The abandoned concubine who transmigrated woke up shouting "Long live the widow!"

"What's all the noise about?" Ye Muchen came out of the study.

Upon seeing the prince in his black brocade robe, Wang Ma fainted. Feng Cuier, who was beside her, couldn't support her and the two of them fell to the ground.

"Wang Ma, Wang Ma, wake up! What's wrong with you?" Feng Cuier cried out.

Ye Muchen stood two steps away from them and asked coldly, "Don't you know what's wrong with her?"

Feng Cuier looked up at Ye Muchen's cold and stern face, and was so frightened that she stammered, "I, I, I don't know!"

Gao Chi said angrily, "You're still pretending? Your food is poisoned!"

Feng Cuier shook her head repeatedly, "There's no poison. Besides, the prince was fine after eating it that day!"

How do you know I am unharmed?

"Me? Me? I didn't poison her!" Feng Cuier couldn't care less about Wang Ma at this point and tried her best to defend herself.

"You know best what's in your food. I won't force a confession. The coroner from the Dali Temple will examine it thoroughly. Gao Chi, go report to the authorities!"

Upon hearing that the authorities were to be notified, Feng Cuier was so frightened that she immediately knelt on the ground and begged for mercy, "Your Highness, Your Highness, please don't report it to the authorities! It wasn't me who did it! It was all Wang Ma who instigated me!"

Although he had basically confirmed that it was Feng Cuier, Ye Muchen was still furious when he heard her say it herself. How blind he must have been to mistake a village girl for someone else.

Suppressing his anger, Ye Muchen sat down in the chair. "Tell me the truth!"

His voice was deep and powerful, as if it burst forth from the depths of his chest, carrying an irresistible majesty and a sense of oppression.

Terrified, Feng Cuier trembled. "Your Highness, please calm down. It was this Wang Ma who told me to try to become Your Highness's concubine so that I could stay in the palace. She said that if I had Your Highness's child, my status would rise. I was confused and was bewitched by her."

"She also said that the steward arranged for me to stay in Meilan Garden because the prince valued me. I should seize the opportunity to get closer to the prince, and that we will eventually fall in love! She also taught me how to cook to please the prince, and she was the one who sent the servants in the courtyard to keep an eye on the prince's whereabouts."

Gao Chi, who was standing to the side, felt even more disgusted with Feng Cuier as she tried to absolve herself of all blame, but he did not interrupt.

Ye Muchen had the same thought: "What kind of medicine did you put in my food? Where did it come from?"

"I don't know what kind of medicine it is. It was given to me by a good friend of mine. She said that the medicine is harmless to the body, but you like my cooking after taking it. She also said that this is how the concubines in her household rose to their positions."

Ye Muchen slammed his hand on the table. "Get to the point! Don't beat around the bush. Who is your friend? Which household does he/she belong to? What's his/her name?"

Feng Cuier knelt on the ground, trembling as she said, "It was Xiangguo, a second-class maid from the Second Prince's residence, who gave me the medicine!"

"Hmph! How dare you! Do you even know what kind of medicine that is? You're so shameless! You're trying to shirk all responsibility. That's poison! If it weren't for the Princess, who knows what would have happened to the Prince? You truly deserve to die!" Gao Chi couldn't hold back any longer and shouted.

"No! No! It must be the princess who said that on purpose. Wang Ma said that this is a common medicine in aristocratic families, how could it be poison?" Feng Cuier hurriedly defended herself.

Gao Chi stepped forward to kick Feng Cuier, but was stopped by Ye Muchen's gaze.

Enraged, Gao Chi pointed at Feng Cuier and yelled, "You're an idiot! How dare you frame the Princess? You're a disgrace to Feng Yi. How could he have a sister like you?"

Mentioning Feng Yi, Feng Cuier squeezed out a few tears, "My brother lost his life to save the prince. I was homeless and came here to seek refuge. The prince himself arranged for an old woman to serve me. How could a country girl like me know there are so many bad people in the capital! My life is so miserable! Brother, please look! Look how badly your sister has been bullied! Waaah..."

"You say your medicine is non-toxic, and I believe you. Take out the rest of the medicine. If it is non-toxic, I will spare you!" Ye Muchen said.

"Your Highness..." Gao Chi called out anxiously, afraid that the prince would soften his heart again, but Ye Muchen raised his hand to stop him from continuing.

"Your Highness, there's no more. I only received two packets of fragrant fruit!" Feng Cuier said, choking back tears.

Ye Muchen glanced coldly at Feng Cuier and called out, "Secret Guards!"

A man in black pushed open the door and entered, bowing respectfully as he said, "Your Highness, I have searched the Plum Blossom Garden, but found no medicine!"

"Okay! You may leave now!"

"Gao Chi," Ye Muchen said, gesturing towards Gao Chi.

Gao Chi stepped forward and grabbed Feng Cuier, then pressed her pressure points with his other hand. Instantly, Feng Cuier could not move any part of her body except her eyes.

"Go and call in Wu Niangzi, who's cooking, and search her!"

"Yes!"

A short while later, Gao Chi brought in Wu Niangzi, who turned out to be the cook Jingxue had treated for her appendicitis last time.

Wu Niangzi and the other servants were in the courtyard next door. When she came in, she obviously already knew why the prince had summoned her. After bowing, she began to search Feng Cuier's body.

She found half a packet of medicine in Feng Cuier's sleeve and handed it to Gao Chi. Gao Chi waved his hand, and Madam Wu left.

Ye Muchen did not allow Gao Chi to release Feng Cuier's pressure points. "Take men and send them to the Dali Temple to file a case. Also take the gardener and servant from Meilan Garden with you."

"Yes!" Gao Chi replied, carrying Feng Cuier in one hand and the unconscious Wang Ma in the other, and left.

Ye Muchen sat for a while, then sent someone to summon the steward.

The steward already knew that Feng Cuier was taken away because she had drugged the prince. He was the one who had initially placed Feng Cuier in Meilan Garden, and now he was also feeling very uneasy.

"Your Highness, what are your orders?" The steward bowed.

Ye Muchen looked at him but did not speak immediately. The butler did not dare to withdraw his hand when he did not receive a response from Ye Muchen. He remained in the bowing posture as if he had been paralyzed.

"You've been in the Prince's residence for over three years now, and I think you've handled things fairly well. But why are you being so presumptuous? Even Gao Chi thinks it's inappropriate to place Feng Cuier in the Plum Blossom Garden. I'd like to ask you what you're thinking?"

Sweat beaded on the steward's forehead. He knelt down with a thud, bowing deeply. "Your Highness, it was my fault for meddling. I noticed that Your Highness values ​​Miss Feng highly, while our household only has the Princess Consort. I just thought that if Your Highness is interested in Miss Feng, you could simply take her as a concubine. After all, this isn't a big deal in a noble family. I just don't know if Miss Feng..."

Ye Muchen didn't want to waste words with him. "Don't try to be clever and presume to guess what the master is thinking. Just do your job. If you can't manage the affairs of the palace, there are plenty of people who can. This is a one-time exception! Get out!"

"Yes, Your Highness, please calm down!" The steward said, then got up and left in a disheveled state.