Since Chu Qiao slapped Li Chenxiang at the back garden that day, all the dames and maids in the prince palace have behaved themselves, at least no one dared to find fault with her in public at the Phoenix Perching Hall. Although Zhong Jinchun intended to play up to Chu Qiao, she did it with discretion and only asked her maid to give Chu Qiao a box of “Balm for Smooth & Fair Skin”, which was said to be very effective in scar elimination.
With no one bothering her, Chu Qiao could live at ease. She asked Qingluo to get a prescription for health preservation from an imperial physician, and took three doses every day with her meals. She often got up early in the morning, jogged and practiced shadow boxing in the yard, sometimes she also practiced swordplay with branches after reading educational materials on swordsmanship. Chu Qiao did learn a thing or two in martial arts over time.
On a boring drizzling day, Chu Qiao began to make a sword out of a peach wood branch her maid picked for her which was as thick as her arm, and eventually shaped it up at twilight.
Laying the sword on her knees, Chu Qiao stretched her arms lazily, and called out for Qing Luo, but received no reply after several times. “Where did she go?” Chu Qiao mumbled to herself.
A young maid in blue ran breathlessly into the hall, and cried out for help. “Your Majesty, Qingluo is in big trouble. She... She...”
Chu Qiao measured the girl with her eyes and recognized her as Zhong Jinchun’s maid, Bai Zhi. Chu Qiao stood up immediately, with one hand holding the peach wood sword, the other seizing Bai Zhi by the arm. “What happened to her?”
“She had been kidnapped and taken to Dame Li’s Floral Pavilion!”
Chu Qiao hurried towards the Floral Pavilion without demur.
Li Chenxiang abducted Qing Luo merely a few days after being slapped. Her intention was abundantly obvious.
There were two sturdy maids standing beside each door, blockading the entrance firmly. It seemed that they were waiting for Chu Qiao on purpose. “Dame Li suffered from the shock. The doctor said she needed to rest. Please don’t bother her now, Your Majesty.”
“Get out of my way!” Chu Qiao took a glance at them and said coldly.
Upon hearing Qing Luo’s desperate cry, Chu Qiao instantly made a slash with her sword. The two maids, knowing nothing about weapons, was frightened and ducked in panic. Chu Qiao seized the chance, kicked the doors open, and stepped into the pavilion as if there was no one else present.
Li Chenxiang, whose face was covered by a veil, was sitting on the master’s chair. Qing Luo, ragged as she was, had her hands tied behind her back, and was kneeling on the ground and being whipped by a maid in green standing aside.
Exasperated at once, Chu Qiao warded off the maid’s arm with the sword, snatched the whip without extra effort and thrashed her down to the ground. The maid’s arm was bleeding profusely.
“Rong Er!” Seeing that her confidant was being injured, Li Chenxiang couldn’t bear it any more. She shouted in rage, rising to her full height and smiting the table, “You not only instigated that bitch, to pour poison into my decoction, but also humiliated my servants in public. Does the law even exist for you? Somebody tie her up as well! It seems we have to ask the prince to uphold justice!”
Li Chenxiang was slapped by Chu Qiao only a few days ago, and then attempted to poison her at a crucial time like this? Doesn’t it strike her as a bit odd?
Chu Qiao was holding the peach wood sword in one hand, and the soft whip in another. All the maids were so frightened by the powerful aura Chu Qiao extended that no one dared to approach her. Given Dame Li’s command, they had to summon up their courage and besiege, lest Chu Qiao should escape.
Since Li Chenxiang did burst into anger, Chu Qiao was convinced that Li Chenxiang had been taken advantage of by someone else, someone who intended to trigger a conflict between them for self-interest. Chu Qiao frowned and scolded Li Chenxiang in a cold voice. “Shut up!”
Li Chenxiang was outwardly strong but inwardly weak. She was, to some extent, afraid of Chu Qiao since being slapped by her. But at this very moment, she had to muster up courage. “You intended to disfigure me with such an obscene method, and now you’re afraid to let them know what you did?”
Idiot! Chu Qiao thought to herself. This moron, Li Chenxiang, was convinced that Chu Qiao was the culprit, no matter how she claimed her innocence. Chu Qiao had no choice but to hold back her anger and said, “Qing Luo is my maid. And the only person in this world who has the right to punish her for her misdeeds is me. Mark my words, I will personally see to it that the arm which touches my maid is cut off, whomever it is from.’
The maids surrounding Chu Qiao shuddered with fear, and couldn’t help stepping back. Chu Qiao turned to a seemingly bright girl as she raised her voice. “Tell me what happened.”
“Dame Li has been taking her decoction for several days, and now her face is bloater than before. According to the doctor, someone has changed the ingredients. The servants working there witnessed Qing Luo enter the kitchen stealthily...”
Chu Qiao asked for Doctor Zhang. “I heard that somebody tampered with Li Chenxiang’s decoction. Is that true?”
Doctor Zhang gave a salute to her and responded, “Indeed, Your Majesty. The amount of salvia miltiorrhiza powder was supposed to be five grams, but instead I’ve found twenty-five here. It is common knowledge that the powder can promote blood circulation and dissolve stasis, but its overdose might lead to inflammation and severe bloat.”
Li Chenxiang snorted and said in a voice dripping with sarcasm, “Now you’ve heard what he said. Take this slut out and beat her to death!”
Qing Luo shook her head and shuddered ceaselessly, with tears trailing down her cheeks. “I...I am innocent! I didn’t do anything! Help me, Your Majesty!”
Seeing two maids came forward to grab Qing Luo, Chu Qiao at once stretched her arms to intercept them. “Hold on! Qing Luo entered the kitchen just to decoct herbs for me. None of you has proof to convict her!”
“So you resolve to cover up her evil deeds, don’t you?” Li Chenxiang stared at Chu Qiao with fiery scarlet eyes, scorching enough to burn two holes through Chu Qiao’s body.
“You will pay the price soon enough, Li Chenxiang, for abducting my maid at your own will. As for your decoction, I will launch a thorough investigation to find out the culprit!”
Seeing through Chu Qiao’s intention of leaving with Qing Luo, Li Chenxiang started burning with a frenzy of rage. “Don’t you dare leave like this, bitches! Somebody stop them and ask the prince to come and call the shots!”
Chu Qiao waved her whip with full strength and scared the other maids off. She took Qing Luo’s hand and left the Floral Pavilion directly.
Chu Qiao kept quiet on their way back, while Qing Luo sobbed at a low voice. Her eyes were filled with panic. “Your
Majesty, I am innocent... I swear I didn’t do anything to Dame Li’s decoction. Please don’t be angry with me...”
Chu Qiao’s heart melted at such a weeping beauty like Qing Luo, and her facial expression was no longer grim. “I am sure it is not you. I got angry because you didn’t strike back. And your cowardice embarrassed me.”
“But I don’t know how to fight.” Qing Luo pouted in grievance.
Chu Qiao glared at her in disappointment. “Okay, I will teach you in the future, but now, we have to deal with what’s in front of us first.” Chu Qiao knew for sure that Li Chenxiang would definitely not let things slide.
Her premonition proved to be correct.
As soon as they stepped into the Phoenix Perching Hall, someone arrived immediately afterwards.
And her servants chanted right away, “Here comes His Majesty.”