"No Wedding Unless Enemies and Lovers" 《不是冤家不拜堂》Chapter 199

 Ji Ling Xue's lips rose into a smile, "Exactly as I said, Yi Yun, I underestimated you before."

Yi Yun still looked puzzled at Ji Ling Xue, Ji Ling Xue said: "There's no one else here, you can be more candid, I'm also going to speak frankly..." Ji Ling Xue paused, turning to look at Mo Xiang, Mo Xiang poured a cup of tea for Yi Yun then left the palace.

Yi Yun turned to look at Ling Lan, Ling Lan understood her meaning, bowing she left.

Ji Ling Xue continued: "Yi Yun, we should have a proper talk, where should we start...oh...from when Ji Yu Qing died."

Yi Yun lifted the cup of tea by her hand to her lips, a slight mocking smile on her lips, "Older sister Yu Qing's death was really such a tragedy, dying from a knife to the heart, she died with her eyes open, it shows how unwilling she was, blood covered the floor like a red carpet, it really was a horrible scene..." As Yi Yun spoke she stroke her arms like she was rubbing away the goose bumps.

Ji Ling Xue stared into Yi Yun's eyes, asking gloomily: "Then why you dream at night does she visit you every night?"

Yi Yun's lips trembled, looking baffled at the overbearing Ji Ling Xue, "What is empress older sister saying, I wasn't the one who harmed Ji Yu Qing, why would she find me in my dreams? Even though she and I got on well when she was alive, but she wouldn't look for me every night."

Ji Ling Xue sneered: "You're still acting, but that's fine, there's quite a lot of people in this world who believes I was the one who killed Ji Yu Qing, after all the evidence was there to show we didn't get along, and that night I went to speak to her, she died as soon as I left...but the person who did it would know, even though all traces were cleanly removed, the conscience won't lie, isn't that right?"

Yi Yun's lips twitched, "Empress older sister, such words of yours, makes it sound like I killed Yu Qing, we have always gotten along, I have no reason to kill her."

Ji Ling Xue raised an eyebrow: "Reason...I'll find one for you...kill two birds with one stone...do you think that's a good enough reason?"

Yi Yun: "..."

Ji Ling Xue said: "I've been thinking these days, even though Ji Yu Qing and I find each other disagreeable, but it's never been to the extent of wanting to take her life, even though I have a short blade on me, but that's only for self-defence, I never intended for it to see blood, later when I thought about it, who benefits the most, who is the murderer, after all if Ji Yu Qing and I died, the position of princess Chen would be empty, now Xiao Yi Chen has become the emperor, this position of empress would be even more enticing, not everyone can be entered into the annals posthumously as empress and be placed in the imperial tomb for everyone to respect."

Ji Ling Xue said: "Yi Yun, your plan was perfect, but you underestimated how much Xiao Yi Chen loves me, he would rather confer I who had died as empress rather than you, now your wish has been fulfilled, becoming princess, you can live in the palace and frequently see the emperor, has your wish come true?"

Yi Yun smiled and clapped three times: "Empress told this story with so much flare, but you have no evidence Yu Qing was killed by me, the emperor knows my temper the best, I'm scared of seeing blood, I don't even dare to watch someone kill a chicken..."

Ji Ling Xue curled her lips, if she had evidence she would have reported Yi Yun already, and not talk to her here.

Yi Yun said: "Yu Qing's death caused his majesty a headache for many days, what's more the commotion empress caused, he took his anger out on the throne, which is why you and I are here today, he holds the land beneath him, our days will be even better, no one can hurt you from now on."

"I also heard empress loves to torment people, you provoked the imperial uncle before, it's already in the past, now it wasn't easy for you to return to the palace, I heard you let the former emperor Xiao Yi Mo go, indeed giving the emperor more trouble, empress, I also came to remind you a few things."

Ji Ling Xue's lips twitched, Yi Yun's purpose for coming wasn't to remind her of a few things but wanting to show off.

Ji Ling Xue stood up: "Yi Yun, just do well yourself, don't think I won't make a move against you now, since I've returned, I won't let Ji Yu Qing's death be for nothing, I will look into this until the truth comes to light."

Yi Yun stood up, "Sister awaits the day the murderer is brought to justice."

After Yi Yun left, Mo Xiang returned to Ji Ling Xue: "Mistress, you're certain princess Yi Yun is the one who killed concubine Qing?"

Ji Ling Xue nodded, "I wasn't sure before, but after speaking to Yi Yun, I am sure of my suspicions, however I don't have proof."

Mo Xiang nodded: "This matter must be properly looked into, mistress you can't bear the blame for this."

Ji Ling Xue waved her hand at Mo Xiang, changing the subject: "Let's not talk about this, tell me, what happened when you disappeared."

Mo Xiang: "That day when mistress and Ru Ge went to pay your respects to  the emperor, this servant was alone in the carriage, a group of imperial guards happened to pass by, the leader had good eyes, he could see at a glance that I had changed my appearance, and took me for questioning, later the emperor came to question me about mistress's whereabouts, this servant is loyal to you, I simply didn't care about the emperor's methods, his majesty couldn't find out anything but did manage to guess mostly what happened, mistress, this servant really didn't betray you."

Mo Xiang was really scared Ji Ling Xue would blame her, she repeatedly stressed she didn't betray her.

Ji Ling Xue was more concerned about Mo Xiang being tortured by Xiao Yi Chen, she pulled Mo Xiang behind the screen, pulling up Mo Xiang's sleeve, red whip welts were vivid, making Ji Ling Xue's eyes red.

Ji Ling Xue: "I'm sorry, because of me, you suffered."

Mo Xiang shook her head in reverence, "This servant didn't suffer, this servant only wants mistress to be well."

Ji Ling Xue found some medicine to apply on Mo Xiang while she long-windedly complained about Mo Xiang not caring about her own life, even a seven foot man would loosen their mouth under torture, let alone a weak girl, even if Mo Xiang confessed, she wouldn't blame her.

Mo Xiang laughed: "I feel mistress has been very happy and very free living outside the prince's residence, there's no scheming, the prince's residence was like that, let alone in the depth of the palace, this servant hopes mistress will always be happy."

Ji Ling Xue paused as she applied the medicine, spreading open her arms she gathered Mo Xiang into an embrace, "Silly girl! You're covered in wounds, what if they leave a scar, how can you marry, but don't worry, I will concoct a scar removing cream for you..."

Mo Xiang: "Why does mistress still want to chase this servant away, I won't marry, I want to be by mistress's side for the rest of my life, I'll help mistress raise children in the future..."

At the door, a white dragon robe swayed in the wind, quietly listening to the conversation inside...

The sky darkened, Mo Xiang placed the dishes down, she saw Ji Ling Xue was caught up in her thoughts, Mo Xiang stooped over, lightly saying: "Mistress, the dishes are turning cold, eat something first, don't wait for his majesty, he's been busy lately, he might not have time to eat with you tonight."

Ji Ling Xue turned to look at Mo Xiang, she was only lost in her thoughts over Ji Yu Qing, who said she was thinking about Xiao Yi Chen?

"Do you know what Xiao Yi Chen has been busy with?" Ji Ling Xue asked in response, it was very usual for him to be busy having just ascended the throne, after all there were countless changes in the country.

Mo Xiang nodded, "This servant heard from the eunuch who is on duty at Wanshou palace, a plague broke out in Jingzhou, a lot of people have died, a anonymous old eunuch reported, such a great catastrophe when the emperor just ascended the throne is a punishment from the heaven for displeasing it."

Ji Ling Xue gave an oh, turning to look at the food on the table, she stood up without much appetite, "Let's go."

"Mistress, where are you going?" Mo Xiang hurried after her.

Ji Ling Xue said: "To the imperial kitchen."

Before at the prince's residence, she could go wherever she wanted, now with all kinds of rules and restriction in the palace, she was rather unaccustomed to it.

At the study, Ji Ling Xue was stopped by Xiao Yi Chen's personal eunuch, "Empress, his majesty is currently dealing with matters inside, you should return to Chenhua palace and wait."

Women of the rear palace couldn't step inside the study, that was the rule.

Ji Ling Xue raised an eyebrow, "Eunuch please go and inform his majesty, I have an important matter to discuss, his majesty will see me." As she spoke she placed a hundred silvers into the eunuch's hand.

The scale in the eunuch's heart began to tilt, there wasn't a rule to say that when the empress came to the study the emperor couldn't be informed of it, so he nodded.

After a while, the eunuch came out again bowing to Ji Ling Xue: "His majesty welcomes you inside."

Ji Ling Xue turned to say to Mo Xiang: "Mo Xiang wait here for me." She then turned and pushed open the study's door.

Xiao Yi Chen closed the memorial when the door opened, raising his head he smiled: "Did empress come to deliver us some snacks?"

His eyes moved over Ji Ling Xue's hands, he was visibly disappointed, "So that wasn't the case...we are rather disappointed..."

Ji Ling Xue said: "I heard there's a plague in Jingzhou?"

Xiao Yi Chen grimly nodded, "En, a plague suddenly appeared in Jingzhou, when the memorial was sent by the officials there, half the citizens had already been infected, we have already locked down the city and sent twenty imperial physicians to Jingzhou."

Ji Ling Xue nodded, "A sudden plague, do you know the origin?"

Xiao Yi Chen shook his head: "It's still not known, it's being investigated."

Ji Ling Xue gave an oh, Xiao Yi Chen held Ji Ling Xue's hand, with a tug pulling her onto his lap, holding her waist he said: "Empress is so worried, is it worry that we will be accused and attacked with words?"

Ji Ling Xue curled her lips, "Your majesty is over thinking, I only just heard about it, so I asked in passing, I came to ask your majesty for something."

Xiao Yi Chen looked at the hand Ji Ling Xue extended to him, "A token to leave the palace?"

She had only been in the palace for a few days, she wanted to actually run off somewhere again, she really did like the outside world, the palace walls couldn't contain her heart.

Xiao Yi Chen asked: "Are you bored in the palace, we have been busy these last few days without time to keep you company."

Ji Ling Xue shook her head: "You're mistaken, I don't want a token to leave the palace to play." She had thought about it clearly, since she liked Xiao Yi Chen, she will accommodate him, give up her freedom, he was now the ruler of the country and needed to protect the land, she will help him gain a good reputation.

Xiao Yi Chen said: "What do you want to do?"

Ji Ling Xue said: "Prince Chen's residence, I need to investigate Ji Yu Qing's death."

Xiao Yi Chen said: "You're really concerned about that still, we still haven't informed Ji Bai Chuan you have returned, do you want to see him?"

Ji Ling Xue: "He's angry with me, I didn't kill Ji Yu Qing, but she did die because of me..."