MFURCC -Chapter 34 The Prince Takes Action

But Prince Su knew very clearly that he couldn’t.

This matter was too serious.

Once Xiaohengzi’s identity was revealed, even if Liuzheng wasn’t mentioned, the palace’s Empress Dowager would inevitably be implicated.

He could only let Xiaohengzi die like this.

Never to return alive.

The matriarch was still scolding the main branch couple, saying that even a tiger would not eat its own cub, yet they were worse than beasts.

Duke Wei’s expression was unusually grim as well.

“Am I the kind of ungrateful person? General Ruan saved my wife and daughter—how could I blame her? Even if she had truly miscarried… I would still remember her kindness!”

Even if their beloved daughter was gone, his wife was still alive.

The mudslide’s force had been tremendous; without Liuzheng, his wife would never have survived.

How could he possibly blame Liuzheng?

He was grateful to her, more than he could express.

At first, the servants in the mansion who blamed Liuzheng simply thought the mudslide rumors were false.

But later, the mudslide really did arrive.

Duke Wei interrogated the main branch couple: “Are you truly General Ruan’s biological parents?”

Princess Huishu had asked Song Shi the same question before.

The matriarch bit her lip and lowered her head, saying nothing.

First Master, however, gradually began to lose face.

“Mother! Duke! This wasn’t my idea,” he said.

The matriarch’s eyes shot toward him.

She saw him say: “I initially disagreed, but Yue’er kept insisting that ignoring Liuzheng would bring trouble to the whole family, so I had no choice but to turn a blind eye…”

Yue’er was the Madam Song’s name.

Madam Song trembled with anger.

She had never imagined that Ruan Hanmo would completely disregard her, leaving all the blame squarely on her alone.

“You—clearly you…”

“Enough!”

The matriarch sharply interrupted the couple’s back-and-forth of blame.

“Marriage makes you one; whether it was you or her, what difference does it make?”

“What Mother says is correct…” Master Ruan stammered, defending himself: “It’s true I locked her up, that’s my fault. But I would never have poisoned her! Yao Yao is my daughter, my own flesh and blood—how could I bear to harm her?”

Liuzheng, listening from inside, could only find it amusing.

In her previous life, when she died under the dried-up well, he hadn’t even glanced at her once.

This was his so-called “flesh and blood” and “couldn’t bear it”?

Madam Song also said, “Mother, we truly did not poison her! This matter has nothing to do with us!”

She had realized that while imprisoning Liuzheng would earn her a scolding, poisoning her would violate the law.

The matriarch’s eyes scrutinized the couple deeply, and seeing their expressions seemed genuine, she frowned.

At this moment, Prince Su spoke: “Whoever poisoned her, an investigation will reveal it.”

He glanced at Shen He’an, who immediately stepped forward to interrogate the two attendants responsible for watching over Liuzheng.

“Besides the two of you, who else entered the woodshed? Explain everything that happened after General Ruan was detained.”

The two dared not hide anything.

“No one entered except Xianghe, who delivered the meals.”

The matriarch immediately demanded: “Where is Xianghe?!”

Xianghe quickly stepped forward.

“Matriarch, I know nothing. I only followed the instructions of Second Madam and Third Miss. After preparing the meals in the kitchen, I delivered them to the eldest miss.”

Ruan Yunzheng’s expression twitched slightly.

This girl actually dared to mention her?

When all the servants had been summoned, the second and third branch members had also come.

Second Madam’s face immediately darkened when Xianghe mentioned her.

“You’re lying! When did I ever tell you to deliver meals?!”

Xianghe lifted her head and said, “Second Madam, don’t you remember that during dinner prep, you came to the kitchen and said it was a hot day and you only wanted some porridge, asking the kitchen to prepare it?”

Second Madam had indeed said this in the kitchen.

She clenched her fists: “But I never told you to deliver it to Liuzheng!”

“But cooking the porridge… was your order.”

“Ridiculous! I even told the kitchen to make some pickled vegetables!”

“The pickles were also delivered to the woodshed by me.”

Second Madam’s eyes widened.

“Ungrateful servant! You’re deliberately slandering! Maybe you’re the one who poisoned her!”

She turned to the matriarch: “Mother, you must defend your daughter-in-law! She knows nothing, did nothing, but this vile servant…”

“Silence!”

The matriarch scolded Second Madam, then asked Ruan Yunzheng: “She claimed it was hot, so the kitchen made porridge—what about you?”

Ruan Yunzheng had regained her composure and said: “Grandmother, Yunzheng only worried that my eldest sister would go hungry in the woodshed, so I instructed the servants not to forget to deliver her meals.”

Prince Su then said: “In that case, first check the remaining meals for any problems, then search both of their courtyards.”

“No!” Second Madam protested. “I did nothing; why should you search my courtyard?”

Liuzheng was led by her nanny to step out from the flower hall.

“Aunt Second, if you did nothing, why fear a search? Third Miss is unmarried and isn’t afraid—what are you afraid of?”

Ruan Yunzheng’s face twitched slightly at being mentioned by name.

Second Madam gritted her teeth.

She wasn’t afraid of a search—she hadn’t poisoned Liuzheng!

She just felt that a search would destroy her status in the mansion.

It was humiliating, which is why she refused.

But Liuzheng’s words implied that she was guilty.

She ground her molars in anger. “Fine! Search! But if nothing is found, what then?”

“I will apologize to Second Madam,” Liuzheng said.

“Then search! But not with mansion staff—who knows if someone might frame her!”

Prince Su’s expression remained unchanged. “Very well, my men will conduct the search.”

Duke Wei added, “My men can be used as well.”

Prince Su said: “Since we have enough personnel, we needn’t limit the search to these two courtyards. Search everyone’s courtyards to be fair.”

The matriarch nodded. “Very well, then, I trouble Prince and Duke.”

Duke Wei waved his hand: “No trouble at all.”

The matriarch nodded and ordered Doctor Chen and Imperial Physician Jiang to examine Liuzheng’s leftover meals.

With this arrangement, everyone returned to the flower hall before the results were ready, and were forbidden to wander.

Ruan Yunzheng stayed a few steps behind, at the very end.

Passing Xianghe, she cast a sharp, warning glance, cold as a viper.

Xianghe trembled but quickly regained composure, silently mouthing to Ruan Yunzheng: “Third Miss, rest assured.”

Ruan Yunzheng blinked, then felt her anxious heart settle.

She had known that this servant wouldn’t betray her.

If Xianghe had dared betray her, she never would have chosen her in the first place.

She valued Xianghe’s timidity and filial devotion.

Ruan Yunzheng’s previously anxious heart steadied slightly.

She lifted her skirts, stepped over the threshold, and entered the flower hall.

Liuzheng’s leftover meals were brought out.

Ordinarily, leftovers would have been discarded, but the lazy servant Xianghe hadn’t dumped them in the slop bucket, instead leaving them in a corner of the kitchen—so Prince Su’s men easily obtained them.

Imperial Physician Jiang and Doctor Chen immediately examined the meals.

Prince Su’s gaze also swept over.

Seeing only a bit of plain porridge and two small dishes, the originally murky expression suddenly turned icy.

Coincidentally, Ruan Yunzheng looked at Prince Su.

Seeing his displeased expression, she felt confused.

Why was Prince Su so concerned about Liuzheng being poisoned?

But she quickly thought of a reason.

Liuzheng was to join the Ministry of War; Prince Su now oversaw both the Ministries of War and Revenue, and Liuzheng was essentially his subordinate.

Prince Su was likely just caring for someone under his charge.

Those in high positions must also understand the concerns of their subordinates to earn a good reputation.

Still, his prior indifference made Ruan Yunzheng feel slightly uncomfortable.

At this moment, Imperial Physician Jiang and Doctor Chen had finished examining the meals.

“There’s poison in the porridge—Aconitum, the same we previously identified.”

“Aconitum ground into juice and mixed in causes severe abdominal pain, then the body’s vital energy surges, breathing becomes difficult, and death follows…”

“Fortunately, General Ruan only used a small amount, and vomiting it out earlier allowed her to survive.”

“If the entire bowl had been used, and the antidote and silver needle treatment were delayed, even Hua Tuo could not have saved her.”

They explained the pharmacology of Aconitum.

Prince Su’s expression grew darker.

He knew Aconitum.

He had been poisoned by it once before—an assassination attempt.

The arrow shot at him carried Aconitum’s toxin.

He had been unconscious for three days before waking.

Prince Su’s hand clenched tightly inside his sleeve.

Suppressing his fury, he ordered: “Go! If you find any Aconitum, report immediately!”

The matriarch trembled with anger as well.

“We must find the person who poisoned her! Nanny Qian, Nanny Shu, you will go as well.”

“Yes…”

Nanny Qian and Nanny Shu obeyed, each following Duke Wei’s and Prince Su’s men to search the courtyards for Aconitum.

Liuzheng’s body had already mostly recovered.

She had used her internal strength to purge much of the poison, and her body was stronger than ordinary women; with acupuncture and antidotes, she had regained about seventy percent of her strength.

Seeing her grandmother still trembling, she felt guilty.

She gently stroked her grandmother’s back.

“Grandmother, you must take care of your health.”

“I’m fine! But you… don’t worry about me, sit and rest properly. Though the poison has been expelled, your complexion shows your body is still weak.”

“Granddaughter is much better now.”

“Still, sit and rest well.”

If not for Prince Su and Duke Wei, she would have insisted Liuzheng lie down to rest.

The main branch couple were equally curious—who had poisoned her?

Who would dare do such a thing without their orders?

Suddenly, Madam thought of something and instinctively glanced at Ruan Yunzheng.

Ruan Yunzheng noticed but showed no reaction, sitting quietly.

Madam withdrew her gaze and looked at Second Madam.

Second Madam’s face was full of anger, yet showed no guilt.

Could it… be the third branch?

The couple had never held their eldest sister-in-law in high regard.

Killing a chicken to warn the monkey—possible.

Madam was about to glance toward the third branch when someone outside reported:

“Prince! Something has been found!”