After a while, the empress dowager asked with a glimmer of hope: "Which Miss Cai is it?"

  "Empress Dowager's words are an order, I am Princess of Prince Liang!"

  "Almost killed by Wangfei?" The Empress Dowager looked at Song Yishang in shock, "Wasn't it said that the child was fine when she was taken back to the Cui family yesterday?"

  "At that time, although the young lady was still unconscious, her breathing was stable, and the doctor said she could be moved back to the Song residence for further treatment." Song Yi's eyes widened in shock as he listened to the palace maid's report. He only came back to his senses when his mother-in-law coughed, forcing himself to calm down the turmoil in his heart, and asked with a choked voice, "How...how could this be?!"

  Xie Kongyi was only fourteen years old!

  Younger than her by just one month - a girl so young, normally you'd hear she has some illness or other, how could she be gone just like that?!

  Song Yi's heart was churning with emotions, she bit her lip tightly to hold back the urge to burst into tears, and under the turmoil of emotions, her originally rosy complexion turned pale with a hint of tears.

  Fortunately, the Empress Dowager and the Princess of Jin were also shocked by this news and didn't notice her mistake: "Just now, the Empress and Consort Cui brought over the Crown Prince's consort to apologize to me. They said that yesterday, the Crown Prince's consort's younger sister was young and reckless, and advised Consort Liang to drink a few more cups. As a result, Consort Liang didn't feel well on her way back, but fortunately, Ah Yu's wife helped out, and they also met the Emperor's nephew who assisted them, so nothing serious happened... In just two hours, a good child like that could..."

  "Zhuang Liang Wangfei and Ah Xū's daughter-in-law had a good relationship, she passed away, Ah Xū's daughter-in-law went to pay her respects, it was only right. Jin Guo Zhang Gong Zhu was after all Song Yi Xiao's mother-in-law, after being surprised, she naturally started worrying about her own younger generation, 'but thinking about the timing, wouldn't the mourning hall at the Cai Kong house not even be set up yet? How could Ah Xū already be urging his daughter-in-law to go over there? Is it...the Cai Kong house and the Wei house having a falling out?'"

  "This is a big deal that needs to be clarified!" The empress heard this and her face changed slightly, but after thinking for a moment, she still sighed and said, "Anyway, since Ah Xū has called her his daughter-in-law, let the child go first... Yù Guǒ, you go too! If there's any news, send someone back immediately to let me know what's going on!"

  An elderly palace maid stepped forward and calmly said: "Your humble servant obeys your imperial decree!"

  Song Yi laughed and didn't have the heart to think about the various purposes of meeting the Empress Dowager, only hoping to hurry out of the palace to figure out what was going on, and forced herself to say: "Yes, ma'am!" before quickly leaving.

  When they reached the outside of the palace, Yu Guo turned around and whispered: "The lip gloss on your lips seems to be a bit smudged, do you want to wipe it off?"

  Song Yixiao subconsciously took out a handkerchief to wipe her face, but when she lowered her head, she saw that the green silk of the lake had been stained with a cluster of bloodstains. Only then did she remember that she hadn't wiped off her lip color that morning - She took a deep breath: "Thanks for reminding me, Auntie Xie!"

  Yu Guo didn't make another sound, and just slightly nodded her head.

  With her leading the way, Song Yi smiled and quickly exited the palace. However, when they reached the front gate of the palace, there was no sign of Jian Yu Bai's figure.

  It was a nearby guard who came over to ask about Song Yixiao's identity, and after confirming that she was indeed the wife of the Yan State Duke, the guard said: "The Fourth Master originally wanted to wait for you to come out, but the East Palace urged him to go first. Before leaving, he left a message asking you to hurry to the East Palace to speak!"

  Song Yi laughed and asked in surprise: "The East Palace? I heard that something happened at the residence of the Minister of Works?"

  "As for the Empress Dowager, I just saw people from the Si Kong and Wei families going to the East Palace. I don't know if it's related to this matter, but Master Gong has invited you over as well." The guard looked at Yu Guo again and said, "The carriage of the Yan State Duke is over there, would you like me to call it over for you?"

  "Thanks, General!" Song Yi smiled and nodded, gesturing for Jin Xun to hand over a package - perhaps because Yu Guo was there, the guard smiled and declined.

  The East Palace was actually just inside the palace wall next to it, and a small gate opened not far from Song Yixiao. However, as an outsider, she had to ask to see him through the main gate, which would take her around to the front street.

  Song Yixiao got off the carriage in front of the East Palace gate, explained her identity and purpose, and the guards hastily opened the door to let her in. Before she had even turned around the screen wall, she suddenly heard the urgent sound of horse hooves behind her, accompanied by faint words of dissuasion.

  "Is there some urgent official document? Otherwise, who dares to gallop in front of the East Palace gate?" Song Yi smiled and everyone in the line was startled, subconsciously stopping their steps and turning back, only to see a majestic black horse with hooves as white as snow, rushing over under the pursuit of several riders, almost brushing against the spearhead of the Eastern Palace guard before coming to a stop.

  The knight immediately rolled off the horse, as if he hadn't seen the blade right in front of him. After landing, he coldly smiled and looked back, his words laced with sarcasm: "I've arrived, you have the ability to tie me up and take me back to the Crown Prince's residence?!"

  This knight was actually a girl who looked like Song Yiliao in age, with her hair slightly disheveled from riding, and a pearl hairpin on her forehead shaking back and forth as she spoke; wearing a yellow short jacket, with a narrow waist and a long skirt, her figure was slender and elegant, with a healthy beauty that was rarely seen in girls of this age.

  She was a beauty, with eyebrows like green feathers and skin as white as snow. Her gemstone-like eyes sparkled, but now they were filled with anger. She coldly scolded the tardy attendant, "Still not leaving?! You think you can cause trouble in front of the Eastern Palace?!"

  Song Yixiao and Yu Guo exchanged a glance, wondering what this master's origin was, when she turned her head to the vigilant East Palace guard and said: "I am the second daughter of the Sima family. I heard that my parents, older brother, and the Crown Prince and his wife, as well as the Wei family members, are discussing my sister's passing in the East Palace. I'd like to go in and listen too. Would you please help me announce it?"

  Yu Guo furrowed her brow slightly and pulled on Song Yi Xiao's sleeve.

  Song Yi Xiao understood her meaning: At present, the Wei family and the Si Kong family have a dispute over the death of Si Kong Yi Luo, so she as a witness is not suitable to contact Si Kong Yi Luo's sister in advance.

  As soon as he moved his foot and turned into the wall, he rushed straight to the main hall.

  The hall was already filled with people - the prince and his wife, as hosts, were naturally present, and Concubine Cui Xianlian also attended voluntarily. Below the main seat, Wei Yinlian and Si Kong Yiluo's parents and elder brothers sat on either side, their atmosphere tense but not openly hostile.

  The fragrance of tea wafts through the hall, it's extremely good incense, even in the palace not everyone can get it, if it weren't for the crown prince being deeply favored by the emperor, today's loss would be his proper younger aunt, absolutely wouldn't casually take it out to entertain guests.

  It's a pity that such good tea is now only occasionally sipped by Jian Yu Bai, who sits at the end of the table, while others don't even have the mood to pretend to taste it.

  Song Yixiao finally arrived, and several people in the room stood up to greet her: "Mrs. Song, about yesterday's matter..."

  "The minister's wife greets Your Highness the Crown Prince and Her Highness the Crown Princess!" Song Yi smiled and nodded at them, but didn't respond, instead first bowing to those above her in rank.

  The prince and his wife hastily paid their respects, caught a glimpse of Yu Guo, and called out: "Aunt Yu has also arrived?"

  The empress dowager was shocked upon hearing the news. Yu Guo nodded and calmly said, "So I've sent a servant to accompany Lady Song on a trip to ask what's really going on!"

  Upon hearing the two words "bad news", the tear-stained members of the Si Kong family almost burst into tears again; the Wei family's faces didn't look good either, with Madame Wei reaching out to grasp Wei Yinluo's hand in comfort, yet both mother and daughter looked pale and wan.

  The prince, seeing this, secretly sighed and let Song Yixiao and Yu Guo take their seats. After the palace maid brought tea, he rubbed his jade ring finger and said warmly: "Song brother and sister, I suppose you also know the purpose of my invitation today: You, Miss Caiyun, and Miss Wei are all extremely close friends in the inner chambers. Yesterday, when Miss Caiyun fell ill, I heard that you were present from start to finish. Now, please tell me again in detail, so that we can understand!"

  "Yes, milord!" Song Yi smiled wryly, her face not much better than the two families'. She composed herself and continued, "Yesterday, the Crown Prince's consort hosted a banquet. As the Yan State Duke's estate is close to the Eastern Palace, I arrived earliest. Later, Sister Cao also arrived...and Eldest Sister Wei was the last to arrive..."

  She recounted the events of the previous day, omitting only the conversation between the three people in the side room, and told everything else in detail - the more she spoke, the more heart-wrenching it became. Just a night had passed, yet her female companion, who was still laughing and chatting with her at that time, had suddenly become eternally separated from her!

  In the end, Song Yi Xiao couldn't help but choke back a sob, her voice trembling with emotion.

  "After the little girl was brought back home, my wife has already told you about what happened afterwards." After hearing this, Zhu Shi, the mother of Si Kong Yiruo, spoke up first. She was in tears, her eyes slowly scanning over the Wei family members opposite her, her tone not fierce but with a deep sadness and resentment. "At first, everything seemed fine, but at midnight, she suddenly took a turn for the worse. My son knocked on the door of the house in the middle of the night to ask Doctor Tai to come and treat her, but it was all in vain... By today's si hour, the poor child had stopped breathing in my arms, from start to finish, without leaving behind even one last word!"

  Before she could finish speaking, Madam Zhu was already sobbing uncontrollably!

  Her husband and son, though they did not shed tears with her, were all clenching their fists and gritting their teeth, their bitter feelings overflowing from their expressions.

  On the Wei family's side, they repeatedly wanted to speak but hesitated, until finally Madame Tian, Wei Yingxue's mother, carefully chose her words and spoke up: "Our family has no way to teach our daughter properly. We knew that your beloved was not good at drinking, yet we still encouraged her to drink three or four cups of lychee liquor, resulting in your beloved feeling unwell after drinking..."

  At this point, Tian fell silent.

  The meaning is clear: my daughter was wrong, but first, the green lychee wine isn't a strong liquor, otherwise the Crown Princess wouldn't have chosen it to entertain guests at Cui's concubine's pregnancy celebration; second, Wei Yinlian's toast was not without restraint, and the utensils used by the ladies were heavy and delicate, three or two cups of wine poured together didn't even add up to a bowl!

  After drinking, Si Kong Yiruo didn't feel well, this was wrong, Tian Shi's daughter took the blame! But as for Si Kong Yiruo's death, it can't be blamed on Wei Yinlian! At least, not entirely blamed on Wei Yinlian!

  After all, how could a normal girl be killed by less than a bowl of lychee green?

  Tian's words also make sense - the problem is, the grieving Si Kong family doesn't think so!

  Zhu's icy gaze fixed on Wei Yinlian: "I'd like to ask your esteemed self a question!"

  Wei Yin's face turned pale, and she lost her usual lively and playful demeanor. She nervously raised her eyes, then quickly lowered her head, and her voice trembled slightly as she said, "You say!"

  "When you advised my daughter to drink, did she ever decline?" Madam Zhu said coldly. "You also know that my daughter can't hold her liquor, but for the sake of amusement and pleasure, you forced her to finish cup after cup! Now she's gone in her prime, leaving behind a family with young and old, leaving behind the King of Liang who was about to marry her next month, making my husband and I send off our daughter as white-haired people sending off a black-haired person, making the King of Liang a widower before marriage... are you satisfied?!"

  "... Wei Yin opened her mouth, wanting to explain and apologize at the same time, but in the end she didn't say anything. Her body swayed back and forth, and then she suddenly fell down softly!"

  Tian's family was shocked and quickly hugged their daughter to check, and then dissatisfied with Zhu Shi: "Mrs. Zhu! My son didn't do it on purpose, you..."

  "But my son is dead!" Madam Zhu stared at her, saying loudly, "Your daughter is still fine! I just asked her one question and you're so heartbroken! Have you considered how I'm feeling now?! Are you saying that the daughters of the Wei family are a thousand times more precious than the daughters of the Si Kong family?! Does your daughter's possibly fake fainting equal the life of my son?!"

  The crown princess could not help but speak out: "Please, Madam Zhu, control your grief! My mother absolutely did not mean it that way - Yiruo is the beloved granddaughter of the true Yang matriarch and also a descendant of the great emperor's bloodline. In terms of nobility, how can a girl from the Wei family compare to Yiruo?"

  Although Zhu was filled with grief and indignation, hating the fact that she couldn't swallow Wei Yinlian whole, she still retained a shred of rationality. Hearing what the Crown Princess said, it wouldn't be good to continue pressuring Tian-shi——but for her to just let things go like this, that's also impossible!

  So she immediately knelt down and begged: "I implore Your Highness the Crown Prince and Her Highness the Crown Princess to be the matchmakers for my daughter!"

  The princess is supposed to be a substitute for her mother's family, isn't she? Now let's see how you handle it!

  Should I continue to help my sister from my mother's family speak out or preside over justice for my brother-in-law's fiancée!