"I don't know about that… As a servant, we cannot assume nor dare speak carelessly…" Sun Chu did not even bother looking at her as his hands roughly checking every corner of the bed.
"Then I'm just talking nonsense…" Su Jinxiu glanced at the dressing table at the side and turned to leave. However, at the moment she turned around, she met Old Zhou's eyes!
"Xiu'er?! Why are you here?!" Old Zhou frowned as she looked at Su Jinxiu with suspicion!
"Ugh… Nothing... Xiu'er was just here to check out the situation. Because I really wanted to know who killed Xiao Rou…" Su Jinxiu said with a sobbing tone. But before she could finish, she was cut off by Old Zhou.
"If you don't trust me, you can just tell the prince to let you search by yourself!" The Old Zhou's voice was calm, but his eyes were sharp like blade!
"Steward Zhou, what are you saying? You have a high status in the Xiao Manor, how can Xiu'er not trust you… Since you've said it like that, Xiu'er will leave…" Su Jin Xiu pursed her lips and spoke humbly with her eyes lowered. However, she didn't have the slightest intention to leave! She did not forget the incident at the woodshed where the Old Zhou took the blame for Qiu Yue! Originally, she wanted to leave, but since the Old Zhou had returned, she wouldn't!
Seeing that Su Jinxiu was not moving, Old Zhou did not bother with her anymore and stepped into the room!
"Sun Chu, where else haven't we searched?" He naturally did not wish to discover anything in this room. In his mind, the Wangfei would never do such a despicable thing! However, Su Jinxiu's sudden appearance made him uneasy!
"In reply to Steward Zhou, except for the dressing table, I've already searched everywhere!" Sun Chu opened his mouth and walked towards the dressing table!
"Then hurry!" Old Zhou said lightly, his eyes falling onto Su Jinxiu who was at the door! When Sun Chu opened the dressing table, he saw a white medicine bag faintly mixed with a pile of jewelry!
"Steward Zhou... This is... What is this?" Without much thought, Sun Chu took out the paper bag! Old Zhou was shocked when he heard this. He then stepped forward and took the paper bag from Sun Chu's hands. His heart suddenly skipped a beat!
Just as Housekeeper Zhou was hesitating, Su Jinxiu slowly walked out.
The entire hall was so silent and solemn that it caused people to feel chills in their hearts. Xiao Jinfeng's handsome face was still as cold as ice, and his gaze roamed between Duan Muyan, Qiu Yue, Feng Xue and Cui Xin from time to time! There was no doubt that in these four people someone were lying, and the one who lied was the one who poisoned his Xiao Rou!
At this moment, Su Jinxiu stepped into the main hall with Old Zhou and Sun Chu. Her eyes were filled with grief and hatred as they stared straight at Duan Muyan!
"Xiu'er?" Xiao Jin Feng suspiciously asked. Just as he was about to ask, Su Jinxiu knelt in front of him!
"Your Highness… Please seek justice for the mistress... seek justice for Xiao Rou...!" As she sobbed, her head slammed down heavily onto the ground!
Hearing her voice, Xiao Jinfeng's eyebrows furrowed.
"What happened? Have you found the medicine?! Whose room?" Xiao Jinfeng's sharp eyes snapped, fierce wave of killing intent emerged out as he coldly asked!
"In response to Your Highness... This package... was found in the Wangfei's room, and it was verified by the doctor… It is indeed the medicine believed to be ingested by Xiao Rou…" Although the Old Zhou didn't believe that Duan Muyan had done it, the truth was right in front of him, and he was powerless to refute it!
"It's the side concubine who caused the death of Xiao Rou! Mistress was already dead! Yet she didn't let Xiao Rou off! Your Highness… The side concubine was jealous... she did this to Xiao Rou! " Su Jinxiu suddenly raised her gaze. Her cold eyes carried a bit of crystal clear light that emitted undisguised hatred and killing intent!
"How dare you! Su Jinxiu! Why were you in the Wangfei's room?! It was indeed found in the Wangfei's' room, but it's hard to say if it wasn't someone framing her!" At the side, Old Zhou asked in a cold voice, his sharp eyes staring straight at Su Jinxiu!
"Steward Zhou?! I didn't expect you to be so biased towards the side concubine! Was it because she's a princess?! Was it because the Duke likes her?! From the beginning to end, Sun Chu had been in her room! Even if I wanted to, I have no chance! I admit that I hate the side concubine, but I am not so despicable!" Su Jinxiu had expected Old Zhou to say that, but without any evidence, who could refute her?!
"You! Sun Chu! Say it! What did Su Jinxiu do in Wangfei's room?!" Old Zhou firmly believed in his guess. This was not the first time Su Jinxiu had wronged the Wangfei!
At the side, Sun Chu was so scared that his face was ashen, and his entire body couldn't help but tremble!
"Replying to Steward Zhou... This servant hadn't noticed, he was busy searching the room as ordered, so he did not notice anything…" Sun Chu repeated, his forehead dripping with cold sweat. He was a coward, how could he bear such a question… But he really did not see anything!
In the main seat, Xiao Jinfeng's eyes were very cold, bone-piercingly cold. His gaze constantly examining the expressions of everyone in the main hall!
"Steward Zhou! What else do you have to say?! It was obvious you're protecting the killer of Xiao Rou! This servant didn't expect that when the mistress left the world, her maidservant would be maltreated...! How could everyone be so cold... How could not one pity this servant who just wants justice for her mistress... You Highness...!" Su Jinxiu cried until her voice was hoarse and tears fell from her eyes!
"Su Jinxiu! You're lying! The Wangfei didn't drug the rabbit... Wangfei did not…" Qiu Yue furiously roared in grief and indignation. She suddenly stood up and charged towards Su Jinxiu. Her hands were about to grasp Su Jinxiu's neck when Feng Xue and Cui Xin stopped her!
"How dare you!" Looking at the chaotic scene in front of him, Xiao Jinfeng suddenly slammed the table and stood up.
Everyone in the main hall quieted down. Duan Muyan looked at the farce in front of her. Just for a rabbit, and the entire Xiao Manor was already at a chaos!
"Yue'er... Let's go…" Duan Muyan slowly rose up as she calmly looked at Qiu Yue with her clear and unrippled eyes! Qiu Yue struggled to shake off Feng Xue and Cui Xin's restraints upon hearing her voice. Just as she was about to turn around and leave, she was stopped by Xiao Jinfeng!
"Stop right there! Duan Mu Yan! Don't you think you should give this Prince an explanation?!" Xiao Jinfeng's wrinkled forehead was dark, his eyes very cold as his hands clenched into fists. Duan Muyan's attitude seemed to pierce into his heart! This disregard was clearly challenging his authority!
Duan Muyan stopped when she heard the sound, and her body slowly turned towards Xiao Jinfeng!
"If Chenqie were to explain, would His Highness even bother to listen? His Highness had never listened to Chenqie before, why would he do now? Chenqie won't waste her and His Highness time for something useless!" Duan Muyan's calm as a lake gaze could see through all these tricks. She even suspected that everything Su Jinxiu did was with Xiao Jinfeng tacit approval! If he wanted to add to her crimes, he could just say them outright rather than making up such a ruckus like this!
"No matter what you say, the medicine was found in your room. Since you said you were so innocent, then it must be Qiu Yue! Someone! Drag Qiu Yue out and beat her 40 times!" The ice-cold voice seemed to have no leeway to turn around. Xiao Jinfeng spoke in a ruthless manner, his gaze directed straight at Duan Muyan! At this moment, Xiao Jinfeng didn't even know whether his anger and irritation were directed to Xiao Rou's death or to Duan Muyan's disregard!
Hearing these words, Qiu Yue suddenly closed her eyes and was pulled out of the main hall without any resistance or hesitation. She was angry and resentful of the world, but Qiu Yue knew in her heart that if she continued to pester the prince, then the one who would suffer would be her mistress!
"Xiao Jinfeng! This had nothing to do with Yue'er! You can't hit her! Forty big staves could take her life!" Her beautiful countenance was like a sheet of ice, as her eyes suddenly turned ice-cold, she glared furiously at Xiao Jinfeng!
"So what?! Xiao Rou is dead, someone must pay with her life!" Xiao Jinfeng raised his eyebrows and looked at Duan Muyan. His words seemed to contain a tinge of provocation in them!
"Xiao Jinfeng! How cruel you are! It was just a rabbit! Yue'er is a human life! You're treating human life as though it was nothing! Aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning?!" Duan Moyan seemed to be roaring as she opened her mouth to speak. Her clear eyes were sparkling and translucent due to her rage!
"Shut up! That's not a rabbit! It was Xiao Rou! It was a gift from this Prince to Shi Rou! Its life is so much more noble than yours! Duan Mu Yan! Don't think that just because this Prince doesn't punish you, you can be so arrogant! One must know! This is the General Xiao manor! Not the Imperial Palace!" Xiao Jinfeng couldn't tolerate anyone being disrespectful to Xiao Rou!
"If I am arrogant, then I can solemnly tell you this... No matter how weak I am, I am still a princess of the Imperial Family! You are just a prince with another surname! Thus, you can't touch my people! Furthermore, if I am arrogant, I will take out the three-foot-long dragon staff and will make those who dare to touch Yue'er pay double the price! However, Xiao Jinfeng… I know that in your heart, I am as lowly as an ant... But I don't care, because in my eyes and heart, you will never enter! And you are not worthy of my attention and emotion. So, I don't need to spare my feelings being arrogant with you!" Duan Muyan's clear eyes were so calm as she enunciated every word, her gaze was chillingly cold!
Outside the main hall, six servants had already pushed Qiu Yue onto the stage. Two of them used their staves to clamp her neck, while the other two held her waist! The remaining two raised their staves!
At this moment, Duan Muyan did not wait for Xiao Jin Feng to rebut her. She turned around and left the main hall, walking towards Qiu Yue. Without even a word, she bent down and stood side by side with Qiu Yue!
"Wangfei… How can you come here!" Qiu Yue looked at Duan Muyan in astonishment, and asked in disbelief!
"Go ahead, give out that forty beatings. Yue'er and I will suffer together…" The elegant voice was filled with an unquestionable decisiveness! On both sides, the servants looked at each other in alarm. At the same time, they looked at Xiao Jinfeng, who had just walked out from the main hall! Behind him, Su Jinxiu and the rest followed!
"No...! Wangfei…! It's Yue'er's fault. Yue'er is willing to be punished, quickly get up… Wangfei! Hurry and get up…!" Qiu Yue was so agitated that she wanted to push Duan Muyan away, but she was stopped in her tracks!
"Your Highness… This…" The servant looked at Xiao Jinfeng with a troubled expression, the stave in his hand was still unwilling to fall!
"Since someone is willing to be beaten up, then do it! Whoever is lenient will be punished immediately!" An ice-cold voice came out from Xiao Jinfeng's thin lips!
The servant obeyed the order and naturally did not dare to act leniently in front of their prince. The stave in his hand smashed onto Duan Muyan and Qiu Yue's bodies!
"Ugh…" Qiu Yue felt pain and frowned. When she looked over, she saw her mistress gritting her teeth. Her forehead was already covered in cold sweat, but she didn't let out a single groan!
"Esteemed Wangfei…" Qiu Yue's heart ached as she opened her mouth to cry!
"Yue'er… If it hurts, just scream... The pain would lessen if you scream it out…" Duan Muyan endured the waves of pain on her back as she tightly held onto Qiu Yue's trembling hand! Smiling, trying to give her some strength!
"No… If Wangfei can hold on… Yue'er can too…" Her choked voice carried a trace of perseverance. Qiu Yue clenched her fists and forcefully swallowed all the pain back into her stomach!