"How could this be? Aunt Niu!!" Hongjun still couldn't believe that Lanqin, who fed the cats with him every day, could be such a vicious woman.
“Third Prince, how could that be impossible? Since Lady Niu entered the manor, Master has rarely seen him.” Seeing that the Third Prince did not believe her, Mingyan hurriedly said.
"But Mother was confined to her quarters because she used witchcraft to curse Princess Yu?" Although the Third Prince was young, he naturally knew about such things.
“That was also a deliberate act of harm! Third Prince, have you forgotten why the master’s room was searched? Wasn’t it because someone put safflower in the jujube water that Princess Yu was drinking?” Seeing the doubt flashing in the Third Prince’s eyes, Mingyan quickly continued.
"Yes, later it was Huanbi, a maidservant of Niu Gege." The Third Prince no longer addressed her as "Auntie," a fact that Mingyan naturally noticed.
"Third Prince, in short, it was Lady Niu who stole the master's favor and caused the master to be confined to his quarters. It was all her fault that the master was killed." Mingyan continued, fearing that the Third Prince would not believe her, "Third Prince, the master used to be the person who was most favored by the master in this inner quarters, but now, who has taken her place?"
Indeed, Lanqin is now the one who has won the Fourth Prince's heart the most, and has indeed replaced the former Lady Li. The Third Prince cannot deny this.
Although he didn't want to believe that Lanqin was the one who harmed his mother, Mingyan's words and Li's "letter" forced him to believe it. After all, he was just a seven-year-old child; could he distinguish between lies, deceptions, and genuine sincerity?
The Third Prince stared blankly at Li's letter, his mind in turmoil: Lanqin's kindness to him was so genuine, yet his mother said he was the one who killed her—he was truly in agony.
How could he not be heartbroken when facing the person who killed his own mother, someone he had once loved so much?
When Mingyan left, she said to the Third Prince, "Third Prince, live well, live for your master, and you must avenge your master!!"
The Third Prince simply watched indifferently as Mingyan walked out. As she exited Madam Yin's room, a figure suddenly emerged from the darkness—none other than Xia He.
If the Third Prince came out at this moment, he would definitely see Mingyan following Xiahe towards the main courtyard.
"My lady, she's here!!" Xia He led Mingyan into the Fujin's east wing. Inside, the Fujin was examining a booklet.
"You've already told me?" The Fujin said without looking up.
“I have already done as the Princess Consort instructed, and the letter has also been given to the Third Prince,” Mingyan said expressionlessly.
"Did the Third Prince believe it?" The Fujin slowly raised her gaze from the account book and stared at Mingyan.
"I believe him about 70-80%. After all, he's just a seven-year-old child." Mingyan habitually avoided the Fujin's gaze. "Please, Fujin, release my mother."
"Mingyan, do you know that I, the Fujin, hope you will never appear again? What do you suggest?" the Fujin said coldly.
Mingyan couldn't help but shudder, and immediately knelt down, saying, "This servant will immediately take my mother away from the capital, go far away, and never come back."
The Fujin looked at the person kneeling before her, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Li Mama, send someone to escort her out, and then have Wuge release her mother. Mingyan, you may leave. I hope I will never see you again."
Mingyan was escorted to the side gate by Chunliu. She immediately turned towards the direction of the east courtyard and silently said, "Master, I'm sorry. I also have family."
Meanwhile, the Fujin had already closed the booklet and said calmly, "Granny, this girl cannot be kept. Let Wuge deal with her as well."
Granny Li nodded and said, "The Princess Consort kept this girl, and it turned out she really came in handy."
The princess said, "Granny, she knows too much. Now that she's been used, send a message by carrier pigeon to Wuge and deal with her family as soon as possible. Also, does that person outside know what to do?"
"Don't worry, Madam, I've already given him instructions," said Granny Li before leaving.
Meanwhile, as soon as Mingyan stepped out, she boarded the carriage. The carriage had been sent by Wuge, but the driver had changed. Mingyan, preoccupied with her own actions—deceiving the Third Prince and wronging Lady Li—didn't even glance at the new driver.
The carriage traveled north until it passed through the north gate, at which point Mingyan seemed to realize something was wrong. She discovered that the carriage wasn't heading in the direction she was supposed to go.
"Stop! Stop!" Mingyan shouted at the coachman outside the carriage window.
The carriage stopped, and Mingyan looked around. They were no longer in the city. All she could see was low-lying wilderness, and her heart started pounding.
"Where is this? Where are you taking me?" Mingyan's voice was already trembling. Ever since she was imprisoned in a separate courtyard by the Fujin (principal wife), she knew she might still be of some use. When the Fujin handed her the forged letter in Li's handwriting and told her how to speak to the Third Prince, Mingyan understood. This was the Fujin's purpose in keeping her alive.
It's terrifying. She started plotting long ago, when Li died, and had been setting up this scheme to get rid of Niu for a long time.
Mingyan was originally extremely loyal to Lady Li, but the Fujin (the Princess Consort) had her only relative arrested, so she submitted. Lady Li was dead anyway; now she was just being used to deceive the Third Prince. Lady Niu meant nothing to her. However, the Fujin was truly terrifying. Mingyan knew how Lady Li had died, but she dared not speak of it, nor did she have the opportunity.
"I'll take you somewhere." The carriage remained in place.
"Where are you taking me? Take me to see my mother! She promised me, she promised me~~" Mingyan shouted hoarsely, as if only in this way could she dispel the fear in her heart.
"I'm here to take you to see your mother," the coachman said, then suddenly turned around, only to find a dagger in his hand.
Seeing him staring intently at her, Mingyan suddenly shrank back into the carriage and asked in a trembling voice, "What did you say?"
The coachman's eyes flashed with an icy light as he said, "Your mother will also be with you in the afterlife. So she did not break her promise to reunite you and your mother."
Ah~~~
As the dagger grazed Mingyan's throat, she understood that from the very beginning, that woman had never intended for her and her mother to live.
My lord, I was wrong. I've come to join you. I hope that woman's plot fails, and I hope the Third Prince can personally avenge you.
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