MCSCPM -Chapter 99 No Evidence of Consciousness

“The one who benefits the most?” There were certainly many possibilities, for the higher one’s status, the more complex the entangled interests—especially someone like the Empress, the mother of the empire. But a single person, one he had never once doubted, flashed through his mind.

His narrow, phoenix-like eyes slitted dangerously. But this was only speculation for now. If he acted on it, the matter would no longer be a simple royal family issue. So Nangong Xiao set that shocking thought aside for the moment, though he did form a new idea about how to interrogate Princess Mei’er.

“I might know how to get something out of Mei’er’s mouth,” he said abruptly. Though casually delivered, it immediately drew Yin Qingyue’s attention.

Curious, she turned her head. “How?” she asked, bewildered. Hadn’t he just said there was no way? And now suddenly he had a solution? Her small face tilted up slightly, her large, dewy eyes sparkling, misty in the moonlight, enchanting to look at.

Nangong Xiao looked at this intelligent yet not quite cunning woman. A faint smile appeared on his lips, as if a piece of ice had melted. Startled, Yin Qingyue quickly looked away, her mind briefly blank from the fleeting warmth.

Before she could recover and press him on his method, from a distance the palace maids and eunuchs guarding the Second Princess’s chamber saw the striking pair. One radiating beauty and intelligence, the other cold and aloof—visible even in the darkest night.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince! Miss Yin!” they knelt in unison.

Yin Qingyue, unused to such grandiose displays, knew arguing about “equality” would be pointless, so she silently stepped aside to let them kneel.

“Rise,” Nangong Xiao said lightly and nobly, then ordered, “Open the door.”

Who dared disobey the Crown Prince’s orders? The lead eunuch scrambled to retrieve the key, unlocking the heavily secured door, then returned to kneel until Nangong Xiao and Yin Qingyue entered one after the other, at which point the others stood.

Princess Mei’er had been released from the celestial prison some days ago, her body covered in wounds. Thanks to Yin Qingyue’s skill, her life was spared. Nangong Xiao had placed her securely in the Rose Pavilion under temporary confinement, though anyone could see she had narrowly escaped death.

A pale purple gauze curtain had been drawn; the princess was resting. The bedding was rumpled, suggesting she was in a deep sleep, completely unaware of anyone entering.

As the door opened, the jade-fragment curtain clinked together with a series of crisp, melodious sounds—ding ding dong dong—evoking an inexplicable delight.

Though it was his sister, Nangong Xiao instinctively stepped behind Yin Qingyue. As she lifted the curtain, the sequence of chimes drew a shared grim expression from both.

Exchanging a tense glance, Yin Qingyue signaled him, then deliberately tapped the jade fragments again with more force, the sounds richer and more harmonious than before.

Yet her expression grew darker. A brief glance had already revealed that, like her, Nangong Xiao saw no movement from the figure under the covers.

If the earlier conversation at the door was muted by distance, the loud sounds of the curtain alone should have woken anyone. And the princess, delicate as she was, could not be disturbed without consequence.

Fearing rudeness, Yin Qingyue stepped inside and spoke deliberately: “Militia Officer Yin Qingyue, pays respect to Princess Mei’er!” Her voice was crisp, deliberately amplified—but still, the figure in the bed did not stir.

At the exact moment she spoke, a faint, unusual fragrance entered her nose, tightening her chest. Her voice faltered in the second half of the sentence.

She knew the scent well. For the past few days, outside of imperial summons, meals, and sleep, she had been constantly exposed to it. That medicinal powder! Again that powder! Why was there a trace of it in the Second Princess’s chamber?

Before she could explain to Nangong Xiao, she rushed to the bed. Had the guards failed, allowing the princess to escape? Was the figure beneath the covers merely a collection of pillows shaped like a human? Yin Qingyue had used such disguises herself in childhood, but now the sight left her deeply unsettled.

Without hesitation, she lifted the silk quilt. Before her lay the Second Princess’s exquisitely beautiful face. Yet this sight did not bring relief—tension surged further.

“Second Princess! Second Princess!” she shook her shoulder in desperation, but there was no response. She was not asleep—she was completely unconscious.

Seeing this, Nangong Xiao abandoned caution and strode forward, his expression grave, observing Yin Qingyue as she took the princess’s pulse.

He trusted her exceptional medical skill, so he asked nothing and allowed her to examine at her own pace.

After a long while, Yin Qingyue’s face showed confusion as she set the princess’s hand back under the covers. The icy touch lingered in her memory—but thankfully, events had not taken the worst course.

She scrutinized the princess’s neck, then lifted the hair like a cloud of dark mist. There, on the pale, delicate skin, was an oval, faint bruise.

“I was right,” Yin Qingyue said, laying the princess back down and looking at Nangong Xiao. “The Second Princess was struck from behind with a simple knife technique. Normally she would wake after rest, but…” Her words abruptly stopped.

Nangong Xiao’s gaze remained calm. Most people, hearing an unfinished statement, would anxiously press for more—but not him.

“I smelled that medicinal powder inside the room,” she continued, her expression serious. When it came to professional matters, she was always like this.

“That’s contradictory,” Nangong Xiao said sharply, a murderous glint spreading in his eyes. “If she was already struck unconscious, there was no need for the powder. Whoever did this was redundant. Unless…”

“Exactly,” Yin Qingyue said. “The person intended that after she was knocked out, she would never wake—at least not until the attacker wanted her to. But what puzzles me is that the powder used on her is different from that found on the Empress.”

At first, she had doubted herself, which explained her initial silence. But now it was confirmed. Then why was the familiar scent still present in the room? Was it a ruse? What was the powder that caused her unconsciousness? And how should the antidote be prepared?

A flood of questions surged through her mind, overwhelming her. The visit to the princess’s chamber had not yielded clarity; it had made the situation even more confusing.

Even someone of Yin Qingyue’s medical skill was at a loss. Nangong Xiao, seeing she needed time to process, turned without another word and left the chamber.

Though the reason for their midnight visit was unknown, the palace guards and maids had been on high alert for recent events. Seeing the Crown Prince emerge without Yin Qingyue drew curiosity.

The lead eunuch prepared to ask if instructions were needed, but Nangong Xiao spoke first, his deep voice full of anger: “Aside from me and Miss Yin, has anyone else entered the Second Princess’s chamber recently?!” How could someone dare attack a princess within her own chamber? Where was their respect for royal dignity?

“Your Highness, no, we’ve been on constant guard. We don’t leave even to eat, use the restroom, or sleep without someone to relieve us. Besides us, imperial guards patrol the area. Not even a fly—”

Perhaps eager to curry favor with the Crown Prince, the eunuch rambled, his words poorly timed, and from the first sentence, his luck had soured.

“Are you certain?” Nangong Xiao’s dangerous gaze swept across the lead eunuch and the others, making them uneasy.

Experienced in reading expressions, the eunuch quickly fell silent, kneeling and cautiously asking, “Your Highness, forgive me, what has happened?” Others followed, kneeling as well.

Frustration surged. The chamber had been guarded like a fortress, yet someone had breached it. If the attacker were an insider, it would be terrifying—but if an outsider, how formidable must they be to disregard the royal family so brazenly?

An unprecedented chill ran through Nangong Xiao. Whatever secret or conspiracy awaited discovery, it was monumental.

“Enough. Rise. Each of you take twenty palace whips.” Twenty whips. For failing to protect the princess, this was already the lightest punishment. Nangong Xiao was not being merciful—it would be foolish to waste energy punishing mere servants when facing such a powerful adversary.