After giving his instructions, Mr. Dong leaned against the car wall with his arms crossed and closed his eyes to rest.
Outside the carriage, the driver swallowed hard and spurred the carriage forward.
The coachman was from the general's mansion and didn't know martial arts, so he was naturally frightened.
Yu Qingyi had originally intended to show off his skills and impress Xie Lingqin and Elder Dong, but to his surprise, the carriage had already left by the time he turned around.
He also left him with a message, telling him to handle the aftermath.
this……
Yu Qingyi slapped her forehead, her peach blossom eyes flashing with grievance, "It's happening again..."
Xie Lingqin silently lit a candle for Yu Qingyi in her heart.
"Old Master Dong, how is the child in Consort Shu's belly?" The carriage was too quiet, and Xie Lingqin wanted to take the opportunity to get some useful information.
Old Dong just snorted and ignored her.
Xie Lingqin was not discouraged and pressed on, "I've always heard that the current Empress is gentle and kind. On the surface, she is in charge of the harem, but in reality, Consort Shu and Consort Lan are constantly favored and everyone is eager to marry them. Let's not even talk about the Empress. Consort Lan is now pregnant with Prince Xian, and she was even granted the title of Prince before the Emperor abdicated. Doesn't she have any thoughts about the child in Consort Shu's belly?"
Xie Lingqin finished speaking softly, asking questions in a way that made it impossible to tell whether she genuinely wanted to know or simply wanted to chat casually.
After a long while, Old Master Dong opened his eyes, which held a sharp edge. When his gaze fell on Xie Lingqin, Xie Lingqin felt a strange sense of familiarity.
But I can't quite put my finger on it.
"If Mr. Dong thinks I'm being too talkative, then I won't say anything more."
Xie Lingqin smiled and laughed it off.
"Why is the Crown Prince no longer speaking?"
However, Mr. Dong said...
Xie Lingqin stared blankly.
Is this the key point she just asked?
Judging from Mr. Dong's expression, it seems he was just asking casually.
Well then, I'll just say whatever comes to mind.
"The Empress is kind, and the Crown Prince is not favored by the Emperor. It's uncertain whether he can hold his position. What's there to say?"
Although, in her heart, she felt that the Crown Prince was stronger than anyone else.
With that kind of imposing presence, just standing there could intimidate a thousand people.
Old Master Dong frowned slightly. "The Crown Prince's mind is not something that can be easily fathomed."
“Yes.” Xie Lingqin agreed wholeheartedly. “The Crown Prince’s situation…” Xie Lingqin pointed to her head. “It’s rather complicated.”
What she actually meant was that there was a problem.
However, never mind, what if Elder Dong and the Crown Prince have a very close relationship?
Old Master Dong gave her a deep look. "From what I've seen in the past, Miss Xie is gentle, humble, and taciturn. Why is she so different now?"
Asking so directly, without any ambiguity, Xie Lingqin smiled and said, "Everyone says that Elder Dong is highly respected, kind and helpful, and has always been a Confucian doctor with a benevolent spirit. Why is he now seeking reward for everything?"
Of course, I'm referring to the matter of having her sign a blank sheet of paper.
Old Dong smiled, straightened his sleeves with his thin, aged hands, and said nothing.
The carriage happened to stop at the entrance of the general's mansion.
When the second concubine saw that Xie Lingqin had actually invited Elder Dong, her face lit up with a rosy glow. She and Xie Lingyu exchanged furious glances. Hadn't they sent people to intercept him? Why...?
They staged this whole thing to make the general think that Xie Lingqin had caused trouble and was involved in a lot of problems, so that he would kick her out of the mansion. But... she actually invited Old Master Dong.
Of course, with Mr. Dong taking charge, it's truly a case of hitting the nail on the head.
The coachman who had been driving the carriage was one of General Xie's men, so he naturally told General Xie about the incident where they encountered assassins who robbed them on the way.
Upon hearing this, General Xie's expression became more serious than ever before.
Who is plotting against Xie Danling?
It could never be Xie Lingqin.
No one would be so foolish as to put themselves in such a threatening situation.
Moreover, Xie Danling and Xie Lingqin were born of the same mother. Although he had heard that the two siblings did not get along well, he would never allow Xie Lingqin to harm Xie Danling.
"Elder Dong, do you have any insights into my son's sudden poisoning?" After a while, General Xie invited Elder Dong aside and asked him in detail.
"Poisoning?" Old Dong stroked his nonexistent beard, his expression grave. "General, your son's poisoning isn't really poisoning."
What does Elder Dong mean by this?
"May I ask, has my son just returned from his studies at the academy?"
General Xie nodded, "Yes, because the autumn examinations are coming up in a few days, the academy has granted them leave."
"If that's the case, then it's nothing?"
General Xie was even more puzzled, "What is the meaning of Elder Dong's work?"
"As far as I know, your son is poisoned by Huangshan Academy. There is a kind of herb in the back mountain of Huangshan Academy. If you accidentally eat it in the autumn, it will cause symptoms of vomiting and dizziness. The onset time varies from person to person. Sometimes it will take several days to manifest. However, it is not a big deal as long as it is handled properly."
Hearing what Elder Dong said, Xie Lingyu and her second aunt exchanged a secret glance and both breathed a sigh of relief.
That's right. She had heard Xie Danling say that there was a kind of grass on the back mountain of their academy that could easily cause poisoning if ingested. In mild cases, it would cause dizziness, while in severe cases, it would cause vomiting and fainting, but it would definitely not be fatal.
More importantly, even if this herb is accidentally ingested, the effects may not be immediate. That's why she had someone obtain it for her.
However, the original plan was to use Xie Danling to bring down Xie Lingqin, but now...
Another failed attempt.
General Xie's expression relaxed completely. He cupped his hands in gratitude, saying, "Thank you very much, Elder Dong."
“Originally, I was going to go to sleep, but the young lady was so sincere, every word was genuine, and she even said that she would treat me like an elder in the future, and would come over from time to time to chat with me and pass the time. I was moved by her… General Xie…” Old Dong suddenly raised his hand and patted General Xie’s hand, “You are so lucky to have such a daughter.”
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