CHAPTER 547: 546

Su Bai rushed back to the palace where Chen Jieyu was hugging a pillow and sobbing so hard that she couldn’t catch her breath.

No matter how the palace maids tried to console her, it was of no use.

As soon as Su Bai entered, Chen Jieyu cried even louder.

"You all may leave now," Su Bai dismissed everyone.

At that moment, Chen Jieyu was still whimpering quietly; Su Bai sat down beside her bed. "I just went to your brother’s residence."

She referred to herself with the word "I."

Chen Jieyu’s body trembled, and then tears streamed down as if they cost nothing.

Seeing her reaction, Su Bai continued, "He’s gone missing."

Chen Jieyu burst into loud cries.

"The one who touched him is the same one who beat you, right?"

Chen Jieyu nodded and then immediately shook her head.

Chen Jieyu didn’t trust Su Bai.

Or rather, she didn’t trust anyone at that moment.

Everyone seemed like they were sent by Concubine Mei to torment her.

Especially since today’s Su Bai wasn’t wearing a mask, revealing an excessively beautiful face that made Chen Jieyu even more frightened.

Therefore, she could only suppress her grief and fear with her sobs.

Having just woken up today, during the time she took her medicine, a palace maid had slipped something into her palm.

When she was alone, she took a glance, and wrapped under the handkerchief was a severed finger!

Chen Jieyu immediately vomited all the medicine she had just taken.

It was her brother’s severed finger.

Because she was disobedient, Concubine Mei had someone kidnap her brother!

And deliberately sent over the severed finger, threatening her to keep quiet.

After much deliberation, Chen Jieyu, at a loss for what to do, could only cry her heart out.

Her cries were loud, drowning out all other sounds from the outside world.

Su Bai fell silent.

She pointed at the pillow Chen Jieyu was holding tightly, and after getting her attention, she mouthed wordlessly, "Give it to me."

No one noticed Chen Jieyu was clutching something in the palm of her hand.

It was the severed finger.

Chen Jieyu looked at Su Bai warily.

Could she trust this person?

Su Bai sighed, "Was it Concubine Mei?"

It was as if Chen Jieyu had heard something terrifying; her body started to shake uncontrollably, and Su Bai knew she had hit the mark.

"She previously sent me to the dungeon and has always looked at me unfavorably. You know very well, Chen Jieyu, that it’s impossible for me to be in cahoots with her," Su Bai spoke softly.

She opened her hand in front of Chen Jieyu and whispered softly, "Now, could you show it to me?"

Indeed, in the entire harem, only Su Bai could not possibly be Concubine Mei’s accomplice.

With this thought, Chen Jieyu loosened her grip on the pillow.

She took out the freshly severed finger she had been holding.

When it was placed in Su Bai’s palm, Chen Jieyu almost cried herself to death.

It was her brother’s thumb!

Her brother had always been smart and clever, well-protected by her family since he was young, yet now he had lost a piece of his thumb – how was Chen Jieyu supposed to accept this?!

That was the true reason for her loud, heartbreaking cries.

The Dragon Heir might still be a stranger to her, but her brother was someone she had been close with day and night. Now his life was in danger, how could she not worry.

Su Bai examined the severed finger; it had been cut off recently.

That meant he had been abducted in the morning, and they had been a step too late.

"Don’t worry, I will definitely save your brother," Su Bai assured Chen Jieyu.

But Chen Jieyu shook her head in despair, "Maybe we should let it be..." she clenched her teeth, "I will tell His Majesty that I accidentally fell and then let this matter go. As long as Concubine Mei is not caught, they will release my brother safely."

"But doing so would mean you’ll always live under the shadow of Concubine Mei. Are you willing to live like that?"

Concubine Chen Jieyu shed tears of helplessness, "We are all honest and straightforward people, without that many tricks and schemes. Facing someone as domineering and tyrannical as Mei Fei, we can only admit our misfortune. For now, it’s just my brother’s thumb, but if I still don’t obey, they will cut my brother into pieces... and send him to me piece by piece!"

At this point, Concubine Chen Jieyu’s emotions collapsed even further.

With their parents long gone, she and her brother relied on each other for survival.

How could she bear to witness her own younger brother being treated in such an inhumane manner?

"Just do as Mei Fei told you. My people are still investigating your brother’s whereabouts outside the palace. I promise you that I must find him and rescue him. When that time comes, will you be willing to come forward and identify Mei Fei’s crimes?"

Concubine Chen Jieyu clenched the bedding tightly, "As long as my brother is safe, I will do whatever it takes!" A fierce hatred flashed in her beautiful eyes.

They were all pitiable people, forced into a desperate situation.

This time, Mei Fei had truly gone too far.

"Why does General Su want to help me?" Concubine Chen Jieyu was puzzled as she raised her head to look at Su Bai.

Only to see Su Bai’s eyes deep and profound, "It’s not without reason that I help you; I need you to do something for me."

"What is it?"

"Tonight, help me hold back His Majesty."

Su Bai realized that tonight was the best opportunity.

Concubine Chen Jieyu bit her lip, her eyes cautious, "What exactly does General Su want to do?"

"I want to take a look at the hidden chamber," Su Bai said frankly. "You must have heard that Princess Wuyang’s maid has been spreading rumors that His Majesty built a secret room for me filled with my portraits. So, I want to go in and see for myself whether it’s true or not."

"And what if you see it?" Chen Jieyu was puzzled. "Someone like General Su would never be content staying in the harem. Even if you saw it, you wouldn’t stay, would you?"

"I could set the hidden chamber on fire," Su Bai stated.

"Why?"

"I find it disgusting." That was the truth.

Finding the hidden chamber, if it was indeed as Chu Yu had said, she would not hesitate to burn it down.

"Doing so will displease His Majesty."

"I don’t care whether he’s pleased or not," Su Bai upped the stakes. "Destroying the image I hold in his heart would be more advantageous for you, wouldn’t it?"

"A battle is approaching, and once I am on the battlefield, I may not return alive. Wouldn’t it be good for you to be His Majesty’s most favored concubine in the harem?"

Those words were like a sword, slicing through the fog in Concubine Chen Jieyu’s heart.

She longed to be His Majesty’s most cherished concubine, to attain the utmost glory so that no one would dare lay a hand on her and her brother.

After seizing power, she would make Mei Fei pay the price she owed!

"Fine, I agree," Concubine Chen Jieyu pursed her lips, her small face resolute.

Su Bai placed the severed finger back in her palm, "Keep this safe. When your brother returns, find a highly skilled Imperial Physician, and perhaps it can still be reattached."

Su Bai had entered the palace alone.

Without bringing Yan Li’an with her.

Now, she stood in the Imperial Study, reporting everything that had transpired to Chu Qi.

"Outrageous! Who could be so audacious and reckless!"

Chu Qi was thunderous with rage.

Su Bai pretended to be quite distressed as she furrowed her brows, "I haven’t been able to find any evidence yet."

Seeing the beauty struggle, Chu Qi thought he might have been too demanding, needing her help both on the battlefield and now even in his own household affairs, and was about to speak some words of comfort.

Noise suddenly came from outside the hall.

Chu Qi was displeased.

"Your Majesty, Concubine Chen Jieyu asks you to come." The eunuch entered to report.

In fact, she had already woken up but had been crying continuously, and no one dared to report it to Chu Qi.

Now that Concubine Chen Jieyu’s emotions had stabilized, she sent someone to call for him.

Of course, the eunuch was there to report.

Upon hearing that she had awakened, Chu Qi breathed a sigh of relief, "Good that she’s awake." He got up to leave, "Let’s go have a look."

His steps were hasty, betraying a certain concern.

At the doorway, Chu Qi felt a strange sensation, "General Su, will you join us?"

Su Bai turned swiftly and followed, "Your servant obeys."

She knew Chu Qi wouldn’t leave her alone here.

But it didn’t matter. Soon, he would be too busy to attend to her.