Prince Jing once gifted Jiang Yanwan the same begonia-red fox fur coat, which she would wear to show off whenever she went out in winter, and many people in the capital had seen it.
Jiang Yanwan risked her life to shield Prince Jing from a hidden arrow in exchange for this fox fur coat, yet he gave Lin Qingwan a whole chest full of them, deliberately placing this one on top.
There are also rules for arranging boxes. The best and most valuable items are placed at the bottom, commonly known as the "bottom of the box," while the least valuable items are placed on top.
How could Jiang Yanwan not hold a grudge?
Lin Qingwan swallowed the blood in her mouth again, looking at the broken teacup on the ground. "Why are you panicking, Miss? I never said it was yours."
"I..." Jiang Yanwan felt a chill run down her spine.
It was a fact that she didn't give Granny Lai the fox fur coat, but for some inexplicable reason, she couldn't be sure.
At that moment, she realized how much she had underestimated Lin Qingwan.
Xia Yan, unaware of her inner thoughts and seeing everyone's gaze fixed on her, immediately defended her, "It's true that Miss has a fox fur coat. But it was a gift from His Highness Prince Jing, and Miss cherishes it like a priceless treasure. She would never give it to anyone else."
Lin Qingwan smiled and said, "Whether or not there was a reward, we'll find out by having the steward check the storeroom in Huaguang Courtyard."
Mu Xue also said, "Take out Miss Yan Wan's fox fur coat as well, and let's see what other lies this old woman can tell."
Xia Yan was indignant, "Take it then! Miss hasn't worn this fox fur coat yet this year, so..."
Jiang Yanwan clenched her fist and said, "Shut up."
She seemed to be having trouble breathing, and her face was even paler than Lin Qingwan's. Her intuition told her that she couldn't take it!
Jiang Yanwan slowly stood up, her sleeve brushing against the tea and snacks on the table. A pastry fell to the ground and was stepped on by her.
She looked at Granny Lai, her eyes filled with icy coldness. "You've been in this household for many years; even if you haven't achieved anything, you've certainly put in the hard work. Father gave you a chance just now, but you didn't cherish it. Now I'll remind you one more time: if you take my fox fur coat, you'll truly be doomed."
Granny Lai's gaze lingered on the shortbread that Jiang Yanwan had crushed. Her heart felt as if it were being pulled taut by a rope, and she trembled with pain.
"Slave, slave..."
Thinking of her nephew's handsome and obedient appearance, Granny Lai finally closed her eyes and said, "It is this old servant who has failed the young lady."
"The fox fur was stolen from the young lady's wardrobe by this servant, and the medicine was also bought from several pharmacies outside and mixed by this servant. I only knew that it was poisonous, but I did not know how serious it would be."
“I deliberately dropped the handkerchief in front of Qiu Hong, thinking that if the matter came to light one day, Miss Qingwan would definitely suspect me.”
"She cleared herself, but she can't deny the fox fur coat. In that case, it will only make people more convinced that she ordered the maid to take revenge on the lady."
Jiang Zhenlin's fist slammed into Granny Lai's face with a loud thud. She immediately coughed up blood, couldn't even open her eyes, and gritted her teeth without begging for mercy.
Jiang Yanwan narrowed her eyes slightly. At the time, she thought Lin Qingwan was using the fox fur to humiliate and mock her. Knowing that Granny Lai was greedy for money, she decided to play along. If Granny Lai was exposed, she would say that Lin Qingwan had bribed her with the fox fur.
But she never expected that a whirlpool would involve her!
Lin Qingwan's fox fur coat is in the box, so there's no need to gamble; hers is definitely gone.
This thought crawled into Jiang Yanwan's body like a worm, making her feel both disgusted and helpless.
At this moment, Granny Lai no longer saw Lin Qingwan as a country bumpkin, but as a venomous snake or a ferocious beast. She had clearly asked Lin Qingwan to give the fox fur to Jiang Yanwan, assuming it was an attempt to mend relations with the young lady; now, the thought was truly terrifying.
When Jiang Yanwan refused the fox fur coat, she thought it was because she didn't care about it, but little did she know that the young lady already had the intention of getting rid of her at that time.
Having lived in the Prime Minister's mansion for many years, only now did Granny Lai experience the chilling, bloodless atmosphere of the deep courtyard.
Lin Qingwan's eyes were bright with anger, as if they had been washed clean, but her face turned from white to blue from the pain. "Your words are full of holes."
"You said you didn't know how potent the poison was, yet you were able to concoct a dose that wouldn't be fatal. Even ordinary doctors would find it difficult to grasp this delicate balance."
Granny Lai couldn't answer; her mouth was full of blood, and she couldn't speak.
Lin Qingwan used all her strength to stand firm. "You are the mastermind behind this, framing me and poisoning the mistress of the Prime Minister's residence. This is a capital offense."
"Your life can't outlast it."
Granny Lai's scalp tingled, and she glanced at Jiang Yanwan in terror.
Jiang Yanwan clenched her fists, her calm expression the last vestige of composure she could muster. "Old hag, I told you to go to Ningsi Garden to repent properly, but I never expected you to be so vicious!"
"I... am also responsible for the big incident that happened today."
Upon hearing his sister's self-reproach, Jiang Zhenlin was about to strike again, yelling, "I'll beat you to death, you bitch!"
Lin Qingwan sneered, "You're just going to beat her to death like this, are you trying to let the mastermind behind it live?"
Jiang Zhenlin's fists clenched so tightly they cracked. "They're all doomed!"
"Cough cough."
Lin's weak cough came from behind the screen. Jiang Su immediately suppressed his murderous aura and walked into the inner room. "How are you feeling, Madam?"
Lin said a few words in a low voice, and then said, "Ah Lin, drag Granny Lai out and deal with her according to family law."
Lin Qingwan gripped her sleeve tightly, her heart filled with turmoil. "Such a serious crime should be reported to the authorities."
Jiang Yanwan said, "Qingwan, the Prime Minister's residence is not like an ordinary family. If something like this happens, it will only make us a laughing stock. The best way is to handle it ourselves."
Lin Qingwan laughed in anger, "Is your face more important than your life?"
Jiang Zhenlin retorted angrily, "You don't understand. Members of a prestigious family can die, but they cannot tarnish the family's reputation."
Lin Qingwan's mockery deepened. "But just now, when you were convinced I had poisoned him, you even said you wanted to send him to the authorities to be skinned alive."
She was in excruciating pain and couldn't control herself. Her eyes welled up with tears, and she sniffed. "Or is it only when I make a mistake that I'll be subjected to slow slicing, torture, or strangled or beaten to death by Young Master Jiang?"
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