Only Sheng Chumu did something substantial. He returned to the Han Mansion and brought Ye Qiulang along with him to the stables. Ye Qiulang had followed Sheng Chumu to take down Qi City and capture Prince Zhao alive. He was highly approved of Sheng Chumu. Even the fact that the Crown Prince’s saddle had yet to be sent to the Eastern Palace was within Sheng Chumu’s expectations.
Sheng Chumu wanted to examine the saddle but the horse was extremely violent. It kicked up its back legs and did not allow Sheng Chumu to get near it. He found it strange and restrained the horse that kept kicking around. He took the saddle down. Upon a closer inspection, he found a clue. The brocade layer on the horse’s saddle had been broken and there were pellets inside. The smell made him want to choke.
Sheng Chumu recalled that the saddle was new and had just been given to the Crown Prince by Prince Han today. However, because the embroidery had a few stray strands, Consort Han had asked the seamstress in their mansion to mend it. A new saddle was broken and there were pellets in it. This was definitely linked to the Crown Prince’s fall. Upon inspection by an animal doctor, they found that there was a kind of poison on the pellets that would make a horse go crazy. Because the embroidery was torn, the pellets had touched the horse’s skin and caused the horse to lose control.
Sheng Chumu immediately notified Prince Han and Consort Han.
Prince Han stared at the saddle. “Won’t...won’t this affect me? I just gave the saddle to the Crown Prince and something happened to him!”
Consort Han was also startled. “Our relationship with the Eastern Palace is not the same as before. The reason why the Crown Prince came to hunt was for Imperial Mother. In the end, something happened to him. In the future, I don’t think we will even have a superficial relationship with the Eastern Palace.”
“Brother-in-law, we can’t hide this. You have to tell everything to the Emperor.” Sheng Chumu made the decision. “Oh right, Elder Sister, what was the name of the seamstress?”
“Xiahan.” Consort Han did not understand the situation. “Why?”
Sheng Chumu narrowed his eyes. “Before the saddle was placed on the horse, the Crown Prince’s imperial guards had checked it. At that time, nothing was wrong. However, after the seamstress mended it, the poison in it was exposed. Do you all think that there is something suspicious about her?”
Consort Han thought. “Yes. The brocade layer was also done by Xiahan.”
Prince Han immediately ordered people to capture Xiahan while he rushed to the palace to explain everything.
Consort Han was extremely worried as she sent Prince Han off. “Chumu, I am afraid that even if your brother-in-law tries his best, Imperial Father may believe him, Imperial Mother may believe him but the Eastern Palace may not trust that he is innocent.”
However, Sheng Chumu said, “If a person stands upright, his shadow will not bend. Nothing will happen to Brother-in-law.”
Consort Han laughed bitterly, “That’s right. This is the way of life, we can only leave it up to fate.”
Fu Rou never expected that the next time she saw Xiahan would be in the cold and sinister Imperial Prison. Xiahan was covered in streaks of blood and looking as if she was on her last leg.
Fu Rou heard from Empress Zhangsun that there was poison hidden in the horse’s saddle. After the brocade was broken, the poison had caused the horse to go crazy. As a result, the Crown Prince had fallen from the horse. Xiahan was the last person to have touched the saddle and was the most suspicious. However, no matter how much they tortured her, Xiahan did not admit to anything. Fu Rou then told the Empress that she knew Xiahan and wanted to try to convince her.
She sighed internally as she crouched down and helped Xiahan to sit up. She fed Xiahan some water.
Xiahan struggled to open her eyes. “Fu Rou? Is that you?”
Fu Rou’s expression was filled with sorrow. “Back then, you were secretly making a wedding dress for your sister. How did you end up like this?”
Xiahan smiled. “Fu Rou, you are so smart, how can you not understand.”
Fu Rou understood. “For Xiong Rui?”
“That’s right. It is for Xiong Rui.” Xiahan’s lifeless eyes suddenly shone. “In the Crown Prince’s eyes, a seamstress like me and an actor like Xiong Rui are just ants. An ant can be stepped on at any time. How laughable is it for an ant to feel indignant and want to take revenge to kill the person that hurt it. But I am not an ant. I am a person. I know what love is and I know what hate is. Of course, I also know what it means to take revenge!”
“But none of this was the Crown Prince’s fault.” Fu Rou shook her head, her eyes filled with pain and pity. “He did not want Chen Ji to die and he never thought of taking Xiong Rui’s life.”
“If it is not his fault, then whose fault is it? Is it the Emperor’s fault? Or the Empress? To someone like me, I will never get to meet them in my lifetime! But Xiong Rui is innocent. He can’t die for no reason. Someone has to pay the price! In this world, someone should pay for Xiong Rui’s death!” Xiahan shouted.
Fu Rou’s tone suddenly became sharp. “You---paid the price!”
Xiahan froze.
“You could have been embroidering, enjoying simple food and watching the days pass. You could have lived a simple life. But now, you have turned into a heinous criminal that tried to kill Great Tang’s Crown Prince. The person that paid for Xiong Rui’s death was no one but yourself.”
Fu Rou believed that Xiahan would not have been able to carry out this entire scheme by herself. There must be a mastermind instructing her. “Thankfully, the Crown Prince is lucky and managed to survive. He has regained consciousness. If not, your nimble hands would have turned into a murderer’s hands.”
Xiahan was stunned. “The Crown Prince did not die?”
“You are very lucky. The Crown Prince is still alive.” Fu Rou tried to talk through to her. “Xiahan, stop with your foolish ways and tell the truth. Don’t torture yourself.”
“Why does everyone think that someone instructed me?” Xiahan’s expression changed. “But you are right. Who am I? How can I think of a plan to hurt the Crown Prince? Fine. Fu Rou, let me tell you. But you must promise to tell everything I said to the Empress.”
“Yes, I promise.” Fu Rou would have done it even if Xiahan did not ask her to.
Xiahan moved beside Fu Rou’s ears. “Everything was planned by Prince Han. Prince Han ordered me to make the saddle and sew the picture of Imperial Grandson hunting. He told me to put the poison in the saddle. Prince Han is the one who wants to kill the Crown Prince!”
Chapter 64.2: Heart’s Devil
“That cannot be true.” Fu Rou stood up in shock. Her expression was one of alarm. “You are trying to sow discord! Has Prince Han and Consort Han ever did anything wrong to you? How can you treat them like this?!”
Xiahan paused for a moment. “When Xiong Rui died, they did not do anything!”
“That’s because they could not do anything!” Fu Rou wanted to leave. “You are unreasonable!”
Xiahan grabbed onto her. “You promised me that you would tell everything that I said to the Empress.”
“Every word that you have spoken is a lie.” Fu Rou will not be used by others.
Xiahan suddenly shouted aloud, “It was Prince Han! He was the one that tried to kill his own brother! He was the one that used me to plot against the Crown Prince! It was Prince Han! Prince Han is the murderer!”
Fu Rou turned to grab onto Xiahan’s shoulder. “Stop talking!”
Xiahan heard the sound of footsteps and gritted her teeth. She pushed Fu Rou away and smashed her own head against the wall. Fu Rou could not be bothered with the pain she felt in her own back and crawled up to look at Xiahan. Fresh blood flowed down her pale forehead. Her eyes slowly dimmed.
She breathed out her last breath. “Xiong Rui, wait for me…”