Zhang Chang Le harbors resentment towards Shen Yu because of the Zhang Prime Minister's case. Her visit to Yi Xiang Yuan to see Liu Xiao Niang is ostensibly a sister-in-law visiting her sister-in-law, but in reality, she is carrying out a series of schemes.
Shen Yu was deeply worried. She knew that after Bai Yehua went to war, she had received two letters from him, both instructing her to take good care of Liu Yao'er and her child. For her father's safety, she had to do something against her conscience, as if she were being held hostage.
She arrived at Yixiang Garden in a hurry with dozens of shrewd and capable guards, only to be grabbed by Madam Bai as soon as she entered.
“Chenyu, I heard from Granny You that Liu Xiaoniang has been locked in her room for the past two days and hasn’t left. I’m worried she might get sick from being cooped up. Since the Zuo family has come to visit her, I’ve asked the four old nannies to leave so that Liu Xiaoniang can catch up with her sister-in-law…”
"Foolish!" Chen Yu shouted, broke free from Madam Bai, and rushed towards the Peony Garden.
Recalling how Zhang Changle had beaten and verbally abused her in court yesterday, his ferocious and ruthless demeanor clearly indicating his intention to kill her, Zhang Changle's sudden visit to Yixiang Garden today was likely ill-intentioned and fraught with ulterior motives.
She was extremely anxious. Seeing that there was still a long way to go, she ran and instructed, "Cuiwei and Jiu'er go ahead first. Be sure to stop Liu Xiaoniang and don't let her eat anything."
Cuiwei and Jiu'er nodded, then instantly swept past her, leaping across rooftops and heading towards the Peony Garden.
When Chen Yu arrived at the Peony Garden, she saw four huge wooden boxes inside, which looked like tonics, and were probably gifts brought by Zhang Chang Le.
Suddenly, she heard a crashing sound coming from inside the hall. She rushed into the hall and saw that the floor was covered with broken pieces of teapots and teacups.
Liu Xiaoniang sat upright as before, while Zhang Changle stood facing Jiu'er and Cuiwei.
Cuiwei stepped forward and whispered, "Miss, when Miss Liu wanted to drink tea, Jiu'er tried to snatch the cup and was slapped by Madam Zuo. Before you entered, Madam Zuo smashed all the teacups and pots."
Chen Yu nodded, guessing that Zhang Chang Le must have tampered with the tea, so he smashed the teapot and teacups to destroy the evidence.
In an instant, she saw Zhang Changle pass by her without saying a word, his sidelong glance filled with resentment and coldness.
Zhang Changle has actually left?
At this moment, Madam Bai entered with a face full of anger, pointing at Chen Yu and complaining, "How could you let the eldest daughter of the Zuo family leave in tears? If word gets out, won't it be a disgrace to the Bai family?"
Chen Yu remained silent, then instructed, "Cuiwei, have the four matrons take Liu Xiaoniang to the guest room and keep a close watch on her. Jiu'er, lead the men to search the Peony Garden thoroughly!"
An hour later, the servants searched the entire Peony Garden but found nothing.
With a sense of unease, Shen Yu entered the courtyard and immediately felt something was amiss, muttering to herself, "Something seems to be missing from the courtyard?"
Cuiwei replied, "The four wooden boxes are gone."
Shen Yu was shocked. "Guards! Where is the wooden box?"
The servant at the door hurriedly reported, "Madam, you just ordered a search of the entire Peony Garden, and the old lady said you would destroy these things, so she ordered them to be carried away."
Where did they go?
"The old lady did not say so."
Shen Yu immediately sensed something was wrong. The wooden box contained tonics, which might have been mixed with drugs that could cause miscarriage. If Liu Xiaoniang had taken them... The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became. She hurriedly ran to the guest room, already panting heavily.
Liu Xiaoniang was lying on the bed, resting with her eyes closed, but a smile was hard to hide on her lips; she was clearly pretending to be asleep.
"Tell me! Where did the old lady go?"
Liu Xiaoniang shook her head without saying a word, but the smile on her lips became even more pronounced.
In fact, those tonics did contain abortifacients, which Madam Zuo had specially prepared for Liu Xiaoniang. Liu Xiaoniang knew that Chen Yu wouldn't leave the tonics behind, so she used sweet words to coax Madam Bai into taking the tonics to visit the Mu family. You see, Princess Yanghua was pregnant.
The more Liu Yao'er thought about it, the more smug she became, and she couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Haha..."
The voice was cunning and shrill, and the eyes were full of treachery. Seeing that sly and smug look, Chen Yu was furious. She slapped Liu Xiaoniang across the face and shouted, "Tell me, where did the old lady go?"
"I am but a concubine, how would I know the whereabouts of the old lady? Madam, you should wait patiently for the old lady to return."
Although Shen Yu was angry, she was more worried about the harmful effects of the tonics, so she ordered Cuiwei and Jiu'er to lead all the guards out to find Madam Bai.
At noon, the plump nanny from the Mu family rushed in with a report: "Miss, something terrible has happened! Princess Yanghua has miscarried, and the tonics sent by Madam Bai have been laced with drugs."
Shen Yu felt as if she had been struck by lightning; her legs went weak as she boarded the carriage and headed to the Mu family.
As soon as he entered, he saw Madam He.
This Lady He is Lady Mu's younger sister. Since marrying Lord He, she has had very little contact with Lady Mu, simply because Lord He is an honest and upright official with a solitary nature, and he does not allow Lady He to have frequent contact with relatives.
Chen Yu pulled Madam He aside and asked, "Aunt, how is my mother?"
"Alas! Yanghua's child is gone, and your mother is weeping uncontrollably. You must go in and see what's wrong. The Emperor has ordered your uncle to dredge the waterways around the capital, and he's going to supervise the work himself. There's no one to manage things at home, so I have to go." After saying this to his wife, he turned and left.
Shen Yu was naturally uneasy and extremely guilty, after all, it was she who caused Princess Yanghua to miscarry.
She entered Yanghua's bedroom and saw Madam Mu wiping away tears, sobbing as she said, "Yu'er, your mother-in-law said she was coming to visit me and your sister-in-law, and she even brought some prenatal supplements. But after your sister-in-law ate some, she... suffered unbearable abdominal pain..."
Chen Yu had no time to comfort Madam Mu and went straight to the bed, only to find Princess Yanghua's face as pale as paper, already unconscious.
Looking at the blood-soaked basin on the ground, she couldn't help but burst into tears, filled with resentment. That damned Liu Yao'er had actually harmed innocent people and plotted against her own family.
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