Repairing the Past

Chapter 39

Chu Yao sat quietly accompanied by Mo Yan in the garden of the cold pavilion. The two were silent in a slightly far-flung position as if they were waiting for the right time to speak.

Not long after A-Wei came with Uncle Tong, Aunt Hui and two maids consort consort.

A-Wei bowed respectfully and moved away from the five people. He took a position right behind Mo Yan. Stand up without talking much.

"You two, come closer!" Chu Yao's orders to the two maids consort.

The two women threw eyes at each other and then obediently followed orders.

"What's your name and what was your previous job?"

"Hamba Linuo and he is Lizin. We previously worked as servants in the empress' bedroom." Linuo replied with great caution.

"That means you two are with the empress all the time, is that it?" Chu Yao asked Lizin while sipping on the still warm tea.

"Truly miss." Lizin replied while stealing glances at Linuo.

Chu Yao smiled at the nervous Lizin, "Since what age have you guys entered the empress' private room?"

"Since we were ten years old." Linuo replied still with a bent position.

Chu Yao silently observed. If viewed carefully the possible ages of the two maids were above twenty-five years old. Means at that age, they already know the death of concubine Meng.

"That means when you started serving the empress, you must know the news of my mother's death."

"We don't know anything, miss! We only heard that General Chu's wife committed suicide. That'sallthatis. " Answer Linuo without hesitation.

"really?"

The two servants nodded. But Chu Yao was not affected, she again interrogated them while playing the dagger she had just removed from her wrist.

"I won't mince words, do you know about poison without hope? I heard the poison only belongs to the family of the empress who is also the prime minister. Is that true?"

"We don't know, miss!"

"The poison was sent to the Chu residence by a servant to Ah Zheng. They poisoned my mother little by little until her mind was unstable. Then slandered him until he was frustrated and committed suicide.. " Chu Yao got up and stood right in front of the two nervous servants.

Linuo gulped with a trembling body as Chu Yao played his dagger on the servant's neck.

"According to the information, the servant who sent the poison was one of you.. "

"That guy wasn't me! I swear!" Lizin said in fear, "I was being punished outside the palace. I don't know anything if the empress has sent big brother Linuo to the Chu residence. Uncle Ah Zheng can be a witness!"

"LIZINU! don't brag! I'm not sending poison! Miss, please trust me! I did meet Uncle Ah Zheng to hand over a gift from the empress. Ta, but it's not poison. It was just a bag of ordinary fragrances to relieve the headaches that uncle often suffered. That's what my uncle said. Miss must trust me!" Obviously Linuo was flirting.

"Ordinary fragrance bags? Are you sure? Don't fool me!"

Linuo's agonizing cry echoed in the calm cold pavilion. Chu Yao's dagger had scratched his cheek to the point of spitting out a lot of blood.

Lizin was suffocating in fear. Also with aunt Hui and uncle Tong. The two men were petrified with cotton-white faces. But they remained silent. As if he had become increasingly accustomed to the behavior of the employer who is sometimes not humane.

"And you, don't think you can survive my dagger incision. You'd better open your mouth before my patience runs out!" Threatening Chu Yao to Lizin who was still frozen in fear.

"SPEAK!!!"

"Thank me, miss! We have no choice. Brother Linuo's words were indeed correct. We were asked to deliver several gifts from the empress to Uncle Ah Zheng in turn. But, of all things there is always a bag of fragrances with him..." Lizin said trembling.

"There was a time when I asked, but uncle's answer was the same as Linuo's brother mentioned, it was only for his headache.."

"Ta, but there's an event that I can't possibly forget. At that time I accompanied Mrs Li, the empress' milk mother, to take some items to the prime minister's residence. On the way back, I accidentally dropped a box containing two white pots. One of the pots broke and hit the bread that one of the servants had brought for the queen's palace charioteers.. "

"Initially I didn't understand why his majesty was so angry just because of a small pot of clear water. Mrs Li pleaded to ease my sentence. I was only sentenced to ten lashes and knelt in front of the palace hall for three consecutive days. I guess all the problems were over, and it turned out that three days later I heard that about eight of the coachmen had committed suicide on the same day in different ways... "

Lizin swallowed the saliva and took a quick breath, " .. Lady Li said, those who died were the ones who ate the bread spilled by the pot water I broke at that time. He also said that it was a hopeless poison that the empress prepared for the wife of general Chu. And, it happened a few days before there was finally news of the death of Meng's suicidal concubine."

"Ta, but we don't have a choice, lady! We will be killed and our families will be slaughtered to the very end if we refuse to carry out the noble orders of the empress. Please lady be generous to us lowly ones! Forgive us!" Linuo said as he performed kowtows with tears.

"Yes, madam. Our... "

Instantly, the two servants fell silent and did not breathe on the ground. Both of them died quickly because of the dagger that severed the artery in their neck.

The cold-faced Chu Yao, sat back down and wiped the dagger with the tip of her clothes.

"The two people would not live long even if Chu Yao did not kill them. They've been poisoned ever since they were sent here by the empress. They survive because of the information they provide. Any information that reaches the empress will be exchanged for a temporary bidder." Clearly Mo Yan who had returned was reminded of Ah Zheng's case in Nian city.

"Meaning consciously or not, all the empress' servants are bound to give their lives. Like it or not, these maids would continue to be tumbal dolls to cover up all of the empress' rot. It turns out that Empress Airland is a terrible woman."  Decak A-Wei shuddered slightly.

Mo Yan did not reply to A-Wei's words. He was busy paying attention to the figure of Chu Yao who had since refocused on interrogating Uncle Tong and aunt Hui.

"So, I just want to know a few things from uncle and aunt. Please uncle and aunt answer honestly." Said Chu Yao who had already stored the dagger back into her sleeve.

The two parents did not respond. They remained silent as if resignedly waiting for the punishment Chu Yao inflicted on them.

"Did uncle and aunt know about the hopeless poison before I asked the two maids? " Task Chu Yao while tapping a finger on the table.

Uncle Tong nodded but aunt Hui shook her head.

"Where did my uncle know that?"

"From an Empire medical book. The reaction before the madam died was exactly the same as the information in the book." Reply uncle Tong calmly.

"The Empire's medical books? Is it in the Imperial Airland palace library?"

"true."

"How can uncle have access to enter the palace library? Does uncle have someone helping uncle?" Chu Yao asked with suspicious intonation. It was impossible for ordinary people to easily enter the palace library and read the Empire's medical books so easily without the help of someone influential.

Uncle Tong nodded then followed by a new question from Chu Yao, "Who is he?"

"Your mother. Meng Shixun's."

Chu Yao paused for a moment while regulating the rhythm of her heart that began to beat violently. He got up and approached Uncle Tong.

"Why mother? Why not dad? It was my father who often interacted with the Empire. Does this have anything to do with the emperor's majesty?"

"I can't comment more. I'm sorry."

Chu Yao once again took a breath. He should refrain from acting rashly. Scrubbing information from Uncle Tong could not be with the usual threats or methods. He must play the pull method.

"Okay, we'll replace it with a new question. Did your uncles and aunts know or have known from afar that I am not the biological daughter of general Chu?"

The two old men gasped in shock and threw one another a glance. Then nod at the same time.

"Why did you just shut up without telling me that?" Chu Yao asked with a slightly cornered gaze.

"Before we answer, I want to ask the lady. Where did the lady know this?" Uncle Tong asked back.

"Is that important? From whoever I know, I just want certainty from you. Not even uncle turned to ask me."

Uncle Tong seemed to think, he was stringing the right words without having to make anyone offended or injured.

"The source of information is very important to describe the next information you want to know. We can't just talk. There's a vow and a name we have to guard." Clearly uncle Tong with an authoritative attitude.

Chu Yao bit her lip. There was little doubt to reveal the identity of the informant who had contributed to him. Would there be any repercussions if he exposed the person's name in front of these people?

Chu Yao rounded her resolve while closing her eyes for a moment, "Alright, who told me was the eighth prince. Long Ye Zuan."

Mo Yan who had been listening since had suddenly furrowed his brows. It seemed that he did not like the actions Ye Zuan had taken. But he returned to his initial focus while straddling behind the cold gaze that became his trademark.

"Eighth prince? Has your majesty told you?" Aunt Hui said in confusion to Uncle Tong.

Uncle Tong just kept quiet. The confused Aunt Hui seemed to be getting all wrong, "Ah Tong, we should just tell you what we know. Miss deserves to know. I don't want to see him risking his life like that. When he returned from Nian city with injuries on his body."

Aunt Hui's soft words shook Uncle Tong's heart. The old forehead is wrinkled. With a very serious face.

"Ah Tong's... I can't afford to keep going like this. Didn't His Majesty the emperor already tell the secret to his youngest son. Indeed, this is a sign that we have begun to fight against the empress. "

Uncle Tong interrupted, "I know. I just don't want this kid to act rashly if he finds out who he is.. "

"I promise to listen to the stories of my uncle and aunt with a cold head." Chu Yao's promise with a confident look.

Uncle Tong let out a long sigh then arranged a sitting position well.

"alright.. We did not tell the lady because of the oath to the lord general and his highness the emperor.. They asked us to look after the lady without having to tell her who she really is.. "