Liu Fangniang remained kneeling in the main courtyard. Although her knees ached, she felt a sense of relief.

Song Xia, that bitch, has finally gotten her comeuppance. At this moment, she really wanted to burst out laughing. Song Xia, so what if you are the legal wife? Even without your son, everything will still belong to my son.

Winter is coming, will your precious son be able to make it through?

Just thinking about Zhou Yuqing's emaciated appearance, Liu Fangniang felt that this time it was definitely going to be a sure thing.

But if she had met him yesterday, she certainly wouldn't be so sure.

After recuperating at the Prince's residence for a month, Zhou Yuqing had changed completely. Although she was still thin, her complexion had become much rosier, and she had gained some weight. She was no longer the frail girl who could be blown away by the wind.

After examining the young master, Physician Zhang said there was nothing seriously wrong: "Judging from his pulse alone, there is nothing wrong with him. He has a slight fever, and I will prescribe some antipyretics later. Please keep an eye on changing his handkerchief. As for why he is not waking up, it is probably his body's self-protection mechanism."

Physician Zhang had read through many medical texts. Although he had never seen such a case before, there were corresponding records in the medical texts. There was a man who was suffering from a terminal illness and there was no cure. His family buried him in the ground, and three days later he miraculously came back to life. It can only be said that the world is full of wonders, and they, as doctors, still have a lot to learn.

"Thank you, Physician Zhang, for troubling you to come all this way." Song Xia remained calm, after all, she had arranged everything.

"No trouble at all. Just come find me if anything happens later."

Song Xia kept the news of Yu Qing's well-being a secret, forbidding anyone from Han Hui Courtyard from leaking it out. Let Liu Fangniang and the others be smug for a while longer; the disappointment that follows such great joy is the most agonizing.

"Madam, someone from the Prince's residence has come to see you."

Song Xia's expression hardened, thinking that the investigation she had arranged must have yielded results: "Please let them in."

"Greetings, Madam."

Song Xia gave a wink, signaling all the unrelated servants to leave.

"how?"

"According to my investigation, the old lady of the Liu family was a refugee who fled from the southwest. She was very skilled in growing flowers and making incense. Moreover, this old lady was not the first wife of the old master Liu. She was first bought into the mansion by the old master Liu as a concubine because of her outstanding appearance. Later, after the first wife passed away, all the children in the mansion were born from her. After her son took over the family, she became the old lady of the Liu family."

After listening, Song Xia had a feeling that she had known it was true.

"But I couldn't find the evidence you asked me to find, because the old lady stopped growing flowers and making incense twelve years ago. The servants also bribed people to search the Liu residence, but there was no incense left."

What a coincidence twelve years ago!

At that time, she was pregnant with Yuqing and her body began to weaken for no reason. Even the imperial physician could not find anything wrong. Her father and elder brother came to the Zhou residence and were very angry. But at that time, the old lady stopped growing flowers and making incense.

If you say this is a coincidence, Song Xia would never believe it.

However, she was certain that she wouldn't stop there. She didn't know if Old Madam Liu had any in stock, but in her previous life, after Zhou Ying got married, the heir of the Marquis of Yong'an died for no reason. Where did that medicine come from?

"Have you arranged all the people I asked you to place?"

"Don't worry, Madam. There's a nanny who has served the old lady for many years and is highly trusted. I promised her the future of her grandson, and she agreed without hesitation. Also, the gatekeeper of the Liu residence has been bribed."

“Well done. We also need to keep an eye on whether any of the old lady’s fellow villagers have come to Beijing.”

"Yes, Madam. In addition, the servants have also found some other things during this period."

"you say."

"Apart from the old lady who lives a secluded life, the rest of the Liu family are all good-for-nothing spendthrifts who often steal things from the mansion to pawn and live a life of luxury. This investigation has revealed that many of the items they pawned belonged to the Zhou family, and some were even imperial gifts in the past."

Is this really true?

“Indeed, when the Zhou family was at its peak, everything that other aristocratic families sent to the Zhou residence was recorded. It’s easy to find out with a little investigation. If you don’t believe me, Madam, you can compare it with the storeroom.”

Song Xia nodded: "Where are those things now?"

"They're all in the pawnshop. I've already spoken to the pawnshop manager and asked him to keep them for now."

“You did a good job. I will talk to my sister-in-law about it later. Furong, give him the reward money you have prepared.”

"Thank you, madam."

After the people left, Furong asked angrily, "Madam, could it be that the accountant colluded with them?"

“Impossible,” Song Xia said firmly. The accountant was her person and wouldn’t be so audacious. There was only one possibility: the contents had been switched before she married into the Zhou family.

Thinking about it carefully, the Zhou family must have been in chaos during those years. With the death of her only son, Old Madam Zhou was exhausted both physically and mentally, and she certainly didn't have time to take care of the Zhou family.

Although Zhou Yongli later inherited the entire Zhou family, he was not officially recognized as the legitimate son, and neither he nor Madam Liu had much private property. In addition, the Liu family often came to take advantage of him, so how much money could they possibly have? Therefore, they naturally set their sights on the Zhou family's treasury.

It's quite possible that the accountants at that time, seeing that the situation had already tilted in Zhou Yongli's favor, falsified accounts to curry favor.

"Send someone to find the previous accountant, and secretly have the accountant carefully check the Zhou family's storerooms without making a sound, to see how much stuff has been leaked out."

"Yes, madam."

Song Xia sneered. The Zhou family mansion would be inherited by her son in the future. Zhou Yongli could use it as he pleased, and she wouldn't skimp on the expenses of each courtyard. But it was impossible for Old Madam Liu and Liu Fangniang to use the Zhou family's storeroom to subsidize the Liu family.

"Is Liu Fangniang still kneeling?"

"She's kneeling, and there are people watching her in the yard the whole time, so she doesn't dare to let her guard down."

"Hmm." Song Xia smiled. Even if Liu Fangniang was kneeling now, she might be happy inside. She would just pretend to have forgotten about it. After all, she had to take good care of Yuqing. How could she have time to be distracted by other things?

Indeed, she guessed correctly. At first, Liu Fangniang was happy, but after kneeling for a long time, she couldn't bear it anymore. Since marrying Zhou Yongli, when had she ever suffered like this? The heaviest work she did every day was just undressing and washing Zhou Yongli. Her body had long been pampered.

Therefore, he knelt until lunchtime, and having not drunk any water or eaten since early morning, he finally fainted.

After hearing this, Song Xia allowed her to return to the hospital to rest, but after she woke up, she deliberately had someone give her a message.

"Madam said that the concubine is so delicate, how can she serve others? She told the concubine to rest well and go again tomorrow."

Liu Fangniang's smile froze on her face. She thought that after fainting, she would not have to go again after being sent back. She did not expect that she would be told not to delay tomorrow, and that it would only be half a day. What kind of rest is this?

"Ah!" She frantically grabbed the quilt to vent her anger, but there was nothing else she could do, so she buried her face in the quilt and sobbed.