Chapter 186 Curse
The events that followed were indeed Jiang Wanru's, but she knew nothing about the events that came before.
*Slap!* Jiang Wanru slapped Wu Xinrui hard across the face. “You slut.”
"You're so shameless, trying to curry favor with the prince, and now you're trying to swindle me here?"
Wu Xinrui covered her face, looking pitiful. "I know I did something wrong, but I was forced into it. How can I compare to Miss Jiang?"
"If you had any sense of shame, how could you have committed adultery without a matchmaker and stolen your own sister's marriage?"
Jiang Wanru was furious, especially after Jiang Wanning humiliated her.
He then vented all his anger on Wu Xinrui, grabbing her hair and slamming her head against the ground.
While weakly dodging, Wu Xinrui was not to be outdone and took the opportunity to scratch Jiang Wanru's face.
The two women wrestled and fought, showing none of the grace expected of a noblewoman.
Jiang Wan Ning watched the dogs fight quietly, while Pei Yan Chuan, uninterested, closed his eyes and pretended to sleep.
After the two had finished fighting, Jiang Wanning said, "Since it has been found that the poisoning was done by Jiang Wanru's maid."
“The maid has already confessed and accepted the punishment, but you two, one failed to supervise the servants properly and the other was taken advantage of. In my opinion, you should both be punished.”
When Jiang Wanru poisoned the girl, she planned to have her maid take the blame.
However, Jiang Wan Ning had no intention of letting her go.
You may escape the death penalty, but you'll have to suffer the punishment.
"Then you will be punished by going to a temple outside the capital to pray for the Lady of the Marquis's safe delivery until the baby is born safely. If the baby is not born safely, then it means that your hearts are not sincere."
"I'll stay in the temple for the rest of my life and never come down."
"No way!" Jiang Wan Ning immediately retorted upon hearing this, "No... what does this have to do with imprisonment?"
"As I said, if the baby is born safely, you may naturally return."
“Or there is another way,” Jiang Wan Ning said, “If the children are both safe after the Lady Hou and Madam Wang give birth.”
"You can then be spared from going to the temple to pray for blessings. If any problems arise with the child, then go to the temple to atone for your sins for the rest of your life."
"Although the poison has been neutralized, no one can say for sure whether it will affect the fetus. We'll only know after the child is born."
Jiang Wanru knew that Jiang Wanning was doing it on purpose.
She knew she would choose the latter, and that she would care even more about the safety of the baby in Zhou's womb during Zhou's pregnancy.
She not only prevented herself from poisoning Zhou again, but also made herself go to great lengths to protect Zhou.
What a clever scheme! She knew Jiang Wan Ning was doing it on purpose, but she had no choice but to agree, and she would have to go to great lengths to protect her in the future.
Right now, I still have to complete the task given to me by the Grand Princess: to find the person with the plum blossom birthmark on their back. Naturally, I cannot leave the capital.
Besides, going to that desolate, godforsaken temple would not only be a miserable experience, but you might also be assassinated.
"Yes." Jiang Wan Ning suppressed her anger.
"Alright, that last matter has been resolved. Now let's talk about today's matter." Jiang Wan Ning gently waved the round fan in her hand.
"Since Miss Wu claims she was instigating everything, can you provide any evidence?"
Wu Xinrui naturally had no evidence, but right now she was determined to stick to one person and not let go, saying, "I have no evidence."
"How could she possibly leave any evidence against her for something like this? But she's always been resentful, and there's still a voodoo doll in her room."
"It says Your Highness's birthday on it."
Jiang Wanru's eyes widened. No one usually knew about her room, and she had hidden that little person very well. How did Wu Xinrui find out?
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Jiang Wanru pointed at Wu Xinrui. "Are you deliberately trying to frame me without any evidence?"
"You'll know if you search it up."
"If you don't want people to know, then don't do it in the first place. You've hidden it very well, but you've forgotten that I also live in Wenzhu Courtyard."
"You had the window open that day, and unfortunately, I saw you."
Although she didn't see whose birthday it was, she guessed it was most likely Jiang Wan Ning's.
"Mo Qing, go search."
"yes."
Jiang Wanru looked flustered and tried to step forward to stop him, but Mo Ran pressed her back with a sword against her shoulder and made her kneel down obediently.
"What right do you have to search my room?" Jiang Wanru said.
"I call the shots in this palace, and you live in my place."
"Furthermore, you should call me mother-in-law."
"If what Wu Xinrui said is true, and you used witchcraft to curse your mother-in-law to death, you will be punished with flogging."
Jiang Wanning spoke calmly, but Jiang Wanru's legs were already weak.
In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Mo Qing came out and said, "Your Highness, no dolls were found."
While Wu Xinrui was shocked, Jiang Wanru breathed a sigh of relief.
It was hidden quite well; he probably didn't notice it.
Before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, Mo Qing continued, "However, I did find this thing."
Mo Qing pulled out a larger rag doll. "This has the Grand Princess's name and birth date written on it, and there's a knife stuck in her heart."
"This is impossible!" Jiang Wanru exclaimed in panic. "How could this be?"
"I clearly already put these things..."
Halfway through her speech, Jiang Wanru suddenly realized that she had inadvertently confessed, even though she had clearly disposed of these things.
Why would it appear in Mo Qing's hands?
Jiang Wanru suddenly looked at Jiang Wanning, who had a calm expression, and suddenly felt that she was a little scary.
Was this a deliberate trap set to lure her into? What exactly happened to Wu Xinrui?
While Jiang Wanru was still in a daze, Jiang Wanning's voice rang out softly, "How much do you hate the Grand Princess?"
"Was it her who helped you get this title of county princess?"
"I told you long ago that she wasn't a good person."
"Look at her, what kind of good person could someone who crawled out of a courtesan's belly be?"
"Exactly, exactly like her mother."
"How can there be such an ungrateful person in the world? First, the Marquis's mansion treated her well, and then it was the Grand Princess. This woman is truly vicious."
"......"
Everyone started talking at once.
Jiang Wanru shook her head repeatedly, "I was framed, I didn't know."
Jiang Wan Ning looked at her with a disappointed expression, "If you really cursed me today, I might let you off the hook for An'er's sake."
“But you cursed the Grand Princess, so I have no choice but to punish you.”
“Otherwise, our Prince’s Mansion will have a hard time explaining to the Grand Princess in the future. Moreover, you are the Grand Princess’s adopted daughter. I will teach you a good lesson on her behalf.”
"Mo Qing," Jiang Wan Ning called out softly.
"Yes." Mo Qing waved.
The servants of the Prince's Mansion immediately stepped forward and pinned Jiang Wanru to the bench.
"Gag her, otherwise it'll be too noisy."
Mo Qing was prepared. He gagged Jiang Wanru with a strip of cloth, raised the board high, and struck her on the waist.
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