BHB chapter 7

 

Yao Cairen was terrified and unconscious for several days. Chen Mingde casually instructed He Ye to look after her. At that moment, Nanny Ming had just received the news. Although she was slightly displeased, she didn’t object.

Something like this had happened in Bei Fang so it had to be reported. However, after the report was made, there was only silence—no response at all.

Chen Mingde took a deep drag from his tobacco pipe, sighed, and asked, “How is Yao Cairen doing?”

Jingzhe leaned forward slightly. “I just went to see Yao Cairen. Her complexion is much better than it was two days ago.”

A fallen consort was still a consort.

It was still possible to request an examination by the imperial physician.

Yao Cairen had external injuries. The lump of blood on the back of her head would eventually go away. It wasn’t too serious.

“If you hadn’t heard that sound and rushed over, Yao Cairen would definitely be dead by now.” Chen Mingde’s expression was grim.

The imperial physician didn’t say much. After dressing the wound, he prescribed some medicine and left. However, Chen Mingde, a man who had seen a lot, could tell that Yao Cairen’s injury wasn’t from a simple fall but from being struck by something.

That night, Jingzhe woke up and called Mingyu.

Everyone in the room was present.

As for the palace maids, Handan and He Ye were on duty in Nanny Ming’s room that night, while the other four stayed together. When they were awakened by the noise, several of them could vouch for each other—they were all there at the time.

“It wasn’t any of us.” Chen Mingde said firmly.

Jingzhe asked, “Grandpa De, if it wasn’t someone from the Bei Fang, then why would someone from outside try to kill Yao Cairen?”

His tone was soft.

Chen Mingde glanced at him. “Is there something behind those words of yours?”

Jingzhe gave a bitter smile. “I just think it’s all very troublesome.”

Chen Mingde hinted at something. “How do you know you didn’t do it yourself?” he asked.

Startled, Jingzhe remembered that Yao Cairen had once used a silver needle to test for poison.

He told them the story.

Chen Mingde brought the tobacco pipe close to his nose and inhaled deeply. His hair was white, his face was full of wrinkles, and he looked weary.

“It looks like Yao Cairen had a brush with death,” he said. “Life and death are determined by fate. I reported the matter up the chain, but they didn’t respond. Clearly, they don’t care. It’s up to her luck now.”

Chen Mingde had no intention of protecting Yao Cairen.

After all, how could he protect her?

Jingzhe took his leave, knowing the matter was over with Chen Mingde.

That afternoon, he heard that Yao Cairen had woken up and went to see him. She was lying sideways on the bed, looking much older and weaker than before.

He Ye was taking care of her—not really loving her, but still caring. She was happy to be assigned to care for Yao Cairen and escape Nanny Ming. She thought that even if Yao Cairen cursed at her, she could endure it. Unexpectedly, perhaps due to her injuries, Yao Cairen was in a terrible mood and remained silent.

When Yao Cairen saw Jingzhe, she tried to speak to him kindly. But as soon as she opened her mouth, she glanced at He Ye and immediately started cursing. “What are you still standing here for? Can’t you see I’m thirsty? You blind thing! Get out!”

He Ye’s eyes turned red from being scolded. She ran out without looking at Jingzhe.

Jingzhe was embarrassed, but Yao Cairen didn’t care. She waved at Jingzhe and lowered her voice, saying, “Come here.”

Jingzhe walked over to the bed and heard Yao Cairen ask, “…I heard people say you saved me?”

“I wouldn’t dare say that. I just heard some noise that night,” he said. “You’re not well yet. Don’t get too worked up. Be careful not to hurt yourself.”

Chen Mingde hinted at something. “How do you know you didn’t do it yourself?” he asked.

Startled, Jingzhe remembered that Yao Cairen had once used a silver needle to test for poison.

He told them the story.

Chen Mingde brought the tobacco pipe close to his nose and inhaled deeply. His hair was white, his face was full of wrinkles, and he looked weary.

“It looks like Yao Cairen had a brush with death,” he said. “Life and death are determined by fate. I reported the matter up the chain, but they didn’t respond. Clearly, they don’t care. It’s up to her luck now.”

Chen Mingde had no intention of protecting Yao Cairen.

After all, how could he protect her?

Jingzhe took his leave, knowing the matter was over with Chen Mingde.

That afternoon, he heard that Yao Cairen had woken up and went to see him. She was lying sideways on the bed, looking much older and weaker than before.

He Ye was taking care of her—not really loving her, but still caring. She was happy to be assigned to care for Yao Cairen and escape Nanny Ming. She thought that even if Yao Cairen cursed at her, she could endure it. Unexpectedly, perhaps due to her injuries, Yao Cairen was in a terrible mood and remained silent.

When Yao Cairen saw Jingzhe, she tried to speak to him kindly. But as soon as she opened her mouth, she glanced at He Ye and immediately started cursing. “What are you still standing here for? Can’t you see I’m thirsty? You blind thing! Get out!”

He Ye’s eyes turned red from being scolded. She ran out without looking at Jingzhe.

Jingzhe was embarrassed, but Yao Cairen didn’t care. She waved at Jingzhe and lowered her voice, saying, “Come here.”

Jingzhe walked over to the bed and heard Yao Cairen ask, “…I heard people say you saved me?”

“I wouldn’t dare say that. I just heard some noise that night,” he said. “You’re not well yet. Don’t get too worked up. Be careful not to hurt yourself.”

“Trying to say nice things about He Ye?” Yao Cairen sneered. “These palace maids look down on you. Do you think you can just feel at ease by saying a few nice words? I’ve never seen someone so blind.”

Jingzhe was insulted but didn’t get angry. Seeing Yao Cairen try to sit up, he quickly helped her.

Once she was sitting steadily, she glanced at the empty doorway and lowered her voice, saying, “Watch your back when you walk around lately. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Jingzhe’s heart skipped a beat, but his face remained calm. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t understand?” Yao Cairen sneered. “Someone wants to kill me and you don’t know? You saw me using silver needles for days—didn’t you know what I was doing?”

Jingzhe lowered his eyes and said nothing.

Yao Cairen didn’t care. She muttered to herself: “I’ve lived into my forties. What a miserable life! I struggled through each day! If I die of old age, fine, but if someone wants me dead, I won’t accept it!” Her voice was hoarse and weak but full of viciousness.

Jingzhe looked at Yao Cairen’s upturned face.

Her slender fingers gripped his sleeve, pulling him closer.

“Watch out for Chen Mingde. Don’t think you can get away just because you saved me.” Yao Cairen chuckled coldly. “You’re clever, right? You’ve heard of Lord Dongguo, haven’t you?”

…

The cold wind howled and the weather grew colder as the New Year approached. The atmosphere in the palace was no longer so depressing. Even Bei Fang received feast gifts.

Every palace servant received new clothes and extra gifts, and everyone was overjoyed.

Mingyu happily took his gifts and went looking for Jingzhe. After walking around for a while, he found Jingzhe sweeping in a corner.

“Jingzhe, why are you hiding all the way out here?” Mingyu asked. “They’re handing out stuff. If you don’t go, Changshou will take it!”

Jingzhe: “I don’t dare go to Changshou.”

“No way! You won’t even take the small ones?” Mingyu dragged Jingzhe out. “Hurry up! This little snow has been swept away, and more will fall later.”

Before leaving, Jingzhe glanced at Yao Cairen’s quarters from afar, then followed.

In the last month before the end of the year, Jingzhe kept a close eye on Yao Cairen. She seemed fine, but the mission wasn’t marked as complete.

Jingzhe had also asked, “If Yao Cairen dies of old age, would that count as a mission failure?”

The system replied: [Failure will be judged as human error.]

That was quite painful. Jingzhe couldn’t guarantee that Yao Cairen would never face trouble again.

Fortunately, although harsh, the system was not unreasonable.

The mission wouldn’t be considered complete until Yao Cairen was no longer in danger. It would only be considered complete if she survived this crisis.

… A crisis?

Jingzhe occasionally thought back to what Yao Cairen had said when she was dizzy.

Yao Cairen was a distant relative of the Empress Dowager Cisheng—a cousin, apparently. The “cousin” she mentioned was likely the Empress Dowager Cisheng. As for His Majesty, that was hard to say. After all, who could tell if the “His Majesty” she mentioned when she was dizzy referred to the late emperor or Emperor Jingyuan?

But Jingzhe leaned toward the late emperor.

Most people wouldn’t dare imagine killing their mother. But did the late emperor kill the Empress Dowager Cisheng? If that were true, it would make sense for someone to want Yao Cairen dead.

However, the late emperor is already dead. If he wanted to kill Yao Cairen, why wait until now? Why not when he was alive? If he truly wanted her dead, he would have done it years ago. Was there another reason for the Empress Dowager Cisheng’s death? Was someone else involved?

After receiving the gifts, Jingzhe joined the other palace servants to distribute red paper charms. After all, it was the end of the year, and they still had to celebrate. They worked until nightfall, then rested and enjoyed a peaceful evening.

Unexpectedly, at dawn, a sharp scream rang out from the back of the palace.

Everyone in the room woke up—some still dressing and some putting on shoes. Those who rushed to the window saw that Baqi had already run out to investigate. Jingzhe was the only one who remained sitting on his bed.

Mingyu turned and said, “I don’t know what happened. I’m scared half to death.”

Jingzhe gave Mingyu a smile that was worse than crying. He knew.

The moment he woke up, the system pinged him.

[Third mission failed. Please accept your punishment.]

He didn’t care what the punishment was.

Yao Cairen was still dead.

Jingzhe was momentarily dazed, but he didn’t hesitate to act. When he rushed over, he saw Baqi standing on a stool and lowering Yao Cairen’s body.

Yao Cairen had hanged herself.

Handan and the other palace maids were surrounding someone, trying to comfort them. If you listened carefully, you could tell that it was He Ye.

That scream earlier had come from her.

She had gotten up in the middle of the night to use the latrine. When she rose from the floor, she bumped into something hard. Dazed, she looked up and saw a pair of feet. She screamed and fainted.

Because something this serious had happened in Bei Fang, Chen Mingde and Nanny Ming had to step forward. Even the palace sent people to investigate. Many people came and went, making the Bei Fang noisy all day.

It wasn’t until nightfall that silence returned.

They said that Yao Cairen had committed suicide.

Jingzhe sat in the corridor, anxiously running his fingers through his hair. This didn’t seem right.

He had spoken with Yao Cairen recently, and she hadn’t seemed suicidal. Someone planning to die wouldn’t be so careful about what they ate. She had even used a silver needle just yesterday.

Yet she really did commit suicide.

Or was she forced to?

“Did anyone come yesterday?”

Jingzhe murmured.

Bei Fang was always quiet with few outsiders. Only yesterday, when the year-end clothes and gifts were handed out, did people come—they said it was a delivery.

But why didn’t they come pick them up and instead bring them straight to the door?

Snap!

Jingzhe suddenly sprang to his feet.

His sudden movement startled Wuyou, who was patting his shoulder. He hesitated with his hand in the air, not daring to lower it. “Jingzhe, what’s wrong?”

Jingzhe looked back at him. His face was flushed, and he was trembling slightly, as if he had a fever. Frightened, Wuyou took two steps forward, his voice full of concern.

“Don’t catch a cold. Go inside quickly.”

He reached out to grab Jingzhe, but Jingzhe backed away several steps. He stared at Wuyou’s hand as if it were a monster tiger. He shook his head repeatedly and said in a panicked voice, “Thank you. I’ll go in myself.”

Wuyou watched Jingzhe enter the room, remove his shoes, and collapse onto the bed.

He scratched his face in confusion. Jingzhe really didn’t look well.

Hiding under the covers, he turned sideways and wrapped himself tightly, not exposing even an inch of skin.

His mind was no longer on Yao Cairen’s death but on the system’s words echoing in his ears:

[Random Buff: Enchanting Eyes That Inspire Tenderness]

[Effect: While this buff is active, the host will instantly draw the attention of everyone present whenever they appear. Being watched will increase the host’s sensitivity. Under everyone’s gaze, the host will stand out from the crowd.

[Buff Duration: 72 hours (about three days)]

Jingzhe had been busy with Yao Cairen all day. The cold weather had stiffened his limbs, and he hadn’t had time to ask about the details of the punishment or notice his gradually increasing sensitivity. It wasn’t until he sat outside the house for a while and Wuyou patted his shoulder that he felt a strange itch and jumped in fright.

He hurriedly asked about the punishment. After hearing it, his vision went black, and he was left with only one feeling:

My life is over.

What’s the point of being one in a million? One in a million, yet going insane in front of everyone?

What a curse!

Why didn’t this system slap this on Prince Rui so he could enjoy being “one in a million” too?

Jingzhe gritted his teeth, wrapping himself tightly in the bedding, furious.