Chapter 7

Talented Lady Yao was frightened and remained in a coma for several days. Chen Mingde conveniently assigned Heye to take care of her. When he gave the order, Matron Ming had just received the news. Although she was a little unhappy, she did not object.

Such an incident in the North Wing had to be reported upwards. However, after the news was passed up, there was no response.

Chen Mingde took a deep drag from his smoke pot and sighed, "How is Talented Lady Yao?"

Jingzhe bowed, "I just went to see her. Talented Lady Yao looks much better than the past two days."

A fallen master was still a master.

She could still have the imperial physician come to see her.

Talented Lady Yao's injury was external. The bruise on the back of her head would be fine once it dissipated. It was not very serious.

"If you hadn't heard the noise and rushed over, Talented Lady Yao would have died in the North Wing." Chen Mingde's expression was not good.

The imperial physician didn't say much. After bandaging her, he prescribed some medicine and left. But Chen Mingde was experienced. He went to see her once in person and could naturally tell that Talented Lady Yao's injury was not from a fall, but from being hit by something.

That night, Jingzhe woke up and called Mingyu.

All six people in the same room were there.

As for the palace maids, Handan and Heye were serving in Matron Ming's room that night, and the other four lived together. When they were awakened by the noise, several people could prove that they were all there at the time.

"It's not one of our own," Chen Mingde said with certainty.

Jingzhe: "Grandpa De, if it's not someone from the North Wing, why would someone from outside want to kill Talented Lady Yao?"

His voice was a little soft.

Chen Mingde glanced at him, "Is there a hidden meaning in your words?"

Jingzhe smiled bitterly, "I just think it's a lot of trouble."

Chen Mingde said meaningfully, "How do you know that they haven't tried before?"

Jingzhe's heart skipped a beat, remembering how Talented Lady Yao had used a silver needle to test for poison before.

He told Chen Mingde about this.

Chen Mingde brought the snuff bottle to his nose and took a deep sniff. His hair was already gray, and his face was covered in wrinkles, with a hint of fatigue.

"It seems that Talented Lady Yao also has her own plans," he said, "Life and death are determined by fate. I have already reported this matter, but there is no response from above, so they don't care. It's up to her own luck."

Chen Mingde had no intention of standing up for Talented Lady Yao.

Besides, how could he stand up for her?

Jingzhe retreated, knowing that this matter was over for Chen Mingde.

In the afternoon, he heard that Talented Lady Yao was awake and went to see her. She was lying on her side on the bed, looking much older than before, and weak.

Heye took care of her, not very attentively, but still thoughtfully. She was so happy to be able to take care of Talented Lady Yao and stay away from Matron Ming that she thought she would endure it even if Talented Lady Yao cursed at her. Unexpectedly, perhaps because of her injury, Talented Lady Yao's mood was very low, and she didn't say a word.

When Talented Lady Yao saw Jingzhe, she barely managed to pull herself together. As soon as she opened her mouth, her eyes glanced at Heye, and she started cursing, "What are you still standing here for? Can't you see I'm thirsty? You blind thing, get out!"

Heye was scolded, and her eyes turned slightly red. She didn't even look at Jingzhe and ran out.

Jingzhe was extremely embarrassed, but Talented Lady Yao didn't care. She beckoned to Jingzhe and lowered her voice, "Come here."

Jingzhe walked to the bedside and heard Talented Lady Yao ask, "I heard them say that you saved me?"

"I dare not. I just heard some noise that night," Jingzhe said, "Your body is not well yet. Don't be so angry, be careful not to hurt yourself."

"Are you trying to speak up for Heye?" Talented Lady Yao snorted coldly, "These palace maids look down on you. Will saying a few good words make you feel at ease or what? I've never seen someone so blind."

Jingzhe was criticized, but he was not angry. Seeing that Talented Lady Yao was about to sit up, he quickly helped her.

After Talented Lady Yao sat up, her eyes glanced at the empty doorway, and her voice became even lower, "Watch your back when you walk recently. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Jingzhe's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained calm, "I don't understand what you're saying."

"You don't understand?" Talented Lady Yao sneered, "Someone wants to kill me, you don't know? You've been watching me insert the silver needle for so many days, you don't know what I'm doing?"

Jingzhe lowered his eyes and said nothing.

Talented Lady Yao didn't care and said to herself, "I'm in my forties now, and I'm already living on borrowed time. Every extra day I live is a bonus! If I die of old age like this, so be it. But if someone wants me to die, I'm not reconciled!" Her voice was hoarse, and although she was weak, it was filled with malice.

Jingzhe looked down at her, and saw Talented Lady Yao looking up.

Her slender fingers grabbed his sleeve and pulled him forward.

"Be careful of Chen Mingde. Don't think that just because you saved him, you can get on his good side," Talented Lady Yao laughed coldly, "You've read books. You must have heard of Mr. Dongguo, right?"

...

The cold wind howled, and the weather grew colder. In two days, it would be the New Year. The atmosphere in the palace was finally not so oppressive. Even the North Wing had caught some of the festive spirit and had some things sent down.

Every palace servant had new clothes and extra festival gifts, and everyone was very happy.

Mingyu happily took his things and went to find Jingzhe. He went around in a big circle and found Jingzhe sweeping in a corner.

"Jingzhe, why are you hiding so far away?" Mingyu said, "They're giving out things. If you don't go over, be careful that Changshou takes them all."

Jingzhe: "Changshou wouldn't dare."

"Why wouldn't he dare? He wouldn't dare to take the big things, but wouldn't he dare to take the small things?" Mingyu pulled Jingzhe to go out, "Hurry, hurry, this little bit of snow will fall again later."

Before Jingzhe left, he glanced at Talented Lady Yao's room from a distance, and then left.

For more than a month before the end of the year, Jingzhe kept a close eye on Talented Lady Yao's place. Nothing happened to her, but the mission was not completed.

Jingzhe had also asked if Talented Lady Yao's natural death would also be considered a mission failure.

The system replied, [If it is man-made, it is a failure.]

This was quite painful. It was impossible for Jingzhe to ensure that Talented Lady Yao would have a worry-free life for the rest of her years, right?

Fortunately, although this system was harsh, it was not so strict.

The reason why the mission was not considered complete was because Talented Lady Yao was still in crisis. Only when she safely passed this crisis could it be considered complete.

...Crisis?

Jingzhe occasionally thought of what Talented Lady Yao had said when she was delirious.

Talented Lady Yao was a sister of Empress Dowager Cisheng, a distant relative. The cousin she mentioned should be Empress Dowager Cisheng. As for His Majesty... it was hard to say. After all, who knew if the His Majesty she mentioned when she was dizzy was the His Majesty of the late emperor or the His Majesty of Emperor Jingyuan.

But Jingzhe was inclined to the late emperor.

Regicide was something ordinary people would not dare to think about, but the late emperor killed Empress Dowager Cisheng? If there was such a hidden story, then it would make sense that someone wanted to kill Talented Lady Yao.

But the late emperor was already dead. If he wanted to kill Talented Lady Yao, why didn't he do it when he was alive? If the late emperor really wanted to kill her, he would have done it many years ago. So... was there another reason for Empress Dowager Cisheng's death back then, and were other people involved?

After receiving the things, Jingzhe and the other palace servants went to put up red paper. It was almost the end of the year, and they still had to have some festive atmosphere. They were busy until the evening, and then they rested for a peaceful night.

Unexpectedly, just as it was about to get light, a sharp scream came from behind.

Everyone in the house woke up. Those who were dressing were dressing, those who were putting on their shoes were putting on their shoes. Baqi, who was by the window and moved quickly, had already climbed out to see the situation. Only Jingzhe sat on the bed in a daze.

Mingyu turned his head, "I don't know what happened, it scared me to death."

Jingzhe gave Mingyu a smile that was uglier than crying. He knew.

The moment he woke up, the system also beeped.

[Mission 3 failed, please accept the punishment]

He didn't even have time to listen to the punishment.

Talented Lady Yao was still dead.

Jingzhe was in a daze for a while, but his movements were not too slow. When he rushed over, he saw Baqi standing on a stool, helping to lower Talented Lady Yao's body.

Talented Lady Yao had hanged herself.

Several palace maids, including Handan, were gathered around someone, comforting them. Listening carefully, it was Heye.

The scream just now was from her.

Heye got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. When she got up from the floor, she bumped into something hard. She was sleepy and looked up, but she touched a pair of feet. She woke up with a start and screamed, and fainted from fright.

Such a big thing happened in the North Wing. Chen Mingde and Matron Ming had to come forward. Even the palace sent people to investigate. Many people came in and out, making the North Wing lively for a day.

It was not until evening that it became quiet.

They said that Talented Lady Yao committed suicide.

Jingzhe sat on the porch, anxiously running his fingers through his hair. This was not right.

He had talked to Talented Lady Yao before, and at that time, Talented Lady Yao showed no signs of wanting to die. A person who wanted to die would not be so careful about her food. She had used a silver needle yesterday.

But she did commit suicide.

...Was she forced to commit suicide?

"Who came yesterday?"

Jingzhe muttered.

The North Wing had always been quiet, with few outsiders. Only yesterday, when clothes and etiquette were distributed, did someone come, saying it was a reward.

But why didn't they let them go and get it, but someone came to their door?

Slap—

Jingzhe jumped up suddenly.

The sudden movement startled Wuyou, who had patted him on the shoulder. He raised his hand hesitantly, not daring to let it fall, "Jingzhe, what's wrong with you?"

Jingzhe, who turned to look at him, was flushed and his body was trembling slightly, as if he had a fever. Wuyou was so scared that he took two steps forward, his voice full of worry.

"Don't tell me you've caught a cold. Hurry up and go inside."

He reached out to grab Jingzhe, but Jingzhe took several steps back, staring at his hand as if it were a tiger or a monster. He shook his head repeatedly and said in a panic, "Thank you, I'll go in by myself."

Wuyou watched as Jingzhe entered the room, took off his shoes, and fell onto the bed with his head buried.

He scratched his face in confusion. It seemed that Jingzhe was really not feeling well.

Jingzhe, who was hiding under the covers, was lying on his side, completely covered, not even an inch of skin exposed.

His mind was no longer on Talented Lady Yao's death. The words he had just asked the system echoed in his ears.

[Random buff: Charming eyes make people weak]

[Effect: During the buff's duration, whenever the host appears, they will immediately attract the attention of everyone present. The "gaze" behavior will increase the host's sensitivity. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the host will be one in a million.]

[This buff's duration: 72h (about three days)]

Jingzhe had been busy with Talented Lady Yao's affairs all day. It was cold and his limbs were stiff. He had no time to ask about the punishment in detail, nor did he notice the gradually accumulating sensitivity. It was not until he sat outside for a moment just now, and the moment Wuyou patted him, he felt a strange itching on his shoulder, and Jingzhe jumped up in fright.

Only then did he hurriedly ask about the punishment. After hearing it, his eyes went black, and he had only one feeling.

...My life is over.

What one in a million? A one in a million who goes crazy in front of everyone?

What kind of crap is this!

Why didn't this system smash it on Prince Rui's head and let him enjoy this "one in a million"!

Jingzhe gritted his teeth, so angry that he rolled up the bedding tightly.