C27

Chapter 27 - Step by Step

"Another one?" Yun Qianliang sneered, "So hardworking."

Yun Qianliang sat on the soft bed, and was in a good mood as she took care of the flower pot that the House of the Marquis of An sent him this morning. The crabapple blossoms were planted beautifully in the white porcelain pot, and in the middle of the pot, the rocks were decorated with the beautiful flowers. A crabapple grew from the rocks, and among the tiny green leaves, the bright red flowers clustered around the branches, like a miniature view in a courtyard.

Yun Qianliang plucked the dried up yellow leaves from the branch and placed them at the root of the Begonia.

"Madam, the witnesses and evidence are here this time. We can arrest them now." Qiu Yue said excitedly.

"It's not against the law to buy arsenic. Wait until she puts arsenic in my diet, that will be the real evidence." Yun Qianliang's face did not reveal any joy, his beautiful and calm face did not have a trace of emotion, but he kept it in his heart, "People who fish, have to patiently wait for a fish to bite. If you are so anxious, you will scare them away and wait for the bait."

Qiu Yue raised her mouth, she thought for a moment and mischievously said: "Yes, I will go fish some other day."

Yun Qianliang laughed softly as she shook her head helplessly. Her eyes fell on Chun Hua who had something on her mind.

Chun Hua was a little more stable and careful, it was rare that she would make a mistake, but she stayed by Yun Qianliang's side all year round, and her personality was not as tight as a servant in a house, and she would often exchange some witty words with her master, but since yesterday, she seemed to be very preoccupied, and even dragged her hair while she was washing herself this morning.

Yun Qianliang did not reveal her thoughts, treating it as if he had never seen it before.

As usual, Shui Qin returned two hours later to bring the nourishment. With his master's instructions, he relaxed at the moment, allowing others to add more food to the tonic. But today, Xiao Cui had brought a medicine to help her remove blood stasis, using the excuse of rubbing the medicine to get rid of her, she took the chance to leave, and by the time he returned, Xiao Cui was already gone.

Madam, Xiao Cui went to the kitchen again today. Shui Qin carried the Silver Ear Red Jujube soup, not knowing if she should put it down.

"Put it down." Yun Qianliang made a move and said to Qiu Yue: "Bring the ants jar over, and also get a fire piston."

"Yes." Qiu Yue turned around and walked towards the small kitchen in Green Pine Academy.

Not long after, Qiu Yue returned with a clay pot, placed it on the side of the tray, and then removed the stones from the jar.

Yun Qianliang walked to the side and took out a candle from the lantern. He then walked to the table and lit the candle with a fire piston, and used the candle to roast the upper part of the lid. After feeling the heat, she blew out the candle and used the candle to remove the lid.

Yun Qianliang opened the porcelain bowl and scooped up a spoonful of silver ear soup to cool it down before pouring it into the jar.

Witnessing all the ants in the pot die, Yun Qianliang smiled.

"Have Steward Gu gather all the people from the kitchen into the domain clearing hall."

Inside domain clearing hall.

Yun Qianliang sat at the head of the table with a dark face as everyone in the kitchen kneeled down. In front of him was a pile of broken clay pots and dead ants on the ground.

"What are you waiting for?" Steward Gu scolded with an ugly expression.

After poisoning the owner of the house for two consecutive days, such things had never happened in Gu Xiangfu, but ever since Yun Qianliang's marriage, the mansion's rules seemed to have become decorations, there were always people who ignored the rules and played tricks on them.

"Steward Gu, we really didn't poison it." Auntie Liu trembled like a sieve. She kneeled and took two steps forward, grabbing onto Yun Qianliang's skirt as she pleaded, "Madam, your tonifying soup was all done by Shui Qin. If it was her who poisoned them, it has nothing to do with me."

"It doesn't matter. I'm the one in charge, not you." Yun Qianliang cast a sidelong glance at Aunty Liu, "Whatever I want to ask next, I'll answer truthfully. If you can't find the person who poisoned you, then this crime …"

"This servant will answer truthfully." Auntie Liu anxiously stopped Yun Qianliang's threat.

"In the past two days, has anyone from the manor been to the kitchen before, especially during the time Shui Qin was working as a tonifying soup?" Yun Qianliang held her teacup, not looking at the people who were kneeling and begging for mercy.

"This …" Auntie Liu found it difficult to think about it. Since she was old and had a poor memory, she couldn't answer her question. "Servants from the various courtyards would come and get three meals a day, and there would be a lot of people coming and going from the kitchen."

"Xiao Cui from the Hibiscus Courtyard, she stayed in the kitchen for a long time yesterday and today." The people below warned him.

"Steward Gu." Yun Qianliang handed over the important matter to the Steward Gu, so that others wouldn't think that he was jealous of Gu Yicheng for pampering her. He thought that he was avenging a personal grudge and wanted to get rid of Wen MenhisSteward Gu." Yun Qianliang handed over the important matter to the Steward Gu, so that others wouldn't think that he was jealous of Gu Yicheng for pampering her. She thought that he was avenging a personal grudge and wanted to get rid of Wen Meng.

"Someone, bring Xiao Cui from Hibiscus Courtyard over." Steward Gu called for the two guards and went to arrest them.

The guards rushed into the Hibiscus Courtyard, startling the servants in the courtyard.

When Wen Meng saw the two of them bringing Xiao Cui away, she worriedly patted the back of Xiao Cui's hands, "You go with them, I'll come later."

After the guard brought Xiao Cui back, Wen Meng returned to the house and hid the paper bag under the blanket into her belt. She then quickly led the other servants to domain clearing hall.

When Xiao Cui was brought to domain clearing hall, she looked up to see the set up of tonifying soup s, and lowered her head guiltily.

"This servant greets Madam." Xiao Cui pretended to be calm and bowed.

"Have you been in the kitchen these two days before noon?" Yun Qianliang went straight to the point.

"Reporting to Madam, this servant did indeed go into the kitchen. Yesterday, I went to get some of the Lilium Smelting tonifying soup for Warm Girl, and today, I brought out a medicine to help quicken the blood circulation and dissolve the blood stasis for Shui Qin." Xiao Cui explained the reason why she was able to enter the kitchen in two days, but did not mention anything else.

Yun Qianliang nodded her head, "Shui Qin, when Xiao Cui went there, did you ever leave the tonifying soup because of her?"

"Yes, yesterday …" Just as Shui Qin opened her mouth, Xiao Cui fiercely cut her off, "Shui Qin, I'm kind enough to send you the medicine, if you dare slander me as someone who poisoned the soup, I won't let you be complacent."

Shui Qin hid behind Yun Qianliang in fear, and spoke in a low voice, "You did indeed push me away."

"Madam is clear that there is a problem with the soup that Shui Qin made herself, but purposefully gave it to your servant." Xiao Cui lifted her skirt and knelt down.

"I will definitely understand, but before that, I have something that I am very curious about." Yun Qianliang sneered, and used his spoon to stir up the Silver Eared Red Jujube soup, and when the porcelain met, a clear and crisp sound came out, Yun Qianliang's ice cold voice sounded out, "I summoned the kitchen to investigate about the poison in the tonifying soup, and everyone has yet to leave, so the news naturally will not leak out. How did you know about the poison in the soup?"

Yun Qianliang's voice was light and gentle, yet when Xiao Cui heard it, it was like a huge boulder pressing down on him.

"This … this servant came to listen to some passing servants discussing the matter of domain clearing hall investigating the poisoning." Xiao Cui tried to defend himself.

"However, I have ordered that the servants in the manor are not to mention the matter of the poison. Otherwise, according to the family rules, if you tell me which servant told you, I will punish you as well." Yun Qianliang pressed on.