These words were like a pebble thrown into a long-silent pool, sending ripples through everyone's hearts. A shadow fell over everyone's minds because of Nian Gengyao's words. Yet, no one could utter a word in rebuttal. At this moment, everyone standing there was a suspect.
"Summon the head steward in charge of meals!" Fourth Master ordered.
Nian Gengyao then scrutinized each of the women in the Fourth Prince's harem. Although his actions were extremely impolite, he couldn't care less for the sake of his sister. The Fourth Prince also had no time to argue, as it concerned Nian's life.
Lanqin felt Nian Gengyao's gaze linger on her for a while before finally shifting away. The scrutinizing gaze she had just received felt like a razor blade scraping against her, making her extremely uncomfortable.
As expected of Nian Gengyao, besides his martial arts skills, strategic thinking must have been crucial. His ability to become a powerful general guarding a region certainly demonstrates his exceptional abilities. Nian Gengyao was undoubtedly a man of both literary and military talent, but unfortunately, he suffered from a common flaw among talented individuals—arrogance and conceit!
People who are too clever or too self-righteous rarely live long. Nian Gengyao's subsequent purge by Yongzheng was certainly due to his own actions. Lanqin had known the Fourth Prince for many years; she knew he wasn't a cold-hearted person, and his care for the Thirteenth Prince's household wasn't something that happened overnight.
After Nian Gengyao had looked everyone present over, his gaze settled on Wu Shi's table. Wu Shi felt extremely uncomfortable when she saw Nian Gengyao staring at her.
Just then, the prepared antidote arrived, and Doctor Lin quickly took it inside to detoxify Nian.
Fourth Master's heart was also somewhat at ease.
"Little girl, why are you looking away?" Nian Gengyao was a soldier, so his voice was very deep and resonant. When he shouted, it made people feel awe.
Wu Ruyue was indeed startled and quickly said, "It's nothing, I'm just a little scared."
"What are you afraid of?" Nian Gengyao stared intently at Ruyue.
“It’s quite surprising that Consort Nian was suddenly poisoned, so I’m a little scared,” Wu Ruyue said, shrinking down next to Madam Wu.
"Your Highness, Ruyue is young and inexperienced. She can't stand being stared at. Please forgive her!" Wu Shi was dissatisfied with Nian Gengyao and had no choice but to ask the Fourth Prince for help.
“Gengyao, she is Wu Gege’s younger sister, but she’s just a little girl.” Fourth Master couldn’t bear to see Wu Ruyue being questioned like this by Nian Gengyao, so he explained.
“I clearly saw your eyes darting around just now, as if you were hiding something from someone, weren’t you?” Nian Gengyao shouted.
"As I said, my younger sister is just young and inexperienced," said Madam Wu.
Just then, the head chef in charge of the family banquet arrived. He knew immediately upon entering that there was a problem with the food, and was already quite anxious, fearing the Fourth Master would take his anger out on them. They were all just following orders; they had no idea how the food could have gone wrong.
"You're the head of the kitchen?" Fourth Master asked with a stern face. Now that there was a problem with the food, he would have to take responsibility. No matter who poisoned it, he couldn't escape it.
"That's right. This is what Consort Nian personally instructed me to do. I made sure this family banquet was done well. I specially ordered some Shaanxi dishes that General Nian likes. Consort Nian also said that His Highness likes Jiangnan cuisine, so she specially asked me to make a few more Jiangnan dishes," the head steward said.
"Were your dishes always being watched over? Did anyone other than those from the kitchen go in? Or was anyone able to get close to these dishes on the way they were served?" Fourth Master asked.
"Your Highness, these dishes were all watched over by designated people while they were in the kitchen. After being plated, they were brought over one by one by maids dispatched by the head matron. Whether those people ate the food on the way, we don't know." The head steward was shifting the blame onto those people; was he trying to lessen his own responsibility?
"Go and bring up all the people who brought the dishes. Also, should all the dishes they bring be placed in the east courtyard? Where should they be placed, and who is in charge of watching over them?" In front of Nian Gengyao, Fourth Master had no choice but to investigate in this meticulous way.
A moment later, the head nanny arrived with the maids who had specially brought food boxes to the east courtyard that day. Then, an old woman in charge of watching over the food boxes in the east courtyard also came over with two maids. They all lined up neatly in front of the Fourth Master, heads bowed, not daring to speak.
Finding anything suspicious among these women is no easy task. They are the easiest to poison. Therefore, thoroughly investigating these maids in a short time will not be easy. So, who exactly poisoned Lady Nian?
"Has anyone noticed anything strange or different from usual? Tell me everything. Whoever can tell me will be richly rewarded," said the Fourth Prince.
The crowd lowered their heads, their eyes darting around, their gazes fixed on the toes. None of them had poisoned the food, yet they were now being implicated for no apparent reason.
When Nian Gengyao saw so many people talking with their heads down, he often said, "You all have your necks hunched, backs drooping, and eyes down. You don't know what you're saying."
"Your Highness, I have discovered something strange in our land. It shouldn't be there. Out of curiosity, I put it away." Suddenly, a maid stepped out from behind the old woman.
"What is it? Take it out immediately!" Fourth Master said without even asking any questions.
"This is it!" The maid pulled an object out of her sleeve and held it in her palm. It was a gourd-shaped beaded flower, exquisitely crafted.
The Fourth Prince stared at the jewelry in the maid's hand and gestured for Su Peisheng to show it to him.
When the Fourth Master took the item in his palm and examined it, everyone present gasped in surprise.
Wu stared intently at the object in Fourth Master's hand, suddenly feeling as if she had been deceived.
"This must be Princess Wu's headdress!" Fourth Master glanced at Wu.
Without a second thought, Wu asked, "How did that thing end up with you?"
She was speaking to the maid, but the maid ignored her question and continued to wait in the direction of the Fourth Master.
"Is it any coincidence that Wu Gege's pearl hairpin appeared where the food was placed?" Nian Gengyao asked aggressively. He absolutely could not allow anyone to harm his own sister like this.
Therefore, everyone's eyes were now on the Wu sisters. After thinking for a moment, Wu said to the Fourth Prince, "Your Highness, I don't know why my pearl hairpin is in another place."
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