Qiu Yue examined the food with her golden needle. The results indicated that the vegetarian soup was poisoned.
"Sister A Li, who made this soup? Was it Xiao Lan?" Wu Ming asked with concern.
"It's impossible. If Xiao Lan made it, she wouldn't have been poisoned," Qiu Yue interjected. She couldn't help but feel pity for Xiao Lan, who had lost her mother, just like herself. If Her Highness hadn't saved her back then, she might have ended up like Xiao Lan now.
A Li nodded. "I'm not sure either. Xiao Lan is too timid to do such a thing. Why didn't you check the pot directly? And why not question the two servants responsible for the kitchen?"
"Even if she didn't put the poison there, she still has to die!" Wu Ming said. "Her Highness has ordered that anyone who knows about this must be eliminated. I've already taken care of them all, except the two servants and Xiao Lan."
"I don't agree," Qiu Yue said firmly. "Her Highness allowed Xiao Lan to return to Luo City with us, which means she is one of us."
A Li shook her head, looking between Qiu Yue and Wu Ming. The tension in the room was thick, each unwilling to back down.
Shadow guards dragged in the two servants responsible for the kitchen. Their faces were pale, eyes wide with fear.
Qiu Yue narrowed her eyes as she stared at the two servants. "Who cooked the soup last night?" she demanded, her golden needle still clutched tightly in her hand.
The servants trembled, their faces pale. "It… it has nothing to do with us, Miss Qiu Yue," one stammered. "We only prepared the ingredients. It's Xiao Lan who cooking the soup."
Qiu Yue's gaze pierced them like a blade. "Don't lie! Did either of you put anything in the soup?" she asked, her tone sharp and unyielding.
The servants shook their heads frantically. "We swear! We never touched the soup!"
Despite their protests, Qiu Yue sensed the tangled lies and desperation in the servants' hearts. With a single, swift motion of her sword, both heads rolled to the floor.
The room fell into heavy silence. Wu Ming and A Li froze in shock—the interrogation had not even ended, yet Qiu Yue had already delivered judgment.
"You… you can't do that!" Wu Ming burst out, anger tightening her voice. "They said Xiao Lan cooked the soup. Even if you don't believe it, you can't just kill them like this!"
"Why didn't you even ask who entered the kitchen? There could have been others involved. This… this is reckless!"
A Li shook her head, unable to make sense of Qiu Yue's reckless strike. If Her Highness were to find out, anger and punishment would be inevitable.
"How long have you known Xiao Lan? Are you sure she's not working for anyone… not even the Fourth Prince?!" Wu Ming shouted, her voice echoing through the room.
Qiu Yue shook her head. "Sister A Li, you also know Xiao Lan's background. She's just a little village girl who lost her mother. She's timid and helpless—there's no way she would do something like this. Those servants were only looking for a scapegoat."
A Li stepped in to mediate. "Although Xiao Lan has no reason to do this, you shouldn't kill so hastily. Enough. We are Her Highness's people, bound to serve her faithfully. Why turn against each other now?"
"I'm sorry, Wu Ming. You and Sister were right… I was too reckless," Qiu Yue admitted.
Wu Ming sighed. In her heart, she felt Qiu Yue had changed during this journey—becoming too sentimental, no longer able to think clearly.
---
Lang Huan lifted the hem of Feng Yao's skirt, her fingers sliding downward. Feng Yao instantly swatted her hand away, knowing all too well what she was up to. Pinching Lang Huan's ear, she warned sharply, "Don't make trouble in broad daylight."
"How many days has it been since you last bathed?"
Lang Huan smirked. "if I had bathed… would I be allowed to touch you?"
"No," Feng Yao answered firmly.
Lang Huan laughed softly. "Don't you miss me?" She leaned close and kissed Feng Yao's ear, making her let out a soft moan.
Feng Yao gently pushed her back and called for the maids to prepare hot water and flower petals for a bath.
"Fine, I'll bathe," Lang Huan finally relented.
After the large wooden bathtub was filled with hot water and flower petals, the maids quietly stepped out.
Feng Yao began helping Lang Huan undress.
"You don't have to," Lang Huan protested. "I can do it myself."
"You don't want me to help you… then who do you want?" Feng Yao teased, raising an eyebrow. "Lang Ruhua?"
Lang Huan froze slightly, sensing Feng Yao's jealousy.
"How did that woman suddenly follow you to Baiyuan Mountain?"
Lang Huan froze slightly, sensing Feng Yao's jealousy.
"One Su Qing is enough… now Lang Ruhua—this is your fault!" Feng Yao sneered.
Lang Huan wrapped her arms around her, holding her gently.
"How could you be jealous over my mother and my master?" Lang Huan whispered softly, trying to ease the eldest princess's sudden tension.
Lang Huan took a deep breath and began recounting everything that had happened on Baiyuan Mountain. She told Feng Yao about Lang Ruhua—how she had suddenly appeared, how she had protected and saved her life.
As Lang Huan spoke, Feng Yao listened silently, her heart softening. The jealousy that had sparked in her chest slowly faded, replaced by a deep sense of appreciation.
Lang Ruhua had risked everything to ensure Lang Huan's safety, and that selflessness could not be ignored—even by someone as fiercely possessive as the eldest princess.
While Feng Yao was lost in thought, Lang Huan began undressing her. Suddenly, Feng Yao snapped back to reality, her eyes widening.
"What… what are you doing?!" she exclaimed, a flush rising to her cheeks.
Lang Huan's lips curved into a mischievous smile. "The wooden bathtub is big enough for three… why don't we bathe together?"
Before Feng Yao could respond, Lang Huan swept her up into her arms effortlessly, carrying her toward the tub.
Gently, she lowered Feng Yao into the warm, fragrant water. The moment their bodies touched, the heat sent subtle sparks through them, their breaths mingling in the quiet, intimate space.
---
The maids carrying steaming bowls of water and petals of fragrant flowers whispered among themselves as they walked down the corridor, their eyes glancing toward the princess's room.
"Her Highness and the little duke… they're bathe together," one maid said, trying to hide the blush creeping over her cheeks. She lowered her voice, though a giggle escaped anyway.
"Shh… don't talk too loud," another warned. "You don't know… the princess's maid once killed someone who gossiped about them."
The words made the first maid shiver, but their curiosity outweighed their caution. They leaned closer, whispering and giggling like young sparrows.
One of the maids, a beautiful girl with a mischievous smile, leaned in and whispered, "They say Young Master Ye and the princess have a big age difference… doesn't he want a concubine? I'm willing to be his concubine."
The other maids gasped softly, some covering their mouths to hide their giggles.
"Shhh… I said don't talk so carelessly," another maid warned, eyes darting around nervously. "Or your life might end… wasted for nothing."
The first maid only smiled wider, unbothered. Her eyes sparkled with audacity. "Oh, … don't act so scared. It's just talk. A little dream never killed anyone."
Xiao Lan overheard their conversation. "Sister… is it true? Has Brother Ye woken up?" she asked, unhappy as she listened to the maids' flirtatious chatter.
"Brother Ye? Oh, you mean Young Master Ye… yes, he's awake,"
Xiao Lan's heart raced. She wanted to dash forward, to see Big Brother. She took a step, but a hand quickly caught her arm. "Where are you going?"
"I… I want to see him…" Xiao Lan said.
The maid laughed, a low, mocking sound that made Xiao Lan feel small and insignificant.
"Haha… you're so funny," the maid said, shaking her head. "How dare you disturb them? Tsk tsk, you're just a village girl, trying to be a homewrecker? And calling him 'Brother Ye'… such an intimate way to address him. Don't you know how the Princess is? Be careful."
Xiao Lan's cheeks flushed as she fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve, shame and helplessness washing over her like a tide.
"Just keep dreaming," one of the maids whispered cruelly, leaning close with a wicked smile. "Young Master Ye will never like you…"
Their words cut sharper than any blade, making her feel smaller with every passing second.
A dangerous spark lit in her eyes. "He also won't like you… you shameless, lowly maid," Xiao Lan shot back, her courage flaring.
"What did you say?" The maids pushed Xiao Lan, making her stumble back.
From the folds of her sleeve, she pulled a small, dark bottle—its cork sealed tightly. She shook it slightly, and from it, a tiny swarm of glowing, wriggling insects poured out, their bodies shimmering like black fireflies.
The first maid froze, her laughter dying in her throat as the insects swarmed her, crawling over her hands, arms, and neck. Panic flared in her eyes, but she couldn't move. Xiao Lan's lips curved into a cruel smile.
Xiao Lan whispered softly, "Some mistakes… cannot be forgiven."
The swarm surrounded the maid, biting, stinging, paralyzing her. Screams echoed through the corridor. By the time the other maids rushed forward, it was too late. The first maid lay still, her body drained by the venomous insects.
"Next time, think twice before mocking me. Or… you'll find I can play much nastier than you ever imagined."
Calmly, Xiao Lan returned the tiny swarm to the bottle, inside which lay the pheromone essence. She twisted the cork carefully. With a subtle shake, the insects stirred, drawn irresistibly to the scent.
They swirled inside the bottle, waiting for her command. Xiao Lan slipped the bottle back into her sleeve as if nothing had happened and smoothed her robe.
As she walked down the corridor toward Lang Huan's room, the golden bangle whispered to her. "You're really cruel… I didn't choose the wrong master… but why not… why not use this to deal with the Princess?"
Xiao Lan's lips curled into a sly, dangerous smile.