Nanny Sun acted swiftly. It seemed she was afraid that Pei Zhiyan would secretly show partiality to Song Ruotang, change the charges against her or hide the evidence. She immediately sent someone to Lin Yun's courtyard to inform her of the discovery of the incriminating evidence.
When Lin Yun heard the news, she let out a cold snort. "I've always been suspected. Now that he's implicated Song Ruotang, he's acting quickly."
Seeing that she remained motionless and had no intention of getting up, Yan'er couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled. "Madam, aren't we going there?"
"Go there?" Lin Yun chewed on these two words repeatedly. "Why should I go?" She looked up at the almost completely dark sky outside the courtyard. "Shouldn't it be Song Ruotang who comes to apologize to me?"
Song Ruotang had lost their bet after all.
Lin Yun didn't move, but Pei Zhiyan and Song Ruotang came instead. When Pei Zhiyan entered the room, Lin Yun was drinking her evening medicine.
The steam was billowing, making her face look a bit hazy and pale. Yan'er brought the medicine to her lips, and Lin Yun took a small sip. She said indifferently, "Sir, what brings you here so late at night?"
Pei Zhiyan pursed his lips. "We've found the poisoned item."
Lin Yun nodded and shifted her gaze to Song Ruotang's face. "Sister, didn't you promise me before that you'd let me deal with you as I pleased? Does that still hold?"
Pei Zhiyan slightly clenched his fist. Song Ruotang stood behind him. He seemed to be making a final explanation. "We haven't confirmed that it was she who poisoned you. We've just found the item that poisoned you."
Lin Yun looked up and fixed her gaze on him. "It's something from her room, isn't it?" She let out a breath. "At this point, are you still going to protect her?"
Lin Yun's words were a bit aggressive. She was convinced that it was Song Ruotang who had harmed her, and Pei Zhiyan's explanation was just partiality and protection.
"Sir, she agreed to it herself before. Now that we've found the evidence, is it not valid anymore?" Lin Yun sneered. "If it doesn't count, this matter is of great importance. I was in mortal danger. I should inform my parents and let them seek justice for me."
Pei Zhiyan's eyes turned cold. Lin Yun had brought out the Marquis of Dingyuan and the Princess of Nanyang. If they got involved, it would probably end up in front of the emperor. Song Ruotang's situation would become even more dangerous.
He tightened his fingers. After they were in a stalemate for a while, he still turned to look at Song Ruotang. The latter nodded slightly, and then he said coldly, "Song Ruotang, kneel down!"
Song Ruotang immediately knelt down. With teary eyes, she looked at Pei Zhiyan and softly called him, "Sir, I really didn't..."
Pei Zhiyan closed his eyes, looking heart - stricken. He said in a low voice, "But the poisoned teapot belongs to you..."
Song Ruotang crawled a few steps on her knees in front of Lin Yun and explained with a sobbing voice, "Sister, I really didn't harm you. I don't know why the teapot was poisoned..."
"Do you still want to argue?" Lin Yun seemed extremely angry. She raised her hand and slapped Song Ruotang across the face. She was still ill, so her strength was not as great as usual, but since it was a full - force slap, it still hurt.
Song Ruotang fell to the ground. A few strands of her hair came loose from her bun. With teary eyes, she looked at Lin Yun and trembled, "I really didn't..."
Seeing this scene, Pei Zhiyan clenched his fist tightly in his sleeve. His knuckles turned white, but he still held back. He said in a calm voice, "Ruotang, apologize to Lin Yun."
Lin Yun didn't expect that Pei Zhiyan would side with her at this moment. The slap she gave Song Ruotang was also to test if Pei Zhiyan would excuse Song Ruotang again.
Now it seemed that he still had some feelings for her.
The anger in Lin Yun's heart subsided a little. She took two steps closer to Pei Zhiyan and softened her tone. "Sir, do you believe me now?"
"Now that the evidence was found in her room..." Pei Zhiyan spoke slowly, but Lin Yun thought that he had been persuaded by her. She couldn't help but smile slightly. Pei Zhiyan was still on her side.
Seeing Pei Zhiyan's attitude, Song Ruotang seemed to be greatly shocked. A crystal tear rolled down from her eyes. Song Ruotang lowered her eyes and said sadly and dejectedly, "Since sister is convinced that I harmed you, I have nothing to say. If it can make sister happy, then let sister deal with me as she pleases..."
She seemed heart - broken, which made Lin Yun feel happy. If she could break Pei Zhiyan's feelings for Song Ruotang from this, then she would be one step closer to getting closer to Pei Zhiyan.
Lin Yun sighed and walked to Pei Zhiyan's side. Her steps were a bit unsteady. She raised her hand and grabbed the corner of his robe. Her voice was a bit weak. "Sir, I'm in great pain..."
Pei Zhiyan's eyes were cold. He naturally knew what Lin Yun meant. Now that she had the upper hand, she was being pushy and wanted more. But since things had come to this, he still had to go on.
He let out a breath. "Then stop standing." Just as Lin Yun was about to speak, he interrupted her. He looked at Yan'er beside her and said sternly, "Why are you still standing here? Hurry up and help your mistress go over there to rest."
Being scolded like this, Yan'er didn't dare to be negligent. She quickly helped Lin Yun to sit on the edge of the couch. Lin Yun pursed her lips and felt a bit disappointed, but after all, Pei Zhiyan had shown concern for her, so she didn't say anything more.
After Lin Yun sat down, she raised her hand and beckoned to Song Ruotang. "Come here."
Song Ruotang crawled over on her knees and stopped in front of Lin Yun. Lin Yun then asked her indifferently, "Do you think that since the Second Branch is useless, if you get rid of me, you can become the mistress of the family?"
Song Ruotang shook her head. "Sister, I don't dare to covet the position of mistress. If sister's punishment can relieve your pain, this little punishment is nothing..."
When she said this, her voice was choked with sobs and full of grievance. "But I really didn't poison you..."
Seeing that Song Ruotang didn't fall into her trap, a cold glint flashed in Lin Yun's eyes. But thinking that Pei Zhiyan was there, she still showed a sad look. "You look so pitiful in front of the sir now, but when you taught Nanny Sun a lesson behind the sir's back, did you ever think that one day this would be exposed?"
Mentioning this, Nanny Sun also took the opportunity to kneel down. With a wronged look on her face, she said, "This servant was just ordered to discipline the servants. There are so many servants in the mansion. It's inevitable that there will be mistakes and someone will take advantage of it and bully Maid Xiaoxi, the former maid of the Third Madam, for a few days. Who would have thought that the Third Madam would hold a grudge..."
By this time, Nanny Sun was in tears, looking extremely pitiful. "This servant is an old woman on the verge of death. My life is worthless. If the Third Madam is dissatisfied with me, I can kill myself to atone for my sins. Why does she have to make things difficult for our mistress..."
Nanny Sun's words instantly made it seem reasonable that Song Ruotang had poisoned Lin Yun. Lin Yun also looked at Nanny Sun lovingly. "Nanny, get up. You've been with my mother since childhood and taken care of me. It's not that she's dissatisfied with you. It's me she's targeting..."