Chapter 335 - Mass Poisoning at Duke Zhenguo’s Manor (1/2)

Chapter 335 Ma.s.s Poisoning at Duke Zhenguo’s Manor

Emperor Zongwen comforted the Empress Dowager. Then, seeing the imperial physicians sent medicine over, he personally fed the Empress Dowager. He left after the Empress Dowager nagged at him to. The Empress stayed behind to serve the Empress Dowager medicine.

“Zhu’er, go back and rest as well. Your health is not so good either, don’t fall sick again.” The Empress Dowager looked slightly better after taking the medicine. Her brows relaxed and she patted the Princess Royal’s hand benevolently.

The Princess Royal Mingzhu’s illness relapses from time to time. She seemed slightly thinner than usual. She had rushed into the palace early in the morning and the bruises under her eyes could not be hidden even with the thickest powder she put on her face. The worry in her eyes was obvious and it was certain that she was truly worried about the Empress Dowager’s illness. She was just a princess without any power and her interests did not conflict with anyone else’s. As such, she was treated well.

She had grown up under the care of the Empress Dowager. After the Empress Dowager’s biological daughter, Princess Royal Yunruo was married off to the Yan Kingdom, the Empress Dowager lived alone and the Princess Royal Mingzhu was rather close to her. When she heard that the Empress Dowager was gravely ill, she did not even care about herself before she hurried into the palace. When she saw that the Empress Dowager was fine, she relaxed and felt cold all over.

“Mother, I am fine. I am just worried about your health, so I was in a hurry when I came here. I must have been too anxious.” The Princess Royal’s face was pale, comparable to how the Empress Dowager had looked earlier. She sighed and tried to smile.

“Princess Royal, you’d best return. I will take care of Mother lest you fall ill when Mother recovers. His Majesty will blame me for it then. There are truly many things happening in the palace lately and everyone is feeling anxious.” The Empress smiled and said warmly to the Princess Royal.

It did not sound nice at all, as if all that happened in the palace had been done intentionally. Of course, what happened in Cining Palace today was just a show as well.

d.u.c.h.ess Ding lowered her head silently, pretending that she did not exist.

One of them was her husband’s younger sister, the Empress. The other was her husband’s aunt, the Empress Dowager.

She could not offend any one of them.

“It is hard on you. If I get better, I will go to Buddha and ask him to protect the Qin Kingdom.” The Empress Dowager smiled warmly, touching the Buddhist beads by her pillow. The Princess Royal reached out to pluck out the beads with familiarity and pa.s.sed them to the Empress Dowager.

“If the Empress Dowager does get better, it would be worth it even if my life is shortened. I will go with you to pray to Buddha.” The Empress smiled looking like a filial daughter. The atmosphere in Cining Palace was harmonious as if they had all forgotten that the lead eunuch of Cining Palace was being flogged right outside.

Meanwhile, Duke Zhenguo’s Manor was in chaos!

Yesterday, Sima Lingyun returned to find that not only Yun Yiqiu was poisoned, but d.u.c.h.ess Zhenguo and his younger sister were also both unconscious.

When he had the matter investigated, he realized that the three of them had eaten mushrooms with stewed chicken.

When he checked carefully, he realized that Mo Xuemin, who had never sent anyone to the kitchens, had sent her personal maidservant for soup on the day of the incident.

After what happened on their wedding night, Mo Xuemin, his legal wife, had been forced to beg his concubine for forgiveness. One would only need to think to realize what sort of status Mo Xuemin had in Duke Zhenguo’s Manor. n.o.body cared about the Marquess’ new wife, and she was not even treated as an ordinary maid. She lived far away in an out-of-the-way spot. The food the kitchen sent her was cold.

However, Mo Xuemin had never gone to the kitchen to say anything.

Early this morning, Mo Xuemin’s personal maid, Qiu Qiao, had gone to the kitchen to ask for hot soup.

Because it was too early, there were not too many people in the kitchen. This was the time fresh ingredients were sent to the manor. Most of the servants had gone to fetch the ingredients and the mushroom stew was on the stove.

d.u.c.h.ess Zhenguo was from the south and loved such small mushrooms. Yun Yiqiu and Sima Heyan both enjoyed the same food. The dish was made for the three of them. Everyone in the manor knew because they were very careful when they made it. Even though most people had gone to work, they left a little maid to watch the dish.

Qiu Qiao entered then and got the little maid to make soup. The maid ignored her and was slapped forcefully by Qiu Qiao. The two bickered and then Qiu Qiao left angrily. After that, everything happened as normal and nothing extraordinary happened. However, something major happened.

“Marquess, these are the usual maids, and they are still working here. We know that Madam, Miss, and Auntie are eating this, so the servants did not dare to make any mistakes and poison the dish no matter how gutsy we are. We would not dare to harm our masters.” The old servant who was in charge of the kitchen screamed and knelt before Sima Lingyun. Her sobs were startlingly loud.

Now that the three female mistresses of the manor had taken ill, it was not something a small kitchen manager like her could take responsibility for.

Mo Xuemin! The veins on Sima Lingyun’s face twitched. There was no other doubt. Mo Xuemin must have done this.

It was not the first time that he had dealt with Mo Xuemin. He knew how vicious she could be. However, he did not realize it when they were working together to deal with Mo Xuetong. He only thought that she was very intelligent. She was now pointing the gun at him, and that was when he realized that she was extremely vicious.

No wonder she wanted to go to light incense with her younger sisters. She wanted to evade responsibility.

“Men, go to the Repayment Temple and ask Madam to return.” He gritted his teeth and said fiercely as he picked up a porcelain cup beside his hand and threw it onto the ground.

Did Mo Xuemin think that he would not be able to do anything to her since she was at the Mo Manor!