Unexpected (6)

Crown Prince reached his Queen mother.

He greeted her.

She extended her hand for him.

She hold to kiss and express his obedience.

But he left dumbstruck to see the same bracelet on her wrist.

He looked at his mother and hurriedly composed himself.

Soon all favored concubines reached there too.

The most beautiful one sat on his right side and second on left side.

The maids served them.

The concubine who was at his left, served him first out of formality and also to catch his attention.

His eyes fell on her wrist and there was another surprise for him, she was also wearing same bracelet.

He instinctively sneaked peak all the concubines and their wrists.

"What is going on here?" he could not eat well, he took permission from his Queen mother and went back.

Today his mood was worst.

He sent orders to the all security guards of the Palace to remain alert and report immediately if they find anything unusual.

He was sitting in his art gallery.

He have called Wei Lan.

He thought to draw and paint because painting broaden the senses and the horizon of thoughts and mind.

"Why are you standing like wooden stick, did you murder someone?" he asked her glaring.

Wei Lan shivered to hear him, she did murder but saw someone attempting it.

She started crying.

"Come and draw for me, I am confused today," he did not want mess up with her today.

She sat immediately and took the paper and brush like if she did not do as he ordered he would chop her off.

He was critically observing her movements.

"Stop, what are you drawing today?" he asked.

"I will draw whatever Prince Yong will tell to draw," she put back the brush and obediently answered.

"Is that? Then draw small sketches of a murder scene," he closed his eyes and ordered her, only to hear back a complete silence in return.

She was clutching the side clothes and gritting her teeth, [what about I muder you and then I will draw the whole scene gladly] she laughed an evil laugh in her mind.

[Wait, how I am supposed to muder him when I can't kill a cockroach? no if this prince becomes cockroach I will definitely kill this prince cockroach] she was thinking all this in her mind.

And there was another laugh in her mind.

Prince opened his eyes only to see some confused along with relaxed expressions dancing on her face and then some hate and so on...

"Why don't you say out loud what are you thinking in your head?" he was already confused about the possible culprit of the murderer and now this girl.

[Are you taking me as a fool? why would I say what I am thinking in my head? and if you heard what I am thinking, your next order would be to chop my head,] she literally wanted to slap herself.

"Are you gone deaf, why are you not answering?" he scolded her.

"Mm, my Prince I can draw what is present in front of me only," she bowed her head to avoid his gaze.

Prince fell in deep thoughts.

Sigh!

He called for his servant and sent him with a letter to go and hand this letter to miss Diu.

The servant went and handed the letter.

Henan was expecting this letter.

He invited her in the biggest garden of the Second Court.

But it was not immediate invitation, she could join after lunch.

"Today, you will draw in my garden, there will be a guest too," he ordered his servants to prepare and settle everything there.

He was served his lunch.

He called for the staff of the formal kitchen and all the servants who were responsible to bring and buy things for the Palace kitchen.

He called for his oldest and experienced herbalist and physician.

He sent Wei Lan to rest.

Everyone was silently praying for his life.

Prince was suspicious because he wanted to find out whether Yin Ya was loyal or not, or she was involved in another scheme by his brother.

"I found the herbs that were mixed to make the acid," his herbalist handed him the list of herbs and few deadly poisons too.

He gestured his loyal servan, "Show this list to all the servants who are responsible to buy things for Palace and ask who brought them and who sent him to buy, whoever bought them will be rewarded by the Crown Prince,"

Servants also could hear him and see his mild expressions.

One by one they were handed to look in the list and try yo remember who order to buy them.

Many servants shook their heads because they were not daring enough to lie just to get reward in front of the Crown Prince.

One of the servants looked at the herbs and admitted that he bought these herbs.

"Hurry tell me who sent you to buy,?" Prince stood up and shouted at him.

"Concubine Dura told me to buy and gave me bundle of coins because these were expensive herbs and she knew it before," he gulped his sliva, for a breath he thought that that he would be given reward but from the tone of Prince it can be death reward perhaps.

Prince dismissed them all.

He wanted to order to kill this servant but from his ignorance it was apparent that he was not aware what were these herbs.

He was becoming more and more benevolent and he could not help with it.

He wrote another letter and this time giving invitation to the concubine Dura.

She was also invited in the garden.

She got immensely happy to receive this invitation, uptil now the investigation was done in silence so no one know whether the culprit was found or not.

"Why I am feeling strange about this letter?" she asked to herself, despite feeling happy she was feeling strange too.

"How can Prince immediately forget Concubine Yin Ya and invite me in the garden?" she was after all experienced concubine.

After a brief and thorough planning, she thought to again implicate young girl, if Prince really found out it then so be it, she would blame that girl being a spy of enemy and that she compelled her to do this.

"As for proof?," she laughed to herself.