"Smack!"
"You wretched girl, this is all your doing!"
Old Madam Ning was so angry her eyes almost popped out. Summoning strength from who-knows-where, she rushed forward and slapped Ouyang Yue hard across the face. This time, Ouyang Yue didn't dodge, but as Old Madam Ning slapped her again, her hand was grabbed by Dongxue. Dongxue's hand slowly tightened, her face colder than ever before, her eyes fixed on Old Madam Ning with intense killing intent!
Old Madam Ning was startled and immediately retreated. But when she thought about how she had been scared away by Ouyang Yue's maid, she gritted her teeth in hatred: "You wretched child, you did something that harmed your aunt's siblings, and you still dared to let your maid not attack me? How dare you! You have really gone too far! Drag her away and beat her to death!" Old Madam Ning actually had the intention to kill her.
However, no one dared to make a move. Ouyang Zhide had not yet returned from court, and if Ouyang Yue were injured, no one could bear the responsibility!
Seeing this, Old Madam Ning became even angrier: "happy Mama, take some people and go! Today I'm going to kill this wretched child! To avenge my grandson!"
As Madam Xi listened, a strange glint flashed in her eyes. She quietly looked up and saw Ouyang Yue with a mocking expression, looking at Old Madam Ning as if she were a joke, without a trace of worry on her face. Even the red handprints left by Old Madam Ning's slaps seemed to carry a mocking tone.
"Fine, so you dare disobey my orders! If you won't hit me, then guards, bring out the torture instruments, I'll do it myself!" Old Madam Ning was furious, seemingly unyielding to any persuasion. Granny Xi lowered her head, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes. The old lady had become increasingly irritable lately, and the matter wasn't even fully investigated. Why was she acting so impulsively? She wasn't like this before…
It seems that the old lady gradually changed after Rui Yuhuan entered the mansion.
Madam Xi couldn't help but look up at Rui Yuhuan, who had already walked towards Old Madam Ning and softly advised, "Old Madam, please don't be angry. If you get sick from anger, Yuhuan will be heartbroken. Besides, Yuhuan thinks this matter is really strange. Everyone in the mansion used the Third Miss's prescription, so why did something happen when Aunt Hua used it today? Yuhuan thinks we should have the doctor check the soup first to see if there is a problem with the soup. Otherwise, if we wrong the Third Miss, it will be difficult to handle when the General returns."
Old Madam Ning stared coldly at Ouyang Yue, her expression towards Rui Yuhuan a mixture of helplessness and exasperation: "You're just too kind. You think too highly of this wretched child. Things have come to this point, and you're still pleading for her. Do you think everyone is as kind and considerate as you? You'll definitely suffer if you go out like this. Doctor, then you should check if there's anything wrong with that medicine." Finally, she glared coldly at Ouyang Yue for a moment.
A strange smile flashed across Rui Yuhuan's face. Kindness? Was she thinking of Ouyang Yue?
No! None of those!
She will have the doctor examine the herbal medicine, intending to solidify Ouyang Yue's guilt. Even if Ouyang Zhide returns to the manor, he will be powerless to stop or protect her. Since she is going to take action, she will naturally kill Ouyang Yue completely! If she is in a good mood, she might be merciful and let Ouyang Yue go, but only if Ouyang Yue obediently listens to her!
Otherwise, hmph! She will make Ouyang Yue suffer so much that she can't even cry out to heaven and earth in despair!
The matter concerning Aunt Hua was extremely urgent. After the soup was finished, it was left untouched on the table. At this moment, the doctor pretended to examine it and then exclaimed in shock, "Ah! This soup not only contains safflower, which can easily cause miscarriage in pregnant women, but also cinnabar, which can directly damage the fetus and cause miscarriage. How can such things be given to pregnant women? This is absurd! Absurd! This is utterly absurd!" The doctor was horrified, but had already condemned Ouyang Yue.
Ting'er glared angrily at Ouyang Yue: "Third Miss, how cruel you are! You know that Aunt Hua has no appetite lately, and only your soup can whet her appetite. How could you put such a vicious thing in the soup? It's simply outrageous!"
Ouyang Yue said calmly, "Safflower? Cinnabar? What nonsense are you talking about? Physician Liu himself said that my prescription is excellent. Not only will it not harm the fetus, but it is also a great tonic!"
Ting'er sneered, "Hmph! So what? It was a fake safflower before, why can't it be real this time! Do you remember yesterday when Aunt Hua's courtyard ran out of herbs, she even went to Mingyue Pavilion to borrow some? At the time, Aunt Hua didn't think much of it, trusting Third Miss so much, she didn't even check, and yet you did this! Do you deserve Aunt Hua's trust!" Ting'er stared at Ouyang Yue, her eyes extremely cold and unusually angry. Suddenly, she rushed out, reappearing with two maids, each carrying a package.
"Doctor, could you please check if there's anything wrong with these herbs? Aunt Hua only asked for two days' worth, and the rest is here."
The doctor stroked his beard, glanced at the various medicinal herbs neatly arranged, and immediately nodded: "Yes, this is safflower, there's no mistake. It's this very thing that caused the concubine in the manor to miscarry, this is the culprit!"
Ouyang Yue said in a cold voice, "Oh, last time when Physician Liu examined the medicine, he needed to smell it, look at it, test it, and then sample it. I saw that this doctor only glanced at it twice and was completely certain that it was safflower. Such eyesight and skill are truly admirable. But how come such a divine doctor is still living in an unknown and insignificant clinic in the capital? I have never seen this doctor before. Where does he work?"
The doctor blushed at Ouyang Yue's words and was about to speak when Tian Niu asked in confusion, "Madam, when I was looking for a doctor, I noticed something very strange. I went to several familiar clinics, and when the doctors there heard it was about the General's concubine, they either shook their heads and said they couldn't make a house call, or they said the resident doctor was already on duty. I went to great lengths to get this doctor. The concubine's life is so hard. If a doctor had been found in time when the accident happened, maybe the child could have been saved."
The doctor, as if waking from a dream, said, "That's right. If I had arrived earlier, the concubine's unborn child might have been saved. What a pity! What a pity!"
"Thump!" Just then, Xi Que, who was beside Ouyang Yue, suddenly collapsed to the ground, her face filled with fear and unease. She suddenly reached out and hugged Ouyang Yue's leg tightly, her voice trembling, "Miss, Miss, what do we do now?" As she spoke, she began to cry softly.
Ouyang Yue was held tightly by Xique, while Old Ning was already furious and rushed over to hit her. Dongxue stopped Old Ning, but this time she did not use any forceful way to stop her. Old Ning was already angry, but she raised her hand and slapped Dongxue hard.
Ouyang Yue's lips curled into an extremely cold smile as she looked down, only to see a hint of smugness flash across Xique's face. She reached out and tugged at her dress, finding Xique clinging tightly. An ordinary young lady from a wealthy family would have been rendered powerless by her, but Xique was different. Ouyang Yue yanked hard on her dress, "Rip!" But Xique wouldn't loosen her grip. Finally, Ouyang Yue could only give up, pulling away half of the hem. Then, she raised her head and kicked Xique hard in the chest: "You lowly servant, what nonsense are you spouting? How dare you, an inferior, hug me, the legitimate young lady! You're utterly audacious! Drag her away and beat her!"
Old Madam Ning was so angry she was practically spitting fire: "You're the one who's incredibly audacious! Even at this point, you still want to kill someone to cover your tracks? It's utterly despicable! I've always been a vegetarian and a Buddhist, how could I have given birth to such a wicked creature deserving divine retribution! Guards, drag this vile woman who harmed her own brother away and beat her to death!"
Old Madam Ning had never felt any affection for Ouyang Yue. In fact, because Ouyang Yue was Ning's child and her tarnished reputation greatly affected the General's Mansion, Old Madam Ning had long disliked her. While she had always disliked Ouyang Yue, she hadn't harbored murderous intent. However, the thought of this wretched woman daring to poison her under her nose, harming her unborn grandson, ignited a burning rage within her! She even suspected that the mansion's long-standing shortage of men might be Ouyang Yue's doing, but she hadn't paid attention before. This time, her focus on Concubine Hua had prevented Ouyang Yue from acting, leaving her desperate and exposed!
Absolutely despicable!
"Tell me, why are you in such a panic? What heinous thing has your young lady made you do?"
Xique was terrified. The kick from Ouyang Yue had left her blood churning, and she nearly fainted. But she clenched her fists tightly, forcing herself to remain calm and clear-headed. She knew that once today was over, and once her mistress was convicted, she would enjoy endless wealth and luxury! Although her mistress had promoted her to first-class maid at Mingyue Pavilion, what was she thinking? She should have been a first-class maid before Qiuyue and Dongxue. It was clear that in her mistress's mind, she was inferior to those prostitutes from brothels, which she found incredibly infuriating!
Moreover, Aunt Ming is right. Given her family's status as a birth mother, and the fact that she has rendered them service this time, her future is limitless. Miss Rui is so favored by the Old Madam now; with a little effort, she could easily become a first-class maid in the Green Willow Courtyard. Miss Rui will eventually marry, and given her status, she'll need to work hard to establish herself in the capital. At that time, this servant, long accustomed to the inner quarters, will surely become Miss Rui's right-hand woman. And with her beauty, why worry that Miss Rui's husband won't take her into his household? Then she won't be a servant whom everyone can bully; she'll be someone of high status!
Compared to the meager kindness Ouyang Yue had shown, this was the life Xique truly desired! What did it matter if the Third Miss died for her own future? Born into such a family, she was destined to be harmed. The Third Miss was so foolish; her death was only a matter of time. Perhaps the Third Miss would even thank her, for it was she who allowed her to live a happy life free from strife sooner!
Xi Que shook her head, but Old Madam Ning waved her hand, and immediately someone grabbed her and slapped Xi Que hard across the face. Xi Que's face was swollen and red, and blood seeped from the corner of her mouth. She could only cry out in pain, "I'll talk, I'll talk! It was the Third Miss! The Third Miss told me to do it! I'm innocent! It was all the Third Miss's orders!"
"What did Ouyang Yue instruct you to do? Tell me quickly!" In fact, everyone knew what Xi Que was saying. Old Madam Ning would continue to ask so that Ouyang Yue would die convinced of her guilt and that her son would see that Ouyang Yue's death was her own fault and had nothing to do with her!
“Miss…Miss…Two days ago, Ting’er from Liucui Courtyard came to collect the medicine for Aunt Hua. Miss doesn’t usually care much about things in the courtyard, but that day she suddenly gave me a package, saying it was herbs for Aunt Hua’s medicine. I didn’t have it at the time, so I gave it to Ting’er. I didn’t know this would happen! I’m innocent!” Xi Que trembled with fear, her eyes filled with panic as she looked at Ouyang Yue, but then she suddenly pointed at Li Cui’er, “It was Li Cui’er who gave me that package that day. She knows about medicine. After Miss recruited her into the courtyard and witnessed her abilities, she was put in charge of all illnesses and medicine-related matters in Mingyue Pavilion. She brought the medicine; ask her!”
"you say!"
Li Cuier knelt on the ground with a "plop," but gritted her teeth and said nothing! However, with Xi Que's testimonies and the doctor's confirmation that the medicine contained safflower and cinnabar, which would definitely cause miscarriage, coupled with the accusations from Ting'er and Tian Niu of Liu Cui Courtyard, all pointing to Ouyang Yue, it was impossible for Li Cuier to deny it!
Just when everyone thought Li Cuier would grit her teeth and remain silent, she suddenly spoke up, pointing at Aunt Liu: "No, this matter has nothing to do with Miss. It was Aunt Liu who wanted to cause Aunt Hua's miscarriage. She is the only concubine in the mansion who has given birth to a child. Although the young master is young and sickly, if no new young master is ever born in this mansion, he will forever be the heir of the General's Mansion. She will never allow a second grandson to appear. This matter was instigated by Aunt Liu and has nothing to do with Miss!"
"What!" Old Madam Ning was stunned. She even looked at Concubine Liu with some suspicion, because Concubine Liu was a person who never fought for power in the mansion. No one expected that she was involved in this matter! Doesn't this prove the saying, "A dog that bites doesn't bark"?
Rui Yuhuan frowned and interjected, "Li Cuier, it's only natural for you to defend your young lady, but you can't implicate the innocent. How could Aunt Liu be involved in this? Could she possibly have bribed the servants of Mingyue Pavilion? Xique admitted it herself."
Li Cuier gritted her teeth and said stiffly, "That's because she threatened Miss and forced Miss to do it!"
Ouyang Rou couldn't stand it anymore and sneered, "You lowly servant, do you think you can clear your mistress's name with such a flawed explanation? You're wrong! Third Sister murdered her family and harmed her siblings. The evidence is conclusive, and no one can exonerate her! Stop spouting such laughable lies!"
Aunt Ming said quietly, "If Cui'er can say such a thing, it probably isn't unfounded. Could it be that Aunt Liu and the Third Miss were secretly plotting together?"
Li Cuier was utterly shocked, as if she had never imagined that Aunt Ming could point out such a confidential matter. Her face was pale, but she kept shaking her head and saying, "No, no, Aunt Liu forced me to do this. Miss had no choice. It's true! Miss is so innocent. Miss is innocent. I beg you, Madam, please let Miss go. Miss really didn't mean it!"
Li Cuier's words perfectly demonstrated her loyal servant's demeanor, but unfortunately, her words were baseless and no one believed her. Instead, they reinforced the belief that Aunt Liu and Ouyang Yue were secretly conspiring to harm Aunt Hua. Upon reflection, everyone realized that both of them indeed had ample reason. Ouyang Zhide had spent most of his time with Aunt Hua since his return; otherwise, she wouldn't have become pregnant. Although Ouyang Zhide still doted on Ouyang Yue, Aunt Hua's pregnancy had distracted him. The Third Miss, always arrogant and flamboyant, was naturally prone to jealousy.
Just as Li Cuier said, Aunt Liu gave birth to Ouyang Tong and, without vying for power in the household, held the most detached position; no one could find any fault with her. But could the women of the inner quarters be without desires? Absolutely not! She was merely waiting for an opportunity. Her conspiracy with Ouyang Yue to cause Aunt Hua's miscarriage was the best way to ensure her own invincibility! This tactic was indeed ruthless. Who would have thought that Aunt Liu, usually so quiet and never fighting, was actually the most cunning and scheming one? It was truly chilling!
"You! You! How dare you! How dare you commit such a heinous act! You have no respect for your matriarch! Having unfilial descendants like you is a disgrace to the General's Mansion! Die! Die! Drag you all away and beat you to death! Leave no breath behind! Drag you away! Anyone who dares to disobey me this time will be an accomplice, guilty of the same crime! I will throw you all into the Prefectural Governor's Office, and the General's Mansion will not be involved in any of the consequences!"
The servants, who had been hesitant, trembled with fear upon hearing Old Madam Ning's words. What kind of place was the Jingzhao Prefectural Government? They'd heard that a trip there was a death sentence, if not death. If they dared to disobey, the old lady would surely abandon them, and they would suffer an undeserved calamity, dying in vain!
The Third Miss made a mistake, what does it have to do with them? To risk losing her life just to avoid the Master's wrath, isn't that too unjust!
Thinking this, several fierce-looking men rushed over and tried to pull Ouyang Yue and Aunt Liu away. Aunt Liu's face, which had remained extremely calm throughout, changed slightly as she turned to look at Ouyang Yue. She saw the latter standing gracefully, her yellow coat billowing in the breeze from the approaching men. Her expression was remarkably composed, as if everything was under her control. Aunt Liu's heart tightened, then suddenly calmed down. Did the Third Miss have some other trick up her sleeve? It seemed hopeless now. She had been trying to find a way to save them, but she had discovered that this insidious scheme was intricately planned and she had no way to break through it!
First, the herbal soup in Aunt Hua's courtyard ran out. Then, she went to Ouyang Yue's place early to fetch some medicine for later use. Lately, she had been lacking appetite and didn't want to eat anything except this herbal soup, which she craved to avoid any potential problems from consuming it with other things. Today, as soon as Aunt Hua finished taking it, she immediately suffered a hemorrhage and miscarriage. Her maids went out to fetch a doctor, but to no avail. The doctor arrived very late, and even if they had been able to save Aunt Hua's child, it was already beyond saving.
At this point, the two maids, Xique and Li Cuier, couldn't withstand the interrogation and confessed one by one. Even Ouyang Yue's personal maid testified that Ouyang Yue was at risk of miscarriage. Every single incident seemed to be deeply connected to Mingyue Pavilion. Furthermore, the safflower and wild dried flowers were very similar; only a doctor with exceptional medical skills could easily distinguish them. Even she began to suspect that if Ouyang Yue had staged a performance to dispel everyone's suspicions, then sending the real safflower that was supposed to harm Ouyang Yue's unborn child at this time would very likely succeed!
At this point, no matter what Ouyang Yue said, no one would believe her. What other tricks did the Third Miss have up her sleeve? She simply couldn't imagine!
"Madam, Imperial Physician Liu from the Imperial Hospital outside the mansion requests an audience!" Cheng Yi, a maid from Anhe Hall, announced.
Old Madam Ning's furious expression faltered: "Who?"
Cheng Yi whispered again, "Replying to the old lady, it is Physician Liu, the chief physician of the Imperial Hospital. He was invited to the mansion by the master a few days ago."
Old Madam Ning asked in confusion, "What is he doing here? Please come in!"
Now that such a thing has happened in the manor, Old Madam Ning does not want any more trouble. However, judging from the last time, Physician Liu is also a stubborn person. Last time, it was Ouyang Zhide who sent an invitation to invite him. Now that he has taken the initiative to come to the door, she has no reason not to invite him in.
Rui Yuhuan's brow twitched, and she couldn't help but look at Ouyang Yue, only to see that the latter's expression was flat. Even with the arrival of Physician Liu, she didn't seem surprised. Could it be...? Rui Yuhuan couldn't help but have a bad feeling. Could there be something wrong here? She looked at Aunt Ming with questioning eyes.
A hint of doubt flashed in Aunt Ming's eyes as she looked at Xi Que and Li Cui'er, who were kneeling on the ground. The two of them were also puzzled, but they nodded subtly, indicating that they had indeed taken action.
It turns out that even before the medicine-delivery incident, Aunt Ming had secretly sought out Xi Que. At that time, Ouyang Yue had no intention of promoting any of the servants from Mingyue Pavilion, and the position of a first-class maid remained vacant, which made Xi Que extremely irritable and resentful. Aunt Ming took the initiative to extend an olive branch, and Xi Que was naturally swayed and bribed by her.
As for Li Cuier and Tian Niu, they were both found by Consort Ming through her maternal family, the Minister of Revenue's residence. They had planned to make Ouyang Yue completely believe in one of them. In truth, Ouyang Yue's choice at that time would have been the same; neither of them would have escaped this calamity today. Tian Niu's late return was intentional. Since she had some knowledge of pharmacology, she could calculate when Consort Hua would be beyond saving. Even if the medicine hadn't reached its peak effect and she couldn't save Consort Hua's child, her actions would certainly eliminate any possibility of Consort Hua saving her unborn child.
This doctor was also bribed by Aunt Ming beforehand. She used five hundred taels to buy the doctor's medical ethics, and she obviously succeeded!
"Drag those two down and beat them. Mama Xi, help me back to Anhe Hall first. I'll meet Physician Liu there." Although Physician Liu was just a physician, he was still a third-rank official. It would be too disrespectful to receive him in Aunt Hua's courtyard.
No sooner had Old Madam Ning finished speaking than Physician Liu and Cheng Yi stepped into the gate of Liu Cui Courtyard. Old Madam Ning was startled: "Physician Liu, why are you here? Isn't this too disrespectful? I will invite you to Anhe Hall right away."
Physician Liu waved his hand: "No need. I originally came to see General Ouyang on business, but upon entering the mansion, I heard that the concubine had suffered a miscarriage. As a doctor, I feel like I can help Concubine Hua."
Old Madam Ning looked rather unwell. There was no hope for Concubine Hua now, and her grandson was gone forever: "This, how can we trouble Physician Liu? She's just a lowly concubine in this household."
According to general rules, someone of Aunt Hua's status was certainly not qualified to be treated by Physician Liu. Physician Liu had been practicing medicine for many years and, although he had a heart to help others, he mostly served the palace and rarely treated officials of the third rank or below.
Physician Liu said gently, "It's alright. Since such a matter has occurred in the manor today, I certainly cannot turn a blind eye. Please lead the way, Madam."
Having come this far, Old Madam Ning naturally couldn't refuse any longer, otherwise people would suspect that she didn't want to save Aunt Hua, so she made excuses: "Please come this way, Physician Liu."
Upon entering Concubine Hua's room, the pungent smell of blood made Physician Liu frown. He noticed the leftover soup and medicinal herbs on the table, his eyes flickering as if he glanced at someone through the crowd before heading directly into the inner room. Concubine Hua was already semi-conscious from pain and excessive bleeding. A servant pulled down the bed curtains and covered her with a handkerchief before Physician Liu took her pulse. After a while, he sighed, "The concubine in this household suffered a miscarriage due to bleeding; the fetus cannot be saved. However, with proper rest, conceiving again in the future shouldn't be difficult."
Old Madam Ning already knew this was the situation, but hearing it again now, her anger rose once more. She gritted her teeth and glared fiercely at Ouyang Yue, almost losing her mind in her rage: "What a wicked child! How could the General's Mansion have given birth to such a vicious eldest daughter? You are a disgrace to the General's Mansion! Drag her away and beat her!"
Physician Liu was taken aback. When he entered the mansion that day, he could see that the general seemed to dote on this third young lady. Yet the old lady had dragged her away and beaten her without any regard for the consequences. When he looked at the soup on the table again, he immediately realized: "Isn't this the soup with medicinal herbs that the mansion asked me to test last time?"
Old Madam Ning's face turned ashen: "That's right! It was this medicine that caused Aunt Hua's miscarriage."
Physician Liu went over and examined the herbs again, but shook his head and said, "Madam, there is nothing wrong with this soup and the dried herbs. There is nothing harmful to pregnant women in it. It is exactly the same as what I found last time. This soup and herbs are very good for the concubines in the mansion and will not cause them to miscarry."
"What! Physician Liu, you're absolutely right!" Old Madam Ning exclaimed in surprise, then immediately realized her words were inappropriate. She quickly pointed at the doctor who had shrunk to the side as soon as Physician Liu arrived and said, "But this doctor just insisted that the medicine contained safflower and cinnabar, which were the culprits that caused Aunt Hua's miscarriage!"
Physician Liu stared coldly at the doctor, his eyes extremely sharp. Physician Liu considered himself quite skilled in medicine and was not the kind of person who would be both rich and benevolent. He knew the principle that a doctor could save lives but also harm them, and he despised doctors who were wicked. He coldly looked at the doctor, who was too frightened to look up, and said, "Doctor, may I ask where you studied and which pharmacy in the capital you currently work for?"
The doctor hesitated, seemingly unwilling to say more, but Physician Liu shouted, "Speak!"
The doctor was startled: "I...I am a patient at Li Hetang's clinic on Juwu Street in the city."
Physician Liu frowned, his expression suddenly changing: "Li Hetang, aren't you the same quack doctor who ruined people's lives by selling those so-called immortal pills, leaving them with terrible illnesses? You were only fined and that was the end of it. And you still dare to come out and harm people! You say that the soup contains safflower, but what proof do you have? Do you know that there is a dried flower in the border region that looks and smells similar to it, but is fundamentally different? How dare you make such a false claim? You are simply unrepentant!"
Doctor Li was so frightened that he wiped away his sweat and stammered, "I...I was blind and misjudged. Please don't blame me, Physician Liu."
"I think Doctor Li isn't just blind, he simply wasn't paying attention! Even a highly respected imperial physician like Doctor Liu needs to smell, look, examine, and taste the medicine before examining it. This Doctor Li, on the other hand, seems to be a miracle worker, recognizing something at a glance. I used to think his medical skills were truly that high, even surpassing Doctor Liu's, but it turns out he's just a quack doctor spouting nonsense! Guards! Throw this quack out of here and take her to the Jingzhao Prefecture. I'll make him pay a heavy price for his rubbish!" Ouyang Yue shouted coldly. The other servants dared not move, still somewhat bewildered. Just moments ago, it was the Third Miss who was trying to harm someone and was about to be beaten to death, how could things have changed so drastically in the blink of an eye? It was utterly unbelievable!
Doctor Li, terrified, cried out, "No! I was forced into this! It was she, this maid, who gave me five hundred taels of silver and made me come into the mansion to say this. It has nothing to do with me!" Doctor Li grabbed Tian Niu, and everyone was shocked, but some couldn't understand what had happened.
"Tian Niu, you...you actually harmed me!" The commotion in the room had miraculously jolted Aunt Hua awake. "Tell me, cough cough, who ordered you to do this? I've treated you well, and you still harm me, cough cough!"
Tian Niu shook her head: "No, I didn't do it. I am loyal to my aunt and have never betrayed her. It's just that this doctor's medical skills are incompetent. He only dragged me into this mess to get himself out of trouble. I'm innocent!"
"Bah! I still have that five hundred taels of silver you gave me. I thought you were strange back then. Why did you give me so much silver when I was just coming to the General's Mansion to identify a medicinal herb? I asked you then, but you wouldn't tell me. Turns out you were plotting against me. You're such a young maid, yet your heart is so vicious. What will become of you in the future? You'll die a horrible death!" To exonerate himself, Doctor Li blurted out everything, whether it was true or not. "Look, this silver ingot is one of the five hundred taels you gave me. I thought I'd keep it to have a drink at the tavern after I finish my business. This is the evidence." Doctor Li threw the silver on the ground. If he hadn't been so inaccurate, it would have hit Tian Niu directly!
The atmosphere in the room became tense. No one expected that what was originally a conspiracy between the Third Miss and Aunt Liu to harm Aunt Hua would suddenly turn into an internal strife within Aunt Hua's courtyard.
Ouyang Yue gave a cold laugh: "Doctor Liu, since the soup and medicine are fine, why did Aunt Hua suddenly bleed and miscarry?"
Physician Liu frowned: "Ever since I entered the room, I've smelled a strange fragrance. I wonder if Aunt Hua is carrying something with a special scent?"
Ting'er knelt on the ground, stunned for a moment, then suddenly stood up and took a sachet from Aunt Hua's body: "Doctor Liu, is this the sachet you're talking about?"
Physician Liu examined the sachet carefully, his face darkening. "This sachet is made from a mixture of various herbs, which has damaged the original fragrance of each herb, creating a different scent. However..." Physician Liu opened the sachet, poured out some crumbs, examined it again carefully, and his face turned cold. "Indeed, it's correct! This sachet contains a large amount of musk, which is pungent, warm, and irritating. Although this herb is a top-grade fragrance, it can harm a pregnant woman's qi and blood circulation. This is the real culprit that caused the concubine in the manor to miscarry!"
Ting'er's face turned pale: "This...this is a sachet that Aunt Ming just sent a few days ago!"
Aunt Hua was filled with hatred, her eyes blazing with fury: "Ming Nixiang, you vile woman, how dare you harm me like this!"
Aunt Ming's face changed drastically, turning unusually pale, and a look of panic flashed in her eyes!
☆、077, the trash fought each other, and now they're both useless!
Aunt Ming was worried, but she quickly concealed her emotions. She gritted her teeth, knowing she couldn't panic at this moment. However, her fists clenched tightly, trembling with fear, and sweat beaded on her forehead. She took a deep breath and said, "Ting'er, don't talk nonsense! What does Aunt Hua's miscarriage have to do with this purse!"