That afternoon, Sheng Minmin informed Sheng Mingshu about Concubine Ruan’s poisoning, gave him the antidote, and also mentioned that Sheng Mingjian had met with Wen Yan’s husband.
Sheng Minmin was confident that Sheng Mingshu would first investigate the most suspicious person—Wen Yan—and that was indeed what happened.
She just hadn’t expected that Wen Yan would ultimately not name Sheng Mingjian, but instead “confess” to Qingxiang.
Before Qingxiang was sent to the estate, everyone in the household had assumed she was Sheng Minmin’s trusted confidante.
Coupled with the things Qingxiang had said, Wen Yan was convinced that the real mastermind behind the plot against Concubine Ruan was Sheng Minmin herself…
Sheng Mingshu and Concubine Ruan had brought Wen Yan to see her—which meant they believed her, or at least they believed her for now.
Sheng Minmin’s thoughts turned to Sheng Mingjian, and she asked Wen Yan another question.
“Aside from Qingxiang, did your husband know about the poisoning? Was he involved?”
“To answer Madam, my husband knew nothing about this. I wouldn’t dare tell him about something so deadly…”
Wen Yan grew anxious.
“But I heard you met with him quite often.”
“Madam, I was only… worried that if this ever came to light, my son would be left too pitiful, so I kept reminding my husband to take good care of him…
“He truly doesn’t know anything—I beg Madam to spare his life…”
Sheng Minmin pondered. This matter had suddenly dragged Qingxiang into it.
And the method of poisoning was so deeply calculated that Sheng Minmin felt the waters were getting murkier and murkier, harder and harder to see through…
Names flashed through her mind: Sheng Mingjian, Sheng Yong, Sheng Mingzhu, and Master Dole.
Then there was Sheng Mingyi—his body was failing, but his mind was still sharp…
Come to think of it, in all the time since she’d been reborn into this body, aside from that one time when Taoniang had sent men in black to harm her, this was the second time someone had tried to “set her up.”
Taoniang had sent men in black to deliver a beggar to her in the middle of the night—straightforward and brutal.
If she’d fallen into that trap, the consequences would have been absolutely devastating.
But this scheme was winding and convoluted…
After much deliberation, Sheng Minmin decided it was best to wait until Qingxiang was brought back and questioned properly.
Still, she was also worried about Qingxiang…
With that thought, Sheng Minmin pushed the dark possibilities aside.
But she also knew that if something really had happened to Qingxiang…
That would only mean things were even more complicated than she’d imagined.
And in that case, she absolutely couldn’t make any rash moves and alert the enemy.
Concubine Ruan and Sheng Mingshu had no objections to Sheng Minmin’s arrangements, and to avoid raising suspicion, they took Wen Yan back with them.
After returning, Concubine Ruan kept Wen Yan by her side at all times.
——-
The next day, Sheng Minmin was waiting—waiting for news, waiting for people.
Meanwhile, Huang Yaning had left the estate right after breakfast. She was going to a teahouse to meet someone.
By the time she arrived, the other person was already there, and the tea, fruit, and snacks had all been laid out on the table.
It had been a while since they’d last met, and this person had completely changed.
Two maids stood behind her, she was dressed in fine silks and satins, a delicate gold pendant hung around her neck, and a string of Buddhist prayer beads adorned her wrist…
Just from her attire, she looked rather wealthy and respectable.
But when her gaze landed on the woman’s face, she saw that it was gaunt and haggard.
Her cheekbones protruded sharply, her eye sockets were sunken, and her eyes were dull and bloodshot—all signs that she was not doing well…
And this person was Xia Zhi.
“Seventh Miss, thank you for coming to see me. Please, have a seat…”
Xia Zhi stood up and gestured for Huang Yaning to sit down across from her.
Huang Yaning didn’t mind Xia Zhi’s breach of etiquette and took the seat opposite her.
The princess had wide connections, loved gossip, and visited the manor frequently, so she’d heard about how Xia Zhi had been drugged into a miscarriage by Zhu Qisheng.
She also knew that the reason Zhu Qisheng had given Xia Zhi the drug was because he’d met with Sheng Mingzhu that very day.
Xia Zhi must have been itching to tear Sheng Mingzhu apart!
So when she received Xia Zhi’s message wanting to meet, Huang Yaning had come today without hesitation.
“You two, leave us.”
Xia Zhi turned and dismissed the two maids behind her, and they immediately withdrew respectfully.
Huang Yaning gave Qingtian a look, and Qingtian also left, pulling the door closed behind her until it was just barely ajar.
For a moment, neither spoke. The room felt much quieter, and the incense burning in the corner curled upward in thin wisps of smoke.
Ever since the day of her miscarriage, Xia Zhi’s heart had been filled with fury and resentment.
She hated Sheng Mingzhu the most!
Sheng Mingzhu had been afraid that she’d win favor, afraid that she’d secure her footing in Prince Qi’s household—and so she’d used such a vile trick to destroy the rest of Xia Zhi’s life!
She also hated Zhu Qisheng!
After becoming his woman, she’d devoted herself to him wholeheartedly.
Why would Zhu Qisheng rather fall for a cheap wretch like Sheng Mingzhu than treat her even a little better?
Why was Zhu Qisheng so cruel to her?
She hated Princess Jing too!
She hated Princess Jing for not raising her son right—for raising a son who was blind in both heart and mind! She hated Princess Jing for not being able to control her own son!
She hated Princess Jing for her hypocritical gifts—giving her the freedom to leave the manor whenever she wanted, giving her a batch of servants, even handing over their indenture contracts.
But Princess Jing refused to summon an imperial physician from the palace for her! If she’d brought in an imperial physician, her body could definitely have been healed!
She hated the Feng family!
The Fengs were her own flesh and blood, yet they had never truly loved her.
The Fengs were selfish and cold-hearted, so they’d only taught her to be selfish and cold-hearted too.
She also hated her own mother, Taoniang!
When Taoniang learned that she’d been injured and could no longer bear children, she’d discarded her like a worn-out shoe—turning on her faster than flipping a page!
From that day on, Xia Zhi no longer regarded Taoniang as her mother.
And Taoniang was Sheng Mingzhu’s accomplice—she hated Taoniang for helping Sheng Mingzhu amass wealth and for dedicating herself wholeheartedly to Sheng Mingzhu.
Sometimes Xia Zhi even hated Taoniang for sending her into the Sheng household in the first place!
If she hadn’t gone to serve Sheng Mingzhu, maybe she could have used Sheng Mingzhu’s connections to marry someone with even a little bit of power and status.
She definitely could have been a proper first wife—she could have held her head high and lived with dignity.
She could have been a good wife and mother, and in the future, enjoyed endless wealth and glory!
She even hated Huang Yaning, who was sitting right in front of her!
Why did this woman get to be a young lady?
She’d marry some official’s son of equal standing and become the matriarch of the household, have children, and live happily ever after—while she…
She had no future left.
In short, Xia Zhi now hated everyone equally!
She’d come to see Huang Yaning simply because the enemy of her enemy could temporarily be her friend.
Taking a deep breath, Xia Zhi spoke.
“Seventh Miss, Old Lady Li and Feng Lao’er are paralyzed now…
“Later, Little Li, Feng Dabao, and Feng Erbao all ended up paralyzed too…
“Taoniang was the one who paralyzed them.”
Huang Yaning didn’t respond right away. Her fingers traced the rim of her teacup absently.
The last time the Feng family had come to the capital, it had been Huang Yaning’s doing.
They’d made a huge spectacle of themselves in front of the Sheng estate gates, and that wretched Taoniang had dragged them back home, afraid they’d tarnish Sheng Mingzhu’s reputation.
Huang Yaning had long wanted to sneak someone into Taoniang’s residence, but Taoniang was very careful.
All the servants she employed were bound by life-and-death contracts, and she kept her gates shut tight, never receiving outsiders.
Later, she’d had Wang Duofu—the youngest son of the head of Peach Blossom Village—try twice, but he couldn’t get in either.
Finally, Huang Yaning had used some past leverage to threaten Dongkui, forcing her to secretly go see Taoniang.
When Dongkui came back, she told her that Old Lady Li and Feng Lao’er were paralyzed.
Recently, Qiuju and Dongkui had both been hiding in their courtyard and hadn’t come out, so she’d had no way of getting news from Taoniang’s side.
So, a few more had ended up paralyzed, huh…
Taoniang was truly a venomous snake of a woman!
