Chapter 98: Thorough Investigation of the Marquisate

Chapter 98: Thorough Investigation of the Marquisate

The news that Qiu Ling had been drugged and was at risk of premature labor spread throughout the Marquisate.

Everyone in the Marquisate was on edge.

Lu Lingyun ordered a thorough investigation and summoned everyone involved with the kitchen and food preparation for questioning.

"Madam, today's dishes were cooked by me. Heaven can be my witness; everything was prepared according to the recipes, and nothing extra was added."

"Madam, all the soups were made by us, and we kept samples. No safflower was found in any of them."

"Madam, our kitchen doesn't even have safflower!"

"Madam, once the food leaves the kitchen, we don't touch it again. It would be impossible to slip anything into it!"

From washing vegetables to cooking soups, from the chefs and maids to the serving girls, everyone was questioned. The entire kitchen and all those involved were searched, but Lingyun found nothing.

"Madam, the kitchen is a busy place with many people coming and going. During meal times, not only the kitchen staff but also people from other courtyards come to fetch their meals. It could easily be someone from another courtyard who tampered with the food," said Aunt An, an experienced housekeeper.

That makes sense.

In such a large household, if it wasn't the kitchen staff, it could very well be someone from another courtyard.

But if that were the case, Lingyun would have no way to investigate further.

During lunchtime, when there are so many people around, it would be impossible to determine who went to the kitchen. A determined person could easily mix something into Qiu Ling's food during the busiest time, leaving no trace.

However, after years of working alongside Li Wenxun, Lingyun had developed a different approach. If she couldn't find the perpetrator, she would look for someone with a grudge against the victim.

Throughout the entire Marquisate, who might bear a grudge against Qiu Ling?

Wait!

She suddenly remembered something: she had previously switched the meals between Xing Dairong and Qiu Ling!

Just to prevent Xing Dairong from playing tricks.

And today happened to be the day of the meal switch.

So, could the target actually be Xing Dairong instead of Qiu Ling?

The perpetrator simply didn't know about the occasional meal switches!

"Tsk! It's most likely that woman from Yuerong Pavilion again!" Chunhe cursed.

Little Wei and Xiaoqin also looked indignant. "Yes, in the entire Marquisate, who else would want to harm Aunt Qiu's pregnancy besides her?"

Lingyun listened to the servants' words and shook her head sternly. "No more talk like that."

"Bring Huang Yue to me."

Lingyun silenced the discussion, and everyone fell quiet as Xiaoqin went to fetch Huang Yue.

Soon, Huang Yue arrived.

When she saw Lingyun, her bright eyes filled with fear and confusion. "Madam, what do you need from me?"

Lingyun looked at the young girl before her, fourteen years old, pure and innocent, her eyes sparkling like dewdrops on a budding pink lotus.

"What did you do today?"

"In response to Madam, I was cleaning in the Prince's study," Huang Yue replied crisply.

"Did you go to the kitchen?"

Huang Yue bit her lower lip. "Yes."

"Why did you go to the kitchen?"

"To fetch the meals. Today was my turn to collect the food for the courtyard," Huang Yue said, looking innocently at Lingyun with her watery eyes.

Lingyun closely observed her expressions and small movements. As Huang Yue grew increasingly nervous, she suddenly knelt down before Lingyun.

"Madam, you wouldn't suspect me, would you?"

Huang Yue trembled like a frightened fawn. "I have no grudge against Aunt Qiu. Why would I poison her?"

"Why are you so afraid?" Lingyun looked down at her.

"Madam, of course I'm afraid. This involves Aunt Qiu and the child in her belly. Little Yue is just a lowly servant. How could I bear such a heavy accusation? It really wasn't me, truly not me."

Huang Yue was terrified, sobbing and pleading incessantly.

If one claims innocence, why be afraid?

But in reality, being falsely accused can terrify many into begging for mercy and pleading their innocence.

This point was deeply ingrained in Lingyun from her experience in real investigations.

Most ordinary people, like sheep, are naturally honest and timid. When faced with officials, they feel intense fear and reverence, making it impossible for them to remain calm and composed.

If accused, they would desperately proclaim their innocence, often repeating those words over and over.

Huang Yue's current state was exactly like this, not necessarily guilty but overly defensive.

But...

"You wait here first." Lu Lingyun didn't give Huang Yue any explanation and left the room.

The entire room was left with only Huang Yue.

When Lu Lingyun went out, she gave Shuang Hong a look, "Don't let anyone in, and watch the person's reactions inside."

"Yes."

Lu Lingyun personally went to the kitchen to check the dishes and bowls for today's meals.

Doctor Liu had given his judgment: the safflower was ground into powder and dissolved in the soup.

This method of administering the drug made it nearly impossible to find evidence.

Lu Lingyun then went to Yaoguang Pavilion and asked about the meal schedules and shifts.

She confirmed that it was indeed Huang Yue's turn to fetch the food today, and her behavior was reasonable.

After investigating thoroughly, Lu Lingyun finally returned to her courtyard.

"How did the person inside behave after I left?"

"She was very scared, kneeling in the same spot without moving."

Upon hearing this, Lu Lingyun could only shake her head in disappointment.

She had no more evidence or leads.

She pushed the door open.

Huang Yue, who had been waiting inside, immediately crawled to her side upon seeing Lu Lingyun return, "Young Lady! It wasn't me, I have no grudge against Aunt Qiu, I really wouldn't harm her!"

She looked as if she feared being falsely accused by Lu Lingyun and having the blame placed on her.

Lu Lingyun stared into her eyes for three seconds, "No one said you did it, so why are you so nervous?"

"Little Yue has no parents, the Prince saved Little Yue, he is like Little Yue's parent, Little Yue doesn't want to be driven out." Huang Yue said, tears welling up in her eyes.

Seeing her like this, Lu Lingyun didn't say anything more, "You can go now."

As Huang Yue was let go, she was still wiping her tears.

Looking as if she had suffered great injustice.

Xiaoqin, who had brought her, couldn't bear to see her like this, "Little Yue, why are you so afraid? Everyone in the mansion knows our Young Lady is fair and kind, she would never wrong an innocent person."

Her words made Huang Yue stop crying, "Yes, the Young Lady is good, I'm just too timid."

"Indeed, you are quite timid, but since you're new to the mansion, you'll come to know that our Young Lady is the best person in the entire place."