54 The Suspects

"Sister Yan! Sister Bi! " BaiYing tried to grab the guard's hand off them.

"Let them go."

But the Crown Prince came and grabbed him.

"YingYing! Stop it! " Although the stubborn BaiYing did not listen to the Crown Prince's cry his strength was not strong enough. He still tried to pull the guard hand who was holding his two maids, so that there was a tug of war between the Crown Prince and him. Finally, because of annoyance, LuoXiang pulled BaiYing's hand harder and threw the young man to the ground.

"Akh!"

"Your Honour!" Yan and Bi exclaimed seeing the concubine Hua who fell to the ground violently. LuoXiang's eyes widened wide, he had gone too far.

"YingYing!" realizing what he had done the Crown Prince approached him quickly.

BaiYing couldn't stop the guards from taking his two maids farther away. He was about to get up and chase but again the Crown Prince stopped him.

"YingYing, forgive me"

BaiYing flung Luo Xiang's hand who was about to help him.

"Let me go!" His eyes stared at the Crown Prince sharply, tried to get up then with a slight hobbling move towards his pavilion. The other maids helped him.

"Your Majesty"

The Crown Prince could only be stood in his place. BaiYing's gaze on him showed immense disappointment at him. Luo Xiang took a deep breath, what can he do now?

....

In the afternoon.

BeiYau approached LuoXiang who was still standing in front of BaiYing's room. He had not moved there all day because he was worried about BaiYing's condition, this was his day off as the Crown Prince's administrative officer. He was supposed to be able to accompany BaiYing all day freely until something unexpected happened.

"Your Majesty" he lowered his head and announced the results of his report.

"Just say it, Bei"

BeiYau raised his head.

"Er, the powder in that package, it's the Red Flower poison which also hurt Concubine Hua the other day."

Luo Xiang took a deep breath. He couldn't imagine how BaiYing would feel if he knew that two of his beloved maids would be sentenced to death because of this. While concubine Ye's condition was getting worse and hadn't shown any progress, she might die because of this. And the law is law. He can't bend it for any reason.

"Then, do they admit it? Where do they get such a powerful poison from? "

BeiYau shook his head.

"Both of them said that they did not know how the poison got in their room. Your Majesty, I also thought, the two maids looked honest, both of them kept crying throughout the interrogation until they could hardly speak"

"What about the other maids? Not only Yan, Bi, and San'er, but also servants of concubine Lui and concubine Fu. You also have to open your eyes wide at them. "

BeiYau nodded.

"I understand, Your Majesty"

BeiYau raised his head to see the Crown Prince. He had not looked away from the room which was closed tightly.

"Eh Your Majesty, Concubine Hua.."

LuoXiang took a deep breath.

"Poor kid. His two closest maids had to leave him at once. His heart must have been devastated, while he just lost his entire family"

BeiYau didn't know what to say, he was thinking hard too.

"Keep investigating it, Bei. Meanwhile, treat Concubine Hua's maids well. I don't want to catch the wrong person and make whoever does this laugh out loud now," LuoXiang said.

BeiYau nodded his head.

"Yess, Your Majesty"

Not long after BeiYau left.

In the room.

BaiYing sat daydreaming on his bed with a distant look out of the window. But, instead of feeling helpless and down in sadness, he was thinking hard about how concubine Mu'er got the poison. While she only ate a little of the fruit, not just her, everyone there tasted the same food as her. Even though he took it out fast because it was too sour, he should have been poisoned too, but, he felt fine.

BaiYing was still deep in thought until his door was opened from the outside. Two young servants who were standing near the door lowered their knees when they saw the Crown Prince enter.

"Your Highness"

LuoXiang waved his hand ordering all the maids to leave the room.

BaiYing didn't turn his head even though the Crown Prince was already sitting behind him.

"YingYing, are you still angry?"

LuoXiang's soft voice, BaiYing would just ignore him, it's better if he kept thinking about how to get his two maids out of custody.

However, while BaiYing paid no heed to the Crown Prince, Luo Xiang still raised his hand, and parted BaiYing's collar and showed his back.

"Your Majesty" BaiYing was about to hold him back, but he groaned when he realized the Crown Prince was touching his shoulder which had been scratched from the fall.

"Akh"

LuoXiang's hand gently spread massage oil onto the young man's shoulder. BaiYing couldn't help but be quiet and obey. No matter what, the madman tried to make amends for throwing him so hard earlier.

"Forgive me for pulling you so hard. Look at this bruise, heh, I'm so stupid"

The Crown Prince lowered his head to kiss BaiYing's bruised shoulder which turned bluish.

BaiYing scrunched up his face.

"Your Majesty is indeed so strong. I was nothing"

LuoXiang felt very sorry. He was unable to stop holding his strength. He was a little too much when he pulled BaiYing earlier. He reached BaiYing's palm which was also scratched while trying to stop himself from falling earlier.

"Does this hurt too?"

BaiYing didn't want to turn around. If he does and saw the Crown Prince's gaze he would soon forget about his fault. Luo Xiang massaged BaiYing's palms gently. Rub the smooth little fingers with hot ointment. 

"My YingYing's flawless skin has to be scratched all over. I'm such a fool"

BaiYing finally turned his head. Looking at the Crown Prince's pitiful face. Just like what he had expected, that man sometimes became so fierce and sometimes became so gentle in front of him. He doubted which was his real face. Perhaps both of them. As a Crown Prince he still had to maintain his dignity in front of others, while, in front of him, he turned into a very attentive boy with a cute face like a puppy.

"Your Majesty, do, Your Majesty believe, that my maids were guilty? Also, as indirectly, both was the person who poisoned me in the first place?" BaiYing asked.

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