Chapter 21: Are You Satisfied If I Taste the Poison in Person?

As soon she finished the words, Shen Ninghua raised the cup and drank the wine!

“You… you’re committing suicide…” Doctor Qi exclaimed.

Shen Ninghua wiped her lips and said in a sad voice, “My self-brewed poisonless wine is framed to be poisonous. My filial piety is trampled on the ground. If I can’t prove my innocence, I’d rather be poisoned to death.”

Madam Su stepped forward and pulled Shen Ninghua. With an angry face, she asked, “Doctor Qi, now you watch carefully. Is there poison in the wine?”

Doctor Qi was dumbfounded for a while. Shen Ninghua drank the wine and didn’t die. Was there a better proof that the wine was not poisoned?

Madam Su then said to Shen Ninghua, “You silly girl, I know you want to prove that the wine is not poisonous, but you don’t have to drink it yourself.

Aren’t there any servants in Shen family? Why would the first daughter be forced to test the poison to prove her innocence? You poor ill-fated girl, your mother passed away so early. I’m your aunt and I can’t see you wronged. Let me also try this wine.”

After saying this, Madam Su took a cup of wine and was about to drink it.

Madam Zhao hurriedly pulled her and snatched the cup. “Sister, no. We can let servants try it. Why should you do this?”

If madam Su drank the wine, not only the Su family would come and knock down the door of the Mansion of Marquis Hua Yang, even others would point at her behind her back. In addition, she would not allow her reputation to be damaged and be portrayed as a stepmother who couldn’t stand the former wife’s child. “Ninghua, you stubborn girl, how can we distrust you?”

Shen Ninghua shook her head, with helplessness in her eyes, like she had no other way out. “If this can prove my innocence, I’m willing to drink a few more cups.”

Madam Su’s heart ached. She held Shen Ninghua’s hands, looked at Shen Dong and Madam Zhao and said. “Brother and sister-in-law, Ninghua just proved the wine wasn’t poisonous. However, the maid who drank it died a violent death. Something odd was definitely going on. Besides, there was the incident of Nurse Zhou, who was pushed into the pond. It’s clear that someone wanted to disturb the peace of Shen family. We can’t just let it go. Everything must be thoroughly investigated.”

Shen Dong’s face was extremely gloomy. Everything was just like a joke. He coldly glanced at Madam Zhao. He couldn’t help linking her with these odd incidents today. After so many years of comfortable life, had she forgotten how to manage the backyard?

Seeing the expression on Shen Dong’s face, Madam Zhao’s heart shivered and she said in a soft voice, “Master, it’s really strange. We had better do a good investigation before making a conclusion.”

“Sister-in-law, you want to investigate? That’s easy then. Bring up Xue Zhu, Wan Xiang, Liang Yu and the other servants. Today, let’s see who was it that dared to bully the daughters of the Shen family recklessly.” Madam Su raised her eyebrows and then gave orders.

“Sister-in-law, the Fifth Prince and young master Chu are still here. Don’t bother them with our family businesses. I will send someone to take these maids away and interrogate them, and I will definitely do justice to Ninghua and Linghan.”

Madam Su chuckled. “Sister-in-law, there’s nothing to hide. We are just sticking up for the young ladies in the family. It’s better to have the Fifth Prince and Master Chu as our witnesses, so that outsiders won’t say that our Shen family has no rules.”

At this point, servants had already brought up Xue Zhu, Wan Xiang and the other servants involved.

Madam Zhao’s face was livid. Was the bitch Madam Su determined to find out the truth? She turned around to Shen Dong and her eyes were full of awkwardness and begging.

“Master, this…”

Shen Dong’s face was no less livid than hers, but he had to defend Madam Zhao. “Your Highness and Master Chu, today’s events are really embarrassing. Shall I…”

Chu Junyi swayed his fan and said indignantly, “The first miss just came back home and something like this happened to her. Those who don’t know what has happened may think she caused all the trouble. Since we are here today, we can be witnesses.”

The Fifth Prince nodded and looked at Shen Ninghua who was standing straight beside him. He paused for quite a while, and then he turned to Shen Linghan whose face was as pale as paper. “Junyi is right. Master Shen, you’d better investigate the matter thoroughly. I’m also wondering who could cause such a big trouble in the Shen family.”

Shen Dong gnawed his teeth and nodded. He looked to the three servants kneeling on the ground, longing to tear them to pieces with his stare. “You slaves, what have you colluded to do? Now confess!”

Hearing this, Shen Ninghua almost took on an ironic smile. So this was Shen Dong, her good father. He had even learned the same trick that was used by Madam Zhao and passed the buck to the servants! As servants of the Shen family, how dared they conspire to murder the misses in the family without the master’s instruction? Were they tired of living?

Wan Xiang and other servants knelt on the ground trembling. When they heard Shen Dong’s question, they were completely dumbfounded. Xue Zhu was not as scared as the others. After all, she was the old lady’s maid, and she was only ordered to send a message. Even if she was convicted, the punishment wouldn’t be too severe. The cases with Wan Xiang and Liang Yu were different. If they gave the wrong answer, they would die.

“In reply to the master, I really don’t know anything. It’s Wan Xiang! She called out my mother, and then my mother never returned. Now I don’t know whether she’s alive or dead. I just came to inquire about my mother, out of filial piety.” Liang Yu prostrated on the ground and wept inconsolably. His expression was extremely sad.

Shen Dong pounded on the table. “Be quiet!”

Liang Yu suddenly stopped talking. He shuddered, kneeling on the ground.

“Wan Xiang, is what Liang Yu said true? Why did you call Nurse Zhou out?”

Shen Dong asked.

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Wan Xiang knelt on the ground with a pale face. She couldn’t help looking at Madam Zhao and she was shocked by Madam Zhao’s killing intent in the eyes. She trembled and said. “I called Nurse Zhou out because… because…”

Shen Dong said angrily, “Because of what? Confess quickly!”

“Because… because the first miss ordered me. She was narrow-minded. She said that she wanted to retaliate Nurse Zhou for using her mother’s dowry. She said that she would only teach Nurse Zhou a lesson so I went to fetch Nurse Zhou.” At this point, she could only try to protect her family as much as possible. She hoped the first lady would spare her family since she didn’t give the first lady away.

Madam Zhao’s clenched fists slightly loosened, and her lips relaxed a little.

There was a quick change in Shen Dong’s expression. He pressed his lips together and remained silent.

Madam Su was about to say something, but Shen Ninghua gently held her arm. She looked at Shen Ninghua in surprise.

With a bitter smile on her face, Shen Ninghua said softly, “Auntie, all of these have occurred because of me. Let me ask the maid.”

Her voice was not loud and her tone was very gentle. But Madam Su’s anger subsided miraculously at her sound and she nodded slightly.

Shen Ninghua went to Wan Xiang. She looked at her in the eyes and said calmly, “Wan Xiang, although you haven’t served me for a long time, I don’t think I’ve ever mistreated you. I don’t know why you hate me so much as to slander me.”

“I… I didn’t…”

Shen Ninghua sneered. “You didn’t? Did you forget that Nurse Zhou was not the only one who used my mother’s dowry without permission? You were also wearing my mother’s hairpin. If I wanted to seek revenge, isn’t it more convenient to start from you? After all, you are my servant girl. Even if I beat you to death, I only need to buy another maid. Even Nurse Zhou was driven out of the family because of her mistake. Why should I take so much trouble and come up with such a complicated plan to avenge you?”

“Well…”

“Besides, have you forgotten something? Nurse Zhou didn’t die, and she fell in the pond when we were going to search the yard. It hadn’t been long since I was back home, so I took only four maids with me. At that time, they were all staying with me! I am wondering how a person got into the pond without any reason? Was someone helping me secretly and controlling everything?”

Shen Ninghua’s voice was clear, and her words sounded as clear as pearls and jade that fell to the ground, making people unconsciously follow her lead.

Even Shen Dong couldn’t help but look at Madam Zhao. She was the only one who could control everything in the backyard. Did she design all these?

Wan Xiang was speechless and didn’t know how to argue.

Shen Ninghua’s eyes were as tranquil as the night and she looked at Wan Xiang silently. “Wan Xiang, people only live once. If you die, you will never live up again. What is better than being alive? Now tell me, who asked you to fetch Nurse Zhou?”

Wan Xiang shivered abruptly. She felt Shen Ninghua’s eyes were as cold as chilly ice and was paralyzed on the ground like mud… She unconsciously turned to look at the first lady. “It’s…it’s…”

Nurse Qin strode forward, slapped her in the face and said angrily, “You still refuse to tell the truth when you are dying. Do you want your whole family to be punished before you tell the truth?” Her implication was clear: even if you died, you still had family members. So say nothing if you didn’t want your family to die with you!

Wan Xiang was slapped to the ground. Nurse Qin turned to Shen Ninghua and said, “Miss, this girl is very dishonest. I’m afraid she won’t talk if you simply ask her questions. We’d better give her some punishment.”

Shen Ninghua withdrew her sight. Her eyes were filled with coldness. “Thank you very much for your help, Nurse Qin.”

“You are welcome, miss.” Nurse Qin bowed respectfully.

Madam Su couldn’t help but sneer. “Nurse Qin, wasn’t your action too fast? Look at that girl. You’ve beaten her so hard that she was dumbfounded. Now she can’t talk even if she wants to. Sister-in-law, your servant really knows to seize the opportunity!” Her implication was clear: did you really think that other people were stupid when you acted so blatantly?

Madam Zhao smiled stiffly and scolded Nurse Qin. “Nurse Qin, how dared you act without my order!”

Nurse Qin heard this, knelt down and kowtowed to Shen Dong and Madam Zhao. “Under the circumstances, I have to confess. It’s all my fault. Master and madam, please punish me.”

Madam Zhao was in a panic. Nurse Qin came from her maiden family and was the closest person to her. Nurse Qin had come all the way to protect her and she viewed Nurse Qin as a relative. But in order to protect herself, she had to ask.

“What did you conceal? Confess quickly!”

“Yes,” Nurse Qin said in a deep voice, “I accidentally found that Wan Xiang had an affair with Liang Yu. In order to hide this scandal, I hurriedly told Nurse Zhou about it. Nurse Zhou was very sensible. She resolutely ordered Liang Yu to break up with Wan Xiang. The maid, however, wouldn’t accept it and threatened with suicide. However, we didn’t let her have her way. Nevertheless, we didn’t expect the girl to be so ruthless and took revenge in this way. Wan Xiang, do you still refuse to confess?”

Wan Xiang slowly scrambled up. Her pale face was full of tears, and her eyes were filled with deadly stillness. “…Yes, it’s my idea. I had some evil intentions. I did these things in order to revenge Nurse Zhou and Nurse Qin…” Then she fell to the ground. She couldn’t let her family be implicated.

Qing Que’s expression changed quickly. She held up Wan Xiang and checked.

“She’s dead.”

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