The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 2)

Chapter 59 - Arsenic

The weather in Qingzhou seemed colder than ever, and even the plum blossoms on the branches looked limp, their petals hanging lifelessly in the biting cold. With each gust of wind, the blossoms scattered along with the snowflakes, drifting aimlessly.

Yunhe had felt unsettled since early morning. Although she counted the days with growing anticipation as Old Lady Song's arrival in Qingzhou drew nearer, Song Linlang's health was steadily declining. Last night, she had to coax her to sleep late into the night, and at this rate, Yunhe feared Song Linlang might not hold on until Old Lady Song arrived.

Around the main courtyard, bougainvillea plants spread their branches in all directions. The sight only made Yunhe's heart more uneasy. Her heartbeat quickened as she quickened her steps, rounding the corridor—only to come face to face with Concubine Bai.

For a moment, they both froze in surprise. Realizing who she'd run into, Concubine Bai gave a timid smile, shrinking back a bit with visible unease. She softly explained, "The weather's getting colder, and I was worried my sister might catch a chill, so I came to bring some newly fluffed cotton."

To be fair, Concubine Bai's outward demeanor was always flawless. Though she appeared as delicate as a flower untouched by hardship, her actions were meticulous. Unlike others who treated Song Linlang's illness as an opportunity to curry favor with those in power, Concubine Bai often visited, always bringing appropriate gifts—never food or anything that might raise suspicion.

Yunhe knew that Concubine Bai was now dearly favored by Xiang Yunzhang and was careful to leave no room for criticism in her actions. Nodding politely, Yunhe stepped aside to let her pass.

But when Yunhe entered the room, she froze in horror at the sight of Song Linlang spitting up blood. The sharp, metallic smell filled the room, mixing with the warmth of the burning coals and nearly overwhelming her senses.

This time, the bleeding didn't stop after a few coughs. Instead, Song Linlang was vomiting blood in large, heaving bursts. Yunhe turned, wide-eyed with panic, toward Nanny Zheng, only to see her smash a small porcelain bowl on a nearby stool, her voice breaking as she screamed, "So it's you, Concubine Bai!"

Concubine Bai?! It was Concubine Bai all along?!

Yunhe rushed forward with a handkerchief to wipe Song Linlang's mouth, but the pale silk quickly turned a deep red, soaked through with blood. Song Linlang soon appeared to be barely hanging on.

Nanny Wang's round figure thundered across the floor as she stumbled and ran to call for a physician.

Holding Song Linlang upright to keep her from lying flat—since lying down made it nearly impossible for her to breathe—Yunhe could barely control her tears, frantically reaching for another cloth to wipe her down. Yet the blood kept coming, staining the pale velvet blanket beneath her with a spreading red patch.

When Xiang Yunzhang and Concubine Bai arrived, they stood frozen in shock, Concubine Bai letting out a shriek before hiding behind Xiang Yunzhang.

"What is happening?!" Xiang Yunzhang's voice trembled with panic as he hesitated, held back by the sight of the blood-soaked bedding. He turned to the people in the room, shouting, "How could this happen out of nowhere?!"

If Song Linlang were to die now, how would he explain this to the Song family? What explanation could he possibly give?

Concubine Bai, equally stunned, took a moment to regain her senses and urgently echoed, "Yes, she was perfectly fine just moments ago when I came in. How could this happen so suddenly?"

Nanny Zheng, her face streaked with tears and snot, pushed at them with fierce desperation, shouting through gritted teeth, "We'd like to know that too! Our mistress was just fine! How is it that, after spending a moment alone with you, Concubine Bai, she's now like this?!"

Xiang Yunzhang whipped around to face Concubine Bai, his expression dark and murderous.

Concubine Bai's face turned pale as she stared in disbelief at Song Linlang, whose gaze had already dimmed, unable to utter a word. Her legs gave out, and she collapsed to the floor.

It all made sense now. She had sensed something was off, wondered why Song Linlang, who usually treated her with disdain, had suddenly become uncharacteristically accommodating, even agreeing to talk with her alone—sending even Nanny Zheng and Nanny Wang out of the room.

So, this was why... this was what she had planned all along...

"No!" Concubine Bai cried out, her face twisted in terror. "I only spoke with the mistress briefly, not even long enough for a cup of tea, and she was perfectly fine when I left..."

Xiang Yunzhang's expression grew more complicated as he looked from his wife, who was now convulsing on the bed, to Concubine Bai, who wept pitifully at his feet. He reached down and pulled her to her feet.

Yunhe watched with a chilling sense of despair, holding Song Linlang's hand and rubbing it as tears fell heavily onto the floor.

Struggling, Song Linlang craned her neck to look toward the door. Xiang Yunzhang felt a pang of something unexplainable as he instinctively took a few steps forward.

But he quickly realized that Song Linlang wasn't looking at him—she was looking past him.

He followed her gaze, turning to see Xiang Mingzi standing just a step outside the door.

Without hesitation, Xiang Mingzi lifted her skirts and stumbled to the bedside, grabbing Song Linlang's hand as she cried out, "Mother!" with all her strength.

Neither mother nor daughter spared him another glance.

He stood with clenched fists for a moment, then, feeling a chaotic turmoil within, turned to pull Concubine Bai outside, as if fleeing a nightmarish scene.

Concubine Bai, heart pounding so hard it ached, stumbled alongside him, struggling to catch her breath as she tried to explain, "Master, I really didn't..."

Xiang Yunzhang kept walking, quickening his pace and letting go of her hand. "Let's wait until the physician arrives and gives his diagnosis."

Initially, he did suspect that Concubine Bai might have done something, but as he calmed down, he dismissed the thought. Song Linlang's life or death held little significance to her at this point. Concubine Bai had always shown her respect, even when Song Linlang had fallen from favor. There was no reason for her to act against her.

Song Linlang's health had been steadily declining, worsened by frequent anger and exposure to the cold. Her death was merely a matter of time, hastened by recent events. Nanny Zheng, overwhelmed by worry and resentment toward him, had tried to shift the blame.

Later, he'd have to deal with all these people—they would surely say even more unreliable things in front of Old Lady Song if left unchecked.

But the way Song Linlang and Xiang Mingzi had looked at him earlier had been unsettling... A chill ran down his spine, and he quickened his steps further, ignoring whether Concubine Bai could keep up.

He needed to find the physician and ensure that, once the examination was over, he'd be well-briefed. He couldn't risk the physician saying the wrong thing.