The Beloved Imperial Consort - Chapter 130

Hello. I’m Bambi. I’ve taken the translation of this novel into my hands. Although I’ve been studying English since eight years ago, some things still slip my mind, so if you notice a mistake, do tell me in the comment section! Also, if you have time, answer the poll on the right side of the blog, or just comment if you mind having the chapters divided into two for faster releases.

I’m a fan so I remember some stuff. In chapter 20, Zong Zheng Lin says: 

“Wei Zhen, have Yu Gu send maidservants that are well versed with scents and settle them in Danruo Courtyard.” Based on that woman’s temper, who knows when someone would scheme against her. It would be wiser to stay cautious.

These servants are finally here. Also, does anyone know what title Su Lin Rou has? Is she a cefei or shufei? I don’t know what to call her. The titles are such a mess. Okay, enough, enjoy the reading~

***

“Sister, shall we start?” Mu Xi Yao smiled and turned to look at He Lian Min Min’s stiff face. She didn’t mind her indifference.

“If you can really catch the spies, the faster, the better.” He Lian Min Min nodded. Although looking at Mu Xi Yao’s coquettish appearance was hateful, almost akin to having a fishbone stuck in the throat, having a rebel party so close by and yet do them nothing makes her gnash her teeth with hate.

“Aunt Fang is an old lady in the palace. She is very skillful in perfume. Today, you are all at her command to be examined one by one.”

“Auntie, thank you.”

Aunt Fang was tall and thin, her hairstyle was neat, and her serious face had keen eyes.

“The piece of paper that was found has a fragrance, although very light. It is caused by long-term contact with perfume powder that makes the skin dyed by aging, and this kind of thing is easy to see through from the traces of sweat. In a bit, I’ll ask you to put your hands in the basin and stay in the water for a moment. The result will be explained later by this slave.”

Mu Xi Yao stared at the womenfolk and felt very sad in her heart. Evidence is not easy to find and yet it’s equally easy to accidentally make a mistake. Fortunately, the wives of the great Wei Dynasty are used to wearing scent, which was really helpful to her.

“The girls in Lady Wu’s courtyard come first, then Lady Kong’s servants, and then it’s the people who serve Lady Qi.” Mu Xi Yao gave an order calmly.

Lady Wu got up at her command and bowed respectfully. She let the servant girls in her yard go up one by one for the Aunt to check. After a moment, all hands were soaked in water and stretched forward to let the masters see.

He Lian Min Min looked at a pair of wet palms, but could not tell any important change except the water drops hanging on them. She raised her eyebrows in doubt.

“The people in Lady Wu’s courtyard don’t have any incense on their hands.” Aunt Fang, with a straight face, gave the result to He Lian Min Min and Mu Xi Yao.

Mu Xi Yao nodded and motioned to continue. Now it was Lady Kong’s servants turn, but two of them were slightly yellow.

“This is a reaction to long-term exposure to Lilium. It doesn’t match the style of the letter.”

Lady Kong’s heart fell to the ground instantly. Aunt Fang was too good at it. She could accurately point out the incense she often used. After that, it was found that Lady Qi’s people too had no change. Everyone looked at three groups of people. More than a dozen hands were tested. For a time all quiet down. According to the meaning of Aunt Fang, it was clear that no rebel had been found out!

After doing so much, the result was lackluster. Merely a waste of time. All the people in the house instantly came back alive from the reverie, and their eyes staring at Mu Xi Yao became very strange, especially the concubines in high positions in the backyard. They were secretly surprised, and gloated.

Mu was so motivated to boss the crowd around, reassuring them that the rebel party would be arrested today, yet this confidence came back to her like a slap. Now, what can she do? This time, the woman was disgraced.

“Sister, why has there not been any result? Or is it just that you’ve searched the wrong people?” Su Lin Rou took out a silk handkerchief, blocked the corner of her lips, and laughed.

“Mu-shi, is this the evidence you spoke of?” He Lian Min Min was very restless. She thought that Mu-shi was sure of obtaining evidence, but didn’t expect that she was simply talking big. If she had known that it would be useless, she might as well arrest all the suspects and torture them to extort confessions.

Mu Xi Yao looked at all the people’s expressions one by one and felt sad in her heart. Oh, turns out, no one in the backyard liked her except Lady Zhang. Was her character so bad? The enchantress was not satisfied with her lack of popularity. As soon as the Sixth Highness left, no one supported her. These people didn’t even bother to be courteous on the surface. 

“Sister, wait a moment, isn’t the result out already?” Mu Xi Yao chuckled. The fan in her left hand shook and pointed at one person, as she moved a pair of elated eyebrows. “Why, how long do you intend to play?”

Everyone’s eyes followed her palace fan and looked at Lady Wu. It was clear that this concubine Wu has always been discreet and tranquil, law-abiding and timid. Everyone’s expression changed to astonishment.

Lady Wu was caught off guard by Mu Xi Yao. She felt dizzy for a moment. She walked a few steps with soft legs and knelt in front of everyone with a shaking body. Her eyes were full of panic and she couldn’t even explain herself. She didn’t even have excuses. She was just a very ordinary person who was as timid as a mouse.

Su Lin Rou disliked Lady Wu who was shaking with fear. She took back her gaze and snorted coldly. She looked at Mu Xi Yao with disdain. “Sister, this isn’t catching people anymore. You are merely pointing to someone to fool everyone. Does Mu cefei think that all of us here are brainless people?”

The people in the room in general agreed with Su Lin Rou. Lady Wu was such a coward, if she can be meticulous and devilish, then are not all of them ignorant people with no eyesight?

Mu Xi Yao listened to Su Lin Rou’s words and stared at her for a while. She looked at her until Su Lin Rou’s scalp was numb. Finally, she pouted and said something that made her brain congested.

“If Lady Su didn’t bring her brain to Chanruo Courtyard today, I can wait for you to go back and pick it up.”

This was clearly saying that Su Lin Rou was stupid. All the people present didn’t expect to see two concubines fighting, this was truly unexpected, and the mood quickly became excited. Since entering the mansion, there has never been any obvious conflict between the rear houses. Now this momentum…

Su Lin Rou was so angry that she broke her handkerchief. She looked at Mu Xi Yao with scarlet eyes. “Don’t think that because you are spoiled by his Highness, you can do whatever you want! There is still the principal wife here in this mansion. You, Mu Xi Yao are just a concubine! What qualifications do you have to insult me with vicious words?!”

He Lian Min Min sat up to watch as the conflict between the two intensified, without having the slightest intention to stop it. On the contrary, she was happy to watch the play. Su Lin Rou lacked brains, seeing Mu Xi Yao get entangled with her was really a good thing. She has always been very welcome to add trouble to Mu.

When the concubines saw that He Lian Min Min didn’t intend to speak, they sat still and did not dare to meddle.

Mu Xi Yao was obviously angry when she looked at He Lian Min Min’s attitude. This was truly troubling. Now that Zong Zheng Lin was not here, He Lian Min Min was certainly not willing to help her restrict the women in the backyard. Wasn’t this forcing her to do the work herself?

“Lady Su, don’t worry. Just sit down and listen to the trial. As I can tell that you have no brains, I will not say more humiliating words, I will leave you alone. Right now, seeing your pig brain is hard enough to look at.”

“You dare to talk nonsense!” Su Lin Rou was in a rage instantly and raised her hand to slap her.

“Bold!” He Lian Min Min was shocked and quickly let someone pull Su Lin Rou back to her seat, and restrict her.

Zhao Momo and the female guard given by his sixth Highness had long been protecting Mu Xi Yao. Even if He Lian Min Min didn’t say something, Su Lin Rou couldn’t get to their Mistress.

He Lian Min Min didn’t look happy. Su Lin Rou, this woman! She just wanted to see her and Mu Xi Yao’s good play. Why the need to make such a big mess for her?

“Su-shi, if you dare to make a fool of yourself again, I can only restrict you. You think clearly before you act.” She glared at her.

If she was not in front of others at the moment, He Lian Min Min would slap her in the face. Can Mu Xi Yao be touched at this kind of time?! Her damned stomach was not allowed to be touched by others, especially not in front of her face!

“Mu-shi, you continue to ask. If you can’t catch the people today, you can guarantee that this Princess Consort will remember it clearly.” The implication was that ‘you daring to speak shamelessly that you can catch the rebels yet you didn’t, then Su Lin Ru’s punishment will be borne together today’.

“Yes. This Concubine will obey~~”. Mu Xi Yao’s voice dragged at the end, and she squinted at Su Lin Rou for a moment, then turned back and continued to stare at Lady Wu.

“Lady Qi’s servant girl’s hands did not change color because she was somewhat repellent of incense, it means that she did not use incense for a long time already.” Mu Xi Yao’s diction was clear and concise, smart people heard her words and understood the meaning behind them.

Before, Concubine Qi had drugged Zong Zheng Lin with incense and was punished by his Royal Highness. Of course, she was afraid of committing this mistake again, so she did not dare touch incense again, for fear that his Highness would turn over the old accounts and settle them with her when he found out.

“As for you,” Mu Xi Yao looked at Lady Wu with a regretful expression, shaking her head, “you are too clever.”

“Hand her those two pieces of paper.” Mu Xiyao asked Mo Lan to hand the transcribed secret report to Lady Wu, who was kneeling below, for a look. 

“After you went back yesterday, you closed the courtyard door for a long time. Not only did you invite the servant girl to ask some questions, but also walked around the yard several times. Finally, you still were uneasy so you took some things and added them to the water tank, the people in your courtyard did not know about it, and they ate boiled tea with that water. Then you added a lot of material to your remaining maid’s clothes and hair ornaments on a whim. Then today, we couldn’t find anything. Wu-shi, don’t you think that’s unusual.”

Mu Xi Yao shook her round fan and looked at the woman’s face changing dramatically. She was in a good mood for a while. Who let you send a message to tie people up. Still, the retribution in this world was refreshing.

“Why, still want to quibble? Do you want this Concubine to ask Aunt Fang to use other methods to test the clothes on your maid? Oh, by the way, there is also that water tank, you shouldn’t have time to finish it. What is added there, could it be the magical secret medicine of Shu? Even the taste can be concealed, it’s quite practical…”

Every word Mu Xi Yao spoke made Lady Wu’s face turn paler.

Such bad luck! This woman was so cunning that she actually let her mess up and ruin herself with her own cleverness. Really helpless. After hiding for so many years, after today, this life was no longer her own.

Oh, it’s funny. When is this life your own? I’ve been manipulated all my life, and now I’m just paying off the debt.

The women in the backyard saw Lady Wu, who was kneeling in the center, trembling and pale, suddenly stopped trembling, gently tidied up her sideburns, and slowly got up.

“This Concubine’s scheming is not unjustly lost.” Wu-shi’s face was calm, and her eyebrows and eyes were low. Where was the initial dullness? It looked prideful and arrogant.

“Now those are good eyes”. Mu Xi Yao’s task was completed, and she was willing to talk some nonsense.

Only then did everyone notice Lady Wu’s bright eyes. At first glance, there was a sense of amazement. He Lian Min Min looked at Wu-shi for a long time and then looked back at Mu Xi Yao. She really had to admire her methods.

As for Su Lin Rou, her face has long been red. She couldn’t wait to immediately hide in Fanghua’s Garden and avoid everyone.

“Someone come, put this woman in custody and send her to the government for strict punishment.” He Lian Min Min snapped orders. It was a matter of treason, and she had no right to deal with the prisoners in private.

“Hold on!” Mu Xi Yao stopped Tian Fushan’s movements.

“Mu-shi, what do you mean?” He Lian Min Min was angry. The prisoner has been found out. What else can be done? Is she taking this as an opportunity to show that she has made contributions to the Prince’s house? 

Mu Xi Yao didn’t bother answering He Lian Min Min’s question. Instead, she narrowed her eyes and looked at the woman in the center of the main room very coldly, not afraid of looking at her. “Wu-shi, or should I call you Gardenia?”.