Hearing Du Lingxuan's denial, Xiaolian suddenly widened her eyes. She crawled a few steps on her knees while kneeling on the ground, and said with tears in her eyes, "Second Madam, you must save this servant..."
"What nonsense are you talking about, you slut?" Du Lingxuan frowned and scolded. "If you dare to spread rumors again, don't blame me for being merciless."
Pei Zhiyan's eyes were cold as he said indifferently, "Hasn't she said anything yet?"
Du Lingxuan was at a loss for words. Then she put on an obsequious smile and said, "My lord, but from what she said just now, it's obvious that she wants to get in touch with me."
"No, my lord. This servant is really a maid in the Second Madam's courtyard," Xiaolian explained in a hurry.
Pei Zhiyan naturally believed Xiaolian and ignored Du Lingxuan's defense. He just looked at Xiaolian kneeling on the ground and asked, "Why did you put the Qianjiyin in Song Ruotang's room?"
Xiaolian glanced at Du Lingxuan warily and dared not speak. Pei Zhiyan said indifferently, "If you don't say anything now when I'm giving you a chance, it won't be up to you when you go to the Supreme Court later."
Xiaolian trembled. She looked at Du Lingxuan, who stared at her fiercely with a warning look in her eyes.
But Xiaolian knew that the truth couldn't be hidden forever. With Pei Zhiyan's ability, it was only a matter of time before he found out the truth. If she chose to side with Du Lingxuan, she would only be pushed out as a scapegoat in the end.
Thinking of this, Xiaolian gritted her teeth. Ignoring Du Lingxuan's warning look, she bowed to Pei Zhiyan and said, "This servant was ordered by Nanny Jiang beside the Second Madam to stuff this medicine packet under the Third Madam's pillow..."
"You slut, how dare you slander me!" Du Lingxuan stepped forward and slapped Xiaolian hard. Pei Zhiyan frowned and said, "Is this your upbringing?"
Du Lingxuan bit her lower lip with a look of grievance on her face. "My lord, this maid is just talking nonsense..."
"I'll decide what's right and what's wrong. When do I need you to judge?" Pei Zhiyan's tone was a bit cold. Du Lingxuan wrung her handkerchief tightly and said awkwardly, "This concubine has overstepped..."
Xiaolian was knocked to the ground and then got up again. She covered her face and shed tears. "My lord, what this servant said is all true..."
"How did you get into Qingyi Courtyard?" Pei Zhiyan asked calmly. Xiaolian didn't dare to hide anything now and said everything in detail, "This servant and Cui'er from Qingyi Courtyard are from the same hometown and had some friendship before. Later, this servant worked in the Second Madam's courtyard and got a lot of rewards, so this servant gave her some money..."
Xiaolian pursed her lips. "This servant got a lot of money for working for the Second Madam, so she joined in too. Because..." She glanced at Du Lingxuan and lowered her head. "Because Nanny Jiang beside the Second Madam said that if the matter was successful, she would give an extra fifty taels of silver."
A maid in the Pei Mansion only got two hundred cash a month, which was only about three taels a year. Fifty taels was really a sky-high price for Xiaolian and Cui'er, so it was no wonder that Cui'er agreed.
"You're talking nonsense!" Du Lingxuan's voice was a bit shrill. "I've never said such a thing. You must have been bribed to frame me in front of the lord on purpose!"
Xiaolian quickly kowtowed. "My lord, what this servant said is absolutely true. I dare not talk nonsense. The poison was given to this servant by Nanny Jiang after the Second Madam went to the Third Madam's yard. That day, taking advantage of the Third Madam's going out, this servant conspired with Cui'er and put the poison on the rim of the teapot that the Third Madam would use..."
Du Lingxuan took a few steps back and shook her head, still wanting to deny it, but she opened her mouth and couldn't say a word.
At this time, Mo Qing brought Cui'er here too. Cui'er's words further confirmed the authenticity of Xiaolian's confession.
Du Lingxuan deliberately made the pastries so unpalatable. They were both salty and overly sweet. In fact, there were also some things in them that could make people feel dry-mouthed, but they were not poisonous. Her purpose was to put the poison on the rim of the teapot.
She knew that Lin Yun had got some new hairpins. One was sent to her, and she would surely go to Song Ruotang's place too. After all, Lin Yun was good at pretending to be generous and would not treat one better than the other.
After Xiaolian and Cui'er put the poison on that day, Lin Yun came. Cui'er led Lin Yun to eat the snacks and poured tea for her. By the time Song Ruotang came back, Lin Yun had already suffered from the poison.
Based on the experience of last time, Du Lingxuan asked Xiaolian to keep the medicine packet. If Lin Yun and Song Ruotang really fell out as she had planned, she would ask Xiaolian to hide the medicine in Song Ruotang's room to confirm her guilt.
It was a pity that Xiaolian was caught.
Until now, Du Lingxuan still couldn't figure out where she had gone wrong. She had waited for so long, and Pei Zhiyan's people didn't seem to be going to investigate her. Why did it suddenly turn out that it was her who had poisoned?
She scanned the people around and suddenly fixed her eyes on Song Ruotang's face. A flash of light went through her mind, and she seemed to suddenly understand. No wonder Song Ruotang didn't touch the things after Lin Yun was poisoned, and no wonder she had compromised and apologized to Lin Yun.
All this might be a play staged by Song Ruotang. She had even included Lin Yun in her plan. Her purpose was to make Du Lingxuan think that the two had fallen out and jump into this trap voluntarily...
In this way, Lin Yun's image in front of Pei Zhiyan would also be damaged, and she would owe Song Ruotang a favor. Song Ruotang not only got benefits from Lin Yun but also successfully caught the real poisoner and cleared her own name...
Thinking of this, Du Lingxuan trembled. A chill welled up from the bottom of her heart.
She shook her head in disbelief and denied it again and again in her heart. It was impossible. How could Song Ruotang have planned everything so well? She had nothing. All this must be just a coincidence!
Du Lingxuan's eyes fell on the fingerprint on Song Ruotang's face. She comforted herself in her heart. If it was really a play staged by Song Ruotang, how could she let others slap her in public? So it must not be...
Song Ruotang noticed Du Lingxuan's gaze and just smiled gently. She knew that Du Lingxuan had noticed, but so what? The matter was already a foregone conclusion.
Pei Zhiyan stepped forward and stood in front of Song Ruotang, blocking Du Lingxuan's sight. He said coldly, "Du Lingxuan, do you have anything else to say?"
Du Lingxuan gritted her teeth and said nothing. Lin Yun couldn't bear it any longer. She stepped forward and slapped Du Lingxuan hard. "So it was you who hurt me!"
Lin Yun hated Du Lingxuan to the core at this time. Because of her, not only had she been poisoned, but now all her great advantages were gone. Because of wrongly blaming Song Ruotang, she had gone from being in the right to being in the wrong.
Du Lingxuan staggered a few steps after being slapped by Lin Yun and almost lost her balance. She said nothing, but Lin Yun still felt it wasn't enough. "A harmful person like you shouldn't be left in this world!"
Lin Yun turned to look at Pei Zhiyan. "My lord, Du Lingxuan is so vicious. She shouldn't be left in the Pei Mansion, and she shouldn't be let off easily..."
Pei Zhiyan nodded, but an old voice interrupted Lin Yun's words. "This servant deserves to die for having evil thoughts and trying to harm the madam. This matter was planned by this servant alone. The Second Madam is completely unaware..."