sbdcsierra Is Chapter 73 really a coincidence?
Is Chapter 73 really a coincidence?
Lu Yangyang had endured this for so long, and although she hadn't deliberately inquired about it, she had always kept this matter in mind.
She wanted to know who had drugged Lan, causing her to become weak, and then spread rumors that she was some kind of cursed jinx!
Lu Yangyang thought for a moment, then grabbed Xiao Huan's hair and turned her to face Sheng Yunzhu: "Think carefully before you speak. Who told you to tamper with Madam's medicinal herbs?"
Sheng Yunzhu looked at Xiao Huan in horror, her fingertips trembling uncontrollably under her sleeves, but a hint of coldness was hidden in her terrified eyes.
"No, no..." Xiao Huan met Sheng Yunzhu's gaze and subconsciously opened her mouth to explain. Lu Yangyang gave Sheng Yunjiao a wink, and Sheng Yunjiao, not understanding what was going on, walked over with a bit of fear.
Lu Yangyang took a thin pearl silver hairpin from her hair.
Sheng Yunjiao was young and had not yet reached the age of coming of age, so she usually wore pearl flowers and delicate silver hairpins in her hair.
This pearl and silver hairpin is thin and long, like a silver needle.
Lu Yangyang held one end of the silver hairpin and ruthlessly plunged the tip into Xiao Huan's neck.
Everyone looked shocked.
They probably never dreamed that Lu Yangyang would dare to commit such a violent act in front of so many people!
"Ah—" Xiao Huan let out a piercing scream.
To everyone's surprise, when Lu Yangyang stabbed Xiao Huan with the hairpin, there was no bleeding from her neck.
No one knew how Lu Yangyang had done it, but everyone watched as one end of the thin silver hairpin pierced Xiao Huan's neck, while the other end was held in Lu Yangyang's hand.
Xiao Huan's face immediately turned pale and trembled, covered in cold sweat.
Those present couldn't help but recall the last time at Qingfeng Pavilion, when Lu Yangyang dealt with Shangshan Fairy, she was just as swift and decisive, leaving Shangshan Fairy completely defenseless.
The scene seemed to be repeating itself.
But Xiao Huan wasn't like the worldly-wise Fairy Shangshan; she was just a kitchen maid who tended the fire.
After just one scream, she was so frightened that she wet her pants.
Trembling, she cried out, "I...I'll tell you! It was Aunt Meng! Aunt Meng ordered me to do it! My elder brother owes gambling debts and needs a huge sum of money. I was forced into this situation. Aunt Meng told me it wouldn't affect Madam, it would only make her a little weaker. She didn't change the medicine, just increased the dosage of two of the ingredients. It wouldn't kill her...She'd give me money if I did it...If I don't get the money, my father will beat me to death. He made me secretly go out and sell myself. I had no choice...I really didn't mean to harm Madam..."
Xiao Huan was terrified. She stammered and babbled incoherently, "Aunt Meng said no one would find out... As long as I deny it to the death, nothing will happen... There's no evidence for this. I... I clearly disposed of the dregs every time, poured them into the swill, no one could possibly find out... Madam's health isn't good, the house always has good medicinal herbs on hand, no one would know if there was a little more or less of any one herb... No one would know..."
Listening to her incoherent words, Lu Yangyang quickly scanned the room and asked, "Who is Aunt Meng?"
Sheng Junye immediately followed up, saying, "Father, please have someone bring Aunt Meng over."
Aunt Meng was brought over quickly.
She was a young woman who looked to be in her early twenties, with a gentle appearance and a pair of bright, watery eyes, giving her a charming and delicate appearance.
Lu Yangyang finally remembered that Sheng Yunjiao had gossiped with her that although the Duke of Sheng had been married to Lady Lan for twenty years and doted on her exclusively, he also had several concubines and illegitimate children.
However, because none of the concubines were favored, and because Lan's children were all too outstanding, no one in the household, whether concubine or illegitimate, had much of a presence.
The Duke of Sheng had an eldest daughter born out of wedlock named Sheng Yunruo, who had already married two years ago.
There was also a fourth son, Sheng Junshu, born out of wedlock, who studied at the academy just like the second son, Sheng Junyi.
And Sheng Yunqiao, the sixth daughter born out of wedlock, who was seven years old.
He had four concubines and two maids.
The two concubines who had given birth to the first two children were already quite old, and the one who gave birth to the sixth daughter was rather timid and cowardly.
Therefore, considering that Meng Yiniang was still young and had not given birth, she was considered to be favored. Lan Shi was in poor health, and the Duke of Sheng Guogong had been staying in the back courtyard less and less in recent years. If there were a few days a month, he would spend about half of them in Lan Shi's courtyard and the other half in Meng Yiniang's courtyard.
Lu Yangyang wasn't interested in the Duke of Sheng's private affairs. Sheng Yunjiao had mentioned it to her briefly, but she had forgotten about it as soon as she turned around.
Now that she saw Aunt Meng, she finally recognized her. Aunt Meng's name was Meng Qiuyue, and she was twenty-six years old. It was said that she was a distant relative from Madam Li's hometown and had come to seek refuge with her relatives. Because of a series of funerals in her family, she had not married until she was eighteen or nineteen. After entering the mansion, Madam Li saw that she had a good temperament and decided to give her to the Duke of Sheng as a concubine.
After being brought in, Consort Meng seemed a little uncomfortable with so many people around. She glanced shyly at Duke Sheng before bowing gracefully to everyone, "This concubine greets the Old Madam, Duke, and Madam. May I ask... what brings you here?"
With her eyes lowered, she looked nervously toward the Duke of Sheng, as if seeking reassurance.
"Aunt Meng, this maid accuses you of instructing her to tamper with Mother's medicine. What do you say?" Sheng Junye asked in a deep voice.
Concubine Meng was instantly horrified and knelt down. "I...I...I didn't know! I don't even know this maid. How could I have let her take Madam's medicine? Your Excellency, you...you know me. I've been in this household for so many years and have always treated Madam with utmost respect. I've never dared to overstep my bounds. I...I have no reason to target Madam! Your Excellency, Your Highness, Your Highness, why are you framing me like this!"
She looked panicked, as if she really didn't know what had happened.
At this moment, Madam Li finally came to her senses: "What Qiuyue said is not without reason. She has been well-behaved and obedient in the mansion for so many years and has never done anything out of line. Could it be that this maid is making baseless accusations?"
"Madam, Duke, I... I really didn't know!" Aunt Meng wiped away her tears, pretending to be completely unaware.
Lu Yangyang was also a little confused. She shouldn't have any conflicts with the Duke of Sheng's concubine, right?
She initially thought that someone had tampered with Lan's medicine, harming Lan in order to solidify her reputation as Lan's nemesis and drive her out. She had some suspicions about Sheng Yunzhu, because the last time, the Fairy of Supreme Kindness was also brought in by Sheng Yunzhu.
There's no need for the Duke of Sheng's concubine to go through such a roundabout way to deal with her.
In her terror, Xiao Huan couldn't possibly lie; the person who instructed her must have been Aunt Meng.
Could it be that Sheng Yunzhu simply took advantage of the opportunity and went with the flow? And it wasn't her doing anything? After all, Madam Lan had doted on her like a daughter for so many years, Sheng Yunzhu shouldn't be so heartless as to lay a hand on Madam Lan.
But is it really just a coincidence?