Forensic Imperial Concubine by Erika Black

.

"That's it. I can't go back to the imperial capital with you for the time being. Wendy is recuperating in the south region right now.
I'm going there to pick her up and take her back to the imperial capital. Please go ahead and proceed to the capital without me
so you can have time to prepare. As soon as we arrive in the imperial capital, we'll come to you for the treatment," Shawn said
while he stood up, preparing right then to go out.
"There is no need to hurry—"
"Wendy doesn't have much time left, so if you said that there's a chance that we can extend her life, I don't think I can wait.
Thank you, Your Highness," Shawn said to Harper with a gentle smile.
After that, he jumped off the carriage, mounted his horse, and left the envoy team with his deputy general in a few heartbeats.
They headed for the south as fast as they could. Harper lifted the curtain and looked at the direction that they went to. With
gentle eyes, she watched Shawn's receding figure until she couldn't see him anymore. "Darling, it seems like Marquis Shawn is
getting more and more decisive," she said.
"He's always been decisive. You just didn't know it until now," Matthew said while he put down the curtain. What Shawn said was
true. There wasn't much time left for Wendy. If she could maintain a calm and peaceful state of mind, she could certainly live a
few more years. Unfortunately, it seemed like everybody in the Shen Clan had already given up on her. They even sent her to
the south to recuperate in hopes that she could live for a few more years in there.
"Why do I always feel like you know some secrets that you don't tell me? Do you want this Wendy to be a member of your
mansion?" Harper asked with a smile.
"Why not? After all, none of my personal guards are married yet. Speaking of which, when are you going to let Nina get married

to Barry? This boy has been eagerly waiting for so long. He's too shy to ask you about it. As the hostess of my mansion, you
can't ignore his wish," Matthew plainly said. There was a twinkle in Harper's eyes. "When we go back this time, I'm going to let
Nina marry him. Tell that man to prepare the betrothal presents first. If what he arranges doesn't satisfy me, I won't let Nina marry
him that easily." "Barry, did you hear what Lady Harper just said?" Matthew called out. "Your Highnesses, indeed, I've heard what

you said. Actually, I've already prepared the betrothal presents for Nina a long time ago. I had just been waiting for Your
Highnesses' approval." Barry's voice sounded quite calm. But Jack, who was sitting next to
him, could clearly see that his hands were shaking and the calm facade on his face was about to collapse at any moment. Barry
was just trying his best to keep a composed demeanor. Taking the bridle from Barry's hands, Jack said, "It's obvious that you feel
so happy, so why don't you laugh real loud? Why are you restraining yourself? We won't mock you." Barry smiled at that.
However, it was hard to tell if he was really smiling because the smile on his face was so faint. But Jack was well aware that
Barry was very happy. Many people knew that Barry had fallen in love with Nina, who was attentive and considerate. However,
since Matthew and Harper had never expressed their opinion about their relationship, the lovers had never openly shown their
affections to each other.
"Is Jack interested in anyone?" Harper asked all of a sudden. Upon hearing that, Jack instantly straightened his back and froze
on the spot. After a while, he giggled and said,
"Your Highness, I am not interested in any girl at the moment. Once I fall in love with someone, I'll tell you right away and marry
her as soon as possible. You can be sure that I won't be as indifferent as Barry who's like a piece of wood. If I act too late and
the girl I love is taken away by someone else, the only thing I can do is to regret," Jack dutifully exclaimed.
"You're so frivolous. You never take anything seriously. How can any girl like you? Girls will only think that you're too funny and
playful," Fred chimed in.

"Damn you, Fred! Are you making fun of me? Go to hell! You know what, I'm a very handsome man. A lot of girls will fight each
other just to marry me," Jack furiously cursed him, trying to defend himself. "Oh, really? Well, I haven't seen a girl show interest
in you. I only heard that Anabel once told Angelica to stay away from you in a very disgusted tone," Fred responded indifferently.
Jack was instantly annoyed at that. "No way! Angelica is actually infatuated with me. Nothing but some sweet words can win her
heart. She will fall so madly in love with me. Just you wait and she will become so determined to marry me once I say such

words to her."
When she heard those claims, Harper shot Matthew a dangerous glare and said, "Is it so easy to win the hearts of my maids?
How can they be fooled by a few sweet words?"
"I didn't say that. If it were so easy to win a girl's heart, I wouldn't have bothered to make a lot of effort in the first place," Matthew
firmly said right away, disassociating himself from the issue.
"When you reprimand a dog, you should take its owner into consideration. So when he tries to fool my maids, does he respect
me, their master?" Harper asked again. This time her voice was cold and deafening. Upon hearing that, Jack instantly sunk into
his seat, making himself as small as possible. His energy subsided as well.
"No, no, your humble servants were just fooling around. Please don't take it to heart, Your Highness. It was just a metaphor. I just
wanted to say that everybody will love me as soon as they see me," Jack hastily explained.
"I think everybody will want to hit you as soon as they see you. How dare you use a metaphor with my maids? Do you think it's
easy to push them around?" Harper said, refusing to let it go.
"No, no, that's not what I meant. Of course, it's not easy to push them around," Jack explained. He felt like weeping but no tears
came out of his eyes. Instead, he cast a glare on Fred, who in his opinion was to blame for their current predicament. Jack
thought that if it weren't for him, he would not have offended Harper. Everyone in Matthew's mansion knew that they would rather
offend Matthew than Harper. If they offended Matthew, they would be tortured to half death at the worst, but if they offended
Harper, they would wish that they were dead instead.
"Your Highness, it was all my fault. Please forgive me. I won't do it again," Jack apologized with so much conviction. He knew it
was useless to reason with Harper, because she had never been reasonable once she set her mind on something.