Chapter 51

"Qingnian, Shen Zheng didn't mean to harm Auntie; it's just that Auntie is useless..."

She had previously thought that her illness was caused by the medicine and food that had been delivered to her. She had even tested it with a silver hairpin, but found nothing unusual inside.

Shen Qingnian frowned and asked, "Auntie, when did your health start to deteriorate again?"

She remembered coming up to see her aunt. At that time, her aunt was also thin, but not as emaciated as she was now. She was in good spirits and could even get out of bed to embroider.

Aunt Liu thought for a moment before saying, "It must have been in the last half month. As you know, my health has never been good, but it has gotten worse in the last half month."

I was hoping that once I got through the bitter cold of winter, spring would be better, but it turns out my aunt was just too useless...

Aunt Liu came from a humble background, which destined her to be somewhat narrow-minded, and there were many issues she couldn't think of.

Shen Qingnian's gaze fell on the dark, murky medicine.

Half a month ago, around the time when Madam Shen went to her room, she plotted to have Madam Shen destroy the double-sided embroidery. After Shen Zheng abused Madam Shen, the other party had no way to harm her, so it was very likely that she would tamper with the concubine.

Thinking of this, Shen Qingnian's gaze darkened, and she asked Aunt Liu, "The servant at the door just now said that something extra was added to this medicine? Or did Madam Shen add it on purpose?"

"That's what the servant said. I've been able to taste some differences in the medicine I've been taking these past few days, probably for more than half a month," Aunt Liu recalled, her eyes slowly widening.

She looked at Shen Qingnian, a hint of doubt in her eyes: "Qingnian, could it be Madam...?"

“Half a month ago, Madam Shen went to my boudoir and we had an argument. After being punished by my father, she didn’t dare to touch me. She must have been resentful, so she wanted to harm my aunt,” Shen Qingnian said with a cold expression.

She recalled her childhood.

As far back as she could remember, her aunt's health wasn't always bad; it fluctuated. Usually, after Shen Zheng visited her aunt's courtyard, her aunt would feel weak for a while.

The concubine was not favored in the household, and given her low status, she dared not casually call the household doctor when she was ill. Even if she wanted to call, she had to inform Madam Shen first.

In other words, if Madam Shen wanted to poison her aunt, it would be an extremely easy thing for her.

When Aunt Liu heard Shen Qingnian say this, she was startled and subconsciously said, "But the silver hairpin did not change color."

“Only highly toxic substances can be detected with a silver hairpin. There are many slow-acting poisons that will not change color with a silver hairpin,” Shen Qingnian said softly.

After saying that, she went to Aunt Liu's bedside and whispered, "Aunt, don't drink this medicine anymore. Just pour it out in the yard."

Aunt Liu's heart tightened slightly. She couldn't help but tug at Shen Qingnian's sleeve, worriedly saying, "Qingnian, please don't be impulsive. Now that we know it's a problem with the medicine, I won't drink it anymore."

Don't go against Madam; your safety must come first. You said you'd wait another year or so, then you could leave the capital with your concubine. She'll be waiting for you.”

She was very worried that Qingnian would go against Madam Shen because of this matter. Qingnian was all alone in the Shen family, with no one to rely on. If she went against Madam Shen, she would definitely not get away with it...

Shen Qingnian blinked, her slightly cold expression softening as she comforted her, "Auntie, I know all this. I won't do anything I'm not sure of. Just pretend to drink the medicine every day, and I'll take care of the rest."

Seeing Shen Qingnian's composed demeanor, Aunt Liu's eyes stung with tears. She couldn't help but blame herself, saying, "I'm the most useless aunt, I can't help you at all, and I'm sickly all the time..."

If she hadn't been born a slave, or even just a concubine's daughter from a humble family, her Qing Nian wouldn't be living such a miserable life now.