maidservant

Chapter 109 A Roast Chicken and a String of Dark Wood
Yunshan stepped into the Imperial Hospital, and the room was filled with a faint scent of medicine.

The Vice-President of the Academy, Wen Da, was sitting at his desk, concentrating on reviewing the medical records. He was still dressed in a plain robe, his face was gaunt, and his eyes and eyebrows revealed a certain elegance.

Yunshan thought, it's time to verify her guess.

She had a gentle smile on her face, and the steaming roast chicken in her hand exuded an enticing aroma.

"Master Wen, you're on duty today. It's really hard work," she said softly, with just the right amount of concern in her voice.

The deputy director of the Academy of Literature looked up at the sound, his signature gentle, gentlemanly smile plastered on his face. His eyes fell on the roast chicken in Yunshan's hands, but he didn't reach out to take it. "Miss Yun, it's thoughtful of you, but I can't accept it while I'm on duty."

Yunshan was still smiling. After a few simple greetings, she turned around and left with the roast chicken, heading for the pharmacy.

She thought, if Lord Wen and Zhong Si really had an affair, and Lord Wen didn't leave the palace today, according to common sense, Zhong Si might also arrange for her to be on duty? With such speculation, Yunshan stepped into the door of the pharmacy.

Yunshan immediately spotted the familiar green figure. Zhong Si was standing in front of the medicine cabinet. Yunshan immediately put on a friendly smile, "Master Zhong, you are on duty."

However, Zhong Si didn't even raise his head and continued to work.

Yunshan approached, shook the roast chicken in her hand, and said with a smile:

"I bought a roasted chicken at Liao Ji today. It was recommended by the doctor at the Imperial Hospital. He said it was delicious."

Zhong Si then raised his head and glanced at the roast chicken indifferently, his tone revealing a hint of indifference: "Which doctor?"

"Lord Situ." Yunshan said while staring at Zhong Si's expression.

Sure enough, Zhong Si's face darkened slightly, and a hint of imperceptible boredom flashed in his eyes. It was obvious that he was not interested in Situ Zhen.

"But Master Wen..." Yunshan deliberately prolonged her tone, observing Zhong Si without blinking. Zhong Si's hand suddenly stopped, waiting for her to continue.

Yunshan didn't say anything, just sighed.

"Lord Wen? Oh, you're the deputy director of the Imperial Medical Bureau, right? What happened to him?" Zhong Si asked, pretending to be unfamiliar with him.

Yunshan remained expressionless: "This roast chicken was originally brought to him, but he confiscated it. Lord Zhong, please accept it."

She knew that Zhong Si was a suspicious person, and he would definitely not accept the chicken, fearing that it was poisoned. As expected, Zhong Si simply refused coldly. Yun Shan put down the chicken and turned away.

I am certain in my heart that the person who has a close relationship with Zhong Si is Lord Wen.

In the next few days, Yunshan kept an eye on the movements outside the palace. She calculated the time and thought that Lin Xiao should have left Beijing quietly. This matter was very secretive and there was no news about it.

"I don't know if the life-saving pills prepared for him are enough."

Yunshan was full of worries. She wanted to prepare more, but Zhong Si was staring at her like a stalker. If she was not careful, the news might leak out, so she had no choice but to give up.

"You must be safe." Yunshan prayed silently in her heart.

One day during lunch break, the Imperial Hospital was completely silent. The doctors were relaxing on couches or recliners, while Yunshan was sitting in the outer room, consulting patients.

At this moment, a palace maid walked in, looking haggard, her hands trembling constantly. Yunshan carefully questioned her and concluded that it was due to a cold body. Situ Zhen patiently instructed her on the acupuncture: "Hold steady..."

Just as Yunshan was concentrating on acupuncture, a sharp call suddenly broke the silence: "Song Yunshan—our palace invites you."

The eunuch in charge of Concubine Cui's palace strode in with a stern look on his face. It was obvious from his demeanor that he had ill intentions.

Yunshan's heart skipped a beat, and a sense of foreboding washed over her. She forced herself to remain calm, forcing a smile: "Sir, please wait until I finish seeing this patient." She tried to buy time so she could calmly consider a solution.

"No need. Several ladies and Zhong Sicheng are waiting for you. Come with us quickly." The eunuch flicked his whisk impatiently, staring at Yunshan with eyes like knives, his tone revealing an unquestionable toughness.

Yunshan's heart tightened, but she remained calm on the surface: "Okay, let me go in and wash my hands."

Walking into the inner room, Yunshan's mind was working rapidly.

Zhong Si is here too, and so is Concubine Yang?

Are they conspiring against me?

She looked around frantically. Suddenly, she saw the deputy dean of literature lying on the couch, taking a nap, breathing evenly, as if she was completely unaware of her.

Yunshan gritted her teeth, walked carefully to the front of the couch, reached out and gently picked up the dark wood bracelet on Wenyuan's deputy wrist, quickly put it on her wrist, and covered it with her wide cuffs.

She knew in her heart that this string of dark wood might be able to help her at a critical moment.

Along the way, Yunshan tried to get some information from the eunuch, but the eunuch kept his lips tightly shut and said nothing.

Yunshan's heartbeat was getting faster and faster.

Yunshan was brought into the palace. The atmosphere in the palace was depressing. Zhong Si was standing in the hall. When he saw Yunshan come in, the corners of his mouth rose slightly, revealing a smug sneer.

Concubine Cui sat in the middle, her expression calm yet a bit majestic; Concubine Yang sat on the right, her eyes flashing with an unfathomable light.

Yunshan calmed herself down, took a deep breath, and said respectfully, "Hail, ladies."

She lowered her head, her eyes secretly scanning the crowd, secretly guessing their intentions in her heart.

"Song Yunshan, Zhong Sicheng has reported you for violating palace rules and committing a crime. This matter involves Consort Bianliang. I have ordered Consort Xian and Consort Bianliang to come over."

Concubine Cui's voice was neither hurried nor slow, but it was like a heavy hammer, hitting Yunshan's heart.

Yunshan's heart was suddenly shocked. Concubine Bianliang?
Could it be that Concubine Bianliang’s plan to avoid having a child was discovered?
But this matter was done extremely secretly, how could Zhong Si suddenly catch hold of it?
A long-lost fear surged in my heart, and beads of sweat appeared on my forehead.

At this moment, the virtuous concubine Lin Yu hurried over with the support of Yun Jin.

Lin Yu's gaze fell on Yunshan, his eyes full of concern and confusion, and he seemed to not understand what had happened.

"Sister Cui, what happened?" Lin Yu asked anxiously with a smile.

Before Concubine Cui could speak, Concubine Bianliang arrived and walked into the hall. She bowed slightly and said, "Greetings, my three sisters."

His voice was as steady as ever, but his expression was a little nervous.

For a moment, the hall was eerily quiet, as if even the air had frozen. Concubine Cui waved her hand, dismissing the maidservants. Yun Jin glanced at Yun Shan with concern, then slowly exited the hall.

Yunshan stood in the center of the hall like a standing timber. The gazes from all around her were like shackles, pressing her so hard that she could hardly breathe.

"Zhong Sicheng," Concubine Cui gestured for Zhong Si to speak.

"I have reported Song Yunshan for plotting to murder the imperial concubine and destabilize the royal family's lineage!"