Chapter 39: I Believe You

The man’s eyes were as calm and indifferent as still water.

He stood beside the round table, while Consort Jing and her entourage were kneeling before him.

When Shu Ruohua walked closer and saw his face clearly, she froze on the spot.

The Crown Prince? …Xiao Che!!

Xiao Che stared coldly at Consort Jing. “What are you doing here?”

His voice held not a trace of warmth.

Consort Jing’s face turned pale.

She had already panicked when she barged in and saw Xiao Che. Now, hearing his cold and grim voice, she was even more frightened.

“I… I…”

She stammered for a long time but was too terrified to get a full sentence out.

Xiao Che’s expression darkened. “Speak!!”

He had only wanted to have a proper meal, but now it had been rudely interrupted by Consort Jing. Anger surged within him.

Consort Jing’s complexion grew even paler.

“I… I just wanted to visit Elder Sister.”

Xiao Che narrowed his eyes. “Oh?”

“You really came just to visit?”

She had barged into Lengfeng Pavilion with several other concubines. Her intentions were obvious.

How could Xiao Che not see through it?

Consort Jing grew more flustered.

She trembled as she answered, “Y-yes…”

Xiao Che let out a cold laugh. “Heh.”

“So you’re saying I’m an idiot?”

He detested being lied to the most. Her excuse was clearly an insult to his intelligence.

Consort Jing’s heart skipped a beat.

She quickly explained, “I wouldn’t dare! I wouldn’t dare!”

Tears welled up at the corners of her eyes, born of fear.

Xiao Che said nothing, as if waiting for her to continue.

Consort Jing wiped her tears.

“It was Elder Sister…” she suddenly turned to look at Shu Ruohua. “I came to visit her, but she poisoned me…”

Xiao Che’s gaze turned icy. “Poisoned?”

Consort Jing nodded. “Yes.”

As she spoke, she quickly got up and walked to the round table, pointing at the dishes on it.

“It was these dishes! When I arrived, she forced me to eat them. There must be poison in the food…”

She blatantly twisted the truth, changing Shu Ruohua’s act of hospitality into coercion.

At the same time, Shu Ruohua, standing nearby, “…”

She had the urge to charge forward and kick Consort Jing across the room.

That ridiculous woman actually dared to spout such nonsense right in front of her.

But reason reminded her—she couldn’t act rashly!

Xiao Che’s sharp gaze landed on Consort Jing. “So you’re saying I’ve been poisoned too?”

He had just eaten from those very dishes.

Consort Jing faltered. “Y-Your Highness… you ate them?”

She hadn’t expected Shu Ruohua to let the Crown Prince eat that food.

If the dishes were poisoned, Shu Ruohua wouldn’t have dared serve them to him.

Which meant… she had been set up.

She immediately collapsed to her knees in terror.

“Your Highness, I’ve been wronged! Elder Sister must have switched the dishes…”

Shu Ruohua must have exchanged the poisoned ones.

Xiao Che didn’t respond, seemingly lost in thought.

Qian Ning quickly rushed forward and knelt before him.

“Your Highness, please see clearly. Lengfeng Pavilion has limited food. My lady would never waste it—let alone use it to poison someone.”

She was reminding the Crown Prince that Shu Ruohua was notoriously frugal and would never waste food on harming others.

Shu Ruohua, “…”

She understood Qian Ning’s implication.

Glancing at Xiao Che’s imposing and overbearing expression, she remembered her identity as his concubine.

Imitating Qian Ning, she also knelt down. “Your Highness…”

Just as she was about to speak in her own defense, Xiao Che suddenly stepped forward and helped her up.

“I believe you.”

Shu Ruohua’s mind instantly went blank.

Xiao Che turned his cold gaze toward Consort Jing again. “Since you’re so idle, go copy the scriptures a hundred times.”

Consort Jing’s heart sank. “Your Highness…”

She whimpered and looked up, trying to explain.

But Xiao Che suddenly snapped, his voice like ice, “I won’t say it again!”

…

(End of Chapter)