Chapter 95 Find Someone to Expose Cressida?
The night was quiet, and Yosef didn't say a word.
Rose heard her own rapid breathing.
She screamed out in pain, but when Yosef looked back and stared at her coldly, she quickly covered her mouth.
Rose's fingers trembled as she touched her cheek.
The dagger had cut from the corner of her mouth to her ear, opening a gash that was gushing blood.
She was terrified, filled with regret. Yosef was a madman—how could she have gotten on this sinking ship!
"Your Highness Yosef, please spare my life!" Rose cried out, kowtowing repeatedly. "What happened today wasn't meant to mess with you, it's all Cressida's fault!"
Blood ran down Rose's cheek and dripped from her chin.
Yosef walked toward her, dressed in fancy clothes with an air of nobility, but more than that, a terrifying murderous intent.
Rose was scared stiff and couldn't help shrinking back.
But then Yosef grabbed her jaw.
His ring-wearing hand was immediately stained with blood.
That wasn't enough—Yosef even squeezed hard on her wound, making Rose scream several more times in pain.
"Your Highness Yosef, Your Highness!" Rose said desperately, "For you, I can scheme against everyone in the Hamilton family. Please show mercy and spare my worthless life!"
Hearing this, Yosef's cold, harsh face finally showed a hint of a mocking smile.
"Rose, you're finally saying something useful."
He withdrew his hand and wiped it with a cloth from the table.
Yosef said, "Let me ask you, do you know if there's anyone in General Hamilton's Blade of Victory who hates the Hamilton family?"
Rose's crying stopped, her expression confused.
Yosef's cold gaze fell on her, making her jump in fear.
"I, let me think..." Rose's eyelashes trembled. "I vaguely remember that six years ago, an old member of the Blade of Victory came to the Hamilton Mansion to plead for mercy."
Yosef lowered his eyes, signaling Rose to continue.
"I don't know much about it, but I heard from Clio that when that person followed General Hamilton to attack Eldoria, he was charged with desertion for fleeing in battle."
"According to the law, he should have been executed by military punishment, but General Hamilton spared his life and only broke his legs. After he returned to Emerald City, he filed a complaint claiming he was wronged, but nothing came of it. From what Clio said, he hates the Hamilton family deeply."
Yosef asked, "Do you know his name?"
Rose shook her head, then quickly added, "I can go back and ask Clio about it."
Yosef's thin lips curved into a wild, cold smile.
"Three days. I'm only giving you three days. Find out and come tell me."
"Yes."
Rose lowered her head and left in a hurry.
In the secret room, Yosef washed his hands with clean water. His usual struggles with Marshall had long since become boring to him.
Cressida's appearance gave him a big surprise, especially her performance today at the boat banquet held for the Regatta Festival.
She was so calm, unmovable as a mountain.
Maybe before, Yosef wasn't sure she was Cameron.
But seeing her performance that day, he believed it.
Any ordinary girl facing his interrogation would have been scared pale, like Rose.
Only Cressida remained neither humble nor arrogant, able to deflect all his sharp challenges.
The more she was like this, the more Yosef wanted to break her. Someone like this—if he couldn't make her his own, he couldn't let her live.
After the Regatta Festival, Clio stayed home every day, seemingly sick, and also sulking with Patrick.
As for Rose, she was said to have fallen and hurt her face, so she didn't go out much either.
But her maids kept calling doctors to give her medicine for her injuries.
Cressida stayed in her own courtyard, living peacefully.
But she heard that the court wasn't peaceful.
Among the twenty-five rowers Sophie had killed at the boat race, two were commoners who had just passed the top ranks of the national knowledge exam.
Many knowledgeable people in court spoke up for these two, filing complaints accusing Sophie of being cruel.
Twenty-five lives meant twenty-five families behind them, and behind seemingly ordinary identities were complex power relationships.
To protect his eldest sister Sophie, Doyle naturally suppressed the situation without responding directly.
Marshall's faction and Yosef's faction argued back and forth, making a huge mess.
Clearly, Odette had fabricated the rowers' identities, taking the opportunity to blow things up.
Cressida remembered that day when Sophie forcefully demanded the rowers be executed, while Odette seemed passive and reluctant but had actually already planned her counterattack.
In the struggle for power, neither Sophie nor Odette was easy to deal with.
Seven or eight days after the Regatta Festival, Odette sent the court physician Soren Fuller to the Hamilton Mansion.
Patrick happened to be away from the estate, so Cressida accompanied Mabel to receive them.
Along with Soren came Odette's maid Wanda.
Wanda bowed to them: "Queen Odette heard that Mrs. Hamilton injured her forehead and missed the royal boat race celebrating the Regatta Festival, so she sent me with Dr. Fuller to treat Mrs. Hamilton."
Mabel quickly returned the courtesy, speaking slowly and respectfully: "Thank you for Queen Odette's concern. My injury is already getting better, it's nothing serious."
But since Soren had already been brought, Mabel's refusal was useless.
Cressida simply went along: "Let Dr. Fuller take a look at Mabel first."
She guessed that Odette's sudden visit wasn't just about treating Mabel's injury.
Soren removed the bandage from Mabel's forehead, examined it, and said, "Mrs. Hamilton's wound is quite deep. It's early summer now, so change the dressing often to avoid infection."
Mabel nodded, and Soren applied new medicine on the spot, using the best ointment from the palace that wasn't available to the public.
Cressida watched silently.
While bandaging Mabel, Wanda suddenly said, "Before coming, Queen Odette also asked me to check on Mr. Hamilton. She's very worried since he nearly drowned last time."
"I heard Mr. Hamilton accidentally injured his head and hasn't recovered. Since Dr. Fuller is here, why not have him take a look?"
Wanda was looking at Cressida as she spoke, as if she knew Cressida was the one who made decisions in this house.
Cressida looked at Mabel: "What do you think, Mabel?"
Mabel was the lady of the house, and Cressida wouldn't cross that line.
These days, Michael had been staying with Mabel. Mabel was fair-minded—even though she didn't get along with Clio, she didn't mistreat Michael.
Instead, she arranged for the maids to take very good care of him.
Mabel wouldn't refuse Soren, sent by Odette, so she nodded: "I'll have someone bring Michael here."
Soon, Michael was led in by two maids, followed by two alert servants.
He was dressed very nicely. Before, he always got his sleeves dirty while eating, and sometimes when he was lazy, he'd even wet his pants. Mabel had the servants change his clothes four or five times a day.
Now standing before Cressida, Michael wore fine clothes and looked proper, though his expression was still foolish.
Probably seeing Cressida reminded him she had given him something sweet before.
He reached out to her: "Candy, want candy."
Mabel said, "Michael, did you forget our agreement? You can only have candy at breakfast, lunch, and dinner."
Michael was unhappy but didn't make a big fuss like before.
Mabel patted his hand: "But if you let Dr. Fuller examine you and check your pulse, I'll have the maid give you an extra piece today."
Michael immediately grinned foolishly: "Okay!"
He actually sat down obediently and behaved himself, though his eyes kept darting around.
Cressida watched quietly as Soren took Michael's pulse, performed acupuncture, and checked the wound on his forehead.
When finished, Soren said, "Mr. Hamilton has bad blood clotting in his brain, which is why he can't recover. With regular acupuncture, he can return to his former self."
Wanda immediately looked at Cressida and smiled: "Ms. Hamilton, why not let Dr. Fuller come to the Hamilton Mansion regularly as he suggested? I'll tell Queen Odette when I return to the palace."
Cressida remained calm: "Wouldn't that be too much trouble for Dr. Fuller?"
Soren quickly said, "It would be my honor to treat Mr. Hamilton."
Hearing this, what didn't Cressida understand?
Rose had attached herself to Yosef and traded some condition. Yosef got Odette to help, and Odette had Soren treat Michael!
Cressida had no reason to refuse, or others would suspect she was mistreating Michael.
"Then we'll trouble Dr. Fuller. Emma, see our guests out."
Emma came forward with a money pouch, but neither Wanda nor Soren dared accept it. They both left with smiles.
After they left, Mabel asked Cressida quietly, "What is Queen Odette really after?"
Cressida pressed her lips together: "She's got her eye on our family. Don't worry, Mabel. I'll find a way to solve this Michael problem for you."
Mabel took Michael back. Michael patted her shoulder and put a wildflower he'd picked up somewhere into her palm.
Looking at his foolish appearance, Mabel, already a mother, thought of her own son Ethan and felt a bit of sympathy.
She sighed heavily: "You're unlucky too."
In mid-June, Miguel had Verity bring Cressida to Miguel's palace.
He chose daytime and said Anthony hadn't seen Cressida in a long time and missed her very much.
But Cressida knew in her heart that this visit was most likely for Miguel to personally confirm her identity.