Scum Consort

chapter 5 - Inquiry

Yuzu meets Zixuan's cold gaze with a raised head. He didn't expect for an enquiry session , he never thought Zixuan will waste his precious time in finding out the truth. He just wanted to save his father's life.

But when it has come down to investigation, he will face it with pride. Even though he hardly has any proof of his innocence.

"I am ready." Yuzu bows to Zixuan for the first time.

Zixuan squints his eyes. He suddenly notices Yuzu's long black hair is tied with an ordinary hair stick and not with the one which he gifted Yuzu on their wedding night.

Consort Yuzu's hair stick is something that can be considered as Zi kingdom's pride. That hair stick is the most beautiful hair stick in entire kingdom with fifty rare pink diamonds encrusted in it's three halves. No other consort , no other concubine even the would be empress can't have a hair stick more beautiful than it.

At first Zixuan was excited about having a male consort. He always wanted a man as his companion. He never imagined he would just get another feminine, annoying , whinning , weak consort in the name of male consort. That's why he prepared that hair stick with all his effort for his would be consort.

And that hair stick only belonged one place - Consort Yuzu's hair. Consort Yuzu wore it like an oath. Zixuan highly doubts that hair stick has ever seen Yuzu's dressing table before.

"Your highness !"

Zixuan comes out of thoughts hearing his chief minister's voice. He averts his gaze from consort Yuzu's hair. "Yes ! Start the enquiry."

"Your highness ! It's not really necessary. I don't blame consort Yuzu for my ignorance. I shouldn't have carried a child before any consort. It's my fault." Jia-li kneels on the ground behind the curtains.

Yuzu takes a deep breath. Not new for him.

Zixuan hurriedly walks down the throne "A-li, you are carrying a baby. Who asked you to kneel ?"

"It's my fault."

"Let me decide that. I am the emperor here." Zixuan pulls Jia-li up slowly from the ground. "You just take your seat and stay calm. Ok ?"

Yuzu looks at the scene with a bored expression. He wish, he could shout 'go , get a room.'

Jia-li adjusts her robe and sits on her seat reluctantly.

Zixuan smiles at Jia-li before walking back towards his throne. "Now , I can't disturb my concubine's rest time for long , so let's get with the problem here."

Yuzu who was almost sleepy and bored, stands straight with a jerk.

"So , Consort Bai Yuzu, you were accused of poisoning pregnant concubine Jia-li and for that you were punished to abandoned chamber. Is that right ?" Xingchen asks formally.

Yuzu nods with raised head "Yes !"

"And now you are denying all the accusations and demanding you never poisoned concubine Jia-li , right ?"

"Right !" Yuzu replies as loudly as possible.

"Do you have any proof of your statement ?"

Yuzu sighs "No."

"Do you have any alibi of the time of poisoning ?"

"No !"

"Do you have anything that supports your denial ?"

"No ! I don't."

"And you still claim you are innocent?" Zixuan mocks.

"Yes !" Yuzu replies calmly.