Forensic Imperial Concubine novel Chapter 581

The door of the side hall was closed slowly. The empress released Harper's hand and sat down at the head of the table while a maid served them hot tea. "Harper, I'm sorry to trouble you by bringing you here."

"Your Majesty, it's all right." Harper had the teacup in her hand. She sniffed at it, and there was an odd smell. With a gleam in her eyes, she took a slow sip, and said, "It's my honor to talk with you."

"It's said that you are an intelligent lady. You are indeed very understanding," the empress said with a smile. "Matthew dotes on you. Even in his mansion, you are the one in command. Every lady in the imperial capital admires you."

"Yeah, that's true," Harper said nonchalantly. Then she suddenly rubbed her temples, feeling some discomfort in her head.

The empress kept her eyes fixed on Harper, with an evil gleam in them. Harper looked up at the empress, and felt dizzy. Then she passed into unconsciousness.

Nancy stepped forward to check Harper's condition, and found that she had passed out. She nodded at the empress. "Call her over and get them changed."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

A woman emerged from an inner room. She was like a mirror image of Harper, identical to her in both face and figure. Nancy quickly removed Harper's ceremonial outfit and put it on the woman. Then she clothed Harper with the maid-in-waiting's clothes. After they left the side hall, she told another servant to take Harper away.

After the woman put on Harper's ceremonial outfit, she bowed to the empress and said, "Your Majesty."

Her words and gestures were exactly the same as Harper's. The empress nodded with satisfaction and extended her hand to the woman. "Harper, the banquet is to begin. Let's go to the front hall."

"Yes, Your Majesty." The woman came forward to accompany the empress, smiling decently just as Harper did. Every step she took was proper and all of her words were spoken softly. Even the empress could detect no difference from the real Harper whatsoever, as if she were not an imposter.

The moment the door opened, Forsythia hurried up to the false Harper. "Your Highness."

She nodded at Forsythia. "Let's go to the front hall."

Forsythia followed her lady directly behind, leaving Fred in the rear. He was standing there with his head bowed. The false Harper passed him and glanced coldly at him, but without saying a word.

Fred's shadow slowly faded to the end of the group and then disappeared in the darkness behind. A moment later, he reappeared with the rest of them, following those in the front, heading to the front hall.

After everyone left, two maids propped up someone dressed like a maid-in-waiting, and came out of the room. "Good grief! Why did you have a relapse on a day like this? Aren't you making trouble for others? Let's hurry up and send her back."

The two maids carried the unconscious maid-in-waiting briskly along, having the bearing of martial arts masters. Instead of going to the place where the maids lived, they took her to the Cold Palace. As they went further and further, there was no other person along the way, except for the three of them.

Suddenly there was a quick movement, and one of the maids tumbled and fell to the ground. The other was taken off guard and let go of her hand, but hit back at the newcomer with a backhander. But her attack was warded off and she was struck. Then she felt a sharp pain in her chest, where a dagger pierced her chest.

Before she died, the maid was shocked to see the owner of the hand holding the dagger. When did Harper wake up?!

Harper took the dagger out of the dead maid on the ground. Then she smiled at the newcomer. "It turned out the empress wanted to play a game with an imposter of me. But I don't know exactly who is waiting for me at the Cold Palace."

"Your Highness, let me have a check," Fred offered.

"Thanks, please do." Harper looked at the first maid lying on the ground and quickly had an idea.

Before long, Fred came back, his face livid with murderous anger.

While Fred was away, Harper cleared away the dead maid's body by putting some corrosive substances on it, and disguised the other one who was in a coma as her.

"I imagine there is some sort of big shot waiting for me in the Cold Palace," Harper commented with great curiosity. 'This is turning out to be quite an interesting banquet.'

Fred gnashed his teeth wrathfully, and after a long pause, he squeezed two words from his teeth. "His Majesty."