The Self-cultivation of a Salted Fish Concubine

Is it because she is too easygoing that everyone treats her like dirt?

The princess lowered her eyes and asked casually, "What did Manager Chen say?"

Madam Li: "Steward Chen insisted he knew nothing about this, but the mansion hasn't purchased any croton powder in the past few days. However, a servant saw Steward Chen hanging around the medicine shop while he was buying flower seedlings."

Princess: "So, the croton powder and poison may have entered the palace through his hands?"

Mother Li looked troubled. "He refused to admit it. He just said his waist hurt and asked the doctor for two plasters to apply."

The princess's eyes were cold. "If he refuses to confess, you go and interrogate him. If you can't find out, when the prince finds out, you and I will both be killed without a burial place!"

"Send someone to the pharmacy to inquire as well!"

Mother Li nodded repeatedly.

After a moment, the princess suddenly laughed, "Mother Li, don't you think this method of killing someone with a borrowed knife is quite familiar?"

Mother Li was stunned and immediately thought of someone.

"No way... Ning has been confined for life, and yet she still refuses to settle down?"

Princess: "Her son is the prince's only male heir, how could she possibly be content?"

She was also careless.

She thought that since Concubine Ning became Concubine Ning and was imprisoned for life, she would not cause trouble again.

Princess: "Starting with the people around Ning, we might get unexpected rewards."

Mother Li quickly said, "I'll go right away."

The princess asked again, "What did the imperial physician say was going on with Concubine Fang?"

Ting He had been paying attention to what was happening in Fang Yuaner's yard, and now he came forward to report.

Ting He: "My princess, several doctors came and they all said that it was due to severe morning sickness that damaged the stomach and caused the vomiting of blood."

The princess raised an eyebrow, "Didn't you get hit?"

Ting He shook her head. "The imperial physician couldn't find out what was wrong, but Concubine Fang insisted that she was murdered."

Seeing Ting He's frown, the princess knew she had something else to say, "Just say it if you have anything to say."

Ting He's tongue tasted bitter. "The imperial physician said that Concubine Fang's severe morning sickness is due to discord between mother and child. This symptom isn't a disease and can't be treated with medicine. If she continues to vomit for a few more days, it will threaten Concubine Fang's life."

"The imperial physician also said that if it comes to the last resort, I'm afraid only one of the mother and child can be saved."

Fang Yuaner is only three months pregnant now. To save the mother and the child, she has to have an abortion.

The princess gasped, "Is it that serious?"

Ting He nodded: "After hearing this, Concubine Fang was furious and refused to believe it. She just kept shouting that she was being harmed."

The princess pondered for a moment and said, "Let the prince make the decision on this matter."

She asked the eldest son again.

Another maid, Wangyue, stepped forward and said, "The eldest master's fever has subsided. He is taking medicine now. He will be fine after taking good care of himself for a while."

The princess breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally, something good happened.

Not long after, Mother Li actually found out a lot of things from Concubine Ning.

She quickly ran to Qingsong Courtyard, "Princess, Butler Chen was set up. He is innocent, and the real murderer is someone else!"

As he spoke, a tall and strong man was brought in, tied up.

The princess looked at him with a sullen gaze, "Have you found out?"

Mother Li wiped the sweat from her head and caught a glimpse of the stern man sitting in the main hall. Her whole body froze, as if nailed to the spot.

She stammered, "Your Majesty."

King Jing's eyes were dark, his emotions hard to discern. "What did you find out? Tell me, I'll listen too."

Mother Li looked at the princess stiffly.

The princess nodded slightly, looking calm.

"It will be reported to the prince sooner or later, so just tell us about it."

Mother Li thought about it quickly and made sure that no one said anything bad about her master, so she felt relieved.

Mother Li took a deep breath, unable to conceal her anger. "My Lord and Princess, I took people to Lanxiang Garden and found a man!"

King Jing said calmly, "Do you want to sue Concubine Ning for adultery?"

Mother Li was stunned for a moment and quickly shook her head, "That's not the case."

She hurriedly said, "When I saw this man, I felt he looked quite familiar. Later, after being reminded by someone, I realized that his figure was quite similar to that of Manager Chen!"

Seeing that no one interrupted, Mother Li continued.

"I had him taken to the pharmacy where Manager Chen went to identify him. The shop owner and the apprentice both recognized him and said he had been there the same day Manager Chen went! He even happened to buy some croton powder!"

The princess asked, "Didn't you buy poison?"

Mother Li paused, "Concubine Xie is poisoned, even the imperial physician couldn't diagnose it, and I'm afraid it's not available in pharmacies outside!"

In fact, this is also a big loophole.

Mrs. Ma insisted that it was the poison and croton powder given to her by Butler Chen that killed her.

But Butler Chen is just a greenhouse manager. Where did he buy such a powerful poison?

But if Butler Chen cannot clear his suspicion, even if he didn't make the medicine, he must have made it.

Fortunately, they started from Concubine Ning and found out the source of croton powder, which cleared the suspicion of Butler Chen and even got the princess out of the picture.

This can also be considered as a process of guessing the answer.

Mother Li continued, "The thief has admitted it. Twenty days ago, he was the one who sneaked into Linxuan Pavilion and met with Ma Pozi!"

"That packet of poison entered Linxuan Pavilion through his hands!"

This is why Mother Li was so excited.

With the man's confession, the princess can be cleared of suspicion.

After listening for a while, King Jing asked, "Are you saying that Ning was responsible for this?"

Not knowing who this question was being asked to, Mother Li didn't dare to speak casually.

The princess said slowly, "Everything in the palace should naturally be decided by the prince. Whoever the prince thinks is the one, that's who. The husband follows the wife, and I am no exception."

The princess was asking King Jing if he was willing to protect Concubine Ning for once.

If King Jing wants to protect him, this matter will end here.

If I don't protect her, I, the concubine, will be punished.

King Jing glanced at the princess meaningfully and said, "Men are responsible for external affairs, while women are responsible for internal affairs. I trust you, so everything in the backyard will naturally be handled by you."

This is what it means to ask the princess to handle the matter impartially.

The princess was quite embarrassed and asked directly, "If it is really Concubine Ning, how does Your Majesty think the punishment should be?"

King Jing's handsome face was filled with coldness, without a trace of tenderness.

"If you refuse to change after repeated admonitions, you shall be sentenced to death!"

The princess' heart trembled, but she still said, "The eldest son already knows about the matter. If we deal with it this way, I am afraid it will cause trouble and cause discord between the prince and the eldest son."

The princess also wanted her concubine to die.

But no matter how Concubine Ning died, it could not have anything to do with her.

She couldn't even mention it and had to persuade him.

King Jing's voice was slightly cold: "I will send someone to deal with it."

The princess pretended not to hear this and said, "Your Highness, would you like to go and see Concubine Xie? She's been terrified by what happened."

King Jing nodded, "It's time to go see her."