Emperor's Cunning Wife

In a dim room.

Xiao Qu woke up and opened her eyes only to see it blinded by a piece of cloth. She tried to take it off but her hands were also bounded. The sound of metal colliding rang in the room as she tried to shake her limbs free. She soon came to her senses after realize her feet seemed unable to touch the ground. Her two arms were beginning to get numb from being hanged up in cuffs. What is this? She asked in her mind remembering the punishment bestowed by the Emperor. She should be laying down in a platform being planked, she also recalled that she fainted in the middle of the punishment being carried out, but she didn't expect to be hanged up. What's the meaning of this? Did the emperor order another punishment after she couldn't endure the first one? Xiao Qu was filled with questions.

She could only use both of her ears and nose to perceive the sounds and smell from her surroundings. The scent of something rotten invaded her nostrils making her nearly vomited what she ate during lunch, there was also the metallic scent circulating in the room she was in, it was very familiar. As for the sounds, the ripples from the metals clashing one another and the groans and faint cries echoed in her ears. Where was she? She couldn't remember this kind of place.

A few minutes later, she heard another sound in the room; it was a series of footstep not far off from where she was. The footstep seemed to come closer and eventually stopped a few feet away. Then, a male voice followed afterwards, "Is this her?" Xiao Qu didn't understand who they were talking about.

"Yes, this servant told them to secretly transfer her in this room." The other masculine voice replied.

This servant! The other voice referred himself as a servant which means the other one must be of high rank in the palace. Did I offend someone? What is this about?

"Alright, start the interrogation." The voice belonging to the high rank personage ordered the servant.

Interrogation?

"Light up the room." With that command, Xiao Qu could see some light passed through the fibres of her blindfold.

"Was it you that poisoned the Empress?" The servant asked Xiao Qu.

At the mentioned of 'poison' and 'Empress', Xiao Qu realized that this was going to another trial for her. Xiao Qu was unable to come to sense for a moment and was slapped in the face. She felt her face sting and something vile rose in her throat.

"Was it you that poisoned the Empress?" The male asked again.

Xiao Qu after experiencing the pain became obedient. "No. I didn't poison Niang Niang."

The voice stopped and for a moment and naive Xiao Qu thought that the interrogation ended however she didn't expect to hear another voice.

"Yes." The servant replied.

"Yatou, I advised to be truthful or your face will taste another slap. What exactly happened? Who poisoned the soup?"

Xiao Qu started to cry after she heard those words, "Did Niang Niang really got poisoned? Young Master Gao said that she wasn't. This slave didn't do anything; Niang Niang wanted this slave to cook for her. This slave doesn't dare put any poison in it. This slave is saying the truth."

Xiao Qu wondered if the people in the room believed or not but the series of question only started.

The light from the torches swayed along with the wind, the shadows of the figure in the room flickered. The night was long and the sound of metal colliding and faint cries haunted the place.

When morning came, the Phoenix pavilion became as any other day. None of those present last night leaked what happened to Ning Lou, as it seemed their mouths was shut to prevent any rumours that will spread. The daily lives of those palace maids, mamas, guards, and eunuchs remained the same.

In the Empress' room.

A figure stirred in her sleep. The figure awakened half beat later and frowned when she scanned the place. "So it wasn't just my imagination."

Ning Lou got out of the bed and was going to look for the lavatory, but what she first saw was the pair of Empress Dowager and her right hand maid, what was she called, Tang-mama is it? Tang-mama was holding a fan and the old woman beside her was drinking tea. As to why, she wasn't discovered yet is because by some reason the spot she stood became a blind spot due to Tang-mama's timely position. Ning Lou stopped in her place and tiptoed her way to go back to bed as noiseless as possible.

Ning Lou turned to the old woman who smiling at her. Ning Lou also jerked her lips and responded, "He. He." But who knew what she really thought inside?

The old woman placed the tea back on the table and hurriedly strode to Ning Lou side, she examined Ning Lou and was pleased that her face is healthy in colour, "How do you feel?" She asked her trying to verify if the physician's diagnosis was true.

Ning Lou, upon hearing this, also started to examine her body. The memories from last night repeated in her mind. But, strangely there were no remnants? That's odd. At least when she got injured in the modern world and got treatment there will still be lingering pain, it would take a few days before it was completely gone. However, the injury from last night sure wasn't light otherwise she wouldn't spat blood, so how come her body that was supposed to be weakened felt as if the event never occurred. Ning Lou's brain short-circuited by the thinking too much.

"What? Do you feel pain?" The old woman grasped her hand and stared at her eyes directly wanting to read her thoughts.

Is she supposed to feel pained? Or should she say the truth? This was rather hard.

"How come you're not speaking? Ning Lou felt conflicted. Is she supposed to put an act?

"Your Highness, Empress Dowager is very worried for your body. She stayed here last night just to attend to you." Tang-mama intervened which made the old woman nodded agreeing.

"Yes, Grandmother is very anxious. You don't know how much worried I was last night." The old woman sighed and c.a.r.e.s.sed Ning Lou's cheek.

Oh, so that's it!

The Empress Dowager felt a little bit shock when Ning Lou pulled her hand and took a step back. She never expected that Ning Lou would also say such words. Yesterday's events must have scared her!

"Don't worry, Yesterday won't repeat again. I asked Tang-mama to assigned new servants for you." The old woman said wanting to cheer her up.

But, Ning Lou's smile never came instead her face was nearing to crying.

F*ck, where will I find another little bunny!