"Father, what's going on?" However, after a moment of inner turmoil, Xie Lingqin looked at General Xie, her lips trembling.
That blank, ignorant look on his face didn't seem fake at all.
"The poison was found in the young lady's courtyard?" The second concubine covered her mouth in even greater astonishment, then looked at Xie Lingqin with extreme heartache, "Young lady, why did you do this..."
"Father, I truly do not know why this poison is in my courtyard." Xie Lingqin's face showed only an urgent attempt to explain, without any panic at being discovered.
General Xie glanced at her and then swept his gaze across the crowded courtyard.
Everyone lowered their heads when they saw that look, except for Xie Lingqin, who met General Xie's gaze.
Her eyes clearly conveyed, "Please trust her."
"Young Miss, Young Miss, why did you hurt my mother..." Suddenly, Yang Mama's daughter, Miaoqiao, crawled over on her knees, tightly clutching Xie Lingqin's sleeve. "Waaah... Young Miss, what did my mother do wrong that you treated her like this..."
"Miss did not poison me." Upon seeing this, Zihe also knelt down with a thud, pleading incessantly, "General, you must investigate thoroughly."
"Now that things have come to this, what's the point of investigating?" General Xie looked at Xie Lingqin with cold eyes and said sternly, "You've always been obedient, so I haven't disciplined you much. I never imagined that years of indulgence would lead you to commit this poisoning. Your mother..." At this point, General Xie paused, seemingly thinking of something.
In that instant, Xie Lingqin clearly saw a trace of resentment in General Xie's eyes.
Yes, resentment.
Why would she harbor resentment towards her mother?
However, what do you mean by "years of indulgence"? That sounds nice, but it's clearly years of neglect and indifference.
"Thump." Xie Lingqin's eyelashes fluttered slightly, her coldness vanished, and she suddenly knelt down, her voice earnest, "My daughter is innocent."
"The evidence is conclusive. Guards, take the young lady away and give her twenty lashes first..."
"Wait a moment." General Xie was coldly waving his hand to give the order when a loud, aged voice came from the courtyard.
General Xie immediately turned around and looked at the person walking slowly towards him from outside the courtyard.
"Mother, why are you here?"
"This poison is killing people, how could I not come?" The old lady sighed, waved to the nanny following behind her, and then stepped forward, her face pale.
"This servant greets the old lady." No matter how domineering the second concubine usually was, she could not overstep the bounds of propriety in front of the old lady, so she immediately stepped forward to pay her respects.
The old lady glanced at her, waved her hand, and then looked at General Xie, "What, do you really want to beat Xie Lingqin to death?"
“Mother, this is no small matter; the poisoning was meticulously planned.” General Xie approached the old lady, his expression stern. Though his voice was soft, it was still audible in the courtyard.
Beside her, the second concubine tightened her grip, seemingly puzzled as to why the old lady had suddenly come. She used to be indifferent to everything, but now she was here to help Xie Lingqin?
However, the evidence is conclusive and irrefutable, leaving no room for argument.
Furthermore, it is clear that the general is not on Xie Lingxin's side either.
"Grandmother, I did not poison Granny Yang, and I don't know why the poison was found in my courtyard." Xie Lingqin looked at the old lady, almost crying as she spoke.
The old lady glanced at her, sighed, and then looked at General Xie again, saying earnestly, "It couldn't have been her who poisoned him."
General Xie looked at his mother, his eyes filled with doubt, "Mother, why are you so sure?"
"Although I don't inquire about what has happened in the manor these past few days, it doesn't mean I'm unaware of it. When Lingqin came to see me before, she mentioned that Granny Yang fell in Mingxiang Pavilion. I found it a bit strange. If she really poisoned me, she would never have told me about it."
The old lady's words immediately complicated General Xie's expression.
The second concubine, standing to the side, was not only surprised but also flustered.
Xie Lingqin secretly went to see the old lady and mentioned that Granny Yang had fallen in Mingxiang Pavilion...
Beneath Xie Lingqin's slightly lowered eyelashes, a faint smile appeared in her lake-like eyes.
Yes, she did talk to the old lady about this matter.
To prevent future troubles.
"So, you should investigate this matter thoroughly again, and don't wrongly accuse Xie Lingqin..." the old lady said, looking at General Xie with a meaningful gaze. "Xie Lingqin is the eldest daughter of the General's Mansion, and her maternal grandfather must dote on this granddaughter very much."
General Xie naturally understood what the old lady meant.
Xie Lingqin was the legitimate daughter. Although her mother had died, her maternal grandparents' family, though declining, was still a prestigious clan.
If Xie Lingqin is wrongly accused due to his inadequate investigation, then it is his responsibility.
Seeing General Xie's hesitant expression, the second concubine had a bad feeling. Could it be that today's matter would be ruined just like that, and that Xie Lingqin would be let off so easily?
But with the old lady there, she dared not say anything more.
General Xie frowned and pondered for a long time before saying to the guards behind him, "Regarding today's events..."
"General, wait a moment." General Xie had only spoken halfway when Doctor Dong, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke up.
General Xie clearly respected him greatly and immediately looked at him, "Old Dong, is there something you want to say?"
Old Master Dong found himself holding the poison that the guard had been holding earlier. He looked at General Xie and shook his head solemnly. "General Xie, this small bottle does not contain poison."
"What?" General Xie's expression hardened, his gaze falling on Elder Dong's hand. "Elder Dong said that what's in here isn't poison."
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