Chapter 727 The Drug

“Old Madam…” Seeing that Old Madam was about to send someone to search again, Madam of Duke Xing became very anxious. She rolled her eyes and pretended to faint again. At a glance, she had noticed that Old Madam had brought only four or five maids here. If Old Madam ordered them to carry her back, there would be few people left here.

If there were no people to search the yard, she would have time to find a solution.

“Madam…Madam, are you OK?” Nanny Sheng, who had been hinted by her, hurriedly shouted, and turned to Old Madam, saying “Old Madam, can you let someone carry Madam back first? If she stays longer, I’m afraid her illness would deteriorate!”

“Lift the couch and send her back!” Old Madam frowned and ordered.

The maids who were going to rummage in the backyard all stopped. This couch looked quite heavy.

Although it was a simple couch, the maids who had come over all looked skinny. There had to be two or three of them on each side in order to lift it.

“Old Madam, the couch looks too heavy. How about putting her on the wide bench over there? It will be easier to carry the bench, and it will take less time.” Shao Wanru pointed to the bench in the corner.

The wide bench was sometimes used as a small altar. It was a bit wider than normal benches and big enough for a person to lie on it. And it was much smaller and lighter than a couch. It would only need two persons to lift it on both ends and another person to protect her in the middle. There should be no problems.

Old Madam took a look and nodded, thinking this was a good way. She ordered, “Come on, put her on the bench!”

Nanny Sheng looked at the bench anxiously, but at the moment she was at a loss, not knowing what to do. She could only stretch out to pull Madam of Duke Xing’s hand.

Madam of Duke Xing, who kept her eyes closed while listening carefully, bit her teeth in hatred. It was Shao Wanru again that had wrecked her plan.

Two old maids had come over. They carefully wrapped her in the quilt and lifted her onto the bench.

Madam of Duke Xing wanted to pretend to accidentally fall off the bench, but the quilt was fixed firmly. She wanted to roll but failed.

“Old Madam, how about let Nanny Sheng take Madam back? If so, you can stay here and supervise the investigation!” Shao Wanru’s voice was soft and gentle, but when it fell in the ears of Madam of Duke Xing, she almost lost control of herself. She wished she could open her eyes and bite Wanru hard.

Old Madam nodded and order two people to continue the search.

Yujie stood by the bench, wrapped Madam of Duke Xing tighter in the quilt, and then retreated to the side. Madam of Duke Xing was “fainted” now, so if they flatted the bench, she would not fall off.

Two old maids walked forward, carrying the bench, and Nanny Sheng hurriedly kept up while crying. The doctor followed behind to prescribe the medicine. Without a pen and paper, he couldn’t prescribe on the spot.

Although Madam of Duke Xing, who was lying on the bench, wanted to find an excuse to stay, now, she had to leave. Feeling the bench was moving farther and farther, Madam of Duke Xing was anxious and helpless.

“Old Madam, here is a thing!” An old maid yelled and came out with a piece of oiled paper from the backyard.

The oiled paper seemed to have been used to wrap something, with mud stains on the outside and white powder on the inside. It must have been used to hold some white powder.

“Where did you find it?” Old Madam asked with a cold face.

“I found it under a tree. When I went to the backyard, I saw the mud under a tree had been turned over. So, I dug a hole there and found the oiled paper underneath.”

As the old maid spoke, she shook the oiled paper in her hand, and a strange smell came out in the air.

Shao Wanru took a step back and reached out to block her nose with her handkerchief.

“Miss, will we get poisoned by smelling it? ” Yujie whispered. Her voice not loud, but Shao Yanru still heard her.

Shao Yanru hurried to step back, covering her mouth and nose. She was too weak to stand any poison now. She didn’t know what vicious trick her mother and Honored Consort Shu had played, but she must protect herself.

Seeing the two sisters step back, Shao Caihuan and Shao Cailing looked at each other and also retreated. They were not stupid. At first glance, they know the oiled paper had been used to hold something bad, otherwise, it would not have been buried.

It seemed that their aunt was making trouble again!

Nanny Zheng did not retreat but looked at Nanny Xi, saying, “Do you know what this is? Have you seen such a thing in the palace?”

Her tone was extremely provocative, with a bit of arrogance, as if she would like to teach Nanny Xi if she didn’t know.

Nanny Xi frowned unhappily. Although she wanted to befriend Nany Zheng, it was just an order for the Empress. How dared Nanny Zheng imply that she had little knowledge? She was a trusted subordinate of the Empress. If she did not know the drug, it was not only just her but also Empress would be disgraced.

Nanny Xi stepped forward, looked at the oiled paper, and then smelled it. After she thought for a while, Nanny Xi’s expression changed drastically. She looked at Nanny Zheng and said in a trembling voice, “This is…that drug?”

She suddenly remembered a past event in the palace. A chronic poison drug had been used to murder a favored concubine in the palace. At that time the Empress had been still a princess, and Nanny Xi had been a maid in the Prince’s Mansion.

The reason she remembered it was because the Empress had been involved in this murder back then. She had been suspected as the murderer and locked up in the Cold Palace for a while. At that time, she had almost been discrowned. Even if it had been a long time, Nanny Xi could not forget it.

That concubine of the former Emperor had been poisoned by this very drug.

“This drug… The concubine the former Emperor died of this drug!” Nanny Zheng murmured, which meant that she also knew about that event.

“However, why is there such poison in Duke Xing’s Mansion?” Nanny Zheng asked in confusion. The meaning of her words was obvious.

“Old Madam, why is there this poison in Duke Xing’s Mansion?” Nanny Xi turned around to looked sullenly at Old Madam.

“Is this poison?” Old Madam was taken aback.

“Madam of Duke Xing must have been poisoned with it. But Who buried it? Who put the poison in her food? This poison… has something to do with the palace!” Nanny Xi stared closely at Old Madam.

Although that matter back then had been resolved, and the murderer had been found. But the reappearance of this poison after so many years had alerted Nanny Xi.

Old Madam’s heartbeat quickened, and her expression changed drastically. Looking at the paper containing the poison and then at Nanny Xi, she gritted her teeth and said bitterly, “Please come with me!”

Madam of Duke Xing had already left, so she couldn’t ask her now even if she wanted to.

Shao Wanru took a glance at Shao Yanru and saw her lowering her head and covering her nose without saying a word. Shao Wanru’s eyes flashed with hatred.

As she had predicted, Shao Yanru would protect herself wisely and never take any additional risks for her mother.

This was originally within her calculations. She had to deal with them one after another. Now she would break off one of Madam of Duke Xing’s arms first, and she would then tie her feet.

It had been three years, and she had waited for three years. It was time to do it! Old Madam took them to the Chuntang Inst.i.tute where she lived. Before, she had asked the maids to carry Madam of Duke Xing here because she had found her actions very strange and wanted to ask her about it in person. Even if she didn’t want Nanny Xi and others to follow, she couldn’t say it now. Nanny Xi had just stated that the poison had something to do with the palace.

Therefore, even if that event had pa.s.sed for a long time, Old Madam must take it seriously. She only hoped that Madam of Duke Xing could be smart enough to disa.s.sociate Duke Xing’s Mansion from it.

Madam of Duke Xing had already woken up now and was resting in a wing-room. Hearing the sounds from the courtyard gate, she looked at the window and saw a crowd of people coming to her. When Old Madam shot a sharp and cold look at her, she immediately panicked.

Holding Nanny Sheng, who was also panicked and untenable, she tried to calm down and said, “Nanny Sheng, don’t worry. Your family will be treated well. I will find a decent job for your younger son, give your newly born grandson a golden longevity lock. Both of your sons will have a new house!”

“Madam!” Nanny Sheng knelt in panic, her face pale.

“You can rest a.s.sured, I will never go back on my word. If I break my promise, I will die miserably. But if you don’t do what I ask you to do… You should know that if something happens to me, your family… I’m afraid they won’t survive!” Madam of Duke Xing looked at Nanny Sheng coldly with threats in her eyes. At this moment, she couldn’t think of any other way.

“Madam…I…I…” Nanny Sheng burst into tears, panicked. She really regretted it now. She should never have brought that thing back and asked Madam of Duke Xing to take it. Now Madam wanted her to be a scapegoat, and she couldn’t refuse.

Her younger son was still young and had not married yet, but he was already engaged. She couldn’t help worrying about him. Her grandson had been born recently. He was so chubby and cute, and she wanted to earn more money for him. But now she had to agree with Madam’s plan.

If she rejected her, Madam would also pa.s.s the buck to her, and her family might lose their lives. Nanny Sheng couldn’t take the chance. She couldn’t risk her family’s lives. How dare she!

“Madam… I hope you will not forget what you said today!” Nanny Sheng said bitterly, wiping tears off her face.

She has no other choices this time.

“Don’t worry, I will never break my promise. Your younger son will follow An’er. He needs a smart henchman now!” Madam of Duke Xing promised her.

“Madam, I will do whatever you want me to do!”

“If you can frame Shao Wanru this time, I will not only give your children and grandchildren decent jobs, but I will also reward them with a huge sum of money. They will have nothing to worry about for the rest of their lives!”

Nanny Sheng shed tears again, but she wiped them away, stood up by the bed, and looked at the door.

Soon, the door was pushed open heavily. Old Madam stood at the door and looked at Madam of Duke Xing angrily. Madam of Duke Xing saw the chill in her eyes clearly.