The next day, a palace maid fetching water let out a bloodcurdling scream, waking everyone.
Noble Lady Chen hurried over just in time to see the palace attendants haul Haitang's corpse out of the well.
Her body had swollen like a steamed bun left to rise, nearly twice its usual size.
Noble Lady Chen screamed in fright, then fled into her bedchamber and burst into sobs. "How could she have died? She was perfectly fine yesterday! Where's Yun Shen? Haitang was with him all day yesterday. He must know what happened!"
Zhou Yunshen was brought over, already dressed and carrying his things for the Imperial Academy himself. He stood just inside the doorway.
Before he could speak, Noble Lady Chen slapped him across the face.
"Why would Haitang die when she was perfectly fine? Tell me, did you do something? Did your cursed fate kill her?"
Zhou Yunshen gently rubbed his swollen cheek.
In a distant tone, he said, "My lady, I reviewed my lessons late into the night and only went to bed at midnight. Haitang woke during the night and left my room before I went to sleep. I know nothing of what happened afterward."
Just then, a eunuch came in to report, "Noble Lady, we found an injury on Haitang's head, with loose stones scattered nearby. She likely went to draw water before dawn, twisted her ankle, struck her head, and fell into the well. That must have been how it happened."
Noble Lady Chen, so overbearing a moment ago, now looked gentle and pitiable again. She weakly covered half her face and spoke in a soft murmur.
"Poor Haitang. She was always so diligent. Who would have thought that diligence would be the death of her?"
"Very well. Xiang'er, go ask Her Majesty the Empress whether