Song Lianhe quickly recovered from her initial shock and composed herself.
"I can find her cause of death..."
The words had barely left her lips when a sharp slap landed squarely on her face—
SLAP.
Song Lianhe’s head snapped to the side.
"How could you hit her!"
In a rare show of anger, Huai Xu moved to shield Song Lianhe, only to be blocked by Kong Qing and a few maids.
"So what if we hit her? She killed our General’s wife!"
Zhou Junlin froze for a mont, his brow then furrowing even deeper.
"You killed my mother! You’re a murderer! Isn’t it enough that my mother is dead? You still won’t leave her in peace? I won’t let you touch her again!"
Song Lianhe stood frozen in place. It was as if ti had rewound, and the cries of the little boy’s family echoed in her ears.
’You murderer! Give back my son!’
Her grandfather had trembled as he forced her to her knees before them.
’What’s the use of kowtowing? Can it bring my son back? My boy... how is your mother supposed to go on living...?’
She had wanted to stand up and argue. ’My prescription couldn’t have been wrong! The child didn’t necessarily die from my dicine! Until the body is examined, no one can call a murderer!’
But her grandfather’s large hand had pressed down on the back of her head, holding her fast. The foreheads of grandfather and granddaughter remained pressed against the pitted, uneven ground, and for a long, long ti, they did not rise.
And just like that, it was as if she, too, had accepted the "fact" that she had once killed soone.
The mory of that scene stung her to this day.
"Give back my mother!" Song Xilan shrieked, overco with emotion as she raised her hand to strike again.
Zhou Junlin’s brow twitched, and he moved to step in front of Song Lianhe.
But soone else was faster. A long arm shot out, wrapped around her waist, and yanked Song Lianhe behind him.
Seeing the man in black robes suddenly appear, Zhou Junlin narrowed his dark eyes, his posture as immovable as a mountain, his expression serene.
"You..."
Song Xilan stared at him, stunned. She couldn’t believe he would actually stand in front of Song Lianhe to protect her!
’Why is he protecting her?’
’He doesn’t even like her! Why would he go this far?!’
’If his past actions were ant to make jealous, what about now? Doesn’t he know I just lost my mother?’
’Is protecting Song Lianhe really more important than comforting ?!’
Song Lianhe slowly raised her head, her gaze fixed on the man standing before her. Only then did a glimr of light return to her eyes.
Huai Xu finally let out a breath of relief. Without another word, he went to examine Mrs. Liu’s body.
Zhou Cangyan, however, seed oblivious to his surroundings. He turned, lowered his gaze, and habitually twisted the Bone Ring on his finger. His tone was casual, almost lazy. "Why did you run from the wedding?"
Song Lianhe looked up at him, finding it difficult to describe the feeling in her heart. It was as if a great, mischievous hand was churning everything inside her into chaos.
But a sliver of reason remained. She subconsciously tugged on his sleeve. "I didn’t kill Mrs. Liu. I need to examine her body. I can’t be frad for sothing I didn’t do!"
Zhou Cangyan lifted his gaze, his cool eyes perpetually exuding an air of detachnt. It was as if only one thing mattered to him: why had she run away?
Song Xilan gritted her teeth. The sight of the two of them gazing at each other was blinding. An invisible barrier seed to rise, enclosing them in a world of their own.
She suddenly surged forward and grabbed Song Lianhe’s arm. "I don’t know how I’ve offended you, but ever since you returned from the Li Guan Sect, you’ve been causing trouble for . I was willing to let all of that go! But why did you have to kill my mother? You’ve already dragged her na through the mud so much that she could barely go on living! Why did you have to be so ruthless and finish her off?!"
Song Xilan’s fingers dug into her arm, as if she wanted to crush her very bones.
Song Lianhe frowned and tried to yank her arm away, but to her surprise, she couldn’t break free.
Zhou Cangyan glanced over and suddenly pried Song Xilan’s hand off Song Lianhe. He pulled her behind him in an almost subconscious gesture, his gaze never once falling on Song Xilan. "Princess Consort Ling, you speak with such certainty. Do you have any proof? If not, then this is slander, and I shall see this matter investigated to the very end!"
Song Lianhe’s heart fluttered. The clamor of wails and curses that so often rang in her ears began to fade into the distance.
Zhou Cangyan had never treated her like this before!
Song Xilan, her eyes red, sneered. "Only she and my mother were in the room, and then my mother just dies for no reason! If she didn’t kill her, then who did?"
"Princess Consort Ling, rather than standing here in outrage, you would be better served finding the true cause of Mrs. Song’s death."
His instinctive defense of her was plain to see; he clearly didn’t believe a word she said.
Zhou Cangyan looked back, his light-colored eyes resting nonchalantly on Song Lianhe. But as his gaze swept over the red mark on her cheek, his pupils constricted, and for a split second, a chilling, sharp killing intent flashed in them.
"I am here. Do what you need to do."
’It feels good to have soone in your corner.’
Song Lianhe nodded and hurried over to Mrs. Liu’s body.
Zhou Junlin withdrew his gaze from her. He hadn’t said a word from start to finish, standing like a re spectator.
He was deliberately distancing himself from Mrs. Liu’s affairs. A simple illicit romance was one thing, but her lover being a spy from the Nanchen Kingdom was a matter of grave importance.
Song Xilan moved to block Song Lianhe. "I forbid you from touching my mother! Soone! Guards!"
"I’d like to see who dares show disrespect to my Princess Consort!"
With that single sentence, Zhou Cangyan forced Kong Qing and the others who were about to step forward to fall back. They all lowered their heads and quietly retreated to the side.
"You... Why are you..."
Song Xilan felt utterly wronged, and tears began to stream down her face once more.
Zhou Cangyan’s gaze passed over her and landed on the young woman in the distance.
"She may be impulsive, and at tis even stubborn, but she is fundantally pure and good. She wouldn’t have the guts to take a life, even if you dared her to."
Song Xilan couldn’t hold back any longer, feeling as if she’d been betrayed. "Pure and good? Prince Qing, have you truly seen her for who she is? She’s nothing but a—"
"Princess Consort."
Zhou Junlin cut in abruptly, giving her a mild look. "Do not lose your composure."
Song Xilan froze. Biting her lip, she averted her red-rimd eyes.
After Huai Xu and Song Lianhe finished their examination, they reached the sa conclusion.
"Sudden death due to syncope," Huai Xu said.
Song Lianhe slowly nodded in agreent.
It was, without a doubt, a sudden death.
But the exact cause remained unclear.
Song Lianhe felt a pang of disappointnt. She feared she would now never learn how Mrs. Liu had known about her.
"Song Lianhe killed my mother!"
Song Xilan insisted, her eyes like poison-tipped daggers fixed on her.
Song Lianhe was already annoyed. She had let the earlier confrontation slide, but Song Xilan was relentless!
"Song Xilan, do you really think everyone here is an idiot except for you?" She nodded. "Since you’re so certain, then go to the Ministry of Justice and strike the Injustice Bell. And if the Ministry of Justice can’t satisfy you, then file a complaint directly with the crown and ask the Holy Emperor to pass judgnt. Oh, and by the way, while you’re at it, you can explain what was going on between Mrs. Liu and Zhang Yu. I’m sure the Holy Emperor would be very interested to learn about Zhang Yu’s background."
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