"No, no, no, absolutely impossible. With Cen Yu's personality, if that person that night was him, this person would have been revealed long ago, ruining my reputation!" Xiao Man immediately shook her head, denying her own thought.
"No, he didn't reveal it because he didn't want people to know. He remained chaste for the woman he loved, and I ruined it, so he wants to kill me?" The more Xiao Man thought about it, the more likely it seemed. However, thinking of this, Xiao Man became confused again. What was Cen Yu doing in Lan Xiao Pavilion so late that night?
A sudden thought flashed through her mind, and Xiao Man felt she had discovered something earth-shattering!
Could it be that young master Cen Yu had peculiar tastes and secretly set up shop in Lan Xiao Pavilion, only to run into her? Fearing she would leak this matter, he wanted to silence her?
The more Xiao Man thought about it, the more she felt this was the case. Although it was her fault, Cen Yu setting up shop in Lan Xiao Pavilion was a consensual matter. At most, she could keep it a secret for him. Why would he instigate the concubines in the mansion to take her life?
Cen Yu had no idea that Xiao Man had such thoughts. If he knew, he would probably do whatever it took to kill Xiao Man!
Xiao Man still believed she had gone to Lan Xiao Pavilion that night. If she had realized that night she had gone not to Lan Xiao Pavilion, but to the Qingfeng Courtyard of Prince Qin, Nangong Yu, just one street away, she would not have continued further down the path of self-destruction.
On the big tree outside the courtyard, Yu Qianmo smiled sinisterly. He had finally found the woman who had abandoned him in a garbage heap and made him spend two hours with trash!
The eldest daughter of the Protector General's mansion, right? Very good. Don't think that just because you are the eldest daughter, I can't get revenge!
Xiao Man glanced outside suspiciously. She always felt a chill on the back of her neck, as if something was staring at her. That feeling of being shadowed made her spine go cold. Could it be that young master Cen Yu had more tricks up his sleeve besides Concubine Lin?
Xiao Man thought that she had to find an opportunity quickly to tell Cen Yu that she would never reveal his dealings at Lan Xiao Pavilion, to dispel Cen Yu's intention to silence her. This feeling of being attacked from all sides was too unbearable. And there was also Tian Ji Pavilion!
Xiao Man's eyes deepened slightly. Her cold, insect-like eyes were like a starry sky, unfathomable. What did Qin Yu want when he knocked her out that night? What conspiracy was behind it?
Now, she saw everyone as playing a conspiracy. She didn't even fully trust herself, let alone someone of unknown identity.
Qin Yu knocking her out must have had a purpose. What that purpose was, remained to be investigated.
Concubine Lin thought that with the antidote, the Fourth Miss would be safe and sound. Unexpectedly, the next morning, the Fourth Miss vomited blood. Frightened, Concubine Lin lost her composure and quickly invited Physician Ye to treat the Fourth Miss.
As Physician Ye took her pulse, his face was filled with surprise. "May I ask what Concubine Lin and the Fourth Miss ate?"
"We didn't eat anything. She suddenly vomited blood," Concubine Lin said anxiously.
"What has the Fourth Miss eaten since I came to take her pulse yesterday?"
"I only fed her some ginseng soup. She hasn't woken up since yesterday. How could she have eaten anything?" Concubine Lin wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes with a brocade handkerchief, sobbing uncontrollably, looking as if the sky had fallen, making her exceptionally pitiable.
"Then it's strange. Since she hasn't eaten anything, how could she be poisoned?"
"Poisoned!" Concubine Lin's expression showed a moment of shock. She had clearly given the Fourth Miss the antidote, so how could the Fourth Miss be poisoned?
The Old Madam rushed over, and just as she heard Physician Ye say the Fourth Miss was poisoned, she immediately struck the ground with her cane in anger. "What is going on? Who is so cruel-hearted as to poison a child? Investigate! We must investigate thoroughly!"
"Old Madam, this might... there might be some misunderstanding," Concubine Lin said guiltily. If they investigated thoroughly and found out she had given the Fourth Miss the so-called antidote, how would she explain herself?
Thinking of this, Concubine Lin hated Cen Yu.
She had risked her life for the Cen family, but Cen Yu had given her a fake antidote, intending to poison her daughter. How could she not hate him, not be angry?
"Old Madam, please don't worry. Although she is poisoned, the poisoning is not deep and will not be life-threatening," Ye Qing comforted the Old Madam. "However, I need to identify the components of the poison to formulate an antidote. This will take some time. I hope the Fourth Miss can hold on until I can prepare the antidote."
"Then I'll trouble Physician Ye. Please save my granddaughter. She is still young." The Old Madam's eyes reddened, and she quickly wiped away the tears with her handkerchief. However, she harbored suspicions towards the people in the mansion. At this time, who had poisoned the Fourth Sister? Su Dan Novel Network.
Eldest Sister is weak and spends more time sleeping than awake, so it shouldn't be her. Second Sister is currently helping Third Concubine manage the household. Plus, she herself is of low status, so it is possible. There is also Yan Shi. The Old Madam doesn't believe Yan Shi, but she has quite a bit of trust in Third Miss. She never thought Xiao Ling would be a cruel and scheming girl.
The Old Madam ordered a thorough investigation. Her prime suspect was the Second Miss. Now that Third Concubine was managing the household, the Old Madam's mind stirred, thinking whether she should take back the household management rights from Third Concubine and give them to Yan Shi. But upon thinking of Yan Shi's actions, the Old Madam hesitated again. The mansion's deficit of one million was something even she didn't believe was not Yan Shi's doing.
"Granny Xu, what do you think of Third Concubine managing the household?"
"Old Madam, the General has already decided on household management matters, so let the General handle it. Why should Old Madam worry about it?" Granny Xu poured a cup of calming tea for the Old Madam. "Old Madam, don't worry. The Fourth Miss will surely be blessed."
"Why did Fourth Sister get poisoned?" The Old Madam frowned and muttered to herself.
Given Concubine Lin's usual cautious nature, she would definitely be extremely careful with anything she fed. The Fourth Sister's health had been poor lately, so the food was even more carefully selected. Yet, the Fourth Sister had been poisoned. How did she get poisoned?
Granny Xu's thoughts stirred. "Old Madam, the Fourth Miss's symptoms are similar to the Eldest Miss's symptoms. Could the Eldest Miss also have been poisoned?"
The Old Madam's eyelids twitched. "It seems there are indeed many wicked people in this mansion. If Eldest Sister was also poisoned, then this matter was likely aimed at Eldest Sister, and Fourth Sister was merely caught in the crossfire. However, Fourth Sister fell ill at Ziyun Nunnery and hasn't recovered since returning. Could she have been poisoned at Ziyun Nunnery?"
"Old Madam, haven't you forgotten what Physician Ye said? Physician Ye said that the Fourth Miss's poisoning is still shallow. She must have been poisoned in the last two days," Granny Xu reminded the Old Madam. If she had been poisoned long ago, the Fourth Miss would have already gone to the afterlife.
"Let's go and see Eldest Sister." The Old Madam was ultimately uneasy. If the Eldest Sister died of poisoning in the mansion, her son would inevitably suspect her.
Xiao Man could die, but she absolutely could not die at the hands of someone in the mansion.