Cui Yihuan never expected that she could turn the tables on her.
With such a grandmother, her children must have suffered countless injustices over the years.
“I only met the Crown Prince today, how could I be at his beck and call?”
The old lady regained her composure and said, "Tingzhou is skilled in martial arts and appears and disappears unpredictably. I don't know if this is the first time I've seen him."
But you are juniors, and I will not hold your slander against me today. Go home.”
Tse Ting-chou smiled more calmly than she did.
"Grandmother wonders why Father, who is usually the most easy to get along with, is so insistent on investigating Miss Cui's drowning incident today?"
The old lady's smile froze slightly, sensing that things were about to spiral out of control again.
Then Xie Tingzhou said to Marquis Zhongyong, "Father, take it out, otherwise your son will be wronged again."
You are the most filial son, but filial piety without discernment is blind obedience, and your son knows you are not that kind of person.
Marquis Zhongyong seemed to be persuaded by him, and took out a porcelain bottle from his bosom, holding it in his palm.
“Mother, this is what fell off Miss Cui when I saved her.”
It wasn't an aphrodisiac, but a deadly poison. A young woman attending the banquet was found carrying a deadly poison, and the son had no choice but to interrogate her…
He paused, looking quite distressed, "I never imagined it was related to you. Tell your son the truth, did you give her this medicine?"
The old lady's expression changed drastically, "I didn't give it to her..."
She tried to argue again.
Wu Dong brought one of the men forward. "My lord, this man was acting suspiciously and trying to leave the manor. I thought he might be involved in this matter, so I brought him here."
That person was the servant who had been keeping an eye on Cui Yihuan. When Cui Yihuan identified the old lady, he was worried that the Marquis of Zhongyong would interrogate the servants in the mansion, so he planned to hide first, but was caught by Wu Dong.
Having served in the army for many years, Wu Dong had plenty of ways to get people to talk. The servants couldn't stand it, and before long, they confessed that they were keeping an eye on Cui Yihuan on the orders of the old lady.
This matches what Cui Yihuan said.
It's confirmed that the old lady used the eldest daughter of the Cui family to murder her own eldest grandson!
Marquis Zhongyong was filled with shock and disappointment. "Mother, Tingzhou is your eldest grandson."
Although he is straightforward and doesn't know how to flatter or fawn, he is kind at heart. When Lan left, your son was away fighting, and you personally raised him.
Afterwards, when his son returned, he often spoke of his grandmother's kindness to him, and he often thought of you while he was at the border. Why did you treat him like that?
Why exactly?
This is because he holds the title of eldest grandson and the position of heir apparent.
But can the old lady say it?
She could only shake her head. "It wasn't given by me. How could I harm my own grandson? Perhaps she hid it herself."
This will push the blame onto the Cui family again.
Just as Madam Cui was about to lose her temper, Xie Tingzhou bowed to Prince Consort Han and said, "Brother Han, please say something fair."
Han Zijin inexplicably watched a play, but he preferred Xie Tingzhou to call him Brother Han, rather than addressing him as Prince Consort Han as everyone else did.
Therefore, he explained in great detail that Cui Yihuan had fallen into the water, and that he and Xie Tingzhou could not rescue her. Zhongyong Hou was afraid of causing a death, so he had to explain the matter of going into the water.
He also testified, "The porcelain vase did indeed fall from Miss Cui's sleeve and was taken by Marquis Zhongyong."
In reality, when Marquis Zhongyong was saving people, he secretly put the porcelain bottle into Cui Yihuan's sleeve behind Han Zijin's back.
The Xie family father and son have not been in the capital often in recent years, and had no prior contact with Han Zijin, so Han Zijin had no reason to lie for them.
Moreover, everyone present already knew the answer in their hearts, and the old lady's defense was utterly ineffective.
However, no one could understand why the old lady would harm her own grandson.
If the disagreement between the two stemmed from Xie Tingzhou's disfigurement, she worried that he would disrespect her after inheriting the title.
But the second young master of the Marquis's mansion is already dead, and the third young master is still a baby. Noble families all value family honor above all else.
As the matriarch of the Marquis's mansion, she should understand that Xie Tingzhou, who also enjoys imperial favor, is more helpful to the Marquis's mansion if he lives than if he dies.
Xie Tingzhou cleared up everyone's doubts, "Grandmother favors her stepmother and also values her children, wishing she could give the entire Marquis's mansion to them."
If Grandmother speaks up, this grandson of the Marquis can be given to them, and he can move out and live elsewhere.
But the grandson still couldn't understand why his grandmother favored his stepmother to such an extent.
Everyone felt that this was already a secret of the Marquis's mansion, and not something they should hear.
But those who come here are all gossip lovers; their feet seem rooted to the spot, unable to move.
The old lady was questioned in public, and her lips trembled with anger.
"She saved my life, and she's filial and sensible, so it's only natural that I care about her a little, but not in the way you've made up..."
Seeing that she was still trying to argue and seemed powerless against her mother, Marquis Zhongyong cupped his hands in greeting to the crowd.
"I have been away from home for many years, and now that I have returned, I find my house in complete disarray. I am truly a laughingstock to you all."
The Marquis's mansion certainly had its share of jokes, one after another.
But when the people heard what he said, they felt that this was not a problem with the Marquis of Zhongyong. He was busy protecting his country and his family, and it was not his responsibility to take care of his own family.
They all offered words of comfort.
Marquis Zhongyong waved his hand bitterly and said helplessly to Xie Tingzhou and Ye Zhen, "It is truly impolite of the Marquis's mansion to have kept our distinguished guests on an empty stomach until now. Tingzhou, Zhen'er, please take good care of our distinguished guests for your father."
Old Madam Cui hesitated, as there was no plan yet for her family's affairs, when she saw Marquis Zhongyong looking over.
"Madam Cui, from what you just said, you know that my mother left Miss Cui alone, but didn't wait for her to come along. Does that mean you don't care about this granddaughter?"
"That's absolutely not true..."
How could Madam Cui admit it? Just as she was about to find an excuse to explain, she was interrupted by Marquis Zhongyong.
Marquis Zhongyong continued, "So you guessed my mother's thoughts and planned to reap the benefits without lifting a finger."
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