Before You Yuanzhi could finish speaking, Xiang'er slapped him across the face and shouted in disbelief, "How could you bear to hurt a two-year-old child? You are truly heartless!"
You Yuanzhi gripped Xiang'er's shoulders and roared back with bloodshot eyes, "I did this for you. Now that Yan Ning has been identified as the murderer, and Xi Ying has lost De Lin, she has no intention of competing with you for favor anymore. No one will compete with you for Fu Kang An anymore. This is a good thing that kills two birds with one stone."
Xiang'er shook off You Yuanzhi. "I won't hurt anyone related to Fukang'an. How can I face him after what you've done? If he knew you killed his son because of me, he would definitely kill me himself. Even if he doesn't know, how can I spend the rest of my life with him with a guilty conscience? You Yuanzhi, haven't you hurt me enough?" Xiang'er felt guilty thinking that Delin died because of her. Although he was Xiying's son, she had genuinely loved him when she saw him clumsily learning to walk and babbling in the courtyard.
"I, You Yuanzhi, am not that ruthless!" You Yuanzhi said helplessly when he saw Xiang'er's intense reaction.
"Really?" Xiang'er grabbed You Yuanzhi and asked excitedly, "Then where is he now?"
You Yuanzhi held Xiang'er's hands and said gently, "When have I ever lied to you? I took him out after I drugged him. We didn't leave the city; we stayed in an inn. Last night, I removed the silver lock from his neck and sneaked into Yan Ning's room, putting it in her clothes. This morning, after Yan Ning was brought to the Fucha Mansion, I carried him to the grotto in the rockery to prevent Old Madam Fucha from searching the Fu Mansion."
As soon as You Yuanzhi finished speaking, Xiang'er pulled her hand away from his and prepared to leave. "Where are you going?" You Yuanzhi grabbed Xiang'er.
"I'll go and bring him back!"
"Are you crazy? Listen to me, Delin will be fine. After Madam Fucha has dealt with Yan Ning, I will have the servants of the Fucha mansion find him," You Yuanzhi advised Xiang'er.
"No, I won't use any means to steal Fukang'an's love. What I want is for him to love me willingly!" Xiang'er shook off You Yuanzhi's hand and left.
"My lord, someone from the Fucha residence has arrived. They say they were sent by Lord Fu Chang'an," Liu Quan reported from outside the door.
"I understand!" Heshen handed his son to his wife, glanced at his clever son, and then remembered what Yan Ning had said to him that day. His crescent-shaped eyes smiled even more broadly.
"Miss Yan Ning was taken back to the Fucha Mansion by Old Madam Fucha? What is the matter?" Heshen sat in the hall in the front courtyard, looking at the person who came and asked.
“Young Master Delin of the manor has been kidnapped. His silver lock was found at Miss Yan Ning’s place. The old lady said that the young lady had kidnapped Young Master Delin. When I arrived, the old lady was torturing the young lady.”
Heshen quickly ordered Liu Quan to prepare a sedan chair to go to Fucha's residence. On the way, he listened to the person who came and explained the situation in detail, and he came up with a plan.
Heshen twirled the jade thumb ring on his wrist, thinking to himself: Yan Ning's origins are unknown, and her behavior and speech are strange. The other day she said her son could marry a princess; it didn't seem like a joke. She must have some kind of foresight. If he could bring her under his wing, he would be even more successful in the court. At that moment, Heshen seemed to already see himself second only to the emperor.
After twenty strokes of the cane, Yan Ning was already on the verge of death, but she still insisted, "Madam, please go find De Lin first. I really didn't kidnap him."
"It seems the beating wasn't severe enough. Guards, bring the military whip from the barracks!" Old Madam Fucha held her grandson's silver lock in her hand, her heart filled with worry. If something happened to her grandson, how could she face her son? She had already wronged him too much in this life. Thinking of this, she unconsciously made her punishment for Yan Ning even harsher.
"Wait!" As soon as Heshen entered the inner courtyard of the old lady Fucha, he saw a nanny holding a military whip about to strike. Although he shouted loudly, it was too late.
Having just received a lash, Yan Ning felt that the twenty strokes of the cane were nothing. Now, she was in so much pain that she was dizzy and fell off the long wooden bench, losing consciousness.
Heshen walked up to Madam Fucha, bowed, and said, "Heshen greets Madam Fucha!"
Madam Fucha picked up the blue-and-white porcelain covered bowl on the table, not even looking directly at Heshen. "Lord He, what brings you here today, barging into my inner courtyard?" As soon as she finished speaking, the covered bowl fell to the ground, and her eyes turned sharply to Heshen.
Knowing he had been impolite, Heshen bowed again and said, "Miss Yan Ning is new to the capital and has been staying at the Fu residence. She must be unfamiliar with everything in the capital, so I, Heshen, have overstepped my bounds. Yesterday, I invited Miss Yan Ning to visit the Hall of Longevity, but it saddened her. Today, I came to apologize, but upon seeing that Miss Yan Ning had returned to the Fucha residence, I feared that she might be angry and that the Old Madam would be angry, which I could not bear. In my haste, I entered the Old Madam's inner courtyard. I hope the Old Madam will not be angry."
Madam Fucha smiled and said, "You flatter me, sir. However, Yan Ning is, after all, a concubine of the Fucha family who has not yet entered the manor. You should still show some self-respect!"
"The old lady's reprimand is absolutely right! I suppose the old lady still has family matters to attend to, so I, Heshen, will take my leave now." Heshen said, without even glancing at Yan Ning, and left the inner courtyard of the old lady of the Fucha family.
Seeing Heshen leave, Madam Fucha thought to herself, "Yan Ning is indeed unfamiliar with the capital. According to Heshen, Yan Ning stayed with him when she went out yesterday. The Fucha family's official rank is far higher than Heshen's, so he naturally wouldn't dare to offend them. Yesterday, Fu Chang'an also went to the city gate to inquire, and no one had taken a child out of the city. If Delin was indeed kidnapped by Yan Ning, he should be at the Fu residence right now."
"Men, search the Fu residence thoroughly, every corner!" Madam Fucha gave the order, and most of the male servants in the mansion went to the Fu residence. Xia'er also helped Xi Ying go with them. After Fu Chang'an helped his mother back to his own courtyard, he also went to the Fu residence.
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