Someone died inside Yuanjue Temple, and the matter has blown up.

The Prime Minister, who was already restless in the capital, immediately mounted his horse and galloped over upon hearing the news.

When Du Chenyan saw that the news had spread, he took control of everyone in the temple and forbade anyone to leave.

Huang Ningmeng understood everything she saw in front of her.

She didn't spread the word. Du Chenyan kept his mouth shut. His men were all trained and knew exactly what to say and what not to say.

Now that the news has spread, it must be related to the red smoke.

That's impressive, considering she's only thirteen or fourteen years old.

At that age, she was still naive and didn't understand the wickedness of people's hearts.

At most, they know what's fun and what's delicious.

Such deep scheming is hard to believe for a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl.

Huang Ningmeng went to Hongyan's room.

Even if the Prime Minister's wife liked Hongyan very much, she couldn't show such unbridled favoritism in front of everyone.

So Hongyan is recuperating in her own room.

Hongyan was embroidering in her room when suddenly a shadow fell over her. She looked up and was so startled that her hand trembled and the needle pricked her hand.

"ah!"

"Hongyan, are you that afraid of me?" Huang Ningmeng sneered.

Hongyan put down what she was holding, got off the bed, and knelt in front of her. "Miss, I was wrong. Please forgive me. I will never dare to do it again."

"Oh? You don't dare to anymore? Very well." Huang Ningmeng pulled a wooden hairpin from her hair and inserted it into her hair, saying calmly, "Don't move. If I see you pull it out, don't blame me for being impolite."

After saying that, Huang Ningmeng turned and left.

Hongyan reached out and touched the shape of the hairpin, then immediately slumped to the ground, her hands trembling uncontrollably, her face turning pale.

What does "Huang Ningmeng" mean? Are they planning to push her out as a scapegoat?

If she hadn't done that, she might have even protested her innocence, but she was the one who killed him!

Jiang Sheng, you're dead, so be it. If you want to find someone, go to Huang Ningmeng. Don't try to blame me!

After Huang Ningmeng came out of Hongyan's room, she saw the Prime Minister's wife walking hurriedly over from a distance.

He chuckled softly and walked towards his room.

Rongyin came to greet her, saying worriedly, "Miss, you went out alone again. Do you know how worried I was about you? Young Master Jiang, he..."

“I saw him last night.”

Rong Yin was shocked, "Miss, you..."

“I didn’t kill him,” Huang Ningmeng said.

Rongyin patted her chest, "That's good, that's good. Miss, you scared Rongyin to death."

The Prime Minister's wife walked to the door and saw Hongyan sitting on the ground looking utterly humiliated. She was instantly enraged. "Huang Ningmeng!"

The master and servant were walking back when they heard the Prime Minister's wife's voice and stopped in their tracks.

Huang Ningmeng turned around, raising an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"

The Prime Minister's wife, enraged, strode towards her and raised her hand.

Huang Ningmeng showed no fear at all at her actions; it wasn't the first or second time she had wanted to hit her.

"stop!"

It was too late by the time the shout came out; the Prime Minister's wife didn't stop and slapped him across the face.

Huang Ningmeng originally wanted to grab the Prime Minister's wife's hand, but suddenly she blocked it.

The Prime Minister's wife's hand was blocked, and she immediately screamed in pain.

Huang Ningmeng's grab and block both appeared to be self-defense, but there was a significant difference between them. A grab would at most immobilize the Prime Minister's wife, but a block was a different story. Huang Ningmeng was a martial artist; while her hands might be delicate, her strength was undeniable. With that block, even if the Prime Minister's wife's hand wasn't crippled, she wouldn't be able to lift it properly.

Prime Minister Huang stepped forward to protect Huang Ningmeng, his face filled with anger as he looked at his wife, "I married you back then because you could take care of Meng'er. My precious darling, how dare you hit her!"

Huang Ningmeng pouted unhappily and choked up softly, "Dad, you have no idea, when you're not around, she just bullies me."

"You, you're talking nonsense! Who bullied whom? Master, don't listen to her lies. I've been in the temple for so long, and I've suffered so much at her hands!" The Prime Minister's wife cried.

Rongyin, unable to contain her anger, stepped forward and said, "Master, it's clearly Madam who's always causing trouble for Miss. When has Miss ever gone to her on her own initiative? Master, you must stand up for Miss. Look how much weight Miss has lost these past few days. She's under pressure from Madam every day, and she also has to put up with that old maid's temper. Rongyin, Rongyin feels so sorry for Miss."

"Is that really so?" Prime Minister Huang's face turned ashen, and he looked at his wife with great hostility.

Rongyin continued, "Master, I dare to say that you may punish me however you wish, but this is not the first time Madam has tried to hit Miss. She already did so a couple of days ago, but fortunately Miss was quick-witted, otherwise she would have been in trouble."

"You...you're slandering me!" The Prime Minister's wife's finger trembled as she pointed at Rong Yin. If Qingluo hadn't been supporting her, she would have almost fainted from anger.

Qingluo simply supported her, her eyes lowered, and she didn't say a word.

Fortunately, the Prime Minister's wife was not distracted at all and did not notice that something was wrong with her.

"shut up!"

Prime Minister Huang rebuked her, and his wife fell silent in fright.

Huang Ningmeng really looked down on her; the mother and daughter were exactly the same, and they became like this after being scared.

"Meng'er, tell me, and I'll make the decision for you." Prime Minister Huang looked at Huang Ningmeng, his voice much gentler.

Seeing such a stark contrast, the Prime Minister's wife's face darkened.

Huang Ningmeng glanced at Du Chenyan, who had followed behind, and said, "Father, we must distinguish between public and private matters. We can deal with the matters in the backyard properly after we finish dealing with official business and go back to the back gate."

Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Huang beamed with joy, "Meng'er has really grown up and knows how to share her father's burdens."

"Dad, this is a matter of life and death, don't make fun of your daughter." Huang Ningmeng's face was a little flustered. She had lived for so long, and this was the first time someone had told her that she had 'grown up'.

Prime Minister Huang smiled and nodded, "Meng'er is right, I'll listen to you. Men, surround them!"

As soon as the next sentence was spoken, many soldiers entered and surrounded the courtyard.

Prime Minister Huang faced the crowd, his imposing presence commanding respect even without anger. "The scholar's tragic death is something my Prime Minister's mansion cannot escape responsibility for. I will investigate this matter thoroughly, and if I find out who is responsible, I will show no mercy."

"master!"

A girl's voice came from behind, and everyone looked over. A maid came out from the doorway of the room behind the Prime Minister's wife.

Huang Ningmeng raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly.

Prime Minister Huang recognized her at a glance; she was Hongyan, the former personal maid of his daughter.

He hadn't forgotten what the maid had just said about Meng'er being mistreated by the original maid.

Hongyan noticed that there wasn't much goodwill in Prime Minister Huang's gaze, and thought that he must have taken Rongyin's words to heart.

She knew how much Prime Minister Huang doted on Huang Ningmeng; otherwise, she wouldn't have been jealous of Huang Ningmeng for so many years.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Hongyan walked up to Prime Minister Huang and knelt down.

"This servant dares to ask, sir, if Miss were to kill someone, would you show favoritism?"