“Sister, you won’t be like me. As long as you ask, Fourth Master will remember you and let you raise the child.” Madam Song continued, “Sister, you are a blessed person. I knew that from the first time I met you.”
Lanqin took Song's hand and said, "Sister, you don't need to worry too much. The eldest princess is still your daughter, and she can't forget the mother who gave birth to her."
Madam Song knew she was trying to comfort her, but she was still very pleased and said, "Thank you for helping me so many times, sister. I, Song Ruyu, will always remember this kindness."
Lanqin waved her hand and said, "Sister Song, if you say any more, you'll be being too polite with me. Besides, it's only human nature. Even if Lanqin doesn't help, someone else will."
Madam Song shook her head and said, "In this inner courtyard, only my sister is willing to take action. Everyone else has gone their separate ways. They only do what is beneficial to themselves. As for me, a woman who has lost the favor of the Fourth Prince, they are all better off staying as far away as possible."
"Master, it's time to take your medicine!" Qingping brought in a bowl of medicine.
"Sister, please take your medicine. I'm going back now. I'll come see you another day." Lanqin planned to go to the garden to see the ice sculptures after she left. She had heard that there were some very well-made ice sculptures in the garden.
Madam Song nodded and asked Qingping to see it off on her behalf.
After leaving the North Courtyard, Zi Ran came looking for me.
“Princess, Xia He from the main courtyard has come looking for you. She says that the master and the princess consort have invited you to the main courtyard.”
Lanqin knew that the matter concerning Yan Yu was still unresolved, so why was she being asked to go there now? Could it be related to that matter? At the time, she was just an eyewitness and knew nothing. Why was she being asked to go?
With these questions in mind, Lanqin took Nianxue's hand and headed towards the main courtyard.
When Lanqin saw Li Shi and the few people kneeling behind her, she was secretly surprised. She saw that the Fourth Prince and his wife were sitting on the main couch, with Doctor Zhou and the head nanny standing by their sides. There were no other people around.
Why did you call me here? I wasn't the only witness that night!
"This humble servant greets Your Highness and Your Highness!" Lanqin's little head turned for a moment, and she walked to Li's side, bowing to her husband and his wife.
"Princess Niu, please sit down. I called you here because I have some questions for you," the Fujin said gently. The Fourth Prince remained silent, perhaps struggling with how to ask Lanqin.
"Please ask, Madam. I will tell you everything I know without reservation." Lanqin's heart sank, but she suppressed her unease and sat down to the seat below Madam.
"Last night, my sister was in the Li family's courtyard. After the banquet, she left the small courtyard midway through. Where did she go?" the Fujin asked with a gentle smile.
"I did indeed have New Year's dinner with the ladies in Consort Li's courtyard yesterday. Afterwards, because I ate too much, I helped Nianxue out for a walk. Then I went to see Sister Song before returning to the East Courtyard." Lanqin had originally planned not to mention Song, but seeing this, she decided to tell the truth. Since she was asking her so many questions, there must be something Song didn't know.
"Song Shi? She didn't go to the East Courtyard yesterday?" Fourth Master asked hurriedly when he heard Lanqin say this.
Hearing this, Li, kneeling on the ground, began to worry. If Niu could find Song to testify, then her suspicion would be cleared. But it turned out she was still the prime suspect, and with that damned curse, was she truly doomed this time?
“Sister Song had a high fever yesterday, so she didn’t go. Doctor Zhou knows this. Sister Song is still resting in bed now.” Lanqin said, glancing at Fourth Master.
The Princess Consort never expected that a Song woman would appear out of nowhere, and yet she hadn't been informed of anything about what had happened to her.
"Dr. Zhou, did you go to see Princess Song last night?" the Fujin asked Dr. Zhou, glancing sideways.
"Reporting to Your Highness, last night, Consort Niu's maid came to tell me that Consort Song had a high fever, so I went with her." Doctor Zhou knew that he had gone to treat the Consort without Your Highness's permission, which was against the rules.
The Fourth Prince waved his hand, indicating to his wife that there was no need to pursue the matter of Doctor Zhou at this moment. He then asked, "When did you go to Song's place, and when did you leave?"
Lanqin still didn't understand why they were asking these questions. She just happened to have a pocket watch with her, which she had checked the time so as not to be late for the shadow puppet show at Li's place.
"I went to Sister Song's place around 7 PM to 9 PM, and stayed for less than an hour. I should have returned to the East Courtyard around 9 PM." Lanqin added, "I was carrying a pocket watch with me at the time, so I can be sure."
Upon hearing this, Li's face immediately turned ashen. The time she ordered Mingyan to brew tea was exactly 9:00 PM, which meant that Lanqin was with Song at that time and could not go to the kitchen to do anything.
The princess frowned almost imperceptibly and said to the fourth prince, "This matter is of great importance. It would be best to ask Consort Song."
Lanqin naturally understood what the Fujin meant: she wanted to find Sister Song to verify her statement. She thought to herself: If it's true, then it's true. Anyway, I'm telling the truth!
The Fourth Prince actually believed from the beginning that Lanqin would never do anything to harm his offspring. Now that he had asked around, he could basically conclude that Lanqin had nothing to do with this matter. However, since the Princess Consort said so, he couldn't find a reason to object, so he had no choice but to agree to her suggestion.
When Lanqin saw that Fourth Master actually agreed to go to Song Shi to exchange statements, she couldn't help but feel a pang in her heart. She hadn't expected that he wouldn't believe her either.
After the head nanny conveyed the Fourth Master and his wife's message to Song Gege, the room fell silent once again. Li Shi was already struggling to kneel; accustomed to years of pampered life, she couldn't endure such kneeling, and her body began to sway from side to side.
The Fujin (principal wife) felt a great sense of relief as she watched the woman before her finally kneel before her. If she could find a connection between the woman and the First Prince's death, Lady Li would surely be doomed this time.
Looking at Li Shi's appearance, Lanqin wondered if she was related to Yan Yuzhong's safflower, but why was she involved? Then they suspected that they had poisoned her with safflower.
Thinking of this, Lanqin couldn't help but feel her heart race, even though she had absolutely nothing to do with that matter.
"May I ask you, my lord, is there something I don't know that you have summoned me to ask you questions?" Lanqin asked.
Make him distrust himself, make him not ask, but force him to talk!
The Fujin and the Fourth Prince, and everyone present, were all stunned, not expecting Lanqin to say such a thing.
"The tea that Yan Yu drank was laced with safflower, and we are now trying to find the person who put it there. Princess Niu left the East Courtyard midway through the journey!" The Fujin quickly recovered and answered Lanqin's question for the Fourth Prince.
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