Chapter 54 Turning the Tables
"Lord Wei, please wait. I have another case to ask you to handle."
Song Yi stood up and bowed to Wei Yan.
The room fell silent for a moment, and almost everyone's eyes turned to Song Yi.
Li Nanke was very surprised and blinked his dark eyes at her.
"Mother?"
Song Yi ruffled her hair, stepped forward, and said to Wei Yan, "My sudden vomiting of blood tonight was not because of the whip marks."
It was because of poisoning. If I hadn't been rescued by Prince Xuan by chance and given an antidote, I would have died long ago.
I implore Lord Wei to do me justice and investigate whoever poisoned me.
As soon as he finished speaking, the room fell silent for a moment, followed by several gasps.
"Poisoning?"
Both Vice Minister Song and Lady Zhang cried out in surprise and instinctively looked at each other.
Li Nanke's face turned deathly pale. She rushed to Song Yi in a few steps, grabbed her hand, and anxiously asked her questions.
"Mother, what poison have you been given? Where does it hurt?"
When she saw her mother vomiting blood, she thought it was from being whipped, but she never expected it was from poisoning.
Li Nanke was startled by this sudden news and gripped Song Yi's hand even tighter.
Madam He was also frightened. She forced herself to stand up and asked Song Yi with concern.
"You silly child, why did you only tell me about being poisoned now? How is it now?"
Song Yi looked at her mother-in-law, then at her daughter, and felt a warmth in her heart.
He twitched the corner of his mouth and said, "Don't worry, I took the antidote pill given to me by Prince Xuan, and the poison has been almost completely neutralized."
The brief moment I held my breath was due to the detoxification process; I'm fine now that I'm awake.
He breathed a slight sigh of relief, then pulled Li Nanke around to thank Shen Cong.
"Thank you, Your Highness, for saving my life."
This time, Li Nanke sincerely bowed to Shen Cong to thank him for saving his mother's life.
Shen Cong gave her a deep look and curled his lips into a smile.
"Just remember this kindness, but I don't know how long this kindness will last."
He emphasized the word "gratitude" heavily.
Li Nanke pursed his lips, thinking to himself that this person really held a grudge.
She said she needed to repay another favor, and I've remembered that ever since.
He didn't dare show it on his face, but just tugged at the corner of his mouth and nodded.
"I will definitely repay Your Highness's kindness."
Shen Cong gave a faint "hmm" and closed his eyes again.
He turned to Wei Yan and asked for his opinion.
"I implore Lord Wei to investigate the truth and give my daughter-in-law justice. She was poisoned to death in her own family home."
The person who did this is utterly ruthless, worse than a beast.
She was already physically weak, and she was exhausted to the point of collapse from holding on until now. At this moment, she was so emotional that she almost fainted.
Li Nanke quickly helped her to a chair to sit down and rest.
Wei Yan was already asking Song Yi, "What have you eaten or been in contact with?"
Song Yi carefully recalled everything she had eaten and used at noon and in the evening.
"My younger sister, Song Hui, brought me lunch. She ate with me, and Zilan also ate with me."
We're both fine. I didn't eat anything tonight either...
She paused for a moment, then suddenly remembered something.
"I haven't had time to eat the dinner that was delivered tonight, but I did drink a sip of tea, just one sip."
My father came in, and I choked on my tea, spitting out half a mouthful.
Wei Yan said, "Perhaps it's a problem with the tea. Someone, go to the Song family ancestral hall immediately to find food and tea for tonight, and then go back to the yamen to summon a doctor."
The constable left, but returned quickly.
He was carrying a food box containing tonight's meal, snacks, and a pot of tea.
The doctor who was in charge of Bianjing Prefecture also arrived and inspected everything that the yamen runners had brought back.
Then he shook his head and said, "My lord, there is nothing wrong with these dishes, snacks and tea."
Wei Yan frowned.
Are you sure?
The doctor nodded. "I'm sure."
Song Yi's face turned pale, and she shook her head repeatedly.
"No, that's impossible. How could it not be poisoned? I clearly drank the tea. Someone must have switched it."
"Enough!"
Vice Minister Song rebuked him sternly with a dark face.
"We've already apologized to you, what more do you want? There was clearly no poisoning, yet you're slandering us with baseless accusations."
This is your maternal home. What good will it do you to slander us like this?
Song Yi shook her head, looking anxious and helpless.
"I didn't... I really was poisoned, I didn't slander you."
A soft sigh came from outside the door.
Song Hui walked in from outside the door, looking at Song Yi with a sad expression.
“I know that my sister was wronged and upset because of the dowry shop incident yesterday, and today she was beaten and scolded by our father.”
My sister was furious and it was understandable that she wanted revenge, but no matter how angry she was, we were still family.
Even though our parents have their faults, they are still our elders. Why would my sister resort to such a self-inflicted injury?
She shook her head as she spoke, her expression one of extreme sadness.
Song Yi was bewildered by her words.
"What self-inflicted injury ruse? What are you talking about?"
Song Hui took Song Yi's hand.
"Sister, you're so foolish! Our family is our support as women. Your self-inflicted injury almost cost you your life."
Just considering the part about framing our parents, if something happens to them, my sister and I will have no one to rely on.
Song Yi understood what she meant and, with a pale face, abruptly shook off her hand.
"What nonsense are you talking about? I didn't poison myself."
Song Hui reached out and gently patted her mouth.
"I misspoke. My sister didn't poison herself, but how could the poison have somehow transferred to her body?"
Madam Zhang realized what was happening and quickly echoed her.
"You need to have evidence to support your claims. The tea and meals are all delivered by the main kitchen."
Everyone else ate it and was fine, but your tea was poisoned, and you just happened to drink half of it.
That's really strange. Who drinks tea only half a sip? You clearly knew beforehand that it was poisoned.
As he spoke, he reached out and tugged at Vice Minister Song.
"Sir, please say something!"
The Minister of Personnel Song looked at Song Yi with eyes full of disgust.
"How dare you frame us! You disrespectful and unfilial wretch! The Song family has no daughter like you."
Song Yi was so angry at their blaming that she burst into tears, but she still tried her best to defend herself.
"I... I had just taken a sip of tea when my father arrived, and I was so startled that I choked."
The two old women who guarded me can both testify to this; if you, sir, do not believe me, you may ask them.”
Wei Yan ordered his men to bring up the two old women.
"Did you bring the food and tea for Lady Song from the main kitchen?"
The two old women trembled like leaves and fell to their knees with a thud.
"yes."
"Did you notice anything unusual? Or did you encounter anyone?"
The two shook their heads.
One of the old women's eyes flickered, and she suddenly knelt down and said, "This servant...this servant saw the eldest young lady add a packet of something to the teapot herself."
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