Love In The Forbidden City (Completed)

Chapter XXVII - Ice Face's Madness (Revised)

I searched every head in the yard. Xiao Shun Zi... I kept muttering his name. Could it be him? I went to his chamber one day and saw him burning incense and offering food to Herald Lee's altar. He cried as he told me that his Si-Fu died under his hand. I could never imagine Ice Face could be so ruthless to order the closest subordinate of Herald Lee to murder him. Xiao Shun Zi... Now he had to pay the price for telling me the truth.

No. It couldn't be him. He was a useful tool to Ice Face now and he swore his loyalty to the emperor as the latter had saved his brother from imprisonment because of thievery. Plus, Ice Face needed him to spy among the princes. My eyes kept scanning the heads. I saw several female servants puking on the floor, and kneeling in front of the enormous cauldron was Xiao Shun Zi. I felt slightly relieved but a thought crossed my mind. I had a premonition that whoever in that cauldron must be someone close to me. My heart froze all of a sudden as if the Goddess of Snow was blowing her breaths directing to it.

"Who is it? Who is it?" I roared at a guard who was assigned by Ice Face to look after me.

"Please, Sister Ruo Xi, have mercy. I will die without a tomb if the emperor knows that you have witnessed this." He knelt on the floor and sobbed harder. "Please, go back."

He refused to tell me and I began to run amok. I tried to dash to the cauldron but the guard clutched on my feet, hampering me to maneuver one step further.

Tears gurgled out of my eyes as I stuttered, "Who is it? Please tell me."

"It... It is Yu Tan..." He wailed.

As if proving his words were correct, the cauldron's lid opened up, showing Yu Tan's charred face. I hollered. The sky above me spun and I fainted. When I opened my eyes, I saw Ice Face wiping away the sweat on my forehead. I yowled and pushed him away.

"Don't touch me! Go away! I hate you, you are a cold-blooded killer."

"There was a reason why I did that. I can explain everything to you when you recover. But now, you must take care of yourself and our offspring." I glared at him and he continued, "The Imperial Doctor checked your pulse just now. You are pregnant."

He laid me down in my bed and tried to wipe my tears but I pushed him away. "I hate you! I hate you!" I screamed. I must've gone insane. I screamed and screamed until I blacked out.

When I opened my eyes again, I saw Qiao Hui bending over me.

"Go away! Go. You can't stay here. This is not a place for a human."

"Second Miss, I am Qiao Hui. The emperor asked me to care for you from today onwards."

"I knew he sent you here. That's why I ask you to leave. This is a dangerous place."

"Please, Second Miss, take care of yourself." She sobbed. "I served your sister since I was a child. For me, she was like my elder sister and you my younger sister. I am here now. You can share with me every anguish in your heart. Let me face the predicaments with you."

We wept and hugged each other. Part of me was worried about Qiao Hui's safety, but part of me felt extremely relieved as I had a companion whom I could fully trust now. The next day, Xiao Shun Zi visited me. I knew he had something to give me, so I sent the maidservants away.

"How was Yu Tan that day?"

"It was a quick death. I am certain that she experienced the least pain."

I nodded. "I'm exhausted. Bring me to my bed."

"Yes, sister." As he helped me up, he slipped a letter into my hand.

I dismissed him afterward and unfolded the letter that was written in blood. Yu Tan told me that she was illiterate but now she could even write in rhyme and told me to ensure the safety of her family. How many secrets was she hiding from me? She used to tell me that when she was a child, she was roaming around the street begging for food and a man from the palace had given him a wool cloak and some coins.