03 Old Madame’s Restless

“Lan manor looks to be very bustling!” Lan You Nian asked Zhang Lin. Most of the time, Zhang Lin knew more about what’s going on in Lan manor than Lan Wu and Lan Qu. Recently one couldn’t find Lan Wu’s shadow. Lan You Nian didn’t have to guess to know she must have been dragged off by An Yi.

Zhan Lin stood tall, this posture was respect towards Lan You Nian.

“Answering young miss, Old Madame invited many ministerial madames and young ladies for tea at Lan manor!” Zhang Lin answered. Young miss once instructed him to pay more attention to the happenings in Lan manor, so he was well aware of these trivial matters.

“Young miss, it looks like there’s something wrong with Old Madame?” Lan Qu poured tea her young miss as she casually asked. With Old Madame’s schemes, she wasn’t an opponent for young miss. Even if there’s someone behind Old Madame, it’d still to no avail. Young miss intended to let Old Madame go yet this Old Madame was still unsatisfied.

“Young miss, I heard Consort Tao will be coming to Lan manor. I heard Consort Tao and Old Madame has much affinity, so His Majesty specially allowed Consort Tao to leave the palace to come to Lan manor!” Zhang Lin continued to tell things to the young miss. He knew young miss was hostile towards this Consort Tao.

Lan You Nian stroked the teacup in her hand, “It looks like it’ll be eventful today!” This Consort Tao was really everywhere. What was annoying was that they couldn’t find anything about Consort Tao’s true ident.i.ty. Maybe today was a good opportunity to feel out this Consort Tao.

With Lan You Nian’s words, Hua Mu Qing entered You Nian Pavilion. Seeing Lan You Nian, a smile bloomed on her face, “Nian’er, you’re the most leisurely. I couldn’t stand those women’s chatter any longer!”

“You are now Lan manor’s matriarch. If you aren’t tired, who should be tired?” Lan You Nian giggled, getting up and walked over to Hua Mu Qing, “You’re here to take me to the garden?”

Hua Mu Qing looked at Lan You Nian in shock, “Though I know you’re smart, but can’t you not be so smart? I haven’t told you the reason and you already guessed it. Who knows what’s going on in Old Madame’s brain, saying you must come to the garden to admire the flowers with the madames and young ladies. Nian’er, you must be careful. This Consort Tao is here too!”

“I know. Sister Mu Qing, you be careful as well!” Lan You Nian said and the two headed for Lan manor’s gardens. Actually, the scenery of Lan manor’s garden wasn’t as beautiful as the scenery in Lan You Nian’s You Nian Pavilion but ordinary people didn’t dare to go to You Nian Pavilion. Those guards standing at the gates weren’t for play.

When Lan You Nian arrived at the garden, she still the garden was filled with many madames and young ladies as well as Consort Tao and Old Madame sitting up top. Seeing Old Madame and Consort Tao, they truly have an affinity. When the two saw Lan You Nian entering the garden, their eyes flashed.

Faint wispy brows, as if displeased, as if overjoyed as it held emotions, a small delicate and pretty nose, a naturally red cherry lips, skin like fat, cheeks like pink dawn, a willowy waist, standing there gracefully beside the carved wooden fence of the flower pavilion. Under the brilliant suns.h.i.+ne, Lan You Nian’s beauty that could overthrow countries was emerged as if an illusion.

“Consort Tao, Old Madame!” Lan You Nian curtsied, making the crowd return to their senses. Lan You Nian’s beauty was indeed a huge shock to them. Even if many of them have seen LAn You Nian, every time they see her, they will always marvel after her exquisite face.

“Old Madame is truly blessed to have a celestial fairy-like granddaughter. This continent’s first beauty, I’m afraid only Lan manor’s eldest young miss can shoulder it!” A ministeral madame praised. The other madames followed in agreement. Lan You Nian was not only Lan manor’s legitimate daughter but the future Princess Consort Ming. With the strength of Prince Ming’s adoration for her, those who had eyes won’t easily provoke Lan You Nian.

Old Madame’s lips were a little stiff as she smiled and gestured to Lan You Nian, “Nian’er girl, come, sit by grandmother!” Those who weren’t aware would think were very good family but don’t know that both people had their own calculations.

Lan You Nian smiled gently and took small steps to Old Madame’s side and sat just below the Old Madame. Looking at Old Madame, her eyes flashed with an inexplicable smile. That smile made Old Madame afraid but thinking of Consort Tao sitting beside her, Old Madame straightened her body.

Hua Mu Qing sat under Lan You Nian, eying Old Madame and Consort Tao from time to time, afraid these two old demons will do something harmful to Lan You Nian. She wasn’t only Lan You Nian’s sister-in-law, she was also her older sister.

Everything seemed normal. Everyone seemed to be in a good mood. The madames and young ladies would chat about clothes and accessories and such things. Lan You Nian only smiled as she sat there and muttering a sound in agreement from time to time. Her etiquette was entirely correct that none of the madames could pick out a mistake. If Prince Ming hasn’t settled on her, they really wanted to have their own sons come ask for marriage. A woman with good looks and temperament wasn’t common.

But at this time, Old Madame who was sitting above suddenly spat out black blood. This time, she frightened everyone who was unsure what to do. They all shouted for a doctor while Old Madame pointed at Lan You Nian, trembling as she said, “You…it’s you…you b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”

With this, the Old Madame fainted but Old Madame’s previous words were intriguing. The madames and young ladies didn’t know what to do. They could only find a doctor to come while the manservant has already informed General Lan.

“Based on Old Madame’s symptions, she has been poisoned. Before Old Madame pa.s.sed out, she pointed at eldest young miss. In order to understand whether there’s a misunderstanding, Lan manor’s eldest miss shouldn’t leave!” Consort Tao stood up saying and shot a look at the eunuch beside her. The eunuch got it and immediately left the garden.

Lan You Nian’s expression remained unchanged as she looked at Consort Tao and soothed Hua Mu Qing who was enraged. Then, without any hurry, she said, “Is Consort Tao so certain this young miss is the one who placed the poison? Isn’t this unfair to this young miss? This young miss is more worried than anyone that Old Madame is poisoned. Everyone in the gardens is suspect. What does Consort Tao think?”

“Lan eldest miss is right. How about everyone stay here and don’t move. Let’s wait for the physician to come and wait for the truth!” Consort Tao came to Lan You Nian’s side and pat Lan You Nian’s shoulder, “This Consort was frightened. Lan eldest miss was correct. Please ask Lan eldest miss to forgive this consort!”

Lan You Nian pulled away Consort Tao’s hand and smiled, “Consort Tao is the head of the four consorts. To say so without any evidence and start to slander, it really goes against the virtues of a consort. It’s well if Old Madame ends up being fine, but if something happens to Old Madame, does Consort Tao want this humble girl to shoulder this unclear injustice?”

Consort Tao didn’t expect Lan You Nian to be so aggressive even now. Cleary she was the one in the right yet looking at Lan You Nian, it appears she is in the wrong. Consort Tao was a little angered. Looking at Lan You Nian, she said, “This consort hasn’t wronged Lan eldest miss. Lan eldest miss knows that after Old Madame was poisoned, she pointed at no one but Lan eldest miss!”

“The physician hasn’t come yet Consort Tao is in a hurry to place the blame on this girl. Those who don’t know will think Consort Tao wishes it was this girl who has committed the crime.” Lan You Nian stood there saying. She finally knew what Old Madame and Consort Tao wanted to know. She had to say they really took great pains in order to frame her.

Consort Tao wanted to refute but at this time Lan Jian Jun already returned while Prince Ming, the Crown Prince as well as Tutor He has come to Lan manor. Everyone was surprised. It’s unknown how many years since Tutor He has stepped foot into Lan manor but now he has entered Lan manor, they all knew Tutor He was most likely here for Lan You Nian.

They all guessed correctly. At the time, they were all in the palace dealing with matters when Lan manor sent people to say something has occurred in the manor. Lan Jian Jun them immediately came to Lan manor. When Tutor He heard this, he feared his maternal granddaughter will suffer greivances and followed.

“Imperial physician, check what’s wrong with Old Madame” Lan Jian Jun said to the imperial doctor. No matter what, the correct thing to do was to first save the Old Madame.

The Imperial physician examined for a while under everyone’s gaze and then helped Old Madame to some medicine. After a moment, the imperial doctor said, “Old Madame was only poisoned. But fortunately, the poison isn’t deep and has been discovered early. As long as she eats a few more medicine, the Old Madame should be fine!”

“She really has been poisoned!” Consort Tao looked at Lan You Nian, “Before Old Madame fainted, she testified that it was Lan eldest miss who did it. As Old Madame was chatting with this consort, she once said Lan eldest miss doesn’t like Old Madame. I wonder if this poison was placed by Lan eldest miss. This is Lan eldest miss’s familial paternal grandmother!”

“Consort Tao must have evidence to your words. Doesn’t Consort Tao know that misfortune comes from the mouth?” This woman really can find trouble for Nian’er. A few days ago, she looked for trouble with Feng Xia Qi and now she came to Lan manor. It was really annoying.

“Consort Tao, this old man respects you as a consort but to a matter that has no proof, I ask the consort to be careful with your words. Otherwise, this old man will risk his life to to the court return justice to this one’s granddaughter!” Tutor He looked at Consort Tao, his gaze filled with an elderly wiseness.

“The matters of this general’s manor, this general doesn’t know when Consort Tao knew more than this general. Old Madame and Nian’er has always had a good relations.h.i.+p. If their relations.h.i.+p wasn’t good, why would Old Madame have Nian’er come over to admire the flowers? If Consort Tao does not care for reason and to slander this general’s daughter, are you bullying that my Lan manor has no one?” Lan Jian Jun said, looking at Consort Tao.

With so many people crowding out Consort Tao, the madames and young ladies naturally won’t take the initiative to say something. And Consort Tao was forced into tears by everyone’s words. At this time, no one expected Emperor Feng Xuan to come to Lan manor.

When Feng Xuan heard the whole story, he was a little suspicious. Though he hasn’t had much interaction with Lan You Nian this girl, he knew this girl to have a straightforward personality. She wouldn’t do such a thing nor would she choose such a time to do it.

“Your Majesty, since the imperial doctor said the Old Madame is poisoned, then how about we inspect Lan eldest miss’s body to see if she carries some poison. This way we can return justice to Lan eldest miss!” Consort Tao said very virtuously, feeling very smug inside as if she can already seen Lan You Nian being spurned by others.

Feng Yi Xuan shot a look at Consort Tao. There was nothing in that gaze but because there was nothing, it was frightening. Lan You Nian stood by Feng Yi Xuan saying, “Consort Tao’s method is a good idea, but if you’re set on this girl, it’s unfair. How about everyone gets inspected? If this young miss didn’t poison the Old Madame, perhaps the one who did is still by us?”

Though no one wanted to be inspected for no reason at all, they knew anyone who was in the garden couldn’t evade the matter. Besides, His Majesty was present so who dared to protest?

The first to be inspected was Lan You Nian. The one to inspect her was an old mama of the palace. After inspecting Lan You Nian carefully, the mama replied, “Answering Your Majesty, Lan eldest miss has nothing on her. There is no poison.”

“What?” Consort Tao asked in disbelief then remembering her sudden exclaimation will cause people to suspect, she hastily changed her tone, “This is good. This means Lan eldest miss is innocent. It looks like this matter has nothing to do with Lan eldest miss!”

Up next was the madames and young ladies in the garden but after inspecting around, there wasn’t any discoveries.

“It’s really strange. The Imperial Doctor clearly said the poison was placed presently. How come we haven’t found the person? Could it be the person has run?” Yue Bai Lian glanced at Hua Mu Qing, pondering in confusion.

Hua Mu Qing saw Yue Bai Lian’s look and suddenly exclaimed, “Hasn’t Consort Tao not been inspected?”

Upon hearing this, it did seem like Consort Tao was the only one not to have been inspected so everyone looked at Consort Tao. For some reason, Consort Tao felt panick and looked at Hua Mu Qing, “Does Lan madame suspect this consort. Why would this consort do such a thing?” Consort Tao wanted to lean into Emperor Feng Xuan as if she suffered a great greivance.

But this time Emperor Feng Xuan didn’t s.h.i.+eld her. After all, with so many eyes watching, the one who asked to inspect was Consort Tao herself, Feng Xuan only stood there without saying a word watching as things progressed.

“Consort Tao’s words are strange. Everyone has accepted to being inspected, why is Consort Tao unwilling? Or do you have a guilty conscience? That’s right, from the start, Consort Toao has slandered little sister Nian’er. Now that little sister Nian’er is innocent, Consort Tao isn’t willing to prove her innocence. This…” Yue Bai Lian stood beside Feng Xia Qi as she smiled. Yue Bai Lian’s tone of voice was practically the same as Feng Xia Qi, as it carried an aggressive tone.

“Alright, this consort will accept inspection!” Consort Tao, thought though there wasn’t anything found on Lan You Nian, nothing could be found on her either.

The two mama came up to inspect Consort Tao but in a moment, the two mama’s face became ugly. They wanted to say but thinking this Consort Tao was the Emperor’s most beloved conosrt, if they offended her, they didn’t know if they can live.

“Why won’t the two mamas speak? What have you found? Imperial Father is here today. If you dare lie, it’s the crime of blasphemy to the Emperor!” Feng Xia Qi stood there smiling and looked at his Imperial Father. My Imperial Father, this time, will you still protect her woman?

“Speak!” Feng Yi xuan’s low voice carried a suppression and two mama immediately knelt on the ground, “Answering Your Majesty, the poison is hidden on Consort Tao’s hairpin!”

With these words, everyone looked at Consort Tao with suspicion. So it turns out it was the thief calling to catch the thief? Many madames and young ladies were dissatisfied with Consort Tao, thinking that Consort Tao’s family heritage was merely of merchant background and didn’t regard her too highly.

“I…” Consort Tao’s tears blurred her vision as she looked at Feng Xuan, “Your Majesty, I didn’t. What’s the benefit of me poisoning Old Madame? Old Madame treats me so well, how could I do such a thing?”

Feng Xuan was a little suspicious but seeing Consort Tao’s face that was so like the already dead Jing s.h.i.+ fill with tears, Feng Xuan couldn’t bear it, thinking that Consort Tao didn’t have a reason to do so.

“What about the poison on your hairpin?” Feng Xuan asked patiently. This was to clear the crime of poisoning for Consort Tao.

“I don’t know?” Consort Tao carefully looked at Feng Xia Qi as if she was afraid.

Seeing Consort Tao like this, it made Feng Xuan remember, perhaps Consort Tao might be framed and most likely the one to frame her was his fourth son. His fourth son’s means and schemes was amongst the best. A few days ago, didn’t he send a.s.sa.s.sins to kill Consort Tao? Was his fourth son unwilling and wanted to kill Consort Tao?

Feng Xia Qi saw Feng Xuan and Consort Tao’s expressions. The others saw it too but they had no feelings.

“Find out what exactly happened! Not only daring to poison Lan manor’s Old Madame but dared to frame Consort Tao!” Feng Xuan said to the guard and left with Consort Tao which meant this was the end of the matter.

After the madames and young ladies have left, Lan You Nian went over to the Old Madame laying there, “Tsk, why are you so disobedient?” Lan You Nian’s voice was soft as cotton. Entering the years, it exuded a coldness like the winter’s ice that was shaped into a thin and stunning blade that lightly slashed the neck, giving a sharp pain from tearing apart the arteries, frightening the Old Madame who pretended to be unconscious awake.

“You, what do you want to do?” Old Madame asked fearfully and looked towards Lan Jian Jun for help but Lan Jian Jun was completely hurt by Old Madame’s actions.

“Lan Qu, from now on, Lan manor’s Old Madame has become insane. Make sure to have people watch over her!” With Lan You Nian’s words, she had Lan Qu them feed Old Madame a poison which would make her insane. Since then, everyone knew Lan manor’s old madame has become crazy, triggered by the poison that day. More people tossed this at Consort Tao, believing this was all done by Consort Tao.