The Empress Wears Gucci

42

        My muscles began to tense up, reluctantly letting me ease into the information I was hearing. As Guan Shu spoke, our eyes laid heavy on hers, not refusing to break the invisible line our eyes held to her face. It was never where I had all my close companions in a room together. It felt unfamiliar to do so. Uncle Bin had joined the mix, and so did Lei Shu.

          I did want Jaxon, but only Hua Er and Lei Shu were the ones who knew who Jaxon truly was to me. It's too risky to bring him into this. 

         "Do you suppose that Her Majesty may end up framing you?" Chang Ying was the first one to speak up, she spoke in a very strict tone.

          Guan Shu shook her head and sat herself down. "I hope not, but if the Empress finds out I told you all, then I'll be in deep trouble. Dong Mei's maids have claimed that they think her death was murder. I feel as if the Emperor is already starting investigations."

          "And you might be the scapegoat." Su Yin sighed, leaning back against her chair. She fixed her eyes on the ground. 

           When I held Guan Shu in my arms, awkwardly, I felt her body shiver. The warmth of her body radiated still, but she was in such anxiety, that she was trembling under me. I gently stroked her hair. Guan Shu usually stroked my hair. It felt nice to comfort her knowing that she had comforted me on many different occasions. 

          "Guan Shu, if you get framed for this, I'm going down with you," I said reassuringly, and I meant every word. I laughed softly. "I just find it amusing how she told you not to tell anyone, yet you tell six different people about it."

            "Why are you finding this funny? It's quite likely the Empress will have you framed, Ying Yue," Hua Er panicked, then rushing closer to me. "We'll just have to be nice to Her Majesty and she won't—"

            "Wait," I interrupted. "Why would the Empress claim that Guan Shu and Physician Xi prepared the medicine? Why couldn't she just say it was hers throughout the entire pregnancy?" 

           I didn't understand. Well, I wasn't in the right headspace to even think for myself at the moment. It was hard to adjust yourself in a situation where you might potentially be the suspect of a murder. Especially the murder of a high-ranking consort. I should've been panicking. I should've been sweating, and shaking, holding onto my friends to say goodbye. There was only adrenaline rushing through my body like I have been alive for the first time. I was grounded, almost. I felt awareness of my surroundings more. When I was idle in my chamber, I felt like a zombie. I did nothing.

          Now that there was a major issue to be solved, oddly enough, I was excited.

         "Well," Uncle Bin broke his own silence from listening to us, "suppose that Her Majesty has been telling Madame Dong Mei the false lie of Guan Shu preparing the medicine. This means Her Grace could have informed other people who were preparing her medicine. They would be the key witness in the trial, which isn't looking good." 

        I nodded. "This is going to be troublesome..."

        Guan Shu narrowed her eyes. "No, it isn't because of that... Her Majesty told her it was me to stir up more emotions in Dong Mei so the poison can kill her sooner."

          "Lady Ying Yue!" one of my maids called out, hastily barging into my chamber and kneeling before me. 

          "What happened?" I asked.

           Fen Ai, my youngest maid, was still on her knees, catching her breath loudly. She never talked actually, she might have earned the new title of Snoopy. She swallowed in pain as she spoke. "One of the physicians announced that Madame Dong Mei has been poisoned over time, with more poison in her system as of today. Investigations are still happening."