Qian Shengyan: ...
Qian Shengyan couldn't bear to look back at her two new sisters' faces. She stepped forward, pulled Li Shi aside, and squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth while smiling: "What are you saying, Consort? What do servants know? They just make a fuss over some random clues. Sister should be more composed."
As he spoke, he gestured to Li to look at the people behind her.
Having spent many years in the Prince's mansion's backyard, Madam Li understood Qian Shengyan's meaning at a glance. She clapped her hands and said, "That's right! There are always some petty people who sow discord and ruin the relationship between us sisters! The Princess Consort is the most dignified and virtuous person. How could the nannies around her do such disgraceful things? It must be that those servants didn't investigate properly and just used evil stories to fool me!"
After she finished speaking, her expression changed, and she reverted to the gentle and kind older sister she had first met Qian Shengyan, smiling and nodding at Madam Guo and Madam Liu: "These two look unfamiliar, they are..."
“These are two princesses that our Empress selected from this year’s imperial concubines specifically for the Prince. Come, pay your respects to Consort Li.” Qian Shengyan smiled as well.
Guo and Liu exchanged a glance, their faces pale, as if they had learned something of great importance. However, neither dared to be negligent. After bowing to the concubine, they exchanged a few words on the road. Then, Li said she had other matters to attend to and hurriedly returned to Ritian Linyu. Qian Shengyan also comforted the two princesses, instructed Lüliu to properly escort them back, sighed, and then also went to Ritian Linyu.
Madam Li was pacing anxiously in the courtyard when she saw Qian Shengyan approaching. Her eyes lit up, and she stepped forward, saying anxiously, "Sister, tell me, what should I do about this?"
"Whatever this servant found out is what it is? Didn't you interrogate her properly, sister?" Qian Shengyan frowned.
Li chuckled, "Of course it was reviewed." She pursed her lips, "It's precisely because it was reviewed that I don't know what to do."
As she spoke, Madam Li leaned closer to Qian Shengyan and whispered, "That old maid who did odd jobs that day was caught and then ran into a wall without anyone noticing. Her fate is still unknown. It was only after we found a silver ingot and an old piece of jewelry in that old maid's room that we found Granny Wu..."
"Silver ingots? Old jewelry?" Qian Shengyan frowned.
Madam Li nodded: "Someone saw Granny Wu wearing those old jewelry pieces."
Qian Shengyan had nothing to say, and Madam Li also sighed and stood silently to the side.
After a long pause, Qian Shengyan finally spoke: "Since this is the result my sister found out, then let's tell the Prince this."
"How can that be!" Madam Li exclaimed in surprise, then frowned and thought for a moment before looking directly at Qian Shengyan, "You mean..."
"I didn't think anything. This matter was originally entrusted to Consort Li by the Prince. What they find out and how far they go is not something I can ask about." Qian Shengyan had calmed down. She curtsied to Consort Li and quickly finished speaking before turning around and walking out.
They finally left Ritian Linyu before Li could react.
Qian Shengyan breathed a slight sigh of relief. Qingxue supported her arm, and the two walked together toward Peach Blossom Village.
Compared to the irrefutable evidence against Granny Wu, the two princesses seemed to attract little attention.
"Didn't you already guess it?" Qingxue was a little confused as to why Qian Shengyan would react so strongly. Qian Shengyan shook her head: "Guessing is one thing, but... if you do it cleanly and no one can find out, even if everyone guesses it, she will still be the Fujin."
Qingxue remained silent for a moment, then nodded in understanding.
Yes, it's just a guess, there's no evidence. Even if the prince is convinced that it was Ulanara who did it, he can't really do anything to her.
But now, things are different.
Qian Shengyan looked up at the sky, and after a moment sighed softly.
She remembered that Empress Ulanara was Emperor Yongzheng's empress in history, but... she didn't know if Empress Xiaojingxian, who was recorded in history as dignified, gentle, and good at managing the household, had ever given aphrodisiacs to others.
After walking for a while, Qian Shengyan couldn't help but complain again, "Even so... she should have changed her medicine!"
“What are you thinking, Master? This medicine is not so easy to obtain.” Qingxue said, both amused and exasperated. “Even finished medicine pills are not allowed to be stored in any of the courtyards of the mansion. Apart from some old ginseng and the like, all other medicines are under unified management.”
Qian Shengyan paused. She hadn't considered this issue before, but upon reflection, it did seem like a valid point.
Otherwise, if a woman with medical skills were to come along and concoct a poison, wouldn't this whole courtyard be deserted?
Qian Shengyan indulged in some lighthearted daydreams amidst her suffering, but upon returning to Peach Blossom Village, she felt utterly exhausted and couldn't hold on any longer. Despite the late hour, she took a long nap.
When he woke up, it was already dark, but Yinzhen and Hongli had not returned yet.
Qian Shengyan had someone bring over Ferguchun, played games with her daughter for a while, and then had a simple dinner. She thought for a moment, then called Qingxue over and asked, "Is there any news from Consort Li's side?"
"Ahem," Qingxue said slightly embarrassed, "Not long after the mistress left, Consort Li saw the Third Prince playing in the courtyard and remembered that the prince had only brought the Fourth Prince into the palace. So she came to Peach Blossom Village. Fortunately, the mistress had just fallen asleep, so I sent them away."
"Them? The Third Prince is here too?" Qian Shengyan had been waiting for Li Shi to make a scene, but she didn't expect that Li Shi would forget about the child because of the matter between Nian Shi and the Fujin.
Qingxue nodded, then couldn't help but chuckle, "Your Highness didn't see Consort Li's expression at that moment..."
Qian Shengyan glanced at Qingxue and couldn't help but laugh.
It wasn't until 11:45 PM that Yinzhen took Hongli back to the courtyard. The carriage took Hongli directly to the entrance of Peach Blossom Village. Qian Shengyan stood by the door, anxiously taking the sleepy Hongli in her own hands.
"Mother..." the baby's voice was soft and whiny, and his hands automatically wrapped around her, "Mother, Hongli is so sleepy."
The child, who was almost three years old, already weighed thirty pounds. Qian Shengyan's small frame almost couldn't hold him. It was Yinzhen who strode over from behind and took Hongli from him, saying, "Father, hold him."
"Why are you only coming back now?" Qian Shengyan asked, frowning.
Yinzhen, however, looked relaxed, clearly having encountered something good, but he didn't say anything at the moment, only patting Hongli on the back: "Wash up and go to sleep, hmm? Hongli, would you like something to eat?"
"I have some snacks and porridge..." Qian Shengyan had prepared in advance, but her son seemed really sleepy, whimpering with his eyes half-closed. Qian Shengyan had no choice but to have someone wipe him down briefly and then tuck him into bed.
Back in his bedchamber, Yinzhen had finished washing up and changed into his nightgown. Sitting on the bed, he smiled and reached out to shake Qian Shengyan's hand as she entered, saying, "Today in court, our Hongli certainly earned me a lot of face."
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