The Crown Princess was poisoned, but not by the poison Side Consort Liu put in the grapes. During the banquet, Eldest Miss Cui was closest to the Crown Princess. You must know what she ate to get poisoned, right?
Cui Yunchu said, Yu Feng, are you trying to extort a confession through torture?
...
Eldest Miss Cui, your subordinate is merely asking routine questions. When did I ever use torture on you?
Cui Yunchu replied, You are using your personal speculations to mentally torture me.
...
Yu Feng thought: If this counts as mental torture, then what do you call the prisoners in the dungeons who are denied food, drink, and sleep, and are interrogated over and over again?
I am, after all, a delicate young lady of the boudoir, Cui Yunchu said. Have your master come here; I want to speak with him.
Yu Feng frowned. My master is occupied with matters and cannot come.
Hearing this, Cui Yunchu started throwing a tantrum, babbling all sorts of nonsense without a single word touching upon the main point.
Her voice was quite loud, completely drowning out Yu Feng's.
It was hard to tell who was interrogating whom.
Eldest Miss Cui, do you truly wish to go speak in the dungeons?
Shen—Xia—bai! Cui Yunchu opened her throat and began to shout.
Her shouting nearly shattered Yu Feng's eardrums. My master is busy, he said, practically gritting his teeth.
Could you please lower your voice?
In the past, he used to watch his master make a fool of himself, but today he finally understood just how formidable this Eldest Miss Cui was.
No matter what you said or asked, her answers were absolutely irrelevant to your questions.
If threatened, the three syllables of Shen Xiabai's name would pierce the heavens.
After going back and forth like this for nearly half an hour, the room door was finally pushed open. The candlelight from the glazed lanterns in the corridor shone on the newcomer, inexplicably adding a trace of softness to his sharply contoured face.
Shen Xiabai stood at the doorway with his hands behind his back. What are you wailing about?
Cui Yunchu curled her lips. He tried to extort a confession from me through torture, mentally tormented me, and even threatened me! Is this how your Department of Punishment handles cases?
Shen Xiabai's gaze fell upon Yu Feng.
Yu Feng said, Master, your subordinate absolutely did no such thing. I haven't even laid a single finger on Eldest Miss Cui, so how could there be a confession by torture?
You may leave.
Shen Xiabai knew exactly what kind of character Cui Yunchu had.
Yu Feng breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, and left immediately. Arguing with Eldest Miss Cui was truly a hellish job not meant for humans.
As Yu Feng was leaving, Cui Yunchu even instructed, Close the door behind you.
Shen Xiabai glanced at her without saying a word. Yu Feng was very obedient and silently closed the door.
He paced over to where Yu Feng had just been standing, his tone cold. Is Eldest Miss Cui planning to play the fool to muddle her way through?
Cui Yunchu's gaze fell on his official uniform. Do you always wear your uniform when you're at the government office?
It's a bit ugly. Can't you just not wear it? How did the people in the Ministry of Works design these uniforms? They don't look good at all.
Shen Xiabai lowered his eyes, glanced at the official uniform he was wearing, and frowned. His face showed a hint of discomfort. Do not change the subject.
You look much better in dark robes, but since you are so cold and aloof, dark robes make you look somewhat scheming, Cui Yunchu muttered to herself, resting her chin in her hands.
Have you ever worn white? Like the ethereal, immortal-like kind they describe in storybooks?
...
Scheming?
Shen Xiabai coldly parted his lips. I never wear white. Do you know why?
Like a child eager to learn, Cui Yunchu's eyes were full of curiosity. Why?
Shen Xiabai took a few steps forward, bent down slightly, his gaze gradually turning icy as he stared at her. Because when blood splatters on white clothes, it cannot be washed out.
I'm scared. Cui Yunchu pouted, and both her hands once again climbed up Shen Xiabai's arm.
Shen Xiabai said, Let go.
You frightened me. Wasn't that just because you wanted me to hold onto you and not let go?
??? Shen Xiabai was so angry he laughed. Cui Yunchu, let go of me right now.
Cui Yunchu smiled. Look at you, getting all shy. Her fingers clutching his sleeve tightened even more, showing no intention of letting go.
If you wanted me to hold onto you, you should have just said so. Why did you have to scare me like that?
Cui Yunchu reminded Shen Xiabai of someone—Young Master Wang, who had run wild in the Cui Manor back then.
Equally presumptuous and narcissistic. It was impossible to communicate with her using normal human language.
Yu Feng.
I'll let go, I'll let go. Why do you have to call for people? Cui Yunchu released his sleeve.
What are you afraid of just having your sleeve tugged? How come Lord Shen acts more like a maiden than I do? Your face is even red.
Shen Xiabai stared at her for a moment without speaking. He turned and walked over to a wall, pressed his hand on a certain spot, and with a heavy thud, the wall on the right slowly slid to the left.
Cui Yunchu was stunned.
There really was a secret passage.
She thought Yu Feng had just been scaring her.
As the stone door opened, cacophonous and bloodcurdling wails echoed out from within in waves, making Cui Yunchu's scalp tingle. She imperceptibly shuffled backward, her face turning faintly pale.
Fortunately, it was only for a moment. Shen Xiabai tapped his fingertips against the wall, and the stone door closed once again.
Eldest Miss Cui, is my official uniform ugly?
Not ugly at all. You look like a descending deity. One absolutely could not find a second man in this world with such radiant and peerless elegance as you.
In the shadows concealed by the wall, the corners of Shen Xiabai's lips curled up slightly. Then, can we talk about something useful now?
Y-yes.
Shen Xiabai seemed to let out a soft chuckle. He slowly turned around, only to suddenly freeze, his brows furrowing tightly.
Why are you crying?
Cui Yunchu was curled up, her tears falling like rain.
...
She had only heard the sounds. If he had actually taken her inside, she probably would have been scared to death.
Shen Xiabai sat down opposite Cui Yunchu.
Cui Yunchu's tears were like a broken dam, completely unstoppable. Shen Xiabai, I think... I just saw my concubine mother.
...
Despite all his brilliance, there were no words to describe his feelings at this moment.
As long as you behave, I won't throw you in there, he said with a stiff face.
I'm hungry.
Yu Feng.
Yu Feng muttered under his breath, This isn't interrogating a prisoner; this is clearly serving an ancestor.
If she wasn't crying, she was hungry, or else she was thirsty. After tossing and turning for half the night, perhaps she was finally tired, as she managed to settle down for a while.
Shen Xiabai said, Can you speak now?
Cui Yunchu replied, Ask away.
...How was the Crown Princess poisoned?
Cui Yunchu rested her chin in her hands and thought carefully. She ate crispy duck, drunken goose, crystal meatballs, half a bowl of white porridge, and then there were fruits and pastries, like grapes, osmanthus cake...
Shen Xiabai looked at that mouth opening and closing, and slightly closed his eyes.
Fortunately, she finally finished listing them. Lastly, she drank a cup of wine, let out a wine burp, took a few deep breaths of air, and then started vomiting blood.
The above is the entire process, without a single trace of falsehood.
Cui Yunchu! Shen Xiabai gritted his teeth. I let you eat too full again, didn't I?
Yu Feng stood to the side, his face completely wooden.
He grumbled in his heart: Indeed she ate too full.
Looking across the entire prison, what prisoner ever received such treatment? At this rate, let alone getting her to confess, she probably wanted to live in the Department of Punishment and never leave.
With food and drink, servants to wait on her, and someone to entertain her and relieve her boredom, what a wonderful life it was.
Shen Xiabai's gaze also cooled slightly. "Side Consort Liu, Lady Zhao has already confessed everything. Do you think that by stalling for time, this official will have no way to deal with you?"
Cui Yunchu's eyes flickered. "I wasn't the one who planted the poison, so what do you expect me to confess?"
Shen Xiabai gave her a deep look and waved his hand. "Yu Feng, take her to the prison. Perhaps once she is placed in that environment, she will figure out what she ought to confess."
Cui Yunchu's face visibly paled.
Tears instantly began to fall. Yu Feng first glanced at his master, and only after seeing his master turn his back did he proceed to apprehend her.
