Chapter 443: Completely soaked (2/2)
The safest place she knew, the Duke of Qin’s estate, had now been infilitrated by spies!
Han Yunxi gently stroked the sodden charcoal as her resolve hardened in her heart. “Don’t think that this will stop this wangfei from digging out the evidence!” Coldly she commanded, “Don’t spread news of this yet. It doesn’t matter whether we have one spy or two, this wangfei won’t forgive either of them!”
Over the past few days, Han Yunxi went on to research various poisons that could react with sodden charcoal to form new poisons. Neither Zhao mama nor Su Xiaoyu visited the study, nor did any other servants approached Leisurely Cloud Pavilion. If Han Yunxi could find traces of explosive materials in all the charcoal, sodden or not, she’d be able to argue that the charcoal was explosive to begin with and absolve Zhao mama and Su Xiaoyu from blame.
If the opposite happened and she didn’t find any explosive materials, then the number of suspects would increase to include the storehouse staff as well.
Meanwhile, days in the estate passed normally. Han Yunxi had long leaked news on purpose that the explosion was a freak accident, causing most of the servants to assume the same thing and forgot about it. Nobody brought it up, either. Despite this, Han Yunxi and Baili Mingxiang were getting closer to narrowing down the true culprit with their poison experiments. They were seizing the time to perfect the formula while a certain other person was caught in the throes of panic.
That was none other than Su Xiaoyu!
She knew that the peaceful days here might be only a front, and that they might be tracking her down at this moment. The more Han Yunxi and Long Feiye stayed quiet about the matter, the more nervous she became. She could guess that she was on the list of suspects already, but there was no escape for her now. The only thing she could do was give it her all before she was discovered to see Han Yunxi’s back one more time.
Unfortunately, that chance didn’t want to come. Long Feiye had constantly been by Han Yunxi’s side in the past few days, so she didn’t dare to try any tricks. Later on, Han Yunxi and Long Feiye had left the estate together, leaving her with even less chances. While they were gone, she decided that she might as well soak the charcoal and reduce their clues. Without evidence, they could accuse her all they liked, but she’d pled ignorance in their faces.
When lunchtime came, the kitchens sent over the noonday meal. Like always, Su Xiaoyu ran in front of Zhao mama to grab the food first. From beneath the basket of food, she withdrew a small slip of paper with a single line written on it: They discovered the leaking roof in the storehouse yesterday.
Su Xiaoyu’s heart clenched at the sight. Despite discovering the leak, Han Yunxi had kept quiet. This could only mean that she was pursuing her leads in secret.
Just how far has her investigation gone?
Su Xiaoyu’s heart was ill at ease as she carried the food inside the rooms.
“Let me see what kind of delicious foods we have for lunch today,” Zhao mama’s voice rose up. She had been suspicious too, when the explosion first happened. But after esteemed wangfei declared it an accident, she had stopped worrying.
Su Xiaoyu’s eyes flickered with a complicated expression. She told herself that she had to move fast or else there’d really be no more chances. Pasting on a smile, she said, “Zhao mama, why is esteemed wangfei doing nothing but staying in the study with Baili Mingxiang all day?”
“She’s studying poisons, of course. Just put the food in the dining room, don’t you go bothering them now,” Zhao mama reminded.
“I think I should bring it in or else it’ll get cold,” Su Xiaoyu said seriously.
“You’re asking to be scolded!” Zhao mama knew esteemed wangfei worked hard and wanted her to take timely meals, but she’d already been scolded herself multiple times.
“No problem, Yu’er will take the scolding as long as esteemed wangfei eats on time!” She went to knock on the door, so Zhao mama relented and laughed.
“They won’t open it.”
But Su Xiaoyu simply knocked on the door without saying a word. Soon enough, Baili Mingxiang’s voice rose from inside. “Who is it?”
Su Xiaoyu shot a grin at Zhao mama but remained quiet.
“This damned girl, she’s getting bolder and bolder!” Zhao mama muttered to herself, but she didn’t stop her.
Su Xiaoyu’s method worked, because Baili Mingxiang soon opened the door. As soon as she saw Su Xiaoyu, she asked, “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I’m delivering the meal to esteemed wangfei. Would you ever open the door if I spoke up?” Su Xiaoyu retorted.
Baili Mingxiang was on guard against Su Xiaoyu to begin with because she was a suspect; nor did she like the attitude of the girl, who acted on her own initiative. Still, she hid her dislike and simple remarked, “Esteemed wangfei is very busy, so just put it in the dining room.”
Su Xiaoyu pouted and glanced at Zhao mama, who was preoccupied with helping esteemed wangfei nourish her body. Naturally, she stood on Su Xiaoyu’s side, and quickly chimed in, “Mingxiang, if esteemed wangfei doesn’t eat now, her stomach won’t be able to take it. When His Highness comes blaming us, we’ll all suffer.”
Baili Mingxiang dared not refuse when His Highness Duke of Qin was mentioned. Recently, it was common knowledge around the estate that he’d been doing nothing but helping esteemed wangfei regain her health. Baili Mingxiang hid the complicated look in her eyes before she relented. “Alright, I’ll take it in.”
But Su Xiaoyu simply swerved around her and went inside the room with the large basket of food.
Her chance had come!