Chu Lan ordered a thorough investigation of the matter, within two days the ins and outs were carefully revealed. The herb in the bowl of soup was indeed cold grass, and the consequences of drinking it were the same as what the imperial physician said. The origin of the herb was also found. It was Cai Huan who asked a maid around her to find someone to buy it outside the Palace, the reason was of course not to nourish Xia Xi but to harm him.
After Xia Xi saw the evidence, he couldn't believe it, it took a long time before he muttered: "She... why would she do this..." As soon as he said this, he had already understood the reason.
Probably out of jealousy.
No one could bear the person they like being kind to others in every possible way, but turned a blind eye to them or even disliked them. Even though they had power and money around them, they still felt empty in their hearts. Such emotions would slowly accumulate, and it would eventually lead to actions that regret can't make up for.
Looking at his sad expression, Chu Lan felt annoyed, yet his expression was still gentle. He said softly: "The evidence is there, the crime is hard to escape. Xi'er, what do you want to do with her?"
Xia Xi looked up at him and asked, "Can I... see her first?"
When Cai Huan was escorted in, she was no longer as luxurious as the day before. The hairpins on her head were striped clean and only her expensive clothes remained on her body. Her arms were tied behind her with thick ropes and her face was full of tears. After seeing Xia Xi, she knelt and kept kowtowing, begging for mercy: "Your Highness forgive me, Your Highness forgive me, I will never dare anymore..." She cried. She had been crying for a long time, with eyes swollen like walnuts. Xia Xi looked at her and didn't know how to feel, he was a little uncomfortable and subconsciously sought Chu Lan. He said, "My lord, can I talk to her alone?"
Chu Lan glanced at the person on the ground and nodded lightly, he waved his hand and the rest of the servants walked out. He also walked out slowly but didn't go far, just guarding outside the hall. Xia Xi's gaze fell on Cai Huan's body, the little girl was still kowtowing, her mouth repeatedly begging for his mercy. Xia Xi sighed softly and asked, "Cai Huan, why are you doing this? You know this yourself, your actions were so obvious that even if your plan had been successful, you still wouldn't have been able to escape."
Cai Huan slowly raised her head, she sniffed, staring at him and saying dumbly: "I heard that this herb wouldn't be fatal if drunk. Once the baby loosens its grip, the womb would never be able to give birth again. This medicine takes three days to take effect. Your majesty is very pregnant and may not be able to find me by then... Your Majesty, it's an obsession in my heart, please help me. I beg you for the sake of the years I have served you. My life... spare my life..."
Xia Xi felt fear bloom deep inside him, he slowly said: "You don't want my life, you want the life of the fetus in my womb... Well, yes, if I can't have children, I'll definitely persuade the King to go be with others. You're the only concubine in the harem and my only friend. My first choice would naturally be you. Just like when I was worried that I couldn't have a child and wanted to choose a concubine for the King, the first thing I thought of was to fulfil your wish."
Seeing him say it so straightforwardly, Caihuan gritted her teeth and admitted: "Yes, that's what I wanted. The King is the Lord of the country and the man I've always admired. If I were still a little maid, I would not be able to be with him. It can only be wishful thinking. But now that I've climbed to a high position, I don't want to be alone all my life. I always have to try and see if there's hope. If I can get pregnant with his child, even if he doesn't like me, he won't despise me either!"
Xia Xi smiled sullenly and said, "In that case, I've hurt you, haven't I?"
Cai Huan said, "His Royal Highness didn't harm me, after all, it was me who begged you. But since you've given me hope, you can't block the way. I know he only likes you and I don't want that. I hope to get a little love from him, I only hope to get a little warmth, a comfort..." She sniffed and whimpered: "But now I know that I was wrong, Your Highness, please forgive me. I can see that the King will only spoil you. I... I'm not as good as you, I made a mistake, please... please forgive me. I'll walk away this time, and never appear in front of you again. I'll go back to the Xia Kingdom, or the Guanyue Kingdom further away. You can send me to the barren lands and let me fend for myself, just please forgive me..."
She cried eagerly and sincerely. Seeing that Xia Xi was silent, she knelt in front of him and said, "Your Royal Highness, weren't we so close? I've been with you all the way from Xia Palace to here. You've taken care of me, gave me all the good food, treated me like a sister, please... please take care of me once more for the sake of the past, will you spare me this once?"
Xia Xi looked at her face and thought of the crying little girl in a daze. He was guilty. If it weren't for himself, Cai Huan wouldn't be unlucky enough to be chosen to follow him. She had suffered a lot along the way, her first two years in Yudu were also full of being bullied because of the language barrier. He closed his eyes and slowly said, "When you handed me the soup that day your fingers were cold and trembling, you didn't dare to look at me. Were you hesitant?"
Cai Huan hurriedly said: "Yes! I only gave a small dose, but I was also worried that even that could hurt your life. I swear to God, I've never thought of killing you... E-Even this time, if it wasn't for that day. It stimulated me, otherwise— otherwise I wouldn't have done it..."
Of course Xia Xi knew what day she was talking about. She thought that he was beloved by Chu Lan, like a piece of jade he holds in his mouth. But Chu Lan only ignored her. Such a contrast, no wonder it aroused such thoughts. Xia Xi's personality had always been soft and gracious, because Cai Huan had never really wanted his life, he didn't want to see her executed. Not to mention his hand in the current situation. He had always felt that if it hadn't been for his decision that day, the two of them wouldn't have reached the point where they were today. He couldn't bear to see her lose her life. Once Cai Huan was taken back, Chu Lan went in again and began dealing with Cai Huan's affairs.
"Spare her life?" When Chu Lan heard what he said, he reacted as if he heard something funny. He sat him down, "She wanted to harm you, but you want to spare her life?"
Xia Xi shook his hand and said softly: "She didn't harm me anyway, and her actions are excusable. If I... if I saw you being intimate with another girl, I'm afraid that I wouldn't be able to endure it..."
Chu Lan sat next to him, he massaged his lower back with his broad palms and said, "Although what you said pleases me, I don't agree. I don't know how you view this, but how could such a harmful thing be 'excusable'? And if it ever changed to be you, you'll just hide under the blanket and cry secretly. You'll never do anything to hurt others, because your heart is inherently good, and her heart is inherently evil."
Seeing his resolute expression, Xia Xi could only say again: "She had followed me, and I don't want to see her fall to such an end. Chu Lan, take back everything that you gave her and send her back to the border between the two countries. Don't let her enter again in this life, alright? She was timid, and all these things were just because of momentary confusion. I'll be in the Palace, and she'll return to the Xia Kingdom, we'll never see each other in this life, so she can't harm me either way, right?" He saw Chu Lan's face softening and quickly reached out to hug him, he put his hand on his bulging belly and said softly: "Our child is about to be born, won't you accumulate good karma for him?"
Chu Lan gently rubbed his stomach, he looked at his worried expression and knew that if he insisted, Xia Xi would definitely be sad, so he said: "Alright, I'll promise you this time."
Xia Xi smiled and nodded happily, "Alright, alright, I thank the King for Cai Huan."
Chu Lan said: "But I have a request, that is, you're not allowed to see her again. I'll have someone send her away tonight. Treat it as if this person had never been in the Palace."
Xia Xi promised: "Yes, I won't see her."
Chu Lan looked at him happily, he leaned in and bit his lip in dissatisfaction, saying fiercely: "Such a nasty thing was let go after your few pleading words, say, could it be that the Queen has enchanted the monarch? Xia folk call this pillow talk right? From this point of view, you're simply too good at pillow talk."
Xia Xi flushed with embarrassment when he heard him say this, he whispered: "I... I didn't enchant you..."
Seeing his nervous look, Chu Lan quickly laughed, he then carefully kissed his lips again and said: "I hope you'll enchant me more and more, but just this isn't enough. After you give birth, you'll have to compensate me twice fold."
The man's words were too ambiguous, Xia Xi could only nod lightly, "Alright."
Although he asked Chu Lan to take back all of Cai Huan's belongings, Xia Xi was worried that she wouldn't be able to survive as a penniless girl, so when Chu Lan left, he supported his heavy belly and started searching cabinets to look for valuable things. He didn't dare to choose too big things, and all the jade and gold and silver jewellery of the Barbarians were made far too thick and hard to hide on his bodice, Xia Xi skipped them. When he turned to the things he had brought from the Xia palace, he found that except for his mother's golden hairpin, there were no other valuable objects. After hesitating, he wrapped the golden hairpin in a small handkerchief, calling in a maid who was close to him and asking her to quietly send it to Cai Huan.
That golden hairpin was one of the few relics left to him by his mother. Xia Xi was reluctant to give it up, but he also knew that if it could save a person's life, it would be better instead of keeping it at the bottom of a storage box. He also hoped that if it was destined, he'd be able to find this hairpin again, he must redeem himself then and keep it well.
He didn't even dare to tell someone else all of this because he was afraid that Chu Lan wouldn't allow it. When it got dark, Chu Lan came back to accompany him for dinner. Xia Xi ate less and could hardly swallow. Chu Lan glanced at him and said, "She was sent out of the Palace intact, and she'll arrive earthbound in the Xia Kingdom in a few days. Are you worried about her returning to her hometown?"
When Xia Xi heard these words, he was a little relieved, he had a smile on his face and said warmly: "It's fine." He looked at the man next to him and said, "Thank you, my King, for allowing me to do this."
Chu Lan's lips curled and he said, "If I kill her you'll be uneasy for the rest of your life, of course I don't want to see you like that, so what else could I do besides compromise?"
Xia Xi looked at him and felt that he was really too lucky to meet such a good man. He sighed softly, "Chu Lan, there's no one else who treats me better than you."
Chu Lan's tail seemed to have risen to the sky, he smiled happily: "In that case, eat more and don't starve your body. As for other people, it has nothing to do with you. You'll have to do your best to forget about them completely from now on.."
Xia Xi laughed and nodded, "Alright."
<b>________</b>
<b>PastTimer: fatigueeeeee 😴😴</b>
<b>Raw commenter: This is simply too Virgin [Mary]! What a holy mother! </b>
<b>Of course, it wouldn't end like this, Cai Huan, be prepared! </b>