“My lady, Concubine Liu’s nourishing soup caused Suo Xin to miscarry,” Lian Xin whispered into Li Yao Qin’s ear.
Li Yao Qin started, looking at Lian Xin. “So soon?”
Lian Xin nodded. “Yes, I’m a bit curious, it’s rather quick.”
Li Yao Qin sneered. “Concubine Liu’s side is watching so closely. Suo Xin’s pregnancy was never going to be saved. It’s laughable that Father believes his inner court is harmonious, unaware of the hidden dangers.”
“My lady believes Concubine Liu is responsible?” Lian Xin asked, surprised.
“If not her, then who? She was watching Suo Xin so closely, and naturally, she’d allow Suo Xin’s fetus to grow. But this is for the best, it saves me the trouble of acting,” Li Yao Qin said.
Lian Xin heard this and asked, “Can the master not divorce Concubine Liu?”
Li Yao Qin smiled. “That’s not necessarily true. Concubine Liu is no ordinary person. Her identity is a mystery, and Father may not divorce her, but she deserves to suffer some hardship.”
“My lady is so wise. I never knew there was so much to this.”
Li Yao Qin stood up. “Let’s go to Father’s study. There’s likely a good show about to unfold.”
Upon arriving at the study, Li Yao Qin indeed heard Suo Xin’s heart-wrenching cries and Li Sinian’s angry roars from within.
Mo Lian, standing at the doorway, brightened upon seeing her and quickly walked over. “My lady, the master is very angry. Would you like to go in and try to persuade him?”
Li Yao Qin looked at Mo Lian. “I also hope to persuade Father.”
As she entered the study, a teacup landed at Li Yao Qin’s feet. She paused slightly, then heard Ping’er, Concubine Liu’s maid, exclaim in panic, “My lady, your forehead is bleeding.”
Li Yao Qin saw that Concubine Liu’s forehead was bleeding profusely, likely from the teacup that had shattered at her feet.
Concubine Liu, clutching her forehead, looked at Li Sinian with despair. “Master, I may be arrogant and overbearing at times, but I have never harmed your descendants. You cannot believe mere words and accuse me wrongly.”
“I wrong you?” Li Sinian strode forward, grabbed Concubine Liu’s chin with one hand, and asked coldly, “Then tell me, why did Suo Xin have a miscarriage after drinking the nourishing soup you sent?”
Concubine Liu shook her head. “I don’t know either, but I swear to heaven, I never harbored any intention to harm anyone. I did not harm Suo Xin.”
“Stubbornly unrepentant.” Li Sinian flung Concubine Liu away with one hand, his strength sending her stumbling to the side.
Concubine Liu’s hand was cut by the broken teacups on the floor, but she felt no pain. The physical pain was nothing compared to the pain in her heart.
Suddenly, Concubine Liu spotted Li Yao Qin and crawled over frantically, grabbing her skirt. “My lady, you must believe me. I truly had no intention of harming Concubine Xin. I truly didn’t.”
Li Sinian also saw Li Yao Qin approaching. “Yao’er, since you’re here, how do you think this matter should be handled?”
“Father, I’d like to see Concubine Xin first,” Li Yao Qin said.
Li Sinian nodded. “Very well.”
Li Yao Qin entered the inner chambers and saw Suo Xin, pale-faced, lying on the bed. At this moment, she looked like a lifeless corpse.
“Suo Xin…” she called out softly.
Suo Xin turned her head to look at her. After a long moment, tears flowed from her eyes.
“Don’t cry. You just had a miscarriage; it’s not good for your body,” Li Yao Qin said gently.
Suo Xin shook her head, clutching her belly tightly, crying, “My lady, the child is gone. The child is gone.”
Li Yao Qin held her hand and comforted her. “Suo Xin, you are still young. You will have more children. Don’t lose hope.”
Suo Xin shook her head. “There won’t be any more. There won’t be any more.”
“Don’t cry. Recover well. Father will give you another child,” Li Yao Qin said.
Suo Xin shook her head and cried, “No, no more.”
Li Yao Qin emerged, her eyes teary. Li Sinian’s expression grew darker. He looked at Concubine Liu and roared angrily, “You still won’t confess?”
Concubine Liu gritted her teeth. “I cannot confess to something I did not do.”
“Bring the family law!” Li Sinian bellowed.
Li Yao Qin frowned at this and stepped forward. “Father, I think we can postpone the family law. Has the nourishing soup Suo Xin drank been examined?”
Li Sinian heard this and said, “Someone, fetch a physician.”
The physician was quickly summoned. After examining the soup bowl, he finally said, “My lord, there is a large amount of musk in this…”
No one listened to what the other physicians said. The presence of musk was enough.
Li Sinian’s gaze towards Concubine Liu was as cold as ice, like a coiled beast ready to strike, instilling fear.
He strode forward and kicked Concubine Liu’s shoulder. She cried out in pain, and he slapped her. “Today, I will surely divorce you, you wicked woman.”
Concubine Liu was stunned, and Li Yao Qin was also taken aback. She had thought that no matter what Concubine Liu did, her father would not divorce her. But now it seemed Suo Xin’s position in her father’s heart had grown considerably.
This was not what she wanted. She felt the three-way balance of power in the household was ideal. If it was broken, then Suo Xin would inevitably be the next to target her.
“Master, no!” a voice called out. Everyone turned towards the sound and saw a person standing at the doorway of the inner chamber. She was clutching the doorframe weakly, looking as if a gust of wind could blow her away.
Li Sinian quickly stepped forward. “Suo Xin, why are you out of bed instead of resting? It’s windy, and your body cannot bear it.”
“Master, please do not be angered with Concubine Liu because of me. I would feel too guilty. The child is gone, and Master is heartbroken; I understand. But I believe it was not Concubine Liu’s doing,” Suo Xin said slowly.
Concubine Liu truly hadn’t expected Suo Xin to speak up for her at this moment. She thought Suo Xin would wish her dead immediately.
“Suo Xin, you are simply too kind. Do you think everyone is as kind as you? Suo Xin, you are wrong, terribly wrong. The human heart is unfathomable,” Li Sinian said slowly.
Suo Xin shook her head. “Even so, I want to believe in the goodness of people.”
“The evidence is conclusive. I cannot let the poisoness who murdered my child go,” Li Sinian said through gritted teeth, word by word.
Hearing this, Suo Xin suddenly knelt on the ground. “Master, I implore you to spare Concubine Liu. I believe this matter was not solely Concubine Liu’s doing.”
Li Sinian looked at Suo Xin. “You think there was someone else?”
Suo Xin nodded. “My child cannot die in vain. I do not wish to wrong a good person, but I also do not wish to let go of the one who killed my child.”
“Good,” Li Sinian said.
Li Yao Qin inexplicably felt a chill down her spine. She saw Suo Xin walking towards her.