Xu Yanchi frowned even tighter. Why was Shen Qing involved in this matter again?
Xu Yanchi was stunned by the scolding. "Hui'er has been poisoned. Who did it?"
Shen Mian's tears fell one by one. "How would I know who did it? If you hadn't insisted on taking him back to the Marquis's Mansion as soon as Hui'er was one - month old, how could he have been poisoned?"
"I was so stupid to think it was because I gave birth prematurely that he was so weak and sickly. But what's the result? You took him back, and this is how you took care of him?"
No one would feel comfortable after being scolded like this, especially Xu Yanchi. But he really was in the wrong on this matter. He never thought that someone would be so heartless as to harm a baby in swaddling clothes!
"Don't be so anxious. Hui'er is my first child and the eldest son. How could I not love him? I'll have someone investigate right away and surely find out the culprit!"
After investigating for half a morning, they finally traced it back to one person, Jiang Chan.
Seeing the evidence in his hand, Xu Yanchi's face turned extremely ugly. His cousin had always been in charge of the Marquis's Mansion. Although she didn't have any great achievements, she had never made any big mistakes. Why would she harm a child?
Shen Mian immediately wanted to rush in front of Jiang Chan.
Xu Yanchi still had a headache from last night's hangover. Rubbing his temples, he stopped Shen Mian. "Don't be impulsive. Find out the whole thing first."
Shen Mian's eyes were almost spitting fire. "Isn't the matter clear enough? The people in charge of the purchase were hers. The green - blooded vine powder mixed with jade - vine is definitely related to her. It must be her who wanted to harm my Hui'er!"
Xu Yanchi stopped her and then turned to A Cheng. "Go and invite Lady Jiang, the concubine."
Just as A Cheng was about to respond, Jiang Chan came on her own.
As soon as Jiang Chan came in, she knelt down in front of Xu Yanchi with a thud. Her eyes were red. "Cousin, I just heard from the servants that such a big thing has happened in the mansion. It's my fault that I didn't manage the Marquis's Mansion well, which led to such a mistake. Cousin, punish me."
In just a few words, although Jiang Chan seemed to take all the blame on herself, in fact, she deftly turned the pre - meditated murder into an oversight.
"Do you think it's not you just because you say so? All the purchases in the mansion have to go through your hands. The jade - vine is poisonous. Without your permission, who would dare to bring such a thing into the Marquis's Mansion, and it just happened to be in my Qifeng Courtyard!"
Shen Mian stared fixedly at Jiang Chan. If it weren't for Xu Yanchi holding her back, she would have pounced on her.
Hearing this, Jiang Chan said aggrievedly, "Although I'm in charge of the Marquis's Mansion, I'm just a concubine after all. My position is not legitimate. Many of the old servants in the mansion only recognize the mistress and don't respect me. I really have no way."
Xu Yanchi frowned even tighter. Why was Shen Qing involved in this matter again?
"Cousin and sister, if you don't believe me, I've also brought the steward in charge of the purchase. Cousin can let him confront me face - to - face."
"Bring him in."
As soon as Xu Yanchi finished speaking, A Cheng brought in Steward Wu, who was in charge of the purchase in the mansion.
"My lord Marquis, Lady Concubine."
Xu Yanchi threw a package at Steward Wu's feet. "I remember you've been in charge of the purchases in the Marquis's Mansion for many years. Why did you mistakenly buy the poisonous jade - vine instead of the green - blooded vine?"
Steward Wu kowtowed repeatedly. "Please spare my life, my lord Marquis. I was just temporarily blinded by greed. Life in the mansion has been getting harder and harder. The expenses in Lady Shen's courtyard are much higher than others. Lady Jiang always allocated more rations considering the young master.
"When I went to buy the green - blooded vine, the shopkeeper happened to say that there was still a batch of last year's green - blooded vine in the shop. Although the medicinal effect was a bit weaker, the price was much cheaper. I just wanted to save some money. I didn't know there was something harmful mixed in it!"
Xu Yanchi said coldly, "Go and investigate that shop!"
Jiang Chan asked, "Is the child Hui'er okay?"
Shen Mian snorted. "Who wants your false sympathy!"
Xu Yanchi looked at Jiang Chan helplessly. "Fortunately, it was discovered early, so no great disaster happened."
Jiang Chan breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good."
Xu Yanchi's tone softened a bit. "Get up first."
As Jiang Chan got up, she wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. "Fortunately, cousin still believes in my innocence. Otherwise, I really don't know what to do..."
Shen Mian rolled her eyes. Fake tears! False compassion!
Jiang Chan didn't care whether it was real or false compassion. As long as her cousin believed her, then it was real compassion.
When no one was paying attention, a smug smile flashed across Jiang Chan's lips. It was very small and fleeting.
That stupid Shen Mian actually found out, but so what? She had already taken care of all the loose ends. Even if they investigated a hundred times, they wouldn't be able to find out it was her.
The people sent to investigate soon came back.
"Reporting to my lord Marquis, there was indeed a batch of last year's green - blooded vine in that shop, but the quantity was not much. Coincidentally, Steward Wu didn't need much either, so he took it all. As for whether there was something mixed in it, they weren't sure after so long. The steward of the Marquis's Mansion has been making purchases in that shop for many years. It's unlikely that the shopkeeper was deliberately bribed to harm others."
Xu Yanchi frowned tightly. "Could it really be an accident?"
Shen Mian was the first to stand up. "I don't believe it!"
Xu Yanchi also didn't believe it. He had gone to so much trouble to investigate the poisoning, but the result was an accident?
But this was all they had found so far.
At this time, Jiang Chan lowered her head and blamed herself. "It's all my fault. Most of the old servants in the mansion were hired when the mistress was in charge. It's a bit difficult to discipline them... It's really my incompetence that has disappointed cousin."
Xu Yanchi rubbed his temples. "It can't all be blamed on you. After all, your status is like that. There must be some people who don't respect you."
Xu Yanchi's words made both Shen Mian and Jiang Chan feel uncomfortable.
Shen Mian thought: It was definitely her who poisoned Hui'er. Brother Yanchi is still making excuses for her! That steward turned out to be Shen Qing's man. Could Shen Qing be involved in this?
Jiang Chan thought: What does cousin mean? Does he think my status is not legitimate? Does he want Shen Qing to take charge of the inner courtyard again? This won't do. I've worked so hard for so long and finally got the whole Marquis's Mansion under my control. How could I just give it away?
After investigating this far, the matter could only be left unsettled. Xu Yanchi had someone beat Steward Wu up and then throw him to a manor. He also had someone sue that shop in the Yingtian Prefecture.
How could they sell something that had been stored for a year without even checking it? If something really happened, he would make them pay!
...
Shen Qing spent a whole day with Old Chen and gained a lot. After school, she took Shen Yan to pay respects to Mrs. Jiang. She told him to go back and review by himself and then returned to her own courtyard.
As soon as she got back, Shen Qing learned what had happened in the Guangping Marquis's Mansion today.
Although she wasn't in the mansion, Nongyun and Yuzhen were. Since this matter had caused a big stir, they didn't dare to delay and immediately sent someone to deliver the news. But Shen Qing had been out, so she just found out now.
Yingxiu was so angry. "Lady Jiang, the concubine, is just taking advantage of the fact that our young lady is not here. She's spouting lies to slander us. It's her own incompetence that she can't control the servants. What does it have to do with our young lady?!"
Shen Qing paused for a moment and said, "Tell Zhang Da to find out which manor Steward Wu was thrown to. If he finds him, bring the man to our manor."
Yingxiu was puzzled. "Young lady, why? That Steward Wu isn't really one of our people."
Shen Qing glanced at her and said, "Jiang Chan has already put the blame on me. I can't just bear this suspicion for nothing, can I?"