Hua Yun Jin did not answer immediately, but poured herself a cup of tea. Just as she was about to lift it, she noticed Li Yao Qin's cup was empty and couldn't help but frown, "Pour tea for Miss Li."
Hua Li, who was by her side, stepped forward to pour the tea.
Lian Xin quickly stepped forward and said, "This servant will pour tea for Miss."
"How can Miss Li be sure that I know?" Hua Yun Jin asked.
Li Yao Qin replied, "This humble subject believes Your Highness knows."
Hua Yun Jin smiled faintly and said, "If I knew, I would have told you directly."
Li Yao Qin bit her lower lip and said, "This humble subject merely has one matter that is unclear."
"Please speak, Miss Li."
"Aunt Xin in the manor killed my mother, but I do not believe it was Suo Xin, so I have come to ask Your Highness." Li Yao Qin said.
Hua Yun Jin looked up at her and after a moment said, "You just need to consider, after Madam Li and the currently favored concubine are both removed, who benefits the most."
Li Yao Qin trembled all over, "Are you referring to Concubine Liu?"
Hua Yun Jin put down her teacup and said, "This Concubine Liu is very mysterious. I sent people to investigate her background, but her background is very clean."
Upon hearing this, Li Yao Qin rose and curtsied, "Please leave this matter to this humble subject to handle, Your Highness."
"Miss Li, this Concubine Liu's identity is unknown and she may be a dangerous person. Are you sure?"
Li Yao Qin smiled, a little coldly, "My mother died without justice. Although I dislike Aunt Xin, I do not wish for her to be framed."
"Miss Li, go ahead and do it boldly. If there is anything I can help you with, I will not be stingy." Hua Yun Jin said indifferently.
"Thank you, Your Highness." Li Yao Qin said. This was also the purpose of her visit.
She could not find the real killer alone, but she could find help, and Hua Yun Jin was the first helper she sought.
After Li Yao Qin left, Hua Li couldn't help but step forward and say, "Your Highness, is it alright for you to tell Miss Li like this? What if..."
"You said she was once on the opposite side of the Empress?" Hua Yun Jin looked up at Hua Li.
Hua Li nodded, "Precisely so."
"People can change, just like I did back then." Hua Yun Jin said indifferently.
Li Yao Qin got into the carriage and was about to close her eyes to rest when she suddenly opened them. "Lian Xin, what is your impression of Concubine Liu?"
Lian Xin thought for a moment and said, "In my servant's memory, when Concubine Liu first entered the manor, she was indeed a bit arrogant. But at that time, Madam was not to be trifled with either. After several rounds, Concubine Liu was defeated, and then became honest and law-abiding until this year."
"In the past, I only focused on myself and never carefully observed anyone in the manor. Thinking back now, I was a bit careless." Li Yao Qin said slowly, looking out the window.
"Eldest Miss, please do not blame yourself. Your mother in heaven would not want you to be like this." Lian Xin comforted her.
Upon returning to the manor, it was draped in white. Li Yao Qin got off the carriage and walked into the manor. Yan Xin walked over and whispered, "Eldest Miss, the mourning hall has been set up."
Li Yao Qin nodded, "Good."
She walked into the mourning hall, looked at the coffin, and tears flowed down. She knelt on the cushion.
A moment later, a servant reported, "Eldest Miss, someone from the Ministry of Rites has come to mourn Madam."
Lian Xin stepped forward to help her up. She went to the entrance and saw Madam Lin and Lin Shu Fang.
Lin Shu Fang stepped forward a few steps and came before her, saying, "Sister, please accept my condolences!"
"Thank you Madam Lin, thank you Miss Lin." Li Yao Qin said politely but distantly.
Madam Lin and Lin Shu Fang also felt Li Yao Qin's distance. They said a few words, offered incense, and left.
Others came one after another.
By evening, Li Si Nian returned. He looked at Li Yao Qin and said, "Yao'er, you go rest. Let me spend the first night with your mother."
Li Yao Qin did not refuse. She felt that her father really should do this, after all, her father had failed her mother too much over the past year.
Lian Xin helped her up. "Father, your daughter will leave first."
"Lian Xin, do you know where Suo Xin is being held?" Li Yao Qin asked.
Lian Xin nodded, "Eldest Miss is going to see Suo Xin?"
Li Yao Qin nodded, "I have something I want to ask her."
Suo Xin was locked up in the most secluded room in the manor, guarded by her father's most trusted confidants.
Seeing her arrival, the confidant stepped forward and said, "Eldest Miss."
"I want to go in and see Aunt Xin." Li Yao Qin said.
"Eldest Miss, please."
Li Yao Qin entered the room. The room was in disarray. Lian Xin quickly walked ahead of her and said, "Eldest Miss, let this servant go first."
Li Yao Qin patted Lian Xin and said, "It's alright, I'm not afraid."
Lian Xin, who was trembling, gave an awkward smile. On the bed, Li Yao Qin saw Suo Xin. She was lying there, silent, as if dead.
Only when she saw Li Yao Qin did her eyes gain a hint of light. She propped herself up with her hands and said weakly, "Is Eldest Miss here to see my joke?"
Li Yao Qin said slowly, "I don't need to see your joke. If I just say a few things to my father, your death day will arrive."
Suo Xin laughed a few times upon hearing this, "Is that so? Then why haven't you done it?"
"Because there are some things I don't understand." Li Yao Qin said.
"My mother was not killed by you, right!"
As soon as Li Yao Qin spoke, she clearly felt Suo Xin's abnormality. Suo Xin chuckled softly, "What does it matter if it was me or not? The adults have already decided it was me, so it is me."
"Suo Xin, I know you want to climb higher, but you would never harm my mother, right?"
Suo Xin smiled bitterly upon hearing this, "Is it useful to say these things now? Rong'er is already dead, and there is no evidence."
"What if I said I could help you?" Li Yao Qin suddenly said.
Suo Xin was stunned. Lian Xin, who was beside her, became anxious, "Eldest Miss, what are you talking about?"
"Eldest Miss, you are joking, aren't you?" Suo Xin asked her word by word.
"Do I look like I'm joking?" Li Yao Qin asked.
Suo Xin fell silent. Li Yao Qin continued, "I suspect someone in the manor wants to harm us all one by one."
Suo Xin was stunned, "Eldest Miss, if you hadn't said it, I wouldn't have believed it."
"What do you think of Concubine Liu?" Li Yao Qin asked.
Suo Xin fell silent for a long time after hearing this, "Eldest Miss, there is no need for me to hide anything from you anymore. Qing'er said that when Rong'er was punished by me, Concubine Liu had spoken with her. I don't know if there is any connection."
Li Yao Qin heard this and said, "Why didn't you say so yesterday?"
Suo Xin said, "I hadn't thought of this. Now that Eldest Miss mentions it, I find this Concubine Liu very suspicious."
"Alright, I understand. I will investigate Concubine Liu. You stay here with peace of mind. Outside are your father's confidants, and they will protect you."