this room as far as I can see. The maid had sneaked the cat into the Qingxin Hall, but the animal knew nothing and attacked you. The maid was terrified and dropped the cat to the ground by accident. Isn't that right?”

”Dropped by accident?” Yun Shang's lips curled into a sneer, ”I'm not stupid. I know the cabinet is hardly high enough for a cat to fall and die. And it didn't even struggle. Qin Yi, do as you told, quickly.”

Qin Yi hurried out of the room. The chamber fell silent and no one dare to speak up. Yun Shang looked at the servants in front of her coldly, and then she closed her eyes and leaned against the bedpost to get some rest.

”Princess, the Director of the Supervisory Office is here.” Yun Shang opened her eyes again when she heard Qin Yi's voice. There were some more people in the room, led by a man she had never met before. Yun Shang nodded at the man as greeting, ”Director of the Supervisory Office, I presume? There is something rather foul. Come over and have a look. Tell me whether the medicine is poisoned or not. And what on earth did this cat die of?”

”Yes, I will let the coroner examine the cat at once.” He waved his hand at a man dressed in black behind him. The man stepped forward and took out a package of silver needles. He dipped one of the needles in the residue on the shard of the bowl. Then he crouched down to examine the cat carefully before standing and reporting to Yun Shang, ”Princess, the medicine was poisoned. And the cat seems to have drunk the medicine and died.”