Just as the maid was about to leave, she bumped into the servant who rushed in. The servant was covered in sweat, incoherent as if he had experienced something extremely terrifying. He knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly to Lanqin, pointing outside and stammering, "Consort... please go and see... Mei... Meiqin has been found, but..."

Lanqin frowned, her heart tightening. Nianshi couldn't help but stand up and ask anxiously, "Where is she? Why haven't you come over yet since we found her?"

Liu remained motionless on the ground, while Fucha slowly stood up and said in a coquettish voice, "Speak quickly if you have something to say. Can't you see that the concubine is handling a case? Could it be that the girl is dead?"

"Reporting to Consort, she...she jumped into Bixin Lake in the courtyard last night...and committed suicide! We searched for her all morning, and she was just found by the old man who was cleaning the courtyard. When they pulled her out, she was already dead..."

As soon as the servant finished speaking, Lady Fucha quickly covered her mouth with her hand and exclaimed, "Pah, pah, pah... Look at my mouth, I really did say it..."

Liu turned around blankly, asking incredulously, "What did you say? She committed suicide by drowning herself in the lake? It must be..."

Before Liu could finish speaking, Fucha interrupted, "Could it be that the girl is afraid of causing trouble for her master and is willing to atone with her death?"

Liu glared fiercely at Fucha, who then turned and sat down.

Liu cried, "No... she knew she was lying, and it would be difficult to explain if she were found out..."

"Enough... Liu, you've done such a thing that even your maid is so ashamed that she committed suicide! What excuse do you have?" Nian pointed at Liu and scolded her angrily.

A series of questions flashed through Lanqin's mind, as if she had expected these things all along. She only regretted not finding Meiqin sooner. Lanqin glanced at Xiufang below, who had just looked tense and afraid, but now had a calm and carefree expression.

Lanqin remained silent, but silently made a decision in her mind. She stood up and said, "Since the person is already dead and the matter has not yet been investigated, everyone else should go back first. Liu Shi will remain imprisoned. I will discuss it with Fourth Master before making a decision..."

Seeing that Lanqin was about to leave, Nian stopped her, glancing sideways at Liu on the ground, and angrily asked Lanqin, "What do you mean? It's so obvious, why are you still hesitating?" Then she pointed directly at Liu: "It was her doing, why are you still dragging your feet?"

Knowing she was now in a predicament with no way to defend herself, Liu thought Lanqin would vent her previous resentment, but to her surprise, she persisted in her investigation. Looking at Lanqin pleadingly, she cried, "Consort, I didn't do it, you have to believe me. Although I did wrong before, I really didn't poison the Third Prince... You must plead for me in front of the Fourth Prince..." After saying this, she kowtowed three times to Lanqin.

Lady Fucha gave a light snort: "Even now you still refuse to admit your guilt. Consort, don't be soft-hearted..." After saying that, she led Xiufang away.

Lanqin looked at Liu Shi at her feet, then looked up into Nian Shi's eyes and said, "Nian Consort, Fourth Prince and I will definitely give you an explanation..."

Nian grabbed Lanqin's hand impatiently and shouted, "If you don't give me an explanation today, I will not leave..." After saying that, she pulled Lanqin hard, and Lanqin lost her balance and was about to fall.

Hongli appeared out of nowhere, supporting Lanqin with one hand and shoving Nian Shi away, saying, "Mother, be careful... don't hurt my mother..."

As soon as she finished speaking, Lanqin was standing perfectly fine, but Nianshi, pushed by Hongli, didn't react in time, her foot slipped, and she fell down, her head hitting the back of the chair.

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