The words "Empress" weighed heavily on Meng Wan's mind. She lowered her eyes and remained silent for a long time.
--
Life became increasingly uneventful. Every day, besides reading, I would chat with Mu Ci. Such days became increasingly tranquil and boundless.
It was evening.
The sunset painted half the sky crimson, and the Crimson Cloud Pavilion, bathed in twilight, shone as brightly as Mount Tai. In the vast expanse, a gentle breeze swayed the branches of the trees in the courtyard, making them appear even more upright under the glow of the sunset. The swaying leaves, dappled with the last rays of the setting sun, fell one by one onto the treetops.
As the sun set, Meng Wan hunched over her desk, flipping through a book. Her slender figure was bathed in the glow of the setting sun, her entire body tinged with a rosy hue.
Mu Ci stood behind her, sighing for what seemed like the umpteenth time: "Master, you've been writing for several hours now. Why don't you rest for a bit? I'll go and serve you some food."
Meng Wan finally put down her pen, looked up at the horizon, and realized that it was already so late without her noticing.
"Okay, go and serve the meal," she said softly.
Mu Ci followed his instructions, but turned back as soon as she reached the door.
"Miss, Miss--"
Mu Ci's voice sounded so urgent, as if something of utmost importance had happened. Meng Wan suddenly stood up and went to greet him: "What's wrong?" she asked.
Mu Ci had already rushed in, followed by several guards.
"My lord, something terrible has happened! His Highness has arrived with his men and has been searching outside. We don't know what they're looking for. You should go and take a look."
Meng Wan noticed that Mu Ci used the word "search," and her tone was so tense that Meng Wan's heart sank slightly, and for some reason, her eyelids started twitching.
Without time to think further, they grabbed Mu Ci and hurriedly went to the front hall.
Huangfu Mi stood at the door and slowly turned his gaze when he heard the noise. This was the first time they had met since that day. Meng Wan's steps clearly faltered, and under his gaze, she felt a vague sense of unease.
"What are you doing...?" She quickly looked to the side. In the huge ancestral hall, her voice echoed continuously, resounding with conviction.
Eunuch Zheng was leading a few people searching around when they heard Meng Wan's voice and stopped what they were doing. However, Huangfu Mi just watched calmly and did not call for them to stop.
"Keep searching." His voice was slow and slightly cool, echoing the sound of rain outside, and seemed to be damp as well.
Meng Wan narrowed her eyes: "What exactly are you looking for? I don't think I have anything belonging to the Emperor here."
Huangfu Mi glanced at her again, but the tenderness in his eyes was gone, and there wasn't even a trace of affection. It was as if he was looking at a complete stranger.
Meng Wan was stunned. She opened her mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.
The room fell silent. The two stared at each other quietly, their breathing clearly audible. He didn't answer her, so she stopped asking and waited quietly to see what he was looking for.
Suddenly, a guard carrying a knife took a basket from the openwork lacquer painting. It was where Mu Ci used to store incense. The bottles and jars inside were incense that she had lit for Meng Wan during the day, which she had specially brought from the former Hengwang Mansion.
She quickly stepped forward: "This isn't what you're looking for. The spices inside are very precious. Be careful not to break it." As she spoke, she reached out to take it.
The guard merely glanced at her before presenting the basket to Huangfu Mi with both hands.
Huangfu Mi lowered his eyes slightly but did not answer. Instead, he said in a deep voice to Physician Hu, who was standing quietly to the side, "Come and see if there is any problem."
Upon receiving the order, Physician Hu bowed and stepped forward, took the basket and placed it on the table. Following Huangfu Mi's instructions, he carefully examined each bottle.
Meng Wan and Mu Ci exchanged a glance.
Some of the bottles of spices were calming and soothing incense, while the rest were ordinary spices. There was also a bottle of medicine that Huangfu Yi had used to treat the wounds on her face. There was nothing strange about it, but Huangfu Mi's expression was so solemn that Meng Wan suddenly had an ominous premonition.
"Your Highness, we've found it." After a moment of contemplation, Physician Hu stepped forward, holding a small bottle, and presented it to Huangfu Mi with both hands: "This is Princess Shouyang's plum blossom incense, and it does indeed contain musk..."
Upon seeing Huangfu Mi's dark expression, Physician Hu's voice gradually lowered.
Musk...
Meng Wan paused, taken aback, when she heard Huangfu Mi's cold, deep voice: "Meng Wan, what else do you have to say?"
He called her by her full name, each word uttered through gritted teeth, his voice as cold as ice that had never melted. Meng Wan couldn't help but shiver. "What do you mean by that?"
Huangfu Mi suddenly stepped forward and grabbed her collar. Meng Wan was already thin, and with a little force from him, he pulled her straight up.
His eyes gleamed with cold light, hatred, and a buried despair. "Meng Wan, when did you become so cruel? Out of anger, you actually want to harm my child?"
"What?" Meng Wan was stunned, a look of disbelief flashing in her eyes. "I hurt your child?"
"Stop playing dumb." Huangfu Mi sneered, casually tossing the spice box she was holding in front of Meng Wan: "This spice was found in Changping's palace, and you have it here too. If you didn't poison her, who else could it be?"
Poisoning?
"You're saying I poisoned Changping?" Meng Wan's eyes flashed, but the light quickly dimmed.
"Stop pretending." Huangfu Mi shouted sternly, looking as if he wanted to devour Meng Wan alive.
V108
"Last time you didn't hesitate to hurt yourself just to get rid of Changping. At the time, I thought you were just acting out of anger, so I indulged you. I never expected you to go even further now, Meng Wan. I really misjudged you. Not only can you not tolerate others, but you also do things that are morally reprehensible. You even poisoned my child for your own selfish reasons. Meng Wan, how could you be so cruel!"
His accusations were accompanied by hysterical roars, which seemed to shake the entire room. Upon seeing this, Eunuch Zheng hurriedly ordered everyone else to leave, including Mu Ci, leaving only Meng Wan and Huangfu Mi in the room.
Meng Wan was somewhat stunned. Huangfu Mi's accusations left her speechless. She suddenly raised her head, "Changping said I poisoned Changping's child, and you... believe it?"
She didn't care what others said; she only cared about his opinion.
He became suspicious of her because the spices in Changping were the same as those in hers. Did he really believe that she would harm his child?
“The facts are right in front of you. This box of spices is the evidence, and you can’t deny it.” Huangfu Mi snorted coldly.