Chapter 658 - 661: Probing

Chapter 658: Chapter 661: Probing

Inside the room, wisps of smoke curled up from the incense burner.

Princess Consort Zhen gently placed the newly blended spices on the table. She looked up at Xi Xiang, who was standing not far away, and asked with a complicated expression.

"Is that really what she said?"

Xi Xiang answered respectfully.

"I wouldn’t dare deceive you, Your Highness. Every word I said is true.

That Hongdou really did pick out the bowl of chicken soup that Your Highness personally simmered, and she did it right away.

She also said the taste of the chicken soup reminded her of her own older sister."

Hearing this, Princess Consort Zhen was silent for a long time.

The ingredients she used for the soup were identical to those used by the kitchen maids. Logically, the chicken soup they cooked should have tasted the same.

Yet that woman had effortlessly picked her bowl from among the four.

To say it was a coincidence would be too much of a stretch.

Xi Xiang was filled with confusion, but she didn’t dare interrupt the Noble Consort’s thoughts. She could only lower her head and wait quietly.

After a long while, she finally heard the Noble Consort ask a question.

"Did she say anything else?"

Xi Xiang answered truthfully, "She said she really misses the days she spent with her sister."

Princess Consort Zhen looked down at the spices in the porcelain cup.

’Judging from the result, that woman wasn’t lying. It’s very likely she is Hua Manman.’

’But Princess Consort Zhen still couldn’t bring herself to believe that this was her younger sister.’

Xi Xiang waited for a long time again, then suddenly heard the Noble Consort murmur something.

"Can people in this world really die and come back to life?"

There were only the two of them in the room. Xi Xiang guessed the Noble Consort was asking her, so she replied honestly.

"I have never personally witnessed a resurrection, but I have heard that the Regent King once died and came back to life. It happened right in front of the Saint and the Empress Dowager. Many people in the palace know about this, so it must be true."

These words were a wake-up call for Princess Consort Zhen.

’That’s right! Back then, the Imperial Physicians all said the Regent King was dead, but just a few days later, he came back to life.’

’She had been there and witnessed it with her own eyes. It couldn’t possibly be fake!’

’If the Regent King could come back from the dead, why couldn’t Hua Manman?’

Princess Consort Zhen was starting to believe.

She raised her right hand.

Xi Xiang immediately walked over, took the Noble Consort’s hand, and helped her to her feet.

The mistress and servant walked outside.

...

After Xi Xiang left, Hua Manman hurried to the window. She tried to push it open, only to find it had been sealed shut from the outside.

No matter how hard she pushed, she couldn’t open it.

Helpless, Hua Manman could only lean against the window and call out.

"Little Flower, System, are you still there?"

Soon, a familiar meow came from outside the window.

MEOW~

The meow entered Hua Manman’s ears and automatically transformed into the System’s voice.

"Here, I’m here!"

Hua Manman: "I can’t open this window. Can you help me open it?"

’If she could just open the window, she could climb out and escape this place.’

The sound of metal being fiddled with came from outside the window, followed by the Three-colored Cat’s cry.

MEOW, MEOW, MEOW!

"It’s locked from the outside. I don’t have a key, so I can’t open it."

Hua Manman was very disappointed.

’It seems Princess Consort Zhen learned her lesson. This time, she locked the window tight, completely cutting off any chance of escape.’

But she quickly pulled herself together.

’Where there’s a will, there’s a way. She would find a way to escape!’

Hua Manman: "What about Madam Zhong’an and Gou Dan? How are they?"

System: "Don’t worry, they’ve already left the palace. If all goes well, the Madam should have already sent Gou Dan out of the city."

Hua Manman let out a long sigh of relief.

"That’s good."

’As long as Li Xun can get out of the Celestial Capital, he can meet up with Princess Rouwan.’

’Then Princess Rouwan will take him to find Li Ji.’

System: "What’s your plan now?"

Hua Manman replied with a single word—

"Wait."

The System was confused. "Wait for what?"

Hua Manman: "Wait for her to come to me."

Before the System could ask who "her" was, footsteps sounded from outside the room.

’Someone’s coming!’

Hua Manman immediately returned to the bed and sat down, putting on an anxious and uneasy expression.

The door was pushed open from the outside.

Xi Xiang walked in, supporting Princess Consort Zhen.

Hua Manman quickly stood up. "Noble Consort!"

Princess Consort Zhen’s gaze swept over her face.

’No matter how many times she looked, this woman’s face was different from her younger sister’s.’

’But strangely, she had a very familiar air about her.’

’Every time Princess Consort Zhen saw her, she couldn’t help but think of her younger sister.’

’Perhaps this was the bond of blood.’

Princess Consort Zhen spoke slowly. "I heard you miss your sister very much? I, too, have a younger sister, and I miss her dearly. She had a lively and active personality, like a little puppy, so I even got a puppy at home and named it Big White."

Hua Manman blinked, looking confused.

"But you never had a dog. I remember you had a cat, and its name wasn’t Big White. It was Little White."

’Princess Consort Zhen naturally remembered that she had never owned a dog.’

’She had said it incorrectly on purpose to test the other woman.’

’The other’s reaction was completely natural, showing no trace of a lie.’

’Princess Consort Zhen became even more certain of her identity.’

"I once had a fight with my sister. I lost control and slapped her. I’ve felt guilty about it for a long time."

Hua Manman grew even more confused. "Wasn’t it me who slapped you?"

Princess Consort Zhen stared at her fixedly.

"Back when Prince Dongyang and Xianfei launched their coup, Qiong’er and I were locked in Chaoyang Palace. Qiong’er fell ill, but then he inexplicably recovered. Do you know why?"

’What else could it be?’

’It was obviously because Li Qiong ate the Life Reviving Pill.’

’But Hua Manman couldn’t say that out loud.’

She could only remain silent.

Princess Consort Zhen: "At first, I thought Heaven was watching over Qiong’er, allowing him to recover from his serious illness. But after thinking about it carefully, I noticed something was off. Qiong’er’s condition only started to improve rapidly after my younger sister arrived. And my younger sister didn’t seem surprised at all. It seems my younger sister was hiding many secrets."

As she finished, she wore a meaningful expression.

Feeling guilty, Hua Manman avoided her gaze.

Princess Consort Zhen: "If you really are my younger sister, there is something I want to ask you."

Hua Manman: "What is it?"

Princess Consort Zhen: "Since you didn’t die, why didn’t you come back to find me? If you hadn’t been forced into a corner, were you planning to never tell me the truth?"

Her words were unhurried, but anyone who knew her could tell she was truly angry.

Hua Manman: "You are living a good life now. I didn’t want to risk disturbing it."

Princess Consort Zhen let out a laugh, as if she had just heard the most ridiculous joke.

"Ha! I’ve been blaming myself and feeling guilty day and night over your death, and you actually think I’m living a good life?"