Hongsheng's former room was thoroughly searched inside and out, but the result was unexpected; no trace of cinnabar was found. The maids who served Hongsheng were all arrested and interrogated as usual, but nothing was obtained.

For a time, all the servants in the East Courtyard were in a state of fear and trepidation, and they were all talking about the Hongsheng poison. Not only in the East Courtyard, but also in other places, the servants were discussing this matter.

The servants were all speculating about who had poisoned the animals, and although the masters outwardly tried to stop them, they were also secretly suspicious.

Finding nothing in Hongsheng's house, Fourth Master then ordered someone to take Nianshi to the front yard.

Thinking that the Fourth Prince had found something, Lady Nian said upon seeing him, "Your Highness, Your Highness, Hongsheng died unjustly. Your Highness must catch the murderer and avenge Hongsheng... Don't let the murderer go unpunished."

Although Lady Nian was speaking to the prince, her eyes were fixed on Lanqin, as if she had already determined what Lanqin had done.

Lanqin was quite helpless, so she had to suppress her anger and comfort her gently: "Consort Nian, don't worry, His Highness has ordered a thorough investigation and will definitely find the real culprit!"

Lady Nian's face showed disgust. She gritted her teeth and glared at Lanqin, whispering angrily, "You're right! The Prince will definitely stand up for me, and my brother will stand up for me too. The murderer who poisoned Hongsheng will definitely be punished!"

When the Nian family mentioned Nian Gengyao, the Fourth Prince felt as if a thorn had been pierced in his heart.

Ignoring Lady Nian's veiled sarcasm, Lanqin said to the Fourth Prince, "Your Highness, the imperial physician also said that Hongsheng's death did not happen in just one or two days. I wonder if we could first investigate Hongsheng's diet and who he had been in contact with!"

The prince turned to Lady Nian and asked sharply, "Does Hongsheng have any particular favorite foods?"

Upon hearing this, Nian stopped crying, her face hesitant and her eyes filled with panic, as if she was trying hard to recall Hongsheng's usual preferences.

"Your Highness, Hongsheng... he... he likes..." Madam Nian hesitated, gesturing to Cuiling beside her. Cuiling, too, couldn't remember, and with a thud, knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly, her words slurred: "My brother... my brother usually likes sweets and pastries... this servant knew nothing about that..."

Ms. Nian snapped out of her daze and echoed, "Yes...yes...Hongsheng likes sweets and pastries, and I personally ordered them to be made for him. The food was definitely not poisoned. It must have been someone else, someone else who poisoned it..."

The prince looked at Cuiling kneeling on the ground, feeling extremely irritated. He snapped, "Who does Hongsheng usually associate with?" Nian Shi trembled, unsure what to do, and stammered, "This...this I..."

Suddenly, Nian remembered Hongsheng's wet nurse: "Where is the wet nurse? Where did she go?"

Lanqin said, "The Third Prince's wet nurse has naturally been imprisoned by the Prince. Hongsheng usually only comes into contact with the people who serve him. Your Highness, those people were all beaten so badly that they couldn't say anything. Perhaps it really wasn't them who did it."

"If it wasn't them, then it was me? What do you mean by that?" Lady Nian glared at Lanqin.

Before he could finish speaking, a loud "slap" rang out, and Fourth Master angrily said to Madam Nian, "What kind of mother are you? Don't you know what your own son eats, what he uses, and who he associates with?"

Madam Nian was so frightened that she rose from her seat and prostrated herself on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly, saying, "I...I'm innocent..."

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