Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Had she been too lenient all along, that they all considered her a pushover?

The Princess lowered her gaze and said nonchalantly, "What did Manager Chen say?"

Old Lady Li replied, "Manager Chen insists he knows nothing about it, but the estate hasn't purchased any croton powder in the past few days. However, a servant did see him loitering near a pharmacy while buying flower seedlings."

The Princess said, "So the croton powder and poison might have entered the estate through his hands?"

Old Lady Li’s face was troubled. "He won’t admit it. He only says his back hurts, so he went to a doctor for two plasters."

The Princess’s gaze turned icy. "If he won’t confess, then you interrogate him. If you can’t get the truth out, and the Prince finds out first, we’ll both be dead without a burial place!"

"Also, send someone to inquire at the pharmacy!"

Old Lady Li nodded repeatedly.

After a moment, the Princess suddenly let out a laugh. "Old Lady Li, don’t you find this method of using a borrowed knife rather familiar?"

Old Lady Li froze, then a name came to mind.

"No way... Is Lady Ning, under lifelong house arrest, still unwilling to keep quiet?"

The Princess said, "Her son is the Prince’s only male heir. How could she ever stay quiet?"

She had been careless.

She had thought that Shufei Ning, demoted to the rank of Shiqie Ning and placed under lifelong confinement, would cause no more trouble.

The Princess continued, "Start with the people close to Lady Ning. You might find unexpected results."

Old Lady Li quickly said, "I’ll see to it at once."

The Princess then asked, "As for Shufei Fang, what did the imperial physicians say was really going on?"

Tinghe, who had been keeping an eye on Fang Yuaner’s courtyard, stepped forward to report.

Tinghe said, "Your Highness, several imperial physicians came. They all said it was severe morning sickness that damaged her stomach, causing her to vomit blood."

The Princess raised an eyebrow. "She wasn’t poisoned?"

Tinghe shook her head. "The physicians couldn’t find any evidence, but Shufei Fang insists she has been harmed."

Seeing Tinghe’s furrowed brow, the Princess knew she had more to say. "Speak your mind."

Tinghe’s mouth tasted bitter. "The physicians said Shufei Fang’s severe morning sickness was due to discord between mother and child. This condition isn’t a disease and can’t be treated with medicine. If she keeps vomiting for a few more days, it will endanger her life."

"They also said that in the worst case, only one—mother or child—could be saved."

Fang Yuaner was only three months pregnant. Saving one meant aborting the child.

The Princess gasped. "That serious?"

Tinghe nodded. "Shufei Fang was furious and refused to believe it, insisting she had been harmed."

The Princess pondered for a moment. "This matter should be left for the Prince to decide."

She then asked about the eldest son.

Another senior maid, Wangyue, stepped forward. "The eldest son’s fever has broken. He’s now taking medicine and will recover fully with proper rest."

The Princess sighed in relief.

At least one good thing had happened.

Before long, Old Lady Li managed to uncover quite a bit from Lady Ning’s quarters.

She hurried to the Green Pine Courtyard. "Your Highness, Manager Chen was set up. He’s innocent. The real culprit is someone else!"

As she spoke, a tall, sturdy man was brought in, bound hand and foot.

The Princess looked at him with a heavy gaze. "You’ve found the truth?"

Old Lady Li wiped the sweat from her brow, and out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the stern man seated in the main hall. She froze, as if nailed to the spot.

She stammered, "P-Prince."

Prince Jing’s gaze was deep and unreadable. "What have you found? Speak up. I’d like to hear as well."

Old Lady Li stiffly looked toward the Princess.

The Princess nodded slightly, composed. "It would have to be reported to the Prince sooner or later anyway. Go ahead and say it."

Old Lady Li quickly weighed her words, ensuring nothing unfavorable to her mistress was said, then relaxed.

She took a deep breath, barely containing her anger. "Your Highnesses, Prince and Princess, I led people to the Orchid Fragrance Garden and found a man there!"

The Prince said calmly, "Are you accusing Lady Ning of adultery?"

Old Lady Li was taken aback and quickly shook her head. "No, not that."

She hurriedly continued, "I found this man oddly familiar, and after someone pointed it out, I realized his build was very similar to Manager Chen’s!"

Seeing no one interrupt, she went on.

"So I had him taken to the pharmacy Manager Chen had visited for identification. The pharmacy’s owner and apprentice both recognized him, saying that on the day Manager Chen went there, this man also came and bought a packet of croton powder!"

The Princess asked, "No poison?"

Old Lady Li paused. "The poison used on Shufei Xie couldn’t be identified by the imperial physicians. It’s likely not something available at an ordinary pharmacy!"

This was a major flaw.

Old Lady Ma had insisted that Manager Chen gave her the poison and croton powder.

But Manager Chen was just a flower nursery overseer. Where would he get such potent poison?

If Manager Chen couldn’t clear his name, the poison would have to be pinned on him regardless.

Fortunately, by investigating Lady Ning’s side, they traced the source of the croton powder, clearing Manager Chen’s name and exonerating the Princess.

It was like working backward from the answer.

Old Lady Li continued, "This scoundrel has also confessed that twenty days ago, he sneaked into the Linxuan Pavilion and made contact with Old Lady Ma!"

"That packet of poison entered the Linxuan Pavilion through his hands!"

This was why Mama Li was so excited.

With the man's confession, the princess consort could completely clear herself of suspicion.

After listening for a while, Prince Jing finally asked, "Are you saying that Shiqie Ning did this?"

The question seemed directed at no one in particular, so Mama Li dared not speak rashly.

The princess consort replied unhurriedly, "Everything in the prince’s residence should naturally be decided by Your Highness. Whoever you deem guilty, that is who it is. A wife follows her husband—your humble consort is no exception to this."

Her words were asking whether Prince Jing intended to shield Shiqie Ning this once.

If the prince wanted to protect her, the matter would end here.

If not, Shiqie Ning would not escape punishment.

Prince Jing cast a meaningful glance at the princess consort. "Men take care of outside matters, women manage the household. I trust you, Princess Consort. Matters of the inner quarters are yours to decide."

This meant he was letting her handle it impartially.

The princess consort looked troubled and asked bluntly, "If it truly was Shiqie Ning, what punishment does Your Highness deem appropriate?"

Prince Jing’s handsome face was cold, devoid of any tenderness.

"Incorrigible—let her be executed."

The princess consort’s heart trembled, but she still said, "The eldest son has already reached the age of understanding such matters. If we handle it this way, it may leave lingering troubles, causing discord between you and him."

She wanted Shiqie Ning dead as well.

But no matter how Shiqie Ning died, it could not be connected to her in the slightest.

She could not even mention it and had to advise against it.

Prince Jing’s voice turned chilly. "I will send someone to deal with it."

The princess consort pretended not to hear. "Your Highness, would you like to go see Shufei Xie? She has been greatly frightened by this ordeal."

Prince Jing nodded. "Indeed, I should go see her."