Forensic Imperial Concubine by Erika Black

"You..." Felicia was still trying to say something.

Unwilling to waste any more time, Harper moved closer to her. "I can show you the evidence, but be

watchful. If I'm proven

innocent, you'll be in danger."

Felicia's face changed to one holding fear as she understood the meaning behind her sister's words.

She was sure that no one

could show any evidence of her actions, let alone Harper.

"Harper, stop bluffing," Felicia whispered harshly. Despite her brilliant medical skills, Harper wouldn't be

able to pull something

out her sleeves, not even by a long shot! Plus, she had already offended General Maxwell and lost her

position as an imperial

physician. There was no way of reversing the entirety of the situation!

Not in the mood to convince her otherwise, Harper bowed to Matthew. "Your Highness, please follow

me to the general's

residence."

When Matthew and Harper arrived at the general's residence, Maxwell was busy comforting his

concubine, Jade Su, who was in

tears.

In spite of his tough appearance, Maxwell was a man with a soft heart when it came to women. His

only regret was that he could

never have a child of his own. When Jade Su had announced that she was pregnant, he had been

filled with joy at least until the

news of their child being murdered came in. Then, he was as enraged as a bull.

"General, Prince Matthew is here." A servant came over to Maxwell.

"What is he doing here?" Maxwell frowned. Five years ago, Matthew had returned from battlefield and

handed back his military

leadership to the emperor. Though he didn't get his hands on power now, many still held him in awe.

"His Highness is here with Harper Chu."

"Harper Chu!" Jade Su shrieked at the woman's name. She clutched Maxwell's arm. "The bitch was the

one who killed our child!

You can't let her go! Kill her! Avenge our child."

"Calm down, calm down. I'll deal with her immediately." Maxwell assisted his beloved concubine in lying

down. Once he was sure

that everything was all right, he turned and walked outside, his steps quick and powerful. Though he

had taken some time off the

field, his stance and walk were similar to a soldier's—strong and steady.

The moment Maxwell came in, he glared at Harper before facing Matthew. "Your Highness, what's

going on? Shouldn't the woman be executed already?" "General, please calm down. Harper Chu

claimed she was innocent, so I gave her a chance to prove herself. I assume you don't want to be kept

in the dark of her discovery," Matthew answered as he turned the jade ring about on his thumb.

"Greetings, General Maxwell." Harper bowed. "Not only are you strong, but you're wise as well. I've

heard many songs praising your force and mind in the battlefield." "You killed my child," he thundered.

"You think I'll let you off the hook just because of flattery?" "No, I wouldn't dare. I have always admired

you; it's because of you and your soldiers that we live in a peaceful country. When I heard of Lady Jade

having a difficult labor, being the only female imperial physician, I rushed here to help her." She paused

and continued, "I was shocked by what I saw, but before I could inform you, I was knocked out." "You

were trying to commit suicide for fear of punishment!" Jade Su screeched out as she stumbled out of

her room, holding a hand on her stomach. She had thought Harper would've died by now; instead,

Harper had the audacity to waltz right in their household. "Maxwell, please, uphold justice for the both

of us." She turned towards him, breaking into sobs. "He was our first child, your first child."

"Don't cry." Maxwell felt his heart ache at the sight of his concubine sobbing. He turned to Harper, eyes

flashing in anger. "How

dare you come to my home and defend yourself after killing my child. Have you no shame?"

"General!" Harper cut him off. "How could I kill your child if it didn't exist? Lady Jade wasn't pregnant!"

Everyone's jaw dropped, as silence overtaken the surroundings. Jade Su paled. "Harper Chu, you

vicious bitch! You killed my

child, and you even said I wasn't pregnant! Was a nine-month pregnancy nothing to you?" she snarled.

"Stop lying!"

Harper folded her arms. "I have evidence. General, you are not only talented, but you're reasonable.

You certainly don't want to

kill an innocent woman, do you?"

Looking at her clear eyes, Maxwell frowned. She didn't seem as if she was lying.

"Don't trust her, Maxwell. I carried our child for nine months. Don't you know that?" Jade Su's fingers

trembled. Maybe she and

Felicia shouldn't have set Harper up. She had planned to get a baby from somewhere else and claimed

it to be her own. She

thought she could be promoted to the general's wife that way. But Felicia had said that this wouldn't be

enough for her to be his wife; she had even said as long as Jade Su helped her set Harper up, she'd

be able to help her become the wife of the general. Now, she regretted it so much. "General, I began

studying medicine with my uncle when I was six. Now, it has been ten years. After several trials and

Lady Katrina's recommendation, I've become the only female physician in the Imperial Academy of

Medicine. You know what I'm

capable of. Otherwise, you wouldn't have asked me to treat Lady Jade. After I diagnosed her, I found

that she had taken a secret

medicine that made her look like she was pregnant. As long as she took the antidote, everything would

be fine and she'd

recover." Harper exhaled. "I was knocked unconscious before I could report it to you. The next thing I

know is that I was under

arrest for the murder of your child."

"Nonsense!" Jade Su scoffed as she folded her hands around Maxwell's. "Maxwell, please. I didn't lie

to you. I would never."

"General, people have used the method of mixing two people's blood to identify blood relationship

since ancient times," Harper

said slowly. "I guess the baby's body hasn't been buried yet, right?"

"Not yet." At the thought of the little corpse lying in the coffin, Maxwell's heart clenched. He was more

than thirty years old, and

yet his only child was now gone. How could he not be devastated?

"But now that the baby is dead, his blood's now solidified. We are unable to mix his blood with yours."

As she said this, Harper

glanced at Jade Su from the corner of her eyes.

Jade Su's shoulders sagged in relief. Since the baby was dead, there was no possible way they'd do

the test now.

"You know what? Not a lot of people know that we can identify blood relationship by dripping blood onto

one's bone."

Jade Su's face darkened as her heart started to beat even more wildly. 'No, I can't let her continue, '

she thought.

"If you want to know the truth, General, all I need is a bone from the baby. Then, we will know."

"You killed my son, and now you want to disturb him in his deathbed! You bitch!" Jade Su threw herself

into Maxwell's arms as

another wave of tears ran down her cheeks. "Maxwell, please don't. Please don't disturb him anymore.

He's so peaceful, we

can't disrespect his burial!"

"Harper Chu, are you that afraid of death that you are slandering Jade to escape the punishment?"

Maxwell asked calmly. To be

honest, he had his own suspicions. His wife had been with him for many years, and she had not been

pregnant once, nor his

concubines. When he heard Jade Su was pregnant, he was relieved and happy. But there was a

sinking feeling inside of him

that it might not be what he thought it was.

"If I can't prove my innocence, then you can kill me and my whole family!" Harper said firmly.