Chapter 130

Chapter 130: How Could She Be Spared

Qi Shu Xian fell silent.

Meng Yang also had not expected it to be a misunderstanding.

Madam Cui wanted to speak the truth, but when Madam Cui met Sheng Zhi Wan’s gaze, Madam Cui swallowed the words back.

If they called the House Physician now, then Madam Cui’s earlier fake blood-vomiting and fake fainting would be exposed.

Sheng Zhi Wan then looked at Qi Shu Xian and Meng Yang and asked, “What did Heir Apparent and Concubine Meng think I was doing just now?”

Meng Yang started, “No-”

Sheng Zhi Wan cut Meng Yang off and asked, “You thought I was trying to harm my mother-in-law?”

Meng Yang lowered Meng Yang’s head.

Qi Shu Xian’s expression was also ugly. That really was what Qi Shu Xian had thought.

Sheng Zhi Wan laughed coldly, full of disappointment, and said, “Heir Apparent and Concubine Meng truly judged a gentleman with petty minds.”

Sheng Zhi Wan continued, “I served Mother for two years. Mother never vomited blood then. Now that I am no longer managing things, Mother vomits blood frequently.”

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “I thought that since Mother is Heir Apparent’s mother, I should still step in. I did not expect Heir Apparent to misunderstand me like this.”

The disappointment in Sheng Zhi Wan’s words made Qi Shu Xian lower Qi Shu Xian’s head.

Qi Shu Xian said, “I am sorry, Zhi Wan. I misunderstood you.”

Sheng Zhi Wan said coldly, “What use is sorry? And Concubine Meng, a mere concubine, dared to question me.”

Meng Yang clenched Meng Yang’s lips.

A mere concubine? Without Meng Yang, Meng Yang would not still be a concubine now.

Meng Yang lowered Meng Yang’s head and said, “Princess, I only worried about Mother…”

Sheng Zhi Wan corrected, “Concubine Meng used the wrong form again. In front of me, you should call yourself this concubine, or this servant.”

Meng Yang’s breathing caught, and humiliation and grievance rose together. Meng Yang looked toward Qi Shu Xian.

Sheng Zhi Wan found it amusing.

Qi Shu Xian pressed Qi Shu Xian’s lips together and said, “Zhi Wan, where you can spare someone, you should spare them…”

Sheng Zhi Wan smiled lightly and said, “Heir Apparent was right.”

Qi Shu Xian froze. Qi Shu Xian did not expect Sheng Zhi Wan to be so easy to speak with this time.

But Sheng Zhi Wan continued in an unhurried voice, “Only, in the future, if Mother has any accident again and Heir Apparent wants me to act, then you will have to pay a price.”

Qi Shu Xian did not care.

The Duke Manor had a House Physician. Outside, there were many famous physicians, and they could even invite an Imperial Physician if needed.

Sheng Zhi Wan was a woman. Even if Sheng Zhi Wan knew some acupressure, what could it really do if something happened?

Madam Cui finally spoke, saying, “Enough. I am fine now, so you can all leave.”

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “Wait.”

Sheng Zhi Wan asked, “Did Heir Apparent see the person outside?”

Qi Shu Xian frowned and asked, “What person?”

Qi Shu Xian had only worried about Madam Cui just now and had not noticed the pig-headed figure tied up and unconscious outside.

Only when Liu Shang carried the person in did Qi Shu Xian see clearly.

Qi Shu Xian’s expression turned cold as Qi Shu Xian asked, “Who is this?”

In the middle of the night, how could an outside man appear in the inner courtyard of the Duke Manor?

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “Heir Apparent can ask me, but it would be better to ask the household guards on duty tonight. How did they guard the gates? How did they patrol the manor?”

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “They even let a useless thing like this, someone who cannot even beat a maid, climb into my courtyard so easily.”

Qi Shu Xian stood up abruptly.

Sheng Zhi Wan ignored Qi Shu Xian. Sheng Zhi Wan told Liu Shang to wake the man, then tore away the cloth stuffed in his mouth and said, “Heir Apparent should interrogate him properly.”

Jiang Shao An jolted awake and met several pairs of scrutinizing eyes at once.

Jiang Shao An was terrified, and Jiang Shao An collapsed to the floor and confessed, saying, “Heir Apparent… it was Princess who invited this little one over…”

Sheng Zhi Wan laughed in mockery and asked, “Oh? You are sure it was I who invited you?”

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “If I invited you, then why did I knock you out?”

Jiang Shao An stammered, “I-I…”

Sheng Zhi Wan’s voice rose as Sheng Zhi Wan warned, “Slandering an Imperial House Princess means death by lingchi.”

Jiang Shao An shook and said, “This little one has evidence.”

Jiang Shao An fumbled out a note and said, “This is the note Princess gave this little one.”

Madam Cui’s eyelid jumped, and Madam Cui’s gaze flicked instinctively to Nanny Fan standing at the doorway.

Nanny Fan’s face was already deathly pale.

When the note was opened and Sheng Zhi Wan saw the handwriting, Sheng Zhi Wan suddenly let out a short laugh.

Qi Shu Xian’s face also changed.

Madam Cui forced a smile and said, “He is only a little thief. Just beat him to death.”

Inside, Madam Cui cursed Nanny Fan’s stupidity. Nanny Fan had actually dared to use Madam Cui’s handwriting.

Nanny Fan had not expected Jiang Shao An to be so bold. Nanny Fan had clearly written on the note to burn it after reading, yet Jiang Shao An had kept it.

Sheng Zhi Wan said with ridicule, “Mother is mistaken. This is not a little thief. This is someone trying to harm me, but they were foolish enough to find a useless thing like this.”

Madam Cui knew Sheng Zhi Wan was talking about Madam Cui, but Madam Cui still had to pretend not to know.

Madam Cui looked at the handwriting with a pained expression for a long time, then suddenly turned to Nanny Fan and demanded, “Yue Ru! Explain why you tried to harm Zhi Wan!”

Nanny Fan’s eyes turned dead. Nanny Fan said nothing and slumped to the floor.

Sheng Zhi Wan watched Madam Cui act without exposing it.

Madam Cui shouted again, “Speak!”

Nanny Fan shuddered. Tears filled Nanny Fan’s eyes as Nanny Fan looked at Madam Cui.

Nanny Fan had been the dowry maid Madam Cui brought from Qing He, and among all the nannies, Nanny Fan was the one Madam Cui valued most.

Over the years, Nanny Fan had followed Madam Cui from Miss to Madam, sharing joy and failure and doing many things for Madam Cui.

But no one was not afraid of death, and no one did not want to live. No matter how loyal Nanny Fan was, Nanny Fan still wanted to live.

And now Nanny Fan even had a husband and a son.

Thinking of Nanny Fan’s son, Nanny Fan crawled on Nanny Fan’s knees to Sheng Zhi Wan’s feet and slammed Nanny Fan’s forehead down with loud, heavy thuds.

Nanny Fan begged, “Heir’s Wife! Heir’s Wife, please spare this old servant! This old servant only felt sorry for the Eldest Miss and hated that you should not have taken back your dowry, which led to the Eldest Miss touching private salt and being beheaded.”

Nanny Fan cried, “This old servant was confused and committed such a wrong!”

Nanny Fan begged, “Heir’s Wife, this old servant knew wrong. Please spare this old servant’s life!”

Nanny Fan knocked until Nanny Fan’s forehead split and blood ran down.

Madam Cui watched and felt miserable inside.

After all, Nanny Fan had been with Madam Cui for many years. Nanny Fan was a bit stupid, but Nanny Fan was loyal.

Madam Cui said, “Zhi Wan, she was only confused for a moment. You are generous. Why not forgive her this once?”

Sheng Zhi Wan’s smile did not reach Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes.

Sheng Zhi Wan lifted a foot and kicked Nanny Fan away. If Nanny Fan came any closer, the tears, snot, and blood would smear on Sheng Zhi Wan’s skirt.

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “Mother must be joking.”

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “First, what does Eldest Sister touching private salt have to do with me? I only reclaimed my own dowry. Eldest Sister could blame the Duke Manor for not giving enough dowry, or blame Eldest Sister’s husband’s family for being too greedy. What face did Eldest Sister have to blame me?”

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “Second, a servant like Madam Fan, who dared to plot harm against the master, how could she be spared lightly?”

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “If she had not found a useless thing like this today, but someone with real skill and ability, then what would I do? Would we throw away the Duke Manor’s face, and Heir Apparent’s face too?”

As Sheng Zhi Wan spoke, Sheng Zhi Wan looked toward Qi Shu Xian.

Qi Shu Xian was not a fool.

How could Qi Shu Xian not know that Nanny Fan dared not do something like this alone? Since Nanny Fan dared, it had to be Madam Cui’s instruction.

But knowing was one thing, and saying it was another. Madam Cui was Qi Shu Xian’s mother.

Could Qi Shu Xian point a finger at Qi Shu Xian’s own mother?

Qi Shu Xian closed Qi Shu Xian’s eyes, then looked at Nanny Fan with a blank expression and ordered, “Drag her out and beat her to death.”