Forensic Imperial Concubine

Chapter 3 Clear Her Name

There was doubt on Maxwell's face. He didn't think that Harper had lied. But was Jade really not pregnant? Was it really just a hoax? With all of that being said, did that mean he couldn't have children?

"General, I was born with nothing and I'll die with nothing. I know for a fact that you are a man of indomitable spirit. I will not allow anyone to deceive you like this. Even if I have to risk my life, I won't let you get played." Seeing how Maxwell hesitated, Harper vowed with the utmost certainty that even Matthew almost believed it.

"Maxwell, the only reason she's talked so much is because she fears for own life. How could she be so cruel to my poor child who died miserably? I don't want to live anymore. Please just sentence me to death so I can accompany my poor child!" Jade cried her heart out. Breaking free from Maxwell's hold, she pulled back her arm to hit the pillar. However, with his quick reflexes, he was able to stop her just in time.

Although Maxwell still had doubts, he felt embarrassed to see his beloved concubine this way.

"Lady Jade, are you afraid of being found out?" Matthew interjected.

"Your Highness, what have I ever done to deserve that accusation? How could you treat me like this?" sobbed Jade.

"I'm just curious. As we all know, Harper is a well-known imperial physician. If you had a difficult labor, I'm sure it would occur to her to take the child out alive. Since General Maxwell attached great importance to the child, she wouldn't have been so careless," Matthew explained, his eyes squinting in skepticism. "I believe there's something wrong with the whole thing. General, since things have come to this, why not give Harper a chance to prove her innocence? She won't be able to escape anyway."

"Wait!" Jade said anxiously. "We have to consider the general's well-being. What if she hurts him? She may get some dirty tricks up her sleeve."

"General, I swear on my life that I'm telling the truth. In addition, you don't need to worry because all I need to do is prick your finger and take a drop of blood. It's entirely superficial," Harper said calmly. Then, she took a deep breath and added, "But we also need the baby's bone..."

"Go get the bone," Maxwell ordered a servant.

Jade's eyes widened in shock. "Maxwell, no...no..." she stammered.

"General, there's a big difference between a woman who has given birth to a child and one who hasn't. If you don't trust me, you can ask an imperial nanny who has conducted physical examinations for imperial concubines to check Lady Jade," Harper said with a hint of complacency. Jade's hands clenched into fists at her sides, her body trembling with anger.

"You bitch! You hurt me and my baby! I'm going to kill you!" Without warning, she pounced at Harper.

Harper was able to dodge her attack, making Jade fall embarrassingly on the floor. The way Jade reacted made Maxwell more certain that something was indeed wrong. He immediately asked a servant to invite an imperial nanny over. "Stay here for the physical examination," he said to Jade sternly.

"Maxwell, we've been in love for years! Why do you trust this outsider more?" Jade cried with desperation.

"Just shut up and stay put! If what you're saying is true, surely there must be no reason to be afraid of taking the physical examination. Am I wrong?"

"Maxwell...I..." Jade was dumbfounded. Of course she was afraid. She didn't want Harper to uncover the truth!

"General, the bone is here."

Standing up, Jade approached the bone and whimpered, "My poor baby..."

"Shut up!" Maxwell scolded Jade. "Show me the evidence," he then said to Harper, looking at her coldly.

Harper stepped forward, taking a look at the baby's bone. "Pardon me," she said softly, taking Maxwell's hand. She pricked his finger with a needle that was so thin that he didn't even feel a thing. Carefully, she took Maxwell's hand over the bone and lightly pressed his finger to draw a drop of blood onto the bone.

Everyone held their breaths, their eyes glued onto the tiny set of bone as if they were afraid to miss something important.

As soon as the blood made contact with the bone, the blood smoothly slid down the side. Everyone saw exactly what had happened. Harper sighed, and proceeded to explain, "General, you can see the blood can't—"

"General, the nanny is here," someone interrupted.

"Examine her!" Maxwell said, pointing a finger at Jade. Although his tone was loud and accusing, there was some sadness and gloom to it. He was a hero in the battlefield, and yet he was played by a concubine. At this point, he was on the verge of losing his temper.

Jade glanced at Maxwell with a defeated look on her face, and then followed the nanny into the room for her physical examination. There was no point in making a scene, she thought.

As Harper watched Jade go into the room, she couldn't help but think that that woman would not just sit around and wait for her own death sentence. But, since Matthew and Maxwell had not spoken about it, she decided to keep her thoughts to herself. After all, she was still guilty at this moment.

"So Harper, I heard that you have really good medical skills?" Maxwell started, breaking the momentary silence.

"Ah, you're giving me way more credit than I deserve. I would say my skills are mediocre. Even so, I can assure you that I'm not talking nonsense about this whole affair. It's fine if you don't believe me right now. But surely you would believe the nanny," Harper said calmly. Her manner was quite different from that of her father, Charles Chu. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

"Charles Chu is lucky to have a clever daughter like you!" Maxwell said. Harper didn't know whether he was praising or mocking her, but she didn't care. She looked around the hall, feeling that something was off. Suddenly, she realized that her sister wasn't there anymore.

"What's wrong? Are you looking for your sister?" Matthew asked, noticing Harper's actions.

"No, it's okay. She probably is somewhere else," replied Harper, unwilling to give out more information than what was needed. Whatever happened in Chu Clan was their business and their business alone. There was no need to let others know their family affairs.

"Well, you're very understanding." Matthew sneered as he fiddled with his jade ring. He couldn't help but think how Harper was stubborn and proud, unlike her father, who was very cunning and duplicitous. This woman was too straightforward.

"What is taking so long?" Maxwell blurted out. Standing up, he paced up and down the hall. There were a lot of things going through his thoughts. He trusted Harper when she said that the baby wasn't his.

Plus, Jade was getting examined for good measure. Maybe she did give birth to a child and she did all this because she didn't want him to be sad.

"Send someone to check on her. I'm getting worried," Matthew said. In an instant, Maxwell stood up and walked towards the room where Jade was having her physical examination. Harper, too, stood up and followed closely behind. Matthew then walked slowly behind.

Upon pushing the door open, Maxwell saw the nanny and two other servant girls on the floor. Jade was nowhere in sight. Hurriedly, he rushed towards the women to see what had happened to them. After a quick inspection, it looked as if they had been knocked out. Just moments ago, he thought Jade deserved another chance. But now that she had escaped like this...

The nanny was starting to regain consciousness. Seeing the grave look on Maxwell's face, she knew she could possibly be in trouble. "Please, General Maxwell, forgive me. Lady Jade knocked me out and then fled," she explained.

"Lock the doors and find her!" Maxwell boomed in a towering rage. Turning, he glared at Harper with his sharp eyes. She met his gaze, looking at him right in the eye. There was no fear on her face; she had seen a lot of other people more intimidating than he was. It was difficult for her to feel threatened by him.

"You can leave now. I will clear you name to His Majesty," Maxwell said flatly.

"Thank you, General." Harper bent slightly. Then she turned and bowed to Matthew, "Thank you for sparing my life, Your Highness. I'll return the favor someday in the future."

"Oh really? And how exactly do you plan to pay me back?" Matthew sneered and asked nonchalantly.