Qu Yue's veiled threatening inquiry felt like an invisible hand clamping down on Mrs. Song's throat.
Her heart sank. She frowned, trying to figure out the implications of Qu Yue's words.
But before Song Luo could reach a conclusion, Xiaoyang wailed first. Her face with slightly prominent cheekbones drooped sorrowfully. "Although I'm not from a noble family, I'm still a woman, madam. If you don't apologize to me today, how can I face others in the future?"
This plaintive outburst drove Song Luo's suspicions back.
Anyway, if something went wrong, she could always shift the blame onto Xiaoyang.
Qu Yue dodged warily. Mockery glinted in her round eyes. "Apologize to you?"
Anger flared from her lips that had regained a hint of color. "You were the one who harmed me first!"
Xiaoyang looked disappointed. "Madam, why don't you admit your mistake?"
Mu Yao walked over from behind, her eyes brimming with malice.
Fine! Even if she couldn't get rid of Qu Yue this time, she'd at least blunt her edge, ruin her reputation, and regain some of the rewards!
She insinuated, "She must not have rested well and is blaming others' sachets. Who knows what she was doing at night?"
At these words, the three men standing behind all held their breath.
At night...
Their gazes involuntarily slid towards Qu Yue. Her slender back glowed a faint pink under the sun. Strands of hair hung down the back of her neck, contrasting with her snow - white skin.
She was incredibly beautiful.
This was the same woman who they used to think was just a timid beauty. But now, she bravely retorted to Mu Yao. "Whether I rested well or not, you know better than me."
"Do you mean you slept in my room?" Mu Yao scoffed and rolled her eyes. "I advise you to apologize to her quickly. If this gets out, it'll only bring shame to the Marquis's Mansion."
Qu Yue's voice was as clear as a bell. "I'm not wrong. I won't apologize."
"If we're talking about shame, the things you've done to me over the years would be even more disgraceful if they got out."
She confronted the Mu family head - on. It was like a torrential rain, stirring up waves in everyone's hearts.
The Qu Yue who used to be so timid that she didn't dare to say a word was now standing up to the Mu Mansion!
Even she herself was in disbelief.
Maybe that reward had made her finally see the true colors of the Mu family.
Whether she endured or not, they never regarded her as a member of the Mu family. They even wanted to take her life!
Coldness glinted in Qu Yue's peach - blossom eyes. Even though her legs trembled nervously and her palms were sweaty, she didn't want to back down anymore.
Mu Qing, who had arrived late, darkened his face upon hearing Qu Yue's words. "Qu Yue! Haven't you caused enough trouble?"
Seeing that everyone was siding with her, Xiaoyang wiped her tears in a timely manner. "Forget it! If madam misunderstands me, so be it! I'm willing to take the blame alone so as not to shame the Marquis's Mansion."
Xiaoyang continued to add fuel to the fire. "Maybe madam is just sad that the general left without leaving her a child."
Song Luo played along, holding Xiaoyang's hand and stroking it affectionately. "You're such a sensible child."
Their act perfectly portrayed Qu Yue as a malicious person.
Mu Qing's face was dark. "Qu Yue! Don't think that just because you have the emperor's support, you can do whatever you want!"
"You're in the wrong today. Apologize to Xiaoyang!"
Qu Yue felt like laughing upon hearing this.
Regardless of whether she had misunderstood Xiaoyang or not, the very idea of "the general's wife apologizing to a concubine" was a complete disrespect to her status as the main wife.
Since ancient times, when had there ever been such a precedent?
Which family didn't understand the importance of maintaining the status of the main wife?
Qu Yue repeated firmly, "Marquis Mu, I won't apologize."
Mu Qing's authority had been challenged, and his face turned as black as charcoal. "If you don't apologize, you'll be punished by the family law!"
Ning Yanzhi frowned and stepped out of the crowd. "Marquis, wait a moment."
"As far as I know, Mrs. Qu isn't the kind of person who's afraid to admit her mistakes." His voice was clear and cold, like the wind blowing from the mountain peak.
He explained slowly, "Since she denies it so firmly, there might be a misunderstanding."
Mu Qing: "..."
It was these three people again!
Everything could have gone smoothly today, but they kept delaying the progress!
What annoyed him the most was that they were all important court officials, and he couldn't openly quarrel with them.
As far as he knew, these people hated Qu Yue to the core. So why were they all supporting her after Mu Yuan's death?
Ning Yanzhi stood straight like a bamboo. He walked up to Xiaoyang politely. "Miss Xiaoyang, may I take a look at your sachet?"
The scholarly aura around him and his cold charm made Xiaoyang dazed for a few seconds.
Could such a celestial being really exist?
Her eyelashes fluttered, and she quickly lowered her head. "Y - yes!"
Nervously, her hands fumbled with the sachet. It took her several attempts to open it.
"Here..."
Ning Yanzhi reached out to take it, deliberately avoiding Xiaoyang's hand and only touching the sachet.
He poured out the spices inside. With a slight movement of his broad palm, a faint, unpleasant smell assailed his nose.
"Just cinnamon alone is fine."
"But I wonder, Mrs. Qu, did you come into contact with clove oil before?"
"These two spices, when used separately, can soothe the mind. But when smelled together, they can cause a heart attack and even death."
These words shocked everyone!
Xiaoyang's pupils trembled violently. She quickly pulled back the hand that was in mid - air.
Her eyes darted around. "How would I know if madam came into contact with it or not?"
"I don't know even if she did. Even if something went wrong, it can't be blamed on me."
"Moreover, my sachet has been checked by the imperial physician. There's no lethal substance in it!"
Her rambling words already betrayed her uneasiness.
"I'm deeply sorry, Miss Xiaoyang." Ning Yanzhi explained calmly. "I'm just speculating."
Mu Yao snorted. "Lord Ning is speculating about other women without any evidence. Isn't that inappropriate?"
Ning Yanzhi remained calm and explained softly, "I've studied spices before, so I just happen to know."
He asked the imperial physician for confirmation. "Imperial physician, am I right?"
The imperial physician nodded slowly and even explained the reason for the reaction between the two spices to everyone.
Qu Yue looked at Ning Yanzhi in surprise.
He had even studied spices?
It was just right. She was worried about not having an excuse to tell the truth.
Qu Yue said slowly, "Lord Ning, I did smell a strange odor in my room last night."
Ning Yanzhi asked, "Do you remember the specific smell?"
"Let me think..."
"Qu Yue, how much longer are you going to act this farce?" Song Luo panicked when she saw Qu Yue really trying to recall. She quickly stepped forward to stop her.
At the same time, she gave Mu Yao a look, ordering her to quickly change the topic.
Mu Yao never expected that someone would actually know the secret about these spices. She cleared her throat and sneered. "Do you really think you can make up a specific smell?"
"Even if Xiaoyang did use cinnamon, how can you prove that you didn't smell the clove oil yourself?"
"Who can't stage a show?"
Just as they were feeling complacent, thinking that everything would be fine, Qu Yue took out half of a stick of incense from the pocket on her waist. "Evidence, right here!"