"What's wrong?" Leng Ruolan looked at her flustered appearance and thought to herself, "Could it be that things have been exposed?"
"The Fourth Princess and the Fourth Prince interrogated the murderers who poisoned Consort Jin, and you were eventually implicated by Xiao Xing and an unfamiliar servant!"
"What?" Leng Ruolan's eyes narrowed. "No, Xiao Xing, Xiao Xing is Consort Jin's woman! Bitch, bitch!" She suddenly realized, "Granny Xue, I've fallen for her trap! I've fallen for Consort Jin's conspiracy!" She looked at the nanny, her anger rising. "Granny Xue, what, what should I do?"
"In my opinion, Your Highness, it would be better if you just kept crying. When the Prince summons you, you should keep crying until your heart is breaking! Don't answer his questions, just keep crying! Everyone will surely feel sorry for your suffering, and the Prince won't make things difficult for you because you are pregnant!"
"Is it true?" Leng Ruolan asked as if she had grasped at a straw. "But, but crying too much is bad for the child!"
"Your Highness, how can you worry about all that? Consort Jin's intention is to use this opportunity to suppress you! You must insist that you don't know any of those people! You absolutely cannot admit that you did it!" Granny Xue looked outside. "Even if the Prince will neglect you this time, you will have saved your life and your child. After you give birth, you won't have to worry about the Prince's heart not returning!"
"You're right!" Leng Ruolan nodded in agreement. As long as the green hills remain, there's always hope! Jin Ruirui is scheming against her now; she should go along with her wishes first, and then strike back hard later!
Sure enough, no sooner had she finished speaking than someone came to tell her that the Prince of Jinnan wanted Leng Ruolan to go to the courtyard.
Leng Ruolan had been crying ever since she came out. Her head maid, Dingxiang, and the old woman Xue, who had just spoken, comforted her while helping her walk towards the courtyard.
Seeing Leng Ruolan come out, Ji Wushang quickly said, "Bring a chaise lounge for the Princess! After all, Princess Leng is pregnant, and standing will make her tired!"
Servants immediately rushed to place the chaise longue in the courtyard. Leng Ruolan watched, inwardly scoffing! She had thought that since Ji Wushang had saved her and her unborn child, she would treat her well and stand by her side. But she never expected that he would actually dig her out! What was he really up to!
The Prince of Jinnan stared intently at Leng Ruolan, asking, "Why are you crying?"
"I am crying because my heart is breaking!" Leng Ruolan said.
"I wonder what is causing the Princess's heartache?" Ji Wushang smiled. "The Princess has been crying ever since she left Lanruo Garden. She is truly heartbroken and pitiful!"
"Fourth Imperial Consort, I heard that Consort Jin was poisoned, so I felt heartbroken. I was worried about the unrest in the Prince's mansion, so I cried. What's wrong with that?" Leng Ruolan, who was heavily pregnant, walked up to Prince Jinnan. "Your Highness, sob sob, don't you think so?" She then deliberately stroked her belly. "My child, my child, your mother is so heartbroken! Sob sob!"
The Prince of Jinnan's expression shifted slightly; he didn't want Leng Ruolan to be so heartbroken! After all, the child in her womb was a crucial bargaining chip!
"Stop crying, sit down." Prince Jinnan immediately stepped forward, helped Leng Ruolan up, and then beckoned for servants to place a chaise longue beside him. He then helped Leng Ruolan sit down on the chaise longue. "Sit down obediently, don't move around!"
"Yes." Leng Ruolan gently wiped the tears from her face with a silk handkerchief, inwardly scoffing. The Prince of Jinnan's intentions were clearly on her side! Let's see what Ji Wushang and Consort Jin have to say now!
Ji Wushang said, "Your Highness, a servant just confessed that Your Highness ordered him to poison Consort Jin. I wonder if Your Highness would like to explain this?"
"What explanation?" Leng Ruolan raised her voice and said, "I've been staying in Lanruo Garden the whole time, and I haven't been feeling well. How could I possibly send someone to poison Consort Jin?"
"Or perhaps you intend to kill Consort Jin, so you send someone to infiltrate Jinbi Garden and poison her medicine."
"You're talking nonsense!" Leng Ruolan sneered. "Let me tell you, if you don't have any evidence, don't make wild guesses here!"
"Wu Shang is not lying, and Princess Leng, you don't need to be so angry, do you? Since you didn't do it, you just need to tell the truth. Why get so angry?"
"How could I not be angry when you question me like this!" Leng Ruolan only then realized her loss of composure, but she knew she absolutely could not back down at this moment, otherwise, she would easily be trapped in Ji Wushang's trap!
Ji Wushang smiled and said, "You little rascal, say what you have to say!" He walked up to the rascal, but his eyes drifted to Hongfei and Cuiwu, who were standing to the side. The two of them immediately retreated from the scene.
"I am a servant of Princess Leng, named Yanu. Last night, the old woman led me to a dark place and gave me a small medicine packet, telling me to sneak into Jinbi Garden and poison Consort Jin when no one was around! She also told me to keep it a secret, or she would kill my whole family!" Yanu cried, bowing her head. "If it weren't for your admiration, Fourth Princess, I would never have come out!" She wiped her tears with her sleeve. "My family is still in Princess Leng's hands!"
Ji Wushang turned his head slightly to look at Princess Leng. Leng Ruolan sneered, "You say that I ordered you to do such a thing? But I don't know you at all! Granny Xue, Dingxiang, do you know this person?"
“We don’t know him,” both Granny Xue and Dingxiang immediately replied.
"You said again that a nanny pulled you aside and gave you instructions. Then, Granny Xue, go and summon all the nannies in Lanruo Garden for me. I will show him which nanny pulled him aside and instructed him to do such a 'good deed'!"
Granny Xue immediately stepped forward, "Yes!"
"Wait," Ji Wushang interrupted, "There's no need for Granny Xue to handle this! Someone, go and invite all the nannies in the courtyard! Instead of just one nanny from Lanruo Garden, why not invite all of them?" Ji Wushang sneered.
"That would be even better. Or perhaps it was another maid who instructed them to steal my name!" Leng Ruolan raised her voice and looked at Prince Jinnan, who remained silent.
"Allow me to say something," said Granny Xue, bowing slightly. "In my opinion, perhaps someone is impersonating the Princess and secretly instructing this servant to do evil, so that the blame can be placed on the Princess!"
"Is that so?" Ji Wushang smiled, looking at Granny Xue in front of him. "Granny Xue, you look quite prosperous! I suppose you're eating well, dressing well, and sleeping well in Lanruo Garden!"
"Of course! How could my Lanruo Garden mistreat its servants!" Princess Leng sneered. "Unlike other courtyards, which might even abuse their servants!"
Seeing Ji Wushang's stiff smile, Xue Mama didn't know how to answer. But upon hearing Leng Ruolan's words, she immediately said, "It's all thanks to the Prince and Princess. Otherwise, how could this servant have a good life?"
"They haven't even gotten to the bottom of this serious matter. Is the Fourth Princess unable to continue the investigation?" Nan Zaiqing, who was standing to the side, said sarcastically.
Ji Wushang smiled, "No, things are actually quite clear." Ji Wushang smiled, "Bring the person up!"
Standing outside the crowd, Tie Feng immediately ordered his guards to herd all the older women to the center of the courtyard. Ji Wushang had them all stand in a row, and she looked at Yanu and said, "Yanu, go forward and see which older woman gave you the order!"
“Yes.” Yanu nodded and stepped forward to look at them one by one.
The old women looked at Yanu, and some looked at Ji Wushang and the others. Some of them had no idea what was going on when they were brought here. Some of them who were still working had to stop.
Ji Wushang looked at them, a smile playing on his lips, and said, "Look more closely."
Standing beside Leng Ruolan, Granny Xue sneered inwardly. She had put on heavy makeup before having Yanu poison her, so he wouldn't recognize her!
At that moment, someone walked in from outside. Zhao Yirou looked at the scene but did not make a sound and just stood aside.
Standing behind Ji Wushang, Nan Xuzong had extremely keen eyes and ears, and almost no one's small movements could escape his notice!
"No." Yanu lowered his head and knelt in front of Ji Wushang. "Reporting to the Fourth Imperial Consort, none of these were the maids who ordered me to poison them."
"Who is that? Hehe!" Leng Ruolan was secretly thrilled. Ji Wushang, whom she had just met, was extremely embarrassed! How could she not feel smug? Ji Wushang was nothing special!
Some people standing on the sidelines were extremely smug. Ji Wushang, you will eventually fall one day!
"Fourth Imperial Consort, this servant found a medicine packet in Yanu's room; it is indeed aconite!" At this moment, a guard stepped forward and respectfully presented a tray. On the tray was a small packet of aconite that had not yet been used.
"This, this..." Yanu exclaimed in surprise, "Please spare my life! Fourth Princess, I was really instructed by Princess Leng to poison Consort Jin. I was forced to do it!"
Leng Ruolan slammed her hand on the table. "You keep saying that I, the Princess Consort, ordered you, but you can't point out a single person to accuse me! Do you think I, the Princess Consort, am someone to be easily bullied? How dare you slander me! Guards, drag her out and have her beaten to death!" Leng Ruolan's face was icy cold, and she looked like she had been wronged and was filled with rage!
"Clap clap clap." Three crisp sounds rang out, and Ji Wushang laughed, "Your Highness is truly impressive! You've startled me! Your words are sharp enough! But Your Highness, the truth hasn't been revealed yet, so why are you in such a hurry?"
"He's making false accusations! Do you think I, the princess, should tolerate such evil?" Leng Ruolan was almost ready to step forward and kill that servant herself!
"Whether it's truly slander or not, we'll have to see the truth!" Ji Wushang laughed, looking into the distance, then suddenly turned his gaze to Granny Xue, "Granny Xue, you ordered Yanu to poison him, didn't you!"
Upon hearing this, Granny Xue turned deathly pale. "This servant...this servant did not do such a thing!"
Those around her were taken aback. How could Ji Wushang refer to that Granny Xue?
"Fourth Princess Consort, don't point fingers at people like that! Granny Xue is an old nanny who came with me as part of my dowry. She is usually very obedient, kind-hearted, and friendly. How could she do something so outrageous?"
Granny Xue immediately knelt down, "Fourth Imperial Consort, I swear to heaven that I have never done anything to wrong anyone! The Fourth Imperial Consort is saying that I instructed that servant to poison Consort Jin, but I do not accept that!"
"I was called into a small alley by that old woman. I could tell from her figure that she was probably the same size as Granny Xue, but the light was too dim at the time, so I might not have recognized her face!" Yanu said timidly in a low voice.
"Listen, listen, listen to this!" Leng Ruolan stood up and looked at everyone. "Fourth Princess Consort, listen to this! Yanu said that it should be around the size of Granny Xue, but when we measured Granny Xue's figure, oh my, many of the nannies have the same figure! Could it be that they all obeyed my orders to poison them?"
Ji Wushang laughed. The more smug and arrogant she became, the more determined he was to get rid of her! Was she trying to fight him now? Fine, this time, he'd give her a chance to live, and he'd change his surname to Leng!
"What are you laughing at? Am I wrong?" Leng Ruolan shouted. Damn it, seeing that look in her eyes just now, Leng Ruolan couldn't help but feel a sense of panic! She's just a woman! How can she have such a terrifying aura?
"I wasn't laughing, Your Highness. Are you seeing things?" Ji Wushang said seriously. "You keep calling yourself 'Your Highness' all the time. When you're in hell, you'd better remember to call yourself 'Your Highness' even before the King of Hell!"
Leng Ruolan was stunned. Could it be her imagination?
"Apply heavy makeup to Granny Xue!" Ji Wushang turned around and waved immediately. Xian'er and Zhu'er carried in some makeup powder from the crowd outside.
At this moment, Granny Xue knelt down on the ground!
How did she know she was wearing heavy makeup at the time?!
"Hurry up," Ji Wushang said. "Granny's face is too pale! Make my makeup darker."
"How dare you! How dare you, Fourth Princess Consort, manipulate my people as you please?" Leng Ruolan knew about Xue Mama's affairs, after all, Xue Mama was acting according to her wishes.
"Father said he entrusted this matter to me. Am I not qualified to manage this inner court? Your Highness, you should take care of your health." Ji Wushang's indifferent voice rang out.
Leng Ruolan froze, then stepped back. She understood what she meant. She had been extremely careful, yet she was still incredibly vulnerable to poisoning or murder. If that happened, she would have nothing left!
A hidden arrow is hard to guard against!
Her face was deathly pale, and Leng Ruolan sat back down on her chaise longue. Prince Jinnan knew that Ji Wushang's words were both a warning and a cautionary tale. Although he was displeased, given Ji Wushang's power and Nan Xuzong's influence, he could only weigh the hurt feelings of Leng Ruolan against his will. He said to her, "Lan'er, just sit down and see! If it wasn't you who instigated it, then that's enough! Don't worry about anything else!"
"Yes, Your Highness!" Leng Ruolan came to her senses. What she said was right. At worst... one of Granny Xue would die. She would just treat her family better in the future!
Ji Wushang said, "Make your move!"
Several maids came forward, ostensibly to help Granny Xue to get her makeup done in front of everyone, but it was clearly an attempt to force her to get her makeup done!
"Ya Nu, go and see if it really is Granny Xue." Ji Wushang pointed at Ya Nu, who immediately crawled forward on his knees to check.
Ji Wushang looked at Nan Xuzong; she had identified Xue Mama based on the look he had given her earlier. Did he have any hints now?
Nan Xuzong simply smiled at Ji Wushang, without any other intention.
Ji Wushang nodded.
Granny Xue was extremely nervous, her legs trembling. Was she about to face the end of her life? The Fourth Princess Consort was notoriously ruthless! What would she do if she were really exposed? Her eyes involuntarily turned to Leng Ruolan, her lips trembling as if she were about to cry out for help.
But Leng Ruolan was considering whether to sacrifice a pawn to save the king, after all, she still had a long way to go! She absolutely could not die in their counterattack!
That damned Ji Wushang! You forced me to this! From today onwards, I, Leng Ruolan, will never forgive you! It will be either you or me who dies!
"Granny Xue is so nervous. Why are you so nervous? Did you do something shameful?" Ji Wushang laughed, then looked in Leng Ruolan's direction. Leng Ruolan snorted coldly, "Granny Xue, if you did it, just admit it! I, the Princess Consort, have never mistreated you, but you used my name to do bad things, which makes me very sad and disappointed!"
Upon hearing this, Granny Xue's face turned even paler. This meant she was being pushed aside! She had toiled like a slave, all for Leng Ruolan alone! Now, was she going to discard her? How would her child survive?!
"I, the Princess, will take good care of your family in consideration of your years of service! As for your children, I will raise them and teach them to be good people!" Leng Ruolan added.
At this moment, Granny Xue understood what she meant. She meant that she should accept the situation and let it go. Regardless of whether the outcome was life or death, Leng Ruolan would take good care of her child in Granny Xue's place!
"The Princess is so kind-hearted! If it was Granny Xue who ordered the poisoning, then Granny Xue would be the one who poisoned Consort Jin and framed Princess Leng. But Princess Leng is taking care of the murderer's family instead. Oh, what a kind and virtuous Princess!" Zhao Yirou said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Leng Ruolan immediately turned her gaze to Zhao Yirou, who was not far away, and the people around her did the same.
"Who do you think you are? The Fourth Princess Consort and I are talking to find out who the murderer is. Where did you come from, you wild woman, showing no respect for your elders!" Leng Ruolan was furious at this moment. Did she want to walk into the line of fire?
But Zhao Yirou didn't care. What she cared about was attracting everyone's attention, especially... Nan Xuzong's attention.
However, Nan Xuzong's gaze was one of disdain and contempt!
Zhao Yirou felt a chill in her heart, but a fighting spirit rekindled within her. "Yirou is only trying to uncover the truth as soon as possible, which is why I spoke up!"
"Enough, Zhao Yirou, step back!" Prince Jinnan didn't care what this woman was trying to say! What he cared about was finding out who did it! If Leng Ruolan really instructed that Granny Xue to do it, then Granny Xue's death was enough! As for Leng Ruolan, the child was more important!
Zhao Yirou was scolded, and her heart was filled with hatred. She vowed that one day she would kill these people with her own hands!
I'm unwilling, but I have to stand aside.
Looking at Yanu, who was about to jump around, Xue Mama felt scared. She wondered what Xian'er and Zhu'er had done to her face!
"It's her!" Just as everyone was whispering and making noise, Yanu's exclamation drew everyone's attention!
Upon hearing such a voice, Granny Xue suddenly lost her composure and immediately knelt on the ground, crying out, "Spare me! Fourth Imperial Concubine, I'm innocent! I'm innocent!"
"Why was your first reaction to plead for mercy, and your second reaction to say you were innocent? How do you explain that?" Ji Wushang sneered.