The Self-cultivation of a Salted Fish Concubine

King Jing sneered, "Well, well, well! First the kite's string snapped, then the dog got out of control, and now a maid has appeared and is trying to murder my heir."

King Jing: "I'd like to see what else you can find out!"

After a while, Jing Wu's men came in.

"Your Highness, that girl is Sang Cao, a second-class maidservant of Concubine Han. She has vomited everything."

King Jing's eyes were calm, "What did you say?"

Jing Wu lowered his head: "Sang Cao said that it was Xiao Shu, who was beside Concubine Xie, who instructed her to do it."

Xiao Shu, who was wholeheartedly protecting Xie Run, suddenly looked up and said, "She's talking nonsense!"

"When did I order her around?!"

Concubine Han also looked surprised and said slowly, "I also believe that Sister Xie would not harm me. Could it be that the girl is just making random accusations?"

As they were speaking, the guards had already brought Sang Cao up.

Her figure was clean, but her face looked a little listless, obviously due to torture.

As soon as Sangcao saw Xiaoshu, his eyes suddenly lit up and he struggled to run towards Xiaoshu.

"Sister Xiaoshu, save me!"

"I did what you said!"

"There were too many people at the time, and before I could push Concubine Han away, I was caught by Jing Wu."

"You said that if I pushed Concubine Han into the water, Master Xie would guarantee my family prosperity and wealth."

Xiao Shu said anxiously: "You are talking nonsense, when did I say these words to you?!"

Sangcao suddenly looked at Xiaoshu with eyes full of resentment, "Are you going to go back on your word?!"

"On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month at 12:00 PM, in the side room in your backyard, while your parents were guarding the door, you gave me fifty taels of silver and a filigree ruby bracelet!"

"You said that the lucky child that Concubine Han is carrying has stolen Master Xie's limelight, making Master Xie unhappy, and she wants to abort her child!"

"You clearly said these words to me yourself!"

Xiao Shu was so frightened that she didn't know how to tell the difference for a moment.

Because on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Concubine Xie specially asked her to go home to spend the Lantern Festival with her family, and she rested at home for one night.

At 5 o'clock, she and her parents were talking in private behind closed doors.

But there is no third witness to these things!

If I tell it out loud, won't I just fall into Sang Cao's trap?!

No matter which one it is, not only can he not defend himself, but he also falls into the trap of Sangcao's words everywhere.

After a while, someone came forward with fifty taels of silver and a filigree ruby bracelet.

"My Lord and Princess, this was found in the mulberry house."

Concubine Yun was surprised and said, "I seem to remember Sister Xie wearing this bracelet."

The princess said slowly: "You should be right."

"I gave this bracelet to Concubine Xie when she was pregnant."

Everyone's eyes fell on Xie Run and Xiao Shu.

The princess asked calmly, "Xiao Shu, where were you on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month at 5:00 pm? Who did you meet?"

Xiao Shu's face turned pale and she subconsciously looked at Xie Run.

She didn't dare to speak!

The moment the bracelet and silver were taken out, Xiao Shu knew that this was a trap carefully set for her.

If she said one wrong thing, she could be doomed.

If it was just my own fault, it would be fine, but if it implicated my master...

Concubine Han was clutching her handkerchief, looking extremely angry. "Xiao Shu, why don't you answer? What instructions are you waiting for by staring at your master?!"

"I originally didn't believe Sister Xie would harm anyone, but now seeing how hesitant Xiao Shu is, I think she's very suspicious!"

King Jing glanced at Xiao Shu coldly, his voice indifferent: "Speak!"

Just one word scared Xiao Shu so much that her legs went limp.

She knelt on the ground and said with difficulty, "I did go home that day. My mother and I had already gone to bed at 5 p.m. There was no one else there at the time! I didn't even see any mulberry grass!"

"Are there any witnesses?"

Sang Cao: "No... the elders in the family have all gone to bed."

Wan Linlang suddenly said leisurely: "The moon is dark and the wind is strong. It is a good time to plot."

"At this time, few people would notice who came in or who left the house."

The princess also asked, "This bracelet belongs to Concubine Xie. It wouldn't have ended up in Sang Cao's hands for no reason."

Xiao Shu said weakly, "I have never had any contact with anyone in Han Shiqie's courtyard. I have only met Sangcao once or twice. How could I dare to let her murder her own master?!"

"If she bites me back, I'll be courting death!!"

The princess pondered and said, "You do have some truth in what you said."

Sangcao quickly climbed forward, "Why don't you dare?!"

"There are many people on the Zhishui Boat, and if I just push Concubine Han during the chaos, who will be able to spot me?!"

"As long as this servant isn't found, Concubine Xie won't be implicated!"

King Jing's voice was cold and deep, "Why, did you know that the Zhishuifang would be in chaos?"

Sangcao seemed frightened and immediately lowered her head to confess, "I don't know, but I guessed it from Xiaoshu's words."

"She just told me to do it without worry, so I dared to guess that there would be chaos on the Zhishuifang today."

King Jing's eyes were deep and dark, and his gaze fell on Xie Run's face.

"Thank you, Concubine Shu, do you have anything to explain?"

Xie Run didn't even glance at them from beginning to end. He just listened to the two maids' argument, as if he was frightened, but also seemed calm and unhurried.

The princess also asked, "Thank you, Concubine Shu. I don't believe you would try to murder Concubine Han. Do you have anything to say?"

Xie Run was helped to stand up by Zihu and slowly bowed to King Jing and the Princess.

"I'm waiting for Sangcao to finish. If she says she's done, it won't be too late for me to explain everything one by one."

She lowered her eyes, and her calm yet kind gaze fell on Sangcao.

For some reason, Sangcao was frightened by her gaze.

The princess also asked, "Sangcao, do you have anything else to say? Or think carefully about what you said to see if there are any mistakes or omissions. If you change your words later, I'm afraid you will be punished."

Sang Cao affirmed, "All of this is my personal experience, so I can't be wrong, and there's no such thing as changing my story!"

Xie Run sighed softly, "That's all."

"Sangcao, you said you received the silver and bracelet in Xiaoshu's side room. I guess you and Xiaoshu stayed in the room to discuss it for quite a while?"

Sang Cao said cautiously, "I did stay for a while, but because the plot was about harming people, I was afraid. I hurried Xiao Shu along, and in less than half a cup of tea, we quietly left through the east corner gate."

Xie Run nodded and said softly, "You even know that Xiao Shu's house has an east corner gate. It seems that you have indeed been to her house."

Everyone was confused.

Didn't Concubine Xie's words further confirm her own guilt?

Then Xie Run asked again, "Xiao Shu, is there anything conspicuous in your side room?"

Xiao Shu looked up suddenly and immediately understood what her master meant.

She looked at Sangcao suddenly, "Sangcao, my brother used to live in the side room of our house. There was a very conspicuous object in the room. Do you remember what it was?"

Before Sangcao could speak, she cut her off, "This thing is very conspicuous. Anyone who has been to the side room will never forget it."

"Have you thought about how to respond?"

Sangcao lowered his head, his eyes rolling around, thinking frantically about how to answer.

She remembered that Xiaoshu's brother had joined the army, but was later injured on the battlefield and retired. He then found a martial arts school nearby and became a teacher.

A very conspicuous object?

impossible!

If it really was something conspicuous, I'm afraid people who had been to Xiao Shu's house would have spread the news long ago!

It is very likely that Xiao Shu is lying to her!

Sang Cao's heart hardened, and she decided to take a gamble. She said with certainty, "You are lying!"

“There is no such thing as a conspicuous object!”

"There's nothing hanging on the wall of your side room!"