Chapter 37: Deep palace trap(1)
Chapter 37 The Trap in the Deep Palace (1)
As winter turns to spring, the snow melts and warmth gradually envelopes the sky over the capital. It seems not surprising that snakes wake up from hibernation and then crawl into warm rooms. But looking at Aunt Zhou's grief-stricken look, Shui Hangge couldn't bear to refuse her request. Shui Hangge struggled for a while and said, "Then let's check."
When Shui Hangge ordered people to investigate, the old lady came to Cuiyuxuan with the support of Mrs. Wang.
The woman at the door respectfully welcomed the old lady in. Aunt Zhou knelt down to salute the old lady. The old lady waved her hand and said, "You don't need to salute if you are healthy."
Aunt Zhou thanked her happily, Shui Hangge stood up quickly, held the old lady's arm, and helped her sit down on the kang: "Mom, my son is unfilial, and I don't let you have a rest at this late hour."
The old lady glanced at Aunt Zhou and said calmly: "Men don't understand what's going on in the house, so I can't blame you."
Aunt Zhou's movement was so loud that almost everyone in the house heard about it. Soon, Shui Linglong, Shui Lingyue, Aunt Feng and Shui Lingyu also came over. Shui Minyu and Shui Lingxi were injured and couldn't come. Shui Minhui didn't like to get involved in the affairs of the house. Shui Lingqing was still young and ignorant, so they didn't come. As for Qin Fangyi, everyone is not surprised that she has not left Changlexuan for a long time.
Shui Lingyue and Shui Lingyu were copying "The Analects of Women" just now. They put down their brushes and headed here, carrying a faint fragrance of ink. The two of them glanced at Shui Linglong, who was elegant and calm, and felt... mixed feelings in their hearts. Shui Lingyue was jealous, Shui Lingyu was envious. They were both concubines, but Shui Linglong's fate was completely different from theirs. I heard that Shui Ling was not even allowed to eat meat when she first returned home, but now she is about to become a noble and distinguished princess.
The old lady waved to Shui Linglong, and Shui Linglong walked to the old lady's side, and sat down on the Kang with Shui Hange next to the old lady.
Shui Lingyue and Shui Lingyu were sitting on chairs, while Aunt Zhou and Aunt Feng were sitting on shorter embroidery stools. The difference in status was immediately obvious.
“What happened?” the old lady asked Xiang Shuihangge.
Shui Hangge told the truth: "Two venomous snakes crawled into Aunt Zhou's room. The servants killed one and ran away. Now they are catching the snakes while investigating the reason for the appearance of the venomous snakes."
When the old lady heard the word "venomous snake", her eyes suddenly became sharp, like a frozen blade that was about to split the mystery in one fell swoop. After scanning the people in the room, the corners of her mouth moved, but she said nothing.
The first thing that noticed the strangeness of the old lady was Shui Linglong. Shui Linglong's long and slender eyelashes quivered slightly, casting a beautiful sparse shadow next to her nose. The corners of her bright red lips were slightly pursed, making it impossible to tell what she was thinking in her heart.
“There are so many rooms in Cuiyuxuan, why did the poisonous snake only enter your room?” Shui Lingyue asked doubtfully, her tone not very good.
Aunt Zhou sniffed and wiped her tears with a handkerchief. In front of Shui Hangge, she could cry so loudly that she couldn't help but say honestly in front of the old lady: "I don't know what to say to Fourth Miss. "
Aunt Feng said: "Poisonous snakes like moist and warm environments. Maybe your room is too warm."
Aunt Zhou wiped her tears again: "If they want warmth, they should go to the small kitchen. There is a stove in the small kitchen and it is warmer than the maid's room."
Ginkgo served hot tea to everyone. Shui Lingyu shook the tea cup in her hand, suddenly remembered something, and said, "Is there something in your house that attracts venomous snakes?"
As soon as "things that attract poisonous snakes" were mentioned, everyone invariably recalled the poisonous insect powder in Shui Minhui's yard. Shui Hange frowned and said sternly: "Go to the hospital and ask for a doctor! Look inside this room. Is there any poisonous insect powder in the anti-insect powder?”
Insect repellent powder and poisonous insect powder have the same color and are difficult for ordinary people to distinguish when mixed together.
"Yes!" Ginkgo blessed herself and opened the curtain to go out. A gust of cold wind came in through the gap. Everyone tightened their teacups, and just now they felt that the weather at the moment did not seem to be warm.
The old lady whispered a few words to Mother Wang, and Mother Wang's eyes flashed and she left silently.
From the beginning to the end, Shui Linglong said nothing and only watched with cold eyes, while the old lady asked a question and said nothing more. Aunt Zhou couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. The eldest lady was in the same camp as her, so why not help her add some firewood or express her concern? And the old lady, when she heard that she had been harmed by a poisonous snake, she didn't show as much concern as she did for Shui Minhui? Doesn't the old lady like the child in her belly? This situation was completely different from what she expected.
Not long after, Ginkgo invited a doctor over. The doctor greeted the old lady and Shui Hangge. Gao Mama collected some anti-insect powder from the cabinet and the corner, put it on a plate and handed it to the doctor.
The doctor carefully screened them and said, "These are anti-insect powder and poisonous insect powder."
It’s really poisonous insect powder! Shui Hange was so angry that his nose was filled with smoke. He ordered Gingko to send the doctor away and shouted sternly: "Call Madam over here!"
Aunt Zhou was so happy that she almost laughed out loud. She pinched herself quickly and managed to squeeze out two more tears. Qin Fangyi, you have a criminal record. This time, you can’t wash yourself away by jumping into the Yellow River!
When Gao Mama went to Changlexuan to invite Qin Fangyi, Qin Fangyi was trying on a dress newly tailored for her by the tailor. It was a spring style, a lilac pipa-breasted top made of Ruan Yanluo, and a floor-length skirt made of plain snow Juan gauze. She is very beautiful, with smooth skin, a waist as thin as a willow, and a pair of plump **** that are plump and flexible, very **** and charming. It's just that Shui Hangge doesn't like her body anymore. She looked at the bronze mirror and sighed quietly.
When Shiqing entered the inner room, Leng Buding was shocked by the beauty in front of her. She had always known that Madam was beautiful, but she never expected that she could be so beautiful. She stood quietly like a fairy in a fairyland, elegant and youthful. Such a beauty. The master once loved her sincerely, right? Shiqing touched her face, but even his wife couldn't keep the master's heart. She tried to use **** to get others, and became an exception. Haha, it was simply a fool's dream!
“Madam, I want you to go to Aunt Zhou’s Cuiyu Pavilion. It seems that something happened to Aunt Zhou.”
Qin Fangyi said a faint "hmm", took off her spring clothes, put on a blue brocade long coat, and went to Cuiyuxuan.
As soon as he entered Aunt Zhou's bedroom, Shui Hangge scolded her: "You are so vicious! Not only did you frame Min Hui, but you also didn't let go of the unborn child in Aunt Zhou's belly! You really know how to take precautions against this. Not so!" He was completely disappointed with this wife! Has Qin Fangyi done many evil things overtly or covertly over the years? He endures, endures, endures! I thought it would be calm for a while, but she turned out to be worse!
Qin Fangyi's beautiful eyes flashed with a smile at a very fast speed, but she said in surprise: "Ms. sir, how did I harm Aunt Zhou? I have been staying in Changlexuan honestly for the past two months, let alone harming Aunt Zhou. Who, rarely even see anyone."
Aunt Zhou burst into tears.
Shui Hange became more and more upset: "The insect repellent powder contains poisonous insect powder, which is exactly the same as the situation in Minhui's yard! Do you dare to say that this was not your poison? It turns out that in addition to harming Linglong and Minhui, you also wanted to harm Shui. The heir of the family!”
Qin Fangyi smiled faintly, mockingly, sarcastically, and indifferently: "Master insists that I am the murderer. May I ask when and how I did it?"
"Of course it was that time you asked your servants to spread anti-insect powder! The only fault is my carelessness. Even though I knew you were trying to harm Min Hui, I didn't expect you to hate the pregnant Aunt Zhou too! I still underestimated you. Vicious, Qin Fangyi!" In front of his daughters, Shui Hangge showed no mercy to Qin Fangyi, which showed that he was already angry to a certain extent, "Come here! Check all the master's yards again! Nothing slipped through the net!”
At this time, Mrs. Wang walked in with a solemn face and nodded to the old lady. The old lady put the teacup in her hand heavily on the small table. The clear collision sound made everyone startled, and then they heard her voice. Hantan said: "No need to check! This snake didn't come in by itself at all!"
"Huh?" As soon as these words came out, everyone was stunned. They didn't come in by themselves...and how did they get in?
Aunt Zhou's heart was in her throat. She didn't understand why the old lady came to such a conclusion. Did the old lady discover anything? Impossible, she did it extremely covertly, leaving absolutely no clues! These poisonous insect powders did not come from pharmacies, and no trace could be traced back to them.
Mother Wang glanced at Aunt Zhou coldly and said: "Ever since the poisonous insect powder appeared in the second young master's yard, the old lady has been frightened. Therefore, the old lady sent people to regularly spread realgar among the flowers and plants outside the master's courtyard to prevent poisonous snakes. I won't sneak in by myself. I just went to check. The realgar near the yard is still there, but it is buried at the roots and covered by the fragrance of flowers, so ordinary people can't smell it."
Aunt Zhou was stunned as if she was struck by lightning!
Shui Linglong shook her head secretly. Aunt Zhou usually seemed to have some brains, so why was she so reckless this time?
A cold light flashed across Qin Fangyi's eyes, and the meaning of the smile on her lips was difficult to distinguish.
Shui Hange's cold eyes fell on Aunt Zhou's bloodless face: "Oh, what a coincidence that this poisonous snake appears!"
Qin Fangyi said in a strange tone: "Oh! There is a thief in Aunt Zhou's yard, right? The only people who can successfully bring snakes into the bedroom are the maids and wet nurses. It's really hard to prevent the people closest to you from having their own evil intentions! In my opinion, , I would rather kill him by mistake than let him go. The person who should be assigned should be assigned as soon as possible, so as not to leave any hidden dangers! It’s okay to accuse me wrongly. If the master’s child has some shortcomings, isn’t this... a stranglehold on the Shui family? "
Gao MaMa and Gingko’s faces turned pale and they knelt on the ground.
Shui Linglong took a sip of tea and said that she would not die unless she wanted to die. Aunt Zhou was reckless.
Qin Fangyi pressed forward step by step: "Oh, there's one more thing I'm curious about. Aunt Zhou, aren't you pregnant and have difficulty moving? Why can't this poisonous snake bite you?"
Shui Hangge's face darkened: "Do you hope that the poisonous snake bit her and caused her to slide? She bit a servant!"
Qin Fangyi smiled: "Which maid was bitten?"
The room suddenly fell into an eerie silence. At this point, it is impossible to say that everyone did not get any clues. A poisonous snake that was obviously impossible to enter entered the room, and the one it bit was a third-class maid? Is a third-class maid qualified to come and go in the master's bedroom? By chance, he blocked the poisonous snake for his master?
Qin Fangyi sneered in her heart, she didn't even have the determination to kill her confidant, so why should he fight her?
Shui Lingyue tightened the handkerchief in her hand and glared at Aunt Zhou angrily. She would really be embarrassed!
Aunt Feng and Shui Ling remained silent. They rarely participated in the fights in the house, and this time was no exception.
Qin Fangyi looked at Aunt Zhou and said: "I have a doubt. Since someone deliberately put the poisonous snake in, could this poisonous insect powder be deliberately made by someone? The purpose is to frame me! So, can I I suspect that the same person put the poisonous insect powder in Minhui’s yard? Aunt Zhou, what do you think?”
Aunt Zhou was so frightened that the most important poisonous snake could not crawl in. The nature of the whole thing had completely changed! Just let the palace maid sleep with someone for a night. A month later, the palace lady threatened to be pregnant with that person's child, but found out that the person was a eunuch. Everything became a lie!
what to do? What is she going to do? Said that she was instructed by the eldest lady last time to alleviate her sin? No, she has no proof! She had already made a mistake by "biting" Qin Fangyi, and "biting" the eldest lady again would only make matters worse.
Her brain was spinning rapidly, one thought after another flashing through her mind. Suddenly, she stood up and stretched out her hands to pounce on Qin Fangyi: "Madam! Do you think I did it? I didn't! Madam, do you believe me...ah -"
Aunt Zhou fell backwards. In the eyes of others, she was pulling Qin Fangyi, but Qin Fangyi pushed her with her backhand. This confirmed Qin Fangyi's vicious intention of hating her. Of course, she never thought of compensating the fetus in her belly. , so she gave Gao MaMa a signal before taking action.
Unexpectedly, before Gao MaMa could move, she was completely blocked by Shi Qing. Shi Qing pretended to pull her away, but in fact she stepped on Gao Ma Ma: "Madam, be careful!"
Aunt Zhou screamed inwardly. Without the human cushion, she would not be able to fall to death. The fetus in her belly... might be saved!
Just when she was about to fall to the ground, Qin Fangyi yanked her hard and pushed her towards Shui Hangge, but she hit the embroidery bench beside her. Aunt Feng was shocked, she crawled forward and stretched out her arms. Placing it on the embroidery stool, Qin Fangyi's head hit it hard!
Shui Hangge safely caught Aunt Zhou who was falling towards him, but watched Qin Fangyi almost die trying to save people. If Aunt Feng hadn't reacted quickly, Qin Fangyi would have been seriously injured even if she didn't die. He suddenly didn't know how he felt...
Ah Rong and Shiqing helped Aunt Feng and Qin Fangyi, who had fallen badly, have varying degrees of scratches on their elbows and knees.
The old lady's baggy eyelids moved, and she could not conceal the ferocious glare in her eyes. A person who did not even care about the fetus in his belly in order to defeat the mistress was simply worse than a beast!
Shui Linglong held the old lady's arm and said softly: "Grandma, it's getting late. I'll help you go back to the yard to rest."
Aunt Zhou was a complete loser. The old lady actually didn’t care if someone framed Qin Fangyi. If it hadn’t been for the last fatal fall, the old lady might have turned a blind eye because of Aunt Zhou’s pregnancy, but it was a pity...
As for Shui Hangge, after this incident, he is afraid that he will no longer believe that Qin Fangyi harmed Shui Minhui. Of course, he will not investigate because that matter is the final conclusion made by the old lady. He respects any decision of the old lady, no matter whether it is correct or not. or not.
The old lady stood up, there was no warmth in her eyes, and her tone was as cold as frost: "The servants of Cuiyuxuan framed my aunt and framed the lady, and sold them all, leaving no one behind! Linglong will leave this matter to you. Do it immediately!”
“Yes!” Shui Linglong bowed her knees and watched as Wang’s mother helped the old lady leave.
Shui Hangge let go of Aunt Zhou, walked to Qin Fangyi, and asked a little embarrassedly: "How are you...?"
Aunt Feng lowered her head, she had long been accustomed to this kind of indifference.
"I'm very good. If the master has nothing to say, I've come back." After saying it expressionlessly, Qin Fangyi walked out of the bedroom with poetry, and then Aunt Feng, Shui Lingyu, Shui Lingyue and others also left. After arriving at the scene, only Shui Linglong was left, following the old lady's instructions to deal with the servants of Cuiyuxuan.
Aunt Zhou grabbed Shui Hangge's sleeve, and Shui Hangge threw it away, snorted coldly, and turned around to leave.
Aunt Zhou's heart suddenly fell to the bottom, and boundless fear spread throughout her limbs. She faced Shui Linglong, clasped her hands together, put them to her lips and begged: "Miss! Miss, please help me! My maid, really She only acted rashly when she was desperate! The maid heard from the maids that the eldest lady wanted to marry the fourth lady to a sixty-year-old official to fill a house. The maid didn't want the fourth lady to suffer... That's why she took the risk... Eldest lady... Look Since your servant has done something for you, can you help your servant keep Gao MaMa?"
Shouldn’t it be Shui Lingqing who married an official in her sixties? In this life, she actually became Shui Lingyue? Whether it's true or not, it reached Aunt Zhou's ears without her even hearing about it, which shows that Qin Fangyi had done something wrong. On the surface, what happened tonight was that Aunt Zhou was framing Qin Fangyi. Who knew that Aunt Zhou was the one in the middle? Qin Fangyi's method of provoking generals? Shui Linglong looked at her indifferently, her thin lips slightly parted and said: "Since you made a mistake, you have to face the reality. You can do it yourself. I can't help you."
Aunt Zhou was horrified and knelt at Shui Linglong's feet: "Miss, you must have a way! The old lady trusts you so much... you will definitely be able to convince the old lady..."
Aunt Zhou's incident reminded Shui Linglong of a story Xun Feng once told her: The mother asked her child to make soy sauce. The child gave the boss two cents and filled the bowl with a little, but there was still a little left. At that time, the boss asked: "Where can I put this little soy sauce?"
The child thought for a while, turned the bowl over, and all the soy sauce inside spilled on the ground. He was so stupid that he didn't notice: "Put it on the bottom of the bowl!"
The boss put the remaining soy sauce into the bottom of the child's bowl.
(End of this chapter)