Shocking Madam Ling Er, accompanied by Zhang Sui's wailing, Ling Xiang glanced at all the servants and said with full energy:
"I know you are all loyal to the Marquis of Zhenguo Mansion. The reason for the chaos today is because the steward is away and there is no one to assign tasks. Therefore, I have already assigned tasks to everyone. From now on, everyone will be responsible for the assigned work."
Xiaoyu took out the scroll and read out everyone's division of responsibilities.
In the past, the work in the mansion was only roughly divided, and the specific work to be done every day was coordinated by the steward. But now Ling Xiang skipped the steward and directly assigned specific tasks to each person, which surprised everyone.
"From now on, it will be clear at a glance whether you've done your job well or not. I've always been clear about rewards and punishments. Those who do well will not only be rewarded, but also promoted and given a raise. Future managers will also be chosen from among those who do well. If you don't do your job well, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
She pointed at the cooks and said, "It's noon now. I'll give you half an hour to prepare lunch. You can make quick meals today, but everyone must get their share! Anyone who makes a mistake will be beaten and then hung in the sun for a day. If they're still alive, they'll be sold!"
As Ling Xiang finished giving the order, Zhang Sui had already finished beating him.
The guard returned with a bloody board in his hand, reporting: "Miss Third, the hundred lashes have been carried out."
"Throw it out. For the sake of our in-laws, notify the Zhang family to come and pick them up." Ling Xiang nodded with satisfaction: "You two did a good job. I will remember you two. From now on, you will get an extra 100 yuan salary every month."
Seeing that the brothers from the second wife's family had been dealt with by Ling Xiang, the other servants dared not act rashly and hurried to work.
"There is no steward in the mansion now. Work hard. Whoever performs to my satisfaction will be promoted to steward."
At this point, Ling Xiang's thundering methods completely intimidated the servants of the Marquis of Zhenguo's Mansion, and no one dared to slack off openly.
Those close confidants of Madam Ling Er could only wait for Madam Ling Er's instructions and dared not act rashly.
However, Mrs. Ling was worried that Ling Xiang would find out the money she had embezzled from the Marquis of Zhenguo's Mansion through the account books. She was so anxious that she had no mood to gather people to fight against Ling Xiang.
Even after the Zhang family took Zhang Sui back, they originally wanted to come and ask for an explanation, but they were afraid that their use of the money from the Marquis of Zhenguo's Mansion over the years would be discovered, so they kept their tails between their legs and did not dare to cause trouble.
With Madam Ling Er's truce, peace was briefly restored in the Marquis Zhenguo Mansion.
Few people can withstand the interrogation methods used in Shuntian Prefecture.
He Xun insisted that he had failed in refining the poison, and his unyielding look almost made people believe him.
However, Nanny Zhang finally couldn't stand the torture and confessed the truth about Ling Xiang being poisoned.
After receiving Aunt Zhang's confession, Yuan Zhengqing immediately led his team to the Marquis of Zhenguo Mansion to arrest the person:
"Ms. Ling Zhang is suspected of poisoning her niece, Ling Xiang. The evidence is irrefutable. I am hereby apprehending her."
Mrs. Ling Er screamed and hid behind Master Ling Er: "Master, save me! I don't want to go to jail."
"Take him away!" Yuan Zhengqing ordered.
Mr. Ling Er did not dare to compete with Shuntian Prefecture, and no matter how Mrs. Ling Er begged, he remained indifferent.
Mrs. Ling Er was dragged away, but she still refused to give up and clung to Mr. Ling Er's thigh tightly: "Master, if I am guilty, Xue'er and Yan'er will be finished! Master! You can't just ignore me!"
Mr. Ling Er finally made up his mind and asked Yuan Zhengqing, "If Ling Xiang withdraws the lawsuit, can my wife not go to Shuntian Prefecture?"
Yuan Zhengqing looked down on Mr. Ling's behavior: "After the lawsuit is withdrawn, the matter will naturally no longer be under the jurisdiction of Shuntian Prefecture. However, if the victim is coerced or bribed into withdrawing the lawsuit, the crime will be even more serious!"
Master Ling looked at Ling Xiang with a very loving expression: "Xiang'er, I can't write two Ling characters with one stroke. I will give you a satisfactory explanation for your poisoning! I will also help you cure your poison. Your second aunt can't go to Shuntian Prefecture, so you should withdraw the lawsuit."
Ling Xiang clutched her chest, incredulous. "Second Aunt is the one who wants to kill me! Why? Second Aunt, why?"
Mrs. Ling Er hurriedly explained: "Xiang'er, I didn't want to kill you, nor did I want you to be disfigured."
Ling Xiang pulled off her veil, pointed at the rash on her face, and said angrily:
"Second Aunt, you know, if it weren't for the detoxification pill sent by the eldest princess, my face would be even more horrible than it is now! The scars caused by 'Facelessness' cannot be easily healed! I will have to bear this ugly face for the rest of my life! I will never be able to hold my head up high and live my life!"
"No, Xiang'er, I was going to give you the antidote, but who knew you would go and report the case that very night!" Mrs. Ling II pounded her chest and stamped her feet.
She had never expected things to turn out like this!
In her plan, even if Ling Xiang didn't compromise that night, she would definitely give in the next day under the temptation of the antidote!
It was all Ling Xiang's fault. Why did she have to complain? Why did she have to make such a big deal out of it?
Ling Xiang closed her eyes in despair, overcome with grief, and said in a hoarse voice, "Master Yuan, please find out the truth. I want to know why Second Aunt insisted on killing me. Do I deserve to die?"
Yuan Zhengqing took Mrs. Ling Er away. Ling Xiang staggered for a moment and insisted on following him.
"Mighty and powerful!"
With a heavy bang of the gavel, Yuan Zhengqing sat upright in the courtroom and shouted, "Criminal Ling Zhang, you poisoned your niece Ling Xiang. Now there is witness and evidence. What else do you have to say?"
The majestic court frightened Mrs. Ling Er so much that she panicked and stammered incoherently, "No, I'm not, I didn't!"
"How dare you!" Yuan Zhengqing slammed the gavel. "Your wet nurse, Madam Zhang, and Doctor He from the Zhenguo Marquis's Mansion have both confessed. It was you who, through Doctor He, obtained the poison 'Faceless' from He Xun and smeared it on the bowl of beauty soup Ling Xiang was drinking, thereby poisoning her. With all the evidence, you still dare to quibble!"
"No, that's not the case!" Madam Ling Er denied repeatedly, "Ling Xiang's recognition by the Princess is a great honor for the Marquis's Mansion. I feel so sorry for her, how could she ruin her own future?"
Ling Xiang's face was filled with sorrow and despair. She stared blankly at Madam Ling Er, "Is it because I said a few days ago that the assets of the Zhenguo Marquisate were all left by my father and I wanted to take them back that Second Aunt is murdering me, right?"
When Yuan Zhengqing heard that there was something else going on, he immediately said, "Ling Xiang, tell me in detail."
Ling Xiang said truthfully, "A few days ago, because I was going to study at the Prince of Qin's Mansion, my second uncle asked me to go to the accounting office to withdraw money and dress up. I went there, and the accountant, Zhang Sui, made things difficult for me. I was so angry that I said, 'The Marquis of Zhenguo Mansion is the property left by my father. All the money should be inherited by me. I came to withdraw the money, not to discuss it with him.'
"Later, I was unable to obtain the silver that my second uncle asked me to take, and then the poisoning incident happened, and I was unable to go to the Qin Palace to study, and it has been delayed until now."
All the servants in the Marquis of Zhenguo's Mansion had been called in for questioning by Yuan Zhengqing, except Zhang Sui who was absent due to serious injury. Now that the matter involved him, Yuan Zhengqing ordered Zhang Sui to be summoned to the court.
Zhang Sui, who was lying in bed with serious injuries, was brought in for questioning. When he saw Yuan Zhengqing, he immediately cried out for justice:
"Sir, you have to stand up for me! The Third Miss hit someone!"
Yuan Zhengqing frowned and asked, "What's going on?"
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