Chapter 3
My sister Luo Yinping fell to her knees, whimpering.
“Your Majesty, it really wasn’t my fault. They hadn’t tied it properly!
“I hardly used any force. One little kick and it fell apart!”
“I saw that woodpile myself. It was taller than a man, and one little kick brought it down?”
His Majesty gave a sinister chuckle. “What a family of brilliant minds. What other surprises does your Luo family have in store for me?”
Afraid His Majesty might make himself ill with anger, the vice minister hurried forward.
“Where did you go after the woodpile collapsed? Speak!”
Luo Yinping sniffled.
“When it fell, I heard someone scream.
“I was afraid I’d crushed someone to death, so I hurried off to hide in an empty corner.
“Later, when it seemed no one had died, I went back to the hall.”
Whether the vice minister believed her or not, I couldn’t tell. He nodded and turned to Liu Qingchen.
“Miss Liu, how do you explain yourself?”
Liu Qingchen shot Luo Yinping a furious glare before replying coldly.
“My lord, I was merely strolling outside. Without warning, the woodpile collapsed and almost crushed me to death!
“I was so mortified that I cried for a while. Then I cleaned myself up and returned.”
She parted her hair to reveal an egg-sized, bloody swelling as evidence.
The vice minister fell silent.
True or false, their accounts fitted together perfectly!
Commandery Princess Roujia was next.
She was Prince Xiang’s adopted daughter, the heir’s sister in name, and the orphaned daughter of the great cavalry general.
If she was the murderer, His Majesty would find himself in a difficult position.
After the general died fighting for his country, His Majesty had bestowed the title of Commandery Princess Roujia on his only daughter and ordered Prince Xiang to adopt her and treat her well.
“Roujia, where did you go after leaving the hall?” His Majesty asked her himself.
Commandery Princess Roujia bowed.
“Your Majesty, I went to the rear hall.”
His Majesty frowned. “What for?”
“My brother liked sweet things. He asked me to slip a spoonful of sugar into his peach-blossom and brown-rice soup.
“It wasn’t the first time. Many palace servants can vouch for that.”
She had actually admitted touching the soup!
The vice minister immediately asked, “Those servants can only prove that you added sugar on previous occasions. How can you prove that this time you added sugar rather than poison?”
“I can’t.” Roujia raised a brow. “Why don’t you taste it, my lord, and see whether it’s sweet?”
“…”
The vice minister had no answer to that.
I couldn’t help giving her a thumbs-up.
That was Roujia all over. Her tongue could serve as a knife.
She merely gave me an indifferent glance.
Last came Qin Ruyu, the censor’s daughter.
Her father held the lowest office, but she was the most defiant of us all.
“I have nothing to say.” Qin Ruyu looked haughty. “If you can find evidence, do with me as you please.”
Having gained little from this round of questioning, the vice minister turned his attention back to me.
“The elder Miss Luo said she ate something in the rear hall?
“Do you remember what it was?
“Every dish at the banquet has a prescribed quantity. If you lie, we will find out!”
Despite his threatening tone, I was utterly unafraid.
Patting my belly, I recalled it fondly. “I only had one big meatball. Braised in soy sauce. It was delicious!”
“You mean Four Auspicious Joys?”
“Yes, yes! I think that was the name!”
Suddenly, violent coughing erupted behind me.
Leaning on his walking stick, the elderly grand preceptor got to his feet, wheezing.
“So it was you, girl! You’ve put me through hell!”