Chapter 90

Chapter 90

"I should not have been so greedy and jealous, trying to use a false pregnancy to gain the title of Shufei."

"But everything that happened today has nothing to do with me!" Shiqie Han glared fiercely at Xie Run. "It’s clearly that Shufei Xie knew about my false pregnancy and used this chance to pin other charges on me!"

"Feihua is a maid by Shiqie Li’s side—how could she possibly have anything to do with me?!"

"If she wanted to harm Shufei Xie, why should that be my fault?!"

Shiqie Li’s face was pale, but she remained clear-headed and calm.

She suddenly asked a question, "Your Highness, I humbly ask—who has Feihua served before?"

The Princess frowned and looked at Nanny Liu beside her.

"You are in charge of the maids and nannies of each household—do you recall whom Feihua served?"

Nanny Liu’s expression darkened. "If Lady Li hadn’t brought this up, this old servant would never have thought of it."

She ground her teeth. "When Ning Shiqie was still a Concubine, Feihua was her second-rank maid. Later, when Ning Shiqie was demoted to Shufei, several maids were dismissed—and Feihua was among them..."

Shiqie Li gave a light laugh. "So it was Ning Shiqie!"

Her tone turned cold. "Last time, the buckwheat in my pillow was soaked in poison—the same poison Ning Shiqie once used to harm Shufei Xie and Shufei Fang."

Shiqie Li’s eyes were heavy as she looked at Shiqie Han. "But Ning Shiqie was already dead by then!"

"Perhaps someone is using Ning Shiqie’s name to harm others everywhere..."

The rest went without saying.

Shiqie Han shot her a fierce glance. "Preposterous?!"

"Even if I did use Ning Shiqie’s name to harm others, how could I command her people?!"

"Surely they have another master behind them, setting up this net to take my life!"

Despite her calm façade, Shiqie Han was panicking inside.

These women, trading words back and forth, were slowly piecing together the whole truth.

Just then, Wan Linlang suddenly knelt. "Your Highness, I too have something to confess!"

Prince Jing’s face was dark. Impatiently, he said, "Speak!"

With so many troubles today, one or two more hardly mattered.

Wan Linlang’s eyes reddened. "Your Highness, do you remember a few days ago I said I harbored a grievance, but had no evidence, and would only confess when the time came?"

"Now I can confess."

Wan Linlang gritted her teeth and looked at Shiqie Han. "The truth is—Shiqie Han ordered my maid Suiyin to poison Ning Shiqie!"

What?!

Everyone gaped, unable to process the shocking revelation.

The Princess sat high on her seat, sipping tea lightly, thinking what a fine drama was unfolding today.

One act after another.

What more might be dragged out?

In an instant, Wan Linlang had spilled many details.

"By chance, I discovered that my maid Suiyin had been bribed to add poison to Ning Shiqie’s medicine."

"Confused and terrified, I was about to tell Your Highness when Ning Shiqie was beaten to death by Shufei Fang, and both Shufei Fang and the eldest son were punished."

"Although the matter was settled, I felt uneasy."

Wan Linlang looked up pitifully. "Later, I thought it over and realized it was wrong. If Your Highness and the Princess investigated deeply, wouldn’t it trace back to me?"

"Ning Shiqie was already gravely ill and unlikely to survive—why would I harm her for no reason?"

"The master behind Suiyin must have schemed to stir conflict between Shufei Fang and the eldest son, and also frame me!"

"After all, I am a female doctor—the perfect scapegoat!"

She glared at Shiqie Han, hatred in her eyes. "That person is Shiqie Han!"

Wan Linlang’s maid Suiyin fell to her knees, staring at her mistress in disbelief.

"Lady, I was only following your orders!"

"Are you discarding me now?!"

Shiqie Han was stunned for a moment, then instinctively shouted, "You’re talking nonsense! You wanted to harm people yourself! Who knows what your real plan was?!"

At those words, a dead silence fell.

Shiqie Han was really involved in Ning Shiqie’s death, intentionally sowing discord between Shufei Fang and the eldest son?!

Wan Linlang sneered. "Of course you won’t admit it!"

"I suspect you inherited Ning Shiqie’s connections, which is why you’ve been stirring up trouble ever since you entered the mansion."

"Before Ning Shiqie died, you used her name to harm others. Now that she’s dead, you still smear her—but you can’t hide it anymore!"

Wan Linlang lifted her chin, proud of having deduced the whole truth.

Shiqie Han’s face was deathly pale.

Wan Linlang looked down at Suiyin at her feet, a flicker of ruthlessness in her eyes.

She softened her voice. "Suiyin, the fact that you poisoned Ning Shiqie can’t be hidden anymore. Admit it."

"If you confess all of Shiqie Han’s evil deeds, I will beg the Prince and Princess for mercy, and not harm your family."

Suiyin clung desperately to Wan Linlang’s leg, her voice choking with blood in her throat. "Lady... Lady, I didn’t!"

Wan Linlang lowered her head, letting a tear fall, her voice helpless. "Suiyin, you can’t hide it!"

Suiyin thought of how Wan Linlang had poisoned Suijin, wanting Suijin to die of illness, and a chill ran through her.

Suijin hadn’t even threatened her lady’s interests, yet she sought her life.

Now, with her lady insisting she colluded with Shiqie Han, if she didn’t comply and ruined her lady’s plan, she would only die even more miserably—and her family would be implicated.

Suiyin slowly released her grip, her head hanging weakly. "Yes, I was following Concubine Han's orders."

Concubine Han stared wide-eyed at the mistress and maid, then suddenly laughed. "You were following my orders to poison Concubine Ning?"

"Good! Good! Good!"

"Your mistress is truly venomous and ruthless! You risk your life for her, and she turns around and sells you out!"

Concubine Han had several charges pinned on her already; one or two more wouldn't make much difference.

Once Prince Jing takes her maidservants for torture, they'll spill everything, whether they should or not.

She simply couldn't be bothered to argue anymore.

She was just curious: with a venomous snake like Wan Linlang left in the prince's mansion, how interesting the days ahead would be.